Part 10

Lofe, C, a chance of anything, an opportunity.

“Yance I hed t’ _lofe_ an’ I’d luck to say no, an’ I niver hed t’ _lofe_ ageàn.“—Said by an elderly spinster.

Lonter, C, lounge, or loiter.

”_Lonterin’_ fwoke’s ola’s lazy fwoke.”—Proverb.

Loon, S, rogue.

“I tint my curch an’ baith my shoon; Ah! Duncan, ye’re an unco _loon_.” Duncan Gray—Old Version.

Loot, S, stoop.

“He _lootit_ doon her lips to kiss, O kiss foreboding woe.” _C. K. Sharpe._ The Murder of Carlaverock.

Lowe, S and C, a flame.

“To touch the glass her hand hes touch’d It sets them in a _lowe_.” _Anderson._ The Thursby Witch.

Lown, or Lownd, S and C, calm, still.

“Your chamber’s very dark, fair maid, The nichte is wondrous _lown_.” Ballad—Sir Roland.

Lowp, S and C, leap.

“_Lowp_ off the steed, says false Sir John, Yere bridal bed ye see.” Ballad—May Colean. “My heart keeps such a rout, It _lowps_ an’ _lowps_ as if it wad _lowp_ out.” _Ewan Clark._ Costard’s Complaint.

Lowpy-back, C, leap-frog.

“Ye’ve been laikin at _lowpy-back_ o’ t’ rwoad heàm.” Part of a scolding.

Lugs, S and C, ears.

“I’ll lay my _lugs_ in Pindus’ spring, And invocate Apollo.” _Ramsay._ “Kursty, souple gammerstang, Ned Wilson brong his _lug_ a whang.” _Anderson._ The Worton Wedding.

Lum, S, chimney.

“Sic reek as is therein maun come out at the _lum’s_ top.” Proverb.

Laigh, S, low.

“She lookit hiche to the bodynge hill, An’ _laighe_ to the darklynge deane.” _Telfer._ The Gloamin’ Bucht.

M.

Maddle, or Maffle, C, to talk or act in a silly manner.

“O, _mafflin_ Gwordie, t’ou’s been feulish lang.” _Graham._ Gwordie and Will.

Maizelt, or Maiz’t, C, stupified.

“We war fairly _maizel’t_ wi’ t’ cāld.” _Betty Yewdale._ T’ terrible Knitters i’ Dent.

“Whyte _maiz’d_ wi’ loungin’ on i’ th’ neuk.” _Stagg._ Auld Lang Syne.

Maizlin, C, a simpleton.

“Banton lads grew parfet guffs, An’ Thursby lasses _maizlins_.” _Mark Lonsdale._ The Upshot.

Mak, C, sort, kind.

“It taks o’ _maks_ to mak ivery mak.” _Rev. T. Clarke._ Johnny Shippard.

Māp’ment, C, imbecility; compounded of mope and ment, like manage-ment, etc.

“He toked for iver sa lang, but he toked a deal o’ _maapment_.”—_Ibid._

Mattie, C, the mark at quoits or pitch and toss. _Skifting his mattie_ is proverbially used for shifting position or changing policy or course.

Maukin, S, the hare.

“The fuddlin’ bodies nowadays Rin _maukin_-mad i’ Bacchus’ praise.” _Ferguson._ Caller Water.

Maunder, S and C, to think, talk, or act dreamily.

“Aw wish this wanderin’ wark were o’er, This _maunderin_’ to and fro.” _Edwin Waugh._ Sweetheartin’ Gate.

Meat-heàl, C, very able to eat.

“He’s beàth _meat-heàl_ an’ drink-heàl. Ther’ can’t be mickle t’ matter wid him.”—Said of a Hypochondriac.

Mell, C, meddle.

“Gangin’ frae house to house hearin’ news an’ _mellin_ e ther nebbors.”—_Mrs. Wheeler._ Dialogues.

Mell, S, a mallet; the prize that used to be given to the last in a race. “Winning the _Mell_” in any contest is figuratively equivalent to taking the wooden spoon at the Cambridge examinations for honours.

Mense, S and C, propriety, creditable behaviour.

“I’ve seàv’t beàth my meat an’ my _mense_.” Proverb, used when proffered hospitality is declined.

Messan, S and C, a small dog of indefinite breed.

“We hounds slew the hare, quo’ the bleer’d _messan_.” Proverb.

“A little black _messet_ danced sae like old Jenny.” _Miss Blamire._ Sec a Durdum.

Mirk, S, dark.

“It fell about the Martinmas, When nichts were lang an’ _mirk_.” Old Ballad—The Wife of Usher’s Well.

Mischanter, S and C, misadventure.

“Thou’rt welcome, wean, _mischanter_ fa’ me.” _Burns._

Mittens, S and C, gloves.

“He coft me a rokelay o’ blue, An’ a pair o’ _mittens_ o’ green.” _Macneil._ I lo’e ne’er a laddie but ane. “Twee yards o’ red ribbon to wear for his seake, Forbye ledder _mittens_ he bowte me.” _Anderson._ First Luive.

Mowdie, S; Mowdie-warp, C, the mole.

“The _mowdie_ powler’t oot o’ the yirth, An’ kyss’t the synger’s feet.” _Telfer._ The Gloaming Bucht.

“An’ teeak us intil lile hooals under t’ grūnd, ameeast like _mowdie-warps_.” _Rev. T. Clarke._ Johnny Shippard.

Mūd, C, the past tense of must.

“He thowte ’at he _mūd_ treat ye.” _Miss Blamire._ The Meeting.

Mutch, S, a woman’s cap.

“She aff wi’ her apron, put on a silk goon, A _mutch_ wi’ reed ribbons, an’ cam’ awa’ doon.” _Lady Nairne._ The Laird o’ Cockpen.

N.

Nab, C, a promontory in a lake.

“It’s o’ _nabs_ an’ neuks is Windermer’ Watter.” Said by a Coniston Man.

Neb, S and C, nose, beak.

“Gae tak this bonnie _neb_ o’ mine, That picks amang the corn, An’ gi’e’t to the Duke o’ Hamilton, To be a touting horn.” Old Song—Robin Redbreast’s Testament.

Neàf, C, the nave of a wheel.

“T’ fells spreead oot fray a centre like t’ spooaks of a wheel fray t’ _neàf_.”—A Langdale Statesman.

Neif, or Neive, S and C, the hand, or fist.

“Sweet knight I kiss thy _neif_.” _Shakspeare._ King Henry IV.

“What’s a gowpen o’ glaur? It’s just twa _neive_ fu’s o’ clarts!”—_Wilson._ Noctes Ambrosianæ.

Nick’t i’ t’ heid, C, non compos mentis.

“Toakin sike mafflement! Ye mun be _nick’t i’ t’ heead_.” A Coniston landlady to a chattering guest.

No’but, C, nothing but, only.

“He’s but a simplish sooart of a body, ’At thinks there’s _no’but_ ya kind o’ shoddy.” _W. Bowness._ Brough Hill Fair.

Nowte ’at dowe, C, nothing of ability, fit for nothing.

“In o’ her flegmagaries donn’d, What is she?—_nowte ’at dowe_!” _Anderson._ Betty Brown.

O.

Oomer, C, shade.

“Howay wi’ the’, an’ lig down i’ t’ _owmer_ o’ t’ trees till I’ve time ùt tak’ the’ afooar Mr. Machell.” Said by a farmer at Colton to an idle servant.

Oald-folk’s neet, C, an assembly for feasting, dancing, and card-playing, held at the rural public houses; once, probably, confined to married people, but now open to, and attended by, young and old.

P.

Paddock rud, or rid, or ridding, C, frog spawn.

“Auld Grizzy the witch, as some fwoke say, Maks _paddock-rud_ ointment for sair e’en.” _Anderson._ The Witch Wife.

Pang, C and S, to cram.

“An’ some there wer could scarcely speak, Their thropples wer sae _pang’t_.” _Stagg._ The Bridewain. “It kindles wit, it waukens lair, It _pangs_ us fu’ o’ knowledge.” _Burns._ The Holy Fair.

Parlish, C, remarkable, worth speaking of.

“An’ _parlish_ pranks ’mang Silloth banks They hed as they were comin’.” _Stagg._ The Bridewain. “A bump as big as a young cockerel’s stone, A _parlous_ knock.” _Shakspeare._ Romeo and Juliet.

Said to be a corruption of _perilous_, which is certainly not its meaning in Cumberland.

Pash, C, to dash or thrust down forcibly.

“Barne! I _pash’t_ them doon.“—Said by Wm. Jackson to a neighbour’s daughter after his first victory at the Flan wrestling.

Pauchtie, S, proud, supercilious.

”_Pauchtie_ damsels, bred at courts, Wha thraw the mou’ an’ tak’ the dorts.” _Ferguson._ The Gowdspink.

Pawkie, S, sly.

“A thief sae _pawkie_ is my Jean.” _Burns._

Peerie, S, a peg-top. In Cumberland called a Cas’ley.

“He sleeps as soon’ as onie _peerie_.”—Common saying.

Phraise, S, smooth or fondling talk.

“He’s ta’en her in his armes twa, Wi monie a kiss an’ _phraise_.” Ballad—Young Huntin.

Pigs, S, pots, crockery.

“Where the _pig’s_ brocken there let the sherds lie.” Proverb.

Plack, S, the smallest coin of the old Scottish currency.

“He’ll never mak his _plack_ a bawbee.”—Proverb.

Pleen, C, complain.

“Thou’s spoil’t for o’ manner o’ wark, Thou no’but sits peghan an’ _pleenan_.” _Mark Lonsdale._ Love in Cumberland.

Plumb, C, (in Furness, etc., pron. Plowmb) perpendicular.

The old landlady at the boat house on Ennerdale water said of a neighbouring doctor who had visited her, and who carries his head well back, “He was mair nor _plumb_!”

Poap, C, to walk aimlessly.

“Sūm _poapan_ aboot as if they’d be hoaf dazed.” _Rev. T. Clarke._ T’ Reysh Beearin’.

Powe, S, head, poll.

“There’s little wit within his _powe_ That lichts a candle at the lowe.” Proverb.

Pree, S, to taste.

“An’ aye he _preed_ the lassie’s mou’ As he gaed but an’ ben, O.” Old Song.

“I _preed_ her mou’.” The Scotch think this phrase a poetical way of saying “I kissed her.” Its literal translation into common English, “I tasted her mouth,” doesn’t sound like poetry; while its Cumbrian form, “I teàstit her feàce” sounds like anything rather _than_ poetry; and their different versions of the same phrase illustrate rather happily the difference of character on the two sides of the Border.

Proddle, C, poke, or stir up.

“_Proddlin’_ up the smudderin’ embers.” _Stagg._

Pubble, C, plump.

“At Michaelmas a _pubble_ goose—at Kersmas, standin’ pie.” Old Saying.

Putten down, C, put to death.

“That nane may ken that ye are clerks, Till ye be _putten doon_.” Ballad—The Clerk’s Twa Sons.

Puzzen, C, poison.

“The doctor he’s a parfit plague, An’ hauf the parish _puzzens_.” _Anderson._ The Village Gang.

R.

Rackups, C, a game at marbles where the loser has to place his knuckles on one side of a hole to be “fired” at with the taws of the winners. “He mun stand his _rackups_” is a proverb implying the necessity of accepting the consequences of misconduct, defeat, or miscarriage of plans.

Rakin, C, wandering far or wildly.

“They ga rakin aboot widoot ayder errand or aim.” Said of pedestrian tourists by a dalesman.

Rantin’, Ranty, S and C, wild, riotous.

“The _rantin’_ dog the daidie o’ ’t.” _Burns._ Song.

Ratch, C, to search vigorously, to ransack.

“_Ratch_ as ye will, ye’ll mak nowte out.” Said to hunters in a wood.

Reek, S, smoke.

“The death o’ deevils, smoor’d in brimstone _reek_.” _Burns._ The Twa Brigs.

Riggin’, S, the roof (probably from Ridging primarily).

“Ane may like the kirk weel aneuch without aye riding on the _riggin’_ o’ ’t.”—Proverb.

Rooers, C, (or rather Furness and Westmorland) oars.

“Why do you call them _rooers_?” “’Coase they irr _rooers_.” “They call them oars elsewhere.” “They may co’ them what they will, but if they _roo_ wi’ them, they’re _rooers_.” Conversation on Esthwaite lake.

Roose, S, praise, exalt.

”_Roose_ the ford as ye find it.”—Proverb.

Rowp, S, auction; Rowp-crier, auctioneer.

“I canna pay’t an’ ye _rowp_ me at the cross.” Said by a hopeless debtor.

Rowth, S, abundance.

“Rich fouk ha’e _rowth_ o’ frien’s.”—Proverb.

Rowe, S, roll.

“Where Cart rins _rowin’_ to the sea.” _Burns._ The Gallant Weaver.

S.

Sackless, C, silly (originally, innocent).

“Our parson sweers a bonnie stick Amang thur _sackless_ asses.” _Anderson._ The Village Gang.

Sairy, C, sorry.

“A _sairy_ wife I trowe she’d mak ’At cudn’t muck a byre.” _Ibid._ Betty Brown.

Sark, C and S, shirt (male or female).

“She won’t mend a _sark_, but reads novels, proud brat.” _Ibid._ Elizabeth’s Burthday.

“Our women are nowadays a’ grown sae braw, Ilk maun ha’e a _sark_, an’ some maun ha’e twa.” _Ross._ The wee pickle tow.

Sarra, C, serve.

“The witch wife begg’d i’ our back-side, An’ went _unsarra’d_ away i’ the pet.” _Anderson._ The Witch Wife.

Sauch, S, willow.

“Whereby the glancing waves o’ Clyde Through _sauchs_ an’ hangin’ hazels glide.” Old Song—Bothwell Bank.

Scraffle, C, scramble.

“We _scraffelt_ on i’ this fashion, an’ it was quite dark afooar we gat till Ammelside yatt.” _Betty Yewdale._ T’ terrible Knitters i’ Dent.

Screes, C, sloping banks of fragmentary stone under precipices.

“Whoariver there’s _screes_ There’s mair steàns nor trees.” Old Rhymes.

Scrimp, S, pinch, reduce.

“For lack o’ thee I _scrimp_ my glass.” _Burns._ On a Bank Note.

Scrowe, S and C, a lot of children, etc., rough or numerous.

“There’s sic a _scrowe_ o’ Irishmen come ower frae Skinburness.”—Said at Annan.

Scunner, S, shuddering disgust—noun and verb.

“An’ yill an’ whiskey ga’e to cairds, Until they _scunner_.” _Burns._ Ep. to Smith.

Sec, C; Sic, S, such.

“Feegh! _sec_ a yen we’ve hed at Codbeck, As niver was under the sun.” _Anderson._ The Codbeck Wedding.

“_Sic_ as ye gie, _sic_ will ye get.”—Proverb.

Shap, C, to seem likely, or tend to.

“They’re _shappin’_ to gang heàm wid empty pockets.” Said of two losing whist players at a Merry Night.

Shinny, C; Shinty, S, a rough game played with knobbed or round ended sticks—called in the south of England, I believe, hocky.

“_Shinny’s_ weel aneuf if shins wer’ seàf.”—Old saying.

Sinsyne, S, since then.

“She charm’d my heart an’ aye _sinsyne_, I canna think o’ onie ither.” Song—O’er the Muir.

Skeich, S, shy, distant.

“Maggie coost her heid fu’ heich, Look’d asklent an’ unco _skeich_.” _Burns._ Duncan Gray.

Skirl, S, scream.

“White and bludy puddings rowth To gar the doctor _skirl_ wi’ drowth.” _Ferguson._ St Andrews.

Skreich, S; Skrike, C, shriek.

“It’s time aneuch to _skreich_ when ye’re strucken.” Proverb.

Skurl, C, slide.

“_Skurl, skurl_ the’ doon—I’ll kep the’, come thy ways, I’ll leuk ahint me—niver mind thy claes.” _Ewan Clarke._

Slake, C, a light smear as of grease, etc.

“Let’s tak’ _slake_ an’ _slake_ aboot till it’s done.” Said in licking out a treacle pot.

Slape, C, slippery.

“I mun tell her fadder when I see him—she’s gittin’ varra _slape_,” old John Howe of Branthwaite Hall called out when he witnessed, by chance, a meeting of sweethearts on a lonely road.

Slare, C, to walk slowly.

“He may be a sharp worker, but he’s a _slarin’_ walker.” Said by a farmer’s wife of a new come man servant.

Slashy, C, sloppy.

“It was beginnin’ to thowe, an’ was varra _slashy_ an’ cāld.” _Betty Yewdale._ T’ terrible Knitters i’ Dent.

Slatter, C, slop.

“Wi’ jaws o’ yell some durty beuts Pat loft seun in a _slatter_.” _Mark Lonsdale._ The Upshot.

Sleekie, or Sleekit, S, sly, smooth.

“O we were sly, sly! O, we were sly an’ _sleekit_.” Song.

Slipe, C, to slip away, to “hook it.”

“_Slipe_, my lad, while thou’s weel. _Slipe_, I say, an’ let neàbody see the’ gang.”—Said to a youth in a row.

Slocken, S and C, to slake thirst.

“Ha’e ye any clippin’ drink left?” “No!” “Ha’e ye any common yall? No! Ha’e ye any smo’ beer? No! Why than, hang it—ha’e ye any pig-stuff? I mun be _slocken’t_ wi’ summat!”—John Kendall at Hawkshead Hall the day after the sheep-shearing feast.

Smaik, S, a small boy, or other small animal.

“He’s but a _smaik_, but he’s a man at the books.” Said of a schoolboy.

Smittal, C, infectious.

“As _smittal_ as t’ Smo’-pox.” Said of a successful male animal kept for breeding purposes.

Snape, C, snub, also blight.

“Yet tho’ sec bruolliments galwore Oft _snaip’t_ the whyet of our days.” _Stagg._ Auld Lang Syne.

Sneck, C, latch.

“The Buckabank chaps are reet famous sweethearters, Their kisses just sound like the _sneck_ of a yett.” _Anderson._ Bleckell Murry-Neet.

Sneck-posset, C. When a man has the door shut in his face, figuratively or literally, he gets a _sneck-posset_.

“Glooar’d at me a bit, an’ than clyash’t dewar i mi feeace——He g’e ma a faer _sneck-posset_.” _Rev. T. Clarke_, Johnny Shippard.

Snell, S, cold and cutting.

“There cam’ a wind oot o’ the north, A sharp wind and a _snell_.” Ballad—Young Tamlane.

Snirrup, or Snirp, C, to curl up the nose, etc.

“As seun as she fund I depended on labour, She _snirp’t_ up her nose an’ nae mair leuk’t at me.” _Anderson._ The Lasses o’ Carel.

Snirt, or Snurl, C, the sound of imperfectly suppressed laughter.

“But seckan toke! nin could tell what aboot, I stop’t my lugs for fear o’ _snurtin’_ oot.” _Graham._ Gwordie and Will.

Snod, S and C, smooth, neat.

“Her cockermonie _snoddit_ up fu’ sleek, Her haffet locks hung wavin’ owre her cheek.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.

“You’re making this road rough!” “Ey, but we’ll mak it _snod_ afoor we’re deun wi’ ’t.” Reply of the road surveyor at Hawkshead.

Snowk, C, to snuffle audibly.

”_Snowkin’_ like pigs at a sew.”—Common saying.

Snug (as a verb), C, to nestle.

“We _snugg’t_ in togidder.”—Ibid.

Sonsie, S, comfortable looking, also lucky.

“Tall and _sonsie_, frank and free, Lo’ed by a’, an’ dear to me.” _Lady Nairne._ Kind Robin lo’es me.

“Whistlin’ maids an’ crawin’ hens are no _sonsie_.“—Proverb.

Sorn, S, to live on others, to sponge.

“_Sornan_ frae place to place, As scrimp o’ mainners as o’ sense or grace.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.

Souch, S, the sound of gentle wind or breath.

“Hark how the westlin’ win’ _souchs_ through the reeds.” _Ibid._

Spang-hew, S and C, to fling to the winds.

_Spang-hewing_ is a cruel mode practised by school-boys of putting birds, frogs, etc., to death. A stick is laid across a block, the victim placed on one end and the other struck sharply, throwing the poor animal high into the air, killing, and generally, mutilating it.

Spats, S and C, abbrev. of spatterdashes—gaiters.

“Their stumps, erst used to philabegs, Are dight in _spatterdashes_.” _Ferguson._ Leith Races.

Speel, S, climb.

“Monie a time, Wi’ you I’ve _speel’d_ the braes o’ rhyme.” _Ferguson._ My Auld Breeks.

Speir, S, ask, enquire.

“A feul may _speir_ mair questions than a doctor can answer.” Proverb.

Spretty, S, covered with Sprett, a kind of coarse grass.

“Till _spretty_ knowes wad rair’t an’ risket An’ slypet owre.” _Burns._ The Auld Mare Maggie.

Sprogue, C, a pleasure ramble.

“I’ve been to t’ top o’ Knock Murton.” “What took ye there?” “I just went for a _sprogue_!” Part of a conversation in Arlecdon.

Squab, C, a long low seat with a back.

“Sit on t’ _squab_ till I bring ye summat to sup on.”—Said to me once when I reached a farm house exhausted from struggling through a snow storm.

Stammer, or Stummer, C, to stumble.

“Oft wittingly I _stummer’t_, oft I fell.” _Relph._ Kursty and Peggy.

’Statesman, C, landed proprietor—Estatesman.

“It is a bonnie job, if gentlemen an’ gentlemen’s servants is to ower-ride us _steàts fooak_.” Said by an old lady at Coniston after a vestry meeting.

Stayvel, or Stayver, S and C, to walk in a listless manner.

“Ther was hundreds o’ fwoke _stayvelan_ aboot.” _Ritson._ The Borrowdale Letter.

Stoore, S and C, dust.

“This day the kirk kicks up a _stoore_.” _Burns._ The Ordination. “The Bible ligs _stoory_ abeun the door heid.” _Anderson._ Caleb Crosby.

Stound, S and C, ache or pang.

“An’ aye the _stound_, the deidly wound. Cam frae her e’en sae lovely blue.” _Burns._ A waefu’ gate yestreen. “It _stoundit_ sare, an’ sare it swell’d.” _Relph._ After Theocritus.

Straddel’t, C, brought to a stand.

“I think oald P—— was varra nār _straddel’t_ iv his sarmon.” Heard at the door of a Wesleyan chapel after service.

Sumph, S and C, a fool.

“An’ onie _sumph_ that keeps up spite, In conscience I abhor him.” _Rev. J. Skinner._ Tullochgorum. “I sit like a _sumph_, nea mair mysel’.” _Anderson._ Barbary Bell.

Swap, S and C, exchange.