1% ^lOSANCEU-j-^ ^OFCAIIFO/?,^ ,^.OFCAIIFO% cc; < FOR^ ^OF'CAUFO/?;^ OS "^mmm^ CO ^'^DNVSm'^ -< TO4 «5 o "^AaaAwn-awv^ 00 so #-UBRARYQ?. ^fUBRARYOc. ^i^ojiwjo'^ ^«i/ojnv3jo'*^ ^lOSANCEl£r^ ^.OFCAllFOft^ ^OFCAUFO«^ OS VM ■=3 TO/. -c^lllBRARYQ^. <5MEUNIVER% ^lOSANCEl^y. "OUdllVJ-JU" 'CfUillVJJU' ^•lOSMEUj^ ^OFCAllfO/?^ ^.OFCAllfOftjjv ^aAiNrt-awv* ^■ ^OFCAIIFO% If ^N/r\s ^^Aavaan-# AWEUNIVERS/a ^lOSANCFlfjVK O ^ so -< .^.OFCAUFO- ^lOS-ANCEl^^ ^lOSANCElfjjx //saaAiNft-jvvv ^tUBRARY^/r. fc3 i I/-** ^ -j^^UIBRARYQr, Jt^ >r %a3AiNi)mv^ ^^HOim-i^^ '%ojnv>jo'»^ ^.OFCAllFOftj^ ^OFCAIIFOR^ ^^^Aavaaiii^ ^^Aavaan-i^ I #UBRARYQ^ «^5WElINlVfR% ^lOSANCEl^^ ! 1 im ll^=xr§ i/Or-^S _J II ^ A GLOSSARY OF BortI) Countrj) Wiom, IN USE. FROM AN ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, IN THE LIBRARY OF JOHN GEORGE LAMBTON, ESQ., M.P. WITH CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONS. BY JOHN TROTTER BROCKETT, F. S. A. LONDON AND NEWCASTLE. $t in ere pitp tjbat ^vidj particwlariS gjioullf ht lo^t. Mirror for ^fagisiraUs. l^etDcasitle upon Cpne : PRINTED BY T. AND J. HODGSON, FOR E. CHARNLEY. M.DOCC.XXV. 4i c^- Les mots sont le lien des societes, le v^hicule ties lumieres, la base des sciences, les d^positaires des d^couvertesd'une Nation, de son savoir, de sa politesse, de ses idees : la connoissance des mots est done un moyen indispensable pour acque'rir celle des choses ; de-1^ ces OuATages appelle's Dictionnaires, Vocabulaires ou Glos- saires, qui ofFrent I'etendue des connoissances de chaque Peuple. Gebelin. ^ ^v^ ^ JOHN GEORGE LAMBTON, ESQ. M. P. FOR THE COUNTY OF DURHAM, IS INSCRIBED AS A SINCERE TESTIMONY OF RESPECT FOR THE PUBLIC PRIN- CIPLES AND PRIVATE VIRTUES FOR WHICH HIS CHARAC- TER IS DISTINGUISHED AND REGARDED ; AND IN GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MANY ACTS OF PERSONAL KINDNESS, BY HIS MUCH OBLIGED AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, JOHN TROTTER BROCKETT. Albion Place, '6lst. December, 1821. « preface* The eluciuation of language, and the improvement of lexico- graphy, are investigations that have occupied t!ie attention, and engaged the pens of many men distinguislietl for talents and learning. First impressions, and early associations, are difRcidt to re- move. In our youth we are instructed to regard the Greeks and the Romans as the greatest, the wisest, and the most polished of Nations ; and to associate with the name of Goths every thing that is ignorant, barbarous, and savage. To Gothic ancestors, however, it should be remembered, we are indebted for our existence, our language, and a i)art — perhaps the most valuable — of our laws. We should also recollect that, when these inunense hordes forsook their native forests, and settled in the countries they subdued, the freedom of the individual was resjiected and supported. The authority he acknow- ledged, and the subordination he yielded, were not the will of a tyrant, or the aggrandizement of a chief; bill the voice of b ti PREFACE. the nation at large, of which every member was a part : — a system, though deficient in the elegancies of art, the researches of science, or the ingenious labours of industry, was still founded in friendship and benevolence, in protection and gra- titude. That there is an extensive, and much more intimate connexion than could have been imagined, between the lan- guage of the Goths, and that which was first spoken by the Greeks, and afterwards by the inhabitants of Italy, has been satisfactorily proved in the Hermes Scythicus of the author's friend Dr. Jamieson, a writer possessed of an accurate know- ledge of the different Gothic dialects. Amidst the contradiction, error, and conflision that prevail, not only in regard to the peopling of Great Britain but of Europe — involving early literary history in great obscurity — it is difficult to draw any authentic conclusions, from which to be enabled satisfactorily to trace the establishment of our pre- sent mixed language, and the means and gradations through or by which it was accomplished. The pure Saxon style which at one period predominated, became greatly adulterated ; partly by the barbarity and ignorance of the inhabitants, and partly by the sanguinary conflicts with the Danes ; a people, who, though of kindred origin, and using a dialect derived from the same Northern source, were much inferior in civi- lization to the Saxons. Harassed by these Danish incursions, and often driven from their habitations, the people neglected leui'ning, and a part of the language of their enemies gradually PREFACE. vii became incorporated with their own. The courtiers of Ed- ward the Confessor, priding themselves on the introduction of a foreign idiom, prevented an}' attempt to restore the energy of the original tongue ; and the system adopted after the Norman conquest gave rise to those changes, which the acci- dents of time, and the improvements of society, subsequently effected in the literature of England. To those acquainted with our literary history, it is evident that we have to look for our old English, where it only exists in its pure uncorrupted state, in the distant provinces of the North ; however much the phraseology, in many respects, may be disfigured by modern corruptions, cant terms, or puerilities. The land of " Cockaigne," as some wits have lately called the dwellers in the metropolis, has long lost its raciness of idiom ; but among the lower classes tradition has been faithful to its task ; and several of our vulgarisms are in fact the remains of genuine English. Consequently, many aixhaisnjs occurring in our numerous old Chronicles, and in Gower, Chaucer, Skelton, Shakspeare, Beaumont and Fletcher, Ben Jonson, and other early writers — now totally disused in other parts of the kingdom — are still preserved in the remotest places of the North. This may be easily accounted for. In these districts, until of late years, the inhabitants had little or no intercourse with the more Southern counties. They, therefore, retained their ancient manners, customs, and language ; unchanged by a mixture with those of their neighbours ; and freed from the viii PREFACE. arbitrary caprice of fashion — as much an enemy to, and work- ing as great an inroad on a living language as barbarism itself. The distinctions of local dialects are now, however, becoming less conspicuous. The artizan and petty trader, no longer able to stem an overwhelming competition, are often compelled to emigrate from their native villages to larger towns ; neces- sarily leaving this decreasing population to be supplied from distant places. An interchange of inhabitants so frequent, must ultimately, however imperceptibly, destroy all provincial peculiarities of speech. Under these feelings, and with a vieyv of preserung many ancient and emphatic tenns, that were in danger of being totally lost, the author was induced to commence a collection of Provincialisms. In his earlier years he had frequent com- munications with different parts of the North, and accustomed himself to note down from time to time, all such words as ap- peared worth}' of preservation, or were likely to afford an expla- nation of former manners or customs. His first effort was a mere outline, sketched solely for his own amusement, and with- out any intention of ever bestowing upon it the labour in which it has since involved him. In that state the manuscript passed into the library of Mr. Lambton, a gentleman who feels a deep interest in the preservation of whatever is connected with the Northern counties. By those to whose opinion and judgment the author is bound to defer, such an accumulation of ancient dialectical words (when properly described) was considered PREFACE. ix too interesting an addition to the hir.tory of our literature and of our language, and too valuable a portion of our local anti- quities to be withheld from the public. Mr. Lambton accordingly, with his accustomed liberality, again confided the manuscript to the care and revision of the original writer. One step brought on another, until the first compilation became so overwhelmed with new matter, and so altered by new iirrangement, that few traces of the original ai'e now discernible. The preparing of it for the press, in this enlarged form, has been the occupation of such short inter- vals of leisiu'e as were not incompatible with, and could be spared from the almost unceasing duties of a laborious pro- fession, — and which the author found it a greater relaxation to employ in this than in any other manner. To diversify the work the author has not confined it to an explanation of mere words. Under the heads which necessa- rily refer to them, he has occasionally inserted elucidations of the vulgar rites and popular opinions, which tradition has faithfull)' transmitted through many generations. In some instances, however, it has been found that these superstitions are of such remote antiquity, as to have actually outlived the knowledge of the very causes that gave them origin. " The "generality of men," as remarked by Brand, " look back with " superstitious veneration on the ages of their fore-fathcis ; " and authorities that are grey with time seldom fail of com- "manding those filial honours claimed even by the appearance " of hoary old age." X PREFACE. The reader will readily suppose that in compiling this Glos- sary, the author was not unmindful of the labours of his pre- decessors. Prior Dictionai'ies and Vocabularies have been consulted to a great extent ; and references made to such of them as aided his enquiries or illustrated his views. Ray ap- pears to have been a man of learning, and a Saxon scholar — Grose, a writer of a diiFerent description. Many of the words contained in the work of the former are now out of use ; while it is difficult to recognize several of those appropriated to the North in that of the latter, from the distorted spelling in which they are clothed — the compiler not having a sufficient personal knowledge of the dialect he attempted to describe. As to Pegge's Supplement, a number of his Provincialisms are classical English, and very properly inserted in Mr. Todd's elaborate edition of Dr. Johnson's work. The Doctor himself was scarcely at all aware of the authenticity of ancient dialectical words ; and having an unaccountable prejudice on the subject, seldom gave them a place in his Dictionary. The List of Ancient Words used in the mountainous parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire, published in the Archseologia by Dr. Willan, a native of that district, is a valuable contribution to our philology. Most of these words being old acquaint- ances, the work has been of great use to the author. There does not appear to this intelligent writer, sufficient ground for the idea entertained by Dr. Jamieson, and some others, who maintain that the lowland Scotch and the English are difi'erent PREFACE. xi languages. Any variations of accent, or in the mode of spel- ling, he remarks, do not contribute to establish the point, when we find on examination, that both the radicals and the grammar are precisely the same. Hence, as he observes, a person born in any of the Northern counties of England un- derstands ancient and modern Scotch poetry, and enjoys it as much as the Scots themselves. This is unquestionably true to a great extent ; and it is equally certain that similarit} of language is one of the most convincing documents of national affinity. The reader, however, must decide for himself, after he has perused and considered Dr. Jamieson's perspicuous Dissertation on the Origin of the Scottish language. The West Riding words are also preserved in a little work recently published, under the title of Hores Momenta Cravence, or The Craven Dialect Exemplified, in Two Dialogues, with a copious Glossary ; a book that has not been overlooked. The only other provincial Glossaries, from which the writer has derived any material assistance, are those of, Cheshire Words by Roger Wilbraham, Esq., 'and Suffolk Words by Major Moor; kindly sent to him by the respective authors. Many of the terms in both these publications, are radically the same as those col- lected orally by the writer, though they appear to be different from the dialectical variations which they have undergone. The National work of Dr. Jamieson has been of use to the author in almost every page. He is also materially indebted to tliat learned writer for many etymologies that might other- xii PREFACE. wise have escaped him. An enemy to all fanciful etymology, he has endeavoured to guard against such fascination. Knowing the extreme fallaciousness of the science when founded on a mere simikunty of sound, however striking, he has abstained from all attempts at derivation where the sources did not seem clear and undeniable ; and he has, in particular, avoided any display of dexterity, by refraining from a reference to languages of which the people were entirely ignorant, or which bear no affinity to their own. His chief researches have been among the ancient Northern dialects ; where, if we are not always able to trace the primary ancestor, we may discover a resem- blance sufficient to satisfy us, that we are recurring to a very remote primogenitor. It is much to be regretted that trans- lators from, and interpreters of Saxon, should ever have pub- lished their works in Latin ; there being no natural analoiry between the two languages. An English version woidd not only have preserved the original form, but have shewn the propriety of the present speech. A contrary method has oc- casioned many of our words to be consider'c d as barbarous and obsolete, which, looking to the original tongue, are not only genuine but significant. By those who are conversant with the Saxon and Northern languages, the justice of this remark will be readily appreciated — they who are ignorant of tiiese philological treasures have slender pretensions to the name of a grammarian or a critic, an antiquary or a historian. In a few of his etymological speculations, and in some of PREFACE. xlii his definitions, the author has been under the necessity of differing in opinion from friends, whose learning he admires, and for whom he entertains a personal esteem ; but tlieir com- mon pm'suit being the same, he consoles himself with the pleasing anticipation that his observations, offered with due respect, will be taken in the light they are meant — an anxious desii-e to be strictly accurate ; however seemingly unimportant the subject. Several of the words acbuittcd into this collection are, un- doubtedly, mere vicious pronunciation.s ; but they are, in most cases, so truly charactevistical of a local peculiarity beyond the mere corruption, that the author could not reconcile him- self entirely to omit tliem. The plirases within inverted com- mas, at the end of several of the explanatioi»s, are all genuine expressions; which have been either heard by himself, or communicated to him b\' friends on whose accuracy and fidelity he can implicitly rely : — and in order to relieve, in some degree, the dryness of a mere explanation of a vocabu- lary of words, he has occasionally inserted illustrations from ancient, as well as from modern local writers. Although the author is a native of, and has spent the greater part of his life in this part of the kingdom, he feels it right to acknowledge, that he has often met with words, even in common use, the true meaning of which he has had the greatest difficulty to ascertain. Some were interpreted to him one way and some another, according to the peculiar ideas c xiv PREFACE. attached to them by different individuals ; and in consequence of that indefinite character, which must always, more or less, mark expressions merely oral. In terms thus doubtful, he cannot presume that he has, in every instance, succeeded in his explanations ; but whatever errors he may have com- mitted, in this or in any other respect, he will, on their being pointed out, be glad to rectify in another edition ; which has become necessary in consequence of the demand for the pre- sent far exceeding the number of copies printed. The author takes this opportunity further to state, that he will be pecu- liarly indebted to any of his readers, who may be kind enough to transmit to him any authentic provincial words, which have escaped his notice, or any particular local customs to which he has omitted to allude, with the proper explanations. Such is the copiousness of our Northern vernacular speech, that the author is far from pretending that he has been able — even aided as his own researches have been by the most liberal communications both of friends and of strangers — to give by any means a complete view of it. It now remains to the author, and it is a pleasing part of his duty, to testify his sense of obligation for the assistance that has been afforded him ; and to return his acknowledg- ments for the condescension and politeness he has received at the hands of those — not less distinguished by their literary acquirements than by their exalted rank — who have patronized and encouraged the pubHcation, and favoiu-ed the author with their advice and information on subjects connected therewith. PREFACE. xy To one of the learned Judges, eminently versed in our lite- rary history, whom the author had the honour of knowing when at the Bm-, especial thanks are due for the partiality and kindness that prompted him to direct the author's attention to sources of infoniiation which were found highly advantage- ous to consult ; and to a Right Reverend Prelate, a liberal patron of literature, \\-ith whom the author had not the honour of a previous acquaintance, he is under a particulai" obligation for the imsolicited loan of a copy of Palsgrave, a work of ex- cessive rarity, and a great typographical curiosity. To the possessors of Collections of local words the author stands indebted, with one single exception, for the confiden- tial manner in which they intrusted to him their manuscripts ; allowing him the unrestrained use of them. This liberal con- duct, so gratif\'lng to the author's feelings, has not only, in many instances, materially assisted him in the progi-ess of his labours, but has enabled hiin to add several interesting paiti- culars, which, without such unreserved communications, would, in all probability, have escaped his observation. These favours the author is desirous of acknowledging according to the order in which they were conferred. To the friendship of the Reverend John Hodgfion, Vicar of Kirkwhelpington, and author of the History of Northumber- land, now in a course of publication, the writer is indebtetl for the use of a volume of memoranda connected with the historian's own enquiries, but which proved highly useful on xvi PREFACE. the present occasion. The author is much obliged to his learned friend, James Losh, Esq. for the loan of an extensive list of words still in use in the Northern parts of England, more particularly in the county of Cumberland, several of which are marked as occurring in Chaucer, Spenser, and other old writers. To the kindness of the Reverend John Brewster, Rector of Egglescliffe, the author owes the perusal of a large catalogue of Northern words collected by that respectable clergjinan. From a Glossary obligingly put into the author's hands by his intelligent friend, George Taylor, Esq. many im- portant gleanings have been gathered ; nor has the collection of Mr. John Bell, a pains-taking antiquary, with which the author was favoured, been without its use. To the attention and friendship of the Reverend Anthony Hedley, author of the interesting Essay towards ascertaining the Etymology of the Names of Places in the County of Northumberland, pub- lished in the Archseologia iEliana, the writer is indebted for a curious collection of local words made by the late C. Machell, Esq. for Mi". Richardson, of Cheadle ; and intended by that gentleman for the great work of the late Reverend Jonathan Boucher ; which has hitherto, unfortunately, been confined to the first letter of the alphabet; but the remainder of which, there is every reason to hope, will soon be given to the public. Inmimerable obligations lU'c due to the Rev. Henry Cotes, "Vicar of Bedlington, for repeated acts of attention, and for manv communications, which his extensive personal acquaint- PREFACE. xvu ance with the Northumbrian dialect rendered so acceptable. For various other communications made to the author in the course of the work, with great liberality and without solicita- tion, he is largely indebted to a number of other friends ; par- ticularly to Sir Cuthbert Sharp, Mr. Thomas Doubleday, Mr. John Stanton, Mr. Edward Hemsley, and an amiable female, whose retiring modesty leads her to derive most gratification when in her power to confer a benefit unnoticed. Nor is the author without obligation for some ingenious and sensible re- marks, as well as for several words, which have been sent to him without the writer's name. To the uninterrupted friendship of his early preceptor, the Reverend William Turner — a name with which every thing benevolent is associated — the author owes the perusal of some Danish books, which he could not obtain except through the kind offices of that obliging individual ; to whom he is further indebted for MS. notes on Verstegan's Restitution of De- cayed Intelligence. The author's thanks are also due to his friend, Mr. Murray, for the loan of an interleaved copy of Grose's Provincial Glossary with MS. additions. And to the liberality and friendship of his early associate, John Bowser, Esq. the author owes the possession of some ciu"ious Dic- tionaries, and several uncommon books connected with his enquiries. To Henry Ellis, Esq. of the British Museum, the author ten- ders his thanks for pointing out to him. among the Lansdowne xviii PREFACE. Manuscripts, the very curious and select Glossary compiled by Bishop Kennett, accompanied by the most obliging offers of assistance, which writers at a distance from the larger fountains of research and intelligence know so well how to appreciate. The author regrets that he has not, in this first edition, been able to benefit by the MS. Glossary just alluded to; or to avail himself of an " Explanation of several Terms made use of in the Lead Mines, &c. in Alston Moor," which he owes to the politeness of Anthony Easterby, Esq. of Coxlodge. These additions, however, shall appear in a future impression, incorporated with a " Vocabulary of provincial phrases used bv the Miners in Teesdale," with which the author has been favoured by his friend, the Reverend George Newby. It still remains to mention the acknowledgments that are due to IMi'. William Garret, not only for indefatigable atten- tion to the work through the press, which, from the author's other avocations, was confided to his management ; but for many local words which his unwearied zeal enabled him to collect in situations beyond the reach of, and from sources inaccessible to the author, in addition to several Newcastle expressions of which he was himself the living depository. The author has to regret that death should have deprived hun of the pleasm-e of expressing his gratitude to his much respected friend, Matthew Gregson, Esq. for the interest he took in this publication ; and for various acts of attention PREFACE. xix and civility experienced at his hands. Acknowledgments would also have been due to the late Reverend J. J. Cony- beare, for offers of assistance, and for the promise of informa- tion ; but that eminent scholar has also sunk into the grave. Having already said so much of the mode and execution of the work, it is now left to its fate. The author has en- deavoured, by the means within his power, to be faithful and accurate ; but he has no wish, by any apology, to screen him- self from candid and liberal criticism. AN EXPLANATION ' OF THE PRINCIPAL CONTRACTIONS USED IN THIS GLOSSARY. LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS. Br Ancient British language. Celt Celtic language. Cumb Cumberland dialect. Dan Danish language. Dur Durham dialect. Dut Dutch language. Fr French language. Gael Gaelic language. Germ GeriTian language. Ir Irish language. Isl Islandic (or Icelandic) language. Ital Italian language. Lane Lancashire dialect. Lat Latin language. Moe.-Got.— Moes.-Got. Moeso-Gothic language. Newc Newcastle dialect. North Northumberland dialect. Sax Anglo-Saxon language. Sc Scottish language. Span Spanish language. Su.-Got Suio-Gothic, or ancient language of Sweden. Sw Modern Swedish language. Teut Teutonic language. West Westmorland dialect. York Yorkshire dialect. CONTRACTIONS. AUTHORS AND WORKS. Boucii. — Boucher. Glossary of" Obsolete and Provincial Words, 4to. Lond. 1S07. Crav. Gloss HorjB Momenta Cravenae, or the Craven Dia- lect exemplified, ISmo. Lond. 1824. Du Gauge Glossarium ad Scriptores Media? et Inflmss La- tinitatis, 6 tom. fol. Paris, 1733. Grose Provincial Glossary, with a Collection of" Local Proverbs, Svo. Lond. 1787. Grose Classical Dictionary of the vulgar Tongue, Svo. Lond. 1783. Ihre Glossarium Suio-Gothicum, 2 tom. fol. Upsal. 1769. Jam Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Lan- guage, 2 vols. 4to. Edinb. 1808. Jan. — Junius Etymologicum Anglicanum, Edid. Lye, fol. Oxon. 1743. Kilian Etymologicon Teutonics Lingurc, 2 tom. 4to. Traj. Bat. 1777. Le Roux Dictionnaire comique, critique, burlesque, libre, et proverbial, 2 tom. Svo. Lion. 1752. Lye Dictionarium Saxonico et Gothico-Latinum. Edid. iNIanning, 2 tom. fol. Lond. 1772. Moor Suftblk Words and Phrases, by Edward Moor, F.Pi.S.F.A.S,&c. 12mo. Woodbridge, 1823. Kares.-Nares'Glo^s. A Glossary; or Collection of Words, Phrases, Names, and Allusions to Customs, Proverbs, &c. 4to. Lond. 1822. d xxii CONTRACTIONS. Palso-rave L'Esclaircissement de la Langue Francoise, fol. Black Letter. The two first books printed by Pynson, and the 3d (the most co- pious part) by lohan Hawkins — the only work he ever executed. Ray Collection of English Words, l2mo. 2d edit. Lond. 1691. Roquefort Glossaire de la Langue Romane, 2 torn. 8vo. Paris, 1808. Skin. Skinner Etymologicon Linguae Anglicana?, fol. Lond. 1671. Spelman Glossariuni Archaiologicum, folio, London, 1687. Suff. Words Suffolk Words and Phrases, by Edward Moor, F. R. S. F. A. S. 12mo. Woodbridge, 1823. Tooke Diversions of Purley, 2 vols. 4to. Lond. 1798, and 1805. Wachter Glossarium Germanicum, 2 torn. fol. Lips. 1737. Wilb An attempt at a Glossary of some words used in Cheshire. From the Ai'chaologiae, Vol. XIX. With considerable additions, 8vo. Lond. 1820. Privately printed. Willan A List of Ancient Words at present used in the Mountainous Districts of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Archaologia, Vol. XVII. The reader can hare no difficulty in ascertaining the other books referred to, by the manner in which they are quoted. APPROPRIATION OF COPIES. SIX HUNDRED PRINTED. (exclusive of thirty-two on large paper.) His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, K. G. The Right Honourable the Earl of Eldon, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, F. R. & A. S. His Grace the Archbishop of York. His Grace the Duke of Northumbeuland, K. G. F. S. A. Her Grace the Duchess of Northumberland. The Most Honourable the Marquess Cornwallis, late Lord Bishop of Lichfield & Coventry, and Dean of Durham. The Most Honourable the Marquess of Bute, 2 copies. The Right Honourable Lady Charlotte Osborne. The Right Honourable the Eari, of Tankerville. Thf. Right Honourable Earl Spencer, K. G. F. R. & A. S. The Right Honourable Earl Grosvenor. The Right Honourable Earl Grey. The Right Honourable Lord Henry Howard. The Right Honourable Lord John Russell, M. P. The Right Honourable Lady Louisa Lambton. The Right Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop OF IvONTiON, F. R. & A. S. Private and Episcopal Libraries. The Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Durhaji. The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of St. Davids, F. R.& A.S. 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Adams, Ridley Place. John Adamson, Esq. F. 8. A. & F. L. S. Newcastle. Mr. Thomas Ainswortli, Manchester. ]Mr. John Akenhead, Newcastle, 4. copies. E. H. Alderson, Esq. Barrister at Law. John Aldei'son, Jun. Esq. Hidl. Rev. Thomas Allason, Vicar of Heddon-on-the- WulL Mr. Frederick IVIartin Allerton, Liverpool. ]\Ir. William Anderson, Westgate. Mr. George Andrews, Durliam, 6 copies. Mr. John Lindsay Angas, Newcastle. Mr. George Angus, Newcastle. ]\Ir. Henry Armstrong, Newcastle. Mr. William Amistrong, Toions Chamber, Newcastle. Nat. Ateheson, Esq. F. S. A. Duke Street, Westminster. Robert Shank Ateheson, Esq. Dtike Street, Westminster. Matthew Atkinson, Esq. Carrs Hill. General Aylmer, Wahvorth Castle. B. Edward Backhouse, Esq. Sunderland. .lohn W. Bacon, Est]. Styford. George Bainbridge, Esq. Liverpool. Joseph Bainbridge, Es(j. Newcastle. John Baird, E^q. Newcastle. Addison Jolm CVesswell Baker, E^q. Cresstvell. XXVI APPROI'RIATION OF f oriFS. Rev. Thomas Baker, Whitburn Rectory. 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William Orde, Esq. Nunnykirh. A. C. Orme, Esq. Temple, London. Robert Ormston, Jun. Esq. Newcastle, Rev. Edward Otter, Rector of Bothul. James Parke Esq. Barrister at Law, London Samuel Walker Parker, Esq. Scots House. William Peters, Esq. Newcastle. Mr. Ralph Park Philipson, Newcastle. Mr William Pickering, London, 4 copies. Matthew Plummer, Esq. Newcastle. George Woolley Poole, Esq. London, Edward Potts, Esq. Morpeth. AI'PROI'KIATION OF COPIES. XXXIU James Potts, Esq. Newcastle, Mr. Brough Pow, Newcastle. Mr. William Preston, Newcastle. Mr, Richard Priestley, London, 12 copies. Rev. James Pringle, Newcastle. Mr. William Proctor, Dean Street, Newcastle. John A. Pybus, Esq. Neivcastle. R. Fletcher Raincock, Esq. F. S. A. Liverpool. Rev. James Raine, Vicar of Mddon, 2 copies. James Ramsay, Esq. London. Rev. William Rawes, Houghton-k- Spring. Mr. Robert Reay, Tyne Brewery. Mr. Alexander Reed, Newcastle. Rev. William Reed, Warkworth. Owen Rees, Esq. London. i Mr. W. K. Reid, Carey Street, London. Rev. Dr. Richardson, Jfitton Gilbert, Mr. John Richardson, Neivcastle. Mr. William Richardson, North Shields. James Richardson, Esq. North Shields, Mr. Moses Richardson, Newcastle. Henry Richmond, Esq. Humshaugh. Mr. Edward Riddle, Royal Naval Asylum, Greenwich. Rev. Charles John Ridley. M.A. Professor of Anglo-Saxon, O:r/or, afraid. This word is repeatedly used by Shaka[)eare, AIRT 3 in several of his plays, and I don't renienil^er that afraid occurs more than once. Pure Sax. Aft, behind. The dictionaries call this a sea term, but it is in common use on the banks of the Tyne, and occasionally in other places, in the sense here given, without any relation to nautical subjects. Pure Sax. Ag, to cut with a stroke, adopted from Sc. hag, to hew, syno- nimous with hack. Agate. Dr. Johnson says, " on the way, agoing," but it also means, as well a person recovered from a sick bed, as one who is employed in doing any thing. Age, v. to grow old, as he ages, he begins to age. Old. Agean, against. Old English, agen, Agee, Ajee, Agye, awry, uneven. " Let ne'er a new whim ding thy fancy ajee." — A. Ramsay. Across, "it went all agee." — Ajar, applied to a door a little open. Burns uses agley, for vvrong. The best laid schemes o'mice and men Gang aft a-gky. Agin, as if. Agog, eager, desirous. " He's quite agog for it." Etymology uncertain. Ahint, behind. " To ride a hint." Sax. a-liindan. Aigre, sour. Fr. aigre, hence Ale-aigre, Alegar, som- ale used as vinegar. West, allekar, AiRD. This word as applied to the name of a place means high, as Airdley in Hexhamshire. Br. aird, height. Gael. and Ir. ard, nn'ghty, great and noble. It is also used to describe the quality of a place or field, in which sense it means dry, parched, from Lat. aridus, hence arid. Airth, Arf, fearful. " He was airth to do it" — " he's arfish," i. e. afraid. " An airthful night" — a fearful night. Sax. yrhth, fear. AITH AiTH, an oath. Moes.-Got. and Sc. Aits, Yaits, Yetts, oats. Sax. ata, ate. AiXES, Axes, a fit or paroxysm of an ague. Used by several old writers. Fr. accez, accez defievre. Alantem, at a distance. Ital. da lontano. Fr. lointain. Ale, a merry meeting, a rural feast. Bride-ale, and church- ale are of frequent occurrence in old documents. And their authorities at wakes and Ales, With country precedents, and old wives' tales — Ben. Jan. Algates, an old word synonimous with always, or all manner of ways, and compounded of all and gates, which in the North denote ways. Not obsolete as stated in Todd's Johnson. All-a-Bits, all in pieces, in rags. All-along-of, All-along-on, sometunes pronounced Aw- LUNG, entirely owing to. Used by Skelton, Ben. Jonson, and others ; and may be referred to Sax. ge-langan. Allar. See Eller. Alley, the conclusion of a game at foot-ball, when the ball has passed the boundary.— Z)«r. Fr. aller. Also a superior sort of marble, made from alabaster. In later times the potteries in the neighboiu-hood of Newcastle have made an imitation from white clay, termed Pol-alleys, but which are not es- teemed any way equal. All-hallows, All Saint's day (1st Nov.). It is remarkable, that, whilst the old Popish names, for the other fasts and festivals, such as Christmas, Candlemas, &c. ai'C generally retained throughout England, the northern counties alone continue the use of the ancient name for the festival of All- Saints. See Halle E'en. Always, however, nevertheless. Its use in this sense is com- mon in the North, and also in Scotland. ANEN ALt-MPtHE-WELL, a juvenile game in Newcastle and the neigh- bourhood. A circle is made about eight inches in diameter, termed the well, in the centre of which is placed a wooden peg, four inches long, with a button balanced on the top. Those desirous of playing give buttons, marbles, or any thing else according to agreement, for the privilege of throwing a short stick, with which they are furnished, at the peg. Should the button fly out of the ring, the player is entitled to double the stipulated value of what he gives for the stick. The game is also practised at the Newcastle races and other places of amusement in the North, with three pegs, which are put into three circular holes, made in the ground, about two feet apai't, and forming a triangle. In this case each hole contains a peg, about nine inches long, upon which are deposited, either a small knife or some copper. The person playing gives so much for each stick, and gets all the articles that are thrown oflT so as to fall on the outside of the holes. A-MANY, a great number. Ambry, or Aumry, a cupboard, pantry, or place where victuals are kept. Old Fr. ainmdre. Ameix, between or among. Sw. cmellan. Dan. hnellem. Anan, Nan, Non, sir ! what ? what do you say ? Commonly used as an answer to questions not understood, or distinct- ly heard. Perhaps from a repetition of Fr, aim, noticed by Le Roux as, " Sorte d'interjection interrogative, commune aux petites gens, et fort incivile parmi des personnes polies." Anchor, the chape of a buckle, i. e. the part by which it is fastened. Fr. ancre, Lat. anchora. Anclet, Ancleth, Ancliff, the ankle. Sax. ancleow. Anenst, against, towards, opposite. Used by Chaucer and Ben. Jonson. # 6 ATsGN Ang-nails, corns in the {eel.—Cuinb, Angs, ft urns, the beard of barley or wheat. Su.-Got. agn.'tj^M^ Anters, Aunters, needless scruples, mischances or misadveii^-l^ ^ tnres. Anters, inanterx, ennanters, are also used for, in"' case, lest, it may be. Dut. anders. Antre, a cave or den. Lat. antrum. Of antars vast, and desarts idle.— 5//(rA-. Othello. Antrims, Tantrums, affected airs or whims, freaks, odd fan- cies, maggots, Arder, fallow quarter, similar to aither, a course of ploughing in rotation. Ark, a large chest. The original and etymological sense. Same in Su.-Got. Dan. Gael, and Dut. Arles, Earles, Arns, Alls, or Yearles, money given in confirmation of a bargain, or by way of earnest for service to be performed. jVIr. Boucher seems to consider Aries to be the last and almost expiring remains, in our language, ot a word of very remote antiquity, that was once in general use, which the Romans abbreviated into arra, and which the Latins in the middle ages changed into arrha. It denoted an earnest or pledge in general, and was often used to signify an espousal present or gift from the man to the woman on their entering into an engage- ment to marry. This, as we learn from Pliny, was a ring of iron, the ancient Romans being long prohibited from wearing rings of any other metal. The giving of arles for confirming a bai'gain is still very common in all the north- ern counties. It is an old custom, still kept up, for the buyer and seller to drink together on these occasions, without which the engagement would hardly be considered valid. Gael, iarlics. Welsh, ernes. j/m ASS 7 Arnut, Awnut, Jurnut, Yernut, a pig-nut, or earth-chesnut. Sax. eard-nuf. Dut. aarde-noot. Arr, a mark or scar ; hence Pock-arrs, a common phrase for those marks on the face left by the small-pox. Su.-Got. aerr. Isl. aer. Dan. ar. Arsie-varsie, Arsey-warsev, topsy-turvy. Etymology ob- vious. All things run arsie-varsie. — Bmt. Jon. Art, quarter of the Heavens, a part of the country. Genu. ort, a place — die vier orte, the four quarters. Gael, curd, a cardinal point. Arvel-supper, a funeral feast given to the friends of the de- ceased, at which a particidar kind of loaf, called arvel-bread, is sometimes distributed among the poor. The practice of serving up collations at funerals appears to have been bor- rowed from the ccena fcralis of the Romans, alluded to in Juvenal (Sat. V.), and in the laws of the twelve tables. It consisted of an offering of milk, honey, wine, &c. to the ghost of the depai'ted. In the case of heroes and other illustrious men the same custom seems to have prevailed among the Greeks. With us, it was anciently a solenm festival made at the time of publicly exposing the corpse, to exculpate the heir, and those entitled to the effects, from fines and mulcts, and from all accusations of having used violence. Welsh, arwyl, funeral obsequies. Ass, Esse, ashes. Sax. asce. Germ, aschc. Isl. aska. Dan. aske. — Ass-HOLE, a place for receiving ashes. — Ass-manner, manure of ashes. — Ass-midden, a heap of ashes. — Ass- RiDDLiN, the riddling or sifting of the ashes on the hearth, on the eve of St. Mark. The superstitious notion is, that, should any of the family die within the year, tiie shoe will he impressed on the ashes. 8 ASSI AssiL-TREE, axle-tree. So invariably pronounced. Gael, aisil. Ital. assile. AssiL, or Axle Tooth, a grinder — situated near the axis the jaw. ls\. Jaxlar, dentes molares, maxillares. Ask, Asker, Esk, a water newt, a kind of lizard, believed, without foundation, to be venomous. Gael. asc. AsTiTE, AsTY, rather, as soon as, sooner, literally as tide. Sax. and Isl. tid. Attercop, North, and Dur. ; Attercob, Cumb. a spider's web. Sax. after, poison and coppe, a cup ; receiving its denomination, according to Dr. Jamieson, partly from its form and partly from its character — a cup of venom. The word is occasionally used to denote the spider itself; and a female of a virulent or malignant disposition is sometimes degraded with the appellation of an attercap. Audfarant, Audfashint, grave, sagacious, ingenious. Chil- dren are said to be audfarant when they are wiser or more witty than those of their age usually are. Dut. ervaren. Dan. erfaren, experienced. Auk, a stupid or clumsy person. From old Got. auk, a beast, or it may be from the northern sea birds called auh, of proverbial stupidity. AuLD, AuD, old. Sax. eald. Then take auld cloak about thee. — Shak. Othello. AuLD-LANG-svNE, a favourite phrase in the North, by which old persons express then* recollection of former kindnesses, and juvenile enjoyments in times long since past ; rendered immortal by the beautiful Scotch song. Should auld acquaintance be forgot. AuM, the elm. Old Fr. oulme. Allum is also, in some places, pronounced aum. Br. a///?. ^^ AWN 9 Aun'd, ordained, fated. " I'm aun'd to this luck." Aunts. " One of my aunts" is, in Newcastle, a designation for a lady of more complaisance than virtue. Shakspeare and other play writers use the tern). Aup, a wayward child. Ape, AuTER, altar. Many of our old authors write auter, or awter. The high altar — a term still retained in Curnb. where it is pronounced as one word heeautre — was so called to distin- guish it from the Saint's altars, of which there were several in most churches. Old Fr. auter. AuwARDS. A beast is said to be auwards when it lies back- ward or downhill, so as to be unable to rise. Sheep, heavy in the wool, are often found so, in which case they soon swell and die, if not extricated. Sax. cewerd, perversus, aversus. Aver, an old worn out cart horse. V. Spelman, (tffri, nffra, and Du Cange, averia. Nearly obsolete. AvERiSH, average, the stubble and grass left in corn fields after harvest, winter eatage. Fr. hiver, and Eng. eatage. But see Ray. Aw, the pronunciation of I. Maw, my. Aws, I am. Axv was up and down, seekin for tnaw hinny. Aw was thro' the town, seekin for maw bairn. Song, Maw Canny Ilhinij. Fareweel, fareweel, www comely pet ! Aw^s fourc'd three weeks to leave thee ; Aw^s doon for parm'ent dut}" set, O dinna let it grieve thee ! — Song, Bob Cranky s Atllen. Aw-MACKS, all makes, all sorts. V. Bouch. Awn, own, to visit. " You never awn us now," i. e. yon never « visit, or call on us. c 10 AX Ax, to ask. This, now vulgar, word is the original Saxon form, and is used by Chaucer, Bale, Heywood, and Ben. Jonson. Aye, always, continually. An old word said in Todd's John, to be now rarely used, and only in poetry. For colloquial purposes, however, it is frequently made use of in many parts of the North. Ayont, beyond. " Ayont the hill." Sax. a-geont. A vou A HiNNY, a northern nurse's lullaby. V, Brand's Pop. Ant. 8vo. 1810, p. 204, and Bell's Northern Rhymes, p. 296. There's Sandgate for aud rags, A you, hlnny htrtl ; N And Gallowgate for trolly bags, A you a. Song, A you a, hinny burd. B. Babblement, silly discourse. From Heb. Babel, confusion of tongues. Bachelor's button, a well known flower, resembling a but- ton, and possessing a magical eflect on the fortunes of rustic lovers. See Grey's Shak. v. l, p. 107. Back-by, behind, a little way distant. Back-end, the autumnal part, or latter end, of the year. Origin obvious. Backstone, a heated stone or iron for baking cakes. Backy, tobacco. Backy-fob, a tobacco pouch. Come, dinna, dinna whinge and whipe, Like yammering Isbel Jlackey ; Cheer vip, maw hinny ! leet thee pipe. And tyek a blast o' lacky ! Song, Bob Crunky''d Adku. BANG 1 1 Badger, a cadger or pedlar ; but originally a person who pur- chased grain at one market and took it on horseback to sell at another. Before the roads in the North were pass- able for waggons and carts, this trade of badgering was very extensive. Bad, badly, sick, ill. Sadly badly, very much indisposed. — Badling, a worthless person ; a bad one. Sax. bcedling, homo delicatus. Bag, udder. Isl. baggi, onus, sarcina. Bail, bale, a beacon or signal, a bon-fire. — Bail or Bale- hills, hillocks on the moors where fires have been. Isl. bal, pyra. See Crav. Gloss. Baal-hills. Bain, near, ready, easy. A bainer way, a neai'er way. Isl. behin, rectus. Bairns, chilch-en. Sax. beam. Moe.-Got. barn, a child. Written by old English writers beam, beanie. " They say beams are blessings." — S/iak. AlP.i Well; and in the Win- ter's Tale, when the shepherd finds Perdita, he exclaims, " mercy on's a beanie .' a very pretty beanie.^'' — Bairnish, childish. — Bairn-teaji, lota of balms. Sax. beam-team, liberorum sobolis procreatio. — Bairns' -play, the sport of children, any sort of trifling. Baist, or baste, to beat severely. Isl. bei/sti, a hard stroke. Ballerag, bullerag, to banter, to rally in a contemptuous way. The Crav. Gloss, has btdlokin, imperious. Ba ! LOU ! a nurse's lullaby. Fr. bas. Id Ic loup, be still, the wolf is coming. Ban-fire, bon-fire, a fire kindled on the heights at appointed places in times of rejoicing. Notwithstanding what Mr. Todd has alleged as to the primitive meaning of the word, I am of opinion that iowe-fire is a corruption. See Bail. Bang, v. to thump, to handle roughly. " He bangs his wife." 12 BANG Isl, hanga. It also means to excel. " Wallington bangs them a'." Our parson says, " we bang'd them still, " And hang them still, we mun man, " For he desarves a coward's deeth, " That frae them e'er wad run man." Ciimh. Balhi(J. AVor pockets lin'd wiv notes an' cash, Amang the cheps we'll cut a dash : For XYZ, that bonny steed, lie Imiigs them a' for pith and speed. He's sure to win the cup, man — Song, X. V. Z Bang, .v. a leap, a severe blow. Bi a bang, suddenly. Banging, large and jolly, as a banging wench ; or sijnply of great size when compared with things of the same kind, as a banging trout. Any thing large in proportion to the rest of its species is also called a banger. Bannock, a thick cake of oaten or barley meal kneaded \\ ith water ; originally baked in the embers and toasted over again on a girdle when used. Gael, bonnack, a cake ; or it may be from Isl. baun, a bean, such cakes having for- merly been made of bean meal. V. Ray. Bargh, berg, a hill, or steep way. Su.-Got. berg, mons. V. Ihre. Bar-guest, a local spirit or demon, haunting populous places, and accustomed to howl dreadfully at midnight, before any dire calamity. Perhaps from Dut. berg, a hill, and geesf, a ghost. Grose, however, describes it as " a ghost all in white, with large saucer eyes, commonly appearing near gates or stiles, there called bars. Yurksh. Derived from bar and gheist." Bark, a box for holding candle ends. BAUK 1:5 Barked, barkened, covered with dii-t like l)aik. Dirt, S:c. hardened on the skin or hair. Barkhaam, a horse's collai', formerly made of bark. See Braftlini. Barley, to bespeak or claun. " Bai'ley me that" — I bespeak that — let me have that. Similar to Cheshire hallow. V. Wilb. Barrel-fever, an illness occasioned l)y intemperate drinking. Bass, bast, matting. Isl. bast, philyra. Bass, is also the name of a hassock to kneel upon at church. Bat, a blow or stroke ; in some places a stick. Fr. battrc, to beat. Last-batt, a play among children. I'll try whether your costard or my hat be the harder. Shell;. Liar. Bat, also means state or condition ; " at the same bat," sig- nifying in the same manner ; " at the old bat," as formerly. Batten, to feed, to bring up, to thrive. Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed, and lattcH on this moor Shak. Hamlet. " The wife a good church going and a battening to the bairn" is a toast at christenings. Battin, the straw of two sheaves folded together. Battom, a board generally of narrow dunensions, but the full breadth of the tree it is sawn from. Batts, flat grounds adjoining islands in rivers, sometimes used for the islands themselves. Bauk, balk, a beam or dormant. Dut. balk. Welsh, bale. Balked, disappointed or prevented, as if a beam were in the way. " To be throivn our€ balk" is, in the west riding of Yorkshire, to be published in the chiu-ch. " To hing ourt' balk," is marriage deferred after publication. Before the 14 BAUK reformation the laity sat exclusively in the nave of the church. The balk here appears to be the rood beam, which sepai'ated the nave from the chancel. The expression would therefore seem to mean, to be helped into the choir, where the marriage ceremony was performed. V. Crav. Gloss. Bauks, the grass ridges dividing ploughed lands, properly those in common fields. Also a place above a cow-house, where the beams are covered with wattles and turf, and not boarded. — A hen-roost or hay-loft ; supposed by Mi-. WUbraham from its being divided into different compart- ments by balks or beams ; bal/c in the northern languages signifying a separation or division. Bay, to bend. Sax. hygun. Beaker, a tumbler. Germ, becher, a cup. It also means any thing large. Beakment or Beatmext, a measure of about a quarter of a peck. Kewc. Eeal, to roar or cry. Teut. bellen, to bellow. Beastlings, the milk of the cow shortly after calving, and of a peculiar nature fitted for the first food of the calf. Proba- bly, therefore, the calf's, that is, the little beast's or beast- ling's. — Dut. biest. Beastling-pudding, a pudding made of this milk, and a favou- rite dish with many people. Beck, v. to nod the head ; properly to curtzy by a female, as contradistinguished from bowing in the other sex. Isl. beiga. Germ, beigen, to bow. A horse it said to bec^i, when its legs are weak. Beck, s. a mountain stream or small rivulet. Common to all northern dialects. Sec Burn. Beeas, Beess, cows, cattle. Beasts. BIGG 15 Bee-bike, a bee's nest or hive in a wild state. Tent, hie-hnck, bie-buyek, apiarium. Beeld, shelter; hence Beelding, a place of shelter for cattle, or any covered habitation. Isl. boele^ domicilium. Beet, to help or assist, to supply the gi'adual waste of any thing. Isl. betra. Dut. boeten, to mend. To beet the fire, is to feed it with fuel. The word in this latter sense is most applicable to straw, heath, fern, fui-ze, and especially to the husk of oats, when used for heating girdles on which oaten cakes are baked. Teut. boeten het vier, struere igneni. Beet-need, assistance in distress. Sax. betan, to restore. Beezen, blind. Sec Todd's John, b'lsson. Belive, anon, by and by, quickly. An old word used by Chaucer, Spenser, and other early poets. Sax. belif-an. Belk, to belch. The old mode of writing it. BELLY-GO-LAKE-THEE,take your fill, satisfy your appetite. — York. Belly-wark, the gripes or colick. Ache is pronounced wark, as \ie?i&-ivark, tooXh-wark. Bensel, to beat or bang. Teut. benghe/en. Bext, a long kind of grass which grows in Northumberland, near the sea, and is used for thatch. Dr. Willan has Bents, high pastures or shelving commons, hence he says, bent- grass, which from the soil is necessarily harsh and coarse. Berry, to thrash corn. Berrier, a thrasher. Be-twattled, confounded, stupiiied, infatuated. Bevel, a violent push or stroke. Bicker, v. to clatter, to quaiTcl. A very old word for skirmish. Bicker, .1. a small wooden dish, made of staves and hoops like a tub. Big, to build. Isl. bi/ggi. Bigg, a particular kind of barley, properly that variety which has four rows of grain on each ear, sometimes called bcai-. Isl. bt/gg, barley. Su.-Got. biug. Dan. byg. 16 BIGG BiGGEX, to recover after an accouchement. The gossips regu- larly wish the lady a good fnggening. Biggin, a building, properly a house larger than a cottage, but now generally used for a hut covered with mud or turf. BiLDER, a wooden mallet with a long handle, used in husban- dry for breaking clods. Hence, observes the author of the Craven Glossary, balderdash, may with propriety be called dirt spread by the bilder, alias bUderdasJier. This etjTuon is certainly as happy as that of Mr. Malone — the froth or foam made by the barbers in dashing theii- halls backwards and forwards in hot v/ater. See, however. Blather. BiNK, a seat in the front of a house made of stones or sods. Sax. bene. Dan. bcenk. BiRK, the birch tree. Tent, berck. Bishop's foot. When any thing has been burnt to the pan in boiling, or is spoiled in cooking, it is common to say, " the Bishop has set his foot in it." The author of the Crav. Gloss, under bishnpped, says, " pottage burnt at the bottom of the pan. ' Bishop's i' th' pot,' may it not be derived from Bishop Burnet ?" That is impossible, the sajing having been in use long before the Bishop was born ! It occurs in Tusser's " Points of Husbandry," a well known book ; and also in Tyndale's " Obedyence of a Chrysten Man," printed in 1.5:28. The last writer, p. 10.9, says, " when a thynge speadeth not well we borowe speach and say the byshope hath blessed it, because that nothynge speadeth well that they medyll withall. If the podech be burned to, or the meate over rosted, we say the byshope has put hisfote in the potte, or the byshope hath played the coke, because the byshopes burn who they lust and whosoever displeaseth them." I am well aware of what Dr. Jamieson, Grose, and other writers have stated on the subject, but I think this allusion to the episco])al disposition to burn here- BLAK 17 tics, in a certain reign, presents the most satisfactory expla- nation that can be offered as to tiie origin of the phrase. BiTTLE, a mallet to beat grain out of gleanings. From beetle. BizoN, shame or scandal ; a shew or spectacle of disgrace. In unguai'ded moments when the good women in certain districts of Newcastle, give way to acts of termagancy more congenial to Wapping or Billingsgate, it is common to fuhninate the object of their resentment with a " Holy Bizon," obviously in allusion to the penitential act of standing in a white sheet, which scandalous delinquents are sometimes enjoined to perform in the church before the whole congregation. Wiv a' the stravaigin aw wanted a munch, An' maw thropple was ready to gizen ; So aw went tiv a yell-house, and there teuk a lunch. But the reck'ning, me saul ! was a hizvn. Song, Canny Nfuransd. Black-a-viz'd, dark in complexion. A bhic/c-a-viz' d man or woman. Black-puddings. Puddings made of blood, suet, &c. stuffed into the intestines of pigs or sheep, and a favourite dish among the common people. " A nice het pudden, hinnie !" " A nice fat pudden, ma hinnie !" — Neiucastle cries. Through they were lin'd with many a piece Of ammunition bread and cheese, And fat Uack-pnddingis, proper food For warriors that delight in blood — But. Hud'tb. Blake, yellowish, or of a golden colour, spoken of butter, cheese, &c. The yellow buntiiig (emberiza citrinella) is also, in some places, called a blakeling. Isl. blar. Dut. bleek, pale. Blake autumn — Chaltcrton. 18 BLAR Blaring, crjing vehemently, roaring louJ, applied to peevish children and vulgar drunken noise. Dut. blaren. Slash, to throw dirt ; also to scatter, as the " water blashed all over" Germ, platzen. Blashment, weak and diluting liquor. Blashy, tliin, poor, as blashy beer, &c. It also means wet and dirty. Dr. Jam. has blush, a heavy fall of rain. But aw fand maw sel blonk'd when to Lunnun aw gat, The folks they a' luck'd wishy washy ; For gowld ye may howk 'till ye're blind as a bat, For their streets are like wors— brave and hlashy ! Song, Canny Newcassel. Blast, v. to blow up with gun-powder. Blast, s. an explo- sion of foul air in a coal mine. And oft a chilling damp or unctuous mist, Loos'd from the crumbling caverns, issues forth, Stopping the springs of life — Jago^s Edgchlll. Blate, v. to bleat or bellow. Dryden uses blata)ii. Blate, a. shy, bashful, timid. Su.-Got. Mode. " A toom (empty) purse makes a blate merchant." — Scot. Prov. Blather, to talk a great deal of nonsense. " He blathers and talks," is a connnon phrase where much is said to little pm'pose. A person of this kind is, by way of pre-eminence, styled a blathering hash. One of my correspondents de- rives the word from blatant, used by Spenser and others ; another ingeniously suggests that it may be " from the noise of an empty bladder ;" but it appears to me to be either from Teut. blceteren, to talk foolishly, or Su.-Got. bladdra, garru'e. Hence Blatheruash, Balderdash, the discourse itself. See Bilder. Blaze, to tiUie salmon by striking them with a tlu-ee pronged BLOW 19 and bai-bed dart, called a leister. I have often seen it prac- tised in an evening, in the River Tees. In Craven, a torch was made of the di-y bark of holly, besmeai-ed with pitch. The water was so transparent that the smallest pebbles were visible at the bottom. One man carried the torch (when dark) either on foot or on horseback, while another, advancing with him, struck the salmon on the red, the place where the roe is deposited, with the leister. V. Crav. Gloss, bloaz'mg. Blea, a pale bluish colour, often applied to the discolouration of the skin by a blow or contusion. It is also sometimes used to denote a bad colour in linen, indicating the neces- sity of bleaching. Blea-berry, Blay-berry, the bilberry, or whortle berry. Isl. blaber, vaccinium vulgare myrtillus. Bleb, Blob, a drop of water or bubble ; a blister or rising of the skin. Blee, colour, complexion. An old word, not obsolete, as stated in Todd's Johnson. Bleed, to yield, applied to corn, which is said to " bleed well" when on thrashing it happens to be very productive. Blendings, peas and beans mixed together. Blink, to smile, to look kindly, but with a modest eye, the word being generally applied to females. Dan. blinke. Blinkard, Blenkard, a person near sighted or almost blind. A fighting cock with only one eye is termed a blenker. Blirt, Blurt, to cry, to make a sudden indistinct or un- pleasant noise. Bloacher, any large animal. Blousy, or Blowsy, wild, disordered, confused. Johnson has blowzy, sun burnt, high coloured. Blow, the blossom of fruit trees. Sax. blowan, to bloonL The Crav. Gloss, has blume, blossom, from Germ, blunt. 20 BLOW Blown-milk, skimmed milk. I suppose from the custom of blowing the cream off by the breath. Blubber, " the part of a whale that contains the oil," Todd's John. But it is the fat of whales. Blue. To look blue, is to be disconcerted. Bluffness, " surliness," Todd's John. Rather arrogance, or a self-confident manner. Blush, resemblance. He has a blush of his brother, i. e. he bears a resemblance. Blusteration, the noise of a braggart. Blustering. Bob, to disappoint. Dry bob is an old word for a merry joke or trick. Boa, a bunch. Isl. bobbi, nodus. Fr. bube. BoBBEROus, Bobbersome, elated, in high spirits. BoBBV, smart, neat, tidy. There was Sam, O zoons ! AViv's pantaloons, An' gravat up owre his gobby-o ; An' Willy, thou, AVi' the jacket blue. Thou was the varry hobhy-o. Song, Swalu-ell Hopping. BoDVvoRD, an Ul-naturetl errand. An old word for an ominous message. Su.-Got. and Isl. bodword, edictum, mandatiun. Boggle, Boggle-bo, a spectre or ghost. Welsh, bugal, fear. Boggle aiout the stacks, a favourite play among young people in the villages, in which one hunts several others. For- merly barley break. She went abroad, thereby A barley break her sweet, swift feet to try — Sidney, Arcadia. Boiling. The whole boiling means the entire quantity or whole party. BONN 2] BoKE, Bt)UK, to nauseate so as to be ready to vomit, to belcli. Perhaps from Sax. bealc-an. Jam. V. Ray. Boll, Bole, the body or trunk of a tree. Su.-Got. bol. Bo-RiAN, a hobgoblin or kidnapper, I'll rather put on my flashing red nose, and my flam- ing face, and come wrajiped in a calf's-skin, and cry ho, bo ! — Robin Goodfcllow. BoNDAGERs, cottagers obliged to work for farmers, when called upon, at certain stipulated wages. Bonny, beautiful, handsome, cheerful. Dr. Johnson derives this word from Fr. ban, bonne, good ; but as it is so uni- versally in use in the North, I have little doubt it came originally from the Scotch. — Shakspeare appears to have understood it in its different meanings. We sav that Shore's wife hath a pj-etty foot, A cherry lip, a honny eye, a passing pleasing tongue. Match to match I have encountered him, And made a prey for carrion kites and crows, Kv'n of the loiniy beast he' lov'd so well. 'I'hen sigh not so but let them go, And be you blithe and honiiy Sfiak.yiefirc. () where is the boatman ? my bonny honey ! O where is the boatman ? bring him to me — To ferry me over the Tyne to my honey. And I will remember the boatman and thee. The Water of Tync. Whe's like me Johnny Sae leish, sae blythe, sae honny .' He's foremost 'mang the mony Keel lads o' coaly Tyne. Song, The Krd How. 22 BOOD BooDiES or Babbv-boodies, broken pieces of earthen vv are or glass, used by female children for decorating a play-house, called a boody-house, made in imitation of an ornamented cabinet. Then on we went, as nice as owse, Till nenst auM Lizzy Moody's ; A whirlwind cam an' myed a' souse, Like heaps o' babhy-boodies. Song, Jemmy Jomson's Whurry. Boon, a service or bonus, done by a tenant to his landlord, or a sum of money as an equivalent. Boon-days are those which the tenants are obliged to employ for the benefit of their lord gratis. Vast quantities of land in the Northern counties are held under lords of manors by customary tenm-e, subject to the payment of fines and heriots, and the performance of various duties and services on the boon days. Boor, Bour, the parlour, or inner room through the kitchen, in which the head person of the family generally sleeps. Isl. bouan, to dwell. Spenser uses bower, a lady's apart- ment. Fair Rosamond's boiuer, at Woodstock, is familiar to every reader. BooRLY, boorish, rough, unpolished. Teut. boer, a boor. Boose, Buess, Busk, an ox or cow stall ; properly the place beside the stakes where the fodder lies. Sax. bosig. Isl. bas. Boot, something given to equalise an exchange. Old Fr. bote. Booted, or Bolted Bread, a loaf of sifted wheat meal, mixed with rye ; better than the common household bread. V. Skin. bolt. Boother, Boulder, a hard flinty stone, rounded like a bowl. BOUK 23 BoRRowED-DAVS, the three last days of March. March hnmnvit fra Averill Three days and they were ill. Gloss. Compl. Scotl. These days being generally stormy, our forefathers, as Dr. Jamieson remarks, have endeavoured to account for this circumstance by pretending that March borrowed them from April, that he might extend his power so much longer. The superstitious will neither borrow nor lend on any of these days, lest the articles should be employed for evil purposes. Botheration, plague, trouble, difficulty. From bother, to perplex or puzzle. BoTTOM-ROOM, a single seat in a pew. Bought, a fold where ewes are put at milking time. Tent. bocht. Bouk, to wash linen, or rather to steep it or soak it in lye, with a view of whitening and sweetening it. Then the thread is sod and bleaked, and htitkcd and oft layed to drieng, &c — Baithol. 302 h, I. 1 7, c. 97- Buck is used by Shakspeare, as well for the liquor in which clothes are washed as for the clothes themselves. Every body remembers Falstaflf's ludicrous adventure in the great buck-basket. The process of bonking Unen, adopted by the older Northumbrian house-wives, woidd, I fear, be considered too homely for their more Southern neighbours to imitate, and therefore I refrain from particu- larizing it. BouK, Bowk, bulk, quantity, or size ; the body of a tree. Su.- Got. bolk. Chaucer uses buuke, for the trunk of the hu- man body, which Mr. Tyrwhitt sa}'s, is probably from Sax. biice, venter. 24 BOUN BouN, to make ready, to prepare, to dress. Old Eng. boon, boun, bowne. BouRD, to jest. V. Todd's John. Bout, a contest or struggle ; often applied to a jovial meeting of the legitimate sons of Bacchus, where The dry divan Close in firm circle ; and set, ardent, in For serious drinking Thomson. BowDiKiTE, a contemptuous name for a mischievous child, an insignificant or corpulent person. Bowery, plump, buxom, and young ; applied to a female in great health. Box, a club or society instituted for benevolent or charitable purposes. It is customary for the members to have an annual dinner called the head-meeting day. The oldest institution of this kind, I have been able to trace, is that of the keelmen of Newcastle and the neighbourhood, who, on this occasion, after assembling at their hospital, walk in procession through the principal streets of the town, at- tended by a band of nnisic, fiddles, &c. Much greater interest was formerly taken in this business by the parties concerned, who made it a point of honourable emulation to rival each other in the grandeur of their apparel, especially in the pea-jacket, the sky-blue stockings, the long-quartered shoes, and large silver buckles. Cold was the heart of that female, old or young, connected with the " Keel lads o' coaly Tyne," who could look unmoved on such a spec- tacle ; and if the fair ones did sometimes indulge in scenes which I neither wish to describe nor see repeated, their rencounters, generally commencing without any pre\'ious malice, were rarely again remembered. Box AND Dice. A game of hazard, formerly much practised BRAN 91 among the pitmen and keelmen at races, fairs, ami hop- pings, but now very properly prohibited. The tri(c pro- nunciation is box and dies. Close by the stocks, his dice and ho.i, He rattled away so rarely-o, Both youth and age, did he engage. Together they played so chearly-o. Song, Wnthdon Hopphiv:. Braad-ba\d, corn laid out in the field in band. Brabblement, a quarrel or wrangling. Dut. brahhelen, to mingle confusedly. This petty hrahhlc will undo us all. — Shuk. Tit. Aiuh: Brackens, or Breckens, fern. In Smoland, in Sweden, the female fern is called braehen. Sw. Stotbraukin. In is a termination in Gothic, denotmg the female gender. Brade, to resemble. To brade of, from Su.-Got. braa, de- notes a similarity characteristic of the same family. V. Ihre. Brae, Buoo, a bank or declivity, any broken sloping ground. Gael, and Welsh, brc, a hill. Braffam, Braugham, a collar for an husbandry horse, some- times made of old stockings stuffed with straw. Braid, Brade, to nauseate, to desire to vomit ; hence the word iqjbraid. Braid is an old obsolete word for reproach. Brake, a harrow for breaking large clods of earth. V. Nares' Gloss, for other significations, &c. Bran or Brand-new, quite new ; any thing fresh from the makers hand. Often applied to clothes to denote the shining glossy appearance given by passing a hot ii'on over them. Dut. brand niexiw. Shak. uses "fire new arms," and "fire new fortune." 26 . BRAN Branded, a mixtiue of red and black. Dut. branden. Braxder, an iron over the fire. Dut. brander. Brandling, a species of trout caught in the rivers in North- umberland, where salmon is found, particularly in the Tyne. Early in the year they are seen about thi'ee inches long, but in the course of a few months increase to about six inches ; after which, they are rarely found any larger. Like the salmon-smelt and whitling, they have no spawn in them, Brandreth, an iron tripod fixed over the fire, on which the kettle, or any cooking utensils are placed. Sax. brandred, a brand iron. Brank, to hold up the head affectedly, to put a bridle or re- straint on any thing. " A bridled ewe." This word gives me an opportunity of mentioning another of kinch'ed im- port, the Branks, an instrument kept in the Mayor's cham- ber, of Newcastle, for the punishment of " chiding and scolding women." It is made of ii'on, fastens round the head like a muzzle, and has a spike to insert in the mouth so as effectually to silence the offensive organ. Ungallant, and unmercifully severe as this species of torture seems to be. Dr. Plot much prefers it to the cucking stool, which, he says, " not only endangers the health of the party, but also gives the tongue liberty 'twixt every dipp." See an en- engraving of Robert Shai'p, an officer of the Corporation, leading Ann Bidlestone through the town, with a paii' of branks on her head, in Gardiner's Englands Grievance dis- covered, orig. edit. p. 110. Brant, steep, difficult of ascent, as a brant brow, a steep hill. It also means consequential, pompous in one's walk, as " you seem very brant this morning," i. e. you put on all your consequence. A game cock is said to be brant. Lof- tiness appeal's to enter into all the meanings of the word. Isl. brattr, acclivis, ai'duus, Sw. brant. BREM 27 Brash, or Water-brash, a sudden sickness, with acid rising in the mouth, as in the heart-burn. V. Wachter, brasscn. This word it also used in some places to denote twigs, and as an adjective for impetuous, rash. Brashy, delicate in constitution, subject to fi-equent bodily indisposition. Brass, money, riches, A wealthy person is said to have plenty of brass. The brass aw've getten at the race Will buy a patch for Jacob's face — Song, X. Y. Z. Brat, the film on the surface of some liquids, as on boiled milk when cooled. Also a child's bib or coarse apron. Is it in both these senses from Germ, breiten, to spread ? In the latter it may come from Sax. bratt, which Johnson tran- slates a blanket, when he notices it as a child in contempt. Bratchet, a contemptuous epithet, generally applied to an ill behaved child. Fr. Bratchet, a slow hound. Brattle, to sound like thunder. — Brattle of " thunner" a clap of thunder. Braw, finely clothed, handsome, clever. Teut. braive, adorned. BRA^vLY, Bravely, very well, finely, in good health. Sw. braf. Brawm, a boar. Her grace sits mumping Like an old ape eating a brawm. Beaum. ^ Flet. Mad Lover. Bray, to crush or bruise, to pound in a mortar. Fr. braier. Breeks, breeches. Sax. brccc. Brede or Breed, breadth or extent. An old English word from the Sax. See Abrede. Breme, v. applied to a sow when maris appetens. Brim, a. ar« dor, aestus. Sax. bryne. 28 BRER Brere, to sprout, to prick up as grain does when it first germi- nates. Hence Breward, Bruarts, the tender blades of springing corn. Sax, broi'd. Brevvis, a large thick crust of bread put into the pot where salt beef is boiling and netuly ready: it attracts a portion of the fat, and when swelled out is no unpalatable dish to those who (like some of our northern swains) rarely taste meat. So says IVIrs. Bundle, who, I believe, was long a resident in Northumberland. After this, I need hardly remark that Mr. Wilbraham is mistaken in thinking it is used only in Clieshire and Lancashu'e. The word occurs in Beamn. & Flet. but in the sense of broth. Brewster, a brewer. Hence, I conceive, the Brewster Ses- sions, when publicans receive theii" licenses. Brian. To brian an oven, is to keep fire at the mouth of it, either to give light or to preserve the heat. Bricks, bread something like French rolls. Bride-ale. The day of marriage has always been a time of festivity. Among the plebeians in Cumberland it glides away amidst nuisic, dancing, and revelry. Early in the morning, the bridegroom, attended by his friends on horse- back, proceeds in a gallop to the house of the bride's father. Having alighted he salutes her, and then the company breakfast together. This repast concluded, the whole nup- tial party depart in cavalcade order towai'ds the church, accompanied by a fiddler, who plays a succession of tunes appropriate to the occasion. Immediately after the per- formance of the ceremony the company retire to some neighbouring ale-homeland many a flowing bumper of home brewed, is quaffed to the health of the happy pair. Ani- mated with this earthly nectar, they set off full speed to- wards the futiu-e residence of the bride, where a handker- chief is presented to the first who arrives. In Craven, BRID 29 after the connubial knot is tieil, a ribbon is proposed as the subject of contention either for a foot or a horse race. — Should any of the doughty disputants, however, omit to shake hands with the bride, he forfeits the prize, though otherwise entitled to win. Whoever fii-st reaches the bride's habitation, is ushered into the bridal chamber, and after ha\'ing performed the ceremony of tiu-ning down the bed clothes, he returns, cai-rying in his hand a tankard of luarm ale, pre^dously prepared, to meet the bride, to whom he triumphantly offers his humble beverage, and by whom, in return, he is presented with the ribbon, as the honoiu*- able reward of his victorj'. Bride-cake. It is customary after the bridal party leave the church to have a thin currant-cake, marked in squiu-es, though not entirely cut through. A clean cloth being spread over the head of the bride, the bride-groom stands behind her, and breaks the cake. Thus hallowed, it is thrown up and scrambled for by the attendants, to excite prophetic dreams of love and marriage, and has much more viitue than when it is merely put nine times through the ring. Bride-wain, a custom in Cumberland where the friends of a new married couple assemble together in consequence of a pi'evious invitation (sometimes actually by public advertise- ment) and are treated with cold pies, frumenty, and ale. — The company afterwards join in all the various pastimes of the country, and at the conclusion, the bride and bride- groom are placed in two chairs, the former holding a pew- ter dish on her knee, half covered with a napkin. Into this dish every person present, how high or low soever, , makes it a point to put something ; and these offerings occasionally amoimt to a considerable sum. I suppose it has olitained the name of umin, from a very ancient custom. 30 BRIG now obsolete in the north, of presenting a bride, who had no great stock of her own, with a waggon load of furni- ture or provisions. On this occasion the horses were de- corated with ribbons. " There let Hymen oft appear " In saffron robe and taper clear, " And pomp, and feast, and revelry, " With mask and ancient pageantry." Brigg, a bridge. Pure Saxon. Brissle, to scorch or di'y very hard. Sax. bmstlian, to make a crackling noise. Brussle has the same meaning ; as brus- sled peas, peas scorched in the straw. He routeth with a slepie noyse. And Iromtkih as a monkes froyse. — Gow. Conf. Amau. Break 'em more, they are but Imstled yet. Bcainn. S^ Flet. Wife for a Mcmth. Broach, a spire or steeple ; as Chester broach, Darlington broach, the broaches of Durham Cathedral. An instru- ment on which yarn is wound, is also called a broach. Brock, a badger. Pure Sax. It is also a name given to a cow, or husbandry horse. Brock-faced, a white longitu- dinal mark down the face like a badger. Su.-Got. brokiig, of more than one colour. Broddle, to make holes. Broke. Sheep are said to be so, when l^ing under a broken bank. Brotchet, Brotchert, or Bragwort, a thin liquor made from the last squeezings of honey-comb. Brott, shaken corn. Sax. gebrude, fragments. Browden, to be anxious for, or warmly attached to any ob- ject. To browden on a thing, is to be fond of it. Dut. hroe-^ den, to brood. BULL ol Browdin, or Browdaxt, vain, conceited. As she delights into the low. So was I hroxod'm of my bow Cherry and the She. Brown-leemers, ripe brown nuts that easily separate from the husks. Probably from brown, and Fr. les meurs, the ripe ones. Brulliment, broil. Fr. broidller. Bubbly, snotty. " The baii'u has a bubbly nose." — Grose. I thought to marry a sailor. To bring me sugar and tea ; But I have married a keelman. And that he lets me see. He's an ugly body, a buhblij body. An iU-fard, ugly loon ; And I have married a keelman. And my good days are done. Song, T/tc Sandgaie La.me''s Lamcntafiun. BuBBLY-JOCK, a turkey cock. V. Jam. Buckle, to marry. Significant enough. Buckle-mouthed, a person with large straggling teeth. What a fyace, begok ! Had hitclle-moitthcd Jock, AVhen he twined his jaws for the backey-o ! Song, S'Milwell Hopji'tng. Buck-stick. See Spell and Ore, and Trippit and Coit. Budge, to bulge, to move off, generally unwillingly. Also to abridge or lessen. " I wont budge a penny." Buer, a gnat. BuLE, or BooL, the bow of a pan or kettle. Bull-fronts, tufts of coarse grass, Aira cccpitosa. Bull-stang, a dragon fly. Bulls and Cows, the flower of the Arum maculalum, also called lords and ladies, and lam-lakens. 32 BULL Bull-trout, a large fine species peculiai* to Northumberland, and much esteemed. The larger kind of salmon-trout taken in the Coquet, are in the Newcastle mai'ket called bull trouts ; but these fish are larger than salmon-trout in the head, which is a part generally admired for its smallness. Bully, the champion of a party, the eldest male person in a family. Now generally used among keelmen and pitmen to designate their brothers, as bitlly Jack, bully Bob, &c. Probabl}' derivetl from the obsolete word boulie, beloved. Bum, v. to strike, to beat, to spin a top. Dut. bommen, to re- sound. Bum, s. the follower or assistant of a bailiff. Johnson has bum-bailiff, a well-known name for an unpopular officer of the law, but the north country bum, is a distinct personage, aiding and assisting the bailiff. It may be from bound, though more likely from bum, the buttocks, a word which Shakspeare never disdcuned to use, when he thought it best to call a thing by its most expressive name. Bumble, or Bummel-kites, bramble-berries.^Z)Mr. Black- BowvvovvERS. — North. Black-berries. — Newc. Bumbler, a large wild bee, called sometimes bumble-bee. Tent. bommele, a drone. Bumbler-box, a small wooden toy used by the bo3's to hold these insects. Bump, a stroke, a blow received by running against any thing ; often applied to the rising of the flesh occasioned by a blow. Lsl. bomps. " Bump against Jarrow," is a common expression among the keelmen when the\- run foul of any thing. The laddie ran sweateii, ran sweaten, The laddie ran sweaten about ; Till the keel went hu)/ij) (igahisi Jarrow, And three o' the bullies lap out. Song, The Little Pec Dec. BURT 33 Bumping, a peculiar sort of punishment amongst youngsters. Too many boys have reason to remember the school dis- cipline of bumping, admirably described by Major Moor. — V. Suff. Words, p. 53. BuxcH-BERRY, the fruit of the rubis saxatUis, of which country people make tarts. Bunch, Punch, to strike or kick. Bunting, a large piece or balk of timber. — Newcastle. Bur, any thing put under a wheel to stop its progress. Burn, a brook. A b^ini winds slowlj' along meadows, and ori- ginates from small springs ; while a beck is formed by wa- ter collected on the sides of mountains, and proceeds with a rapid stream, though never, I think, applied to rivers that become estuaries. Pure Sax. Burn-the-Biscuit. A youthful game. Burnt-his-Fingers. When a person has failed in any object or speculation, or has been over-reached in any endeavour or undertaking, he is said to have burnt his fingers. Burr, a peculiar whirring sound, made by the natives of New- castle, in pronouncing, or rather in endeavouring to pro- nounce the letter R, derived from theii- ancestors. — " He has the Newcastle bm-r in his throat." — Prov. Rcjiinngm language, improving m notes. Letter R runs far smoother and glib through their tliroats ; Their Andrews, these sirnames, bear better degrees, Ralphs, Richardsons, Rogersons, uttered with ease. Address of the Guildhall-Crows. Bur-tree, the common elder. Perhaps bore-tree, from the quantity or size of the pith, which renders it capable of be- ing easily bored; though Dr. Willan says, it is so called because the flowers grow in a cjine, close together, like F 34 BUSH those of the bm\ — A branch of this tree is supposed to pos- sess great viitue in guarding the wearer against the charm of witchcraft. I remember, when a Httle boy, during a school vacation in the country, carrying it in my own but- ton hole, with doubled thumb, when under the necessity of passing the residence of a poor decrepit old woman, sus- pected of holding occasional converse with the spiiitual enemy of mankind. Bush of a Wheel, that which is employed to fill up the two great vacancy either in the aperture of the nave or between the nave and the /lurters, that is, knocking shoulder of the axle, from Fr. hcurter, to knock. BusKY, woody, bushy, Lat. boscus. Fr. bosquet, a thicket. How bloodily the sun begins to peer Above yon husky hill — Shak. \st. Hen. IV. Blss, to cb'ess, to get ready. Germ, jndzen, to deck or adorn. Sich aufa bcste 'putzen, to dress to the best advantage. The Scotch have busk, to dress, and busks, dresses. For Geordy aw'd dee, — for my loyalty's trig, And aw own he's a gued leuken mannie ; But if Avor Sir Matthew ye buss iv his wig. By gocks ! he wad leuk just as canny. Song, Canny Newcassel. Bust, v. to put a tar mark upon sheep. Bust, s. the mark itself. But and ben, the outer and inner apartment where there are only two rooms. Many houses on the borders, where the expression is common, ai*e so constructed. V. Jam. ben. Butter and Brede. While the Southerns say, bread and butter, bread and cheese, bread and milk, the Northum- brians place in the reai' that great article — the staff" of life. CADG 35 Butter-fingered, said of persons who are apt to let things fall, or slip through theii* fingers. BuzzoM, or BussoM, a besom or broom. Buy broom hussoms. Buy them when they're new, Buy broom biisso?ns. Better never grew Blind Willie''s Song. Byar, Byer, a house in which cows are bound up — a cow- house. " The mucking of Geordie's byre." V. Jam. Bye-bootings, By-boltings, or Sharps, the finest kind of bran ; the second in quality being called Treet, and the worst Chizzel. Byspelt, a strange, awkward figure, or a mischievous person, always acting contrary to reason, or propriety, as if labour- ing under the influence of a spell. C. CaCK, alvum exonerare. Lat. cacare. Teut. JcacJcen. — Cack, Cackey, from the verb. Cackle, to make a noise like a hen, to giggle. Cadge, to carry. Cadger, to a mill. Teut. ketzen, discurrere. It also means to stuff or fill the belly. Hence a person is said to be cadgy, cheerful, merry, after good eating and drinking. Cadger, a packman or travelling* huckster. Before the for- mation of regular turnpike roads from Scotland to North- umberland, the chief part of the commercial intercourse between the two kingdoms was carried on through the medium of cadgers. Persons who bring fish from the sea to the Newcastle market are still called cadgers. Here cadgers of commerce, commodities cart. With hucksters and hawkers, to Mayor Millar's mart. Song, Framliiigton Fab: 36 CAFF Caff, chaff. Sax. ceaf. Germ, and Dut. kaf. Caingy, peevish, ill-tempered, testy. Cairn, a rude heap of stones found on the summit of hills and in other remarkable situations. Gael. came. On many a ca'irn''s gray pyramid. Where urns of mighty chiefs lie hid. ScoWs Lay ofiJie. last Minstrel. Calf-lick, or Cow-lick, a tuft on the human forehead which cannot be made to lie in the same direction with the rest of the hair. This term nuist have been adopted from a compai-ison with that pait of a calf's or cow's hide, where the hairs, having different directions, meet and form a pro- jecting ridge, supposed to be occasioned by the animals licking themselves. Calf-yard, a person's buth-place, a Newcastle-man's fireside. Aw've leern'd to prefer me awn canny calf-yaird; If ye catch me mair frae't ye'll be cunnun. Song, Canny Newcassel. Call, to abuse. They called one another ! Call, to proclaim, or to give notice by the public crier. To be called at church, to have the banns of marriage published. The ceremony of proclaiming every fail- in Newcastle, which is attended by the officers of the corporation, in state, is denominated calling the fair. Callant, a stripling ; a man clever or much esteemed. Q. Fr. gallant ? Caller, cool, fresh. " Caller herrings" — " caller cocks," or " caller cockles" — " caller ripe grosers" — Newc. cries. Isl. kalldiir, |ngidus. Callet, to scold. — Calleting, saucy, gossiping. — A Callet- I ING Housewife, a regular scold. A callet of boundless tongue. — Shak. Winter^s Tale. CANT 37 Cam, a ridge, hedge, or old earthen mound. Sax. comb, Cammerell, a large stretcher used by butchers. Cample, to argue, to answer pertly and frowardly when re- buked by a superior. Germ, kainpfen, to contend. Caxdle-cap, an old hat without a bruii, with a candle in front, used by butchers. Canker, rust. — Cankered, cross, ill-conditioned. Caxnv, a genuine Newcastle word, applied to any thing supe- rior or of the best kind. It refers as well to the beauty of form as of manners and morals ; but most particulai'ly is used to describe those mild and affectionate dispositions which render persons agreeable in the domestic state. " Canny Newcassel," par excellence, is proverbial. — Canni- NESS, caution, good conduct. God bless the king and nation ! Each bravely fills his station, Our camiy corporation, Lang may they sing, wi' me. Song, The Keel Row. Cant, to upset, to overturn. Bob canted the form, with a kevel, As he was exerting his strength ; But he got on the lug such a nevel, That down he came all his long length. The Collkr''s Pay Week. Cant-dog, an handspike with a hook, used for turning over large pieces of timber. Canting, a sale by auction, proclaimed publicly on the spot where it is to take place. Ital. incanto. Cantv, men-y, lively, cheerful. Su.-Got. ganta, ludificare. " Some canny wee boddie may be me lot, " And aw'll be canty wi' thinking o't." L 4 <.nX / 38 CAP Cap, to overcome in argument, to excel in any feat of agility. Tuet. kappe, the summit. — Capper, one who excels. Capsize, to overturn. Cab-handed, left handed. One of the ancient Kings of Scot- land was called " Kinath-Kerr," or Kinath the left handed. Carl, Karl, a country fellow, a gruiFold man. Sax. ceorl. Isl. karl. Dut. kaerel. Cablings, grey peas steeped all night in water, and fried the next day with butter. They are sei-ved at table, on the second Sunday before Easter, called Cabling Sunday, formerly denominated Care Sunday, which is Passion Sun- day, as Care Friday and Care Week, are Good Friday and Holy Week — supposed to be so called from that being a season of great religious care and anxiety. Carr, flat marshy land ; a pool or lake. Carrock, or CuRROCK, a heap of stones, used as a bounder mark or as a guide for travellers. Also a mountain, ap- pearing at a distance, by which, when the sun appears over it, the country people compute the time of the day. Carry-on-the-War, to keep up or continue fun or mischief after it has once commenced. Ah ! no ; in Heaton cellars they Would rather chuse to be, jVIost jovial, carrying-on-thc-war. All under lock and key ! — Song, BlackcWs Field. Casings, Cassons, Cow-blades, cow dung dried for fuel. Cassen, cast off; as " cassen clothes." — Cassen-top, a top thrown off with a string. Cast, a twist or contortion. Caster, or Castor, a little box ; as 2yepper caster. Wanting in this sense in Todd's John. Cast-up, to upbraid, to reproach. CHAN 39 Cat-haws, the fruit of the white thorn. The larger ones are called 5z///-haws. Cat's-foot, ground-ivy. Catterwauling, wooing, courting ; or rather rambling or in- triguing in the night. Cat-with-two-tails, an earwig. Caud, cold. Teut. kaud, frigidus. Cave, or Kave, to separate, as corn from the straw or chaff. Teut. kaven. Cavel, or Kavel, a lot. Teut. kavel. To Cast Cavels, to cast lots. Teut. kavelcn. Cawkers, the hind parts of a horse's shoe sharpened, and pointed downwards, to prevent the anunal from slipping. Also the iron plates put upon clogs, which see. Lat. calx. Certees, Sarties, certainly. A good old Spenserian word, used also by Shakspeare and others. My certes ! maw sn/iees, upon my faith ! in good truth. " Blue stockings, white clocks, and reed garters, " Yellow breeks, and my slioon, -vvi' lang quarters, " Aw myed wor bairas cry, " Eh ! sarties ! ni ! ni ! " Sic verra fine things had Bob Cranky." Chaffs, Chafts, jaws, jaw-bones, chops. Chamberlye, Chemmerlev, fetid or stale urine. Omitted by both Johnson and Todd, though found in a passage cited from Shakspeare under the word jo7'den. Changeling, a child of a peevish or malicious temper, or dif- fering in looks from the rest of a family — supposed to have been changed, when an infant, by the gipsies. The fairies of old were famous for stealing the most beautiful and witty children, and leaving in their places such as were ugly and stupid. 40 ' CHAP Chap, to knock, as at the door. Scotch. Chap, Chep, a customer. Also a general term for a man, used either respectfully or contemptuously. When aw was drest. It was confest We shem'd the chejps frae Newcassel-o. Song, Swal-cedl Hopping. Chare, a narrow lane or alley. Peculiar to Newcastle, where there are several, particularly on the Quay-side. Sax. cerre, diverticulum. Some, however, think from the word ajar, partly open. Chattered, bruised. Corruption of shattered. Chatter-water, tea. I suppose from chattering or gossiping over it. Whyles, o'er the wee bit cup an' platie, They sip the scandal potion pretty, Burns, Twa Dogs. Cheerer, a glass of spirit and warm water. Not a bad meta- phor. Cheg, or Cheggle, to gnaw or champ a resisting substance. Chieve, to succeed, to accomplish any business. An old word used by Chaucer. Fr. ckevir, to master, Childer, children. The Saxon phu-al termination. Childermass-day, the feast of the Holy Innocents, a festival of great antiquity. An apprehension is entertained by the superstitious that no undertaking can prosper which is begun on that day of the week on which it last fell. Pure Sax. Chimlay, chimney. Chimlay-piece, mantel-piece. — Chimlay-neuk, chimney-cor- ner. Chip, to crack or partly break ; said of an egg when the young bird cracks the shell. Dut. k'qipen, to hatch or disclose. CLAM 41 Chip-of-the-old-Block, a child who in person or sentiments resembles its parents. — Brother-chip, a person of the same trade. Chopp'd, Chapp'd, or Hack'd-hands, frost-bitten hands, Choppixg-boy, a stout bow Dr. John., dissatisfied with Skin- ner's definition of lusty, says, " perhaps a greedy, hungry child, likely to live," which is certainly erroneous, Choul, or Jowl, the jaw. Sax. ceole. Christian-horses, a nickname for sedan-chairmen. Chuck, a shell. Chucks and Marvels, a game among chil- dren. Chucker, Double-chucker. Terms well known among Northern topers. Chuckle-headed, stupid, thick-headed. Churn, or Kern-supper, harvest home. See Mell-supper. Chuse-but, avoid. Clack, excessive talking, clamour. Teut. Mack. Clag, to stick or adhere. Dan. kl. to prate, to tattle. An old word.-^GAB, Gabbing, GoisJ^ ' s. idle talk, prating. Gad, Gaed, a fishing rod. Sax. gad, stimulus. Gadding, gossiping — going about from house to house. Gageb, Gadger, an exciseman. From to gauge, a part of his employment. Gaily, pretty well ; a common answer to^rfie '^al\itation, " How arc you?" — Gay, tolerable. " He's.a'§a^.sort of person." Also considerable. " A gay while'.'Jjc.^ ' v' Gain, aciuious Northumbrian expression, of doubtful etymo- logy, and of various signification, generally attached to other words to express a degree of ccfmparison ; as gain quiet — pretty quiet ; gain brave — tolerably courageous ; gain near — conveniently near or at hand. , Gaitings, single sheaves of corn set up to dry. Isl. gat. for- amen. Gaee, Geyal, to ache with cold ; as the fingers do when frost bitten ; or when very cold water is taken in the mouth. — Also to fly open with heat or dryness, as is often the case with particular kinds of wood, such as holly, box, &c. — The first sense is perhaps from Lat. gelu, frost, cold ; or from Germ, gellen, to tingle. Galley-bauk, a balk in a chimney, with a crook, on which to hang pots, &c. GAUV 70 Gam, to make game of, to quiz, Gant, or Gaunt, to yawn. Sax. ganian. Gan, Gang, to go. Sax. gan. — Gang, a row or set. — Gang- way, a temporary passage or thoroughfare. Sw. gaang, a passage. Gantree, Gantry, a stand for ale or beer barrels. V. Jam. Gar, to make, to force, to compel, " I'll gar you do it." — Dan. giore. Gars, Gurse, grass. Sax. gcsrs. — Gursing, a grazhig, a pas- ture. Garsil, small branches cut for the purpose of mending hedges. Smiilar to rice. Garth, a small inclosure adjoining to a house. Sax. geard, a yard. The church-yard is called the kirk-garth. Gate, Gait, a right of pasturage for cattle. Their straj- or grazing for any specified time. Gate, Gyet, a way, path, or street. In many of the Northern towns the name^ of, streets which end with gate, as Bailiff- gate, Narrow-gate, &c. have no allusion to gates having ever been there. Isl. gata. Gaum, to comprehend, to understand, to distinguish, to consi- der. Moe.-Got. gaumgan. Teut. gauw. GAUMLESis, silly, ignorant, vacant. Gaup, to stare vacantly. " What are ye gauping at." Dut. gaapen, to gape. Gawky, s. a vacant, staring, idiotical person. Sw. gaek. Germ. geek, a fool. Gawky, a. awkward, stupid, foolish. See Gowk. Gauve, to stare about in a clownish manner. Germ, gaffen, adspectare. V. Wachter. Gav£lock, a strong iron bar used as a lever. Sax. gaveloc, catapulta. Su.-Got. gaffla/c, ]a,culi genus apud veteres Sui- ogothos. 80 GAVE Gavy, an ungainly female, " of a strange gait, and of unco man- ners." Gawvison, a simpleton, a gaping silly fellow. Gear, stock or wealth of any kind. " A vast o' gear." Sax. geara. — Gears, draught horse trappings. Geck, to toss the head scornfully. Tent, glecken, ludere. Ged. In the Northern parts of Northumherland, anglers call the pike a ged. We'll crack how mony a creel we've fill'd, How mony a line we've flung, How mony a ged and sawmon kill'd, In day's when we were young. Fisher's Garland, 1824. Gee, an affront, stubbornness. " Took the gee" a common phrase. Geld, to deprive any thmg female of the power of generation. This is its old sense, and is so used by Shak. in the Win- ter's Tale, when Antigonus threatens his three daughters. Its other sense, I believe, is general. Gentles, maggots or grubs, used as bait for fishing. Gesling, a gosling. Su.-Got. gaasling, Gew-gaw, a Jew's harp, the Scotch trump. GiBB, a hook. — Gibbon, Gibby, Gibby-stick, a walking stick with a hook, or the top bent down for a handle ; a nut hook. Gibby-stick, confectionary in that form. Gib-fish, the milter of the salmon. See some very curious in- formation concerning it, in the North Country Angler, p. 39 and seq. Gibraltar-rock, veined sweetmeat — sold in lumps, resembling a rock. GIRD 81 GiF, if. Pure Saxon. GiFF-GAFF, unpremeditated discourse. " Giff-gnff makes good fellowship." Gifts, white specks on the finger nails, presages of felicity, not always realized. V. Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. ii. p. 639. GiGLOT, a giddy laughing girl. Shak. has it in a worse sense. Gilder, Gildert, a snare, made of horse hair or small wire, for catching birds. Sec Bewick's cut of the Tawny Bunting. GUer, deceiver, occurs in Chaucer. Gill, a narrow glen with steep and rocky banks on each side, and with a runner of water between these banks. Lsl. gil^ fissura montium. GiLLABEU, to chatter nonsense. " What are you gillabering about," a true old Northumberland expression. GiMLiCK, a gimlet. — Gimlick»eye, a squint, vulgo, cock-eye, GiMMER, a female sheep from one to two years old. — Gelt- GiMMER, a barren ewe. — A Gimmer-lamb, a ewe lamb. — The word gimmer is also used contemptuously among the lower orders of women in Newcastle. Q. Dut. gemalen? Gimp, or Jimp, spruce, nice in person or manner. Gin, if. Oki. V. Ray. Gin a body meet a body, Coming through the rye ; Gin a body kiss a body. Need a body cry ? — Scottish Ballad. Ginger-pated, Ginger-heckl'd, red haired. Gin.vey-tiv-a-shilling, the confident wager of the Knights of the Cleaver. Gird, Gurd, a hoop. Sax. gyrdel, cingulum. Girdle, a circular iron plate, with a bow handle, on which cakes are baked. In more simple times a slate, called a ji 82 GIRN backstone, was used for the purpose. Su.-Got, grissel. V. Ihre. GiRNEGAVv, the cavity of the mouth. From girn, the old word for, and present northern pronunciation of, grin. GisERS, GuisERs, persons who dance in masks. A custom of great antiquity, not yet obsolete. Teut. guyse-setter, sannio. GiSTiNG, the feeding of cattle, which, in some places, are called gisements ; the tythe due for the profit made by such gist- ing, where neither the land nor the cattle otherwise pay ^ any thing. Old Fr. giste, demeure, habitation, endroit ou Ton couche. Roquefort. Give, to menace or threaten. " I'll give it you." GiZENED, opened, cracked, pined ; as an empty cask exposed to the sun. Isl. gisinn, hiulcus . GizzERN, the gizzard. Fr. gesier. Old mode of spelling. Glaky, giddy, unsteady, playful. Glare, Glaur, dirt, filth. Glave, smooth. Hence, glaver'mg, flattering. Glavering, Glaivering, talking foolishly or heedlessly. Germ, klaffen. Glazener, a glazier. Very common. Glead, a kite. Sax. glida. Su.-Got. glada, mUvus. Glee, Gley, Glead, to squint. V. Ray. Gleek, to deceive or beguile. In this sense is to be reail the expression from Shakspeare, " I can gleek upon occa- sion," misinterpreted by Hanmer and Pope, to joke, or scoff; and given as an example, in Todd's John, under " to sneer," to gibe, to droll upon. Mi-. Lambe, on this passage, sen- sibly remarks, that, " a fool may utter rustic jokes or scoffs ; but it requires some small share of art or wisdom, to beguile or deceive." GOKE 83 Gleg, v. to glance, to look sharp. — Gleg, a. slippery j smooth, so as to be easily moved. Also clever, adroit. Isl. gldggr, acutus, perspectus. Glent, to peep, to glance. Isl. glenna, pandere. Guff, a slight or transient view, a glimpse, a fright. " Eh ! what a gliff I'd getten in the kirk garth, the neet now ! He was sect a tenth in the clecvers that gard him rin se fast." Glime, to glance slyly, to look out at the comer of an eye. Glintin, Glinting, glancing, shining. The Shepherd he's wliistling o'er Barrahurn brae. And the sun beams are glintin far over the sea. Fisher''s Garland, 1823. Gloppen, to' startle, to surprize. — Gloppened, astonished, frightened. Q. Germ, glupen ? Glower, v. to gaze or stare with dilated eyes. Teut. gluyeren, to look asquint. — Glower, s. a broad impudent stare. Glumps, sulkiness. Chaucer has glombe, and Skelton ghcm. — Glumpy, sullen or sour looking. — To sit glouping, to sit silent or stupid. Gob, the mouth ; hence to goblile. " Mump your gob, " scum your gob,"" — low expressions in Newcastle. — Gob-stick, a spoon. V. Moor, p. 146-7. Gob-and-guts like a young Craw, a burlesque expression, dealt out to ignorant people, too fond of talking. Of the same kind is, No Guts in your Brains — gross stupidity. Gobbet, a lump of meat — that which is put into the gob or mouth. — Raw-gobbit, or Goi.burt, an unfledged bird. Figuratively, any imcultivated person. •» GoKE, Gowk, the core of an apple, the yoke of an egg, the in- ner part of any thing. 84 GOLL Collar, Goller, to shout, to speak in a boisterous or mena- cing manner. Goneill, Gonneril, a half-wit, a dunce. Goodman, the husband or master of the house. — Goodwoman, the wife or mistress. Gob, Gore, dirt, any thing rotten or decayed. Pure Saxon. Glaur, has the same meaning. Gossamer, down of plants, cobwebs, vapour arising from boggy or marshy ground, in warm weather. There is an excellent article on this word in the Crav. Gloss. Got, a word called into action on almost every occasion. Ex, She got her bed, and soon got about again. He got to Newcastle, and got back before night. The ship had got on the rocks, and then she was got off, and got into harbour. He got bad, he got worse, Jje got better, and 'then he got well. He got awny at last. . Gotham, a cant name for Newcastle. Heav'n prosper thee, Gotham! thou famous old town. Of the Tyne the chief glory and pride ; May thy heroes acquire immortal renown. In the dread field of INIars, when they're try'd. Song, Kiver Axea'. GowD, GowDV, a toy, or play-thing. V. Todd's Joim. iraud. GowDER, an obscene term ; borrowed, I suppose, from the in- tercourse of foxes. Hence the name of Gowdy-cluue, in Newcastle. Gowk, a fool or simpleton ; the cuckoo. Teut. gauch. — Ai'RiL-GOWK, April fool. GREE 85 GovvpEN, GowpiNG, the hollow of both hands placed together. Isl. gaiqm. Su.-Got. goepn, nianus concava. — Gowpen- FULL, as much as both hands united can hold. " Gold in Gowpens." GowsTY, GowsTLY, ghastly, frightful. Also dismal or uncom- fortable, as applied to a house without ceiling, &c. " What a goiL'sty holcTie lives in." Gradely, decently, orderly. Sax. grad, ordo. Grains, branches ; as the grains of a tree, the grains of a fork. Su.-Got. gren, ramus. Gbaith, to clothe or fiu-nish with any thing suitable. Sax, gereedian. Gbaithixg, clothing. From the verb. Grange, a barn, granary, or store-house. Originally that belonging to the lord of a manor, or to a monastery. Fr. grange. Grape, to feel. Sax. grapian. See, a good article in Moor, Grojje. Grape, a dung fork with three or more prongs. Su.-Got. grepe, tridens. Gravelled, vexed, mortified, perplexed. Grawsome, Growsome, ugly, frightful. Derived by Dr. Wil- lan from groiuse, to be chill ; to shiver, or to tremble with horror. Gray-stones, coarse mill-stones. Fr. groz. rough. Great, Greet, intimate, familiar. Gree, to agree. Old Fr. greer. To " bear the gree^^ to be victorious. Greedy-gut, a voracious eater. — Greedy-hounds, hungry persons. Green-table, the large table in the Guildhall, of Newcastle. 86 GREE The jailor, for trial, had brought up a thief, Whose looks seemed a passport for Botany Bay ; The lawyers, some tvith and some wanting a brief. Around the green table were seated so gay. Song, My Lord 'Size. Greeney, the green grosbeak. Le Verdicr, Buffon. Greet, to cry, to weep. An old word. — Grat, wept. Grey-hen, a large stone bottle. Often used on the borders for holding smuggled whiskey. Fr. bouteille de gres, a stone bottle. V. Moor, grey-beard. Grey-hen, the female of the black-cock. Grime, to mark or daub with soot. This is the only proper meaning of this Shakspearian word. — Grimy, sooty. Grip, to grasp fast by the hand. Sax. gripan, to gripe. Grip, Gruap, Groop, the space where the dung lies in a cow housg, having double rows of stalls ; that is, the opening or hollow between them. Sax. grcBp, a trench or sink. Hence the Javel Grooj}, in Newcastle. Grippy, mean, avaricious, hardly honest. Sax. gripend, ra- piens. Groaning, an accouchement. Etymon plain. Groaning-cake, the cake provided in expectation of the ac- couchement. It seems from time immemorial to have been an object of superstition, and persons have been known to keep a piece for many years. Groaning-chair, the chair in which the matron sits to receive visits of congratulation. Groaning-cheese, or the Sick Wife's Cheese, a large Che- shire cheese provided on the same occasion as the cake. I understand a slice of the first cut laid under the pillow, enables young damsels to dream of their lovers, particularly GUMS 87 if previously tossed in a certain nameless part of the mid- wife's apparel. In all cases it must be pierced with three pins, taken from the child's pincushion. Groats, oats with the hulls taken off, but unground. Sax. grid, grout. Groats were formerly much used in the com- position of black puddings, which see. Hence the northern proverb, " blood without groats is nothing," meaning that family without fortune is of no consequence. A street in Newcastle is called the Groat-in&rket. Grobble, to make lioles. Groser, Grozkr, a gooseberry. Fr. groseille. Lat. grossula. Groves, the refuse of tallow chandlers, made into thick cakes as food for dogs. Gruff, rough, savage, imperious. Su.-Got. grof, crassus. Grumphev, a species of jostling among school boys, in en- deavoiu-ing to hide any thing which one takes from another. GuKST, a ghost. Sax. gast. The streets of Newcastle, it is said, were haunted by a nightly guest, in the shape of a dog, calf, or pig, to the no small terror of such as were afraid of shadows. Their gambols were frequently performed in the neighbourhood of the old " Dog-loup-stairs." GuESTNiNG, an hospitable welcome — a warm reception. Isl. gisting, hospitum. GuiL, or GuiLE-FAT, or Vat, a wort-tub in which the liquor ferments. Dut. gyl-ku'ip. GuLLEY, a large knife used in fiu'm houses, principally to cut bread, cheese, &c. for the family. Perhaps, originally a butcher's, for the gvilet, GuMSHON, Gumption, common sense, combined with energy ; shrewd intelligence ; a superior understanding. An ex- cellent word, of high antiquitj- — referred by Dr. Jamieson to Moe.-Got. gaum-jan, percipere. HAAM H. Haams, HAiMES, Hame-sticks, two pieces of crooked wood attached to a horse's collar. Isl. hals, collum. Teut. hamme koe-hamme, nuniella. Hack, a strong pick-axe or hoe used in agriculture. Dan. hakke, a mattock. Had aa\ ay ! Had away ! go away ; a term of encouragement, I believe, peculiar to the north. Haffle, to waver, to speak unintelligibly. Dut. hakkelen, to falter or stammer. Hag, a sink or mire in mosses, or any broken ground in a bog ; a white mist, similar to dag ; a wood into which cat- tle are admitted ; also a cutting of hanging wood. Haggar-maker's Shop, a public house. Haggis, Haggish, a dish; made sometimes of fruit, suet, and minced entrails, and sometimes only of oatmeal, suet and sugar — stuifed into a sheep's maw and boiled. It was till lately a common custom in many country places, to have this fare to breakfast every Christmas-day ; and some part of the family sat up all night to have it ready at an eai'ly hour. It is now used at dinner on the same day. Sold in the Newcastle market. Ye powers, wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skiiiking ware That jaups in luggies ; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a Haggis ! — Burns. Haggish, an opprobious epithet for a female — partaking, as it were, of the nature of a hag. HALL 85) Hagmexa, Hogmena, a name appropriated to December, and to any gift during that month, especially on the last day. The poor children in Newcastle, in expectation of their hogmena, go about from house to house knocking at the doors, singing their carols, and wishing a merry Christmas and a liappy New Year. " Please will you give us wor hogmena." The origin appears quite uncertain. Some pretend to derive the term from the two Greek words, uyiu firtvvi, holy moon, while others maintain that it is only a corruption from the French, hommc est nc, in allu- sion to the nativity. Hag-worm, the common snake. Coluber natrlv. Hain, to save, to preserve. Haining wood ; Raining land. Hake, to loiter, to lounge, to sneak. Halfers ! an exclamation entitling the person making it to half, or half the value, of any thing found by his com- panion. If the finder be quick he exclauns " no halfers — findee keepee, lossee seekee," to destroy the right of claim. And he who sees you stoop to th' ground, Crils halves ! to ev'rv thing you've found. Savage, Horace to Scteva imitated, Hallabaloo, Hilleuai,oo, a noise, an uproar, a clamour. " Kick up a h'dlehaloor " My eye, what a hUlebaloo /" Halle e'en, Halloween, All Hallow Even, the vigil of All Saints' Day, on which it is customary with young people to dive for apples, or catch at them when stuck upon one end of a kind of hanging beam, at the other extremity of which is fixed a lighted candle, and that with their mouths only, their hands being tied behind their backs. V. Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. i. p. 300. Hallen, the corner at the entry into the house by means of the hecli-door — the partition between the door and the N 90 HALL fire-place. Su-Got haell, the stone at the thresh-hold. — V. Ihre. Hallen-pin, a pin fixed upon the hallen for the purpose of hanging up coats, hats, &c. Hallen-post, the post at the extremity of the sconce. Hallion, a term of reproach. " Ye lang hallion." Haime, Haam, home. A pm-e old word. Sax. ham. Hamshackle, to fasten the head of an animal to one of its forelegs. Vicious cows and oxen are often so tied, espe- cially when dinven to slaughter. Han, plurad for have. This old contraction of haven is not obsolete, as stated by Dr. Johnson. Handy, a small wooden vessel with an upright handle. Hang-gallows, a very worthless fellow — a prophetic allusion to an ignominious end. Hangment. To 'play the hangment, is to be much enraged — to play the very deuce. Hank, v. to fasten, to form into hanks or skains. — Hank, s. a skain of thread, a rope or latch for fastening a gate. Isl. hanlcy a collar or chain. To keep a good hank upon your horse, is to have a good hold of the reins. To make a ravelled hank, to put any thing into confusion. Hank, a habit. From hankering, a strong desire. Hajs'KLe, to twist, to entangle thread, silk, or worsted. Hanniel, a loose, disorderly fellow — one not to be trusted. Hansel, Handsel, the first money received for the sale of goods. The fish women and hucksters in Newcastle re- gularly spit upon what they fii'st receive in a morning to render it propitious and lucky — that it may draw more money to it. Su.-Got. handsoel, mercmionii divenditi primitiae. V. Ihre. Hansel is also the first tcse of any thing ; in which sense, however, I tun inclined to believe it is "eneral. HARR 91 Haxsel-Monday, the first Monday in tlie New Year ; when it is customary to make children and servants a pre- sent. Hantle, much, many. Sw. anted, number ; or perhaps a handfid. Hap, to cover up warmly, as in bed. Sax, heapean, to heap upon. Happen, perhaps, possibly. Happenny, a half-penny. — Happerth, half-penny worth. Happing, a coarse covering, a rug for a bed. Hap-harht, a coverlet for a servant, is a very old word. At the West-gate came Thornton in. With a hap, and a half-penny, and a lamb skin. This is an old saying in Newcastle, in allusion to the cele- brated Roger Thornton — one of its most wealthy merchants and greatest benefactors — who, it is said, came there with only a half-penny in his pocket, and an old ]i(tp2nng on his hack. Hard-corn, wheat or maslin. Probably from being sown before winter. Hardleys, Hardlees, hai'dlj'. Universal among the vulgar. Hare, Harl, a mist or fog. V. Skinner, a sea harr. Harry, to rob, to plunder, to oppress. Sax. hergian. The word, in this sense, is by no means confined to Scotland. V. Todd's Johnson. It is common in Northumberland and Durham, particularly as applied to a bu'd nest ; and being used by Milton, ought to be considered as classical English. The Saxons with perpetual landings and invasions hurried the South coast ^>^ Britain. Hist. Enir. H. n. m HARR IIarrygaud, Habrygad, a blackguard sort of person. Ray says, a wild girl, but I think I never heard it applied to a female. Harstone, Harstane, the hearth stone. Harumstarum, Harumscarum, wild, unsettled — running after, you know not what. Germ. herum-Hchar, a wandering troop ; plural, scharcn, vagabonds. Hash, a sloven, one who does not know how to act or be- have with propriety, a silly talkative person. It is also used in a different sense, though perhaps not local : Brave Prudhoe triumphant shall skim the wide maiii, The hasli of the Yankees he'll settle. And ages hereafler shall serve to proclaim, A Xorthinuberland free o' Newcassel. Song, Northnmberland!' s free of Ncuxasscl, Hask, coarse, harsh, rough, parched. Q. Lat. Jmcere? A linsk ivind is keen and parching. Hash-lips are j)archcd lips. The word is also applied to the sense of feeling, when any thing from its touch appears unpleasantly dry or hard. Coarse worsted is hask to the feeling. Hassock, a stool or cushion to kneel upon, formerly made of rushes. Sw. hwass a rush, and saeck a sack. There is a tract of laud adjoining the Tyne, near Dunston, called the Hassocks, which, it is probable, was once covered witii rushes of which hassocks were made. Hatter, to shake. " I'm all battered to pieces." Haugh, flat or mai'shy ground by the side of a river. Isl. hai^i, ager pascuus. Hauncu, Hainch, to throw ; as a stone from the hand, by jerking it against the haunch. Hause, the neck. A very old word. Sax. hals. HEAR 93 Haver, Haivlk, r. to talk foolishly, to speak without thought. Isl. gifra, blaterare. Haver, or Havver,5. oats. Dut. haver. — Haver, or Havvek- MEAL, oatmeal. — Haver, or Hawer-bread, large, round, thin oaten cakes, baked on a girdle. Haveril, Hoveril, a fool, a half-wit. From haver, haiver, which see. " Parfitly rediccloxis is that haveril thcre?^ Hawk, to expectorate. Welsh, hocld, to throw up phlegm. " Haiuking or spitting." Shak. Haws. See Cat-haws. Hav-makixg. When the grass is first cut, it is called a swede ; when spread out, a terld or teed ; when dried read}' for gathering, a whin-roiv or wind-row. It is ne!xt, particu- larly if the rain threaten, put into a small quantity called a cock ; afterwards into a ktjle, consisting, perhaps, of two or three times as nuich as a cock ; and finally into a pike, containing about half a ton ; in which state it remains until taken from the field to stack. This practice may vary a little in different districts. Haze, to drizzle, to be foggy. V. Ray. Haze-gaze, wonder, astonishment. Heald, to incline, to bend laterally. Heap, a wicker basket. Sax. hip, species. Heap, a good many. " A heap of folks." Hearn, Harn, the name of coarse linen cloth, about New- castle. Heerin, Herrin, Harrin, herring. " Fresh-heerin — fresh- heerin : — four twopence caller herrin — four twopence caller herrin : — here's yor cuddy's-Iegs — here's yor Dum- bar wethers — here's yor Januwury harrin." Cry in the Newcastle market. Heart-scad, any thing disagreeable or contrary to your ex- pectation or wishes ; grieved. 94 HEAR Heartsome, jnerry, cheerful, lively. Heather, heath or ling. — " Heather buzzoms." HEAVisojrE, dark, dull, drowsy. Heck, a rack for cattle to feed in. Su.-Got. haeck. Heck, a latch, the passage into a house. — Heck-door, the inner door — the door from the mell-doors into the kit- chen. — Half-heck, a half, or lower part of a door. Heck-berry, the bird cherry. Prunus padus. Sw. haeggc- haer. Heck-board, a loose board at the back part of a cart. Heckle, to dress tow or flax. — Heckler, a tow or flax-di'csscr. Teut. hekelaer. Heckle, Heckle-flee, an artificial fly for fishing. Heft, a haunt. Su.-Got. haefda. Heifer, a young cow until it has had a calf. Helm-wind, a singular phenomenon so called. Besides other places in Cumberland and Westmorland, it rushes from an immense cloud that gathers round the summit of Cross- Fell — a mountain encompassed with desolate and barren heights — covering it like a helmet. Helter-skelter, in great haste, disorderly. Skinner's deri- vation from Sax. heolster sceado (unless we reject Dr. Johnson's translation and adopt that of Dr. Jamieson), seems to me far fetched ; and that given by Grose, though thought by Mr. Todd a better, is, in my mind, equally fanciful. A friend suggests it may be from hie et aliter. The Crav. Gloss, refers to the Dutch. Well may etymo- logy, in cases like this, be pronounced — eruditio ad libitum. Hemmel, a shed or covering for cattle. Germ. heim. Hempy, mischievous — having the qualities likely to suffer by cat o'nine tails, or by the halter. Applied jocularly to giddy young people of both sexes. HICK 95 Hen-pen, the clung of fowls. The country people sonietmies use it in bouking linen. Sec Bouk. Hen-scrattings, small ciiTuIai' white clouds — said to indicate rain or wind. Herd, a keeper of cattle. Sax. hj/rd. Isl. hirdingi. Hekonsevv, Heronseugh, a heron. Not merely a young one as stated by Mr. Tyrwhitt. V. Skinner, /icrnsAes. I wol not tellen of hir strange sewes, Ne of hir swamies, ne hir Ju-ronsewcs. Chaucer, Sqiiwrcs Talc, Hetter, eager, earnest, keen. Perhaps from /lut. Heuck, hook, a crook or sickle. " The (/iioni (corn) is ready for the heuck." Dut. hoek. Heuck-fingered, thievish. Perhaps only cant. Heudin, a piece of leather connecting the handstafl' of a flail with the swingle. Heugh, a dry dell, a ravine without water. Word went east, and Avord went west. And woi'd is gone over the sea. That a Laidley worm in Spindleston-7/e«^'-Zs, Would niui the North country. The Laidley Worm, Heuph, Hcph, a measure, something less than a peck. Hiccup-snickup, the hiccough. SnecJcup is used by Shak. and Beaum. and Flet. A repetition of the following in- cantation is said to cure this disagreeable convulsion. Hickup-snickup, stand up, straight up ; One drop, two drops — good for the hiccup. Major Moor gives a different version of these lines. Hicklety-picklety, Higgledy-piggledy, intermixed, irregu- lar, in the utmost confusion. 96 HIDE Hide, to beat. " I'll hide your jacket." HiGHT, called. An old word, used by Chaucer, Spenser, and others. Hike, to swing, to put in motion. A nurse hikes her child when she tosses it up and down in her arms. The hiking of a boat. HiKEY, a swing. — Hikey-board, better represented in Bew- ick's tail piece of two monkeys engaged in the sj)ort, Qua- drupeds, p. 484, ed. 1830, than I can pretend to describe it. Hind, a servant or bailiff in husbandi'y. Sax. hineman. Hind-berries, rasps. Sax. hindberian. Lye mis-translated this into fragum ; and the suggestion in Todd's John, of bramble-berries, is also erroneous. Hinder-ends, refuse of corn — such as remains after it is win- nowed. Hinney, Hinny, a favourite term of endearment. Probably a corruption of honey, or it may be from Sax. hina, domes- ticus. " Hinney dear ! what were ye sajin ?" " Was te speaking, hinney ?" " Hinney bairns, be quiet." Where best thou been, maw canny Mnny ? An' where best te been, maw bonny bairn ? Song, Maw Canny Hinny. Hinney how ! an interjectional exclamation of surprize, ac- companied with gladness. Hip, to hitch or hop on one foot. — Hip-step-and-jump, a youthful gambol. — Hinchy-pinchy, something similar. HiPE, to rip or gore with the horns of cattle. Hippings, cloths for infants. To put the hips in. Hiring, a fair or mai'ket at which country servants are hii-ed. Those, who offer themselves, sjtand in a body in the market place, with a piece of straw or a green branch in their mouths to distinguish them. The engagement concluded. HOBT 97 the lasses begin to file off, and pace the streets in search of admirers, while the lads, with equally innocent designs, follow after. Having each picked up a sweetheai't, they retire to different ale-houses, where they spend the re- mainder of the day in a manner that appears highly indeli- cate and unpleasant to a spectator, unaccustomed to these nu'al amusements. HiRPLE, HuRPLE, to halt, to walk lame, to creep. Su.-Got. hwcrjla. Hirst, Hurst, a woody bank, a place with trees. Sax. hurst. V. Spelman, hursta, and Kilian, horscJd, horst. Hirst and Long-hirst, in Northumberland. Hitv-tity, Hoity-toity, haughty, flighty. Fr. haute tite. Hives, water-blebs, an eruption in the skin. Su.-Got. haefwa, to rise up. Hizey Prize y, the court of Nisi Prius. Hob, the side of a fire place. Also a clown ; contracted from Robin. Hob or Nob. Much has been written concerning this north- ern expression. See Grose's Class. Diet.; Brand's Pop. Ant. ; Todd's John. ; and Nares' Gloss. But is it any more than a burlesque translation of tete a tete ? Haiipt is the German word for the head, and knob the ludicrous English word — from knob, a protuberance. Hobble, a scrape, a state of perplexity. Teut. hobbelen. Hobblety-hoy, an uncultivated stripling, " neither man nor boy." Hoyden, with which this term is evidently con- nected, was formerly applied to any mde ill-behaved per- son of either sex. Children call a large unmanageable top, a hobblety-hoy. HoBBLY, rough, uneven. " A hobbly road." HoBTHRUsT, a local spirit, famous for whimsical pranks. In o 98 HOCK some farm-houses a cock and bacon ai'e boiled on Fassen^s- eve (Shrove Tuesday); and if" any person neglect to eat heartily of this food, Hobthrust is sure to amuse himself at night with cramming him up to the mouth with higg- chaff. According to Grose, he is supposed to haunt woods only — Hob o t'hurst. Hockey. Sec Doddart. HoFF, hough, to throw any thing under the thigh. Hog, a one year old sheep. " Wether-hog — ewe-hog." Nor- man Fr. hogctz. HoGGERS, upper stockings without feet, like gaiters. HoGH. Both a hill and a hollow. V. Johnson. Hole in the Coat, a blemish in character or conduct. " Aiv'l get a hole in yor coat." Holm, in Saxon generally signifies the sea or a deep water ; but it is frequently used with an adjective to designate an insular situation. Dry grounds nearly surroundetl by the course of rivers, or situated in low places by their edge, are often called Holms : — The holms on Ullswater and Windermere. — Dunholm, a name of Durham. Holt, a peaked hill covered with wood. Sax. holt, lucus. HoLY-STONEs, holed-stones, are hung over the heads of horses as a chai-m against diseases : — such as sweat in their stalls are supposed to be cured by the application. I have also seen them suspended from the tester of a bed as well as placed behind the door of a dwelling-house, attached to a key — to prevent injm'y from witches. The stone, in all cases, must be found naturally holed — if it be made it has no efficacy. See Adder-Stones. Honour-bright! Bet Watt ! a protestation of honour among the vulgar ; originating with, and still retained in com- memoration of, a late well-known Newcastle worthy. HooR, a whore. Sax. liure, meretrix. HOT 99 Hop, v. to dance. Sax. hojrpan. Teut. happen. This is the original sense. Though unnoticed by the great Lexico- grapher, it has not escaped his able editor, Mr. Todd. — Hop, s. a dance. See Hoppen, Hopping. Hope, a small brook, or the valley through which a brook may run ; as Stanhope, Bollihope, &c. Durham. Hoppen, Hopping, a country wake or rural fair ; several of which are held in the immediate neighbourhood of New- castle. To horse-race, fair, or hopp'm go, There play our casts among the whipsters, Throw for the hammer, lowp for slippers. And see the maids dance for the ring. Or any other pleasant thing ; F*** for the pigg, lye for the v.'hetstone. Or chuse what side to lay our Letts on. Joco-tcr'wus Discourse. Idwcen a NortlmmberJcind Gen- tleman am] his Tenant, a Scotchman. Hopple, or Hoffle, to tie the legs together. Horney, Horxey-top, the end of a cow's horn made like a top for boys to play with. Horney, or Horney -way, an untruth, a hoax. " By the hornet/ way." Horse-coupek. See Coup, Cowp. Horse-godmother, a large masculine wench. Horse-shoes, the game of coits, or quoits. Hot, a sort of square basket formerly used for taking manure into fields of steep ascent. The bottom opened by two wooden pins to let out the contents. I have heard old people say, that between the confines of Yorkshire and Westmorland, it was common for the men to occupy them- selves in knitting, while the women were engaged in the sei*vile employment of carrying these hots on their backs. loo HOTP HoT-PoT, wanned ale with spirit in it. HouGHER, the pubHc wliipper of criminals, tlie executioner of felons, in Newcastle. lie is still a regular officer of the town, with a yeai'ly salary ; and is said to have obtained this name from a power he had formerly of cutting the houghs, or rather the sinews of the houghs, of swine that were found infesting the streets. In the Gloss, to Doug- las's Virgil, to hoch, from Sax. hoh, is rendered " suffragines succidere," to hamstring. HoAVDON-PAN-CANT, an awkward fall, an overturn. — Howdon- PAN-CANTER, a slow ungraccful canter. Holt! Hout-away ! an exclamation of disbelief or disappro- bation. Pshaw ! HowDV, HovvDY-wiFE, a midwife. Brand sneers at the de- rivation from " How d' ye — midwives being great goss- ipers," but I think that which he supplies is far more ridi- culous. I have not been fortunate enough to discover any original to my own satisfaction, but I may perhaps be per- mitted to observe, in defence of what has been so much ridiculed, that " How d' ye," is a natural enough salutation to a sick woman from the midwife ; who, by the way, is called in German die wehmiitter, or the oh dear mother. As it is with antiquaries, so I fear with etymologists — ancient woman, " whether in or out of breeches," will occasionally betray themselves. HowK, to dig, to scoop. Su.-Got. holka, cavare. Howl, a hollow or low place. " Wherever ther&'s a hill there's sure to be a howl." Sax. hoi, latibulum. — Howl- kite, a vulgar name for the belly. HovvLET, Jenny-howlet, the common or tawny owl. Fr. hulotte Also a term of reproach. Adder's foi'k, and blind worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and howlcfs wing. — Shuk. Macbeth. HUNK 101 HowsoMivvER, HowsoMNiv\ER, howevcr. Hovv'wAY, come away ; a term of solicitation very common in Newcastle. Hoy, to heave or throw, as a stone. HoYT, an awkward ill-bred youth. Hubby-shew, Hubby-shoo, a disturbance, a noise, a state of confusion. Teut. hobbelen, inglomerare ; schowe, specta- culum. Hud, the side of the fire place within the chimney. Pans not in use are placed on the " hud stane." HuDDiCK, HuDDOCK, the cabin of a keel or coal barge. Dut. hut. 'Twas between Hebbron and Jarrow, There cam on a varry Strang gale. The skipper luick'd out o' th' hnddock. Crying, 'smash, man, lower the sail ! Song, The Little Pee. Dee. Huddle, to gather together, to embrace. Germ, hudeln. Huff, v. to offend. " She's easily huffed." — Huff, s. offence. « He's in the huffl" Hug, to carry, especially if difficult. " Had and hug^t away," HuGGERMUGGERiNG, doing any thing in a confused, clandestine, or unfair manner. V. Todd's John, and Nares' Gloss. Hulk, a lazy, clumsy fellow. Shak. has " the hulk Sir John." — " You idle lazy pay-wife hiUk." — Neivc. Hull, a place in which fowls, &c. are confined for the purpose of fattening. Humble. To humble barley, to break off" the beard or awns. Su.-Got. hamla, to mutilate. Allied to this, is a hummel- led-coiv, a cow without horns. Hunkered, elbowed, crooked. " This wheat is sadly hunker- ed." 103 HUNK Hunkers, haunches. This word seems used by the Northum- brian vulgar only in the sense of sitting on the hunjcersy that is, with the hams resting on the back part of the an- kles, the heels generally being raised from the ground. — Such is the position of a woman milking a cow, which in Durham is called hencoivr fashion, probably from hen and cnuver, to sit on eggs — from the position of a brooding hen. A friend of mine connected with a colliery, where a child had been injured, enquii-ing of the father how the accident happened, received the following answer, which I cm in- duced to give as a specimen of Pit language : — " It was sitten on its hunkers howking glinters fra mang the het ass, when the lowe teuck its claes, and brant it to the van'y a*se," i. e. it was sitting on its haunches digging vitrified shining scoria from among the hot ashes, when the flame took its clothes, and burnt it to the very buttocks. HuNT-THE-HARE, a game among children — played on the ice as well as in the fields. HiRTER, the shoulder of the axle against which the nave of the wheel knocks, Fr. heurter, to knock. Hurtle, to contract the body into a round form, as through pain, severe cold, &c. HusE, Hauste, a short cough, a hoarseness. Sax. hwosta, tussis. Hutch, a chest. The Town's Hutch, in the Guildhall of Newcastle, is a fine old chest, on which the chamberlains transact their business. Fr. huche. "Why dost thou converse with that trunk of humours, that bolting-A«M of beasthness, that swollen parcel of dropsies, that huge bombard of sack. Shak. I. Hen. IV. INT A 103 HuTHERiKiN-LAD, ti ragged youth — u sort of Houjblety-hoy, which see. Huz, Uz, ive as well as us. Very common. Hyel, Hale, whole. Isl. hcUl. Su.-Got. hel, totus. I ICE-SHOGGLE, ail icicle. Sax. ice-icel. Dut. yskegel. Mi'. Todd has admitted icide, on the authority of Grose. I'fakins, in faith — a frequent asseveration. Shak. uses i faith, in the Merry Wives of Windsor. Ill, v. to reproach, to speak ill. — Ill-willed, a. malevolent, ill-natured. Isl. Ulvilie, malevolentia. Inclixg, Inkling, a desire, an imperfect hint or intimation — written by Mrs. Hutchinson (Memoirs, 4to. p. 357) inclin. Etymologists have differed as to the derivation of this word. It may be from Fr. un clin (d'oeil) a wink, if not from Su.- Got. iJbincka, connivere. Income, any swelling or other bodily infirmity, not apparently proceeding from any external cause — or which has formed unexpectedly. Ancome,'m the same sense, is an old word. Indifferent, tolerably, in pretty good health. Ing, a meadow. The word, however, seems to be chiefly ap- plied to moist ground, or such as is subject to occasional overflowings. It also often occurs in the names of places. Common to the Sax. Dan. and other languages. Ingle, a fire, or flame. Gael, aingeal. V. Todd's Jiohn. Inkle, an inferior kind of tape. " Beggars inkle." Insense, to understand ; to have sense infused into the mind. V. Nares' Gloss. Intack, an inclosure. A part taken in from a common. 104 IS Is, the third person singular of /o be, is ahnost constantly used among the vulgar for the first and second persons. " /y sui-e, thou is" — am sure, thou art. IscA ! IsCA ! or Iska ! Iska ! a Northumbrian shepherd's call to his dog. Sc. isk, iskie. Mr. Lambe, in his Notes on Flodden Field, p. 66, fancifully observes, that this term is evidently an abbreviation of Li/cisca, the name of the Roman shepherd's dog. multum latrante Lycisca — Virg. Ed. 3. With greater verisunilitude it has been said, that it is from Fr. icy, hither ; the word used in France for the same pui'pose. Dr. Jamieson, however, remarks that Teut. aes, aesken, and Germ, ess, signify a dog. Iv, in. — Intiv, into. Very general. IzzARD, the letter Z. Jabber, gai-rulity. From the verb, which is very old. Jack, a young male pike, under a foot in length. Jackalegs, Jockelegs, a large clasped knife. Generally con- sidered to have obtained this name from Jacques de Liege, a famous Flemish cutler. Jackey, English gin, of which some of the " good folks" in Newcastle partake rather freely. Jagger-galloway, a pony with a peculiar saddle for canying lead, &c. Jag, is a Scotch word (or job j and Moor has jag, a waggon load. Jaistering, swaggering. It is common to call a person of an airy manner, " a jaisteiing fellow" — " a jaistering jade." Jam, v. to squeeze into ; to render firm by treading. JEWE 105 Jam, Jaum, s. jamb. Jannock, leavened oat bread. See Bannock. Jarble, to wet, to bedew ; as by walking in long grass after dew or rain. Jar-woman, an occasional assistant in the kitchen — a sort of char-woman. Called also a Heigh-how, from a notorious propensity to all kinds of low gossip. Jasey, Jazey, a worsted wig. A very old-fashioned article, still worn by some octogenarians. Jaunis, Jaunus, the jaundice. Fr. jauiiisse. Jaup, v. to move liquid irregularly. " The water v/ent jauping in the skeel." Also to chip or break by a gentle, though sudden blow. It is customary at Easter, when paste-eggs ai'e in vogue, to jaup two of them, by hitting the ends to- gether. " Aw II jaup oiiny body narrow enders." He whose egg does not break is entitled to have the other. Jaup, s. the sound of water agitated in a narrow or irregular vessel. Isl. gialfur, a hissing or roaring wave. Jaw, noisy speech, coarse raillery. " Had yor jaw" — hold your tongue. Jee, Jye, wry, crooked. " Jee-wye." Sw. gaa, to turn round. Jeeps, a severe beating — a sound thrashing. Jenk, to jaunt, to ramble. Vrom junket, to feast secretl}'. Jevvei,, an expression of affection — familiar regard. Fr. mon joie, my darling, maiv jewel J Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Cordelia leaves you. — Shak. King Lear. With am'rous looks, he calls her jewel. And said, — How can you be so cruel ? The Cullier's IFcddiuM: 106 JIBL JiBLETs, or Giblets, " the parts of a goose which are cut oft" before it is roasted," Todd's John. But it is the inside as well. Old. Fr. gibelez. In Newcastle they call Avhat is taken from one goose, a ^)«j/- of jiblels. At Christmas, hardly any person, however poor, is without &j'Metj)ie. Jiffy. " Jv a jiffy" — in a moment, in an instant. Jigger, an airy swaggering person. " A comical jigger." Per- haps, originally, one disposed or suitable to a jig. Jim, Jimmy, s. James. Jim, JiMJfY, Jim I', a, slender, neat, elegant. Q. Su.-Got. skampt ? JiMMER, a small hinge for a closet door or desk. See an expla- nation of jimvicrs, with which the gimmal ring is thought to be connected, in Brand's Pop. Ant. vol, ii. p. 27. Also Nares' Gloss, gimmal, and Moov,jimmers. Jin, Jinny, Jinney, Jane. JiNGLE-CAP, shake cap. Much practised among the young pit- men and keehnen. JiNKKRS, BY JiNKERS, a sort of tlcmi-oath. A vaiiation of jingo. JiNNY-spiNNER,or Long-legg'd-tyalyur, a vcry long slender- legged spider or fly. Jinny-spinner, a play-thing among children. See a long list of juvenile games, many of which are common in the North, in Suff. Words, move all. Jobation, Juration, a lecture or reprimand. Jock and Jock's-man, a juvenile si)ort, in which the follower is to repeat all the pranks the leader can perform. Joggle, to shake, to totter, to cause to totter. Teut. schocke- len, vacillare. Jog-trot, an inactive, or any peculiar line of conduct, pertina- ciously adhered to. Perhaps adopted from the jog-trot pace of the Northumbrian fai'mers. JUMP 107 JoixiFiCATioN, a scene of festivity, or merriment. " A regular jollification." Jolly, stout, large in person. " A jolly landlady." Also hearty, jovial. " A jolly fellow." JooKiNGS, corn beat out of the sheaf in throwing off the stack ; often a perquisite to those who assist in carrying the sheaves into the barn. Jorum, a pot or jug. Chaucer has Jordane, and Shakspeare Jorden. The horrible crew. That Hercules slew. Were Poverty — Calumny — Trouble — and Fear : Such a club would you borrow, To drive away sorrow. Apply for a jorum of Newcastle beer. Song, Newcastle Berr. Joseph, a riding coat or habit, with buttons in front ; worn by ancient dames — not bluestockings. JouKREY-PAUKEREY, any sort of underhand trick or dexterous artifice ; legerdemain. Jowl, v. to knock, or rather to give a signal by knocking. Jowl, s. the head. " Cheek by jowl" — close together. JoAVL OF Salmon, the head and shoulders. If split it is called a single jowl. JuJiBLEMENT, confusion. From the verb. Jumps, a kind of easy stays. ¥r.juj)pe. JuMP-wiTH, JuMP-iN-wiTH, to meet with accidentally, to coin- cide. Jump occurs several times in Shakspeare ; mean- ing in some places to agree with, in others to venture at, or hazard. In one place it appears to be intended for just. 108 K.\E Kaf ! a common interjectional expression of disbelief, con- tempt, or abhorrence. — Neuw. I can only refer to the lan- guage oi jack-daws for its etymology. Jack-daws, kaiv'mg and fluttering about the nests, set all their young ones a-gaping ; but having no- thing in their mouths but air, leave them as hungry as before Locke. Kail, Kale, cabbage, greens ; also broth or pottage. — North. Isl. kal. Dan. kaal. Welsh, cawl. — Kail-pot, a large metal pot for culinaiy purposes. " As black as a kail-pot." Kairn, a heap of stones, a rude moniunent, — See Cairn. We the adjacent mountains all discern, "With each his head adorned with a kairn. Cheviot, a Poem, p. b. KjVSIstary, mad. Perhaps the same as Sc. camsterie, cams- tairie, frowai'd, perverse, unmanageable ; ; which Dr. Jam. derives from Germ, kamp, and starrig, stiff; or it may be a sort of pleonasm, from cam, which in Gael, is applied to any thing crooked or awry, and stary, staring, wild-looking. Karl-cat, a male cat. Dut. kaerel, a fellow. Kedge, to fill. Hence Kedge-belly, a large protuberant body, a glutton. Kee, Kee-side, empkaticalhf the Newcastle Quay, extending from Tyne Bridge to the end of Sandgate. Fareweel Tync Brig and cannie Kce, Where aw've seen monny a shangey. Blind Willey, Captain Starkey, tee — Bold Archy and great Hangey. Glkhrisl, Voyage toLunnhi. KEEL 109 Keek, to peep, to look with a prying eye, to view. Su.-Got. heka. Dut. k\jhen. Keel, to cool, to render cool. Sax. ccelan, algere. Sir Thos. Hanmer — at best but a sorry expounder of our immortal bard — in attempting an explanation of While greasy Joan doth keel ttu; pot. Shak. Love''s Lahour's Lout. Strangely says, " to drink so deep, as to turn up the bot- tom of the pot, like turning up the keel of a ship .'" Ma- jor Moor is equally at fault : — he thinks " scouring the pot with its bottom inclined conveniently for that opera- tion ; or keeling it in the position of a ship rolling so as to almost shoiv her keel out of the water." V. SuflT. Words, killer or keeler. The expression " keel the pot," really means neither more nor less than to render it cool ; that is, to take out a small quantity of the broth, &c. and then to fill up the pot with cold water ; a common practice in Northumberland. The word, however, as shewn by the examples from Gower and Chaucer, quoted by Mr. Todd, is not confined to the kitchen. Keel, Red-Keel, ruddle, decomposed iron used for mai'king sheep, &c. Gad. oil. Fr. chaille. Jamieson. Keels, the vessels or barges in which coals are carried from the colliery-staiihs to the ships, in the Tyne and Wear. Keel is a very ancient name of Saxon origin for a ship or vessel — ceol, navis. On the first arrival of the Saxons they came over in three large ships, styled by themselves, as Verstegan informs us, keeles. In the Chartulary of Tynemouth Monastery, the servants of the Prior who wrought in the barges (1.378), are called kelcm, an appella- tion plainly synonimous with the present keelmen. 110 KEEL Keel-Bullies, keehnen, the crew of the keel— the pai'tners or brothers. See Bully. Keel-Deeters, the wives and daughters of the keehnen, who sweep the keels, having the sweepings of the small coals for their pains. To deet, in northern language, means to wipe or make clean. Keelage, keel dues in port. This word is in Todd's John, but in too limited a sense. Keen. The hands are said to be keened with the frost, when the skin is broken or cracked, and a sore induced. Ktbcy explained by Johnson, " an ulcerated chilblain, a chap in the heel caused by the cold," occurs several times in Shakspeare. Keep-the-pot-boiling, a common expression among j'oung people, when they are anxious to carry on their gambols vnth spirit. Kelds, the still parts of a river which have an oily smooth- ness while the rest of the water is ruffled. I have only heard this word on the Tyne, and confined to the mean- ing here given ; but I am informed that in Westmorland and Cumberland old wells are also denominated kelds, and that there is a place in the parish of Shap called Keld, from a fine spring in it — also Gunnerkeld. Isl. kelda, palus. Since this was written I find keld, a well, in Crav. Gloss. Kelk, v. to beat heartily. — Kelk, Kelker, s. a severe blow. Kelps, ii'on hooks from which boilers are hung. Kelter, frame, order, condition. V. Todd's John. It also means money, cash. Germ. geld. Kemp, to strive against each other in reaping corn. Sax. camp'mn, militare. Tent, kampen, dimicare. — Kempers, the competitors. According to Verstegan, the word is of noble descent. V. Rest. Decayed Intell. 8vo. p. 233. KERN 111 Kemps, hairs among wool, coarse fibres. KjEn, to know, to be acquainted with. Su.-Got. kacnna. Sax. cennan. Dut. kennen. " Aw kent him weel" — 1 knew him well. 'Tis he, I ken the manner of his gait. Shak. Trailus and Cixssida. Kennen, Kenning, a measure of two pecks. Kenspecked,Kenspacked, Ken speckled, Kenspackled, con- spicuous, marked so as to be easily recognized or kenned. V. Skin, and Jam. Rep, to catch, to receive any thing in the act of falling. Sax. cepan. Teut. keppen, captai'e. Keppy-Ball, hand-ball. In former times it was customarj', every year at Easter and Whitsuntide, for the mayor, al- dermen, and sheriff of Newcastle, attended by the bur- gesses, to go in state to a place called the Forth — a sort of mall — to countenance, if not to join in the play oikeppy- ball, and other sports. The Esprit dc corjjs is gone, though the diversion is still in part kept up by the young people of the town ; but it would of course, in these altered times, be considered highly indecorous to " unbend the brow of authority" on such an occasion. Puerile, however, as it may seem, there was a time — if we may credit Belithus, an ancient ritualist — when the bishops, and even arch- bishops, of some churches, used to play at hand-ball with the inferior clergy. — Tempora mutantur, et nos mutanuir in illis. Kern, v, to chum. Sax. cernan. Teut. kernen. Kern, s. a churn. Teut. kerne. Also a hand-mill for grind- ing corn, from Teut. queme ; perhaps the right mode of spelling the word in this sense. 112 KERN Kern-Baby, an image dressed up with corn at a harvest home. Something similar to the maiden described by Jam. See Mell-Doll. Kern, Korn, or Kurn-Milk, butter-milk. Teut. kern-melch, " Will you hev onny kern-milk," — Newcastle cry ; nearly extinct. Rersen, to christen. Dut. kerstenen. Pish, one goodman Caesar, a pump maker, KerserCd him — Beaum. ^ Fkt. Wit at sev. Weap. Kersmas, Crissenmas, Christmas. Kesh, Kex, the hollow stem of an umbelliferous plant. Kyx, a hemlock, occurs in Peirs Ploughman. Keslip, Reslop, the calPs stomach salted and dried for ren- net. Sax. ceselib, coagulum. Germ, kaselab, rennet. Kase is cheese, and laben is to help, strengthen or quicken. See Yerning. " Kittle yor keslop" — a Newcastle trope for a chastisement. " Warm yor kesloji^—a metaphor for a hot-pot. Ket, carrion, any sort of filth. Su.-Got. koett. — Kettv, filthy, dirty, worthless. " A ketty fellow." Kevel, a large hammer for quarrying stones. Kick, the top of the fashion — quite the go. Q. Isl. k(Ekr, ges- tus indecorus ? " Jack-thc-kick" — a fellow just the thing. Kidney, disposition, principles, humour. A man of my kidney. Sliak. Mcr. Wives of Windsor. Talk no more of brave Nelson, or gallant Sir Sidney, 'Tis granted they're tai's of a true British kidney. Song, Newcastle Bellman. Kidney-Tatie, a long kind of potatoe, much cultivated in the neighbourhood of Newcastle. // ,1 KIRK 113 KiLLJCOup, a summerset. Probably from Fr. cul-a-cap, tail to head — head over heels. " Eh ! what a killicoup the preest has getten out o'is wee bit gig-thing there !" Kill-priest, a jocular name for port wine — from which a very irreverent inference is drawn. But, as Shakspeare says. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used ; exclaim no more against it. OthelU). Kilt, to truss up the clothes — to make them lilie the Scotch Idlt. Dan. kilte-op. Kind, intimate — not kind, at enmity. See Thick. King's-cushion, a sort of seat made by two persons crossing their hands, on which to place a third. Kink, v. to laugh immoderately, to labour for breath as in the hooping cough. Teut. kichen, kincken, difiiculter spirare, — Kink, s. a violent or convulsive fit of laughter or cough- ing, especially when the breath is stopped. See Kin- cough. Kin-cough, Kink-cough, Ching-congh, or King-cough, thehoop- ing-cough. Sax. cincung, cachinnatio. Teut. kinck-hoest, asthma. The ignorant and the superstitious have va- rious fooleries, for cm-ing or alleviating this epidemic dis- order — such as eating a mouse-pie, or hanging a roasted mouse round the neck — dipping the persons aiFected nine times in an ope?! grave, or putting them nine times under a pie-bald horse — bread baked on a Good Friday before sun-rise — and perhaps others that may have escaped my recollection. Kirk, a church. An old Eng. word from Sax. c^rce, still re- tained in Noithumberland. — Kirk-Garth, the church Q 114 KIST yard. — Kirk-Master, a church warden. Teut. Icerk- maester. — Kirk-folk, the congregation. KiST, a chest. Common to Sax. Su.-Got. Germ. Dut. and Welsh. Kisses, small confections or sugar plums. Perhaps the same as Shakspeare's kissing-comfits. See Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 5, Sc. 5, Kit, properly a covered milking pail with two handles, but often applied to a small pail of any sort. Also a wooden vessel in which pickled salmon are sent to London. Like- wise the stool on which a cobbler works. Kit, a set or company, generally in a contemptuous light. " The whole kit." Applied sometimes to things as well as to persons. Kitchen Physic, substantial fare — good living — opprobrium medicorum. Throw physic to the dogs, I'll none of it. Shak. jMacbeth. In jest ; no offence in the world. Shak. Hamlet. Kite, the belly. Allied to Moe.-Got. quid, and Su.-Got. qwed, venter. Bag-kite and j^od-kitc, ai'e ludicrously ap- plied to persons with larger capacities than common. " Running to kite" — becoming corpulent. Kith, acquaintance. Sax. cytke. Not obsolete as stated in Todd's John. Kith and kin, friends and relations. Kittle, v. to tickle, to enliven. Sax. cilelaii, titillare. Dut. kittelen. Teut. kitzelcn. Kittle, v. to bring forth kittens. A very old word, written in Palsgrave, kytielL V. L'eclaircissement de la Lang, Fran9. KTZO 115 Kittle, a. ticklish, difRcult. " hiUle wark" " O mony a time, my lord," he said, I've stown a kiss f'rae a sleeping wench ; But for you I'll do as Idtih: a deed. For I'll steal an auld lurdane afF the bench. Christie's Will. In witty songs and verses kittle, Who can compare with Thomas Whittle ? Henry Rohson. This word has other meanings ; as kittle iveather — change- able weather ; a kittle question — such as it is inconvenient or impolitic to answer ; a kittle horse — one unsafe or not easily managed. Kittling, a kitten. An ancient word. Palsgrave, kytlynge. Prompt. Parv. Cler. kytUnge, catellus. Jidiana Barnes has kendel of cats, a litter of cats. KiTT, Kitty, a diminutive of Christopher, as well as of Ca- therine. Kitty, the house of con-ection. Neiucastle. Su.-Got. kcetta, includere. Germ, ketten, to fetter. Kitty-cat, a puerile game, described by Moor. V, Suftl Words, kit-cat. Strutt mentions a game, which used to be played in the North, called tip cat, or more properly cat. V. Sports and Pastimes, p. 86. Kittv-wren, or Jenny-wren, the Nvren — the reputed consort of the robin-red breast. " The robin and the wren " Are God's cock and hen." Kizoned, or KizzENED, parched or dried. Children are said to be so, when, from a weakness or pampered appetite, they loathe their food. " Kizen'd meat" — meat too much roasted. Q. Isl. gisna, hiascere ? 116 KLIC Klick-Hooks, large hooks for catcliing salmon in the day time. V. Crav. Gloss. Knack, to speak affectedly, to ape a style beyond the speaker's education. — Knackit, Nackit, one quick at repartee, a clever child. K\ACK-AND -RATTLE, a quick and noisy mode of dancing with the heels. He jumps, and his heels kuack mid rattle. At turns of the music so sweet ; He makes such a thundering brattle, The floor seenis afraid of hi.-^ feet. T/ir Corners' Pay Week. Knack-knee'd, in-kneed — knees that knnck or strike ag;iinst each other in walking. Kn'auG"!, pointed rocks, or rugged tops of liills. V. Ihre, hnagglig. Knaggy, testy, ill-humoured, waspish. Knaw, v. to know. " Aw knaw" — I know. Hee Know. Kmfle, to steal, to pilfer. Q. Celt, cneijiu, to shear. Knocking-trough, a conical trough in which the rind is beat off barley with a mallet. Knoll, Knowl, Knowe, the top of a hill, a bare rounded hillock. Sax. cnolle. Teut. knolle. Know. " You know, you knaw." — " D'ye ken — I'll tell you now" — " what's my opinion to think — I cannot say — I dinna ken." — " what does he say, good man f — where hez he been, good man ?" — Here good man is not the case of calling, but is put in opposition to he. This is a mode of expression peculiar to the Nortli. Knaki,. :i luiuch-backed or dwiirfisli man. Old F.ng. khiirif, a knot. LAD 1 1 / KuN, CuK. " T cun you no thanks" — I do not acknowledge myself obliged to you, Dur. Is it from Gtrni. konueii, to know, as savoir grc, in French ? Kl"ss, to kiss. Welsh cusan. Kye, plural of cows, kine. Sax. ci/, vacca. Kyloe, a small Scotch breed of cattle, said to be fi-oni ht/le, a Graelic word for a ferry — over which they ai'e transported. But may it not be from Germ, kuk-klein, a small cow ? L Labbering, struggling in water, as a fish when caught. Jo- cosely applied to a great legal luminarif, who unlbrtunately slipped into the watery element a few yeai's ago. " Aw was sctten the keel, wi' Dick Stavers an' IMat, An' the Mansion-house Stairs we were just alangside. When we aw three see'd sumthing, but didn't ken what. That was splashing and lahbcring aboot ith the tide." «' It's a flucker !" ki Dick ; " Xo," ki Mat, " its owre big. It luick'd mair like a skyat when aw first see'd it rise :" Kiv aw — for awd getten a gUff o' the -wig- Odds mercy ! Wye, marrows, becrike it's Lord ^She. Song, My Lord ^Size. Lace, to beat or flog. " I'll lace your jacket." — Lacing, a beating. " Aufl gie yc a good ladng'ya&t now." Laced, mixed with spirits, as tea or coffee, to which some " ancient dames" are partial. Lackits, small sums of money — any odd things. Lad, a boy ; originally a man, from Sax. leode, people. Lang- land — the reputed author of the Visions of Peirs Plough- man — one of our earliest writers, uses laddc, in its primi- tive sense ; from which no doubt proceeded lasse, lass. — In Scotland, I have heard a person 50 years old, called a lad — but he was in a state of single blessedness. 118 LAD Lad, Laddie, a lover, a sweetheart. " That's maw lad, izint he a bonny fellow." May aw the press-gang perish. Each lass her laddie cherish, Lang may the Coal Trade flourish. Upon the dingy Tyne. Song, Tlie Keel Row. Lafter, Lawter, as many eggs as a hen will lay before she incubates. Teut. legh-tyd, tempus quo gallinae ova pariunt. Laggins, staves. V. Ihre. lagg. Laidly, Laidlev, uglj', loathsome, foul. Sax. laithlk. " I will her liken to a laidley worm." Lainch, a long stride. " What a lainch he has." Lair, mire, dirt. To he laired, to stick in the mire. Isl. leir. Su.-Got. ler. Laird, " the lord of a manor in the Scottish dialect." — Dr. John. This is its old meaning; but it is now a common name in Northumberland and Cumberland for a proprietor of land, without any relation to manorial rights. " He rides like a Bambro'shii-e laird — one spur, and a stick in his opposite hand." Lake, v. to play. Sax. lacany ludere. Moe.-Got. laikan, exul- tare. Peirs Ploughman, layke. — La king, s. a play-thing. Lake-wake, Late-wake, the watching of a corpse previous to interment. Sax. lie, a body, and wacian, to watch. V. Jam. lyk-waik. Lam, Lamb, to beat soundly. " Aw^l lamb yor hide" " Lamb them, lads; lamb them !" — a cant phraseof the time, derived from the fate of Dr. Lambe, an astrologer and quack, who was knocked on the head by the rabble in Charles the First's time. PeverU of Hit Peak, voL iv. p. 152. LAST 119 The great known unknown tiipx a little here. The word is used in two or three of the plays of Beaumont and Flet- cher, ti'iitten before the conjuring Doctor's catastrophe, which did not happen until 1628. Besides, the derivation seems obviously from Isl. lem, verberare, or Teut. lompen, infligere. Lam-pay, to correct; principally applied to children. La>i, or Lamb, and its diminutive Lammie, favourite terms of endearment. " Maiv bonny Imn," " maw canny lammie." Lameter, Lamiter, a cripple. " He'll be a lameter for life." Lang, long. — Lang, Langsome, tedious, tiresome. Sax. lang- sum. — Langsowness, tediousness. Lang-length> the whole length. " He fell down aw his lang length" Lang-saddle, or Settle, a long wooden seat, with a back and arms, usually placed in the chimney corner in country houses. Langsyne, long since. Sax. longc siththan, din exinde. See Avld-lang-syne. Lant, the game of loo. — Lantered, looed. — Lanters, the players. Lap, preterite of leap. See Loup. Lap-up, to give up, to relinquish. Lapstone, a cobl)ler's stone, on which he hammers his leather. Lare, learning, scholarship. Pure Saxon. — Lare-father, instructor. Lasche, cold and moist — not actually rain. V. Moor, lash or lasky. Lashigillavery, Lusheygilavey, plenty of meat and drink; a superfluity. Probably from lavish. Last, a measure of corn — 80 bushels. Sax. hlcest. Su.-Got. laest. 120 LAST Lastenest, most lasting. Lat, a lath. Sax. latta. Dut. lat. Fr. laite. — Lat and Plaster, an ironical phrase for a tall and slender person — as thin as a lat. — Lat-hiver or Rive-er, a maker of laths. Latch, v. to catch, to lay hold of. Sax. tecca«, prehendere. When that he Galathe besought Of love, which he might not lacfie. Gower, de Confess. Amavt. ■ But I have words. That would be howl'd out in the desert air, "Where hearing should not latch them. — Sftak. Macbeth. Latch, s. a fastening ; especially a wooden latch or snec/c — sometimes lifted with a cord, at other times with the fin- ger. Ital. laccio. Love will none other birde catch, Though he sette either nette or latch. Chavcer, Romaunt of the Box. Late, or Leat, to seek, to summon, to invite. Isl. lei/ta, qiias- rere. — Lating, or Leating, a summons or invitation. Dr. Willan mentions Leating, or Lating-row, a district from which matrons are invited by special summons to be present at a child-birth, or at the death of any of the inhabitants. Should a matron within the limits have been, through in- advertence or mistake, omitted on such an occasion, it is an affront not to be forgiven. Lathe, or Leathe, a place for storing hay and corn in winter — a barn. Used by Chaucer. V. Skinner, lath. Latherin, a drab, a trollop. " A lazy latherin." Latten, Lattin, tin. Pistol's Challenge of the latten bilbo. Shak. Merry Wit'Ca of Windsor. LAVE 121 Has been " a stumbling block," not so much " to the gene- rality of readers," as Hanmer would express it, but to the commentators themselves. See the learned remarks of the " collective \visdom," in the last Varior. Edit, of Shak. vol. viii. p. 23-3 ; to which should be added Sir Thomas's own idea — " a factitious metal." In Todd's John, the word is defined to be, " a mixed kind of metal, made of copper and calamine : said by some to be the old orichalc ;" though the authority quoted from Gower proves that " laton" and " bras" are two distinct things. In the Dic- tionaries of Bailey, Dyche, and Ash, latten is explained to be iron tinned over, which is in fact what is called tin : Pegge also states latten to be tin ; but on turning to Nares' Glossary, I find the worthy Aixhdeacon labouring hard at its transmutation into brass. The days of alchymy, how- ever, are past. In addition, it may be observed, that Eud- diman — an authority entitled to consideration — interprets lated, iron covered with fin. Lave, v. to empty, to draw or take out water or other liquid. Fr. lever. An old word used by Chaucer. Lave, s. the residue — those who are left or omitted. A pure Saxon word, occurring in Peirs Ploughman. It also means a crowd. Of prelates proud, a populous lave. And abbots boldly there were known ; With bishop of St. Andrew's brave, Who was King James's bastard son. Lanibe, Battle of Floddon. In ancient times the dignitaries of the church, holding the temporalities of their benefices of the King, as barons by the tenure of military service, were bound by the feudal law, to attend him in his wars. R 122 LAVE Laverick, Laverock, Lavvorick, a lark. Sax. laferc, lawerc. Flocks of turtles, and of laverockes. — Chaucer. Here hear my Kenna sing a song, There see a blackbird feed her young. Or a leverock build her nest. Here give my weary spirits rest. Walton, Angkr''s Wish. Law, Loe, Lowe, a hill or eminence wliether natural or arti- ficial. Sax. hlcew, hlaiv, agger, acervus. McE.-Got. hlaiw, monumeittum. The word is often found at the end of the names of vills or hamlets. Lawful me ! Law me ! a frequent colloquicil exclamation, impljing either wonder or fear. Lea, Lee, rich meadow or pasture. Sax. Icag. Used by Spenser, and several times by Shakspeare. Lead, Leead, to cwvy. " He's leading coals." Leagh, a scythe. From leu, meadow, and ag, to cut. Leaping-the-well, going through a deep and noisome pool an Alnwick Moor, called the Freemen's well — a sine qua non to the freedom of the borough. On Saint Mark's day, the aspirants proceed in great state, and in equal spirits, from the town to the moor, where they draw up in a body, at some distance from the water, and on a signal being given, they scramble through the mud with great labour and difficulty. They may be said to come out in a con- dition not much better than " the heroes of the Dwiciad after diving in Fleet Ditch." Tradition says, this strange and ridiculous custom — rendered more ludicrous by being performed in white clothing — was imposed by King John, who was bogged in this very pool. 1 witnessed the cere- mony about four yeai*s ago. LETC 123 Learn, to teach. V. Todd's Jolin. This sense is not yet obsolete in the North. Leash, to ply the whip. To lash. Leather, to beat soundly. Perhaps from the instrument originally emplo3'ed — a strap. For a copious vocabulary of a pugnacious import, see SufF. Words, ainf. Leather-head, Leather-heed, a block-head, a thickscull. Lanthorn Leatherhead, one of the characters in Ben Jon- son's Bartholojiiew Fair, has been thought to have been meant for Inigo Jones ; but Mr. GifFord doubts it. Leck, to leak. Isl. lek, stillare. — Leck on and off, to poiu* on, and drain off, gradually. Lee, v. to lie, to tell a falsehood. Sax. leogan. — Lee, s. a lie. This word, vulgar as it is, occurs in Chaucer. — Lee with A LATCHET, 3 monstrous falsehood. V. Nares. — Leear, a liar. Leemers. See Brown-leemjers. Leet, v. to meet with, to alight. — Leet, s, & a. light. " Wheij thau heart's sad, can mine be leetf" Leets, ligkis, lungs. Also windows. Leetsobie, light, comfortable, cheerful. Lightsome. Leish, Lish, nimble, strong and active. Leister, a prong or trident. Su.-Got. Hustra, percutere. See Blaze. An awfu' scythe, out owre ae shouther, Clear dangling hang, A three-tae'd leister on the ither Lay, large and lang. Burns, Death a>id Doctor Honihook. Lktch, a long narrow swamp in which water moves slowly among rushes and grass. 124 LENN Lennert, ihe linnel. The Greij Lcnnert .— The Green hen- nert. — The Brown Lennert. Let-leet, to inform, to disclose. To let in light. Let on, to mention. " He never let on" — he never told mc. Isl. laela, ostenderc. Let wit, to make known. Dut. laaten lueeten. Leuf, Loof, the palm of the hand. A very ancient word. V. Jam. Ouisi/le the leuf, back of the hand — equivalent to rejection and repulse. Lew, mild, calm. — Lew-warsi, hike-warm. Teut. lamven, tepefacere. Lib, to emasculate. Dut. luhben. Used by Massinger and others. — Libber, Qui castrat. Lib is perhaps the same as glib in Shakspeare. They are coheirs, And I had rather gl'ih m^'solf, than they Should not produce fair issues. The JVhitrr'.'; Tnle. Lick, to beat, to chastise. Su.-Got. laegga, to strike, — Licking, Licks, a beating, LiCKLY, likely, probable. — Lickliest, the superlative. Lief, willingly, rather, as soon. Sax. leof. — Liefer, or Le- ver, more willingly, sooner. Sax. leofre. Both Gower and Chaucer often use this comparative.^ — Lief is common in Shakspeai'e. Lift, assistance. To give a lift, to lend a helping hand. LiG, to lie down. Common to Sax. and most Northern languages. Both Chaucer and Spenser use it. — Lig-ma- last, a loiterer, the last. — Lig-o-bed, one who lies long in bed. LiGGEE, a carved lignum vitse coit for playing at doddart. LIN 125 Like, to please, in he agrccahle to. Dr. John, i.s )ni!staken in thinking it disused. Liken'd. " I had likened" — I was in danger of. Liking, delight, pleasure. Sax. licung. An old Scotch word, occurring in that beautiful pasiiage from Bai'bour's Bruce, quoted by Dr. Jamieson. A ! freedome is a noble thing ! Fredome mayss man to liaifF liking ! Fredome all solace to man giffis ; He levys at ess, that frel}' levys. Lile, little. See Lite. LiLL, to assuage pain. Lat. lallare, to lull. LiLLY-wuNS ! LiLLY-vvTNTERs ! exclaiiiations of amazement. Lilt, to sing, by not using words of meaning, but tuneful syl- lables only. — North. Su.-Got. lulla, canere. Limbo, gaol. " He's gettin into limbo, up the nineteen steps" LiMMER, a female of loose manners, or easy virtue. LiMMERS, a pair of shafts for a cart or carriage. Isl. limar, ra- mi arbor um. Lin, v. to cease, to stop. Lsl. Una, enervare, frangere. Yet our northern prikkers, the borderers, notwith- standing, with great enormitie, (as thought me) and not unlyke (to be playn) unto a masterless hounde hougling in a hie wey, when he hath lost him he way ted upon, sum hoopyng, sum wliistel- yng, and moste with crying a Berivyke ! a Ber- •wyke ! a Fcnwyke ! a Fancy ke ! a Buhner ! a Bulmcr ! or so ootherwise as theyr capteiiis names wear, never linnde those troublous and daungerous noyses all bhe night long. Patten'' s Ex£cdici(m of the Duke of Somerset. 126 LIN Before whicli time the wars could never lin. Mirror for Magistrates. Set a beggar on horseback, he'll never Un till he be a gallop. — Ben Jon. Staple of News. Lm, s. linen. Also the lime tree. Linn, a cascade, a precipice. Sax. hlynna, a torrent. Isl. lindf a cascade. Welsh, Uyn, a lake. The near'st to her of kin Is Toothy, rushing down from Verwin's rushy lin. Drayton, Polyolhion. Ling, heath. Isl. ling, spec, erica. LiNGV, active, strong, able to bear fatigue. LiNiEL, shoe-maker's thread. Fr. ligneul. The same as lingel, described in Nares' Gloss, as " a sort oftkotig used by shoe- makers and cobblers ; from lingtda." Links, sandy barren ground — sands on the sea shore. V. Jam. Lippen, to expect, to depend upon. " I lippened on you to join me." Sax. leafeii, credere. LisK,the groin. " A pain in the lisk." Dan. and Sw. Uuske. Listen, selvage. Sax. list. Dan. liste. Lite, to rely on, to trust to, to depend upon. Lite, little. An old word used by Chaucer, both as a substan- tive and an adjective. Lall and Lile, also mean little. — I cannot pretend to reconcile these dialectical variations. Lithe, to listen. " Lithe ye" — hark you. Lythe, Peirs Ploughman. Su.TGot. lyda, audire, lyda till, aures adver- tere. Lithe, to thicken ; as to lithe the pot. — Lithings, thickenings for the pot; such as oatmeal, flour, &c. V. Wilb. and Jam. LOON 127 Littlest, least — the regular superlative of little. Where love is great the littlest doubts are fear. Sliali. Hamlet. XoAK, OR LoKE, a small quantity ; as a loke of hay, a loke of meal, a loke of sand. V. Jaiu. LoAK ! LoAK-A-DAZiE ! LoAK-A-DAZiE-ME ! exclaiTiations of siu^prize or pleasure, modidated to suit the occasion. Loaning, Lonnin, a lane or bye-road ; a place near country villages for milking cows. " Pelton lonnin." V. Jam. lomi. I have heard of a lilting, at our ewes milking, Lasses a lilting, before the break of day ; But now there's a moaning, on ilka green loaning. That our braw foiresters are a' wede away. Old Scotch Song, Battle of Floddon. LoB-cocK, a contemptuous epithet for a stupid or sluggish person. I now must leave you all alas, And live with some old lohcock ass. Breton, Works of a Young Wit. LoLLOCK, a Imnp. " Lollock ivfat." Lollop, to walk in an undulating manner — to move heavily. Look, Louk, to weed, to clear. " Looking corn." V. Ray. LooNjLouNjLowNE, an idle vagabond, a worthless fellow, a ras- cal. The word is old ; but etymologists are not agreed in the derivation. Shakspeare has evidently taken the stanzas in Othello from the following ancient version of, Take thy old Cloak about thee, published in Percy's Reliques, vol. i. King Stephen was a worthy peere. His breeclies cost him but a crowne, He held them sixpence aU too deere ; Therefore he call'd the tavlor f^owne. 128 LOOS * LoosE-i'-TiiE-iiEFT, a disordcHy person — a loose blade. LoosiNG-LEATHER, an injury in a tender part, to which inexpe- rienced riders are subject ; and which makes them, what is elsewhere called, saddle sick. It is a rustic idea — counte- nanced by some old authors — that a sprig of elder, in whicli there is a joint, worn in one of the lower pockets, will operate as a charm against this galling inconvenience ; but whether To harden breech, or soften horse, I leave't to th' learned to discourse. Flecknoe, Dionium. Lop, LoppE, a flea. Pure Saxon. LoppERED, coagulated. Loppered milk — milk that sours and curdles without the application of an acid. Isl. hlaup, coa- gulum. LopsTROPOLOU^, mischievous, clamorous. Obstreperous. We shouted some, and some dung doon — Lohstrop''lus fellows, we kick'd them O. Song, Sxvalwelt Hopping. LouN, Lown'd, calm, sheltered from the wind. Isl. logn, aeris tranquillitas. LouNDER, to beat with severe strokes. V. Jam. Loup, v. to leap. Su.-Got. loepa, currere. Also to cover; from Teut. loojjen, catulii'e. Loup, s. a leap or spring. — Loup-the-lang-lonnin, the game of leap frog. LouPY-DYKE, Imij} the di/ke, a term of contempt conjoining the ideas of imprudence and waywardness. Sometimes ap- plied to one of those expeditions that maidens sigh for, but which prudent mati'ons deprecate as shameless and untoward. LTJM 129 LoiiT, i\ to bow in the rustic fashion. Su.-Got. fitia, incli- nare. This is an old word used b}^ Gower, Chaucer, and other ancient English writers. Lout, s. a stupid awkward person. Teut. loef-e, homo insul- sus. In Shakspeare, loivL LovESOME, lovely. Sax. lossum, delectabDis. In Peirs Plough- man, Chaucer, &c. Indeed, in old Eng. some and ly are used indiiferently as terminations of adjectives. Low, Lowe, to make a bright flame, as well as the flame itself. Su.-Got. loga, Isl. logi, flamma. — Lilly-lowe, a comfort- able blaze. " Had aboot the low." LowANCE, LooANCE, an allowance of drink to work people. " Noo, maister, ye'U sartinlif give-us war looance." V. Moor, lowans. LowRY, Looking, overcast, threatening to be wet. Spoken only, I think, of the weather. Li'BBARD, Lubbart, an awkward, clownish fellow, a calf- hearted person. Lubber may be found in Shakspeare and other authors. " D'ye ken that lubbard there ? — hoo he tummiPd his creils ! — he's all owre darts .'" For h3'^em an' bairns an' maw wife Nan, Aw yool'd oot like a liihbarf ; An' when aw thowt we aw shud gan To Davy Jones's cubbart. Song, Jemmy Joiieson^s Whurry. LvG, the ear. An old word both in England and in Scotland. Su.-Got. lugga. Sax. ge-luggian, to pull — the ear being a part easily pulled or lugged. " Aw'l dad yor lug" — " aw'l skslp yor gob." LuGGisH, an indolent, or idle fellow. — Luggish-heeded, heavy headed, thick headed. LuM, a deep pool of water, the still part of a river. 130 LUM Llm, the chimney of'a cottage. Welsli, lluinon. Lover is in Lancashire, and also in some parts of Yorkshire, a chim- ney — properly (like the lum) an aperture in the roof of old houses, where the fire was in the centre of the room. Fr, I'ouverte. I find love}- in Peirs Ploughman, and also in the Faerie Queene. Sibbald, however, conjectures that lum may be from Sax. leom, light — scarcely any other light being admitted, except through this hole. Brand, on the other hand, asks if it may not be derived from the lone or clay wherewith the wattle work is daubed over inside and out? LuM-sooPERS, LuM-swEEPERS, chuuney-sweepers. North. <$• Newc. LuRDANE, a drone, a sluggard. Teut. herd. Old Ital. lordone. Fr. lourdaud. Some old writers, however, pretend to de- ri\'e this word from Lord Dane — a name given (more from dread than dignity) to those Danes, who, when they were masters of the island, were distributed in private houses ; where they are said to have conducted themselves, or if the expression be permitted — lorded over the inhabitants, with outrageous insolence and pride. In every liouse Lord Dane did then rule all ; Wlience laysie lozels lurdancs now we call. Mirror for Magistrates. LuRDV, lazy, sluggish. Fr. lourd, dull, stupid. Ital. lordo, dirty, filthj'. LusTYisH, rather stout, inclining to be plimip. Lyery, the lean or muscular flesli of animals. Sax. lira, viscum. Lyka ! listen — an exclamation of astonishment. Lijlca man ! what do I hcai- jou say. MAIN 131 M. Mab, v. to dress cai'elessly. — Mab, s. a slattern. Perhaps in derision of Queen Mab. Mack, to make. Preterite, vii/ed. Germ, machen. — Mack, kind, sort, a match or equal. — Mackless, matchless. Macks, snakes, sorts, fashions. MacK'BOULD, to venture, or take the liberty. Make bold. Mackshift, a substitute or expedient in a case of necessity or difficulty. Maddle, to wander, to talk inconsistently, to forget or con- found objects, as if in a state bordering on delirium. Madpash, a person disordered in the mind — a madbrain. — From mad and pash, the head. Maffle, to stammer, to be puzzled — to act by means inade- quate to the attainment of the object or end proposed — like one in dotage. Tent, maffelen, balbutire. — Maffling, a state of perplexity. Maggy, a magpie. Also called a Fyannet. Mail, rent or money exacted by Freebooters on the borders. Sax. mal, stipendium. Mailin, or Maeylin, a sort of mop made of old rags, \vith a long pole, for cleaning out an oven — metaphorically, a dirty careless wench. V. Todd's John, malk'in and maukin. Main, might, strength, exertion. Sax. mcegn. Shakspeare endeavours to be superlatively witty on the wovd. Sal. — Then let's make haste away, and look Unto the main. Wak — Unto the main ! O father, Maine is lost ; That Maine which by main force Warwick did win, And would have kept so long as breath did last : jV/aJK chance, father, you meant; but I meant iV/ai«i-,- Which I will win from France, or else be slain. Second Part of King Henry VJ. 132 MAIN Main of rocks, a cock-fighting match. Anathematized by Brand ; Pop. Antiq. vol. i. p. 480. Mains, a farm, or certain fields, attached to a mansion house. Old Fr. manse. Mainswear, Manswear, to take a false oath. Sax. mansive- rian. " He's a manswearing fellow." Maist, Mayst, almost. — Maistly, Maystly, mostly. Sax. viaest, most, greatest. Maister, master. Sax. master. Used by Spenser. — Mais- ter-man, a husbancL Maistry, power, superiority, mastery. Fr. maistrie. Make, a companion, or equal. An old word. Sax. maca. — Makeless, matchless, without an equal. Su.-Got. maka- locs. This latter word, in the gai'b of MAKE Ai22 — adopt- ed by the learned Christina of Sweden, on one of her numerous medals — sadly perplexed the antiquaries at Rome. Make-count, to calculate on, to mean or intend to do any thing. Male, or Mail, a travelling trunk. V. Nares' Gloss. Mall, Maul, Mally, Mailly, Polly, Mary, A bold virago stout and tall. As Joan of France, or EngUsh Mall. Butler, Hudilmts. Mawmer, to hesitate, to be in doubt, to mutter. I wonder in my soul What you could ask me, that I should deny, Or stand so mammcTwg on. SJiak, Oilwllo. Hanmer most unfortunately refers to Fr. m\imour, which, he says, " men were apt often to repeat when they were not prepai'ed to give a direct answer !" MARR 133 Mammy, a childish name for mother. Teut. nmmme, INIanadge, Manaudge, a box or ckib instituted by inferior shop- keepers — generally linen-tlrapers — for supplying goods to poor or improvident people, who agi'ee to pay for them by instalments — ^a mode of dealing extremely lucrative to one party, but sadly the contrary to the other. Of late, much of this deservedly disreputable trade has been in the hands of manadge-ivomen, who become responsible to the dra- pers for what they impose on their deluded customers. Mang, s. barley or oats ground with the husks ; given to dogs and swine. Perhaps from Sax. mengean, to mingle. Maxg, preposition, among, amongst. Manner, manure, dung, or compost. " Aw've manner''d the land." Mannie, a man. " A tight little mannie but low." Mappen, perhaps. It may happen. Marches, the northern borders. Sax. inearc. Fr. marche. They of those marches, gracious sovereign, Shall be a wall sufficient to defend Our inland from the pillering borderers. Shal;. Hen. V. Mare, more. Pure Saxon. Germ. mehr. Margit, Meg, Meggy, Peg, Peggy, Margaret. Marrow, Marra, v. to match, to equal. 'Bout Lunnun then divent ye myek sic a rout. There's nowse there maw winkers to dazzle ; For aw the fine things ye are gobbin about, We can marra iv Canny Newcassel. Song, Canny Newcassel, Marrow, s. a fellow, companion, or associate; an equal, a similar. Yet chopping and changing T cannot commend With thief or his marrow, tor fear of ill end Tiisscr. 134 MARK Marrows, fellows ; two alike, or corresponding to each other ; as a paii' of gloves, a pair of stockings, a pair of shoes. Marrow-bones, the knees. " I'll bring him down on his marrow-bones" — I'll make him bend his knees as he does to the Virgin Mary. Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. i. p. 43. But see Grose's Class. Diet. Marrowless, without a match, incomparable. Marrv ! Marry -COME-OUT ! Marry -on-us ! common inter- jections — purposed disguises in favour of pious ears. Marn/-gip, goody she-justice, mistress French hood. Ben Jon. Marry and shall, that I will. Often used by old people. Marsycree, to ill-treat, to butcher. Corruption of massacre. Mart, Mayrt, a cow or ox slaughtered at Martinmas, and salted for the winter. It is customary in Newcastle and the neighbourhood, for a few families to join in the pur- chase of a mart, which is obtained at the Stones fail', held on old Martinmas day, and divided among them. And MartUmass Berfc doth beare good tacke, When countrey folke do dainties lacke. — Tusscr. Mash, v. to bruise. " Mash'd up." — Mash, s. confusion. Mask, to infuse. " Mask the tea." V. Jam. Mason-due, the vulgar name for an ancient hospital, on the Sandhill, Newcastle, lately taken down. Evidently a corruption of Fr. maison Dieu. Masselgem, a mixture of wheat and rye — maslin. Teut. mas- teluyn, farrago. Maten-corn, corn damped and beginning to germinate. — North. V. Ihre, mall. Matters. " Naa girt matters," nothing extraordinar}' or to boast of. Crav. Gloss, MAY 135 Maugh, Meaugii, brother-in-law. V. Lye, maeg. Maul, to beat soundl} , to hurt severely. Mce.-Got. maul-jan. Upon the childe, but somewhat short did fall, And lighting on his horse's head, him quite did nmU. Sjieiiser, Faerie Quccne. Maumy, mellow, soft. Su.-Got. mogna, to become mellow. To maum a crust of bread, is to soften it in water. Maunder, to wander about in a thoughtful manner ; to be tedious in talking ; to say a great deal, but irregularly and confusedly ; to lose the thread of a discourse. Q. Gael. mandagh, a stutterer ? Maunt, Mt'N'CLE, contractions of my aunt, my uncle. Bor- ders of North. Nuncle and Naunt occur in Beaimi. & Flet. Maw, v. to mow. Preterite, mew. Sax. mawan. Germ. mahen. — Mawers, the mowers. Maw, s. the human stomach, as well as that of an animal. Sax. maga. V. Todd's John. Maw, p)-onoun, my, mine, belonging to me. Mawd, a plaid worn by the Cheviot shepherds. Su.-Got. mudd, a garment made of rein-deer skins. Maw'K, a maggot, a gentle. Su.-Got. 77iatk, madk. — Mawky, IVIawkish, maggotty, whimsical, proud, capricious. May, the sweet scented flower of the white thorn. See May- Day Customs, Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. i. p. 179 & seq. Itise up, maidens, fie for shame. For I've been four lang miles from hame : I've been gathering mj garlands gay ; Rise up, fair maids, and take in your May. Old Newcastle S&ng. Moor gives an inaccurate version of this homely canticle. V. Suff. Words, p. 225. 136 MAZE MazeDj astonished, amazed. Also stupified — rendered in- sensible by a blow. " Aw stood qnite mazed." Me, for I. A common grammatical error. Not without ex- amples in our old language. Meal, the appointed time when a cow is milked, as well as the quantity of milk she gives at once. Sax. ma;l, portio, spatium temporis. Mealy-mouthed, " using soft words, concealing the real in- tention; speaking hypocritically." Todd's John. I should prefer Skinner's construction — mild-mouthed or mellow-mouthed — but derive the word from Fr. miele, honied, as we say honied words. Clavton Avas false, mcaUc-moutWd, and poore spirited. Life of Ant. a Wood, p. 165. Meank, to complain, to lament. Sax. maenan, dolere. And thus she means Sltak. Mid. NighCs Dream. Meaning, shrinking or feeling sore, indicative of pain or lame- ness. Mebby, Mebbys, Ma bees, Maebbies, peihaps, probably. // may be. Meddle nor make. " He'll neither meddle nor make" — he'll not interfere. Meer, a mare. Also an abusive term among the lower order oi ladies in Newcastle. " Aw me Peg, yah vieer.^'' Meet, fit, proper. Stated in Todd's John, to be rarely used. It is quite common in North, and Dur. Meldek, a making of meal. In some places the farmers hire the miller, and in turns have a winter stock of meal made. The meldering day used to be, and perhaps still is, a kind of feast among the yeomanr} . Fr. moudre, to grind ; or, according to Dr. Jam. Isl. iiudldr, molitura, from mala, to grind. MELL 137 Mell, v. to intermeddle, to engage in, to interfere with. Fr. vieler. " I shall not mell with your affairs." The com- mentators are not agreed on the expression, Men are to mell with. Shak. All's Well that Ends Well. It means men are to meddle with ; without the least al- lusion to the indecent idea surmised by Theobald. Mell, v. to pound or bruise, to crush. Mell, s, a wooden mallet, or hammer. Lat. malleus. Mell-doll, an image of corn, dressed like a doll, carried in triumph — amidst the most frantic screaming of the women — on the last day of reaping. In some places they call it a KERN (perhaps, properly, corn) baby. There is also oc- casionally a harvest queen — thought to be a representation of the Roman Ceres — apparelled in great finery, and crowned with flowers ; with a scythe in one hand, and a portion of corn in the other. Mell-supper, a supper and merry-making on the evening of the conclusive reaping day — harvest-home. Besides a grand display of excellent old English cheer, with a mix- tm'e of modern gout, to enlarge the sphere of epicurean enjoyment, there is dancing, masking and disguising, and every other sort of mirth to expand a rustic heart to gaiety. According to Hutchinson,the Historian of Northumberland, the name of this supper is derived from the rites of Ceres, when an offering of the first fruits was made ; the word melle being a provincial word, equivalent to mingle : imply- ing that the cakes used at this festival are mingled or made of new corn, and that it is the feast of the first mingling of flour of the new reaped wheat. I am, however, strongly in- clined to think, that we may safely refer to Teut. macl. 138 MELL convivium refectio, pastus. Various other etymologies have been conjectured, which are noticed in Brand's Pop. Ant. vol. i., Chap. Harvest- Home ; where much curious matter relative to this subject is collected. Mell-doors, the space between the heck and outward door — the entry. Mell-drop, the least offensive species of mucus from the nose. " Mell-drop Tommy." Mends, recompense, atonement. Amends. If she be fair, 'tis the better for her ; an she be not, she has the mends in her own hand. Shak. Troilus and Cnssida. Mennam, the minnow. Gael, meanan. Mense, v. to grace, to ornament, to decorate. " The pictures mense the room." Mense, .?. decency, propriety of conduct, good manners, kind- ness, hosjutality. Sax. menncsc, humanus. It also means an ornament, or credit ; as he is " a mense to his family." The last of a dish of meat untaken is said to be left for mense's stdce, perhaps pro mensa. See Tailor's mense. Menseful, decent, graceful, mannerly, hospitable, creditable. Menseless, indccorus, graceless, inhospitable. Mense-pennv, liberality conducted by prudence. Would have their menseful penny spent With gossips at a merriment. The Collier's Wedding. Mere, a lake. Pure Saxon. Buttermere, Windermere. Merry-begotten, filius nuUius — rather waggishly alluded to by old Brunne. Knoute of his body gate sonnes thre, Tuo bi tuo wifes, the thrid injolifte. Langtoffs Chronicle. MIDD 139 Merry-dancers, the glancings of the Aurora BoreaUa, or northern lights; when first seen, called burning spears, and which to persons of a vivid imagination still seem to represent the clashing of arms, in a military engage- ment : — called also the Pyrrhj-duncers — a name that may have been adopted from the Pyrrhica saltat'w, or military dance of the ancients ; from which, no doubt, the sivord- dance of the Northumbrian youths, in theii" white plow, at Christmas, has had its origin. Merry-nights, rustic balls — nights (generally about Christ- mas) appropriated to mirth and festivity. These homely pastimes, besides the eating and drinking, consist of danc- ing, in all the lower modes of the art ; of masked inter- ludes ; and occasionally of the ancient sword dance ; with an indispensable admixture of kissing and romping, and other " gallantry robust." Messit, a little dog, a cur. V. Jam. viessan. Meterly, Meeterly, tolerably well, moderately, within bounds. MiCKLE, MucKLE, much. Sax. micel, miclc. Isl. mikill. An oath o^mickle might Shak. Hen. V. O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities. Shak. Rom. and Jitl. He had in arms abroad won viuckd fame. Sfcuscr, Pacric Qiieene. Midden, Muck-midden, a dunghill. Sax. middlng, sterquili- nium — Midden-stead, a place for dung. Midden, a contemptuous term for a female — conjoining the ideas of insipidity, inactivity, and dirt. Middens, or Black-middens, dangerous rocks on the north side of the entrance into Shields harbour. 140 MIDG Midge, a small gnat. Sax. micge. A diminutive mischiev- ous boy is often called a midge. — Midge's-ee, any thing very small. As a comparison — very common. MiDLLV, MiDLiNG, tolerably well, indifferent. " Weel, Tom- my y hoo are yah ? Midlin, thenk yah ! Hoo are ycc ? Wey, gayly, Joan .'" , Mighty, very. " Mighty great" — " mighty high" — " a m^hty fine fellow." Milker, a cow that gives milk ; not the person who milks. " She's a top milker." MiLKUS, MiLKHOUSE, a dairy. Sax. melce-hus. Mind, to remember, to be steady and attentive. Dan. miiide, to remind. Mint, to aim at, to shew a mind to do something, to endea- vour, to make a fei[;,ied attempt. Sax. ge-myndian, in- tendere. Minxy, a fondling term for mother. Sc. minnie. Mire-druw, the Bittern or Bog-bumper. Ardea Stellaris, Linnaeus. There is a beautiful figure of this stately bird in Bewick's History. Mirk, Mirky, dark. Sax. mirce. Isl. viyrkr, tenebrosus. Old Eng. mirke. Gane is the day, and mlrk^s the night, But we'll ne'er stay for faute o' light. — Burns. Mirth, Morth, or Murth, abundance ; as a murth of corn, a murth of cold. Miscall, to abuse, to call names to. " Yah cannot miscall me past me nyem." Mis-kex, tp be ignorant of, not to know. Mislippen, to suspect, to neglect. Misses, the matron or mistress of the house. " What will me ynisses say?" MOOR 141 MiSTETCH, an ill habit, property or custom ; perhaps from viis- teach. Chaucer uses tetch, for a spot or blemish. Mitt AN, a glove ; generally made of thick leather or coarse yarn. Fr. mitainc. He that his hand wol put in his mitaiite Heshal have multiplying of his graine. Chaucer, Pardonercs Tale. MiXTY-MAXTV, MixY-MAXY, any thing confusedly mixed, an ir- regular medley. Su.-Got. m'lshnask. Mizzle, small rain. The substantive is neither in Ash's Diet. nor in Todd's John, though the verb is admitted in both. MoiDER, to puzzle, to perplex. — Moidered, bewildered, con- fused, distracted. MoLTER, Mooter, Mouter, a portion of meal abstracted by the miller as a compensation fo. grinding ; the toll, as it were, of the mill. Fr. viouture. It is also used as a verb. It is good to be merry and wise, Quoth the miller, when he mouter\l twice. Sc. Prov. MojiE, soft, smooth, conjoining the idea of sweetness. Hence the liquor mun — ale brewed with wheat. MoNNY, many. — Monny a time axd oft, a common expres- sion for frequently. Moo, to low as a cow. Germ, mu, vox vaccae naturalis. — Wachter. MooN-LiGHT, MooN-sHiNE, a mere pretence, an illusive shadow. Also smuggled whiskey. Thanks to the malt and other taxes for this neologism. Moor, a heath, a common or waste land. Sax. mor, ericetum. Isl. vior, terra arida inculta et inutilis. Dr. Jamieson er- roneously supposes that this word alwnyx implies the idea 142 , MOOT of water or marshiness. The same mistake occms in Todd's Johnson. Moot-hall, the ancient hall of the castle of Newcastle — the place of holding the assizes for the county of Northumber- land. Sax. moth-heal, conventus aula, comitium. Mop, " to make wry mouths or grin in contempt." — Todd's John. In the North it means to prim or look affectedly. — Moppet, a child so acting. Also a term of endeannent. Moppe, is an old word in the latter sense. Moral, model. " The moral of a man." An archaism. More, a hill. Sax. mor. mons. Morn, morrow. — The morn, to-morrow. Sax. morghen, mor- gen. Mortal, very, exceeding, excessive, abounding. Perhaps from mo7-t, a great quantity. So is all nature in love, mortal in folly. S/tak. As You Like It. Moss-TROOPERS, banditti, who inhabited the marshy borders of the two kingdoms, and subsisted chiefly by rapine. So called from living in mosses, and riding in troops to- gether. Most. It is not unusual to prefix this superlative degree to the regular superlative form of another word — as " the most wickedest wretch that ever lived." " The most pleasantest fellow I ever knew." There are examples for it in Shaks- peare and some of his cotemporaries. MoUDY-RAT, MouDY-WARp, MouLEY-RAT, a molc. Sax. mold, mould, and weorpan, to cast up. Dan. mulvarp, a mole. Spenser and other old writers use mouldwarp. Shakspeare — in allusion to the old prophecy which is said to have in- duced Owen Glendower to rebel against King Henry — MUCK 143 causes Hotspur, when taxed by Mortimer with crossing his father, thus to exclaim — I cannot choose : sometimes he angers me With telling me of tlie moldwarp and the ant, &c. First Part of King Henry IV. MouDY-HiLL, MouLEY-RAT-HiLL, a mole-hiU. MouNGE, to grumble lowly, to whine or complain. " What are ye mounging about." About him they aw throng'd, and ax'd what news trae under ground, Each tell'd about their blarin, when they ken'd that he was drown'd. Hoots !" Archy moung'd, " its nowt but lees — to the Barley ]Mow let's e'en be joggin, Awl tyek my oath it wassent me, because aw hear its Archy Loggan," Song, Bold Archy Droxvndcd. Mount, a large stone hewn into the shape of steps — placed at the doors of public houses, to assist persons in mounting their horses. Mow, to converse unlawfully. I believe an old word. See the ancient ballad of Bonny Dundee. Mow, a distorted mouth. Fr. moue, a wry face. Mow, a stack. " The barley mow." Sax. mowe, acerviis. Muck, dung for manure. Sax. meox, fimus — Muck-jiidden, a heap of maniu'e, a dunghill. — Mucky, dirty, filthy. The Crav. Gloss, has 7nuck cheap, cheap as dirt : muck-heap, a very dirty person, " a girt muck heap :" muck-midden- hreward, upstarts. — Muck, however offensive to those whose affected gentility recoils at a vulgar phrase, is not without example in several of our best and most accom- plished writers. 144 MUCK MuCKiNGER, MucKiNDER, a pocket-handkerchicf. Be of good comfort, take my muckiuder. And dry thine eyes. — Ben Jon. Muddle, to confuse, to perplex. V. SufF. Words, muddle and vmddled. Muds, small nails used by cobblers. MuFFETTEE, a worsted covering or small muffiov the wrist. Ap- parently a recent innovation. The Scotch have a kind of gloves worn by old men, called muffities, from which the term may have been borrowed. Mug, a low word for the mouth. " Shut your ugly mug." Mugger, a hawker of pots, a dealer in earthen ware. This trade is carried on to a great extent among the gipsy tribes in the Northern counties. Muggy, the white-throat. Motacilla Sijlva. — Linnaeus. Mull, dirt, rubbish, crumbs. Su.-Got. mull. Chaucer uses mullok. The fragments and dust of a stack of peats are called peat-?HM//, and oaten bread broken into a'umbs, is called mulled bread. Mulligrubs, bad temper, ill humour — an indescribable com- plaint. What's the matter ? Whither go all these men-menders, these physicians ? Whose dog lies sick o' th' mulUgrvhs. Bcaum. and Flet. Monsmir Thomas. Mummer, a person disguised under a mask, a sort of morris dancer. Dut. wowjnew, to mask. Dan. 7«z«ra?«e,mum. See as to the old custom of mumming, in Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. i. p. 354. Mump, to hit or slap — ^to beat about the mouth. " I'll juump yor gob." A very low word. Mun, an expletive used on all occasions. Man. - NAG 145 MuN, MuNS, the mouth. Germ, viund. MuN, Mown, must. " I mun gan." " You mun come." Isl. vnm. Chaucer uses vioun and mowen. MuNNiT, must not. — Mussent, the same. MuRDERiNQ-PiE, the great ash-coloured shrike. Laniiis excu- bitor. Linnaeus. MuRL, to fall in pieces, to crumble. Welsh, imvrl, crumbling. Dut. 7nullen, to crumble. Musii, the dust, or dusty refuse of any dry substance, any thing decay^ or soft, " Dried to mush." Mutton, a term for a courtezan. The duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays. — Shak. Meas.for Meas. Mutton's mutton now. — Welster"!! Appms (|- V\rg. Muzzy, half stupified, bewildered— /a/fg«e^ with liquor, as I once heard & friend express it. Mv-EYE, a vulgar interjectional expression of exultation, in frequent use. Mysell, myself. An universal corruption among the vulgar. N. Na, no. — Nat, not. Both pure Saxon. Chaucer has given his Northern Clerks a northern dialect. V. Tyrwhitt's note on verse 4021. Nab, Nabb, a protuberance, an elevated point, the rocky sum- mit of a hill. A steep and high precipice at the confluence of the Baulder and the Tees, is called the Nabb. Sax. cncep^ vertex montis. Isl. gnup, prominentia. Su.-Got. kncBpp, summitas montis. Nag, to gnaw nt any thin^ hard. 146 NAGG Naggy, ii-ritable. See KInaggy. Naky-bed, Nakit-bed, in puns naturalibus — stark-naked. — Nares observes, that, down to a certain period, those who were in bed were literally naked, no night linen being worn. Many of the Scotch — thrifty souls — and some of the English, still continue the custom. Nanny-house, Nanny-shop, a brothel. Newcastle. Napkin, a pocket handkercliief. Borders of North. Used by Shakspeare in several of his plays ; and by other writers. Nappern, an apron. This pronunciation is conformable to the old orthography. Fr. na2)eron, a large cloth. Nappy, fine ale — a little intoxicated with it. Sax. naj)pe, cyathus. Ital. nappo, a bowl. Nappy ale, good and stale. BaWad, Khig and Miller of 3 fimxjidd. ■ Narrate, to relate, to tell. Not confined to Scotland as stated by Dr. Johnson. Nash, Nesh, tender, weak, fragile. Sax. nesc. Nasty, ill-natured, impatient, saucy. Its other meaning is universal. Nation, very, exceedingly. " Nation great" — " naiion wise" — " nation foolish." Nattle, or Knattle, to hit one hard substance against another gently and quick, to make a noise like that of a mouse gnawing a board. Nattry, ill natured, petulant. " Nattry faced." Natty, neat, tidy. " How very iiatfij he is." Naup, to beat, to strike. Isl. kncfu. See Nevel. Nay-say, a refusal, a denial. Holinshed uses nay, v. to refuse. Nay then ! an exclamation implying great doubt, or wonder. NEED 147 Ne, no. — Nebodv, nobody. " Whe was there ?" " Nebody P' Neagre, a term of reproach, equivalent to a base wretch ; though often confined to a mean, niggardly person. Pro- bably from Fr. negre, a negro. Near-sighted, short-sighted. Su.-Got. naarsynt. Neb, a point, a beak — also the nose, the mouth. Sax. nebb. Isl. nebbi, nef. How she holds up the neh, the bill to him ! Shak. Winter's Tale. Give her a bus — see how she cods her neh — Newc. Neck-about, a woman's neck-handkerchief. Neckatee. Neck and Heels, topsy-turvy. Origin obvious. Neck-verse, a cant term formerly used by marauders on the borders — adopted from the verse (generally thought to be the beginning of the 51st psalm) read by criminals claim- ing the benefit of clergy, so as to save their lives. Letter nor line know I never a one, Wer't my neck-verse at Hairibee. Scott, Lay of the Last Minstrel- Ned, Neddv, Edward. " Neddy, maw dear." Neddy, a certain place that will not bear a written explana- tion ; but which is depicted to the life in the first edition of Bewick's Land Birds, p. 285. This A>-oa(/ piece of na- tive humour is somewhat refined in the subsequent im- pressions. Need-fire, an ignition produced by the friction of two pieces of dried wood. The vidgar opinion is that an Angel strikes a tree, and that the fire is thereby obtained. Need- fire, I am told, is still employed in the case of cattle in- fected with the murrain. They were formerly driven through the smoke of a fire made of straw, &c. It was 148 NEER then thought wicked to neglect smoking them. Sax. nyd, force, andifyr, fire ; that i?., forced fire. Neer-dee-weel, a graceless person — one who seems never to do luell. Neese, Neeze, to sneese. Sax. ncsse, the nose. Neest, Niest, Nest, next. Neet, night. " Good met, hinny." Neif, the fist. Isl. kneji. Su.-Got. kncefve. Dan. rucve. A good old Shakspearian word. Nai'es' display of authorities was unnecessary. The word is still in general use in all the northern counties. — Double-neif, the clenched fist. Neif-full, a handful. Nclson's Bullets, small confections in the shape of balls. In commemoration of the naval hero. Nents, against, towards. Nerled, ill-treated : often applied to the conduct of a step- mother. Nestling, the smallest bird in the nest, the weakest of the brood. Sax. nestling. Something like the Dowpy. . Nether-stocks, stockings. Used by Shak. in King Lear, and in Henry IV. Nether is an old word for lower, from Sax. neother. Nether.lip, the under lip. That thou art my son, I have partly thy mother's word, partly m^' own opinion ; but chiefly a vil- lainous trick of thine eye, and a foolish hanging of the nether lij), that doth waiTant me. Slutk. First Part of Henry IF. Nettled, provoked, irritated — as if stung by a 7icitlc. To water a nettle, in a certain way, has been said proverbially to cause peevish and fretful, humour. See. the proverb in Howell. NIFF 149 ^EUCK, NuiK, Nook, a corner. " The chimlay neucV — the fire side. Gael. nine. Nevel, to beat violently with the fists, or neives. See Nkii'. She'l nawpe and nnd them M'ithout a cause, She'l macke them late their teeth naunt in their hawse. Yorkshire Dialogue, p. 08. Ni ! Ni ! a common exclamation in Newcastle. VVaes ! Archy lang was hale an' rank, the kiiig o' lad- . dies braAv — His wrist Avas like an anchor shank, his fist was like the claw — His yellow waistcoat flowered se fine, myed tailors lang for cabbage cuttins — It myed the bairns to glower amain, and cry, '■^ Ni ! Ni ! what bonny buttons !" Song, Bold Arch)/ Drownded. Nice, good, pleasant, agreeable, handsome. " A nice man" — " a very nice woman." — Nicely, in good health. Nick, to delude by stratagem, to deceive. Nick-stick, a tally, or notched stick, by which accounts are kept. This simple mode of reckoning seems to have been the only one known to the Northern nations. V. Jam. When a woman, in a certain state, goes longer than her calculation, she is said among the vulgar to have lost her niclc-sticJc. Nicker, to neigh, to laugh in a loud ridiculous manner. Sax. gneegan. " What are you nickering at." Nicker and Sneer, a loud vulgar laugh — apparently boi-i-ow- ed from the neighing and snorting of a horse. Niddered, starved with cold, hungered. V. Jam. NiFF-NAFFS, trifles, things of little value. Fr. nippes. 150 NIFF NiFFV-NAFFY, 3 term for an insignificant or conceited person — one whose attention is devoted to trifles. NiFFLE, to steal, to plunder. Perhaps by a metathesis from rijle. Nigh, to approach, to touch. Sax. nehwan, appropinquare. — Nigh-hand, hard by, — Nighest-about, the nearest way. Night-courtship, a Cumbrian mode of wooing; fully de- scribed in note 3, Anderson's Ballads. NiM, to walk with short quick steps, to take up hastily. Nine-trades, nine trading companies in Newcastle — three of wood — three of thread — and three of leather. " The meeting of the nine trades." Ninnyhammer, a fooHsh, stupid person. Shak. frequently uses ninny. Nip-cheese, a contemptuous designation for a parsimonious, covetous person. Nip-up, to wipe up, to move quickly, to pilfer. Nipping, pinching ; as by frost or cold. It is a nipping and an eager air. — SJiaJc. Hamlet. Nithing, much valuing, sparing of; as nith'mg of his pmns : i. e. sparing of his pains. Ray. NiTTLE, handy, neat, handsome. Sax. nj/tlic, utilis. NivvER, never. " To-morrow come nivver — when two Sun- days meet together." Nob, the head. Used ludicrously. NoBBiT, Nobbut, only. No7ie but. " Who's that ?" — " Nob- bit I." Noddle, a burlesque name for the nose. No-FAR, near. Not far, A common North country phrase. Noodle, a fool. A term often used in Newcastle — sometimes ungallantly. NOUS 151 NooLED, checked, curbed, broken spirited. Nor, than. Very common among the vidgai" ; and occa- sionally used by people in Newcastle, in a sphere beyond the " mere ignoble." Gael. na. Nose on the grindstone, asimile for the fate of an improvident person. See an illustration in a tail piece to Bewick's iEsop, p. 128. Nose-wise, acute, quick of perception. Germ, nase-weis, self- witted, presumptuous. Note, to push or strike with the horns ; as a bull or nun. Isl. hntota, ferire. N0TT.AJMY, OTToaiy, a skeleton. — Nottamised, Ottomised, dissected. Nought, Nowt, nothing. " Cheese for half-nought, here !" Newcastle cry. NouT, OR Nolt, neat, or horned cattle of the ox species. Isl. naut, bos. Old Eng. nowt. The nolt market, the ancient name of a street in Newcastle — now the Bigg- market. NouT-GELD, Neat-geld, cornage rent, originally paid in cattle — horn tax. Cornage seems to have been peculiar to the border service against the Scots. The tenants holding under it were bound to be ready to serve, on horseback or on foot, at their own costs and charges ; and, being best acquainted with the passes and defiles, had the honour of marching in the vanguard, when the king's araiy passed into Scotland. NouTH, the north. — Noutherly, northerly. " Past two o'clock, and a frosty mornin — winds noutherly." — Norrid, northward. " Several Greenlandmen passed norrid" NouTHER, Nowther, neither. Pure Saxon. NoL'SE, judgment, understanding, sense. Lat. noscere. 152 NOW'S NowsE, notliing ; contrary to oiose. Wi' huz, mun, three hundred ships sail iv a tide. We think nowse on't aw'l myek accydavy ; Ye're a gowk if ye din't knaw that the lads o' Tyne-side, Are the Jacks that myek famish wor navy. Song, Canny Newcasscl. As to that pedant Mr. Hall, By Jove — I'll give him noivse at all. The Vicar's Will. Nudge, to push, to jog. " What aie ye midging at." NuM, Numb, clumsy, benumbed. Sax. benum, stupefactus. NuT-CRACK-NiGHT, All Hallows Evc ; on which it is customary to crack nuts in large quantities. They are also thrown in pairs into the fire, as a love divination, by young people in Northumberland, anxious to know their future lot in the connubial state. If the nuts lie still and burn toge- ther, it prognosticates a happy marriage, or at least a hope- ful love ; if, on the contrary, they bounce and fly asunder, the sign is unpropitious to matrimony. Bm'ning the nuts is also a famous charm in Scotland. The auld guidwife's weel hoordet nits Are round an' round divided. An' monie lads' and lasses' fates Are there that night decided : Some kindle couthie, side by side. An' bum thegither trimly ; Some start awa wi' saucy pride, And jump out-owre the chimlie. Burns, Halloween. See some curious notes, explanatory of the charms and sjjrfs of this evening, appended to the poem here quoted. Nyem, name. " Aw diwent ken his nyeni." — Broad Neivcastle. OIL O. Oaf, a fool, a blockhead, an idiot. " Oh ! yah oaf, i/ah /" V. Todd's John, and WUb, Obstropolous, vociferous, turbulent, obstreperous. Then rough-hewn tar, Who sail'd had far, " Cries out, my lads ! give o're ; " Since, body of me ! " You can't agree, " Cease such obstroj/lous roar." BenweU Village. Oddments, Odds and Ends, scraps, tilings of little value, odd trifles. Odds-bobs, a vulgar exclamation of surprize. — Odd rot it, tlie same. Odds-deeth ! Odds-life ! Odds-heart ! Odds-heft ! Odds- wowKs ! Odds-zooks ! frequent palliative adjm-ations. As are also, Odds-dat-it, Odds-drab-it. Oddsheft ! we all know Skipper Clark, Has got a stomach like a shark. And can — if he's a mind to try, Devour a bullock in a pie. Willy Wood, and Greedy Grizzle. Odds-fish ! an interjection — a moderated diminutive of God's flesh. Oftens, Offens, the plural of often. Quite common. — 0ft- iSH, Oftenish, very often. OiL-oF-HAZEL, a souud di'ubbiug. A piece of waggery is some- times practised by mischievous mxhins in Newcastle, on raw inexperienced lads from the country — in sending them X 154 OLD to a chymist's shop for a '■^ i^erCorth of oihof-hazeW An eai'nest application of a good thick hazel stick is often the result. Sending for pigeoi^s milk is a similar joke of old standing. Old, great ; such as was practised in the " olden time." — Oijj- DOiNGS, great sport, great feasting — an uncommon displa3' of hospitaHty. Oldish, rather old. Very common. Old-nick, one of the most common of all the ludicrous names given to the devil ; or, as it is pronounced, the deevil. — The Danes and Germans, according to the northern my- thology of elder times, worshipped Kocka or Nicken, a deity of the waters, represented a'^ of a hideous shape, and of diabolical principles ; from which, no doubt, the popular name oi old-nick has been derived. — Old-Harry, and Old- scratch, are also designations appropriated to the same evil being by the vulgar in the North. Old-peg, Aud-peg, an inferior sort of cheese, made of skim- med milk. It is also called, not inaptly, leather huvgry. V. Moor, bang. Old-shoe. The ancient custom of throwing an old shoe af- ter a person for luck, is not yet disused in the North. In the case of marriages, it is often practised ; even among some of the great. See on this subject. Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. ii. p. 4S0 ; and Nares' Gloss. " As easy as an old shoe" — a common comparison. Omy, mellow ; spoken of land. V. Jam. oam. One-day, a favourite retrospection. " I remember it well — it happened one-day when from home." Ongoings, conduct, doings, merriment. Onset, a dwelling-house and out-buildings. Something ad- ded or set on. OUT 155 Onsetten, dwarfish, curbed in growth. " An onsetten f/ihig" — a common term of derision. Onstead, Onstid, the buildings on a farm — a station or siai/ near the house for cattle or stacks. Sax on, and sled, locus. Ony, Onny, any. — Oxny-bit-like, tolerable, decent, likely. Oo, often pronounced ui ; as book, buik ; look, luik ; took, tuik. OoL, Owl, wool. Had the learned author of the Commen- taries on the Laws of England known tliis, he need not have gone so far to seek the meaning of what he calls owl'mg. V. Blackstone, vol. iv. p. 154. Oppen, to open. — Oppent, opened. Orndorns, "afternoon's drinkings, corrupted from onederinsV Ray, who gives it as a Cumb. word. Ownder is used in some parts of the North, for the afternoon ; which may be the same as Chaucer's undern; and in a list of words communicated to me by a friend, a native of Cumberland, I find orndinner, afternoon's luncheon — omsupper, after- supper's refection. OsKEN, an oxgang of land — varying in quantity. Othergaits, Othergets, otherwise, different. If Sir Toby had not been in di-ink, lie would have tickled you othergates than he did. SJwk. Tzctlfih NigJd. Ousen, Owsen", oxen. Moe.-Got. mtlisne. He has gowd in his coffers, he has oix'seti and kine. And ae bonie lassie, his darling and mine. — Burns, Olt-at-the-elbows, in declining circumstances. Olt-by, a short way from home, not far distant. Out-fall, a quarrel, a misunderstanding. 1o fall out. Sw. id/all, a hostile excursion. 156 OUTG Outgoings, synonymous with Outlay, which see. Outing, an airing, going from home. Sw. uttaeg, an expedi- tion abroad. Also an entertainment or supper given by an apprentice to his shopmates, on the expiration of his servitude. Outlay, expenditure. Dr. Jam. refers to Sw. tU/agga, to ex- pend ; whence iitlaga, tax ; idlagor, expenditure. Outoponner, or Oot-upon-her ! an interjectional term of reproach, or abhorrence. But Old upon this half-fac'd fellowship. Shak. First Part of King. Henry IV. Out o' the way, uncommon, exorbitant, wayward. OuTRAKE, a free passage for sheep from inclosed pastures into open grounds or common lands. Sax. ut-rcBcan, ex- tendere. Dr. Willan, however, thinks that, in wrifijig the word out-track, we should perhaps exhibit the right mode of spelling, as well as the derivation of it. OuTSHOTS, projections of the upper stories of old houses, in Newcastle ; of which there used to be several. A few still remain. # . Oft in a house decay'd with age, ^Aliich scarce will bear the winter's rage ; AVhose crazy outshots threat'ning hing About their ears, a peal to ring. Description of Sand gate. Outwale, refuse. See Wale. Over it, to recover from an illness. " I'm sadly afraid she'll never over it." OvERGET, to overtake — ower-take. " He is but a little before, you will soon over-get him." Otermickle, OwERMiCKLE, overmuch. Sax. ofer-micel. . PACK 1-57 Owe, to belong to. An old sense of the word. Thou dost here usurp The name thou ow'st not. SM^. Tempest. OwER, over. — Out-ower, across. — Ower-by, over the way. OwsE, any thing ; contrary to nowse. OwT, Ought, any thing. Sax. ow/iit. OwTHER, OwETHER, Oatiier, either. An old word. " Oiu- ther on us" — either of us. Ox-eye, the greater titmouse. Parus majo7-, Linnaeus, OxLiP, the greater cowslip. Sax. oxan-sHppa. I know a bank Avhere the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violets grows. Shak. Mid. Nighfs Dream. OxTAR, Oxter, the aim pit. Sax. oxtan. Pegge, however, thinks it should perhaps be written Hockster, quasi the hock of the arm, or the lesser hock. Oye, a grandchild. V. Jamieson, oe. Oysters. Ee-shee-ke-le-kaul-er-Oysteers, the famous cry of the elder oyster-wenches, in Newcastle ; but now rarely carried to this musical extent. Bewick has figured two of these dames in a tail piece to his Land Birds, edit. 1821, p. 20. P. Pack, the warehouse of a pedlar. " Perish the Pack" was a well known character in Newcastle, a few years ago. Sec Packman, and Pedder. Packing-penny-day, the last day of the fair ; when all the cheap bargauis are to be had. Newc. Pac kman, a pedlar — a man who carries a pack on his back. — Many persons in Newcastle, now enjoying otmm cum 158 PADD dignitate, ai"e lineally descended from pack men — through no very remote genealogy. Honour and shame from no condition rise ; Act well your part — there all the honour lies Pope. Paddick, or Paddock, a frog. Sax. pad, pada. Never a toad. Paddockes, todes, and water-snakes. CJiapynan, Ccesar and Pompey. Paddock calls — Shak. Macbeth. Paddle, an iron instrument for clearing away diit, a scraper. Paddock, a small field or park adjoining to, or surrounding a house. Sax. pearroc, parruc. In Westmorland, parruck, evidently the proper word, is a common name for an in- closure near a farm house. Paddock-stool, or stuvl, a fungus often mistaken for a mushroom. Teut. padden-stocl. P.VD-THE-H00F5 to walk. " As aw cuddent get a ride, aw was 'bliged to pad the hoof.'" Paffling, silly, trifling. " A paffing fellow." Paik, to beat, to chastise. Germ, pauken. — Paiks, Paikes, a beating, a drubbing. V. Jam. Painches, tripe. From paunch. — Painch-wives, Paincher- AVIVES, tripe women. Ncwc. Palaver, v. to use a great many unnecessary words. — Pala- ver, s. needless talk. Span, palabra, a word ; palabrern, talkative, full of prate, loquacious. Palterley, Palterev, paltry. Pax, to match, to agree, to assimilate. Dr. Willan seems to think this must be borrowed from cookeri/ : — the author of the Crav. Gloss, from Sax. jmn, a piece of cloth inserted or agreeing with another. But see Ray. PARR lo9 Pancake-Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday ; on v.'hich it is a general custom in the North to have pancalvcs. Formerly, in Newcastle, the great bell of St. Nicholas was tolled at twelve o'clock at noon ; when the shops and offices were immediately closed, and a little carnival ensued for the remainder of the day. It is still a sort of half holiday. Pang, to fill, to stuff. — Pang-full, crammed with food. Teut. banghen, premere. Next, to the tents we hied, te get Sum stuffin for wor bags, man ; Wi' flesh we gaily pang'd wor hides— Smok'd anowse but patten shag, man. Song, X. V. Z. Pant, a pubKc fountain. In Newcastle they are of a particu- lar construction, having a reservoir before them for retain- ing the water. According to Skinner, pond was anciently pronounced pand, which may be derived from Sax. pyndan, to inclose or shut up, and which might easily get changed to pant. See a representation of a North country pant, in Bewick's ^sop, p. 334. Parcy-and, the sign or contraction 4-. Parfit, perfect, entire. Fr. parfait. Used by Chaucer. Parget, to plaster chimnies with a mixture of cow dung, &c ; formerly the common term for plastering the roofs of rooms. V. Nares. Parlous, perilous, dangerous, wonderful — also acute, clever, shrewd. An old word. — Parlish, a variation in dialect. A parhus boy ! — go to, you are too shrewd. Sliuk. King Richard III. Parrished, perished, starved, much affected by cold. — Par- RiSHMEXT, a state of starvation. " He's gettin a jjarrish- ment a' caud.^' 160 PASE Pase, v. to raise, to lift up, to open ^vith violence. Fr. peser, to weigh. — Pase, s. a lever. Pash, v. to bruise, to crush, to dash in pieces. — Pash, ,s-. any thing decayed. " As rotten as pasK'' — " As soft as pash." Pash, a fall of rain or snow. Dut. plus. Paste-eggs, eggs boiled hard, and dyed or stained various colours — given to children to amuse themselves with about the time of Easter. The custom of presenting eggs at this season of the year is of great antiquity, and pervaded va- rious nations. Su.- Got. pask-egg. V. Ihre. vol. i. p. 390. Dan. paaske-cEg, coloured eggs. See nuich cm'ious matter relative to this subject, in Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. i. easier eggs- Pate, a brock or badger. V. Ray. Pauky, saucy, squeamish, scrupulously nice — also proud, in- solent, artful. Q. Sax. pcecan, mentiri ? Paul, to puzzle. Poze is used in the same sense. Paut, v. to paw, to walk heavily or awkwardly, to kick. — Paut, s. a stroke on the ground with the foot. Teut. pad, planta pedis. Pawp, the foot — particulai-ly a clumsy one. — Pal pin, Pavp- iNG, walking awkwardly. Paws, the hands. " Keep yor paws off." Pay, to beat, to drub. " The rascal pays his wife." — Pays, a beating, a drubbing. Welsh, pwyaw, to beat, to batter. Two, I am sure, I have paid. Sliak. First Part of King Henrij IV. Pea, or Pee-jacket, a loose rough jacket or short covering ; much used in severe weather by mariners, and by watermen on the Tyne. It was formerly the ludlckni outer-dress of the keelmen. PEEN ini Peas-straw, a rustic love charm. A Cumbrian girl, when her lover proves unfaithful to her, is by way of consola- tion, rubbed with pefn-xt)-aw b}' the neighbouring lads; and when a Cumbrian youth loses his sweetheart, by her marriiige with a rival, the same sort of comfort is adminis- tered to him by the lasses of the village. — Kote, in Andcr- soiis Ballads. Pea-swad, or Swad, the husk that contains peas. PunDER, Petuer, or Pethir, a pedlar — a travelling merchant. Pee, to squint, to spy with one eye — to look through con- tracted eye-lids. — Peed, blind of an eye. Pee-dee, a young lad in a keel, who has charge of the rudder. In other respects, something similar to the cabin-boy of a ship. Often called by a name too coarse for insertion. Peel, a place of strengtli — a fortified building. Sax. pil, moles. Within my own recollection almost every old house in the dales of Rede and Tyne was what is called a Peel house, built for securing its inhabitants and theii- cattle in the moss-trooping times. Iledlcij, Archoeologia jElkiria, vol. I. p. 243. The Northumberland Peel houses were of two stories — the first arched over, into which the cattle were driven ; but a Feel, according to the proper sense of the term, sig- nifies a Gothic strong-hold, the defences of which are of earth mixed with timber, strengthened with j)iles or 'pali- sades, such as was connnon on the Continent at a very early period. Peelings, parings. " Apple peelings" — " Potatoe peelings." Peenging, Pinging, uttering feeble, frequent, and somewhat peevish complaints. " A peenging bairn" — a whining child. Teut. jji/iiig/icn, affligere. 162 PEEZ Peez-weep, Pee-wit, the lapwing, or bastard plover. Tihign vanellns, Lin, V. Wilb. appendix. Peg, v. to beat with sharp knuckles. Isl, piaha, tundere.— Peg, s. a blow or thump. Pelch, faint, indisposed, exhausted. Pell-mell, quick. See its other meanings in Todd's John, Pet, a domesticated lamb — a spoiled, pampered child — a fond- ling designation for a female favourite. Old play writers use j)eat, in the latter sense. Petted, fondled, indulged. " What a petted child." Pick, to pitch, to throw. Su.-Got. jncka, minutis ictibus tundere. I'd make a quarry "With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as higii As I could picli my lance — Shak. Corlolaniis. Pick-fork, a hay fork, a sort of grape. See Grape, Pick-night, dismal, dark as pitch. Shakspeare and later writers use pitchy, in the same sense. Then aw met yor Ben, an' we were like to fight; An' when we cam to Sandgate it was pick-nig/it. Song, Matv Canny Hinny. Pickle, a small quantity, a little. PiCKLET, or Pikelet, a small round light cake — a sort of muffin. Picks, the suit of diamonds at cards. Grose erroneously says spades. Brand pretends to seek a derivation in the re- semblance which the diamond bears to a mill-picJi, as fusils are sometimes called in Heraldry. Picktree, Pigcree, or Pigery, a pig-sty. Piece, a little while. " Stay a piece and then aw will." Pifle, to filch, to steal. From pilfer. Pike, v. to pick, to select, to chuse. Dut. picken. PIPE 163 Pike, or IIay-pike, s. See IIav-imaking. PiN-( ODD, or Prin-codd, a pin-cushion. See Codd. Pinch-gut, a penurious person — a covetous, miserable wretch. Pink, small. " Aw never saw sic a Pink-eed bod}." PiNKEY, very sjnall. Dut. pinkje. — Pinkey-wixkey, the smallest imaginable. Pm-PAXNiEBLY-FELLow, a miserable, covetous, suspicious fel- low, one who pins up or fastens his paniers and baskets. — Grose. Piper, a minstrel. Northumberland. Sax. pipere. The noble house of Percy still retain pipers in their service. They wear, on the right arm, a silver crescent, granted as a badge to the family, for ha^ang taken the Turkish stand- ard, in an expedition against the Saracens, in the Holy Land : — attend the couits-leet and fairs held for the Lord : — and pay suit and service at Alnwick castle. Their in- strument is the ancient Northumbrian bag-pipe, different in form and execution from the Scotch ; it being much smaller, and blown, not with the breath, but by a pair of bellows fixed under the left arm, "With wassail, mirth, and revelry The castle rung around : Lord Percy call'd for song and harp, And pipes of martial sound. The minstrels of thy noble house, All clad in robes of blue, With silver crescents on their arms, Attend in order due. Tfte Tfrr?uit of Warkworth. PiP^STOPPEL, a fragment of the shank of a tobacco-pipe. 164 PIPI Piping-hot, extremely hot. " Pie;<, piping-hot. The honour thou hast got To spick and span nQ\\\ pipiug-hot. Butler, Hudibras. Pipkin, or Pidkin, a small earthen vessel with a handle from one side. P*****G ON A Grave. Women transported with rage and wickedness sometimes threaten their deadly enemies in tliis manner. A clergyman, in Northumherland, informed me that he had heard of a person who was actually guilty of such a revenge. Many old customs are harmless ; but this is composed of nothing but horrible materials. PiTaiAN, a collier — a man who works in a coal ^>j7. Pitter-patter, to beat incessantly, like rain. PiTTV-PATTY, palpitation, a quick movement of the heart. Pitapat is classical. Plash, v. to splash. Su.-Got. jL»/rt.?/i(7. — Plash, s. a small pool of water. — Plash of raits, a heavy fall or severe shower. Dut. plasregen. Pleach, to bind a hedge. V. SufF. Words, plash. Plean, to complain. An old word. Pleak, or Pleany-pye, a tell-tale, or prating gossip. Pleig- nen occurs in Gower. Plenish, or PleiNnish, to furnish a house. , Plenishing, or Plennishing, household furniture. Q. Lat. pk'Jius ? Plodge, to wade through water, to plunge. Plooky, Plooky-faced, pimpled. Gael./j/z^caw, a pimple. Plooky, plookij, are jour cheeks, And plooky is 3'our chin. Ballad, Sir Hugli, le Blond. POOM 1()5 Plote, to pluck, to chide vehemently. " Sec how she ploles him." Plouter, Plowteu, to winle through water or mire, to be engaged in any dirty work. Teut. plotsen. Germ, ^j/a- dern. Plowding, wading through thick and thin. Dut. j^^ucgen. — See Pi-ouTER. Ploy, a harmless frolic in which a party is engaged ; a merry meeting. Dr. Jam. is inclined to view this word as formed from Sax. jjlegan, to play. Pluff, Pleugh, a plough. Su.-Got. plog. Germ, pflug. — This gives me an opportunity of presenting to the reader a genuine Norihumbrian specimen of an agricidtural re- proof; comnmnicated to me by a friend. " Ye ill t'ar'd i)i)ily ye ! ye pretend to guide the phiffl to leeve a saet a baaks in aa the faf quarter. I'll ha ne mair o' thee ! Se ye may gang at the Fair, honest man ! Thou mun de't better nor that, else thou may gang heame." PocK-ARREU, OR PocK-ARRD, pitted with the small-pox. It might be thought puckered, but the a is distinctly pro- nounced and accented. Germ, pockentiarbig. See Arr. PoCK-FRETTEN, marked with the small-pox. Po-HEAD, Po-HEED, Pow-HEAD, a tad-polc, or young toad. Poke, to stoop. "To poke the head." Poke, a bag, a sack. " A pig in a poke" — an old Northern idiom. Sax. pocca, a pouch. Isl. ^joA-j, saccus. Teut. poke. Poked, offended, piqued. " Aiu've poked him, sareJ" Poker and Tongs, when a horse strikes the hind against the fore shoe. PooMER, any thing very large. " Ee ! what a jmomer." 166 POOR Poor Body ! poor creature. A common colloquial expres- sion of sympathy. Poorly, indifferent in health, — Very poorly, very unwell. PoR, Pore, a poker for stiiTing the fire. Teut. jyorren, ur- gere, compellere. PoRRAGE, Porridge, hasty-pudding — oatmeal mLxed in boil- ing water, and stirred on the fire till it be considerably thickened. Porridge after meat ! Shak. Troilus and Crcssida. PoRTMANTLE, a portmanteau. Originally a bag for a cloak or juantle. PosEV, PosiE, a bunch of flowers, a nosegay. A genuine North country word. Now all prepared and ready stand, AVith fans and posies in their hand. The Collier'' s Wedding. Poss, to dash violently in the water. " To poss clothes" — " A poss tub." " Aw passed him ower heed." PoT-CLEPs, pot-hooks. Ray says, from clip or clap, because they clap or catch hold of the pot. PoTTiCAR, PoTECARY, PoTiiECARY, an apothecary. In the ancient mode of writing this word, the A was omitted. See Bewick's iEsop. p. 36. Pottinger, a coarse earthen-ware pot, with a handle. Por- ringer. Pou, Poo, PoOGH, to pull. " Poo away vie lads." PouK, to strike ; or rather to push. He's grown sae weel acquaint wi' Buchan, An' ither chaps, The weans baud out their fingers laughiu, And pouk my hips. Burns, Death and Doctor Iloruhook. PUCK 167 Pow, the pate, the head. " Aw^l rattle yor pow." Albeit my pow was bald and bare Rawscnj, PowsoDDY, suet pudding placed under a roast. Prentice, an apprentice. An ancient mode of contracting the word. Ileywood's play of the Four Prentices of London. Prickle, a basket or measure of wicker work among fruiterers. Formerly made of briers ; hence, perhaps, the name. Prickt, decayed ; said of wine having a tendency to soiu'. Prig, to plead hard in a bargain, to higgle in price. Dut. prachen, to beg. Priggish, vain, conceited, affected, coxcomical. Prime, a little intoxicated, ready for action or business. Both in a metaphorical sense. Prin, a pin. Isl. prion, acus capitata. Dan. preen. Dr. Jam. has satisfactorily proved that this is no corruption. Princox, a pert or forward fellow. V. Todd's John, Prith Enow ! a frequent supplication. Pray thee noiu. Away ! I prilhcc, leave me — Ro-u-e, Jane Shore. Prod, a prick, a skewer. Su.-Got. brodd, aculeus. Prog, Proggle, v. to prick, to prickle. Isl. brydda, pungere. Prog, s. a prick. — Progly, a. prickly. pROss, talk, conversation — rather of the gossiping kind. " Let us have a bit oipross." Proud, luxuriant. " Corn's varra proud." Crav. Gloss. P's AND Q's, a nicety of beha\aour ; an observance of all due formalities. Perhaps from a French injunction to make proper obeisances, " Soyez attentifs a vos pies et vos cues ; in other words, mind your P's and Q's." PuBBLE, full, plump ; usually spoken of corn or fruit in oppo- sition to fantome — any thing fat, or distended. Pucker, flutter, agitation, " What a pucker he's in." A fi- gurative application of the word. 1G8 PUGG PuGGY, moist; arising from gentle perspiration. " ^^ Itugc^y hand." PuLK, a hole of standing water — a puddle. PuLLEN, poultry. An old word. V. Todd's John. The Piil- len market in Newcastle. PiTMMEL, OR PoMsiEL, to beat Severely, to chastise with the fist. For your pate I would pummel. Bcaiim. (|- Flci. Four Plays in One. Punch, to strike with the feet. " Don't jnmch so." PuND, a pound. Welsh, punt. " One pund two." PuN-FAUD, or PiN-FAUD, a pinfold. Sax. pi/ndan, to inclose. Puny, small, weak, sickly. " A jmny hmi'w." Vr. puisne; hence V^g. puisne, inferior, lower in rank. PuoY, PuY, or PouiE, a long pole, with an iron spike, or spikes, at the end, used in propelling keeln in shallow water, or when it is inconvenient to use sails or oars. Span, apoyo. PuRDY, a little thick-set fellow. I owe this word to the com- munication of a friend in the County of Durham, who first heard it at Barnard-Castle. On ascertaining the meaning the following dialogue took place. Q. What does purdij mean ? A. A little thrusimi up thing like a Jack at Warts. Q. What's that ? A. Something like a lime hiiritrr. Q. What is a lime burner ? A. Oh nobbit a Kendal sto'-lccncr. Q. ^Vhat is that ? A. A Utile thkk-sct fclluxo. Moor has purdy, proud, ostentatious ; and I have been told, since this article was written, that powsey is used in near!}' the same sense as purdy. PuRET.y, quite well. " How is lah .^" — Purely, tlienk yc." QUER 1(!9 PuRLicuE, a flourish in writing. " A spang and purlicue." Fr. pour le queue. V. Jam. Puss, PussEY, PtissEY-CAT, a cat, a hare. " Poor little piissei/." Put, to push, to propel. Welsh, pwtiaw. " He puts weeW PuzzEN, poison. " That rum's sartinly puzzen." Pyannet, Pynet, a magpie. Welsh, pioden. See Maggy. Pyrrhy-dancers. See Merry-dancers. Q. Quail, to fail, to fall sick, to faint. Teut. quelen, to languish. V. Nares, for examples of its ancient use. Quandary, a dilemma, an unpleasant predicament, a state of perplexity. Skinner's derivation from Fr. qu'en diraije, is adopted in Todd's John. But the pronoun (nominative) was often left out by old French writers, which would here make the derivation more accurate — qu'en dirai ? Quean, a term of abuse to a female — sometimes unplying the most disgraceful name that can be applied to the sex. Moe.-Got. queins, quens. Sax. civen, a wench — though not primarily used in a reproachful sense. A witch, a quran, an old cozening quean. Shak. Mer. Wives of Windsor. Queer, a quire of paper. Old Eng. quaire. Old Fr. quayer. Quern, a hand mill. One of our oldest words. Su.-Got. quern. Teut. querne. See Kern. Wlieras they made him at the querne grind. Cltauccr, Monkes Tale. Skim milk ; and sometimes labour in the quern. And bootless make the breathless housewife chum. Shak. Mid. Nlghfs Dream. Capell ridiculously supposed that quern here meant churn. 170 QUIS QuisEY, confounded, dejected. QuORN, QuoAPV, corn. " The quorn's now getiin up, — varry fast" R. Rabble, to speak in a confused manner. Teut. rabbelen, blaterai'e. Rabblement, a crowd, the mob. A very old word. Rack, v. to care. " Never rack" — never care. V. Ray. Cornish, rach, care. Rack, s. a trace. Our great di-amatic poet, in a well-known passage in the Tempest, says, " leave not a rach behind" ; that is, not a trace — whatever the commentators may be pleased to say to the contrary. Rack, s. the clouds ; or rather the track in which they move. Sax. rec, vapour. Archdeacon Nares is mistaken in think- ing the word not now in use. But, as we often see, against some storm, A silence in the heavens, the rack stand still. The bold winds speechless, and the orb below As hush as death. Shak. Hamlet. Rackless, thoughtless, cai'eless, improvident. Old Eng. retchless, reckeless. Sax, recce-leas. Raff, a low fellow. — Riff-raff, an alliterate term of reproach — the rabble. Dan ripsraps, the dregs of the people. Raff-merchant, a timber-merchant. i?a//-merchant. Raffling, idle, worthless. " A raffling chap." Rag, to rate, to reproach. Isl. raega, to accuse. — Bully- Rag, the same. Ragabash, low, idle people — such as are generally in rags. Rubbish is used in the same sense. B»th may be said to be synonjinous with ragamuffins. RAPE 171 Rageous, in a rage, in excessive pain, violent. Rake, to cover, to gather together. To rake the Jin _ is to supply it with coals, or to put it in such a condition that it may continue burning all night, so as to be ready in the morning — a common practice in many kitchens in the North, where coals are plentiful. Shakspeare uses the word in this sense, when, in King Lear, he makes Edgar say. Here, in the sands Thee I'll rake up Act. IV. Sc. 6. Ram, foetid, acrid, pungent. Isl. rammr, amarus. " A ram smell" — " A ram taste." Rame, to cry, to ask over and over again in a teazing man- ner. Sax. hream, clamor. Su.-Got. raama, clamare. — Raming, crjing ; especially as denoting reiteration of the same sound." " What arc yah raming at yah little dirty baggage ?" Rame, or Rawm, to reach any thing awkwardly or greedilj', to stretch after. Teut. racmcn, extendere, distendere. Ramlin-lad, a tall fast growing youth, a hobhlety-hoy . Rampadge, to prance about furiously, to make a great noise or disturbance. Ramshackle, Ramsheckle, to search narrowly, to ransack. — Ranshackle is an old word for plunder. Randy, s. a vulgar, brawling woman, a termagant. Randy, a. boisterous, obstreperous, disorderly. Rank, thick, or many things or people together. Sax. ranc. Rannel-balk, a beam or bar across a chimney on which boilers are hung. Ranty, riotous, in high spirits, disorderly. — Rantv-tantv, in gi'eat wrath, in a violent passion. Rape, a rope. Moe.-Got. ra'ip. Sax. rnp. 172 RAPI Rapier-dance, nearly the same as the sword-dance of the ancient Scandinavians, or as that described by Tacitus among the Germans. See a full account of it, in Archaeo- logia, vol. xvii. p. 1.55. Rash, dry ; as rash-corn — corn so dr}' in the straw that it falls out without handling. Rasher, a rush. Sax. resce. — A rasher-caj), a rasher-ducket, a rasher-ivhip ; articles made of rushes. Rasps, both the bush and the fruit. Ratch, a straight line of a navigable river ; as the Long Ratch, in the Tyne. This word is politely, but impurely, pro- nounced Reach, The keelmen generally say Rack. It is, perhaps, properly Rack. Rather To have rather is a conunon North coiuitry expres- sion, when a preference is desired. See Dr. Johnson's 6th sense of rather. The corruption may be thus traced. It is customary to contract both / would and / had into Vd, I had rather was probably first used as a false translation for Fd rather, written for I would rather ; and when I had rather was once received, to have rather followed of course. Ratler, a great lie, an abominable falsehood. " That's a 7'atlcr." Ratten, Ratton, a rat. Span, raton. Rattle, to strike or chastise. " Aw'll rattle yor cannister." Mere cant. Rattlepate, Rattlescap, Rattlescaup, a giddy, thought- less, volatile person. Rauk, to mark with lines, to scratch. " Dont rank the table?" I am told ratch is also used in the same sense. Q. Isl. raska, frangere ? Raav, a row of buildings, a sort of street. " Fether-Raw" — " Shiney-Raw.^'' Sax. rcewa. Old Eng. rew. REEK I7:i Rax, to stretch out, to enlarge, to reach. To rax oneself, is to extend the limbs, after sleep or long sitting. Sax. r//'(f him on't." Temse, v. and s. See Timse. Th, frequently changed into D ; as father, fade?- ; mother, vwder ; Rothbur}', Rodbiiry. Thack, Theak, thatch ; both as veii) and substantive. Sax. thaccan, to cover ; thac, theec, thatch. Chaucer uses thaclic. Thatadonnet, a good for nought, the devil. Is it, that " adonnc" (Fr.) abandoned one ? Thauf, Thauf-cake, a cake without yeast or any other fer- menting substance. Probably as conjectured by an inge- nious friend, from Sax. thearfan, opus habere, necesse ha- bere — necessity cake, or cake made in urgent haste, as what used to be called soldier's bread at the time when sol- diers were quartered, during marches, on private families. But see Todd's John, therf-bread. Thick, intimate. " They are very thick just now," i. e. they are very familiar. " We are not thic/c at all at present" — equivalent to not being on friendly terms. Thief and Reever-bell, the name given to the tolling of the great bell of Saint Nicholas, Newcastle, which is rung at 8 o'clock of the evening preceding every fair — as a sort of invitation to all rogues and thieves so enter that good town. Kcever, means robber ; from Sax. reafcre. THIR 217 Thingembobs, nameless trifles. Thingembob, is also a vulgar substitution of a person's name when it is not immediately recollected. TiHNK-SHAME, to feel abashed, to have a sense of shame. Thirl, to pierce, to perforate. Sax. thirlian. A word used by Chaucer. This-en, and That-en, in this manner and in that. Thivel, a smooth stick, used for various purposes of domes- tic economy. Sax. thvfel, a stem or stalk. " He's a qtieer stick to make a thivel of" — said of an unsteady, wayward person. Thole, to wait awhile. Su.-Got. tola, expectare. Thorough-go-mmble, a diarrhoea; the same as Teezev- Weezy. This loose sort of jargon abounds in the North. Thou's like, you must. " ThoiCs like to come." Thraxg, v. to press, to thrust, to squeeze. Sax. thringan. — Chaucer uses thring, a pronunciation still retained in some parts of Yorkshire. Thrang, s. a crowd, a throng. Pure Saxon. Thrang, a. much engaged, busily employed. Thrave, Threave, a certain number of sheaves of corn ; ge- nerally, I believe, twenty four — a quantity of straw. Sax. threaf. Threap, to persist vehemently, to aver pertinaciously in reply to denial. Sax threapian, redarguere. Itt's not for a man with a woman to thrcajpe. Unless he first give o'er the plea. Ancient Version of, Take thy old Cloak ahoiit tlicc. Thrif or Thrift-box, an earthen pot or box in which money is kept by young persons, E e 218 THRO Throuden, fat, well grown, in good case. Thropple, the windpipe, the throat. " A bull's Ihrofplcr Throwing-the-Stocking, an odd sort of love divination, on the first evening of a wedding. After the bride has retired, and while she is undressing, she delivers one of her stock- ings to a female attendant, who throws it at random among the company assembled on this festive occasion. The per- son on whom it happens to alight will, it is supposed, be the next to enter into the happy state. Another, and more curious, though perhaps now obsolete mode, was for the guests invited to repair to the bridal chamber, where it was customary for the happy pair to sit up in bed, in full dress, exclusive of their shoes and stockings. One of the bride's maids then took the bridegroom's stocking ; and, standing at the bottom of the bed with her back towards it, threw the stocking with the left hand over the right shoulder, aiming at the face of the bridegroom. Tins was done by all the females in rotation. When any of them were so fortu- nate as to hit the object, it was a sign that they were soon to be married. The bride's stocking was thrown by tlie young men at the bride in like manner; from which a simi- lar prognostic was taken. Thruff-stone, a tomb stone. Sax. thruh. V. Lye. Thrusty, thii-sty. A word used by Chaucer. Thud, the noise of a fall, a stroke causing a blunt and hollow sound. Sax. thoden, turbo. Thumping, great, huge ; as a thumping bairn — also notorious ; as a thumjxing lie. Thunner, thunder. Wilb. has thunna, s. and v. Thur, these. Isl. theyr, illi ; thaer, illas. Thwaite, a level pasture field. V. Todd's John. TiCE, to cnlicc. Old English, tijce. TINK 319 TiD, Mid, Mizzerav, Carling, Palm, Paste-egg-day, the last six Sundays in Lent. The first has no name. Tie-pot, or Tve-top, a garland. TiFFV-TAFFV, a difficult piece of work. TiFLE, Tyfell, to entangle, to mix and knot threads together, to ruffle. V. Jam. tuffle. Tift, a fit of anger, or rather the act of quarrelling. — Tifty, ill natured, petulant. Tig, a slight touch ; as a mode of salutation — a play among children, on separating for the night, in which every one endeavours to get the last touch ; called also, last bat. Tike or Tyke, a person of bad character, a blunt or vulgar fellow. Also a name for a dog. If you can like, A Yorkshire tike Carey, Wonder, ^c. Till, to. Mr. Todd has shewn it to be old. Tiller, to send out shoots, as wheat. — Dur. Germ, theilen, to separate into parts. TiMERSOME, TiMMERsoME, feai'ful. Timorous. Timwer, timber, Sw. timmer. " A ship load of timmer." TiMSE, V. to sift. — TiMSE, s. a sieve. Dut. teems, Fr. tamis. Tine, to shut, to inclose. Sax. tynan, claudere. TiNG-TOiVG, the little bell of a church. Fr. tintouin, a tingling ; or Teut. tinghe-tanghen, tintinare. Tinkler, a tinker. The celebrateil Wull Allen was for many years the king of the tinklers in the North. He had a son, not less celebrated — Jamie Allen, the Northumberland piper. Nae mair he'll scan wi' anxious eye The sandy shores of winding Reed, Nae mair he'll tempt the finny fry, The King o' Tinklers, Allen's dead ! Roxhij, Rccdwatcr Minstrel. 220 TIPP Tippy, smart, fine. " Tippy Boh."" TiRL, to make a slight scratching noise ; to turn over the leaves of a book quickly. TiTE, soon, easily, well. — Titter, sooner, rather. See As- TITE. TiTLiKG, a small bird attendant on the cuckoo. Tiv, to. — Tiv-a-Tee, just the thing. Toad-bit, a disease among cattle, absurdly imputed to the poison of toads ; and against which hisf ration by need-fire is employed. Dr. Willan mentions a recent instance of the practice, as occurring near Sedbergh. ToAD-UNDER-A-HARROw, the Comparative situation of a poor fellow, whose wife, not satisfied with the mere hen-peck- ing of her helpmate, takes care that all the world shall wit- ness the indignities she puts upon him. The expression is also applied to any other similar, if such there be, state of misery. ToDLE or Toddle, to walk, to saunter about, " Toiling hame" Germ. ti-oUeln, to trundle along. Tommy, a little loaf. " A soldier s tommy." Too, shut, close. " Put the door too?"—" It is too." Dut. toe. Is de deur toe ? TooFALL, TwoFALL, or Teefall, a small building adjoining to, and with the roof resting on the wall of a larger one. — This name is also given to a small shed at the end of a farm house, in which are usually placed implements of agri- culture. In the latter sense, however, it is often pro- nounced Touffa. Teut. toe-vallen, adjungere se. TooM, or TuAM. Dan. tomme, to empty. " A loom purse." — " A tuam cart." ToozLE, to pull about ; especially applied to any rough dal- liance with a female. TRAS 221 Top, good, excellent. — Topper, any thing superior — a clever, or extraordinary person ; but generally in an ironical sense. TopsMAN, the head man or manager, the chief hind or bailiftl ToRious, notorious. " A ^iorious liar that." ToRsiiT, TuRMiT, a turnip. Tosh, a projecting or unseemly tooth — a tusk. TossiCATED, perplexed ; as if intoxicated. Tote, the whole. " The ivhole tolc." A common pleonasm. Lat. totus. ToTEY, bad tempered. " A totey body." ToTHER, TuTHER, the Other. See Tane. Tough, Teugh, tedious, difficult. " A tough journey." — " Teugh ivarJi." Apparently, the original sense of the word. TowGHER, a portion or dowry, dower. Cumh. Toher, in other places, means the same. V. Jam. tocher. TowLiNG, a mischievous amusement among the boys in New- castle, during the evenings of the horse-fairs. It consists of whipping up and down the different " choice tit bits" shewn on those occasions. From the enquiries I have made, I find it has been practised from time immemorial. Tram, a small sledge. Tramp, a mechanic travelling from place to place in search of work. Trampers, beggars, who traverse extensive tracts of country, soliciting from door to door. Translators, cobblers who buy old boots and shoes and make them up anew for sale. The Castle Garth, in Newcastle, is the Grand Emporium of this learned and gentle craft. Transmogrified, transformed, metamorphosed. Trash, " to trample on in a careless manner," Todd's John. It is rather, to tramp about with fatigue. 223 TRIG Tricky, artful, cunning. Fvll of tricks. Trig, v. to fill, to stuff. — Trig, a. full. Trig, neat, trim ; or rather tricked out, or what is called^we. Trim, to chastise, to beat soundl}'. " I'll trim your jacket." Trippit and Coit, a game similar to spell and ore. Newc. Called Trippit and Rack in parts of North. The trippit is a small piece of wood obtusely pointed. See Spell AND Ore. Trist, Tryst, a fair for black cattle, horses, sheep, &c. Long Framlington trist, Felton tryst. North. Sc. tryst, an appointment to meet. V. Jam. Trod, a foot path through a field. Isl. trod. Trollibags, tripe. V. Suft". Words, trullibzibs. Trones, a steel yard. Isl. trana, grus. Trumph, a trump at cards. Common among the v'ulgar. TuBBER, a cooper. A maker of tubs. Ti E, to labour long and patientl)', to fatigue by repeated or continued exertion. Fr. titer, se tner, originally to kill ; but used also for, to fatigue or weary. // se tue, he wea- ries himself; or, in North country language, he tiies him- self. " Tuing on" — toiling away. " A tuing life" — a la- borious life. " A tiling soul" — a hard working person. " Sare tues" — great difficulty in accomplishing any thing. TuEL, a species of bantering ; or rather a tendency to squab- ble accompanied with it — any troublesome intermeddling. " Dinna haud me sic a tuel." Tug, to rob, to destroy. " To tug a nest." Ti'iFFiT, or Tewfet, the lapwing. See Peez-weep. TuM, to separate or card wool. Tup, s. a ram. — Tup, v. to give the ram. Shakspeare, in Othello, uses the verb in a more extended sense ; but the passage cannot well be quoted. UNCA 223 TussKL, or Tussle, a struggle, a contest. Twang, a quick pull, a tweak — also pain. V. Moor. TwATTLE, to pat, to make much of, to fondle. See Br- TWATTLED. TWEA, TWEE, two. SaX. twO. TwEASOME, TwosoME, two in company. TwEA-FACED, deccitful. Sax. twe-feald, duplex. Twill, a quill ; either for a pen, or on which to wind yarn. — V. Ray. Twilt, a quilt or bed cover. V. Todd's John, to twill. Twine, to cry. — Twiny, fretful, uneasy. TwiNTER, a beast of two winters old. Sax. twy-winter, duos annos natus. TwiTCH-BELL, the earwig. Twitter, to tremble, to be in a state of uneasiness. Germ. zittern, to shiver or quake. U. Ug, to feel abhorrence at. — UcsoaiE, disgusting, exciting r.b- hoiTence. — Xorth. U'fli — H'm, or Umhim, an indifferent careless manner of as- senting to what is said ; pronounced with the mouth shut, the last syllable short : very common in Newcastle. A literary friend suggests a derivation from umpli, ascribed satirically to the Society of Friends. Un, one — referring to an individual. " Hes a bad un.'^ Unaccountable, s. a strange character ; an unpromising per- son. Uncannv, giddy, careless, imprudent. It is also applied by the superstitious to one supposed to possess supernatural influence. Sc. no canny, — Uncannily, unthinkingly, thoughtlesslv. 224 > UNDE Undercumstand, to understand. A mere vulgar change. Undight, undressed, undecked. V. Todd's John. Unfrem'd, unkind. See Frem'd. Ungear, to unharness. '* Ungear the yohey Unhonest, dishonourable, dishonest. Stated in Todd's John, to be obsolete ; but it is not so in the North. Unket, Unkid, strange, unusual. Sax. imcuth, alienus. — Un- KETS, Unkids, news. Unlicked-cub, an ignorant, unpolished youth. U^'MACKLY, ill-shapen, of a clumsy appearance. Unpossible, for impossible. Not in Johnson but admitted by Mr Todd ; and well authorized. The word is frequent with the vulgar in the North. Unrid, to rid. Here the particle is of no force. — Unrip, a common word in the North — authorized by some of our best writers — is similarly circumstanced. Unsneck, to lift a latch ; as of a door. Unsoncy, Unsonsy, careless, luckless, unpleasant, disagree- able. See SoNCY. Upbraid, to rise on the stomach, as well as to reproach. Upcast, v. to upbraid. — Upcast, s. a taunt, reproach. Upcasting, a rising of the clouds above the horizon, especi- ally as threatening rain. Uphad, Uphaud, to warrant against defects. Uphohl. Upinsii, a sort of cant word for understanding. Upsides, quits. To be upsides with any one, is to threaten vengeance for an injury or affront. Upwith, equal. Urchin, a hedge-hog. Chaucer uses urchon. V. Nares' Gloss. WABB V. Vamper, to vapour or swagger, to make an ostentatious ap- pearance. Welsh, gwemp, splendid. Vardie, opinion, judgment. Perhaps a corruption of verdict. Varment, Verjient, vermin — also a term of reproach, par- ticularly to a child. Varra, Varry, Vurry, very. Vennel, a sewer. Probably from kennel, an open water course. Ventersome, Venturesome, rash, adventurous. Verter, a common corruption of virtue. Vievvlv, pleasant to the sight, striking to the eye, handsome. Vine-pencil, a black lead pencil. Virgin's Garland. Many country churches in the North are adorned with these garlands ; in token, says Bourne, of esteem and love, and as an emblem of reward in the hea- venly Church. They are made of variegated colom'ed paper, representing flowers, fastened to small sticks cros- sing each other at the top, and fixed at the bottom by a circular hoop. From the centre is suspended the form of a woman's glove cut in white paper, on which the name and age of the deceased ai"e sometunes written. To her sweet mem'ry flow'ry Garlands strung, On her now empty seat aloft were hung. — Gay. VoKY, VoKEY, moist, juicy. WoMe occui's in Peirs Plough- man. W. Wabble, to move easily, to reel, to wave ; as growing corn on a windy day. Sec Waffle. Ff me WAD Wad, black lead. — Cumb. Ptu'e Saxon. " A wad jiencil." Wad, woad used by dyers. Sax. ivad. " As blue as ivadJ'' Wad, would. " He wad, at wad he" — he would, that lie would. Waden, Wauden, young and active — vigorous in limb. " A ■waden lad." Wadler-wife, the keeper of a register office for servants.-^ Newcastle. Wae me ! or Wae's me ! an exclamation of sorrow, equiva- lent to woe is me. Sax. wa is me. Waff, Waith, Wraith, an apparition in the exact resem- blance of a person, supposed to be seen just before or soon after death. It may be from the airy form of the object ; a waft or transient view being called a waff; but see Jam. wraith. I have conversed with persons who have gravely and unequivocally asserted that they have seen these spec- tral appearances of their deceased friends and relations. Waffle, to wave, to fluctuate. Sax. ivafian, vacillare. Wag, to beckon with the hand. " Le€s wag on him." Wag-at-the-Waw, Wagger, a cheap wooden German clock. Perhaps from the pendulum being exposed ; or, provinci- ally, seen luagging against the wall. Wage, pay for service. Both Johnson and Nares say, used only in the plural. In the North, however, the singular is in common use. " JVhafs your wagef'' Waifinger, an estray. Law Lat. waivium. Wairsh, Wearsh, thin, watery, weak, insipid. It is also used to express a griping in the bowels, V. Todd's John. ■iveerish. Wait, wot. Sax. wat, from wilan. Waiter, Waater, water. Sax. wceter. Waiter, or Water-brash, a disease in the stomach. Per- haps from the bursting or discharge of aqueous himiour. WALL 227 Waits, musicians who play by night in the streets about the time of Ciiristmas and the new year ; originally a town- band of musicians. One of the old towers, in Newcastle, was formerly called the waits' tower, and was the place of their meeting. Their playing to Oliver Cromwell, while that extraordinary character was entertained at dinner, on his route to or from Scotland, is traditionally remembered. The term is apparently from Mce.-Got. luahts, vigilia, ex- cubiae ; these waits being anciently viewed as a sort of watchmen. Wake, v. to watch by a corpse, to sit up with a person all night. See Lake-wake. Wake, s. a country feast, a rural fair. V. Hutchinson's His- tory of North, vol. ii. p. 26 ; and Brand's Pop. Antiq. vol. i. p. 432. Tarts and custards, ci'eams and cakes, Are the junketts still at Wakes — Her rick. Wake, a. weak. Sax. tvcpc. " A tvahely body." Wale, Weahl, ik to select, to choose, to sort. Su.-Got. ivaelia, eligere. Germ, wahlen, to pick out. — Wale, s. choice. Walk-mill, a fulling-mill. Germ, tvalkmiiMe. Before tfte introduction of machinery it was customary to use the feet in fulling cloth. Wall, Walle, to boil. Su.-Gor. tuacUa, testuare, fervere. — Walm, a slight boiling. Wall-eyed. In those parts of the North, with which I am best acquainted, persons are said to be wuil-eycd, when the white of the e3e is very large, and to one side. On the borders, " sic folks'''' are considered unlucky. The term is also applied to horses with similar eyes. The author 228 WALL of the Crav. Gloss, explains wnll-een, to mean white or green eyes ; and does not consider the etymology very satisfactory, either in Nares or Todd. Their ideas cer- tainly are at variance with the Northern signification of the word. Grose defines it, " an eye with little or no sight, all white like a plaistered wall." Wallop, to move quickly and with much agitation of the body or clothes. Tent, waf-oppe. — Walloping, a slatternly manner. Wallow, insipid. See Welsh. Wallup, v. to beat. " Aui'liuallup i/nhy — Wallup, s. a blow. W^AME, Weam, Weirie, the stomach, the belly. Mce.-Got. ivamha, uterus. Sax. wamh, venter. Wan, a corruption of wand. " A yard-wan." — " A ini/l-zvan.'" 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