The Dialect of the West of England; Particularly Somersetshire Part 5

_West_ of the Parret this insect is called _wock-web_, oak-web, because it infests the _oak_, and spins its web on it in great numbers.

Chaity. _adj_. Careful; nice; delicate.

To Cham. _v. a._ To chew.

Chamer. _s._ A chamber.

Change, _s._ A s.h.i.+ft; the garment worn by females next the skin.

Chay'er. _s._ A chair; chayer--_Chaucer_.

Chick-a-beedy. _s._ A chick.

'Chill. I will.

Chim'ley. _s._ A chimney.

Chine. _s._ The prominence of the staves beyond the head of a cask. This word is well known to coopers throughout England, and ought to be in our dictionaries.

To Chis'som. _v. n._ To bud; to shoot out.

Chis'som. _s._ a small shoot; a budding out.

Chit'terlins. _s. pl._ The frills around the bosom of s.h.i.+rt.

Choor. _s._ A job; any dirty household work; a troublesome job.

Choor'er, Choor'-woman. _s._ A woman who goes out to do any kind of odd and dirty work; hence the term _char-woman_ in our polished dialect; but it ought to be _choor-woman_.

To Choory. _v._ To do any kind of dirty household work.

Chub'by. _adj._ Full, swelling; as _chubby-faced_.

Claps, _s._ A clasp.

To claps, _v. a._ To clasp.

Clavy and Clavy-piece. _s._ A mantel-piecce.

[_Clavy_ was probably given to that piece of wood or other material laid over the front of the fireplace, because in many houses the keys are often hung on nails or pins driven into it; hence from _clavis_ (Latin) _a key_, comes _clavy_, the place where the keys are hung.]

Clavy-tack. _s._ The shelf over [tacked on to] the mantel- piece.

Clear-and-sheer. _adv._ Completely; totally.

Cleve-pink. _s._ A species of Carnation which grows wild in the crannies of Cheddar-cliffs: a variety of the _Dianthus deltoides_; it has an elegant smell.

To Clim, to Climmer. _v. a._ To climb; to clamber.

Clin'kers. _s.pl._ Bricks or other earthy matter run into irregular shapes by action of heat.

Clinker-bell. _s._ An icicle.

Clint. _v.a._ To clench; to finish; to fasten firmly.

Cliver-and-s.h.i.+ver. _adv._ Completely; totally.

c.l.i.t. _v. n._ To be imperfectly fermented: applied to bread.

c.l.i.t'ty. _adj._ Imperfectly fermented.

Clize. _s._ A place or drain for the discharge of water regulated by a valve or door, which permits a free outlet, but no inlet for return of water.

Coase. _adj._ Coa.r.s.e.

Coathe. _v. a._ To bane: applied to sheep.

Cob-wall, _s._ Mud-wall; a wall made of clay mixed with straw.

c.o.c.kygee. _s._ c.o.c.kagee; a rough sour apple.

c.o.c.klawt. _s._ A garret; c.o.c.k-loft.

Originally, most probably, a place where the fowls roosted.

c.o.c.k-squailing. _s._ A barbarous game, consisting in tying a c.o.c.k to a stake, and throwing a stick at him from a distance till he is killed.

c.o.c.k-and-Mwile. _s._ A jail.

Col'ley, _s._ A blackbird.

To Collogue, _v. n._ To a.s.sociate in order to carry out some improper purpose, as thieves. [Two such rascals _collogue_ together for mischief. Rob Roy, p. 319, ed. 1821.]

Collo'gin. _s._ (g _hard_). An a.s.sociation for some improper purpose.

[Johnson defines it _flattery; wheedling_; which does not convey the correct meaning.]

Colt-ale, _s._ (Sometimes called _footing_ or foot-ale) literally ale given, or money paid for ale, by a person entering on a new employment, to those already in it.

Comforts (comfits.) _s. pl._ Sugared corianders, cinnamon, &c.

Com'ical. _adj._ Odd; singular.

Contraption. _s._ Contrivance; management.

Coop. _interj._ Come up! a word of call to fowls to be fed.

To Cork. _v. a._ c.a.w.k; calk; to set on a horse's shoes sharp points of iron to prevent slipping on ice.