M

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

  • ma, maw
    [Pan-Creole; cf. Réunion Cr. Fr. ma idem (Chaudenson 1974:40); "etym. probably dual: cf. Twi mmá; woman, coinciding with a reduced form of ma'am or of ...
  • ma
    my. See muh. ...
  • macasee
    /mákasiy/ [etym. uncertain, but cf. Djuka máaka portent (Alleyne 39) and LA Fr. macandal African witchcraft (Germain 1976: 294), possibly influenced by Make I see ...
  • machet
    /machét, mashee /mashiyt, míshiyt/[Car.; from Sp. machete; cf. US /mashédi, Brit. /machet/] n. machete or cutlass, an agricultural knife up to three feet long: More ...
  • machinella
    See machineely. ...
  • mackabee
    /makabiy/ [etym? ] n. a plant, Abrus precatorius. = BEAD VINE, BLACK-EYED SUSAN, REM-EYE SUZY, (WILD) LICORICE (Rum Cay, San Sal.) ...
  • macko jack
    [cf. ALMACO JACK] n. a fish, probably Serbia rivoliana. (Andros, San Sal.) ...
  • madam
    [Trin. idem (Winer p.c.); cf. Haitian madanme wife (Faine 1974:248)] n. wife: He tell his madam (Eleu.). (Black)   ...
  • máddo
    /madow/ maddo take sick; muddows /módows/ [cf. MOTHER BLOOD; from mother /móda/ by hypercorrection of final syllable /-a/to /-ow/; cf. YALLER] intj. an exclamation of ...
  • maggidge
    /mágij/ [W Car.; "cf. EDD maghoges maggots...lrel., derived from maggot by change of -ts (of plur. form) to -ch. and voicing of -ch to -j" ...
  • maggot fish
    See MARGARET FISH ...
  • ma hoo
    [cf. yahoo! idem] intj., Obs? a call to gain attention: 1895 Dey call dis heagle. Dey say, "Ma hoo heagle!" (Edwards 70). ...
  • maid
    [cf. Belize meedn virgin (Dayley); OED idem obs. or arch.] n. virgin: 1966 If you don't gets maid [in marriage] you never know when a ...
  • maidenhead fern
    [OED different sp.] n. the asparagus fern, Asparagus plumosus. (Adelaide) ...
  • maiden pullet
    [W Car.] n. a young hen that has not yet laid eggs. (Nassau, Inagua) ...
  • mail: the mail
    [short for mailboat; cf. Kilo mels kloz 'mails close' i.e. no more mail is accepted by the post office after this specified time for transmission ...
  • mai-mai
    See MOI-MOI ...
  • main: the main, the mainland
    [cf. OED main elliptical for mainland, arch.; the Main (from Spanish Main) is still used in MCC for Central America and in Trio, for South ...
  • maingrow
    See MANGRO ...
  • maingrow chicken
    [cf. MANGRO, MAINGROW mangrove] n. the mangrove coot, Gallinula chloropus, a water fowl. = RED-SEAL COOT (Nassau, Mayag.) ...
  • main squeeze
    [US Black idem (Roberts)I n. principal girlfriend. (Black) ...
  • majority, majoritcher
    cf. OED majority superior-ity, pre-eminence obs,→1741] n. a person of wealth and social position: 1918 All them high rich majoritchers (Parsons 128). De princess son ...
  • make
    /mek/v. [pronunciation Atlantic, US Black (Stanley 1941:4); also Brit. dial. North, West EDD] 1. [Atlantic; cf. Twi ma yε uŋkɔ (lit. make we go) let's ...
  • make a maze
    [cf. Gul. mek maze to show delighted surprise WSC; cf. OED maze a state of bewilderment obs, except dial] phr. 1. to be amazed: 1918 ...
  • make a monkey capers
    [cf. DAS monkey shines tricks, pranks; the allusion is clearly to 'monkey-face', perhaps through a misunderstanding of capers] phr. to grin broadly. (Gen.) ...
  • make fast
    [OED, fasten; probably from MAKE HASTE blending with make it fast, but cf. Haitian fè vit (lit, make fast) to hurry HCEFDI phr. to hurry up! ...
  • make haste
    /mekèys, mèkis/ [Atlantic; considered archaic in US] phr. to hurry up: 1895 De woman say, "Make haste! Come here!" (Edwards 97). 1918 When the old ...
  • make him know
    [Car. "ellipt. from make one know (what's what, who's the boss, or the like)" DJE] phr. to scold, punish. (Black) ...
  • make it
    in the phrase: If you make it, you make it; if you break it, you break it [cf. US slang make it succeed DAS] phr. ...
  • make up
    [W Car.; Gul. idem (Parsons 1923:108); cf. OED, formerly to lay and light (a fire) obs.→1801, now to add fuel to (a fire already burn-ing)] ...
  • make up your face
    [Car.; cf. OED make up to arrange (the features) so as to produce a particular expression, e.g. to make up one's mouth (now US); cf. ...
  • make your break
    cf. Trin, make yuh play do what you have to do (Ottley 18)] phr. to seize an opportunity to do what one has been wanting ...
  • make
    conj. [Pan-Creole; "ellipt. from wa mek why?" DJE; cf. Fr. Cr. ki fer (lit, what makes?) why? (Bickerton 1981:71) and Yoruba kíl'ó se (lit, what caused) why? ...
  • malafee
    [Gul. idem (Parsons 1923:xxi); cf. also Car. Sp. malafo aguardiente (Álvarez Nazario 1974:217); cf. also Gul. malawu whiskey, any alcoholic beverage; cf. Kongo, kikongo, tshiLuba ...
  • mally bump
    [etym?] n. a bump on the head. cf. CAMALLY, PAMALLY (Andros, San Sal.) ...
  • mama
    /máma/, mammy /mámi/ [cf. Car, máama, máami idem "cf. Twi mmá, mmaa woman, coinciding with English mamá or US máma" DJE; cf. also SA mama ...
  • mamlit
    /mámlit/ [cf. DJE marmalet (p. 289); cf. OED marmalade with forms ending in -t until 1700's from Italian marmellata; cf. US dial. South momlet ADD] ...
  • mammee, mammee apple
    [Car.; cf. Sp. from Taino mamey idem] n. a fruit tree, Mammea americana: 1788 Mammee (Mammea americana) (Schoepf 307). 1976 The big, sprawling mammie trees, ...
  • mammee sapota, mammee supporter
    /mámi sapówta/ [Atlantic; from Sp. from Taino mamey + Sp. zapote sapodilla from Nahuatl tzapotl idem] n. a fruit tree, Calocarpum mammosum: 1946 Mammee sapota. ...
  • man
    n. 1. [Atlantic; cf. US Black "man as term of address; cf. similar use of Mandingo cε man" (Dalby 1972.182) and Scots man, mon CSD; ...
  • manchineedle, manchineely
    (Andros); manjaneedle (Mayag.); marchin' eel (White); machinella (Nassau); machineel [cf. Car, manjeneel etc. idem; cf. OED forms manchinello, machineel from Sp. manzanilla, diminutive of manzana ...
  • maneet
    See MANITA JACK ...
  • manella
    [cf. DIE malela, manila idem "fr. Manila fibre used for rope, etc."] n. the fibre of sisal, Agave sisalana, or similar sp. used for rope, ...
  • mangle
    n. 1. [OED idem —>1885, from Sp. mangle mangrove] the mangrove tree, Rhizophora mangle: 1788 The mangle-tree...grows every-where along the shores (Schoepf 309). = MANGRO ...
  • mangola
    [cf. Haitian mãgo-la that mango; the fruit itself is said to come from Haiti] n. a variety of mango that is large, sweet, purple to ...
  • mango snapper
    (Andros, Eleu.); maingra snapper (Mayag.) [cf. W3 mangrove snapper idem; cf. MANGRO] n. a fish, Lutjanus griseus. = GREY SNAPPER ...
  • mangro
    /mánggrow, mánggra; méynggrow, méynggra; máynggra/ n. 1. [cf. Atlantic /mángrow/; cf. OED mangrowe mangrove 1613] the mangrove tree, Rhizophora mangle: 1978 A mangro pond (Dupuch ...
  • mangrove coot
    [from its habitat] n. a water bird, Gallinula chloropus: 1972 (Patterson 52). = MAINGROW CHICKEN, RED-SEAL COOT (Gen.) ...
  • mangrove swamp vine
    [from its habitat] n. a woody plant, Rhabdadenia paludosa: 1920 (Britton 337). (San Sal.)   ...
  • mangy-head
    /méynji hed/ [cf. OED mangy having the mange, from the loss of hair caused by this disease, perhaps influenced by Common Bantu *-pánjà baldness, e.g. ...
  • man head
    [etym?] n. the constrictor snake. (Andros) ...
  • man-hole
    [OED, opening in a floor, pavement.., through which a man may pass to gain access] n. a small door in a ceiling giving access to ...
  • manhood years
    [cf. OED manhood the state of being a man, as opposed to childhood; cf. BOY DAYS boyhood] n. (of men) adulthood: 1977 My early manhood ...
  • manita jack
    /maníyta jak/, maneet /maníyt/ [cf. DJE bonito jack /baníita jak/ the bonito fish] n. a fish (sp?), a dark variety of jack. (San Sal.) ...
  • manjack (1)
    (Inagua, San Sal.); main jack (Eleu.)[cf. US Black main man favorite male friend (Major) and JACK friend, perhaps influenced by Brit. every man jack everyone ...
  • manjack (2)
    monojack, mong-jack [etym?] n. a worthless variety of sponge. (Black) ...
  • mannish
    [Car.; also US Black (Claerbaut); cf. Brit. dial. North idem, of a youth: aping manhood, overbearing, blustering EDD] adj. bold, impudent: 1971 Gal hush ya ...
  • man-o'-war
     [cf. Krio manawá wasp sp. (Hancock p.c.)] n. a stinging insect (sp?). (Inagua, White) ...
  • manteen
    [thought to be African, but etym. unknown] n. a young girl: 1966 (Crowley 24).   ...
  • many
    [by hypercorrection of MUCH many] adj. much: I have so many money, I don't know what to do with it (Crowley 96). (Inagua, San Sal.) ...
  • maple
    [name from unrelated Brit., US genus Acer] n. a tree, Isacoria paniculata: 1905 (Shattuck 220). (Andros) ...
  • mara
    /mára/ murra /múra/ [cf. Gul. murrah mother (Gonzales 1922:314); cf. insulting connotation of US colloq. pronunciation mutha /módha/ as opposed to mother /módhar/, felt to ...
  • marbel
    ma-bull /mahbal/ [cf. OED marvel a cause of surprise, admiration or wonder; by /b, v/ alternation (cf. NABEL navel)] n. a monster: 1918 A great ...
  • march
    [OED, to go with a steady and regular movement] v. (of crawfish or crabs at mating time) to migrate: 1977 About once a year, usually ...
  • marcoby
    /mahkówbi/ [cf. Belize makobi love-lorn feeling (Young); etym?] n. the depression felt when one is abandoned by a lover. (Ragged) ...
  • marenga
    See MERENGUE. ...
  • margaret
    (fish), margret, margot, maggot, market [cf. DJE Margaret grunt idem; cf. W3 margate fish idem "perhaps from Margate, city in S.E. England"; DAE Margate fish ...
  • marigold
    [cf. Car. marigold (Wedelia sp.) DJE; from resemblance of its yellow flowers to those of the Brit., US genus Calendula] n. 1. a plant, Wedelia ...
  • mark
    v. I. [OED, to put a mark upon] (of mothers) to disfigure the unborn child by looking at a picture of a disfigured person: 1966 ...
  • market bird
    [cf. MORGAN] n. a bird (sp?): Market bird have long legs and long bill (Exuma). (Exuma, Nassau) ...
  • market fish
    See MARGARET. 1498. margaret ...
  • Marriage and Courtship
    The formalities of old-fashioned COURTENING have largely been replaced by a more casual approach. Instead of sitting with a girl in the HALL or PIAZZA ...
  • marriage life
    n. married life: I ask him how was marriage life; he say O.K. (Nassau). (Nassau, Inagua) ...
  • married
    [Atlantic; cf. prep. in MCC He married with her and Sp. Se casó con ella idem or Haitian li marye avèk li idem TDKF] v. ...
  • marry
    [cf. DJE II marrying the blending of rum of different kinds; by analogy] v. to pollinate (plants) by hand: 1977 Pumpkins were pollinated by hand, ...
  • marsh potato, mash potato
    [from its marshy habitat and potato-like tubers, influenced by mashed potatoes] n. a creeping plant (Ipomaea pea-caprae?). (San Sal., Nassau) ...
  • mash (up)
    v. 1. [Atlantic; cf. Brit. dial. North idem EDD; cf. US Black mash his face (i.e. strike) (Smiley 1919:365)] to strike, smash; to spoil, destroy: ...
  • masquerade face
    [cf. FACE mask] n. mask. (White) ...
  • masquerading
    [cf. DJE:310 "Masquerade is also used about John Canoe"; cf. Cayman march Christmas serenade (Fuller 1967:67)] n. a white Bahamian custom, possibly influenced by JUNKANOO; ...
  • massa
    See MASTER. ...
  • massa grass catch fire
    [cf. FIRE-BURNT] phr. said when a quarrel or fight starts. (gum Cay, San Sal.)   ...
  • massage boy
    /masij bohy/ [evidently from Scots message boy errand boy OED, in sense of attendant] n. a love-lorn boy who follows a girl around. (Eleu.) ...
  • mast
    [cf. BAMBOO MAST idem] n. the tall, flowering stem of the sisal plant: 1977 (Albury 17). ...
  • master, massa, mas'
    [cf. Car. maas(a) "formerly 'master', now 'Mr.', but rather more informal and even intimate; and toward older people, respectful" DJE; cf. Miskito masa sir (Vaughan-Warman) ...
  • mastic
     [OED, W3, DJE different sp.] n. a tree, Mastichodendron foetidissimum, with small orange-yellow fruit: 1977 (Patterson 53). (Gen.) ...
  • matches
    [Atlantic; from the plural] n. sing. or pl. match (to strike fire): 1918 Goin' look fur a matches to come back to ketch fire (Parsons ...
  • match-me-if-you-can
    (Gen.); match-ma-can (Adelaide) [see quot.] n. a plant: 1978 Match-me-if-you-can (Acalypha wilkesina var. macafeana). Grown as an ornamental shrub, Acalypha is noted for its brilliantly ...
  • matted gerania fly
    [etym?] n. a gnat-like insect (sp?). cf. BUMBLE FLY (Exuma) ...
  • matter
    [Car.; cf. OED, heed, mind obs.; cf. Brit dial. North, West matter to care about: "We did not matter his remarks" EDD]v. to worry about, ...
  • maul
     n. 1. [Gul. idern (Gonzales 1924:49); OED idem obs.; also US dial. South (Brown 1976)] a heavy wooden club or sledgehammer: 1918 Jack slyly take ...
  • maw
    See MA.   ...
  • Mayaguana
    /mèyagwána/ [cf. Antillean Sp. maya a plant (Bromelia pinguin) WFF and iguana lizard sp., both probably of Arawakan origin; cf. GUANA]n. a major island of the ...
  • May-bird
    [possibly from seasonal migration, but Cf. Scots May-bird the whimbrel (a water bird) CSD] n. the sea gull. = GULLY, LAUGHY, SEA-GULF (Crooked) ...
  • May-flower tree
    [from its blossoming in May and June] n. the poinciana tree, Poinciana regia. = EMPIRE FLOWERS, SHAKER TREE, TOURIST TREE (Black) ...
  • Maypole
    n. 1. [cf. DJE II Maypole "Agave ameri-cana, which shoots up a flowering spike about fifteen feet high, thought to resemble a May pole"] a ...
  • maze
    See MAKE A MAZE. ...
  • me (1)
    /mi/ preverbal marker. [cf. W Car. mi, me(n) (Holm 1982:1:5), Jam. min, men (Bailey 1966: 140) idem; from BEEN by nasalization of the initial bilabial ...
  • me (2)
     /miy/ pron. [Pan-Creole; although variously attributed to English me (cf. Brit. dial. Mid me unemphatic form of the nominative EDD), Fr. moi, Sp. or Port. ...
  • me-ack
    /miyák/ [etym. uncertain, but cf. nautical yak dirt or refuse of any kind DSS, and US slang yuck exclamation of disgust BDNE II] n. 1. ...
  • me-acky
     /miyáki/ [cf. ME-ACK + -y forming adj.] adj. (of food) soggy, disgusting. cf. SOBBY (Cat)   ...
  • me and you
    [Car.; US Black (Major); a calque: cf. Twi me ne wo (lit. me and you) idem (Aboagye p.c.)] n. phr. threat of a fight: 1940 Grab ...
  • meet
    [also Guy. (Bickerton 1981:113), Gul. (Parsons I923:xvii); OED idem obs.→1772, also Brit. dial. EDD; this may have converged with usage influenced by e.g. Yoruba bá ...
  • mental power
    n. willpower, strength of character: Children who feel that they should not be responsible for their aging parents suffer from a lack of mental power ...
  • merengue, meranga, marengo
    /maréyngga, maréynggi/ [Atlantic; cf. Krio maringa idem KED; "from American Sp. merengue, a dance introduced in Puerto Rico in 1842" DJE; Alvarez Nazario (1974:322) suggests ...
  • mesef, masef
    [cf. ME2 2 my + SEF self] refl. pron. myself; 1936 (Dupuch 125): I done finish it masef fore I leave (Nassau). (Gen.) ...
  • Miamuh
    /mayáma/ [from an older Floridian pro-nunciation losing ground to /mayámiy/; cf. ADD -y] n. Miami (Florida): 1936 Muh brudder Rufus . . .jus' cum from ...
  • mice (1)
    [Atlantic; from the irregular plural form (cf. TEET') n. sing. or pl. mouse: A mice is a baby rat (Nassau). (Gen.) ...
  • mice (2)
    [cf. MOIST mildew, by the sound shifts in hice hoist, i.e. /ohy/ to /ay/ with simplification of final consonant cluster] n. mildew (Eleu.) ...
  • mickleberry
    [cf. MUCKLEBERRY possibly influenced by Scots muckle, mickle large CSD] n. a plant, Myrica cerifera, or its fruit: 1910 (Northrop 149). = WAXBERRY (Black) ...
  • middle-day
    [Atlantic; also Gul. ADD; cf. Brit. dial. West idem EDD] n. midday, noon. (Black) ...
  • might could, mighta coulda
    [cf. Jam. maita kyan (Bailey 1966:45); also Gul. ADD; "I might could do it occurs in certain northeastern English, southern Scottish, and southern American varieties" ...
  • might haddy (do something)
    v. phr. might have (had) to: 1940 I might haddy take it (Dupuch 16). (Eleu.) ...
  • milk: you still got milk round your mouth
    [by comparison to a suckling babe] phr. You are still immature (a disparaging remark to a teenager). (Gen.) ...
  • milkberry
    [cf. OED milk a milk-like juice or sap secreted by certain plants + berry] n. a shrub, Bumelia sp., with small black fruit: 1920 Milkberry ...
  • milk tree
    [OED, W3, DJE different sp.] n. a tree, Euphorbia gymnonota: 1977 (Patterson 37). (San Sal.) ...
  • milkweed (vine)
    [OED, DIE different sp.] n. 1. a plant, Asclepias curassavica: 1889 (Gardner 392). = RED HEAD 2. a plant, Plumeria obtuse: 1910 (Northrop 175). = ...
  • milkwood
    [OED, W3, DIE different sp.] n. a tree, Plumeria obtusa: 1977 (Patterson 61). = MILKWEED 2 (Gen.) ...
  • mill-grinder
    [redundant; cf. Holm 1978:120 and HAND-GLOVE, ROCK-STONE] n. a mill, especially a pepper mill. (Eleu.) ...
  • mi-mi
    See MOI-MOI ...
  • mince
    v. 1. [OED, to chop up (meat, etc.) or grind small with a knife or mincing machine] to shred (e.g. crab meat, fish) with a ...
  • mind: my mind tell me
    [also Trin. (Ottley 71), Gul. (Rhame 1933:41); cf. also my mind give me idem in Guy. (Yansen 39), Krio (Hancock p.c.); a calque: cf. Yoruba ...
  • mines
    [Car.; US Black (Burling 50); cf. Scots mine's idem EDD] poss. pron. mine: Hey man, i's like this: this is mines an you ain't get ...
  • minnie
    [also Brit. dial. Mid, West EDD: US dial. DARE] n. minnow. (Exuma) ...
  • mint vine
    n. a plant (sp?): 1977 For upset stomach mint tea, made from the mint vine, is a good soother (Albury 83). (San Sal., Nassau) ...
  • mirray
    /miréy (Inagua); mírey (Mayag.)/ [cf. DJE/ /more, mare/idem; W3 moray] n. the moray eel. ...
  • Miss
    See MISSY. ...
  • mishap(s)
    [OED mishap an unlucky accident; Brit. dial. North, Mid mishap miscarriage EDD] n. miscarriage: 1966 (Otterbein 60). Mary had a mishaps in her six mont ...
  • Miss Boss
    See BOSS LADY ...
  • miss and do something
    [cf. Scots miss but to fail to, to avoid CSD] v. phr. to do something accidentally: If ya miss an' break a egg, da's seven ...
  • Miss Jennie Jones
    n. a girl's game: 1977 (Albury 103). ...
  • Miss Palmer and her five daughters
    [cf. US slang "see Madame Hand; see Madame Thumb and her forur daughters" idem (Claire 29); cf. PALMING masturbation, and Palmer and surname] phr. masturbation: ...
  • missus
    [cf. MISTRESS; cf. also US dial, the missus wife ADD] n. a polite term of address to a woman; lady, wife: 1880 I was 'fered ...
  • Missy, Miss
    /mis, miz/ [Car.; US dial. idem; from shortening of mistress] n. a title of respect used with a woman's first or last name, whether or ...
  • Mister Grunduv
    See MR. GRUNDUV ...
  • Mister
    /místa/ Missa /mísa/ [Car.; also US dial. ADD] n. a polite title of respect also used with a man's first name: 1895 She hax Miste' ...
  • mistletoe
    [OED, W3, DJE different sp.] n. a plant, Dendropemon sp.: 1910 (Northrop 150). (Exuma, Inagua) ...
  • Mistress
    [Car.; OED, used vocatively (obs. exc. arch.) or as a title of courtesy (in early use also with the Christian name) of a married woman, ...
  • misty grouper
    n. a fish, Epinephelus mystacinus: 1968 (Böhlke 278). (Black) ...
  • mix 'erbs
    /miks oybz/ [the standard pronunciation of herbs is with /h/ in Brit., without it in the US] n. an assortment of edible herbs and vegetables ...
  • mix fool with sense
    [cf. FOOL n. foolishness] v. phr. to attempt to deceive someone by interspersing lies with the truth. (Exuma, San Sal.) ...
  • mix plait
    n. a style of weaving STRAW1. = SHINGLE AND LARD. (Crooked) ...
  • mixtured
    [from (racial) mixture + -ed as in textured but cf. also OED mixture v. obs. rare, refl. to mix or mingle oneself with, 1582 only, ...
  • mix-up
    [Car.; from (racially) mixed + up] adj. racially mixed. (Black) ...
  • modern man
    [cf. US Black mondo man idem; from the name of a magazine] n. a male homosexual (youth slang): 1974 (King 26). ...
  • moi-moi
    /mohy mohy/; mai-mai, mi-mi /may-may [cf. Krio maymoy Nigerian bean dish, from Yoruba moimoi idem KED; cf. also Ibo moimoi peeled, ground black-eyed peas boiled ...
  • mois'
    [cf. moist and Scots muist mouldiness CSD] n. mildew. = MICE (San Sal.) ...
  • mojo
    /mowjow/ [cf. Gul moco idem, from Fula moco'o medicine man (Turner 1949:198); cf. also US Black "mojo: originally 'magic spell, charm, amulet' (including 'spell cast ...
  • molasses
    [OED, syrup obtained from sugar in the process of refining] n. a syrup obtained from boiling down the juice of watermelon, grapefruit, or guava and ...
  • mole
    [Atlantic; also Gul. (Parsons 1923:198); cf. OED mould idem, now dial.] n. the fontanelle or soft top of an infant's cranium: 1904 Soak the "mole" ...
  • molest
    /mowles/ [W. Car.; OED item obs. →1726] v. to annoy: If you don't molest my dog, my dog won't molest you (Nassau). (Gen.) ...
  • Molly Miller
    [etym?] n. a fish: 1905 Labrisomus nuchipinnis (Shattuck 319). 1968 Blennius cristatus (Bohlke 564). (Inagua, San Sal.) ...
  • momma-gut
    [from its bulging belly] n. a fish, Bathygobius soporator, which lives in tidal pools: 1978 (Campbell 94). ...
  • money
    [cf. OED monies in legal parlance or arch.] count n. a sum of money (used especially by children): Give me another money (Nassau). (Black) ...
  • money bat
     [cf. BAT moth; from the spots on its wings resembling coins] n. a large, dark brown moth (sp?): Money bat is the obeah bat. That ...
  • monk around
    [W Car.; also US dial. South ADD; cf. US slang monkey around idem DAS] v. phr. to tamper with something; to spend a great deal ...
  • monkey apple
    [MCC, KED, OED, W3 different sp.] n. a tree, Annona palustris, or its fruit: 1889 (Gardner 363). (Inagua) ...
  • monkey fiddle
    [W Car.; "Smooth, round stem, two pieces of which, when rubbed against each other, produce a pleasant sound as of a fiddle" DJE] n. a ...
  • monojack
    See MANJACK ...
  • monkey tambran
    [DJE II idem; cf. TAMBRAN tamarind] n. a shrub (Lysiloma sp?) with small fruit; it causes itching: 1880 The Jamaica tamarind tree is sometimes called ...
  • moo
    [from move, by an irregular loss of the final consonant possibly resulting from /v, w/ alternation] v. to move: 1936 De mooin' pitchers... d' show ...
  • moon, moonbread
    [cf. OED moon a circular figure (like the full moon)] n. a round loaf of JOHNNY-CAKE: 1963 "Dis moonbread," he said. We calls it moon ...
  • moon-full
    [W Car.] n. the time of the full moon: The moon-full is when the moon come out big-big and round (Nassau). (Black) ...
  • moonshine
    [W Car.; cf. Caymans moon-child, MCC moon-calf idem; cf. OED moon-calf a misshapen birth, a monstrosity obe or arch.; there is a Bah. folk belief ...
  • moonshine
    [Atlantic; OED idem, now rare or poet.] n. moonlight: 1977 When you pass, is moonshine night (Shilling 146). (Gen.) ...
  • moonshine baby
    [Atlantic; cf. MOONSHINE moonlight + baby; from the circumstances of the game] n. a children's game: 1976 For days children collected a quantity of broken ...
  • moray
    See MIRRAY. ...
  • morden, modren
    [cf. US dial. South modren idem (Brown 1976); by metathesis] adj. modern. (Black) ...
  • more'n
    [from more than but cf. DJE na than, from Scots na, nor idem; this may represent a single-morpheme calque of an earlier form pass of ...
  • morgan
    [etym?] n. the great blue heron, Ardea herodias: 1972 Morgan. . Abaco only (Paterson 21). = ARSENICKER Cf. MARKET BIRD (White) ...
  • morning flower
    [OED different sp.; from time of flowers' opening] n. a plant, Ipomeae purpurea, with purplish flowers. (Black) ...
  • morning-glory bush
    [from the resemblance of its lavender flowers to Brit., US morning glories] n. a shrub, Iponteae carnea: (Hannau 22). (Gen.) ...
  • morning-morning!
    phr. And good morning to you! (in response to "[Good] morning!"). (Nassau) ...
  • mortar
    [Car.] n. the native mortar, an upright log with one end hollowed out to contain grain, which is pounded with a wooden club. = MAUL ...
  • Mortar heavy in the pestle
    [by logical reversal] phr. Things are bad (in response to "How are you?"). (Inagua) ...
  • morton cotton
    [etym?] n. a shrub (sp?) used in infusions for upset stomachs. (Andros, Adelaide) ...
  • mos'en
    [cf. OED the most thing that the chief thing that, what... most obs. except dial.] pron. what, . .most: Mos'en I use ta care for ...
  • Moses berry
    [etym?] n. a shrub (sp?) or its edible black berries. (Black) ...
  • mos'les, mostliest
    /mówsles/ [evidently from mostliest, influenced by MOS'EN, MOST pron., and MOSTEST] pron. most; what ...most: He got the mos'les (Eleu.). The mostliest they was trading ...
  • mosquito bush
    [DJE different sp.] n. a shrub, Cassia biflora, with yellow flowers and brown pods: 1920 (Britton 167). (Inagua, San Sal.) ...
  • most
    /mows/ adv. 1. [OED idem obs.; also dial. in Brit. EDD, US ADD] almost (can occur at the end of a sentence 1918 De devil ...
  • mostest
    [from most + -est marking superlative (cf. WORSEST); also US dial. ADD] adv. or adj. most: 1895 Who could dive de mostest could have de ...
  • mother blood
    [cf. US Black motherfouler etc. (Major); from mincing of motherfuck(er)] intj. an exclamation of surprise or annoyance; also mother blues, mother fathers, mother foot; Mother ...
  • motion
    [OED, a gesture acquired by training obs. →1809] n. dance movement: I did all sorts of motions on the floor (COB). Show me your motion! ...
  • mou
    /maw / [Scots idem CSD] n. mouth: That was just people talkin' out their mou' (Long). cf. MOU(TH) STASH ...
  • mourners' bench
    [cf. DJE mourning table; cf. Gul., US Black mourners' bench idem ADD; OED, US "Persons on the 'anxious seat' at 'revival' meetings are technically termed ...
  • mouth
    /mawt/ [OED, exterior opening of the mouth; aperture for filling] n. 1, the mouth and chin: 1940 All dese marble-head, twis-face, box-mout peepul (Dupuch). cf. ...
  • mouth
    See PUT (THE) MOUTH ON, PUT YOUR MOUTH IN. ...
  • mouth music
    /máwt myùwzik/ n. 1. [DJE idem; cf. Reunion Cr. Fr. mizik la bus idem (Chauden-son 1974:124)] the mouth organ or harmonica. (Grand Bah.) 2. the ...
  • mouth-stash
    /mawt stash/ [Car.; from moustache. by folk etym.: cf. MOU mouth] n. moustache, (Nassau) ...
  • move
    [W Car.] n. movement: That same move [of the body] (Nassau). (Black) ...
  • move out my face
    v. phr. Get out of my sight; get out of my way. (Andros, Adelaide) ...
  • Mr. Grunduv
    /místa gróndav/ [from GROUND-DOVE, apparently from portrayal of Holy Ghost as a dove] n. a mythical being worshipped by children in make-believe religious services with ...
  • much
    [cf. Atlantic how much how many; cf. OED much used with a plural noun taken collectively obs.→ 1719 and much people obs. 1611; cf. also ...
  • muckleberry
    [cf. MICKLEBERRY, MUCKLE BUSH] n. a shrub (sp?) or its small black berries. (Gen.) ...
  • Mud: the Mud
    [cf. OED mud mire, sludge] n. the shallow sponging waters west of Andros or, among Eleutherans, a similar area off Eleuthera: 1966 (Otterbein 2). 1978 ...
  • muddows
    See MADDO ...
  • muddy-brown, muddy
    adj. (of persons) having a medium dark complexion. (Nassau) ...
  • mudgut
    [from the foul-smelling sludge in its belly] n. a variety of parrot fish. (Andros, Exuma) ...
  • mug
    [Car.; Brit. dial. North idem OED] n. a pitcher or jug. (Gen.) ...
  • mug: put somebody in the mug
    [cf. DJE II mugangle mughandle: to hold or sling a girl by the arm; cf. slang mug face OED, and mugg to assault by crushing ...
  • muh, ma
    /ma/ pron. [cf. Bajan simmah see me (Collymore 116)] me: 1966 I know you going kill muh (Crowley 51). You shoulda see ma in Town ...
  • mull(ed) tomato
    [cf. OED mull to make (wine, beer, etc.) into a hot drink with the addition of sugar, spices, beaten yolk of egg, etc. I n. ...
  • muma, mummer
    /múma/; mumi [cf. Car. muma; cf. Brit. dial. North mummy /múmi/ idem] n. an affectionate term of address for one's mother: 1917 Don't grieve, mummer, ...
  • muma bredda
    [W Car.; from muma mother('s) + bredda brother] n. the maternal uncle, who often has a special role in the upbringing of his sister's children. ...
  • Mundingo
    [cf. DJE Mandingo and OEDS II Mandingo, Manding, Mundingo, Mandinka, Malinke, Mande idem] n. also used attributively, Obs. the Mandingo-speaking people of West Africa: ...
  • murra
    See MARA ...
  • Music
    Today young Bahamians JAM and BOOGIE to the disco, rock and reggae music heard from New York to Kingston. The traditional music of the Bahamas ...
  • music box
    [W Car, record player; W3 idem (regional?)] n. jukebox, (Eleu.) ...
  • music tree
    [from the musical noise made by the dried seed pods shaking in the wind] n, a tree, Albizzia lebbek: 1827 The "music" or "singing tree" ...
  • musket; musked
    /músked/ [ etym? ] n. a very prickly variety of pineapple. = CUBA (Exuma, Andros) ...
  • must be
    See MUSSY ...
  • mussy, mussa, must be
    /mósi/ [Car.; cf. DJE mosi, Gul. "Oonuh mus'be t'ink..." (Gonzales 1924:12); from must be or must have in speculative sense] adv, apparently; probably: 1936 He ...
  • mutton
     [cf. Vir. idem (Roy 1974), Jam, goat mutton idem (Cassidy p.c.); OED mutton the flesh of sheep used as food] n. the meat of goats, ...
  • mutton-of-the-sea
    [from supposed resemblance of its meat to mutton] n. the hawksbill turtle or its meat: 1977 Hawksbill. . meat, known as the mutton of the ...
  • mutton pepper
    [cf. MUTTON goat's meat ] n, goat pepper (Capsicum sp.) with roundish, yellow, hot fruit. (Adelaide) ...
  • my dear, muh dear
    [cf. Brit. any dear fellow (upper-class Victorian)] phr. an affectionate term of address used between men. (Mayag., Inagua) ...
  • my goody!
    [cf. my God! weakened to goody intj. used especially by children to express delight W3, influenced by my goodness! and perhaps Lord!, LORDY!] intj. an ...
  • my-owns
    [cf. Gul. my-own idem ADD, and MINES mine] pron. mine. cf. OWN (Eleu )  ...
  • myrtle bush, muckle bush
    /mókl/ [cf. Gul. mukkle myrtle (Gonzales 1922:314); note medial /kl/ corresponding to standard /tl/ in Jam. and Brit. dial. (DJE:lix) and Bah., US South brickly ...