An Irish Country Christmas (69 page)

soft hand under a duck:
Gentle or very good at.

solicitor:
Attorney, but one who would not appear in court, which is done by barristers.

sore tried by:
Very worried by or very irritated by.

spavins:
A disease of horses resulting in a swayback.

spunk:
True grit. Nerve.

sponge bag:
Toilet bag.

stays:
Whalebone corset.

sticking out:
Very good.

sticking out a mile:
Absolutely the best.

stocious:
Drunk.

stone:
Measure of weight equal to fourteen pounds.

stoon:
Sudden shooting pain.

stout:
A dark beer, usually Guinness.

strong weakness:
Hangover.

take a gander:
Look at.

take your hurry in your hand:
Wait a minute.

taste, a wee:
Amount. Small amount, not necessarily edible.

ta-ta-ta-ra:
Dublin slang, party.

there:
Used for accuracy or immediately. Examples: That there dog; that dog. There now; now.

thick:
Stupid.

thick as champ:
Very stupid.

thole:
Tolerate or put up with.

thon:
That.

thrapple:
Throat.

throw off:
Vomit.

thruppenny bit:
Three-penny coin.

tinker’s damn, don’t give:
Could not care less.

toty:
Small.

toty, wee:
Very small.

tousling:
Roughing up.

tried, to get:
Become agitated about.

turf accountant:
Bookmaker.

up the spout or pipe:
Pregnant.

walk out with:
Pay court to. See also
coortin’
.

wean:
Pronounced “wane.” Child.

wee:
Small, but in Ulster can be used to modify almost anything without reference to size. A barmaid and old friend greeted the author by saying, “Come on in, Pat. Have a wee seat and I’ll get you a wee menu, and would you like a wee drink while you’re waiting?”

wee buns:
Very easy.

Wellington boots, wellies:
Knee-high rubber boots patterned on the riding boots worn by the Duke of Wellington.

wet (wee):
Alcoholic drink.

whaling away at:
Beating.

wheeker:
Very good.

wheen:
A large number of.

wheest:
Be quiet.

wheezle:
Wheeze in chest.

whin:
Gorse.

whippet:
Small, fast, racing dog, such as a mini-greyhound.

willy:
Penis.

won’t butter any parsnips:
Will make absolutely no difference.

worser:
As bad as it is possible to get; much more so than worse.

you’re on:
Agreed to, or to indicate acceptance of a wager.

your head’s cut (a marley):
You are being very stupid, and your head is as small and as dense as a child’s marble.

your man:
Someone who is not present but is known to all others there.

youse:
Ulster plural of you.