Darsn’t, used indiscriminately, either in singular
or plural number,
for dare not, dares not, and dared
not.
Deacon off, to give the cue to; derived from
a custom, once
universal, but now extinct, in our New
England Congregational churches.
An important part of the office of deacon
was to read aloud the hymns
given out by the minister, one
line at a time, the congregation
singing each line as soon as read.
Demmercrat, leadin’, one in favor of extending
slavery; a free-trade
lecturer maintained in the custom-house.
Desput, desperate.
D[=o]’, don’t.
Doos, does.
Doughface, a contented lick-spittle; a common
variety of Northern
politician.
Dror, draw.
Du, do.
Dunno, dno, do not or does not know.
Dut, dirt.
Eend, end.
Ef, if.
Emptins, yeast.
Env’y, envoy.
Everlasting, an intensive, without reference to duration.
Ev’y, every.
Ez, as.
Fence, on the; said of one who halts between two opinions;
a trimmer.
Fer, for.
Ferfle, ferful, fearful; also an intensive.
Fin’, find.
Fish-skin, used in New England to clarify coffee.
Fix, a difficulty, a nonplus.
Foller, folly, to follow.
Forrerd, forward.
Frum, from.
Fur, for
Furder, farther.
Furrer, furrow. Metaphorically, to
draw a straight furrow is to
live uprightly or decorously.
Fust, first.
Gin, gave.
Git, get.
Gret, great.
Grit, spirit, energy, pluck.
Grout, to sulk.
Grouty, crabbed, surly.
Gum, to impose on.
Gump, a foolish fellow, a dullard.
Gut, got.
Hed, had.
Heern, heard.
Hellum, helm.
Hendy, handy.
Het, heated.
Hev, have.
Hez, has.
Holl, whole.
Holt, hold.
Huf, hoof.
Hull, whole.
Hum, home.
Humbug, General Taylor’s antislavery.
Hut, hurt.
Idno, I do not know.
In’my, enemy.
Insines, ensigns; used to designate both the
officer who carries the
standard, and the standard itself.
Inter, intu, into.
Jedge, judge.
Jest, just.
Jine, join.
Jint, joint.
Junk, a fragment of any solid substance.
Keer, care.
Kep’, kept.
Killock, a small anchor.
Kin’, kin’ o’, kinder, kind,
kind of.
Lawth, loath.
Less, let’s, let us.
Let daylight into, to shoot.
Let on, to hint, to confess, to own.
Lick, to beat, to overcome.
Lights, the bowels.
Lily-pads, leaves of the water-lily.
Long-sweetening, molasses.