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The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies

The Organisation for those who love Cornwall.

 "Cuntelleugh an brewyon us gesys na vo kellys travyth"

(Gather up the fragments that are left that nothing be lost.)

The Dialect of Cornwall in Conjunction with Brian Stevens Recorder of Dialect

Dialect words and their meanings.
A WORDS B WORDS C WORDS D WORDS E WORDS F WORDS G WORDS H WORDS I   WORDS J WORDS K WORDS L WORDS M WORDS
N WORDS O WORDS P  WORDS Q WORDS R WORDS S WORDS T WORDS U WORDS V WORDS W WORDS X WORDS Y WORDS Z   WORDS

 

F

  

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Dialect

Meaning

Source Term

Cornish

Comment

Date

FACE:, 

"my face is my worst limb" one is healthier than the face indicates.,

 

 

 

 

 

FACKLE, FECKLE:,

inflammation, especially of the foot, 

 

 

Cor. fakel

 

 

FADDY: 

the Furry Day Dance. from Irish? "Long dance".

 

 

 

 

 

FADGE, FADGY: 

to devise, make do, get on. O.E. Cp. fooch.

 

 

 

 

 

FAGGOT: i

n wrestling, a bargain not to win, "to sell ones back". Cp. Fr. fagot.

 

 

 

 

 

FAINAGUE, FENEAG: 

to entice, to obtain my improper means. Fernaiging: cheating. Cp. reneague.

 

 

 

 

 

FAIR MO, FERA MO:

fair at St Ives on the Saturday before Advent. 

 

 

Cor. Fer mogh, fera mogh.

 

 

FAIRMAIDS:

see Fermades .  

53

 

 

C.S.W

 

FAIRY, VAIRY:

the weasel. O.Fr. vair. Cp. furet.

 

 

 

 

 

FAIRY PURSE: 

merrymaids' purse. .

53

 

 

C.S.W. p.114

 

FALKY: 

corn ready for cutting. 

Also barley beaten down by storm and needing a reaping hook (sickle) .

 

 

 Cor. falgh

Cor. fats

 

 

FALL ABROAD:

 to become stout (personal).

 

 

 

 

 

FALLOWS, FELLOWS: 

boards added to the sides of a cart.

 

 

 

 

 

FAN, VAN: 

a shovel. VANNING: the art of separation of alluvial metal.

 

 

 

 

 

FANG: 

an eye tooth. 

Also a dead branch of a tree. Verb: to get, to take, to take to O.E. "I don't fang to your notions".

 

 

 

 

 

FANGINGS: 

earnings, wages.

 

 

 

 

 

FANTIGUE, FANTEAGUE: 

fanciful, dainty. "She could'n cook any fantique traade."

 

 

 

 

 

FANTOD: 

ridiculous notion. Cp.tantad.

 

 

 

 

 

FARDEL: 

a bundle, a burden.

 

 

Cor fardel.

 

 

FARENUT, VAIR NUT: 

an earthnut. O.E. fearh.

 

 

 

 

 

FARTHING:

30 acres, anciently a quarter of a knight's fee of land.

 

 

 

 

 

FASHION: 

mental state. "I don't know what fashion I was."

 

 

 

 

 

FAST: 

undisturbed staple or clay beneath surface. O.E. faest.

 

 

 

 

 

FAUT, FAWT: .

a fault, mistake. 

 

 

Cor. fowt

 

 

FAUNS: 

a fall in wrestling.

 

 

Cor. fauns.

 

 

FAVOUR:

to resemble, as children to parents.

 

 

 

 

 

FAY:

 

"Iss fay" It is truly. 

 

 

Cor. Us fay.

 

 

FEAK: 

to cheat, to feign.

 

 

Cor. fukya

 

 

FEAP, FEEPER: 

a whistle made of qui!!, straw, reed or of elder or sycamore branchlet. Cp.

 

 

 Cor. whyp, whyban.

 

 

FEARNOUGHT: 

strong woollen garmet.

53

 

 

C.S.W.

 

FEARED:

 frightened. "more feared than hurt."

 

 

 

 

 

FEAT ST:

adj. Feasten. connected with patron saint, usually the Sunday and the Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

FEATHERBED:

 a bog, quagmire.

 

 

 

 

 

FEE: 

freehold property. Fee simple. "Our house is fee"

 

 

 

 

 

FEGARY:

a prank. a feat. also, finery.

 

 

 

 

 

FELLON:

 a whitlow, inflammation. M.E. Fellon herb: common chickweed or the mouse-ear chickweed.

 

 

 

 

 

FEN:

 fiend, term of abuse.

 

 

 

 

 

FEN COCK:

the water-rail.

 

 

 

 

 

FENTON

A Spring [water]

20

General

 

WC

 

FENTONPYTH

A Surface Well

20

General

WC

 

 

FERMADES, FAIRMAIDS: 

pilchards barrelled for export. .

20, 53

 

 

WC

 

FERN: 

bracken, especially after cutting and stacking for bedding of animals.

 

 

 

 

 

FERN WEB, FERNICOCK: 

the garden chafer.

 

 

 

 

 

FERNADDLING:

stealing.

 

 

 

 

 

FERN SUMMER: 

St. Luke's Summer, a fine spell coinciding with fern cutting.

 

 

 

 

 

FERNY FIRE:

 like a fern fire: soon hot, soon cold.

 

 

 

 

 

FESCUE or Vester:

a pointer for teaching of reading. A feather stripped of its vane.  

 

 

 

 

 

FETCH:

to reach, to get to. "fetch home".

 

 

 

 

 

FETCHING FIRE: 

being in a hurry.

 

 

 

 

 

FETTER LOCK: 

shackle for a horse turned out to grass. FIDDEN: stiffness.

 

 

 

 

 

FIDDLERS' GREEN: 

the sailor's paradise of grog, dancing etc.

 

 

 

 

 

FIDDLER'S MONEY: 

money saved in small amounts in change.

 

 

 

 

 

FIG: 

a raisin.

 

 

 

 

 

FIGGY DICKY:

flour, butter and sliced apple.

 

 

 

 

 

FIGGY duff: 

dough, suet and raisins baked as a pasty.

 

 

 

 

 

FILLAN:

insufficient, as "Junket is no fillan".

 

 

 

 

 

FIND ONESELF: 

to know onself. "I shouldn't find myself dressed up like that."

 

 

 

 

 

FINGER: 

depth of hole for blasting. "Three more fingers to bore".

 

 

 

 

 

FIRE:

as fire: vexed, jealous, drunk, mad. "Like fire flames" very red.  

 

 

 

 

 

FIRE HOOK: 

an iron piece with hooked end used to set a turf or a furze fire.

 

 

 

 

 

FIRK: 

to tease roughly by hand. O.E.

 

 

 

 

 

FIRE TAIL:

the redstart.

 

 

 

 

 

FIRE PIN:

section of log used as fuel. St. Neot.

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST ALONG:

at first, in the beginning. "First along when I knew him..."

 

 

 

 

 

FISH JOUSTER: 

see Jowster.

 

 

 

 

 

FISLAK:

a fidgety child. Cor. fyslak.

 

 

 

 

 

FIT:

 to prepare meat for cooking, prepare a meal. "When shall I fit the dinner?"

 

 

 

 

 

FITCH, FICHET, FITCHER: 

the polecat O.Fr. "Wild as a fitchet"

20

Common

 

WC

 

FITCHERED:

mining; a drill stuck or blocked.

 

 

 

 

 

FITTY:

 becoming, proper, correct. "He gave a fitty answer" "Walk fitty maid, thee's like a crab going to Scilly."  

 

 

 

 

 

FIVE FINGER:

the starfish. .

 

 

Cor. pympbys

 

 

FIVE POINTED STAR:

a sign cut on the dressel to keep out witchcraft.  

 

 

 

 

 

FLAIR:

 a stench. .

 

 

Cor. fler

 

 

FLAM:

nonsense, pretext.

 

 

 

 

 

FLAM NEW: r.

 

 

 

Cor. noweth flam, as W Et B

 

 

FLANG:

a two pointed pick.  

 

 

 

 

 

FLAP:

flash of lightning; also a squall. FLASH.

 

 

 

 

 

Flarricking

Flirting

17,

Common

 

M.C.,

1984

FLASKET:

 two handled wicker basket; clothes or linen basket. O.Fr. flasquet.

 

 

 

 

 

FLASHER:

a bird; the red-backed shrike.

 

 

 

 

 

FLAT HANDED:

a wrestling term.

 

 

 

 

 

FLAW: 

a gust of wind. Also colic in cattle.

 

 

 

 

 

FLAYGERRY: 

a frolic, a spree. .

 

 

Cor.? fleghyk gwary

 

 

FLEA RIB:

the spare rib.

 

 

 

 

 

FLEECHY: 

of dough, failure of barm, apt to run in baking. Fleechy dough: made of wheat that has germinated, "running to atal on the shiver" in baking. Cp. W. fflwch.

 

 

 

 

 

FLEET:

to gutter as a candle. Also, the slope of a roof. 

53

 

 

See C.S.W.  

 

FLEA:

an instrument for bleeding cattle.  

 

 

 

 

 

FLERK:

 a turn of bad weather.

 

 

 

 

 

FLERY-GO-LURGY:

fever of laziness? St. Just.

 

 

 

 

 

FLESH:

 meat but not pork.

 

 

 

 

 

FLOOKAN, FLEUKAN: 

a clay filled vein or soft ground interrupting a lode in mining. 

 

 

Cor. fluken.

 

 

FLIBBERS:

small threadlike fragments caused by fraying. FLICKETS: flushes, blushes, Cp. FLOSHES.

 

 

 

 

 

FLIG, FLIGGISH: 

contemptuous term for a child.

 

 

 

 

 

FLIES, FLIERS: 

the hands of a clock.

 

 

 

 

 

FLINK: 

a slight blow. To wave about such as a handkerchief. Also irritating behaviour; "She's in one of her flinks again." FLIP: a slap. Also, a little door in a fringle.  

 

 

 

 

 

FLIP JACK: 

a rude fireplace.

 

 

 

 

 

FLOP JACK: 

old fashioned mine.

 

 

 

 

 

FLISK.

a tooth comb, a horse comb.

 

 

 

 

 

FLOODS OF DAVA:

ages ago. 

 

 

 

See O.C.I., 4, p.28.

 

FLOOR:

of a meadow. "a good floor of grass"

 

 

 

 

 

FLOOR: 

of tin: stratum of ore as it lies in alluvial deposit, as in stream works, also horizontal formations of ore. Cp. Bunney. (Botallack).

 

 

 

 

 

FLOOPER: 

under petticoat.

 

 

 

 

 

FLORA IN DISTRESS: ?  

a woman with dishevelled hair. From an old play

 

 

 

 

 

FLORAN: 

fine meal tin stuff, flour tin. Cp. Welsh. 

 

 

Cor. floren.

 

 

FLOSH: 

to flush, wash. "flosh the courtlage" (yard)

 

 

 

 

 

FLOSH STAMPS: 

Stamps that wash the tin stuff over an adjustable ledge instead of through a grate or grating.

 

 

 

 

 

FLOUGE:

to deluge with water.  

 

 

 

 

 

FLOTE ORE: 

seaweed. O.E. float ware.

 

 

 

 

 

FLOWERY MILK: 

see WHITPOT

 

 

 

 

 

FLUE: 

a light dressing of dung over a field. O.E. to spread out.

 

 

 

 

 

FLY BY NIGHT, FLYING MARE: 

a restless person.

   

 

 

 

FLUTE AN ARROW: 

term of affection addressed to a child. 

   

Cor. flogh tenderra or flogh an wharra 

O.C. VII 480.

 

FLUSHET:

 a freshnet or flush; a dam in a stream (flood-let)

   

 

 

 

FOAL, FAULD: 

afterbirth of a calf.

   

 

 

 

FOACER: 

a lump of plain pudding or of broth to dampen appetite. "Will'ee have a foacer, me sin?" Also a large basin.

   

 

 

 

FOGO, FUGGOE, OGO, VUG:

 a cave in a cliff. In place names VUGGA, Vugh an flounder. 

   

Cor. fugo, fug, fougo, ogo. ancientunderground cave.

 

 

FOLYER:

the boat that carries the tuck. 

   

 

C.S.W. p.78.

 

FOOCH: E.D.D. 

variants, fulch, fudge, fadge. To make do, a makeshift 

2/ to row a boat stern first.

3/ in game of marbles to throw with the arm instead of fingers, jerking the hand forward.

4/ to pretend to be working. See also 

   

 

O.C.I. 3, p.39 and C.S.W.

 

FOLLEN VOLLAN:

a foam flake. W. molwyn. Also a sheet of paper. "as weak as a vollan" 

   

Cor. folen.

 

 

FORENDALL:

blind alley, pudding-bag lane, cul de sac 

   

Cor. furth hens-dall

O.C. V p.339. 

 

FOOTCH: 

to make an effort even if inefficient. Cp. Fadge. 

   

 

O.C.I., 3.

 

FOORTH AND BACK: 

shuffling, vacillating, to and fro.

   

 

 

 

FORTHY, FOORTHY:

 pert, precocious, forward, bold.

   

 

 

 

FOOTLINE, OF A NET. 

 

   

 

C.S.W.

 

FOOTY:

mincing, affected manner.

   

 

 

 

FOR: during.

 "Once for the day."

   

 

 

 

FORCE PUT:

to be under compulsion.

   

 

 

 

FORE DOOR: 

the front door.

   

 

 

 

FOREIGN LARD: 

imported lard, not home-grown.

   

 

 

 

FORE HEAP, FORE HIP:

 a throw in Wrestling.  

   

 

 

 

FORK: 

Mining. To pump dry "going into fork" when the air begins to be pumped.

   

 

 

 

FORKLE:

 iron hook to hold a boat lantern. 

   

 

C.S.W. p.79 Cor forkel.  

 

FORTY COCKS: 

of a crumpled hat "knocked into 40 cocks."

   

 

 

 

FORREL: 

a book cover. M.E. A binding without boards.

   

 

 

 

FOUR LEGGED CRIPPLE: 

a newt or a lizard.

   

 

 

 

FOSSICK: 

to extract news from a person, to ferret out.

   

 

 

 

FOWST, FOWSLED: 

soiled, untidy.

   

 

 

 

FOXES OF THE SEA: 

mullet.

   

 

 

 

FOXY:

uncertain weather. 

Also colour of china clay caused by Iron Oxide.  

   

 

C.S.W.

 

 

FRADGE, FRADJAN: 

dirty, evil smelling.

   

 

 

 

FRAIL: 

a handbag of sacking or Hessian. Also a straw basket.

   

 

 

 

FRANGO:

 a kind of shark.  

   

 

C.S.W.

 

FRAPE:

to wrap tightly. 

   

 

See C.S.W. p.79.

 

FRAT:

noisy argument. "for all your frat ..."

   

 

 

 

FRAYGUS: .

an untidy person. St. Ives

   

 

 

 

FREATH:

 to weave.

   

 

 

 

FREATH OUT

to unravel. To mend a gap in E hedge. M. E. frith. Cp. Cor. frudha.

   

 

 

 

FREE TRADERS: 

smugglers.

   

 

 

 

FRENCH FURZE:  

the common furze. . ----

   

 

See O.C. III p.455, 50

 

FRENCH WHEAT: 

buckwheat.

   

 

 

 

FRENCH NUTS:.

 walnuts

   

 

 

 

FRIDAY IN TIDE, F. IN LIDO: 

a miners' holiday, the first Friday in March. ?Perran.

   

 

 

 

FRIGHTENED: 

"I shouldn't be frightened if..." I should not be astonished.

   

 

 

 

FRINGLE: 

a fire-ingle. A raised hearth having a draught hole beneath, set either side the Slab in the kitchen for fuel other than coal for heating a large quantity of water.

   

 

 

 

FRIVOLOUS: 

liable to break.

   

 

 

 

FROCK: 

a man's blouse.

   

 

 

 

FORAY:

a little pleasure outing. North Hill.

   

 

 

 

FROZE: 

a row, disturbance. Cp. W. ffrawd.

   

 

 

 

FROASE: 

a tide-race, current. Cp. W. ffrawd. 

   

Cor. fros & fraus, fraws. 

C.S.W.

 

FUDGE:

see Footch.

   

 

 

 

FUGGAN: see HOGGAN. 

Miners' dinner-cake. Dough baked with meat in the middle. .

   

Cor. whyogen

 

 

FUNK: 

stink, especially copper fumes from calciner. O.Fr. funkier.

   

 

 

 

FUN: 

a rope. a fillet (headdress) Cor. ton, funen. Also a rush used to make sheep spans. Cp. VINNY, VIDNY.

   

 

 

 

FUNNY BUT WHISHT: 

comical if it were not also sad.

   

 

 

 

FURZE KITE, FUZZ KITE:  

the ring-tailed kite? or rough-legged buzzard.

   

 

 

 

FURZE CUFF:

a leather cylinder with a stick across the bottom as hand-hold to protect the furze-cutter's left forearm.

   

 

 

 

FUSY, VUSY, VAZY: 

(adjective) good. Mousehole? from 

   

Cor. a vas or fusyk.

 

 

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