Chapter II: Part 2

BROGUES—Ass a drainer to let ye liuk at his clogs—them’s his brogues.

BROKKUN—Ther’s brokkun oot an’ brokkun up; an’ brokkun t’ dyke, an’ t’ bull; an’ brokkun meat an’ milk; body-brokkun, an’ heart brokkun; an’ bank-brokkun an’ brokkun backt wi’ brass; brokkun weather, an’ brokkun wark, an’ brokkun fasts; nags is brokkun in, an’ hay’s brokkun oot. Owt else brokkun, Ah wonder: Aye, when a poor fellow’s t’ bums i’ t’ hoose it’s becos he’s brokkun.

BROOKT—Mixed colour. He’s briukt wi grey. His fias was o’ briukt wi’ grime.

BROON-BESS—What they shut wild geese wi’; er at least what they try ta shut ’em wi’.

BROON GEORDIE—Brown bread. Whar they nack an’ deea they co’ it Brown George—it’s o’ t’ seeam, an’ tiasts neea better.

BROON-LEEMER—Hazel nuts that are ripening in the husk and shedding them. Ah’ve a pocketful o’ broon-leemers.

BROUGHT-IN—Converted.

BROUGHT-OUT—To hatch.

BROUGH HILL TIME—Aboot Brough Hill time o’ t’ year, _i.e._, Brough Hill Fair.

BROUGH HILL WEATHER—It’s cauld as Brough Hill.

BRUSH—A fox brush; brush aboot wi’ t’ wark; brush t’ meedow; a bit ov a brush at feitin’; beardy; brush yan’s hand ower another body’s fias; brush up a bit; brush t’ nags doon; brushwood; brush by yan annudder an’ nivver let wit. Ther’s a gay lot o’ different macks an’ ways o’ brushin’.

BRUSH—At times it may be necessary to remove a small obstacle, so that marble-players may get the chance of a good shot—that’s brush.

BROSSEN—Nags er men ’at eat ower mich at yance an’ er nivver full ’at efter, er said to be brossen. Some er brossen wi’ wit, others wi’ wark, and some wi’ laiken, a gay few wi’ yal.

BROSSEN-FULL—Hed mair to eat than’s easy er good.

BROSSEN-HEARTED—When a lal ’un can’t hev o’ it wants it sets tul an’ hes a good whinge, till it fair sobs—it’s brossen-hearted.

BRAG—T’ dog.

BREAS—Beck edge. Where t’ fish dark anunder. Whitehead says:

Howks grubs an’ worms fra under t’ breas,
To feed t’ lal hungry troot.

BRECK—A mischievous prank. A favourite breck when yan was lads used to be takkin’ t’ lin’pin oot of a cart wheel, an’ then dark aback ov a wo ta hear t’ final. Brecks izzant as common noo, an’ they’ve neea need to be.

BRIEF—A collecting card, or sheet for one who has met with misfortune. They gat a brief fer him when t’ coo deed.

BRIM—Top. He was brim-full. Full of sorrow, or anger, or mirth. Ah cud see he was full ta t’ brim, seea Ah com away an’ sed nowt tull him.

BRINDLED—A cow with a striped skin. T’ cowey’s brindled.

BRITCHED—Braced. Thoos britched up ower tight. Let thi gallowses oot, min.

BRITCHED—Put into a suit. He was a gay, gurt fine lad afoor he was britched.

BRITCHIN—The fork; where two limbs join.

BRITCH-BAN—The part of a horse’s gear which enables to “back” a cart, &c.

BRITTAN—Hide; tan; Ah’ll brittan thi thi jacket for thi.

BRITTANEN—Thrashing. He gat seck a brittanen as he was lal aware on.

BRIAKEN—A thrashing. Thoos laiten a briaken an’ thoo’ll git yan if thoo gahs on.

BRITTAINER—A queer customer. Noo he’s a bit ov a Brittainer is t’ auld horsebrecker; he is ano.

BRANDRITH—T’ girdle frame and legs it stood on. “A cubbard, kist, an’ brandrith frame.”

BRANK—Swagger. He wad brank aboot in his Sunday clias as if t’ toon was his awn.

BRANLINS—Worms oot ov a muck-heap, good fer fishin wi.

BRANT—Steep. A hill that’s as brant as a hoose side taks some wind oot o’ yan.

BRANT—Brazen. He stiud up ta feit as brant as a banty cock.

BRASH—Hurry up. Brash aboot an’ skift yersels.

BRASHEN—A vigorous habit. He was allus brashen aboot at t’ top o’ his speed.

BRAT—An apron; a pinafore.

BRATTLE—A loud noise. By gum! that brattle o’ thunner soonded gayly near like. Ther’s udder maks o’ brattlin’, t’ rifle an’ seck like.

BRIDLE-ROOAD—A lal looanin’ whar nowt but a nag er a coo can gang doon.

BUFFS—Rebounds. When yan’s drivin’ a stiak an’ it’s gitten fluzzed an’ comes oot farder than it gangs in when yan hits it wi’ t’ mell, then it buffs.

BULLACE—Wild plums. Bullaces an’ sleeas—they grow i’ t’ dikes.

BULL-HEAD—Bull-heeds an’ tommy-looaches—wi’ a bit o’ threed fer a tome, an’ a pin fer a hiuk, ye can catch them i’ t’ beck. Ther’s mennoms, tommy looatches, an’ bull-heeds. Ah’ve hed many a yedderin for ’t.

BULL FIACES, BULL TOPPINS—Ye’ll find some o’ these i’ t’ coo-paster. They’re gurt ugly liukin tufts o’ rough gerse an’ stuff.

BULL-JUMPINS—Bull jumpins an’ why laikins is summat seeam as beeastins, Ah fancy.

BULL-SEGG—Thoo criuns war ner a bull-segg, _i.e._, a bullock at’s bin a bull ower lang.

BULL-STANG—Hornet. T’ nag ran away when it hard a bull-stang.

BULNECK—Head first; without much thought or consideration. He fell intul t’ troff bulneck. He was gaan on bulneck, an’ nivver liukin’ at his feet.

BULLOCK—Treat harshly; to domineer. He wad bullock yan aboot.

BULLOCKIN’—Bullockin’ about, mind whar thoos gaan.

BULLOCK-MAN—A farmer’s man who tends cattle as distinct frae them at works wi’ t’ nags.

BULSTONE—A whetstone that a mower sharpens his scythe wi’.

BULL-BRECK-OOT—A lad’s gam at breckin’ oot ov a ring an’ gitten catcht.

BUM—Baste.

BUM-BAILEY—We o know as mitch as we want ta know aboot t’ bum-bailey.

BUMM’LE—Bee. Ivv’rybody knows what it is when they hear yan, and when it sits doon wi’ t’ het end first they can feel it. Bumm’le aboot is when ye catch yer teea in a nick and hod yer-sel up wi’ t’ tiable cliath, an’ lands on t’ fleear amang t’ pots.

BUNCH—Ah’ll laik o’ t’ bunch. It means o’ t’ boilin’, or o’ t’ gang.

BUNDLE-UP—To bundle up yans bits o’ traps meens ’at we’re skiftin pliaces. We’s o’ hev ta bundle up an’ be off e’wer turn, an’ it’s best ta sheer clean, an’ leeve neea slape spots ahint yan.

BUNSTI, BOOTSTI—Laken at fieldin amang t’ stacks:

Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti,
Thee find me an’ Ah’ll lait thee,
Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti.

BUR—Prickly burs; they grow on a burdock, er robin-run-i’-t’-dike, an’ stick tull yan’s cooat.

BURBLECK—Petasites vulgaris. Happen it is, but a bed o’ burblecks is nobbut a varra lal account fer o’ that.

BUMP—Thick garn for jackets an’ caps.

BUM—A gurt wallopen cork fer a tub.

BURTREE—Elder. That is i’ England, but we allus say burtree in Lakeland.

BURTREE-GUN—A pop gun made of a burtree. O’ lads know hoo ta mak a burtree gun.

BUR-THISSLE—Git hauld o’ yan, an’ let it prick, an’ I’ll be bun’ ye’ll know t’ difference frae a sew thissle for ivver efter.

BUSH—The iron lining of a cart wheel naf, ’at t’ assel tree works in an’ keeps it frae wearin’ away.

BUSHIN’—Ah’ve hard a chap say it mair ner yance, when he hed stomach wark a day er tweea, ’at he’d want bushin if things did’nt tak up different.

BUSK—A stays-bone. The waist. To drive away. Mak us a stays busk. He hed yah arm aroond her busk. Ah’ll busk thee thoo young taistrel at thoo is.

BUSK—Hurry up; bustle about. Busk aboot an’ git diun, an’ we’ll gang fer a walk.

BUSTARD—What yan fishes wi’ i’ summer neets, summat like a butterflee.

BUTCH—Slaughter. It izzant iv’ry day we butch a pig.

BUTTER-SOPS—A christening item consisting of bread soaked in melted butter and sugar, flavoured wi’ rum.

BUTTER-SHAG—A shive o’ breed wi butter on ’t.

BUTT—A hide of sole leather.

BUTT—What fooak sit doon on.

BUTT—That end of a shaf ’at it stands on.

BUTTIN—A shaf set up ta dry i’ yans, nut i’ stooks.

BUTT-WELT—Ta throw stooks doon ta dry. Butt-weltin shavs is like knockin legs oot anunder a chap’s ’at bin a bit poky.

BUZZARD—Coward. A gurt buzzard flayed o’ t’ dark looanens.

BULLS & COWS (whys)—The flower of the arum macutalum, often called lords and ladies.

BUM—To buzz.

BUNCH—To strike with the foot; to kick.

BUZZOM—A besom or broom.

BUCK—Pride. Plenty of buck. Stupidity. Let’s hev nin o’ thi auld buck. A prop to hold a cart level, when not yoked.

BUCK! BUCK! how many fingers do Ah hod up? A lad’s gam.

BUFF! BUFF! hit him a cuff. T’ sign o’ war.

BUCKLE—Ther’s “buckle teea,” meanin’ git into some wark; an’ “buckle on,” ta mak an engagement at sometimes lasts fer t’ life on us.

BUCKT—Smartened up a bit. He’s buckt hissel up in his best. To spring up courage. He buckt up an’ went in an’ wan.

BUDGE—Stir. It wadn’t budge an inch.

BUFF—Bare skin. They stripped off inta buff an’ hed a reet good set teea.

BURR—A hoarse guttural tone. He sticks weel tul t’ auld burr. A hazy ring around the moon—Sign of a change.

BUTTS—Short rigs that run out.

BUBBLY-JOCK—A turkey cock.

BURR’D-IN, BURR’D-UP—To hide; to shelter. We burr’d-in at t’ field-hoose tell t’ shoor blew ower.

BY—Past. It’s by t’ post time a gay bit.

BYE—Lonely; out of the way. It’s a bye auld dowly hoose. Bye-steeds; bastys; bye-rooad, an’ seea on, er o’ t’ siam sooart.

BYE-NAME—A nick name, or pet name. Here’s a sample: Wing Tommy; Debrah Duckfiut; Jos at t’ Ho; Potter Jammy; Bud Birbeck; Happy Jimmy; Garn Willie; Shoddy, t’ cadger; daft Wat; bullocky; an’ seea on.

BYE-WORD—It’s a gay fine day, like. Like in that sense is a bye-word, but it’s nobbut a peur sample ta what Ah hev on hand, but they want fettlin up a gay bit, Ah’ll apode, afoor t’ printer wad put them in.

BY-GOY, BY-GOM, BY-GOX, BY-GEN—T’ meanin o’ this lot depends hoo they’re used.

C-LINK—A link fer yoken up t’ plew wi’.

CA-BAL—A nurration kickt up wi’ chaps at’s on t’ randy, er t’ cauves, birds, ducks an’ hens, er owt else at maks a gurt noise ower nowt.

CACK—What they mack middens oot on.

CADGER—A chap at gahs aboot buyin’ butter, an’ eggs, and woo, an’ seck like things is co’ed a cadger fer short—but he doesn’t cadge.

CADGE—Ta beg without assin’ streyt oot; sometimes it’s co’ed shoolen.

CALEVER—A carry on. This is a dooment, er a bit ov a spree. Ye war hevvin’ a fine auld calever on, Ah hard tell at t’ public.

CALFISH—Cowardly. Nowt’ll mak a lad warse mad ner to tell him he’s a cauf, er he’s caufish.

CALF-HEED—A gurt, hard, soor sooart ov apples. A silly fellow’s a gurt cauf-heed.

CALF-LICKT—A curly toppin’.

CALKERS—Iron rims fer clogs an’ shoes. Ass a lad at shirlin’ time fer particulars.

CALLIFOOAGLE, CALLIFUGLE, COLLIFOOAGLE—These three o’ mean yah thing—fooak liggen ther heeds tagidder fer mischief, an’ ta deea somebody a nasty clarty trick.

CAM—A topstun fer a wo’. I’ Borrowdale they wo’d t’ cuckoo in seea as they wad allus hev yan, an’ it wad allus be spring, but t’ cuckoo fand it oot an’ flew ower, an’ yan o’ t’ wo’ers said it was acos they hedn’t gitten t’ cams on.

CANKER’D—Varra cross an’ ugly tempered. It’s better ta leave a man tul hissel when he’s canker’d.

CANT, CANTY—Active. Hoo er your fooak? They’re cant as ivver. Hoo er ye? Ah’s canty fer mi years.

CANTLAX—What’s that ivver? Ah du’t know, but it’s summat nut ower nice. He’s tian off wi’ a gurt cantlax o’ some mak an’ gitten wedded.

CAP—Surprise. It wad cap ye ta see hoo mich that barn can eat.

CAP-STUN—Cap or cape-stone is the central stone of an arch.

CAPPERS—Ah’ll set thi cappers. A lot o’ lads at laiken time used ta set cappers bi jumpin’ t’ beck at a strait spot, an’ yan o’ them went on t’ sly an’ lowsened t’ sod whar they bat, an’ t’ first yan ta lowp cappered ta t’ boddum o’ t’ beck an’ gat yarked fer’t. Ah was in at t’ yarkin.

CAPT-COORN—Coorn at’s fettled up fer t’ pooak mooth at’s gaan ta t’ market. It’s a gay auld farrand dodge.

CART-STOWER—Tweea lumps o’ wood at stick oot at end of a cart fer ’t ta leet on when it’s keckt up er ’t stowers.

CARL, CARLING—A blithe hearty fellow wi’ not too much refinement. A gay rum carl. Thoo gurt rough carlin thoo.

CARLIN SARK—Yan miad oot o’ hiam-spun lin.

CARRY-ON—A marlock, er a bit ov a lark when fooak er on t’ rant, at tierm times.

CAFF—Chaff. What t’ wind drives oot o’ t’ deetin’ machine.

CAFF-BED—Caff asteed o’ fedders.

CAFLIN—It’s allus said at leers sud hev lang mem’ries. It’s ower wi yan o’ them when they start cafflin at middle o’ ther tial.

CAMERIL—A curved piece of wood used to hang slaughtered animals up by.

CANTRIP—A boggle dance i’ some whiat kirk garth. It maks yan’s skin whidder to think on’t.

CARRY—A long way to convey anything is a gay lang carry—well watter, milk, er owt else.

CAR-TRACK—A road for a cart along a field side. Keep i’ t’ cart track, can’t ya?

CATER-CORNER—From one corner to another, as a shawl is doubled to wear. Thoo mun double that cater corner ways an’ than thoo’l deea ’t.

CAT-WITTED—A bit sharp an’ rayder silly. Says Anderson:

Peer Jwosep! we went ta ae schuil!
He married deef Marget, the Gamblesby beauty,
A silly, proud, cat-witted fuil!

CAUF-NOPE—A rough blow. Ah’ll gie thi t’ cauf-nope, as Robin Knagg said when he streeuk t’ fellow ower t’ heed wi’ a rud stiak.

CAUF-HULL—What t’ cauves leeves in.

CAUF-BED—Whar cauves co’ frae’ at first.

CALDA, CALDRIGGS—Field names.

CAT-UNDER-T’-LUG—Noo, threshers, ye o know what that is. It’s threshen wi’ t’ flail afoor ye’ve gitten t’ knack on ’t. It’s grand when t’ sooples git hankled and catch yan ower t’ canister.

CARRY—What a pasture, or a farm, will allow of in the way of stock, are what it will carry.

CARRYIN’—Bearing.

CAT-GALLOWS—Tweea sticks stuck up an’ yan across ta jump ower.

CATTED—Cross fer reg’lar. A catted auld thing.

CATTY—A lad’s gam wi’ a stick an’ a peg.

CAT-COLLOP—A tiasty bit fer t’ cat when fooaks is butchen. It’ll hev anudder neeam neea doot, but Ah can’t find it.

CAT-HOS—Bird meat at grows on a thorn tree. It’ll be a bad winter, ther’s seea many cat-hos an’ choops.

CAT-NOD—Forty winks.

CAT-LATIN—Queer mixed up talk; bad writing at yan can hardly read—that’s cat-latin. The prattle of little children also. Thoo talks nowt but cat latin, Ah ca’t English ’t.

CATTER-WAW, CHITTER-WAW—A concert o’ cats on a whiat neet.

CATTLE-CREEP—A cunderth fer cattle ta gang under t’ railway frae yah field to annudder.

CALLET, CALLAT—To gossip.

CAM—A bank.

CAKE—To cackle like a steg.

CARROCK or CURROCK—A heap of stones.

CESSEN—Cast off. He’s cessen his flanin’.

CAST-UP-AT—To upbraid. He cest-up-at him o’ he knew.

CAST-UP—To appear, or be found.

CATCHY—Disposed to take an undue advantage.

CAVE—To separate.

CAIM’D—Peenj’d; cross. Siam as a chap ’ats eatin’ t’ bed an’ gaan back fer t’ bowster.

CAINJI—T’ siam again. A cainji auld thing.

CAMPLE—Argue; contradict. Hoo dar ta cample wi’ t’ gaffer like that?

CAMPLIN’—Contradiction; sauce. I’ll hev nin o’ thi camplin’, seea thoo knows noo.

CANNY, CONNY—A canny way, a canny man, a canny day, a canny auld fashioned trick, a gay canny customer, a canny lang price. Canny always seems to convey the impression of something surprising; it’s use is frequent, and it’s application various.

CARANT—Carousal. Allay this is what fooak mean when they say on t’ rant.

CASION—A mannerly mak o’ beggin’ summat ta sup. We casioned him fer some looance, but it war neea go.

CABBOR—Useless rubbish.

CARRAS—Short an’ sharp fer cart-shed.

CAHT, CA’T—Short for cannot.

CEE-HOW—A rough blow. He gat seck a cee-how under t’ lug wi’ t’ flail soople.

CESS—A rate or tax. He’s gedderen t’ cess.

CIAM—On one side, like a shoe that is worn down, or the contents of a vessel that have got stirred over.

CHURCH-MOOSE—As poor as a kirk moose.

CHAFTS—Jaws. Mi chafts er as sair as a kyle.

CHARM—Rheumatism, bleeding at the nose, warts, hiccough, nightmare, and above all toothache are some of ailments for which specific charms exist as cures. Within recent years one who had the power to “charm” away the toothache lived at Hardendale; and every one learns _viva voce_ the homilies to be repeated when a tooth is drawn, or when hicough is troublesome. A charm fer drawing t’ fire up is ta set t’ fire pore seea’s ta mak a cross in t’ boddum bar. It flays t’ bad spirits of.

CHATS—Seeds of ash trees.

CHOOP—The seed pod of the rose. A fiace as reed as a choop’s a good sign.

CHANCE-BAIRN—Illegitimate child.

CHARLEY—A hump on the back; also of a lazy person it is said, he’s t’ Charley on.

CHOMP—Watch a chap eat an apple ’at’s hard; he’ll chomp, Ah’st warn’d.

CHAP—To knock or rap; a person; a sweetheart.

CHEERER—A glass of spirit and warm water.

CHOPPING-BOY—A stout boy.

CHURNEL—An enlargement of the glands of the neck.

CHUMP—A log. A chap ’at’s daft.

CHUNTER—Grumble in an undertone. Some fooak does a lot o’ chunterin’ an grumblin’, but it does ’em neea good.

CHAVEL and CHIG—To chew.

CHEESE-WOST—Curd of cheese before pressed.

CHEESE an’ Breed—Wood sorrel.

CHANG—When a chap’s tongue’s lowsed wi’ a drop o’ short stuff, an’ he talks twenty ta t’ dozen, er when t’ birds o’ sing tagidder i’ May, or t’ cocks an’ hen crow an’ cackle, it’s a’ chang.

CHARRIN’—Ye know—it’s daytal wark fer women. In America they hev it as chores.

CHEESERIM—A wooden mould to make cheese in.

CHIG CHIGGIN—Chew with the front teeth; a chig o’ bacca teea; an’ fooak ’s allus chiggin’ things ower ’at others durt want ta hear.

CHISELLED—A way o’ gitten hod o’ sombody’s brass ’at’s far frae honest.

CHOCK—Chock-full, anybody knows, is when they’ve hed plenty; chock t’ wheel is ta burr it, and t’ turners hes a chock ta lig ther tiuls on.

CHOCKED-UP—A drain mooth er a cunderth when a fliud’s full’d them er chocked up.

CHUCK—A chuck’s a hen, sewerly; but a chuck under t’ lug izzant, er a chuck on ta top ov a cart, an’ beside that a lot o’ fooak co ther tommy chuck, broon chuck, and white chuck, and seea on.

CHUFF—Pleased, like a lad wi a new jackilegs, er t’ lasses wi a new frock apiece fer Easter. T’ lad wasn’t seea chuff ’at hed nowt new but their Jim’ auld shoes ta say t’ Psalms in.

CHAFFER—Argue. What er ye chafferen ower?

CHAMMERLY—What they used to steep seed wheat in ta kill t’ filth an’ t’ bad pickles.

CHANTER-BONE—When yer feet shut oot an’ ye drop on t’ boddom o’ yer back an’ see a lot o’ stars—it’s becos ye’ve touched t’ chanter-bian.

CHATS—Lal taties.

CHAUVE, CHAUVEN, CHATTERED—Chew’d. T’ rattens hev chauven varra near through t’ cauf hull door.

CHEEK—Sides, seck as door cheeks an’ yat cheeks.

CHEEK—Impudence. Let’s hev nin o’ thi’ cheek.

CHEEPERS, CHILPERS—Young birds in the nest.

CHELP—Sauce. Thoo’s far ower mich chelp aboot thi; thoo wants ta keep thi tongue atween thi teeth a bit mair.

CHEP—T’ nooas-end. His chep’s gaily reed wi’ t’ wind.

CHEESE-FAT—A tin used in pressing cheese.

CHIME—T’ dog gowlen.

CHIME-IN—Net ta gowl, but tak a hand i’ owt ’at’s gaan on, seck as cards, tea suppin, laikin, er owt. “Come, chime-in”; it happens is harmony efter o’.

CHIN-MUSIC—When t’ barn hes t’ stomach-wark it’ll mak some fer ye.

CHIN-PIE—Lads rub yan anudder’s chins wi’ ther knockles an’ co’ it chin-pie.

CHEETRY—Knavishness. Eetry beats cheetry.

CHIP—An interjected remark. He pot in his chip.

CHIP—A wrestler’s stroke—buttock, hype, click, hank—any mair?

CHIP’T—To obtain ale by throwing out a hint. They chip’t t’ maister fer a quart.

CHIP’T—Cracked. Siam as a tea-pot spoot when it’s stood on t’ hood, er a egg when the chicken’s gaan ta come oot on’t.

CHIRM—To put a lot o’ fancy craft inta yer talk when ye durt know hoo. Noo she thinks neea smo’ drink of hersell chirmen an’ nacken. “She” was a young man fra t’ town.

CHIT—Puss.

CHITTY—PUSS-A lad’s game.

CHITTER—T’ lal uns at skiul chitter an git nointed for ’t; t’ youngs birds chitter i’ ther nests when t’ auld ’un comes wi’ a worm, an t’ swallows chitter on t’ riggin.

CHITTY—Cat.

CHITTY—Jenny-wren.

CHITTY—A diminutive. Chitty-garth, a small field. Chitty-balks, the lesser timber in a roof. Chitty-fiace, a small featured person.

CHOP-FAWN—A chap when his sweetheart hes chuck’t him fer anudder; an’ anudder ’at’s fund oot he hes t’ wrang sew bi t’ lug; an’ when oor best laid plans hez gone agley, an’ we’re soor, an’ sad an’ sulky wi’ ivv’rything an’ iv’rybody, it’s than said aboot us ’at we’re chop-fawn. An it’s gaily oft true.

CHOPS—Jaws. He hangs his chops.

CHOPPEN-AN’-CHANGEN—Varra whimmy mack o’ fooak ats allus laiten oot summat fresh ta gah on wi.

CHOWLS—Pig cheeks. T’ chowls touch t’ fleear.

CHECK-BRAT—T’ auld farrent uns wad wear a check brat, a bed-goon, cap, an’ clogs an’ be ivver seea smart an’ tidy e’ them.

CHEG, CHEGGLED, CHEGGLEN—These hes ta deea wi chowin.

CICELY—Sweet Cicely. Rabbit keepers knows what an’ whar it is. Crosby Ravensworth has been nooated for hundreds o’ years for it.

CLAG—Adhere. “Is it clag’d in?” “No,” sez t’ Cockney, “it’s gummed in.” An’ than we winkt an’ laffed.

CLAGGER—One who sticks to all he can is a clagger.

CLAMMING, CLAM—To suffer hunger.

CLAGGERAN—That’s hoo ye git up a rock, er a hoose side, when ye’ve neea stee.

CLAY-DAUBIN—A wo plaistered wi’ clay fer lime.

CLAP—Ther’s a clap o’ thunder, an’ some other sorts. Owt ’at’s set doon in a hurry is clapt doon.

CLEEATY—Ye know—Auld Cloven foot, doon below i’ t’ het spot.

CLINKS—Ye’ll find some on t’ fells.

CLIP—Condition. Ah’s a gay fair clip, that Ah is.

CLIP—A year’s wool crop. We’ve t’ last year clip i’ t’ granary yut.

CLIPPIN’—What cheer?—Oh, clippin’. A gay lish body gahs clippin’ aboot like a tweea year auld.

CLIPT ’UN—A newly shorn sheep. By gom he was off; he ran like a clipt ’un when he hard that.

CLIPT AN’ HEEL’D—E’ feiten fettle.

CLIPT DINMENT—A hauf-fed fellow.

CLUDDER—To get close together when it’s cold or lonely. T’ sheep cludders up when a dog gets among them.

CLUTHERS—In heaps, clusters.

CLOM’D-UP—Thirsty, dried up. We rowt amang that stoory lime and muck tell Ah was aboot clom’d up wi’ ’t.

CLAHM’D-UP—Nearly t’ siam as t’ last. Ah’s clahm’d up wi fleem.

CLAT—A nasty mischievous body ’at gangs frae yah body’s hoose tul anudder, hearin’ t’ tial an’ tellin’ ’t, an setten t’ toon bi t’ lugs—that’s a clat.

CLETCH, CLUCKIN’, CLECKIN’—A brood of chickens, &c.

CLOINTER—To run about over a floor, or up and down steps making a noise. Give ower clointerin’ aboot wi’ thi gurt clogs.

CLONK-CLOMPER—A gurt noise like a lad maks wi’ his clogs ’at’s far ower big fer his feet.

CLAP BREAD—Haver bread, an’ bread made from unsound flour.

CLINT—A steep face of rock, a small scar.

CLOD—To throw stones or clots. He was clodden steeans.

CLUM—Cold, heavy soil.

CLAMMEREN—Walking badly.

CLIMMEREN—Creeping up trees.

CLAVVERIN-AT—Fratchen.

CLAMS—What a saddler or a shoemaker holds his materials in whilst he stitches them together; also the implements of a veterinary surgeon.

CLANK—A shoe er a clog calker, er a cart wheel hiup, er a nag’s shoe’ll clank when they’re lowse.

CLARTY—Stickey. Yan o’ t’ finest preachers in a’ America was yance writin’ aboot a famous puddin’, an’ he sed it was “clarty.” An ther’s clarty tricks, an’ clarty fooak, an’ clarty looanens, an’ clarty trods.—See Ruskin’s “_Fors Clavigera_,” vol. 2, page 203.

CLASH—Ther’s wake tea; rain; gossip; a yat er a door shot wi’ a bang; an’ a rattle on t’ side o’ t’ heed; these is o co’ed clash betimes, as weel as thin poor yal.

CLASH-BAGS—A gurt gossipin’ clash-bags is a body ’at tells mair than they know aboot other fooak.

CLASH’D-LIUKEN—Yan o’ t’ world’s failures ats doon on his luck.

CLASHY—Rainy, stormy. It’s clashy weather aboot Brough Hill time varra oft.

CLAW, CLAWK’T, CLAWKEN—Ta scrat when ye’re feitin asteed o’ strikin’ wi’ yer double nief.

CLEAN-HEELS—Lads ’at’s been amang t’ pes, er i’ somebody’s wotchet, an’ er catcht ’ll show ye some clean heels as they gang ower t’ dykes.

CLEG—A gad-fly, but git yan i’ yer neck whol on a het day, an’ let it git agiat sooken, an’ than common cleg’s fine eniuf.

CLEW—A clew o’ yarn. It’s when ye’ve wund it ready fer knittin. “Give it a corner and the clew undoes,” says George Herbert.

CLICK—Snatch. Click hod ov his coat laps.

CLINKERS—A kind of nails used to protect the edges of a shoe sole.

CLINKIN’—Noo this means summat grand. A clinkin lal meear, a clinkin good plewer, er mower, er runner, er wrussler, er owt else.

CLINKS—Sheep leg joints. T’ lasses laik wi’ them, an’ co them clinks.

CLINK-OFF—Some ’ll clink off ta be soldiers, an’ some to be summat else. It means ’at they gang an’ mak neea sign, they clink off an’ git wedded er ’list, er owt else, an’ sometimes they rue their clinkin tricks.

CLOOAS-MOOTH—It’s what maks a sharp heed, but some fooak’s far ower clooas behauf.

CLUDDY—A cluddy-nut is a sooart of Siamese twin nut; tweea grown tagidder.

CLOT-HEAD—A silly fellow.

CLOWEN—Scratten. What’s ta clowen like that for? Fooak’ll say thoo’s company.

CLAGGUM—Treacle made hard by boiling.

CLAMMERSOME—Greedy, contentious, clamorous.

CLAMP—To make a noise.

CLAPPER, CLACK—The tongue.

CLEETS—Pieces of iron worn by countrymen on their shoes.

CLIFTY—Well managing.

CLOIT—A clown or stupid fellow.

CLONTER—To work in a dirty manner.

CLUFF—To strike, to cuff.

CLUMP—A mass of anything.

CLUMPY—Awkward, misshapen.

CLOMIN’—Fondling. Give ower clomin t’ dog aboot.

CLIASE-HORSE—A winter hedge; a clothes maiden, ta dry t’ cliase on afore t’ fire.

CLOOT—Hurry. Yer in a terrible cloot.

CLOOTED—Rattled. He gat clooted ower t’ lugs fer his impidence.

CLOOTEN—He was clooten off doon t’ looanen.

CLOOTS—The feet. Ram thi gurt cloots anunder t’ seat, er somebody’s gaan ta breck ther necks ower them.

CLOSE—Same as clammy.—neea wind, nowt but warm an’ clooas.

CLOUTS—A woman’s clothing. She’s jarbled o’ her clouts.

CLUFT—A cluft stick is yan wi’ tweea grains cut off an’ a bit left on like a fork.

CLAMMY—Moist warm weather. A clammy neet.

CLOGS—Ther’s hag-clogs at’s as stupid as they mak ’em; ther’s clogs fassened tull a bull snoot; clogs fer t’ fire; an’ clogs fer t’ feet—wooden soled shoes, t’ lawyer co’ed ’em. “Let’s see, your father wore wooden soled shoes, called clogs, I believe?” “Aye,” sez t’ fella he was bullyin’, “an’ if thy faddur hed worn wooden soled shoes co’ed clogs thoo’d bin weeren clogs noo.” Varra fair.

CLOCKIN’—A clockin’ hen. Ivverybody knows what that is, but tweea chaps found a watch, an’ yan o’ them said it war a clockin’ tiad, and’ they kilt it!

CLOOT—Patch, mend, a blow. A cloot under t’ lug. Aye! She says thi kitle ’s clooted an’ clooted till neea body can tell which is t’ maister cloot.

CLOCK-DRESSER—A man who cleans and repairs clocks.

COWDY—T’ siam as a nag wi’ plenty o’ cooarn in’t an’ lal wark ta deea.

CON—Study. Ah conn’d it ower e’ mi mind.

COOARN, COOARN’D—Cooarn t’ nags; t’ cooarn kist an’ seea on. But a chap’s gay weel cooarn’d when he’s a snod skin on him an’ plenty o’ girth aboot t’ boddom ov his waistcoat to hod his watch chain oot wi’; an’ ther’s lang cooarn miad oot ov a whang an’ a lal bit o’ stick; t’ farmer lads know what they’re for, an’ seea does t’ nags.

CO’E-FRAE—Place of origin. Whars his co’e frae.

COO-BAND—What she’s fassened ta t’rud stiak wi’.

COO-BAT—When tweea lads er hegged on ta feit, t’ hegbattle ’ill say ta yan o’ them “Give him his coo-bat.” It’s the gage o’ battle on a smo scale.

COO-STRIPLINS—Cowslips.

COO-TEE—A short riap miad o’ hair, wi a loop at yah end an’ a short bit o’ wood at tudder. It’s used to lap aroond a coo’s hinder legs ta keep her whiat tell she’s milked.

COONT—Sum. Read an’ write an’ coont.

COONTIN-BOOK—Arithmetic.

COO-YOKE—A coo at wears a yoke carries her character on her neck, an’ he who runs may reed ’at she’s a lowp dike.

COPY—T’ lal’uns sit on ’em, as weel as fooak ’at’s milken.

CORKER—A surpriser. T’ nag’s run away an’ brokken t’ cart stangs off, an’ thrown t’ cart ower. Whia noo, that’s a corker, an’ us seea thrang.

CORKERS—Winners.

CORKED—Conquered in a succession of games.

COW’D LOORD, COWT LOORD, COW’D LADY—A haver meal dumplin boil’d e’ broth. Says Anderson:

“A three quart piggen full o’ keale,
He’ll sup, the greedy sinner,
Then eat a cow’d loord like lead,
Ay, onie day at dinner.”

COWEY—“Cowey, my cow,” said a poet, an’ t’ critics could mak nowt ato on’t. A cowey coo is aboot as useful an’ aboot as harmless as ow’t ’at’s gaan. Tweea coos hed been feitin’ an’ yan gat a horn off wi’ ’t. “Knock tudder off, Goordie, an’ mak her a cowey,” said a lass when she saw’t. “Cush, barn,” said he, “Ah nivver hard seck a tial as that afoor.”

COWL—To rake wi’ a cow-rak. Bunyan in his immortal vision saw a man ’at was always cowlin’.

COWLEN—A gurt cowlen chap is yan ’at’s built in a strang useful way, an’ net ower fine.

COWS and CALVES—Bulls and whys; lords and ladies, cuckoo pint—the “Arum calamus.”

COTTONIN’—A sound thrashing. He gat a good cottonin’ fer his pains.

COCK-THROPPLED—A big lump at front ov a body’s thropple.

CODDY—A fooal, er owt at’s lal ov its mack—a coddy stack, a coddy hoose, er a coddy ciak.

COG—Yan’s oft tian doon a cog without exactly knowin’ hoo much, er hoo far that is.

COGLY, COGLETY—Owt ’at’s varra coglety is summat ’at’s gaan ta fo’ if owt clatters up again ’t, an’ Ah’ve seen a chap’s legs as coglety as could be.

COLLIER-LAW—First here t’ first sarra’d.

COBBY—Frisky; chirpy; fresh.

COB—To pull the hair, to strike.

COCKLING—Cheerful, boasting.

COFFIN—A cinder bounding from the fire shaped like a coffin, and looked upon as an omen of death.

COG—A wooden dish, a milk pail.

COG—To load the boot or clog sole with snow or clay—it cogs.

COLD-FIRE—A fire, or rather fuel made ready for lighting.

COLE—To put into shape, to hollow out.

COLLEY—Butcher’s meat.

COLLOP-MONDAY—The day before Shrove Tuesday.

COOP-CART—A cart enclosed with boards.

COTTERIL—A small iron wedge for securing a bolt. Sov’rens ano.

COUPER-FAIR—A market held at Kirkby Stephen the day before Brough Hill Fair.

COVE—A cavern, a cave.

COCKING—Domineering. Noo Ah’st nut hev thi cocking ower me, seea than thoo knows.

COCKLOFT—A hay mew up in a garret, ower t’ balks. A grand spot ta field in; likely at yah time t’ cocks wad feit up theer.

COCK-STRIDE, COCK-STRUT—An insignificant item in distance. Whia, what noo, it’s nobbut a cock-stride.

COCKER—T’ man at maks rules fer iv’rything is co’ed Cocker, an’ owt at izzant diun as it owt ta be, a bit o’ slape tailed wark, er owt ’at’s underhand an’ mean, is said ta be “net up to Cocker.” Lang may Cocker cock ower us if he’s gaan to hev us streyt.

COCK-OWER—To act as a disagreeable task master. Thoo’ll nivver cock-ower me, seea noo than thoo knows hoo far ta gang.

COCK-PENNY—T’ fee ’at used ta be paid ta t’ skiul maister was co’ed a cock-penny.

CODLINS—Ye know—t’ Keswick’s at mak yan’s mooth watter to think aboot.

COLOOAG—On t’ smiddy hearth, an’ shoemaker’s shop, an’ i’ o’ maks an’ manners o’ whols, fooak colooag betimes when they meet for a crack.

COMFORTER—A knitted muffler.

COO-GATE—A run, or right to pasture a cow on the common; also a path on the side of a hill which the cows have made and use.

COO-TROD—Siam as coo-gate.

COONTY-CROP—They powl their heeds bare i’ gaol, an’ deea ’t fer nowt, seea a coonty-crop’s yan o’ that mack.

COO-GREUP—T’ passage behind cows in a byre. T’ greup’s whar o’ t’ muck ligs. Ah dud’nt tell t’ tial aboot t’ chap ’at cured t’ coo frae makken him seea mich muck, bi stoppen her fodder; ner that yan aboot t’ purse ’at gat eaten up wi’ ’t breeches, an’ hoo t’ chap gat it back. Some day Ah’ll tell ye mappen.

COWPRAS—Purchase; prize; fulcrum. If Ah could nobbut git a bit o’ cowpras it wad siun come.

COVERED—Ass a groom fer perticlars.

COOARSE-HOOSE—[Corpse-house] A house where one lies dead and over whom the neighbours met for a service of prayer and singing the night previous to the funeral. A custom almost if not entirely out of use.

COARSE-GRAINED—Aye for sewer. What it’s a foul tongue, er a soor temper, an’ biath tagidder. He’s a coorse grained auld tagalt.

COBBLES—Ye’ll find some at t’ beck side.

COCK O’ T’ WALK—A chap ’at’s gitten ta be t’ maister ov iv’ry body aboot him is co’ed t’ cock o’ t’ walk. Seea wi’ owt else.

COCK-DRUNKS—T’ berry o’ t’ moontan esh.

COD—Tease; banter; ther’s a lot on us ’at’s far mair reddy ta cod ner be codded.

CODGER—A term of familiarity; t’ auld codger’s fresh again.

COLD-SHOULDERED—A complaint some nags hez, an’ it spreeds ower aw’t carcase o’ them when they’re yoked tull. Ah izzant ato sewer but men fooak hev ’t ano at times. Best plan when yan’s a bit cauld-shooder’d is ta buckle teea an’ intult.

COLLISON—T’ idle dog ’at bites fooak when t’ wedder’s het and smittles them.

COPY—A field. T’ bull copy’s varra oft a field tian oot ov anudder wi’ a wo’. But when yan thinks on’t a lot o’ fields is o’ that sooart.

COPY-HOD—Copyhold tenure, but ass a lawyer aboot this yan.

CORPSE-ROOAD—Ugh! But ther’s yan again Morlan’ an’ them stians mak t’ flesh creep up yan’s back ta think on.

COTTERED—Mucky woo, er hair o in a lump.

COWP—Swap; exchange; barter. Lads cowp knives an’ marvels.

COWP-CART—A cart wi’ gimmers i’ t’ stangs; it’ll towp up withoot lowsin oot.

COWP-BARROW—Yan wi’ sides on.

COWRAK—T’ lass fergat what they co’ed t’ cow-rak, when she gat oot o’ t’ seet o’ t’ coo’s, but she thowt on when it catcht her fair on t’ mooth varra sharp.

COW-WIDDOWS—To lead cows with.

COO—Flay. Nivver let yan at’s less ner thisel coo thi.

COOAT—A cover of straw or fern to put over a beehive. We co that a bee cooat: a stack cooat’s t’ thack.

COOTER-SNOOT—A nose of elephantine proportions.

COOTER AND SOCK—T’ plew irons.

COCK-NANTLE—Domineer. Ah’ll nut be cock-nantled ower wi’ bits o’ upstarts.

COCK O’ T’ MIDDEN—Master of the situation. See cock o’ t’ walk.

COBBLEMENT—Badly put together. It’s nowt but cobblement.

CONSATE—Faith, trust, fancy. Ah’ve neea consate i’ him. It was o’ consate. [It was consate ’at miad t’ chap ’at he couldn’t eat billy-goat pie, he said when he stack’t he saw ’t whingen, an’ he couldn’t consate thought o’ eaten him.]

COCKLES—Tak a drop o’ rum it’ll warm t’ cockles-o’-yer-heart.

CRACKLINS—Same as crautins.

COME-FORRAD—A homely welcome to the fire-side. Whya what come forrad wi’ ye. Hoo a young chaps’s fain ta hear ’t at times yan’s neea casion ta say.

CRAB—A wild apple.

CRABBED—A sour body. Crabbed as an auld cuckoo.

CRACK—Whia, what ye’ll come in an’ we’ll hod a bit o’ crack aboot things ’ats gaan on.

CRACKAN—Hevven a good cheerful talk ta yan annudder. We sat crackan on ower a drop o’ gin tell it was far liater ner we thowt.

CRAIN—What t’ kettle er t’ kail pot hings on ower t’ fire. Crains is like a lot o’ mair things—they’re gaan oot o’ date.

CRANCH—Green berries, sour apples, pes, owt o’ that sooart. Ah yance was catch’t up a’ apple tree deun mi best ta git t’ belly-wark, an’ t’ lady at catch’t mi sed Ah was a lal brossen cranch kite.

CRATCH—A stiul ’at farmers sauve sheep on, an’ shoemakkers sit on. Ah fancy “Com up ta t’ scratch” means t’ siam thing.

CREEPER—Andiron. What it’s co’ed t’ creeper fer Ah dut know, unless it’s becos it keeps t’ fire frae runnin’ under t’ yubben.

CRIAMED—Afoor iron an’ pot things gat seea common, plates, an’ platters, an’ dishes were miad o’ wood, an’ when they gial’d wi’ t’ heat they hed to be criamed, er stitch’t up wi’ wire.

CRIPPLE—Ass t’ coo doctor what ails a coo when it’ll eat a body’s kytle, er owt else but gerse—that’s cripple. Peur sairy things, wi’ ther hides bund as hard as a millstun, an’ ther rigs set up like a bacon collop i’ t’ fryin’ pan.

CROOANIES—Comrades. We war allus famish gurt crooanies was him an’ me. [There is not much “gush” in the sober denizens of our northern counties, but for the steady life-long attachment, kept up under the circumstances the most unfavourable, and finding perhaps the most scanty expression, who has a better word than crooanies?]

CRONK—Cronkin’ aboot a public hoose, er a smiddy harth an’ seck like spots is a bad sign.

CROP-LUG’D—Yan ov oor poets co’s t’ auld Roondheeds a “crop-lug’d canten crew,” an’ happens it’s oot o’ that ’at we get oor “cut lugs” ’at cap’t Ould Cleeaty.

CROTLY—Lumpy, siam we’ll say as a field ’at’s been plewed an’ harrowed an’ ’s full o’ lal hard clots.

CROWDY—Git some haver meal an’ sco’d it wi’ het broth, er watter, an’ it ’ll be a crowdy. It’s a good sign when a chap knows when it’s crowdy-time withoot a watch er owt but his stomach ta tell him.

CROPPER—A nasty fo’. Ah com a cropper when t’ auld yod stopt o’ at yance, an’ Ah flew ower t’ heed.

CRAKE, CORN-CRAKE—Ye’ll pick these oot bi’ t’ soond o’ them; they’re o’ that soort.

CRAMMEL—Say ye’ve ta git ower a wo’, er a dike, er up a hoose side, er gang ower a lot o’ cobbles, ye wad crammel ower’t. When ye’ve corns, an’ nang nails, an’ segs o’ yer feet, seea ’s ye can hardly nammel an’ gah at o, they’ll mak ye crammel. A pair o shun et’s ower lal owder.

CRAUTINS—When t’ leaf’s bin rendered inta same, t’ crozl’d lumps o’ fat’s co’ed crautins.

CREE—Rice, barley, er owt o’ that mack, set ta soffen.

CREEP—Huddle. It maks yan creep up ta t’ fire. Summat flaysome maks yan creep o’ ower.

CRIAM—Sow up a crack in a wood bowl wi’ wire.

CROPE—Git t’ broon titus, an’ yer breest set on ta yer back tel ye can hardly blow, an’ ye’ll know what it means ta crope.

CROPPUN—To evade being seen. Aye si’ tha’ ah’ t’ auld beggar wad ha’ croppun intul a moose whol ta keep oot o’ seet o’ yan.

CROSS—As cross as tweea sticks means oot o’ temper.

CROZ’LD—Owt ’at’s fried er rooasted tel it’s neea mair nature left in ’t.

CRUDLE—Ta hotch up varra clooas ta yan anudder, like tweea young fooak under yah umberel when t’ neets is dark an’ wet. It’s a gay auld un is crudle.

CRIB-SOOKER—A horse that chews its crib, or a cart end board, or a yat bar.

CRIPPLE AT A CROSS—Ah nivver saw yan, but they’re laddies ta beg, an seea Ah reckon this is a gay auld ’un. “He begged like a cripple at a cross.”

CROCK—An auld nag ’at’s used up, er a sheep, er a body.

CROFT—A field near the homestead.

CROP—A joint of meat; ass a butcher whar he gits ’t.

CROPT—Powled. Hair cut. Ah hed mi hair cropt.

CROW-FOOT—A wild flooer.

CRAB-VARJUS—A whent auld chap ’at liked yal er owt else oot ov a glass, went tul a brewery an’ fer a breck they gev him a glass o’ vinegar. “What sooart o’ yal’s that, noo, Tommy?” “Oh,” sez Tommy, “it’s varra good yal, but it’s as soor as crab varjus.”

CRADLE—Fastened on to a corn scythe to place the corn ready for “shaffin.”

CRADDA-BIANS—When a chap’s seea lean ’at yan could fiddle on his ribs, then he’s a cradda-bians.

CRAFT—Cunning; deceit. Let’s hev nin o’ thi craft.

CREEL—To go about in a stealthy, sneaking way. Thoo needn’t creel aboot like that.

CREEL’D—Shrunken, starved. He liuks a peur creel’d setten on liuk.

CRUTCH—T’ pommel ov a side saddle.

CRUTLET—Crippled, decrepid, crooked.

CRACKAN—Boasting; praising.

CREEL—Cratch.

CROW-PEZ—T’ seed o’ t’ fitch.

CRUD—Curd.

CRUTLEN—Recovering. Ah’s crutlen oot nicely.

CRUEL—Extreme; excessive. A cruel good crop, a cruel lang time, a cruel gurt eater.

CROBBACKEN—A severe handling. Oh man! but Ah’ll tell thi what that new yal it dud gie me a crobbacken. The reference is chiefly to internal disarrangement.

CUSTOMER—An original character. He’s a gay customer wi a sup o’ yal in him.

CUCKOO-FLOOR—Bachelor Buttons.

CUCKOO—Hide and seek. Shoot “cuckoo” er Ah’ll give ower.

CUCKOO-SPIT—Ye find it on t’ gerse an’ floor stalks; it hes t’ egg of a grasshopper inside it. N.B.—It’s happen summat else ner a grasshopper, but it’s summat o that mack, and this izzant a nat’ral history.

CUCKOO-AN-T’-LAL BIRD—T’ cuckoo hes a lal mate ’at flees aboot a hundred yerds behint it, an’ when ye see a gurt whidderin’ lass wi’ a lal bit midge ov a chap, er a chap tweea yerds lang wi’ yan hauf his size, ye’ve seen t’ cuckoo an’ t’ lal bird.

CUDDY-BUSTARD—Siam as bustard.

CUFF—A cuff under t’ lug is nut siam thing as a collar to weear aroond yan’s shacle.

CUNN’D—Count rapidly. “And Wully cunn’d ower six score pund.”—_Anderson._

CUSTARD—Coo pie, they co them i’ some spots, but coo tart is mair proper.

CUT-LUGS—Ther’s lots o’ things ’at caps cut-lugs, but what er wheea cut-lugs is caps me ta tell ye, but Ah’ve hard it said many a time ’at he capt Auld Harry.

CUNDERTH—Is whar t’ watter runs under a yat steed, er a rooad; it’s a culvert.

CUSH-MAN, CUSH-BARN—Fullins up. Cush man! but thoo is a gurt ninny-hammer. Cush barn! I is wet. An’ seea on.

CUSH—What fooak shout when they want ta tell t’ kye ta come an’ be milked.

CUTTERAN—Talkin’ in loodish whisper an’ nivver givin’ ower. They’re allus cutteran yan tull anudder; Ah mak nowt ont ato, barn.

CUTTY—A lal cutty bit o’ owt means nut ower mich.

CURR—To crouch. He was curren doon when Ah saw him.

CUT—To exceed in jumping. He went thirteen feet t’ first lowp, but I cut him bi’ three inch.

CUTS—Lots. [To draw cuts is mainly done in the transactions of lads by cutting straws into different lengths].

CUDDLE, CODDLE—This izzant a “Young Man’s Companion,” ner a “Correct Guide to t’ Art o’ Cooartin’,” an’ as maist o’ fooak know what cuddlin’ and coddlin’ means withoot printed directions we’ll gang on tul t’ next.

CUDDY—An ass fer yah thing; a gurt numcuddy’s anudder.

CUDDY-HULL—It’s whar cuddy leeves.

CURMUDGEN—A churlish person is a gurt greedy curmudgen.

CUT—A joint of meat.

CUT—Any particular bearing. An’ it’s fair cappen hoo far off a man can be telt bi’ his cut.

CUSHAT—Wood pigeon. The dolorous tones of the cushat and pee-wit are by legend ascribed to the fact that once they changed nesting places and ever since have rued it.

CUT-THI-STICK—Sling thi hook—be off.

CUT-AN’-COME-AGAIN—Owt ’at’s diun in a gurt hurry afore yan taks off.

CUT—Ye know—what cauves, an’ swine, an’ bits o’ lams gah through, ’at t’ male kind.

CUT—T’ loop at end ov a swingletree.

CUT-OV-HIS-JIB—The face. Sitha Ah cud tell bi t’ cut o’ thi jib ’at thoo was yan o’ auld Willy lads.

DAB—A dab i’ t’ ee’s yah thing, a dab o’ butter’s anudder. Yan dabs a het plate doon in a hurry an’ sometimes yan fergits whar yans dabbed yans jacket er shun. Its a queer word ta describe is dab, but its useful for o that.

DABSTER—A canny skilful body wi’ owt they tak in hand ta deea is a dabster. Some are dabsters at shuttin, some at mowin, others at wrusslin, some amang t’ kye, er t’ yowes, er t’ meears.

DAFT—Without ordinary judgement or sense. Ah’s deef an’ daft as a yat.

DAME-SCHOOL—They’re gone, and their places know them no more. T’ rising generation ’ll nivver know, an’ they’ll be hard to mak believe in a bit, hoo we used ta be educated wi’ an auld woman, an’ amang her hoose wark she wad larn us oor A B, abs, an’ twice times yan is tweea, an’ a bit o’ t’ biuk wi’ t’ ledder back an’ t’ brass clasps. Hoo we used ta field her specks if she was catted, an’ full t’ chimley wi’ streea if we wanted ta shirl! What lickens she wad giv us wi’ t’ birk rods ’at we’d miad her—literally enough fer oor awn backs—an’ what glee we used ta hev when she was liam an’ cud’nt stir oot ov her chair! T’ diam skeul ’s gian, but it’s green in oor mem’ries whar a lot o’ things ov auld lang syne er sided.

DANDER—A blow; the head; the temper. I catch’t him a dander wi’ t’ flail. It dropped fair on ta mi dander. Keep thi dander doon.

DANDY-GREY-RUSSET—A dark rusty colour not unlike a mouse’s belly.

DARK—To hide. Dark doon aback o’ t’ yat stoop.

DARK—Secret; gloomy; morose. He’s t’ dark side oot.

DARK—To rush suddenly from a hiding place. He wad dark atop o’ yan afooar yan hed time ta think.

DARK’T—Sheltered. We dark’t aback o’ a stack.

DARKEN—Prowling; skulking. What’s thoo darken efter?

DARRAK, DARGUE—Good classical scholars ’ll use this yan an’ net be shamm’d on ’t—John Ruskin amang them. It means a day’s wark, er hoo mich yan can deea in a day. A darrak o’ mowin, threshin, plewin, an’ seea on. In a good day’s darrak many a yan hes as much pleasure yet as some hev ’at’s allus laiken.

DASH—A young oath. Dash it, ah left mi pipe.

DASH-BON, DASH-IT—T’ least said t’ siunest mended; but they’re theer fer o’ that.

DAUP—The carrion crow. Aye fer sewer, but its a nasty word fer nasty fooak as weel. seck as a gurt mucky daup.

DAWDLE, DAWDLIN, DAWDLY—These er o o’ yah sooart, though they’re different macks—they o mean idleness, muck, an’ misery.

DAYTAL-WARK—Labour that is paid for by the day, as distinct from piece work, or half-yearly or yearly engagements.

DADDLE—Barn tak. Let’s wag thi daddle honey.

DANDLE—To hush a child by swinging it in the arms:

Dandle, dandle, o’ the day,
’Twad ommost drive yan wild,
Ta sit six months e Carel Jail,
An’ nurse an iron child.

This was the punishment of a class of fathers whose financial obligation had been neglected.

DAMPER—Taken down a peg. Than ther’s yubben damper, fer t’ draft.

DAM—Female parent; generally used of quadrupeds, but sometimes of the human mother.

DAFFY-DUM-DILLY—The daffodil.

Daffy-dum-dil that grows by the well,
Neeabody can git thi but me misel.

DALT, DOTE—A stone fence, or dyke, or railings, made and repaired by various parties with common rights.

DAL—A mild form of swearing. O’ dal’ it yer wrang this time.

DEZEMENT—A very severe chill. He’s gitten a dezement o’ cauld.

DEED—Doings. We hed rare deed.

DEZED—Addled. Noo Ah izzant at o satisfied ’at addle hes owt to deea wi’ rotten eggs, as dezed hez. Owt ’at’s addled ’s reet, an’ owt ’at’s dezed ’s rang, siam as rotten eggs, starved finger ends, er nooases blue wi’ cauld.

DEETH-WATCH, DEETH-CLOOK—The tapping of the wood bug regarded as an ill omen.

DEETH-STROKE—A well-informed person assures me that it is not unusual to hear the “switch” on the roof or window of a dying person’s room: it is regarded as the final summons.

DEAL—A great amount. He left a deal o’ debt.

DEAL, DOLE—To portion out amongst various persons, seck as ta deal cards. A charity—Christmas dole, an’ St. Thomas’ dole.

DEET—This is a varra auld ’un. It means ta git t’ caff oot frae t’ grain.

DEETIN-MACHINE—Ye know what a deetin-machine is, sewerley. It seems afooar t’ man invented them they used ta hev ther liathes upstairs, an’ a lal deur fair anent t’ gurt ’un, an’ t’ waf o’ wind used to deet for them when they threw t’ corn up wi’ a shool.

DECK—To dress in a precise way. She’s deckt oot i’ t’ best bib an’ tucker.

DEED-HORSE—Wark ’at’s bin paid for afooar it was diun, er when a chaps subbed. Workin’ at deed horse is poor policy.

DEED-LICE—When t’ deed lice is droppin’ off it’s a bad do; it spells idleness mainly.

DEEA-UP—To tidy up. I’ll deea up aboot t’ hearth. Deea t’ nags up.

DEEAL, DEEAL-HEED, DEEAL-FIUT—A dwelling place in a valley amongst the fells.

DEEAL-SIDER—A resident in a dale, as distinct from the village or town.

DEEF-NUT—Nuts ’at hes neea kernel in. A chap ’at’s gay weel cooarn’d an’ plenty under his waistcoat is said ta crack neea deef nuts.

DEEVE—Deafen. Mak a less noise; ye wad deeve a door nail.

DEFT—Whiat. Ta gang on yer tippy teeas ta catch a slenk o’ some mack in a mischief.

DEG—Damp.

DEGGIN-CAN—A watering can.

DELVER—Drainer.

DEM—To stop a drain with sods. T’ auld chap at liked yal used ta say ’at owt less than a pint was neea good, becos it nivver demmed.

DESS—To arrange neatly. Dess them things up a bit. She was dessen hersel afooar t’ glass.

DEVIL-I’-T’-BUSH—Grows i’ t’ garden, used fer pultices when inflamation’s aboot.

DEVIL—Nay nut him barn—but t’ clod-river.

DICK-HATBAND—As queer as Dick-hatband ’at went sebben times aroond an’ wadn’t knot.

DIBBLE—How they sow beans yan at a time i’ yah whol.

DICK—Short fer Richard, an’ also a biter in a barn’s head.

DICKY, DICKY-BIRD—These explain thersels. A false shirt front is co’ed a dicky, an’ t’ seat whar t’ coachman sits is ano.

DIDDER—Shake. He miad o t’ pots on t’ shelf didder when he bang’d deur tull wi’ seck a clatter.

DIBS—Sov’rins.

“When he’d gitten his dibs
He stood for twa squibs.”—_Bowness._

DIDDLE, DILL—To soothe a child by swaying it to and fro in the arms.

DIDDLE—Deceive. Ah was diddled that time.

DIKE—A hedge of every description is so called.

DIKER—One who repairs and trims hedges.

DIKEY-SPARROW—A sparrow whose nest is built in a hedge, as distinct from that which builds in walls.

DIKIN-MITTINS—Strong leather mittins with which the diker protects his hands.

DIKE-BACK, DIKE-BREEST—Whar t’ dike grows. Grand spots fer chitty-nests, blue vilets, strawberries, an’ seea on.

DILDRUM—A muck sweet. Thoo’s put me in a dildrum.

DILLY-HOOSE—A whol i’ t’ dike breest er wo’ boddum whar t’lal ’uns mak a babby-hoose an’ full ’t wi’ laikens.

DING—Reap up old offences or failings. He wad ding it in his teeth that his mudder powled him.

DINNLE—Hit yer elbow ower a throo, an’ it’ll dinnle reet oot at iv’ry finger end. Noo that’s o.

DIRL—Nip aboot in an active manner. Yan can dirl aboot when ther’s a bit o’ frost on t’ rooad.

DISH—A hollow. He supt oot o’ t’ dish ov his hand.

DISH—Deceive. He’ll dish thi oot on ’t.

DISH—Cup. Sit doon an’ hev a dish o’ tee an’ seck as is gaan.

DIDDER—A rough blow. Ah gat seck a didder on t’ heed.

DINGE—A dent. Thoo’s dinged t’ can. A chap’s heed ’at’s dinged in hes a hollo spot in ’t.

DOOMENT—A jollification.

DISABILS—This is varra common like this—T’ preest co’ed ta-day an’ catcht us o’ e our disabils, Ah durt know what he wad think, Ah’s sewer. Noo ye gurt wise men will ye put yer nebs across ’t an’ tell us aboot its co’ frae.

DOLED-OOT—Tired out. Stoad.

DOBBIE—A ghost.

DOITED—A bit maffly wi auld age.

DOG-SNOOT—Gurt hard apples. Cauld as a dog-snoot.

DODD’T—Without horns, lacking some usual part, as a dodd’t coo. It liuks varra dodd’t; _i.e._ unfinished.

DOBBIN—A melder o’ drink.

DODDER, DODDERY, DODDERY-GERSE—Tremble; vibrate; shake. A man’s hand ’ll dodder when he’s hed a lal drop—just a lal drop mair ner he thowt o’ hevin, but fer t’ company an’ t’ hoose; iv’rything i’ t’ hoose ’ll dodder when a gurt rough lad gahs clointeren up an’ doon in his clogs; an’ when a body’s time’s gitten short t’ first sign on’t is t’ dodderen limbs. Doddery-gerse, er doddery, iv’rybody knows what it is—it’s trembling grass.

DOFF—To undress. Doff thi wet clias off.

DOGBERRY—Mountain ash, cherry, an’ some mair macks o’ things o’ that sooart.

DOG-NOPER—Ah nivver saw yan. Dud ye? A fellow wi’ a lang stick nopin fooak asleep i’ t’ kirk, er t’ cooaly cur ’at hed croppen in efter t’ gaffer, peur thing.

DOLDRUM—T’ siam as dildrum.

DOLLOCK—An unsightly mess.

DOLLOP—Aboot as nasty an’ unpleasant as dollock, but this is aboot a body, an’ aboot a peur sooart ov a body if she’s a dollop. Mucky, idle, shiftless.

DOLLY, DOLLY-TUB, DOLLY-LEGS—An idle dolly is one who delights in ’t. Ta wesh clias is ta dolly them in a dolly-tub, wi’ dolly-legs. An’ a dolly is yan ’at duzzant gie them ower mich dolly afoor they’re on t’ dike.

DONK—Thick mist ’at sticks tull. T’ chap said it war mungy donky sooart o’ wedder ’at dud neea dow fer nowt ner neea body.

DON—Dress. Ah’ll don mi Sunday clias an’ gah wi’ ye.

DONNED-UP—Dressed in other than working clothing. They’re gian doon t’ toon i’ ther bettermer duddins. Donned-up fer a weddin’ er summat.

DONNET—A naughty child. Thoo lal nasty donnet. An auld donnet has reference to qualities that are not commendable.

DOOAFI—Soft; clammy. A body’s dooafi when they’re easily fatigued, tired, or beaten. Bread’s dooafi ’at’s not enough.

DOOK—Bathe. We went ta dook i’ t’ lum. Also to throw water over anyone. He gat a dookin’ wi’ t’ watter can.

DOON-FO—Not the down-fall of empires, or of kings, but the soft and silent snow. We’re gaan ta hev some doon-fo.

DOOP—Bend down. Doop doon wi’ thi’ heed er thoo’ll git thi hat knock’d off gaan under theer.

DOTTEL—Noo ye smiukers, ye know what t’ dottel is, an’ ye’re aboot o’ ’at does; it’s grand, izzant it, when it’s fairly hauld? T’ dottel’s t’ pipe boddum ’at smiukers tak oot an’ put on t’ top o’ t’ next reek.

DOTE—Helping; serving; what yan’s to hev. Thoo sees that? That’s they dote, and thoo’ll hev ta mak ’t sarra.

DOWIN—Lunch, ten o’clock. Aye! aye! thoo allus manishes ta land up aboot dowin time.