Dialect

Meaning

Source

Term

Cornish

Comment

Date

GAARD, GEARD: 

scouring grit.

C.S.W.

GAERN, GARN, JARN:

 a garden.

GACCUM

 see GAWKUM.

GAD:

a wedge for splitting rock (mining) Jocularly "we are of the tribe of Gad."  

GADDLE: 

to drink greedily.

GADGET: 

the common daisy. Hayle (Jenner). 

 cajyk dim. of caja.

GADJAVRAWS: 

the ox-eye daisy. Cor. caja-vras

GAIT:

way of doing things, trick or habit.  

Gake; Gakie

Staring rather rudely. What’s he gaking at?

17,

General

M.C.

1984

GALCH, GULCH: 

a heavy fall of rain. At St. Ives a weather-dog seen in the North.

GALDRUMS, GUALDRUMS, GAULDRUMS: 

enchantment or delirium. Source?

GALE:

an impotent bull. A childless man. Cp. geld.

GALLYVOW:  GALLEY-O, GALLYWAYOO.  

a hermaphrodite. Wendron.

GALE: 

crab pot withies.

C.S.W.

GALEY:

weak straw of corn.

GALEY, GAULLY:

ground where springs rise in various places. Cor. gaul fork, bifurcate.

GALLIGANT, GALLIGANTER: 

tall ungainly person. From Gargantua, Rabelais?

GALLIO: 

"go on Gallio-like" to be unconcerned. Acts xviii. GALLISH: gallows. "As cross as gallish".

GALLYER: 

a difficult or long journey as in driving cattle or sheep, an overtaking run.

GALLIVANT: 

always to be away from home. O.E.D.

GALLUS:

see C.S.W. p.80.  

GAMBERN, GAMBRON: 

hock of horse; a spreader; crooked leg; cross stick for hanging a pig after killing. Cp.  swingle-tree.  

Cor. cambren

GAMBRILL:

as above. Small of leg; hocks of horse.

GAMBERS: 

interjection. "By gambers" Cp. "bejabers".

GAMBADOES: 

heavy riding gaiters with a wooden foot board.

GAMMEL, GAMMUT:

fun, frolic.  

GANGE, GINGE:

 to fasten a hook with wire. .

C.S.W

GARDEN OF THE PASS: 

the place where tin stuff is piled ready to slice beneath the stamps.

GAREY: 

to tell a story. "One is quite enough to garey" St. Just. Cor. gerya, gery to chide, to be verbose.

GANOW: 

mouth. "Too big about the ganow" Cor. ganow. GARM: to shout, scold, berate. Mousehole. Cor. garm, garma.

GARIBOLDI: 

loose kind of blouse (after Italian hero).

GASHLY:

ghastly frightful.

GATCHER, GATCHERS: .

pool of muddy water; after leavings of tin ore

GATHORN, GATHEN:

 spirit in a mine. E.D.D. notes name of a fairy, Elaby Gathen.

in MS. Ash mole 1406.

GAUVE, GOVE: 

3 sing. preterite of GIVE.

GAYER, GAYVER: 

sea crayfish. Mullion 

See C.S.W.

GAVERHALE, GAVERHALL:

the jacksnipe.  More applicable to the large or common snipe. Cor. gavar goat hal moors.

Cor. gavar-hal.

GAVERICK, GABERICK:

the Spider crab, South Cornwall. The Red gurnard, West Cornwall.  

GAWKUM, GAAKEM:

awkward person.  

GAYHOOT: 

form of ALEHOOT? The Costmary, also Ground-ivy, formerly used for beer instead of hops.

GAY, GAYS: 

a pieces of broken china; playthings, children's toys.

GAZHOOT:

a lock-up, clink. Newlyn.  

GAZOOLY:

to simmer Mousehole. To be constantly uttering laments. From Cornish or another verb.

Cor. coselhe

GEAVE

To exude moisture

20

General

WC

GEAGLE:

 "restless as geagle" from Tregeagle legend.

GEAGLED:

see gaggled.  

GEEK, KEEK: 

to peep.

 Cor. gyky, gyk.

GEEKABOO: 

hide and seek. See also BOGEEK.

GEEY:

to foal. ?source.

GEIST, GIRSE, GISS: 

a horse-girth. Cp. "jesses" of a hawk.

GELVERN:

a smithy. "roar like gelvern". gelforn (govelforn) smith's furnace.

 C.S.W. Cor

GERANJES: 

geramiums (pelargoniums)

GERRICK, GERROCK:

sea pike. .

See C.S.W

GERRA:

a rock. 

C.S.W.

GET: 

"he gawt the day" he won.

GEW: 

the best field on a farm, originally the oldest and nearest field to the house, the first enclosure.  often in place-names.

Cor. kew. GUE

GEZZA CRAB: 

the spider carab. St Ives.

C.S.W.

GICK NOR DICK, 

gick nor gack: nothing. "He said gick nor myck" Cor. gyk na myk.

GID: .

a fish. 

See C.S.W

GIG: 

the cage of the lift in mines. Also a fishing boat in C.S.W. GIDGE: interjection. "Oh my gidge."

GIDGEY: 

a trick or ruse.

GIFT: 

a  white mark on the finger nail. "A gift on the thumb is sure to come, A gift on the finger is sure to linger."

GIFT HOUSE:

an Alms-house.

GIJOALTER, GUJAWLTER: 

for meanings see C.S.W.

GING:

 timber support of shaft wall in mines. Whip used to spin a top. To fasten a fish hook. Also GINGE.

GING STICKS: 

used in frame of church bells. Two words seem confused here. See C.S.W. p.83.  

GINNOW: (g hard) 

bellows. 

Cor. megynow, 'gynnow.

GIRDHOLE:

See GURNAL.  

GIRGOW, GURGO, GURGY: 

a low hedge; boundary bank separating unculivated lands, a broken-down hedge. Cor. gorge lit. "slight hedge".

GIRR:

 diarrhoea.

GIRTS: 

porridge. Ruan.

GIRTY MILK, GURTY MILK: 

groats with water, pepper and salt. Also porridge.

GEEZE:

see GUISE.

GIVE: 

of stones to show moisture. Cp. HEAVE. O.Eng. gifan "to thaw" confused with O.E. hefung.

GLADDY: 

the yellowhammer. Devon?

GLAN, GLANDS: 

bank of river. Cor. glan 

See also C.S.W.

GLASSENBERRY DOG:

a term of reproach.

GLAWER:

 a fish. See gwibber, power, 

in C.S.W.  

GLAWS, GLOAS, GLOZ:

dry cowdung used as fuel "We children was sent to pick up glaws." St. Just. 

Cor glo? with plural S.

GLEANY:

the Guinea fowl. Gallina.  

GLEET:

slime.

GLEG, NEG:

a swarm of bees.

GLIDDERY: 

shiny. GLIDDER: to glaze or enamel. A frosted or glazed surface. O.E.

GLICK HANDED: 

left handed.

Cor. clegh.

GLISS, GLIST: 

mica, brown shiny crystals, also micaceous iron ore.

GLIST:

smeech and dust arising from burning arsenic.

GLISTER:

a gentle movement of boat. C.S.W. "glister the boat to those rocks."

GLIT: 

a mixed mess of food.

GLISSON, GLIZZON: 

a mud bank covered with sea-grass. C.S.W. Cor. glesen, glasson.

GLOCK: .

a grip in wrestling

GLEGS, GLOGGYS: 

clogs.

GLOOB:

slime of the afterleavings of tin. See LOOB.

GLUTH, GLOOTH: 

dew.

Cor. Bluth.

GLUTHEN:

rain clouds gathering. "it's gluthenning up" 

Cor. gluthenna.

GO ABROAD:

 of a person, to become stout.

GO-ABOUT:

 a tramp. Cp. Bout-a-go.

GORD, GOAD:  

nine foot rod for oxen, used as a land measure. for a lace of 36 square yards.

GOAL: 

a slow ache. See DOLE.

GONE POOR

Gone bad [of fruit and veg]

20

General

WC

GONE POOR

Tainted Rotten

20

General

WC

GONE SCAT

Bankrupt

20

General

WC

GO ROUND LAND: 

to die.

GOIL:

see C.S.W.

GOB: s.

a bunch of cherrie

GOLLYBOLDER: 

a loose blouse, from Gariboldi, Italian patriot.

O.C. 18 p. 43.

GODRABM, GUDRABS: 

(stress on drabm.) cramp, the complaint.

Cor. godram.

GOD'S COW: 

the lady-bird insect. Also short-tailed red breed of cow.

Cor. bughyk Dew.

Callington

GOD'S CRAB: 

small immature crab. Children at Newlyn were forbidden to harm them.

GOFFAN

 see COFFIN.

GOGO, OGO, FOGOU, GOOG, VUG: 

a cave. In place names. Vugga (plural) Cornish.

GOIL, GOYLE, GOL: 

cuttle fish, squid.

See C.S.W.

GOKY, GUCKY: 

silly, foolish. .

Cor. goky

GOLOWILLIONS, GOLOWILLIBUES: 

fish scale bits. . .

Cor. golowylyon

C.S.W

GOMMOCK:

a fool. Scots origin. Also "gomeril".  

GO: 

"go off like poor powder" to expostulate, to be enraged. GONE: used before "dead, poor, proud".

GOODIE, GOODY: 

verb. To remove spells from anyone.

GOODSPOON: 

a mischievous child. .

Lostwithiel

GOOD SWEET NOW: 

a form of address.

See SOCE.

GOOK: 

granite silt. .

20

Quarrying

Cor. cok.

St. Just

GOOK, GOWT:

 a bonnet, especially as worn by bal maidens, also with "curtains" behind.  

Cor. cugh, pengugh.

 See O.C. VIII p.140.

GOOKING IRON: 

tool used to set the frill of a gook.

GOOLANDIZE, GULDIZE:

0-0

 DIGGLYDIZE, DICKLYDIZE

harvest supper.  

with same meaning.

Cor. Gol deys.

Cor. Degol deys.

GONHELLY: 

wild pony. Pronunciation of Goonhilly. Stress on helly: "hunting".

GOONY: 

the downs. "Going up awwer goony" 

Cor. gun, gonyow.

GOOSSELONG, GUSSLONG: 

"Go on.". etc. rejoinder or retort.

GOOSE NECK: 

the last sheaf cut in harvest; put into the rick to form the Crow. 

Also a sea-word. 

C.S.W. p.84.

GOOSIGEN, GUSIGAN, GOOSEYGEN: 

a blister caused by a pinch or a blow. 

Cor. gusygen. (gos "blood").

GORGET: .

a hake caught in a net. A foolish person, a babbler. 

See C.S.W

GORSE: 

reeds used for thatching. Marazion. Cors. cors, corsen.

GOSLINGS:

willow catkins.  

GOSS:

rush or sedge. Gossmoor, place-name. Cor. cors, an gors. "the fen".  

GOSSABEED, GOSSABED: 

not at all! 

Cor. (nag) awos an bys. "not for the world's sake". fragment of spoken Cornish).

In Ordinalia R.D. 938, 2471 and P.C. 2915. (

GOSSAN, GOZZAN: 

ferruginous earth forming the upper part of a vein. Also Ochre.

Cor. gossan "rust".

GO to the country: 

verb, to elope.

GOULD: 

term of endearment. "My gould" Gwinear.

GOOLD: .

a goal

GOUNCE: 

a long shallow place for washing fine over-stuf.

 Cor. cowans.

GOW: 

a village walk limited to men of each particular part of a village. Cp. 

Cor. Scavel an gow' (Boson) 

Paul. C.S.W.

GRACKLE, GRACKEL:

 a pile of ore.

Cor. graghel.

GRAFFED, GRAFTED: 

begrimed. "grafted with dirt".

GRAIN: 

the three pronged fish spear.

 C.S.W. GRENE in E.D.D.

GRAIL:

the coarser part of flour. 

Padstow.

GRAINY: 

proud or miserly.

 Cor.? cruny.  

GRAMBLER, GRUMBLA: 

 Place names.

Cor. cromlech.

GRAMMER's KNUCKEY: 

a self-acting catch for a gate. Redruth.

GRAMMERSOW:  

the wood-louse, pill-bug.

GRANGE, GRINGE:  

to grind the teeth.

GRANE SAAVE: 

green salve.

GRAOW:

gravel. 

Cor. grow.  

GRASS: 

"up to grass" to the surface; mining. "Grass Captain" surface overseer.

GRAVING CLOUDS: 

a sign of a storm. .

See C.S.W

GREAK: 

the sea-crayfish. C.S.W. GREEK. Cp.

 C.S.W

GRIGGLE. GREAN, GREUN, GRUEN, GRANE: 

hard roe of fish. .

Cor. Brun.

Newlyn

Miss Kelynack with vowel as French or Welsh. 

GREEJA:

the starry ray.

 C.S.W.

GRAVE:

"as greedy as the grave" simile.

GREEN LANE:

an unmetalled way.

Cor. for'las

GREEPING:

putting 3 or 4 pots into one another. .

Lake's Pottery, Truro

GREEP:

 an armful.

GREND:

 a kink in a chain..

 Also a rabbit snare.

 C.S.W

GREET: 

soil. O.Eng. Greet-board: mould board of plough.

GRIBBLE, GRABLE: 

an anchor used in seine fishing.

 Also, a miner's sieve.

GRIBBLE: 

a rooted cutting of a plant. Also, a scion for grafting.

GRIDGE:

a small fragment of stone.

GRIE, GURY: 

a vein of tin ore in granite, one or two inches thick. Balleswidden.

Cor. gwry.

GRIG, GRIGLANS: 

heather or ling. A stem used as a pritchell to lift the wick of a chill. 

Cor. gruk, gruglon.

GRIG, GRIGGAN: 

the cricket or grasshopper.

GRIDLANCE:

 "to take gridlance" in game of marbles a player changes the position of his taw so as to have in line his opponent's taw and one of the marbles.

Cor.? gwrythyans 

R. M. Nance in R. C. Polytechnic reports. 1918-24.

GRIGGLE: 

the spider-crab. Also a small apple. Cp. Grablen; a small or crab apple.

GRIN, GREN: 

a snare.

GRIMCHACKS:  

term of abuse, dirty face.

GRIPE: .

a ditch

GROWSHANS, GROOSEHANS, GRISHANS, GROWJANS:

 tea leaves left in a cup, dregs, grouts. .  

Cor. growjyon

GRIZZLE: 

to grin, laugh, show the teeth. . 

Also of oats, to show the grain by spreading the ushans after dry weather

USHANS:. chaff

Cor. grysla

Cor. usyon.

M.C.

GROBMAN: .

sea bream 

C.S.W

GROCK: 

to pull, tweak the hair upwards.  

To grock a sheaf: to pull loose straw from it. 

Cor. grok, crok?

St. Just.

GROOTH: 

the crop of a domestic or other bird. 

Cor. cruth.

GROODER, GROWDER: 

Confused with Groot: soil. Coarse grit used for scouring.

Cor. grow-dyr

GROSSET:

the gooseberry. "a hairy grosset".  

GROUSHANS

Dregs

20

General

WC

GRUFFY, GROUGHY: 

to grow strong, especially of pigs.

 Cor. c ref he'.

GROUNDER:

a large stone, foundation of a hedge.

GROWAN, GRAOW: 

loose or decomposed granite as in pebbled beach.

GROWSE: .

of a candle, to gutter, drip grease

GRUFFY UP, GRUFFLE UP:

 to keep close together as in a school outing.

GRUFFLED: 

"gruffled up like an arrish pig." fattened. Cp. GRUFFY.

GRUTE, GROOT, GREET:

 fine soil. O.Eng.

GUAG, GWAG: 

"holing to guag" empty place already holed. Cor. gwak, gwag.

GRUTHICK: 

squat, "tottle-bellied".  pot-bellied.

Cor. cruthak.

GUARE: 

Command at marbles. Play! Cor. 2 sing. Imperative gwary 

Also at single-stick. .

St. Just

GUBBY:

 a bunch or a crowd.

GUCCO

Bluebell

20

Botany

WC

GUCKOO: 

the common bluebell; also the bird cuckoo. Also the wrasse.

53

C.S.W.

GUCKOO SPIT:  

the froghopper insect.

GUDGEN:

 sinker of a fishing line. 

Cor. gusen, gujen.

C.S.W. 

GUFF: 

refuse. As Caff.

GUIDE:

a cross-course (mining) 

St. Just.

GUISE DANCE, MUMMERS:

see A. K. H. Jenkin "Cornish Homes & Customs" and Tom Miners in "Old Cornwall" Vol. No. 8.

GULIARK:

the harbour crab. 

C.S.W.  

GULANEEG, GOOLNIGAN:

a cuttle rod. .

Cor. gwelen­hyg

 C.S.W.

GULGE, GULJE: 

to drink greedily, as GADDLE.

GULCH, GULPH, GULK:

a body of rich ore.  See WOLLA.  

Cor. gwalgh

GULLYMOUTH: 

second size of pitchers; 

Lake's Pottery, Truro.

GUNKER, GUNNER: 

a one-eyed person.

GUNKER:

 a hard blow.

GUNJY:

slimy, dirty.

GUNNIS, GUNNIES: 

the hollow space left after a lode has been removed. 

Cor. gonys or gonysys as for a "worked out site"

GUNNY:

 to take aim.

GUR:

the shanny.  

See C.S.W.

GURGY:

 a cur dog. "maazed as a gurgy" Compare W. gwrgi. 

Cor. gourgy.

GURNAL: 

a swirl of sandy water near the beach; also the under­tow.  

St. Ives, Sennen.

C.S.W.

GURRY:

a hand-barrow. Also a wicker-work basket with four handles.  A gurry load equals 800 herring.

C.S.W.

GUSKENS: 

sheltered place offshore. . 

GUSS: soft. Mousehole. ?from Cornish.

 Cor. goskes.

C.S.W

GUTHENS, GUTHERNS: 

a sunken rock. C.S.W.  

Cor. guthen; sole of foot or cuthen: something hidden.

GUZZALEZZA, GOLUZZOW: 

the octopus.  

Cor. Collel-lesa.

See C.S.W.

GWAITH:

breast hook of a boat. 

Cor. queth.  

GWEEANS, QUEEN, QUEENIES: 

periwinkles. C.S.W. 

Cor. gwyghen.

GWELSKEN, GWILKIN:

 also QUILKEN, WILKIN: a frog. 

Cor, gwylskyn, gwylkyn.

GWENDERS, WINDRW, GWINENDERS, WENDERS: 

frost-bite or numbness of fingers caused by cold. 

Cor. ewynrew. 

GWIDGYGWEE, GWIDJAWEE: 

a black spot caused by extrava­sated blood. Compare gooseygen. The effect of a pinch.

 Cor. gosek-gwyth.