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/
BE [be] vb. For are, am, &c. 'Where be you?' i.e., 'Where are you?' 'I be comin',' i.e., 'I am coming.' This use of the word is not uncommon in older English
November 11, 2025 at 11:40 AM
BE [be] vb. For are, am, &c. 'Where be you?' i.e., 'Where are you?' 'I be comin',' i.e., 'I am coming.' This use of the word is not uncommon in older English
SOCK [sok] (2) vb. To shroud or wrap a corpse in grave-clothes; to sew a body in its winding sheet.
1591.—'Paid for a sheet to sock a poor woman that died at Byneons, 1s. 6d.' Records of Faversham.
1591.—'Paid for a sheet to sock a poor woman that died at Byneons, 1s. 6d.' Records of Faversham.
November 11, 2025 at 10:40 AM
SOCK [sok] (2) vb. To shroud or wrap a corpse in grave-clothes; to sew a body in its winding sheet.
1591.—'Paid for a sheet to sock a poor woman that died at Byneons, 1s. 6d.' Records of Faversham.
1591.—'Paid for a sheet to sock a poor woman that died at Byneons, 1s. 6d.' Records of Faversham.
BUFF [buf] sb. A clump of growing flowers; 'a tuft or hassock.'
'That's a nice buff of cloves' (pinks).
'That's a nice buff of cloves' (pinks).
November 11, 2025 at 9:40 AM
BUFF [buf] sb. A clump of growing flowers; 'a tuft or hassock.'
'That's a nice buff of cloves' (pinks).
'That's a nice buff of cloves' (pinks).
WODMOLE, otherwise WOADMEL, sb. A rough material made of coarse wool.
'… One yeard of greene wodmole for an aprune at xijd.' —Sandwich Book of Orphans.
'… One yeard of greene wodmole for an aprune at xijd.' —Sandwich Book of Orphans.
November 11, 2025 at 8:40 AM
WODMOLE, otherwise WOADMEL, sb. A rough material made of coarse wool.
'… One yeard of greene wodmole for an aprune at xijd.' —Sandwich Book of Orphans.
'… One yeard of greene wodmole for an aprune at xijd.' —Sandwich Book of Orphans.
HALM [haam], HAULM [haum], HELM [helm] sb. Stubble gathered after the corn is carried, especially pease and beans' straw; applied, also, to the stalks or stems of potatoes and other vegetables.
November 11, 2025 at 7:39 AM
HALM [haam], HAULM [haum], HELM [helm] sb. Stubble gathered after the corn is carried, especially pease and beans' straw; applied, also, to the stalks or stems of potatoes and other vegetables.
COVE [koav] sb. A shed; a lean-to or low building with a shelving roof, joined to the wall of another; the shelter which is formed by the projection of the eaves of a house acting as a roof to an outbuilding.
November 11, 2025 at 6:38 AM
COVE [koav] sb. A shed; a lean-to or low building with a shelving roof, joined to the wall of another; the shelter which is formed by the projection of the eaves of a house acting as a roof to an outbuilding.
REXON [reks•n] //. To infect, as with the small-pox, itch, or any other disorder. (See Wrexon.)
November 11, 2025 at 5:37 AM
REXON [reks•n] //. To infect, as with the small-pox, itch, or any other disorder. (See Wrexon.)
WENT [went] sb. A way. At Ightham, Seven Vents is the name of a place where seven roads meet. The plural of wents is frequently pronounced wens. Middle-English, went, a way; from the verb to wend.
November 11, 2025 at 4:34 AM
WENT [went] sb. A way. At Ightham, Seven Vents is the name of a place where seven roads meet. The plural of wents is frequently pronounced wens. Middle-English, went, a way; from the verb to wend.
MILLER'S EYE [mil•urz ei] sb. To put the miller's eye out is when a person, in mixing mortar or dough, pours too much water into the hole made to receive it; then they say, 'I reckon you've put the miller's eye out now!'—Eastry.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
MILLER'S EYE [mil•urz ei] sb. To put the miller's eye out is when a person, in mixing mortar or dough, pours too much water into the hole made to receive it; then they say, 'I reckon you've put the miller's eye out now!'—Eastry.
CONTRAIRIWISE [contrai•r'iweiz] adv. On the contrary.
November 11, 2025 at 2:29 AM
CONTRAIRIWISE [contrai•r'iweiz] adv. On the contrary.
FELLOWLY [fel•oali] adj. Familiar; free.
November 11, 2025 at 1:26 AM
FELLOWLY [fel•oali] adj. Familiar; free.
EVERYTHING SOMETHING [ev•rithing sup•m] sb. Something of everything; all sorts of things.
'She called me everything something' i.e., she called me every name she could think of.
'She called me everything something' i.e., she called me every name she could think of.
November 11, 2025 at 12:29 AM
EVERYTHING SOMETHING [ev•rithing sup•m] sb. Something of everything; all sorts of things.
'She called me everything something' i.e., she called me every name she could think of.
'She called me everything something' i.e., she called me every name she could think of.
WATER-GALLS [waa•tur-gaulz] sb. pl. Jelly-fish.—Dover.
November 10, 2025 at 11:26 PM
WATER-GALLS [waa•tur-gaulz] sb. pl. Jelly-fish.—Dover.
NAWN STEERS [naun steerz] sb. pl. Small steers. Cf. French nain, dwarf.
November 10, 2025 at 10:24 PM
NAWN STEERS [naun steerz] sb. pl. Small steers. Cf. French nain, dwarf.
DOLEING [doa•ling] sb. Almsgiving. (See Deal.)
November 10, 2025 at 9:21 PM
DOLEING [doa•ling] sb. Almsgiving. (See Deal.)
TROLE [troa•l] vb. To trundle a hoop.
November 10, 2025 at 8:20 PM
TROLE [troa•l] vb. To trundle a hoop.
SEN [sen] vb. pp. Seen.
'Have ye sen our Bill anywheres?'
'Have ye sen our Bill anywheres?'
November 10, 2025 at 7:16 PM
SEN [sen] vb. pp. Seen.
'Have ye sen our Bill anywheres?'
'Have ye sen our Bill anywheres?'
LATH [? laidh or lath] sb. The name of an annual court, held at Dymchurch. One was held 15th June, 1876, which was reported in the Sussex Express of 17th June, 1876.
November 10, 2025 at 6:12 PM
LATH [? laidh or lath] sb. The name of an annual court, held at Dymchurch. One was held 15th June, 1876, which was reported in the Sussex Express of 17th June, 1876.
TETAW [tet•au] sb. A simpleton; a fool.
November 10, 2025 at 5:11 PM
TETAW [tet•au] sb. A simpleton; a fool.
DEAD-ALIVE [ded-ulei•v] adj. Dull; stupid. 'It's a dead-alive place.'
November 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
DEAD-ALIVE [ded-ulei•v] adj. Dull; stupid. 'It's a dead-alive place.'
WERRY [werr•i] sb. A weir. The Abbot of Faversham owned the weir in the sea at Seasalter. It was called Snowt-werry in the time of Hen. VII., afterwards Snowt-weir.
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
WERRY [werr•i] sb. A weir. The Abbot of Faversham owned the weir in the sea at Seasalter. It was called Snowt-werry in the time of Hen. VII., afterwards Snowt-weir.
FRIGHT-WOODS, sb. pl. (See Frith.)
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
FRIGHT-WOODS, sb. pl. (See Frith.)
SULLAGE [sul•ij], SUILLAGE [swil•ij] sb. Muck; dung; sewage; dirty water.
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
SULLAGE [sul•ij], SUILLAGE [swil•ij] sb. Muck; dung; sewage; dirty water.
SET [set] (3) adj. Firm; fixed in purpose; obstinate.
'He's terrible set in his ways, there ain't no turning an 'im.'
'He's terrible set in his ways, there ain't no turning an 'im.'
November 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
SET [set] (3) adj. Firm; fixed in purpose; obstinate.
'He's terrible set in his ways, there ain't no turning an 'im.'
'He's terrible set in his ways, there ain't no turning an 'im.'
SPANISH [span•ish] sb. Liquorice.
'I took some Spanish, but my cough is still terrible bad, surely.'
'I took some Spanish, but my cough is still terrible bad, surely.'
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 AM
SPANISH [span•ish] sb. Liquorice.
'I took some Spanish, but my cough is still terrible bad, surely.'
'I took some Spanish, but my cough is still terrible bad, surely.'