An Edo-English Dictionary by Rebecca N. Agheyisi

an impersonal pronoun, usually rendered by the impersonal “we” in English:

a bound form of the 2nd per. sgl. pronoun, ruẹ [rùɛ́]: ;

an old-fashioned deferential address term used for an elderly male as part of a greeting: (cf. Esán aba ― “father”).

anklet worn by an ọmada (palace young male attendant and sceptre-bearer), also more commonly known as ẹrọnmwọn.

witchcraft practice (cf. ọmwanbabe).

guilt (in a case, or lawsuit): .

a special knife used for slaughtering animals.

stammerer. (cf. bẹmwẹn).

disputation; quarrelsomeness: . (cf: abọ; ẹmwẹn).

a derogatory nickname for a very skinny or undernourished person.

gnat; a tiny insect that typically flies into people’s eyes.

sane or sober mood; normalcy. Usually occurs in the expression ― ― implying that the event or state is subject to the influence of some extraneous forces, such as witchcraft, magic, madness, alcohol, etc.

a staff carved like a machet, which is carried by each of the female relatives of the deceased during the dances in traditional burial ceremonies. It is believed to serve to ward off evil spirits from the family.

crossroads; road junction.

The sceptre or state-sword ceremonially borne before the Ọba as symbol of his royal and imperial authority. It is also borne before certain senior chiefs and native religious priests. (cf. ọmada).

an affluent and respectable person in a community: .

female cricket (cf. ogoro).

a square shape.^

indiscriminate purchases; unnecessary spending;

a long pole with a hook at its tip, used for picking fruit from tall trees.

placenta; afterbirth.

chicken; fowl (cf. ọkhọkhọ).

success; accomplishment.

reconciliation.

name of an Ọba of Benin who reigned from 1848 ― 1888. He was the father of Ọba Ovọnramwẹn (Egharevba: 1968, pp. 46-47).

name of an Edo village on the outskirts of Benin to the East.

a Moslem priest (cf. Yoruba “àlùfaá”).

flag.

chisel.

blessing: .

apprehension; fear; worry: i.e. I am worried that he might fall.

headache.

change, transformation: .

a blind person (cf. arhuaro).

chair.

a serious case of whitlow, believed to be caused by the poison of a certain kind of caterpillar known as “isue”.

bullet.

coins used as small change; change (in monetary transactions).

an adult male; a full-grown male:

corrosive acid.

sensitivity; concern; interest:

a kind of root dye that changes white cloth, or similar materials, to yellow.

left hand side; left hand.

camp; temporary settlement.

a seven-day fast held at the Oba’s palace, as well as at the households of some senior chiefs. It is usually held in January after Iguẹ festival.

the morning star. Its name no doubt derives from its extreme brightness: (< ).

compatibility; having mutual accord; harmony.

correspondence; match.

a two-edged sword used mainly by butchers.

the large and flowing outer robe of men’s Nigerian national dress.

bridge (Melzian).

name of one of the oldest native markets of Benin City, situated along Akpakpava Road.

crocodile.

a bald person. (cf. akpan).

wicker basket with a wooden base, used mainly for conveying foodstuffs.

chin; lower jaw.

confidant; one with whom one confers.

name of one of the local government areas in the Esan-speaking part of Bendel State.

covering up; making secret.

something made up of two components; dual; twin.

one afflicted with one or more body ulcers, especially on the legs.

ram.

the name of a famous and historic ruler of Ugo.

hornet.

a wood-carver’s implement.

Each of the four lines constituting the cross (+) configuration has in the Edo game, Isẹ. The significance of aghadaghada in the game derives from the mystical meaning of the + symbol.

a very high price; expensive value:

native mat made from strips of the pulpy stem of “ẹkpogho” plant.

shadow.

leech.

a select group; an exclusive group.

convulsion (typically afflicts infants).

sieve.

bird; .

urine.

hoe.

state of being lost or irrecoverable.

mutual love; caring for each other.

love, amity; goodwill.

goodwill, benevolence.

hawk.

troublemaker; (also aruẹmwẹn).

small under-garment worn by men.

very potent poison, hence its name which literally means “one-does-not-eat-in-addition-to -it”.

sore-throat (also atalọ).

a common kind of grass snake.

a shelf over the traditional kitchen hearth used for drying meat and fish and for preserving other ingredients such as crayfish, etc.

trumpet.

a ritual dance which forms part of the Ọkhuahẹ festival.

The Palace Court Jester.

corn pudding, usually dispensed in molds wrapped in special leaves known as ebiẹba [èbíɛ̀bá].

a dimunitive object. (cf. kanmwan).

a pretentious person.

ivory (< akon-eni) “elephant’s tooth” (cf. akọn).

the name of the Oba of Benin who reigned from 1750 to 1803 (Egharevba 1968: p. 74).

the name of two past Obas of Benin: Akenzua I 1713 to 1734 and Akenzua II 1933 to 1978.

month; it occurs with numerals to express monthly periods of time; e.g. ; .

foolery, joke.

a fruit tree (Dennettia tripetala), whose fruit is peppery-hot when ripe, and is very popular and used as a hospitality gift.

gift parcel; present; (also oko).

metal trap, used mainly for catching small animals such as house mice.

a mud idol moulded in human shape.

womb (cf. àko).

evening time: from about 4 p.m. to nightfall; .

tooth; akingho (akọnighó) “milk teeth”.

a thorny creeper (Uvaria macrotricha).

clerk. (cf. Yoruba: akọwe).

pupa encased in a shell of twigs and strings.

unity; accord; .

tree bear.

a dark-brown bird with fluffy plumage.

weaver bird.

stinginess.

crutch; also a euphemism for the genitals.

a variety of monkey.

prophet.

a clay pot usually used for drinking water.

mourning.

loner (also okhiọnkpa).

success, fulfilment, victory.

dungbeetle.

wall ghecko.

lips.

marble.

tomorrow.

wash; bath.

joint.

a foolish person.

hyena.

spider.

the name of one of the streets in Benin City, it leads from the Ring Road to Ikpoba Slope.

Grey woodpecker.

a belt worn as a protection against evil forces and charms.

baldness; bald head (cf. agbakpan).

left-handed person.

an indigenous musical instrument that is played like a harp.

eczema.

soregums; infected gums.

“were it that . . . ” e.g. akpawe i mwẹn igho, i gha dẹ imọto ― “were it that-I-had-money,I-would-buy-a-car: if I had money, I would buy a car.”

a woman pregnant for the first time.

a nickname for a very short person.

a string of beads worn around the waist by girls.

a variety of native pepper that’s very small and hot.

one of the praise titles of the Ọba of Benin: Ọmọ n’Ọba n’Ẹdo, Uku Akpọlọkpọlọ.

the last born of a woman. lit. meaning: “one who passes and blocks the way.”

progress; improvement.

meddling (cf. igbalama).

carelessness/irresponsibility:

ape.

procedure; established way of doing things; (also ilele ).

a creeper that’s mainly used for tying yam.

a bat-like night bird that flies only a short distance when stirred.

orange; alimoinegiere-lime.

onion; (Yoruba: àlùbọ́sà).

difference.

a pair of scissors; (cf. Yoruba: àlùmɔ́gàjí) (also ugbeto; etuheru).

a bird.

the smooth-skinned lizard, which is also smaller than the normal lizard.

a bronze or brass casting: i.e. “They immortalized it.”

watery: . (cf. amẹ).

carved or moulded figurines in a shrine.

rain-water (collected from a drainage tunnel on a roof, or as it flows down the roof). (cf. amẹ; eda).

hot water (cf. amẹ; erhẹn).

tears (cf. evé).

a tree whose leaves have sandy surfaces like sandpaper. (cf. ebamẹmẹ), and is usually used for polishing wooden surfaces.

stream water (believed to be very cool): .

concession; admission as accurate or true.

coconut milk.

sea-water. (cf. Olokun).

pipe-borne water.

faith, trust.

acrobats who used to perform at the isiokuo ceremony.

verbal abuse or insult.

sympathy, consideration.

kerosine.

favourite wife.

an old Nigerian coin that was worth 1/10 of a Kobo.

tongue.

a variety of white yam.

inheritance; heritage; legacy (cf. ukhu).

a variety of snake that feeds on eggs.

priggishly professing to know.

a painful swelling in the groin region.

dye; indigo dye: .

a matching set; things of the same kind.

hearth.

the surface of an ulcer.

repentance (lit: one-thinks-thought-changes-mind.)

of the same kind: àro ọ́kpa “one variety”; .

good fortune

greed (aro + vbẹ-mwẹn)^: “eye ― wideness”:

cripple; paralysed person.

oneness; solidarity.

name of the ill-treated wife of Ogiso in Ẹdo folklore.

gentle persuasion, coaxing.

demonstration, proof.

resurrection; (Christian sense) Easter.

name of the historic giant sized brother of Ọba Ẹsigie.

a blind person (cf. afuozu).

circumcision.

individual person: (also orhunmwun).

viper.

a variety of green caterpillar, typically found underneath leaves, and causes extreme irritation of the skin when one comes into contact with it.

a busybody; a gossip.

this life, as opposed to the previous or the next re-incarnation.

tradition; cultural history: .

bound variant of uri (200) which occurs in multiples of 200: arriaigbe ― 2,000 (i.e. 200 x 10).

one thousand. arriaisẹn-arriaisẹn ― “one million”.

next reincarnation.

the previous life (i.e. before the present one).

kingdom; government.

the colourful tail feather of a rooster.

a variety of moth that hovers around lamps at night.

a flaky skin disease that affects domestic animals such as goats and sheep.

shield.

a variety of large black ant that troops in a single file and stings when encountered. It also gives off a very strong smell when squashed. asaka-nokhiọnkpa [àsákànóxĩɔ̃̀kpà] a variety of black ant that goes singly. It typically has a painful sting.

cane, usually used for flogging people or animals.

pioneer.

a variety of brown ants that troops in large numbers, and typically collects over greasy surfaces and left-over foods in garbage dumps.

state of being in the right in a case or a quarrel ―

the sides of the human body.

soldier; (possibly from English: soldier); warrior (also ovbi-iyokuo).

1. proximity; environ ― ;

authority.

iron rod used by farmers for harvesting yam.

cricket (also ọsẹlẹ).

saliva.

a bird: robin.

a nickname for a very lean person.

hospital (cf. English: hospital) (variant forms are: asikito; ọsupito; etc).

a bikini-type underwear.

xylophone.

a spear.

a wild fruit that’s very sweet, borne by a local plant known as ebiẹba.

night.

bad luck.

a shrub (Carpolobia lutea) whose wood is used for making the native harp, akpata [ákpátá].

hiccups.

a variety of monkey.

something that has developed or has been extended out of proportion:

a final resolution (a-ta-ai-ghi-mua) ― “that which is said and is not to be debated”^.

a variety of snake, which is like a boa, but of a smaller variety.

leopard.

sore-throat (also aitalọ).

a nickname for a very talkative person (a-ta-ne-unu-yan): “one who talks till (his) mouth tires.”

surface, as in atata-obọ ― palm (i.e. surface of hand); atata-owẹ ― “sole of the feet.”

the period just before sunset, characterized by the warm glow of the setting sun.

grasshopper.

displayed merchandize, traditionally on cane trays (atẹtẹ) in the market place.

the traditional cane tray on which merchandize, such as pepper, crayfish, etc., is displayed in measured portions for sale in the market place.

a large insect that typically makes its characteristic calls at dusk; hence its name, which literally means: “caller of darkness”.

antimacassar a crotchetted covering thrown over chairs and other pieces of furniture as protection from grease or as an ornament. (cf. English).

childish term for “meat”.

grassy plain; savana.

gonorrhoea.

whitlow on the finger, believed to be caused by the poison of the caterpillar, isue.

a variety of monkey.

wooden or iron wedge used for splitting wood.

thunder and lightning; also avan-nukhunmwun.

clitoris.

the name of an Ẹdo-Speaking village.

few or of limited quantity: .

1. a coward; a weak person.

dog (also ekita; ovbiakota).

hour (cf. Engl. hour).

tongs.

brightness, light.

immediately; at once (also ọwarọkpa).

a large bird with a tuft on its head.

a fast, usually associated with the Muslim religion.

taboo.

impotent man.

world.

self-betrayal.

endurance.

memoriam; remembrance.

creation; nature.

a weakling; also ayinghẹn.

(a-yin-tọ) ― “dwelling with longevity” a traditional greeting expressed to somebody who has just completed either the foundation of a residence or the entire building, to wish him long life.

the norm; the usual moderation; it is usually preceded by the comparative verb sẹẹ: .

black rubber tree.

pressing iron (cf. English: iron).

the open; a public place:

the name of a deity of the Ọba, said to have been an historic royal courtier.

boar (bush and domestic).

library (aza ebe) “bank of books”.

fee; contribution; levy.

witch.

adze (cf. Engl.).

jiggar (cf. English: jiggar).

(aza-ígho) “store of money”: commercial bank.

stag bettle.

to watch; to guard: .

to pretend to be doing something; to fake: (also ma).

to be difficult, arduous.

1. (with ẹmwẹn) to twist; to alter: .

(usually with vbs. such as rhie, mu, viọ, etc.) to add to: .

for the sake of; because of:

to abstain from; to give up something; to stop doing something.

plural or reiterative sense of baa³ i.e. to implant several objects or to implant the same object repeatedly: .

reiterative sense of ba¹ above; i.e. to watch repeatedly; to spy on continuously:

to grope; to feel about as one does in the dark.

(idiom) to proclaim a woman as the wife of the Ọba of Benin:

to be painful; to hurt.

immediately; right now. (also: banbanna and banbanbanban).

plural or reiterative sense of ban: e.g. to peel off several slices; or two or more people peel off something.

(< ba egbe) to be self-protective; to be on one’s guard.

child language expression meaning “to lie down”.

to slice: .

(with ọgọ) to tap (palm wine); to collect and store away. (cf: ọbọgọ; bọọgọ).

(used with the verb ye): very large extensive;

to see; to sight: . (cf: dẹghee).

plural reiterative sense of bee¹: to cut into several slices; or for several people to engage in slicing.

(usually introduced with the vb: ye) fat; stocky; chubby:

sense of bẹtẹ:

(usually introduced with the vb. ye) very large; expansive:

to stammer.

to vomit: . (cf. kpa).

to slice off a strip.

to grope; to roam aimlessly (cf. bibi-odẹ).

to be foolish; to be stupid:

to get lost; to go astray (bibi (vb) + odẹ ― road).

to give way; to dock.

to be crooked; curved or bent; not straight:

(usually introduced by the vb. ye): very crooked.

to shut; to close.

to stab; to jab with a pointed object:

to run anxiously back and forth (like a hen about to lay an egg); to wander aimlessly.

to stand guard (ba¹ + odẹ ― road).

to peel (skin), to strip off:

to build; construct:

to be favourable to; to be good for (usually in proper names such as Isibọ; Edobọ; etc.).

(introduced with the vb. ye) chubby; pleasingly fat and healthy-looking:

(usually with verbs such as rhie, mu, kpaọ, dee, etc.) to do swiftly; to do briskly; to whisk off: .

to console; to cheer up (usually a child who has been crying).

(of wearing apparel) to lift, to raise up: .

(usually introduced with the vb. ye) big and long; larger than normal size.

sufficiently; in more than enough quantity or value:

to stay long; to linger: .

formula of thanks expressed by females to their elders after a meal; it is also used as a greeting to an older person who sneezes.

plural or reiterative sense of buun: .

to break; to snap.

to confess to adultery by a woman.

(usually with obọ as subj.) to affect severely; to feel gravely: 2. (with amẹ) to fall heavily: .

to rouse a feeling of longing; to cause to desire:

to be stingy with; to hold preciously:

to drink (especially alcoholic drinks).

indicates that an action has just been begun or completed; or that it has just taken place:

(usually with expression vbs. such as tie, van, go, etc.): loudly: .

to treat with respect and consideration: (hence Adaa ― name of a person).

(with obọ) to stretch out toward; .

(with amẹ) to collect rain water dropping from the roof:

toward:

a tree, Parinarium.

to haul by hand (usually involving more than one person).

― to anticipate; to expect.

― to be accurate; to fall into line.

to become liquified.

bad, evil: .

exactly; precisely (of time or location).

to drink wine or any alcoholic drink. (cf. da⁴ ).

what? which? as in: . etc.

to embrace.

to hold in a leash; dee ẹwe nii ne ẹ ghẹ lẹẹ fua ― “Hold that goat in a leash so that it won’t escape.”

if.:

an interrogative marker requiring a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer: Q: Deghẹ u miọẹn? Ans. Ẹo, i ma miọẹn; or Ẹẹn, i miọen ― Q: “Did you see it? Ans No, I did not see it; or Yes, I saw it.”

to touch; to come in contact with:

to remain; to be leftover. (also dekẹrre).

to collide with; to bump into:

to pertain to; to concern.

plural or reiterative sense of de¹.

to buy:

to see; to sight:

to be located at; to reside at: .

to menstruate.

to be located close to; to stay with;

to wait for: .

to be senior to; to be older than:

to become firmly established.

to squat.

to kneel down.

to be big; large; extensive ―

to become nothing; become worthless or useless; to fail.

to be dwarfed.

to be brave; to be bold.

to be hoarse ―

to dip into liquid:

(usually introduced by the verb ye) very deep.

to reach; to arrive at:

(of seed-yam only) to rot and germinate.

clumsy in shape or motion.

to commit murder.

to weave:

to move restively:

stealthily; secretly:

to stop; to terminate: (cf. da-yi).

to stay quietly; to live peacefully.

to trade.

to surround; to encircle.

to carry secretly; to steal (a large or heavy object).

an informal greeting, equivalent to “hello”, expressed between peers, or by an older or senior person to a younger or junior one. The plural form, wa doo!, is usually used by an older person to two or more younger people. It is also used by an adult visitor to announce his presence in a house.

an expression inviting somebody to do something:

serves as a sequential marker in a narrative or discourse:

to steal.

to toss about in sleep.

1. to repeat; to do again (also dọlegbe):

to rub a mud floor or wall with the traditional muddy solution.

(with ukpọn): to sew:

to reconcile; to make up after a quarrel:

each one; everyone:

to be or become lean; to be emaciated.

to construct the frame of a roof with rafters, before it is covered with thatch.

to proclaim a law or regulation.

to quench; to cease burning:

very dark:

to scatter; to disrupt.

to pound:

to introduce into fashion; to bring into vogue:

to be successful; to turn out right.

now; at this time. (Also: ebanban; ewaan; ewanwan).

address term, used mainly by the young, for father. Other terms include evbavba; erha.

a small plant whose leaves are used as vegetable in afọ soup.

the red feathertail of a parrot.

a plant (millettia thonningii) whose leaves are used for medication against dysentery.

the leaf of a local shrub with abrasive surface, and used for cleaning and shining rough surfaces.

the act of stripping off clothes (cf. ban).

the leaves of “garden egg” used in a variety of soups as vegetable.

a kind of leaf used for making the thatched roof of traditional houses.

(< ebe + evbarie) a kind of fish (usually smoked) used in soups and stews.

a boundary, a line of demarkation, especially between adjacent farms.

dangerous debris, usually in the form of broken bottles and metal rods used to prevent trespassers from farms and other restricted territories.

night; darkness; (Also ebiebi);

nonsensical talk; unintelligible utterances.

“afternoon darkness”: eclipse of the sun.

aimless groping or wandering.

beer (cf. Engl.).

a local leaf traditionally used for parcelling cooked food such as boiled rice (izẹ) or ekusu (a kind of corn pudding), etc.

(< ebe + ihieghe) the fresh leaves of a tree (Myrianthus arboreus) used as vegetable in a variety of soup.

the leaves of a small plant used as vegetables in afọ soup.

“work paper”: job application.

report; newsletter.

another name for ebitẹtẹ.

white-man; European.

(< ebe + oriwo) “bitter leaf”, the leaves of a shrub, bitter in taste, often used with ikpogi (melon seeds) to make a common Edo soup.

thin slices of boiled cassava, soaked in cold water, usually eaten as a snack, rather than as a meal.

“water leaf”; the leaves of a small plant (Talinum triangulare) used as vegetable in preparing a variety of soups.

ball (also; ibọlu) (cf. Engl.) (also ibọru/ebọru).

a variety of local vegetable used in preparing soup.

fine sand; dust.

food canteen.

a full-gathered wrap-around skirt that women traditionally wear under their wrappers. It is also worn as an outer garment by some native priests.

“salt leaf” a creeper (Manniophyton africanum); it is said to cause itching when touched.

“pumpkin leaf” a creeper whose fresh leaves are used as vegetable in soup. The seeds of the fruit are also edible when boiled.

rain water collected from the eaves of a roof. (cf. daa³).

the title of the heir-apparent to the Ẹdo throne; his court is at Uselu.

examination (cf. danmwẹn²).

bush-cow; buffalo. (also ẹhan).

old woman.

grey hair.

civet-cat.

villager; unsophisticated person.

iron.

old man.

this way; this side; this part; (also oderan: < odẹ + eran).

driver of a vehicle (cf. Engl.: driver) (also edrrẹva).

title of a warchief.

title of one of the chiefs belonging to the Uzama.

doctor (cf. Engl.) (also ẹdokita).

flying termite.

translation (used with the vb. zẹ).

response to most greetings and directives: .

disgrace; embarrassment.

a Roman Catholic Father. (cf. Engl.).

1. side of the body.

a snack prepared from unsifted cassava, eaten mainly in the delta area of Bendel State.

Friday (cf. Engl.).

telephone.

photograph; picture.

an expression which implies that what had been said was a joke, a lie or a bluff.

boneless meat; flesh of animals or human beings; muscle. (also ifun).

an enclosed area in which traps are set.

a tiny drinking glass used for serving liqueur.

storey building.

snail.

gram (cf. Engl.).

grape-fruit (cf. Engl.).

gold-smith (cf. Engl.).

a Bini village situated on the road leading to Siluko.

guava. (cf. Engl.).

land-tortoise.

a feat; an exploit; a performance.

hunter’s ambush.

the beam placed above a door to support the wall above it in traditional houses.

ladder.

one another; each other:

kind, variety;

in spite of; though:

hot temper; quick temper. (also ibalegbe).

being acutely sensitive to physical or emotional discomfort; being accutely affected by external stimuli, especially those that cause pain.

being incapable of enduring or accommodating pain.

being easily irritable.

wall (especially of a house).

excitement.

peace and comfort; luxury and leisure.

health.

tiredness and fatigue.

the out-house used for toilet facilities: ; .

a variety of traditional songs sung on solemn occasions such as funerals.

the phase of tree-felling in the process of making a new farm.

a high fence made of ikhinmwin trees, and standing at the entrance of a village (ughe); it serves to ward off evil spirits and bad charms from the village.

(< egbe³ + ọna) “this kind”; this variety (cf. egbe³ ).

native tobacco; it has a very pungent smell.

a kind of woodpecker which has a very big head and short beak.

the title of two sets of Edo chiefs: 1. Eghaẹvbo Nore, and 2. Eghaẹvbo Nogbe. The latter is made up of officials of the palace (eguae), while the former consists of town chiefs; such as Iyasẹ, Esọgban, Esọn and Osuma.

metal chain used for harnessing convicts.

imprisonment; confinement.

idleness; something of ineffective value; something lacking in purpose or worth.

enemy; 2. pl. of oghian ― enemy.

the over-night rubbish lying in the house before it is swept in the morning.

(of food) staleness, resulting from lack of preservatives, especially over-night; 2. (of persons) the bad breath before mouth is cleaned in the morning.

an idiomatic expression for pregnancy.

foreigner.

three.

title of a category of Edo chiefs.

six.

plaque on teeth.

rent; hire:

menstruation.

groups of three; threes.

anywhere; wherever:

fish.

Name of a past Oba of Benin who reigned from about 1578 to about 1607 (Egharevba 1968:73).

name of a past Ọba of Benin who reigned in the first half of the thirteenth century (Egharevba 1968:73).

perfect health and wholesomeness.

all (also hia when it occurs as a modifier.)

cf. ihiagha.

(with ivin) palm kernel:

the hard shell of a fruit or nut: .

nails (of human); claws (of birds) (also ihiẹn).

(< ehiẹn-obọ) finger-nails (also ihionbọ).

(< ehiẹn-owe) toe-nails (also ihionwẹ).

an annual festival of sacrifice to the ancestors.

Ehor, a town on the boundary between Ẹdo and Esan-speaking people.

same as efọnkpa.

title of a chief whose special function is to oversee the slaughtering and butchering of sacrificial animals at all the Oba’s sacrifices.

purification.

The Ika people and their language. They are a branch of the Igbo-Speaking people.

a variety of fried traditional cake made from maize or beans, and eaten mainly as snack. .

carpenter (cf. Engl.).

(< eka + ebo): “Whiteman’s cake”: biscuits.

muzzle; gag.

traditionally brewed gin.

drinking-glass; tumbler (cf. Port.: caneca).

a very colourful dance performed by a dance troupe from Ogbelaka as part of the ceremonies to celebrate the Oba’s coronation.

cashew: the plant, the fruit and the nut. (cf. Engl.).

a nickname for a short and fat person, with short limbs; it derives from a character in Edo folklore who was a stump.

caterpillar; truck (cf. Engl.).

place; location: (cf. ehe).

stunted round yam, used mainly for planting.

25. Also isẹnyan-ugie.

15.

something of little worth or consequence.

one of the four days in the traditional week on which no market-day falls. The other days of the week are: ẹkiọba; ekẹn naka; and agbado.

egg.

soil, mud; 2. wall of a house.

(< ekẹn + nekhui)^― “black soil”; humus.

a spotted design; a pattern of spots:

ass; donkey.

trick.

(same as ukuoki) a pad placed to wedge a load on the head.

penis.

a shrub, Erythrina species.

50.

70.

90.

kilogram (cf. Engl.).

kilometre (cf. Engl.).

guinea-fowl egg (< ekẹn + iyanwo) (cf. Yoruba ẹyin-awo).

(< ekia + osisi) “penis of gun”: trigger of a gun.

dog (also awa; ovbiakota).

temporary camp; settlement used for purposes of hunting, farming and, in the past, war.

the Edo name of Lagos, which originated with the use of the territory as a war-camp by Edo warriors in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Utte masquerades, noted for the long chins of their masks. The masquerade is said to date back to the reign of Oba Ohẹn in the 14th century.

ceremonial name for coconut.

a long snail’s shell previously used as native spoon.

a variety of native pop dance.

cocoa (cf. Engl.).

(< ekẹ̀n + obuẹ) clay; soil with a large proportion of clay.

(< ekẹ̀n + ogbe) “wall of Ogbe”; the wall that encloses the Oba’s palace in Benin City.

(< eka + ororo) bean cakes fried in groundnut oil, rather than palm oil.

(< eka + ọka) “maize cake” traditional cake made from ground corn, and fried in palm oil.

the dried out cob of corn to which the grains are attached in an ear of maize.

(< ekẹ́n + ọkhọkhọ) chicken egg.

law-court (cf. Engl.). (also ikotu).

malice.

upper arm.

thigh.

bellows.

cook (cf. Engl.).

a fat brown rat (also known as ẹbete).

semen.

spoon (cf. Port.: colher).

a declaration; an authoritative statement:

sand.

chiefs; pl. of okhaemwen.

(< ekhae + osisi) “sand of gun”: gun-powder.

umbrella (also ugbinnamẹ).

recitation; recital.

(< ekhae + ekhae) full of sand; being sandy.

a little bit (of something).

a band of travellers, whether on foot or by some public means of transport: ;

mind; will:

palm-branch shed of its leaves, used for tying yams.

a group of charm made of pounded medicines used in both cursing and blessing rituals.

garden-egg; egg plant.

palm-wine tapped from fallen palm tree (also udegbotọ).

the scaly ant-eater.

swamp; muddy soil; slush.

vomiting; vomit.

consideration; cause;

a tree, Albizzia zygia.

a variety of beetle found mainly on the raffia palm; it sucks juice out of the cuttings made by wine-tappers.

convulsion; it afflicts mainly children.

scorpion.

a flat fish with many bones and rough scales.

a variety of wasp that makes its nest on creepers. It has a very painful sting.

followers; attendants.

mosquito lava swimming under the water surface.

duck. (cf. Yoruba pẹ́pẹ́yẹ).

storey building (also egedege). (cf. Yoruba pẹtẹsi).

half-penny (cf. Engl.).

traditional bronze toy “guns” which children mount on wooden holders and shoot with nails, using match-stick heads and sand as gun-powder.

milky drivel emitted by babies, especially after a meal.

a U-shaped pin used as a hair dressing implement by women.

a dish prepared from cassava.

a bell used in the Ọkhuahẹ cult, shaped like ẹgogo, but with a nail inside it.

ringworm.

fugitive swellings in the groin.

a disease in which fluid collects in cavities or tissues of the body; dropsy.

maturity and experience that one acquires through diversified contacts and exposure.

domestic pig.

lead; lead pencil.

pigeon (also enikhukhu).

litre (cf. Engl.).

lawyer (also ulaya) (cf. Engl.).

river-tortoise (also ẹruvbọ).

drum; there are different varieties, such as emẹdo; emighan; emugho; etc.

a nickname for a very stupid person.

mile (also ibiriki) (cf. Engl.).

bicycle repairer.

mechanic; auto technician (cf. Engl.).

machine:

metal; .

a very stupid person; imbecile.

a general name for apes; individual varieties, include alazi, akharho, ọsa, etc.

(< ema + Ẹdo) “drum of Benin”: a big round drum beaten with one stick and beaten during ugie ukpetuẹ.

bull.

bulk, thickness; weight: .

illness (also uhunmwonva); , i.e. gonorrhea.

beads, worn around the neck, wrist, or around the hips. (also emwin-egbe).

ear-rings (also emwin-ehọ).

disgrace; shame. (also emwienkhue).

native pudding made from yam; it is steamed in wraps of ebiẹba leaves.

a drum for chiefs, placed on the ground and beaten with two sticks.

a variety of red yam.

meat (also aranmwẹn).

meter (cf. Engl.).

laziness; indolence.

a dwarf; a stunted person.

a war drum.

a drum played for the izagbẹdẹ dance.

Monday (cf. Engl.).

(< ema-orhọ) “yam of rainy season”: new yam.

a kind of tortoise said to have been charmed by Ọkhuahẹ, and put in the bush surrounding his shrines.

(< ema + ota) “pounded yam of the evening”, evening meal; supper.

the name of an Edo heroine of the 15th century commemorated by the bronze statue of a queen mounted in 1954 at her grave site where a sacred uruhe tree once grew, in front of the Ọba market; this had been cut down inadvertently by a construction firm. By Ewuare’s decree, the Oba makes sacrifices to it, and every traditional burial procession visits the statue and offers it cowries and chalk.

children; off-spring (pl. of ọmọ).

a variety of white yam, generally not used for pounding.

ashes.

a small dancedrum beaten by hand, and used mainly by women.

firefly; glow-worm.

here.

arrangement; preparation (cf. mwanmwan).

madness.

ear-rings (also emiehọ).

disgrace; shame; embarassment. (also emiekhue).

thing; object; issue.

“the great things”: the idiomatic designation for the burial rites of an Ọba.

tighthandedness; stinginess.

smallpox.

“thing that killed elephant”: tooth-ache (also emwinrrakọn).

anything; whatever thing.

chinaware; porcelain.

creeping insects (cf. rẹnrẹn).

“something in the teeth”: toothache (also emwinrrunu).

fever; also yellow fever or malaria fever (also evbirraro).

“thing of the rope”: domesticated animals, such as sheep and goats.

“things that are in the Oba’s land”: male youth of 7 ― 14 years; traditionally they constituted an age-grade responsible for sweeping the streets. In villages, they also empty the refuse. (also evbirrẹvbo).

farm crops; mainly cash crops.

harvest.

“matter-of-childbirth.” labour.

bean pottage made with palm oil.

these, these ones: .

a long period of time back, for long ago: .

“my owner”; “my lord”; a deferential address term used by women to their husbands and the latters’ relatives.

the:

these ones.

in groups of four; fours.

four.

sixteen (i.e. four-missing-from-twenty)., eneirrovbọgban ― “twenty-six”: (i.e. four-missing-from-thirty).

four days ago.

elephant; .

name (also erin).

thus; so; this manner.

cattle egret.

chiefs and other titled rulers.

those ones.

(< ene-i-karo) “those who came in front”.

the others; the remainder.

pigeon (also elikhukhu).

prawns and shrimps.

the other one.

“our owner”: (in Christian sense): our Lord.

a colloquial address term for a man, used mainly by young people. (cf. Engl. Pa).

petrol (cf. Engl.).

the piping hornbill.

beans.

name of the reigning Ọba of Benin.

name of a past Ọba of Benin.

deception.

eight.

deception; trick.

knife.

placenta.

any harmful charm.

“father’s father”: paternal grandfather.

“mother’s father”: maternal grandfather.

“earthly father”; lover.

“father-one-reaches the world to find”: foster father or benefactor.

“big father”: grandfather.

great grandfather; also grandfather.

“Osa, my father” an appellation for the Supreme God, Osa.

part of the palm fruit by which it is attached to the tree.

a copper stool said to have been sent to the Ọba of Benin by the Portuguese (Melzian p. 40).

fire.

(< erhẹn + ẹzọ) “wood of the law-suit” ― dock, witness box. .

a variety of melon, used for soup.

heron (also etingọẹn).

(< erhan + ido) “loom stick”: the rod to which the threads are fastened in a loom.

craw-craw; rashes. erhọnfọ ― heat rash.

shedded skin or scales (e.g. of a snake).

disciples; followers; attendants.

the darkheeled Cuckoo or Senegal Coucal.

prayer (mainly Christian sense, but also used in traditional religion); blessing.

butterfly.

stranger; guest in a house.

a variety of yam that has a slightly bitter taste when boiled.

ganglion.

knotty part in a piece of wood or creeper.

grazing.

1. interpretation, explanation (e.g. of code terms in oracles or riddles).

sandfly.

thus; so; like that:

a rack on which yam harvest is arranged and tied for storage and safe keeping.

relevance; connection; contribution in some enterprise:

blood (also ẹrhaẹn).

the name of the god of thunder, Sango; (also esango; isango; & isago) (cf. Yoruba sango).

a large narrow-necked bottle, usually encased in wickerwork.

the name of the chief wife of Ogiso, typically depicted in Edo folktales as ill-fated.

1. a variety of drum, used for a dance by the same name, and danced to by men (ighele).

great-grandchild.

a plant, whose black seeds are strung around a calabash to make the musical instrument known as “ukusẹ”.

a disease in the form of small sores on hands and feet.

the title of the chief who performs the ama ceremony.

the Ishan people, one of the tribes in the Edo ethnic group.

Saturday (cf. Engl.).

any carved bone or ivory.

any sacrifice that should have been made according to the prediction of an oracle:

a dwarf-like being believed to wander in the dense forest, with a woven mat tucked under his armpit.

the title of a senior chief of the Iwẹguae society.

some; any (occurs only in negative clauses):

the gum-tree (Tetrapleura tetraplera).

centimetre (cf. Engl.).

bush-pig (also esi-oha). esi-ebo ― domestic pig; hog.

goodness; the right or desirable qualities: ; .

hale; ikpesia ― “halestone”.

the Bristlebill bird.

(< esi + esi) excellent quality; perfection.

cheque (cf. Engl.).

cigarette (cf. Engl.).

the Bulbul.

silk; also rayon (cf. Engl.).

cement (cf. Engl.).

some:

baby’s rattle. (cf. sogho).

a charm, having predictive power, owned by the Ọba.

shovel, spade (cf. Engl.).

shop; trading store; workshop. (cf Engl.).

the title of a senior chief, who is a member of the Eghaevbo n’Ore, and who acts for the Iyasẹ in his absence.

socks (cf. Engl.).

the title of a senior chief, who is a member of the Eghaẹvbo n’Ore.

Sunday (cf. Engl.).

Church (cf. Engl.).

owl.

school (cf. Engl.).

talk; speech (also pl. of ọta ― speech).

a farmer’s small wrap that he wears to the farm; loin-cloth.

(< eto ― aro) “hair of the eyesbrows”: eyebrows.

crisis; problem; trouble.

a very small insect that runs on the surface of water in rivers, streams and ponds.

table. (cf. Engl.).

(< eto ― ekia) “hair of the penis”: male pubic hair.

eternity; forever.

television (also etiivi).

relatives; siblings. (also pl. of ọtẹn ― relation).

(< eto ― ifuẹn ― aro): “hair of the wings of the eyes”: eyelashes.

television. (also etẹlivisọn).

heron (also erhigọẹn).

teacher (cf. Engl.).

a black bird with a lyre-shaped tail, believed to be the king of birds.

hair; ; ; .

turkey.

rooster’s crest at its throat.

ton (cf. Engl.).

(< eto ― uhe) “hair of the vagina”: female pubic hair.

scissors (also ugbeto; alumagazi).

frankincense.

cannon.

two.

verb (cf. Engl.).

valve, in cars, motorcycles and bicycles; (also evav) (cf. Engl.).

weeping.

elephantiasis of the scrotum.

1. both (also èvèvá): .

in pairs; two’s.

wrestle.

a block with an iron surface on which smiths work metal; anvil.

grass-cutter.

a variety of ant that is found on corpses.

over there; there:

soap.

food.

an ingredient prepared from melon, used in native soups.

an address and reference term meaning “father”, used mainly by adults. It also conveys some degree of respect and deference; in Christian prayers, it is usually used as an address term for God.

soap (also evbakhuẹ).

body cream; pomade.

parents.

reptile.

something of no value; a “no-good”.

a general name for the different varieties of snails, such as egile, akikọ, etc., derived from their mode of crawling motion.

scabies.

dew; morning mist.

sleeping-mat made out of the stems of ebiẹba.

now (cf. eban).

response; reply; answer.

palm branch with the leaves on.

(< ewẹn ― emila) “cow’s milk”: dairy milk.

a variety of fish, usually sold in the smoked form.

window (cf. Engl.).

whistle (cf. Engl.).

whisky (cf. Engl.).

whistling (by mouth).

lava of a fly found under mats on mud beds that had been urinated on. It causes itching and craw-craw.

attendants; followers.

the name of a village on the outskirts of Benin along the Benin ― Auchi Road.

pledge; promise (cf. yan).

yawn (cf. yanyan); yawning.

(< eyẹ ― eyẹ) “grandchild-grandchild”: cousins.

grandchild.

a chisel-like blade used by wine-tappers; (cf. afian).

dysentery diarrhoea.

engine (cf. Engl.).

engineer (cf. Engl.).

job: usually daily-paid labour, often requiring no specialized skill.

name of a past Ọba who reigned in about 1473. (Egharevba 1968:73).

3rd per. sgl. pronoun in the negative: .

a meal made from processed cassava and eaten with soup.

danger; adversity.

a variety of brown bush rat (also ekuọmọ).

used to express delight at somebody’s mishap, especially if the mishap had been planned by the sufferer to befall someone else; it is the equivalent of “serves you right!” and is used mainly by children and women.

a ceremonial sword carried by chiefs as part of their status symbols; it ranks lower than the sceptre, ada.

a tree, found near water, (Mitragyna macrophylla), from which ceiling planks are obtained.

a force that draws one into danger or peril.

a variety of sedge, whose stems are used for weaving mats and bags.

charm, medicine.

name of an Ẹdo deity who is said to have transformed himself into the hill now known as Oke Ẹbomisi along the Benin ― Agbor road.

a group of many individual objects or persons; a crowd: .

a herb used as vegetable in soups.

name of Bini village.

leucorrhoea.

crown.

doctor, physician (cf. Engl.).

day.

all day:

forever; ever.

ten days duration.

everyday; daily (also ẹdẹdẹgbe; and ẹdẹgbegbe).

everyday; daily (also ẹdẹdẹgbe; and ẹdẹgbedẹgbe).

three days duration:

six days duration.

six days hence; in six days’ time.

nine days duration.

seven days duration.

seven days hence; in a week’s time.

any day; whatever day:

market day.

four days duration.

eight days duration.

eight days hence; in eight days time.

the other day; that day.

five days duration.

two days duration.

processed coconut oil, used as body cream.

“European palm-nuts”: pineapple.

palm kernel.

“day of rest”; Sunday (in the Christian sense) (also ẹduzọla; ẹdizọla).

Sunday (also ẹduzọla; ẹdikẹtin).

neighbourhood; immediate environment.

cf. ẹdẹrriọ.

“bitter cola”, the fruit of the tree, Garcinia Kola.

“day of the week”: Sunday (also ẹduzọla nọkhua; edikẹtin; esọnde; ẹdizọla).

“yes”; positive response to a question requiring Yes/No answer.

wealth; property.

same as afọ.^

(< ẹfe + otọ) “riches of the earth”: mineral.

whiteness; light complexion: .

haste; hurry;

a single-stringed native musical instrument fashioned like a bow. It is put in the mouth and played with two sticks.

hoe.

the variety of bat that lives in house ceilings.

armlet.

a quick dancing step.

“Killer that kills the cleared bush”: harmattan wind (also ekhuakhua).

cylindrical drum; large barrel.

widow.

family; sib.

a small piece of embroidered cloth wrapped around the waist by people attending ugie.

an idiomatic word for suicide.

forest; jungle.

a man belonging to the ighele age-group; i.e. from 21 to 42 years. They were responsible for fighting during wars, and doing other community chores such as house building and tree felling.

small yam-pole.

time; period; ; ; .

any time; whenever.

in the olden days; in the past.

sometimes; occasionally.

African black kite.

(< ẹghẹ ― orhọ): “time of rains”: rainy season.

a tree Terminalia superba, used as firewood only.

alligator.

a kind of dance.

(< ẹghẹ ― uyunmwun) “time of dryness”: dry season.

forehead (also uharo).

buffalo (also ede).

one’s guardian spirit.

a general name for different varieties of native pepper.

(< ehiẹn ― Ẹdo) “Benin pepper”: a variety of spice known as “alligator pepper”.

a very small variety of black ants usually found around sweet substances.

region at the back of the head.

(< ẹhien ― Uhobo) “Urhobo pepper”; pepper soup ― a variety of soup prepared with much pepper and without oil, usually for convalescing people, or for women after childbirth. It is also prepared as an appetizer with choice meat or fish.

(< ẹhoho ― ẹziza) “the wind of ẹziza” ― whirlwind.

wind; breeze; ẹhohoni ― n. (< ẹhoho ― oni) “breeze of fever”: cool breeze (believed to cause a cold if exposed to it).

somebody/something with a large capacity for consumption; thing/person with big appetite.

fart (used with the verb nẹ).

decayed parts of tree stems; effect of insect contamination in grain and other foodstuff; wormdust.

agate beads.

cunning; deception.

name of an Edo village.

frog.

force: .

“hurting of the belly”: grief; sadness; distress.

“pouring of the belly”: diarrhoea.

“apex of the chest”: heart.

“badness of the belly”: displeasure; irritation.

“sweetness of the belly”: happiness; joy; pleasure.

“bitterness of the belly”: unhappiness; sorrow.

hot cereal made from corn.

waist.

(< ekun ― okhuo) “woman’s waist”: a large piece of cloth, usually four yards wide, wrapped by women as part of their traditional outfit.

a variety of large monkey.

door; entrance.

a person who is unable to work due to weakness or illness; a cripple.

“sweat fly”: gnat.

bull.

“urine bag”: bladder.

a shining black bird, the size of a pigeon.

deep and resonating voice quality.

leopard.

box; chest.

rubbish heap.

an edible fruit with velvety brown skin of the tree Chrysophyllum africanum.

“space of the back”: middle of the back; region between shoulder blades.

“bag of yaws” ― a yaws-ridden person.

a pint-sized bottle used for measuring palm-oil for sale.

a variety of bamboo plant, used for building houses and sheds.

leather bag.

headache.

a cylindrical leather bag.

stomach.

pregnant woman (also ẹkponiyẹkẹ).

wall gecko.

domestic pig (also elẹdẹ).

purple dye, obtained from the leaves and roots of a local plant. (also elaali).

yam or plantain flour used for preparing the meal by the same name.

cow.

truth.

sensitivity; feeling.

no; negative response to a question.

keg, barrel.

a variant of the focalizing copula ọre, which serves to link the focalized item with the rest of the sentence: , as opposed to ― in which no item is focalized.

one of the forms of the 3rd person singular pronoun when it occurs as object or as possessive: ; . Other forms of this pronoun are: ẹnrẹn; ọre; ọnrẹn;

flute.

today.

the title of the second senior chief of the Iwebo society.

a small variety of squirrel with bulging eyes.

“god of Idu” (idu was an old name for Edo, as well as the name of a past Oba of Benin); the shrine of the Oba’s father at the Ẹguae.

the title of a chief.

title of the chief whose court is at Urubi quarters in Benin City, and who is a member of the Uzama.

that part of a rope in a trap which entraps the victim.

chameleon.

a small bell which is found in shrines.

brass; brass bracelets and anklets.

female antelope (cf. ẹrhuẹ).

river-tortoise (also elukeluke).

bush-cat.

blood. (also esagiẹn).

brain.

groin; lower abdomen.

hermaphrodite.

hat; cap.

the roof of a house.

tail.

the name of the street in which the first storey building in Benin City was constructed.

yam-stack.

well, properly: .

favour; kindness; good turn: .

very well; very much:

very much; exceedingly; extremely: .

name of a past Oba of Benin.

horse.

poverty; destitution.

sore; ulcer.

monkey.

heap of mud collected for building purposes.

strength; power; force.

(< ẹtin ― fo ― mwen): “the finishing of strength”: weakness.

beard.

kola-nut, presented to guests as a sign of hospitality and good will; also used in several traditional ceremonies.

the variety of Kola that typically has only two cotyledons and is found mainly in Hausaland. It leaves an orange stain in the mouth. It is also known as evbigabari ― “Gambari-Kola”. It is not used in any ceremonial function in Edo land.

goat; ; ;

name of a past Oba of Benin.

prison.

chest (part of the body).

name of the first Oba of Benin in the present dynasty. The title was also assumed by the father of Ọba Akẹnzua II as Ẹwẹka II.

smell; very strong odour.

funnel.

a despicable person.

garment; dress.

name of a past Oba of Benin.

name of a past Oba of Benin.

the foundation of a house.

river; stream.

a spirit believed to roam in the forest and give rise to whirlwinds: ẹhohẹziza.

case; quarrel; law-suit.

(< ẹzọ-uwuunu) “case of interior of mouth”: grumbling.

to disgrace; to embarass.

to fade.

to escape; to become free. ; 2. to recover from illness: .

to be wealthy; to be rich.

to make rich; to enrich.

(< fan ― ema) “free yam”: to remove yams from the yam stack.

(usually with the verb fo) entirely; completely; finally: (also, fẹrẹ) .

to be gentle, mild or gradual in doing something: (also hẹko).

completely; entirely: .

(occurs with the verb mu) very sharp:

to throw:

to shoot:

to cover; to surround: ,

to leave behind:

“to throw and miss”: to miss a target; to make a mistake.

an idiomatic expression that means “to summon a meeting” ― used mainly in folktales.

“cut eat”; to bite.

“cut cross”: to cross over (e.g. a river).

“cut in addition to”: to bless.

to hit (against): .

(< fian-yan-egbe) “to cut over body”. to self-aggrandize; to over-estimate one’s worth.

to clear a plot with hoes and machets in preparation for farming. This usually precedes the felling of the trees on the plot.

to swing something; to sway; to wave:

“to cut breast”: to wean; to be weaned.

“to hit something”: to hit (somebody).

“to throw waist”: to move the hips back and forth as in the movements during coitus.

describes a sharp sucking noise, as that produced when one tries to suck at bone marrow; or the squeaking noise of house mice.

1. to leer with a longing for something:

“to throw oracle”: to cast oracle; to consult a diviner.

into:

to stand and stare.

plural or reiterative sense of fi¹ and fi³:

“cut a grave”: to dig a grave.

“to cut nose”

“to cut a price”: to price something.

(usually introduced by the verb ye) very tall and thin.

to hop about on one foot.

“to throw circles”: to turn round and round on the same spot (often leads to giddiness).

“to cause disturbance”: to harass.

“to cause trouble”: to inflict trouble or problems.

“to throw a proverb”: to quote a proverb at somebody, expecting the latter to determine its meaning.

“to throw mouth”: to speak disrespectfully of, or to, one’s superior.

to change; to transform.

“to throw back against”: to ignore; to neglect.

to finish; to end:

completely; totally: .

(used with ọfọ as subject) to perspire: .

“to finish strength”: to faint; to pass out.

to be gentle; docile: .

(usually occurs with vbs such as rhie, mu, fi, de, etc.) and indicates that the relevant object/ subject of the main verb is thrown away, or out: : it dropped.

to be white or whitish (also fuọfua).

to perish; to be annihilated.

“to be gentle to body”: to suit; to be agreeable for.

“to be gentle in the belly”: to be of a gentle disposition.

to stamp and roll about in:

to waste; to squander:

(usually introduced by the vb. ye)

to smear on: .

to be blind. (also fuezu).

to be white or whitish (also fua).

to grab; to snatch, to rush for, (usually of many objects and by more than one participants): . (also fuu).

“to rush words”: to stutter. (also furhuẹmwẹn).

(usually in relation to large quantities): to grab; to appropriate greedily; to snatch.

to serve:

to be cooked; to be ready to eat.

to surround; to encircle (also lẹgaa; gaga).

(usually introduced by the verb ye) huge; expansive.

cf. gaa.

describes a manner of walking: with wide confident strides.

describes gait: with an air of arrogance.

(usually introduced with the vb. ye): describes something that is in a heap, that is, so plentiful that it is in a heap:

really; indeed; actually:

in fact; in truth.

(usually introduced by the vb. yo, or ye), describes height, very high (also golotoo).

(usually introduced by the vb. ye) describes size: very big, very bulky.

usually used as an emphatic modifier after personal prons.:

(usually introduced by the vb. ye) very tight; bloated ―

not at all:

to allow to do; to permit to do, to let: . It has a variant gu when the object is 1st or 2nd pers. sg. pro.: 2. to be able (to do something).

plural or reiterative sense of fian:

cf. gia.

to cut or tear into shreds or little pieces.

(usually introduced by the verbs, baa or ye) very bright; brightly-coloured.

“to spit saliva”:

a formula pronounced at the initiation of a wrestling match by one of the contending pairs.

(usually introduced by the verb ye) describes size: big and thick or strong (e.g. of yams; or human legs).

(usually introduced by the verb baa) describes flame: blazing hot.

firm and strong.

to send:

to describe; to show: .

to compare: (usually occurs with a pre-verb ya)

to spit (e.g. of a snake such as the spitting cobra).

to affect (of certain sickness):

indicates a direction: towards; to: .

to laugh.

to rip off, or tear off: .

to tear to bits; to break into pieces.

to make haste; to be fast:

to be small (of many objects), in size, rather than quantity: tiny.

(usually introduced by the verb, ye) describes size: very small; tiny. (of many objects). (also giẹnrẹn or giẹrẹ).

to burn.

(usually introduced by the verb ye): very small; tiny, (of many objects). (also guẹnrẹnrẹn).

cf. giẹnrẹn.

(usually introduced by the verb ye) describes appearance: tall and thin. (also fiofio).

to leak.

against; to: .

(with the vb. baa) bright red. 2. (with the vb. tọn). very hot.

describes motion: sudden or unexpected motion.

to shout, to scream (also so).