Yorkshire Folk Talk

YORKSHIRE FOLK TALK:
Glossary

Cadge, v. C. To collect and convey articles or goods from one place to another, especially corn to the mill. To beg, or live partly by begging or picking up a livelihood anyhow.

Cadger, n. C. One who cadges; esp. one who collects corn and conveys it to the mill for grinding.

Cael, n. F. Vide Kale.

Caff, n. C. Chaff.

Caff-hearted, adj. F. Weak or faint-hearted.
Ex.- They 're nobbut caff-hearted uns; they seean gav ower,

Caingy, adj. C. Fretful, peevish, discontented: a term generally applied to children.
Ex.Thoo caingy lahtle thing: whist, wi ya!

Cake, v. C. To cackle as a goose, or as a hen when she wants to sit. Dan. At kvaekke (to cackle).

Call, v. C. To make use of abusive language towards a person; to call a person names to his face; to scold. This word is never used in the ordinary sense of summoning anyone to you; in that case call of or call on would be the term invariably employed. When one person calls another, and words run high, the pronoun thou is used, great emphasis being laid on that word; hence to thoo anyone is sometimes the equivalent for calling him names, though in ordinary parlance it is used as a mark of intimacy and friendship.
Ex.Sha called ma shamfullThey were calling yan another like all that.

Call, n. C. Occasion, necessity.
Ex.He 'd neea call ti saay that.

Call of, call on. Vide Call.
Calling, calleting, pres. part. of Callett, v. C. (pr. callin'). To gossip, to spread false reports, to act the talebearer. Generally used in the participial form.
Ex.Sha 's nobbut a plain 'an; sha 's awlus callin' aboot.

Calven-cow, n. C. (pr. cauven-coo). A cow which has lately calved. Dan. At kalve (to calve).

Cam, n. C.. An earthen ridge; esp. in form of a hedge-bank, which is also called a camside. O. N. Kambr; Dan. Kam (a comb, the top of a ridge of hills).
Ex.He 's fettlin up t' cam sides. Git them cams cleaned.

Cam, v. C. To form a cam.
Ex.Thoo 's camm'd it ower high.

Cambril, or Caum'ril, n. C. (generally pr. caum'ril). A notched piece of wood used by butchers on which to hang a slaughtered animal by the hind legs.

Canny, adj. C. (1) Knowing, intelligent, skilful. (2) Cautious, careful. (3) Advantageous, convenient. (4) Considerable, as to size, number, &c. Cannyish is a modification, of canny.
Ex.He 's a canny soort ov a chap.(2) Thoo 'll a'e ti be a bit canny wiv him.(3) It's a canny spot. (4) There'll be a canny bit on 't left.Great Ayton is commonly called Canny Yatton.

Cannily, adv. F. Knowingly, carefully, cautiously.
Ex.He mannished cannily eneeaf.

Cansh, n. F. Vide Kansh.
Canty, adj. R. Lively. Jutl. D. Kanter (lively).
Ex.Sha 's a canty au'd lass.

Cap, v. C. To surpass, exceed, excel; to astonish; to put a finishing touch upon. This word is of universal occurrence.
Ex.It caps owt, i.e. it exceeds everything; it is astonishing.Ah wer fair capp'd ti see 'em.Ah muck'd it weel t' last backend, an' that capp'd it. That last bottle capp'd ma (spoken to a doctor).

Capper, n. C. Super-excellent of its kind.
Ex.Noo, sitha; them 's cappers.

Carl, n. R. An opprobrious epithet, generally applied to one of weak intellect. Dan. En Karl (a man).
Ex.Thoo greeat carl.

Carlings, n. R. Peas which are prepared in a special manner and eaten on the Sunday before Palm Sunday, which used to be called Carling Sunday. The custom seems to be more kept up in the West than in the East side of the county, where it has nearly died out.

Carr, n. C. Low marshy land containing the remains of ancient forest trees; flat land under the plough, of peaty and moist quality as distinguished from ings, which are almost always pasture: generally used in the plural. Dan. Kjar (a bog or fen).

Carryings on, n. C. Disorderly proceedings.
Ex.Sike carryings on as you nivver heeard tell on.

Cassen. The ordinary past part. of cast. Vide Kest.
Cassons or Cazzons, n. C. The dried dung of animals, which is used for fuel sometimes, clay being occasionally mixed with it.

Cat-collop, n. F. Cat's-meat.

Cat-haws, n. C. Hawthorn-berries.

Cats and eyes, n. C. Vide Kitty-keis.

Cat-whins, n. F. (pr. catchin). The dog-rose.

Causer, Caus'ay, n. C. (pr. cawzer). A paved footpath. A narrow footway paved with cobble-stones or flags, either by the side of a road or across an open country; a corruption of causeway.The causer must be distinguished from the ramper; which is the sloping side of a raised footway.
Ex.Ah went thruff t' toon a-top o' t' cawzer.

Cess, n. C. A rate or tax levied on a parish for any purpose. This word is merely an abbreviation of 'assessment.' It is sometimes used in the sense of force; e.g. Lie cess on was often shouted to persistent blockers at cricket, meaning 'Hit harder.'
Ex.We awlus pays wer cess.

Cess-getherer, n. C. The collector of cess.

Chaff, Chaffs, n. F. The jaw; most commonly used with reference to the pig; e.g. Pig chaffs

Challenge, v. C. (pr. almost in one syllable). To recognise.
Ex.He varry seean challeng'd ma. - Sha 's good ti challenge.
This word is a hunting term. A hound that picks up a scent either in cover or at a check, and gives tongue in rather a short cry is said to challenge.

Chamber, n. C. (pr. chaamer). A room not on the ground floor, whether in a house, stable, or other building, as e.g. an apple-chamber in some out-building. Dan. Kamer (chamber). For further observations on this word vide House.
Change, v. C. To turn sour, esp. of milk; to show signs of decomposition.

Channelly, adv. F. Grandly.

Chatt, n. C. A fir-apple; a fir-cone.

Chavel, v. C. To chew, to masticate slowly, esp. of chewing the cud; to nibble at, to gnaw.
Ex.T' dog 's chavveld t' raake-shaft sadly.

Cliffs, n. F. Bran.

Childer, n. C. An old plural of child, still in common use.
Ex.T' childer 's all gone ti skeeal.

Chimpings, n. R. Oatmeal grits of rough quality.

Chip up, v. C. To trip up.
Ex.Ah chip'd up ower t' deear-st'n.

Choops, n. C. Hips, the fruit of the dog-rose.

Chow, v. C. To chew.

Chuff, adj. F. Fresh-complexioned, healthy-looking.
Ex.Sha 's a chuff-leeakin' body.

Chunter, v. C. To complain, murmur; also to speak in a low tone, as if muttering to oneself.
Ex.He 's awlus chunterin at ma, an' ah keeps drollin' him on.

Churlish, adj. F. (pr. chollous). Ill-natured, rough, cold in manner (as applied to persons); rough, cold, cheerless (of weather, esp. of wind). Dan. En Karl (a man not of gentle birth).
Ex.T' wind's varry chollous.

Clag, v. C. To stick to, as thick mud to the boots. Dan. Klag (clay).
Ex. T' muck clags ti-yan's beeats despertly.

Claggy, adj. C. Sticky, very commonly applied to the roads, esp. at the breaking up of a frost.
Ex.It 's claggy deed for t' hosses plewin'.

Clam or clem, v. C. To pinch; to suffer hunger or thirst. Dan. At klemme (to pinch).
Ex.Mah insahd 's fair clemm'd.

Clame, v. C. To cover over, esp. with a sticky substance; to smear; to cause to adhere, as a notice on a wall. O. N. Kleima (to smear).
Ex. Thoo mucky ba'a'n, what 's ta been deem claamin thisen all ower wi that messment. They 're claam'd up, i.e. fastened by sticking. Sha claam'd t' firesteead fra top ti boddom wi' whitenin.

Clammy, adj. F. Parched with thirst.

Clap, v. C. To give a blow, generally a short and light one; but the word is sometimes applied to a blow of greater force: to pat, as e.g. in the case of a dog; indeed this is a common word for the 'stroking' of an animal, where the motions of the hand are not always alike, sometimes being strokes properly so called, when the hand is drawn more or less horizontally, and sometimes vertical short blows or pats. The word is also used in the sense of an ailment (esp. a cold) settling upon a particular part of the body. The other uses of this word are various and difficult to define, but the above are ordinary ones. Dan. At klappe (to clap the hands) ; En Klap (a pat, a caress).
Ex. That dog o' yours weean't let ma clap him.T' cau'd clap'd on tiv his chest.Clap yoursen doon; i.e. sit down.

Clart, v. C. To smear, to make dirty; also fig. to flatter.

Ex.Deean't clart thysen all ower wi muck.

Clarty, adj. C. Sticky; also dirty, when the stickiness of the thing spoken of is liable to make dirty by touch or otherwise.
Ex.T' storm 's owered, an' it's despert clarty noo.

Clawt, v. C. To scratch with the nails; also formerly used for performing ordinary acts of manual labour.

Clash, v. C. To move about or work under the influence of excitement, to shut with force, to throw down with violence, to flurry, to excite; also used as a noun. Dan. At klaske (to smack).
Ex.Sha gans clashin aboot t' hoos.Sha can't baha ti be clash'd.

Cleeas, n. C. Clothes. Cled is also commonly used for clothed. Dan. Klaeder (clothes).
Ex. Them cleeas wants weshin.

Clean, v. F. To tidy or dress oneself, either with or without the act of washing.

Ex.Q. Where 's Anne? A. Cleeanin hersel.

Cleg, n. C. The horse-fly. Dan. En Klaege (a horse-fly). Icel. Klegg.

Ex .Is 't clegs 'at 's plaagin t' gallowa?

Cletch, n. C. A brood of young birds, esp. chickens, ducks, a setting of eggs. Cletching is also used, but less commonly. Dan. At klaekke (to hatch).
Ex.Pleeas will ya sell ma a cletchin o' your eggs?

Clever, adj. C. Well-made, good of its kind; of a toolthat which does its work well.
Ex. It taks a clever knife ti cut it.

Click, v. C. To snatch; to inflict a sudden blow, generally accidentally.
Ex.-Noo, mi lad, be sharp, click ho'd.T' hoss threw up it heead an' click'd ma ower t' shoodther.

Click-net, n. C. A net for catching salmon as they jump: it is held over the water, and so is distinguished from the sweep-net which is drawn through the water.

Clip, v. C. To cut short off, as wool from a sheep, in which sense this word is generally used. Dan. At klippe (to clip).
Ex.That grass wants clippin.

Clippin' tahm, n. C. The season for sheep-shearing.

Clock, n. C. A beetle (of various kinds).
Ex. We 've getten a vast o' them clocks iv oor hoos.

Clog, n. C. A log of wood: vide Yule-clog. Dan. En Klods (a log).
Ex.-Q. What is that wood for? A. Them 's clogs for t' stack boddums,

Closed, part. C. Closed up. Oppressed with a cold, esp. in the chest, and when there is consequently a difficulty in breathing; the condition of what is termed a 'surfeit of cold.' The word closed is occasionally used singly, but in nine cases out of ten the expression is closed up.
Ex.Ah 's full o' cold; ah 's fair closed up.

Clot, n. C. A clod of earth.

Clout, n. C. (pr. cloot). A piece of cloth used for any purpose, or a torn piece; a rag. Vide House-clout. Sometimes applied to a table-cloth. Dan. En Klud (a rag).

Clout, n. C. A sharp or heavy blow, generally when inflicted on the person; also used as a verb.
ExHe catch'd him a bonny clout ower t' heead.Ah 'll cloot thi lug for tha.

Clubster, n. C. The stoat. So called probably from the character of the animal's tail.

Cludder v. F. (pr. cludther). To collect or mass together, to congregate.
Ex.Ah seed 'em cludtherin up.

Clum, adj. C. Sodden, heavy (esp. of land difficult to work), clayey. Dan. Klam (clammy).
Ex.T' land's that clum, it tews t' hosses weeantly.

Clunter, v. C. (pr. cluntther). To tread heavily; to make a clattering noise with the feet. Dan. At klunte (to jog, to stump along).

Clunter, Cluntering, n. C. Confusion; sometimes also used of a confused noise, esp. with the feet in walking.
Ex. They made a despert clunterin' wi' ther feet i t' yard last neet.Noo, mahnd, if they deean't com doon wi a clunter.

Coat, n. F. (pr. cooat). A gown, a dress. Ex. Sha 'd a new silk cooat on.

Cobble, cobble-steean, n. C. A smooth stone about the size of one's fist, or larger, such as is used for common paving. To cobble is commonly used of throwing stones generally.
Ex. Thoo young ragrril, give ower cobblin them geslins, or ah'll wahrm tha.

Cobble-tree, n. C. The piece of wood which connects the two swingle-trees to the plough-beam; it is, in fact, a large swingle-tree, and is sometimes called the 'maistther swingle-tree.' It is of course only requisite when two horses plough abreast. Dan. At koble (to unite).

Cobby, adj. C. Cheerful, lively; well (in health).
Ex.- As cobby as a lop .Ah feels as cabby as owt.

Coble, n. C. (pr. coble). A fishing-boat of peculiar build, and in ordinary use on the Yorkshire coast.

Cockrose, n. C. The common scarlet poppy, called also cup rose ; but cockrose is by far the commoner name.

Cod, n. C. A bag, hence a pod or shell of peas, beans, and the like, called a pea-cod, bean-cod, &c. Jutl. D. Koje (a pea-shell).

Codlings, n. R. A game of the cricket type, the bat being a stout straight hazel stick, the ball a piece of wood or stick 4 inches long, and the wicket a round hole about an inch deep and 4 inches across.

Coif, n. R. A cap. O. Fr. Coif.
Ex.Ah mun a'e mi mucky feeace weshed an' a cleean coif on.

Collar, n. C. A halter for securing a horse in a stable the collar used to be made of hemp, but is now commonly of leather. Vide Head-stall. Sometimes the word is applied to the blinkered bridle of a cart-horse.

Collop, n. C. A slice of meat of any kind, but generally applied to bacon. The spleen of a pig was generally called cat-collop, because it would be fried for the cat.

Collop Monday, n. C. The Monday before Ash Wednesday, on which day collops of bacon and eggs are eaten, according to an old custom.

Come again, v. C. To appear as the ghost of one dead. Dan. En Gjenganger (an apparition).

Come by, v. C. (In prn. the m of the come is scarcely audible, the sound of the two words approximating to cu' bahy.) This expression is never used but in the imperative mood, and is equivalent to 'get out of the road,' 'make way,' &c. It is of very frequent occurrence, much more so than any equivalent and is perhaps most commonly heard when addressed to children and animals.
Ex.- Cu'bahy wiyer.

Come-to, n. C. (pr. cum-teea). A place or abode.
Ex.He 'll want it for a cum-teea, he will require it as a place to stay at.

Comfra, n. R. Home, place of abode (old settlement).
Ex. Wheer 's his comfra?

Company, a. C. (pr. cump'ny). A gathering together of people, with an object; e.g. at church, at a concert entertainment, &c. It is noteworthy how general the use of this word is, in preference to all others of a like meaning; e.g. the word 'congregation' is seldom used in the way it usually is, but company takes its place.
Ex.- We 'd a good cump'ny at chetch last neet.

Conceit, v. F. (pr. consate). To suppose, to be of opinion. Ex.He consated 'at it wer t' uther man.

Conny, adj. C. The precise meaning of this very common word is not altogether apparent. I am inclined to think that the primary meaning is 'pretty' or 'comely' in appearance, 'neat' and 'tidy'; but there is also the sense of 'small' which the word has, and which, in fact, is its ordinary signification: e.g. a conny bit is a small piece; it is also added to the word lahtle much in the same way in which we add tiny in ordinary English to the same word, except that conny generally comes after lahtle. There seems to he a connection between this and the Dan. word kjon, handsome, or comely. En kjon sum means a handsome sum (of money). It is difficult to see how the sense of smallness is arrived at, except perhaps through the idea of neatness.
Ex.Sha 's a lahtle conny body. Q. Will you have any more pudding? A. Just a conny bit.

Consumpted, part. C. Suffering from consumption.
Ex.Mah wo'd, bud he diz look a bad look! ah doot he 's consumpted.

Continny, v. C. (The con- is pr. distinctly, though without emphasis.) To continue.
Ex.Ah doot he weean't continny lang (i.e. live long).

Contrary, v. C. (pr. contrary). To contradict.
Ex.He didn't leyke ti be contraried.

Coom, a. C. Dust, particles of refuse: most frequently applied to saw-dust, called saw-coom, and the refuse of malt, which is called malt-cums. O. N. Kam (a speck of dust).

Coo-tie, n. C. Vide Tie.

Cots, n. F. Tangled masses; esp. of wool on a sheep i.e. wool matted together; hence the adj. cotty. - Them 's nobbut cotty 'uns.

Cotter, v. C. (pr. cotther). To become entangled or twisted together.
Ex.- They 're all cotthered tigither.

Cotty, adj. C. Vide Cots.
Coul, n. C. (pr. as 'coal' approximately). A swelling on the body, esp. when caused by a blow. Dan. Koll (a knoll or round hill-top).
Ex.It 's risen a girt coul atop o' mah heead.

Coul, v. C. (pr. as preceding word). To scrape towards one, to rake together.
Ex.He 's coulin muck off t' rooads.

Coul-rake, n. C. A scraper for removing the mud, &c., from roads, or ashes from a fireplace, &c.
Ex.- Git t' ass oot aback o' t' hood wit' coul-rake.

Counting, n. C. (pr. coontin'). Arithmetic. Similarly counter is the equivalent for arithmetician.
Ex.Q. How is your boy getting on at school? A. He's gitten inti coontin'.

Cow-clags, n. F. (pr. coo-clag). Dirt adhering to the buttocks of cattle. Vide Clag.

Cow-gate, n. C. Pasturage for a cow; lit, cow-walk or way. Dan. En Kogang (pasturage for cows).

Cow-pasture, n. C. (pr. coo-pastthur). - A pasture-field that is never mown: it is generally for convenience close to the farmhouse.

Cowstripling, n. R. The cowslip.

Crab, v. C. To speak disparagingly of; to give a bad name to: also in passive sense, to be provoked.
Ex.He crab'd mah 'oss, i.e. He gave my horse a bad name. He was crab'd when he heeard tell on 't.

Crack, v. C. To brag, to talk boastfully.
ExIt 's nowt ti crack on.

Crack, n. C. (1) A short space of time; a moment. (2) A chat; in plural news.
Ex.Ah 'll be back iv a crack. We're like to hev a crack tigither. What cracks? i.e. What news?

Cradle, a. R. Three long teeth or prongs attached to a scythe and having a like curve with it. It was very commonly used some thirty years ago for mowing oats, unless the crop was very heavy, when a 'bow' was used instead.

Crake, a. C. (pr. creeak). Any bird of the crow tribe; generally applied to the rook. Dan. En Krage (a crow).
Ex.Q. Wheer 's Tom? A. He 's flaying creeaks.

Cramble, v. C. (pr. cramm'l). To walk haltingly, as when disabled by rheumatism or other infirmity; to hobble.
Ex.Ah 's hard set ti cramm'l aboot.

Cramble, n. R. A crooked bough of a tree. Sometimes also used for lengths of oak in small branches, or for a roughly made walking-stick.
Ex.Ah stood mah au'd yak cramml agaan t' yat.

Crambly, adv. (strictly), but used as an adj. C. (pr. crammly). Not firm on the legs; tottery.
Ex.Ah 's nobbut varry crammly. Willie 's a crammly aud man gotten.

Cranch, v. C. To grind anything with the teeth, by which the sound of the grinding is heard.

Craps, n. C. Pieces of skin left after 'rendering' fat into lard Craps are thought a delicacy, and are eaten generally at breakfast or tea.

Crashes, a. F. Water-cresses.

Creckits, a. F. Cricket. Laakin at creckits was formerly the general expression for playing at cricket. The final s is now generally omitted.

Cree, v. C. To soak in order to soften. To simmer before a fire.

Creel, a. C. A frame on legs, upon which pigs are placed after they have been slaughtered.

Creeper, n. R. A small globular-shaped piece of lead with long hooks (four in number) fixed into it and attached to a line. It is used by eel-fishers for drawing up night-lines from the bottom of a river to the bank.

Cricket, n. F. A low stool with four legs, generally with a hole in the centre for lifting it. Swedish D. Krakk (a stool).

Croodle, v. C. To crouch down and contract oneself into as small a space as possible.
Ex. When they seed ma, they all croodled doon.

Crook, a. C. (pr. creeak, sometimes crewk). (1) A hinge or hook on which gates and doors are hung. (2) A disease in sheep.
Ex.- T' lads 'as rahv'd t' yat off t' creeaks.

Crouse, Cruse, adj. C. Feeling pride in anything, elated with, lively, happy; in good spirits. Dan. At kruse (lit. to curl) ; at kruse for en (to make a great fuss about one).
Ex.Sha wer varry cruse on her new dhriss.Thoo need na be sae cruse, man. Thoo 's ower cruse.

Crowdy, n. F. Oatmeal porridge, made either with milk or water.

Crow-prate, n. R. A rookery.

Crown, n. C. (pr. croon). The centre or middle of a road or causey.
Ex.Gan i' t' croon o' t' rooad.

Cruds, n. C. Curds.

Cuddy, a. C. (1) The hedge-sparrow. (2) A donkey.

Cuddy-handed, adj. F. Left-handed.

Cum, a. F. (the same word as combe, but pr. rather shorter). Long and deep-lying meadow or grazing land. Wel. Cwm (a hollow).

Currant-berry, n. C. (pr. corr'n-berry). The red currant.

Cush-pet. n. C. A term of endearment addressed to a cow: the common call for a cow being cush-cush.
Ex.Cush-pet; reet tha.