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/
GRUBBY [grub•i] adj. Dirty.
'You are grubby, and no mistake.' (See also Grabby.)
'You are grubby, and no mistake.' (See also Grabby.)
February 12, 2026 at 6:32 PM
GRUBBY [grub•i] adj. Dirty.
'You are grubby, and no mistake.' (See also Grabby.)
'You are grubby, and no mistake.' (See also Grabby.)
SLORRY [slorr•i] sb. A slow-worm, or a blind worm.
February 12, 2026 at 5:32 PM
SLORRY [slorr•i] sb. A slow-worm, or a blind worm.
TAN [tan] (1) sb. The bark of a young oak.
February 12, 2026 at 4:31 PM
TAN [tan] (1) sb. The bark of a young oak.
KEEKLEGS [kee•klegz] sb. An orchis. Orchis mascula. (See Kites legs.)
February 12, 2026 at 3:33 PM
KEEKLEGS [kee•klegz] sb. An orchis. Orchis mascula. (See Kites legs.)
WITTERY [wit•ur'i] adj. Peevish; fretful.
February 12, 2026 at 2:32 PM
WITTERY [wit•ur'i] adj. Peevish; fretful.
AMPER [amp•ur] sb. A tumour or swelling; a blemish.
February 12, 2026 at 1:32 PM
AMPER [amp•ur] sb. A tumour or swelling; a blemish.
CAR [kaa] vb. To carry.
'He said dare was a teejus fair
Dat lasted for a wick;
And all de ploughmen dat went dare,
Must car dair shining stick.'
—Dick and Sal, st. 8.
'He said dare was a teejus fair
Dat lasted for a wick;
And all de ploughmen dat went dare,
Must car dair shining stick.'
—Dick and Sal, st. 8.
February 12, 2026 at 12:31 PM
CAR [kaa] vb. To carry.
'He said dare was a teejus fair
Dat lasted for a wick;
And all de ploughmen dat went dare,
Must car dair shining stick.'
—Dick and Sal, st. 8.
'He said dare was a teejus fair
Dat lasted for a wick;
And all de ploughmen dat went dare,
Must car dair shining stick.'
—Dick and Sal, st. 8.
OUT [ou•t] adj. A north, north-east, or east wind.
'The wind is out to-day,' i.e., it is in the east, north-east, or north. (See also Upward.)
'The wind is out to-day,' i.e., it is in the east, north-east, or north. (See also Upward.)
February 12, 2026 at 11:32 AM
OUT [ou•t] adj. A north, north-east, or east wind.
'The wind is out to-day,' i.e., it is in the east, north-east, or north. (See also Upward.)
'The wind is out to-day,' i.e., it is in the east, north-east, or north. (See also Upward.)
OFFER [of•ur] vb. To lift up; to hold up anything for the purpose of displaying it to the best advantage.
I once heard a master paperhanger say to his assistant … 'Just offer this paper up for the lady to see.'
I once heard a master paperhanger say to his assistant … 'Just offer this paper up for the lady to see.'
February 12, 2026 at 10:31 AM
OFFER [of•ur] vb. To lift up; to hold up anything for the purpose of displaying it to the best advantage.
I once heard a master paperhanger say to his assistant … 'Just offer this paper up for the lady to see.'
I once heard a master paperhanger say to his assistant … 'Just offer this paper up for the lady to see.'
TERRIFY [ter•r'ifei] vb. To annoy; to tease; to disturb.
A bad cough is said to be 'very terryfying.' And the flies are said 'to terrify the cattle.' The rooks also 'terrify the beans.'
A bad cough is said to be 'very terryfying.' And the flies are said 'to terrify the cattle.' The rooks also 'terrify the beans.'
February 12, 2026 at 9:32 AM
TERRIFY [ter•r'ifei] vb. To annoy; to tease; to disturb.
A bad cough is said to be 'very terryfying.' And the flies are said 'to terrify the cattle.' The rooks also 'terrify the beans.'
A bad cough is said to be 'very terryfying.' And the flies are said 'to terrify the cattle.' The rooks also 'terrify the beans.'
HUNG UP [hung up] vb. Hindered; foiled; prevented.
'He is quite hung up' i.e., so circumstanced that he is hindered from doing what otherwise he would.
'He is quite hung up' i.e., so circumstanced that he is hindered from doing what otherwise he would.
February 12, 2026 at 8:31 AM
HUNG UP [hung up] vb. Hindered; foiled; prevented.
'He is quite hung up' i.e., so circumstanced that he is hindered from doing what otherwise he would.
'He is quite hung up' i.e., so circumstanced that he is hindered from doing what otherwise he would.
LONESOME [loa•nsum] adj. Lonely.
February 12, 2026 at 7:33 AM
LONESOME [loa•nsum] adj. Lonely.
ENTETIG [ent•itig] vb. To introduce.
February 12, 2026 at 6:32 AM
ENTETIG [ent•itig] vb. To introduce.
SOB [sob] vb. To soak, or wet thoroughly.
'The cloth what we used to wipe up the rain what come in under the door is all sobbed with the wet.'
'The cloth what we used to wipe up the rain what come in under the door is all sobbed with the wet.'
February 12, 2026 at 5:32 AM
SOB [sob] vb. To soak, or wet thoroughly.
'The cloth what we used to wipe up the rain what come in under the door is all sobbed with the wet.'
'The cloth what we used to wipe up the rain what come in under the door is all sobbed with the wet.'
WARP-UP [wau•p-up] vb. To plough land in warps, i.e., with ten, twelve or more ridges, on each side of which a furrow is left to carry off the water.
February 12, 2026 at 4:31 AM
WARP-UP [wau•p-up] vb. To plough land in warps, i.e., with ten, twelve or more ridges, on each side of which a furrow is left to carry off the water.
BREAD-AND-BUTTER [bren-but•ur] sb. In Kent these three words are used as one substantive, and it is usual to prefix the indefinite article and to speak of a brenbutter.
'I've only had two small brenbutters for my dinner.'
'I've only had two small brenbutters for my dinner.'
February 12, 2026 at 3:33 AM
BREAD-AND-BUTTER [bren-but•ur] sb. In Kent these three words are used as one substantive, and it is usual to prefix the indefinite article and to speak of a brenbutter.
'I've only had two small brenbutters for my dinner.'
'I've only had two small brenbutters for my dinner.'
THURROCK [thur•r'uk] sb. A wooden drain under a gate; a small passage or wooden tunnel through a bank.
In Sheppy, if the hares gain the refuge of a thurrock … they are considered to have gained sanctuary and are not molested
In Sheppy, if the hares gain the refuge of a thurrock … they are considered to have gained sanctuary and are not molested
February 12, 2026 at 2:31 AM
THURROCK [thur•r'uk] sb. A wooden drain under a gate; a small passage or wooden tunnel through a bank.
In Sheppy, if the hares gain the refuge of a thurrock … they are considered to have gained sanctuary and are not molested
In Sheppy, if the hares gain the refuge of a thurrock … they are considered to have gained sanctuary and are not molested
BORSTAL [bor•stul] sb. 'A pathway up a hill, generally a very steep one.' (Perhaps from A.S. beorg a hill, stal a seat, dwelling.)
February 12, 2026 at 1:32 AM
BORSTAL [bor•stul] sb. 'A pathway up a hill, generally a very steep one.' (Perhaps from A.S. beorg a hill, stal a seat, dwelling.)
MISERY [miz•ur'i] sb. Acute bodily pain; not sorrow or distress of mind, as commonly.
'He's gone in great misery for some time.'
'He's gone in great misery for some time.'
February 12, 2026 at 12:32 AM
MISERY [miz•ur'i] sb. Acute bodily pain; not sorrow or distress of mind, as commonly.
'He's gone in great misery for some time.'
'He's gone in great misery for some time.'
PLAY THE BAND, phr. Instead of saying 'The band is going to play,' it is common to hear 'They are going to play the band.'
February 11, 2026 at 11:33 PM
PLAY THE BAND, phr. Instead of saying 'The band is going to play,' it is common to hear 'They are going to play the band.'
TUG [tug] sb. The body of a wagon, without the hutch; a carriage for conveying timber, bobbins, &c. (See Bobbin-tug.)
February 11, 2026 at 10:31 PM
TUG [tug] sb. The body of a wagon, without the hutch; a carriage for conveying timber, bobbins, &c. (See Bobbin-tug.)
HEAVE [heev] vb. To throw; to heave a card; to play it; it being, as it were, lifted up or heav'd, before it is laid down upon the table.
February 11, 2026 at 9:33 PM
HEAVE [heev] vb. To throw; to heave a card; to play it; it being, as it were, lifted up or heav'd, before it is laid down upon the table.
BUCK [buk] (3) vb. To fill a basket.
February 11, 2026 at 8:32 PM
BUCK [buk] (3) vb. To fill a basket.
CYPRESS, CYPRUS [sei•prus] sb. A material like crape.
February 11, 2026 at 7:32 PM
CYPRESS, CYPRUS [sei•prus] sb. A material like crape.
SCALLION [skal•yun] sb. The name given to the poor and weakly plants in an onion bed, which are thinned out to make room for the growth of better ones.
February 11, 2026 at 6:32 PM
SCALLION [skal•yun] sb. The name given to the poor and weakly plants in an onion bed, which are thinned out to make room for the growth of better ones.