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(delwedd C3456) (tudalen 100)
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100 iJERksHlRE \vokbs.
LAAY. To wager; to bet.
' I'll laay 'e a quart (' beer ' understood) as my donkey *ooll go vaster nor thee pawny."
To lie down.
" I be a-gwaain to laay down, vor I be a-veelin' out o*
zarts."
LAAY HAWLT. «* Take hold/' receive in your hand. " Laay hawlt o' t'other ind o' the
rawpe."'
LAAY BY. To save.
" Times be zo bad, I can't laay by nothun."
LAAYCE. To whip. A ^^laaycin' " is a whipping.
" Thee 'ooll get a laaycin' when me-uster zees what e hev a-bin
at."
LAAY DOWN. To sow with seed that will not require
annual renewal.
*' Stock be a-paayin* zo well as I me-ans to laay down zome moor land in grace next year."
LAAYDY-BIRD. Cocciiulla septem punctata. Children never kill this pretty harmless insect, but holding it
on the hand say
" Laaydy-bird, laay dy -bird, vly yer waay whoam, Yer house be a-vire, an' yer childern's at
whoam." The hand is then moved
sharply upwards, and the " laaydy-bird " takes flight.
LAAYED-UP. Said of a ferret when, having killed a rabbit and eaten part of it, it lies down and goes
to sleep in the rabbit-hole.
LAAY INTO. To beat.
" If thee doosn't do what I tells 'e I'll laay into thee.'*
LACKADAAYSICAL. Full of fanciful airs and affectation.
LACKADAAYSY ME. A mild expression of surprise, used generally by old women of the poorer
class.
LAKE ALL AWVER THE VAAYCE. With the whole face showing merriment*
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(delwedd C3457) (tudalen 101)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 101
LAG. Last. Boys playing at marbles call out " Lag'* when wishing to play last.
LAMMAS, and LAMMAS-DAAY. ^This word was explained in the following terms, in the case of
" Hobbs versus The Corporation of
Newbury," as reported in the " Newbury Weekly News " of the i6th February,
1888. " The Lammas Day obtained its name from a supposed offeiing
or tything of Lambs on the ist August,
the Festival of St. Peter in Chains,
as a thanksgiving for the first fruits of
the new * Bread Com.' These fields (i.e., certain fields referred to in the law suit) are what are
known as Lammas land, i.e.. Commons on
which the inhabitants of Newbury have
the right of Pasturage, formerly commencing on Lammas Eve, the day before the festival of
Lammas Day, the ist August, till Lady
Day, the 25th March."
LAND. A portion of land delimited by furrows in ploughing. Families take lands as portions for
reaping.
LANDLORD. An inn-keeper is so called.
LANE, or LE-AN. To lean; also the lean of meat.
LARDY CAAYKE. The plain cake much sweetened and containing lard.
LARN.To teach.
" Do 'urn lam 'e zummin (arithmetic) at schoold?' LARRA MASSY. A common interjectory
expression.
LARRUP. To beat. A larrupin is a
beating.
LATTER MATH. The second crop of grass. Vide Atermath.
LAUK. An expression of wonder. Lave,
or LE-AV. Leave.
Lavender. To put away in ** lavender '* has the extended meaning of putting anything of value very
carefully away.
LAW. A common expression of surprise.
LAY, or LAA. Law.
*' I wont go to lay about ut."
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(delwedd C3458) (tudalen 102)
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102 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
LAY-YER, or LAA-YER. A lawyer. The blackberry bush is called a ** laa-yer^'^ because when any
part of it takes hold of one there is
no getting free from the bush without
being seized by other parts. There is a paradoxical quotation very common when blackberries are
coming in season, <* Blackberries
be alius red when um be grc-an."
LE-AST-WAAYS, or LASTE-WISE. At all events.
'* Me-uster be a-gwaain to begin plantin* ze-ad tayters next wake, U-ast-waays a zed as a 'ood."
LEATHER. To flog. A leatherin' is a flogging.
LEATHERY. Tough.
" This me-at be maain leathery.''
LED. Betted, wagered.
" I led 'un a penny as a cood'nt dim that ther tree."
A lid.
LEER. Empty, hungry.
" I wishes 'um 'ud gie we zome dinner, I be a-veelin' maain
//rr."
LEG UT. To run away very quickly.
* I maayde 'un leg ut pretty sherp, I can tell 'e."
LEG UP. To give a " leg up '* is to give one help from underneath on ascending a wall or tree,
&c.
LEM-VIGS. Imported figs.
LEN\ " Lend '* is always so pronounced.
LESS, or THESS. " Let us," *'Let me."
* Less zee what 'e got ther."
LET ALAWNE. Moreover, in addition to.
" He ood*nt len* we no money, let alawm mwoast likely a yent got none to len*."
LET ALAWNE AS. Is used for "and taking into consideration also
that."
" She hev a-had two new gownds this zummer, /// alaume as she had dree put by ax^oor. zo she wunt want no
moor vor one while."
LET IN.* Begin!" " go to work!''
" Now if you chaps be ready /// im wi'out any moor tawk."
LET \'LY. To shoot. Perhaps a phrase from archery days when the arrow winged its way on being
released from the bow.
LE-UZ. To glean. * Leutin ** is gleaning.
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(delwedd C3459) (tudalen 103)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 103
LEY. Growing grass; grass lands which are not for annual breaking up; this applies to sanfoin,
clover, &c., which come under the
general term " grass.**
LEZ. Lies or lays.
" I never lez a-bed o* mamins " (I rise early in the morning).
LICK.-T0 beat.
"A lickin* '* is a beating.
LIDDY.-Lydia.
LIEV. As soon.
" I'd as lifv go as stop at whoam."
LIEVER. Rather.
" What 'ood 'e luver be, a zawlger or a zaailer? "
LIFT. A free ride.
LIKE. Placed sometimes in a modifying or apologetic way.
" Plaze, zur, I wants to maayke my house a bit smarter like if e'll gie I zome white- wash an' brushes to do 't
wi'."
LIKE-ER. More likely.
" He's like-er to come "an not."
LIKES O*. Persons or things of that stamp or quality. I wunt taayke no trouble vor the likes
0' thaay."
LILL. The act of projecting the tongue as with a dog after
running.
" Look how that ther dog Wis, a mus' ha' had a smartish hunt ater the wounded haayre."
LIMBER. Active, tough.
" If thee vights un theell get wusted. vor a be a maain limber zart
o' chap." Sometimes used as
meaning " limp " also.
LIMBO. Jail.
* If thee be-ant moor keervul thee 'ooll vind theezelf in limbo avoor long
LIMMERS. Base; low.
LIMP. Flaccid.
Wanting in firmness.
* A be a limp zart o' man if 'e sticks out he'll gie in."
LISSOM. Active; phant.
LITTEN. A small meadow adjoining a parish church yard, available for churchyard extension.
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(delwedd C3460) (tudalen 104)
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104 BERKSHIRE WORDS,
LITTER. To " litter down " is to lay down straw for horses to sleep on for the night, this straw
bedding being called ** litter f** and
this word is also applied to all sorts of
things lying confusedly about.
LITTOCKS. Rags and tatters.
*' His kwut got tore to littocks in the brambles when the donkey drowed *un an' dragged 'un along by the
sturrup."
LIVE-UNDER. To hold a farm from; to be tenant to.
LOCK. A small quantity of hay not so dry as the remainder of the crop.
LODGED. Com beaten down by storms is spoken of as " lodged."
LOGGERYEADS. To be " at kggeryeads '* with another is to have a feud with him, to have
quarrelled.
LOLL. To lean lazily.
" LolUn" about " is the reverse of sitting or standing
upright, and looking ready for
work.
LOLLOP. To slouch. The meaning is analogous to that of " Loll.'' ** Lollopin ** is "
slouching.'*
LONG. Great or large. A ^^long figure" means a great price; ** /oM^-headed " is applied to
one far-seeing or calculating
(common).
LON G VU L. Wearisome.
*' Thee hast a-bin awaay vrom whoam a lengvul while.'*
LONG-TAAILED'UN. A cock pheasant.
LONG-TAWL. A game at marbles where each takes aim at the other in turn, a marble being paid in
forfeit to whichever of the players may make a hit.
LOOBY. A stupid looking youth.
LOP. Branches cut from the main stem of a tree by a bill-hook; the expression * top, /o/>,
an' vaggot," includes all of the
tree except the timber.
LOPE. To idle about.
LOPPETTIN*. Walking with an ungainly movement and heavy tread.
LOP ZIDED. Standing out of the perpendicular. With weight not Ci|uaUy disiributea.
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(delwedd C3461) (tudalen 105)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 105
LORDS AN' LAAYDIES. The arum.
LOT.The feast time at some villages.
Drayton **Lot** is well kept up.
" A vat lot '* is an expression of doubt.
" I be a-gwaain to zee Me-uster an* tell *un I wunt bide wi' un a minnot longer." To this would be made
the jeering rejoinder. " A vat
lot yon 'ooU I'll be bound."
LOTS. Many, the greater number.
*' Lots on us can't come a Monday 'cause o' the crickut match, but all on us 'ood come a Tuesday.*'
LOUCHET. A large piece.
*' Thee hast gin I moor of a loitchet n I can yet " (you have given
me a larger piece than I can
eat.)
LOUT. A stupid, ungainly man. LOVE
AN' IDLE. The Pansy.
LOVE-CHILD. One bom before wedlock.
LOVE VEAST. A tea meeting held in dissenting chapels, after which members in turn tell their
religious experiences.
LOW. Out of spirits.
" I was a-veelin* a bit low acause my zon as is abrade ent wrote to
I vor a long time."
Low BELL, A bell formerly rung at villages in the Vale of Berkshire at day break by the herdsman
appointed to take charge of cows to be
turned out on the downs for grazing
during the day. At the sound of the ** low bell '* the cows were delivered to him. (Low rhymes with *
cow.*)
^tJBBER, or LUBBER-YEAD. One very stupid indeed.
^^CKY BAG. A bag always at country fairs. On payment of a penny one puts in the hand and draws
forth a prize of some kind.
^G. A pole or perch. The pole which secures barn doors by being fixed across; to carry.
^ vJMBERIN'. A dull heavy prolonged sound.
^MMAKIN* Proceeding with slow ungainly motion.
^XjJip _Xo thump with the fist.
'^ **lump of a chap" is a big fellow, perhaps somewhat Ungainly.
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(delwedd C3462) (tudalen 106)
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106 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
LUMPY. Heavy in appearance; clumsily formed; also looking sullenly cross is described as
" lookin' lumpy awver *t.*'
LUSH. To drink freely of intoxicating liquors.
LYE. Water which has been filtered through wood- ashes, and so rendered soft for washing purposes.
LYE-LITCH. The tub used to contain the ashes and water when lye " is made.
LYNCHES. The green banks or divisions of ** lands."
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(delwedd C3463) (tudalen 107)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 107
M
MAAIDEN. This word is used in combination as thus, maaiden Downs are natural Downs, ».^., never
planted nor broken up. Woods are said
to be stocked with maaiden timber when there
has been no previous felling. .
MAAIDS. Servant girls in a farm house. Vide also Gals.
MAAIN. ^Very, extremely.
" I be Moain tired ater that ther job."
The greater part.
*' I thinks we hev a-killed the maain o* the rats up at Breach Verm an* ther bent none left to
zi*nify."
MAAM. To besmear; as a child may besmear face or hands with jam.
; MAAMY. Soft soil which is not very wet, but where the foot sinks in, is thus described.
Also ' besmeared.'
MAAY. The flower of the Whitethorn. In the ''Maay** the leaf appears before the flower, whilst the
Blackthorn shows the flower before the
leaf.
MAAY HAP. Possibly, perhaps.
MAAY HORNS. These are made by boys from the rind of the Withy, wound round and roimd; a smaller
piece being wound also and inserted at
the smaller end. They give forth a
most doleful but far reaching sound.
MAAYRY, or MEA-RY. Mary.
MAAYKE AWAAY WI'. To kill.
I be a-gwaain to maayke awaay \vV my dog, vor thaay tells I as a goes ater the ship o' nights."
To spend too freely.
MAAYKE HAAY. Boys* use this expression when heaping
together the miscellaneous belongings of another who has
made himself obnoxious and pouring water over the whole.
" To maayke haay while the zun shines** is to set to work
vigorously at a thing wh«n
circumstances are favourable.
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(delwedd C3464) (tudalen 108)
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108 BERKSHIRE \VORD§.
MAAYKE NOTHUN'. To fetch no money.
" Whale wunt tnaayke nothun* now, an' we only got to look to our stock."
MAAYKE UP. A youth is said to ** fiuuiyhe up ** to a girl when
he first attempts to pay addresses to her. This expression
is the counterpart of a girl * setting her cap."
" I zaay, Daayme, doos'nt think young Jack Robins be SL-maaykin' uf to our Maayry? "
MAAYKE WAAYTE. " Make weight." A small quantity or scrap added by butchers and others to
make up or increase weight.
MAAYRE, or MER. The expression ** the graay maayre be the best herse " is commonly used
either as denoting that the wife is
head and heart of the house or that a man is
* henpecked.*
MAAYRES TAAILS. Light fleecy clouds.
" Maayres taails an' mackerel sky,
Not long wet nor not long dry."
MAAYZY. Not clear headed, confused, muddle-headed.
Generally followed by ** like.*'
*' When I yeared what um had done I was zo took aback as to veel quite maayzy-\\)kt,^'
MACKEREL SKY.Sky mottled with clouds.
MAD. Very angry; greatly annoyed.
MAG. Troublesome tongue.
Hawld thee mag** is a retort.
A magpie.
MAGGOT. ** To have a maggot in the yead ** is to hold very strange and unusual notions.
MAGGOTTY. Fidgetty, having eccentric notions. Also frolicsome.
MAMMERED. Amazed, confused, puzzled.
I was quite mammered zo many on 'um spakin' at once."
MAMMY ZICK. In distress on account of being away from the mother or home.
MANDERIN*. Muttering threats or grumbling to one's self.
MANNISH. Used in ridicule of a youth giving himself airs such as strutting when walking.
MARVELS. * Marbles' are so generally pronounced by boys.
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(delwedd C3465) (tudalen 109)
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Berkshire words. 109
MASH. A marsh. The Mash is sometmies a fine meadow, as at Newbury.
MATH-THA. Martha (equally, commonly, ** Patty.") MATIN'. Service at a dissenting chapel is
so called.
" Be 'e a-gwaain to Matin* at Compton to-night?" Members of the congregation are sometimes
called Mutiners^ as distinguished from
Church Vawk or those who attend Church.
MATTER O*. Quantity or number, but used redundantly. ** I shall hev a matter o' vorty pegs to
zell about Kursmas time."
MATY, or ME-A-TY. Used as expressing that animals are in good condition for the butcher.
MAUL. A wooden hammer, as used for driving beer-taps into barrels.
MAUNDERIN*. Continuing to talk without showing knowledge or sense.
MAUNT. Must not.
" A zes I maunt go to Vaair athout I works aw\-ertime vor a we-uk avoorhand.'*
MAWKIN. An implement for cleaning out the oven.
MAWKISH. Flat to the taste.
MAWKY. A woman who is very dowdy and ungainly in appearance is said to be ** mawky,'"
MAYSTER, or ME-USTER. Master; the farmer is always called the " Mayster " by his
men.
MAYSTERVUL. Domineering, arrogant, assertive.
Our Gerge be got that maystcrvul ther yent no doin* nothun' \vi'
'un.'*
MAZINLY, or MAAYZINLY, or ME-UZ-INLY. Much,
extremely.
* That ther bwoy o' oum be grawin* mazinly now to be zure.'*
MAZZARD. A big head.
" Did e' zee what a raayre mxzsard that ther chap had a-got?"
ME-AD. A meadow.
'* A be gone down in the me-ad"' (always pronounced in two
syllables).
ME-AT, or MATE. Meat.
MED. May, might.
<* J tawld 'un a med do*t if a wanted to't/'
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(delwedd C3466) (tudalen 110)
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110 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
MED-BE. Perliaps, possibly.
" Med be you be a-gwaain to Reddin to-morrer, zur?"
MEDDLE. To touch, to take an active interest in.
" If theeiiff^/^5 wi' what yent belongin' to 'e agin, I'Ugie 'e
alarrapin." The expression meddle
nor maayke is used as thus: "I wunt msddle nor maayke wi' e but me-ans jus* to mind my awn
business.**
MELT Part of a pig, the spleen. A favourite supper where a pig has been killed is, '* heart and
melt" the nult which is rather
fat being crammed with savoury stuffing, and the heart also stuffed.
MERE. A bank or boundary of earth.
MERE-STWUN. A stone dividing two properties.
A Mere path thus divides two properties at Hagboum.
MERRY GO ROUNDS. These, composed of revolving wooden horses, always put in an appearance
at fairs and merry-makings.
MESS. A child is told " not to mess it's food," ».^., not to continue to touch it with its fork or spoon
without eating.
MESSENGER. A sunbeam coming through a long crack into a rather dark barn or loft.
MESSY. Food which is uninviting in appearance is thus described: ** I can't et (or yet) that ther
pudden' a looks * messy' "
Soft or pulpy.
ME-UT, or MAAYTE. A mate.
MICKLE. Used in a proverb very common among the thrifty folk of Berkshire.
" Many a little maaykes a mUkU:*
MIDDLIN'. Not well and strong in health; a degree or two worse than ** tarblish."
" The reply to inquiries after health may commonly be: * I be but middliH* zur. thank *e; the rheumatics be bad
agin.*'
When work is said to be done « but middUn\'' it means that it is rather badly done.
MIFF. In a temper, in a huff.
" A was in a mif amwoast avoor I begun to tell*ii how *twas.**
MILD. Not strong.
' This yer chaxo be vunry w/W," <.#., not strong ia flavour.
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(delwedd C3467) (tudalen 111)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. Ill
MILD. A mile, miles.
*' Ut be better nor zeven mild vrom Hampstead to Newbury.
MILLERD. A miller. The common white
moth.
MILLERDS THUMB. ^The name most commonly given to the small fish, Bull-Head or Tom Cull, so
much hunted for by boys in streams
where drought has stopped the water
nmning for a time.
MIM. Silent, not easily induced to talk.
" She zet ther zo mint as I cood'nt get on no how, an* zo I got up an* come awaay."
MI MM AM. A bog. MINCIN'.
AflFected.
*' She be too mijuin" a zart of a gal vor my money " (she is
too affected for my taste).
MIND. Know to one's cost. In the play of the Berkshire Mimimers we have
" Now, Slasher. Slasher, dwoant thee be too hot. Vor in this room theell mind who thee hast
got."
MINDS. Remember.
" What do a me-an by tawkin' to I like that ther, why I minds when a was but a bit of a bwoy."
MINT. Large quantity or number, a great deal.
" That chap run zo hard, a gin I a mint o' trouble avoor I ketched
un.'*
MINTY. Musty, mouldy.
Cheese with mites therein is commonly described as " minty,"
MISCHIEF. To "play the mischief*' with anything is to spoil it.
Mischievous or mischlevious is much used, the accent being on the second syllable. Mischievul is also
very commonly used instead of **
mischievous."
MISDOUBT. To mistrust.
MISSUS. A working man so calls his wife. In speaking to others of her he will say ** My missus,''
The farmer's wife is styled ** The
Missus"
" Be the Missus at whoam if *e plaze?"
MISSUSSY. Used by girls to each other as indicating '* taking too much on oneself;" analagous to
Maystbrvul.
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(delwedd C3468) (tudalen 112)
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11*2 BEBKSHlRE WORKS.
M I S WOR DS. Quarrelsome words.
" t'» had a mhuvrd or two an* ent ^x>lce to one 'nather
zence."
MIXED UP. Taking part in.
" I wnnt be mixed up vn' zuch doins as them."
MIXEN. A place where garbage from the kitchen is thrown. MIZZLE. ''Be oflF!"
* You bwoys had best mizzk avoor I gets a stick to "e." To rain steadily in extremely minute drops
and without wind.
MOIL. To labour.
I hev a-got zome money put by, an' dwoant look to toil an' moil al my daays."
MOINE. A dung-hill.
MOLL-HERN. The female heron. The male heron is called the ''jack hern/' but in districts where
herons are not often seen both male
and female are called " moll-hirns.**
MOLLY-CODDLE. A man who fusses about the house with matters more properly dealt with by
women.
MON KEYS' LOWANCE. A whipping. "
MOO-COW. Children call a cow thus, as they call a sheep a *» baa-lamb.'*
MOOR.Morc.
MOOR ZACKS TO MILL. A favourite game with children ut Christmas time, when wishing for one of
a romping character.
MOl* \*AA1R» A fttir for hiring servants and farm-labourers. MORT»-"\'cry great, a large quantity.
'' \Vh«n I met *un « timmod io a m4>rt of a hurry."
** rher WAS a moif on >in ther, I never zin xuch a lot avoor nor
Mv>UTAl.» -l\\cc5isi\xly, great.
' I N' A li^w^AAm to (pK tome doctors stuff, vor I was a-veelin* morU
'' I W **0»*^ Axt^rvl A \xum hev the okmkt to pMy up,
NK>Sl\Sx A nKHi9c U c4>t*i 5» called*
Wvwe 4i\^ Kx>i >tfs I (pc4 imn l^ iWe imII u* a cuH mdt into him
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(delwedd C3469) (tudalen 113)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. IIB
MOSSLE. A morsel; anything very small. At table would be said
" Gi* I a mossU moor vat if you plaze."
The least.
"T'yent a mossle o* good axin' muh, vor I tells 'e I wunt."
MOTHER-LAA. Mother-in-law. The "in" is similarly omitted in father-in-law, brother-in-law,
and sister-in-law, when these titles
are used, but this is rarely the case,
the names being usually substituted, and " My missus* vath-er " used for *
father-in-law."
MOTHER^S ZON. Every one without exception.
"A turned every mother's zon on um out o' the house."
MOTHERY. Covered with mildew.
MOUCH. To eat; to pilfer.
MOUCHER. A cat that steals provisions is called a mouchcr^ One good at catching mice is a mouser.
MOUCHIN' ABOUT. Prying about with intent to pilfer?
" What was *e mouchin* about in the hen 'us vor?"
MOUGHT. Might.
MOUSER. A cat good at catching mice.
MOUTH. ** Down in the mouth " signifies looking depressed.
"low Com or straw stacked in a barn. ** The Barley Moii/'' *s the sign board of an old Inn.
^PCH-ABOUT. Indicates magnitude almost the same as
''i^staboutr
" Ther was much-about a lot o* rats in the whate rick as us took in to-daay."
^K. A perspiration.
^^'^CKER. A failure.
"A maayde a mucker on't."
^ besmear with dirt.
^^^K HE-UP, or MUCK HAPE. A heap of farm yard Manure.
' ^Cky. With wet sticky dirt under foot.
*' The ro-ads be maain mucky jus' now."
*->DLE-YEADED. With no power of perception, having ^^nfused ideas* very stupid. i
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(delwedd C3470) (tudalen 114)
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I BERKSHIRE WORDS.
MUFFLED. When an old bell-ringer dies it has been the custom for each of the others to tie a
stocking round the clapper of his bell
and so to ring a " muffled " peal.
MUFFLER. A woollen cravat wound several times round
the neck and worn in cold weather.
MUG. As a schoolboy's expression to work hard, and one who
does so is somewhat contemptuously termed "a mug" by others who prefer play to work. A cup of the same size round from top to
bottom.
MUGGLE. A muddle, confusion.
" The chiidren had nobody lo look aiet um an' hev maayde zuch a. miigglc a.i yau never lee."
MUGGY. " Muggy weather," is damp, hot, close weather.
" A thing is said lo laaysle " Muggy," when it has a flavour
the
□ra
MUH. Me. ' and always
is however much used m the objective case,
^hen there is stress on the pronoun.
MULL. To make a failure of any attempt.
A profuse perspiration is described as a " niu//."
MULL-YEAD. A very stupid person who makes a mess of everything he tries to do.
MULLIGRUBS. Out of sorts and temper; out of spirits; a slight indisposition.
MULLOCK. Wet straw.
Dirt of all descriptions when heaped together.
MUM. Silent as if from a desire to keep a secret, or to abstain from speaking freely on a matter.
MUMCHAUNCIN'. Sitting without speaking as tho' offended. After one has acted in this way the
question is asked, " What was he
a mumchauncm' about I wonner?"
MUMMERS. ^A company of village actors who go the round of the principal houses in the
neighbourhocd at Christmas time. The words of the play are given
elsewlierc. M UN. Man.
'■What beai theri«i(»,i" Sometimes " you " is similarly
used. '■ What be
at ihcr " you? "
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(delwedd C3471) (tudalen 115)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 115
MUNCH. To eat something which bites crispl}'.
MUSCLE-PLUM. -A long shaped plum, sweet but without much juice, which separates very widely
from its stone when ripe.
MUST.-To mildew.
"Them pots o' jam be beginnin' to must.'*
MUTE. A dog is said "to run mute' v/hen it does not give tongue in pursuit of game.
MUV. Move. When the word " move * is used, as is sometimes the case, it is pronounced as rhyming with
** rove."
MUZZY. Stupefied by drink. Weather is ** muzzy '* when no clear through mist or fog.
MWILE. Mire.
"A's a-gettin* vurder an* vurder in the mwilft" i.e., he*s going
frog bad to worse.
MWOAST-LY. For the most part, frequently, generally.
" Thaay mwo-ast-ly alius has ther dinner avoor 'um sterts, zo ther yent no call vor we to hev none ready vor
'um."
MWOAST IN GINRAL. Generally.
" I mwoast in ginral goes to chapel at Compton o* Zundays."
MWOAST TIMES. More often than not. Often used where * most in general" would equally be
used.
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(delwedd C3472) (tudalen 116)
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116 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
N
NAAIL. To secure.
"I managed to naail the rat by the taail jus' as a was a-gettin* inside his hawle."
NAAIL-PASSER. The usual name for a gimlet.
NAAYTION. Great, large, extreme.
*' Ther was a naaytion lot o* paple at Vaair to-daay to be zure."
NAAYTION ZIGHT. A great deal.
*' I'd a naaytion xighi zooner hev dree gals to bring up nor one
bwoy."
NAB. To detect, surprise, or seize in the act.
*' I nahbed 'un jus' as a was a-maaykin a£f wi' the taayters on his shawlder."
NAG. To say irritating things.
** She nags at I zo's I wunt bide at vihoam moor 'n I be 'bliged to
't." '* Naggin at "' is the
habit above referred to.
NAI ST v. Spiteful.
" A zims inclined to be naisty toward us. zo thess kape out o' his waay."
NANNY GO- AT. The female goat; the male being the Billy Go-at.
NAPSY. An abscess.
NARN, or NARRUN, or NARRA-ONE. Not one.
These are the negatives respectively of **flr;/,*' " ^yr*/;/,"
and
** arra-onty
"Be ther flrrfl prong in the staayble?'* " No, ther bent nam
ther, but ril zee if ther be arra-one
in the bern."
NAT. A knot.
When I wants to mind zummit, I ties a nat in my pockut hankercher '* (when I wish to remember something,
&c., &c.)
NATOMY. Contemptuously applied to a small thin person^ thus,
*' Dost think anybody 'ud mind a natomy of a chap like thee?"
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(delwedd C3473) (tudalen 117)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 117
NATTY. Said of a woman who is very trim and perhaps a little coquettish in her dress.
NEAR. Stingy.
" A mus* be wuth a good bit o* money vor a alius was near.'*
The " near ** side of a horse is the side on which the carter walks when driving his team. The "
off'' side is the other side.
NE-AST EGG. A single egg left to prevent hens from deserting the nest. It is supposed that
hens are unable to count or remember
how many eggs they have previously
laid, for they will daily go on laying until they have laid their number as long as a single egg
remains, but if all were to be taken
they would desert the nest and sometimes even
stop laying for a time.
The ** fu-ast egg " is often for convenience an addled egg, or ^11 egg-shaped piece of chalk, the hen
being content with such
substitution.
^'£DDY. A donkey.
^^'ETTLE-CRAPER. The small White-throat; doubtless so called from its habits.
^ETTLED. Stung to anger; irritated.
^£Ver a one. Not one at all.
" I never zee never a one avoor in all my bern daays."
^EVVY. Nephew.
"^XVVANGLED. Spoken as regards new ideas or manners. It is always used disparagingly.
'"'^ A brood of pheasants. See also Eye.
'*' CiE. Very curiously coupled by women " nice and warm; '* ^^nice and frosty," ^* nice and
clean;" in fact, **mc^, and
anything that is gratifying."
'*'QELY. To be " doing nicely'' is to be getting better after >^^ illness.
"^-C^K. ^To knock oflFa small fragment.
"^VjHT cap. a glass of hot spirits and water just before going to bed.
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(delwedd C3474) (tudalen 118)
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^^^CiHT-JAR. The bird, *«
goat-sucker.*'
^ICHT NIGHTY. A very friendly "Good-night;*' used also generally to young children.
NINCOMPOOP. A silly.stupid person, who will believe any nonsense ihal is lolij him.
NIP. A quick painful pinch of a small piece of llesli. ■' He give 1 a '"//■' an I give he a punch," To cut closely, as to "nip" off a
small piece of loose skin with
N
NIPPER. A boy is often so called, rather contemptuously,
■' Thai young nififcr 'uU never be a man if a dwoani larn
how la handle his prong
belter."
NITCH. A bundle to be carried on the back, as "a nitch of stray" for night littering for
horses.
NOBBLE. To seize quickly. To commit a petty theft.
" Jus' as a iiabbUd a apple out o' my jackut pockut 1 uubblid
he."
NOD. " In the land of nod " is " gone to sleep."
NODDLE. The head.
" A caught ut on the nudilli," it , he received a blow on the
head. " To nMt' ihe head "
ia to shako the bead upwards and downwards.
NO GO. Of no avail; in vain. "
1 tried to persuaayde 'un to ci
NO GOOD ON. Of no value. " Drow
LheiB things 1
HO good OH."
NO HOW. Anyhow, in any possible way.
'■ The rahbut be gone a-ground an' ua can'i ge NO MOOR'N. Except that.
" I likes uo vurry well no moor'n 1 vinds un a I
NOODLE. A very siily person. NOR.
Always used for 'than.'
" My whip liev a-got a belter thong nor ihine "
NORAAYTION, A long rambling account, a.s when a poor old woman, greatly interested in her
troubles, relates them very
fully.
NOT. Smooth, even, without irregularity.
"That ther vield be Hul. be-ant a?" (that field Is well tilled, ia
ii not?") A ■' not cow " ia a cow
without horns.
NOTCH, When one is added to the score of a game, as cricket, &c., it is called a
noick." A batsman is asked, '■ how many iiulclus did 'b maayke? "
'e. but 'I
n the bucket to the pegs, ihaay beam
«o hoa:"
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(delwedd C3475) (tudalen 119)
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Berkshire WokDS. llJ)
NO WAAYS. Net at all.
" I yers as a zed zummut bad about muh, but I be-ant no u'aays affronted vri' zuch a poor
noodle."
NOW AN' AGIN. Intermittently, once in a way.
'* I zees a haayre in the vields now an* agin, but ther be-aut many on 'urn this year."
NOWSE, Ideas of management, ability to act with energy. " T'yent no good to ax he to do't, vor
'e a yent got no nowse.*'
NOWT. Nought, nothing.
'* AH as I do's this year zims to come to noaiV
NOWZEL. To nestle closely for protection or warmth.
" Zee how the puppy an' the cat non'xels down together avoor the vire this cawld weather."
NO ZART NOR KIND O* USE. Used to express emphatically ** no use at
all.*'
*' A be that ther peg-yeaded t'yent no zart nor hind o' ute to azgivy wi'n."
NOZZLE. The top of a spout.
" The noxxle o* the taaypot be zo chawked up as no taay hardly wunt come droo."
The nose of a horse.
NUBBLY. Where fine or powdered matter has hard lumps mixed with it.
NUDGE. To touch with the elbow in order to draw attention confidentially to some matter.
NUMBED. Benumbed.
NUNCHIN'. Luncheon.
NUTHER. -Indeed!
* No, a wunt nutherV' i.e., no, he will not indeed! " Nuther " is only used for '
indeed ' in such cases as the above, coming
thus at the end of a sentence to make it more emphatic.
NUTTERIN'. A hard sounding disconnected noise made by a horse, which sometimes precedes
whinn}ing.
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(delwedd C3476) (tudalen 120)
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120 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
O
0\ Of, in the.
Them be a vine lot o' ship, zur, be-ant 'um." " Ut be cawld o* marnins
now."
** On *' is used also for " of" as before 'urn (them).
" Ther be a gurt lot o' rabbuts in the 'cod; I zee a wondervul
zight OH 'urn out at ve-ad last night
"
OAK APPLE. The oak gall. OBADIENCE.
Curtsey.
" A labourer's little girl on being called in to see a lady visitor
would receive orders from her mother,
'* maayke yer obadunct to the laaydy."
OBSTROPPELUS. Restive under authority, assertively
making a disturbance.
The bwoy was got maain obstroppclus an* zo I zent 'un to schoold to be broke in a bit."
OBVUSTICAAYTED. Confused from any cause; somewhat stupefied by drink.
OCEANS, or AWCEANS. Used exaggeratively to express a large number or quantity.
" That was a vinebaskut o' plums 'e zent I this mamin'." "
Eesean* ther be oceans moor wher thaay
come vram.'*
ODD DRAT-UT. An angry expression. ** Odd drahhut ut " is similarly used.
ODDS. Affair; business.
" What thaay do's yent no odds o' mine nor yourn nether."
ODDY. Well in health, lively.
On being asked how he is, an old man will reply, Quite oddy, thcnk'e.
It
ODMEDOD. See Hodmedod.
OFFISH. Reserved; refusing to receive advances.
At vust I tried to maayke vriends wi* 'un, but I vound 'un maain offish an' zo now I lets 'un
alawne."
OX.-^Of. See O.
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(delwedd C3477) (tudalen 121)
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bERKSHiRE Words. 121
ONACCOUNTABLE. Commonly used as expressive of
magnitude.
" Ther be a onaccountabU crap o' apples this year to be zure."
ONBEKNOWED TO. Without the knowledge of.
" I be come to vaair unbehnowed to my Missus, as ool wunner wher I
be got to."
ONBELAVIN. Obstinate.
" That ther bwoy be got onbelavin an' wunt mind what I tells 'un zo
I beagwaain to gie un a
larrapin."
OKKEPAAYSH IN '. Work.
"Ther yent no okhepaaysliin' vor a Want Ketcher Blewbury
waay."
ONCOMMON. Used instead of «* very '' and «* extremely.*' "Them ship be a uncommon vine lot to
be zure."
ONDERVOOT. Used thus:
" The roads be slushy ondervoot to daay."
ONE O'CLOCK.** Like one o'clock " means " very quickly."
" The awld herse stretched hiszelf out an' brought us whoam like one o'clock.**
ONE WHILE. For a long time to come.
* Ater what I zed to'n a wunt try to argy wi' I one n'hilc I warn.'
ON ST. Once, whenever.
*^Onst I vinds the right ro-ad I warn I wunt lose my waay agin'.'
'OOD. Would.
*' A ^ood come if a was axt."
OODST. Wouldst, would you.
OOL, or WOOL. Will.
'OOMAN. Woman. When ** awld " precedes 'ooman the ** d '* is carried on, and ** ^ootnan " is
sounded " dooman."
OOMAN'S TONGUE. Both the Aspen and Quaker Grass are given this name, because motion is caused
by the lightest breeze, and so they
are always on the move.
'OOT, or 'OOLT. Wilt thou, will you.
OOTENT. Wilt thou not, will you not.
ORNARY. Common.
*' I got zome tayters I be a-gwaain to zend to Shaw (/.^ ., to exhibit), thaay be quite out o* omaty
like."
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(delwedd C3478) (tudalen 122)
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Iti^ B^RksHiRE Words.
ORTS. Odd pieces.
OURN. Ours.
OUT. Result of an attempt.
'* I zet un to do zome gardnin*, but 'a maayde but a poor out on't.
OUT AN' OUT. Wholly, entirely, beyond comparison. " I got out an' out the best o* the
bargain wi' 'un."
OUT AN* OUTER. Something very extraordinary or preposterous; one who does
very extraordinary things.
OUT-AXT. When the Banns have been put up in Church for the third time, the couple are said to be
out-axt.
OUT-COME. The result.
OWLISH. Sleepy, stupid.
OXER. A logget.
A short thick stick with a lump of lead or iron at the end. A blow from a thick stick.
OX-SLIPS. The flowers of Cowslip roots as produced when these roots are planted upside down, and
with cow-dung or soot around. The
manure doubtless accounts for the tint
produced.
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(delwedd C3479) (tudalen 123)
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iiERksrtiRE WorDs. 128
:
PAAM. Palm.
PAASNUPS, or PASMETS. Parsnips.
PAAST ALL. Beyond.
" The waay as a goes on be paast all puttin' up wi*.
PAAY. Prosper.
" Zuch doins as them wunt paay.''
PAAYNCHES. Broken pieces of crockery.
PAAY-NIGHT. The night on which farm labourers draw their weekly wages.
PAAY OUT. Common expression for * retaliate.'
PADDLE. A spud used for clearing the plough, when ploughing.
PAM. The knave of clubs at five-card loo.
PANK. Topant.
* Panting " is termed *'fankin\''
PANTNEY. A pantry.
PARLOUR. The reception room in farm-houses was called the ** best parlour,''
PARSONS NOSE. The tail joint of a goose, duck, or fowl.
PARTLY. Somewhat, am inclined to.
" I partly thinks a wunt do't at all now a hev a-bin zo long about
ut."
PASSEL. A number, a lot. The word is always used somewhat contemptuously,
" a passel o' vools."
PAT. Readily, without hesitation.
' When I taxt 'un wi' *t a tawld muh a lie pat.'*
PAT-BALL. A child's name for a ball, or for the simple game of throwing a ball from one to
another.
PATCHY. Often and easily put out of temper.
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(delwedd C3480) (tudalen 124)
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1^4 iSERksHiRE Words.
PATER. Peter.
PATER GRIEVOUS. One is so called who goes about with a melancholy face.
PATTENS. Sandals raised on iron frames worn by women to keep their shoes out of the dirt.
PATTERN. An example.
" If I zees any moor zuch bad doins I'll maayke a pattern on
*e."
PATTY. The familiar name for Martha.
PAULS. The expression as ** awld as St, Paul's " is used to denote great antiquity.
St. PanVs is the best known of any of the * zights o' Lonnon Town."
PAUNCHY. Stout.
PAWLE. A pole.
PAX. The school boys word for ** surrender '* or wishing to ** make friends ** again.
PEART. Bright, full of Hfe; also impudent.
PEAZEN, or PAZE, or PE-AZ. Peas.
PE-AZ PORRIDGE. Pea soup.
PECK. A pick-axe.
PECKER. Mouth; visage.
'* A bit down in the pecker *' means '* in bad spirits.'*
PECKIN*. Faultfinding.
** She was alius A-peckin' an* yangin' at muh zo as I cood*nt bi wi' her no longer."
PECKISH. Hungry.
PECK-UP. To loosen ground with a pick-axe.
PEE-BO. The first game for. babies, consisting of alternately hiding and showing them the face.
PEEK-ED, or PEEKY. Thin in the face, as from iUness.
*' A be a-lookin* maain peef^, med-be a wants moor me-at to yet."
PEEL. A long-handled implement for removal of loaves fro: an oven.
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(delwedd C3481) (tudalen 125)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 125
PEEP-SHAW. A paper case with glass over, filled by children with flowers pressed against the glass;
there is a paper lid which is raised
for a ** pin a peep.**
PEE-WHIT. The Lap-wing, thus called from its note.
"There is a primitive musical instrument made by boys called a fti'Whit; a small stick is split and an ivy
leaf inserted, blowing on this
produces a curious sound.
PEFFLE. In a nervous state; in a condition of hurry and confusion.
" A zimmed in zuch ^peffle as a did'nt knaw what a wasa-zaayin*
on."
PEG. A pig. In " The Scouring of
the White Horse '* we have
* Then as zure as fegs is pegs Aayte
chaps ketched I by the legs.'*
"Pes' away" is a common encouraging phrase for ** commence eating," or ** eat
heartily."
PELT. Temper.
" I zimmed in a girt pelt about ut." ^he skin of an animal. To throw.
' I zee the bwoys a peltin' the hens \vi' stwuns."
* ^N To prevent escape.
" Ther be zome bwoys in the archut a-got at the apples, let zome on us go roun' t' other zide on 'um an' zo pen
'um.*'
PEND.- Depend.
PENNYWINKLE. Periwinkle.
^EPPER. To strike with shot or a number of missiles at once. " I properly peppered a rabbut but a
managed to crape into his hawle."
^EPPERY. Irascible.
ERKY. Assertive in manner, conceited, inclined to be saucy or impertinent.
^^RTAAYTERS, or TAAYTERS. Potatoes.
^HZWAAYDIN*. Repetition of invitation.
" Now do 'e come an* zee us zoon, an' bring yer missus wi* *e, an* dwoant 'e want no perzwaaydin'.'*
^-XJS. Piece; a field of arable land is so called*
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(delwedd C3482) (tudalen 126)
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120 BERKSHIRE WORDS,
PE-US O' WORK. Fuss.
" A maayde a ter'ble pe-us o' work when I tawld 'un as a cood'nt
hev the donkey to-daay."
PHAYBE, pronounced FABY. Phoebe.
PICK-A-BACK. To go on another's back with arms round his neck and legs supported by his
arms.
PICK-ED. Sharply pointed.
" A run a pick-ed staayke into his voot."
PICKLE. A mischievous child.
To have a " stick in lAckle " is to keep one ready to beat such a
child.
PIDDLE. A small enclosed field, as the *' Church piddle " at Hampstead Norreys.
PIES. Fruit tarts of all kinds when cooked in dishes are so called, the word '' tart " being
confined to the small open tarts.
PIGEON'S-MILK. It is a joke to send a child to a shop for a pennyworth of ^* pigeon's milk.** There
are others of the same kind, such as
sending it to its mother to tell her
** to tie ugly up;** or to say that it will ** die after"
having slightly scratched its
finger.
PIGEON Y. Small pimples, showing specially at back of the neck in elderly people; sometimes ailso
called " goosey."
PIGGIN* UT, or PEGGIN* UT. Living in a very dirty way with poor surroundings.
PIG.KE.UPIN\ or PEG-KE-UPIN\ Pigkeeping; driving pigs to corn stubble and having whips to
prevent them from straying; this work
is much appreciated by boj's.
PIG Pl'ZZLE, or PEG PUZZLE. A gate fixed to swing botli ways to meet a post, so that an
animal pushing it from either side
cannot get through.
PIG-RING. A game at marbles where a nng is made about four feet in diameter, and lx)ys ** shoot
** in turn firom any point in the
circumference keeping such marbles as they
may knock out of the ring, but losing their own " taw " if
it should stop within.
PINCH. To l^ good '* at a;»iitrA '* is to be ready of resource, or equal to any emergency.
PINCH AND SCREW, To try to avoid expenditure by extren.e carefulness and even
meanness.
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(delwedd C3483) (tudalen 127)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 127
PINCHERS. Pincers; the tails of an Earwig are called his '^pinchers:*
PING. The noise of any hard substance striking against metal.
PINNER A child's pinafore.
" Pat on the childems' pinners avoor 'um zets down to taayble zo as "van want spile ther
vrocks."
PINS AN* NADLES. ^The prickling sensation caused by
returning circulation after any part has been benumbed. PINYON. Belief in, opinion of, confidence
in.
" I ent got no pinyon o* that ther veller zence I knawed as a
cabbaged zome o* my zeed
taayters."
PIP. A small seed. A disease in
poultry.
PIT-A-PAT. A noise as of treading quickly but rather lightly.
PITCH. To " Pitch Wuts " is to raise oats in the straw into a waggon by means of a coarse-grained
prong; the man who does this is called
the '^pitcher" and the quantity of
oats taken on the prong is called the '^Mch,'* The prong when constructed m a special way is called
a ^^ pitch fork."
PITCH AN' NOSTLE. The game of * pitch and toss.'
PITCH-PAWLE. A very common sport with children, otherwise called "
head over heels.'*
PITCH PIPE. A pipe used formerly in village churches to give the key-note for congregational
singing.
I^*HAWLE. The grave is always so named to children.
IT'S. These are extremely common in fields in the ** Hill Country" of Berkshire. They owe their
origin to the practice of sinking
Wells or making excavations in order to
obtain Chalk as a ** top-dressing " for the soil; the subsequent
filling in caused pits to be formed.
^^ AAYGUE. A trouble.
There is the expression * What ^plaaygue the childern be," and to
a child is often good-humouredly said,
'* Thee be moor plaaygue 'n all my
money."
^^AAYGUEY. Very extremely.
"My awld *ooman be got plaayguey vond o' vinery to be zure."
^Aay in. Take your turn and join in.
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(delwedd C3484) (tudalen 128)
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128 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
PLAAY-SHERP. To get an advantage over another by somewhat unfair and
ungenerous action.
PLAAY-UP. Play with vigour.
PLASTERED, The common expression when clothes are coated with mud.
■' Your trowsers be plattirtd an' I mas' hcv am dried avoor
am can
be brushed."
PLATTER. A plate or small dish.
' Jack Sprat cood yel no vai, His
wile cood yet no le-an: An' zo belwint
'um bo-ath
Thnay kep" ihe/la/Wf cle-iw."
PLAZE GOD. Very commonly inserted in a sentence or added to it.
" I hopes, l-liiie God. as ther 'ool be a better vail o' lambs this year
n Iher was laast.'
PLEAZURIN', Enjoying one's self, not working.
" If a goes a-/J(a«»ri>i'aboul zo much a wunt be aayble to paay
his waay much longer.
PLUCK. Courage. A part of the offal
of a bird or animal.
PLUM. Level with.
"The plank along Ihis zide yent /■liim wi' the one on t'other
lide." PLYMMED. Enlarged,
swollen, expanded by damp or wet.
"The leathern stmp be got fiyiamiit an' wunt work backerds an vorruds in the buckle no moor." Seeds are said to have plymmcd"
when swollen ready lo sprout.
POBBLE. The noise made hy the bubbling of water when
commencing to boil. POD. A large
slomacli.
POKE. Poke about, to look about inquisitively or with a view to pilfering: thus, if a person bo caught
without lawful business in a place
where hens would be likely to lay eggs
he would be greeted by, " What be at poiiin' about
yer."
POKEY. Insignificant, small, out of the waj'.
" A zed aa he'd gi' rauh a good present an' awnly brought muh a pokiy Utile work-baakut.''
POLLARD. The ground husk of wheat; medium size; is so called, the coarsest size being " bran
" and the finest being "
toppins,"
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(delwedd C3485) (tudalen 129)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 121)
POK\-Pond. POORLY.Out of health.
POORTMANKLE. A portmanteau.
POP. To ''pop " a whip is to clang it.
A ''pop on the yea4 '* is a blow on the head. To ''pop awaay " a thing is to secrete
it hurriedly.
POPPIN; about. Applied to the frequent shooting of unskilful sportsmen.
Moving quickly from one place to another near at hand.
POSSUT. A kind of gruel; ** tracle-/(?s5tt/ '* and ** Inon-possut ** are considered excellent remedies for a
cold.
POSSEY. A large number.
"Ther ht^posuy o* volk gone to Vaair, to-day, to be zure."
POSTER. To strut.
"To zee that ther chsip poster along, thee 'ood zay a was a Lerd!
'* (' Poster * is pronounced to
rhyme with * coster " m **costermonger.'')
^OSTERIN*. Walking conceitedly, strutting.
POTA-BILIN*. Keeping continually in progress or in onward motion.
pot-bellied. Stout.
POT-DUNG. Farm-yard dung.
OT-LUCK. A meal without notice or much preparation.
^T-LIQUOR. Water in which meat has been boiled.
^TSHERDS. Broken pieces of earthenware.
^*TER. To busy one*s self about trifles; to act in a shiftless way and without energy.
^^I'TERIN* ABOUT. Fidgetting or idling about to the detriment or annoyance of others.
^ND. To pummel with the fists.
'^^ regards the arrangement in the ** Village Poutid '* for imprisonment of stray cattle, vide
Tally.
"^ ^ knock continuously with a stick or implement, so as to ^ake as much noise as possible.
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(delwedd C3486) (tudalen 130)
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i^f hf.%K%HtUZ WORDS.
l'OWI>l';i< MOKN, - The flask for carrying gunpowder when i»lM^Hirig with a mu/z/AtAoading gun.
l'n/J'J<, Sofn<rihing not easily overcome; a very puzzling
I'KAAVIN' VOK. Wlkin a person is very wicked he is said (o Ik- ♦ pitilty nigh [last praayin'
vor,^'
PKI^CIODS. Very, extremely.
" A lii4wl«K()t knockcul in the boat an' I precious nigh got drownded
"
I'KK'l TV. I» UHcd extensively and somewhat curiously, thus:
** hssiMiU (h«m thar belU go prettv?'*
"Thrp bint u /r#Mv 'un the« bist " (said sarcastically or ccn
*' il A ilwimnt comti wt) sHaU be in a prttty bad mess." Noi >, *rht^ tifHl Hyllablc of '' pretty*'
rhymes with *' fret."
rUMlY VKAT. Middling quantity, a fairly^ soflBcicnt nuu\lH^v \n nuiiutity*
^'K) \l'x Thix^ Wayiixi; c^nls of diCferenl suits bat cbe sasie
s Vii ^ ^ -k ^'ih^ .w y*^:ilit rW. ^:ms ji«^:wdk. ^^ur L k
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(delwedd C3487) (tudalen 131)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. l8l
PROPER. Expresses magnitude.
" A proper lot o' pegs," means a large number of pigs.
** A proper hidin'/* means a severe whipping.
" A proper scamp *' is a thoroughly bad character.
PUCKER, In a confused state.
"If e maaykes a pucker o' things like this yer agin zomebody else med put 'um to rights vor 'e vor I
wunt."
PUCKERED. Confused; wrinkled.
* Puckered " as regards a dress is the same as "
gathered."
PUDDENY. A child is thus called when its cheeks are very large and project forward. "
Pudden-vaayced '* is similarly
used.
PUDDEN-YEAD. One having a stolid stupid look.
PUFF BALLS. Fungi full of light dusty matter.
PUG. The name by which a ferret is always called when required to come to hand.
PULLED-DOWN. Reduced in condition by illness or melancholy.
PULLY-HAWLLY. The word given to men to pull hard and all together.
PULL UP. To stop.
To summons before a court of law.
A was pulled up once vor stalin' turmuts."
PUMMEL. To beat with the fist. PUR,
or PAAIR. A pair; a pear.
ril gie *e a bushel o' purs vor ^ pur o* boots."
PURLER. A tumble head over heels; a fall from a horse.
" My herse stopped shert at the ditch, an' I went a purler awver
his yead."
PUSS. A purse.
" What a life t'ood be to us,
Wife at whoam an* child to nuss;
Not a penny in the/u55
Smart young oach'lers."
PUSSY-CATS.- The bloom of the nut-tree.
PUT. To find the best market for.
" I alius zells my herses bettern 'n thee acause I knaws wher to
put um better."
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(delwedd C3488) (tudalen 132)
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182 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
PUT ABOUT. Disturbed as regards one*s ordinary arrangements; ruffled in
temper.
" she zimmed a goodish bit /»/ about 'acause I happened to ketch her a-workin' at the wash-tub."
PUT BY. To save, to hoard.
'* I vinds I can't put by no money in thaze yer hard times.'*
PUT ON. ** To be piU on " is to be made to do more than one fairly should.
** To put OH " is to give one's self airs. PWOSTISSES. Posts. PYANNER. Apiano.
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(delwedd C3489) (tudalen 133)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 188
Q
QUAAYKER GRkCE. Vide Shiver Grace.
QUAG, or QUAGGLE.To shake.
* Cant 'e veel this yer boggy ground quag as us walks awver 't."
QUAMES. Qualms.
QUANDAIRY. A predicament; a fix.
" I be in a gurt quanddiry, an* zo be come to ax 'e to tell I what to
do."
QUANE. The title of Her Majesty is so pronounced.
QUARREL. A small diamond shaped pane of glass as fixed in cottage windows.
QUAT. Used sometimes instead of *' squat."
QUATCH. To keep absolute silence as regards a certain subject, whether that subject may be mooted
before one, or whether others may try
to extract information respecting it.
QUEASY. Rather sick.
" I was a bit quta^ this mamin', an' zo led in bed till ater
breakvast."
QUEER-STRATE. In a difficulty; in trouble.
Thee '11 vind theezelf in QMet-strate if 'e dwoant be moor keervul what 'e be a-tawkin about."
QUICKS. The young cuttings planted to form a quickset hedge.
QUID. To suck vigorously.
QUILT. To swallow a lump of something with very palpable distension of the throat.
To whip.
QUILTIN'. A beating. It may have been observed that the number of words relative to corporal punishment
is large, indicating that in by-gone
days it was perhaps not usual *' to
spare. the rod and spoil the child."
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(delwedd C3490) (tudalen 134)
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184 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
QUIRK. To make a noise as from pain.
QUOD. To put in jail.
" As zure as ever I ketches e in my archut agin 111 quod 'e.'
QUOP. To throb.
'* I can veel as the donkey quofs, zo a beant de-ad it."
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(delwedd C3491) (tudalen 135)
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DERKSHIRE WORDS. 185
R
RAAIL-HURDLES. Another name for Sparred Hurdles.
RAAINY DAA Y. A day of trouble or need. To " put a little by vor a raainy day^^ is to save
money.
RAAYRE, or RUR. Underdone.
*' OoU 'e hev a slice well done or raayr$?"
Excellent.
" I hev got zome raayrt craps o* turmuts this year."
RABBIN RED BRE-AST. The Robin is thus called in full, and not simply ** a Robin."
RABBUT 'E. A mild form of imprecation.
RABBUT'S-STOP. A rabbit's hole of short length, containing a rabbit's nest
formed of her ** vleck," and the
young rabbits.
RABBUTTIN*. Going in pursuit of rabbits with ferrets and nets, and perhaps a gun also.
RACK AN' RUIN. In great disrepair.
Racket, or RACKUT. Fuss, disturbance, upset.
' If 'e disturt'fs any o* his things a 'ooU maayke a gurt rackut when a comes whoam.*'
RACKETTY. Full of spirits, and perhaps with a liking for
practical jokes.''
" A be a quiet awld man now, but vorty years ago I minds 'un as the mwoast racketty chap in our perts.*'
RACK-HURDLES. Hurdles of substantial lathing or split wood; these are made by carpenters; there
are uprights placed at such distances
apart that a sheep can just put his
head thiough to obtain the food enclosed.
RACKIN'. Throbbing with pain.
*' My yead s a-rarA/n* zo as I can't spake to e."
RACK-UP. To close the stables for the night after littering the horses and giving them their " vead."
" Rackitt* up time " marks the conclusion of the days' work
for carters and carter-boys.
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(delwedd C3492) (tudalen 136)
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186 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
RADICAL. Used generally as a term of reproach.
* That little chap be a proper young Radical^ a wunt do nothun* his mother tells un."
RAFTY. Rancid.
RAG. Is commonly used in combinations, thus: one's dress is said to be in ** rags an' tatters "
when very much torn or worn into
holes.
" Not a rag to put on " is a phrase used by a woman signifying
only that she has no dress suitable
for the occasion in question.
" Tag, rag, an' bobtaail " refers to the lowest class of the
community, who may have no regular
calling or work."
RAG-A-MUFFIN. A troublesome or mischievous little boy.
RAG-BAG. A large bag hung up in the kitchen of a farmhouse to receive odd
pieces of linen and cuttings from
calico, &c. This ^^ rag-bag'* is resorted to in case of a cut finger, or in any of the numerous instances
where the contents are useful.
RAGGIN\~A scolding.
RAKERS ATER. The women who rake up what may be left behind by the Pitchers at barley cart, oat
cart, or hay cart.
RAMPAAYGE. A wild temper.
" A be in a vrightvul rampaayge about what 'e hev a-done to 'un.*'
To give vent to one's anger very audibly.
" Rampaaygious " and " Rampaaygin* about " are also
commonly used
RAM PIN*. A crazy longing.
RAMSHACKLE. So much out of repair as to be tumbling to
pieces.
* That ther bem be got zo ramshackle I me-ans to pull 'un down an* build a new *un."
RANDIN'. Piece-meal.
RANNEL. Hungry to excess, voracious.
RANTERS. A religious sect mustering somewhat strongly in some neighbourhoods is so called; they are
fervid and demonstrative in their
services.
RASCALLY. Scampish.
" A rascally chap like that ther got no business to be wi' we as
yams a honest livin'."
RASTLE, or WRASTLE. To wrestle.
" If 'e thinks 'e be a man I'ooll rastlc 'e vor a quart."
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(delwedd C3493) (tudalen 137)
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BERKSHIRB WORDS. 187
RAT IT. To run away quickly (a cant term).
RATTLE. One who talks continually and rather frivolously.
RATTLETAP. Very poor beer. It is sometimes described as " Taaystin' o* the water."
RATTLETRAP. A worn-out, poor-looking carriage.
RATTLER. Something very excellent.
* You did'nt like the whale-barrer I maayde vor 'e avoor, but I hev maayde 'e a rattler this time."
A great he.
A very common name for a cart-horse.
RAWLLY - PAWLLY PUDDEN. A pudding made by
spreading jam on dough and rolling over and over.
RAY, or RAA. Raw (cold, damp weather).
RAYLE. Real.
RECKON. Expect; think.
RED-LAAYNE. The throat. Generally used to and by children.
RED WE-AD. Poppies are so called.
REFTERS. A field of ploughed land is sometimes called a ** pe-us o' refters.*'
RENSE. To rinse.
RENT. To let. One says ** I rents my me-ad to a butcher."
RESPECTABLE. All of the lower middle class are so styled.
*^EVEL. An annual village merry-making, as Chapel Row '* Revfir
R^EUMATTICS. Rheumatism.
^'CHUT. Richard.
^^CK, or WRICK. To sprain.
" I ricked my thumb a liftin* a zack o' be-ans."
^^ick^' is always used for Stack; we speak of a "haay-nV^," a * hurley -rick,** &c.
A nV^-clath ** is a waterproof sheet placed over the top of a rick to keep out the wet until such time as
the rick may be thatched.
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(delwedd C3494) (tudalen 138)
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138 , BERKSHIRE WORDS.
RICKUTTY. Having parts loose and out of order.
'* That ther chaair be rickutty, best hev 'un done avoor a comes right to pe-usses.'*
RICK YERD. Attached to all farm homesteads, being the place where ricks are made.
RIDDLE. A sieve of large mesh.
To sift.
" Riddle that ther barley a bit to get the dust out OD*t."
RIDE. A cutting in a wood for shooting purposes. RIG. An eccentric frolicsome deed. RIGHTVUL. Just.
" He hev a-got his rightvul dues at last.*'
RIGHT ZIDE. To place a thing ''right side upperds," is to stand it straightly and properly when it
may have been before upside down.
To get the right zide of a person is to work on a weak point, or at a favourable opportunity.
RIGHTS. Justice.
" We shan't never get rights athout us tells 'un zackly how 'tis.*'
To Rights means, ** in order."
" Our house hev never a-bin to rights zence Meary went awaay."
RIGMARAWLE. A detailed uninteresting story, often disconnected and not quite easy to
comprehend.
RILED. Annoyed; made angry. This word is commonly used in Berkshire, but seems general.
RIME. Hoar frost.
RINE. Rind.
RING. To ''ring the Pigs" is to have a ring placed through the snout, to prevent them from doing
damage in fields and gardens by routmg
up the ground in searching for what
has been planted.
The game of marbles, ** ring-taw," is commonly called ** ring
" for short. There is also the
game of marbles called **
big-rmg."
'' To ring the baze " is to hammer with a stone on a watering can or iron shovel when a swarm takes
place. Vid$ Chbrm.
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(delwedd C3495) (tudalen 139)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 189
RINK. A trick, a dodge.
" That ther bwoy be vnll o' rinks an' ther yent no gettin' upzides wi' 'un."
RIP. To reap.
*' To plough an' to maw, An* to rip
an' to zaw, An' to be a vermer's
bwoy-oy-oy."
(Old Berkshire song.)
To split off bark or covering.
To split wood with the grain.
A worthless animal or person, it is generally preceded by " awld."
RIP-HOOK. A sickle.
RIPPER. Something very excellent.
" That ther herse o* youm be a regular ripper.*' A lie.
An extraordinary anecdote or story. A
reaper.
RIPPIN'. Very, extremely. It is often followed by ** good." " That ther was a rippin' good
kern-bin as a maayde vor I."
RISE.-The mist rising from a marsh or river."
" Zee what a rise ther be to-night down in the Kennut Me-ads."
RISH.~A rush.
" If thee goes at the ditch wi' a risk thee 'ooll get au^-er all
right."
ROCK. The small blue wild pigeon.
ROD HURDLES. Hurdles made of brushwood. Vide Vlaavke Hurdles.
ROLLAKY. Boisterous.
" Ther was a lot o' rollaky chaps maaykin' a nize in the strit las night zo as I cood'nt get no
slape."
ROMPSIN'. Romping. Rough play.
" A-rompsin' Molly on the haay."
(Old song.)
RONK. Rank. ** Rank grace " is ** sour grass.'' Rancid, putrid.
ROOM. In place of.
** I hawpes as ell gie I time to myself to-morrer in room o' the a₯rver-time as I done to-daay."
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(delwedd C3496) (tudalen 140)
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140 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
ROOPY. Hoarse.
I got a cawld isterdaay an' be maain roopy this marnin'.**
ROORER. A horse afifected in the wind which makes a roaring noise internally when hurried or
frightened.
ROORIN'. Very great, excellent.
ROPY. Underdone pie crust or bread is thus described.
ROUGH. To roHgh a horse is to turn the extremities of the shoes in order to prevent slipping when the
roads are frozen.
ROUGH MUSIC. The beating of pots and pans and other discordant noises made in a ** Hoosset
Hunt."
ROUNDERS. A game with a hard ball, each player throwing it at any other as he may happen to get
it.
ROUNDLY. Very openly, fully and plainly.
*' I telled 'un roundly what I thate about his doins."
ROUSER. A loud explosion.
" '£ must hev lo-aded yer gun heavy, a went afif a vrightvul
rovifr.**
There is also ** Rousin.*' A ** rousin " clap of thunder is a very loud clap.
ROUSETT, or ROWETT. Rank dry grass.
RUBBIN STWUN. Bath brick or sand stone.
RUBBLE. A species of hard chalk.
RUCK. To rub, so as to roughen or bruise the surface.
* Ther be a darn in my stockun* as hev rucked my heel vurry bad."
RUCKUT. To disturb by poking with a stick or other implement.
" Ther be a rat got under the boordin', len' us yer stick zo as I
can
4 II
ru<kut 'un out on t.
RUCKUTTIN'. A noise made as by animals scratching boards.
* The rats kep' I awaayke by the rnckuttin' thaay maayde in the
roof."
RUCTION. A disturbance. Wind on the
stomach.
RUDDLE. The red paint used for marking sheep after sheep-shearing.
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(delwedd C3497) (tudalen 141)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 141
RUDGE-VVAAY. A road of ancient times, still to be traced by its banks over the Berkshire Downs.
RUFFLED. Put out of temper somewhat.
RUIN AAYTION. Ruin. "Ruinaayted" is used for ** ruined."
RUM, or RUMMY. Curious, uncommon; somewhat unsatisfactory.
" Eil vind ut pretty rum when 'e gets lo town wi' no money in yer pocknt.*'
RUMBUSTICAL. Opposing, obstructive, swaggering.
RUMMAGE. To search hastily, turning things about and leaving them in disorder, as when going to
a drawer with miscellaneous contents,
to find something.
RUMPUS. A disturbance.
*' When the Missas zees how thee hast rummaged that ther drawer aboat, ther *ooll be a rumpus I can tell
'e.'*
RUMPLE. To disorder with the hands.
'* A rumfkd her haair an' she zes she wunt never spake lo 'un no
moor.'*
RUN. The track of an animal made by repeated usage, as a hare's " run.'*
RUNG, or RONG. A spar or bar of a ladder.
RUSHLIGHT. A small and inferior kind of candle formerly always used by farm servants and in
cottages.
RUSTY. Out of temper.
RUSTY BAAYCON. Bacon turned rancid and yellow.
RUTS. Deep tracks made by wheels in country roads.
RUTTIN*-TIME. The spring time with deer.
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(delwedd C3498) (tudalen 142)
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142 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
S
The letter ** S " w profwunced as " Z '' when followed by A, E, I,
O, U, Y, and W. All words commencing
thus are therefore transferred
accordingly.
In tnany other cases also the sound of " S *' «5 roughened so as closely
to approximate to that of ** Z,"
hut this roughening varies greatly even
amongst persons in the same village, and is not thought to warrant
the substitution of " Z "
for " S " in the Glossary.
SCAAYLE. To weigh.
To strip off the surface coating.
SCALLIONS. Old onions replanted the second year.
SCAMBLE. To run hastily and irregularly.
SCANDALOUS. Very extensively used for "very great" in a disparaging sense.
" Ut be scandalous work to hev to dig up ground as be zo
stwuney."
SCAUT. To dig one's heels into the ground so as to resist being pushed or forced from where one is
standing.
" I took 'un by the scruff o' the neck, but a scauted zo as I
cood'nt but jus' get 'un out o* the
door."
A horse is said to scant, when in drawing a heavy load down a steep hill he from time to time digs in his
feet to stop the cart behind him from
gaining pace and pushing power.
SCHISM SHAPS. Those belonging to the Church of England thus sometimes style other places of
worship in a village than the Parish
Church.
SCHOLARD. One educated.
" I beant no scholard, zur, but I hawpes to hev zome schoolin' vor
my childern."
SCHOOLIN*. Education.
SCOOP. A wooden shovel as used for shovelling corn after it is threshed*
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(delwedd C3499) (tudalen 143)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 148
SCOOR. (Rhyming with * moor/')
To cut lightly across as with the skin of pork for roasting. Vide Scotch.
Twenty pounds weight.
SCOTCH. To score. Vide Scoor.
SCOUR. To purge. Diarrhoea in cattle
and sheep.
SCRAAYPE. An arrangement for the destruction of birds in severe weather. Scraaypes are of two kinds,
the first is an old door supported by
a stick imder which corn is placed^
and the stick being pulled by a long string the door falls on the birds. The second is made by placing
corn where snow has been swept away,
and the birds, when congregated, are
shot in numbers, bemg enfiladed along the ** scraaype.''
SCRABBLE. To move out the hands as if to reach something. To make clutchings with the hands.
The expression " Us hopes to scrabble along somehow," is often
used in hard times, and means ** We
hope to make shift till better times come."
SCRAG. A piece of tough and shrivelled meat.
SCRIMMAGE. A harmless fight, arising hastily, conducted confusedly, and soon at an end.
SCROOP. ^To make a noise, as with a gate turning on rusty hinges.
Scroopettin' is the noise made when anything scroops.
SCROW. Angry looking; perhaps related to ** scrowl." " A looked maain screw when I tawld
'un what I'd a-done."
SCROWGE. To squeeze; to huddle together.
A village school mistress of by -gone days would say, " What be all you childem a scrowgin* on that ther vorm
vor, when ther be another *an handy
vor zome on 'e?"
SCRUFF. The hair on the back of the neck.
* If e' hawldsa rat by the scrujf a can't never bite *e."
SCRUMP. To bite with a noise.
* That ther yent the waay to yet lollipops, e' should zuck 'um an* not scmmp "um."
The crackling of pork. SCRUNCH, To
crush between the teeth*
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(delwedd C3500) (tudalen 144)
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144 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
SCRUNCH LIN'. An apple stunted in growth and wrinkled. A scrunchlin' is very sweet in
flavour.
SCUT. The tail of a rabbit or hare.
SCUTTLE. To run away with short quick steps. A squirrel is said to scuttle up a tree.
SHAAYKES. A person or thing is said to be *' no gurt sliaayhesy' when of little consideration or
account.
SHAAYVER. A term rather disparagingly applied to a boy. " That ther young shaayver hev a-bin
up to mischuf agin."
SHAG-GED. Rough and unkempt.
Shaken.
SHAKKETTY. Loose and shaky from want of repair.
Shakketty is applied to implements, whereas ramshackle is
applied to buildings.
" The box o' the chaff-cutter be all shakketty an* I mas* get a bit
o* boord an' mend 'un."
SHAM AAYBRAHAM. Shamming sickness.
" Ther beant nothun* the matter wi 'n, ut be awnly Sham Aaybraham/'
SHAMMAKIN' Walking in a slouching ungainly manner and with the air of being ashamed of one's
self.
*' I zin in SL-shammakin* along down the laayne up to no good 1*11
warn 'e."
SHANKS' MAAYRE. By walking.
" If zomebody dwoant gie I a lift I shall hev to go to town on
shanks* maayrey
SH AT.- Shalt.
" If thee brother Willum wont do 't vor muh thee shaty
SHAT-BAG. The leathern shot pouch carried with muzzle loading guns.
SHATTENT. Shalt not. The negative form of " shat."
" Thee shatUnt I tells *e, an' zo tent no zart o' good to argify no vurder."
SHAW- AFP. To give one's self airs; to act affectedly; also applied to a horse when prancing
about.
SHAY, or SHAA. A shaw.
Applied to a small coppice or double hedgerow containing timber trees as well as underwood.
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(delwedd C3501) (tudalen 145)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 145
SHEALIN'. A rough lean-to slielter-shed, open in front.
SHEEN IN'. Working with a threshing machine.
" He hev a-bin awaay skeenin', an' uxint come whoam vor moor nor a wake it.'*
SHED. Should.
" I dw-oant knaw what us shed do wi'out our Hill."
SHEK, or SHAAYKE. To shake.
" Hawld yer gun steady, be zure as a dwoant sh(k.''
SHEKEL. A sickle or reap-hook is sometimes so called.
SHEKKY, or SHAAYKY. Dilapidated, ready to fall.
In bad health.
Doubtful, not quite to be believed.
'* The stawry as a tawld I about at zimmed maain shaayky."
SHELFY. ^Applied to one who is getting old and remains unmarried.
SHEPHERD. A man who is a shcphrd has that title prefixed to his surname, his christian name being
dropped: thus we speak of '* Sheplurd
Savory," ''Shepherd Vidler."
SHERP. To sharpen.
Shnp this knife vor I'ooll 'e."
SHERPS. ^The shafts of a waggon or cart.
SHERP-ZET.- Extremely hungry.
SHERT. The reverse of tough.
" Thaze yer young radushes bites nice an* shert.'^
Curt.
** A was out o' temper an' maain shert when I wanted to spake
wi'n."
SHEWELL. A scarecrow, an arrangement on a stake to frighten birds, but not necessarily the
figure styled the "
hodmedod."
SHICK-SHACK-DAAY.
The twenty -ninth o* Maay
Shick'Shack-daay.'*
Oak leaves are worn in the button hole up to twelve noon, and should any boys appear without these they
get pinches from the others.
After twelve noon the oak is discarded and ash leaves are worn until sunset*
b
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(delwedd C3502) (tudalen 146)
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110 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
SHILLY-SHALLY1N\ Acting with indicision. A mother will keep her daughter out of the way of a
man she may think is shilly'Shallyin\
.
SHIMMY. A chemise.
SHINDY. A noisy little quarrel or disturbance; a fuss. ** To kick up a shindy'' is the phrase usually
adopted with respect to this
word.
SHIP. Sheep in both singular and plural.
SHIP DIPPIN'. Washing the coats of sheep to cleanse the wool before sheep shearing.
SHIP-SNOUT TREE. The name given an apple tree bearing a rather small favourite eating apple, the
tail of the apple bears resemblance to
a sheep's snout.
SHIRKY. Not to be depended on. ''Shirkin' about" is prowling about with dishonest
intentions.
SHIRTY. Angry, enraged.
SHIVER-GRACE. A kind of grass set in motion by the least breath of air, sometimes known as Quaayker
Grace.
SHOCK. A few sheaves of corn placed together in the field, so that the ears and straw may dry in the
sun before the rick is formed.
To SHOCK-UP is to form the sheaves into shocks.
To SHOCK OFF is to break off.
SHOCKIN' BAD. Ordinarily used for "very bad."
*' Ther 'ull be a shockin had crop o* tormuts if us dwoant get zome raain."
SHOE-MOUSE. The shrew-mouse, or long-nosed field mouse, found about disused cart-ruts and meadows
generally.
SHOOT. Used instead of " shot " when applied to the firing
of a gun.
" I killed dree sparrers at a shoots
To ** shoot " a horse out of a cart is to unharness and take it out of the shafts.
SHOP, or SHAP. " To go to 5/mi/>," is to make purchases
at the village shop after the weekly
pay-night of farm labourers.
SHOP-BREAD. Baker's bread as distinguished from home-made bread. It is
esteemed a treat by those who usually
eat bread of their own making.
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(delwedd C3503) (tudalen 147)
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BKRKSHIRE WORDS. 1-47
SHOWL. A shovel, to shovel.
"Shou4 up the whate into a hape."
SHRAMMED. Benumbed with cold.
* Let I come to the vire, I be so shrammtd a bidin' zo long in the kert."
SHROUDED. A tree is said to be shrouded when branches are lopped off it as it stands.
SHROVIN*. Children go round the principal houses in the village on Shrove Tuesday singing the rhyme
noted in the introduction with other
local rhymes.
SHUCK and SHUG. Repeated several times as a call for pigs to come and be fed.
SHUCK-DOWN. A hastily made up bed.
SHUMMED, or SHAAYMED, or SHEAMED. Ashamed.
SHUM-VAAYCED. Looking awkwardly shy.
SHUT, or SHET. To get shut of a person or thing is to be well rid thereof.
" A went on a-tellin' I zuch stupid things as I was glad to get
shut
on 'in."
SHUT IN. Close.
*' The daays shuts in arly at this time o' year."
SHUVVY-HAWLE. A boys' game at marbles. A small hole is made in the ground and marbles are
pushed in turn with the side of the
first finger, these are won by the player
pushing theni into the ^^shnvvy-hawleJ'
SHY. To " plaay shy'' or to ** vight shy " is to avoid.
SKELLIN'. A lean-to shed from a main building or a wall, sometimes called Shealin also.
SKERLUT.Scarlet.
SKESS. Scarce.
Patridges be oncommon skcss acause o' the wet bradin' ze-a-zon."
SKEWT, or SKEWT-WISE.- Aslant, crossing.
" Them vloor-boords be led down all shcu:t, e' maunt naail 'um to
the jists like that ther."
SKIMMER. A cook*s, ladle for removing surface matter from anything boiling.
" Praay, mother, gie I zome dinner,
Eltie I'll knock *e down wi' the shimnur.'"
Old Nursivy Rhyme,
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(delwedd C3504) (tudalen 148)
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148 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
SKIMMER-CAAYKE. A flat pudding made with surplus dough, eaten with butter and sugar.
SKIMPIN'. Small, insignificant.
" I be maain hungry, vor all a gin I vor dinner was a skimpin' bit
o' baaycon."
SKIM-PLOUGH. To plough, so as to move the soil but little in depth. This kind of ploughing is
so light as often not to turn the soil
over.
SKIMPY. Stingy, begrudging.
"If'e be zo sAtmny touards we, none on us wunt gie thee not hun* when us has got ut."
SKIN-DAPE. Not seriously affecting one.
" His trouble be awnly skin-dape, an' he*ll be hiszelf agin in a
wake."
SKINNY.Lean, thin.
SKITTLES. Always played with four large heavy pins, and the wooden ball is thrown and not
rolled.
SKITTY. Not to be depended upon.
Inconstant. Lively,
freakish.
SKRIMPY. Niggardly, small and poor in quantity (almost similar in meaning to Skimpy).
SKRUNGE. To squeeze hardly together.
" I skruHged the rat atwixt two boords an' zo killed 'un."
SKUG. A squirrel is thus called.
SLAB. The outside irregular slice of timber (inside which is sawn boards or planks) is named the '*
slab.''
Any short piece of thick planking is also called a " slab''
SLACKUMTWIST. An untidy, slatternly woman.
SLAD. A low lying strip of land between two hills. Many villages and farms have a ^^slad.**
SLAER, or SLIAR. A sly look.
" I itn her gie 'un a sUur as maayde muh think aa 'um had a-cin one *nuth«r avoor.**
8hut with a great noise»
I*«--Slouchin9»
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(delwedd C3505) (tudalen 149)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 149
SLAP. Fully; precisely; unreservedly.
" The stwuo hit I slap on the yead."
A veil slap down."
Slap-mp is ' excellent ' (common).
SLAPE-MOUSE. The dormouse.
SLAPEY. Sleepy, applied to fruit which has not much juice. There is a kind of pear called the **
slapey pear." The flat taste and
want of juice styled '* slapey'' sometimes arise from decay at the core.
SLAPEY-YEAD. A term of reproach applied to one who shows little energy.
SLAPPIN.' Very great; much to be appreciated.
We shall hev a slappin' lot o' graaypes on our graaype-tree this year."
SLASH. A blow with a whip; a cut with a knife.
SLASHIN.' Dashing, large.
"The man had ro-ast bafe vust an' a slashin' gurt plum pudden ater 't."
SLAW-WORM. The blind worm deemed venomous.
SLICK. Completely, thoroughly, entirely.
*'That ther awld vixen gin the houns the go-by agin slick.'*
SLICKUT. A thin slice.
SLINK. To drag the hind quarters heavily.
"The dogs hev had hard work to daay, zee how thaay slinks."
SLIP. A slip of a girl is a girl hardly arrived at womanhood. A woman's or child's under garment. A covering for a pillow.
SLIP-ON. To don quickly.
SLIPPETIN*. Going along quickly and without noise on treading.
SLIPPY. Slippery.
To be slipfy is to make haste.
SLIP-SHAD. Untidy; incomplete. SLIT.
A rent.
" OoU 'e plaze mend a slit in my kwut."
SLITHERY. Slippery as from grease.
SLOGKUT. To commit a petty theft; to pilfer.
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(delwedd C3506) (tudalen 150)
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150 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
SLOP. Dirt. One who comes Into the house with dirty boots is said to make a slop all over the
place.
To slop work is to do it badly and incompletely.
SLOUCH. A man is so called who does not do a fair amount of work.
SLUCK-A-BED. An idle person who lies in bed late in the morning. Sluck may possibly be a corruption
of " slug " or ** sloth.*'
When anyone lies in-bed late, boys will commonly sing
Sluck-a-bcd, sluck-a-bcd, Barley Butt,
Yer yead be zo heavy 'e can't get up."
SLUDGE. Snow partly melted and forming snow-mud.
Sludge 'ooll get droo* yer boots an* maayke yer vit wet when nothun' else wunt."
SLUMMACK. A dirty, disreputable looking person.
SLUMMAKIN*. Used sometimes for Slammakin'.
SLUSH. Soft mud as where sheep have been driven along a wet road. Roads thus dirty are said to be
** slushy J'
SMACK. Fully, completely; often used similarly to Slap. A slipped an' veil down smack,'*
SMACKIN*. Very large.
" Ther* be zome smackin' big apples on our tree."
SMALL-BEER. Weak beer ranking after **aayle." Anything poor or
insignificant is said to be ** vurry small beer,''
SMASH. A complete breakage; a heavy resounding fall. " A let the tay-pot \*all an* broke
'un all to smash."
SMERTISH. Rather great, somewhat important.
** A smertish bwoy '* means a boy of good growth and size.
* r^i N'ound ft smfrtisk lot o* patridges on the brows, but none at all down in the bottoms.*'
Prcttv well in health.
'* My lumbftnyico be gone, an* I be smertisk agin now.*'
SMIRK* To junile as trying to currj- favour.
SMOCK. The " smock-frock " is so called alwaj-s. It is the
MHir gtrmmt of carters^ carter boys, and some form
1SD^«-* Mild looktog; often applied also
limilluattsly or disparagingly.
a«a |wI^^NHn«Mf a be a bad chap/*
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(delwedd C3507) (tudalen 151)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 151
SMUDGED. Besmeared.
" The bwoy*s vaayce be all smudged wi' jam."
SMUG.- Secret.
" Mind e' kips smug about what I jus' telled 'e."
SMUTS. Small pieces of soot flying about and settling on things, called *' blacks " also.
SNAAILS'-PAAYCE. Advancing very slowly.
SNACK. A small piece, a small quantity. SNAPPER. To crackle, to make a sharp
short sound.
SNATCH. A small quantity.
" I got jus* a snatch of breakvus avoor I sterted, an' that's all I had
to yet to-daay."
SNE-AD. The main pole of a scythe.
SNICKER. To sneer.
" If 'e snickers at I I'ooll maayke 'e laugh t'other zide o'yer
mouth."
SNICKS. Shares, halves.
SNIGGER. To laugh in a silly way.
SNIFFLE. To make a noise when inhaling through the nose. A dog is said to sniffle at a rat ho^e when
smelling to know if there be a rat there.
SNIP. There is the expression, "she 'ood zaay snip to his snap,'* i,e,, "she would readily
accept an offer of marriage from
him."
SNIVEL. The noise a child makes when commencing to cry before breaking out loudly.
SNOCK. To give a downward blow on the head or top of anything.
" A alius snocfts the candle to put 'un out zo's 'e can't light *un
agin."
SNOOZLE-DOWN. To nestle down as a child does to go to sleep.
SNOUL. A thick piece.
" Thee hev gin I a snoul o* baaycon an' no mistaayke."
SPAAYDE. The gummy deposit at the corner of the eye.
SPADGER. A sparrow.
SPAKIN'- VINE. The attempt to speak otherwise than in the dialect (in town fashion).
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(delwedd C3508) (tudalen 152)
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162 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
SPAN KIN*. Very rapid; very great; very numerous.
*' We was a comin' along at a spankin* raayte."
SPARKLES. Large sparks of fire or small burning pieces ol wood or straw fl5ring upward.
SPARRED- HURDLES. Hurdles made of shaved wood, morticed and nailed. Vide also
Raail-Hurdles.
SPARRER-GRACE. Asparagus.
SPAT. A slight blow in the face with the open hand.
SPECKS. Suspects; expects; spectacles.
SPEELS. Small pieces of light matter on fire floating in the air.
SPELL. A space of time.
SPET. To spit.
SPIFLICAAYTED. Thoroughly confused; at one's wits end.
SPIKE-BIT. The carpenter's *< centre bit.''
SPILE. The vent peg of a beer barrel.
To spoil.
SPILL. A paper pipe-light; a fall from a horse.
SPLATTERED. Splashed.
* How did'st get thee kwut all splattered wi* mud? " SPLENDAAYCIOUS. Very splendid, making a
great show.
SPLIT. To halve. To * split the difference " is the common expression for the price midway between
that offered and demanded.
SPLITTIN'. The head is said to be splittin' when racking with pain.
SPLODG I N \ Splashing.
" A went sploitgin' droo the dirt when a med ha' gone clane-voot t'other ro-ad.**
SPLOTCH. A dab of dirt adhering to anything, such as might t>e thrown from a carriage
wheel.
-To make a fuss. il* ^To eject small
drops of saliva in hasty speech.
fi*AT. ^Broth or soup.
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(delwedd C3509) (tudalen 153)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 158
SPOUT. The expression *« in great sfH>9it ** is used to denote that a person is in a boisterous humour or
much elated.
SPRACK, also SPRANK. Full of energ\* and spirits.
SPREADER. The stick or wooden bar which keeps the chain traces between waggon horses wide
apart.
SPREATHED. Chapped.
' Zee how my hands be sfreathei vn* the cawld.**
SPREE. This word is commonly used just as elsewhere to denote a frolic.
SPUD. An instrument having a minature spade attached to a long light wooden handle, it is sometimes
carried by oid< fashioned farmers
when they go through fields in order to
root up thistles.
SPUDDLE. To stir up liquid matter by poking.
SQUAAYLER. A short stick with a knob of iron at the end used by boys to throw at birds, squirrels,
&c., it goes head first breaking
any small branches in its way.
SQUAAYRE. To settle a matter corruptly; on the sqitaayre^ means openly and fairly; to stand up ready
to fight. " Squaayte dalins
" are ** equitable dealings.*'
SQUAKER. A young partridge able to fly but not fully grown. Vide also Vlapper.
Swifts are also called squakers from the noise they make.
SQUASH, also SQUISH. To squeeze into a pulpy mass. Squashy or Squishy means soft and
pulpy.
SQUAT. A hare in her form is said to be *'squatiitt.''*
A dint.
*' A let vail our metal tay-pot an' maayde a sqyat in un."
A squatty person is one short and thick.
SQUAWK. The cry of a hare when caught.
SQUELCH. The peculiar noise made when walking in t)oots which have taken in water.
To step quickly on any soft substance.
SQUENCH. Quench.
SQUIRM. To writhe under pain, mental as well as bodily when having one*s misdeeds made
public.
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(delwedd C3510) (tudalen 154)
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164 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
SQUIRT. To eject a thin stream of liquid. A syringe is called a "water-squirt."
SQUISH. 7iW^ Squash.
STAAY. Something eaten when a meal is too long postponed.
*' Our dinner wunt be ready vor dree hours zo thess yet a nossle o' bre-ad vor a staay.*'
STAAYLE VALLERS. Stale fallows, i.^., land that has been
ploughed some time since, and allowed thus to remain to
take m sun and rain.
y When asked if hares are likely to be found on a piece of ploughed land a keeper might reply, " No, sir,
them vallers beant staayle enough."
STABBLE. To leave footprints from boots covered with dirt.
" A bin Z'Stahhliii all awver my nice cle-an kitchen."
STADDLE. A stand for a rick, to keep the corn off the damp ground and in some measure to prevent rats
and mice obtaining access to it.
Hayricks are not usually built on ^^staddUsy' but have a foundation of straw and bavins to keep the
lower course dry.
STAKE or STAAK. A stalk.
STALL. A covering made for a wounded thumb or finger.
ST AM PS. Gun-wads.
STAMP-CUTTER. The punch for cutting gun-wads.,
STAND. To ** s/a«(^ " to a child is the term for becoming a sponsor.
STEEL. To sharpen a carving knife on a sUeL This operation often commences after the joint
is placed on the table, and follows
after Grace.
STEP. A distance.
" A goodish step " means rather a long distance.
STEPPER. A horse that goes quickly is called a stepper.
STERK. Stiff. The expression * stiff an sterk ** is commonly used with reference to one who has been
dead some time. *< S^A-staring-mad
'* means quite mad.
STERT. ^An event or episode.
* Thw wiB A mmmy sUrt up at verm, zomebody took all the vawkses lit nm was at work."
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(delwedd C3511) (tudalen 155)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 165
STICK. ^To " cut your stick '* is to get away as quickly as possible.
STICK IN THE GIZZARD. To rankle.
'* What a zed sticks in my gizzard, an' I shan't hev no pe-us till I be upzides wi' un.*'
STICKLER. One very firm or even obstinate.
" A be a gurt stickler vor what a thinks be his right.*'
STICKIN' PE-US. The part of the neck of an animal where the knife is inserted.
STICK UP. A youth is said lo " stick up " to a girl when he
is commencing to pay addresses to
her.
STINGER. A hard blow. STIRRIN\
Tilling.
That ley 'ooll want siirrin' zoon."
STIRRUP GRACE. A whipping with a strap.
STITCH. A pain in the side caused by running quickly.
STOBBLE. To stop the flow of a liquid; to caulk.
STOCK. To ** stock " a farm means to get it in working order in all ways. About;f lo. per acre is
roughly considered necessary.
STOCKS. A frame work with apertures for hands and feet of offenders, placed in the centre of
villages.
STOCKY. Thick set and strong.
" That ther be a stocky chap, a can car a zack o* whate."
STODGE, or TODGE. Thick soup.
To defeat; to twnplus,
" A zimmed quite stodged when I tawld 'un as I cood'nt gie 'un no moor money."
STODGEY. Sustaining; applied to soups, &c., containing solid or thickening matter.
STOMACHY. Irritable, headstrong. When applied to a horse it signifies difficult of control.
STOOLS. The roots of trees which have been felled.
STOOP. To stoop a cask is to cause it to be tilted so that the remaining liquor may run freely through the
tap.
STOOR PEGS. Pigs ready to go for fattening.
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(delwedd C3512) (tudalen 156)
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156 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
STOORY." To ** hev a stoory " with a person is to visit and hear the somewhat rambling account of
aihnents and troubles.
STOPPLE. The stopper of a Field beer barrel or earthenware jar.
STOUT. The horse fly. A ^'stoutish
lad*' is a well grown lad.
STRAAIN. Breed.
STRAAITS. In poor circumstances.
STRAAYGHT. Soon.
*'Thee had best stert on an' I'll voller straayght" STRADDLE. To get astride.
STRADDLE WISE. With legs wide apart.
STRAKE. Streak.
STRAME or STRE-AM. A stream. Most of the streams in Berkshire cease to run at a certain time of
year, and the '* old folk" have a
good deal to say or prophecy on this matter.
They say of the Lambonrn, that *' the earlier it dries up, the higher will be the price of com." The reason
for the saying no doubt is that dry
weather is favourable for corn. * Drought never bred famine in England."
The **Pang" which rises at Touchums Pond, at Hampstcad Norreys. never begins to rise much before the
shortest day, nor to sink much before
the longest day.
STRAP-OIL. A beating with a strap.
STRAPPER. A journeyman labourer coming for work at harvest time or hay making.
A big strong person.
STRAY, or STRAA. Straw. /*Down in the s/rfly " refers to the time of an animal bringing forth
young.
STRE-ANGER, or STRAAINGER. The expression, ** we wunt maayke no sire-anger on *e" is
the cordial invitation to a guest to
feel himself at home, and indicates also that
there is no extra preparation or ceremony on his account.
STRIDE. To pace in order to ascertain distance. ** I stdded »it " is held conclusive with
reference to assertion as regards
mice.
Ul be a smartish stride y e knaws, vrom my house up to verm."
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(delwedd C3513) (tudalen 157)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 157
STRIKE. The wooden roller passed evenly over the standard bushel corn measure to make the surface corn
level and measurement precise.
STRIPPIN*. Clearing the bark off oak trees. The time of year when this is done and wlicn the sap is
up is called *'s/M>/fV-time.**
STRIT. A street.
STROKE. A game at marbles where each player places a certain number on a line and plays in turn
from a distance mark called **
scratch," keeping such as he may knock off.
STUB. To grub up roots of small trees or underwood. Where underwood has been cut the short lengths
protruding from the ground are
sometimes called *^ stubs" of wood.
STUBS. Stubble. A field lying in stubble is called a " pe-us o' whate-5^fii5 " or a ** pe-us o*
wut-s^wAs,*' &c., as the case may
be.
Vide also Stub. STUCK. Unable to proceed,
puzzled, perplexed.
" I vound out what 'e wants to knaw zo vur as I tells 'e, an' then
I got stuck."
STUFFY. Partly stopped up; somewhat choked up.
" I hev got a bad cawld, an* veels maain stuffy about the dro-at
this mamin'."
Devoid of ventilation; close.
STUMP. To make a noise by walking heavily.
To grub up roots of trees.
STUMPS. Legs.
" To stir your stumps " is to make haste.
STUMPY. Short and thickset.
STUNNER. Anything excellent.
" Stunning " is also used to denote excellence.
STUNNY. To deafen.
** The noise as the childern maaykes stunnys muh zo*s I can't yer my zelf spake."
STUPE. A stupid persou.
" You be a stupe to go on like that ther.^'
ST W UN. A stone. STWUN-BLIND. Quite
blind.
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(delwedd C3514) (tudalen 158)
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158 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
STVVUN-DEAD. Quite dead.
STWUNNERS. Boys' marbles made of grey stone. These are of less value than " alleys/' but
of greater value than **
chalkers."
STWUN-KERT. Carting stones off a field. In the hill country in Berkshire this is a periodical
agricultural operation; women pick up
the stones and pile them in heaps, and
they are then carted off for road mending.
STWUNUS. A stallion.
STYE, A ** wisp *' on the eye, commonly supposed to indicate that one thus suffering is very
greedy.
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(delwedd C3515) (tudalen 159)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 150
T
TAAIL. The refuse of wheat or barley not good enough for market.
«* TaaUins'' is also used.
TAAIL-BOORD. The removeable board at back of cart or waggon.
TAAILOR. The Village Tailor often has this title prefixed to his surname, his Christian name being
dropped.
TAAY, or TAY. Tea.
TAAYKE-IN. To " tanyke-in *' a rick is to thresh out the corn.
TAAYKE-ON. To give full vent to one's own grief.
TACKLE. To overcome, to outwit, to get the best of. With regard to drinks such as beer, &c., the
expressions are common.
That ther be poor tackle."
** That ther be precious good tackled
TAG. To tie, to add.
"If us tags on a bit to the ind o* that ther rawpe a 'ooll rache as
vur as us wants un to 't."
TAKIN', or TAAYKIN*. In a state of excitement; much
affected temporarily.
'* She zimmed in a gurt takin' acause I tawld her as her dater was agwaain out to zarvice.'*
TALLER. TaUow.
TALLUT. The loft over a stable where the hay is kept.
TALLY. When an animal has been found trespassing and is brought to the village pound, the
pound-keeper cuts a stick in half,
and, keeping the one half himself, gives the other to the person who has sustained damage by the
trespass; the half thus given is
called the "te//y" and the impounded animal can only be released by the owner producing
this tally in token that he has
satisfied claims for trespass.
TAM-CULL* Th« " MiUards Thumb/'
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(delwedd C3516) (tudalen 160)
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100 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
TAMxMUS. Thomas.
TAM TIDDLER'S GROUND. Perhaps the most favourite game with little children.
TAM-TOE. The great toe. TAN. To
whip.
A **/a;m///"' is a whipping.
TANG. The measured sounding of a bell.
*' I yerd the bell tang dree times zo ut mus* be a man as has
died."
Note. It is customary for the bell to ''tang^' three times on the death of a man, twice for a woman, and
once for a child, and the tolling of a
deeper toned bell follows after. It
should be mentioned that three strokes on four other bells usually precede the numbers ** tanged'* as
above referred to.
TANGLE. Confused; knotted.
" I be veelin' in a tangle zomehow an* wants to thenk a bit."
TAP-UP. To top-up. To put the top to a rick.
The end of a meal.
Ater ro-ast be-af an* plum pudden us tapped-up wi' zome good Stilton chaze."
TARBLE, also TARBLISH. Tolerable; in fairly good health.
*' I be a veelin* pretty tarble now zur, thenk 'e kindly vor axin."
TARNAAYSHUN. Very extremely; very great or numerous.
TARNAL. Expressive of magnitude; used similarly to **tarnaayshun."
TAWL. A ** taw " of the game of marbles. TAYCHIN' Education.
" I didn't hev no taychin when I was a bwoy."
TAY MATIN. A meeting with prayer in Dissenting Chapels with tea and cake, &c., for those
assembled.
TAYTERS, or TAAYTERS. Potatoes.
TAYTER-TRAP. The mouth.
TE-AD. To spread hay, &c., for the sun to dry.
TEARIN'. Very great; very excessive.
TEART. Very tender to the touch as when there is surface inflammation.
TEENY-TINY, Very small indeed*
* I awnly yetted fit teiny-tiny bit on 't but ut maayde I bad/'
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(delwedd C3517) (tudalen 161)
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BERKSHIRB WORDS, 161
TEER. To tear.
TEG. A sheep one year old.
TELL. To count.
*' Tell them ther ship *ooll 'e an' let I knawhow many ther beon
um."
" I yerd tell " means ** I have heard it stated,*' and ** I
hev yerd zaay" has a similar
signification.
TELLED. Told; contented.
'TENT, or TE-ANT, or TYENT. It is not.
TERBLE or TERRAAYBLE. Very great.
Ther be a tnraayble lot o' young rabbuts this year to be 2ure.*'
TERT*. Harsh and abrupt. Acid.
TETTERS. Small pimples; also small ulcers.
THAA. To thaw.
THAAY. Those, them.
THATE VOR, i.e,, thought for, expected, anticipated. " Them wuts bent turned out as well as
I thate vor.*'
THAT THER. Used for " thatr
THE-AVES. Two toothed ewes.
THEE. Used for »*thou" and *'you."
THEE*ST. Thou hast, you had, you have.
'* Thee*st best be aff avoor I gies 'e zummut as 'ull maayke e."
THEM. They.
THEM THER. Those.
THEN. Very commonly used superfluously at the termination of a sentence, but is intended to give
emphasis.
*' What I zes I means then** THER
NOW.** That settles the question.*'
*' If e* zes another word I'll zack 'e, ther nouK**
THESS, or LESS.** Let us.'*
THE-UZ YER, also THE-UZ-UN.- These.
THICK. Stupid; slow of comprehension.
Intimate.
* The two vamilies hev alius a-bin thich wi* one 'nothcr." M
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(delwedd C3518) (tudalen 162)
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1C2 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
THICK-YEAD. One is contemptuously so called who does not comprehend quickly, or who has made a
stupid mistake.
THICK MILK Milk boiled and thickened with flour and sweetened with sugar or treacle.
THICK SKINNED. Not quick to take oflence; the reverse of " thin skinned."
THIEF. A " thief in the candle," is a detached piece of the wick which becomes ignited and, sinking
down as it burns, causes the candle to
go to wcste.
THILLER, or VILLER. The shaft horse of a team.
THIMBLE-PIE. A rap on the top of the head from the thimbled finger of the school mistress. The
Dame who kept a village School, doing
needlework the while, kept those
children likely to require such chastisement conveniently near her.
THIN. Used to express a poor show as regards quantity or number.
" Tbe whate crap zims thin on the hills."
THING-A-MY, or THING-UM-BOB. Anything is so referred to when its proper name
cannot be called to mind at the
moment.
THIN-SKINNED. Easily affronted.
THONG. To twine or twist together.
THREDDLE. To *' threddk " a needle is to pass thread through the eye of it ready for sewing.
THRETTY. Thirty.
THUMP. A loud noise; a blow. To
chastise.
THUMPIN'. Very large.
" Ther be a thumpin* lot o* nuts in the copses this year."
THURT. In a contrary mood, ill-tempered.
" I alius vinds un zo thurt as I wunt go an' ax un nothun* no
moor."
THURT OVER. Obstinate and cross, used very similarly to ''thurtr
TICE. To entice, to attract.
TICKLISH. Requiring skill or tact in performance.
' T'ull be a ticklish job to perzwaayde un to (Jo what US wants un to't."
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(delwedd C3519) (tudalen 163)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 168
TID. A ** tidbit " or a ** tit-bit ** is a choice morsel of food.
Cunningly reserved.
" I ax'd un what was the matter, but a was maain tid about
ut."
TIDDLE. To bring up by hand. A young lamb is fiddled from a milk bottle.
TIDDY. Very small; also very softly.
" Mind *e goes into the room vurry tiddy or 'e med waayke the baayby."
TIDLY. Very small and helpless.
An old woman will say *' I had un in my arms when a was a tidly little chap."
TIDY. Considerable.
*' A have got a tidy bit o' money put b} ."
Clean looking and respectable. The word in this sense is usually applied to a woman.
TIFFY. Touchy; huffy; easily affronted.
TIGHT. Of a neat, compact figure.
She be a tight lookin' little body."
Intoxicated.
Stingy.
'* A wunt gie 'e nothun, a alius was a tight man."
TIG-TIG-TIG. A call for pigs.
TI LT. To raise one end of anything by leverage. ** Full tilt " means full speed or
" with a bold front."
TILTED KERT. A covered cart such as is used by the village carriers to keep goods dry when
being brought from the market
town.
TILTH. Tillage. Land in good tilth is land well ploughed and worked and in a good state of
cultivation.
TIMBER-BOB. A timber carriage consisting of a simple arrangement between two wheels to which
part of the tree is chained, the
remainder of the tree dragging along the
ground.
TIMBERSTICKS. Trees lying in a confused heap to season are so called.
TIMBERZOME. Timorous, fearful, nervous.
TIME. The period of service for which engaged. * My time 'ooll be up come
Martinmas,"
To bid anyone ** the time o' daay " is to say good morning.
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(delwedd C3520) (tudalen 164)
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164 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
TIMELY. Seasonable, anything is ** not timely'* when earlier or later than usual.
TIND. To add fuel to the fire. "
Tind the vire else a'U go out."
TINES. Iron spikes as of a harrow.
TINGLIN'. A curious nervous sensation.
" I hev got a tinglin' in my legs vrom zettin quiet zo long.'*
TING-TANG. The smallest and highest hung of the bells in a church tower. It is rung last of all
before service commences, following
the ** zarmon-bell.*'
TINKER. To mend temporarily. To tinker anything ** up a bit " is to mend it for an
occasion.
TIP. To ^^tip awver '* is to turn over, to upset.
' If e drives the kert zo quick awver the ruts we shall tip
awver."
TIP-CAT. A favourite game with boys, a bale of wood being forced upward from the ground by a
blow on one end of it, and then hit to
a distance as it is falling.
TIPPED an; NAAILED. Boots for field wear have the soles thus furnished, there being heavy iron tips
at toe and heel, and hob-nails
between.
TIP-TOE. Walking lightly on the toes, so as not to be heard.
TIP-TOP. Very excellent, the best.
TIT, or TET, or TITTY. A teat.
TITCH. To touch.
TITCHY. Easily offended.
TIT-LARK. A species of lark.
TIT-TAT-TOE. The first game taught to children when they
can use a slate pencil, the words,
" Tit-tat-toe, My first
go,"
bein^ said by the one who first makes three crosses, or noughts in a row.
TITTER. To laugh a little.
TITTI VATE. -To dress one's self with a view to efiect.
TITTLE. Very lightly. A gin or trap is said to be set very tittle when it will §trike on the slightest
touch,
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(delwedd C3521) (tudalen 165)
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aERKSHIRE WORDS. 165
TITUP. A term used at Loo. When but one player has put into the pool a single card is dealt round
face upwards, and all but the person
holding the winner have to subscribe
to a fresh pool.
TIXTE. Text.
TO BE ZURE. A very common phrase, meaning " certainly,** ** indeed."
TODGE. KtW^ Stodge.
TODGEY. Short and fat.
TO-DO. A fuss; an unusual event involving excitement and confusion.
TOGGERY. Dress. One says in preparing for a visit, ** I mus' put on my bes' toggery,'*
TOKEN. Something unusual and a bad omen, as birds pecking at the window, dogs howling,
&c.
TOLE. To entice.
* Car a bwun zo as to toU the puppy whoam wi' 'e."
TOM. Male of any farmyard bird.
* ' How many Toms and how many hens be ther in the brood o' Turk«y s?' '
TOMMY. Food; used chiefly by boys.
TOM PODLIN'. Fussing.
" A be alius d^-tom podlin' about at whoam when a should be awaay at his work."
TONGUE. The small moveable iron spike of a buckle, which fits into holes in the leathern strap.
Dogs are always said to **give tongue " when in active pursuit of game.
'POOD. It would.
'T'ood'nt, signifies * it would not.*
TOOK. Gave.
" 1 took un a knock on the yead wi' this yer stick."
Taken.
Took Bad means *' became ill," and Took Wuss signifies serious illness.
TOOK TO. To have liking for. " I
never took to that ther chap."
'TOOL, or 'T'ULL. It will.
TOOTH-AN'-NAAIL. Most vigorously, ferociously.
" She wont at un tooth-an'-naail an' a was glad to get awaay
»"
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(delwedd C3522) (tudalen 166)
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160 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
TOOTHZOME. Pleasant to the taste.
TOP-DRESSIN'. A specially rich manure spread over the surface of land.
TOPPER. A hat.
Something very excellent.
An anecdote told to beat one that has been related immediately before it.
TOPPIN'. Large, extreme, also rapid.
" A was ridin' along at a toppiti' raayte."
TOPPINS. The ground husk of wheat finest size. That next in coarseness is called ^^
pollard.''
TOPPLE AWVER. To fall over by slight disturbance as regards the position of centre of
gravity.
TOPZAAYER. One having influence over his fellows or being in a position of importance.
The derivation is simple. When sawing timber into planks the man working the upper handle of the saw
and standing on the tree is the
^Hopzaayer'' and guides, whilst his
partner working the lower handle is stationed below in the saw-pit.
TOPZY-TURVY. Upside down. TO-RIGHTS.
All in proper place.
TOSTICAAYTED. Intoxicated.
TOT. To do it. In reply to an order to start at once to school, a good-for-nothing boy will say, **
1 dwoant want iotr
TOT-BELLIED. Applied to a man who is corpulent.
T'OTHER. Always used for " the other."
TOTTED. Added up.
" Us totted up our reckains an* thaay did nt tally."
TOUCH. When a dog first scents game he is said to " touchy
TOUCH 'OOD. Dry, decayed wood that continues to smoulder if ignited, but which will not
burst into flame.' Boys have games
called " totuh *oody and ** touch-iron," where anyone not touching either of the
substances named is liable to be
caught by the one standing out and has to
stand out accordingly.
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(delwedd C3523) (tudalen 167)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 167
TOW-ART.~Towards; forward.
When a come a little tow-art 1 could zee as t'was apawle cat an' not a verrut."
TOW-ART-LY. Encouragingly.
She looked at un a bit ton-art-ly.''
TOWELIN'. A whipping.
TOWER. A partridge is said to ^Uoiuer'' when after being struck on the head by a shot it mounts
straight upwards and then falls quite
dead.
TOWERIN'. Very great.
'* Ther 'ooll be a towerin lot o' tayters vor markut when us hev got urn all dug up."
TRAAYPESSIN'. Flaunting; walking about affectedly and conceitedly.
TRAMMEL NET. A long net dragged above the ground used in the night to catch larks and
sometimes by poachers to catch
partridges also.
TRAMP. The term applied to an itinerant beggar.
Ther be a tramp at the door, tell un ther yent nothun* vor un."
TRANSMOGRIVIED. Transformed in appearance, disguised. Surprised, greatly astonished.
TRAW. ** Trough " is so pronounced; thus we have, " Peg-trawSf''
" Ship-/raie/s,*' and " Herse-traws.''
TRAY. A tree.
TRAYDLE. The rest for the foot wherefrom action is given to a tinker's wheel, or other similar
arrrangement.
TRENCHER MUN. One who eats heartily is called a good ** trencher mun,''
TRIGGED OUT. Dressed very gaily. A girl when going to a fair is said to be ** trigged out in her
best."
TRIM. The expression *' tritn one's jacket" means to administer a whipping.
TRIMMER. Anything very excellent is so styled. A night line for catching Pike.
TRIMMIN'. Very large, excellent.
"I've a-bin in the 'oods an' cut a trimmiiC good knobbed stick or
two.
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(delwedd C3524) (tudalen 168)
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168 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
TROLL. To bowl along the ground; to trundle.
TROTTERS. Pigs* feet.
TROUBLED. Used with reference to anything supernatural or of delusions.
TROUNCE. To whip. 'To denounce.
TRUCKLE TO. To try to curry favour by subservient behaviour.
TRUCKLE-BED. On a low wooden bedstead.
TRUMPUTS. Boys make these by scraping a dandelion stalk thin at one end and blowing at that end.
Also from the stalk of the "
dummy-nettle *' cut off above a notch, and
with a short slit through the side.
TUCK. To trim. A rick is said to be ** tucked" when raked down so as to take off loose surface
straws, and leave the others neatly
lying in the same direction.
To pull.
" Gie her shawl a tuck to maayke her look round."
TUFF'UTS. Grassy hillocks; disused ant hills over-grown with turf.
TUNNEL. A funnel is so called.
TURMUTS. Turnips.
TURN. To "get a turn " is to be suddenly overcome through fear or surprise.
TURRIVY. Toteaze.
" What dost want to turrivy the child vor, gie un back his marvels, an' let 'un alo-an."
TUSSLE. A short struggle, in which the hands and not weapons are used.
TUTTY. Tufty. A tuft or bunch of flowers is described as being in bloom * all of a tntty:' See
Tuttymen.
TUTTYMEN, or TUTTIMEN. The tythingmn who bear bunches of flowers at Hocktide proceedings
at the town of
i are so named. Vide Tottv. The duties of a
Tutliman are fully explained in the following extract from a contribution by an ex-Tuttiman to "
Chamber's Journal ":
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(delwedd C3525) (tudalen 169)
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■ The
constilulion of llie governing body of the town of Hunger/ord, Berkshire, is as foUows: High -const able,
feoQees, portreeve, bailiff,
tUhiHg-min, and the Hocktide jury. No onecan serve the office othigh- coDstable utiiil he has served the offices
of liihiag-fiaH . bailiff, and
Birtreeve. All who have titled these ofHces are eligible, and the ocktide jury have the power lo elect. The
High-coosiable is during his lenn of
office Loiti of the Manor, and likewise coroner for the borough, and □□ town business can be
settled withont his sanction. The bailiS'
has to collect all market and other tolls; and the portreeve has
to gather in all quit-rents, the same
to be handed 10 the high -con stable.
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(delwedd C3526) (tudalen 170)
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The 'litkiHg-mrn.' or in common speech,
'tultimrn ' are selected from the
tradesmen of the town; and their duties are somewhat unique. Before the establishment of the county police,
they had to act as constables, and
assist in preserving order in the town In addition to this, on ' Hockney Day 'which is the
Tuesday following Easter week they
have to visit each house in the borough and demand acoin of the realm from each male: and have the
privilege of taking, if not freely
given, a ki&s from each woman. As a rule the ladies take the salute in good part, as the writer of this
can testify, having served the office,
some are coy and run away, but generally allow themselves to be caught. The said lilhing-mtn carry each a
staff about six feel long, bedecked
with choice flowers, and having streamers of blue ribbons; the whole being surmounted with a cup and
spike bearing an orange, which is
given with each salute, and then replaced by another one. The proceedings of Hocklide are of a very
festive character, and begin on the
Friday preceding ' Hockney Day ' by the holding of what is called the ' Audit Supper * at the 'John
o'Gaunt Inn.' The guests on this
occasion are those who bear office in the town. The fare is macaroni, Welsh rabbits, and water-cress, followed by
steaming hot punch.
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(delwedd C3527) (tudalen 171)
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The following Tuesday, Hockney Day, is
ushered in by Ihe blowing John of
Gaunt'a horn from the balcony of the town hall. At nine o'clock, the Hocktide jury having been
summoned, assemble in the town-hall;
and having chosen a foreman and bebg duly sworn, the ancient rules and regulations of the court
are read over by the (owd clerk; after
which the names of the free suitors and commoners are called over: those who do not answer to
their names have to pay a peony, or
lose their right of commons and lishing for the ensuing year The if igh -const able then presents his
accounts; the vouchers of expenditure
are passed to and examined by each juryman; and if these be found correct, the jury attach their
signature:! to the balance-sheet. This
being done, Ihe High-constable for the ensuing year is chosen, and the other officers are also elected. In
addition to those already named, are
three water-bailiffs, three overseers of the port downs, three keepers of the keys of the
common coffer, two ale-tasters, hay
ward, hall-keeper, and l>ell-man. Presentmentsas to encroachments (if any) on the town property are made and
discussed, and any matter relating to
the welfare of the town coDsiduted. The business concluded, tbereliriog High-constabie invites the jury
to luncheon at the 'Three Swans'
Hotel." A substantial cold collation is provided, followed by bowls of punch.
On Ihe following Friday morning, the officers are sworn in; and in the evening, the newly elected High -con
stable gives a banquet to his fellow
.townsmen to the number of from sixty lo eighty. The banquet IS a right royal one, ihere being
everything in season, and a profusion
of the choicest winos. Oa Saturday, tbe leativities are brought to
a
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(delwedd C3528) (tudalen 172)
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172 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
U
UM. They, them.
" If urn zes um wunt do 't agin let urn alo-an." (If they say
they won*t do it again let them
alone.
UN, or IN. Him, it.
UNKED. Feeling dull; in low spirits usually from a sense of loneliness.
"The little gal veels unked like now her brother be gone to
schoold."
Note. The word '* unked** is generally followed by ** like," as in the above phrase.
UNNERCONSTUMBLE. To understand.
UP. In a state of effervescence.
A person is said to be ** up " when the temper is roused.
UP-IND. To raise one end of a thing so that it shall stand on the other end.
UPPERDS. Upwards.
UPPER-STAWRY. The head.
" A bit wake in the upper-stawry " means " having little
sense.'*
UPPIN'-STOCK. A log, or bench, or large stone lying near the front door of a house wherefrom horses
are mounted.
UPPISH. Giving one's self airs; conceited; arrogant.
'* A zims to be got zo uppish laaytely as I wunt hev nothun' moor to do wi' un."
UP-STRIT. Towards one end of the village along the main road in it is spoken of as ** up-strit,**
and towards the other end is **
down-s^nV."
UP-TO. A common term with reference to activity of mind or body, generally used disparagingly.
That ther chap yent up-to no good, I warn 'e."
UPZET. Confusion; disorder.
*' We was all in a uput wi' the washin* when a come to zee us.'*
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(delwedd C3529) (tudalen 173)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 178
UPZIDES Wr. To retaliate; to have tit for tat. *' 1*11 be upxides wf un vor been zo
spitevul to I.*'
To be so sharp as not to be outwitted.
** T 'ool be hard to be upxides uH' zuch a rawgue as he be."
US. We.
Shall us go?
USHER. An assistant master in a boys' school. The word, formerly very common, seems falling into
disuse.
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(delwedd C3530) (tudalen 174)
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174 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
V
The letter ^^ V as an Initial does duty for the letter " F " as
well as for
itself
VAAILS. Money given to domestics after a visit to a house.
VAAIR DOGS. Fair play; fair dealing.
" Thess hev vaair doos an* not try to best one 'nother."
VAAIRIN* A present brought from a country fair by one who is fortunate enough to go, to another
obliged to stay at home.
VAAIRISH. Pretty well; nearly recovered.
" I be a-veelin' vaarish now zur, ater my lambaaygo, thenk 'e
kindly."
V A AIRY-RINGS. Rings of grass of a different colour from the remainder, found on the Downs. Some
suppose that these rings are formed by
Fairies dancing round and round in the
moonlight.
VAAYCE, or VE-US The face.
VAAYCER. A blow direct in the face; a very downright rebuff.
VAAYLE. The country along the Thames valley, as about Blewbury, Hagboum, Moreton, Didcot,
&c., &c., is so called. The
other part of the county is styled " the Hill Country'."
VAAYVOUR. To resemble.
The child vaayvours the mother moor'n the vath-er." VADDY. Full of fidgets or fancies.
VAG. To reap, but not applied to reaping wheat.
' When the straa be long, vaggin* wuts be better'n mawin'on um."
VAGABONDTZIN about. Wandering and doing no work, VAG'D. Looking unwell and as though
overworked.
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(delwedd C3531) (tudalen 175)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 175
VAGGOT. A good-for-nothing woman. It is generally preceded by **
awld."
A bundle of lop wood or underwood containing branches of larger size than those in a **
bavin."
VALL. The Autumn.
A good " va// o* lambs '* signifies a good breeding time. To ** try a vail*' means to have a bout at
wrestling.
VALLALS. Ribbons, &c., worn by women when gaily dressed. VALLERS. A " pe-us o* vallers "
is a field of ploughed land. VALLY.
Value.
VAMPLUTS. Short gaiters.
VAN. A machine for winnowing corn, worked by hand.
VARDEN. A farthing. ** A yent wuth a varcUn " and "A yent wuth a brass varden*' are common
expressions to denote
worthlessness.
VARDICK. Verdict.
VARRUD. Forward, early.
*' Varrud taayters" are potatoes arrived at maturity early in the season.
VATH-ER. Father. Perhaps the most common local riddle
for children is
Vath-er, mother, zister, an* brother,
All run roun* the taayble an* cood'nt ketch one
"nother."
The answer being a ** wind-mill.'*
VATTY-GUED.** Fatigued " is so pronounced. It was a specially favourite word with Mrs. Lucy
Newland, formerly school mistress at
Hampstead Norreys.
VATTY-YEAD. A stupid person.
VAUTY. Anything having a flaw or with part decayed is so described.
VAWER. Four.
VAWK. Folk; field hands are thus spoken of when mentioned collectively.
* Taayke the beer up to the Vawk at dree o'clock."
VAWL. A foal.
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(delwedd C3532) (tudalen 176)
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176 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
VAWLE. To pen.
" Ther wunt be no tarmuts left to vawle the ship in ater
to-raorrer."
A " ship-rate//^ *' is a " sheep-fold."
VAWLE-STAAYKE. A stake driven into the ground when a sheep pen is being formed, for the purpose
of supporting the hurdles which are
fastened thereto by ** hapses."
VE-AD. Feed. One says to an ostler, " Gie the herse a ve-ad o* kern," and a fixed measure is understood
thereby.
Green crops for sheep, as turnips, swedes, rape, &c., are called " ve-ad."
A horse is said to be ** out at ve-ad/' when turned into a meadow to graze.
VEARD. Afraid. See also Aveard.
VEART-SPRANK. A good sprinkling, or a rather large parcel.
" We shall hev a veart sprnnk crap o' apples this year."
VE-AST. The annual village merry-making usually held on the Dedication Day of the Parish Church,
thus we have ** Hagbourn Ve-ast;'
&c., &c.
See also Lot and Revel.
VE-AT. Rank to the taste.
" This yer mate taaystes ve-at, 'e med gie ut to the dog."
Middling; fair. VE-ATISH. Rather
large; considerable.
" Reck'nin um up one waay an' t'other, ther be a ve-atish lot on
um."
Well and in good spirits.
" I be got rid o* the doctor, an* be a-veelin' quite ve-atish like
now."
VECKLE. Spirits; energy.
" I hev a-had zome bad news, an' beant a-veelin' in veckle this
marnin'."
VELLER. Fellow.
VELTIVER also VELDER BIRD. The bird *' Field-fare."
VEN. A word in frequent use by boys at marbles, &c. It means ** I forbid." If one player
says, " ven knuckle-down," this means that his opponent must shoot
his marble without resting his hand on
the ground.
VEND. To ** vend off" anything is to take preventive measures. ' E should be keervul to vend fl/taaykin'
cawld at this time o' year."
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(delwedd C3533) (tudalen 177)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS.
VERM. Farm. To "verw high" means to keep much stock and to manure the land well.
VERRETIN" ABOUT. Searching for. In the Berhhire ChronicU of November 6th, iSS6, this
expression is thus used by Martin
Philpotts, gamekeeper, who gives evidence
that certain dogs were " verretin' about " after game.
VESS, Active, lively, well and strong.
■' Why, 'K looks quile ivsi this marnin ' "
VETCH. The price obtainable is thus referred to. There is the saying, " Tilings be awnly wiith
what um 'ult vtldi."
VETTLE. Condition; full of energy or strength. " I be jus' in vine viillt vor a vighl
if a H-anls to'l." See Veckle
also.
VICAR OF BRAY. The term applied to a turncoat.
The Vimr of Bray, who is ihe subject of a sang known far beyond
Berkshire, lived in Ihe reign of Henry Vlll., Kdwarii VI.. Mary, and
Eliiabelh. He was first a papist, then a proteslant, then, under Queen
Mary, became a papist again, and at length, in Queen Elizabeth's reign
died a protestant. When accused of being of a changeable turn he
I replied, " no. I am steadfast, however other folk change I remain
Vicar
' of Bray." It may be noticed that the reigns quoted in the old song
do
I not correspond with those above given,
\ VIDDLE VADDLE. To trifle: to make show of doing work with no result. One who fusses without doing much is called
a "viJdh vaildU or viddle
raddhr."
I VIDGUTS. Nervousness. The attack of " vtdguts " is usually shown in a woman by sitting down and
patting her foot on I the ground.
" VIGS. Raisins.
f VILE. An old person.
" Thai awld vili be got maain cansiankerouB laaytely, an' 1 can't
do L nothun' wi'n,"
I VILLER.^The horse of a team which comes within the shafts. I Vidr Thilleu.
[ VINE. Tof\nd.
I Fine. To "tawk vine" is the expression rather contemptuously
L applied by those speaking the Berkshire Dialect to their
I fellows who commence trying to speak English as more
H generally recognised.
H '■ She med ha bin to larvice in Lunnon. but us wunt hev her
conre
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(delwedd C3534) (tudalen 178)
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(delwedd C3535) (tudalen 179)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 179
VLAPPER. A young partridge just able to fly.
Applied in joke to a girl of the bread-and-butter age. See also Squaker.
VLECK. The fur of a hare or rabbit.
*' To vkck " either of these animals is to shoot and wound so that the fur lies scattered about the
spot.*'
" I vlecked a rabbut zo's I thinks the dog^ 'ull ketch un.*'
VLEM. The lancc^t with projecting cutter used for bleeding horses. The mallet by which it is struck is
called the ' vlem'Stickr
VLEW. Delicate in constitution. Vide also Vluff.
VLEY. Pigs' fat used for making lard.
VLIBBERTY-GIBBERTY. Flighty, unreliable.
Full of lively nonsense.
VLICK. To strike with the end giving a sort of return movement at the same time. Schoolboys
" vlick " with a towel.
VLID. Flew.
" Two patridges vUd by muh jus' as I was a-loadin' my gun."
VLING To throw.
*' VUng a stwun at the dog an' maayke un run awaay."
To eling one down is to throw one down.
VLISK. Made by carters from hair taken out of a horse's tail, bound on a short handle.
A vlisk is found in all stables, being used to ** vlisk *' flies off horses in hot weather.
VLITTER-MOUSE. The common bat-mouse.
VLITTERS. Rags.
My kwut got tore all to vUtters.'*
VLOOKS. Small worms in sheep suffering from a certain disease of the liver.
VLOP. To fall without rebound or movement.
" A veil vlop on the groun*. and I thate a was de-ad."
** To rlop " a thing on the ground is to throw it down without care as to how it may fall.
VLOUT. To express anger by action.
To tres^t with disdain,
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(delwedd C3536) (tudalen 180)
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180 BfiKKSHlKB WORDS.
VLUFF, or VLEW. Refuse ofF bedding or cloth.
VLUFFY. ^With refuse of wool, or cloth, or feathers adhering.
* Yer kwut be all vluffy, let I gi'n a brush."
VLUMMERY. Flattery; attempt to get over one by blarney. A kind of Blanc-mange.
VLUMMOXED. Astonished past action; at one's wit's end.
VLUMP. This word has much the same meaning as Vlop, except that ** vlump ■ ' usually indicates also that there was dull sounding noise in the falJ."
VLURRY. Confusion of mind and trepidation.
VLUSH. Young birds are said to be vlush when their feathers have grown and they are ready to fly from
the nest.
Level, even.
VLUSTER. To be in a ** vluster'* is to have lost presence of mind.
VLUSTRAATION. -Worry.
VOGGER. A farmer's groom, who also is responsible for feeding pigs and cattle.
Perhaps this name is a corruption of ** feeder" or
"fodderer."
VOGGER'S JINT. The perquisite of the vogger who assists in pig killing. It is the tail of the animal
with a small portion of meat
adjoining.
VOLLY. To follow.
A circular group of fir trees on the crest of a hill. There are three such **ro//»/s" at Hampstead
Norreys on the ** VoUy
Hill."
VOOTERY. Deceitful, sly, false.
A be a vootery zart o' chap an* I wunt trus' un vurder'n I can see
un.** Slippery.
" The ro-ads be maain vootery ater the thaa."
VOR. Is added superfluously at the end of a sentence, thus: ** The bwoy be stronger nor I thate
ror."
VOR-ALL-THAT. This expression is in common use as signifying ** in spite of
the utmost having been done."
A zes I be to be turned out if I dwoant vo-at as a tells muh, but I wunt ror-a//-Mfl/."
VORM. The Uir of a hare,
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(delwedd C3537) (tudalen 181)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. IHI
VOR'N, or VORRUN. For him; for it.
VORRIGHT. Honest, straightforward; opposite to. In Mr.
T. Hughes' "Scouring of the White Horse'* there are lines
in " The Lay of the Hunted Pig," thus
" Up vorriffht the Castle mound,
Thaay did zet I on the ground.
Then a thousand chaps or nigh
Runned an' hollered ater I."
VORRUD. Forward; advanced.
VORRUDNESS, also VORRUDDER. Advance, progress.
** Us works hard, but dwoant zim to get no vomiddfr wi' this yer job.**
VORRUSS. The leading horse in a team.
VOT OUT. Rescued. May be a corruption of "fetched out" or " fought out."
VOUSTY. Mildew on any kind of food.
VOUT. Fought.
VRAAIL. A flail.
VRASTED Used for " frost bitten" with reference to turnips, &c.
VRIGLIN'. Insignificant, trifling, petty.
" I wants to zee e do zummut as *ooll bring in zummut acd not be vriglin' about lookin' ater
viewers."
VRIT. Frightened.
VRIZ. Frozen.
VROW. See Vrum.
VROWSTY. Having an unpleasant smell from dirt.
VRUM or VROW. Brittle, crisp.
VRUNTED. Affronted, confronted.
VUDDLED. Stupified by drink.
VUR. Far.
A deposit formed in a tea kettle wlierein hard water has been boiled.
VUR IND. The point farthest away.
" Taayke hawld o' the vur ind o' the ladder an' help I to car un."
VURBELAWS. Gay trimmings and appendages of women's dress.
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(delwedd C3538) (tudalen 182)
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182 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
VURDER. Further. VURDERMWO AST.
Farthest off.
" E*il vind my prong laayin' at the wrdermtvoast ind o* the hedge/'
VUST. First.
A schoolboy when willing to give something away will call out to his playmates,
" Billy, Billy, Bust. Who spakes
vust? "
VUST BEGINNIN.' The very commencement.
*' Thess stert vaair at vust beginnin* an' then us 'ull zure to do 't
right."
VUZ. Furze or gorse. There is a common saying, **When the VUZ be out o' bloom, kissin* be out o'
vashun.' ** The origin of this saying
is that whilst the *' vuz'' bursts into its
golden splendour in spring and early summer there is yet no time of the year when a little bloom
may not be discovered by diligent
search.
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(delwedd C3539) (tudalen 183)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 188
W
WAAY. Distance.
" E med zee a gurt aaity vrom the top o' our church tower.'*
WAAYRE. Beware; ** take care! ''
WAAYZE. To ooze.
" The ile u'aayzes out o' the cask, ther mus be a crack
zome'er."
WABBLE, or WOBBLE. To sway awkwardly from side to side.
Wabbly means ** tottery."
WABBLES. Spots floating before the eyes.
WAD. A small cock or heap of hay or straw.
WA-DY (Weedy). With a weakly constitution. WAG. To move away.
" Dwoant 'e wag vrom yer till I tells 'e to *t."
" Her tongue u^s too much." means " she speaks
indiscreetly."
WAGGLIN*. Rolling to and fro, but without moving to another spot.
WAKE-LIN \ A weak child.
WALLOP. To whip. A lump. Vide
Dollop.
WALLOPPIN*. A whipping. Very
large.
WANT. A mole.
WANTING. A former name for the town of Wantage. It is found thus spelt on some Tradesmen's Tokens
as late as the seventeenth century. It
may be noted that a Bust of Alfred the
Great, who was born at Wantage, obtains on
two modern Tokens, vizt.: On the celebrated and rare 40s. Gold Token issued by J. B. Monck,
Esq., of Reading, in 1812, and on the
Silver Frome Selwood {Sotnersetshire)
Tokens issued in i8it.
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(delwedd C3540) (tudalen 184)
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184 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
WAPS. A wasp. Wasps are Wapses.
WAPSY. Spiteful, saying bitter things of another. Testy, hot-tempered.
WARM.r-To whip.
* I'll warm thee jacket vor thee bym by." Having money laid by.
WARN, or WERN. To warrant, to guarantee.
Times 'ool mend avoor long I'll warn 'e."
WARNTY. The warrant as to soundness as given of a horse,
WARN UTS. Walnuts.
WARP. To miscarry as applied to an animal.
WAR-WOPS. The cry raised in attacking wasps with branches when burning out their nest.
WATCH UT. With the boots and socks wetted through as by walking on swampy ground.
WATER. ** To water'' horses or cattle is to take them to drink.
" Water bewitched an' wine begrudged," is the expression used of grog made too weak.
WATER-EFFUT. The water-newt.
WATER-SQUIRT. A syringe.
WATTLE. To weave brushwood, as in hurdle-making.
WAUNT. Was not.
'* A zes as a wauni ther at all, zo ut cood'nt ha' bin he as done 'ut.'*
WAW-BEGAN. Woe begone.
WAWLIN' ABOUT. The cry of cats is so described.
WAX. ** In a wax " is in a temper.
Waxy means wrathful.
WAY JAW LTIN'. See-sawing with a plank.
WAY-WUT. The command to a horse to stop.
WAZE. A wisp of straw for rubbing down a horse.
WELL. The rising up and overflowing of any liquid, just M water rises and flows from a spring.
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(delwedd C3541) (tudalen 185)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 185
WELL-LOOKI N .Handsome.
" Wliat a wtU-lookim' man a be to be zare/'
WELL-TO-DO. In good circumstances.
WELT. To beat.
A Weltix'. A beating.
WEN. A hard swelling on the neck.
WENCHES. Female servants and young women of humble class. See also Maaids.
WETHER. This word has similar signification to that given in other counties, except that young
Wethers of the first year, when set
aside to fatten, are called Hoggets.
WEVVER. However.
** E hcv a-done I a good bit o* harm by actin' like that ther, «nrv»r us want zaay no moor about ut this
time.'*
WHACK. Full quantity, share.
" I've got my whack an' zo dwoant want no moor.*'
A blow.
WHACKER. A great lie. Something very
large.
WHACKIN'. A beating.
WHATE, or WHE-AT. Wheat.
WHAT'ST. " What hast thou?''
" WhaVst got hid under thee kwut?*'
WHAT'S WHAT. To know whafs wluU is to be very keen and to have had great experience.
To teach a person what's what is to rebuke him sternly for misconduct.
WHEEL, OR WHALE. Haze round the Moon, said to indicate wet weather.
WHER. Whether, also where.
" I can't zaay it wher I be agwaain or not '* (I can't say yet whether
I I am going or not).
WHICKER. To neigh a little; to whinny.
WHILE. Is used instead of * time."
** AVhflU a whili a be gone whoam to his dinner.**
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(delwedd C3542) (tudalen 186)
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186 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
WHIMPER. To cry a little; with hounds " to give tongue " slightly.
WHINNY. Kwfc Whicker.
WHIP. To do a thing very rapidly.
" Whip thee knife out o* yer pockut an* cut the string."
WHIP-HAND. The mastery.
A wqnt get the whip-hand o* I vor all a med try."
WHIPPER SNAPPER. A conceited, insignificant little fellow.
WHIRL-I-GIG. A merry-go-round, as seen at fairs.
WHIRTLE BERRIES. Bilberries are always so caUed.
WHISK. To snatch anything off very quickly.
WHISKUT. A small stick; a twig.
WHISTLE. The mouth. To " wet one's whistle " is a common phrase, meaning to imbibe something.
Whistles Are made by boys of withy or chestnut at spring-time, when the sap
is rising and the rind comes off easily.
WHIT AND DUB. Musical instruments, formerly used in Berkshire villages; these are like the Pipe
and Tabor of Scripture.
WHITE HORSE. The " Scouring of the White Horse " is the operation of clearing afresh the
trenches which make up the outline of
a horse on the hill-side of the Downs near
Uffington. The figure is about 125 yards long. It is supposed to have been constructed in
commemoration of a victory gained over
the Danes on this spot.
The festivities accompanying the " Scouring of the White Horse," which ceremony takes place as
occasion may require, have been fully
described by Mr. Thomas Hughes in his
work bearing the title.
WHITE MOUTH. The children's disease "thrush."
WHITTER. Used to describe the cry of small birds when uttering doleful single notes.
WHITTLE. To flog lightly.
" A had no call to maayke zuch a bellerin' vor I awnly gin un a bit
of
a whittu:'
WHIVER. To hover.
" I zin the haak whivirin* wher I knawed lome young partridges
was."
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(delwedd C3543) (tudalen 187)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 187
WHO-AM. Home.
WHO-AM-MAAYDE. Made at home, as distinguished from
BOUGHTEN.
WHOORD. A hoard. WHOP. To flog.
" As zure as e doos ut agin I'll whop e."
WHOPPIN'. Very large. A
flogging.
WHO ZAAY. Uncertain report.
*' 'Tis awnly zart o' who zaay an' I wunt belave ut."
WHOZEN. Whose.
" This yer be-ant my billycock, whozen be un? "
WHUR. A loud whizzing noise.
"The 'shenin' maaykes zuch a whur as I can't yer 'e spake."
"Where" is always pronounced Whur or Wher. WIDDEROOMAN or WIDDY-OOMAN. A widow. WIGGIN.' A scolding.
WIGGLE. To move a little with a twisting motion.
" A adder alius wiggles till the zun goes down no matter how much
'e med kill 'n/'
WIK. A week. ** Weak '' is pronounced ** wake.'* WILD-GOOSE-CHAAYSE. A futile quest.
WILLUM, or WOOLLUM. William.
WILLY-NILLY. Undecided; also " whether or no."
WILTERED. Withered.
*' The grace be a lookin' main wiltered like, an' wants raain bad."
WI'N. With him, with it.
WIND. Is used commonly in expressions,
" To tell which waay the unfid blaws/' is ** To watch keenly the drift of events.*'
' To get wind of anything," is ** to get some information respecting it."
WIN D-V ALLS. Fruit blown off trees by wind. Unexpected riches.
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(delwedd C3544) (tudalen 188)
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188 BJ^RKSHIRE WORDS.
WIN KIN'. Used to denote great rapidity.
*' A bolted like wiukin' as zoon as a zee I a-comin round the
corner."
WINNICK. The shrill cry of a dog when hurt. .
*' I yerd un winnick an' thate as a med be caught in a rabbut
trap."
WrOUT. Unless.
'* I wunt go wi'out mother goes wi' I."
WIPE. " To wipe one's eye " is a common expression for shooting and Killing after another has shot
and missed.
WISHY-WASHY. Pale, colourless.
" She be got maain wishy-tvashy zence she hev a-bin in the town to
live.''
Poor in quality, as applied to anything to drink. This lay be vurry wishy-washy "
(i.e,, is very weak).
WlSP.-Fkfc Sty. A handful of straw, as
used for rubbing down a horse.
WITH. (Rhymes with **m)^h.'*) Brushwood made tough by being twisted, used to bind up a faggot or
bavin.
WITHY. The Willow. This and the Chestnut are used by boys for making whistle pipes, because when
the sap is up the rind comes off very
easily on being bruised a little.
WITHY-BED. An ozier-bed.
WITHY-WINE. The wild convolvulus.
WIVEL MINDED. Fickle, capricious.
WIZZEND. The throat.
With shrunken appearance as from bad health.
Wizzen-Vaayced is a term of contempt, indicating a small mean-looking physiognomy.
WO-AB. An 'expression used to a horse '*Wo-a about!*' "Steady!"
WOLF. ** Us shall kip the wolf vram the door a bit," means " We have food enough in the house to
last a long time."
" Wolfish " signifies ** very hungry."
WONNERVUL. Very large, great.
*' Ther be a wmnervul crap o* apples this year to be zure."
WOOT, or 'OOLT. Wilt, wilt thou.
WOP-ALL. Confusedly, " all of a heap."
** She missed her vootin' an* tumbled dowa wop^J'
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(delwedd C3545) (tudalen 189)
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BBRKSHIRB WORDS. 189
WORLD. Large quantity.
" Ther be a world o* zense in what a zes."
WORKUS. The workhouse.
WORK-A-DAAY. Common, for ordinary occasions.
* I hev awnly got my work-a-daay kwut on."
" Wofk-a-daayt '* are week days.
WORM. ^To attempt to obtain information by close questioning. " I tried to worm ut out on in but a
kep' what a knawed to hiszelf.*'
WORRUT. To worry, to teaze.
»' If 'e worruts the child zo, 'e ooll maayke un cry."
WORTLEBERRIES. Cranberries. WRAATHY.
Angry; bad tempered. WRACK. Brunt,
trouble.
" Thee 'ooll hev to stan' the wrack o' this yer job," i.e.,
"The consequences of this will fall on you."
WRAPPY. Crumpled, creased.
** You hev a-vaulded un up zo as to maayke un all wrappy'*
WRUCK. A crease.
" Ther be a wrnck in the leather o' my boot as maayde my voot zoor.
If
WUGD. An expression to a horse, meaning " Move further off sideways."
\V UK. Awoke.
WUM. A worm.
WUNT. Will not.
WURT. A wart.
A supposed way of getting rid of Warts which I have known practised, was to cut on a short stick
notches corresponding with the number
of Warts; this stick was then thrown away
where none could find it, and as it rotted the Warts disappeared.
WUS. Worse. The word seems curiously declinable the comparative being " WusscTt* and the
superlative ** Wust *' or *
Wussest:'
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(delwedd C3546) (tudalen 190)
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190 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
WUSTED. Getting the worst of it in any matter, just as *< bested " signifies gaining an
advantage.
WUTH. Oath. Also ** worth " is
so pronounced.
WUTS. Oats.
WUZBIRD. A good-for-nothing person. Perhaps a corruption of either ** wust
bird," or of " whore's bird.*'
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(delwedd C3547) (tudalen 191)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 191
Y
YAA. An interjection, commonly preceding a contemptuous remark,
' Yaa! I knawed as *e cood'nt car a zack o* berley."
Yaa! Zo *ebe come back athout gettin' what e axt vor."
YANDER. Yonder.
YANGIN*. Saying irritating or teazing things.
" She be alius a yangin at un, an' that's what maaykes un go awaay zo much."
YAP. A dog is said to ^^yap " when giving a short surly bark accompanied by a snap.
Also when dogs give tongue falsely in hunting they are said to be *^yappin' about."
YARBS. Herbs.
YARN. To earn.
" I hopes to yam a bit o' money vor rent come Michaelmas." Yarnins are '* earnings.**
YARN EST. Earnest. *^Yarnest money*' is the is. given on hiring a servant of any kind. The gift of
this shilling seals the contract.
YARWIG or YERRIWIG or ERRIWIG. An earwig.
YAUP- To yawn.
YEA. A command to horses. "This way." The reverse
of WUGD.
YEAD or YUD. The head.
YE AD-GO. The highest score made, as in a game of skittles.
YEAD-LAN' A headland. The part ploughed at the head or top of the main ploughing.
YE-AP or YEP. A heap.
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(delwedd C3548) (tudalen 192)
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192 BBRKSHIRB WORDS.
YEBBLE. Able.
" I be got awld an' be-ant yebbU to do much now.*'
YECKER. An acre.
YELDIN. A good-for-nothing woman.
YELLOOK. Look here!
YELM. To straighten straw in readiness for thatching.
YELPINGAL. The woodpecker.
YENT,orENT. Isnot..
YEOMAN. This title is still occasionally seen painted on the back of the " gig " of one who
owns land he farms, following the
printing of his name.
YEPPATH. A halfpenny worth.
A yent got a yeppath o' zense '* means ' he is very stupid.*'
YER. To hear; here. YERD. Heard.
See Tell.
YET, or ET. Eat; heat.
** Eaten " is Yetted.
" I ent Si-yetted nothun' zence isterdaay mamin*."
YETTIN* HIS YEAD AFF. Said of a horse eating food in the stable but doing no work.
YIELD. Produce.
" Whate maaykes poor yield this crap."
YOU. A term of address in accosting one.
" I zaay You wher bist thee agwaain?"
YOURN. Yours. YOWE. An ewe. YOWLIN'. Howling.
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(delwedd C3549) (tudalen 193)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 198
" Z " takes tlie place of '*S'' when the latter is initial to a
syllable, and followed by eitJur A, E,
I, O, U, \V, or Y.
ZAA. A saw. An application was made at a farm-house
thus
" 'Ooll the Me-uster be zo good, an' zo kind, an' to obligin\ an'
zo condescendin' as to len' we the
maAi^zaa vor to ztia oar me-at?"
It may be noted in the above sentence that the same word is pronounced both ** mate '* and ** me-at
"; such dual pronunciation in
analogous cases is not uncommon.
ZAACE. Sauce; impertinence.
ZAACE-BOX. An impertinent person is so called, but the term is often applied good temperedly.
ZAAT. Salt.
ZAAY. ** I've a-had my zaay,'' means " I've given my final opinion."
ZAAYFE. Certain.
A gun is ^'zaayfe to go off'* when there is no chance of it *' missing
fire."
ZAAYVE-ALL. A tin box nailed up in a kitchen for short candle-ends to be put into, so as to be
used for greasing boots, &c.
A short length of marble or crockery, matching a candle in size and colour, having a pin at the end,
whereon candle-ends may be placed so that these may be quite burned out.
ZACK. To dismiss. When a servant is dismissed he is said
to " get the zackr
ZACKIN' ALONG. Walking rather hastUy.
" I zee un a zackin' along wi' the box onner his kwat, an' axed un wher a got on vram."
ZAD IRON. A smoothing iron.
ZADLY. Out of health.
" My awld ooman hev a-bin xadly Uaytdy, bat be tarblish to-daay.*'
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(delwedd C3550) (tudalen 194)
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194 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
ZAFT. Soft; silky to the touch.
Silly; credulous.
Not harsh.
" I hev alus a-bin vurry xaft wi' un."
ZAFTY. A person very easily imposed upon.
ZAG. To sink from its'own weight. A rope is said to '' zag'* when being drawn tight between two points
it afterwards loosens a' little and
sinks at the centre.
Z AM M LE. Samuel.
ZAP. The layer of timber coming between the heart and bark of a tree is so called.
ZAPPY. Lusty.
" A be grawed a gurt zappy chap an' I should 'nt hardly ha' knawed un agin."
ZAR. To serve; to feed cattle.
'* I mus' zar the pegs avoor I do*s my rackin* up."
Zard is " served." To
impregnate.
ZARMON BELL. The bell sounded before the Ting-tang as a call to church. It denotes that there
will be a sermon in the service to
follow. If there is to be no sermon the
*' zarmon hell is not rung. It should also be here noted that in many parishes a bell is rung at the
termination of morning service; this
is to annouce and remind that there will be
service in the afternoon.
ZARTIN ZURE, also ZARTNY. Certainly.
'* A zes as a 'ool do what a pramised this time zartin* zure.'*
ZART. Sort.
" Thems yer zart " means " those are exactly what you
want." " I cood'nt get none
o' no zart nor kine.'* means " I could not get any whatever."
ZART O*. Means somewhat.
" I velt tart o' convounded-like " (I felt somewhat confused).
Out o' Zarts is " in temporary bad health," also out of temper * or irritable.
ZARVENT ZUR. Used to be the common salutation from one in humble position to a superior,
accompanied by a curtsey or touch of
the brim of the hat. It has fallen into
disuse.
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(delwedd C3551) (tudalen 195)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 19S
JIAWL, Soul. "Bless my heart an' iawl" is a common expression of astonishment.
"ZAWNEY, or ZAANEY. A very stupid person.
ZE-AD LIP. A box supported by a strap which contains the seed when sowing is being done by hand and
is ' broad cast.'
ZED AN' DONE. This expression is used thus:
" When all's:id an' dont 'e cood'nt expect no good vrom zuch a caw IS he be "
2EE. or ZEED. or ZIN. Saw.
ZEE-HO. The cry given in coursing when a hare is discovered sitting in her
form.
ZEEIN'S BELAVIN'. A common phrase on sseing something astonishing.
ZENCE. Since; sense.
, ZENSIBLE O'. Comprehend.
" A be zo dunny ill Ije maain hard to maayke un itusible a' what I tnts un todo "
IZESSED. Assessed.
■' My itiitd taxes comes vurry high this year." Estimated,
" I itsitd the vally o" the land iwice as high zenct the raailwaay
be
ZET. Sit.
To Zet Stoor By, means " to value."
" I dwo-ant set no itoor by them ther things ^ e 'med hev um to
kape
ZETTIN' DOWN. Severe rebuke given for presumption or bad conduct.
?ii as *ooll maayke her moor keervul
I ZETTLE A long wooden bench to accommodate several persons; it is found at way-side public
houses and in outer kitchens or
brew.houses of farm houses.
liZETTLER. A conclusive argument or blow.
'■ A tawld mah if I zed any moor a "ud gie muh the Mck,
an' i 33 a tdlStr an' I come
awaay."
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(delwedd C3552) (tudalen 196)
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196 BBRKSHIRB WORDS.
ZETTY, A ** zetty *' egg is one that has been sat upon by the hen for a short time and so rendered unfit
for food.
A ** zetty hen " is one that persists in sitting on the nest after the eggs have been taken. When there were
no eggs to give her the somewhat
barbarous cure used to be to put her
head under her wing, sway her until she was asleep, and then throw lier into a horse pond. This was
believed to cause her to forget her
former desire to zet and she would
then go on laying again.
ZEY. The sea.
ZIAS. ^Josias.
ZICK AN' ZAAYTED. Unable to eat some kind of food on
account of having had it so often.
" I be xick an' zaayted v/V rabbuts, an' hawpes us 'ull get a bit
o' butcher's me-at
to-morrer."
ZICKNER. A bad experience.
ZIDLE. To advance sideways.
To *^zidU up ** to one is to try to ingratiate one's self in hope of obtaining favours.
" The child come SL-zidlin* up, an' I could zee as a wanted
zummut.*'
ZIGHT. A very large number or quantity.
* Ther was a zigkt o* vawk at Vaair to-daay, to be zure."
ZI KNAWS ON. * That I am aware of."
* Ther yent nobody about yer got no vishin*-tackle zi knaws on.'*
ZILVER SPOON. To be born with a '* zilver spoon in one's mouth '* is to be born to riches.
ZIM. To seem.
ZIMMINLY. Apparently.
*' A dwoant mane to come zimminlyt vor a yent answered my letter." ZING SMALL. To humble one's self.
' A gin I plenty o* tawk at vust but when a vound I knawed all about his goins-on a begun to zing
small."
ZINKERS. Stockings without feet.
ZINNIVY. To matter; to be of importance.
" Wher a comes or wher a dwoant, dwoant zinnivy to we.**
ZISTS. Insist.
If e z/5/s upon 't I 'ooll do 't '*
ZISTER LAA. Sister-in-law. Vide Mothi^r-laa.
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(delwedd C3553) (tudalen 197)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS.
197
ZIZZLE. To fizz; the hissing noise as made by ginger beer when " up." Also water under the action of boiling is
sometimes said to xistU."
ZO AS THAT. Such like, of such kind, in like manner.
" Nobody never eies wo notbuD' moor'n a awld paair o' boots as urn
speaks of " iobblin "
ZOBBLE. To soak so as to soften.
one's bread in milk or gravy.
ZOCK. Completely, unreservedly.
" A veil txk afl the whate-rick an' hort his back.'' A blow with the hand.
" I look un a!ock a-iide o" Ihe yead."
ZODDEN. Boiled so as to be flabby and tasteless.
20DGER or ZAWLGER. A soldier. One who has enlisted is said to be " gone
lodgerin'."
ZOGGED, Soaked with moisture or rain.
" The do.alhs as I hung oul to dry be all tog);id wi' (he raain
" ZOGGY. Boggy. ZOLID. Very grave or grim.
" I thate xummut had a gone wrong wi' un, a looked zo intii."
ZOLOMON'S ZALE. Solomon's Seal, a plant common in the woods.
ZOME. Is added to a word to indicate inclination or aptitude, thus a dog is said to be
"trickzome" when easily taught
tricks.
ZOMEBERRY. " Somebody " is so pronounced.
Always used for " rather." Zoonest is similarly
ZOONER,
"Oode tooniil go -To drink.
1 Newbury or slop at whoam wi' 17"
ZOOP. . ZOOR,
t'other nanybours."
i left I.
I ZOP. To soak.
" Zop yer bad vinger in hot water avoor I binds un up wi'
rag." tZORREL. The name given
to the light chestnut colour of
horses. Agricultural horses of this colour often bear the
name " Zarrel."
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(delwedd C3554) (tudalen 198)
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198 BERKSHIRE WORDS.
ZOUGHIN*. The moaning noise made by the wind.
ZOUND. A term applied to indicate perfect health or state of repair. ** As zound as a bell** is a common
expression.
ZOUNDLY. Thoroughly; completely.
" A dwoan't do nothun zoundly.**
ZOUR. Grass is said to be ** zour'* when of rank growth and uneatable by cattle.
ZOUR ZOP. A bitter remark.
ZOUSE. To immerse in water.
The puppy be got all awver dirt, taayke un an' zouse un to maayke un clane. '
The ears, trotters and hocks of a Pig. Brawn is always called ** collared zouse,**
A blow with the hand.
'* I gin un a. zouse on the chaps/' f.f., a blow with the fist on the
face.
ZU-ATTY PUDDEN. A suet pudding.
ZUCTION. Drink.
" I veels as I wants zome zuction an* be a-gwaain to get I a glass
o* beer."
ZUGARED. Sweetened.
** Be your tay zugared as much as 'e likes ut?"
ZUGAR TE-AT. Sugar tied in a rag and given to a child to suck to quit it.
ZULK. A term applied to a horse that will not try to do what is required of him.
ZUMMER*S DAAY. A phrase in common use, thus
" As pretty a lass as e'll zee on a zummer's Jaay,**
ZUMMIN'. Arithmetic.
*' A hev a-bin at schoold vor a year an' thaay tells I a be maain sharp at his zummin.*'
ZUMMUT. Something. It often has a mysterious signification.
"I zin zummut last night," would be said for '* I saw
something supernatural last
night."
ZUNDAY CLA WES. Best suit of clothes.
" I be agwaain into Readin* an zo mus* put on my Sunday clawes.**
ZUP. To eat supper. ZvPT is used as
preterite,
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(delwedd C3555) (tudalen 199)
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BERKSHIRE WORDS. 109
ZURPLUS. A surplice.
ZWAAYRED. Swore, the noise that an angry or frightened cat makes.
ZWAD. A layer of hay lying just as cut. See Zwathes.
ZWACK. A resounding blow or " whack."
ZWANKY. Self-satisfied, somewhat swaggering.
** That chap be got zo zvaanky laaytely a wants to be vetched down a peg."
ZWATHES. Rows of hay as lying before made up into ** cocks.** Vide ZwAD.
ZWEELIN*. Singeing the hair off a hog by means of burning straw.
Z WEET-WORT. Beer in the early stage of brewing, no hops being yet put in.
ZWIG. A drink.
ZWILL. To drink a quantity or habitually.
A zwills like a vish.*'
ZWILLY-HAWLE. A hole whereby a small stream of water disappears into the ground. There is a
ZwUly-hawh at Well-nouse, a hamlet of
Hampstead Norreys.
ZWIMS. The expression, ** My yead zwims ** is used for * I am feeling giddy.**
ZWINGEL.-The top part of the threshing flail.
ZWINGIN*. Very large, very excellent.
*' I hev done a swingin* good daays work to-daay."
ZWI PES. Very poor beer.
ZWISH. A little tough stick as used with a riding horse.
ZWITHIN*S-DAAY. " St. Swithin's " Day is the day on which the apples are christened. If it should
rain then it will rain also on the
forty days following.
ZWIZZLE. To drink.
ZWOP. To exchange (common).
BUTTEKWOKTH AND CO., PRIXTERS, \IAXCH£ST£3-
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