GLOSSARY OF ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND NORTH RIDING WORDS (continued 3)
Reading edition
Royously, adv. Extravagantly.
Rud, n. Red ochre, also ruddle.
Rud-stake, n. The post to which a cow or ox is fastened when in its stall.
Rue, v. To alter one’s mind after making a bargain.
Rue-bargain, n. A sum of money paid to cancel a bargain.
Ruffle, v. To rub or raise the skin.
Rumbustical, adj. Noisy, rough in play.
Runch, n. The charlock (Sinapis arvensis).
Rung, n. The step of a ladder.
Runnel, v. A small stream of water, the channel it runs in, a funnel.
Run out, adj. Exhausted, impoverished.
Runty, n. Short, thick-set.
Rush, n. A large concourse of people.
Russelled, Vide Rasselled.
Rutterkin, n. A sly old fellow.
Rutting, n. The sound made by deer during the pairing season.
Ruttle, v. and n. To breathe with a rattling, gurgling sound, as when suffering from bronchitis, or when dying. Hence t’ deeath ruttle’s setten in, it’ll seean be owered wiv him noo.
Rutty, adj. A road deeply furrowed by cart-ruts.
S.
‘S, Is, has, or as.
S’, v. Shall.
Sa, Vide Seea.
S’aan’t, v. Shall not.
Sack, To get the, v. To be turned out of or lose a situation, to be dismissed.
Sackless, adj. Lacking common sense, foolish.
Sad, adj. Heavy, as badly-risen bread, damp.
Sadden, v. To make firm by stamping, treading, &c.
Ex.—Sae monny fooak tramping on t’ land sairly saddens ’t.
Sadly, adv. Very much.
Ex.—It sadly wants deeaing, i.e. ‘It wants doing very much.’ Ah sadly wanted her ti stop a bit langer.
Sadly begone, adj. Surprised and distressed at the same time.
Sadly ta’en in, adv. Very much deceived.
Ex.—Ah’ve been sadly ta’en in wiv ’em.
Sae, Vide Seea.
Safe, Seeaf, adj. and adv. Certain, without doubt.
Ex.—Ah’s seeaf ti cum, i.e. ‘I am certain to come.’ Safe eneeaf he did it, i.e. ‘Without doubt he did it.’
Sag, v. To hang lower in the middle than at either end, as a rope.
Sahded by, Sided by, pp. Buried.
Ex.—It’s owered wiv him noo, wa’ve gitten him sahded by.
Saim, Saam, n. Lard.
Sair, adj. Sore, in all its senses.
Ex.—Wa’ve ’ed a sair tahm, i.e. ‘a sad time.’ It’s varra sair news, i.e. ‘sorrowful.’ T’ lad’s gitten a naisty sair spot, i.e. ‘sore.’
Sair, Sairly, adv. Sorely, greatly, extremely; used as an intensive.
Ex.—Sha’ll be sairly missed, will Jane. It war a sair mannish’d job. Sha sairly wanted ti git yam.
Sam, v. 1. To cause milk to curdle, to coagulate.
2. To gather in a hurry.
3. To pack things carelessly.
Ex.—2. Ah samm’d all t’ lot tigither iv a twinklin’.
3. Sam ’em in onnyhoo.
Sammer, adj. Larger than usual.
Santer, v. To loiter, to walk slowly.
Sappy, adj. Heavy, sodden.
Sap-tree, n. The rowan-tree.
Sark, n. A shirt or chemise.
Sarten, adj. Certain.
Sarve, v. 1. To feed cattle.
2. To pay back revengefully.
Ex.—1. Thoo mun sarve t’ pigs.
2. Ah’ll sarve him oot foor ’t.
Sattle, v. To settle, usually followed by ‘down’; to feel at home.
Ex.—Ah s’ sattle efter a bit. Oha, he’s sattled doon neycely.
Sattle one’s hash, To, To completely discomfit.
Ex.—If sha sez owt ti me Ah’ll seean sattle her hash, an’ tell her her neeam fur nowt an’ all; sha’d best leeak oot.
Sauce, n. and v. An impudent answer.
Ex.—Ah tell’d her what Ah thowt, an’ sha sauced ma back ageean leyke all that.
Sau’t, n. Salt.
Sau’t-kit, n. Salt-box.
Sauve, n. Ointment.
Sauve, v. 1. To cajole.
2. To apply ointment.
Ex.—1. Thoo mun sauve him ower byv talking neycely.
Savelicks, n. Canker of the dog-rose.
Saw-cum, -com, or -coom, n. Sawdust.
Saw-hoss, n. A saw-pit, or the arrangement of two tressels upon which the wood to be sawn is rested.
Say, n. 1. Power, influence.
2. Opinion.
Ex.—1. T’ parson ’ez t’ maist say ov onnybody hereabouts.
2. Noo let me saay mah saay noo, i.e. ‘Now let me express my opinion now.’
Say, v. To control or influence.
Ex.—Ther’s neea saying onny o’ Martha’s bairns. Ah caan’t saay t’ dog.
Scacelings, adv. Scarcely.
Scaldered, To be, v. To have an unhealthy skin, so that the surface comes off in scales. Children’s heads are often said to be scaldered when suffering from dandruff.
Scalderings, n. Nodules of half-burnt lime.
Scale, Scaling, v. To scatter or spread, as manure; to cause the milk to be absorbed in the female breast.
Scale-dish, n. A shallow metal pan used to skim milk.
Scallibrat, n. A passionate, noisy child.
Scamp, v. To execute work in a dishonest manner, not paying attention to details which are hidden from view.
Scar, n. The face of a precipitous rock, or the rock itself.
Scart, v. Frightened.
Scaud, n. and v. A scold, a vixenish woman.
Scaud-heead, n. Applied both to dandruff and ringworm.
Scau’p, n. The head, the skull, the bare spots of rock and stones on a hillside.
Sconce, n. 1. A screen, usually lined with tin, which is kept very bright so as to reflect; this is placed in front of any joint roasting before the fire.
2. Hence the usage of the word in the sense of a ‘ruse,’ ‘deception,’ i.e. a screen to hide one’s real intentions.
Ex.—2. He aim’d at wa s’u’d think ’at he’d cum’d ti see t’ au’d chap, bud it war nowt bud a sconce ti finnd oot what wa’d gitten i’ t’ hoos. The word is also used in the sense of ‘tale-bearing’ in such a way as either to hide one’s own fault or to obtain one’s own ends.
Scopperil, n. A teetotum, a pierced bone button with a wooden peg through it.
Scourging top, Scurgy, n. A whipping-top.
Scow, n. Confusion, hurried and somewhat disorganized preparation for an expected event, bustle with confusion.
Scowder, Scowderment, n. Confusion.
Scraffle, v. To struggle, to strive.
Ex.—Ah mannished ti scraffle thruff’t, bud Ah s’all tak t’ hedge t’ next tahm. Sha’s deean mair ’an weel ti scraffle on wi’ a family leyke yon.
Scrag-cauf, n. A name applied to females whose legs are very thin.
Scraggy, adj. Lean.
Scran, n. Food.
Scranky, adj. Very lank.
Scrannel, adj. Poor, worthless.
Scrap, v. and n. To quarrel.
Scrape, n. Misfortune, trouble.
Scrape the tongue, To, v. To speak affectedly.
Scrat, v. and n. 1. To scratch.
2. A scraping together of one’s belongings by hard toil.
Ex.—2. Yan gits yan’s things scratted tigither oddly by tahms. Neeaboddy’s made a harder scrat foor what tha’ve gitten ’an Lisa Jane.
Scrat, n. A miser, the itch.
Scrat, Au’d, n. The devil.
Scrawm, v. To scratch irregular marks on any surface, to grope about in the dark.
Scrawmy, adj. Straggly, irregular, unshapely.
Scrawmy cauf, n. A badly shaped leg. adj. Scrawmy-cauf’d.
Ex.—Mah wo’d, bud Polly war sairly flowter’d when Ah dropped on her shauming, ant Ah seeaa sha’d neea call ti be, fer sha’s owt bud a scrawmy-cauf’d un.
Screed, v. To run a line or border on the edge of anything.
Screed, n. A shred, the border or edge of any material.
Screeve, v. To mark with a screever.
Screever, n. A small pointed steel tool used to mark metal, &c.; the sound produced by such marking.
Scriggle, v. To twist about.
Scrimp, adj. 1. Niggardly.
2. Scant.
3. Short.
Ex.—1. It war nobbut a scrimpy do.
2. It war a varra scrimpy set oot.
3. Did ta run sho’t o’ stuff? T’ sket nobbut seems scrimpy an’ sho’tish at t’ back.
Scrogs, n. Stunted bushes or shrubs.
Scrout, v. To lengthen, as the days.
Scrow and Scrowing. Vide Scow.
Scruff, n. Scurf, either on the skin or head; scum, hence ‘the rabble.’
Scruffle, Scruffling, v. 1. To push, strive, to put on one side by force, as pushing through a crowd.
2. To weed turnips.
Ex.—1. Ah’d a despert scruffle afoor Ah gat inti t’ tent. Neeabody teeak na notish o’ neeabody, bud iverybodd scruffled t’ best waay tha c’u’d, whahl wa war all scruffling tigither.
Scruffle, n. A quarrel accompanied with a struggle, an unruly crowd.
Scruffler, n. A hoe for weeding turnip rows. Formerly it was fashioned from an old horse-shoe fixed to a long handle.
Scuff, n. The nape of the neck.
Scuff, v. To seize or shake by holding the neck.
Scumfish, v. To oppress with either heat, smoke, or foul air.
Scut or Scud, v. To run away.
Scutter, v. To run away quickly.
Scutters, n. Diarrhoea.
Scuttle, n. An open rough-made basket considerably narrowing towards the bottom, and used to gather potatoes in, &c.
Sea-fret, n. Fine rain, usually commencing with the rise of the tide.
Seagling, part. Sauntering.
Sea-tang, n. Sea-weed or wrack (Laminaria digitata).
Seddle, n. The wrist-bone.
Seea, Sae, Sa, Soa, Sooa, adv. So.
Seear, Shower, adj. and adv. Sure.
Seed, pf. part. of ‘Saw.’
Seed-lip, n. The basket from which the seed corn is cast when thrown on the land.
Seeing-glass, n. A looking-glass.
Seeve, Seeave, n. The common rushes (Juncus effusus and conglomeratus).
Seet, adj. Considerable, many.
Ex.—Ther war a seet main fooak theear ’an what Ah thowt ther’d be. He’s a seet better ’an what Ah leeak’d foor.
Segged, v. To be distended, swollen, accompanied by hardness.
Seggrums, n. Common ragwort.
Seggy, adj. Second.
Ex.—Bags Ah seggy, i.e. ‘Second turn.’
Segs, n. A name applied somewhat loosely to several rushes and flags.
Sen, Sin, adv. Since.
Servers, n. Females, generally two in number, who hand the cake, biscuits, and wine to mourners and others at a burial.
Set, v. To accompany any one either the whole or a short way on a journey.
Ex.—Tommy set ma ivver sae fur. He put t’ meer in an’ set ma all t’ waay. Ah’ve setten her ti t’ deearstan.
Set, v. To arrange or settle a price.
Ex.—Setten at that price, he’d nivver git his awn ageean. Ah’ve setten it at less na what Ah aimed ti git.
Set a day, To, v. To fix a definite appointment.
Set agate, v. To set in motion, to start work, to put into action. Vide Agate.
Set in, adj. Applied to dirt on the clothes or skin of long standing; commenced and likely to continue.
Set on, Setten on, v. To burn in the pan when cooking, especially when milk is used. adj. Small, stunted in growth.
Set on knees, v. To kneel.
Set-pot, n. A large iron cauldron fixed in brickwork.
Set-teea, n. A fight.
Ex.—Let ’em ’ev a set-teea, an’ then tha’ll git it sattled. Bob’s ’ed a set-teea wi’ Billy.
Set teea, Set on, v. To begin or cause to begin.
Ex.—Thoo mun set teea at yance, an’ Ah’ll set Tom on ti morn at morn.
Setter, n. A seton. Also v. To insert, &c.
Settle, n. Vide Lang settle.
Settled, v. To be decided, satisfied, contented. Vide Sattle.
Ex.—Ah’ve sattled that point lang sen. Ah’s nobbut hauf sattled wi’ t’ waay things is gahin’ on, an’ Ah s’aan’t feel sattled whahl Ah’ve been ti see foor mysen.
Set up, v. To greatly delight.
Sez, v. Says.
Ex.—If sha sez ’at thoo sez what thoo sez sha sez, sha sez what’s wrang.
Shabby, adj. Disagreeable, unpleasant as to weather.
Ex.—Wa nobbut ’ed a shabby hay-tahm ti year.
Shackle, n. The wrist.
Shade, n. A wooden or lightly constructed building, a shed.
Shades, n. Lace curtains.
Shaff, n. Sheaf.
Shaffle, v. To shuffle in walking, to evade by subterfuge, to be undecided.
Shaft, n. A handle, as of a fork, rake, hoe, axe.
Shaft, v. To fix a handle to anything.
Shak, v. To shake.
Shak-bag or -back, n. An untrustworthy fellow.
Shake, n. A split or crack in furniture.
Shak-fork, n. The fork used for lifting and shaking the thrashed straw.
Shak-ripe, adj. So ripe that shaking will cause the fruit to fall. Anything likely to fall either from a shake or wind.
Shanks’ nag, Shanks’ pony, n. One’s own legs as a means of going from place to place.
Ex.—Ah s’all ’a’e ti gan on Shanks’ pony, i.e. ‘I shall have to walk.’
Shap, Shaape, v. 1. To show good judgement.
2. To give promise.
Ex.—1. He shaps weel ti deea ’t, diz t’ lad.
2. It shaps ti mak a good un.
Sharp, v. To insert nails or screws in a horse’s shoe during frosty weather.
Sharp, adj. Quick, smart, intelligent.
Ex.—1. Noo gan ez sharp ez thoo can, i.e. ‘quick.’
2. Noo that war a sharp trick ti deea, i.e. ‘smart.’
3. He’s a sharp lad that, i.e. ‘intelligent.’
Sharps, n. Flour with the admixture of bran.
Shaum, v. To warm the legs and knees by sitting close to the fire; in the case of females, with the skirts, &c., pulled above the knees.
Shear, v. To cut corn with a sickle.
Shearling, n. A sheep of the first year from the time of shearing.
Sheep-ked or -keead, n. A sheep-tick.
Shell, n. A slide. v. To slide.
Shelvings, n. Wooden frames fixed on either side of a cart to increase the size.
Shift, v. To remove from one house to another, to change one’s clothes, to move.
Shift, n. A chemise.
Shifty, adj. Deceitful, crafty.
Shill, n. Scum of anything left to stand.
Shill, v. 1. To shell, as peas, &c.
2. To cause to curdle so that the whey and curds separate.
3. To make a noise something between a howl and a whistle.
Ex.—3. Mah wo’d, bud t’ wind did shill roond t’ chetch last neet. Its nobbut a feeal ’at trimm’ls when t’ wind shills.
Shills, n. Shafts of a cart.
Shine, n. The pupil of the eye; a disturbance, a quarrel.
Shinnop, v. To play at hockey.
Shinny, n. Hockey.
Shippy, or Ship starnel, n. The starling.
Shiv, n. A husk of corn.
Shive, n. A slice.
Shoe, n. The drag applied to the wagon or cart wheel when descending a hill.
Shog, v. To shake, to be slowly driven along with a jolting motion.
Shoggle, v. To shake with unsteady motion.
Shogglin, n. An icicle.
Sholl, n. Slide. v. To idle.
Shool, n. A shovel.
Shoon, n. Pl. of ‘Shoe.’
Shoot, v. 1. To shout. Often implies to call without raising the voice.
2. To break into ear (of corn).
Ex.—1. Shoot on him, he’s i’ t’ next room.
Shot, Shut, v. To be freed from, rid, clear of.
Ex.—Hez ta gitten shut on him? i.e. ‘Have you got rid of him?’ Ah’ve gitten shot o’ that claim, i.e. ‘I have got clear of that claim.’
Sho’t, adj. Short, hasty.
Ex.—Saay neea mair, leeave that sho’t, i.e. ‘Don’t tell or explain the whole.’ Ah thowt ’at he war a bit sho’t wi’ ma, i.e. ‘a trifle hasty.’
Shot-ice, n. Sheets of ice.
Shovven-string, n. Boot-lace.
Shrag, v. To lop, to trim.
Shrift, n. The condition of an animal’s coat after having been kept on soft food in the open during winter; on beginning to better its condition it sheds its coat.
Shudder, Shuther, v. To shake, to tremble.
Ex.—Yah crack o’ thunner made all shuther ageean.
Shut, v. To shoot with a gun, to put out or shoot out, to quit.
Shuttance, n. Riddance.
Ex.—Tha’ve gane, an’ good shuttance tiv ’em, i.e. ‘They have gone, and good riddance to them.’
Shutters, n. A shooting party.
Shy, adj. Bitter and piercing (of the wind).
Sich, adv. So.
Side-lang, v. To fasten the fore and hind foot of a sheep together to prevent its straying.
Side up, v. To put in order, to tidy.
Side-wipe, n. Censure, conveyed by innuendo.
Sidling, adj. Fawning, servile.
Ex.—He awlus sidles an’ maks up ti fresh fooak, bud he’s a sidling sooart ov a chap.
Sie, n. A fine sieve to strain milk, a spot, a stain left by anything falling in drops.
Sie, v. To strain milk.
Sike, adj. Such.
Sikan, adj. Such (used before a vowel).
Sike-like, adj. Such-like, so forth, similar.
Sile, n. A strainer.
Sile-brigg, n. The wooden frame upon which the sile rests when used.
Sill-horse, n. The shaft horse.
Sin, adv. Since.
Sink-hoal, n. A dug-out or other hollow place in which the drainage from a midden-stead collects, or water from the sink.
Sinter-santer, v. To idle, to dawdle.
Sipe, v. To soak through, to drain away slowly, to sink away.
Sippel, n. A thin slice of anything.
Sipper-sauces, n. Dainty dishes.
Siss, v. To hiss, as water dropping on the fire; to spit (of a cat); to hiss like a goose.
Sitfast, n. The hard cyst of a wound or boil.
Sitha, pronounced Si-tha. Calls attention to. It is a corruption of ‘seest thou.’ Sutha originally was ‘saw thou.’ ‘Sitha’ and ‘sutha’ are equally common.
Sit up on end, To, v. To sit up.
Ex.—He’s mending grandly; whya, he’s sitting up on end i’ bed.
Sizzapur, n. A heavy blow. As an adj. Large of its kind.
Skaff, Skeeaf, n. A rough, steep, broken bank.
Skare on, v. To overlap or splice.
Skate, v. To turn sharp round.
Skaum, Vide Skime.
Skeeal, n. School.
Skeel, n. A large wooden milk-pail.
Skeg, n. A glance, a cast of the eye.
Skel-beast, n. Wooden partitions in the cow byre.
Skell, v. To tilt, to raise up one end of anything, to shriek out.
Skell up, Skell ower, v. To upset, by the lifting of one end or side too high.
Skeller, v. To squint.
Skellered, adj. Bent by heat, as the covers of a book held too near the fire.
Skelly, n. A squint.
Skelp, Skelping, n. A thrashing. adj. Quickly, with great speed.
Ex.—1. Ah gav’ him a skelp.
2. He did gan wiv a skelp.
Skelp, v. 1. To strike with the open palm.
2. To move quickly.
Ex.—1. Noo Ah’ll skelp tha.
2. He skelp’d off yam t’ minit he seed ma.
Skelper, n. Skelping, adj. Huge.
Skep, n. A basket made from either flags or willows.
Sket, n. A skirt.
Skew, v. To twist round or about, to wrench.
Ex.—Sha skews hersen aboot warse ’an nowt. Skew ’t off if t’ weean’t pull oot.
Skid, n. The iron shoe used as a brake.
Skid, v. To fix the iron shoe to the wheel.
Skill, v. To understand, to unravel.
Ex.—It’s putten tigither queerly, it’s a bit of a rum un ti skill. It’s a queer taal, can ta skill ’t?
Skillet, Skellit, n. A small pot for the fire with a long handle.
Skime, Skaum, v. To droop the eyelids, to scowl.
Ex.—Oppen thi e’es, an’ deean’t gan skauming aboot leyke that. Noo leeak pleasant, an’ dean’t skaum.
Skimmering, adj. Bright, sparkling, brilliant. v. Shining brightly.
Skiny, adj. Greedy.
Skirl, v. To scream.
Skirtling, n. The lower and dressed part of a haystack.
Skirts, A pair of, n. Petticoat.
Skite, To take one’s, v. To leave quickly.
Ex.—Ah heeard what he’d gitten ti saay, an’ then Ah teeak my skite.
Skit, v. To sneer at, to make fun of.
Skit, n. A remark, or printed matter of a personal character.
Skivvers, n. Wooden skewers.
Skrike, v. To screech.
Skrimp, Vide Scrimp.
Slabby, Vide Sleazy.
Slack, adj. Slow, lacking go or briskness.
Ex.—It war nobbut slack deed. T’ market war varra slack.
Slack, n. A small valley.
Slafter, n. Slaughter.
Slafter-hoos, n. Slaughter-house.
Slain, Sleean, n. The smut blight of wheat (Ustilago segetum).
Slair, v. To idle away one’s time.
Slairy, adj. Untidy, sluttish.
Slaister, v. To do anything in an idle, slovenly manner; to scamp work; to flog with a whip or cane.
Slaisterer, n. An idle, slovenly fellow.
Slake, v. To lick; to cleanse imperfectly by just wetting and rubbing, as licking a slate.
Slake, n. A lick, a pretence of cleaning.
Ex.—Ah just gav’ things a slake ower.
Slap, v. To spill.
Ex.—Thoo’ll slap ’t if thoo hugs it leyke that, an’ if thoo diz slap ’t Ah’ll slap tha foor slapping ’t.
Slap, v. To go or do anything quickly, to be energetic.
Ex.—He went slap at it ez if he meant it. Ah’ll run slap ower at yance.
Slape, adj. Slippery; smooth, as applied to even or polished surfaces; untrustworthy, crafty.
Slape-feeaced, adj. Applied to a hypocrite.
Slape-fingered, adj. Butter-fingered.
Slapen, v. To make slippery, to open the bowels by laxatives.
Slape-scalp or -scaup. A hypocrite.
Slape-shod, adj. Shoes, especially of horses, are said to be ‘slape-shod’ when much worn and smooth.
Ex.—Is ta slape-shod? Neea, Ah’ve just gitten sharp’d.
Slape-t’unged, adj. Plausible.
Slappy, adj. Sloppy, puddly, wet.
Slaps, n. Slops.
Slap-stone or -steean, n. The kitchen sink.
Slap up, v. To eat or drink in a hurry.
Slap-up, adj. First-class, exceedingly good.
Ex.—He’s gitten a slap-up t’on-oot. Noo that’s a slap-upper if ya leyke.
Slathery, adj. Continued, as applied to wet weather; puddly, of the roads. The word as used often embodies both ideas.
Slating, n. Scolding.
Ex.—Ah gat sike a slating foor brecking t’ winder.
Slattery, adj. Slovenly.
Slaup, v. To eat and drink with the mouth too full.
Slaverment, n. Insincerity, fawning, hypocrisy.
Sleave, v. To twist. To ‘sleave’ a lass is to put one’s arm round her waist.
Sleaved, part. Twisted.
Sleazy, adj. Badly made, slight, unsubstantial.
Sleck, v. To quench one’s thirst, to quench fire by pouring water on it, to remove the caustic element from lime.
Sleck, n. Drink.
Ex.—That’s all reet foor them ’at can deea wi’ ‘t, bud Ah leyke a sup o’ beer foor a sleck.
Sled, n. A sledge.
Slem, adj. Bad, applied to work put together badly.
Slem, v. To do work imperfectly, to slur over, to hide work by an outer covering. Its usage is a trifle loose.
Ex.—Ah slemm’d it ower wi’ pent.
Slew, v. To swerve, to turn or twist round. In the passive, to be intoxicated.
Slidder }
Slither } v. 1. To slide.
2. To disappear unobserved.
Ex.—1. He set hissel on t’ top ov a larl bit of a sled, an’ went slithering doon t’ hill leyke all that.
Sliddery } adj. Slippery.
Slithery }
Slinky, adj. Inclined to act evasively.
Slip, v. 1. To forget.
2. To go, to come.
Ex.—1. It slipt my mahnd ez cleean ez nowt.
2. Slip ower ti Bob an’ tell him ti slip ower ti me, i.e. ‘Go to Robert’s and tell him to come to me.’
Slip, n. A pinafore.
Slipe, v. To strip off an outer covering, as bark, with a rapid action.
Slirt, v. To squirt water.
Sloke, n. Slime on the surface of stagnant water.
Slope, v. To dishonestly evade payment, to defraud; to abscond, leaving one’s debts unpaid.
Slosh, n. Melted snow or mud.
Sloshy, adj. Applied to a condition of general thaw.
Slot, n. A slit in a garment for a tape to be run through.
Slot, v. To slam.
Ex.—Ah sed nowt, bud just slotted t’ deear iv his feeace.
Slough, Sluff, n. The outer skin, especially of fruit, as the gooseberry.
Slowdy, adj. Flabby, soft; applied to fish out of condition and season.
Sluddery, Sluthery, adj. Applied to melted snow and mud.
Slummer, v. To sleep almost in a comatose state.
Slush, Vide Slosh.
Slutherment, n. Any slimy, viscid matter.
Sluthery, adj. Having to the touch a feeling of slime or viscid matter.
Sly-cakes, n. Ordinary looking cakes, but filled with fruits.
Smally, adj. Puny, thin, undergrown.
Smatch, n. A savour, a trifle, a small portion.
Smeark, v. To half smile.
Smere, n. The membrane covering the nostrils of a foal at birth.
Smiddy, n. A blacksmith’s shop.
Smiddy-oom, n. The sweepings of a blacksmith’s bench and floor.
Smit, n. Infection.
Smit, Smitch, n. Fine particles of soot which fall from the smoke of the chimney.
Smitting, adj. Infectious.
Smittle, v. To infect.
Smock, n. A chemise.
Smoor, Smurr, v. To smother, suffocate.
Smoot, v. To partially hide the face.
Smooth, v. To iron clothes.
Smooth-feeaced, adj. Bashful.
Smoot-hoal, Smoot-hole, n. A hole, varying in size, in a hedge or wall; e.g. a rabbit smoot, a sheep smoot.
Smoot-steean, n. A slab or stone used to stop a smoot-hole.
Smudge, v. To smear; to emit smoke, but without any flames visible.
Snaffling, v. To speak through the nose.
Snag, v. To cut the branches from felled trees, to top and tail turnips.
Snahl, n. Snail.
Snake-steean, n. An ammonite.
Snarly, adj. Biting, chilling (of the wind).
Snavvie, Vide Snaffling.
Sneb, v. To rebuke.
Sneck, n. The fastening of a gate or door.
Sneck, v. To fasten, to latch.
Ex.—Noo think on an’ sneck all t’ yats.
Sneeap, v. To check, to put down.
Ex.—Ya caan’t sneeap ’em, an’ they weean’t be snebbed, an’ neeabody’s gitten neea saay ower ’em at all, an’ if yan diz call ’em, tha deea nowt bud snifter, snitter, an’ gen at yan.
Snicker, Vide Snitter.
Snickle, v. A slip-noose of wire used as a snare.
Snifter, n. A sniff, a smell of short duration.
Ex.—Noo it’s varra neyce, just tak a snifter on ’t.
Snifter, v. To snuff up.
Ex.—Wipe thi snoot; deean’t snifter.
Snig, v. To drag timber from the wood.
Snig-cut, n. A short cut, a by-path.
Sniggle, v. To laugh behind one’s back, to laugh derisively.
Snite, v. To blow the nose, not necessarily with a handkerchief.
Snitter, v. To sneer, to giggle with ill-nature and derisively.
Ex.—Ah’ll gi’e tha summut ti snitter at if thoo dizn’t shift thisen.
Snook-snarls, n. The knotty entanglements of thread, string, &c.
Snod, adj. Smooth, neat-looking, trim.
Snoke, v. To smell with a deep inspiration.
Snow-flag, n. A snow-flake.
Snubbits, n. The projecting pieces of wood at the end of a cart, on which it rests when tilted up.
Snubby, adj. Knotted (of wood).
Snudge, Snuggle, Snowzel, v. To lie close together.
Soa, Vide Seea.
Soamy, adj. Close, oppressive (of the weather).
Sob, v. To sigh as the wind does on the approach of calmer weather.
Sock, n. The ploughshare.
Sod, n. An opprobrious epithet=Ass, fool.
Sodden, v. To soften by soaking in water.
Sods, n. 1. Square parings of grass and earth.
2. A lump of earth and grass.
Ex.—1. Ah’ll hev hauf o’ t’ garden laid wi’ sods.
2. Ah’ll chuck a sod at tha.
Soft, adj. 1. Inclined to wet weather.
2. Silly, half-witted.
Ex.—1. Ah’s feeard wa’s gahin’ ti ’ev a softish back-end.
2. Poor bairn! is sha a larl bit soft?
Somerset, n. Somersault.
Sooa, Vide Seea.
Sooart, n. Sort, kind, quality.
Soond, v. To faint, to sound. Also n.
Soonest, adj. Quickest, nearest, shortest.
Ex.—Ah’s gan by t’ foot brigg; it’s seeanest road. It’ll be t’ seeanest deean i’ that waay.
Sore, Vide Sair.
So so = That will do, enough, cease.
Soss, v. and n. To fall with force into the water; to lap water, as a dog.
Sough, Soo, v. To sob, to sigh (of the wind).
Soup, v. To soak, to drench with water.
Ex.—Ah’s fairly souped ti t’ skin.
Sour-docken, n. The wild sorrel (Rumex acetosa).
Sowl, v. To give a thorough rinsing in water, to chastise.
Sowse, v. 1. To cause to be wet all over.
2. To throw into water.
Ex.—1. He sowsed a bucket o’ mucky watter cleean ower ma.
2. Ah sowsed t’ beggar i’ t’ beck.
Spade- or Speead-graft, n. A spade depth.
Spane, Speean, v. To wean.
Spang, Vide Spanker.
Spank, v. To strike with the open hand.
Spanker, n. One who takes long strides; large of its kind; hence Spang, n. A leap.
Spanking, adj. Tall and broad, rapid.
Span-new, adj. Quite new.
Sparrow-feathers, n. The chaff of oats is so called when used for beds in the place of feathers.
Spattle, n. Spittle.
Speak, v. Even yet the usage in an active sense of ‘to address’ is often heard in the dales.
Ex.—Ah seed him, bud wa didn’t speeak yan anuther. What didn’t ta speeak her foor?
Speeak, Spooak, n. The spoke of a wheel.
Speean, n. A spoon.
Spelk, n. A long thin slip of wood, a splint.
Spell, n. A splinter of wood, the cross-bar of a ladder; a spill, either of wood or paper; a turn at work, not necessarily of long duration; the trap upon which the ball rests in the game of spell and knorr.
Spic an’ span, adv. New, clean, tidy; lit. new, from ‘spike to span’ of a knight’s lance. Another form is ‘Bran spander new.’
Ex.—Ez thoo’s gahin’ ti see t’ lass foor t’ fo’st tahm, thoo mun mak this en leeak ez spic an’ span ez a new-maad pin. Mr. Henry war gitten up spic an’ span.
Spice, n. Raisins, currants, &c.
Spice-bread, n. A cheaper form of plum-cake.
Spice-cake or -keeak, n. Plum-cake.
Spink, n. The chaffinch, often named Bull-spink.
Spinner, n. A spider’s web. Also Spinner-web. The latter, however, is generally confined to the gossamer threads so commonly found floating in the air on a summer’s evening.
Spit, n. A long narrow spade used for draining.
Spittle, n. A small spade.
Splatter, v. To splash about, to make splashes.
Splatter-dash, n. and v. 1. A showing-off.
2. Commotion.
3. To brag, to make a foolish display of wealth.
Ex.—1. Ah caan’t bahd sike splatter-dash gahins on. It’s nowt bud a lot o’ splatter-dash.
2. Ah, what a splatter-dash ther is i’ t’ pleeace.
Splatterer, n. One who splashes.
Splauder, v. 1. To sprawl, to spread out one’s limbs.
2. To display, to be vulgarly ostentatious. Hence Splaudered, Splauderment.
Ex.—1. Hoo yon lass diz splauder her feet oot. Talk aboot a splauder o’ stuff, ther war mair ti eat na wa c’u’d ’a’e mannish’d if wa’d ’ed tweea goes apiece.
Splaudy, adj. Wide-spreading.
Splaws, n. Pen-nibs.
Splet, Split, v. To tell of one’s doings, to break confidence.
Splutter, n. Bustle, excitement, nervousness.
Ex.—Deean’t git i’ sike a splutter, wa’ve endless o’ tahm. Didn’t sha git intiv a splutter when sha heeard what Jin Ann ’ed sed aboot her!
Sponge, n. Leaven, a portion of leavened dough saved from each baking to raise the next week’s kneading with.
Sponge, v. To swell and froth as a dead body.
Spool, n. The wooden reel upon which thread is wound.
Spout, n. A small waterfall.
Spraggy, adj. Thin, bony, having many sharp projections.
Spraints, n. Otter’s dung.
Spreead, v. Spread.
Spreead, n. Abundance of food and of extra quality.
Ex.—Ah nivver war at sikan a spreead afoor, ther war ommaist ivverything ya c’u’d think on (imagine).
Sprent, Sprint, v. To sprinkle, to spurt, to cause water to fly about by compression or striking the surface sharply.
Ex.—Mary Jin’s slapt t’ slap-hoal wiv her battledooar, an’ ‘s sprented ma all ower wi’ blash an’ sluthery muckment.
Sprent, n. A spot or mark left by a splash.
Spring, v. ‘To spring’ is applied to cows when near calving.
Sprunt, n. 1. Short, stiff, lively.
2. A steep road, a hill.
Ex.—1. Ya’ll mannish ti trunn’l yersen t’ best hauf o’ t’ waay, bud efter that ya’ll finnd it a bit sprunt (said to a cyclist).
Spurrings, n. The banns.
Squab, n. A rude long settle with cushions, usually with only one arm.
Square up, To, v. To settle an account or dispute.
Squary, adj. Compact, both as to size and shape.
Ex.—It’s a neyce squary kitchen. It’s just sich an (sikan) a squary bit ez Ah want.
Stack-bar, n. A hurdle.
Stack-garth, Stagg’ath, n. The stack-yard.
Stack-prod, n. A stick used in thatching, being pointed and thrust into the stack. The string is wound round it in such a way, from prod to prod, as to hold the thack-bands secure.
Staddle, n. The foundation of cross-beams upon which a stack is built, the stain left after washing out the producing cause.
Staddling, n. A foundation of brushwood, brackens, &c., to build the stack upon.
Stag, n. A gelding over a year old.
Stagnated, part. Much bewildered, astonished.
Ex.—T’ whoal lot on uz wur stagnated.
Staith, n. and v. An embankment; to protect land from overflowing of water by an embankment.
Staithe, Steeath, Steers, n. A landing-place.
Stakker, v. To stagger.
Stall, v. To eat until satiated, to tire out, to weary.
Stan’, Stand, v. 1. To stand.
2. To be responsible for;
to agree to maintain, uphold.
3. To stop, as a clock.
4. Remains.
5. Holds.
Ex.—2. Ah’ll stand tiv all he diz. Thoo said thoo wad, an’ thoo’ll ’a’e ti stan’ ti ’t noo.
4. That’ll stand good, i.e. ‘That is settled.’
5. It stands a good chance ti win.
Stand again, v. To withstand, oppose.
Ex.—Thoo maun’t aim ti stan’ agaan what’s deean.
Stand for, v. To act as sponsor.
Standing, n. The stall for a horse or cow.
Stand-ups, n. God-parents.
Stane, Steean, n. A stone.
Stang, n. A pole or stake.
Stang, To ride the, Vide chapter on ‘Customs.’
Stape, v. To slope, to incline.
Stapple, n. A staple.
Stark, adj. Stiff, unyielding, powerful. The Danish word stærk means being strong, possessing strength. Hence ‘Stark mad’ is quite correct.
Ex.—Thoo’s starched t’ things whahl they’re ez stark ez a booard. A very common redundancy is Stiff stark steean deead.
Starken, v. To become stiff. adv. Starkly.
Star-slubber or -blubber, n. Frog-spawn.
Start, n. Work, employment.
Ex.—He sez ’at he’ll gi’e tha a start. Ah’ve gitten a start at a pund a week.
Start, v. 1. To begin.
2. To set going.
Ex.—1. Ah’ll start wi’ t’ job ti morn. He started off a gay bit sen. Tha’ve started a pianner, ’ez t’ fooak next doour.
2. Ah’ll start it fur tha.
Starvatious, adj. Cold, very chilly.
Ex.—No’thallerton station’s t’ maist starvatious spot onnywheear.
Starve, v. In the passive voice, to suffer from cold; in the active voice, to cause hunger.
Staup, v. To walk about clumsily.
Ex.—Sha staups aboot that okkad whahl sha’ll tumm’l ower her shadder sum daay.
Stead, Steead, n. Common as a suffix, denoting the exact place, as homestead, yat-stead, middin-stead, deear- or dooar-steead, &c.
Steck, v. To close and fasten a door or gate.
Stee, Stey, Stegh, n. A ladder, a style with steps like a ladder.
Steead, pp. Stood.
Steeal, n. Stool.
Steean, n. Stone.
Steer, n. An ox under two years.
Steer-tree, n. The left handle of a plough.
Steg, n. A gander, a fool.
Stegly, adj. 1. Shaky.
2. Unsymmetrical, unsuitable.
Ex.—2. It’s a gret stegly hoos (said of Faucet Vicarage).
Stell, n. An open ditch varying in width and depth.
Stent, v. To abstain, to deny oneself.
Step, n. An undefined distance.
Ex.—Ah went a good step wiv him.
Step, A langish = Quite a long way off.
Steven, v. To bawl out, to shout at the top of the voice; to howl and bluster, as the wind. Note.—Rarely heard now.
Stick, v. To kill an animal by stabbing, as a butcher.
Stickle, v. To hesitate, to object.
Stickle-haired }
Stickly } adj. Bristly.
Stickler, n. A difficulty, a poser.
Sticks, n. Furniture, belongings.
Stick up, To, v. To boldly maintain one’s right.
Stiddy, n. An anvil.
Stiddy, v. To be steady, attentive to business.
Stife, Stify, adj. Close, foul, as to air.
Stiff, adj. 1. Steep, difficult.
2. Firm, obstinate.
Ex.—1. Ah’ll tell ya what, it’s a stiffish clim’. Ah’ve gitten a stiff job this tahm.
Stifler, n. A bad odour; a heavy blow, such as to cause insensibility.
Stint, Vide Stent.
Stir on, Plenty to = Rich, well-to-do.
Ex.—He’s gi’en ten pund, bud then he’s gitten plenty ti stir on.
Stirk, n. A heifer.
Stirrings, n. An unusual excitement, gaiety.
Ex.—Ya’ll be ’eving sthraange stirrings when t’ young chap cums at age.
Stitch, n. A sharp pain in the side.
Stithe, v. To taint, to give a taste of smoke, &c.
Ex.—What ’a’e ya putten on t’ fire? it’s stithed all ’at’s i’ yewn thruff t’ crack i’ t’ boddum.
Stob, n. Usually a short pointed stick or stake; the stump of a tree, a small splinter.
Stob, v. To mark out land with short stakes, to dig up a fence, to strengthen with stobs.
Stob off, v. To lop off branches of a tree or the top half of a hedge.
Stock, n. A beam of wood, generally applied to the frame of a bedstead, e.g. bed-stock.
Stock, adv. Quite, absolutely.
Ex.—He steead stock still.
Stodge, v. To satiate with over-eating; to make anything too thick, as the admixture of too much meal with water.
Ex.—Ah caan’t eat it, it’s nowt bud stodge.
Stone-naked, adj. Absolutely naked.
Stonies, n. Common stone taws.
Stooden, pp. of ‘Stand,’ but the usage is somewhat peculiar.
Ex.—Things wad ’a’e stooden different if t’ bobby ’ed catched him, i.e. been. Ah’ve stooden Bedale market ivver sen Ah wur a larl nipper, i.e. attended.
Stook, n. Twelve sheaves of corn set up against each other in the harvest field.
Stook, v. To set up stooks, and bind the same.
Stooth, v. To apply plaster on laths instead of to the wall itself, or to make in a room a false wall of battens, laths, and plaster.
Stor, Sturr, v. and n. To stir; a stir, excitement.
Storm, n. A continuance of frost and snow, with or without wind.
Stortioners, n. The common nasturtium.
Stot, n. A young ox.
Stoup, n. A measure of ale.
Stour, v. To blow in clouds, whether of dust, rain, hail, or snow; also the action of smoke as it comes from a chimney or fire.
Stour, n. Dust, &c.
Stour, Stower, n. A stake, the middle bars of a cattle rack, the cross-bars of a ladder.
Stout, adj. Convalescent, healthy looking.
Ex.—Sha leeaks weel an’ stoot agaan.
Stoven, n. The old stump of a tree not yet quite dead.
Stowp, n. An upright post.
Stra, Streah, n. Straw.
Stracklin’, n. A worthless fellow, a waster.
Straighten, v. Often followed by ‘up.’ To put in order, to punish, to settle accounts.
Ex.—Ah mun straighten things up a bit afoor t’ parson’s missus drops in. If thoo dizn’t drop it, Ah’ll straighten thi jacket foor tha. When thoo’s deean, fetch thi bill in, an’ wa’ll straighten up.
Strand, n. The beach.
Strapping, adj. Strong, tall, big.
Strather, n. Haste, excitement.
Streah, Vide Stra.
Streamers, n. Minnows during spawning.
Streean, Strain, n. Descent, breed.
Streean, v. To do one’s utmost.
Strength, Stren’th, n. 1. Security.
2. Belief.
Ex.—1. He ’ezn’t t’ stren’th o’ fifty pund, i.e. ‘Could not find security for that sum.’
2. On t’ stren’th o’ what thoo sez, i.e. ‘Acting on the belief,’ &c.
Strickle, n. The stone or other contrivance used to sharpen a scythe.
Stride-whallops, n. A lanky, long-legged lass. An older word, now fallen into disuse, was Stridykirk.
Stridlings, adv. Astride.
Strike, v. To kick with the hind leg (of a horse), to fly-blow meat, to balance an account, to make a line with string and chalk.
Strik’-stick, n. The stick used to scrape off the superfluous corn when measuring.
String-halt, n. A twitching of the hind leg of a horse.
Strip, v. To drain the udder dry.
Stritch-stick, n. The bar which keeps the trace chains apart. Also Stretcher.
Stroke, Stroak, n. A single bat, a commencement.
Ex.—Ah ’evn’t deean a stroak o’ wark ti-daay.
Strong, adj. 1. Hard, severe.
2. Heavy, bulky.
3. Stiff, clayey.
Ex.—1. Wa s’ ‘ev a strangish frost efter this.
2. It’s a strangish leead foor t’ au’d meer.
3. T’ land’s varra strong hereaboots.
Strother, Vide Strather.
Strucken, pp. of ‘Strike.’
Strunt, n. The tail.
Strunt, v. To cut the tail short.
Struts, n. The posts used in the roof-frame of a house.
Stuck up, adj. Proud.
Stuff, n. Of very loose application, e.g. material, furniture, chattels, produce, &c.
Ex.—Thoo’s gitten stuff eneeaf ti mak tweea coats. Thoo’s gitten stuff i’ t’ chaamer eneeaf foor tweea rooms. Thoo’s gitten mair stuff on t’ land na ivver Tommy ’ed.
Stunning, adj. First-class.
Stunt, adj. Short, stumpy; stiff, unyielding.
Stunt, adv. and n. Sulky, obstinate.
Ex.—Tak neea notish, he taks t’ stunt at nowt.
Sturdy, Stoddy, n. A disease, i.e. hydatids in the brain.
Stut, v. To stutter.
S’u’d, v. Should.
Summat, n. Something.
Summer-bink, n. A seat shaded by leaves in summer-time.
Summer-colt, n. Undulating vapour near the ground.
Sump, n. A bog or marsh.
Sumpy, adj. Wet, boggy.
Sunder, v. To dry in the sun.
Sundown, n. Sunset.
Sup, n. A small quantity of any liquid.
Ex.—Ah wants a sup o’ milk. It leeaks nowt bud leyke a sup o’ wet.
Sup, v. To drink either by sips or with a spoon.
Sup off, v. To drain one’s glass.
Surance, n. Surety.
Ex.—Bud what tha ’a’e gi’en, tha ’ez surance for ’t?
Surfeit o’ cold, n. A very severe cold.
Swab, n. A drunken sot.
Swad, n. A peascod, and the like.
Swag, v. 1. To swing about.
2. To lean towards.
Ex.—2. Ya’ll ’a’e ti put summat at yon sahd ti balance ’t, it swags gertly ti this sahd.
Swage, v. To soften, to quiet down.
Swaimish, adj. Bashful.
Swale, Sweeal, v. 1. To waste by burning unevenly, as a candle in a draught.
2. To squander.
Ex.—1. Shut t’ doour, t’ cann’l’s sweealing.
2. Yon chap ’ud sweeal a ransom awaay.
Swang, n. A boggy stretch of land.
Swangy, adj. Boggy.
Swanky, Swanking, adj. Great of its kind.
Swap, v. To exchange.
Swape, n. An oar of peculiar shape, a pump handle.
Swappy, adj. Plump.
Swarm, v. To climb by clasping a pole or tree with both arms, knees, and legs.
Swart, adj. Black looking.
Swarth, Swa’th, n. The outer skin, rind; the quality and quantity of grass upon the land.
Swarve, v. To swerve.
Swash, v. To dash about in waves.
Swatch, n. Fit, size, the precise thing required.
Ex.—This yan’ll deea, its just mah swatch. Its just t’ swatch foor ma. Note.—Swatch was originally a wooden tally or other means by which any person might prove their claim to cloth which had been left to dye—cloth, by-the-way, which was home-spun.
Swathe, n. The full reach of the scythe when cutting.
Swathe-bank, n. The grass left uncut by the blade at the end of its sweep.
Swatter, v. 1. To play and splash with water.
2. To squander.
Ex.—1. Tho’ll sprent thisen all ower, swattering on i’ that waay.
2. He’ll swatter t’ bit o’ brass awaay.
Swelt, v. To faint, to swoon; to overpower, as with heat.
Swelter, v. To burn, to bear or suffer heat, to perspire profusely.
Swidden, n. Any place on a moor which has been cleared by burning.
Swidden, Swithen, v. To singe or burn off superficially.
Swidge, v. To tingle, burn (of inflammation).
Ex.—It war nobbut a bleb at t’ fu’st, bud it swidged an’ throbbed an’ then started ti kittle, an’ Ah think that wur t’ warst ov all.
Swig, v. To drink at one draught.
Swill, n. Pigmeat.
Swill, v. To cleanse by throwing water out of a pail, as on flags, &c.
Swingle-tree, n. Vide Stritch-stick.
Swip, n. A marrow, the image of.
Ex.—He’s fair t’ swip ov t’ au’d chap.
Swipple, n. That part of a flail which beats out the corn.
Swirrel, n. Squirrel.
Switch, v. To throw, to dash.
Ex.—Sha teeak t’ paail o’ mucky watter, an’ switched t’ lot all ower ma.
Switched, adj. Drunk.
Switcher, n. Good, better than ordinary.
Switching, adj. Grand, noted, extensive.
Swither, v. 1. To tingle and smart with pain.
2. To dissipate by slow degrees, a little at a time.
Ex.—2. If he gans on i’ that road, he’ll swither all t’ brass he hez awaay.
Swittle, n. A heated iron rod used to bore holes in wood.
Swizzen, v. To singe. Vide Swidden.
Ex.—It’ll swizzen t’ clothes, t’ iron’s ti hot.
Sword-dancers, Vide chapter on ‘Customs.’
Syke, n. A small streamlet, a gutter, a small rill draining from a boggy place.
T.
‘T, pron. It.
T’, def art. The.
Ta, per. pron. Thou, you.
Taal, v. To settle, to accommodate oneself to a new condition of habits, &c.
Tacket, n. A tack.
Ta’en, Takken, pp. of ‘Take.’
Ta’en agaan or ageean, v. To take a dislike to.
Ex.—Ah’ve ta’en agaan her, an’ Ah s’ nivver tak up wiv her na mair.
Ta’en tiv, v. To take to, to like.
Tag, n. A twist of long grass or rushes, a wisp.
Tag, v. To flog with a tag.
Tahm, n. 1. Time.
2. Life.
Ex.—2. Ah’ve seen a vast i’ mah tahm.
Tahm by chance, adv. Occasionally.
Taistrel, n. A peevish character.
Tak, n. 1. A flavour somewhat pronounced.
2. Land which has been taken at a fixed rent.
3. Piecework.
Ex.—2. If he’s letten tha ’t at nowt na mair ’an what thoo sez, its a varra cheeap tak.
3. Q. Hez ta ta’en ’em byv t’ yackker or by t’ week? A. Neea, he wadn’t be on byv t’ week, seea Ah’ve ta’en ’em byv t’ tak this go.
Tak, v. 1. To take.
2. To rise to bite, as a fish.
3. To attract.
4. To gain one’s esteem or regard.
Ex.—2. Are tha takkin’ onny? i.e. biting.
3. Wa mun ’ev a bisittle race, hooivver; tha tak t’ best ov owt noo.
4. Ah tak tiv him at yance, i.e. ‘He gained my esteem at once.’
Tak ho’d, v. To undertake to do, or fill a position.
Ex.—Ah wanted him ti preeach i’ t’ pleeace o’ Tommy, bud he wadn’t be on, he’s shy o’ takkin ho’d.
Tak in, To, v. 1. To understand.
2. To deceive.
Ex.—1. Gan on, Ah’s takkin ’t all in.
2. Noo if thoo taks ma in, Ah’ll traade wi’ tha na mair.
Takken ti heart = Giving way to any affliction.
Takkin, n. 1. The actual result of labour.
2. A condition, a bad temper.
Ex.—1. Thoo’s gitten a rare takkin; wheear did ta catch ’em?
2. Sha’s iv a despert ill takkin.
Tak off, v. 1. To make fun of, to ridicule, to imitate, mimic.
2. To leave without due notice.
Ex.—2. He niver sed nowt, bud just teeak off.
Tak on, v. 1. To retake.
2. To re-engage.
3. To get excited.
Ex.—1. Ah’ve ta’en t’ farm on agaan.
2. He ga’ ma t’ sack, bud he’s ta’en ma on agaan.
3. He did tak on when he gat ti knaw.
Tak on wi’, v. To engage oneself to another.
Tak tent, v. To engage oneself to look after, e.g. as a boy keeping crows off the land.
Tak t’ hig, To, v. To take offence.
Takt, adj. Acid, sharp to the taste.
Ex.—It’s a lahtle bit ower takt ti mah liking.
Tak up, v. 1. To become fair.
2. To reform one’s character.
Ex.—1. If ’t dizn’t tak up seean, t’ hay’ll be nut wo’th leading.
2. If he’ll nobbut drop drinking an’ tak up, ther’s a seet o’ good iv him.
Tak up wi’, v. 1. To make friends with another.
2. To become engaged to.
Ex.—1. He’s neean ower neyce whaw he gans wi’, he’ll tak up wi’ onny lass.
Tale, n. The number agreed upon.
Ex.—Ther dizn’t leeak owt leyke a full tale, Ah s’all coont ’em afoor Ah paay tha.
Talk, n. Report, gossip.
Taller-cake, n. Any cake made with the fat from about the kidney of a sheep or beast.
Taller-craps, Vide Craps.
T’ ane, T’ yan = The one of two or more followed or replied to by T’ other or T’ ither.
Ex.—Tha wur all feighting t’ ane amang t’ ither.
Tang, n. The tongue of a buckle.
Tangle, n. An entanglement, the long fibre of a root, sea-wrack.
Tangle, v. To entangle.
Tangly, adj. Slatternly, slovenly. Applied to a slut.
Tantle, v. 1. To waste time.
2. To play on with.
Ex.—1. Noo set ti wark ez if thoo meant it, an’ deean’t tantle on leyke that.
Tappy-lappy, adv. Anyhow.
Tatchy, adj. Sticky, viscous, adhesive.
Tattling, n. The necessary tackle or equipment of things for carrying out any purpose.
Ex.—He hezn’t gitten onny tattling foor a job o’ yon size, i.e. neither ladders, ropes, nor scaffolding poles.
Taum, n. The twisted hair to which the fish-hook is attached.
Taum ower, To, v. To faint.
Taws, n. Boys’ marbles.
Team, Teem, v. and n. 1. To pour from any vessel.
2. To rain heavily.
3. To empty.
Ex.—1. Team all t’ cau’d tea oot.
2. It teem’d doon, i.e. of rain.
3. Teeam t’ coals oot at t’ back-side.
Tea-party, n. A tea meeting given in the village school or barn to raise money for some object.
Teave, Vide Tew.
Teea, prep. To. Vide Till.
Teeagle, v. To raise timber from the ground by means of a tripod of strong poles and a pulley.
Teeak, v. Took.
Teeals, n. Tools.
Tell, v. 1. To recognize.
2. To know.
3. To number, to reckon up, to judge.
Ex.—1. Ah c’u’d tell wheea ’t wur ez seean ez Ah clap’t mah een on ya.
2. ‘Twur good eneeaf ti tell what he wur gahin’ ti saay.
3. Gan ti t’ gaate an’ tell t’ sheep ez tha cum thruff.
Telly-pye-tit, or Tell-pyet, n. A tale-bearer.
Tempesty, adj. Thunderous, blustery, or having the appearance of stormy weather.
Teng, v. To sting.
Tenged, pp. Stung.
Tengs, n. Tongs.
Tent, n. Attention, care.
Ex.—Tak tent o’ what he saays, noo.
Tent, v. To look after, to keep watch over.
Ex.—Yan’s tenting craws fur Billy, an’ t’ other’s tenting wur awn coos i’ t’ lonnin’.
Tetchy, adj. Cross, peevish.
Teufit, Teeafit, Tewit, n. The pewit, plover, or lapwing (Vanellus cristatus).
Teugh, Teeaf, adj. Tough.
Tew, v. 1. To toil.
2. To tire and grow weary.
3. To tire by restlessness.
4. To crumple and crease by rough or unskilful handling.
Ex.—1. Ah’ve tewed all t’ daay, i.e. ‘toiled.’
2. Ah’ve gitten ’t deean, bud it’s sadly tewed ma.
3. Sha’s tired noo, bud then sha’s tewed on all t’ neet.
4. Put ’em doon, thoo’s tewing ’em, whahl tha weean’t be fit ti put on.
Tha, per. pron. They, thou, and thee.
Thabble, n. The plug which fits the hole in the milk trough.
Thack, Theeak, Theeaking, n. Thatch.
Thack, Theeak, Theeaking, v. To thatch.
Thacker, Theeaker, n. A thatcher.
Thack-bands, Theeak-bands, Theeaking-bands, n. Bands of straw for thatching.
Thack-prods, Theeak-prods, Theeaking-prods, Vide Stack-prod.
Thah, per. pron. Thy.
Tharf, Tharfish, adj. Tharfly, adv. Backward, reluctant, shy, bashful, unwilling.
Thauvel, Thivel, n. A stick used for stirring or pushing down the contents of a pan likely to boil over.
Thee, n. Thigh.
Theet, adj. Water-tight.
Them, pron. Those.
Thick, adj. Very friendly, intimate.
Thills, n. Shafts of a waggon.
Think long of, To, v. To be long expectant, weary of waiting.
Think on, v. To bear in mind, to remember.
As an example of redundancy, I heard a woman say, Noo mahnd an’ think on, an’ deean’t forget ti beear i’ mahnd ’at thoo ’ez ti fetch a pund o’ treacle.
Think up, v. To originate, to arrange.
Ex.—Noo it’ll ’a’e ta’en a lot o’ thinking up, will a do leyke yon.
Tho, Thoo, per. pron. Thou.
Thoff, conj. Though.
Thrave, v. To thrive.
Thrave, Trave, Treeav, n. A stook of corn, or twelve battens of straw.
Thraw, Vide Throw.
Threead, n. Thread.
Threeap, n. A contentious fellow.
Threeap, v. To maintain pertinaciously, to argue positively.
Threeap down, v. To overpower by argument.
Threeap up, v. To refer to bygone mistakes or misunderstandings in an unkindly manner.
Threeten, Threaten.
Three-thrums, n. The purring of a cat.
Thribble, adj. Treble.
Thriver, n. Healthy, strong, likely to improve.
Thro, Vide Thruff.
Throng, adj. 1. More than usually busy or crowded.
2. Engaged in.
Ex.—2. T’ bairn’s thrang gitting its teeth.
Throng, Thrang, n. Bustle, a great crowd, confusion, excitement.
Throng deed, n. Excitement over some event, the bustle and confusion attendant on any celebration, tea party, wedding, &c.
Thropple, n. The windpipe.
Thropple, v. To strangle.
Throstle, Throssel, n. The thrush.
Through, n. A lathe.
Through, Thruff, prep. At some time, at intervals.
Ex.—Ah’ll mebbe deea ’t thruff t’ morning. It teeam’d doon thruff t’ neet.
Through or Thruff with, adv. Finished, complete. N.B. ‘Through’ is also pronounced ‘throwgh’ and ‘thro.’
Ex.—Ah s’all be thruff wi’ t’ job by ti morn.
Throughly, adv. Completely, fully.
Through time = In time, gradually, by-and-by.
Ex.—Ah s’all git better through time. If t’ weather ho’ds thoo’ll git deean through time.
Through, To get, v. To dispose of.
Ex.—Ah’ve fetched t’ coo yam ageean, bud Ah gat thruff t’ sheep.
Throvven, pp. To thrive.
Throw, v. To vomit.
Throw back, v. To have a relapse.
Ex.—He’s warse ti-daay, he’s gitten thrown back a lump sen last neet.
Throw over, v. To turn over, to upset, to be overturned.
Thruff, Throw, prep. Through.
Thrumble, Thrumm’l, v. To examine the quality of anything by the touch or rubbing action of the finger and thumb.
Thrumm’l, n. A rope firmly bound round a grooved iron ring.
Thrummy, adj. Bulky, plump.
Thrust, v. To push with some force.
Thrust out, Thrussen oot, pp. Projecting forward, bulging, turned out.
Thumping, adj. Big, large of its kind.
Thunner, n. Thunder.
Thwack, v. To administer a sharp blow.
Ex.—Gi’e it a good thwacking wiv a hezzel stick, that’ll fetch t’ dust oot on ’t.
Thysen or Thysel, Thisen or Thisel, pron. Thyself or yourself.
Ti, prep. To.
‘Tice, v. To allure, induce.
Ex.—A young widow knows hoo ti ’tice a chap.
‘Ticing, adj. Alluring, seductive, winning.
‘Tick, Vide Cade.
‘Tick, v. To mark off goods or other items, as in an invoice, by placing a small mark against each when called.
Tiddle, v. To fondle, to finick.
Tiddy, adj. Small, puny.
Tidy-betty, n. A guard to prevent the ashes dirtying the hearth.
Tie, Tee, Tah, n. A hair band to secure the legs of a cow whilst being milked.
Tie, n. 1. Obligation.
2. Necessity.
3. Burden.
4. Care.
Ex.—1. Ah’s unner neea tie tiv him.
2. Ther’s neea tie fur thoo ti gan.
3. Thoo’ll finnd her a despert tie, sen sha lost t’ ewse ov her legs.
Tied, Tahd, v. Obliged, constrained, compelled.
Ex.—If sha’s leyke ti dee, Ah s’ be tied ti gan. He’ll be tied ti drop a bit ower t’ meer. Ah’s nut tied ti deea ’t acoz thoo tells ma.
Tied, It’s = It must, no doubt exists.
Ex.—It’s tied ti be ez he sez. It’s tied ti tumm’l doon wi t’ fo’st gust o’ wind.
Tiffany, n. Strong, fine-meshed gauze.
Tift, n. A quarrel, generally of words only.
Tift, v. To contend.
Tig, n. A light tap.
Ex.—Ah didn’t hit, Ah nobbut tigg’d him.
Tiggings, n. A game played by children, the object being to tap each other; the one so touched must then chase the rest until he or she gently taps some other.
Tightish, adv. and adj. 1. Somewhat fast or close-fitting.
2. Lacking means.
3. Difficult.
Ex.—1. It’s varra well putten tigither, bud a larl bit tightish i’ t’ lid.
2. Ah caan’t len’ tha ten pund, Ah’s a bit tightish held mysel just noo.
3. It’s a tightish fix thoo’s gitten thisen intul.
Till, Tull, Ti, prep. To. Tiv before a vowel.
Tim’ered, Weell, adj. Well built.
Tim’er-toed, adj. A man wearing a wooden leg is said to be timber-toed.
Timersome, adj. Nervous, apprehensive of danger.
Ti morn, n. To-morrow.
Ti morn at morn = To-morrow in the morning. Hence Ti morn at neean, ‘noon’; Ti morn at neet, ‘night.’
Tinkler, n. A tinker.
Tip-trap, n. An arrangement which closes the door, owing to the weight of the animal releasing a lever as it passes in.
Tipe, v. To turn over, or fall over.
Tipple over, v. To fall over.
Tipple-tail-over, n. Somersault.
Tit up, v. To pay one’s share.
Tite, Vide As tite.
Titter, adv. and adj. Sooner, first, willingly.
Titterly, adj. Early, forward in growth.
Titty, n. The mother’s milk.
Tiv, Vide Till.
Tivvy, v. To roam about.
To, prep. Often used instead of ‘for.’
Ex.—We’re gahin’ ti ’ev dumplings ti dinner. Common in old writers and the Bible.
Toft, n. A small grove of trees.
Tommy-loach, n. The stone-loach.
To’n, n. A good turn = a kindness.
Ex.—They’ll deea onnyboddy a good to’n, will John an’ Annie.
To’n, v. To turn.
Toon, n. A village.
Toon street, n. The village street.
Top-dressin’, n. Manure thrown on, not ploughed in.
Topping, n. A natural standing-up roll or curl on the forehead, the hair of the head.
Ex.—Sha teeak him byv t’ topping an’ shuvved him inti t’ hollin bush.
Topping, Topper, adj. First-class, very fine.
Tottering, adj. Unsettled as to weather and life.
Ex.—It’s been nobbut a tottering tahm fur hay. He’s nobbut ’eving a tottering tahm on ’t; Ah doot he’s nut lang fur here.
Tottle, v. To toddle, as a child or an infirm person.
Tottling, pp. Falling.
Touchous } adj. Irritable, resentful.
Touchy }
Touple, v. Another form of Tottle. To sway or totter and then fall over. Whemm’l carries the same double meaning, but is rarely heard now. To fall.
Trail, v. To drag along the ground.
2. To move with difficulty, or lazily.
Ex.—Hoo that lass diz trail aboot. Ah can hardlin’s trail yah leg efter t’ other.
Trailtengs, n. A gossiping woman.
Trailtripes, n. A slatternly woman.
Trallops, n. A slatternly woman.
Tramp, n. and v. A beggar; to go on foot.
Tramping, part. Trampling.
Trap, v. To be severely nipped, as by a box-lid falling on one’s finger, and the like.
Trapěs, n. A dirty, untidy woman.
Trapes or Trapus, v. To walk aimlessly about hither and thither.
Traps, n. Belongings.
Ex.—Pack thi traps up an’ cum alang.
Trash, n. Good for nothing, either of persons or things.
Travel, v. To walk, to move along.
Ex.—Theease steeans mak it bad travelling.
Trig, v. To fill. As a noun, a stone to stop a wheel.
Trigger, n. One who feeds the cattle. Note.—Only used in the east of the North Riding.
Trim, v. To cut a hedge, to apply the finishing touch.
Trimmer, adj. Really good, first-class. n. A sharp fellow.
Trimm’ling-gess, n. Trembling grass.
Trod, n. A footpath.
Troll, v. To roll.
Troll-egg day, Vide chapter on ‘Customs.’
Trollibobs, n. Entrails.
Trunking, n. The business of lobster and crab catching.
Tu’n, Vide To’n.
Tundish, n. A funnel.
Tup, n. A ram.
Turve, n. A block of turf to be used as fuel.
Turve-cake, n. A cake baked in a pan having a tightly fitting lid, which is covered over with burning turves until sufficiently baked.
Twadgers, n. A gingerbread cake.
Twangy, adj. and adv. Affected, applied to intonation.
Twank, v. To administer a sharp smack, to whip.
Twattle, n. Gossip.
Twattle, v. To stroke, to pet.
Ex.—Thoo twattles on wi’ t’ pup ez if ’twar a bairn.
Tweea, num. adj. Two.
Twill, n. A quill, as ‘twill pen.’
Twilt, n. A bed-quilt.
Twilt, v. To beat, to flog.
Twilting, v. Cross-stitching two thicknesses together.
Twine, v. 1. To twist or turn from a direct course.
2. To be fretful.
Ex.—1. He twisted an’ twin’d uz aboot whahl Ah didn’t knaw wheear wa war.
Twiny, adj. Peevish.
Twisty, adj. Cross, fretful.
Twitch-bell, n. The earwig (Forficula auricularia).
Twitters, n. A state of nervousness.
Tyaak, Vide Teeak.
Tyke, n. A disreputable fellow; the name given to a Yorkshireman.
U.
‘Ud, Would.
Udge, v. To urge.
Un, One.
Ex.—Sha’s a good un, i.e. ‘She is a good one.’
Unbated, adj. Not repressed.
Unbeknown, adj. Not known.
Unbethink, v. To call to mind.
Uncomeatable, adj. and adv. Difficult to approach or get at.
Underdraw, v. To cover with lath and plaster.
Underhanded, adj. Undersized, poorly developed.
Underling, n. A stunted, weakly child.
Undermind, v. To undermine.
Ungain, adj. Distant, difficult of access, awkward.
Ex.—It’s sik an ungain spot ti finnd, is yours.
Unmenseful, adj. Unbecoming, unseemly, ill-mannered.
Unreave, v. To unwind.
Unsayable, adj. Not amenable to advice, self-willed.
Unslot, v. To unfasten by pulling back the slot or bolt.
Unsteck, v. To unfasten and push open.
Up, To speak, v. To speak aloud, to defend oneself against an unjust charge.
Up with = The matter with.
Ex.—What’s up wi’ t’ bairn?
Upbray, v. To upbraid.
Upend, v. To set on end, to stand upright.
Upgang, n. A pathway up a hill or mountain.
Upgrown, adj. Adult.
Uphold, Upho’d, v. 1. To maintain, to give one’s unqualified support.
2. To provide those things necessary for a person’s welfare, to sustain.
Ex.—1. Thee gan on wi’ ‘t, Ah’ll upho’d tha iv all thoo d’z, ’coz thoo’s i’ t’ reet on ’t.
2. It’ll tak summat ti uphold t’ waay ’at he’s gahin’ on, i.e. living.
Upset-price, n. The marked price at which an article is offered for sale.
Upset wiv, adj. Put out, disconcerted, worried.
Ex.—Ah nivver war sae upsetten wiv owt ez Ah war when t’ au’d meer deed.
Upshot, n. Final issue, the conclusion of anything.
Ex.—An’ t’ upshot on ’t war ’at he gat hissel weel bunched.
Use, To no = Useless, unprofitable, worthless.
Use ti c’u’d = Once was able.
Us, adv. and conj. As. Vide Es.
V.
Varra, adv. Very. Vide Very.
Vast, n. and adj. A large number.
Ex.—A vast o’ fooak cam ti t’ feeast. Ther wur a vast mair bosses ’an Ah aim’d ti see.
Verser, n. A rhymster.
Very, adj. An intensive.
Ex.—Thoo maay slavver on, varra few ’ll pay onny heed ti what thoo sez. Aye, a varra deeal o’ what he sez is o’ varra larl matter tiv onnybody.
Vessel cups = Wassail cups.
Viewly, Viewsome, adj. Pleasing to look at, handsome, neatly and well put together.
Ex.—It’s a varra viewly cauf. Sha’s a varra viewly lass.
Volumous, adj. Large, bulky.
Ex.—It’s a maist volumous consarn, yon is. Ah deean’t tak ti sike volumous things.
W.
Wa, pron. We.
Wad, v. Would.
Wade, v. To glimmer, as the sun does when rising if the atmosphere is charged with moisture.
Ex.—It’ll rain afoor neet, t’ sun waded sadly ez sha peeped ower Rosberry.
Waff, n. 1. A slight puff of wind.
2. The slightest scent.
Ex.—1. It’s despert clooase, ther hezn’t been a waff o’ wind ti-daay.
2. Noo Ah’ve ’ed yah waff o’ thi silidge, an’ Ah want na mair on ’t.
Waff, v. To bark as a little dog.
Waffle, v. To hesitate, waver, to be undecided.
Waffly, adj. 1. Undecided, wavering, vacillating.
2. Shaky, insecure.
3. Weak, dizzy, from illness.
4. Given to foolish talk, chatter, &c.
Ex.—1. T’ wind’s all roads, it’ll nobbut be a waffly sooart ov a daay. It’s a varra waffly gahin’ on.
2. Thoo’d best prop it up wi’ summat, it leeaks a bit waffly.
3. Liggin’ i’ bed sae lang maks yan feel a bit waffly.
4. Ah reckon nowt ov her waffly waays.
Waffy, Vide Wauf.
Waft, n. A slight puff of wind; a wraith, the appearance in the spirit form of some known one whose death is imminent.
Wag, v. To beckon with the finger or hand.
Ex.—Ah wagg’d on him, bud he w’u’dn’t cum.
Wage, v. To induce by promise of payment.
Ex.—Ah c’u’dn’t wage him ti staay efter he’d seen Mally’s waft.
Wahnt = Was not, were not.
Wain, n. A wagon.
Wain hoos, n. Wagon shed.
Wait of }
Wait on } v. To wait for.
Wake, Waak, adj. Weak.
Wakken, v. To awake, active and neuter.
Wakkensome, adj. Easily roused.
Wale, Weeal, Wheeal, v. To flog with a stick.
Waling, Weealing, n. Planks so fixed as to strengthen the bank of a river.
Walk with, v. To court, to be engaged.
Ex.—Sha’s gi’en Tom t’ go-by, an’ walks wi’ t’ young gardener noo.
Walsh, adj. Watery, without flavour.
Wame, Wheeam, n. The stomach.
Wan, v. Won.
Wangle, Wankle, v. To totter preparatory to falling, or to totter so as to have the appearance of falling.
Ex.—Leeak oot! cum back! sha’s startin’ ti wang’l.
Wangle, Wankle, Wankly, adj. Tottering.
Ex.—T’ larl brigg’s a wankly consarn.
Want, v. Its use is somewhat curious, e.g. Does this book want changing? i.e. ‘Is this book to be changed?’ I want my coat brushing, i.e. ‘I wish my coat to be brushed.’ Thoo wants a good thrashing, i.e. ‘You deserve,’ &c. He hezn’t gitten mair ’an he wanted, i.e. ‘He has not got more than he deserved.’
Wap-cloth, n. Coarse cloth for pilot coats.
War, Waur, Wor, Wur, Wuz, imp. tense of ‘to be.’ Was or were.
Warbels, n. Swellings on the back of a beast, caused by the larvae of the gadfly (Oestrus bovis).
War-days, n. Any day save Sunday.
Wards, A common suffix signifying direction.
Ex.—He war cumin’ fra Newton-wards.
‘Ware, v. Beware.
Ware, v. To lay out one’s money, to spend.
Ex.—He awlus wares his brass ez if he meant ti git fowr penno’th o’ stuff fur a threpenny bit.
Wark, v. and n. Work. Its use is manifold, see below.
Wark, v. To ache, also as a noun.
Ex.—Mah back warks past bahding. Thoo mun wark it (arrange it) seea ez he ’ez ti deea a day’s wark (a day’s labour). That’ll gi’e him t’ back-wark (ache). ‘At’ll wark (remove) all t’ warks (pains) ’at’s warking (aching) oot on him.
Warm, adj. In easy circumstances, well-off.
Warm, v. To chastise, to flog.
Warn, v. To summon, to call together, to warn or swear in.
Warp, v. To flood land with water, either by artificial means or naturally by overflowing during heavy rains, in order that a deposit may be left upon the surface when the water recedes.
Warridge, n. The withers of a horse.
Warse, Wuss, Wees, adj. Worse.
Warsen, Warsening, v. To gradually grow worse.
Ex.—T’ crop warsens ivvery year. Tommy warsens; he’s gahin’ ti pop off if he dizn’t pick up a bit.
Warzle, Wezzle, v. To gain by craft, to cajole, to flatter, to wheedle.
Ex.—Sha’s a queer un, sha can wezzle owt oot o’ ma. He can warzle tha inti believing owt.
Wastrell, n. An extravagant spendthrift.
Water-bleb, Vide Bleb.
Water-brash, Water-springs, n. Acidity, heartburn.
Water-heck, n. A rail or swing gate hung across the stream to prevent cattle from straying.
Wath, n. A ford.
Watter, The common pronunciation of ‘Water.’
Wauf, Waufish, adj. Faint, weak, insipid.
Wax, v. To grow.
Ex.—He’s a waxing lad that.
Wax kernel, n. Swellings in the neck and hollow of the jaw.
Way-corn, n. Oats or barley.
Way-wards, Vide Wards.
Ways, n. Way. Used in such sentences as Gan thi ways heeam. Noo git thi ways in. Cu’ thi ways, honey.
Wean, Weean, n. A female. An opprobrious epithet.
Weather-fast, adj. Kept in or prevented from carrying out one’s plans owing to stress of weather.
Weather-gaul, n. The incomplete arc of a rainbow, only half being visible, the sure sign of a coming shower, if not of a bad spell of weather. Ex.—A dyer’s neeaf an’ a weather-gaul Sheppards warn ’at rain ’ll fall.
Weazand, Wizzan, n. The windpipe.
Ex.—He did shut his tung oot when Ah nipped his wizzan foor him.
Wed, v. To marry. ‘Marry’ is rarely used in any tense or mood.
Weearish, adv. Irritable.
Weeks, n. Corners. I give the word because I know a few old people on whose lips it still lingers, but it is rarely heard now. I heard an old dame not so long ago say to a well-known gossip, If thoo hed t’ weeks o’ thi mooth stitchen, an’ t’ weeks o’ thi een slitten, thoo’d be yabble ti see t’ muck i’ t’ weeks o’ thi awn hoos, an’ saay less aboot uther fowk.
Weetless, adj. Lacking knowledge.
Wefted, To be, v. To be closely associated with.
Weight, Wite, n. Quantity, &c.
Ex.—There warn’t a gret weight o’ taaties ti year. Neea gret weight o’ rain fell thruff t’ neet.
Welt, Vide Rigged.
Welting, n. A sound thrashing.
Wer, Wern, poss. pron. Our, our own.
Werrick, n. and v. A half-smothered laugh; to laugh, to chuckle.
Wersells }
Wersens } pron. Ourselves
Wet, To, v. To rain lightly.
Wet-shod, adj. Wet as to feet, boots and stockings soaked.
Weyfe, Wahfe, n. Wife.
Wezzel, Vide Rezzel.
Wezzle, Vide Warzle.
Whack, v. To flog.
Whacker, adj. Larger than ordinary.
Whahl, adv. Until. Until, however, is never heard amongst the country people, whahl or while being general.
Whallack, v. To flog with a stick or strap.
Whallacker, adj. Vide Whacker.
Whallacking, adj. Very large.
Whallop, v. To whip soundly.
Whang, Wheeang, n. A thong.
Whang, n. A sudden and heavy drop, or a blow; a thick slice. Also as a verb, to strike a heavy blow.
Whanging, adj. Vide Whallacking.
Whap, n. A sudden movement, a jerk.
Ex.—He went by wiv a whap.
Whap, v. To close with a bang; to give a smart tap on the knuckles; to flap, as a wing.
Whapper, Whopper, adj. Huge.
What for, What for not, adv. Why, why not.
What mud be deean = No matter what precaution may have been taken.
Ex.—Ah shuv’d wi’ my back, an’ Billy thrust his hardest wiv a powl, but doon it cam, what mud be deean.
What one could, or ‘Ativver he, Ah, or yan could = One’s very best efforts.
Ex.—Ah pull’d ’ativver Ah could pull, bud it war ti neea ewse. Yan did what yan could, bud it war ti larl good.
Whatten, pron. What.
Ex.—Whatten a tahm o’ daay is ’t? Whatten a sooart ov a thing diz ti call that?
Whau, Wheea, pron. Who.
Wheea s’ ow’ ‘t? lit. who shall owe or own it, i.e. To whom does it belong? Who owns it?
Ex.—Wheea s’ ow’ ‘t bairn?
Whemmel, v. To rock to and fro and then fall over.
Whewling, adj. Dizzy.
Whewtle, v. To whistle, to squeak.
Whidder, Wither, n. 1. A rush.
2. A sharp and swinging blow.
Ex.—1. He did gan by wiv a wither.
2. Ah’ll catch thee sike a wither aback o’ t’ lug if thoo dizn’t mahnd.
Whiff, v. To puff in short blasts, as smoke sometimes puffs downwards and into the room.
Whiffle-whaffle, n. Idle talk.
Whiffley, v. To trifle, to vacillate.
Whimly, adv. Quietly, softly. Vide Whisht.
Whimsey, adj. Changeable, unstable.
Whins, n. The gorse.
Whipster, n. A doubtful character.
Whip-stitch, n. A useless fellow.
Whirken, v. To choke.
Whisht, adv. Noiselessly, quietly.
Ex.—Them bisittles gans varra whisht.
Whisht, adj. Silent, noiseless.
Whisht, intj. Be quiet! Hush!
Whittle, n. A knife.
Whittle, v. To shave or slice off with a knife.
Whizzle, Vide Warzle.
Whoats, Whots, n. Oats.
Whya, intj. Well. If used at the end of a remark = Very well.
Ex.—Q. Thoo’ll cum on o’ Sundaay? A. Whya.
Wi’, prep. With. Wiv before a vowel.
Wick, adj. Living, lively, vigorous.
Ex.—Ah want yan ’at’s wick, nut a deead un. By goa, sha’s a wick un, is yon young miss.
Wick, n. Life.
Ex.—This bangs all ’at Ah’ve seean i’ mah wick.
Wicken, v. To gather wickens.
Wickens, Wicks, n. Couch grass.
Wicken-wood, n. The mountain ash, the rowan-tree.
Wicker, v. To neigh, whinny.
Wicks, n. Seedlings of the whitethorn.
Wicksilver, n. Quicksilver.
Widdle-waddling, v. To waddle.
Widdy, n. A young willow shoot.
Wikes, n. The corners of the mouth.
Wildfire, n. Erysipelas.
Win, v. To attain one’s object by considerable effort.
Wind, n. Information, a hint.
Ex.—Ah gat wind o’ what he war efter. If he gets wind o’ what thoo’s deean, thoo’ll drop in for ’t.
Wind, To lose one’s = To die. ‘Wind’ is often used for ‘breath.’
Winder, Winn’l, v. To winnow.
Winder or Winn’ling machine, n. A winnowing machine.
Windle straw or Winn’l streah, n. A dead stalk of straw or grass.
Winge, v. To threaten to kick (of a horse), to cry peevishly.
Winter-hedge, n. A clothes-horse.
Wipe, n. A sharp slap, a hurried rub. Also a verb.
Ex.—Ah’ll wipe tha across t’ feeace.
Wire-ling, n. The crowberry plant.
Wire-rush, n. The hard rush (Juncus glaucus).
Wit, n. Knowledge.
Ex.—He hezn’t wit ti deea a job o’ that sooart. He show’d mair wit ’an what Ah aim’d foor.
Wiv, prep. With.
Wivoot, Widoot, prep. Without, unless.
Wizen, v. and adj. To shrivel, to dry up.
Ex.—Sha’s gitten an au’d wizen’d feeace.
Woomle, n. An auger.
Wor, Vide War.
Worral-hole, n. A draught-hole let into the wall through a drain-pipe at the back of the fire, used to burn sea-coal.
Worn, adj. Exhausted, used up.
Ex.—Ah’s fairly woorn oot wi’ t’ job. Ah gat weary an’ worn afoor t’ daay war spent.
Worry, v. To kill.
Ex.—Sha’s nobbut a young un, bud sha’s worried a ratten alriddy.
Worsen, Warsen, v. 1. To make worse.
2. To gain the advantage of.
Vide Warsen.
Ex.—1. Thoo worsens owt ’at thoo puts thi han’ teeea.
2. Ah worsen’d him all t’ waay thruff t’ bargain.
Wostler, n. Hostler.
Wrang, adj. Wrong.
Wrecklin, n. The last and smallest of a litter or brood.
Wringe, v. To whine like a dog, to cry out in pain. Often Winge.
Wrizzled, Vide Razzelled.
Wrong with, To get, v. To quarrel, to have a misunderstanding.
Wrought, Wrowt, v. To work, to strive.
Ex.—Neea chap’s wrowt harder ’an what he hez. Ah’ve wrowt an’ tew’d all t’ daay whahl Ah’s worn oot.
Wummely, v. To move in a sinuous manner.
Wur, Vide War.
Wurk, Vide Wark.
Wuz, Vide War.
Wye, n. A heifer under three years of age.
Wyke, Week, n. A small bay on the sea-coast.
Y.
Yabble, Yabblins. 1. Able.
2. Maybe, perhaps.
Ex.—1. Thoo’ll be yabble ti deea ’t.
2. Q. Will ta leeak in ez thoo passes? A. Yabblins (or Ablins) Ah will.
Yaccorn, Yakron, n. The acorn.
Yacker, n. Acre.
Yaffle, v. To mumble, to speak indistinctly.
Yah, num. adj. One. N.B. Yah, unlike Yan, is never used singly, but is always followed by a word agreeing with it, e.g. ‘Yah chap,’ ‘Yah tahm.’
Ex.—Yah daay Ah went wi’ yan on ’em. Yah tahm yan o’ your lads bunched ma. Yan’s shooting yah things, &c.
Yak, n. Oak.
Yal, n. Ale.
Yalhoos, Alehouse.
Yam, n. Home. Vide Heeam.
Yam, v. Vide Aim.
Yan, num. adj. and indf. pron. One. Vide Yah.
Yance, adv. Once.
Yance ower, Once, at that time.
Yank, v. To thrash, to flog.
Yap, v. To bark at one’s heels, to talk foolishly.
Yark, v. 1. To strike with a switch.
2. To pull out with a jerk.
Ex.—2. Thi float’s blobb’d unner, yark ’t oot.
Yarker, n. The best of a sample.
Ex.—Tak that un, mun, it’s a yarker.
Yarking, n. A whipping with a switch.
Yarp, v. To shout, to speak loudly. Vide Yowp.
Yat, adj. Hot.
Ex.—It wur that yat, Ah c’u’dn’t ho’d it.
Yat, n. A gate.
Yat-steead, n. The ground covered by the sweep of the gate.
Yat-stoop, Yat-stoup, n. A gate-post.
Yaud, n. A horse or mare, usually on its last legs.
Yearn, v. To curdle milk.
Yearning, n. Rennet.
Yed, v. To make runs underground, as a rabbit, mole, &c.
Yedder, Yether, n. A young shoot in a hedge, which, being half cut, is utilized to strengthen some weaker part.
Yeead, Heead, Head.
Yer-nut, n. The earth-nut (Bunium flexuosum).
Yet, adv. Still.
Ex.—Is t’ wagon here yet? would not imply ‘Has the wagon arrived?’ but ‘Is it still here?’
Yeth, n. Earth.
Yethwurm, n. The earthworm.
Yewn, Vide Yown.
Yocken, v. To swallow greedily.
Yoke, n. The shoulder-bar by which two pails can be carried with ease.
Yoke, v. To buckle the harness on the horse to the shafts.
Yon, adj. and adv. That, over there. Used demonstratively of persons and things.
Yotten, Vide Yocken.
Youst, pp. Used.
Yow, n. A female sheep.
Yowl, n. A plaintive howl.
Yowl, v. To howl, to cry plaintively.
Yown, Yewn, Yuen, n. An oven.
Ex.—Now ’t’s neyce, t’ yuen’s nivver been yat.
Yowp, Yope, v. To cry as a young dog when first kennelled, to speak in a shrill voice.
Yuck, A curious usage is attached to this word. At any social gathering in the Cleveland dales, when those assembled have grown excited, some one will shout, Yuck foor oor deeal, to which another will instantly reply, Yuck foor Castleton, or Yuck foor ——, mentioning his own locality. I fancy in days past it would be given as a challenge; it now carries with it the sense of ‘To cheer,’ or ‘Here’s to our dale.’
Yuer, Ur, n. The udder of a cow.
Yuk, v. To beat.
Yuking, n. A beating.
Yule-cake, n. A rich plum-cake made for Christmastide, and cut into on Christmas Eve.
Yule-candle, -cann’l, n. A large wax candle lighted on Christmas Eve.
Yule-log or -clog, n. The log burnt on the fire on Christmas Eve.