POLARI–ENGLISH DICTIONARY
(J–L)
Past and present participles and adverbs (as well as comparative and superlative forms of adjectives) are listed under the relevant rootword when expanding upon the English or when the English equivalent is irregularly formed. Proposed Polari words or markers are indicated by an asterisk, while special usage is indicated by a degree sign (°). Note that “filler” words or English vocabulary spelled according to Polari orthography are not specially marked. Very occasionally I have had to bowdlerise the English text so that it would pass most Internet filters in public libraries, for otherwise the availability of my endeavors here would be limited.
jadu* variant of jedu
jageri* n. 1 sugar. 2 anything sweet: sweets (jageri fa dhee ogerlz, eye candy). [Eng. “jaggery”, from Hind. “jâgrî”, listed in Chambers.]
jageri-agro* adj. (a) bitter-sweet; (b) sour; (c) sweet and sour
jageri-didel* n. (always in sing.). rum
jala* 1 adj. yellow (jala dude, yellow star). 2 n. yellow. — jala a dha kakeling fart. [egg] yolk. [Corruption of It. “giallo”.]
jalerarjhio* n. (always in sing.). yellowness
jank/a 1 n. bad or foul° language: swearing°, abuse°, oath°, curse. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to use foul language°: to swear, curse or cuss°, to abuse° (janka att dha charpering omi, swear at the policeman). [Hind. “jhakna”, by metathesis.]
jari tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). 1 to eat (a variant of mounjari). 2 to perform fellatio on: to fellate: to give oral sex or a blow-job to: to suck [s.o. off], to blow, to go down on (jari dha kartz, suck cock). jariing. oral sex: fellatio, blow-job. [Parly. truncation of It. “mangiare”, eat.]
jariarjhio* n. (always in sing.). giving blow-jobs: oral sex, fellatio
jar/k* 1 n. (pl. -x). (a) seal; (b) [= jark fa dha rookerarjhio] [postage-]stamp. 2 v. (pp./p. t. -kt; -king gerund/pres. part.; -x 3rd pers.) to seal. [Cant.]
jarva* n. (always in sing.). coffee (g’uli jarva, black coffee). [Eng. slang “Java”, after the island.]
jaug/a 1 n. (pl. -ez). game°, entertainment° (Dha Jauga a Fayking dha Parniz); see eemag. 2 v. 1 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). (a) to play (jauga a jauga, play a game); (b) (i) to entertain, to sing; (ii) to gamble°. 2 (a) tr. v. (i) to entertain; to sing; (ii) to gamble. jaugering. (a) playing (jaugering lati aun worta [with a slayt or dha slaytz] (pl. jaugering latiz [with a slayt or dha slaytz] aun worta), yacht); (b) (i) entertaining, singing; (ii) gambling°, gaming°. jaugering chovi. lounge[-room], salon, parlo[u]r, games room. jaugering ken. gambling den, casino. jaugering omi. (fem.: jaugering pelone) (a) player; (b) (i) entertainer, singer; (ii) gambler°. — fayk dha jaugering. gamble. jauga a dha jeibz. game of cards: card game. [Pola., from It. “gi(u)oco”, game, “gi(u)ocare”, to play.]
jaugerosa* adj. jocose, playful
jaugimento* n. entertainment
jaungari* intr v. (pp./p. t. -d, awake[d], awoke[n]; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to wake up: to awake. [Roma. “jongar”, adapted with typical -ari desinence.]
jaus adj. Buddhist (jaus chal, Buddhist; jaus rashi, Buddhism). [Eng. “joss”, a corruption of Port. “deos”, god.]
jay n. letter J (jay). [Eng.]
jayg* 1 adj. pertaining to a ditch. 2 n. hole in the ground: ditch (jayg with worta, large puddle). jaygeeni. pothole (jaygeeni with worta, [small] puddle). [Cant “jague”.]
jayg-flo* n. canal, channel. jayg-floleeni. gutter (jayg-floleeni alaung dha drome, gutter)
jedu* 1 adj. magic[al]. 2 n. (a) (always in sing.). magic; (b) [magic] trick. — fayk dha jedu. perform magic, perform a magic trick. [A.-Ind. “jadoo”.]
jeduarjhio* n. (always in sing.). magic
jee n. letter G (gee). [Eng.]
jeezes* n. (pl. -iz). spy (Dha Jeezes Waut Charved Ya Moudha). [A.-Ind. “jasoos”; cf., Turk. “casus”.]
jeezesarjhio* n. (always in sing.). espionage
jeib* n. 1 card (jeib a dha rookerarjhio, postcard; jeib fa dha pizares, credit card). 2 pass. 3 ticket. 4 form; see in jauga. [Cant “gybe”.]
Jenayo* n. January. [Corruption of It. “gennaio”.]
jent 1 n. (a) (always in sing.). money, income°, earnings°; (b) (-z, always in pl.). (i) capital; (ii) fortune, gain[s], booty, loot, spoils. 2 num. (a) a or one hundred; (b) marker for the “hundreds”, used in conjunction with laung (which see: jent dui laung deja, 120; omi-pelone a dha jent setta laung deja-chinka, hundred and seventy fiver; chinka laung jent kworta laung deja-setta, 547; auta laung jent auta laung deja-auta, 888, etc.). Note that as jent means one hundred, “’una laung jent” is a pleonasm best avoided. 3 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -id; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to earn (jent [enni] jent, earn [some] money). [Pola., truncated from It. “argento”, silver, silver money, conflated with “cento”, hundred; Baker suggests that “gent”, meaning money, could be a corruption of gelt.]
jentri* adj. (a) gallant, gay, splendid; (b) polite; (c) attentive. — tip dha jentri. pay attention. [Cant, from Eng. “gentry”.]
jentrichude* n. (always in sing.). (a) gallantry, gaiety, splendo[u]r; (b) politeness; (c) attentiveness
jentrimento* n. (pl. -ze). (a) act of gallantry, display of gaiety, splendidness; (b) politeness; (c) attentiveness
Jentu* 1 adj. pertaining to India: India. 2 n. [= Tem bilaung Jentu] India. — bilaung Jentu. Indian, Hindu (lingo bilaung Jentu, Hindi; [omi-/pelone-]chal bilaung Jentu, Indian). [A.-Ind. “Gentoo”, a “corruption of the Portuguese Gentio, ‘a gentile’ or heathen, which they applied to the Hindus” (Yule, 367).]
Jentu-akwa* n. tonic water
jentzistik* adj. capitalist[ic]
jentzisto* n. (pl. -ze). capitalist
jentzizmo* n. (always in sing.). capitalism
jetti see in skarpa
jhushe variant of jhoojh
jhoojh 1 n. 1 (always in sing.). clothes or clothing: one’s dress°. 2 (pl. -iz). trimming[s], ornament[ation]. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). 1 (a) to trim (beard, hair, etc.); (b) (i) to smarten up: to style; to titivate (clothes, hair or make-up: jhoohj dha reir, style one’s hair; jhoojh wouniz reir, comb one’s hair); (ii) to smarten something up (jhoojh dha kooshiz, plump [up] the cushions); (c) to preen oneself. 2 to swallow (semen). jhoojhing cheet. comb. jhoojhing omi. (fem.: jhoojhing dona/pelone) person who attends to another’s dress (jhoojhing omi a dha reir, hairdresser, hair stylist). — jhoojh auf. go away. jhoojh wouni self oup. smarten oneself up. bee jhoojhd oup. look one’s best, be in one’s Sunday best; see dauli, dorkes. [Pola.; cf., Fr. “chouchouter”, to pamper. Jhoojh (variously spelt) is one of the few Pola. words to enter general Eng. slang, popularised by Carson Kressley in the 2000s American television show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”.]
jhoomp/a (pl. -ez). see jhoosha. [Pola., listed in Green (under “riah”, as “riah-zshumpah”).]
jhoosh variant of jhoojh
jhoosh/a (pl. -ez). = (proposed) jhoojhing omi or dona/pelone; see in reir-jhoosha. [Pola., from jhoojh.]
jhooshi adj. showy. [Pola., from jhoojh; cf., Harlem Jive “zoot”, showy, in relation to clothes.]
jilmil* n. Venetian blinds: Venetians. [A.-Ind. “jillmill”.]
jin* n. knee. — aun dha jinz. on one’s knees (all senses). [Corruption of It. “ginocchio”.]
jobis* n. (always in sing.). oats. [Roma. “jôbis”.]
joumpa* n. jumper, sweater, pull-over. joumpereeni. cardigan. [Eng. “jumper”.]
jous adv. just, only. [Eng.]
Jovedi* n. Thursday. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “giovedì”.]
joynto* 1 adj. joint. 2 n. joint (all senses). [Mock It., from Eng.]
jub/e n. (pl. -ze). (a) breast, chest; (b) [male] pectoral muscle: pec[toral]. [Pola.]
juge/l* n. (pl. -rlz). dog (jugerlz in dha bayn, dogs in a bathtub). jugeleeni. little dog. jugeloni. large dog: mastiff. jugel[eeni] a dha nauchi. fox. jugeloni a dha nauchi. wolf. [Roma. “chukkal”, “juggal”, dog; cf., Eng. “jackal”.]
Juno* n. June. [Mock It.]
juzei n. anything of value: worth (a beejhurreeni juzei, a little something). juzeirreeni. token. — hav dha juzei. be worth [it]. sanz juzei. without worth: worthless. [Eng. “Jew’s eye”, listed in Baker, according to whom is 16th-century slang.]
juzeibelay* adj. valuable. — narda juzeibelay. 1 invaluable. 2 worthless
kach* 1 n. (pl. -iz). scissor (an ’una-sayma a kachiz, a pair of scissors). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to scissor. [Roma. “catches”, “catsau”.]
kafi n. (a) pant- or trouser-leg; (b) (pl.). pants, trousers (kafiz/katz a dha letti, pajama bottoms). kafileeniz. short pants: shorts. [Pola.]
kake/l 1 n. (always in sing.). (a) cackle; (b) talk, [chit]chat. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -rld; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to cackle; (b) to talk, to [chit]chat or chatter. kakeling. (a) cackling (kakeling fart, chicken egg [contracted form of kakeling cheetz fart]; kakeling chovi, chatroom [computers]); (b) talking, chatting. kakeling cheet. chicken (kakeling omi-cheet, cock[erel]; kakeling pelone-cheet, hen). [Pola,. from Eng.; “cackling cheat” is listed in Rasula/Head, while “cackling fart” is listed in Baker.]
kakerarchi* n. magpie, raven. [Roma. “kakkaratchi”; cf., Eng. “cackle”.]
kam* 1 adj. [pertaining to the] sun: solar. 2 n. sun. [Roma. “cam”, “can”, “kem”.]
kamees/a n. (pl. -ez). shirt (rujhe kameesa, clean shirt). kameesereeni. shirt-top, chemise (kameesereeni [a dha letti], pajama top). kameeseroni. blouse. kameesa fa dha nauchi. nightshirt, nightdress, nightgown, chemise. [Parly., from Port. “camisa”; cf., A.-Ind. “cameeze”, where Yule writes that “(c)ameesa is, according to the Slang Dictionary, used in the cant of English thieves” (151).]
kam-glima* n. (always in sing.). sunlight
kami* adj. sunny
kamis* 1 n. (pl. -iz). (a) love, desire (kamis bilaung Graycha); (b) like. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to love, to desire; (b) to like. kamising omi. (fem.: kamising pelone) lover. kamist. beloved. kamist omi. (fem.: kamist pelone) beloved. — in kamis. in love (Pelonze in Kamis); see [in] dad, houzben, rome. [Roma. “cam”, “camo”, from Sans. “kama”, sexual love.]
kan* n. pea. [Roma. “canior”, “caunor”, peas.]
kandeedo* adj. open. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “candido”, with accent shifted from the first S to the second.]
kandeedomento* n. (always in sing.). openness
kanike/n* n. (pl. -rnz). plague, pestilence (kaniken a dhee omi-pelonze, “gay plague”, i.e., HIV/AIDS, as it was first known in the mass media). [Cant. “cannakin”; cf., Roma. “caeninaflipen”, stinking sickness: plague.]
kan/k* 1 adj. 1 (a) dumb (all senses); (b) dim, dull (all senses); (c) awkward, clumsy, ungainly. 2 superficial (all senses). 2 n. [= kank-kove, -omi or -pelone (pl. -x)]. dumb, dim or superficial person. [Cant “canke”; cf., Germ. “krank”, sick.]
kank-kove* n. dumb, dim or superficial person
kank-omi* n. dumb, dim or superficial man
kank-pelone* n. dumb, dim or superficial woman
kan-virdi* adj. pea-green
kap* 1 n. cost. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to cost (kap a deorri, cost a lot; kap a deorri a brad, cost a fortune; kap a hambageeni, cost a small fortune). — sanz kap. at no cost: [for] free (faykimento sanz kap, free item: freeby). [Truncation of Roma. “cappi”, gain, fortune.]
kapell/a n. (pl. -ez). cap, hat (esp. as an item of fashion). kapellereeni. (a) beret, cap, beanie; (b) bonnet. kapelleroni. large hat (as seen at the races, in drag shows, etc.); see mouj. [Parly., from It. “cappello”.]
kapell/o n. (pl. -ze). cloak, [over]coat°. [Pola., from It. “cappello”, hat, in error for “cappotto”.]
kapr/a* n. (pl. -ez). goat. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “capra”.]
karn* 1 n. (a) call, cry, yell; (b) proclamation (c) exclamation; (d) summons. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to call, yell or cry out (karn dha faykimentoze, hawk); (b) to proclaim; (c) to exclaim; (d) to call or summon[s]. karning cheet. cuckoo. karning omi. (fem.: karning dona/pelone) hawker [a dha faykimentoze]. — Karn! Come on! [Roma. “kar”, “kor”, cry out, esp. when hawking goods; cf., Aust. Eng. “Car(r)n!”, for “Come on!”, called out by spectators to urge on their football team.]
karnish 1 n. (always in sing.). (a) meat, flesh (mounjari [enni] karnish, eat [some] meat); (b) by extension, food; see mounjari. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to cook (karnish with a tati karnish-cheet, fry). karnishing. cooking (karnishing chovi, kitchen). karnishing omi. (fem.: chingering dona/pelone) cook, chef. karnish a dha bleeting cheet. mutton. karnish a dha grounting cheet. pork. — karnish oup. to cook up (karnish oup in dhee erbree, [have a ] barbecue). tip dha karnish tu. feed. [Pola., from It. “carne”.]
karnish-cheet* n. [cooking-]pot, pan. karnish-cheetz. pots and pans
karnish-ken = (proposed) ken fa dha karnishing (which see, in ken). [Pola., irregularly formed from calquing Eng. rules of compounding.]
karnish-oup n. (pl. -s). cook-up (karnish-oup in dhee erbree, barbecue). [Hybrid word: Pola. “karnish” & Eng. “up”.]
karo* adj. dear, expensive. — narda karo. inexpensive, cheap. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “caro”.]
karsi n. 1 house (domestic: Karsi av Insess; omi [a dha/bilaung karsi], landlord). 2 [= ken a dha charvering donez, which see, in ken] brothel (all senses). 3 shed°. karsileeni. cottage. karsiloni. mansion; see keyr (many Parly. expressions use karsi where keyr, in a phrasal n., would be preferable). karsi a dha bugerlz-omi/granermz-omi. farmhouse. karsi a/fa dha bugerlz. cow-shed. karsi fa dha granem. barn. karsi fa dha grei[z]. stable. [Pola., from It. “casa”, house. Baker’s further listing of this word, often pronounced with a “z”, as a toilet is general slang, listed in Chambers.]
kartz n. (pl. -iz). penis (or cock, dick, etc.). kartzeeni. small penis (or cock, dick, etc.). kartzoni. big or large penis (or cock, dick, etc.) [facet.]; see bagaja. [Pola., from It. “cazzo”, cock; the variant kartzo is closer to the original.]
kartzo (pl. -ze), kartzoleeni, kartzoloni variants of kartz, kartzeeni, kartzoni
kat see kafi
katevva adj. 1 (a) bad, naughty (behavior); (b) poor (judgement). 2 catty°; see kaud. [Parly., from It. “cattivo”; the 2nd meaning is derived from its resemblance to the Eng.]
katevvichude* n. (always in sing.). [the] bad
katevvimento* n. (always in sing.). 1 badness, naughtiness; poorness. 2 cattiness
kaud 1 adj. amateurish°, bad, poor° (of look or quality: a kaud sheikel, a bad wig; tray kaud, awful, horrible, terrible). kaudar. worse. kaudarst. worst. kaudimentay. badly; see katevva. 2 n. (usually in pl.) (a) ball, nut, testicle; (b) by extension, groin. [Eng. of uncertain etymology. Baker lists various usages that refer to bag or scrotum, or even as an abbreviation of “codger”. Chambers gives O.E. “codd”, a small bag for the former of Baker’s suggestions, but says the etymology for the latter is dubious, while Green lists 9 “cods”, including Pola.]
kaudelina see kaud 1. [Pola., listed in Green (“codalina”).]
kaudettereeneroni adj. really quite bad. [Pola., listed in Green (“codettareenarone”), with humorous use of suffs.]
kaudi1 see kaud
kaudi2 see lukaudi
kaufimaufi n. white airline steward (esp. employed by South Africa’s national air carrier during Apartheid); see trauli-dauli. [Gayle “koffie-moffie”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola. The lack of hyphen follows Nu-Pola. usage, in that neither *kaufi nor *maufi exists as independent words.]
kaulera* adj. angry. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “(in) collera”.]
kaulerichude* n. (always in sing.). anger (concept of)
kauleriment/o* n. 1 anger (instance of). 2 (pl. -oze). temper (Kaulerimentoze binkode oup. Tempers flared.)
kaulin n. erect penis: erection, ithyphallus, hard-on, stiff[y]. [Pola., from Eng. slang “collin”; cf., Lat. “collum”, neck.]
kaulinosa* adj. erect (of penis): stiff, hard
kauntra* prep. against, for (as in “antidote for”). [Corruption of It. “contro”.]
kauntra-pelarva* n. objection. — fayk dha kauntra-pelarva. object
kauribounjes n. (pl. -iz). posterior, bum, backside. [Pola.]
kaush* 1 adj. [pertaining to] (a) a stick; (b) a walking-stick; (c) cane, rattan or rush. 2 n. (pl. -iz). 1 (a) staff, stick; (b) walking-stick, cane (all senses); (c) [= kaush-cheet] rattan, rush. 2 piece or stick of furniture (tray baj kaush, antique). kausheeni. skewer (kausheeni fa dha karnish, meat skewer; kausheeniz [fa dha mounjariing], chopsticks). kaushiz. furniture. [Roma. “cos(h)t”, stick, listed in Chambers as “cosh”, bludgeon, truncheon or tubing filled with metal used as a weapon.]
kaush-cheet* n. cane, rattan or rush
kay n. letter K (kay). [Eng.]
kays* 1 adj. silk[en] (kays stimp-kouvez, silk stockings). 2 n. (rare pl. -iz). silk. — wayvi kays. moiré (n.). auv dha wayvi kays. moiré (adj.). [Roma. “cayes”.]
kayseen* n. (rare pl.). cheese. [Cant “cassan”; cf., Lat. “caseus”, Roma. “kael”, “kaes”.]
kaysi* adj. silky
kayt* n. picklock. [Cant “Kate”.]
keb’ush/e n. (pl. -iz). (a) automobile, [motor-]car; (b) vehicle°. [Pola., derived, according to Baker, from “caboose”; cf., Eng. “barouche” (from which Gayle “bearoche” is most likely derived), i.e., “calèche” in Fr.]
keili* n. pop[ular] culture reference. [Kylie Minogue, a pop singer from Australia.]
kekarvi* n. kettle; see char-cheet. [Roma. “kekkauvi”, “kekaubi”.]
kel* adv., with (a) adj./adv./degree/quantity: (i) how (Kel fabulosa! How fabulous! Kel kinyoing! How boring!); (ii) such, what (Kel groynarjhio! Such jewellery!); (b) n. what a (Kel pelarva! What a carry-on! Kel s’upreez! What a surprise!). — Kel … [u ar/ar-u]! [You’re] such a …! (Kel moging omi shee iz/iz-shee!); see asarles. [Fr. “quel(le)”.]
kementz* intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to begin, to start, to commence. [Eng. “commence”.]
kementzimento* n. (pl. -ze). beginning, start, commencement
kemishen variant of kameesa (which see). [Parly., from Eng. “commission”; Yule writes that “in more ancient slang (cameesa) was made into ‘commission.’” (151).]
ken n. 1 [commerical] house or premises, establishment. 2 den (gambling, etc., but not office). ken a dha boles. dispensary. ken a dha charvering donez. brothel. ken a dha charvering omiz. male brothel. ken a dha fang-krokes. dentist’s [surgery]. ken a dha krokes. doctor’s [surgery]: surgery. ken a dha krokesiz. clinic (ken a dha krokesiz kauntra dha kirtirva-kartzoze, VD clinic). ken a dha mejhiz-omiz. bank. ken a dha nauchi. nightclub (ken a dha nauchi fa dha wauleping, disco[thèque]). ken a dha tintering omiz. dry-cleaner’s. ken fa dha bayning. bathhouse, sauna. ken fa dha bevviing. pub[lic house], tippling-house. ken fa dha dobi. laund[e]rette, Laundromat®. ken fa dha flix. cinema, movie-house or -theatre. ken fa dha karning. auction-house. ken fa dha karnishing. café. ken fa dha mounjariing. restaurant. ken fa dha simering. pawnbroker’s, pawnshop. — a dha ken. commercial; see bin-ken. [Pola., from cant; according to Borrow, “ken” is properly a nest.]
kenarfi* n. turnip. [Roma. “canáfi”, “canapli”.]
kenayp n. (pl. -s). canapé (hors d’oeuvre). [Faulty, often facetious, Eng. pronunciation of Fr.]
kenz/a 1 num. twelve. 2 n. (pl. -ez). dozen° (’una kenza, a or one dozen; dui kenzez [sheikerlz], two dozen [wigs]). kenzito. twelfth; see in medza. [Parly.]
kenzito see in kenza
keoteo* adj. knock-kneed. — fayk dha keoteo. kowtow. [Eng. “ko(w)tow”; “knock-kneed” is a misreading of the Chin. “k’o-t’ou”, “knock-head”.]
-kereeni see -eeni
kerri* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to boil (kerrid kakeling fartz). [Roma. “kerrit”, cokked, boiled, from A.-Ind. “kerrie”, i.e., curry.]
kerune n. crown (coin). [Pola.]
keyr* n. public or municipal building. keyreeni. small public building (such as a toilet block). keyroni. [very] large public building (such as the town hall of a city). keyr a/fa dha Baula chalz. [Christian] church. keyr a dha beek/beex. court[house]. keyr a dha boura troundeling cheet[z]. [railway or train] station. keyr a dha charpering omiz. police station. keyr a dha fleiing vakaryez. airport. keyr a dha gav. town hall. keyr a/fa dha jaus chalz. [Buddhist] temple, joss-house. keyr a/fa dha Kosha chalz. synagogue, shul. keyr a/fa dha lagz. prison, jail [gaol]. keyr a/fa dha lilz. [public] library. keyr a/fa dha mishoogenez. [insane] asylum: madhouse. keyr a/fa dha Moro chalz. mosque. keyr a/fa dha nafel-kovze. [public] hospital. keyr a/fa dha dha nantwar-kovze. poorhouse, workhouse. keyr a/fa dha praygoze. house or place of worship: church, temple. keyr fa dha boura-drarma. opera-house. keyr fa dha drarma. theatre. keyreeni a/fa dha praygoze. chapel. keyroni a dha boura-gav. town or city (US) hall. keyroni a/fa dha praygoze. cathedral. — bilaung keyr. municipal, public. [Roma. “ke(i)r”, house.]
khootzpa* n. (always in sing.). nerve, chutzpah. [Yidd.]
ki/k* n. (pl. -x). pocket. [Harlem Jive, from Eng. “kick”.]
kil* 1 n. butter. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to butter. [Roma.]
kin* 1 adj. pertaining to a purchase. 2 n. purchase. 3 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, bought; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to buy, to purchase. — kin alay. redeem. kin auf. buy off: ransom. [Roma.]
kin-cheet* n. purchase
kindo* adj. wet. kindoleeni. moist. [Roma.]
kindomento* n. (always in sing.). wetness
kinyo* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). 1 to tire [out], to fatigue. 2 to bore. kinyode. 1 tired. 2 bored (tray kinyode, 1 tired out: exhausted. 2 very bored). kinyoing. 1 tiring, fatiguing. 2 boring. [Roma.]
kinyodimento*, kinyomento n. (always in sing.). 1 fatigue. 2 boredom
kipa* n. 1 skullcap. 2 yarmulke. [Heb. “kippa”.]
kipsi* n. bucket. [Roma. “kipsi”, basket.]
kirlo* n. (pl. -ze). throat. [Roma. “curlo”.]
kirtirva adj. 1 (a) bad; (b) off°. 2 evil°, foul°. [Pola.; doublet of katevva.]
kirtirva-dooka* n. curse. — leo or palari a kirtirva-dooka tu. put a curse on: curse. [Patterned on Pola. kirtirva-kartzo.]
kirtirva-jedu* n. black magic
kirtirva-kartzo n. [any] venereal disease [V.D.] (suffered by a man): esp. gonorrhoea, the clap (Kirtirva-katrzo so nanti arva.). [Pola.; the hyphen follows Nu-Pola. usage.]
kirtirva-minj* n. [any] venereal disease [V.D.] (suffered by a woman): esp. gonorrhoea, the clap
kirtirvichude* n. evil, harm, abuse. kirtirvichude kauntra dha chaviz. child abuse. — fayk [dha] kirtirvichude. commit evil, [do] harm, abuse (fayk [dha] kirtirvichude kauntra a loulebei-cheet, abuse a baby)
kirtirvimento* n. 1 evil. 2 scourge
kishmish* 1 adj. [pertaining to a] grape. 2 n. (pl. -iz). grape. [A.-Ind. “kishmish”, raisin.]
kishmish-akwa* n. grape-juice
klapedouje/n* 1 n. (pl. -rnz). beggar. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -rnd; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to beg. klapedoujening omi. (fem.: klapedoujening pelone) beggar; see mang. [Cant “clapperdogeon”, beggar born.]
klara* adj. rude. [Gayle “Clara”.]
klei* 1 n. whip. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to whip. kleirreeni. strap. [From cant “cly the jerk”, be whipped.]
kleibelay* adj. whippable
klevvi n. vagina (or fanny, pussy, etc.). [Pola.; cf., Eng. “cleft”.]
kleyr* 1 adj. clear. 2 tr. v. to clear. — kleyr oup. clear up. [Fr. “clair”.]
kleyrichude* n. (always in sing.). clarity, clearness (concept of)
kleyrimento* n. (always in sing.). clarity, clearness (instance of)
kolde 1 adj. cold (kolde korling, searching for [sexual] company in a venue, like a gay bar > orda aun dha kolde korling, go in search of or search for [sexual] company). 2 n. cold. koldeeni. aloof; see shila. [Pola., from Eng.]
koldimento* n. (always in sing.). (a) coldness; (b) [= koldeenimento] aloofness
kood modal. could. kooda = unstressed form of koodev. could have (could’ve). [Eng.]
koosh n. (pl. -iz). cushion (jhoojh dha kooshiz, plump [up] the cushions). koosheeni. pillow. [Backformation from Eng. “cushion”, cf., It. “cuscino”.]
kooshni* n. basket. [Roma. “cushnee”, “cushni”, “cusni”; also, “kipsi” (see kipsi).]
kor* 1 adj. blind. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to blind. [Roma. “corredo”.]
kor/a* 1 n. (pl. -ez). riot. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to riot. [Roma. “kora”, “kore”, paronymous with “kar”, cry out; cf., Eng. “chorus” (etymologically unrelated).]
kori* n. 1 thorn. 2 penis (rare). [Roma. “cori”; cf., Indon. “duri”, thorn.]
korichude. blindness (as a condition)
korimento. blindness (momentary)
korling see in kolde
korn/a* n. (pl. -ez). 1 corner (korna a dha drome, street corner). 2 angle. [Eng. “corner”.]
kosha adj. (a) kosher; by extension, legitimate; (b) (caps) Jewish (Kosha chal, Jew; Kosha rashi, Jewish religion: Judaism). — narda kosha. not kosher: unclean; by extension, 1 non-Jewish (narda kosha pelone-grei, non-Jewish or shikse girlfriend). 2 not legit[imate]: illegitimate (narda kosha bilaung Merriken, un-American); see bausta. [Parly., from Heb. “kâshêr”, right.]
Kosha-[h]omi n. (fem.: Kosha-pelone) = (proposed) Kosha chal (which see, in kosha). [Pola., irregularly formed.]
koube/d n. (pl. -rdz). cupboard; see in nanti. [Eng.]
koudi* n. cabin (feeva auv dha koudi, cabin fever). [A.-Ind. “cuddy”.]
koudu* n. (pl. -ze). [vegetable] marrow. koudurreeni. zucchini, courgette (UK). koudurroni. pumpkin. [A.-Ind. “cuddoo”, pumpkin.]
koul 1 n. 1 fellow, mate. 2 fool. 3 (a) ball (all senses); (b) (usually in pl.) ball, nut, testicle. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to fool, to kid (all senses). koul a dhee iv. snowball. koul a dhee ogel. eyeball. koul a dha shauk. cauliflower. — koul abeot. fool about or around. [Pola., from cant “culle”; Baker lists “cull” as Molly slang; cf., Eng. “gull”, & Fr. “cul”, backside; anatomical vagueness or inspecificity is the norm when referring to “naughty bits”; cf., US use of “fanny”.]
koulcha* n. culture (a dha koulcha, cultural).
koulichud/e* n. (pl. -ze). folly
koul-leik* adj. foolish
kouva see in lali-kouva, mart-kouva, stimp-kouva
kouze/n* n. (pl. -rnz). (a) fellow, mate; guy; (b) [gay/homosexual] friend. dha kouzernz. the boys or guys. kouzen a dha parchay. justice of the peace. [Eng. “cousin”, conflated with cant “cuffin”, fellow; see etymology in following.]
kouzenarjhio* n. circle or band of esp. gay friends (Dha Kouzernz in dha Kouzenarjhio); see heos. [Italianised Fr. “cousinage”, cousinhood, or, more vaguely, relationship; properly, not Pola. but used by the likes of Truman Capote in his correspondence.]
kov/e n. (pl. -ze. people). (a) person; (b) [= ben-kove] friend°, mate°; (c) [= nab-kove] boss. koveeni. little person: dwarf, midget. kovze a dha mirsiz. army. — bilaung kovze. people’s, public. Note that kovze is often used to mean omiz an pelonze, “men and women”. [Pola., from cant “cove”, person (Rasula/Head 69); cf., Roma. “covar”, “covo”, thing (extant in Pola. “rateling kove”).]
-kove suff. agent. -er/-or, -man/-woman, -person. [Preceding.]
krakez (pl. of kraka) see in fart
kramp/a* 1 n. (pl. -ez). bolt. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to bolt. [From cant “cramprings”, bolt, shackles.]
krarfni* 1 n. button. 2 (pp./p. t. -d, slain; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to button or to fasten. [Roma. “crafni”; Borrow suggests it is from Germ. “Knopf”.]
krash* 1 n. killing [incl. fig.], murder, slaughter. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t, slain; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to kill [incl. fig.], to murder, to slay (krash ta dhee aultrantz, slay, slaughter. Ya moudhez ksheesh iz krashing hir. My coccyx is killing me.). krashing omi. (fem.: krashing pelone) killer, murderer. krashing ta dhee aultrantz. slaughter. [Cant.]
krauch* n. 1 cross (dha Lala Krauch, the Red Cross). 2 crucifix. [It. “croce”, conflated with Eng. “crotch”.]
kraus, aun dha see in mounjari
kreer* n. ant. [Roma. “creeor”, ants.]
krokes n. (pl. -iz). doctor (shay dha krokes, at the doctor’s). — a dha krokes. pertaining to a doctor or doctors. krokesiz. (a) doctor’s; (b) clinical. [Pola.; Baker speculates that this word may have derived from Doctor Helkiah Crooke, who wrote Description of the Body of Man, in 1615 (22); cf., Jive/American slang “croaker”.]
kroo/k* n. (pl. -x). week (dui kroox, two weeks: fortnight). [Roma. “crookey”, “crookos”, “cricni”, “curkey”, “curko”.]
ksheesh* n. coccyx. [Yidd. “kshish”.]
ku n. (pl. -ze). 1 letter Q (cue). 2 queue. 3 cue. [Eng.]
k’ut/a* n. (pl. -ez). 1 (a) piece (sor in k’utez, all in pieces). 2 (a) rag (sor in k’utez, all in rags); (b) [piece of] junk. k’utereeni. small piece: snippet. — k’uta a [dha]. (a) piece of (a k’uta a [dha] karnish, a piece of meat); (b) stick of (a k’uta a [dha] matlauking goum, a stick of gum). [Roma. “cuttur”; Chambers gives “couter”, a slang term for sovereign, deriving it from “Gypsy cuta, a gold piece”; the phrase “sor in k’utez” is “pure” Roma. as cited by Borrow.]
kvech* intr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.) to complain, to moan, to whinge. (kveching omi or dona/pelone, complainer, moaner, whinger). [Yidd. “kvetsh”, originally meaning to squeeze or press.]
kwak* intr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to quack. kwaking cheet. duck (kwaking omi-cheet, drake; kwaking pelone-cheet, duck). kwaking cheetoni. goose (kwaking omi-cheetoni, gander; kwaking pelone-cheetoni, goose). [Cant, from Eng. “quack”.]
kwaun* 1 adv. [= dhat kwaun] at that time: then. 2 conj. when. — dhis kwaun. now. enni kwaun. [at] any or some time: sometimes. evri kwaun. every time. kwaun-so? when? nix kwaun. at no time. [It. “quondo”, conflated with Roma. “so”, what.]
kwaung n. 1 testicle (blu kwaungz, blue balls). 2 jerk°; see in kaud, koul. — Kwaung! Damn [it]!°. tip a kwaung tu. condemn, damn. [Pola. “quong”, perhaps from a corruption of Fr. “couillon”, contemptible person, from “couilles”, testicles or balls.]
kween n. 1 [effeminate] homosexual man: queen (kweenz dauli, (a) female friend of a gay man; (b) business or affair of a gay man). 2 queen° (all senses), king°. kween a dha meyriz. pope. [Eng. “queen” — or “quean” — is a colloquial term listed in Baker; Hawthorne writes: “Guinevere: Norman French, form of Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. kween: Dutch: barren cow” (42).]
-kween suff. (adj.- or n.-forming with ns), denoting a p. with a characteristic preference, usually, but not always, fetishistic (blarzay-kween). [Eng. slang that has entered the mainstream (“drama-queen”, etc.). It is listed in Baker under “queen”; properly, not. Pola.]
kweeni adj. effeminate. [Eng. slang listed in Baker; properly, not. Pola.]
kweenichude* n. effeminacy
kweenichudinosa* pleon. adj. effeminate
kweer* adj. (a) queer (all senses); (b) roguish; (c) wicked. [Eng. “queer”, perhaps the most famous “reclaimed” word in the Eng. language.]
kweer-ken n. jail (gaol), prison; see keyr fa dha lagz, in keyr. [Pola. “queer-ken”, from cant.]
kweer-kove* n. (a) queer [person] (all senses); (b) rogue; (c) wicked person. [Cant.]
kweer-lach* n. [prison] cell
kweirt* 1 adj. (a) quiet (all senses); (b) calm, tranquil. 2 n. (a) quiet; (b) calm[ness], tranquillity (totarlay kweirt, silence; totarlaymentay kweirt, silent). [Eng.]
kwordz/a* n (pl. -ez). (a) [one] fourth, [a/one] quarter (fraction: a kwordza a kakeling cheet, a quarter chicken; legari [a] kwordza a dha lil, read a quarter of the book); (b) quart [meas.]. — kwordza bilaung. (a) quarter [of] (a kwordza bilaung a cheim, a quarter of an hour); see in cheim. [It. “quarta”, patterned on Pola. “medza”.]
kworta num. four. kwortereeni. worthless money°: farthing, sou° (hav nantwar a kwortereeni, not have a brass razoo). kwortito. fourth. kwortitomentay. fourthly. — kworta laung deja. forty. kworta laung dejito. fortieth. kworta laung lepta. fourteen. kworta laung leptito. fourteenth. [Parly., from It. “quattro”; cf., Eng. “cater”, the figure four, as on dice.]
kworta-sayma* n. foursome
kwortereen = (proposed) kwortereeni (which see, in kworta)
kwortito see in kworta
lach1* n. (pl. -iz). 1 closet (esp. walk-in). 2 very small room, usually serving a purpose: cubicle, booth (lach fa dha palari-peip, phone booth). 3 cage. lacheeni. cupboard, closet. lach fa dha chikerlz. birdcage, aviary. lach fa dha dobi. laundry. lach for a meyrd-kove. sepulchre, tomb. — orda fraum dha lacheeni. come out of the closet. [Backformation from brandi-lach.]
lach2* 1 n. find. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t, found; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to find. [Roma. “latch”.]
lag 1 n. 1 convict[ed person]: prisoner. 2 (a) leak° (all senses); (b) piss°. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to pass urine: to urinate, to piss. laging lach. urinal. — lag a lag. (a) spring a leak; (b) take a leak or piss: urinate. [Eng. slang (restricted use), listed in Chambers as well as Baker.]
lag-cheet* n. urine, piss
lag-lach* = 1 [police (holding)] cell. 2 see laging lach, in lag. [Pola.]
lag-worta* = lag-cheet. [Eng. slang “lag” & water, patterned on Pola. “lech-worta”.]
lala* adj. red. — lala in dha lapa. red-handed. lala in dha m’ui. red-faced. [Roma. “lollo”, “lullo”, from Hind. “lal”.]
lala-macho* n. red herring
lalerarjhio* n. (always in sing.). redness (all senses)
laleretta* n. [= omi or pelone a dha lala reir] redhead
lali 1 adj. [pertaining to the] leg. 2 n. leg. [Pola., perhaps from Cockney rhyming slang “lally-pegs”, i.e., legs.]
lali-drag (always in pl.), lali-kouv/a n. (-ez, always in pl.). trousers; see in cham. [Hybrid word: Pola. “lali” & Eng. “drag” and “cover”.]
lamor 1 n. kiss (lamor a dha mwar-mwar, air-kissing; Lamor a dha Speida-Pelone). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to kiss. — lamor a dha mwar-mwar tu. air-kiss. Lamor ya moudhez kauribounjes! Kiss my arse/ass! [Pola., from Fr. “l’amour”, love.]
lang* adj. lame. [Roma.]
lap* n. (rare pl. -s). soup (kleyr lap, broth). [Cant.]
lap/a 1 adj. [pertaining to] hand (drei-/sweet-lapa, left-/right-hand). 2 n. (pl. -ez). (a) hand; (b) paw°. — with dha drei/sweet lapa. left-/right-handed. [Pola., undoubtedly a variant of loupa (which see); cf., Eng. slap.]
lapa-skreevd* adj./pp. handwritten
lapa-skreeving* n. (always in sing.). handwriting
lard/a n. (pl. -ez) (a) groin, crotch (esp. man’s: narda ta varda in dha larda, nothing or not much to look at [joc., esp. in a sexual context; by extension, small penis (i.e., not well-endowed)]); (b) (always in sing.). pubes°; (c) (always in pl.). [= privi lardez] private parts°: genitalia/genitals°. — a dha larda. pubic. [Eng. “larder” listed in Baker, but only in the context of the joc. saying, “narda ta varda in dha larda”.]
larj adj. (no degree of comparison). superlative, superb°, finest°. [Pola., from Eng. “large”.]
lars adj. last; see in arfta-medza, dives, nauchi, sarla. [Eng.]
lati n. (a) (i) [share-]house; (ii) apartment, flat; (b) boarding-house, lodgings, inn° (dona/pelone a dha/bilaung lati, landlady; omi [a dha/bilaung lati], landlord, innkeeper°). lati aun weelz. (pl. latiz aun weelz). (a) car; see keb’ushe; (b) caravan°, trailer°. lati aun worta. (pl. latiz aun worta). (a) [large] boat°, ship, vessel (foke or kove/kovze a dha lati aun worta, [ship’s] passenger[s]); (b) houseboat. — lati shay. lodge at. sanz lati. homeless (kove sanz lati, homeless person; dha kovze sanz lati, the homeless). [Pola., from Parly.]
laun* 1 adj. salt. 2 n. salt. [Roma. “lon”, “lun”.]
laung1 num. lig. for numbers above ten: it is used in conjunction with (a) the “teen” marker, lepta, for numbers between 11 & 19 (’una laung lepta, 11; dui laung lepta, 12; tray laung lepta, 13, etc., up to nauba laung lepta, 19); (b) the “ten” or “-ty” marker, deja, for numbers between 20 & 99 (dui laung deja-chinka, 25; say laung deja-auta, 68; nauba laung deja-nauba, 99, etc.; note the use of hyphens for numbers 1 to 9 combining with tens); (c) the “hundred” marker, jent (which see: kworta laung jent-kworta, 404); (d) the “thousand” marker, mili (which see: dui laung mili-auta, 2008); (e) the “million” marker, milioni (which see: chinka laung deja-auta laung milioni, 58 million); & (f) the “billion” marker, bilioni (which see: chinka laung deja-auta laung bilioni, 58 nillion). — laung deja. eleven (obs.). [Neo-Melan. “long”, an all-purpose preposition borrowed from Eng. “along” or “belong”. This is a lexical extension, which Baker lists syncategorematically as “long dedger”, a Parly. rendering for “eleven”.]
laung2* adj. (a) long; (b) tall. — a laung cheim. a long time. narda laung. short. narda laung cheim. not long: soon. narda laung cheim ankora. soon, shortly. [Eng.]
laungichude* n. height
lav n. word (reit lav, right word: term, reit lav[z], terminology). lav a dha janka n. swear-word, curse or cuss word; see in bona. [Pola., from Roma.]
lavari* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to wash (one’s face or hands, or the dishes, etc.); see dobi. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “lavare”.]
lavisto* = lavz-omi or lavz-dona. [Calqued on Roma. “lavengro”, the title of Borrow’s book (1851) on Eng. gipsies (“lavengro” itself is a coinage of Borrow’s).]
lavz-omi* n. (fem.: lavz-dona/-pelone) linguist, wordsmith. [Patterned on Pola. “strilez-omi”.]
laydi n. 1 homosexual male (a laydiz touch, a gay touch); see beebee, marjeri, mauli, mini. 2 [= laydi a dha houzben] (a) lady° (laydiz rusli-pisha, ladybird, ladybug); (b) bridesmaid° (sempray dha laydi, nix mei dha houzben). [Eng. “lady”, popularised by David Walliams’ character Emily Howard (“I am a lady”), an unconvincing transvestite in 2000s “Little Britain”; properly, not Pola.]
laydi-leik* adj. lady-like
layjh = lag. [Pola., with V displacement; see etymology in fambel.]
lech 1 adj. [pertaining to] sex or sexual arousal: sexual (lech kirtirvichude kauntra dha chaviz, child [sexual] abuse). 2 n. (always in sing.). sexual arousal. [Backformation from Pola. “lech-worta”, pre-cum.]
lechichude* n. (always in sing.). sexuality: (a) lasciviousness, lust, lechery; (b) prurience
lechichudinosa* adj. (a) lascivious, libidinous, lecherous; (b) prurient
lech-omi* n. lecherous man: lech
lech-pelone* n. lecherous woman: lech
lech-worta n. pre-cum. [Pola. from Eng. slang “letch”, & “water”.]
leedo* 1 adj. [pertaining to the] beach. 2 n. (pl. -ze). beach. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “lido”.]
leedo-troumes* n. beach-bum, beach-comber
legari* intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, read; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to read. legariing omi. (fem.: legariing pelone) reader. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “leggere”.]
legariarjhio* n. (always in sing.). readership
leif n. (pl. -s; irregular pl. leivz, lives). life. — in dha leif. homosexual, gay. [Gay slang listed in Baker & used by Cory, Waters, et al.; properly, not Pola.]
leik 1 adj. likely, probable. 2 adj./adv./conj./prep. like (leik yor akchwel krokes, like a real doctor). leikimentay. likely, probably. — leik dhat. like that: so, such [a] (boura leik dhat, so big; a laung vaygeri leik dhat, such a long journey); see tanti. [Eng.]
-leik suff. (adj.-forming with ns), denoting “resembling” or “typical of”. -ish, -like (ben-kove-leik, intimate). Note that -leik is used more extensively in Pola. than Eng. [Eng.]
leili[-cheim], dha* n. summer[time]. — a dha leili[-cheim]. summer (parniz a dha leili, summer rains). [Roma. “lillai”, by metathesis.]
lel tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, taken/took, borne, gotten; -ling gerund/pres. part.). 1 (a) to take (all senses: lel a lil fraum dha keyr fa dha lilz, take a book out of the library; lel a mini, take a walk); (b) [= lel pir dha charpering omiz] to apprehend. 2 (a) to carry°; (b) to bear°. 3 to get, to gain. lelling. 1 taking, apprehending. 2 carrying, bearing. 3 getting, gaining (lelling vardoleeni, palanquin). — lel alay. get down. lel auf. take off (all senses). lel away. take away: remove. lel erbree. take out: export. lel in. take in: accept, get, receive (lel in zee, bring to mind). lel oup. 1 hold up (bank), stick up. 2 get up. lel tel. take hold. [Pola., from Roma. “lel”, he takes (from “leav”, “ley”, to take).]
lel-away* adj. take-away (lel-away namyari, take-away [food])
lel-erbreebelay* adj. exportable
lel-cheet* n. handbag. lel-cheet fa dha beeyoniz. purse
lellibelay* adj. portable
lel-oup* n. hold-up, stick-up
len[-cheim], dha* n. spring[time]. — a dha len[-cheim]. spring (romarjhioze a dha len, spring fashions). [Roma. “lennor”.]
leo tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, put; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to place, to put (“orda leo ya loupez aun dha strilez bona.”, “Go play the piano well.”). — leo auf. put or turn off. leo aun. (a) put on, apply; (b) put or turn on (leo aun dha glima, turn on the light; leo dha ling aun, lick). leo aun for. apply for or to. leo erbree. put out: evacuate. leo in. (a) put or stick in (leo in dha lach, put in the closet: imprison; leo in dha keyr fa dha lagz, put in prison: imprison, jail; leoing in dha keyr fa dha lagz, imprisonment, jailing); (b) pack (leo in dha peeta). [Pola. The above quote, from “Round the Horne”, along with “narda ta varda in dha larda”, is probably the best known string of Pola. words.]
leo-aun* n. application (all senses)
lepta num. 1 eleven (obs.). 2 see in laung1. leptito. ordinal marker for the “teens” (dui laung leptito, 12th). [Parly., originally “eleven”.]
leptito see in lepta
letti1 1 n. 1 bed. 2 (pl. -z) lodgings, accommodation[s]. lettileeni. crib (lettileeni [fa dha loulebei-cheet], [baby’s or child’s] cradle); see lati. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to sleep. lettiing. sleep[ing]. lettiing chovi. bedroom. Lettiing Bula. Sleeping Beauty. lettiing omi. (fem.: lettiing pelone) sleeper. — letti alay. lie down (whether to sleep or not). nanti lettiing. no sleep. orda lettiing/orda ta dha letti. go to sleep. [Pola., from It. “letto”; cf., Klee’s mention of “metti”, from “Rogues’ jargon of 1735” (139).]
letti2 n. lesbian. [Gayle.]
lettichude n. lesbianism
lettiz-omi* n. (fem.: lettiz-pelone) lodger. [Patterned on Pola. “strilez-omi”.]
leveena* n. (always in sing.). (a) wormwood; (b) vermouth. [Roma. “levinor”, ale, drink containing wormwood.]
-li characteristic desin. marking an alternative infinitive & imperative mood of numerous vs (mounjarli, ordeli, panarli, etc.); such vs are never conjugated. [Pola., from It. usage of appending 3rd person sing. pron. to the infinitive mood of the verb.]
lib* 1 n. 1 fall, tumble (lib a dhee iv, snowfall; lib a dha parni, rainfall). 2 rest°, break°, nap° (lib in dha after-medza, afternoon nap: siesta). 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, fallen, fell; -ing gerund/pres. part.). 1 to fall, to tumble (lib inta letti, fall into bed). 2 to nap°. — lib alay. fall down. lib erbree. fall out (all senses). — Tip hir or tipa a lib! Give it a rest! Tip ya moudha a lib! Give me a break! [Cant; cf., Eng. slang “libken”, place of abode, listed in Chambers.]
libarjhio* n. (pl. -ze). 1 resting-place: (a) bed [for the night (out of doors)]° (letti in dha libarjhio, sleep rough); (b) sleeping quarters: bedroom. 2 paddock°, field°, meadow°. — fayk dha libarjhio. go to bed, turn in, hit the sack. [Italianised Pola. “libbage”, from cant; the second meaning comes from the slang use of “paddock” in Fr.: “aller au paddock”, hit the sack.]
lib-cheim, dha* n. autumn, fall (US). — a dha lib-cheim. autumn[al], fall
libera* adj. free; see sanz kap, in kap. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “libera” (fem. form).]
lib-erbree* n. fall-out (all senses)
liberichude* n. (always in sing.). freedom, liberty. — sanz liberichude. not free (omi/pelone sanz liberichude, slave; pal sanz liberichude, sex-slave).
libij = (proposed) libarjhio
lil1 1 adj. [pertaining to the] hand (lil a dha lil, handbook, manual). 2 n. hand; see fambel. [Pola.]
lil2* n. book. lil a dha lavz. dictionary, lexicon. [Roma.]
lili 1 adj. 1 [pertaining to the] police. 2 legal° (secretary, etc.). 2 n. 1 (always in sing., with dha). the police; see charpering omi, in charpa. 2 law° ([kauntra] dha lili, [against] the law). — narda lili. illegal. [Eng. camp slang, from “Lily Law”, listed in Baker.]
lili-dona* n. [female] lawyer or solicitor
lili-[h]omi* n. lawman, lawyer, solicitor
liliosa* adj. lawful, legal. — narda liliosa. illegal, false (leoing in dha lach narda liliosa, false imprisonment)
ling n. tongue. — ling dha ling. stick one’s tongue out of one’s mouth. [Backformation from Pola. “lingo”, language; under “ling grappling” in Baker, who writes that “to ling was to stick the tongue out of the mouth” (36).]
ling-grapeling 1 adj. [pertaining to] sex or coitus (ling-grapeling eemag, sex game or play; ling-grapeling sayma, orgy). 2 n. (always in sing.). [sexual] intercourse: sex, coitus; see lech. [Pola., from “ling grappling”, with “ling” signifying the tongue; the hyphen follows Nu-Pola. usage.]
ling/o n. (pl. -ze). 1 language, tongue (all senses; see ling): (a) foreign, native, etc., or (b) = jargon°, lingo°, slang° (lingo av dha kouzenarjhio, gay slang). [Eng., ultimately from Lat. “lingua”; Baker lists this word as Pola. for a foreign language, while Chambers says “lingo” is a “language, esp. one despised or not understood”. Properly, Pola. is a lingo.]
ling-tangeling lavz* n. (always in pl.). tongue-twister[s]. [Patterned on Pola. “ling-grapeling”, as above.]
lish* adj. smooth (all senses). — narda lish. rough. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “liscio”, conflated with Eng. slang “delish” (delicious); cf., Fr. “lisse”.]
listo* 1 n. (pl. -ze. indexes or indices) index, list. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to index, to list. [Mock It., from Eng.]
L.M.O.! see Allemo!
lo adj. low (dha Lo Temz, the Low Countries: the Netherlands: Holland > a/bilong dha Lo Temz, Dutch, dha chalz bilong dha Lo Temz, the Dutch; lingo bilong dha Lo Temz, Dutch; [omi-/pelone-]chal bilong dha Lo Temz, Dutchman or -woman). loar. lower. loarst. lowest, lowermost. — lo in dha vauchi. quiet (of voice), softly spoken. [Eng.]
lobe see in palari-lobe
lo-eekaf* adj. low-profile
loulebei* adj. pertaining to the offspring of an animal (loulebei bleeting cheet, lamb; loulebei grei, foal; loulebei kapra, kid). [Backformation from following.]
loulebei-cheet n. baby. [Pola., from cant form of Eng. “lullaby” + cheet.]
loup/a n. (pl. -ez). finger (loupa fa dha marteeni, ring finger; boura loupa, thumb; fambeling loupa, index finger). loupa a dha pindroze. toe (boura loupa a dha pindroze, big toe); see lapa. [Pola.]
luch/a* n. good-for-nothing, layabout, little devil. — U lucha! You little devil! [A.-Ind. “loocher”, with the idea of lewdness retained; cf., Fr. “louche”, shady, fishy, dubious.]
lukaudi 1 adj. physical°. 2 n. (a) body; (b) build° (narnerautela lukaudi). [Pola., perhaps from Cockney rhyming slang.]
Lunedi* n. Monday. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “lunedì”]
lur/e* 1 n. robbery (instance of). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to rob. luring. robbing, robbery (luring aun dha drome, highway robbery [incl. fig.]). luring omi. (fem.: luring dona/pelone) robber; see sharpa, shoosh. [Roma. “loure”, “luring”; “luripen”, robbery.]