GonMad Cumbrian Dictionary

Online since 1997, as old as BBC.co.uk and much older than Facebook and Twitter, this is the GonMad Cumbrian Dictionary.

As a Cumbrian ex-pat I felt it was my duty to play my own part in keeping the Cumbrian language alive. Old Cumbrian is spoken by very few these days, so I don't want to see new Cumbrian go the same way (or "gan the same wah" as a Cumbrian might say.)

Admittedly, this dictionary blurs the distinction between Cumbrian and West-Cumbrian, among others, which are variants of the same dialect. You'll even find some words which are common to other dialects, such as nowt which crops up in the Yorkshire dialect also. I don't claim that Cumbrians invented these words, I'm just saying we use them. If you want to argue about it, get yourself up to Whitehaven on Black-eye Friday, stand outside the Whitehouse or Cap'n Senny's at kicking out time, and let's see if you can convince someone then...

A B C D E F G H I J M K L
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

aas
1.(phrase. arz) I am. e.g. Aas ganna lowp ower yon yat = I am going to jump over that gate.
ackers
1.(noun. akkurz) money. e.g. Aas out of ackers coz I was out last night = My cash flow situation has taken a turn for the worse due to my after hours activities of last night.
any road
1.(phrase. enee rohd) Anyway. e.g. Thoo'll tek nee notice any road! = You won't take any notice anyway.
arrished
1.(verb. arrisht) Motivated, or bothered. e.g. I can't be arrished lowping ower t'yat today = I do not have the motivation required to perform gate jumping today.
(Note: No conjugation. Always used in the negative. No one can ever be arrished, regardless of whether thay are first, second or third person...)
arl
1.(adj. arl) Old. e.g. Me arl man = My father.

2.(phrase. arl) I will. e.g. Arl dee it = I do. (As heard in Cumbrian wedding vows)
away
1.(phrase. a-way) come on, hurry up. e.g. Away, wiz ready ter gan. = Come on, we are ready to leave.

B

badly
1.(adj. badlee) ill, poorly. e.g. Am nut comin' inter wuk t'day, arm badly = I shan't be attending my place of work this day as I am unwell.
bairden
1.(noun. beyrdun) child, offspring. e.g. Howst bairdens fettle? = How are the kids?
bairn
1.(noun. beyrn) See bairden.
bait
1.(noun. bayt) food, particularly packed lunch. e.g. Am just mekkin me bait. = I am just packing these sandwiches, which I know will be rancid by lunch time, and this banana, and this chocolate biscuit, and this munch bunch strawberry flavoured yoghurt in this old margarine/ice cream tub to take to work/school with me to provide sustenance during my lunch break.
bar
1.(noun. bar) pound sterling. e.g. Can yer len us two bar? = Would you be so kind as to loan me two english pounds?
See also pun.
barie
1.(adj. bar-ree) good. e.g. Ar like yat lowpin, its barie = I like to jump over gates, it is good fun.
Often used in conjunction with the southern/London slang 'cushty' giving 'cushty barie' meaning very good.
bewer
1.(noun. byoowur) girl/girlfriend. e.g. Where's yer bewer at? = Could one tell me where one's young lady friend may be at this time.
Border Crack and Deekabout
1.(noun. bordercrackendeeykabowt) "Lookaround". Border TV's evening news magazine programme, known locally as the 'deekabout' (look around) as it looks at what is happening around the region. Literally translates as 'Border news and look around'.
So 'phenomenal' is the success of this week-daily broadcast, that wherever you go in Cumbria, the name and face of Eric Wallace (reporter and sometime anchor on the show since the beginning) is known by everyone young and old.
bowk
1.(verb. bowk) to vomit, e.g. I had a few pints last night, but it must have been a bad pint that med us bowk = I did drink a little last night, but I think one of the drinks must have been out of condition as I vomited.
(I bowk, you bowk, he bowks, they bowk).
boyo
1.(noun. boy-oh) brother. e.g. Yer boyo can't 'arf lowp yats. = I do believe your brother is rather good at jumping over gates.
Not to be confused with the Welsh 'boyo'. Cumbrians ARE NOT Welsh!
bust
1.(verb. bust) To break, or damage. e.g. Y'll bust yon yat if ya keep lowpin ower it = You stand the chance of damaging that gate if you persist with jumping over it.
(I bust, you bust, he busts, it busts.)

2.(adj. bust) broken. e.g. Yon yat's bust = That gate is broken.

C

cailo
1.(noun. kiylow) money. I've got nee cailo left coz I was out last night = My cash flow situation has taken a turn for the worse due to my after hours activities of last night.
chaff
1.(verb. chaff) to steal, e.g. I chaffed it = I stole it.
(I chaff, you chaff, she chaffs, they chaffed).
charver
1.(noun. charver) boy, or lad. e.g. Deek at that charver lowpin ower t'yat = Look at that boy jumping over the gate.
Chess
1.(noun. chess) A game enjoyed by Cumbrians from around early walking years through to mid-to-late teens. Forget your Kasparovs and your Deep Blues, the Cumbrian version of Chess is an outdoor sport (usually), involving being chased from either a park by the 'Parky' (Park keeper) or from a building site by the 'Watchy' (Watchman).
Chess was often the culmination of a game of Hikey Dykey, or Knock-n-Nash.
chore
1.(verb. chor) To steel, or pinch. e.g. I chored a yat on Sat'day when I was gattered = I stole a gate on Saturday when I was under the influence of alcohol.
(I chore, you chore, he is a chorer, it is chored.)

2.(noun. chor) Stolen item. e.g. That's a good chore = That was a good item to steel.
See also choredy.

3.(noun. chor) boy, or lad. Short for charver, esp younger boys. e.g. Deek at that la'l chor lowpin ower t'yat = Look at that younger boy jumping over the gate.
choredy
1.(noun. chordy) Stolem items. e.g. He's got loadsa choredy in his dad's shed = He has a considerable amount of stolen goods in his father's wooden outbuilding.
chowy
1.(noun. chowwee) Love bite. e.g. Have yer sin the chowy his bewer give him ? = Have you happened to notice the red mark on his neck administered by his lady friend?.
chuddy
1.(noun. chuddee) Chewing gum, e.g. Giz a bit of chuddy = Would you mind if I had a piece of your chewing gum, please ?
chull
1.(vulg. noun. chull) male member, not of a club!
See also cordy
chunder
1.(verb. chundur) to vomit See bowk.
claggy
1.(adj. claggee) dirty, mucky e.g. His shoes were arl claggy after the yat lowpin competition = His shoes were very dirty after the gate jumping competition.
See also 'clarty'
clarty
1.(adj. clartee) dirty, mucky particularly in a sticky toffee on your hands kind of way. Kids get clarty when they eat candy floss or when they eat ice cream.
See also 'claggy'
clegg
1.(noun. clegg) horsefly. Yon clegg just bit uz on the neb. = That horsefly just bit me on the nose.
clemmies
1.(noun. pl. klemmeez) half brick sized stones, or rocks. e.g. They were gan radge an' started hoyin' clemmies at us, like eh! = They seemed a little perturbed and began to launch projectiles in our direction.
Can also be used to refer to testicles.
cleppets
1.(noun. pl. kleppurtz) testicles, e.g. Ah knack'd me cleppets when ah landed on yon yat = I caused some injury to my under-carriage as I landed incorrectly when jumping the gate.
Note: Possibly very localised slang from the Pica area.
clout
1.(verb. klowt) To Hit, or slap, or punch. e.g. If thee keeps on about lowpin ower yats, arl clout ya = I you persist in talking about the practice of gate jumping, I will be forced to slap you.
(I clout, you clout, he got clouted, she clouts.)
coddie
1.(noun. koddee) Stone, or pebble. e.g. A good way of startin' a gem o chess is to chuck a coddie at an old gadgee's window = One finds that an oft successful way of attracting someone into the street to pursue one is to project small pieces of rock material at their fenestrations.
cordy
1.(vulg. noun. kordee) another male member, also not of a club!
See also chull
cowie
1.(pronoun. cow-wee) a thing, e.g. Deek at that cowie = Look at thing.

An especially good word for combining with other Cumbrian words. e.g. Lowie cowie = cash point / ATM.
cowies
1.(noun. cow-weez) Up-turned bicycle handle bars, e.g. Deek at those cowies = Look at those up-turned bicycle handle bars, they're great !
cowp
1.(verb. kowp) Fall, e.g. Cowp ower = fall over.
(I cowp, you cowped, she is cowping, we are all cowpers.)
crack
1.(noun. crak) gossip, or news. e.g. 'Ave ye heard the crack ? Thuz gunna be a yat lowping competition on Satdur. = Have you heard the news ? A gate jumpng competition is to be held this cominig Saturday.
See also 'Border Crack and Deekabout'
cuddy
1.(noun. cuddee) donkey. e.g. 'Ave yer ivver sin a cuddy lowp a yat? = Have you, perchance, observed a donkey jump over a gate?
Note: Cuddy has often been mistakenly been translated as a cow. Donkey is the correct translation, however this has not stopped phrases such as 'cuddy splatter' evolving!
cuddy splatter
1.(phrase. cuddee splattur) cow pat, bovine excrement. This phrase is a corruption of the real meaning of cuddy which is actually a donkey!
cous
1.(noun. cuz) friend, or mate. e.g. Areet, cous? = Hello my friend.
From cousin.

D

deek
1.(verb. deek) To look. e.g. Deek at yon yat = look at that gate.
(I deek, you deek, he deeks, it is deeking.)
deekabout
1.(verb. deeykabowt) To look around. e.g. Aas gan up street furra deekabout = I am going into the city center shopping area for a look around.
See also 'Border Crack and Deekabout'
deeks
1.(noun. deeks) A viewing, or look at. e.g. Giz a deeks at yon yat = Please, would you mind if I had a look at that gate ?
dial
1.(noun. diyal) face, e.g. Do you want a smack in the dial = Would you like me to hit you in the general area of your face ?
dike
1.(noun. diyk) hedge, e.g. If yur cannut fin a yat ter lowp, lowp a dike. = If you are having trouble locating a suitable gate for your jumping pleasure, perhaps you would be more successful looking for a hedgerow to jump.
dish
1.(noun. dish) face, e.g. Nice legs, shame about the dish = That young woman has very nice legs, it is a shame that her facial features let her overall appearance down somewhat.
divn't
1.(verb. divvunt) Don't, e.g. Divn't lowp ower t'yat. = Don't jump over the gate.
divvy
1.(verb. divvee) Idiot, e.g. Divn't dee that yer divvy! = Don't do that you idiot.
donnat
1.(noun. donnert) Idiot, fool. e.g. Give awer yer donnat, away chess = I'm afraid I don't accept your opinion, be off with you.
dook
1.(noun. dook) a swim. e.g. As gan furra dook = I'm going for a swim.
dookers
1.(pl. noun. dookerz) Swimming trunks, 'Speedos'. Not often called for in Cumbria. In best English tradition, Cumbrians go to the beach fully clothed. With sweaters on. And coats. Scarves as well, usually.
dow
1.(pronoun. daw) the last of something. e.g. The last cigarette, or the last few mouthfuls of a drink.

E

effort
1.(pronoun. effort) thing, generally derogatory, e.g. Deek at that effort, eh ! = Look at that thing, its not very good is it !
eh
1.(suffix. ay) Do you agree, a general suffix, e.g. Lowpin' ower la'l yats is easier than big yans, eh ? = Jumping over small gates is easier than big ones, do you agree ?

F

feckless
1.(noun. fek-less) Useless, of no worth, e.g. That feckless idiot couldn't even lowp ower a small yat = That unfortunate person was unable to jump over a small gate.
fettle
1.(noun. fettul) Condition, e.g. After Sat'da neets gatterin at t'oldhall, a waz not a grand fettle = After Saturday nights entertainments in Egremont, I didn't feel too well.

2.(verb. fettul) To fix, to repair e.g. That'll fettle it. = I think that may fix it.
(I am fettlin it, I was fettlin it, I have fettled it, He fettles stuff.)
fizzog
1.(noun. fizz-ogg) Face. e.g. He cowped awer an landed smack on his fizzog. = He fell over and landed on his face.
Likely a derivative of physiognomy.
flait / flaiten
1.(adj. flayt / flaytun) frightened, e.g. A wuz gay flaiten = I was very frightened.
foily
1.(adj. foylee) smelly, e.g. He's been eatin cabbage again, and he isn't half foily = Due to the fact that he has eaten cabbage, it is advised that you give him a wide birth for health reasons.
frey
1.(prep. fray) from, e.g. As frey Wukitun = I hail from the town of Workington.

G

gadgee
1.(noun. gadjee) Man, or bloke. e.g. Gadgees can still lowp yats like the la'l chores can = Gate jumping does not separate the men from the boys.
gammy
1.(adj. gammeey) rotten, rancid, festering e.g. He's gashed his leg an' its arl gone gammy. = He has wounded his leg, and it appears to have got infected.
gan
1.(verb. gan) To go, e.g. Aas gan yam to lowp ower t'yat. = I am going home to jump over the gate.
(I am gan, I was gannin, I have gone, He gars, She's a bit of a ganner.)
ganzee
1.(noun. gan-zee) jacket, e.g. Deeks at yon's smart new ganzee. = Look at that gentleman's new jacket, it's very nice, isn't it?
gattered
1.(adj. gattud) Drunk, e.g. I wuz seh gattered at'oldhall I chucked my guts arl t'way yam. = I was so inebriated at the Old Hall, I experienced vomiting for most of my journey returning to my dwelling place.
gay
1.(adj. gay) very, e.g. It's gay cold out at the minute. = Brrrr, it's rather chilly, what?
gen
1.(noun. jen) gossip, information. e.g. 'ave y got any gen furrus ? = Do you have and information which may be of interest to me ?
gia
1.(noun. jee-ah) posterior. e.g. 'e landed on 'is gia = He landed on his bottom.
giz
1.(verb. gizz) give me. e.g. Giz a glem at yon = Would you mind if I took a look at that, please.
Note: Giz is a contraction of 'Give us'. 'Us' in this case, as is oft the case in Cumbrian and yet no less curiously, is the first person singular!
gizzasec
1.(phrase. gizz-ah-seck) wait a moment. e.g. Gizzasec, am just gonna lowp yon yat = Wait one moment if you would, I wish to jump over that gate.
glem
1.(noun. glem) a look. e.g. giz a glem at that picture of the larl chore lowpin ower the yat = let me see the picture you have of the young boy jumping over the gate.
gowk
1.(noun. gowk) ugly bloke. e.g. How does a gowk like that git a smart bewer like her? = I think he must be rich, the lucky....
grotch
1.(verb. grotsh) to spit. e.g. Ah wudden grotch on 'im if 'e wuz a'fire = I do not think much of that young man. (Literally "I wouldn't spit on him if he was on fire".)
( I grotch, you grotch, he grotches, I grotched )

2.(noun. grotsh) spit. The product of 'grotching'.
grotts
1.(noun. grotts) underpants. e.g. Ah divn't wear any grotts when a gan down t'oldhall cuz the motts love it, like = I refrain from wearing undergarments when visiting the Old Hall, because it makes me more attractive to the women-folk.

H

hesta
1.(phrase. hesturr) Have you? e.g. Hesta ivver sin a cuddy lowp a yat? = Has one perchance observed a donkey jump over a gate?
Hikey Dykey
1.(noun. iykey dykey) This game is the ultimate in 'yat lowpin'. Enjoyed by Cumbrian kids since time began, it involves running across the gardens of adjoining houses, and hurdling the fences, hedges, and gates encountered on the way. The aim of the game to get through as many gardens as possible before being caught. If caught the game would often escalate into a game of Chess (see above).
hoor
1.(noun. hoo-ur) Lady of questionable repute, e.g. She's nowt but a dorty hoor = It is possible that she may be prepared to enter into sexual congress with a variety of persons with whome she may have had no previous acquaintance.
Probably derived from 'whore', but need not be practising for profit.
horney
1.(noun. hor-nee) Policeman. e.g. Sometimes whenyer git caught playin' hikey dikey, ole gadgees'll git the 'orneys = It is possible that when caught playing 'hikey dikey' you may attract the attention of the law.
hoy
1.(verb. hoy) to throw, e.g. Hoy yon ower 'ere = Would you mind throwing that over to me, please.
( I hoy, you hoy, he hoys, I hoyed ).

I

is it heck
1.(phrase. izzittek) No, it isn't, e.g.
Yorkshire's a better dialect than Cumbrian.
Is it heck!
is it wat
1.(phrase. izzitwaht) No, it isn't, e.g.
Geordie's a better dialect than Cumbrian.
Is it wat!

J

jam eater
1.(noun. jam eeter) Resident of Whitehaven/Workington. Offensive. Not to be used unless you fancy a 'pagga'.
The story goes that the mines in Workington closed and all the Workintoners started working in the mines in Whitehaven. The Whitehaveners claim all the Workington miners came to work with jam sandwiches and the Workingtoners claim it was the Whitehaveners. It's now a term of abuse that both sides of West Cumbria use for each other especially at Whitehaven / Workington rugby derby matches.
Submitted by a number of Workington folk, most of whom claimed it is a term to describe Whitehaveners! No surprise there!
jewkle
1.(noun. djoowkel) dog, e.g. Tek jewkle furra walk, eh? = Would you mind taking our beloved canine companion out for his daily exercise?
I'd never heard of this one, but loads of people submitted it. It's thought to be old Cumbrian.
jipped
1.(verb. jipt) To be ripped off, conned. e.g. I was jipped, two quid's ower dear furra pint = I was over charged, two pounds is rather expensive for a pint of beer.
jousey
1.(adj. jow-see) lucky. e.g. He was a bit jousey ter git awer yon yat. = He was rather lucky to make it over that gate.
See also spawney.
jye
1.(adj. jiyee) not straight. e.g. Yon pictures a bit jye. = That picture needs to be straightened.

K

kaleyed
1.(adj. kayl-iyd) drunk, e.g. I had so much last night a wuz kaleyed = I drank a couple to many last night, and ended up more than a little tipsy.
kecks
1.(noun. kecks) Trousers, e.g. That la'l charver ripped his kecks lowpin' ower yonder yat = That young boy tore his breeches when he hurdled that gate over there.
kessen
1.(adj. kessun) prostrate, e.g. A wuz kessen an 'ad ter be dragged up by me marras = After I fell on my back hurdling the gate, I had to be helped to my feet by my compadrés as I was unable to erect myself.
Knock-n-Nash
1.(noun. nocken nash) Another Cumbrian outdoor sport, this one played around the whole of the UK under different names (Ring and run, etc.). This game involves knocking on a house door and running away before the door can be answered. Advanced options include then hiding, and watching someone come to the door and be puzzled by the fact there is no-one there.
Hours of fun can be had until you are caught on someone's doorstep, in which case honour dictates that you run anyway (making excuses is for sissies). Often the game will then develop into a nice game of Chess (see above).

L

la'l
1.(adj. larl) small, e.g. Lowpin' ower la'l yats is easier than lowping' ower bigger yans = Jumping over small gates is easier than jumping over bigger ones.
ladgeful
1.(adj. ladjfull) embarassing, e.g. 'e wuz see bad at yat lowpin it wur ladgeful = He was so bad at jumping over gates, he was an embarrassment to us all.
Note: In some areas ladgeful's use is extended to the verb tense giving 'to ladge' for the act of embarrassing someone. Ladgeful is/was also interchangeable with radge in some areas to mean rubbish, not very good, or unfair.
lamp
1.(verb. lamp) To hit, He lamped 'im fur deekin at 'is bewer. = He hit the poor gentleman for glancing at his lady-friend.
(I lamp, I have lamped, I am lamping, He lamps, She is a lamper.)
lashed
1.(adj. lasht) drunk, e.g. A wuz lashed Sat'der. = I was a little inebriated on Saturday.
lecky
1.(noun. lekky) Electricity, new fangled thing that is being installed in some homes. A bit like water but comes out of the plug !
like
1.(suffix. liyk) You see !, a general suffix, e.g. I'm ganna lowp ower t'yat, like = I am going to jump over the gate, you see !
lonnin
1.(noun. lonnin) lane, country road. e.g. Ah last sin im on the back lonnin = I last saw him on the local country road that we all know locally as the 'back lonnin'.
lowie
1.(noun. la-weey) money. e.g. I've got nee lowie left coz I was out last night = My cash flow situation has taken a turn for the worse due to my after hours activities of last night.
lowie cowie
1.(noun. la-weey ca-wee) cash point, ATM. e.g. I've gotta gan ter the lowie cowie coz I've gut nin left = My cash flow situation has taken a turn for the worse so I must make a withdrawal from the hole in the wall.
lowp
1.(verb. lowp) Jump, e.g. Lowp ower t'yat = Jump over the gate.
(I lowp, I have lowped, I am lowping, He lowps, She is a lowper.)
See also Hikey Dykey

M

maff
1.(pronoun. maff) something that has been made a mess of. e.g. That radgee's made a right maff of that = That unfortunately incapable person has not done that quite so well as I had hoped.

2.(verb. maff) to make a mess of. e.g. Don't maff it up ya radgee = Please don't make a mess of what it is you are about to do you unfortunately incapable person.
(I maff, you maff, he maffs, she maffs, we maff, yous maff, they maff, I have maffed, I will maff, I am a radgee)
mannar
1.(noun. mannahr) fat women/girl. e.g. Deek at that mannar = That is a shame, I really feel sorry for that woman, she appears to have a serious weight problem, maybe it's glandular.
This term has fallen out of use. It's origin may be the term 'mna' as found on the door of ladies toilets in so called 'Irish bars' around the England.
marra
1.(pronoun. marra) mate, e.g. Y'arlreet marra ? = How are you, my friend ?
mask
1.(noun. mask) face.
See also dial.
me
1.(pronoun. mee) my. e.g. 'Ave yer sin me mam? = Have you seen my mother?
2.(pronoun. mee) me! e.g. Me an' me arl lass, an' me arl feller, an' me grandma = Me and my mam, and my dad, and my grandmother.
mell
1.(noun. mell) large hammer, sledge hammer e.g. Ah smacked my thumb wid me mell = Oops! I seem to have hit my thumb with this large hammer.
mind
1.(verb. miynd) to remember, e.g. Ah cannut mind where ah put it = I don't recall the location where I placed that item.
( I mind, you mind, he minds, not usually used in the past tense )
mott
1.(noun. mott) girl, or woman. e.g. Mott, you'll be a mott soon = Girl, you'll be a woman soon.
moy
1.(noun. moy) mouth. e.g. Shut yer moy = Please be quiet. (as seen in Cumbrian libraries).
Also sometimes used to describe the act of kissing.
mush
1.(noun. mush) face, specifically mouth. e.g. Reet pal, do ya fancy a smack in the mush ? = Excuse me, would you like me to, perhaps, punch you generally in the face, but specifically in the area of your mouth ? or Shut your mush.

N

napper
1.(noun. napper) head, e.g. Gaffer's napper = The Kings Head - a pub in Carlisle where you can always get a seat (or could until they refurbished it).
nash
1.(verb. nash) to run. e.g. If ya nash, y'll git yem quicker, like = If you should choose to run, it is likely that you will arrive at your dwelling place in less time.
(I nash, you nash, he nashes, she nashes, we nash, yous nash, they nash, I have nashed, I will nash, I am a nasher)
neb
1.(noun. neb) nose, e.g. I cowped ower and bust me neb = I fell over and hurt my nose.
Note: Sometimes pronounced with a preceding 'sh' to make shneb.
netty
1.(noun. nettee) toilet, e.g. He's well posh, he's got a netty indoors! = He must be rather affluent, he no longer has an outside lavatory.
nix
1.(pronoun. nicks) nothing, e.g. Am owing yer nix = I owe you nothing, oo-er, nothing at all.
nobbut knee high til a goose
1.(phrase. nobbutt nee hiy till a goows) person of diminutive stature, e.g. 'e wuz nobbut knee high til a goose = He was like a real person, only in miniature.
nowt
1.(pronoun. nowt) nothing. e.g. Thes nowt better'un lowpin' ower yats = There is nothing better than jumping over gates.
See also owt.

O

ower
1.(adv. awer) over, e.g. Lowp ower t'yat = Jump over the gate.

2.(adv. awer) too, e.g. I was jipped, two quid's ower dear furra pint = I was over charged, two pounds is rather expensive for a pint of beer.
owt
1.(noun. owt) anything, e.g. Av nivver sin nowt like yon = Never have I seen anything such as that before.

P

pagga / pagger
1.(noun. pagger) fight, e.g. You wanna pagga, Pal? = Why sir, I challenge you to a duel!
paggered
1.(adj. paggurd) tired, e.g. Am awer paggered to pagger. = I am too tired to fight.
pal
1.(pronoun. pal) person about to be clouted, Not to be confused with marra, e.g. Watch it pal ! = You had better take care, person I am about to hit.
Pal is a confusing word, however, and can in fact be used as a friendly term with only the intonation differentiating hostility from friendship. If you are at all in doubt it is advisable to err on the side of caution, and take pal as being hostile.
parney
1.(noun. parnee) water, e.g. Ya divn't wanna lowp into yon parney = You don't want to jump into that water.
parish
1.(pronoun. parrish) area, e.g. Are there any yats to lowp ower in this parish ? = Are there any gates to jump over in this area ?
peeve
1.(noun. peev) alcoholic beverage, e.g. 'Ave you got any peeve, I wanna get gattered = Do you have any alcohol, as I'd like to get a little drunk.
potters fling
1.(phrase. potterz fling) To hold one nostril shut, then blow, ejecting mucus from other nostril. Also known as farmers hankey.
pun
1.(noun. pun) pound sterling. e.g. Can yer len us two pun? = Would you be so kind as to loan me two of your English pounds?
See also pun.

Q

No Q in here.
Why not use our online form to let us know what we're missing...


R

radge
1.(adj. radj) bad, or poor, or not very good. e.g. He's radge at lowpin ower yats = The standard of his gate jumping is not very high.

2.(adv. radj) mad, or crazy, or angry. e.g. the old gadgee went radge when he caught us playin' Hikey Dikey = The senior gentleman became a little agitated when he discovered us practising our hurdling skills.
radgee
1.(noun. radjey) person who is not very capable. e.g. He's a bit of a radgee = He is a bit of a waste of skin/space.

2.(verb. radjee) to get angry. Radgee are generally 'taken'. e.g. He took a radgee when he caught them kids playing Hikey Dykey = When he found the children playing in his garden, he over reacted somewhat and started yelling and screaming, and ended up chasing them around the streets for over half an hour.
See also razzie.
razzie
1.(noun. razzee) a hysteric anger fit. e.g. He's having a razzie = He is a bit angry.
See also radgee.
ratch
1.(verb. ratsh) to search, to hunt out e.g. He's on the ratch furra new bewer = He is looking for a new young lady to court.
( I ratch, you ratch, he ratches, I ratched )
See also scrat.
rive
1.(verb. riyv) to pull. e.g. Arl rive it off. = I will pull it off.
( I rive, you rive, he rives, I rived )

S

scop
1.(verb. skop) to throw, e.g. Yon larl chore couldn't lowp ower yon yat, so I just scopped him ower = The young boy over there couldn't jump over that gate, so I threw him over.
( I scop, you scop, he scops, I scopped )
scran
1.(noun. skran) Food. e.g. Aas gan furra scran = I'm going to eat some food.
scordy
1.(noun. skordee) tea the drink. e.g. Mek us a cuppa scordy = Could you make me a cup of tea, please.
scrat
1.(verb. skratt) search. e.g. Ah wuz scrattin around fur ages fur me lowie after it fell outta me pocket when a lowped ower yon yat = I searched for a considerable time for my loose change after it spilled from my pockets as I vaulted over the gateway.
( I scrat, you scrat, he scrats, I scratted )

2.(noun. skratt) mess. e.g. It wuz in a reet scrat = It was rather untidy.
screeve
1.(noun. skreev) Motor car. e.g. What's yer screeve = What motor car are you currently driving?
scrow
1.(noun. skrow) Mess. e.g. Git up yon stairs and tidy thas room, it's in a gay ole scrow. = Would you mind going upstairs and tidying your bedroom, please, it's rather messy.
sech
1.(adj. sek) Such, e.g. Tom Wrathall is sech a gran' fella = Tom Wrathall is such a nice man.
shan
1.(v. shan) Embarass, e.g. Arl shan ya up if ye divn't lowp ower yonder yat !
shant
1.(past v. shant) Embarrassed, e.g. I was dead shant when I cowped ower lowpin ower yonder yat = I was very embarrassed when I fell over jumping over that gate over there.
shillies
1.(noun. shilleez) Gravel, e.g. Thaz gut shillies all ower t'parish = You have made a mess with the gravel and spread it everywhere.
shlape
1.(adj. shlayp) slippy, e.g. Divn't lowp yon yat, the roads awer shlape on other side and tha'll cowp awer. = I'd recommend not jumping that gate as the raod on the other side is rather slippy and may result in a fall.
shreddies
1.(noun. shreddeez) underpants. See grotts
smart
1.(adj. smart) good, good looking e.g. Hs bewer's well smart! = His girlfriend is rather attractive.
spawney
1.(adj. spornee) lucky, e.g. He lowped ower the yat, but he was spawny, like = He jumped over the gate, but he only just made it !
See also jousey.
spraff
1.(verb. spraff) steal, e.g. Arm gonna spraff 'is lowie = I intend to steal that gentleman's money.

2.(verb. spraff) tell tales on, grass up. e.g. 'h spraffed on us for chorin' that gadgees cailo = He reported me to the authorities for procuring that gentleman's money.
( I spraff, you spraff, he spraffs, I spraffed )
sproits
1.(noun. sprotyz) shoes, e.g. His sproits gut arl clarty in the field. = His shoes got rather dirty in the field.
(Note: Sometimes spelled with an l rather than an r, giving 'sploits'.)
stotting
1.(verb. stotting) falling so hard that it bounces back up and splashes, specifically used with 'down' to describe very heavy rain. e.g. It's stotting down = It's raining rather heavily.
strides
1.(noun. striydz) trousers, e.g. I ripped me strides lowpin' ower yon yat = I appear to have caused my trousers to be torn by jumping over the gate over there.
summat
1.(noun. summert) something, e.g. There must be summat wrang, he can normally mek it ower yon yat easy = I think something is amiss as he is usually able to jump that gate with ease.

T

tapped
1.(adj. tapt) stupid, mad, crazy e.g. Yoower tapped lad! = I think you are crazy.
tapper / tappa
1.(offensive noun. tappur) mentally deficient person. e.g. He's a tapper. = He has learning difficulties.
Not the most politically correct of phrases, but coming literally from the tapping of the finger to the temple indicating that someone has problems in the head. Hence a 'tappas bar' in Cumbria may not be the place to purchase Spanish snacks.
telt
1.(verb. pt. telt) told. e.g. Arv telt yer aready! = I believe you are asking me to repeat myself.
thoo
1.(pronoun. thoow) you. e.g. Thoo's lookin like thas bin in a pagga = You look like you got caught up in some fisticuffs.
(Note: Also notice the use of 'thas' (pronounced thaz) which is an irregular past tense of thoo being a combination and contraction of 'thoo has'.)
thon
1.(pronoun. tydee) that person, him, her, e.g. Deeks thon, it's a reet state = Would you look at him/her, they are not exactly looking their best.
thrang
1.(adj. thrang) busy e.g. Ist the gay thrang? = Are you very busy?
tidy
1.(adj. tydee) good, acceptable, decent, e.g. Yer bewer's quite tidy, I would. = Your lady friend looks rather nice...
touched
1.(adj. tutsht) See tapped.
troff
1.(noun. troff) See scran.
tup
1.(noun. tup) uncastrated ram.
2.(verb. tup) to copulate. If used outside of sheep farming this may be considered vulgar.
3.(noun. tup) an act of copulation. If used outside of sheep farming this may be considered vulgar.
twine
1.(verb. twiyn) to moan or whinge. e.g. Quit twinin' just coz the gadgee caught yer lowpin ‘is dyke. = Stop moaning just because the man caught you playing hikey dikey.
(I twine , you twine , he twines , I twined , you are twining , they are twiners)

U

Missing U
Why not use our online form to let us know what we're missing...


V

vanaye
1.(adj. van-iy) Almost, e.g. He vanaye med it ower yon yat = That gentlemen very nearly made it over that gate over there.
See also vanya.
vanya
1.(adj. vanyah) Almost, e.g. It's vanya time ter gan yam = It's almost time to be heading off home.
See also vanaye.

W

waffey
1.(adj. waffeey) Unsteady, e.g. Ah felt arl waffey after ah got 'it by yon coddie. = I became rather unsteady on my fit after the mishap with the pebble.
was it wat
1.(phrase. wozzitwaht) I disagree, e.g.
Yon wuz th'ighest yat lowp ivver!
Was it wat! Ah nahs a gadgee weez lowped twice yon. =
That was a record breaking gate jump.
I'm afraid I must disagree as I am aquainted with a fellow who has vaulted twice that height.
weez
1.(question. weez) Who is ?, e.g. Weez yon old gadgee, eh ? = Do you happen to know the identity of the male senior citizen over there ?
welt
1.(verb. welt) hit, e.g. I had to welt him cuz he tried to shan uz up, like. = He tried to embarrass me, so I hit him (your honour).
(I welt, you welt, he welts, I welted, your are welting, they are welters)

X

One of our X is missing.
Why not use our online form to let us know what we're missing...


Y

yacker
1.(noun. yackur) Farm worker, e.g. Yackers are better it lowpin yats 'un townies = Farm worker are better at jumping gates than those who live in urbanised areas.
yal watter
1.(phrase. yarl wattur) heavy rain, e.g. As nut gan yat lowpin the day, it's comin' down yal watter oot theeyer = I shall postpone my gate jumping excursion as it's raining rather too heavy outdoors today.
yam
1.(noun. yam) Home, A person's dwelling place. A variation on yem.
yan
1.(number. yan) One, The first number. Comes right after none, and directly before two. e.g. Giz yan uh them = would you be so kind as to give me one of those.
yat
1.(noun. yat) Gate, e.g. Lowp ower t'yat = Jump over the gate.

2.(phrase. yat) Are you at ?, e.g. Warez yat ? = Where are you at ?
yatter
1.(verb. yattur) to talk, e.g. What yer yatterin' about? = What are you talking about?
(I yatter, you yatter, he yatters, I yattered, your are yattering, they are yatterers)
yawwa
1.(phrase. yawwah) Could you repeat that?, e.g. Yawwa? = I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you possibly repeat it for me?
yem
1.(noun. yem) Home, A person's dwelling place. A variation on yam.
0
yon
1.(pronoun. yon) that, e.g. Divn't lowp ower yon yat = Don't jump over that gate.
yonder
1.(pronoun. yondur) that Variant of yon, specifically distant, e.g. Divn't lowp ower yonder yat = Don't jump over that gate over there.

Z

zoff
1.(phrase. zoff) he / she / it is off e.g. See yon cheese ? Zoff ! = Do you see that cheese, it is past its prime and has entered its rancid stage.
Greetings Cards
Cumbrian Slang Cards
Official GonMad Cumbrian Dictionary Slang Greetings Cards

Click for important info
Where is true north? You may be surprised...

Listen to BBC Radio's interview with this dictionary's author about this site. [Needs Real Player]

Click here for what people have said about GonMad's Cumbria pages.


Paperback The GonMad Cumbrian Dictionary is available to buy in paperback!

Bigger and better than this online version.

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

What words are we missing?

Why not tweet your suggestions to @cumbriandict and follow us to see any new suggestions submitted.

or you can email us with the form below:

Your Name:


Your e-mail:


Where are you?:


Cumbrian word:


English meaning:


  
Note: We would be grateful if you you could give us your name and email address in case we need to contact you about the word you submit or major developments with the dictionary. Be assured that we will not use or sell your email address for any other purpose, and will not pass it to any third party. Please only use the above form for submitting new words. We reserve the right to use or not use words as we wish, including in the print and eBook editions. Thanks.