A Kentish Word-bot
@kentishwordbot.bsky.social
A word once an hour. From A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms in Use in the County of Kent, by WD Parish, 1888. Created by @grouchomerckx.bsky.social. Built with https://bluebotsdonequick.com/
GRIT [grit] vb. To set the teeth on edge; to grate.
February 11, 2026 at 1:32 PM
GRIT [grit] vb. To set the teeth on edge; to grate.
WIBBER [wib•ur] (2) vb. To use a wibber. 'I wibber'd out a wibberfull.'
February 11, 2026 at 12:31 PM
WIBBER [wib•ur] (2) vb. To use a wibber. 'I wibber'd out a wibberfull.'
SWIMY [swei•mi], SWIMMY [swim•i], SWIMMY-HEADED [swim•i-hed•id] adj. Giddy; dizzy; faint. (Anglo-Saxon swima, a swoon.)
'I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' räound and räound till it made me feel quite swimy, it did.'
'I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' räound and räound till it made me feel quite swimy, it did.'
February 11, 2026 at 11:32 AM
SWIMY [swei•mi], SWIMMY [swim•i], SWIMMY-HEADED [swim•i-hed•id] adj. Giddy; dizzy; faint. (Anglo-Saxon swima, a swoon.)
'I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' räound and räound till it made me feel quite swimy, it did.'
'I kep' on a lookin' at de swifts a gooin' räound and räound till it made me feel quite swimy, it did.'
UPSTANDS [up•standz] sb. pl. Live trees or bushes cut breast high to serve as marks for boundaries of parishes, estates, &c.
February 11, 2026 at 10:32 AM
UPSTANDS [up•standz] sb. pl. Live trees or bushes cut breast high to serve as marks for boundaries of parishes, estates, &c.
HULL [hul] (1) sb. The shell of a pea.
'After we have sheel'd them we throw the hulls away.'
'After we have sheel'd them we throw the hulls away.'
February 11, 2026 at 9:32 AM
HULL [hul] (1) sb. The shell of a pea.
'After we have sheel'd them we throw the hulls away.'
'After we have sheel'd them we throw the hulls away.'
HOLL [hoi], HULL [hul] vb. To throw; to hurl.
'Ha! there, leave off hulling o' stones.'
'Ha! there, leave off hulling o' stones.'
February 11, 2026 at 8:31 AM
HOLL [hoi], HULL [hul] vb. To throw; to hurl.
'Ha! there, leave off hulling o' stones.'
'Ha! there, leave off hulling o' stones.'
GRIPING [grei•pin] vb. The name given in North Kent to the operation of groping at arms' length in the soft mud of the tidal streams for dabs and flounders.
February 11, 2026 at 7:32 AM
GRIPING [grei•pin] vb. The name given in North Kent to the operation of groping at arms' length in the soft mud of the tidal streams for dabs and flounders.
BLAR [blaar], BLARE [blair] vb. To bellow; to bleat; to low.
'The old cow keeps all-on blaring after her calf.'
'The old cow keeps all-on blaring after her calf.'
February 11, 2026 at 6:32 AM
BLAR [blaar], BLARE [blair] vb. To bellow; to bleat; to low.
'The old cow keeps all-on blaring after her calf.'
'The old cow keeps all-on blaring after her calf.'
COTERELL [kot•ir'el] sb. A little raised mound in the marshes to which the shepherds and their flocks can retire when the salterns are submerged by the tide.
February 11, 2026 at 5:32 AM
COTERELL [kot•ir'el] sb. A little raised mound in the marshes to which the shepherds and their flocks can retire when the salterns are submerged by the tide.
WIK [wik] sb. A week.
'He'll have been gone a wik, come Monday.'
'He'll have been gone a wik, come Monday.'
February 11, 2026 at 4:31 AM
WIK [wik] sb. A week.
'He'll have been gone a wik, come Monday.'
'He'll have been gone a wik, come Monday.'
SLIPPER [slip•ur] (2) sb. The small sole.—Folkestone.
February 11, 2026 at 3:33 AM
SLIPPER [slip•ur] (2) sb. The small sole.—Folkestone.
SET-OUT [set-out] sb. A great fuss and disturbance; a grand display; an event causing excitement and talk.
'There was a grand set-out at the wedding.'
'There was a grand set-out at the wedding.'
February 11, 2026 at 2:31 AM
SET-OUT [set-out] sb. A great fuss and disturbance; a grand display; an event causing excitement and talk.
'There was a grand set-out at the wedding.'
'There was a grand set-out at the wedding.'
SPLUTHER [spludh•ur] vb. To sputter.
February 11, 2026 at 1:32 AM
SPLUTHER [spludh•ur] vb. To sputter.
PLANETS [plan•its] sb. pl. 'It rains by planets,' when showers fall in a small compass, in opposition to general rain.
February 11, 2026 at 12:32 AM
PLANETS [plan•its] sb. pl. 'It rains by planets,' when showers fall in a small compass, in opposition to general rain.
BLUNDER [blund•ur] (2) vb. To move awkwardly and noisily about; as, when a person moving in a confined space knocks some things over, and throws others down.
'He was here just now blundering about.'
'He was here just now blundering about.'
February 10, 2026 at 11:33 PM
BLUNDER [blund•ur] (2) vb. To move awkwardly and noisily about; as, when a person moving in a confined space knocks some things over, and throws others down.
'He was here just now blundering about.'
'He was here just now blundering about.'
SQUAT [skwot] (i) vb. (i.) To make flat.
(ii.) To put a stone or piece of wood under the wheel of a carriage, to prevent its moving.
(ii.) To put a stone or piece of wood under the wheel of a carriage, to prevent its moving.
February 10, 2026 at 10:31 PM
SQUAT [skwot] (i) vb. (i.) To make flat.
(ii.) To put a stone or piece of wood under the wheel of a carriage, to prevent its moving.
(ii.) To put a stone or piece of wood under the wheel of a carriage, to prevent its moving.
SHAUL [shau•l], SHOWLE [shou•l] (2) sb. A wooden tub with sloping sides … of two kinds, viz.—(1) The kneadinge showle, used for kneading bread, generally made of oak … And 2nd, the washing shaul, made of common wood, without legs.
February 10, 2026 at 9:33 PM
SHAUL [shau•l], SHOWLE [shou•l] (2) sb. A wooden tub with sloping sides … of two kinds, viz.—(1) The kneadinge showle, used for kneading bread, generally made of oak … And 2nd, the washing shaul, made of common wood, without legs.
WHIFFLE [wif•l], WIFFLE, vb. To come in gusts; to blow hither and thither; to turn and curl about.
''Tis de wind whiffles it all o' one side.'
''Tis de wind whiffles it all o' one side.'
February 10, 2026 at 8:31 PM
WHIFFLE [wif•l], WIFFLE, vb. To come in gusts; to blow hither and thither; to turn and curl about.
''Tis de wind whiffles it all o' one side.'
''Tis de wind whiffles it all o' one side.'
ANDIRONS [and•eirnz] sb. pl. The dogs, brand-irons, or cob-irons placed on either side of an open wood fire to keep the brands in the places. Called end-irons in the marginal reading of Ezek. xl. 43.
February 10, 2026 at 7:32 PM
ANDIRONS [and•eirnz] sb. pl. The dogs, brand-irons, or cob-irons placed on either side of an open wood fire to keep the brands in the places. Called end-irons in the marginal reading of Ezek. xl. 43.
RAN [ran] sb. A Folkestone herring net, which is about thirty yards long, is made four rans deep; and there are sixty meshes to a ran.
February 10, 2026 at 6:33 PM
RAN [ran] sb. A Folkestone herring net, which is about thirty yards long, is made four rans deep; and there are sixty meshes to a ran.
WILLOW-GULL [wil•oagul•] sb. The Salix caprea; so called from the down upon it resembling the yellow down of a young gosling, which they call in Kent a gull.
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
WILLOW-GULL [wil•oagul•] sb. The Salix caprea; so called from the down upon it resembling the yellow down of a young gosling, which they call in Kent a gull.
BIER-BALKS [bee•r-bauks] sb. pl. Church ways or paths, along which a bier and coffin may be carried.
February 10, 2026 at 4:31 PM
BIER-BALKS [bee•r-bauks] sb. pl. Church ways or paths, along which a bier and coffin may be carried.
FLEED [fleed] sb. The inside fat of a pig, from which lard is made.
February 10, 2026 at 3:32 PM
FLEED [fleed] sb. The inside fat of a pig, from which lard is made.
FRENCH MAY [french mai] sb. The lilac, whether white or purple. Syringa vulgaris.
February 10, 2026 at 2:32 PM
FRENCH MAY [french mai] sb. The lilac, whether white or purple. Syringa vulgaris.
SCULCH [skulsh], SCULTCH [skulch] sb. Rubbish; trash. Generally used with reference to the unwholesome things children delight to eat. A variant of Culch.
February 10, 2026 at 1:32 PM
SCULCH [skulsh], SCULTCH [skulch] sb. Rubbish; trash. Generally used with reference to the unwholesome things children delight to eat. A variant of Culch.