Glossary of Dorset dialect words

These are some words which are unique to the Dorset dialect, spoken in Dorset in the West Country of England.

WordMeaning
A
A-cothedDisease
A-drawenDrawing, for example "He be a-drawen a picture."
A-feardAfraid (Dorset motto, "Who's a-feard?")
AgeanAgainst, for example "'e be runnin' agean thac strong wind."
AggyThe act of collecting eggs[1]
Ailenillness, ailing (verb or noun)[1]
A-lassenLest
Alik'Like
All'sAll this
AmperPustules "I be all out in an amper!"
AllerThe alder tree
AnbyAt a near time, by and by
Annan?An interjectional exclamation. "What did you say?"
Anewst, or AnisteAt nearest
AnighNear, close by[1]
AnklyThe ankle[1]
Any-whenAt any time[1]
ArchetOrchard[1]
ArnA contraction of "e'er a one"
Ash candlesThe seed vessels of the ash tree
AskerWater newt
A-stroutStretched out[1]
A-stoodedStood (as a waggon) immovably in the ground
A-stoggdHaving your feet stuck in either clay or dirt
AtTo play at, to have at
AthirtAcross
AvoreBefore[1]
A-vrozeFrozen[1]
AwakedAwake
AxTo ask[1]
AxenAshes[1]
AyerAir[1]
A-zetSet or planted
A-zew1) To be dry of milk; no longer giving suck "The cow's a-zew" 2) To sew a pond, to drain or draw it dry.
B
BackhouseOuthouse[1]
Backsidebackyard or rear of property[1]
BadSynonym for ill
BallyragTo scold[1]
BandyA stick used for beating dung out of the way, usually long and sturdy with a bent end[1]
BandylagsCrooked/bowed legs
BankroutBankrupt
BarkenBarley[2]
BarryBorrow[2]
BatchHillock[2]
BattenbuoardA tool for tamping thatch on a roof[2]
BavenA faggot of untrimmed branches[2]
Beas'Beast, usually refers to cattle[2]
BeatploughA tool used for cutting turf[2]
BecallTo deride
BeensBecause, possible contraction of 'being as'[2]
Bee-potBeehive[2]
BeknownKnown about
BennitsThe bent tips of grasses and similar[2]
BibberShiver with cold[2]
BideDwell[2]
BiddleBeetle[2]
Bird-kippyTo keep birds from the corn[2]
Bit-an'-drapA bite to eat and a drink[2]
Bit-an'-crimpEvery last scrap of something[2]
BlatchBlack or sooty[2]
BlatherAn uproar[2]
BloothBlossom[2]
BottomSteadfast[2]
BrintonBold, audacious[3]
BrockleBroken[3]
BrucklyBrittle[3]
BudgetA leather pouch for a whetstone[3]
BumbyeBy-and-by[3]
C
CaddieAn uproar or carry-on[3]
CaddleMuddle[3]
CarCarry or move: to car hay is to stack hay[3]
Cazelty weatherExtremely bad weather (casualty weather)[3]
ChawChew[3]
Cheese-lateA floor for drying cheese[3]
ChimleyChimney[3]
ChopSell, barter or exchange[3]
ChumpA log of wood[3]
ClavyMantelpiece[3]
ClinkerIcicle[4]
CockleTangle[4]
CowleaseAn uncut field, meadow[4]
CradlehoodEarly stages of childhood, infancy, still in the cradle[4]
CricketA low stool or chair for a child[4]
CroustyGrumpy, in a bad mood[4]
CurdlesHair curls[4]
D
DabsterSomeone who is skilled in something, an expert[4]
DadderTo confuse or bewilder[4]
DanderVex, anger[4]
DewbitA bite to eat taken first thing in the morning before breakfast[4]
DoughbiakedFeeble-minded[5]
DoutPut out a flame or fire, "Dout the candle" for example[5]
DowndashiousAudacious[5]
DrashelThe strip of wood or concrete at the bottom of a doorway, the threshold[5]
DrawlatchetenIdle, lazy[5]
DrinkyHaving consumed too much alcohol, inebriated[5]
DuckishDark, gloomy[5]
DrongSqueeze or compress[5]
DrongwayA narrow passage or alley; Most commonly a narrow footpath between two fenced fields[5]
DumbledoreBumblebee[5]
E
EetYet[5]
EffetsNewts[5]
EmmetsAnts[5]
EvemenEvening[5]
F
FaddleTo pack or bundle together[6]
FantodFuss[6]
FessPleased with, proud[6]
FlummocksTo scare or frighten[6]
FootlingSomething worthless, beneath contempt[6]
FootyInsignificant, small, trivial[6]
FrithThin twigs that have broken off from trees and bushes, historically used to make brushes; brushwood[6]
G
GakeTo stare open-mouthed, gawk, gape[6]
GallycrowScarecrow[6]
GannywedgeA wide yawn or to spread apart[6]
GilcupA small, yellow flower of the family Ranunculaceae, common in meadows and pasture; buttercup[6]
GirtLarge, great[6]
GleneTo joke with[7]
GlutchTo swallow[7]
GreygoleA small, blue woodland flower of the hyacinth family; Bluebell[7]
GwainGoing[7]
Gwains-onRowdy behaviour (goings-on)[7]
H
HalterpathA path for a horse and rider; Bridleway[7]
HandyThereabouts, an approximation, "Ees 6' or somewhere 'andy" for example[7]
Han'patNearby, close at hand[7]
HatchA small gate[7]
HealTo cover over[7]
HedlenHeadlong[7]
HethcropperA horse or pony bred on a heath[7]
Hidy-buckChildren's game, hide-n-seek[7]
HoTo be anxious or to show caution[8]
Hobby HorseWoodlouse[8]
HomhleA duck[8]
Honey-zuckA climbing plant of the family Caprifoliaceae; honeysuckle[8]
Hoss-stingerDragonfly[8]
I
Ice-candlesIcicles[8]
InonOnion[8]
J
Joppety-joppetyAnxious, nervous trepidation[8]
K
KeechTo clear a riverbank of weeds[8]
KitFriend or family, kin[8]
L
LamplooA game of tag in which those caught join hands with the pursuer/s to form a chain[9][10]
LeeryHungry[9]
LerretA traditional, double-ended boat with a flat bottom and high sternposts, which can be launched from a steep bank or beach [9][11]
LimberSkinny, slim, slender[9]
LimnerPainter and decorator[9]
LipBasket[9]
LippenWet weather, rainy, sometimes also referred to as lippy[9]
LisomeCheery, happy[9]
LitterConfusion[9]
M
MagotAn impulse or whim[9]
MainStrength, power[9]
MampusA crowd[9]
MeshMoss[9]
MoudField mouse[12]
N
NammetA light lunch of meat[12]
NearParsimonious, miserly[12]
NickyKindling[12]
NippyPeckish[12]
NirrupDonkey[12]
NotFlowerbed[12]
NuncheonA noon-time meal, luncheon[12]
O
Out ov banInstantly, at once[12]
Over-rightOpposite[12]
P
ParrickA piece of fenced off land, a paddock[12]
PeartHealthy, vibrant, full of life[13]
Peck uponDominate[13]
PeltA rage, to feel angry[13]
PiavioursFlagstones[13]
Piggyback, a pig a back, a pack a backTo carry a child on one's back with their arms around your neck and their legs around your waist.
Pisty pollTo carry a child on one's shoulders with their legs around your neck and their arms around your forehead.
PopplesPebbles[13]
ProgFood[13]
Q
QuineThe corner of a wall[13]
QuobQuiver, shake[13]
R
RaleWalk[13]
RamshacklumUseless[13]
RapSwap, barter or exchange[13]
RatheEarly[13]
ReanConsume food quickly and greedily[14]
ReaphookA curved blade for cutting grasses; Sickle[14]
ReddickSmall garden bird with a red breast, commonly known as a robin (Erithacus rubecula)[14]
ReeveUnravel[14]
RottletrapRickety[14]
S
SatepollA foolish or silly person[14]
ScalyMean, stingy[14]
SivesChives or garlic[14][15]
SmeechA cloud of dust[16]
SnabbleTo snap up quickly; To eat quickly or greedily[16]
Span-newClean and shiny, like new[16]
SprakSpry, lively[16]
T
TiltyGrumpy, irritable, ill-tempered[16]
TinklebobsIcicles[16]
TorrididdleA state of bewilderment or confusion[16]
ToyearThis year; as in today, tomorrow etc.[16]
TwanketenSad, melancholic[16]
U
UndercreepenDevious, sly, underhand[17]
UpsydownUpside down, overturned[17]
V
VangTo earn[17]
VinnyVeiny or mouldy, like the Dorset cheese, Blue-vinny[17]
VittyNeat and proper[17]
W
WarePond[17]
WelshnutWalnut[17]
WerretTo concern or worry[18]
WontMole, small burrowing mammal of the family Talpidae[18]
WoppenBig, heavy[18]
WopsyWasp[18]
WordleWorld[18]
Y
YakkerAcorn[18]
YisEarthworm[18]
YopSpeak rapidly, jabber[18]
Z
ZealeSack[18]
Zet upTo anger, infuriate[18]
ZummatSomething[18]
ZwailSwagger[18]
Asker
Archet
Bally-rag
Bee-pots
Biddle in a barken field
Bit 'n' drap
A girt clavy
Clinkers or tinklebobs
Cowlease
Drongway
Dumbledore
Emmet
Faddle of firewood
Gallycrows
Gilcups
Greygoles
Homhle
Hoss-stinger
A mampus in Yetminster
A pisty-poll
Popples
A Reddick
Sives
A smeech
Welshnuts
Wonthills
Yakkers

See also

Citations
  1. Newton (2014), p. 7.
  2. Newton (2014), p. 8.
  3. Newton (2014), p. 9.
  4. Newton (2014), p. 10.
  5. Newton (2014), p. 11.
  6. Newton (2014), p. 12.
  7. Newton (2014), p. 13.
  8. Newton (2014), p. 14.
  9. Newton (2014), p. 15.
  10. Bertha Gomme, Alice (2009). The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc. (Complete). Library of Alexandria Publishing. ISBN 9781465572899.
  11. "Lerrets and Fishing Off Chesil Beach". Dorset Ancestors. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. Newton (2014), p. 16.
  13. Newton (2014), p. 17.
  14. Newton (2014), p. 18.
  15. Barnes (1863), p. 84.
  16. Newton (2014), p. 19.
  17. Newton (2014), p. 20.
  18. Newton (2014), p. 21.

References
  • Barnes, William (1863), A Grammar and Glossary of the Dorset Dialect, Berlin: A. Asher and Co.
  • Newton, Gill (2014), Dorset Dialect, Sheffield: Bradwell Books, ISBN 9781910551011
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