Buckinghamshire Vocabulary

O - Buckinghamshire Vocabulary

The following list of words are quoted from three articles published in the "Records of Buckinghamshire" by Alfred Heneage Cocks, M.A, between 1897 and 1909 (some editing has been used to produce a unified list). See the introduction for further details..

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

OB-OWCHIN, or HOB-OWCHIN; also OB-OWNCHER and OB-OWNCHIN. The meaning, as given to Mr. Gurney at Ivinghoe, is a large heavy moth, but at Wendover and other places the usual meaning is a cockchafer The first component is evidently Hob, as in Hob-goblin. The second, Mr. Gurney at first thought might be owchin for urchin; owchin used often to be applied to a mischievous child. But in the compound word it is often pronounced with the n sound as without, and never with it when used alone. For the affix cf. callibolchin, and callibawchin, callibolcher and callibawcher, for the "l" is often omitted (supra).
OBSTRAP'LOUS, for obstreperous.
OD-BEGGARS! an ejaculation.
ODD-BODGE-MAN, an unskilled labourer assisting an artisan. Odd-bodge-jobs are odd jobs for a man not employed at regular labour.
ODDCOMESHORTS, odds and ends, etc. "I sha'n't take no luggage, and no oddcomeshorts."
ODDMENTS, odds and ends; scraps.
ODDS, TO, to sort out, put into order, classify, etc. "They be a queer lot; I never could odds 'em any'ow."
ODDS AND EENS, see Eend.
OFFER, to threaten, or attempt. "He never offered to touch me."
OFFUL, for awful.
OILS, the beards of barley. Also any embrocation or linament is called OILS. A man with a sprained ankle asked me if I could give him any oils for it; and continually when any farm beast is in want of something for "external application" I am informed that either black oils or white oils would be the proper remedy according to the case, but unfortunately I am never able to supply either of these specifics, and have to fall back upon one or other of the excellent preparations of Messrs. Day, Son, and Hewitt.
OKKERD, AKKARD, for awkward; not in its ordinary sense of clumsy, but cross-grained, perverse.
OLD, as term of endearment, in the sense of familiar, without any reference to age, is probably universal: "Old Jim," "Old fellow;" "My old man," or, "My old 'ooman," = my husband, or, my wife. Additionally it can also = cunning, "knowing". Also in the sense of bad-tempered, annoyed, or ferocious, of a man or animal "He looked precious old."
ON, pron. an; often = of. "You be afraid on him." "There was a heap on 'em.". An is used for on, especially in expressing anger, mockery, or scorn. E.g., when in a peaceable frame of mind, a man might say "I think a lot on 'im;" but when indignant, "I don't think nothing an 'im" "I want to catch on him," for to catch him. See IN.
ONCOMMON, very, extremely, = remarkably.
ONE, for one or other. "I know 'ell kill somebody, and that 'll be me or you, one."
ONMASSIFUL, very, severely, vigorously, etc. "He went on summut unmassiful;" "She were onmassiful ugly."
ONSET, see first-onset.
OOZE, TO, "to ooze a cart down" = to splash water over the wheels etc.
OR LESS, occasionally used for or else.
OTHERWAYS, for otherwise. "I shall have to do it, otherways the fat 'll be in the fire."
OUT-AN'-OUTER, see Nummer.
OVER-RIGHT, opposite. See FORE-RIGHT.

[Last updated: 28th December 2000 - KQ]