Yorkshire to English Dictionary of Dialect Words are, as stated, the vocabulary of the dialect, spoken in the North English County that was Yorkshire. The dialect owes a lot to the Scandinavian languages. Many words are shared with other Northern dialects, while others are individual and restricted to Yorkshire. This article is an exhaustive list of the Yorkshire vocabulary.

Yorkshire is the largest county (in area) in England, in fact the old West Riding alone is bigger than the second largest county (Lincolnshire) and the North Riding is bigger than the fourth largest.

• largest Yorkshire 3.9m acres
• West Riding 1.785m acres
• Second largest Lincolnshire 1.7m acres
• Third largest Devon 1.67m acres
• North Riding 1.36m acres

With an area of this size, and with a large population unevenly spread, with densely populated urban areas and almost empty rural areas, it is hardly surprising that there are many variations in dialect. And this is the case.

Yorkshire can be divided roughly into two areas.

• If the River Wharfe is used as the border between the two main zones, then that area to the South and West of the river is more influenced by Mercian dialect whilst that to the North and East is more influenced by Northumbrian dialect.

• The East Riding dialect has a lot of similarities with the Danish language, whilst the West Riding is less pure in its influence, also containing elements of Icelandic, Norman and Saxon.

• The dialects of Middlesbrough and South Tees shows hints of a cross between North Yorkshire and Durham (it is often referred to as Geordie by people in the South of England, much to the annoyance of the locals !).

• North and West areas of the North Riding the twang has traces of Durham or the Lake district dialect within it.

The film, "This Sporting Life", is filmed mainly at Wakefield Trinity's Belle Vue Stadium, although authentic Wakefield accents are only from the minor characters.

Many other films (and television dramas, comedies and series), demonstrate "Yorkshire accents" (or should this be Pseudo accents), as these companies are notorious for using generic "Northern" accents, often as a somewhat simplistic device to establish their (lower) social class.

They also, quite often, and sometimes intentionally, confuse Lancashire and Yorkshire accents. (Is there a bigger crime !!)

However, as with most regional dialects, with the coming of television and freedom of travel, many of the differences have now passed out of use.

For example, it would be very rare to hear someone from the East Riding say "down south" as "doon sooth" anymore, just as it would be rare for someone from the West Riding to say "eat meat" as "eyt meyt" anymore.

In the next few sections, there is an attempt to show some of the sounds, vocabulary and grammar of the dialect, and whereas this is no way comprehensive, it may help in giving a little more understanding to the dictionary which follows.

• "-ou" - In some areas of the Southern part, "ou" as in "south" is represented with "ah", hence "sahth" for south.

• "-ow" - Similarly "ah" may be used instead of "ow" thus "dahn" for "down". In these areas, the words "out" and "art" may be indistinguishable.

• "ai" - In some areas, the "ai" as in "wait", becomes "eight" but the pronunciation changes to an almost "wear-t".

• "igh" - Some words with "igh" in the spelling, like "night", are pronounced as in "fleece" instead of as "price" ("night" becomes "neet"). In other areas the word "right" can also be spoken the same as "weight", as would be "fight".

• "ake" endings - were traditionally pronounced "tak", "mak", "sak" (for take, make and sake) but these have now sometimes been replaced with "tek", "mek", and "sek".

• "oa" - Again in parts of the south of the county, and the old West Riding, this is pronounced "oi", therefore "coal" becomes "coil" and "coat" becomes "quoit".

• "a" as "have" - In parts of the south of the county, this becomes "e", as hev, fettha, or mester.

• "d" - In part of the West Riding the "d" before another consonant is pronounced as a "t", as Bra't-fud for Bradford.

• "t" - As in most of England, the younger generation increasingly use a glottal stop for this e.g. bo'l for bottle.

• • Within West Yorkshire alone, the word "getting" was pronounced as "gerring" in Leeds, "gItting" in Thornhill and "ge'ting" in Golcar (west of Huddersfield).

• "t" - reduction of "the" to "t` " as in "Down the pub" pronounced "down t` pub" or "downt (very brief pause) pub", where the t of downt is completely or very nearly absent.

• • (Totally omitting the "t" entirely ("down pub") is a mistake commonly made by someone

• • "Down to the pub" uses two t`s, each pronounced,

• • 'The phrase "down pub" was quite usual around the village of Wath-upon-Dearne and surroundings.

• "th" - Sheffield pronunciation of "th" tended towards "de". Thus "thee" and "thou"/"thy" became "dee" and "dah". As a consequence, Sheffielders were nicknamed "dee-dahs" by people from nearby Rotherham and Barnsley. However, this pronunciation is now very rare.

• 'Aye - Yorkshire dialect like other dialects in Northern England or Scotland shares the use of many words as "Aye" for "Yes".

• owt and "nowt" - In Yorkshire pronounced more like "ow - t". This derives from Middle English aught and naught (pronounced more "ort" and "nort") for "anything" or "nothing" as well as "summat" for "something".

• Singular as plural - Nouns describing units of value, weight, distance, etc. have no plural marker. e.g. "ten pounds" becomes "ten pound" and "five miles" becomes "five mile".

• Extra words - Location descriptions gain an extra "of". e.g. "off the streets" becomes "off of the streets"; "alongside the table" becomes "alongside of the table".

• us - The word "us" is used in place of me or our. e.g. "We should put us names on us property".

• ahs - Also in parts of Yorkshire "ahs" takes the place of "us". e.g. "We should put ahs name on ah property".

• thou - The use of "thou" (often written "tha") and "thee" (long since discarded elsewhere) is a common replacement for the singular second-person pronoun.

• I aren’t - Common around York (and Bradford) was to abbreviate "I am not" to "I aren't" rather than the usual "I'm not".

• were often as "woh" or "wuh" - In the West Riding, all cases of the past tense of to be is were: e.g. "I were wearing t'red coat, but he were wearing t'green one".

• • The East Riding does the opposite and makes all cases into was.

• thuz - In the North and West Ridings, "there are" often becomes "there is", spoken as "thuz" in the West Riding.

• While - is often used as until (e.g. "unless we go faster, we'll not be home while seven") "Stay here while it shuts" might cause a non-local to think that they should stay there during its shutting, when the order really means that they should only stay until it shuts.

• • "Wait while lights flash" is seen on British road signs at rail crossings; the potential for misunderstanding is obvious.

• love - Generally a term used by anyone, said to anyone in any situation and sometimes used to end almost every sentence. (e.g. "That'll be three pounds please love").

• daft - In most of Britain, its usage corresponds to "silly", but in Yorkshire it is often used to mean "unintelligent".

• laik - Remnants from the Vikings include the verb "laik" meaning to play. In some areas this becomes "lek, "lake" etc.

• self - The word "self" becomes "sen", and "yourself" becomes "thy sen" or "thissen" and we also have "missen", "issen" and "ussen". The north-west of Yorkshire is more likely to use "sel" and "thysel" etc.

• final "g" - the final "g" in "ing" is not usually sounded.

• Initial "h" - The Initial "h" at the start of a word is not normally pronounced.

Not all the words in the dictionary are genuine "Yorkshire" words. Many have been 'borrowed' from Cockney, Geordie, even Scottish, or other dialects, some are used in several dialects, being derived from Viking etc., and some are just general English dialect. However, all the words in the dictionary section are used within Yorkshire, and are dialectic.

M E = Middle English

O E = Old English

O F = Old French

O N = Old Norse

ER = The old East Riding

NR = The old North Riding

SY = Southern part of W R

WR = West Riding

Rotherham, Sheffield etc. = specific town/area

Woollen = the area of WR involved in textiles

Originally the name applied to anyone born in the old County of Yorkshire (The East, North or West Ridings, or the City of York, Now this applies to the "New" Counties of North, South and West Yorkshire and the even newer County of East Riding of Yorkshire (which had been previously renamed North Humberside)

Almost all the words lacking a reference are taken from Spotter Book 22 "Yorkshire To English Dictionary" (1990 – revised 2007). This is supplemented by material from other sources, mainly the authors own research , which are referenced following this section. Words listed are in some cases not exclusive to Yorkshire and may in use in the dialects of other areas and counties.

• A – A word with several meanings
  • a or ah - I (first person pronoun) - as "a thought so"
  • a' - of - as ""A bit-a'snap - a snack"
• aat, aht or art - out - as "why ant tha aat laikin - why aren't you out playing"'
• abaat or abart - about (WR)
• abide - bear or suffer
• aboon - above or over - OE ābufan
• acker or yacker - acre
• 'acky black - dirty - see akky
• ad – A word with several meanings
  • 'ad - (i) had
  • 'ad - (ii) I would (SY))
• ada – A word with several meanings
  • 'ada - (i) had a (pronounced add-a)
  • ada - (ii) I'd have (pronounced add-a)
• addle - earn by labour (WR)
• addled - bad, drunk, rotten - OE ādela
• a'e t' - have the - as "tha' can a'e t' muney"
• 'afe - half - as "could tha' heyt afe a meight pie? Cus I 'cud heyt t'other afe" (Sheffield)
• 'afore - before - OE on-foran
• 'afower - before (pronounced as "our")
• agait or agate - to do something, get on your way - as "get agate" - (ON) gata (WR)
• agin or ageaan - again
• ah or a - I (first person pronoun) - see a
• 'ahf - half
• ahint - behind (NY)
• ahl - I will
• ahm - I'm (Sheffield)
• ahr – A word with several meanings
  • ahr - (i) our - as "ahr dustbin's full"
  • ahr - (ii) hour as "get up an ahr sooiner than 'er"
• ahse or arse - house (WR)
• aht, aat or art - out, outside - as "gone aht" = gone out
• ahta - out of (Sheffield)
• aigs - haws
• ailment - illness
• 'akkle - To dress or tidy up (Huddersfield)
• 'akky - dirty, filthy - as "this sidebooard’s reight akky”
• akse, ass or ax -ask (NY)
• aksed or axed - asked
• al - see ahl
• alch - wind or lop (a scarf around your neck)
• Alice - see clam Alice (Sheffield)
• alicker or allicker - vinegar
• alike - similar
• all-en-en -all of them - "all-en-en were queuing up"
• Allifacks - Halifax
• allock - dawdle
• allus - always as "allus at't last push up" = always at the last moment
• alreit - alright
• 'amlet - as "playing 'amlet" = telling off
• amongam - amongst them, in the group of people
• an' - and
• anall - me too, as well
• ananthers - in the event of, for fear of, in any case (NY)
• 'ands - hands
• anent or anenst - next to, abreast of or alongside
• angin - bad smell
• 'ant - haven't - as "why ant tha"
• any road up, or any roid up - anyway, as I was saying
• 'apeth - a halfpenny worth (of sweets, for example)
• apiece - each
• 'appen - maybe - as "appen as not, likes as mebbe" '= it's more than likely to happen
• 'appy as a pig in muck - very happy, content with oneself
• 'appy as Larry - very happy, but can also mean a miserable person
• Aptwick - Appletreewick
• ar` kid - younger brother
• 'ard on - fast asleep
• 'arf baked - a simpleton or as "Well that's an arf baked idea" = a not very good idea or suggestion
• arles - advance of wages
• arran - spider
• arre lass - wife (Leeds)
• arridge – A word with several meanings
  • arridge - (i) edge or ridge
  • arridge - (ii) projection on front of a horseshoe to prevent slipping
• arrish - field of stubble, following harvest
• 'arse - see ahse
• arse end of - back of a cart or wagon or similar
• art - (i) out - see aht
• art - (ii) are - as "'oo duz tha think thy art?" = who do you think you are (Sheffield)
• art'n - out of - as "tha'll eit us art'n ous an ome tha will" = you are expensive to feed
• arval - a kind of cake eaten at funerals - as "arval bre't" - (ON) erfil
• as - that or who - as "them as lived i' West Ridin'" = those who lived in the West Riding
• ask - newt or lizard
• ass – A word with several meanings
  • ass - (i) ash tree
  • ass (ii) - see akse
• assette - I'll have to' (Barnsley)
• assnook - under fire grate
• assock o'er suplas - head over heels = Hassock over surplus)
• ast - short of
• 'as-ta, asta, aster or atter - have, you
• astead - instead
• 'aster, as-ta, asta or atter - have, you
• at – A word with several meanings
  • 'at - (i) hat as "on Ikla Moor baht ’at"
  • at - (ii) of the - as "wan at reasons" = one of the reasons
  • at - (iii) that
• atop - on top
• 'atter - see asta
• attercop – A word with several meanings
  • attercop - (i) a spider - as "tha' won't go in cos' of an attercop? Tha's an attercop thissen" (NY)
  • attercop - (ii) a peevish person; a moaner -(OE) ator = poison +'copp = head (NY)
• atween - between
• aumery - cupboard or pantry - OF almarie, armarie
• av - see ah’ve
• av'ad - I've had (Sheffield)
• 'avin - having - as “let’s be ‘avin’ yer"
• avverbreead - see haverbread or havercake (Huddersfield)
• aw’ - all
• awant - warrant
• awd - old
• awfish - eldrich, hideous or elfish
• awlus - see allus
• awreight - alright (Barnsley)
• awther - each or either
• ax - see akse
• axed or aksed - asked
• aye – A word with several meanings
  • aye - (i) yes - as "aye, she wor a bad un wor that witch"
  • aye - (ii) indeed - as "aye that he had"
• aye up - see ayeup
• ayeup, ey-up or hey-up - hello or look out - as "Ay-oop lad, tha's in t'way" = look out son, you're in the way
• ay-oop - see ayeup

• babbyish - babyish or childish (Sheffield)
• bacca - a back lane, or rear road (back of the houses) also tenfoot bacca
• backards - see back-urds
• backend - the back end of the year, Autumn
• back-urds – A word with several meanings
  • back-urds - (i) wrong way round as "back-urds roid"
  • back-urds - (ii) misunderstood the point - as "tha's gor it back-urds, ageaan"
• backword - to break an agreement or arrangement, cancel
• bad job - unfortunate
• bad 'un - a person who is no good
• badger – A word with several meanings
  • badger - (i) to persist for information
  • badger - (ii) a dealer in flour or meal
• badly - not in a good state of health - as "how's Martha?" "she's badly"
• baggin - packed lunch (NY)
• baggins - hose pipe
• bagsey - childhood term - as "bagsey my turn fust"
• bahn – A word with several meanings
  • bahn - (i) going to as "tha's bahn ta get thi deeath o’ cowd"
  • bahn - (ii) going or been
• baht - without as "on Ikla Moor baht ’at"
• bairn - child - OE bearn - ON barn
• bait - snack, or packed lunch - (ON) beit (NY)
• bait box - box in which to take packed lunch to work (NY)
• bally thing - mild curse as "bally thing won't work"
• balmy or barmy - crazy - as "he's driving me balmy"
• ban - to curse or swear - (ON) banna
• band - string, rope, yarn, cord - (ON) band
• bap - bread bun (NY)
• bapthanks - a large bread cake, or scuffler
• bar - except
• barf - hill (particularly a long low one) - (ON) bjarg
• barfan or barfin - horse collar - OE beorgan
• barm – A word with several meanings
  • barm - (i) yeast - OE beorma
  • barm - (ii) rubbish - as "talking barm" = talking rubbish
• barm pot - Idiot, stupid or idiotic person
• barmy - see balmy
• barn - child (especially a young child, infant) - see bairn
• bart - about
• bastile - workhouse
• bat - stroke (of work) - as "he's not struck a bat" = he's not done a stroke of work (Huddersfield)
• bawl - cry (WR)
• bawlin'- crying (WR)
• bazzerkin' – A word with several meanings
  • bazzerkin' - (I) relaxing (NY)
  • bazzerkin' - (ii) telling off (NY)
• be - by - as "purrin fer a job be letter" = applied for a job in writing (Sheffield)
• be reight - it'll be alright
• be sharp - hurry up, or move faster
• beast - cow or cattle
• beck - brook or stream - ON bekkr
• beean - bone - OE bān
• beeas - beast - as "when ah 'd gitten mi beeas bowt" = after I've bought my cattle
• beeat = boot (ER)
• beefin' - see blubberin'
• beet - to repair - OE bētan
• beggar me - I don't believe it, an exclamation
• behint or behunt - behind - OE behindan
• belang - belong - as "weer's thou belang"
• belder - to bellow, to roar - OE bellan
• belk - to belch - OE bealcan
• bellusses - bellows; lungs - OE blæstbelig
• belly-wark - stomach-ache
• belt - hit hard
• benk - bench, seat, stone working-slab - OE benc
• benny - get upset or angry as "get a benny on"
• bensel or bensil - to beat, to thrash - ON benzla
• berg - mountain (NY)
• berry - to thrash (NY Moors)
• best bib and tucker - get dressed up for a special occasion
• best y' do - see that you do (NY)
• Betty - A guard placed in front of the (coal) fire (Hudd'f'd)
• bewer (from the word viewer) - a woman (often good looking)
• bezzle - to squander, eat or drink greedily
• bi - by the side of as "bi t’fire"
• bid - to invite to a funeral - OE biddan, to ask or entreat
• biddy - louse
• bide – A word with several meanings
  • bide - (i). wait
  • bide - (ii). like
  • bide - (iii). put up with - as "Ah can't bide him" = I can't stand him
• bield - a shelter for sheep or cattle - OE beldan to shelter
• big fat black dog - black pudding
• biggerstang - scaffold pole
• Bill Todd - being alone - as "'er husband popped 'is 'clogs and now she's on her Bill Todd" (SY)
• billio - doing something with gusto as "run like billio"
• Bills mother - as "It's looking black o'er Bill's Mother's" = The sky is dark and it looks like rain (SY)
• Billy - a machine for slubbing cardings (woolen)
• bimff - cold
• bin - been
• bink - a bit of the stair head which has to project into a bedroom to give headroom (Leeds)
• bins - glasses
• birk - birch - OE beorc
• bit' tahm - by the time
• black as sut - very dirty - (black as soot)
• black as t' fireback - very dirty (Sheffield)
• black bright - very dirty - as "black as't ace o' spades"
• black-leadin' - cover with graphite (like the old fireplaces)
• blaeberry - bilberry - ON blabær
• blaggin – A word with several meanings
  • blaggin - (i) to go bramble collecting
  • blaggin - (ii) a term for people who brag about themselves
• blahtin' – A word with several meanings
  • blahtin' - (i) speaking incoherently
  • blahtin' - (ii) crying - as "what yer blartin for yer mornji bleeder" (corruption of 'blathering')
• blake - sallow, yellow (in complexion) - ON bleikr
• blankits - blankets
• blartin' - see blahtin'
• blather - see blether
• blathered up - dirty, covered in muck
• bleb - blister
• bleck - thick and dirty grease (as on axles and bearings etc) - ON blek
• bleg - blackberry; to collect blackberries - OE blæc black
• blether - talk nonsense - ON blaðra to talk nonsense
• bletherin' idiot - idiot or fool
• bletherin' on - talking
• blinkin' - mild curse as "that blinkin' thing"
• blinnd - blind (the "i" pronounced "i" and not "eye")
• blish - blister - OE blyscan = to be reddish
• blob - to not turn up (Leeds)
• blobs - kingcups and cowslips
• blow - a hit - as a "Scarborough Warning" is a blow before the warning. It derives from when the Castle was taken by raiders before the defenders had woken and realised they had lost
• blowed - amazed - as "well, I'll be blowed"
• blubberin' - crying
• blue murder - big trouble as "he'll be playin' blue murder"
• bob – A word with several meanings
  • mbob - (i) a pre-decimal coin, the shilling
  • bob - (ii) head - as "a head of lettuce"
  • bob - (iii) to go - as "just bobbin' aht" (NY)
  • bob - (iv) to 'bob in', to call in on someone, visit
  • bob - (v) to offer a quick punch as "a bob on the nose"
• bobbin - a reel of cotton
• Bob's your uncle - and there you are
• bocken - to vomit, to retch - ME bolknen to bellow
• bod - bird
• body - a person - as "'if tha can't say owt good about a body shut thi gob" = if you can't find anything nice to say about someone, then keep quiet (Sheffield)
• bog - toilet
• boggart - ghost, spectre - as "watch out for't boggarts in't Red Lion"
• bogie - home made cart with 4 pram wheels and plank
• boi - by - as "went to t' market to boi a pig" (archaic SY)
• boite - bite (archaic SY)
• bollies - ball bearings
• bonce - head
• boney - a match for Bonaparte
• bonny - pretty (NY)
• boo to a goose - see wouldn't say boo to a goose
• booit – A word with several meanings
  • booit - (i) a boot, footwear (WR)
  • booit - (ii) an expression where people are no longer needed in their employment as "'to get the booit' = sacked
• bool - bowl, as "booling a bike" = to stand to one side and push
• boose - division or partition in a cowshed - OE bōs
• boshin - angry
• boskin - stone, wooden or concrete division between tied up cows (NY)
• botch - to do a job carelessly
• bowt - bought
• braces - hits, belts - as "behave thissen, afore fatther braces thee" (WR)
• bracken - ferns (NY)
• braid - to be like, to resemble, to take after - as "thas braid tha fatther" = you are like your dad - OE brēgdan
• brain box - very clever
• brak - broke - OE bræc)
• brandrith - iron pan grid
• brant - steep - as "'tis a brant hill" (NY)
• brash - acid regurgitation
• brass - money
• brat – A word with several meanings
  • brat - (i) a noisy, unpleasant, unruly child
  • brat - (ii) apron
  • brat - (iii) a piece of hessian tied on ewe's tail to prevent conception - OE bratt
• Bra't-fud - Bradford
• Bra't-fud by t'sea - Morecambe - so called because it was a popular holiday destination for Bradford residents.
• brawn - preparation of cold meat in a mould from a boiled pig’s head
• bray - smack, or hit or beat up
• braying - beating - as "tha'll get a good braying" or "I'll bray you" (NY)
• breadcake - bread roll, bap or bun
• breet - bright
• brek - to break - OE brecan
• bre't - bread
• bribe - short length of cloth, usually left-over or faulty piece
• Brid - Bridlington
• brig – A word with several meanings
  • brig or brigg - (i) projection of land into the sea -as "Filey Brig" - ON bryggja
  • brig - (ii) also meaning a wier (archaic SY)
• Briggate - busy - as "Its lak Briggate 'ere" = Briggate in Leeds was a very busy street, hence meaning somewhere is crowded. It applies equally to somewhere either inside or outside.
• britches - trousers
• brock - a badger
• broddle - to poke around, to pick out or to make holes
• brokken - broken - OE gebrocen (WR)
• brossen - see brussen
• browt - brought - OE brōhte
• brussen – A word with several meanings
  • brussen - (i) clever, smart Alec, pompous or self-important
  • brussen - (ii) someone who is a bit of a rough character.
  • brussen - (iii) full of food
  • brussen - (iv) burst (applied to a sack) (Huddersfield)
  • brussen - (v) lucky (applied to a person) (Huddersfield)
• bub - to drink
• bud - but
• buffet of buffit - a stool
• buggerlugs - a Yorkshire term of endearment
• bullace - wild plum
• bulley - a good marble, but not quite as good as a "champion" (Leeds)
• bumfit - fifteen (shepherd's count)
• bummel-clock - beetles
• bunt - a bundle (of cloth) (Huddersfield)
• burl - pick small pieces of hair etc from cloth (woolen)
• butterfingers - a clumsy person or someone who cannot catch
• butty - sandwich (NY)
• buzzer - mill whistle or siren
• by - short for "by eck"
• by eck or by gum - exclamation of surprise, Oh goodness or my God - as "eeh ba gum" = Oh my God
• by jingo - an exclamation like "well I never"

• cabbage – A word with several meanings
  • cabbage - (i) know-all - as ""Eez gorra hee-ad as big as a fifty bob cabbage" = he's a know-all (Sheffield)
  • cabbage - (ii) stupid - as "Tha's not as green as tha's cabbage looking" = you're not as stupid as you look
• cack-handed – A word with several meanings
  • cack-handed - (i) left-handed
  • cack-handed - (ii) clumsy
• cadger – A word with several meanings
  • cadger - (i) borrower, one who cadges
  • cadger -(ii) one who collects corn and takes to mill for grinding
• cahd - crouched
• cahr - to settle down, to become quiet - ON kyrr = still
• caird - a card or comb for dressing wool (woollen)
• caitiff - infirm
• cake-hoil or cake'ole - mouth
• cal(s) - gossip(s) (rhymes with pal)
• callin or callin - talking to (chatting)
• cam - bank, slope, ridge - ON kambr
• cannel or cann'l - candle - OE. candel
• canty - briskly
• cap - surpass, beat - OE cæppe cap, hood
• capped - surprised, astonished as "I'm capt to see thee"
• capt - see capped
• carr - marshy woodland or scrubland - ON kjarr = thicket
• Cas - Castleford
• casey - a "real" leather cased football (which would contain a rubber "bladder" to be blown up
• causer (or corsey) edge - kerbside or side of the road - as "stay on’t reight side o’ causer edge” = don't go on the road
• causey - pavement (causeway)
• cawd - cold
• chab - whiskers (see also childchads) (SY)
• champion - excellent, as "that's champion"
• charver - mate
• chats – A word with several meanings
  • chats - (i) fir cone (NY)
  • chats - (ii) small fried potatoes when new ones first out
• chats - (iii) fleas - as "ee 's more (whatever) than soft Mick's got chats" (Sheffield)
• chavvle - to chew, to gnaw, to nibble - OE ceafl = beak
• cheese at fourpence - looking silly, stand out, oddly dressed (for the area) - as "lookin' like a cheese at fourpence" (Sheffield)
• chelp - talk loudly
• chelpin - complaining, wittering on - as "quit chelpin" = stop going on so (not just talking)
• chessing - chasing
• chewse - choose
• childchads - side whiskers (SY)
• childer - children - ME childer & OE cildra (NY)
• chimla, chimbly, chimly - chimney (NY)
• chine - pig's backbone - OF eschine
• chip 'ole, chip 'oil or chip 'oyle - fish and chip shop
• chip oyal vinigar - weak - as "tha's as weak as chip oyal vinigar" (Sheffield)
• chippy - see chip 'ole
• chomping or chumping - see plotting
• chows - chews, sweets (Barnsley)
• chuckin' it darn - raining
• chuckin' your guts up - being sick (NY)
• chuddy - chewing gum (NY)
• chuff - arrogant
• chuffed – A word with several meanings
  • chuffed - (i) pleased with oneself
  • chuffed - (ii) excited (NY)
  • chuffed - (III) proud (NY)
• chuffy - haughty
• chumping or chomping - see plotting
• chunter - mutter, grumble
• cinders - residue of a fire, coke - OE sinder = slag
• claht – A word with several meanings
  • claht - (i) cloth
  • claht - (ii) hit - see also clout
  • claht - (iii) dirt - see also clart
• claht 'ead or claht ’eead - (i) cloth head, stupid, as thick as two short planks
• claht 'ead or claht ’eead - (ii) forgetful (Sheffield)
• clame - see clart
• clammed – A word with several meanings
  • clammed (i) - cold - as "t'puddin's clam cawd" (WR)
  • clammed (ii) - hungry, kept short of food (WR)
• clant - piece of cloth
• clap - put down quickly as "claps 'em dahn" - ON klappa
• clart – A word with several meanings
  • clart (i) - to smear
  • clart (ii) - dirt - see claht
• clarty - dirty, muddy, sticky - ME biclarten = to make dirty
• clawk - scratch
• cleak - to grasp, to seize - ME clechen = to seize
• Cleck-udders-fax - a fictional place made up from the names of Cleckheaton, Huddersfield and Halifax
• cleean - clean (NY)
• cleeanin' - cleaning (Sheffield)
• Cleethorpes donkey - as "as sick as a Cleethorpes donkey" = feeling bad that something has not turned out well
• cleg - horse-fly - ON kleggi
• clem - to starve, hungry (from clemming house - qv)
• Clem Alice - as 'ahm stud 'ear like Clem Alice" = I'm stood here waiting like an idiot (Sheffield)
• clemmed - (i) cold (due to low temperature)
• clemmed - (ii) hungry - as "arm fair clemmed" = I'm really hungry
• Clemming House - a building where animals were put the night before they were slaughtered so they could empty their bowels so that the slaughtermen didn't get in too much of a mess (Sheffield)
• clemmy - stone (of a size you might throw) (NY)
• cletch - brood of young birds (clutch) - ON klekja = to hatch
• clever clogs or clever dick - a know it all kind of person
• clever dick - see clever clogs
• clicks - hooks for moving packs of wool (woollen)
• clobber - clothes - as "put tha clobber on" = get dressed
• clocker - a hen with chicks - OE cloccian = to cluck
• clogged & nithered - cold & wet (Leeds)
• clogs – A word with several meanings
  • clogs - (i) person - as "clever clogs"
  • clogs - (ii) wooden shoes, but loosely applied to any footwear - as "get thi clogs on, we're gooin ooam"
• cloise – A word with several meanings
  • cloise - (i) near or close
  • cloise - (ii) a close, or field - ME and OF clos = enclosure
• clomp - to tread heavily, make a noise when walking
• clooas - clothes (NY)
• closit - outside toilet
• clotched - barred - as "'es clotched from t'club" = he's banned from the club (Leeds)
• clough – A word with several meanings
  • clough (I) - ravine, steep-sided valley - OE clōh
  • clough (II) - see Up clough (Sheffield)
• clout – A word with several meanings
  • clout - (i) slap or hit
  • clout - (ii) cloth, or shortage - as "more clout than dinner" = a complaint from miners about the paucity of their cloth-wrapped food
• cludger - toilet (in Knaresborough) (NY)
• cluers - clothes (Sheffield)
• cluthered - tangled
• clutter - huddle
• coal 'ole - coal cellar (see poem 'Dahn in't coyle oyle') - other variations include - coil, coyal, coyle, 'oil, 'ole, oyal or 'oyle etc.
• cob – A word with several meanings
  • cob - (i) angry - as "gorra cob on"
  • cob - (ii) stone (cobble stone)
  • cob - (iii) throw.
• cobby - active
• cock or cocker - mate, a term of endearment, usually applied to males - as "eyup cock” = hello there
• cock a' pit - best fighter - cock of the pit (Leeds)
• cod - husk, pod - OE codd
• cogs - orange segments (Leeds)
• coil or coyl - coal
• coil 'oyle - see coal 'ole
• coil dust - coal dust
• coit, cooat or coyte - coat
• collop - see scollop
• conny - darling
• contraption - piece of machinery.
• coo - cow - OE cū (NY)
• cooat - see coit (SY)
• cooertin' - courting (Sheffield)
• coom in - come in (ER)
• cop – A word with several meanings
  • cop - (i) catch - as "tha'll cop it" - you're in trouble
  • cop - (ii) yarn spun on a spindle (woollen)
• coppit - get into trouble, literally catch it - see cop (i)
• core rake - one of the long handled utensils used to rake out the ashes on a coal fire (Sheffield)
• corky -a 'real' hard cricket balls
• corsey edge - curb - see causer edge
• cotted - frozen, cold - as "ahm cotted" = I'm frozen
• cotter - a tangle (as in your hair)
• cottered up - tangled
• couldn't organise a set of fat bobbies - badly organised, can't do anything right (NY)
• coverro - nine (shepherd's count)
• cowd - cold
• cowk - coke, residue from fireplace - as "carry t'cowks aht"
• coyal - see coil
• coyl - see coil
• coyle oyle - see coal 'ole
• coyte - see coit
• crake - crow - ON kráka
• crawed - crowed
• creeaked - crooked - ON krókr = hook
• creeam - cream (NY)
• creed - to cook rice in a small amount of water before adding milk and/or cream when making a traditional rice pudding
• croggy or kroggie - riding on the cross-bar of a bicycle
• cronked - crouched, huddled up
• croodled - bent double
• cropper - cloth dresser (woollen)
• cropset - having difficulty swallowing
• crozzil - hard cinder found in furnaces (WR)
• crozzled - well done, well cooked - as "ah like mi bacon crozzled" (Barnsley)
• cuckoo - ball (WR)
• cud - could (Sheffield)
• cudn’t - couldn't
• cum - come (Sheffield)
• cumfort - a tourist who is not staying long - as "reyt fed up wi these cumforts I am"
• cumly - good looking
• cummin' - coming
• cun't -'couldn't (Barnsley)
• cut - canal (WR)
• cuvins - periwinkles

• dab - sweaty - as "got reet dab on" = I'm very sweaty
• dab hand - good at whatever it is you are doing
• daft - stupid as "daft as a brush"
• daft 'a'peth - silly person = daft half penny worth
• daggle - grow moist
• dahn or darn - down
• dahn t’ nick - bad and not going to get better.
• dahn train - (down train) stupid as "I want raised ont' darn train" = I'm not stupid
• dale - valley - OE dæl = valley, gorge, dell
• dallying - taking your time - as "th'art a reight 'un ter send fer sorrow" - a mild scolding when dallying when sent on an errand
• danny - hand (SY)
• daresent or dassent - dare not
• darn - see dahn
• dassent - see daresent
• dawks - hands, or sometimes fingers
• day-tale men - day labourers
• dee - die - ON deyja = to die (NY)
• deeadd - dead (NY)
• deean't - don't (NY)
• deear or deer - door (NY)
• deed - died
• dee-dars - residents of South Yorkshire who pronounce Thee and Tha as Dee and Da
• deen - do or doing - as "telt ya what ah'll deen wi ya"
• deer - see deear
• deeud - see deeadd (Sheffield)
• deg - to sprinkle - ON doegva
• delf - quarry - OE dælf (NY)
• delve - dig or search for something
• delver - quarryman
• dew - do
• dew't - do the
• Dick Monk - as "I cud eyt Dick Monk and Dick Monk's father" = I'm very hungry (Sheffield)
• diddy - small
• dill - to soothe (pain) - OE dile = to lull
• din - noise
• ding - to hit heavily, to knock, to throw down violently - ON dengja = to beat
• dinners cawd - you're late for your meal - as "thi dinner's cawd, on't fireback" (Leeds)
• dint - didn't
• dishclaht - dishcloth
• dix - ten (shepherd's count)
• do - a commotion, a lively time, a party (WR)
• docken - dock leaf
• doddy - bull or cow without horns - ME doddit
• doff - take off (as doff your hat)
• doit - to become forgetful or confused; to be failing (with age)
• dollop - lump of something -usually soft, like mashed potato
• doll's eead - a foolish person - as "his car keys down't grate; he's a reyt doll's eead" - (Rotherham)
• dollypawed - left-handed (Huddersfield)
• don - put on (clothes)
• Doncaster kiss - a head butt (SY)
• donkey - see Cleethorpes or scabby
• donkey stonin' - cleaning the stone doorstep with a stone (usually the front step only) (Leeds)
• donned up - dressed in ones best clothes (WR)
• Donny - Doncaster
• dooan't - don't (NY)
• dooar - door (NY)
• dooar 'oyle - doorway
• dooartstun - doorstone, stone door threshold - as "swill t' doortstuns"
• doolally - silly - as "tha's doolally" = not right in the head
• dosh - money
• double fisted - someone aggressive (WR)
• douce - pleasant, gentle
• dowly - dull, gloomy, misty day - ON daufligr = dull or lonely (NY)
• down't - down the - as "down't roid" = down the road
• dowtther - daughter (NY)
• doylem - a stupid person. (Leeds)
• drink o'watter dressed up - a very tall, thin person (Leeds and other parts of WR)
• drinkings - mid-morning snack which farm workers took to work (NY)
• druffen - drunk - ON drukkinn
• druft - a drying wind (WR)
• du - do
• dunt - don't - as "if tha dunt behave thesen, I'm gonna knock seven bells aht o' thee"
• durn - door-post
• dursent or dursn't - dare not
• duz - do - as "'oo duz tha think thy art?" (Sheffield)
• dwine - waste

• 'e ad - see 'ead (ii)
• 'e’s or 'ees - he's
• 'ead – A word with several meanings
  • 'ead (i) - head
  • 'ead (ii) - he had
• 'eard - heard
• earded - headed - as "a bald 'earded bloke" (Sheffield)
• 'eavy - heavy
• 'eck - heck
• 'eckie thump - good heavens, a show of surprise
• 'ed - would as "like an artist 'ed paint wi a brush"
• eddero - three (shepherd's count)
• eddero-dix - thirteen (shepherd's count)
• eddero-bumfit - eighteen (shepherd's count)
• ee - eye - OE ēage or ēagen
• 'eead - see 'ead (i)
• eeasiest - easiest (NY)
• eeh by gum, or eeh bah gum - oh my Goodness
• een - eye or eyes - OE ēage or ēagen
• 'ees - he is (WR) - see 'e's
• eet - see eight
• eether - either (Sheffield)
• 'efter - have to - as "tha'll efter" (Barnsley)
• egg on - encourage someone to do something, usually refers to mischief
• eight, eet, eit or eyt - eat as "eight 'er crusts for 'er" - see also "et" and eytin'
• eightfoot – a narrow footpath, ginnel, snicket (Sheffield)
• eldin or eldrin - kindling
• eldrich.- foreign, strange, uncanny
• eldrin - see eldin
• eller - elder tree - OE ellærn
• ellers - alder wood - OE aler
• 'er - her
• 'ere - here
• 'ere's - here's - as "'ere's tiv us" = here's to us
• 'ersen - herself
• esh - ash tree - OE æsc
• 'esti - have you - as "'esti brought thee mash in" = have you got your mix of tea and sugar - (asked by Yorkshire pitmen)
• et or etten - ate, eaten - see also eight
• ettle - to attempt, to try to - as "I'll ettle to fettle 't'metal on that kettle" - ON ætla
• 'ev - have
• -ey - (suffix) dry area in a marshy place - ON ey as in place names as Pudsey, Otley
• eyt - see eight
• eytin' - eating - as "eytin' leather humbugs"
• 'ey-up - see ayeup

• factry - factory (Sheffield)
• fadge - bundles of cloth or wool in a pack sheet skewered with wooden pack pricks (woollen)
• faffing - messing about (WR)
• fahve - five
• fain - in a willing manner, forced by circumstances or an obligation to do something - as "t’ lad wor well nigh starved soa he said that he mun fain hev a fire"
• fair - quite or very - as "fair scared" = very scared
• fair to middlin' - alright, as an answer to "how are you?"
• faither, fatha, fatther or favva - father
• famished - hungry, starving
• farl - foul - as "dooan't sweear, dooan't lewk farl"
• farsididly - being picky or choosy
• fast - stuck, puzzled
• fatha, fatther or favver - see faither
• fearnaught - a wool mixing machine (woollen)
• feast - fair (Leeds)
• feckless - useless (person)
• feight or feyt - fight - OE feohtan
• fell - hill, mountain slope or fell - ON fjall = fell (NY)
• femmer - slight, light, weak - ON fimmer
• fend - take care of, look after - as "fend for t’ barn"
• fent - a fag end of cloth, three-quarters of a yard beyond the length of a piece. Weavers used to claim this as a perk to clothe their children (woollen)
• fer - for
• fetch - to give (a blow)
• fettle – A word with several meanings
  • fettle - (i) to tidy, to mend, to clean or to get ready
  • fettle - (ii) condition - as "what fettle" = how are things
  • fettle - (iii) work
• fettler - a machine cleaner (woollen)
• fettling - tidying up, clearing away
• feyt - see feight
• fibbin' - telling lies
• finnd - to find - OE findan
• five and twenty past - twenty five minutes passed the hour
• flaar - see flahr
• flacker - to flutter, to quiver, to tremble - ON flögra
• flaggin' - tiring, tired, worn out
• flags or flagstones - thin, flat stones used as paving or floorstone - ON flaga = slab of stone
• flahr, flaar or flooer - flower; flour (in the North and East)
• flahr, flaar or flooer - floor (in the West Riding)
• flaik - fence, hurdles, open wooden storage rack, railings - ON fleki
• flappin' - scared (Leeds)
• flay - frighten
• flayed - scared, scary
• fleet – A word with several meanings
  • fleet - (i) floor, inner room - OE flett = floor or hall
  • fleet - (ii) fire, glowing embers
• flep - mouth, lips
• fleyed - frightened
• flibberty gibbet - chatterbox
• flig - to fly - as "I'm fliggin to Tuscany" - OE flēogan = flee
• fligged - fledged
• flippin' 'eck - exclamation of shock and surprise
• flit - move house as "flitin'" = moving house - ON flytja
• flite - to bawl, to jeer, to quarrel, to reprimand
• flooer - see flahr
• flower - term of endearment (NY)
• flummox - to confuse, to mix up
• foire - fire (archaic SY)
• foisty - fusty, musty, mouldy - OF fusté = smelling of the cask
• fold - a collection of houses standing in a yard (Huddersf'd)
• fond – A word with several meanings
  • fond - (i) a liking for as "fond of spogs"
  • fond - (ii) foolish, silly
• Fondbrazzent - adjective applied to a young lady, a little free with her virtue
• fooerge - forge (Sheffield)
• force - see foss
• forced - necessarily - or not forced to be = not necessarily
• forkin'-robber - an earwig
• forrad - forward
• forreey'ud - forehead (Sheffield)
• forrit - in bother, (literally for it) - as "yer's lot are forrit" = you lot are in trouble (WR)
• fortneet - fortnight
• foss or force - waterfall - ON fors (NY)
• fo't - for the
• fother-gang - space above cattle stall from which hay could be lowered - ON fōðer = fodder
• fo'ty - forty
• four square yards o' Yorkshire - a big square Yorkshire pudding cut into four squares with plenty of gravy
• fower - four
• fowk - folk
• fowl - bird
• fra – A word with several meanings
  • fra - (i) from
  • fra - (ii) apart - as "'come fra together'" = fallen apart
• frame – A word with several meanings
  • frame - (i) do things correctly - as "frame thissen" = sort yourself out or get a move on
  • frame - (ii) show promise
• fratch - quarrel
• fratchin' - arguing
• fresh – A word with several meanings
  • fresh - (i) new as "owt fresh?" = any news
  • fresh - (ii) slightly drunk (NY)
• fret - mist or slight fog, often from the sea
• Frida’ - Friday
• friggin' - a curse (NY)
• frozzed - referring to face or fingers being very cold (NY)
• fruzzins – A word with several meanings
  • fruzzins - (i) hairs coming off the cloth when finished or from yarn when wound (woollen)
  • fruzzins - (ii) loose fluff, often under a bed (Huddersfield)
• fugglin' - cheating
• fullock - rapid motion. Impetus, force
• fun or fund - found
• furniter - furniture
• furniter polish - furniture polish
• furrin’ - foreign
• furtle - see fettle
• fust - first (NY)
• fuzzock - donkey

• gadgy - a man
• gaffer - the boss, foreman
• gahin' - going
• gain – A word with several meanings
  • gain - (i) near - ON gegn = against
  • gain - (ii) quick - ON gegn = against
• gainest - nearest
• gal - gossip
• galivant or gallivant - to travel, to visit lots of places or go away often
• gallases or gallusses - trouser braces
• gallock - left (NY)
• gallusses - see gallases
• gammy – A word with several meanings
  • gammy - (i) injured, lame (NY)
  • gammy - (ii). bad, off your food (NY)
• gander - look at
• gansey or ganzy - cardigan, pullover or jersey
• gapin - yawning
• garrett - attic
• garth - yard or small grassed enclosure adjacent to a house - ON garðr (NY)
• gassing - talking
• gat - got - ON geta
• gate - way, street - ON gata as in streets of the Danelaw e.g. Kirkgate, Eastgate, Briggate, etc.
• gathering - turning septic
• gauge - a pint of beer
• gaum – A word with several meanings
  • gaum - (i) common sense, heed, to mind, to look at - ON gaumr = attention, heed
  • gaum - (ii) understand, common sense - as "ee taks noa gawm" = He takes no heed - ON gaumr = attention
• gaumless - deficient in common sense
• gauvies - simpletons
• gawby - fool
• gawk – A word with several meanings
  • gawk - (i) to stare as "what you gawkin at?"
  • gawk - (ii) left handed
• gawp - to stare - ON gapa
• gawp-'eead - stupid person
• gawpin' - staring
• gear - items, things, clothes (NY)
• geea - give a, give me (Sheffield)
• geeoer or gi' over - give over, stop, desist
• ger - go, or get
• gerr away - you don't say
• gerrin' the monk on - anger - as "'avin a monk on"
• gerrit - get it
• gerrod - get hold (WR)
• gerrod o' thissen - sort yourself out, pull yourself together - as "gerrod o' thissen, afore fatther belts thee" (WR)
• gerron - get on
• gerrup - get up
• gers - grass (Huddersfield)
• gert - great, large
• get - see useless get (Sheffield)
• ghyll - see gill (i)
• gi' - give
• gi' oer - see geeoer
• gi’ ooar - see geeoer (Sheffield)
• gi' over - see geeoer
• gie - give as "gie us it 'ere"
• gie-owwer - see geeoer
• gig - a kind of knife used to remove knots from the cloth (woollen)
• gill – A word with several meanings
  • gill - (i) stream or small narrow valley or ravine - ON gjel
  • gill - (ii) half a pint
• gilt - immature female pig - ON gyltr
• gimmers – A word with several meanings
  • gimmers - (i) immature female sheep (before it first gives birth to lambs) - ON gymbr
  • gimmers - (ii) old people, an insult - as "Y'owd gimmer" = You silly old person
• gin - yon (NY Moors)
• ginnel or snicket - alley, narrow passageway, often roofed between houses
• gip - retch
• gitten - got
• giz, gizza or gizzyer - give, give us, give your (NY)
• gizzern - throat
• gleg - a look, a side glance, a sly look
• glims - eye glasses
• glocken - to start to thaw; when snow begins to clear away
• gloit - idiot (Leeds)
• gloppened or glottened - astonished, surprised, flabbergasted - ON glupna
• glory 'oyle - room used to collect "clutter", could be a cellar
• glottened - see gloppened
• go blue - get mad as "she'll go blue wi' yer"
• goa - go (NY)
• goat (acting the) - playing around, acting foolishly
• gob - mouth - as "shut thee gob or ahl shut it fo thee"
• gob iron - harmonica (Leeds)
• gob smacked - lost for words
• Gods Own County - Yorkshire
• Godspenny's - earnest money
• goffs - smells horrible (NY)
• goit - a small artificial channel carrying water. Often applied to channels built to feed mills (WR)
• gollup - gulp
• gommeril - fool (NY)
• gonna - going to
• goo - go (archaic SY)
• good 'un - good one (NY)
• goodies - sweets (NY)
• gooin - going
• gooin' case - living together but un-married (Sheffield)
• gooise - goose - OE gōs
• goosegog - gooseberry
• gor - got
• gorm - recognise - as "I'd n'er have gormed her"
• gormless - (i) stupid, not intelligent
• gormless - (ii) accident prone
• gorra - got a
• gow - an exclamation - as "by gow" = my goodness
• gowd - gold (colour) (NY)
• gowk - cuckoo - ON gaukr
• graave - to dig - Swedish gräva
• gradely or graidly - really, greatly -
• graidly - see gradely
• grain – A word with several meanings
  • grain - (i) branch of a tree; branch of a stream - ON grein
  • grain - (ii) prong of a table fork - ON grein = division
• grand - great, very good - as "it's reet grand"
• greet - to weep, to cry continuously - Swedish gråta
• gripe - a garden fork - from Scandinavian muckegreip
• groop - drain in a cowshed - ON grop
• growler - pork pie
• grub - food
• grumble - mutter, complain
• gud - good (Sheffield)
• guh - go, turn - as "av a guh ont machine" = have a play on the machine (Sheffield)
• guin - going (Sheffield)
• gumption - common sense
• gunna - going to
• gurt - big (NY)
• guz - goes (Sheffield)
• guzzle - eat greedily
• gyn - gibbet

• ha'e - have (NY Moors)
• hafe - shelter
• hagg - part of an area of woodland, especially on a sloping bank - ON hagi
• haigs - haws, fruit of the hawthorns - OE haga
• handsel - money handed over to bind a contract or to seal a bargain - ON hand-sal = pledge
• hank - thread wound on a large cylinder. a hank of wool was 840 yards; 560 yards in worsted (woollen)
• ha'penny imp - a small banger, a firework (Leeds)
• happen - perhaps - as "happen I'll go out today" - ON happ
• happen on - to come across
• hardin' hamp - labourer's smock (NY Moors)
• hartstoan - hearthstone
• hask - keenly
• haver - oats - ON hafre
• haverbread or havercake = oatcake, made from oatmeal when wheat flour was expensive (WR)
• hed - had
• heer - hear
• hell fire - goodness me (NY)
• henged - hanged
• Hep-n'stull - Heptonstall
• hersen - herself
• hev - have
• hey up - see ayeup
• hiddy - hide and seek
• hig or higg - temper, annoyance, to take offence at something - ON hoggva
• hissen - see issen
• hoamin - murmuring
• hob - a goblin without clothes who gets vexed when offered them (NY Moors)
• hod - see 'od
• hod on - see 'od on
• hod thi 'osses - see 'od thi' 'osses
• hoil or hoyl - hole - OE hol - see also 'oil, 'ole, 'oyle etc
• holler - scrub or waste land - (Leeds)
• hooam - home
• hooks - ill - as "a bit offen t' 'ooks" = a little out of sorts (Sheffield)
• hoss - horse - as "If wishes were hosses beggars 'ud ride"
• hoyl - see hoil
• hugged - carried
• hugger up - crowd together

• i' - in the - as "i' West Ridin'"
• i' t' - in the - as "i' t'ahse" - in the house
• ice-shoggles - icicles - ON isjukel
• Ickum - little - (Danish = ickun or kun)
• idle - lazy
• Ikla Moor - Ilkley Moor
• im - him
• in a bit - shortly (in time)
• ing(s) - meadow, low wet ground, water meadow close to a river - ON eng = meadow-land
• int – A word with several meanings
  • int - (i) isn't
  • int' - (ii) in the
• intr - into (Sheffield)
• ippins - nappies (WR)
• is - can also mean are - as "Kippax, wheear treacle mines is" = Kippax, where the treacle mines are
• issen - himself
• ist - are you - as "ow ist?" ="how are you?
• iver - ever - as "aster iver hugged a poork up a stee till thi rig warked"
• iverybody - everybody

• jacks - part of a loom (woollen)
• jaloused - suspected
• jamb - door post
• 'jammy – A word with several meanings
  • jammy - (i) very lucky
  • jammy - (ii) fizzy drink
• jannock - fair, right, just (justice) - as "it’s nut jannock" = it’s not fair - ON jamn (SY)
• jeeans - jeans (Barnsley)
• jerry - a finishing machine that removed rough surface of cloth (woollen)
• jiggered or jiggard – A word with several meanings
  • jiggered or jiggard - (i) broken
  • jiggered or jiggard - (ii) very tired (NY)
• jiggit - twenty (shepherd's count)
• jinnal or jennell - ginnel (Sheffield & Barnsley)
• jip - pain
• jock - packed lunch
• joker - nuisance, liar
• jonnock - genuine - as "no it's jonnock all reyt: I saw 'im buy it missen" - adjective (Doncaster)
• joss - the master (Huddersfield)
• jowl - knock

• kak handed - left handed or a clumsy person
• kali, kaylie or khali - sherbert
• keck - A plant with hollow stem, like hedge parsley, hemlock - ON kjol
• kegs or keks - trousers, underwear (NY)
• keld or kell - spring, well - ON kelda
• kermit - road - as “don’t go playin in’t Kermit" = don't play on the road (Sheffield)
• 'ket – A word with several meanings
  • ket - (i) rubbish
  • ket - (ii) sweets
• ketty - nasty, rancid
• kexes - dried stems of weeds
• khali - see kali
• kid - to lead on, tell a fib as "he's kiddin' me"
• kiddin' - telling a fib, joking (NY)
• kilp - handle of a pot, pot hook - ON kilpr = handle of a vessel
• kindlin' - firewood
• king-cough - whooping cough
• kink - to breath or laugh spasmodically - OE cincung = boisterous laughter
• kist - chest (as a box, blanket chest, etc) - ON kista = chest
• kit - milk pail (NY)
• kittle - to tickle - ON kitla
• kittlin' - kitten - ON kettling
• knacker – A word with several meanings
  • knacker - (i) a slug
  • knacker - (ii) to break an item, or tire yourself out
• knackin' - affected
• knacklin' - mending or fixing - as "Weers grandad?" "Ees knackling int glory ole"
• knaws - knows (NY)
• kneyd - knead - as kneading bread
• knock on - to get on with a job - as "ee lad, tha's knockin' on wi that, tha's nearly dun" (WR)
• knocker upper - a man with a long stick who knocked on the bedroom windows of the miners to get them up. mining villages had a knocker up
• knockin' off time - end of work, home time
• koil, koil oil, etc - see coil - coal (Huddersfield)
• kop - see cop (I) - catch (Huddersfield)
• krog or kroggie - see croggy - a ride on the crossbar of a bicycle
• kuss - kiss (NY)
• kwak - a fake or poor doctor. In past times was used for people who we now call 'complimentary therapists'
• kytel - working coat of coarse material - ON kittel

• lackadaisical - lazy, dreamy, in a world of their own
• lad - boy, youth - ME ladde = fellow
• ladged - very embarrassed - as "I'm ladged to deeath"
• ladgin' - embarrassing - as "weeny ladgin" = very embarrassing
• lady-cows - ladybirds
• lahin - receiving payment for
• lahk - like
• lahl - little (NY)
• laik, lake or leck - play - as "Is't coming art to lake?" - ON leika (WR)
• laikin' - playing - as "are you lecking football"
• laikin' art - (ii) playing out - as "are you lecking art toneet?"
• laikin', or throwing a laker - (iii) taking an unauthorised day off work
• laithe or leeath - barn or similar - ON hlaða = barn (NY)
• laiting - looking for
• lake - see laik
• lakin' or laking - see laikin'
• lam – A word with several meanings
  • lam - (i) throw - as "lam it ovver 'ere"
  • lam - (ii) to strike hard - ON lemja = to thrash, flog or beat
• lame - painful (NY)
• land - to hit - as "Ah'll land one on yer" = I'll hit you)
• lanky streak o’ tap watter – a thin person (Leeds)
• lap - to drink
• lapt - wrapped
• lark - to play as "to lark about"
• larking - - see lakin'
• lass - girl, young woman or wife (NY)
• lat - late - ON latr
• later - seven (shepherd's count)
• latin - searching for
• latt - lath, a thin strip of wood - as "as thin as a latt"
• lauk - throwing a laker - see laking (iii)
• lavvy - (i) toilet
• lavvy - (ii) fizzy drink
• lawp - leap
• layhors for medlers - abstract answer when children ask what certain things are (Sheffield)
• learn - to teach - OE leornian = to teach or instruct
• leck – A word with several meanings
  • leck - (i) see laik
  • leck - (ii) to sprinkle with water - ON leka = to drip or dribble
• leck or weet - (iii) to wet cloth as with stale urine to bring out the grease (woollen)
• leckin' art - see laikin' art
• leckin'-can - watering can
• leeath - see laithe
• leeave - leave (NY)
• leet – A word with several meanings
  • leet - (i) light - OE lēoht
  • leet - (ii) to meet with (Huddersfield)
• leg - throw (NY)
• legit - run away (Leeds)
• lem - to be angry, moody - as "to have a lem on" (NY)
• lern - teach (NY)
• lerrim - let him
• let on - tell
• lettuce - as "as much use as a bob 'o lettuce" = weak
• lewk - look (NY)
• lief - rather, willingly - OE lēof = pleasant or agreeable
• lig or ligg - lie down - as "John's ligged out" = John's lying down - - ON liggja (WR)
• like wot I does - as I do (WR)
• lillilow - light
• liltin - light-hearted
• limmers - wagon shafts
• ling - heather - ON lyng
• lip - answer back (NY)
• lish - smooth
• lisk - groin, where legs join - Norwegian lyske.
• lister - dyer (woollen)
• lite - stupid
• lithairse - dye house (woollen)
• littlechuff - a shoulder warmer - as "slip 'er a littlechuff on 'er shoulders when 'er seems a bit cowd"
• Livestock - mice and vermin
• livin' case or (more correctly) gooin' case - living together without being married (Sheffield)
• livin’ ower t’ brush - see livin’ case
• livin’ tally - see livin’ case
• loans - lanes
• loiked - liked
• lollopin' - messing about - as "stop lolloping abart and get sommat dun" (WR)
• look frinint ye - look in front of you, when walking (NY)
• loopy - daft
• lop, or lopp - flea - as "the dog's wick wi' lops" = the dog is full of fleas
• loss - to lose - OE losian
• lowence - snack whilst working, especially for farmers (NY)
• lowk - to weed
• lowse – A word with several meanings
  • lowse - (i) leave as "Football's lowseing" = the crowd is leaving at the end of the game
  • lowse - (ii) to finish work for the day - ON lauss = free or disengaged from
• lowsin' time - home time (NY)
• lug – A word with several meanings
  • lug - (i) ear
  • lug - (ii) pull
  • lug - (iii) a knot or tangle in the hair which causes the brush to catch
• luggin' - carrying
• lug'oils, lug'oles or lug'oyles - ears
• lumox - idiot - as "yer greete lanky lumox" = you great tall skinny idiot
• lurry - a wagon (WR)
• luv - my love - used as a greeting and not necessarily personal
• lyk - like

• ma - my
• maade - made (NY)
• mabs - marbles - as ""tha's got mooer rakkle than a cana mabs" = you are very noisy (Sheffield)
• mackers - stones
• Mad Allik - reckless - as "runnin' abaat like Mad Allik"
• maddled - confused
• maffin' - hot and clammy weather (NY)
• mafted - hot - as "Ahm mafted"
• mair - more (NY)
• maist - most
• maister - boss, master, schoolmaster - OF maistre
• Mak - make (NY)
• mangy - see maungy
• manky - not nice, unpleasant
• mar - pond - OE mere
• mara t'bonny - as bad as - as (discussion of someone's misdeeds) "'ees mara t'bonny" = and he's just as bad
• mardy – A word with several meanings
  • mardy - (i) see maungy
  • mardy - (ii) a fussy cat (Leeds)
• marlocks - tricks
• marrer - matter
• mash - brew - as in make tea
• mashin' - make (or brew) tea
• maunce - mixture
• maungy - spelled mangy, mardy, mornjy or mourngey – A word with several meanings
  • maungy - (i) spoilt, peevish
  • maungy - (ii) being a bit of a misery, miserable, awkward, stubborn, moody, sulky or stroppy
• maunt - see moughn't
• mawk – A word with several meanings
  • mawk - (i) maggot - ON maðkr
  • mawk - (ii) unfriendly person, one who complains
• mawky - rotten
• mawmet - as proud as an idol
• me - my
• med - made
• meg - a ha'penny. (Leeds)
• meight or meyt - meat
• mek - make
• mek on it - make of it
• melch - gentle; mild, soft - OE melsc = mild
• mell - sand dunes - ON melr = sand bank
• mell on - meddle with
• mell-sheaf - the last sheaf of the harvest
• mend – A word with several meanings
  • mend - (i) getting healthier
  • mend - (ii) to stoke up a fire by adding coal
• mengle - mangle (for laundry use) (NY)
• mense - decency, neatness, tidiness - ON mennska
• mention - a small amount - as "nobbut a mention" = just a small amount
• mester - mister (NY)
• methera - four
• meyt - see meight
• mi - me or my
• Mick – A word with several meanings
  • Mick - (i) fun - as "tak the Mick out on" = "make fun of"
  • Mick - (ii) see soft Mick
• mickle - much, greater - like. Micklethwaite or Micklegate -.ON mikkel
• midden or middin' – A word with several meanings
  • midden or middin' - (i) muck heap - ON myki-dyngja
  • midden or middin' - (ii) The outside toilet, when people still had them
• middlin - moderate, fair
• midgies - gnats
• miffed off - cheesed off, brassed off
• mig - manure, muck - ON myki = dung
• miln - a mill (Huddersfield)
• milner - originally the one who put the cloth in the milling stocks (woollen)
• mind - take care - as "mind yer sen" = take care of yourself
• mind on - remember - as "mind on you wash behind your ears"
• mine'st you - mind you (Leeds)
• mingin' - horrible, unpleasant (NY)
• minit - minute
• minnin'-on - a snack which staves off hunger until a proper meal - ON minna = to remind
• minoggin' - my head, my brain (Sheffield)
• Mischievous night - the eve of Bonfire night, when children did a bit of harmless mischief (Leeds)
• missen or mi-sen - my self - as "Ahl do it missen"
• mistal or mistle - a milking shed
• mithered - irritated with something - as "stop mitherin' me" = stop bothering me" (NY)
• mitherin' - see mithered
• mixen - dunghill - OE myxen
• mofft't - off to - as "mofft't shops" = I'm going to the shop
• moi - my (archaic SY)
• Moiley Oile - Morley Hole - as "mouth like Moiley Oile" = big mouth - from Morley, near Leeds (Leeds)
• moither - harass
• moldiwarp - see mowdiwarp
• mongi - idle (Huddersfield)
• monk or munk – A word with several meanings
  • monk or munk (i) - anger, to be grumpy, to have a sulky face - as "'avin a monk on"
  • Monk - (ii) see Dick Monk
• mooer or moore - more (Sheffield)
• mooin - moon - as "man I' t' mooin"
• moore - pronounced as two distinct syllables - see mooer
• more brass na brains - more money than sense
• mornjy - see maungy
• mort - abundance, a great deal - ON mart = many
• moss - bog, marsh - ON mose
• mot or motty – A word with several meanings
  • mot or motty - (i) marker used when ploughing - ON mót = mark
  • mot or motty - (ii) a rendezvous - Norwegian mot
• moughn't - - mustn't
• mourngey - see maungy
• mourn't - must not (Sheffield)
• mowdiwarp or moldiwarp - mole (the animal)
• muck - dirt - ON myki
• muck 'oil - dirty place
• muckments - penny sweets
• mucky ockrill - a dirty hovel (Sheffield)
• mud - might, may (WR)
• mud as weal - might as well - "ah, wi mud as weal" = yes, we might as well (WR)
• muff - make a small noise (Huddersfield)
• mule - spinning machine (woollen)
• mullock – A word with several meanings
  • mullock - (i) mess
  • mullock - (ii) used to describe a headstrong idiot (Leeds)
• mun or munt - must - ON mun
• muney - money (Sheffield)
• mungo - old rags and woollen material, shredded to be rewoven (woollen)
• munk - see monk
• munt - se mun
• munths - months (Sheffield)

• na - than - as "more brass na brains" = more money than sense
• na then - see now then
• nae - no (NY)
• naff - rubbish, or not very good
• naffed - be bothered - as "a can't be naffed"
• nah - now
• naice - nice - as "a naice cup o' tea"
• nail up - in pain - as "Wer un a nail up" = worse than a nail up (in a shoe) meaning someone who's a pain - (SY)
• nang - troublesome, painful - ON angr
• nangin' - crying
• nanglin' or nanklin' task - a tiresome, fiddly, intricate and awkward task (see nang)
• nangnail - corn or in-growing toenail
• nankle - fiddling with something with an aim of fixing it
• nanklin' - see nanglin'
• nanxed - worn out absolutely
• nar then - see now then
• nark - annoy
• narky - moody, sulky, stroppy, mardy (NY)
• n'arn - - see now then (NY)
• na-then - see now then
• natlin' - mending or fixing
• natling shed - a hut, space or room for mending things
• natter - grumble
• nauped - hit on the head
• nawpins - perks
• nawther - neither - OE nāwæðer
• nay - no - as "nay, lad, tha's doing' that all wrong"
• near as meks n'matter - close enough
• neb - nose - OE nebb = beak or nose
• nebbin' - being nosey
• nebby - nosey
• neck - as "my neck of the woods" = neighbourhood
• neet - night
• neff - - naked
• neither nowt nor summat - neither nothing or something
• neither use nor ornament - expression of disapproval, useless
• nenst - beside, towards or abreast of
• nerk 'ole, nerk 'oil or nerk 'oyle - fish and chip shop - see chippy
• nerks - chips, usually from the chippy
• nesh – A word with several meanings
  • nesh - (i) delicate, squeamish
  • nesh - (ii) cold - often that an individual is 'soft' for feeling the cold, a mild abuse - as "nesh southerners" (NY)
• neyd - need (WR)
• neyt - night (WR)
• nieve - fist - ON hnefi = closed hand
• nigh - nearly - as "well nigh starved"
• nimm - to filch, to steal - OE niman = to carry off
• nip us a bit off - break a bit off - as "nip us a bit off yer baccy" = can I have a piece of your baccy (Leeds)
• nippa - nipper, young child
• nithered - very cold OE niðerian = to bring low
• nithering - cold - as in cold weather
• nivver - never (NY)
• noan - haven't
• nobblin' - kidding, tricking someone (Leeds)
• nobbut or nobber - only - as "nobberabairn" = only a child - OE nānbeūtan = none but (WR)
• no'en - none - as "no'en on us" = none of us
• nogs - L-shaped pieces of iron placed on the beam to hold the warp (woollen)
• noils - short fibres of wool removed by the combing machine (woollen)
• noit - business (Huddersfield)
• nooats - notes, monetary notes (NY)
• nope - to hit, especially on the head (Huddersfield)
• nor - not
• nor enough room to swing a cat - very small room - cramped
• norenny - not any
• noreven - not even (Sheffield)
• Norfolk Street - at one time one of the longest streets in Sheffield running from the Town Hall to Pond Street - hence a person with a long face = "thas gorra face as long as Norfolk Street" (Sheffield)
• nosh - food, or to eat it
• not back'ard at comin' for'ard - not backward at coming forward - a pushy person
• nouse - sense (NY)
• nout - see nowt
• now then – A word with several meanings
  • now then - (i) hello
  • now then - (ii) watch it
  • now then - (iii) - The answer is "it can't be, It's either one o' t'other"
• nowt - nothing - as "neither nowt nor summat" = not important - OE nōwiht = nothing
• nowt o' sort - nothing of the sort - as "wodn’t du nowt o’ sort"
• nowther - neither (NY Moors)
• nub'dy - nobody
• nut - not

• o' - of - as "West Ridin' o' Yorkshire"
• ockrill - a dirty hovel - as "a mucky ockrill" (Sheffield)
• 'od - hold ((A typical Yorkshire shortening) - OE healdan = to hold fast
• 'od on - hang on, wait a moment, slow down - as "'hod on a bit"
• 'od thi 'osses - Stop what you are doing/saying, slow down, take it easy
• 'odd up - just a minute. or hold on (Leeds)
• o'er - over (Sheffield)
• of a neet - in the evening - as "nivver goa aht of a neet"
• offcumden - a person from somewhere outside Yorkshire
• offen - off - as "a bit offen t' ooks" = a little off - or out of sorts (Sheffield)
• 'oggin - the sea - as “we wenna Cleethorpes for t‘day, burra dint go in t' ‘oggin” (Sheffield)
• oh aye - oh really
• 'oil - see oyle
• okker - to hesitate (Huddersfield)
• 'ole - see oyle
• olis - always (Huddersfield)
• 'ome - home
• on - of - as "no'en on us" = none of us
• on ‘em - of them
• on er rooerd - (she's) on her way - as "grammers on er rooerd" (WR)
• one o'clock half struck - as "I'm stud 'ear like one o'clock half struck" = I'm stood here waiting like an idiot (Sheffield)
• onmast - almost
• on't - on the (Sheffield)
• on't sneck - on the latch but not locked - (see sneck)
• on'y - only (Leeds)
• on'y but cum - had actually come - as "If tha'd on'y but cum on't reyt day" - If you'd only come on the correct day (Yorkshireman's excuse)
• 'oo - who (Sheffield)
• 'ooam or 'ooem - home
• oop - up - as "It's grim oop North"
• 'oose - house (ER)
• or reet - alright (Leeds)
• 'orizontel - horizontal (Sheffield)
• Orsfth - Horsforth = without the h or o (district of N Leeds)
• 'oss – A word with several meanings
  • 'oss - (i) horse
  • 'oss - (ii) to stir; move, to begin (Huddersfield)
• 'ouse – A word with several meanings
  • 'ouse - (I) house
  • 'ouse - (II) sitting room (NY)
• ov - of
• overro - eight (shepherd's count)
• over't - over the (Leeds)
• ovver - over
• 'ow - how
• 'ow do - how are you, hello
• 'ow’s tha mean - what do you mean?
• owd - old
• ower - over (NY)
• ower t’ brush - livin' ower t’ brush - see livin'
• owermich - too much
• owid - old
• owny - only (Sheffield)
• owt - anything, the opposite of nowt - as "owt else"
• 'oyal or 'oyel - (two distinct syllables) - see 'oyle
• oyk - to lift up as "oyk up yer leg" = lift up your leg
• 'oyle – A word with several meanings
  • 'oyle - (i) hole - OE hol (see also "hoil")
  • 'oyle - (ii) a meaning of a doorway - as "put t'wood in'th oyle" = close the door

• p pods - i-pod - as "listen t' them theer p pods"
• paand - see pahnd
• paay - pay (NY)
• pack it in - stop it
• pack up - packed lunch (NY)
• pafalled - very tired; exhausted - "carrying t'pianer up to t'room has left me fair pafalled" (NY)
• paggard or paggered - (i) very tired - as "I'm completely paggered" (NY)
• paggard or paggered - (ii) damaged - as "I've just paggered my dad's car" (NY)
• pahnd - pound (weight or money)
• parkin - ginger cake made with oats, often eaten at the Bonfire
• parky - cold - as "it's reet parky toneet"
• parlour - sitting room
• parrish oven - big mouth - as "she's gorra gob like t' parrish oven" = she has a big mouth (Sheffield)
• pasty - work harder as "gi' it some pasty"
• patates - potatoes
• pawse - kick (NY)
• peddero - four (shepherd's count)
• pededero-dix - fourteen (shepherd's count)
• pededero-bumfit - nineteen (shepherd's count)
• peeve - pub (Leeds)
• peg up - to give someone a lift, or a leg up, maybe over a wall (Leeds)
• pegged rug - rug made by "pegging" the cloth into it
• perch - to examine cloth by putting it over a rod, pole or perch, in order to remove burls or motes (woollen)
• perishing - cold - as in cold weather
• pick - to throw the shuttle (woollen)
• picking thi nose - comments to embarrass the culprit
  • "dus tha want core rake" = do you want the long handled coal rake (Sheff'd)
  • "gie-owwer thi forreey'ud 'll cave in" = stop, or your forehead will cave in (Sheffield)
  • "I'll swap thee a bit of soft for a bit of hard, wi salt on"
  • "let me know when tha reaches t' piana and then I can tune mi violin" (Sheffield)
• piecan - Idiot, empty headed (like an empty pie dish) - used as a gentle remonstration - as "tha's a reight piecan" (Sheffield)
• piggin - a lading can or small vessel (Huddersfield)
• pikelet - crumpet
• pip – A word with several meanings
  • pip - (i) five (the number)
  • pip - (ii) silly as "tha luks a reeet pip in that" or "dunt he look a pip" = an outlandish dresser
• pippin on a milestone - too small - as "tek that 'at off, it looks like a pippin on a milestone"
• pippy show - see pip - outlandish dress sense - as "tha luks a reyt Pippy show"
• as "tha luks a reyt Pippy show"
• pitts - five (shepherd's count)
• playin' pop - to tell off or get angry with - see pop (ii)
• plimsoles - see pumps
• plot - a Bonfire (on Bonfire Night)
• Plot Neet - Bonfire Night
• plot toffee - eaten specially on Bonfire Night
• plother - mud (NY)
• plotting, chomping or chumping - collecting material for the plot
• po - chamber pot or "gozunder" which goes under the bed
• pockit = pocket (Sheffield)
• poise - kick (Huddersfield)
• poke - bag, pouch, sack - ON poki
• poley - very drunk, off his head - as "don't gee im any moor beer cus it sends him poley" (Sheffield)
• polli - a lift on the back of a "shove iron" (bicycle) - see also croggy or kroggie - (Leeds)
• Ponti - Pontefract
• pooars - pours
• poof - pouffe or footstool
• poork - sack (of flour or corn or similar)
• pop – A word with several meanings
  • pop - (i) fizzy drink - see also "jammy"
  • pop - (ii) to "play pop" = tell someone off
  • pop - (iii) go out, go to the shop etc - as "pop ter t'shop" = nip out to the corner shop
• porty woof - forty threads (woollen)
• pot - plaster cast - as "Ah've got a pot on"
• poyels - poles - as telegraph poles (Sheffield)
• praad - proud
• privy - outside toilet - OF privé = private
• proper - really - as "'es proper struck on thee" = He really likes you (WR)
• puddin' - dull, dense or plain, when in reference to a person - as "e were a reet pudd'n"
• puddin' burners - men who return home very late from the pub for Sunday lunch (Barnsley)
• pudgy - fat or chubby person (NY)
• puffler - pit top fitters supervisor (Leeds)
• pumps - sports shoes, sandshoes
• pund - pound (in weight) (Huddersfield)
• purrin’ - putting
• purrup - put up
• push iron - bicycle - see shove iron (Leeds)
• push up - as "allus at t’ last push up" = always at the last moment.
• put t'wood in'th oyle - shut the door
• Put'sey - Pudsey (Leeds)

• quack - a segment of orange - as "pass us a silver of quack, old fruit" (WR)
• quacken - to cure (NY)
• quart' t' three feet - physical description of feet pointing out like Charlie Chaplin's (Sheffield)
• queer - funny, unusual - as "nowt so queer as folk"
• quoits - coats (Sheffield)

• rack - judgement by eye of accuracy - as "bi t'rack o' t'ee" = by the rack of the eye
• raether - rather
• rahnd - round (WR)
• raight - see reet
• rakkle - rattle, noise - as "tha's got mooer rakkle than a cana mabs" (Sheffield)
• ram - smelling strongly, pungent
• ram'mle - ramble on, as "talk forever"
• rarndabaht - roundabout (WR)
• rarnt back - round the back (Sheffield)
• rascal - a scone
• ratty – A word with several meanings
  • ratty - (i) grumpy (NY)
  • ratty - (ii) nouse, sense (NY)
• rawpin en' shahtin` - shouting loudly (Barnsley)
• reckle - to poke, to stir (particularly a fire)
• reckon - believe
• Redc' - Redcar
• reek or rick – A word with several meanings
  • reek or rick - (i) smoke, to smoke - ON reykja
  • reek or rick - (ii) smell horribly
• reet - spelled raight, reet, reight or reyt – A word with several meanings
  • reet - (i) right - as "is tha reet?" = are you O.K.
  • reet - (ii) very - as "it's reet good" = it's very good
  • reet - (iii) odd - as "th'art a reight 'un"
  • reet - (iv) extremely - as "reyt fed up wi it"
• reight - see reet
• rettin' - worrying
• reyt - see reet (WR)
• rheeubub or rhubub - rhubarb - OF r(e)ubarbe
• ridin’ - riding e.g. of a horse
• Riding - one of the three former administrative parts of Yorkshire - ON þriðjungr = a third part
• rig - your back
• rigwelted or riggwelted - sheep stuck on it's back -also now means "tired"
• riled - annoyed
• rive - to tear - ON rifa
• road or roid - way - as "any roid up" = anyway
• Robert Mugabe backwards is "e ba gum trebor"
• roid - see road
• romancin' - fibbing, embellishing the truth
• rooarin' or rooerin' - crying - as "rooarin chabby" = crying child or "shurrup rooarin'" = stop crying (Sheffield)
• rooerd - road (Barnsley)
• rooerin' - see rooarin'
• room - sitting-room (NY)
• roond - round (ER)
• rop - paunch - as "did that rop come with that shirt?"
• Rordin' - see Riding; a third part (Huddersfield)
• rovin - in wool spinning where the filaments are drawn out to a greater length (woollen)
• rue - regret
• ruer - to cry (pronounced roo-er)
• rum - bad, or strange
• rum'n - cheeky, or a bit of a character - as "he's a rum'n"
• rush - a festival (Huddersfield)

• sackless - ineffectual, simple-minded, lacking in energy or effort; also innocent of wrong intent - ON saklauss
• saig - saw - OE sage (WR)
• saigins - sawdust (Huddersfield)
• sal - shall
• sam - collect together or tidy away - OE gesamnian = to collect (NY)
• sam up - tidy up
• samums up - takes away
• San Fairly-Ann - a situation whose outcome doesn't matter either way (from the French "Ca ne fait rien")
• sangator - clout, or a smack - as "tha dusn't wont a sangator, it'd fair mek thi lug'oils ring" = you do not want a good clouting, it would make your ears hurt
• sannies - sandshoes, pumps
• sarnies - sandwiches (NY)
• Sarth Em-s'll - South Elmsall
• satusfy - satisfy
• savin' - saving
• savin' t' best fer last - saving the best until the end
• scabby-donkey - as "ah-cud eet a scabby-donkey tween tu bre't-vans" = I'm very hungry
• scale - summer dwelling and pasture - ON skali - seat
• scallion - shallot; spring onion
• scallop - see scollop
• scallywag - naughty, mischievous child
• scar or scaur - cliff, rocky outcrop with a steep face as White Scar, Ravenscar - ON skera
• Scarborough Warning - an blow without warning - see blow
• scaur - see scar
• scheeal - school (ER)
• schooil - school (WR)
• scollop, scallop or collop - thick slice or lump, usually of ham or bacon; thick slices of potatoes, fried - ON kalop
• scone - a fishcake (Keighley)
• scoppadiddle - busy or fussing person - as "tha's in and out like a scoppadiddle" - name from the flying shuttle on a weaving loom (Sheffield and SY)
• scopril - see scopadiddle (Sheffield)
• Scotch yows - ewes (NY)
• scoyle - school (Sheffield)
• scoyters - scooters (Sheffield)
• scran - food
• scrattin' - scratching
• scraumin' - see scrawmin' (Sheffield)
• scrawm abaht - crawl about (Sheffield)
• scrawmin', scroamin' or scraumin' - messing around - as “gi’ooar scrawmin abaht ont furniture” (Sheffield)
• scribble - to give the first rough carding to wool (woollen)
• scroamin' - see scrawmin' (Sheffield)
• scrowin' on - busying oneself in a fussy unnecessary way, fiddling on at
• scrumping - collecting apples from other people gardens or orchards without consent
• scryking - crying
• scuffler - a large bread cake, or bapthanks
• scullery - kitchen
• scutch - clip - as "scutch round t' lug 'oyle" (Sheffield)
• scuttle - A word with several meanings
  • scuttle - (i) basket for holding grain - ON skutill
  • scuttle - (ii) metal bucket for coal
• seat, set(t) or side - summer pasture or dwelling place -
• seaves - rushes - ON sef
• see you in a bit - bye (NY)
• seea - so (NY)
• seed - saw - as "seed an owd witch"
• seep - to ooze, to drain slowly - OE sipian = to soak
• seethee - see sithee
• seg - A word with several meanings
  • seg - (i) hard callous of skin on the hand - ON sigg
  • seg - (ii) metal stud for shoes, small nail
• sel - self - as "thissen" = yourself & "missen" = my self
• sen - self - see sel
• Sent - Saint (Leeds)
• ser - so
• setten - sitting
• settle - a wooden seat, generally with high back and sides
• sey - say
• sh' in't in - she isn't in (NY)
• sha - she
• shahtin` - shouting (Barnsley)
• shak - shake (NY)
• Shank's Pony - to go by Shank's pony is to walk
• sharp - quick
• shauve - slice (of bread) (Huddersfield)
• she - A word with several meanings
  • she - (i) female
  • she - (ii) say
• shek thissen - you need to hurry (WR)
• sherbets - as "a few sherbets" = a few beers (Leeds)
• shift or skift - to get a move on as "shift thissen"
• shiftless - helpless (Huddersfield)
• shippon - cowshed - OE scypen
• shire or skyr - county or (more particularly) Yorkshire
• shivvins - small bits of wood in the wool or bits off the yarn (shavings) (woollen)
• shoddy - waste material thrown off by machines, used for low priced cloth (woollens)
• shoies - shoes (SY)
• sholl up - shove up, or make room
• shoo - she (SY)
• shooit - shoot
• shoon, shooin - shoes (NY)
• shoppin' - shopping
• shove iron or push iron - bicycle (Leeds)
• shuck - crazy (WR)
• shun - ignore (NY)
• shunkley - shiny (Barnsley)
• shunt - shouldn't (WR)
• shurrup - shut up
• si - see
• sickened - upset (NY)
• side - clear away as "side the pots" = clear the table
• side the pots - clear the table
• sik, sike or syke - A word with several meanings
  • sik, sike or syke - (i) such - OE swilc ON slíkr
  • sik, sike or syke - (ii) gulley, gutter, small stream - OE sīc = small stream
• sile - rain heavily
• siling down - raining heavily (NY)
• sin - since
• sipe - see seep
• sitch - see sik (i)
• sitha see sithee
• sithee - spelled seethee, sitha, sithee or sitter, etc. - A word with several meanings
  • sithee - (i) do you see, understand? (often used at the end of a sentence)
  • sithee - (ii) look now, look here, literally see
  • sithee - (iii) goodbye (literally see thee) (NY)
• sither - see sithee
• skahme - see skyme
• skeelbeease or skelbeease - division or partition in a cowshed - ON kelja = to divide
• skeg - take a skeg, have a look as "gizza skeg"
• skell over - fall over, tip over (NY)
• skell up - to upset, overturn, knock down - Icelandic skella
• skeller - to warp or twist (especially of wood)
• skelp - beat, a blow, slap, or smack - as "Ah'll gi' thee a skelpin'"
• skelped - given a good hiding
• sken - to look at with screwed-up eyes, peer intently
• skennin’ - glancing at
• skep or skip - (i) coal bucket - as "skep o' coil" - ON skeppa
• skep or skip - (ii) large wicker basket
• skift - see shift
• skimmer - to shine brightly, to sparkle
• skint - broke, no money
• skip - A word with several meanings
  • skip - (i) ship (from Dutch schip)
  • skip - (ii) see skep
• skitter - to hurry one's work (Huddersfield)
• skitters - diarrhoea - ON skita
• skittled - upset, knocked over, sent flying
• skive - to split or pare, leather or hide - ON skīfa = ‘to cut into slices
• skooil - school
• skooil's loosin' - school is closing (they are letting the barns out of school)
• skosh - school
• skrike - cry, scream - ON skrækja = to shriek (NY)
• skrikin' - crying
• skullery - a small kitchen area, a scullery
• skyme or skahme - to glance sideways furtively or scornfully
• skyr - see shire
• slaape - see slape
• slack - A word with several meanings
  • slack - (i) a small valley or depression in the ground - ON slakki
  • slack - (ii) slow when referring to work/business (NY)
  • slack - (iii) see sleck
• slakey - streaks, as on a window after cleaning - as "the winda cleaner has left t'windas reyt slakey" (WR)
• slammed up - tidied up, made sure all is put away
• slape or slaap - slippery - ON sleipr (NY)
• slappy ale - beer that gave you the runs (Leeds)
• slart - splash
• sleck - coal dust - from slack (dust consisting of small coal and coal dust and dirt that left when coal is sieved)
• sleek - extinguish (a fire) - as "sleek t' foire" (archaic SY)
• sleer - a children's slide
• sleering - A word with several meanings
  • sleering - (i) sniping or sniding
  • sleering - (ii) slurring your feet
• sling - to throw
• sliver - A word with several meanings
  • sliver - (i) branch of a leafing tree
  • sliver - (ii) a long carding of wool (woollen)
• slocken - satiate, to quench, to drink greedily - ON sløkkva = to slake
• slop hoil - puddle
• sloshed - drunk
• slub - to draw out cardings into greater length (woollen)
• sluffed - fed up, tired of, disappointed, distressed
• slurp - drink as "off ter pub fer a slurp" = going to the pub for a drink
• smit - to mark sheep - OE smītan = to smear or daub
• smitten - pregnant - as "she's been smitten 'by't milkman's lad"
• smittle - to infect (e.g. with a cold) - OE smittian = to pollute or infect
• smoke - London as "darn-in't smoke"
• smook - smoke (NY)
• snap - food, a light meal as "a bit-a' snap" = a snack
• snap tin - tin containing a snack or meal taken to work
• sneck or snek - (i) nose
• sneck or snek - (ii) door latch, the catch on a latch as "put t'snek on" = put the snek on
• snecked - latched (see also stecked)
• snecklifter - a hair of the dog (Barnsley)
• snicket - see ginnel
• snickle - snare
• snod - smooth (like a sheep's fleece) - ON snoðinn = bald
• soa - so
• Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire - South Yorkshire but more specifically Sheffield
• sodger - soldier
• soft - silly, stupid - as "ee ya soft lass"
• soft Mick - as "ahm stud 'ear like soft Mick" = I'm stood here waiting like an idiot
• Sommat - something
• sooart - sort, person - as "a reight gooid sooart" = a really kind person
• sooiner - sooner (NY)
• soom - hum, as in making a humming sound
• soss - sip
• sossed - drunk
• soused - pickled (Sheffield)
• soz - sorry (NY)
• spadge - son, or a general Yorkshire term of endearment
• spadger - see spadge
• spaht - spout, talk - as "ee'd ram'mle on for ivver once he got to his feet to spaht"
• Spanish - liquorice - apparently because Spanish monks bought a liquorice tree to Rievaulx Abbey
• spelk or spell - A word with several meanings
  • spelk or spell - (i) splinter
  • spelk or spell - (ii) small sliver of wood used in thatching
• spetch - sticking plaster, patch
• spetechin - patching
• spice - sweets, candy
• spiflacate ya - smack you
• spinks - chaffinches
• spit - long narrow spade used particularly for digging in clay
• spit an' glue - not very well made -as "It's nowt but spit an' glue"
• spittle - small, flat piece of wood used for putting bread in and out of the oven
• splat - mud (Sheffield)
• spoggy or spuggy - sparrow
• spogs or spoggs - sweets
• spout - talk
• spretch - to crack (as in eggs when they hatch) - Norwegian = sprekk
• sprog - child (NY)
• spuds -holes in socks etc (Leeds)
• spuggy - see spoggy
• spurrins - banns of marriage
• squabs - settles
• staddle or staddling - A word with several meanings
  • staddle or staddling - (i) frame of posts and beams, as for a barn or building
  • staddle or staddling - (ii) foundations for a haystack.
• staggarths - stock yards
• stalled - out of patience, bored
• stamperds - the four posts supporting a loom (woollen)
• stang - pole, shaft, stake, wooden bar - ON stöng = pole
• stark - stiff
• starved - really cold (not 'hungry' as you might expect) or makes cold - as "Milk starves my tea" (NY)
• steans - stones
• stecked - latched - see also sneck
• stee or stey - ladder or stile over a wall or fence - ON stigel
• Steears - the coastal village of Staithes
• steg - A word with several meanings
  • steg - (i) male goose (gander) - ON steggi
  • steg - (ii) an undesirable lady
• sten - stone (NY)
• stevvan - to bawl, to shout loudly - OE stefn = a voice
• stey - see stee
• steyl - handle, shaft - Norwegian stylte = stilt
• stiddi - see stithy
• stiff lad - a small rotund person
• stir - move - as "don't stir thissen"
• stirk - bullock or heifer of about a year old - OE stirc = young bullock or heifer
• stithy - anvil - ON steði
• stocks - part of milling machinery (woollen)
• stoddy - unsteady on ones feet
• stonker - a "champion" marble (Leeds)
• stook - a group of sheaves of corn - ME stouk
• stoop - see stowp
• stor - great (NY)
• storken - to set, stiffen (especially when cooling down - ON storkna = to coagulate
• storten - stiffen
• stour or stower -timber prop or pole, rung of a ladder, a stake - ON staurr
• stowp - post - as "yat stowp" = gate post
• straif - flotsam and jetsam
• strand - shore (NY)
• streeart - street (Barnsley)
• strinkle - to scatter or sprinkle (Huddersfield)
• stthreet.- street (NY)
• suited - pleased (NY)
• sumdi - somebody (Sheffield)
• summat or sumat - something
• summer-gauze - gossamer
• sumpoil - place to which surplus liquids flow
• sumpy - swampy
• Sunda - Sunday
• sup or supp - to drink - as "sup up" - OE sūpan = to swallow
• surer - more sure - as "there's nowt ne surer" = there is nothing as sure or of course
• swaimish - timid
• swale - throw - as "swale it ower 'ere"
• swallow - holidaymaker (that only comes in summer)
• sweeal - burn out
• sweear - swear (NY)
• swillin' - swilling, cleaning the front flags by throwing a bucket of water over them (Leeds)
• syke - see sik

• t' - is an abbreviation and can have several meanings
  • t' - to
  • t' or th' - the word "the"
  • t' or th' - the word you, becoming thee and then abbreviated - as "How is t'" = how are you
  • t', th', tha' and the' - see t'
• ta - A word with several meanings
  • ta - (i) thanks (NY)
  • ta - (ii) to - as "ta ger downt shop ta pick up some scran or some ket"
• ta - (iii) you
• taan - see tarn (ii)
• tack - piece work
• tackle - tools, equipment
• Taddy - the town of Tadcaster
• taew - to strive (Huddersfield)
• taffle - clutter
• tahm - time (NY)
• tahn - see tarn (ii)
• tail goit - channel from the mill (woollen)
• tain - two (shepherd's count)
• tain-dix - twelve (shepherd's count)
• tain-o-bumfit - seventeen (shepherd's count)
• taistril - reprobate, unwieldy, grumbling rascal
• tak - see tek
• tallin - (pronounced as in pal) gossip (Leeds)
• tallywag poles - telegraph poles (Sheffield)
• tan - A word with several meanings
  • tan - (i) smack - as "I'll tan yer backside"
  • tan - (ii) two
• tangled kelter - see taffle
• tapper - an unstable violent man - as "watch out for that tapper on the top deck"
• tarn - A word with several meanings
  • tarn - (i) lake or pond - ON tjörn = small lake as Malham Tarn
  • tarn - (ii) town
• tarra - goodbye
• tarrydiddle or tarradiddle - a trivial lie or a child's pretentious or silly talk or writing
• ta't - to the
• Ta't caster - Tadcaster
• tater - A word with several meanings
  • tater - (i) potato
  • tater - (ii) see pip - as "ee luked a reet 'tater"
  • tater - (iii) greedy - as "tha'l yet two 'taters more'n a pig"
• taties - potatoes
• taws or tors - marbles - as "Is't laikin' taws" = do you want to play marbles
• taypot - teapot (WR)
• tayter - six (shepherd's count)
• te - to
• tea cake - bread cake without currants - ALSO currant tea cake - bread cake with currants
• teamed - poured
• teeak - take (NY)
• teem - A word with several meanings
  • teem - (i) pour out (as tea) - ON tœma = to empty
  • teem - (ii) pour heavily as in rain - as "it's teemin' dahn"
  • teem - (iii) crowded - as "teeming wit' fowk"
• tek or tak - take - as "tek hod an' sup, lad"
• tek-a-good likeness - very photogenic
• teld, telled or telt - told - ME telde
• telling off - the following statements are common
  • "ah wain't tell thi agean" - warning, I won't tell you again
  • "ahl gidee a bash on t'heead" - I'll give you a clip (Sheffield)
  • "do that agen and tha'll be laughing on t'other side of tha face"
  • "dust' tha want sum o this" = do you want a smack
  • "If tha dunt shurrup cryin', than ah'll gie thee summat to cry agaht"
  • "tha can tek that look off thi face"
  • "tha not too old to gerraclip"
  • "tha'll bi laffin' on t'other side of thi face wen a gerrowd o thi"
• ten to two legs - physical description (Sheffield)
• tenfoot bacca - a back lane, or rear road (at the back of the houses)
• teng - sting
• tenter - frame for stretching cloth to dry
• ter - to - as "wants ter"
• terrus - to us (Sheffield)
• tethera - three
• tew - work hard, slave
• tewits - pewits
• tha - see thee (WR)
• tha'd - you had
• thahsand - thousand
• tha'll - you will - as "tha’ll hev a son one day"
• th'art or thas - you are
• tha's or thah's - you're - as "thah's payin"
• that ladgin buewer chored me pack up - that unattractive girl I don't like very much has stolen my packed lunch (NY)
• that's a threp in't steans - that's a blow (or) kick in the ... (shins?) (NY)
• the' - thee or you - pronounced "ther" (with a silent "r")
• thed - you would - as "Ah wish thed frame thesen" (WR)
• thee - thou, you or your
• theea - there (Sheffield)
• theein an thowin - being awkward - as "if tha dunt stop theein' an thowin', ahl gi' thee a thick ear" - literally thee-ing and thou-ing
• theer - their
• theesel - see thissen
• them - those - as "them as lived i' York'" = those who lived in York
• ther wor - there was
• thesen - see thissen
• thi - thee, thou or you - "al si thi later" = I'll see you later
• thine - yours
• think on - remember
• thirl - hole through wall used by sheep
• thissen - yourself (WR)
• thissens - yourselves (WR)
• thoil - A word with several meanings
  • thoil - (i) not worth the price
  • thoil - (ii) endure, bear; not begrudge; spare
  • thoil - (iii) to be willing to give; to afford - as "I can't thoil it" = I would like to have it but can't bear to part with the money for it
• thoo - you (E Y)
• thorp, thorpe or throp - hamlet, as Alverthorpe - ON þorp
• tho'tty - thirty
• thou - yourself - as "Don't thee 'thou' me, thee 'thou' 'thissen an' see 'ow thou likes it" = "Don't you address me as 'thou'! Call it yourself, and see how you like it"
• thowt - thought - as "Well you know what thowt did. Thowt followed a muck cart and thowt it were a wedding" = get your facts straight before
• thraip - see threp
• thraipt - tired - as "by I'm fair thraipt"
• thrang - see threng
• threap - argue, swear one down
• threeap dahn - to bully verbally
• threng, thrang or throng - very busy - as "as threng as Throp's wife when shoo henged hersen wit t'dishclaht"
• threp or thraip - a blow - as "that's a threp on t'eead"
• threpple thrioted - a heavy drinker - "'e's double fisted an' threpple thrioted" = an aggressive heavy drinker (WR)
• throit - throat - OE þrote (WR)
• throng - see threng
• throp - see thorp
• throssel - poke (Barnsley)
• throsselin' stick - stick used to poke something (Barnsley)
• throwin' a laker - see laikin'
• thrum - the ends of the warp cut off from a piece of cloth while on the loom - ON throemr (woollen)
• thump - local name for a feast or fair (Huddersfield)
• thunner - thunder - OE thunor
• thwaite - clearing, village or small settlement - ON tveit
• thy - your
• ti - to
• tickled pink - highly amused
• tig - touch (as in children's games)
• tightwad - someone careful with money - as "'ees such a tightwad, 'eed skina louse for 'apeney"
• tiv - to
• to - together or into the rebate in the frame - as "shut dooer to" = close the door (WR)
• Toby Malone - hard work as "gi' it some Toby Malone"
• tods - animal droppings - as "If hoss tods were dates then none 'ud starve"
• toft(s) - small farmstead with enclosed land; later village or small settlement, as Altofts - ON toft
• toit - busy
• tolther - to hobble, to totter - OE tealtian or tealtrian = to totter
• tonait - tonight (Sheffield)
• toneet - tonight
• toom - empty
• toook - took (Sheffield)
• topcoit - an overcoat
• tors - see taws
• touched - simpleton
• tow - work hard
• towid - told
• t'place - the place
• traipsed - walked or tramped about
• trammel - rubbish, garbage
• traycle - treacle - ME triacle
• trod - footpath - OE trod = track
• trunklement(s) - any other items, not specified' or clutter. It is sometimes found in old wills, where instead of itemising lots of small items the phrase :-"and all my trunklements" was used.
• trussys - trousers
• tuffies - sweets
• tuk - took
• tuneet - tonight (Sheffield)
• tuner - one who tunes or sets the looms for weaving - (woollen)
• twaggin' - bunking off school, playing truant
• twang - speech
• twerp - a sort of idiot
• twine - wring out - as "twine t' blankits and sheets"
• Tyke - A word with several meanings
  • Tyke - (i) a person born in Yorkshire
  • tyke - (ii) a trouble or nuisance - as "yer little tyke"
  • tyke - (iii) female dog
• Tyke book - "Teach Thissen Tyke" by Austin Mitchell & Sid Waddell

• ud - would
• ullet or ullot - owl
• ummer - heck (NB always used with "the" and never t')
• umpteen - a lot
• un - one - as "bad un"
• unch - cold - as "unch today – I'm froz" (coastal)
• unkerd - strange, eerie
• unny - honey (ER)
• up clough - an (abstact) answer to where are you going was "Up clough on't third nail" (Sheffield)
• up-skelled, up-skittled or upskeltered - upset, knocked over, spilled
• urchin - hedgehog
• us - me/my or our
• useless get - a useless person - The "Get" is the feeder from an iron casting which has to be removed when cleaning up the iron casting. It is useless as it usually contained all the slag and impurities which rose to the top into the feeder (Sheffield)
• usen, ussen or usselves - ourselves
• utch - snuggle
• uzzle - blackbird

• varry - very (NY)
• very cowd - as "Its that cowd tha can spit an kick it" (Sheffield)
• vexed - angry
• visitin' - visiting

• wa - was - see wor
• waay - way (NY)
• wag - play truant (WR)
• wahm - warm
• wahr or war - (i) worse
• wahr or war - (ii) was - see wor
• waint - won't
• wang - throw - as "welly wangin"
• wankle - unsteady
• wanty - a girth for a pack horse (Huddersfield)
• Wapentake - historic sub-division of a shire county
• wappy - quick; a short cut (Huddersfield)
• war - see wahr
• wark - ache -- also warked - ached
• warna - worse than
• warrabaht - what about
• watter - water, also known as "Corporation pop"
• waybit - a short distance (SY)
• wazak or wazzock - fool (SY)
• weal - well (WR)
• weasen - windpipe - OE wāsend
• weean't - won't (NY)
• weel - well - as "vert well" = alright (NY)
• weer - where - as "weer apples cum from"
• weers - where is
• weet - see leck (iii)
• wefty - a person of larger proportions, of either sex - as "she's a wefty bird" (Leeds)
• wein't - won't (Barnsley)
• weirwe - where we (Sheffield)
• wekken - to wake - OE wæccan = to wake (NY)
• well, I'll go t'bottom of our street - amazement
• well, I'll go to our house - expression of amazement
• well, I'll go to't foot of ar stairs - expression of amazement
• wemmly - wobbly
• wenna - went to (Sheffield)
• wer - were, or was (Sheffield)
• were - usually means "was" - see was
• were ya born in a barn? - you've left the door open: close it
• werried - worried (Sheffield)
• wesh - wash
• weshin' - washing (Sheffield)
• Wesley bobs - baubles for the Christmas tree
• weyfe - wife (NY)
• weyve - to weave - OE wefan
• whahl - whilst, until
• whammy - to be sort of pale and clammy
• what's for tea? - the answer could be :-
  • "a run round't table, and a kick at't cellar doo'er" (Sheffield)
  • bread & scratch it" or "bread & scrape" = you put the butter on & scratch it off again (Sheffield)
  • "bread and pullit" = bread, and stretching the bread further (Sheffield)
  • "hossrmeddlams 'n pussmuck" (Sheffield)
  • "stand and stare back" (Sheffield)
• what's t' muney? - how much will it cost
• whay - why (NY)
• wheear or wheer - where (NY)
• whenivver - whenever (NY)
• where's it at? - where is it? (NY)
• while - until - as "ahm working while seven"
• whinny - gorse, furze, thorny vegetation - Norwegian = hvine
• whol - whilst (NY)
• wi - A word with several meanings
  • wi - (i) with
  • wi - (ii) we - as "wi went aht laikin' wi thee" (WR)
• wick - A word with several meanings
  • wick - (i) abundant - as "the dog's wick wi' lops" = the dog is full of fleas
  • wick - (ii) alive or lively (NY)
• wilk - nose (Sheffield)
• willy-nilly - randomly
• wilter - will you
• wim wam - an impulse or fancy (Huddersfield)
• wind - to wind bobbins (woollen)
• winda or winder - window - as "tha meks a better door than a winda"
• wingeing - crying (like skrikin')
• winter hedge - clothes horse (in the summer a 'real' hedge was used)
• wit - commonsense (WR)
• withaht - without
• withi - with you - as "wots up withi" = what's matter with you
• wo - were - as "the wo bawlin' all t'neyt" = you were crying all night (WR)
• woat - will not, won't (Leeds)
• wodn’t - wouldn't
• wodn't say boo to a goose - to be very shy and retiring
• wom - home (Huddersfield)
• wonafeight - do you want to fight ? (Sheffield)
• wor, wahr, wa, war or were - was (see also wahr and were)
• worra - was a - as "e worra reyt 'un" = He was a right one (WR)
• worsit - worsted (woollen)
• wot - what
• wots-up - what's the matter
• wotwer - what was - as "dint care wotwer gunna 'appen 'terrus" = didn't care what was going to happen to us (Sheffield)
• wrangham - rubbish or useless articles.
• wrong side o' t'Pennines - Lancashire
• wrowt - wrote (NY)
• wud - would
• wungitaway - flung (threw) it away (Sheffield)
• wunt - see wodn’t
• wuthering - blustery, windy
• wye - young cow, young heifer (under three years) - ON kviga

• There are no Yorkshire words starting with "X"

• y' or yo - you
• ya, yan - one (NY)
• yacker - see acker
• yain - one (shepherd's count)
• yain-dix - eleven (shepherd's count)
• yain-o-bumfit - sixteen (shepherd's count)
• yam - home (NY)
• yammer - to chatter noisily
• yance - once (NY)
• yark - to jerk; pull or snatch (Huddersfield)
• yat - A word with several meanings
  • yat - (i) gate - as "Chop Yat" = Chopgate, a hamlet in Bilsdale, North Yorkshire Moors
  • yat - (ii) hot (NY)
• yawd - horse of inferior breeding - ON jalda
• ye - see yer
• yedder - pliant branch for intertwining
• yellin' - crying
• yer - your
• yer's- you (plural) - as "yer's lot are forrit" = you lot are in trouble (WR)
• yest - yeast - ON jöstr = yeast
• yit - yet (Barnsley)
• yitten - scared, cowardly (Sheffield)
• yo - see y'
• yon - that over there
• yonder - over there
• Yorksher - Yorkshire
• Yorkshire - four square yards o' - see four square yards o'
• yourn' - yours (Barnsley)
• yow - ewe (NY)
• yune - oven (NY)

• There are no Yorkshire words starting with "Z"

Yorkshire colloquialisms should not be confused with Yorkshire dialect, which generally hails from a greater antiquity and possesses a complete orthographical and grammatical system. Yorkshire dialect also has much in the way of written substance whereas the colloquialisms, with very few exceptions, are used in speech alone. Although not always true, most Yorkshire colloquialisms are of fairly recent origin.

They are quite often a throwaway introduction preceded the epithet of wisdom, followed by a final assertion of the phrase - As ah allus sez - sum fowks talk cos the' likes t'hear t'sound o the' own voice - an' ahl tell thi that fer nowt'

• "Ee's Nine shilling short on a ten bob note" = Said about a person who is a little backwards

• "That'll stop her gallop" = someone pregnant, who can't get about so fast

• "Tha's not 'oldin' thi tongue reight". = to a child when the model-making isn't going to plan

• "Yu' could ride bare-arsed t'brat-fud on that" = It's not very sharp

• "Ah'm gunna change mi name an' ah wayn't tell thi what to" = mother when being harassed by the nippers

• "If 'ee's reight in t'hee'ad, I know weer theer's an 'ouse full"

• "aye we 'ad one 'n wheel fell off"= I don't believe you, you are bragging

• "Gi ooer, thar t' nesh, gooan get thi cooat on if thart cowd"= Stop it, go and put a coat on if you are cold

• "Was't born in a barn" = shut the door

• "Wer' ya born in a fild" = shut the door

• "Er bladder's too near 'er-eyes" = she cries too easily

• "Where there's muck there's brass"

• "Ee's too strong for light work 'im"

• "It'll either rain or gu dark afor mornin" - (about the weather)

• "Gi oer rushin' - tha'll meet thissen coming back"

• "'ere, what the cobbler threw at his wife, the bloody last" = when looking for more sweets, etc.

• "If tha guz t' mill expect to get dusty" = You can't work and not be affected by the environs

• "It caps owt" = it beats everything.

• "Ahm so ungry, id eyt a man off is 'oorse and gu back for't' saddle"

• "Tha' can allus tell a Yorkshireman, but tha' can't tell 'im much"

• "Mum, ahm hungry" - "Hi, ah'm mum, pleased t'meet thi"

• "When'll ah get one?" - "When ickey gets his ee back"

• "Tintintin" = It isn't in the tin

• "Berritinters" = I'll bet it doesn't belong to her

• And one that Started As -
  • Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred,
  • Can't be druv and won't be led."
• Lancastrians changed it to -
  • Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred,
  • Strong in arm, Thick in 'ed !
• So we changed it back to -
  • Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred,
  • Strong in arm, Gud i' bed !

• "Tha can tek the lass out o' Yorkshire, but tha'll nivver take Yorkshire out o' this lass"

• "If tha carries on like that, tha'll finish up living under 't'clock" - ( = in Middlewood asylum - Sheffield)

• "If tha dunt it im back ahl it thee"

• "Ah've bin to Gerries burial afore" - (Barnsley and south)

• "Sat theeyer like Souse" (Sheffield)

• "Rooer an' tha'll wee less"

• "Ad gi yer a biscuit, burra ant any" (Yorkshire excuse)

• "Does tha fancy abseilin'" - Naw a get dizzy i' thick socks"

• "Tha looks as good as a two Bob hoss" (Sheffield)

• Note to milkman.. "When tha' leaves t'milk please put coyal on't fire, let't dog out and put't newspaper inside't door. P.S. Don't leave any milk"

^[1] cite book

• 1) Tantadnowtdunnatitasahnose - It hasn't had anything done to it as fas as I am aware
• 2) Abberritinters - I bet it isn't hers
• 3) Thalattergerranewun - You will have to get a new one
• 4) Tintupeer tintdowntheareetha - It isn't up here, it isn't down there either
• 5) Arthagoendahntahn - Are you going to town
• 6) Canthacumterourowsetuneet - Can you come to my house tonight
• 7) Ardustharnow - How do you know
• 8) Mefathasgorajagburritantgoranenjin - My father has a Jaguar but it hasn't got an engine
• 9) Summonemsgorragerroff - Some of them have got to get off
• 10) Wackenthisenup - Waken yourself up

Years ago Yorkshire shepherds counted their sheep - 

• yain
• tain
• eddero
• peddero
• pitts
• tayter
• later
• overro
• coverro
• dix,
• yain-dix
• tain-dix
• eddero-dix
• pededero-dix
• bumfit
• yain-o-bumfit
• tain-o-bumfit
• eddero-bumfit
• pededero-bumfit
• jiggit

• So 'eers ta me an' mi wif's husband not forgetin' misel,
• May we nivver want nowt, no'en on us, all on us, nor me nawther.
• Ere's health, tak hod an' sup, lad

• heer all, see all, sey nowt.
• eet all, supp all, pay nowt.
• An' if ever tha does owt fer nowt,
• allus do it fer thissen.

• "If tha knows nowt, say nowt an-appen nob'dee 'll notice."

In Wakefield and the area, if you don't want to answer a stranger's (or child's) question

Q What's that?

A It's a Wig-Wam

Q What's a Wig-Wam?

A It's for ducks to peak on

Q How did you know that?

A Because I'm one o' them eight that walks nine abreast down Westgate

verse 1

Oh tha mus cum round fer a nice cuppa tea

But tha moughn't cum a munda', It's mi weshin day

An am weshin an weshin mi cluers away.

chorus

Ee I wud laike to gi' thee a naice cup o' tea,

if tha'd nobbut come on't raight day

verse 2

tuesda' - An am ironin an ironin mi cluers away

verse 3

wensda' - An am shoppin an shoppin mi muney away

verse 4

thursda' - An am bakin an bakin mi shoppin away.

verse 5

frida' - An am cleeanin an cleeanin mi ouse away

verse 6

sat'da' - An am visitin an visitin mi relations away

verse 7

sunda' - An am churchin an churchin mi sins away

chorus

• Number 1

Buckton, Bempton, Reighton, Speeton. All begins with A

• Number 2

Four dilly danders, four stiff standers, two hookers, two snookers and a wig-wag

• Number 3

Ah went to t' wood, an' ah got it.

When a't got it ah looked for 't.

The more ah looked fer 't, the less ah loiked it.

Ah brought it 'ome because ah couldn't find it. -

• Number 4

Two legs sat a' top o' three legs, one leg laid by.

In comes four legs, samums up one leg;

up gets two legs, throws three legs at four legs,

an' gets one leg back.

A series of short rhymes

At Halifax the law so sharp doth deal,

with any man who more than thirteen pence doth steal.

They have a gyn that wondrous quick and well,

sends thieves all headless to heaven or hell.

Man I' t' mooin,

spetechin, shooin',

Eytin' leather humbugs

Hob shoe, fellow fine, can tha shoe this nag o' mine,

Aye sir, that ah can, as well as any other man

Gin hob mun ha'e nowt but a hardin hamp,

he'll come nae mair nowther to berry nor stamp

"Int' Wicker weer t' watter runs o'er t' weir

Often referred to as The Yorkshire Anthem, it is sung to tune of Cranbrook"", a Methodist hymn written by Thomas Clark and published in 1805"

Ilkla' Moor was published in sheet music form in 1916.

The story of the song is supposedly a dialogue between a parent and son.

• Verse 1

Wheear wor ta bahn when Ah saw thee?

On Ikla Moor baht ’at.

Wheear wor ta bahn when Ah saw thee?

Wheear wor ta bahn when Ah saw thee?

On Ikla Moor baht ’at.

On Ikla Moor baht ’at.

On Ikla Moor baht ’at.

• Verse 2

Tha’s been a-courtin’ , Mary Jane.

• Verse 3

Tha’s bahn ta get thi deeath o’ cowd.

• Verse 4

Then we sal ha ta bury thee.

• Verse 5

Then t’worms’ll come an’ eit thee up

• Verse 6

Then t’ducks‘ll come an’ eit up t’worms.

• Verse 7

Then we sal come an’ eit up t’ducks.

• Verse 8

Then we sal hev etten thee

There wor once a rich man as lived i' West Ridin' o' Yorkshire, an’ he had a lot o’ brass, aye that he had.

One day he wor ridin’ aat o’ taan, when he seed an owd witch a-wringing ov ‘er ‘ands for her barn hed fallen into t’ dyke, soa she axed t’ rich man to pull barn aat, but he wodn’t du nowt o’ sort.

An’ eh, she wor angry.

Soa she said to ‘im, “Tha’ll hev a son one day, an’ he’ll dee when he be twenty-one.”

Well this rich man had a son, an’ t’ faither wor fleyed at wot t’ witch had said; soa he built a tower, and put t’ barn in it, and there wor no door, nobbut a winder high up, an’ he sent an owd man i’ t’ tower to fend for t’ barn, an he sent ‘im food an’ clothes an’ all he wanted by a rope up into t’ chamber.

Time passed, an’ t’ lad wor one-and-twenty, an’ on t’ varry day it were cold, an’ t’ lad wor well nigh starved soa he said to t’ owd chap that he mun fain hev a fire, an’ they let down t’ rope, an pulled up a bundle o’ sticks.

T’ lad hugged bundle, an’ threw it on t’ fire, bud just as he threw it, a snake came aat a’ t’ bundle, where it had bin hidden, an’ it bit t’ lad, and he deed.

Aye, she wor a bad un wor that witch

An owd woman went to t't'market to boi a pig, an' when shoo'd got it shoo couldn't mak it goo o'er t'brig.

Wot shall a dew, shoo said, "fer a can't get hooam to get moi owd man his supper toneet".

Shoo met a dog, and said to him, "Prethee, dog, boite t'pig, t'pig waint goo o'er t'brig, an' a can't get hooam toneet". But t'dog wodn't.

Shoo went further, and met wi a stick, an' said to t'stick, "Prethee, stick, pay t'dog, t'dog waint boite t'pig, t'pig waint goo o'er t'brig, an' a can't get hooam 'toneet". But t'stick wodnt.

Shoo went a bit further still, and met wi' a hatchet, and said, "Prethee, hatchet, chop t'stick, t'stick waint pay t'dog --" etc. But t'hatchet wodnt.

Then shoo met a foire, and said, "Prethee, foire, burn t'hatchet, t'hatchet waint chop t'stick, t'stick waint pay t'dog -- " etc. But t'foire wudnt.

Then shoo met wi' watter, and said, "Prethee, watter, sleek t'foire, t'foire waint burn t'hatchet, t'hatchet waint chop t'stick -- etc. But t'watter wudnt.

Then shoo met wi' a ox, an' said, "Prethee, ox, drink t' watter, t'watter waint sleek t'foire, t'foire waint burn t'hatchet --" etc. But t'ox wudnt.

Then shoo met a butcher, and said to him, "Prethee, butcher, kill t'ox, t'ox waint drink t'watter, t'watter waint sleek t'foire --" etc. But t'butcher wudnt.

Then shoo met wi' a rope, an' said to t'rope, "Prethee, rope, hang t'butcher, t'butcher waint kill t'ox, t'ox waint drink t'watter --" etc.

T'butcher thowt that instead o' bein' hanged he'd kill t'ox, and t'ox thowt that instead o' bein' killed he'd drink t' watter, an't' atter thowt it'd sleek t'foire, t'foire thowt it'd burn t'hatchet, t'hatchet thowt it'd, chop t'stick, t'stick thowt it'd pay t'dog, an' t'dog thowt it'd boite t'pig an' t'pig thowt it'ed goo o'er t'brig, and so t' owd woman got hooam that neet, an' t'owd man gor 'is supper after all.

Pudsey - Wheear seagulls fly back-urds roid to keep t'sut art o't'eyes

Ossett - Wheear the' black-leead t'tram-lines.

Kippax - Wheear treacle mines is

from Hull, hell and Halifax, good Lord deliver us

---

• What and where are the twelve apostles?

Twelve stones placed in a circle on Ilkley Moor on the site of a pre-Christian burial ground.

No.	Name	Comments	Miles	Kilometres
1	Tees		79	126
2	Aire		78	124
3	Ribble		75	120
4	Derwent		72	115
5	Don		70	112
6	Swale		69	110
7	Wharfe		65	104
8	Ure		50	80
9	Calder		45	72
10	Ouse		45	72
11	Humber		38	60
12	Hull		29	46
13	Esk		28	45
14	Dearne		26	41
15	Hodder		25	40
16	Rye		25	40
17	Nidd		17	27
18	Balder		13	21
		also
	Rother		27	43
	Sheaf		4	6
	Hebble		13	21
	Foss		20	31
	Cover		14	22
		and the shortest in England
	Bain		2.5	4

No.	Name	Comments	Feet	Metres
1	Mickle Fell		2592	1620
2	Whernside		2414	1509
3	Ingleborough		2373	1483
4	Great Shunner Fell		2340	1463
5	High Seat (Mallerstang)		2328	1455
6	Great Whernside		2310	1444
7	Buckden Pike		2302	1439
8	Pen-Y-Ghent		2273	1421
9	Great Coum		2250	1406
10	The Calf		2220	1388
11	Baugh Fell		2216	1385
12	Lovely Seat		2213	1383

No.	Name	Location	% Gradient	Gradient
1	Rosedale Chimney	North Riding	33%	1 in 3
2	Staithes Hill	North Riding	29%	1 in 3.5
3	Sutton Bank	Hambledon Hills	26%	1 in 3.8
4	Park Rash	Kettlewell, Wharfedale	25%	1 in 4
5	Wass Bank	Hambledon Hills	24%	1 in 4.2
6	Greenhow Hill	Pateley Bridge to Grassington	22%	1 in 4.5
7	Blue Bank & Leathley Bank	Sleights	20%	1 in 5
8	Lythe Bank	Saltburn to Whitby	18%	1 in 5.5
9	Kidstone Pass	Buckden to Aysgarth	17%	1 in 6
10	Jolly Sailor	Whitby to Guisborough	17%	1 in 6
11	Ampleforth Beacon	Whitby to Guisborough	17%	1 in 6
12	Cowley Hill	Rotherham to Penistone	17%	1 in 6
13	Hopper Hill	Skipton to Harrogate	17%	1 in 6
14	Ruswarp Bank	Whitby to Pickering	17%	1 in 6
15	Garrowby Hill	York to Bridilington	17%	1 in 6

Brimham Rocks consist of a number of curiously shaped stones near Pately-bridge whose odd shapes have been fashioned by wind and weather. They cover an area of about 60 acres and the largest is estimated to weigh 100 tonnes. Their names are : Baboon Rock, the Yoke of Oxen, the Druid's Writing Desk, the Wishing Rock, the Idol Rock, the Turtles and the Dancing Bear.

• Riddle 1

Of course "ALL" begins with "A"

• Riddle 2

A cow

• Riddle 3

A thorn

• Riddle 4

A man with a leg of mutton is sitting on a three legged stool and is approached by a dog

A local term for the employment exchange in Wakefield, that used to be on Westgate/Back Lane.

When asked where you worked you answered Westgate Drift - locals knew you were unemployed, strangers were led to believe you were employed at the local 'pit'

• Geordie dialect words

• "Folk Tales of Yorkshire", H. L. Gee (Author), Fred Lawson (Illustrator) 1960
• – Yorkshire Dialect - Site maintained by Barry Rawling
• - Wakefield Family History Sharing, Local Slang
• – Silsden Net, local news and views
• – Yorkshire Post, periodic item on dialect
• – Sheffield sayings and rhymes
• - BBC Sheffield and South Yorkshire, dialect
• – Yorkshire Dialect
• – Dialogue Glossary

• [1] Brimham Rocks

• [2] Filey Brigg