LAKELAND WORDS AND SAYINGS. (continued 3)

KNIT—A swarm o’ bees “knit” whar t’ queen’ll let them; an’ fooak knit round yan anudder when ther’s a bit o’ trouble on’, er a bit o’ fun.

KNOCK—Rate, bat. He was gaan at a ter’ble knock.

KNOCKIN’-ON—Getting forward (hem!). We’re knockin on.

KNOCKIN’-OFF—Giving over. Ye’ll be knockin off siun.

KNOCKT—Done. Oh, he’s knockt anytime.

KNOCK-KNEED, KEY-LEGGED—This izzant t’ spot ta pick fun oot o’ anybody’s misfortune, but they mun be set doon wi’ t’ rest.

KNODDEN—Wait while Ah’ve knodden. She was biaken, seea ye may guess what it means.

KNOP—A bud. T’ rosy-tree’s i’ knop. A door handle. T’ door knop’s lowse. A tub ’at women fooak wesh clias in. Full t’ knop, an’ set clias ta soffen. Head. T’ barn knop’s sair. Ah catch’t mi knop ower t’ stee.

KNOT, KNUT—Top o’ t’ heed. T’ ladies’ word fer their way ov hair dressen.

KNOT—A “lumpy” hill in a chain of hills—e.g., Helmside Knot, Hard Knot, Arnsid’ Knot, Benson Knot.

KNOTTY-TOMMIES—Boilt milk wi’ t’ haver meal thrown in i’ hanfuls. It comes oot i’ lumps as big as a cock-heed, an’ as sweet as a nut.

KNOWE—A rounded hill. We went ta t’ top o’ t’ knowe.

KNURL’D—Shrunken; shivering. T’ barn’s knurl’d wi’ cauld, tak’t in.

KNURR-AN’-SPELL; SPELL-AN-BULLET—A lad gam.

KOOK-AN’-HEYDE—Hide and seek.

KOP—Shoot kop an’ hod a bit o’ cooarn, an’ ye’ll catch a a nag happen.

KOP—Catch. She’d plenty o’ brass as far as that gahs, but she was neea gurt kop fer o’ that.

KOPT—Caught. It copt me on t’ back; kopt e t’ wotchud; kopt in a shoor.

KYE—Cows collectively (nacken again). Gang an’ fetch t’ kye in ta milk.

KYLE—An angry or inflamed sore which does not head up to burst like a bile. Mi nief’s as sair as a kyle whar Ah cot it.

KYSTY—Fooak ’at’s varra pensy aboot what they eat, er said ta be kysty.

KYTLE—A workmen’s linen jacket for summer. A kytle’s a varra handy thing i’ het wedder.

LADE, LADLE, LADIN’-CAN—To empty water out of any place with a ladin-can is to lade it oot. Poddish suppers o’ know what a ladle is seea Ah need say neea mair.

LANSMER—Field name.

LAL—Little. A lal word’s a conny word.

LAL-’UN—Child. Hoo’s t’ lal-’un?

LAV’ROCK—It’s nowt nobbut t’ lark ’at sings i’ t’ sky, but ther’s neea spot i’ this world whar they deea ’t better ner i’ Lakeland. An’ Ah’ll tell ye what besides that, ther’s varra few pliaces ’at liuks any better ner oors if ye’ll tak it i’ t’ reet time, say i’ July when t’ looanens er full o’ rooasies, an’ t’ fields full o’ gerse, an’ t’ trees full o’ leaf an’ blossom, an’ t’ rabbits er laken, an’ t’ lavrocks singen, an’ t’ cushats cooen. Ye chaps ’at know what setts er, an’ er acquainted wi’ gas, tell us noo streck oot frae yer hearts, is ther owt ta come up tul ’t ’at ye ken on?

LAIRY, LAIRT—Miry, as clayey land in wet weather. Draggled with wet adhesive mud, as sheep may be that are on t’ turnips in a wet fit o’ weather, an’ they git clarty an’ lairt wi’ ’t.

LASH—To feed immoderately. Lash it in.

LACED—Drunk.

LACED-TEA—Tea wi’ rum in ’t fer kursenins, weddins, er owt o’ that mack.

LADIES’-GARTERS—Ornamental grass, striped.

LAD-BARN—A man child. T’ doctor’s browt huz a new babby, an’ it’s a lad-barn.

LADDY—T’ dog.

LASSIE—T’ bitch.

LAID DOON—When tweea wrusslers meets, an’ yan o’ them turns flait, er fer owt else, an’ wid’nt gah on wi’ ’t, he’s said ta lig doon, er he laid doon ta seea an’ seea.

LAID-DOON—A plewed field ’at’s turned to gerse—an’ ther’s white a lot o’ fields laid doon i’ that way i’ Lakeland.

LAIK—When a grizzled auld chap sits doon ta think aboot t’ laik lads an’ lasses ov his barnish days it maks him feel auld an’ daft, an’ efter o’ ther’s summat aboot it ’at yan likes. Yan’s here, anudder’s yonder, ower t’ sea’s some, i’ gurt toons an’ hee spots udders, some hes barns o’ ther awn laiken, an’ some hezzant; ther’s some i’ t’ auld spot, an’ some izzant whar we can see ther fiases any mair ’i this changen scene, but them ’at’s laikt tagidder as barns er a lang time fergitten yan anudder o’tagidder. Laiken is t’ free masonry o’ t’ grand order o’ barns, an’ they’re lucky an’ happy ’at leets on a good lodge.

LALL—To hang the tongue out in derision. Ah’ll larn thi ta lall thi tongue oot at me.

LALLEN-OOT—Protruding. T’ tongue was lallen oot a fiut varra nar. Said of an exhausted horse.

LADY-CUSHION—A rockery plant.

LAMB-TAILS—The bloom of the hazel.

LALLIKER, LORRIKER—Tongue. T’ doctor wanted ta see a barn tongue ’at was badly, an’ ass’d it to put it oot. T’ barn dudn’t understand nacken, seea t’ mudder hed a go, “Lal oot thi lalliker,” an’ oot it com.

LAND-END—Ther’s rians, heed rigs, an’ land-ends, they’re o’ amackaly o’ yah sooart, with a difference, ye ken. If some ov oor farmer lads wad set tull, they wad fair cap some on us wi’ ther niams an’ nooations.

LANDSLACK—Field name.

LANGEN—A feminine peculiarity.

LAITHE—Unwilling. Ah was laithe ta put him i’ t’ Coonty Coort, but what cud Ah deea, he wadn’t come tull.

LADS—Sons. An’ they stop “lads” in some cases until they become old men. “Neddy lads” was turned seventy.

LAG—Last. In choosing the order of playing some children’s games “foggy” and “lag” stand for first and last.

LAP—To wrap up; to finish up; a lap o’ streea.

LAWRENCE LARRY—It’s a complaint ’at bodders fooak ’at er boorn tired an’ nivver hev a chance to rest thersels.

LASHOP, LASHOPEN—Caleeveren aboot frae spot ta spot.

LANG-TONGUED—Yan o’ them fooak ’at talks thirteen ta t’ dozen. Thoo lang-tongued slenk thoo; thoo wad talk a dog tail oot o’ joint.

LANT—What they mix amang yal ta mak’t grip. Cush, what stuff yan’ll swallow.

LANT—Lant’s annudder ta t’ lot. Ah’ll lant thee thi canister. It’s a card game ano, laiken at lant, an’ it’s summat else ’at Ah won’t put in, er ye’ll laugh.

LASH-COOAM—What we reed wer heeds wi’, ta be sewer.

LASH—To comb. To stir water round a vessel to clean it out. Lash a sup o’ het watter roond tweea er three times.

LASS-BARN—That’s t’ new woman i’ miniature.

LAUVE, LAUVINS, LAUVINS-DAYS, LAUVES-ME—Fullers up, siam as Lawk-a-mercy, Lord love me, an’ tweea er three mair o’ t’ siam mack.

LAVE—Remainder.

LAWTER—A brood of chickens, or a litter of pigs.

LAZY-BED—Noo Ah’s nut a gardener, but it’s like this, ye lig yer taty sets doon and cover them ower asteed o’ griaven a trench ta set them in.

LANG-LAST—Owt ’at’s lang i’ comen, siam as t’ last o’ these riapen tials Ah’s tellen. At t’ lang-last he gev ower an’ shot up.

LANG-LENGTH, LANG-STRECK—Full length, but not necessarily a “long” one, for it is recorded of one whose diminutive proportions allowed him in his own words to fo’ o’ his lang length ower a coo clap.

LANG-SNOOTS—A mack o’ apples.

LEDDUR-BACKS—An’ seea ’s these.

LAMMAS—Off in a hurry. Thoo mun lammas off efter him as hard as thoo can leddur.

LANGSETTLE—A wooden seat generally provided with a good thick cushion, and forming one of the standard items of furniture in the kitchen of a farm house. Famish things is a langsettle when yan’s tired oot.

LASHINS—A plentiful allowance. We’d lashins o’ rum an’ milk, an’ bacon, an’ eggs, an’ yal.

LATE, LATEN, LATED—Seek, seeking, sought. Late us mi shun, will ta? What ar ye laten? Ah’s laten t’ cuddy fer sewer, t’ auld beggar. Tudder chap thowt Tom was daft acos he was laten t’ cuddy an’ liuken at t’ rooad siam as if he thowt a cuddy cud field in a car-track, but Tom was laten fiut marks, to see whilk way it hed gian. Ah’ve lated hee an’ low fer that nooat. Fooak ’at’s allus laten er varra oft fooak ’at’s liat.

LAZY-BAND—When a cross cut saw hez ta gah through a varra thick tree, a riap’s fassened ta t’ hannles, an’ three or fower men git hauld an’ poo, an’ that’s co’ed a lazy-band, but mind ye it izzant acos they’re idle—net it marry.

LALDER, LALDEREN—Doe den it noo, but cush barn, Ah’ll tell ye what this is neea laughen matter ’at is ’t nut, lalderen aboot, clashen in an’ oot first e yah body’s hoose an’ than in anudder Ah reckon nowt on ’t ’at deea Ah nut.

LANGSOME—A most expressive word, implying not only long and lonely, but wearisome, and oppressive by reason of some haunting desire which cannot be got rid of for want of diversion.

LALACKEN—Trailen aboot frae yah hoose tull anudder, tellen t’ tial an’ hearen on ’t. See Lalder.

LEG-IT—Walk hurriedly. He could leg it ower them fells, an’ up an’ doon them gurt craggy spots.

LEG-UP—What a chap ass’es for when he wants ta git on a nag, an’ ther’s neea horsin stian.

LEGS-AN’-WINGS—A fellow ’at’s some lang smo legs an’ arms. “A gurt cradda bians ’at thoo is; thoo’s o’ legs an’ wings.”

LENNOK—Loose and aimless. His arm hang doon as lennok as watter. This collar’s lennok wi’ sweet.

LEET-ON—Ah bin laiten a sweetheart fer many a year, but Ah ca’t leet-on neea way.

LEETSOME—Cheerful, or cheering. A change is leetsome, if it be nobbut oot o’ t’ bed intul t’ beck. Silly. He’s a bit leetsome.

LEET-HEELED—A nimble runner.

LEET-FINGERED—A nimble thief. Yan can ply his feet, an’ tudder his nieves. They owt ta gang tagidder.

LEETEN—A sudden improvement in the condition of one who is dying; it’s nobbut a leeten.

LEEUM, LEEUMEN—A gurt idle leum, ’at is he, leeumen aboot, an’ liggen on t’ rooad side, er on t’ hay mew. These tweea’s aboot a chap ’at’s as idle as Ludlam dog, an’ it laid its heed again a wo’ ta bark. An idle leeum wadn’t turn ower when yah side ov his carcase was rusted, ta rust tudder, if anybody wad deea ’t for him. Ah’ll leave ye ta guess hoo idle that is, an’ say neea mair aboot it.

LET OOT—Ah war gaan by t’ gallawa tail when it let oot an’ catcht mi seck a whiddur fair at thick o’ t’ thee, as Ah’ll nut fergit.

LET ON, LET WIT—To give heed. Ah hard him, but Ah nivver let on. Take no notice. Thoo mun tak neea nooatice on him, co’in thi, niver let wit ’at thoo hears him; he means nowt bi’ ’t.

LET-DOON—A drink. I hev neea objection ta a let-doon, an’ Ah’s varra nar chowkt; bring us a lal drop i’ t’ liadin’ can.

LETTIN-DOON—A disadvantage. It’s a gurt lettin-doon ta fooak when they’re short o’ sowder. An’ some’ll say it’s a gurt lettin-doon when fooak ca’t ken what’s ther awn, frae that o’ somebody else.

LEAD ATWEEN—It means if ye’re leaden muck wi’ three nags an’ cars, yan’ll be at t’ midden fullen, yan at t’ field emptyen, and yan on t’ way owder gaan er comen back; him at leads atween hez t’ best job on ’t; he can ride yah way.

LEAF—T’ inside of a pig’s ribs; grand fer makkin same on.

LEAR—A sken. At dark it’s a lear. Ah liuk at this yan as bein’ varra handy. We’ve a sken, an’ a glent, an’ a glif, an’ a glimmer, an’ tweea er three mair fer day-leet. This is fer t’ dark, when t’ broos is lowered wi’ streenen ta git a seet o’ summat, an’ o ivver ye manish ta deea is ta catch a lear on ’t.

LEATHER-DICK—A leather brat fer barns, ta keep them frae burnen ther clias.

LED-FARM—A farm that is managed, and on which the farmer does not reside.

LEDDERDY-PATCH—Ass a fiddler. Ah nivver could dance nin, but Ah’ve hard fooak talk aboot cross t’ buckle an’ leddery-patch; it’s sum mack o’ silly craft, Ah’ll apode it.

LEEM—To strip. Leem oot o’ thi cooat an’ gang an’ buckle teea. We chip’t t’ maister fer a quart, an’ he leem’d oot.

LEEMER—The hazel nut when ripe or ripening, and leaves the husk.

LEE-WATTER—Serum. It’s parlish when lee-watter begins ta come oot ov a sair spot.

LEET-GEEN—Ah’s in a quandary wi’ this yan. If Ah put it in some on ye’ll say Ah sudn’t; if Ah durt some on ye ’ll say Ah darrant. It refers to a bad habit some men hev ’at sud know better.

LEP—Drink. He likes his lep.

LEP—To sup like a dog by licking. Lep it up.

LEP—A bundle o’ straw is a lep o’ streea.

LEY—A scythe.

LEEVE—Rather. Ah’d as leeve be tied tul a coo tail an’ trailed ta deeth.

LIEVER—More readily; much rather.

LEG-BAIL—Run away. He gev them leg-bail, an’ ’listed.

LEADEN—Carting. We’re thrang leaden muck.

LEDDUR—Anudder fer tannin. Ah gat leddur’d fer gitten wet-shod. To go about in a great bustle. He was ledduren aboot efter t’ cauves. To beat. We leddured them at crecket.

LEDDERIN—A thrashing. Ah gat a ledderin for playin’ trewan.

LIASE—Still anudder.

LET IN—A bad sign when a chap’s shun let in. Deceived. Ah was let in wi’ that skaymeril ov a potter.

LIAV-LUG’D—Drop eared. That nag’s liave-lug’d.

LICK-FOR-SMACK—If a body was gi’en ta nacken yan wad write this phrase doon as “vigourously.” O’ ivver it means is ’at somebody ’at hed a task afooar them—whedder it was mowin, er fieldin, er riasen, er wrusslen, er gitten away frae something er annudder ’at they du’t like—seea lang as they deea ’t wi’ a fullock, an’ put ther hearts intult job, an’ strip off tult, that’s lick fer smack. A chap was tellen me aboot a feit, an’, says he, “At it they went, lick fer smack. T’ wick ’uns ’ll trail deed ’uns oot.” That’s it to a T.

LICK-POT, LANG-MAN—The first and second fingers.

LIFT—Start. They gev him a good lift at t’ first an’ he’s nivver liukt behint him sen. A ride. He gev us a lift amang t’ batches.

LIGGERS—Long branches which a diker cuts partly through and ligs down to form a dike.

LIGHT—Nacken fer leet—ta sattle. Ye’ll find this yan’s an auld ’un if ye liuk intult reet.

LIG-IN, LIG-OOT—These tweea’s aboot t’ young beeas, an’ whar they spend ther neets. They lig-in er oot as ’t happens.

LIG-IN—This is aboot summat else; it’s when t’ family’s growen i’ numbers.

LIG-IT-IN—To put the dried hay together, so that it can be carted or cocked. To put a scythe blade and shaft together.

LIG-IT-ON—To grow fat fast.

LILT—To go with a lively spring. She lilts aboot like a fower year auld.

LILTEN—Frisking. Give ower lilten aboot, an’ deea some wark.

LINE—Linseed growen.

LIPPEN—Paired. Whia noo, hes thoo hard t’ liatest? Nay, what is ’t? Whia, but thoo mu’t tell, t’ heed man’s been sitten t’ youngest lass up, an’ they’re gaan ta be wedded at t’ tierm. Whia what Ah izzant capt, Ah lippened them tweea a gay bit sen, but Ah sed nowt ta neeabody.

LISH—Active. As lish as a tweea yer auld. It’s a good sign when yan’s lish.

LISKS—Whar legs an’ body join. Stiff at t’ lisks, a mower ’ll say, t’ first day at it.

LIST—Energy; life; activity. Mi bians wark an’ Ah’ve neea list fer nowt.

LISTIN—A narrow strip of cloth at the side of a web.

LIST, LISTED—These er aboot gangen ta sarra t’ Queen in a reed cooat an’ a cockade. Ther’s t’ makkin o’ some grand gunpooder food i’ some o’ oor gurt row lads, but a good job fer them an’ huz ther’s nin seea many o’ them ’at taks tult. An’ t’ auld fooak they fair seem ta dreed owt aboot listen. Let them feit at fratch, sez Ah, an’ nut huz.

LITHER—He up wi’ his nief an’ catched him a lither fair ower his kisser, an’ than off.

LITHE—Lish, an’ cant, an’ fresh; thoo liuks lithe.

LITH’NIN—What they thickin gravy wi’

LINK—Arm in arm. Sweethearts in an advanced stage of the complaint affect a good deal of linken’, and it is recorded of an auld world farmer who went to hire a lass and came back without, explaining to his better half that o’ t’ lasses at was up ta owt hed gone blind. “Gone blind,” said t’ missis, “hoos that?” “Nay,” he says, “Ah du’t know hoo ’t is, bit iv’ry man jack o’ them hed a chap leaden her bi t’ arm, an’ thoo knows we ca’t deea w’i tweea o’ them on oor spot.” An’ she peppered his lugs wi’ caper sauce fer some time aboot it, an’ t’ blind lasses. T’ auld woman knew ’at love izzant blind ato’, an’ ’at it sees a lot mair i’ linkin ner an auld dooaten fellow ’at niver gits linked nobbut when he’s hed a lal drop ower mich gin.

LIP—Let’s hev nin o’ thi lip. It means impudence, or cheek.

LIPT—He lipt mi rarely—t’ siam again.

LISTER—A fork wi’ a lang shank to stob fish wi’ when ye can catch them asleep.

LITE—Suppose; imagine. Ah lite yer tired wi’ trashen aboot. Met. We could nivver lite on.

LITED—Depended; expected. We lited on ye comen ta yer tea.

LIT ON—We war gaan ower bi t’ Common Holme when we lit on wi’ tweea er three mair fooak.

LICK-SPITTAL—This means a dirty minded man, but Ah’ve hed a go at tryin ta find oot what a spittal is, an’ yan tells me it’s a gurt wood spiun; if it is, lickin a spittal’s nowt ill aboot it.

LIG—To lie down. Gah an’ lig ye doon a bit.

LIGGEN—Laying. He’s liggen doan fer an hour.

LIN-PIN—It gahs through a car assle tree, an’ keeps it i’ t’ spot. We used at yah time ta think it was a good breck ta tak a lin pin oot, an’ field it. They’ve mair sense noo.

LIMB—A rum fellow. He’s a limb.

LIMMER—Pliant.

LINJY—Agile, well-built.

LILL—To rear and whinny as young nags do.

LILLY—To coax up. He’d ower mich lilly wark aboot him fer me.

LILDEREN, LILDER—Leet i’ t’ heed as well as t’ feet. Fooak ’at lilder aboot frae yah spot tull anudder er up ta nowt.

LIMMERS—Cart stangs.

LIG-ON—The battle cry of lads, “Lig-on.”

LIG-IN-LANKY—Pitch intul ’t.

LIMMISH—A bit ov a limb fer a breck.

LINED—Summat up wi’ t’ bitch.

LIAF-BREED—Bread in loaves, as distinct from that in cakes; but “liaf” is frequently used for fruit loaf or spice cake.

LIATHE-LOFT—A barn over other buildings such as stable, cowshed, &c.

LIATHE—Mappen some on ye ’ll think er say ’at anybody ’at ’ll print owt aboot a liathe sud be i’ Garlands, an’ ’at they’re barns, nut liathes ato. But if ye’d fielded i’ yan when ye war barns, an’ rowt i’ yan when ye’d gitten up, ye wad want a good word fer t’ auld liathe. Mewin i’ summer, threshen i’ winter, allus in an’ oot, what yan’s like ta git weel acquainted, an’ whar is ther seck a spot fer a dance when we’re hevin a merry neet an’ seck? It’ll be a cauld day fer huz when we hevn’t a warm word for t’ liathe.

LICK—Yan mair fer a ledderin.

LICKT—Beaten. Thoo’s lickt me hiam. If ther’s owt in ’t, t’ main o’ t’ lickins ’at seck as we gat when we war lads was wi’ a bunch o’ birks, ’at miad yan canny aboot sitten doon fer a bit. Noo, ye classic chaps, oot wi’ ’t.

LICK-AN’-A-PROMISE—A shuffling mak o’ diun owt ’at’s neea good. Hes thoo wesht thi fias? Aye. Thoo’s gien ’t a lick an’ a promise, thoo gurt idle slenk.

LIGS-ROUGH—Said of one who, having no home, sleeps in out-houses. Also said of those who get belated. We hed ta lig rough, or sleep rough.

LIKELY—Probably. Likely ye’ll be gaan ta t’ sial. Ah likely will.

LIMBER—Varra pliable (hem!). It means like this: If t’ cart gear gits hard, an’ ye grease it, an’ it turns soft, it’s miad it limber; yer joints ’ll be limber at times, an’ at udders as stiff as a crutch.

LING—Heather. Ling besoms yah while war varra common, but they can’t mak them i’ Garmany, seea what we mun deea withoot noo.

LING-CROPPER—Yan off t’ Black fell side.

LOLLOCK—A good big lump. As auld Nanny lad, Ike, said when they’d company at dinner, an’ she ass’d him if he wanted sarra’en wi’ any mair meat. “Aye,” sez he, “Ye can cut us a lollock o’ fat an’ a lollock o’ lean tell Ah gah an’ wipe t’ sweet off mi broo.” A lal unmannerly urchen.

LOUNDER—Handled roughly, Ah loundered him a bit wi’ t’ besom shank.

LOSHES—Our dialect has more of the harsher sounds in it, as is natural, but this is one exception. It is used to signify the liquid “swish” of the flooded river as it flows over the boulders in its course, and is unequalled as an onomatopoetic. One of Lakeland’s poets, who uses its dialect for his verses, has said of the Lyvennet that it

The contrast of sound in the two first lines and the two last is well brought out.

LOST-AN’-LOPPART—Soor wi’ muck. Sairy things, t’ barns war lost an’ loppart i’ muck.

LOUR—Liuken dark an’ like rainen; also a fellow ’at’s his rag oot, an’ showa it—it’s louren.

LOVE—Ah’ll feit thi fer a sov’ren! Nay, Ah’ll nut tak a sov’ren frae thi seea easy as that, but Ah’ll tell thi what Ah’ll deea, Ah’ll feit thi fer love. Ah’ve seen chaps feit fer love tell ther heeds was like a shammles.

LOW—A blaze. Keep thi fingers oot o’ t’ low.

LOWN—A quiet sheltered place. It’s lown here, we’ll leet up. When ther is neea wind and everywhere is quiet and still, it’s varra lown; an’ some places lig varra lown.

LOWMER, LOWMER-DOON—Lower, it’s a gay bit lowmer (or lowmer-doon).

LOWP—Jump. Thoo miad mi lowp.

LOWPER—Jumper. He’s a rare lowper.

LOWP-DIKE—A coo ’at izzant satisfied wi’ her own, but seeketh that of another—ower t’ dyke.

LOW-PRICED—Mean; underhand; deceitful; coarse; vicious; an’ owt else ’at’s bad is “low-priced.”

LORDS AND LADIES—See bulls an’ cows.

LOBBY—Fat. A gurt lobby lad.

LOB-LOLLY—A gurt fat easy body.

LOB-SIDED—On one side. Thoo’s lob-sided. An’ seea’s thoo.

LOFT—Upstairs. Cock-loft’s up again t’ riggin. Hay loft is varra oft ower t’ coo ’us.

LOGGIN—A bottle of straw.

LOP—A flea.

LOW—Downhearted; fallen spirits. He went low ower a lass.

LOWERMAS—Lammas.

LOWNDER—A chap ’at izzant varra handy wi’ his legs an’ feet. Theer, thoo’ll lownder aboot tell thoo flees ower.

LOWSE—Relaxed. Raffy. He gat inta bad company, an’ he’s gian varra lowse an’ drucken.

LOWSE-END—Disengaged. Ah izzant hiren this tierm; Ah’ll hev an odd hauf year at t’ lowse end.

LOWSE-OOT—To unharness, or unyoke a horse from its work.

LOWSE, LOWS’NIN—An apprentice whose time is served; a lowsnin is the feast got up in rejoicing on the stage of journeyman being attained.

LOCK—A handy load, or a small portion. Thoo’s just a nice lal lock fer t’ next liad. Ah’d a lock o’ streea under mi arm; a lal lock o’ cooals, an’ seea on an’ seck like.

LOFF, LOF’D—Offer; choice. Ah’d t’ loff o’ yan at mi awn price. Ah lof’d misel ta gang an’ help them when they war seea hard throssen wi’ yah thing an’ anudder.

LOG-WATER—That part of a pool that is distinct from the stream.

LOOANCE—Aye fer sewer, what ye’ll want t’ looance noo. It’s summat, genarally yal, ’at’s allooed ower an’ abiun t’ price o’ t’ wark; er a bit ov a job ov any mack—it’s a looance job, neea wage ato.

LOOANEN—A rooad wi a dike o’ biath sides is a looanen, an’ ther’s some bonny ’uns i’ Lakeland.

LOOACH—As streck as a looach; but Ah niver saw yan.

LOOACHER—Lal fish. Tommy looachers an’ bull heeds.

LOOK—Poo thissles wi’ a pair o’ lookers. Anudder rampen good niam fer a blow. He gat a look under t’ lug fer his trouble.

LOOKERS—A pair o’ lang legged pinchers ta poo thissles oot o’ t’ cooarn wi’.

LOPPART—Crudded milk; it’s loppart.

LU’YA, LUSTA, LUCKSTA—Look ye. Lu-ye! lu-ye! Liuk whar yer treeden wi’ yer gurt pasty-feet.

LUBBER—A term of disgust for an idle person.

LUDGEMENT—Lodgings. Says Bowness:

LUMP-IT—What yan doesn’t like yan hes ta lump; that is, swallow withoot chowin!

LUG—To pull the hair or ears for punishment. Ah’ll lug thi toppin a bit fer thi pains.

LUG AN’ LAGGEN—All over. He was grease an’ muck o’ ower; covered frae lug ta laggen. In a tub “lug and laggen” includes the whole of the parts.

LUG-MARK—A sheep’s ear punched or clipt to distinguish it from those of another owner.

LUGS—The ears of any and everything. The places to which the handles of buckets and cans are fastened; the ear covers of a cap; a part of a clog or shoe upper.

LUG-WHOLS—Ear holes. Stuff thi lug-whols wi’ woo, an’ keep t’ cauld wind oot.

LULLEN—Lolling; being embraced. “Basken an’ lullen in t’ arms o’ Nan Bullon,” says Whitehead.

LUMPHEED—A silly chap ’at’s diun summat he owtn’t is varra oft co’ed a gurt lumpheed.

LUNGIOUS—Subtle; revengeful. A gurt lungious brute.

LURRIED—Worried. He set t’ dog at them, an’ lurried them oot, an’ kilt yan or tweea.

LUSH, LUSHT, LUSHEN—Ye’ll see on a public hoose sign boord ’at seea an’ seea is licensed to retail “ale, beer, wine, and spirits.” That means he can sell lush to them ’at wants it; an’ some gah as far as ta say “licensed to be drunk on the premises”—that is to be lusht. Lushen is ta git a lot o’ drink inta a body ’at likes it.

LUSH—Juicy; rich. That beef’s varra lush an’ tender.

LUCK-PENNY—What’s given back “fer luck” off a bargin. Thoo’ll git neea luck-penny oot o’ mi.

LUM—A deep dub whar they wesh sheep, an’ t’ lads dook.

LUMPS AN’ STULLS—Noo, that’ll cap some o’ ye nacken bodies. It’s when t’ poddish er owt co’s oot i’ gurt lumps; they’re o’ lumps an’ stulls.

LURRY—To pull to pices with the teeth. He was lurryen at a gurt lump o’ fat meat, an’ he was grease frae lug ta laggin.

LYA—Listen. Lya at yon auld maunderen thing.

MANNER, MANNISHMENT—Manure; tillage. Thers nowt beats gaily o’ mannishment fer taties. In some old documents belonging to the parish church of Morland “manner” is given; date 1665. An “oldest inhabitant” in the writer’s earlier days used the same word to describe manure formed of dung, earth, and lime.

MAIDENHEED—Summat funny frae yan ’at reckons hissel sharp. What’s e’ them pooaks? Maidenheeds.

MACK—Kind; variety. It tacks o’ macks ta mack ivvry mack, an’ some’s a mack ta thersel.

MADDLEN—A body ’at’s a bit daft. Thoo’s a gurt maddlen ta gang an’ sell t’ cowey.

MAINLY-WHAT—As a general rule.

MAISTERMAN—A maisterman’s a chap ’at’s sarra’d his time, bin a journeyman, an’ than set up fer hissel—a maisterman tailler, an’ seea on; an’ he’s mebbe t’ maister ower neea body but hissel.

MAISTERMAN—A chap ’at hes a bit ov a temper, an’ gies way tull’t. Thoo’s a maisterman, but Ah’ll pare thi doon a bit.

MAISTER—Superior. He’s my maister at leein’.

MAISTER, MISTRESS—“Oor maister” an’ “oor mistress” are used generally for “husband” or “wife.”

MAJESTY—Top o’ mi majesty. It means varra oft at top of a varra poor sooart ov majesty, co’ed bad temper.

MAK-FER-A-MAK—An’ what it’s as weel ther sud be, er else what wad become o’ o’ them at izzant a mak ato?

MAK-NER-SHAP—Like t’ auld woman sark ’at she cot oot wi’ an axe; an’ a lot mair things that’s oot o’ proportion varra badly. They’re nowder mak ner shap.

MALT-CUM—Mawt-cum, sometimes co’ed cummins. Parson Harrison kent o’ aboot it varra nar fower hundred year sen. Lissen: “They take it [barley] out, and laying it upon the clean floor on a round heap it resteth so until it be ready to shoot at the root end, which maltsters call combing. When it beginneth therefore to shoot in this manner they say it is come.”

MANBODY—Ay! barn, but thoo hes grown sen Ah saw thi. Thoo’s a manbody any minnit.

MAPPEN—This is yan ov oor cautious words. A young fellow wanted his sweetheart ta gie him a kiss, an’ nowt seea nat’ral, an’ she wadn’t. “Mappen,” he says, “ye will at Kirsmas?” “Whia,” says she, “mappen Ah may than, but mappen Ah maint.” A chap ’at can carry on t’ gam wi’ neea mair encouragement ner that desarves his reward.

MAINT—May not. Ah maint be at t’ kirk if mi cauld’s neea better.

MANTY-MEKKER—A dress-maker. Oor lasses ’al be smart this Easter Ah’s warn’d. T’ manty-mekker’s bin workin’ varra near neet an’ day fur et meast of a fortneth.

MANNERLY—Generous; homely. She’s a gay mannerly body wi’ barns.

MANNERLY—Average, or more than average. We’d a gay mannerly crop o’ taties.

MANNERLY—Respectable. What Ah’ve some mannerly clias fer t’ kirk, an’ t’ market, an’ sials, an’ what does ’t matter when yan’s howken aboot bi yansel amang t’ kye?

MANNERLY—Decently. Behave thisel a mack o’ mannerly, when we’ve company hooiver.

MANNERLY—Tidy. Noo fadder, fassen yer waistcooat, an’ liase yer shun, an’ gah aboot mannerly, as a body sud. Git oot wi’ thi, Ah izzant gaan by t’ fauld yat, an’ Ah’s mannerly eniuf fer that Ah sud say.

MARCH-MALICE, MEADOW-SWEET—These is herbs fer badly fooak; but Ah’s neea doctor.

MARRA-FER-BRAN—Ther’s six o’ yan an’ hauf a dozen o’ t’ udder i’ this.

MARR’D, MAUNG’D—Petted; spoilt.

MARROW—Equal; match.

MARSK—A field name, an’ somebody ’ll mappen gie us t’ meanen on’t, an’ a lot mair o’ them.

MAWK—Maggot. As fat as a mawk.

MAY-GESLIN—T’ hauf-cousen tul a April-gowk. A gurt lad yance tiak me an’ tweea er three mair aboot a mile, becos he said he knew ov a place whar they hed fielded a lot o’ Queen’s heeds in a cunderth. We varra nearly poo’d t’ cunderth doon, an’ than he said we war o’ May geslins, an’ he fleered, an’ nicker’d an gurn’d becos he was seea clever an’ could let a lot o’ barns in. Ah nivver gah by that cunderth noo withoot thinken aboot it, an’ Ah wonder what mak o’ stegs them geslins hes turned oot.

MAD—Irritated. It maks mi mad ta see seck wiaste.

MAZICAN—A mafflin dunderheeded chap.

MAZED—Astounded. Seck seets yan saw, yan’s fairly mazed an’ wondered what next.

MASHELTUM—Meal for bread. A mixture of wheat, rye, and barley.

MACK-AWAY—Mak a job for the crooner; wilful waste; destruction—that’s ta mak’ away.

MADDLE, MADDLE-ABOOT—When things is gitten a bit mized i’ yan’s upper garrets.

MAFFLED, MAFFLIN, MAFFLE—These o’ mean when yan gits muddled up, an’ lost amang things. A lad ’at Ah used ta ken, at laiken time wad run intul a hoose an’ shoot as lads deea: “Betty, Ah’s hungry, will ye giv us a berry shag?” Betty was allus knitten, an’ if she happen’d ta be coonten her loops she wad say, “Thoo nasty lal mafflin, what’s thoo com here for, thoo’s maffled me noo, an’ Ah’ve lost me coont. Ah’ll tak mi’ stick ta thi back.” But he maistly gat a berry shag fer o’ that.

MAIN—T’ main man at a spot is t’ heed fellow; an’ ther’s main rooad; main drain; an’ many a yan ’ll say “What we’ve gitten t’ main on t’ in, er t’ main on t’ s’ ta git in,” an’ seea on. Auld chaps ’at’s bin a bit gam i’ ther younger days tell us hoo a “cock main” was thowt on bi them.

MAIZLE, MAIZLEN, MAIZLED—Confuse. It’s eniuf ta maizle yan o’tagidder. A simple-minded easy going body. A gurt maizlen. Confused. Thoo’s maizled amang t’.

MAK-WEIGHT—A lal ’un thrown in ta pul t’ doon.

MALLISON—A man that cruelly ill-uses a horse. A chap was leaden muck yah day, an’ t’ nag tiak t’ steck, he miad neea mair ta deea, but went an’ dipt t’ shool in a troff, an’ ivry time he hat that nag under t’ belly a gurt sowen blister wad com up. An’ auld chap ’at was watchen ’at dudn’t like nags badly usen, says tull him, “Thoo’s a mallison wi’ a nag, an’ thoo wadn’t hev ta drive a cuddy o’ mine.”

MANNERS-AND-MAKS—When fooak hev a gay deal ta say an’ nobbut varra lal time ta say t’ in they’ll use yan like this, “Sista we’d beef, an’ mutton, an’ ham, an’ o’ manners and maks o’ good things browt in fer oor dinner.”

MARROW—Noo Ah darsay that ye nacken mack o’ fooak ’ll at yance think aboot t’ inside ov a bian, but Ah du’t mean that. Ah mean if ye’ve a pair o’ owt, an’ hes lost yan, ye’ll want t’ marrow. An’ if ye’ve yah nag, an’ somebody else hes yan, an’ ye’ve a job ’at taks a drawt, whia what ye’ll marrow. An’ ye o’ know t’ sayen t’ marrow ta Bonny, which means a cruel bad body o’ some mack, if he war t’ marrow ta Auld Bonny at was gaan ta be t’ King ower huz becos we leev’d in a garden nobbut, an’ war nowt but shopkeepers. But we larn’d him, ’at dud we.

MASH—Brew. Put t’ kettle on an’ mash a sup o tea.

MAUNDER—Roam about in an endless aimless way. He’s nowt ta deea but maunder aboot frae moornen ta neet.

MAUNDEREN—Talking in an incoherent manner. He was maunderen on aboot what he was worth, an’ whar he hed brass oot; he’s gian crack’t.

MAUNGY—Spoilt; petted; pampered. A gurt maungy babby. That’ll draw t’ sooal ov many a gurt petted lad ’at’s yewlen fer t’ miun.

MEALY-MOOTH—Ah tell’t ye yance afooar ’at we du’t care fer fooak ’at’s seea soft spokken, an’ wheem, an’ eny body ’at’s mealy-moothed’s o’ that sooart.

MECKINS—Gurt rough breckins, an’ ye wadn’t think hoo bonny they liuk when ye hevn’t seen yan fer a while.

MEG-WI-MANY-TEEAS, MEG-MANY-LEGS—Milleped.

MEGGY—Weeds of the buttercup kind.

MELCH—Mild. A chap ’at went ta a pliace whar they mak whisky, an’ they’d gien him a sup o’ reg’lar stingo, said it went doon as melch as new milk. But it gave him a crobbacken gaan hiam, an’ shakken i’ t’ car boddum, fer o’ it was seea nice an’ melch, an’ good ta tak.

MELL—What dikers drive stiakes wi’. An’ they give t’ warst plewer ’at a plewin match—that taks t’ mell.

MELDER—A lot, a heap. He sat doon ta seck a melder o’ poddish as ye nivver saw, an’ he sided t’ lot.

MELDER—A pooakful o’ haver that’s gaan ta be grund.

MEAL-SEED—The fine inner skin which is found on haver. It is of this coating from which sowans are made and derive their nutritious properties.

MELL—Interferes. Ah’ll warm thi canister if thoo mells wi’ oor land. Ah niver dud mell wi’ him, Ah mell wi’ mi awn business.

MELL—SUPPER-Siam as kirn-supper.

MEMO—Ah tell’t ye afooar aboot t’ woman ’at wanted a pen’oth o’ pussy booels—that’s memo talkin’, and ther’s memo i’ eaten, an’ walken. It’s a complaint amang young fooak, but they git ower it, an’ happen they’re neea warse for ’t.

MERE—An auld word fer “mark”; land-mark an’ seea on.

MEW—Mewen hay’s yan o’ t’ warmest jobs ’at a lad can be put tull, but o’ t’ lads—an’ lasses fer that matter—’at Ah ken like ’t.

MEAT-HIAL—In gurt far-larn’d biuks yan reads aboot men an’ lasses vowing ta yan anudder ’at they’re heart-whole. Noo this means stomach-whole, an’ Ah’s gaan ta put it in, even if ye o’ laff at it. Ah’s i’ gay good fettle thenk ye, er ye o’ meat-hial at your hoose?

MEBBE—It may be; perhaps; if it should so happen. Mebbe ye can len’ me a shillin’ er tweea. It may mebbe rain, an’ than what? Mebbe if he was telt aboot it he wad see it in anudder leet. Ther’s a lot a ways o’ usin a lal handy word like mebbe.

MENSE—Manners. They’d a siaved biath ther meat an’ ther mense if they’d ass’d us ta hev a cup wi’ them.

MENSE—Decent in appearance. Wesh thisel an’ mak thisel a mack o’ mense.

MENSE—In good condition. Hoo er ye? A mack o’ mense.

MERRY-NEET—Oot o’ date varra nar—an’ a good job, fer if they were merry neets they war varra oft sooary moornens efter.

MENNEM—A minnow, an’ caht they swirt aboot.

MENSEFUL—Mannerly.

MEAL-ARK—A kist whar meal an’ floor’s put.

MESSAN—To upset or interfere with things. What’s thoo messan wi’ thi fadder razors for?

MISAUNTER, MISHAUNTER—A mudded do, a mishap.

MILLER-CLOOT—A whisp o’ streea ta stick in a wholl’d pooak.

MIUN-LEET-FLIT—It’s when we lap up oor traps at t’ dark an’ whiatly slenk away oot t’ rooad o’ rents, an’ bits o’ bills, er owt er anybody we’ve ta pay tull, we co’ that’n a miun-leet-flit.

MIG—Sump. T’ sypins frae a middin.

MIZZLE—Fine rain; Scotch mist. It mizzles a bit but it won’t be mich rain.

MIZZLE—Disappear quietly. I thowt that lad was worken in’t garden, but he’s mizzled.

MILKUS—Dairy.

MILL-POSTS—Legs as thick as mill posts.

MILT—A soft-bellied fish—herrin’, fer instance.

MINT—A lot. We’ve a mint o’ plums.

MINK-MIMP—An affected manner of talking.

MISCANTER—To fail or be disappointed in an undertaking. It com off wi’ a miscanter.

MIRE, MIRES—Low-lying boggy land—e.g., Shap Mires.

MISFIT—One who turns out badly and does not make much effort to succeed in life. They spent a pooer o’ money ta mak a man on him, but he turned oot a misfit an’ it o’ was wasted.

MIGHTY—Ye’ll hear t’ lal ’uns say ta yan at wants ta cock ower t’ midden, “Thoo needn’t mak thisel seea mighty becos thoo’s some new shun on.”

MIFF—Whimper. Keep swat an’ nivver say miff.

MINDS’TA—Ah’ll hev nin o’ thi sauce, minds’ta that noo. This is t’ origin o’ that famish classic, “Don’t ye fergit it.”

MIAL—As mich milk as a coo gies at yah milkin.

MIAL’S-MEAT—As mich as a hungry body can side at yance. They’re nivver tul a mial’s-meat when yan drops in o’ them at feeden time.

MICKLE—Many a little maks a mickle—a gay lot.

MIDDLEMER, MIDDLEMEST—Is that t’ auldest lad er youngest? It’s nowder, it’s middlemer. T’ middlemest o’ t’ lot.

MINDS—Reminds. That minds me ta ass ye ta come ta oor hoose ta yer tea.

MIN—Man. Ah’ll tell thi what min, but it’s gay cauld fer t’ nooase end o’ yan.

MIRL, MURL—Varra nar t’ siam as Mosker.

MISMAVED—Disconcerted. He went tul t’ doctor, an’ he saw’d him a finger off, an’ he was never a bit mismaved.

MITEY—Cheese ’at’s full o’ lal mawks.

MITR’D-AN’-MOULDR’D—Ye o’ know what mitey cheese is like, an’ owt ’at’s mitr’d ’s summat ’at’s gian throo t’ siam process wi’ moths an’ worms, whedder it’s a chair leg er owt else ’at’s sided away, an’ gits mitr’d an’ mouldr’d.

MOCK—To imitate in derision. Mudder, oor Jack’s mocken mi slowpen mi tea; cloot his lugs for ’t, will ye?

MOME—Smooth spoken; diffident; still. As mome as a moose.

MONKEY—Mortgate. Ther’s a monkey astride o’ t’ chimla.

MONKEY—What stians an’ mortar gahs up t’ stee in fer t’ wo’ers. See Hawky.

MONEY-IN-IVRY-POCKET—Grows e’ t’ garden does this.

MOP—Mop it up. That’s what t’ mudders say when they want yan ta sup a pint pot o’ salts an’ seeny fer a bad cauld er a strained wrist. Mop it up, it’ll deea thi good.

MOPE—A body’s ’at’s nut ower mich to deea, an’ nivver gits ’t diun.

MOPEN, MOPED—Mopen aboot like a steg i’ sitten time. It means when ivry body else is thrang, an’ neea time to bodder wi’ ye; an’ moped’s when a chap’s sitten ower t’ fire tell he’s aboot silly.

MOUNTY-KITTY—A lad’s gam: “Mounty kitty, mounty kitty, yan, tweea, three.”

MOWD—Mould. Ah’ve put this yan in becos “mould” even is gaan oot o’ fashion, an’ earth’s tian it’s shop.

MOWDI-MAN, MOWDI-CATCHER—A chap ’at catches mowdiwarps, an’ maks pooches an’ purses oot’ o’ t’ skins.

MOWDIWARP—Mole. As fat as a mowdiwarp.

MOIDER—A naggen barn ’at’s allus bodderen yan wi’ questions aboot wheea maks t’ rain, and hoo t’ sun’s fassened up, an’ wheea poos ’t blinds doon o’ t’ sky when it’s time ta be dark, ’ll sometimes be tell’t ta whisht er thoo’ll moider me ta deeth.

MONKEY—Anudder niam fer dander; when a chap’s monkey’s up, keep oot ov his rooad.

MOOTER—Payment in kind for grinding. In maut er meal t’ miller mun hev his mooter.

MOOT—Broach. Ah’ll moot it tull him.

MOOT-HO’—Town Hall. At Appleby (at all events with the older generations), Moot-Ho is the term used for what the designation Town Hall, City, or Municipal Buildings means in modern parlance. And perhaps as we have so generally discarded “fooak” it is only fit that the place of the “fooak moot” should have a name in harmony with its functions.

MOP—T’ cur dog.

MORTAL—Ah’s mortal near chowk’t wi’ stoor an’ muck.

MORTALLY—A thing Ah mortally hate is ta see fooak ’at’s seea prood an’ throssen up.

MOSKER, MOULDER—To crumble away through the action of weather, &c. It mosker’d away.

MOTHERS—Roots. Ah kent a chap ’at was a famish gurt mower, an’ he gat a job o’ mowen fer a auld fellow ’at was varra pertickler. T’ first day ’at he was agiat, t’ auld chap went ta see hoo he was gaan on. “By goy,” he sez, “thoo’s gaan wi’ t’ mudders, thoo’l deea fer yance.”

MOTHER-WIT—Ther’s nowt mich better ta fiase a rough world wi’ ner a bit o’ mudder-wit, ’at liuks at things at ther warst, un’ maks t’ best on ’t withoot gitten soor, an’ oot o’ patience, an’ laughs an’ does as they deea at Culgaith.

MOTHER—Yeast.

MOTTY—T’ hauld, when ye laik at ducky, tiggy, an’ seea on.

MOUNGE—An idle habit o’ body. Moungen aboot.

MOITHED—Tormented; teased.

Clash, i.e. gossip. “Desperate” and “terribly” illustrate a well-known feature of the dialect speakers of the Lake Country.

MONT—Must not. Ah wad liked te hev gone t’et hunt but ah mont es t’ yowes is starten te lam.

MOTTLED—Spotted. A gay nice Herdwick tip, but rayder mottled et t’ feeace en’ t’ legs.

MOPEMENT, MAAPMENT—Silly talk. What hed ye tae yer dinner? Cauf-mutton pie boiled. Seck mopement thoo does talk, ther’s neea seck thing as cauf-mutton pie. Whia than it was collop-fat.

MULLY-GRUBS—A complaint ’at bodders idle fooak a lot.

MUN-AH—Must or may I. Mun-Ah ride t’ gallawa oot ta-neet? Thoo munnat.

MUCK—Manishment. Matter ’at’s oot o’ t’ spot.

MULL, MURL—Smo peat at t’ boddum at t’ stack. In t’ auld days peat mull was famishly thowt on ta put het on t’ pie pan lid. This wad biak t’ crust an’ t’ body o’ t’ pie wad be boilin’ at t’ siam time.

MULLOCK—A serious blunder. Thoo miad a mullock on ’t ta gang an’ liver t’ wrang bullocks, min.

MUN—The mouth.

MUMPS—Quinsey.

MUM—Varra whiat. What’s wrang wi’ thi, thoo sits as mum as a moose.

MUD, MED—Might. It mud hev bin war as t’ chap said when t’ nag ran away and brakt t’ neck. He was thinken aboot his awn, neea doot.

MUGGY—Soft, foggy day. Neea druft. It’s a muggy day en drys laal.

MUMMEL—Bad at chowin’. What’s ta mummelin’ aboot? Is thi teeth gitten bad?

MUCK-HACK—A drag ta poo t’ muck oot.

MUFATEES—Knitted cuffs. Grand is a pair o’ mufatees fer keepen yer shackles warm.

MUN—Must. Ah mun gah hiam.

MUNNET—Must not. Thoo munnet stop i’ thi wet clias.

MURK-DRIFE—When t’ air’s as full o’ snow as an egg’s full o’ meat, an’ t’ winds driven an’ whirlen ’t aboot e’ o’ directions at yance, that’s it.

MULL’D-YAL—Varra near oot o’ date. Yal an’ eggs, an’ a lot mair kelderment mixed up, and tian het.

MUNT, MUHT, MURT—“Must not” i’ nacken. Thoo murt deea seea an’ seea. Ther’s white a lot o’ shorthand i’ oor auld talk, these is amang t’ lot.

MUNGY—A warm damp atmosphere ’at maks yan sweet if yan stirs is said ta be mungy.

MURNEN, MIUNEN—When fooak’s sair hodden wi’ pain they murn oot wi’ ’t.

MUSH—Sticks ’at hes o’ mirled away, er taties an’ turnips ’at boils ta slodder—they’ve o’ gian ta mush.

MUTE—Nowder a cuddy ner a mule—atween t’ tweea—that’s a mute, an’ it gahs neea farder.

MUZZY—A dull low spirited manner. He wad muzzy aboot fer days wi’ hardly ivver a word fer t’ cat.

MUZZYEN—Howken ower t’ fire when yan sud be up an’ aboot yan’s wark. Sista thoo’ll sit muzzeyen ower t’ fire tell thoo’ll be as grey as a loose.

NAB, NABBLE, NOBBLE—They o’ mean yah thing—i.e., a dishonest mack o’ sharp dealin’. Yan mud co’ ’t stealin i’ plain English.

NABB’D, NABBEN—To seize hold. Ah just nabb’d hauld on ’t i’ time. He war nabben peers.

NANNY—Aggy; Agnes.

NACKERS—Bits o’ coo ribs ’at lads play wi’.

NACK, NACKEN—Fooak at’s swallowed a dictionary, forbye a spellen biuk, an’ a grammar, an’ talk bi them, an’ whar they’re nut fine eniuf put a bit tul o’ ther awn, that’s nacken. Nack’s like rotten sticks, is a varra common observation.

NAF—T’ middle part ov a car trunnle.

NAG, NAGGEN, NAGLEN, NANGLY—Cross-grained, quarrelsome, camplin’, grumlen, ways o’ some fooak when they ca’t hev o’ ther awn way.

NAIG—A dull aching pain. Mi’ teeth naig and wark.

NAILS—Owt ’at’s hard. It’s freezen like nails.

NAILT—Cheated. He bowt a stag at Brough Hill an’ gat sowenly nailt wi’ ’t.

NAILED—Non-plussed. Aye, Ah sez, sez Ah, Ah can pay twenty shillin’ ta t’ pund, an’ that nailed him, he couldn’t come again.

NAM’LE—Bad at walken. Mi corns stang whel Ah can hardly nam’le an’ gah ato’.

NANCY-PRETTY—London pride; Love lies bleeding.

NANG-NAILS—Step-mudder jags. They grow aboot t’ band o’ t’ nail, an’ er varra sair.

NANTLE, NANTLIN’—Ta pettle aboot diun bits o’ jobs at it hardly matters whedder they’re diun er nut. Nantle aboot t’ garden fer days.

NAR, NAR-HAND—It was nar-hand tierm-time. Near. Close-fisted. Varra nar an’ clooase.

NAR-SIDE—Opposite ta far side i’ nag driven.

NARK, NARKY, NARKT—It narks yan a bit ta see sec wark. He war a bit narky ower t’ trottin’ do. Some fooak er seea siun narkt. It means put out.

NATTER—Grumbling. Natter, natter, natter, thoo’s nivver diun, natteren’ wi’ a nivver ceasen’.

NATTLIN—A chap ’at’s nowt ta deea ’ll varr oft mak up for ’t wi’ putten his hands in his pocket an’ than start nappen wi’ his clog heel on t’ rooad. That’s yah mak o’ nattlin nobbut amang a lot.

NATTY—Neat. A natty lal bonnet abiun a natty lal fiase. What’s nattier?

NAY-SEWER, NAY, NEEA, NIN, NOWT, NEEABODY—These is o’ i’ full go amang us an’ come in handy i’ ther turn. Nay sewer, he’s neea thowt fer nin o’ huz, an’ cares lal fer nowt ner neeabody but hissel, a gurt brossen hacken.

NAY-SAY—Power of saying no to yansel. When he gits a glass it’s ower; he’s neea nay-say wi’ him when he starts.

NAZZY-AN-SNAR—Yan o’ them soor, snipe nooased mack o’ fooak at liuks as if they could bite stub heeds off if yan spack owt sa oppenly tull them. What’s ta sa nazzy an’ snar aboot thoo gurnen auld hemp?

NARY, GNARY—Stoot an’ strang. He’s a nary fellah.

NAKED-LADIES—Autumn Crocus.

NEB—Bill; toe; nose; a cap peak. Sis’ta thoo’s thi’ neb i’ iv’rybody’s business.

NEBBUR, NEBBUREN, NEBBURLY—To be on good terms; visiting; of a friendly disposition. They’re varra prood an’ hee, an’ nivver nebbur wi’ nin o’ huz. A chap was builden a hoose, an’ he gat ower nar t’ rooad, an’ hed ta poo ’t back, seea what he built it fower stooary hee, acos, as he said, he’d good nebburs abiun-heed.

NEBBURS—Neighbours. Nebburs is nebburs when frens is far away.

NECK—Presumption. Thoo hes a neck ta ass seck a question, ’at hes ta.

NECK-AN’-HEELS—Bodily. Ower Ah went, neck an’ heels, intul t’ sump.

NEDDY-BEECHAM—Neddy was t’ furst silly man, an’ we’re o’ co’ed efter him ’at’s a bit daft.

NEED-FIRE—Thoo mun work fer need-fire. It gahs like need-fire. The original need-fire was the preventive of murrain, and obtained by friction, hence no doubt entailing industry in getting or conveying it.

NE’ER-ACK—Nivver heed er nivver mind. Good advice at times is this.

NEEST—Next. We’ll gah hiam neest Sunday.

NEIGHBOUR-ROW—A circle around a fire. Come up inta t’ neighbour-row an’ sit ye doon, tell t’ mistress laits ye a glass.

NESH—Delicate. Sitten’ i’ t’ hoose maks yan nesh.

NETTLED—Aggravated. Ah war that nettled when he said oor barns was mucky, ’at Ah dudn’t know which end Ah stiud on.

NEWDLED—A condition of insanity or approaching it. He’s drucken tell he’s newdled.

NEWDLIN’—A body wi’ not varra clear nooations. He’s a lal snafflin newdlin. He’s allus newdlen aboot t’ public hoose efter some cheap yal.

NEWSY—Inquisitive. What’s thoo shutten thi neb in for? Thoo’s as newsy as an auld woman, ’at ista.

NIFFY-NIFFY-NACK—Lads ’at’s laken at choosin’; they shut ther neeves an’ say, niffy-niffy-nack, which will ta tack?

NIPPY—Sharp, active. Lewk nippy wi’ tha.

NICKT-ET-HEED—A silly body. What’s ta gaan at seck a pelder for? Fooak ’ll say thoo’s a nick-et-heed, an’ they’ll nut be far wrang.

NICKEREN—Fooak at gurn an’ snuffle an’ fleer when ther’s nowt ato to deea’t for, that’s nickeren.

NICKLETY-NOWT—Yan o’ t’ marks on a teetolly ta laik at pins wi’.

NICKT-FER-T’-SIMPLES—This is t’ siam as takken sturdy oot ov a sheep heed.

NIEF—The clenched fist. Ah up’s wi’ mi’ nief an’ Ah fetcht him sec a yark under t’ lug wi’ ’t an’ he shot up.

NING-NANG—An unreliable person. Tak nea nooatis o’ t’ lal ning-nang.

NINNY—Rayder slack set up i’ t’ upper garrat. Thoo gurt ninny, wheea wad deea like that?

NINNY-HAMMER—Thoo’s warse ner a ninny-hammer, an’ that’s nine times warse ner a fiul.

NIPT—Pinched; starved looking.

NIPPY-AN-NAR—Close fisted. They war varra nippy an’ nar i’ some things, but O! man, a better boddy niver was ner them fer a mial.

NIUK—Ah’ll stand mi’ niuk. A card laiker’s word.

NIUK-STOWER—Iron work of a cart to which loads are secured.

NIUKLED—A coo new cauved en i’ full milk is top niukled.

NIGGLY—Varra bad ta git owt oot on in a bargin. He was as niggly ower a penny as many a yan is ower a pund.

NIGGLED—Chowed. T’ rattans hes niggled his britches boddums. T’ gully was blunt, but Ah’ve niggled a collop off t’ shooder as weel’s Ah cud.

NOBBUT—Wheeas that? It’s nobbut me, let’s in.

NOOASE-WHOLS—Some o’ ye’ll gurn an’ sneer, aboot this’n. Ye’ve neea casion, it’s as good as nose-thrills er eny seck-mack.

NOOASE-ENDER—A feiten trick.

NOOASEN—Prying. Ah mak nowt o’ fooak ’at’s allus nooasen efter udder fooak’s bits o’ fam’ly affairs.

NIVVER-CEASIN’—At it wi’ a nivver ceasin’. It means t’ perpetual mooation i’ grumblin’ an’ grunten.

NOBBY—T’ barn nooase. Does it’s laal nobby kittle, bless it?

NOCKLE—Lads ’ll see ’at yan anudder nockles when they’re laiken at marvels.

NOCKLETY-WHOL—Let’s laik at nocklety-whol. It’s diun wi’ marvels.

NOD, NODDEN—A sleep on t’ squab. Ah’ll hev a nod whel t’ nag baits. He’s siun nodden is oor maister if he sits doon bi’ t’ warm fire.

NODDY—A simpleton. Thoo mun be a noddy ta lowse t’ bit oot o’ t’ nag mooth.

NODDLE—Head; shake. Hod thi noddle whiat, will ta, whel Ah reed thi toppin. Thoo may noddle thi heed, but it’s true.

NOGGIN—A lal pewter measure o’ gin, er owt ’at t’ short mack.

NOGGY-WIFE-THREED—

NOINT, NOINTED, NOINTER—Ah’ll noint thi thi jacket; he gat nointed fer his pains; thoo’s a nointer. They o’ mean a dressin doon, an’ Ah’ve seen t’ stoor flee when a chap’s bin nointed wi’ t’ mayster.

NOP, NOPPIN—Snuff. Nop t’ can’le. To remove the stems and husks off gooseberries, currants, &c. We’re thrang noppin berries.

NOPE—An ugly blow. T’ han’le flew off an’ catcht him a nope on t’ nooase.

NOPPY—Barn talk fer t’ heed.

NORAL—To hit on the head with a stick. Ah’ll noral thee thoo nasty paddock.

NOWL, NOWLEN—Ring. Wheea’s t’ bell nowlen fer.

NOWT-FIUT-OIL, NEAT-FIUT-OIL—Ah put these tweea acos o’ t’ auld word nowt an’ neat fer cattle.

NOWT-AT-T-MACK—Dud thoo tell me that ye wanted a whelp oot o’ oor bitch. Nowt-at-t’-mack, we’ve mair dogs ner we know what ta deea wi’.

NOWT—Nothing. Ah’ll hev nowt ta deea wi’ ’t, seea noo than.

NOWT-SA—Not so. Ah’s nowt-sa much ta crack on.

NOWDER—Neither. They’re nowder o’ them neea gurt catch.

NOGS—A lad gam like skittles.

NOWT-AT-DOW—A poor sample; i’ bad fettle. He’s nowt-at-dow. Ah’ve niver bin nowt-at-dow sen Ah gat wet through.

NUM, NUMSKULL—Clumsy. Ah’s that num mi’ fingers is o’ thums. Thoo gurt numskull, liuk whar thoo’s gaan.

OBBUT—Ebbut slightly varied in sound.

OD-DAL, Od-die-bon, Od-drat, Od-wuns, Ods-wunters, Ods-scurse, Ods-sang, Ods-whinge—They’ve neea mair meanen ta them, hezn’t this lot, ner nowt. They’re ta let bad temper oot withoot sweeren reet oot.

ODDMENT—One slightly defective in mental power.

O THEER—Fully equipped intellectually.

OOTNERS—Them ’at co’s off anudder heaf.

ODDENLY, HODDENLY—Without intermission. Ah dar be bun’ ’at them tweea’s gian tagidder oddenly fer twenty year, an’ afoor that, ivver sen they war barns, on an’ off, they’ve bin thick.

ODDS-AN’-EBMS—This izzant a guide ta gamlin’, seea ye git neea particulars; nobbut it is theer, an’ ye know ’t, main end on ye.

OD-WHITE-LET-ON-THEE—An expression of contempt. It co’s in when ye’re i’ neea hurry wi’ yer tongue, but varra thrang udderwas.

OFF-COM’D, OFF-COMER—A stranger in the sense of not having been born in the locality. Ther’s nin seea mich good i’ some o’ ther off-comers.

OFT, OFTER, OFTEST—This is oor way o’ sayen often.

OILIN—Thrashing. Sis’ta thoo’s laiten an oilin an’ thoo’ll git yan if thoo gahs on.

OLD-MARE—A large rake used to gather up the stray ears of corn after harvest. Thoo mun gang an’ trail t’ auld mear ta-day.

ON—Employed. We’re on at t’ hay.

ON—Thick. Yon tweea’s on, thoo can see that wi’ hauf a ee.

ON-LIG—A burden; a weight cast upon others.

ON-STEAD—Same as on-set.

ON-SET—Hoose, an’ o’ t’ beeldens aboot a farm.

ON AND OFF—With slight intermission. He leev’d at yah spot, on an’ off, o’ his life varra nar.

ON-AN’-EN’WAS—Continually. He’s yan o’ this mack; owt he tacks up he’s at it on-an’-en’was.

OOT-HOUSE—A shade, penthouse, or porch. The idea is something added, or outside of a recognised building or house.

OOT’ARD—Outward; evil-disposed. As oot’ard a fellow as ivver ye met.

OPPEN-BUTTERY—Free run of a public hoose or a larder. We’d oppen buttery; iv’ry thing ta gah at as we liked.

ORTS, ORTENS—Leavings of food. Ah’ll nut eat thy orts. Also in form of Wots and Wottens.

OUT-BOWED, OUT-FACED, OUT-STOMACHED—Ye’ve oot-bowed me wi’ meat. Ah’s oot-fiased wi’ wark. He was oot-stomach’d wi’ t’ thowts on ’t.

OWER—Over; too; too much. In these ways “ower” has a wide range of usage.

OWERGAT—Overtook. They owergat huz afooar we gat hiam.

OWER-BLOWN—T’ sheep, peur things, knows aboot this when t’ elements is let lowse an’ t’ snow’s drivven like pooder, an’ they cronk thersels doon in a lowned spot an’ happen some o’ them nivver see dayleet again.

OWER-KESSEN—Dark; gloomy; cloudy. Gaan ta thunner an’ rain.

OWER-TUNE—Chorus. But chiefly used for some disagreeable memory that is constantly referred to. T’ ower-tune wi’ him allus was ’at he yance selt him a coo ’at hed pickt t’ cauf. T’ ower-tune wi’ some fooak is ’at they’re gaan ta t’ poor hoose.

OWER-PLUSH—What’s left. Ther’ll nin be seea mich owerplush o’ fodder t’ year, Ah’s thinken.

OWDER—Eyether, eether, ayder, or owder. Ye can sooart yan oot ’at suits.

OWT-SA—Any quantity. Hes ta owt sa mich bacca mair ner thoo’ll want.

OWN’D—Recognised. What ye’ve altered seea sair at Ah wadn’t own’d ye if ye hedn’t spokkun.

OXEYE—The marguerite daisy in its wild state.

OXTERS—Arm-pits. It catches mi at t’ oxters.

PADDOCK—Field name for a low-lying level field. A term of reproach.

PADDOCK-RUD—A term of disgust.

PAFFALDIN—A chap wi’ tweea cooats, as many waistcooats an’ sarks on, his legs lapt up wi’ symes, an’ a muffler ower his lugs, wad say he’d a gay lot o’ paffaldin’ aboot him ta keep t’ cauld oot.

PAG-MAG—A heap o’ kelderment. What’s o’ that pag-mag thoo hes i’ thi pocket.

PALAVER, PALAVEREN—Greasy, whakly talk. Let’s hev nin o’ thi palaver.

PAN-CHAFTED—Having the lower jaw projecting beyond the upper jaw.

PAPS—T’ hannles ta lift a pooak wi’.

PARKIN—Oatmeal cake with treacle baked in it; i.e., distinct from treacle and bread.

PASH—A sudden and very heavy shower. It com doon in a reg’lar pell; it fair pash’d doon.

PATTLE—A scraper for a plough.

PAW, PAWT—Move.—“Peer Jemmy I yance thowt that wad nivver paw mair.”—Anderson.

PAD, PADDED—A trod. Keep on t’ pad wilta. Trodden down by frequent usage. T’ gerse was padded doon fair shamful.

PAD—A saddle ’at’s stuffed an’ than twilted.

PARES—When t’ weather changes aboot we say it mends and pares. I gits better an’ war.

PAUGHTY, PAWKY—Interfering in an insolent manner, pawkin’ thi neb inta ivvrything, thoo pawky slenk.

PARLOUS, PARLISH—It’s varra parlous gaan whar ther’s seea mich smittle. Ah’ll tell thi what, it’s parlish fer yan to oppen yan’s gob tell yan knows wheea yan’s talken tull. Ther’s danger at t’ boddum o’ these tweea.

PARLEY—To quarrel. They parleyed on a canny while aboot yah thing an’ anudder.

PATE-HEED—Thoo’s a gurt daft pate-heed ta punch a peur hen ta deeth fer skratten a bit o’ muck up.

PALLY—To tread about in a shuffling way. Thoo’ll pally aboot i’ thi barfit feet tell thoo gits thi deeth o’ cauld, an’ than thoo’ll know. Palleyen aboot in a pair o’ auld carpet shun; what good er they i’ t’ wet.

PAT—Familiar. It’s as pat on thi tongue as owt, is that silly tial.

PAT—A lal lock o’ butter.

PADDACK—A fungus; a toadstool. That’s neea mushroom, it’s a paddack.

PANSH—Fluster. Ther’s a chap gian doon t’ rooad in a terrable pansh, whativer’s up?

PARROCK—A small enclosure; it’s an auld ’un.

PAWFRIE—A horse ta ride.

PADDY-WHACK—Ah gev yon beggar paddy-whack fer his sauce, an’ he’ll nut fergit it in a hurry, Ah’s warn’d.

PACE-EGGS—The Easter dues of the parish clerk paid in eggs. This custom existed in the writer’s time, and the parish clerk with his egg basket is one of his earliest impressions, associated somehow with mulled ale; perhaps because of the trick some pace-eggs had of going in that direction and furnishing youthful diversion in the freaks of a few drunken men.

PACE-EGGEN—Within the writer’s memory it was a common custom for the children to go and beg eggs for the purpose of playing with them on Easter Monday. Laiten piase-eggs, or laiken at piase-eggs. Further back a few years, a custom existed of men going around to the houses acting a kind of mummery, in which “Lord Nelson,” “Auld Tosspot,” and “The Jolly Jack Tar,” were the principal characters. The introductory doggerel ran after this fashion:

Eggs were a secondary object in this piase-eggin which generally resulted in a good spree for those concerned.

PACKY—Cloody. It nobbut liuks packy i’ t’ sooth.

PAN—Fit in; few; settle down. Thoo pans to thi wark like a fiul. Tak thi cooat off an’ pan tull.

PANG’D—Good measure, heaped up, and pressed down.

PEAT-BROTS—Whols i’ t’ grund whar t’ sheep rub when ther backs kittle. T’ sheep clipped weel, but t’ woo’s full o’ gravel wi’ rubbin i’ t’ brots.

PEAT-MULL—Peats an’ turves were formerly used fer elden, an’ at boddum o’ t’ stack wad be a lot o’ smo ’at hed shirled doon. This was co’ed peet-mull.

PEDASTER—Walk. Yan o’ Ant’ny Whiteheeds.

PEEDLIN—Looking near, as short sighted persons must.

PEENJ’D, PEENJY—An ill-natured disposition. Thoo’s as peenj’d as thoo can be. Ah wadn’t be seea peenjy fer nowt.

PEET-HEE—Neea hee’r ner t’ thickness ov a peat.

PELTER—Hurry. Thoo needn’t gang at seck a pelter.

PENNY-PIE, CAULD-PIE—A fo’ on a shirl. Cauld-pie an’ snow apples beleng ta t’ day’s o’ yan’s youth.

PETTLE—Dodging about at light little jobs. Thoo mun pettle aboot t’ fauld an’ deea tell we see hoo t’ wedder turns.

PEYL’ PEYLEN—Hard at wark. He wad peyl away frae moornen ta neet an’ nivver let wit. Peylen intult, siam as t’ chap wi’ t’ dumplin end.

PEE-WIT, TEA-FIT—“Pee-wit! Pee-wit! Ah lost mi nest an’ Ah’ve rued it.”

PEZEL’T—It means to jaggle, an’ argy, an’ heffle aboot. “We pezl’t on a canny while.” That’s hoo young fooak git started ta cooart yan annudder. They du’t gang thunneren up an’ doon shooten at ivv’rybody they meet, “Is thoo willing?” till they meet wi’ yan at is. Neea, barn, that wadn’t deea; seea they pezel aboot a bit, an’ git ta knaw bi slow degrees.

PEZZY, PEZZ-WILLY, PEZZ-WAP—T’ least lal marvels ye can git. O’ colours varra nar, but ower lal ta shut wi’.

PEANNOT—Peony.

PEATUS—Whar we stack t’ peat.

PECKER—Pluck. Keep yer pecker up.

PEED—One eye blind.

PEEL, PEELENS—Pare; parings.

PEFF—A nasty tickling cough. Peffen an’ coughen o’ neet till yan gits neea sleep.

PEGGY-WHITE-THROAT—A canny lal bird ’at lays a lock o’ eggs i’ t’ nicest nest ye ivver saw.

PEEK, PEEKEN—Peepen aboot on t’ sly through t’ key whol an’ sec.

PEH—An onomatopoetic. (Cush barn, but noo Ah’ll tell ye what it’s summat awful.) It maks yan peh trailen up a brant hill wi’ a liad.

PELL—Siam as pash. It com a reg’lar pell.

PENNYSTONES—Stones in the form of quoits.

PENS—The roots of feathers in a fowl.

PENSY—Varra kysty an’ tickle aboot t’ mack o’ tommy yan likes.

PERISHEN—Starving. They’re aboot perishen wi’ cauld.

PENTECOTE—A court or faced card. Ah hevn’t a single pentecote, just my luck!

PEAKLING—Pinken aboot on t’ sly. Ther was somebody peaklin’ aboot oor hoose tudder neet efter dark.

PERT, PEEART—Lively; fierce. Ah thowt that sheep was gaan ta dee streyt off, but it’s beginnen ta look pert again. It’ll come oot, Ah’s war’nt.

PEGGY RAW—A woman body ’at hackles hersel up in a queer way. Peggy used ta put fedders in her stockings an’ among her hair.

PIKE—A prominent peak on the fells, e.g., Kidsty Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Red Pike, Beacon Pike, Pike o’ Stickle, Pike o’ Whassa, an’ seea on.

PICKEN-AN’-PYKEN—A body ’at’s varra pensy aboot ther meat.

PICKEN—Pulling, gathering. We’re thang picken berries.

PICKLE—Condition. He was i’ seck a pickle a ye nivver saw i’ yer born days.

PIE—Siam as Pickle.

PIGGIN—A tub wi’ yah lag left langer fer a lug.

PIG-CHAFTED—T’ opposite o’ pan-chafted. Swine griun’d’s anudder way o’ putten ’t.

PIKE-OFF—Be off. Thee pike-off aboot thi business.

PIKE—A gurt cock o’ hay as big as a lal stack.

PIKE, PUKE—A pimple.

PIKE—Fell-pike is a stick wi’ a pike on ’t ta gah on t’ fells wi’.

PILGARLAK——“An’ t’ silly pilgarlick, was Ah.” That’s sattl’d wi’.

PITHUL—Field-name. (Query, Pool).

PINED—Burnt. T’ breed’s pined i’ t’ yubben. Dried ta a cinder.

PINNER—Pinched. Thoo’s pinner’d thisel fer stuff.

PISSIMIRE, PISSIMIRE-BED—The ant and ant-hill. Lig doon amang them, an’ ye’ll know what he mean’d ’at said, “Go to the ant, thoo sluggard.”

PISSIMIRES—The flower of the dandelion afoor it turns intull a bessy-clock.

PITH, PIFF—Energy. He’s neea pith in him fer nowt at’s owt at dow.

PICK—Push. Pick me doon if thoo dar.

PICK, PICK’T-AT, PICKEN—Famish these is through being connected wi’ that gurt host ov unfortunate men wheea are miserable o’ ther days an’ neets through fear o’ t’ hen.

PICK-STRAW—A very little smite. He didn’t care a pick-streea fer any man Jack amang t’ lot.

PICK’T-UP—To vomit. Pick’t t’ cauf. To calve prematurely. At one time it was regarded as wise to keep a goat to prevent it.

PILE—A blade. Ther izzant a pile o’ gurse left.

PILE—A lot. He’d whyte a pile o’ nooates.

PILLIVER—A pillow.

PINED—Starved; thin.

PINKS—The young smelt of salmon.

PIN-POTE—A teetolly, used about Kirsmas time ta gammle for pins. The four sides are marked respectively T, N, P, S, and these as they fall upwards after being spun mean: T, tak yan away; N fer nicklety nowt; P, put yan doon; S, sweepen o’ away. A common Christmas gift of the old days was a paper of pins.

PIPE-STOPPER, PIPE-STOPPLE—What lasses frizz ther toppins wi’. T’ stem ov a clay pipe.

PIG-IN—Gah amang like a lot o’ lal pigs. Ye mun pig-in as well as ye can.

PIRN—Dry o’ t’ natur oot.

PLAKE—Dirty aboot t’ hands an’ feet.

PLONCH—An’ this signifies the action of wading or walking, or both at once. Plonchin’ aboot up ta yan’s knees i’ snow broth, it’s eniuf ta gie yan yan’s deeth o’ cauld.

PLATED—Rivetted. They used ta lee around t’ May powl for a whet-stun formerly, an’ yah chap sed ’at stars war nails wi’ gold heeds, an’ he hed helped ta put them in t’ fleer o’ hebben. T’ next said he could swear that was true, for he plated them, an’ they war theer yet, an’ gat t’ hone.

PLONK—A wallop. Ah gat a plonk wi’ his neef.

PLONKER—A very large specimen. Noo that’s a plonker. It mud as weel be put in ano—it’s varra oft a gurt lee.

PLACK—Ah hevn’t a plack. Hard-up.

PLODDY, PLADDY—A pattern in cloth of a checked design.

PLAGUE—Torment. Ye sud nivver plague a mad bull.

PLANTIN—Whar trees is set.

PLASH, PLASHEN—T’ rain fair plashes again when it comes a gurt heavy shoor, an’ a chap’s plashen aboot in ’t.

PLAT—Hay riaked up when it’s a bit leet inta plats.

PLEEN, PLEENY, PLEENEN—Ailing. She’s nobbut a bit pleeny. She pleens a gay deal aboot her heed. Fooak ’at’s allus pleenen aboot udders izzant varra nice company fer neeabody.

PLETS—A chap’s legs plets when t’ maut gits intul them, an’ they lap aboot anunder him.

PLEUF—Plough. T’ auld soond’s hard, but varra seldom, an’ Ah put it in acos it’s gaan oot o’ date.

PLEW-SLED, PLEW-STILTS—A block of wood on which a plough is conveyed on the road. He’d a fiut on him like a plew-sled. T’ stilts, ye o’ know what these is, Ah’s sewer.

PLOOAT—Pluck.

This was t’ poetical advice of yah Peerith turney tull anudder aboot a client er tweea.

PLUG-AN’-FEATHER—A quarryman’s tools for cutting up stones.

PLEANIE-PIET—Pleanie-piannet; a tell-tale. Scholars know o’ aboot it, it’s yan o’ ther awn.

PLUGGER—A plonker.

PLUM—Straight; direct. Ah went ebbm reet plum tull it.

PLUM-DUFF—Plum puddin’.

POTE—Ye’ve seen nags an’ dogs ’at cud fair mak yan know they wanted seein tull wi’ nowt else but ther front fiut. What’s te poten en dewen? What wants ta?

POTTY—A common clay marvel. A lad’s poorly hodden ’at’s nowt on hand but potties.

POW-CAT—What ye’ll ha’ snifted yan likely at t’ dyke boddum when ye’ve bin nutten.

POD, PODDEN—The “Cumberland genius does not lend itself to word descriptions.” By goy! Ah wish it dud. Ah wad tell ye what ther tweea means i’ quick sticks, but happen ye know what podden aboot i’ t’ dark means as well as me, seea Ah widn’t fash ye.

POKY—Impudent. Thoo’s a poky lal beggar, ’at is ta, saucen thi elders like that.

POOAK—Sack; an’ i’ fun a purse.

POODER—A ter’ble hurry. He was gaan at a tremendous pooder.

POODER’D—Ah pooder’d off fer t’ doctor as hard as Ah could liddur.

POOR—Ah tak a lal drop o’ good whisky, a bit ov lemon, a few drops o’ het water an’ a bit o’ sugar when Ah gang ta bed, an’ Ah find oot ’at it does me a poor o’ good; an’ it’s seea nice ta tak ano’.

POPS AN’ PAIRS—Card gam.

POSSETT—Boilt milk wi’ yal in ’t; good fer mowers. A trick ’at bits o’ babbies hoe—peur lal things—when the’ve bin filled ower full.

PORRINGER—A lal basin er a gurt cup fer t’ barn poddish.

PODDISH—Ta say owt aboot yan’s poddish wad be like painten t’ lily, seea we’ll e’en let them gang unwept, unhonoured, and unsung, as t’ fellow sed.

POWDIKITE—Yan o’ t’ tribe whar six o’ them walk sebben abreast. They’re that big i’ ther awn een, an’ brossen wi’ wit.

POCK-MARKED—The effect of smallpox.

PITTED—T’ siam again; varra mucky, an’ pitted in wi’ it.

POT—T’ kial pot. A gurt pan. Boilen t’ pot—that’s makken broth.

POT-YERBS—Time, marjoram, an’ owt else ’at maks good broth.

POW, POWL—Head. Mind thi pow. Hair cutting. Can ye powl mi?

POWFAGG’D—Tired out. Ah’s aboot powfagg’d wi’ t’ heat an yah thing an’ anudder.

POD-NET, COW-NET—Ta howk fish oot wi’, when t’ beck’s fresh an’ full, er ta drive them intul when o’s whiat.

PODKITE—Yan ’at’s full o’ owt frae concait ta wind. A lal brossen podkite, ’at is ta.

POLTER—Patch and mend.

POPE, POPEN—Popen aboot i’ t’ dark. It’s when yan lifts yan’s feet varra carefully, an’ sets them doon varra cautiously, fer fear o’ mishief.

POT-WHOL—Pliases whar t’ grund’s gien way an’ left a roond hollow spot.

POTTER, POTTER’D, POTTEREN—A dealer in pots. Potter aboot diun owt. Potter’d ower a lot o’ things ’at’s neea moment. Potteren aboot i’ iv’rybody’s rooad.

POSY—An auld’un fer flower, still i’ go amang us.

POWSOWDY—Het yal, an’ sops, an’ barley, an’ ket o’ that mack. Ah durt wonder at them co’en ’t pow-sow, an’ fig-sew, fer some on ’t wad sham a decent auld sew ta sup ’t.

POSH—Howken amang watter an’ muck.

POSH—Soft; puddly. Oor land’s in a fair posh sen t’ rain com, ’at is ’t.

PODE—Be surety for; give assurance of; express confidence in. Thoo’ll mannish Ah’ll pode ta. Ah’ll pode it ye can trust him wi’ owt. He’ll pay thi Ah’ll pode him ’at will he.

POBS, POBBIES—T’ barn poddish.

PROGUE, PROUGEN—Wi’ a bit o’ ratchen these wad be prowlen an’ stealen.

PROVE—Whia noo an’ hoo priuve ye, an’ hoo er they o’ at hiam? T’ auld farrand way o’ sayen, How d’ye do?

PRICK-MEET—Summat nice an’ natty, an’ varra ’ticen ta t’ e’e. They’ve gone doon t’ toon as smart as prick-meet.

PROD—Te poke; to attack with the end of a stick or other weapon.

PRODDLE—To prick, to poke. Thee proddle him i’ t’ flank wi’ t’ spur. Prod and proddle are like howk—varra handy until you want to define them.

PROPT-UP—One who is in weak health. He’s nobbut a propt-up mak ov a body.

PREEZE—Wi’ a bit o’ preezen we gat him ta stop tull his tea.

PREEAN—Trimming the feathers as a bird or a fowl. Applied to persons who are given to an extreme regard for personal appearance—preeanen hersel afoor t’ glass.

PRIZE—To lift with a lever. Prize it off wi’ a bar.

PROOD—Projecting. Thoo’s set that stian ower prood.

PROSS, PROSS’D, PROSSEN—A large measure of self-esteem, resulting in an officious, consequential, dictatorial, or affected manner. Theer noo, is that nowt? Ah thowt somehoo it wad come, an’ it hez. Ye o’ know what a banty’s like on ’t own midden; well, that’s prossen ta nowt.

PROOD-FLESH—When a woond heals fauce, an’ a lot o’ angry flesh flusters up aroond it.

PURBLE, PURBLEN—To hoard up some insignificant article for its associations. She wad purble up o’ macks e’ things ’at was their lad’s. Saving. What’s t’ good o’ purblen things up?

PURLOCK—Mucky woo.

PUM-HEED—Knurr an’ spell laikers ’ll show ye yan.

PUMMER—Owt ’at’s big.

PUNFAULD, PUNDER—T’ lock-up fer vagrant kye, swine, an’ seea on.

PURCHASE—Fulcrum. Ah cud git neea purchase fer t’ giaveluk.

PURN—A twitch fer a nag snoot ’at won’t stand ta be shod.

PURSEY—Broken-winded. Thoo hiuzes war ner a pursey nag.

PUT—Oot Ah put; off Ah put as hard as mi legs wad gang.

PUT-ON—Clothed. He’s nobbut varra badly put-on aboot t’ feet.

PUT-ON—Imposed upon. Thoo’s bin put-on.

PUT, PUTTEN—A card gam. An’ putten t’ stian’s a gam wi’ a gurt stian ’at’s putten as far as possible.

PUT-UP—Whar ye quarter at market days—it’s “mine inn,” ye know that, Ah’s sewer.

PUTTAN—A puttan bull. Thoo’s as sulky as a puttan bull.

PUFF—Breath. Ah’s oot o’ puff, an’ it’s a varra parlous thing ta git oot o’ stock on.

PUNCH—To kick when fighting. It izzant fair to punch when ye sud be feiten.

PUTTIN-ON—A famish Lakeland lad used ta say he nivver was browt up ato, he was trailed up bi t’ hair o’ t’ heed. That’s a puttin-on.

PUTTEN-DOON—Butter put into firkins. Fowls or meat salted or cured. Put to death, destroyed, as old horses, dogs, or cats are. What’s come o’ auld Bawty? He’s bin putten-doon a canny while; he gat seea mucky.

PUKE—Ta pick up or vomit.

PYANNOT—See Peannot.

PYATT—A magpie, an’ a saucy barn.

PYFLE—To steal. To eat in a heartless way. Pyklin an’ pyflin, thoo gits nowt doon.

QUAVEREN—Sparring. Ah’ll fell thi as stiff as a stian if thoo co’s quaveren aboot me.

QUARTER—A portion of a boot upper.

QUARTER—The cow’s udder is so spoken of in cases of ailment.

QUARTER—Portion of an animal—front and hind.

QUIT—Dismiss; discharge; remove. Whar’s seea an’ seea leeav noo? Nay they’ve quitted t’ shop on him, an’ neeabody knows ner cares.

QUEEN’S-HEED—A postage stamp.

QUALITY—Bettermer fooak.

QUIFF—A dodge; a trick; a “wrinkle.” Ah’ll put thi up tull a quiff er tweea aboot neet lines if thoo’ll gah wi’ me some neet.

In our dialect, words with Q in them are subject to evasion, or that letter is substituted by some other. The following is an illustration:

Quarten, wharteren; quite, white; quart, whart; quiet, whiat; quaint, whent; quarry, wharl; quill, twill; quilt, twilt; quench, whench or slocken; quick, whick; quick-silver, whick-silver; quick-sand, whick-sand; Quaker, thwaker; quinsey, twinzy; quickning, whicknin; quick-set, whick-set; quicks, whicks; squirt, swirt or sooart. Some of these are no doubt merely humorous variations, but the bulk of them are permanent in the folk speech.

RACKUPS—A lad gam.

RASH—A skin eruption. Heat rash, nettle rash, an’ seea on.

RASH—Hoo er ye? Oh, Ah’s rash as can be.

RATTAN-TAIL—The marsh plant. A common wayside weed.

RACKLE—A nag er a man ’at’s ower hee spirited ta be led er driven ta deea as they owt. They’re a bit rackle, an’ wi’ a bit o’ ratchin it wad be reckless.

RAFFLE—Lottery.

RAFFY—This is aboot t’ first yan o’ this lot Ah want ta skip, on’ hev nowt ta deea wi’ ’t. It means when a chap’s rakish’ an’ idle, an’ drucken, an’ mucky, an’ rag’d, an’ sleeps rough, when ivrybody’s sooary aboot him but hissel, an’ he nivver heeds nowt but slatchen aboot, an’ shoolen as mich yal intul him as udders ’ll pay for. When ye hear anybody sayen ’at seea an’ seea’s turned raffy liuk an’ see if they laugh. Ah niver hev misel, an’ Ah durt think you could find yan ’at wad see owt ta be pleased wi’ aboot it.

RAFT—A lot; he browt seck a raft o’ hay as yan seldom sees i’ yah carful.

RAG, RAGGEN, RAG’D—Nut rags an’ tatters, but temper. Ah gat mi rag oot when he wanted ta trot mi aboot oor turnips. He was raggen him aboot mowen. He was rag’d, Ah tell ye, when their lot lost t’ cricket match.

RAKES, RAIKES—A bit of road between Shap and Penrith is so called, an’ it gahs a lang way back inta lang sen happenings ta git at t’ boddum on ’t. In many parts the rough paths up a steep and stony mountain’s side are so named.

RAMPS—Wild yerbs.

RAKE—Journey; thoo’s as mich on as thoo can carry at yah rake.

RALLAK, RANT, RANDY—On t’ spree. Ah’ll say neea mair, they’re theer an’ ye mun mak t’ best o’ them.

RAM—Push. Ram it doon. Rank, rancid—this meet’s ram as auld tip. Ram-full—as full as possible.

RAMPADJE—A gurt bustle an’ hurry. Thoo needn’t ta gang at it wi’ seck a rampadje; thoo’ll be tired afooar neet.

RAMPADJUS—With little heed. Du’t be seea rampadjus.

RAMPEN—Aboot t’ siam as reemen. We’d a rampen good dinner.

RANDED—Bacon ’at’s i’ equal parts—fat an’ lean.

RANNEL, RANNELIN—This is a lad’s trick.

RANNEL-BALK—Roof-tree. I’ gurt auld chimlas ye can see ’t gaan across, an’ t’ crane hiuk’t intul’t.

RANTY—Mad. Ah’s ranty varra nar wi’ t’ tic.

RAP-AN’-RAIN—Lay hands on. He’d tak owt ’at he could rap-an’-rain.

RATCH—Stretch. He could ratch a bit, i.e., nut tied ta t’ truth. A romping mischievous youth. Thoo’s a gurt ratch.

RATED—Begun to rot. Yon door’s rated bi noo.

RATIPELT—Scold. She gave him seck a ratti-pelten fer stoppen oot.

RATTEN-TAILED—A nag tail wi’ t’ hair eaten off ’t.

RAX—Tear; riven. Ah’s rax’d wi’ pain.

RAGAMUFFIN—Sairy things, it maks yan’s heart wark ta think ther sud be any o’ this mack, wi’ ther barfit feet, an’ ther shirts hinging throo t’ whols o’ ther “looped an’ windowed raggedness.”

RAPSCALLION—A bit ov a mishief.

RAMSHACKLE—Anything ’at’s lowse, brokken doon, er badly graithed up.

REED—To remove the fat from the entrails of a pig; reeden t’ puddins is proper, an’ ye’ll nooatice varra aft aboot that time fooak hes varra greazy chowls efter dinner; it’s wi’ crautins an’ black puddins.

REEK—A whiff. We’ll hev a reek o’ bacca under a tree. Smoke. T’ reek fo’s doon; it’ll rain, Ah’s flait.

RECKLIN—In a litter of pigs the least favoured is so known, and it is traditional how it generally turns out the best.

REED-SHANK—A running weed.

REED—To straighten the hair with a lash comb. Reed thi hair. Reeden t’ toppin o’ yan means summat else gayly oft—it means a luggen do.

REED-STROKES—Apple eaters ’ll tell ye o’ aboot this.

REED-WATTER—Anudder fer t’ coo-doctor.

REEMEN—Excellent. It’s bin a reemen fine day fer t’ job. That’s what t’ chap said when he’d bin beryen t’ wife—a ciase-hardened brute, ye’ll say.

RENDERED—Maken t’ leaf inta same; render it doon.

RENSIL—To stir amongst; to make a great commotion. What’s thoo rencillen efter, thoo’s rencilled i’ iv’ry niuk an’ corner i’ t’ hoose.

REESTED—Rancid. “Reested fat bacon was miad inta pies.” Restive; t’ nag reested wi’ him an’ threw him off.

REETLE—Tidy, smooth, arrange. Let’s reetle t’ bed up a bit.

REACH-TEEA, REACH-TULL—A homely, hearty invitation, which those who have any knowledge of the hospitality of Lakeland will see nothing to “snew ther nooases up” at. “Noo reach teea, an’ bide neea assin’.” “Aye reach tull an’ help yersel ta seck as is gaan.”

RHYMES—Used in children’s games for counting out by:—

Another form is:—

And another:—

RHYME-NER-REASON—Ther’s nowder rhyme ner reason i’ seck talk, an’ Ah won’t hev ’t i’ my hoose.

RHEUMATISM-PLANT—Angelica. (?)

RIAND, ROOANI—Riand wi’ grey—that’s when we’re gitten on intul t’ efterniun, an’ the bloom is gone; on a varra auld authority they’re honourable, but fer o’ that Ah’ve seen chaps plooaten them oot an’ deeun.

RIANS—Rians an’ heed-rigs is aboot t’ siam, wi’ lal difference.

RIB—Ta set pans an’ kettles on ta keep het.

RIPPAN—Hoo’s ta gaan on? Oh! Ah’s rippan, hoo’s thoo?

RID T’ SHOP—Turn out. Ah’ll rid t’ shop o’ thee, young man.

RIDDANCE—Good riddance; good shut; good shuttance. They o’ mean yah thing, i.e., it’s weel ta be quit o’ summat er somebody.

RIDDLE—A sieve for corn. Riddle ’t oot.

RIDE AN’ TIE—Noo yer capt. It’s like this. Tweea chaps wi’ nobbut yah nag set off on a journey, yan rides a few miles, an’ tudder gahs efter him on his shanks. In a bit t’ rider gits off, ties t’ nag tul a yat, an’ sets off walken. T’ tudder comes up in a bit, gits on t’ nag, an’ hez his whet at ridin’. It’s varra well they’re o’ honest, er ther wad be neea seck thing as ride an’ tie.

RIFF-RAFF—Ther’s nin o’ this i’ Lakeland worth niamen.

RIFT—Unmannerly eaters know o’ aboot it. Riften full.

RIG—Corner. Sup off an’ Ah’ll stand mi rig. Also sharp treatment. He gat a gay good rig fer his craft.

RIG—Seea many times aboot wi’ t’ plew. Yan ’at can shear his awn rig’s a chap ’at can deea his awn dollop ’at owt.

RIG-AN’-FUR—A design in knitting to represent the furrows of a ploughed field.

RIGGEN—A hoose top. He’s on t’ riggen.

RIGGIN’-UP—Plewin stubble.

RIME—Hoar frost. Ther’s a heavy rime on. This is an auld ’un, ’at is ’t, an’ was yance yan o’ oor fadders gods.

RIPPER, RIPPEN—Bad talk. Rippen an’ sweeren.

RIP-STICK—A rough person. He’s a rip stick wi’ shun.

RISE—T’ rise o’ t’ sun; t’ rise o’ t’ miun; t’ rise o’ t’ broo; a rise tian oot o’ yan; a rise wi’ yan anudder aboot mowin’.

RISM—Give us a chow o’ bacca, gaffer. Ah hevn’t a rism.

RIAPS—Stack-riaps and rig-riaps. They’re spun oot o’ streea wi’ a stack-riap-twiner, an’ can be miad any length. For this reason I suspect we have Riapen, Riapment, &c.

RIB-GERSE—This is t’ seeam as Ladies’ Garters.

RIVETS—Bearded wheat.

RIG—Back-bone; back.

RIGGS—A low ridge of hills. Common in person, place, and field names.

RING-WUZZEL, RING-OOZEL—Wild birds.

RIP AN’ TEAR—A gurt blusterous fellow ’at maks a lot o’ fuss an’ noise.

ROKE—Scratch. That barn’ll roke ivvry mortal thing i’ t’ hoose wi’ that nail if tho’ll let it, ’at will ’t.

ROAR—Cry. What’s ta snotteren en roaren at?

ROVVEN—Torn. Ah’ve rovven mi shirt off mi back gaan through yon dyke.

ROYEN—Bad mack o’ wark. Allus royen an drinken is t’ way ta neea spot.

ROTE, ROTING, RUT—To be able to tell every one in a herd of sheep or cattle without counting; also the pitiful bellowing of cattle at certain times of the day. He could tell bi rut if they war o’ theer.

ROWK, ROWKY—Misty. It’s a bit rowky, but it may turn off wi’ heat.

ROBIN-RUN-I’-T’-DIKE—A plant ’at grows i’ t’ dike boddums wi’ lal nops on ’t.

ROGGLE—A shaking. Ah varra nar roggled ta deeth i’ that shandry.

ROOARER—Ass t’ veterinary what a rooarer is.

ROOFED—Owt ’at’s riufed’s summat ’at’s unriufed, miastly wi’ t’ wind.

ROOK—This is nut a crow, but it’s o’ t’ lot—clear oot o’ t’ hial rook o’ ye.

ROOP—Hoarseness; bronchitis. Ah’ve gitten t’ roop.

ROOTEN—Howken aboot efter things ’at yan’s nowt ta deea wi’, siam as a swine ’at’s neea jewel i’ t’ snoot.

ROPE, ROPEN, ROPEMENT—Frah’den an’ riapen on aboot auld times; seck a lot o’ riapment aboot shutten as he dud tell us an’ he can shut nin, nut he marry. It’s aboot t’ siam as white leein’.

ROPS—The inward parts of an animal are by older and unaffected persons spoken of as it’s rops.

ROTTEN-EGG-RIFT—It’s a nasty dwallow tiast, ’at co’s intul a body’s mooth when t’ stomach’s rang.

ROT-GUT—Poor yal. It’s nowt but rot-gut.

ROUGH-CAST—A house which is plastered outside with lime mixed with gravel is rough-cast.

ROWK—Aboot t’ siam as howk an’ riut.

ROWELL—Put through a cauf neck. If Ah tell ye what for Ah’st be tellen ye mair ner I know. It’s a bit o’ hair put through a cauf skin just afoor t’ front legs—that’s a rooel.

ROWNTREE—Mountain ash. We mun be canny wi’ this yan, er else, by gom!

RUN O’ T’ TEETH—A chap’s grub ’at’s quartered on t’ community fer his wark. It’s his heaf, his stint, er his whittle-gait; it’s whar he runs amang, gits his dollop, er hes his tommy; he’s yan ’at’s fest oot wi’ a lot, an’ neea wonder i’ them days ’at t’ skiul maister was i’ foreign spots a gay deal, when he’d neea hiam ov his awn an’ nobbut t’ run ov his teeth i’ somebody’s else.

RUMMELBUCK—A gurt rough lungious fellow at gahs on i’ t’ hoose warse ner a bull in a pot shop.

RUN—A spot fer things ta walk in. We’ll mak a hen run at t’ garth heed.

RUNNER—A young beck ’at runs frae a spring.

RUNNIBER—A runnen lowp er punch. He tiak a runnibur punch at him an’ winded him wi’ ’t.

RUNNIN-T’-RIGS—A varra useful spak this fer fooak ’at likes ta deea a bit o’ back bitin aboot t’ nebburs, and run t’ rigs o’ them ’at’s away.

RUNNIGIATE—A chap ’at runs away frae his spot. A runnigiate izzant much set bi whativer’s t’ cause o’ his runnin.

RUBBIN-STAN—Ta wesh fleears wi’ an’ mack a white border roond t’ hoose.

RUD—Red clay. Used ta wesh fleears wi’, doorsteps, an’ winda boddums; mark sheep seea’s yan tell yan frae anudder, an’ tudder frae whicn whien.

RUDDLE—Marking sheep with rud.

RUD-LINE—Watch t’ reet’s when they’re gaan ta saw a gurt tree; ye’ll see them use t’ rud-line.

RUD-STIAK—What t’ coo band’s fassen’d tul.

RUMMACK, RUMMACKEN—Aboot t’ siam as rensil.

RUMP—To cut a nag tail stump off; to snag trees er shrubs.

RUMPESS—Durdrum, nurration, an’ owt o’ that mack. Thoo needn’t kick up seck a rumpess.

RUMPLEMENT—Tak thi rumplement an’ side it by fer wer allus in a scrow. It means mainly a lot o’ woman gear, sowing, ironing, darning, an’ seea on.

RUN-UP, WALK-UP—Shrunk as cloth or other fabrics shrink by contact with water. Mi stockings hez run up tell Ah can’t git mi teeas intul them. It’s a mack o’ flannin ’at walks up wi sweet an’ weshin.

RUNNER—A fast grown shoot.

RUNT—A lal stiff thickset chap ’at’s as strang as a bull.

SALLY—It’s nut Sarah this time, but a idle trailen walk. Ah just sallied oot wi’ t’ gun. We hed a sally oot fer a change.

SAND-LAMP—Melted fat an’ sand put in a pot an’ a lump o’ rag stuck in fer a week, an’ that’s a sand lamp.

SANTER—It’s nobbut an auld wife santer; ther’s nowt in ’t at if ye kill a frosk it’ll leeten.

SARK—Ye cannot tak t’ sark off a niak’t fellow’s back.

SAW-COME—An’ when it comes as we tell it ta deea, it maks a lot o’ dust.

SAW-GIAT—What t’ saw gahs through ta mak’ saw-come.

SAG—Yield to a great weight or pressure. T’ furm sag’d doon at middle.

SAIR, SAIREY—Sore sorrowful. A seat fer sair een. A chap was tellen me a breck aboot sairey. He leev’d in a gurt toon an’ hedn’t hed mich ta deea wi’ t’ auld twang fer years. An’ yah neet as he was gaan hiam he com across a let o’ gurt ho-bucks ’at was tryen ta flay a peur hauf-rockt woman ta jump intul a gurt sowen gutter fer t’ sump at t’ side o’ t’ rooad. “Scurse t’ hearts on ye,” he shoots as hard as he could, an’ he in amang them. “Can’t ye let a sairy crackt auld woman alian, noo.” Yan er tweea gat a shot wi’ his neef, and yan wi’ his shoe neb whar it wad deea maist good, but they hook’t it as if he was a maniac. He war capt hissel whar t’ auld twang hed bin fielden fer many a year.

SAM-CAST—A ten times aboot rig. A haymaking term.

SAUVY—Of a pale, sickly complexion; potatoes that are wattery an’ sad.

SAVE-O—Where t’ barns pence should gah.

SARRA—Serve; suit. We co’ed at t’ Ludge an’ nowt wad sarra, but what we mud stop an’ hev oor dinner wi’ them. Sarra t’ swine.

SACKLESS—A helpless kind of innocent body that izzant exactly daft but nar akeen tult. Sackless as a sucken duck.

SAID—He wadn’t be said; refused.

SAME, SAMED—Lard. Samed’s when yan’s gitten a reet putten up wi’ mowen er worken tell yan’s sweltered. Ah’s aboot samed.

SANDWATH—A crossing through a beck.

SAP, SAP-TREE, SAP-WHISTLE—Sycamore when t’ leaf’s comen on. Any lad ’ll mak ye a sap whistle if he’s a jackeylegs ’at ’ll white.

SARR—With the skin off. Siam as sair.

SAUV’D—Taken in. He gat sauv’d wi’ a wife.

SADDLE-LAPS-FLAPS—The part of the saddle that hangs by the horse’s side. A chap was eaten panciaks, an’ annudder saw him an’ ran an’ telt his mudder he was eaten saddle laps tull his brekfast. Full particulars i’ Willy Wattle’s mudder tial.

SAPSKULL, SAPHEED—Terms of admiration fer a gurt gowk ’at’s nowder sense ner reason.

SAMMEL—Sand an’ gravel.

SAIDER—Rather; preferable. I wad far saider ye wad hev nowt ta deea wid it. Yan wad far saider see yan’s barns laid low ner iver think they wad come ta an end like thatn.

SAWNIES—Simple fooak.

SCAR—Whar t’ fells is brokken oot, an’ o’ covered with gurt rough stians.

SCAW-HEED—A painful disease about the head and ears.

SCUFTER, SCUFTEREN—A sharp shower. It come a bit ov a scufter. We war scufteren aboot leadin’ hay.

SCUMFISH, SCUMFISHEN, SCUMFISHT—Thoo wad scumfish yan wi’ thi bacca reek. It’s varra scumfishen an’ clooase. Ah was near scumfish’t as neea matter i’ yon whol.

SCREES—Rough stoney ground on a mountain side, such as Red Screes, on the west side of Kirkstone.

SCRAFFLE—Struggle. He’ll scraffle through someway, Ah’st warnd him.

SCRATTIN-ON—Only a poor puttin-on, and that obtained with difficulty. We’re scrattin-on as weel as we can.

SCOW-BANK-(Oh! that the genius of word describing would co’ here!) A laal barn ’at’s laid on it’s back throwing it’s legs up, an’ laiken wi’ t’ teeas—that’s scow-bankin. A gurt barn ’at ligs aboot t’ hay-mew, an’ sleddurs aboot wi’ his shun lowse, neea necklath on, an’ doesn’t care a brass farden which end gahs t’ first seea lang as he’s easy—he’s a gurt idle scow-bank.

SCRAN—Food. Isn’t this another frae t’ Celtic fringe? Ah wadn’t be capt.

SCAN’D—Ah scan’d ower mi shooder ta see if they war behint, an’ theer they war.

SCONCE—A lang-settle wi’ a wood back. T’ dog mainly ligs under t’ sconce.

SCOWP—What they liad floor an’ meal wi’. T’way at sheep eat turnips, an’ barns eat berry shags.

SCRATY; AULD-SCRAT—A hypothetical personage of whom children are afraid by the association of alarm and dread in the manner of those who use the word. By goy! but auld Scraty ’ll git thi if thoo doesn’t come in.

SCRIMPY—Near; mean; pinched.

SCRUFFLE, SCRUFFLER—A thing ta rive t’ clots ta bits.

SCRUFFLE—A young feit.

SCUT—A rabbit tail, er what does fer a tail.

SCALE—Spread. Scale muck. Scale t’ milk i’ a’ sair breest.

SCART—Scared. “Wey man ye needn’t be see scart.”

SCAWDER’D, SCAWLDER’D—Sore through overheating and friction of the clothing.

SCAB—A sair spot ’at’s healed up, an’ summat else ’at kittles.

SCABBIN—Breckin gurt whacken steeans.

SCABBY—A lad’s gam.

SCAINJE—He scainjed aboot amang his relations tell he rais’d t’ wind. Scainjen implies some effort for a bad end.

SCALLIONS—Green onions.

SCAWD—Tea or coffee. “Co’ thi way in ta thi scawd.”

SCOOT—A cauf disorder.

SCRAWMALLY—At weddin’ days they throw het brass fer t’ barns ta scramble for, an’ this we co’ a scrawmally. It’s a gay auld trick, but it pleases t’ barns fer o’ that.

SCUFT O’ T’ NECK—A handy spot ta git hauld on when a chap’s back’s turn’d an’ ye hev him ta throw oot fer good behaviour.

SCARIFIED—Frightened. Ah was fair scarified when t’ nag ran away.

SCATTER’D—Thrown off.

SCRAFFLE—Scramble. Hooivver Ah scraffled on ta t’ auld nag back Ah nivver cud tell; we war biath seea flait. A rough bringing up is to scraffle up, and a toilsome, hopeless effort is said to be a scrafflin-on.

SCAR—A brokken bit o’ pot.

SCRAP—Land ’at’s hard an’ dry wi’ t’ druft.

SCRUJE-UP—Sit closer together. Ye mun scruje up an’ mak room.

SCAHLMY—When t’ sky’s varra ower kessen an’ lowering.

SCAIFE—The wall raising a footpath from the road.

SCRAWMY—Straggly, leggy, as bushes, plants, &c., grow for want of pruning and attending to.

SCROFF—See Scruff.

SCROW—Confusion; we’re o’ in a scrow.

SCUFF—Lowse skin aboot t’ back o’ t’ neck.

SEEVE—Rushes ta mak seeve hats an’ whups on.

SEG—Hoof. A hand ’at’s segged ’s yan ’at’s diun some wark.

SET—Lasses first this time. Ye du’t know? But ye deea. Settin hiam, whia it’s first step i’ cooarten. Aye fer sewer. Gaan wi’ fooak by t’ boggle spots, an’ fower rooad ends, an’ seck, that’s settin.

SET, SETTIN’-OOT—Plant; a piece of a potato wi’ an ee in ’t. To bury; to allot. He set us seea mich ta deea an’ we’d ta deea’t. Settin oot i’ plewin an’ that on, an’ settin oot powls ye o know weel eniuf.

SEVEIN—The juniper. This evergreen grows in great abundance on some of the mountain sides in the Lake District. From the lake acres can be seen growing on Birkfell.

SEAL-SAUGH—Willow.

SEN—Since.

SET—Beaten. Ah’s set wi’ mi poddish fer a wonder.

SETTLE—A corner seat fer tweea er three.

SEW—Mig hole, sewer, muck midden.

SECK, SECK-AN-SECK-LIKE—Such.

SET—Stiffen. Let it set.

SET-ON—Ill-grown. He’s set-on.

SET-AWAY—Put away.

SET-BY—Sided. We’ve set t’ milk by.

SET-UP—Suffer. Thoo’l set-up for this. Delighted. Ah’s set-up wi’ ’t.

SEYMIE, SAMMY—A chap ’at’s sackless.

SEEING-GLASS, SEEMING-GLASS, LOOKING-GLASS—Mirror. Liuk at thissel i’ t’ liuken glass.

SET-ON—To incite a dog to attack. Thoo’s setten ’t on, thoo gurt daft gowk.

SET-AT—That’s t’ way ta tackle a hard darrack—set at it. It’s t’ way a bull er a dog meets ther enemies. It also explains how human animals do betimes, they set at it, an’ keep at it. “What’s Ah gaan ta deea to-moorn?” sez t’ fellow tull hissel, “Ah’s gaan ta poo ling, an’ Ah’ll feit tell than.”

SET-TEEA—Bread to rise. Wait tell Ah’ve set teea.

SET-DOON—Rest while carrying a load. Set doon an’ hod crack a bit.

SET-IN—When it’s gaan ta rain fer reglar. It’s set-in fer rain o roond.

SET-TO—A stand up feit. T’ whick ’uns trail t’ deed ’uns oo’ o’ t’ rooad. That’s t’ way ta set-to.

SETTEN-ON—Got a job. He’s nut setten-on fer allus. Poddish burnt ta t’ pan boddum.

SETTEN-IN—A rag in a sair spot ’at’s stuck tull.

SERENE—As usual. Hoo er ye o? Oh; we’re o serene; er ye o amack o’ middlin?

SEE-HAULD—Let’s see-hauld o’ that hammer; Ah’ll skift it.

SEETER—Nay, Ah’s capt noo! It was a cooat as auld as t’ hills, but she stack tull’t it was as good as new, an’ hed nowder crack ner seeter in ’t. Mak’ what ye can on ’t.

SEETON—It was in a chap’s neck ta keep him frae gaan wrang in his head.

SHALLY-WALLY—An undecided, lackadaisical, (Oh! man, oh! barn), easy gaan body. Shaff o’ seck shally-wally fooak, sez Ah. Meaning-less talk. Shut up an’ let’s hev neea mair o’ thi silly shally-wally rubbish.

SHAK-A-LOWSE-LEG—Unfettered (that’s a grand ’un); free; Ah’ll shak-a-lowse-leg a bit langer.

SHAKS—Hoo er ye? Neea gurt shaks.

SHARP-STRUCKEN—Yan ’at’s handy wi’ his feet. He’s a sharp-strucken bliade.

SHARPS—Aye an’ flats. But this is meal o’ some mak to mak breed on.

SHEMMLE—Dud ye iver stand on a stian heap er a auld wo’ when it shuttered? That’s it.

SHIN—When lads is laiken at fiut-bo they’ll shin yan anudder an’ think nowt aboot it—Ah know!

SHOOTEN-OOT—When woman fooaks badly, amang t’ streea.

SHAFF—Shaff o’ thi an’ thi nonsense. It’s a good word is shaff fer gitton shot o’ rubbish.