Ageable -She is an ageable woman Asham -Sugar & ground Parched Corn. A must for All Saints night. Ah - Substitute for "I" Allyuh - All of you people. A group Ax - Ask. To ask a question Aye-yah-yie - An expression of anticipation or pain, etc. Ah chut ! - Annoyance, Vexation. "Ah chut, man!" Ah eh able - Literally "I’m not able." Give me patience Ah man - I, a person. Eg "Ah man cyar do nutten now?" Ah mean to say - Annoyance, equivalent to "After all". Adios -- Bye Auntie Man --- Homosexual, man that act womanly
Back Back - To reverse a vehicle; to change one’s mind or opinion Back peddle - To back down in an argument, to change one’s tune in the face of stiff opposition. Bache -A common reference to a scamp, a provocateur or someone with conspicuous intentions. Bacchanal - Scandal, heavy quarreling, big party, confusion Back chat - Insolent response, especially from a child to an adult Bad drive - To drive with complete disregard for others. Bad eye (cut-eye) - A look of anger, especially when looking from the corner of the eye Bad mind - (Pronounced mine) A person who holds grudges and repays them. Cold personality. Bad talk - To ill speak or bad mouth, to gossip, spread rumours about someone. Bamboozle - To confuse someone with smart talk, to con someone Bam Bam - A person's bottom Battyman - A homosexual Ban yuh belly - Prepare yourself for hard times ahead, a time for belt-tightening Ba-Jon - A bully or a really tough customer Bol'face - A pushy person, unreasonably demanding Bobol - Dishonesty. Bribery Boobooman -Ghost Broughtupsy - Showing that a person was properly brought up, decorum Brakesing - Shying away from responsibility Buh wait nah - But wait a minute, now hold on/it
Callaloo - A thick soup made from dasheen leaves, ochroes, coconut milk, seasoned to taste, invariably includes crab Calypso - A musical and lyrical comment on any subject, usually composed for, but not limited to, the Carnival season Calypsonian - One who sings calypsoes Cheups (Steups) - A noise made by sucking your teeth Chinkee - Very tiny portions of anything Chipping - The sliding step done during Carnival while following a band Chuck - Push Comess - Complete foul-up, Confusion Cutters - Something to eat with drinks. Chupid - Stupid Chupidee - A foolish person Coki-eye - Cross-eyed Commesse - Confusion associated with arguments, gossip and slander Cuff - Hitting someone or something with a clenched fist Cyah - Can't Cacapool Rum - a derogatory term used on certain brands of rum. Any rum considered inferior Call Dat George – Call it finished. Kaput. The end of the matter. Calpet – Tap or slap behind the head. Catching Hell – Undergoing all the perils and woes of a certain situation. Cat In Bag – To purchase without examining the item or its contents. To become committed martially, without really knowing the person. Catspraddle – Very undignified fall.
Da is you? - Is that you? Dan-dan - Any sharp looking outfit Dat good for yuh - Serves you right Dat - That Doh - Don't Dotish - Silly, stupid, foolish and dumb Drogue -To carry bananas on your head from the field to the road Dougla - Mixture of East Indian and African parentage Drevait (dree-vay) - Wayward person who likes to "knock about" Dada head – Matted and unkempt hair. Dead Out – Tired. Anything past its prime. Deadin’ – Dying. Deck Off – To wear one’s best clothes. Deputy – Mistress. Outside woman or man.
Eh - What did you say? Eh-eh - No, no way, oh no Eh-heh - Oh really? I understand. Yes En'less - Plenty, endless Ent? - Is that not so? That's true, isn't it Early O’clock - Very early. Ease Up - To let off the hook. Eat Me Out - To have visitors ‘descend’ on your home and eat and drink everything in sight. Eat Parrot Bottom - A very talkative person is said to have done this. Eddoes - A ground provision. Edible root. Eh Right Dey - Not of sound mind. Eh Makin’ Joke - Very serious. Not making joke. End Up - The finish. How did things turn out? Every Man Jack - Everybody without exception. Explashiate - To go on and on. To be most vocal in one’s comments.
Fall out - To stop speaking with someone or to terminate a friendship Faddah - Father Fed up - The state of being bored Fete - A party, loud music, lots to eat and drink
- dancing to wee hours of the morning Flim Film Founkie (foong-key) - Foul-smelling, stink odour Fuh true/troot? - Yes that is true. Is that really so? Fall in the garden - When a general statement made applies to you personally. Fares - To make a fares. To visit a prostitute. Fatigue - To give someone fatigue. To heckle or tease. To make jokes about someone to their face. Fat Talk - Back chat. Boasting. Meaningless promises. Feel Ah How - To be embarrassed. To feel uncomfortable or ill at ease. Fete Match - A friendly game usually played on a playing field e.g. cricket, football, hockey, where the accent is on having a good time rather than on winning. Fightin’ like dog an’ cat - Two people who continuously argue and fight with each other. Fight Up - To cope with problems, situations, finances etc. To work hard at anything. Fire de wuk - To leave the job or employment, usually dissatisfied. Fire one - To have an alcoholic drink. Freeness - Something for which you pay Nothing
Goin'orf - Someone who appears to be going out of his mind, acting strangely Gap - A driveway or small dead-end road Grand Poopa- Grandfather Grand Mooma- Grandmother Gun talk - Fighting words, to threaten verbally Gyul - Girl Galavant - Gallivant. To roam aimlessly. To knock about. Gallery - To show off. To publicly flaunt one’s ability or position in life. To strut. Gayiappe - Pronounced Guy-yup. Patois. An undertaking by friends to work together for the benefit of one. The way homes were built in the old days. Gazette Paper - Newsprint, old newspapers. Derived from an early daily newspaper called The Port of Spain Gazette. Gees An’ Ages - Expression employed to avoid being sacrilegious Get Away - To get away with someone. A verbal exchange. To be at odds with. To "fall out" with someone. Get Orn - To quarrel. Vulgar behaviour
Harden - Disobedient Hambug - Annoy Horn - When the love of your life becomes involved with someone else, causing a Tabanca. Hototo (hotoetoe) - A very large amount of anything Haul Yuh Skin - Used in place of an obscenity, when telling off someone. Have It Out - A head on verbal clash. A raucous confrontation. Hear Dis Talk - Listen to this. Hef - Heft. To guess the weight by lifting. Heh - Here you are. Hol’in A Few - Having in quite a few drinks. Under the influence of alcohol, or as said Under the affluence of incohol. Hol’ Strain - Hold strain. To hold on for a while longer. Control yourself, restrain yourself. Hop and Drop - To walk with a limp, favouring one of the legs. Horrors - Problems a plenty. Everything going wrong, nothing seems to fit.
I eh payin' tax fuh mih mout' - I could say anything I want In ting - To be involved in current activity Is so? - Is that so Icenin’ - Icing - the sugar-based coating on cakes and pastries. I come out to play - I aim to have a good time. If yuh know what good fuh yuh - If you know what’s good for you. Part of an admonition. I’ll dance at your weddin’ and bongo at your wake - Thanks and much thanks. In a rage - Plenty of anything. Endless. In de bag - It’s as good as won. It’s all over. In half - To go partners with someone in an undertaking. In more trouble dan Brong - Than Brown. To be in serious trouble.
In smart - Any surreptitious or clandestine act. To do one thing while trying to accomplish another. To deceive.
Jeez-an-ages - Used for any reason where an outburst is appropriate Jook - To stab at anything Jumbie - Spirit, ghost Jus'now - In a little while Jus'so? - Just like that Jus'so - Out of the blue, totally unexpected Jack Spaniard or Jep - specie of wasp that usually builds its nest in and around the home near the ceiling. Becomes quite aggressive if disturbed. Inflicts a painful sting from the tip of its tail into the flesh of its victim. Jep Nes’ - To raise a jep nest. To stir up a lot more trouble than you anticipated. Jagabat - A woman of questionable morals. Woman who frequents place of ill repute. Jam - Short for Jam Session. A big noisy party. Jamet or Jamette - Like a jagabat, but applies to both male and female. Jammin’ Heavy - Heavy workload with no time to rest. To be under fire. Jerry - To be given a jerry. To be sold inferior merchandise, to be hoodwinked. Jhanjat - East Indian for troublemaker. Jim Boots - Boot-like sneakers, popular in the 50’s. Jingay - A hex or spell. Jing Pang - A small dent or cut, of importance only on brand-new or recently refurbished items
Ketch - Catch Klim - Any brand of powdered milk Keeper’ - Having a woman on the side other than your wife Ketchin’ - Present continuous of ketch Kiant - Canted or leaning. To kiant over: to turn upside down. Kicksin’ - Fooling around, having fun. Kilketay - Lop sided or odd shaped. Leaning unnaturally. Bent or twisted out of shape. Kill Pries’ - A person who works unusually harder than those around him, or who has more than his share of bad luck, is said to have ‘killed priest’, thereby bringing upon himself punishment for such a dastardly act. Kiskadee - Large, bright, yellow-chested bird with ‘Qu’est -Ce Qu’il Dit?’ call. Also known as the Derby Flycatcher, and while primarily insectivorous, will splash into water after small fish. Knock About - To be constantly on the move, looking for different ways to pass the time of day. To be always going somewhere.
Lef dat - Leave dat Leh - Let, let's Leh go - Let go Leh we - Let us Lick dong - To accidentally hit someone or something Licks - A beating, physical punishment Like t'ing - To be somewhat mischievous Lil'bit - In small meaningless portions Lime - When a small group of people engage in a sometimes pre-arranged activity Long eye - A person who is envious of the possessions of others Look nuh! - An expression of annoyance Larveau - Patois. Pronounced lav-way. Oldtime calypso or song most of which were written in the minor keys. Las’ nail in de coffin - The last straw. The final act that causes a relationship to end. Latro - High woods, forest, think, dark, almost impenetrable. Lay Lay - To nag. Also to waste or fritter away time in meaningless activity. Lazy man wuk - Work. To do things in a slip-shod manner. To take short cuts on a job, thereby making it unsafe or look unfinished. Lef to me - If it was left to me. Len’ Han’ - An arrangement of mutual help. Lengt’ ah mih tongue - Unrestrained verbal abuse. A proper cussin’. Lickrish - Greedy for food. Insatiable appetite. To eat just for the sake of eating. Locho - Low man without ambition
Maco - A person who minds other people's business for the purpose of gossip. To spy on Macocious - A person having the trait of a maco Maga - Very thin, skinny Maljoe - Evil eye Mamaguy - To make fun of, to ridicule Mama Yo! - Expression denoting shock and surprise Maroon - A feast for people helping on a Job, like cutting cane or moving a house Matter Fix - Everything is well organized Mih han' slip - An expression used when too much of an ingredient is used Mooma - Mother Mout'er - A boaster Much up - To pamper, to butter up Muddah - Mother
Nah - No Nastiness - An expression of disgust applied to a good-for-nothing person Never see come see - Someone who has recently been exposed to something new and who overdoes it to ridiculous proportions Ning ning - Tired eyes Now fuh now - Instantly Nowherian - A person who does not have any fixed place of abode
Obzokee - Awkward in appearance, anything bent or twisted out of shape Oh geed! - An expression used when an offensive smell arises OH gosh! - An expressions denoting shock, surprise, indignation and admiration Oh gorm man! - An expressions denoting shock, surprise, indignation and admiration Oh shimps man! - An expressions denoting shock, surprise, indignation and admiration Ol' talk - Idle chatter, social chit-chat One set ah - A lot of anything Own-way - Stubborn person
Pappyshow -Not being serious. Joking around. Eg. boy yuh is ah pappyshow. Pallet - Frozen lolly Papa yo! - Exclamation of surprise Pesh - Money Pissin' tail - A person of no class or importance Planasse - To hit someone continuously with the flat part of a cutlass Playin' social - Someone who pretends to be of a higher social strata than they are Pong - Pound Po-po - Very small child, baby Poopa - Father Prim-prim - Disgustingly proper and formal Pussin - Kitten
Saraca -Sacrifice Saga boy/girl - Flashy dresser Shades - Sunglasses Shif' yuh carcass - Move over, get going Shub - Shove, move or cast aside Skinnin' yuh teet' - Grinning Skin up yuh nose - To turn up one's at anything Small Ting - it's not a big deal Sometimeish - Moody Strims - Shrimps Sweetdrink - A carbonated drink, soda Sweetie - Any confectionary Swell up yuh face - To look angry, to pout
Taebay - Someone who always like to start Confusion Tabanca - The forlorn feeling one gets when a love affair is over Tanty - Aunt Tight - Intoxicated, drunk, stoned T'ing - Thing To besides - Besides which Too-tool-bay - A confused state, in a daze, also head over heels in love Tot tots - Female breasts
Wah is De Scene - What's Up/How are you Doing? Wajang - A roudy, uncouth person Warap - A very weak mixture Well yes! - An expression of disbelief Whappen? - What's the matter with you? Wha-happenin' dey? - What's happening Whey - Where Whey yuh say? - What did you say Wotless - Might be used to describe a slightly naughty story
Yampee - Mucus, found in the corner of the eye You an' all - You too? You so - People like you Yuh faddah head - An expression of annoyance Yuh faddah is a glassmaker? - You are blocking my view Yuh hand have butter - When someone drops something being held Yuh look fuh dat - It's your own fault Yuh makin' joke! - You can't be serious Yuh Done Know - expression used when someone says something known to all. Yuh Sticking - to stay in one place for long period of time
