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(delwedd D6531) (tudalen 000a)
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Collections
Historical & Archaeological Relating to Montgomeryshire.
Issued by
the Powys-land Club for the Use of its Members.
Vol. X.
London:
Printed
for the club by
Thomas
Richards, 37, Great Queen Street.
1877.
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(delwedd D6532) (tudalen 000b)
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Chapter
XI. Local Words and Phrases.
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(delwedd D6533) (tudalen 277)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
CHAPTER
XI. LOCAL WORDS AND PHRASES. 277
IN compiling this list I have been guided by the advice tendered by the
English Dialect Society, which runs as follows:
"It is not at all necessary for you to ascertain that the word which you
' locate' is so peculiar to the town or district mentioned, as not to be in
common use elsewhere Nonobservance of this rule will lead to great
disappointment, and frequently to miserable failure, whilst the observance of
it will lead to most interesting results, enabling us in some cases fairly to
map the whole range of country (sometimes extending over seven or eight
counties), over which the use of the word prevails. The commonest words in
this way will prove of the highest interest. But if collector A leaves out a
word because it occurs in B's district, and B leaves it out because it occurs
in A's district, the apparent result will be, that a word in common use in
two districts will seem to be unknown in either. Many glossaries have been
deprived in this way of their most characteristic words."
These Parochial Accounts are written with a twofold purpose in view the
elucidation of local history, and the collection of materials for the future
county historian: the extract quoted above indicates a third purpose (however
humbly it may be carried out), that papers of this kind may be of service
beyond the confines of Powys-land, and all three purposes sufficiently
justify the plan adopted by the writer, of preferring the inclusive to the
exclusive method in the compilation of this list.
It is only necessary to add that the list was substantially complete, but not
arranged, before the appearance of the first paper written by my friend the
Rev. E. Owen, B.A. on Montgomeryshire Words and Phrases.
A.
A careful observer cannot fail to have detected several peculiarities in the
pronunciation of this vowel. Some of the most prominent are the following:
(1) The very natural one of adopting its Welsh sound, which is equivalent to
the English ah, or the sound of a in father. The inhabitants of the adjoining
parish of St. Harmon run into the opposite extreme of putting “too fine a
point upon it",
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(delwedd D6534) (tudalen 278)
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278
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
their manner of pronouncing this letter being ridiculed by young Idloes, with
whom they come into frequent contact at the fairs and markets, with the
jeering sentence, “Fine da to go to ha to d", the latent power of which
was esteemed sufficient to take away the breath of any St. Harmonite.
(2) When a is preceded by c and g, and to a less extent by ch, a peculiar pronunciation
is imparted by the introduction of an intermediate sound equivalent to i or
y; thus we hear cyart for cart, cyap for cap, gyarden for garden, gyarter for
garter, tshyarge for charge, etc.
(3) Its sound is frequently changed to that of e in get, so that catch
becomes ketch, gather becomes gether, hay heh, day deh, lay leh, etc.
(4) It sometimes assumes the sound of o, as in the words yarn, hansel,
gander, which are pronounced locally yorn, honsel, and gonder. The latter is
sometimes also pronounced gyander.
ABIDE, when used in the sense of enduring, is generally coupled with the
negative can't, to express dislike, or even hatred; as in the very common
expression, “I can't abide him" I thoroughly dislike him. "He can't
abide that" He dislikes that.
ABLE, having property or wealth. "An able man" is a man that is
well off, wealthy. “He is very able" he is rich, or wealthy.
ADIT, a level in a lead mine.
AFORE before.
AGEN (again). In addition to its ordinary signification, this word is also
used to express futurity, as in the common sentence, “I'll do it agen",
which denotes the speaker's intention of performing the action at some future
time, without any reference to its having being performed previously.
AGENST, equivalent to by, or for. “I'll do it agenst Sunday" I will do
it by Sunday. “I'll keep it 'genst to-morrow” I will keep it for to-morrow.
ALLEY, a favourite marble used as a “taw", made of marble. The term also
used by children when speaking of marble.
ANUNGST, opposite to, over, against. He lives anungst us" i.e., opposite
to us.
ARGA, a term applied to the artificial wooden dams erected to pound up water
for the use of the various mills and factories. The word is Welsh, and is
thus explained in the latest edition of Dr. Owen Pughe's Dictionary: “ARGAE,
au s. f. (AR-CAE), an enclosure; a fence, a dam; a lock in a river, a
restriction." In some parts of the country the term is applied to an
embankment of earth.
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(delwedd D6535) (tudalen 279)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES. 279
ARRAND, a corruption of errand.
APERN, corruption of apron.
AWF, a stupid, awkward, or clumsy fellow. This word is borrowed from the
Welsh, and so, in all probability, is the English word oaf, signifying a
changeling, a foolish child left by the Tylwydd-teg (fairies) for the bright
one they have stolen. A very interesting local legend connected with this
by-gone belief is given in the Camb. Quarterly, ii, 86. (See chap, x.)
B.
BABYLON, an ironical name for Llanidloes.
BABYLON,
How MANY MILES TO? A game played by children, during which they chant the
following doggerel:
Ques. “How many miles to Babylon? Ans. Four score and ten.
Can we go there by candle light?
Yes, and back again.'
Then open the gates wide for King George and his family to pass
through."
BACK AND FORE, a corruption of backwards and forwards, a phrase used in the
sense of going to and coming from a place. “I walked there back and
fore" - I walked to the place and back.
BACKCHAIN, the chain placed in the groove of the back saddle to support the
shafts of a cart, etc.
BACK-OUT, to shirk an action, or to break a promise. “He backed-out of the
quarrel, and 'ont fight."
BACK OF HIM, a great benefit to him. “That £100 was the back of
him."
BACKSTONE (bake-stone), a circular piece of iron upon which, when placed over
the fire, oatmeal cakes, pikelets (muffins), etc., are baked. Cakes so baked
are called backstone cakes.
BAILY, corruption of bailiff. The term is applied to an upper servant placed
over the farm labourers, and sometimes to a steward or agent.
BAIK, back, a word of command addressed to horses when the driver wishes them
to go backwards.
BAIT, among farmers a lunch, taken between breakfast and dinner. The term is
also applied to a hasty meal taken between four and five o' clock in the
afternoon.
BAKHOUSE, a baking house. Promp. Parv. 21 has Bakhowse.
BALLYBON, corruption of belly-band, the band of leather placed under the
horse's belly to connect one arm of the shaft with the other.
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(delwedd D6536) (tudalen 280)
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280
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
BAMBO, the horse chestnut. Bambo tree, the horse chestnut tree.
BAMBOX, bandbox, the light boxes in which hatters enclosed hats, etc.
BANDY, the game of hockey; also the name of the stick used in the game.
BANDY-LEGGED, bow-legged. The following doggerel was often shouted after
bow-legged individuals:
“Bandy
legged and timber toes;
He shall
have music wherever he goes."
BARAGAN, moleskin. “My clothes are made of baragan."
BARA-MANTESS, hot bread, fresh from the oven.
BARREN COURT, a corruption of Baron's Court, the old manorial court, which
was abolished by the introduction of the county courts.
BARLEY GO FREE, NO MAN TOUCH ME, a cry made use of by boys when they wish to
be excused from playing a game, generally with the view of resting for a
short time.
BASE CHILD, an illegitimate child.
BASTE, to beat, to chastise. “Give him a basting", i.e., give him a
beating.
HATCH, as many loaves as are baked by a person or family at one baking.
"A batch of flour" is the amount of flour used in one baking.
BAVE, BAVIN, corruption of bathe and bathing.
BAY, the building in which cattle are kept, a cowhouse, a byre.
BEER, at present consists of fifty threads of warped yarn; formerly it was
forty threads.
BELYS, corruption of bellows.
BERRYIN (burying), a funeral, a burial.
BETTIN, the turf shaved with a breast plough, dried, and afterwards burned.
BILLY-FOODAN, a kind of home-made cloth and thread.
BING, a place set apart in a cowhouse, etc., for depositing the hay and
straw, which is afterwards handed into the stalls. It is generally a passage
between two sets of stalls.
BLACK AND TAWNY, descriptive phrase applied to a person with black hair and a
swarthy complexion.
BLACKBERRY-HUNTER, one who gathers blackberries.
BLACK-BESS, the common black beetle which infests kitchens.
BLACK-JACK, sulphuret of zinc found in lead mines, a conglomeration of iron
and small stones.
BLERO, an eccentric person given to boasting and “tall-talking". “Don't
notis him, cause he's a bit of a blero."
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(delwedd D6537) (tudalen 281)
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OF
LLANIDLOES. 281
BLETHER, used for bladder.
BLINDBALL, a common fungus. The name appears to be derived from the belief
that the dry powder it contains will cause blindness if thrown into the eyes.
BLINDBOOZART, a cockchafer; also sometimes called caterpillars.
BLOU, a blossom, the flower of fruit trees. "That apple-tree is in full
blou".
BLUETT, the discoloration which is the general accompaniment of a bruise or a
blow. Of the surname Blewett, respecting which R. S. Charnock, in Notes and
Queries (Sept. 16, 1876, p. 234), has the following: “This English name,
found written Blewett, Bluet, Bluett, Bluat, Bloet, is the same with the
French names Blouet, Bluet, Bleut, Blaut, which are diminutives of the name
Bleu, from bleu, the colour.”
BOBBIN, a cylindrical piece of wood, with a head by means of which it is fixed
for the purpose of winding yarn upon it for weaving.
BÔLL, a measure containing five quarts, generally used in measuring oatmeal.
BONE LAZY, phrase meant to express confirmed laziness. This phrase upon one
occasion was not found intense enough when applied to a schoolfellow of the
writer's in the cricket-field, who was re-christened born-tired.
BONNET, a tin reflector, placed behind a joint, etc., while roasting.
BOOGA, BOOGAN, a hobgoblin, a ghost. This word is borrowed from the Welsh;
cp. Boggart, the Lancashire equivalent.
BOOGI, a louse.
BOOT, that which is added with the view of making an exchange equal. “I will
rap thee knives if thee 'ost give me two alleys boot", i.e., I will
exchange knives, if you will give me two alleys with yours.
"I swapped horses, and gave him no boot." - Saddle to Rags.
BOTTLE, a bundle of hay or straw, generally applied to as much as a man can
carry of the latter. “Looking for a needle in a bottle of straw" is the
local form of the old proverb.
BOULD, for bold.
BOUT, for bolt.
BOYKIN, diminutive of boy, a term of familiarity.
BOWL, BOWLER, a hoop. “Come an play bowler."
BOOM, used by children as a general name for a bee, a wasp, etc.
BRANDY BALLS, balls about the size of marbles, made of sugar, butter, etc.
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(delwedd D6538) (tudalen 282)
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282
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
BRASS, copper coinage and the present bronze coinage. “Hast ee any
brass?" - Have you any copper, or bronze coins?
BEAT, a pinafore worn by children. This is an old Welsh word (see British
Dress and Armour, p. 123). From Notes and Queries (August 8th and 22nd, 1868)
we extract the following: "A man having several brats has literally
several pinafores, or a child may be called a brat, i.e., a rag, by way of
contempt, which is almost invariably intended. The word is in common use in
Cheshire, Lancashire, and the Isle of Man. In the latter the coarse aprons
worn by the peasant women are invariably termed brats. An English lady once
went to reside at the Isle of Man, and received a severe shock to her nervous
system owing to this peculiar significance of the word brat. A Manx country
girl applied for a situation as housemaid. On being asked her qualifications,
she mentioned, among other things, that she could 'wash and iron brats.'
'Iron brats!' exclaimed the lady, in horrified surprise. Then turning to the
housekeeper, who stood by, ' What on earth does she mean by ironing
children?' (Not children, mum, brats", was the reply. At last it was
explained to the lady, who was beginning to fancy that she had got into a
land of barbarous and cruel savages, the import of the girl's brats."
BREAKWAST, the common pronunciation of breakfast.
BRAZE, to place a blown bladder in a football, and secure it so as to be fit
for kicking. Halliwell has the following: “Braze, to make ready, to prepare.
(See 'Todd's Illustrations, p. 299.) Brazed, ready, prepared (Nares, p. 57,
who is puzzled with the word)." Shakespeare uses the word:
“If damned
custom have not brazed it so,
That it
is proof and bulwark against sense."
Hamlet, act iii, sc. 4.
"Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge; I have so often blush'd
to acknowledge him, that now I'm brazed to it."
King Lear, act i, sc. 1.
BREAK A NEST, to rob it.
BRICKLE, for brittle.
BRIDGENORTH ELECTION, ALL ON ONE SIDE LIKE, a saying imported from
Shropshire, applied to anything one-sided or awry.
BRIEF, subscriptions paid to cover a loss sustained by accident, disease,
etc.; e.g., a man who has had a loss by fire, an animal killed by accident,
etc., and goes round collecting from his friends, is said to gather brief.
BROKE, failed in business, a bankrupt.
BROTH, a kind of soup, made by boiling meat, vegetables, and sometimes a
small quantity of meal.
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(delwedd D6539) (tudalen 283)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 283
BROWN-SHELLER, a ripe hazel-nut, which drops out of its sheath, so called from
its brown colour. This word is also used in Shropshire. Halliwell gives
Brown-leemers and Brownshullers as equivalents used in the North.
BRUK, a brook. Also used in Lancashire.
BRUMUCK, or brumhook, a bill-hook used by hedgers.
BUGLES, childish name for beads.
BULL-BACK, stones placed in a river or stream, to divert its course; a cop.
BUM, bum-baily, a sheriff's officer, a catchpole. “The bums are in the
house" - the goods in the house are in charge of the sheriff's officer.
BURCHIN-ROD (birchen rod), a rod made of the branches of the birch-tree,
for the purpose of flogging children.
BURN, burning, terms used by children in the game of seeking for that which
has been hidden, or at guessing. "Am I hot?" cries the seeker.
“Take care, or you'll burn” or "you're nearly burning", is the
reply when he is getting near the object of his search.
BUTT, the handle of a whip.
BUTTERCAKE, a round cake in the form of a bun, with butter and sugar on its
upper side.
BUTTERED-ALE, ale warmed with sugar, butter, and spice. It is said to be
efficacious in curing colds. A kind of buttered or spiced ale (cwrrw poeth,
hot ale) was in bygone days handed round to all those who attended a funeral.
This custom has nearly died out.
BUT'RY (buttery), the place where the butter, cheese, milk, etc., are kept.
Welsh people pronounce it bootry.
"Ceginau Ystwyll, cogau'n wastad,
Bwtri,
Seleri, seiri'n siariad."
Lewis Glyn Cothi, p. 28, lines 39-40.
BYTACK, a small farm or tenement held with a larger one, by the same tenant.
C.
CABBAGE, portions of cloth, etc., retained by the tailor from the materials
of a suit of clothes.
CACCA, childish for excrement, ordure. Derived from the Welsh.
CAGMAG, poor meat, the flesh of an ill-fed or diseased animal.
CAMBREN (Welsh cam, crooked, and pren, wood or stick), a crooked piece of
wood used by butchers in hanging up the carcases while dressing them, by
passing it through the sinews of their hind legs.
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(delwedd D6540) (tudalen 284)
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284
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
CANNA, for cannot.
CANT, (1) idle tales, gossip. (2) A person who circulates reports, gossip,
etc. (3) When used as a verb to circulate reports, etc. “She is a regular cant,
and is always mixed up in some canting business."
CARD, an instrument for carding wool.
CARDER, a man who attends to an engine for carding wool.
CARDING ENGINE, an engine for carding wool, i.e., for opening and combing it.
(See Manufactures, chap, iii.)
CAST, a trick, a contrivance. "I will show thee a cast" - I will
show or teach you a trick.
CAT AND DOG, a game played with two sticks, the longer of which is called the
dog, the shorter the cat. The game in other parts of the country is called
Tip-cat.
CAT, a small piece, a fragment; Welsh. “Break it into cats."
CATERPILLAR, a cockchafer.
CAUDLE, a weak kind of flummery sweetened with treacle or sugar. Promp. Parv.
has cawdelle.
CAUSEY, a raised roadway. In Llanidloes the term is applied to the street
pavement, which is also known as the pitchin. Promp. Parv, has cawceway.
CAUVE, a calf.
CECK, (1) the different kinds of hemlock, from the Welsh cecs, cecys, plants
with hollow canes. Promp. Parv. has "cegge, or wild gladone." (2)
As a verb, it means to stammer. “He can't read 'cause he cecks."
CHANCE CHILD, an illegitimate child.
CHAW (chew) (1), a “quid” of tobacco; (2) to chew tobacco.
CHEEKS, the movable iron plates used to contract or expand the fire-place.
CHIMBLEY, chimney; also used in Lancashire.
CHIME, a piece of the back-bone of a pig, with flesh attached to it. Probably
a corruption of chine.
CHOKED, very thirsty. "Give me a drop of water; I'm jest choked."
CLAM, to ring a bell irregularly, not in the proper time. “Thee bist always
clamming" was an expression which the writer heard frequently in the
Llanidloes belfry.
CLAMPER, causing trouble, troublesome, burdensome. “It's such a clamper to do
it" - It is so very troublesome to do it.
CLAMPERING, awkward, clumsily. "A clampering fellow" An awkward,
clumsy fellow.
CLAMS, long wooden pincers used by shoemakers and saddlers to hold their work
for stitching, etc.
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(delwedd D6541) (tudalen 285)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES. 285
CLENIG, new-year's gift. Derived from the Welsh. Calan, the first day of the
month. Dydd Calan is the name given to the first day of the year. See chapter
x.
CLEM, (1) to starve with hunger. “I'm half clemmed" - I'm half starved.
" My entrails
Were
clemmed with keeping a perpetual fast."
- Massinger's Roman Actor.
(2) A piece of leather put on the sole of a shoe. - “I want a clem and
heel-tap on this shoe."
CLENKERS, large nails, which turn up over the soles of the shoes.
CLEP, (1) to carry tales, to inform. “He'll clep on you to the master" -
He'll inform the master. (2) The person who carries tales; also called
Clepgi. "He's an oul Clepgi" - He's a regular tale-bearer. The gi
is from the Welsh ci, a dog, so that literally clepgi is a tale-bearing dog.
CLICKET, a fastening by means of a latch. The Welsh word is clicied, a latch,
or catch. Promp. Parv. has clykett.
“In warm
wex hath emprynted the cliket,
That
January bar of the small wiket."
- The Merchant's Tale.
CLIP, to
embrace. “Clip me close", - embrace me tight.
"He'll never clip my neck again, and tell me not to cry."
- Waugh's Willie's Grave.
“He
kisseth her and clippeth her full ofte."
- The Merchant's Tale.
CLIVER, clever, used in the sense of good-looking, healthy, or robust, and
generally applied to children. "In at he a diver boy" - Is he not a
good-looking boy?
CLOES,
clothes.
"So aw iron't my clooas reet weel,
And aw
hanged them o' th' maiden to dry."
- Waugh.
CLOIS, close, a small enclosed field. The clois at Llanidloes adjoins the
police-station.
CLOUT, (1) a piece of cloth, calico, etc., e.g., dish clout; "a clout of
bread", a large piece of bread; “such a clouter", such a large
piece -
“Sche it al to cloutes atte last,
And into
the privy softely it cast."
- The Merchant's Tale.
(2) A blow with the hand: "I'll give thee a clout on the head".
COATED
CARDS, or COATERS, court cards.
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(delwedd D6542) (tudalen 286)
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286
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
COEGEN, an empty nut. Derived from the Welsh Coeg, empty.
COEL. In addition to its general meaning of belief, it is used to signify the
capability of expressing judgment, of giving an opinion. "Do you know
coel?" is a frequent question asked, and is equivalent to "Are you
competent to pass judgment on the matter?” “He knows coel"; he is
capable of judging. In the phrase "The third time is the coel", it
has a slightly different meaning, equivalent to the third time is to decide
it.
COFFER, a chest.
COLE, COLES, goal.
COME-MOKE, COME-MOKEN, word addressed by a driver to the leading horse of a
team when he wishes him to approach, or come in the direction of the
left-hand side of the road.
COME ON, to grow, to improve. “He'll come on by and by” - he'll improve
shortly; “It's coming on" it's improving.
COMYN, common land. “He coursed my sheep off the comyn", i.e., he drove
them off the common with the aid of a dog.
COOCH, to squat closely, to hide. "Cooch close, my partner" is a
frequent caution given in the boy's game of hide and seek, known locally as
Spy Mik.
COPPET, COPPETY, pert, saucy.
COPPIS, the front or flap of a trousers or small clothes.
COPPY, a copse or coppice. The wood near Berthloyd is known locally as the
Coppy.
CORBET, the chrysalis of a fly buried in the sand in shallow water,
considered excellent bait for fishing.
CORD OF WOOD, a pile of wood 8 feet long and 4 feet high, the length of the
pieces forming the pile being about 3 feet.
CORDWOOD, the branches of the oak from which the bark has been taken, sawn to
lengths, and formed into a cord.
CORK, (I) the core of an apple or pear. (2) The cone of a fir-tree. (3) To
kick a football; a high cork is to kick the ball as high as possible; a long
cork is to kick it as far as possible.
COEKER, the kick given to a football. “That was a corker." (2) A feat in
lying, a lie.
COENDRAKE (Corncrake), a landrail.
CORNEL, corner. A "cornel house" is one at the corner of a street.
CORPSE-CANDLE. Name given to a light something like the flame of a candle,
said to have been a precursor of death.
COSTRELL, a small barrel in which farm labourers, and those employed in
harvest time, carry their drink.
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(delwedd D6543) (tudalen 287)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 287
COUNTER, to hunt, when the hounds follow a hare that has doubled on her
track, and which generally leads them to hunt backward on the path it came.
COUPLE or CUPPLE, that part of an outbuilding where the hay is stored.
COWT, for colt.
COWLD for cold.
CRACHEN, the loach.
CRACK, (1) very quickly, shortest space of time. "I’ll be ready in a
crack"; "I’ll do it in a crack". (2) Quick-tempered. “Don't
notice that crack herko."
CRACKER, something large, or exaggerated.
CRAGEN, a shell; Welsh.
CRATCH, (1) a wooden rack suspended horizontally from the ceiling, for the
purpose of holding cured bacon, etc. (2) A rack for holding hay, straw, etc.
(3) To eat greedily, hence cratcher, a good eater.
"And she baar her first born son and wlappide him in clothes, and leyde
him in a crache." - Wickliff.
CRANCH, (1) to crush any gritty substance under foot. (2) To grind, or gnash
the teeth.
CRIAVOL, the berries of the mountain ash; Welsh.
"Mountain-ash berries and burnt sugar have been added in brewing ale, to
imitate porter. Diod-griavol is still used by the country people as a
medicinal beverage." View of Agriculture in North Wales, p. vii.
CRAPSY, touchy, irritable, quick-tempered.
CRAY-SHETTIN, the hedge-sparrow; corruption of the Welsh name of the bird.
CRIB, the old lock-up house, situated at the south end of the old Market
Hall, where the parish stocks were kept. Its use was abandoned in 1839.
CRISS-CROSS, the cross or mark of those who are unable to sign their names.
CROCK, an earthen vessel.
CROD, a short dumpy man or boy. “He's a crod of a boy." Welsh crwt, a
round dumpy fellow.
CROP, the craw of a fowl.
CROWN AND CROSSES, children's game, played with crusins, etc., on a figure in
the form of a square, intersected with lines.
CROWNER, the coroner.
"Ay marry is't Crowner's quest law." Hamlet, act v, sc. 1.
CRUDS, curds. Cruddled, curdled, turned into curds.
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(delwedd D6544) (tudalen 288)
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288
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
CRUMBLE, to make into crumbs. Crumbles, crumbs.
CRUSINS, broken pieces of china and earthenware.
CUB, place for keeping pigeons or rabbits. A “pigeons' cub", a pigeons'
house; and, a “rabbit cub", a rabbit hutch.
CUBILO, a smelting furnace.
CUCKOO-TAKE MORNING, a corruption of "Cock-take-warning", a game
played by boys.
CUCKOO'S-SPIT, the exudation found upon plants, and which contains the small
green larva of the cicado spumaria. Children believed this "froth"
to be the expectoration of the cuckoo.
CUDUDWYN, the youngest of a litter, brood, or family. Hartshorne mentions the
Shropshire word Nisgal, signifying the youngest pig in a litter.
CUMMUND, for come. "He's cummun’d home."
CURST-FELLOW, a deep, cunning fellow.
CUT, to beat in jumping. "I can cut that." I can beat that, i e.,
jump further.
CUTE, knowing, cunning. “He's a cute un."
CUPPER, cooper.
CUVLETH, a mixture of treacle and butter, or of sugar and butter boiled
together; toffy. Formerly, very plentiful about Christmas and New Year's day.
Making cuvleth, was one of the enjoyments of this season in which both sexes
participated. This word is borrowed from the Welsh Cyflaeth.
CUNNIL, careful, economical; from the Welsh cynnil. “That woman spares money
'cos she's cunnil, i.e., she saves money because she is economical.
D.
In common pronunciation the final d is frequently dropped, especially in
words ending in old; thus fold becomes fowl; scold, scowl; cold, cowl; old,
owl; send and lend become sen and len. The double dd (equivalent to Welsh dd,
which pronounced like the th in these and father), is often changed into th,
so that bladder and ladder become blether and lather.
DAB, a blow.
DAB-HAND, skilled hand, skilled. “He's a dab hand at marbles "; “Isn't
he a dabber."
DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY, the Daffodil.
DAGGLES, the spots of mud, etc., thrown upon one's clothes. “She's daggled
the bottom of her gown."
DANDY, a bantam. “Dandy cock", a bantam cock.
DANKER, a mild form of swearing. “Danker him all."
DAY ME, DAY IT ALL, also another mild form of swearing, formerly heard
frequently among lads at their games. "Day me
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ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 289
if I'll do it"; "Day thee man, wot's that for?" "I'll be
dayd."
DELF, common earthenware.
DEEPNESS, depth. "The deepness of that cute un is too much for me."
DICKINS, this word enters into many phrases, e. g., “Where the dickins did it
come from?” “How the dickins do I know?” “There 'll be the dickins to
pay." Dickin, the devil.
DIDDY, (1) the teat of the breast. (2) The parent's milk. “You're a babby,
and want diddy again"; you 're only fit to be at your mother's breast.
DIARE-Y-BO, an exclamation generally accompanied by a slap of the hand or the
fist. It is rather difficult to express its import, as it sometimes implies
surprise, sorrow, and even defiance. Perhaps the nearest English phrase,
which, however, is not nearly so expressive, is “Hang it all."
DINE GATTON PAWB, an exclamatory phrase expressive of wonder and astonishment
- a corruption of a Welsh phrase which means “God preserve us all."
DOUK, or DOWK, to dip or duck. “Give him another douk.” “Douking for
apples", a "nos glan gaia" game.
DOUL, down feather. "That bird isn't full fithers; he's only got doul on
him", i.e., the bird is not yet fledged.
DOUT, to extinguish, to put out. “Dout that candle."
DOWKER, or DOUKER, a dipper. The water ousel is known locally as the “white
breast dowker."
DOWSTING, very heavily, pelting. "It's raining dowsting"; “the hail
is dowsting down the chimbley."
DRAB IT, DRAT IT, exclamatory phrases; mild forms of oaths.
DRECKLY, directly.
DRESSER, the piece of furniture so familiar in old-fashioned kitchens, used
as a support to the shelf. On the latter was displayed the plates, dishes,
etc. belonging to the family.
DREW, a wren. From the Welsh Dryw.
DRIPPINGS, the last milk given by a cow.
DRUDGE, an urn for boiling water.
DRUDGER, a tin box constructed like a pepper box, only used for sprinkling
flour,
DUBBIN, a mixture of oil and tallow used in greasing shoes, etc.
DUCK-OFTY-CORN, a corruption of “Duck off, duck on", a game played by
boys.
DUKE ANWYL, an exclamatory phrase, used to express surprise or astonishment.
It is a corruption of a Welsh phrase.
DUNNA, for "do not".
DUSTNA, for "durst or dare not".
VOL. X. U
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E.
EARNEST, said in earnest; said seriously as a fact, in contradiction to
"Said in sport", i.e., as a joke.
"For it is ernest to me, by my faith."- Chaucer.
"Are you in earnest?" do you really mean what you say?
EDGE, the sharpness of a cutting instrument. “My knife has a good edge, thine
has no edge on it ": my knife is sharp, your's is blunt. “There's no
edge on our Sal's scizans" (scissors).
EDGE OF NIGHT, twilight.
EEND, also INDEN, the end of a shoemaker's thread.
EGG-ON, to encourage, to stimulate. “He egged me on to it."
EVEN (pronounced ehven), the materials from which anything is made, more
especially clothing, such as the "even of a topcoat", or “even of a
was'cot", i.e., the materials from which these garments are made.
F.
FADGE, a short stout person. The word is generally used as a nickname, e.g.,
Ned, Bill, or Jack Fadge.
FAGGOT, a dish made of the liver and lites of a pig.
FALSGI, a sly, deceitful person. “There's an owl falsgi."
FEED, (1) a person's keep in food. “He gets so much and his feed." (2)
Corn and bran given to a horse “Give the horse a feed."
FEG, long coarse grass.
FEGGY, land abounding in feg.
FI-FiNCH,
the chaffinch.
FINIS. Young Idloes at school used to place his finger on each of the letters
forming this word, and chant the following doggerel:
"F for fig, I for jig, and N for Nicholas' ball,
I for
John the waterman, and S for Sarah Saul."
FITCHAK, a polecat.
FITHER, a feather.
FULL FITHERS, fledged. “I broke a nest, and the young 'uns were all full
fithers."
FIZZUR, something excellent, first-rate, surprising.
FLAGS, large paving stones; sometimes the pavement when flagged, and not
pitched.
FLANNEN, flannel. Slightly altered from the Welsh, gwlanen.
FLEN, a flea.
FLINDERS, pieces, splinters. “It's broken to flinders"
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FLING, a person's will or pleasure, “the length of his tether.” “Give him his
fling" Let him do as he pleases; don't check him.
FULL FLING; “Let him have his full fling" intensifies the expression.
FLOCKS, the soft, woolly part taken from the flannel when dressed, generally
used for beds; hence a flock bed.
FLOOD, a freshet. Freshet in the Severn, at Newtown, called a Welsh flood.
FLUFF, the light flying particles of wool, yarn, etc.
FLUM'RY, a dish prepared from oatmeal, which is boiled to the consistency of
thick jelly.
“In this land of oats, a meal every day all the year round consists of a very
wholesome vegetable mucilage, called llymru, and by a corrupt Anglicism
flummery. It is made by adding as much warm water to finely ground oatmeal as
it can well absorb; to which, for the first time, some sour buttermilk,
leaven, or other ferment, is added; and in from three to five days' time,
according to circumstances, more warm water is added, so as to render it
strainable through a hair sieve. It is then ready for use. While it is
boiling, it must be continually stirred, until it attains a proper smoothness
and consistence. The slight fermentation it undergoes during its infusion
gives it a pleasant acidity, which contrasts well with the sweetness of good
milk, in which it is commonly eaten. English cooks prescribe other liquids
Rhenish wine, cream, and sugar, dainties which Welsh farmers know only by
name." View of Agriculture in North Wales, by Walter Davies, M.A., p.
358. 1810.
FOOLBART, a polecat. The Welsh word is Ffwlbart.
FORET, forward, fast. “The crops are foret this year” “He's too foret with
his tongue."
FORM, the resting-place of a hare.
"As in a forme lith a wery hare." - The Schipmanne's Tale.
FORNIQUE, or FURNIQUE, to revoke at cards.
FOWL, a fold, the enclosed place in front of a house.
FRIGHTENED THROUGH THE HEART, thoroughly frightened.
FUDDLE, a drinking bout. “He's gone on the fuddle.''
FULL-SPLIT, with all energy, at the top of one's speed. "Off he goes
full-split."
FUNK, (1) to shirk, or give up. “He 'ont pleh, he's funked." (2) To be
frightened. “He's in a funk."
FUR, far. “Not fur to go."
G.
This letter is generally omitted in words when it is followed by th, e.g.,
length and strength become lenth and strenth.
GAB, fluent, easy talking. “He's plenty of gab"; “he has the
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PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
gift of the gab"-, “he's a regular gabbler." These sentences denote
that the person has “plenty to say".
"Quod tho this sily man, I am no babbe,
Though
it I say, I am nought leef to gabbe.”
- Miller's Tale.
GAFFER, superintendent, agent, overlooker, or head workman. “Gaffer of the
job."
GAMMOCKS, antics, tricks, foolery. “Stop thy gammocks.'"
GEE, gee-gen, (g soft) addressed to the leading horse, when he is required to
go to the right of the driver. To gee, to agree, to suit. “How do'st 'ee gee
with him?"
GEL, (g hard) the ordinary pronunciation of girl.
GEEES, GERINS, (e-eh) the harness of cart-horses.
"This Aleyn maketh redy at his gere, An on an horse the sack he casts
anon."
- The Reeve's Tale.
GET, to be chastised. “You'll get it owl boy."
GET ON, fare, doing. “How'se thi get on this lung while"; how are you
doing this long time. “He gets on soundly" he improves rapidly.
GETHER, gather.
GETHERING, gathering, festering, a boil. “He 's a gethering on his
neck."
GETTINGS, wages, pay. “His gettins were small."
GIBBY-HEELS, sore heels.
GIBLETS (soft g}, the small parts of a goose, generally turned into account
by being made into a pie.
GILAN, a shelving bank of earth, generally applied to the banks of a river or
brook. A corruption of the Welsh Ceulan, the hollow bank of a river.
GILL, hiding. “He's on gill" - he's hiding. From the Welsh Cil, a
recess, a place to fly to.
GILLET, a very narrow passage. GINNIL, in the glossary to Tim Bobbin is
explained as a "strait street, a narrow passage."
GLAT, an opening in a fence, a part broken or trodden down, a gap.
GLASDOR, a mixture of milk and water. From the Welsh glas dwr, blue water.
GLOCCA, an addled egg. From the Welsh clwc, addled.
GOOMS, gums.
GORSE, furze.
GOSLINS, the blossoms of the “Sally", or willow tree, so called from an
imaginary likeness to very young geese.
GOVLED, an armful. From the Welsh goflaid.
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PAROCHIAL
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GRANNY, grandmother.
GRANDSIR, grandfather.
GREAT, familiar, friendly, intimate. "Are you great with him?"
GRINDLESTONE, grindstone.
GRO, the gravelly banks of a river. "Come with me to the gro." From
the Welsh gro, a ridge of pebbles, a beach.
GROTS, a preparation of oats, generally cooked with roast goose.
GROUNDS, tea-leaves with their essence extracted. Pal-y-geiniog (Pal of the
Penny), a resident in Llangurig, was in the habit of telling fortunes by the
aid of tea-leaves. (See “Par. Acct. of Llangurig", chapter viii.)
GUMPTION, sense, intellect. “A man of gumption" a man of sense.
GYZACTLY, exactly.
H.
This letter is very rarely dropped.
HACK, to cut small, to chop.
HADLAND, headland of a ploughed field, at right angles to the general course
of the furrows.
HAFT, handle.
HAGGLE, to beat down the price of an article.
HAIN, layer, strata. From the Welsh Haen, a stratum, a layer.
HALF-BAKED, HALF-SOAKED, epithets of contempt applied to those considered to
be deficient in sense.
HALF-SHARES, a cry uttered when anything is found, and which entitles him who
makes the cry to half the value of what is found.
HAMBOARD, a tea-tray.
HANGMAN'S WAGES, money paid beforehand.
HANNA, have not. “Hanna got it."
HAN, have. “Han ee got it?"
HARP, to waste, to get poorer in condition. “My pig doesn't get on; he's
harping for the last fortnight.
HASSLETS, the heart, liver, etc., of a pig.
HASTENER, a large bright tin-screen placed behind a joint, etc., when
roasting.
HAW, HAW-WAY, addressed to a horse when the driver wishes him to approach.
HAYT, addressed to a horse when required to go to the right of the driver.
"Hayt Brok, Hayt Scot, what spare ye for the Stories."
- The Frere's Tale.
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PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
HEAT, IN, applied to a bitch - Maris appetens.
HEFT, weight. “Feel the heft of this"; “Can you heft it?” i.e., can you
judge its weight, or feel its weight by lifting it.
HEPLESS, the mixture of flour and barm, or flour and leaven, for the purpose
of fermenting the batch of flour. Welsh.
HERKO, an eccentric individual, an impulsive oddity: one wanting in ballast.
HERKS, tantrums; manifestations of temper or ill-humour.
HIDING, a beating. "Give him a good hidin'."
HIGGLER, a person who deals in poultry and eggs.
HILL, to cover up closely, to tuck the bed clothes round one. “Mother hill me
close" is the common exclamation of children when put to bed in the
winter months. In Welsh we have Hid, (heel) a cover, a coverlet, and the verb
Hulio (hilio), to cover, to spread over. “In Kent to heal a child is to cover
it up in its cradle, and to heal a house is to put on the roof or covering. A
hellier is a slater." (Words and Places, p. 327. 1865.) Halliwell has
Hile, to cover over, (A.S.) and Hiling, a covering. In Promp. Parv., i, 110,
we have cuverynge, or hyllynge, or thynge that hyllythe, and again, p. 229,
Hatte, hed hillynge. The glossary to “Tim Bobbin" also has the word
Hill, to cover.
HIMP, the sucker of a tree or shrub. Welsh, Imp, a shoot.
HIST TO ME, its my turn. Used when playing.
HOB, the flat part of the fire grate; in old houses the masonry in which the
grate is fixed, and frequently roomy enough for persons to sit upon.
HOBBLE, used as a noun and verb; a trouble or difficulty, or to cause trouble
or difficulty. “He's in a hobble.” “He'll hobble you if you don't mind"
- he'll cause you trouble if you don't take care.
HOIDEN, a rude, romping girl.
HOIT, to throw or toss up, to lift up.
HOMES, the curving pieces of wood which are placed round a horse's collar.
HOMMER, hammer.
HOMMERING, hammering.
HONSELL, handsel, money obtained for the first article sold. Many spit upon
it for luck.
HOOL, whole.
"Now is myne hert al hool, now is it out."
- The Wyfe of Bathe's Tale.
HOOCHOO, a cry of great distress. Welsh Wchw.
HOP,
SCOP AND A LEP, hop, step and jump, a game at jumping. Scop seems to be a
corruption of skip, and Iep is a leap.
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 295
HOUSE, (1) the workhouse. (2) A term used in ball playing.
HOUT,
hold. “Ketch hout of this.” “There's no hout for a fish there" - There's
no shelter for a fish there.
HUKIN,
Hugh.
HULLS, the husk, shell, or sheath of oats.
HUNDERT,
hundred.
I.
This letter sometimes takes the sound of ee as in firm, which is sometimes
pronounced feerm; the diphthong ie also takes the same sound in friend, which
is frequently pronounced freend, or frind. These changes are due to the
influence of the Welsh language.
ILD, ILDING, for yield and yielding. “It ilds well.” “Will you ild?" -
Will you give up?
INDIA-ROCK, a kind of toffy.
ISNA, is not.
ISS, yes.
ISTERDAY, yesterday.
JACKSTONES, a game played with four bones of a sheep's knee joint and a
marble. The name is applied to the bones as well as the game.
JAG, a light or small load of hay or straw.
JANGLE, to ring bells irregularly, or out of order.
JAUNT, a trip “out", a pleasure journey. “Let's go for a jaunt."
JEST, (just), nearly. “I'm jest dead" - I'm very faint.
JIGGER, a machine used in the lead mines for washing the ore; also applied to
the person working it.
K.
KAIB, a mattock. Welsh.
KEDLOCK, a very common weed - the wild mustard.
KEECH, the internal fat of a pig, sheep, or other animal when rolled up.
KEEP, (1) maintenance. “He has eight shillings a-week and his keep." (2)
Away, safely, as in the sentence, “Put it to keep."
KEEP A NOISE, make a noise. "Keep less noise"; "don't keep a
noise there." A literal translation of the Welsh cadw swn.
KERRY-WIND, an easterly wind. The village of Kerry lies to the east of
Llanidloes, and the phrase is said to have arisen from an old farmer accusing
the Kerry-wind of killing his sheep.
KETCH, (1) a catch or fastening, e.g., door ketch. (2) Kindle, “The fire onna
ketch."
KEYS, blossoms of the ash-tree.
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PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
KIDDLE, to emit saliva.
KILES, a game, better known as ninepins.
KIP, (1) The tanned skin of a small beast. (2) Demand. “There's a great kip
for them." (3) Rapid glimpse. “I had only a kip of him."
KIPE, a large, deep osier basket with two handles, largely used in the
factories for carrying wool, etc.
KISSES, small round sweetmeats.
KIT, a pig's cot.
KNECK, to throw. “He's knecklng stones at me."
KNEPPELL, the globular piece of wood knocked about in the game of bandy.
KNUCKLE-DOWN, a phrase used in playing at marbles when ordering an antagonist
to shoot with the back of his hand on the ground.
KYNEELING-BOX, a box used by children for “keeping" their money. From
the Welsh Cynnil, frugal, thrifty, saving.
L.
LAB, a
great talker. “Thee't a reg'lar lab"
"Quod
tho', this silly man, I am no sely labbe,
Though I
it say, I am not leef to gabbe."
Chaucer's Miller's Tale.
LACE, to
beat. “Lace his jacket for him."
LACING,
a beating.
LANT,
urine.
LANTERLUTE, or ANTERLUTE, a name given to the individual who played the part
of fool in the old stage plays or interludes, and thence applied to those who
acted the character in life.
LAP, to
wrap, to fold up.
"Lap me soft in Lydian airs." – L’Allegro.
LAP-STONE, stone used by a shoemaker for beating-out leather.
LARRUP, to beat, to flog.
LATHEE,
a ladder.
LATS,
laths.
LAVEN, sour dough, which formerly served the purpose of yeast. From the Welsh
Lefain, a leaven.
LAWK-A-DAY, (alack the day) an exclamatory phrase.
LEARN,
to teach. “Ill learn thee a cast" - I'll teach thee a trick.
"The red plague rid you,
For
learning me your language." Tempest, act i, sc. 2.
LEATHER, to beat.
LEATHERING,
a beating.
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PAROCHIAL
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LEAZE, to glean.
LEAZING, that which is gleaned.
LEEK CLUB, the friendly society known as "Ancient Britons", who
kept their annual feast on St. David's day, and wore leeks in their hats on
the occasion.
LEH, lay. '' Does ure hen leh"
LET, a term used in ball-playing when the player does not wish to play a
ball.
LIBART, (corruption of liberty) applied to a tract of mountain pasture, over
which sheep have liberty to graze. “They crossed the trig into our
libart."
LICK, a blow, a beating. “Lick him well": beat him well. (2) First,
first time, first attempt. “I did it the first lick?” - I did the first time
I tried. “Did it every lick" - did it every time.
LICKED STUMPING, thoroughly beaten.
LIGHT, to alight.
LIKECAKE, a small pancake.
LINOO, supple, pliable, flexible. “He's as linoo as a glove."
LIRE, a gloss, a shine.
LIST, the coloured yarn used in forming the border of a flannel.
LITTLE-HOUSE, a privy - w.c.
LIVERPOOL-TOUCH, Everton toffy.
LOCAL PREACHER, one who is allowed to preach among the Nonconformists without
being ordained.
LOCK-UP, round house, police-station.
LOOBY, an awkward, clumsy, stupid fellow.
LOOSE, to let off, to set free. "Loose the gun off"; “loose that
horse."
LOSING ON ONE'SELF, not in his right senses.
LOUT, a mean, awkward fellow, a bumpkin.
LUG, to pull, to draw.
LUNGE, to beat vindictively.
LUNGEOUS, cruel, vindictive.
"A big lungeous fellow that would speak disrespectfully of
anybody." - Felix Holt, ii, 191.
LLYS-MAER, (Mayor's Leet) the 9th of November, the day on which the Mayor is
elected.
M.
MAGGLE, to trip another with one's foot.
MAID, a clothes'-horse. Called a maiden in Lancashire.
MAIN, match at cockfighting.
MALLEN, familiar name for Mary.
"And seyd farewell Mallyn, my sweet wight."
- Chaucer, The Reeves Tale.
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MAMMOG, the rag, or piece of leather placed over the bladder (at the mouth of
the outer covering), when a football is brazed.
MASHT, broken to pieces.
MATTY, familiar name for Martha.
MAWL, a large heavy wooden hammer, generally used for splitting wood.
MEEGRIMS, whims, odd fancies, displays of peevishness. "Don't notice
him, he's got the meegrims."
MEND, to repair, to get well. “Can you mend my shoes 'gen Saturday” “I'm
mending slowly."
MÊRLIN, (e-eh.) a hill pony.
MES, acorns. From the Welsh mes, an acorn.
MET, food in general, sometimes a meal. “Come in to met."
MEUSE, a hole in a hedge, through which a hare or rabbit is in the habit of
passing.
MICH, to play truant.
MIDDLING SHARP, tolerably well. “How are you?” “Middling sharp, thenk
you."
MIT (1) , a shallow, wooden vessel, used for household purposes, such as
kneading and making butter.
MITTENS, strong leather gloves, worn when hedging.
MIXEN, a dunghill, a heap of rubbish.
MOIDERING, to talk incoherently, foolishly, childishly. “Thi at moidering
mun", used contemptuously.
MORTO, Morris.
MORE SACKS IN THE MILL, a boys' game.
MOTTY, the mark pitched at in the games of quoits, pitch and toss, etc.
MOWLD, soil. It is also used as a verb, either to cover potatoes with soil,
or to move soil to the stems of the plants, such as potatoes, cabbage, etc.
“He's mowlding tatus."
MOWLDY, mildewed. “I can't eat that mowldy bread."
MOUNTAIN THRUSH, the missel thrush.
MOVING. A special meaning is attached to this word, that of changing
residence, and the moving of furniture, which it generally implies. The great
moving day is May 12th, for all tenants who have a yearly taking.
(1) “The Saxon Chronicle, A.D. 852, records the grant of the villa of
Sleaford, in Lincoln, for supplying the monastery of Peterborough with ten
mittans of Welsh ale, or ten sextaries, or quarts, as it is translated, a
quantity very disproportionate to so large and productive a parish. Mittan,
however, is derived from myd or mydd, and myddi, a capacious wooden vessel of
circular form, more of the nature of a vat, or hogshead, and peculiar to the
Britons." - Agriculture and Arts under the Druidical Syslem, p. 108,
note 2.
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ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 299
MUCK, dung. Horse muck, load of muck, etc.
MUNCORN, a mixture of wheat and rye. Bara muncorn - muncorn bread. Promp.
Parv. ii, 334, has Mestlyone, or monge corne, and the editor, in a note,
states that “Meslin bread, made with a mixture of equal parts of wheat and
rye, was formerly considered as a delicacy in the eastern counties, the
household loaf being composed of rye alone”
MUNDLE, a stick used to stir up ude, flumry, milk, etc.
MUNNA, musna, munnot, different forms of “Must not".
N.
NEAR, saving, economical, parsimonious. “He is very near."
NECKLE, knuckle. “Neckle down", a cry frequently heard at marbles.
NE'ERAN, never a one.
NEMA GOODNESS, in the name of goodness; Nema dear - interjections.
NESH, delicate, tender, very susceptible to the influence of the weather.
NETHER, an adder.
"Lyk to the nedder in bosom sleighe unbrewe."
- Chaucer. The Merchaunde's Tale.
NEW MILK, milk which has not been skimmed.
NICHOLAS BALL, Spanish juice.
NICK-NAME, a sobriquet.
NICK'S POSIES, dandelions.
NINE-O'CLOCK-BELL, a bell formerly rung at 9 p.m. during the winter months.
NIP, a dent, a notch; used also as a verb, to make a dent, etc.
NO DAINGER, a phrase implying strong improbability.
NO-LI, not I, no will I. “Oot ee do it” “No li."
NO, NEVER STIR, an exclamation used to express emphatic earnestness regarding
an assertion previously made. “I dinna do it, no, never stir."
NO ODDS, it matters not. “What's the odds?" - What matters it?
NO REMEDY, it cannot be helped - it cannot be remedied.
NOS GLAN GAIA, a corruption of “Nos calan gauaf", Winter's eve.
NOSE CAP, piece of leather on the toe of a shoe.
O.
O, when followed by I, changes its sound to that of ou, or ow, as in the
words fold, cold, old, scold, mould, which are frequently pronounced fowl,
cowl, owl, scowl, mowl.
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(delwedd D6556) (tudalen 300)
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PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
It often takes the sound of u, Tom, long, and tongs, become Tum, lung, and
tungs.
When preceded by w, it generally becomes the initial letter, the former being
dropped, thus wood, woman, wont, become 'ood, 'ooman, 'ont.
ON, start in a race. “How much on will you give me."
'ONNA, 'ONT, wont, will not. “I 'ont go” “I 'onna do it”
'OOS'NT, used for “will not” in the second person. “'Oos’nt ee fetch
it?"
'OOF, woof, that which is woven. Promp. Parv. has “'Oof, threde for
webbynge."
OOLER, the alder tree; also known as the orl tree.
OONT, a mole.
OONT-KETCHER, a mole-catcher.
OPEN Sow, one that has not been spayed.
Oss, to start upon a journey, or a race. “I'm going to oss now." I heard
a countrywoman asked to partake of some food upon her arrival in town. She
excused herself as follows: “No, thank u. I was eat for oss”, which sounded
very much like her having eaten four horses! She simply wished to say that
she had taken food before she left her home. The word is derived from the
Welsh osio, to offer to do, to essay.
OUT OF HIS MIND, wandering, insane.
OUT ON THE PATCH, a phrase signifying that a person is out of work, or
without a situation.
OUR, frequently prefixed to the names of relatives, more especially to those
of brothers and sisters.
OVER, used instead of “in the place of ", or “for". “I went there
over him", i.e., instead of him.
P.
PANCAKE-DAY, Shrove Tuesday.
PANCAKE-BELL, bell rung at noon on Shrove Tuesday.
PANDY, fulling mill. Welsh.
PARCEL, much, many. “He's got a parcel of them in his pockets."
PARSON'S BELL, the tenor bell tolled after the termination of the chime.
PEE-WIT, the lapwing, or green plover.
PEEL, a long wooden shovel used by bakers for putting their bread into the
oven.
PEGGY, diminutive of Margaret.
PENKI, an oddity, an eccentric person. Welsh.
PENTAN, back of the fire. “Black as the pentan", a common phrase,
signifying very black, or very dirty.
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(delwedd D6557) (tudalen 301)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES. 301
PENTISS, a pent house, a shed, or smaller construction of a similar kind,
with a single sloping roof built against a larger building. Promp. Parv. has
“Pentyce of an howse ende," and the learned editor in a note quotes
examples of the use of the word in old writers.
PIANET, a magpie; cp. Welsh, pioden.
PICK-GRATE, the perforated grate which, in old-fashioned houses, covered the
hole for receiving the ashes.
PIGGIN, a small wooden vessel with an upright handle, a very diminutive pail.
It formerly served the purpose of a common basin. Probably a corruption of the
Welsh picyn, a small wooden vessel.
PIKIN, selecting of sides for a game. “Let's make a pikin, and have sides,
not kick (the football) through one another."
PIKLE, a hay-fork.
PIKELET, a muffin. “She sells pikelets and likecakes" (lightcakes).
PILK, a minnow. “Come to the gro to ketch pilks." The word is a
corruption of the Welsh pilcodyn, a minnow. Another form of the word is
pilkin. “Tice ketch a pilkin", is a phrase frequently used by children
after deceiving some one.
PILLION, a bundle of wheat straw.
PINCHES, pincers.
PISSPOTS, ants. Pissmots in the Lancashire dialect.
"He is as angry as a pissemyre."
Chaucer. - The Sompnoure's Tale.
PITCHING, the pavement of the streets, formerly constructed of stones placed
edgeways, or pitched. As a verb, it is used for placing stones on their
edges, a kind of work to be seen in the churchyard; and also for raising hay,
etc., to a cart or rick.
PIP, a disease among fowls.
PLACK, a situation. “He's got a better plack."
PLANK, the portion of ploughed land between two reins.
PLETCH, cutting the branches of a hedge (not through), so that they may be
bent into a kind of rude, but regular plaiting.
"The Prince and Count Claudio walking in a thick pleached alley in my
orchard." - Much Ado aboiit Nothing, act i, sc. 2.
"And bid her steal into the pleached bower." - Ibid., act iii, sc.
1.
PLIM, perpendicular.
PLUG, to pull, to draw. “I'll plug his hair for him."
PLUMP, a
pump. "Plump o' the hall", is that at the end of the old market
hall.
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(delwedd D6558) (tudalen 302)
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302
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
PLUMPER, one skilled at playing marbles. .
POBTY, a bakehouse. Welsh.
POKE, a peak. “Who brok the poke of his cyap?"
POOLOO, childish term for a horse.
POPO, childish term for a sore.
POSY, pl. Posies, a flower, flowers. “Gi me that posy"; “I'm getherin
posies."
POSSEL, a drink made of a mixture of hot buttermilk and treacle.
POUK, a pimple, a boil.
POWER, (1) a great number, "There's a power of them." (2) Local
pronunciation of pour, ''Power out the tea”
PRILL, a small stream of water.
PRIMMYROSE, primrose.
PROG, spoil, something picked up or found.
PROK, (1) to poke, to stir. “Prok the fire.” “Top and prok the candle",
to snuff and spread out the wick. (2) Also used when a boy has lost all his
marbles, broken, become bankrupt. “He can't play any more cos he's
proked."
PUKE, to vomit.
PUMPLE, a pimple, boil, or gathering.
PUT, to nudge, to touch lightly. “Gi him a put." Probably from the Welsh
Pwtio, to butt, to thrust, to poke.
PUT-ON, a phrase equivalent to challenge, or to provoke into a fight. “I was
bound to fight cos he put-on me."
Q.
QUAB, dirt, street marl or scrapings.
QUANDARY,
non-plussed, at a loss, in a “brown-study".
QUARREL,
a stone quarry.
QUILTING or QUELTING, a beating or chastisement.
QUIST, a
wood-pigeon. "A queer quist", an odd, or funny fellow.
R.
RACKS, the wooden frames upon which flannels are stretched to be dried. A set
of these racks was attached to every fulling mill.
RADDLE, the colour used for marking the sheep, to assist in distinguishing
one flock from another. The common colours used in the neighbourhood of
Llanidloes are red and blue.
RALLY, a demonstration, a feast, and sometimes a “spree". “There was a
great rally last llys y maer."
RAMPER, the decayed branch of a tree.
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(delwedd D6559) (tudalen 303)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES. 303
RAMPER-EEL (doubtless a corruption of Lamprey eel), a kind of small eel found
in the Severn.
RAMPIN, great irritation, anger. "He's ravin, rampin mad", said of
a person in a most violent fit of passion.
RANGLE, (wrangle) among lads playing always meant cheating; hence their
saying, "Rangle will come to an end", i.e., cheating will not
prosper.
RAP, to exchange, to barter one article for another. “I'll rap thee knives if
thee 'oot gi me boot.”
RASMWS, a “nick name" applied generally to any individual distinguishing
himself in that which is wrong. "Oh you'r a regular rasmws", i e.,
a downright bad one. This word is said to be a corruption of Erasmus.
RASLE, corruption of wrestle. Chaucer uses it frequently.
RASTY, rancid. “Rasty bacon”
REBECCAITES, a term applied to the gate-breakers, followers of the pretended
Rebecca, who led the way in throwing down some turnpike gates in the
neighbourhood in 1843. The first line of an old song sung at the time was -
"Rebecca came before us,
And she
cleared the gates away."
REEVE, to wrinkle. “Don't reeve ure forhead like that."
RETCH, to vomit.
RISE, potato tops.
RICK, a stack of corn made in a circular form.
RIG, TO RUN THE, upon any one, is to show them up in the worst light.
RIGOL, a groove, a narrow gutter. From the Welsh rhigol, a groove, a trench,
a furrow.
RIP, a vicious female.
ROCHE, or ROTCH, a kind of coarse gravel.
ROSS, moorland, boggy land. From the Welsh rhos, a moor.
ROUND-HOUSE, lock-up, a police station.
ROUSER, ROUSING, large, unusually strong.
ROUT, rut, cart-track.
ROWL, for roll.
ROVE, to entangle; used mentally for one deranged. "He's roved in
love."
ROVINGS, entangled threads, etc.
RUNDEL, an old decayed hollow oak.
RUNNING-DOWN, a phrase meaning to speak unfavourably of a person.
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(delwedd D6560) (tudalen 304)
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304
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
SAFGET, skirt of a riding habit.
SAIM, grease, lard.
SAID IN SPORT, meant as a joke, said in fun.
SALLY, (1) the name of a species of willow (salix). (2) the soft plushy part
of a bell rope, hence to be able to sally a bell was to ring it properly.
SARN IT, SARN U ALL, mild form of an oath.
SAWFLY, more slowly, softly. "Take it sawfly", go more slowly.
"Sawfly, old chap", not so fast old fellow. Chaucer frequently uses
this word.
SCADE, a scolding woman, a virago.
SCAWEN, the elder tree. A corruption of the Welsh ysyaw.
SCORCH, (1) to place an object under a wheel, to scotch. (2) Cracking
potatoes are said to scorch when their jackets crack while boiled.
SCRAM, (1) to scramble. (2) A tall awkward ungainly fellow.
SCRAT, scratch.
SCRATCHINGS, the fat of the hog being boiled for the purpose of extracting
the lard, the dry pieces remaining are called scratchings. They are eaten
with oatmeal and condiments, and are esteemed a delicacy.
SCEEEN, (1) a coffin; from the Welsh ysgrin. (2) A kind of a large settless.
SCUTCH, the roots of grass, grain, etc., more especially that of the couch
grass.
SEG, the sedge.
SET (pronounced seht), a young plant.
SETT, tract of land let on certain conditions for the purpose of working the
minerals under the surface, e.g., the Van sett.
SETTLESS, a settle, a wooden bench with a high back to it.
SEVEN-COLOURED LINNET, the goldfinch, sometimes also called the
"Sheriff's man", from its gay plumage.
SHANNA, shall not. “I shanna go."
SHET, shut.
SHESPY, shoe lift. The most ornamental were made of horn.
SHIFFLE, shuffle. The term shiffler meant one who shuffled for dishonest
purposes in monetary transactions.
SHIP, sheep.
SHIVVIES, chives, small onions.
SHOAF, a sheaf.
SHÔDENS, bread made in the form of elongated lozenges,
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(delwedd D6561) (tudalen 305)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES. 305
now out of use. The penny, twopenny, and threepenny shodens are now replaced
by loaves of the same value.
SHOAF, a sheaf,
SICK, used for general illness, not limited to nausea.
SIGHT, a great deal, a great number. “A sight of work to do.” “There was a
sight of people in chapel."
SIST, miners' pay day. This word appears to have been introduced into the
neighbourhood by the Cornish miners.
SKILLY, poor kind of bread and milk, or broth, poor-house fare.
SKIM-MILK, milk from which the cream has been taken off.
SKINNY, a game at marbles.
SKIP, (1) to seize, to snatch. From the Welsh ysgipio, to snatch away. (2) A
rapid glance. “Didn't know him, only had a skip o' him."
SKLEM, taking meat on the sly. “On the sklem", when one is trying to
pick up meat. From the Welsh ysglem, a slice.
SKLEMGU(I), one who sklems, or helps himself on the sly.
SLACK, small coals.
SLANG, a long narrow piece of land. The author of Words and Places (p. 451,
ed. 1865), has the following regarding this word: “A slang is a narrow strip
of waste land by the roadside such as those which are chosen by gipsies for
their encampments. To be "out on the slang", in the lingo used by
thieves and gipsies, means to travel about the country."
SLAP, at once, e. g., "slap off.” “He did it slap."
SLASH, (1) the lash of a whip. (2) To whip a top when spinning.
SLICK, smooth, sleek. This word is applied to any polished surface that is
smooth. “You must boil flummery till it is slick", was a Welsh cook's
advice to a young Englishwoman.
SLICKING, to make slick. "I'm slicking this stone", i.e., smoothing
or polishing it.
SLIP-GUT, a term sometimes applied to flummery, probably from its slipping
down the throat so easily.
SLIPS, a cry used in playing marbles, when the player has made a false shot.
SLIPPY, slippery. “The ice is slippy this morning."
SLITHER, a slide; also as a verb, to slide.
SLITHERING, sliding. “Come and slither on the gro, there's some long slithers
there, and our Jack is slithering on em."
SLON, a sloe.
SLUBBIN, a kind of large bobbin made from the rolls of wool.
VOL X.
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(delwedd D6562) (tudalen 306)
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306
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
SLUBBER, the man who made them.
SLYGI, a sly, cunning person.
SNIG, to drag a piece of timber, etc., with a chain.
SOG, a quagmire.
SOLID, dull, heavy, when applied to a person's appearance, or to an earnest
manner of looking at some object. “He's looking at it solid enough."
SOLLAR, the first floor, “up stairs."
SON OF A BITCH, a term of reproach.
SOOP, heap. “Gether that in a soop." From the Welsh swp.
SPARBLES, small nails used by shoemakers.
SPIT, a good likeness. “He's the very spit of his father."
SPONTLE, to splash.
SPON, a game at marbles.
SPROT, v., to prowl about with the view of obtaining information, to spy. As
a noun it is used for the person practising such conduct.
SPY-MIK, the local name for the game of "hide and seek", called in
South Wales "high spy."
STAKES, the cry uttered as a warning to those playing marbles that some one
is about to stake, or steal their marbles.
STALL, come to a standstill, inability to move onwards. This word is applied
most commonly to horses when drawing loaded carts, etc. "He's
stalled."
STARVE, to be cold. "Don't let me starve." "I'm half
starved" I'm very cold indeed. No notion of hunger is implied.
STEL(EH), a handle, such as that of a hammer, pickaxe, etc.
STEM, the day's work of a miner. The twenty-four hours are generally divided
into three stems of eight hours each.
STEN(EH), a large earthenware vessel, an earthenware pan. From the Welsh
ystên, a pitcher.
STICKLE, TO, is to collect four shoaves of corn, place them upon their bases,
and tie them together at the top.
STINGE, grudge, ill-will. “I got no stinge 'genst thee", is a very
common mode of expression when one person wishes to inform another that no
harm is intended.
STORY, a lie. To tell stories, to tell lies. Storyteller, a liar. These terms
were mild forms of lie, etc., and were chiefly confined to children.
STRICK, to measure corn, etc., full to the brim of the vessel without heaping
it.
STRICK-FULL, filled up to the brim.
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(delwedd D6563) (tudalen 307)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 307
STRIKE, the old local measure contained forty quarts, equivalent to eight
bolls.
STRIPPINGS, the last milk obtained from the cow.
STRUMPLES, the tail of a beast when the skin is taken off.
STUB, (1) a block of wood. (2) Nails used by the smith in shoeing horses. (3)
Short thick-set person.
STUFF, linsey, or woolsey linsey, a material formerly much in use for making
the dresses of females. These were called "stuff gowns.“
STUMP, (1) mashed potatoes, which are mashed with a wooden stumper. (2) To
rebound, as a marble when thrown upon a stone, etc., or a ball from the
ground.
STUMPING, TO BEAT, a phrase equivalent to a hollow beating.
SUCKER, a foal.
SUPPIN, preparation made of boiled oatmeal and milk.
SUVVIES, wild strawberries. From the Welsh syfi.
SWEAT LIKE THE MUCK, an expression more forcible than elegant used to express
violent perspiration.
SWEET, a word of encouragement used during a fight, or some athletic contest.
“Sweet Jack."
SWERD, sword.
SWINGE, to singe.
SWINGEING, very, extremely. “It is swingeing cold, or swingeing hot.”'
SWINGLE, a swing. “Come an single on that swingle."
T.
T, when preceded by i, is sometimes changed into c, as in the words little,
tittle, brittle, which are frequently heard pronounced as if they were
written lickle, tickle, brickle.
TACK, (1) a taste which does not belong to the article when good. (2) Pasture,
where sheep, cattle, etc., are sent to during the summer months. “His cattle
are out on tack.” “He has tacked his sheep." (3) A family, set, clique,
&c. “They are a rum tack", i.e., a queer set.
TACK-NOTE, a “take" note, containing the conditions upon which the
minerals are to be worked under a tract of land technically termed a sett.
TACKLE, to attack, to undertake. “I was afear of tackling it."
TAKE AFTER, (1) to resemble. “He takes after his mother's family." (2)
To copy, or imitate. “She takes after", i.e., resembles or imitates her
in her manners and habits.
TAKE-ON, to pretend, to feign. “He didn't take on him nothing", he
didn't pretend to know anything.
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(delwedd D6564) (tudalen 308)
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308
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
TAILINGS, the poorest corn, the skirt of the heap when the corn is winnowed.
TALALLO, a dolt or blockhead. A corruption of the Welsh Llelo.
TALLANT, a hay-loft.
TAN TAKINBOBUS, a name given to the person who in the old country stage-plays
acted the part of the devil. It was afterwards given to a person who acted
the character in life.
TAP, the sole of a shoe. When used as a verb, it means to sole a shoe.
TATA, TATEES, and TATOOS, potato, potatoes. "To settle his taters",
a phrase equivalent to “Settling his hash", or “Cooking his goose".
TEE-TAKE-ALL, a teetotum with the four letters T. P. N. and H. upon it, their
signification being N for nothing, H for half, P put down, and T take all; a
favourite indoor game for marbles, etc.
THATCH-BIRD, the house-sparrow.
THENK, thank. “Thenk 'u, Sir."
THEAVE, twenty-four sheaves of corn.
THREEBLE, threefold.
TOOT, compact, neat, smart. “There's a toot little fellow.” It is the Welsh
word Twt.
THEESTLE, the thrush.
"The throstilcock maad eek his lay."
Chaucer. - Tale of Sir Topas.
THRUM, ends of the weaver's yarn.
TICE, to deceive, entice. “I 'ont tice 'u for the world."
TOCK, to cut a part off.
TOLK, (taulk) a dent or impression caused by a blow. As a verb, the word
denotes to make a dent, etc. From the Welsh Tolc.
TRIG, a small gutter, trench, or other mark, which serves as a boundary,
generally between sheep-walks. The word frequently crops up in the disputes
among the local sheep farmers. “I coursed his sheep cos they crossed the
trig." The word is also used as a verb - “Trig it out," to mark it
out.
TROUSE, (1) potato tops. (2) Branches of trees, underwood, etc., used for
repairing hedges.
TUFFY, toffy.
TUM, TUMMY, familiar names for Thomas.
TUMBEEL, a strong cart, the contents of which can be tipped; generally used
for agricultural purposes.
TUMP, soil heaped over potatoes and other vegetables, for the purpose of
preserving them. When used as a verb, it means
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(delwedd D6565) (tudalen 309)
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OF
LLANIDLOES. 309
to heap up the soil for the above purpose. From the Welsh Twmp, a imound.
TURN, a lathe.
TURMET, a turnip.
TURNPEK, a turnpike.
TUNGS, tongs.
TWO DOUBLES, doubled. “He's bent in his two doubles.'' (1)
TOUCH, a short time. “He's gone by only just a touch.” “He does it on
touches," i.e., by fits and starts.
TOOKA, a kind of a knife formed by a blade fixed in a wooden handle. The
blade was generally that of an old razor. From the Welsh Twca, a kind of
knife.
U.
Among some of the peculiar changes which this letter undergoes in local
pronunciation may be mentioned the following. It is often interposed between
o and the consonant following, especially l, as in such words as bold, scold,
etc., which become bould, scould; or, perhaps, the sound would be more
accurately represented by w. In another instance we see the effect of contact
with the Welsh language, when dull becomes dool (dwl).
When an initial letter, it is frequently changed to o, as ontidy, oneasy,
onlucky.
UDE, a kind of hasty-pudding made by boiling oatmeal in water; oatmeal
porridge. From the Welsh Uwd.
USE, BAD, to indulge, to put. “His mother do bad use him."
V.
VARMENT, vermin.
W.
In most of the words when w is followed by o, the initial w becomes silent,
as in the words wool, wood, woman, wont, which are changed into 'ool, 'ood,
'ooman, etc. This peculiarity is derived from the sound of the Welsh W, the
English equivalent of which is oo (long as in boon, short as in good), and it
may be noticed among those who never spoke a word of Welsh themselves, but
who may have been either the children of Welsh parents or brought up among
Welsh people.
(1) “Bent in his two doubles." In reference to this expression, J.H.M.
says the Welsh expression to which he alluded, is “Yn ei ddau ddwbl";
and BONWM observes that it is highly expressive when applied to an old and
decrepit man, gone at the knees and stooping in body. Such a man would
literally be in his two doubles. Byegones, May 6th, 1874.
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(delwedd D6566) (tudalen 310)
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310
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES
When followed by h, there is a tendency to give the w the force of q - e.g.,
in such words as when, which, what, etc., which are sometimes pronounced as
if written quen, quick, and quat. The q sound, it is true, is not very
strongly marked, but its presence may be easily detected.
WAB, a slap, a blow. From the Welsh wab, a slap, a stroke.
WAINHOUSE, an outhouse for keeping waggons, carts, etc. Although a thoroughly
English word, it is used by people who scarcely know a word of English.
WALKMILL, a fulling mill.
WALL, a measure of length used in connexion with flannels, about four yards.
It is derived from the Welsh Pared, a wall, the warping frame being in olden
times fixed to the wall.
WALLOP, to beat, to chastise.
WALLOPING, a beating.
WARDS, in marbles the goal from which the players start playing.
WARE, more properly WEIR, a wooden embankment across a stream. The weir at
the town mill is generally known as the Arga, while the one known as the Ware
is that upon the Clywedog, opposite the Dyfnant. The fact of the former
retaining its Welsh name is perhaps a proof of its existence previous to the
importation of the English term.
WARM HIM, WARM HIS JACKET, to administer a beating.
WEATHERCOCK, STANDCOCK, terms applied to different haycocks in the harvest
field.
WEH, stop; common exclamation addressed to horses.
WELTING, a beating.
WELTER, a blow.
WEP, a jib; “None of your wep" From the Welsh Gwep, the visage.
WHIPPET, a cross-bred dog, between a greyhound and a spaniel.
WHIRLY-GOOGAN, a kind of plaything made by putting a pointed piece of wood
through a large button, and using it as a kind of teetotum.
WHIRRET, a box on the ears.
WHITTY-BERRIES, the berries of the mountain-ash.
WHIZZER, a hard blow.
WIG, a three-cornered bun.
WIRE IN. The writer first heard this rallying cry at the general election of
1862. When the mob saw a Conservative going in the direction of the
polling-booth, the cry was raised, "Wire in lads", and directly a
solid mass, presenting a compact front, interposed between the booth and the
would-be voter, whose
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(delwedd D6567) (tudalen 311)
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PAROCHIAL
ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES . 311
treatment entirely depended upon the temper he displayed. This cry or phrase
appears to be an importation from South Wales, where it is used to encourage
those engaged in a fight, foot race, etc.
Y
As the
English sound of y does not exist in the Welsh language, its enunciation
naturally becomes one of great difficulty to Welsh people, and even to the English-speaking
children of Welsh parents. The common pronunciation of yet, ye, you, yield,
etc., is 'et, 'ee, u, 'eeld, (sometimes ild). But in other words, such as
yard, yellow, and yarn, (yorn) its full sound is given.
YANTO, Evan.
YARLY, early. “Yarly potatoes."
YORN, yarn.
YUGAMS, games, tricks.
YORK, a wag.
SAYINGS.
As sound as a bell.
As level as a die.
As clean as a whistle.
As true as a trivet.
As clear as crystal.
As wet as muck.
As dry as a ceck.
As poor as a church mouse.
As weak as a cat.
As high as the steeple.
As hard as a flint (in business matters).
As blind as a bat.
As thick as a post (intellectually).
As thin as a rake (hay-rake).
As flat as a pancake.
As sly as a hawk.
As grey as a badger.
As lousy as a rook.
As warm as toast.
As safe as the bank.
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(delwedd D6568) (tudalen 312)
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312
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES PAROCHIAL ACCOUNT OF LLANIDLOES .
As proud as Punch.
As fresh as a trout.
As slick as an eel.
As slick as flum'ry.
As tough as whalebone.
As linoo as a glove.
As dark as pitch.
As dead as a nit.
Sleep like a top.
Sweats like a pig.
Drinks like a sow.
Shines like Llanfair.
All on one side, like Bridgenorth election.
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.....
yn 
aith
δ δ