A Glossary of Words used in the Country of Wiltshire

Been, Bin. Because, since; a corruption of being (B.S.). 'Bin as he don't go, I won't.'-N.W.

Bees. A hive is a Bee-pot. Bee-flowers are those purposely grown near an apiary, as sources of honey. Of swarms, only the first is a Swarm, the second being a Smart, and the third a Chit. To follow a swarm, beating a tin pan, is Ringing or Tanging.-N.W.

*Beet. To make up a fire (A.B.C.G.). A.S. bétan, to better; to mend a fire (Skeat).-N.W., obsolete.

Beetle. (1) The heavy double-handed wooden mallet used in driving in posts, wedges, &c. Bittle (A.H.). Bwytle (S.). Also Bwoitle.-N. & S.W.

'On another [occasion] (2nd July, 25 Hen. VIII) ... William Seyman was surety ... for the re-delivery of the tools, "cuncta instrumenta videlicet Beetyll, Ax, Matock, and Showlys."'-Stray Notes from the Marlborough Court Books, Wilts Arch. Mag. xix. 78.

(2) The small mallet with which thatchers drive home their 'spars.'-S.W.

*Beggar-weed. Cuscuta Trifolii, Bab., Dodder; from its destructiveness to clover, &c. (English Plant Names).

Bellock. (1) To cry like a beaten or frightened child (A.B.).-N.W., rarely. (2) To complain, to grumble (Dark, ch. x.).-N.W.

*Belly vengeance. Very small and bad beer.-N.W.

'Beer of the very smallest description, real "belly vengeance."'-Wilts Tales, p. 40.

Cf.:-

'I thought you wouldn't appreciate the widow's tap.... Regular whistle-belly vengeance, and no mistake!'-Tom Brown at Oxford, xl.

Belt. To trim away the dirty wool from a sheep's hind-quarters.-N.W.

*Bennet. v. Of wood-pigeons, to feed on bennets (A.).

'They have an old rhyme in Wiltshire-

meaning that pigeons at this time are compelled to feed on the seed of the bent, the stubbles being cleared, and the crops not ripe.'-Akerman.

Bennets, Bents. (1) Long coarse grass or rushes (B.).-N.W. (2) Seed-stalks of various grasses (A.); used of both withered stalks of coarse grasses and growing heads of cat's-tail, &c.-N. & S.W. (3) Seed-heads of Plantain, Plantago major, L., and P. lanceolata, L.-N. & S.W.

Bents. See Bennets.

Bercen (c hard). See Barken. 'This form of the word is given in MS. Gough, Wilts, 5, as current in Wilts' (H.K.Wr.).

Berry. The grain of wheat (D.); as 'There's a very good berry to-year,' or 'The wheat's well-berried,' or the reverse. See Old Country Words, ii. and v.-N.W.

Berry-moucher. (1) A truant. See Blackberry-moucher and Moucher (A.).-N. & S.W. (2) Fruit of Rubus fruticosus, L., Blackberry. See Moochers.-N.W. (Huish.) Originally applied to children who went mouching from school in blackberry season, and widely used in this sense, but at Huish-and occasionally elsewhere-virtually confined to the berries themselves: often corrupted into Penny-moucher or Perry-moucher by children. In English Plant Names Mochars, Glouc., and Mushes, Dev., are quoted as being similarly applied to the fruit, which is also known as Mooches in the Forest of Dean. See Hal., sub. Mich.

Besepts. Except.-N. & S.W.

'Here's my yeppurn they've a'bin and scarched, and I've a-got narra 'nother 'gin Zunday besepts this!'-Wilts Tales, p. 138.

Besom, Beesom, Bissom, &c. A birch broom (A.B.S.).-N. & S.W.

*Betwit. To upbraid (A.B.).

Bide. (1) To stay, remain (A.S.). 'Bide still, will 'ee.'-N. & S.W. (2) To dwell (A.). 'Where do 'ee bide now, Bill?' 'Most-in-general at 'Vize.'-N. & S.W.

Bill Button. Geum rivale, L., Water Avens.-S.W.

Bin. See Been.

Bird-batting. Netting birds at night with a 'bat-folding' or clap-net (A.B., Aubrey's Nat. Hist. Wilts, p. 15, ed. Brit.). Bird-battenen (S.).-N. & S.W.

Bird's-eye. (1) Veronica Chamaedrys, L., Germander Speedwell.-N. & S.W. (2) Anagallis arvensis, L., Scarlet Pimpernel.-S.W. (3) Veronica officinalis, L., Common Speedwell.-S.W. (Barford.)

Bird's-nest. The seed-head of Daucus Carota, L., Wild Carrot.-N. & S.W.

'The flower of the wild carrot gathers together as the seeds mature, and forms a framework cup at the top of the stalk, like a bird's-nest. These "bird's-nests," brown and weather-beaten, endured far into the winter.'-Great Estate, ch. vii. p. 137.

'The whole tuft is drawn together when the seed is ripe, resembling a bird's nest.'-Gerarde.

Bird-seed. Seed-heads of Plantain.-N. & S.W.

Bird-squoilin. See Squail (S.).

Bird-starving. Bird-keeping.-N.W.

'This we call bird-keeping, but the lads themselves, with an appreciation of the other side of the case, call it "bird-starving."'-Village Miners.

Birds'-wedding-day. St. Valentine's Day.-S.W. (Bishopstone.)

Bishop-wort. Mentha aquatica, L., Hairy Mint.-S.W. (Hants bord.)

Bissom. See Besom.

Bittish. adj. Somewhat. ''Twer a bittish cowld isterday.'-N. & S.W.

Bittle. See Beetle.

Biver. To tremble, quiver, shiver as with a cold or fright (S.). Cp. A.S. bifian, to tremble.-N. & S.W.

'Bless m' zoul, if I dwon't think our maester's got the ager! How a hackers an bivers, to be zhure!'-Wilts Tales, p. 55.

Bivery. adj. Shivery, tremulous. When a baby is just on the verge of crying, its lip quivers and is 'bivery.'-N.W.

Blackberry-moucher. (1) A truant from school in the blackberry season (H.). See Berry-moucher, Mouch, &c.-N.W. (Huish, &c.)

'A blackberry moucher, an egregious truant.'-Dean Milles' MS., p. 180.

(2) Hence, the fruit of Rubus fruticosus, L., Blackberry. See Berry-moucher, Moochers, &c.-N.W. (Huish, &c.)

*Blackberry-token. Rubus caesius, L., Dewberry (English Plant Names).

Black-Bess. See Black-Bob.

Black-Bob. A cockroach (S.). Black-Bess on Berks border.-S.W.

Black-boys. (1) Flower-heads of Plantain.-N.W. (Huish.) (2) Typha latifolia, L., Great Reedmace.-N.W. (Lyneham.)

*Black Couch. A form of Agrostis that has small wiry blackish roots (D). Agrostis stolonifera.

Black Sally. Salix Caprea, L., Great Round-leaved Sallow, from its dark bark (Amateur Poacher, ch. iv). Clothes-pegs are made from its wood.-N.W.

*Black Woodpecker. Picus major, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Birds of Wilts, p. 253). Also known as the Gray Woodpecker.

Blades. The shafts of a waggon (S.).-S.W.

Blare, Blur. To shout or roar out loudly (S.).-N. & S.W.

Blatch. (1) adj. Black, sooty (A.B.).-N.W. (2) n. Smut, soot. 'Thuc pot be ael over blatch.'-N.W. (3) v. To blacken. 'Now dwon't 'ee gwo an' blatch your veäce wi' thuc thur dirty zoot.'-N.W.

Bleachy. Brackish.-S.W. (Som. bord.)

Bleat. Bleak, open, unsheltered. 'He's out in the bleat,' i.e. out in the open in bad weather. See K for examples of letter-change.-N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Bleeding Heart. Cheiranthus Cheiri, L., the red Wallflower (A.B.).-N.W.

Blind-hole. n. A rabbit hole which ends in undisturbed soil, as opposed to a Pop-hole, q.v. (Gamekeeper at Home, ch. vi. p. 120).-N.W.

Blind-house. A lock-up.

'1629. Item paied for makeing cleane the blind-house vijd.'-Records of Chippenham, p. 204.

Blind-man. Papaver Rhoeas, L., &c., the Red Poppy, which is locally supposed to cause blindness, if looked at too long.-S.W. (Hamptworth.)

*Blink. A spark, ray, or intermittent glimmer of light (A.B.). See Flunk.

*Blinking. This adjective is used, in a very contemptuous sense, by several Wilts agricultural writers.

'A short blinking heath is found on many parts [of the downs].'-Agric. of Wilts, ch. xii.

Compare:-

''Twas a little one-eyed blinking sort o' place.'-Tess of the D'Urbervilles, vol. i. p. 10.

*Blissey. A blaze (A.H.Wr.). A.S. blysige, a torch.

Blobbs, Water Blobs. Blossoms of Nuphar lutea, Sm., Yellow Water Lily (A.B.); probably from the swollen look of the buds. Cf. Blub up.

Blood-alley. A superior kind of alley or taw, veined with deep red, and much prized by boys (S.).-N. & S.W.

Bloody Warr The dark-blossomed Wallflower, Cheiranthus Cheiri, L. (A.B.S.).-N. & S.W.

Blooens. See Bluens.

Bloom. Of the sun; to shine scorchingly (B.); to throw out heat as a fire. 'How the sun do bloom out atween the clouds!'-N.W.

Blooming. Very sultry, as ''Tis a main blooming day.'-S.W. (Salisbury.)

Bloomy. Sultry. Bloomy-hot. Excessively sultry (A.B.).-S.W.

Blooth, Blowth. Bloom or blossom.-S.W.

Blossom. A snow-flake. 'What girt blossoms 'twer to the snow isterday!'-N. & S.W.

'Snow-flakes are called "blossoms." The word...