wait on
[Car.; OED, obs. →1694, also US dial. ADD] v. to wait for: Erry time Rob drop me to them, he's gotty wait on me (Nassau). ...
walk
v.i. 1. [Atlantic;OED tojourney obs.→ 1513] to travel (on foot or by vehicle): 1940 "How'll you get back?" "Walk." "Walk? How? Across the sea?" "Oh, ...
walk about
/wohk bawl/ [MCC; cf. Krio meri-wakabot 'Mary walk about' a woman fond of not staying at home KED; cf. n. 2.] phr. to go out ...
walk here
[cf. Car. walk "used where Standard English would ordinarily use come or go" DIE; cf. also OED walk to go (without hesitation) arch.] phr. come ...
walk sloppy
phr. (of women) to swing the hips provocatively when walking. (Black) ...
walk good
[Atlantic; a calque on African idioms, e.g. Twi nante yiye or Tshiluba ends bimpe, both 'walk well' (Emanuel 1972:90); cf. also SA go well and ...
walking: somebody walking
[cf. OED walk to appear (of a ghost)] phr. There's a ghost about (said when something moves suddenly for no apparent reason). cf. SOMEBODY TRAVELING ...
walking sticks
[OED, a stick carried in the hand when walking] n. pl. stilts. = JOHNNY WALKERS, STICKS (Nassau) 216 ...
waller
/wála, vála/ v. I. [Car.; cf. OED wallow idem rare; Scots waller to roll on the ground CSD, also US dial. ADD] to roll about ...
wamper
[possibly from vampire, alluding to its sucking of blood] n. a mosquito. (San Sal.) ...
want
[OED idem obs. -1684; also US NYC dial.] v., absolute to desire: 1966 The boy want. (Crowley 121). (Gen.) ...
waposta
/wapówsta/ [cf. OED impostume a purulent swelling obs? →1842] n. a large boil. (Andros) ...
warm belly
[cf. OED warm eager, impatient + Cr. belly as seat of emotions, e.g. MCC, Krio good-belly goodheartedness KED] adj. greedy. (Black) ...
war wife
n. an Englishwoman, often with children, evacuated to the Bahamas for safety during World War II (Dupuch p.c.). cf. VACKY
1371. vacky ...
was
INV Car.; cf. US dial. "I wasn't done it" ADD; from was in past progressive, but influenced semantically by African preverbal markers of anteri-or (see ...
washerwoman
[possibly from use as soap substitute; cf. WOMAN WASH BUSH] n. a plant, Achyranthes repens: 1920 (Britton 127). (Exuma) ...
wash-hand
[cf. OED wash-hand stand wash stand] n. the act of washing the hands: I could have a wash-hand? [i.e. May I wash my hands?]. (Black) ...
wash-off
[US dial. South, a bath ADD.] n. a bath with a wash cloth without a tub or shower: Catch a wash-off (Eleu.) cf. CAT WASH, ...
wash-tub bass
[cf. TIN-TUB BASS for description] n. a musical instrument. (Eleu.) cf. ...
washwoman's bush
[possibly from use as soap substitute] n. a prickly shrub, Datura stramonium: 1920 (Britton 386). = THORNY APPLE cf. WOMAN WASH BUSH (Exuma) ...
wash your skin
[Atlantic; cf. SKIN body, or quasi reflexive] v. phr. to wash (oneself or another): 1918 Mommer, come wash my skin (Parsons 126). (Gen.) ...
wass, wasses
/wahs, wahsiz/ [cf. W Car, was wasp; cf. US dial. South wassies wasps ADD; from simplification of final consonant cluster of wasp, then addition of ...
waste
[by passivization] vi. 1. to be wasted; to go to waste: 1925 Better for belly burst than good victual waste (Finlay 294).
2. [cf. WASTE MOON] ...
waste moon
[cf. OED waste (of the moon) to wane obs.→ 1600; but see quot. for folk etym.] n. the waning moon: You shouldn't plant at waste ...
watch
[cf. Krio wachpοt 'watch pot' to sit around a pot on the fire, hoping to receive some of the meal KED] v. (of a visitor ...
watch your stitches, watch your ass
[cf. DHS watch out idem; cf. ASS as quasi reflexive] v. phr. to be careful: 1973 Dey better watch their ass (Mis-sick 22). You better ...
water banana
[etym. uncertain, but cf. DJE white-house banana] n. a variety of banana. = HOG BANANA ...
water bottom
[W Car.] n. the ocean floor. (Black) ...
watergate
[DHS female pudenda; perhaps influ-enced by the CS political scandal of the 1970's; cf. EIDNE II] n. an American woman tourist, especially as courted by ...
water-head baby
n. a hydrocephalic infant: They get bout three water-head baby in the Princess Margaret Hospital (Nassau). (Gen.) ...
water pussley
[cf. OED water purslane (Ludwigia palustris) and PUSSLEY] n. an edible plant (sp?) which grows in swamps. (Andros) ...
water top
[W Car.; also Gul. (Gonzales 1924:57)] n. the surface of the water. (Black) ...
Watling's Island
[see quot.] n. the former name of San Salvador, a major island of the Bahamas: 1786 Watling I. (Fenning & Collyer, map follow-ing p. 56). ...
wattles
[OED, stakes used to form wails and roofs] n. a heavy forked stick used to support a house. cf. CRUTCH (Long, Exuma) ...
wattle tree
[cf. DIE wattle-wood (Laetia thamnia)] n. a tree (sp?) whose branches are used in making certain kinds of STRAW WORK. (Andros, Eleu.) ...
way: he ways on
(Nassau); his way is on (San Sal.) [cf. Scots way anger CSD; DES in a way in a state of vexation] phr. He is in ...
wayside bean
n. a plant, Vigna sp., which has pale blue or lilac-colored flowers and bears pods. (Exuma, Eleu.) ...
we
obj. pron. [Car.; also dial. in Brit. (OED), US (ADD)] us: 1918 Let we go now (Parsons 117). 1966 All of we in the forest ...
weak back:have (or got) weak back
[cf. BACK] phr. 1. to have a weak bladder: That boy got weak back-he does wet he bed every night (Eleu.). (Black)
2. [cf. Trin. ...
weak head
[cf. US Black weak head immature out-look (Folb); Haititian te′t faible naive (Gaujean p.c.); OLD weak-headed idem] adj. dull-witted: 1940 Dem weak-head boys (Dupuch 1). ...
weak heart: have a weak heart
[cf. OED weak-hearted lacking in courage] phr. to lack courage: He heart dead weak-he even ain' get the courage to face him (Nassau). (Black) ...
wealthy off
/welti ohf/ [probably a merging of wealthy + well off] adj. rich: 1966 He guess they'll be more wealthy, wealthy off in life (Crowley 55). ...
weather, wedder
/weda/ [Car.; OED idem, now dial, and nautical] n. bad weather; a storm: 1888 Daylight found us battling with a headwind and an angry sea. ...
wectation
[from vexation] n. a state of anger or annoyance. (Nassau, Mayag.) ...
wedding husband
[cf. Jam, husband man (affectionate), whence sense of 'marrying man' (Cas-sidy p.c.)] n. 1. bridegroom: 1918 You shall be my wedding husband (Parsons 68). (Black) ...
well
adv. 1. (Car. DJE; OED idem, formerly com-mon but now only in set phr., e.g. well aware] very, greatly (before adj., past participles): The Queen's ...
well-bredded
[by hypercorrection] adj. well bred: 1929 Although she was a native of these islands and born of poor parents, she told me she was "well-breaded' ...
well done!
[Car.; from ironic use] phr. (of some-thing shocking) I can hardly believe it! (Gen.) ...
well shack
n. a well house; a structure with a roof but no walls over an open well, with seats for conversing in the shade. cf. GABBY ...
went
[Trim idem (Winer); by hypercorrection] v. to go: 1918 She had to went (Parsons 17). (Inagua) ...
wet or wet up
v. 1.]cf. UP adv.] to drench: A truck come by and wet me up (Nassau). (Black)
2. to become wet: I aint wettin' [said by ...
what
/wa, va/ [Car.; also dial. in Brit. (Orton S5), US (ADD)] rel. pron. who, which, that: 1895 De boy met whole lot o' people swat ...
wha's
/was/ [W Car.; US Black (Labov 1972a:116); cf. Scots wha who, wha's who is CSD] interg. what is: 1936 (Dupuch 130). cf. LE'S (Black) ...
what o'clock
phr. [W Car.; Gul. idem (Smiley 1919:376); cf. how much o'clock in Trin. (Winer), Krio (KED) and DJE what how much; cf. Bartlett 1848 time: ...
what's happening
/was ipnin/ [cf. US Black idern, a greeting synonymous with "hello" (Claerbaut); Cf. Sp. ¿ Que pasa? a greeting (lit, what is hap-pening?)] phr. a greeting: ...
what side
[Atlantic; cf. SIDE] interg. where?, which way? What side he want me put it? (Nassau). cf. THIS SIDE, THAT SIDE, WHICH PART?, WHICH SIDE? (Black) ...
wheel
[cf. US colloq, wheels idem] n. a bicycle: 1936 I stop ridin'. I lay muh weel down on d' sidewalk (Dupuch 13). (Gen.) ...
where, whey, way
/we/ [Car.; cf. Brit. dial. North whe who, which EDD ] adv. 1. where? (interg): 1896 Whey Brer Bobby live? (Edwards 99). 1970 Mammie, way ...
whether
[by hypercorrection of if, equivalent else-where in quoted yes/no questions ("She asked if/whether. . .")] conj. if: Whether you have only a high school or ...
whether if
conj. whether: 1940 Dey wuz goes tawk . .bout wedder if iley gun have lection (Dupuch 30). (Black) ...
which
[cf. US Black "Takes smart mens put it up, which I'm not one" (Loman 1967:97); OED idem "in erroneous or illogical use"] conj.--like particle. introduces ...
which part
[Car.; cf, also Krio uspat idem (Han-cock 1969:66); cf. Port. Cr. ke šitu (lit, what place) idem (Ivens Ferraz 1979:72); probably a calque: cf. Igbo olεε ...
which side
[Pan-Creole; cf. Cr. Fr. ki kote (lit. which side) where? (Taylor 1977:171; Baker 1972:124); probably an African calque; see SIDE, WHICH PART] interrg. where?, which ...
while:a good little while
[cf. OED good qualifying a definite statement of quantity, to indicate an amount not less, and usually greater, than what is stated] phr. (for) a ...
whilks
[Car.; OED whilk variant of whelk] n. sing. or pl. an edible shellfish, Cittarium pica, resemb-ling a small snail: 1782 Their shell-fish are conques. . ...
whip
[etym. uncertain; cf. US Black nail a male person (Claerbaut)] n. (among young males) a good friend: my whip (Exuma). cf. JACK, STAR ...
whips
[OED whip an object resembling a whip] n. the antenna of a crawfish: When you look through the glass, you could see the whips jucking ...
whippry
/wípri/, whipper [W Car.; cf. OED whip-ray and whipperee US1 n. a fish, the manta ray (Manta birostris): 1941 They comb their hair with a ...
whirlwind
(Eleu.), whirlwind puff (Andros) [cf. OED whirlwind a rotating wind, often violent and destructive; whirl-puff idem obs.→ 1637] n. a light puff of wind which ...
whistling bean
[from the sound of its pods rat-tling in the wind] n. a tree, Albizia lebbeck: 1920 (Britton 157). = MUSIC TREE, SINGER TREE, WOMAN'S TONGUE ...
white beefwood
[DJE idem (S. chrysophylloides); from its grayish bark] n. a tree, Schoepfla obovata: 1920 (Britton 111). (Gen.) ...
white bell
[from the color and shape of its flowers] n. an ornamental shrub, Datura sp.: 1978 White bell ... The leaves and flowers are allowed to ...
white bird
[DAR different sp.; from its plumage] n. the white egret, Egretta thula: 1918 B'o' White-Bud (Parsons 110). = WHITE GAULIN (San Sal.) ...
white bob
[cf. (Mandinka?) toubob European, in Alex Haley's Roots (seen on Bah. television)] n. a white person (youth slang). (San Sal.) ...
white cane
[Car.; from its whitish skin] n. a variety of sugar cane, Saccharum sp. (Black) ...
white catnip
[from the color of its flowers] n. 1. catnip (Nepeta cataria) as opposed to BLUE CATNIP (Nepeta coerulea): 1889 (Gardner 400). cf. CATNIP (Exuma, Andros) ...
white crab
[DJE idem; from its light-gray shell] n. a land crab, Cardisorna guanhumi, considered a delicacy: 1978 (Campbell 47). = WHITEY 2, POND CRAB cf. BLACK ...
white elder
n. a plant, Sambucus intermedia, used medicinally: 1978 White elder. . is perhaps the most popular plant used as a bush medicine. Applied as a ...
white flamingo
[W Car.] n. a variety of flamingo with white plumage. (Black) ...
white gaulin
[W Car.; cf. GAULIN heron] n. the snowy heron or white egret (Egretta thula): 1972 (Paterson 28). = WHITE BIRD (Black)
1622. white bird ...
white-head
n. 1. [from its plumage] the white-crowned pigeon, Columba leucocephala: 1972 (Paterson 83). = WILD PIGEON (Black)
2. [DJE idem, "with clumps of small flowers ...
white land
[cf. Scots idem, land which is not moss or peat CSD] n. land near the sea, consisting mainly of coral sand: 1888 white land or ...
white malt
[cf. DAE white marl idem; by hypercorrection] n. chalky mud deposits on the sea floor. cf. SEA RUT (Andros) ...
white pussley
[from its white flowers and resem-blance to PUSSLEY purslane] n. a shrub, Heliotropiurn inaguense: 1920 (Britton 364). (Black) ...
white roach
[cf. Car, white cockroach idem DJE] n. a derogatory name for a Negroid albino. (Eleu.) ...
white sage
[DIE idem (L. camara); cf. SAGE] n. a plant, Lantana involucrata: 1977 (Patterson 120). = BIG SAGE, WILD (WHITE) SAGE. (Gen.) ...
white-shield coot
[from the white frontal shield over its beak] n. a bird, the American coot (Fulica americana): 1972 (Paterson 53). (Eleu.) ...
white-skin cassava
[cf. Car, white cassada idem DIE; from its light color] n. a plant, sweet cassava (Manihot sp.) or its edible tuber. = WHITE STICK (Andros, ...
white spinach
[from its light-colored leaves, which resemble SPINACH I n. a plant, Basella alba: 1889 (Gardner 402). = INDIAN SPINACH (Black) ...
white-stick (cassava)
[Car.; from its light color; cf. STICK 2] n. a plant, sweet
cassava
(Manihot sp.) or its edible tuber. = WHITE-SKIN CASSAVA (Gen.) ...
white stopper
[cf. STOPPER] n. a tree, Eugenia axillaris:
1977 (Patterson 81). = ROD WOOD (Gets.) ...
white stopper
[cf. STOPPER] n. a tree, Eugenia axillaris:
1977 (Patterson 81). = ROD WOOD (Gets.) ...
white torch
n. a
tree, Amyris elemifera, with white flowers
and black berries: 1977 (Patterson 99).Cf. BLACK TORCH,
SWEET TORCH (Gen.) ...
white town
[cf. TOWN] n. an area where white people live. (Eleu.) ...
white water
[cf. Cayman "Where the white water begins refers
to the reef" (Kohlman 1969:26); cf. OED 1803 Bah. quot. idem,
others 'water with breakers or foam, as in ...
whitey
[US Black idem
(Major); cf. OED whity a white man, one
quot. 1828] n. 1. a white person (not
necessarily derogatory), or anything white: 1928 Whitey sent whitey ...
who
[Trin. idem (Winer); cf. Brit., US colloq. "Michael
who?"] interg. used to ask the surname: "Da's
Michael." "Who Michael?" "Michael Smith" (Exuma). (Black)
—rel. pron. [OED, arch, or
literary] ...
who-all
[US dial. South, Mid idem ADD; also SA "translation of Afrikaans wie-almal, lit. 'who-everyone'"; cf. YOU-ALL, US-ALL] interg. who? Who-all live there? (Nassau). Who-all comin' ...
who and you?
interg. phr. who else besides you? "Who and you
sleep home now?" "Them children come when they feel like" (Acklins). ...
wholesale
[OED, profusely, indiscriminately]
adv. with everything on: They sold the car wholesale [i.e.
without removing the accessories] (Nassau). She jump in the water
wholesale [without
removing her
clothes] (Nassau), ...
whole step of the way
[cf. OED step a short journey obs.→1733] n. phr. the whole way. (Gen.) ...
whop
[Atlantic; OED colloq. or vulgar] v. to strike or beat, with or without an instrument. (Black) ...
whop-up
[cf. whopped beaten (until useless) + UP intensifier]
adj. I. (of a machine or instrument) non-functional, inoperative. (Black)
2. ungainly: She think she cute with her whop' ...
whore's nest
[cf. OED horse-nest mare's nest obs.→1639]
n. something very untidy. cf. HOG-NEST, HURRAH
NEST (White) ...
who want buy?
[MCC
idem; also Gul. (Parsons 1 923 : 69); cf.
lbo onye chue go azu (lit, who want buy fish) fish for
sale! (Okolo p.c.)] phr. for
sale! (street ...
wicky
adj. [cf. Gul. wickitty
wicked (Gonzales 1924:116); from wicked] wicked: 1966 (Crowley 29). (Andros)
—n. the buttocks (vulgar). (San Sal.) ...
widge
[from wags /wagz > wadz > wadzh > widzh/; cf. SUDGE Suds] v. to wag: The whale. ..widge his tail (COB). (Nassau) ...
wife
/wayf (Gen.); weyf (Cat)/ [cf. Sra. wefi, Krio wef (Alleyne
40), Cam. wεf CCD, all 'wife': Car. an overseer's mistress DJE; cf.
also US dial. South wife ...
wiggle
[OED, to waggle] v. (of dogs) to
wag (the tail): I think when they wiggle they tail they 's
be happy
(Nassau).
(Black)
...
wigs
n. sing. or pl. wig: She got a wigs on her head (Nassau). ...
wild: go wild in the bush
[cf. OED run wild to revert to a state of nature; cf. BUSH hinterland] phr. (of whites) to go native; to be on intimate terms ...
wild
[cf. OED, of a plant: not cultivated] adj. (in plant names)
applied to species resembling but not identical with the species that rightfully bears
the name. See ...
wild avocado
n. a tree, Caesaria guidonia: 1977 (Patterson 23). (Exuma) ...
wild balsam apple
n. a plant, Momordica charantic: 1920 (Britton 425).
= CERASEE (Exuma) ...
wild bamboo
n. a plant (sp?): 1978 Small cane . .resembles wild bamboo (Higgs 13). (Gen.) ...
wild basil, wild bassly
n. 1 [W Car.; cf. BASSLY ] a plant, Ocimum micranthum: 1920 (Britton 380). (Exuma,
Nassau)
2. a plant, Hyptis suaveolens: 1920 (Britton 380). ...
wild bush bean
[cf. DAE wild bean (P. diversifolius)] n. a pod-bearing plant,
Phaseolus lathyroides: 1920 (Britton 194). (Exuma, San Sal.) ...
wild cane
[W Car, different sp.; from its resemblance to sugar cane] n. a plant, Lasiacis divaricata: 1920 (Britton 25). =
CANE GRASS cf. SMALL CANE (Gen.) ...
wild canella
[cf. Sp. canela cinnamon] n. the wild cinnamon tree, Canella alba or C. winterana: 1889 (Gardner
365). cf. BAHAMA WHITE-WOOD BARK (Eleu., Exuma) ...
wild cassada, wild cassava
[W Car, different sp.] n. a plant: 1835 Starch. . .made from the wild Cassada (Journal 40). 1905 Dipholis
salcifolia . . .Wild Cassada (Shattuck 205). ...
wild cherry
[from its cherry-like fruit] n. a
tree, Malpighia
sp., and
its fruit: 1788 The Jamaica or "Wild Cherries", Malpighia glabra and urens, which bear pleasant, sourish berries, not ...
wild coco
[W Car. Eulophia alta; cf. Coco] n. a trailing plant (sp?) bearing
gourds formerly used to bail boats. (Black) ...
wild coffee
[W Car. various sp.; also Gul. (Gonzales 1924:46)] n. a plant: 1905 Colubrina colubrina (Shattuck 225). 1910 Myrstiphyllum un (Northrop 186). 1920 Psychotria undata (Britton ...
wild custard apple
[cf. CUSTARD APPLE] n. a tree, Anona aquatica, and its fruit: 1835 (Journa 47). = CORKWOOD, POND APPLE (Black) ...
wild down
[see quot.] n. a shrub, Calotropus procera: 1920 (Britton 341). Wild down looks like grass;
it has a long stalk with wooly cotton which is picked ...
wild eddy
[from the resemblance of its
inedible tubers
to those of EDDY] n. a
plant, Sansevieria trifasciata. LION TONGUE, SILK MANELLA (Black) ...
wild fig
/wayl fiyg/ [DAE, any one of the wild Ficus sp.] n. 1. a tree: 1804 Under a wild fig tree (McKinnen,
quoted by Albury 1975:65), 1889 ...
wild geranium
[W3 different sp.] n. a plant, Ambrosia hispida: 1977 Wild geranium.. .is a
lovely, lacey-looking vine that grows ...
wild ginger
[Car. idem (Costus spicatus) DJE] n. a plant: 1889 Wild ginger. . .Costus sp? (Gardner 353). Purple orchid tubers (Bletia
purpurea) wild made into tea are ...
wild grape
n. 1.
[DAE, any grapevine ( Vitis sp.)] a vine, Vitis
munsoniana, bearing black berries: 1920 (Britton 259). (Black)
2. [DJE, any of various sp. of Coccolobaj a ...
wild guava
[W Car.
(Psidium guayabita); from the guava-like
fruit] n. a shrub: 1905 Tetrazygia
bicolor (Shattuck 207). 1920 Anamomis bahamensis (Britton 306). 1977 Catesbaea spinosa (Patterson 63). Psidium longipes ...
wild hibiscus
[from its showy pink blossoms] n. a shrub, Phymosia
abutiloides: 1977 (Patterson 15). (Black) ...
wild licorice, wild liquorice
[DJE idem] n. a vine,
Abrus precatorius,
which smells of
licorice: 1889 (Gardner 377). = BEAD
VINE, BLACK-EYED
SUSAN, MACKABEE, RED-EYE
SUZY (Inagua, Exuma) ...
wild madeira
[from its resemblance to MADEIRA WOOD] n. a tree, Alvaradoa amorphoides: 1977 (Patterson 107). + TASSEL PLANT (Black) ...
wild mammee
[Car. different sp.; cf. MAMEE] n. a tree: 1905 Lucuma multiflora ... wild mammee (Shattuck 220). 1956 Clusia rosea (Higgs 4). = AUTOGRAPH TREE (Exuma) ...
wild manilla
[from its resemblance to MANELLA] n. a plant (Agave sp?). (Black) ...
wild mulberry
n. a plant, Morinda royoc: 1910 (Northrop 186). cf. LIMBURGER VINE (Exuma) ...
wild mustard
[W3 different sp.] n. a plant: 1835 Cleome pentaphylla. Wild mustard ... this plant, cooked like spinach, is much eaten ... The leaves, boiled or ...
wild okra
[DJE idem (H. abelmoschus); from its resemblance to okra (H. esculentus)] n. a shrub, Hibiscus brittonianus: 1977 (Patterson 15). (Black) ...
wild olive
[W Car. various sp.] n. a tree: 1782 They have ... the Lucca olive, as well as the wild kind (Bruce, quoted by Albury 1975:80). ...
wild onion
[DAE different sp.; from its onion-like bulb] n. 1. a plant wich grows on trees: 1910 Tillandsia bulbosa ... "wild onion" on mangroves in the ...
wild orange
[DJE, W3 different sp.] n. a pod-bearing tree, Capparis cynophallophora: 1977 (Patterson 33). (Black) ...
wild pear
[W Car. different sp.; from its fruit,
which is shaped like and smells like the northern pear but is
inedible] n. a tree, Clethra tinifolia: 1889 (Gardner ...
wild pigeon
n. the white-crowned pigeon, Columba leucocephala: 1972 (Paterson 85).
= WHITE-HEAD 1 (Gen) ...
wild pine, wild pineapple
[cf. Car, wild pine idem DSE; from their resemblance to the PINE or pineapple plant] n. epiphytic plants of the genus Tillandsia: 1788 A parasitical ...
wild pussley
[cf. PUSSLEY] n. a plant (sp?).
(Gen) ...
wild saffron
n. a plant, Bumelia
loranthifolia: 1920 (Britton 323). = MILKBERRY cf. SAFFRON (Exuma) ...
wild sage
[DJE idem] n. a plant, Lantana sp.: 1889 Lantana crocea or L. involucrata (Gardner 398). cf. BIG SAGE, WHITE SAGE (Gen.) ...
wild salve
n. a shrub, Helicteres semitriloba:
1920 (Britton 276). (Black) ...
wild sapodilla, wild dilly
[cf. DILLY sapodilla)
n, a
tree or its fruit: 1905 Wild sapodilla. . .Mimusops sieberi (Shattuck 222). 1910 M. dissecta, M. floridana (Northrop 123,174). 1920 Wild dilly... ...
wild sisal
n. a plant, Furcraea
macrophylla: 1920 (Britton 77). (Black) ...
wild spice
n. the allspice tree, Pimenta dioica. = SWEET SPICE cf. SPICE TREE (Nassau, San Sal.) ...
wild tamarind
/wayl tambran/ [DJE different sp.] n. a tree, Lysiloma sp.: 1905 Lysiloma (Wild Tamarind) (Shattuck 202). 1920 Lysiloma bahamensis (Britton 158). cf. MONKEY TAMBRAN (Gem) ...
wild thyme
[DJE different sp.] n. a plant, Rhachicallis americana: 1910 (Northrop 184). = HOG BUSH,
SALT-WATER BUSH, SANDFLY BUSH (Inagua) ...
wild thyme
[DJE different sp.] n. a plant, Rhachicallis americana: 1910 (Northrop 184). = HOG BUSH,
SALT-WATER BUSH, SANDFLY BUSH (Inagua) ...
wild tobacco
n. 1. [W Car. (Pluchea sp.) "from the shape of the leaf" DJEj a plant, Pluchea odorata: 1920 (Britton 445).
= COUGH BUSH, SOUR BUSH (Black)
2. ...
wild watermelon
[from the appearance of its fruit] n. a climbing plant, Passiflora cuprea, a kind of passion flower:
1910 (Northrop 169). = DEVIL'S
PUMPKIN (Eleu.) ...
wild white sage
n. a plant, Lantana involucrata, used medicinally: 1978 (Higgs 23). = BIG SAGE, WHITE SAGE, WILD
SAGE (Black) ...
wild wormwood
[DJE idem] n. a plant, Parrhenium hysterophorus: 1889 (Gardner 388).= POUND-CAKE BUSH 1, WHITE-HEAD
2 (Exuma) ...
wild yam
[W Car., various sp.; from their
edible tubers) n. a plant: 1889 Rajania
hastata (Gardner 357); Cissus sicyoides (ibid 373). 1905 Maurandia antirrhiniflora (Shattuck 263). 1920 Rajania ...
wine
[W Car.; cf. DSS wine dark navy rum, nautical] n. rum. (Black) ...
wind
/wayn/ [Car.; OED wind to writhe, wriggle obs. except dial.] v. 1. to gyrate the hips provocatively in walking or dancing. (Black)
2. (of worms) to ...
wind
/win(d)/ [OED, to deprive of breath] v. to let the air out of a deepwater fish: When you pull it from deep, fish got wind-all ...
wind at somebody
/wayn/ [cf. WIND 1]
v. to gyrate the hips at somebody insultingly or provocatively. cf. BAKIMBA
(Andros) ...
Windward Islands
[cf. the prevailing
Bah. winds out of the southeast; elsewhere
the term refers to the southern group of the Lesser Antilles] n. the southeastern islands of the ...
wine purp
[cf. OED wind pipe, with the alternate pronunciation /waynd payp/, via
simplification of the final consonant cluster of /waynd/ and hypercorrection of /ay/ in /payp/ to ...
wing
[OED, occasionally applied to the enlarged fins
of flying fishes; DHS wing an arm, nautical]. n. 1. the fin of a fish.
(Mayag.)
2.
the wing-like front leg of ...
winge
/winj/ [cf. Brit. dial. East winge to shrivel, as fruit kept too long obs. 1 v, to wilt (a plant) over heat. cf.
SWINGE 2 (Black) ...
wingey
/wínji/ [W Car,; cf. WINGE] adj. small, puny: He give me one li'l
wingey piece o' melon (Nassau). cf. SQUINCHY, TINCHY (Black) ...
wing-worm
n. 1. [from the wing-like appendages with which it
propels itself] a sea creature, the pteropod (Clio sp.): 1788 Two species of wing- worms (Clio), the ...
winter('s) cherry
n. a plant, Physalis linkiana: 1889 (Gardner 396). (Exuma) ...
wipe-off
n. washing the body with a cloth without using a tub or shower: Catch a wipe-off (Exuma). = CAT WASH, COW BOY, WASH OFF (Black) ...
wipe off
[OED idem obs. → 1672] v. to cut off with a blow: 1918 Hunterman draw his long knife, an' he wipe off de monkey nine ...
wire-peg
[cf. PEG] n. a fish spear: 1977 The early settlers caught some [fish] with hand lines, and speared some with what were called "wire-pegs" (Albury ...
wire weed
[DJE, W3 different sp.; from its wiry stems] n. a small shrub, Sida carpinifolia, with yellow flowers whose stems are used to make brooms: 1889 (Gardner ...
wise woman
[OED a woman skilled in magic, now dial, or arch.;
Scots a witch or
herbalist CSD; cf. also Haitian fanm-say, Fr. sage-femme idem TDKF] n, a woman ...
witch
[OED idem →1801; from the attributive
n.] adj. bewitched:
1918 It was a witch cocoanut (Parsons 96). (Inagua, San Sal.)
-n. in the phrase: work witch (US Black ...
witch bush
n. a grass-like plant (sp?): 1974 (Bullard 84). (Grand Bah.) ...
witchcraft
[cf. Gul. witchcraft 'ooman (Writers' Program 1940:49)) n. witch or wizard:
1918 Dere's an ol' man once, seemed to be a witchcraf', cuttin'
down de trees wi' ...
witchman
[also Cam. CCD, Krio KED, Gul. (Parsons 1923:25); OED idem] n. a man who practices witchcraft: 1918 Ol' witch-man (Parsons 95). (Black) ...
witch-woman
[also Cam. CCD, Krio KED; Scots idem CSD] n.
witch: 1918 His mother was a witch-woman (Parsons 69). (Black) ...
witchy
[OED idem; cf. Scots witchy witch-like
EDD] adj. 1.
magically endowed: 1966 (Crowley 29). (Black)
2. like (that of) a
witch: That cat lookin' all skinny and witchy [of ...
with
prep. 1. [Trin. idem (Winer); OED "after full, now replace by of"] in the phrase: full with: I had a pot full with water (COB). ...
wither-up
/wída op/ [cf. OED withered of the body; shrivelled up by disease or age] adj. (of people) thin; gaunt, cf. VILLID UP (Andros) ...
withery
/wídari/ [cf. OED idem, wilting, inclined to wither rare] adj. (of people) wrinkled from age: They got some withery old woman live in that same ...
within myself
[cf. OED within oneself mentally, without outward expression] phr. as for me; privately: Within myself I do agree with some of the people's complaints (COB). ...
with pickin
[cf. with child and PICKIN', PICKANINNY child] phr. pregnant (old term). (Eleu.) ...
wobble
[OED to move from side to side] v. to walk with a limp. (Eleu., Exuma) ...
woman's tongue
[Car.; DJE 1909→] n. a tree, Albizzia lebbek: 1880 Trees ... [with] seeds like the bean, in pods... about eight inches long, which, being swayed ...
woman wash bush
[from its use as a soap substitute] n. a shrub (sp?). cf. WASHWOMAN'S BUSH (Mayag.) ...
Wong
[from a Chinese surname well known in Nassau] n. a Chinese person (slang). cf. LEEKIE (Black) ...
wood dove
/wúdav, wúdow/ [OED different sp.; cf. Scots wood-doo stock dove CSD] n. a large dove, Zenaida amabilis: 1880 (Cory 138). (Gen.) ...
wood-gather
[cf. OED wool-gathering indulging in wandering thoughts or idle fancies; influenced by wood] adj. absentminded: My head get all wood-gather (Nassau). ...
wood-packer
[cf. /e,
a/ alternation in DREG drag, DRAGS
dregs, etc.] n, the woodpecker. cf. WOODY-PECKER (Eleu., Andros) ...
woods
[from the mass noun]
count n., pl. pieces of wood; boards: If a hurricane is coining, cover all the glass windows
with woods (COB). Plywoods (Nassau). cf. ...
woody pecker, woody woodpecker
[cf. Woody Woodpecker, a cartoon
character] n.
woodpecker. cf. WOODPACKER (Eleu., White) ...
work
[DJE idem; OED, to practice (an
occupation) arch., to do (something harmful) obs. →1613] v. to
practice (witchcraft): 1918 De ol' woman work obeah (Parsons 138). 1917 ...
work field
(Gen.); work the field (Andros) [cf. OED work
till, cultivate (land)] v. phr. to do farm work; to be a small farmer: All them work field, ...
work out
[Gul. idem (Parsons 1923:40); cf. OED out away from a
recognized place] phr. to work (as a maid) in someone else's home: 1918 She was workin'
out. ...
worm-da-fuse
[from vermifuge] n. a plant (sp?) used medicinally for worms. (Exuma, Grand Bah.) ...
wormwood, wormvine
[OED, DAE different sp.] n. a climbing
plant, Vanilla articulata: 1910 (Northrop 148). = LINK-VINE (Black) ...
worrum
/wóram,
vóyam/ [Atlantic (Hancock 1969: 48); cf. OED wurem
13th century, and worom worm in Brit. dial. West EDD, US dial. South ADD; the epenthetic vowel has ...
worry
n. [cf. Atlantic wari idem (Hancock 1969: 54), from Twi wáre, Fante oware idem DJE, influenced by
worry] a game played on a board with two ...
worry
v. [OED, to vex with reiterated demands;
to cause distress of
mind] 1. to bother (to do something): Don't worry to close the door (Eleu.). (Gen.)
2. to ...
worser
/wó(y)sa/ [Car.; OED, formerly standard, now dial.] adj., adv. worse: 1940 And d' peepul —why
da's wusser (Dupuch 43). (Gen.) ...
worsest
/wó(y)sis/ [Car.; dial. in Brit. (EDD), US (ADD)] adj., adv. worst: Tha's the worsest I ever see him look (Nassau). (Gen) ...
worth
/wo(y)t/ [W Car.] v. to be worth: 1940 Y' toughts don't worth a cupshell (Dupuch 49). That
old kaprang he call he bicycle can't worth nothing ...
would, woulda
[Car.; from would('ve); cf. interchangeable use of COULD, COULDA and SHOULD,
SHOULDA] preverbal marker 1. will: 1918 If you can't call Auntie name,
I wouldn' pay you ...
wrack
[OED wrack a wrecked ship dial.;
the goods therefrom arch. ] n. a shipwreck; the wreckage which washes ashore:
1832 Heard of a wrack being at Graham's ...
wracking
[cf. OED wrecking idem, Bah. quot. 1804→] n. salvaging goods from a wrecked
ship: 1788 Some call it "going a raking" from "to rake", searching for ...
wreck
[probably from the association of goods from shipwrecks coming as gifts] n. the birth of a child: 1977 The birth of a child was referred ...
wrastle, rassle
/ras1/ v. 1. [also Scots (CSD), US dial. (ADD)] to wrestle, struggle: 1918 His head get jam in de shoal, so he wrestle
an' wrastle until
he ...
wriggle
[OED, to writhe, squirm] v. (of dogs) to wag (the tail). cf. WIGGLE
(Andros) ...
write
(Black) v. [cf. Trin, write fuh she idem (Winer); ] Also write the house (Eleu.) to write a letter asking
for a girl's hand in marriage: ...
wrong side
[W Car.; cf. OED wrong side out idem] adj. phr. (of clothing) inside out: 1979 Put on the wrong side (La Roda 71). (Gen.) ...
wrop
OED, a dial, variant of wrap, formerly more current] v. to wrap: Take the big blanket
and wrop him up (Acklins). ...
wumpers, wampus, wampers
/wómpaz/ [cf. Cayman warn pers idem
(Fuller 69)1 n. sing. or
pl. a sandal
made from the rubber of a car tire: 1942 The wampus is cut out ...