An Irish Country Christmas - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
peat (turf): Fuel derived from compressed vegetable matter.
peely-wally: Scots. Under the weather; unwell.
pelmet: Valance.
penny bap: A small bun, usually coated in flour.
petrified: Terrified.
physical jerks: Gymnastics.
p.i.s.s artist: Alcoholic.
poke: Have s.e.x with; a small parcel.
pong: British forces slang for "stink."
pop one's clogs: Die.
poulticed: Pregnant, usually out of wedlock.
powerful: Very.
power of: A great deal of.
praties: Potatoes.
punter: Gambler, particularly on horse races.
quare: Ulster p.r.o.nunciation of queer. Very strange.
randy: s.e.xually aroused.
randy as an old goat: Very s.e.xually aroused.
raparee: Originally an unskilled labourer. Now used pejoratively for a ne'er-do-well.
rapscallion: Ne'er-do-well.
raring to go: Eager and fully prepared.
recimetation: Malapropism for recitation.
registrar, medical: Trainee physician equivalent to a North American resident.
reverse the charges: Call collect.
right enough: That's true. Used interrogatively, is that true?
rightly: Very well.
rightly, it will do: It's not perfect but will serve well enough.
roast: Verbally chastise; not pay humorous tribute to.
ruddy: Euphemism for "b.l.o.o.d.y."
rug rats: Children.
run-race: Quick trip to, usually on foot.
script/scrip: Prescription.
scunner, take a scunner at or to: Dislike someone intensely and bear a grudge.
scutch gra.s.s: Coa.r.s.e gra.s.s found growing in salty soil.
semi: Semidetached house. Duplex.
shebang, the whole: Lock, stock, and barrel. Everything.
sheugh: Bog.
s.h.i.+t, to: To defaecate.
s.h.i.+te: Faeces.
shufti: Army slang. A quick look at.
Sinn Fein: Literally, ourselves. The political party of the Irish Republican Movement.
skitters: Diarrhoea.
skiver: Corruption of "scurvy." Pejorative. Ne'er-do-well.
skivvy: From "scurvy." Housemaid.
skinful, to get a: To get drunk.
sliced pan, best thing since: Presliced, then wrapped, pan loaf was reintroduced after the Second World War. To be better than it was the acme of perfection.
slip jig: Traditional dance.
slough about: Laze around.
smacker: Pound.
snotters: Runny nose.
soft hand under a duck: Gentle or very good at.
solicitor: Attorney, but one who would not appear in court, which is done by barristers.
sore tried by: Very worried by or very irritated by.
spavins: A disease of horses resulting in a swayback.
s.p.u.n.k: True grit. Nerve.
sponge bag: Toilet bag.
stays: Whalebone corset.
sticking out: Very good.
sticking out a mile: Absolutely the best.
stocious: Drunk.
stone: Measure of weight equal to fourteen pounds.
stoon: Sudden shooting pain.
stout: A dark beer, usually Guinness.
strong weakness: Hangover.
take a gander: Look at.
take your hurry in your hand: Wait a minute.
taste, a wee: Amount. Small amount, not necessarily edible.
ta-ta-ta-ra: Dublin slang, party.
there: Used for accuracy or immediately. Examples: That there dog; that dog. There now; now.
thick: Stupid.
thick as champ: Very stupid.
thole: Tolerate or put up with.
thon: That.
thrapple: Throat.
throw off: Vomit.
thruppenny bit: Three-penny coin.
tinker's d.a.m.n, don't give: Could not care less.
toty: Small.
toty, wee: Very small.
tousling: Roughing up.
tried, to get: Become agitated about.
turf accountant: Bookmaker.
up the spout or pipe: Pregnant.
walk out with: Pay court to. See also coortin'.
wean: p.r.o.nounced "wane." Child.
wee: Small, but in Ulster can be used to modify almost anything without reference to size. A barmaid and old friend greeted the author by saying, "Come on in, Pat. Have a wee seat and I'll get you a wee menu, and would you like a wee drink while you're waiting?"
wee buns: Very easy.
Wellington boots, wellies: Knee-high rubber boots patterned on the riding boots worn by the Duke of Wellington.
wet (wee): Alcoholic drink.
whaling away at: Beating.
wheeker: Very good.
wheen: A large number of.
wheest: Be quiet.
wheezle: Wheeze in chest.
whin: Gorse.
whippet: Small, fast, racing dog, such as a mini-greyhound.
w.i.l.l.y: p.e.n.i.s.
won't b.u.t.ter any parsnips: Will make absolutely no difference.
worser: As bad as it is possible to get; much more so than worse.
you're on: Agreed to, or to indicate acceptance of a wager.
