SSSf UCrf,BLF Wees i ,1 ,/ fi^.,^^44^^^ '\ S* »^/»-ri? lv^ of some Words used in Cheshire. 9 which is the letter L preceded by either of the consonants A or O. Thus in common discourse we pronounce Bawk for Balk^ Caaf for Calf, Haaf for Half, Wawk for Walk, Tawk for Talk, Foke for Folk, Stawk for Stalk, and St. Awbans for St. Albans 5 but in the Cheshire Dialect, as in all the other Northern ones, this custom, and the practice of substituting the o for the a and the double ee for the igh, prevail in a still greater de- gree 3 thus we call All , aw Always awways Alsager "| f Auger Altrincham > names of places the quilt or blanket. Lan. to hill, or hilling. It is a good O . W. employed by WiclifFe in his translation of the New Testament, but I never heard it used in common conversation except in Lancashire and Cheshire. See Ihre in voce Hilja, operire, A. S. Helan, tegere. Som. Hinge, adj. active, supple, pliant. HoBBiTY Hoy, an awkward stripling, between.' man and boy. Tusser calls it Hobart de Hoigh, or Hoyh. I believe it to be simply Hobby the Hoyden, or "Robert the Hoyden, or Hoyt. The word Hoyden is by no means confined to the fe- male sex 5 indeed it is believed to have anciently belonged to the male sex^ and to mean a rude 38 An Attempt at a Glossary ill-behaved person. See Todd's Diet, in v6ce Hoiden, Hoyt in the North is an awkward boy, or a simpleton. Grose. Hog, or Hogg, s. a heap of potatoes of either a conical or roof- shaped form, probably so called from its resemblance to a hog's back. It is al- ways covered with straw and earth to preserve the potatoes from the frost ; such is the usual mode in Cheshire. Hogg, s. to put up potatoes in this way. Hoo, or rather oo, pron. she. This word, which is in common use in the counties of Chester and Lancaster, is merely the Ang Sax. Heo. See Layamon of Ernley's translation of Wace's Brut, Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle passim, and Somner. Verstegan in his Glossary of the ancient English Tongue, at the end of his Resti- tution of Decayed Intelligence, has *' Heo for she." Hull, V. to throw. HuLLOT, or HuLLART. s. an owlet or owl. HuRE, s. the hair. Lan. HuRE-soRE, when the skin of the head is sor^ from a cold. Hurry, s. a bout, a set to, a scolding, a quarrel, perhaps from the old word to harry, or to harass. of some Words used in Cheshire. 39 Jack Nicker^ s. a Gold Finch, why so called I cannot conjecture. It is particular, however, to observe the appropriation of Christian names to many kind of birds. Thus all little birds are by children called Dicky birds. We have Jack Snipe, Jack Daw, Tom Tit, Robin Red- breast, Poll Parrot, a Gill- hooter 3 a Magpie is always called Madge, a Starling Jacob, a Spar- row Phillip, and a Raven Ralph. Jack-sharp, or Sharpling, s. a small fish called a Stickle Back. Jag^ or Jagg, s. a small parcel, a small load of hay or corn. In Norfolk it is called a bargain. Jagg or Jag, v. to trim up the small branches of a tree. Jee, or A-JEE, adv. awry. Jersey, or rather Jaysey, a ludicrous and contemp- tuous term for a lank head of hair, as resem- bling combed wool or flax, which is called Jersey. He has got a fine Jaysey. *^ Jarsey, the finest wool, separated from the rest by combing.^' Bailey's Diet. In SENSE, V. to instruct, to inform 3 to lay open a business to any one, is to insense him. Intack, s. an inclosure on a common, waste, or forest. An Intake. 40 An Attempt at a Glossary JuRNUT, or Yernut^ 5. a pignut^ Bunium Bul- bocastanum . Kale. See in voce Cale. Kailyards^ or rather Kelyards, the name of cer- tain orchards in the city of Chester. Kailyard in Scotch is a cabbage or a kitchen-garden. Jam. Yard and garden are both of them the same thing, and derived from the A. S. Geard. See Diversions of Pm*ley, vol. 2. p. 275. Kazardly, adj. Lan. milucky, liable to accident : perhaps a corruption of hazardly. Keck^ v. to put any thing under a vessel which lifts it up and makes it stand uneven. In Lanca- shire to Keyke or Kyke, is to stand crooked. Keck^ V. is usually to heave at the stomach. Keeve, v. to overturn or lift up a cart, so as to unload it all at once. Ash calls it local. Kench> s. a twist or wrench, a strain or sprain. Kenks (a sea term,) are the doublings in a cable or rope when it does not run smooth. Keout, s. a little barking cur dog. Randle Holme, in his Academy of Armory, uses Skaut or Kaut for the same, which seems to designate Scout of some Words used in Cheshire. - 41 for its etymology, and this is partly confirmed by that line of Tusser — •* Make bandog thy Scout- watch to bark at a thief." KervEj v. to turn sour. KiD-CRow_, or KiDCREWj §. a place to put a suck- ing calf in. Bailey has this word^ but he writes it Kibgrow, Crybbe being the A. S. word for stall or stable, and Crebbe being the same in Teutonic, Bailey's mode of writing the word, though differing from the ordinary pronuncia- tion of it, is probably right. Kind, v. to kindle the fire. KiTLiNG, s. a kitten. Ash says it is not common. It is Scotch, Jam. Kytlinge, catellus, P.P. C. KivER, V. and s. to cover, a cover, used by Wicliffe in his MS. translation of the Psalms. Knocker-knee'd, adj. said of those knees which in action strike against each other. It is usually called baker knee'd. Knotchelled, or Notchelled, adj. or part. When a man publicly declares he will not pay any of his wife's debts, which have been con- tracted since some fixed day, she is said to be knotchelled, a certain disgraceful imaginary mark. Lan. Knottings^ 5. thin corn, not well grown, Acad. Arm. G 42 An Attempt at a Glossary Ladgen, or Laggen, v. is to close the seams of any wooden vessels, which have opened from drought, so as to make them hold water. This is done by throwing the vessels into water, which swells the wood and closes the seams. P. P. C. has to laggen, or drabelen, palustro. N. B. to drabble, to wet or dirty, is a word of frequent colloquial occurrence, though omitted by our best Lexicographers. I/AT, s, a Lath. Lan. Lat, adj. Lat. lattance, s. hindrance, Lat, v, to hinder. Jam. has lattance, as well as to lat, v. to hinder. Ang. Sax. latian, to hinder or delay. Lathe, v. to ask, to invite, O. W. Lan. Laws you now, exclamation. See you now, used as Lo ! The Ang. Sax. for Lo is La. Leet, v. to let, also to light with a person, or meet him. I cannoh leet on him, I cannot meet with him. Leet, Leeten, v. to pretend or feign. You are not so ill as you leeten yourself, as you suffer yourself to appear. In Jam. Scotch Dictionary we read to leit, leet, let, to pretend to give, to make a shew of. Junius assigns Laeten, Belg. for its origin, Laeeta, Icelandic, simularc, se gerere. Late, gestus, Belgice, L^ten, videri. of some Words used in Cheshire. 43 simultari, gerer. se hoc vel iUo modo. Gothics, Linter, dolus, Linta, hypocnta. LicKSOMB, or L.SSOM., adj. lightsome, p easant agreeable. Chiefly applied to places or situations Lissome often means active, agile, the same as hinge. A pretty girl is said to be alicksomegirl. LiPpi..tolippen,toexpect.ASa..Leaf-an, credere. . ,, ^ Lite, .. a little. A farmer after enumerating the number of acres he has in wheat and barley, will often add, and a lite wuts, i. e^a little oats ItisanO.W. used by Chaucer. Danish Lidt. a little. Wolf. Dan. Diet. l1., . to lithe the pot, is to put thickenings Tn'o it. A. S. Lithan to lay one thing close to another. Som. LiTHEB,ad;-.Lan. idle, lazy; long and Ither is L'd Jf a tall idle person. Ash calls it obso Lte. A.S.Lith, mollis, lenis. Chaucer uses it as wicked . .,^i for the pot, LiTHiNG, or LiTHiNGS, s. thickening i f either flour or oatmeal. Lyder, Islandic, to alye,isanO.W.fortomix. LiTXGioiJs, adj. I have heard weather that impe- nd the harvest so called; but I believe it is only a cant term, and not a true county word_ LockL, part, a faced cardin a pack IS said to be loked. '44 An Attempt at a Glossary LiOOM, s. a utensil^ a tool^ a piece of furniture. Som. says Geloma, utensilia^ supellex, utensils, things of frequent necessary use, household stuflf. Belgis eodem sensu Alaem, alem. Hinc juris- peritorum nostrorum heir-lome, pro supellectili haereditaria. A LONG WITH, All along with, Awlung with, cause, occasion, it is all along with such a person that this business does not proceed, he is the occasion, &c.; evidently from the A. S. Gelang, ex culpa. j Lop, LOPPEN, perfect tense and participle of the verb to leap. LoRjus, an exclamation. Lord Jesus. LouNT, s. a piece of land in a common field, per- haps a corruption of lond. Luck, v. to happen by good fortune. If I had lucked, if I had had the good fortune. LuNGEOus, adj. ill tempered, disposed to do some bodily harm by a blow or otherwise AUonger, French, to lunge. A lunge, is common for a - violent kick of a horse, though Dr. Ash has omitted it. LuRKEY-DisH, s. the herb penny-rpyal. M. Madpash, s. a madbrain. Pash is the head. See Jam. of some Words used in Ches hire. 45 Maigh, or May^ v. Lan. a corruption of to make. Maigh th'dur or th'yate, shut it, or fasten it, perhaps an abbreviation of make fast An Italianism, far la porta, is to shut the door. Mare-F — T, s. the name of the yellow Ragwort. Senecio Jacobeia. Masker, v, the same as Flasker. Jam has to mask, to catch in a net. Maske, mesh of a net. Flemish. Halma. Mara, the Forest of Mara, the old name of the Forest of Delamere. Randle Holme, passim. Maw, s. the stomach. A. S. Maga, stomachus. Som. Maw-bound, s. said of a cow in a state of cos- tlveness. Mawks, s. a dirty figure, or mixture. Ash callg it colloquial. Meal, s. the appointed time whan a cow is milked. She gives so much at a meal. A. S. Mael, portio, aut spatium temporis. Som. Measter, s. master. Meet, a kind of adverbial expletive, expressive of something of late occurrence 3 just meet now, is just even now. See Junius in voce Meet. A. S. Gemet, obvius, which Somner translates Met, in English. Melch, adj. mild, soft 5 perhaps from milk. 46 An Attempt at a Glossary either through the medium of the A. S. Meolc : or the Belgic, Melk. Lan. Mich, adj. Michness, s. Scotch. Jam. Mich of a ' miehness, much the same. MiCKLES;, s. size. He is of no micklesj he is of no size or height. Mickle is common in the North, both as a substantive and as an adjec- j tive, but the word Mickles I believe peculiar to Cheshire and Lancashire. MiD-FEATHERj 5. is a uarrow ridge of land, left ' between two pits, usually between an old marl pit and a new one which lie contiguous to - each other. MizzicK, s. MizziCKY, adj. a boggy place. John- son has mizzy. Mizzle, s. small rain. Dr. Ash admits the verb to mizzle, but rejects the substantive. Mot, s. moat, a wide ditch for defence, sur- rounding antient country seats or castles. MoRTACious, ad;, mortal, mortacious bad, very bad. MucKiNDER, s. a dirty napkin or pocket handker- chief. In Ort. Voc, we have Muckeder, mete cloth, or towel. Littleton has muckinger, and so has Bailey. Much, s. a wonder, an extraordinary thing. It is much if such a thing happen. Mun, must. Moune, or have a right, possum>. P. P.C. mowe for may is common in Spenser. 0/ some Words used in Cheshire. 47 MuNcoRN^ blencorn, s, Mengecorn and Blende- corn, maslin, wheat and rye mixed together as they grow. Mungril is mixed. See Minshew. Mysell,, pron. so pronounced, myself. N Naar or Nar, near or nearer. Littleton hasNarr for nearer. Danish, Nsehr, nigh. Wolf. Dan. Diet. Natter*d, adj. natured, i.e. ill-natured 3 very natterd is very ill-tempered. Knattle, in Lan. is cross, ill-natured. Neest, s. Nest. The boys say to go a bird's neezing 3 that is, in search of birds nests. Neese, to sneeze. Neezle, v. to nestle, to settle oneself in a good situation. NoBBUT, none but. Who was there? Nobbut John. Noggintle, a nogginful NoGGiNG, s. the filling up of the interstices be- tween the timber work in a wooden building with sticks and clay, is called the nogging. NoiNT, V. to anoint 5 figuratively, to beat severely. A NoiNTED one, adj. or part, an unlucky or mis^ chievous boy, who may be supposed to have 49- Jin Attempt at a Glossary been severely corrected, is so called, a term cor- responding with the French un reprouve. NooKSHOTTEN, odj. disappointed, mistaken, hav- ing overshotten the mark. Shakspeare uses the word in Henry V. '' that nook-shotten Isle of Albion," and the Commentators suppose it to have reference to the jagged form of the Eng- lish coast. Pegge explains the word by '' bevel, not at right angles ;" and Randle Holme, in his Academy of Armoury, among the glazier's terms has, ^' a Querke is a nook-shoten pane, '^ whose sides and top run out of a square form," so that we may conceive what the artist meant to be a quarry or right angled pane, had, from his want of skill, turned out otherwise 5 and so far nook-shotten may mean mistaken, not mea- sured by the square, not exact. Note, s. a dairy of cows is said to be in good note, when all the cows come into milking at the best time for making cheese. Nought or Naught, adj. Lan. bad, worthless j stark nought, good for nothing, it is often em- ployed in the sense of unchaste, as explained by Bailey. Nought, naught 5 to call to naught, to abuse very much. To call to naught, is inHor. Vul. p. 134, „ in tergo. ||{ of some Words used in Cheshire. 49 OccAGioN, s. for occasion^ used in the sense of cause or motive, as ^^ I was the occagion, or ca- gion. of his doing so." On, adv. a female of any kind who is maris ap- petens, is said to be On, Onliest, adj. pronounced ownliest, superlative of only 3 the best or most approved way of doing any thing is said to be the onliest way. OoN, s. oven, Oss, or OssE, V. Lan. to offer, begin, attempt, or set about any thing, to be setting out. Ash calls it local. Holland in his translation of Pliny has ^^^Osses and Presages 3" to osse is likewise to recommend a person to assist you. Edgworth in his Sermons in the time of Henry VIII. uses to osse for to prophesy, in the same sense which Holland uses it 5 but in Cheshire it has the above meaning. OwNDBR, or AuNDER, s. the afternoon. Undern is used by Chaucer, and Yestronde is an O. W. for yesterday. See Ellis's Ancient Poetry. OwETHER, either. O. W. Piers Ploughman. Whitaker's Edition. OwLER, s. the alder tree. Aller and Eller are Scotch. Jam. H 50 An Attempt at a Glossary Pewit Land, s. moist, spungy land j such as the Pewit usually frequents. Perished, part, killed, or starved with cold. I am welly (well nigh) perished.' PiGGiNTLE, s. a pigginful. PiKEHiLL, s. a pitch- fork, such is the pronuncia- tion of the word 5 but I should be inclined to write it Pikel, and derive it from the French piquelet, a little pike. Randle Holme writes it Pikel. PiLPiT, pulpit. A Cheshire farmer, on being asked how he liked the new clerg}man, replied, ^^ he is a pretty rough mon in the reading desk, but when he gets into the pilpit, he goes off like the smoke of a ladle." Pink, or Penk, s. a menow, a small fish. Little- ton has Penk. Pip, or Peep, s. a single blossom, where flowers grow in bunches (as in the Auricula), hence a' spot on the cards is called a pip, fiori in Italian, flowers in English, being the name of one of the suits of cards. Pipe, s. a small dingle or ravin, breaking out from a larger one. Plat, s, a small bridge over a stream or gutter^ qf some Words used in Cheshire. 51 probably from Flat. A plat of turnips or pota- toes in a field or garden is a bed of them, merely a variation of the common word Plot. Plim, v. to plumb or fathom with a plummet. Plim, adj. or adv. perpendicular. Poller, or Powler, v. properly to beat in the water with a pole 3 figuratively to labour with^ out effect. Poppilary, or Peppilary, s. the poplar tree. Poss, V. to poss is a jocular punishment common among marlers when anyone comes late to work in the morning 3 he is held across a horse with his posteriors exposed, and struck on them with the flat side of a spade by the head workman, called the lord of the marl pit. Possed, pushed, tossed. Bailey. PoTE, or Pawt, v. Lan. to kick with one foot. Jam. has to paut. Belgice, poteren. Jun. Powse, Pous, or Poust, s, Lan. filth, dirt 3 per- haps from the French Poussiere, dust. See Skinner in voce Poust, also Piers Ploughman. Powsels and thrums are used to signify dirty scraps and rags. Powsels, I suppose, comes from Pouse, and thrums is a good old word^ signi- fying tags or ends of coarse cloths. Prove, v. to prove pregnant, spoken of cattle. Punger, v. to puzzle or confound. A farmer in distress said, *' I am so pungered, I know not 5^ An Attempt at a Glossary which eaver to turn to." To punge in Scotch, signifies to prick or sting, mentally speaking. See Jamieson. Q Quarry, s. a square pane of glass. Acad, of Arm. b. 3, ch. 9, p. 385. QuERKEj s. a nook shoten pane of glass, or any pane whose sides and top run out of a square from. Acad. Arm. ut supra. Quick, s. quickset. Quicks are plants of quick-*' sets. R Radling, s. Lan. a long stick or rod, either from a staked hedge, or from a barn wall made with long sticks twisted together and plaistered with clay. See Ellis's Specimens of early English Poetry, vol. i. p. 318. *' Radyll of a Carte, Costee," Pal. Quaere if not a roddling ? Rad- dles are hurdles. Rake up the Fire, is not only to rake the bottom of the grate, but also to supply it well with coals, that it may continue burning all night, a cus- tom regularly observed by the kitchen-maid to the kitchen fire in all the northern counties, where coals are abundant. Rame, Ream, or Rawm, v. to stretch out the arm as if to reach any thing, from the Teutonic Raemen, extenders Kil. J of some Words used in Cheshire. 53 Rank, adj!m a passion, Ranc, A. S. superbus, ac- cidiosus. Somner. Rank ripe, or Ronk ripe, full ripe. Rappit, a rabbet. Rappit it, or Rot it, a trivial exclamation ex- pressing dissatisfaction. Rase-bratned, adj. violent, impetuous, perhaps only rash-brained, though Rasend in German is mad. Also in Flemish Razen, enrager. Halma. Raught, perfect tense of the verb to reach 5 used by Shakspeare. Ready v. to comb the head with the wide-toothed comb. Jam. has '' to red the head or the hair, to loosen or disentangle it." Reean, s. Lan. a small gutter. A. S. Rin, a stream. Som. Reef, s. a rash on the skin : the itch, or any eruptive disorder 3 from its being rife or reef, i. e. frequent on the skin. Reeve, v. to separate corn that has been win- ' nowed from the small seeds which are among it 3 this is done with what they call the reeving sieve. Acad. Arm. Render, v. Lan. to separate or disperse. It is commonly used as in the phrase, to render suet, which is to break it to pieces, cleanse it, and melt it down See Jam . in voce Rind. Islan* Raenn-a, rinde, liquefacere, to melt. 54 An Attempt at a Glossary Rid J V. in the sense^ get rid of. It is used to clear a hedge or bushes on a piece of land, chiefly to rid gorse. A. S. Areddan, to rid away. Som. RiGATTj s. a small chanel made by the rain out of the common course of .the water. Rigols, old French^ petit canal^ Roquefort Glossaire de la Langue Romane. RiNER, s. a toucher. It is used at the grime of quoits. A Riner is when the quoit touches the peg or mark. A whaver is when it rests upon the peg, and hangs over, and consequently win? the cast. '' To shed riners with a whaver" is a proverbial expression, from Ray, and means to surpass any thing skilful or adroit by some- thing still more so. Rinda, Ost. Got. Ihre. — Rennen, tangere. Wach. RiSE^ or Rice, s. a twig or branch. O. W. Chau- cer. In our county it is still retained in the compound, pea-rise for pea- sticks. Ash calls it obsolete. Danis Riisz est virga. Jun. Teu- tonic Riis, surculus, Kilian. A.S. Hris, long and small boughes to make hedges, rise-wood. Som. RiSH^ s. a rush -, it was anciently written Rysch, or Rysshe. P. P. C. and Ort. Voc. RisoME, or RiSM^ s. the head of the oat. Well risom'd is well headed : some thitlk it comes from Racemus, but probably it has the same of some Words used in Cheshire. 55 origin as Rise. Randle Holme, in his Academy of Armory, has '' Rizomes, the sparsed ears of oats in the straw. A Rizome head;, a chaffy sparsed head -, the corn in the oats are not called ears but rizomes." Roche, s. refuse stone, French, Roche. Rotten, s. Lan. a rat or rats 5 Rotta is Swedish for a rat. See Screnius's Swedish Dictionary. Ruck, v, to get close or huddle together as fowls do. Ruck, s. Lan. a heap 5 not quite peculiar to this county. Scotch. Jam. Ruga vel Ruka, Sui. Got. cunmlus, acervus. Ihre. See Home Tooke, Diversions of Purley, 4°, vol. 2. p. 2*29. in voce Ruck. Ruckling, s. the least of a brood, or of a Ruck. RuTE, V. to cry with vehemence, to strive as chil- dren do sometimes in crying, to make as much noise as they can 3 to bellow or roar. Ash calls it obsolete. It is admitted here on the sole au- thority of Ray. The rut of the sea is the dash- ing of the waves against any thing. A.S. Hru- tan, to snort, snore, or rout, in sleeping. Som. Rynt, Roynt, Runt, v. Lan. in voce Rynty, to get out of the way. Rynt thee, is an expression used by milk-maids to a cow wlien she has been milked, to bid her get out of the way. Ash calls 56 An Attempt at a Glossary it local. It is used by Shakspeare^ and puzzles the Commentators. Possibly it may owe its origin to the old adverb Arowne, found in P. P. C. and there explained by remote, seor- sum^ or from Ryman, or rumian, A. S. to get out of the way. Rym thysum men setl, give this man place. Saxon Gospels. Luke, c. 14, V. 9. Arowme is used by Chaucer, in his House of Fame, book 2, verse 32, and is there ex- plained by Speght, roaming, wandering, and by Tyrwhit, at large ; perhaps remote seorsum, might be a more appropriate explanation. Safe, adj. sure, certain. He is safe to be hanged. Sahl, Sohl, Sole, Sow, s, an ox yoke. A. S. Sol, orbita, a Sowle to tye an ox in the stall. Som. Sapy, adj. foolish, perhaps only sappy, ill-pro- nounced. Sap-scull is common. Sarmont, s. a sermon. Saugh. s. the sallow tree, as Faugh is from fal- low, Sblid, oath 3 by his blood. ScRATTLE, V. to scratch as fowls do. Scutch, v, Lan. a rod, a whip, perhaps switch of some Words used in Cheshire. 5T corrupted. Ash admits the substantive and re« jects the verb. Scuttle, s, a small piece of wood pointed at both ends, used at a game like trap-ball, perhaps from Scute, O. W. for a boat, it being exactly of that shape. Johnson explains the word in a different sense. A Seave, s. a rush -, it is generally used for a rush drawn through melted grease, which in the northern counties serves for a candle. Todd. Seech, v. Seeched, part, to seekj sought. Seech, Sech, Sike, or Syke, s. Lan. a spring in a field, which, having no immediate outlet, forms a boggy place. Sich, Ang. Sax. a fur- row or gutter. Som. Seechy, adj. boggy. Segg, s. a bull castrated when full grown. Lan. Scotch. Jam. Seneve, v. a corpse which begins to change is said to Seneve, so is joiners work, which begins to warp. Senade is A. S. for signed, marked, noted ; but I dare not assign it as the etymology of Seneve. Shape, v. to begin, to set about any thing 5 to be shaping, is to be going away. ^ Shape me 3 pre- pare me, make me ready, m'apprester. Pal. To shape one's course is a common expression, either in nautical or familiar discourse. See Ort. Voc. in voce Evado. To shape is a good K 58 An Attempt at a Glossary O. W. used precisely in this sense by Lidgate, in his Historie of Thebes : " And shope him forth upon his journie." SelLj pron. self, in the compounds my sell, your- sell^ hissell. Selt, s. chance, a thing of rare occurrence; hence, seldom and selcouth (a northern term) Ang. Sax. Seld, rarus. Som. Shattery, adj. hair-brained, giddy. Shed, s. difference 3 there is no shed between them> is a common saying. It is also used for the se- paration of the hair on the head, falling to the right and left. Shed, v. to surpass, or divide -, perhaps it should be written sched. Scotch. Jam. to shed hair, to separate it in order that it may fall on each side 3 " as heaven's water sheds or deals" (to Deal is to separate) is a northern expression for the boundary of different districts, generally the summits of a ridge of hills -, from the Teut. Scheeden, separare. Kil. or A. S. Sceadan, divi- dere. Som. Shed, or rather Sheed, v. to spill 5 it is used equally for liquid as for dry substances. Shepster, s. the starling, a bird which frequents sheep. Shewds, s. quasi sheds, Lan. the husks of oats when separated from the corn. of some Words used in Cheshire. 59 j Shim, adj. a clear bright white^ A. S. Scima, splendor. Sciman, splendere. Som. Shippin, Shippen, or Ship'n, 5. the cow-house: I suppose it is originally sheep-pen. Shoat, s. in some places a Shot, a young pig be- tween a sucker and a porker 3 it is also a term of contempt when applied to a yoimg person. Shoo, or Shool, s. a shovel. Tusser uses shovel as a monosyllable. Shool, Shoo, or Shu, v, to shoo, to drive away any thing, particularly birds from the corn or garden. Lan. Scheuchen, Germ, to drive away. To GET shut of a PERSON is to get rid of him. See Diversions of Purley, in voce Shoot. SiBBED, adj, related to, of kin to. Lan. Sib or Sibbe is a good O. W. for relationship, still re- tained in gossip, i. e. God*s Sib. Sibbe, affinitas, Teut. Kilian. Sibberets or Sibberidge, is the bans of marriage. SiRRY, s. sirrah, a contemptuous term often used to dogs. Skeer, v. to skeer the esse, is to clear the grate 3 separating the ashes from the live coals 3 pos- sibly only to scour. Skellerd, adj. crooked, out of the perpendicular, from Scheel, Teut. obliquus, transversus. Kil. Skelp, v. to leap awkwardly, as a cow does. Skelp, Scotch. Jam. 60 An Attempt at a Glossary Sken, v. to squint. Skew, or Skew-bald, adj. bay, or browji and white horse is so called 5 piebald is black and white, like the magpie. Skitterwit, s. a foolish, hare-brained fellow. Skreen, s. a wooden settee with a very high back, sufficient to skreen those who sit on it from the external air, was with our ancestors a constant piece of furniture by all kitchen fires, and is still to be seen in the kitchens of many of our old farm houses in Cheshire. So in Tusser's Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, we read, " If ploughmen get hatchet or whip to the Skreene, ** Maids loseth their cocke if no water be seen.*' (l^ote in Tusser redivivus.J '^ If the ploughman can get his whip, his plough-staff, hatchet, or anything that he wants in the, field, to the fire-side (observe here that Skreene and fire- side are one and the same thing,) before the maid hath got her kettle on, then the maid loseth her shrovetide cock, and it belongs wholly to the men. Skrike, V, to shriek out loud. Lan. O. W. Skraik is Scotch, Jam. Slack, s, small coal. Lan. sometimes pronounced of some Words used in Cheshire. 61 sleek J also a low moist place between two hills. Scotch. Jam. Slather^ or Slur^ v. to slip or slide. Slidder is a good old word. Sleck, v. to extinguish. Lan. to slake, from the Isl. Slagi, humiditas. Slink, s. the untimely foetus of a cow when killed, being in calf 3 the veal of this is called Slink veal. Slippy^ adj, abbreviation of slippery. Slood, s. cart Sloods, are deep-cart-ruts. A.S. Slog, a slough. Som. Snagg, or Snig, v, to draw away by the hand branches of trees, also, to cut off the lateral branches. A.S. Snidan, secare. Som. Sniddle, or Hassocks, s. that kind of long grass which grows in marshy places. Lan. the Aira csespitosa of Linnaeus. SoNGow, Songal, s. gleaned corn. Songow, Songoe, Sangow, to go Sangowing, v. to glean, or go gleaning 3 generally supposed to be so named from picking up the single straws, i. e. singleing. The explanation given by Kilian is however far preferable 3 he says, Teutonic Sangh, Sanghe, fasciculus epicarum. Germ. Sax. Sicamb. Sang, gsang, Ang. Songe. The same word Sanghe, manipulus spicarum, is found in Scherzius*s German Dictionary. In Bailey's Diet. M Ah AUimpt at • OUmmry V i735> w« havQ Songul^ Songlit» t. a handful off leaned com. Hereftmlthira i tottMtKiliMi it certainly rtyht hi wying that Songe la an EnfUth word» which di>ubtlMa may be fouftd in aonir old Knrlish ;iiitY\(^rs. though it hat hi« StMfK, A', a Mip . A -M>pv^ oi" i.iui it a great deiU of rain. Sott.jt A \u■^^^ fall. Sr vv 4iiickj comprehentiva* alto in one'a it^. . n . : . t^4 ^yxiUt spact^ meant he it under « io lofmiiui. Ath callt the vrord I ivv thU latt meaning. s Snnk n'i>iv v^ V ^^ "• nil, SraiNoow. m\j, Littleton hat SpringttL ^VANUKM» t^. to aefiaiate or iU»|>er$e; to siiuaiuler a ixivt^y iif (>arlri4gea. STAoeaaiNo IVmi v r^ow SuPFsatt* namea given by butohv v voungcalYeft i when in that dtat^? thrir h \ ellow. To »iAxo A NtaaoN on> i:> to be incumbent oa hiuK It stands every one on ti> tiikr care of khttself. 8r4W> r. is e, to stay : a cart «itoppcU in a sk>ugb» I of iome Words used in Cheshire, 63 «o as not to be able to proceed, Ih said to be stawed. Stele^ or Stkal, the stalk of a flower, or the handle of a rake or broom : Stele, Ang. Sax. Ash calls it local. Stepmother's Blessing, s. a little reverted skin about the nail, often called a bucrk friend. Stockport coach, or chaise j a horse with two women riding sideways on it, is so called, a mode of travelling more common formerly than at present. To Stouk^ or Stowk, v. to put ears or handles to such vessels as require them. Stowk, s. stalk or handle of a pail ; it is also a drinking cup with a handle ; a stowk of ale, part participle of the A. S. Stican, figere. See Home Tooke, Diversions of Purley, in 4® vol. 2, p. 220. Stract, adj. abbreviation of distracted. Strain, v. expressive of the union of the sexes in the canine race. A. S. Strynan, gignere, gene- rare, procreare. Som. Stbeea^ 8. a straw. One who goes out of the [ country for improvement, and returns without having gained much, is said to have left it to learn to call a Streea a straw. Strusuion, 8, destruction. Lan. Stubdo, or Stbubbow, s. stubble. 64 An Attempt at a Glossarij Stut, v. to stutter or stammer. Swippo, or Swippow, adj. supple. Swippo, s. the thick part of a flail is so called. Acad, of Arm. In Norfolk it is called the Swingel. In Scotch Swap is a sharp stroke^ Jam. Taching end, s. i. e. attaching end, a shoemaker's waxed string. Tack, s. a lease, or part of a lease, for a certain time is called a tack, i. e. simply a take. A tack is a term of the Scotch law, and a farmer ig called a Tacksman. Tack, s. hold, confidence, reliance: there is no tack in such a one, he is not to be trusted. Johnson has this word, but not in this sense. To Tack one's teeth to any thing, is, to set about it heartily. Taffy, .s, what is called coverlid ; this is treacle thickened by boiling, and made into hard cakes. Tafia, or tafiiat, sugar and brandy made into cakes, French. Tantrells, or rather Tantrums, s. freaks, whims. This is often said, of a child when he is peevish and cross, that he is in his tantrums. Taigh, or Tay, v. Scotch, to take. Jam. j to tack is also to take. of some Words used in Cheshire. 65 TcHEM^ s. vide in Chem. Teen, s. when any one is in misfortune or bad plight, he is said to be in fowteen. Teen, s. anger, Ray, Lan. tynan, A. S. incitare. Sewn. Tent, v. to attend to or guard -, also to hinder or prevent, Lan. Tether-devil, the plant, woody nightshade, sup- posed to be so called from the complicated growth of its branches. Thack and Thacker, s. thatch and thatcher. Thekia, Islandic, thatch. A. S. thecan, tegere. Thatch-pricks, s. or simply the latter word^ sticks used in thatching. That'n, a that'n, adv. in that manner. Think on, v. to remind. This'n, adv, in this way. Thistle-take, a duty of a halfpenny, anciently paid to the Lord of the Manor of Hal ton, in the county of Chester, for every beast driven over the common, suffered to graze or eat but a thistle. Bailey. Thbippa, or Thrippow, v. to beat, which may mean either to beat with the geers or thrippows, in the same way as to strap and to leather, signify to beat with a strap or leathern thong 3 or it may derive its origin (as well as the word K 66 An Attempt at a Glossary to drab^) from drapa, to strike or beat se. yerely. Ihre. Thrippows^ s. the harvest geers of carts and waggons, which are moveable, and put on only when hay and corn are to be carried. A Thrippowing pungowing life, is a hard la. borious life. Pun^ow may be derived from the A. S. punian, conterere. Thrunk, adj. thronged, crowded. '' As thrunk as three in a bed," is a common saying. Thrutch, v. Lan. to thrust or squeeze j squeez- ing or pressing the cheese is called thrutching it. Palsgrave says, ''Threche, pynche, pincer, this is a farre northern term." Thunna, s. and u. thunder. Tickle, see Kickle or Goggle. Tin, orTYNE, u: Lan. to shut. Tinn the dur, shut the door. Tin, adv, till. To Tine a hedge is to repair it with dead wood. To Tin, Tine, or Tind the fire, is to light the fire. A. S. tynan, accendere. Som. The word tinder has the same etymology 5 tgender, to light or kindle, Dan. Wolff, or from Islandice tendra, accendere. Hald. ToATLY, or ToADLY, adj, quiet, easily managed, apparently only a corrupt pronunciation of to- wardly. of some Words used in Cheshire. 67 ToART^ TowarTj towards, this way. Toot, s. to pry curiously or impertinently into any little domestic concern. To ten, O. W. for to look out. Chaucer has toteth for looketh, passim. A tote-hill is an eminence from whence there is a good look-out. TuRMiT, s. a turnip. Lan. To Twin a field, to divide it into two parts. TwiTCHEL, s. i. e. tway child, twice a child. A person whose intellect is so weakened by age as to become childish, is called a twitchel. TwiTCHEL, V. to geld a bull or ram by forcing the chords of his testicles into a cleft stick, so that the chords rot and the testicles fall off. A. S. twiccan, vellicare. See Skinner. V. U. Value, s. amount, as well in measure as in quan- tity 3 circiter, when you come to the value of five feet deep. Variety, s. a rarity. Vew, or View, s. a yew-tree, Lan. A. S. iw. Unbethink, v. to recollect, often implying a change of opinion. Ash calls it local. Unco, Uncow, or Unkert, adj. awkward, strange, uncommon, Lan. Cockeram in his Dictionary has ^*^ Uncoth, unknown, strange 5" merely uncouth. V 68 An Attempt at a Glossary Undeniable^ adj. good, with which no fault can be found. An undeniable road is not only a long established road^ but also one in perfect repair. Up and TOLD;, or rather Upped and told, mak- ing a verb of up : to tell with energy or ani- mation. Perhaps merely rose up and told. Upsides, adv. to declare you will be upsides with any one is to threaten severe vengeance for some supposed injury or affront. W Waiter, s, water. Wage, s. in the singular is often used instead of wages in the plural. Wall, s, a spring of water, O. W. walle, Teut. ebullitio, Kil. weallan, buUire, A. S. Wall up, v. to spring up as water does. Wangle, v. to totter or vibrate. See Junius in voce, wanckle. Warch, i\ pain, Lan. Scotch. See Jam. under Wark. War RE, or Worre, worse 3 warre and warre, worse and worse. Vserre, Danish worse, Wolff Danish Diet. The Danish v is equivalent to the ] English w. of some Words used in Cheshire. 69 Wart, or rather Walt. v. in Lan.to wawt, is to overturn 3 chiefly used to carriages. To waiter, in Scotch, is to overturn, and a sheep await is a cast sheep. Skinner derives it from the Islandic Valter. A. S. Wealtian, wealtigan, titu- bare. Som. Weet, s. wet weather, Lan. Weet, v. to rain rather slightly, Lan. Welly, adv. well nigh. A. S. wel neah, parve, almost, will nigh. Som. Wern, V, abbreviation of weren, the plural of the perfect tense, of the verb to be : used only when the following word begins with a vowel. Wetshet, or Wetched, adj. wet shod, wet in the feet. Whetshod is used in Peirs Plowman, passus, 18. Every while Stitch, is every now and then, at times. Wharre, s. crabs, or the crab tree. Sour as wharre. Whave, v. to hang over. Hvselve Dan.hwelfi, Is- land, to arch, hang over or overwhelm {hv in those northern languages are equivalent to our wh, hvid in Danish, being white in English. Whaver, s. See in voce Riner. Wheady, adj. that measures more than it appears to be. Dr. Ash explains it ill by, tedious, and calls it local. 70 An Attempt dt a Glossary WheaMj ad. Lan. lying near, convenient, ready at hand 5 perhaps from home, here pronounced whome. Bp. Kennet derives this word from the A. S. geweene, gratus, commodus. Wheamow, adj. nimble, active. Ray. Bailey. WHiNSTONE,5.a coarsc- grained stone, toad-stone, rag- stone. Jam. White, v. to quit or requite, cited by Bailey, as belonging to Cheshire, God white you ! Whoave, V, Lan. to cover or overwhelm. Ray has the same etymology as^ whave, above. Whome, or Whoam, s. Lan. home. Whooked, adj. broken in health, shaken in every joint. Ash calls it local, perhaps merely, shook. Whot, adj. hot. Hot was formerly written Whot. So in the Christen State of Matrimonye, 12° p. 8. b. we read '^ then shall the indignacion of the Lorde wax whot over you." WiBROW, Wybrow, s. the herb plantain. The old English name for plantain (see Dodoen's Herbal by Lite,) is waybrede, of which word I take Wibrow to be merely a corruption. WicH, or Wych, s. several places in Cheshire and elsewhere terminate in wich, which, when it is pronounced long is supposed to designate a salt work, and when short to come from the A. S. Vic. Wich is also a hut or hutch, and so used in different parts of England. of some Words used in Cheshire. 7 1 Will-Jill, or Will-Gill, s. an Hermaphro- dite. Withering, adj. strong, lusty, a great withering fellow. To WizzEN, or WissEN AWAY, V. to fade or wi- ther away, a poor sickly wizzened thing, weornian A. S. decrescere, tabescere. Hence also comes the common word to wither. WooAN, or WoNE, V. to dwell; wooant, did dwell. Lan. Ash calls it obsolete, woonen, habitare. Kil. A. S. wunian, the same. Som. WuT THOU, is wilt thou. WuTS, Whoats, s. oats. Wych-waller, s. a salt boiler at one of the wyches in Cheshire. Wice, Sax. Sinus, or the bend of a river. ^' To scold like a wych- waller" is a common adage, Wyzels, s. the green stems of potatoes. Randle Holme^ in his Academy of Armory, calls them *' wisomes," and uses the term to carrots or turnips. Weize is the German for corn, as holm is for straw. Peas-holm is still in use. Yaff, u. to bark. A little fow yaffing cur, is a little ugly barking cur. Scotch. Jam. Gaf. Ang. Sax. a Babbler. Som. 72 -^n Attempt at a Glossary, 8iC. Yate, s. gate. Lan. Yed or Yeau, s. head. Yedward^ Yethart, s. Lan. Edward. In Is- landic Jatrard is Edward. YelvEj *. a dung fork^ or prong. Yelve^ v. to dig chiefly with the yelve. Yern or Yarn, 5. a heron. Yernuts, s. see Jurnuts. Yewking, Yewkingly, adj, and adv. having a sickly appearance. Yield^ v. reward. God yield you ! or rather as it is pronounced God eeld you ! God reward you ! Giaird, money^ reward, Islandic, Gisellder to be of value, Danish, Wolff. Gelda or Jelda in the Friziac. ^' Sa gelde the Redieva," ^^ so let the Reeve pay," (Leges Hansigiae.) See Wiarda. [73 ] APPENDIX. Some farther Words which, though of common use in Cheshire, yet do not geem to belong ex- clusively to that County, but are heard in several of the adjoining Counties, and particularly in the Northern ones. Perhaps, indeed, the same ob- jection may be made to some of the v^^ords which have been admitted into the preceding List, but it is hoped they are not numerous, considering the great difficulty, if not almost impossibility, of perfectly avoiding this error. A. Addle, or Yeddle, v. to thrive or flourish, to merit by labour : admitted by Todd in his edition of Johnson's Dictionary. A. S. ^dlean, a reward, or to reward. Addlings, s. earnings from labour. Adoe, s. much to do, hurry, bustle, difficulty, P.P.C. Agreeable, adj. complying, consenting. L 74 An Attempt at a Glossary Allegar^ s. vinegar made of Ale^ generally used with the adjunct Vinegar. Anan, adv. is made use of in vulgar discourse by the lower order of persons addressing a su- perior^ when they either do not hear or do not comprehend well what is said to them^ and is equivalent to ^' what did you say?" or '' have the goodness to repeat or explain what you said.*' Mr. Boucher, in his supplement to Johnson's Dictionary, of which the words be- ginning with the letter A only were printed, distinguishes very properly between the collo- quial pronunciation Anan, and the more com- mon adverb Anon. He thinks the former a reduplicative of the Saxon or Gothic particle An, which is defined to be ^* graticula praepo- sitionibus praemissa^" Appo, s. an apple. Arrh, s. a mark or scar. Todd. Ask, s. or Asker, s. a land or water newt. Astound, part, astonished. Badger, 5. a dealer in com, O. W. In the Law Latin Dictionary it is rendered by Emax. Ju- nius calls it Frumentarius, sive Mercator mag- narius, fruges undequ^que coemens fitque in unum comportans. of some Words used in Cheshire. 75 IBaith^ pro. both. Bangle, v. to waste, or consume. Teut. Benghelen, caedere fustibus. Kil. Bang, v. to beat, figuratively to excel or surpass. Bang-beggar, s. a beadle. Barmskin, s. a leathern apron. Barm, O. W. the breast. A. S. Barme, sinus. Beastings, or Beestings, s. the first milk given by a cow after calving. Biest, Flemish, the same thing. See Halma's Flemish Dictionary. Bedeet, adj. bedirtied. Beesom, s, a broom. Todd. A.S. Besm, scopa. Som. Blear, or Blare, v. to roar or cry vehemently, as children occasionally do. Todd. Dutch, Blaren. Blissom, v. to tupp. How many ewes will a ram blissom ? BiGGENiNG, the recovery of a woman after ly- ing in. Bilberry, 5. whortleberry. Todd. Sued. Blabaer. In the North, Blaeberry. Bin, Btnne, or Bing, s. the place where the fod- der for cattle is put. A.S. Binne, praesepe. BoAC, or BoKE, V, to reach, keck, or kick at Jfche stomach. BoRST and Borsten, perfect tense and participle of the verb to burst. BoTHOM, s. bottom. Bragget^ s, spiced ale. Good old word, still in 76 An Attempt at a Glossary use in the northern countries. Bragod^ the same thing. Welsh. Bratt^ s, a small bib or apron worn by children to keep their cloaths clean. A.S. Bratt, a blan- ket. This name is also given to young chil- dren, probably from wearing bratts. Brimming, part, or adj. spoken of a sow who is maris appetens. Brizz, s. the gad fly, oestrus equi aut bovis 5 the common dragon fly is generally but erro- neously called the Brizz. BucKow, i\ to buckle. By Lakin, by Leakins, diminutive of By our Lady. Byspell, s. a natural child. C Caas, adv. because. Cadge, v. to carry, Bailey calls it a country word. Cadger, s. a carrier. Canker'd, adj. ill-tempered. Carlings, s. grey peas boiled, so called from being served at table on Care Sunday, which is Pas- sion Sunday, as Care Friday and Care Week, are Good Friday and Holy Week 3 supposed to be so called from that being a season of parti- cular religious care and anxiety. See Brand's Popular Antiquities, 4°, vol. 1. p. 93. also Ihre. of some Words used in Cheshire, 77 Dictionarium Suio-Gothicum in voce KiERU- SUNNUDAG, Cawn^ for callen. Clip^ V, to embrace. A. S. Cleopan, cleafan^ to cleave or stick to. / CoNNA, cannot. CoNNOH^ can not. CoppET, adj. pertj sawcy. Cot J s. probably only an abbreviation of Cot- quean, any man who interferes with female do- mestic employment, and particularly in the kitchen, is so called. The usual punishment to children so interfering, is to pin a dishclout to their cloaths. Cotter, v. to mend, repair, or assist with little effect. CowE, V. to depress, or intimidate. Crewe, *. a coop to shut up fowls in Crewe, v. to shut up fowls. Crinckle, v. to recede from an engagement. Crud, s, curd, a transposition of letters, very common. D Dab, s. a blow. Dab, v. to give a blow. Dacity, s. intelligence, quickness ; an abbrevia- tion of audacity. 7S An Attempt at a Glossary Dade, v. to lead children beginning to walk. Todd -J but not common. Dading-strings, s, leading-strings. Dawb, v. to plaster with clay. Dawber, s. a plasterer in clay. Daze, v. to dazzle, or stun by a blow. Dased, vertiginosus, P. P. C. Deck, s. a pack of cards. Dee, v. to die. Debt, part, dirtied. Delf, s. a stone quarry. Todd, from to delve, to dig — the words mines, delfs, quarries, often occur in old deeds. Doff, v. to pull off. Dole, or Doale, s. sl distribution of alms, gener- ally on the death of some considerable person 3 from the A. S. Daelan, distribuere. Don, v. to put on. DowK, or Do UK, v. to duck or bow down the head. Dug, s. a dog. DuR, s. a door, E Edge, v. to make room or go aside. To edge off, is common. Eend, 5, end. of some Words used in Cheshire. 79 F Fain, ad/, glad. Breet a — rd rain makes foos fain 5 that is, when a rainy cloud is succeeded by a little brightness in the sky, fools rejoice, thinking it will soon be fair weather, whereas that brightness is often of short duration, and is followed by another rainy cloud, and the , wet weather still continues. Fash, v. to trouble, tease, shame, or cast down. To fash turnips is tp beat down their leaves. Faw, s. or V. a fall, or to fall. Fawse, adj. false, cunning, quick, intelligent. Feart, adj. afraid. Feck, or Fecks, an exclamation, probably a cor- ruption of faith. Fitter, v. to move the feet quickly, as children do when in a passion. Flet-milk, s. skim milk. Flit, v. to remove, or change one's habitation. Todd. Flitting, s. a removal. Flite, or Flyte, u. to scold. A. S. Flytan, con- tendere, rixare. Fluke, s. a fish, the flounder. A. S.Floc, a plaice, a fish, or sole. Som. ^ Fogg, s. rank eddish, or aftergrass. 80 An Attempt at a Glossary EoiN^ adj. fine. Fow^ adj, fowl, ugly ', to have a fow life to do any thing, is to have a great difficulty in doing it. Fow-DRUNK, very drunk. FowK, or FoKE, s. folk or persons. You hinder folk, is often used for You hinder me in my business. Fridge, v. to rub to pieces. G Gawp, v, to gape or stare with open mouth. Wachter says, *' li qui rem aut exitum rei avide prsestolantur plerumque hiscentes id fa- ciunt." GizzERN, s. the gizzard. Glaffer, or Glaver, v. to flatter. Todd. A. S. Gleafan, adulari. Som. Glour, or Glower, v. to. have a cross look. When the clouds threaten bad weather we call them glowering. Todd. Graith, s. riches. GROut, or Growt, s. poor small beer. Todd has it, but not quite in this sense. Guest, s. instead of guise, another guest person is a different kind of person. H Haigh, v. to have. Han, v. they han, for they have. of some Words used in Cheshire, 81 Hannah, v. have not. Happens, adv. perhaps, possibly. Hauf, or Hawf, half. Haw, s. hall. Heaze, v. to cough, or hawk. Heazy, adj. hoarse. Hie, or Hye, v. to hasten. Todd. Hie, or Hye, s. haste, Todd. A. S. Higan, festi- nare. Som» Hove, v. to take shelter. Hovel, as a sheltering place for cattle, is common. O. W. Todd has it, but does not give exactly this meaning to it . To hove is a common sea term. How DONE YOU r for how do you ? or how do you do ? HoYK, V. to lift up or toss, as a bull does with his horns. To HoYND, or TO HoiND, V. to make a hard bar- gain, to screw up. A landlord who behaves in this manner with his tenants, is said to hoynd them. A. S. Hiened, humbled, subdued, van- quished, or perhaps from his treating them as his hinds or slaves. Som. Hull, v. to pick peas or beans out of the hulls or pods. Todd. HuRE, s. the hair. HuBN, 5. a horn. M ^ An jit tempt at a Glossart/ JuRB, s. a blow or a push, a corrupt pronunciation of jarr. K Keeve, v. to overturn. Keow^ s. a cow, key, or kye, the plural. Keower, v. to cower down. KtcKLE, adj. uncertain, the same as tickle. Kill't, killed. Todd. Kit, s. a set or company, generally in a contemp- tuous sense, the whole kit of them. To Lam> Lamme^ Leather, or Lick, are all cant words, used for to beat. Lawkin, Ladykin, by Lawkin or Ladykin, by our blessed Lady. Ley, s. the law. Lio, v. to lie> in utroque sensu verbi, according to ^ Junius. Todd. Lythe, adj, supple, pliant. A. S. Lyth, a joint. Todd. M Mal, or Mally, for Moll or Molly. of some Words used in Cheshire, 83 Marrow, s. mate, companion. The following metrical adage is common in Cheshire, The Robin and the Wren Are God's cock and hen, The Martin and the Swallow Are God's mate and marrow. Mbasy, adj. I suppose mazy, giddy. Meet, s. might. Meety, adj. mighty. Meg-harry, s. a tomboy, a young girl with mas- culine manners. Mess, 5. the mass. MoN, 5. man. MoRT, s. a great deal, a great number. Todd has the word, and assigns an Icelandic etymology for it. Mouldy, adj. moldy. MouLDY-WARP, s. the mole, from the A. S. Molde, the earth, and Weorpan to cast. Som. Todd. Mulworp, or Molworp, Teutonice, talpa. Kil- lian. Mulligrubs, s. to have the mulligrubs is to be in an ill-humour. Todd. Munnah, v. must not. MuN, s, the mouth. Sued. Mun. Screnius. 84 An Attempt at a Glossary N Nesh, adj. tender^ delicate, O. W. Chaucer. A. S. nice, soft, tender. Som. Neshin, v. to make tender. P. P. C. Nere, s. the kidney. O.W. P. P. C. Lady Ju- liana Barnes uses it. Nether, s. an adder j a nether and an adder, are pronounced much the same. O Oaf, s, a fool. This word is not peculiar to Cheshire, but it is here introduced on account of the singular mode of spelling%y Cockeram in his Dictionary. It is there written GnofFe, which is an old word for a miser, and presents a diflFerent etymology of the word from Ouph, which is usually assigned to it. Old, adj, is often used in the sense of great, fa- mous, such as was practised in old times. Old doings, signify great sport, great feasting, an uncommon display of hospitality. Old man, s. a name for the plant southern wood. OvERGET, t*. to overtake. OvERWELT, part, a sheep overthrown and lying on its back is said to be over welt, i. e. it is overwalted. of some Words used in Cheshire, 85 OuRN, for ours. Outing, s. a going from home. Pee, V, to look with one eye. This seems nearly the same thing as to peep. Pee'd, part. adj. having only one eye. Todd. Peckle^ v. to spot or speckle, chiefly used in the participle peckled. Peerk, or Perk, adj. seems to be a corruption of pert, brisk, lively, convalescent from sickness. Dr. Ash admits it, and cites Spenser for the use of it, but calls it obsolete. Perished, part, starved with cold. Peewit, s. a lapwing. Littleton has Peewit, va- nellus. The black headed gull, which frequents some of the lakes in Shropshire, and is there called a Peewit, though a very different bird from the common lapwing. Dr. Jamieson ex- plains Peu or Pew, as a kind of imitative word, expressing the plaintive cry of birds. This af- fords a probable etymology for the word Pewit, expressive of its cry, as lapwing is of its pe- culiar method of flying. My etymological con- jecture is confirmed by what Kilian says in voce Kievit, vanellus, avis Teutonice dicta a sono vocis quam edit. S6 An Attempt at a Glossary PiEANNOTj 5. a pie, pieannet, French. In Scotch, Pyeot, or Pyeat. PiNGLE, s. a small croft. Todd. PiTSTEAD, s. the place where there has been a pit. Potter, v. to disturb or confound. PoTTERD, part, confused, disturbed. Poteren, agitare. Dutch. PouK, s. a pustule or pimple, possibly a coarse pronunciation of pock. Power, s. a great quantity, in old French, force. PoOj V, to pull. QuEEZE, s. quasi quest, from its plaintive tone, a wood-pigeon or ring-dove. Littleton has the word. R. Reckon, v. to suppose, conjecture, or conclude 3 I reckon he'll come. Rheumatiz, s. Rheumatism. Rick, a stack, s. S Scbat, $. an hermaphrodite. Littleton has the word, and so has Todd. A.S. Scritta. Som. SCEAT, s. the itch. Seet, V, to sit. of some Words used in Cheshire. . 87 Sri ALE, or Shull, v. to clear peas or beans from their pods. Todd. Shear, or Sheer, v. to cut corn with the sickle hook. P.P. C. Todd. Shive, or Shiver, 5. a slice. Dutch, Schyf. Todd. O. W. Ort. Vocab. in voce Lesca. Shoaf, or Shofe, s. a sheaf of corn. Shonna, or Shanna, shall not. Shoon, s. shoes. Sigh, adj, such. Sin, adv. ox prep, since. Sink, s. the sewer of a house. Skew, v. to squint. Todd has it not in this sense of the word, but only in that of, to walk ob- liquely. Skitter, v. to scatter. Skuff, s. hinder part of the neck. Gothic, Skuft, the hair of the head. Glossary to the translation of the Ulphilan Code. Slab, s, the outside board, sawed from a piece of timber. Slat, v, to throw. Slive, V, to cut off. Sliver, s. a slice. Sloven, participle of the Verb to slive, divided. Slotten, part, divided. Slot and Slotten are the participles of the A. S. word, Slitan, to slit. When at the game of Whist the honours are 88 An Attempt at a Glossary equal on each side^ they are said to be sloven, or slotten. Snig, s. an eel, generally a small one. Snite, s. mucus nasi. Sorry, adj. vile, worthless. Dr. Johnson assigns an Anglo- Saxon origin to the word sorry, in the sense of grieved, afflicted, and an Icelandic one when in the sense of vile or worthless. I am inclined, however, to think that they are one and the same word, and that the latter sense is only a figurative one, just as in Italian, the word Tristo, derived from the Latin tristis, not only signifies sorrowful or afflicted, but alsQ vile, or in no estimation. SouLiNG, to go a souling, is to go about as boys do, repeating certain rigmarole verses, and begging cakes or money, in commutation for them, the Eve of All Souls Day. These cakes are called Soul Cakes. SowRiNG, s. vinegar or verjuice taken with meat. Sparling, s. a fish, the smelt j from the French, Eperlan. Todd. Sparrow-bills, s, small nails^ of a particular kind. SpeeRj s. the chimney post. Sper, or Speer, v, to inquire, from A. S. Spyrian, to inquire. Todd. of some Words used in Cheshire, 89 Stark^ augmentative. German, Stark, strong, or perhaps more legitimately, from the A. S. Starck, fortis. It is generally used in a bad sense, as stark bad. Strokings, s, the last milk that can be drawn fronf a cow. The same as afterings. Swale, or Swkal, v. to burn to waste, as candles often do when the melted substance runs down the candle, O.W. A.S. Swaelan. Som. Todd. SwALBR, s. a dealer in corn, or rather one who buys corn and converts it into meal before he sells it again. SuppiNGS, s. the refuse milk after the cheese is made. SuMMAT, somewhat. Strike of corn, a common bushel of corn. Tan TONY Pig, to follow any one like a Tantony Pig, is to stick as close to him as Saint Anthony's favourite is supposed to have done to the Saint. Tatoe, s, a potatoe. Threap^ v. to maintain with vehemence, or to insist. Thrave, s. is generally twelve, but sometimes twenty-four sheaves of com. N 90 An Attempt at a Glossary TiKE^ or Tyke, s. a little dog. Sui. Got. Tik, canicule, Islandic Tijk or Tijg, Ihre. A cross child is often called a cross tike. ToM-TiT, s. the bird called a tit-mouse. TuMMUz^ Thomas. V Varment, s, vermin. W Wheint, adj. queint. Which, adj. quick, alive. VVhicks, s. quickset plants. Winn AH, or Won n ah, w^ill not. Won, Wone, or Wo an, v. to dwell or inhabit. Whizzen, v. to shrivel or shrink. Todd. It is chiefly used in the participle whizzened. Whitester, s. a bleacher of linen. Ward, or Warld, s, world. Whig, s. whey. A. S. Hvvgeg, serum. Som. Wonna, will not. Y Yate, s. a gate. Yed, or Yead, s. the head. Yedward, or Yethart, Edward. YoY, yes. J a, pronounced yau, German. of some Words used in Cheshire, 91 OMITTED. Page 18^ Bowk, a pail, the origin of the common word, bucket. Page 31, Flake, a hurdle. Page 32> Forkin Robin, an earwig. Page 39, in voce Jack Nicker, at the end, *^^and the name for the common black and white wa- ter wagtail in the North of England is a Billy Biter." Page 81, Hirple, v, to limp. Page 37;, Hitch, s. to have a hitch in his gait, is to be lame. Page 41, Kindle, v. to bring forth 3 chiefly used when speaking of hares, rabbits, or cats. Skin- ner admits the word, and derives it from the A.S. Cennan, parere. In the old terms enume- rated by Lady Juliana Barnes, and others, a litter of cats is called a kendel of cats. Page 45, Melder (of oats,) a kiln full, as many as are dried at a time for a meal. This word is admitted as a Cheshire word by Jamieson, who assigns for his authority, Grose's Provincial Glossary. Page 51, Pride, to have a pride in his pace or manner of going, is a ludicrous way of express- ing that a person is lame. ERRATA. Page 22, line 8, dele comma after directly. 26, 1 7, for garters read garter. 43, ult. for loked read locked. 45, '^>for Jam read Jamieson. 53, ult. mserf Danish. 61, 4 from bottom,/(w epicarum read spicarum. 63, ult. /or Strubbow read Stubbow. 65, 3,foi' fowteen read fow teen. 69, 15, for Whetshod read Wetshod. London: Printed by W. Bulmer and W. Nicol, Cleveland-Row, St. James's. t .^J^Pnr 4ma