F

• fa
  See FOR. ...
• face
  [Cayman idem (Kohlman 1969:22); OED, a representation of a human visage] n. a mask. cf. JUNICANO0 FACE, SIFTER FACE (Black) ...
• face
  as in the idiomatic phrases: put a face on somebody [cf. colloq. give somebody a black eye, etc.] to bruise a person's face; to give ...
• face-basin, face-bowl, face-pan
  [from use in washing the face; transferred to modern sink] n. a washbasin; a bathroom sink: Every morning we does brush our teeth at the ...
• fainty
  [OED idem obs. except dial.; US dial. South idem DARE] adj. faint; weak; inclined to swoon: When the sun hot I does get fainty (Nassau). ...
• fair, fear
  /fie/ adv. I. [OED fair moderately, not excessively obs. → 1450; US dial. idem ADD] moderately: It fear drisslin' [Le. it's about to rain] (Eleu.). 2. ...
• fairly well
  [cf. OED fairly passably, tolerably; cf. FAIR 2 completely + WELL very, a lot] adv. phr. very much: I fairly well rather be here (Ragged). (Black) ...
• fair-skin
  [Car.; cf. OED fair of complexion and hair: light as opposed to dark] adj. having a light brown complexion and soft, wavy hair: Plenty Long Island ...
• fall
  n. [cf. W Car, fall down (of unwed girls) to haves first pregnancy; cf. OED fall (of a woman) to surrender her chastity, e.g. Brit. colloq. "She fell ...
• fall
  v [W Car.; cf. Brit. dial. West, Irel. fall to fell EDD; also US dial. ADD] to fell (timber); to clear (land): 1832 Falling new ground ...
• fall away
  [Gul. idem (Writers' Program 1940:94), Bajan to lose weight (Collymore); cf. Krio fol to appear old and wrinkled KED; cf. OED fall away to lose flesh or ...
• fall ill and shameful
  phr. to fall upon evil days; to decline physically. (Black) ...
• falling crop
  (Exuma); fall ring crop (Mayag.) [cf. FALL to clear (land)] n. the third harvest of the year of certain crops, such as tomatoes, onions. ...
• fall out
  [OED, military to drop behind a marching body (e.g. from fatigue)] v. to faint: I feel as if lam going to fall out; I have abed ...
• false
  n. [OED idem obs. →1603] a lie, (Gen.) —adj. (of plants) resembling the species that legi­timately bears the name. cf. BASTARD ...
• false boxwood
  [W3 different sp.] n. a tree, Gyminda latifolia, with edible berries: 1977 (Pat­terson 89). (Inagua, Andros) ...
• false hog gum
  [DJE idem ] n. a shrub, Rhus metopium, with acrid juice: 1889 (Gardner 374). = DOCTOR'S GUM (Exuma) ...
• false pear
  [as opposed to the NATURAL PEAR or avocado] n. the North American pear, Pyrus sp, = BARTLETT (Andros, Eleu.) ...
• fambly, family
  n. 1. [cf. Car. fambly, Kilo fambul KED; US dial. famhly ADD family: 1918 For de fambly to get somet'ing to eat (Parsons 154). (Black) 2. [Pan-Creole cf. Krio ...
• Family Islands
  [from the idea that all the Bahamian islands form a single family] n. a term adopted since independence in 1973 to refer to all the ...
• family wood
  [see quot.] n. a tree, Coccolobis krugii: 1905 Family wood. . forms small areas without admixture with other plants (Shattuck 232). = BOAR PIGEON (PLUM), ...
• fan
  n. [OED, anything spread out in the shape of a fan] a large fishing net. (Eleu.) —v. [OED idem] to winnow; to separate and drive ...
• fanner, fenno
  /fána, féna/ [Gul. idem (Gonzales 1922:300), Krio idem KED; US dial. idem WSC, OED] n. a round, shallow basket used for winnowing: 1918 Get yer ...
• fanner grass
  [its connection with FANNER is unclear] n. a variety of fine grass (sp?). (Andros, San Sal.) ...
• fan rake
  [from its shape] n. a factory-made lawn rake as opposed to a BUSH RAKE. =AMERICAN RAKE (Mayag.) ...
• far as
  [probably from FAST conj.] conj. as soon as: 1966 Far as Booky head been down, he been snoring (Crowley 59). (Black) ...
• farm
  [Krio idem KED; OED, a tract of land for cultivation] n. a vegetable garden: I have the farm right in the yard (Crooked). (Gen.) ...
• farrer
  /fára/ adv. [cf. Scots farrer farther CSD; US dial. South idem ADD] farther. cf. FURRER (Black) ...
• farrer
  /fára/; furrer /fóra/ n. [cf. Gul. farruh father (Gonzales 1922:300); from father by intervocalic /dh/ to /d/ to /r/ (cf. DIE lxi)] father. cf. MURRA ...
• fast
  /fas/ adj. [Car.; cf. DHS fast impudent; cf. also Scots fast intimate, forward CSD] presumptuous, meddlesome, quick to intrude: She too fast. She go right ...
• fast
  /fas/ conj, as fast as: Fast I grow them, somebody come rob me out of two or three (Cat). (Black) ...
• Father!
  intj. [ cf. Krio fada idem KED; also Gul. (Turner 1949:267), Jam. (S. Wilmot p.c.); OED, applied to God; cf. Oh, Lord!) an exclamation of ...
• father
  n. [W Car.; Krio idem KED; from the term of address; cf. similar use of Sp., Port. padre] a Catholic or Anglican priest: Ask the ...
• father-giver
   [Bajan idem (Collymore); cf lbo inna nayen (lit, father giver) idem (Okolo p.c.)] n. the man who gives away the bride at a wedding: 1966 ...
• father-in-law
  [Car.; Brit. dial. Mid idem EDD] n. stepfather. (Nassau) ...
• fathom
  /fádam/ [cf. Cayman "Both road and rope are measured.. .by fathoms" (Doran 1954:84); Cam. fadom two yards (of cloth) CCD; OED, the length covered by ...
• fat pine
  [cf. OED fat of wood: resinous (U.S.); cf. US dial. South fat-pine pitch pine ADD] n. 1. a resinous pine tree (sp?), the wood of ...
• fat pork
  [cf. PORK 2, female genitals, perhaps influenced by fat pork a fat piece of pork, salt pork DAE] n. a large vagina. (Black) ...
• favour
  /féyva/ [Atlantic (Hancock 1969:40); OED, to resemble in face or features, now colloq.; US dial. idem ADD] v. to resemble: 1966 (0tterbein 118). You favour ...
• fe
  See FOR. ...
• feared
  [cf. Brit. dial. West idem (Orton L65), Scots CSD; also US dial. ADD] adj. afraid: 1880 I was 'fered to talk to the missuses (Ives ...
• feather
  v. 1. [OED idem obs. except dial.] (of birds) to get feathers: Those chicks beginning to feather (Nassau). (Black) 2. [probably by semantic extension of ...
• featherbed
  [etym?; cf. DAE feather-beds different sp.] n. a shrub: 1920 Maba crassinervis (Britton 326). 1977 Diospyros crassinervis (Patterson 55). Cf. BOARWOOD, OLD MAN (Black) ...
• Feberary
  /fébareri/ n. February. (Black) ...
• feed
  [OED idem now only colloq.] v. (of persons) to eat: 1966 Little goil....started feeding (Crowley 54). [Bush medicine] will make you strong, and give appetite ...
• feeding tree
  [W Car.] n. any tree where birds feed. (Black) ...
• feeg
  see FIG TREE ...
• feel
  v. Also feel like 1. [cf. OED, to feel like (doing something); to feel like it.(colloq.) idem] to have an inclination (absolute): You can do ...
• feen bush
  [letym?] n. a plant (sp?) used as STRAW1 for plaiting. (Andros) ...
• fence
  [from fins influenced by fence] n. sing. or pl. rubber flippers for the feet to aid in swimming. (San Sal.) ...
• fenno
  see FANNER ...
• fer
  See FOR. ...
• ferruffle
  /farófal/ [cf. OED ruffle to handle roughly, to set upon with violence obs.→1721, perhaps agglutinating with the complementizer FOR; but cf. also Car. Sp. farufa mix-up, confusion ...
• fertilize
  /fótalayz/ [US dial. South idem ADD] n, fertilizer: Fertilize is the hest thing to put on the garden to make it look healthy (Nassau). (Black) ...
• festation
  [from infestation by apheresis] n. infestation: That dog have flea festation (Nassau). (Black) ...
• fester
  [OED, to gather pus (of a sore); US dial. Mid fester pus ADD] n. pus: Put cotton in your ear to get the fester out ...
• Festivals
    The Bahamian festival which outshines all others is JUNKANOO, a heady mixture of fantastic, colorful costumes and exuberant African rhythms which both starts the year ...
• fetch
   [cf. OED fetch up to come to a stand; US dial. South idem (Brown 1976)] v. 1. to cut the engine (of a boat or car) and ...
• fetch in, fetch up
  [cf. OED fetch up to come to (a place) nautical, obs? → 1632; Scots fetch idem CSDI v. 1. to come ashore: 1929 [of boats] They'll sure fetch ...
• fever
  [OED, a morbid condition of the system, characterized by undue elevation of the temper­ature] n. a cold; any ailment: 1888 "I'se had de feber." She does ...
• fever bush
  [W Car.; cf. BUSH 5 any plant] n. any plant used as a remedy for fever: 1888 The yellow flowers of the fever-plant, which the darkies use to ...
• fever grass
  [Car.; from its use as a remedy for fevers] n. lemon grass, Andropogon nardus: Tha's the fever grass; you make tea with it (Andros). (Gen.) ...
• field bed
  [OED, a portable or folding bed chiefly for use in the field] n. a temporary, makeshift bed, as for guests. (Eleu.) ...
• fighter
  [from its aggressive behavior towards other birds] n. the kingbird: 1880 Pitangus bahamensis . . .fighter (Cory 102). 1972 Grey kingbird (Ty­rannus dominicensis). . or ...
• fight somebody to do something
  [Car.] v. phr. to have great difficulty getting someone to do some­thing. (Gen.) ...
• fight yourself up (doing something)
  [Car.] v, phr. to struggle (to do something). (Black) ...
• fig tobacco
  [OED fig (of tobacco) a small piece] n. a type of tobacco in flakes, rather than leaves, which is cut into plugs for chewing. (Andros, ...
• fig tree, feeg tree
  [OED, a tree of the genus Ficus, especially Ficus caries; for /i, iy/ alternation, see BEEG] n. 1. a local tree of the genus Ficus: 1889 F. pertusa ...
• file
  [perhaps from the idea of putting away, as in a file] v. to eat enthusiastically (youth slang): They goin' file down all them mangoes (Nassau). ...
• fillim
  /fílam/ [W Car.; US Black (Stanley 11); Brit. dial. Irel., Scots idem; also US dial. ADD] n. film; an exposure on photographic film: After taking ...
• fillimadick
  /fílamadik/ [cf. PILLY-MA-DICK idem] n. the mosquito hawk, Chordeiles minor. cf. KILLER.KA-DICK, PITY-MA-DICK (Long) ...
• fillimingo
  /fìlamíngga/ [by epenthesis] n. the fla­mingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, a tall pink bird: 1804 Philimingo Bay. . .a familiar way of pro­nouncing Flamingo Bay in Exuma (McKinnen I39). 1960 Flamingo, ...
• fillimingo wait-man
  [cf. FILLIMINGO and OED waiting man male attendant obs.→1776; cf. DJE snake waiting-boy a lizard supposed to ac­company snakes] n. a bird, Himantopus himan­topus, white and black ...
• filthiness
  [cf. OED filthy parts private parts] n. menstruation: 1966 (Otterbein 57). (Black)  ...
• filthy days
  [cf. FILTHINESS] n. the first three days of menstruation: 1966 (Otterbein 57). cf. NASTY DAYS (Black) ...
• fin
  n. [0ED, something resembling a fish's fin; 1811 DVT an arm nautical] n. leg, especially of an insect, reptile, etc.: 1977.A loggerhead [tur­tle]. . .stood on ...
• fin
  v, [DAE, of fish: to swim] to swim (also of persons): 1880 I was finning up (Ives 153). (San Sal.) ...
• find yourself
  [Car.; cf. Brit. dial. Mid find oneself to recover one's senses EDD] v. phr. to get a grip on yourself; to pull yourself together. (Black) ...
• fine
  adj. [Car.; OED extremely thin →1821; cf. Sp., Port. fino thin; cf. LA Fr. fin thin (Taylor 195 1 b :43)] (of worms, leaves, people, etc.) small, ...
• fine-fine
  [Kilo idem (Hancock p.c.); cf. reduplica­tion in African languages to intensify meaning] adj. very fine: That plait do with a fine-fine string (Ragged). —adv, very finely: 1918 ...
• finger
   [Atlantic; OED, a finger-like projection, esp. such a part either of the fruit, foliage or root of a plant] n, a single banana or plantain, especially in a cluster or ...
• finger banana
  [from its size and shape] n. the small, sweet SUGAR BANANA. (Mayag.) ...
• finger pepper
  (Long); small-finger pepper (White) [cf. DJE finger pepper; from shape] n. a long variety of chili pepper (Capsicum sp.). ...
• fingle
  /fínggal/ [Car.; "by lambdacism from finger v." DJE] v. to finger or touch: 1981 l am a girl who doesn't allow boys to fingle all ...
• finish
  [Car.; by passivization] v. (of a supply) to be exhausted: Sugar finish (Nassau). (Black) finish do [Liberian idem (Hancock p.c.); cf. DJE, "Banana finish sell"] ...
• fire
  1. [cf. Vii. "fi'a de ball" (Roy 1974); cf. OED, to propel (a missile) as from a gun] to throw: 1895 Satin farred [fired or ...
• Fire-Bug
  [perhaps from W3 fire bug pyromaniac, firefly, but connection unclear] n. nickname for a native of Marsh Harbour, Abaco. (White) ...
• fire-bun, fire-bum
  [cf. Guy. "Fiah, fiah, bun me han: chant by a person wishing to start a fight between two parties" (Yansen 37); origin uncer­tain, but cf. ...
• fire-chip
  or chip [Car.] n. kindling wood: You could catch a fire with chip or with bramble (Nassau). (Black) ...
• fire-dance
  n. an African-style RING DANCE in which performers (formerly naked) leap over burning coals (Bethel 1978: 124, 127); it was a frequent but forbidden public ...
• fire engine
    [from the red and white colors] n. corned beef in tomato sauce over rice or grits. (Black)     ...
• fire-fire
  [NV Car.; cf. fire (up) to anger, by redupli­cation] adj. quick-tempered. (Black) ...
• fire-food
  [from its cooking over is fire] n, cooked as opposed to raw food. (Black) ...
• fire hearth
    /haht (Nassau); hahf (Andros, San Sal.); hoyt (Eleu., Mayag.)/ [W Car.; Gul. idem (Parsons 1923:120); OED, the pavement of brick or stone on which ...
• fire-kitchen
  [cf. OED fire-house house with a fireplace obs. except dial.] n, a cooking shed built away from the main house, containing a FIRE-HEARTH: My mother ...
• fire log
    [cf. OED fire to kindle, ignite] n. chips of kindling wood. (Andros)     ...
• fire place
   [by reinterpretation of place] n. a place out of doors where a fire is often built: 1959 While there, Accused went to a fire place, ...
• first
  /fo(y)s/ [Atlantic; cf. Brit. dial. North, West first before such a thing comes to pass: "It won't be long first" EDD; US dial. idem ADD] adv. immediately: Come ...
• first face cousin
  [etym?] n. first cousin (also second-face cousin, etc.). (Exuma) ...
• first name
  [see quot.] n. surname: 1966 A person's surname is referred to as his "title" or "first name" because he was born with it (Otterbein 117). (Black) ...
• first picker
  /fos píka/ [understood as the first to pick a fight, but this may be a hypercorrection: cf. Krio pik fos to start an argument (cf. English fuss) (Hancock p.c.)] ...
• first-time
  [Atlantic; "abbreviation of such a phrase as in the first times" DJE] adv. long ago. (Black) —adj. ancient: It was the first-time people who leave pots and things in ...
• fish
  [OED, except in the compound shellfish, the word is no longer commonly applied in educated use to invertebrate animals] n. fish, as well as sea creatures ...
• fish gill
  (Inagua); fish row (Andros) n. a style of plaiting narrow strips of light and dark STRAW 1 together, forming a squat V pattern (Bannister display). ...
• fishin
  See FISHINING ...
• Fishing
  Bahamians have always found the sea more profitable than the land. Shallow waters suitable for small-scale FISHENING can be easily reached from all settlements; even near Nassau there ...
• fishing bag
  bag [W Car.] n. a net used for fishing. (Black) ...
• fishining, fishning
  /fishnin/ [Atlantic; US dial. idem ADD; Cr. stem based on English present participle fishing + -ing] verbal fishing: 1918 Goat went fishinin' (Parsons 104). 1936 We ...
• fishin' ranch
  [cf. RANCH 2] n. a tent erected on a cay for temporary shelter during a fishing trip. = CAMP 2 (Mayag.) ...
• fish knife
  [Car.; W3, a knife for eating fish] n. a long, tapered machete used by fishermen, (Gen.) ...
• fish pot
  [OED a wicker basket for catching fish] n. 1. a floating cage of STRAW1 or wire for keep­ing fish alive after they are caught. cf. FLOAT, SCOW, ...
• fish-pot edging
   n. a style of plaiting narrow strips of STRAW1 together tightly, leaving broad hoops on the edge (Bannister display). (Gen.) ...
• fish-scale fern
  /foym/ [etym?] n. a fern (sp?). (Adelaide) ...
• fish tea
  [Car.] n. a broth made from fish, drunk as a hot beverage. (Black) ...
• fishy
  [cf. OHS fish the female pudend] n. penis (child's word). (Nassau, Mayag.) ...
• fit
  [Car.; OED, prepared, ready (before for or to; otherwise obs. except dial,)] adj. prepared, ready (also without for or to). (Black) ...
• fit out
  [OED, to supply with what is necessary, obs, except nautical] v. to dress elegantly: 1918 De girl come nearer to him. ... "I'll fit out to ...
• fit up
  [W Car.; OED, to supply with necessary fittings, fumiture, or stores]v. to build up the sides of a boat to make it seaworthy. (Gen.) ...
• five!
  /fayv, fay; occasionally fayl (Eleu.)/ [Car.; cf. DAS take five call for a five-minute break] intj. call for a rest in a game: Catch a five (Black). Take ...
• five-finger
  [Atlantic; KED, DJE, OED, W3 differ­ent sp.; from the shape of its leaflets] n. a shrub, Tabebuia bahemensis, with five leaflets, white or pinkish flowers, and ...
• five-pound word
  [cf. DJE forty-shilling word; from the fine one might receive for saying it] n. an obscene word. (Nassau, Exuma) ...
• five rock, six rock
  rock [cf. Sra. féfiston game with pebbles WST; cf. Scots fivey game played with five small stones CSD] n. variations in the game of JACKSTONE; a ...
• fix
  adj. [cf. DAE fix up to supply the wants (of a person), fixed established financially] well off; in easy financial circumstances: 1954 A play on the word ...
• fix
  v. [Car.; also US Black (Parsons 1917a:180); cf. DAE to put (one) in an awkward position; to get even with] 1. to put (a person) under ...
• flame fish
  [from its color] n. a red fish, Apogon maculatus: 1968 (Böhlke 327). (San Sal.) ...
• flamingo bill
  [from the shape of the flower?] n. a tree: 1920 Agati grandiflora (Britton 183). 1956 Sesbania grandiflora (Higgs 34). (Exuma, Inagua) ...
• flamper, flamber
  [cf. Sra. fambow torch WST; OED flambeau torch, also US dial. ADD; cf. Scots, West, nautical flamboy idem CSD, DSS, and possibly US Black fiat lamp ...
• flat
  [Vir. idem (Highfield p.c.); OED, to make flat.. now chiefly in technical use] v. to make flat, such as a tire: We roll on glass bottle ...
• flat-row
  n. a style of plaiting hair in which the braid is turned in and has a flatter appearance than the GUINEA-ROW, which is turned out. (Black) --v. to make ...
• flattening
  [cf, OED flatten to depress (the spirits) ohs. →1776] adj. depressing: It is flattening to think how many children neglect their parents (COB). (Nassau) ...
• flavouring meat
  n. meat with a sharp taste, often used to provide flavor rather than substance: 1976 [Breadfruit] boiled. , .and flavoured with a little salt beef or other ...
• fleet
  (Andros); flick (Aeldins) [cf. Scots fleat v. pret. scolded CSD] v. to humiliate someone by reminding him of the good deeds one has done for him: She ...
• fleshman 'eas, the fleshman
  [from Fleischmann's Yeast, a brand name] n. yeast: You make the bread rise with fleshtnan 'eat' (Nassau). Today you got the fleshman to rise the bread ...
• flick
  n, [probably from OED fig (of tobacco) a small piece, perhaps influenced by flake; cf. FIG TOBACCO] a piece of tobacco: 1918 He give him one flick of ...
• flick
  v. See FLEET. ...
• fling
  [OED, to hurl as a missile: "They flung darts"] v. to shoot (an arrow): 1918 Jack fling one of his arrow (Parsons 69). (San Sal., Mayag.) ...
• flitters
  [W Car, fried fishcake; cf. US dial, flitter fritter, pancake ADD; from fritters by /I, r/ alter­nation] n. sing. or pl. a large fritter containing chopped conch: ...
• float
  [Vir., boat or bateau (Seaman); Scots, a raft EDD; DAE, a small boat or scow] n. a floating cage between six and ten feet square, ...
• flog
  [OED, to chastise with repeated blows; cf. Haitian taye to cut, to whip, to make love to HCEFD] v. to have sexual intercourse (with a ...
• floor bed
  [Car.] n. a bed or mattress on the floor. (Black) ...
• flour-bag (panty, robin)
  [from their being made of used flour bags] n. underwear; diaper: 1976 I know dis young man when he wuz a snotty nose li'l boy ...
• flour biscuit
  [probably to distinguish them from sweet biscuits (Brit.)] n. biscuit (US); scone (Brit.): Flour biscuit... mix them up, cut them round, place them in the ...
• flour cake
  n. a sweet pastry made of flour, water, sugar: Mama-dem use to bake flour cake (Cat). ...
• flour pap
  n. flour and water boiled and eaten as a hot cereal with sugar and milk: Old people does eat flour pap to strengthen their bones (Nassau). (Black) ...
• flour tea
  [cf. TEA any hot drink] n. a beverage re­sembling hot chocolate, made from flour browned in a pot and mixed with sugar and water. = = ...
• flowering aloe
  n. the maguey plant, Agave ameri­cana: 1889 (Gardner 356). = SPIKED ALOE, LILY TREE (Exuma, San Sal.) ...
• flower plants
  n. potted house plants. (Gen.) ...
• flowers
  [Car.] n. sing. or pl. a flower: I don't know that flowers (Andros). (Black) -v. [from the n.] to flower; bloom: The pump­kin flowersin' (Nassau). (Black) ...
• flum-flum
  [etym, uncertain, but cf. DJE fum-fum food pounded in a mortar] n. a vegetable stew made of yams, potatoes and green beans: Flum-flum-tha's olden-days food (Andros). cf. FOG­FOO ...
• flusteration
  [US dial, idem ADD; from fluster, per­haps influenced by frustration] n. fluster: 1918 She was in one flusteration (Parsons 46). (Black)  ...
• flux stomach
  [cf. OED flux excessive discharge (e.g. from bowels)] n. diarrhea with flatulence: Them chocolate give me flux stomach (Nassau). (Black) ...
• fly-by-night
  [OED, one who defrauds his landlord or creditors by decamping in the night; W3, adj. unreliable] n. one who talks irresponsibly. (Black) ...
• fly-house
  [etym?], n. a fungus (sp?): Fly-house have a big round bob on top (Andros). = BUFFALO  ...
• flying ants
  [Car.] n. the termite in its winged phase. (Gen.) ...
• flying tiger
   [from its ferociousness] n. a large mosquito (sp?): 1817 The greatest obstacles I meet with are the long-legs, mosquitoes, and sand-flies. These [places] are famous for the last ...
• fly pen
  [etym?] n. a fountain pen or ballpoint pen. (San Sal., Mayag.) ...
• fo
  See FOR. ...
• Folklore
  The folklore of the Bahamas, like other aspects of its culture, has its roots in both Europe and Africa and is closely related to that of both ...
• follow
  v. 1. [by passivization] to be followed: This should follow by the entire family going to church (COB). (Black) 2. [Krio idem KED; cf. Cam. fala-bæk younger brother ...
• fonk
  [cf. MCCfonk (of men) to undergo anal inter­course; cf. also PUNK idem and /p, f/ alternation elsewhere, e.g. FILLY-MA-DICK, FILLY-MA-DICK] n. a male homosexual. (Eleu., Andros) ...
• food store
  n, a grocery store or supermarket. (Gen) ...
• food wagon
  [cf. Vir. food truck idem (Highfield p.c.)] n. a van selling cakes, drinks, chicken, fish, etc.: I could buy sweet to the food wagon? (Nas­sau). = LUNCH ...
• foo-foo, fou-fou, fufu
  /fufú/ [Atlantic (Hancock 1969:50) and Car. Sp. (Alvarez Nazario 1974: 272); "cf. Twi e-fúfu a white thing; fufúú the common food, consisting of yam, plantains, cas­sada. . .cut ...
• fool
  adj. [Car.; Cayman (Fuller 69), Vir. (High- field p.c.); cf. Scots fool foolish CSD, also US dial. South WEA, DAS] foolish: 1936 Sump'n fool like dat (Dupuch 32). ...
• fool-fool
  /fuw fuwl, fuwl fuwl/ [W. Car.; Krio idem KED; by reduplication of FOOL adj.] adj. very foolish: The gal so fool-fool till she believe the man story ...
• fooly
  [cf. DAS fool around tease; perhaps by re-analysis of word boundaries] v. to tease; to trifle with: 1954 Boy, Nansi strong, don't fooly him, he ...
• foot
  [Pan-Creole; cf. , Papiamentu pía (Goilo 1962: 18), Port. Cr. of Guiné pεε (Wilson 1962:40), both 'foot and ...
• foot bottom
  [Car.; cf. Krio batam fut idem (Hancock p.c.)] n. sole of the foot: My foot-bottom dead hard cause I walk barefoot all the time (Nassau). (Black) ...
• foot grass
  [from use for scraping feet] n. grass that grows by the threshold of a house: 1980. A preg­nant woman should drink tea made from foot grass to ward ...
• foots
  [US Black idem (Hancock p.c.)) n. feet: 1966 The man take B' Rabby and pull him up by he foots (Crowley 93). (Black) ...
• foot-to-foot
  [cf. Car. foot-and-foot idem DJE) adv. step for step: He following him foot-to-foot (Exuma). (Black) v. phr. foot to foot to follow closely: He footing to foot ...
• foot-track
  [W Car. idem; OED, foot path] n. foot­print: We follow the foot-tracks in the sand (Nassau), (Gen.) ...
• for, fa, fe, fer, fo
  /fa/ complementiser. [Atlantic (Hancock 1969:66), also Hawaiian Pidgin, Pit­caintese, Norfolkese (ibid 72); cf. Brit. dial. South, West "I came for to see", and West, Liver­pool "I came ...
• for
  /fa/ prep. 1. [cf. Cam. fo for, at, to CCD] with, to; in, of : 1940  I don't 'gree fer dat(Dupuch 42). I ain't eat nuttin ...
• forbidden fruit
  [OED, W3, C. decumana only] n. the small shaddock (Citrus decumana) or the sweet orange (C. aurantium): 1889 (Gardner 370). 1827 The shaddock grows to ...
• force
  [Car.] v. to insist; press. (Gen.) ...
• fore-day
  [Pan-Creole; also Gul., US Black (Han­cock p.c.); cf. Scots fore-day the day between breakfast and noon CSD, reinterpreted as (be )fore + day; cf. Haitian ...
• foreparents
  [also Bermuda (Ayres 1933:9); cf. OED 1526 "Our fore parentes Adam and Eue"] n. forefathers; ancestors: 1966 (Crowley 46). (Gen.) ...
• forget: not forget somebody
  [Car.] phr. not fail to settle a score with somebody. (Gen.) ...
• fork
  [from shape] n. a wide-toothed comb for Afro hair styles. =   PICK (Eleu., Andros) ...
• fortify
  [OED, to strengthen, reinforce with addi­tional resources obs. → 1725] adj. wealthy: 1918 He became fortifi [rich] (Parsons 66). (Black) ...
• Fortune Island
  n. Obs, the former name of Long Cay, off Crooked Island: Long Cay used to name Fortune Island long years ago (Crooked). ...
• fortune teller
  [OED, one who tells fortunes] n. an object used to tell one's fortune: 1918 "I'm gwoin' to tell you story from my little fortune teller." Leetle ...
• forty-fin
  [cf. OED forty-legs a popular or dialectal name of the centipede; cf. FIN leg (of insect, etc.); cf. also Scots Jack forty-feet centipede CSD] n. the millipede, Orthomorpha ...
• foster wife
  [cf. OED foster guardianship] n. 1. [perhaps influenced by fos(t) first + -er (com­parative)] a first wife; the woman to whom a man was married before ...
• four-man-strength
  (Gen); four-month-strength (Andros) [from its use as a tonic] n. a plant (Peteveria alliacea?) used medicinally. cf. POOR­-MAN-STRENGTH, POND BUSH, GARLIC WEED, OBEAH BUSH ...
• fowl
  [Atlantic; OED, domestic cock or hen; much more frequent than in US, where chicken is usually applied to mature birds as well] n. a mature chicken. (Gen.) ...
• fowl berry
  n. a tree, Petitia domingensis, with red berries: 1977 (Patterson 77). = BASTARD STOP­PER, PEPPER BERRY (Black) ...
• fowl-crow
  [also Gul. ADD] n. the crowing of roosters, marking different periods of the pre­dawn hours: 1977 Before daylight next morning, just about second "fowl-crow"(Albury 17). (Andros, Long) ...
• fowled of doing something
  [cf. OED fouled en­tangled nautical] phr. engaged in (doing) some­thing: 1977 Fowled of ironing: ironing clothes, or getting started ironing (Albury 158). ...
• fowl egg
  n. 1. [also Krio KED] a chicken egg, as opposed to that of other birds, turtles, etc.: I give the eggs—fowl eggs. And you lick it up with ...
• fowler
  [OED, one who hunts birds, now rare] n. a snake, Epicrates striator, a constrictor which preys on chickens. = FOWL SNAKE (Mayag) ...
• fowl foot
  [OED different sp.; from the resemblance of its leaflets to a chicken's toes] n. a medicinal plant: 1920 Serjania subdentata (Britton 251). 1978 Tabebuia bahamensis (Higgs 1). cf. ...
• fowl-foot soapberry
  [cf. FOWL FOOT] n. a plant, Serjania subdentata, used medicinally: 1905 (Shattuck 258). (Black) ...
• fowl snake
  [cf. FOWL, its prey] n. a snake, Epi­crates striator, a constrictor: 1936 Wen y' see muh grab muh cutlass an' muh pipe an' haul fer ...
• Fox Hill Day
  [from Fox Hill, a community east of Nassau said to be named after a loyalist, Samuel Fox] n. a festival held in Fox Hill in ...
• fox-tail grass
  [W Car.; OED→ 1813; from the re­semblance of its fluffy reddish spikes to a fox's tail] n. a grass: 1889 Anatherum macrurum (Gardner 362). 1920 Chaetochloa geniculata ...
• free bowels
  n. diarrhea: 1978 Pigeon-plum. . .used to stop free bowels (Higgs 6). (Black) ...
• freeness
  [OED idem, now rare] n. freedom. (Black) ...
• Freetown
  [cf. Freetown, Sierra Leone; probably from its being settled by recaptives, 1806-1834, or by other freedmen] n. an area of Nassau east of Fowler Street and Kemp Road: ...
• French bull-hook
  [cf. FRENCH KNIFE and OED bill hook a heavy knife with a hooked end for cutting brush, probably euphemism for DAS bull shit lies] n. a misleading explanation: ...
• French knife
  [cf. DJE Spanish machete idem; cf. also Haitian kouto de bò couteau à double tranchant; hypocrite TDKF] n. 1. a machete whose blade is sharp ...
• French trumpet flower
  [from the resemblance of its flowers to the French horn] n. a shrub, Cer­bera thevetia: 1920 (Britton 338). = LUCKY NUT (Andros, Exuma) ...
• fresh
  adj. 1. [Car., OED (of meat) not salted; Brit. dial, West fresh insipid, tasteless (Orton L39)] (of meat, rice, etc,) unsalted or unseasoned. (Black) 2.   [also Bajan ...
• fresh cold
  [Atlantic; cf. OED fresh wet (of the weather) dial.] n. a cold with sneezing; a light case of the flu: I stay home-I had a fresh ...
• freshness: do freshness
  [cf. FRESH adj. 3] phr. to fornicate (child's term): We catch them in-a bush doing freshness (Nassau). cf. RUDENESS (Eleu.) ...
• frettining
  [cf. W Car. frettenation idem; stem from present participle fretting + -ing] n. fretting ...
• fringe
  n. crêpe paper in broad strips with many parallel cuts perpendicular to the edge to form a fringe, as used in making JUNKANOO costumes: It ...
• fringe reef
  [from their fringing the islands or pos­sibly from their lacy appearance] n. a coral reef: 1975 The coral achieves... .forests of living stone, known as fringe reefs. ...
• fringe suit
  [cf. FRINGE] n. a JUNKANOO costume, made by sewing FRINGE cut from crepe paper onto normal clothing, a method introduced by Haitians in Inagua around ...
• frogwood
  [etym?] n. a tree, Guettarda krugii: 1920 (Britton 413). = OLD MAN (Exuma, San Sal.) ...
• from
  [Atlantic; OED idem obs. → 1602, also Brit. dial. Irel., Scots EDD] conj, since; from the time when: From I was a child I do that (Nassau). (Black) -prep. since: ...
• from side to side
  [W Car.; Gul. idem (Parsons 1923:91); cf. SIDE place] phr. everywhere: She look from side to side but she ain't find it (Nas­sau). (Black) ...
• from time
  [W Car.; cf. Krio from tεm ever since the start KED] phr. for a long time: I ain't see her from time (Nassau). (Black) ...
• front
  n. 1. [Krio idem ((ED; cf. DHS front door, parlor, room etc. idem] female genitals: Some of these short does show the shape of the girls' ...
• front street, front road
  [cf. DAE front street often applied to a street bordering a river, lake front, etc.] n. the main road, usually running along the sea front. cf. BACK ...
• frowzy
  /fráwzi/ [Car.; cf. Brit. dial. frowsy idem EDD, also US dial. North DARE] adj. (of per­sons) stale, musty; smelling unwashed, (Gen.) ...
• Fruit
  Northerners are unfamiliar with many of the tropical fruits well-known in the Bahamas, such as SWEET SOP, DILLY, SCARLET PLUM, MAMMEE APPLE, EGG FRUIT, JUJU, GUAVA, MAMMEE ...
• fufu
  See FOOFOO ...
• fugger
  /fóga/ [cf. Brit. dial. North fug sweat per­ceptibly odorous, esp. with reference to the feet; "toe jam" EDD; US dial. fogo, fugo stench ADD] n. a ...
• full
  adj. 1. [Car.] (of fruit) fully grown but not yet beginning to ripen: 1976 [Sapodillas] were picked when full and "put up to ripe" (Eneas 14). You ...
• full-crop
  n. the peak of a vegetable's growing sea­son; harvest time. (Bleu.) ...
• full (up)
   [Atlantic; cf. also Trin. Fr. Cr. plein idem (cf. Fr. 'full') (Thomas 48); cf. OED full to make full obs. → 1647; also dial. in Brit. North, Scots ...
• full water
  [cf. FULL UP] v. phr. (of boats) to take on water for a voyage (old term): We cut wood and we full water and go back out to ...
• fun
  [US dial. idem ADD] v. to joke or tease: 1936 I taught d' boss man wuz jus' funnin' wid muh (Dupuch 49). (Gen.) ...
• funk
  [US Black the "soul" quality in Black music (Major); probably a back-formation of FUNKY n. a style of music; a particular dance (youth slang). (San Sal.) ...
• funk out
  [cf. US Black punk out to back out of a situation after promising one's participation or services (Roberts); cf. OED funk to try to shirk or evade a ...
• funky
  adj. 1. [US Black idem (J. Hassan p.c.); cf. OED funk a strong smell or stink obs. -4-1725; US dial, funky idem: "[A negress's] strong smell, black ...
• furnitures
  [Trin. idem (Winer)] count noun, pl, pieces of furniture: Our dining room need new furnitures (Nassau). (Black) ...
• furrer
  /fóra/ [cf. Brit. dial. North idem EDI)] adv. farther: 1880 I seed it comin nor furrer den dat house (Ives 159). cf. FARRER adv. (Exuma, San Sal.) ...
• furrer
  n. See FARRER n. ...
• fuss
  [OED, to put into a fuss, agitate; US dial, fuss to scold ADD] v.t. to nag (a person). (Gen.) fuss somebody out [cf. FUSS] phr. to reprimand ...
• fyak
  [etym?] n. witchcraft (old term): 1966 (Crowley 17). She does work fyak (Mayag.). cf. MOJO, OBEAH (Black) ...
• Festivals
    The Bahamian festival which outshines all others is JUNKANOO, a heady mixture of fantastic, colorful costumes and exuberant African rhythms which both starts the year ...