Hauntings of Pluckley Village, Asfhford
The village of Pluckley is said to be the most haunted village in the United Kingdom, if not the world, with 12 official ghosts and many more tales of spooky occurrences and creepy sightings.
The village of Pluckley is said to be the most haunted village in the United Kingdom, if not the world, with 12 official ghosts and many more tales of spooky occurrences and creepy sightings. Here are just some of the hauntings we came across.
Watch Andy at Pluckley Village
A lady in white is said to roam St Nicholas Churchyard, buried in seven coffins and an oak sarcophagus. A lady in red, believed to be Lady Dering, has been seen wandering St Nicholas’s churchyard searching for the grave of her stillborn baby. An 18th century Highwayman died at the hands of village peacekeepers and is said to be seen fighting his last stand. The lady of Rose Court is thought to have poisoned herself over a love triangle. Dering Woods is known as the Screaming Woods thanks to the disembodied blood curdling screams heard through the night. In Park wood, the spirit of a hanged Colonel is often spotted. On Dicky Buss’s Lane a teacher is said to have hanged himself following WWI, his lost soul haunting the spot ever since. A brickworker was crushed and drowned in a wall of clay at the brickworks. A menacing monk haunts the house of Greystones. At Pinnock Bridge, a gypsy woman is said to have been accidentally burned to death. She haunts the spot, sitting silently and smoking her pipe. In the Black Horse Pub, items have been said to move around without any human touch. A spectral horse and carriage have been seen and heard on the ancient village streets.
That is a lot of ghosts!
You can visit the lovely village of Pluckley and explore the many haunted locations throughout the year: https://pluckley.net/
Drummer boy of Dover Castle
The most famous hauntings at Dover Castle include a young drummer boy, said to have been delivering a message or important package through the warren of tunnels beneath the castle when he was seized upon, brutally murdered and decapitated.
Dover Castle was built soon after 1066 but it was during Henry II’s 12th century reign that it began to take shape as the castle we know today. There is some evidence to suggest there may have been Iron Age occupation or fortifications on the site. During the Roman period, the site was clearly of some importance and one of only three surviving Roman lighthouses in the world can be found within the castle walls. An impregnable fortress was said to occupy the site since at least the Saxon period and fortifications have been improved during almost every conflict since.
Watch Craig at Dover Castle
The most famous hauntings at Dover Castle include a young drummer boy, said to have been delivering a message or important package through the warren of tunnels beneath the castle when he was seized upon, brutally murdered and decapitated. It is said his headless spirit wanders the tunnels and battlements. A spectral lady in a crimson dress accompanied by a man in a Cavalier outfit have been seen wandering the grounds. Disembodied voices, doors opening and closing of their own accord, chills and screams are heard and felt throughout the grounds.
Visit Dover Castle and explore the nations historic first line of defence: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/
Ghosts of Fort Amherst, Chatham
The network of eerie tunnels beneath the fort are said to be one of the most haunted places in the country. Staff and visitors have reported being approached by a phantom soldier on the lower gun deck. A wailing woman and crying children are often heard, with no sign of where the cries emerge from.
Fort Amherst was constructed in the 18th century as a line of defence protecting the southeastern approaches to Chatham Dockyard. It also acted as protection for the River Medway against the potential threat of attack from France. During its construction in 1779, numerous finds of a Roman date were discovered including brick, tile and some early Roman coins, suggesting a long continuation of land use in the area.
Watch Andy at Fort Amherst
The network of eerie tunnels beneath the fort are said to be one of the most haunted places in the country. Staff and visitors have reported being approached by a phantom soldier on the lower gun deck. A wailing woman and crying children are often heard, with no sign of where the cries emerge from. Some have even claimed to have been followed by children through the tunnels and have had to brush away child sized hand prints from the back of their clothes.
Explore the amazing fort and tunnel systems at Fort Amherst: https://fortamherst.com/
Children of Tiny Tim’s Tearoom, Canterbury
Within the walls of the attic were the mummified bodies of three children, all clutching bibles inscribed with the date 1503. Alongside these were mummified cats and dogs, thought to have been placed earlier than the children to ward off evil spirits during the construction of the property.
There is evidence of a Roman Townhouse on the site now occupied by Tiny Tim’s Tearoom in Canterbury. It was developed by a notorious pirate, Sir Geoffrey Newman, who escaped execution and torture in Bilbao and sought property in Canterbury for his family of 12 children. In 1964 the building became a Chinese restaurant, but a suspicious fire destroyed much of the building. It was during the succeeding renovations that the eerie history of the building emerged.
Watch Craig at Tiny Tim’s Tearoom in Canterbury
Within the walls of the attic were the mummified bodies of three children, all clutching bibles inscribed with the date 1503. Alongside these were mummified cats and dogs, thought to have been placed earlier than the children to ward off evil spirits during the construction of the property. Behind panels in the wall, 186 further bundles containing hair, teeth and the names of additional 16th century children were discovered. Workers removing the remains, reported hearing the sound of children playing up and down the stairs, of chills, sounds, whispers and many other unexplainable occurrences.
Come have a delightful tea and take a moment to visit the ghost room in the attic: https://www.tinytimstearoom.com/
Roman phantoms of Reculver Towers
During excavations at the site, a number of infant burials were discovered under the Roman walls. It has been said that they represent ancient sacrifices to protect the site, and terrifying sounds of wailing babies have been heard during stormy nights.
The impressive twin towers of St Mary’s church dominate the coastline of Reculver. The area was once a strategic position at the north-western end of the Wantsum Channel separating the Isle of Thanet from the mainland. A Roman fort was built to protect this location, later becoming a Saxon Shore Fort. A monastery was established on the site dedicated to St Mary in 669AD and it became a church in the 12th century. Much of the church was demolished in the early 19th century but the towers survived as a stunning coastal monument.
Watch Andy at Reculver Towers on Facebook
During excavations at the site, a number of infant burials were discovered under the Roman walls. It has been said that they represent ancient sacrifices to protect the site, and terrifying sounds of wailing babies have been heard during stormy nights. There have also been reports that two hooded ghostly figures have been spotted between the towers and pacing the monastery grounds.
See the spectacular Reculver Towers for free any time, there’s even a fantastic pub right next door!: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/reculver-towers-and-roman-fort/
Phantom monks of Bilsington Priory
There have been countless stories of otherworldly occurrences at Bilsington, but the most famous sighting is of an army of phantom monks, marching through the kitchens and up the stairs.
Bilsington Priory, previously known as St Augustine’s Priory, was an early 13th century monastery, built by Sir John Mansell with the permission of Edward III and home to the Black Canons of St Augustine. The priory often served as a hostel for Canterbury Pilgrims. After its 16th century demolition during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, it was utilised as a hideout by smuggler gangs including the Aldington Gang.
Watch Craig at Bilsington Priory on Facebook
There have been countless stories of otherworldly occurrences at Bilsington, but the most famous sighting is of an army of phantom monks, marching through the kitchens and up the stairs. Staff and visitors alike have reported on strange noises, creepy chills, spectral visions and moving objects.
We recommend a visit to this beautiful venue for afternoon tea and great hosts: https://bilsingtonpriory.co.uk/
The Dripping Man of Scotney Castle
The Dripping Man is thought to haunt Scotney Castle moat.
Scotney Old Castle was a 14th century, fortified manor house located on an island in a small lake in the valley of the River Bewl. Only the southern tower remains of the original structure. In the 19th century a new house was built and the old castle became a beautiful relic in the stunning gardens, themselves a site of special specific scientific interest.
Watch Andy at Scotney Castle on Facebook
The Dripping Man is thought to haunt the Castle moat. Some claim he is a Jesuit priest who leapt into the moat to avoid authorities. Whilst others claim the 18th century estate owner, Arthur Darrell, murdered an excise officer before throwing his corpse into the moat. Apparently to escape justice, he fled, but turned up at his own funeral after faking his own death!
Visit the Castle and discover the history: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/scotney-castle
Blue Bell Hill Bride
There have been a number of sightings of a young woman in a wedding dress running into the middle of the road.
Blue bell Hill is an area with an astonishing prehistoric past. The incredible megaliths of Kits Coty House, The Countless Stones, White Horse Stone and The Coffin Stone can all be found nearby. They lie near the Pilgrims Way, an ancient trackway likely to have followed a natural causeway east to west along the North Downs.
It is not from the prehistoric, but from the modern era that Bluebell Hill is apparently haunted. In November 1965, a tragic car crash killed a young bride-to-be returning from her hen night. She was due to be married the following day. Since then there have been a number of sightings of a young woman in a wedding dress running into the middle of the road. Some drivers even claimed to have hit the spectre, or picked up a young lady, only to see her disappear from the back seat with no explanation.
You can visit many parts of this prehistoric landscape, but it is better to stay clear of the road on foot! Find out more: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kits-coty-house-and-little-kits-coty-house/
Red-eyed monk of Mote Park
During WWII a Canadian soldier is reported to have seen a red eyed phantom Monk making his way through the park, perhaps towards the historic Archbishops Palace?
Mote Park is a fantastic public park in Maidstone, with a boating lake, miniature railway and wonderfully landscaped gardens. The park and its properties passed through many royal and gentile hands, and was the location for a mass inspection of troops trained to defend against the potential threat of Napoleon in the 18th century. Between 1793 and 1800 the original house was demolished and replaced by a new mansion.
There are a number of hauntings in the park, a young girl in white is often seen darting through the trees in the darkness. There is no clear indication of who the girl may be, but the common recurrence of the sighting is interesting enough. During WWII a Canadian soldier is reported to have seen a red eyed phantom Monk making his way through the park, perhaps towards the historic Archbishops Palace?
If you wish to visit Mote Park, you can find out more here: https://www.moteparkfellowship.org.uk/mote-park
Black Dogs of Leeds Castle
Legend tells of two black ghostly dogs, one of which brings fortune, the other despair.
Leeds Castle is situated on islands in a lake formed by the River Len. There are traces of Iron Age activity in the area and there has been a castle on the site since the Saxon period. It is one of the best known castles in Kent and was renovated and occupied throughout the medieval period and beyond.
There have been a number of ghostly sightings here. Legend tells of two black ghostly dogs, one of which brings fortune, the other despair. The spectral mutts are believed to be associated with the treasonous necromancy and witchcraft of the Duchess of Gloucester, Eleanor Cobham, who was imprisoned in the castle.
For access and information, visit: https://leeds-castle.com/
Dictionary of the Kentish dialect
Compiled by Camilla Harley, 2008.
'0D RABBIT IT od rab-it it
interj. A profane expression, meaning, "May God subvert it." From French 'rabattre'.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 11
AAZES
n.pl. Hawthorn berries - S B Fletcher, 1940-50's; Boys from Snodland, L.R A.G. 1949. (see also Haazes, Harves, Haulms and Figs)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 1
ABED ubed
adv. In bed. "You have not been abed, then?" Othello Act 1 Sc 3 A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ABIDE ubie-d
vb. To bear; to endure; to tolerate; to put-up-with. Generally used in a negative sentence as: "I cannot abide swaggerers" 2 Henry 4, Act 2 Sc 4
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 1
ABITED ubei-tid
adj. Mildewed. (see also Bythe)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ACHING-TOOTH
n. To have an aching-tooth for anything, is to wish for it very much. "Muster Moppett's got a terr'ble aching-tooth for our old sow."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 1
ACKLE
vb. The only meaning attached to this word is that anything of a mechanical nature will, or will not, work. "My old watch won't ackle no-how!" "I got my cycle to ackle all right after giving the free-wheel a good oiling."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 1
ACT-ABOUT
vb. (1) To play the fool. "He got acting-about, and fell down and broke his leg."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 1 |
ACT-ABOUT vb. (2) "Stop acting-about; stop skylarking." - West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 1 |
ACT-THE-GIDDY-GOAT phr. To act foolishly. West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 1 |
ADDLE-HEADED adj. Stupid; thoughtless. - West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 2 |
ADDLE-PATE n. A foolish person. - West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 2 |
ADDLE-PLOT n. A person who spoils any amusement. - South Kent Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 2 |
ADDLE-POOL n. A pool or puddle, near a dungheap, for receiving the fluid from it. - | South Kent. | |
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 2 |
ADLE ad-l |
adj. Unwell; confused. "My head's that adle, that I can't tend to nothin'." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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A-DOIN'
vb. Doing is here prefixed by "A", and the "G" of doing cut out. "What be ye a-doin' of Bob?"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 1
ADRY udrei-
adj. In a dry or thirsty condition.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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AFEARED ufee-rd
prep.Affected with fear or terror. "Will not the ladies be afeared of the lion?" A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 3 Sc1
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
AFORE ufoa'r
prep Before
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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AFTERMATH
n. The grass which grows after the first crop has been mown for hay; called also Roughings. - Maidstone district. J.H.Bridge. (see also Aftermath, Fog)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 2
AFTERMEATH aaft-urmee-th
n. The grass which grows after the first crop has been mown for hay; called also Roughings. (see also Aftermath, Fog)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
AGAINST
adv. By the time that. "Get it ready against I come back." - R Cooke Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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AGHTEND
n. Eighth. 'The Old Kentish numerals, as exhibited in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are identical with the Northen forms, but are no doubt of Frisian origin.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 21
AGIN urgin-
prep.Against; over-against; near. "He lives down de lane agin de stile." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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AGREEABLE urgree-ubl
adj. Consenting; acquiescent. "They axed me what I thought an't, and I said as how I was agreeeable."'
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
AIREY
adj. A word denoting a particular type of weather; the meaning is:- windy, or blustery; cold and gusty wind. "It be a roight airey day today mairt!" "The way the old sun be a-goin' down looks loike being airey weather for tomorrow."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 1
AIRY
n. The Area of a house. - Mrs Allen, c 1920. "One two three, olairy, My ball's down the airy. Don't forget to give it to Mary. Not to Charlie Chaplin." Ball game in West Kent and South East London in 1920's - London Street Games, Norman Douglas.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 2
AKERS ai-kurz
n.pl Acorns
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ALEING ai-ling
n. An old-fashioned entertainment, given with a view to collecting subscriptions from guests invited to partake of a brewing of ale.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
ALE-SOP ai-lsop
n. A refection consisting of toast and strong ale, hot; customarily partaken of by the servants in many large establishments in Kent on Christmas day.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
ALL-A-MOST au-lumoast adv. Almost.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ALLEMASH-DAY al-imash
n. French, À la mèche. The day on which the Canterbury silk-weavers begin to work by candle-light.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
ALL-FOURS
n. A well-known game at cards; said by Cotton in 'Compleat Gamester' 1709, p 81 to be "very much played in Kent". - L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 2
ALL-ON
adv. (1) Continually. "He kep all on actin'-about, and wouldn't tend to nothin'." (see also All- on (2)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
ALL-ON
adv. (2) Continually. "He kep all on actin'-about, and wouldn't tend to nothin'." - L.R.A.G. (see also All-on (1)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 2 |
ALLOW vb. To consider. "He's allowed to be the biggest rogue in Faversham." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 2 |
ALLOWANCE
n. An allowance; bread and cheese and ale given to the wagoners when they have brought home the load, hence any recompense for little jobs of work.- R.Cooke. (see also 'lowance)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 2
ALLWORKS
n. The name given to a labourer on a farm, who stands ready to do any and every kind of work to which he may be set.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 2
ALONGST ulongst- prep.On the long side of anything.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ALUS ai-lus
n. An ale-house. "And when a goodish bit we'd bin We turned to de right han; And den we turned about agin, And see an alus stan." - Dick and Sal, st 33
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 3 |
AM Used for are; as - "They'm gone to bed." (see also Them) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 3 |
AM YE vb. Are you. "What am ye a-doin' of a-chasing them there chickens about?" The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 1 |
AMENDMENT u'men-munt n. Manure laid on land. (see also Mendment) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 3 |
AMMUT-CAST am-ut kaa-st n. An emmet's cast; an ant-hill. (see also Emmet's cast) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 3 |
AMON ai-mun n. A hop, two steps, and a jump. (see also Half-amon) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 3 |
AMONST THE MIDDLINS
adv. phr. In pretty good health. "Well, Master Tumber, how be you gettin' on now?" "Oh, I be amongst the middlins!"
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 3
AMPER amp-ur
n. A tumour or swelling; a blemish
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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AMPERY amp-uri
adj. Weak; unhealthy; beginning to decay, especially applied to cheese. (see also Hampery.)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 3
AN
prep (1) Frequently used for of. "What do you think an't?" "Well, I thinks I wunt have no more an't."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 3
AN
prep. (2) On. "Put your hat an." "An" was the genuine West-Saxon or Southern form of "on", (it is also the Old Saxon form). They joined it to nouns and adjectives, as we now do, but like our article 'an', it became 'a' when used before a word commencing with a consonant. Thus they said "an eve", "an urth", "an east", for "in the evening, on the earth, in the east"; but "afoot, afire, aright". It was employed more frequently than at present, and nothing is more common than "a summer", "a winter"," a land", "a water", "a first" , "a last" for in winter etc.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 9
ANDIRONS and-eirnz
n.pl. The dogs, brand-irons, or cob-irons placed on either side of an open wood fire to keep the brands in the places. Called end-irons in the marginal reading of Ezek.Ch 40 v 43 (see also Brand-irons, Cob-irons, Firedogs)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 3
ANENTS unents-
prep. Against; opposite; over-against.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ANEWST unents-
adv Over-against; near.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ANNIT
Corruption of "Is it not" or "Isn't it", into the slang term "Aint it", and moulded into the Wealden brogue as "Annit". "Look at that rainbow, mairt. Annit a wonderful soight!" Another corrupt form is Ennet, though this word is not used as commonly as Annit. These words should not be confused with Ammet and Emmet, well-known Wealden dialect words meaning the insect Ant.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 2
ANOINTED unoi-ntid
adj. Mischievous; troublesome. "He's a proper anointed young rascal," occasionally enlarged to: "The devil's own anointed young rascal."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 3
ANOTHER-WHEN
adv. Another time.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ANTHONY-PIG ant-uni pig
n. The smallest pig of the litter, supposed to be the favourite, or at any rate the one which requires most care, and peculiarly under the protection of St. Anthony. (see also Dannel, Dan'l, Runt)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 4
ANVIL-CLOUDS
n.pl. White clouds shaped somewhat like a blacksmith's anvil, said to denote rain.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 4
APS | aps- | |
n. (1) An asp or aspen tree (see also Eps) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 4 |
APS aps- n. (2) A viper. "The pison of apses is under their lips." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 4 |
AQUABOB ai-kwa'bob n. An icicle (See also Cobble, Cock-bell, Cog-bell, Icily) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 4 |
ARBER aa-ber
n. Elbow.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ARBITRY aa-bitri
adj. Hard; greedy; grasping; short for arbitrary.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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AREAR u'ree-r
adj. Reared-up; upright
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ARKIES
n.pl Ears. One ear is an Arkie. "Aint young Jesse got big arkies." "You want to open your arkies a bit more then you'd hear what I'm a'saying of to ye!" "I've got a painful cold in my left arkie." (see also Weekers)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 2
ARRANT
n. An errand. "To get an arrant" - to go on an errand, i.e. for groceries, etc. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1920's.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 4
ARRIVANCE urei-vuns
n. Origin; birthplace. "He lives in Faversham town now, but he's a low hill (below-hill) man by arrivance." (see also Rivance)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 4
ARTER aa-tur
prep. After. "Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling arter."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 4
AS
Is often used redundantly. "I can only say as this - I done the best I could." "I reckon you'll find it's as how it is."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 4
ASHEN-KEYS ash-nkee-z
n.pl. The clustering seeds of the ash tree; so called, from their resemblance to a bunch of keys.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 4
ASIDE usei-d
prep. By the side of. "I stood aside him all the time."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ASPRAWL usprau-l
adj. Gone wrong. "The pig-trade's all asprawl now."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ASTRE aast-ur
n. A hearth. Lambarde - Perambulation of Kent, Ed. 1596, p 562, states, that in his time this word was nearly obsolete in Kent, through still retained in Shropshire and other parts.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) AUGUST-BUG au-gust-bug- n A beetle somewhat smaller than the May-bug or July bug A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page Page | 5 5 |
AV prep. Of. "I ha'ant heerd fill nor fall av him." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 5 |
AWHILE u'wei-l adv. For a while. "He wunt be back yet awhile, I lay." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 5 |
AWLIN au-ln, au-n n. A French measure of length, equaling 5ft. 7ins, used in measuring nets A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 5 |
AX n. (1) The Axel-tree (see also Yax) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 5 |
AX
vb. (2) To ask. This is a transposition - aks for ask, as waps for wasp, haps for hasp, etc. "I axed him if this was the way to Borden." "Where of the seyde acomptantis ax alowance as hereafter foloyth." - Accounts of the Churchwardens of St Dunstan's, Canterbury.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 5
BACCA
n. Tobacco; foreshortened word, with the O corrupted to A. "Gies (give us) a nip o' bacca, George. I'm fair run right out moiself." (see also Barker)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 5
BACKENING bak-uning
n. A throwing back; a relapse; a hindrance
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BACKER bak-ur
n. A porter; a carrier; an unloader. A word in common use at the docks. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BACK-OUT bak-out
n. A backyard.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BACKPART bak-paart
n. The back, where part is really redundant. "I shall be glad to see the backpart of you," i.e. to get you gone. " I will take away Mine hand and thou shalt see My backparts; but My face shall not be seen." - Ex.odus Ch 33 v 23
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 5
BACKSIDE bak-seid
n. A yard at the back of a house. 1590 - 1592 - "It'm allowed to ffrencham for mendinge of a gutter, and pavement in his backside . . .. 19d." - Sandwich Book of Orphans. 1611 - "And he led the flock to the backside of the desert" - Exodus Ch 3 v 1 (see also Backway)
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BACKSTAY bak-stai
n. (1) The flat piece of wood put on the feet in the manner of a snow-shoe, and used by the inhabitants of Romney Marsh to cross the shingle at Dungeness. (see also Backsters)
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BACKSTAY bak-stai
n. (2) A stake driven in to support a raddle-fence. (see also Backsters) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BACKSTERS bak-sturz
n. The flat piece of wood put on the feet in the manner of a snow-shoe, and used by the inhabitants of Romney Marsh to cross the shingle at Dungeness. A stake driven in to support a raddle-fence. (see also Backstay 1, Backstay 2)
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BACKWAY bak-wai
n. The yard or space at the back of a cottage (see also Backside) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BAG
vb. To cut with a bagging-hook. 1677 - The working-man taking a hook in each hand, cut (the pease) with his right hand, and rolls them up with that in his left, which they call bagging the pease. - Plot, Oxfordshire 256
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BAGGING-HOOK bag-ing-houk
n. A curved cutting implement, very like a sickle, or reaping hook, but with a square, instead of a pointed end. It is used for cutting hedges, etc. The handle is not in the same plane as the hook itself, but parallel to it, thus enabling those who use it to keep their hands clear of the hedge. (see also Brishing-hook)
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BAIL bail
n. The handle of a pail, bucket, or kettle. A cake-bail is the tin or pan in which a cake is baked. (see also Baile)
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BAILE
n. "Item Nine milke truggs, one cheese baile and fallower and one milke payle ... 8s 6d" Will of John Bateman of Greenway Court, Hollingbourne, 1681 (KAO Pre 27/29/86). (see also Bail)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 6
BAILY bai-li
n. (1) A court within a fortress. The level green place before the court at Chilham Castle, i.e. between the little court and the street, is still so called. They have something of this sort at Folkestone, and they call it the bale (bail). The Old Bailey in London, and the New Bailey in Manchester, must have been originally something of the same kind, places fenced in. Old French, baille, a barrier
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BAILY bai-li
n. (2) Bailiff is always pronounced thus. At a farm, in what is called "a six-horse place," the first four horses are under the charge of the wagoner and his mate, and the other two, of an under-baily.
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BAILY-BOY bai-liboi
n. A bailiff-boy, or boy employed by the farmer to go daily over the ground, and see that everything is in order, and to do every work necessary. - Pegge.
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BAIN'T bai-nt
phr. For are not, or be, not. "Surely you bain't agoin' yit-awhile?" A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BAIST baai-st
n. The framework of a bed with webbing. - Weald. (see also Beist, Boist, Byst)
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BAIT bai-t
n. A luncheon taken by workmen in the fields (see also Tommy) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BALD
adj Bold The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
BALD-PATES bau-ld-pai-ts
n.pl. Roman coins of the lesser and larger silver were so called in Thanet, by the country people, in Lewis's time. (see also Borrow--pence, Dwarfs- money, Hegs pence)
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BALK bau-k
n. (2) A cut tree.
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BALK bau-k
n. (1) A raised pathway; a path on a bank; a pathway serving as a boundary. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BALL SQUAB bau-lskwob
n. A young bird just hatched.
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BALLET bal-et
n. A ballard; a pamphlet; so called because ballards are usually published in pamphlet form. "Use no tavernys where the jestis and fablis; Syngyng of lewde ballette, rondelette, or virolais." - MS. Laud, 416, 104. Written by a rustic of Kent, 1460. "De books an ballets flew about, Like thatch from off the barn." - Dick and Sal, st.77'
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BALLOW bal-oa
n. A stick; a walking stick; a cudgel. "Keep out che vor'ye, or ise try whether your Costard or my Ballow be the harder." - King Lear, Act 4 Sc 6 (first folio ed)
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BANNA ban'u
phr. For be not. "Banna ye going hopping this year?" (see also Banner) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BANNER ban-r
phr. For be not. "Banna ye going hopping this year?" (see also Banna) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BANNICK
vb. To cuff, clout, or hit any person or animal. "Old Ed. 'e didn't arf give that old young 'un of Muss Week's a bannick on the ear for sarsin' him." "The eggler gave his old hoss a bannick across the knees with a faggot bat 'cause it tried to bite 'un." (see also Bannock)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 5
BANNICKING
n. A good hiding. "By Gar! Old Cuttie didn't half give his boy a bannicking for smashing his bungalow window with that football."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 5
BANNOCK ban-uk
vb. To thrash; beat; chastise. (see also Bannick)
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BANNOCKING ban-uking
n. A thrashing; beating. "He's a tiresome young dog; but if he don't mind you, jest you give him a good bannocking."
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BANYAN-DAY ban-yun-dai
n. A sea term for those days on which no meat is served out to sailors. "Saddaday is a banyan-day." "What do'ye mean?" "Oh! a day on which we eat up all the odds and ends."
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BARBEL baa-bl
n. A sort of petticoat worn by fishermen at Folkestone. (see also Barvel) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BARGAIN PENCE baa-gin pens
n. Earnest money; money given on striking a bargain. .
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BAR-GOOSE baa-goos
n. The common species of sheldrake. - Sittingbourne.
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BARKER
n. Foreshortened and totally corrupted form of Tobacco, as spoken by gipsies, pikeys and countryfied petty dealer types. "Dear beloved, kind sir, if you've a morsel o' barker in your pouch it would be much 'preciated, and may yer kind face never know sorrow, brother!" (see also Bacca)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 5
BARM baa-m
n. Brewers yeast. (see also God's good, Siesin, Sizzing)
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BARREL DRAIN barr'-l dreun
n. A round culvert; a sewer; a drain.
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BARTH baa-th
n. A shelter for cattle; a warm place or pasture for calves or lambs. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BARVEL baa-vul
n. A short leathern apron used by washerwomen; a slabbering-bib. (see also Barbel)
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BAR-WAY baa-wai
n. A gate constructed of bars or rails, so made as to be taken out of the posts. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BASH bash-
vb. To dash; smash; beat in. "His hat was bashed in."
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BASTARD bast-urd
n. A gelding.
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BASTARD-RIG bast-urdrig-
n. The smooth hound-fish, mustelus laevis. - Folkestone.
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BAT
n. (4) A heavy piece of wood, generally 2" in diameter, several of which are usually incorporated in a a well-made and honest sized wood faggot. The term is also used for any piece of wood of about 4 to 5 feet in length and not too wide iin diameter to hold in the hand and able to be wielded about.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 4
BAT
n. (5) A use-pole, a brickbat, also in the compound, a three-quarter bat - R Cooke. (see also Use-pole)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 8
BAT bat
n. (1) French, Bâton. A piece of timber rather long than broad; a staff; a stick; a walking stick. The old Parish book of Wye - 34, Hen 8. - speaks of "a tymber-bat." Boteler MS. Account Books cir. 1664 - "pd. John Sillwood, for fetching a batt from Canterb(ury) for a midle piece for my mill, 10s.0d." Shakespeare, in the Lover's Complaint, has, "So slides he down upon his grained bat," i.e. his rough staff. Some prisoners were tried in 1885, for breaking out of Walmer Barracks; when the constable said, "One of the prisoners struck at me with a bat;" which he afterwards defined as being, in this case, "the tarred butt-end of a hop- pole."
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BAT bat
n. (2) The long handle of a scythe.
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BAT bat
n. (3) A large rough kind of rubber used for sharpening scythes. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BAULLY bau-li
n. A boat (see also Bawley)
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BAVEN bav-in
n. A little fagot; a fagot of brushwood bound with only one wiff, whilst a fagot is bound with two. "The skipping king, he ambled up and down With shallow jesters, and rash bavin wits Soon kindled and soon burned" - Henry 4, Act 3 Sc 1. And "It yearly cost five hundred pounds besides, To fence the town from Hull and Humber' s tides; For stakes, for bavins, timbers. stones, and piles." - Taylor's Merry Wherry Voyage. (see also Bavin, Bobbin, Kiln- brush, Pimp, Wiff)
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BAVIN bav-in
n. A little fagot; a fagot of brushwood bound with only one wiff, whilst a fagot is bound with two. "The skipping king, he ambled up and down With shallow jesters, and rash bavin wits Soon kindled and soon burned" - Henry 4, Act 3 Sc 1. And "It yearly cost five hundred pounds besides, To fence the town from Hull and Humber' s tides; For stakes, for bavins, timbers. stones, and piles." - Taylor's Merry Wherry Voyage. (see also Baven, Bobbin, Kiln- brush, Pimp, Wiff)
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BAVIN-TUG
n. A bobbin-tug. - J.H.Bridge to L.R.A.G. 1950's. (see also Bobbin-tug) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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BAWLEY bau-li
n. A small fishing smack used on the coasts of Kent and Essex, about the mouth of the Thames and Medway. Bawleys are generally about 40ft in length, 13ft beam, 5ft draught, and 15 or 20 tons measurement; they differ in rig from a cutter, in having no boom to the mainsail, which is consequently easily brailed-up when working the trawl nets. They are half-decked with a wet well to keep fish alive. "Hawley, Bawley - Hawley, Bawley, What have you got in your trawley?" is a taunting rhyme to use to a bawley-man, and has the same effect upon him as a red-flag upon a bull - or the poem of "the puppy pie" upon a bargeman. (see also Baully)
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BAY-BOARDS bai-bordz
n.pl. The large folding doors of a barn do not reach to the ground, and the intervening space is closed by four or five moveable boards which fit in a groove - these are called bay-boards.
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BAYER
n,vb,& adj This words means BARE and also BEAR. In fact it covers all instances regarding these two words and is what I personally call a dialect collective-word. "Bayer (bear) with me Mary in moi sad loss!" "The autumn gales have blowed the trees bayer (bare)." "Scandlous it wor! Stud theer a- front o' the bedroom windy (window) as bayer (bare) as brass, the shamless Jezebel." "Oi saw one o' them 'Merican bayers (bears) up the Zoo in Lunnon town one time, mairt!." "Don't 'ee bayer (bare) down on that hosses head; let 'im walk free." (see also Burr)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 5
BE be
vb. For are, am, etc. "Where be you?" i.e., "Where are you?." "I be comin'," i.e. "I am coming." This use of the word is not uncommon in older English; thus in 1st Collect in the Communion Office we have - "Almighty God unto Whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hid;" and in St Luke Ch 20 v 25 "Render, therefore, unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's."
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BEAM
n. Beam Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Byeam)
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BEANFEAST
n. To have a beanfeast; to have a celebration. The workers in Woolwich Arsenal have an annual Beanfeast. - L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 10
BEAN-HOOK bee-nhuok
n. A small hook with a short handle, for cutting beans.
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BEARBIND bai-rbeind
n. Bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis (see also Bearbine)
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BEARBINE bai-rbein
n. Bindweed. Convolvulus arvensis. (see also Bearbind)
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BEARERS bai-rr'urz
n.pl. The persons who bear or carry a corpse to the grave. In Kent, the bier is sometimes called a bearer.
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BEASTS bee-sts
n.pl. The first two or three meals of milk after a cow has calved. (see also Biskins, Bismilk, Poad milk)
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BEAVER
n. A word around which a certain amount of controversy has revolved. It has been pointed out that Beaver or Beevor, is a corruption from the French "Bouvoir", to drink. Actually Beaver, or Beevor, means breakfast. It is used hardly ever in the Weald, Mid-Kent, East Kent or within the three-mile almost pure dialect radius of the Kent town of Ashford. But it is used quite commonly in North-East Kent, and particularly in the Medway Towns of Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham. Almost all dockyardmen in the Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham refer to their breakfast meal, partaken from 8.40a.m. to 9 am, as Beaver or Beevor. It may have originated in the Dockyards at Chatham, being used by French (Napoleonic) prisoners-of- war confined to the old prison hulks then moored near the dockyard and Upnor Castle. From the Medway Towns, over the last century it no doubt found its way deeper into Kent, penetrating to the Weald and beyond. On most old-established farms in Kent, the workmen, if living near home could have a "break" (an interruption) for their morning meal or breakfast, or if working on some distant part of the farmlands could partake of their Beaver or Beevor, in any sheltered spot they could find. The words Beaver and Beevor, seem to mean a rough, cold meal taken out in the open (the fields or woods or the roadsides) at breakfast time: when taken at home or in the farmhouse itself, then it was called breakfast, whether it was a cold meal or a warm one. "When we've ploughed another furrow Garge we'll knock off for our beaver." "It's too cold for beaver under the hedge: let's nip down to the old cart-lodge and have her in there out o' the wind a bit." (see also Beevor, Breckie)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 8
BECAUSE WHY bikau-z whei
interog. adv. Why? wherefore? A very common controversy amongst boys:- "No it ain't" - "Cos why?" "Cos it ain't."
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BECKETT bek-it
n. A tough bit of cord by which the hook is fastened to the snood in fishing for conger-eels.
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BEDEN
n.pl. Petitions. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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BEDSTEDDLE bed-stedl
n. The wooden framework of a bed, which supports the actual bed itself. "Item in the best chamber, called the great chamber, One fayer standing bedsteddle, one feather-bedd, one blanckett, one covertleed." - Boteler Inventories in Memorials of Eastry, p 224, et seq. (see also Steddle)
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BEE-LIQUOR bee-likur
n. Mead, made from the washings of the combs.
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BEETLE bee-tl
n. A wooden mallet, used for splitting wood (in conjunction with iron wedges), and for other purposes. Each side of the beetle's head is encircled with a stout band or ring of iron, to prevent the wood from splitting. The phrase - "as death (deaf) as a beetle," refers to this mallet, and is equivalent to the esxression - "as deaf as a post."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 11
BEEVOR
n. Breakfast taken outdoors. (see also Beaver) The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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BEFORE AFTER bifoa-r'aaft-r adv. Until; after.
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BEHOLDEN bihoa-ldun
vb. Indebted to; under obligation to. "I wunt be beholden to a Deal-clipper; leastways, not if I knows it."
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BEIST
n. A temporary bed made up on two chairs for a child. - Sittingbourne. (see also Baist, Boist, Byst)
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BELATED bilai-tid
n. To be after time, especially at night, e.g., "I must be off, or I shall get belated."
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BELE
vb. Boil. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Bele (K) = Bile (N) = Boil
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
BELEFT bileft-
n. For believed. "I couldn't have beleft it."
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BELLEN
n.pl Bells. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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BELOW LONDON
phr. An expression almost as common as "The Sheeres," meaning simply, "not in Kent."
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BEND
Band. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water.
The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
BENDER AND ARRS bend-ur-un-aarz n.pl. Bow and arrows.
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BENEN
n.pl Prayers. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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BENERTH ben-urth
n. The service which a tenant owed the landlord by plough and cart. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BERBINE bur-been
n. The verbena.
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BERK
n. Bark. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
BERTH burth-
vb. To lay down floor boards. The word occurs in the old Parish Book of Wye - 31 and 35, Henry 8.
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BESOM
n (1) A besom, or besom-broom, is a small sweeping instrument composed of fine nut brushwood ends of a whippy character, tightened together and held in place by twisted thongs of the same material around a light bat or pole. This besom is used in lieu of a bristle broom by many cottagers in tidying up the outsides of their homes, and footpaths: it is used greatly by gardeners, especially in autumn when falling leaves are prolific upon the domains over which they have control. Another type of besom-broom, often found outside the back-doors of cottagers up to some twenty years ago was for wiping the mud off boots and shoes in bad weather instead of wiping the mud on to a mat, or to stomp it indoors when a cottager could not afford the luxury of a door mat. The larger besom was generally of the same construction as the smaller edition, and of the same basic materials (always of nut wood, be it minded!) and banded and held into position, not by nut wood thongs, but by light iron bands of an inch in width and lightly riveted. These bands were made beforehand and the broom was always a bit wider than the bands, so that when the bands where driven home over the brushwood they settled down and tightened up the whole into position around a strong bat of wood some two inches in diameter. The bands, usually three in number, graded the width of the broom, from the rather full and whippy bottom, to the less wide middle part up to the much narrower and very hardly held top section. The pole itself usually protruded a foot above the broom, and some fifteeen or eighteen inches below it. The upper part of the bat or pole was to hold onto to facilitate the brushing off of the footwear and the lower portion of the bat, pole or stake, which was sharp pointed, and driven well into the earth kept the large besom-broom in an upright position. "Give me the small besom so's I can swip up the leaves off the path." "Now you go outside at once you naughty, dirty boy and wipe them muddy boots of yours on the besom."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 6
BESOM
n. (2) A naughty child "My young Katie be a rare little besom, a'rollicking and a'rellocking over everything." "Did you ever see such a young besom? He's gone and pulled up all o' his fayther's (father's) spring onions." "They're such little besoms around the house, that I shall be mighty glad when the school-holidays are over."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 8
BESOM
n. (3) A maiden of peculiar temperament, or questionable character. "She's a bit of a besom, be young Sarah; always a'playing around with the boys, and she be only fourteen." "That young woman down the lane never does any work, but she can afford more fags than a hard- working man: and look at the fashions she wears! always donged up in the height of it! I say she's no cop. Between you and me Missis, she's a lazy, crafty, no-good besom of a woman."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 8 |
BEST vb. To best or get the better of. "I shall best ye." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 11 |
BESTID bistid-
adj. Destitute; forlorn; in evil case.
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BESTLE
vb. Bustle. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Bestle (K) = Bustle (S)
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BESY
adj. Busy. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Besy (K) = Busy (S)
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BET
vb. To beat. "Martha! Yur bet up them eggsies at once, so's we kin get on with the big cake." "Young Jim thought he could fight summat (something) good, but that there Harry Pile bet (beat) him easy as shelling pea-hucks." "Aye! and we bet Bonypart; an' we bet old Kaiser Bill an' we bet old Hatler (Hitler) an we kin bet them Russhies, too, surelye!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 10
BETTER-MOST
adj. Best or Superior. "That be a foine sow you have there master. It must be the better-most pig around these parts." "Your frock aint as nice as mine, young Mary: mine be the better- most one." "I be the better-most fighter in our school, and I can bet (beat) any an (of) ye yurr (here)!" (see also Bettermy)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 9
BETTERMY bet-urmi
adj. Superior; used for "bettermost." "They be rather bettermy sort of folk." (see also Better- most)
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BEVER bee-vur
n. A slight meal, not necessarily accompanied by drink, taken between breakfast and dinner, or between dinner and tea. (see also Elevenses, Leavener, Progger, Scran)
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BEVET
n. A bevet of bees. Testamenta Cantiana, East Kent section, p 84 Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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BIB bib
n. Name among Folkestone fishermen for the pouter.
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BIBBER bib-ur
vb. To tremble. "I saw his under lip bibber."
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BIDE bei-d
vb. To stay. "Just you let that bide," i.e. let it be as it is, and don't meddle with it.
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BIER-BALKS bee-r-bauks
n.pl Church ways or paths, along which a bier and coffin may be carried. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BIGAROO big-ur'oo
n. The whiteheart cherry.
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BILBOW
n. A framework for holding cows during milking. Bilboa, see Shakespeare. - R Cooke.
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BILLET bil-it
n. A spread bat or swingle bar, to which horses' traces are fastened. (see also Gig, Spread- bat)
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BIN
n. Hop bin, for collecting picked hops in West Kent. - L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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BINDER bei-ndur
n. A long stick used for hedging; a long, piable stick of any kind; thus, walnuts are thrashed with a binder. Also applied to the sticks used in binding on the thatch of houses ot stacks. "They shouted fire, and when Master Wood poked his head out of the top room window, they hit him as hard as they could with long binders, and then jumped the dyke, and hid in the barn."
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BING-ALE bing-ail
n. Ale given at a tithe feast.
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BIRDES NESTES bir-diz nes-tiz
n.pl. Birds' nests. This old-world phrase was constantly used some years back by some of the ancients of Eastry, who have now adopted the more modern pronounciation.
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BISHOP'S-FINGER
n. A guide post; so called, according to Pegge, because it shows the right way, but does not go therein. (see also Pointing-post)
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BISKINS bisk-inz
n.pl. In East Kent, they so call the two or three first meals of milk after the cow has calved. (see also Beasts, Bismilk, Poad Milk)
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BISMILK bis-milk
n. In East Kent, they so call the two or three first meals of milk after the cow has calved. (see also Beasts, Biskins, Poad Milk)
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BLACKBRINDS
n.pl.Oak trees, less than 6 inches in diameter, or 24 inches in circumference allowing for bark. Over these sizes the oaks are called oak timber. Blackbrinds are used greatly for fencing work, etc., and particularly for the making of good stout posts. (see also Black-rind)
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BLACKIE blak-I
n. A black-bird - Sittingbourne
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BLACK-RIND blak-reind
n. A small oak that does not develop to any size. "Them blackrinds won't saw into timber, but they''ll do for postes." (see also Blackbrinds)
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BLACK-TAN blak-tan
n. Good for nothing. "Dat dare pikey is a regler black-tan." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BLAR blaar
vb. To bellow; to bleat; to low. "The old cow keeps all-on blaring after her calf." (see also Blare)
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BLARE blair
vb. To bellow; to bleat; to low. "The old cow keeps all-on blaring after her calf." (see also Blar)
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BLAW
vb. Blow. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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BLEAT bleet
adj. (1) Bleak
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BLEAT
adj. (2) Corruption of bleak, cold, cheerless. "She adn't got a fire in her kitchen and it was quite bleat in there." "It's a bleat-looking day, sir. Cold and huvvery (shivery), and all likelihood o' rain 'fore the artnoon's out." - Wealden.
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BLEAT-WIND
n. Corruption of Bleak Wind. A very cold, penetrating wind. A north-east or easterly wind. "That wind from the aist (east) blows right through ye a-coming across the old Ley. Real bleat it be!" "Come inside out o' that bleat wind Jess, and have a mug o' tea to warm ye up a bit: you kin finish a-chopping up they faggots arterwards." "Even with this thick old coat o' mine I'm a-wearing today, I can't keep out that there bleat-wind. Cuts right through a body and chills yer innards right sick" - Wealden.
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BLEDDER
n. Bladder. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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BLEND
adj. Blind. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Blend (K) = Blind (N)
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BLEST
n. Blast. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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BLETHER
vb. To talk a lot of nonsence. The trouble with this word is that it is recognised English and an English Dictionary word. But people in the Weald of Kent strenuously deny that Blether is any other than of Kentish dialect origin. Blethering is often heard in the Weald of Kent and, of course, has connections with "to blether". Yet again, argument mars its lead, this time over Blethering, for Blethering is most definitely a piece of Irish dialect, confined to Co. Galway.
In the ordinary way of talking, the word Blether has been corrupted to Blithering, and quite possibly the corruption Blithering has been altered, though still corrupt, by Kentish brogue to these words, Blether and Blethering. "Hark to him blether, the ow'd fool. Blethering all the time he be 'bout summat or t'other." "Shet (shut) your blethering you numb-skull. They made a monkey out of ye instead of a schollard (scholar) 'Plushy' Skinner!" "Blether, blether, blether all the time! It's a wonder where you get all that nonsense from to talk about. Even parson don't carry on quite as bad as 'e." Special Note:- Since starting this second volume, I was able, while on a visit to Egerton and Mundy Bois, near Ashford to pin-point the true Kentish meaning of Blether. After this quite recent research into this puzzling word I am now definitely of the opinion that, in its particular way it is of Kentish Weald dialect origin but only because of altered meaning of the English word Blether, caused possibly by the mis- conception of some person or persons, in the distant past, once the correctness of Blether (To talk a lot of nonsense). In Kentish Wealden dialect it means to talk a lot, to "carry on", in a more or less angry manner. To be argumentative. To annoy a person with over-much talking.
To make a lot of talk, of a seemingly unending nature, over some trifle of common knowledge, Uninteresting speech "Our old school gaffer (school master) will blether along for hours over nothing. Whoi only yes'dy he blethered all the first lesson on about smoking making you not grow up tall. Whoi my fayther tolt me that 'im and his brother Bill started chewing bacca when they was ten years old at school. Moi fayther and me Uncle Bill both nigh on six fut oigh (high), so I reckon our school gaffer be nothin' but a blethering old idjit, surelye!" "When you start to blether like that, kip yer temper. No need to lose yourself over what you don't rightly know the rights of." "Don't keep on blethering an it. I'm right and oi knows oi am. Your one o' they blethering argifiers, wot wont admit unself in the wrong." "When her ladyship opened up our Garden Fete I thot she would never stop her blether. All about our noble, hard-working modern farming generation etcetera! Parson 'e say 'Most interesting. So educative to the rural mind.' "In'tresting!' oi says to parson. "Heddicative!
Whoi in moi young days, 70 year agon, when oi wuz ten and left skule at eight yearn (years) it wuz FARMIN'! And hemmed (damned) hard work from 4 o'clock in the marnin' till 8 o'clock at noight, yayer (year) in, yayer out. Oi wuz Carter's mate, and our owd farmer 'e did pay Carter 12/6 a week for the two an' us - oi got the half-crown! Work! Don't make oi doi (die) o' larfing parson-sir, and her leddyship up there yender (yonder) on that there nostrum ( he meant rostrum) when everyone knows the yenger (younger) generation just sits on their backsides on a tractor an' ploughs: an' cows be milked by 'lectricity: an' chickuns aint allowed to 'atch their own iggs: and cows have calves by incineration (he means insemination), harvesting, an' carrying, an' stocking an' thrashing (threshing) all be done boi a contraption of mechanicle-ness with a crew of ile (oil) smelly young-uns that ye cairn't tell t'other from which, kaze (because) the men they dresses more loike goils (girls) and them hiking hussies (flirting females) adongs (dresses) up like the man! Noble - 'ard-working - surelye parson-sir that be the most awfullester blether oi ever heard. Good arternoon!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 11
BLEWITS
n. Tricholoma undum. - so called in Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1925-35.
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BLIGH blei
adj. Lonely; dull
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BLISSEN
n.pl Blisses. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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BLIV
vb. Corruption of 'Believe'. Believe; believed "I bliv I haant caught sight of him dis three months." (see also Bluv)
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BLOOD blud
n. A term of pity and commiseration, In East Kent, the expression, poor blood, is commonly used by the elder people, just as the terms - "poor body," "poor old body," "poor soul," and "poor dear soul," are used elsewhere.
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BLOODINGS blud-ingz n.pl.Black puddings
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BLOOMAGE bloo-mij
n. Plumage of a bird.
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BLOUSE blouz
vb. (1) To sweat; perspire profusely. "I was in a bousing heat." is a very common expression. "An dare we strain'd an stared an bloused, And tried to get away; But more we strain'd, de more dey scroug'd And sung out, 'Give 'em play'." - Dick and Sal., st 71
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BLOUSE blouz
n. (2) A state of heat which brings high colour to the face; a red-faced wench. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BLOUSING blou-zing
adj. Sanguine and red; applied to the colour often caused by great exertion and heat, "a blousing colour.".
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BLUE BOTTLES bloo bot-lz
n. (1) The wild hyacinth. Scilla nutans.
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BLUE BOTTLES
n.pl (2) Blowflies. - J.H.Bridge.
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BLUE SLUTTERS bloo-slut-rz
n. A very large kind of jelly fish. - Folkestone. (see also Galls, Miller's-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sea starch, Sluthers, Slutters, Stingers, Water-galls)
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BLUNDER blund-ur
n. (1) A heavy noise, as of a falling or stumbling. "I knows dere's some rabbits in de bury, for I heerd de blunder o' one."
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BLUNDER blund-ur
vb. (2) To move awkwardly and noisily about; as, when a person moving in a confined space knocks some things over, and throws others down. "He was here just now blundering about."
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BLUSTROUS
adj. Blustering. "Howsomever, you'll find the wind pretty blustrous, I'm thinking."
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BLUV
vb. Corruption of ' Believe'. Believe; believed. " I bliv I haant caught sight of him dis three monts." (see also Bliv)
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BLY
n. (2) Look; feature. "This man has the bly of his brother" - He is like him at first sight . 'What is worth noticing is that the Kentish word is not the West Saxon or Southern form 'blee' or bleo (Anglo-Saxon bleo) , but the Old Frisian blie, bli.'
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BLY blei
n. (1) A resemblance; a general likeness. Anglo.Saxon bleo, hue. complexion. "Ah! I can see who he be; he has just the bly of his father." (see also Favour, which is now more commonly used in East Kent to describe a resemblance)
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BOAR -CAT boa-rkat
n. A Tom-cat.
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BOBBERY bob-uri
n. A squabble; a row; a fuss; a set out.
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BOBBIN bob-in
n. A bundle of firewood (smaller than a fagot, and larger than a pimp), whereof each stick should be about 18 inches long. Thus, there are three kinds of firewood - the fagot, the bobbin, and the pimp. (see also Baven, bavin, kiln-brush, pimp)
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BOBBIN-TUG bob-in-tug
n. A light frame-work of wheels, somewhat like a timber-wagon, used for carrying bobbins about for sale. It has an upright stick at each of the four corners, to keep the bobbins in their places. (see also Tug)
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BOBLIGHT bob-leit
n. Twilight.
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BO-BOY boa-boi
n. A scarecrow.
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BOCLE
n. Buckle. Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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BODAR boa-dur
n. An officer of the Cinque Ports whose duty it was to arrest debtors and convey them to be imprisoned in Dover Castle.
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BODGE
n. (4) Alley bodge, used between rows of hops. - L.R.A.G.
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BODGE boj
n. (1) A wooden basket, such as is used by gardeners; a scuttle-shaped box for holding coals, carrying ashes, etc The bodge now holds an indefinite quantity, but formerly it was used as a peck measure. 1519 - "Paied for settyng of 3 busshellis and 3 boggis of benys and a galon. . . 56d - MS. Accounts St John's Hospital, Canterbury (see also Trug, Trugg)
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BODGE boj
n. (3) An uncertain quantity, about a bushel or a bushel and a half. "Just carry this bodge of corn to the stable."
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BODGE
n. (2) A trug, or gardener's basket. Usually of wood and of a special construction and size. For other instances of Bodge see Volume on "Kentish (Wealden) Dialect" completed in 1935, the first of these works on the dialect of Kent. "Give me that there bodge young George so's I kin put enough o' these new 'taters in it for cook."
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BODILY-ILL bod-ili-il
adj.phr. A person ill with bronchitis, fever, shingles, would be bodily-ill; but of one who had hurt his hand, sprained his ankle, or broken his leg, they would say: "Oh, he's not, as you may say, bodily-ill."
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BOFFLE bof-l
vb. (1) To baffle; to bother; to tease; to confuse; to obstruct. "I should ha' been here afore now, only for de wind, that's what boffled me."
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BOFFLE bof-l
n. (2) A confusion; a blunder; a thing managed in a confused, blundering way. "If you both run the saäme side, ye be saäfe to have a a boffle." - Cricket Instruction.
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BOIST boist
n. A little extempore bed by a fireside for a sick person. Boist, originally meant a box with bedding in it, such as the Norwegian beds are now. (see also Baist, Beist, Byst)
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BOLDRUMPTIOUS boa-ldrumshus, bold-rumshus
adj. Presumptuous. "That there upstandin' boldrumptious blousing gal of yours came blarin' down to our house last night all about nothin'; I be purty tired of it."
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BOLTER
n. A young wild rabbit, until it attains the age of six months or thereabouts. The young of the tame or domestic rabbit are never referred to as such. "By gar! you should have seen the young bolters down by Park Wood in old Sir Henry Dering's time! Hundreds of 'em! Now look there today: if you can count a dozen young 'uns you'r mighty lucky, and it's the same with the pheasants; hardly nary (nearly) three brace in all thet wood.". "Young Charlie, my nibs, 'e do like running after they little bolters 'long the old Thorne Ruffets. Gits angry with his little old self de little old boy do when he finds he can't catch they no-how."
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BOND bond
n. The wiff or wisp of twisted straw or hay with which a sheaf of corn or truss of hay is bound. "Where's Tom? He's with feyther making bonds."
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BONELESS boa-nlus
n. A corruption of Boreas, the north wind. "In Kent when the wind blow violently they say, 'Boneless is at the door.' "
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BONK
vb. To hit on the head. Onometopoeic. (see also Bop (2)
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BOOBY-HUTCH boo-bi-huch
n. A clumsy, ill contrived, covered carriage or seat.
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BOOTSHOES
n.pl. Thick boots; half-boots. "Bootshoe high," is a common standard of measurement of grass. "Dere an't but terr'ble little grass only in de furder eend of de fill, but 'tis bootshoe high dere."
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BOP vb. (1) To throw anything down with a resounding noise. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
BOP
vb. (2) To hit on the head. "I'll bop you one." - Woolwich district. L.R.A.G. 1920's. (see also Bonk)
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BOROW bor-oa
n. A tithing; the number of ten families who were bound to the king for each other's good behaviour. "That which in the West country was at that time, and yet is, called a tithing, is in Kent termed a borow." - Lambarde, Perambulation of Kent, p 27.
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BORROW-PENCE
n.pl. An old name for ancient coins; probably coins found in the tumuli or barrows. (see also Bald -pates, Dwarfs- money, Hegs pence)
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BORSHOLDER boss-oaldur
n. A head-borough; a petty-constable; a constable's assistant. At Great Chart they had a curious custom of electing a dumb borsholder. This is still in existence, and is made of wood, about three feet and half an inch long; with an iron ring at the top, and four rings at the sides, by means of which it was held and propelled when used for breaking open the doors of houses supposed to contain stolen goods. (There is an engraving of it in Archaeologia Cantiana, vol 2 p 86.) (see also Bostler)
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BORSTAL bor-stul
n. "A pathway up a hill, generally a very steep one." (Perhaps from Anglo Saxon beorg a hill, stal a seat, dwelling.) Borstal Heath, acquired by the Metropolitan Board of Works for an open space in 1878, is situated in the extreme south-eastern suburb of London, and is one of the most beautiful spots on Kent, abounding in hills, ravines, glens, and woods. Snakes, owls, and hawks abound in its vicinity, and the Heath was formerly occupied by a pure race of gipsies. At Whitstable there is a steep hill called Bostal Hill. (see also Bostal)
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BOSCHE n. Bush Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 14 |
BOSS-EYED boss-eid adj. Squinting; purblind.
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BOSTAL bost-ul
n. "A pathway up a hill, generally a very steep one." (Perhaps from Anglo Saxon beorg a hill, stal a seat, dwelling.) Borstal Heath, acquired by the Metropolitan Board of Works for an open space in 1878, is situated in the extreme south-eastern suburb of London, and is one of the most beautiful spots on Kent, abounding in hills, ravines, glens, and woods. Snakes, owls, and hawks abound in its vicinity, and the Heath was formerly occupied by a pure race of gipsies. At Whitstable there is a steep hill called Bostal Hill. (see also Borstal)
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BOSTLER bost-ler
n. A borsholder or constable. "I reckon, when you move you'll want nine men and a bostler, shaän’t ye?" (se also Borsholder)
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BOULT boalt
vb. To cut pork in pieces, and so to pickle it.
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BOULTING TUB boa-lting tub
n. The tub in which the pork is pickled. 1600 - "Item in the Buntinghouss, one boultinge, with one kneadinge trofe, and one meal tub." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 228.
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BOUNDS
n. The phrase, no bounds, is probably the one of all others most frequently on the lips of Kentish labourers, to express uncertainty. "There ain't no bounds to him, he's here, there, and everywhere."
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BOUT bout
n. A period of time; a "go", or turn. In Sussex, it answers to a "day's work;" but in East Kent, it is more often applied to a period of hard work, or of sickness, e.g. "Poor chap, he's had a long bout of it."
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BOY-BEAT boi-beet
adj. Beaten by a person younger than oneself. "My father, he carried the sway at stack building for fifteen year; at last they begun to talk o' puttin' me up; 'Now I've done,' the ole chap says - 'I wunt be boy-beat;' and so he guv up, and never did no more an't."
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BOY-CHAP
n. A young man. "You are only a boy-chap." - Lynstead. Peter Lambert. 1963.
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BRACK brak
n. A crack; a rent; a tear,in clothes. 1602 - "Having a tongue as nimble as his needle, with servile patches of glavering flattery, to stitch up the bracks, etc." - Antonio and Mellida.
"You tiresome boy, you! when you put on dat coat dare wasn't a brak in it, an' now jest see de state ids in!"
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BRAKE-PLOUGH brai-k-plou
n. A plough for braking, or cleaning the ground between growing plants. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BRAKING brai-king
vb. Clearing the rows betwixt the rows of beans with a shim or brake-plough. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BRAND-IRONS brand-ei-rnz
n.pl.The fire-dogs or cob-irons which confine the brands on an open hearth. "In the great parlor. . . ..one payër of cob-irons, or brand-yrons." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 225. (see also Andirons, Cob-iron, Firedogs)
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BRANDY COW band-i kow
n. A cow that is brindled, brinded, or streaked.
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BRAUCH brauch
n. Rakings of straw. (see also Brawche)
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BRAVE braiv
adj. Large. "He just was a brave fox."
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BRAWCHE brauch n.pl.Rakings of straw. (see also Brauch)
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BREAD
n. Bread. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Bryead)
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BREAD-AND-BUTTER bren-but'ur
n. In Kent these three words are used as one substansive, and it is usual to prefix the indefinite article and to speak of a brenbutter. "I've only had two small brenbutters for my dinner."
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BRECKIE
n. The word Breakfast shortened and slightly corrupted. Usually used by parents, mostly mothers, to their young children. Used in a coaxing manner when trying to get the young kiddies and babies to drink and eat their first meal of the day. "Now children, hurry up with your breckie, and off to school the lot an ye!" "There's mother's little boy, den! Come now loike a good chappie and eat up your nice brekky." "I've eaten my fill o' breckie, grandma! Can oi get down now please?" (see also Brekky)
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BREDALE
adj. Bridal. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Bredale (K) = Bridal (N)
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BREDGROME
n. Bridegroom. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Bredgrome (K) = Bridegroom (N)
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BREKKY
n. The word Breakfast shortened and slightly corrupted. Usually used by parents, mostly mothers, to their young children. Used in a coaxing manner when trying to get the young kiddies and babies to drink and eat their first meal of the day. "Now children, hurry up with your breckie, and off to school the lot an ye!" "There's mother's little boy, den! Come now loike a good chappie and eat up your nice brekky." "I've eaten my fill o' breckie, grandma! Can oi get down now please?" (see also Breckie)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 14
BREN
n. Bran. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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BRENG
vb. Bring. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Breng (K) = Bring (N)
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BRENT brent
adj. Steep. In a perambulation of the outbounds of the town of Faversham, made in 1611, "the Brent" and "the Brent gate" are mentioned. The Middle-English word Brent most commonly meant "burnt"; but there was another Brent, an adjective, which signified steep, and it was doubtless used here in the latter sense, to describe the conformation of the land.
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BRES
n. Brass. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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BRET bret
n. (1) To fade away; to alter. Standing corn so ripe that the grain falls out, is said to bret out. (see also Brit)
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BRET bret
vb. (2) A portion of wood torn off with the strig in gathering fruit. (see Spalter, Spolt)
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BRIEF breef
adj. (2) Common; plentiful; frequent, rife. "Wipers are wery brief here," i.e. Vipers are very common here.'
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BRIEF breef
n. (1) A petition drawn up and carried around for the purpose of collecting money. Formerly, money was collected in Churches, on briefs, for various charitable objects, both public and private; and in some old Churches you may even now find Brief Book, containing the names of the persons or places on whose behalf the Brief was taken round, the object, and the amounts collected. Public briefs (see Communion Office, rubrics after the Creed), like Queen's Letters, have fallen into disuse; and now only private and local Briefs are in vogue.,
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BRIMP brimp
n. The breeze or gad fly which torments bullocks and sheep. (see also Brims, Brimsey)
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BRIMS brimz
n. The breeze or gad fly which torments bullocks and sheep. Kennett, MS Lans., 1033, gives the phrase - "You have brims in your tail," i.e. "You are always restless." (see also Brimp, Brimsey)
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BRIMSEY brimz-I
n. Kennett, MS Lans., 1033, gives the phrase - "You have brims in your tail," i.e. "You are always restless." (see also Brimp, Brims)
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BRISH brish
vb. To brush; to mow over lightly, or trim, 1636 - "For shredinge of the ashes and brishinge of the quicksettes . . . 6d. " - MS. Accounts of St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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BRISHING-HOOK
n. A sickle or bagging hook. - Peter Lambert. 1970's. (see also Bagging-hook)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 19
BRIT brit
vb. To knock out; rub out; drop out. Spoken of corn dropping out, and of hops shattering. (see Bret 1)
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BROACH broach
n. A spit. This would seem to be the origin of the verb, "to broach a cask," "to broach a subject."
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BROCK brok
n. An inferior horse. The word is used by Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, 7125. (see also Brockman, Brok)
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BROCKMAN brok-man
n. A horseman. The name Brockman is still common in Kent. (see Brock, Brok)
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BROK brok
n. An inferior horse. The word is used by Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, 7125. (see also Brock, Brockman)
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BROKE broak
n. A rupture.
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BROND
Brand. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
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BROOK bruok
vb. To brook one's name, is to answer in one's disposition to the purport of one's name. In other places they would say, "Like by name and like by nature." "Seems as though Mrs Buck makes every week washin' week; she brooks her name middlin', anyhows."
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BROOKS bruoks
n.pl. Low, marshy ground, but not necessarily containing running water or even springs.
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BROOM-DASHER broom-dash-ur
n. One who goes about selling brooms; hence used to designate any careless, slovenly, or dirty person. "The word dasher is also combined in haberdasher."
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BROTHREN
n.p. Brothers. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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BROTTLE
vb. Brittle. Wood that splits off easily is said "to brottle off well". - R Cooke. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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BROWN-DEEP brou-n-deep adj. Lost in reflection.
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BROWSELLS brou-ziz
n.pl. The remains of the fleed of a pig, after the lard has been extracted by boiling.
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BROWSELS
n.pl. This name is given to a dish of hard-cooked odds and ends of meat of all kinds mixed with fat, the whole forming a hard cake, difficult to break and extremely hard to chew. It is supposed, and quite possible is, very nutritive. This peculiar foodstuff was manufactured by the village butcher at Pluckley, a Mr G Homewood, over 30 years ago, though this dish has not been made for many years now, the memory of the word remains to this day. (see also Browzels)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 4
BROWZELS
n.pl. This name is given to a dish of hard-cooked odds and ends of meat of all kinds mixed with fat, the whole forming a hard cake, difficult to break and extremely hard to chew. It is supposed, and quite possible is, very nutritive. This peculiar foodstuff was manufactured by the village butcher at Pluckley, a Mr G Homewood, over 30 years ago, though this dish has not been made for many years now, the memory of the word remains to this day. (see also Browsels)
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BRUCKLE bruk-l
adj. Brittle.
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BRUFF bruf
adj. Blunt; rough; rude in manner.
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BRUMPT brumpt
adj. Broken; bankrupted. "I'm quite brumpt," i.e., I have no money. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BRUNGEON brunj-yun
n. A brat; a neglected child.
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BRUSH bruosh, brush
vb. To trim hedges; to mow rough grass growing thinly over a field. "Jack's off hedge- brushing" 1540 - "To Saygood for brusshyng at Hobbis meadow. . . 6d." - MS Accounts St. John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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BRUSS brus
adj. Brisk; forward; petulant; proud.
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BRUT brut
vb. (1)To browse or nibble off young shoots. In the printed conditions of the sale of Kentish cherry-orchards, there is generally a clause against "excessive brutting," i.e. that damage so done by purchasers must be paid for.
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BRUT brut
vb. (2)To shoot, as buds or potatoes. "My taturs be brutted pretty much dis year." (see also Spear (2)
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BRUT brut
vb. (3)To break off young shoots (bruts) of stored potatoes. (see also Spear (3)
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BRYEAD
n. Bread. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Bread)
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BRYEST
n. Breast. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Breost (breste). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
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BRYESTEN
n.pl.Breasts. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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BUCK buk
n. (2) A pile of clothes ready for washing. It is now (1885) some 60 years ago since the farmers washed for their farm servants, or allowed them a guinea a year instead. Then the lye, soap, and other things were kept in the bunting house; and there, too, were piled the gaberdines, and other things waiting to be washed until there was enough for one buck. Shakespeare uses the word buck-basket for what we now call "a clothes basket." "Fal. . . . They conveyed me into a buck-basket; rammed me in with foul shirts and smocks, socks, foul stockings, greasy napkins. " - Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 3 Sc 5.
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BUCK buk
vb. (3) To fill a basket.
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BUCK buk
vb. (1) To wash.
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BUCKING CHAMBER buk-ing
n. The room in which the clothes were bucked, or steeped in lye, preparatory to washing.
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BUCK-WASH buk-wash
n. A great washing-tub, formerly used in farm-houses, when, once a quarter, they washed the clothes of the farm servants, soaking them in strong lye.
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BUD bud
n. A weaned calf that has not yet grown into a heifer. So called, because the horns have not grown out, but are in the bud. "His cow came to the racks a moneth before Christmas, and went away the 21 of January. His bud came at Michaelmas." - Boteler MS. Account Book of 1652.
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BUFF buf
n. A clump of growing flowers; "a tuft or hassock." "That's a nice buff of cloves " (pinks).
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BUFFLE-HEADED buff-l-hed-id
adj. Thick headed; stupid. "Yees; you shall pay, you truckle bed, Ya buffle-headed ass." - Dick and Sal, st.84.
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BUG
n&vb(3) To become outwardly irritable; to get upset very easily. "He's got the bug in him 'smarning has farmer." (He's in a very short-tempered state, this morning, is farmer). "It's no good getting buggy (irritable) with all the house over your old tuth-ache; woi don't ye get on your old grit-iron (bicycle) and cycle into Aishfort (Ashford) an' get it pulled out, you miserable old thing!" (see also Buggy)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 15
BUG bug
vb. (1) To bend.
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BUG bug
n. (2) A general name for any insect, especially those of the fly and beetle kind; e.g. May- bug. Lady-bug, June-bug, July-bug.
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BUGGY
n&vb To become outwardly irritable; to get upset very easily. "He's got the bug in him 'smarning has farmer." (He's in a very short-tempered state, this morning, is farmer). "It's no good getting buggy (irritable) with all the house over your old tuth-ache; woi don't ye get on your old grit-iron (bicycle) and cycle into Aishfort (Ashford) an' get it pulled out, you miserable old thing!" (see also Bug)
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BULL-HUSS bul-hus
n. The large spotted dog-fish. Scyllium catalus.
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BULLOCK bul-uk
n.pl. A fatting beast of either sex.
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BULL-ROUT bul-rout
n. The goby.
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BULL'S FOOT
phr. "Don't know 'A' from a bull's foot" - unknown origin. J.W.Bridge. L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 22
BUMBLE bumb-l
vb. To make a humming sound. Hence, bumble bee, a humble bee. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BUMBLESOME bumb-lsum
adj. Awkward; clumsy; ill-fitting. "That dress is far too bumblesome." "You can't car' that, you'll find it wery bumblesome."
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BUMBULATION bumbulai-shn
n. A humming noise.
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BUMBULUM
n. See Camden, where it means a fart.
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BUNT bunt
vb. (1) To shake to and fro; to sift the meal or flour from the bran. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BUNT bunt
vb. (2) To butt. "De old brandy-cow bunted her and purty nigh broke her arm."
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BUNTING bunt-ing
adj. (1) The bunting house is the out-house in which the meal is sifted. "Item in the chamber over the buntting house, etc." "Item in the Buntinge houss, one boulting with one kneading trofe, and one meale tub." - Boteler Inventory; in Memorials of Eastry, pp 225, 228. (se also Bunt 1)
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BUNTING bunt-ing
n. (2) A shrimp.
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BUNTING - HUTCH bunt-ing-huch
n. A boulting hutch, i.e. the bin in which meal is bunted or bolted. 1600 - "Item in the buntting house, one Bunting hutch, two kneading showles, a meale tub with other lumber there prized at. . . 6s 8p." - Boteler Inventory; Memorials of Eastry, p 226.
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BUONE
n. Bone. 'The only examples of this kind (of pronounciation) that are to be found in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are buone = bone, guo = go, guode =good, guos =goose.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 19
BURR bur
n. (1) A coagulated mass of bricks, which by some accident have refused to become separated, but are a sort of conglomorate.
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BURR bur
n. (3) The blossom of the hop. "The hops are just coming out in burr." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BURR bur
n. (2) The halo or circle round the moon is so called, e.g. "There was a burr round the moon last night" The weather-wise in East Kent will tell you, "The larger the burr the nearer the rain."
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BURR
n,adj,vb. (4) A bear (the animal); bare (emply or naked); bear (to hold up, to hold) It is the Wealden brogue form with the rolling R, giving to it the unmistakable richness of this part of Kent's speech. "Look at they young-uns, a-bathing in the old hoss-pond as burr an they was born." "Taycher (teacher) tolt (told) us that polar-burrs be only found at the North Pole."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 15
BURY berr'-i
n. A rabbit burrow.
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BUSH bush
n. Used specially and particularly of the gooseberry bush. "Them there bushes want pruning sadly."
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BUTT but
n. A small flat fish, otherwise called the flounder. They are caught in the river at Sandwich by spearing them in the mud, like eels. But at Margate they call turbots butts.
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BY
vb. To be. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Beon (ben). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Byenne)
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BY GAR
interj. Corruption of the old oath "By God" used a great deal in the past but now dying out. Often heard in old-colonized parts of the USA and Canada where Kentish emigrants went with others on the covered wagon trails to find new homes across the Atlantic and to found villages and towns, that have retained in the more rural areas much of the Kentish brogue. The "By Gar" and By Garlly" have the Canadian and the US nasal twang in them by the ousting of the O by the A. The nasal changes are very noticable, though the Wealden dialect, fundamentally, remain. Most of my mother's people, the Piles of Pluckley, my great and great-great uncles took the new trails to help open up the New Far West over a century ago, when the great landrushes were on and also the gold-rushes, when California was taking shape, and the Red Indians still rode the land, burning, killing and plundering. They and many more of the old artisan families of the Kent Weald, took with them a far greater range of rich, uncorrupted dialect which today is more spoken in the rural districts from Leadville to Carson City, than where it first originated - the Kentish Weald, the Ashford Valley, and the countryside of Malmains and West Kent. (see also By Golly)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 16
BY GOLLY
inter. (see By Gar)
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BY-BUSH bei-bush
adj. In ambush, or hiding. "I just stood by-bush and heard all they said." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BYEAM bye-am
n. Beam. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Beam)
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BYENNE
vb. To be. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Beon (ben) It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also By)
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BYSACK bei-sak
n. A satchel, or small wallet.
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BYST beist
n. A settle or sofa. (see Baist, Beist, Boist)
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BYTHE beith
n. The black spots on linen produced by mildrew. (see Abited) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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BYTHY bei-thi
adj. Spotted with black marks left by mildew. "When she took the cloth out it was all bythy."
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CACK
n. Faeces. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.E.A.G. 1920's.
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CACKLE
vb,n To laugh. Perhaps also 'talk' as in "cut the cackle". - L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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CAD kad
n. A journeyman shoemaker; a cobbler; hence a contemputous name for any assistant. "His uncle, the shoemaker's cad."
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CADE kaid
n. A barrel containing six hundred herrings; any parcel, or quantity of pieces of beef, less than a whole quarter. "Cade. - We John Cade, so termed of our supposed father. Dick - Or rather, a stealing of a cade of herrings." - King Henry 4 Part 2, Act 4 Sc 2 (see also Card)
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CADE-LAMB kaid-lam
n. A house-lamb; a pet lamb. (see also Hob-lamb, Sock-lamb) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CADLOCK ked-luk
n. Charlock. Sinapis arvensis. (see also Kilk, Kinkle (1) & (2) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CAILES kailz
n.pl. Skittles; ninepins.
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CAKE-BAIL
n. A tin or pan in which a cake is baked.
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CALIVER kal-ivur
n. A large pistol or blunderbuss. 1600 - "Item in Jonathan Boteler's chamber fower chestes with certain furniture for the warrs, vis., two corslettes, one Jack, two musketts, fur one Horseman's piec, fur one case of daggs, two caliurs, fur with swords and daggers prized at. . . .
. £4." - Boteler Inventory; Memorials of Eastry, p 225.
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CALL caul
n. A word in every-day use denoting necessity, business, but always with the negative prefixed. "There ain't no call for you to get into a passion."
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CALL-OVER kaul-oa-vur
vb. To find fault with; to abuse. "Didn't he call me over jist about." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CALLOW
n. (2) (see also Uncallow)
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CALLOW kal-oa
adj. (1) Smooth; bald; bare; with little covering; also used of underwood thin on the ground. " 'Tis middlin' rough in them springs, but you'll find it as callow more, in the high woods." In Sussex the woods are said to be getting callow when they are just beginning to bud out. (see also Uncallow)
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CANKER-BERRY kank-ur-ber-I
n. The hip; hence canker-rose, the rose that grows upon the wild briar. Rosa canina. "The canker-blooms have full as deep a dye As the perfumed tincture of the roses." - Shakespeare - Sonnets, 54 (see also Haulms and figs)
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CANT kant
n. (1) A portion of corn or woodland. Every farm-bailiff draws his cant furrows through the growing corn in the spring, and has his cant-book for harvest, in which the measurements of the cants appear, and the prices paid for cutting each of them.
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CANT kant
vb. (2) To tilt over; to upset; to throw. "The form canted up, and over we went."
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CANT kant
n. (3) To push, or throw. "I gave him a cant, jus' for a bit of fun, and fancy he jus' was spiteful, and called me over, he did."
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CANTEL kant-l
n. An indefinite number; a cantel of people, or cattle; diminutive of cant (1). A corner or portion of indefinite dimension; a cantel of wood, bread, cheese, etc. "See how this river comes me cranking in, And cuts me, from the best of all my land, A huge half moon, a monstrous cantle out." - King Henry 4 Pt 1, Act 3 Sc 1 (see also Kintle)
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CANTERBURY-BELLS
n.pl The wild campanula. Campanula medicus. The name is probably connected with the idea of the resemblance of the flowers to the small bells carried on the trappings of the horses of the pilgrims to the shrine of S. Thomas, at Canterbury. There are two kinds, large and small; both abound in the neighbourhood of Canterbury.
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CAP kap
n. Part of the flail which secures the middle-band to the handstaff or the swingel, as the case may be. A flail has two caps, viz., the hand-staff cap, generally made of wood, and the swingel cap, made of leather.
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CAPONS kai-punz
n.pl.Red herrings. (see the list of Nicknames - Ramsgate)
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CAR kaa
vb. To carry, "He said dare was a teejus fair Dat lasted for a wick; And all de ploughmen dat went dare, Must car dair shining stick." - Dick and Sal, st 8
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CARD kaad
n. A barrel containing six hundred herrings; any parcel, or quantity of pieces of beef, less than a whole quarter. "Cade. - We John Cade, so termed of our supposed father. Dick - Or rather, a stealing of a cade of herrings." - King Henry 4 Part 2, Act 4 Sc 2 Lewis, p 129, mentions a card of red-herrings amongst the merchandise paying rates at Margate Harbour. (see also Cade)
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CARF
n. (2) Carf of hay. Dick staggered with a carf of hay, To feed the bleating sheep; Proud thus to usher in the day, While half the world's asleep. - Dick & Sal st 2.
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CARF kaaf
n. (1) A cutting of hay; a quarter of a stack cut through from top to bottom. "Dick staggered with a carf of hay To feed the bleating sheep; Proud thus to usher in the day, While half the world's asleep." - Dick and Sal, st. 2 (see also Karfe)
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CARPET-WAY kaa-pit-wai
n. A green-way; a smooth grass road; or lyste way.
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CARRY-ON kar-r'i-on
vb. To be in a passion; to act unreasonably. "He's been carrying-on any-how."
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CARTEN
n.pl Carts. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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CARVET kaa-vet
n. A thick hedge-row; a copse by the roadside; a piece of land carved out of another. Used in the neighbourhood of Lympne, in Dr. Pegge's time; so, also, in Boteler MS. Account Books, there are the following entries - "The Chappell caruet at Sopeshall that I sold this year to John Birch at 5 0.0. the acre, cont(ained) beside the w(oo)dfall round, 1 acre and 9 perches, as Dick Simons saith, who felled it. "I have valued one caruet at Brinssdale at 7.0.0.the acre, the other caruet at 6.0.0. the acre." "The one caruet cont(ained) 1 yerd and 1 perch; the other halfe a yerd want(ing) 1 perch." (i.e. one perch wanting half a yard.) (see also Shave)
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CAST kaast
n. (2) To be thwarted; defeated; to lose an action in law. "They talk of carr'ing it into court, but I lay he'll be cast."
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CAST kaast
n. (1) The earth thrown up above the level of the ground by moles, ants, and worms, and therefore called a worm-cast, an emmet-cast, or a mole-cast, as the case may be. "Them wum- caastes do make the lawn so wery unlevel." (see also Castie)
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CASTIE
n. The accumulation of earth over the nests of field-ants, the Common Red Ant (Rubrus Formica); also the heaps of earth upturned by moles and the exhausted mould excreted by the burrowings of earthworms. "That field be just a rare mass of ammet-casties (ant casts). "They mole-casties be a-spoilin' the grass down in the old Prebbles' Hill Meadows." "Brish (sweep) off those worm-casties off the lawn young Henry, and obsarve that they do make wunnerful top soil, and the orls (holes) that they wurrums (worms) have made help to take fresh-air and water well down into the sile (soil)". (see also Cast 1)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 18
CATER kai-tur
vb. To cut diagonally.
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CATERWAYS kai-turwaiz
adv. Obliquely; stantingly; crossways. "He stood aback of a tree and skeeted water caterways at me with a squib."
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CAT'SBRAINS
n. Ground overlying gravel with spots of sand in it. 1295, Hadlow Manor Rolls - Castebreye; 1433, Hadlow Manor Rolls - Cattysbrayn; 1465, Will of William Pawley of Hadlow - Great Cattysbrayn. - Wing-Commander W.V.Dunbreck, 1954.
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CAVING ka-vin
n. (1) The refuse of beans and peas after threshing, used for horse-meat. - W.Kent. Called torf, toff in E. Kent. (see also Tauf, Toff, Torf)
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CAVING
n. (2) The refuse of beans and peas after threshing, used for horse-meat. - W.Kent. Called torf, toff in E. Kent. Also used of oats - J.H.Bridge (see also Tauf, Torf, Toff)
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CAWL kaul
n. A coop.
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CAXES kaks-ez
n.pl.Dry hollow stalks; pieces of bean stalk about eight inches long, used for catching earwigs in peach and other wall-fruit trees.
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CEREMONY ser-r'imuni
n. A fuss; bother; set-out. Thus a woman once said to me, "There's quite a ceremony if you want to keep a child at home half-a-day. " By which she meant that the school regulations were very troublesome, and required a great deal to be done before the child could be excused. - W.F.S.
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CHALD
adj. Cold. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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CHALK WEED
n. Lepidium Draba L. - Minster, Thanet. L.R.A.G.
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CHAMBREN
n.pl Chambers. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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CHAMPIONING champ-yuning
n. The lads and men who go round as mummers at Christmastide, singing carols and songs, are said to go championing. Probably the word is connected with St George the Champion, who is a leading character in the Mummers play,
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CHANGES chai-njiz
n.pl.Changes of raiment, especially of the underclothing; body-linen, shirts, or shifts. "I have just put on clean changes," i.e., I have just put on clean underclothing. 1651 - " For two changes for John Smith's boy, 4s. 0d. For two changes for Spaynes girle, 2s. 10d." - MS. Overseers' Accounts, Holy Cross, Canterbury.
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CHANGK chank
vb. To chew.
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CHARNAIL
n. A hinge. Perhaps Char-nail, a nail to turn on. 1520 - " For 2 hookis and a charnelle 2p." - MS Accounts St Johns' Hospital, Canterbury. 1631 - "For charnells and hapses for the two chests in our hall." - MS,. Accounts St Johns' Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Charnell)
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CHARNELL
n. A hinge. Perhaps Char-nail, a nail to turn on. 1520 - " For 2 hookis and a charnelle 2p." - MS Accounts St Johns' Hospital, Canterbury. 1631 - "For charnells and hapses for the two chests in our hall." - MS,. Accounts St Johns' Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Charnail)
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CHARRED chaa-d
adj. Drink that is soured in the brewing. If, in brewing, the water be too hot when it is first added to the malt, the malt is said to be charred and will not give its strength, hence beer that is brewed from it will soon turn sour. The word charred thus first applies properly to the malt, and then passes to the drink brewed from it. To char is to turn; we speak of beer being "turned."
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CHART chaa-t
n. A rough common, overrun with gorse, broom, bracken, etc. Thus we have several places in Kent called Chart, e.g. Great Chart, Little Chart, Chart Sutton, Brasted Chart.
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CHARTY chaa-ti
adj. Rough, uncultivated land, like a chart.
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CHASTISE chastei-z
vb. To accuse; to examine; cross question; catechize. "He had his hearings at Faversham t'other day, and they chastised him of it, but they couldn't make nothin' of him."
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CHAT
n. A rumour; report. "They say he's a-going to live out at Hoo, leastways. that's the chat."
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CHATS chats
n.pl. Small potatoes; generally the pickings from those intended for market. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CHATSOME chat-sum adj. Talkative.
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CHAVISH chai-vish adj. Peevish; fretful.
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CHEAK
n. Cheek. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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CHEAP
adj. Cheap. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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CHEASTE
n. Strife. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Chyaste)
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CHEE chee
n. A roost. "The fowls are gone to chee." Hen-chee. (see also Gee (1) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CHEEGE cheeg
n. A frolic.
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CHEER cheer
n. Constantly used in North Kent, in the phrase, "What cheer, meat?" as a greeting; instead of "How d'ye do, mate?" or "How're ye getting on?" ( Is 'What cheer'abbreviated to 'Whatyer'? L.R.A.G.)
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CHEERLY chee-rli
adj. Cheerfully. "The bailiff's boy had overslept, The cows were not put in; But rosy Mary cheerly stept To milk them on the green." - Dick and Sal, st 1.
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CHEESE-BUGS chee-z-bug
n. The wood-louse. (see also Mankie-peas, Monkey-peas, Pea- bugs, Peasie-bugs)
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CHEESE-IT
vb. A corruption of cease, or cease it: to stop; to desist; to cease worrying; etc. "Chiese (or cheese-it) will yer! Keep on a-throwing my bonnet over the idge (hedge). " "Chiese a- worrying! All will come aright. Remember what the old gaffer told us yayers ago - Rome wadn't builded in a day - nit (not) a yayer, neither." (se also Chiese).
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 18
CHEF chef
n. (1) The part of a plough on which the share is placed, and to which the reece is fixed.
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CHEF
n. (2) Chaff. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word. Old English - Caff.
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CHEQUER BERRIES
n. Fruit of the service tree. Formerly sold as such in Maidstone Market, - Hanbury and Marshall, Flora of Kent. In Essex called "saars". There is a Chequertree Farm in Isle of Oxney. - Sedlescombe, Battle . M.P.Roper. 1972.
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CHERCHEN n.pl. Churches. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 19 |
CHERRY APPLES cher-r'i ap-lz n.pl. Siberian crabs, or choke cherries. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 29 |
CHERRY- BEER |
n. A kind of drink made from cherries. "Pudding-pies and cherry-beer usually go together at these feasts (at Easter.) - Brand's Popular Antiquities, ed. Ellis 1. 180
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CHIDLINGS chid-linz n.pl. Chitterlings.
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CHIESE
vb. (1) A corruption of cease, or cease it: to stop; to desist; to cease worrying; etc. "Chiese (or cheese-it) will yer! Keep on a-throwing my bonnet over the idge(hedge). " "Chiese a- worrying! All will come aright. Remember what the old gaffer told us yayers ago - Rome wadn't builded in a day - nit (not) a yayer, neither." (see also Cheese-it)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 18
CHIESE
vb. (2) Choose. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Cheose (chese). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Chyese)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
CHILLERY chil-uri adj. Chilly.
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CHILL-WATER chil-wau-tr
n. Water luke-warm.
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CHILTED chilt-id
pp. Strong local form of chilled, meaning thoroughly and injuriously affected by the cold.
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CHINCH chinch
vb. To point or fill up the interstices between bricks, tiles, etc, with mortar. - East Kent.
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CHIP
n. A small basket for containing strawberries, raspberries and other small soft fruits. - Mid- Kent. (see also Punnet)
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CHITTER chit-ur
n. The wren. "In the North of England they call the bird Chitty Wren." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CHIZZEL chiz-l
n. Bran.
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CHOATY choa-ti
adj. Chubby; broad faced. "He's a choaty boy." (see also Chuff) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CHOCK chok
vb. To choke. Anything over-full is said to be chock-full.
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CHOCKERS
n.pl. Heavy footwear, of the hob-nailed, sprigged or steel-tipped variety of workmen's boots. "Look at his Chockers! They be worse than a warship with armour-plating." - North Kent. (see also Choggers, Choppers)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 19
CHOFF chof
adj. Stern; morose.
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CHOGGERS
n.pl. Heavy footwear, of the hob-nailed, sprigged or steel-tipped variety of workmen's boots. "Hey sonny! Just you run over to my allotment and stomp down those big old lumps o' clay earth with your nice new Choggers." - North East Kent. (see also Chockers, Choppers)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 19
CHOICE chois
adj. Careful of; setting great store by anything. "Sure, he is choice over his peas, and no mistake."
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CHONGE
Change. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
CHOP
vb. To exchange. A levelhanded chop is an even exchange. - R Cooke. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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CHOPPERS
n.pl. Heavy footwear, of the hob-nailed, sprigged or steel-tipped variety of workmen's boots. With regard to the word Choppers, this is used only in the following sense, that the heavy boots are used to kick a person's feet from under them in a fight or brawl; or to hack or to trip a man in a game of football. To kick or hack - to chop; to cut Away, their supports, i.e. feet. A footballer, who has for the most part of his playing days been given to fouling other players by chopping them over with his chockers or choggers ( in this instance Football Boots), often gains the nickname of "Chopper" - like Chopper Brown, Chopper Lee, etc. "When 'Chopper' Lee saw the referee was blind to his position, he took advantage of it and chopped the rival centre forward's legs from under him, with his choggers." - North East Kent. (see also Chockers, Choggers)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 19
CHOP-STICKS chop-stiks
n.pl. Cross-sticks to which the lines are fastened in pout-fishing. "Two old umbrella iron ribs make capital chop-sticks." - F. Buckland.
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CHRIST-CROSS kris-kras
n. The alphabet. An early school lesson preserved in MS. Rawl, 1032, commences "Christe crosse me speed in alle my worke." The signature of a person who cannot write is also so called. "She larnt her A B C ya know, Wid D for dunce and dame, An all dats in de criss-cross row, An how to spell her name." - Dick and Sal, st 57.
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CHUCK
vb. (2) To throw. - L.R.A.G.
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CHUCK chuk
n. (1) A chip; a chunk; a short, thick clubbed piece of wood; a good thick piece of bread and cheese; the chips made by sharpening the ends of hop-poles.
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CHUCK-HEADED chuk-hed-id
adj. A stupid, doltish, wooden-headed fellow. (see also Chuckle-headed) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CHUCKLE-HEADED chuk-l-hed-id
adj. A stupid, doltish, wooden-headed fellow. (see also Chuck-headed) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CHUFF chuf
adj. Fat; chubby (see also Choaty)
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CHUFFED
vb. To be pleased. - L.R.A.G.
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CHUFFER
n. A very big, or hearty, eater. "By Golly! Our young Willum (William) can't half chuffer, He'll eat us out of house and home, surelye!" "He do chuffer life a pig, and with less manners, believe me."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 18
CHUMMIE chum-I
n. (1) A chimney sweep.
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CHUMMIES
n. (2) House sparrows - The Kentish Note-Book 1, pp 300-1. (see also Chums, Sparr)
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CHUMS
n. House sparrows - The Kentish Note-Book 1, pp 330-1. (see also Chummies, Sparr)
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CHUNK chungk
n. A log of wood.
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CHUNTER
vb. To grumble. "Don't you dare chunter at me my gal: I'm yere mither (your mother) and I won't a-stand forrit (for it)". "All 'e do is chunter, chunter, chunter." "Stop your chuntering grandpa.! You've a good daughter to look after you since your poor Annie died. If you was in Hothfield Workhouse you'd have summat to holler 'bout. You be free to come and go. You can enjoy your pipe o' baccy, and go up The Street (The Street is the local name for the main road - or street- through a village in the Weald and Ashford districts), to the "Black Hoss" (horse) every evening for your pint of o' ale - so, stop a-chuntering, dan ye!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 19
CHURCHING
n. The Church service generally, not the particular Office so called. "What time's Churchin' now of afternoons?"
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CHYASTE
n. Strife Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Cheaste)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
CHYESE
vb. Choose. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Cheose (chese). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Chiese)
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CHYEW
vb. Chew. Exactly correspondoing to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
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CLAD-HOPPERS
n.pl. Name given by country people to large or heavy boots. "Young Bill ain't arf got a tidy pair of clod hoppers on today." "Stomp them large lumps of earth down with your clop- hoppers, Tommy." "Oi wants a payer (pair) of Sunday boots, not them there great clad-hopper things." (see also Clod-hoppers)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 21
CLAM klam
n. A rat-trap, like a gin.
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CLAMP klamp
n. A heap of mangolds, turnips, or potatoes, covered with straw and earth to preserve them during the winter. It is also used of bricks. "We must heal in that clamp afore the frostes set in."
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CLAMS klamz
n.pl. Pholades. Rock and wood-boring molluscs.
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CLAPPERS klap-urz
n.pl. (1) Planks laid on supports for foot passengers to walk on when the roads are flooded.
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CLAPPERS
adv. (2) To go very fast. "To go like the clappers." - L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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CLAPSE klaps
n. A clasp, or fastening. 1651 - "For Goodwife Spaynes girles peticoate and waistcoate making, and clapses, and bindinge, and a pocket, 0.1.8d." - Overseers' Accounts, Holy Cross, Canterbur.y
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CLAT klat
vb. To remove the clots of dirt, wool, etc. from between the hind legs of sheep. (Romney Marsh) (see also Dag (1) (L.R.A.G. in 'Notes on A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms' queries a connection between Clat and the Northumbrian Clart as in Clarty. Does Clayt (clay or mire) equal Clart.)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 31 |
CLAUEN n.pl Claws. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 20 |
CLAVEL klav-l n. A grain of corn free from the husk. (see also Clevel, Clevels) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 31 |
CLAYT klaait
n. Clay, or mire. (see also Cledge, Clite)
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CLEAN kleen
adv. Wholly; entirely. "He's clean gone, that's certain." 1611 - "Until all the people were passed clean over Jordan." - Joshua Ch 3 v 17.
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CLEANSE klenz
vb. To turn, or put beer up in a barrel.
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CLEAPE
vb. Call. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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CLEDGE klej
n. Clay; stiff loam. (see also Clayt, Clite)
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CLEDGY klej-i
adj. Stiff and sticky.
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CLEPPER
n. Clapper. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
CLEVEL klev-l
n. (1) A grain of corn, clean and free from the husk. As our Blessed Lord is supposed to have left the mark of a Cross on the shoulder of the ass' colt, upon whom He rode at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (St Mark Ch 11 v 7); and as the mark of a thumb and fore-finger may still be traced in the head of a haddock, as though left by St Peter when he opened the fish's mouth to find the piece of money (St Matthew Ch17 v 27), even so it is a popular belief in East Kent that each clevel of wheat bears the likeness of Him who is the True Corn of Wheat (St John Ch 12 v 24). As a man said to me at Eastry (1887) - "Brown wheat shews it more than white, because it's a bigger clevel." To see this likeness the clevel must be held with the seam of the grain from you. - W.F.S. (see also Clavel, clevels)
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CLEVELS
n.pl. (2) Wheat grains "Look at they chevels; ain't they rare beauties? Seems we're going to have a fine wheat-harvesting this yurr."" - Wealden. (see Clavel)
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CLEVER klev-ur
adj. In good health. Thus, it is used in reply to the question, "How are you to-day?" " Well, thankee. not very clever," i.e. not very active; not up to much exertion.
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CLIMBERS klei-murz
n. The wild clematis; clematis vitalba, otherwise known as old man's beard. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CLINKERS klingk-urz
n.pl. The hard refuse cinders of a furnace, stove, or forge, which have run together in large clots.
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CLIP klip
vb. To shear sheep.
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CLITE kleit
n. Clay. (see also Clayt, Cledge)
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CLITEY klei-ti
adj. Clayey.
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CLIVER kliv-r
n. Goose-grass; elsewhere called cleavers. Gallium aperine. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CLODGE kloj
n. A lump of clay.
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CLOD-HOE
n. The clod-hoe of the Canterbury type is a medium shafted hoe with a heavy iron-head with two flattish prongs some six inches long, three inches in width between inner edges of the prongs. The prongs are usually half-an-inch wide, making an overall tilling capacity of four inches width. The clod-hoe of the Wealden type is a medium shafted hoe with a heavy iron- head with a single prong or blade, flat in character, about one and a half inches in width where is comes from the head, gradually broadening to approximately four inches at the cutting or tilling edge. Clod hoes are utility hoes, as they can be used for weeding, making furrows, banking up potato rows etc, and reversed, the heavy head will knock out the hardest clays to a fine tilth.
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CLOD-HOPPERS
n.pl.Name given by country people to large or heavy boots. "Young Bill ain't arf got a tidy pair of clod hoppers on today." "Stomp them large lumps of earth down with your clop- hoppers, Tommy." "Oi wants a payer (pair) of Sunday boots, not them there great clad-hopper things." (see also Clad--hoppers)
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CLOSE kloas
n. The enclosed yard, or fenced-in field adjoining a farm house. Thus, at Eastry we speak of Hamel Close, which is an enclosed field immediately adjoining Eastry Court. So, a Kentish gentleman writes in 1645: "This was the third crop of hay some closes about Burges had yealded that yeare." - Bargrave MS Diary. The word is often met with in Kentish wills; thus, Will of Thomas Godfrey, 1542, has, "My barne. . .with the closses in the same appertayning."
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CLOUT
vb. (3) To hit. - L.R.A.G.
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CLOUT klout
n. (2) A clod or lump of earth, in a ploughed field.
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CLOUT klout
n. (1) A blow with the palm of the hand. "Mind what ye'r 'bout or I will gie ye a clout on the head."
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CLOUTS n. (4) Clothes. - L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 32 |
CLUCK kluk
adj. Drooping; slightly unwell; used, also, of a hen when she wants to sit. "I didn't get up so wery early dis marnin' as I felt rather cluck."
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CLUNG
n. (2) Wet, unworkable ground, (? from Cling), otherwise called steelly. - R.Cooke. (see also Steelly)
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CLUNG klung
adj. (1) Withered; dull; out of temper.
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CLUNK
vb. To clump, as in "To clump about". This word, like so many others is of a bastard-dialect nature. It is neither pure dialect, or alteration through the brogue or a corruption. "Stop they clunking about the house in they clod-hoppers (heavy boots) you've got on." "It fell down clunk (fell heavily). " I'll gie ye such a clunk (hard blow) ower the head in a minute." "Don't 'ee clunk about young-un." Though this word is often used with regard to its relationship to heaviness, I have not actually heard it in regard to a clump i.e. a clump of trees, clump of flowers, clump of bushes..
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CLUTHER kludh-ur
vb. (2) To make a noise generally, as by knocking things together. Used also of the special sound made by rabbits in their hole, just before they bolt out, e.g., "I 'eerd 'im cluther," i.e. I heard him make a noise; and implying, "Therefore, he will soon make a bolt." A variant of clatter.
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CLUTHER kluth-r
n. (1) A great noise.
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CLUTTER klut-r
n. (1) A litter. "There's always such a lot of clutter about his room." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CLUTTER klut-ur
vb. (2) To make a noise generally, as by knocking things together. Used also of the special sound made by rabbits in their hole, just before they bolt out, e.g., "I 'eerd 'im cluther," i.e. I heard him make a noise; and implying, "Therefore, he will soon make a bolt." A variant of clatter.(see also Cluther 2)
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COADCHER
n. Cold-Cheer, meaning a cold meal, or a hot meal that has been allowed to grow cold. The Sussex dialect calls it Coadgear and it means exactly the same. "Hey, old ooman (wife) what does ye call this? Ivery (every) noight this cold-weather week oive only had coadcher to come 'ome to. Bread and cheese and pickles aint no meal for a wukkin (working) man this time o' yurr." "It may hev (have) ben hot when you made it mither (mother) but it be only coadcher now, anyways." - Wealden.
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COAL-SHOOT koa-l-shoo-t
n. A coal scuttle.
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COARSE koars
adj. Rough, snowy, windy weather.
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COB kob
vb. To throw gently.
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COBBLE kob-l
n. An icicle. (see also Aquabob, Cock-bell, Cog-bell, Icily) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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COB-IRONS kob-eirnz
n.pl And-irons; irons standing on the hearth, and intended to keep the brands and burning coals in their place; also the irons by which the spit is supported. "One payer of standing cob- yrons." . . . . "One payer of cob-irons or brand-irons.". . . . "Item in the Greate Hall. a
payer of cob-irons." - Boteler Inventories in the Memorials of Eastry. (see also Andirons, Brand-irons, Firedogs)
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COCK-BELL kok-bel
n. An icicle. The Bargrave MS. Diary, describing the weather in France in the winter of 1645 says, "My beard had sometimes yce on it as big as my little finger, my breath turning into many cock-bells as I walked." (see also Aquabob, Cobble, Cog-bell, Icily)
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COCKER kok-ur
vb. To indulge; to spoil, Ecclus.Ch 30 v 9. - "Cocker thy child and he shall make thee afraid."
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COCKLE kok-l
n. A stove used for drying hops.
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CODDLE
vb. To mess about or to fuss around. "Oh dear me, Annie! I wish you wouldn't coddle about the house on your half-day, but run off home to see your parents, or even go into the pictures in town for a couple of hours." "My old grandpa's always coddling about in his toolshed for something or other."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 22
CODDLER
n. One who coddles, or fusses. "If there was ever a greater or more vexatious coddler than your fayther (father) ever born, I'd sure liken (like ) to see him.".
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COG-BELLS kog-bel
n.pl. (1) Icicles. Lewis writes cog-bells; and so the word is so pronounced in Eastry. "There are some large cog-bells hanging from the thatch." (see also Aquabob, Cobble, Cock-bell, Icily)
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COG-BELLS
n.pl. (2) See Congbells (2). Cog-bells is merely the alteration of Cong to Cog - i.e. the dropping of the N through the habitual word-laziness of the Wealden folk.
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COILER-HARNESS
n. The trace harness.
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COLD koald
n. In phrase, "Out of cold." Water is said to be out of cold when it has just got the chill off.
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COLLAR kol-ur
n. Smut in wheat.
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COLLARDS
n.pl. Spring greens.- Nicky Newbury. 1973.
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COLLARMAKER kol-ur-mai-kur
n. A saddler who works for farmers; so called, because he has chiefly to do with the mending and making of horses' collars.
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COMB koam
n. An instrument used by thatchers to beat down the straw, and then smooth it afterwards.
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COMBE koom
n. A valley. This word occurs in a great number of place-names in Kent. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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COME kum
prep. On such a day, or at such a time when it arrives. "It'll be nine wiks come Sadderday sin' he were took bad."
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COMPOSANT kom-puzant
n. The luminous appearance sometimes seen on the masts and yards of ships at sea, the result of electricity in the air. "Besides hearing strange sounds, the poor fisherman often sees the composant. As he sails along, a ball of fire appears dancing about the top of his mast; it is of a bluish, unearthly colour, and quivers like a candle going out; sometimes it shifts from the mast-head to some other portion of the vessel, where there is a bit of pointed iron; and sometimes there are two or three of them on different parts of the boat. It never does anybody any harm, and it always comes when squally weather is about. "Englishmen are not good hands at inventing names and I think the Folkestone people most likely picked up the word from the Frenchmen whom they meet out at sea in pursuit of herrings." - F. Buckland
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CONCLUDE konkleu-d
vb. To decide. "So he concluded to stay at home for a bit." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CONE koan
vb. To crack or split with the sun, as timber is apt to do; as though a wedge had been inserted in it. A derivative of Anglo-Saxon cinan, to split.
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CONE-WHEAT koan-weet n. Bearded wheat. (see also Durgan-wheat) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 35 |
CONGBELLS
n.pl. (1) The drips of mucous from an inflamed nose or droplets of moisture that have made their way from the eyes when made to weep by cold winds into the nose and been exuded at the tips of the nasal organ. Cong is the further corruption of the slang Conk, or Nose. Bells is the name given to the drops of water or mucous which they are supposed to resemble! Thus Cong (conk; nose) - Bells (drips or drops).
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CONGBELLS
n.pl. (3) The fruits of the grape-vine are also called congbells and I once heard a lad, who did not known what they were remark to the owner of the vine, "That I likes them little-ball- hangdowns, sir."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 23
CONG-BELLS
n.pl. (2) Very short icicles hanging from trees, buildings etc. especially if they are dripping in a thaw. Also icicles formed by frozen breath on a man's beard or moustache. (see also Cog- bells)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 23
CONJURE
vb,adj To be skilled in work; to be helpfull at work. "Yes, Peter. He is a very conjurable man. There beant (be not) a job on this farm that he can't do real good-like." "Ask old Harry to help us to conjure this sack of oats up onto the top o' this wagon." "Let him alone a-while and he'll conjure that old ile (oil) engine to go." "It was pretty to watch them thurr (there) ship dogs (sheep-dogs) conjure they ship (sheep) in to they folds."
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CONNIVER konei-vur
vb. To stare, gape. "An so we sasselsail'd along And crass de fields we stiver'd, While dickey lark kept up his song An at de clouds conniver'd"
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CONTRAIRIWISE contrai-r'iweiz adv. On the contrary.
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CONTRAIRY contrai-r'I
adj. Disagreeable; unmanageable. "Drat that child, he's downright contrary to-day."
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CONYGARTHE kun-igaarth
n. A rabbit warren. Lambarde, 1596. - "The Isle of Thanet, and those Easterne partes are the grayner; the Weald was the wood; Rumney Marsh is the meadow plot; the North downes towardes the Thaymse be the conygarthe or warreine."
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COOCH-GRASS
n. Triticum repens, a coarse, bad species of grass, which grows rapidly on arable land, and does much mischief with its long stringy roots. (see also Couch-grass)
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COOL-BACK kool-bak
n. A shallow vat, or tub, about 12 or 18 inches deep, wherein beer is cooled. "Item in the brewhouse, two brewinge tonns, one coole-back, two furnisses, fower tubbs with other. . . £6 14s. - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 226.
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COOM
n. Grease, after thickening on wheels etc and becoming worn out, is called coom. - R. Cooke.
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COOPEONS
n.pl. Coupons. "Don't give up all they coopeons off the ration books this week. We may need some for next week if we can't get into town where's there a more variety of stuff to choose from that aint on the ration."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 23
COP | kop | |
vb. (2) To throw; to heap anything up . A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 35 |
COP kop n. (1) A shock of corn; a stack of hay or straw (see also Shock) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 35 |
COP
vb. (4) To catch. "You'll cop it" Is there a connection between 'to cop' and 'copper' or policeman? - J. H.Bridge.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 35
COP
vb. (3) To hit; and extension of 'to catch'. "He copped him one on the jaw." - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G.
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COPE koap
vb. To muzzle; thus, " to cope a ferret" is to sew up its mouth. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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COPSAN
n. Head of a sluice in Teynham Marshes. - Sittingbourne. W.C.B.Purser. 1935.
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COPSE kops
n. A fence across a dyke, which has no opening. A term used in marshy districts.
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CORBEAU kor-boa
n. The fish Cottus gobio, elsewhere called the miller's thumb, or bull-head. (see also Miller's thumb)
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CORD-WOOD kord-wuod
n. A pile of wood, such as split-up roots and trunks of trees stacked for fuel. A cord of wood should measure eight feet long x four feet high x four feet thick.
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CORSE kors
n. The largest of the cleavers used by a butcher.
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COSSET kos-it
vb. To fondle; to caress; to pet.
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COSSETY kos-iti
adj. Used of a child that has been petted, and expects to be fondled and caressed.
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COST koast
n. A fore-quarter of a lamb; "a rib".
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COTCHERING koch-uring partc Gossiping.
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COTCHULL
adj. Upset. "He be cotchull today. His wife be in the Cottage Hospital to have her young-un born." "If you aint a good boy, to your old grandma, you'll mak me rare cotchull, you will.".
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 24
COTERELL kot-ir'el
n. A little raised mound in the marshes to which the shepherds and their flocks can retire when the salterns are submerged by the tide.
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COTTON kot-on
vb. To agree together, or please each other. "They cannot cotton no-how!" A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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COUCH-GRASS kooch-grass
n. Triticum repens, a coarse, bad species of grass, which grows rapidly on arable land, and does much mischief with its long stringy roots. (see also Cooch-grass)
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COUGE koag
n. A dram of brandy.
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COUPLING BAT kup-lin bat
n. A piece of round wood attached to the bit (in West Kent), or ringle (in East Kent), of two plough horses to keep them together.
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COURT koart
n. The manor house, where the court leet of the manor is held. Thus, Eastry Court is the old house, standing on the foundations of the ancient palace of the Kings of Kent, wherein is held annually the Court of the Manor of Eastry (see also Court Lodge)
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COURT FAGGOT koart fag-ut
n. This seems to have been the name, anciently given, to the best and choicest fagot. 1523 - "For makyng of ten loodis of court fagot, 3s. 4d." - Accounts of St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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COURT LODGE koart loj
n. The manor house, where the court leet of the manor is held. Thus, Eastry Court is the old house, standing on the foundations of the ancient palace of the Kings of Kent, wherein is held annually the Court of the Manor of Eastry (see also Court)
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COURT-CUPBOARD koart-cub-urd
n. A sideboard or cabinet used formerly to display the silver flagons, cups, beakers, ewers, etc., i.e., the family plate, and distinquished from "the livery cupboard", or wardrobe. In the Boteler Inventory, we find that there were in the best chamber "Half-a-dowson of high joynd stooles, fower low joynd cushian stooles, two chayers, one court cubbard, etc." - Memorials of Eastry, p 225; and again on p 227; "In the greate parler, one greate table. . . one courte cubbard, one greate chayer, etc." "Away with the joint-stools, remove the court cupboard, look to the plate." - Romeo and Juliet, Act 1 Sc.5.
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COVE koav
n. A shed; a lean-to or low building with a shelving roof, joined to the wall of another; the shelter which is formed by the projection of the eaves of a house acting as a roof to an outbuilding. (see also Coved, Coven)
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COVED koa-vd
adj. With sloping sides; used of a room, the walls of which are not perpendicular, but slant inwards, thus fowming sides and roof. "Your bedsteddle couldn't stand there, because the sides are coved." (see also Cove, Coven)
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COVE-KEYS koa-v-keez
n.pl. Cowslips. (see also Culver Keys, Horsebuckle, Lady-keys (2), Paigle, Pegle)
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COVEL kov-l
n. A water tub with two ears.
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COVEN koa-vn
adj. Sloped; slanted. "It has a coven ceiling." (see also Cove, Coved) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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COVERLYD kuv-urlid
n. The outer covering of the bed which lies above the blankets; a counterpane. In the Boteler Inventory we find "In the best chamber . . . one fether bedd, one blanckett, one covertleed. Item in the lower chamber. . . . two coverleeds . Item in the middle chamber. . . a coverlyd and boulster." - Memorials of Eastry, p 224. (see also Covertlid)
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COVERTLID kuv-urtlid
n. The outer covering of the bed which lies above the blankets; a counterpane. In the Boteler Inventory we find "In the best chamber . . . one fether bedd, one blanckett, one covertleed. Item in the lower chamber. . . . two coverleeds . Item in the middle chamber. . . a coverlyd and boulster." - Memorials of Eastry, p 224. (see also Coverlyd)
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COW kou
n. (1) A pitcher.
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COW
vb. (3) To be afraid of. "He cowed at going down that well." - R Cooke. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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COW' kou
n. (2) The moveable wooden top of the chimney of a hop-oast or malt-house. (see also Cowl)
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COW-CRIB kou-krib
n. The square manger for holding hay, etc., which stands in the straw-yard, and so is constructed as to be low at the sides and high at the corners.
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COWL koul
n. The moveable wooden top of the chimney of a hop-oast or malt-house. (see also Cow')
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COW-MOUTH
adj. When the stub is left with an uneven cut, hollow in the middle, this is called a cow-mouth cut. - R Cooke.
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COW-PIE
n. Pudding pie. - Rochester district. Nicky Newbury's grandmother. 1973. (see also Pudding Pie)
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CRACK-NUT krak-nut
n. A hazel nut, as opposed to cocoa nuts, Brazil nuts, etc.
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CRAMP-WORD
n. A word difficult to be understood. "Our new parson, he's out of the sheeres, and he uses so many of these here cramp-words."
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CRANK krangk
vb. (2) To mark cross wise.
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CRANK krangk
adj. (1) Merry; cheery.
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CREAM kreem
vb. To crumble. Hops, when they are too much dried are said to cream, i.e. to crumble to pieces.
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CREET kreet
n. A cradle, or frame-work of wood, placed on a scythe when used to cut corn.
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CREFT
n. Craft. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
CRIPS krips
adj. Crisp. Formed by transposition, as Aps for Asp, etc. (see also Crup) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CRIPT kript
adj. Depressed; out of spirits. (see also Cruppish.)
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CROCK krok
vb. (2) To put away; lay by; save up; hide. "Ye'd better by half give that butter away, instead of crocking it up till it's no use to nobody."
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CROCK krok
n. (1) An earthen pan or pot, to be found in every kitchen, and often used for keeping butter, salt, etc. It is a popular superstition that if a man goes to the place where the end of the rainbow rests he will find there a crock of gold. A.D. 1536 - "Layd owt for a crok. . . ." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury
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CROCK BUTTER krok but-ur
n. Salt butter which has been put into earthernware crocks to keep during the winter.
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CROFT krauft
n. A vault.
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CROSHABELL krosh-ubel
n. A coutezan.
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CROUCHEN
n.pl.Crosses. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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CROW kroa
n. The fat adhering to a pig's liver; hence, "liver and crow" are generally spoken of and eaten together.
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CROW-FISH kroa-fish
n. The common stickleback. Gasterosteus aculeatus.
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CRUMMY krum-I
adj. Filthy and dirty, and covered with vermin.
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CRUNDLE
vb. (2) To crumple. "Don't 'ee crundle (crumple) up that newspaper, your grandfayther hasn't read it yet."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 25
CRUNDLE
vb. (1) To crumble; to crush, to break up into small pieces; to disintegrate. With the dialect the' m' of crumble has been replaced with the letter 'n', "Now be a good boy and crundle that bread into your nice hot soup." "I'm just going to crundle up these here clods then I'll be in to supper."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 24
CRUNDLED
vb. Crumbled. "They crundled up the stones with the steam-roller." "The old wall crundled down in pieces."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 24
CRUNDLING
Crumbling. "The old house is gradually crundling away".
The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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CRUP krup
adj. (2) Crisp. "You'll have a nice walk, as the snow is very crup." (see also Crips)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 39
CRUP krup
n. (1) The crisp, hard skin of a roasted pig, or of roast pork (crackling); a crisp spice-nut; a nest. "There's a wapses crup in that doated tree." (see also Crips)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 39
CRUPPISH krup-ish
adj. Peevish; out of sorts. A man who has been drinking overnight will sometimes say in the morning: "I feel cruppish." (see also Cript)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 39
CRYEPE
vb. Creep. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Creope (crepe). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 17 |
CUCKOO BREAD n. The wood sorrel. Oxalis acetosella. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 39 |
CUCKOO-CORN n. Corn sown too late in the spring.. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 39 |
CUCKOO-PINT
n. The wild arum. (see also Kitty-come-down-the-lane-jump-up-and-kiss-me, Lady-keys (1), Lady-lords)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 39
CUCKOO'S BREAD AND C
n. The seed of the mallow.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CULCH kulch
n. (2) Any and every kind of rubbish, e.g., broken tiles, slates, and stones. "Much may be done in the way of culture, by placing the oysters in favourable breeding beds, strewn with tiles, slates, old oyster shells, or other suitable culch for the spat to adhere to." - Life of Frank Buckland. (see also Pelt, Sculch, Scultch, Scutchel)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 39
CULCH kulch
n. (1) Rags; bits of thread; shoddy.
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CULL kul
n. (2) The culls of a flock are the worst; picked out to be parted with. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CULL kul
vb. (1) To pick; choose; select.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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CULVER KEYS kulv-urkeez
n. The cowslip. Primula veris. (see also Cove-keys, Horsebuckle, Lady-keys (2), Paigle, Pegle)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 40
CUMBERSOME kumb-ursum
adj. Awkward; inconvenient. "I reckon you'll find that gurt coät mighty cumbersome."
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CURRANTBERRIES kur-r'unt-ber-r'iz n.pl. Currants.
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CURS kurs
adj. Cross; shrewish; surly.
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CYPRESS sei-prus
n. A material like crape. 'In Sad cypress let me be laid' Shakespeare. (see also Cyprus)
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CYPRUS sei-prus
n. A material like crape. (see also Cypress)
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DABBERRIES dab-eriz
n.pl. Gooseberries. (see also Goosegogs, Guozgogs)
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DAFFY n. (2) A small quantity of spirits. "He's fond of his daffys." - J.H.Bridge. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 40 |
DAFFY daf-I n. (1) A large number or quantity, as " a rare daffy of people." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 40 |
DAG dag n. (2) A lock of wool that hangs at the tail of a sheep and draggles in the dirt. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 40 |
DAG dag |
vb. (1) To remove the dags or clots of wool, dirt, etc., from between the hind legs of a sheep. (see also Clat)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 40
DAGG
n. A large pistol. Boteler Inventory, 1600. - "Item in Jonathan Boteler's chamber: fower chestes with certain furniture for the warrs, viz., two corslettes, one Jack, two muskets furnished, one horseman's piec furnished, one case of daggs, two caliurs with swords and daggers, prized at £4. - Memorials of Eastry, p 22.
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DAG-WOOL
n. Refuse wool; cut off in trimming the sheep.
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DAMPIFIED
adj. Denotes that the air is inclined to be, or feel, damp, a situation foretelling imminent rain. "We look like getting some rain mighty soon: the air is quite dampified."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 27
DAMPING
vb. To drizzle with rain, though not actually raining. "No it aint raining yet, mum: it's only damping.". (see also Dampified)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 27
DANG dang
inter A substitution for "damn." "Dang your young bóánes, doänt ye give me no more o' your sarce."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 41
DAN'L
n. The smallest animal in a litter of kittens, puppies or piglets. "Considering he wur a dan'l pup, he's sure growed up into a tidy sized darg (dog)." (see also Anthony-pig, Dannel, Runt)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 27
DANNEL
n. The smallest animal in a litter of kittens, puppies or piglets. Really the correct use of dannel, as spoken in the Weald is for the smallest of a littler of piglets. "He may be the dannel of the pack (litter), but he sure is a real lively old young 'un, that there squeaker (piglet)". (see also Anthony-pig, Dan'l, Runt)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 27
DAPPY
adj. Half-witted. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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DARVEL
n. Devil. A combination of Kentish Wealden and Kentish Gipsy dialects. "They young- uns be regular young darvels." (see also Dar'vl)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 27
DAR'VL
n. Devil. A combination of Kentish Wealden and Kentish Gipsy dialects. "They young- uns be regular young darvels." (see also Darvel)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 27
DAWTHER dau-dhur
vb. To tremble or shake; to move in an infirm manner. "He be getting' in years now, and caant do s'much as he did, but he manages jus' to dawther about the shop a little otherwhile." (see also Dodder)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 41
DAWTHER-GRASS dau-dhur
n. A long shaking grass, elsewhere called Quaker, or quaking, grass. Briza media. (see also Dodder-grass)
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DAWTHERY dau-dhur'I
adj. Shaky; tottery; trembling; feeble. Used commonly of old people - "He begins to get very dawthery.
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DEAD
vb. Dead. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Dyad, Dyead)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
DEAD-ALIVE ded-ulei-v adj. Dull; stupid. "It's a dead-alive place."
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DEAF
n. Deaf. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Dyeaf)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
DEAL deel
n. (1) A part; portion. Anglo-Saxon doel, from doelan, to divide; hence our expression, to deal cards, i.e. giving a fair portion to each; and dole, a gift divided or distributed. Leviticus Ch 14.v 10 - "And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs withour blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and two tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil." (see also Doleing)
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DEAL dee-l
n. (2) The nipple of a sow, bitch, fox or rat.
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DEATH deth
adj. (1) Deaf. "It's a gurt denial to be so werry death." "De ooman was so plaguey death She cou'den make 'ar hear." - Dick and Sal, st 59
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 41
DEATH
n. (2 )Death. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Dyath)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
DEATHNESS deth-ness
n. Deafness.
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DEAU
n. Dew. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Dyau)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
DEE
n. Day. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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DEEK dee-k
n. A dyke or ditch. The " i " in Kent and Sussex is often pronounced as i in French. (see also Dick)
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DEEKERS dee-kurz
n.pl. Men who dig ditches (deeks) and keep them in order. (see also Dykers) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DEN
n. A wooded valley, affording pasturage; also a measure of land; as in Somner, Antiquities of Canterbury, p. 27, ed. 1703, where we read: "The Manor of Lenham, consisting of 20 ploughlands and 13 denes." This word den is a very common one as a place-name, thus there are several Denne Courts in East Kent; and in the Weald especially, den is the termination of the name of many parishes, as well as of places in those parishes, thus we have Biddenden, Benenden, Bethersden, Halden, Marden, Smarden, Tenterden, Ibornden, etc. (see also Dene, Denne)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 42
DENCHER-POUT dench-ur-pout
n. A pout, or pile of weeds, stubble, or rubbish, made in the fields for burning, a cooch-fire, as it is elsewhere called. (see also Densher-pout)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 42
DENE dee-n
n. A wooded valley, affording pasturage; also a measure of land; as in Somner, Antiquities of Canterbury, p. 27, ed. 1703, where we read: "The Manor of Lenham, consisting of 20 ploughlands and 13 denes." This word den is a very common one as a place-name, thus there are several Denne Courts in East Kent; and in the Weald especially, den is the termination of the name of many parishes, as well as of places in those parishes, thus we have Biddenden, Benenden, Bethersden, Halden, Marden, Smarden, Tenterden, Ibornden, etc. (see also Den, Denne)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 42
DENIAL dener-ul
n. A detriment; drawback; hindrance; prejudice. "It's a denial to a farm to lie so far off the road."
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DENNE den
n. A wooded valley, affording pasturage; also a measure of land; as in Somner, Antiquities of Canterbury, p. 27, ed. 1703, where we read: "The Manor of Lenham, consisting of 20 ploughlands and 13 denes." This word den is a very common one as a place-name, thus there are several Denne Courts in East Kent; and in the Weald especially, den is the termination of the name of many parishes, as well as of places in those parishes, thus we have Biddenden, Benenden, Bethersden, Halden, Marden, Smarden, Tenterden, Ibornden, etc. (see also Den, Dene)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 42
DENSHER-POUT den-shur-pout
n. A pout, or pile of weeds, stubble, or rubbish, made in the fields for burning, a cooch-fire, as it is elsewhere called. (see also Dencher-pout)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 42
DESTINY dest-ini
n. Destination. "When we have rounded the shaw, we can keep the boat straight for her destiny."
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DEVIL-IN-THE-BUSH
n. The flower otherwise called Love-in-the-mist. Nigella damascena. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DEVILLED BLACKBERRI
adj. Late, i.e. October, fruiting blackberries. Possibly a connection with the country saying "Pick blackberries in October. The Devil takes over." - Pat Winzar. 1982.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 42
DEVIL'S THREAD
n. A weed that grows out in the fields. among the clover; it comes in the second cut, but does not come in the first. Otherwise called Hellweed. Cuscuta epithymum. (see also Hell- weed)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 42
DEWLAPS
n.pl. Coarse woollen stockings buttoned over others, to keep the legs warm and dry.
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DIAKNEN
n.pl. Deacons. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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DIBBER dib-ur
n. An agricultural implement for making holes in the ground, wherein to set plants or seeds. (see also Dibble)
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DIBBLE dib-l
n. An agricultural implement for making holes in the ground, wherein to set plants or seeds. (see also Dibber)
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DICK dik
n. A dyke or ditch. The " i " in Kent and Sussex is often pronounced as i in French. (see also Deek)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 43
DICKER OF LEATHER
n. Ten hides or skins - John Kersey. Dictionarium Anglo-Britannicum, 1708. The word is used in an inventory of an Egerton tanner, a Wealden family. Kent Archives Office
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 43
DICKY dik-I
n. Poorly; out of sorts; poor; miserable. "When I had the dicky feelin', I wishes I hadn't been so neglackful o' Sundays."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 43
DICKY-HEDGE-POKER dik-i-hej-poa-ker
n. A hedge-sparrow. (see also Mollie)
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DIDAPPER
n. The dab-chick. (see also Divedapper)
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DIDOS dei-doaz
n.pl.Capers; pranks; tricks. "Dreckly ye be backturned, there he be, a-cutting all manner o' didos."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 43
DIEPE
adj. Deep. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Deop (depe). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Dyepe)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
DIERE
Dear. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Deore (duere, dure, dere). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Dyere)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
DIN-A-LITTLE
adv. Within a liitle; nearly. "I knows din-a-little where I be now." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DIRTY-MONEY
n. Monies paid for exceptionally dirty jobs or unhealthy work. - Chatham, Rochester, Strood and district, Royal Naval Dockyard workers. (see also Unker; unker-money)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 95
DISABIL dis-ubil
n. Disorder; untidy dress. French Déshabillé. "Dear heart alive! I never expected for to see you,sir! I'm all in a disabil."
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DISGUISED
adj. Tipsy. "I'd rááther not say as he was exactly drunk, but he seemed as though he was jes' a little bit disguised."
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DISH-MEAT dish-meet
n. Spoon meat, i.e. soft food, which requires no cutting up and can be eaten with a spoon.
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DISHWASHER dish-wosh-r
n. The water wagtail. Generally called "Peggy Dishwasher."(see also Peggy, Peggy Washdish)
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DISSIGHT disei-t
n. That which renders a person or place unsightly; a blemish; a defect. "Them there tumble-down cottages are a great dissight to the street."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 43
DIVEDAPPER
n. The dab-chick. (see also Didapper)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DO doo
vb. To do for anyone is to keep house for him. "Now the old lady's dead, Miss Gamble she goos in and doos for him."
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DOATED doa-tid
adj. Rotten. Generally applied to wood. "That thurrock is all out-o'-titler; the helers are all doated." (see also Doited)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DOB dob
vb. To put down. "So den I dobb'd him down de stuff, A plaguey sight to pay " - Dick and Sal, st 82
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DOBBIN dob-in
n. Temper. "He lowered his dobbin, " i.e. he lost his temper. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DODDER dod-ur
vb. To tremble or shake; to move in an infirm manner. "He be getting' in years now, and caant do s'much as he did, but he manages jus' to dawther about the shop a little otherwhile." (see also Dawther)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DODDER-GRASS dod-ur-grass
n. A long shaking grass, elsewhere called Quaker, or quaking, grass. Briza media. (see also Dawther- grass)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DODGER doj-ur
n. A night-cap.
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DOELS doa-lz
n.pl. The short handles which project from the bat of a scythe, and by which the mower holds it when mowing. The several parts of the scythe are: a) the scythe proper, or cutting part, of shear steel; b) the trai-ring and trai-wedge by which it is fastened to the bat; c) the bat or long staff, by which it is held when sharpening, and which is cut peeked, so that it cannot slip; and d) the doles, as above described.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 45
DOG dau-g, dog
n. (1) An instrument for getting up hop-poles, called in Sussex a pole-putter. (see also Hop- dog (2)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DOG
vb. (2) To follow another's footsteps. "She dogged him home." - J.H.Bridge. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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DOGS dogz
n.pl. Two pieces of wood connected by a piece of string, and used by thatchers for carrying up the straw to its place on the roof, when arranged for thatching.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DOGS' DAISY
n. The May weed, Anthemis cotula; so called, "'Cause it blows in the dog-days, ma'am."
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DOG-WHIPPER dog-wip-ur
n. The beadle of a church, whose duty it was, in former days, to whip the dogs out of church. The word frequently occurs in old Churchwardens' accounts.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DOINGS doo-ingz
n.pl. Odd jobs. When a person keeps a small farm, and works with his team for hire,. he is said to do doings for people.
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DOITED doi-tid
adj. Decayed (used of wood). "That 'ere old eelm (elm) is regular doited, and fit for nothing only cord wood." (see also Doated)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DOLE doa-l
n. (1) A set parcel, or distribution; an alms; a bale or bundle of nets. "60 awins make a dole of shot-nets, and 20 awins make a dole of herring nets " - Lewis, p.24
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 44
DOLE doa-l
n. (2) A boundary stone; the stump of an old tree left standing. (see also Dole-stone, Dowal, Dowl)
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DOLEING doa-ling
n. Almsgiving (see also Deal)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOLE-STONE doa-l-stoa-n
n. A landmark. (see also Dole (2), Dolly, Dowal, Dowl)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOLING doa-ling
n. A fishing boat with two masts, each carrying a sprit-sail. Boys, in his History of Sandwich, speaks of them as "ships for the King's use, furnished by the Cinque Ports."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 45
DOLLOP
n. (5) A portion "A dollop of lard." - Plumstead ,West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
Page 45
DOLLOP dol-up
n. (1) A parcel of tea sewn up in canvas for smuggling purposes; a piece, or portion, of anything, especially food. "Shall I give ye some?" "Thankee, not too big a dollop."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 45
DOLLOP
n. (2) A canvas bag for holding tea used by old Kentish smugglers up to some fifty years ago. "And down in that little dell, back o' old Colonel Cheeseman's house at Chart Court (i.e. part of Little Chart parish) the smugglers used to rest their ponies and have supper. Then off they'd go again, alongside o' Little Chart Church, and by the old secret smuggler's way to Ashford, with their dollops of tea, all a neatly packed on they ponies backs."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 29
DOLLOP
n. (3) A long bramble. "I tore my pinnie on a great scratchy dollop, mum! There's a lot of them along the old hedge down the bottom of the garden. Perhaps uncle will swop (cut) 'em off with his brish-hook later on, aye?"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 28
DOLLOP
n. (4) A lump of anything that is semi-fluid or soft in texture. "Jimmie! run you out with the pail and shovel and scrape up that great dollop of hoss manure out of the rord (road)" "Now eat up that dollop of porridge! It's got real treacle on it, and it will help warm ye up no end." "Dang ye! Look at they dollops of mud ye've brought in an yer boots all over my nice clean floor."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 28
DOLLY
n. A tree marker to delineate boundary in coppice wood. - Peter Lambert. (see also Dole- stone, Dole (2), Dowal, Dowl)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 45
DOLLYMOSH dol-imosh vb. To demolish; destroy; entirely spoil.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOLOURS dol-urz
vb. A word expressive of the moaning of the wind, when blowing up for rain. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOLPHIN dol-fin
n. A kind of fly (aphis) which comes as a blight upon roses, honeysuckles, cinerarias, etc.; also upon beans. It is sometimes black, as on beans and honeysuckles; and sometimes green, as on roses and cinerarias.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 45
DONNY
n. A hand; donnies is the plural. These words are only used in connection with very young children and babies. "Shake your donny to dear grandma, then, baby." "She likes you auntie: look at her shaking her donnies to you, the dear little thing."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 28
DOODLE-SACK doo-dl-sak
n. A bagpipe.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DORICK doa-rik
vb. A frolic; lark; spree; a trick. "Now then, none o' your doricks." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOSS dos
vb. To sit down rudely.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOSSET dos-it
n. A very small quantity of any liquid.
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DOUGH doa
n. A thick clay soil.
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DOVER-HOUSE doa-vur-hous
n. A necessary house.
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DOWAL dou-ul
n. A boundary post. 1630 - "Layd out for seauen dowlstones. .18p. For . . . to carrye these dowl stones from place to place, 2s. - MS Accounts, St Johns' Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Dole, Dole stone, Dolly, Dowl)
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DOWELS dou-lz
n.pl. Low marshes.
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DOWL dou-l
n. A boundary post. 1630 - "Layd out for seauen dowlstones. .18p. For . . . to carrye these dowl stones from place to place, 2s. - MS Accounts, St Johns' Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Dole, Dole stone, Dolly, Dowal)
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DOWN doun
n. A piece of high open ground, not peculiar to Kent, but perhaps more used here than elsewhere. Thus we have Up-down in Eastry; Harts-down and North-down in Thanet; Leys- down in Sheppey; Barham Downs, etc. The open sea off Deal is termed the Downs.
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DOWNWARD dou-nwur'd
adv. The wind is said to be downwards when it is in the south. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DOZTREN
n.pl. Daughters. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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DRAB drab
vb. To drub; to flog; to beat
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DRABBLES
n. Drabs. "He calleth or wyffs ill facid hores and drabbles." - Act Book Rochester 9f 195b in Hammond, The Story of an Outpost Parish, p 169.
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DRAGGLETAIL drag-ltail
n. (1) A slut, or dirty, untidy, and slovenly woman.
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DRAGGLE-TAIL
n. (2) A slut; a dirty woman; a slatternly housewife. "Considering she ain't got no young- uns, she be a rare draggle-taile." "If you don't wash yourself young Liza, you'll grow up into nothing more than a lazy draggle-tail." A slatternly female is sometimes referred to as a "draggle-tailed sheep", on account of the filthy condition of such a poor animal's tail and hind- quarters and organs of excretion and urination. To call a woman in Kent a "draggle-tailed sheep" is to factually insult her in the highest and bitterest mode possible amidst a rural community.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 30
DRAGGLE-TAIL
n. (4) A long-tailed sheep. "If old 'Squeaker' Pile don't soon catch and cut that draggle-tailed ship's (sheep's) tail, it will be fuller of maggots than old Ma Henniker's cheese is o' mites or a stargog (starling) full o' fleas."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 30
DRAGGLE-TAIL
n. (3) A long-tailed (old fashioned) skirt. "Look at that draggle-tail she's a-wearing! Must have belonged to her great-grandmither I should say."
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DRAGON'S TONGUE drag-unz tung
n. Iris foetidissima.
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DRAUGHT dr'aa-ft
n. The bar, billet, or spread-bat, to which the traces of all horses are fixed when four are being used at plough.
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DRAWHOOK drau-uok
n. An implement for cleaning out dykes, and freeing them of weeds, consisting of a three- tined fork, bent round so as to form a hook, and fitted to a long handle. - East Kent. 1627 - "For mending on of the drawe hoockes." - MS. Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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DRAW-WELL drau-wel
n. A hole or well sunk for the purpose of obtaining chalk.
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DRAY drai
n. (1) A squirrel's nest.
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DRAY drai
n. (2) A word usually applied to places where there is a narrow passage through the slime and mud.
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DREAN dree-un
vb. (2) To drip. "He was just dreäning wet when he came in." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DREAN dree-un
n. (1) A drain.
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DRECKLY-MINUTE drek-li-min-it
adv. Immediately; at once; without delay; contracted from "directly this minute." (see also Minute (2)
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DREDGE drej
n. A bush-harrow. To drag a bundle of bushes over a field like a harrow. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DRILL dril
vb. To waste away by degrees.
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DRIV driv
vb. To drive. "I want ye driv some cattle!" "Very sorry, but I'm that druv up I caan't do't!"
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DRIZZLE driz-l
vb. To bowl a ball close to the ground.
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DROASINGS droa-zingz n.pl. Dregs of tallow.
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DROITS droit-s
n.pl. Rights; dues; customary payments.
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DROKE droa-k
n. A filmy weed very common in standing water.
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DROPHANDKERCHIEF drop-angk-urchif
n. The game elsewhere called "kiss-in-the-ring".
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DROP-ROD
vb. "To do drop rod" is an expression used of carrying hay or corn to the stack, when there are two wagons and only one team of horses; the load is then left at the stack, and the horses taken out of the rods or shafts, and sent to bring the other wagon from the field.
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DROSE droa-z
vb. To gutter. Spoken of a candle flaring away, and causing the wax to run down the sides. "The candlestick is all drosed," i.e., covered with grease. (see also Drosley)
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DROSLEY
vb. To gutter. Spoken of a candle flaring away, and causing the wax to run down the sides. "The candlestick is all drosed," i.e., covered with grease. (see also Drose)
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DROVE-WAY droa-v wai
n. A road for driving cattle to and from the marshes, etc, wherein they pasture.
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DRUMMER
n. A fully grown rabbit. The name being derived from the noise, or 'drumming' of the strong hind legs, upon the ground, when a large rabbit is surprised and scared, and runs hard to its burrow, giving earth-tremor warnings to any other rabbits in the immediate vicinity. (see also Jonnie)
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DRUV druv
vb. Driven. "We wunt de druv."
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DRYTH drei-th
n. Drought; thirst. "I call cold tea very purty stuff to squench your dryth." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DUFF duf
n. A dark coloured clay.
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DULL dul
vb. To make blunt. "As for fish-skins - 'tis a terr'ble thing to dull your knife." - Folkestone.
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DULLING UP
adv. It becomes dull now and then; cloudy. "It keeps dulling up." - Landlord of 'Chiltern Hundreds', Boxley. J.W.Bridges 1932.
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DUMBLEDORE dumb-ldoar
n. A bumble bee; an imitative words allied to boom, to hum. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DUN-CROW dun-kroa
n. The hooded or Royston crow, which is found in great numbers in North Kent during the winter. Corvus cornix.
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DUNES deu-nz
n.pl. Sand hills and hillocks, near the margins of the sea. At Sandwich, thieves were anciently buried alive in these dunes, or sand-hills. Boys' in his ' History of Sandwich', pp. 464-465, gives us the "Customal of Sandwich" from which it appears that ". . .in an appeal of theft or robbery if the person be found with the goods upon him, it behoves him to shew, on a day appointed, how he came by them , and, upon failure, he shall not be able to aquit himself. . .If the person, however, upon whom the goods are, avows that they are his own, and that he is not guilty of the appeal, he may acquit himself by 36 good men and true . . . and save himself and the goods. When the names of the 36 compurgators are delivered to the Bailiff in writing they are to be distinctly called over. . . and, if any one of them shall be absent, or will not answer, the appellee must suffer death. But if they all separately answer to their names, the Bailiff, on the part of the King, then puts aside 12 of the number, and the Mayor and Jurats 12 more, thereby agreeing together in fixing of the 12 of the 36 to swear with the Appellee that he is not guilty of the matters laid to his charge . . . The Accused is first sworn that he is not guilty, kissing the book, and then the others come up as they are called, and separately swear that the oath which the Appellee has taken is good and true, . . and that he is not guilty of what is alleged against him, kissing the book, . . by which the Appellee is acquitted and the Appellant becomes liable to an attachment, and his goods are at the disposal of the King. If, however, one of the 12 withdraws his hand from the book and will not swear, the Appellee must be executed; and all who are condemned in such cases are to be buried alive, in a place set apart for the purpose, at Sandown (near Deal) called 'The Thief Downs', which ground is the property of the Corporation." (see Guestling (1)
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DUNG DOLLEY
n. A cart for carrying manure through hop alleys in the summer time. - R Cooke. (see also Hop Dolley)
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DUNK
vb. To throw down, up, or upon. "Dunk that old rubbish up here into the old car!" "Don't dunk that dirty old shirt down on my nice clean washing you idjit." "Dunk that truss o' hay down there by the barn-door, Willum!" "Real ockard (awkward) be young Garge. I sez to 'im, dunk it down 'ere - where the ground be dry - but no! 'e gooed (went) an' dunked it down in all that slub (semi-liquid manure) - by the old sow's stoi (stye)."
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DUNNAMANY dun-umeni
adj.phr. (1) I don't know how many. "'Tis no use what ye say to him, I've told him an't a dunnamany times." (see also Dunnamenny)
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DUNNAMENNY
adj.phr. (2) Don't know how many. "There's a tidy lot of chickens up at the poultry farm, but dunnamenny." (see also Dunnamany)
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DUNNAMUCH dun-umuch adj.phr. I don't know how much.
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DUNTY dunt-I
adj. Stupid; confused. It also sometimes means stunted; dwarfish. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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DURGAN-WHEAT durg-un-weet
n. Bearded wheat. (see also Cone-wheat)
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DWARFS-MONEY
n. Ancient coins. So called in some places on the coast. (see also Bald-pates, Borrow- pence, Hegs pence)
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DWINDLE
n. A poor sickly child. "Ah! he's a terr'ble poor little dwindle, I doän’t think he wun't never come to much."
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DYAD
vb. Dead. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see als Dead, Dyead)
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DYATH
n. Death. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Death)
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DYAU
n. Dew. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Deau)
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DYEAD
vb. Dead. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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DYEAF
n. Deaf. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Deaf)
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DYEPE
adj. Deep. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Deop (depe)
It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Diepe)
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DYERE
Dear. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Deore (duere, dure, dere). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Diere)
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DYEVELEN
n.pl. Devils. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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DYKERS dei-kurz
n.pl. Men who make and clean out dykes and ditches. 1536 - "Paid to a man for helping the dykers." - MS. Accounts, St. John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Deekers)
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DYSTER dei-str
n. The pole of an ox-plough.
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EAR ee-r
vb. To plough. "Eryng of land three times." - Old Parish Book of Wye, 28 Henry 8. "Caesar, I bring thee word: Menocrates and Menas, famous pirates, Make the sea serve them, which they ear and wound With Keels of every kind . . . " - Anthony and Cleopatra, Act 1 Sc 4
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EAREN
n.pl. Ears. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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EARING eer-r'ing
n. Ploughing, i.e., the time of ploughing. . . . "And yet there shall be five years in the which there shall be neither earing nor harvest." - Genesis Ch 45 v 6
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EARTH urth
vb. To cover up with earth. "I've earthed up my potatoes"
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EAXE ee-uks
n. An ax, or axle.
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ECHE ee-ch
n. (1) An eke, or addition; as, an additional piece to a bell rope, to eke it out and make it longer. So we have Eche-End near Ash-next-Sandwich. 1525 - "For 2 ropes for eches for the bell ropys, 2d." Accounts, St. Dunstan's, Canterbury..
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ECHE ee-ch
vb. (2) To eke out; to augment.
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ECKER ek-ur
vb. To stammer; stutter.
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EDDER
n. Adder. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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EDDEREN
n.pl. Adders. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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EELM ee-lm
n. Elm (see also Elvin)
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EEL-SHEER ee-lsheer
n. A three-pronged spear for catching eels.
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E'EN A'MOST ee-numoa-st
adv. Almost. Generally used with some emphasis.
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EEND ee-nd
n. A term in ploughing; the end of a plough-furrow. Two furrows make one eend. Always so pronounced. "I ain't only got two or three eends to-day, to finish the field." (see also End)
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EFFET ef-it
n. An eft; a newt. Anglo-Saxon, efete.
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EIREN
n.pl. Eggs. Old English ei, an egg.
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ELDERN eld-urn
n. The elder tree, and its wood.
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ELE
n. Awl. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word. Old English - Ale and Owel.
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ELEVENSES elev-nziz
n. A drink or snack of refreshment at eleven o'clock in the forenoon. Called in Essex, Beevors; and in Sussex, Elevener. (see also Bever, Leavener, Progger, Scran)
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ELLINGE el-inj
adj. Solitary; lonely; far from neighbours; ghostly. 1470 - "Nowe the crowe calleth reyne with a eleynge voice." - Bartholomaeus de proprietatibus rerum. (see also Uncous, Unky)
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ELMESSEN
n.pl. Alms. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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ELVIN el-vin
n. An elm. Still used, though rarely. (see also Eelm)
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EMMET em-ut
n. An ant. (see also Horse emmet)
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EMMET CASTS em-ut kaa-stiz
n. Ant hills. (see also Ammut-cast)
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END end
n. A term in ploughing; the end of a plough-furrow. Two furrows make one eend. Always so pronounced. "I ain't only got two or three eends to-day, to finish the field." (see also Eend)
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ENOW enou-
n. Enough. "Have ye got enow?"
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ENTETIG ent-itig
vb. To introduce.
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EPPEL
n. Apple Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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EPS | eps | |
n. The asp tree. (see also Aps (1) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 51 |
ERNFUL urn-ful adj. (1) Lamentable. "Ernful bad", lamentably bad. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 51 |
ERNFUL urn-ful adv. (2) Sorrowful. "ernful tune," sorrowful tunes. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 51 |
ERSH ur-sh |
n. The stubble after the corn has been cut. (see also Grattan, Gratten, Gratton (1) & (2), Podder-gratten, Rowens)
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ESS es
n.pl. A large worm.
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ESSHE
n. Ash. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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EVEN (to make)
vb. "Also now of late on of our neybors namyd John Andrew lying uppon his bed sore sike a biding the mercy of God sent on of his sonnes to the vicar to com to hym yt he might make hym selfe even with god and the worlde." - Act Book of Rochester 9 fol 195b in Hammond 'The Story of an Outpost Parish' p 167. (see also Make even)
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EVERYTHING SOMETHI ev-rithing sup-m
n. Something of everything; all sorts of things. "She called me everything something,"i.e.she called me every name she could think of.
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EYESORE ei-soar
n. A disfigurement; a dissight; something which offends the eye, and spoils the appearance of a thing; a detriment. "A sickly wife is a great eyesore to a man."
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EYLEBOURNE ai-lboarn
n. An intermittent spring. "There is a famous eylebourn which rises in the parish (Petham) and sometimes runs but a little way before it falls into the ground." - Harris's History of Kent, p 240. (see Nailbourn)
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EZEN
n.pl.Eyes. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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FACK fak
n. The first stomach of a ruminating animal, from which the herbage is resumed into the mouth.
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FADER faa-dur
n. Father. Extract from the will of Sir John Spyoer, Vicar of Monkton, A.D.1450 "The
same 10 marc shall be for a priest's salary; one whole yere to pray for my soule, my fadyr soule, my modyr soul, and all crystyn soules." - Lewis, p.12. The pronounciation still prevails.
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FAGGS fagz
interj. adv. A cant word of affirmation; in good faith; indeed; truly. Shakespeare has: "I' fecks" = in faith, in A Winter's Tale, Act 1 Sc 2, where we see the word in process of abbreviation. (see also Fags)
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FAGS fagz
interj. adv. A cant word of affirmation; in good faith; indeed; truly. Shakespeare has: "I' fecks" = in faith, in A Winter's Tale, Act 1 Sc 2, where we see the word in process of abbreviation. (see also Faggs)
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FAIRISIES fai-r'iseez
n.pl. Fairies. This reduplicated plural of fairy - fairyses - gives rise to endless mistakes between the fairies of the story-books and the Pharisees of the Bible. (see also Pharisees)
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FAIRY-SPARKS fai-r'i-sparks
n.pl. Phosphoric light, sometimes seen on clothes at night, and in former times attributed to the fairies. Otherwise called "shell-fire".
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FAKEMENT fai-kmu'nt
n. Pain; uneasiness; distress. "Walking does give me fakement to-day." - Sittingbourne.
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FALL faul
n. (2) A portion of growing underwood, ready to fell or cut. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FALL faul
vb. (1) To fell; to cut down.
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FANTEEG fanteeg-
n. A state of worry; excitement; passion. "We couldn't help laughing at the old lady, she put herself in such a fanteeg."
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FANTOD fan-tud
adj. Fidgetty; restless; uneasy.
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FARDLE faa-dl
n. A bundle; a little pack. Amongst the rates or dues of Margate Pier and Harbour, Lewis gives - "For every fardle. . . 1d." Italian, Fardello.
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FARGO
n. A bad smell. "Them privies want emptying, surelye! Pooh! What a fargo!" "They old pig-sties sure be chucking out a rare fargo!" (see also Fogo, Hoogoo, Hum (2), Hussle, Ponk, Wiff)
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FAT fat
n. A large open tub; a vat; a ton or tun. "And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil." - Joel Ch 2 v 24. (see also Ton, Tun)
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FATTEN fat-un
n. A weed.
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FAVOUR fai-vur
vb. To resemble; have a likeness to another person. "You favour your father," i.e., you have a strong likeness to your father. "Joseph was a goodly person and well-favoured." - Genesis Ch 39 v 6 (see also Bly)
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FAYER
adj. (2) Honest. "I'll say he's a fayer and honest a eggler, you'll meet in many aday."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 33
FAYER
adj. (1) Fair. "Her hayer (hair) be as fayer as the ripe corn." The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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FAZEN fai-zn
adj. The fazen eel is a large brown eel, and is so called at Sandwich in contradistinction to the silver eel.
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FEAR fee
vb. To frighten. "To see his face the lion walk'd along Behind some hedge, because he would not fear him." - Shakespeare - Venus and Adonis.
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FEASE feez
n. (2) A feasy, fretting, whining child. Formed from the adj. feasy. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FEASE feez
vb. (1) To fret; worry. (see also Frape (1)
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FEASY fee-zi
adj. Whining; peevish; troublesome. "He's a feasy child." (see also Tattery) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FEETENS fit-nz
n.pl. Foot-marks; foot-prints; hoof-marks. "The rain do lodge so in the horses' feetens."
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FELD feld
n. A field - Sittingbourne. In other parts of Kent it is usually "fill". "Which way to Sittingbourne?" "Cater across that ere feld of wuts (oats)." (see also Fild, Fill)
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FELLET fel-it
n. A portion of a wood divided up for felling; a portion of felled woods. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FELLOWLY fel-oali adj. Familiar; free.
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FELTHE
n. Filth. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Felthe (K) = Fulthe (S) = Filth (see also Velthe)
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FENAGE
vb. (1) To cancel. "You can fenage that agreement maister, I'll have no more to do with ye!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 35
FENAGE
vb. (2) To finish. "We can fenage this field tonight if the moon holds good." The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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FENAGE
vb. (3) To stop. "Hey, you boys! Give over running - fenage, will ye? If ye don't, I'll have the constable on ye."
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FENAGE n. (4) The end. "Well that's the fenage of it, thank the Lord!" The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 35 |
FENNY fen-I
adj. Dirty; mouldy as cheese.
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FERE
n. Fire. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Fere (K) = Fur (S) = Fire (N) (see also Vere)
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FESS
vb. (1) Confess. "They made him fess he stole the apples." Fessed - "The old poacher fessed he were in the wood last night."
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FESS
n. (2) Mentally disturbed. "Stop banging on that old pail, you get me on quite a fess."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 34
FESSED
vb. Puzzled. "I've tried to add these sums but they've got me fessed, sir." The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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FESSED UP
vb. Mental puzzlement of a useless, vacillating character. "All this rushing and tearing around get me all fessed up."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 34
FESSER
n. (1) Knowledge, a personal type of scholarship. Also a shortened form of Professor, used, though very rarely as a nickname. Mr Horton was given this nickname, he was the only 'fesser' in the parishes of Pluckley, Egerton and Little Chart. "That's old 'Fesser' Horton, he do know a rare mighty lot about the birds and beasties, like his old fayther did, who was gamekeeper to old Sir Edward Dering and afterwards to his son Sir Henry."
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FESSER n. (2) Confessor. "He stood as fesser for them all." The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 34 |
FET fet
vb. To fetch.
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FEW feu
adj. This word is used as a substantive in such phrases as "a good few," "a goodish few," which mean "pretty many," or "a nice little lot."
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FICKLE fik-l
vb. To fickle a person in the head with this or that, is to put it into his head; in a rather bad sense.
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FID fid
n. A portion of straw pulled out and arranged for thatching. Four or five fids are about as much as a thatcher will carry up in his dogs.
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FIDDLE FART-ARSE
n. A fidgetty character of pernickety habits. - West Kent. L.R.A.G 1920's. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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FIDDLER fid-lur
n. The angel, or shark-ray. "We calls these fiddlers because they're like a fiddle." The following couplet is current in West Kent: "Never a fisherman need there be, If fishes could hear as well as see."
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FIDGET-ARSE
n. See under "Fiddle arse about" in Eric Partridge, A Dictionary of Slang. - West Kent. L.R.A.G.1920's. (see also Fidgetty bum.)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 54
FIDGETTY BUM
n. See under "Fiddle arse about" in Eric Partridge, A Dictionary of Slang. - West Kent. L.R.A.G.1920's. (see also Fidget-arse)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 54
FIELD-ROOM
n. Corn cut green is said to want much field-room or to require standing a long time before it is fit to carry. - R Cooke.
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FILD fild
n. A field (see also Feld, Fill)
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FILL fil
n. A field. (see also Feld, Fild)
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FILL-NOR-FALL fil-nor-faul
An expression frequently used as to any person or anything lost. "My old dog went off last Monday, and I can't hear neither fill-nor-fall of him."
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FINGER-COLD fin-gur koal-d
adj. Cold to the fingers; "We shall very soon have the winter 'pon us, 'twas downright finger- cold first thing this morning." (see also Hand-cold)
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FINKLE fin-kl
n. Wild fennel. Faniculum vulgare.
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FIRE-BLAST
n. When in dry weather hop-leaves turn yellow, this is called 'fire-blast', also 'putting on the yellow stockings'. - R Cooke. (see also Yellow stockings, putting on)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 55
FIREDOGS
n.pl. And-irons; irons standing on the hearth, and intended to keep the brands and burning coals in their place; also the irons by which the spit is supported. "One payer of standing cob- yrons." . . . . "One payer of cob-irons or brand-irons.". . . . "Item in the Greate Hall. a
payer of cob-irons." - Boteler Inventories in the Memorials of Eastry. (see also Andirons, Brand-irons, Cob-irons)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 55
FIRE-FORK
n. A shovel for the fire, made in the form of a three-pronged fork, as broad as a shovel, and fitted with a handle made of bamboo or other wood. "Item in the kitchen one payer of
tongs, one fire-forke of iron, etc." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p. 227.
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FIRK
vb. (3) To play the fool; to fool about. "Now stop firking around when I'm getting yer fayther's tea ready."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 36
FIRK
vb. (4) To poke about. "It was wet yesterday, so I was able to firk around in the toolshed and put things ship-shape."
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FIRK
vb. (2) To scratch. "They brambles do firk yer arms when gathering blackberries."
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FIRK
vb. (1) To look after No.1 "I'm not a greedy bloke, but I do like to firk for myself."
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FLABERGASTED flab-urgastid adj. or pp. Astonished and rather frightened.
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FLAM
vb. (1) To deceive or cheat.
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FLAM
n. (2) A falsehood.
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FLAW flau
vb. To flay; to strip the bark off timber. "I told him to goo down into de wood flawin', and he looked as tho' he was downright flabbergasted."
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FLAZZ
adj. Newly fledged.
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FLECK flek
n. Hares; rabbits; ground-game. "They killed over two hundred pheasants, but not but terr'ble little fleck." (see also Flick)
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FLEED fleed
n. The inside fat of a pig, from which lard is made.
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FLEED-CAKES flee-kaiks n.pl .Cakes made with the fresh fleed of a pig.
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FLEEKY flee-ki
adj. Flaky; in flakes.
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FLEET fleet
n. (1) A creek; a bay or inlet; a channel for the passage of boats and vessels, hence the name of North-fleet. Anglo-Saxon, fleot. "A certain Abbot. . . made there a certain flete in his own proper soil, through which little boats used to come to the aforesaid town (of Mynster). - Lewis p. 78 The word is still used about Sittingbourne, and is applied to sheets of salt and brackish water in the marshes adjoining the Medway and the Swale. Most of them have no communication with the tidal water, except through water-gates, but they generally represent the channels of streams which have been partly diverted by draining operations. (see also Flete)
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FLEET fleet
n. (4) Every Folkestone herring-boat carries a fleet of nets, and sixty nets make a fleet.
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FLEET fleet
vb. (3) To skim any liquor, especially milk.
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FLEET fleet
vb. (2) To float. The word is much used by North Kent bargemen, and occasionally by "inlanders." "The barge fleeted about four o'clock to-day."
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FLEET MILK
n. (2) Milk that has been de-creamed and fully separated of all its fats content. Another name is skim-milk. (see also Flit-milk)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 36
FLEET MILK
n. (1) Skimmed milk. ( see also Flit milk).
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FLEETING-DISH
n. A shallow dish for cream. ( see Fleet (3)
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FLEG
n. Flag. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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FLETE fleet
n. A creek; a bay or inlet; a channel for the passage of boats and vessels, hence the name of North-fleet. Anglo-Saxon, fleot. "A certain Abbot. . . made there a certain flete in his own proper soil, through which little boats used to come to the aforesaid town (of Mynster). - Lewis p. 78 The word is still used about Sittingbourne, and is applied to sheets of salt and brackish water in the marshes adjoining the Medway and the Swale. Most of them have no communication with the tidal water, except through water-gates, but they generally represent the channels of streams which have been partly diverted by draining operations. (see also Fleet 1)
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FLICK flik
n. (1) The hair of a cat, or the fur of a rabbit. (see Fleck)
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FLICK
n. (2) Cow hair, used with clay in timber-framed houses. - Ron Baldwin. 1976.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 56
FLICKING-TOOTH-COMB flik-in-tooth-koam
n. A comb for a horse's mane.
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FLIG n. The strands of grass. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 56 |
FLINDER flin-dur
n. A butterfly.
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FLINDER-MOUSE flind-ur-mous
n. A bat. (see also Flinter-mouse, Flitter-mouse)
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FLINTER-MOUSE flint-ur-mous
n. A bat. This form is intermediate between flinder-mouse and flitter mouse. The plural form is flinter-mees
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FLIT-MILK flit-milk
n. (1) Skim milk; the milk after the cream has been taken off it. (see also Fleet milk)
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FLIT-MILK
n. (2) Milk that has been de-creamed and fully separated of all its fats content. Another name is skim-milk. (see also Fleet-milk)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 36
FLITTER-MOUSE flit-ur-mous
n. A bat. (see also Flinder-mouse, Flinter-mouse)
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FLOAT float
n. A wooden frame, sloping outward, attached to the sides, head, or back, of a cart, enabling it to carry a larger load than would otherwise be possible.
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FLOWER flou-r
n. The floor (always pronounced thus).
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FLUE floo
adj. Delicate; weak; sickly. In East Kent it is more commonly applied to persons than to animals.
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FLUFF fluff
n. Anger; choler. "Dat raised my fluff." - Dick and Sal, st 74 A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FLUMP
n. A fall causing a loud noise. "She came down with a flump on the floor." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FLY-GOLDING
n. A lady-bird.also called a lady-cow. - R Cooke. (see also Bug (2), Lady-bug, Lady-cow, Golding, Mary-gold, Merrigo)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 57
FOAL'S FOOT
n. Colt's foot. Fussilago farfara.
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FOBBLE
vb. To play about where there is a possibility of danger. "Don't 'ee fobble about on top o' that old chalk-hole (chalk quarry) or maybe ye'll get yerself kilt (killed) or injured."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 37
FOBBLER
n. A person who plays the fool; a 'silly ass'. "Look at that fobbler trying to stand on that post atop o' that barbed-wire fence." "He do talk such silly rot. He be a regular fobbler, I do say!" "Ye don't have to call me a fobbler just a-cause I was throwing stones at that old bottle on the style."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 37
FOBBLING
vb. Playing about; to play around or about. "I wish they noisey young-uns would stop fobbling about right outside the door on a Sunday artnoon, when a body wants to have half-an- hour wi her Bible, and to have a nice nap 'fore tea-time."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 37
FODDER
n. Fodder. R. Cooke (see also Fother)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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FODGEE
n. A farthing. - Maidstone. Fred Amies. L.R.A.G. 1977.
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FOG fog
n. The second crop of grass. From Low Latin, fogagium, or foragium. (See also Aftermath, Aftermeath)
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FOGO foa-goa
n. A stench. (see also Fargo, Hoogoo, Hum (2), Hussle, Ponk, Wiff) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FOLD-PITCHER foald-pich-r
n. An iron implement, other-wise called a peeler, for making holes in the ground, wherein to put wattles or hop-poles. (see also Peeler)
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FOLKESTONE GIRLS foa-ksun galz
n.pl. Folkestone girls; the name given to heavy rain clouds. - Chilham. "De Folkston gals looked houghed black; Old Walter'd roar'd about; Says I to Sal 'shall we go back?' 'No, no!' says she, 'kip out.' " - Dick and Sal, st 23 (See also Folkestone Lasses, Folkestone Washerwomen)
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FOLKESTONE LASSES foa-ksun las-sez
n.pl. Folkestone girls; the name given to heavy rain clouds. - Chilham. "De Folkston gals looked houghed black; Old Walter'd roar'd about; Says I to Sal 'shall we go back?' 'No, no!' says she, 'kip out.' " - Dick and Sal, s 23 (See also Folkestone Girls, Folkestone Washerwomen)
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FOLKESTONE WASHER
n.pl. Folkestone girls; the name given to heavy rain clouds. - Chilham. "De Folkston gals looked houghed black; Old Walter'd roar'd about; Says I to Sal 'shall we go back?' 'No, no!' says she, 'kip out.' " - Dick and Sal, st 23 (See also Folkestone Girls, Folkestone Lasses)
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FOLKESTONE-BEEF foa-ksun beef
n. Dried dog-fish. "Most of the fishermen's houses in Folkestone harbour are adorned with festoons of fish hung out to dry; some of these look like gigantic whiting. There was no head, tail or fins to them, and I could not make out their nature without close examination. The rough skin on their reverse side told me at once that they were a species of dog-fish. I asked what they were? 'Folkestone-beef,' was the reply." - F. Buckland.
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FOLKS foa-ks
n.pl. The men-servants. - East Kent. "Our folks are all out in de fill." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FOOTROAD
n. A foot-path.- R Cooke.
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FOR for
prep. Used in adjectival sense, thus, "What for horse is he?" i.e., What kind of horse is he. "What for day is it?" i.e., What kind of day is it.
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FORCED foa-st
vb. Obliged; compelled. "He's kep' going until last Saddaday he was forced to give up."
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FORE-ACRE for-u'-kur
n. The headland; the land at the ends of the field where the furrows cross. (see also Forical)
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FORECAST foa-rkaast
n. Forethought.
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FORE-DOOR foa-r-doar
n. The front door. "He came to the fore door."
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FOREHORSE foa-r-hors
n. The front horse in a team of four. - East Kent.
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FOREIGNER fur-inur
n. A stranger who come out of the sheers, and is not a Kentish man. (see also Furriner)
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FORE-LAY foa-r-lai
vb. To way-lay. "I slipped across the field and fore-laid him." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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FORELONG
prep. Before long; very soon. "I'll be there forelong. Soons (as soon as) I fenaged this job.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 37
FORERIGHT foa-rr'eit
adj.or adv. Direct; right in front; straight forward. "It (i.e., the river Rother) had heretofore a direct and foreright continued current and passage as to Appledore, so from thence to Romney." - Somner, Ports and Forts, p 50.
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FORESTAL foa-rstul
n. A farm-yard before a house; a paddock near a farm house; the house and home-building of a farm; a small opening in a street or lane, not large enough to be called a common. As a local name, forstalls seem to have abounded in Kent; as for instance, Broken Forestall, near Buckley; Clare's Forstall, near Throwley, and several others. (see also Forstal, Fostal (1) & (2)
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FORICAL for-ikl
n. A headland in ploughing (see also Fore-acre)
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FORSTAL for-stul
n. (1) A farm-yard before a house; a paddock near a farm house; the house and home- building of a farm; a small opening in a street or lane, not large enough to be called a common. As a local name, forstalls seem to have abounded in Kent; as for instance, Broken Forestall, near Buckley; Clare's Forstall, near Throwley, and several others. (see also Forestal, Forstal (2), Fostal)
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FORSTAL
n. (2) see Gordon Ward's note on 'Forestall' in Arch. Cantiana 746 pp 207-209 Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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FOSTAL fost-ul
n. A farm-yard before a house; a paddock near a farm house; the house and home-building of a farm; a small opening in a street or lane, not large enough to be called a common. As a local name, forstalls seem to have abounded in Kent; as for instance, Broken Forestall, near Buckley; Clare's Forstall, near Throwley, and several others. (see also Forstal (1) & (2) , Forestal)
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FOTHER
n. Fodder - R. Cooke (see also Fodder)
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FOUT fou-t
vb. Fought; being p.t. and pret. of to fight. - Sittingbourne. "Two joskins fout one day in a chalk pet, until blood run all over their gaberdines.".
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FOWER fou-ur
num.adj. Four. So pronounced to this day in East Kent, and constantly so spelled in old documents.
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FOY foi
n. A treat given by a person on going abroad or returning home. There is a tavern at Ramsgate called the Foy Boat. "I took him home to number2, the house beside 'The Foy'; I bade him wipe his dirty shoes, that little vulgar boy." - Ingoldsby Legends, Misadventures at Margate.
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FOYING foi-ing
part.Victualling ships; helping them in distress, and acting generally as agents for them. "They who live by the seaside are generally fishermen, or those who go voyages to foreign parts, or such as depend upon what they call foying." - Lewis, p 32
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FRAIL fr'ail
n. (1) A small basket; a flail. The flail is rapidly disappearing and going out of use before the modern steam threshing machine. It consists of the following parts: a) The hand-staff or part grasped by the thresher's hands; b) the hand-staff-cap (made of wood), which secured the thong to the hand-staff; c) the middle-bun or flexible leathern thong, which served as the connecting link between hand-staff and swingel; d) the swingle-cap made of leather, which secured the middle-bun to the swingle; e) the swingel (swinj-l) itself, which swung free and struck the corn. There is a proverbial saying, which alludes to the hard work of threshing: "Two sticks, a leather and thong, Will tire a man be he ever so strong."
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FRAIL frail
adj. (2) Peevish; hasty.
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FRAPE fraip
vb. (1) To worry; fidget; fuss; scold. "Don't frape about it." (see also Fease)
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FRAPE fraip
n. (2) A woman of an anxious temperament, who grows thin with care and worry. "Oh! she's a regular frape."
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FRENCH MAY french mai
n. The lilac, whether white or purple. Syringa vulgaris. (see also Laylock, Lielock)
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FRESH CHEESE fresh cheez
n. Curds and whey.
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FRIG
vb. To keep hopping, jumping or moving about in an erratic manner. To figet. "He can't keep still a minute Muss Homewood, always on the frig!". "I do wish 'e would stop frigging about Clara when I'm a-trying to get you ready for school." (see also Nettle-frig)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 37
FRIGGER
n. (1) Fidgeter. "Look 'ee yurr, effen (if you do not) keep still, you little frigger, I won't take you up the street to see your grandma, so there."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 38
FRIGGER
n. (2) A person who moves about from place to place, situation to situation, or one who wants a lot of sizing up from time to time; one who is up to all kinds of cute dodges, business ones or otherwise is referred to as "An Old Frigger". "If you be buying or a-selling anything to old man Turk, watch 'un! He be a regular old frigger, and slyer than any fox, and a darnsight more craftier than a weasel !"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 38
FRIGHT-WOODS
n.pl. A hedge or coppice. A thin, scrubby wood, with little or no timber, and consisting mainly of inferior growths such as are found on poor soils, intermixed with heath, etc. Though some of the old woods bearing this name may now, by modern treatment, have been made much thicker and more valuable, they are also still called, as of old, fright-woods, as the Fright Woods, near Bedgebury. In the MS. Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury, we find frith used for a quick-set hedge - "To enclose the 7 acres with a quyk fryth before the Fest of the Purification." (see also Frith)
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FRIMSY frimz-i
adj. Slight; thin; soft.
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FRITH
n. A hedge or coppice. A thin, scrubby wood, with little or no timber, and consisting mainly of inferior growths such as are found on poor soils, intermixed with heath, etc. Though some of the old woods bearing this name may now, by modern treatment, have been made much thicker and more valuable, they are also still called, as of old, fright-woods, as the Fright Woods, near Bedgebury. In the MS. Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury, we find frith used for a quick-set hedge - "To enclose the 7 acres with a quyk fryth before the Fest of the Purification."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 60
FRORE froa-r
pp. Frozen. ". . . . The parching air Burns frore and cold performs the effect of fire." - Milton, Paradise Lost, 2. 595. (see also Fruz)
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FRUITING
vb. Fruit picking.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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FRUZ fruz
pp. Frozen. (see also Frore)
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FRY
Free. Old Frisian Fri = Old Kentish Fry. (see also Vry) The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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FURBRATS
n. Fire-brats. The insect Lupisma Saccharina, often found in old houses, especially in and around the fire-places. They resemble tiny shrimps and have the same actions and appearance as the common fresh-water shrimps. Children who are rather prone to spending too much time in front of fires in the winter times are also termed furbrats or firebrats.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 35
FURNER furn-r
n. A baker. French, fournier
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FURREN PEASIES
n. 'Foreign' pea-pickers. This particular example of Kent dialect is most confined to the districts around Maidstone, up to roughly a three mile radius and rarely, if ever, heard beyound these limits. "They be furren-peasies from Chatham Town beyent (beyond) Blue Bell Hill, up there!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 38
FURRICK fur-r'ik
vb. To forage; to hunt about and rummage, and put everything into disorder whilst looking for something. (see also Furridge)
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FURRIGE fur-r'igj
vb. To forage; to hunt about and rummage, and put everything into disorder whilst looking for something. (see also Furrick)
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FURRINERS
n. Not foreigners in the true sense, but any person living outside of a parish. Each parish is 'foreign' to others; the people of different parishes are 'foreigners' to each other. "Who be they fellers, Garge?" "Well, surelye, Chawse (Charles), they be furriners up from Headcorn!" (Headcorn being about 3 miles away) (see also Foreigner)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 38
GABERDINE gab-urdin
n. A coarse loose frock; a smock frock sometimes called a cow-gown, formerly worn by labouring men in many counties, now fast disappearing. "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine." - Merchant of Venice, Act 1 Sc 3. "Next he disrob'd his gaberdine, And with it did himself resign." - Hudibras, Pt 1 Canto 3.
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GADS gadz
n.pl. Rushes growing in marshy ground.
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GAFFER gaf-ur
n. A master. "Here comes our gaffer!"
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GAGEY gai-ji
adj. Uncertain; showery; spoken of the weather. "Well, what d'ye think o' the weather? will it be fine? It looks to me rather gagey."
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GALEY gai-li
adj. Boisterous; stormy. "The wind is galey," i.e., blows in gales, in fits and starts.
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GALLIGASKINS n.pl. Trowsers. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 61 |
GALLIVANT ABOUT vb. Tantamount to 'gadding about'. - West Kent. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 61 |
GALLON gal-un
n. Used as a dry measure for corn, flour, bread, potatoes. In Kent these dry goods are always sold by the gallon. "I'd far rather pay a shilling for a gallon of bread than have it so very cheap."
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GALLS gaulz
n.pl. Jelly fish. (see also Blue Slutters, Miller's-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sea starch, Sluthers, Slutters, Stingers, Water-galls)
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GALORE guloa-r
n. Plenty.
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GAMBLE STICK gamb-l-stik
n. A stick used to spread open and hang up a pig or other slaughtered animal. (see also Gambrel)
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GAMBREL gamb-ril
n. A stick used to spread open and hang up a pig or other slaughtered animal. (see also Gamble Stick)
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GAMMY gam-I
adj. Sticky; dirty.
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GANCE gaans or gans
adj. Thin; slender; gaunt, "Them sheep are doing middlin', but there's here and there a one looks rather gance."
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GANGWAY gang-wai
n. A thoroughfare; a passage; an entry. Properly a sea term. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GARBAGE gaa-bij
n. A sheaf of corn, Latin garba; a cock of hay; a fagot of wood, or other bundle of the product or fruits of the earth.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 62
GARP
vb. To stare overlong in a bad mannered way. To stare openly at a person, especially if in a conversation or doing anything considered private or personal. Staring with the mouth open. "Don't stand there all a garp, while we are talking. Be off with you, you ill-mannered besom." "He aint got no manners! Always garping about into people's gardens, and windows."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 41
GARPED
vb. Stared. "We said 'good morning' to him and he just stood and garped back at us."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 41
GARRET gar-r'it
vb. To drive small wedges of flint into the joints of a flint wall. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GARRETED
adj. The phrase, "not rightly garreted," means, something wrong in "the top storey". Spoken of a weak and silly person, whose brain is not well furnished.
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GASKIN gas-kin
n. Prunus avium, a half-wild variety of the damson, common in hedgerows, and occasionally gathered to send to London, with the common kinds of black cherry, for the manufacture of "port wine."
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GATE gait
n. A way from the cliffs down to the sea: - Ramsgate, Margate, Kingsgate, Sandgate, Westgate. "Through these chalky cliffs the inhabitants whose farms adjoin to them, have cut several gates, or ways into the sea, for the conveniency either of fishing, carrying the sea ooze on their lands, etc. But these gates or passages, they have been forced to fill up in time of war, to prevent their being made use of by the enemy to surprise them, and plunder the country." - Lewis, Tenet p 10.
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GATTERIDGE TREE gat-ur'ij tree
n. Prickwood. Euonymus Europaeus.
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GAU gau
interj An exclamation, in constant use, expressive of doubt; surprise; astonishment. (see also Geu, Goo)
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GAUSE gaus
adj. Thin; slender.
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GAVELKIND gav-l-kend
n. An ancient tenure in Kent, by which the lands of a father were divided among all his
sons; or the lands of a brother, dying without issue, among all the surviving brothers; a custom by which the female descendents were utterly excluded, and bastards inherited with legitimate children.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 62
GAY gai
adj. Lively; hearty; in good health. "I don't feel very gay this morning." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GAYTHER
vb. To gather up "Now young Willum, you jist gayther up all they old bines and tie 'em all up to-gayther."( see also To-gayther)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 41
GAYZELS gai-zlz
n.pl. Black currants, Ribes nigrum; wild plums, Prunis communis. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GEAT ge-ut
n. Gate.
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GEE | jee | |
n. (1) A lodging; roost. (see also Chee) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 63 |
GEE jee interj.(2) Go to the off side; command to a horse. - West Kent. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 63 |
GELT
Guilt. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Gelt (K) = Gult (S) = Gilt(N) = Guilt
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 15 |
GENTAIL n. (2) A gentil; a maggot used for fishing. - J.H.Bridge. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 63 |
GENTAIL jen-tail
n. (1) An ass.
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GENTLEMAN
n. A person who from age or any other cause is incapacitated from work. "He's a gentleman now, but he just manages to doodle about his garden with a weedin'-spud."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 63
GERLOND
n. Garland. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
GERS
n. Grass. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340 , contains this word.s. Old English - gars
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
GEU geu
interj An exclamation, in constant use, expressive of doubt; surprise; astonishment. (see also Gau, Goo)
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GIBLETS jib-lets
n.pl. Rags; tatters.
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GIDDYHORN
n. There is a Giddyhorn Toll, north of Westwell, and a Giddyhorn Lane in Maidstone.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 63
GIFTS gifts
n.pl. White specks which appear on the finger nails and are supposed to indicate something coming, thus - "A gift on the thumb indicates a present. A gift on the fore-finger indicates a friend or lover. A gift on the middle finger indicates a foe. A gift on the fourth finger indicates a visit to pay. A gift on the little finger indicates a journey to go." - W.F.S.
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GIG gig
n. A billet, or spread bat, used to keep the traces of plough horses apart.(see also Billet, Spread-bat)
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GILL gill
n. A little, narrow, wooded valley with a stream of water running through it; a rivulet; a beck.
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GIMMER gim-ur
n. A mistress. "My gimmer always wore those blue and white checked aprons." (1817)
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GIN gin (not jin)
vb. Given. "I cou'd a gin de man a smack." - Dick and Sal, st 86. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GIVE giv
vb. To give way; to yield; to thaw. "It gives now," i.e. it is thawing. So, too, the phrase, "It's all on the give," means, that a thaw has set in.
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GIVE OVER give oa-vur
vb. To leave off; to cease; to stop. "Give over! will ye! I wun't have no more an't."
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GIVEY giv-i
adj. The ground is said to be givey when the frost breaks up and the roads become soft and rotten.
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GLEAN
n. A handful of corn tied together by a gleaner.
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GLED
Glad. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water.
The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
GLIMIGRIM
n. Punch. "Tom Julmot, a rapscallion souldier, and Mary Leekin, married by license, January 4th, 1748-9. Caspian bowls of well acidulated glimigrim." - Extract from Parish Register of Sea Salter, near Whitstable.
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GLINCE glins
adj. Slippery. "The ice is terr'ble glincey." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 64 |
GLINCEY glins-i adj. Slippery. "The ice is terr'ble glincey." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 64 |
GLOOM n. (2) An anvil - Steer 'Essex Inventories'. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 64 |
GLOOM
n. (1) An oven; a grate; a grate back. 416 pounds of gloom - Baldwin Duppa inventory for Hollingbourne Hall, 1789.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 64
GLY
n. Glee. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
GO goa
vb. To get about and do one's work. "He's troubled to go." i.e., he has great difficulty in getting about and doing his work. "He's gone in great misery for some time," i.e., he has gone about his work in great pain and suffering.
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GOANNA
n. Guano. - R Cooke.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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GOD'S GOOD Godz good
n. Yeast; barm. It was a pious custom in former days to invoke a benediction, by making the sign of the cross over the yeast. (see also Barm, Siesin, Sizzing)
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GOFF gof
n. The commonest kind of apple.
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GOGS
n.pl.Berries - L..E.A.G. (see also Goosegogs, Snottygogs)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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GOING goa-in
n. The departure. "I didn't see the going of him."
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GOING TO'T goa-in tuot
Going to do it; as "do this or that;" the answer is "I am going to-t." The frequency with which it is used in some parts of Kent renders the phrase a striking one.
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GOL gol
n. A young gosling. (see also Gull)
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GOLDING goa-lding
n. A lady-bird, so called from the golden hue of its back. (see also Bug (2), Fly-golding, Lady-Bug, Lady Cow, Marygold, Merrigo)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 65
GOLLOP gol-up
vb. (1) To swallow greedily; to gulp. "You golloped that down as if you liked it."
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GOLLOP
vb. (2) To bolt or eat food; or to drink greedily. "Now don't you gollop your food like a pig!" "If it was beer, instead o' medicine the doctor had given ye, ye'd a-golloped that down soon enough."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 42
GOO goo
interj (1) An exclamation, in constant use, expressive of doubt; surprise; astonishment. (see also Gau, Geu)
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GOO
vb. (2) To go. "I'll goo on the errand grandma." The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
Page 41
GOODING guod-ing
n. The custom of going about asking for gifts on St Thomas' Day, December 21. Still kept up in many parts of Kent.
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GOODMAN
n. An old title of address to the master of a house. 1671 - "To Goodman Davis in his sicknes . . . 6p" - Overseers' Accounts, Holy Cross, Canterbury. ". . . If the goodman of the house had known in what watch the theif would come, he would have watched." - St. Matthew, Ch 24 v 43.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 65
GOODY guod-i
n. The title of an elderly widow, contracted from goodwife. "Old Goody Knowler lives agin de stile."
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GOOED
vb. Went. "He be gooed down Alvey Lane, to see old Muss Austin over at Honey Farm, sir."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 42
GOOING
vb. Going. "Ire (I am) a-gooing into the packtures (pictures, cinema) at Ashford to see "Blood and Sand", sartnoon."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 41
GOOSEBRING
vb. Goose-berrying. To gather or to pick gooseberries. Goose + B and R of berry + ing = goosebring
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 41
GOOSEGOGS
n.pl. Gooseberries. - West Kent. L.E.A.G.1920's. (see also Dabberries, Guozgogs)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 65
GO-TO goa too
vb. To set. "The sun goes to."
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GOULE goul
n. Sweet willow. Myrica gale.
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GOYSTER goi-stur
vb. To laugh noisily and in a vulgar manner. A goystering wench is a Tom-boy.
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GRABBY grab-i
adj. Grimy; filthy. ( see also Grubby)
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GRACIOUS-HEART-ALIV
interj. A Kentish exclamation of utter surprise. Possibly this is of Roman Catholic origin with the Gracious Heart part of this exclamation. No doubt its earliest beginning was due to someone crying out the religious call of "Gracious Heart - Alive!", over some supposed dead person having been heard about, or turned up after a long period of exile, or presumed missing, in a living state. (see also Hearts Alive!)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 42
GRAN NIGH gran nei adv. Very nearly.
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GRANABLE granai-bl
adv. Very. "De clover was granable wet, So when we crast de medder, We both upan de hardle set, An den begun concedir." - Dick and Sal, st 22.
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GRANADA gran-aada
n. A golden pippin,
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GRANDLY grand-li adv. Greatly: as, "I want it grandly."
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GRANDMOTHER'S NIGH
n. The flower called monk's hood or aconite. Aconitum napellus. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GRAPE-VINE graip-vein
n. The vine which bears grapes. In other counties, when they say vine, they mean a grape- vine, as a matter of course; so, when they use the word orchard, they mean an apple-orchard; but in Kent, it is necessary to use distinquishing terms, because we have apple-orchards, and cherry-orchards, hop-vines and grape-vines.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 66
GRAT
adj. Great. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Great)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
GRATTAN grat-un
n. Stubble; a stubble field, otherwise called ersh, or eddish, grotten, podder-gratten. (see also Ersh, Gratten, Gratton (1) & (2), Podder-gratten, Rowens)
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GRATTEN grat-un
n. (1) Stubble; a stubble field, otherwise called ersh, or eddish, grotten, podder-gratten. (see also Ersh, Grattan (1) & (2), Grotton, Podde-gratten, Rowens)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 66
GRATTEN grat-un
vb. (2) To feed on a gratten, or stubble field. To turn pigs out grattening, is to turn them out to find their own food.
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GRATTON grat-un
n. (1) Stubble; a stubble field, otherwise called ersh, or eddish, grotten, podder-gratten. (see also Ersh, Grattan, Gratten, Gratton (2), Podder-gratten, Rowens)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 66
GRATTON
n. (2) Stubble. Nicky Newbury uses Gratton for Stubble, and says it is a Kentish word -
L.R.A.G. 1978. (see also Ersh, Grattan, Gratten, Podder-gratten, Rowens)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page
GRAUM grau-m
vb. To grime; dirty; blacken.
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GREAT
adj. Great. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Grat)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
GREAT grait
n. (2) "To work by the great" is to work by the piece.
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GREAT gurt
adv. (1) Very; as "great much," very much. Commonly pronounced gurt. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GREAT CHURCH grait church
n. The Cathedral at Canterbury is always so called at Eastry. "That fil belongs to the Great Church," i.e. is part of the possessions of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury.
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GREATEN grai-tn
vb. To enlarge.
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GREEDS greedz
n.pl. Straw thrown on to the dung-hill. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 66 |
GREEDYGUTS n.pl. A glutton. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 66 |
GREEN-BAG
n. The bag in which hops are brought from the garden to the oast. (see also Poke, Pook).
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GREYBIRD grai-burd
n. A thrush.
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GRIDGIRON grij-erin
n. Gridiron.
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GRID-IRON
n. An old bicycle. Also Grit-iron, old grid and old grit. Sometimes referred to as a rattle- trap. No doubt likening an old rickety cycle to a griddle-iron, used in cooking over open fire. meaning that one might get along riding on a griddle-iron just as well and as comfortably. (see also Grit-iron)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 42
GRINNYGOG
n. Perhaps someone with a grinning, stupid face. "You stand there just like a grinnygog." - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 67
GRINSTONE grin-stun
n. A grindstone.
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GRIP grip
n. A dry ditch; but about Sittingbourne it is applied to natural channels of a few feet in width, in the saltings on the Kentish coasts. "I crawled along the grip with my gun in my hand until I got within a few rods of 'em."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 67
GRIPES, To give the
phr. You exasperate me. "You give me the gripes." - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. (see also Willies)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 67
GRIPING grei-pin
vb. The name given in North Kent to the operation of groping at arms' length in the soft mud of the tidal streams for dabs and flounders.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 67
GRIST greist
n. Anything that is ground - meal, flour.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GRISTING grei-sting
n. The flour which is got from the lease-wheat. ( see also Grysting) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 67
GRIT grit
vb. To set the teeth on edge; to grate.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GRIT-IRON
n. An old bicycle. Also Grid-iron, old grid and old grit. Sometimes referred to as a rattle- trap. No doubt likening an old rickety cycle to a griddle-iron, used in cooking over open fire. meaning that one might get along riding on a griddle-iron just as well and as comfortably. "Clattering old thing! You might as well chuck that old grit-iron you ride into the pond and buy a decent bicycle for once."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 43
GRIZZLE griz-l
vb. To fret; complain; grumble. "She's such a grizzling woman." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 67
GRIZZLEGUTS
n. A constantly crying or fretful child. From 'to grizzle'. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 67
GROSS groas
adj. Gruff, deep-sounding.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 67
GROVETT groa-vit
n. A small grove or wood. "Just by it is a grovette of oaks, the only one in the whole island." - Lewis, p.115
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 67
GRUBBY grub-i
adj. Dirty. "You are grubby, and no mistake." (see also Grabby) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GRUPPER grup-ur
n. That part of a harness of a cart-horse which is called elsewhere the quoilers; the breeching. - East Kent.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 67
GRUPPER-TREE grup-ur-tree
n. That part of the harness of a cart-horse which is made of wood, padded next to the horse's back, and which carries the redger. - East Kent.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 67
GRY
n. Grey. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
GRYSTING grei-sting
n. The flour which is got from the lease-wheat. (see also Gristing) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GUESS-COW ges-kou
n. A dry or barren cow.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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GUESTING gest-ing vb. Gossipping.
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GUESTLING ges-lin
n. (1) An ancient water-course at Sandwich, in which it was formerly the custom to drown prisoners. (see Dunes)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 68
GUESTLING gest-ling
n. (2) The ancient court of the Cinque Ports, held at Shepway, near Hythe, and other places. "In July, 1688, the Common Council of Faversham commissioned their Deputy-Mayor, two Jurats, the Town Clerk, and a Commoner ' to go to a guestling, which was summoned from the ancient town of Winchelsea, to be holden at the town and port of New Romney, on Tuesday, July 21st;' and 'there to act on the town's behalf, as they should find convenient.' They were absent at the guestling five days." - Archaeologia Cantiana, 14. p 271.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 68
GUILE-SHARES gei-l-shairz
n.pl.Cheating shares; division of spoils; or shares of "wreckage." "Under the pretence of assisting the distressed masters (of stranded vessels) and saving theirs and the merchant's goods, they convert them to their own use by making what they call guile-shares." - Lewis, 34.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 68
GULL
n. A young gosling. (see also Gol)
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GULLIDGE gul-ij
n. The sides of a barn boarded off from the middle; where the caving is generally stored.'
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GUMBLE gumb-l
vb. To fit very badly, and be too large, as clothes.
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GUNNER gun-ur
n. A man who makes his living by shooting wild fowl, is so called on the north coast of Kent and about Sheppey.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 68
GUO
vb. Go 'The only examples of this kind (of pronounciation) that are to be found in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are buone = bone, guo = go, guode =good, guos =goose.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 19
GUODE
adj. Good. 'The only examples of this kind (of pronounciation) that are to be found in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are buone = bone, guo = go, guode =good, guos =goose.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 19
GUOS
n. Goose 'The only examples of this kind (of pronounciation) that are to be found in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are buone = bone, guo = go, guode =good, guos =goose.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 19 |
GUOZGOGS n.pl Gooseberries. (see also Dabberries, Goosegogs) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 65 |
GURT gurt
adj. Great.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 68
GUTTER GRUB gut-ur-grub
n. One who delights in doing dirty work and getting himself into a mess; a low person.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 68
GUTTERMUD gut-urmud
n. The black mud of the gutter, hence any dirt or filth. "As black as guttermud.";
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GUT-WEED
n. Sonchus arvensis.
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HA
pro. He.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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HAAZES haa-ziz
n.pl. Haws. Fruit of Crataegus oxyacantha. (See also Aazes, Harves, Haulms and Figs)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HADN'T OUGHT hadn't aut
phr. Ought not. "He hadn't ought to go swishing along as that, no-how." (see also No ought)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HAGGED hagid
adj. Thin; lean; shrivelled; haggard. "They did look so old and hagged; " spoken of some maiden ladies living in another parish, who had not been seen for some time by the speaker.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HAGISTER hag-ister
n. A magpie.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HAIR hair
n. The cloth on the oast above the fires where the hops are dried. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HALF MOON
n. 5 bushel basket measures, especially for hops. - East Kent. Nicky Newbury. (see also
Moon) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 10 |
HALF-AMON haaf-ai-mun n. A half-amon, is a hop, step and jump. (see also Amon) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 69 |
HALF-BAPTIZED
Privately baptised. "Can such things be!" exclaimed the astonished Mr. Pickwick. "Lord bless your heart, sir," said Sam, "why, where was you half-baptised? - that's nothin', that a'nt." - Pickwick Papers, Ch 13.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HALM haam
n. Stubble gathered after the corn is carried, especially pease and beans' straw; applied, also, to the stalks or stems of potatoes and other vegetables. (see also Hame, Haulm, Helm)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HALMOT hal-mut
n. The hall mote; court leet or manor court; from the Saxon heal-mot, a little council.
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HALZEN
n.pl. Saints. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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HAME haim
n. Pease straw. (see Halm, Haulm, Helm)
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HAMPER hamp-ur
vb. To injure, or throw anything out of gear. "The door is hampered.". A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 70
HAMPERY ham-pur'i
adj. Shaky; crazy; ricketty; weak; feeble; sickly. (see also Ampery) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HAND-COLD
adj. Cold enough to chill the hands. "There was a frost down in the bottoms, for I was right- down hand-cold as I come up to the great house." (see also Finger-cold)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HANDFAST
adj. Able to hold tight. "Old George is middlin' handfast to-day" (said of a good catch at cricket.)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HANDFUL
n. An anxiety; to have a handful is to have as much as a person can do and bear. "Mrs S. says she has a sad handful with her mother."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HAND-HOLD
n. A holding for the hands. "'Tis a plaguey queer job to climb up there, there an't no hand- hold."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HANDSTAFF hand-staaf
n. The handle of a flail.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 70
HANGER hang'r
n. A hanging wood on the side of a hill. It occurs in the names of several places in Kent - Betteshanger, Westenhanger, etc.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HANK hangk
n. A skein of silk or thread. So we say a man has a hank on another; or, he has him entangled in a skein or string. (see also Hink)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HAPPY-HO
adj. Apropos. "My father was drownded and so was my brother; now that's very happy-ho!" meaning that it was a curious coincidence.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HAPS haps
n. (1) A hasp or fastening of a gate. - P. 1631 - "For charnells and hapses for the two chests in our hall." - MS. Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Hasp, Hapse)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HAPS haps
vb. (2) Happens. "Now haps you doänt know."
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HAPSE haps
vb To fasten with a hasp; to fasten. In the Weald of Kent hapse is used for the verb, and hasp for the noun, e.g. "Hapse the gate after you!" "I can't, the hasp is gone." (see also Haps (1), Hasp)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 71
HARBOUR
vb. To entice away. "'Tis the big one what harbours the little one away from home." - R Cooke.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 71
HARCELET haa-slit
n. The heart, liver and light of a hog. (see also Harslet, Haslet) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 71
HARD-FRUIT
n. Stone-fruit, plums etc.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HARDHEWER haa-dheur
n. A stonemason. The word occurs in the articles for building Wye Bridge, 1637.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 71
HARKEE
vb. (1) Hark; Hark ye; Listen. "Harkee, Bob! That old dog-fox be a-calling down in Frite Wood."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 45
HARKEE
vb. (2) To listen and keep quiet, "Now, harkee! There's a something moving in that old ditch running out of Thorne Pond."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 45
HARKY haa-ki
interj. Hark! (see also Harkee (1) & (2))
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 71
HARSLEM haa-zlum
n. Asylum. "When he got to settin' on de hob and pokin' de fire wid's fingers, dey thought 'twas purty nigh time dey had him put away to de harslem."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 71
HARSLET haa-zlet
n. The heart, liver and light of a hog. ( see also Harcelet, Haslet ) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 71
HARVES haa-vz
n.pl. Haws. (see also Aazes, Haazes, Haulms and Figs)
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HARVEST haa-vist
vb. To gather in the corn; to work in the harvest-field, e.g. "Where's Harry?" "Oh! he's harvesting 'long with his father."
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HARVESTER haa-vistur
n. A stranger who comes into the parish to assist in the harvest. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HASLET haz-lit
n. (1) The heart, liver and light of a hog. ( see also Harcelet, Harslet ) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HASLET
n. (2) Cf the Northern English word, Haslet, a kind of preserved meat, possibly containing offal.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 71
HASP haasp
n. A hasp or fastening of a gate. - P. 1631 - "For charnells and hapses for the two chests in our hall." - MS. Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Haps (1), Hapse)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 70
HASSOCK
n. (2) Immature ragstone. - J.H.Bridge. 1949.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
Page 71
HASSOCK has-ok
n. (1) A large pond.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HASSOCKS
n.pl. (2) A corruption of Tussocks: rough, tough clumps of grasses in isolated positions in fields or in the grass verges of roadsides.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 45
HASSOCKS
n.pl. (1) Stone chippings used instead of gravel for making up paths and private minor roads.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 45
HASTY hai-sti
adj. Heavy; violent. Often used of rain. "It did come down hasty, an' no mistake."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 71
HATCH hach
n. A gate in the roads; a half-hatch is where a horse may pass, but not a cart.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 71
HATCH-UP hach up
vb. To prepare for. "I think it's hatching up for snow." "She's hatching up a cold."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 71
HATY
vb. To hate. Anglo-Saxon conjugation.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 22
HAUL hau-l
vb. To halloo; to shout.
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Page 72
HAULM haum
n. Stubble gathered after the corn is carried, especially pease and beans' straw; applied, also, to the stalks or stems of potatoes and other vegetables. (see also Halm, Hame, Helm)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HAULMS AND FIGS hau-mz und figz
n.pl. Hips and haws, the fruit of the hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) (see also Aazes,Haazes, Harves) and the dog-rose (Rosa canina) (see also Wind-bibber, Canker-berry)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HAVE hav
vb. To take; lead; as, "Have the horse to the field." "Have her forth of the ranges and whoso followeth her let him be slain with the sword." - 2 Chronicles, Ch 23 v 14.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HAW hau
n. A small yard or inclosure. Chaucer has it for a churchyard. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 72
HAWK hauk
vb. To make a noise when clearing the throat of phlegm. An imitative word. "He was hawking and spetting for near an hour after he first got up."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HAWMELL
n. A small close or paddock.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 72
HAYNET
n. A long net, often an old fish net, used in cover shooting to keep the birds and flick from running out of the beat.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HAY-SHOVE
n. A hay-shove is a pitchfork for loading hay on a wagon. - Example given to Maidstone Museum, March 1953. L.R.A.G. (see also Shove)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 72
HEADLANDS
n.pl. The ends of a field where the horses turn in ploughing etc.- R Cooke. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
Page 72
HEAF heef
n. The gaff-hook used by fishermen at Folkestone.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 72
HEAL heel
vb. To hide; to cover anything up; to roof-in. "All right! I'll work 'im; I've only just got this 'ere row o' taturs to heal in." (see also Hele)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HEALDE
vb. Hold. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Hiealde, Hyealde)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HEAP
n. Heap. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Hieap, Hyeap)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HEARNSHAW
n. Heron. (see Shakespeare) (see also Hern, Hernshaw, Kitty Hearn, Kitty Hearnshrow)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 74
HEART haat
n. Condition; spoken of ground. "My garden's in better heart than common this year."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HEARTENING
adj. Strengthening. "Home-made bread is more heartening than baker's bread."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 72
HEART-GRIEF
n. Severe grief.
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Page 72
HEARTH hee-rth
n. Hearing; hearing-distance. "I called out as loud's ever I could, but he warn't no wheres widin hearth."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEARTS ALIVE! haats ulei-v
interj. An expression of astonishment at some strange or startling intelligence. "Heart's alive! what ever upon ëarth be ya got at?" (see also Gracious-heart-alive!)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEAVE heev
vb. To throw; to heave a card; to play it; it being, as it were, lifted up or heav'd, before it is laid down upon the table.'
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEAVEDEN
n.pl. Heads. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
HEAVE-GATE heev-gait
n. A gate that does not work on hinges, but which has to be lifted (heaved) out of the sockets or mortises, which otherwise keep it in place, and make it look like a part of the fence.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEAVENSHARD hevnz-haa-d
adv. Heavily; said of rain. "It rains heavenshard."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 73
HEAVER hee-vur
n. A crab - Folkestone. "Lord, sir, it's hard times; I've not catched a pung or a heaver in my stalkers this week; the man-suckers and slutters gets into them, and the congers knocks them all to pieces." (see also Ponger, Pung, Punger)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEAW
vb. Hew. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HEBBE
vb. Have. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
HEDDE
vb. Had. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
HEED heed
n. Head.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HEEVE heev
vb. (2) To hive bees.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HEEVE heev
n. (1) A hive; a bee-hive. "I doän’t make no account of dese here new-fangled boxes and set-outs; you may 'pend upon it de old heeves is best after all."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEFT hef-t
n. The weight of a thing, as ascertained by heaving or lifting it. "This here heeve'll stand very well for the winter, just feel the heft of it."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEG
n. A hag; a witch; a fairy. "Old coins found in Kent were called hegs pence by the country people."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 73
HEIST
vb. Word used by a carter to make a horse lift its foot. - R Cooke. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
Page 73
HELE heel
vb. To cover. (see also Heal)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HELER hee-ler
n. Anything which is laid over another; as, for instance, the cover of a thurrick or wooden drain.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 74
HELLE
n. Hill. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Helle (K) = Hulle (S) = Hill (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
HELL-WEED
n. A peculiar tangled weed, without any perceptible root, which appears in clover, sanfoin or lucerne, and spreads very rapidly, entirely destroying the plant. Curiously enough, it appears in the second cut of clover, but does not come in the first. Cuscuta epithymum. (See Devil's Thread.)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 74
HELM helm
n. Stubble gathered after the corn is carried, especially pease and beans' straw; applied, also, to the stalks or stems of potatoes and other vegetables. (see also Halm, Hame, Haulm)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 69
HELVING helv-in
partc. Gossiping, or "hung up by the tongue." - Tenterden. "Where have you been helving?"
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 74 |
HEM | ||
adv. An intensive adverb - very, exceedingly. "Hem queer old chap, he is!" | ||
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 74 |
HEM-A-BIT Not a bit. "I aint hem-a-bit left, old mate!" | ||
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 46 |
HEMITORY | ||
n. Fumitory, the plant. - R Cooke | ||
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 74 |
HEM-OF-A-WAY
phr. A long way; A very hem-of-a- way = a very long way. "It's a hem-of-a-way round by the road: but if you cuts caterwise (across) through the fields, it will save you nearly two miles." (see also Limb-of-a-way)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 46
HEMWOODS hem-wuodz
n.pl. Part of a cart-horses' harness which goes round the collar, and to which the tees are fixed; called aimes (hames) in West Kent.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 74
HEN AND CHICKENS
n. The ivy-leaved toad-flax, otherwise called Mother of Thousands; and sometimes Roving Sailor. Linaria vulgaris. (see Weasel-snout)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 74
HENG
vb. Hang. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 14
HENNEN
n.pl. Hens. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
HERE AND THERE A ONE
adj.phr. Very few and scattered. "There wasn't nobody in church today, only here and there a one."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 74
HERN
n. Heron. "My o my! Look at that hern! They sure have got mighty big wings" (see also Hearnshaw, Hernshaw, Kitty Hearn, Kitty Hearnshrow)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 45
HERNRY
n. Heronry. A heronry may consist, like a rookery, of a great number of nests, situated in almost inaccessable positions in tall trees. "I knowed of a hernry in some oak trees, just off the railway line about a mile beyent Pluckley station on the way to Ashford. But that was a good many years agoo now, and they may and they beeant (may-be-not) there now,"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 45
HERNSHAW hurn-shau n. A heron. (see also Hern, Hearnshaw, Kitty Hearn, Kitty Hearn Shrow) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 74 |
HERRING-FARE her-r'ing-fair n. The season for catching herrings, which begins about the end of harvest. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 74 |
HERRING-HANG |
n. A lofty square brick room, made perfectly smoke-tight, in which the herrings are hung to dry.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 74
HERRING-SPEAR
n. The noise of the flight and cries of the red-wings; whose migration takes place about the herring fishing time. "I like's to hear it," says an old Folkestone fisherman, "I always catches more fish when it's about."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HERTEN
n.pl. Hearts. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
HEST
vb. Hast. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
HESTEN
n.pl. Behests. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
HETCH
vb. To move. "Hetch a bit there and let me pass." Variations of Hetch, Hitch, Hotch mean the same in most instances. Sometimes several of these words will be used in a speech - "Oi went hotching (walking) a-down the hill, and hetch-up (pulled up) at the bottom, for the storm water was a-rushing over the rord-way. So I hitched meself over the bank and the old fence and cut through the beech wood. Oi must have hitched (pulled) me innards a bit when oi hitched-up (climbed or moved up) they bank, for my old guts were sore; but the doctor ,who oi seed smarning (this morning) said it wor nothing to worrit about." (see also Hitch, Hotch)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 47
HETCH-UP
vb. (1) To move up. "Now then, Harry, hetch-up, and make room for your poor old mum!" "Wait till I've a-hetched me trousers a bit: the blinkin' braces must have stretched a tidy bit" (also Hitch-up, Hotch-up)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 47
HETCH-UP
vb. (2) To lift up. "Gie us a hetch-up with this sack o' corn Pete." (also Hitch-up; Hotch-up)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 47
HETHER hedh-ur
adv. Hither. "Come hether, my son."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HEYCOURT hai-koart
n. The High Court , or principal Court of the Abbot's Convent of St. Augustine's, Canterbury.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HICKET hik-it
vb. To hiccup, or hiccough.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HIDE
n. A place in which smugglers used to conceal their goods. There were formerly many such places in the neighbourhood of Romney-marsh and Folkestone.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HIDE AND FOX heid und foks
n. Hide and seek; a children's game. "Hide fox, and after all." - Hamlet, Act 4 Sc 2, means, let the fox hide and the others all go to seek him.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HIEALDE
vb. Hold Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also healde, hyealde)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HIEAP
n. Heap. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Heap, Hyeap)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HIGGLER hig-lur
n. (1) A middleman who goes round the country and buys up eggs, poultry, etc , to sell again. So called, because he higgles or haggles over his bargains.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HIGGLER
n. (2) Phippen's Directory for Maidstone, 1845, p 49. Under Miscellaneous Tradesmen:- Fearn, J. Higgler, Marsham Street.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 75
HIGH-LOW
vb. (1) To seek all over the place; to search high and low. "We searched high-low for they young ducks but couldn't find they. Seems to me that a fox like as not worked they away into the wood and driv them off and killed them some quiet place."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 46
HIGH-LOW
n. (2) High-heeled ladies shoes. The shoes are low at the front in comparison with them being high at the back. "Look at that besom! Wearing they break-your-neck high-lows. They be no good for honest country gals; though I did see them French gals wear them in Paris when I was out there in t'army in '14-18, mairt."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 46 |
HIJIMMY KNACKER n. The horse game. - West Kent. L.R.A.G.1920's. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 75 |
HIKE heik vb. (1) To turn out. "He hiked 'im out purty quick." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 75 |
HIKE vb. (2) To walk, carrying a load. - J H Bridge. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 75 |
HILL hil
n. The small mound on which hops are planted; a heap of potatoes or mangold wurzel.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HINE
pro. Him. Preserved in the modern provincialism en or un, as "I see en" - "I see him."
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 21
HINK hingk
n. (2) A hook at the end of a stick, used for drawing and lifting back the peas, whilst they were being cut with the pea-hook. The pea-hook and hink always went together.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HINK hingk
n. (1) A skein of silk or thread. So we say a man has a hank on another; or, he has him entangled in a skein or string. (see also Hank)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 70 |
HIS pro. Them. (Hise) In the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340' The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 21 |
HISE pro. Her. The accusative of Hi, she. In the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 21 |
HIS-SELF
pro. Himself. "Ah! when he's been married two or three weeks he won't scarcely know his- self. He'll find the difference, I lay !."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 75
HIST
vb. A call; a signal. "Just give me a hyste, mate, when 'tis time to goo." (see also Hoist, Hyste)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 75
HITCH
vb. (2) To move or walk. "My old grand-dad goes a-hitching along the rord more like a young-un than an old-un." (also Hetch; Hotch)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 47
HITCH
vb. (4) To pull or draw up. "Hitch us a bucket o' water from the well, John, then I'll water they hens and lock 'em up for t'night." (also Hetch; Hotch)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 46
HITCH
vb. (3) To hold. " Don't keep hitching on to me skirts Bessie! Walk along side o' me like a lady instead of a country gawp." (also Hetch; Hotch)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 46
HITCH
vb. (1) To move. "Oi wish these people waiting for the bus would hitch along a bit." (also Hetch, Hotch)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 47
HITCH-OVER
vb. To move over; to push over. "Give oi a hitch-over this wall. (also Hetch-over; Hotch- over)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 48
HITCH-UP
vb. (2) To get married. "Our Bill and young Liz be getting hitched-up end o' June." (also Hetch-up; Hotch-up)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 48
HITCH-UP
vb. (1) To push up; to move up, "Give me a hitch-up this tree." "My boss give me a hitch-up (promotion) at my job this week." (also Hetch-up; Hotch-up)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 48
HOATH hoa-th
n. Heath; a word which is found in many place-names, as Hothfield, Oxenhoth, Kingshoth. (see also Hoth)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 76
HOBBL'D hobl-d
pp. Puzzled; baffled; put to a difficulty.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOBBLE hob-l
n. An entanglement; difficulty; puzzle; scrape. "I'm in a regular hobble." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOB-LAMB
n. A lamb that had been brought up on the bottle, when the parent sheep may have died, or had more lambs born than possible to cope with regarding their feeding.. "Say, my Janie! Look at they hob-lamb o' farmers, how he do follow the maid all over the place, like a pet dog! For Mary there she surelye did a-feed that poor little motherless lambkin from the hour that it was born." (see also Cade-lamb, Sock-lamb)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HOCKATTY KICK hok-utikik-
n. A lame person.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOCKER-HEADED hok-ur-hed-id adj. Fretful; passionate.
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HODENING hod-ning
partc. A custom formerly prevelant in Kent on Christmas Eve; it is now discontinued, but the singing of carols at that season is still called hodening. (see Hoodening)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 76
HOG-BACKED hog-bakt
adj. Round backed; applied to a vessel when, from weakness, the stem and stern fall lower than the midddle of the ship.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 76
HOG-HEADED
adj. Obstinate. "He's such a hog-headed old mortal, 'taint no use saying nothing to him."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 76 |
HOG-PAT n. A trough made of boards. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 76 |
HOILE hoi-l n. The beard or stalk of barley or other corn. (see also Iles) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 76 |
HOIST
vb. A call; a signal. "Just give me a hyste, mate, when 'tis time to goo." (see also Hist, Hyste)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 75
HOLL hol
vb. To throw; to hurl. "Ha! there, leave off hulling o' stones." (see also Hull (2)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 76
HOLLY-BOYS AND IVY-G
n.pl. It was the custom on Shrove Tuesday in West Kent to have two figures in the form of a boy and girl, made one of holly, the other of ivy. A group of girls engaged themselves in one part of the village in burning the holly-boy, which they had stolen from the boys, while the boys were to be found in another part of the village burning the ivy-girl, which they had stolen from the girls, the ceremony being, in both cases, accompanied by loud huzzas.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 76
HOLP hoalp
vb. Helped; gave; delivered. "Assur also joined with them, and have holpen the children of Lot." Psalm 83 v 8. "What did you do with that letter I gave you to the wheelwright?" "I holp it to his wife."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 77
HOLP-UP
vb. Over-worked. "I dunno as I shaänt purty soon look out another plááce, I be purty nigh holp-up here, I think."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 77
HOLT hoal-t
n. A wood. Much used in names of places, as Bircholt, Knockholt, etc. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 77
HOME-PEASIES
n.pl. Home or Local pea-pickers. "The home-peasies are the best to employ because they don't grumble so much about their work or the payments." - Maidstone and Aylesford area.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HOME-PICKERS
n.pl. Local pickers for hop or friut picking. - Weald , Mid-Kent and Ashford Valley areas .
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HOMESTALL hoa-mstaul
n. The place of a mansion-house; the inclosure of ground immediately connected with the mansion-house.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 77
HOMMUCKS hom-uks n.pl. Great, awkward feet.
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HOND
n. Hand. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
HONDEN
n.pl. Hands. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
HONGE
vb. Hang. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
HOODENING huod-ning
n. The name formerly given to a mumming or masquerade. Carol singing, on Christmas Eve, is still so called at Monkton, in East Kent. The late Rev. H. Bennett Smith, Vicar of St. Nicholas-at-Wade, the adjoining parish to Monkton. wrote as follows in 1876, - "I made enquiry of an old retired farmer in my parish, as to the custom called Hoodning. He tells me that formerly the farmer used to send annually round the neighbourhood the best horse under the charge of the wagoner, and that afterwards instead, a man used to represent the horse, being supplied with a tail, and with a wooden (pronounced ooden or hooden) figure of a horse's head, and plenty of horse-hair for a mane. The horse's head was fitted with hob-nails for teeth; the mouth being made to open by means of a string, and in closing made a loud crack. The custom has long since ceased."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 77
HOOGOO hoo-goo
n. A bad smell; a horrible stench.; evidently a corruption of the French haut gout. "A Kentish gamekeeper, noticing a horrible stench, exclaimed: "Well, this is a pretty hoogoo, I think!" (see also Fargo, Fogo, Hum (2), Hussle, Ponk, Wiff)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 77
HOOK huok
n. An agricultural tool for cutting, of which there are several kinds, viz., the bagging-hook, the ripping-hook, etc.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HOP n. (2) Wood fit for hop- poles. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 78 |
HOP hop vb. (1) To pick hops. "Mother's gone out hopping." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 78 |
HOP DOLLEY |
n. A cart with wooden sides and 3 iron wheels, used for trundling through the hop alleys. - Term used in Faversham district. L.R.A.G. (see also Dung dolley etc)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 78
HOP-BIND hop-beind
n. The stem of the hop, whether dead or alive. (see also Bine) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 78
HOP-DOG hop-dog
n. (1) A beautiful green caterpillar which infests the hop-bine, and feeds on the leaves.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HOP-DOG hop-dog
n. (2) An iron instrument for drawing the hop-poles out of the ground, before carrying them to the hop-pickers. (see Dog (1)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HOPE hoap
n. A place of anchorage for ships.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOPKIN hop-kin
n. A supper for the work-people, after the hop-picking is over. Not often given in East Kent now-a-days, though the name survives in a kind of small cake called huffkin, formerly made for such entertainments. (see also Huffkin, Hufkin,Wheatkin)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HOPPER hop-ur
n. A hop-picker. "I seed the poor hoppers coming home all drenched." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOP-PERIWINKLE
n. A horse game, played by Maistone boys. "Buck, buck, how many fingers have I up." In West Kent and South East London the game is called Woptiddywopwop. - L.R.A.G. 1930's & 1940's.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 78
HOPPING hop-ing
n. The season of hop-picking. "A fine harvest, a wet hopping." - Eastry Proverb..
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HOP-PITCHER hop-pichur
n. The pointed iron bar used to make holes for setting the hop-poles, otherwise called a dog, a hop-dog, or a fold-pitcher.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HOP-SPUD
n. A three-pronged fork, with which the hop grounds are dug. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 78
HORN haun
n. A corner.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HORN-FAIR
n. (1) An annual fair held at Charlton, in Kent, on St. Luke's Day, the 18th of October. It consists of a riotous mob, who, after a printed summons, disperse through the adjacent towns, meet at Cuckold's Point, near Deptford, and march from thence, in procession through that town and Greenwich to Charlton, with the horns of different kinds upon their heads; and, at the fair, there are sold ram's horns, and every sort of toy made of horn; even the ginger-bread figures have horns. It was formerly the fashion for men to go to Horn-fair in women's clothes.,
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 78
HORN-FAIR
n. (2) My grandfather, Christopher Allen, went to the Horn Fair when a young man. - see R.H.Goodsall, A Third Kentish Patchwork. p 104.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 78
HORNICLE
n. (2) A dragonfly. - J H Bridge.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
Page 79
HORNICLE horn-ikl
n. (1) The hornet.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HORNY-BUG
n. A cockchafer. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1920's.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
Page 79
HORSE hors
n. (1) The arrangement of hop-poles, tied across from hill to hill, upon which the pole-pullers rest the poles, for the pickers to gather the hops into bins or baskets.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 79
HORSE hors
vb. (2) To tie the upper branches of the hop-plant to the pole. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HORSE EMMETS hor-z em-utz n.pl. Large ants. (see also Emmet)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HORSE PEPPERMINT hors pep-r-mint
n. The common mint. Mentha sylvestris.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HORSEBUCKLE hor-sbuk-l
n. A cowslip. Primula veris. (see also Cove-keys, Culver Keys, Paigle, Pegle)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 79
HORSE-KNOT
n. The knap-weed; sometimes also called hard-weed. Centaurea nigra. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HORSE-LOCK hors-lok
n. A padlock. AD 1528 - "Paid for a hors lock . . . 6d." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 79
HORSENAILS hors-nailz
n.pl.Tadpoles. Probably so called because, in shape, they somewhat resemble large nails.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 79
HORSE-ROAD hors-road
n. In Kent, a road is not divided as elsewhere, into the carriage-road and the foot-path; but into the horse-road and the foot-road. This name carries us back to the olden times when journeys were mostly made on horseback.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 79
HORSES
n.pl.To set horses together, is to agree. "Muster Nidgett and his old 'ooman can't set their horses together at all, I understand'."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 79
HORT hort
vb. Hurt. "Fell off de roof o' de house, he did; fell on's head, he did; hort 'im purty much, I can tell ye."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 80
HOTCH hotsh
vb. (1) To move awkwardly or with difficulty in an irregular and scrambling way. French, hocher, to shake, jog, etc. "He hotched along on the floor to the top of the stairs." "I hustled though the crowd and she hotched after me." So, when a man walking with a boy keeps him on the run, he is described as keeping him hotching."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 80 |
HOTCH vb. (2) To move. (also Hetch, Hitch). The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 48 |
HOTCH-UP
vb. (2) To be worried; to be at a loss; to be unable to cope. "Our poor old squire be all hotched-up with money difficulties they do say over the new taxes, and tis said he be a'gooing to sell the estate!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 49
HOTCH-UP
vb (3) To be cornered; to be trapped; to be penned in. "The sheep dog got the old sheep hotched-up in a corner of the field."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 49
HOTCH-UP
vb. (1) To move up. (also Hetch-up, Hitch-up) The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
Page 48
HOTH hoth
n. Heath; a word which is found in many place-names, as Hothfield, Oxenhoth, Kingshoth. (see also Haoth)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 76
HOUGHED huff-id
vb. past p. from hough, to hamstring, but often used as a mere expletive. "Snuff boxes, shows and whirligigs, An houghed sight of folks." - Dick and Sal, st 9.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 80
HOUSE houz
vb. To get corn in from the fields into the barn. "We've housed all our corn." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 80
HOUSEL hous-l
n. Household stuff and furniture. "I doän’t think these here new-comers be up to much; leastways, they didn't want a terr'ble big cart to fetch their housel along; they had most of it home in a wheelbar'."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 80
HOVEL hov-l
n. (2) A piece of good luck; a good haul; a good turn or times of hovelling. In some families, the children are taught to say on their prayers, "God bless father and mother, and send them a good hovel to-night."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 80
HOVEL hov-l
vb. (1) To carry on the business of a hoveler.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOVELER hov-iler
n. A hoveler's vessel. A Deal boat-man who goes out to the assistance of ships in distress. The hovelers also carry out provisions, and recover lost anchors, chains and gear. They are first-rate seamen, and their vessels are well built and well manned.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 80
HOVER hov-r
adj. (1) Light; puffy; raised; shivery; hunched-up. Hence, poorly, unwell. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HOVER
adj. (3) The ground or soil is huver when it is friable or loosely bound together. - Nicky Newbury and Billy Buck. 1973. (see also huver)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page
HOVER hov'r
vb. (2) To throw together lightly. There is a special used of this word with regard to hops. In East Kent it is the custom to pick, not in bins, but in baskets holding five or six bushels. The pickers gather the hops into a number of small baskets or boxes ( I have often seen an umbrella stand used), until they have got enough to fill the great basket; they then call the tallyman, who comes with two men with the greenbag; one of the pickers (generally a woman) then comes to hover the hops; this is done by putting both hands down to the bottom of the great basket, into which the hops out of the smaller ones are emptied as quickly but gently as possible, the woman all the while raising the hops with her hands; as soon as they reach the top, they are quickly shot out into the green bag before they have time to sag or sink. Thus, very inadequate measure is obtained, as, probably, a bushel is lost in every tally; indeed, hovering is nothing more than a recognized system of fraud, but he would be a brave man who attempted to forbid it.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 81
HOVVER
vb. To be cold, shivery, cramped with the cold. "They poor old chickens are all of a hovver this morning with the cold." (see also Hover (1), Huvver, Kivver (2)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HOVVERED-UP
(2) A mess, a tangle, all lumped together. "This ball of binding twine be all hovvered-up, farmer." "Your garden be hovvered-up with weeds, Chawse."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 51
HOVVERED-UP
vb. (1) Pinched with the cold. "Look at poor old Muss Steves all hovvered-up now the weather be turned right wintery."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 51
HOVVERY
adj. Cold, cramped up and shivering. "I feel mighty hovvery today with all this snow about and the biting old wind." (see also Huvvery)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HOWSOMEDEVER hou-sumdev'r
adv. Howsoever. "But howsomdever, doant ram it down tightm but hover it up a bit." (see also Howsomever)
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HOWSOMEVER hou-sum-ev-r
adv. Howsoever. "But howsomdever, doänt ram it down tight, but hover it up a bit." (see also Howsomedever)
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HUCK huk
n. (1) The husk, pod, or shell of peas, beans, but especially of hazel nuts and walnuts. (see also Hull (1), Shuck(1)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 81
HUCK huk
vb. (2) To shell peas; to get walnuts out of the pods. "Are the walnuts ready to pick?" "No, sir, I tried some and they won't huck." (see also Shuck (2)
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HUCKING GLASS BRIDG
phr. Does not exists. "Like Hucking Glass Bridge." - Maidstone. W.C.Clifford. L.R.A.G. 1949.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 81
HUCK-OUT
vb. To pull anything out. "Huck-out they clothes from the linen cupboard, Janie!
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 51
HUCKS
n.pl. (2) The fruit cases of cultivated edible green peas. "Hurry up and shell these pea-hucks, Ethel, or we shant have dinner ready by time fayther comes home!" (see also Shucks)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 51
HUCKS
n.pl. (1) A corruption of Hocks. According to the way the word Hucks is used it can mean either Ankles, Feet or Legs. "That girl sure has got a pair o' pretty hucks." "Shift your hucks you lazy varmint! Oi do'ant want good-for-nothing tramps a-sleeping their time away under my corn shocks."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 51
HUFFKIN huf-kin
n. A kind of bun or light cake, which is cut open, buttered, and so eaten. (See also Hopkin, Hufkin, Wheatkin)
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HUFFLE huf-l
n. A merry meeting; a feast.
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HUFKIN huf-kin
n. A kind of bun or light cake, which is cut open, buttered, and so eaten. (See also Hopkin, Huffkin, Wheatkin)
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HUGE heuj
adv. Very. "I'm not huge well." Sometimes they make it a dissyllable, hugy. The saying hugy for huge is merely the sounding of the final e, as in the case of the name Anne, commonly pronounced An-ni. It is not Annie. (see also Hugy)
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HUGY heuj-i
adv. Very. "I'm not huge well." Sometimes they make it a dissyllable, hugy. The saying hugy for huge is merely the sounding of the final e, as in the case of the name Anne, commonly pronounced An-ni. It is not Annie. (see also Huge)
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HULL hul
vb. (2) To throw; to hurl. "He took and hulled a gurt libbet at me." (see also Holl)
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HULL hul
n. (1) The shell of a pea. "After we have sheel'd them we throw the hulls away." ()see also Huck (1), Shuck (1)
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HUM hum
vb. (1) To whip a top.
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HUM
vb,n.(2) To smell badly or to stink. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. (see also Fargo, Fogo, Hoogoo, Hussle, Ponk, Wiff)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 82
HUNG UP hung up
vb. Hindered; foiled; prevented. "He is quite hung up," i.e., so circumstanced that he is hindered from doing what otherwise he would.
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HURR hur
adj. Harsh; astringent; crude; tart. "These 'ere damsons be terr'ble hurr." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HURRUP
vb. To walk swiftly with long strides. - S.B.Fletcher.
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HUSBAND huz-bund
n. A pollard.
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HUSS hus
n. Small spotted dog-fish. Scyttium canicula. (see also Robin-huss) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HUSSLE hus-l
vb. (1) To wheeze; breathe roughly. "Jest listen to un how he hussles." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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HUSSLE
vb. (2) To smell strongly or badly. "It doesn't half hussle." Possibly used by Chatham naval ratings. -Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. (see also Farggo, Fogo, Hoogoo, Hum (2), Ponk, Wiff)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 82
HUSSLING hus-ling
n. A wheezing; a sound of rough breathing. "He had such a hussling on his chest."
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HUSSY hus-i
vb. To chafe or rub the hands when they are cold.
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HUTCH huch
n. The upper part of a wagon which carries the load. A wagon consists of these three parts:
1) the hutch, or open box (sometimes enlarged by the addition of floats) which carries the corn or other load, and is supported by the wheels; 2) the tug, by which it is drawn; and 3) the wheels on which it runs.
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HUVER
adj. The ground or soil is huver when it is friable or loosely bound together.- (Nicky Newbury and Billy Buck. 1973. (see also Hover (3)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 82
HUVVER
vb. To be cold, shivery, cramped with the cold. "They poor old chickens are all of a hovver this morning with the cold." (see also Hover (1, Hovver, Kivver (2)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HUVVERY
adj. Cold, cramped up and shivering. "I feel mighty hovvery today with all this snow about and the biting old wind." (see also Hovvery)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 50
HUXON huks-n
n.pl. The hocks or hams.
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HYEALDE
vb. Hold. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Healde, Hiealde)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HYEAP
n. Heap. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Heap, Heap)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
HYSTE heist
n. A call; a signal. "Just give me a hyste, mate, when 'tis time to goo." (see also Hist, Hoist)
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ICE | eis | |
vb. To freeze. "The pond iced over, one day last week." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 83 |
ICH pro. I The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 21 |
ICILY ei-sili n. An icicle. (see also Aquabob, Cobble, Cock-bell, Cog-bell) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 83 |
IDDEN vb. Is not; Isn't. "It idden in there!" The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 53 |
IKEY ei-ki
adj. Proud.
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ILES eilz
n.pl. Ails, or beards of barley. (see also Hoile)
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ILLCONVENIENT il-konveen-yunt adj. Inconvenient.
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IN 'OPES in-oaps
phr. For 'in hopes'. It is very singular how common this phrase is, and how very rarely East Kent people will say I hope; it is almost always, "I'm in 'opes." If an enquiry is made how a sick person is, the answer will constantly be, "I'm in 'opes he's better;" if a girl goes to a new place, her mother will say, "I'm in 'opes she'll like herself and stay."
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IN SUNDERS in sun-durz
adv. Asunder. "And brake their bands in sunder." - Psalm 107 v 14. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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INKSPEWER ink-speu-r
n. Cuttlefish. (see also Man-sucker, Squib (2), Tortoise)
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INNARDLY in-urdli
adj. Inwardly. "He's got hurt innardly som'ere." "He says his words innardly." i.e., he mumbles.
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INNARDS in-urdz
n. The entrails or intestines; an innings at cricket. "They bested 'em first innards."
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INNOCENT in-oasent
adj. Small and pretty; applied to flowers. "I do think they paigles looks so innocent-like."
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INSIDE
n. Workers in Woolwich Arsenal used to say they worked "inside"; probably a reference to the Arsenal walls.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 83
INTERFERE in-turfee-r
vb. To cause annoyance or hindrance. "I was obliged to cut my harnd tother-day, that's what interferes with me."
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INTERRUPT in-turrupt-
vb. To annoy; to interfere with anyone by word or deed; to assault. A man whose companion, at cricket, kept running against him was heard to say; "It does interrupt me to think you can't run your right side; what a thick head you must have!"
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IRE vb. I am. "Ire a-gooing now," "What d'ye think ire a-doing of?" The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 53 |
ISLAND ei-lund
n. In East Kent the island means the Isle of Thanet. "He lives up in the island, som'er," i.e. , he lives somewhere in Thanet.
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ITCH ich
vb (2) To be very anxious.
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ITCH ich
vb. (1) To creep.
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IVY GIRL ei-vi gurl
n.pl. It was the custom on Shrove Tuesday in West Kent to have two figures in the form of a boy and girl, made one of holly, the other of ivy. A group of girls engaged themselves in one part of the village in burning the holly-boy, which they had stolen from the boys, while the boys were to be found in another part of the village burning the ivy-girl, which they had stolen from the girls, the ceremony being, in both cases, accompanied by loud huzzas.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 84
JACK
n. A turnspit. "Imprimis one Jacke lyne and weight...15s." 1681 Will of John Bateman of Greenway Court, Hollingbourne. (KAO PRe 27/29/86).
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 84
JACK IN THE BOX
n. A reddish-purple, double polyanthus.
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JACK IN THE HEDGE
n. A plant, white kilk.
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JACK-UP jak-up
vb. To throw-up work; or give up any-thing from pride, impudence, or bad temper. "They kep' on one wik, and then they all jacked-up!"
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JAUL jau-l
vb. To throw the earth about and get the grain out of the ground when it is sown, as birds do. "The bothering old rooks have jauled all de seeds out o' the groun'."
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JAWSY jau-zi
adj. Talkative. From the jaws.
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JIM-JAMS
phr. "You give me the jim-jams" the same as "you give me the pip." - West Kent. L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 84
JOCK jok
vb. To jolt; (the hard form of jog).
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JOCKEY jok-i
adj. Rough; uneven.
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JOCLET jok-lit
n. A small manor, or farm.
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JOIND-STOOL joi-nd-stool
n. A stool framed with joints, instead of being roughly fashioned out of a single black. "Item, in the great parlor, one table, half-a-dowsin of high joind-stooles. . . " - Memorials of Eastry, p 225. (see also Joynd-stool)
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JOKESY joa-ksi
adj. Full of jokes; amusing; full of fun. "He's a very jokesy man." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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JOLE joal
n. The jowl, jaw or cheek; proverbial expression, "cheek by jole" = side by side. "He claa'd hold on her round de nick An' 'gun to suck har jole," (i.e. to kiss her.) - Dick and Sal, st 67.'
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 85
JOLLY jol-i
adj. (1) Fat; plump; sleek; in good condition, used to describe the condition of the body, not of the temperament.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 85
JOLLY
vb. (2) To be in good health. "Ire feeling jolly this marnin', but I was real peekd-up (queer), this toime, yistday." "She's a rare jolly-looking (very healthy looking) young woman, be Annie Hills."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 53
JONNIE
n. A fully grown wild rabbit. (see also Drummer) The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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JOSKIN
n. A farm labourer (more especially a driver of horses, or carter's mate,) engaged to work the whole year round for one master.
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JOSS-BLOCK jos-blok
n. A step used in mounting a horse.
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JOUN jou-n
vb. Joined. "He jouned in with a party o' runagate chaps, and 'twarn't long before he'd made away wid all he'd got."
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JOY jau-i
n. The common English jay.
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JOYND-STOOL joi-nd-stool
n. A stool framed with joints, instead of being roughly fashioned out of a single black. "Item, in the great parlor, one table, half-a-dowsin of high joind-stooles. . . " - Memorials of Eastry, p 225. (see also Joind-stool)
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JUDGMATICAL
adj. With sense of judgment.
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JULY-BUG jeu-lei-bug
n. A brownish beetle, commonly called elsewhere a cockchafer, which appears in July. (see also May-bug)
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JUNE-BUG jeu-n-bug
n. A green beetle, smaller than the July-bug, which is generally to be found in June. (see also Bug)
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JUST
intensive adv. Very; extremely. "I just was mad with him." "Didn't it hurt me just?"
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JUSTLY just-li
adv. Exactly; precisely; for certain. "I cannot justly say," i.e. I cannot say for certain.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 85
JUST-SO just-soa
adv. Very exactly and precisely; thoroughly; in one particular way. "He's not a bad master, but he will have everything done just-so; and you wunt please him without everything is just- so, I can tell ye!"
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 85
JUT jut
n. A pail with a long handle.
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KARFE kaa-f
n. The cut made by a saw; the hole made by the first strokes of an axe in felling or chopping wood; from the verb to carve. (see also Carf)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 86
KEALS keelz
n.pl. Ninepins.
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KECHENE
n. Kitchen.Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Kechene (K) = Kitchen (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KEEKLEGS kee-klegz
n. An orchis. Orchis mascula. (see also Kites legs)
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KEELER kee-lur
n. (1) A cooler; being the special name given to a broad shallow vessel of wood, wherein milk is set to cream or wort to cool. In the Boteler Inventory, we find: "In the milke house one brinestock, two dozen of trugs, 9 bowles, three milk keelers, one charne and one table. - Memorials of Eastry, p 228. "Half a butter-tub makes as good a keeler as anything."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 86
KEELER
n. (2) An oblong wooden tub in which country housewives did their washing. It was sometimes referred to as a shawl, but only when mounted upon trestles. (see also Shaul (2), Shaw (2), Shawl, Showle)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 55 |
KEEN n. A weasel. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 86 |
KEEP-ALL-ON
vb. To continue or persevere in doing something. "He kep-all-on actin' the silly."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 86
KEG MEG
n. (2) A contributor to Kent Messenger (1949) goes under this pen man. - L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 86
KEG-MEG keg-meg
n. (1) A newsmonger; a gossip; a term generally applied to women. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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KELL kel
n. A kiln.
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KELTER
vb. To be out of alignment. "Lookee yurr, young fellers! This hay-stack be all out-o-kelter, and I'm mighty annoyed 'bout it. So get some stout poles and prop 'un up, in case we get a southard gale and blow it over!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 55
KEMPEN n.pl. Warriors. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 20 |
KEN n.pl. (3) Kine. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 20 |
KEN |
n. (1) Kin. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Ken (K) = Kun (S) = Kin (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KEN
n. (2) Kine. (Cows) Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Ken (K) = Kine (N)
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KEND
adj. Kind. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Ken (K) = Kund (S) = Kind (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KENTISH FIRE
n. A form of applause: CLAP CLAP clap clap clap. (See "Kentish Express" 1.2.1952.) "I have been wondering if, by any chance, this form of applause could have been brought over to Kent by the Flemish weavers when they came about 1333. The first patients to our V.A.D. Hospital in Southborough in 1914 were all Belgiums. Most of them spoke French, but some only spoke Flemish. At our first entertainment for these soldiers, we were astonished that they all applauded together in rhythm. It is difficult to describe in writing how this clapping went, but the beats were like this The effect was quite remarkable. They said they
always applauded in this way. It would be most interesting if "Kentish Fire" could be traced to this Flemish applause, but as I never heard the Kentish variety I could not compare them." - Grace Clarke, Cranbrook. Kent & Sussex Journal vol 1 no 3 April-June 1952.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 86
KENTISH MAN
n. A name given by the inhabitants of the Weald to persons who live in other parts of the county.
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KEPT GOING kep-goa-ing
vb. Kept about (i.e., up and out of bed); continued to go to work. "He's not bin well for some time, but he's kep' going until last Saddaday he was forced to give up."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 86
KERN kur-n
vb. To corn; produce corn. "There's plenting of good kerning land in that parish."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 87
KESS
n. Kiss. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Kess (K) = Kuss(S) = Kiss (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KEST
Kast. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water.
The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
KETE
n. Kite. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Kete (K) = Kite (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KETH
(2) Kith. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Keth (K) = Kuth (S) = Known
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KETH
(1) Cuth (Known, as in Uncouth and Kith) Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Keth (K) = Cuth (S) = Known
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
KETTLE-MAN ket-l-man
n. Lophius piscatorius, or sea-devil.
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KEYS keez
n.pl. Sycamore-seeds. "The sycamore is a quick-growing tree, but troublesome near a house, because the keys do get into the gutters so, and in between the stones in the stableyard."
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KIBBERED
adj. Very cold and shivery. "I'm right kivvered today, down here by the river in this hard East wind off the Medway." - North East Kent.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 56
KICK-UP-JENNY kik-up-jin-i
n. A game played, formerly in every public-house, with ninepins (smaller than skittles) and a leaden ball which was fastened to a cord suspended from the ceiling, exactly over the centre pin; when skilfully handled the ball was swung from the extreme length of the cord, so as to bring down all the pins at once.
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KIDDLE kid-l
vb. To tickle. (see also Kittle (1)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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KIDELS
n.pl. Fishing nets. - West Kent.
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KIDWARE kid-wair
n. Peas; beans, etc.
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KILK kilk
n. Charlock. Sinapis arvensis, the wild mustard. (see also Cadlock, Kinkle (1) & (2)
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KILLED-DEAD
vb. Killed outright; killed instantaneously. - Weald and Ashford district. The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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KILN-BRUSH kil-n-brush
n. A large kind of fagot, bound with two wiffs or withs, used for heating kilns. (see also Baven, Bavin, Bobbin, Pimp, Wiff)
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KINDLEY kei-ndli
adj. Productive; used with reference to land which pays for cultivation. "Some on it is kindly land and som' on it ain't."
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KING JOHN'S MEN, one of
A term applied to a short man. "He's one of King John's men, six score to the hundred." Six score, 120, was the old hundred, or long hundred.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 87
KINK kingk
vb. (2)To hitch; twist; get into a tangle.
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KINK kingk
n. (1) A tangle; a hitch or knot in a rope. "Take care, or you'll get it into a kink."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 87
KINKLE kingk-l
n. (3) A tangle; a hitch or knot in a rope. "Take care, or you'll get it into a kink." (see also Kink 1)
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KINKLE kingk-l
n. (1) Charlock. Sinapis arvensis, the wild mustard. (see also Cadlock, Kilk, Kinkle (2)
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KINKLE
n. (2) A brassica plant, charlock or kilk. ( see also Cadlock, Kilk, Kinkle (2) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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KINTLE kint-l
n. A small piece; a little corner. So Bargrove MS. Diary, 1645. - "Cutt owt a kinkle." (see also Cantel)
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KIPPERED kip-urd
adj. Chapped; spoken of the hands and lips, when the outer skin is cracked in cold weather. "My hands are kippered."
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KIPPER-TIME
n. The close season for salmon. AD 1376 - "The Commons pray that no salmon be caught in the Thames between Gravesend and Henly Bridge in kipper-time, i.e. between the Feast of the Invention of the Cross (14 Sept) and the Epiphany (6 Jan), and that the wardens suffer no unlawful net to be used therein. " - Dunkin's History of Kent, p 46.
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KISSICK n. The spot that is most dry or sore in a Kissicky throat. The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 55 |
KISSICKY adj. A sore or dry throat. The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 55 |
KISSICKY-THROAT |
n. A sore throat. "My, I have a kissicky-throat today! There's a kissick right at the back which keeps making me cough, and me throat is getting more kissicky than ever!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 55
KITES LEGS keets-legs
n. Orchis Mascula. (see also Keeklegs)
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KITTENS kit-nz
n.pl. The baskets in which fish are packed on the beach at Folkestone to be sent by train to London and elsewhere.
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KITTLE
n. (3) Kettle. "Now Emmie! Put the kittle on the fire, while I cut the bread against the men coming home from work!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 55
KITTLE kit-l
vb. (1) To tickle. (see also Kiddle)
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KITTLE kit-l
adj. (2) Ticklish; uncertain; difficult to imagine. "Upon what kittle, tottering, and uncertain terms they held it." - Somner, of Gavelkind, p 129. (see also Kittlish)
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KITTLISH kit-lish
adj. Ticklish; uncertain; difficult to imagine. "Upon what kittle, tottering, and uncertain terms they held it." - Somner, of Gavelkind, p 129. (see also Kittle)
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KITTY HEARN kit-i hurn
n. The heron. (see also Hearnshaw, Hern, Hernshaw, Kitty Hearn Shrow) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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KITTY HEARN SHROW kit-i hurn shroa
n. The heron. - Chilham. (see also Hearnshaw, Hern, Hernshaw, Kitty Hearn)
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KITTY-COME-DOWN-TH
n. The cuckoo pint is so called in West Kent. Arum maculatum (see also Cuckoo-pint, Lady-lords, Lady-keys(1)
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KITTY-RUN-THE-STREET
n. The flower, otherwise called the pansy or heartsease. Viola tricolor. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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KIVVER
vb. (2) To shiver. "I be all of a kivver! Can't keep warm no-how. Think I'll stop indoors this afternoon instead of going up onto the Lines to watch the Marines play Chatham Town." - North East Kent - the Medway Towns district of Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham and Strood, also the Isle of Sheppey. (see also Hover (1), Hovver, Huvver)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 56
KIVVER
vb. (1) To cover. "Kivver yourself up or you'll be a-catching of a rare cold now the weather has changed so suddenly." "If you kivver up they potatoes, Bill and I kivver up these, we shall have all the rows kivvered up by suppertime and dark!" - Wealden and Ashford District.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 56
KIVVERY
adj. Shivery. "You look all kivvery, Bert. Better have a glass of hot ale with some ginger in it and turn into bed 'afo you develop a chill." - North East Kent.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 56
KNAW
vb. Know. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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KNET
vb. Knit. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'.
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KNOLL noa-l
n. A hill or bank; a knole of sand; a little round hill; used in place names - Knowle, Knowlton.
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KNOWED noa-d
vb. Knew. "I've knowed 'im ever since he was a boy."
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KNUCKER nuk-r
vb. To neigh.
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LACE lais
vb. To flog. The number of words used in Kent for chastising is somewhat remarkable.
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LADY COW
n. Ladybird. (see also Bug (2) ,Fly-golding, Lady-bug, Golding, Marygold, Merigo) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page
LADY-BUG lai-di-bug
n. A lady-bird. This little insect is highly esteemed. In Kent (as elsewhere) it is considered unlucky to kill one, and its name has reference to our Lady, the blessed Virgin Mary, as is seen by its other name, Mary-gold. (see also Bug (2), Fly-golding, Golding, Lady Cow, Marygold, Merigo)
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LADY-KEYS lai-dikee'z
n.pl. (1) Lords and ladies; the name given by children to the wild arum. Arum maculatum. (see also Cuckoo-pint, Kitty-come-down-the-land-jump-up-and-kiss-me, Lady-Lords)
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LADY-KEYS
n. (2) Cowslip flowers. - J. H Bridge. (see also Cove-keys, Culver-keys, Horsebuckle, Paigle, Pegle)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 89
LADY-LORDS lai-di-lordz
n.pl. Lords and ladies; the name given by children to the wild arum. Arum maculatum. (see also Cuckoo-pint, Kitty-come-down-the-lane-jump-up-and-kiss-me, Lady-keys (1))
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LAID IN lai-d in
vb. (1) A meadow is said to be laid in for hay, when stock are kept out to allow the grass to grow.
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LAID-IN
vb. (2) This means that a field or fields have been either raked over with a harrow or a type of ancient harrow made from brush-wood and weighed down with heavy baulks of timber or large rocks lashed into position upon the top of the brush-wood harrow. The metal-harrow and the brush-wood harrow both serve the same purpose, which is to break up any droppings of manure; the soft tops of mole and ant-hills; the castes of worms, and to brush up and scratch the ground generally, and so help to clear the surface and aerate it. The brush-wood harrow, a home or farm affair, is generally supposed to be a more effective harrow than the metal type, and of course, not so damaging. Any type of grassland, worked over in this manner, be it meadow, pasture, lawn or grass poultry run, or harvested land to be left to become grass-land is said to be 'laid-in' if harrowed in this way.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 59
LAIN lain
n. A thin coat (laying) of snow on the ground. "There's quite a lain of snow."
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LAMBREN
n.pl. Lambs. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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LANG
adj. Long. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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LANT-FLOUR lau-nt-flou-r
n. Fine flour.
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LASH OUT lash out
vb. To be extravagant with money etc; to be in a passion. "Ye see, he's old uncle he left 'im ten pound. Ah! fancy, he jus' did lash out upon that; treated every-body he did."
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LASHHORSE losh-us
n. The third horse from the plough or wagon, or horse before a pinhorse in the team. - East Kent.
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LAST laast
n. (1) Ten thousand herrings, with a hundred given in for broken fish, make a last.
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LAST laas-t
n. (2) An ancient court in Romney Marsh, held for levying rates for the preservation of the marshes.
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LATCHETTY
adv. Loose or falling to pieces. "Heard but occasionally at the present time is the word 'latchetty', meaning loose or falling to pieces. Examples of its use are:- 'The bolts on the barn- door are getting mighty latchetty (loose).'; 'The old picture frame is latchetty (falling to pieces.'. " Kent(ish?) Express. 1.2.1952
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 90
LATH ? laidh, lath
n. The name of an annual court held at Dymchurch. One was held 15th June 1876, which was reported in the Sussex Express of 17th June, 1876. (see also Lathe (1) & (2), Lath days, Lay days)
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LATH DAYS
n.pl. "Laghedays", Hundred Courts. - Hammond, 'The Story of an Outpost Parish' p 156. (see also Lath, Lathe (1) & (2), Lay days)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 90
LATHE laidh
n. (2) To meet. (see also Lath, Lath days, Lathe (1), Lay days) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LATHE laidh
n. (1) A division of the county of Kent, in which there are five lathes, viz., Sutton-at-Hone, Aylesford, Scray, St Augustine's. amd Shepway. Anglo-Saxon, laeth. (see also Lath, Lathe (2), Lath days, Lay days)
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LATHER ladh-ur
n. Ladder. "They went up the lather to the stage." - MS. Diary of Mr John Bargrave, Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, 1645. Mr Bargarve was nephew of the Dean of Canterbury of that name, and a Kentish man. The family were long resident at Eastry Court, in East Kent. This pronounciation is still common.
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LAVAST lav-ust
n. Unenclosed stubble.
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LAWYER laa-yur
n. A long thorny bramble, from which it is not easy to disentangle oneself. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LAY
n. (2) The term Ley is a general agricultural term not confined to Kent, but the corruption from Ley to Lay is mostly Kentish in origin. The lay system is divided into two groups: short term and long term. Short-term lays is land land laid down for either pasture or meadow then after two or three year good cropping for fodder or silage, the grass is ploughed in and corn or root crops planted. Long-term lays is land laid down for an indefinate number of years as pasture or meadow land. Short term lays were used extensively during the war years 1939-45. The Old Ley at Pluckley near Ashford was used as a demonstration unit during the war. This pasturage was laid-down before the 1914-1918 war as a permanent lay but served as a short- term lay during the 1939-45 war.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 59
LAY lai
n. (1) Land untilled. We find this in place-names, as Leysdown in Sheppey. (see also Ley)
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LAY DAYS
n.pl. Possibly the same as Lath days or Laghedays. "Laghedays", Hundred Courts. - Hammond, 'The Story of an Outpost Parish' p 156. (see also Lath, Lathe (1) & (2), Lath days)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 90
LAYING-IN
n. The process of raking fields with a harrow. (see Laid-in) The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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LAY-INTO
vb. To give a beating. "It's no use making friends with such beasts as them (bulls), the best way it to take a stick and lay into them."
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LAYLOCK
n. Lilac. - R Cooke. (see also French May, Lielock)
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LAYSTOLE lai-stoal
n. A rubbish heap. "Scarce could he footing find in that fowle way, For many corses, like a great lay-stall Of murdered men, which therein strowed lay Without remorse or decent funerall." - The Faerie Queene, 1 v 53.
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LEACON lee-kun
n. A wet swampy common; as, Wye Leacon, Westwell Leacon. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LEAD leed
n. (1) The hempen rein of a plough-horse, fixed to the halter by a chain, with which it is driven.
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LEAD leed
n. (2) Way; manner. "Do it in this lead," i.e., in this way. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LEAF
n. Leaf. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Lyaf, Lyeaf)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
LEARN lurn
vb. To teach. "O learn me true understanding and knowledge." - Psalm 119 v 66 (Prayer Book version).
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LEAS
vb. Lost. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Lyeas)
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LEASE leez
vb. To glean; gather up the stray ears of corn left in the fields. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LEASE-WHEAT lee-zweet
n. The ears picked up by the gleaners.
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LEASING lee-zing
partc. Gleaning.
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LEASTWISE lee-stweiz
adv. At least; at all events; anyhow; that is to say. "Tom's gone up int' island, leastwise, he told me as how he was to go a wik come Monday."
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LEATHER
vb. To beat. "Catched 'im among de cherries, he did: and leathered 'im middlin', he did."
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LEAVENER lev-unur, lev-nur
n. A snack taken at eleven o'clock; hence, any light, intermediate meal. (see Bever, Elevenses, Progger, Scran)
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LEAWDE
vb. Lewd. (i.e. Lay - Ecclesiastical). Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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LEDDRE
n. Ladder. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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LEER leer
n. Leather; tape. "I meane so to mortifie myselfe, that in steede of silks I wil weare sackcloth; for owches and braceletes, leere and caddys; for the lute vse the distaffe." - Lilly's Euphues, ed. Arber, p 79.
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LEES leez
n. (2) A row of trees planted to shelter a hop-garden. (see also Lew) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LEES leez
n. (1) A common, or open space of pasture ground. The Leas (leez) is the name given at Folkestone to the fine open space of common at the top of the cliffs.
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LEE-SILVER
n. A composition paid in money by the tenants in the wealds of Kent, to their lord, for leave to plough and sow in time of pannage.
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LEETY lee-ti
adj. Slow; begin-hand; slovenly. Thus they say: "Purty leety sort of a farmer, I calls 'im."
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LEG-TIRED
adj. "Are ye tired, maäte?" "No, not so terr'bly, only a little leg-tired." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LEME
n. Limb. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Leme (K) = Lime (N) = Limb
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LENDEN
n.pl. Loins. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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LERRY ler-r'i
n. The "part" which has to be learnt by a mummer who goes round championing. - Sittingbourne. (see also Lorry, Lurry)
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LESTE
Last Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water.
The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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LET
vb. To leak; to drip. "That tap lets the water."
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LETCH let-ch
n. A vessel, wherein they put ashes, and then run water through, in making lye.
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LEW | loo | |
n. (1) A shelter. Anglo-Saxon hléow, a covering; a shelter. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 92 |
LEW loo adj. (3) Sheltered. "That house lies lew there down in the hollow." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 92 |
LEW loo |
n. (2) A thatched hurdle, supported by sticks, and set up in a field to screen lambs, etc, from the wind. "The lambs 'ud 'ave been froze if so be I hadn't made a few lews."
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LEW loo
vb. (4) To shelter, especially to screen and protect from the wind. "Those trees will lew the house when they're up-grown," i.e., those trees will shelter the house and keep off the wind when they are grown up.
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LEY lai
n. Land untilled. We find this in place-names, as Leysdown in Sheppey. (see also Lay)
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LIB vb. To get walnuts of the trees with libbats. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 93 |
LIBBAT
n. A billet of wood; a stick. 1592 - "With that he took a libbat up and beateth out his brains." - Warner. Albion's England. (see also Libbet)
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LIBBET
n. In the first volume of "Kentish (Wealden) Dialect" (1935), mention is made of Libbet as pertaining to a piece of wood, generally nine to twelve inches long, and mostle used by children to knock down nuts and fruit from trees. (see also Libbat)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 61
LIBBET AND DADDY
n. A childhood game. The 'Daddy' is a spronged stick, forming a three-sided pyramid-like structure. The 'Libbet' is the piece of wood placed under the three-pronged 'Daddy'. It is played (though rarely now) by boys; one throws a 'Libbet' at the 'Daddy' and tries to knock it over, then, should he do so, he and also the other players make a rush to get the 'Libbet' that the 'Daddy' protected. Whoever succeeds in getting the 'Libbet' becomnes the thrower, and so the game continues. The libbet as mentioned in the "Kentish (Wealden) Dialect (1935)" was also used at Kentish Fair coconut shies, in lieu of a ball, some 75 years ago.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 61
LID lid
n. A coverlet.
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LIEF leef
adv. Soon; rather; fain; gladly. "I'd as lief come to-morrow." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LIEF-COUP leef-koop
n. An auction of household goods, (see also Litcop, Outroope) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LIELOCK
n. Lilac. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. (see also French May, Laylock) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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LIERN
vb. Learn. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Lyern)
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LIESE
vb. Loose. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Leose (lese). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Lyese)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
LIEVE
Dear. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Lyeve)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
LIGHT leit
n. (2) The droppings of sheep. (see also Sheep's treddles, Treddles) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LIGHT leit
n. (1) The whole quantity of eggs the hen lays at one laying. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LIGHT UPON leit upon
vb. To meet; to fall in with any person or thing rather unexpectedly. "He lit upon him goin' down de roäd."
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LIGHTLY lei-tli
adv. Mostly.
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LIKE leik
(2) Adverbial suffix to other words, as pleasant-like, comfortable-like, home-like, etc. "It's too clammy-like."
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LIKE leik
vb. (1) To be pleased with; suited for; in phrase, to like one's self. "How do you like yourself?" i.e., how do you like your present position and its surrounding"
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LIMB
n. A young rascal; a naughty child. "I don't known whatever that young limb will be up to next!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 60
LIMB-OF-A-WAY
adj. A long way; at a good distance. "How far be it to Chart Forstal, sir? Why it be a limb-of- a-way! Quite three or four mile from here, even the shortest way!" (see also Hem-of-a-way)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 60
LINCH lin-ch
n. A little strip of land, to mark the boundary of the fields in open countries, called elsewhere landshire or landsherd, to distinquish a share of land. In Eastry the wooded ridge, which lies over against the church, is called by the name of the Lynch. (see also Lynch)
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LINGER ling-ur
vb. To long after a thing. "She lingers after it."
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LINGERING ling-uring
adj. Used with reference to a protracted sickness of a consumptive character. "He's in a poor lingering way."
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LINGY linj-i
adj. Idle and loitering.
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LINK link
vb. To entice; beguile; mislead. "They linked him in along with a passel o' good-for-nothin' runagates."
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LIPPEN
n.pl. Lips. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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LIRRY lir-r'i
n. A blow to the ear.
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LISHY lish-i
adj. Flexible; lissome. Spoken of corn, plants and shrubs running up apace, and so growing tall and weak.
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LISS
n. A bridle path or road. A word much in use 50 years ago, particular to Barham and district. "You'll get there qucker if you take the old liss road."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 61
LISSOM lis-um
adj. Pliant; supple. Contracted from lithesome.
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LIST
adj. The condition of the atmosphere when sounds are heard easily. "Ir's a wonderful list morning."
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LITCOP lit-kup
n. An auction of household goods, (see also Lief-coup, Outroope) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LITHER lidh-ur
adj. Supple; limber; pliant; gentle.
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LIT-IN
vb. Went in. "They lit-in all unexpected, and all we had in the house was bread and cheese."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 60
LIT-OUT
vb. (1) Went out. This expression is widely used in the USA, especially in the old cow-hand districts, being another instance of Kentish dialect that old pioneers took with them on the covered-wagon trails, and where all along the routes to the Californian seaboard it became one of the most popular expressions of the 'new' language of the later settlers and cowboys. "He lit- out to Denver."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 60
LIT-OUT
vb. (2) Went off. "Butcher Pile lit-out to Ashford early this morning with Muss Maylam's young bulls, an' I doubt ef (if) you'll catch him and his mate up 'fore they gets there."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 60
LIVERY livur-i
adj. The hops which are at the bottom of the poles, and do not get enough sun to ripen them are called white livery hops.
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LOB lob
n. To throw underhand.
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LOB-LOW
vb. (2) To duck down; to lie low. "Look out Bob! Lob-low in this ditch. If the farmer catches us in his meadow now he's laid it in for hay, he won't arf whop us!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 62
LOB-LOW
vb. (1) To fly low, as rooks do in windy weather; flying just off the ground, or clearing the tops of hedges. "The old rooks aint half a lob-lowing today in this gale!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 62
LODGE loj
vb. (2) To lie fast without moving. "That libbat has lodged up there in the gutter, and you can't get it down, leastways not without a lather."
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LODGE loj
n. (1) An outbuilding; a shed, with an implied notion that it is more or less of a temporary character. The particular use to which the lodge is put is often stated, as a cart-lodge, a wagon- lodge. "The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers." - Isaiah, Ch 1 v 8. "As melancholy as a lodge in a warren." - Much Ado About Nothing, Act 2 Sc 1.
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LODGED loj-d
adj. Laid flat; spoken of corn that has been beated down by the wind or rain. "We'll make foul weather with despised tears, Our sighs, and they shall lodge the summer corn." - Richard 2, Act 3 Sc 3. (also Macbeth, 4.1.55)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 95
LOLLOP
vb. To lounge about; to lollop about. There was a Wiltshire verb 'to lollop' which is equivalent to 'to lounge'. - Ralph Whitlock 'Wiltshire' p 198.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 95
LOMPEN
n.pl. Lamps. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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LOMPY lomp-i
adj. Thick; clumsy; fat.
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LOND
n. Land. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
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LONESOME loan-sum adj. Lonely.
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LONG-DOG
n. (2) Wealden for any type of dog or hound long in the body; such as dachshunds, whippets, greyhounds and the gipsies' and dealers' mongrel lurcher-dogs.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 62
LONG-DOG long-dog
n. (1) The greyhound.
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'LONG-OF
abbr. Along of. "Be you a'coming 'long-of us?" The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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LONGTAILS
n.pl. (2) Pheasants. - J H Bridge.
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LONGTAILS long-tailz
n.pl. (1) An old nickname for the natives of Kent. In the library at Dulwich College is a printed broadside entitled "Advice to the Kentish long-tails by the wise men of Gotham, in answer to their late sawcy petition to Parliament." - Fol. 1701.
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'LONG-WITH
abbr. Along with. "Be you a-coming 'long-with us." The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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LOOK UPON luok upun
vb. To favour; to regard kindly. "He's bin an ole sarvent, and therefore I dessay they look upon 'im."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 95
LOOK'EE
vb. Look!; Look over there!; Look here! Also "Lookee-here" i.e. "Look you here!" "Look-ee who's coming down the road."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 62
LOOKER luok-ur
n. (1) One who looks after sheep and cattle grazing in the marshes. His duties with sheep are rather different from those of a shepherd in the uplands.
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LOOKER luok-ur
vb. (2) To perform the work of a looker. "John? Oh! he's lookering." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LOOKING-AT luok-ing-at
n. In phrase, "It wants no looking-at," i.e., it's plain; clear; self-evident. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LOPE-WAY loap-wai
n. A private footpath.
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LORCUS-HEART lau-kus-hart
interj. As, "O lorcus heart," which means "O Lord Christ's heart." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LORRY lor-r'i
n. Jingling rhyme; spoken by mummers and others. (see also Lerry, Lurry) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LOSH-HORSE
n. The third horse of a team. (see also Rod-horse)
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LOST
vb. Lust. Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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LOVE luv; loov
n. A widow. "John Stoleker's loove." - Burn's History of Parish Registers, p 115. 1492 - "Item rec. of Belser's loue the full of our kene. . . 16s 8d. Item rec. of Sarjanti's loue. . . 13s 5d. Item payde for the buryng of Ellerygge's loue and her monythis mynde. . . 4s" - Churchwardens' Accounts of St Dunstan's, Canterbury. 1505 - "Rec of Chadborny's loove for waste of 2 torchys (at his funeral). . . 8d. Rec. of Chadborny's widow for the bequest of her husband. . . 3s 4d." - Churchwardens' Accounts of St. Andrew's, Canterbury.
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LOVY
vb. To love. Anglo-Saxon conjugation.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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'LOW lou
vb. To allow; to suppose, e.g. "I 'low not." for "I allow not." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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'LOWANCE lou-ans
n. An allowance; bread and cheese and ale given to the wagoners when they have brought home the load, hence any recompense for little jobs of work. (see also Allowance)
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LOWEY loa-i
n. The ancient liberty of the family of Clare at Tunbridge, extending three miles from the castle on every side. "The arrangements made by the King for the wardship of Richard of Clare and the custody of the castle appear to have given umbrage to the Archbishop. who (circa, A.D. 1230) made a formal complaint to the King that the Chief Justiciary had, on the death of the late Earl, seized the castle and lowey of Tunbridge, which he claimed as fief of the archbishopric." - Archaeologia Cantiana, 16, p 21
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LOWS loaz
n.pl. The hollows in marsh land where the water stagnates.
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LUBBER HOLE
n. A place made in a haystack when it is three-parts built, where a man may stand to reach the hay from the men in the wagon, and pitch it up to those on the top of the stack.
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LUCKING-MILL
n. A fulling-mill.
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LUG, SIR PETER lug, Sir Peter
n. The person that comes last to any meeting is called Sir Peter Lug; lug is probably a corruption of lag. (see Peter-Grievious)
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LUG-SAND lug'-sand
n. The sand where the lugworm is found by fishermen searching for bait. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LURRY lur-r'i
n. Jingling rhyme; spoken by mummers and others. (see also Lerry, Lorry) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LUSHINGTON
n. A man fond of drink. "He's a reg'lar lushington, 'most always drunk." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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LUSTY lust-i
adj. Fat; flourishing; well grown; in good order. "You've growed quite lusty sin' we seed ye last."
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LYAF
n. Leaf. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Leaf, Lyeaf)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
LYEAF
n. Leaf. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Leaf, Lyaf)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
LYEAS
vb. Lost. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Leas)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
LYERN
vb. Learn. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Liern)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
LYESE
vb. Loose. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Leose (lese). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Liese)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
LYEVE
Dear. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Lieve)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
LYNCH lin-ch
n. A little strip of land, to mark the boundary of the fields in open countries, called elsewhere landshire or landsherd, to distinquish a share of land. In Eastry the wooded ridge, which lies over against the church, is called by the name of the Lynch. (see also Linch)
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LYSTE-WAY list-wai
n. A green way on the edge of a field. This word occurs in a M.S. dated 1356, which describes the bounds and limits of the parish of Eastry, "And froo the weye foreseyd called wenis, extende the boundes and lymmites of the pishe of Easterye by a wey called lyste towards the easte." - Memorials of Eastry, p 28. (see also Went)
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MABBLED mab-ld
vb. Mixed; confused. "An books and such mabbled up." - Dick and Sal, st 70.
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MAD mad
adj. Enraged; furious. "Being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them." - Acts, Ch 26 v 11
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MADE-A-FOOLIN'-OF
vb. To make a fuss of a child or animal. "I don't know what we shall do with ye when your Auntie has gone back. She's proper made-a-foolin'-of ye, since she came over to us on her holidays."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 64
MAGGOTY mag-uti
adj. Whimsical; restless; unreliable. "He's a maggoty kind o' chap, he is." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MAID maid
n. A little frame to stand before the fire to dry small articles. (see also Tamsin)
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MAKE EVEN
vb. (see Even, to make)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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MAKE OFF
vb. To make out; to understand.- R Cooke.
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MAMMICK
vb. To eat untidily; in a pig-like way. "Drat ye, young Stevie! Doant mammick your food like that. There's more bread and jam on the floor than in your innards!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 64
MAN OF KENT
phr. A title claimed by the inhabitants of the Weald as their peculiar designation; all others they regard as Kentish men.
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MANKIE-PEAS
n.pl The common wood-lice. They are also called peasie-bugs and pea-bugs, as they resemble, when rolled up into a ball, small black pea-like bodies. "Look at they mankie-peas, grandpa! Millions of 'em, in that old log Harry has just broken open!" (see also Cheese-bugs, Monkey-peas, Pea-bugs, Peasie-bugs)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 64
MANNISH man-ish
adj. Like a man; manly. "He's a very mannish little chap."
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MAN-SUCKER man-sukr
n. The cuttle-fish - Folkestone. (see also Inkspewer, Squib (2), Tortoise) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MARCH mar-ch
n. Called in East Kent "March many weather."
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MARM maam
n. A jelly.
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MARSH maa-sh
n. In East Kent the Marsh means Romney Marsh, as the Island means the Isle of Thanet in East Kent, or Sheppy in North Kent. Romney Marsh is the fifth quarter of the world which consists of Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Romney Marsh. (see also Mash, Mesh, Mush)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 98
MARY SPILT THE MILK
n. Lungwort.- Alice Clarke. 1975.
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MARYGOLD mar-r'igold
n. A lady bird. The first part of the name refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the latter, gold, to the bright orange, or orange-red, colour of the insect. This little insect is highly esteemed in Kent, and is of great service in hop-gardens in eating up the fleas and other insects which attack the hops. (see also Bug (2), Fly-golding, Golding, Lady-bug, Lady Cow, Merrigo)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 98
MASH mash
n. A marsh. (see also Marsh, Mesh, Mush)
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MATCH-A-RUNNING
n. A game peculiar to Kent, and somewhat resembling prisoner's base. (see also Match- Running , Stroke-bias)
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MATCH-ME-IF-YOU-CAN
n. The appropriate name of the variegated ribbon-grass of our gardens, anciently called our lady's laces, and subsequently painted laces, ladies' laces, and gardener's garters. Phalaris arundinacea.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 98
MATCH-RUNNING
n. A game peculiar to Kent, and somewhat resembling prisoner's base. (see also Match-a- Running , Stroke-bias)
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MATE mait, mee-ut
n. A companion; comrade; fellow-labourer; friend; used especially by husband or wife to one another.
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MAUDRING mau-dring vb. Mumbling.
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MAUN maun
n. A large round, open, deep wicker basket, larger at the top than bottom, with a handle on each side near the top (some have two handles, others of more modern pattern have four); commonly used for carrying chaff, fodder, hops, etc, and for unloading coals. Shakespeare uses the word - "A thousand favours from a maund she drew, Of amber, crystal and of braided jet." - Lover's Complaint, st 6. (see also Maund (1), Moan)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 99
MAUND maand, maund
n. (1) A large round, open, deep wicker basket, larger at the top than bottom, with a handle on each side near the top (some have two handles, others of more modern pattern have four); commonly used for carrying chaff, fodder, hops, etc, and for unloading coals. Shakespeare uses the word - "A thousand favours from a maund she drew, Of amber, crystal and of braided jet." - Lover's Complaint, st 6. (see also Maun, Moan)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 99
MAUND
n. (2) A hay-cock is called a maund of hay (? a mound of hay) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MAUNDER mau-nder vb. (1) To scold; murmur; complain.
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MAUNDER mau-nder
vb. (2) To walk with unsteady gait; to wander about with no fixed purpose. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MAW
vb. Mow. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
MAXHILL
n. A dungheap. (see also Maxon (1) & (2), Maxul, Misken, Mixon) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MAXON
n. (1) A dungheap. (see also Maxhill, Maxon (2), Maxul, Misken, Mixon) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MAXON
n. (2) A dung or manure Maxon is a specially built-up box-like oblong of stable, cow-shed or pig-sty manure: sometime separately, sometimes of all three. Some of these manure-heaps measure many yards in length and width, and sometimes are as much as six feet in height. (see also Maxhill, Maxon (1), Maxul, Misken, Mixen)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 64
MAXUL maks-l
n. A dungheap. (see also Maxhill, Maxon (1) & (2), Misken, Mixon) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MAY HILL mai hil
n. Used in the phrase, "I don't think he'll ever get up May hill," i.e., I don't think he will live through the month of May. March, April and May especially, owing to the fluctuations of temperature, are very trying months in East Kent. So, again, the uncertain, trying nature of this month, owing to the cold east or out winds, is further alluded to in the saying - "Ne'er cast a clout Till May is out."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 99
MAY-BUG mai-bug
n. A cockchafer, otherwise called a July-bug.
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MAYER
n. Mayor, a civic dignitary.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 64 |
MAY-WEED n. Anthemis cotula. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 99 |
MAZZARD maz-urd n. Prunus avium. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 99 |
MEACH mee-ch vb. To creep about softly. (see also Meecher) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
MEAKERS
n.pl. Mice; the common house-mice or field mice. "Ye shall soon have to shift that old foggot- stack. Too many o' they meakers be a-nesting in there, and too many of 'em a-finding their way into the cottages as well." (see also Meece, Mickie)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 65
MEAL
n. Ground wheat or any other grain before it is bolted. In bolting, the bran is divided into two qualities, the coarser retains the name of bran, and the finer is called pollard.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 99
MEASURE-FOR-A-NEW-J
vb. To flog; to beat. "Now, you be off, or I'll measure you for a new jacket." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MEASURING-BUG
n. The caterpillar.
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MEECE mees
n.pl. (1) Mice. "Jus' fancy de meece have terrified my peas." (see also Meakers, Mickie)
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MEECE
n.pl. (2) Mice Present dialect form i.e. 1863. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'.
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MEECHER vb. To creep about softly. (see also Meach) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
MEEN vb. To shiver slightly. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
MEENING meen-ing n. An imperfect fit of the ague. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
MEGPY meg-pi
n. The common magpie.
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MELK
n. (2) Milk. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'.
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MELK
n. (1) Milk.Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Melk (K) = Milk (N)
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MELLE
n. Mill. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Mele (K) = Mill (N)
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MELT melt
n. A measure of two bushels of coals.
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MENAGERIE menaaj-uri
n. Management; a surprising and clever contrivance. "That is a menagerie!" A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MEND
Mind. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Mend (K) = Mund (S) = Mind (N)
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MENDMENT
n. (1) Manure. (see also Amendment)
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MENDMENTS
n.pl. (2) Manure; the droppings of any bird or animal; animal excretions. The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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MENNYS men-is
n. A wide tract of ground, partly copse and partly moor; a high common; a waste piece of rising ground. There are many such in East Kent, as Swingfield Minnis, Ewell Minnis, etc. (see also Minnis)
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MENTLE
n. Mantle Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
MERCIFUL mer-siful
adj. Used as an intensive expletive, much in the same way as "blessed" or "mortal" are used elsewhere. "They took every merciful thing they could find."
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MERRIGO mer-r'goa
n. A ladybird. (see also Marygold, of which Merrigo is a corruption ) (see also Bug (2), Fly-golding, Golding, Lady-bug, Lady Cow, Marygold)
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MERSC
n. Marsh Use of 'e' for 'a'. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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MERSS
n. Marsh. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
MESH mesh, maish
n. A marsh. (see also Marsh, Mash, Mush)
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MESS-ABOUT
vb. To waste time. "Don't keep all-on messing-about like that, but come here directly- minute."
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MESSEN
n.pl. Masses. (Ecclesiastical) Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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MESS-OF-FOOD
n. A good substantial mess, or basin or platefull of hot food, the quantity and quality of which will fully satisfy even the hungriest of farm-workers.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 65
METT met
n. A measure containing a bushel. Anglo-Saxon metan, to measure. 1539 - "Paid for a mett of salt 11d" - MS Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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MEWSE meuz
n. An opening through the bottom of a hedge, forming a run for game. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MICKIE
n. The house or field mouse. Mickie has become a generally accepted slang term outside of the Kentish Weald, where it originated, for the common mouse. "Our pantry cupboard is full of little mickies!" "He's as quiet as a mickie." (see also Meakers, Meece)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 65
MICKIE, TO TAKE THE
phr. To make a fool of a person, in a quiet and often round about way. This universal term "To take the mike (or the mickie) out of me" is really of Weald origin. This came about through the actions of a certain rustic at Pluckley, near Ashford, trying to catch a mouse that had jumped up another farm-hand's sleeve. The helper, who soon has an enthusiastic audience, kept fooling about, not trying to catch the mouse at all, but simply to get it to move from one part of his friend's anatomy to another, until at last the exasperated rustic shouted to his 'helper': "Are you trying to take the mickie out of me?" thereby implying that he did not think his chum was trying to dislodge the mouse, but simply making him look a fool in front of the other farm hands. The farm-hand who coined this phrase was "Plushy" Austin of Honey Farm, Pluckley.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 66
MIDDLEBUN mid-lbun
n. The leathern thong which connects the hand-staff of a flail with the swingel.
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MIDDLEMAS mid-lmus
n. Michaelmas.
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MIDDLING mid-ling
adj. A word of several shades of meaning, from very much or very good, to very little or very bad. The particular sense in which the word is to be taken for the time is determined by the tone of the speaker's voice alone.
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MIDDLINGS
n. An instalment of shoe-money, sometimes given to the pickers in the middle of the hopping time.
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MILCH-HEARTED milch-haat-id
adj. Timid; mild; tender-hearted; nervous. "Jack won't hurt him, he's ever so much too milch-hearted."
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MILL mil
vb. To melt.
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MILLER'S EYE mil-urz ei
n. To put the miller's eye out is when a person, in mixing mortar or dough, pours too much water into the hole made to receive it; then they say, "I reckon you've put the miller's eye out now!" - Eastry.
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MILLER'S THUMB mil-urz-thum
n. A fish which is otherwise known as bull-head. Cottus gobio. (see also Corbeau)
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MILLER'S-EYES mil-urz-eiz
n.pl. Jelly-fish. - Dover (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Sea-nettles, Sea Starch, Sluthers, Slutters,Stingesr, Water-galls)
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MIND meind
n. (1) To be a mind to a thing; to intend; purpose; design it. The complete phrase runs thus, "I'm a mind to it."
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MIND meind
vb. (2) To remember. "Do you mind what happen'd that time up in Island?" A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MINE mein
n. Any kind of mineral, especially iron-stone.
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MINNIS min-is
n. A wide tract of ground, partly copse and partly moor; a high common; a waste piece of rising ground. There are many such in East Kent, as Swingfield Minnis, Ewell Minnis, etc. (see also Mennys)
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MINT mint
n. The spleen.
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MINTY mint-i
adj. Full of mites, used of meal, or cheese.
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MINUTE min-it
n. (2) Directly-minute, immediately. (see also Dreckly-minute) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MINUTE min-it
n. (1) A Kentish man would say, "a little minute," where another would say, "a minute." So, "a little moment," in Isaiah ch 24, v 20, "Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation by overpast."
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MISCHEEVIOUS
adj. Mischievous.
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MISERY mis-ur'i
n. Acute bodily pain; not sorrow or distress of mind, as commonly. "He's gone in great misery for some time."
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MISHEROON
n. Mushroom. (see also Musheroon, Rooms)
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MISKEN mis-kin
n. A dunghill. (see also Maxhill, Maxon (1) & (2), Maxul, Mixon) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MISS
n. Abbreviation of mistress. Always used for Mrs., as the title of a married woman.
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MIST mist
impers. vb. "It mists," i.e., rains very fine rain.
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MISTUS mis-tus
n. Mistress; the title of a married woman. "My mistus and me's done very well and comfortable together for 'bove fifty year; not but what we've had a misword otherwhile, for she can be middlin' contrairy when she likes, I can tell ye."
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MISWORD mis-wurd
n. A cross, angry, or abusive word. "He's never given me one misword." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MITHERWAY
interj. phr. Come hither away. A call by a wagoner to his horses. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MITTENS mit-nz
n.pl. Large, thick, leathern gloves without separate fingers, used by hedgers to protect their hands from thorns.
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MIXON miks-un
n. A dung-heap; dung-hill. Properly one which is made of earth and dung; or, as in Thanet, of seeweed, lime and dung. Anglo-Saxon, mix, dung; mixen, a dung-hill. (see also Maxhill, Maxon (1) & (2), Maxul in Eastry, Misken)
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MIZMAZE
n. Confusion; a puzzle. "Time I fell off de stack, soonsever I begun to look about a little, things seemed all of a mizmaze." 1678 - "But how to pleasure such worthy flesh and blood, and not the direct way of nature, is such a mizmaze to manhood." - Howard, Man of Newmarket.
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MIZZLE
n. A mist-like rain falling very lightly. "Twouldn't be so bad if it was just a mizzle, but we can't go all that way without our coats now it be mizzling real hard."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 66
MIZZLING
vb. A mist-like rain falling heavily. The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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MOAN
n. A basket, used for carrying chaff or roots for food; and for unloading coals. (see also Maun, Maund)
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MODREN
n.pl.Mothers. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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MOKE moak
n. A mesh of a net.
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MOLLIE mol-i
n. A hedge sparrow; otherwise called Dicky-hedge-poker. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MONEY mun-i
n. The phrase, "good money," means good pay, high wages. "He's getting good money, I reckon."
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MONEY-IN-BOTH-POCKE
n. Lunaria biennis. The plant otherwise known as honesty, or white satin-flower, as it is sometimes called from the silvery lustre of its large circular-shaped saliques, which, when dried, were used to dress up fire-places in summer and decorate the chimney-mantels of cottages and village inns. The curious seed-vessels, which grow in pairs, and are semi- transparent, show the flat disc-shaped seeds like little coins within them, an appearance which no doubt originated the name, Money-in-both-pockets.
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MONEY-PURSE mun-i-pus
n. A purse. "He brought our Jack a leather cap An' Sal a money-puss" - Dick and Sal, st 16.
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MONEY-SPINNER
n. A small spider supposed to bring good luck.
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MONKEY-PEAS mun-kipees
n. Wood-louse; also the ligea oceanica, which resembles the wood-louse, and lives in the holes made in the stone by the pholades. (see also Cheese bug, Mankie-peas, Pea-bugs, Peasie-bugs)
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MONT munt
n. Month.
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MOOCH
vb. (2) To slouch; to move about in a lazy, slovenly or flat-footed manner. "There you go again! Mooching along, with your head on the ground. Wearing out they hard-earned boots and likely you'll run yourself into a telegraph-pole or a moty-car!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 66
MOOCH mooch
vb. (1) Dawdle.
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MOON
n. 10 bushel basket measures, especially for hops.- East Kent. Nicky Newbury. (see also Half -moon)
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MOOR moor
n. Swampy and wet piece of ground.
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MOORNEN moo-rneen
n. A moor hen.
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MOOT moo-t
n. The root or stump of a tree, which when felled, is divided into three parts; 1st, the moot; 2nd, the stem; 3rd, the branches.
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MORE moa-r
adv. Used of size or dimensions; as "as big more," i.e., as big again. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MORT mor-t
n. Abundance; a large quantity; a multitude. A mort of money, apples, birds, men, etc. (see also Mot)
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MOSES moa-ziz
n. A young frog. - East Kent.
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MOSTEST moa-stist
adv. Farthest; greatest distance. "The mostest that he's bin from home is 'bout eighteen miles." East Kent people seldom travel far from home.
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MOST-TIMES moa-st-teimz adv. Generally; usually.
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MOT mot
n. Abundance; a large quantity; a multitude. A mort of money, apples, birds, men, etc. (see also Mort)
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MOTHER OF THOUSAND mudh-ur uv thou-zundz
n. Linaria cymbularia.
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MOTHERY mudh-ur'i
adj. Out of condition; muddy; thick; with a scum or mould on it. "The beer's got pretty mothery, seeminly."
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MOVE
n. An action or plan. "Well, that's a middlin' silly move, let be how 'twill." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MOWL moul
n. Mould.
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MUCH much
vb. (1) To fondle; caress; pet. "However did you manage to tame those wild sheep?" "Well, I mutched 'em, ye see."
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MUCH much
adj. (2) Used with regard to the state of the health. "How are ye to-day?" "Not much, thank ye."
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MUCH OF A MUCHNESS
advl. phrase. Very much alike; as like as two peas.
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MUCH AS EVER much az ev-r
adj. Hardly; scarcely; only just; with difficulty. "Shall ye get done (i.e. finish your job) to- day?" "Much as ever."
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MUCK muk
vb. (1) To dirty; to work over-hard.
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MUCK muk
n. (2) A busy person. "De squire was quite head muck over this here Jubilee job."
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MUCK ABOUT muk ubou-t
vb. (1) To work hard. "He's most times mucking about somewhere's or another."
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MUCK ABOUT
vb. (2) To fool about.
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MUCK-ABOUT
vb. (2) To fool about; to fool around. "Go on! muck-about my boy! But if you'r still a- mucking about, times I'm ready to take you out, I'll give 'ee such a bannicking ye'll not know whether you be on yer head or yer heels!" - Ashford and Wealden.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 66
MUCKED UP muk-t-up
adv. All in confusion and disorder. "I lay you never see such a place as what master's study is; 'tis quite entirely mucked-up with books."
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MUCK-UP
vb. To lift up. "Hey mister! Gie us a muck-up into the cart with this here bale o' hay, will ye?" - Ashford and District.
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MUDDLE ABOUT mud-l ubou-t
vb. To do a little work. "As long as I can just muddle about I don't mind." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MULLOCK mul-uk
vb. To damp the heat of an oven. A diminutive of Old English mull, which is merely a variant of mould.
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MUNTON munt-n
n. The mullion of a window. This is nearer to the medieval form munnion. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MUSH mush
n. A marsh. (see also Marsh, Mash, Mesh)
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MUSHEROON mush-iroon
n. A mushroom. French, moucheron. (see also Misheroon, Rooms) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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MUSTER must-r
n. Mister (Mr.), the title given to an employer, and often contracted into muss. The labourer's title is master, contracted into mass. "Where be you goin'. Mass Tompsett?" "Well, I be goin' 'cross to Muss Chickses."
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NABBLER nab-lur
n. An argumentative, captious person; a gossip; a mischief-maker. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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NACKERS
n.pl. Testes - Plumstead, West Kent. L.E.A.G. 1920's).
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NAIL nai-l
n. A weight of eight pounds.
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NAILBOURN nai-lburn, nai-lboarn
n. An intermittent stream. Harris, in his History of Kent, p 240, writes, "There is a famous eylebourn which rises in this parish (Petham) and sometimes runs but a little way before it falls into the ground;" and again at p 179, Harris writes, "Kilburn saith that AD 1472, here (at Lewisham) newly broke out of the earth a great spring;" by which he probably meant an eylebourn or nailbourn. " Why! the nailbourn's begun to run a' ready." (see also Eylesbourne)
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NARL
n. (2) Nail. "You go ask the shipwright for some four inch narls." "Those narls aint no good for them timbers, try these!" - Medway district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 69
NARL
n. (1) A knot of wood. These words - Narl, Narlie and Narlie-wood - are almost extinct. I know of only one old man in the whole of the Medway Towns (Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham and Strood) - at least to my knowledge- who uses the above expressions in regards to wood-knots and knotted timber. - North-East Kent and Medway district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 68
NARLIE
adj. Well knotted wood; poor timber. - North-east Kent, and Medway district. (see also Narl)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 68
NARLIE-WOOD
adj. Well knotted wood; poor timber; useless for building purposes. - North-East Kent, and Medway district. (see also Narl)
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NASE
n. Nose. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
NATCHES nach-ez
n. The notches or battlements of a church tower.
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NATE nait
n. Naught; bad.
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NATIVE nai-tiv
n. Native place; birthplace. "Timblestun (Tilmanstone) is my native, but I've lived in Eastry nearly forty years come Michaelmas."
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NATURE nai-chur
n. Way; manner. "In this nature," in this way.
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NAWN STEERS naun steez n.pl. Small steers. Cf. French nain, dwarf.
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NAZT
Not. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
NEAT neet
vb. To make neat and clean.
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NEB neb
n. A peg used to fasten the pole of an ox-plough to the yoke. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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NEEGAR
n. The larva of the ladybird. - R Cooke. (see also Nigger, Nigyar) Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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NE'ER A ONCE
adv. Not once.
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NEGHEND
n. Nineth. 'The Old Kentish numerals, as exhibited in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are identical with the Northen forms, but are no doubt of Frisian origin.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 21
NEGRO
n. "Had discourse with Partridge; he says the Negro attacks turnips proceeding in straight rows, and when at the end of the row returns again in a parallel manner." - G M Arnold, Robert Pocock 80.
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NEIGHBOUR
vb. To associate. "Though we live next door we don't neighbour." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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NESS nes
n. A promontory; a cape; a headland. Seen in place names as Dungeness, Sheerness, etc. French, Nez; Scandinavian, Naze. So the English sailors call Blanc Nez, opposite Dover, Blank-ness or Black-ness.
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NET net
n. A knitted woollen scarf.
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NETTLE-FRIG
n. A fidget; a restless person; generally applied to a child. Derived from the fidgetting or contortions of a person or child stung on the legs by stinging-nettles. "Sit still Nance! You'r a proper nettle-frig." - Wealden. (see also Frig)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 68
NETTLEN
n.pl. Nettles. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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NEWLAND neu-lund
n. Land newly broke-up or ploughed.
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NICKOPIT nik-upit-
n. A bog; a quagmire; a deep hole in a dyke.
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NIDGET nij-it
n. A shim or horse-hoe with nine irons, used for cleaning the ground between the rows of hops or beans.
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NIEDE
Need. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian.. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Nyede)
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NIGGER
n. The larva of the ladybird. - R Cooke. (see also Nigger)
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NIGGLING nig-lin
adj. Trifling; petty; troublesome on account of smallness. "There, I tell ye, I aint got no time for no sich niggling jobs."
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NIGYER | ||
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NIMBLE DICK nimb-l dik n. A species of horse-fly or gad-fly, differing somewhat from Brims. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
NIPPER nip-ur n. A nickname given to the youngest or smallest member of a family. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
NISY nei-si n. A ninny; simpleton. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 10 |
NIT
n. The egg of a louse or small insect. "Dead as a nit," is a common expression.
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NITTY NINEHAIRS
n. Name given to a bald-headed man. - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1920's.
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NO OUGHT noa aut
advbl. phr. Ought not. "The doctor said I no ought to get out." The expression "you ought not" is seldom used; it is almost invariably no ought. A similar use of prepositions occurs in such phrases as up-grown, out-asked, etc. (see also hadn't ought)
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NO PRINCIPLE
This expression is only applied in Kent to people who do not pay their debts. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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NO SENSE
adj. phr. Nothing to speak of; nothing to signify. "It don't rain; leastways, not no sense."
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NOD nod
n. The nape of the neck. With this are connected noddle, noddy; as in the nursery rhyme - "Little Tom Noddy, All head and no body."
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NOHOW noa-hou
adv. In no way; not at all. "I doänt see as how as I can do it, not nohow." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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NONCE nons
n. The phrase "for the nonce", means for the once, for that particular occasion; hence, on purpose with design or intent.
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NONE nun
adj. "None of 'em both," i.e., neither of 'em.
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NONE-SO-PRETTY
n. The name of the little flower, otherwise known as London pride. Dianthus barbatus.
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NOOKIT
n. A nook.
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NO-RABBITS-CAUGHT!
phr. Wealden and Ashford for 'Nothing done'. "By goodness, young Ern! Here it is dinner- time, and no rabbits caught!" Meaning that nothing had been, or seemingly been, done up to dinner-time.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 68
NORATION noar'ai-shun
n. A fuss; a row; a set out or disturbance by word or deed. "What a noration there is over this here start, surelye!"
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NOTCH noch
vb. "To notch up," to reckon or count; alluding to the old method of reckoning at cricket, where they used to take a stick and cut a notch in it for every run that was made.
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NOWNAGEN
abbr. Now and again; now and then.
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NOYES noiz
adj. Noisome; noxious; dangerous; bad to travel on. "I will it be putt for to mende fowle and noyes ways at Collyswood and at Hayne." - Lewis, p 104.
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NUNCHEON nunch-yun
n. A mid-day meal. The original meaning was a noon-drink, as shewn by the old spelling, none-chenche, in Riley's Memorials of London, p 265. "When laying by their swords and truncheons They took their breakfasts or their nuncheons." - Hudibras, pt 1, canto 1.
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NURITY neu-r'iti
n. Goodness. "The bruts run away with all the nurity of the potato." - West Kent.
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NUTHER nudh-ur
conj. Neither; giving an emphatic termination to a sentence. "And I'm not going to it, nuther,"
i.e. I am not going to it, you may be sure!
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NYEDE
Need. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Niede)
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NYKKEN
n.pl. Necks. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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OARE oar
n. Seaweed; seawrack. This is the name of a parish in North Kent, near Faversham, thich is bounded on the north by the river Swale, where probably great quantities of seeweed collected. ". . . To forbid and restrain the burning or taking up of any sea oare within the Isle of Thanet." - Lewis, p.89. (see also Sea-waur, Waur, Waure)
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OAST oast
n. (1) A kiln for drying malt or hops, but anciently used for any kind of kiln, as a bryk-host,
i.e. brick-kiln. - Old Parish Book of Wye, 34 Henry 8th. Canon W.A. Scott-Roberston , says, "This name for a kiln was used in Kent long before hops were introduced." In a deed, dated 28 Edward 1 (copied by Mr Burt, in the Record Office), we find, "Roger de Faukham granting to William be Wykewane, and Sarah, his wife, 3 acres of land which 'jacent apud le Lymoste in parochia de Faukham." "During Wat Tyler's insurrection, some of the insurgents went to a place called the Lymost, in Preston-next-Faversham, on the 5th of June, 1381, and ejected. . . goods and chattels of Philip Bode, found there, to wit, lime, sacks, etc" - Archaeologia Cantiana, 3.90. In a lease, dated 1455, and granted by the Churchwardens of Dartford to John Grey and John Vynor, we read, "The tenants to build a new kime-oast that shall burn eight quarters of lime at once." - Landale's Documents of Dartford, p. 8. Limehouse, a suburb of London seems to have been named from a lym-oste; it was not formed into a parish until the 18th century. In a valuation of the town of Dartford, 29 Edward 1., we find mention of "John Ost, William Ost and Walter Ost."
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OAST
n. (2) "And paid for 300 nails for mending of la Hoste in the bakery ...12p" - The Steward's Account 3 Henry 6 (1424-25) of Maidstone College of Priests. Maidstone College Steward's Compotus 1424-5 (in Maidstone Museum) has:- "And paid for 300 nails for mending of le Hoste in the bakery ...12d." (trans)
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OBEDIENCE oabee-dyuns
n. A bow or curtsey; an obeisance. " Now Polly, make your obedience to the gentleman; there's a good girl."
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OF ov
prep. Used for with, in phrase, "I have no acquaintance of such a person." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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OFF FROM
vb. To avoid; prevent. "I couldn't be off from going, he made such a point of it."
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OFF OF
From. "I fell off of the bridge." This may not be entirely Kentish. - L.R.A.G.
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OFFER of-ur
vb. To lift up; to hold up anything for the purpose of displaying it to the best advantage. I once heard a master paperhanger say to his assistant, when a customer was inspecting some wall-papers, "Just offer this paper up for the lady to see."
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OLD
adj. This word is constantly applied to anything or anybody without any reference to age.
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OLD MAN
n. Southernwood. Artemisia abrotanum.
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OLIVE
n. Oyster catcher. " 'Olive' I found was the local name of the oyster catcher which until recent years used to breed on this coast. It is now extinct here. Its flesh is stated to be of a dark colour but palatable." - Letter from Arthur Finn, Westbrooke House, Lydd, Kent to Arthur Hussey. 11 March 1910.
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ON
Un. Onneathe: Unneathe; Ondo: Undo etc. The use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and
op for under and up
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ONE EYED
adj. Cock-eyed.
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ONE-EYED
adj. Inconvenient; a general expression of disapproval. "That's a middlin' one-eyed place." "I can't make nothin' of these here one-eyed new-fashioned tunes they've took-to in church; why they're a'most done afore I can make a start."
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OO oo
n. In phrase, "I feel all of a oo," i.e., I feel ill; or, "That's all of a oo," i.e., that is all in confusion.
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OOD ood
n. Seaweed; also wood.
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ORDER
n. To be "in order" is a common expression for being in a passion. "When the old chap knows them cows have been out in the clover he'll be in middlin' order; he'll begin to storm and no mistake!"
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ORNARY aun-ur'i
adj. Ordinary; common; poor; inferior; bad. "Them wuts be terr'ble ornary." (see also Ornery)
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ORNERY
adj. (1) An unfriendly expression, or disparaging expression, upon anything or person. "That's an ornery old cow, I'm sure!" "What an ornery old cottage!"
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ORNERY
adj (3) Ordinary A corruption of ordinary. "There's nothing wonderful about the size o' they taters! They be just ornery.". (see also Ornary)
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ORNERY
adj. (2) Bad-tempered. "He be an ornery old cuss!" "She's the most ornery woman I ever did see."
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OTHERSOME udh-ursum
phr. Some others. "And some said, what will this babbler say? Othersome, he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods." - Acts, Ch 17 v 18.
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OTHERWHERE-ELSE udh-urwair'els adv. Elsewhere.
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OTHERWHILE udh-ur-wei-l
adv. Occasionally. "Every otherwhile a little," i.e., a little now and then. "And otherwhiles with bitter mocks and mowes He would him scorn." - Faerie Queen, b 6, c 7. 49.
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OUR SAVIOUR'S FLANNE Our Saiv-yurz flan-l
n. At Bridge , near Canterbury, this name is given to Echium vulgare (L), and at Faversham to Verbascum thapsus (L) - Britten's Dictionary of English Plant Names.
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OURN ou-urn
poss.adj. Ours. (see also Hisn, Your'n)
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OUT ou-t
adj. A north, north-east, or east wind. "The wind is out to-day." i.e., it is in the east, north- east, or north. (see also Upward)
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OUT-ASKED ou-traa-st
adjl.phrase. Used of persons whose banns have been asked or published three times, and who have come out of the stage unchallanged.
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OUTFACE outfai-s
vb. To withstand; resist face to face; brazen it out
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OUT-OF-DOORS
adj. Out of fashion. "I played de clarrynet, time we had a band in church and used to sing de psalms; but 'tis all upset now; dere's nothing goos down but a harmonium and a passel o' squallin' children, and dese here new-fangled hymns. As for poor old David, he's quite entirely put out of door."
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OUTROOPE outroo-p
n. An auction of household goods. - Sandwich Book of Orphans. (see also Lief-coup, Litcop)
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OUTRUNNINGS
n.pl. Straggling wood beyond a hedge-row, not measured-in with the part to be cut.
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OUTSTAND outstand-
vb. To oppose; to stand out against, either in making a bargain or an assertion. "He outstood me that he hadn't seen him among de currants."
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OVEN uv-n
n. "To go to oven," is to bake.
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OVER oa-vur
prep. To. "I'm gooing over Oare," i.e. I'm going to Oare.
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OVER-RUN oa-vur'un vb. To overtake and pass.
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OXBIRD oks-burd
n. The common dunlin. Tringa variabilis. Called Oxybird in Sheppy. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PACK
n. A litter. "Our old bitch-dog have got a rare pack o' puppies." "Susan, our black cat, have just had a pack of five kittens." - North East Kent, Chatham, Rochester and district.
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PADDOCK pad-uk
n. A toad. (see also Puddock, Puttock)
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PADDY pad-i
adj. Worm-eaten.
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PAIGLE pai-gl
n. Cowslip - East Kent. (see also Cove-keys, Culver-keys, Horsebuckle, Lady keys (2), Pegle)
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PAILED
vb. To pile. "They pailed all the potatoes into a great heap." "I've got a good job now and I be a-pailing up the pound-notes." -- North-East Kent, Chatham, Rochester and district.
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PALM-TREE paa-mtree
n. The yew tree. Dr. Pegge says: "They will sometimes, on Palm Sunday, dress a church with yew-branches, which I think very strange, because this was always esteemed a funeral tree, but after they once called it the palm-tree, the other mistake follow'd as it were on course." - See Gentleman's Magazine, December 1779, p 578. To this day (1885) the old people in East Kent call the yew-tree the palm tree, and there is, in the parish of Woodnesborough, a public house called The Palm-tree, which bears for its sign a clipped yew tree. - See Memorials of Eastry, p 116.
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PALTER pau-ltur
vb. To wreck or pilfer stranded vessels and ill-use ship-wrecked sailors. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PANDLE pand-l
n. A shrimp. (low Latin, pandalus)
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PARCEL paa-sl
n. A portion; a quantity; as "a parcel of bread and milk." "He took a good parcel of bread and milk for breakfast." (see also Passel)
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PARGE paa-j
vb. To put on an ordinary coat of mortar next to brick-work and tiling. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PARGET paa-jit
n. Mortar.
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PARMY
adj. Parmy ground is so called when of the consistancy of new soap. Holding water almost like a piece of crockery.
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PARNCH
n. The stomach, but only when speaking of the stomachs of rabbits, hares and sheep. - Wealden. (see also Parncher, Pauncher, Parnch-bag, Rabbit-pauncher)
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PARNCH-BAG
n. A rabbit's stomach. "He be nothing but a rabbit-parncher! I've seed him blow off many a parnch while shooting down in the Dering Wood. When 'e be out shootun, it's a mighty hard job to avoid the poor creatures' parnch-bags that he do blow off all over the place! He's never hit a flying pheasant in all his life. I doubts if he could hit a flying elephant!" - Wealden. (see also Paunch, Pauncher, Parncher,Rabbit-pauncher)
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PARNCHER
n. A very poor shot; an almost useless type of gun-sportsman. Very often prefixed by the word rabbit - a rabbit-pauncher. A pauncher, parncher or rabbit-parncher describes a shot, so poor, that the sportsman can only manage to hit a running rabbit at very close range, and even then, to aim so low as to blow off the underparts, or paunch, of the rabbit. This word rabbit- pauncher is not considered an insult, only a term of utter disparagement by gamekeepers and beaters, towards such guns. - Wealden. (see also Parnch, Parnch-bag, Pauncher, Rabbit- pauncher)
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PAROCK par-r'uk
n. A meeting to take an account of rents and pannage in the Weald of Kent. "When the bayliff or beadle of the lord held a meeting to take account of rents and pannage in the Weilds of Kent, such a meeting was called a parock." - Kennett MS. Parock is literally the same word as paddock.
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PART paat
n. This word is frequently used redundantly, especially after back, e.g., "You'll be glad to see the back part of me," i.e., to see my back, to get me gone.
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PARTIAL paa-shul
adj. Fond of. "I be very partial to pandles."
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PASS THE TIME O' DAY
vb. To salute those you meet on the road with "good morning", "good afternoon," or "good evening," according to the time of day. "I don't know the man, except to pass the time o' day."
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PASSELL pas-l
n. A parcel; a number. "There was a passell o' boys hulling stones." (see also Parcel)
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PATTERN pat-rn
vb. To imitate. "I shouldn't think of patterning my mistress." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PAUNCHER
n. A very poor shot; an almost useless type of gun-sportsman. Very often prefixed by the word rabbit - a rabbit-pauncher. A pauncher, parncher or rabbit-parncher descibes a shot, so poor, that the sportsman can only manage to hit a running rabbit at very close range, and even then, to aim so low as to blow off the underparts, or paunch, of the rabbit. This word rabbit- pauncher is not considered an insult, only a term of utter disparagement by gamekeepers and beaters, towards such guns. - Wealden. (see also Parnch, Parnch-bag, Parncher, Rabbit- pauncher)
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PAWL pau-l
n. A pole; a stake; a strut or prop, placed against a lodge or other building to support it.
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PAY-GATE pai-gait
n. A turnpike gate.
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PEA-BUGS
n. (2) The common woodlice. (see also Cheese-bugs, Mankie-peas, Monkey-peas, Peasie- bugs)
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PEA-BUGS
n. (1) The wood-louse. (see also Cheese bugs, Mankie-peas, Monkey-pea, Peasie-bugs)
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PEA-HOOK pee-huok
n. The implement used in conjunction with a hink for cutting peas. It was like a ripping- hook, only mounted on a longer handle.
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PEA-HUCKERS
n.pl. Pea-pickers. "They can't get pea-huckers for love-nit-money this year! They do say as they'll have to try and get some foreigners from Ashford."
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PEA-HUCKING
vb. (2) To shell peas, to take them out of their shells, pods or hucks. "Don't throw they pea- hucks all over the kitchen young Ada! What with the mess your a-making, and the most peas you're a-eating instead o' saving, you're a great heap; I'm sure!"
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PEA-HUCKING
vb. (1) Pea-picking. "The women be busy pea-hucking down in the Chapel Field"
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PEAL peel
n. A long-handled, broad, wooden shovel, used for putting bread into the oven. 1637 - "Payed for a peale for the kitchen, 1s, 3d." - MS Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Peel)
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PEART pi-urt
adj. Brisk; lively. "He's bin out of sorts for a long time, but he's gettin' on better now ever s'much; he's quite peart this mornin'." 1592- "There was a tricksie girle, I wot, albeit clad in gray, As peart as bird, as straite as boulte, as freshe as flowers in May." - Warner, Albion's England.
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PEASIE-BUGS
n. The common woodlice. (see also Cheese-bugs, Mankie-peas, Monkey-peas, Pea-bugs)
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PEASIES
n.pl. General Kent dialect for peas. "Pick then peasies now, like a good girl." The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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PECK pek
n. A heading knife, used by fishermen.
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PECK, to put to
phr. To put to inconvenience. "You shan't be put to peck about it as long as I can help it." - R Cooke.
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PEDIGREE ped-igree
n. A long story; a rigmarole "He's made a middlin' pedigree over it." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PEEK peek
vb. To stare; gape; look at. "An dare we pook't and peeked about To see what made it stick up." - Dick and Sal, st 47.
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PEEKINGS pee-kingz n.pl. Gleanings of fruit trees.
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PEEKY pee-ki
adj. Looking ill, or poorly; often used of children when out of sorts. French, pique. "He's peart enough to-day agin', but he was terr'ble peeky yesterday."
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PEEL peel
n. A long-handled, broad, wooden shovel, used for putting bread into the oven. 1637 - "Payed for a peale for the kitchen, 1s, 3d." - MS Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Peal)
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PEELER pee-lr
n. A round iron bar, used for making the holes into which hop-poles or wattles are placed. (see also Fold-pitcher)
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PEGGY
n. (2) A water wagtail .- J H Bridge, S B Fletcher, L R A G. (see also Peggy (1), Dishwasher, Peggy Dishwasher, Peggy Washdish)
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PEGGY peg-i
n. (1) A water wagtail. (see also Dishwasher, Peggy Dishwasher, Peggy Washdish)
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PEGGY WASHDISH peg-i-wash-dish
n. A water wagtail. (see also Dishwasher, Peggy, Peggy Dishwasher) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PEGGY-DISHWASHER
n. (2) Water wagtail. - J H Bridge, S B Fletcher, L R A G. (see also Dishwasher, Peggy, Peggy Washdish)
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PEGGY-WASHDISH
n. (2) Water wagtail. - J H Bridge, S B Fletcher, L R A G. (see also Dishwasher, Peggy, Peggy Dishwasher)
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PEGLE pee-gl
n. A cowslip . Primula veris. "As yellow as a pegle." (see also Cove-keys, Culver-keys, Horsebuckle, Lady-keys (2), Paigle)
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PELL pel
n. A deep place or hole in a river.
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PELT pelt-
n. Rags; rubbish, etc. (see also Culch, Sculch, Scultch, Scutchel) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PENT pent
n. (French, pente, a slope or declivity.) There is a place called "The Pent", on a hill-side, in the parish of Posting.
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PERK purk
vb. To fidget about restlessly. "How that kitten doos keep perking about." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PESTER-UP
vb. To bother; to hamper; to crowd. "He'd got so much to carry away, that he was reg'lar pestered-up, and couldn't move, no form at all."
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PET
n. (2) A pit Present dialect form i.e. 1863. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'.
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PET
n. (1) A pit. (see also Pette)
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PETER GRIEVOUS
adj.phr. (2) Used by my grandmother and grandfather Allen when I was a small boy.- L R A G.
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PETER-GRIEVOUS pee-tur-gree-vus
adj.phr. (1) Fretful; whining; complaining. (see also Lug, Sir Peter, where the name, Peter, is also introduced; hence, it would seem not unlikely that the words were first used sarcastically of ecclesiastics.)
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PETH peth
vb. To pith; to sever the spinal cord or marrow of a beast.
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PETTE
n. Pit. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Pette (K) = Put (S) = Pit (N) (see also Pet)
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PETTYCOAT pet-ikoat
n. A man's waistcoat.
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PHARISEES far-r'iseez n.pl. Fairies. (see also Fairisies)
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PICK UPON pik up-on
n. To tease; annoy; make a butt of. "They always pick upon my boy coming home from school."
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PIG-GATE
n. A six-barred gate. A high gate, of a strong build, with deep earthing points at either end. The only type of gates to fully secure full grown and active pigs in their pounds or sties. - Wealden.
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PIG-POUND pig-pou-nd
n. The pig-sty.
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PIG-SCRAPER
n. That article was used for scuttering i.e. scraping pigs. - Lenham. W Coppins.1948. (see also Scutter)
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PIKY pei-ki
n. A turnpike traveller; a vagabond; and so generally a low fellow. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PILCH pilch
n. A triangular piece of flannel worn by infants.
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PILLOW-BERE pil-oa-bee-r
n. A pillow case. (see also Pillow-coots)
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PILLOW-COOTS pil-oa-koo-ts
n.pl. Pillow coats or pillowcases. Amongst other linen in one of the chambers at Brook-street, we find "syx pillow-coots." - Boteler Inventory in Memorials of Eastry, p. 229. (see also Pillow-bere)
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PIMP pim-p
n. A small bundle of cleft wood, used for lighting fires. (see also Baven , Bavin, Bobbin, Kilnbrush, Wiff.)
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PINEN
n.pl. Pains. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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PIN-HORSE pin-us
n. The second horse of a team, next in front of the rod-horse. - East Kent. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PINIES pei-niz
n.pl. Peonies. Paeonia.
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PINNER pin-ur
n. The little button or fastening of a cupboard door. Allied to pin and pen. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PINNOCK pin-uk
n. A wooden drain through a gateway. (see also Thurrock) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PISEN
n.pl. Peas. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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PITHERED
adj. Pinched with cold. - J H Bridge.
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PITTER pit-ur
vb. To loosen the earth or throw it up lightly; to throw it up gently; also in phrase "To pitter about," meaning to go about fussing or fidgetting. Sometimes miswritten pither.
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PITTERING-IRON pitur-ing-eiron
n. A poker.
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PLACE plais
n. A barton; a courtyard.
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PLAGUESOME plai-gsum adj. Troublesome.
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PLANETS plan-its
n.pl. "It rains by planets," when showers fall in a small compass, in opposition to general rain.
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PLASH plash
n.pl To repair a live hedge, by cutting half through some of the stems near the ground and then bending the upper parts down, and keeping them so by means of hooked sticks driven into the bank. 1536 - "Payd . . . for dykying and plasshing off the hegd." - MS. Accounts , St.
John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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PLAT
n. Diminutive of 'plot'.
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PLATTY plat-i
adj. Scattered; uncertain; here and there; uneven; fastidious. Used of a thin crop of corn, or of a child who is sickly and dainty.
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PLAY THE BAND
phr. Instead of saying "The band is going to play," it is common to hear "They are going to play the band.
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PLAY UPON plai upon
vb. To dwell upon; to work; to worry. "It plays upon her mind." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PLAYSTOOL plai-stool
n. An old word which apparently meant a public recreation ground, though certainly lost as such now, yet the word is very common throughout Kent as the name of a field which was once parish property. It is easy to see that playstool is a corruption of playstall, i.e., a play place, exactly as laystole is a corruption of laystall. The plestor at Selborne, mentioned by Gilbert White, is the same word.
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PLENTY plent-i
n. A plenty; enough. "There, there, that's a plenty."
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PLOG plog
vb. (2) To clog; to hamper; to retard; to be a drawback or disadvantage. "I reckon it must plog him terribly to be forced to goo about wid a 'ooden- leg."
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PLOG plog
n. (1) The block of wood at the end of a halter, to prevent its slipping through the ring of the manger. An intermediate form between plug and block. Elsewhere called a clog.
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PLONK DOWN
vb. To place down abruptly.
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PLONT
Plant. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 13
PLOT plot
n. A plan; design; sketch; drawing. "Given to Mr. Vezy for drawing a plot for a house,
£02.00s.00p" - Expense Book of James Master, Esq., 1656-7.
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PLUMP plump
adj. Dry; hard. "A plump whiting," is a dried whiting. "The ways are plump," the roads are hard.
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POACH poach
vb. To tread the ground into holes as the cattle do in wet weather. (see also Stoach, Stoch, Stotch)
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POACHY poa-chi
adj. Full of puddles. Description of ground which has been trampled into mud by the feet of cattle.
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POAD MILK poa-d milk
n. The first few meals of milk that come from a cow lately calved. (see also Beasts, Biskins, Bismilk)
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POCKET pok-it
n. A measure of hops, about 168 lbs.
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PODDER pod-r
n. A name given to beans, peas, tares, vetches, or such vegetables as have pods.
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PODDER-GRATTEN pod-r-grot-n
n. Podder-stubble; the stubble of beans, peas, etc. (see also Ersh, Grattan, Gratten, Gratton
(1) & (2), Rowens)
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PODGE poj
n. A pit or hole; a cesspool. (see also Poke (2)
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PODLY
adj. Oats are called podly which do not root well and though they look green do not produce corn - R Cooke. (see also Pothery)
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POINTING-POST poi-nting-poast
n. A sign-post, finger-post, direction post, standing at a corner where two or more ways meet, and pointing out the road travellers should take. (see also Bishop's-finger)
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POKE poak
n. (1) A sack. Hence, the proverbial phrase, "To buy a pig in a poke," i.e., to buy a pig without seeing it; hence, to make a bad bargain. "His meal-poke hang about his neck Into a leathern whang, Well fasten'd to a broad bucle, What was both stark and strang." - Robin Hood, 1, 98. The word is also specially used for the "green-bag" in which hops are conveyed from the garden to the oast. (see also Green-bag, Pook)
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POKE poak
n. (2) A cesspool. (see also Podge)
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POLDER poa-ldur
n. A marsh; a piece of boggy soil. "In Holland the peat polders are rich prairies situated below the level of the sea, containing a stratum of peat more or less thick" There is in Eastry a place now called Felder land, but anciently "Polder land." There is also a place still called Polders, between Sandwich and Woodnesborough.
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POLP poa-lp
n. Pulp. The name given to a modern food for cattle, consisting of roots, chaff, grains, fodder, etc, all mashed and cut up small, and mixed together. - East Kent.
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POLRUMPTIOUS polrum-shus adj. Rude; obstreperous.
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POLT poa-lt
n. (2) A peculiar kind of rat-trap.
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POLT poa-lt
adj. (3) Saucy; audacious.
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POLT poa-lt
vb. (1) To knock; to beat; to strike.
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PONGER pong-ur
n. The large edible crab, Cancerpagurus, is best known by this name in North Kent; the name crab being restricted to the common shoe-crab. (see also Heaver, Pung, Punger)
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PONK
vb. To stink.- Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1920's. (see also Fargo, Fogo, Hoogoo, Hum (2), Hussle, Wiff)
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POOCH OUT poo-ch out
vb. To protrude. Rarely used except in speaking of the lips "When I axed him for a holiday, I see his lip pooched out purty much; didn't like it much, he didn't."
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POOCHY poo-chi
n. A bathe; a paddle in shallow water. "Let's go and have a poochy." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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POOK poo-k
n. (2) The poke or peak of a boy's cap.
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POOK
n. (3) The peak of a man's cap. "Don't 'ee keep pulling down that pook over your eyes, young Ashley! It do make you look like a gippo."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 75
POOK
vb. (4) To glare, and to push out, or pout out, the lips at another person in an angry and defiant manner. "No matter how much you pook young feller, you bain't going out tonight. So settle yourself down, and try an' make your miserable life happy indoors, for once't in a while."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 75
POOK pook
n. (1) A sack. Hence, the proverbial phrase, "To buy a pig in a poke," i.e., to buy a pig without seeing it; hence, to make a bad bargain. "His meal-poke hang about his neck Into a leathern whang, Well fasten'd to a broad bucle, What was both stark and strang." - Robin Hood, 1, 98. The word is also specially used for the "green-bag" in which hops are conveyed from the garden to the oast. (see also, Green-bag, Poke (1)
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POOR poo-r
adj. As, "poor weather;" "a poor day." "'Tis terr'ble poor land." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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POPEING poa-ping
partc.To go popeing is to go round with Guy Fawkes on the 5th of November. "Please, sir, remember the old Pope." (see also Remembering)
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POPY poa-pi
n. The poppy. Papaver. (see also Red petticoat)
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PORSE
n. Purse. Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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POST HOLES poa-st hoalz
n.pl. Holes dug in the ground for the insertion of gate or fencing posts; it is used in North Kent as a comic word for nothing. "What have ye got in the cart there?" "Oh! only a load of post- holes." - Sittingbourne.
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POST-BIRD poa-st-burd
n. The common spotted fly-catcher. Muscicapa grisola.
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POTHER-HOOK podh-ur-huok
n. A hook used for cuting a hedge.
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POTHERY podh-uri
n. (1) Affected by a disease to which sheep and pigs are liable; it makes them go round and round, till at last they fall down.
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POTHERY
adj. (2) Oats are called podly which do not root well and though they look green do not produce corn. - R Cooke. (see also Podly)
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POTTHERED
vb. Upset and muddle-minded. "Every since young Bill's girl threw him over, and went out wi the baker's son, he has been proper potthered !"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 75
POTTHER-HEADED
adj. Absent-minded; forgetful. "Parson be getting proper potther-headed these days! I reckon it be nigh on time he retired hisself, and give up the big rectory, and went and settled down in a smaller place and took things quieter a bit."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 75
POTTHERY
adj. To be in a muddled state. "Since I put the chickens in their new run they have been real potthery. Just like some humans they be: don't like being changed around to new places, not as I blames 'em either!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 75
POUNCE pou-ns
n. A punch or blow with a stick or the closed fist. "I thoft I'd fetch him one more pounce, So heav'd my stick an' meant it." - Dick and Sal, st 76
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POUT pou-t
n. (2) The phrase. "Plays old pout," seems equivalent to "Plays old Harry," and similar expressions. Probably a variant of pouk, which, in Middle English, means "the devil". "I've been out of work this three days, and that plays old pout with you when you've got a family."
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POUT pou-t
n. (1) A small round stack of hay or straw. In the field hay is put up into smaller heaps, called cocks, and larger ones, called pouts; when carted it is made into a stack. (see also Powt)
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POUTERS pou-turz
n.pl. Whiting-pouts. - Folkestone.
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POWT pou-t
n. A small round stack of hay or straw. In the field hay is put up into smaller heaps, called cocks, and larger ones, called pouts; when carted it is made into a stack. (see also Pout (1))
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PREDE
n. Pride. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Prede (K) = Prude (S) = Pride (N)
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PREHAPS pree-hapz adv. Perhaps.
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PRESENT prez-unt
adv. Presently; at present; now.
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PRETTY BETTY
n. Flowering Valeriana rubra. This plant grows luxuriantly at Canterbury, on some of the walls of St. Augustine's College.
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PRETTY NIGH purt-i nei
adv. Very nearly. "'Tis purty nigh time you was gone, I think." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PRICK UP THE EARS
vb. A proverbial saying is "You prick up your ears like an old sow in beans." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PRICKLE prik-l
n. A basket containing about ten gallons, used at Whitstable for measuring oysters. Two prickles equal one London Bushel. One prickle equals two wash (for whelks). But the prickle is not exact enough to be used for very accurate measuring.
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PRICKYBAT prik-ibat
n. A tittlebat.
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PRIM prim
n. The privet. Ligustrum vulgare.
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PRINT print-
adj. Bright; clear; starlight; light enough to read by. "The night is very print;" "The moon is very print;" "The moonlight is very print."
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PRITCHEL prich-l
n. An iron share fixed on a thick staff for making holes in the ground. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PRODIGAL prod-igl
adj. Proud. "Ah! he's a proper prodigal old chap, he is."
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PROGGER
n. A mid-morning refreshment, about 10.30am, consisting generally of a cup of tea and a bun or slice of cake. "Call the hands young Willie, to come to the barn for a wee bit o' progger. Mary will be here in a minute with the can o' tea and cakes." Heard in many parts of Kent. (see also Bever, Elevenses, Leavener, Scran)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 76
PROLE proa-l
n. (2) A stroll; a short walk, such as an invalid might take. "He manages to get a liddle prole most days, when 'tis fine."
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PROLE proa-l
vb. (1) To prowl.
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PROMISING
adv. "The weather looks promising", that is it looks as if it is going to be fine, Whilst I was walking along Lower Frant Road, Maidstone, 9 March 1975, a man said to me "It doesn't look promising." within 10 minutes there was a downpour. - L R A G.
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PROPER prop-ur
adj. Thorough; capital; excellent; beautifull; peculiarly good or fitting. "Moses. . . was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child." - Hebrews, Ch 11 v 23.
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PROPERLY prop-urli
adj. Thoroughly. "We went over last wik and played de Feversham party; our party bested 'em properly, fancy we did!"
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PROWL
vb. To seek prey; to wander about in search of prey; and to rove about generally in search of prey or with intent to rob persons or to steal from out-buildings. This acquired word had become part of the Kentish dialect, especially in the Ashford and Charing valleys and villages south of these districts, up to a distance of some six miles. Also means a pleasurable walk or stroll, with no specific finishing or turning-back point in mind. "Well it be a nice Sunday evening now, after all the rain we've had today. The sun be out and quite warm, so what about a nice prowl down the old Swan Lane and then come home round-a-bouts? We can gauge out time for a drink as we go. Don't know where we might get to: though we could get out Crocken Hill way, and so call off and see old Tampsett at the 'Queen's Arms' down the Forstal."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 76
PRULE proo-l
n. A gaff-hook. - Folkestone.
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PUCKER puk-er
n. A state of excitement or temper. "You've no call to put yourself in a pucker."
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PUDDING TIME
n. Midday meal time. - Stockbury. Billy Buck.
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PUDDING-PIE
n. (2) A Wealden tart made of custard and plentifully be-sprinkled with dried currants. Pudding-pie was considered a rare delicacy by the old-time country folks. I have known my great-uncle Ted 'Butcher' Pile, of Pluckley, who worked all his life as Stock and Herdsman for the Maylams of Pluckley, when on one of his perodical visits to my grandmother near the old Fir Toll, sit down and eat, at a sitting, a pudding-pie twelve inches in diameter and on average an inch in thickness, with a pot of scalding tea. He consistered that a 'homely snack'!" (see also Cow-pie)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 77
PUDDING-PIE
n. (1) A flat tart made like a cheese-cake, with a raised crust to hold a small quantity of custard, with currents lightly sprinkled on the surface. These cakes are usually eaten at Easter - but a Kent boy will eat them whenever he can get them. 1670 - "ALB. And thou hadst any grace to make thyself a fortune, thou wou'dst court this wench, she cannot in gratitude but love thee, prethee court her. "LOD. I'll sell pudding-pies first." - Benjamin Rhodes. Flora's Vagaries (a comedy) (see also Cow-pie)
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PUDDOCK pud-uk
n. A large frog. (see also Paddock, Puttock)
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PUG pug
n. Soft ground; brick-earth, ready for the mould.
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PULL pul
vb. To pull up before the magistrates; to debilitate. "If he knocks me about again I shall pull him." "The ague's properly pulled him this time."
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PULL-BACK pul-bak
n. A drawback; a hindrance; a relapse after convalescence. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PUMPIN pump-in
n. Pumpkin. "I know 'twas ya grate pumpin 'ead Fust blunnered through de glass." - Dick and Sal, st 81.
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PUNG pung
n. The large edible crab, Cancerpagurus, is best known by this name in North Kent; the name crab being restricted to the common shoe-crab. (see also Heaver, Ponger, Punger)
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PUNGER punj-ur
n. The large edible crab, Cancerpagurus, is best known by this name in North Kent; the name crab being restricted to the common shoe-crab. (see also Heaver, Ponger, Pung)
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PUNNET
n. A small basket for containing strawberries, raspberries and other small soft fruits.- Mid- Kent. (see also Chip)
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PUNNET pun-it
n. A pottle, or small basket, in which strawberries are sold. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PURTY TIGHT purt-i tei-t
adv. phrase. Pretty well, very fairly . "Now, Sal, ya see had bin ta school, She went to old aunt Kite; An' so she was'en quite a fool, But cud read purty tight." - Dick and Sal, st 56.
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PUTCH puch
n. A puddle; pit or hole. A putch of water.
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PUTTAS put-us
n. A weasel; a stoat. (see also Puttice)
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PUTTICE put-is
n. A weasel; a stoat. (see also Puttas)
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PUTTOCK put-ok
n. (1) A large frog. (see also Paddock, Puddock)
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PUTTOCK put-ok
n. (2) A kite. So Puttock's-down, a place in the ancient parish of Eastry, now in Worth parish, means kite's-down.
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PUTTOCK-CANDLE put-uk-kand-l
n. The smallest candle in a pound, put in to make up the weight. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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PUT-UPON put-upon-
vb. To worry and bother a person by giving him an unfair amount of work, or exacting from him time, strength, or money, for matters which are not properly within his province. "He's so easy, ye see, he lets hisself be put-upon by anybody."
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QUANT kwont
n. A young oak sapling; a walking stick; a long pole used by bargemen. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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QUARRELS
n.pl. Quarries, or panes of glass. "Item for newe leadinge of the wyndow and for quarreles put in in Tomlyn's hale (hall) wyndowe. beinge 20 foote of glasse and 28 panes . . . 7s 8d. - Sandwich Book of Orphans.
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QUEER kwee-r
vb. To make or cause to feel queer; to puzzle. "It queers me how it ever got there." "I'll queer 'em." "But what queer'd me, he said, 'twas kep All roun about de church." - Dick and Sal, st 10
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QUEER-STREET kwee-r-street
n. An awkward position; great straits; serious difficulties. "But for that I should have been in queer-street."
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QUEEZEY
adj. Fearful or afraid; not too sure about a thing or person. "Even to look at that old house makes me feel real queezey." "I'm queezey about going out after dark, especially as there is such a lot of coshing going on these days." - North-East Kent and Medway district.
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QUELETT
n. A small pipe or a piped stream - Arch. Cant. 59, 108 footnote 2. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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QUERN kwurn
n. A handmill for grinding grain or seed. "Item in the mylke house. . . two charnes, a mustard quearne." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry.
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QUICK kwik
n. Hawthorn, e.g. a quick hedge is a hawthorn hedge.
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QUICKEN kwik-en
n. The mountain ash. Pyrus aucuparia.
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QUID kwid
n. The cud. "The old cow's been hem ornary, but she's up again now and chewing her quid."
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QUIDDY kwid-i
adj. Brisk.
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QUILLY kwil-i
n. A prank; a freak; a caper.
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QUITTER FOR QUATTER kwit-r fur kwat-r phr. One thing in return for another. (see also Whicket for whacket) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 12 |
QUOT kwot
pp or adj. Cloyed; glutted.
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QWAYER
adj. Queer. Pronounced as spelt. "This sudden change in the weather makes me feel right qwayer." "That accident happened most qwayerly, it did." - Mid-Kent.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 79
QWAYERLY
adj. Queerly, pronounced as spelt. "That accident happened most qwayerly, it did."
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RABBIT-PAUNCHER
n. A very poor shot; an almost useless type of gun-sportsman. Very often prefixed by the word rabbit - a rabbit-pauncher. A pauncher, parncher or rabbit-parncher descibes a shot, so poor, that the sportsman can only manage to hit a running rabbit at very close range, and even then, to aim so low as to blow off the underparts, or paunch, of the rabbit. This word rabbit- pauncher is not considered an insult, only a term of utter disparagement by gamekeepers and beaters, towards such guns. - Wealden. (see also Parnch, Parnch-bag, Parncher, Pauncher)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 73
RABBIT'S MOUTH rab-its mouth
n. The snap-dragon. Antirrhinum majus.
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RACE MEASURE rais mezh-r
n. Even measure; as distinquished from full measure, which is 21 to the score, as of corn, coals, etc; while race measure is but 20. But full in this case has reference to the manner of measurement. When the bushel is heaped up it is full; when struck with strickle mand made even it is race measure.
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RACKSENED raks-nd
adj. Overrun with; given up to. "That oast yonder is racksended with rats." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RAD rad
n. A rod; a measure, 16.5 feet. A rod of brickwork is 16.5 feet square; but an ancient rod seems to have been 20 feet. "And then also the measurement of the marsh (i.e. Romney Marsh) was taken by a rod or perch, not of 16.5 feet, which is the common one now, but of 20 feet in length." - Harris's History of Kent, p.349.
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RADDIS-CHIMNEY rad-is-chim-ni
n. A chimney made of rods, lathes, or raddles, and covered with loam or lime.
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RADDLE rad-l
n. A green stick, such as wattles or hurdles are made of. In some counties called raddlings. Raddle is simply the diminutive of rad or rod.
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RADDLE-HEDGE rad-l-hej
n. A hedge made of raddles.
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RADE raid
adj. or adv. Coming before the usual time; early. Milton has rathe. "Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies." - Lycidas, 1, 142.
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RADICAL rad-ikl
n. A wild, ungovernable, impudent, troublesome fellow. "He's a rammed young radical."
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RAFE
n. A rush. "That young-un is always in a rafe, you'd think he hadn't a minute to live, surelye!" "Now there's no need to start getting into a rafe, grandma. We've plenty of time, and the train won't be in for an hour or more yet." - Wealden.
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RAFF raf
n. Spoil; plunder.
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RAFT raa-ft
n. A crowd of people; a rabble. "There was such a raft of people there." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RAGGED JACK rag-id jak
n. Meadow lychnis. Lychnis flos-cuculi.
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RAIN-BUG
n. A black beetle - S B Fletcher.
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RAMMED ram-d
A substitute for a worse word.
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RAN ran
n. A Folkestone herring net, which is about thirty yards long, is made of four rans deep; and there are sixty meshes to a ran.
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RANGERS rai-njurz
n.pl. The bars with which the herring-hangs are fitted. Upon these rangers are placed the spits upon which the herrings are hung up.
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RAPID
adj. Violent; severe; as applied to pain. An old woman in Eastry Union Workhouse, who was suffering from sciatica, told me that "It was rapid in the night;" where there was no allusion to quickness of movement, but to the severity of the pain.
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RASTY raa-sti
adj. Rank; rancid; rusty; spoken of butter or bacon. (see also Reasty) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RATH
prop. Soon. "Tomorrow will be rath I nougth" (tomorrow will be soon enough). -(Act Book Rochester 9f. 195b, in Hammond 'The Story of an Outpost Parish' p 167.
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RATTLEGATE rat-lgait
n. A hurdle or wattle.
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RAVEL-BREAD rav-l-bred
n. White-brown bread.
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RAW rau
adj. Angry - Sittingbourne.
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RAYER
adj. Rare. "They be mighty rayer flowers you've got there, squire." "That be a rayer stamp: they do call un a penny-black, though to oi it looks more brown and black, I thinks." - Mid- Kent.
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REACH reech
n. A creek.
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REASTY ree-sti
adj. Rusty; rancid; rank. (See also Rasty)
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REAVE
vb. Rob. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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RECKON rek-un
vb. To consider; to give an opinion. "I reckon" is an expression much used in Kent to strengthen observations and arguments. "I reckon we shall have rain before night."
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RED PETTICOAT
n. The common poppy; sometimes also called red-weed. Papaver. (see also Popy)
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REDGER rej-r
n. A ridgeband; a chain which passes over a horse's back to support the rods.
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REECE re-s
n. A piece of wood fixed to the side of the chep, i.e., the part of the plough on which the share is placed.
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REEMER ree-mur
n. Anything good. "I wish you'd seen that catch I made forty year agoo, when we was playin' agin de Sussex party. Ah! that just was a reemer, I can tell ye! Dey all said as how dey never seed such a catch all their lives."
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REEMING ree-ming adj. Very good; superior.
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REEVE reev
n. A bailiff. (see Reve)
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REFFIDGE ref-idj
adj. Rufuse; good-for-nothing; worthless. "I never see so many reffidge taturs as what there is this year." (see also Refuge)
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REFUGE ref-euj
adj. Refuse; the worst of a flock, etc. "I sold my refuge ewes at Ashford market for thirty shillings." (see also Reffidge)
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REG
n. (2) Rag. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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REG
n. (1) Rig. Back; ridge Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. (Reg (K) = Rug (S) = Rig (N) = Back, Ridge.
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REGULAR
adj. Quite. "The ground was reg'lar crup."
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REMEMBERING
partc. To go round with Guy Fawkes on 5th November is called remembering. "George and me went round remembering and got pretty nigh fower and threepence." (see also Popeing)
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RENNET
n. The herb Gabium verum, yellow bedstraw. (see also Runnet) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RENTS rents
n.pl. Houses; cottages. A.D.1520 - "For a key to Umfrayes dore in the rentis." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury. There is a street in London named Fullwood's Rents.
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REVE reev
n. A baliff. 1596 - "In auncient time, almost every manor had his reve, whose authoritie was not only to levie the lord's rents, to set to worke his servaunts, and to husband his demeasnes to his best profit and commoditie; but also to governe his tenants in peace, and to leade them foorth to war, when necessitie so required." - Lambarde's Perambulations, p 484 (see also Reeve)
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REVEN
n.pl. Sheriffs. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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REXON reks-n
pp. To infect. as with the small-pox, itch or any other disorder. (see alsoWraxon, Wrexon)
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REZON rez-un
n. A wall-plate; a piece of timber placed horizontally in or on a wall, to support the ends of girders or joists.
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RIB rib
n.pl. A stick about 5ft long and the thickness of a raddle. Ribs are done up into bundles, with two wiffs, and are used for lighting fires and making raddle-fences.
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RIBSPARE rib-spair
n. The spare rib.
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RICE reis
n. Small wood; a twig; a branch. Hamble, in Hants, is called Hamble-le-rice. (see also Roist)
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RID rid
vb. Rode. "He rid along with him in the train o' Tuesday." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RIDDLE-WALL rid-l-waul
n. A wall made up with split sticks worked across each other. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RIDE reid
vb. (1) To rise upon the stomach. "I caan't never eat dese here radishes, not with no comfort, they do ride so."
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RIDE reid
vb. (2) To collect; to ride tythe, is to ride about for the purpose of collecting it.
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RIDE reid
n. (3) An iron hinge on which a gate is hung and by which it swings and rides. "Item paid for makinge a newe doore in John Marten's house, the rydes, nayles and woork, 2s 8d." - Sandwich Book of Orphans. (see also Archaeologia Cantiana 4, 220)
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RIDER rei-dur
n. A saddle-horse. "He kips several riders."
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RIDGES TO PLOUGH IN
phr. To plough a certain number of furrows one way and then a similar number the contrary.
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RIG rig
n. The common tope. Galeus vulgaris.- Folkestone.
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RIGHT
n. The phrase, "To have a right to do anything," means, it is right that such a thing should be done. "I sed old Simon right to pay A'cause he was de fust an't." - Dick and Sal, st 79.
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RIGHTS reits
n.pl. To go to rights; to go the nearest way. To do anything to rights, is to do it thoroughly.
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RIGHT-UP adj. Upright; erect. "That right-up tree." Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 12 |
RING ring
n. A row. (see also Ringe (2)
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RINGE rinj
n. (3) A long heap in which mangolds are kept for the winter. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RINGE rinj
vb. (4) To put up potatoes, mangolds etc, into a ringe. "Well, Job, what have you got to do tomorrow?" "I reckon I shall be ringeing wurzels."
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RINGE rinj
n. (2) Wood, when it is felled, lies in ringes before it is made up into fagots, etc.
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RINGE rinj
n. (1) A large tub containing 14 or 16 gallons, with which two servants fetch water from a distant place; a pole, which lies upon the shoulders of the bearers, being passed through two iron rings or ears.
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RINGLE ring-l
n. (1) A ring put through a hog's snout; and generally for any ring, such as a ring of a scythe. A.D. 1531 - "Paid for a ryngle to a cythe. . . 1d." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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RINGLE
vb. (4)"Unryngled hogs" - Blean Court Baron, 8 Oct, 15 Eliz 1, in Wilson, 'With the Pilgrims to Canterbury' p 59.
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RINGLE ring-l
vb. (2) To put a ring through a pig's snout.
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RINGLE ring-l
vb. (3) An iron ring that forms the bit of a horse at plough.
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RIP rip
n. (3) A pannier or basket, used in pairs and slung on each side of a horse for carrying loads, such as fish, salt, sand, etc. "Two payer of ripps, five payells, etc." - Boteler Inventory, in Memorials of Eastry, p 226. (see also Ripper)
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RIP rip
vb. (2) To cover a roof with laths and tiles, etc. Thus, to unrip the roof of a stable or outbuilding, is to take off the tiles, slates, etc, and to rip it, or new rip it, is to put on fresh laths and replace the tiles. May 3rd, 1850. - "Visited and ordered the north and south side of the chancel roofs to be ripped and relaid; a window in the south side of the church to be generally repaired once every year. . . James Croft, Archdeacon." - Memorials of Eastry, p 206. 1640 - "For ripping of Broth, Vause's house." - MS. Accounts, St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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RIP rip
vb. (1) To reap. So pronounced to this day. In one of the Boteler MS. Account Books (1648- 1652), we have, "Disbursed from the beginning of harvest. . . Item more for ripping of pease, 6s. . . Item for ripping of wheat at 3s. 4d." (Se also Ripping hook)
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RIPE reip
n. A bank; the sea shore, as "Lydd Ripe." In East Kent, the village of Ripple derives its name from the same Latin word, ripa.
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RIPPER rip-r
n. A pedler; a man who carries fish for sale in a rip or basket. (see also Rip (3)
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RIPPING-HOOK rip-ing-huok
n. A hook for cutting and reaping (ripping) corn. Unlike the sickle, the ripping-hook had no
teeth, but could be sharpened on a whetstone. (see also Rip (1) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 13 |
RISH rish n. A rush. "There be lots o' rishes in them there meyshes." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 13 |
RIT rit
vb. To dry hemp or flax.
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RITS rits
n.pl. The ears of oats are so called, and if there is a good crop, and the ears are full and large, they are said to be well ritted.
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RIVANCE rei-vuns
n. Last place of abode. "I don't justly know where his rivance is," i.e., where he came from or where he lived last. - East Kent. Short for arrivance. (see also Arrivance)
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ROAD-BAT roa-d-bat
n. A bat or piece of wood what guides the coulter of a plough. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ROAD-PROUD
adj. Crops which look well from the road, but are not so good as they look, are said to be road- proud.
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ROBIN-HUSS rob-in-hus
n. The small spotted dog-fish. Scyllium canicula. - Folkestone. (see also Huss)
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ROBIN-ROOK rob-in-ruok
n. A robin redbreast. (see also Ruddock)
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RODFALL
n. Sometimes in a wood there is a belt of wood about a rod (16.5ft) deep, not belonging to the same owner as the bulk of the wood, and felled art a different tiem; as, "The wood belongs to Mus' Dean, but there's a rodfall joins in with Homestall."
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ROD-HORSE rod-us
n. A horse in the shafts or rods. The four horses of a team are called 1) the rod-horse; 2) the pin-horse; 3) the losh-horse; 4) the fore-horse.
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RODS rodz
n.pl. The shafts of a cart or wagon. "He was riding on the rods when I see'd him."
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ROIL roil
vb. To make a disturbance; to romp in a rough and indecent manner. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ROIST roi-st
n. A switch; brushwood, before it be made up into fagots. (see also Rice) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ROMANCE roamans
vb. To play in a foolish manner; to tell exaggerated stories. "My son never romances with no one." - Weald.
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ROMNEY MARSH Rum-ni Maa-sh
n. Romney Marsh is considered to be a place so completely by itself, that there is a saying in Kent and in East Sussex, that the world is divided into five parts - Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Romney Marsh.
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ROOKERY ruok-ur'i
n. A dispute accompanied with many words; a general altercation. "He knocked up a hem of a rookery."
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ROOK-STARVING
partc. Scaring rooks. "That boy, he's rook-starvin' down in the Dover field." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ROOMS roomz
n.pl. Mushrooms; as they say grass for (asparagus) sparrowgrass. (see also Misheroon, Musheroon)
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ROOTLE roo-tl
vb. To root up. "The pig must be ringled, or else he'll rootle up all the bricks in the stye."
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ROTEN
n.pl. Roots. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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ROUGH ruf
adj. (2) Cross; of uncertain temper; diffficult to please. "I lay you'll find 'im pretty rough."
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ROUGH ruf
n. (1) A small wood; any rough, woody place. (see also Roughet, Roughit, Ruffets, Ruffits
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ROUGHET ruf-it
n. A small wood. (see also Rough (1), Roughit, Ruffets, Ruffits)
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ROUGHIT n. A small wood. (see also Rough (1), Roughet, Ruffets, Ruffits) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 13 |
ROUND TO UPON
vb. To act badly towards. "I don't know why but he has rounded upon me ever since."
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ROUNDLE rou-ndl
n. Anything round; the part of a hop-oast where the fires are made, which is generally circular.
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ROUND-TILTH
n. The system of sowing of land continously without fallow. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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ROUSEY
adj. Bad-tempered. "He be a rare rousey old feller! Flies off'n the pan-handle quickern anything." "That's a rousey bloomin' dorg: don't 'ee go nigh un, case he sets into ye with his teeth!" - North-East Kent and Medway Towns.
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ROWENS rou-inz
n.pl. Stubble. (see also Ersh, Grattan, Gratten, Gratton (1) & (2), Podder-gratten) The second mowing of grass; the third cut of clover - East Kent. 1523 - "Rec. of Cady for the rowen gras, 14d" - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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ROYSTER roi-stur
vb. To play roughly and noisily. From sb. roister, a bully; French, rustre, a ruffian.- Cotgrave. "That there old Tom-cat has been a-roysterin' all over de plaäce, same as though he was a kitten; I reckon we shall have some weather before long."
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RUBBER rub-r
n. A whetstone. The mowers always carry one in a leathern loop attached to the back of their belts.
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RUBBIDGE rub-ij
n. Rubbish; weeds.
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RUBBLE
n. A rabble, as used in describing a noisy crowd of people, or to describe a noisy herd of cattle or other collection of animals or birds. Often used to describe an ordinary town crowd of people or a bunch or knot of visitors or shoppers. "My goodness! I've never seen such a rubble as when the dockyard men leave the Yard at going-home time!" - Chatham and Luton, near Chatham.
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RUBBLE-OF-NOISE
adj. The confusion of noise made by a talking, moving crowd. "I never heard such a rubble- of-noise before, until I happened to be passing the Cinema, in the High Street, just when the kiddies were rushing out after the Saturday morning children's matinee!" - Chatham and Luton, near Chatham.
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RUCK ruk
n. An uneven, irregular heap or lump; a wrinkle or uneven fold in cloth, linen, silk, etc. About Sittingbourne, when a man is angry, he is said "to have his ruck up."
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RUCKLE ruk-l
n. A struggle.
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RUDDLE rud-l
vb. To make a fence of split sticks plaited across one another. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RUDDLE-WATTLE rud-l-wat-l
n. A hurdle made of small hazel rods interwoven. (see also Raddles) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RUDDOCK rud-uk
n. The robin redbreast. "The ruddock would With charitable bill - O bill, sore-shaming Those rich-left heirs that let their fathers lie Without a monument! - bring thee all this." - Cymbeline, Act 4 Sc 2, 224 (see also Robin-rook)
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RUDE HEART
adv . By heart. "She read the psalms down; but lor! she didn't want no book! she knowed 'em all rude heart."
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RUDY reu-di
adj. Rude.
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RUFFETS
n.pl. A long strip of tangled woodland or rough woodland, corrupted to Ruffets, or Ruffits. Thorne Ruffets and Pluckley Thorne, Pluckley. There is also a wide rough area in Dering Wood (part of the old Forest of Andromeda) at Pluckley, where part of the old Roman road remains, called the Frite (Frithe= Forest) Ruffets, and also known as 'The Brambles". (see also Rough (1), Roughet, Roughit, Ruffits)
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RUFFITS
n.pl. Small woods, containing little or no large timber trees, and consisting mostly of nut- wood or ash saplings, or a mixture of both, with a tangled and almost impenetrable undergrowth or underbrush of wild brambles. Small woods that have been neglected. These ruffets are excellant places for wild rabbits and most of these 'wild' woods abound with these animals, which are hunted out once or twice a year with guns, dogs and ferrets. There are generally one or two, or more of such 'wild' little woods in most parishes:the following are in and around Ashford district - Thorne Ruffits, Dering Wood Ruffits (only a certain part here), Rectory Ruffits, Rose Court Ruffits, all in Pluckly parish. Mundy Bois Ruffits and Pinch- Crust Ruffits at Mundy Bois, a hamlet in Egerton parish. Roundwood Ruffits and Pincushion Ruffits, in Charing parish. - Wealden, Mid-kent, Ashford and district. (see also Rough (1), Roughet, Roughit, Ruffets)
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RUGGLE-ABOUT rug-l-ubou-t
vb. A term used by old people and invalids to express walking or getting about with difficulty. "I'm troubled to ruggle-about."
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RUMBAL WHITINGS rum-bul wei-tingz
n.pl. "The present minister, Mr Sacket, acquainted me with an odd custom used by the fishermen of Folkestone to this day. They choose eight of the largest and best whitings out of every boat, when they come home from that fishery, and sell them apart from the rest; and out of this separate money is a feast made every Christmas Eve, which they call rumball. The master of each boat provides this feast for his own company, so that there are as many different entertainments as there are boats. These whitings they call also rumball whitings. He conjectures, probably enough, that this word is a corruption from rumwold; and they were anciently designed as an offering for St. Runwold, 'to whom a chapel,' he saith, 'was once dedicated, and which stood between Folkestone and Hythe, but is long since demolished.'" - Harris's History of Kent, p 125.
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RUN AGIN run ugin-
vb. To run against, i.e. to meet. "I'm glad I run agin ye."
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RUNAGATE run-ugait
n. A wild, reckless, dissolute young man; a good-for-nothing fellow. Corruption of renegade. French, renégat. "But let the runagates continue in scarceness." - Psalm 48, 6 (Prayer Book version)
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RUN-A-HEAD run-uhed-
vb. To be delirious. "He was running-a-head all night long." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RUNNET run-it
n. The herb Gabium verum, yellow bedstraw. (see also Rennet) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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RUNNING run-ing
n. Stroke-bias. An old sport peculiar to Kent, and especially the eastern part of the county; it consists of trials of speed between members of two or more villages, and from the description of it given in Brome's Travels over England (1700), it appears to have borne some resemblance to the game of prisoners' base.
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RUNT runt
n. A small pig; a diminutive or undersized person. (see also Anthony-pig, Dannel; Dan'l)
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RUSH rush
n. The rash, or spotted fever.
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RUSTY rust-i
adj. Crabbed; out of temper.
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RUT rut
vb. To keep a rut. To be meddling and doing mischief.
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RUTTLE
n. (2) A cold on the chest; a looseness of phlegm in the throat, lungs or stomach, caused to function by hard coughing or heavy laboured breathing. "That's a nasty old ruttle you've got there, when you corf, grandad! Best go up and see Doctor Littledale from Charing when 'e do come down to the village in the morning."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 82
RUTTLE rut-l
vb. (1) To rustle; to rattle. "I doänt like to hear him ruttle so in his throat o' nights; I am most feared he wun't be here long."
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RUTTLING
adj. Chestiness; a cold on the chest. "You've got a rare ruttling on your poor little chest tonight, Polly. I'll give you some ginger in a drop of hot ale; and rub in some warm camphorated oil on your chest."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 82
SACK
vb. To give the sack; to discharge. "I reckon he gets the sack on Monday." Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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SAFE-SOWN saif-soan
adj. Self-sown; said of corn which comes up from the previous year's crop. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SAG sag, saig, seg
vb. To sink; bend; give way; to be depressed by weight. A line or rope stretched out sags in the middle. The wind sags. Compare Anglo-Saxon ságan, to cause, to descend. "The mind I sway by and the heart I bear, Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear." - Macbeth, Act 5 Sc 3.
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SAGE saij
n. They have a saying round Appledore that when a plant of sage blooms or flowers then misfortune is nigh. It rarely flowers, because household requirements generally keep it well cut. My informant told me of a man who saw the sage in his garden in bloom; he was horrified, and told his daughter to cut off all the blossoms, but before she could do so, he met with an accident, by which he was killed.
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SAIME saim
n. Lard. (see also Seam)
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SAINT'S-BELL sai-nts-bel
n. The small bell, which is rung just before the service begins. "The only Saint's-bell that rings all in." - Hudibras 3, c.2, 1224. 1678 - In the Character of a Scold we have - "Her tongue is the clapper of the Devil's saint's-bell, that rings all into confusion." Saint's-bell, is simply the old sanctus-bell, formerly rung at the elevation of the host, and now put to a different use.
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SALTERNS sau-lturnz
n.pl. Marshy places near the sea, which are overflowed by the tide. - North Kent. (see also Saltings, Salts)
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SALTINGS sau-ltingz
n.pl. Salt marshes on the sea-side of the sea-walls; generally rich alluvial land, but too much cut up by the grips to be of much use for grazing. - North Kent. (see also Salterns, Salts)
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SALTS salts
n.pl. Marshy places near the sea, which are overflowed by the tide. - North Kent. (see also Salterns, Saltings)
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SALVEY sal-vi, saav-i
adj. Close; soapy; spoken of potatoes that are not floury.
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SAND-RATE sand-rait
n. The ray. Raia clavata - Folkestone.
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SAP sap-
vb. To catch eels with worms threaded on worsted; elsewhere called Bobbing.
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SARE sair
adj. Tender; rotten; worn; faded; as "My coat is very sare." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SARTIN saat-in
adj. Stern; severe; stedfast. "He knowed there was something up, he did look that sartin at me."
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SASH COUF CASE
n. Really the frame that held the glass in - a door half sashed with glass, now nearly always used of a window which rises and falls over a wheel - a sash window, though they would still speak of French sashes, or windows which open like doors.
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SAUCE
n. For sauciness. "I don't want none o' your sauce."
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SAY sai
vb. (1) To try; to essay. "When a hog has once say'd a garden, you'll be troubled to keep him out."
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SAY sai
vb. (2) "Give us something to say," means, give us a toast.
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SAY SWEAR sai swair
In the phrase, "Take care or I shall say swear," i.e., don't exasperate me too much,or, "if you go on, I shall say swear," i.e., I shall be thoroughly put out and use any amount of bad language.
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SCAD skad
n. A small black plum, between a damson and a sloe; a bastard damson, which grows wild in the hedges. The taste of it is so very harsh that few, except children, can it eat it raw, nor even when boiled up with sugar. (see also Skad)
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SCADDLE skad-l
adj. Wild; mischievous; spoken of a dog that worries sheep; of a cat that poaches; of a cow that breaks fences; and of a boy that is generally thievish, inclined to pilfer, mischievous and troublesome. From the verb to scathe. (see also Sceddle)
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SCALLION skal-yun
n. The name given to the poor and weakly plants in an onion bed, which are thinned out to make room for the growth of better ones.
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SCARCEY skai-rsi
adj. Scarce.
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SCAREFUL skai-rfl adj. Frightful; that which tends to scare.
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SCEDDLE sked-l
adj. Wild; mischievous; spoken of a dog that worries sheep; of a cat that poaches; of a cow that breaks fences; and of a boy that is generally thievish, inclined to pilfer, mischievous and troublesome. From the verb to scathe. (see also Scaddle)
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SCHOAT shoat
n. A kneading trough. (see also Scout, Shoat)
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SCIMMINGER skim-injur
n. A piece of counterfeit money.
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SCITHERS sith-urz
n. Scissors
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SCITTLE sit-l
adj. Skittish.
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SCOASE skoa-us
vb. To exchange. "I'll scoase horses with you." (see also Scorse) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SCOFF skau-f
vb. To gobble; eat greedily. "You've scorfed up all the meat purty quick, ain't ye?" (see also Scorf)
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SCOONING
vb. To peep; to pry about. "Now what be ye a-scooning about for in my barn, youngster?" "We cot him a-scooning through the windy at our young Sarah when she was a-having her Friday bath!" - Wealden and Ashford district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 85
SCOPPLE skop-ul
n. A broad wooden shovel used by the threshers. (see also Scubbit, which is the word used in East Kent.)
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SCORE
n. In East Kent oxen and pigs are sold by the score; sheep and calves by the stone of 8lbs. Score was properly a cut; hence, twenty was denoted by a long cut on a notched stick.
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SCORF skau-f
vb. To gobble; eat greedily. "You've scorfed up all the meat purty quick, ain't ye?" (see also Scoff)
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SCORSE skoa-us
vb. To exchange. "I'll scoase horses with you." (see also Scoase) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SCOTCHEN
n. A badge; shortened from escutcheon. "For 2 dosen skotchens of lede for the poore people of the citie (of Canterbury), that they myght be knowen from other straunge beggars." - Historical MSS. Commission, Appendix to Ninth Report, 155a.
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SCOURGE skurj
vb. To sweep with a besom.
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SCOUT skou-t
n. A kneading trough. (see also Schoat, Shoat)
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SCRABBLE
vb. (1) To climb over loose surfaces, hedges, banks etc. "Don't 'ee go and scrabble over that heap of gravel, my boy!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 85
SCRABBLE
vb. (5) To scratch. "Don't 'ee scrabble me! If 'ee do I'll give 'ee such a smacking, you bad- tempered child."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 85
SCRABBLE
vb. (2) To poke or probe about in loose refuse etc. "You can scrabble about in that old refuse heap as much as you like: bit I don't think ye'll find your shilling: like looking for a needle in a haystack."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 85
SCRABBLE
vb. (3) To pull things about. "Don't scrabble those things all over the place, Johnnie! You'll be making more mess than your help's worth."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 85
SCRABBLE
vb. (4) To struggle, as with a person or animal. "Pack up that scrabble-ing about, while I wash behind your ears, you dirty boy!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 85
SCRAN skran
n. A snack of food; the refreshment that labourers take with them in to the fields. "What scran have ye got?" (see also Bever, Elevenses, Leavener, Progger)
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SCRAP skrap
vb. To fight; restricted to the encounters between children. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SCRAPS skraps
n. Herrings which, being broken, cannot be hung up by their heads to dry. (see also Tie- tails)
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SCRATCH skrach
n. (2) A rough pronged prop, used to support a clothes' line; a pole with a natural fork at the end of it. An older form of the word crutch.,
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SCRATCH skrach
vb. (1) To do anything in a hurried, hasty, scrambling way. "I scratched out of bed and struck a light."
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SCRATCH ALONG skrach ulong
vb. To pull through hard times. "Times is bad, but I just manage somehows to keep scratching along."
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SCRAWL
vb. To lay corn by the agency of the wind and blow it together into a tangle. - R Cooke.
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SCREECH-OWL skreech-oul
n. The common swift. Cypsellus apus. - Sittingbourne.
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SCROOCH skrooch vb. To make a dull, scraping noise.
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SCROOGE skrooj
vb. To squeeze or crowd; to push rudely in a crowd. "An dare we strain'd an' stared an' blous'd, An tried to get away; But more we strain'd de more dey scroug'd An sung out, 'Give 'em play.'" - Dick and Sal, st 71. (see also Scrouge)
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SCROUGE skrou-j
vb. To squeeze or crowd; to push rudely in a crowd. "An dare we strain'd an' stared an' blous'd, An tried to get away; But more we strain'd de more dey scroug'd An sung out, 'Give 'em play.'" - Dick and Sal, st 71. (see also Scrooge)
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SCROW skroa
n. A cross, peevish, ill-natured person.
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SCRUMP skrump
n. A stunted, badly-grown apple; a withered, shrivelled, undersized person. - North Kent. "This orchard isn't worth much, one sieve out of four 'ull be scrumps." "The old gen'lman does look a little scrump, doänt he?"
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SCRUMPING
vb. To steal apples from an orchard , 'To go scrumping". - Plumstead, West Kent L.R.A.G. 1920's.
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SCRUNCH skrunch vb. To crunch.
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SCRY skraai, skrei
n. A large standing sieve, against which, when it is set up at an angle on the barn floor, the corn is thrown with a scubbit to clean and sift it. It is used also for sifting coal.
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SCUBBIT skub-it
n. A wooden shovel. That form of scubbit now used by maltsters and hop driers has a short handle; that formerly used by farmers for moving corn on the barn floor, prior to the introduction of the threshing machine, had a long handle. (see also Scoppel)
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SCUBBIT
n. A hop shovel. - J H Bridge. (see also Scuppet)
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SCUFFLING skuf-ling
adj. A scuffling apron is one to do hard or dirty work in.
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SCULCH skulsh
n. Rubbish; trash. Generally used with reference to the unwholesome things children delight to eat. A variant of Culch. (see also Culch, Pelt, Scultch, Scutchel)
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SCULL
vb. To cull. "Scull those weeds out from the young lettuce plants, Willie, my boy." - Wealden and Ashford district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 86
SCULLED
vb. (1) Culled. "I've sculled all the little plantlings from the big ones fayther! Can I plant these small ones in my bit of garden, now?" - Wealden and Ashford District.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 86
SCULLED
vb. (2) To pick about here and there. "I've sculled all over the garden with the hoe, and I couldn't find much bear-bine to chop out."
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 86
SCULLING
vb. In English usage 'sculling' means to paddle a boat around-about in a small area with the aid of an oar or oars. In the early corruption of the use the meaning was: - Moving about in a restricted area such as a garden. A mode of walking about in a very restricted area and continually getting in the way of others.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 86
SCULLING-ABOUT
vb. To hang about; to spy about; to be loitering about and inclined to inquisitiveness or nosiness. "Don't 'ee come sculling-about in here ye nosey varmint! Be off wid ye! I've lost a few chickens just lately and I've a right mind to tell village constable who I think the thief be!" "If I catch ye a-sculling-about in my cherry orchard again, I'll put my stick acrost your
shoulders! Speaking to your fayther don't seem to do no good: nit a-askin' the school-gaffer to warm ye! So I'll warm 'ee if I as much sees ye a-touching the hedge or fence arount my orchard! Off with ye this minnit - off!"
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 86
SCULTCH skulch
n. Rubbish; trash. Generally used with reference to the unwholesome things children delight to eat. A variant of Culch. (see also Culch, Pelt, Sculch, Scutchel)
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SCUPPER skup-ur
n. A scoop or scooper.
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SCUPPET
n. A hop shovel. - J H Bridge. (see also Scubbit)
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SCUT
n. (2) In English usage the word 'scut' means 'short-tailed'. In Kentish dialect the scut of a rabbit is the white underpart of the tail which a rabbit shows as it flips its short tail up and down spasmodically, as it moves about, walking, hopping or running. "That rabbit sure showed us his scut, Bill ! Even the old dog couldn't get near 'un! One thing 'bout a rabbit, as soon as it moves, even when its middling dark like, the white fur under his tail shows him up and gives 'un away.!" - Ashford and district.
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SCUT skut
n. (1) The tail of a hare or rabbit. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 13 |
SCUTCHEL skuch-ul n. (1) Rubbish. (see also Culch, Pelt, Sculch, Scultch) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 13 |
SCUTCHEL n. (2) The trimmings of wood put inside a faggot. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 13 |
SCUTTER
vb. To scrape. "That article was used for scuttering pigs". - Lenham. W Coppins. J W Bridge. 1948.
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SEA COB see kob
n. A sea gull. (see also Sea Kitty)
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SEA GRAPES
n.pl. The eggs of the cuttle-fish.
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SEA KITTY see kit-i
n. A sea gull. (see also Sea Cob)
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SEA SNAIL see snai-l
n. A periwinkle.
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SEA STARCH
n. Jelly-fish - Dover. (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Miller's-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sluthers, Slutters, Stingers, Water-galls)
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SEALT
n. Salt. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
SEAM seem
n. (2) A sack of eight bushels is now called a seam, because that quantity forms a horse- load, which is the proper and original meaning of seam. The word is used in Domesday Book. "To Mr Eugh, a twelve seames of wheate at twenty shillings the seame. . . Item unto Mr Eugh, a twenty seames of peas and tears (i.e., tares) at thirteene the seame." - Boteler MS. Account Books. (see also Seme)
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SEAM seem
n. (1) Hog's lard.
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SEA-NETTLES
n. Jelly-fish. - Dover. (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Miller's-eyes, Sea starch, Sluthers, Slutters, Stingers, Water-galls)
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SEARSE seers
vb. To strain or shift, as through a sieve or strainer.
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SEASON see-zn
vb. To sow corn. Also said of the condition of land for sowing. "I'm going wheat seasoning today." "That Dover fill's nice and plump now after the rain. We shall get a season."
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SEA-WAUR see-waur
n. The wrack, ore or sea weed used largely in the Island of Thanet and elsewhere, for making maxhills. (see also Oare, Waur, Waure)
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SECOND-MAN
n. Amongst farm servants there is a regular gradation of ranks; the first-man is the wagoner, par eminence, who has charge of the first team and is assisted by his "mate," the second-man has charge of the second team and is assisted by his "mate," and so on; whilst there is generally a "yard man," whose duty it is to look after the stock in the yard, and an odd man whose title, "all work," describes his duties. When a number of men are going along the road, with their respective teams the first man will be found leading, the second man next, and so on; each walking with his horses.
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SEE see
pt.t. Saw. "I see him at Canterbury yesterday. (see also Seed) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SEED see-d, sid
vb. Saw. ( see also See)
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SEED-CORD seed-kord
n. A box or basket used by the sower for holding the seed, and suspended from his neck by a cord or strap. It was an instrument of husbandry in common use before the invention of the seed drill, and generally contained some five or six gallons of seed. (Boteler MS. Asccount Book, 1653) (see also Seed-Kod, Seed-lip)
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SEED-KOD seed-kod
n. A box or basket used by the sower for holding the seed, and suspended from his neck by a cord or strap. It was an instrument of husbandry in common use before the invention of the seed drill, and generally contained some five or six gallons of seed. (Boteler MS. Asccount Book, 1653) (see also Seed-Cord, Seed-lip)
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SEED-LIP seed-lip
n. The wooden box, fitting the shape of the body in which the sower carries his seed. (see Seed-cord, Seed-kod)
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SEEMING see-ming adv. Apparently. (see also Seemingly)
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SEEMINGLY see-mingli adv. Apparently. (see also Seeming)
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SEEN seen
n. A cow's teat.
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SELK
n. Silk. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Selk (K) = Silk (N)
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SELYNGE sel-inj
n. Toll; custom; tribute. "The Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury. . . used to take in the stream of the water or river Stoure, before the mouth of the said Flete, a certain custom which was called Selynge, of every little boat which came to an anchor before the mouth of the said Flete." - Lewis, p 78. The parish of Sellindge, near Hythe, probably takes its name from some such ancient payment.
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SEME seam
n. A sack of eight bushels is now called a seam, because that quantity forms a horse-load, which is the proper and original meaning of seam. The word is used in Domesday Book. "To Mr Eugh, a twelve seames of wheate at twenty shillings the seame. . . Item unto Mr Eugh, a twenty seames of peas and tears (i.e., tares) at thirteene the seame." - Boteler MS. Account Books. (see also Seam)
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SEN sen
vb.pp. Seen. "Have ye sen our Bill anywheres?"
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SENGREEN sin-grin
n. Houseleek. Sempervivum tectorum. Anglo-Saxon singréne, ever-green; the Anglo- Saxon prefix sin, means "ever".
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SENNE
n. Sin. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Senne (K) = Sunne (S) = Sin
(N) (See also Zenne)
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SENSE sen-s
adv.phr. Used with the negative to mean "Nothing to signify;" anything inadequately or faultily done. "It don't rain, not no sense," i.e., there is no rain to speak of.
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SEP sep
n. The secretion which gathers in the corners of the eyes during sleep. Allied to sap. - Eastry.
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SERE seer
adj. Dry, as distinct from green wood; not withered, as sometimes explained. The term is usually applied to firewood. "They say that Muster Goodyer has a lot of good sere fagots to sell."
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SERVER surv-r
n. Where there are no wells, as in the Weald of Kent, the pond that serves the house is called the server, to distinquish it from the horse-pond.
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SESS ses
n. A levy; a tax; a rate; an assessment. 1648-1652 - "Item to John Augustine, 18s, for a church sesse. . . Item to Mr Paramore, 17s and 6d., for a sesse to the poore." - Boteler MS. Account Book. (see also Sesse)
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SESSE ses
n. A levy; a tax; a rate; an assessment. 1648-1652 - "Item to John Augustine, 18s, for a church sesse. . . Item to Mr Paramore, 17s and 6d., for a sesse to the poore." - Boteler MS. Account Book. (see also Sess)
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SESSIONS sesh-nz
n. A disturbance; a fuss. "There's goin' to be a middlin' sessions over this here Jubilee, seemin'ly."
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SET set
adj. (3) Firm; fixed in purpose; obstinate. "He's terrible set in his ways, there ain't no turning an 'im."
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SET set
n. (2) A division in a hop-garden for picking, containing 24 hills. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SET set
vb. (1) To sit; as, "I was setting in my chair."
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SET UP
vb. A word expressing movement of several kinds, e.g., a man "Sets up a trap for vermin," where they would ordinarily say, "Sets a trap ;" a horse sets up, i.e., he jibs and rears; whilst the direction to a coachman, "Set up a little," means, that he is to drive on a yard or two and then stop.
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SET-OUT set-out
n. A great fuss and disturbance; a grand display; and event causing exciment and talk. "There was a great set-out at the wedding."
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SEVEND
n. Seventh. 'The Old Kentish numerals, as exhibited in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are identical with the Northen forms, but are no doubt of Frisian origin.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 21
SEVEN-WHISTLERS
n. The note of the curlew, heard at night, is called by the fishermen the seven-whistlers. "I never thinks any good of them, there's always an accident when they comes. I heard 'em once one dark night last winter. They come over our heads all of a sudden, singing, 'Ewe-ewe,' and the men in the boat wanted to turn back. It came on to rain and blow soon afterwards, and was an awful night, sir; and, sure enough, before morning a boat was upset and seven poor fellows drowned. I knows what makes the noise, sir; it's them long-billed curlews; but I never likes to hear them."
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SEW soo
vb. (2) To dry; to drain; as, "To sew a pond," i.e., to drain it and make it dry.
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SEW soo
adj. (1) Dry. "To go sew," i.e., to go dry; spoken of a cow.
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SEWELLS seu-elz
n.pl. Feathers tied to a string which is stretched across part of a park to prevent the deer from passing.
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SHADDER shad-ur
vb. To be afraid of. (see also Shatter (4)
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SHAGGED shag-id
adj. Fatigued; fagged; tired out. "An' I was deadly shagged." - Dick and Sal, st.48.
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SHAKE-A-DONNIE
vb. To shake or wave the hand upon departure, to another person or persons. Confined to very young children. "Now little Mary, shake-a-donny to grandma! We're going home to tea now, my pretty one!" (see also Donnie)
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SHALE shail
n. The mesh of a fishing net.
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SHALES'S prob. shailz
n.pl. Tenements to which no land belonged. - Lewis, 75. (see also Shalings) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SHALINGS shai-lingz
n.pl. Tenements to which no land belonged. - Lewis, 75. (see also Shales's) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SHARN BUG sharn-bug
n. The stag beetle. (see also Shorn bug)
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SHATTER shat-ur
vb. (4) To be afraid of. (see also Shadder)
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SHATTER shat-ur
vb. (1) To scatter; blow about; sprinkle. "Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year." - Milton, Lycidas, 5.
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SHATTER shat-ur
n. (2) A sprinkling, generally of rain. "We've had quite a nice litttle shatter of rain." "There'll be a middlin' shatter of hops."
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SHATTER
vb. (3) To rain slightly.
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SHAUL shau-l
adj. (1) Shallow; shoal.
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SHAUL shau-l
n. (2) A wooden tub with sloping sides. The shaul was of two kinds, viz - (1) The kneadinge showle, used for kneading bread, generally made of oak, and standing on four legs, commonly seen in better class cottages. Of which we find mention in the Boteler Inventories - "Item in the bunting house one bunting hutch, two kneding showles, a meale tub with other lumber ther, prized at 6s. 8d." - Memorials of Eastry, p 226. And (2), the washing shaul, made of common wood, without legs. (see also Keeler (2), Shaw (2), Shawl, Showle)
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SHAVE shaiv
n. Corrupted from shaw, a wood that encompasses a close; a small copse of wood by a field- side. (see also Carvet)
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SHAW
n. (2) An oblong wooden tub on trestles in which housewives did their washing previous to 1914. -Wealden. (See also Keeler (2), Shaul (2), Shawl, Showle)
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SHAW shau
n. (1) A small hanging wood; a small copse; a narrow plantation dividing two fields.
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SHAWL
n. An oblong wooden tub on trestles in which housewives did their washing previous to 1914. -Wealden. (see also Keeler (2),Shaul (2). Shaw (2), Showle)
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SHAY shaai
n. (2) A shadow; dim or faint glimpse of a thing; a general likeness or resemblance. "I caught a shay of 'im as he was runnin' out of the orchard, and dunno' as I shaänt tark to 'im next time I gets along-side an 'im."
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SHAY shaai
adj. (1) Pale; faint-coloured. "This here ink seems terr'ble shay, somehows." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SHE shee
n. In phrase, "A regular old she;" a term of contempt for anything that is poor, bad or worthless; often applied to a very bad ball at cricket.
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SHEAD sheed
n. A rough pole of wood. "Sheads for poles."
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SHEAL
vb. To peal, scale off; used of the scales or flakes of skin peeling off a person who has been ill of measles, scarlet fever, etc. Allied to scale, shell; and used in the sense of shell in Bargrave MS. Diary, 1645: "Before they come to the press the walnuts are first shealed, then dryed in the sunne." (see also Sheel)
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SHEAR sheer
n. A spear; thus they speak of an eel-shear.
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SHEAT sheet
n. A young hog of the first year. "John Godfrey, of Lidd, in his will, 1572, gave his wife one sowe, two sheetes." (see also Shoot, Shut)
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SHEE-GASHIE-ATE
phr. Feel in health. "How do you Shee-gashie-ate, mate?" Peculiar to the parishes of Pluckley, Little Chart and Egerton (with Mundy Bois) all near Ashford. These extra-ordinary words are of a spontaneous origin. They were 'invented' or coined by a Mr Jack Collins, a farm worker of Mundy Bois, back in 1922.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 87
SHEE-GASHIE-ATING
phr. Keeping in health; 'getting on now' "How are you Shee-gashie-ating?" (How are you keeping in health). "How are you a-Sheeg-ashie-ating, now-a-days, mairt?" (How are you getting on with your job; or How are your prospects now-a-days?) - Peculiar to Pluckley, Little Chart and Egerton, with Mundy Bois. (see also Shee-gashie-ate)
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SHEEL shee-l
vb. To peal, scale off; used of the scales or flakes of skin peeling off a person who has been ill of measles, scarlet fever, etc. Allied to scale, shell; and used in the sense of shell in Bargrave MS. Diary, 1645: "Before they come to the press the walnuts are first shealed, then dryed in the sunne." (see also Sheal)
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'SHEEN shee-n
n. Machine. "Or like de stra dat clutters out, De 'sheen a thrashing carn," - Dick and Sal, st 77.
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SHEEP-GATE ship-gait
n. A hurdle with bars.
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SHEEP'S TREDDLES shipz tred-lz
n.pl. The droppings of sheep. "There's no better dressing for a field than sheep's treddles." (see also Light (2), Treddles)
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SHEER shee-r
adj. Bright; pure; clear; bare. Thus, it is applied to the bright, glassy appearance of the skin which forms over a wound; or to the appearance of the stars, as an old man once told me, "When they look so very bright and sheer there will be rain."
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SHEERES sheerz
n.pl. All parts of the worlds, except Kent, Sussex or Surrey. A person coming into Kent from any county beyond London, is said to "Come out of the sheeres;" or, if a person is spoken of as living in any other part of England, they say, "He is living down in the sheeres som' 'ere's." (see also Shires)
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SHEER-MOUSE shee-r-mous
n. A field or garden mouse. Probably a mere variation from shew-mouse. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SHEER-WAY shee-r-wai
n. A bridle-way through grounds otherwise private. So Lewis writes it, Shire-way, as a way separate and divided from the common road or open highway. (se also Shire-way)
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SHELL-FIRE shel-feir
n. The phosphorescence from decayed straw or touchwood, etc., sometimes seen in farmyards. (see also Fairy-sparks)
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SHENT
vb. To chide; reprove; reproach. "Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back?" - Coriolanus, Act 5, Sc.3. (see also Shunt)
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SHEPPEY shep-i
n. Sheep-island. The inhabitants of the isle at the mouth of the Thames call themselves "sons of Sheppey," and speak of crossing the Swale on to the main land, as "going into England;" whilst those who live in the marshes call the higher parts of Sheppey, the Island, as indeeed it once was, being one of the three isles of Sheppey.
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SHIDE sheid
n. A long slip of wood; a plank; a thin board, etc. 1566 - "For a tall shyde and nayle for the same house, 1d." - Accounts of St. Dunstan's. Canterbury. (see also Shyde)
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SHIFT shift
vb. (1) To divide land into two or more equal parts.
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SHIFT shift
n. (2) A division of land.
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SHIM shim
n. A horse-hoe, used for lightly tilling the land between the rows of peas, beans, hops, etc.
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SHINGLE shing-l
n. A piece of seasoned oak about 12 inches long by 3 inches wide, quarter inch in thickness; used in covering buildings, and especially for church spires in parts of the country where wood was plentiful, as in the Weald of Kent.
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SHINGLER shing-lur
n. A man who puts on shingles; a wood-tiler. In the Parish Book which contains the Churchwardens' Accounts of the Parish of Biddenden, we find the following entries: - March, 1597, "To Abraham Stedman, for nayles for the shingler to use about the shingling of the church at Biddenden, at 4d. the hundred. . . 2s.8d. August, 1600, "To the shingler for 2000 shingles at 16s. the thousand. . . 32s.0d. To him for the laying of the two thousands . . . 12s.4d. July, 1603, "Item payde to Newman the shingler for 2000(?) of the shingles . . .
£2.8s.0d. It may be noted that one of the Editors has before him a shinglers bill for repairing a church spire in the present year (1887), in which the following items will shew that the prices have "riz" considerably in 300 years:- 20 and three quarters lbs copper nails, at 1s.7d. . .
.£1.12s.8d. 150 new shingles, at 1d £1.9s.2d. Time, 14 and a half days, at 4s., 12 and a
half days, at 5s £6.0s.6d.
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SHINING STICK shei-ning stik
n. A thin peeled stick, formerly carried by farm labourers at statute fares, to shew that they sought work for the coming year. "He sed dere was a teejus fair Dat lasted for a wik; An all de ploughmen dat went dare Must car dair shining stick." - Dick and Sal, st. 8.
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SHINY-BUG
n. The glow-worm
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SHIP ship
n.pl. Sheep. The word sheep must have been pronounced in this way in Shakespeare's time, as we see from the following:- "Twenty to one, then, he is shipp'd already, And I have play'd the sheep (pronounced ship) in loving him." - Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 1, Sc 1.
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SHIP-GATE ship-gait
n. A sheep-gate or moveable hurdle in a fence.
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SHIRES sheirz
n.pl. All parts of the worlds, except Kent, Sussex or Surrey. A person coming into Kent from any county beyond London, is said to "Come out of the sheeres;" or, if a person is spoken of as living in any other part of England, they say, "He is living down in the sheeres som' 'ere's." (see also Sheeres)
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SHIRE-WAY sheir-wai n. A bridle-way. (see also Sheer-way) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 14 |
SHOAL-IN
vb. To pick sides at cricket or any game. "After the match, they had a shoal-in among theirselves."
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SHOAT shoa-t
n. A kneading trough. (see also Schoat, Scout)
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SHOAVE shoav
n. A kind of fork used to gather up oats when cut. (see also Shove) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SHOCK shok
n. (1) A sheaf of corn. "I see that the wind has blowed down some shocks in that field of oats." (see also Cop (1)
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SHOCK
n. (2) A number of sheaves, when corn was tithed in kind then, and then every tenth shock belonged to the incumbent.
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SHOCKLED shokl-d
pp. Shrunk; shrivelled; wrinkled; puckered up; withered. "A face like a shrockled apple." (see also Shrockled)
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SHOE-MONEY
n. When strangers pass through the hop-garden their shoes are wiped with a bundle of hops, and they are expected to pay their footing, under penalty of being put into the basket. The money so collected is called shoe-money, and is spent on bread and cheese and ale, which are consumed on the ground the last day of hopping. The custom of wiping the shoes of passers- by is also practiced in the cherry orchards, in the neighbourhood of Faversham and Sittingbourne.
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SHOOLER shoo-lr
n. A beggar.
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SHOOLING shoo-ling part. Begging. "To go shooling."
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SHOOT shoot
n. A young pig of the first year. (see also Sheat, Shut)
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SHOP-GOODS
n.pl. Goods purchased at a shop, especially groceries.
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SHORE shoar
n. A prop; a strut; a support. "M.E. schore - Icel. skorda, a prop; stay; especially under a boat. . . so called, because shorn or cut off of a suitable length.
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SHORN BUG shorn-bug
n. The stag beetle. (see also Sharn bug)
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SHORT-WORK shaut-wurk
n. Work in odd corners of fields which does not come in long straight furrows.
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SHOT shot
n. A handful of hemp.
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SHOT-FARE shot-fair
n. The mackerel season, which is the first of the two seasons of the home fishery. It commonly commences about the beginning of May, when the sowing of barley is ended.
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SHOT-NET shot-net
n. A mackerel net.
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SHOTTEN shot-n
adj. "The proprietor of the Folkestone hang told me that at the beginning of the season all the fish have roes; towards the end they are all shotten, i.e., they have no roes." - F.Buckland.
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SHOTVER-MEN shot-vur-men
n.pl. The mackerel fishers at Dover; whose nets are called shot-nets. There is an old saying - "A north-east wind in May Makes the shotver-men a prey." The N.E. wind being considered favourable for fishing.
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SHOUL shou-l
n. A shovel (not to be confounded with Shaul)
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SHOUN shou-n
vb. Shone. "And glory shoun araöund."
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SHOVE
n. A hay-shove is a pitchfork for loading hay on a wagon. Perhaps shove means a shovel. - Example given to Maidstone Museum, March 1953. L.R.A.G. (see also Shoave)
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SHOWLE shou-l
n. A wooden tub with sloping sides. The shaul was of two kinds, viz - (1) The kneadinge showle, used for kneading bread, generally made of oak, and standing on four legs, commonly seen in better class cottages. Of which we find mention in the Boteler Inventories - "Item in the bunting house one bunting hutch, two kneding showles, a meale tub with other lumber ther, prized at 6s. 8d." - Memorials of Eastry, p 226. And (2), the washing shaul, made of common wood, without legs. (see also Keeler (2), Shaul (2), Shaw (2), Shawl)
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SHOWS FOR shoa-z fur vb. It looks like. "It shows for rain."
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SHOY shoi
adj. Weakly; shy of bearing; used of plants and trees.
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SHRAPE shraip
vb. To scold or rate a dog.
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SHREAP shreep
vb. To chide; scold. (see also Shrip)
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SHRIP shrip
vb. To chide ; scold. (see also Shreap)
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SHRIVE shreiv
vb. To clear the small branches from the trunk of a tree. "Those elm-trees want shriving."
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SHROCKLED shrokl-d
pp. Shrunk; shrivelled; wrinkled; puckered up; withered. "A face like a shrockled apple." (see also Shockled)
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SHRUGGLE shrug-l vb. To shrug the shoulders.
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SHUCK shuk
vb. (2) To shell peas, beans, etc. (see also Huck (2)
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SHUCK shuk
vb. (3) To do things in a restless, hurried way, as, e.g., to shuck about. (see also Shuckle)
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SHUCK shuk
n. (1) A husk or shell; as bean shucks, i.e. bean shells. It is sometimes used as a contemptuous expression, as, "A regular old shuck." (see also Huck (1), Hull (1)
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SHUCKISH shuk-ish
adj. Shifty; unreliable; uncertain; tricky. "Looks as though we be going to have a lot of this shuckish weather."
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SHUCKLE shuk-l
vb. To shuffle along, or slink along, in walking. (see also Shuck (3) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SHUNT
vb. To chide; reprove; reproach. "Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back?" - Coriolanus, Act 5, Sc.3. (see also Shent)
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SHUT shut n. (1) A young pig that has done sucking. (see also Sheet, Shoot) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 14 |
SHUT shut
vb. (2) To do; to manage.
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SHUT-KNIFE
n. Pen-knife. A knife with one or more blades, that can be opened and shut, the blades opening out from a metal case, and closing or shutting down with the cutting edge safe in its own compartment. - Wealden and district. (also Shet-knife - Kentish Wealden Dialect, 1935, vol 1) (see also Stick-knife)
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SHUT-OF shut-of
vb. To rid oneself of; to drive away. "I lay you wun't get shut-of him in a hurry."
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SHUT-OUT shut-out
phr. Exceedingly cold. "You look quite shut-out."
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SHYDE
n. A long slip of wood; a plank; a thin board, etc. 1566 - "For a tall shyde and nayle for the same house, 1d." - Accounts of St. Dunstan's. Canterbury. (see also Shide)
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SI
vb. See. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Zi)
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SICKEL-EARED
adj. Barley when ripe curves its ears, which is thus called.
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SICKLE sik-l
n. A curved hook for cutting corn. The sickle or wheat-hook (whit-uok) had a toothed blade, but as it became useless when the teeth broke away, the reaping -hook (rip-ing-uok), with a plain cutting edge, took its place, only to give way in its turn to the scythe, with a cradle on it.
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SIESIN see-zin
n. Yeast; barm. (see also Barm, God's Good, Sizzing)
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SIEVE siv
n. A measure of cherries. containing a bushel, 56lbs. In West Kent, sieve and half-sieve are equivalent to a bushel and half-bushel.
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SIFTER sift-ur
n. A fire shovel.
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SIG sig
n. Urine.
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SIGHT seit
A great number or quantity. "There was a sight of apples lying on the ground."
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SIMPLE simp-l
adj. Silly; foolish; stupid; hard to understand. "Doän't be so simple, but come along dreckly minnit."
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SIMSON sim-sun
n. The common groundsel. Senecio vulgaris.
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SIN sin
adv. Since. "Knowing his voice, although not heard long sin." - Faerie Queen, b.6.111,44.
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SINDER sind-ur
vb. To settle or separate the lees or dregs of liquor.
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SINDERS sind-urz
adv. Asunder.
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SIPID sip-id
adj. Insipid. "I calls dis here claret wine terr'ble sipid stuff." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SISSLE sis-l
vb. To hiss or splutter. "De old kettle sissles, 'twun't be long before 'tis tea-time, I reckon." (see also Sissling)
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SISSLING sis-ling
vb. To hiss or splutter. "De old kettle sissles, 'twun't be long before 'tis tea-time, I reckon." (see also Sissle)
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SIVER sei-vur
n. A boat load of whiting. - Folkestone.
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SIZING sei-zing
n. A game of cards, called "Jack running for sizing."
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SIZZING siz-ing
n. Yeast or barm; so called from the sound made by beer or ale working. (se also Barm, God's Good, Siesin)
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SKAD skad
n. A small black plum, between a damson and a sloe; a bastard damson, which grows wild in the hedges. The taste of it is so very harsh that few, except children, can it eat it raw, nor even when boiled up with sugar. (see also Scad)
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SKARMISH skaamish
n. A fight; row; bit of horse-play.
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SKEER'D skee-rd
adj. Frightened. "Dractly dere's ever so liddle bit of a skirmish he's reglur skeer-d, he is."
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SKELE
n. Skill (Reason) Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Skele (K) = Skill
(N) = Reason
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 15
SKENT skent
vb. To look askant; to scowl.
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SKEVALMEN skev-ulmen
n.pl. From scuffle, a shovel. Men who cleaned out the creek at Faversham were so called in the town records of the seventeenth century.
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SKILLET skil-it
n. A stewpan or pipkin.
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SKIP-JACK skip-jak
n.pl. The sand-hopper. Talitrus saltator. - Folkestone.
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SKIVER skiv-ur
n. A skewer. In East Kent, in winter time, men come round, cut the long sharp thorns from the thorn bushes, then peel, bleach and dry them, and sell them to the butchers to use in affixing tickets to their meat.
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SKUT skut
vb. To crouch down.
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SKYANCE
n. (1) Originally a corruption of 'science'. a word first used as a make-shift word for 'a trade' or a persons profession.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 88
SKYANCE
n. (2) To be puzzled. - Chatham and district only. The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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SKYANCE-ING
vb. To earn one's living in one of the petty dealer trades, such as dealing with rags, bones, bottles, rabbits, skins, cheap left-off clothing and second-hand furniture of little or no value. To use one's brains in getting a living out of, generally, waste products. - Chatham and district only.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 88
SKYANCER
n. A person getting a living from small dealing,and trading, mostly from waste materials. - Chatham and district only.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 88
SLAB slab
n. A rough plank; the outside cut of a tree when sawn up. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SLACK slak
adj. Underdressed; underdone; insufficiently cooked; applied to meat not cooked enough, or bread insufficiently baked. "The bread is very slack today."
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SLAGGER slag-ur
vb. To slacken speed; to walk lame; to limp. "An so we slagger'd den ya know, An gaap't an stared about; To see de houses all a row, An signs a-hanging out." - Dick and Sal, st 32.
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SLAINT slai-nt
vb. To miscarry; to give premature birth; to slip or drop a calf before the proper time. In Eastry it is pronounced slaint. (see also Slant)
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SLANK slangk
n. A slope or declivity.
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SLANT slan-t
vb. To miscarry; to give premature birth; to slip or drop a calf before the proper time. In Eastry it is pronounced slaint. (see also Slaint)
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SLAPPY slap-i
adj. Slippery through wet. The form sloppy, meaning wet but not slippery, is common everywhere.
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SLATS slat-s
n.pl. Thin; flat; unfilled pea-pods..
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SLAY-WATTLE slai-wat-l
n. A hurdle made of narrow boards.
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SLAY-WORM
n. The slow-worm. An English lizard, that now only has the rudiments of legs, and possessing a tail that can be shed at will when in danger of being captured by a hold upon its rearmost parts. (see also Slorry, Sloy-worm)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 88
SLEEPER
n. A dormouse.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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SLICE
n. A Wheelwright's slice, like a small iron peel.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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SLICK slik
adj. Slippery.
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SLIMMUCKS slim-uks
n. A slinking fellow.
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SLIPPER slip-ur
n. (1) A curious eel-like fish, with an ugle pert-looking head, and frill down the back (like the frill to an old beau's dining-out shirt), and a spotted and exceedingly slimy body. So called at Herne Bay, because it slips from the hand so easily. (see Life of Frank Buckland, p 171)
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SLIPPER slip-ur
n. (2) The small sole. - Folkestone.
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SLIVER sliv-ur
vb. (2) To slice; cut off a thin portion.
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SLIVER sliv-ur
n. (1) A thin piece of split wood; a slice; a stiff shaving; a splinter. Allied to Slice, from Slit. Anglo-Saxon sléfan, to cleave. "There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke." - Hamlet, Act 4, Sc 7.
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SLOBBED slob-d
pp. Slopped; split.
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SLOP slop
n. A short, round smock frock, of coarse materials, slipped over the head, and worn by workmen over their other clothes.
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SLORRY slor-r'i
n. A slow-worm, or a blind worm. (see also Slay-worm, Sloy-worm) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SLOSH slosh
n. Dirty water; a muddy wash; liquid mud. They are both formed from the sound, hence slosh represents rather "a muddy wash," which makes the louder noise when splashed about, and slush, "liquid mud," which makes a duller sound. (see also Slush)
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SLOY-WORM sloi-wurm
n. A slow-worm. Anguis fragilis. (see also Slay-worm, Slorry) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SLUB slub
n. A slimy wash; liquid mud. Lord Hale, in his work, De Jure Maris et Brachiorum Ejusdem, pt 1. ch 7, alludes to "The jus alluvionis, which is an increase of land by the projection of the sea, casting and adding sand and slub to the adjoining land whereby it is increased, and for the most part by insensible degrees."
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SLUMMICKY
adj. A slummicky woman is a slovenly, down-at-heel person. - West Kent. L.R.A.G., Woolwich, Fred Cooper, Gravesend.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 15
SLURRY slur-r'i
n. Wet, sloppy mud.
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SLUSH slush
n. Dirty water; a muddy wash; liquid mud. They are both formed from the sound, hence slosh represents rather "a muddy wash," which makes the louder noise when splashed about, and slush, "liquid mud," which makes a duller sound. (see also Slosh)
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SLUTHERS sluth-urz
n.pl. Jelly fish (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Millers-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sea starch, Slutters, Stingers, Water-galls)
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SLUTTERS slut-urz
n.pl. Jelly fish. (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Millers-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sea starch, Sluthers, Stingers, Water-galls)
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SMAAMER smaa-mur
n. A knock.
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SMACK-SMOOTH smak-smoodh
adv. Flat; smooth; level with the ground. "The old squire had the shaw cut down smack- smooth."
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SMART
adj. Considerable. "I reckon it'll cost him a smart penny before he's done." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SMICKERY smik-ur'i
adj. Uneven; said of a thread when it is spun.
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SMIRK smurk
vb. To get the creases out of linen, that it may be more easily folded up. "Oh! give it a smirking, and you'll get it smooth."
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SMITHERS smidh-urz n.pl. Shivers, or splinters.
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SMOULT smoa-lt
adj. Hot; sultry.
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SMUG smug
vb. To steal.
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SNAG snag, snaig, sneg - East Kent
n. A name applied to all the common species of garden-snails, but especially to the Helix aspersa. (Anglo-Saxon snaeg-el; snag is a variant of snake, a creeping thing). In West Kent the word is applied to a slug, whilst snails are called shell-snags.
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SNAGGLE snag-l
vb. To hack, or carve meat badly; to nibble.
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SNATAGOG snat-ugog
n. A yewberry. (see also Snodgog, Snottygobs)
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SNEAD sneed
n.. The long handle or bat of a scythe. - West Kent. The family of Sneyd, in Staffordshire, bear a scythe in their arms.
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SNIGGER snig-ur
vb. To cut roughly, or unevenly.
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SNIRK snurk
vb. To dry; wither. "You had better carry your hay or it will all be snirked up, sure as you're alive."
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SNIRKING snurk-in n. Anything withered. "As dry as a snirking." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 15 |
SNITCH vb. To snitch something is to steal it. - L R A G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 15 |
SNITCHED adj. Cold.- Nicky Newbury 1973. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 15 |
SNOB snob
n. A cobbler. By no means a tern of contempt.
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SNODEN
n.pl. Pieces. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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SNODGOG snod-gog
n. A snodberry, or yewberry; just as a goosegog is a gooseberry. (see also Snatagog, Snottygobs)
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SNOODS snoodz, snuodz
n.pl. Fishing lines. The lines laid for ness-congers are seventy-five fathoms long, and on each line are attached, at right angles, other similar lines called the snoods; twenty-three snoods to each line, each snood nine feet long. - Folkestone.
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SNOTTYGOBS
n.pl. Yew berries. - information from Gertie Scott, who used the words at Barham Abbey in her youth. (see also Snatagog, Snodgog)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 15
SNYING snei-ing
adj. Bent; twisted; curved. This word is generally applied to timber. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SO soa-
interj. of correction or assent. Thus it is used in the way of correction, "Open the door, the window so," i.e., open the door, I mean the window. It is also used for assent, e.g. "Would you like a drink?" "I would so."
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SOB sob
vb. To soak, or wet thoroughly. "The cloth what we used to wipe up the rain what come in under the door is all sobbed with the wet."
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SOCK sok
n. (1) A pet brought up by hand; a shy child that clings to its nurse, and loves to be fondled.
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SOCK sok
vb. (2) To shroud or wrap a corpse in grave-clothes; to sew a body in a winding sheet. 1591 - "Paid for a sheet to sock a poor woman that died at Byneons, 1s 6d." - Records of
Faversham. 1643 - "Bought 2 ells of canvass to sock Margaret Abby in, 2s 6d " 1668 - "For Dorothy Blanchet's funeral, for laying her forth and socking, 8s 0d" - Overseers' Accounts, Holy Cross, Canterbury. (see also Sork)
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SOCK vb. (3) To hit. - West Kent & London. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 15 |
SOCK
vb. (5) To prepare a person for burial . "Item paid to the Widow Prower for to help sork him
. . . .6d". - Hoo All Hallows Overseers Book sub 1679 in Hammond 'The Story of an Outpost Parish' p 124. ( see also Sork)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 15
SOCK
n. (4) A hit. "A sock on the jaw." - West Kent & London. L.R.A.G.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page
SOCK-LAMB sok-lam
n. (1) A pet-lamb brought up by hand. (see also Cade-lamb, Hob-lamb) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SOCK-LAMB
n. (2) A lamb that has been brought us from birth by bottle and hand fed. -Wealden and district. (see also Hob-lamb)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 89
SOCKLE sok-l
vb. To suckle.
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SOFT
adj. Half-witted, hence "a softy". - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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SOIL soi-l
vb. (2) To scour or purge. The use of green meat as a purge gives rise to this old East Kent saying - "King Grin (i.e., green), Better than all medcin'."
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SOIL soi-l
n. (1) Filth and dirt in corn; as the seeds of several kinds of weeds and the like.
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SOLE soal
n. A pond, or pool of water. Lewis says, "A dirty pond of standing water;" and this it probably was in its original significance, being derived from Anglo-Saxon sol, mud, mire (whence E. vb. sully), allied to the Danish word söl, and the German suhle, mire. It enters into the name of several little places where ponds exist, e.g., Barnsole, Buttsole, Maidensole, Sole- street, etc. The Will of Jno, Franklyn, Rector of Ickham, describes property as being "Besyde the wateringe sole in thend (i.e., the end) of Yckhame-streete."
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SOLIN solin
n. A Domesday measure of land which occurs only in that part of the Domesday Record which relates to Kent. It is supposed to contain the same quantity of land as a carucate. This is as much land as may be tilled and laboured with one plough, and the beasts belonging thereto, in a year; having meadow, pasture and houses for the householders and cattle belonging to it. The hide was a measure of land in the reign of the Confessor; the carucate, that to which it was reduced in the Conqueror's new standard. From Anglo-Saxon sulk, a plough. "The Archbishop himself holds Eastry. It was taxed at seven sulings." - Domesday Book. (see also Suling, Sulling, Swilling-land)
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SOME-ONE-TIME
adv. Now and then. "'Taint very often as I goos to Feversham, or Lunnon, or any such place, but some-one-time I goos when I be forced to it."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 15
SOME'RS sum-urz
adj. Somewheres, for somewhere. "Direckly ye be back-turned, he'll be off some'rs or 'nother."
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SONNIE sun-i
n. A kindly appellative for any boy. "Come along sonnie, you and me 'll pick up them taturs now 'tis fine and dry."
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SORK
vb. To prepare a person for burial . "Item paid to the Widow Prower for to help sork him . . .
.6d"- (Hoo All Hallows Overseers Book sub 1679 in Hammond 'The Story of an Outpost Parish' p 124. ( see also Sock (2) & (5)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 15
SOSS sos
n. (1) A mess. If anyone mixes several slops, or makes any place wet and dirty, we say in Kent, "He makes a soss."
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SOSS sos
vb. (2) To mix slops, or pour tea backwards and forwards between the cup and the saucer. "When we stopped at staashun, dere warn't but three minutes to spare, but howsumdever, my missus she was forced to have a cup o' tea, she was, and she sossed it too and thro middlin', I can tell ye, for she was bound to swaller it somehows." (see also Sossel)
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SOSSEL sos'ul
vb. To mix slops, or pour tea backwards and forwards between the cup and the saucer. "When we stopped at staashun, dere warn't but three minutes to spare, but howsumdever, my missus she was forced to have a cup o' tea, she was, and she sossed it too and thro middlin', I can tell ye, for she was bound to swaller it somehows." (see also Soss (2)
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SOTLY sot-li
adv. Softly.
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SOW BREAD sou-bred
n. The sowthistle, or milkthistle. Sonchus oleraceus.
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SOWSE-TUB sous-tub
n. A tub for pickling meat.
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SPADDLE spad-l
vb. To make a dirt or litter; to shuffle in walking.
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SPALT spau-lt, spolt
adj. Heedless; impudent.
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SPALTER spolt-ur
vb. To split up and break away, as the underside of a branch when it is partially sawn or cut through, and then allowed to come down by its own weight. (see also Bret (2), Spolt)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 15
SPAN span
vb. To fetter a horse,
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SPANDLE spand-l
vb. To leave marks of wet feet on the floor like a dog. The Sussex word is spaniel.
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SPANISH span-ish
n. Liquorice. "I took some Spanish, but my cough is still terrible bad, surely."
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SPANNER span-ur
n. A wrench; a screw-nut. "Hav' ye sin my spanner anywheres about?" "Yis, I seed it in the barn jest now."
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SPARR spar'
n. The common house-sparrow; as, arr for arrow; barr for barrow. "Who killed cock-robin? I said the sparr, With my bow and arr." (see also Chums, Chummies)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 15
SPARTICLES
n.pl. Spectacles; Eye-glasses, "They be a moity foine payer o' sparticles, ye be a-wearing, mate!" - Ashford and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 89
SPAT spat
n. A knock; a blow. "He ain't no ways a bad boy; if you gives him a middlin' spat otherwhile, he'll do very well."
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SPATS spats
n.pl. Gaiters, as though worn to prevent the spattering of mud. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPEAN speen
n. The teat of an animal; the tooth or spike of a fork or prong. (see also Speen)
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SPEAR spee-r
n. (1) A blade of grass, or fresh young shoot or sprout of any kind. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPEAR spee-r
vb. (2) To sprout. "The acorns are beginning to spear." (see also Brut) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPEAR spee-r
vb. (3) To remove the growing shoots of potatoes. "Mas' Chuck's, he ain't got such a terr'ble good sample ot taturs as common; by what I can see, 'twill take him more time to spear 'em dan what 'twill to dig 'em up." (see also Brut (2)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 15
SPEARK
n. Spark. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
SPEARKEN
n.pl. Sparks. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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SPECK spek
n. The iron tip or toe of a workman's boot.
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SPEEN spee-n
n. The teat of an animal; the tooth or spike of a fork or prong. (see also Spean)
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SPEER-WORTY spee-rwurt-i
adj. The liver of a rotten sheep when it is full of white knots, is said to be speer-worty. There is a herb called speer-wort (Rangniculus lingua, great spear-wort; R.flammula, lesser spear- wort), which is supposed to produce this disorder of the liver, and from thence it has its name.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 15
SPILE
n. The upright pointed piece of wood in fencing nailed to the cross-piece. - R Cooke.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 15
SPILLED spil-d
pp. Spoilt. And so the proverb, "Better one house filled than two spill'd." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPILT spil-t
vb. Spoilt. "I are goin' to git a new hat; this fell into a pail of fleet-milk that I was giving to the hogs and it got spilt." - Sittingbourne.
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SPINDLE spin-dl
n. The piece of iron which supports the wreest (or rest) of a turn-wreest plough.
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SPINDLY
adj. Weakly; spindleshanks
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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SPIT spit
n. (2) The depth of soil turned up by a spade or other tool in digging. "The mound is so shallow that it is scarce a spit deep."
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SPIT spit
n. (1) A double or counterpart. "He's the very spit of his brother." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPITS spit-s
n.pl. Pieces of pine-wood, about the length and thickness of a common walking-stick, on which herrings are dried.
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SPLASH splash
vb. To make a hedge by nearly severing the live wood at the bottom, and then interweaving it between the stakes; it shoots out in the spring and mades a thick fence.
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SPLUT splut
vb. Past of split. "It was splut when I seed it."
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SPLUTHER spludh-ur vb. To splutter.
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SPOLT spol-t
vb. To break. "A terr'ble gurt limb spolted off that old tree furder een da laäne las' night." (see also Bret (2), Spalter)
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SPONDULICKS
n. Money - West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1920's.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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SPONG spong
vb. To sew; to mend. "Come here and let me spong that slit in your gaberdin."
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SPONSIBLE. spons-ibl adj. Responsible; reliable.
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SPOTTY spoti
adj. Here and there in places; uneven; scattered; uncertain; variable. Said of a thin crop. "The beans look middlin' spotty, this year."
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SPRAT-LOON sprat-loon
n. The red-throated diver; a bird common on the Kentish salt waters. - North Kent.
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SPRAY-FOOT sprai-fuot adj. Splay foot. (see also Spry-foot)
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SPREAD-BAT spred-bat
n. The bat or stick used for keeping the traces of a plough-horse apart. (see also Billet, Gig)
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SPRING
n. A young wood; the undergrowth of wood from two to four years old. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPRING-SHAW spring-shau
n. A strip of the young undergrowth of wood, from two to three rods wide. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SPROCKET sprok-it
n. A projecting piece often put on at the bottom or foot of a rafter to throw water off. 1536.- "Payed for makyng sproketts and a grunsyll at Arnoldis. . . 2d." - MS. Account , St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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SPROG sprog
n. A forked sprig of a tree. - Sittingbourne.
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SPROLLUCKS sprol-uks
n. One who sprawls out his feet.
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SPRONKY spronk-i adj. Having many roots.
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SPRY sprei
n. (1) A broom for sweeping the barn-floor; formerley used in the threshing of corn. Allied to sprig.
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SPRY sprei
adj. (2) Smart; brisk; quick.
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SPRY-FOOT sprei-fuot adj. Splay foot. (see also Spray -foot)
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SPRY-WOOD sprei-wuod
n. Small wood; spray wood.
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SPUD spud
n. (1) A garden tool for getting up weeds.
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SPUD spud
vb. (2) To get up weeds with a spud.
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SPUR-FISH spur-fish
n. The pike dog-fish. Spinax acanthias. - Folkestone.
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SQUAB skwob
n. (1) A pillow; a cushion; especially the long under-cushion of a sofa. Lewis, p 158, in his account of the way in which Mrs Sarah Petit laid out £146 towards the ornamenting of the parish church of St John Baptist, Thanet, mentions, "Cushions or squabs to kneel on, £5. 8s. 0d."
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SQUAB skwob
n. (2) An unfledged sparrow.
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SQUASHER n. Swastika. - Noted only in the village of Leeds, near Maidstone. The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 89 |
SQUASHER-MARK
n. Swastika mark, or symbol. "Now that there cat o' our'n be a mighty pretty one: it do have a squasher-mark all over it!"- Noted only in the village of Leeds near Maidstone.
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SQUASHLE skwosh-l
vb. To make a splashing noise. "It was so wet, my feet squashled in my shoes."
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SQUAT skwot
vb. (1) a) To make flat; b) To put a stone or piece of wood under the wheel of a carriage, to prevent its moving.
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SQUAT skwot
n. (2) A wedge placed under a carriage-wheel to prevent its moving. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SQUATTED skwot-id
pp. Splashed with mire or dirt.
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SQUAYER
adj. Square. "That box don't look squayer to me!" - parts of the Weald only. The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
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SQUIB skwib
n. (2) Cuttle-fish; so called because it squirts sepia. Sepia officinalis. (See Inksqper, Man- sucker, Squib (1), Tortoise)
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SQUIB skwib
n. (1) A squirt; a syringe. "He stood back of the tree and skeeted water at me caterwise with a squib."
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SQUIRREL-HUNTING
n. A rough sport, in which people used formerly to assemble on St. Andrew's Day (30th November), and under pretence of hunting squirrels, commit a good deal of poaching. It is now discontinued.
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SSEDE
n. Shade. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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SSEL
vb. Shall. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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SSEP
n. Shape. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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STABLEN
n.pl.Stables. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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STADDLE stad-l
n. A building of timber standing on legs or steddles, to raise it out of the mud. Poor dwellings of this kind were formerly common enough in small fishing towns, such as Queensborough. The word occurs repeatedly in the Queensborough Records of the time of Queen Elizabeth, as for instance, "De viginti sex domibus que vulgariter vocantur, the old staddeles, or six and twentie houses." Staddle is now used only for the support of a stack of corn. It is a drivative of the common word stead. Anglo-Saxon stéde, Icel. stadr, a stead, place; and Anglo-Saxon stathol, a foundation, Icel. stödull, a shed. Stead can still be traced in Lynsted, Frinsted, Wrinsted, Bearsted, and other names of places in Kent, and in such surnames as Bensted, Maxted, etc. (see also Steddle)
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STADEL
n. The step of a ladder. (see also Stale, Stales, Stath)
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STALDER stau-ldur
n. A stillen or frame to put barrels on. (see also Stillen)
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STALE stail
vb. To put stales or rungs into a ladder. 1493 - "Item payde to John Robart for stalyng of the ladders of the church, 20d." - Accounts of Churchwardens of St. Dunstan's, Canterbury. (see also Stadel, Stales, Stath)
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STALES stailz
n.pl. The staves, or risings of a ladder, or the staves of a rack in a stable. From Anglo-Saxon, stoel, stel, a stalk, stem, handle. Allied to still, and stall; the stale being that by which the foot is kept firm. (see also Stadel, Stale, Stath)
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STALKER stau-kur
n. A crab-pot, or trap made of hoops and nets. - Folkestone. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STAMMEL
adj. The name given to a kind of woollen cloth of a red colour. "Item paied to George Hutchenson, for a yard and a half of stanmel cloth to make her a petticote, at 10s 6d. the yard, 15s.9d." - Sandwich Book of orphans. (see also Stanmel)
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STAND stand
vb. To stop; to be hindered. "We don't stand for weather." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STANMEL
adj. The name given to a kind of woollen cloth of a red colour. "Item paied to George Hutchenson, for a yard and a half of stanmel cloth to make her a petticote, at 10s 6d. the yard, 15s.9d." - Sandwich Book of orphans. (see also Stammel)
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STARF TAKE YOU
interj.phr. An imprecation in Kent, from Anglo-Saxon steorfa (a plague). "What a starf be ye got at now?" is also another use of the same word.
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START staat
n. A proceeding; a business; a set-out. "This's a rum start, I reckon." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STARVE-NAKED staav-nai-kid
adj. Stark naked. Starved in Kent, sometimes means extremely cold, as well as extremely hungry.
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STATH stath n. A step of a ladder. (see also Stadel, Stale Stales) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STAUNCH stau-nsh vb. To walk clumsily and heavily. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STAYERS
n.pl. Stairs. "Now off you go up the stayers, and into bed!" - Parts of the Weald only.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 90
STEADY sted-i
adv.&adj. Slow. "I can git along middlin' well, if I go steady." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STEAN steen
vb. To line, or pave with bricks or stones. Hence the name of the Steyne at Folkestone and at Brighton. In Faversham Churchyard we read, "In this steened grave rest the mortal remains, etc." (see also Steene)
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STECH
n. Stick. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Stech (K) = Stick (N)
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STEDDLE sted-l
n. A frame on which to stand anything, e.g., a bedsteddle, i.e., a bedstead; especially a framework for supporting corn stacks. "Item in the best chamber, called the great chamber, one fayer standing bedsteddle," "Item in the chamber over the bunting house, two boarded bedsteddles." - Boteler Inventory in Memorials of Eastry, p 224,225. (see also Bedsteddle)
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STEELLY
adj. Stiff, unkind working, ground.
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STEENE
vb. To line, or pave with bricks or stones. Hence the name of the Steyne at Folkestone and at Brighton. In Faversham Churchyard we read, "In this steened grave rest the mortal remains, etc." (see also Stean)
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STEEP steep
vb. To make anything slope. To steep a stack, is to make the sides smooth and even, and to slope it up to the point of the roof.
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STENG
vb. Sting. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Steng (K) = Sting (N)
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STENT sten-t
n. A word used by the oyster dredgers in North Kent, to denote that amount or number of oysters, fixed by the rules of their association, which they may dredge in one day. This quantity, or number, is much less than it would be possible to get up; hence, stent is probably formed from stint, and means, a restricted amount.
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STERREN
n.pl. Stars. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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STEVE
n. Staff. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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STICK-KNIFE
n. A knife with a single blade rigidly fixed into a handle; a dagger or dagger-type knife; a sharp-pointed carving knife; a knife used by old-time pig-killers for 'sticking' or killing pigs - sometimes called 'a pig-sticker'. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Shut-knife)
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STILLEN stil-in
n. A stand for a cask, barrel, or washing-tub. (see also Stalder) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STILT stil-t
n. A crutch. In 1668 we find the following entry: "For a paire of stilts for the tanner, 3d." - Overseers' Accounts, Holy Cross, Canterbury
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STINGERS sting-ur
n. A jelly-fish. - Dover. (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Miller's-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sea starch, Sluthers, Slutters, Water-Galls)
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STINK-ALIVE stink-ulei-v
n. The whiting pout; so called because it soon becomes unfit to eat after being caught. - Folkestone.
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STIPERS stei-purs
n.pl.The four poles at the sides of a bobbin-tug, which stand up two on each side, and keep the bobbins in their place. - East Kent.
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STIVER
n. (2) A halfpenny. - Maidstone. Fred Amies. L.R.A.G. 1977. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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STIVER stiv-ur
vb. (1) To flutter; to stagger; to struggle along. "An so we stivered right acrass, An went up by a mason's." - Dick and Sal, st 50.
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STOACH
vb. To trample about in mud. "Don't stoach in that there muddy patch, you naughty boy! Look at the state of your boots!" Wealden and Ashford district. (see also Poach, Stoch, Stotch)
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STOCH stoach
vb. To work about in the mud and dirt; said of cattle treading the ground when it is wet. "He's always stochin' about one plaäce or t'other from mornin' to night." (see also Poach, Stoach, Stotch)
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STOCK stok
n. (1) Cattle of all sorts.
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STOCK stok
n. (2) The udder of a cow.
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STOCK stok
n. (3) A trough; a stoup; usually in composition, as a holy water-stock; a brine-stock; a pig- stock. Probably so called because it was originally made by hollowing out the stock of a tree. "For a stock of brass for the holy water, 7s.0d" - Fuller's History of Waltham Abbey, p 17. "Item in the milke-houss, one brine-stock, etc." - Boteler Inventories.
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STOCK stok
n. (4) The back of the fireplace. And since this is generally black with soot, hence the phrase, "Black as a stock." is a very common one.
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STOCK-BOW stok-boa
n. The cross-bow.
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STOCK-LOG stok-log
n. The larger piece of wood which is laid behind the rest on a wood fire to form a blacking for it.
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STODGER stoj-ur
n. A sturdy fellow able to get about in all sorts of weather. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STODGY stoj-i
adj. Thick; glutinous; muddy. "The church path's got middlin' stodgy." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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STOLDRED stoa-ldurd
n. Stealth. 1657 - "Some little corn by stoldred brought to town." - Billingsley's Brady- martyrologia, p 107.
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STOLT stoalt
adj. Brisk and hearty; stout (Anglo-Saxon stolt, firm). This is a word in common use among poultry keepers. "This here lot of ducks was doin' onaccountable bad at first going off, but now they'm got quite stolt."
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STONCHE
vb. Staunch. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
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STONDE
vb. Stand The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
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STONE stoan
n. A weight of eight pounds.
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STONE-FRUIT
n. Plums, peaches, cherries, etc. Fruit is classed as - Hard fruit, apple and pears. Stone-fruit, as above, and Low-fruit, gooseberries, currants, etc.
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STONE-REACH
n. A portion of stony field, where the stones for a considerable distance lie very much thicker than in any other part. These stone-reaches are fast disappearing in East Kent; the stones have been so thoroughly gathered off the fields, that stones for road purposes are scarce, and have risen considerably in price during the last twenty years.
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STOP FARTING ABOUT phr. Stop mucking about; stop fooling about. - West Kent. L.R.A.G. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 53 |
STOTCH stoch vb. To tread wet land into holes. (see also Poach, Stoach, Stoch) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STOUNDED adj. Astonished. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STOVE stoa-v vb. To dry in an oven. (see also Stow) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STOW stoa vb. To dry in an oven. (see also Stove) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STOW-BOATING stoa-but-in vb. Dredging up stone at sea for making Roman cement. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 16 |
STRAIGHT strait |
adj. Grave; serious; solemn; shocked; often used in phrase, "To look straight," i.e., to look grave and shocked. "He looked purty straight over it, I can tell ye."
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STRAMMERY stram-urly adj. Awkwardly; ungainly.
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STRANDS
n.pl. The dry bents of grass run to seed.
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STRANG
adj. Strong. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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STRAY strai
n. A winding creek.
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STREPE
n. Strip. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Strepe (K) = Strip (N)
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STRICKLE strik-l
n. A striker, with which the heaped-up measure is struck off and made even. The measure thus evened by the strickle is called race measure, i.e. razed measure. (see also Strike (1)
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STRIG strig
n. (1) The footstalk of any flower or fruit, as the strigs of currants, gooseberries, etc.; the string of a button.. "Now doän’t 'ee put the cherry-strig in's mouth."
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STRIG
vb. (2) To take the fruit off the stalk or strig; as to strig currants, gooseberries, etc. "Will you help me strig these currants?"
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STRIKE streik
n. (1) A striker, with which the heaped-up measure is struck off and made even. The measure thus evened by the strickle is called race measure, i.e. razed measure. (see also Strickle)
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STRIKE streik
n. (2) "To strike a bucket," is to draw a full bucket towards the side of the well as it hangs by the chain of the windlass, and land it safely on the well-side.
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STRIKE streik
vb. (3) To melt down, to re-cast, and so make smooth ( as of wax). One sense of strike, is to stroke; to make smooth. 1485 - "Item for strykyng of the pascall and the font taper, 2s. 3d." - Churchwardens' Accounts, St Dunstan's. Canterbury.
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STRIKE-BAULK streik-bauk vb. To plough one furrow and leave another.
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STRIKING-PLOUGH
n. A sort of plough used in some parts of Kent.
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STRIP-SHIRT strip-shur't
adv. In shirt sleeves. A man is said to be working strip-shirt when he had his coat and waistcoat off.
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STROKE-BIAS stroak-bei-us
n. An old sport peculiar to Kent, and especially the eastern part of the county; it consists of trials of speed between members of two or more villages, and from the description of it given in Brome's Travels over England (1700), it appears to have borne some resemblance to the game of prisoners' base. (see also Match-Running, Match-a-running)
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STROOCH stroo-ch
vb. To drag the feet along the ground in wallking. "Now then! how long be ye goin' to be? D'ye think the train'll wait for ye? stroochin' along!"
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STUB stub
n. (1) The stump of a tree or plant. "Ye'll find a pretty many stubs about when ye gets into de wood. Ye must look where ye be goin'."
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STUB stub
vb. (2) To grub up; used of taking up the stubble from a field, or of getting up the roots of a tree from the ground.
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STUD stud
n. (2) The name given to a row of small trees cut off about two feet from the ground and left to sprout so as to form a boundary line.
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STUD stud
n. (1) A stop; a prop; a support. The feet on which a trug-basket stands are called stubs.
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STULPE stuolp
n. A post; especially a short stout post put down to mark a boundary. Sometimes also spelt stoop and stolpe. 1569 - "2 greate talle shydes for stulpes, 4d." - Accounts, St. Dunstan's. Canterbury.
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STUNT stunt
adj. Sullen; dogged; obstinate.
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STUNTED
adj. Badly or not fully grown, used of both plants and animals. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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STUPEN stup-in
n. A stew-pan or skillet. (see also Stuppin, Stuppnet)
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STUPPIN stup-in
n. A stew-pan or skillet. (see also Stupen, Stuppnet)
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STUPPNET stup-nit
n. A stew-pan or skillet. In Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 226, amongst other kitchen furniture, we find, "Fower stuppnertts, five brass candlesticks, five spitts, etc." In the Sandwich Book of Orphans, it is spelled stugpenet. "Item, Received for a brass stugpenet, 2s 0d." (see also Stuppin, Stupen)
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STURM sturm
adj. Stern; morose.
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SUILLAGE swil-ij
n. Muck; dung; sewage; dirty water. 1630 - "To the Prior and his sonne for caryinge out the duste and sullage out of Sr. (Sister) Pett's house. 6d." - MS. Accounts, St. John's
Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Sullage)
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SULING seu-ling
n. A Domesday measure of land which occurs only in that part of the Domesday Record which relates to Kent. It is supposed to contain the same quantity of land as a carucate. This is as much land as may be tilled and laboured with one plough, and the beasts belonging thereto, in a year; having meadow, pasture and houses for the householders and cattle belonging to it. The hide was a measure of land in the reign of the Confessor; the carucate, that to which it was reduced in the Conqueror's new standard. From Anglo-Saxon sulk, a plough. "The Archbishop himself holds Eastry. It was taxed at seven sulings." - Domesday Book. (see also Sulling, Solin, Swilling-land)
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SULLAGE sul-ij
n. Muck; dung; sewage; dirty water. 1630 - "To the Prior and his sonne for caryinge out the duste and sullage out of Sr. (Sister) Pett's house. 6d." - MS. Accounts, St. John's
Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Suillage)
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SULLING sul-ing
n. A Domesday measure of land which occurs only in that part of the Domesday Record which relates to Kent. It is supposed to contain the same quantity of land as a carucate. This is as much land as may be tilled and laboured with one plough, and the beasts belonging thereto, in a year; having meadow, pasture and houses for the householders and cattle belonging to it. The hide was a measure of land in the reign of the Confessor; the carucate, that to which it was reduced in the Conqueror's new standard. From Anglo-Saxon sulk, a plough. "The Archbishop himself holds Eastry. It was taxed at seven sulings." - Domesday Book. (see also Suling, Solin, Swilling-land)
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SUM sum
vb. To reckon; to cast up accounts; to learn arithmetic. So the French sommer.
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SUMMER-LAND sum-r-land
n. Ground that lies fallow all the summer.
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SUMMUT sum-ut
n. Something.
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SUMP sum-p
n. A small cove; a muddy shallow. The Upper and Lower Sump in Faversham Creek, are small coves near its mouth where fishing vessels can anchor. The word is the same as swamp.
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SUNDAYS AND WORKY-D
phr. i.e., all his time; altogether. A phrase used when a man's whole time is taken up by any necessary duties. "Sundays or worky-days is all one to him." (see also Worky-days)
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SUN-DOG sun-dog
n. A halo round the sun; seen when the air is very moist; generally supposed to foretell the approach of rain. (see also Sun-hound).
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SUN-HOUND
n. A halo round the sun; seen when the air is very moist; generally supposed to foretell the approach of rain. (see also Sun-dog)
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SUPM sup-m
n. Something. "I sed ta her 'what books dere be, Dare's supm ta be sin;' Den she turn'd round and sed to me, 'Suppose we do go in,' "- Dick and Sal, st 55.
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SURELYE sheu-rlei
adv. Surely. "Well,that ain't you, is it? Surelye!"
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SWALLOWS swal-oaz
n.pl. Places where a stream enters the earth and runs underground for a space, were formerly so called in the parish of Bishopsbourne.
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SWAP swop
n. (2) An implement used for reaping peas, consisting of part of a scythe fastened to the end of a long handle. (see also Swap-hook)
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SWAP swop
vb. (1) To reap with a swap-hook.
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SWAP-HOOK swop-huok
n. An implement used for reaping peas, consisting of part of a scythe fastened to the end of a long handle. (see also Swap)
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SWART swaurt
adj. Of a dark colour. Anglo-Saxon sweart. "The wheat looks very swarth." (see also Swarth)
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SWARTH swau-rth
n. (2) A row of grass or corn, as it is laid on the ground by the mowers. "And there the strawy Greeks, ripe for his edge, Fall down before him like the mower's swath." - Shakespeare - Troilus and Cressida, Act 5, Sc. 5. (see also Swath, Sweath)
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SWARTH swaurth
adj. (1) Of a dark colour. Anglo-Saxon sweart. "The wheat looks very swarth." (see also Swart)
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SWARVE swor-v
vb. To fill up; to be choked with sediment. When the channel of a river or a ditch becomes choked up with any sediment deposited by the water running into it, it is said to swarve up.
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SWATCH swoch
n. (1) A channel, or water passage, such as that between the Goodwin Sands. "As to the Goodwin, it is by much the largest of them all, and is divided into two parts, though the channel or swatch betwixt them is not navigable, except by small boats." - Lewis, p 170.
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SWATCH swoch
n. (2) A wand.
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SWATCHEL swoch-l vb. To beat with a swatch or wand.
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SWATH swau-th
n. A row of grass or corn, as it is laid on the ground by the mowers. "And there the strawy Greeks, ripe for his edge, Fall down before him like the mower's swath." - Shakespeare - Troilus and Cressida, Act 5, Sc. 5. (see also Swarth, Sweath)
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SWAY swai
n. To carry the sway, is to excel in anything; to be the best man. "No matter what 'twas, mowin', or rippin', or crickut, or anything, 'twas all the same, I always carried the sway, time I was a young chap."
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SWAYER
vb. Swear; to use bad language. "For a young'un 'ee do swayer something awful; parson or school gaffer should be warned about 'ee!" - parts of the Weald only.
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SWEAL sweel
vb. To singe a pig.
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SWEATH swee-th
n. A row of grass or corn, as it is laid on the ground by the mowers. "And there the strawy Greeks, ripe for his edge, Fall down before him like the mower's swath." - Shakespeare - Troilus and Cressida, Act 5, Sc. 5. (see also Swath, Swarth)
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SWEEPS sweep-s
n.pl. The sails of a windmill. (see also Swips, Swifts)
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SWEET-LIQUOR sweet-lik-r
n. Wort; new beer unfermented, or in the process of fermentation. (see also Sweet-wort)
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SWEET-WORT
n. Wort; new beer unfermented, or in the process of fermentation. (see also Sweet-liquor)
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SWELKED
pp. Overcome by excessive heat.
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SWELTRY
adj. Sultry; excessively close and hoy.
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SWIFTS swift-s
n.pl. The arms, or sails of a windmill. (see also Sweeps, Swips) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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SWILLING-LAND
n. A plough land. (see also Solin, Suling, Sulling)
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SWIMEY
adj. Giddy or near fainting.- Fred Amie's grandfather. L.R.A.G. 1977. (see also Swimmy, Swimmy-headed, Swimy (2)
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SWIMMY swim-i
adj. Giddy; dizzy; faint. (Anglo-Saxon swima, a swoon; swimming in the head.) "I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' raound and raound till it made me feel quite swimy, it did." (see also Swimey, Swimy (2), Swimmy-headed)
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SWIMMY-HEADED swim-i-hed-id
adj. Giddy; dizzy; faint. (Anglo-Saxon swima, a swoon; swimming in the head.) "I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' raound and raound till it made me feel quite swimy, it did." (see also Swimey, Swimy (2), Swimmy)
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SWIMY swei-mi
adj. (1) Giddy; dizzy; faint. (Anglo-Saxon swima, a swoon; swimming in the head.) "I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' raöund and raöund till it made me feel quite swimy, it did." (see also Swimmy, Swimmy-headed)
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SWIMY
adj. (2) Giddy or near fainting. - Fred Amie's grandfather. L.R.A.G. 1977. (see also Swimey, Swimmy, Swimmey-headed)
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SWINGEL swinj-ul
n. The upper part of the flail which swings to and fro and beats the corn out of the ear. (Anglo-Saxon swingel, a beater.)
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SWIPS swip-s
n.pl. The sails of a windmill. (see also Sweeps, Swifts)
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SWISH-ALONG swish-ulong' vb. To move with great quickness.
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SWOT swot
n. Soot.
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TAANT taa-nt, taa-unt
adj. Out of proportion; very high or tall. This is a nautical word, usually applied to the masts of a ship.
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TACK tak
n. An unpleasant taste.
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TAFFETY taf-iti
adj. Squeamish; dainty; particular about food. - East Kent.
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TAG tag
n. Tagge, a sheep of the first year. (see also Teg)
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TAKE taik
vb. A redundant use is often made of this word, as "He'd better by half take and get married." - East Kent.
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TALLY tal-i
n. A stick, on which the number of bushels picked by the hop-picker is reckoned, and noted by means of a notch cut in it by the tallyman.
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TALLYMAN tal-imun
n. The man who takes the tallies, notches them, and so keeps account of the number of bushels picked by the hop-pickers.
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TAMSIN tam-zin
n. A little clothes' horse, or frame, to stand before a fire to warm a shirt or a shift, or child's linen. Tamsen, Thomasin, Thomasine, is a woman's name, and is here used as though the "horse" did the work of the servant of that name, For the same reason it is otherwise called a maid, or maiden. It is not only called Tamsin, but Jenny, Betty, Molly, or any other maiden name; and if it is very small it is called a girl. (see also Maid)
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TAN tan
n. The bark of a young oak.
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TAR-GRASS taa-graas
n. The wild vetch. Vicia cracca.
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TARNAL taa-nl
adj. A strong expletive, really "eternal" used to denote something very good or very bad, generally the latter. "Dare was a tarnal sight of meat." - Dick and Sal, st 62.
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TARSE taas
n. A mow of corn. In Old English taas was any sort of heap. "An hundred knyghtes slain and dead, alas! That after were founden in the taas." - Chaucer, Troilas and Cressede, 1. 4.
c.30 (see also Tas)
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TAS tas
n. A mow of corn. In Old English taas was any sort of heap. "An hundred knyghtes slain and dead, alas! That after were founden in the taas." - Chaucer, Troilas and Cressede, 1. 4.
c.30 (see also Tarse)
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TASS-CUTTER tas-cut-r
n. An implement with which to cut hay in the stack.
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TATTER
vb. (3) Cross; fretful; temper; unwell. "That child o' mine be in a rare tatter (temper) because he can't just do as he likes!" "Little Sarah be proper tatter today (fretful, unwell). " - Wealden.
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TATTER tat-r
adj. (2) Cross; peevish; ill-tempered; ill-natured. "The old 'ooman's middlin' tatter to-day, I can tell ye." (see also Tattery, Tatty)
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TATTER tat-r
adj. (1) Ragged (see also Tattery)
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TATTERY tat-ur'i
adj. (2) Cross; peevish; ill-tempered; ill-natured. "The old 'ooman's middlin' tatter to-day, I can tell ye." (see also Feasy, Tatter (2), Tatty)
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TATTERY tat-ur'i
adj. (1) Ragged (see also Tatter (1)
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TATTY tat-i
adj. Testy. (see also Tatter (2), Tattery (2)
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TAUF
n. (2) The refuse of beans and peas after threshing, used for horse-meat. - W.Kent. Called torf, toff in E. Kent. Also used of oats - J.H.Bridge. (see also Caving (1) & (2), Torf, Toff)
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TAULEY tau-li
n. A taw or marble.
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TAYCHER
n. Teacher. "Our old school-taycher give me the stick today for breaking the school-room window with a stone." - Parts of the Weald only.
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TEALD
vb. Told. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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TEAM teem
n. A litter of pigs or a brood of ducks.
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TEAR
n. Tear. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Tyare,Tyear)
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TEARFUL
adj. A job of work that is very arduous or exacting in nature, so as to bring one almost to tears. "This stone-quarrying, at the present piece-work rates be a most tearful kind of job!" - Wealden and Ashford and district.
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TEAR-RAG tair-r'ag
n. (1) A rude, boisterous child; a romp; one who is always getting into mischief and tearing his clothes, hence the name. - East Kent.
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TEAR-RAG
n. (2) Perhaps a connected. with rag, tag and bobtail. - J H Bridge. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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TED ted
vb. To make hay, by tossing it about and spreading it in the sun. 1523 - "For mowyng and teddying of the garden, 12d." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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TEDIOUS tee-jus
adj,&adv. Acute; violent; excessive; "tedious bad"; "tedious good." Also, long, but not necessarily wearisome, as we now commonly understand the word. "Within me grief hath kept a tedious fast." - Shakespeare, Richard 2, Act 2. Sc 1. "He sed dare was a teejus fair Dat lasted for a wick." - Dick and Sal, st 8.
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TEEN teen
vb. To make a hedge with raddles. 1522 - "Paied for tenying of a hedge (i.e. trimming it) 6d." - MS. Accounts, St. John's Hospital, Canterbury.
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TEENER tee-nur
n. A man who teens or keeps in order a raddle-fence. 1616 - "For bread and drink for the teners and wood-makers." - MS. Accounts St John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Tener)
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TEES teez
n.pl. A part of the horse's harness; the draughts which are fixed to the hemwoods of the collar and to the rods of the cart. (Literally, ties). - East Kent.
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TEG
n. A sheep of the first year. (see also Tag)
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TELL tel
vb. To count. "Here's the money, will you tell it out on the table?" The teller in the House of Commons is one who counts the number of members as they go into the lobby. "And every shepherd tells his tale Under the hawthorn in the vale." - Gray's Elergy.
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TEND
n. Tenth. 'The Old Kentish numerals, as exhibited in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are identical with the Northen forms, but are no doubt of Frisian origin.'
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TENER
n. A man who teens or keeps in order a raddle-fence. 1616 - "For bread and drink for the teners and wood-makers." - MS. Accounts St John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Teener)
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TENT
n.comp. Bird tenting is bird scaring.
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TENTER-GROUND tent-r-grou-nd
n. Ground where tenter-hooks were placed in former times for stretching skins, linen, etc.
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TERRIBLE ter-bl, tar-bl
adv. Extremely; exceedingly. "He's a terrible kind husband, and no mistake." "Frost took tops terrible, but 'taint touched t'roots o' taters."
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TERRIFY ter-r'ifei
vb. To annoy; to tease; to disturb. A bad cough is said to be "very terryfying". And the flies are said to "to terrify the cattle." The rooks also "terrify the beans."
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TETAW tet-au
n. A simpleton; a fool.
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THANKY
vb To thank. Anglo-Saxon conjugation
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THAT
prep. (2) Since. "It's a long time since that you and I have met." Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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THAT dhat
adv. (1) So; to such a degree. "I was that mad with him, I could have scratched his eyes out." "He's that rude, I doän’t know whatever I shall do with him."
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THAYER
poss.adj.Their's; Belonging to them. - Parts of the Weald only. (see also Thern; Therren)
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THEM dhem
phr. Contraction from they'm, i.e., they am. "How be um all at home?" "Them all well, without 'tis mother , and she be tedious bad wid' de brown titus." (see also Am)
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THERN
poss.adj.Their's; Belonging to them. "No taint ourn; that be thern.!" - North-East Kent and Medway Towns district. (see also Thayer; Therren)
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THERREN
poss.adj.Their's; Belonging to them. "It be therren; give it to him!" - Wealden, Ashford and dstrict. (see also Thayer; Thern)
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THICK THUMB'D thik-thumd adj. Sluttish; untidy; clumsy.
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THIESTER
n. Darkness. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Thyester)
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THIS-HERE
den. prom. This. (An intensive form) "That there man was a sittin' on this-'ere wery chair, when, all of a sudden, down he goos in one of these 'ere plexicle fits. 'Who'd 'ave thoft it!' said the missus."
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THISSER
prep. "This here". "Do 'ee want thisser old moldy hay?" - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thisyer)
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THISTLE PECKING
vb. To hoe thistles. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thistle-packing)
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THISTLE-PACKER
n. (2) A small. razor-sharp hoe or cutter for cutting thistles. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thistle-pecker)
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THISTLE-PACKER
n. (1) A man who hoes thistles. A man who spends a great deal of his time at this sort of work often earned the nickname of "Pecker' or 'Packer' e.g. 'Pecker' Brunger. who lived at Egerton, did a lot of this type of work on farms round about. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thistle-pecker)
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THISTLE-PACKING
vb. To hoe thistles. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thistle-pecking)
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THISTLE-PECKER
n. (1) A man who hoes thistles. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thistle- packer)
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THISTLE-PECKER
n. (2) A small, razor-sharp hoe or cutter to cut thistles. - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thistle-packer)
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THISYER
prep."This here". "Thisyer old sow don't seem any too good today, master!" - Wealden and Ashford and district. (see also Thisser)
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THOFT thof-t
vb. Thought.
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THONDER
n. Thunder. Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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THONKE
vb. Thank. The use of 'o' for 'a'. The Old Frisian, which has been quoted in support of these forms has brond, hond, lond, for brand, hand, and land.
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THORACK
n. A wooden channel or tunnel whereby the water is conveyed through a sluice. Used in Teynham Marshes. - Sittingbourne. W C B Purser. 1935.
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THORST
Thirst (thurst). Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up.
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THOVE thoa-v
vb. Stole. (The perfect tense of thieve.)
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THRAW
vb. Throw. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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THREDDLE thred-l vb. To thread a needle.
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THRELL
n. Thrall. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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THRI
n. Three. Old Fresian Thri. = Old Kentish Thri. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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THRIBLE thrib-l
adj. Treble; threefold.
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THRO throa
prep. Fro; from.
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THROT throt
n. Throat. "He's throt was that bad all last week, that he was troubled to go to and thro to work."
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THROWS throaz
n. A thoroughfare; a public way. The four-throws, a point where four roads meet.
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THUNDERBUGS thun-durbug
n. A midge. "The thunderbugs did terrify me so, that I thought I should have been forced to get up and goo out of church."
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THURROCK thur-r'uk
n. A wooden drain under a gate; a small passage or wooden tunnel through a bank. In Sheppy, if the hares gain the refuge of a thurrock, before the greyhounds can catch them, they are considered to have gained sanctuary and are not molested. (see also Pinnock)
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THYESTER
n. Darkness. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Thiester)
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TICKLER tik-lur
adj. Particular. "I lay he's not so tickler as all that."
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TIDDY LITTLE THING
adj. A very small thing.- Plumstead, West Kent. L.R. A. G 1920's. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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TIDE teid
n. The tithe. This is a remarkable instance of the way in which th is converted into d in Kent, as wid for with, etc.
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TIDY tei-di
adv. Considerable. "A tidy few," means a good number. "It's a tidy step right down to the house, I lay." (see also Tightish lot)
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TIE tei
n. A foot-race between two competitors. The expression, "Ride and tie," is commonly interpreted to mean, that when two people have one horse, the first rides a certain distance and then dismounts for the second to get up, so that they always tie or keep together. "Sir Dudley Diggs, in 1638, left the yearly sum of £20, to be paid to two young men and two maids, who, on May 19th, yearly, should run a tie at Old Wives' Lees, in Chilham, and prevail. The lands, from the rent of which the prize was paid, were called the Running Lands." - Hasted, 2, 787. (see also Tye)
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TIENE
n. Anger. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Teon (tene) It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Tyene)
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TIE-TAILS tei-tailz
n.pl. Herrings, which being gill-broken cannot be hung up by their heads; they are therefore tied on the spits by their tails. Though they are just as good eating as the others, they fetch less money; and when I was in the hang, a tiny child came in and addressed the burly owner thus, "Please, sir, mother wants a farthing's worth of tie-tails for her tea." She got two or three, and some broken scraps into the bargain. - F. Buckland. - Curiosities of Natural History, 2nd series, p 274. (see also Scraps)
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TIGHTISH LOT tei-tish lot phr. A good many. (see also Tidy)
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TIGHT-UP
vb. Make tidy. "My missus had gone to tight-up."
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TILL til
adj. Tame; gentle.
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TILLER til-ur
n. An oak sapling, or other young timber tree of less than six inches and a quarter in girth. In other places it is called teller. Anglo-Saxon telgor, a branch, a twig.
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TILT til-t
n. (1) The moveable covering of a cart or wagon; generally made of sail-cloth or canvas.
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TILT til-t
n. (2) Condition of arable land. "He has a good tilth," or "His land is in good tilth." (see also Tilth)
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TILTER (out of)
n. Out of order; out of condition. "He's left that farm purty much out o' tilter, I can tell ye."
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TILTH tilth
n. Condition of arable land. "He has a good tilth," or "His land is in good tilth." (see also Tilt (2)
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TIMANS tei-munz
n.pl. Dregs, or grounds poured out of the cask after the liquor is drawn off. Literally teemings, from the Middle-English word temen, to pour out, to empty a cask.
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TIMBERSOME
adj. Tiresome; troublesome. (see also Timmy)
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TIME OR TWO
phr. A few times. - West Kent. L.R.A.G.'s grandmother Allen. 1920. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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TIME-O'-DAY teim-u-dai
n. "To pass the time-o'-day," is to salute a person whom you chance to meet on the road, with "Goodmorning;" "A fine day;" "Good-night," etc. "I an't never had no acquaintance wid de man, not no more than just to pass de time-o'-day."
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TIMMY tim-i
adj. Fretful. (see also Timbersome, from which this is probably abbreviated.) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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TIMNAIL tim-nail
n. A vegetable-marrow. - East Kent.
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TINE tein
n. (1) The tooth, or prong of a rake, harrow, or fork.
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TINE tein
vb. (2) To shut; to fence.
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TINERAT
phr. At any rate.- West Kent. L.R.A.G.'s grandmother Allen. 1920. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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TIPPLE
vb. To fall. "Don't play about or you'll have a tipple in a minute!" "Sure as eggs, out of the cart he tippled." "He's so ockard on his legs: alway a-tippling!" - Confined to Hothfield, Eastwell and Westwell.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 93
TIPTOE tip-toa
n. An extinquisher. - West Kent.
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TIP-TONGUED tip-tung-d
adj. Inarticulate; indistinct in utterance; lisping., "He tarks so tip-tongued since he've come back from Lunnon, we can't make nothin' o' what he says other-while."
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TIRYEN tir-yun
n. An anagramatical form of Trinity. Thus, "Tiryen Church," Trinity Church. - East Kent.
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TISICKY adj. Tickling. "A tisicky cough." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 17 |
TISSICK tis-ik n. A tickling cough. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 17 |
TITHER tith-ur vb. To trifle; e.g., to tither about, is to waste time. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 17 |
TIVER tiv-ur
n. Red ochre for marking sheep.
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TO IT too-t, tu-ut
phr. Omitting the verb do, which is understood. Remind a Kentish man of something he has been told to do but which you see is still undone, and the chances are he will reply, "I'm just a going to it," i.e., I am just going to do it.
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TO OWN TO
vb. To own, to own to it.
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TO-AND-AGIN too-und-u-gin
prep. phr. Backwards and forwards; to and fro. "Ah, I likes to goo to church o' Sundays, I doos; I likes to set an' look at de gurt old clock, an' see de old pendylum goo to-and-agin; to- and-agin; to-and-agin, all de while."
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TOAR toar
n. Long, coarse, sour grass in fields that are understocked.
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TOBIT
n. A measure of half a bushel. (see also Tofet, Tolvet, Tovet) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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TOFET tofit
n. A measure of half a bushel. (see also Tobit, Tolvet, Tovet) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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TOFF tau-f
n. The pods of peas, and the ears of wheat and barley, after they have been threshed. - East Kent. (see also Caving (1) & (2), Tauf, Torf)
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TOFF-SIEVE tauf-siv
n. A screen or sieve for cleaning wheat. (see also Toft-sieve) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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TOFT tof-t
n. A messuage; a dwelling-house with the adjacent buildings and curtilage, and the adjoining lands appropriate to the use of the household; a piece of ground on which the messuage formerly stood.
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TOFT-SIEVE tau-ft-siv
n. A screen or sieve for cleaning wheat. (see also Toff-sieve) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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TO-GAYTHER
Together. "Now young Willum, you jist gayther up all they old bines and tie 'em all up to- gayther." (see also Gayther)
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TOKENON
n.pl. Tokens. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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TOLL toal
n. A clump; a row; generally applied to trees; so a rook-toll, is a rookery. "There was a toll of trees at Knowlton which was blown down in the great November gale."
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TOLVET tolv-it
n. Half a bushel. 1522 - "Paid for 6 busshellis and a tolvett of grene pesen, price the bushell, 10d., sm., 5s. 5d." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Tobit, Tofet, Tovet)
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TOM
n. A cock. "I bought a tom and three hens off old farmer Chucks last spring, but I never made but very little out of 'em before the old fox came round."
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TOMMY tom-i
n. A workman's luncheon. "One of these here pikeys come along and stole my tommy, he did." (see also Bait)
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TON tun
n. The great vat wherein the beer is worked before it is tunned, or cleansed. "Item in the brewhouss, two brewinge tonns, one coolbacke, two fornisses, fower tubes with other lumber,
£6. 13s." - Boteler Inventory, in Memorials of Eastry, p 228. (see also Fat, Tun)
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TONGEN
n.pl. Tongues. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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TONGUE tung
vb. (1) To use the tongue in a pert, saucy and rude way; to scold; to abuse. "Sarcy little hussey! I told her she shouldn't go out no more of evenings; and fancy, she just did turn round and tongue me, she did."
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TONGUE tung
n. (2) The projecting part of the cowl of an oast, which causes it to turn round when acted on by the wind.
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TOOAD too-ud
n. A toad,
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TOOAT too-ut
n. All; an entirety. "The whole tooat av't." (? the total)
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TORF tauf
n. Chaff that is raked off the corn, after it is threshed, but before it is cleaned. (see also Caving (1) & (2), Tauf, Toff)
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TORTOISE tau-tus
n. The cuttle-fish. - Folkestone. (see also Inkspewer, Man-sucker, Squib (2)) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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T'OTHER DAY tudh-r dai
n. The day before yesterday. A most correct expression, because other, in Early English, invariably means second, and the day before yesterday is the second day, reckoning backwards. It is remarkable that second is the only ordinal number of French derivation; before the thirteenth century it was unknown, and other was used instead of it..
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TOVET tov-it
n. Half a bushel. Etymologically, vet is here the Anglo-Saxon fatu, pl. of foet, a vessel, a native word now supplanted by the Dutch word vat. A vat is now used of a large vessel, but the Anglo-Saxon foet was used of a much smaller one. In the present case, it evidently means a vessel containing a peck. The Middle English e represents the Anglo-Saxon oe. (see also Tobit, Tofet, Tolvet)
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TOVIL toa-vil
n. A measure of capacity. This word looks like a corruption of two-fill, i.e., two fillings of a given measure.
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TO-YEAR tu-yur'
adv. This year; as, to-day is this day.
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TRACK trak
vb. To tread down; mark out the road; as is the case with a snow-covered road, if there has been much traffic on it. At times, after a heavy fall of snow, you may hear a person say, "I couldn't get on, the snow isn't tracked yet."
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TRAFIN
n. Trefoil.- R Cooke
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TRAY RING traai ring
n. The fastenings by which the scythe is secured to its bat. (see also Tray wedge)
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TRAY WEDGE traai wedj
n. The fastenings by which the scythe is secured to its bat. (see also Tray ring)
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TREAD traid, tred n. A wheel-tread; a rut; a track. Called in Sussex the trade (trai-d) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 17 |
TREDDLES tred-lz | ||
n.pl. The droppings of sheep. (see also Light (2), Sheep's treddles) | ||
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TREPPE | ||
n Trap. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=star The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | k; weter= Page | wate 14 |
TREPPEN | ||
n.pl. Traps. Noun forming plural in 'en'. | ||
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TREVET triv-it |
r.
n. A trivet; a three-legged stand whereon to set a tea-kettle, or saucepan. "As right as a trevet," because, unless the trivet be placed just upright, it will lob, or tilt over. Literally, "three feet." Compare Tovet, "two vats." "Item in the kitchen, seavin brass kettells. . . two greedyirons, one trivett with other lumber there, etc." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 226.
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TRILL tril
vb. To trundle a hoop, etc. (see also Trole, Trull)
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TROLE troa-l
vb. To trundle a hoop. (see also Trill, Trull)
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TROST
n & vb. Trust. Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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TROUBLED TO GO trub-ld tu goa
phr. Hardly able to get about and do one's work. "Many a time he's that bad, he's troubled to go."
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TRUCK
vb. To have to do with. "I never had much truck with gardening." Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977)
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TRUCKLEBED truk-l-bed
n. A bed that runs on truckles, or low-running wheels, i.e., castors, and is thus easily run in and out under another and higher bed. In the day-time the trucklebed was stowed away under the chief bed in the room, and at night was occupied by a servant or child. Hence the word is used contemptuously of an underling or low bred person. "Yees, ya shall pay, ya trucklebed; Ya buffle-headed ass; I know 'twas ya grate pumpkin 'ead, First blunnered thro' de glass." - Dick and Sal, st 81.
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TRUG trug
n. A kind of basket, much used by gardeners and others; formed of thin slivers of wood, with a fixed handle in the middle, somewhat like the handle of a bucket, and with studs at the bottom to keep it steady. Etymologically connected with ( or the same word as) trough. "Item in the mylke house, a bryne stock, a table, two dowsin of bowles and truggs, three milk keelars, two charnes, a mustard quearne with other lumber, then prized at 20s." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 226 and 228. (see also Bodge (1),Trugg)
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TRUGG trug
n. A kind of basket, much used by gardeners and others; formed of thin slivers of wood, with a fixed handle in the middle, somewhat like the handle of a bucket, and with studs at the bottom to keep it steady. (see also Sliver, Stud) Etymologically connected with ( or the same word as) trough. "Item in the mylke house, a bryne stock, a table, two dowsin of bowles and truggs, three milk keelars, two charnes, a mustard quearne with other lumber, then prized at 20s." - Boteler Inventory, Memorials of Eastry, p 226 and 228. (see also Bodge,Trug)
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TRULL trul
vb. To trundle. (see also Trill, Trole)
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TRUSH trush
n. A hassock for kneeling in church. In the old Churchwarden's Accounts for the parish of Eastry the entry frequently occurs, "To mending the trushes;" and the word if still occasionally used.
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TRUSSEL n. A tressel; a barrel-stand. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 17 |
TRY
(2) True. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
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TRY trei
vb. (1) To boil down lard
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TUG tug
n. The body of a wagon, without the hutch; a carriage for conveying timber, bobbins, etc. (see also Bobbin-tug)
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TUKE teuk
n. The redshank; a very common shore-bird on the Kentish saltings. - Sittingbourne.
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TUMBLING-BAY tumb-ling-bay
n. A cascade, or small waterfall. - West Kent.
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TUMP tump
n. A small hillock; a mound, or irregular rising on the surface of the pastures. Often, indeed nearly always, and old ant-hill. - Sittingbourne. "Ye caan't make nothin' o' mowin', all de while dere's so many o' dese here gurt old tumps all over de plaäce."
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TUN
n. The great vat wherein the beer is worked before it is tunned, or cleansed. "Item in the brewhouss, two brewinge tonns, one coolbacke, two fornisses, fower tubes with other lumber,
£6. 13s." - Boteler Inventory, in Memorials of Eastry, p 228. (see also Fat, Ton)
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TUNNEL tun-l
n. A funnel for pouring liquids from one vessel into another. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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TURN-WRIST-PLOUGH turn-rees-plou
n. A Kentish plough, with a moveable mould-board.
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TUSSOME tus-um
n. Hemp or flax. - West Kent.
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TUTH
n. Tooth. "That be a mighty bad tuth you got there. Better go and see the dentist forelong!" - Wealden, Ashford and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) | Page | 93 |
TWANG n. A peculiar flavour; a strong, rank, unpleasant taste; elsewhere called a | tack. | |
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TWEAN-WHILES twee-n-weilz adv. Between times.
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TWIBIL twei-bil
n. A hook for cutting beans. Literally, "double-bill"
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TWINGE twinj
n. An ear-wig.
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TWINK
n. A sharp, shewish, grasping woman. "Ye've got to get up middlin' early if ye be goin' to best her, I can tell ye; proper old twink, an' no mistake !"
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TWITTER twit-r
n. (2) A state of agitation; a flutter. Thus, I'm all in a twitter," means, I'm all in a flutter, or fluster.
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TWITTER twit-r
vb. (1) To twit; to tease.
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TWO too
adj. "My husband will be two men," i.e., so different from himself; so angry, that he won't seem to be the same person.
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TYARE
n. Tear. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.'
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TYE tei
n. An extensive common pasture. Such as Waldershare Tie; Old Wives' Lees Tie. 1510. - "A croft callid Wolners Tie." - MS. Accounts, St Dunstan's, Canterbury. (see also Tie)
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TYEAR r
n. Tear. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Tear, Tyare)
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TYENE
n. Anger. Exactly correspondsing to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Teon (tene). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Tiene)
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UCK
vb. (2) Throw out. "Help me uck out these logs, Bill !" - Ashford and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 95
UCK
vb. (1) To pull out. "Now uck out they old sacks from the card shed. - Ashford and district.
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UCK-UP
n. Help up with; a helping hand, "Give us a uck up with these sacks of taters,Jess!" - Ashford and district.
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UMBLEMENT umb-ulmunt
n. Complement. "Throw in another dozen to make up the umblement." - Hundred of Hoo.
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UNACCOUNTABLE un-ukount-ubl
adj & adv. Wonderment; excessive; exceeding. "You've been gone an unaccountable time, mate."
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UNBEKNOWN adj. Unknown. - R Cooke. Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) | Page | 18 |
UNCALLOW
vb. To take the topsoil off the chalk. - Barham. John Evans. L.R.A.G. 1949. (see also Callow)
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UNCLE-OWL unk-l-oul
n. A species of skate. - Folkestone.
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UNCOUS un-kus
adj. Melancholy. (see also Ellinge, Unky)
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UNDERNEAD un-durneed-
prep. Underneath. "Den on we went, and soon we see A brick place where instead A bein' at top as't ought to be, De road ran undernead." - Dick and Sal, st 46.
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UNDER-SPINDLED und-r-spind-ld
adj. Under-manned and under-horsed, used of a man who has not sufficient captial or stock to carry on his business. In Sussex the expression is under-exed; ex being an axle.
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UNFORBIDDEN un-furbid-n
adj. Uncorrected; spoiled; unrestrained; troublesome. "He's an unforbidden young mortal."
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UNGAIN ungain-
adj. Awkward; clumsy; loutish. "He's so very ungain."
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UNHANDY unhand-i
adj. Inconvenient; difficult of access. "Ya see 'tis a werry unhandy pleäce, so fur away fro' shops."
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UNKER
n. Money paid for work of an obnoxious character; of a confined character. It is extra money, paid per hour, plussed onto the hour-wage rate while working in such conditions in the dockyard or on the ships. Peculiar to Chatham, Rochester, Strood and district amongst Royal Naval Dockyard workers on the industrial side. (see also Dirty- money, Unker-money)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 95
UNKER-MONEY
n. Monies paid for exceptionally dirty jobs or unhealthy work. - Chatham, Rochester, Strood and district, Royal Naval Dokyard workers. (see also Unker, Dirty money)
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 95
UNKINDLY
adv. Badly, reversal of well. - R Cooke.
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UNKY un-ki
adj. Lonely; solitary; meloncholy. "Don't you feel a bit unky otherwhile, livin' down here all alone, without ne'er a neighbour nor no one to come anigh?" (see also Ellinge, Uncous)
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UNLEVEL unlev-l
adj. Uneven; rough.
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UNLUCKY unluk-i
adj. Mischievous. "That child's terr'ble unlucky surelye! He's always sum'ers or 'nother, and into somethin'."
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UNTHRUM unthrum- adj. Awkward; unhandy.
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UPGROWN up-groan
adj. Grown up. "He must be as ol as that, because he's got upgrown daughters." - East Kent,
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UPSET upset-
vb. To scold. "I upset her pretty much o' Sunday mornin', for she kep' messin' about till she got too late for church."
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UPSETTING upset-in
n. A scolding. "His missus gave him a good upsettin', that she did." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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UPSTAND up-stand
vb. To stand up. "That the members shall address the chair and speak upstanding." - Rules of Eastry Cottage Gardners' Club.
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UPSTANDS up-standz
n.pl. Live trees or bushes cut breast high to serve as marks for boundaries of parishes, estates, etc.
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UPWARD up-wurd
adj. The wind is said to be upward when it is in the north, and downward when it is in the south. The north is generally esteemed the highest part of the world. Caesar's Commentary, 4.28, where "inferiorem partem insulae" means the south of the island; and again, v 13, "inferior as meridiem spectat." (see also Out)
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URGE urj
vb. To annoy; aggravate; provoke. "It urges me to see anyone go on so." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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USE euz
vb. (2) To accustom. "It's what you use 'em to when they be young." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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USE euz
vb. (1) To work or till land; to hire it. "Who uses this farm?" "He uses it himself," i.e., he keeps it in his own hands and farms it himself. To use money is to borrow it.
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USE-POLE euz-poal
n. A pole thicker than a hop-pole, and strong enough to use for other purposes. (see also Bat 5)
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VALE vail
n. A water rat; called elsewhere a vole.
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VAMPISHNESS
n. Frowardness; perverseness
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VAND
vb. Found. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
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VAST vaast
adv. Very; exceedingly. This word iis often used of small things: "It is vast little." "Others of vastly less importance."
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VEALD
n. Fold. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Vyeald)
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VELTHE
n. Filth. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Velthe (K) = Fulthe (S) = Filthe (N) (see also Felthe)
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VERE
n. Fire. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Vere (K) = Vur (S) = Fire
(N) (see also Fere
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VERTHING
n. Farthing. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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VET
n. Vat. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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VIEND
n. Fiend. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Vyend)
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VIGILOUS vij-ilus
adj. Vicious, of a horse; also fierce, angry.
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VILL-HORSE vil-urs
n. The horse that goes in the rods, shafts or thrills. The vill-horse is the same as the fill- horse, or thrill-horse.
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VINDE
vb. Find. 'The only consonal differences worthy of notice in the ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are the use of 'v' for 'f'; and 'z' for 's'.'
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VINE vein
n. A general name applied to the climbing bine of several plants, which are distinquished from one another by the specific name being prefixed, as the grape-vine, hop-vine, etc.
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VINGRE
n. Finger. 'The only consonal differences worthy of notice in the ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are the use of 'v' for 'f'; and 'z' for 's'.'
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VOL
adj. Full. Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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VON
n.pl. Foes. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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VOT
n. Foot. 'The only consonal differences worthy of notice in the ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are the use of 'v' for 'f'; and 'z' for 's'.'
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VRIEND
n. Friend. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Vryend)
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VRY
Free. Old Freisan Fri= Old Kentish Vry. (see also Fry) The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
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VRYEND
n. Friend. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Vriend)
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VYEALD
n. Fold. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Veald)
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VYEND
n. Fiend. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Viend)
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VYL
n. Fly. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
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WACKER
vb. (4) To be pleased; joyful; grateful; crazy with happiness or excitment. "I be real wacker today! My young man be a comin' over to court me, it being his half-day off." "I feel real wacker about that." -Wealden and Ashford and district.
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WACKER
adj. (3) Anything or person beyond normal size or shape. "That sow be a real wacker." "That be a wacker of a baby." - Wealden and Ashford and district.
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WACKER wak-ur
adj. (1) Active. "He's a wacker little chap." Angl-Saxon, wacor, vigilant. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WACKER wakur
adj. (2) Angry; wrathful. "Muster Jarret was wacker at his bull getting into the turnip field."
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WACKER-OUT
vb. To lose his or her temper. "Now don't keep on a-doing that, or you'll make me get my wacker-out." -Wealden, Ashford and district.
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WAG wag
vb. To stir; to move. The phrase, "The dog wags his tail," is common enough everywhere; but to speak of wagging the whole body, the head, the tongue, or the hand, is local, "There he goes wagging along." "Everyone that passeth by her shall hiss and wag his hand." Zephaniah ch 2 v 15.
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WAI wai
vb. Word of command to a cart-horse, meaning "Come to the near side." - East Kent.
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WAISTCOAT wes-kut
n. This word, now restricted to a man's garment, was formerly given to an under-coat worn by either sex. "Item more paid (for Thomasine Millians) to George Hutchenson for 4 yeardes of clothe to make her a petticote and a waste cote, at 2s 6d the yarde . . . 10s." - Sandwich Book of Orphans. (see also Pettycoat)
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WAKERELL BELL wai-kur'ul, wak-ur'ul
n. The waking bell, or bell for calling people in the early morning, still rung at Sandwich at five a.m. "Item for a rope for the wakerrel . . . 3d." - Churchwardens' Accounts, St. Dunstand's, Canterbury, A.D. 1485. It was otherwise called the Wagerell bell, and the Wakeryng bell.
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WALE wail
n. A tumour or large swelling.
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WALLER'D wol-urd
n. The wind. "De Folkestone gals looked houghed black, Old waller'd roar'd about." - Dick and Sal, st. 23 And again - " De sun and sky begun look bright, An waller'd stopt his hiddin'." - st. 25.
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WAN wan
n. A wagon, not necessarily a van, as generally understood. - Sittingbourne. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WANKLE wonk-l
adj. Sickly; generally applied to a child, A man said of his wife that she was a "a poor wankle creature."
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WANTY
vb. To want. Anglo-Saxon conjugation.
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WAPS wops
n. A wasp. So haps for hasp etc.
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WAR WAPS waur-wops phr. Look out; beware.
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WARE n. Anything suitable for market or sale - ware-potatoes, ware-wood. - | R Cooke. | |
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WARP waup
n. Four things of any kind; as a warp of herrings.
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WARPS waups
n.pl. Distinct pieces of ploughed land separated by the furrows. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WARP-UP wau-p-up
vb. To plough land in warps, i.e., with ten, twelve or more ridges, on each side of which a furrow is left to carry off water.
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WASH wosh
n. (1) A basket used at Whitstable for measuring whelks, and containing about half a prickle, or ten strikes of oysters. Among the rates and dues of Margate Pier, Lewis gives, "For every wash of oysters, 3d." A prickle is twenty strikes, a strike is four bushels.
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WASH wosh
n. (2) Narrow paths cut in the woods to make the cants in a woodfall. A fall of ten acres would probably be washed unto six or seven cants. "You've no call to follow the main-track; keep down this here wash-way for about ten rods and you'll come right agin him."
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WASH wosh
vb. (3) To mark out with wash-ways.
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WASH-WAY wosh-wai
n. Narrow paths cut in the woods to make the cants in a woodfall. A fall of ten acres would probably be washed unto six or seven cants. "You've no call to follow the main-track; keep down this here wash-way for about ten rods and you'll come right agin him."
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WASTES wai-sts
n. Waste lands.
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WATER-BURN waa-tur-burn
n. The phosphorescent appearance of the sea. "It is much disliked by the herring-yawlers, as the cunning fish can then see the net and will not go into it." - F. Buckland.
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WATER-GALLS waa-tur-gaulz
n.pl. Jelly-fish. - Dover. (see also Blue Slutters, Galls, Miller's-eyes, Sea-nettles, Sea starch, Sluthers, Slutters, Stingers)
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WATER-TABLE waa-tur-tai-bl
n. The little ditch at the side of the road, or a small indentation across a road, for carrying off the water.
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WATTLE wot-l
n. A hurdle made like a gate, of split wood, used for folding sheep. (see also Wattle-gates.)
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WATTLE-GATES wot-l-gaits
n. A hurdle made like a gate, of split wood, used for folding sheep. (see also Wattle)
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WAUR waur
n. Sea-wrack; a marine plant (Zostera marina), much used for manure. Anglo-Saxon, war, waar. "Alga, waar;" Corpus Glossary (8th century) (see also Oare, Sea-waur, Waure)
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WAURE
n. (2) Seaweed. An almost extinct dialect word used by the old-time sea-weed gatherers who sold this produce of the sea to inland farmers to use upon the land as fertiliser, Margate, Ramsgate and Kingsgate were the seaside resorts where this word was mostly used.
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WAURE
n. (1) Sea-wrack; a marine plant (Zostera marina), much used for manure. Anglo-Saxon, war, waar. "Alga, waar;" Corpus Glossary (8th century) (see also Oare, Sea-waur, Waur)
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WAX-DOLLS waks-dolz
n. Fumaria officinalis. So called from the doll-like appearance of its little flowers.
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WAY-GRASS
n. A weed; knot-grass. Polygonum aviculare.
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WEALD wee-ld
n. The Weald of Kent is the wood, or wooded part of Kent, which was formerly covered with forest, but is now for the most part cultivated.
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WEASEL-SNOUT wee-zl-snout
n. The toad flax. Linaria vulgaris. (see also Hen and chickens) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WEATHER
n. Bad weather. "'Tis middlin' fine now; but there's eversomuch weather coming up."
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WEEKERS
n. Ears. "Ain't young Francis got great big weekers." - Ashford and district. (see also
Arkies) | ||
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WELFING n. The covering of a drain. | welf-in | |
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WELLEN n.pl. Wells. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 20 |
WELTER welt-ur vb. To wither. "The leaves begin to welter." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 18 |
WENCE wens- n. The centre of cross-roads. (see also Went) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 18 |
WENT went
n. (1) A way. At Ightham, Seven Vents is the name of a place where seven roads meet. The plural of wents is frequently pronounced wens. Middle English, went, a way; from the verb to wend. (see also Wence)
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WENT
n. (2) A green way on the edge of a field. This word occurs in a M.S. dated 1356, which describes the bounds and limits of the parish of Eastry, "And froo the weye foreseyd called wenis, extende the boundes and lymmites of the pishe of Easterye by a wey called lyste towards the easte." - Memorials of Eastry, p 28. see also Lyste-way)
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WENTS
n.pl. Used for the route of a plough along the furrows i.e. up-and-down the field. - Nicky Newbury 1978.
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WERR wur
adv. Very; "werr like," very like.
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WERREN
n.pl. Wars. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
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WERRY wer-r'i
n. A weir. The Abbot of Faversham owned the weir in the sea at Seasalter. It was called Snowt-werry in the time of Henry 7th, afterwards Snowt-weir.
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WET wet
vb. "To wet the tea" is to pour a little boiling water on the tea; this is allowed to stand for a time before the teapot is filled up. "To wet a pudding" is to mix it; so the baker is said to wet his bread when he moistens his flour.
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WETER
n. Water. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
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WET-FOOT wet-fuot
adj. To get the feet wet or damp. "He came home wet-foot, and set there wid-out taking off his boots, and so he caught his death."
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WHAT-FOR wot-fur
inter.adv. What kind or sort of? "What-for day is't?" i.e., what kind of day is it? "What-for a man is he?" "What-for a lot of cherries is there this year?" So in German, was für.
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WHAT'N
inter.pron. What sort; what kind. "Then you can see what'n a bug he be?" Short for what kin, i.e., what kind.
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WHATSAY wot-sai
interog. phr. Contracted from "What do you say?" Generally used in Kent and Sussex before answering a question, even when the question is perfectly understood.
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WHEATKIN wit-kin
n. A supper for servants and work-folks, when the wheat is all cut; the feast at the end of hop-picking is called a hop-kin. (see also Hopkin, Huffkin, Hufkin)
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WHEAT-SHEAR wee-t-sheer vb. To cut wheat.
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WHEELER
n. A wheelwright.
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WHELST
Whilst. Present dialect form i.e. 1863. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'.
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WHER wur
conj.Whether. "I ax'd 'im wher he would or not, an he sed, 'No.' " A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WHICKET FOR WHACKE wik-it fur wak-it
phr. A phrase; meaning the same as "Tit for tat." (see also Quitter for quatter) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WHIFFLE wif-l
vb. To come in gusts; to blow hither and thither; to turn and curl about. "'Tis de wind whiffles it all o' one side." (see also Wiffle)
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WHILK wilk
vb. To complain; to mutter. "He went off whilkin when I couldn't give him nothing." (see also Whitter, Winder, Witter)
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WHIP-STICKS wip-stiks adv. Quickly; directly.
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WHIRTLE-BERRIES wurt-l-ber-r'iz n.pl. Bilberries.
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WHISPERING THE DEAT
phr. When the master or mistress dies, or other members of a family, where bees are kept, it is customary (in Eastry) for some one to go to the hives and whisper to the bees, that the person is dead. The same custom is observed with regard to cattle and sheep, as a writer in 'Notes and Queries' thus notes: "For many years Mr.Upton resided at Dartford Priory, and farmed the lands adjacent. In 1868, he died. After his decease, his son told the writer (A.J.Dunkin) that the herdsmen went to each of the kine and sheep, and whispered to them that their old master was dead."
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WHIST wist
adj. Quiet; silent. "Stand whist! I can hear de ole rabbut!" 1593 - "When all were whist, King Edward thus bespoke, 'Hail Windsor, where I sometimes tooke delight To hawke and hunt, and backe the proudest horse.'" - Peele: Honor of the Garter.
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WHIST-QUIRT
vb. To be very quiet. "Now you young uns keep whist-quirt, while your old granfer has his nap!" -Wealden and Ashford and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page
WHIST-QUIRT FELLER
adj. A very quiet fellow. "He be a whist-quirt feller!" - Wealden and Ashford and district.
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WHITE-THROAT weit-throa-t
n. The bird so called is rarely spoken of without the adjective jolly being prefixed, e.g., "There'a a jolly white-throat."
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WHITTEN wit-n
n. The wayfaring tree. Viburnum lantana.
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WHITTER wit-ur
vb. To complain; to mutter. "He went off whilkin when I couldn't give him nothing." (see also Whilk, Winder, Witter)
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WHOOT woot
vb. Word of command to a cart-horse, "Go to the off side." - East Kent. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WHORLBARROW wurl-bar'
n. Wheelbarrow. - West Kent.
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WIBBER wib-ur
n. (1) A wheelbarrow. Short for wilber, a contraction of wheelbarrow. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WIBBER wib-ur
vb. (2) To use a wibber. "I wibber'd out a wibberfull."
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WID wid
prep.With. "I'll be wid ye in a minnit," e.g., I will be with you in a minute. So widout, for without.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIED
n. Weed. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
WIEVED
n. Altar. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Weoved (weved) . It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic. (see also Wyeved)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
WIFES AND PRIGES
n. Used in thatching.- Throwby Oversers' Accounts for 1640 - Pat Winzar 1978. (see also Wiff 1)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 18
WIFF
vb. (2) To stink. "Doesn't it whiff?" - Plumstead, West Kent. L.R.A.G. 1920's. (see also Fargo, Fogo, Hoogoo, Hum (2), Hussle, Ponk)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 18
WIFF wif
n. (1) A with, withy or bond, for binding fagots. Formerly only the large kind of fagot, which went by the name of kiln-bush, was bound with two wiffs, other smaller kinds with one. By now, as a rule, all fagots are tied with two wiffs.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIFFLE wif-l
vb. To come in gusts; to blow hither and thither; to turn and curl about. "'Tis de wind whiffles it all o' one side." (see also Whiffle)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIG wig
vb. To anticipate; over-reach; balk; cheat.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WIK wik
n. A week. "He'll have been gone a wik, come Monday." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WILK wil-k
n. A periwinkle. Anglo-Saxon, wiloc.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WILLIES
phr. To give the willies - to exasperate. - Plumstead, West Kent. L R A G when a boy. (see also Gripes, to give the)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 18
WILLJILL wil-jil
n. An hermaphrodite.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WILLOW-GULL wil-oagul-
n. The Salix caprea; so called from the down upon it resembling the yellow down of a young gosling, which they call in Kent a gull.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIMBLE wimb-l
n. (1) An instrument for boring holes, turned by a handle; still used by wattle makers. 1533 - "For a stoke (stock, i.e. handle) for a nayle wymbyll." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Wymbyll)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIMBLE wimb-l
n. (2) An instrument for twisting the bonds with which trusses of hay are bound up.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIND weind
vb. To twist; to warp. Thus, a board shrunk or swelled, so as to be warped, is said to wind; and when it is brought straight again it is said to be "out of winding." So a poor old man in the Eastry Union Workhouse, who suffered much from rheumatism once told me, "I had a terrible poor night surely, I did turn and wind so."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WIND-BIBBER wind-bib-r
n. A haw. The fruit of Cratoegus oxyacantha. (see also Haulms and Figs) A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 18
WINDER wind-r
vb. (1) To whimper. "'Twas downright miserable to hear him keep all on windering soonsever he come down of a morning, cos he'd got to go to school." (see also Whilk,Whitter, Witter)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WINDER wind-r
n. (2) A widgeon.
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WINDGE
n. Wind, or belching, in an infant's stomach. "My baby had got a touch of the windge." "My baby is very windgey) - Maidstone and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 98
WINDGEY
adj. A baby suffering from wind may be called "A windgey little fellow" or "A windgey little girl." - Maidstone and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 98
WINDROW wind-roa
n. Sheaves of corn set up in a row, one against another, that the wind may blow betwixt them; or a row of grass thrown up lightly for the same purpose in haymaking.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WINDY-FIED
adj. Pertaining to windy weather. "It be proper windy-fied today, sir!" - Wealden and Ashford and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 98
WINGINESS
n. The state of wind or belching in a baby. "My baby suffers from windginess." - Maidstone and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 98
WINTER-PROUD
adj. Said of corn which is too forward for the season in a mild winter. A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
WIPS wips
n. For wisp; like waps for wasp. (Middle-English, wips, a wisp). Anything bundled up or carelessly thrown up on a heap; as, "The cloaths lie in a wips," i.e., tumbled, in disorder. The spelling wips occurs in the Rawlinson MS of Piers the Plowman, B. 5. 351, foot note.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WIRE-WEED
n. The common knot-grass. Polygonum aviculare.
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WITTER wit-ur
vb. To murmur; to complain; to wimper; to make a peevish, fretting noise. (see also Whilk, Whitter, Winder)
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WITTERY wit-ur'i
adj. Peevish; fretful.
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Page 19
WITTY wit-i
adj. Well-informed; knowing; cunning; skilful. "He's a very witty man, I can tell ye." "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions." - Proverbs, ch 8 v 12.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WIVVER wiv-ur
vb. To quiver; to shake.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
WOADMEL
n. A rough material made of coarse wool. ". . . One yeard of greene wodmole for an aprune at 12d." - Sandwich Book of Orphans. (see also Wodmole)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WOBBLER
n. A warbler; either as a singer, or the birds or insects. "Listen to that wobbler singing in the hedge." "Old Chawse he be a rare fine wobbler." - Wealden and Ashford and district.
The Dialect of Kent (c1950) Page 99
WODENESS
n. Madness. - Act book of Rochester 9f 1956 in Hammond, 'The Story of an Outpost Parish', p 168.
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page 19
WODEWEN
n.pl. Widows. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
WODMOLE
n. A rough material made of coarse wool. ". . . One yeard of greene wodmole for an aprune at 12d." - Sandwich Book of Orphans. (see also Woadmel)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WOMBEN
n.pl. Bellies (wombs) Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
WONDEN
n.pl. Wounds. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
WONLY won-li
adv. Only.
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Page 19
WOOD-FALL
n. A tract of underwood marked out to be cut. The underwood for hop-poles is felled about every twelve years.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WOOD-NOGGIN
n. A term applied to half-timbered houses.
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WOOD-REEVE wuod-reev
n. (2) Sometimes, in North Kent, men who buy lots of standing wood and cut it down to sell for firing; are also called wood-reeves. (see also Wood-shuck)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WOOD-REEVE wuod-reev
n. (1) A woodman; woodcutter; forester; an officer charged with the care and management of woods. 1643 - "Spent upon our wood reefe for coming to give us notice of some abuses done to our wood." - MS. Account, St John's Hospital, Canterbury.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WOOD-SHUCK wuod-shuk
n. A buyer of felled wood. (see also Wood-reeve (2)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WOPTIDDYWOPWOP
n. A horse game, played by Maidstone boys. "Buck, buck, how many fingers have I up." In West Kent and South East London the game is called Woptiddywopwop. - L.R.A.G.1930's & 1940's. (see also Hop-periwinkle)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page
WORKISH wurk-ish
adj. Bent upon work; industrious. "He's a workish sort of a chap." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WORKY-DAYS wurk-i-dai
n. Work-day, in contradistinction to Sunday. "He's gone all weathers, Sunday and worky- day, these seven years." (see also Sundays and worky-days)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WORM wirm
n. A corkscrew.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
WORRIT wur-r'it
vb. To worry. "He's been a worritin' about all the mornin' because he couldn't find that there worm."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WORST wirst
vb. To defeat; to get the better of; to overthrow. "He's worsted hisself this time, I fancy, through along o' bein' so woundy clever."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WOUNDY wou-ndi
adv. Very
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WRAXEN rak-sun
vb. To grow out of bounds (said of weeds); to infect; to taint with disease. (see also Rexon, Wrexon)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WRECHEN
n.pl. Wretches. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
WREEST reest
n. That part of a Kentish plough which takes on and off, and on which it rests against the land ploughed up.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WREXON rek-sun
vb. To grow out of bounds (said of weeds); to infect; to taint with disease. (see also Rexon, Wraxen)
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WRING ring
vb. (1) To blister, "I wrung my shoulder with carrying a twenty-stale ladder."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WRING ring
vb. (2) To be wet.
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WRONGS, TO rongz
adv. Out of order. "There's not much to wrongs." The antithetical phrase 'to rights' is common enough, but 'to wrongs' is rarely heard out of Kent.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
WRONGTAKE rong-taik vb. To misunderstand a person.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WURR
vb. Were; they were. etc. - Wealden and Ashford and district. The Dialect of Kent (c1950)
Page 99
WUT wut
vb. Word of command to a cart-horse to stop.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
WUTS wuts
n.pl. Oats.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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WYCHEN
n.pl. Witches. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
WYEVED
n. Altar. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. Usual Old English forms = Weoved (weved). It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy-epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Wieved)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 17
WYGEN
n.pl. Wings. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
WYMBYLL wimb-l
n. An instrument for boring holes, turned by a handle; still used by wattle makers. 1533 - "For a stoke (stock, i.e. handle) for a nayle wymbyll." - Accounts of St. John's Hospital, Canterbury. (see also Wimble (1)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 18
WYSEN
n.pl. Ways. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
YAFFLE yaf-l
n. (1) The green woodpecker.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
YAFFLE yaf-l
vb. (2) To eat or drink greedily, so as to make a noise. "So when we lickt de platters out An yoffled down de beer; I sed to Sal, less walk about, And try and find de fair." - Dick and Sal, st. 66. (see also Yoffle, Yuffle)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YALD
adj. Old. 'ea '= 'y'. Yald (yeald) = eald = old. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 19
YAR yaar
adj. Brisk; nimble; swift. "Their ships are yare; yours, heavy." - Antony and Cleopatra, Act 3 Sc. 7. (see also Yare)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YARD yaa-d
n. A rood; a measure of land. "A yard of wood" costs 6s.8d., in the Old Parish Book of Wye. (see Lambarde's Perambulation, p 257)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YARE yair
adj. Brisk; nimble; swift. "Their ships are yare; yours, heavy." - Antony and Cleopatra, Act 3 Sc. 7. (see also Yar)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) | Page | 19 |
YARM n. Arm. 'ea' = 'y'. Yarm = earm= arm. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 20 |
YAUGH yau-l
adj. Dirty; nasty; filthy.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
YAWL yau-l
vb. When the herrings come off Folkestone the boats all go out with their fleets of nets "yawling," i.e., the nets are placed in the water and allowed to drive along with the tide, the men occasionally taking an anxious look at them, as it is a lottery whether they come across the fish or not. - F.Buckland.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YAWNUP yau-nup
n. A lazy and uncouth fellow.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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YAX yaks
n. The axle-tree. Anglo-Saxon, eax. pronounced nearly the same (yaaks) (see also Ax)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YEAR
n. Ear. 'ea' = 'y'. Year = ear.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 19
YELD yeld
vb. To yield. "'Tis a very good yelding field though it is so cledgy." A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
YELLOW STOCKINGS, pu
phr. When in dry weather hop-leaves turn yellow, this is called 'fire-blast', also 'putting on the yellow stockings'. - R Cooke. (see also Fire-blast)
Notes on 'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect & Provincialisms' (c1977) Page
YELLOW-BOTTLE yel-oa-bot-l
n. The corn marigold. Chrysanthemum segetum.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
YENLADE yen-laid
n. This word is applied by Lewis to the north and south mouths of the estuary of the Wantsum, which made Thanet an island. The Anglo-Saxon, gén-lád, means a discharg ing of a river into the sea, or of a smaller river into a larger one. ( Bede, Hist. Eccl. lib. 4. c. 8) (see also Yenlet)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YENLET
n. This word is applied by Lewis to the north and south mouths of the estuary of the Wantsum, which made Thanet an island. The Anglo-Saxon, gen-lad, means a discharg ing of a river into the sea, or of a smaller river into a larger one. ( Bede, Hist. Eccl. lib. 4. c. 8) (see also Yenlade)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YEOMAN yoa-mun
n. A person farming his own estate. "A knight of Cales (i.e., Cadiz), A gentleman of Wales, And a laird of the north countree; A yeoman of Kent With his yearly rent Will buy 'em out all three." - Kentish Proverbs.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YERD
n. Yard. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340 , contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
YERTH
n. Earth. 'ea' = 'y'. Yerth = earth.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 19
YESTRE
n. Easter. 'ea' = 'y'. Yestre = Easter.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 19
YET yet
adv. Used redundantly as, "neither this nor yet that."
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
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YET-NA yet-na
adv. Yet; as "he is not come home yet-na." Here the suffix 'na' is due to the preceding not, Negatives were often thus reduplicated in Old English.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YEXLE yex-l
n. An axle.
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Page 19
YMPEN
n.pl. Branches. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
YOFFLE yof-l
vb. To eat or drink greedily, so as to make a noise. "So when we lickt de platters out An yoffled down de beer; I sed to Sal, less walk about, And try and find de fair." - Dick and Sal, st. 66. (see also Yaffle (2), Yuffle)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YOKE yoak
n. (1) A farm or tract of land of an uncertain quantity. It answers to the Latin, jugum. Cake's Yoke is the name of a farm in the parish of Crundale. It would seem to be such a measure of land as one yoke of oxen could plough and till.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YOKE yoak
n. (2) The time (eight hours) for a team to work. Thus, when the horses go out in the early morning and work all day till about two o'clock, and then come home to their stable, they make what is called "one yoke;" but sometimes, when there is a great pressure of work, they will make "two yokes," going out as before and coming home for a bait at ten o'clock, and then going out for further work at one and coming home finally at six pm.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YOKELET
n. An old name in Kent for a little farm or manor.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
YOUR'N yeurn
poss.pron. Yours. (see also His'n, Ourn)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888)
Page 19
YOWL you-l
vb. To howl. "Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grate tour Resouneth of his youling and clamour." - Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 419.
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
YUFFLE yuf-l
vb. To eat or drink greedily, so as to make a noise. "So when we lickt de platters out An yoffled down de beer; I sed to Sal, less walk about, And try and find de fair." - Dick and Sal, st. 66. (see also Yaffle (2), Yoffle)
A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms (1888) Page 19
ZAND
n. Sand. 'The only consonal differences worthy of notice in the ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are the use of 'v' for 'f'; and 'z' for 's'.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 19
ZANG
n. Song. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
ZAULEN
n.pl. Souls. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
ZAW
vb. Sow. The Northumbrian dialect retained, as it still does, many pure Anglo-Saxon words containing the long sound of 'a', which the Southern dialect changed into 'o'. This word contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, resembles the Northumbrian form.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
ZEALD
vb. Sold. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Zyeald)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
ZECK
n. Sack. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
ZED
adj Sad. Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
ZELF
n. Self. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Zelf (K) = Sulve (S) = Silf
(N) = Self
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 16
ZENGE
vb. Singe. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Zenge (K) = Singe (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 16
ZENK
vb. Sink. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'. Senk (K) = Sink (N)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 16
ZENNE
n. Sin. Old Kentish 'e' replaces Northern ' i' and Southern 'u'.( Zenne (K) = Sunne (S) = Sin
(N) (see also Senne)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 16
ZENNEN
n.pl. Sins. Noun forming plural in 'en'.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863)
Page 20
ZETERDAY
n. Saturday Use of 'e' for 'a'. Old Frisian bend=band; stef=staff; sterk=stark; weter= water. The 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, contains this word.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
ZI
vb. See. Exactly corresponding to Old Frisian. It is probable, from the forms bry-est, dy- epe, etc, that these words were dissyllabic (see also Si)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 17 |
ZIDEN n.pl. Sides. Noun forming plural in 'en'. The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) | Page | 20 |
ZINGE
vb. Sing. 'The only consonal differences worthy of notice in the ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are the use of 'v' for 'f'; and 'z' for 's'.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 19
ZONE
n. Son. 'The only consonal differences worthy of notice in the ' Ayenbite of Inwyt', 1340, are the use of 'v' for 'f'; and 'z' for 's'.'
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 19
ZOSTER
n. Sister (suster). Use of 'o' for 'u'. Old Frisian; onder and op for under and up.
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 14
ZYEALD
vb. Sold. Dissyllabic pronounciation contained in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340. 'This practice not only agrees with the present custom of the Frisians, but was, no doubt, that of the Anglo-Saxons.' (see also Zeald)
The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century. (1863) Page 18
References
'A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms: in use in the county of Kent' by W.D.Parish and W.F.Shaw (Lewes: Farncombe,1888)
'The Dialect of Kent: being the fruits of many rambles' by F. W. T. Sanders (Private limited edition, 1950). Every attempt was made to contact the author to request permission to incorporate his work without success. His copyright is hereby acknowledged.
'A Dictionary of Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms' : in use in the county of Kent by W.D.Parish and W.F.Shaw (Lewes: Farncombe,1888) Annotated copy by L. R. Allen Grove and others (1977)
'The Dialect of Kent in the 14th Century by Richard Morris' (Reprinted from Archaeologia Cantiana Vol VI, 1863)
Acknowledgements
With thanks to the Centre for Kentish Studies, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent Database by Camilla Harley
A Directory of Medical Personnel Qualified and Practising in the Diocese of Canterbury, circa 1560-1730
1
PAPER No. 021
A Directory of Medical Personnel Qualified and Practising
in the Diocese of Canterbury, circa 1560-1730
Ian Mortimer, BA MA PhD FRHistS RMSA
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2
Introduction
The question of how many medical practitioners served urban and rural communities in the
early modern period has exercised social historians for many years. A century ago, the
seventeenth century provincial practitioner was looked upon as a rare beast, more often than
not a quack or charlatan, with the vast majority of ‘proper’ physicians being resident in
London. This view was strongly reinforced by early historians of medicine, who, as a result of
their eagerness to demonstrate how society had been improved by the profession,
concentrated on applauding the achievements of the great men of science. Of course, many of
these great men emerged from the provinces - Kent’s own William Harvey is a prime example
- but they tended to base themselves either in the university towns or London, and their work
was anything but routine or characteristic of the profession as a whole. Although local records
often revealed practitioners functioning successfully in localities, and evcn gaining wealth,
status and political eminence in towns, the idea that there was a large cardre of provincial
physicians, surgeons and apothecaries was normally dismissed.
This view first came to be challenged in the 1960s. In 1961, McConaghey used
ecclesiastical records (particularly those of the diocese of Exeter) to describe the licensing
system over the period from the mid-sixteenth century to the mid-eighteenth, and
churchwardens’ and municipal accounts to illustrate the medical relief available to the poor.1
In so doing he demonstrated that there were several hundred licensed practitioners in Devon
and Cornwall between the late sixteenth and mid eighteenth centuries. The following year
John Raach’s much more straightforward solution appeared, entitled A Directory of English
Country Physicians 1603-1643.
2
In this he identified a total of 814 'doctors' for the provincial
counties in the period. Unfortunately, his definition of a 'doctor' was influenced heavily by
earlier historians of metropolitan medical practitioners, who had adopted contemporary elitist
terminology to exclude anyone who was not a licensed physician or the holder of a M.D.
degree, and he excluded surgeons, apothecaries, females and unorthodox practitioners.
Nevertheless, it was a good point well-made: London was not the sole source of medical
expertise in the early seventeenth century, nor even the main one for the majority of the
population.
Very soon afterwards, R.S. Roberts shifted the question on to a much more
sophisticated and professional level an influential article in the journal Medical History.
3
In
his opening lines Roberts demonstrated why the history of medicine in the provinces had been
1
R.M.S. McConaghey, 'The history of rural medical practice' in FNL Poynter (ed.), The Evolution of Medical
Practice in Britain (1961), pp. 117-143. 2
John Raach, A Directory of English Country Physicians 1603-1643 (1962). 3
R.S. Roberts, 'The personnel and practice of medicine in Tudor and Stuart England: part 1: the provinces',
Medical History vi, 4 (1962), pp. 363-382.
3
ignored, stating 'the smallness of the number of physicians who belonged to the exclusive
College of Physicians has made it appear that the mass of the people who lived outside
London relied for medical attention on quacks'.4
In the same opening paragraph he drew
attention to the important implications of Raach's work, and moreover demonstrated its
limitations, suggesting that it was wrong for historians to ignore surgeons and apothecaries in
any systematic appraisal of practitioner availability in provincial England. Over the next two
pages he developed this theme, introducing for the first time the key methodological problems
which inform the debate to this day. He questioned the validity of a list along the lines of
Raach's, as the recorded presence of a M.D. or a M.B. in a particular place does not
necessarily imply that he practised there, and many such men indeed had retired. Most
importantly, he questioned the very nature of the provincial physician's training and
occupational identity. In his words:
A directory of physicians implies that the term physician is a fairly distinct type of medical
practitioner performing a function in medicine not carried out by the subordinate
apothecaries or surgeons. This of course has usually been assumed to be so until the
apothecary became a general practitioner some time after the Plague, and contemporary
writers... all believed in such a hierarchical and differentiated professional structure. Thus
there is no hint in the Directory that in fact some of the people listed were surgeons and
apothecaries by training who at this early date took out episcopal licences to establish, or
confirm their practice. This fact is important for when such men became 'physicians' they
did not practise in the same way as the true consultant-like physicians, whose prescribed
treatment was actually carried out by apothecaries and surgeons. This new type of
physician kept his apothecary's or surgeon's shop, run by apprentices, and did all the
treatment himself.5
This is the crux of the problem. What is a medical practitioner? Two or three hundred years
before the advent of the modern Medical Register, it is not easy to say. Is it accurate to call a
grocer who deals in medicinal substances and is occasionally called an apothecary by his
clients a medical practitioner? Should we not refer to an experienced woman whose
profession is nursing the sick and healing children’s ailments also as a medical practitioner?
In this work Roberts singlehandedly showed the weaknesses of the traditional approach and
opened the gate to the modern study of the social history of medicine.
The identification of practitioners by name continues to have validity, however,
especially when combined with more recent numerical modelling and sampling techniques.
Perhaps the most influential essay on the social history of medicine yet published, by
Margaret Pelling and Charles Webster’s 1979 essay, ‘Medical Practitioners’, used a very
similar methodology, ennumerating the numbers of practitioners active in a locality at a
4
Roberts, 'Personnel and practice', p. 363.
5
Roberts, 'Personnel and practice', pp. 364-5.
4
specific time and comparing this with the local population.6
They identified sufficient
‘practitioners’ (defined as anyone who was practising medicine, excluding nurses and
midwives) to suggest practitioner:population ratios of 1:400 in London at the end of the
sixteenth century and 1:220 in Norwich (a figure later revised by Pelling to 1:200).7
Although
they found it difficult to expand on this and suggest how many practitioners were operating in
rural areas, the point had been emphatically made. In 1600 there were more practitioners per
head of the urban population than there were in a twentieth-century city.
No real advance on this position was made until recently. In 2002 the present writer
examined the probate accounts for the dioceses of Canterbury, Salisbury (including the
archdeaconry of Berkshire) and Chichester in order to quantify changes in medical assistance
purchased on behalf of the seriously ill and dying in the seventeenth century. The Canterbury
collections proved extraordinarily rewarding. They suggest that between c.1590 and c.1710
there was an increase of between 360% and 1,130% in the use of medicine and medical
advice by the seriously ill and dying (depending on social status and geographical location,
the rural poor seeing the greatest change). As a result, there may be no doubt that the
seventeenth century saw the medicalisation of society in East Kent, in the sense that at the
start of the period few individuals except the rich sought the help of occupationally-defined
medical practitioners when seriously ill - most relied on amateur, family and local help -
whereas by 1700 almost all non-destitute people had access to medical practitioners or
specially prepared apothecarial wares deemed suitable for their needs.8
This massive increase in the use of medical strategies to cope with illness and injury
begs one very important question. How was this possible? Traditionally the answer has been
the assumption that more competition must mean more business, which in turn must mean
more businessmen or practitioners. But as Pelling and Webster’s essay suggests, there were
many practitioners operating in London and Norwich c.1600, so where would be the evidence
for a massive increase in their numbers?
Fortunately, in East Kent it is possible to answer this question in detail, partly using the
probate accounts themselves. This is because one may determine reasonably accurately how
many practitioners were operating in c.1690 compared to c.1620. The details of payments to
named practitioners allow us to calculate how deficient a directory of names built up from
licensing and similar records may be. The result is that the numbers of occupationally-defined
medical practitioners (excluding nurses) in East Kent was an average of about 191 in the
6
Margaret Pelling and Charles Webster, 'Medical Practitioners' in Charles Webster (ed.), Health, medicine and
morality in the sixteenth century (Cambridge, 1979), pp. 165-236. 7
Margaret Pelling, 'Tradition and diversity: medical practice in Norwich 1550-1640' in Instituto Nazionale de
Studi sul Rinascimento, Scienze Credenze Occulte Livelli di Cultura, Convegno Internazionale 1980 (Florence,
1982), pp. 159-171.
8
See Ian Mortimer, ‘The Triumph of the Doctors’, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, sixth series, xv
(2005), pp. 97-116.
5
period 1620-40 and about 195 in the period 1670-1710.9
These figures imply
practitioner:population ratios for the diocese of about 1:370 for the earlier decades and 1:410
for the later, commensurate with the 1:400 proposed by Pelling and Webster for sixteenth
century London in ‘Medical Practitioners’.10
So who were they, these medical practitioners who provided this medical revolution to
the people of East Kent? While we cannot answer this question in every case, it is possible to
give an indication for the majority. Just as the probate accounts for the diocese of Canterbury
are without parallel, the records of diocesan licensing are very good indeed, including not
only grants of licences but (after 1660) applications to obtain licences to practise medicine.
The records of Canterbury freemen are also available, so too the records of those from Oxford
and Cambridge for those who obtained medical degrees and/or licenses to practise medicine.
Raach’s directory is not without its uses, and the indexes at the Centre for Kentish Studies of
probate material - such as wills and inventories - give many more references to medical men.
All these sources were used for compiling this directory.
The most important source by far for this directory, however, is the collection of
probate accounts. There are three crucial reasons why this is so. The first has already been
alluded to: by comparing the qualified practitioners with the active ones, we can work out the
proportions of active practitioners who had no qualification and who would otherwise not
appear in such a directory (and make allowance for them in quantifying their numbers). The
second reason follows on from this: we can also often name and locate these ‘unqualified’
individuals on the basis of their records of activity, allowing us systematically to amplify this
directory in a way possible for no other diocese in England. This is important, for it reveals
that many well-established practitioners were operating with no known official identity with
the acquiesence (tacit or otherwise) of the local authorities. Although in order to charge for
performing medical services, any practitioner was legally required to hold a licence or a
medical degree, at least forty per cent of Kentish practitioners had no such qualification.
Some of these were apothecaries who only supplied medicines, and did not prescribe them,
but many ‘physicians’ and ‘surgeons’ were sanctioned only by local trust. As the present
writer has argued elsewhere, this suggests that although the licensing system was deficient in
many respects, it formed part of a local means of medical control.11 Lack of a licence could be
used as a means of controlling those practitioners who fell foul of local trust, or moved their
practices into a locality against the interests of a trusted practitioner, or without the
9
Ian Mortimer, ‘Medical Assistance to the Dying in Provincial Southern England, c.1570-1720’ (PhD thesis, 2
vols, University of Exeter, 2004), i, pp. 157-8. It should be noted that the number is not static, due to the
cessation of ecclesiastical licences during the Commonwealth. It is perhaps most likely that the number of
practitioners was declining by c.1680.
10 This is based on an estimate of the population of the diocese derived from parish returns for the Compton
Census of 1676. See Mortimer,’Medical Assistance to the Dying’, I 129-30 ; Peter Brandon and Brian Short,
The South East from AD 1000 (1990), pp. 190-6.’
11 Ian Mortimer, ‘Diocesan licensing and medical practitioners in South-West England, 1660-1780’, Medical
History, 48, 1 (January 2004), pp. 49-68.
6
acquiesence of the local gentry. Otherwise local support was sufficient licence in itself. Thus,
although Kent shows a higher preportion of licentiates among its practitioners than elsewhere
in southern England, it also shows a high toleration of unlicensed practitioners and a
commensurate high level of trust in their services.
The third reason why the probate accounts are the most important single source
underlying this directory is the question of practitioner identities. Hitherto practitioners have
tended to be described as falling into one of three camps: the physicians (those who advised
and prescribed), the surgeons (those who cut into the body and attended to the outer skin), and
the apothecaries (those who supplied medicines). Historians have realised for a long time that
this is too rigid an understanding to be applied in every case, but only through a study of the
probate accounts has it become apparent how loosely it applied. Many practitioners who
obtained a licence to practise surgery were described as ‘doctor’ by their patients, especially
after 1660. Many apothecaries who were supplying physic were also supplying advice, and
performing the role of a physician, often with the result that they were called ‘physician’ or
‘doctor’ by their clients. In the modern, qualification-dominated world, we would normally
say that a man licensed to practise surgery was a surgeon, or a freeman apothecary was an
apothecary and not a physician, but this was not necessarily so in the seventeenth century. If a
man had a shop from which he sold medicines, he was an apothecary to his clients, regardless
of whether he held a licence to perform surgery and regardless of whether he was officially a
freeman or not. Alternatively, a physician who practised surgery on occasion was no less a
physician for the diversity of his trade, although it would not be incorrect for the beneficiaries
of his surgery to describe him as a surgeon. In some cases a practitioner was described as an
apothecary and as a physician and also held a licence to practise surgery. In short, practitioner
identities were very loose, and as our evidence is so often directly contradictory, it is clear
that most medical practitioners were fulfilling a range of medical roles, especially after 1660.
Format
The following directory includes a total of 832 entries to named practitioners, plus a few
'supplementary' entries (included on account of the difficulty in determining to which
practitioner they relate). All of these were working - and almost all were also resident - in the
diocese of Canterbury. Practitioners noted as resident elsewhere have only been included if
they are known to have practised within the diocese on the evidence of payments, e.g. John
Kevell of Rye, Sussex. Famous practitioners who were born or grew up in Kent have not been
included unless there is evidence of their practising within the diocese. Thus this list does not
include such Kentish medical illuminaries as William Harvey, Robert Sprackling, Thomas
Hall, Edward Bodenham, Robert Conny or Robert Fludd. Fifty-three names have been
7
included without a very firm foundation for regarding them as practitioners; these have been
included on the strength of a payment to them in the probate accounts for providing medicines
or physic. Some of these will be references to apothecaries, but others will be reimbursements
to non-medical people for obtaining medicines on behalf of the dying person. Nevertheless,
even if all fifty-three entries relate to reimbursements, it is by far the most complete directory
of practitioners for early modern England yet compiled, with 779 names for 170 years.
Entries here appear in two parts. The first part, headed by the name of the practitioner,
includes the official details about the practitioner derived (on the whole) from sources
associated directly with an official act, e.g. licensing, grants of probate, degrees etc. Within
the first part of the entry, the first line (in bold) is given over to the name of the practitioner
and his vital dates (where known); the second line is his professional identity and place of
residence (and/or place of practice, where an alternative is known); the third and fourth lines
include details of qualifications, and finally personal details (such as a grant of the
practitioner’s own probate) appear in the last line.
The second part of each entry relates to specific instances of medical assistance
payments, and are all taken from the Canterbury diocesan and archdeaconry probate accounts,
held in the Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone (CKS). These follow the following form:
Year: [Name of deceased] of [parish], [occupation, if known] ([gross value of the
deceased’s estate]) ‘transcript of entry’ [cause of death, if known; or ‘Multiple infection’
if more than one died of an unknown disease] (doc. reference),
for example:
1610: John Dunckin of Canterbury, Mr (£732) "Item paide unto Mr Charles Annot of
Canterburie chirurgion for medycine for the famylie of the said deceassed visited and
infected as afore is saide with the plawge and for his paines and diligence in attending on
the said famylie divers weekes together verie carefully" [Plague] (CKS PRC20/2/122).
In most cases, specific amounts paid have not been given as these tend to be confusing: in
some cases it is not possible to separate the medical payment here cited from other payments;
in other cases payments might include transport and thus be totally uncomparable with other
entries which list transport separately but which do not specify the practitioner’s name. Thus
almost all have been dropped, and researchers will need to consult the original documents (or
the microfilms of them). As for identifications, many of these are very tentative. The most
tentative are indicated by the entries being italicised. With regard to the date, it is important to
remember that the date prefixing each payment is the date of the account, which may be only
a few months after the death but which might be as much as ten or more years. Most entries,
however, will relate to medical help within the previous four years.
This list omits signatories of licence applications unless their presence and medical
qualifications (in the broadest sense) are confirmed, either by a by-line alongside the signature
on a licence application, or medical payments mentioned in the accounts. For example,
8
Nicholas and Robert Day are not included on this list, although they signed medical licence
applications. This is on the grounds that often signatories were men from outside the diocese,
especially London physicians.
This list also omits female practitioners. This is not due to a prejudice but rather to
reflect that in East Kent in the seventeenth century there was a striking line of demarcation
between male and female practitioners serving the seriously ill and dying in a paid medical (as
opposed to nursing) capacity. The medical identities which people here would recognise (e.g.
doctor, physician, surgeon, apothecary) were almost exclusively male. The only instances of
female surgeons specified in the probate accounts are two unnamed women. With regard to
female physicians, in all these thirteen thousand five hundred accounts, there are only two
unambiguous references to a woman being paid for giving medical advice to a seriously ill or
dying person (except to children, and with regard to midwifery and females’ skin complaints,
which lay outside the scope of the study for which this index was created). The first is a
payment of 32s on behalf of a man from Postling, ‘to one Mrs [blank] Wright of or about
Canterbury for phisick by her ministred to the said testator in the time of his sicknes and for
her advise thereabouts and her paynes and charges in coming and horsehire in fetching her
twise from Canterbury to Postling to doo the same’, in an account dated 1635 (CKS
PRC2/33/12.). The second is Mrs Jacob of Canterbury, who was almost certainly a member of
the very extensive family of practitioners based in that city, multitudes of references to whom
are included in this directory. In 1639 10s was paid on behalf of one William Maxted, ‘to Mrs
Jacob for her directions in physic’ (CKS PRC1/3/14). This Mrs Jacob was probably the same
as the Mrs Jacob mentioned in a 1649 account giving advice in conjunction with her son, 14s
being paid on behalf of a Canterbury man, ‘to Mrs Jacob and her son for their advice and
counsell and for physick had of them in the time of the said deceased's last sickness whereof
he died’ (CKS PRC1/8/36).12
With regard to sources: all references to Canterbury freemen have been taken from
Stella Corpe’s lists of the Freemen of Canterbury. It is not presumed that apprentices became
practitioners; and apprentices have been excluded from this list unless there is some other
evidence of service. All references to archiepiscopal licences which do not have a specific
reference to Haggis or Raach (see list of abbreviations) or a similar source have been taken
from the freely available indexes to the registers at Lambeth Palace
(http://www.lambethpalacelibrary.org/holdings/Catalogues/medics/medics_abc.html). The
original registers were not consulted. Similarly, references to degrees and licences from the
universities have been taken from the appropriate Alumni volume for each university. All
other sources have been cited in full or abbreviated form.
12 For further information about the medical roles of women in giving help to the dying and their children, and an
extensive discussion of the nursing roles of women in the period, see Mortimer, ‘Medical Assistance to the
Dying’, i, pp.241-2, and Chapter Five of the same thesis.
9
Abbreviations
App. Apprentice of, or apprenticed to
Arch. Archiepiscopal
B.D. Bachelor of Divinity
CKS Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone
D.D. Doctor of Divinity
Diocesan applicant Application for a diocesan licence to practise medicine or surgery
Haggis: Haggis MSS in the Welcome Library, London, MS 5341. The references such
as ‘'Liber G'’ refer to the original volume from which Haggis wook his information in
the diocesan collection (currently at Canterbury Cathedral Archives). The references
to page numbers are to the relevant archiepiscopal section of his index.
Jun. Junior
Lic. med. university or college licence to practise medicine
Matric. matriculated
M.B. Bachelor of Medicine
M.D. Doctor of Medicine
ODNB Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, 2004)
Raach: J Raach, 'A Directory of English Country Physicians 1603-43' (1962)
RCP Royal College of Physicians
Reg. Register
Sen. senior
Signatory Signed an application for a licence to practise medicine or surgery on behalf
of another practitioner.
Conventions
• Square [brackets] denoted editorial insertions, italic within these brackets being
editorial comment.
• Angled