More GLOSSARY
By Wilton Strickland
I lost my homework. -- I did not do my homework.
I'll be dog, I'll be doggone -- I'm amazed
In a bind, in a scrape/squeeze, in a tight -- in trouble, need money
to pay bills
In a family way -- pregnant
In high cotton -- got it made; doing very well
In hog heaven -- also doing very well - very comfortable
In the foot of the truck or car -- on the floor
In the short rows -- almost finished
I'm done. -- I've finished.
I'm fixin' da -- I'm getting ready to; I'm about to; I'm going to
In the heat o' d'day -- during the hottest part of the day, usually,
early to mid-afternoon
I put it right where I'd know where it is. -- I've lost it.
Irregardless -- regardless
I snibbed it -- I just brushed the side of it; almost missed
I stole it -- I paid hardly anything for it.
I swanny -- substitute for I swear
Itching like a man on a fuzzy tree -- itching really bad
It floored me. -- It astonished, surprised or baffled me.
It really got away with me -- It embarrassed me.
I yea'bout died or I near 'bout died -- I was so shocked, I almost died.
Jawl-P? -- Did you go to the bathroom?
Jeet yet -- Have you eaten yet?
Jes' like a sharecropper in a drought -- not doing very well
Johnny on the spot -- always on time
Jump from the fryin' pan into the fire -- get in even worse trouble
Just a hair -- a very small unit of measure; a hair's width
Kick the traces -- out of line; breach restraints
Knock on wood -- to prevent bad luck
Landlord -- landowner
'Lasses -- molasses
Layin' down -- lying down
Layin' by d'backa, hillin' d'backa -- final plowing of the tobacco
crop for the season
Leastwise -- at least
'Lectwisty -- electricity
Less is more. -- Don't over do it. Keep it simple.
Lick -- a brush with the tongue, a blow with a hand
Lick of work -- a token stroke of work
Lickity-split -- quickly
Light the fahr -- start the fire
Like something on a stick -- something special, such as a candy apple
or a lollipop
Loopin' d'backa, stringin' d'backa -- attaching the tobacco leaves to
sticks with cotton string (d'backa twine) to facilitate hanging it in
the curing or drying barn.
Mad as a wet settin' hen -- really upset, angry
Mad as fire -- very angry, violent temper
Mad as Hell -- even more angry
Makin' hay -- making good progress
Malarkey -- mess, foolishness, worthless stuff
Mash -- squeeze tightly, push a button or pedal; often done to
potatoes to "cream" them
'Matahs, 'maters, 'matussusses -- tomatoes
Mendin' up, puttin' on a little -- gaining weight
Mess of peas, beans, corn, turnip salad (salit), etc. -- enough to
cook for a meal
Messed up -- made a mistake; out of order
Might -- may
Might can -- may be able to
Might would -- may decide to
Mighty -- southern for very
Mitzibushy Zero -- Mitsubishi Zero, WW II Japanese fighter plane
Mommic or mommic up -- break or render inoperative, mess up
Monks, i. e., in 6 monks -- months - in 6 months
Moppin' cotton -- mopping arsenic-laced molasses onto cotton plants
using a mop of rags on the end of a short stick
Mud hole -- puddle of water
My ears are burning. -- Somebody is talking about me.
My left palm is itching. -- I'm getting some money.
My nose is itching. -- Somebody is coming.
My right palm is itching. -- I'm going to shake a stranger's hand.
My stomach hurts. -- I don't want to go to school this morning. I
don't want to drop soda. I don't want to sucker tobacco today. Etc.
Nab -- catch - The police will nab the killer.
Nabs -- small crackers with peanut butter between them, some square,
some round (disc-shaped), often made by Nabisco and available at
d'store with a cold Co-Cola, Pepsi, RC, etc., for a snack. Substitute
for a moon pie or a small bag of salted peanuts.
Nairn -- none
Nairy -- neither, as in, "Nairy one."
Name your poison. -- What would you like to eat or drink?
Naw, nawp, nope -- no
Nekkid -- naked, nude
Noggin' -- head
Not a lick of sense -- really stupid
Not worth a nickel ridin' or walkin' -- nearly worthless in any way
considered
Nubb, nubbin' -- a very small ear of corn; the short part left after
part of a normally long object is missing. He stuck out his hand to
pet the large dog, and drew back a nubb.
Oh, Lordy! Oh Gosh!, Oh me! -- surprised, shocked
Onct -- once, one time
On the ball -- got it just right
Ourn -- ours
Out of something is to temporarily have none of it; to be slap out of
it is to have none of it and have little chance of having any more soon.
Ort to, orta -- ought to, should
Own -- on
Packhouse -- a building on the farm to store cured tobacco awaiting
grading and transport to market
Pallet -- bed on the floor usually made by spreading a quilt
Pattirolman -- state police - highway patrolman
Peaked -- sick, not feeling well
Peggin' d'backa -- transplanting tobacco using a hand-held wooden peg
to punch holes in wet soil
Percolator -- coffee maker
Picture show -- movie
Piffy -- pithy, soft
Pinhooker -- an individual who buys tobacco at the sales warehouse,
re-packs it and re-sells it trying to make a profit
Pitched/threw a fit -- really got upset
Plum tired, plum tuckered out -- very tired
Poker-upper -- one who stands on the ground and passes sticks of green
tobacco to the man on the bottom tier when hanging tobacco in the
curing barn
Pot calling the kettle black -- You're both guilty.
Pretty as a button -- very pretty
Pretty is as pretty does. Beauty can come from good behavior or charm.
'Preshate it -- I appreciate what you did. Thank you.
Primein' or croppin' d'backa -- harvesting the lower two or three ripe
leaves on each tobacco plant one-by-one.
Prob'ly -- probably
Put on a little -- gained weight
Put on the feed bag -- eat a really big meal
Put up corn, peas, etc. -- can/freeze/preserve corn, peas, etc.
Quick as greased lightnin' -- extremely fast, very slippery
Quiet as a mouse -- sneaky quiet, very quiet
Rather climb a light pole and lie than stand on the ground and tell
the truth -- compulsive liar
Really goin' to town -- going fast, working hard and fast
Remember Pearl Harbor. -- WW II rallying cry - stay vigilant and
resolute.
Rench it out -- rinse it. He renched (rinsed) his mouth out wid warda
and spit it in da zink (sink).
Revenooer -- federal (ATF) agent looking for bootlegger
Ridin' bare-back -- no saddle on the horse or mule
Ridden hard and put up wet -- looking really bad
Rigch hieanh -- right here
Right off, right away -- immediately
Right smart -- a good amount; a reference to quantity, not intelligence
Ring leader -- usually, the person causing the most trouble
Roast'near -- an ear of sweet, tender corn
Rough as a cob -- the roughness of a cob from an ear of newly-shelled
corn, very rough
Rumble seat -- a seat outside of the enclosed passenger cabin of a car
and in what is normally the trunk
Runnin' around -- cheating on the spouse
Runnin' board -- horizontal, board-like shelf on the outside of a car,
beneath the bottom of the doors and between the fenders.
Run off with -- eloped
Seemint - concrete
Wilton
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