I r ir'i ' i i r ^ l l ' wiMt l i tfViJIfifi " l iT l liili r Bi l iii 'i i T ii^ T i " ii '
J
VHilliam Bascom, Dirertor
Museum of Anthropcogy
University of California
Berkeley 4, California
r
\
\^G
I-
■IvJrT
<f8^^^
0^
t
ky
V^
/-L^. /
/(jr^
^l'
VOCABULARY
OI' THK
Y GRUB A LANGUAGE,
COMPILED BY TIIK
REV. SAMUEL CROWTHER,
NATIVE MISSIOXARY OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
TOGETHER WITH
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,
BY Til ft. ,
REV. 0. E. VIDAL, M. A.
IJISHOP DESIGNATE OF .SIERRA l.EONE.
SEELEYS, FLEET STREET,
AND HANOVER STREET, HANOVER SQUARE, LONDON.
1852.
UCRC
pi
ADVERTISEMENT.
The Yoruba Country, lying between the 2° and 6° W.
long, and 6° and 10° N. lat., and due north of the Bight
of Benin, has been, for more than a quarter of a century,
the chief seat of the African slave-trade. Many Negroes,
and, amongst them, Mr. Crowther, now a Clergyman of
the Church of England, the compiler of the following
work, were re-captured from Brazilian slavers by the
cruisers of the British squadron, and landed at Sierra
Leone, where they received a Christian education in the
schools of the Church Missionary Society. No less than
3000 of these involuntary emigrants have since returned
to the land of their birth ; and it has also pleased God
to bless the labours of the Society's Missionaries in the
chief town, Abbeokuta, to the establishment of a flourish-
ing Mission amongst the Aborigines, commenced August
3, 1846, and now numbering several hundred converts.
A Christian literature became at once a desideratum
for this rising Christian community. This want Mr.
Crowther is at present supplying. A Yoruba Primer,
the Gospel according to St. Luke, the Acts of the Apo-
stles, St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, the Epistles of St.
James and St. Peter, and selections of the Book of Com-
( iv )
nioii Prayer, embracing all the more important parts of
it, except the Psalms, Epistles, and Gospels, are already
published, and may, most of them, be obtained at the
Society's House. A new and improved edition of Mr.
-Crow tiler's Yoruba Grammar is now in the press, havinsj
just received his revision and corrections. And it is
hoped that the present work, containing near 3000
vocables, may do much toward settling a rich and eupho-
nous language, spoken, probably, by 3,000,000 of the Afri-
can race, but till within the last ten years never re-
duced to writing. The materials were collected by Mr.
Crowther since his return to his native land, and the pro-
verbial and idiomatic sayings interspersed throughout the
book were taken down by him from the lips of his coun-
trymen in the course of common conversation. They are
here introduced to illustrate the genius of the language ;
but they are no less valuable ethnologically, as elucida-
ting many of the characteristics of the national mind of
this very interesting people.
We refer the reader to the valuable details on both
these points contained in the very able article with which
this work is enriched, from the pen of one of the best liv-
ing scholars in African languages — the Bishop Designate
of Sierra Leone, whose first act upon entering on his new
see will be thus associated with a measure for the dif-
fusion amongst the Yorubans, in their own tongue, of that
Sacred Word which will be at once the standard and the
subject of all his ministrations among them.
The system of phonography employed in the Vocabu-
( V )
lary — which also contains the analysis or derivation of
each several word — is that adopted by this Society in its
" Rules for reducing unwritten languages to alphabetical
writing in Roman characters, with reference especially to
the languages spoken in Africa," appended to the Church
Missionary Report for 1848-49, in which '^ it has not been
attempted to form a perfect phonetic system, but one
which practical experience suggests as the most expe-
dient under all the circumstances of the case." A sum-
mary of it, as far as it bears on the present subject, will
be found at p. (40).
The work is now sent forth with the prayerful hope
that it may do much, in God's hand, towards facilitating
the progress of the Gospel in a land which has peculiar
claims on the efforts and sympathies of England.
Church Missionary House,
April 12, 1852.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
ON TIU-;
YORUBA LAjNGUAGE,
BY TFIE
REV. O. E. VI DAL, M.A.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
It is with much diffidence that I venture to lay before
the public the following scanty remarks on the distin-
guishing peculiarities of the Yoruba language. My
design has been, to illustrate a few of its leading fea-
tures, in the hope of aw'akening an interest in the
subject, and of giving a stimulus to further investigation.
The full appreciation of the character and genius of a
language demands a longer and more familiar acquaint-
ance with it than has yet fallen to the lot of Europeans
in the case of the Yoruba. And where the analogies wdth
kindred or cognate dialects are as yet undiscovered, this
difficulty is incomparably greater than it is where those
analogies are traceable. In taking up, for example,
such a language as the Sicuana, supposing the learner to
have formed a previous acquaintance with the Kafir, the
analogous system of prefixes strikes him at the very first
entrance on his studies, and suggests inquiries as to fur-
ther analogies, which approve themselves to his mind as
probable; so that he does not pursue his researches at
random. But the very reverse of this is the case where
such analogies are w^anting : there he is, as it were, feel-
ing his way in the dark, without the advantage of know-
ing even what to seek for. Such is the difficulty wdiich
we have to encounter in the study of the Yoruba. How^-
ever beautiful or perfect its vocabulary or construction
may be, we are left to feel after its perfections, and to
light upon them one by one, as if by chance, from the
want of those known affinities with other tongues which
should be the clue to guide us through the labyrinth.
( 2 )
Failing, however, those analogies vvliich would enable us
to connect the Yoruba with its kindred dialects, and so,
by direct inference, to lay down its position amongst the
languages of Africa, we may still, from the very want
of those analogies, come at a negative conclusion, and
exclude it from one and another of those ethnological
families whose characteristic features are prominent and
defined, and so perhaps eventually, after a series of ex-
clusions, arrive at a satisfactory result, from which there
will be no escaping. But at present our knowledge of
African philology is so scanty, that it were utterly im-
possible to continue our negative process so far. The
utmost that I can attempt in the remarks I now have to
offer is to lay the foundation of this series of exclusions,
thus marking out one or two of the grand families of the
Hamitic stock, to which the Yoruba cannot be referred,
and in this manner limiting to some extent the area over
which we must search for its affinities.
The first peculiarity of the Yoruba language to which
I shall refer, is, the complete and regular system of pre-
fixes by which substantives are formed. This is a pro-
minent feature in the language, and renders it susceptible
of increase to an indefinite extent. The original idea
contained in the simple verb may be modified in a
variety of ways, and carried through numerous relations,
without periphrasis, by the mere addition of prefixes, in
such a regular system that it is scarcely possible to mis-
take the meaning of the compound.
1. We have first the radical word, expressing the sim-
ple idea of acting or suffering ; as se, " do ;" fe, " love ;"
MO, " know ;" lo, "go."
2. The idea contained in this radical word assumes a
substantive form, in which it expresses abstractedly the
action denoted by the verb, by taking the prefix ?;
( 3 )
thus, isE, " the action or act of doing ;" ife, " the act of
loving, love ;" mo, " the act of knowing, knowledge ;"
iLo, " the act of going."
3. The action denoted by the verb cannot be always
regarded in the abstract : it comes before us also in the
concrete, when it becomes more definite, as possessing
particular relations, so that the general idea is very much
limited. To express this limitation, the prefix a is
used ; as aye, " a state of living ;" afe, '^ a state of lov-
ing," ALO, " a going." These words apply to particular
agents at particular times, generally implying that the
acts they describe may come to an end ; and tbey cannot
be used convertibly with iye, ife, ilo, which denote life,
love, going, in the abstract. Perhaps the distinction
might be stated thus, that i denotes the act, a the fact,
expressed in the verb.
4. The prefix ati describes the same action as in-
tended or commencing, and may be called the inchoative
prefix. Thus, ATIL9, " the act of going," atife, " the
act of loving," considered as not yet in exercise.
5. The abstract idea of the action expressed in the verb
may be negatived, or converted into its opposite, by the
prefixing of a to the abstract prefix i. Thus, aimo, " un-
knowing, ignorance/' aigbon, " want of wisdom," aigbo,
" unbelief."
To describe the agent of the action contained in the
verb the following modes of formation are observed.
G. The prefix a; as apejja, "a fisherman," from
pejja, " a fish," AKONRiN, ^' a singer," from konrix, " to
sing.
7. The reduplication of the verb, as pejjapejja, " a
fisherman," konrinkonrin, " a singer."
8. From the noun again is formed a verb of posses-
sion, by prefixing the verb Nf, "to have," which, before
( 4 )
nouns beginning with a, e, o, is changed into li, and
drops its vowel ; thus we find, from idajo, "judgment,
or the act of judging," nidajo, " to possess, or be in, the
act of judging;" from almo, "ignorance," LAIM9, "to
possess ignorance ;" from ese, " sin," lese, " to possess
sin ;" from owo, " money," lowo, " to possess money."
9. And hence nouns of possession are formed by pre-
fixing a vowel to this verb, which varies according to a
determinate rule. Where the form ni is retained, the
prefixed vowel is : in the other cases it is the same as
the initial vowel of the noun which denotes the thing
possessed ; thus, onidajo, " one who judges ;" alaimo,
" one who is ignorant;" elese, " one who has sin ;" olowo,
"one who possesses money;" olorun, "one who pos-
sesses, or is in, heaven."
The following list of derivatives from se will throw
more light u])on the above-described formation of nouns.
SE, " sin," the original idea of the verb.
ESE, " sin," the noun, an irregular formation.
LESE, " to have sin," verb of possession.
EL^sE, " one who has sin," noun of possession.
iLESE, " the act of having sin."
ailese, " the not having sin."
LAiLESE, " to possess frcedom from having sin."
ALAiLESE, " one who possesses freedom from having sin."
So complete and perfect is this system that it admits
of being exhibited in a tabular form, as follows :
Bad.
Abst.
Concr.
Incho.
Neg.
Verb of
Noun of
Idea.
Pre.
Vrc.
Pre.
Pre.
Po.'is.
Poss.
MO
I MO
AMO
ATIMO
AIMO
LA I MO
ALAIMO
•
LO
•
ILO
AL9
ATILO
•
FE
IFE
AFE
ATIFE
A IFE
GBO
IGBO
AIGBO
LAIC.BO
A L AIGBO
There is a degree of similarity traceable in the verbal
nouns, as they have been called, of the M pong we Ian-
( 5 )
^uage. For instance, there are abstract nouns, derived
from the verb, a<^ in Yoruba, by prefixing i ; as, from
TONDA, " to love," iTONDA, " lovc ;" nouns of agency,
formed by prefixing o; as, from noka, "to lie," onoki,
"a liar;" and frequentative nouns, formed by the change
of the final « into ini; as, from noka, "to lie," nokini,
" much or habitual lying." *
The very same thing is observable in the Kafir and
Sicuana languages. Of the former, Boyce says in his
Grammar, " The second person sing, of the imp. mood of
the verb may be considered as the root from which the
other words, especially the nouns, are derived. By pre-
fixes to this part of the verb, and sometimes by a slight
change in termination, the Kafirs form nouns verbal,
abstract, concrete, &c., which, though never heard as
nouns before in that form, would be readily understood
by every Kafir who understood the meaning of the word
from whence they are derived. '"t Archbell's account of
Sicuana formations is given in almost the same words. ;|:
The Kisuaheli language, also, has modes of formation
by which substantives, as well concrete as abstract, are
derived from verbs, or from simple nouns, as Dr. Krapf
has fully explained in his grammar of that language,
pp. 40 — 44.§
In the Mandingo, too, nouns of instrument, of quality,
and of agency, are formed either from verbs or nouns, in
a similar manner; but always by suffixes instead of pre-
fixes. Indeed, the use of suffixes, where other African
languages would employ prefixes, may be said to be a
* Vide " A Grammar of the Mpongwe Language," by the Missionaries of
the A. B. C. F. M. Gaboon Mission, Western Africa, § 17. p. 14.
+ Vide "A Grammar of the Kafir Language," by W. Boyce, § IL 4. p. 6.
I Vide "A Grammar of the Sechuana Language," by Archliell, p. 8.
5; Vide " Outline of the Elements of the Kisuaheli Language,'' by the Rev.
Dr. J. L. Krapf. Part IL Ch. I L § 4.
( 6 )
universal rule in the ^landingo.* Dr. Latham, however,
in his elaborate paper on African pliilolo(>;y, has an ob-
servation, that tile value of a distinction of this kind,
between the methods of inflexional formation in dilFerent
languages, is of no great importance.f
Something of the same character pervades that most
remarkable of African dialects, the Woloif, indeed to
such an extent, that new words, never heard before,
might be formed from known roots, according to a recog-
nised process, as in the Yoruba, w Inch would not fail of
being understood. M. Dard, in his " Dictionnaire Wo-
lofF," states this fact most unequivocally ; " Nos livres
fran9ais," he says, " peuvent done etre traduits assez
exactement dans le langage des negres woloiTs ; et nous
pouvons affirmer que ces memes negres saisiront le sens
des mots formes d'apr^s cette methode, tant ils sont
habitues a decomposer et a composer les mots."|
In this respect the Woloff comes nearer to the Yoruba
than any of the other languages to which I have referred,
without excepting even the Kafir and Sicuana. A prin-
ciple of this kind, it is true, is of necessity to be found in
operation in all polysyllabic tongues ; but the distin-
guishing feature in the Yoruba is the beautiful com-
pleteness and perfect regularity which characterize its
formative process.
80 far, however, as our researches have proceeded at
present, this leading feature of the Yoruba language will
not help us in assigning its position amongst the families
of the llamitic stock. But there is, in relation to this
part of our subject, a fact to be noticed, which will enable
• Vide "A Grammar of the jMandingo Languago," by the Rev. R. M.
Macbrair, § 19—21.
t Vide^' The 17th Rej)ort of the British Association," p. 218.
J Vide " Dictionnairc Woloff- Fraii^ais ct Fran^ais- Woloff/' ]jar M. Dard.
( 7 )
US to take a first step in our process of exclusion. I
mean, that with all this perfect regularity of formation
there is a total absence of that elaborate system of clas-
sification by means of formative prefixes, which distin-
guishes the South-African family; which was first de-
veloped by Boyce in his Grammar of the Kafir language,*
and has been recently explained in a more philosophical
manner by Dr. Krapf in his Kisuaheli works. He re-
solves this grand peculiarity into an action of the South-
African mind in its contemplation of nature. " The
mind of the South African," he says, " divides, as it were,
the whole creation into two halves, of which the one is
governed by the principle of spontaneity of movement,
and of creative activity, whilst the other follows the
principle of passiveness and necessity. The South-Afri-
can mind distinguishes the animate creation from the
inanimate ; and, again, distinguishes in the animate
creation rational and irrational beings, men and brutes.
Furthermore, in the inanimate creation it distinguishes
between life and death, as it were. In general, it would
seem that the South-African mind, in the formation and
cultivation of its language, was guided by the impression
of life which pervades the whole creation in various gra-
dations or modifications." t This mental distinction, thus
described by Dr. Krapf, developed itself in a general
classification of nouns substantive, by means of a system
of formative prefixes. And the entire absence of any
such classification in the Yoruba is fully sufficient to ex-
clude it from that extensive family of languages which
occupies the W'hole of Africa south of the line, and of
which I have recently discovered the Temneh (with its
two cognates, the Sherbro and the BiiUom) to be a branch.
* Vide § II. 5. et passim.
t " Outl. of El. of Kisuaheli Language." Part II. Ch. II. p. 30.
( 8 )
The second striking feature of tlie Yoruba language
which claims our notice, is, the curious euphonic system
which regulates the concord of tlie verb and pronoun.
Each personal pronoun in the singular number has
three distinct forms, which cannot be used indiscrimi-
nately, but the appropriateness of which depends ex-
clusively upon the vowel sound of the verb with which
they are in construction. That vowel sound affects the
vowel of the pronoun, altering it so as to make it of the
same kind or quantity. The first, indeed, of the three
forms just alluded to is a sort of general form, being
the original and full form of the pronoun ; but the use of
the two latter is wholly regulated by the vowel sound of
the verb.
For this purpose the vowels of the Yoruba language
are apparently made to form two separate classes, accord-
ing to the closeness or openness of their sound ; thus —
Close vowels ... o e i i u u
Open vowels ... o e a a
Then, according to the close or open sound of the
vowel which occurs in the governing verb, the pronoun
assumes the close or open o. The full forms of the three
personal pronouns are, emi, iwo, on. The forms which
they assume before the first class of vowels are, mo, o, 6 ;
and before the second, mo, o, o . The third personal pro-
noun, 6, 9, is marked w ith the acute accent, to show that
the distinction between the second and third consists in the
latter being enunciated with an elevation of the voice.
The Yoruba language abounds in these intonations. It is
observable, also, that the negative particle is subject to
the same changes, its original form being ki, before close
vowels Ko, and before open, ko. This system of muta-
tions, which I would call the Vocalic Euphony System,
may be exhibited in the following table : —
( 9 )
Verbs.
NI, MBE, SE, &C.
Pronouns.
I '2
EMI I WO
3
ON
Neg. Part.
KI
KO, SE, SI, SI, KU, LU
MO
O
KO
KO, FE, LA, KA MO O 6 KO
There is a still further developement of this system in
the case of the 3d pers. pronoun, when used objectively.
It consists in that case of a single vowel-sound, which
varies not only according to the class of the vowel in the
verb, but according to its individual sound ; so that it
possesses no less than seven forms, whose use is not op-
tional, but regulated by the verb : thus —
Verb.
3d Pers. Obj
SA .
A
SE
f
E
BE
E
TI
1
RO
y
FO
o
RU
u
This system, thougli appearing only in the single in-
stance of the concord between the verb and the pronoun
(unless indeed we include the formation of nouns of pos-
session, already described, which is strictly parallel,) is
still observable as proving the existence of that princi-
ple, which seems everywhere to pervade the African
mind, of making the sound an artificial vehicle of the
sense, so that the words which, in a sentence, have a cer-
tain relation to each other, may be known to have that
relation by their similarity of sound. This principle
gives to the languages of Africa an external superficial
character ; scarcely less so, though of a totally dillerent
kind, than that which is manifested by the monosyllabic
languages, where position is the only guide to the mutual
( 10 )
relation which obtains between the component parts of a
sentence.
I have observed that the appearance of this principle
of euphonic concord seems to connect the Yoruba with
the langua,^es of Africa generally. I must add, however,
that it affords us no clue to the position which this
language holds amongst them, except it be negatively,
by pointing out to what classes it does not belong. The
simple fact, that in the Yoruba the euphonic changes
affect tlie vowel-sound alone, whilst in those systems which
prevail so generally throughout Africa the concord is
effected by consonantal changes, furnishes us with a very
marked distinction, sufficient to exclude this language
from the other classes in which the euphonic principle
is found; although the existence of the principle in
any shape may still be regarded as a connecting link, in
tracing out the larger families of human speech.
I know of but one instance in which there is any thing
that very closely resembles the vocalic euphony of the
Yoruba, and that is in the concord of the verb and pro-
noun in one tense only in the Haussa language. There
the vowel which serves as an auxiliary to the verb varies
according to the vowel-sound of the pronoun ; so that we
have Ni /sAii, ka y/soii, ki /sou, ta ^soii, mu f/soH, for the
several persons of that tense.* Here, however, we may
observe a distinction ; for whereas, in the Haussa, the pro-
noun influences the verb, in the Yoruba, on the contrary,
the verb acts upon the pronoun.
And this is the only instance of any thing very nearly
resembling the Yoruba euphonic concord ; for there is
no resemblance, except in the bare existence of a prin-
ciple, between this vocalic change, and the regular har-
* Vide " Vocabulary of the Haussa Language," by the Kev. J. F. Schon,
p. 25.
( 11 )
monious system which pervades and directs the whole
construction of that vast family in the south, to whicli
the appropriate name of the Alliteral Class has been
applied. The known dialects of that great class have
been divided into four separate families, the Congo, the
Damara, the Sicuana, and the Kafir, to which may now
be added at least tw^o others, the Kisuaheli and the
Temneh. Their general resemblance to each other in
point of construction clearly proves them all to belong
to one stock ; whilst the dissimilarity existing between
them and the Yoruba, in the particular we are now con-
sidering, will confirm us in the conclusion to which we
have been already led by the total want in the latter of
that system of classification by prefixes which pervades
and distinguishes the former.
There is, however, one other very remarkable language,
long known to Europeans on the West Coast, which ex-
hibits the peculiarity of the euphonic concord ; I mean,
the WolofF. But here it only presents itself in the single
instance of that most unique and efTective particle to
which Roger gives the title of " le signe de position,"*
and which, according to Dard, has seven different forms
depending on the initial of the noun which it defines.t
This phase of the euphonic concord, though totally un-
connected with that of the South-African languages,
does yet bear a nearer resemblance to that than it bears
to the phase which we trace in the Yoruba. And hence
I would argue, that the vocalic euphony system of the
latter does not only exclude it from the vast alliteral
class of the south, but also from that western family,
whatever it may prove to be, to which the Woloff, at
present standing alone and unconnected, distinguished as
* Vide "Rech«rches sur la langue Ouolof," par M. le Baron Roger.
t " Dictionnaire Woloff- Franoais et Fran^ais-Wolotf," par M. Dard.
( 12 )
it is by many extraordinary peculiarities, shall eventu-
ally be traced.
The third feature which 1 shall notice in the Yoruba
is one of a still more negative character than either of
those which have preceded. It is the total absence of
conjugation in the verb. There are, it is true, a few par-
ticles used as auxiliary verbs, to mark distinctions of
mood and tense ; but these, with the single exception,
perhaps, of the future auxiliary vio, are significant in
themselves, and consequently separable from the verb
they are employed to modify. Thus we have le and ma,
denoting a potential and a subjunctive mood respectively ;
as also for the tenses, ti, past, and yio, future. But
there is nothing that presents the appearance of inflex-
ion : the verb always appears in its root form, which
never varies.
The grand peculiarity of African languages generally,
as it respects the verb, is the extreme perfection to
which they have carried that kind of conjugation which
Chev. Bunsen has denominated the Semitic. By this
name is denoted " the modification of the predicate con-
tained in each adjective verb," to give his own definition,
in contradistinction to what he calls the Sanscritic con-
jugation, " which is intended to mark the modifications of
which the copula is capable, according to time and mode
of existence."* In the Semitic languages, these modifi-
cations are effected by an alteration of the form of the
original verb, either by the mere change of vowels in the
same radical consonants, or by an addition of servile let-
ters with a suitable change of vowels.f The seven con-
* Vide "Seventeenth Report of the British Association," p. 282, in a paper
on the results of the recent Egyptian researches in reference to Asiatic and
African Ethnology, and the classification of Languages, by C. C. J. Bunsen.
t Vide " Grammar of the Amharic Language," by the Rev. C. W. Isen-
berg, Ch. IV. § IL 3.
*
•( 13 )
jngations of the Hebrew, and the thirteen of the Arabic
verb will at once occur to our minds, all formed in the
manner above described. The Ethiopic language, strictly
Semitic, has ten of these different forms ; whilst in the
Amharic, which connects Semitism with Africa, Isenberg
has exhibited no less than twenty-four variations of form
belonging to the regular and perfect verb. Chev. Bunsen
states that the old Egyptian shows a germ of this Semitic
conjugation ; but the developement of that germ in the
Coptic is not organic, being effected by an auxiliary.
The same system prevails to some extent in the Berber ;
so much so, that Newman says in his grammar, " From
primitive verbs are derived others with a modified mean-
ing, exactly on the same principle as in the Ethiopian
and Syro-Arabian."t He subsequently mentions three
forms of these derivative verbs : 1. The Causative, with
respect to which he says, " This is so entirely a living
process, that a causative verb, it would seem, may always
safely be invented from any given verb, without risk of
being misunderstood.":!: 2. The Passive or Neuter; and,
3. The Reciprocal ; adding that " more derived forms
than these exist, but cannot yet be methodized."§ As
we proceed southward, however, to the large alliteral
family already so often mentioned, we find this system of
conjugation developing itself, if not more fully, at least
with more of definiteness and regularity. To mention
some few of the many dialects which compose that
family, the Kafir exhibits at least eight modifications of
the verb, the Siciiana six, the Kisuaheli seven, the
Mpongwe eleven, and the Temneh an equal number. The
* " Seventeenth Report of the British Association," p. 282.
t " Vide " A Grammar of the Berber Language," p. 313.
I Ibid. p. 314.
^ Ibid. p. 315.
( 14 )
conjuojation called by some the Objective,* by others the
Relative,! is a peculiarity which marks all these lan-
guages, and is not to be met with, as far as my know-
ledge extends, in any that does not belong to this family.
It denotes that the action described is performed rela-
tively, for or in behalf of another. This conjugation
does not appear in the Wololf, which, however, is re-
markably prolific in its modifications of the verb, count-
ing no less than eleven, and many of these peculiar to
itself, having no place in other languages ; as, for in-
stance, the Preparatory, the Iterative, the Diminutive,
and the Intensive Negative conjugations ; thus serving to
keep up that character for singularity which distinguishes
this unique specimen of human speech. Even in the
Mandingo there seems a slight touch ofSemitism in this
respect, as a causative conjugation may be formed from
the radical by an organic change ; but to the best of my
belief, these modifications of the predicate are not car-
ried any further in that dialect.
And now, after taking this summary view of the prin-
cipal families of Africa, in respect of this grand charac-
teristic, when I add, that in the Yoruba there is not the
slightest trace of any thing approaching to it, I think we
shall feel constrained to admit that the total absence of
such a distinguishing peculiarity must of necessity ex-
clude the Yoruba from any direct relationship to the
families possessing it. Thus we are led again, by a third
argument, independent of the two former, to the conclu-
sion that this language has no connexion with the alli-
teral family of the south ; we are also strengthened in
our former view of its complete separation from the
WolofF; and, in addition to this, we now find that it is
* Boycp, " Kafir Grammar" § VI. n. p. 49.
t American Missionaries' " Mj)()ngwe Grammar," § 57
( 15 )
equally far from the more strictly Semitic families of the
northern and north-eastern portions of the African con-
tinent.
If we now turn to the map of Africa, we shall perceive
that the area over which we must search for the affini-
ties of the Yoruba language is very considerably di-
minished ; that, in fact, nothing now remains to be ex-
plored for this purpose but the tract on either side of the
banks of the Niger, with the Guinea coast, which is en-
closed by the course of that mysterious river, and the
line of Mahommedan kingdoms which stretches eastward
on either side of the inland sea of Tchad, from the Niger
to the Nile ; the whole space being included between
the fifth and fifteenth degrees of N. latitude, and between
ten degrees W. and thirty degrees E. of longitude.
There is another very striking feature in the Yoruba
language, which I feel unwilling to pass over in this
memoir, although, at the present stage of our knowledge
on the subject of African philology, it will not afford any
help in assigning to this language its proper position on
the ethnological chart. The adverb is a part of speech
in which we do not commonly recognise any characte-
ristic sufficiently prominent to become a distinctive mark
of any language, either generic or specific. But in the
case of the Yoruba there is a most observable peculiarity
in the use of this part of speech, wiiich must, I think,
eventually prove to be such a distinctive mark. Speaking
in general terms, we may say, that each individual adverb
of qualification possesses an idiosyncrasy of its own
which altogether incapacitates it from supplying the
place of another. It contains within itself the idea of the
word which it is employed to qualify, although, as to
form and derivation, totally unconnected with tliat word.
In this way " almost every adjective and verb has its own
( 16 ;
peculiar adverb to express its quality/'* or rather its de-
gree. This peculiarity must certainly greatly increase
the expressiveness of the language. Thus, for example,
in sentences where we should employ the word "veiy"
let the subject of which we were speaking be what it
might, the Yoruban would express the same meaning
with far more of definiteness and precision by a separate
adverb in each case, no two of which could be used con-
vertibly. We should say, for instance, " The tree is
veri/ high ;" " tlie bird flies vcri/ high ;" " this cloth is
veri/ yellow ;" " the scarlet is veri/ red ;" " the glass is
vety dazzling." But the Yoruban would vary his adverb
in every example ; thus " iggi ga Jiqfio ;" " eiye fo tian-
tian;' " aso yi pon rokirokif " ododo pipa roro;"
" awojijin ndan maratimaran" It is true, we have adverbs
which can only be applied to certain classes of subjects,
as the word " beautifully" can only be used concerning
objects of sense ; but even here the tendency to general-
ize is observable : " beautifully" belongs of course, in its
original acceptation, only to objects of sight, as, " the
cloth is beautifully yellow ;" but we employ it constantly
in reference to objects of hearing, speaking of harmony
as beautifully soft, and so on. In the Yoruba, on the
contrary, we observe the working of a principle the very
opposite of this generalization. Thus the word " fiofio,"
used above, can only apply to the idea of height, and
that, too, only when the subject of which height is predi-
cated is connected with the ground, and stands upon it ;
for when the idea of height implies distance from the
ground and separation from it, another distinct adverb,
" tiantian," must be employed. So, too, the adverb " ro-
kiroki" can only be used of a yellow colour, although the
word itself does not mean yellow; and " roro" only of a
* Vide " Vocabulary of the Yoruba Language," by S. Crowther, p. 29.
( ly )
red, or, at least, dark colour, though the word has no such
meaning; the fiict being, that they imply ideas connected
with those colours respectively, and not with the category
of colour generally. And this principle seems to per-
vade the language ; so that, in order to speak it correctly,
it is necessary to know not only the verb or adjective
wliich expresses what we wish to say, but also the pe-
culiar and appropriate adverb which denotes the degree
or quality attaching to it. This singular feature of the
Yoruba language is unique, and therefore I shall not
waste time in comparing it with the adverbial systems,
whatever they may be, of other African languages.
The above remarks have throughout had reference to
grammatical peculiarities. These, however, are not the
only points deserving of notice in connexion with our
present subject. Language is designed to give expres-
sion to thought. Hence, by examining the particular
class of composition to w^iich any given language has
been especially devoted, we may trace the direction in
which the current of thought is wont to flow amongst the
tribe or nation in which it is vernacular, and so investi-
gate the principal psychical peculiarities, if such there
be, of that tribe or nation. In this view, then, we may
say that a leading characteristic of the Yoruba language,
deserving of a prominent place in these remarks, is to be
found in the rich and abundant profusion of its prover-
bial sayings.
A glance at the Dictionary before us will suffice to
convince us that in this respect the Yoruba is no ordi-
nary language. It should seem that there is scarcely an
object presented to the eye, scarcely an idea excited in
the mind, but it is accompanied by some sententious
aphorism, founded on a close observance of men and
manners, and, in many cases, of a decidedly moral ten-
( 18 )
dency. It is true that this concise and pointed method
of speech is, in a degree, common to all nations amongst
whom civilization has made but little progress ; for, as
has been justly remarked, " proverbial expressions are
peculiarly adapted to a rude state of society, and more
likely to produce effect than any other ; for they profess
not to dispute, but to command ; not to persuade, but to
compel : they conduct men, not by circuitous argument,
but immediately, to the approbation and practice of in-
tegrity and virtue."* In the Yoruba, however, there is
an extraordinary exuberance of these sententious sayings,
not confined to any particular caste undertaking to be
the guide of the rest ; but everywhere in the mouths of
all, imparting a character to common conversation, and
marking out a people of more than ordinary shrewdness,
intelligence, and discernment. If brevity and elegance
be regarded as the two main excellencies of a proverb,
the Yoruban aphorisms may claim an equal rank with
those of any other nation in ancient or modern times ; for
besides the condensation of the discriminating sentiment
into a small compass, which is always observable in
them, there is, for the most part, also an almost poetical
contrivance or construction of the parts, which marks a
refinement of taste greater than we should naturally have
expected.
1 believe that the number and the character of these
proverbial sayings will almost bear us out in calling them
the national poetry of the Yorubas. I am not aware of
the existence among them of any heroic pieces, or war
and hunting songs, such as those which prevail amongst
the southern tribes, and of which Casalis has given us
* Vide Home's " Introduction to the Scriptures," Vol. II. Part II. Book
II. Ch. I. ^ vi.
( ly )
several remarkable specimens.* The poetry of the
Yorubas, if I may call it such, seems rather to be of the
didactic kind, probably evincing a diiferent character of
mind in the people ; and which cannot fail, I think, to
remind us, both in sentiment and in style, of some of the
poetical books of scripture.
I would proceed to point out one or two features of
the Yoruban proverb which are worthy of notice.
In the first place, they are in the main metaphorical.
Some object of sense is selected, to which the character
intended is attributed, and some quality, or other acci-
dent, is predicated of that object of sense, which is de-
signed to figure the intended predicate. As an illustra-
tion of my meaning, I may quote the proverb,
Agbe ni ije egbin omi,
^' A calabash receives the sediment of water,"
which is explained to mean, " An elder nmst exercise
forbearance;" or,
EnNITI O da LI ERU ITO,
" Ashes always fly back in the face of him that throws
them,"
i. e. the calumnies, or injuries, which one man aims at
another will recoil on his own head. This metaphori-
cal style is not essential to a proverb ; but I think we
may say it is essential, or at least most highly conducive,
to the poetical character of a proverb. Casalis has ob-
served the same in the Sisuto proverbs in the south.
" Les Bassoutos," he says, "me paraissent avoir ete tout
particulierement heureux dans ce genre de composition.
Leur langue, par sa precision energique se prete admi-
rablement au style sententieux, et I'elementmetaphorique
est entree si abondamment dans sa formation, qu 'on ne
* Vide " 'Etudes sur la langue Sechuaiia," par Eug. Casalis, Partie III.
p. 32.
( 20 )
saurait la parler sans s'habituer insensiblement a revetir
ses pensecs de quelque image qui les fixe dans la me-
moire."* As an instance of this metaphorical style, we
find amongst his catalogue ofSisuto proverbs, " La pointe
de I'aiguille doit passer la premiere," meaning, "Be
direct in your discourse, avoid disguising the truth by
evasive words." Another example of the same kind
amongst the Yorubas is,
Ate yun ate wa li a ite ekuro oju onna,
" To be trodden upon here, to be trodden upon there, is
the fate of the palm-nut lying in the road."
Multitudes more of a similar character might be men-
tioned.
The characteristic, however, which gives to the
Yoruban proverbs their peculiar claim to be regarded as
a national didactic poetry, is a feature which w^as first
pointed out to my notice by my esteemed and valued
friend, the Rev. Henry Venn. It is that same feature
which Bishop Lowth considered one of the grand cha-
racteristics, and which Bishop Jebb has proved to be the
sole distinctive characteristic, of Hebrew poetry. We
call it the system of parallelism, and by this word Me
denote " a certain equality, resemblance, or relationship,
between the members of each period ; so that in two
lines, or members of the same period, things shall answer
to things, and words to words, as if fitted to each other
by a kind of rule or measure."! This parallelism in
Hebrew poetry has been stated to consist of four species,
which have been respectively termed the gradational, the
antithetic, the synthetic, and the introverted. The gra-
* " 'Etudes sur la lang. Sech." Part III. p. 84.
t Vide Home's " Introduction to the Scrii^tures," Vol. II. Part II. Book
II. Ch. II. 1x496. To the examination of Scripture poetry contained in that
invaluable work I am indebted fur the arrangement of this part of my
subject.
( ^1 )
dational is that species in which the second clause rises
above the first, either in significance or in expression ;
the antithetic is that in which the two clauses are con-
nected by contrast instead of similarity ; the synthetic
is that in which the parallelism lies in the construction
of the sentences, noun answering to noun, and verb to
verb, being strictly artificial ; and the introverted is that
in which, whatever be the number of clauses, the first is
parallel to the last, the second to the last but one, and
so on.
Of the gradational parallelism we meet with a few
instances amongst the Yoruban proverbs ; thus, in the
ascending scale, we have,
OSO ONIBUJE k6 PE ISAN,
OsO ONINABl k6 JU ODUN LO.
• • • • •
" Marks made with buje do not last more than nine days,
Marks made with inabi do not last more than a year."
AlIERE NI YIO KEHIN OKO,
'AtTA NI YIO KEHIN ILLE.
" The farm-house will be after the farm,
The ridge of the roof will be after the house."
And in the descending scale we may notice the two fol-
lowing —
Bi 1W9 k6 LI owe, o LI ENA ;
Bl IWO k6 LI ENA, O LI CHUN RERE LI ENNU.
" If you have no money (to give), you may pay visits ;
If you cannot visit, you may send kind messages."
This partakes of the character of the logical sorites.
AbEBBE NI IBE IKU,
AbEBBE NI IBE ORAN ;
Bl ORU BA MU
AbEBBE NI IBE E.
• • •
" A pleader (with the gods) wards off death,
A pleader (with the judge) wards off punishment ;
( 22 )
If the heat is oppressive
A fan wards off that."
Of the antithetic parallelism we also meet with some
examples ; indeed, this species is peculiarly adapted to
adages and aphorisms. The following are specimens —
ASE ALAPA LI OSO, KO GBO ;
AsE CHUN GBOGBO FU IGGI, O YE IGGI.
" However a ruined mud wall may be garnished, the
trouble will be useless ;
But all trouble bestowed upon things made of wood is
advantageous."
Jl AGBA OTTI, JI AGBA ETTU I
EnNITI ARAN WA KI IJI AGBA.
" The owner may broach his cask of licpiid, or barrel of
powder ;
But he who is sent with it dares not broach the cask."
Ari ti enni mo iwi ;
fl apadi bo ti re molle.
" He who sees another's faults knows well how to talk
about them ;
But he covers his own with a potsherd."
Enia lassan po o ju igbe ;
Enni rere won o ju oju lo.
" Ordinary people are as common as grass ;
But good people are dearer than an eye."
This last reminds us forcibly of the Scripture proverbs
in its style of composition ; each word in the second
clause being antithetic to some word in the first. Exam-
ples of this character are to be found in almost every
chapter of the Book of Proverbs; as, for instance, xi. 1.
xiii. 3. xiv. 34. xv. G,20. xxi. 12. &c.&c.
The Yoruba abounds more in the synthetic parallelism
than in any other. A few examples will serve to show
the peculiarities of the species.
( 23 )
Kl ADABA SUSU KI O WI FU JEDIEDIE,
• • • • '
Kl EIYE KI O WI FU EIYE.
■ • • •
** Let the white pigeon tell the woodpecker,
Let bird tell bird."
Agba ko si, illu baje;
Balle ku, ille di ahoro.
" When there are no elders, the town is ruined ;
When the master dies, the house is desolate."
Bebbe ki o ri okose :
Sagbe ki o ri awon.
" Beg for help, and you will meet with refusals ;
Ask for alms, and you will meet with misers."
Under this class we often find proverbs in which the
second clause, constructed with a studied similarity to
the first, contains the explanation of the figurative lan-
guage which the first employed. Thus,
Aji bo wa iba li aba ila li atellewo,
AwA KO MO enni ti o ko 6 ;
• • • • • ■'
Aji bo wa iba li owo adasan,
awa ko mo enni tl o je e.
• > • • •
" We wake, and find marks on the palm of our hand.
We do not know who made them ;
We wake, and find an old debt,
We do not know who contracted it."
Abere bo lowo adette, o di ete;
Oran ba ille, o di ero.
^' If a needle fall from a leper's hand, it requires con-
sideration (to pick it up) ;
If a great matter is before the council, it requires deep
thought."
AkI IGBA AKAKA lowo AKITl ;
AkI IGBA ILLE BABBA ENNI LOWO ENNI.
• • • •
" No-one can cure a monkey of squatting ;
So no-one can deprive a man of his birthright."
( 24 )
AsTSORi k6 ni ikun bi aobX ;
Otosi ko lowo bi oloro.
• « • •
" A pistol has not a bore like a cannon;
A poor man has not money at his command as the
rich."
^Imado iba se bi eledde, abilluje ;
Eru iba jobba, enia ko kun.
'* A wild boar, in the place of a pig, would ravage the
town ;
And a slave made king would spare nobody."
Elubo se ogbodo ri,
Eru se ommo ni ille babba re.
* • • • ■
" As the elubo was once a soft unripe yam,
So the slave was once a child in his father's house."
The twenty-sixth chapter of Proverbs is full of
aphorisms of this class, in which the second clause ex-
plains the first.
Of the introverted parallelism the following is a spe-
cimen —
Ibaje apo ni
Ibaje apa ;
Bi apa ba ja,
^\po aballe.
" The injury of a bag
Is (caused by) the injury of the pack-rope ;
If the pack-rope breaks.
The bag will go down."
For the most part, however, the Yoruba proverbs are
not long enough to display this species of parallelism ;
but we may notice something similar to it in the inverted
order of the corresponding words in the two parallel
clauses which we often meet with ; thus
Eleke LI eke iye ;
Ohun ti aba se ni iye 'ni.
( 25 )
" To a liar a lie is natural ;
Any thing which a man is in the habit of doing is
natural to him."
Here eleke is made the subject in the first clause,
though it corresponds with 'ni in the second ; and ohun
Ti ABA SE is the subject in the second, though it corre-
sponds with EKE in the first.
Such is the striking feature of parallelism which so
evidently characterizes the Yoruba proverbs. It is this
which gives them their claim to the title of poetry ; for
there does not appear to be any thing which can be'
strictly called rhythm or metre in any of them ; although
the feature which I am about to notice may be regarded
as a slight approximation to it. I mean that there is
in the main a conformity of length between the lines
which are designed to be parallel or antithetic ; and that
where there is a third line, either preceding or following,
which stands alone, it is of a different length from the
others, and, in most cases, considerably longer. These
stanzas, if we may call them so, of three lines, are of very
frequent occurrence amongst the Yoruba proverbs, and
the peculiarity just noticed will, I think, be found to pre-
vail almost universally in them. The following are
examples —
ose ni isaju ekun,
Abamo ni igbehin oran,
Gbogbo ottokulu pe, Nwon k6 ri ebo abamo se.
^' Sorrow is before weeping,
Mortification is after trouble.
All the community assemble,Theyfmd no sacrifice against
mortification."
AiYE LI Okun,
EnIA LI OssA,
AkI IMO IWE, Kl AKO AIYE JA,
( :^« )
^' The world is an Ocean,
Mankind is the (lagoon) Ossa,
One cannot swim, So as to cross the world."
IW9 IBA Rl,
IWO KO GBODDO WI I
• • • -^
Nl I PA AKONI.
'' You may see,
You must not speak ;
It is that which is the death of the strong man."
i. e. a strong man may perish for want of being apprised
of his danger.
Igbo biribiri,
Okunkun biribiri ;
Okunkun ni yio sette igbo.
" The forest is very dark,
The night is very dark ;
The darkness of the night is deeper than the darkness of
the forest."
Erin ntu ekuru,
Efon ntu ekuru:
titu ekuru ajannaku b6 ti efon molle.
• • • >
" The elephant makes a dust,
The buffalo makes a dust ;
The dust of the elephant Hides that of the buffalo."
EnNU IMG 'nNU,
Ete imo ete,
Ni iko oran ba ereke.
" Mouth keeping to mouth,
Lip keeping to lip,
Bring trouble to the jaws."
EwuRE je, o re ille,
Agutan je, o re ille;
Aje iWA ille Ba eledde je.
( 27 )
" When the goat has fed, it returns home,
When the sheep has fed, it returns home ;
Not returning home after feeding Ruins the character of
the pig. "
It is observable that in these stanzas, for the most part,
the concluding line is about double the length of the
others, and admits of being divided into two. We may
compare with these the triplets in which Scripture lan-
guage frequently runs; as. Matt, viii . 20,
" The foxes have holes.
And the birds of the air have nests.
But the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head."*
We have, however, examples of a different disposition
of the triple stanza in the Yoruba, where all the lines
are parallel, although, even in such cases, the last is in
contrast, whilst the two others are in apposition"; thus,
Ada ebo fun gunugun, O li on kg ru,
Ada ebo fun Akalla, O li on kg ru,
Ada ebo fun eiyelle, O gbe ebo grubo.
" Sacrifices were prescribed to the turkey-buzzard, But it
refused to offer them.
Sacrifices were prescribed to the Akalla vulture, But it
refused to offer them.
Sacrifices were prescribed to the pigeon, And it offered
them."
In this, and in several other examples already given,
the lines are evidently bi-membral, as is constantly the
case in Scripture poetry.
The Yoruba stanzas, however, are not confined to two
or to three lines : there are instances of quatrains, in which
three lines are parallel, followed or preceded by an odd
line ; for example,
* Vide Home's " Introduction," Vol. II. p. 508.
( 28 )
Eru yio je,
esu yio mo,
esu yio lo ;
NiBO LI ALATAMPOKO YIO w6,
" The locust will eat,
The locust will drink,
The locust will go away;
But where will the grasshopper hide itself?"
Agba metta ki isi ekulu ipe ;
Bl OKAN PE EKULU,
Ekeji ani ekulu,
Eketta ani ekulu.
" Three elders cannot all fail to pronounce the word ekulu ;
If one says ekiilu.
The second may say ekulu.
But the third will say ekulu."
Occasionally we find them passing the number of four,
as in the following very simple but really poetic stanza
of seven lines, which, \ve may observe, commences with
an odd line, and then divides itself into three couplets,
of strictly parallel lines, gradually increasing in length :
Bl OJUMO MO,
Olowo gee owo,
Iranwu agbe kekke,
Ajagun agbe apata,
IWONSO abere gbe assa,
• • • •
^AgBE Aji TI ON TI ARUKO,
OmMO ODDE aji TI APO TI ORON.
• • • • • •
" When the day dawns,
The trader takes his money.
The spinner takes her spindle,
The warrior takes his shield,
The weaver takes his batten,
The farmer wakes, himself and his hoe,
The hunter wakes with his quiver and his bow."
( 29 )
The above remarks would seem sufficient to substan-
tiate the claim of the Yoruba proverbs to a place
amongst the poetry of nations. But without dwellino;
longer on this point, I will proceed to notice one or two
other distinctive features.
One is — what indeed we might expect in a nation yet
in its infancy, and scarcely rising out of barbarism — that
the point of the proverb very often lies in the fact of
two words having a very similar sound, with a wholly
different sense, making the proverb in such cases, a play
upon the word. We have numerous instances of this
amongst the Yoruba adages : to quote a few —
OjO pa BATTA B'ATA BATTA b'aTA LI ORI APATTA I LT ODE
AJALUBATA, BATA NI IGGI, BATTA LI AWO.
The rain on the batta (shoes) goes patter, patter, pat-
ter, as on the apatta (rock) : in the street of the ajalubata
(head drummer), the bata (drum) is wood, the batta
(shoes) are skin."
This sentence is designed as a play on the word apatta,
containing a frequent repetition of b and t sounds.
But there are others whose meaning is more obvious; as,
Abere bo lowo adette, o di ete — " If a needle falls
from the hand of a leper, he requires consideration" to
pick it up, because his hand is mutilated by the disease.
The play in this sentence is in the words, adette, and
o DI ete. One who di ette, is leprous, must di ete, be-
come thoughtful.
Igun ti ogun mi k6 jo ti egun — " Piercing me with a
lance is not like piercing me with a thorn." Here the
resemblance between the three words igun, ogun, egun,
gives a peculiar liveliness to the expression.
Bi OMMO DA oRi KAN APA, APA A — " If a child trcats
the apa tree insolently, it wounds him." The word apa
« wounds" is the same as the name of the tree.
( 30 )
Ore Ague se li Offa o di egbe— " The good which
Agbe did in Olfa is wasted ;" lit., is become loss. The
word denoting loss is egbe', similar in sound to Agbe.
He is said to have been a noted philanthropist among
the Yorubas.
Iraje apo ni ibaje apa. — "The injury of the bag is
(caused by) the injury of the pack-rope." Xpo and apa
are similar.
Baba bo baba molle — " A great matter puts a small
matter out of sight." Baba and baba are only distin-
guished by the accent.
Bl ALAPATA BA PA ERAN,AWON ALAGBATA ABU U LI AJAN
"■ When the butcher kills the animal, the retailers cut it
into pieces." The resemblance between alapata and
ALAGBATA is Sufficiently obvious.
Multitudes more of a similar character might be col-
lected, but the examples above given are enough to show
the tendency of the Yorubas to the figure of rhetoric
commonly called paronomasia ; in which characteristic
again, as in the parallelism already described, there is a
striking similarity to the poetry of the Hebrews and
other oriental nations.*
I must not omit to mention, in this brief account of the
Yoruba proverbs, that there is a degree of moral light
observable in them which renders them peculiarly in-
teresting, and gives them, I may add, a real value in
connexion with the inquiry into the moral government
of the universe ; inasmuch as it presents us with a lively
comment on the words of St. Paul concerning the Gen-
tiles, " which show the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their
thouglits the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one
another." (Rom. ii. 1.5.) These proverbs, in many in-
* Vide Home's '' Introduction," Vol. II. p. 292.
( 31 )
stances display ideas concerning the providence of God,
the moral rectitude of actions, or the practice of social
virtues, which (to say the least) we should hardly have
expected to find in a people so wholly separated from
the influences, direct or indirect, of that revelation which
God was pleased to make of Himself to man. The words
of Casalis, with reference to the Sisuto proverbs, are in
my opinion even more applicable to those of the Yoru-
bas. " Sous le rapport moral, il est interessant d'observer
les vestiges de cette conscience universelle, a laquelle
Dieu a confie la direction de toute creature intelligente.
Nousacquerons par la la certitude qu'il n'est pas d'homme
sur la terre qui ne sache discerner entre ce qui est mo-
ralement bon et moralement mauvais, et qui par conse-
quent ne soit susceptible d'encourir la condamnation
attachee a la transgression des lois divines."* Amongst
his list of Sisuto proverbs we meet with some that ex-
press a moral sentiment ; as, for example, " La trappe
prend le grand oiseau aussi bien que le petit ;"t " Le
sang humain est pesant, il empeche celui qui I'a repandu
de fuir ;" " Le meurtrier dit, Je n'ai tue qu'une bete,
mais I'animal sans poil (I'homme) ne perit pas sans etre
venge ;" " L'homme trompeur est une aiguille a deux
pointes."]: But there is something more striking in the
high standard of morality observable in the sayings of
the Yorubas, displaying as it does a conscious recogni-
tion of the intrinsic excellence of those peculiar virtues
which we commonly regard as being appreciated only in
civilized society. Were we to measure this people by
the standard of their proverbial morality, we should come
to the conclusion that they had attained no inconside-
* " 'Etudes sur la lang. Sech." Part III. p. 84.
t Ibid. p. 87.
I Ibid. p. 89.
( 32 )
rable height in the developement of social relations, hav-
ing passed out of that savage barbarism, in which every
individual lives for himself alone, into a higher state of
being, in which the mutual dependence of one member
on another is recognised, giving room for the exercise
of social virtues as a sort of moral compact for the safe-
guard of society. A few instances will suffice to explain
my meaning.
Thus the mutual relation between man and man, and
the consequent duty which man owes to man, are dis-
tinctly acknowledged in the brief sentence,
Enniti o se ibaje enia, o se ibaje ara re.
" He who injures another, injures himself"
The excellence of truthfulness as one of those virtues >
which are essential to the existence of society, is evi-
dently implied in such proverbs as the following, con-
demnatory of the antithetic sin of lying.
Pipe ni yio pe eke ko mu ra.
" The time may be very long, but a lie will be detected
at last."
Dr. Krapf, in his laborious researches on the east coast,
was unable to find any word expressing the idea of gra-
titude in the language of all the Suaheli tribes, a fact
significant enough as to the total absence of the moral
feeling denoted by that name. Amongst the Yorubas, on
the contrary, not only is the word dupe, '^ to give thanks,"
a word of constant and daily occurrence, but they have
proverbs relating to ingratitude sufficient to show that,
in theory at least, its turpitude is acknowledged to the
full. Thus they say,
Enniti ase li ore, ti kg dupe ;
Aba se e ni ibi, ko don o.
" He to whom kindness is shown, and he does not re-
turn thanks,
( 33 )
You may do him ill, and he will not feel that either :"
intimating that an ungrateful person must be destitute of
all feeling. So again —
Enia ki ise 'ni ni rere
Kl API IBI su u.
'' He who has done you a kindness should never be ill-
used."
ArI BA 'ni JE AGBON ISALLE BI O KU LI OWURO AYA LI ALLE.
" An ungrateful guest is like the lower jaw, which, when
the body dies in the morning, falls away from the
upper by night-time."
The light in which the Yoruban moralists regard jus-
tice and equity may be gathered from the following
pithy piece of advice —
Eti, gbo ekeji ki o to dajo.
" Ear, hear the other side (of the question) before you
decide."
The duties of contentment and patience are energeti-
cally and forcibly recommended in the two subjoined
aphorisms, duties which can scarcely be recognised as
such while man is in a state of barbarism ;
Ma gbiyele ogun ;
Ti owe enni ni it6 'ni.
• • •
" Depend not on (the fortune of) battle ;
What a man possesses is enough for a man."
Ibino k6 se nkan fu 'ni,
SuRU babba iwa :
Ibino ni iyo offa li apo,
Ohun rere ni iyo obi li apo.
" Anger does nobody good,
Patience is the best (lit., father) of dispositions :
Anger draws arrows from the quiver,
Good words draw kola-nuts from the bag."
( 34 )
Another remarkable proverb may be mentioned, in
which we notice the same implied reproof of a partial
respect of persons which we so often find in Scrip-
ture. Tl)is proverb supposes the case of a poor man
looking on at the erection of a house: a rafter is dis-
covered to be not long enough for its intended purpose ;
the poor man ventures to recommend the plan of splicing
two rafters together, to increase its length : his advice is at
first despised, because he is poor, but eventually adopted
on the failure of all other plans. This history the pro-
verb gives, in the usual brief sententious manner of that
class of composition,
Bl EKKE OTOSI KO TO OKE LI ORO, ATO LI ALLE.
" If the poor man's rafter does not reach the top in the
morning, it will reach it in the evening."
We are forcibly reminded of the striking parable in
the ninth chapter of Ecclesiastes, whose moral is given
in the words, " Then said I, Wisdom is better than
strength ; nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom is de-
spised, and his w^ords are not heard."
The following is an evident proof that the Yorubas
are capable of appreciating the higher and more gene-
rous sentiments of refined society, such as are the farthest
removed from that mere love of animal gratification
which marks the savage :
DiDON LI O DON LI A NBA ORE JE EFO TI ILLE ENNI TO NI IJE.
" We partake of our friend's entertainment, because
(friendship) is pleasant, not because we have not
enough (to eat) in our own house."
We are accustomed to view the untutored barbarian as
one who utterly disregards the life of his fellow-man.
Yet even amongst the wild Basuto there are proverbial
expressions which show that they are conscious of its
( 35 )
value : two such have been already noticed ; another is
to this effect, "Si un homme a et6 tue secretement, les
pailles des champs ie diront."* In like manner the Yo-
rubas have this remarkable saying —
OhUN GBOGBO LI ADIYELE,
SUGBON KO SI ENNITI O MO I YE ARA EJJE ARA ENNI.
" Every thing has its price.
But no-one can set a price upon blood ;"
a remarkable saying in every point of view, especi-
ally when we look upon it as a self-supplied text from
which to preach the Gospel of redemption by the pre-
cious blood of Christ.
The same observation may apply to those proverbs
which show how correct an estimate the Yorubas have
formed in some respects of the character and attributes
of the Divine Being, thereby proving the unqualified de-
claration of Holy Writ, that " the invisible things of Him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even His eter-
nal power and Godhead ; so that they are without ex-
cuse.f"
That they have a true idea of God's watchful provi-
dence, and care for all His creatures, is evident from the
following very beautiful proverb, whose import is the
same as that of the English adage, " Man's extremity is
God's opportunity."
Bl O KUN ONl, KUN OLLA, KI OGBE KI O PA AGILITI, OJO ARO.
" If the Agiliti will die to-day or to-morrow (for want of
water), rain will surely come."
* Vide " 'Etudes sur la lang. Secb." p. 8!'.
t Horn. i. 20.
( ••» )
The Agiliti is an animal of the guana tribe, which is
said to live for a very long time without water.
There is another, said to be a very favourite saying of
one of the present chiefs of Abbeokuta, which conveys
such a lesson of dependence on the guiding providence
of God, that it ought not to be omitted here —
O FI IJA FUN OlORUN JA, FOWOLE ERAN.
" Leave the battle to God, and rest your head upon your
hand."
But not only do tliey thus prove their acquaintance
with the fact that God's providence superintends all
things upon earth, and that man is dependent on that
overruling power; they farther speak of man's relation
to God as His servant, evidently regarding that relation
as applying to all times and circumstances ; and that,
too, so as almost to force upon us the conclusion that
they viewed that service in the light of a privilege. At
least, it is difUcult to give any other explanation of such
a proverb as the following —
Arc ni idena orisa.
" The ar9 (i. e. a man with a withered limb) is the por-
ter (at the gate) of the gods."
I understand it as denoting that if a man through in-
firmity cannot be engaged in the active service of God,
he is still God's servant, and may fulfil his obligations
passively.
Surely these are indications of no ordinary perception
of moral truths, and sufficient to warrant the inference,
that in closeness of observation, in depth of thought, and
in shrewd intelligence, the Yoruban is ov tvx^ov dvr}p — no
ordinary man. The existence of proverbs such as these
( 37 )
amongst a people situated as the Yorubans are, is a fact
pregnant with many thoughts on which the theologian
and the moralist may dwell with advantage ; and may
awaken in all an interest in a nation towards whom the
sympathies of the public have been already directed by
the exciting events of their recent political history. We
can now see a little w^ay into the thoughts and feelings
of that people, which has come prominently before our
notice as the butt of the last effol-ts of the expiring
slave-trade, and the repeller of those efforts: we can
now dive a little into that sea of mind, to which the Da-
homian tyrant would fain have cried, Hitherto shalt thou
come, and no farther ; which he would fain have bound
in the chains of slavery, like the Persian monarch of old ;
but which refused to be fettered, rising up wholly like a
flood, and forcing his proud army to flee before it. Surely
great interest must attach to an insight into the mind of
such a people, now for the first time furnished to the
civilized world, in the work before us, by one of the most
intelligent amongst them, whose long acquaintance with
foreign civilization renders him capable of appreciating
the importance of the work which he has undertaken,
and of estimating the difficulty which attends upon the
task of rendering intelligible, in a new language, the
ideas of another, wholly diverse and alien.
To the philologist this work presents a new field of
inquiry of a most deeply interesting character. The
nature of those inquiries which it suggests I have en-
deavoured to set forth in these few introductory obser-
vations ; in which I profess to have done no more than
merely point out the principal distinctive features of the
language ; tlius preparing the way, I trust, in some little
( 38 )
measure, for future more extended surveys of the Yoru-
ban in connexion with other African dialects, when our
acquaintance with Hamitic philology shall have become
more enlarged.
Mean time the remarks already given will be sufficient
to recommend the accompanying work to the perusal of
those who feel an interest in Africa, and who long for the
coming of that day, when not "five cities" only, but
all cities and towns and villages, not " in the land of
Egypt" only, but in all the tribes of that dark continent,
" shall speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the
Lord of Hosts."*
* Isa. xix. 18.
VOCABULARY
OF THE
YORUEA LA^^GUAGE,
&c. &c.
The five vowels, a, e, i, o, ti, represent the sounds usually termed
Italian, as lieard in the words —
ENGLISH.
GERMAN.
a
Bath, hat.
Voter, hand.
e
Bait, bet.
Stets.
i
Beat, hit.
Ziehen, sinn.
Boat. '■ "^ Honig.
u
Boot, full.
Hut.
There are also two modified vowels and two dipthongs —
e, a sound between the sounds of bat and bait, hardly distinguish-
able by an English ear from the latter sound ; approximating
closely to tlie English interogative aye? or the German a,
Vdter.
a sound between a and o, as heard in laiv, water, bought,
not; represented in Swedish by a.
ai, nearly equivalent to the English /, in mile.
oi, as in voice.
Among the consonants it is only necessary to notice that —
g is always hard, as in gate,
j is always soft, as in join,
h has always its distinct sound, as an aspirate.
P^ip — the hard sound, to which gb is the soft correlative.
s=:sh.
Of the accents, none are employed, as in English, merely to mark
the stress to be laid on a particular syllable.
The circumflex usually indicates a contraction, which is also in all
cases a long syllable, e. g. dabobo, from da-abo-bo.
The acute (') and grave Q) accents are simply marks of intonation —
i. e. of the rise or fall of the voice — often, as in the Chinese language,
affecting the signification.
Words not divided by a hyphen are uncompounded roots, or words
whose etymology is uncertain.
When a word is compounded without any change of the simple, it
is merely divided by a hyphen into its component parts.
When there is such a change, an analysis is added of the whole
word; e.g. Iforiballe (fi-ori-ba-ille) ; or of the syllable which
needs elucidation, e. g. asennu-enni (se-ennu ).
YORUBA YOCAByLAM.
A.
A, much used in composition as a prefix ; as Ye, " to live,"
" to have functions of life ;" aye, " a state of living."
Aa ! a word of exclamation.
Aba, Abara, s. a slap with the palm of the hand. — IW9
gba mi li aba, " You slapped me."
Aba, s. remembrance, thought. — Emi ndaba re, " I was
thinking of you." Hope, expectation. — '^Aba ki ni
iw9 nda, " What hope do you entertain V
;/'Aba, s. a kind of mat. — Eni Aba ko to bi eni ore, eni
aba ko se ika, rirun ni irun womwom, "An aba mat
is not so durable as an ore mat ; it is too brittle to
bend."
Abada, Fabada, adv. (Haussa) for ever. — Emi ko se
behe mo lai, abada, " I shall never do so any more,
for ever."
Abafe, s. a tree, the tender leaf of which is used for
medicine against the bite of the snake.
Abaje, s. the name of a kind of yams.
A-BA-JE, s. the act of eating one with another.
Abaiyeje, Obaiyeje (Ba-aiye-je), s. busy-body, lit. world-
spoiler. — Abaiyeje ko se ifi idi oran han, "Secrets
should never be told to a busy-body."
Aba-mo, mortification, painful reflection. — Ose ni isaju
ekun, abamo ni igbehin oran, gbogbo ottokulu pe
nwon ko ri ebo abamo se, lit. "Sorrow precedes
weeping; mortification follows a grievous matter ; the
B
^-
•>?1
ABA
whole community assemble, but find no sacrifice
against mortification."
Abanije, Obanije, (Ba-enia-je), s. a despiser, calumnia-
tor, a slanderer. — Obaniaje obaara re je, "He who
despises another despises himself."
^ Abanije, s. one who partakes of the same dish. — Aba-
nije ma ba ni se ifa enia, enniti o je didon ni ije kikan,
" He who shares his friend's prosperity, but does not
move a hand to help him in his work, is selfish ; for
he who eats the sweet should be ready to eat the
' bitter."
/^Abanise ( — se), s. a helper, coadjutor, a fellow-worker.
— Abanise ma si banise m9, " A helper who would
help no more."
^Abanigbele ( — gbe-ille), s. an inmate. Fire is prover-
bially personified as " Abanigbele ma mo oju enni,"
"An inmate which cannot be tamed."
/^Aba-pade, s. casual occurrence. — Ohun abapade ko J9
ohun ti ari telle, " An accident is not like an expected
result."
Abara, see Aba.
Abata, s. a park ; an open place in the front of the
palace.
/- Abata, s. a marsh in a plain, a pool. — ^Abata takete bi
ennipe ko ba odo tan, " A pond appears like a self-
supported body of water, whereas it is dependent on
unseen springs or drainage :" applied to persons who
seem to be what they are not.
^^Aba-ti, s. the missing of a thing, insecure holding, not
sticking fast to. — "Abati alapa, aba a ti aba a re, "A
wall appears ready to fall ; we cannot throw it down ;
we seek its shelter." A common proverbial saying.
^^ Aba-w^on, s. a stain, a blot. — Aso funfun on abawon ki
ire, " A white cloth and a stain never agree."
Abba, s. incubation. — Adire nsun abba, "The hen is
sitting."
2
/
ABA
Abba, s. a stack, rick, pile of corn on a platform, store.
Abba, 5. an iron hook by which prisoners' feet are made
fast on a block of wood, the stocks; a hook on which
a padlock is hung. — Abba ko se ikan mo ni li esse,
bikose enniti nse buburu,"The stocks are not pleasant,
but they are good for a rogue."
Abbe, s. the lower part, beneath. — Bi oran ba sii okunkun
abe e wo li abbe, " If a matter be dark, dive to the
bottom."
Abbelle (Abbe-ille), adj. private, secret. — Ohun ti ako
fe ki enia ki omo li ase li abbelle, " What is not
wished to be known is done in secret."
Abbeya, Abbiya ( — iya), s. the armpit.
Abe, s. razor, lancet. — Didi niimu abe imu, " Wrapping
up a razor preserves its sharpness."
^ Abebbe, s. a fan made of hide, used by African gentlemen
to stir the air and cool themselves ; an advocate, a
pleader. — Abebbe ni ibe iku, abebbe ni ibe oran, bi
oru ba mu abebbe ni ibe e, "A pleader with the gods
wards off death ; a pleader with the judge wards off
punishment ; a fan wards off the heat when it is
sultry."
:, A-be-i-yannu, s. importunity, incessant solicitation. — En-
niti mbe abeiyannu yi9 ri ohun ti nfe gba lowo olu-
ware, " He who begs with importunity will get what
he wants."
Abekuluje-odan (Ba-ekulu), s. a white bird, with long
neck and legs, which generally accompanies the
ekulu, a species of the deer.
Ab-ennu-gbagba, s. a kind of loose trousers.
^^Abere, s. needle, pin. — Ipa abere li okun ito, " It is the
path of the needle which the thread is accustomed to
follow."
Abese, s. a good-for-nothing person. — This word is fre-
quently used to abuse inferiors ; as, I wo abese yi,
" You good-for-nothing fellow."
3 B 2
/
ABE
Ahetelle ( — te-ille), 5. a begging before hand, a bribe.
— Abetelle ni ifoiu onidaio nitori abetelle ki ile ise
idajo otito, "A bribe blinds the judge's eyes; for
bribes never speak the truth." f
Abetu, s. a brook, running water, a rivulet.
Abiamo, s. a woman having a young child, a parent. —
Abiamo abehin jija; a playful name used in ad-
dressing a woman with an infant.
Abiga, s. a mixed breed of a large and small horse.
Abi-ku, s. the spirit of children who die in infancy. In-
fants, or children who die under ten or twelve years
old, are called Abiku, and are never buried in the
town, being sometimes even thrown away in the bush,
as a punishment. They are supposed to have had evil
spirits for their companions, who have enticed them
away. The evil spirits are supposed to punish the chil-
dren w^ith cruel whippings, if they do not give them
the things which they require of them. If a child
grows thin, his companion spirits are affirmed to be
taking away his food from him ; hence, to appease
these spirits, sacrifices are resorted to ; and to frighten
the spirits away, charms are hung about the child,
and iron rings are put on his feet, the jingling of
which is supposed to drive the spirit far away.
Abi-keiiin, adj. younger, last born,
Abila, adj. striped, varied in colour, checkered. — Aso
abila gbogbo li o li oruko, " Each coloured cloth has
its name."
Abilleko (Ille-oko), s. a married woman who is living
with a husband.
■^ Abino-ku-enni, s. a malicious person, a persecutor, a
calumniator. — Enniti ko fe oran enni ni ise abino-
• • • * • •
kuenni, " He who does not love his neighbour acts
ly^ maliciously." '^
Abiron, s. an infirm person, a sick person.^— Bi o ti wCi
ki o ri aki irerin abiron, boya ohun ti o se e loni. ase
4
ABO
iw9 lolla, " A sick person should never be laughed at,
because what happens to him to-day may happen to
you to-morrow."
Abo, s. a returning, a coming back, cessation. — Oku
abo, salutation on one's returning. — Ayun abo mi, o
di emeffa loni, " My goings and returnings are six."
" I have travelled the road six times to-day." — Ko
dekun ko dabo, " It does not cease."
Abo, s. half, moiety. — Emi ko je fun 'o li abo isu bikose
ottotto, " I will not give you half a yam, but a whole
one."
Abogan, Ab-owo-gan, s. the musquito, also called yam-
yam, a name common to all little stinging flies.
Aboggibope (Bo-iggi-ope), s. a heathen, an idolater, lit. a
worshipper of wood and palm.
Abo-pa, adj. fatted, fed for the slaughter.
Aborisa (Bo-orisa), s. a worshipper of false gods, idolater,
the same as Aboggibope, a name indiscriminately
given to all idolaters.
^Abose (Abo-ise), s. work done by a person in his own
farm after his master's work is done, job work. —
Abose ki ise ise oio, ise babba ni igba ojo enni,
" Job-work is not the chief business (of a servant) ;
the master's work has the (first) claim on his
time."
Abosseje (Ba-osse-je), s. the violator of sacred time, a
sabbath-breaker.
Abo, s. a tree which bears fruit like the sweet-sop, or
custard- apple, from the stick of which the natives
produce fire by friction.
Abo, s. a bag to keep clothes in. — Bi asp pe li abo a hu,
" If clothes remain long in the bag they rot."
Abo, adj. female of beasts, also applied to infants ; as
Abo mbi ako 1 "Male or female?" Never applied to
grown-up persons. — Abo-agutan,an ewe — Abo-ewure,
a she-goat — Abo-esin, a mare — Abo-eledde, a cow —
5
ABO
Abo-galla,a doe — Abo-kenniu, a lioness — Abo-malu,
a cow — Abo-ri, a female lizard, &c. &c.
Abo, s. refuge, shelter.
^ Abojuwo, Ibojuwo (Ba-oju), s. superintendence, a look-
ing after. — Iwo ni nse abojuwo lehin babba, toju ille
rere, " You superintend in the master's absence ; see
well to the house."
^Abo-oka, s. a bundle of guinea-corn. — Nigbati agbe ba
ndi abo oka ino re adon, nipa abo oka ni yangidi
owo iti iwa, " He who ties up bundles of corn re-
joices, because from bundles of corn come bundles of
money."
^' Abu- J A, s. a short cut to a place, anticipation of another's
words. — Enniti o ba mo idi oran telle on ni ibu
• • • • • •
abuja eke, " He who knows a matter beforehand con-
founds the liar."
Abuja-onna, s. a lane, a cross street or road.
y Abu-ka, s. the act of encompassing. — Bi aba bu igbe li
abuka ari eranko ino re pa, " If a bush is surrounded,
the animals in it are easily killed."
^ Abuke, s. a hunchback. — A ki isipe inaro fu abuke, "A
hunchback is never asked to stand upright.
Abu-kon, s. an addition to, a blessing.
^^, Abu-kun, 5. a remainder, a deficiency, disgrace, contempt.
— Chun ti ise ohun abukun ki ama se e si cm mo
• • • • •
ennikeji enni, " A contemptuous act should never be
done towards a fellow-man."
Abula, s. adulteration.
/ Abu-le, s. a patch, a piece sewed on to cover a hole. —
Abule ni imu aso ilo to, enniti ko ba se itoiu abule yio
se ara re li ofo aso, "Patching makes clothes wear long,
and he who does not care to patch will lose his clothes."
Abu-mo, s. a piece put to, additional, exaggeration.
Abu-ran-owu, s. cotton carded and prepared to be spun.
Aburo (A-bi-iro),a6^'. erect, upright. — Filla pupa aburo,
" A cap standing erect."
6
ABU
■
Abu-ro,s. a younger relative. — Aburo ki ipa egbon ni\tan,
" The young cannot teach traditions to the elders."
Abu-si, s. a bush adjoining the town spared for its shelter.
Abuso (Ru-iso), s. falsehood of one's own invention.
Ada, s. billhook with wooden handle^ mostly used by
farmers.
^ Adaba, Ataba, s. a dove. — ^Adaba kekeluke ko si oja ti
ko na tan, " There is no market in which the dove
with the prominent breast has not traded." A pro-
verbial expression by which a cowry is compared
to a dove for its circulation as current money.
*^DABA-susu, s. a species of white pigeon. — Ki adaba susu
ki owi fu jedi'edie, ki eiye ki owi fu eiye, " Let the
matter be spread abroad," lit. " Let the pigeon tell
the woodpecker, (?) and bird tell bird."
Adabo-boni (Da-abo), s. a defender, a succourer.
Ada-bo-oja, s. a small market, the second day's market.
^ Ada-bowo (Bo-owo), 5. the taking responsibility upon
one's self. — Bia ti ran 'ni ni ise li aie bi iwo ba seni
« • o • • •
si ise adab9wo ara re, ** As a message is given to you,
so deliver it : if you vary it, the consequences will rest
with you."
Ada-do, Erekusu, s. an island.
Ada-gun, s. a lake, a pool or pond.
Ada-gunle-apo (Ada-gun-ille), Eb7ri, 5. a large quiver,
generally placed in the ground in battle, from which
the soldiers are supplied with arrows.
Ada-ji, Ada-jiwa, 5. the time of the second cock-crowing.
Adajo (Da-ejo), 5. a judge, an umpire, one who decides
matters.
Adakadeke, s. a mischievous person, a liar.
Ada-ma-le-se, s. one unable to perform what he under-
takes.
Ada-mo, s. a mistaken view, heresy.
Ada-moran, 5. a counseller, a suggester.
^ Adan, s. a bat. — Adan dorikodo o nwo ise eiye gbogbo, - ' ^3 \
7
ADA
"The bat suspends itself, but watches the other
birds."
Adaniduro (A-da-enia-duro), s. a detainer.
Adanilaga ( — laga), s. he who wearies one, an importu-
nate person.
Adanilara ( — lara), s. one who mortifies, or disappoints ;
one who designedly or purposely does a thing to vex
another.
Adanilaraya ( — ya), s. one who enlivens or cheers up
another. — Bi opo enia ba kuro li egbe ofo adanila-
raya ni ifo ni jojo, "Though many guests are absent,
he only who enlivens the party is missed."
Adanilekkun ( — li-ekkun), s. one who forbids, a prohi-
bitor.
f Adaniloju ( — li-oju), s. one who disappoints. — Adaniloju
ko se ifi ehin ti, " He who disappoints another is un-
worthy to be trusted."
( Adaniloro ( — oro), s. a tormentor. — Adaniloro fi agbara
ko ni, " He who torments another (only) teaches him
to strengthen himself."
Adaniniji ( — ni-ji), s. one who frightens or alarms ano-
ther; one who raises a sudden expectation.
[^ Ada-pe, s. the contraction of words or names. — Adape
ore ki ii'e ki amo itumo oruko, "Contraction of words
conceals the sense."
I Ada-ri-ji-ni, s. one who forgives. — Adarijini ni isette ejo,
" He who forgives ends the dispute."
Adaripon, ( — ori-pon) s. the male lizard, so called
because of its yellow head.
Ada-ru-da-po, adj. indiscriminate.
Ada-san, s. an old debt incurred by some distant relative.
— Aii bo wa iba li aba ila li atellewo, awa ko mo enni
ti o ko o, aji bo wa iba li owo adasan, awa ko mo enni
ti o je e, " We wake and find (we find as soon as we
have consciousness) marks on the palm of, our hand:
we do not know who made the marks : we wake
8
ADA
and find an old debt, and we know not who in-
curred it."
Ada-si, s. gleaning, a thing spared from the rest.
Ada-win, s. parts of money due, payments by instalments.
' Ade, s. a crown studded with beads in a tasteful manner.
— Obba ko ni filla ade li oni, " The king has no cap
but a crown."
ir' Adebipani (Da-ebi-pa-enni), s. or adj. that which causes
famine or starvation. — Adebipani ki ise 9re enni,
" He who causes one's starvation is not one's friend."
Adehun (De-ohun), s. one who concludes a bargain, a
bargainer, a bargain.
Adelebo (De-ille-bo), s. a married young woman.
Ade-mo, Ade-mu, s. a drinking calabash.
Adena (De-onna), s. one who watches on the road, one
who lies in ambush, a hinderer, impediment.
Adetisille (De-eti-si-ille), s. a listener, one who listens
,^ /to a thing spoken in private.
Adette (Da-ette), s. a leper. — Abere bo lowo adette o di
ete, oran ba ille o di ero, " If a needle fall from a
leper's (mutilated) hand, he cannot pick it up without
much consideration and contrivance : so a great
matter before the council requires deep thought."
Adi, 5. oil made from the kernel of palm-nuts.
Adi, conj. notwithstanding, after all.
Adi-don, 5. sweetmeats, confectionery, parched corn
ground and prepared for the use of the warriors in
their expeditions.
Adire, Adie, s. a domestic fowl.
Adiredo (Adire-odo), s. a water-fowl. — Adiredo, ko se ib9
ip9ri, " A water-fowl is not fit to worship the tutelary
god Ipori."
Adire iranna, s. a fowl killed at the death of a person as ^
his passport to the invisible world. — Adire iranna ni
isaju oku, ^' The fowl is the forerunner of the dead."
Adi-mo, s. a state of being shut in.
9 c
ADI
Adin-gbe, s. any thing dried over a fire, such as meat or
corn prepared by warriors for their marauding expe-
ditions.
Adiro (Lokiti-aro), s. a pierced-bottomed vessel used for
straining.
Aditanmo (Da-itan-mo), s. a distant relative. — Aditanmp
esuo ti o li ekulu li o bi iya on, "The antelope
seeking relationship with the deer, says his mother
was born of a deer."
Aditi (Di-eti), s. a deaf person.
Adi-gba-ro, s. one who remains in a standing posture.
Adiri, s. grape shot.
Ado, s. a small-sized calabash, used for keeping powdered
medicines, as a vial.
Ado, s. an adulterer, a whore.
Adoffa (Ewa-di-effa), adj. one hundred and ten.
Adogunsille, Adottesille (Da-ogun-si-ille), s. one who
creates war, disturbance, or revolution.
Adoje (Ewa-di-oje), adj. one hundred and thirty.
Adorin ( — orin), adj. seventy. — Adorin eso, " The se-
venty principal or head guards of the country."
Adorun ( — orun), adj. ninety.
Adotta (Ewa-di-otta), adj. fifty.
Adottesille (Da-otte si-ille), s. a revolutionist, an ag-
gressor, a mischievous person.
Adottotta (Ewa-di-otta-9tta), adj. by fifty, fifty in com-
pany.
Adossan ( — ossan), adj. one hundred and seventy.
Adu, one who is very black, jet black.
Adu, adj. small, little, few. — Adu enia ki o wa nibe, " Not
a few people live there."
Adun, Adon, fiavour, fragrance, sweetness ; grace, beauty,
Adura, Adua, prayer, supplication.
Adugbo-lu, Idugbolu, s. a stumbling-block, an object
stumbled at by falling upon it on a sudden.
Afaimo (Fi-aimo), adv. not unlikely, not impossible.
10
AFA
Afara, 9. a bridge ; two sticks rubbed together, from which
fire is produced by friction.
Afara, s. slowness, sluggishness.
Afara oyin, s. the honeycomb.
Afe, s. a kind of white-bellied rats.
Afe-imojo, s. an animal of the rat kind, the tail of which
is used by the king of Yoruba as a sign of royalty :
he generally holds the tail before his mouth when he
walks abroad. — Obba si iruke, " The king takes off
• • • • o
the tail;" /. e. from his mouth. — Enni ti o pa afe-
imojo, ki omu re Qyo, eda li ara oko ije, " Whoever
kills afe-imojo must take it to Oyo ; eda only is due
to the people of the province to eat."
A-fe, s. pleasure, pride.
A-fe-fe, s. wind, breeze, gale.
Afehinti, s. support, prop.
Afe-ju, s. one who distorts his face, especially in working.
Afemojumo (fe-mo-ojumo), s. morning, twilight, dawn.
Afe-no, s. chaff, that which may be driven away by the
fan. — Afeno ni ti lyangbo, " Chaff is to be fanned
away."
Afere, s. a very light wood, like the cork wood.
Afesonna (fe-si-onna), s. a betrothed person.
Afe-tan, s. perfect love.
Afi, Afibi, conj. unless, except. — Emi ki yio duro afibi o
ba yara, " I will not wait unless he is quick."
Afibipore (fi-ibi-pe-ore), s. an ungrateful person, one who
returns evil for good.
Afi-han, Ifihan, s. the act of shewing, an exhibition.
Afi-ji, Ifiji, s. remission, forgiveness.
Afin, s. the king's palace. — From this is derived Alawofin,
contracted Alafin, " He who enters the palace,"
Afin, s. an albino.
Afingba (fin-igba), s. one who cuts figures on calabashes.
Afin-ju, s. a decent clean person, cleanliness, neatness.
Afinosajere, Afinosehin, AFIN9S0DE (fi-ino-se-ajere), .>'.
1 1 c 2
AFI
an unfaithful, treaclierous person. — Afinosajere afe-
hin se ikoko, " An unfaithful man (receives your
words) in a perforated vessel, but keeps behind his
back the vessel (which would retain them), or, turns
his back instead of his face."
Afirese (fi-ire-se), s. an act of wantonness or irreverence.
Af-iyanju-se, s. the doing a thing by constraint or com-
pulsion, reluctance.
Af-iye-si, s. an oversight, a thing to be noticed or su-
perintended.
Afo, s. space, room. — Bu mi li afo, " Give me space."
^Afo, s. pig's mire. — Apa afo bi eledde, this is said of a
dirty person, one who wallows in the mire. — Eledde
pa afo tan o nwa enni rere ti yio fi ara yi, " A pig
which has wallowed in the mire seeks a clean person
to rub against."
Afo-ba-je, s. an overthrow, utter destruction.
Afoforo, s. the cork wood.
Afogbo (fo-ma-gbo), s. disobedience, petulance. — AwTgbo
afogbo ti ifi owo ajae mo omi, " Disobedience will
drink water with his hand tied up."
Afogun, Opalaba, s. a flat bottle having four corners.
Afoju (fo-oju), s. a blind person. — Ohun ti afoju fi oju
re ri ki oto fo, on li ori mo, ko ton omiran ri mo,
" What the blind saw before he was blind is the last
sight he will ever see."
Afojudi, s. obstinacy, insolence — adj. obstinate, petulant,
impudent.
Afojusonna (fi-oju-si-onna), s. earnest expectation, a
looking on the road for.
Afo-mo, s, the parasite. — Afomo ko li egbo, iggi gbogbo
ni ibatan, " The parasite has no root ; it claims rela- '-^
tionship with every tree."
Afonnahan (fi-onna-han), s. a guide, a leader, a di-
rector.
Afonrugbin (fon-iru-gbin), .9. a sower.
11*
AFO
Aforanlo (fi-oran-lo), s. an inquirer into a case, one
who seeks advice.
Aforan-mo, Iforan-mo, s. suspicion ; a suspecter.
Aforesibi, Foresiggi ( — ore-se-ibi), s. an unthankful per-
son, one who does not value kindness.
Afo-se, 5. soothsaying.
Afo-ta, s. depraved vision, a defect in the eye.
Af-owo-b6, s. secret, a thing not to be made known.
Afowo-ta, s. a careless search.
^ Afura, Onifura ( — fu-ara), s. a suspicious person. —
Onifura alejo ti itete ise onille pelle, "A man of sus-
picious character (found in a house) is first to salute
the master (instead of waiting to be saluted)."
Aga, 5. chair, an elevated moveable seat. — Aga-itisse,
footstool.
Agabagebe, s. an hypocrite, a dissembler.
Agada, s. a short sword, scimetar. — Agada ko mo ori
alagbedde, " The sword shows no respect for the
maker of it."
> Agadagodo, 5. lock, padlock. — Agadagodo ko mo ino ara
won, ''One lock does not know the wards of another."
Agalamasa, s. deceit, device, trick ; a double dealer.
Agan, s. a barren woman, one who never bears.
Agangan, s. the stone on which beads are ground.
Aganju, s. the king's palace.
Aganju, Aginju, s. wilderness, the depth of a forest or
grass-field, ocean.
Aganran, s. a kind of green parrots.
Aganwo aw^o, s. a tall tree used for boards and planks.
The fruit of this tree yields butter like the shea
butter nuts, sold by the Mandingos in Sierra Leone.
Also, the horny substance on the head of the guinea
fowl.
Agara, Aga, s. weariness, fatigue.
Agba, 6'. adult ; manhood. — 'Agba-agba, " Man by man."
^ Agba, s. barrel, cask. — Ji agba 9tti ji agba ettu, enniti
12
AGB
aran vva ki iji agba, " The owner may broach his cask
of liquid or barrel of powder (if he please) ; but he
who is sent with it dares not broach the cask."
Agbagba, s. plantain.
Agbagba-eiyelle, s. a spotted pigeon.
Agba-bo, s. foster-child.
Agbabon (agba-ibon), s. large gun, cannon.
Agbada, s. a loose garment. — Agbada ya li oron o baje,
"An agbada torn at the neck is spoilt."
^/ Agbado, s. maize, Indian corn. — Igba dodo li agbado
igbani, " Indian corn is the true support of a people."
Agbadu, Sebe, Owon, s. names of a black snake with a
red stripe on the neck.
Agbagun (gba-ogun), s. that which causes a gathering of
warriors.
Agbaiye (agba-aiye), s. the whole world.
Agbaja, (aba-oja), Igbaja, s. girdle, band, sash ; one who
girds himself. — Agbaja gba talla, "One who girds
himself with a white girdle."
Agbakankan, s. a forest-bird ; so called from its cry.
Agba-k6, s. exact time ; coming in contact ; meeting.
Agba-ku, s. frame for carrying a load, usually of bamboo.
Agbalaja, s. a kind of small country shirt in common use.
Agbala, s. court-yard, yard, walled garden.
Agbalagba, s. an aged person,
r Agballe, s. a kind of insect. — Aid igba agballe lowo
arabi, ko si enniti igba ille babba enni lowo enni,
" No one can separate the agballe from the arabi ;
(two insects always found together) ; and no one can
deprive a man of his inheritance."
Agballu, s. the whole city.
Agbami (agba-omi), s. the midst of the ocean.
Agba-ni, s. helper, one who renders assistance.
Agbanrere, s. the rhinoceros ; an animal with one horn,
supposed by the natives to be the unicorn. — Agban-
rere olowo kan, " The one-horned agbanrere."
12*
AGB
Agba-ojo, s. ancient of days.
y Agbara (gba-ara), s. strength, might, ability ; a kind of
bush-rope used for tying rafters together. — Ao-bara
ma mo ero babba olle, "A strong man, who is a
spendthrift, (may be called) the father of idleness."
Agba-ra, s. wooden fortification. — Ogun ja agbara otte
sono " The enemy pulls down the fortification."
Agbari (igba-ori), 5. skull, crown of the head. — Agbari ko
ni modunmodun, "A (mere) skull has no brains in it"
Agbarigba, s. an animal with long horns, and two white
streaks on each side.
Agba-si, s. accumulation, addition.
Agba-sin, Agba-to-ju, Agba-wo, s. a female sheep, goat,
&c., entrusted to the care of a shepherd, who receives
in payment part of the offspring ; oversight of any
thing belonging to another.
Agbassa, s. solid mass of rock. — Agbassa babba okuta,
" A rock is the father of stones."
\.- Agba-tan, s. entire help, complete assistance. — Agbatan
li agba olle, " You must help an idle man thoroughly
(if you help him at all)."
Agbayon, Agbayonkon, s. the miraculous berry ; (a plant
so called by Europeans).
Agbe, s. a gourd, a calabash not cut into halves, but
simply pierced at the top, used for carrying water,
palm-oil, or palm-wine. — Agbe ni ije egbin omi,
agbalagba ni ijiya oran, "As a calabash receives the
sediment of water, so an elder must exercise forbear-
ance." — Bi apon omi bi o dano, bi agbe ko ba fo aton
omiran pon, " When one is carrying water, and hap-
pens to spill it, if the calabash be not broken, you
. can get more."
Agbe, s. forgetfulness, slip of memory.
Agbe, s. one who takes ; one who resides in a place.
Agbe, s. a kind of woodcock ; alms. — Iwo nse agbe,
" You ask alms." — Agbe ni ida aro, aluko ni ikosun,
13
AGB
lekeleke li alalia funfun, " The agbe has blue feathers
{lit. is the dyer in blue) ; the aluko has red (Jit. is the
painter of red dye) ; but the lekeleke white (lit. is the
owner of the white cloth)."
Agbe-bo, s. a hen. — I wo ba agbebo adire li oia iwo nta-
gere si i ira, iba se rere oluwa re ko je ta a, " You
met a hen in the market, and hastened to purchase
her : had she been worth keeping the owner would
not have sold her."
Agbede (gbe-ede), s. a wise or clever person.
Agbede-meji, s. the middle. — Agbedemeji esse li ori
ekun, " The knee is the middle of the leg."
Agbegbe, s. neighbourhood ; region.
Agbeji (gba-eji), s. a hat.
Agbe-jollo, s. a long-necked calabash.
Agbelebu, s. a cross.
Agbe-ni, s. one who helps, or speaks on behalf of, another.
Agbe, s. one who sharpens.
Agbe, s. a kind of native sword.
Agbe, s. a farmer, agriculturist.
Agbedde, s. smith's shop. — Ogun ko r9 ike, agbedde ko
ro batta ; oko ko soro.iro agbedde pa okko ta, "Ogun
(the god of smiths) does not manufacture ivory ; the
blacksmith does not make shoes ; and if there were
not hard w^ork in agriculture, the blacksmith would
not make hoes to sell."
^''Agbe-je, s. an early pumpkin, much eaten before other
vegetables are in season. When over-ripe it becomes
bitter. — Agbeje gba won la ani ki apa a ni pansa,
" (After) the agbeje has saved men from starvation, it
is judged fit to be cut into a common calabash." (A
proverb against ingratitude.) — Agbeje ko koro ni ille
nla, " The agbeje is never bitter in a large family."
Agbe-kuta (gbe-okuta), s. a stone-cutter.
Agbe-ma-ye, s. a hen which does not lay.
Agbin-yi-kagba, Akogba, s. hedge.
13*
XGB
/'
'Agbo, 5. a ram. — ^"Agbo meji ko 1119 omi akoto kan, " Two
. rams cannot drink out of the same calabash." — Roro ^^
agbo ni imii agbo niyin, 9lla ti babba ni imu ommo /' '
iyan, " A ram's mane gives him a noble appearance ;
(and) a father's honour makes a son proud."
Agbo, 5. a decomposed vegetable liquid used by the
natives for v^ashing.
Agbo, s. ring of dancers, flock, fold.
Agbo-agbado, s. sheaves of corn piled up in a conical shape.
Agbodegba, s. one of a gang of thieves stationed outside
the house to receive what the rest steal within.
Agbowode, s. tax-gatherer, publican.
Agbo-ille, s. square of a house, court-yard.
Agbon, s. cocoa-tree and nut. — Agbon ko se ije fun eiye
ki eiye, " Agbon is not good for a bird to eat."
/^ Agbon, s. a wasp. — Mo mo o tan ko je agbon ki o li oro,
" Self-conceit deprives the wasp of honey."
/- Agbon, 5. the chin. — Bi 9 b9Ju bi 9 bonu isalle agb9n li
^ a ipari re si, " When the face is washed, you finish at
the chin." — Ari ba 'ni je agb9n isalle bi o ku li owur9
aya li alle, " An ungrateful guest (is like) the lower
jaw, which, when the body dies in the morning, falls
away from the upper by night time."
Agbon, s. basket.
Agbonbere, s. a children's play by snatching eatables from
one another. — Agb9nbere pete igara, "Agbonbere ap-
proaches to stealing."
Agbonrin, Agbonyin, s. the deer. — ^Aki ifa eran ikon
gb9n eran agb9n yin n9, " No one will throw away
deers' flesh for squirrels'."
ixAgboya, s. pretended deafness. — Enniti npe 'o ko sun-
konu, iw9 li 9gb9 agb9ya, " He is going on calling
you, and you pretend to be deaf."
Agbugbo, s. a forest bird of the duck tribe.
Agemo, s. the chamelion.
Agere, s. the stand on which the idol Ifa is placed.
14
L
AGl
Agidi, s. an implacable person. — Agidi ti on ti iyonnu,
akurete ti on ti lya, "An implacable person is always
a source of trouble, a pliable person is sure to
suffer."
Agiliti, s. an animal of the guana tribe. — Bi o kun oni
kun olla ki ogbe ki o pa agiliti ojo aro, " If the agiliti
will die to-day or to-morrow (for want of water), rain
will surely come." A proverbial expression, because
the agiliti is said to be able to live without water for
a considerable time. — Agiliti abi ara yiyi, " The
agiliti with a rough skin." Applied to people with
cutaneous disorders.
Agisa, Akisa, s. rags. — Akisa aso li afi isu osuka. Illu
kan mbe nwon ama pe illu na ni illu alagisa, ^' Rags
make up a pad :" there is a town called " The
Ragged Town."
Ago, s. a cup, mug, jug.
Ago, Agoro, 5. a kind of striped rat, remarkable for craf-
tiness and swiftness, and the care it takes of its young
ones. — Agoro ti o gbon sasa ebiti pa a ambotori
malaju, ^' The Ago (a very clever animal) is caught
in a trap : how much more the Malaju (a very stupid
animal)."
Ago, first salutation in approaching a house, indicating
that the inmates should keep themselves tidy, so that
they may not be taken by surprise.
Agogo, s. the name of a tree loftier than the rest;
tallness. — Eiyelle ko li agogo kiki arupe, "There
is no tallness among pigeons ; they are all
dwarfs."
Agogo, s. a bell, an hour.
Agogo kan, one bell, one hour. — Agogo kan lu, " It
struck one o'clock "
Agogori (gon-go-ori), s. point of a thing, extreme point
of a sharp thing.
Agoro, s. the hare. — Aja ti ire re ba daniloju li ade si
14*
AGO
agoro, " The dog which is known to be very swift is
set to catch the hare."
Agoro, s. a title of honour, a grade below that of Asipa.
^ Ago, Aggo, s. a tent, a temporary building, a shed. — Bi
ako ba le itete kgWe ago li apa na, " If one is not
able at once to build a house, a shed is first erected."
Ago, s. a shroud, a winding-sheet ; a fish, — Ago olu eja.
Ago, the prince of fishes.
Ago, Agoni, s. a person who neglects due discipline over
his dependants, and allows them to fall into slothful
habits. — Ago won de ara ehin, " An Ago (suffers
his dependants to be slothful) till some one shall come
(who shall awaken them)."
Agon, s. a settled grudge, bad feelings to another.
Aguala, Ajaosu, s. the planet Venus ; a dogstar. — Aguala
mba osu irin nwon sebi aja re ni ise. ^Aguala ki ise
aja osupa, " Venus travels with the moon; they sup-
pose it to be her dog. Venus is not the moon's dog."
'Ajude, s. an iron armlet worn by hunters.
Agufon, s. a kind of long-necked crested bird : it is a
common superstition that its bones cannot and must
not be broken.
Agun-monna, s. a running plant.
Agutan, s. a sheep. — Agutan enia, a stupid person.
Aha, s. a small calabash, used for giving children water.
Aha-mo, s. the state of being enclosed, strait, difficulty.
Ahamora ( — ara), s. he who puts armour on ; one who
entangles himself with many things.
Ahanna, s. a wild, obstinate person.
Ahariya, s. bird-shot.
Ahere, s. a farm-house. — Ahere ni yio kehin oko, atta ni
yio kehin ille, " The farm-house remains to the last
(upon the ground), and the ridge of the roof com-
pletes the building :" a proverbial saying, intima-
ting that a person will be compelled to seek a shelter
at last.
15
AHO
Alio, interj. a contemptuous expression, signifying, " I
do not care."
Ahon, Awon, s. the tongue. — Ahon ni ipinle ennu, " The
tongue is the end of the mouth."
AiioRo, s. ruins, deserted houses, desolation.
Ahoto, s, a small tight trousers, or drawers.
Ahusa, s. a fruit resembling walnut.
Ahu-so-oro, s. falsehood, invented story.
Ai, a negative particle, chiefly used in combination with
other words. It is compounded of a privative and i
the nominal formative prefix.
AiBERu (Ai-ba-eru), adj. without fear, fearless.
Ai-DA, adj. not ceasing, not stopping. — Aida ojo ni, " It
is rain without stopping."
AiDA-ARA, s. infirmity, unsound state of health.
AiDERA (de-ara), adj. not negligent, not growing slack.
AiDiBAJE ( — da-ibaje), s. incorruption.
Ai-FE, s. unwillingness, reluctance.
AiFENi (Fe-enni),5. uncharitableness.
Ai-Fo, adj. unbroken, sound, whole.
Ai-FO, adj. unwashed.
AiFOYA (Fo-aiya), s. boldness, fearlessness.
Ai-GBA, s. non-receiving.
AiGREDE (Gbo-ede), s. want of understanding or know-
ledge of a language.
Ai-GBo, AiGBORAN, s. unbclicf, disobedience. — Aigboran
babba afojudi, "Disobedience is the father of inso-
lence."
Ai-GBo, s. a motionless state, unwillingness to move.
Ai-JE, AiJEUN, without food. — Aije aimu, not eating, not
drinking.
Ai-JE, adj. not answering, not effectual.
AiJEBBi (Je-ebbi), adj. uncondemned, guiltless.
AiJiYAN (Ja-iyan), adj. without denying, undeniable.
AiKOLA (Ko-ila), adj. not tattooed, not circumcised.
Ai-KON, adj. without grumbling, not murmuring.
16
AIK
AiKossE (ko-esse), adj. not tripping or stumbling, with-
out oflence.
Ai-Ku, adj. not liable to die, alive.
Ai-KUN, adj. not remaining, finished.
AiLABAWON (ni-abaw9n), adj. undefiled, having no stain,
no spot or blemish.
Ai-LEGAN ( — egan), adj. having no blame, blameless.
Ai-LERA ( — le-ara), s. infirmity, bodily weakness.
AiLERi ( — eri), 5. purity, cleanness, freedom from filth.
Ai-LERi, adj. having no witness, without a witness.
AiLESE (ni-ese), adj. without sin, righteous, innocency.
AiLEwu ( — ewu), adj. having no danger, safe.
AiLOMMo (ni-ommo), adj. childless.
Ai-LU, s. a plant ; adj. not having a hole, not bored.
Ai-MA, adv. two negatives making an afTirmative. — Emi
ko le ise aima lo, " I must go."
Ai-Mo, s. want of knowledge, ignorance, a. unknown.
Ai-Mo, Ai-Mu, adj. without drink.
Ai-Mo, adj. unclean, filthy.
AiMOYE (mo-oye), s. wanting knowledge, ignorance;
adj. not wise.
Ai-Mu, adj. not sharp, dull, not catching.
Ai-Ni, adj. not having ; s. need, necessity, destitution.
AiNiPEKUN ( — ipekun), adj. having no end, everlasting.
AiNiYE ( — iye), adj. innumerable, countless, myriads.
AiNiYENiNO ( — nino), s. want of understanding, dulness
of apprehension.
AiNiYiN ( — iyift), adj. dishonourable, disreputable, want-
ing honour or reputation.
Ai-PADA, adj. not returning.
Ai-PE, adv. not long, of no long duration.
Ai-PERi, s. the mushroom, a disease common to children,
corruption in wounds.
Ai-REKOJA, s. soberness, self-controul.
Ai-RiNAN, AiRiRAN, s. dimncss of sight, blindness.
Ai-Ri-wi, adj. inexcusable ; lit. having nothing to say.
17 u
AIR
Ai-Ro, adj. without consideration, thoughtless.
AiROJu, AiRowo ( — ri-oju), 5. business, employment, oc-
cupation.
Ai-SA, adj. not picked up, scattered.
Ai-sAN, s. sickness, disease.
AiSANu ( — se-anu), 5. unmercifulness, want of compassion.
Ai-SE, adj. not coming to pass, unfulfilled.
Ai-sE, AsE, s. a large door, a gate.
Ai-SE, s. inaction.
Ai-SE, adj. not sinning, not offending ; having no be-
ginning.
AisEGBE ( — se-egbe), s. equity, impartiality, equality,
justice.
AisEMELLE ( — imelle), Aisimelle, s. diligence, activity.
Ai-SETTAN, adj. or s. void of deceit, simplicity, openness,
sincerity.
Ai-si, adj. not being, not present.
Ai-si-Mi, s. indefatigableness, perseverance.
Ai-siN, s. independence.
AisiYEMEJi (se-iye-meji), s. or adj. certainty; not double-
minded, without doubt.
AisoDODo ( — se-ododo), s. injustice, unrighteousness.
AisojusAju (oju-isaju), adj. or s. showing no respect ;
impartiality.
ArsoTO ( — otito), adj. not dealing truly, untrue, unjust.
/ AiTARA, followed by yo, s. or adj. equality, equal. — Esin
meji sure li aitara won yo, " Two horses ran equally, or
inequality;" i.e. without either surpassing the other.
Ai-To, s. or adj. absurdity, crookedness, not durable.
AiwuKARA, s. or adj. unleavened cake, not fermented.
AiYA, s. breast, bosom, heart, stomach ; courage, influ-
ence. — Bi ako li aiya rindorind9, aki ije ay an, "If the
stomach is not strong, do not eat cockroaches."
Aiya-f6, v. to fear, to be discouraged.
AiVA-jA, V. to be panic-struck. Ijaiya, 5. fearfulness,
discouragement.
18
AIY
AiVA-LA, V. to be fearful, to be panic-struck.
AiYA-PA, V. to be terrified, to be frightened.
Ai-YAPA, adj. not deviating from the right path.
Ai-YATTO, adj. or s. integrity ; not separated ; undivided
state.
Ai-YE, adj. lifeless.
AiYE, s. the world, earth ; condition, state, time of life,
time ; reign. — Aiye li Okun, enia li Ossa, aki imo iwe
ki ako aiye ja, " The world is (may be compared to)
an ocean ; mankind is the lagoon Ossa. However
well a person swims, he cannot cross the world ;"
(i.e. It is presumptuous for man to attempt to com-
pass the whole world.)
Ai-YE, adj. not understood, unintelligible ; not ceasing,
not stopping.
Ai-YE, Ai-GBo, s. not giving way, unyielding.
AiYERAiYE, AiYE-TiTi-LAi, udv. for cvcr, world without
end, eternally.
AiYEssE (yi-esse), adj. or s. immovable ; stedfastness.
Aja, s. a dog. — Aja egberun ko gbo oruko, "A dog valued
at half-a-crown(i.e. an old dog; half-a-crown being the
price of a full-grown dog) cannot be taught." — OkTpa
aja li afi ib9 Ogun, "An old dog must be sacrificed
to Ogun ;" (i. e. Ogun claims the best). — Aja ti ko
let! ko se idegbe, ^^A stupid dog will not do for the
chase." — Bi aja ba li enni lehin apa obbo, " If a dog
has a master after him, he will not be afraid to kill
the large monkey."
Aja, s. attic, uppermost floor.
Aja, s. a fairy, said to be of a diminutive human form,
who carries persons into the wilderness and instructs
them in magic and all kinds of medicines.
Aja, Ajara, Ogbolo, s. a running plant, resembling a
wild vine, used by the natives to varnish their
houses when newly plastered with mud.
Aja-bo, Ijabo, narrow escape with much struggle and
19
AJA
difTiculty. — Ajabo ni ti iwe, bi iwe ja ab9 I9W0 oloko,
'' The frog (iw^) is sure to escape from the hands
of the farmer."
V Ajadi, adj. having the bottom broken off. — Ajadi agbon
odi olara, ^'A basket with its bottom broken through
is useless."
Ajae, s a cord with which the hand is bound to the neck.
Ajaga, s. a shackle for the neck.
I AjAGAJicr, adj. firm as a rock or the stem of a tree. —
Ajagajigi enniti o mi kukute mi 'ra re, " He who
tries to shake the stem of a tree, only shakes himself"
Ajagbon, s. the tamarind tree and fruit.
Ajagun, 5. a soldier, a warrior.
Ajaille, s. a pit into which thorns are put and carefully
covered over, so that when a thief falls into it, his foot
is severely wounded; a ceiling over the dead; vaulted
roof of a grave. — Pansa ille o li ariwo nin9 ajaille ba
agba li eru, '* When a grave is made there is a great
deal of noise (from the loud talking of the labourers
who dislike the task), and the sight of a vault makes
old men tremble."
Ajaje, s. lewd fellow, a mean person.
Ajaka, Ajakalle, s. an epidemic, an infectious disorder.
V Ajako, s. an animal very much resembling a dog. — Ogbo-
gbo awon ni bi ajako, " He who kills an ajako is sure
to suffer for it" (a superstition).
Ajala, Ijala, s. escape through much lighting.
Ajan, s. meat cut in small pieces for sale. — Bi alapata ba
pa eran awon alagbata abu u li ajan, " When the
butcher kills the animal, the retailers cut it into
pieces."
'Ajanapa, s. a bird snare made of cloth. — Aparo jare
ajanapa ki li o, mu aso wa ise li oko. Ajare aparo li
oko li agbe imu aso ilo, ^' The partridge says, ' What
business has the farmer to bring his cloth here?'
The farmer says, ' How could I come to my farm
20
AJA
without cloth?'" (/. 6'. There are two sides to every
question).
Ajannaku, s. the elephant. — Oku ajannaku 11 ayo ogbo
si, ta li oje yo oju agada si eran, alabo owo, " It is
easy to cut to pieces a dead elephant; but no one
dares attack a live one."
\ Ajao, s. an animal between the bird and rat kind. — Ko
se eku ko se eiye ajao, '^ The ajao is neither rat nor
bird ;" (i. e. He is neither one thing nor the other).
Ajapa, s. a petty wholesale trade ; a nickname given to
the tortoise.
Ajara, see Aja, s. a medicinal plant, used for curing sore
breasts : it is also eatable, and is used in rubbing
houses to give the walls a gloss.
Ajaso, s. hearsay, false report.
IAje, s. money ; the god of money. — Aje saluga, o fi enni
iwaiu sille se enni ehin ni pelle, 6 ri ki oran ki o tan.
" Aje often passes by the first caravan, as it comes to
market, and loads the last with blessings ;" (/. e. The
race is not always to the swift).
Aje, s. a trial, ordeal by water.
Aje,5. a sorcerer, a witch. — Aje 9mm9 hee,ya miso wogan,
apa ma gbagun, '' A witch kills, but never inherits."
The owl is considered the bird into which the spirit
of a witch transmigrates when it wishes to do evil.
Aje, s. paddle, oar; wadding.
Ajefowo, s. the name of a garden herb, so called for its
sweetness.
Ajejee, s. calabash bored with many holes like a colander,
to wash the sediment of the locust fruit and eggusi seed.
Ajeji, s. stranger, foreigner.
Ajekun, s. fragment, remainder after eating.
Ajelle, s. an agent, a consul, a deputy.
Ajenia (je-enia), s. cannibal, man-eater.
Ajere, s. a country pot with many holes like a sieve to
dry meat in over the fire.
2i
A
AJE
Ajeti, s. remnant left after eating to the full.
Ajeyo, adj. having eaten to the full, satisfied.
Ajibowaba, adj. existing a priori.
Ajigbese, s. a debtor.
Ajimo, 5. Friday, observed as sacred by the Mahommedans.
Ajin, 5. profound silence, darkness, depth of night. —
Ajinjin, "There is profounddarkness: it is midnight."
Ajina, s. the act of spending, daily expenditure, marketing.
Ajinde, Agbende, s. the Resurrection, — ^Ki Ajinde olla
kioje, "May a future resurrection answer (my hopes)!"
an expression probably learntfrom the Mahommedans.
Ajisinsin, s. concealment, a concealed matter.
'Ajo, s. journey.
Ajo, s. anxiety, solicitude, carefulness.
Ajo, s. assembly, a meeting, a gathering together.
Ajoku, adj. unquenchable.
Ajo-mo-po, Ajo-je-po, s. a feasting or drinking together,
a banquet.
Ajo-ran, the act of catching fire. — Bi ille ko kan ille ki
ijo ajoran, "Houses not contiguous do not easily catch
fire."
Ajo-rin, i'. companionship on a journey.
Ajo r6, s. a mutual combination, bargain, agreement.
Ajo-so, a mutual talk, consultation, a talking together.
Ajo-yo, s. participation in joy.
Ajuba, s. newly cultivated grassfield.
Ajumo, s. combination, co-operation.
Aka, s. the name of a tree, the armadillo. — Aka ko
gbe odan, igbo ni igbe, " The armadillo dwelt in a
forest, and not in a plain." — Two li ojuti bi aka, "You
are bashful like the armadillo."
Aka, s. a storehouse, built in the shape of a V, supported
by four sticks, with three or four apartments for
stores.
Akabbe aso, s. the pole on which the cloth is wound
while weaving.
22
AKA
Akaka, s. the posture of squatting, or sitting cross-
legged. — I wo dakaka yekete bi agbalagba, " You
squat like an old person." — 'Aki igba akaka lowo akiti,
aki igba ille babba enni lowo enni, " No one can cure
a monkey of squatting ; and no one can deprive a
man of his inheritance."
Akala, s. a carnivorous bird. — Bi oku ba ku laiye akala 7s
amo li orun, (akala agbe orun mo), " The akala smells
the carcase, however high in the air he may be."
Akalambi, s. a bag, a sack. — Akalambi li afi ipiye li
ogun, "A sack is used to plunder with at a war camp."
Akamo, s. the act of encompassing, enclosing, or sur-
rounding.
Akan, s. the crab ; a name given to the epaulet worn by
soldiers or naval officers.
Akanse, adj. special, made to order, uncommon.
Akara, s. bread, cake, of which latter there are various
kinds. — Akara-awon, fancy cake made in imitation
of a net. — Akara-bowo-bowo, fancy cake made in
imitation of a ring. — Akara-fule, a soft cake made
of white beans and the vegetable occro. — Akara-ku,
a hard cake made of beans, and used by warriors
for provision in their war expeditions. — Bi o ba /K'
gbo ogun mi, ki iduro din akaraku, " Whenever he
hears of my w^ar, he never waits to make provision."
This is said of a busy-body who rejoices at another's
trouble. — Akara-lapata, cake made of Indian
corn.
Aka-so, 5. a ladder, steps.
Akaso-ewu, a kind of short garment, from the neck to
the waist, which may either be drawn tight, or w orn
loose ; generally worn singly.
Aka-su, s. a large lump of agidi for family use. — Akasu
babba ekko, " Akasu is the father of all other loaves." ^
Ajakasu ko mo bi lyan mu, " He who eats akasu does ^
not know that a famine prevails."
23
AKA
^Akata, s. a broad-brimmed straw hat used by the natives
to ward off rain or the rays of the sun, instead of an
umbrella.
Akatapo, Akatanpo, 5. a cross-bow. — Akatanpo ko to
^ ija ija, ta li o mu iggi wa iko loju, "A cross-bow is
not enough to go to war with (since the introduction
of fire-arms) : whom do you dare to face with a
I- stick ?" — Alakatanpo fi oju woke, " A cross-bowman
is obliged to look upwards."
Aka-we, Akawe-oran, s. similitude, comparison of words
or matter, signification.
Akayin (ka-eyin), s. one who loses his teeth.
Ake, s. a crier.
Ake, s. an axe. See Akeke.
( Akede (ke-ode), s. a public crier. — Akede ko jiyan gbi-
gbona, " The public crier does not eat warm food,"
because he is liable to be called away from his meat
at any moment.
Akegun-oko, s. an old hoe.
Ake-ja-onna, s. a cross street, lane.
Akeke, Ake, s. the axe. — Ake kan wo igbo agbo okiki,
Akeke ti nke iggi ko se gbenagbena mbu ettu si atari,
" An axe enters a forest ; we hear a sound. The axe
that cuts the tree is not afraid, but the carpenter
performs charms for his defence." (There are some
trees which it is considered dangerous to fell without
the protection of a charm.)
Akerekere, Akeke, s. the scorpion. — Akeke Ojogan fi
id ija ara, ille fi oju di ni, akeke ko se idi ni ibo, " A
scorpion stings with his tail ; a domestic is apt to
be insolent: one cannot hide a scorpion in the hand."
Akeri, Yonyon, s. a plant used for washing, also for
sauce ; a hater.
Ake-si, Ikesi, s. the act of calling upon, or visiting. — Oku
akesi mi anna, "I thank you for calling upon me
yesterday."
24
AKE
^ Akete^ 5. bed, bedstead, — Akete kekere ko gba enia meji,
" A small bed will not hold two persons."
Akette, s. hat.
Akettox, Akettun, 5. a new hoe, a bough, branch of a tree.
y Akije, (ki-ma-je), s. dumbness, not answering salutation.
— Ille kan wa li Oyo nigba atiJ9 ti anpe li akije,
" There is a house in Oyo which was called of old
time the place of silence." There is a tradition that
a white man died and was buried there.
Aki-lo, s. parting salutation, farewell.
Aki-molle, Ikimolle, s. the act of pressing down.
Akiri, s. a wanderer, rover.
; Akisalle, s. a running plant, with a pod very much like
a pea. — Aki iti ehin akisalle iwure, " One cannot bless
the gods without using the word akisalle."
</ Akisa, Agisa, s. rags. — Akisa ba enni rere je, " Rags
disgrace a handsome person."
Akiti, s. monkey.
Akiyesi (ko-iye-si), s. the act of taking notice or observing.
Akke, s. bush-rope used for tying rafters together ; a
large she-goat. — O bun mi li akke ewure kan, " He
presented me with a large she-goat."
\y Akko, s. a swan, sheath, scabbard. — ^Akko ploron ejo,
" The bird akko, with a snake-like neck." — O sure
iku o bo si akko ida ; or, ]\Io sa osa iku, mo si bo
si akko ida, " He runs away from the sword, and
hides himself in the scabbard, (into which the sword
wdll return)."
Ako-ja, s. completion, bringing to a point, termination.
Ako-jo, s. accumulation, piling up.
Ako-ki, 5. the act of saluting on meeting on the way.
Akoko, s. time, season, exact time. — Akoko ti mo setan
ge ni iwo de, " You came just as I was ready."
Akoko, s. the name of a tree, the juice of whose flower is
sucked ; tooth. The leaf of this tree is given to those
who receive a new title, as a sign of great honour.
25 E
AKO
Ako-kun, s. a remnant after a large quantity has been
taken.
Ako-po, Ikopo, s. a draught ; gathering together.
Ako-so, s. restraint, control, government, rule.
Ako-tan, s. completion ; entire removal.
Ako, s. the male of beasts or birds. — Ako-eledde, s. a
boar — Ako-malu, s. a bull, bullock — Ako-pepeiye, s.
y^ a drake.
^Akobi, (ko-bi), s. the first-born. — Akobi ni ti eleran,
" The first-born is due to the owner, (and not to the
shepherd who takes care of it)."
Ako-ju, s. superior learning, learning to excess.
Ako-kan, adj. the first, foremost.
Ako-le, s. a superscription, direction, address of a
letter.
Ako-mu, s. that which is first taken.
Akon, Akun, s. a kind of beads made of shell.
Akoni (ako-enia), s. a teacher.
*^ Akoni, s. a brave, bold, stKong person. — I wo iba ri, iwo
ko gboddo wi ; ni ipa akoni, " You may see, but not
dare to speak (of the danger) : it is that which is the
death of the strong man ;' i.e. (The strong man often
perishes for want of warning.)
Akonrin (kon-orin), s. a singer. — Akonrin ko li elegbe,
" The singer has no one to take part in the chorus
with him."
Akonron, s. closet, private room.
Akon-sino (si-ino), s. a murmuring, muttering.
Akonw^osille, Ikonwosille (kpn-wo-si-ille), s. overflow-
ing, brimful. (Applied to dry measure.)
Ako-ojo, 5. every fifth day, superstitiously believed to be
a bad day, in which nothing is undertaken in which
success is particularly wished.
Akorira (ko-irira) 5. one who hates, a hater.
Ako-ro,s. the first rain intheyear, commencement of rains.
Ako-se, s. the first, first made, beginning.
26
AKO
^*5^ossEBA (ko-esse-ba), s. that wliich is met by chance. —
Akosseba eyi ti ije odun, " He who waits for chance
will have to wait a year."
Ako-tan, adj. perfectly built, perfectly instructed.
Akow^e (ko-iwe), s. a scribe, writer, clerk, secretary.
^ AkudTn, s. the heart of a tree. — -Akudin asapa ko konno
ake, " The heart of (the tree) asapa fears no axe."
M.KUKO, s. a cock. — Akuko gagara ni idajo funi li arin
oganjo, "A large cock crowing in the middle of
the night settles the dispute " (as to the time of the
night).
Akumalapa, s. the young leaf of the shea tree.
Akun, ^Okun,5. a dull stupid person ; a worm with many
feet.
Akunyungba (kon-iyin-gba), 5. a bard, drummer, flatterer.
Akurette, Akunrette, s. a sluggish stupid person.
Akuro, s. a garden by the waterside.
Al, a substitute for oni, " one who has ;" used as a prefix.
Ala, 5. boundary of a farm, limit of a territory.
Ala, s. dream, vision.
Alabaje (oni-ibaje), s. a messmate, one who partakes
of the same dish.
Alabalase ( — ba-ni-ase), s. an oracle ; the name of the
goddess Obbatalla, who foretels what is coming to pass.
Ala-ba-pa, s. partner of a fisherman, partner in killing.
Alaba-pade, s. chance, luck.
Alaba-pin, s. a partaker, participator, sharer in any thing.
Alaba-rin, s. a fellow-traveller.
Ala-bino-ku-enni, s. an enemy, a persecutor, an accuser.
Alabo (oni-abo), s. a defender, a succourer.
ALABO-owo(oni-abo),5.the ownerof the bundle of cowries.
Alabukon, Olubukon (oni-ibukon), s. one who adds to,
one who blesses.
Alabukon-fit, s. one who blesses.
Alabu-kun, s. one who despises, one who contemns.
Alabukun-aron, s. a maimed person.
27
ALA
Alabu-si, s. a bestower upon.
Alada-mo (oni-ada-m9), s. one who is led astray with a
mistaken notion, a heretic.
Alada-si, s. a meddler.
Alada-so, 5. one who spoke on his own responsibility.
Alade (oni-ade), 5. a king ; the royal family, consisting
of several persons who rule over different districts of
Yoruba, viz. Obba Yoruba, Onikoyi, Olugbon, Aressa,
Asehin, Alado, Alake, Olowu, Alagura, Alaketu, Olu.
Al-adugbo, 5. a neighbour, one living near. — Aladugbo
ki ida olla, " A near neighbour need not take (a
final) leave till to-morrow."
Ala-feiiinti, s. a supporter, sustainer, one on whom
dependence is put.
^ Alafia, s. peace, health. — Alafia babba ore, " Peace is
the father of friendship."
Alafi-han, s. one who shows, a revealer, a betrayer, a
traitor.
Alafin, s. see Alaw9fin.
Alafiyesi (fi-iye-si), s. an inspector, superintendant, over-
seer, observer.
Alafo, s. an open place between a group of things ;
vacant space ; a valley, ravine, crevice.
Alafo JUTO, (fi-oju-to), s. an overseer, one who over-
looks or has an oversight of a thing.
Alagba (enia-agba) s. an elder, a person of respect, a
person of honour, rulers among the people.
Al-agbada, s. the tailor who makes the loose garment
called agbada ; one who has an agbada.
Al-agbafo, s. one who washes linen, one who makes
. washing a trade.
Al-agbara, s. a strong able-bodied person, a mighty
man. — Bi alagbara je 'o ni lya, ki o fi erin si, "If a
powerful man ill treat you, smile at him."
Ala-gbaro, s. a farm-labourer, one who hires himself out
to till the land.
28
ALA
Alagba-se, s. a common labourer who hires himself out
to do any work, a labourer.
Alagba-so, Alagba-wi, s. an advocate, spokesman, orator,
tale-bearer.
VAxAGBE, Asagbe (euui-agbe) s. a poor beggar. — Alagbe
ko ku li Oyo, " A poor beggar never perishes from
want in Oy9 (the capital)."
Alagbedde, s. a smith, whether in gold, silver, lead, or
iron : to distinguish which, the name of the metal is
annexed, as Alagbedde-oje, " lead-smith."
Alagidigba, s. beads made from palm-nut shells.
Alahoro, s. a desolate person.
Alahe-so, s. one who collects news and spreads it widely,
idle talker, babbler.
Alaiduro (oni-ai-duro), s. one who is unsteady, one
wanting stability.
Alaigbede ( — gbo-ede), s. one who does not understand
another's speech, a barbarian.
Alai-gboddo, 5. necessity, compulsion, force to do a thing.
Alaigboran ( — gbo-oran), s. a state of not giving ear, not
taking heed ; an obstinate, disobedient, unbelieving
person.
Alaiko (enni-ai-ko), s. one unlearned, one uninstructed ;
a house unbuilt.
Alaiko-la, adj, untattooed, uncircumcised.
Alaiku, adj. immortal, not capable of being deprived of
life, unquenchable.
Alai-le-ra, s. an infirm, impotent person.
Alai-le, s. want of solidity or strength, want of firmness.
Alailere (ai-ni-ere), adj. unprofitable, unworthy.
Alailese, s. a just, sinless, righteous person.
Alaileso, adj. fruitless.
Alailogbon ( — ni-ogbon),s.an unwise person, an ignorant
person.
Alai-mo, s. one who does not understand a thing, an
ignorant person.
29
ALA
Alai-mo, s. that which is not clean, a filthy thing, a pol-
luted thing.
Alai-more, s. an unthankful person, not valuing kindness.
ALAI-M9WE, adj. unlearned, illiterate.
Alai-moye, s. one who has no power of perception, a
thoughtless, dull, sluggish person.
Alai-ni, s. a needy, indigent person.
Alainigbagbo ( — ni-igbagbo), s. a faithless person.
Alai-ri-wi, s. an inexcusable person.
Alai-si, s. one who ceases to be, one who is absent, an
absentee.
Alaisododo (se-ododo), s. one who does not act justly or
with equity, an unrighteous person.
Alai-soto, adj. unjust, not true, not acting uprightly.
Alai-ye, s. an unfit or unw^orthy person.
Alai-yo, s. one who hungers, one who is not satisfied
with food.
^ Alajapa (oni-ajapa), s. a petty trader who generally
purchases from one town and sells at another with
a little profit. — Alajapa ko li eran li aiya, " A petty
trader has no flesh upon her chest" {i.e. wears her-
self to a skeleton).
Alaje, 5. a nick-name given to one's self.
Alajo-pa, s. a partner, a fellow-hunter, or fisher.
Alakatanpo, s. a cross-bow man. — Alakatanpo oju ko le
ita eran pa, " He who has only his eye (brow) for a
cross-bow never can kill an animal."
Alakara, s. a cakemaker, a baker.
Alakelle, s. a small bird of the palm-bird tribe which
lives on figs.
Alakele, s. the head weaver.— Papa li assa awonsp bi
alakele, " A noisy weaver, who imitates (his head-
man) alakele."
Alakesi, s. a visitor.
Ala-kon, s. half; part of a thing added.
Alako-se, s. a beginner.
30
ALA
AlakotT, s. a disobedient person.
Alami, s. a spy ; anxious or secret observation of a thing.
Alamo, Alamgba, Alamo-rt, Adaripon, 5. the male lizard.
— '^Oko nla se alamgba pensan o ni behe li enni ti o
ju 'ni lo ise ni, " A large stone (being thrown) crushed
the male lizard. It replied, ' So one who is stronger
than another is accustomed to act towards him.' "
Al-amo-rere, s. the owner of the best clay — a title of
the goddess Obbatalla.
Alamo-ri, Alamo, s. a concern, a secret. — Alamori ni ti
ri ? " How does that concern stand ?"
Alaniyan ( — ani-iyan), s. a solicitous, anxious person,
one whose mind is disturbed about the issue of things.
^ Alansasa, Alanta-kun, s. the spider. — Alantakun bi yio
ba 'o ja ata ka 'o lara, " When the spider intends to
assault you, it surrounds you with (its) web."
Alanu (enni-anu), s. he who has mercy, a merciful person.
y Alapa, s. broken pieces of old mud walls, ruins. — Ase
alapa li oso ko gbo, ase ohun gbogbo fu iggi 9 ye
iggi. — " (However) a ruined mud wall may be gar-
nished, the trouble will be useless ; (but) all trouble
bestowed upon (things made of) wood is advanta-
geous."
/ Alapa-ta, s. a butcher. — Alapata ko mo iru eran, " The
butcher pays no regard to any particular breed of
animals."
Alape-je, s. one who invites to a feast.
Alara, Omnira, s. a free person.
- Alaraje (9ni-iraje), s. a purchaser for ftimily use, one
having no farm. — Alaraje ko mo odun, abi isu ita bi
iggi, "A buyer knows nothing of seasons of the year,
but his yam must always be as large (as a billet)," be-
cause his money enables him to purchase the best of
every thing.
Ala-ran-se, s. a helper.
Alarekereke, 5. a rogue, a double-dealer, a prevaricator.
31
ALA
Alarena, s. an agent who is employed in engaging a
young woman.
AlarT, Alari, s. a kind of red cotton grown in Haussa. —
Alari babbaaso, "Alari is the prince of decorations."
Alarin-jo, Arin-jo, s. one who dances about.
Alarin-kiri, s. a rover or wanderer about.
Alarobo, s. a petty trader, who buys and sells off at a
little profit, a commissioner.
Ala-ro-ye, s. a great talker.
Alaru (oni-aru), s. a carrier, a bearer of burdens.
Alasa, s. king's messenger.
Alase, s. a cook — Iya-lase, a female cook — Babba-lase,
a male cook.
Alaso, s. a talker — Alasodon, an exaggerator.
Alaso, s. a quarrelsome person.
Alasa, s. a title ; captain of an inferior rank in the army.
Are alasa; Oton alasa; Osin alasa.
J Alasara, Alasa, s. a dealer in snufF or tobacco. — Ko si
alasara ti ita igbo ku gbogbo won ni ita oyin, " No
dealer in snufF likes to confess she sells bad tobacco,
but all of them profess to sell (tobacco as sweet as)
honey."
'^^^LASE-ju, s. a self-willed person. — Alaseju pere ni ite,
" An obstinate man soon falls into disgrace."
Alase-ran, s. one who infects another with his actions,
a pestilent person,
Alaso (oni-aso), s. the owner of the clothes; a seller of
clothes, a weaver.
^ Alatampoko, s. a kind of grasshopper. — Esu yio je, esu
yio mo esu yio lo, nibo li alatampoko yio wo, " The
locusts will eat, drink, and go away, but where will
the grasshopper conceal itself?"
Alaton-se, s. one who brings a matter right, an agent,
mediator, umpire.
Alawi-ye, s. one who explains a matter to another so as
to be perfectly understood.
32
ALA
AlawTve (wi-ma-ye), s. one who cannot speak intelligibly.
ALAwfoBo (wi-ma-gbo), 5. a faithless person ; an obstinate
person .
Alawi-ka, also called Alawi-rin, Aronika, Oso Aje, s. a
wizard, a sorcerer, a witch.
Alawopupo (awo-pi-p9), s. many coloured.
Alawo (awo), s. a dealer in leather or hides, a tanner.
Alawo (awo), 5. a priest, one acquainted with the secrets
of the gods.
Alawofin, s. a king, lit. one who enters the palace.
Alayan-je, s. he who cheats ; an inferior person.
Alaye, s. living, possessing life.
Alayi, dem. pron. this, this one.
Ale, s. a plant.
Alebu, s. evil treatment, unjust usage.
Alejo, s. a guest, stranger, visitor.
Aligarima, s. a spirited horse.
Alkurani, s. the Koran.
Alla, s. white cloth, calico, muslin. — Alia funfun otta
orisa, " A white cloth is an object of hatred to the
gods" (because it is worn out in their service).
Alle, s. a concubine.
Alle, Asalle, s. afternoon, evening.
Almagaji, Alumagaji, s. scissors.
Alo, s. a district ; a flame of fire, combustion.
Alongo, 5. a kind of tight-legged trowsers.
Alore, s. a look-out, place to look out, gibbet, spy, watch.
Alo, s. a riddle, enigma ; that which is turned or inverted.
Alolekke (lo-ilekke), 5. beadmaker, beadgrinder.
Alonilowogba (lu-enia-li-owo-gba), s. an extortioner, a
wringer from the hand of another.
Alu-bata, s. a beater of the (drum) bata.
Alubossa, s. the onion.
Alu-dondon, s. a beater of the (drum) dondon.
Alufa, s. a Mahommedan priest, a priest of the only true
God.
33 F
ALU
Alugba, s. the frame upon which the door closes when
shut.
Alu-gba, s. a beater of the calabash drum.
^ Alugbon, 5. that which is near akin to, resemblance. —
Egbon iwaju alugbon babba, " An elder brother is a
resemblance of a father."
Alukanrin, Kanakana, s. a black crow with white neck.
It is said that rain never falls where it lays its eggs.
Alukasafa, s. a kind of upper garment with short sleeves.
Alukawani, s. promise, bargain, agreement.
Alukembu, s. the stirrup. — Alukembu babba assa, " The
stirrup is the father of the saddle."
^ Aluki, s. a slender prickly plant. — Bi ina jo abowp fun
aluki, " When fire burns up the bush, it has respect
for the plant aluki." (A superstition.)
Aluko, 5. a kind of woodcock.
Alu-koso, s. a beater of the (drum) koso.
Alupayida ( — pa-eyi-da), s. sleight of hand, the act of
changing, deception.
Aluse, 5. a spring-lock with brass knob.
Alusin, s. damage, distress, misfortune.
Aluwala, s. ablution. — Omi aluwala, " The water for
ablution."
Aluwasi, s. parade, show, exhibition.
Ama, adv. a particle denoting custom or habit (used with
verbs). — I wo ama lo, ^' You used to go."
Amala, s. an interpreter of dreams.
Amala, s. food made from yam flour.
Am APE, |Mr^. being called, accustomed to be called.
AmbosIn, Ambotori, co?{j. what else.
Amewa, s. one who knows the beauty.
Ami-kan, s. breathing which touches or influences a thing.
Amin, s. Amen, so be it.
Ami-po, Imipo, s. a shaking together.
Ami-si, Imisi, s. a breathing into, the act of breathing into.
Amkan, Amukan, s. sorrel plant, leaf
34
AMM
Amma, conj. (Hanssa) but.
Ammi, AmI, s. a sign, omen.
AmmOjS. a large water-pot set in the house to keep water
cool.
Amofin (mo-ofin), 5. a lawyer, one who knows and pro-
fesses the law, a professor of law.
Amore (mo-ore), s. a thankful person, one who feels and
acknowledges kindness.
Amove (mp-oye), s. a wise person, a sage.
Amo, s. white clay with which country pots are made.
i^ Amodun (mo-odun), s. next year, a return of the season. —
Amodun ko riri, je ki amura ki asise, " The coming
year is not out of sight ; let us be up and work." —
Woyi amodun ma to gbangba gbangba, "By this
time next year I shall become a great person."
Amohungbogbo (mo-ohun), s. or adj. all-knowing.
, Amo-ja, s. a guess, conjecture.
Amo-je (mo-eje), s. a plant.
Amoje-w^ewe, s. a plant with very small leaves, used for
healing swellings or tumours.
Amoje, s. one who tries by water.
Amo-ju, s. superior knowledge.
Amo-ju, s. excessive drinking, drunkenness.
Amojukuro (mu-oju-kuro), s. that which is to be over-
looked or passed over.
^ Amokun,s. a lame person. — Amokun ni eru on W9, ki ise
lori, ni ille li o ti wo lo, "A lame man said his load
was not upright, and was answered, ' Its uneven-
ness began from the ground' " (from your lame foot).
Amolle (mo-ille), s. a conspirator.
Amolle-pa, Imollepa, s. assassination.
Amonna ( — onna), s. a guide, leader.
Amonna, s. booty, plunder. Hence came the w'ord Jama
for Jeamonna, to take booty, to plunder. Jama,
soldiers who plunder.
Amope, conj. though, althougli, notwithstanding.
35
\/
AMO
Amopara (mo-pa-ara), s. drinking to stupefaction, drunk-
enness.
Amouan (mo-oran), s. A knowing man, a counseller.—
Amoran mowe ni ilaju oran, " A counseller who
understands proverbs (soon) sets matters to rights."
Amo-se, 5.a wilful action, wilfulness, obstinacy.
Amo-tan, s. pretended knowledge.
Amotekkun, Jakumo, (to-ekkun) 5. an animal of the
leopard kind.
Amotelle, s. foreknowledge, previous cognisance.
Amu, 5. confusion, — O damn mi, "He upsets (or, confuses)
me.
Amu-ba, s. that which is brought to one ; means, oppor-
tunity.
Amu-pada, s. a restoration, restitution.
AxMu-RAN, s. a hook used by tailors to hold cloth when
sewing.
Amuron, s. a bleeding of the nose.
Amure, s. a girdle, a girding of the loins ; a small kind
of lizard.
Amu-wa, Imuwa, s. that which is brought forth from a
matter or thing, issue, ultimate produce.
Amgbadu, s. the vegetable called cranecrane, in Sierra
Leone.- — Amgbadu obbe onse, " The amgbadu is the
sauce of messengers." (Messengers are usually en-
tertained with a sauce made of this vegetable.)
Amuya, s. seizure of goods in room of debts due.
Anfani, s. advantage, ease, convenience. — K6 se anfani,
" Not easy, (or, advantageous)."
Angeli, s. (Gr.) an angel.
Angere, s. a wooden leg.
Ani, v. it is said, they say.
Ani-ani, s. doubt, uncertainty.
Anidopin (ni-de-opin), s. complete possession.
Ani-tan, s. perfection, completion, full possession.
Ani-yan (ni-ayan), s. carefulness, anxiety.
36
ANN
Anna, adv. yesterday.
Anna, s. the parents and relatives of a wife or husband.
Anu, s, pity, compassion.
Antete, s. a kind of cricket, — Antete 9 da yanpan yanpan
sille, " The cricket antete causes a stir and confusion."
A PA, s. arm, wing, bough.
Apa, s. a tree, supposed to be the African mahogany.
It is superstitiously believed to become luminous at
night. It is also used in the construction of drums.
— Bi ommo da ori kan apa, apa a ; bi o si da ori kan
iroko, iroko ako o li onna, " If a child treats the apa
tree insolently (an emblem of vengeance), it wounds
his head ; if he treats the iroko tree civilly (an em-
blem of refuge), it welcomes him."
^Apa, s. a prodigal ; a wasteful person ; pack-rope ; the
string of a drum.
^Apa-asara, s, roll tobacco in a whole state.
Apa-ikoko, s. a plant used for wadding ; also by shoe-
makers instead of hemp.
Apada-hu, s. amendment ; a fresh shoot.
Apadi, s. potsherd. — Ari ti enni mo iwi fi apadi bo ti re
molle, " He who sees another's fault knows well how
to talk about it ; but he covers his own with a pots-
herd." — -Apadi li o to iko ina loju, " Nothing but a
potsherd {i. e. not a calabash) can face fire."
Apakan (9kan), adv. aside, on one side.
Apako, s. board, plank, floor.
Apako, Apa, s. the bamboo.
Apala, Apaxla, s. a gourd, vegetable marrow.
Apalo (pa-alo), s. a riddle-maker, an enigmatist. —
Apalo patita, " He who makes a trade of telling
riddles."
Apani (pa-enia), s. a murderer, an executioner, one who
seeks to destroy another. — Apani ki ije ki amu ida I9
ni ipak9 on, " The executioner never lets the sword
be passed across his own neck."
'/
!^
APA
A PARA, A SALLE (pa-ara), 5. barrenness (said of land).
Apari (pa-ori), s. bald. — Apari fojiidi abbe, " A bald-
headed person does not care for a razor."
Aparo, s. a bird very like the partridge. — Ennu 11 aparo
ifi ipe ora, ani kiki ora, kiki ora, " With the mouth
the Aparo proclaims its fatness, crying (kiki ora),
Nothing but fat, nothing but fat."
Aparon, s. a cane.
Apata, 5. a shield. — Apata ri iku kehin si, apata ni igba
'ni li ogun, " When a shield sees death, it (does not
fly from it, but) turns its outside {lit, back) to meet it ;
a shield is a protection in the front of the battle."
Apatta, s. a rock. — Apatta li ehin akan, "The rock
{i.e. shell) on the crab's back." — ^"Ojo pa batta bata
batta bata li ori apatta li ode ajalubata bata ni iggi
batta li awo. A play on the word Apatta, contain-
ing a frequent repetition of h and t sounds. — "The
rain on the batta (shoes) goes patter, patter, pat-
ter, as on the apatta ; in the street of the ajalu-
bata (head drummer), the bata (drum) is wood, the
batta (shoes) are skin." (See a similar instance
under Kanakana.)
Apeja, Pejapeja (pa-eja), s. a fisher.
Ape-je-ase, s. a feast, dinner.
Apeje-iiun, Apeje, 5. guest, the act of eating with another.
Ape- JO, s. an assembly, a meeting.
Ape-jure, Ijure, 5. sign, mark, direction, pattern. — Ape-
jure li agbedde iro ; or, Apejure li onna ise, " The
smith or artisan always follows a pattern."
Ape-le, 5. that which is added, surname.
Apena, Ena (pe-ina), s. the act of stretching, pins on
which spun cotton is wound for sale ; a title of one
who calls an assembly. — Ma fi ti re ko mi li oron li
oda fu apena on owu, " (The pin says to the cotton,)
' Do not hang your trouble on my neck.' This is
always the dispute between the cotton and the pins."
38
APE
Apere, s. a rider's portable seat; also used for a travelling
box.
Ape, s. a clapping of bands.
Apere, s. a sign, direction, pattern, token. — Die die li
amo apere, " By degrees one understands a sign."
Apetta, Etta (pa-etta), s. a part of the dead, remains.
Apinni, s. name of a place in Oyo, the head of the
priests called 'Oje.
Apixti, s. a kind of drum.
n ykpG, s. bag, pocket. — Ijaje enia ko di ennu apo," "A
t/ rascal never closes the mouth of his bag." — Ibaje apo
ni ibaje apa, bi apa ba ja, apo aballe, " The injury of
a bag is caused by the injury of the pack-rope : if
the pack-rope breaks, the bag will go down."
Apo, s. a quiver.
Apo-agadagodo, s. a kind of leathern bag like a scrip.
Apo-agbado, Awo-agbado, s. a shock or stack of corn.
Apo-isana, 5. the tinder and flint-bag, bag containing fire
apparatus.
Apofin, Aporiki, s. the chief of the archers.
Apopo, s. piece (of cloth), pod (of fruit). — Apopo
ARAN, a piece of velvet — Apopo obi, a pod of
kola nuts.
Aporo, s. a walk between beds in a farm or garden.
Aporo, s. antidote against poisonous arrows.
Apoti, 5. a bench, stool, box.
Apoti-itisse, s. a footstool.
Apo-ju, Ipo-ju, Opo-ju, s. the more part, the greater part,
abundance, over-abundance.
A PON, s. fruit of a tree called oro, used for palaver sauce,
very slimy when ground and mixed with water.
Apon, s. an unmarried man ; a widower.
Apon, s. or adj. restlessness ; busy here and there, al-
ways doing.
Apon, s. a bird with red beak.
Apon-obiri, s. a woman who has weaned an infant.
" 39
ARA
Ara, 5. boch^ member, limb, kind. — Ara re m, "This
belongs to its kind."
kRxfolloivcd hy da, v.?/. to be well, to recover, to be clear.
— Ara mi da, " I am well ;" ^' I recover ;" " I am clear
(of any blame or responsibility)," lit. my body is clear.
It is also used to express disappointment, as Ara
da '9, "You are disappointed;" "Your expectation,
or hope, fails."
Ara Gbekan, v. w. to feel soreness or pains. —
Ara mi gbekan, " My body feels sore."
Ara, s. relative, relation, kindred (to a person or place).
— Emi ko ri ara mi, " I do not see my relative."
Ara, s. a bird. — E' mase pa eiye ti ije ara, "Do not kill
the bird called ara."
Ara, Rara, adv. at all. — K6 kuku ranse si mi rara ?
" Does he not send to me at all ?"
Ara, s. a very loud thunder. — Ara san wa, " It thunders
loud."
Ara, 5. fashion, custom, form ; repetition of journeys. —
Ara ki li eyi ? "What fashion is this?" — Oniruru
alarabara, " Of various kinds, (or, fashions)." — Eyi li
o di ara keji wa, " This is our second journey."
Ara-nfu, X). to be uneasy under a sense of wrong done, to
be suspicious. — Ase oran ikoko se bi on li ambawi,
abi ara ifu bi enni se ohun, " He who (has committed)
a secret action supposes himself to be spoken of
(when he sees persons conversing together), being
uneasy, as one who has committed an offence."
y Araba, s. the cotton tree. — Araba nla omm9 agberu
gbake, " A large araba receives (into its substance)
the handle and the axe together."
Arabi, s. a kind of insect. — 'O bo lowo agballe, o kun
[^' arabi, " When (the insect) agballe is overpowered,
there remains only the power of (the insect) arabi
(to be conquered)." These two insects are always
found together.
40
[/
ARA
Ara-binri, Arabiri (ara-obiri), 5. a female relative, sister.
ARA-BiNRi-iYEKAN,5.a female relative on the mother's side.
Ara-binri-obbakan,5. a female relative on the ftither's side.
Araiyara (ara-eyi-ara), s. natural body, material body,
the body itself.
\^ Araiye (ara-aiye), s. the people of the world, mankind.
— Araiye abi oju pete, "Mankind presents a circum-
scribed appearance (lit. countenance)." (A proverb
expressing the limited nature of human things.)
Arajo (re-ajo),5. traveller.
Ara-konri, 5. a male relative, brother.
ARAK9NR1-1YEKAN, 5. male relative on the mother's side.
Arakonri-obbakan, s. male relative on the father's side.
Aralle (ara-ille), 5. he who belongs to a house or family,
an inmate.
Arallu ( — illu), s. countryman, inhabitant of a town or
country. — Arallu mi ni, " He is my countryman."
Aramori (ra-mo-ori), s. a kind of close country cap.
Aran, s. velvet. — Aran ni ipari oso, " Velvet gives a
finish to dress."
J/ Aran, s. decay of mental faculties through old age. —
Babba nse aran, " The father's mind wanders."
Aran, s. worms in children.
Aranbatta, Onibatta (ran-batta), s. shoemaker.
Aranilowo (ran-enia-li-ow9), s. helper, assistant.
Aran-kan, s. malice, malignity.
Aran-mu, s. catching, infectious.
Aratubu, s. prisoner.
Aran-se, 5. communication of things, help.
Aranso (ran-aso), s. a tailor.
[^ Aran-wu, Iranwu, s. a spinner. — Bi ojumo mo, olowo
gbe owo, iranwu agbe kekke, ajagun agbe apata,
iwonso abere gbe assa, agbe aji ti on ti aruko, ommo
9dde aji ti apo ti 9ron, " When the day dawns, every
trader to his trade, — the spinner takes her spindle,
the warrior his shield, the weaver stoops to his batten,
41 G
ARA ^
the farmer arises with his hoe, and the hunter takes
his bow." (i. e. No person should be idle.)
Arara, Rara, adv. at all, in the least. — Ko han rara,
" It does not appear at all."
Arara, .?. diminutive person, dwarf.
Arare, pron. second j7ers. sing, self, one's self. — I wo li o se
arare, " It is you who hurt yourself."
Arare, j^^'on. third pers. sing. On li o se arare, " It is he
who injured himself."
Arawo, 6-. a carnivorous bird.
Are, s. eldership, the state of being older; chief, principal,
first in rank. — Mo se are iwo, "lam older than you."
Are, s. fatigue, weakness. — Are mu mi, " I am weary."
Are, ,9. right in dispute, justice on the side of.
Arekakanfo (kakan-fo), s. the general of the army.
Arekereke, s. dishonesty, double dealing, unfairness^ per-
verseness.
Arekunda, s. deceit.
Aremo (are-ommo), s. the eldest child, whether male or
female.
Arenije (re-enia-je), s. a cheater.
Arere, s. perfect silence, stillness.
, Areregbosun (rere-gba-osun), s. a small bird with red
feathers.
X Arewa (re-ewa), s. a person of beauty, comely per-
son. — Enniti o fe arewa o fe iyonnu, "He who mar-
ries a beauty marries trouble."
Ari, s. one who sees or finds.
Aridiji, s. fright, terror, apparition.
Arifi, 5. any thing very hot. — Denge tutu lehin ino re
gbona bi arifi, " Though the pap is cold on the sur-
face {lit. back), yet the inside is very hot."
Ariiiun-gbogbo, or Aroiiun-gbogbo (ri-ohun), adj. all-
seeing.
Arin, s. the middle, centre.
Arinjo (rin-jo), s. dancer.
42
ARI
Arin-k6, s. chance ; exact time.
Ariwo, s. noise, uproar.
Ariva, Ariyo (ri-ya), s. joy, gladness, merriment.
(X Aro, s. one having a withered limb. — Aro ni idena orisa,
" The aro is the porter at the gate (a stationary ser-
vant) to the gods." — (Cf. Milton's Sonnet on his blind-
ness. — " They also serve who only stand and wait.")
Ejo ba 9 bi oran ikunle ba aro, " The matter is to you
what the task of kneeling is to one of withered limbs."
Aro, s. smith's profession.
Aro, s. a kind of calabash used for a quiver by hunters.
Aro, s. a small bird with glossy blue feathers.
Aro, s. blue dye.
A Ro,s. playfulness, restlessness; applied chiefly to children.
l^ Aro, s. the hearth, fire-place ; three stones or lumps
of clay used to support a vessel over a fire. — Aro ki
iru eru ki o ma so, " The aro does not always bear
its load ; it will be put down (sooner or later)."
Aro, Abba, s. storehouse, barn, garner ; a granary built
in the shape of a funnel inverted.
Arobo, s. a petty trade.
Aroje, s. a place of refreshment, a market-place on the
road, where travellers halt.
Arokan (ro-kan), 5. reflection upon painful occurrences.
Arokin, s. a traditionist, one who tells ancient stories.
Aroko, s.the overseer or head servant of a farm, a farmer.
Arokuro (ro-kuro), s. the last or latter rain.
Arolle (r9-ille), s. heir to an inheritance.
Aromobimo (ri-omm9-bi-ommo), s. great-grandparents.
Aron, 5. sickness, disease.
Aron-oju, s. ophthalmia.
Aroni, s. a fairy, an elf supposed to have but one leg.
Arosille, Ajoso, Asotelle (ro-si-ille), s. a bargain, an
understood thing.
Aro-ye, s. much talk, explanation, complaint, excuse,
reasoning.
43
ARU
Aruda, 5. acceptable, propitiatory sacrifice.
Arufin (ru-ofin"), s. transgressor of the law.
Arugbo (ru-gbo), s. an old person.
Arugborugbo, adj. very old, full of days, aged.
Aruko, Ako (eru-oko), s. handle of a hoe.
Arukon (ru-kon), s. rising to fulness, as water in a
well ; fulness, a full or perfect sacrifice.
Arun, adj. five.
Arunjeran, (run-je-eran), s. a shrub used as a medicine
for sore eyes. It bears black berries, not eatable,
and has short thorns on the stem.
Arun-odun, s. May, the fifth month of the year.
Arupe, s. or adj. dwarf, short, equal in height. — Eiyelle
ko li agogo kiki arupe, " The pigeon-tribe have no
J one (among them) of a high stature, but they (are all)
dwarfs."
Asakani-ille, s. the square of a house; a square.
Asase, Alase (se-ase), s. cook.
AsAsiN (sa-sin), s. an unsteady person who forsakes his
father to live with and serve another.
AsE, AisE, s. large door, door.
AsE, IsE, IsASE, s. feast, dinner ; the act of cooking.
AsE, or AsE, s. paint, colour. Some call it Ese. — Osu u
li ese, " You paint, or colour, it."
A.SE-ALLE, s. supper, feast made in the evening.
AsE-iJO, s. feast for an assembly.
AsE-iYAWo, s. wedding feast.
AsE-ossAN, s. dinner, feast made in the daytime.
AsENJE (se-onje), s. a cook.
AsENo (se-ino), s. barren woman.
AsEPON (se-pon), s. barren woman (used when speaking
contemptuously).
AsiKi, s. luck ; good luck, success.
AsiNGBA(sin-gba), s. presents made to the messengers of
the king, which he carries back to his sovereign ;
the custom of passing on presents from town to town.
44
ASI
AsiNRiN, s. a kind of rat having a very offensive odour,
very much like the mouse ; musk rat. Its bite is
supposed to be poisonous.
AsiNWA-AsiNBo, adv. (sin-wa-sin-bo) after all, in the end,
in conclusion.
AsiNwiN (sin-iwin), s. fool, idiot. — Asinwin Ika, asi-
werelluka, nwon dariio nwon li awon nsore, "A fool
of the town Ika and an idiot of Iluka meet together
to make friendship with each other."
AsoFEivEJE (so-fu-eiye-je), s. a tree, the fruit of which is
eaten by birds ; a kind of banyan.
AsoGBO (so-gbo), 5. the state of coming to perfection,
ripening ; (applied only to fruits).
Aso, s. wrangling, loquacious quarrel. — Aso babba ija,
" Wrangling is the father of fighting."
AsoDUN (so-dun), s. exaggeration.
AsoNiDAYE (s9-enia-di-aye), s. he or that which quickens
or makes alive.
AsoNKON (son-kon), s. the dropsy, an increase.
AsoNMo (son-mo), 5. nearness, proximity.
Asopo (s9-po), s. a mutual talk, communication.
AsoROJEJE, AsoROKELLE (so-oro-jeje), s. a whisper. —
Asorokelle bojuwo igbe, igbe ki iro: enni ti aba
so ni ise iku pani, " A whisperer looks (suspiciously)
at the bush (if he hears a noise) : the bush tells
no tales. He to whom the tale is told is the be-
trayer."
Aso-TAN, s. perfect speech.
AsoTELLE, Arotelle, Arosille ( — tc-ille), s. an agree-
ment, bargain.
Aso-ti, s. unfuiished speech.
Aso-YE, s. a reasoning, explanation.
AssA, s. weaver's instrument, the batten or lay with
which he presses the warp.
AssA, s. the saddle.
AssA, Oguassa, s. a word pronounced by Tetn, the officer
45
ASS
of justice, or tipstaff, when he arrests a man who
neglects to pay the king's tax ; a shield.
AssAN, s. vanity, emptiness.
AssE, s. a small basket made for straining.
AsuBo (su-bo), s. gilding or silver plating with which
another metal is covered.
AsuNwoN, s. small bag, closed with strings, which serves
for a purse ; a shrub so called.
Asa, s. fashion, custom.
Asa, s. a small kind of hawk. — Asa ni Tapa eiye, " The
hawk is the Nufi of birds." (The Tapa or Nufi
people are noted for their swiftness.) — Asa gbe mi
li adire ko duro nitori ti o mo ohun ti o se, " The
hawk, having caught my chicken, will not stay, be-
cause it knows that it has done (wrong.)"
AsAGBE, Alagbe, s. beggar.
Asa-enia, s. vagabond.
Asa-ju (se-iwaju), s. forerunner, leader.
AsALAiLAi (asa-lai-lai), s. old fashion.
Asalle (sa-ille), s. barren ground, worn-out land.
AsALLE, s. evening, dusk, afternoon, twilight.
AsAN, s. plain vegetable diet, without sauce or meat. —
Asan ni mo je sun lanna, " I ate asan last night."
i\sAPA, s. a hard-wood tree ; a canopy over the corpse
of a rich person. Joists, roofs, rafters, posts, and
charcoal are made of this tree ; the leaves are used
in curing the small-pox,
AsARA, s. tobacco, snuff.
AsARo, s. porridge.
AsATi (sa-ti), s. that which is put aside, set at nought.
AsATi-AGBADo, s. a shock of corn.
AsAwi (sa-wi), s. a selection of words. — Asawi eJ9 ennikan
se are, " A one-sided statement of a case {lit. words
selected in a dispute) always appears right."
AsAYA, s. a jest, joke. — Asaya ki ije ki ommo oya ki 9
gbon, " (The dog) playing with the young hedgehog
46
ASA
throws it off its guard (lit. does not suffer it to be wise)."
j^SAYAN,5. athing selected from the rest, picked out,chosen.
AsE, s. the menses.
AsE, s. a coming to pass ; law, commandment ; virtue ;
effect ; imprecation.
AsE-HAN, s. a thing done for show, a pretence.
AsE-Ju, s. an extravagant action.
AsE-KAN, s. a final action, a winding-up.
AsE-KUN, s. unfinished work, that which remains yet to
be done.
AsE-SA, s. disgrace.
AsE-TAN, s. perfection, completion.
AsE-Ti, s. a thing not completed, not brought to perfection.
AsE-TiNO-ENNi (se-ti-iuo), s. an obstinate man, a self-
willed person.
AsEHiNDE, AsEHiNDENi (se-ehiu-de), s. one who acts for
another in his absence, an agent, an overseer. — Oju
oloju ko jo oju enni, asehindeni ko wopo, "Another's
eye is not like one's own ; (faithful) agents are not
numerous." — O ku asehinde, " I thank you for acting
in my absence."
AsEiYESATE (so-eiye-sc-ate), s. a dissembler, hypocrite,
double dealer.
AsENNU-ENNi (sc-eunu — ),5. a spokesman, one who speaks
for another.
AsESE-KosE, s. beginning, commencement.
Asi-Ri, s. a secret.
Asi-soRi (se-ori), s. pistol. — Asisori ko ni ikun bi agba,
otosi ko lowo bi 9l9ro, " A pistol has not a bore like
a cannon ; a poor man has not money (at his com-
mand) as the rich."
AsiwERE (se-iwere), s. fool, madman. — Enniti o nsape
fun asiwere jo on asiwere, 9kan, " He who claps
hands for the fool to dance is no better than the
fool." — Asiwere li o bi iya obbo, "The monkey's
grandmother was a fool."
47
ASO
Aso, s. morose, peevish person ; a sour look.
Aso-ENiA, s. headstrong obstinate person, not easily
overcome.
Aso-ERiN, s. an elephant feeding singly.
Asoju-ENNi (se-oju-enni), s. one left in charge of another's
affairs during his absence.
AsoRE (se-ore), s. benefactor.
AsoRiN, Igginla, s. the name of a very large tree. — Asorin
babba iggi," Asorin is the father of trees." — Asorin ko
da osusu, "Asorin trees never form a grove." — Asorin
Olodo, " The asorin tree commands the brook." There
is a superstition that as soon as any one begins to
cut the asorin tree he is chased by the spirit that
dwells in it. The woodman accordingly drops palm-
oil on the ground, that the spirit may lick it up
whilst he makes his escape. This tree is worshipped
at a distance.
AsoRo, s. pointed knife.
AsoRo (se-oro), s. troubler, tormentor, one who acts vio-
lently upon provocation.
Asowo, Isowo (se-owo), s. trader.
1 Aso, s. cloth, clothes. — Aso lowo ko lekanna, enia ko si
ni iballe, " Cloth has length, (lit. hands, the mea-
sure being by hands) but no fingers ; so a man (has
hands, but) no flowing train (like the cloth)."
Aso-DUDU, s. black cloth, blue cloth.
Aso-ETTU, s. check cloth, so called from its being made
in imitation of the guinea-fowl's feathers.
Aso-iRON, s. hair cloth.
Aso-iwoLLE, Aso-iYiLLE (wo-iUc) s. cloth or clothes in
common use.
Aso-ojo, s. cloth used as a defence from the rain, cloak.
Aso-oso, s. dressing cloth, robe.
Aso-TALLA, s. muslin, calico, white cloth.
AsoLLu (s9-illu), s. magistrate, manager of a- town.
Asoso, s. a small bird which feeds on figs.
'48
ASO
AsoTTE (se-otte), s. a revolter, a revolutionist.
AsuKAN (su-kan), (also called Moimoi), s. a kind of
cake.
Ata, s. any thing pungent ; pepper.
Ataba, A.DABA, s. a dove. See Adaba.
Ataba-Orenkere, s. a kind of wild pigeon, striped on the
neck.
, "Ataba-susu, s. a kind of dove. — Ko ka iku ataba-susu ti ije
larin asa, " Fearless of death, the pigeon feeds
amongst the hawks." — Ni ijo ti ina ba jo ataba-susu
ni il9 larin igbe, bi ina ba palo, elebu ama ire ebu,
" When the bush is on fire, the pigeon removes from
the grass-field ; and when the flame is extinguished,
every one returns to his home."
Ataba-gbegbe, s. a kind of wild pigeon.
Atafo, s. a tumour on the finger-nail, a whitlow.
Ataiyeraiye (ti-aiye-re-aiye), adv. {lit. from world to
world), everlasting.
"Atajateran (ti-aja-ati-eran), s. cattle, beast of every kind.
. Atampako, s. the thumb. — A.tampako ko se ijure pkan-
kan, " The thumb cannot point straightforward."
Atamora (ta-m9-ara), s. one who entangles himself with
many things ; a man fully armed.
Atan, Akitan (ki-tan), s. a dunghill. — Agbasi mu atan
gele, " Continual sweepings make a high dunghill."
Atan, s. a small scaffold on which fish or meat is dried.
Atannamanna (ati-anna-m9-anna), adv. from yesterday
until now.
Atano (ta-no), adj. cast off, useless.
'Atanroko, s. a disease in fowls which swells their back
part. — ^tanroko mu adire mi, " My fowl is infected
with atanroko."
^ Atarere,5. a kind of pepper. — Atarere ew9 9bbe, "The
atarere is never used in sauce."
Atari, s. the crown of the head.
Ate, s. a beaver or black hat.
49 H
:ate
J Ate, 5. birdlime. — ^Ate peiye mu eiye ku, " The birdlime
is the death of a bird."
Ate, 5. flatness, insipidity, disgrace, reproach. — Nwon bii
ate lu mi, " They disgrace me."
Atete, adj. that which is first, prior. (Always used as a
prefix).
Atete-ba, 5. that which is met first, frontier, outer court.
Atete-bi, Akobi, s. first-born.
Atete-kose, Atete-se, Ipille-se, s. the beginning, the
commencement of a thing.
Ate-le, s. or adj. a thing next in order, next in rank, next
born, that which follows.
Ateleiiin (te-li-ehin), s. a hump or crooked back.
Atellebosi ( — bo-si), Isabotti, s. a threshold, outer court.
j Atellesse (te-ille-esse), s. the sole of the foot. — Atel-
lesse ni ije egbin onna, " The sole of the foot is ex-
posed to all the filth of the road."
"^Atellewo ( — 9W0), s. the palm of the hand. — Atellewo
ki itan 'ni je, " The palm of the hand never deceives
one," denoting the safety of a thing in hand.
Atemora (te-mo-ara), Apamora (pa-mo-ara), s. patience,
long-suffering.
AtewogbX (te-owo), adj. acceptable, propitiatory.
Ati, s. purpose, intention, conception. (Frequently used
in composition with verbs, as a formative prefix for
substantives. See Ati-ko, &c.)
Ati, adj. both; conj. and, likewise; p*<?p. from.
Atibaba, s. scaffold, shelf. (Applied chiefly to such as
fish and meat are dried on over fire.)
Atibabbadebabba, adv. from father to father.
Ati-bo, s. a coming, returning.
Ati-de, s. an arrival, coming.
Ati-gba, s. reception.
Atijeffawa (ati-ijo-effa-wa),rtc?i5. six days ago.
Atijarunwa (ati-ijo-marun-wa), adv. five days ago.
Atijedogunwa ( — medogun — ), adv. fifteen days ago.
50
ATI
Atijejilawa ( — niejila — ), adv. twelve days ago.
Atijerinwa ( — erin — ), adv. four days ago.
Atijerinlawa ( — erin-la — ), adv. fourteen days ago.
Atijettawa ( — etta — ), adv. three days ago.
Atijettalawa ( — etta-la), adv. thirteen days ago.
ATrjEJ9WA ( — ijo-mejo — ), adv. eight days ago.
Atijokanlawa ( — mokanla — ), adv. eleven days ago.
Atijewa ( — iJ9-me — ), adv. ten days ago.
Atijejewa ( — ijo-meje — ), adv. seven days ago.
Atijessanwa ( — messan — ), adv. nine days ago.
Atijo ( — ojo), adv. of old time, long ago.
Ati-ko, s. the process of teaching; the process of build-
ing.
Ati-la, s. salvation, the act of being saved ; the act of
getting rich.
Atillende (nti-ille-nde), s. a youth, just arriving at the
age of puberty.
Ati-lo, s. departure, the act of going.
Ati-ni, s. attainment, possession.
Atioro, s. tassel ; bird ; plant.
Ati-pillese (pa-ille), s. beginning.
Atipo, s. resident, sojourner.
Atisinsin-yi-lo (ati-isinsin), adv. henceforth.
Ati-wa, s. the act of coming.
Atiwa-ojo, 5. sun-rising, the east.
Atiwo-orun, s. the west. [Haussa : Yama.)
Ati-se, s. action.
Atonimoni (ati-oni-mo-oni), adv. all day long. (Used in
cases of difficulty or distress, to denote the length of
time they occupy.)
Aton-wa, s. a returning.
Atori, s. a tree very remarkable for its elasticity, used
for bows.
AT9RUNWA (ati-orun), adj. heavenly, proceeding from
heaven ; original ; untainted.
x\toto, s. noise ; the word used by the public crier to
51
A TO
enforce silence, when about to deliver a proclama-
tion ; — Atoto — o — o !
A.TO, s. that which makes straight ; a medicine which
heals a fractured bone or limb ; a kind of long-
/ necked calabash.
y Atojomojo (ati ojo-mo-ojo), adv. a long time ago. — Oro
atojomoio ko le isini li eti bi oro titton, " An old
story does not open the ear as a new one does."
Atojuenni (to-oju), s. superintendent.
Atokun (to-okun), s. leader, guide.
Atokko (to-okk9), s. pilot, helmsman.
Atommodommo (ati-ommp-de-ommo), adv. to children's
children.
Aton-bi, s. regeneration.
Aton-da, s. regeneration.
Aton-iiu,5. a repetition of behaviour; a fresh shooting out.
Atonna ^(to-onna), s. one who walks about the road ;
spy ; watchman.
Atowowa (ati-owo-wa), s. that which originates from
one's self; personal action.
Atta, s. the ridge which covers the top of the roof.
Atta, s. a resinous tree, commonly split and used for
torches.
Atte, s. fan to winnow rice or corn.
Atuko (tu-okko), s. sailor.
Atubo-se, s. that which brings any thing to a completion.
Atubo-tan, s. termination. — Ki olorun ki o fu ni li atu-
b9tan rere, " May God give us a happy end !" (An
expression borrowed from the Mahommedans.)
Atun-se, Aton-:SE, s, restoration, repairs.
AwA, pers. pron. we.
iVwADA, 6". jest, joke.
Awa-mu, s. adherence, attachment.
AwA-NA, pers. pron. we ourselves.
AwA-No, ,v. a waster, waste.
AwA-Ti-KARA-WA, pers. pron. we of our own selves.
52
AWA
AwA-wr, s. an excuse.
AwAYA or AiiARiYA, s. Small shot.
AwAYA, AwAYA-iJA, s. agony, contest, combat, struggle.
AwERE, s. name of the yellow monkey.
Awe, *. fasting, religious abstinence from food; mourning
for the dead, at which time the relatives of the dead
do not wash their clothes.
Awe, s. a division of fruits or nuts, such as coffee-nuts, &c.
AwEDE (we-ide), s. an herb used for cleaning brass. — Oni-
baba ni itoju orombo, onide ni ima itoju awede, " He
that has copper ornaments looks after the (fruit of
the) lime ; he that has brass ornaments looks after the
awede."
Awe-no, s. that which is washed off; soap.
AwTdakke (wi-ma-dakke), s. perpetual talking.
Awi-MA-Yi-HUN, s. a man of truth.
AwiN, s. trust, credit. — Iwo gba mi li awin, " You credit
me."
Awi-RiN, s. a witch.
Awi-ye, 5. interpretation, explanation. — Awiye ni Ife ifo
gbangba li oro iperan, " (As) the Ife people speak
without disguise, (so) a poisoned arrow kills an
animal in the sight of all."
AwTyannu (wi-ma-yannu), s. importunity.
AwiGBo, s. that which is uttered audibly ; plain speech.
AwfcBo (wi-ma-gbo), adj. disobedient, obstinate.
Awo-agbado, s. shock of corn.
Awo, s. a kind of guinea-fowl. — Bi amba mbu ettu
ori ama ra a wo, " If you abuse the ettu (a kind of
guinea-fowl), you make the head of the awo (a bird
of the same genus) ache ;" {i e. People feel acutely
any reproach cast upon their relatives.)
Awo, s. plate.
Awo, s. that which is looked into or through ; a spy-glass.
Awo, s. device, secret bai'gain, su])erstitious mystery.
Awo-KOTo, s. a bason.
53
AWO
Awo-oMiTORo, Awo-OBBE, s. soup-platc.
Awo-oLOMMORi (oni-9mmo-ori), s. bason with a cover.
AWO-OKKO, AWO-GBORO, AwO-OGBON, AWO-POKKO, S. disll.
AwoDi, s. hawk. — ^A.wodi nra ino ahidire baje, "When the
hawk hovers (over the yard) the owner of the fowls
feels uneasy.": — Li oju awodi ki ako adire re apatta,
"No one would expose fowls on the top of a rock in
the sight of a hawk." — Awodi oloju ina, " The awodi
has eyes that can bear the fire."
Aw^ojuiN (wo-ji-ijin), s. glass, looking-glass.
AwojuiN-oJu, s. spectacles.
Aw OKO, s. colic, spleen.
AwoKo, s. the mock-bird. — Mo kon igba lalle mo kon
igba li oro mo kon igba li ossan ki mto fi ayindayinda
lu u, " I sang 200 songs in the morning, 200 at noon,
and 200 in the afternoon " (says the mock-bird, " as
my ordinary task), besides many frolicsome notes (for
my own amusement)."
AwoLLEiiu oRO ( — wo-ille — ), s. a fabricated rumour.
woNi (wo-enni), Alake-si, s. a visitor.
Awo-RAN, s. picture, image, likeness. — Bi aba gbe awo-
ran, aki isa ima fi, owe re te nkan, " However well
an image may be made, it must have something to
stand upon."
AwoROJOBi ( — ^je-obi), a\ a small bird.
Awo-se, s. pattern.
Awo-TAN, s. perfect cure, entire healing. — O se awotan
won gbogbo, " He cures them all."
Awo-VE (wo-oye), Alore (enni-ore), s. a looker out, a spy.
Awo,s. hide, skin, leather.
^Aw^o, s. colour ; outward appearance ; likeness, simili-
tude, image.
Awo-PALA, s. very coarse leather ; unwrought leather.
Awo-wiLiKi, 6'. leather worn about the waist.
Aw^o-sANMAj s. the clouds.
Awo-TUTU, s. raw hide.
54
AWO
AwoiiiN (wo-ebin), s. hump ; crooked back.
AwoN, s. land tortoise; greediness; a miser; adj. sparing,
scanty, parsimonious. — Eje aw9n ko kon ni H own,
{/ " The blood of the tortoise is not a handful." — lile
os9n9 a ya yo ta ni je ya ille aw9n ki aw9n, " One
^ may call at the house of the liberal and be filled, (but)
who will call at the house of a miser to salute him V
— lUe aw9n ko gba aw9n, 9dedde aw9n ko gba olojo,
aw9n ko ille oyo 9dde ni ibadi, " The house of the
^ tortoise is not large enough for itself, the verandah of
a tortoise wall not accommodate a guest; the tortoise
having built its house, makes the verandah (i. e. the
part of the shell that overlaps the tail) behind it."
AwoN OKUN, s. sea turtle.
Aw^oN, pers. pron. they.
AwoN, Ahon, s. the tongue.
'AwoN, s. a net.
AwoN-EKUN, s. a hairy plant, whose touch causes severe
itching — so called from its being rough, like a leo-
pard's tongue ; also, a very watery plant, much used
by thirsty hunters, who cut it asunder and drink the
sap.
AwoNNiwoNNi Cvv9-enni), s. a kind of guana ; otherwise
called Awonwon; Aiianhan; Alegba ; Alegba Ale-
To-Lo ; supposed to be able to live without water for
a long time.
AwoN-NA, pers. pron. they themselves.
AwoN-so, s. a weaver.
Awo-RiRUN, s. a well-worked leather ; soft leather.
Awujo, s. the midst of an assembly.
Awuju, s. confusion.
Aya, s. a wife.
Aya, s. a kind of monkey. — Aya be sille 9 be si sille,
1/ " When a monkey jumps down from the tree, he
jumps into the house (of his pursuer);" Le. is sure to
be caught.
55
AYA
AvABHA (aya-obba), s. a queen, a king's wife.
Ayamo-pe, Ayamo-bi, C071J. otherwise, unless. — Bi babba
ko ba de ayammope emi ko so otito, " Unless my
father has come 1 have not spoken the truth."
Ayan, s. a tree, from which the club of Sango (the god
of thunder and lightning) is made ; the cockroach. —
Ayan ko gba edon, " The Ayan tree resists an axe."
Ayan, s. inquisitiveness ; stench, ofTensive smell. — O
nsayan, " It stinks."
Ayan-fe, s. or adj. a friend, one selected among the rest,
chosen, beloved.
Ayanga, 5. a word of rebuke or threatening to an inferior.
Ayan-je, Iyan-je, s. cheat, imposition.
Ayan-se, s. any thing done specially, done to order.
Aya-sebi, conj. unless, except, otherwise.
Aye, s. room, space. Aye-agba, chief room, seat of the
elder.
Aye, Awe, s. breadth of cloth.
Aye, adj. alive, living, quick.
Aye-tan, s. perfect understanding, full conception.
Ayi-da, s. a change ; round of time ; next season ; year.
Ayida-yida, s. much talk, chattering.
Ayi-ka, s. a surrounding ; circle ; halo.
A YIN, s. a very hard tree with oily sap.
Ayin, s. mats made of bamboo. Ille ayin, house of
bamboo mats.
Ayinrin, s. light blue.
Ayinuin, s. a small animal like the fox, which catches
fowls.
Ayo, 5. a choice person or thing ; adj. most beloved, most
valued.
\^y Ayo, Awo, 5. a game called the warry. — Ayo ki ije ki aye
e, " When the game is won, it cannot be disputed."
Ayo, adv. plentifully.
Ayo, s. joy, gladness.
Ayoluwo (yo-illu-wo),s. a spy sent to survey a town.
56
AYO
Ayommo (aya-ommo), s. the wife of a prince.
Ayoniwo (y9-enni-wo), s. a spy who watches the actions
of an individual ; an eaves-dropper.
Ayo-san, s. money paid for sacrifice.
Ayo-se, s. doing hy stealth ; that which is done by stealth.
Ayun,5. a going, departure. — Ayun ni mo ri nko ri abo,
" I saw the departure, but not the return." — Kun
'yun kun 'wa bi iko era, " To be busy here and
there, like the messenger of the ant (era)."
Ayun, Avon, s. a saw. — Onsonna o fi ayun re iggi, " The
artisan cuts a tree with a saw."
Ayun-abo, Ayun-awa, s. a going and returning.
B.
Ba, v. a. to meet, overtake, find at a place. — Nwon ba mi
ni ille, "They meet me at home." — I wo ba mi li
onna, " You overtook me on the road." — Awon oba
mi nibe, " They will find me there."
Bk followed hy Lo (to go), v. a. to accompany. — Ma se
ba mi lo, " Do not accompany me."
Ro(consider),v. a. to advise, give counsel.
— Ta li o ba iwo ro iru oran behe'?
"Who advised YOU in such a matter?"
So (squabble), v. n. to quarrel with. — Ma
bamisomo, "Do not quarrel with me
any more." — K6 ye ki aba a so, " It is
not good to be quarrelling with him."
Sun (sleep), iJ. ;i. to lie with. (This word
should be always used in translating
the Scriptures, it being a more decent
expression than Do.)
Tan (connected), v. n. to be related to. —
Gbogbo araiye li 9 ba ara won tan,
"All mankind are related to one
another."
Wi (talk), V. a. to rebuke, blame. —
57 I
BA
Babbaba mi wi, "(My) father blamed
me." — Ma se ba ommo re wi to behe,
" Do not rebuke your child so much."
Ba followed hy Wuo (dispute), xi. a. to judge. — Olorun
yi oba gbogbo aiye wijo, " God shall
judge the whole world."
Ba, v. a. {primary idea, to bring into contact with, hence)
to sit or alight on a tree, as a bird ; fit, be exact ; hit
the right mark ; come to the point ; bespeak ; plait
coarsely {i.e. bring the grass fibres into contact with
each other) ; strain through (/. e. bring into contact
with) a sieve. — Eiye meji ba li ori iggi, " Two birds
are sitting on the tree." — O ba a patapata, " It comes
right to the point." — Emi ti ba malu na sille, " I
have bespoken the cow." — Ba esu fu mi, " Plait
some esu grass for me." — lya mba aro, '^(My) mother
is straining potash."
KAfoIloived by Je {tvithout meaning, except in comj^osition),
V. a. to corrupt, spoil, defile, destroy.
— O ba ommo mi j^, " He spoils my
child" (by indulgence, demoraliza-
tion, bodily injury).
LoRUKOJE (ni-oruko, to the name), v. a.
to slander. — Emi o ba oruko re je, " I
will slander you."
NiNOJE (ni-ino, in or to the mind), v. a. to
displease, grieve.^ — E' ma je ki aba
babba ninoje, "Don't let us grieve
our father."
Ti (failure),!?, w. to fail, miss one's aim by
a small distance. — Ofa ti o ta ba a ti,
" The arrow which he shot, missed it."
'Oko ti mo so si eiye na o ba a ti,
*'The stone which I threw at the
bird, missed it."
Ba, v. n. to be bent inwards, to be bent. — Ehin re o ba,
58
I
BA
" His back is crooked." Iggi na ba die, " The stick
is bent a little."
Ba, v. n. to lie close to the ground, hide. — Ole ba nino
igbe, " The thief hides in the bush." — Adie ba le
omm9 re, " The hen sits over her young."
Ba, mix. V. (defective), shall, should, would; ought. — Ni-
gbati yio ba lo, emi o fi fu 'o, " When he goes (lit.
should go) I will give it to you." — Emi ni iba I9,
" I ought to have gone." (With the prefix it assumes
the sense of " to.")
Ba, aifx. V. (defective), should, might. — IW9 nse behe
ki emi ki oba lo, '• You act thus in order that I
might go."
Ba, j'jre^j. with, against; (frequently in composition). —
Ommo wa ba won lo, " Our children went with
them." — Gbogbo W9n mba wa ja, ^' They were all
fighting against us."
Ba, (Lat. con) ; particle used only in composition.
Ba, adv. with Ha, (emphatical) never. — Emi ko ha se e
ba, " I did not do it ; no, never !" IW9 ko je I9 ba,
" You would never go."
Baba, s. the red Guinea corn ; copper.
Baba, s. a great thing ; Baba, s. a small thing ; words em-
ployed in the following proverb — Baba bo baba m9lle,
" A great matter puts a smaller out of sight."
Babba, s. father, master. — Babba wa ko si ni ille, " Our
father is not at home." — Babba ataiyeraiye, " Father
everlasting."
Babbalawo (babba-ni-awo), s. a priest of Ifa.
Babba-nla, Babb7\la, s. grandfather. — IW9 ko mo bab-
banla wa, " You did not know our grandfather."
Babo, s. a tree, the leaf of which is much used in tying
up agidi and kola-nuts.
Babuja (bu-abuja), v. a. to cross, thwart.
Bada, s. a title.
Ba-de, v. n. to agree, suit. — O bade, " It agrees ;" " It suits.'"
59
BAF
Bafin, Ibafin (iba-afin), s. eunuchs, of whom there were
six in the palace of the King of Yoruba; they are
called Ivveflfa.
Bai, Bayi (bi-eyi), adv. thus, so ; only; no more ; very. —
Emi ni iw9 se bai si, " Do you act thus towards me."
Bai, adv. yonder, somewhere, thereabouts. — Ille re mbe
nibai, " His house is somewhere thereabouts ;" " His
house is yonder."
Bai-ba\, adv. dimly. — Orun nran baibai, "The sun shines
dimly."
Balaga (ba-le-aga), s. a young man, coming to maturity.
Balle-ero, s. host, landlord. — Balle ero li o mu mi wo,
" The host lodged me."
Balle (ba-ille), v. n. to touch the ground.
Balle (ba-ille), s. governor.
Balle (obba-ille), s. householder, master of a house ;
husband.— Balle mi, " My husband." — 'Agba ko si illu
baje, balle ku ille di ahoro, " When there are no
elders, the town is ruined ; when the master dies, the
house is desolate."
Balogun (obba-ni-ogun), Ibalogun, 5. a war chief, officer.
Balogun-orun, s. a centurion.
Baluwe, Ibaluwe, (ibi-alu-we) s. apartment in a house
for washing or necessary resort.
Banabana, Benabena, .v. a plant having small leaves
which fold as soon as the sun sets, the powder of
which is used by thieves, as a charm to put the in-
mates of a house to sleep, previous to attempting
a robbery.
Bambam, s. a piece of wood, flattened on one side, used
for beating mud floors, to make the foundation solid.
Bans {Eng.), s. bans of marriage.
Bao, Bawo, (bi-ewo) adv. how ? in what way ? — Bawo ni
ki ase? "How should we act?" — Bawo li ori?
" How is it ?"
Baptisi {Gr.), v. a. to baptize.
60
BAR
Bar A, s. a kind of running plant, which bears the seed
egusi.
Bar A, s. god of mischief, Satan, the Devil.
Bata, s. a kind of long drum. — Opolopo a lu bata ni
nsagbe je, " A great many bata drummers are beg-
gars."
Batta, s. shoe, sandal ; hoof. — Batta li a ifi ise agbara li
' arin egun, "With shoes one can get on in the midst
of thorns."
Baun, (bi-on) adv. thus, so. — Emi li o se e baun, " I did
it so."
Bawonni (hi-iwon-ni), jjron. such. — Iru enia bawonni li
anfe, " Such persons we like." — Enia bawonni sow9n,
" Such persons are rare."
Bayi (bi-eyi), adv. thus. See Bai.
Bere (bi-ere), v. a. to ask, inquire after, question, re-
quire, consult, demand. — 'Obere mi, " He inquired
after me."
Bese, s. saddle-cloth.
Be, v. a. and n. to skip, to leap from a high to a low place,
to leap at a measured distance ; cut in two pieces at
a stroke ; bring forth young, litter (applied to car-
nivorous animals, and also to pigeons). — M9 be iggi
na meji, " I cut the stick in two."
Be folloived hy Lori (ni-ori, at the head), v. a. to behead.
— Iwo be ewure lori, " You beheaded
the goat." See Beri.
Be, v. a. to beg, pray, beseech. — O be mi ki nkalo, " He
prayed me to go along with him."
Be folloived hy Wo, v. a. to peep at, pay a short visit to.
• — Awon iyekan nyin wa ibe yin wo,
" Your relatives came to visit you."
Be, v. n. to display a brilliant and deep red colour ; to be
officious, too forward, impudent. — Aran yi be yo,
" The colour of the velvet is brilliant."
Bebbe (be-ebbe), v. n. to pray, supplicate, make entreaty.
61 '
BEB
— Avva bebbe loddo re, " We entreat of him." —
Bebbe ki o ri okose, saojbe ki ori awon, " Beg for
help, and you will meet with refusals ; ask for alms,
and you will meet with misers."
Bebe, s. brink of a pit or precipice ; verge, edge ; shoal,
bar. — Mase duro ni bebe odo, "Do not stand at the
brink of the river." — Bebe ya, "The (river's) bank is
broken." <
Bebe-idi, s. rump.
Bebe-oju, s. eye-brow.
Bebeyara, (bebe-iyara), s. earthen mound against a for-
tification.
Behe, adv. thus, so. — ^Behe ni, " So it is."
Beiie-ko, adv. no, not so.
Behe ni, coty. neither, nor. — Beheni ki ise emi, behe ni
ki ise iw9, "It is neither I nor you." — Ki ise eyi,
behe ni ki ise eyini, " It is neither this nor that." —
Belebele, adj. flat, elastic, pliant, thin.
Beleje, adj. beautifully yellow. — Ina pupa beleje, djo
dudu bolojo, " The fire is a beautiful yellow ; the
rain-clouds are a beautiful black."
Bende, s. a blow with the fist. -Yio ki iwo nibende,
" He will box you."
Bebe, v. a. to begin, commence, stoop.
Bere, adj. low, fiat, not high. — Orule yi here, " This
roof is flat." Also used as an impers. v., " It is flat."
Bere, adj. even, s. gentle slope ; slight elevation, in
rows ; level. — Nwon wo ille gbogbo palle bere, "They
levelled the houses all along."
Bere, s. grass used for thatching, of which there are va-
rious kinds ; Bere-mene, s. fine yellow grass ; Bere-
ALOLo ; Bere-pasi, s. kinds of coarse grass.
Beri, (be-ori), v. a. to behead, — Obba beri re li oju
opopo, " The king beheaded him on the highway lead-
ing to the town."
Beru, (ba-eru), v. a. to fear, be afraid of, be daunted. —
62
BER
«
Ma beru enni kan, " Fear no man." — Bern Olorun,
"Fear God."
Beri^keru (ba-eru-ki-eru), v. to be apt to fear, to be timid.
Br, conj. and adv. according as, if, although, whether,
just. — Bi behe ba ni, " If it be so." — Bi babba ti wi li,
awa o se, " As (my) father has said, so will we do." —
Bi o ti de ni yi, " He is just come." — Bi ko tille fe awa
ose, "Though he be not willing, yet we shall do so."
Bi, V. a. to bear, beget, breed (applied to mammiferous ani-
mals). — Malu mi bi lanna, "My cow calved yesterday."
^i followed hy Si (towards), v. n. to multiply, increase,
replenish. — Glare mbisi, "His riches
increase."
Bi, v. a. to ask, question. — Obi mi li oran na, " He asks
me about that matter."
Bi, followed hy Lere (ni-ere, with a question), v. a. to
question, interrogate. — Okon-ri na bi
mi li ere, " The man questions me."
Lejo (^ — ejo, judgment), v. rt. to question
a man upon a charge brought against
him.
LoHUN ( — ohun, voice), v. a. to reproach
a person for ingratitude.
Nino ( — ino, in the inward) v. a. to vex,
make angry.
Bi, v. a. fo push violently ; vomit, spew.
Bi followed hy Subu, v. a. to push headlong, overthrow.
Bi-ATi, adv. how. — Ko mi biati ise, " Teach me how to
do it."
Bi-ATi-N^\^, adv. immediately, instantly {lit. as we were
talking). — Biatinwi behe li ode, "He came just as we
were talking."
Bi-BAWo (bi-bi-ewo), adv. whereby, in what way, how.
BiBi, adj. begotten ; 5. that which is born.
BiBO, adj. boiled. — Eran bibo, " Boiled meat."
BiBU, adj. broiled, by being heated under hot ashes or
63
BI-E
embers ; s. roof patched by inserting grass ; mended
roof. — Isu bibu, "Broiled yam." — Ejja bibu, "Broiled
fish."
Bi-ENNi-PE, conj. as if one should say, as if.
BiERANKO (bi-eran-oko), adj. brutal, like a beast.
BiKiTA, V. a. to notice, regard. — Emi ko bikita si won, " I
do not notice them."
Bi-KOSE, Bi-KOSE-PE, Bi-KOSE-Bi, conj. but, except, unless.
— Bikosepe mo lo, ki yi ofi fu 'o, " Unless I go, he
will not give it to you."
BiLA (bi-ila), v. n. to give place, as in a crowd (lit. to
push an opening). — Bila fu mi, " Give place to me."
Bi-Lu, v. a. to push heavily against another.
BiNA-BiNA, s. abusive language.
BiNo (bi-ino), v. n. to vex, be angry. — O bino si mi poju,
" He is very angry with me."
BiNo-jE, V. n. to feel grieved, be sorry.
Bi-OLORUN, adj. godlike, godly.
Bi-osuMARE, ^6/;. in a semicircle, like a rainbow ; archlike.
BiRi, adj. occupying a small space ; within a small com-
pass (applied to land). — Ille biri, " A circumscribed
piece of land."
BiRi, adj. occupying an extensive circular space. — Mo
ra ille biri, "I bought a large piece of ground."
BiRiiuRi, adv. very ; (intensive particle usually followed
by the v. Su, to be dark). — Ille su biribiri, "'The land
is utterly dark." — Igbo biribiri, okunkun biribiri,
okunkun ni yio sette igbo, " The forest is very dark ;
the night is very dark : the darkness of the night is
deeper than the darkness of the forest."
BiRiGAMi, s. a square bag or wallet used by travellers and
traders.
BiRi-KOTO, s. a small narrow place.
Blasffmi (Gr.), s. blasphemy.
Bo, V. a. and n. to peel, deprive of covering or bark ; to
make a noise like a he-goat. — Joseph bo ille babba re,
64
/
BO
"Joseph stripped his father's house." — Epo iggi na bo,
" The bark of the tree peels." — Ara mi bo, " My skin
peels."
Bb,v.n. to be full of leaves, rich in foliage. — ^Aba ode mi bo
dudu, "The banyan-tree in my street is full of
leaves."
Bode, s. custom-house. — Obba ni igba owo bode, " It is
the king who receives custom,"
BojiN, s. shade. — Joko ni bojin, " Sit in the shade."
BojiN, Boji (ibi-oji), s. grave, place of interment.
Bojuwo, Boju-To (bu-oju-wo), v. a. to have an oversight
of, take notice of at intervals. — Bojuwo ille fu mi,
" Take care of my house for me."
Bole (bo-ille), v. a. to thatch, cover a house; rob a house ;
confiscate. — Obba bole enniti 9 se, " The king con-
fiscates the house of the offender."
BoLE-BOLE, 5. thatcher ; robber ; confiscator. — Ole bole-
bole ejikan — a term of reproach applied to robbers.
BoLESEBi, BoLESEPE (bi-ole-sc-bi), adv. if possible. — Bole-
sepe yi olo iba daraju, " If it be possible for him to
go, it will be well."
BoMiwoN (bu-omi-won), v. a. to sprinkle with water.
BoMO, Okabomo, s. white-grained Guinea corn. — Bomo
yo larin baba, "The (white-grained) bomo is con-
spicuous in the midst of the (red-grained) baba."
BoMUBOMU, s. a tree, the leaf of which is pounded, and
used to curdle milk, as the leaf of the ore plant is to
ferment akara cakes.
Bora, v. n. to cover the body (as with a cloth).
BoRi (bo-ori), v. a. to overcome, surpass. — IJ9 kan ojo
o bori oda, " One day's rain makes up for many days'
drought."
BoRi (bo-ori), v. n. to be the head, to be superior ; to
have the upper hand.
BoRi-GBOGBo, pre}), above ; over.
BoRVKo followed 63/ Je (ba-oruk9), v. a. to slander. — Otta
65 K
BOT
enia ni iba oruko re je, " He is an enemy who slanders
one's name."
BoTi, V. n. to tear half-way open.
BoTi-BOTi, adv. talkatively. — Ommode yi nsoro botiboti,
i^ "This child prates very much." — 'Qrp botiboti ko ye
fun agbalagba, " Prating is unbecoming in an elder."
Bo, V. a. to feed, maintain, support ; to beat the mud floor
of a house ; to wash slightly. — B9JU (bo-oju) v. to
wash the face. — Bora (bo-ara), v. to wash the body.
Bo, V. n. to drop, as a leaf or fruit from a tree ; drop
or fall from a loft ; slip ; to fail in carrying out one's
point. — Awo bo lowo mi, " The plate slipt from my
hand." — Ewe bo lori iggi, "A leaf drops from the
tree." — Ommo kan bo si kanga, " A child fell into
the well." — 'Oran na bo lowo mi, " I failed in that
business (lit. that matter dropped from me). (This
word is not applied to dropping of liquid.)
Bo, V. a. to take off any thing suspended loosely on a
pin or on the body. — Bo aso si ille loriekan, "Take
the clothes down from the peg." — O bo aso lara mi,
" He took off my clothes."
Bo, V. a. to adore ; to worship false deities by sacrifices. —
Awon Keferi ama bo iggi bo okuta, "The Gentiles
worship wood and stone."
Bofolloived hy Laso, v. a. to strip. — Ma se bp mi laso,
" Do not strip me of my clothes."
BoLOWo (bo-ni-owo), v. n. to escape or get free from
(the enemy's) hand. — I wo bolowo enia buburu, "You
escaped the hand of the wicked."
Bo, V. a. to insert ; pierce ; boil ; put on trowsers ; shake
hands. — Bo gbogbo eran na, " Boil all the meat."
— Bo sokoto re, "Put on your trowsers." — Bo mi lowo,
" Shake my hand."
Bo, V. n. to return. — x\won ero bo lanna, " The caravan
returned yesterday." ' .
Boju, (bo-oju), V. n. to wash the face. — Bi ko se ob9n
BOK
enia, ta ni ibaji lo oro ki 9 ma boju re mo sasa, "Who
would awake in the morning without washing his
face, unless he were a dirty person T'
BoKiNNi, s. a neat, decent person.
BoLLA (bu-olla), V. a. to respect honour, regard. — Bolla
fun agba, awon ni babba enni, " Respect the elders ;
they are our fathers."
BoLOJo, adv. beautifully (used of intense blackness). — ^"Ojo
dudu bolojo, "The rain-clouds are beautifully jet
black."
BoNNi, s. a species of acacia used by tanners.
Bora (bo-ara), v. n. to wash the body slightly ; to strip
the body of clothes, — Emi nlo ibora li odo, " I am
going to wash myself in the brook."
Boro, adv. soon, immediately. — K6 de boro, " It does not
come soon."
Borukonu, adj. profligate, wasteful ; stupid.
Bosi, 'y. a. to enter. — Bosi ille, " Enter {Jit. drop into) the
house."
BowA, V. n. to come onward ; move towards one.
Bowp (bo-owo), V. n. to shake hands together.
Bowo (bu-owo), V. a. to regard, pay respect to, honour. —
Gbogbo illu li o bpwo fun wa ni ille yi, " All people
in this town respect us."
BoYA (bi-oya), adv. perhaps, peradventure. — Boya ma de
Ilorin ki nto pada si ehin, " Perhaps I may reach
Ilorin before I return."
Bu, v. a. to broil or bake under hot ashes or embers.
— Mo bu isu metta nino eru gbigbona, " I baked
three yams under the hot ashes."
BujV.w. to rot by mouldering, spoil through damp, decay.
Bu, V. a. to abuse, censure ; v. n. to burst out into a loud
cry ; to send out a stinking savour.
Bu, V. a. to take out a portion {e.g. of water, rice, or any
thing in a mass). — Bu omi fun mi ki nmo, " Give me
some water to drink." — Bu agbado fun esin wa,
i^7
]/
\J
BtJ
" Fetch some corn for the horse." — Bii isu die fun
omm9 de yi, " Cut some yam for this child."
^h followed by Lu(beat),BuLU,'y.«. to pour upon; sup-
ply largely ; blow upon vehemently ;
(used of the sensation produced by an
oppressive atmosphere). — Oru bulu
mi ti, " The heat overpowers me."
Si (to), Busi, V. a. {primary idea, to put
to) ; to add to, bestow upon ; bless. —
Olprun yi obusi i fun o, " May God
bless you!" or, "God will bless you!"
Je (eat), V. a. to bite. — IW9 bu mi je,
' " You bite me."
KuN (deficient), v. a. to lessen ; to de-
spise.- — Gbogbo enia li o bu u kun,
"All people despise him."
Se (completed), v. n. to be almost
finished. — Ise mi bu se, " My work
is nearly done." — Ise re ibama bu se
V • • • •
ma ran o lowo, "Had not your
work been nearly completed I would
have helped you."
BuBA (ibi-iba), s. ambuscade ; lurking-place. — Ahu won
ni buba, nwon sa lo, "We discovered them in their
hiding-place; they ran away."
BuBURu, adj. lewd, wicked, evil.
BuDO (ibi-ido), s. camp.
BujE, s. a plant which bears a round fruit. The soft
part of it turns black when exposed to the air, and is
used by the natives to give the appearance of tattoo-
ing. — Os9 onibuje ko pe isan, oso oninabi ko ju odun
lo, " Marks made with buje do not last more than
nine days ; marks made with inabi (a plant which
blisters the skin) do not last more than a year."
Bu-JE (ibi-je), s. a place to feed at ; stable ; manger.
BujoKo (ibi-ijoko), s. abode, dwelling, seat. — Ommode
68
BU-K
ki iwo S0S9 ni bnjoko agba, " The younger should not
intrude into the seat of the elders."
Bu-KON, V. a. to add to, increase.
Bu-KUN, V. n. to be deficient. — ^Aso na bukun nitori ibo
ti ko ni, " The cloth is deficient, because it has not
breadth (enough)."
BuKu, s. one of the gods supposed to accompany the
small-pox, and to kill persons so afflicted by twisting
their necks.
BuRA (bu-ara), v. n. to swear, take oath.
BuRA-EKE, V. n. to perjure, swear falsely.
BuRu, adj., BuRUJu, compar., Burujulo, superl. bad, ill,
wicked.
BuRU-BURU, adv. closely (used with the verb Sapamo, to
hide).- — Nwon sapamo buruburu, " They hide them-
selves very closely."
Buso (ibi-iso), s. stall in which animals are tied up during
the night.
Buso (^ibi-iso), s. a resting-place for travellers, inn, place
for refreshment.
Busu, s. loose sand, loose soil very heavy to walk on.
BusuGBA (busu-igba), 5. the soft pulp of the locust fruit.
BusuN (ibi-isun), s. a sleeping-place, bed, nest.
Bu-YiN (bu-iyin), v.a. to respect, regard. — Buyln fun obba,
" Honour the king."
D.
Da, v. a. (The primary idea of this verb appears to be,
" to make or create." Its signification is modified by
the substantive with which it is used in combination.*
e.g. O da mi ni iggi, " He strikes (makes at) me with a
stick." O da owo ode, " He ^;ays (makes a payment
of) a tax (public money)."
l^AfolIoii'edbj/BL'iA.E,(to lie down), to make to lie down.
* Cf. French v.faire ; e. g-foire wn confe, to tell a story ; /aire Ics
chrveux, to cut the hair. — Ed.
69
DA
Da followed hy Duro (to stop), to detain.
KojA (over), to pass over, neglect.
KuRO (away), to release, redeem, acquit.
Odamikuroninoewon, "He redeems
me (makes me away) from prison."
Laga (ni-aga, under weariness), to
weary.
Lara ( — ara, under (?) the body), to
disappoint (cause depression (?) ).
Laraya ( — ya, to be lively), to enliven.
Lare ( — are, justice), to justify, — I wo
da mi lare, " You justify me."
Lebbi ( — ebbi, wrong), to condemn.
Lekun ( — ekun, cessation), to forbid.
Lesse ( — esse, foot), to stop from going
to a place.
Loju ( — oju, the eye), v. n. to be sure ;
V. a. to disappoint. — Ommo yi da mi
loju, " This child has disappointed
me {i. e. by its early death)."
. , LoRo ( — oro, torment), to torture. —
Masedaenialoro, "Tormentnoman."
Majemu (agreement), to make a cove-
nant.
Meji (two), to divide, break, cut, mould.
— O da isu meji, "He divides the
vams in two."
NiDAGiRi ( — idagiri, alarm), to raise
fears. — Ogun dii illu nidagiri, "War
frightened the inhabitants."
NiGGi (ni-iggi, under a stick), to beat.
NiJA ( — ija, wrestle), to throw down in
wrestling. — O da mi nija, " He
throws me down."
NiJiN ( — iji, fear), to frighten. — Eranko
da mi nijin, "A beast frightened me."
70
DA
Da followed hy Oruko (name), to mention one's name.
Si (by), to spare, reserve. — Agbe da
irugbin si, " Tiie farmer puts aside
some of his seed."
^^". SiLLE (si-ille, to the ground), to cause,
be the asfsrressor. — Enia buburu da
oran sille, "A wicked man creates
dispute."
So (talk), to mention. — Iwo ko gb9dd9
da oran na so, "You dare not men-
tion tlie matter."
. SASA(soundly), to be whole, clever, wise.
— Oju ommode yi da sasa, " This
child is very clever." — Ara mi da
sasa, "I am perfectly well."
Da, v. n. (The primary idea of this verh appears to be, " to
be scarce or rare ") ; hence, to be a time of dearth ;
cease from raining ; flash (as lightning from a cloud);
be intelligent ; flower, blossom ; be well ; ferment. —
Oda da li odun ni, " There is a famine this year."
— Manamana nda, " It lightens."
Da, v. a. to cast, pour ; hence, to betray a trust ; slip a
child under the arm from the back. — Ore mi da mi,
" My friend betrays me {lit. casts me off)." — Da ommo
re ki o fun u li ommo mu, " Slip your babe under
your arm, and give it suck."
\yk followed hy No (away), to pour away, waste. — Da
omi buburu no, " Pour out the
dirty water."
Po (many), to mingle, join.
Ru (stir), to confuse. — Nwpn da eke
ru, " They confound the liar."
Da, v. n. to upset, be poured out, be acceptable as a sacri-
fice (because the blood of the sacrifice is poured out,
or upset, on the ground); to be turned out of the right
direction ; to bend. — Okko 9 da, " The boat upsets." —
71
DA
Ada mi da ida, " My billhook bends very badly."-
Also used as v. subs., to become. When used in this
sense it is changed into Di, for the sake of euphony,
before e, i, o, and all consonants. — Kokoro di laba-
laba, " The grub becomes a butterfly."
Da, prep, (denoting a change of position), over, round. —
Pa mi da, " Turn me round."
Daba (da-aba), v. n. to imagine, think.
Dabi, v. n. to resemble, be like.
Dabo, v. n. to cease coming. — -On ko dake ko dabo, " It
does not cease."
Dabobo (da-abo),!;.^. to defend, shelter. — Ille ni idabobo
ni, " A house affords shelter."
Dagba (di-agba), v. n. to grow up, come to age, be old.
Dagbere, v. a. to take leave of, bid farewell to.
Dahun (da-ohun), v. n. to reply.
Daja, v. a. to serenade.
Daji, v. n. to rise a great while before day.
Dajo (da-eJ9), v. a. to settle a matter, to judge ; appoint
a day, fix a time.
Daju (da-oju), adj. shameless ; certain, plain, demonstra-
tive, quick of discovery ; v. to be sharp. — O daju danu,
'o ko mo essan messan, " (Though) you (appear) very
sharp, you cannot tell nine times nine."
Daju-daju, adv. plainly, evidently, assuredly.
Dakaka (da-akaka), v. n. to sit cross-legged.
Dake (da-akke),^. w. tobe silent, to hush; adj. silent (an
euphemism for " dead.") — Babba dake, " (My) father
is dead."
Dake-roro (da-akke), adj. very still, very calm. — Omi
dakeror9, " The water is very still."
Dako (da-oko), v. n. to circumcise (an expression to be
avoided in translations. See Kola).
Da-ku v. n. to faint away, to be at the point of death.
Dakun (da-okun), v. a. to prepare spun cotton for sale.
Dala, .s'. a coarse grass used for plaiting fences.
72
DAL
Dalare (da-are), v. a. to pronounce in the right, justify.
Damoran (da-imp-oran), v. a. to give counsel, propose.
Da-mo, v. a. to strike violently with a stick.
Da-mu, v. a. to confuse, perplex, confound.
Dan, v. n. to shine, glitter ; be slippery ; be good, be
right ; v. a. to make bright.
Da^n foUoived hy Wo, v. a. to attempt, try ; tempt. — Mo
dan ise na wo, emi ko le ise, " I tried
the work, but was unable to accom-
plish it."
Dana (da-ina), v. a. to make fire.
Dandan, s. a kind of talc, used for mirrors by the natives
of the interior.
Dankare, Jankare (ja-ka-re), s. soldiers, men of war.
Danilara (li-ara), v. n. to vex, annoy, mortify.
Daniloju (da-enia-li-oju), v. n. to be sure, certain, evident.
Danu (da-ennu), v. n. to be able to speak fluently ; to be
talkative.
Dapara (da-ipara), v. n. to grow callous.
Dapara, v. n. to sneer at, make a jest of one.
Dapo, v. n. to mix, mingle.
Dara, v. a. to make a new fashion.
Dara (da-ara), adj. good, handsome, fair.
Dara-dara, adv. well ; very good.
Daran (da-oran), v. n. to commit sin, transgress, tres-
pass.
Daraya (da-ara-ya), v. n. to be cheerful, lively.
Dari followed hy Ji (da-ori-ji), v. a. to forgive, pardon.
Daro (da-aro), v. n. to be a dyer of blue.
Daro ( — aro), v. n. to be anxious or concerned about
one.
Darudapo. v. a. to mix indiscriminately.
Daru-daru, adv. entirely, (applied to verbs of conceal-
ment.) — Ikuku bo illu molle darudaru, "The fog
covers the town entirely."
Daruko (da-oruko), u. a. to name, mention one's name.
73 ' L
DAS
L^ Dasa, 5. a small dish with cover. — Dasa mu abbe ni iyin,
enni nla li 9pon iye, " (Though) a dasa gives the stew
a neat appearance, a bowl answers best for great men
(because it holds more)."
Da-si, v. a. to meddle with, intrude ; also, to spare, re-
serve.
Dasse (da-esse), v. w. to cease from coming or going to a
place, cease, stop.
Dasa (da-asa), v. n. to aim at too much ; to introduce a
new custom.
Dawo (da-owo), v. a. to put money together, to contri-
bute.
Dawo-esu, v. a. to pay money into a savings' club. See
Itadogun.
Dawo-ode, v. a. to pay tax or public rate.
Dawu (da-owu), v. a. to prepare spun cotton for sale.
Dawole (da-owo-le), v. a. to lay hands on, undertake.
Dayele, Diyele (da-iye-le), v. a. to put or charge a price
upon ; to rate, estimate.
De, v. nt to come to, arrive at, reach ; to cover with a lid.
— Ojo-de, " There is rain coming."
De, p*e^. for. — Duro de mi, "Wait for me." — Sise na
de mi, " Do the work for me."
De, v. a. to bind, shackle. — Nwon de mi ni sekeseke,
" They put me in fetters."
Debbi (da-ebbi), v. a. to pronounce guilty, to condemn.
Debe (di-ibe), v. a. to arrive at a place, end a journey.
Debipa (da-ebi-pa), Febipa, v. a. to famish, starve.
Dede, adr. all right ; adj. alike, agreeable, corresponding.
— Ose dede, " It is agreeable."
Deiiun, (de-ohun), v. n. [lit. to close words ;) to agree, bar-
gain, promise.
Dena (de-onna), v. a. to keep the road, stop the passage,
lay wait.
Dewo (da-ewo), v. a. to forbid (said of ceremonial prohibi-
tions).
74
DE
De, v. a. to ensnare, tempt, bait, hunt, encourage, pursue.
Ode nde igbe, " The hunter is hunting in, tlie
busii."
T)e followed by Wo (to see), v .a. to try, watch, tempt,
entice.
De, v. a. to loosen, slacken.
De, v. n. to ripen, to be soft, to be easy.
Dede, or Dedde, jorep, near, at at a short distance. — OJ9
ti awa yio lo kun si dede, " The day of our departure
is near."
Dedo (de-odo), v. a. to fish {lit to hunt the water).
Degbe (de-igbe), v. n. to go out hunting, to engage in the
chase.
Dehun, v. n. to sink the voice.
Deja (de-aja), ( — eja), to lay a dog on the scent ; v. n. to
" fish. *
Dekun ( — okun), v. a. to set a snare.
Dekun (da-ekun),v. n. to cease, stop, yield.
Deni, v. a. to relieve, ameliorate, facilitate. — IW9 deni
lara, " You make us comfortable."
Denge, s. gruel made of Indian corn.
Deredere, adv. (hanging) loosely and slovenly as if
ready to fall of
Desse (de-esse), v. n. to stop, slacken one's pace. — 'Desse
duro fu u, " Wait for him."
Deru (di-eru) v. a. to pack, to load.
Deruba (da-eru-ba),u. a. to frighten, discourage.
Dese (da-ese), v. n. to sin, transgress.
Deti (de-eti), v. n. to listen, incline the ear.
Deti, v. n. to fail, come short of, be unable to perform, be
difficult.
Di, v.n. See Da.
Di, adj. less, short, deficient ; complicated, entan-
gled.
Di, prep, used with v. Sa, which see.
Di, V. a. to shut, close up ; parch, fry.
75
DI
Di followed bi/ Mo (close), v. a. to shut in, enclose, en-
compass.
Di, V. a. to tie, bind, unite ; pack ; coagulate ; chew to-
bacco.
TS\, followed hy Mu (lay hold on), v. a. to grasp, hold fast.
RiKisi (conspiracy), v. w. to conspire, con-
cert, plan, plot.
DiBAJE (da-ibaje), corruption, v. n. to die, perish ; get
spoiled, corrupt.
Did A, adj. (from Da), that which is to be delivered, re-
leased, made, created ; creation, the act of creating.
DiDA-ARA, 5. health, soundness of body.
DiDA-JO, ( — ejo), s. decision of a case; appointment of
a time or day.
Dtdan, adj. shining, bright.
DiDE, adj. that which is to be bound, shackled, watched.
DiDE, defect, v. arise, get up. — Dide naro, " Stand up-
right."
DiDE, adj. that which is to be baited or chased.
DiDE, adj. soft, ripened.
DiDi, verbal adj. (from Di), that w hich is to be tried.
DiDi, s. the act of tying or binding a thing ; plaiting of
hair ; a kind of game.
DiDON, adj. sweet, pleasant (to the eye, taste, or any
sense) ; 5. sweetness, flavour.
DiDLlf, verb. adj. (from Du), that which is to be grasped.
DiDURA, s. elfort made to keep from falling when one
trips.
DiDURo, 5. detention.
Die, adj. few, some, little ; adv. awhile.
DiFE, V. n. to blossom, flower.
DiGBOSE (da-igba-ti-ose), adv. by and bye, till another
time.
Dioi, s. glass, looking-glass.
Died (da-igo), s. piece of cloth tied round the waist, an
apron.
t
^6
DIJ
Due, Duje (da-ije), v. n. to compete in labour.
DiJi DiJiN, (da-iji), v. n. to take fright ; be disappointed.
— Omm9 dijin, " The child is frightened." — Mo
diji pe okko tiwa ni. " I fancied it was our ship
(but was disappointed)."
Diju (di-oju), V. n. to knot, be entangled, to grow per-
plexed. — Oranyi diju, " This matter is perplexed."
DiLLE (da-ille), v. n, to be at leisure, unemployed.
DiPARA, V. See Dapara.
DisTsiYi (da-isisiyi), adv. hitherto.
DiTi (di-eti), v. n. to shut the ear, to be deaf.
Diwo (di-owo), v. w. to be placed in difficulty.
DiYAN (da-iyan), u. n. to be careful, solicitous ; to intend,
think about.
DiGBARo (da-igbaro), v. n. to remain standing. — Odigbaro
to onilu lehin, ''He that follows the drummer is
obliged to keep standing."
Do, V. n. to encamp ; v. a. to cohabit with. (See Ba and
Sun.)
DoGiRi (da-ogTri), v. n. to gallop.
DoGOTi ( — ogoti), v.a. to dun a person for debt ; to sit
closely at.
DoGUN ( — ogun), V. n. to rust, to corrode.
D0JUB9LLE ( — oju-bo-ille), v. w. to turn one's face to the
ground.
DojuDE ( — oju-de), V. n. to invert a vessel.
DojUKODo ( — oju-ko-odo), d. n. to look down from a
height.
DojUTi ( — oju-ti), V. a. to make ashamed.
DoMDOM-AiYE, s. comforts of the world, luxuries of life.
DoRiKODo, (ori-ko-do) v.n. to incline the head downwards,
look downwards, meditate.
DoTi, V. n. to encamp against.
DoBBALLE ( — obba-ille), u. n. to prostrate one's self on the
ground, lie flat, pay respect to a superior. — Dobballe
ki apa igbonwo mo o ni 'hun ti ise fun ni, " To pro-
77
DOD
strate one's self and keep the elbows close, does some-
thing for one {i.e. is sure to benefit a man)."
Dodo, adv. very (describing the quality of Ro, cool). —
Ewe na ro dodo, " The leaf is quite shrivelled."
Don, Dun, v. n. to be hurtful to, grieve, cause regret, be
painful. — Oran na don mi poju, " That matter grieves
me much."
Don, Dun, adj. sweet, pleasant, handsome ; (used as a
participle), pleased.
DoNMO, Dunmo, v. n. to be pleasant, agreeable, delight-
ful. — Ohun ti nwon se donmo mi iojo, " That which
they did pleased me much."
DoNDON, s. a kind of drum.
DoGBA (da-ogba), v.n. to be equal, right, correct, exact.
Du, v.n. to be black.
Du, r. a. to deny a request.
DuBULLE (da-ibu-ille), v. n. to lie down.
DuDu, adj. black.
DuDU, adv. very fully, thickly. — 'Ojo o su dudu, '' The
rain clouds gather quickly."
DuGBOLU (da-egbo-lu), v. a. to strike against another un-
intentionally, as in the dark.
DuLUMo, s. calumny, slander. — Ma se gba dulumo enni
kan, " Do not slander any one," {lit. '' Do not receive a
slander against any one, to accuse him falsely "). — Du-
lumo' epa li oron sese, ajebbi oran woti, " The slan-
der of the bean (sese) against the ground-nut (epa)
shall fall upon the sese's neck (shall recoil upon it-
self) ; he who is in the w-rong {i. e. deserves the
censure) must sit quietly apart." The bean sese is a
climbing plant, the ground-nut a small herb.
Dupe (da-ope), v. n. to give thanks for kindness shown or
r , benefit received. — Enniti ase li ore ti ko dupe aba se
'^ e ni ibi ko don o, " He to whom kindness is shown,
and does not return thanks, if evil is done to him he
will not feel that either {i.e.he is devoid of all feeling)."
78
DUR
Dura (du-ara), v. n. to make an effort so as to keep from
falling at a trip. — Mo dura gidigidi, " I made an
effort to recover myself"
DuRo (da-iro), v. n. to stand, stay, wait. — Duro de mi,
" Wait for me."
DuRu, s. harp, fiddle, guitar. — Iwo ko ti igbo idi duru o
njo duke-dnke, " Before you heard the strain of the
fiddle you commenced dancing merrily."
E.
E is used as a nominal prefix in the same way as A and
/: e. g.verh, Ba, to touch ; — noun, Eba, the vessel which
contains the ointment to be touched ; verb, L6, to
use ; — noun, Elo utensils.
E, jjer5. pron. he, she, it.
E-BA, .9. an ointment-jar, oil-jar.
Ebe, s. a heap of earth for the purpose of planting ;
hillock.
E-Bi, s. vomit, matter thrown up from the stomach.
£/Ebi, s. hunger ; journey. — Ebi ko je ki apa owo mo, ebi
mu ino se papala, " Hunger does not allow saving of
money ; hunger makes the body lean." — Ebi ko pa
Imalle o li on ki ije aya. — " When a Mahommedan is
not pinched with hunger, he says, * I never eat mon-
key (flesh ;' " which is ceremonially forbidden).
Ebi-npa v. n. to be hungry {lit. to be killed by hunger).
Ebo, 'Abo, ^Edi, s. the act of binding or tying.
Ebolo, s. an herb used as a vegetable.
E-BU, s. abuse, censure.
E-BU, s. yam seed.
Ebute, s. landing-place, wharf.
Ede, s. language, dialect.
Ede, s. crawfish, lobster, shrimp.
Edi, Idi (ere-idi), 5. reason, cause, origin.
Edi, s. the act of binding,
Edi-di, s. cork, stopper.
79
EFA
Efangelisti, s. (Gr.) evangelist.
Egake, Eganni, Eginni, s. a tickling. — Oke mi li agake;
or, Iwo rin mi li eginni, " You tickled me."
Egbe, s. perdition, loss, eternal loss. — Ore Agbe se li
OiFa odi egbe, " The good, which Agbe (a well-
known philanthropist among the Yorubas) did in (the
town) OfFa, is wasted (because they did not appreciate
it)."
Egbe, s. a blessing, encouragement, support ; vindica-
tion, contiguity ; profit ; benediction.
Egbere, s. an evil spirit, supposed to wander abroad at
night, and to frequent the woods ; name of a small
animal.
Egbin, s. a kind of deer.
Egbo, s. root of a tree ; adj. sore.
Egbo, s. husk peeled or rubbed off corn or beans ; corn
cleansed from the husk and prepared for eating.
Egbodo, s. name of a plant.
Egbon, s. flea, tick.' — -Egbpn so mo ayinrin li ennu ani ki
adire ki o wa iyan a je, adire mo pe ontikara on onje
ayinrin, " A tick having fastened itself on the mouth
of a fox, a fowl was desired to remove it; but the
fowl well knew that she was food for the fox, as well
as the tick for her."
Egede, adv. only. — Mo bo ille tan, egede ki nye e li o
kun, " 1 have covered the house ; it only remains to
complete the ridge."
Egun, Egungun, s. bone.
E-gun, s. an imprecation, abjuration, oath.
Egungun-Aiya, s. the breast-bone.
Egungun Iha, s. rib, rib-bone.
Ehase (eyi-ha-se), adv. why ? wherefore ? how so ?
EiiiN, Eyin, s. tooth, tusk.
Ehin-erin, s. ivory, elephant's tooth.
Ehin-ndon, v. n. to be troubled with tooth-ache.
Ehin-okankan, s. the fore tooth.
80
EHO
Ehoro, s. hare ; an animal of the rabbit kind, usually
producing two young ones at a birth : it is remark-
able for swiftness, and has large ears and soft fur,
which last is used by the natives as a charm against
fire. — Ehoro ni ti Oloffa li o soro, " The (swift) -ehoro
said, * I care for nobody but the archer.' "
Ehu, s. birds of the palm kind, generally found in flocks.
Ehu-iyan, s. cold pounded yam.
Ejano, s. passion, passionate feelings.
Eje, adj. seven.
Eje-odun, s. the seventh month ; July. There are no
settled periods for the commencement of the weeks
and months in the Yoruba country. The English
notation will be introduced.
Eji, s. rain.
Eji, adj. two.
Eji odun, s. the second month ; February.
Ejidilogun (eji-di-ni-ogun), adj. eighteen.
Eji-la, adj. twelve.
Eji-LA-ODUN, s. the twelfth month ; December.
Eji-ka, s. the shoulder.
Eji-kan, s. thief, robber.
Ejire, Ejie, s. twins.
I Ejo, s. serpent, snake. — Ejd ommo oniwere, bi o ti wu
ki ase titi ako le iba ejo re, iggi ni gbogbo araiye
iy9 si i, " However much a snake may try, no one
will be friendly to that creeping thing (lit. child of
writhing) ; on the contrary, all mankind take up
sticks to (strike) it."
Ejono (ejo-ino), s. worm (internal).
Ekan, Ekanna, s. finger-nail, claw.
Ekan-awodi, s. a prickly shrub used as medicine for
destroying tape-worms.
Ekan-Ekun, s. a prickly plant, so called from its
prickles resembling leopards' claws.
Ekan, s. new shoots from the stem or root of trees.
81 M .
ekA
Ekan, s. pin on which the woof is adjusted; any wooden
])in.
^ Eke, s. falsehood, a downright lie. — Eleke li eke iye,
ohiin ti aba se ni iye 'ni, " (As) any thing which a man
is (in the habit of) doing is natural to him, (so) a lie
is natural to a liar." — Pipe ni yio pe eke ko mu ra,
" The time may be very long, but a lie wall be de-
tected at last ; {lit. will not go to oblivion)."
Ekeje (ek9n-eje), adj. the seventh.
Ekeji (ekon-eji), adj. the second, the next.
Ekiri, s. a kind of goat.
E-Ko, adj. hard, not soft, not tender ; (applied to the herb
Ila, called also Okro). — Ila ko. " Okro gets hard."
E-k6, I-ka, E-ka-odun, s. the last month ; December ; {lit.
the closing or winding up of the year).
Eko, Oruko, s. name. — Oruko ti a?o ommo ni imo ommo li
• ••' ■■•■ •••
ara, "The name given to a child becomes natural to it."
Ekolo, s. long worms, found in great numbers by the
side of brooks, but soon destroyed by the heat of the
sun if attempting to crawl along the road.
Eku, s. rat.
^KULu, s. a kind of deer. — i\gba metta ki isi ekulu ipe,
'w/ bi okan pe ekulu, ekeji ani ekulu, eketta ani ekulu,
" Three elders cannot all of them fail to pronounce
(the word) ekulu ; one may say ekiilu, another ekulu,
(but) the third wdll say ekulu " {i. e. out of many
counsellors one is sure to be right).
Ekun, Ekunkun, s. handle of a knife, sword, or cutlass ;
(not applied to hoe or axe).
Ekun, s. protracted sickness. — O se ekun dide die, " You
are trying, then, to sit up a little during your illness ?"
Ekun, Erukun, s. the knee.
Ekuro, s. palm-nuts. — Alejo bi okete li a ifi ekuro ilo.
'*A stranger, like the ground pig, is entertained with
palm-nuts," (which are but poor fare). — Ate yun ate
wa li a ite ekur9 oju onna, " To be trodden upon
82 * ' '
EKU
liere, to be trodden upon there, is the fate of the
pahu-nut (lying) in the road."
Ekuru, s. a kind of very dry cake made of the ere (white
bean) ; otherwise called Kuduru. — O fon mi li oron
bi ekuru, " He chokes me like ekuru," (said of a
tedious visitor).
Ekuru, s. the mange in dogs ; the itch.
Ekuru, s. dust, fine dust. — Erin ntu ekuru, efon ntu
ekuru, titu ekuru ajannaku bo ti efon m9lle, " The
elephant makes a dust, and the buffalo makes a dust ;
but the dust of the buffalo is lost in that of theelephant."
Ekuse, s. a disease common to children.
Ekute, Eku, s. rat, mouse.
Ekute ille, s. domestic rat. — Ekute ille ko fi ibi aja ji
han 'ra won, " The rat does not show its companion
the hole in the ceiling, (into which it may fall)." —
Ekute ille ko ri ennuba ologbo wijo, " The rat has
no power {lit. voice) to call the cat to account."
Ekuya, s. an herb used as cabbage.
Ele, s. force, violence ; hardness.
Ele, 5. interest ; that which is paid in addition to the
principal.
Ele, 5. a layer or course in mud or stone walls; height,
eminence ; iron, instruments of iron, weapons. — Mo fi
ele keji le ille mi, "I have added the second course to
my house." The cry of ^Ele denotes " All to arms !"
Elegbe (ni-egbe), s. supporter, encourager ; repeater of
a chorus ; one who makes responses.
Elegede, s. pumpkin.
Eleke (ni-eke), s. liar.
Ele-ni-ni, s. despiser, calumniator, backbiter.
Eleri, Olori (enni-ori), s. headman.
Eleri ( — eri), s. unclean, polluted person.
Elerupe ( — erupe), s. he who possesses earth ; adj.
earthly ; having earth.
Elevi ( — eyi) detn. pron. this person.
83
ELE
Eleso-pipo, adj. possessing abundant fruits.
Elo, s. utensils, furniture.
-^ Elo obije, s. spice or other ingredients used in cookery.
Elu-bo, s. prepared yams made into flour. — Elubo se
ogbodo ri, eru se ommo ni ille babba re, " (As) the
elubo was once a soft, unripe yam, (so) the slave
was once a child in his father's house."
Emi, Mo, Mo, Ng, pers. pron. I.
Emina, 2)ei's. pron. I myself
Emi-na,5. a trailing plant, bearing a fruit on the stalk,
called the black potato.
Emirin, s. the sand-fly. — Emirin nje 'ni ko to iya, " The
^ (sting of the) emirin is not so sharp as poverty."
Emi-ti-kara-mi, refl. pron. I myself, I.
/ Emo, s. strange thing, wonder. — Emo de, "A wonderful
thing happens." — Ki emo ki o mo ni Ibese, ki
omase de Ijanna, " Let the wonder stop at Ibese, and
not proceed to Ijanna ;" (i. e. let the matter proceed
no further). Ibese and Ijanna, now destroyed, were
two frontier towns at which travellers entering the
Yoruba country successively paid tribute.
Emo, s. seeds of wild grass which adhere to clothes ; any
thing adhesive.
Emo-agbo, s. a grass, so called from its sticking on
sheep when grazing.
Ena,5.(/zY. stretching the legs as in walking) ; frequent visits
to a person, as a sign of regard. — Bi ivvo ko li owo o 11
ena, bi iwo ko li ena o li ohun rere li ennu, " If you have
no money (to give to a person in distress), you may
pay frequent visits ; if you cannotvisit, you may send
kind messages (lit. good words of the mouth)." Hence
arises the title of Apena — " One m ho calls together."
Ena-Awon, s. the flickering appearance of a rarefied atmo-
sphere under the sunshine ; supposed to be an under-
ground fire made by the tortoise to kill the trees by
burning them at the roots.
84
1/
ENI
Eni, s. that which is given over the exact quantity upon
making a purchase.
En I, adj. one.
Eni, Eyini, detn. pron. that, that one.
Enia, Eniyan, s. a person ; somebody ; people ; mankind.
Enialassan (enia-ni-assan), s. a common person, com-
mon people.
Enia Dudu, s. black people.
Enia Funfun, s. white people.
Eni-tere-Eji-tere, adv. {lit. one here, two there) ; one
after another ; by degrees, gradually. — Enitere ejitere
11 oja ifi ik9n, " One here, (and) two there, (so) the
market is filled up." — Enitere ejitere opo womu,
" One here, two there, (so gathers) a great multi-
tude."
Epa^ s. crust ; dried poiinded yam, boiled and dressed for
food.
Epe, s. oath, a swearing.
Epo, s. palm-oil.
Epo, s. chaff, husk, bark, rind.
Era, s. small black wood-ants. — Bi ino ibi ajanaku abi
era, " If the elephant can be angry, so can the ant." —
Enniti ko le igbe era, ti o nkusa si erin, yio te ara re,
" He who cannot take up an ant, and yet tries to take
up an elephant, will find out his folly."
Eran, s. fine grass, eaten by horses ; the leaves of a
plant used as thatch.
Eran, s. infection, pestilence, communication. — Ma ko
eran ran mi, " Do not infect me."
Ere, s. gain, profit, benefit, interest (of money).
Ere, s. image, idol. •
Ere, s. question, inquiry.
Ere, s. imprecation, prayer wishing evil to another.
Ere, Erewe, s. a kind of white bean with black eye.
EREKERE,5.indiscriminate gain, dishonest gain, filthy lucre.
Erekusu, s. island.
85
I
r^
ERI
Eri, Erin, s. filth, dirt ; the husk of Indian corn after it
has been ground, used to feed cattle.
Eri, Ori, s. the head.
Eri-Ekun, s. the knee-pan.
Erigi, s. the gums.
Erin, s. the elephant. — Ak\ iru eran erin lori ki ama fi
esse tan ire nille, "No one bearing elephants' flesh
on his head should seek for crickets under ground ;"
(^■. e. The rich should not stoop to petty gains ; ele-
phants' flesh here denoting the portion of the wealthy,
and crickets that of the poor).
Erinmi, s. whale ; hippopotamus.
Erg, s. caravan ; travellers ; traders ; consideration ;
pondering ; nit. — ^"Ero ko jewo imota tan, bi o ba bi
" i, ali oferi die, "The trader never confesses that he
has sold all his goods ; but when asked, he will (only)
say, (Trade) is a little better." [fif. Prov. xx. 14.)
Erokojikasi, (ero-ko-je-ikasi), s. a kind of sweet plum.
Eru, s. deceit, double dealing, craft.
Eru, s. lime, ashes ; adj. ash-coloured, grey. — Enniti o da
eru li eru ito, "Ashes (always) fly back in the (face)
of him that throws them."
Erukuku, s. pigeon ; (more usually called Eivele, which
see.)
Erun, s. generic name for the ant tribe. — Owo li owo
ika, opo li opo erun, " The ant ika moves in ranks ;
all others move in irregular swarms ;" {lit. order is the
order of the ika; multitude is the multitude of erun)."
Erun-Dudu, s. the black ant.
Erupe, 5. dust, earth.
EsA, s. the red ant.
Ese, s. cat.
EsE, s, shea nut.
EsE, s. provision, preparation for the future.
EsEj'EsE, .<?. coloured liquid used by tanners; dye; paint.
EsE-iVEYE, s. yellow colour.
86
ESI
Esi, s. answer, reply.
EsTn, s. kind of a tree.
Eso, s. fruit (of a tree), opposed to Eta, a bulb or tuber,
— lyan ni imu 'ni ije eso iggi ki iggi, " Famine com-
pels one to eat the fruit of all kinds of trees."
Esu, s, a wild grass, not unlike the sugar-cane.
EsuE, s. disordered stomach ; nausea.
Esuo, 5. antelope.
EsuRu, s. a kind of potato like a yam, of very yellow^
colour and bitterish taste.
EsE (eyi-ti-se, how does it be ?) adv. why ? what is the
matter ? what is the reason ?
EsE, s. See ^Ese.
EsE, s. gleaning. — Ommo wa pese li oko, " Our children
glean in the farm."
Esi, s. mistake, accident, casualty.
EsiNsiN, EsiN, 5. a fly. — Esinsin ko mo iku, jije ni ti re,
*' The fly heeds not death : eating is all to him."
Esisi, s. the leaf of a plant which, if touched, blisters the
skin.
j Esu, s. devil ; Satan. — 'Esu ko ni iwa ako ille re si ita,
" As the devil has no (kindliness of) disposition, his
house is made for him in the street (by itself)."
Esu, s. the w^hite ant : after undergoing two previous
changes, it assumes its perfect form about the com-
mencement of the rainy season, when it is furnished
with wings. These wings drop off* after a few hours,
and the helpless insect becomes the prey of birds and
reptiles, besides affording a favourite food to the
natives. Also ; a locust. — Ki esu ki o yin eiye, esu
fo ni ijo kan soso iye re re, " The white ant may well
admire the bird, for after flying one day, it loses its
wings." — Ko si ohun ti 6 po to esu, bi o ba 'o ni ille
a ba li oko, " There is nothing so numerous as the
locusts : they meet you in the town and in the field."
Esusu, Esusu, s. leech.
'87
ESU
Esusu, s. a running prickly plant.
EsuwA, s. former time, adj. the former.
Eta, Eta, s. rough parts of flour separated by sifting ;
soreness in the gums.
Ete, s. intention, thought, consideration. — Ete 11 egbon,
ero li aburo, opbon ino 11 o se eketta, " Consideration
Is the first-born, calculation the next, wisdom the
third." — Aimete aimero nl imu enla melFa isinirba
egbaffa, " Want of consideration and forethought
made six brothers pawn themselves for six dollars."
Ete, s. lip. — Ennu imo 'nu, ete imo ete ni iko oran ba
ereke, " (A) mouth not keeping shut {lit. to mouth), and
lips not keeping close (lit. to lip), bring trouble to the
jaws."
Ete, 5. morsel, fragment. — Ki yio fun 'o li ete, " He shall
not give you a fragment."
Eti, s. the ear, edge, brink, brim ; name of a tree. — Eti,
gbo ekeji ki o to daJ9, " Ear, hear the other (side of
the question) before you decide."
Eti-0d6, s. beach, water side.
Etille (eti-ille), s. neighbourhood, environs.
Etu, s. an old farm nearly exhausted.
Etu, s. that which is stript off; discovery of a plot.
Etutu,5. that which gives satisfaction, propitiation; atone-
ment, pacification.
Etutu, s. the small kind of white ants.
Ewe, s. childhood, childishness.
Ewe, s. leaf, foliage.
Ewe-Eti, s. convolvulus : so called because its sap,
mixed with nut-oil, is a remedy for sore ears.
Ewe-Ina, s. a shrub with a hairy leaf, producing severe
blisters if touched; used among the ingredients for
poisoning arrows, and in preparing various medi-
cines.
EwEKEWE, s. herb ; (general name for) leaves.'
Ewo, pron. which ?
88
EWO
Ewo, 5. time, season.
Ewo-ERUN, s. dry season.
Ewo-ojo, 5. rainy season.
Ewo, s. prohibition to eat ; aversion to.
Ewu, s. danger, imminent danger ; narrow escape.
Ewu, s. gray hair.
EwuRA, s. a kind of soft yam.
EwuRE, s. goat. — Ewure je o re ille, agutan je ore ille,
aje iwa ille ba eledde je, " When the goat has fed it
returns home ; when the sheep has fed it returns
home ; not returning home after feeding, ruins (the
character of) the pig."
EwuRo, 5. a bitter herb used for food.
Eyi, Eyiyi, pron. this, this one.
Eyin, Ehin, s. tooth, tusk.
Eyina, dem. pron. that ; he who ; the same.
Eyini, pron. that, that one.
Eyiti, pw?. the* one which; any one. — Eyiti o ri ni ki
omu, " Take what you see."
Eyitatinwiyt, adv. immediately ; lit. as we were talking.
E.
'E,pron. ohj. case ; him, her, it.
Eba, s. brink, edge.
Ebado, s. sea-side, river-side, sand-beach.
Ebbe, s. entreaty, supplication.
Ebbi, s. wrong, condemnation.
EbTri, s. a large quiver.
Ebiti, s. a kind of stone snare ; an insecure cliff.
Ebo, s. sacrifice, offering. — Ada ebo fun gunugun, o li on
ko ru, ada ebo fun 'Akalla o li on ko ru, ada ebo fu
eiyelle, o gbe ebo orubo, " Sacrifices were prescribed
to the turkey-buzzard, but it refused to offer them ;
sacrifices were prescribed to the 'Akalla vulture, but
it also refused: when sacrifices were prescribed to
the pigeon, it offered them." A tradition said to
89 N
EBO
account for the two former remaining unclean,
while the last is domesticated and used for sacrifices.
Ebo-Alakoto, (enni-akato, persons with a basket), s.
The basket-sacrifice. A human sacrifice, so called in
order to conceal its real character : it is occasionally
ofFered for the whole nation, when the victim is
sometimes killed, and sometimes kept alive in chains
to sweep the idol's temple.
Ebu, s. house, place of abode ; kiln.
Eburu, 'Onna Eburu, s. back path, back door.
JEbun, s. gift.
Eda, s. flower, blossom ; interest paid on money ; natural
propensities ; inclination ; instinct.
Eda, s. a kind of rat, remarkable for fast breeding.
Edda, Ida, s. nature ; the act of creating ; creature. —
Eledda edda li Olorun ida 'ni, " God made difTerent
creatures difTerently."
Edan, s. the Ogboni staff.
Edalle, s. traitor, one guilty of a breach of faith.
Ede, s. name of a tree.
Ede, s. ripe fruit ; adj. soft, yielding to the touch.
Edogun (arun-di-ogun), adj. fifteen.
Edo, s. liver : inward motion of affection. — K6 bino
eru, ko ra edo ommo, " He is not angry on account of
slaves, nor peevish on account of children."
Edofofo, s. irascible, easily provoked.
Edon, Edun, s. twins ; a name generally given to one of
twins ; ape ; four-fingered monkey.
Edon Dudu, Edun Oriokun, s. a kind of black and very
agile monkey, generally found by the sea-side or
among mangroves.
Edon, s. axe, hatchet.
Edon, s, grief, pain of mind.
Efa, s. a kind of trousers.
Effa, adj. six.
Effa-odun, 5. the sixth month •, June.
■ 90
'EFF
Effe, s. fun, jest, joke, mockery.
Efe, s. fault-finding, captiousness.
Efi, Efin, 5. smoke.
EFo,5.a kind of herb used as food. — I wo ko ri akasu o npata
si efo, "You have not yet obtained the loaf, and you be-
gan to prepare your efo stew." — Didon li 9 don li a nba
9re je efo ti ille enni to ni ije, " Because (friendship) is
pleasant, we partake of our friend's entertainment, not
because we have not enough (to eat) in our own house."
Efokko, s. a wreck.
Efon, s. the leaves which surround the ear of Indian
corn ; arrow used for crossbows.
Efon-Iha, s. rib.
Efon, s. buffalo. — Aobara to efon ma la iwo, " A man
may be as strong as the buffalo, yet he has no horns."
Efufu, s. breeze, gale, tempest.
Efufu Nla, 5. storm, tornado, tempest.
Efun, s. chalk.
Ega, s. the palm bird. — Enniti ko gbo ti ega ali ega
npatoto ennu, " He who does not understand the
palm-bird's note, complains of the noise it makes."
EgaApaso, s. a species of palm bird.
Ega, Elenga, s. common grasshopper. ^Ega Alatam-
poKo, Alampara, s. a large kind of grasshopper.
Ega Oris a, 5. species of grasshopper.
Egan, s. a dense native forest, never cultivated.
Egan-Osusu, s. prickly forest.
Egan, 5. backbiting ; contempt.
Eganran, s. raw, unripe fruits.
Egba, adj. two thousand.
Egba, s. the palsy ; a disease which withers the limbs.
Egbara, s. a kind of rat, remarkable for swiftness.
Egbin, s. filthiness, dirt.
Egbe, s. prepared beans.
Egbe, s. company ; rank ; party ; band of soldiers ; com-
panion ; equal.
91
EGB
Egbe, s. the side from the arm -pit to the waist, loin ;
adv. alongside.
Egbedogbon, adj. five thousand.
Egbera, s. equality.
Egberi, s. one uninitiated into the secrets of the gods ;
one in darkness concerning a matter. — Mo pa iwo
li egberi, ^' I puzzle you."
Egberun, adj. one thousand.
Egbessin, s. itch ; measles ; a tree used as medicine for
pimples.
Egbegberun, adv. by thousands.
Egbon, adj. elder, eldest. — Egbon iwaju, alugb9n babba,
^'An elder brother is like a father."
Egbon, s. that which is to be shaken off; shaken.
Egbon Owu, s. carded cotton, cotton prepared for spin-
ning.
Egboro, s. young dog ; calf, lamb, kid.
Egge, s. a snare ; a trap suspended on a tree and set by
a string, which kills whatever comes under it if it
touch the strinoj. — E^ore ko so okl, enniti o bo si
abbe re a pa a ku patapata, '^ The egge never fails ;
whatever comes under it is struck dead."
Eggi, s. a ram s mane, prepared and worn as an orna-
ment on a dog's neck ; the collar for a dog's
neck.
Eggo, s. name of a plant.
Egusi, s. seeds of the Bara.
Egun, s. thorns, prickles. — Enni egun gun ni ise laka-
laka to alabbe, " He who is pierced with thorns must
limp off to him who has a lancet." — Asare nino egun
ko se lassan, bi iwo ko le ejo, ejo li o nle 'o, " A
man does not run among thorns for nothing ; either
he is chasing a snake, or a snake is chasing him."
Egun-ikoko, s. thorns of a plant, used by hunters as
arrow-heads.
Eha, s. jacket, waistcoat.
92
EHI
Ehin, s. the back ; adj. hindermost, last.
Ehin-Assa, s. remnant of cloth on the sley.
EiiiRi, s. a poisonous plant,
Ehuru, s. a large bird of the goose tribe much attacked
by vermin.
EiYE, s. bird.
EiYELE, s. pigeon (properly, domestic bird). — Dagbese
dagbese ti ipa apata eiyele, " He runs into debt, who
cuts up a pigeon to sell it in parts ;" (L e. who buys
an article wholesale at a high price, and finds it
worthless in retail).
Eja, s. fish. — Iku eja ni imu eja imo illu, eja ^Ogun iba
se de Akessan, " It was the death of the fish that in-
troduced it to the town ; what else would have
brought it from the (river) ^Ogun to the palace ?"
Ejje, s. blood. — Ohun gbogbo li adiyele, sugbon ko si
enniti 9 mo iye ara ejje ara enni ; ejje ko fi oju rere
jade, " Every thing has its price ; but who can set a
price upon blood ? Blood does not willingly leave
the body."
Ejo , 5. matter ; dispute ; harm.
Ejo, adj. eight.
Ejo-Odun, s. the eighth month ; August.
Ekadota (ekon-ewa-di-otta), adj. the fiftieth.
Ekadorin ( — orin), adj. the seventieth.
Ekadorun ( — orun), adj. the ninetieth.
Ekan (ara-kan), adv. once.
Ekka, s. neck-bone, collar ; ring round the handle of a
knife ; branch of a tree.
Ekke, s. rafter. — Bi ekke otosi ko to oke li oro ato
li alle, " If a poor man's rafter (/. e. the plan proposed
by a poor man for lengthening the rafter) does not
reach the top in the morning, it will reach it in the
evening ;" (A poor man is supposed to be looking on
at the erection of a house, and recommends splicing
two rafters together ; his advice is at first despised,
93
EKK
because he is poor, but eventually adopted on the
failure of all other plans. Cf. Eccl. ix. 16.)
Ekke-aja, s. beam, joist.
Ekke, s. trust, confidence, affiance.
Ekke, s. cheek, jaw. See Ereke.
Ekejo (ekon-ejo), adj. the eighth.
Ekerin( — erin), adj. the fourth.
Ekessan ( — essan), adj. the ninth.
Eketta ( — etta), adj. the third.
Ekettadilogun ( — di-ni-ogun), adj. the seventeenth.
Ekewa ( — evva), adj. the tenth.
Eko, s. Indian-corn meal, also called Agidi.
Eko, s. teaching, instruction, doctrine.
Ekokanla (ekon-okan-le-ewa), adj. the eleventh.
Ekon, Ekun, s. supplement.
Eku, s. snare made of bush-rope.
Eku, s. a running plant, very much like Ajara.
Ekuku, s. a very viscous vegetable.
Ekule, 6*. back yard.
Ekun, s. cry, weeping.
Ekun, s. cessation, prohibition, pause.
Ekun, s. the leopard ; region, neighbourhood, waste. —
Akamo ekun o rii iyonnu, " It is difficult to encompass
a leopard."
Elebu, s. occupier of a house, tenant ; owner of a kiln.
Ela, s. a small piece severed from a larger ; adj. cloven.
Elebbe, s. advocate, intercessor, pleader.
Eledde, ,s'. domesticated pig, swine. — •''Imado iba se bi
eledde abilluje, eru iba jobba enia ko kiin, "A wild
boar, in place of a pig, would ravage the town ; and
a slave, made king, would spare nobody."
Elefi, s. that which produces smoke, chimney ; a steam
ship.
Elefo, s. one who deals in the herb Efo.
Elegan, s. despiser, slanderer.
Elegba, s. saviour, helper, succourer.
' 94
ELE
Elegba (enni-igba), s. a paralytic (lit one whose linibs
have been seized).
Elegbara, s. god of mischief, Satan.
Elegbe-Ina ( — egbe), s. a bird that hovers over the flame
when the bush is burning.
Elegbe, s. the owner or sustainer of a company.
Elege, adj, delicate, tender.
Elegodo, s. a coarse plain calico.
Elekerede, adj. infirm, weak, delicate.
Elekun, s. mourner.
Elemmi, s. a living man (lit he who owns breath) ; ser-
vant (because his master's breath is at his mercy).
Elemo (oni-emo) s. seller of palm wine.
Elemoso (enni-mo-oso), s. one who has taste for neat-
ness, a judge of dress and decoration.
Elenga, s. grasshopper.
Elepe,Elepere (enni-ipere), s. a kind of soft Indian corn.
Eleri ( — eri), s. witness, eye-witness. — Eleri ni iwajo,
eleri ki ise elegbe, " A witness speaks the truth ; a
witness does not take (the liar's) part."
Elessenille ( — esse-ni-ille), s. one having a firm foot-
ing, a powerful person.
Elese, s. sinner, offender.
Elesin, s. rider, horseman.
Elettan, s. deceiver, dissembler.
Eleya ( — eya), s. ridicule, contempt.
Eleye, s. a person for whom clothes are made to order.
Eleyinju (eyin-oju), s. a person having large eyeballs,
one with prominent eyes.
Elewa, s. a handsome person ; one who sells a prepa-
ration of Indian corn, called ^Ewa.
Elew^on, s. one who wears a chain, a prisoner ; jailor.
Eliri, Eluru, s. mouse.
Elomtran, Eloml, /jraw. another.
Elu, s. indigo ; mixture. Elu-iwase, s. small-leaf in-
digo. Elu-ogbo,s. broad-leaf indigo (aclimbingplant).
95 * ' '
ELU
Elulu, 5. kind of brown-feathered bird.
Emeji (ara-meji), adj. twice.
Emi, s. shea-butter, tree and fruit. — Kuduru li emi iso,
" The fruit of the shea- tree is round."
Emmi, s. life, breath, spirit, influence. — Ki Olorun ki ofu
'9 li emmi gigun, *^ May God give you a long life !" —
Emmi abata ni imu odo isan, '^ The influence of a
fountain makes the brook flow."
Emmo, s. a kind of brown rat.
Emo, s. palm wine.
EmewX (enni-mo-ewa), s. prime minister (lit. he who
knows the mind).
Emu, s. tongs ; capture, seizure. — Emu balle agbede,
" The tongs are the governor in the smith's shop."
En, adv. yes, so.
Ena, s. an inversion of the order of letters, syllables,
words, or sentences, under which the sense is con-
cealed or changed : occasionally employed by parties,
who may wish to communicate privately, and to dis-
guise the sense from the bystanders; e.g. De mi
babba, "Cover me, father," employed to signify
Babba mi de, " My father is come."
Eni, s. mat. — Te eni fun mi ki ndubulle, " Spread a mat
for me to lie on."
Enni, pi'on. Enniti, jwon. one, he who, a person, the
person w'hich. — Enniti o ran 'ni ni ise li a iberu, aki
iberu enniti aran 'ni si, " He ought to be feared who
sends you on a message, not he to whom you are
sent."
Ennikan, 2)ron. one, any one, a certain person ; one of
two, one of many.
Ennikeji, s. partner, companion, neighbour.
Ennikenni, Ennitowu, pron. whosoever, whoever, any,
either. — Ennikenni ti iwo ba ri, " Whomsoever you
see." — Ennitowu ki se, " Whoever it be."
Enni-Ipe, s. a person called, summoned, or invited.
96
ENN
Ennirere, s. a good person.
Enniti-adatan, adj. (lit. one completely or perfectly
made, insomuch that every favour is bestowed on
him), happy, blessed.
Ennu, s. mouth ; opening.
^N^\j followed hy Ra, (to perish) v. n. to have no appe-
tite. — Ennu mi ra, " My appetite
(lit. mouth) fails."
Si (open), v. n. to have appetite, enjoy
food. — Ennu mi si, " My appetite
returns ;" (lit. my mouth opens).
Ya (open), V. n. to wonder. — Ennu
mi ya (si understood) won, " They
wonder at me."
Ennu-ya, v. n. (See the previous word.)
Ennu-kokoro, s. bill, beak.
Ennu-Onna, s. gate, doorway.
Ennu-osoro, s. the eaves.
• • • • • /
Ennu-soro, s. long beak.
Enyin, pron. ye, you.
Enyin-na, pron. yourselves.
Enyintikaranyin (enyin-ti-ika-ara-nyin), refl. pron. you
yourselves, you.
Epa, s. ground-nut ; ^Epa Bisan, s. the oil ground-nut ;
^Epa Roro, s. the red ground-nut.
Epox, s. testicle.
Epon, s. ripeness ; flattery.
Eran, s. the temples of the head. — Mo fi owo le eran,
nwo won li oju, " I rest my temple upon my hand to
watch their proceeding."
Eran, s. meat, flesh, beasts ; Eran-Agutan, s. mutton ;
Eran-Eledde, s. pork ; Eran-Galla, Eran-Agbon-
RiN, s. venison ; Eran-malu, s. beef.
Eran-Abekanna, s. carnivorous animals with claws ;
(distinguished from those which have hoofs).
Eranfun, s. a large animal of the buffalo kind.
97 o
ERA
Eranko, s. wild beasts.
Eranla, s. ox, bull, cow.
Eri, s. witness, testimony. — Eri je mi nso, " The evi-
dence bears me out."
Eri-Eke, s. false witness.
Erin, adc. (used only in composition), '^ times ;" e.g.
^Erinmeji, "Emeji, twice; 'E.metta, three times. Cf.
Ara.
Erin, adj. four.
Erin-Odun, s. the fourth month ; April.
Erin, s. laughter. — Bi aba sor9 tan erin li a irin, bi aba
yo tan orun ni ikon 'ni, " When a joke is uttered, it
creates laughter ; when one has eaten to the full, he
falls a-dozing."
Erindilogun, adj. sixteen.
'Eru, s. fear, dread.
^Eru followed by Ba, v.n. to be afraid, to fear, to be
dismayed. — ^Eru ba mi, '^ I am afraid," (lit. fear
fell upon me).
Eru, s. the handle of an axe or hoe ; (not applied to any
other tool).
Eru, 5. load, cargo, goods. — Aki ipe e li eru ki ape e li
oso, " What is (really) a load, should not be called an
ornament."
Eru, s. slave, captive. — Erii ko se ommo iggi, eru ku
iya ko gbo omm9 ku igbe ta, eru se ommo ni ille iya
re ri, "A slave is not a senseless block of wood (//^. child
of a tree) : when a slave dies his mother hears no-
thing of it, but when a (free-born) child dies, there is
lamentation ; yet the slave, too, was once a child in
his mother's house."
Eru, s. a kind of spice ; a plant used for washing hide-
bound animals ; a medicine provocative of appetite.
Eru-ibille, s. a home-born slave.
. / Ereke, Eke, s. cheek, jaw. — Ereke ni ille erin, " The jaw
is the house of laughter."
98
ERO
Ero, s. skill, art, contrivance.
^Ero, s. softness, easiness, gentleness. — Bi iwo ko fe li ero
iw9 afe li ele, " If you do not consent readily, you will
(be compelled) by force."
Ero-pessepesse, adv. exceedingly gentle. — Ero pesse-
pesse ko mo bi ara nkan igbin, " (You may say
that it is only a) gentle (stroke ; but) you do not
recollect that it hurts the snail."
Erre, s. mud, marsh, bog.
Erun, Ewo-erun, s. the dry season.
Erun, s. chip, broken pieces, crumbs.
Erun, s. the name of a tree ; much used in making char-
coal, and also as a medicine both internally and ex-
ternally : an excessive dose acts as a poison, against
which shea-butter and palm-oil serve as antidotes.
There is a superstition that a fumigation made of the
bark of this tree drives away evil spirits and sickness.
Esan, Essan, s. payment ; vengeance, revenge, retaliation.
^Eson, s. accusation ; law-suit.
Essan, adj. nine.
Essan-Odun, s. the ninth month ; September.
Esse, s. foot, path, track.
Esse, s. row, order ; things arranged in a line.
Esse-Esse, adv. orderly, regularly, in rows.
EssiN, Essi, s. shame, reproach, ridicule ; secret. — Ma
fi essi mi han, " Do not reveal my secret."
Esso, s. carefulness, gentleness. — Ohun ti afi esso mu ki
ibaje, ohun ti afi agbara mu ni ini 'ni lara, " A matter,
dealt with gently, is sure to prosper; a matter, dealt
with violently, causes vexation (to its author)."
EsE, s. blow with the fist; a broken part of any thing
slender.
EsiN, s. spear. — Esin ri ogun jo, oko ri ogun o yo, " At
the sight of the battle the spear quivers : at the
sight of the battle the lance rejoices."
EsiN, s. horse ; Esin-Oye, s. grey horse.
'99
ESO
Eso, s. smelted iron.
Esse, s. sin, crime, offence, iniquity.
Esse-Obra, s. treason, crime against the sovereign.
Eta, s. bulb, tuber, under-ground fruit, as the yam and
potatoe ; head of maize ; the act of extension ; coarse
flour.
Etta, adj. three.
Etta-Odun, s. the third month ; March.
Ettala, adj. thirteen.
Etta, s, a kind of leopard. — Mo so awo etta mo idi, o
ki yi ota mi, " I have tied the etta skin round my
waist ; you cannot sell me :" (i. e. I have the protec-
tion of powerful friends; you cannot involve me in
ruinous law expenses.)
Etta, s. remains of a dead body. — Bi enia enni ba ku li
okere apa etta re wa ille, " When a relative dies at a
distance, a small fragment of his remains (such as his
hair or nails) is brought home," over which funeral
rites are performed.
Ettan, ^Etan, 5. enticement, decoy, deceit, dissimulation,
guile.
Ette, s. disgrace, shame, reproach. — Asonmo di ette,
okere ni idon, "Familiarity breeds contempt; dis-
tance secures respect."
^Ette, s. leprosy. — Amu 'ni se essin ette ti imu 'ni li
agogo imo, " Leprosy, desiring to disgrace a man,
attacks him on the tip of the nose ;" (said of one
who tells another's faults in public.)
Ett], s. difficulty, failure in performing one's wish ; a
standing still.
Etton, 6". branch, bough.
Ettu, s. guinea fowl, check cloth. See Aso-ettu and
Awo.
Ettu, s. a kind of deer.
Etu, s. gunpowder ; medicinal powder ; that which re-
lieves pain.
100
EWA
EwA, adj. ten.
Ewa-Odun, s. the tenth month ; October.
EwA, 6-. beauty.
^EwA, s. corn or beans prepared for sale ; grain.
EwA, ^Ewo, s. jest, joke, fun.
Ewe, s. a kind of bean.
^EwE, adv. again, on the other hand. — IW9 si t9n de ewe,
" You come back again."
EwiRi, s. smith's bellows.
Ewo, s. a select company ; caravan.
'EwoN, s. chain ; thorny bush ; bondage.
EwoN-EiioRO, s. a prickly bush, the same as Egun Ikoko.
"Ew^u, s. shirt; any loose upper garment.
Ewu, s. pleasure, delight, taste.
EwuRU, 5. a pit slightly covered with earth.
Eya, s. a small leopard. — Bi eya ba di ekun eran ni
ipa je, " When the eya has reached the ferocity of a
leopard, he will kill animals to feed upon."
'Eya, 5. tribe, division, distinct part of a people or thing;
seed, offspring ; member. — 'Eya oibo ni Fulani, "The
Fulahs are a tribe of the people from over the sea."
Eye, s. fitness, worthiness, suitableness.
Eyi ! interj. Yes, Sir ! Yes, Madam ! (a respectful reply,
employed only by males.) ^ee He.
Eyin, s, egg. — Eyin ni idi akuko, " The egg becomes a
cock."
Eyin, s. coal, charcoal.
Eyin, s. the ripe palm-nut, from which the yellow palm-
oil is made.
Eyinju, s. the eye-ball.
Eyinkolo, Erinkolo, s. the evacuations of the worm
Ekolo.
Eyinogi, s. starch (of Indian corn).
Eyon, Keyon, s. disease under the toes, produced by
walking barefoot on wet ground.
101-
4
/
FA'
F.
Fa, X). a. to wipe, shave, clean, scrape. — Mo fa 'ri ommo
mi, "I shave my child's head." — Ako le ifa'ri lehin
olori, "You cannot shave a man's head in his absence."
Vkfollowedby Ille (ground), to gather earth into small
heaps (for the purpose of cultivation).
— Ille oko ti awon agbe fa o po, " The
ground which the farmers have pre-
pared is sufficient."
La (lick), to lick up, lap. — Imogunju9 li
afi ifa pbbe la, " With the fore-finger
one licks up the palaver-sauce."
Fa, v. a. and n. to draw, lead, pull ; crawl (as a snail) ;
be viscous ; ebb, abate, diminish.
¥\ followed h\j Mora (mo-ara, close to the body), to
embrace.
Sehin (si-ehin, towards the back), to
draw back. — I wo fa iggi sehin, " You
draw the wood back."
Ti (aside), to draw aside. — Fa eyi ti ako
fe ti si apakan, "Draw that which we
don't want aside."
Fa, Fati, rt6?i;. freely, without restraint; leisurely; ex-
ceedingly. — Arin fa li oju akegan, ayan kasa li oju
abu 'ni, abu 'ni ko li okowo ni ille, " A man walks at
his ease in the presence of his defamer ; a man steps
proudly in the presence of his abuser ; (when he
knows that) neither of them has {Jit. the abuser has
not) twenty cowries in his house."
Fadaka, s. silver. — Fadaka babba oje, wura babba ide,
"Silver is the father of lead, gold is the father of brass."
Fajere, s. the dawn. (So called by the Mahommedans.)
Fajuko (fa-oju-ro), v. n. to look sad, be displeased.
Fari (fa-ori), v. a. to shave the head.
Fari, s. display, parade, boast.
102
FAS
Fasehin, v. n. to draw or keep back, abstain from.
Fati, v. n. to draw aside, keep aside. — Bi nwon ko ba fe
o ni 1S9 nwon fati si apakan, " If they do not want
you in their company, go aside."
Fatelle, s. a small canoe.
Fe, adv. for ever ; long, a long time. — Kanrinkanrin f6,
"A very long time."
Febipa, Debipa, v. a. to famish.
Fefe, s. confident boasting.
Fere, s. asthma.
Fere, v. a. to sip.
Fere, Ifere, s. flute, trumpet.
Ferese, s. air-hole, aperture in a house, window.
Feriballe (fi-eri-ba-ille), v. n. to surrender {lit. to put
down the head), submit to ; worship, adore.
Feribo, Foribo ( — bo), v. n. to venture, dare. — Ipon ri
iku o feribo o, " The spoon is not afraid of scalding
water ; (lit. seeing death, ventures its head into it)."
Feriti, Foriti (fi-ori-ti), v. a. to endure ; persevere.
Fetisi ( — eti-si), v. a. to listen, hearken.
Fetisille ( — ille), v. n. to listen, incline the ear, listen
with great attention.
Fe, v. a.io agree, be willing, like, love ; consent, want,
wish, incline, desire ; woo, court.
Fe folloived hy Je (eat), v. a. to seek for something to
eat; to take meals.
KuN (deficient), v. a. to miss a thing,
lose. — Mo fe ewure mi kun ni ijetta,
" I missed my goat three days ago."
Fe, x>. n. to blow (as the wind); love, wish, will, consent. —
Afefe nfe ara tutu, "The wind blows; the body is cool."
Fe, v. a. to fan, winnow, blow the fire. — Ewiri ni ife ina
agbede, " The bellows blow the blacksmith's fire."
Fe, v. n. distort the face at work ; breathe heavily.
Fefe, Ferefere, adv. nearly (used of time). — Ojo wa kun
fefe, " Few of our days remain."
103
• FEF
Pefe (fe-efe), v. a. to seek occasion to find fault; be cen-
sorious.
Feiiinti (fi-ehin-ti), v. n. to recline, lean the back on.
Fe-idi, v. a. to investigate a secret matter.
Fejefeje, food, provision, subsistence.
Feju (fe-oju), V, n. to blow much, blow vehemently.
Feju, v. n. to look sternly or with distortion of the face.
— Afeju toto ko mo okonri, " (Much) gesticulation
does not prove manliness."
Felefele, adj. soft, of fine and delicate texture.
Felefele, Belebele, adj. thin and fiat, elastic.
Fennukonu (fi-ennu-ko-ennu), v. a. to kiss ; agree.
Fennusi ( — si), V. a. to answer, reply to ; meddle with.
Fere, adj. light, not heavy ; adv. almost, nearly.
Fe-rekoja, v. n. to blow vehemently. — Afefe anna fere-
koja, "The wind of yesterday blew beyond mea-
sure."
Feri, v. n. to be less hot, cool a little.
Fi, verbal prefix, used only in composition, conveying
the idea of putting, or leaving in a place. It gives a
definite verbal meaning to the word in conjunction
with which it is employed ; e.g. Fi aso sille, "Put the
clothes down." — O fi mi si oko, " He left me in the
farm." The i often is contracted ; e.g. Fetisi, for Fi-
ETisi, to listen to, incline the ear.
Y\ followed hy Balle (ba-ille, to touch the ground) v. a.
to do away with, to put away.
Bo (dip), V. a. to soak, steep, dip.
Bun (give), v. n. give, grant.
Eran-rubo, v. a. to sacrifice a beast.
FojuAiYE (fu-oju-aiye, to give up to the
world), V. a. to deliver up to be gazed
upon by the public.
Fun (give), v. a. to give to, to ofier.
• • FuNi(give to one). iJ.a, togive, to present
to one.
104
FI
Fi/oUoivedb^GBO'NA (gbo-ina, at the fire), v. a. to warm
a thing at the fire.
Ha (suspend), v. a. to hook on, hang on a
pin or between a forked stick.
Han (appear), v. a. to show, exhibit, reveal,
discover ; direct.
Ji (to), v. a. to forgive, give as a favour.
Jewo aiye (je-ew9-aiye, a prohibition to the
world), V. a. to condemn to death, de-
prive of the privileges of life.
Jona (burn), v. a. to burn in the fire ;
scorch ; consume to ashes.
Je (eat), V. a. to eat, devour ; make a king,
or headman ; place in post of authority ;
reign, govern.
Ka (upon), V. a. to place one thing upon
another.
K6 (hang), v. a. to hang up on a pin, rope,
or hook ; hook on.
KoN or KuN (addition), v. a. to add to, aug-
ment.
Le (place), V. a. to put, lay upon ; deliver
up. — Fi kinni na le mi lowo, " Deliver
that into my hand."
Mo (on), V. a. to suspect; attach to. —
Okonri na fi oran na mo mi, " The man
• • • •
suspects me of that matter."
OW9-TA (touch slightly with the hand),
V. a. to search slightly ; touch carelessly.
RE(curse),v.a. to curse, execrate; imprecate.
Ro (swing), V. a. to hang, suspend.
Ro (sprain), v. a. to sprain.
Ron (chew), v. a. to devour ; masticate : Ron
(dip), V. a. to dip into sauce.
RuBO (ru-ebo, make sacrifice), v. a. to sacri-
fice.
105 p ,
FI
Fi followed bi/ San (pay), v,a. to estimate, value.
San-owo-kan (estimate at a cowry), v. a. to
contemn, treat with contemptuous si-
lence. — Iwo ko da mi li oliun, o fi mi san
owokan, '^ You did not answer me,
you despised me."
Si (to), V. a. to put, add to. — Fi omi die si i,
" Put a little water to it."
SiLLE (si-ille, to the ground), v. a. to put
down ; acquit, release, leave, forsake.
SiNO (si-ino, to the mind), v. a. to put into ;
keep in mind, harbour in the mind. —
Fi eyi sino re, " Put this into it."
Sin 07' SiNsiN (secretly), v. a. to hide so
as not to be traced in any way, conceal.
SoLLE (so-ille, dash on the ground), v. a. to
strike down ; lay the foundation of a
house.
Son (accuse), v. a. to accuse, complain of.
Se (do), v.a.to change, constitute, appoint,
establish.
Selleya (se-eleya, to ridicule), v. a. to ridi-
cule, mock. — Ma fi mi selleya, " Do not
mock me."
Sessin (se-essin, cause disgrace), v.a.to de-
spise, bring into public disgrace.
Sura (su-ara, collect near), i^ a. to treasure
up, lay by.
Ti (by), v.a. lean against ; suspend a mat-
ter ; fix finally.
Tore (ta-ore, detach a gift), v. a. to give
away as a present, make a present of.
We (twist), V. a. to compare, resemble,
illustrate ; enwrap.
Fi, v.a. to swing, wave to and fro, be unsteady, incline
to one side. — Iggi ti mo ru f i siwaju, spn o sehin die,
106
FI
" The wood which I am carrying is too far forward ;
push it back a little."
Fi, aux.v. were, did. — Nigbati iwo yio ha fi I9, ta li o
wi fun, " When you were going, whom did you tell ?"
— Nigbati ofi fi fun mi, iwo ko ri i, " When he
gave {lit. did give) it to me, did not you see it ?"
Fi, prep, by, to, with .
FiDiBALLE (idi-ba-ille), v.n. to sit down.
FiFAYA, adj. torn, rent in pieces.
FiFi, FiNFiN, adv. dimly, darkly ; s. the dawn, twilight.
FiFO, adj. blind ; broken as a vessel.
Fi-FUN, s. FuN-FUN, adj. whiteness, the white part ; adj.
white .
FiFUNi, v.a. to grant, vouchsafe, give.
Fi-K ANN AK ANNA, V. a. to sliug a sHng.
FiLLA, s. a cap, country cap like a night cap. Filla
Abeti, Eti Aja, a cap with two flaps for the ears.
Filla Jofolo, a hunter's cap.
Fin, v.a. to engrave, mark calabashes or bowls ; fill a
hole with smoke, smother ; seek so as to find out
something.
Fin A, s. a thin piece of leather cut length-wise (such as
is inserted in the handle of an umbrella).
Finiga, s. {Eiig.), Vinegar.
FiNJu (fin-oju), V. n. to be clean, neat, snuggy, tidy.
FiNRAN ( — oran),u.w. to aggress, seek occasion for dispute.
FiOFiOjacZv. exceedingly high, (conjoined with the adjective
Ga). — llle giga fiofio, " An exceedingly high house."
FiRi, adv. far, greatly, much ; qualifying verbal adjec-
tives. — llle yi ga ju tiwa lo firi, " This house is much
higher than ours."
Fitilla, s. lamp.
FiYEDENo (fi-iye-de-ino), v. a. to be patient under vexa-
tion or grievances.
FiYESi (fi-iye-si), v. a. to attend to. — Fiyesi ohun ti o
nse, " Mind what you are doing."
107
FIY
FiYEsiNi (fi-iye-si-ni), l\ h. vouchsafe,
Fo, V. n. To fiy (as a bird), jump, skip, leap ; beat (as
the heart from fear), pass or break off (as rainy
clouds), pass over.— ^Ojo o fo, " The rain passes off."
— Aiya fo mi, " My heart beats."
Fo, V. a. to feel (emptiness or loneliness). — Ofo 9mm9
mi fo mi," I feel loneliness on account of my child's
absence."
FoFo, s. foam. — Fofo fo li oju omi, " The foam floats on
the surface of the water."
FoFO, adv. glittering, dazzling. — Wura njo fofo nino awo
fadaka, "The gilding inside the silver plate glis-
tens."
FojisoN (fi-oji-son). Yon followed hy Son, v. a. to sue or
accuse for adultery.
FojuDi, (fi-ojudi), -y. a. to be saucy, to be insolent.
Foju-KAN-wo (fi — ), V. a. to squint.
Foju-PE (fi — ), V. a. to wink with the eye, beckon.
Foju-To (fi — ), V. a. to superintend .
Fojusi (fi — ), V. a. to attend to.
FoLOFOLo, s. the lungs, the lights.
FoRiBALLE (fi-ori-ba-ille), v. n. to bow the head, submit ;
adore, worship.
FoRi-si, V. a. to pay attention to.
FoRESiGGi (fi-ore-se-iggi), s. an ungrateful person ; one
who does not acknowledge kindness, but returns evil
for good.
FoRiTi, Feriti (fi — ), V. a. to endure, persevere.
FosoKE, (fo-si-oke), v. n. to jump, skip, float. — Omm9de
fosoke fun ayo, " The child jumped for joy."
FoYA, V. n. to fear, be dismayed. — Mo foya jojo, " I was
very much afraid."
Fo, v.a. to wash clothes ; wash by rubbing or scrubbing,
rub hard with water and a brush or the fibres of
plants ; speak, talk a language.
Fo, V. a. and n. to break a vessel ; destroy a town or
108
FO
nation by war ; reduce to a state of confusion ; ache
(as the head) ; be blind. — Ogun li o fo Igbo Egba
ati ille Yoruba, "War destroyed the Yoruba and
the Egba country." — Mo soro titi ori nfo mi, "I
spoke so long that my head ached."
Fofolloived hy Pettepette, v. a. to destroy.
Raurau, v. a. to destroy entirely. —
Nwon fo gbogbo re raurau, "They
destroyed the whole entirely."
RuRU, Tutu, v. a. to destroy utterly.
Yany AN, -y. <?. to break to pieces. — ^Gbo-
gbo ikoko ille nwon li a fo yanyan,
" We broke all the pots in their
house to pieces."
FoHUN (fo-ohun), v. n. to speak. — Aki igbelle ki ama
fohun si 'ra enni, " We cannot dwell in a house to-
gether without speaking one to another."
Foju (fo-oju), V, n. to be blind, be in the dark, be
ignorant.
FoLLE (fo-ille), V. a. to break a house open, rob a house.
FoNFON, adv. soundly (qualifying the verb sun). — Emi
sun fonfon, " I slept soundly."
FoNGBiN, FoNRUGBiN, V. a. to SOW, Scatter, disperse.
FoNKA, V. a. to scatter, disperse.
FoNu, s. an elastic tree used for bows. — Fi iggi fonu han
mi, " Show me the fonu tree."
FoNNA, V. a. to take fire from the hearth.
FoNNAiiAN, V. a. to guide, show the way. — Fonnahan mi
ki nma wo igbe, " Show me the way, that I may not
err ;" {lit. go into the bush).
FoNNu, V. n. to boast, brag. — Enni ti fonnu po ko le ise
nkan, " He who boasts much can do very little."
FowoBA, FowoKAN (fi-owo-ba), V. a. to touch, feel with
the hand. — Ma fowoba a, " Do not touch it."
FowoKo (fi-ow9-ko), V. a. to embrace, hook, go hand-in-
hand.
109
FOW
t FowoLE ( — le), V. a. to take in hand, place the hand
against or upon. — O fi ija fun Olorun ja fowole eran,
"Leave the battle to God, and rest your head upon
your hand;" a favourite proverb of one of the Yoruba
Chiefs.
FovyroLE-ERAN, V. 11. to placc the hand against the temple
while the elbow rests on the thigh or on the table.
FowoRANO, interj. Hush ! Patience ! — F9worano, ma je ki
oran na ki o don 'wo, " Be patient, let not the matter
grieve you."
Fu, adv. at once, quickly (qualifying Dide, to arise). —
Dide fu, " Arise quickly."
FuJA, s. brag, empty proud boasting. — ^Mase fuja mo,
" Do not boast any more."
FuKEFUKE, ach. pit-a-pat (used with the verb njo, " to
palpitate," to describe the increased action of the
heart produced by running). — Aiya mi njo fukefuke,
" My heart is palpitating."
FuLE, adj. soft.
FuLEFULE,[ac?v. softly.
FuLUFULu, s. the leaves which enclose a head of Indian
corn (sometimes called Epo, Aso) ; a term usually
applied to it when ripe and dry.
Fun, Fu, prep, for, to, on behalf of. — Se kinni yi fun mi,
" Do this thing for me." — O wi fun mi, ^' He told it
to me." — Ofi fun mi, " He gave it to me." Often used
elliptically. — Fun mi, " (Give) to me." — O fun mi li
aso meji, " He (gave) me two pieces of cloth." — Fun
u li owo oja re, " (Give) him money for his goods."
Fun, Fu, followed hy Nisese, v. a. to employ, to give
one work to do.
Fun, -y. a. to be white. — Owu na fun rekoja, " The cotton
is exceedingly white."
Funfun, Fufun, adj. white.
FuNLE-FOLORUN (fun-illc, fuu-olorun, lit. for the earth's
sake and for God's), adv. of one's own accord, of one's
110
FUN
own choice. — Mo se e funle-folorun, " I do it of my
own choice."
Fun, Fon, v. a. to strew, scatter, sew ; squeeze, choke,
bind tight.
FuN-KON, FoNKON (fun-ikon), v. a. to discharge mucus.
FuN-OMMO, FuN-WARA, V. a. to milk.
Fun, Fon, v. n. to grow thin, abate. — Ommo na fun poju,
" The child is very thin."
FuRA(fu-ara),v./2.to be suspicious. — O nfura bi elefo tette,
" He is as suspicious as the seller of the herb tette."
FuRA, FuLA, s. a cool beverage made from Indian corn
or rice mixed with honey.
FuRU, adv. silently, quietly.
FuTEFUTE, adv. easily (used with the verb ja, " to break,"
to describe the ease with wdiich any fragile texture is
torn). — Aso nja futefute, "The cloth tears very easily."
FuYE, adj. light, not heavy. — Eru ti emi fuye ju ti re lo,
" My load is lighter than yours."
G.
Ga, s. a title of office.
Ga, v. n. to be high, tall, lofty (qualified by the adverb
FioFio, " very "). — Iggi arere ga fiofio, " The arere
tree is very lofty."
Gagaje, Adere-odo, s. a tree found near the water, many
of W'hose roots are above ground.
Gaga, adv. closely (qualifying the verb Ha, to press or
squeeze). — Aye ha gaga, " The room is crammed
full."
Gagalo, 5. stilts made of bamboo or other kind of wood,
from six to twelve feet long, used by native show-
men. — Gagalo subu owo te opako, " (When the man
on the) stilt falls, then the hand (of another) gets
possession ' of the bamboo (of which the stilt was
made) ;" applied to any aspirant who monopolises for
awhile some desired object, which, on his overthrow,
111
GAL
falls into the hand of some one else ; Cf. ' Pride will
have a fall.'
Galla, s. deer, stag.
Gamugamu, s. a long sharp hatchet used by warriors.
Gan, v. a. to sew coarsely ; cut a forest, strike with the
point of a thing; take by little at a time. — Gan as9 yi
fun mi, " Stitch this cloth for me."- — E 'ma gan obbe,
" Do not dip your sop too deep into the dish ; (lit.
Dip the sauce by little)." — Awa ngan igbo, " We are
cutting a forest." — I wo gan mi li okoto, " You struck
me with the point of your top."
Gan, v. a. to contemn, despise, backbite. — Enniti a ko fe
li a igan, " E[e who is not loved will be despised."
Gan, Gangan, adv. upright, straight, exactly, perpendi-
cularly ; the middle of the day ; very. — Balogun
duro gangan loju ogun, "The war-chief stood up-
right in the face of battle."— Alejo ba mi li ossan
gangan, "A stranger came to me in the middle of the
day." — Obbe mu gangan, " The knife is very sharp."
Gangan, s. a small bit or drop (applied to soup, sauce,
or stew). — Bu omitoro gangan si i fun mi, " Give me
a little more soup." — Son gangan le e li 9 wo, "Give
him a small bit."
Gangan, s. drum, w^ar drum. — Gangan ko ni saworo,
" The gangan is destitute of ornament (lit. bells)."
Ganganrangan, adj. very large ; bulky and high. —
Akuko ganganrangan, " A very large cock."
Ganigani, s. a despiser, contemner.
Ganran, adv. straight, direct. — Ma lo li okankan ganran,
" Go on straight forward."
Gari, s. saddle. (This word seems to have been bor-
rowed from the Haussa or Nufi.)
Gariki, Ganiki, s. (Haussa) shield.
Gba, v. a. and n. to sweep, cleanse ; slap, strike with a
stick or something flat ; drift. — Iggi ngba kiri nin9
omi, " The stick is drifting about in the water."
112
GBA'
Gb.\ followed by Kmi (about) to be driven or tossed
about."
Mora (close to the body), v. a. to em-
brace.
Mu, V. a. to hold, to grasp, gripe,
seize. — Mase gba enniti o yo obbe
mu, " Do not lay hold of a man
who has drawn a knife."
Gba, v. a. to take, admit, deliver, save, rescue ; receive ;
help ; strain ; wrap in leaves.
Gba followed by Adura (prayer), v. n. to pray to God ;
(not applicable to false gods).
DuLUMo (slander), v. a. to slander, ac-
cuse falsely. See Dulumo.
Gbo (to hear), v. a. to believe, obey.
Idaraya (exercise), v. n. to take ex-
ercise.
La (to save), v. a. to save, rescue, de-
liver. — Nigbati mo b9 sino omi,
apoti ti mo dimu li o gba mi la,
"■ When I fell into the water, the
box which I held saved me."
Lejje (ni-ejje, by blood), v. a. to bleed,
cup. — Onisegun gba okonri na
lejje, ^' The doctor cupped the man."
Lowo (by the hand), t\«. to help, de-
liver ; shake hands. — Gba mi lowo,
" Shake my hand."
. , NiYANJU (ni-iyanju, encouragement),
V. a. to encourage, exhort.
Pada (back or return), v. a. to receive
back. — Gba ada re pada, ^' Take
your billhook back."
Gba, adr. loudly, (describing the sound produced by
slamming a door). — Mo se illekun o ro gba, " The
door slammed when I shut it."
113 Q
GBA
Gbagbandidi, s. a dry uncut calabash.
Gba-gba-ro, s. the edges of the roof projecting over the
walls, eaves.
Gbagbe (gba-igbe, to receive oblivion), v. a. to forget,
neglect.
Gbai, adv. very, vociferously, loquaciously. — Obiri na
nso gbai, " The woman is always brawling."
Gbaja (gba-oja"), v. n. to bind oneself with a girdle.
Gbajamo, s. trade of a barber.
Gbaje, Gbejje (gba-ejje), v. a. to take blood, cup,
bleed =
Gbajumo ( — oju-mo), adj. neat, decent, clean (applicable
to persons only). — Gbajumo enia, " He is a tidy per-
son."
Gbako, adv. exactly, fitly, suitably, precisely. — Mo gbe
ibe li odun kan gbako, " I remained there exactly
one year."
Gballe, Gbille (gba-ille), v. n. to overspread, increase,
extend.
Gbamgbam, adv. tightly, compactly. — Di okete re
gbamgbam, " Tie your load together tightly."
Gbangan, s. a spacious airy room, hall.
Gbangba, s. a plain, open place ; demonstration ; adj.
plain, open, evident.
Gbani, Igbani, s. (proi)erly)aspan, (used also to signify) a
cubit. — Mo lu aso na ni gbani meji, " I gave tw^o
measures to the cloth."
Gbara, v. a. to boil slightly, parboil.
Gbati (gba-ti), V. a. to crowd after.
Gbawe (gba-aiwe), v. n. to mourn for the dead ; fast.
Gbe, v. a. and n. (jminaiy idea, to lift), to move, accom-
[^ plish ; be, abide ; be lost, perish. — Aki ida owo le
ohun ti ako le igbe, " A thing which cannot be ac-
complished (lit. lifted) should never be undertaken."
— Igbo li eranko igbe, " Beasts inhabit the forest." —
Ommo mi gbe, " My child is lost."
114 '
GBE
Ghi followed hi/ Ga (to be high), v. a. to raise or lift
up, magnify, exalt, make much of,
advance in rank.
Ha (to suspend), r. a. to hang or place
upon. — Gbeeru mi ha li pri palaka,
" Suspend my load upon the bough
of the tree."
Ka (upon) V. a. to set or place upon.
— Gbe apoti ka ara won, "Place the
boxes one upon another."
Kalle (upon the ground), v. a. to put
down. — Emi ko fe igbe agbon mi
kalle, " I do not wish to put down
my basket."
KuRO (away) v. a. to take from, re-
move. — Gbe okuta kuro li oju onna,
"Remove the stone out of the way."
Ml (to swallow), V. a. and n. to swallow,
absorb, be lost in the midst of other
things. — Adire gbe owokan mi, "The
fowl has swallowed a cowry."
Soke (si-oke, on top), v. a. to lift up,
hoist, set up, exalt, magnify; support.
Sanle (san-ille, to dash), v. a. to dash
with violence. — Ekute ille ni ti enni-
ti 9 pa on ko don on to ti enniti 6 gbe
on sanle, " The rat said, ' I do not feel
so much offended with the man who
killed me, as with him who dashed
me on the ground afterwards :' " (i.e.
who added insult to the injury).
Gbe, v. n. to be contiguous, advantageous, helpful to ;
annex ; be difficult. — Nwon ko ille gbe ara won,
'^The houses are built close to each other." — Ohun
elege ki igbe ibaje, "A delicate thing is easily {lit. not
difficult to be) injured."
115
GBE
Gbe, conj. that. (This particle gives the force of the past
tense to the verb which it precedes.) — -Niwaju afin li
awa gbe ko'ra wa, " It was in the front of the palace
that we met one another."
Gbede (gbo-ede),!;. n. to understand a language ; know ;
be sagacious.
Gbedegbevo ( — gbo-eyo), s. an interpreter.
Gbere, s. leave-taking, farewell, salutation.
Gbero (gba-iro), v. a. to consider, intend, purpose, calcu-
late, reckon.
Gbe, adj. dry. — Omi gbe li odo Sokori, " The Sokori
brook is dry."
Gbe, v. n. to sharpen (a stick) ; to make a noise, or cackle
like a hen.
Gbedu, s. a drum beaten in honour of the king or great
men.
Gbedugbedu, adv. extensively ; covering a large space, as
water. — Omi 'Ogun kon gbedugbedu, "The'Ogun
water spreads extensively."
Gbejje (gba-ejje), v. a. to bleed.
Gbekkele (gbe-ekke-le), v. a. to trust or depend upon.
Gbenagbena (gbe-onna), s. a carpenter, sawyer; one who
works in wood.
Gbengbe, adv. flatly, evenly. — O te aiya gbengbe, " He
has a well-expanded chest."
Gbengbe, adv. largely. — Adire gbengbe ige, "A fowl with
a large breast."
Gbengbegbengbe, adj. very large, bulky, fat, heavy ; (ap-
plied to fowls or other birds.)
Gbessan (gba-essan), v. a. to take vengeance, revenge,
retaliate.
Gbese (gba-ese), v. n. to incur guilt.
Gbi-gba, verbal adj. that wliich is to be received, folded
in leaves, or strained.
Gbi-gbe, verbal adj. that which is to be carried ; s. a loss.
Gbi-gbo, verbal adj. that which is ripe ; s. maturity.
116
GBI
Gbigbo, verbal adj. that which may be heard ; s. a hearing.
Gbihin, Gbohin, (gb9-ihin), v. n. to hear news.
Gbija (gbe-ija), v. a. to defend, take one's part.
Gbimoran, Gbimo, to counsel, think, consider, meditate.
Gbin, v. n. to breathe with difRculty.
Gbin, Gbi, v. a. to plant, sow.
Gbina (gba-ina), v. n. to catch fire, kindle.
Gbingbtndo, s. the name of a tree found near the water,
whose fruit is eaten only in time of famine. — Onille
nje eso gbingbindo alejo ni ki ase on li owo kan
ewa, " (Though) the master (of the house) may be
obliged to live upon gbingbindo fruit, (yet) the guest
expects to be supplied with a handful of maize (at
the very least) ;" said of those who are unreasonable
in their demands.
Gbingbiniki, adj. stout, bulky, huge ; s. bulk, corpulency.
— Obbatalla gbingbiniki, " The huge Obbatalla."
Gbinikon, v. n. to fester, rankle.
GbIro, Gbero (gba-iro), v. a. to reckon, calculate.
Gbiyele, Gbekkele (gbe-iye-le) (ekke), v. a. to rely on, to
trust. — Ma gbiyele ogun ti 0W9 enni ni ito 'ni, " De-
pend not on an inheritance ; what one gains (by
industry) is sufficient."
Gbo, v. n. to ripen, come to maturity ; old, worn out.
Gbo, v. a. to bark.
Gbo folloived by Lennu (ni-ennu, at the mouth), v. a.
to contradict.
GbodogI, s. the yaws.
Gbodogi, s. the name of a plant.
Gbogbo, adj. all, every, the whole.
Gbohin (gb9-ihin), v. n. to hear news.
Gbohungbohun (gba-ohun), s. the echo. — Bi ake iggi ni
igbo gbohungbohun agba a, " When a tree is cut in
the forest the echo repeats the sound."
Gboju (gbo-oju), V. 71. to be impudent, daring, fierce,
bold.
117
GBO
Gbojule (gbe-oju-le), v. a. to fix the eye upon ; to put
confidence or trust in.
Gbolohun (gbo-ni-ohun), s. a word, a mere word. — Mo
fo gbolohun kan, " I spoke a single word."
Gbona (gbo-ina), v.n. to be warm, hot.
Gbongbo, s. root ; bottom of a matter.
Gbonu (gbo-ennu), v. n. to deny, insist on in opposition
to advice.
Gboro, adj. wide, broad.
Gboro, Igboro, s. a snare for beasts.
Gbonju, v. n. to arrive at an age when the memory begins
to develope itself; (a term marking a particular
period of childhood.)
Gbo, v. n. to hear, attend, listen.
Gbo, v. n. to flourish, grow luxuriantly.
Gboddo, aitw. V. dare not, shall not, must not.
Gbon, v. n. to be wise, clever, sensible, cunning, crafty. —
Enniti o gbon iu 'ni lo ni ite 'ni ni Ifa, " (The priest)
who is more crafty than another, induces him to
adopt the worship of Ifa."
Gbon, v. n. to bale out water; strike with a stick or
fist.
Gbon foiloived hy Lese (ni-ese, fist), v. a. to smite with
the fist, box.
Gbon, v, n. to shake violently, be in adverse circumstances,
agitate. — Mo gbon li 9W0 mo gbon lesse temi tan, " I
am reduced to extreme poverty ; (lit. My hands and
feet are shaken.")
G'&h^ followed hy Kanakana, u a. to sling.
Lo, v. a. to surpass, exceed. — On gbon
mi lo, " He is greater than I."
Gbon, v. a. to move to tears. — Ekun gbon mi, " I was
moved to tears."
GB0NGB9N, adv. very (applied to depth). — Koto na jin
gb9ngbon, " The pit is very deep."
Gbongbon-Gbongbon, adj. clumsy.
118
GBO
Groro, s. sprouts of the pumpkin, called also Isi.
Gboro, adj. long and slender. — Iggi gboro, "A long
slender stick."
Gburo (gbo-iro), v. a. to hear of. — Awa gburo won lanna,
" We heard of them yesterday."
Gburu, adv. in torrents, violently, without cessation. —
'Ojo nro gburu, " The rain pours in torrents."
Go, V. a. to puzzle, perplex. — Oran na go mi jojo, " That
word puzzled me very much."
Go, adj. stupid, dull.
Go, V. n. to be long and slender (as grass) ; stoop, hide
in a stooping position. — O go lehin okuta nla, "He
hid himself behind the large rock."
GoGGO, -5. horse's mane ; casting of lots (a children's game
played with pieces of grass, of which one is bent:
he who draws the bent one is called guilty) ; a hooked
stick used for plucking fruit off trees.
GoGGOwu, s. a large country cloth, a sheet.
GoiGOi, adv. untidily, sluggishly.
GoMBo, 5. a small iron spoon used for retailing snuff.
GuDEGUDE, s. cloudiness, damp atmosphere. — Gudegude
ko je orun ki 9 ran, " Clouds prevent the sun from
shining."
GuDUGUDU, s. a poisonous wild yam. — Gudugudu kan li
egbo kanrinkanrin, " The gudugudu is very acid at
the root." — Gudugudu ko se ibe elubo, " The
gudugudu will not do to be made into flour,"
Gudugudu, s. a kind of small drum producing a tenor
sound.
Gudugudu, adv. in a scrambling way.
GuFFE, V. n. to belch, eruct.
Gun, Gu, v. a. to beat, pound, stick with a pointed thing,
pierce ; u. n. to come to harbour, anchor, land. —
Okko meji gun loni, "Two vessels arrived to-
day."
Gun, Gu, adj. long ; v. a. to mount.
119
GUN
GuNLE (gun-ille), v. n. to land ; run ashore ; run
aground.
GuNRON ( — iron), v. n. to recline on a cushion.
GuNUGUNU, s. the turkey buzzard.
GuNYE (gun-iye), v. n. to be fledged. — A won ommo eiye
ko to ifo, sugb9n gbogbo W9n gunye," All the young
birds are fledged, but they cannot fly yet."
Gusu, s. {Hanssa) south.
H.
Ha, s. amazement, astonishment. — Ha se mi si oran na,
" I wondered at the matter."
Ha, v. a. to lock, wattle a house, get entangled between
woods or in a narrow passage, to be crowded or
straitened. — Aye ha fu mi gaga, " I am much
straitened for room."
\{k followed hy Laye (ni-aye), v. a. to throng, squeeze,
press for want of room. — Awon enia
ha mi laye, nko le iwo ille, " I am
pressed by the people, I cannot go
into the house."
Mo, V. a. to lock, block up, keep in, en-
close.
Ha, v. a. to bruise, scratch, scrape.
Ha, adv. indeed, then ; (used emphatically in interrogative
and negative sentences.) — Nkan wonyin ha ri behe
bi, " Are these things indeed so '?" — Nkan wonyin ko
ha ri behe ba, " No indeed, they are not."
Ha, adv. {emphatic) no indeed, {always followed hy Ba). —
Ki ihci se emi ba, " Not I ; no indeed."
Ha! iw^er/. expression of surprise.
Halle (ha-ille), v. n. to boast, brag.
Hamora (ha-m9-ara), v. n. to put on armour, be encum-
bered.
Han, v. n. to be unfruitful, sandy, worn out ; v. a. to scrape
gently.
120
HAN
Han, v. n. to appear, be in sight, be visible.
Han, v. n. to scream. — Ommo de yi ban goro, "This
child gave a shrill scream."
Han followed hy Lemo (ni-emo), v. a. to treat one badly.
Hanahana, Hanyiiianyi, adj. coarse, rough, uneven.
Hanna, s. an idiot, madman, fool ; a wicked person, a
vile person.
Hantuuu, or Hantu, v. a. {Haiissd) to write.
He, v. a. to gather together things scattered, to pick up
one by one. — ^Awa nhe ere li oko, " We are gather-
ing beans in the farm."
He, E, s. Sir, Madam ; (respectful answer made by
females to elders or superiors).
Hevi, s. Sir, Madam; (respectful answer made by males
to elders or superiors).
HiiiA, verbal adj. that which is to be scraped ; scraped.
Hiiia, verbal adj. narrow.
^n\^, verbal adj. that which is to be picked up.
HiHo, verbal adj. that which is to be stripped off, or
peeled as the fibre of trees.
Hinu, s. conduct, behaviour.
Ho, v.n. to boil, ferment, bubble, froth, foam; make a
noise, shout. — Ose nho putu, " Tiie soap lathers well."
H6, V. a. to peel off (the rind of yams or fruits).
Ho, Ha, adj. narrow, strait. — -^Onna ho, esse ko gba eji,
"The path is too narrow to admit two feet (side by side).''
Ho, V. a. and n. to scratch ; peel off bcirk ; run, turn tail.
Ho, adv. not, (used often for Ko).
Ho, inierj. a contemptuous exclamation.
Hoiio, s.abirdlike the crow with white streaks on the head.
Hoiiu, Howu, interj. a w ord expressing surprise. — Holm !
Iho ti ohii li esin akun u ; (a play on the word
Hohu untranslateable).
HoNRUN (h9n-orun), v. n. to snore.
Hu, V. n. to shoot, germinate ; rot, as clothes, rope, or
wood ; come to notice.
121 H
HU
lit followed bi/^ IwA, IIuwa, v. n. to behave, conduct
oneself.
Hu, V. a. to pull out of the ground, disinter that which
was buried.
Hu folloivcd hy Iko, Huko, v.n. to cough.
HuMO (hii-imo), V. n. to think, meditate, originate a
thought.
Hun, s. the grunting of the pig ; a contemptuous ex-
pression.
HuwA (hu-iwa), v. See above, Hu followed hy Iwa.
HuYE (hii-iye), v. n. to fledge.
I.
T, used as a nominal prefix, giving to the radical verb to
which it is prefixed the signification of an action still
in progress ; e. g, — v. Ba, to hide, — s. Iha, the act of
hiding. See E.
\,2iron. ohj.case,{?iheY a verb ending with i) him, her, it.
— Mo fi iggi ti i, " I pushed it with a stick." — Ki i
molle, " Press it down."
Iba, s. a hit, the act of meeting, a coming in contact
with ; a lucky chance. — Iba ti mo bii a ko se iba,
oju rere, " I did not meet him in a happy condition."
Iba, defect, v. had, would have. — On iba de emi alo,
" Had he come I would have gone."
Iba, Igbona-ara (gbo-ina), s. fever. — Iba li o da mi
bulle lati anna wa, " Fever has prostrated me since
yesterday."
Iba, s. the act of hiding, ambuscade; the act of plaiting
or weaving coarse grass into a mat.
Ibade, s. accordance, suitability.
IbadI (iba-idi), s. hip, joint of the thigh.
Ibafin, s. eunuchs. See Bafin.
Ibaiyeje (ba-aiye-je), s. the act of spoiling the world ; a
turning the world upside down.
122
IDA
InAJE,(ba-je), s. the act ofeating,associating,ordealing witli.
Ibaje, s. the act of destroying, spoiling, or corrupting;
injury, corruption. — Ibaje isu ni ibaje obbe. Enniti o
se ibaje enia, o se ibaje ara re, " The badness of the
yam is (laid to) the badness of the knife (but it is
soon discovered that it is the yam that is in fault ; so)
he who injures another (only) injures himself."
Ibaje-Ino, s. grief, sorrow.
Ibaka, s. mule. — O' ni ika nino bi ibaka, " He is as stub-
born as a mule."
Ibakasie, s. camel ; also called Rakumi {Haussa).
Iballe (ba-ille), s. flow of a garment, the loose part of a
dress, a train ; quietness, settlement,
Iballe-oko, s. a stone's cast.
Ibalogun, Balogun (9bba-ni-ogun), s. captain, head
warrior, officer, war-chief.
Ibalogun-orun, s. centurion, captain of a hundred.
Ibalo (ba-lo); s. the act of going with ; accompaniment.
Ibaluwe, s. a wash-house. — Ibaluwe gbe ille se bi akuro,
'^ A scullery is a part of the house, but (yet) it is (as
wet as) a garden by the waterside."
Ibamolle (ba-mo-ille), s. ambuscade.
Ibanije ( — enia-je), s. the act of polluting or corrupting.
Ibanise ( — se), s. the act of helping or acting with.
Ibante, s. an apron worn by males ; Ibante Alayekan,
s. a- kind of narrow apron ; Ibante Etiaja, s. an
apron made in imitation of a dog's ear ; Ibante
Gambari, s. a kind of apron introduced from the
Haussa country ; Ibante Olojumeji, s. a kind of
apron with two openings ; Ibante Salala, s. a supe-
rior kind of apron. — Salala babba ibante, "Salala is
the chief {Ut. father) of all aprons."
Ibapade (ba-pade), s. a chance meeting.
Ibaptismu, s. (Gr.) baptism.
Ibare (ba-re), s. the state of being friendly with, friendship.
Ibasopo ( — so-po), s. communication, communion with.
123
•/
IB A
Ibatan ( — tan), s. a being related to, belonging to the
line of a family ; relation, kindred.
Ibawi, Ibawijo (wi-ejo), s. the act of calling to judg-
ment ; judgment ; rebuke.
Ibasorun, Basorun (obba-se-orun), s. prime minister.
iBAGBE(ba-gbe), 5. theactof living with, or dwelling together.
Ibeji (bi-eji), 5. twins.
Ibepeje (ba-epe-je), s. oath-breaking, perjury.
[y^ Ibere (bi-ere), s. inquiry. — ^"Ibere ki ije ki enni ki 6
sinna, enni ti ko le ibere li o npmi 'ra re li ojn, " In-
quiry saves a man from mistakes : he who makes no
inquiry gets himself into trouble."
Ibe, adxi. there.
Ibebbe, (be-ebbe), s. prayer, supplication.
^Ibekke, s. name of a bird.
Ibepe, SFbo, s. pawpaw tree and fruit. — O ha mora bi
ibepe, " He encumbers himself like the pawpaw tree
(when laden with fruit)."
Ibere (be-ere), s. beginning, commencement, stooping.
Iberu (ba-eru), 6-. fear, dread.
Iberubojo (ba-eru-ba-ojo), s. fear, dread, trembling. —
Iberubojo ni mo fi pe e, ** With fear and trembling I
called him."
Ibetelle (be-te-ille), s. bribery, beggary.
''Ibewo, s. visitation, visit, a peeping at.
Ibi, s. the act of pushing or vomiting, a violent push.
' Ibi, s. evil, ill use, ill treatment. — Enia ki ise 'ni ni rere
ki afi ibi su u, " He who has done you a kindness
should never be ill-used."
Ibi, 5. inquiry, question ; place.
Ibi, s. birth, child-bearing. — Ibi k"i iju ibi, bi ati bi eru li
abi ommo, " Birth does not differ from birth : as the
freeman w^as born, so was the slave."
Ibille (bi-ille), s. one home-born, a domestic.
Ibille (bi-ille), s. aborigines.
IbI-mbf, .9. as one is born, in a state of nature.
124
IBI
Ibino (bi-ino), s. wrath, anger, rage, passion, vexation. —
Ibino ko se nkan fu 'ni suru babba lua. Ibino ni iyo
ofTa li apo, obun rere ni iyo obi li apo, "Anger does
nobody good : patience is the best (lit. father) of dis-
positions. Anger draws arrows from the quiver :
good words draw kola nuts from the bag." See Obk
Ibinoje, s. sorrow, regret, vexation, anger.
IfirROGBOKu, s. couch, sofa.
Ibisi, s. increase, addition.
Ibo, s. breadth, width ; a kind of banyan tree.
1b6, s. the name of a trailing plant ; and its fruit.
^Ibo, s. a casting of lots or dice, used by the priests in
consulting the gods.
Iboji, Boji (ibi-oji), s. grave, sepulchre ; lair, den.
Iboju (bo-oju), s. veil, covering for the face ; cloak ; dis-
simulation.
Ibojuwo (be-oju-w6), s. visit, visitation, superintendence.
Ibolowo (bo-ni-owo) s. a shaking of hands ; freedom from.
Ibon, s. gun, musket, pistol. — Ibon ko soro ira bi etu,
iJ9 kan li ara ibon igba gbogbo li ara etu, etu ko si
ib9n di opa, "A gun is not so hard to buy as pow-
der ; (for) a gun is bought once for all (lit. one day),
but powder must be bought again and again. With-
out powder a gun is nothing but a rod."
Iboni, s. support, sustentation.
^Ibosse (bo-esse), s. a common shoe or sandal with an
upper leather ; socks, stockings.
Ibowo, s. bracelet, armlet in general ; applied also to
gloves.
Ibomolle (bo-mo-ille), s. concealment, that which is to be
concealed.
Ibori (bo-ori), 5. cap, covering for the head.
^Iborisa (b9-orisa), s. worship of idols, idolatry.
Iboye, Ibo, s. a climbing plant.
Ibu Ibubu, s. side ; breadth, diameter ; abyss, channel ;
fall, abuse, curse.
125
J
IBU
Iijuuu, ado. sidewise, obliquely, alongshore. — Ibubu li
atu Okun, ododo liatu'Ossa, ibi ti a ba li atu Oyan,
"Alongshore you must navigate the ocean : down the
channel you must navigate the (lagoon) Ossa :
where you please you may navigate the (river) Oyan."
Iiju, s. abstraction of a part.
•luujoKo (ibi-ijoko), s. a dwelling-place, abode.
Ibuke, s. carver of posts and doors.
Ibukon (bu-kon),5. adding to; a blessing, increase. — Ibu-
kon ille, ibukon oja ki 9 ba '9, " May the increase of
the house and the increase of the market befal you !''
^Ibukun (bii-kun), s. deficiency, subtraction.
Ibulle (ba-ille), s. a recumbent position.
Ibun, s. the act of giving or rewarding; donation, pre-
sentation.
Ibura (bu-ara), s. oath, the act of swearing or taking
oath.
Ibura-Eke, s. perjury, false swearing.
Iburu, s. wickedness, evil.
, Ibusi (bu-si), s. an addition to, a blessing.
Ibuw^on (bu-won), s. aspersion, sprinkling.
Ida, 5. creation, formation ; cessation, division, a break-
ing, decision ; payment of taxes ; good health.
Ida, s. bees' wax, wax, tar ; Ida-Eti, ear wax.
Ida, s. time, interval, season, a given space. — Ni ida
yi anna o ti d^, "About this time yesterday he ar-
rived."
Ida, .y. cutlass, sword.
Ida-Assa, s. remnant from the loom, remnant, piece of
cloth to patch with.
Idado, Adado, s. an island.
Ida-duro, s. a being stopped or hindered, deten-
tion.
Idacuri, s. an alarm.
Idagudde, s. cold, gloomy, damp weather.
Idaiioro, s. the state of being desolate, desolation.
12G
IDA
Idaiiun, s. answer, reply.
Idaji, Idameji (da-meji),s. half, moiety; a flaw in cloth.
Idajo (da-ejo), 5. judgment, sentence pronounced.
Idajo (da-jo), s. a collecting, a collection, a putting to-
gether.
Idajo-lu, s. the act of condemning.
Idakoja (da-koja), s. the act of passing over a thing by
lifting the foot over it, (as over a tree lying across
the road).
Idake, Idakke, Idake-je, Idake-roro, s. rest, quietness ;
silence, stillness, a calm.
Idakkoro, s. anchor.
Ida-meji, s. half, moiety.
Ida-merin, s. a fourth part, a quarter.
Ida-mewa, s. a tenth part.
Idamoran (da-mo-oran), s. a device, a plan.
Ida-mo, s. a mistaken view, an opinion supposed correct
and affirmed.
Ida-mu, s. the act of perplexing, perplexity, confu-
sion.
Idan, s. sleight of hand ; a joint, a knot of grass or straw ;
gloss, brightness ; a piece of cloth sewn to the bot-
tom of native trowsers.
Idana, s. a feast, the act of cooking.
Idande (da-ni-ide), s. redemption, the state of being re-
deemed from bondage.
Idanilara, Idaniloju (da-enia-li-ara) s. the act of dis-
appointing, mortifying, or annoying ; certainty,
surety.
Idanrawo (dan-ara-wo), s. exercise, exertion.
Idan-wo, s. attempt, trial, temptation.
^Ida-po, s. mixture ; union ; communion, fellowship.
Idaran (da-oran), s. transgression, offence, trespass.
Idaran-Obba, s. treason [lit. offence against the sove-
reign).
Ida-ra, s. goodness, beauty.
127
IDA
Idaraya, s. cheerfulness, liveliness ; agility, activity.
Idariji (da-ori-ji), .s. forgiveness, pardon.
Idaro ( — aro), s. anxious concern, anxiety.
Idaronsille ( — aron-si-ille), s. that which creates disease
or pestilence.
Ida-ru-da-po, 5. the act of mingling in a confused mass,
confusion.
Ida-si s. gleanings, remnants ; officiousness.
Idasille (si-ille), s. commencing, invention ; ordinance.
Ida-se, Adase, s. venture, risk, hazard.
Ida-w6, s. consultation of the gods, or oracles.
Ida-wo, Ida-ro, s. iron dross.
Idawopo, s. a joining of hands together, union.
^Ide, s. the act of being confined, bondage, bond.
Idebipa, Ifebipa (da-ebi-pa), s. starvation.
Idehun (de-ohun), s. bargain, agreement.
Idele (de-ille), s. guardianship; medicine for family
use.
^Idena (de-onna), s. a resident officer who sees after the
interest of his sovereign within the limit of his terri-
tory ; the act of watching the road ; ambuscade ;
custom-house ; hinderance.
Ideri (de-ori), s. cover, lid.
IdetI (idi-eti), s. the temple of the head.
Ide, s. chase, game, hunting, baiting ; setting a trap,
tempting, decoying.
Ide, 5. brass.
^Ide, s. the act of slackening, loosening, softening, or
ripening; glass bottle holding from three- to five
gallons, called by sailors a demijohn.
Idebbi (da-ebbi), s. judgment, sentence.
Idegbe (de-igbe), s. a hunting, chase.
Ideru (di-erii), s. See Jdi.
iDERUBA(da-eru-ba), s. alarm ; discouragement.
Ideti (deeti), s. inclination of the ear, listening, hearken-
ing.
128
IDE
Ideti (di-eti), s. failure, inability to accomplish.
Idewo (de-wo), s. temptation, trial, snare.
Idi, s. eagle. — Idi babba eiye, idi babba akosa, " The
eagle is the prince of fowls ; the eagle is the prince
of birds of prey."
'Idi, Edi, the act of binding or packing ; bundle ; bud ;
sheaf.
IdI, s. waist, rump ; cause, reason, conclusion, end ; foun-
dation ; diminution. — So idi re fun mi. " Tell me the
reason."
Idi-agbado, Apo-agbado, s. a shock of corn.
Idi-de, s. the act of rising, resurrection.
Idijii (da-iji), s. fear, fright, alarm.
Idi-mu, s. grasp.
Idin, Idi, s. name of a tree, the root of which is
chewed.
Idin, s. maggot.
Idina (di-onna), s. that which shuts the road ; hinder-
ance, obstacle.
Idino (di-ino), s. anger, passion.
Idinu (di-ennu), s. the act of binding the mouth ; fasting.
^Idi-po, 5. union, unity, combination.
Idiron (di-oron), s. neck-band.
Idiron, s. the act of plaiting the hair.
Idiyele (da-iye-le), 5. the act of estimating, valuation.
Idigbaro (da-igba-ro), s. continual standing, an erect
position.
Id6, s. invasion, encampment, colonization ; heap, copu-
lation.
Ido, ^Idoro, s. the plant called the Indian shot.
Idodo, s. the navel.
Idofun, s. a kind of plum-tree.
^Idugbolu, Adugbolu, s. stumbling-block.
Iduro, s. erect position.
Idokkoduro, Idokkoro (da-okk9-duro), s. cable, anchor.
Idon, s. the bug.
129 s
IDO
Idon, 5. the act of sounding, a sound, cry as of a bird or
beast.
^Idon, s. sweetness, flavour, beauty, grace.
^Idugbolu, s. stumbling-block.
^Ifa, s. ebbing, crawling ; good luck, advantage, gain. —
^Ifa nla ni iya oluwa re li apo, " Inordinate gain
makes a hole in the pocket." Cf. Haggai i. 6.
Ifa, s. that which is scraped ofT, shaving, the act of
wiping ; the god of pahn-nuts ; a tool with two handles
(used to scoop out the pulp of green calabashes).
Ifani (efFa-oni), 5. six days.- — Ifani li ojo esu bi 9 ba ko
tan o wi fumi, " The club collection will be due six
days hence : when you have taken your share
let me know."
Ifar.\han (fi-ara-han), 5. appearance, discovering of one's
self, a vision.
Ifara-pa, s. the act of hurting or bruising the body.
Ifaraw^e, s. emulation, variance.
Ifaron, Ifarun (fa-orun), s. an iron guard for the fingers
used to assist in drawing the bow with full force ;
(called Imatiko by the Igbomna tribe).
Ifasse (fa-esse), s. a withdrawing of the foot.
Ife, s. a small sized bird. — -Bi ife fo on li amo li akko
eiye, " The ife is noted by its flight as the bravest
among birds." The feather is said to be much valued
in the Egba country.
Ifefe, s. a kind of hollow reed.
Ifere, s. flute, pipe ; a sip.
Iferu, Feru, s. the bush rope, a trailing plant, used for
all purposes of tying or binding.
Ifetisi (fi-etisi), s. obedience, attention.
Ife, s. love, wish, will, desire.
^Ife, 5. belch, eructation.
Ifojupe (fi-oju-pe), s. a beckoning, a winking with the
eye.
Ifosoke (fo-si-oke), 5. jump, leap.
130
IFE
Ife, s. a tribe from which the human race, as well as the
whole Yoruba nation, are said to have sprung.
Ifekufe (fe-ki-ife), s. lust, irregular desire.
Ifemonikeji (fe-9mm9-enia-keji), s. brotherly love.
Ifeni (fe-enia), s. charity.
Ifennukonu (fi-ennu-kd-ennu), s. (Ut. the act of putting
mouths together), mutual agreement, kiss.
Ifeseji, s. forgiveness of sins.
Ifi-bun, Ifi-fun, s. gift, present.
Ifiji, s. the act of forgiving, forgiveness, absolution.
Ifi-mo, Iforanmo (fi-oran-mo), s. suspicion, a fastening
upon.
Ifi-son, s. accusation.
Ifitore (fi-ta-ore), s. gift, present.
^Ifiwo (fi-iw9), s. bait.
^ Ifo, s. the act of flying as a bird, or passing off as a
rainy cloud.
Ifofo, s. foam, froth.
Ifole, s. home-born slave, not born from the original
stock of the family.
Iforiballe (fi-ori-ba-ille), s. submission, obedience.
'Ifo-ri-fo, s. flake, sparks.
^Ifoya, Ifoiya (fo-aiya), s. fear, dread.
Ifo, s. a breaking, as of a vessel ; plenty, abundance ;
bawling, a loud cry.
Ifokko, s. wreck of a ship or canoe.
^Ifo, s. the act of washing or speaking ; utterance.
Ifoju (fo-oju), s. blindness.
Ifokkansin (fi-okkan-sin), s. devotion, soul-service.
Ifokkanso ( so), s. confidence, reliance.
Ifolle (fo-ille), 5. house-breaking.
Ifon, Ifun, 5. bowels, tripe.
Ifonfon, s. a kind of small fly which makes honey.
^ Ifonna (fon-ina), s. a taking of fire from the hearth ; one
who takes fire from the hearth. — Apadi ni isaju
ifonna, " The potsherd (on which live coals are
131
jFO
usually carried) goes in front of him who has taken
the fire from the hearth with it ;" i. e. every enter-
prise must have a leader ; (the potsherd being used
as an emblem of courage, because it can withstand
the action of fire.)
Ifonnaiian (fi-onna-han), s. the act of showing the way,
guidance.
Ifon-po, s. crowd.
Ifoavoba, s. a touch, the act of touching.
Ifowoko, s. embrace,
Ifowota", s. careless search.
Ifun, Ifuni, s. the act of giving, a gift ; Ifun, white-
ness.
Iga, s. height, stature.
'Iga, s. a stretching forth, full stretch, in order to reach
an object. — Emi na iga, " I stand at full stretch."
'Igan, s. the act of contemning or reproaching.
''Igan-^Imaddo, s. male wild boar.
Igangan, s. a kind of yellow yam.
Igangan, a(^. gigantic, bulky.
Iganna, s. w^alls around premises, a walled enclosure.
Igara, 5. thief, robber.
Igara-Okun, s. piracy.
'Igba, s. admittance, reception, time ; a definite period,
interval, duration ; opportunity.
^Igba Ikokojo Oko, ^Igba-Ipallemo Oko, s. time of
gathering, harvest time.
^Igba-Irugbin, s. seed-time.
Igba, s. calabash cut into halves. — Igba li apa akrpa awo,
"A calabash may be cut into parts, but not an earthen
vessel."
Igba-Ogodo, s. a very large and strong calabash which
grows in the province ofOgodo, a tribe ofYoruba.
Icba-Ori, 5. the skull.
Igbaje, 5. a large calabash.
W Igba, s. the acacia or locust tree and fruit ; tide, current ;
132
IGB
a sweeping. — Aka igba ta o nawo iki'i, " He who
gathers igba fruit spends money which he has
risked his life to get {lit. money of death) ;" the
wood of this tree being very brittle.
Igba-Odo, Igba-Omi, s. tide, current.
Igba, adj. two hundred.
Igbaiye (gbe-aiye), s. {lit. a state of living in the world)
life.
Igbaja (gba-oja), s. greegree belt ; soldier's sash, girdle",
narrow slip of cloth tied round the loins.
Igba-kan, s. once, at a certain time.
^ Igbako, s. a spoon. — Igbako sanno, eleko ko sanno, igbako
iba si, awamu eleko, ko je, " The spoon is liberal,
(but) the pap-seller is not ; the spoon would have
given plenty, but the grasping pap-seller would not
letjt."
Igbakugba, adv. many times, often, frequently.
"Igbala, s. deliverance, salvation.
Igbamu (gba-mu), s. the act of seizing by the hand.
Igbana (igba-na), adv. then, at that time.
Igbani ( — m), s. time past, the time of old.
Igbani, s. See Gbani.
Igba-pupo, adv. many times.
Igba-ro, s. a standing posture.
Igbaroko, s. hip, joint of the thigh.
Igba-t1, adv. when.
Igba-gbe (gba-igbe"), Igbagbera, s. forgetful ness, negli-
gence ; oblivion.
Igba-gbo, s. faith, belief, obedience, attention.
Igbe, s. the act of taking up, attempting, being ; perdi-
tion ; forgetfulness, oblivion. — ]\Io gba igbe, " I for-
got."
Igbe, 5. loud cry, howl, shout.
Igbede (gbo-ede), s. understanding, wisdom.
Igbekun, s. mas. a male captive ; fern. Igbesin.
Igbelebu (gbe-le-ibu), s. the act of laying crosswise.
133
\y
\^
IGB
Igberi (gbe-ori), s. nearness, proximity.
Igbera ( — ara), s. self-defence, vindication.
Igberiko ( — ori-ko), s. neighbourhood ; province.
Igbeyawo ( — iyawo), s. the act of taking a wife ; mar-
riage.
Igbe, s. bush, field, grassfield. — Enia lassan po o ju igbe
enni rere won 6 ju oju lo, " Ordinary people are as
common as grass, but good people are dearer than an
eye."
Igbe, Igbonse, s. faeces, (a decent expression).
Igbe, s. the act of drying, dryness.
'Igbeiiin (gbe-ehin), s. the last time, latter part; adt.
afterward.
Igbekkele (gbe-ekke-le), s. trust, confidence, reliance.
Igbetu, s. a fibrous plant, having red sap.
Igbesin, s.fem. a female captive.
Igbessan, s. the act of retaliating, recompensing, or pay-
ing back, vengeance.
Igbimo (gba-im9), ^- ^ counsellor, an adviser.
IgbIn, s. snail, conch. — Igbin ko mo ije ato okowo,
" Had not the snail known where to feed in safety, it
would never have grown so large as to be worth
twenty cowries." — Bi igbin ba nfa kawon re ate le e,
" When the snail crawls, its shell accompanies it." —
Bi ati yin awon li ayin igbin, " As the tortoise meets
with due regard, so should the snail."
^ Igbin, 5. planting, sowing.
Igbin, s. retching, effort to remove any inward obstruc-
tion.
Igbinikon (gba-ini-kon), s. inflamation, festering.
' Igbiro (gba-iro), s. a reckoning, calculation, counsel,
consultation.
Igbiyanju (gba-iyan-oju), .s. perseverance, exhortation,
encouragement.
Igbiyele (gbe-iye-le), s. trust, confidence, reliance.
Igbo, s. forest, wood, grove.
134
IGB
Igbo, s. old age ; the act of barking like a dog. — Je igbo,
je ito, " May you enjoy many days ; {lit. eat old age,
and longevity)."
'Igbo, s. name of a bird, which feeds on the eggs of other
birds. — -'Igbo wa ille ei'yekeiyo tu, " The igbo
searches the nests of other birds to plunder them."
Igbo, Egbo, s. the act of rubbing so as to peel off the
husk.
Igbo, s. an idol-sacrifice ; assembly of priests ; idol-wor-
ship ; food of the sacrifice.
Igbodu, s. a grove dedicated to the gods Odu and Ifa.
Igbogian, s. the name of a bird.
Igboiya (gbo-aiya), s. courage, boldness.
Igboju ( — oju), s. boldness, audacity, ferocity.
Igboku (gba-oku), s. a stale article ; that which has lost
its scent or flavour.
Igbokun ( — okun), s. sail, canvass.
Igbona (gbo-ina), s. heat, warmth, fervency.
Igbona-Ara, s. heat of the body ; fever.
^Igboro, s. old farm overgrown with jungle.
Igboro, 5. street.
Igbose (igba-ti-o-se), adv. by and bye, till another sea-
son.
Igbonwo, Igbon-ron (gbon-owo), s. elbow ; a measure from
the tip of the middle finger to the elbow ; cubit.
Igbonwu ( — owu), 5. a bow used for the purpose of card-
ing cotton.
Igbo, s. attention, trust, obedience.
Igbonra (gbon-ara), s. a shaking of the body, (to free
one's self of dust, &c.)
Igboran (gbo-oran), s. obedience, attention.
Igbonse (gbon-esse), s. See Igbe.
Igbokkanle (gbe-9kkan-le), s. confidence, trust, affiance.
Igbowo, (gba-ow9), ^' witness, pledge, token.
Igburo (gbo-iro), s. news, intelligence.
Igede, s. mystery (applied only to superstitions, charms,
135
V
\y
IGE
&c.). — Babbalawo nfo igede, " The priest is speaking
a mystery."
^Igere, 5. fish-pot.
Ige, s. breast, chest.
Igepa, s. bird-snare.
Ige, 5. the act of sitting (as a bird on a tree).
Iggi, s. tree, wood. — Iggi damo mi, " I am made to feel
it," {lit. "The stick strikes me.")
Iggi-^ Ogedde, s. the banana.
Iggi-Ope, s. the palm.
Iggimo (iggi-imo), s. snout, prominent nose.
Iggina ( — ina), s. fire-wood, brand.
Igiso, s. a hairy worm, which poisons the foot if trodden
on.
^Igo, s. bottle, decanter.
^Igoke, s. the act of climbing up, ascension.
^Igongo, s. worm found in dunghills, eaten by natives.
^Igongo-Ofon, s. throat, windpipe, trachea.
Igunle, 5. landing-place, wharf; the act of landing.
Igo, s, perplexity. See Isu.
Igo-Iggi, s. large roots, which spring from the trunk of
trees of the mimosa-tribe, at some distance above
the ground, and serve as supports to the parent
stem.
Icon, Ojugon, s. the shin ; the corner. — ^"Oran ko ba oju-
gpn 6 li on ko li eran, " When the shin is not hurt, it
says that it has no flesh (to protect it) ;" i. e. When
circumstances do not arise to call forth a man's re-
sources, he is apt to think he has none.
Igon-Ehoro, s. the wattle tree.
Igon-Ille, s. the corner of the house.
^Igun, s. the act of climbing up.
Igun, s. the act of pounding or piercing ; turkey buz-
zard. — Igun ti ogun mi ko J9 ti egun, " Piercing
(me with a lance) is not like piercing me with a
thorn."
136
IGU
i/
— Igun iyan ko jo ti elubo, mimii ni iyan imu kiku
li elubo iku, " The pounding of iyan is not like the
pounding of elubo ; iyan becomes more adhesive ;
elubo separates into powder."
Igunwa, s. a sitting in state.
Iguso, s. a tobacco pipe ; an instrument for torturing, a
forked stick.
"Iha, s. side, loin, region. — ''Iha ibo li awa oyi si, " To
which side shall we turn?" — ^^Iha so mi, "My side
pains me."
Iha, s. the act of locking, crowding, pressing ; the act
of stripping a house of its roof.
Iha-epo, s. palm-nut, chaff.
Iha-gaga, s. press, crowd. — Emi ko ri aye wolle nitori
ihagaga, " I have no room to go into the house be-
cause of the crowd."
Ihaho (iha-ih9), s. the crust or burnt part adhering to
the pot or saucepan.
[y Ihalle (ha-ille), ^.need, necessity, poverty, strait. — Ihalle
ba oso enia je, " Poverty destroys a man's repu-
tation."
Ihalle ( — ille), s. empty boast, brag.
Ihamora ( — mo-ara), s. armour, war equipment.
. ^Ihin, 5. news, tidings, declaration, narration. — Li ennu
onihin ni ihin idon, " News is interesting from the
mouth of him who tells it first."
Ihlnrere, s. good news, glad tidings, gospel.
Ihinyi (ihin-eyi), adv. hither, here. — Ihinyi ni mo ran o
si, iwo se d6 ohun, " I sent you here ; how came you
there'?""
Iho, 5. noise, boiling ; a bubbling noise like a running
brook or river. — Iho odo o bo iho ijo enia molle,
"The noise of the river drowns the noise of the people."
wind, 5. hole, pit. — Enni ti o nsure kiri ni papa on li o
wa nino ewu ati ji si iho, " He w^ho runs about the
fields is in danger of falling into a pit."
137 T
''Iho, 'Ihoho/Ihoriho, s. nakedness.
J Ih6-imo, s. the nostril. — 'Ti ossan ti oru iho imo ko gbe
ille li aise, bi o ba dake aje pe 6 pin, "Day and night
the nostril is always at work: wlien it stops, (life) is
at an end."
Iho, s. grass field spared for the sake of hunting.
^Ihuhu, s. feather down.
Ihulle-hulle (hu-ille), s. origin, first beginning.
Ihura (hu-ara), s. weakness.
'Ihuwa ( — ^iwa), 5. conduct, behaviour.
^ ^Ija, 5. strife, war, fight, battle, evil. — -''Ija ni ije pe illu
npe'o gbogbo won li o ni oruko, "Every one in the
assembly has a name ; but when you are summoned
' in the name of the assembly ' (instead of being
summoned in the name of some individual in it, you
may be sure that) evil awaits you." — 'Ija ko bimmo
ki o ro, " Strife never begets a gentle child."
'Ija-iji, s. the action of the whirlwind.
Ijaba (ja-ba), s. trouble, annoyance.
Ijadan (je-ada), s. remnants of fruits eaten by bats ;
gleaning. — Awa ko ri ese he, ijadan li ansa kiri labbe
iggi, " We had no shea-nuts to gather ; we w^ere
obliged to seek about to pick up the remnants eaten
by the bats."
^ I ja-du, s. scramble, eager contest for a thing.
Ija-fara (ja-ifa-ara), s. negligence, sluggishness.
Ijaje, s. rascal, scoundrel.
Ijakadi, s. a wrestling, a struggling.
Ijanna, s. coming into the way ; return to the right
course.
Ijannu, s. bit ; instrument used in kidnapping ; (also
called Kanga). — Ologbon ogbon li aro ijannu, oko-
kan li amo iwa enia ; aba mo iwa enia aba bun 'o
ko fe adoni jojo bi abajo, "On different plans bits are
made ; one by one men's characters are known ;
when the character of a man is once known (to be
138
IJA
bad, even) were he to be given to you lor a present,
. you would not have him, for he is as painful to you
as a vexatious matter."
^Ija-pati, s. pitched battle, struggle.
Ija-pati, s. the act of snatching suddenly from the hand.
Ijaro, s. detection of falsehood.
Ijasan, s. leather-guard worn by archers on the left
wrist to prevent the bowstring from injuring the
hand.
Ije, 5. a kind of cane used for arrow shafts.
Ije, s. the seventh day.
C^Ije, s. race, competition. — Bi aba ndije ni bi ise owo ama
ya ni, " When we compete in working, we work
faster {lit. our hands quicken)."
Ijejila (ijo-eji-la), s. the twelfth day.
Ijeni (ije-oni), s. seven days hence.
Ije, Ijeun (je-ohun), s. manner or act of eating : corro-
sion.
Ije, s. effect produced, answer.
'Ije, Ijesin, s. fodder, hay.
^Ije, Ijere, 5. the flower of Indian corn.
"Ijeka, s. snoring.
Ijeri, s. the act of bearing witness, testimony.
Ijerinla (ijo-erin-le-ewa), s. fourteen days ago, fort-
night.
Ijesin, .?. See "Ije.
Ijeun, s. See Ije.
Ijew^o, s. confession.
I J I, Ijin, s. shadow, shade.
Iji, s. fear, dread ; any thing startling, surprise.
Iji, s. the act of waking, either from sleep, or sluggish-
ness.
Iji, s. whirlwind ; tornado.
Ijiandudu, Ejinrin, s. a plant used as medicine for in-
fants.
'Ijigonron (ji-gonron), s. valley, ravine.
139 -
IJI
Ijila, Ijinla, s. a famous or notorious person, (used both
in a good or bad sense).
Ijille, Ijinle (jm-ille), s. depth, profundity.
"Ijiya (je-iya), s. suffering, passion.
Ijisepalle (iji-se-pa-ille), s. afternoon, (lit. the time the
shadow begins to increase as the sun declines).
^Ijin, Jijin, ^Ijinna, s. distance, depth.
'Ijigbo, 5. chief priests, head worshippers of the gods.
Ijo, s. dame. — Ti ijo ti ayo ni ise idin, wuye wuye ni ise
1/ igongo anjo anyo ommo banabana ure oko iggi, "With
dancing and with joy moves along the reptile ; wrig-
gling to and fro moves along the worm ; (such a move-
ment being considered indicative of pleasure) ; but be
there dancing or rejoicing, the child of banabana (?)
(probably an insect constantly carrying about small
chips of wood) toils on at its woodcutting ;" /. e. others
may amuse themselves, but the poor man has no
holiday.
^Ijo, s. the act of leaking.
Ijogun (je-ogun), s. succession to an inheritance; Ijo-
GUN, Ajagun (ja-oguii), s. soldier, warrior.
Ijoko, 5. settlement, abode, estate.
Ijoko-je, 5. quietness.
^Ijokun, s. name of a trailing plant.
Ijowu (je-owu), 5. jealousy.
Ijoyf (je-oye), s. a man of title ; the act of being in-
vested with a title of rank.
Ijo, Ajo, s. assembly, meeting, congregation. — Ijo ni ti
ly illu, obba li o li agbo, "Tiie public assembly belongs
to the town, (but) a select council belongs to the
king."
Ijo, s. day, a single day.
Ijo-agba, s. meeting or assembly of the elders.
Ijokanlegbon (ijo-kan-le-ni-ogbon), adv. seldom, now
and then, (lit. the space or interval of thirty-one
days).
140
IJO
Ijomiran (iJ9-omiran), s. another day, future time.
Ijoni (ijo-oni), s. eight days hence.
Ijo-gbogbo, s. daily, every day.
Iju, s. wilderness, desert, ocean.
^Ijuno (ju-no), s. a throwing away, rejection, the act of
being lost,
Ika, s. a winding, folding, surrounding ; curtsey, a cross-
ing of the arms (mode of salutation used by women) ;
the act of plucking fruit from the tree ; circle.
y ^Ika, s. cruelty, wickedness. — -"Ika ko je se 9mmo re behe,
" The wicked man would not treat his own child as
(he treats others)."
'Ika, Ikaw^e (ka-iwe), s. the act of counting or reading.
Ika, s. finger.
Ikamo, Akamo ( — mo), s. the state of being encompassed;
circle.
Ik.\n, s. a dropping or dripping like water.
Ikan, s. the white ant. — Ikan nje ille agba nsoso agba
^ na ti ikan ti ikan, " The white ants are destroying a
house ; the old man (who owns it) complains : but
the old man himself will (soon) be the white ants'
food."
Ikandu, s. a large ant furnished with a sting.
Ikan, s. the egg plant. — Olori buburu ki ire oko ikan bi
oba re oko ikan ila ni ika wa ille, "An unlucky man
should never go to gather the ikan ; he will be sure
to bring home the ila instead."
Ikan, s. a war title.
Ikangun (ka-igun), s. utmost extremity, corner.
^/ Ikanju (kan-oju), s. hastiness, hurry. — Ma fi ikanju jaiye,
aiye mi ehin li o po jojo, " Do not be in (too great) a
hurry to enjoy the world ; you have life enough be-
fore you yet."
'Ikani (kan-ni), s. the band of a leather tassel.
Ikanilara (kan-enni-li-ara), s. power, efficacy, force ;
pith ; (applied in this sense only to words).
141
/
IKA
Ikanno, s. severity, violence.
Ikanu (ko-anu), s. sorrow, grief, repentance.
Ikara (ka-ara), Ika, s. garden, square. — Enniti aba ni
ikara li o li ateteba, "He who owns the inner square
is the owner of the outer."
^ Ikasi, adj. stale, not new ; cooked the day before ; sour.
Ikawe (ka-iwe), s. the act of reading ; (/It counting
book).
Ikawe, Akawe, s. the act of winding any thing on a
roller.
Ikawo (ka-9wo), s. power, control, governance.
Ike, s. ivory, bone in imitation of ivory.
Ike, s. cry ; division ; partitioning.
Ikede (ke-ode), s. proclamation.
Ikede-afiji, s. proclamation of the repeal of a law.
Ikede-ofin, s. proclamation of prohibition.
Ikele (ke-ille), s. partition.
Ikehin (ko-ehin), s. end, issue, termination.
Ikekun, s. snare.
Iki, s. salutation.
^Iki, s. compression ; laudatory recital of a family
lineage.
Ikigbe (ke-igbe), s. cry, howling.
Ikillo (ki-iUo), s. warning, exhortation.
Ikimolle (ki-m9-ille), 5. pressing tight down, compres-
sion.
Ikiri, s. roving about, wanderinsj^.
Ikir9\ (ki-oron), s. prayer ; (lit. saluting heaven).
Ikiweje (ka-iweje), s. wrinkle.
Ikka, s. finger, toe.
'Ikki, s. an animal with large eyes and small erect ears,
which lives on the kola nut. — Iwo le iie obi o ise
ikki bi? "You are always eating kola nuts: are
you an ikki ?"
Ikko, s. bamboo-fibres woven by women into cloth.
Ikko, 5. the red tail of the parrot : a stroke on the head
142
IKO
with the knuckles. — ^"Ojo pa odide aluko ny6, aluko
se bi ikko baje ojo niu ikko woso, " (When) the
rain beat upon the parrot, the woodcock rejoiced,
thinking that his red tail was spoilt, but the rain
only increased its beauty." — Mase kan aburo mi ni
ikko mo, " Do not strike my brother with the knuckle
of your hand any more."
Iko, 5. the act of gathering, taking a large number toge-
ther. — Iko ekuru ewo Ife, aja ki igbo ni iboji ekun,
" (As) carrying dust is forbidden in Ife, (so) no dog
dares to bark near the leopard's lair."
Iko-anu-Ikanu, s. sorrow ; (whether on account of faults
committed or in consequence of affliction).
Ikobe, s. silk tassel-band.
Ikogun (iko-ogun), s. spoils, trophy, any thing taken in
battle.
Ikojo ( — ^J9), s. the act of gathering together, accumu-
lation.
Ikojo-oko, s. harvesi, in-gathering of farm produce.
Ikoko, Ikoriko, s. wolf.
"Ikoko, s. pot, saucepan. — Agbara odo ko J9 agbara ikoko,
bi agbe odo ka ina ajo, bi asi gun iyan ni ikoko alu,
" The strength of a (wooden) mortar is not like the
strength of an (earthen) pot ; place a mortar on the
fire, and it will burn ; pound a yam in a pot, and it
will break through (the bottom)."
"Ikoko-isa, s. a small pot.
^Ikoko-taba, s. pipe, bowl of a pipe, (called also
Ogunso).
Ikolo, s. a carrying away.
Ikonkoso, s. rat trap (baited with corn or yams).
Ikokuko, s. bad teaching, false doctrine.
Ikoti, s. pin of iron, bone, or wood, used by women for
combing the head and adjusting the hair.
Iko, s. cough. — Oniko ko sa lumo, "A man troubled
with a cough can never hide himself."
143
IKO
Iko, s. the act oif roofing or erecting a building ; the act
of teaching ; entanglement ; skein of cotton. — Mo se,
iko own merin, " I bought four skeins of cotton."
Iko, s. the act of crying aloud ; cock-crowing ; the act of
shovelling ; the act of writing.
^Iko, s. refusal.
Iko, s. messenger, ambassador, delegate.
>/^Ikoko, s. private corner, secret place. — •'Ikok9 aiye ya
ju ikoko ti orun lo, "The corner in the world (of
sense) is better than a corner of the world of spirits."
Ikola (ko-ila), s, the act of tattooing ; circumcision.
^Ikolle ( — ille), s. head farmer.
Ikollu ( — lu), s. assault, attack.
Ikon, Ikun, s. squirrel.
Ikon, Ikun, s. fullness, swelling, rising, addition.
Ikondo (ikon-odo), s. swelling of a brook, flood.
Ikon, Ikun, s. mucus.
Ikoni, s. instruction.
Ikonwosille (kon-wo-si-ille), s. overflow.
Ikosille (ko-si-ille), s. rebellion, revolution.
IK9SSE (ko-esse), s. the act of tripping ; stumbling-block ;
hinderance.
Ikosse-ba, Akosse-ba, s. chance, unexpected occurrence.
Iku, s. death ; that which may cause death ; a worm
which eats the kola nut.
""Iku, s. gable end.
/ Ikudu, s. a clay pit filled with water (also called 'Ogoddo).
'^ Ikudu pa esin e' nyo o mb9wa ipa ommo enia, "(When
your neighbour's) horse falls into a pit you should not
rejoice at it, for (your own) child may fall into it
too."
Ikuku, s. fist, clenched hand.
Ikun, s. belly, stomach, abdomen. — Ikun babba orisa,
^ "The belly is the chief of the gods;" because it
claims the first attention.
Ikun, s. See Ikon.
144
IKU
Ikun, 5. See Ikon.
Ikunle (kun-ille), s. the act of kneeling.
Ikun-na, s. fineness, smoothness (used in describing fine
flour).
Ikunra, Ipara, s. ointment to rub with.
Ikunra (kun-ara), Ikonra, s. weariness, sensation of
fatigue.
^Ikusa, s. neighbourhood. — Ma te ni ikusa mi, " Do not
come near me."
Ikujare (iku-je-are, death is right or may be justified), s.
the gathering of the locust fruit ; (so called because
an exceedingly dangerous employment). See Igba.
"Ila, s. state of salvation ; escape from danger ; the act
of splitting ; fissure ; making one's way through a
crowd ; opening ; rising of the sun ; riches. See
Ola.
Ila, s. tattoo, national mark ; circumcision.
Ila, s. name of a vegetable ; (also called Okro). — Eko
ila gba ara re lowo obbe Ila ti akokiki ko so, gboro
ti akokiki ko fa, ommo ife mi ti mo gbekke le ko se
bi mo ti ro, " The Ila, which was so celebrated, does
not bear fruit; the pumpkin, which was so cele-
brated, does not trail ; the beloved child, of whom I
expected so much, does not answer my hopes."
Ilasa, 5. the ila leaf.
Ilasado, s. the name of a plant used for sauce.
Ilasagun, s. a wild plant of the ilasa tribe.
Ila, s. the act of licking up with the tongue.
Ila-orun, s. dawn, sun-rising, day-spring.
Iladi (la-idi), s. proof, explanation.
Iladon (la-odon), s. first-fruits.
Ilaiya ( — aiya), s. boldness, courage, fearlessness.
j^'^Ilaja (la-ija), s. peace-making, reconciliation ; peace-
maker, reconciler. — ^Ilaja ni igba 9gbe, " A peace-
maker (often) receives wounds."
^Ila-kaka, s. forcible compression.
145 u
/
^ILA
Ilamoran (la-imo-oran), 5. a proposer, one who makes a
suggestion.
^Ilanna ( — onna), s. a marking out of a path or road ;
ordinance.
Ilara, 5. envy.
Ilari, s. king's messenger, herald.
Ile, s. addition.
Ileke (le-oke), s. that which is uppermost, top stone,
upper garment.
Ilera ( — ara), 5. health, strength.
Ileri ( — eri), s. promise, agreement, boasting, assurance-
Ille, s. house, room, home, abode. — Iwo ni ille ode,
Ibara ni ille awodi ati ipe ille aganran, "Iwo is the
abode of the parrot, Ibara is the land of the hawk ;
but where is the territory of the green parrot ?"
Ille-abere, s. needle-case.
Ille-ase, Ille-idana, Ille-onje, s. kitchen, cooking-
house.
Ille-ato, s. bladder.
Ille-ero, s. inn.
Ille-idana, s. kitchen.
Ille-ide, s. custody, place of security.
Ille-Igbejo, s. court, judgment hall.
Ille-iso, s. watch-house, watch-tower, tower.
Ille-ikewu, Ille-iwe, s. school-house.
Ille-iyawo, s. bride-chamber.
Ille-emu, s. lock-up house, cell where persons ar-
rested for debt, &c. are kept.
Ille-iso, s. stall, stable, fold.
Ille-ejo, s. court, court- room.
Ille-e'iye, s. bird's nest, cage.
Ille-enni, Ille-eyin, s. war-tent made of mats.
Ille-oyin, s. beehive.
Ille-orisa, s. house of the gods.
Ille, s. a kind of bird snare, baited with a cricket.
Illeru, s. iron furnace.
146
ILL
Illeto, s. town, village.
Ille, s. earth, land, ground, a town.
Ille-babba, 5. fatherland.
Illedudu, Illedu, 5. manure, black earth.
Ille-ini, Ille-nini, s. inheritance, a possession.
Ille-obba, s. a kingdom, territory.
Illepa-oku, s. grave covered up, surface of a grave.
Ille-oku, s. burial ground.
Illese, s. beginning, commencement.
Ille-su, defect, v. it is dark.
Illewu, s. soft hair; soft down on a palm tree.
Illeke, s. beads,
Illeke-opolo, s. frogs' spawn. — Illeke opolo ko yin ole
li oju, " Frogs' spawn (which resembles beads) does
not attract the attention of the robber."
Illekun (ille-ekun), s. door.
Illu, s. nation, country, town, village, language, a people ;
assembly of the elders, court.
Illu-aigbede, s. one not understanding another's lan-
guage, a barbarian.
Illu-nla, Illu-obba, s. capital city.
Illu-keje. s. hamlet, village.
^Ilo, 5. the act of using, usage; the act of bending, elasticity.
Ilo, Iloro, s. porch at the entrance of a compound or
square. — Iloro li awo ki ato wolle, " One must go
through the porch before entering the square."
Iloso (loso) s. a peculiar sitting posture.
Ilo, Alo, s. departure.
Ilo, s. the act of twisting or wresting, a deviation from
the right path,
y Ilo, s. warning ; public inquiry after a thing. — Bi ankilo
fun'9, ki okilo fun 'ra re, " When you are warned,
warn yourself."
Iloloron, Iloloronpa (lo-ni-or9n-pa), s. the act of stran-
gling.
Ilora, s. sloth, tardiness.
147
ILO
■
Iloro, 6'. wealth, riches,
'luj, s. drum ; stroke, blow.
Ilu, s. awl, gimlet, any instrument to bore with.
Iluiia, Ilumo, s. being hidden ; concealment.
"Imado, s. wild boar. — Akanse li ofFa imado j%an oro ki
J ipa aso, " The arrows intended for the wild boar
must be made to order ; a common poisoned arrow
will not kill that savage (animal)."
Imalle, 5. a Mahommedan. — Bi o ti wu' ni li ase imalle
V^ enni o fi apa eledde je sari, " Any one may practise
his Mahommedan worship as it is 'most convenient :
he may make his breakfast off a pig's foot."
Imaraduro (imu-ara-duro), .v. continence.
Imatiko, s. an instrument to assist in drawing a bow with
greater force.
Imawo, s. the act of taking a form or likeness, incarnation.
Imelle, s. idleness, indolence.
Imeri, Imu-eri, s. removal of filth, purification.
^Imi, s. the act of shaking.
Imille (mi-ille), Iselle (se-ille), s. a shaking of the
earth, earthquake.
'Imi-p9, s. a shaking together,
Imi, s. the act of breathing, respiration.
Imisi, Amisi, s. the act of breathing into, inspiration.
Immi, s. dung. See Igbe.
Imojuo, Imogunjuo (mo-gun-ju-o), s. the fore-finger.
I move, s. providence, foresight, perception.
Lmo, 2>e7's. pron. I.
Imo, s. the nose.
Imo, Imu, s. the act of drinking ; the act of building.
^Imo, s. knowledge ; interpretation. — Tu imo oro na ki o
le iye' ni, " Interpret the word to me that it may be
intelligible."
Imo-oson, s. a small-leaved plant found by the waterside
and in mountain regions (used symbollically, to in-
dicate that a miatter is well known).
148
IMO
Imolle, s. mason, day-labourer.
'Imojum9 (mo-oju-mo), s. daylight, morning.
IMOM9, Imumu, Omu, s. the root of a species of grass, a
kind of ground nut.
Imolle (mo-ille), s. light, brightness, brilliancy.
^ Imolle, s. secret bargain, conspiracy ; treaty, covenant.
— Im9lle ko gboddo tan ara vvonje, imo ennikan ko
yan, " Covenant makers should not deceive each
other ; (for) one man's counsel is not sufficient."
Imolle-osupa, s. moonliarht.
Imopara (mo-pa-ara), s. excessive drink, drunkenness.
^Imoran, ^Imo ( — oran), s. knowledge, opinion ; sage, wise
person. — Afinju ni ijiwo, imoran ni ije obi marimaje
ni ije ahusa, " A man of fashion eats the iwo (a
kind of bitter fruit) ; a man of wisdom eats the kola
nut ; a man of vulgar taste eats the ahusa."
Imota, defect, v. I have sold.
Imotelle, s. foreknowledge.
^Imoju, s. drunkenness; superior knowledge.
Imu, s. seizure, a taking hold of ; sharpness, ferocity ;
severity (said of cold).
Imu-kuro, s. a taking away, remission.
Imunibino, (mu-enia-bi-ino), s. that which makes one
angry, provocation.
,, Imunmuna (mu-mu-ina), s. glow-worm, fire-fly. — Imun-
muna abi idi sembe sembe, imunmuna ko dana ri, ti
• • • • • • '
ina ti ina ni mba ikiri, " Though the glow-worm
never kindles a fire, yet it travels with glowing fire
at its tail."
' Ina, s. flogging, punishment by whipping, lashing.
Ina, s. fire ; flower ; the louse ; kind of black worm. —
Ina njc) ogiri ko sa ama gba gere gere si omi,
" Though the fire is burning, the walls do not shrink
from it, and yet the fire is trying to consume the
water :" said of those who aim at the greater, when
they cannot accomplish the less.
149
INA
Ina-eweko, s. blossom.
Ina, s. expenditure of money ; barter, bargain, trade.
Inabi, s. a kind of plant which produces blisters.
Inaja, s. trade ; trader, merchant. — Oyibo babba inaja,
aje babba teni teni, " The white man is the father of
merchants, (want of) money is the father of disgrace."
Inaki, Iro, s. the baboon, the Uran-utan.
Inakuna (ina-ki-ina), s. wastefulness, profligacy.
Inan, Iran, s sight, seeing ; vision. — Mo ri iran, " I saw
a vision."
Inaro ( — iro), s. standing posture. — Naro, " Stand up."
Gbogbo won mbe ni inaro, " They are all standing."
Inawo, Ina (na-owo), s. expenditure of money. — Oku
inawo, " Thank you for your kindness."
Inawo ( — 0W9), s. the act of stretching out the hand.
Ini, s. possessions, goods.
InIla (ni-ila), s. magnitude, size, vastness.
Inira, Ilara ( — ara), s. freedom, liberty.
Inira, s. difficulty, strait, perplexity ; need ; poverty.
Iniran ( — Iran), s. reminiscence, remembrance.
Ino, Inu, s. the inside, mind, thought, womb.
Iso foUoived hi/ Baje, v.n. to be sorrowful.
Inobibi, adj. irascible.
Ino-buburu, s. a wicked heart.
Ino-didon, s. gladness.
Ino-dudu, s. a bad heart.
Ino-funfun, s. a pure heart.
Ino-nibini, s. persecution, unprovoked annoyance.
Ino-nron, s. pain in the stomach.
Ino -HERE, s. candour, benevolence, (lit. good heart).
Ino-y6, Inuyo, liso followed bi/ Y6, v. n. to feel a melting
of the bowels, yearn, feel compassionate, be tender-
hearted.
Ipa, s. track, way, path, footstep ; course.
Ipa-Galla, s. the slot, or track of a deer.
Ipa, s. the act of killing, murder ; the act of hatching or
150
IPA
producing; peeling off the bark of a tree; slovenly
execution.
Ipa-Imolle, s. assassination.
Ipa, s. kick ; rupture, strength, force, ability ; epilepsy,
(called also Warapa).
Ipa, s. name of a bird.
Ipa-da, s. return.
Ipade (pa-ade), s. a meeting, a coming together.
Ipafefe (pe-afefe), s. the act of taking the air ; recreation.
Ipaiiin, s. the act of sharpening the teeth.
Ipallemo (pa-ille-mo), s. preparation.
Ipakara, Ipaka (ipa-ika-ara), s. a spacious back yard
enclosed with mud walls.
Ipahinkeke (pa-ehin-keke), s. gnashing the teeth.
Ipaiya (pa-aiya), s. panic, great fear.
IpAKA(pa-okka), 5. cornfloor, barn.
Ipako, s. the hollow between the back of the head and
the neck.
Ipapa, Papa, s. leaf of the plant Keke (used for pa-
laver sauce) ; plain, grassfield. — Aki ifi 9ran ipapa
lo eja, aki ifi oran odd ilo afe, " No one should ask
the fish of what takes place in the plain ; nor should
the rat be asked of what takes place in the water."
Ipallemo-oko (pa-ille-mo), s. harvest, in-gathering.
Ipa-mo, s. act of keeping a thing securely, act of hiding.
Ipamora ( — mo-ara), s. forbearance.
Ipani, Ipania (pa-enia), s. manslaughter, murder.
Ipankoro Ommo, s. girl, lass ; a plant, called also Ko-
ROPOMU.
Ipanna (ipa-onna), s. place, room. — Iwo mbe ni ipanna
mi, " You are in my room."
Ipanpa, s. bargain ; arrangement by which the price of
any article is fixed by all traders ; mutual agreement
between traders.
Ipapa, s. grassfield, pasture-ground.
Ipa-po, s. the act of mingling.
151
I PA
Ipara (pa-ara), s. suicide ; the act of anointing oneself;
rust, corrosion.
Iparamo (pa-ara-mo). 5. lowliness, submission.
Ipari ( — ori)^ s. the act of completion, termination, end,
point.
Ipari, s. baldness.
Iparubo ( — pa-ru-ebo), s. the act of killing for sacrifice.
Ipa-run, s. destruction, annihilation.
Ipasse (ipa-esse), s. track, footpath.
Ipe, s. call; act of calling; the horn used for that purpose.
Ipe, s. a state of being right, or perfect ; perfection.
IpEji (pa-eji), s. an opening between the upper front
teeth ; a flaw in cloth, produced by dropping the
thread in weaving.
Ipele (pa-ele), s. a distant relation.
Ipele, s. addition, that which is put in the top of other
things.
Ipeje, s. invitation to a feast.
Ipelejo (pe-ni-ejo), s. act of calling to judgment.
Ipe-npe-ju, s. eyebrow, eyelash.
Ipere, s. small snails.
^Ipese (pa-ese), s. provision, providence.
Ipete (pa-ete), s. intention.
"Ipe, s. supplication, entreaty.
Ipe, s. sojourn, the act of staying ; ear of Indian corn ; a
fish scale ; small flat stick on which raw cotton is
wound.
Ipepe, s. fish-scale ; scab.
Ipefon (pa-efon), s. name of an officer in the capital ; a
constable.
Ipefongbese, 5. petty debts.
Ipeka (pa-eka), s. shooting forth branches.
Ipekun (pa-ekun), s. end, termination.
Ipepekun (pepe-okun), s. small sea-shell ; shell.
Ipere, s. younger members of a community ; young peo-
ple, especially such as are unmarried.
152
IPE
y Ipeta, s. name of a tree, the root of which is used for
washing and bleaching cloth. — Ipeta li ose apon,
" The ipeta is the bachelor's soap."
^Ipeti, s. kind of wild beast snare.
Ipille, Ipillese (pa-ille), s. foundation.
I PIN, s. the sand-leaf tree ; a good genius.
'IpiN, Ipinfuni, Iwari, s.the act of dividing, division, share,
lot, distribution.
Ipinhun (pin-ohun), s agreement, bargain.
Ipinle (pin-ille), s. the boundary of a territory, a land-
mark.
Ipinnu (pin-ennu), s. end, conclusion, bargain, agree-
ment, determination, purpose.
'Ipitai:^ (pa-itan), s. act of telling traditions ; oral tradition.
Ipo, 5. place, room.
Ipo-oku, s. place of departed spirits ; hades, hell.
Ipo-Olla, s. place of honour, chief room.
'Ipojo (pa-ojo), s. cloak, cloth used as protection against
rain.
Ipo, s. abundance.
^Ipo, ^Ipon, s. irony. — Emf ni iwo ran ipon si? " Do you
speak ironically ?"
Ipon, s. thickness. — Awo yi ni ip9n, "This place is
crowded."
Ipon, s. wooden spoon.
Iponju (pon-oju), s. difficulty, distress, necessity, afflic-
tion, adversity.
Ipori (ipo-ori), s. the great toe, (worshipped by the
Yorubas).
Iposi ( — si), s. contempt, scorn, worthlessness, meanness.
— Okonri na yan mi ni iposi, " That man holds me
in contempt."
^Ira, s. the name of a tree ; (called also Wusma).
'Ira, 5. the act of buying ; decay ; rottenness ; depression,
discouragement.
Ira, s. morass, bog, fen.
153 X
IRA
Ira, s. the name of a species of horse ; the act of rolling
on the ground like the horse. — Esin mi nyi ira nino
yanrin, "My horse rolled on the sand."
^Iraddo, s. tender emotion, lively compassion.
Iralle, s. laths.
Iralle, s. evening, afternoon. — Ojo di iralle dedde, "The
day is near eventide."
Iran, s. sight, spectacle, exhibition, vision ; generation,
race, progeny. — Ati iran di iran babba wa ko bo iru
orisa wonyi ri, " From one generation of our fathers
to another we never worshipped such a God as this."
Irandiran, s. generation after generation.
Iranlowo, Iranw'o (ran-ni-owo), s. help, aid, assistance.
^Iranna, s. the act of purchasing a right of way ; pass-
port.
Iranu, s. loss of appetite.
Iranse, s. messenger, servant, officer, constable ; the act
of sending or despatching ; mission.
Iranso, s, the act of sewing ; one who sews ; tailor.
Iranti, s. remembrance.
Iranwu ( — owu), s. spinner. See Aranwu.
''Ira-wo, s. star. — Irawo san san san alommo lehin bi
osupa, " Twinkling, twinkling, twinkling stars, like
so many chicken behind the moon."
Iraw^o-titan, s. bright star.
Ira-wo-ille, Iwaje, s. plant used as medicine for infants.
Ire, Ore, s. goodness, favour, benefit, a blessing, well-
wishing. — Ire ki li orisa se fun abuke ti obi omm9 ti
o so li Orisagbemi, "What good have the gods
done to the hunchback, to make him name his child
Orisagbemi (The gods have blessed me)?" i.e. Why
should I acknowledge kindness where I have only
experienced evil ?
Ire, s. curse, execration, imprecation ; the act of spring-
ing or going off, as a snare or the lock of a gun. —
Ibon mi re ire ojiji, " My gun w^ent off suddenly."
1*54
IRE
Ire, s. play, amusement ; the act of running.
Irede-oru, s. revelling.
Iregun, s. a term of reproach applied to an ungrateful
person. — ^^Oro ti emi nso ki ise iregiin ki ise ire,
"The word I have spoken is neither a curse nor a
reproach."
Ireke, s. sugar cane. — Ireke ni iwa ju esu, adu iggi ki
/ ise omi si 'ni li ennu, " The sugar cane has a better
quality than the bullrush : there are not many plants
{lit. trees) which can supply the mouth with such saj)."
Ire-koja, s. a passing over, pass over ; transgression,
transition.
Ireni (re-oni), s. four days hence.
Ire-pa, s. trespass ; transgression.
Ire-pe, s. fragments or remnants of cloth.
Irera (re-ara), s. pride.
Ireti ( — eti), s. hope, expectation ; a cleansing of the ear.
'Ire, s. a kind of cricket, which burrows under ground ;
consolation, comfort ; fatigue, weariness : fall of the
leaf; gloominess. — ^lyan mu ire yo, lyan ro ire rii,
" When there is famine the cricket is fat ; when the
famine is over the cricket is poor." This sentence is
simply a play upon various sounds difhcult to pro-
nounce in rapid succession. Cf. Apata, Kanakana.
Ire, s. friendship, agreement, concord ; adhesion; the act
of cutting with a knife ; carving.
Ire, s. the name of a tree.
Ire-je, s. cheat, deception, imposition.
Irelle (re-ille), -s. the state of being low, submission,
humility, humiliation.
Irepo, s. concord, agreement, friendship.
Iri, s. sight, vision.
•^ ^Iri, s. dew, mist. — Oni li egbon olla, iri wowo ni ise
egbon ojo, " To-day is the elder brother of to-morrow,
and a copious dew is the elder brother of the rain."
Iriju, 5. trustworthy servant, steward.
155
IRI
^Irin, 5. walk, life, conversation, conduct ; ticklinjsj.
"Irtn-opa-ipo, s. rapid journey, expeditious travel.
Irin, 5. iron, iron nail.
Irin, s. a kind of rat trap ; fruit of a certain trailing
plant (sometimes called Agbarin).
Irinan, Ihiran (ri-iran), s. sight, spectacle.
'Irindo, s. nausea, sickness ; (lit. a tickling of the liver).
Irinle, s. dampness, moisture.
Irira, s. dislike, hatred.
^Iro, Irono, s. narration ; consideration ; agitation ; vexa-
tion ; calculation ; cdunsel, advice.
Iro, s. the act of dropping or dripping.
Iro, Inaki, s. the Uran-utan.
Iro, .9. sound, noise made by collision ; news, intelli-
gence ; standing posture ; erection of a roof.
Irobinoje (r9-ba-ino-je), s. remorse, pain, grief, anguish.
Iroju (ro-oju), s. sorrow ; vexation ; perplexity ; inde-
cision .
Iroko, s. farm labour ; agriculturist.
^Iroko, .S-. a species of the Okro.
Iroko, s. a running vegetable, whose leaf is used for
sauce.
Iroko, s. the name of a tree used in building. — Ni ke-
kere li ati ipa ekan iroko, "The sprout of the iroko
tree must be plucked when it is yet tender."
Irokuro (ro-ki-iro), s. concupiscence, evil desire.
'Irona (ro-onna), 5. the act of meeting by appointment ;
a spy who reconnoitres an enemy's position.
Irono, s. consideration, or stirring up the mind,
Ironopiwada, s. repentance.
Irora, s. aches, pains, produced by wounds or bruises.
^Irogba, s. assembly of the elders, consultation of elders.
Iro, s. equal, companion, fellow.
^Iro, s. a kind of cake ; comfort, ease. See Irora. —
Ani ki aie iro ki oro 'ni o si nfon 'ni li oron,
" The iro was presented to us as something which
1.56
IRO
might be readily swallowed, but instead of that it
chokes us."
luo, s. untruth, falsehood (not so strong an expression as
Eke).
Iro, s. a rush (as of a multitude of people) ; web, tex-
ture, warp ; removal ; interpretation of a dream.
^ Iroju (ro-oju), s. patience, perseverance. — Ir9Ju li ohun
gbogbo, "Perseverance is every thing."
Iro-kekke, s. to be tumultuous, make an uproar.
Iron, s. hair.
Iron-gaungaun, s. bristle.
Iron, s. prayer.
Irono (ro-ino), s. abstinence from food, power of long
abstinence from food.
Ironno (ron-ino), s. pain in the stomach.
Irora (ro-ara), s. ease, comfort, improved condition.
Irogbaka (ro-ogba-ka), s. the state of being encompassed.
Irogboku ( — igb9ku), s. the act of reclining on a couch,
repose.
'Iru, s. tail ; the pointed end of a knife or sword which is
inserted into the handle; the act of carrying or bear-
ing. — ^Iru esin ki ipe idi iru enia, bi esin ku afi iru si
aiye, " The horse's tail soon becomes a man's tail :
(for) when the horse dies he leaves his tail behind him."
Iru, s. gadfly.
/ Iru, s. seed, race, kind, species ; the seeds of the locust
fruit used as a seasoning; adj. such. — 'Opo iru ko ba.
9bbe je, " Plenty of iru does not spoil the stew."
Iru, s. the act of stirring up ; germination ; putting forth
of leaves ; water-spring.
Iru, s. a boiling over as water ; ebullition of passion ;
elevation.
Irudi (ru-idi), s. bud, blossom.
Irukerudo (ru-oke-ru-odo), s. uproar, tumult.
^Iruke (iru-ke), s. tassel on the ear of Indian corn ; cow
tail carried about by the babbalawos.
1.57
IRU
Irula (iru-ila), s. the okro or ila seed.
Irullu (iru-illu), s. the act of stirring the town into an
uproar; insurrection.
Irummo, Iru-ommo (iru-ommo), s. seed, offspring.
Iru-omi, s. wave.
Iruno (ru-ino), s, indignation ; (lit. stirring of the mind).
Irunle (run-ille), s. the act of undermining the ground
in order to rob.
Iru-pepe, s. vexation, displeasure ; healthy growth.
Iruru, Iruuru, s. variety, different kinds.
^Iruya (ru-aiya), s. emetic.
Irugbin (iru-igbin), s. seed (reserved for sowing).
IsA, s. hole, rat's hole, burrow, grave ; name of a running
plant.
IsA, s. flight ; the act of drying ; a pointed stick used for
digging earth. See Isa.
IsABOTi (sa-boti), s. outer court. See Atellebosi.
IsAKODO, IsAKO, s. name of a plant used for sauce.
IsA, s. attempt made by a weak to attack a stronger per-
son. — Mo ku isa si i, " I made an attempt at him."
''IsALLE, adv. down, below, beneath.
IsAN, s. payment, retaliation.
IsAN, .s. the act of splitting or making a fissure ; thun-
dering.
Isan, s. nine days' space ; name of a snake.
''IsAN, s. improved health, convalescence.
IsANNi (isan-oni), s. nine days hence.
IsANSA (sa-sa), s. fugitive, deserter. — Isansa ko yan egun,
isansa ko ikawo obbe, "A fugitive never stops to pick
the thorns from his foot, neither does he make choice
of his sauce."
IsA-OKU, s. grave, sepulchre, tomb.
IsA-PA-MO, s. the act of hiding, concealment.
Isi, s. a new thing invented or created ; a memorable
time.
^IsE, s. inquiry of a stranger; distilling like dew.
158
ISE
^IsELLE (se-ille), s. earthquake.
Isi-Mi, s. rest, pause.
IsiMi, s. rest, cessation from work.
'IsiN, s. service, the act of serving another ; the act of
tending cattle ; religion.
IsiN, s. the act of burying or hiding.
IsiNKU (sin-oku), s. burial, funeral, burying of the dead.
Isi-si-Yi, adv. lately, now.
Iso, s. the act of tying ; the state of being tied.
Iso, 5. a breaking wind.
IsoFiN (so-ofin), s. prohibition.
IsoKO (so-okko), s. moorage, that by which ships are
made fast.
Iso-Yi-Gi, s. marriage.
Iso, s. the act of throwing with the hand; a telling
forth ; a shooting forth ; a joining together of divided
parts, (as of a calabash or the wound of a person or
tree).
^Is9, s. quarter, station, place allotted to a person or
thing ; quarrel ; murmuring, grumbling. — Aki iwa
alaso alia ni iso elepo, " A man in white linen is
never looked for in the palm-oil market."
Iso-AGBA, s. the resort or seat of the elders. — Kuro ni is9
agba, " Away from the place of the elders."
IsoDOMMO (so-di-omm9), s. adoption.
IsoKA, (so-oka), s. bird-snare set with guinea-corn.
IsoKALLE (so-ka-ille), s. descent, a going down.
IsoKtJN, IsoNKUN (son-ekuu), s. a mourner (a name ap-
plied to female children, as they are the chief
mourners on the death of a parent). — O bi is9kun, o
bi iwalle, " He begat a mourner {L e. a daughter) and
a grave-digger (i. e. a son)."
IsoKuso (so-ki-iso), s. mischievous or evil word, idle tale,
unmeaning talk.
"IsoLLE (so-ille), s. foundation (whether of stone or
mud).
1.59
ISO
IsoYE, AsoYE (so-ye), s. explanation.
IsoN, s. fountain, spring — ^Aki ire ni ison lo ida si ibu,
i/ " No one should draw water from the spring to
supply the abyss ;" /. e. No poor naan should deprive
himself of his small property to make presents to
the rich.
^IsoN, s. accusation.
IsoNNU (so-ennu), s. the first meal of the Mahommedans
in the evening of their fasting days.
^IsoTTE (se-otte), s. rebellious act, sedition.
Isu, s. the act of puzzling, perplexity, wearisomeness ;
scorbutic eruption ; retailing of liquor.
^IsuN, s. act of sleeping; (an euphemism for "death") ;
accusation.
Is A, IsA, s. a running plant used medicinally.
'IsA, Oru, s. a pitcher for conveying water ; the act of
gathering things scattered by picking them up indi-
vidually ; choice.
IsAJO (se-ajo), s. anxiety, perplexity.
IsAJu (se-iwaju), adj. the foremost.
IsA-GERE, s. name of a plant.
IsALOGBE (sa-ni-ogbe), s. a being wounded, wound.
IsANA (sa-ina), s. flint and steel.
^IsAN-OMi, s. tide, current.
IsA-OGBUGBu, s. name of a kind of plant.
IsANu, (se-anu), s. manifestation of pity or compassion.
IsANWO (san-owo), s. emptiness, the act of being empty-
handed ; the motion of the hand in walking.
IsAPA, s. the sorrel.
Is APE (sa-ape), s. the act of clapping hands.
I IsAsuN, s. a sauce-pot. — ^lya ni ti ommori isasun iya
nje didon ommo nje oru, " The pot-lid is always
badly off ; for the pot gets all the sweet, and the lid
nothing but the steam."
IsEKusE, IsEKisE (se-ki-isc), s. unlawful action, wicked
deed.
160
ISE
f IsE, s. character, action, custom, fashion, deed. — Onise
ki ifi ise re sille re ebi, " Wherever a man goes to
dwell, his character goes with him."
IsEUN (se-ohun), s. kindness.
Ise, s. work, labour, duty, business.
V Ise, s. trouble, hardship ; victory. — Ise ko muokko laya
ki o ma ran 9mmo, asise ki ili ara, " Poverty never
visits a husband without visiting his children : a
poor man has no relatives."
^IsE, s. offence, transgression. See 'Ese.
IsE-AMMi, s. sign.
IsE-ASE, 5. miracle.
• • • • ^
IsE-iPA, s. hard labour, toil.
IsE-iPA, s. rough work.
IsE-iRiJu (ri-oju), s. stewardship.
IsE-IsiN, s. duty assigned to one who serves.
Ise-Iyannu, s. wonder.
IsEGUN (se-ogun), s. victory, conquest.
IsEJu, s. twinkling of an eye, moment. — Ni igba iseju
kan, " In the twinkling of an eye."
IsEKisE (ise-ki-ise), s. wicked work ; any kind of work.
IsE-KEKE, s. casting of lots.
IsENo (se-ino), s. abortion. *»
IsEPE (se-pe), s. withered twigs, or branches.
IsE-po, s. a double, repetition, twin.
IsEPOLOHUN, 5. name of a tree ; a kind of grass.
Ise-Ogero, s. easy work.
Ise-Olorun, 5. God's work.
Iseti (se-eti), s. hem.
Isi, 5. kind of fruit tree.
Isi-AGBUGBo, s. a spccics of Isi.
Isi, 5. the act of opening, removal, change of place.
^Isi, s. paleness, discoloration.
IsiGUN, s. aromatic root of a trailing plant found in
forests.
IsiKKO (si-okko), 5. the state of being under weigh.
161 * ' Y
ISI
IsiKo (isi-oko), s. See Isiagbugbo.
IsiKUN (si-kun), s. remainder, remnant.
IsiN, s. a kind of running plant ; a kind of pump-
kin.
^IsiNNA (si-pnna), s. error, missing of the road.
^IsiNNu (si-ennu), s. appetite.
^ Isiro,^Iro (se-iro), s. account, reckoning.
IsiSE (si-se), 5. wrong action.
IsiYEMEJi (se-iye-meji), s. doubtfulness, scruple.
Iso, 5. iron nail.
IsoNO (so-ino), s. passion, peevishness.
'Isowo (se-owo), s. trading, the act of trading ; trader. —
Isowo mbe li orun nawonawo mbe ni iboji, " The la-
bourer is always in the sun, the landowner is always
in the shade ;" i. e. one toils, the other reaps the
fruit.
IsoRo (se-oro), 5. difficulty.
IsoRO, s. severity ; provocation.
Iso, s. watch, guard ; governance, superintendence ;
ward.
IsoKAN (se-okan) (se-okan), s. concord, union, agree-
ment.
^IsoNNA (s9-onna), s. the act of doing any mechanical
work.
'IsoNNA-AWO (se-onna), 5. tanner ; leather- worker, one
who works in leather.
^IsoNNA-ASO, 5. tailor.
IsoRA (s9-ara), s. caution, watchfulness.
"IsoRAN (se-9ran), s. a faulty person, one who has com-
mitted himself. — 'Isoran ni ise ajo, " He who commits
himself is always anxious."
'isoTTE (se-9tte), s. sedition, the act of making a divi-
sion.
^ Isu, s. ball, or lump of any thing round ; loaf.
Isu, s. yam ; soft part of a fruit, pulp.
Isu, s. emission, evacuation.
162
ISU
Isu, s. the state of being dark (as a condensed rainy
cloud) ; darkness.
IsuRA (su-ara), s. treasure; the act of entrusting to one's
care.
IsuBu (se-ibu), s. fall of a heavy thing.
Isu-ODDE, s. a wild yam, eaten by hunters.
Isu-OPE, s. palm-cabbage.
^ Ita, s. act of selling, sale ; a kind of yellow ant, called
also Otta, or^lTTA, a formidable foe to the white
ant.
,' Ita, s. street, an open place in the front of a building ;
the open air. — Itta metta ko konno ebo, " The junc-
tion of the roads does not dread sacrifices." Sacri-
fices intended to avert calamity are always exposed
in a place where several ways meet, whereby the
impending evil is supposed to be altogether dissi-
pated.
Ita, s. name of tree much used for firewood.
Ita, s. woof, the thread that crosses the warp ; warmth ;
heat (of the sun) ; pungency (as of pepper) ; the hang-
ing up of clothes or curtains ; the act of hoisting a
sail ; fulness.
Ita, Itani, s. sting, pain.
Itadogun (etta-di-ogun), s. a space of seventeen days. —
Itadogun li ajo Egba, " A round of seventeen days is
the meeting of the Egbas." There are many
savings' clubs among the Egbas : the members meet
to deposit their contributions (called Esu) at a cer-
tain fixed interval of time, usually every fifth market-
day : each member in turn takes the whole of the sum
contributed on a single day, until the rotation is com-
pleted. Those who come first on the list secure in this
way a larger capital to dispose of than they would have
been able to command from their own unassisted
resources ; and the members whose turn comes late,
by contributing to the common stock, have saved the
163
ITA
sums which they would otherwise have expended on
trifles by little and little. The markets occur every
fifth day, reckoning inclusively ; from one market-
day to the fourth succeeding, the first and the last
both inclusive, the interval is seventeen days : hence
the proverb. The day on which the payment is
made is reckoned a second time as the commence-
ment of a new series. See Dawo-esu.
Itagbokun (ta-igbokun), s. sailing, the state of setting
sail, being under canvass.
^Itaje (ta-ejje), s. bloodshed.
Italle (ta-ille), s. a kind of worm or grub bred on a mud
floor, which attacks any who lie down there.
Itallema, Itallemo (ta-ille-ma), s. the ancients; ances-
tors, forefathers.
Ita-ma-ha, 5. (Haiissa), hope, expectation.
Itametta (ita-mo-etta), 5. a place where three ways
meet. — Pere mo ja itametta, '' On a sudden I came to
the junction of the three ways."
Itamora, Ihamora (ta-mo-ara), s. war-equipment, ar-
mour.
Itan, 5. the act of lighting fire, shining, spreading abroad
(so as to lay open what is hidden) ; narration of old
traditions; recording past events. — IW9 ko le ipa
mi ni itan nkan wonni, " You are not able to in-
struct me in those ancient things."
Itan, s. thigh, lap.
Itan, 5. completion.
Itanna (tan-ina), s. the act of lighting a lamp ; flowers,
(so called from their brilliant colour).
Itanje (tan-je), s. deceit, guile.
Itara (ta-ara), s. hastiness ; anxiety for another's
safety ; zeal. — Itara mi po ju, " My anxiety is
great."
' Iti, s. timber, any large piece of wood ; the act of sup-
1/ porting or propping. — Bi iti ko w6 9W0 ki iba isepe,
164
ITl
" Unless the tree falls, one will never get at the
branches."
Ixi, s. a small bundle of grass, a handful of grass bound
together.
Iti, s. the act of breaking a portion of any thing brittle.
Itiju (ti-oju), s. disgrace, shame ; bashfulness, modesty.
Bi o ba tiju o ti i fu ra re, " If you are modest, you
are modest to your own advantage."
Itilehin ( — 'ni-ehin), s. support, help, assistance^ counte-
nance.
Itisse (te-esse), s. footstool,
Ito, s. a running plant like the Eggusi.
Itori, s. reason, account, cause.
Itoye (to-iye), s. a sufficient value, merit, worth.
Ite, s. bed, cradle, place to rest on ; throne ; a nest ;
flatness or insipidity ; disgrace, humiliation, defeat.
^ Ite, s. the act of treading on, pressing down, gelding.
Itedo, s. encampment.
Itehin, s. pad or saddle-cloth.
Iteddo (te-eddo), 5. patience, leisure. — Fi iteddo sille
se e, " Do it patiently."
^Itelle (te-ille), s. the leg (of an animal).
Itelle (te-ille), s. foundation, that which is underneath.
Itelledi ( — idi), 5. cloth for common use, under-cloth.
Itelesse ( — ni-esse), s. private intimation (as a nod,
wink, or tread on the foot) ; sign, token, beckoning.
Itemolle (te-m9-ille), s. a pressing down, a trampling
down.
Iteniloron ( — enni-ni-oron), s. satisfaction.
Itenumo (te-ennu-m9), s. the act of urging the same sub-
ject by constant repetition of it.
Iteriba (ori-ba), 5. bending of the head, bow, submission.
^Itesse (te-esse), 5. part of a loom, treadle ; any thing to
place the foot on ; a private informant. /S^^^Otesse.
Itewo, Itewogba (te-9wo-gba), s. acceptance, reception.
Itori, 5. cause, reason.
165
ITO
Itori, s. share.
Itoju (t9-oju), s. superintendence, overlooking.
Itokun (to-okun), 5. the act of being a guide.
Ito, s. spittle, small creek ; straightness ; act of bring-
ing up ; endurance ; old age.
^Ito, s. urine ; the act of following ; approach, arrival.
Itokko (to-okko), s. rudder.
Itonriran, Itonrinan (ton-ri-iran), s. recovery of sight.
Itore (ta-ore), s. present, gift.
Itowo (to-wo), s. the act of tasting, foretaste ; first-fruit,
earnest, anticipation.
^Itu, s. ease, comfort, cessation from acute pain.
Itu, s. the act of loosening, (as a knot tied) ; budding or
bursting of a flower ; appearance of the ear from the
stalk ; eruption (on the body) ; adjournment of an
assembly.
Itu, s. eradication, overthrow of a plan.
Itura (tu-ara), s. comfort, ease ; the refreshment of a cool
breeze.
Itu-eddo, s. consolation. See Ituno.
Itu-ka, s. dispersion.
Ituno (tu-ino), s. comfort, consolation, (lit. the act of
making easy in the mind).
^IwA, s. conduct, behaviour, disposition, character. — ^^Iwa
ni ijo oniwa loju, " Every man's character is good in
his own eyes."
^IwA, s. creation, a state of being, existence ; the act of
^digging.
IwA, Awa', s. the act of coming. — Ayun awa re di eri-
metta, " He made four journeys backward and for-
ward."
IwA, s. trembling.
IwABUBURu, s. wickedness.
IwAui (wa-idi), s. investigation, examination.,
IwAJE ( — ^je), s. the act of seeking something to eat ;
gain, profit.
166
IWA
IwAJu ( — oju), s. presence, front.
IwAKUWA, s. caprice, unsteadiness.
^IwALLE ( — ille), s. a digger, one who digs, (applied to a
male child). See Isokun.
IwALLE ( — ille), s. the act of searching the house.
^IwA-Mi-MO, s. holiness, sanctity.
IwARA, s, hastiness, rashness, impatience.
IwA-Ri, s. homage, worship (rendered to a king).
IwA-wi, AwAW^i, s. excuse.
IwA-YA-iJA, s. struggle, close combat, agony.
IwAsu, s. preaching, address.
IwA-SE, s. the finest grain ; very fine powder ; the
menses.
IwE, s. book, paper ; a comparison ; the act of passing
one thing round another.
IwE, Ollo-ino, s. the kidneys.
IwERE, s. foolishness, silliness.
IwERi (we-ori), s. headband.
IwiN, s. ghost, spirit, spectre.
^IwE, s. the act of washing the body.
IwE, s. a species of frog ; fineness (applied both to grain
and cotton); the act of bruising or crushing (as of
grain, or any hard substance).
IwEFFA (iwe-efFa), s. eunuch, chamberlain.
"IWE-N9, IWE-N9-M0, s. purification, washing.
'Iwo, s. look, appearance ; carnivorous bird, raven : (a
flock of these birds is supposed to be an intimation
of a recent or impending war in the neighbourhood).
— -'I wo ologbon ko J9 ti asiwere, " The appearance of
the wise differs from that of the fool."
Iw6, Owo, s. a disease in the mouth of infants, which
prevents them from sucking the breast.
Iwo, Owo, s. a horn.
Iwo, Orogbo, s. a tree, the fruit of which is called the
bitter kola.
' Iwo, s. the act of falling (as a house or tree).
167
^IWO
IwoLULLE (wo-lu-iile), s. the act of felling trees or
destroying a house.
"IwoRo, s. a worshipper of the gods.
^IwoRo-oRisA, s. an eater of sacrifices ; one who has
taken idols to worship.
IwoYE (wo-oye), s. a look out : foresight, providence,
forethought.
Iwo-Yi, s. the present time or season,
Iwo, s. poison which may be administered in food ; a
tree, the sap of which produces blisters.
Iwo, Idodo, s. navel ; crookedness ; the act of dragging
along on the ground, or from one place to another.
"Iwo, s. suitableness, fitness ; entrance ; fishhook.
\vfOy pers.pron. thou.
IwoFFA (wo-9fFa), s. one in pawn ; an insolvent debtor
who becomes for a certain period the property of his
creditor.
^IwoN, s. measure, measurement ; a certain quantity ;
adj. so many.
IwoN, s. act of weaving ; act of descending on as a curse.
IwoN, s. scarcity, dearth ; the narrow neck of a calabash,
called IwoN-iGBA ; the act of catching any thing
thrown before it falls to the ground.
IwoNDO (won-odo), s. measurement of water, the act of
sounding.
Iwo-NA, pers. pron. thyself.
IwoN-woN, s. dry twig, small branch of a tree, broom-
stick.
IwoRA (w9-ara), s. greediness, ravening.
Iwosi, s. contempt, wrong, injury.
IW9S0, Okuku (wo-asp), s. heap of cotton drawn towards
the weaver whilst at his work.
Iwo-TiKARAWO, IW9-TIKARA-RE, reflec. pvon. thou thyself,
thou.
^Iwu, s. choice, love, desire, pleasure.
Iwu, s. act of swelling ; act of defilement (said of water).
168
IWU
IwuKARA (wu-akara), s. leaven.
^IvA, s. calamity, loss; innocent suffering of evil; the
act of giving way, turning aside. — Tse ko don iya
ko fobun ki amo enniti iya ndon li ara, '' Calamity
has no voice ; suffering cannot speak to tell who is
really in distress, (and who is complaining without
cause)."
Iya, s. madam, mother, mistress ; pot, basin, calabash,
covered vessel ; haste, quickness.
Iyagba (iya-agba), s. matron, elderly woman.
Iya-la, 5. grandmother.
Iyalle (iya-ille), s. mistress, wife ; the first or elder
wife. The other wives are called Iyawo.
Iyalle-ero, s. hostess, landlady.
Iyalode ( — ni-ode), s. title given to wise women.
Iya- wo, s. newly-married woman, bride.
Iya, s. a tree, the leaf of which is used in wrapping up
Agidi.
Iyalleta ( — ille-ta), s. the early part of the morning,
about eight or nine o'clock.
Iyan, s. pounded yams.
^Iyan, s. act of neighing like a horse, act of gaping.
Iyan-rindide, s. quicksand.
Iyan, s. fear, anxiety; denial, negation, contradiction. —
Ma diyan, " Fear not."
^Iyan, s. famine, dearth, scarcity of food ; choice, the act
of choosing.
Iyanju (iyan-oju), s. encouragement, exhortation, perse-
verance.
Iyannu (ya-ennu), s. wonder, amazement.
^Iyangbo, s. chafT.
Iyangbe, adj. dry, void of moisture.
Iya-pa, 5. division, separation.
Iyara, s. activity, liveliness.
Iyari, s. vivacity, activity ; manifestation of pleasure.
^Iyatto (ya-otto), s. difference.
169 z
lYE
Iye, s. number, value, price, cost.
Iye, s. mind, faculty, understanding, memory.
Iye, s. reed on which cotton is wound.
^Iye, s. the act of living, life.
Iyebiye (iye-bi-iye), adj. valuable, of great price, pre-
cious.
Iyekanbiri (iye-kan-obiri), s. female relative on the mo-
ther's side.
Iyekankonri ( — okonri), s. male relative on the mother's
side.
Iyekuru (eyi-ekuru), s. the very dust ; adj. of the dust.
Iyemeji (iye-meji), s. doubt, uncertainty, suspense.
Iyeni, Awi-\;e (ye-enni), s. interpretation ; understand-
ing-
Iyere, s. a kind of spice.
Iyere, .s. the locust-seed in its raw state.
Iyeye, s. a kind of sour plum.
Iye, s. fitness, comeliness, meetness.
Iye, s. booty, forage.
^Iye, 5. dust of worm-eaten trees.
Iye, s. feathers, quill, pen, dow^n ; the act of making
much of. — Awodi lo ire iye nwon li eiye si lo, " The
hawks go away for the moulting season, and (the
ignorant) suppose that these birds are gone for
ever."
Iyefun, s, flour prepared from yams parboiled and
dried ; flour in general.
^Iye-wo, s. investigation, examination, visit.
Iyin, s. esteem, praise, honour.
Iyi-pada, s. turning, conversion.
Iyiso (yi-aso), s. the pin inserted through a hole in the
weaver's beam in order that he may turn it round
with ease.
Iyoju (yo-oju), s. appearance, a showing the face.
Iyoku, s. (Eng.) yoke.
IvoKiJN (eyi-ti-okun), s. the rest, remainder.
170
iyO
IvoN, 5. coral.
IvoNo (yo-ino), s. yearning of the bowels, tender com-
passion.
Iyonu (yo-ennu), s. difficulty, trouble.
Iyo, s. salt.
Ivo-oviBo, s. refined sugar (lit. white man's salt).
I^oKONRi (eyi-9konri), s. the very man, the same man.
J.
J A, V. a. to break (a rope) ; drop (from aloft) ; v. n. to
break (as a rope) ; separate by violence ; come to
the road ; find out ; snatch.
Ja followed hy Lekanna (ni-ekanna), to pinch with the
nails of the fingers. — ja mi le-
kanna, " He pinched me."
Lennu-Ommo (ni-ennu), v. a. to wean
from the breast.
J A, V. n. to fight, war, quarrel, dispute.
JAfolloived hy LoLE (ni-ole), v. a. rob, plunder.
NiKORo, V. a. contradict, gainsay, op-
pose.
J A, adv. through.
Jade (ja-ode), i\ n. to walk, go out.
Jagan, adv. roughly, cuttingly, vexatiously, harshly.
Jagudapali, adv. on any account, any how.
Jagudujagan, Jagidijagan, s. evil-doer.
Jafara (ja-ifa-ara), v. n. to be negligent.
Jagun (ja-ogun), v. n. to fight a battle.
Jagun, s. title of a warrior.
Jahin-jahin, a(/y. throughout, from one extreme point to
another.
Jaka, s. cup, mug.
Ja-koro, v. a. to contradict, oppose by answer.
J ALE (ja-ole), V. a. to steal, rob.
Jalle, v. n. to go through.
Ja-lu, v. a. to attack unawares.
171
JAM
Jama (je-aniona), s. soldiers, marauders. See Amonna.
Jamba (ja-ba), 5. damage, mischief.
Janjan, adv. intensely (applied to the heat of the sun). —
'Orun mu janjan, " The sun is intensely hot."
Janduku, s. a wicked person.
Jankavvo, s. soot.
JannajA.nna, s. name of a disease.
Janu (ja ennu), v. n. to boast, brag.
Jangboro, s. knee-cap.
Jaoke (ja-si-oke), s. name of a shrub. See Aka.
Jare (je-are), v. n. to be in the right, be just, please.
Ja-si, v. a. to lead to, drop into.
Jagba (ja-ogba), v. n. to perform the task assigned one
who is in pawn. See Iwoffa.
Jagbajagba, adv. in great confusion, confusedly.
Jata, d. n. to be negligent, unconcerned about.
Jegbejegbe, adv. childishly, unmeaningly.
Jenia-jenia, Ajenia, s. cannibal.
Jere (je-ere), v. a. to deserve, gain.
Jerejere, adv. sparklingly, dazzlingly. — Ide na ndan
jerejere, " The brass is very brilliant."
Je, v. n. to answer ; be ; comply with, be willing.
jE/olloived bi/MA,atix. v. must, ought.— Emi ko je ma
se ise na, " I ought not to refuse doing the work."
Je, v. a. to permit, let. — Je ki nlo, " Let me go."
Je, v. a. to eat, dine ; owe ; deserve, gain.
Je, Jeje, adv. quietly, easily, softly, gently. — Se jeje,
" Deal gently,"
Jeballe (je-obba-ille), v. a. and n. to receive the title of
governor; govern.
Jebbi (je-ebbi), v. n. to be guilty. — O jebbi oran won, " lie
was guilty in the matter and then sat in a corner."
Je-die-die, s. a bird so called from its cry.
Jeguduragudu, s. worthless, good-for-nothing person.
JiIje, adv. See Je.
J e jeje, adc. verv gently, very softly.
■ 172
JE-K
Je-ki, defect, v. mper.mood; let, permit.
Jepe, defect, v. (always preceded by Iba), had. — Iba jepe
emi ni, " Had it been I." — Iba jepe 6 lo, " Had he
gone."
Jeri, v. a. to bear witness to.
Jeiiun, Jeun (je-ohun), v. a. eat, eat food.
Jewo, (je-owo), V. a. to acknowledge, confess ; affirm.
See Tenumo.
Ji, V. a, and n. to steal, pilfer ; awake, rouse, enliven.
Ji, JiN, V. n. to fall into a hole or pit ; be far or deep. —
Onna illu won ji, " Their country is far."
Ji followed hy Lesse (ni-esse), v. n. to strike the heel,
as one walks in front of another.
Lese ( — ese), v. a. to strike with the fist.
Jigbese (je-igbese), v. n. to owe a debt.
Ji, JiN, prep. to. — Mo fi oran na ji o, " I forgive {lit. the
matter to) you."
JiHiN (je-ihin), v. n. to deliver a message, give account.
JijA, adj. shining, lustrous, bright ; s. fight ; that which
is to be fought
JiJADu, V. 71. to scramble.
JijE, adj. eatable, s. that which is to be eaten.
JiJiN, s. depth ; distance.
Jijo, s. resemblance, likeness.
JiMiJiMi, adc, richly, wealthily, gorgeously, splendidly.
JiMARATA, Ijimarata, s. a term of abuse.
JiN, adj. far. See Ji.
Jin A (ji-ina) v. n. to heal up ; be well cooked or roasted.
JiNDE (ji-nde), v. n. to rise from the dead.
JiNNA (ji-onna), adj. far distant.
JisE (je-ise), v. n. to deliver a message.
JiYA (je-iya), v. n. to suffer innocently.
JiYAN (ja-iyan), v. a. to deny, contradict.
JiGBiNi, adv. abundantly (applied to fruits). — Iggi yi so
eso jigbini, "This tree bears abundantly."
Jo, V. n. to dance ; whirl ; burn as fire.
173
JO
Jo, V. n. to leak out, drop from an opening or crack,
suck out.
JoGUN (je-ogun), v. a. to inherit the property of the de-
ceased ; take possession of.
JoKo, V. n. to sit, abide, stay, dwell.
JoNA (jo-ina), v. n. to burn at the fire. — Ohun ti atejumo
ki ijona, " If you attend to what is roasting it will
not be burnt."
JowERE (ja-6were), v. u. to try hard, struggle, endeavour.
Jowu (ja-owu), V. n. to be jealous.
Jo, V. n. to be alike, be similar, resemble.
JoBBA (je-obba), v. n. to reign, be king over, govern.
Jojo, adv, very, much, exceedingly (always after a verb
of abundance). — Enia po jojo, "The people are very
numerous."
JoLLA (je-olla), V. n. to enjoy the honour due to another.
JoLLo, 5. a kind of long-necked calabash.
Jowo (je-owo), V. a. to let, permit. — J0W9 mi I9W0, " Let
me (go)."
Ju, V. a. to throw, cast, fling, be more than ; differ.
Ju, sign of the comparative, more. The superlative is
formed by the addition of Lo, — Julo, most. — IW9
ju mi lo, " You are more than I." See Buru.
Ju, V. n. to be worm eaten.
JuBA (je-iba), v.a. to have a grateful remembrance of,
respect, regard, think of
JuDi-juDi, adj. not having a clear head, confused.
JuFU, s. armlet or bracelet of silver or white met?^ (worn
by the royal family).
Juju, adj. confused, chaotic.
JuMO (J9-imo) adv. together, in company.
Jure, v. a. to point out, direct, show.
Juwo, (j 11-9 wo), V. n. to beckon with the hand.
174
KA
K.
Ka, v. a, to count, reckon ; read ; sit upon, set upon. —
Ka ille, " Sit on the ground."
Ka, v. a.to reap, pluck fruits from the tree, roll, fold; fail.
K'a, aclr. round, around, in a circle.
Kabakaba, adv. irregularly, roughly, unevenly.
Kabiyesi, defect, v. (a respectful expression used on the
approach of a king or great personage) ; Let us be
all attention.
Kadun, v. n. to be about the space of a year.
Kafo, s. a kind of tiglit trousers with long legs.
Kahoro, s. the name of a shrub.
Kainkainka, 5. husk of the guinea cornleft after threshing.
Kaka, adv. instead of — Kaka ki okuku wipe, " Instead of
his saying."
Kaka, adv. forwardly, officiously, presumptuously (gene-
rally qualifying V. La). — I wo la kaka lo li oddo agba,
" Did you push presumptuously in to the rank of
elders ?"
Kakanfo, s. war-captain, title of a war-chief.
Kakara, s. piece of shell, shell.
Kaka, adj. strong, violent, forcible ; stiff, unyielding,
stubborn. — Agbara kaka li afi mu u, " We took it
with great violence."
Kakansenla, s. plant called the monkey-kola (named also
Obiaya).
Kako, v. a. to curl, twist.
Kalle (ka-ille), v. n. to set down, sit on the ground,
deposit.
Kalle, adv. around, abroad ; spreading abroad ; noto-
riously.
Kalo (ki-ama-lo), defect, v. let us go ; may we go?
Kan, adj. (contraction <9/*0kan), one, a certain one, one
out of many.
Kan, adj. sour, acid, morose, rough, violent, cross,
peevish, sore, painful, v. n. to ache.
175
KAN
Kan, adj. last, ultimate (applied to words of action). —
Ase kan re li eyi, " This is your last action."
Kan, v. n. to drop as rain, drip ; pluck, nip off.
Kan, v. a. to reach, touch at ; nail, drive in with a
hammer, knock at the door.
Kanna (okan-na), adj. the same.
Kanakana, s. a sling. — Enyi ni ki ama taffii, ki ni ki afi
'^ le ogun, Kanakana li ofi le Boko, " You say that we
should not shoot arrows : with what, then, shall we
repel the enemy? 'Twas with a sling that one of old
repelled the Boko people."
Kanakana, s. a kind of crow with a white streak on the
neck. — Kanakana eyi ti nre Ibara ni, efufii ta a ni
idi pa, oni ise kuku ya, " The crow was going to
Ibara ; a breeze sprang w\) behind : ' That will help
me on famously,' (says the crow)." — Kanakana ba kana-
kana ja,kanakana da kanakana. — Odi-eni ! " The crow
J fought with the crow, the crow conquered the crow.
— 'Once !" It is a favourite Yorubagame to repeat as
many times as possible, without taking breath, sen-
tences such as the foregoing, containing a recur-
rence of similar sounds. The number of the
repetitions is announced as each is completed. See
Apatta.
Kanga, s. a well.
Kangara, s. a kind of billhook with a perforated iron
handle. — Enia kan ni iro kangara bo ni li 9W0, " One
man makes billhooks to put into the hands of
others :" i. e. every man has his particular trade.
Kangi, v. n. to come to a hard point, be difficult.
Kangun, v. n. to be at the end, be last.
Kanju, v. n. to be hasty, or in a hurry.
Kanju-Jaiye, s. one who makes haste to be rich ; a
covetous man.
Kanmukanmu, adv. sweetly, with a sweet flavour.
Kankan, adv. hastily, quickly, fast.
176
y
KAN
Kaniiun, 5. rock-salt. — Kanhun li ommo Haiissa, asara li
ommo Oyibo, gombo li ommo Onire, " Rock salt is
the produce of Haussa ; tobacco is the produce of
the men beyond the sea ; the spoon (with which the
mixture of rock-salt and tobacco is retailed) is the
produce of the Chief of Ire."
Kanhunkanhun, adj. sweet-scented.
Kankan, Kanikan, s. fibres beaten soft, and used for the
purpose of ablution in the room of sponge.
Kanki, s. a kind of tight trowsers used by rich farmers.
Kankun, v. n. to knock at the door.
Kanno, v. n. to be morose, severe, peevish.
Kanra, v. n. to be ill tempered, peevish ; fret.
Kanri, v. a. to strike or touch the head with the victim
for sacrifice ; nail the skull to a tree.
Kanrin, Kanrinkanrin, adv. very far off, beyond the
reach of sight, clean gone. — O lo kanrinkanrin, " He
is gone quite out of sight."
Kansoso, adj. alone, only, singly. — On ni kansoso li o lo,
" He went alone."
Kantikanti, s. the gnat, small flies which swarm about
liquor, (supposed to make it sour.) — Kantikanti ko li
oran akeregbe li pron, " The gnats have no quarrel
with the calabash ;" i. e. they swarm about it only for
the sake of the sweet liquor which it may contain.
Kanu, v. n. to be sorry, feel grief for wrongs done.
Kara, s. a thorny plant of the acacia tribe ; gland.
Kara, adv. (usually qualifying the v. la, " to split "), on
a sudden, precipitately ; loudly, dashingly.
Karo, s. a bird, so named from its cry.
Karo, defect, v. may we speak ?
'KAs,n<iKK,mt€rrog.adv. Is there any thing the matter? I
hope there is nothing the matter : (a question always
put when something is suspected).
Kasse, v. 11. to walk up and down as in the piazza ;
walk slowly and leisurely ; measure by pacing.
177 2 a
KAS
Kasse, v.n. to terminate, come to an end.
Katakata, a(h. here and there, widely dispersed, scat-
tered about.
Karawon, s. the conch shell. See Kawon.
Kati, adv. at all, whatever ; (used chiefly after the words
Ko st). — Kd si kati nibe, " There is nothing whatever
there."
Kawo, v. n. to observe things prohibited by the gods.
Kawon, Karawon, s. the conch shell.
Karun, v. n. to be the fifth.
Kasa, adv. proudly. See. v. Yan.
Kasa, v. 71. to recite the names of the gods.
Kasa, v. n. to adopt a new fashion.
Kasan, a running prickly plant, the fibre of which is
used to mend calabashes.
Ke, v. n. to exclaim, howl. v. a. to cut, chop.
Kede, v. n. to make proclamation about the town. See
Akede.
Kede, adj. scarce, unfrequent.
Keferi, s. unbeliever, heathen, pagan.
Kegbe (ko-egbe), v. n. to associate, walk as friends, keep
company.
Kegio, Kegiro, 5, a bird, so called from its cry. — Ohun
kegio ko de orun, " The cry of the kegip does not
reach the sky ;" (said of one whose voice has not
much weight).
Keje, v. n. to be the seventh in order.
Keke, s. small pieces of grass used for casting lots ;
ticket ; the reed or grass on which carded or pre-
pared cotton is suspended preparatory to spinning ;
ticket by which custom is collected.
Keke, adv. (representing the sound of hard substances
struck together, by which their quality is tested.)
Keke-Idi, Adilu, s. mode of casting lots (a child's game).
Kekeke, adj. small, little (ones), s. name of an esculent
plant.
178
KEK
Kekelenje, Okelenje, s. a small kind of lizard.
Kekere, adj. little, small. — Akuko nla ko je ki keker6
ki o ko, " A large cock does not suffer the small one
to crow."
Kerb, v. n. to be little.
Ke-pe, v. a. to invoke loudly.
Kere-owu, s. cotton-seed.
Kerora (ke-iro-ara), v. n. to groan, cry out for pain.
Ke-si, v. a. to visit, call on, call at.
Ketiri, KetT (ko-etiri), adj. benumbed, void of sensation.
Kewu (ke-ewu), v. n. to read ; (term used by the Ma-
hommedans).
Ke, v. a. to indulge ; set a snare ; leave in a delicate
state ; cherish. — Ake omm9 bi oju, " He indulges the
child as (if he were) an eye ;" (said of an over-in-
dulgent parent).
Ke, v. n. to grow worse (as a sore); extend; glow; be
hoarse. — Egbo ke, ina ke, ohun enia ke, " The sore is
spreading ; the fire is glowing ; the throat is hoarse."
Kedogun, v. n. to be the fifteenth in order or row.
Kegan (ko-egan), v. u. to despise, to contemn.
Kehin, v. 71. to turn the back.
Keke, s. the cry of the hen ; a kind of black squirrel which
preys upon birds ; adv. (qualifying Gbe, " to cackle
as a hen"). — Agbebo ngbe keke, "The hen cackles."
Keke, adv. gradually.
Keke, s. profound silence. — Keke pa mp W9n li ennu ;
or, Keke pa rere, " There is perfect silence."
Kekke, s. wheel ; instrument used in spinning made of a
small ball of baked clay, surrounding a small pointed
stick on which the thread is wound ; spindle.
Keke-pa, v. n. to be quiet, still, dumb.
Keko (ko-eko), v. n. to be learned.
Kelekele, s. spy, traitor, vanguard of an army.
Kelleku, 5. printed muslin or calico in general. — Kel-
leku tan okun je, ki ije behe, okun re don, " (The
'179
KER
printed pattern of) the calico deceives the country
cloth, (which is usually only dyed to conceal its
coarse texture or some flaw in it) ; (the calico) is
not in reality what (the country cloth) takes it to be :
(for wdiilst the fact of its being dyed might make it
seem a coarse fabric), the thread is (found on inves-
tigation to be) fine ;" i.e. Further acquaintance often
corrects first impressions.
.1 Kerb, s. fool, one easily enticed or deceived. — Ma se ba
mi sire ti kere ifi igba okun li oron, " Do not play
me the trick by which the fool gets a rope round
his neck."
Ketta, v. n. to be the third in rank or order.
Kettala, v. n. to be the thirteenth.
Kettekette, Ketekete, s. the ass.
Kewa (kon-ewa), v. n. to be the tenth in order.
Ki, mter. pron. what ? [rel, pron. in composition ;) whoso-
ever, whatever. — Ki ni la ? " What ?"
\l Ki, V. a. to salute, greet. — Enniti ko ki 'ni abo, o pa
adano e' ku ille, " He who does not salute (his friend)
on his return from a journey forfeits the salutation
(usually offered) to him who has remained at
home."
Ki, v. n. to be thick.
Ki, V. a. to press tight ; load ; recite one's praises ; fulfil
a term. — Mo kitta, " I fulfilled three days."
Ki, conj. that ; though ; KI babba ki ole fu mi, " In order
that my father may give me." (The latter ki is
frequently omitted.) Ki awa ole ilo, " That we may
be able to go." In interrogative sentences it often
takes the sense of " may." — Ki awa ki oma lo ?
" May we go ? (lit. be going)." — Ki aga, ki ago, ede
ara wa li ako gbo, "We may express different
opinions (^llt. talk this and that), (but) it is because
we do not (clearly) understand one another."
Ki, adv. before a certain time, previously. — Ki nto lo,
180
Kl
" Before I go." — On ti se e ki emi ki oto lo, " lie
did it before I went."
Ki, Ki, adv. not. See Ko.
KiBiTi, KiRiBiTi, adj. within a small compact compass.
KiBiTi, KiRiBiTi, adj. enclosing a large and extensive
space.
KiGBE (ke-igbe), v. n. to howl, cry out, call with a loud
voice.
KiJiPA, s. a coarse country cloth woven by women.
KiKAN, adj. sour, painful. — Otti kikan, "Sour liquor."
KiKAN, verbal adj. that which is to be dropped.
Kikan, Kikankikan, adv. earnestly, strenuously, exceed-
ingly-
Kike, verbal adj. that which is to be cut off.
Kike, verbal adj. that which is to be indulged.
KiKi, verbal adj. one who is to be saluted.
KiKi, verbal adj. that which is to be pressed.
KiKi, adv. only, solely, nothing else but.
KiKiEJJE, adj. bloody, full of blood.
KiKiNi, adj. least, smallest.
KiKORO, s. and adj. bitter.
KIko, s. and adj. that which is to be taken or gathered.
KiKO, verbal adj. that which is to be refused.
KiKO, verbal adj. that which is to be learnt.
KiKON, s. and adj. that which is to be filled ; s. fulness.
KiKu, s. and adj. corpse, any thing dead ; dead.
KiKUN, adj. hard, loud.
KiKUN-KiKUN, adv. hardly, loudly.
KiKUNNA (kun-ina), ac^. smooth, fine.
KiLLo, Kilo (ki-ilo), v. n. to warn authoritively, correct
by punishment.
KiNi, 2)ron. any thing, something.
KiNiJEBE, adv. nay ! not at all ! by no means ! in no
wise ! {lit. what has such a name ?)
KiNi-KiNi, adv. regularly, neatly, orderly ; accurately.
KiNisi, s. carpet.
181
KIN
KiNKiN, GiNGiN, adj. very little ; s. a very small por-
tion.
KiNLA, inter. }iron. {emphatic) What ?
KiNNiu, Keniu, s. lion. — Kinniu di elewon ki erankoki
ki oma iso je, kinniu ko je eran ikasi : Bi yio ba don
ani, bikose erin, bi-ko-se enia, bikose ohun dudu, on
ko beru ennikan, " The lion is the snare {lit. net) of
J the forest : let every beast take heed how he feeds,
for the lion does not eat stale meat. When he roars
he says, Except the elephant, except man, except
the Uran-utan {lit. the black thing) I fear no-
body."
KiNRiN, v. a, to rub slightly as with a sponge. — Kinrin
mi li ehin, " Rub my back."
KiREJE, KiwEJE (ko-iweje), ?;. w. to twist, entangle ; curl
like thread or silk.
KiRi, KiRiKiRi, V. n. to wander, rove about at large.
KiRiBiTi, adv. See Kibiti. Cf. Adagun.
KiRiBiTi, adv. See Kibiti.
Kmi-Mo, V. n. to press, insist upon, be urgent, be impor-
tunate, apply hard at. — Okonri na kirimo ise aso ise,
" The man applied closely to his weaving."
KiRON (ki-oron), v. n. to pray {lit. to salute the heaven).
KisAN (ki-isan), v. n. to fulfil nine days.
KiTTA (ki-etta), v.n. to fulfil three days.
KiuN, adj. very little.
KiwEJE, V. See Kireje.
KiYAN, adv. at once. — Mo dide kiyan lo si ibe, " I started
at once and went there."
KiYE followed h\) Si (ko-iye-si), v. a. to notice, behold, ob-
serve.
Kivesara (k-oiye-si-ara), v. n. to take care of oneself
Ko, y. a. to meet, come together face to face ; confront,
oppose ; re-kindle a fire, by heaping together the
half-burnt wood.
Ko followed hif Lojr (ni-oju, on the face), v. a. confront,
182
KC3
meet face to face. — Emi ko o loju, " I confronted
him."
K6, V. a. to gather, take in a large quantity.
K6, V. n. to harden from overripeness. — Ila ko li oko,
" The ila at the farm has grown hard."
Kofolloived by Jo, v. a. to gather together.
So, y. a. to govern, restrain.
Ko, Ko, Ho, Ki, Ki, adv. not. Ko is the simple form
of the negative, merely stating non-existence. — Babba
ko de, "(My) father does not come." — Awa ko ja,
"We did not fight."— Awon agba ko dide, "The
elders did not stir." Ko denies a state or action
attributed to one by another. — Iwo ni mo ri lode,
" I saw you out." — Emi ko, elomiran ni, " Not me, it
was somebody else." Ki, same signification as the last,
but used generally, by euphonic attraction, before a
word beginning with i. — Emi ki ije bi o pe mi, " I am
not such as you took me to be." Ho, same signifi-
cation as Ki. Ki is commonly used instead of Ko in
interrogative sentences. — Iwo ki mo ri lode ? " Was
it not you I saw out ?"
Ko, adv. (expressing the sound of a hard hollow sub-
stance).
KoBiKOBi, adv. (expressive of the mode of the eruption
of pimples).
KoBiKOBi, adv. (expressive of the mode of the eruption
of boils).
KoBiTA,5.a rider's shoes or boots on which spurs are fixed.
KoiTO (ko-ti-to), adv. not yet, not enough.
KoDEDE, adv. no wonder !
K6-JIN, adj. not far, not deep, shallow.
KoKiKi, V. a. to magnify, speak the fame of. — Gbogbo
aiye kokiki re yika, "All the world over do they
speak your praises."
KoKO, KoRiKO, s. grass.
Koko-Gbigbe, s. straw, dry grass.
183
KOK
KoKo, s. the cocoa, (an esculent root).
KoKO, s. knot on a tree.
K6ko-Ow6, s. knuckles.
KoKo-EssE, KoKosE, s. anklc.
KoKO, adv. very, much, exceedingly. — Ara ni mi koko,
" 1 am exceedingly straitened."
KoKORo, s. worm, grub, insect. — Kokoro jiwo jiwo, ko-
koro jobi jobi lara obi li o wa, enniti nseni ko gbon
'ni lo, " (As) the grubs eating the iwo, and the grubs
eating the obi, lodge within the iwo and the obi
nut ; so he that betrays you is not far from your per-
son."
KoLE (ko-ille), f . a. to steal in a dwelling-house, carry
away from a house, (lit. to carry away a house).
KoLERA, aclj. feeble, weak, infirm.
KoLOLO (ko-ololo), v.n. to stutter, stammer.
KoLOFiN, 5. a lawless person.
KoMOREKOMORA. (ko-mo-ore-ko-mo-ora), s. an unthank-
ful person.
KoMOKUN, s. the cartilage which joins the right and left
breast.
Ko-Ni-BABBA, s. Orphan on the father s side.
Ko-Ni-LEKOLONNA (ko-ni-ille-ko-ni-onna), Asa, 5. vaga-
bond.
KoNKOTO, s. name of a plant ; any thing used by chil-
dren at play to represent the worship of idols. —
Konkoto orisa ewe, " The Konkoto is the play-god
of children."
KoNwoKO, s. a bird so called from its cry.
KoRiKO, s. grass, herb.
KoRiRA (ko-iri-ara), s. to abhor, abominate, hate. — Ako
rira ko ni nkan odun ko sian sokoto, " As the envious
man is unfit for any society (lit. has nothing), so
grass matting is unfit for trowsers."
KoRo, V. n. to be bitter. — Akere koro bi idapa, '' He is a
little man, but he is as bitter as gall."
184
KOU
KoRo, Akoso, s. smelting-pot.
KoRO, adv. very ; {qualifying v. Jalle, to go tlirough). — •
Okuta la jalle koro, "The rock split to the very
bottom."
KoROKORo, 5. brass bells put on horses' necks.
KoROPOMU, s. name of a plant.
KosiAN, KosuAN, KosuwA (ko-son-ewa), adj. improper,
indecent.
Ko-si-NKAN, adv. there is nothing ; it is empty.
Koso, s. drum.
KosoRo (ko-se-oro), adj. easy, possible.
KoTnro, Koito, adv. not yet.
Koto, adv. not enough.
Koto, s. pit, hole, ditch.
KoTo-AiYA, s. the hollow between the breast-bone and
the stomach.
KoTO-jiGONRON, s. deep valley, ravine.
Koto-Oke, s. valley.
KowE, s. a bird so called from its cry.
Ko, V. 71. to refuse, be unwilling, rebel, revolt.
Ko followed hy Sille (si-ille), v. n. to abandon, refuse.
Kd, Ho, adv. not. See Ko.
Ko, v.a. to learn, acquire, teach, instruct ; build. — Mo ko
ise kan, " I learnt a work."
Ko, V. a. to emit flashes of light (as lightning) ; be vivid ;
call one at a distance, write, make marks upon,
tattoo. — Manamana ko san, " It lightens vividly." —
Mo ko si 'o li oko ngko gbohun re, " I called out for
you in the farm but did not hear your voice."
Kofolloived hy Nila, v. a. to tattoo, circumcise.
KoBBi, s. buildings in the king's palace, projecting build-
ings, palace. — Enia lassan ko ni kobbi olowo ko ni
ilari, " As no (subject, however) rich, may possess a
herald, (a privilege belonging exclusively to the
king) ; so it is not every man who may possess a
palace."
185 2 B
KOB
KoBRi-Konni, adv. with many projections.
Ko-DE, adj. not ripe, not soft.
Ko-FE, v.a. to dislike, refuse.
KoiiAN, V. n. not to appear, not to shew.
Koi-Koi, adv. indirectly, suspiciously. — Agalamasa o rm
koikoi", " A rogue walks suspiciously."
KojANNA (ko-ja-onna), adj. {lit.ywi of the way) ; absurd ;
not ria:ht.
KojA, V. a. to pass by, omit.
Ko3A, prep, above, beyond.
Kojusi, V. a. to turn the face to, pay attention to, face. —
Babba koju rere si mi, " The father looks favourably
towards me." — Obba koju buburu si aw on olotte,
" The king looks at the rebels with an evil eye."
KojujAsr, v.a. to resist, withstand, face, oppose.
Ko-KARA, V. n. to howl aloud. — Ikokara, s. a loud howl-
Kola, v. a. to tattoo, circumcise : {a decent express'mi to
he used in translation instead of Dako).
Kola, v. n. to be tattooed, be circumcised.
KoLERu, adj. fearless, having no fear.
Kolla, s. a kind of bitter fruit.
KoLOKOLO, s. fox. — Kolokolo iba ku adire ko sokun : ko-
l9kol9 ko gba adire sin, " When the fox dies, the
fowls never mourn ; for the fox never rears up a
chicken."
KoLOFiN, 5. confined or secret place, corner.
KoLu, V. a. to attack with impetuosity.
K6n» v. n. to fill, be full.
Km followed bi/ Lowo, v. a. to strengthen, assist.
Ko'niko'ni, Ko'ni, v.a. to teach, instruct.
KoNKOsso, KoKOsso, s. a straw-sieve. — Konkosso ko da
ku elubo, " The sieve never sifts flour by itself, i. e.
without some one to hold it."
KoN, KuN, V. n. to grumble, murmur, hum.
KoN, KoNRiN, v.n. to sing.
186
KON
KoNRON, KoRo, s. the bed of a brook or river, valley.
KoKOROGUN ,5. an iron wire used to wind the warp- thread on.
KoKiJ, adj. green.
KoN-SA, v.n. to dart, pounce upon (as a bird upon its
prey), descend with full force.
KoRE, V. n. to disagree, be unfriendly.
K9RISI (ko-ori-si) v. a. to move towards {lit. turn the head
towards).
KosiLLE, (ko-si-ille) v. n. to refuse.
KossE, (k9-esse), v. n. to strike the foot, trip, stumble.
KossEBA ( — ba), V. a. to meet by chance, come upon
accidentally.
KosoKO, s. a bird so called from the motion of its tail.
KoTi, ado. heavily, gloomily, sullenly, with reluctance.
Koto, adj. wrong, crooked, contrary.
Ku, s. a word of salutation.
Ku, V. n. to die, wither, be blunt.
Ku, V. a. to sift. V. n. to be busy here and there, to thun-
der low, blow into dust. — Ku si ille ku si ode, " To
go in and out ;" L9 si ihin lo si ohun, "To go here and
there ;" Re oke re odo, "To go up and down," — are
synonymous expressions, all signifying, "to be busy."
— 'Ojo kii, " It thunders."
Ku, V. n. to terminate, end suddenly, come short.
KuBusu, s. wool, blanket.
KuDON, V. a. to be fond of, like very much.
KuDURu, adv. in a small round body.
KuFE-KUFE, s. confident boasting.
Ku-GBE, V. n. to be undone, perish. — Mo kiigbe li ehoro
idon li oko, mo mu owo ra li aparo idon li abbababa,
'* 'I am perishing,' is the cry of the hare in the field;
' I am a spendthrift,' is the cry of the partridge on
top of the barn."
Ku-GBU, V. a. to sally forth upon, rush upon without con-
sideration.
Kuiiu, adv. (qualifijing v. 116, to make a noise as of a great
187
KUK
iniiltitude or a vast water-fall). — Nvvon nho kuhu,
" They are making a great noise."
KuKU, adv. rather. — Kukii lo, " Go rather (than stay),"
KuKU, s. the part of the Indian corn on which the grain
grows.
KuKUMO, 5. shirt, country coat with sleeves.
KuKUNDUKU, s. potatoe, the sweet potatoe.
KuKURu, adj. short.
KuKUTE, s. stem, stock. See Ajagajigi.
KuMo, s. a short stick for self-defence.
K'jN, V. n. to remain ; v. a. to rub, daub, paint.
KuN, V. a. to burn, set fire to, enkindle.
KuN or KoN followed hy Loju, v. a. to appreciate, value,
regard.
KuNKUN, adv. loudly, aloud.
KuNLE, V. n. to kneel down.
KuNUNKoiio, name of a tree very like the cotton tree.
KuNLE, V. n. to kneel down, fall upon the knees.
KuN-NA, V. n. to be fine (as pulverized flour).
KuRo, adv. away, oiF. — Ya kuro, " Give way." — -Mu u
kuro, " Take it away." — O kuro nibe, " He is away
from the place."
KuRu, V. n. to be short. — Ommode yi kiiru ju ti ohun lo,
" This child is shorter than the other."
Ki Ri BA, {ivord adopted from the coast) s. pail, bucket.
KuRuiiu, 6'. sound of alarm to fowls at the approach of a
a bird of prey.
KuRUKu, KuKu, s. fog, vapour, mist,
KusA (ku-isa), v. a. to make a courageous attempt.
Ku-si, V. a. to terminate.
KiiTA (kii-ita), v. a. to experience a dull market, find a
bad sale.
KuTUKUTU, s. very early in the morning. — Kutukutu ki
iji *ni li erin meji, kutukutu ni ije owuro, biri ni ije
alle, " The dawn does not come twice to wake a man ;
the dawn is the time to begin work {lit. the earliest
188
KUY
part of the day) ; (with) the evening tvviliglit conies
the niglit."
KuYE (ku-iye), v. n. to have a bad memory, be forgetful, be
dull ; (lit. to be of a dead memory).
L.
La, v. a. and 71. to appear (as the sun or moon in the east) ;
split into fissures, cleave, crack ; wade ; escape, be
safe, be rich. — Mo la a, " I escaped it." — IW9 la,
" You are rich."
La, v. a. to lick with the tongue ; dream.- Alia ti mo la
li oru dabi otito, " The dream which I dreamt in
the night appears as a reality."
Laba, s. bag, leathern scrip in which provisions are
carried.
Labalaba, s. butterfly. — Tinotino tehintehin ni labalaba
ifi iyin Olorun; labalaba kii bi ilewu, "Behind and
before the butterfly praises God (/. e. is beautiful all
over), though (when touched) it crumbles into dust
like a cinder."
Labbe (ui-ahhe), 2)rpp. under, beneath.
Ladi (la-idi) v. a. to explain, prove.
Ladiro, or Aladiro (ni-di-ro), s. a false-bottomed vessel
through which country beer is strained.
Lagamo, s. the part of the bridle which crosses the fore-
head.
Lagba, s. horse-w^hip.
Lagbara (ni-agbara), v. n. to be strong, be powerful.
Lagbedemeji, pre]), between, in the midst.
Lagogo (lu-agogo) v.n. to ring a bell.
La gun, v. n. to perspire, sw^eat.
Lai, Lailai, adv. ever, for ever ; very, indeed ; never.
Laiberu (ni-ai-ba-eru), adv. without fear.
Laibo, adj. open, uncovered.
Laifova (ni-ai-fo-aiya) adv. without fear, boldly.
189
LAI
Laill:ri ( — ni-eri), adv. without defilement, purely.
Lailo, adj. unused.
Laimore ( — mo-ore), adv. ungratefully.
Lairi, rtr^". unseen, invisible.
Lainipekun (ni-ai-ni-ipekun), adv. without end.
Laisettan ( — se-ettan), adv. without deceit, unfeignedly.
Laiya (ni-aiya), adj. bold, brave.
Laiye (ni-aiye), adv. in the world.
Laiye, adj. unfit, unworthy.
Laja (la-ija), v. a. to reconcile, make peace.
Lajo ( — 'ejo) V. a. to settle a dispute.
La-kaka, v. n. to strive with all one's might, press,
struggle ; presume, intrude.
Lakalaka, s. a hop on one leg ; a game in which chil-
dren sing, ''' Lakalaka tombo, lakalaka tombo," as
they hop along,
Lakari, s. patience under vexation. — Lakari babba iwa,
bi o ni suru ohun gbogbo li o ni, " Patience is the best
of dispositions : he who possesses patience, possesses
all things."
Lakise, adv. however.
Lako (ni-ako), v. a. to gain a prize, win a race.
Lakoko (ni-akoko), adv. punctually ; exactly ; precisely
(as to time or place).
La-ku-egbe, s. a kind of rheumatism.
Lakotan (ni-ako-tan), adv. finally, totally, altogether.
Lala, s. trouble, distracting care, solicitude ; agitation, the
act of wronging ; labour.
Lalla (la-alla), v. n. to dream a dream.
Lamoran (la-im9-oran), v. a. to propose, advise, plan.
Lanna (ni-anna), v. n. to make a road or path ; propose,
suggest; ordain, order.
Lanna (ni-anna), adv. yesterday.
Lara, prep, in ; by, through; on; among. '
Lapata, Massa, .<?. a kind of cake made of maize.
Lara, s. the castor-oil plant.
100
LAR
Lara (ni-ara), adj. stout, bulky.
Lara, prep, from, by, in (Ut. on the body) .
Larin ( — arin), jyrep. between, amidst, among.
Larinka (oni-rin-ka), s. domestic rat.
Lare (ni-ire), adj. tiresome, wearisome, fatiguing.
Larekereke (ni-areke-reke), adj. crafty, cunning.
Lassan (ni-assan), adv. in vain, for nothing, to no pur-
pose.
Latetekose, adv. in the beginning.
Latetekowa, adv. at the first coming.
Lati ( — ati), j;rej;. from (a place or time); to; in order
that.
Latihinyilo, Latinhilo, Latisisiyilo (ni-ati-ihin-eyi-lo),
adv. from henceforth, hereafter.
Latori (ni-itori), conj. on account of, because, for.
Lawani Rawani (ni-iwa-ni), s. belt, girdle.
Lawu, adv. all 's well. (An answer to the salu-
tation, Alalia ko? " Are you well ? " or, " Is it
peace ?")
Laye (ni-iye), adj. to be alive.
Laye ( — aye), adj. capacious, roomy.
Le, adj. able, powerful, possible.
Le, aux. V. can, may, might. — Iwg le ilo, "You are able to
go." — On le ipada, " He may return."
Le, v. n. to appear (as a new moon), appear on the sur-
face, blister, v. a. to drive, pursue. — Osu le, "The
new moon appears." — Ommode le ei'ye li oko, " The
boy drove the birds off from the farm."
Le, v. n. to be more than the number specified; exceed.
Le, v. n. to be hard, strong.
Leke, v. n. to be above, be prominent.
Legungoko, s. name of a tree, the leaf of which is pounded
into powder and used for sauce.
Lekeleke, s. crane.
Lepolepo, s. name of a plant bearing a yellow flower.
Lera (le-ara), v. n. and adj. to be healthy, be strong.
191
LER
Leri (le-ori) v. n. to promise ; boast, brag.
Leri, Lori (ni-ori), adv. above, on the top.
Le-ti (ni-eti), prep, near, by, close to, on the border of.
Lewu ( — ewu), adj. dangerous, perilous.
Le, v. n. to replenish ; patch, be elastic, pliable. — Le
sokoto mi fun mi, " Patch my trousers for me."
Le, v. n. to be lazy, indolent.
Le, Lo, v. a. to transplant, ingraft ; to be night ; to lay
any thing soft or flat lightly on another. — Alle le,
" Night is come."
J Lebbe, s. the fin of a fish ; any flat thing, used as a
pendant.-^Bi apeja tan, lebbe eja ni iha eja li ennu,
" When a fish is killed, its tail is inserted into its
own mouth," applied to those who reap the fruit of
their own misdoing.
Leiie, adv. (a word of approbation), well; that is right;
you have hit the mark.
Leiiin (ni-ehin), pre}), after, behind, on the back.
Leiiinleiiin, adj. backward, further back.
Lerinkan, Lekan (ni-ara-okan), adv. once, at once, once
more, still.
Lekarun (ni-ara-kon-arun), adv. fifthly, the fifth time.
Lekeji ( — eji), adv. second time, secondly.
Lekerin ( — erin), adv. fourthly.
Leketta ( — etta), adv. thirdly.
Lekinni ( — ekinni) adv. first, in the first place.
Lekun (ille-ekun), s. door.
Lelle, adj. bending, pliant, yielding (applied generally
to the wind).
Lemeji, adj. twice.
Lemarun, adj. five times.
Lemerin, adj. four times.
Lemetta, adv. thrice, three times.
Lesse-esse, Lesse Lesse, adv. orderly, in a row.
Lewit, s. down of the palm tree, used by the natives for
tinder when striking a light with flint and steel.
192
LI
Li, L', an eiqiho)iic chanrje of the verb Ni, " to have," before
words beginning with a, e, e, o, o, u ; e.g. Mo li owo,
for Mo ni owo, "T have money." On li aso^/or On
ni aso, " He has clothes."
Li, h\pre]). {euphonic change from '^ijprep. as above), from,
at, in.
LiLE_, adj. solid, hard. s. hardness.
LiLE, verbal adj. that which is to be driven.
LiLE, verbal adj. that which is to be transplanted.
LiLE, verbal adj. that which is to be increased ; elastic.
LiLo, Ilo, 5. a going, departure.
LilF, s. an animal of the porcupine tribe which lodges
under rocks. (Hence the song, " Lili ommo abbe
okuta, " LilT, a child from under the rock.")
LiLiLi, adv. a little here and a little there.
Ld, v. a. and n. to use, make use of; be elastic, bending.
LoBOTUJE, Olobotuje (ui-ibo-tu-ejje), 5. the fignut tree.
Lode (ni-ode), adv. outside, without.
LoDi ( — odi), adv. on the contrary.
LoGiDo ( — ogido), 5. monkey.
Loju (ni-oju), prep, before, in the face of, in presence
of.
LojiJi (ni-ojiji), adv. suddenly, abruptly.
LojojuMo, adv. day by day, daily.
L,oju,prep. before, in front, in presence {lit. in the eye of).
LojuRERE, adv. favourably, graciously.
LoKE, prep, upon, on the top, above.
LoKiTi, Olokiti, s. a false bottomed vessel used for
straining potash.
LoNi, s. to-day.
LoRi, v. a. to whirl round.
LoRi, Leri, jyrep. above, on top.
LoRU (ni-oru), adv. by night, during the night.
LoTO (ni-olit9), adv. surely, truly, verily, justly.
L6wo ( — owo), V. n. to be rich, possess money, be wealthy.
LoYUN (ni-oyun), v. n. to be pregnant, conceive.
193 2 c
LOS
Loso, V. n. to squat like a clog.
Lo, V. n. to go, depart, leave, be away.
Lo, adv. more than, most.
Lo, Le, v. a. to transplant, to engraft.
Lo, adj. contrary, deviating; twisted, not direct; to be
moderately warm, lukewarm. — Omi na 16 wowo,
" The water is lukewarm."
Lo, V. a. to grind ; institute an inquiry ; cry out for lost
goods.
Lo-DURU, V. n. to play the fiddle. See Luduru,
Logan (ni-ogan), adv. instantly, immediately.
LoHUN, LoiiuNYi (ni-ohun), adv. there, yonder.
LoDDO (ni-oddo), prep, from, with, by, at (applied to
persons).
LoDODUN (ni-odun-odun), adv. yearly, year by'year.
LoKKo (ni-okko), adv. on board, aboard.
LoLLA (ni-9lla), s. to-morrow.
LoLLA, v.n. to be honoured, be in authority.
LoLo, Lowo-Lowo, adj. lukewarm, fetid, adv. lately,
recently.
Lopoiio, V. n. to increase in growth as the ear of Indian
corn before it becomes full. — Agbado wonyi lopoho
gbogbo, " The ear of corn increases in bulk."
LoRA (lo-ara), v. n. to be slow, linger, delay.
LoRo (ni-or9), v.n. to be rich.
LossAN (ni-ossa), adv. by day, during the day.
LossELossE, LossossE (ui-osse), adv. weekly.
Lososu (ni-osu), adv. monthly.
Lowo (ni-9wo), prep, from, in, at, under the influence of.
LowoLowo, adv. lately. See Lolo.
Lmvowo, adj. lukewarm.
Lu, V. a. to bore, perforate, v. n. to be perforated, be
discovered; appear.
Lu, V. a. to beat, strike, knock.
Lu, V. a. to mingle, put several things together ; adulte-
rate.
194
LUD
LuDURu, V. a. to play the fiddle by beating the string
with a stick.
LuHA (lu-iha), verbal adj. not easily solved, difficult,
knotty.
Luju, LuREKOJA, V. a. to beat excessively or severely.
Lu-KORO, V. n. to hint or speak evil against another in
order to provoke him.
LuLLE (lu-ille), V. n. to strike on the ground.
Lulu, adv. entirely (qualifying son, " to burn"). — Awa
son iggi na lulu, " We burnt the wood to ashes."
LuMo, .V n. to hide oneself, hide ; be hidden.
LuRu, s. the dried and pulverized leaves of the trees
Okitipo, Egungun, and Ose, used for sauce.
LuwE, V. n. to bathe.
M.
Ma, defect, v. to be doing, be in the practice of (con-
veying the idea of a continued action). — Ma lo, " Be
going." — Behe ni inia ise lojojumo, " So he does
daily." — Ma k9Jirsi ise re gidigidi, " Be very atten-
tive to your work."
Ma, adv. (a negative particle used only in imperative
sentences, and frequently with se added), not. — Ma
rufin mo, " Do not break the law any more." — Mase
pania, " You must not kill." (When ma alone is
used, SE is understood.)
Ma, adv. indeed, truly, very. — I wo ma seun jogo, " You
are indeed very kind." — Ma ma se yaju si mi, ^' In-
deed you must not be insolent to me." — Ma ma se
ma ba won lo si igbe ole, " Pray do not go with
them kidnapping into the bush."
Madekoso, s. a beggar who goes from house to house to
tell news, by which he gains his livelihood.
Madimilorun (ma-di-mi-ni-orun), s. a dropsical person
(so called from his desire to enjoy the heat of the
sun). See Asonkon.
195
MAD
Madofun, s. a kind of white, well-dressed leather.
Magaji, s. heir, the first-born.
Maiiurumaiiuru, s. cry of a beast of prey.
Majala, s. soot ; burnt grass ; flake. — Bi ina ba jo oko
majala afo wa ille, " When fire burns in the fields,
the flakes fly to the town."
Majemu, s. covenant, agreement between persons as to
certain specified particulars.
Majew E, Majere, s. girth, saddle-band.
Malu, s. bull, cow, ox.
Mama, adv. not indeed.
Mam9ja (mo-amo-ja), v. n. to guess, conjecture.
Malaju, 5. a kind of water rat remarkable for stupidity.
See Ago.
Mana, s. name of a bird ; kind of white fowl.
Manamana, s. lightning.
Manamana, s. a kind of snake.
Maranmaran, adv. dazzlingly, glisteringly. — Awojiji
ndan maranmaran, " The glass glisters brightly.
Mararun, adj. the W'hole of the five, all five.
Marimaje, s. one who makes no choice of food.
Mariv/6, *. slips of palm leaves.
Massa, s. a kind of pancake.
Masso, adv. only, even.
Mate, 6-. a snare for birds and beasts.
Mato, adj. not to be touched, respected, sacred.
Mayafi, s. sash, belt. See Law^ani.
Mayami, s. small bag used by hunters, containing ammu-
nition.
Maraduro (mu-ara-duro), v. n. to contain, endure.
Masai (ma-se-ai), adv. (two negatives equivalent to an
emphatic affirmative). — Masai wa, " You must surely
come." — Masai wi, "You must tell (me)."
Masegbin, 5. a species of deer.
Mbe, v.subst. to be, exist, live.
Mbe-nibigbogbo (mbe-ni-ibi-gbo-gbo), s. omnipresence.
" 196
MEF
Meffa, adj. six.
Mej-eji, adj. both, the two together.
Mejejila, aJ/'. the whole of the twelve, the twelve.
Meji-la, adj. twelve.
Meji-meji, adj. two and two, a couple, pair.
Melo, adv. how many.
Melo-melo, adv. how much more.
Melo-kan, adj. a few. — Ijo melokan, " A few days."
Medogbon (marun-di-ogbon), adj. twenty-five.
Megbe (mu-egbe), adj. mealy, void of moisture, well
seasoned. — Isu megbe fiiru, "The yam is very
mealy."
Mejan-mejan, adv. (expressing the idea of elasticity.)
Merin, adj.huY.
Mererin, adj. the four together.
Merin-merin, adv. fourfold.
Meseri (mu-eseri), v. n. to taste rancid, deteriorate.
Metta, adj. three.
Mettametta, adj. three at a time, by three.
Mettala, adj. thirteen.
INIettalokan, adj. three in one.
Metteta, adj. all three.
Mewa-mewa, adv. in groups of ten, by tens.
Mewewa, adj. the whole of the ten.
Mi, pron. object, case (contr.from Emi), me.
Ml, V. a. to shake, swallow.
Mi, V. n. to breathe, take breath.
MiKANLE (mi-kan-ille), v. n. to sigh, breathe heavily or
mournfully ; breathe freely, take a full breath.
MiMO, adj. holy, clean, pure.
MiMo-BVA, s. holiness of life, purity.
MiMo, s. that which is to be known.
MiMO, s. that which is to be drunk ; that which is to be
built.
MiMu, s. that which is to be caught or taken ; sharpness,
keenness ; burning heat. — Mimu orun ko jo mimu
197
MIN
abbe; " The burning heat of the sun is not like the
keenness of a razor."
MiNA, s. (Gr.) pound.
MiRAN, M7, adj. another, something else. {Contracted
from Omiran.)
Mo, pers.proti. I.
Moju-KURO (ms-oju-kuro), v. n. to take off one's attention.
More (m9-ore), v. n. to be grateful, know and acknow-
ledge kindness done to one.
MoRu (mu-oru), adj. sultry, close, warm.
Mo YE (mo-oye), v. ?i. to have power of perception ; be
prudent, discreet.
Mo, pers.pron. {for Mo before short vowels.) I.
Mq,v.n. to be clean, clear, light as the day. v. a. to
stick on, adhere, cleave to.
Mo, Mu, -y. n. to drink, suck.
Mo, V. a. to build.
Mo, V. a. to know, perceive, recognise ; understand.
Mo, adv. again, any more ; {frequently preceded hy Ma or
Mase). — Mase lo mo, " Do not go again." — Ma duro
mo, "Do not stay any longer." — Ma wa mo, "Do
not come again."
Mo, prep, against. — Okonri na se illekun mo mi, " The
man shut the door against me."
Modi, v\ n. to fortify with walls.
MoDU-MODUN, MoNUMONu, s. braiu ; marrow. — Modu-
m9du babba ejje, " Marrow is the father of blood."
Modumodun-Egungun, s. marrow and fatness of the
bone.
MoiiuNGBOGBO (mo-ohuu-gbo-gbo), adj. knowing all
things, omniscient.
Moi-Moi", s. a kind of cake.
MojE (mo-aje), v. n. to undergo the ordeal by water.
MojuMo (mo-oju-mo), v. n. to dawn, be light.
MoKANLA, adj. eleven.
Mokokanla, adj. the whole of the eleven.
198
MOK
MoKOKO (ino-iko-ko), v.n. to make country pots; smoke
a pipe.
MoKUN (mi-ikun), v. n. to halt, walk lame.
MoLLE (mp-ille), v. n. to conspire, bargain secretly ;
shine, give light.
MoLLE (mo-ille), adv. close to the ground, adhering to
the ground.
Mora (mo-ara), adv. closely, near to. — Fa ommo mora,
" Take the child near (you)."
MoTi-MOTi, adv. closely, hard to, hard by, near to.
/ MoTTi-MOTTi, Omotti, s. drunkard. — Mottimotti ko mo
agbe ji, 9motti gbagbe ise ijaba, "The drunkard
cannot drink a hole in a calabash, though he may
drink so as to forget his trouble."
MoTTiYo, (mo-otti-yo), v. 7i. to be drunken; to have
drunk to the full.
Mu, V. a. to take, bring, hold, seize, catch.
Mis/ollowed hy Kuro, v. a. to take away.
Pada, v. a. to return any thing, bring
back, restore.
Wa, v. a. to fetch, bring.
Jena, v. a. to heal a wound or sore.
Mu, adj, sharp, acute, keen.
Mu, V, n. to sink, disappear, be immersed in water or
among a crowd.
Mu, s. {Haussa, Sinkafa), rice.
MuLLE, V. n. to strike firmly on the ground.
MuNu, V. n. to be active, warm, fiery.
MuRA, V. a. to prepare, make oneself ready ; {Imp. mood,
" make ready "). — Emi ti mura tan, " I have been
ready."
Muse, v. a. to bring to pass, make effectual, perform.
N.
N, sign o{ present part.
Na, adv. already, so soon ; in the first place, first. — I wo
199
NA
te de na ? " Are you come already ?" — Tete se eyi na,
" Do this first."
Na, pron. the same, that. — Okonri na ni, " That is the
same man."
Na, Ne, v. a. to spend, trade. — Ovvo ti mo na lonl po
jojo, " I have spent much money to-day." — Oja ti
m9 na ko san mi, " My trade does not pay me."
Na, v. a. to flog, whip. — Balle na esin re ni pa san me-
rin, " The master of the house flogged his horse with
four stripes."
Na, Ne, v. n. to spread, extend. — M9 na owo si'o, "I
stretched out my hand to you." — Na as9 ni sa fun
mi, "Spread out that cloth to dry for me."
Naga, Nega (na-iga), v.n. to stretch oneself so as to
reach an object.
Nagudu, s. very full trowsers confined round the foot.
\J Naja (na-oja), v. n. to employ oneself in trading ; to trade.
— Enniti a mba inaja li awo aid iwo ariwo oja, " You
must attend to your business with the vendor in the
market, and not to the noise of the market."
Namai, s. a ring used by archers for drawing their bow.
Naro (na-iro), v. n. to stand upright.
Nani, v. a. to care for, be concerned about, make much of.
Na-tantan, v. a. to stretch with violence, throw into con-
vulsion or spasm.
Nawo (na-owo), v. n. to spend money.
Nawo, v. n. to stretch the hand ; pass from one hand to
another.
Nawo-nawo, s. a profligate, spendthrift.
Nan, Ndan, adv. (used at the end of a question to give it
emphasis). — IW9 le ise iru ohun behe ndan, "Are
you able to do such things then ?"
Ndawo, adv. no, never.
Nega, v. See Naga.
Ng, Ing, jjers. pron. I {frequently used instead of Emi and
Mo.)
200
NI
Ni, dem. jDrow.'that {referring to somethinq previously under-
stood). — Kinni ni nko, " Where is that thing ?" {Com-
pounded with Bi it assumes the sense o/* though.) — Bi
emi ko ti le ilo ni, sugbon mo mo ohun gbogbo ti
enyin se, *' Though I could not go, yet 1 know all
that you did."
Ni, pron. contraction of Enni, one, some one, (used inde-
finitely.) — Babba ba 'ni wi, "(My) father rebuked
one." — O wi fun 'ni pe on yio I9, " He told us that he
would go."
Ni, i\ a. to have, possess, get, put in possession, load (as
a ship or canoe). — Mo ni fiUa meji daradara, "I
have two good caps." — Awa niko, " We have loaded
the canoe." See Li, L'.
Ni, V. n. to say. — Mo ni ki o wa, " I say that he will
come."
Ni, v. subs, to be, is, it is, being. ( Used in opposition to
Ko, "Not.")— Emi ni, "It is I."— Emi ko, "It is
not I."
^i followed hy Lara (ni-ara), v. n. to be hard, uneasy,
to be uncomfortable, be inconvenient.
— Ise na ni mi lara, " The work is
not easy for me."
NiRAN, v. a. to remind, put in remem-
brance. — Mo ni o niran oro iio ni,
"I remind (you) of that day's word."
Ni, prep, at, by, from, in, on, to. (Ni is changed, for euphony,
ifito Li or L' — which see — before all the vowels except i);
e.g. Babba wa mbe li oko, " (My) father is in the farm ;''
instead of Ni oko. Ni, Lr, and more commonly l,
expressing a condition or state, are very much used in
composition : the word to which it is joined modifies or
determines the signification; e.g. Loke (li-oke), "on
top." — NisALLE (ni-isalle), " at the bottom." — Gba
aso wa lowo (li-owo) re, "Fetch cloth from his
hand." — O mbe loddo re, " It is by him."
201 • • . ^-^
NIB
NiBAYi, adv. there, yonder.
NiBi, prep, in at a place,
NiBi-KAN, adv. somewhere ; in one place or locality.
NiBi-KiBi (ni-ibi-ki-ibi), adv. anywhere, whithersoever,
wherever.
NiBiTi ( — ti), adv. at the place which, where.
NiBE ( — be), adv. there, thence.
NiBO (ni-ibo), interr. adv. Where ?
NiBo, adj. wide, broad, v. n. to be broad.
NiBOMiRAN, NiBOMr (ni-ibi-omi-ran), adv. elsewhere, in
another place.
NiBu, NiBUBU (ni-ibu), s. a cross.
Nidi, prep, concerning about.
N IDA- Y ED AYE, adv. now and then.
NiGBA (ni-igba), adv. while, when, at a particular time.
Nigbarugb' ( — ku-igba), adv. oft, often, always, often-
times.
NiGBA-MiRAN, NiGBA-T\iT, adv. sometimcs, at times.
Ni-gbangba, adv. publicly, openly.
NiGBAWo ( — ewo) ? adv. inter, adv. when ? at what
time ?
NiGBosE ( — igba-ti-o-se), adv. by and by.
NiGBATi ( — ti), adv. when, while, at the time
NiGBA-GBOGBo, adv. always, at all times.
NiGBANi (ni-igba-ni), ado. in time of old, in ancient
times.
NiGBAYi (ni-igba-eyi), ado. now, at this time.
NiGBEiiiN adv. hereafter, afterwards.
NiiiA ( — iha), I? /•<?/>. about a place, on the side of.
NiiiiN, NiiiiNYi (ni-ihin-eyi), adv. hence, here.
NiiiiNYiBAYi (bi-eyi), adv. here in this place.
NiJETTA (ni-ijo-etta), s. the day before yesterday.
NiJOKANLOGBON ( — okan-le-9gbon), adv. seldom.
NiJOKETTA (kon-etta), s. the third day.
Nijo-GBOGRO, adv. daily, every day.
Ni-KAN, adj. alone, single.
202
NIK
NiKAN-soso, adv. solely, singly.
NiKEiiiN (ni-iko-ehin), adv. afterward, finally.
NiKo, Nko, adv. (used at ike end of a question), then,
how then. — lya re nko, " How is your mother then ?"
— Eyi ha nko, " How is this then ?"
NiKOKo (ni-ikoko), adv. in secret, secretly.
Ni-LAi-LAi, adv. of old, in time past.
Ni-LOLO, adv. lately, of late.
NiLA, adj. large, big. — Illugi nila, " This town is
large."
Nina (ni-ina), v. n. to have length, to be long.
Ni-ni, s. owner ; property.
NiNi, adv. very, exceedingly {qiiaUfying v. tutu, to be cold).
— O mi tutu nini, '' This water is very cold."
NiNi, s. hailstone.
NiN6,j9?'ep. among, from, inside, from within.
NiNo-NiNo, adj. inmost.
NiPA, NiPASsE, prep, by, through, in, according.
NipEKUN, V. n. to have an end, terminate.
Nipo (ni-ipo), prep, instead, in the room of.
NiPON, V. n. to be thick at the edge (as a plank).
NiRAN (ni-iran), v. n. to remember, call to mind, have a
recollection of.
NiRiN, s. a kind of rat.
NisALLE (ni-isalle), prep, underneath, beneath, below.
Nisi, V. n. to care, be concerned about a thing — Emi
ko nisi, " I have no care about it."
Ni-si-si-Yi, adv. soon, now, just now, directly.
NiSAJu (ni-isa-ju), adc. before, formerly.
NiTi, adv. in that, because that.
NiTORi, NiTORiNA, Ntori, Latori (ui-itori), conj. be-
cause, on account of, wherefore, for the sake of. —
Nitori mi li o se wa, " He came on account of me."
— Nitori ki ni ? " On account of what ?"
NiTosi, s. neighbourhood.
Nitoto (ni-ti-oti-to), adv. in truth, truly.
203
NIW
NiWA, V.71. to have a good disposition, be affable, be
kind ; have a good quality. See Ireke.
y NiWAJu (ni-iwa-oju), pre}), (iised before a place or per-
son'^ forward ; before, beyond, in, from. — Nwon koja
niwaju ille wa, " They passed before our house." —
Niwaju li ati ijogun ehin li ati ise agba, " A man
may be born to a (large) inheritance ; but wisdom
only comes with length of days."
Niw^oYi (ni-iwo-eyi), adv. now, about this time,
NnvoNBi, adv. inasmuch as.
NiYENiNO (ni-iye-ni-ino), v. n. to have a good memory,
be understanding.
NiyIn ( — iyin), adj. grand, famous, (lit. having fame).
Njebi, Nje, adv. if then, if so, therefore.
Nkan, (contracted from Oiiun Okan), s. a certain thing,
a thing, something ; goods.
Nkan-ki-nkan, 'pron. any thing, whatsoever, whatever.
Nko (on-ko), adv. not, (lit. it is not that).
Nla, adj. great, large.
Nla-nla, adj. very great, very large.
Nn, adv. not, (frequently used in exclamations) No !
No!
'^0 followed by No, v. a. to wipe off, erase.
No, v.n. to be lost. — Ommo ki ino bi eranko, " A child
cannot be lost like a beast."
No, adv. off, away. — Gbe e ju no, " Cast it away." — -Ko
o da no, " Gather them and throw them away."
Nso, NsoKALO, V. n. {imp. mood) proceed, go on, let
us go.
NwoN, AwoNG, pers. pron. they.
'NYiN,|;e?*5. jjron. (contr. of lEtNYi^), you.
O, j^ron. 2d yers. sing, (used frequently instead of Iwo be-
fore long vowels i, e, o), thou — O ri mi, /or, Iwo rimi,
204
o
" Thou seest me." — O se won mo, " Thou shuttest
them up." — O ro won ka, " Thou surroundest them."
(By euphonic attraction before the short vowels a^ e, o,
O is changed into 'O — a contraction of Iwo — e. g. 'O
ko mi ni \^e,for, Iwokomi ni ise, " Thou taughtest me
a work." When used as the subject of the verb
it precedes it as above, but when as an object it
follows ; e. g. Emi ti wi fun 'O telle, " I have told
you beforehand.")
O, On, jyron. 3d pers. sing, (usually preceding verbs con-"
taining the vowels i,e, and o,) he, she, it. — 6 de, " It
is shut." — O le mi, '' He drove me." — On ko won,
*^ He gathered them."
O, U, pron. 3d pers. sing. ohj. case (generally governed by
a verb containing the vowel o\ him, her, it. — Mo ko
6, " I gathered it." — Iw9 ko 6, " You met him."
O, aux V. {contracted from Yio, used in composition as a
sign of the future), shall, will ; defect, v. must. —
Babba ode li oUa, " My father will come to-morrow."
— Emi olo li oni, " I will go to-day." — IW9 ojade
" You must go out." (Before words commencing with
the short vowels «, e, 0, the long by euphonic attrac-
tion becomes 0. — Iwo 9Jade,/or, IW9 ojade. — On 9ke
mi, /or. On oke mi, "He will indulge me." — Awa
9ka a, " We will count it.")
O, aua\ V. /nay, {when preceded hy Ki). — Ki emi ki le
il9, " That I may be able to go." — Wi fun u ki ole
iduro, " Tell him that he may stay, or simply to stay."
O, adv. (of assent), yes ; very well.
Obi, s. the female of cattle.
Obi, 5. the kola nut, otherwise called the gura nut.
See KoKORo.
Obi-Aya, s. the monkey-kola nut.
Obi , s. parent.
Obiri, or Obinri, s. woman, wife, female.
Obo, s. womb. (Ino shoidd always he used in translations.)
205
OBO
Obo, 5. hint, private information.
Obo, s. nurse, foster-parent.
Obo, s. an instrument used for cleansing cotton seed.
Obotuje (bo-tu-ejje) Olobotuje, s. the fignut plant.
Obu, adj. having no principle of life, unsavoury, insipid,
J flat. s. a stale egg ; a kind of saltish rock. — Obu ko
to iyo, " Obu is not to be compared to real salt."
Ode, s. out-of-doors, street.
(/ Ode s. a kind of small bat. — Bi ako ri adan afi ode sebo,
" Ifyou cannot obtain a large bat for sacrifice, a small one
will do instead;" ^.e. one must takethewill for the deed,
t/ Odi, s. malice.— Bi ino ko li odi, odi ani ino, " If a man
(lit. the mind) is not malicious, some one will be
malicious against him."
Odi, s. a walled fortification round the town, fort; a
dumb person, one who has lost the power of speech.
^Odi, s. contrariety, perverseness.
Odidi, 5. bunch, cluster, the whole of any thing.
Odidi-Ogedde, s. cluster of banana-fruit.
Odino, 5. a passionate person.
1/ ODd,s. brook, river. — Odo, gbe ma gbe oruko, "The
stream may dry up, but the water-course retains its
name."— Enniti o W9 odo li onno nko aiya ko fo odo,
" He who enters a river may fear, but the river itself
fears not."
Odo, 5. district, party, a division.
/ Odo, s. a mortar. — lya odo on ommo re ko ni ija, agbe
li o dija sille fun won ; ommo odo ki ina iya re
lassan, " The pestle and the mortar had no quarrel
between them ; it was the farmer that caused the
quarrel (by supplying the yam for pounding) ;
the pestle (lit the child of the mortar) does not beat
its mother for nothing." — Bi iwo oku iwo a la odo
ya'na ? " If you are about to die, need you split up
the (wooden) mortar for fire-wood (instead of leaving
it for the use of the survivors) ? "
206
ODO
Ododo, s. scarlet.
Ododo, s. truth, fact, justice, equality ; right, righteous-
ness.
Odoui, Odorodi, adv. never, not in the least.
"Odu, s. boiler, caldron.
Odu, s. companion of Ifa, the god of palm nuts.
Odu, s. name of an herb. — Odu ki ise aimo oloko, " Odu
is not unknown to a farmer."
'Odua, Odudua, s. a goddess from Ife, said to be the su-
preme goddess in the world. Heaven and earth are
also called Odudua. — Odudua igba nla meji ade isi,
" Heaven and earth are two large calabashes, which
being shut can never be opened ;" referring to the
apparent concavity cf the sky, which seems to touch
the earth at the horizon.
Ofe, 5. parrot ; clever person. — Agbede bi ofe, amo ara ire
bi odide. Adeb9 fun ofe, ofe ko ru aganran gbe ebo
o rubo, asinwa asinb9 ofe di ara Oyo aganran di ara
oko; nwon se bi ofe ko gbon, "Sacrifice being pre-
*^ scribed to the parrot, he refused to offer it ; but the
green parrot took the sacrifice and offered it ; after
all the parrot is a citizen of the capital, and the
green parrot an inhabitant of the province : (and yet
people) thought that the parrot was not wise." The
green parrot is counted a clean bird and offered in
sacrifice, while the parrot is unclean, and never
molested.
Ofere, Ofe, s. Venus, as the morning star ; the hour of
cockcrowing, before the rising of the sun.
Ofi, s. the loom ; that which swings.
'Ofiji, s. that which is forgiven, forgiveness.
Ofin, s. law, prohibition, commandment.
Ofo, s. emptiness.
""Ofo, s. loss, calamity, damage.
Ofofo, 5. busybody, talebearer, traitor. — Ase ofofo ko
gba egba ni ibi ope li o mo ; ofofo li egbon ororo li
207
OFO
aburo, "A talebearer receives no payment (Jit. not
2000 cowries) ; thanks are all his reward. Talebear-
ing is the elder brother, bitterness the younger."
'Oforo, s. squirrel. — Ennu oforo ni ipa oforo, oforo bi
omm9 meji 6 ko W9n wa eti onna oni, Ommo mi ye
korokoro, korokoro, korokoro, "It was the squirrel's
own mouth that betrayed her ; for when she had
brought forth two young ones, she carried them to
the road-side and said, ' My children are very sound,
very sound, very sound :' " (the word ^ korokoro '
resembles the cry of the squirrel).
Ofua, s. a kind of kola nut ; name of a tree used medi-
cinally for ablution.
1/ Ofurufu, 5. emptiness ; the firmament. — Ofurufu ko se
ifiehin ti, " One cannot lean upon emptiness."
^Ogbigbi, s. a species of owl.
Ogbo, 5. old age ; a kind of sword with two edges. —
/ Ogbo ko li ogun, " There is no medicine against old
age."
Ogbo, s. a small animal of the cat kind, remarkable for
its sharp teeth, which are said to be able to cut iron.
Ogbodo, s. new yams. See Elubo.
Ogbogbo, s. name of a tree, whose leaf is very useful .
Ogbogbo, Olugbogbo, 5. club, mallet.
Ogboju (gbo-oju), s. bold daring person,
Ogbologbo (gbo-ni-ogbo), rt^'. very old, of longstanding.
y Ogbova, s. a beast about the size of a cat. — Bi ogboya ba
fi iru na ille li erimnetta ni illu, illu na atii, " When
the Ogboya strikes its tail thrice on the ground in
any town, that town will be deserted," (a super-
stition).
Ogbugbu, s. wild duck; kind of grass; cotton dyed be-
fore spinning.
Oge, s. coxcomb, fop.
Ogede, adv. only.
\y/ Ogedegbe, Ogedemgbe, adv. headlong, precipitately. —
208
^OGI
Ogedemgbe iro ki ida ni si lyewu gbangba ni ida
ni si, " The headlong fall of a liar is not concealed,
but is exposed to view."
" Ogi, s. starch of Indian corn.
1/Ogi, s. an old dog, mastiff; an old bachelor. — -Apon di
ogi o saro, " When a man has become an old bachelor
he makes his own fireplace ; i. e. has to cook his
own food."
Ogidigbo, s. a kind of drum. — Ogidigbo pari ilu gbo-
gbo. Bi owe bi owe li alii ogidigbo, enniti o ye ni
ijo o. Gbc5, Ajagbo, gbo, obba gbo, ki emi ki osi
\/ gbo, " The ogidigbo is the best of all drums ; the
ogidigbo has a meaning in its sound ; he who un-
derstands the sound can dance to it — ^ May you be
old, King Ajagbo, may you be old, may the king be
old, may I also be old.' "
Ogiri, s wall (of mud, stone, or brick).
Ogiri, s. gallop, simultaneous rush. — Esin dogiri, " The
horse galloped."
^Ogiri,5. preparation made from Yonmoti seed to flavour
stews.
1/ Ogo, s. glory, praise ; wonder ; a valiant man. — Ileri ille
ko mo ajagun, kufekufe ko mo ija, ijo ti ari ogun li
amo ogo, ^' Boasting at home is not valour ; parade
is not battle : when war is seen the valiant will be
known."
^Ogo, c<f. one placed at the debtor's house to compel pay-
ment of a debt ; bailiff.
Ogodo, s. calf; colt ; the young of beasts in general.
"Ogodo, s. name of a disease.
Ogodo, s. name^of a district of Yoruba famous for cala-
bashes.
Ogoji (ogun-eji), «r//". forty.
'Ogongo, s. ostrich. — ^"Ogongo babba eiye, '' The ostrich
is the father of birds."
Ogudugbe, s. dropsy.
209 2 E
OGU
Ogufe, s. a wether.
Ogumo, s. an esculent herb.
Ogun, s. that which is obtained by inheritance, bequest ;
adj. twenty. See Iwaju.
^ Ogun, -v. the god supposed to preside over iron, imple-
ments of war, and hunting.
Ogun, 6'. medicine ; poison.
Ogun, s. sweat, perspiration.
Ogun, s. a round stick, bamboo.
i/ Ogun, s. army, war, battle. — Ija ni ipa onitiju ogun ni
ipa alagbara, ''(As) a street-quarrel will prove fatal
to a man afraid of being thought a coward (lit bash-
ful man), so will war kill a man renowned for
valour."
Ogungun, s. name of a tree.
Ogurodo, s. the name of a bird, whose nest the natives
have a superstitious dread of touching.
Ogurodo, s. standing posture.
^Oguro, s. wine made from the sap of the bamboo.
Oguso, s. pipe.
Oiio-o ! interj. a word of exclamation.
OiiuN, s. voice, sound, note, cry.
Ohunrere, s. lamentation, bitter weeping, loud cry.
OiiuN, s. a thing, something. — Afi ohun we ohun, afi oran
we oran, fi oran ji ki a niyino, " Compare things wath
things and words with words, and then forgive that
you may be praised."
OnuN-'^lLO, s. utensils, articles for use.
Ohunkoiiun (ohun-ki-ohun), j^^'on. whatsoever, what-
ever.
OiiuN - Onna, s. tools (Jit. working implements).
Ohun-^Osin, s. domestic creature, herd, cattle.
OiBo, Oyibo, 5. one who comes from the country beyond
the sea.
Oje, s. sap of trees.
Oje, s. lead.
210
^Oji, adj. forty.
Oji, s. fine imposed for the guilt of adultery.
Ojia, 5. gum of trees. — Iggi iya ni ison ojia, " The iya
tree produces gums."
Ojigbese, Ajigbese (je-gbese), s. a debtor.
"Ojigbon, s. corner of a house, gable.
Ojiji, adv. suddenly, without previous notice.
Ojiji, s. On, shadow, shade.
Ojiji, s. an electrical fish, electrical eel,
^Ojiya (je-iya), s. an innocent sufferer, an oppressed
person.
Ojiyan (ja-iyan), s. a denier, reasoner, one who contra-
dicts.
/^*Ojo, 3. rain. — Gegele li o bi gegele koto li o bi koto,
djo ro si koto gegele nroju, " Bank rises after bank,
and ditch foUow'S after ditch ; when the rain falls
into the ditch, the banks are envious ;" said of
those who are not satisfied w'ith their position in life.
Ojo, s. cowardice, fear ; a coward.
Ojogun (je-ogun), s. heir.
^Ojojo, s. ague-fit.
Ojojulle (oju-oju-ille), adv. (from) house to house.
Ojojumo ( — mo), adv. daily, every day.
. Ojoro, s. one who cheats at play.
'^ Ojowu (je-owu), s. a jealous person. — Ojowu ko li eran
li aiya iba jowu ko yo, " A jealous woman is always
thin {lit. has no flesh upon her breast) ; for however
much she may feed upon jealousy, she will never
have enough."
Ojove ( — oye), 5. a ruler, a man of title.
Ojo, adj. daily ; lasting for the day, ephemeral.
[/Oju, s. eye; aperture (as the eye of a needle); appear-
ance, face, look, front ; edge of a knife or sword. —
Ojii babba ara, awon bi oju, asoro ida bi agba, " The
eye is the father of the body ; as the eye is too dear
to be purchased, so it is hard to act wellan elder'spart."
211
OJU
Oju, s. sore, scar.
Oju-aganju, s. a place in front of the palace in Oyo
where the god called Aganju was worshipped.
Oju-Aiye, s. sky, firmament.
Oju-Agbara, s. gutter; wide road leadingfrom the palace.
Ojugba, s. equal, companion.
Ojugon (oju-igon), s. fore part of the leg, shin. — Ojugon
^ mu odo fohiin, "The leg causes the brook to resound
(when wading through it)."
Ojukanna (oju-okan-na), ad'\ instantly, immediately.
Oju-ko-bire ( — ba-ire), s. bird called the cricket-catcher,
i/ Oju-kokoro, s. covetousness. — Ojukokoro babba okanjua,
" Covetousness is the father of unsatisfied desire."
Ojulafeni ( — ni-fe-enni), s. time-server.
. Ojulumo ( — ni-"imo), s. acquaintance.
// Ojumo, s. dawn, daylight. — Ojumo mo o nyo ojo iku ndi?
*' When the day dawns you rejoice : do you not know
that the day of death is so much the nearer?"
Oju-nla, s. envy, {lit. big eye ; i.e. an eye which is
never satisfied).
Oju-Oui, s. grave.
0ju-0w6, s. principal on which interest is paid.
Oju-^Onna, s. way, gate, road.
[^ Oju-Orun, s. sky, firmament. — Oju-9run ko huko, illepa
ko je ki oku ki o be onna wo, " As the grass cannot
grow in the sky, so the dead cannot look out of the
grave into the road."
Ojupo ( — ipo), s. a place in the palace where the king
sits to take the air.
Oju-pon, v. n. to suffer trouble, get into difficulties.
Ojuran ( — iran), s. dream, vision.
Ojusaju (oju-isa-oju), s. respect, honour, regard.
Oju-sika, s. keyhole.
Ojuson ( — ison), s. aperture from which water springs,
spring, fountain.
Ojuwa ( — iwa), s-. sharer, divider.
212
OKA
Oka, Oruka, s. ring.
Oka-Eti, s. ear-ring.
Okan, Owo-kan, s. one cowry ; one piece of money ;
halfpenny.
Okan-Aiya, s. chest, breast.
^Oke, s. top, hill, mountain ; adv. up hill,
v/ 'Okele, s. morsel, sop. — ■''Okele gbomgbo fe ommo li oju,
" A large morsel (is sure to) choke a child."
Okele, s. a small package of salt,
Okelenje, Kekelenje, s. a small kind of lizard.
^Okere, 5. a distance.
Okerekere, s. part of a loom.
^/Okete, s. bale of goods ; wallet, luggage. — Okete babba
ogun, bi asigun olukuluku ni idi okete lowo, " A store
of food is the best equipment for war ; when war is
proclaimed, every man takes up his wallet."
Okete, s. a kind of large rat. This animal is remark-
able for eating palm-nuts, and is therefore dedicated to
Ifa. — Okete ni ojo gbogbo lion mo, on ko mo 9J0 miran
" The Okete says, ' I understand (what you mean by),
a specified day, (but, the indefinite expression) another
day, I do not understand.' " — Gbogbo wa li ajumo fi
okete san ogofFa, nigbati okete ofi di ogoje, oju gbo-
gbo wa ni yio si se, " We all agreed to value the okete
^ at one hundred and forty cowries (its general price) :
w^hen twenty cowries are to be added to its price it
must be by common consent."
Oki, s. flattery, complimentary appellation.
Oki, s. the act of missing fire (as a gun) ; failure in cut-
ting from bluntness of the instrument, or the hard-
ness of the substance cut.
Okiki, s. fame, rumour, report. — Okiki oi'bo kan ka gbo-
gbo aiye, " The fame of oibo spreads throughout the
world."
Okikiri, s. hardness, difficulty, knot. — O kan okikiri, " It
comes to the knot, (or difficult point)."
213
OKI
OkFpa-aja, .S-. mastiff, an old dog.
Okiribiti, s. circle, encompassed space.
^Okiti, Okiti-ogan, s. hill made by the white ant.
'Okiti, s. summerset, headlong fall ; hillock, such as may
be seen where roads divide.
^Okiti-Alapini, s. the name of a place in Oyo the capital.
'OKiTi-AROyV. false-bottomed vessel used in strainingpotash.
Okiti-Ebe, s. yam or corn beds ; hillock for planta-
tion.
Okitipo, s. the name of a tree, whose leaf is dried and
pulverized for palaver sauce.
Okiyan, s. an animal which lodges under rocks.
Oko, s. farm, plantation ; province ; dependent districts,
or towns.
Oko, s. the glans ; foreskin ; lock of a gun.
'Oko, s. stone to be thrown or cast; name of a disease;
breeding three young ones at a birth.
Oko-Alle, s. afternoon's work.
Oko-Ibon, s. lock of a gun or musket.
Oko-Euu, s. bondage, slavery.
Okobo, s. eunuch.
Okobo, s. lie, falsehood ; liar.
Oko, Oruko, s. name.
Okoto, s. snail, a small land shell.
Okoto-Okun, s. sea shell.
Oku, s. corpse, carcase, adj. useless, insipid, savourless.
Okuku, s. the woof (folded up and laid upon a stand of
the same name which the weaver draws to himself
as he goes on weaving).
Okuku, s. name of tree valuable for healing sores.
Okun, s. strength, ability, power.
Okun, s. cord, rope, string.
Okun-erewe, s. running plant, whose fibres are \ibed
for making cord.
Okun-ole, -v. name of a running plant.
Okun-Tinrin, -s. twine.
214
^OKU
'Okun, 'Okunkun, s. darkness.
Okun, s. sea, salt water.
Okuna (oku-onna), s. old path ; forsaken road
Okunfa (okiin-ifa),5. an attraction; that which encourages.
Okunjanu ( — ija-ennu), s. the reins.
Okunko, s. hemp or flax plant (?).
^Okunron, s. illness.
Okura (okii-ira), s. any thing rotten.
Oku-ruro, s. an austere, hard, ill-tempered person.
Okusa, s. liquor brewed from guinea corn.
Okiisalle (ku-sa-ille), s. exhausted and unproductive
land.
Oku-su, s. refuse from dying vats ; name of an animal.
Okuta, s. stone (in general).
Okuta-Ako, s. quartz, granite ; any hard stone.
Okuta-wewe, s. gravel, loose stones.
Okuye (ku-iye), s. person of dull memory, dunce.
Ola, s. the moth which frets garments.
Ola, 5. that which saves, salvation, the cause of salvation.
Ole, s. thief, robber ; robbery, theft.
Ole, Orule, 5. roof of a house.
Olo-fere, s. name of a bird.
Olofofo, ( — ofofo), 5. traitor ; busy body.
'Olobirt, 5. a married person.
Olobinri-meji, s. a bigamist.
Olobo (enni-obo), s. one who cautions another, an in-
formant. — Olobo so mi, " A hint has been given
{lit. thrown) to me."
Olododo, s. a true, just, righteous person.
Olodumare, Olodumaye, s. God, the Almighty, Self-
existing Being.
J^— Ologbo, 5. a title of one of the king's private counsellors,
who also acts the part of chronicler or narrator of
ancient traditions. — Ologbo babba arokin, "Ologbo
is the father of the chroniclers."
Ologini, s. cat.
215
OLO
/ OlogTri, s. a species of palm bird (also called 'Enu). —
Owo ologiri eliin ti li ogiin, " A multitude of warriors
behind their leader is like a flock of palm birds."
Ologo (enni-ogo), s. dun.
Ologo, 5. an honourable man, one had in honour.
Ologose, Ologonse, s. sparrow.
Ologun, Onisegun (ni-ogun), s. doctor, physician.
Ologuxsese, s. name of a tree dedicated to the god of
hunting.
Ologuro (ni-oguro), s. dealer in bamboo-wine.
Olo-guru, s. kind of small bird generally found in flocks.
Oloiiun ( — ohun), s. a man of influence.
Olojo, Alejo, (enni-ajo), s. stranger. See Awon.
Oloju (enni-oju)^ s. oneself; the owner of a thing.
Olojukan (ni-oju-kan), 5. one-eyed person.
Oloju-kokoro, s. miser.
Olo-kiti-Ar6, s. false-bottomed vessel in which potash
is strained.
Olokun (ni-okun), s. rope-maker.
Olokunron ( — okunron), s. a patient ; one suffering
from illness.
Olola ( — ila), s. one who makes tattooing his trade.
Olopir"!, s. a kind of small bird.
Olore ( — ore), s. benefactor.
Olori (enni-ori), s. oflicer, headman, chief.
Olori-Ille-Iwe, Olori-Ille-Kewu, s. schoolmaster.
Olori-Ogun, s. war-officer.
()lori-Okk6, s. captain of a ship.
Olori-Eso ( — ori), s. captain of a guard.
Olori-Egbe, Oloriko ( — ori), fern. s. head of a company.
OlorI ( — on), s. wife of a great person (not to be ap-
proached by any man).
Olorison (ni-ori-ison), s. owner of a fountain or spring.
Oloro ( — oro), s. a venomous animal.
Olorisa (ni-orisa), s. idolater, worshipper of idols.
Oloruko( — oruko),.5.afamous person (//^.he who has name).
216
OLO
Oloto (ni-otito), s. a true, just, faithful person.
Olowo (ni-owo), 5, a rich person.
Oloye (enni-oye), s. person of honour or title.
Oloye, Amoye (m9-oye), 5. a wise prudent person ; a
man of forethought.
Oloyo, s. the yellow monkey (also called Tolo, Awere,
Gbege^ and Alegba) : there are many superstitions
concerning this monkey.
Olo, s. powder ; that on which any thing is pounded or
ground ; one who grinds ; a moth.
Olu, s. carpenter or smith's hammer, mallet, any thing
used for hammering.
Olu, s. the chief of any thing ; queen of the white ants ;
mushroom.
Olubukon (enni-ibukon), s. one who adds to ; one who
blesses.
OlubojuW'O, Olubojuto ( — be-oju-wo), s. inspector.
Olubo ( — bo), s. a maintainor ; supporter ; feeder ; one
employed to beat a mud floor into a compact and
solid mass.
Olubu-si ( — ibu-si), s. one who blesses or adds to.
Oludande (enni-ida-ni-ide), s. redeemer, one who ran-
soms.
Olufison, Oluson ( — fi-son), s. accuser, one who raises
a complaint.
Olufe ( — ife) s. one beloved ; one who loves, lover.
Olufokkansin ( — fi-okkan-sin), s. one who worships con-
scientiously, devout w^orshipper.
Olufuni ( — fu-enni), s. giver, bestower, benefactor.
Olugbala (enni-igba-la), s. saviour, one who saves.
Olugbani ( — enni), s. he who delivers, liberator.
Olu-gbo-ngbo, s. round piece of wood used by the na-
tives to smoothe their clothes after washing, by beat-
ing them with it upon a large wooden block.
Olu-gboro, s. small piece of stick by which a blow is
given.
217 2 F
OLU
Olugik) (enni-igbo), .9. a believer.
Olu-kolo, Ani-Ku, s. an evil spirit, believed to be always
wandering about. See Ariku.
Olukojoyele ( — ko-je-oye-le), s. a title of the king of
Ife.
Olukoni (enni-iko-enni), s. teacher, instructor.
Oluku-luku, adj. every, each. adv. individually.
Olumoran (enni-imo-nran), s. an understanding person.
Olupa, Olupani ( — ipa-enni), s. murderer ; man-
slaughter.
Olupamo ( — pa-mo), s. preserver.
OnTpiLLESE ( — pa-ille-mo), s. beginner, author.
Olupin, Ojuwa (ipin-iwa), s. sharer, divider.
Oluponju (enni-ipon-oju), s. poor person, pauper.
Oluranse, s. one who sends another.
Olu-ra-pada, s. redeemer, one who ransoms.
Olure (enni-ire), 5. comforter.
Olureron ( — re-iron), s. shearer, hair cutter.
Olurora ( — ro-ara), one who eases, one who gives
bodily comfort.
Olu-sin, s. worshipper, servant.
Oluse (enni-ise), s. doer, actor.
Olusoro (so-oro), s. speaker ; talker ; one who prates.
Olutan, Olottan (enni-itan), s. a relative.
Oluto ( — 19), s. instructor, master, mistress, governor, a
raiser up.
Olutuno ( — tu-ino), s. he who calms the mind ; com-
forter.
Olusette ( — se-otte), s. conqueror, victor.
Omso ( — so), s. watcher, guard, sentinel.
Oluso-Agutan, s. shepherd.
Olusogba (so-ogba), s. a gardener, the watcher of a
garden.
Oluwa (ni-awa), 5. a lord, owner.
Oluware, 5. an individual, a certain person.
Oluwoju ( — wo-oju), s. a respecter of persons.
218
OMI
I/' Omi, s. water. — Bi abii omi siori o nwaesseibo " When
water is poured upon the head, it will fhid its way
down to the feet."
Omidan, s. a young fowl ; young woman.
Omije, OiMioju, s. tear.
Omi-kikan, Omikan, s. foul water,
U^MiRAN, s. a giant, a person unusually stout and tall. —
Iwo ko lu omiran li oru o nlu u li ossan ? " Do you
not first strike the giant in the night, before you
strike him in the day ? "
Omiran, Omi, adj. another, other.
OxMiRiN, s. the act of swallowing any thing with facility,
throat.
Omi-toro, s. soup, broth.
Omnira (oni-ni-ara) s. freeman, one delivered from
bondage.
On, 'pers, pron, he, she, it. See O.
//On, conj. and. — Ije on ore ni imu ommo ise ise,
" Competition and reward induce a child to work."
Onde (enni-ide), s. prisoner, one in bond ; charm sown
in leather and worn about the person.
Ongbe, 6'. thirst.
Ongbe-Eije, adj. bloodthirsty.
Ongo ( — igo), s. stupid person, dunce, blockhead.
Oni, adv. to-day. — Oni emi nlo, oUa n' nlo ki ije ki ajeji
ki o gbin ahusa, " Intended removal to-day or
to-morrow {lit. to-day I am going, to-morrow I
am going,) gives the stranger no encouragement
to plant the ahusa, (although it bears fruit very
rapidly)."
Oni-batta, s. shoemaker.
Oni-bode, s. collector of custom.
Oni-busi, s, contemner, despiser ; one who blesses.
Oni-da, s. creator, maker, originator.
Onidajo ( — da-ejo), s. judge, one who settles disputes.
Onidalare ( — ni-are), s. justifier.
219
ONI
Onidamoran ( — mo-oran), s. counsellor, adviser.
Onidande, Oludande ( — ni-ide), s. redeemer, deliverer
from bondage.
Onidanwo ( — dan-wo), s. tempter, trier.
Onidikan (ni-idi-okan), s. child, one vvhose parents is a
slave, and the other free.
Onidodo ( — idodo), s. a person having a large navel.
Onifarauo ( — fi-ara-ro), s. supporter ; one on whom
another leans or depends.
Onifarawe ( — we), s. one who imitates another; emu-
lator.
Oni-fefe, s. vain and boastful person.
Oni-fo, Alagba-fo, s. washer.
Onigan, s. a catechumen of Orisa.
Onigrani, Olugbani ( — gba-enni), s. saviour.
Oni-gbajamo, s. a barber.
Onigbagbe-enni-igbagbe, s. a person of bad memory, for-
getful person.
Oni-gbagbo, s. one who listens ; one who obeys ; believer.
Oni-gbese, s. creditor.
Oni-gbodogi, s. one afflicted with a scorbutic disorder.
Onigbowo ( — gba-owo) s. prosperous person ; surety.
Oni-gegge, s. person afflicted with a swelling in the neck.
Oniiialle, (oni-iha-ille), s. a poor person, one in poor
circumstances.
Onilaja, Ilaja ( — la-ija), s. peace-maker, mediator.
Onilera ( — le-ara), s. a strong, healthy person.
Onikiri, s. wanderer, rover.
OnIni, s. possessor.
Onino-didon, s. person of amiable disposition, a good-
natured man.
Oninonibini ( — ino-enni-bi-enni), s. persecutor.
Onino-rere, s. kind, benevolent, gracious person.
Oni-oloni ( — oni-oni), adv. this very day.
Onipa (ni-ipa), s. one having a share in any thing.
Oni-para-mo, s. humble person.
220
ONI
Onipin ( — ipin), s. the distributor of one's lot; the Su-
preme Being ; a sharer, a partaker.
Oniponju, Oluponju (ipon-oju), s. person in distressed
circumstances.
Oni-re-je, s. a cheat, deceiver, impudent person (the same
as Arenije).
Onirelle (re-ille), s. humble person.
Onirera ( — re-ara), s. proud person.
Oniruru, adj. various, different, not alike.
Onisa, Lisa, s. title of honour.
Onisaju ( — isaju), s. modest bashful person, respecter,
one who regards.
Onise, Alase, (oni-ase), cook.
Onise, Onse ( — ise), s. messenger, herald, ambassador.
Oni-sekete, s. manufacturer of beer from Indian corn.
Onisegun (se-ogun) s. doctor, physician.
Onisi, Onisi, s. author of any thing good or bad.
Onisiti, s. powerful speaker, one who commands atten-
tion by his speech.
Onisonna-Awo (se-onna), s. tanner.
Onisowo (se-owo), s. trader.
Oni-toro, s. maker, seller, or possessor of toro.
Onitiju ( — iti-oju), s. bashful person.
Oni-tubu, s. jailor.
Oniwa-bi-olorun, s. godly person.
Oniwaiwa (ni-iwa), s. persons in various circumstances.
Oniwe ( — ^iwe), s. washer, swimmer.
Oniwora (oni-iwo-ara), s. a covetous man.
Oniyan ( — iyan), s. one who pounds or sells iyan.
Oniyan, 5. denier, one who contradicts.
Oni-yan-je, s. one who cheats.
Oniye ( — iye), s, person of good memory.
Onje (ohun-jije), s. food, victuals.
Onje-Alle, s. supper.
Onje-Ossan, s. dinner ; chief meal of the day.
Onje-Owuro, breakfast.
221
ONK
Onka, Olonka, s. a counter, accountant.
On LA, 6'. that which saves.
Onna, rejiec. 2)ron.\umse\i, herself, itself.
On NO, s. fearful expectation, fear as regards the result
of a thinoj. — Onno nko mi, " T am afraid."
Oniiouo (oni-iroro), s. an austere, hard, morose
person.
^Ope, s. puzzle ; simple and ignorant person. — Mo pa 'o
li ope, " I puzzle you."
Opepe, s. young person.
Opere, s. bird noted for sleepiness. — O le isun bi opere,
" You sleep like the oper^."
Opin, s. termination, point. — ^"Oran na de opin, " The
matter is come to a point (lit to the highest
pomt).
Opinle (opin-ille), s. termination of the earth, land, or
territory.
Opo, s. the place where the king makes his appearance
in the palace, bank of earth for sleeping on.
Opo, s. post, pillar ; widow.
Opo-okko, s. mast of a ship.
^Opopo, s. kind of banyan.
Opopo, s. wide road leading immediately into a town.
^Oporo, adj. common.
I / Ora, s. buyer, purchaser. — Ko mo ore ko mo dra, ti igiin
esin apatta, " Regardless of kindness, regardless of
the purchaser, (the ungrateful man) rides the horse
(which has been lent him) over the rocks."
Ora, s. bitter tree much used in curing sickness.
Ore, s. kindness, favour, benevolence.
Orere, s. same signification as Opopo.
Ore, s. act of watching from a tower or loft.
Ore, s. porcupine. — Ki ire ore ki o re sinsin idi re,
I / " Though the porcupine may be weary, yet the (quills
of its) tail will not be weary." There is a supersti-
tion that the porcupine always shakes its quills be-
222
ORI
fore feeding, in order to divine what success it will
meet with in its excursion.
Ori, s. kind of wild pigeon.
Ori, s. kind of black plum.
Ori, Oyi, s. giddiness. — Ori nkon mi loju, "I am giddy;
(lit. my eyes are filled with giddiness)."
Ori, 5. head, faculty, talent ; highest point of any thing,
termination.
Ori folloived hij Si, Ya, v. n. to feel lively, be
pleased.
Wu, V. n. to feel sensation of joy at
some unexpected good words said
or action done by an inferior per-
son beloved ; to yearn.
Ori-Ekun, s. the cap of the knee.
Ori, s. shea butter.
Ori-Amo, s. butter, milk butter.
Orike (ori-ike), s. the joint of any thing.
Orike-ikka, s. knuckle.
Ori-^Eya, 5, division, tribe.
Ori-Oya, s. large hedgehog.
Orille, Ole, s. family name.
Orille-ede, 5. people of a different language ; nation.
Orin, s. pieces of stick or root used by the natives for
cleaning their teeth by chewing and rubbing them
with it.
Orin, s. singing ; song ; tune.
Orin-mi-mo, s. holy song, psalm, hymn.
Oriso (ori-iso), s. place where creatures are tied up for
the night ; stable, stall.
Orison, s. spring, fountain.
Orisa, 5. deity, object of worship ; gods, idols.
Orisala, s. the great goddess Obbatalla.
Orise-Alufa (ori-ise), s. work of a priest, priesthood.
'Oro, s. stalk of guinea-corn, used for stirring beer ;
honey. See Agbon.
223
ORO
Oro, s. provocation, dilTiculty, hardness, name of a tree.
Oro, s. custom, fashion, habit ; fierceness, sauciness, pro-
vocation. — Aja yi roro gidigidi, " This dog is very
fierce."
Oro, s. poison, torture, torment.
'Oro, s. an erect posture.
Orobo, s. good hick.
Orofo, 5. kind of wild pigeon.
Orogbo, s. the bitter kola nut.
Oromro, s. lime, lemon.
Oronto, Elewuwu, 5. large striped lizard.
Orore, s. a kind of small bird ; pimples on the face.
Ororo, s. busybody ; bitterness, gall.
Ororo, s. oil.
Oro, Owuro, s. morning, forenoon.
Oru, s. heat, steam, vapour. — Oru mu, "It is hot {or
sultry)."
Oru, s. pitcher.
Oru, s. night, darkness. — Oru ru iwg ki yio le ilo si ille,
" The night is dark ; you will not be able to go
home."
Oru, Orun, s. name of a tree possessing a healing pro-
perty.
Oruganjo, s. midnight.
Oruka, s. ring.
Oruko, s. name, discriminative appellation of any thing ;
he goat.
Oruko-Ivoruko, 5. proper name (not surname).
Orukun, Erekun, s. knee.
Orun, s. sun. — Orim la, "The sun rises. — Orun ran,
"The sun shines." — Orun mu, "The sun is hot." —
Orun wo, " The sun sets."
Orun, s. sleep. — Orun nkon mi, *^ I am drowsy."
Orun-Ijeka, s. sound sleep.
Orun, s. scent, smell, stench.
Orupa, s. name of a tree.
224
ORU
Oruwo, s. brimstone tree, tlie timber of which is mucli
used for boards.
Oruwon, s. name of a tree.
OsE, OsE, s. hippopotamus.
OsE, s. paint.
OsiN, adj. the left. s. a post of honour.
^OsiN-IwEFFA, s. a eunuch of the third degree.
^Osin-Iyama, s. the south with the face to the west.
^Osin-Iyalode, s. a title next to Otton-Iyalode.
OsE, s. name of a tree.
OsE, s. club of Sango.
OsE, s. a sound made by smacking the lips expressive of
grief. See Abamo.
OsESE, s. meat of a superior quality.
'Osi, s. misery.
OsTsE, Otosi (se-ise), s. poor, miserable person.
OsipT, s. tree, in the leaf of which snuff is frequently
wrapped up.
Oso, s. witch, sorcerer.
OsoNo, s. sour, passionate, morose man.
Osu, s. new moon, month.
Osu, s. a lock of hair shaved around.
OsuMARE, s. the rainbow.
1/ OsuPA, s. the moon in advanced age. — Osupa gbe oke o
mo Oy9 obba gbe ille mp ara oko, "As the moon
remains stationary above, and yet shines over the
whole capital {lit. knows Oyo, the capital), so the
king remains at home and knows (what) his subjects
(are doing) in the province."
Osusu, s. cluster, grove. See Asorin.
Osusu, s. kind of prickly bush.
OsuwoN, s. measure, weight.
Ota, 5. seller.
Otito, s. truth, faithfulness.
Otonpanyan, s. mean fellow who causes much trouble.
"Otolo, s. a species of deer.
225 2 G
1/
/
^OTO
'Otosi, .v. \)()oy, miserable person. — Nwon sebi otosi ko
gbon bi oloro, nwon ni o gbon iba ilowo ? "Men
think that the ])()or is not as wise as the ricli, for if
lie were wise, why is he poor ?"
6to, Otito, .v. trutli, reality, fact. adj. true, faithful, just.
Otumo, Otudimo (tu-imp), s. covenant breaker.
Otutu, Otu, s. cold ; illness, disease.
Otutu-mu, defect, v. " It is cold, (lit. cold is sharp)."
Owe, 5. parable, riddle. — Owe li esin nro bi oro ba no
owe li afi iwa a, owe on oro ni irin, " A proverb
is tlie horse of conversation ; when the conversation
flags (lit is lost), a proverb revives it : proverbs and
conversation follow each other."
""Owe, s. young leaf of the plant Erewe.
^OwE-AwoN, s. a kind of running trefoil.
^Ow^ERE, s. struggle, efTort to recover oneself.
OwEREjEJE, IwEREJEjE, s. name of a trailing shrub, the
berries of which are red and black.
Ow iwi, s. owl.
6wo, s. boil. — Owo so mi, " I am attacked by boils."
Ow6, ,s. money, cowTy.
Owo-NLA, s. large piece of money, dollar.
OwosE (owo-ise), s. work-money, wages.
Own, 5. cotton, tliread, wick.
Own, s. jealousy.
Owu-Akese, s. a kind of very fine white cotton bearing
small pods.
Owu-'Ogodo, s. a kind of cotton bearing large pods.
OwuYANWuRE, s. a kind of very white cotton used chiefly
by the Fulahs, with red flowers and small seeds.
OvvuRo, AwuRo, Oro, 5. morning. See Kutukutu.
Owusuwusu, s. mist, fog, cloud, gloominess. — Owiisu-
^ wusu mu oju orun baje gudegude ko je ki oriin ki o
ran, " The fog spoils the face of the sky ; gloomi-
ness prevents the sun from shining."
^OvA, 5. that which divides or separates ; a comb.
226
.£t-
OYE
OvE, OvE, s. understanding ; comprehension, inspection,
look out, providence. — Oye ko ye mi, " I did not
understand."
OvE, 5. title of honour.
Oyibo, Oyinbo, contracted Oibo, s. people beyond the
waters, applied mostly to white men, and also to any
of the natives who have adopted their customs. They
are thus distinguished — Oyibo-funfun, a white man ;
OviBo-DUDU, a black man who has adopted European
customs, or one who came from the white man's
country. The proper derivation of this word has
not yet been ascertained.
OviN, s. bee ; honey.
Oyin-Alugbe, s. bees domesticated in country pots.
Oyo, s. species of small owl.
Oyu, s. salt (?).
Oyun, s. pregnancy.
^O, or 'O, pers. pron. 2d pers. sing, (contraction of I wo),
thou, thee.
O, pers. pron. 'Mpers. sing, he, she, it ; him, her, it.
O, defect, v. {used by attraction before short voivels for O),
shall, will, must. — Emi olo, for Emi old.
Obaiyeje, s, busybody, talebearer. See Abaiyeje.
Obangiji, Obangissi, {HausscL)^ s. Lord, master.
Obba, s. king, monarch.
Obbakan, s. relative on the father's side.
Obea-kan-bi-keji, s. the first cousin on the father's side.
Obba-kuso, s. god of thunder and lightning {lit. the king of
Kuso, the spot where Sango is said to have descended
alive into the ground, and whence the worship of
Sango took its origin).
Obballe (ba ille), s. prostration, a mark of respect paid to
superiors by males.
Obba-Ogo, s. King of glory, God.
227
OBB
Obbatalla, s. the great goddess of Yoruba, supposed to
be the fruiiier of the Imman body in the womb.
Obanije (ba-enia-je), 5. busybody.
Obaua, s. cord, pack-thread.
Obbe, s. sauce, palaver sauce.
i^^Obbe, s. knife, penknife, clasp knife. — Ta li oje fi obbe
'yi o no je isu, " No one confesses that he has eaten
yam with a knife that is lost."
Obbe-Olojumeji, s. dagger, knife with tw^o edges.
Obbedo (obbe-odo), aclj. green (so called because it re-
sembles the green matter over stagnant water).
p/^ Obbo, 5. monkey, ape. — 'Enia bi obbo li obb9 iya li aso,
" The monkey is sure to tear the cloth of any one who
is like himself."
Obbo, s. a kind of white country cloth.
),/ 'Qbon, .9. a filthy person. — Ohun ti o wu obon ni ifi owo
re ira, ohun ti o wu afinju ni ifi ow^o re ise, " The
filthy man lays out his money in whatever pleases
him ; so also does the gay man with his money."
Obonbon, s. umbrella, parasol ; beetle, humming insect.
Oboro, adj. plain, having no mark or engraving.
Oda, s. dearth, drought, need, necessity ; a castrated goat
or dog ; old wine, strongly fermented.
''Oda, s. tar, wax.
Odaju (da-oju), adj. shameless.
Odan, Odanko, s. a kind of banyan commonly planted
in the street to afford shade.
^Odan, s. plain, grassfield.
Odan, s. vain empty talker, empty word, inconsistent
narration.
Oddo (luith i^rep. Si, Ni, or L'), adv. about, near ; to ; with.
— "Emi nl9 si 9ddo babba, "I am going to our father."
Odi-apassa, s. remnant of cloth in the sley or batten.
Ode, s. hunter ; also the wasp.
'Odedde, s. piazza, verandah. See Awon.
Odo, <v. young of animals (especially sheep, goats, dogs).
228
ODO
Odo-Agutan, s. lamb.
Ododun (ocUm-odun), adv. year by year, yearly.
^Odon, ^ Odun, s. grass cloths made from the fibres of
bamboo. See Korira.
Odun, s. year ; age; round of time in which an annual
festival occurs.
Ofe, adj. gratis, without payment, s. free favour, grace.
'Ofe, s. gentle breeze ; morning ; dawn.
Ofere, adv. nearly, almost. — Mofere ipa eiye na. Aki ije
ofere li obbe, " ' I almost killed the bird,' (said the
fowler). ' Almost never made {lit. no one can eat
almost in) a stew,' (was the reply)."
Offa, s. arrow ; pawn, pledge.
'Offa, adj. one hundred and twenty.
^Ofin, s. a pit prepared to entrap a beast or thief. — Ajin
ofin ma ta ojii ille, opolo ji ofin ma tajii ati jade,
"A man who has fallen into a pit need not be in a
hurry to get home ; a frog who has fallen into a pit
need not be in a hurry to get out."
'Of9, s. mourning for the dead.
Ofo, s. dispute, parlance, quarrel.
[/Ofon, Ofun, s. throat, speech, power of utterance, persua-
sion. — Ase ofon bi alakara, " He is as persuasive
as a seller of cakes."
Oga, 5. brave person, distinguished performer.
Oga-Ogo, adv. illustrious, highest ; most glorious (only
applied to the Supreme Being).
Oga-Orisa, s. chameleon.
Ogan, s. a large white ant-hill ; a running prickly plant.
Ogan, rt^'. immediate, instant. — Owi li ogan, "He spoke
in an instant."
"Ogan, s. the largest species of wild boar. — ^"Ogan imado
ko se iko li oju, " The great wild boar is not easy to
encounter." Also applied to a boastful person in con-
tempt : — 'Ogan nse nkan die, " The great one is
trying to show off a little."
229
OGA
Oganjo, s. darkness, middle of the night.
Oganjo-Meje, s. thick darkness (lit. severe darkness) ;
middle or depth of the night.
Oganran, adv. straightforward, in a right line.
Ogba, s. fence, garden ; pawn, the state of being in pawn.
'Ogba, s. companion, equal, one of the same rank ; snare ;
equality, balance. — Awa ise egbe tabbi ogba 1 "Am I
your equal or companion ?"
Ogbangan, s. hand-bell, so called from the sound.
Ogbagba, s. pin driven into the ground with a hammer
or mallet. — Ogbagba wolle o kun ati yo, " The pin
is driven into the ground ; the question now is, how
to pull it out."
Ogbe, s. wound, cut. See Osan.
Ogbe-Ino, s. bleeding from the bowels.
Og]j6, s. a trailing plant whose fibres are used for making
cords.
Ogbon, s. a ditch, corner, extreme end, steep, valley. —
J Agarawu yi si ogbon ko ku, " Though an Agarawu
(a tribe of the Popo nation) may fall into a ditch, yet
he will not die."
Ogbon, adj. thirty.
Ogbon, s. sense, art, cunning.
'Ogbon-Oyibo, .9. gauze. — ^"Ogbon-oyibo ti ino okun la
wa, aso ki li o bori akese, " Thou";h the gauze came
all the way over the sea, yet what cloth may be
compared to cloth of akese cotton ?"
'Ogboxgbon, s. the tender leaves of Egungun boiled.
Ogbogba, .9. balance, equality.
Ogbonkogbon (ogbon-ki- ogbon), s. subtilty, craft, double
dealing.
''Ogedde, s. the banana. — 'Ogedde sbe odo so sinsin ; eja
gbe ino omi dara, "As the banana by the water side
sends forth moisture, so the fish in the water retains
its beauty."
Ogegge, s. the cassada. — Ogegge ko li ewasa li o fi ara
^ ' ' 230
OGE
we isu, " The (poisonous) cassada has no good qua-
lities ; in vain does it appear like the yam."
>^Ogero, adj. easy gentle, soft. — Ise 9gero li ole iwa ise
ko je mu ise agbara, "A lazy man seeks for an easy
employment: he would never choose a laborious one."
^Ogevi, s. cold, damp, gloomy weather.
Oggo, s. a short knotted stick or club for self-defence ;
believed to be used by the devil, who is therefore
called Agongo oggo, " The man of the knotted club."
^Oggo-Ivo, s. a package of salt.
^ OgoddO, s. pit full of dirty water,
OG9FFA, adj. one hundred and twenty.
Ogorin (ogun-erin), adj. eighty.
Ogorun, Orun ( — orun), adj. one hundred.
Ogorun-Odun, s, one hundred years, a century.
Ogotta ( — etta), adj. sixty, the sixtieth.
^Ohan, adv. yes.
^Ohe, adv. stupid, dull, ignorant person.
j3hun, ado. yonder, beyond.
1/0ja, s. market, trade; goods, merchandise — Bi iwo ko
ran 'ni si oja, oja ki iran 'ni si ille, " If you send no one
to the market, the market will send no one to you."
Oja, s. band, girdle, sash.
Oja-gari, s. girth.
Oja-Ikoko, s. species of pine-apple used for healing sores.
Oja-Ovibo, s. European goods, goods from beyond sea. —
Oyibo ta oja ta oruko, 'Egan ta aso ta edidi, " The
European trader sells his goods (to the Popo) with
the label (Jit. name) attached to them ; the Popo (or
^Egun) sells them again just as he received them
(lit. with the string round them) :" i. e. neither of
them seeks to make gain by petty retail.
Ojehun, s. eater, glutton. — Ipin ojehun ki ije ina ki o
ku, " The good genius of every man (lit. eater) does
not permit fire (with which food is cooked) to depart
from the earth :" a superstition.
231
OJE
OjERE, s. plant, whose leaf is used in preparing a beve-
rage for children.
Ojo, s. sun, day, date ; weather.
Ojo-Alle, s. evening, afternoon.
Ojo, s. place, settlement, lodging. — O so mi li ojo, " He
appointed me a settlement, or lodged me."
Ojo-Ibi, s. birth-day.
Ojo-Ijo, s. day of assembly, day in which some grand
festival takes place, memorable day.
, Ojo-'Iwa, s. the day of creation, the beginning of
creation. — Li ojo alaiye ti de aiye ni iwa ti se, " From
the time that the owner of the world appeared in the
world, the world began."
Ojo-Isi, s. notable day, on which any great event took
place.
Ojo-Jakuta, 5. the day on which the Jakuta market
was formerly held.
Ojo-Ejo, s. com't day.
Ojo JO, adv. day by day, daily.
Ojo-jojo, 5. many days ; ancient time ; a long period
of time past or future.
Ojo-lailai, s. ancient time, old time.
Oka, s. Guinea corn ; food made from the flour of pre-
pared yams.
Ok AN, adj. one, single.
Okandilogun (okan-di-ni-ogun), adj. nineteen.
/^ Okanjua ( — oju-wa), 5. avaricious person ; avarice, cove-
tousness, insatiableness. — Okanjua babba aron, " Co-
vetousness is the father of disease." — Iggi okanjua so
eso pipo, kaka ki ama ka a, o yo ake ti i ike lulle, " A
tree belonging to an avaricious man bore abundantly,
but instead of gathering the fruit (by little at a time),
he took an axe and cut it down (that he might get
all at once.)"
Oka'nkan, adv. straightforward, openly. — Okankan li ase
ibi, \koko li ase imolle, bi atoiu imolle tan, ki atoju
232
OKA
ibi pellu, bi aba ku ara enni ni isin 'ni, "A man must
openly practise the duties of relationship, though he
may privately belong to a secret club : when he has
attended to the secret club, he must attend to the
duties of relationship also, because when he dies, it
is his relatives who must bury him."
Okankan, j9re/). against, opposite, in front.
Okanla (okan-le-ewa), adj. eleven.
Okanla-Odun, s. the eleventh month, November.
Okan-soso, adv. singly, adj. alone, undivided.
^Okka, s. a child's disease ; name of a plant used to cure
the same disease.
Okka-Iku, s. last struggle between life and death. — O
npe okka iku, " He is struggling between life and
death."
Okkan, s. name of a running plant used medicinally.
Okkan, s. soul, spirit, conscience, heart.
Okkan-tutu, s. calm soul, meekness.
Okkin, s. name of a bird, whose white feathers are much
valued. — Okkin 9bba eiye, okkin elewa alia, " The
9kkin is a king of birds, and the owner of the
beautiful white feathers."
Okkinrin, s. name of a bird that lives on crickets.
Okke, s. large straw bag.
Okkere, s. the squirrel. — Okke re gori iggi iroko oju da
sasa, ^' When the (hunted) squirrel gets on the top
of the iroko tree, there is an end (of the chase)."
Okko, s. a shuttle, canoe, boat, ship.
^Okko, s. spear, dart, harpoon. See Esin.
Oko, 5. hoe.
Oko, Okko, s. husband. — Okp kiku m9 li osi obiri, " The
death of a husband is the widow's anguish."
Oko-Assa, s. stirrup.
Oko-Ejika, s. shoulder-blade.
Okokan, adv. one by one. pron. each.
Oko-Iyawo, s. bridegroom.
233 2 H
OKO
« •
Okoloriri, Okolaya (ok9-ni-obiri), s. a married man.
Okonri, Okonrtn, s. man, male.
Okose (ko-ise) s. one who refuses to bear an errand, or
to work.
^Okun, s. name of a harmless reptile with many feet,
supposed to be blind. — Okun mo onna telle ki oju
re ki o to fo, " The okun must have known the way
before it was blind." — Enniti bii hu ipa ko hii ipa,
y] enniti iba hu ele ko hu ele, okun ti oni igba owo ti o
ni igba esse nhu iwa pelle, " The person who might
have used his strength, did not use his strength ;
the person who might have used force, did not use
force ; the okun, which has 200 hands and 200 feet,
acts gently."
^Okun-Enia, s. stupid, dull, harmless person.
Ola, s. wealth, riches.
Olara, s. envious person ; freeman.
^Olaja, s. peace-maker. See Ilaja.
^Olelle, s. a kind of cake.
Olla, s. the morrow, to-morrow.
OllX, s. honour, respect, dignity, authority.
Ollanla, s. majesty, great honour, dignity.
Olle, s. embryo.
/^ Qlle, s. idleness, indolence ; an indolent person. — Olle
kon are I0W9, iyanjii li agba ijo gbogbo ni ifi ire ni,
" Laziness lends a helping hand to fatigue : one must
persevere, because fatigue must be felt every day."
Ollo, s. a large nether millstone, millstone.
Ologanran, s. the screaming cricket.
Ologba ( — 9gba), s. owner of a garden ; a gardener.
Ologbon ( — 9gb9n), s. prudent person.
Oloja, s. person of rank ; executioner.
Olokko (oni-9kk9), s. owner or master of a ship ; spear-
man.
Ololla, s. nobleman, person in authority.
Olommu-Eko, 5. a young woman just approaching puberty.
234
OLO
Olonna, s. artisan, mechanic.
Olopa (ni-opa), s. a bearer of the king's staff, constable,
policeman.
Olopaga-Obba, s. bearer of the staff of royalty.
Olore (ni-ore), s. giver, donor.
Olorun (ni-orun), s. God, the Supreme Being. — Olorun
tobi li obba, " God is the great King."
Oloro ( — or9), s. possessing heaven ; a man of wealth ;
name of a plant.
Olosa ( — osa), s. robber, one who serves his chief by
robbery.
Olotan, s. distant relative.
Olotte (enni-otte), s. a seditious man, a revolutionist.
Olotti (ni-otti), s. maker or seller of beer or any liquor.
Olotto, s. a respectable and rich person.
Oloyumbere, s. small streaked lizard.
^Omm9, s. broad leaved tree of the banyan kind.
^^>--Gmm9, s. child, offspring, servant ; kernel. — Bi oju ommp
ko to oran ato awigbo, " If a child is not old enough
to be an eye-witness of ancient matters, he must be
content with hearsay."
Ommo-Adire, s. chicken. — Angba ommo adire lowo
/ iku o li ako je ki on ki o re atan lo ije, " A chicken,
having been delivered from the hawk (lit. death,
by being shut up), complained that it was not per-
mitted to feed openly on the dunghill."
Ommo-Agadagodo, s. key.
Ommo-Agbo, Ommo-Owo, s. infant.
Ommo-^Agutan, s. lamb.
Ommo-Alade, 5. prince, princess.
Ommo- Alle, s. bastard, child born out of wedlock,
child of a concubine.
Ommo-Binrin, Ommobiri, s. girl, daughter.
Ommodan, s. young woman.
Ommode, j)l. Majesi, s. child ; state of childhood.
Ommodin, s. little finger, little toe.
235
OMM
Ommodo, s. brook, rivulet.
Ommo-Ewure, s. kid.
Ommo-Eiiin, s. younger, inferior, follower.
Ommo-Esin, s. colt.
Ommogun, (pmmo-ogun), s. a soldier, war-man.
Ommo-Kewu, s. scholar, learner.
Ommo-Kinniu, 5. lion's whelp.
Ommo-konri, s. son, boy, youth, lad, young man,
mighty man of valour.
OMM9-LALA, s. great grandchild.
Ommole (ommon-ille), s. salamander.
Ommoloju ( — ni-oju), s, grandchild.
O^niOLOjuBiNRi ( — obinri), s. granddaughter.
Ommolojukonri ( — okonri), s. grandson.
Ommo-Malu, s. calf.
Ommo-Oju, s. pupil of the eye.
OMM9-OKU, s. orphan.
Ommo-Ologinni, s. kitten.
Ommo-Obba, s. prince, princess, child of a king.
Ommo-Ommo, s. grandchild.
OMM9-OMM9BINR1, s. granddaughter.
Ommo-Ommokonri, s. grandson.
Ommo-Owu, s. blacksmith's hammer.
0>ni9Ri ( — ori), s. cover, lid, any small part of a ves-
sel needed to complete it. — Ti ommori ti iye, "A
vessel with its cover."
OMM9RIKA (omm9-ori-ika), s. top or tip of the finger.
Omm9ri-Od6, s. pestle.
OMM9R1-OLL9, s. smaller or upper millstone.
OMM9SSE ( — esse), s. toe.
Ommo-te, v. n. to travail, to labour in child-birth.
• • • '
Ommo-Waiiari, 5. the child of a female slave taken
for a wife.
Ommu, Ommo, s. breast, udder, milk ; instrument used
in weaving to divide the woof.
Omotti, Omottiyo (m9-9tti-yo), s. drunkard.
' ' 236 * "
u
OMO
Omodun, s. the young and tender leaves of a tree.
Omodun-Ope, s. palm-cabbage.
Omokoko (mo-ikoko), s. smoker of a pipe ; potter.
Oni, s. crocodile.
Onna, s. art, workmanship.
^Onna, s. road, street, way, path.
'Onna-gb6ro, 5. narrow road, street, path, or lane,
'Onnagboro, s. wide road, wide street.
'Onna-Iweffa, s. the chief eunuch.
'Onna-Igboro, s. wide street, street.
'Onna-tere, s. narrow street, lane.
^Onna-Ode, s, gate leading immediately to the street.
'Onna-sokun (onna-isokun), 5. the king's patron ; a title
given to the chief of a council of two-and-twenty
elders called Isokun.
Opa, s. stick, staff, pole.
Opa-Aso, yard measure, three feet.
Opagun (opa-ogun), s. flag-staff, ensign, banner.
Opa- Ipo, s. rod, travelling-staff.
Opako, s. large bamboo pole used to propel canoes.
Opalaba, s. square bottle with a narrow bottom.
Opalai, s. dispute, reasoning, quarrelling.
Ope, s. thanks. — Mo da ope, " I give thanks." — Ope 11
ope ejika ti ko je ewu kl 6 bo, " Thanks are due to
the shoulders which keep the shirt from slipping off."
Ope, s. palm tree.
'Opelle, s. messenger of Ifa.
Opere, 5. small boat, or canoe.
Ope RE, Idoko, 5. pepper bird.
'Opo, s. plenty, abundance, multitude, flock.
Opollo, s. frog.
'Opolopo, adv. plentifully, commonly, manifold.
Opon, s. bowl.
Opon-Oyibo, s. pine apple.
OpoTTo-KiTi, s. kind of flor tree.
'Opowom, s. innumerable swarm.
237
ORA
Ora, s fat, tallow, lard. See Aparo.
Oua-Egungun, s. marrow,
'Ora, s. purchase ; purchaser.
'Oran, s. matter, case.
'Ore, s. friend.
^y^ORE,s. gift, present. — Ore ije 9re, oraije ora, aki idupe
motopo, " A gift is a gift, and a purchase is a pur-
chase ; but no one will thank you for ^ I have sold it
very cheap.' "
Ore-Anu, s, alms, charitable gift.
Orekese, s. a very small straw bag in which cowries are
kept.
'Orere, 5. slisfht fits.
Ore, s. small whip, whip.
Oredan (ore-odan), s. the name of a tree (also called
Ore-Odan) : the bark of this tree pounded and washed
in water, being viscous, is used as leaven for ferment-
ing Akara.
Orere, s. salt.
Orin, adj. eighty,
'Orin, 5. dysentery.
^Oro, s. word, conversation; clay for building; evil
spirit, ghost, fairy.
'Oro-Ijinle, 5. profound speech, profundity, mystery.
Oro, s. riches, wealth.
Oro-Ille, s. inheritance, possession in lands.
Oro, s. equivocation, unfairness, deceit.
Oro, s. the cactus or euphorbia, whose various species
are named Oro-Agogo, Oro-Ennukopiye, Oro-Sapo
or Satipo.
Orun, s. bow.
Orun, Qron, 5. neck.
Orun, adj. one hundred.
Orun, s. heaven, sky, cloud.
Orun-Apadi (lit. the invisible world of potsherds), s. place
of punishment, hell.
238
ORU
Orunla, s. dried okro.
OsA, s, flight, discomfiture.
'OsA, s. space of time, time intervening between one
period and another. — Duro li osa agogo kan, " Wait
for the space of an hour."
'OsA, s. act of robbing, robbery.
OsAN, s. name of a tree and its fruit.
OsANHAN, adj. straightforward.
. OsANniN, s. the god of physic ; medicine.
'OsiN, s. a water-bird. — ^"Osin mo iwe ino mbi eiye oko,
^ " Because the osin knows how to swim, the other
birds are envious."
OsEGGE, s. cloth of great width.
Oso, s. much speaking, exaggeration.
OsoN, OsuN, s. species of herb.
Ososo (son-ino), s. liberal, hospitable person.
Ososo, s. a kind of worm found in brooks and rivers.
'OssA, s. name of the lagoon near Badagry.
OssAN, s, daytime.
OssAN-GANGAN, s. midday, noon.
OssE, s. holy day, period intervening from one holy time
to another ; space of a week.
U^ OsAN, s. bowstring made of raw hide. — Ale koko bi osan
9gbe jina ohun ma jina, " (A cutting word is as)
tough as a bowstring; a cutting word cannot be
healed, though a wound may."
Osan-Enia, s. thin, slender person.
OsE, 5. soap.
OsE, s. crane.
, /Osin, s. one who makes a mistake. — Osin ki isin ennu,
// • • ^ ••••7
"Though a man may miss other things, he never
misses his mouth."
Oso, s. elegance, finery, neatness, furniture.
^Oso, s. thorns used in pitfalls ; pickaxe.
Osoro-Adire, s. chicken.
'OsoRO, s. cascade, cataract ; droppings from the eaves.
* 239
oso
• • •
OsoNSON, OsuNsuN, s. rat-trap ; a bard wood often used
for staffs.
Otan, adv. indeed, very well.
Otta, s. gunshot, bullet, ball.
Otta, s. enemy, opponent.
Otti-Oloja, s. executioner.
Otti, s. rum, beer, ale, any spirituous liquor.
Otti-Kikan, 5. sour liquor, vinegar.
Otti-npa, v. n. to be intoxicated (lit. liquor is killing).
Otti-Oda, s. old fermented liquor.
Otti-Ojo, s. new sweet liquor.
Otte, s. revolt, revolution, rebellion.
Ottesse, s. private informer.
'Otto, adj. difrerent, alone, separate.
Otton, adj. right, dexter.
Otton, Omi-otton, s. holy water used in libations.
Ottonla, s. the day after to-morrow.
Otton-' IwEFFA, s. the second chief eunuch.
Otton-Iyalode, s. a title next to Iyalode.
Otton-gabaz, s. the north with the face to the west.
'Ottoto, s. the whole of any thing.
Owa, s. branch of palm tree.
'OwARA, s. shower of rain ; any thing thrown or scattered.
OwARiRi, s. trembling.
^OwE, s. club or company, summoned to assist in labour.
Owo, 5. flock of birds, beasts, or cattle ; multitude, class;
company of travellers, caravan ; herd, assortment. —
Owo enia gbatii, "A multitude of people followed
him."
Owo, s. hand; branch; spray.
Owo-^OsiN, 6'. the left hand.
Owo-Otton, s. the vm\\i hand.
OwoDiNDiN, 6". a bird so called from its cry.
Owo-Ina, s. flame of fire.
Ow(), s. broom, besom.
'Owo, *. honour, respect.
'240
owo
• •
OwoDowo (9W9-de-owo), adv. (from) hand to hand.
OvvoLLE ( — ille) s. time, opportunity. — Bu mi li owolle^
"Give me time."
OwoN, 5. vengeance, retaliation, recompense, blame.
OwoN, s. black snake, which emits spittle upon its op-
ponents.
OwoN, s. scarcity, dearth, a wicked person.
Owowo, s. a bird which generally lodges in holes.
Oya, s. hire, wages ; hedgehog.
Ova, 5. the wife of thunder, a goddess to whom the river
Niger is dedicated, which therefore is called Odo
Oya — The river of Oya.
OviVN, s. the name of a small stream running into the
"Ogun.
Oye, s. the harmattan-wind.
Ovo-GOHO-GOHO, s. bird, so called from its motion.
OvoMisi, s. an expression of respect to the elders of Oyo,
e.g. Gbogbo agba mo beru nyin, illu mo beru nyin,
Oyo misi mo beru nyin, " I present my respects {lit.
fear) to the elders in general, I present my respects
to the whole town, I present my respects to all the
leading elders of Oyo."
P.
Pa, v. a. {primary idea, to make to feel or suffer ; exten-
sively used in composition), to kill, murder, put out of
existence, ruin, slay ; betray ; quench fire, extinguish;
bruise ; rub ; scrub ; cut (yam seeds) ; cut calabashes
into halves ; break any hard nut ; peel the bark of
a tree ; beat at play ; hatch ; tell fables ; cultivate a
new grassfield ; be drunken.
Pa yb//ow(?t? ^^^Abemo (tent, shed), v.n. to make a tent
or tabernacle.
Adano (loss), V. n. to suffer loss in trade
or merchandise.
Agbo (a circle), v. n. to make a circle. .
241 2i
PA
V\ followed hi/ Alo (riddle)j v. n. to puzzle with riddles.
Alo (flame), v. n. to cease burning in a
flame.
Ase (law), V. n. to give law, command,
make proclamation.
Da (turn), v. a. to alter, change, convert. —
Emi ko le ipa ipo mi da, " I cannot
change my situation."
De (close), V. a. to shut, close up. — Pa iwe
re de, " Close up your book."
Ete (intention), v. n. to be about to do,
intend to do.
^Imo (counsel), v. a. to consult, suggest,
hint (lit. to hatch a counsel).
Iye, v. n. to go through the farms in search
of provision in time of war ; forage.
Lara (ni-ara, body), v. a. to hurt, bruise.
Lerin ( — erin, laughter), u «. to excite to
laughter.
Mo (adhesive), v. a. to keep, reserve, pre-
serve.
Mora (mo-ara, close to the body), v. a. to
bear patiently.
NivE (ni-iye, in memory), y. <«. to confuse,
confound.
Niveda ( — da, turn), v. a. to persuade,
Osu-JE (month), v. n. to miss the month.
Osusu (a grove), v. n. to stand in a grove,
form a grove.
Ojo-je, v. n. to miss a day or days.
Po ( — plenty), v. a. to join, mingle to-
gether.
Run (to destroy) v. a. to destroy, annilii-
late, erase.
Pa, adv. at once, in an instant. — O gbe e pa, " He took it
. up at once." v. n. to be bald, void of hair, barren.
242
PA
Pa, inte'ij. a word of exclamation.
Pa-da, v. n. to return, come back, change, alter.
Padaseiiin ( — si-ehin), v. n. to return back, relapse.
Pade (pa-ide), v. a. to meet with, come together.
Padegun (pade-ogun), v. n. to meet in battle.
Pafa, s. butcher's table, board.
Pafo (pa-afo) v, a. to wallow in the mire.
Paiiin (pa-ehin), v. n. to sharpen the teeth.
Pahin-keke, v. n. to chatter with the teeth as when one
shivers.
Pajo, Pejo (pe-ijo), v. n. to assemble together.
Pakaja, v. a. to pass a country cloth from under the arm
to the shoulder.
Pako, s. bamboo.
Pako, s. board.
Pakunrete, s. kind of dove (also called Orofo).
Pakuta, s. small stewpan.
Pala, adv. with much effort, with difficulty.
Palai, adv. not at all, not near, far from.
Palaka, s. the division of the fingers ; bough of a tree.
Palapala, s. rough, rugged crevices of rocks.
Palo, v. n. to puzzle with enigmas.
Pa:m6, v. n. to hide ; be out of sight, concealed.
Pamolle (pa-mo-ille), s. viper. — Pamolle ko oran afojudi,
" The viper allows no insolence."
Panhun, adv. at once, in a stroke.
Pania (pa-enia), v. n. to commit murder.
Panipani, s. murderer..
Pansa, dry calabash uncut, with the seeds in it.
Pansa-Ille, 5. grave, tomb.
Pansaga, s. harlot, prostitute ; adultery, fornication.
Pansuku, s. large calabash with a cover (used for carry-
ing food, wearing apparel, and other articles when
travelling).
Panti, PANxiRi, s. a trailing plant.
Papa, s. grass-field, plain newly burnt ; pasture land.
243
PAP
Papa, adv. violently {qualifying v. Wa, to tremble). — On-
wa papa bi enniti ina jo, " You quiver like one who
has been burnt."
Papagori, s. a small bird, superstitiously regarded by the
worshippers of Sango, who pretend to understand
the meaning of its cry.
Papala, adv. flatly, drily {jiaalifying v. Gbe, to parch).* —
O gbe papala, " It is shrivelled up flat."
Pape (pa-ape), v. n. to clap hands.
Pa-po, v. n. to unite, mingle.
Para, adv. with sudden noise.
Para (pa-ara), s. the upper part of the plate which rests
on the posts supporting the piazza.
Vara folloived hy M9, v. a. to keep oneself close, take
heed. — Para re mo, '' Keep your-
self close."
Da, v. a. to disguise, change, turn
oneself.
Parada, v. n. to disguise, change.
Pari (pa-ori) v.n.anda. to come to an end, finish, be
over, be superior.
Pari, v. n. to be bald.
Par"], s. jaw-bone.
Paro (pa-aro) v. a. to exchange, barter. — Awa fi ohun
paro ohun, " We exchange words for words."
Pa-run, v. n. to extirpate, destroy.
Pasi, s. a kind of coarse grass for thatching.
Pasan, s. oyster-shells (also called Papasan).
Pasan, 5. whip.
Pasi-paro, s. exchange, barter.
Pase (pa-ase), v. a. to issue a prohibitive law.
Pataki, adj. chief, principal, head.
Patako, s. wooden shoe, clog ; hoof.
Patapata, adv. with the whole, altogether.
Pati, afZ/. forcible, violent.
Patipati, a<^?y. with force, with violence, forcibly, violently.
244
PAT
Patire, whip, switch.
Pato, Patoto, v. n. to make a noise.
Pe, adj. correct, as regards to number ; perfect.
Pe, v. a. to call, invite.
Vkfolloived by Afefe, v. n. to take exercise in the air,
enjoy the breeze.
Lejo (ni-ejo), v. a. to call to judg-
ment
. Pada, v. a. to recall.
Pe, cotij. that ; in order that ; to ; saying that.
Pena (pe-ena), Pejo (pe-jo), v,a. to call an assembly;
call a congregation, assemble together.
Pepele, s. bank of earth raised for a sleeping place.
Pere, adv. only. — Awa meji pere ni nlo 1 " Are we two
only going ?"
Peregun, s. kind of cotton tree.
Peri, v. n. to mean, allude to, say.
Pero, s. drill, parade, soldiers' exercise.
Pese (pa-ese), v. a. to prepare, make provision ready.
Pesan, s. the shell of palm nuts.
Petan, v. n. to be perfect, correct, accomplished.
Pete (pa-ete), v. a. to intend, be about to do.
Pete, ado. openly, barefacedly.
Pe, v. n. to be long, stay, tarry, endure, last.
Pejapeja (pa-eja), s. fisherman.
Pellebe, Pelebe, adj. flat and thin.
Pelle, adv. gently, easily, soberly.
Pellepe, s. w'olf (superstitiously believed to have been
once a human being).
Pelle-pelle, adv. very gently.
Pellu, Pellupellu, adv. besides, also, moreover.
Pepe, s. shelf; altar ; slip of wood or bamboo.
Pepe, s. bird snare ; adv. gently. — Olu mi pepe, " He
stroked me gently."
Pepekun, s. sea-shell.
Pepeiye, s. duck.
245
J
PER
Pe re, advi. quietly, without bustle.
Pesse, adv. gently, easily.
Perepere, adx). raggedly, [quaUfy'mg v. Ya, to tear). — O
fa aso ya perepere, " He tears the cloth into
rags."
Perepere, adv. very {qualifying v. Du, to be black). — As9
yi du perepere, " This cloth is very black."
Petelle, s. level ground, plain.
Petepere, adv. comfortably.
Petepete, s. mud, mire. — Petepete liesa o ta si 'ni lara
ma won, " If the mud in the ^Ijesa country adheres
to one, it will not be (easily) washed off."
Petupetu (pa-etu), 5. fowler, guinea-fowl catcher.
Pi, adv. entirely, wholly, without exception.
PiDAN (pa-idan), v. n. to perform sleight of hand.
PiLLESE, PiLLE (pa-ille-se), v. a. to commence, begin ;
(used with reference to mechanical work).
Pin, v. a. to share, divide.
PiN-FUNi, V. a. to divide, distribute.
Pin, v. a. to end, terminate.
PiNLE (pin-ille), v. a. to terminate.
PiNPiN, adv. fast, tight.
PiPA, verbal adj. slain, killed, not dying of itself.
Pipe, avj. long, tedious ; old, ancient.
PiTAN (pa-itan), v. n. to argue or dispute about one's age
by adducing old facts.
PiWADA (pa-ivva-da), v. n. to change one's behaviour and
conduct, to repent.
Pi VEDA (pa-iye-da), v, n. to change the mind.
PiYE ( — iye), V. a. to plunder.
PoiiuNRERE (pe-ohun-rere), v. n. to cry aloud, to lament,
bewail, cry out dolefully.
PopoRo, s. stem of Indian or Guinea corn.
Polo, s. snare for beasts.
PoNSE, .s. name of a tree, the shell of whose fruit is used
for making snufT-boxes.
246
POP
PopoLA, s. name of a tree bearing rich scarlet flowers,
the fruit of which is esculent.
PopoNDo, s. a kind of bean.
PoRi, PoRiRi, V. a. to turn round, whirl.
PoRiN (po-irin), v. n. to smelt iron ore.
PoROPORo, adv. talkatively.
Posi, s. coffin.
PoTUTU (pa-otutu), v.n. to endure cold.
Po, V. n. and adj. to be plentiful, many, cheap, common ;
great, mighty ; wealthy ; able, powerful ; increasing.
Po, v.a. to emit, to throw back.
Po-ju, adv. much, more than.
PojuLo, adv. most, above all.
PoKO, s. a kind of calabash.
PoN, V. a. to sharpen an iron instrument ; flatter, make
much of. V. n. to ripen ; get yellow ; be red.
PoN folloived hy Loju (ni-oju), v. a. to afflict, trouble,
torment,
PoN, V. a. to carry on the back.
PoNGA, s. pieces of stick placed crosswise over the body
in the grave to prevent the earth from touching it.
PoNGA, adv. entirely, clean.
PoN-Rusu-Rusu, adj. brown, brownish.
PoNTi (pon-otti), V. n. to make or brew beer (as from
Indian or Guinea corn).
PoNso ( — aso), V. n. to ripen (as Indian corn).
PosiLLE-PosoDE, adj. busy in and out.
PoTOPOTO, s. mud, bog, mire.
Pu, adv. precipitately. — O tu pu, " He runs precipitately."
Pupa, adj. red, scarlet, yellow.
PuPA-EviN, s. yelk, yolk of an egg.
Pupo, Pipo, adj. many, much, numerous.
Pupo-pupo, Pipo-pipo, adv. abundantly, numerously.
PuRO (pa-iro), v,n. to tell a lie (Jit. to hatch a lie).
PuTU, adv. well {qual[f(/ing v. Ho, to lather). — Ose nho
putu, " The soap lathers well."
247
RA
R.
Ra, v. a. to buy, purchase ; tie ; furnish with laths.
Ra followed by Di, v. n. to repay, recompense, retaliate.
. / 'Eddo, V. w. to feel compassion, or yearn-
ing of the bowels.
Ra, v. n. to perish, be lost, go to nothing ; ache slightly,
(as the head).
'Rk followed by Niye (ni-iye, in memory),!?, n. to make
one forgetful, stupefy.
Ra, v. n. to rot, putrefy ; hover as a bird.
Ra, v. n. to struggle ; creep, crawl ; rub upon. — Okonri
na nra pala, " The man struggles with great
effort"
Rabita, AlarT, s. a piece of AlarT.
Radobo (ra-eddo-bo), v. a. to shelter, defend; gather as
a hen does her brood.
Raganbi (ron-agan-bi), .s-. a child born after a long season
of barrenness.
Raiiun (ra-ohun), v. n. to murmur, complain, speak un-
advisedly from much grief
Rajo (re-ajo), v. n. to go on a journey, sojourn.
Rako (ra-ako), v. n. to creep, crawl.
Ram-ram, adv. very {qualifying v. ke, to cry, roar).—
Kenniu k6 ramram, " The lion roared very loudly."
Ran, v. a. to send, despatch ; to command, charge ; sew.
'y. n. to be slow in growing, be hide-bound.
RLn followed by Leti, v. a. to remind.
Ran, v. a. to communicate (as fire) ; be infectious (as
disease) ; cut or wound (as an instrument) ; help, aid
in business. — Ore mi ran mi lowo, " My friend
helped me."
Ran, v. a. to spin, twist cord or line.
Ra'n- Ipo, v. n. to speak ironically.
Ranhun-raniiun, v. n. to be perplexed.
Ranju (ran-oju), v. n. to look sternly or fiercely.
248
RAN
Ranti (ran-eti), v. n. to remember, call to mind.
Ranse (ran-onise), v. n. to send a message.
Rara, adv. loudly, vociferously {qualifying v. ke, to cry
out). — Nigbati mo soro na fun u, o ke rara, "When
I told him the word he cried out."
Ra'ra, s. and adj. none, nothing, none at all.
Rare, v. n. to linger, suffer a long and tedious sickness
without care and attention, struggle between life
and death.
Rau-rau, adv. entirely, totally.
Re, v. n. to change feathers as birds, moult, fall off as
hair or leaves.
Re, v. n. to go, depart (same sic/nijlcation as ho).
Re, v. n. to go off", spring as a trap or snare.
Rebi (re-ebi), v. n. to go on a journey, sojourn.
Rede-rede, adv. foolishly.
Red! (re-idi), v. n. to move the tail upward, as a bird when
it sits upon a tree; wag the tail. — Eiye ba o redi, "The
bird sits (upon the tree) and moves its tail upward."
Refix, Rufin (ru-ofin), v. n. to break or transgress the
law.
Reke, adv. to an eminent degree.
Re-ko-ja, adv. beyond measure, v. a. to pass over ; omit ;
cross, traverse, go alone. — Mo rekoja afara, " I crossed
the bridge."
Reku (re-iku), v. a. to kill, despatch, kill (as a snare or
trap).
Rera ( — ara), v. n. to be proud.
Rere, adv. well. adj. good, devout.
Rere, adj. at a great distance.
Reri (re-ori), v. n. to be past harvest time, verbal adj.
having no more fruit on.
Reru, adv. entirely out of sight, no more to be seen.
Reti (re-eti), v. a. to hope, expect, wait for ; clean the
ear with a feather or an ear-pick.
Re, v. a. to shear, cut short, cut, smear.
249 2 K
/
J
RE
Ke followed hy Je, v. a. to cheat {l.\t. to cut and eat).
IVIeyanmeyan, v. a. to crush to atoms.
Re, v. v. to agree, be friendly, stick to. — Egiin ko ba esse
re, " Thorns do not agree with the foot."
Re, pers. pron. reflect, thyself.
Re, v. a. io dye, steep in water, tinge.
Re, jiers. jjron. his, himself.
Re, v. n. to feel fatigued, be tired, weary ; cast leaves (as
trees in autumn); hush, comfort; fade, wither; in-
crease, multiply ; be deeply red.
Regge (re-egge), v. n. to set a snare for ; watch for, wait
for an opportunity ; find fault.
Relle (re-ille), v. a. to go down, humble oneself, make
oneself low.
Rerin (rin-erin), v. n. to laugh.
Rerin-wesi, v. n. to smile.
Rere, adv. very [qualify'mg verbs of pursuing or motion
towards). — Nw9n le mi rere, "They are pursuing
me.
Rere-Oju, s. eye-servant, eye-service. — Rere oju, oju li
afeni suti lehin, " An eye-servant promises friend-
ship ; but he despises you behind your back."
Reyin (re-oyin), v. n. to take honey from a hive.
Ri, v. a. and n. to sink, drown, immerse ; prepare the
woof for the loom by insertion in the sley.
Ri, V. a. to see, find, discover, v. n. to be, seem, appear;
be defiled,
Ri, adv. never, at no time. — Nwon mu esin na wa, irii
eyi ti ako ri ri, " They brought the horse ; the like
was never seen."
Wi followed hy Sa, v. a. to shun, avoid, run from.
RiDi (ri-idi), v. a. to ascertain, see the end.
Ri-GB^ V. a. to receive, obtain.
RiKisl, 5. conspiracy, plot. — Nw9n di rikisi si mi, "They
plotted against me."
RiN, V. n. to laugh.
250
RIN
RiN, V. n. to be damp, or soaked ; press down to the
ground.
RiN, V. a. and n. to tickle ; sail ; walk, go, move, pro-
gress. — Bi ati rin li ako 'ni, " As one is walking so
he is met."
RiND9 (rin-eddo), v.n. to have a sensitive stomach sub-
ject to nausea.
RiNRiN, adv. very (quaJifying v. Wuwo, to be heavy). —
Okuta na wuwo rinrin, " The stone is very heavy."
RiRAN (ri-iran), t\ n. to see, see a wonderful sight.
RiRi, adv. exceedingly {ciualifying v. Wa, to tremble). —
Nigbati mo gbo orp na, mo vva riri, " When I
heard the word I trembled greatly."
RiRi, adv. somewhat tremulously {qualifying v. WX, to
shake). — Otutu mu ommode na o nwa riri, " The
child is cold, he shivers a little."
RiRi, s. the act of seeing. — Ni ti riri mo ti ri i, " Seeing,
I have seen it."
RiRO, Iro, s. the act of rushing.
RiRO, Iro, s. the act of manufacturing iron.
RiRU, Iru, s. the act of issuing forth from a dry spring ;
issue of smoke from the fire kindled ; sprout of a
vegetable.
Riru-Omi, s. swell of the waves. — Riru omi ndide fuke-
fuke, " The waves are rising very high."
Rd, V. a. to tell, relate ; conceive, imagine, meditate,
think deeply ; stir up ; plague, trouble.
Ro, V. a. to sound ; place in an erect position ; excite,
render stimulant.
Ro, V. a. to cultivate, till ; v. n. to drip. *
Ro, r. a. to cause acute pain (as a sore or wound), to give
constant pain.
RoGUN, V. n. to drain into a pond or pit, collect by dis-
tillation.
RoHiN, (ro-ihin), v. n. to tell news
Ro and Loju, v. a, to appear difficult.
251
ROJ
Roju (ro-oju), V. n. to look sad, or displeased.
RoKi-ROKi, adv. biilliantly {qualifying verbal adj. Pon,
red). — Aso na pon rokiroki, " The cloth is beauti-
fully red."
RoLLE (ro-ille), v. n. to succeed to the deceased head of
a family; to inherit property (especially houses).
RoNA (ro-onna), v. a. to stop or block up the road ;
clear the road.
RoNo (ro-ino), v. n. to stir the mind, think, meditate ;
be sorrv.
RoNo-RONO, s. a thinker.
RoN9-pi:\VADA, V. n. to change one's conduct, opinion, or
behaviour, after consideration, repent.
RoRo, adj. austere, severe, harsh, fierce.
RoRO, adv. beautifully {qualifying verhal adj Pon, red).
RoRo, adv. very beautifully {qualifying Pon).
RoRE, s. pustule, pimple appearing on the face.
Ro, -y. w. to gush, give way. v. a. push, push forcibly,
break or bend at the edge, pervert, turn aside ; to
collect a confused mass of things ; translate, explain.
Ro, V. n. to wither (as the hand or a limb), be scorched or
blighted (as green leaves), v. a. weaken, slacken, cool
the ardour.
Ro, V. a. to urge, constrain, press upon; v.n. to ease,
give time, hang upon, suspend ; feel easy, be com-
fortable, be soft ; rain.
RpBi, (ro-ibi), v. n. to travail, be in the pains of child-birth.
Ro-BERE, V. a. to expound by a lengthened narrative.
RoGUN, V. a. to lay wait for, set a watch for ; produce seed
(as yams).
Rojo, V. n. to rain, pour down rain.
Rojo, V. n. to wither (as a green herb).
Roju, v.n. to persevere, be patient.
Roju, adj. tame, mild, soft.
RoKiN, V. n. to relate traditions, tell old stories,
RoKON, V. n. to rebel.
252
ROL
R9LLE, V. n. to be quiet, cease, be still, be tranquil.
RoMo, V. n. to hang or lean upon.
Ron, v. n. to be ill.
Ron, v. a. to dip the sop in sauce, touch.
Ron, Run, v. a. to masticate, chew.
RoNDONRONDON, adj. pale.
RoNGAN, i;. ??. to be barren (commonly considered the
result of disease).
RoNGBON, s. beard, whiskers.
RoNo (ro-ino), v. n. to be abstemious.
Ropo (r9-ipo), v. n. to take the room of another, supply
the place of an absent person.
RoRA ( — ara), v. n. to take care of, deal gently.
RoRo, 5. ram's mane.
RoGBAKA ( — ogba-ka), v. a. to surround, encircle, encom-
pass.
RoGBOKu, V. n. to lean with the elbow, recline.
Ru, V. a. to bear, carry, sustain, support ; be poor or
meagre, lose flesh, grow lean.
Ru, V. n. to spring (as a fountain), sprout (as a vegeta-
ble) ; flourish ; stir up, mingle.
Ru, V. n. to rise, swell, boil over ; break out, be exposed ;
be moved with grief.
RuBUTu (Haussa), s. w-riting,
RuBO (ru-ebo), v.n. to make sacrifice.
Run, v. 71. to break in pieces, or chips ; masticate. —
O run wommom, "It breaks in pieces."
Run, v. a. to consume, extirpate, destroy, annihilate.
Run, v. n. to be straight, or direct.
Run, v. a. to chew a stick, v. n. to send forth a savour, stink.
Runle (run-ille), v. a. to break into a house by under-
mining the ground.
RuDu-RUDU, adj. disordered, in great confusion.
RuFiN (ru-ofin), v. n. to transgress, break the law.
RuGupu, adj. small, short.
RuKE-RUDo, .9. tumult, uproar, confusion.
253
RUL
RuLLu-uuLLU, s. seditious person, one who disturbs the
town.
RuRU, adv. confusedly.
RuwE (ru-ewe), v. n. to shoot forth leaves.
S.
Sa, s. time.
Sa, v. a. to expose in the sun to dry.
Sa, v. n. to flee, run.
^A followed bj/ Di, v.n. to seek protection.
Sa, adv. (a particle prefixed to verbs to call immediate
attention), now, see now. — Sa gbo bi mo ti wi, " Now
hear what I say."
Sa, coitj. for. — Yio sa se, " For it shall come to pass."
Sa, v. a. to make, aim at, point, apply medicine.
Sa, adv. awhile, for a time.
Sa foUoived bj/ Lami (ni-ami), v. a. to make a mark or
make a sign upon.
LojA, V. a. to slip from memory ; forget.
Pamo, v. n. to hide, conceal oneself.
Sabba (siin-abba), v. n. to incubate, set on eggs ; hide
away.
Sa-di, v. n. to take refuge under the protection of
another.
Sagadagba (so-agada-gba), v. n. to become a pitched
battle.
Sagati ( — 'aga-ti), v. a. to encamp against.
Sagun (sa-ogun), v. n. to make charms or greegrees.
Sakani, s. neighbourhood.
Sakasaka, s. hay, groundnut leaves dried, provender.
Sakusa, s. black, long-tailed bird, said to be one of the
morning songsters.
Sa-kuro, v. a. to abandon, forsake, run away from.
Salo, v. 11. to run away.
Salaiia, Salala, y. a kind of napkin used by men. See
Ibante.
SAL
Salubatta, s. sandals.
Samisi, v. a. to put a mark on, distinguish.
San, v. a. to gird, tie round ; split, crack, v. n. thunder.
San, adv. aloud, straightforward, directly, vividly. — Ma-
namana ko san, " It lightens vividly."
San, adj. better.
/^AN, V. a. to pay, reward, benefit. — Olori li ori isan ki
^ isan akan loke ode, " (The good genius of the) head
prospers the owner of the head, and not the crab on
the bank of the river." A fortunate spirit is sup-
posed to reside in each man's brain : — The crab is
used to represent one who has no connection with
or claim on another. The proverb therefore signi-
fies that each man has an exclusive right to the pro-
ducts of his own forethought and industry.
San followed hy Telle, v. n. to advance money, pay
beforehand.
Sandie, Sanju, adj. a little better.
Sanra (san-ara), v. a. to be healthy or well looking.
Sansan, adv. in small slips {quaUfying v. Be, to split).
Sanyan, s. raw silk, coarse woven silk, silk cloth.
Sa-pa-mo, v. n. to hide, abscond.
SapaUa, Sapadi, v. n. to be barren (applied only to land).
Sapere, v. n. to make a sign, give direction, token, or
mark, make a figure.
Saraha, s. alms, charitable gift. (As used by the Ma-
hommedans these gifts are very much akin to actual
^' sacrifice. Ore-anu, meaning unequivocally "alms,"
has been therefore employed in translation). — Saraha
babba ebo, " Saraha is the father of sacrifice."
Sare, Sure (sa-ire), v.n. to run.
Sare, s. square inclosed by buildings.
Sarepegbe, s. the messenger of a company.
Sari, s. the early meal of the Mahommedans before day-
break during their fast-days. — Babba dide ki o mii
s^ri je, " Father, rise, that you may eat sari."
255"
SAT
Sata, Kusata, s. lioiisehold, group of buildings under
the inspection of a headman.
^Sase (se-ase), v. n. to make a feast.
Sawo-o, int. behold ! lo !
Sagbaraka, v. a. to fortify with a wooden fence.
Se, v. n. to be shut, close, be barren ; miss a mark or
one's aim.
^E followed hy Mo, v. a, to enclose, block up.
Se, v. a. to cook, dress and prepare victuals, to dye
cloth or leather.
Sebo (se-ibo), v. a. to wax gross, to overpower with fat.
Segiri (se-egiri), -y. n. to be chilly.
Sepon, v. n. to be barren or unfruitful.
Sese, s. a kind of bean.
Si, 'G. n. to be, exist. — lya ko si mo, babba ko si mo ta
ni yio se itoju mi, " (My) mother is no more ; (my)
father is no more ; who shall take care of me ?"
Si, prep, against, to, at, into, used always with a verb of
motion towards. — Emi nlo si ille wa, " I am going
to our house." — Ogun taiTa si wa, ^' The enemy shot
arrows against us."
Si, Sin, co}ij. and, also, likewise.
Sii, adv. awhile, for some time. — O pe sii, " He stopt
awhile."
SiAN, Stox, Suwa, adj. good, fair, pleasant, well.
SiBE (si-ibe), adv. still, yet.
SiHA, prep, toward, on the side of
Sille (si-ille), ad>'. down to the ground.
SiKsiK, s. hiccough.
Si MI, V. n. to rest, pause ; hush, interj. hush !
Srx, adv. before, first in point of time. — O tete de sin
mi, " He came before me."
Six, V. a. to string, fill on a string as beads or cowries.
V. n. to sneeze.
SiN, V. a. to accompany, lead on the way ; demand debt
due ; lord over, domineer ; serve a superior, worship,
256
SIN
adore ; cease, prevent from doing ; keep domestic
animals, raise cattle.
Sin followed hy Je, x>. a. to imitate, mock.
SiNHU, SiNwiN, V. 71. to be silly, be deranged.
SiNiKA, s. a white metal sold on the coast.
SiNisiNi (sin-enia), s. tyrant, lord.
SiNO,p'ej?. into, among.
SiN-siN, adv. closely {([ualifi/ing v. pamo, to hide, conceal.)
SiPA (si-ipa), 2)rep. in the track of.
SisiN, s. that which is to be served, worshipped, or taken
care of.
Siso, s. that which is to be thrown, cast away; word to
be spoken.
SiWAJu (si-iwaju), adv. more, forward. — Siwa sehin,
"Forwards and backwards."
So, V. a. to tie, hang, suspend, v. n. to bear fruit.
Sofollovjed hy Mo, v. a. to tie or hang upon.
So, V. n. to break wind.
SoBiA, s. the guinea worm, which causes a painful swell-
ing.
SoFiN (so-ofin), V. a. to prohibit.
Soke (si-oke), adv. to the top, on top.
SoPANFA (so-ipanpa), s. to agree mutually in valuing
goods for the market.
So-Ro, V. 71. to hang so as to swing, suspend.
Se, v. a. to strain ; deny, negative.
Se, (adv. denoting earnestness in putting one's resolution
to practice), now, at any rate, at any hazard, surely,
now, indeed, truly.
Se, v. 71. to drop like dew ; put a question to a stranger,
make inquiry ; quake as the earth.
So, V. n. to speak, talk, tell, pronounce ; shoot out of the
stem, join, mend, patch.
So follotved by Asodon, v. a. to exaggerate.
AwiYE, V. a. to prove, make certain.
Di, V. a. to turn to, reduce to.
257 2 L
so
So followed hy Daiioro (di-ahoro), v. a. to desolate, turn
to ruins.
Dassan ( — assan), v. a. to annihilate.
Di-RANiiuN-RANiiuN, V. a. to pcrplex.
No, V. a. to lose, throw away.
LiLi orDm'i, t;. 7^. toplay a game.
LoFiN (ni-ofin), v. a. to charge, com-
mand, prohibit.
Lojo (ni-ojo) V. a. to lodge, assign to a
place.
Telle (te-ille),v. a. to foretell, prognos-
ticate.
So, V. n. to descend ; put a load down from the head.
» /So, v.a, to heave, throw, cast at, turn, make to come. —
Ohun ti aso siwaju li aba, ohun ti asi gbln, li awa ;
nigbati ako so siwaju, ti ako gbin sille ki li abba, " A
thing thrown forward will surely be overtaken, a
thing planted in the ground will be there to be dug
up ; but if nothing has been thrown forward, what
shall be overtaken ? and if nothing has been planted,
what shall be dug up ?"
So, V. n. to quarrel, scold, complain.
SoDi (so-idi), V. a. to explain, prove, declare.
S9FFA, V. n. to pawn, pledge.
SoLLE (so-ille), v.a. to place or lay the foundation.
SoMiDOLOTTO, s. the solitary yellow monkey (also called
Oloyo).
Son, v.a. to broil by placing immediately on the fire.
Son, v. a. to shove, move.
SoNMO, V. n. to move close to.
Son, v. a. to accuse, sue ; aim at.
SoNAsr, SuNAsi (s9n-ina-si), s. irritation, excitement. —
Nwon nse sonasi si mi, ^' They are rousing an excite-
ment against me,"
S9NIDI (so-enia-di), v. n. to make or constitute.
SoNo, V. n. to lose, be lost.
258
SON
SoNKi, SuNKi, v.a.to shrink, contract, shrivel, shun.
SoKALLE, V. n. to descend, come down, go down, disem-
y bark.
Y SoKUN, SoNKUN, V. 71. to cry, weep, bewail. — Elekun
sonkun o ba ti re lo arokan iba sokun ko dake, " A
weeper (who comes to condole with her friend)
weeps and goes her way ; but one who dwells on
painful recollections weeps and never ceases."
SoRO, V. n. to hold conversation, talk, speak.
S9R0-JEJE (so-oro), V. 71. to whisper.
S9ROLEHIN (so-oro-ni-ehin), v. a. to backbite, calumniate
in one's absence.
SoRo-WEREWERE, V. «. to chatter, talk without much mean-
ing.
SoTELLE (so-te-ille), v. a. to tell beforehand, foretell,
prophesy.
Su, V. a. to sow, retail oil or liquor ; take a thing out of
the socket, stand, or handle ; tire, weary ; walk lame
from pain of the foot; sow, gild. — Nwon fi omi
wura su u, " It is gilded, {lit. washed with gold
water)."
Su, v.n. to break forth (as any eruption on the skin), to
appear in numbers on the surface.
Su, V. n. to fail of making an impression from the blunt
edge of the instrument ; fail in cutting or wound-
ing.
Sua, adj. universal, extensive, comprehending a very
wide range.
SuB9, V. a. to gild ; overlay with a thin coat of gold or
silver.
SuFE (su-ofe), V. a. to whistle.
Sun, v. n. to sleep ; congeal as oil.
Sun, Son, v. a. to sue, accuse, complain of.
Sun, adv. strangely, with surprise {qualifying v. Wo, to
v look at). — Aditi wo 'ni li ennu sun, " The deaf look
with surprise at the mouth (of the speaker)."
259
SUN
SuNMO, SoNMO, V. a. to approach, draw near. — Nigbati
mo sonm9 ille sa, awa pade, " When we drew near
to the house we met (one another)."
SuNYE, V. n. to doze, take a short nap.
Sure, Sare (sa-ire), v. n. to run, make haste.
Sure (so-ire), v. a. to wish a blessing upon.
SuRU, Suuru, s. patience, perseverance under vexation.
SuwoN, SuwA (san-iwa), adj. good, well, nice.
SuTi, s. a contemptuous pouting of the lips.
s.
Sa, v. a. to cut, wound, snap (a gun).
Sa, v. n. to fade (as the colour of cloth).
Sa, v. a. to pick up one by one, choose.
Sa, adv. in any wise, at any rate, only, merely, but. —
Babba ni ki ase e sa bi o ti wu ki ori, " My father
said we must do it at any rate."
Saffa-pupa, s. the red wattle tree ; the colour yellow.
Saffa, s. iron ring worn on the wrist by hunters. — Saffa
ni ike ode, " The saffa is a hunter's ring."
Safin or Saba, s. chain worn on the wrist by hunters.
Safojudi, v. n. to be saucy, insolent, impudent.
Safowora (se-fi-owo-ra), v.a.io steal, pilfer.
Sagalamasa ( — agala-mo-asa), v. n. to play tricks, be
guilty of double dealing.
Sagbe, (se-agbe), v. a. to beg, borrow.
Sagbe-sagbe, s. a beggar, borrower.
Saho ( — aho), V. n. to despise, contemn.
Sajo ( — ajo), v. n. to be anxious.
Saju ( — iwaju), v.a. to go before, precede.
Sa-jo, ^AfoUoived hy Jo, v. a. to gather together.
Sai ! interj. (a word of defiance).
Saka, Sasa, adv. clearly, entirely, thoroughly. — Ara mi
da saka, "I am clear (of any harm or blame)."
Saka, s. name of a kind of trousers.
V Sakata, s. fen, bog, morass, miry ground. — Sakata ni ida
260
SAK
«
won won ni Bese, " The morass is an obstruction to
the people of the town of Bese."
Saki, v. n. to miss fire, fail, fail in cutting or wounding.
Sakisaki, adv. roughly, unevenly, in a confused manner,
badly. — Nwon sa a li ogbe sakisaki, " They wounded
him very badly."
Sakoko, v.n.to chance,happen seasonably,or in good time.
Sakoso (se-ako-so), v. n. to have a hold of, have the
reins, govern.
Salabapade (se-enni-ba-pade), v.n. to chance, as above.
Saluga, s. title of Aje, the god of money.
San, v. a. to eat without sauce; daub, plaster; strike
violently against any thing hard, cut down bushes.
San, v. n. to flow or run (as a brook or river) ; be loose,
not tight, compact or consistent.
San, adv. glisteringly, twinklingly {qualifymg v. tan). —
Iraw9 ntan san loju orun, " The stars twinkle in the
sky."
Sana (sa-ina), v. n. to produce fire by striking flint and
steel.
San-san-san, adv. twinkling twinkling.
San or Sansan, adv. uprightly. — lUe na naro san, " The
house stands upright." — Omu ara re duro sansan,
"He stands straight upright."
Sanfani (se-anfani), v. n. to be advantageous, be pro-
fitable.
Sango, s. the god of thunder and lightning.
Saniyan (se-aniyan), v. n. to be anxious for others.
Sanku (san-iku), v. n. to die in the prime of life or pre-
maturely.
Sankuta (san-okuta), v. n. to dash against a stone.
Sanle (san-ille), v. a. to dash on the ground.
Sanse, v. n. to strike one foot against another in walkino-.
Sanu (se-anu), v. a. to pity, be sorry for ; be liberal.
Sanwo (san-owo), v. n. to go empty-handed, swing the
hand much in walking.
261
SAN
Sangbo ( — igbo), V. n. to cut a forest for cultivation.
Sanpanna, 5. cow-pox, small-pox.
Sapo, s. name of a tree used for making quivers.
Sape (sa-ape) v. a. to clap hands.
Sapere (se-apere), v. a. to give direction, token, or sign.
Sapa-sapa, adv. not decently or neatly, roughly, abruptly.
Sapejure (se-p^-jure), v. n. to give a direction.
Saran (se-aran), v. n. to speak unconnectedly (as an aged
person from weakness of memory or loss of mental
powers).
Saroye (se-ro-ye), v. n. to dispute, quarrel, talk much,
complain, argue, reason.
Sare (se-are), v. n. to be older than.
Sata, Sata, 5. mud, mire, morass.
Satipo (se-atipo), v. n. to remove from one country to
another, sojourn.
Sawada (— awada), v. n. to jest.
Sawo ( — awo), V. n. to.make a secret bargain, conspire, plot.
Saworo, s. small brass bells with narrow openings.
Sawotan (se-wo-tan), v. a. to heal, cure.
Sasa, s. scars made by the small-pox. — Sasa se mi li oju,
" I am pitted on the face with the small pox."
SXsA, adv. only a few, here and there, scantily.
Sasa, s. worn-out palm-broom, broom.
Sasabaku, s. coffee plant.
Se, v. a. to do, act, cause, make, execute, manage.
Se, v.n. to give way. — Se fun mi, " Give me way."
Se, v. n. to be, answer to. — Temi ni ise, " It is mine."
^E followed by Iregun, v. n. to reprove an ungrateful
person by reminding him of kindness
done to him.
Afojudi, v. a. to insult, affront, be
saucy to.
Lalejo, v. a. to entertain strangers.
Lewa (ni-ewa), v. a. to adorn, beautify,
decorate.
262
SE
^Y. followed by Loso (ni-oso), v. a, to adorn, furnish.
NiBUBURU, v.a.io injure, hurt, evil en-
treat.
RuBUTU, v.n. to write.
SuNASi, V. n. to provoke, urge to provo-
cation, excite to anger.
Tamahan, V, n. to think, consider.
Sebaibai, v.n. to grow dim, be dim.
Sebe, s. a black snake which emits saliva.
Sebi, v. n. to suppose.
Sefefe, v. n. to brag, boast.
Se-gafara, v. a. to excuse, have respect for.
Segbe (se-egbe), v.n. to be lost, perish,
Segbedegbeyo ( — gbo-ede-gbo-eyo), v. n. to act the part
of an interpreter, interpret.
Se-Irona, v. n. to go in search of.
Seke (se-eke), v. n. to tell a lie.
Sent ( — enia), v. n. to trouble or annoy.
Seni ( — eni), v. n. to give something over the purchase-
money.
Senewo (se-na-owo), s. name of a bird (also called
Kakawo).
Seriju ( — ri-oju), v. n. to serve as steward or trust-
worthy servant.
Se-pansaga, v. a. to prostitute.
Se-pasi-paro, v. n. to barter, make exchange.
Sepe (se-epe), v. n. to swear, take oath.
Sepe, aux. V. had it been. — Iba sepe behe li o ri, " Had
it been so."
Sesin (se-esin), v. n. to ridicule, mock.
Se-tan, v. n. to be ready, be completed.
Setan, adv. after all.
Seun (se-ohun), v. n. to be kind, be benevolent.
Se, v. n. to be fulfilled, come to pass ; happen.
Se, v. a. to break a stick; break, conquer, subdue.
^'k followed hy Keke, v, a. to reckon, number.
263
SE
^E followed bi/ Loju, Lekanna, v. a. to wink at by way
of hint, hint, beckon.
NiFON, V. a. to suit, rub, scratch the
body of another to indulge him in
pleasure.
NisE, r. a. to punish.
Se, v. a. to commence, begin ; sin, ofTend, commit a
trespass, transgress.
Se, adv. greatly, very much {qualifying v. Yo, to rejoice).
— Gbogbo wa nyo se, " We all greatly rejoice."
Sebo, Sebbo (se-ebo), v. a. to sacrifice, propitiate.
Sedda, s. silk.
Sedda- YoRiYORi, s. white silk.
Sedda-Elefin (ni-efin), s. purple-shaded silk.
Seffe (se-eire), v. n. to jest, joke.
Segge, s. high grass bending over the road towards the
. dry season. — Segge ko mo enni obba, ojo ko mo
enni owo, " As the grass segge does not regard the
king's messenger, so the rain does not respect great
men."
Segun (se-ogun), v. a. (lit. to break war), to overcome,
have the victory.
Seive (se-eiye), v. n. to rebel against, revolt from.
Seju (se-oju), V. n. to wink the eye.
Se-keke, v. a. to give account, reckon by tickets ; cast
lots.
Seke-seke, s. fetters.
Sekere, s. calabash covered with cowries plaited in net-
work, and used as a drum.
Sekete, s. beer made from Indian corn.
Sembe, adv. (characterising a blaze of light). See Imun-
MUNA.
Seno, v. n. to miscarry.
Senifinran, Etutupuye, s. a thorny shrub.
Seri (se-ori), v. n. to divert the course, take another
direction.
264
SE
• •
Se-Orun, s. the setting of the sun when it appears as a
globe.
Sepolohun (se-pa-oni-ohun), s. name of a prickly shrub
or tree.
Sete ( — otte), V. n. to subdue, conquer.
SI, V. a. to miss, mistake, fail.
S\ followed by Fisi, v. a. to misplace.
No, v. a. to rinse, cleanse.
Si, Sin, v. a. to open, expose to sight ; remove, change
place ; be guilty ; borrow, lend ; run with precipi-
tation.
^i followed by l^xiYKy v. n. to discover the mind;
alienate.
Laje, v. a. to condemn.
NivE, V. a. to remind.
Se, v. a. to do wrong, misbehave.
SlBI
5. spoon.
SiBO, s. the pawpaw tree and fruit.
SiGBo, SiGBON, SuGBON, conj. but, yet.
SiGiDi, adj. moderately short and bulky.
SiGiDi, SuGUDU, s. earthenware image.
SiGUN (si-ogun), V. n. to set out for war.
SiGUN, s. the fig-nut plant.
Siji ( — iji), V. a. to shade, cast a shade, screen.
SiJiBO ( — iji-bo), V. a. to overshadow.
Siju ( — oju), V. n. to open the eye ; be daring.
Siju-w^o, V. a. to look upon, behold.
Si-KUN, V. n. to remain.
SiKKo ( — okkp), V. n. to get under weigh.
Sillekun ( — illekun), v. n. to open a door, grant admit-
tance.
SiMORAN (se-mo-9ran), v. a. to consider ; counsel.
SFn, adv. very firmly, piercingly. — Egun gun mi li esse
sin, " The thorn pierced my foot very deeply."
Sin, Sinsin, adv. upright, firmly, steadily, fast, stead-
fastly.
265 2 m
SIN
SiNiKA, s. pewter ; composition of silver.
SiNsiN-OBBE, s. sweetmeat ; palaver sauce.
SixA, V. n. to err, miss the road, stray.
Sio ! intoj. (a word expressing contempt).
SiPAVA, v.n. to lay open, expose to view
SiPE (se-"ipe), v. n. to beg pardon for.
Sire( — ire) v.n. to play.
SiREGUN ( — iregun), v. n. to rebuke or remind an un-
grateful person of kindness done.
SiRO ( — iro), V. a. to reckon, calculate.
SiRO, s. name of a bird.
SiRi, -s. a single stock of guinea corn or rice with the
grain in the ear.
SissE (si-esse), v. n. to move the foot ; make haste, or
speed.
SisE, v.n. to mistake ; act wrongly; do amiss.
SisE (se-ise), v. n. to work, labour.
SisESiSE, s. workman, labourer.
SiSEPA, V. n. to labour, do hard work.
SisE (se-ise), v. w. to suffer trouble, labour under some
difficulty.
SisiNiGUN, s. a bird.
SisoRO, adj. difficult.
Sisu, s. the act of being darkened.
SiwERE (se-were), v.n. to be silly, be a fool.
Si wo ! intcrj. (an expression of defiance).
SiYEMEJi (si-iye-meji), v. n. to doubt, hesitate ; (lit to
make two minds). — O nsiyemeji, " You are doubting."
So, V. a. to be rough, passionate, peevish, sour.
So, V. a. to be slackened, or loosened.
So, adv. just a touch, a mere touch {qualifying verbs of
touching, or dipping). — O fi bo o so, " He just dipped
it."
So, V. n. to look stern, surly, or harsh,
SoFO (se-ofo), V. n. to suffer loss of property.
SoFOFO ( — fo), V. n. to reveal secrets, tell tales.
266
SOG
SoGO (se-ogo), V. n. to perform worthy actions ; glory.
SojoRO, V. n. to cheat in play.
SojuKOKORo ( — oju-kokoro), v. n. to covet, be covetous.
SoKOTo, s. trousers.
S6koto,K6to,«^'. very narrow, confined space or room, as
a room. — Ille sokoto, or Ille koto kiki ekan,"A small
confined room, consisting of (almost) nothing but pins ;"
(a riddle, meaning the mouth with its many teeth).
Solo, s. small brook or spring.
SoLORi (se-olori), v. a. to command, head.
SoNO (so-ino), V. n. to be froward, surly, cross, passionate,
peevish.
SoNso, s, a point ; the highest point or tip of any thing.
Sore (se-ore), v. n. to do good, act kindly.
SoRO, verbal adj. hard, difficult.
SoRO ( — oro), v. n. to be furious, be severe, act from
indignation or irritation.
Soso, adj. only, single, — On nikan soso li o mbe ni ille,
" He is the only one in the house."
Sowo ( — owo;, V. n. to trade.
So, V. a. to guard, watch.
SoFFO ( — ofr9), V. n. to mourn for the dead.
SoFFON-DiN, s. name of an herb used for sauce.
SoHOMBiA, SoROMBiA, s. pair of boots.
SoKAN ( — okan), v. n. to be one, unite, agree.
Son, v. a. to take by small quantities, little at a time.
Son, adv. precipitately, with a plunge {qualifying v. Wo,
to enter). — O wo ino re son, " It plunged into it alto-
gether."
Son, adv. coolly, calmly. — O wo mi son, " He looks upon
me calmly."
S9RE ( — ore), V. n. to associate, be friends.
Soso ( — oso), V. n. to adorn oneself.
SoTTE ( — 9tte), V. n. to rebel, revolt.
Sowo, V. a. to hand over ; send over.
SowoN, V. n. to be rare, scarce, dear.
*267
su
Su, V. n. to make into balls, knead.
Su, V. n. to gather together in a great multitude (as
locusts or grasshoppers).
Su, V. n. to gather blackness as rainy clouds, darken.
Su, V. a. to speak, hold a speech ; intrust.
Su, v.n. to evacuate, throw out.
Svfol/oivedbi/ Lohun (ni-ohun), v. a. to censure severely,
vituperate.
Si, D. rt. to answer ; be concerned about,
notice.
Su-Bo, V. a. to come upon in a crowd.
SuBu (se-ibu), v. n. to fall down.
SuGBON, co})j. but, yet.
SuGUDU, SiGiDi, s. image for worship made of clay.
Su-jo, V. n. to come together in a dense crowd.
SuKU, s. a kind of basket.
SuKURA, s. a name of the partridge. {See Aparo.)
Su-MO, V. a. to come upon in a crowd.
SuNo (su-ino), v.a. to be suffering from diarrhoea.
Supo ( — ipo), V. n. to marry a widow.
SuRi^, adj. small (applied to heaps). — Ebe suru, " A small
hillock."
Sltru, adj. large (applied to the tail of a peacock, cock,
turkey, or a bunch of any thing).
Susu, adv. to a great degree, greatly, utterly, {qualifying
V. Run, to destroy), — Ino ru mi susu, " My passion
was greatly excited." — Nwon run illu nasusu, "They
utterly destroyed the town."
T.
T \, inter. jpr on. W hot — Ta ni nse behe ? "Who is doing so?"
Ta, v. a. to kick ; burn smartly (as pepper) ; shoot at ;
sting ; open a boil ; spill, shed ; shine upon.
T x followed by Ire, v. a. to imprecate evil upon.
Laiya (ni-aiya), v. a. to strike the breast,
oppose, be contrary to. — Afefe ta okko
268
TA
laiya, " The wind was contrary to the
ship."
li A followed hy Ore, v. a. to give a present.
Ta, v. n. to produce (as yams or any vegetable from the
root) ; sound aloud (as a cry) ; shoot out length-
wise; pass from one place to another. — Ta atare
atayo, " He is always roving here and there," — Igbe
ta, " A cry was raised."
Ta, v. a. to sell, expose for sale ; fine.
Tabba, s. tobacco.
Tabbi, conj, neitlier, nor, or, whether. — Tabbi iwo ko
ngb9 ? " Do you not hear ?" (an expression used in
conversation to call attention.)
TabbI ! i7iterj. what else ? what more ? indeed !
Tabili, s. {Eng.) table.
Tafa (ta-ofFa), v. a. to shoot arrows.
Tafa-tafa, 5. archer, bowman.
Tagbokun (ta-igba-okun), v. n. to spread or make sail.
Tagbongbon, v. n. to stagger.
Taitai, Tai, «Ji;. indifferently, insolently, with no earnest-
ness.
Taje (ta-ejje), v.n. to shed blood.
Ta-ji, v. n. to awake, start on a sudden from sleep; awake
suddenly (as from dozing).
Taju ( — oju), V. n. to be in haste, be too anxious, be in a
hurry.
Takarada, s. {Hanssd) book, paper.
Ta-kete, v. n. to stand aloof or at a distance from.
Ta-k6ko, v. a. to knot.
Takun ( — okun), v. n. to suspend a rope.
Takotabo (ti-ak9-ti-abo), s. a pair of animals, male and
female.
Talaka, s. a poor indigent person.
Talla (to-alla), s. white muslin, bleached calico.
Talubo, s. young unripe fruit (especially of theShea tree).
Tampa, s. the side bone next the rib.
269
TAN
Tan, v. a. and n. to light a lamp or torch, shine ; entice,
deceive, decoy ; spread, scatter.
Tan, v. n. to be done, cease, be at an end.
Tan, v. n. to be related to. — Emi ko ba iwo tan, emi ko
ba iwo re, " I am neither related to, nor in friend-
ship with you."
Tangala, s. name of a bird.
Tangiri, Tagiri, s. a running plant, whose fruit is used
in tanning hides.'
Tani ? m^^r.p'ow. who ? whom?
Tan-je, v. a. to deceive, entice.
Tanju (tan-oju), v. a. to look sternly at.
Tantan, adv. violently {qiiaUfying v. Na, to stretch). —
Emi na esse mi tantan, '^ I stretched my legs to their
full extent."
Tantasi, s. yam not pulled up, but left to grow and bear
in the same hole,
Tapa (ta-ipa), v. a. to kick.
Tape ( — ipe), v. n. to appear (as the ear of Indian corn
on the stalk).
Tara ( — ara), v. n. to be hasty, be too anxiously con-
cerned.
Tar A, s. gravel clay, used in giving solidity to mud
floors.
"^1 ARA, adv. straightforward.
Tari (ta-ori), v. a. to push violently or headlong.
Tase ( — ase), v. n. to fail, miss the mark, miss one ano-
ther.
Tase ( — ase), v. n. to imprecate evil upon, curse.
Taso ( — aso), V. a. to arrange (the woof on pins from the
reels).
Tassa, s. pan, pewter plate.
Tasse ( — esse), v. a. to kick, kick with the foot.
Tayo, Taw^o ( — ayo), v. n. to play the game called the
warry.
Te, adv. on the very top {qualifying verbs signifying to
270
i^
TE
put or rest upon). — Eiye ba le ori iggi t^, "The
bird sits right on the top of the tree."
Te, v. a. to worship, adore ; rear ; indulge, fondle, re-
spect. — -'Orisa ti akeke ti ko gb'ike, orisa ti atete ti
ko gbite, oju popo ni igbe, " The god who would
not be pleased, when they tried to please it, the god
who would not be propitiated, when they tried to
propitiate it, must take up his abode in the high-
way."
Teatre, s. (Gi'.) theatre.
Tede, s. a kind of parrot very destructive to Indian
corn. .
Tefe-tefe, adv. the whole, entirely.
Teju, Toju (to-oju), V. a. to take care of, mind, have the
oversight of.
Temi (ti-emi), ^;?•o>^. of me, mine.
Tete, adv. soon, quickly, first, in the first place. — Ise
temi ni ki atete kose, " My w"ork is to be done first."
Tete, adv. fast, with a quick pace. — Ommode nsure tete
li oju opopo, " The child is running fast on the high-
way."
Tete, 5, leg (of a goat or other inferior animal) ; kick
from such an animal : (that of a man or a horse is
called Ipa). — Ewure yan mi ni tete, "A goat kicked
me.
Te, adj. and v. n. to come to disgrace ; be level, be flat ;
be tasteless, be insipid.
Te, v. a. to beat, outdo ; lay, place gently on.
Te followed hy L0R9N (ni-oron), v. a. to make level ;
be satisfied with, satisfy.
Te v. a. to trample, tread ; bend ; castrate.
Te followed hi/ Balle (ba-ille), v. a. to bend down.
Id6, Tedo, v. n. to encamp ; form an
establishment.
Lesse (esse), v. a. to inform privately,
give a hint.
271
TE
T\folloived hi) Molle (mo-iile), t>. a. to trample under
foot, tread upon.
Na, adv. already. — Iwo te de na, " Are
you come already ?"
Ri, V. a. to suppress, put under, hide.
Tebere, \\ a. to make level, make low.
Tegun, -y.w. to set in battle array, lay wait.
TEI11NB9RUN, s. name of a tree.
Teiiinghesa, s. crust.
Teju (te-oju), n. a. to be flat, level.
Tejumo ( — mo), V. a. to fasten the eye upon, look ear-
nestly, attend to.
Tele, v. a. to follow. — Mase saju, sugbon tele won, " Do
not go before, but follow them."
Telle (te-ille), v.n. to tread on the ground ; adv. before-
hand, previously. — Awa ti mo telle, pe behe ni yio
ri, " We knew beforehand that so it would be."
Tennumo (te-ennu-mo), v. a. to affirm.
Tentere, s. name of a carnivorous bird.
Tenyin (ti-enyin), poss. pron. yours.
Teriba (te-ori-ba), v. n. to stoop, bow the head to the
ground.
Teruteru (ta-eru), s. slave-dealer, seller of slaves.
Tete, s. game of chance.
Tete, s. herb.
Tete-Egun, s. a species of cane (used as cough-medicine).
Tetere, adv. carelessly. — Aki imu ibon tetere, " A gun
is not to be held carelessly."
Tetu, s. executioner.
TEW9GBA (te-9wo-gba), adj. acceptable, approved, re-
ceived. V. a. to take in hand.
Ti, V. a. to thump, strike with a heavy substance ; fade,
lose colour.
Ti, r el, pron. who, whom, which, the one which. — Okon-
ri ti mo wi ti pada de, " The man whom I men-
tioned has returned."
272
TI
Ti, conj. yet. — Emi ko ti ib, " I do not go yet."
Ti, V. a. to prop, support, cast, push, shine ; fasten, lock,
— Ti illekiin ki o to jade, " Lock the door before
you go out." — Ma se ti ommode subu, " Do not push
the child down (lit. to fall)."
Ti followed by Saju, v. a. to put forward, place be-
fore.
Ti, 'prej). against, at, to, with, by, near. — Ma se duro ti
mi, " Do not stand by me."
Ti, adv. not ; (denoting failure, inability). — Babba k9
ille ti, " My father is not able to finish the house, or
fails in building."
Ti, adv. heavily, vehemently, with great force. — Orun
na bi lu mi i\, "The smell overpowers me."
Ti, aux. v. have, have been. v. n. to gnaw. — Awa ti lo,
" We have gone." — Eyi ti pari, " This has been ac-
complished."
Ti, prep, sign of the possessive case, of, belonging to. — Ille
ti 'wa wo, " Our house fell." — Iwe ti emi ko 'yi,
" This is not my book."
T\,prep. from. — Bi iwo ti ti ibe de m, "You have just
come from the place."
Ti, adv. how ?— Eyi ti ri? " How is this ?"
TiA, TiRA, s. Mahommedan charm ; book, letter.
TiAN, TiANTiAN, adj. distant, long. — Oniye ni iranti ojo
tian tian, " Long as the time is, it is within the com-
pass of memory (Jit. has number in remembrance)."
TiAN-TiAN, adv. abundantly, profusely, plentifully
{qualifying v. fo, to fly). — Eiye fo soke tiantian,
"The bird flew up to a very great height."
Tiantian, s. bird so called from its cry.
TiBAYi, dem. pron. the one yonder.
Tiju (ti-oju), V. n. to blush, be ashamed.
TiKARARE (ti-ika-ara-re), reflect, pron. thyself, belonging
to thyself
TiKARARE, reflect, p'on. himself, belonging to himself.
273 2 N
TIK
TiKO, adv. heavily, unwillingly, reluctantly.
TiLLE, couj. even, though, although. — Bi awa ko tille lo
ki ni yio se wa, " Though we should not go, what
could he do to us?"
TiM0-TiM9, adv. closely, adhesively.
TiMTiM, s. pillow, cushion.
TiNABo (te-ina-bo), v. a. to kindle, set on fire.
Ting, Tinotino (ti-ino), adv. with the heart, from the
heart, heartily, p-ep. within.
Tiui, V. n. to stoop, to look downwards.
Ti HI-SI, ^r<?;9. once against, opposite to.
TiRiNMOLLE (ti-irin-mo-ille), v. n. to stand firm.
Tiro (ti-iro), v. n. to stand on tiptoe, so as to reach a
high object.
TiROTiRo, adv. with consideration, advisedly.
TiSA ju (ti-isaju), adj. foremost, former, v. a. to put for-
ward or foremost.
TiTANi ? 2)ro)i. whose ?
TiTE, s. and adj. that which is to be trampled upon or
castrated ; trampled, castrated.
TiTi, conj. until, till. adv. continually, ever.
TiTi, adv. tremulously, {qiialifymg verbs of shaking or
quaking of the earth). — lUe mi titi, "The earth
quaked violently."
TiTi-LAi, adv. until ever ; never.
Tito, adj. straight, direct, s. that which is to be straight-
ened.
T1T9N, TiTTON, adj. young, fresh, new.
Tiwa, Taw a, poss. pron. ours.
TiwoN, 2^oss. pron. theirs.
TiwoNwoN, s. wart ; name of a bird.
To, ToTo, ToTOHUN, adv. never ; (emphatical, used only
wdien a transgressor promises amendment). — Toto-
hun emi ko se behe mo, " Never ! never will I do so
again."
To, V. u. to be enough, be sufficient, be capacious, reach at.
274 1
TO
To, adv. (expressing the manner or sound of dropping). —
Omi nkan to, to, to, "The water goes drop, drop, drop."
To, V. n. to stand in a line, muster, place in rows ; be
restored (as a broken limb).
To, adv. well (expressive of satisfaction, used mostly by
Mahommedans) .
ToBEHE, adv. to such a degree, insomuch, in such wise.
ToBi, adj. and v. n. to be big, great, supreme.
ToBiJu, adj. and v.n. to be bigger than, larger than.
ToBiJULo, adj. biggest, largest.
ToBi, s. napkin, wrapper.
Tobi-Inowo, s. towel.
Togbe, v. n. to slumber, doze.
ToGBo, s. name of a forest bird.
ToLOTOLO, s. turkey.
Tojubo, v. n. to plunge the eye into, look into, view.
ToNiTONi, adv. cleanly.
ToNiTONi, Teniteni, couj . until now.
ToNTORo, a^. {used respecting liquids) ; a very little, a
very small drop. — Bu omi tontoro si obbe, " Pour a
small drop of water into the sauce."
Tori (to-ori), v. n. to fall to one's share.
Tori-Oju, v. n. to satisfy, satiate.
ToRO, s. name of a kind of rat, noted for fatness ; kind of
country coat, used as an upper garment.
ToRo, V. n. to settle (as dirty water) ; be still, be at rest,
be at peace, be tranquil. — Ule toro, or Aiye toro,
*'The country is at peace."
To-si, s. neighbourhood, nearness, proximity.
ToTO, adv. clearly, serenely.
ToTO ! ToTOiiuN ! adv. a word of humiliation before the
gods or a superior power, denoting submission and
repentance, and a promise never to do so more.
ToTo, adv. {qualifying Fe, to distort the face), very. —
Gbogbo won fe oju toto, " They all distort their
faces ;" a phrase describing the expression of coun-
275
TOT
tenance assumed by those who have a laborious task
imposed upon them. See Fe.
ToTo (ti-oti-to), adv. of a truth, in truth, truly.
ToYE (to-iye), v. w. to be of equal value, ac^. meritorious.
TovETovE (ti-oye), adj. with observation, considerately,
discreetly.
To, V. a. to correct, bring up, educate ; direct ; straighten ;
annoy, trouble ; touch ; enrage.
To, adj. andv. n. to be straight, right, true ; be long ; be
durable ; split into small slips (as straw for hats or
bonnets).
To folloived hy EJ9, v. a. to settle, trace a matter.
Wo, V. a. to taste.
To, V. n. to make water.
To, V. a. to follow, go to, resort to.
Toiio, adv. expression of praise to a younger person. —
O seun toho, " Well done, lad."
To.iu, Teju (to-oju), v.a. to take care of, watch, see after.
ToKKANT 
