POLARI–ENGLISH DICTIONARY
(M–O)
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.
macho* 1 adj. [pertaining to] fish or fishing. 2 n. (pl. -ze. fish[es]). fish. 3 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to fish. [Roma. “matcho”.]
machoze-omi* n. (fem.: machoze-dona/-pelone, fisherwoman) fisherman. [Patterned on Pola. “strilez-omi”.]
madza variant of medza
maki* adj. cosmetic (maki reemolde, cosmetic or plastic surgery). [Backformation from Pola. “makiarjhio”, make-up.]
makiarjh = makiarjhio
makiarjhio* n. (always in sing.). make-up, cosmetics; see mouk. [Italianised Fr. pronunciation of “maquillage”.]
mandari* 1 n. order (all senses: krokesiz mandariz). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to order. [Truncation, in Anglicised pronunciation, of It. “comandare”.]
mang* 1 n. favo[u]r. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). [= mang a mang] to ask a favo[u]r. [Roma. “mang”, to beg.]
mank* 1 n. dirt. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to lack. [Backformation from following, conflated with Fr. “manquer”, to lack.]
manki adj. (a) bad, poor, tasteless; (b) dirty°, grubby°, squalid°; (c) rotten°; (d) smelly°, stinky°, stinking°. — fayk a manki chaumeni. to smell, to stink. [Eng. dial.; according to Chambers, the origin of “manky” is unknown, but according to Baker, it is from 1950s UK slang, possibly from Fr. “manqué”, failed, spoilt, wasted.]
manki-cheet* n. [bad] smell or odo[u]r, stink
mankimento* n. 1 (a) badness, poorness, tastelessness; (b) dirtiness, grubbiness, squalor; (c) rottenness; (d) smelliness, stinkiness, stench. 2 lack, shortness. — mankimentoing in. lacking in. hav a mankimento a. be short of
marjeri n. homosexual man; see beebee, mauli, mini. [Eng. Margery or Marjory, diminutive of Margaret, in the gay, esp. Gayle, tradition of using female names.]
marreer n. (always in sing.). semen, sperm (ordering marreer, ejaculate, cum; kerntrole a dhee ordering marreer, cum control). [Pola.]
marriklee* n. cake (marriklee fa dha nashing dives). [Roma. “manricley”, “maricli”, “merricley”.]
mart n. hand; see fambel. marteeni n. 1 [= marteeni a dha houzbenarjhio] band, ring (esp. wedding); see fambel-cheet. 2 hand° (esp. small and dainty). [Backformation from Pola. “mateeni”, perhaps from “martini”, the drink (see drei & sweet; i.e., “sweet and dry”); Baker suggests Fr. “main”, hand; cf., It. “martello”, hammer, a tool gripped by the hand, or “martellare”, to throb, of the pulse in one’s wrist.]
Martedi* n. Tuesday. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “martedì”.]
martha 1 adj. 1 passive. 2 gay. 2 n. mother°, mum° (yor akchwel martha, one’s biological mother). Martha takes a capital “M” as a term of address. [Corruption of Lat. “mater”, mother; also in homage to Martha in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as well as a nod to Gayle. The adj. meanings are gay slang, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola.]
marthichude* n. passivity
mart-kouv/a n. (pl. -ez). glove; see fambela. [Hybrid word: Pola. “mart” & Eng. “cover”, patterned on lali-kouvez.]
Martzo* n. March. [Corruption of It. “marzo”.]
mash* n. (pl. -iz). umbrella, brolly. [Roma., from cant.]
matlau/k 1 n. (pl. -x, teeth). tooth. 2 (pp./p. t. -kt, bit[ten]; -king gerund/pres. part.; -x 3rd pers.). to bite°, to chew° ([a k’uta a dha] matlauking goum, [a piece or stick of (chewing)] gum). [Pola. “matlock”; cf., It. “masticare”, to chew.]
matlauk-menda see fang-krokes
maularve/s* 1 n. (always in sing.). 1 tin (all senses). 2 can. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -rst; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to can, to tin (maularverst kanz, maularverst machoze). — a [dha] maularves. tin. [Roma. “mollauvis”, pewter.]
mauli 1 adj. pertaining to a homosexual man (mauli lingo, Molly slang). 2 n. homosexual man: Molly. [Eng., listed in Chambers (as a milksop) as well as Baker, a diminutive of Mary; cf. Eng. “moll”. Although unrelated, Yule lists “molly” or “mallee” as a gardener, quoting a (camp) “lady from the Bengal Presidency speak(ing) of the daily homage of the ‘Molly with his Dolly’ ” (575); i.e., a gardener with a fruit-basket.]
mauli-koul 1 n. homosexual. 2 (pp./p. t. -d, spoilt; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to mollycoddle°, to spoil° (a mauli-kould chavi). [Pola.]
maulti variant of moulti
maumlet* n. omelet. [A.-Ind. or Domestic Hind.]
mauntrel/l n. (pl. -z). (a) clock; (b) [wrist-]watch. [Pola., from Fr. “montre”.]
mausko* n. (pl. -ze, flies). fly [entom.]. mausko a dha worta. mosquito. [Roma. “mosco”, “moshko”, from Lat. “musca”.]
May* n. May. [Eng.]
may/k* intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -kt, left, let; -king gerund/pres. part.; -x 3rd pers.). to let, to leave (all senses except “go”: mayk dha rookereeni, leave a note; Mayk ya moudha aun hir taud! Leave me alone!). — Mayk hir bee. Let it be. mayk oup. let up: subside. mayk ya moudha. let me. mayk ya moudhez. let us/let’s (Mayk ya moudhez plezzari hir. Let’s pleasure him or her.). [Roma. “mek”, “muk”, conflated with Eng. “make”.]
mayl/a* n. (pl. -ez). ass, donkey (shauka mayla). [Roma. “mailla”.]
May wee!* voc. Of course! Naturally! [Fr. “mais oui”.]
mazereen n. (a) platform or room below the stage; (b) platform° (all senses); mezzanine [floor]°; (c) [railway] platform°. [Corruption of Eng. “mezzanine”.]
medz/a 1 adj. medium, middle (Dha Medza Beshiz, The Middle Ages). 2 adj./adv. half (a medza tas, a half cup: half a cup; medza mounjarid, half eaten). 3 n 1 (pl. -ez. halves). [one] half (’unito/duito medza a, first/second half of; dui ann a medza, two and a half; dui cheimz ann a medza, two and a half hours. Dui medzes fayk dha chaulo. Two halves make a whole). 2 (rare pl. -ez). middle, midst. — medza bilaung. half [of] (medza bilaung a cheim, half an hour); see in cheim. in dha medza auv. in the middle or midst of: amidst. [Pola., from It. “mezza”, one half, “mezzo”, half.]
medza-dives* 1 adj. [= bilaung medza-dives] midday, noon. 2 n. midday, noon. — anti/arfta medza-dives. before/after midday or noon
medza-kenza* n. half a dozen or [one] half-dozen (medza-kenza a dha/bilaung kakeling fartz, half a doxen eggs).
medza-kerune n. half-a-crown: half-crown. [Baker writes “medzer caroon”.]
medza-medza* adv. half … half (akwa an pap, medza-medza, half water, half milk).
medza-mounjarid* adj. half-eaten
medza-nauchi* 1 adj. [= bilaung medza-nauchi] midnight. 2 n. midnight
medza-saulti* n. halfpenny
medza-tas* n. demi-tasse
medza-ten* n. heartland
medzin* 1 n. measure. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to measure. [Roma. “medisin”, confounded with Eng. “medicine” measure.]
mee* n. mile (dui meez, two miles). [Roma. “mea”.]
mee-bar* n. milestone
mei* adv. ever. meiar. forever, evermore (Dude-barz Ar Meiar); see in nix. [It. “mai”, conflated with Eng. “my”, as in “nix mei dauli”.]
mejh 1 adj. [pertaining to] money. 2 n. (pl. -iz. monies). 1 (a) money (kap a deorri a mejh, cost a lot of money); (b) (-iz, always in pl.) bill°. 2 currency (of a country). [Pola., from Eng. “measures”.]
mejhichude* n. (always in sing.). currency (concept of)
mejhiz-omi* n. (fem.: mejhiz-dona/-pelone, money-woman) money-man, banker. [Patterned on Pola. “strilez-omi”.]
Mekredi* n. Wednesday. [Anglicised pronunciation of Fr. “mercredi”.]
meloni* n. lightning. [Roma. “malúno”, “maloney”.]
memati* 1 n. hoe. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to hoe. [A.-Ind. “mamo(o)ty”, “momatty”; cf., Eng. “mattock”.]
memb/a* n. (pl. -ez). member (all senses). [Eng. “member”; cf., It. “membro”.]
membichud/e* n. (pl. -ze). membership
mem’ule* n. custom. [A.-Ind. “mamool”.]
mem’uli* adj. customary. [A.-Ind. “mamoolee”.]
mend/a, (pl. -ez) only as in matlauk-menda, the same as fang-krokes (which see)
-mentay* suff. marking the adv. form of adjs (e.g., bennimentay, well; kaudimentay, badly): -ly. Morphology as for -mento. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “ -mente”.]
-mento* suff. (n.-forming with adjs or pps) denoting the condition of being (e.g., bennimento, wellness; kaudimento, badness): -ance/-ence, -ness; see Morphology, above. Note that while most -mento ns do not have plural forms, context does allow for it. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “ -mento”.]
merri* adj. merry. [Eng.]
Merriken* 1 adj. pertaining to America, loosely, the United States of America: American. 2 n. [= Tem bilaung Merriken] [United States of] America. — bilaung Merriken. American (lingo bilaung Merriken, American English; narda kosha bilaung Merriken, un-American; [omi-/pelone-]chal bilaung Merriken, American). [Eng., corruption of “American”.]
Merriken-akwa* n. soda pop (US), soft drink (UK), lemonade
Merriken-poke* n. knuckleduster. [Calqued on Fr. “(coup-de-)poing américain”.]
meshigena variant of mishoogena
messeli* n. 1 table. 2 altar. 3 counter (dha messeli fa dha smelliz, the perfume counter). [Roma. “mensalli”, “messalli”; cf., Lat. “mensa”.]
metti n. (a) (-z, always in pl.). money; (b) tip°, gratuity°, baksheesh° (a betti metti, a small tip). — nanti mettiz. no money [to give]: penniless. [Pola., from Eng. “metal”.]
metz variant of metti
meyr* 1 n. death (Meyr in Vennis; meyr a meyr, die). 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, dead; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to die. meyrd. dead (dha meyrd kovze, the dead). — fayk meyrd. deaden. narda meyrd. eternal, immortal. [Roma. “mer”, “merava”; any association with Fr. “merde”, shit, is fanciful.]
meyrdimento* n. (always in sing.). deadness
meyrd-kove* n. dead person: corpse, cadavre
meyri 1 adj. Catholic° (meyri chal, Catholic; meyri rashi, Catholic religion: Catholicism); 2 n. 1 (a) masculine gay man; see mousel-meyri; (b) any gay man [facet.]. 2 Catholic gay man. 3 voc. [O] meyri! [Oh,] man!; (loosely) Oh, no! [Eng. “Mary”, in the gay, esp. Gayle, tradition of using female names (properly, not Pola. but general gay slang; Baker suggests it originated from Molly or US gay slang).]
meyrian = meyri
mili* num. (a) a or one thousand; (b) marker for the “thousands”, used in conjunction with laung (which see: mili dui laung deja, 1,020; chinka laung lepta laung mili, 15,000, etc.). Note that as mili means one thousand, “’una laung mili” is a pleonasm best avoided. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “mille”]
milioni* num. (a) a or one million; (b) marker for the “millions”, used in conjunction with laung (which see: daycha laung milioni, 10 million; chinka laung deja laung milioni dui laung jent chinka laung deja laung mili, 50,250,000, etc.). Note that as milioni means one million, “’una laung milioni” is a pleonasm best avoided. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “milione”]
milzermb’un/e* n. (pl. -ze). (a) story; (b) novel. milzermb’uneeni. novella. milzermb’unoni. epic, saga. [JB.]
mini 1 n. homosexual man; see mauli. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to walk (miniing in a sheesh fashen, mincing); (b) to tread°, to tramp° (mini aun enni wouniz loupez a dha pindroze, tramp or tread on someone’s toes). — mini oup. hop. [Pola.]
minit n. minute (of time)
mini-oup* n. hop
minj n. (pl. -iz). vagina (or pussy, fanny, etc.). [Eng. slang listed in Baker, who gives it as early 20th-century slang; however, Borrow (1874) lists “minge” & its variant “mintch”; properly, not Polari.]
minjarjhio* n. (always in pl. -ze). nasty, hurtful or malicious things said about someone: slander. [Calqued on Fr. “connerie”, bullshit, from “con”, c….]
mirr/a n. (pl. -ez). mirror. [Eng.]
mirrakulosa* adj. miraculous (mirrakulosa sho, miracle). [Eng.]
mirs* 1 n. (pl. -iz). (a) weapon; (b) (always in pl.). arms. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to arm. [Roma. “murces”, “mursior”.]
mish truncation of kemishen, a variant of kameesa (which see)
mishoogen/a 1 adj. crazy, insane, mad (properly, mishooga). 2 n. (pl. -ez). crazy or insane person: madman. — bee mishooga or mishoogena. be crazy, insane, mad or nuts. [Yidd. “meshuggeneh”, listed in Baker & Chambers.]
mishoogennichude* n. (always in sing.). craziness, insanity, madness
mobelay* adj. fickle. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “mobile”.]
mog/e 1 n. (pl. -ze). 1 lie, falsehood. 2 exaggeration°. mogeeni. white lie: fib (tray betti mogeeni, teensy-weensy lie). 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). 1 to lie, fib, mislead (moge tu, lie to: deceive, trick). 2 to exaggerate. moging. 1 (a) lying, false; (b) misleading. 2 exaggerating. moging omi. (fem.: moging pelone) liar (manki moging omi, dirty liar). — Ann nanti or no moge? Are you telling the truth? No [bull]shit? No kidding? You’re kidding [me]? Ann nanti or no moge! I’m telling [you] the truth! Honestly! You don’t say! Ar-u moging? Are you serious (i.e., lying)? [Pola. “mogue”. The expression “ann no moge!” is synonymous with “and no flies!”, raising the question whether “moge” is related to Fr. “mouche”, It. “mosca”, Russ. “mukha”, etc., fly, or whether “fly” is a pun on “lie”.]
moge-cheet* n. trick, deception. — fayk dha moge-cheet aun. trick, deceive, dupe
molee* n. curry (kindo molee, wet curry; trusni molee, dry curry). [A.-Ind. “moley”, a “kind of (so-called wet) curry used in the Madras Presidency” (Yule, 575).]
momento n. (pl. -ze). moment; (loosely) minute. — ’Una momento! Just a moment or minute! [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “momento”.]
mooft/a* n. (pl. -ez). box. mooftereeni. small box (mooftereeni fa dha groynarjhio, jewellery box; mooftereeni fa dha biliduze or rookez, letter-box). moofteroni. large box: chest, trunk (moofteroni for a/fa dha meyrd-kove, coffin, casket). [Roma. “mufta”.]
moomli* 1 adj. [pertaining to a] candle. 2 n. candle. [Roma. “moomli”, “mumli”.]
moomli-glima* n. (a) candle-light; (b) lantern
moomli-kaush* n. (a) candlestick, candelabrum; (b) (-iz) candelabra
mootzi* 1 adj. [pertaining to] skin. 2 n. skin. [Roma. “mutzi”.]
mor* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, ground: mord jarva, ground coffee; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to grind. [Roma. “moar”; cf., “morro”, ground: bread.]
mormousti* n. nurse. mormousti fa dha martha. midwife. [Roma. “mormusti”, midwife.]
Moro adj. Islamic, Muslim (Moro chal, Muslim; Moro rashi, Muslim religion: Islam). [Anglicised pronunciation of It./Sp. “moro” (Yule wrote that “Moro is still applied at Manilla to the Musulman Malays” [582]); cf., Eng. “Moor”.]
moto* 1 adj. [pertaining to a] motor or engine. 2 n. (pl. -ze). motor, engine. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “moto”, motion, motor (in combination).]
moudh/a 1 n. (pl. -ez). mother (restricted use); see martha. 2 pron. (a) I; (b) me, myself. — [ya] moudha. used in 3rd person: (a) I [orig. joc.]; (b) [to] me [orig. joc.]. [ya] moudhez. 1 used in 3rd person singular: (a) my; (b) mine. 2 used in 3rd person plural. 1 (a) we; (b) us. 2 (a) our; (b) ours. — [ya] moudhez. my or our place. [ya] moudhez self. (a) myself; (b) ourselves. [Eng. Moudha is used in the widest possible sense, often facetiously (e.g., “Shall I be mother?”, often said by a (gay or, sometimes, straight) host when offering to pour the tea).]
moufe/l* 1 n. (pl. -rlz). wipe. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -rld; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to wipe. moufeling cheet. napkin, serviette (moufeling cheet fa dhee eesaung, handkerchief; moufeling cheet fa dha loulebei-cheet, diaper [US], napkin [UK]). moufeling cheeteeni. tea-towel. moufeling cheetoni. [bath] towel; see fogel. [From cant “muffling cheet”, napkin.]
mouj n. (pl. -iz). hat (esp. functional). [Pola.]
mouk n. (always in sing.). stage make-up; see makiarjhio. [Eng. “muck”, from theatre slang, conflated perhaps with Fr. “maquillage”; properly, not Pola.]
moulti 1 adj./adv. (a) many (with countable ns: moulti cheimz, many a time, many times, often[times], frequent); (b) much (with uncountable ns); (c) (i) a lot (a moulti bauberi, a helluva racket; fayk dha moulti parniz, cry a lot); (ii) a lot of (varda moulti dha vardering vakarya, watch a lot of television); (d) very; see tray2. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to collect. moultiar. more (with ns: moultiar skirtz, more fun). moultiar dhan. more than. moultiarst. most (with ns: moultiarst skirtz, most fun). [Pola., from It. “molto”; cf., Fr. slang “moult”.]
moultiarjhio* n. collection (moultiarjhio a jarx, stamp collection)
mounj 1 adj. (a) dark°, obscure° (mounj chovi, back- or dark-room: “back slum”); (b) murky°. 2 n. (always in sing.). (a) darkness, obscurity°; (b) murkiness°. [Pola. Gays are not the only group to use a “mounj chovi”; Yule (475) defines “kaka juggah” as “a ‘dark place,’ arranged near a ball-room for the purpose of flirtation”.]
mounjari 1 n. (always in sing.). food (mounjari aun dha kraus, food obtained through cheating). 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, ate, eaten; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to eat, to dine° (mounjari [enni] mounjari, have [some] food; mounjari wouniz kakel, mumble; mounjari wouniz lavz, eat one’s words); (b) to munch°. mounjariing chovi. dining-room; see jari, karnish, ken, namyari. [Parly., from It. “mangiare”, to eat.]
mounjariarjhio* n. feast. — mounjariarjhio a dha bitaynichude. love-feast
mounjarli variant of mounjari, used in the infinitive or imperative mood only. [Parly. corruption of It. “mangiarlo”, to eat it.]
mounjichude* n. (always in sing.). darkness, obscurity
mounth n. (pl. -s). month; see -chune. [Eng.]
mous modal. have to: must. mousta1 = unstressed form of moustev. must have (must’ve). [Eng.]
mousel-meyri see swetting omi-pelone, in swet. [Gay slang “Muscle-Mary”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola.]
mousta1 see in mous
moust/a*2 n. (pl. -ez). pattern (all senses), sample. [A.-Ind. “muster”.]
mov/e 1 adj. appearing or suspected of being homosexual: gay-acting. 2 n (pl. -ze). person suspected of being gay°. moveeni. weakling, wimp. — narda move. straight-acting. [Eng. “mauve”; “moveeeni” is calqued on Fr. “mauviette”.]
movichude* n. (always in sing.). gay-like manners or style
m’ui 1 adj. pertaining to the 1 mouth: buccal, oral. 2 face: facial. 2 n. 1 mouth. 2 face. — wouniz m’ui bee lala. blush [lit., one’s face be red] (Moudhez m’ui wauz lala.). — [Arnt] firmay ya m’ui! Shut your mouth! [Pola., from Roma. “mui”; Borrow compares Fr. “mot”, word, & Sans. “mukha”, face, mouth, found in Indon. “muka”; cf., A.-Ind. “mookhee”, Eng. slang “mug”, & Fr. “frimousse”, sweet little face; also consider Fr. “moue”, pout, as in “faire la moue”, pull a face.]
m’uvari* 1 n. move, shift (all senses). 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to move, to shift; see deelati, reelati. [Corrupt or Anglicised pronunciation of It. “muovere”, with accent shifted from the first S to the second.]
m’uvaribelay* adj. movable, mobile
mwar pron. me [joc.] (shay mwar, mwar batid away, etc.). — Mwar[, mwar]! exclamation said when exaggeratingly kissing someone on both cheeks, esp. without touching (in combination, a hyphen is used; see in lamor): mwah! [Fr. “moi”, me; properly, not Pola.]
nab* 1 adj. pertaining to a head. 2 n. 1 head. 2 nod [of the head] (bona nab, [good] opinion; kaud nab, bad opinion: disapproval). 3 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to nod (nab dha nab, nod the head). nab a dha jin. kneecap. — aun dha nab. (a) on the head; (b) [= ayjax aun dha nab] ahead. tip dha nab [tu]. give the nod [to]: approve [of] (nix tip dha nab [tu], disapprove [of]). [Cant; cf., Eng. slang “nob”.]
nab-cheet n. hat. [Cant.]
nab-kove* n. boss
naf 1 adj. 1 of inferior quality: inferior°, kitsch°, tasteless. 2 (a) heterosexual, straight; (b) not hep or hip°: square° (all senses), not cool°: uncool°, crass°, common°. 2 n. [= naf-kove, -omi or -pelone] 1 person without any taste. 2 (a) heterosexual, straight; (b) square° (all senses). — narda naf. cool, hep or hip (narda naf asarles, calm, cool and collected). [attributed to Pola., listed in Brewer’s & Chambers, as well as in Baker (who deals at some length with its etymology; in Baker & Stanley, it is suggested that “naff” entered British English by way of “American airforce men, stationed in London during the last years of the Second World War” [79], much like “snafu”, except that I have never heard an American utter the word “naff”); cf., Roma. “nafli”, sick, or even Scot. “nyaff”, a small or worthless person or thing. Naf, or “naff”, is said to be one of the few Pola. words, if that premise is accepted, to enter general Eng. slang, although its second meaning is unknown to the general public.]
nafel* adj. sick, ill, unwell. [Roma. “naflo”.]
nafel-kove n. sick or ill person: patient
nafellichude* n. (always in sing.). sickness, illness
nafellimento* n. (pl. -ze). sickness, illness, ailment (nafellimento a dha booka, liver complaint)
nafichude* n. (always in sing.). heterosexuality
naf-kove* n. 1 person without any taste. 2 (a) heterosexual, straight; (b) square (all senses)
naf-leik* adj. straight-acting
naf-omi* n. 1 man without any taste. 2 (a) heterosexual [man], straight [man]; (b) square (all senses)
naf-pelone* n. 1 woman without any taste. 2 (a) heterosexual [woman], straight [woman]; (b) square (all senses)
namyari 1 n. (always in sing.). (a) food; (b) by extension, (i) meal°, dinner°; (ii) lunch° (namyari in dha sarla, evening meal: supper; betti namyari, breakfast; boura namyari, dinner). namyarileeni. snack. 2 (pp./p. t. -d, ate, eaten; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) intr. v. to eat (namyari meyrd loulebei-cheetz, eat dead babies); (b) tr. v. to feed (namyari pir dha wilet/wilertz, breast-feed; namyariing pir dha wilet/wilertz, breast-feeding). [Pola., perhaps a corruption of mounjari (which see).]
nanti part. 1 (a) no (followed by n.: nanti dinarli, no money); (b) no (followed by adv. of comparison: nanti bonar, no better; nanti kaudar or wirsta, no worse. 2 do not, don’t (Nanti panarli! Don’t speak! Don’t say anything!). 3 (a) = nix [chaumeni] (which see); (b) = narda (c). — Nanti dhat! Leave it [alone]! Forget it! For other expressions with nanti, see under the relevant headword; see arnt [Pola., from It. “niente”, nothing.]
nantwar 1 adj. (a) not enough°: inadequate (hav nantwar namyari, not have enough to eat); (b) not rich: poor°, needy° (hav nantwar fa dha ninti, not have enough to live on). 2 part. = nanti 1 or nix (a) [facet. or for emphasis]. [Pola., as mock Fr. “nantois”, & influenced by nanti; cf., Fr. “nanti”, affluent.]
nantwarichude* n. (always in sing.). poverty
nantwarichudinosa* n. poverty-stricken
nantwar-kove* n. poor person. dha nantwar-kovze. the poor [people]
nantzi* adj. effeminate. [Eng. “nancy”.]
nantzi-omi n. effeminate [homosexual] man: nancy-boy. [Hybrid word: Eng. “nancy” & Pola. “omi”, listed in Green.]
nanyari variant of namyari
narda part. (a) none; (b) = nix chaumeni (which see, in chaumeni); (c) unbound pref., used to form negatives: dis°, in-°, un-° or non-° (see under relevant headword: narda palaribelay, unspeakable; narda (or nanti) Parliv’u-palariing, non-French-speaking; narda (or nanti) Polari pelone, non-Polari-speaking woman). — Da narda! Not at all! (in response to being thanked), Don’t mention it!; cf., nix, sanz. For other expressions with narda, see relevant headword. [Pola., from Sp. “nada”.]
narna 1 adj. (a) awful, nasty, objectionable (tray narna, repugnant, repulsive); (b) rough° (all senses); (c) cruel°. 2 n. nerves° (tip enni wouni dhayr narna, get on someone’s nerves, get to someone). [Pola.; cf. Aust. Eng. slang “nana”, fool (similar to Du. “nar”, fool, jester), or nerves, Fr. “nanar”, piece of junk, & even It. “nano”, dwarf.]
narnerautela* adj. short (all senses, except being short of something: narnerautela flik, short [film]; narnerautela milzermb’une, short story). [Corruption of It. “nanerottolo”, little man, dwarf.]
nash1* 1 n. (pl. -iz). loss. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t, lost; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to lose. [Roma. “nash”, to lose, destroy, hang.]
nash2* intr. v. (pp./p. t. -t, born; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to be born (a nasht virsiz-omi, a born poet; Ya moudha nix nasht lars dives! I wasn’t born yesterday!); (b) hatch. nashing. birth (nashing dives, birthday). — fayk nasht tu. give birth to: bear (fayk nasht tu a/dha loulebei-cheet, give birth to a child). [Truncation of It. “nascere”.]
nat* n. (a) fairy; (b) [= nat in dha charo] angel (natz karnish, angel food); (c) [= nat a dha bevvel] spirit, ghost. nat a dha zee. spirit, soul. Fantabulosa Nat. Holy Ghost/Spirit. — a dha nat a dha zee. spiritual. [A.-Ind.]
nauba1 num. nine. naubito. ninth. naubitomentay. ninthly. — nauba laung deja. ninety. nauba laung dejito. ninetieth. nauba laung lepta. nineteen. nauba laung leptito. nineteenth. [Parly., from It. “nove”.]
nauba2 n. street performer’s confederate who collects money from onlookers. [Pola., from Eng. slang “nobbler”.]
Nauba-chune* n. November. [nauba + Roma. “choon”, moon.]
naubito see in nauba
nauchi n. night. — nauchiz. nightly. dhis nauchi. tonight. lars nauchi. last night. nex nauchi. tomorrow night. in dha nauchi. ante meridiem: a.m. (used for early-morning hours 1–4; otherwise, use “in the sorlo”). ova dha nauchi. overnight. [Pola., from Sp. “noche”.]
naush intr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). perform oral sex or fellatio. naushing. oral sex: fellatio or cunnilingus. [Pola. from Yidd. “nosh”, eat.]
nav* n. name. — sanz wouniz nav. anonymous[ly]. [Roma.]
nebbish* n. born loser: nobody; see nola. [Yidd., listed in Green.]
nei* part. there is or are no (Nei [enni] kil heer. We’ve got no butter [lit., there is no butter here]). [Roma. “nai (hi)”.]
neir* n. (a) nail (all senses); (b) claw. neir a dha loupez. (a) fingernail (matlauk dha neirz, bite the nails); (b) [= neir a dha loupez a dha pindroze] toenail. [Roma. “naior”, nails.]
nel, nelli1 1 n. ear. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ling, -ing gerund/pres. part.). to listen. nelling. hearing (of the court). — Arnt nel! [Do] be quiet! Listen! Shut up! Silence! (Arnt nel aun dha slanging ten!). Arnt nel pogeeleeni! Shush! Sh! Hush! Nel[li]! Say! Listen! [Pola.]
nelli2 1 adj. effeminate, “nelly”, camp. 2 n. effeminate [gay] man: “nelly”. [Gay slang listed in Baker & used by Waters (“nell” 130, “nelly go-go boys” 148), et al.; properly, not Pola.]
nelliard/a intr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). (a) to listen [to]; (b) to hear° (Ya moudhez Sweet-Doubel, nelliarda moudhez praygoze. Lord, hear our prayers). nelliardering. listening (nelliardering flatiz an giliz, [listening] audience). [Pola., connected with “nelli”, ear.]
nelliarjio* n. (always in sing.). campery
nellichude* n. (always in sing.). (a) effeminacy; (b) camp, campiness
nellichudinosa* adj. (a) effeminate; (b) camp, campy
nelli-fay/k n. (pl. -x). earring (kode a dha nelli-fayx, earring code). [Pola.]
nex adj. next. nex bor. next door (shay nex bor, next door > dha kove nex bor, neighbo[u]r; dha kove reit nex bor, next-door neighbo[u]r). — alaung nex bor. neighbo[u]ring; nex tu. next to: by, beside; see in arfta-medza, dives, nauchi, sarla, sorlo. [Eng. Bor is conflated with “door” in nex bor.]
nil variant of noul
ninti 1 n. livelihood°, living°; see leif. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to live° (all senses: Akoy-so ninti-u? Where do you live?); (b) to exist° (“Ya moudha nintiz, akoy-pero she iz”). — fayk dha ninti aun. live on. [Pola.]
nish tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to stop [doing something]°, to give up°, to cease° (nish dha vogze, stop smoking. Nish dha kakel! Nish tiping dha barni!). — Nish ta/tu …! No [to] …! (slogans: “Nish ta firikaduzering!”, “No violence!”); (b) No (signs, commands, etc.: Nish ta Voging, No Smoking). [Pola. paronym of “nix”, from Yidd. “nisht”, Germ. “nicht”, not; Nish ta, written as one word in Baker, is formed with Eng. “-a”, of (as found in “cuppa”,“sorta”, etc.]
nishtwar part. 1 = nanti 1 (a) or nix 1 (a) or 2 [facet. or for emphasis]. 2 (a) no more° (with ns: Nishtwar divesiz bilaung arris-reir! No more bad hair days!); (b) not … any more°: no longer° or more°; not any more° (Alice nishtwar nintiz akoy.). — Nishtwarz parreed! Nothing’s changed! [Pola., from Yidd. “nisht”, from Germ. “nicht”, not, or “nichts” nothing, & patterned on mock Fr. “nantois”; see nantwar.]
nix 1 part. (a) no (as answer to a question); (b) not. 2 pron. [= nix chaumeni] nothing (nix [chaumeni] mounjarli, nothing to eat). nix ankora. not […] yet. nix leik. unlike. nix mei. never. nix aseo. neither: nix […] aseo … or. neither … nor. nix wouni. no one, nobody. nix wouniz. no one’s, nobody’s; see in asarles, chaumeni, ei. [Eng. slang “nix”, nothing doing, from Germ. “nicht”, not, or “nichts” nothing.]
no part. no (restricted to set phrases, such as “Ann no moge?” [which see, in moge]); see nanti, nix. [Eng.]
nodo* n. (pl. -ze). 1 knot. 2 joint [anat.]. nodo a dha poke. knuckle. — bee nodode. be jointed. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “nodo”, knot.]
nogo* adj. own (An Omi-Chaviz Nogo Milzermb’une). [Roma.]
nol/a n. (pl. -ez). no one of importance: nobody. [Gayle “Nola”; Cory cites “nola” from The American Dictionary of Slang as a synonym for homosexual (112).]
nora adj. stupid. [Gayle “Nora”; Cage & Evans point out that “unlike most of the female names in Gayle which are alliterative, this word is probably from igNORAnt”.]
noudha* adj./pron. other (a noudha, another; dha noudha, the other). [Eng. “other”, with the addition of the “n” due to confusion with the indefinite article.]
noul* num. nought, zero. [Eng. “null”.]
noumb/a n. (pl. -ez). 1 sexually attractive person. 2 casual sex[ual] partner. — get wouniz noumba. (a) know that someone is homosexual; (b) know what someone is up to. [Gay slang “number”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola.]
noumberosa* adj. sexually attractive
NTBH = en-tee-bee-[h]aych
n’u* pron. us [joc.], used in “shay n’u” (which see, in shay) or mock Fr. phrases. [Anglicised pronunciation of Fr. “nous”.]
n[’]u adj. new. [Eng.]
n[’]u-* pref. neo-. N[’]u- conforms with Eng. rules on the use of an initial capital letter. [as above.]
n[’]u-houzben* n. (a) bride; (b) [bride]groom
n[’]u-leik* adj. novel
n[’]umero* n. (pl. -ze). (a) number (numero ’una); (b) item (in a TV, etc., show). [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “numero”.]
n[’]umerosa* adj. numerous
N[’]u-Polari* n. Neo-Polari, New Polari (stricto sensu, this version of Polari)
o1 n. letter O. [Eng.]
o2 voc. oh; see in meyri, sorella, vaf. [Eng.]
odiari* 1 n. hate, hatred, dislike (tray/t’umouch odiari, detestation, loathing, abhorrence). 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). hate, dislike (odiari t’umouch, detest, loathe, abhor). [tray/t’umouch] odiariing. abhorrent, loathesome. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “odiare”.]
odiaribelay* adj. hateful (tray/t’umouch odiaribelay, detestable, loathesome, abhorrent)
ofay* variant of fay
oge/l 1 adj. [pertaining to the] eye: ocular. 2 n. (pl. -rlz). eye. 3 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -rld; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to gaze meaningfully or look longingly at a man: eye off. ogeling. gaze, gazing, looking longingly. — ogel forwed tu. look forward to. [Pola., perhaps from cant “ogle”, or It. “occhio”.]
ogel-fay/k n. (-x, always in pl.). glasses, spectacles. [Pola.]
ogel-filt/a (-ez, always in pl.) = g’uli ogel-fayx (which see, in g’uli). [Hybrid word: Pola. “ogel” & Eng. “filters”.]
ogel-reid/a n. (pl. -ez). (a) eyebrow; (b) eyelash. [Hybrid word: Pola. “ogel” & Eng. “riders”; Baker also suggests that it could be a mishearing of ogel-reirz.]
ogel-reida-fay/k* n. (pl. -x). eyebrow ring. [Patterned on Pola. “nelli-fayk”, earring.]
ogel-reir n. eyelash. [Pola.]
ogel-reir-fay/k n. (-x, always in pl.). false eyelashes. [Pola.]
ogel-shayd (-z, always in pl.) = g’uli ogel-fayx (which see, in g’uli). [Hybrid word: Pola. “ogel” & Eng. “shades”.]
okel variant of ogel
-ola* n. intensifier. Young speculates that -ola may be a nonce marker applied to English words, used to conceal the speaker’s meaning, giving “tradiola” (i.e., “trade”) as an example. [Sp., found in “Moviola”®, “Pianola”®, etc.]
om/i 1 adj. male°, man°. 2 n. (pl. omiz, males, men). (a) male [of the species]: man; (b) (i) man, person (esp. in terms of attributes, function or position, often used in compounds or n. phrases [see Morphology], or after the gerund); (ii) master° (all senses); see rei; see in karsi, lati. [Parly. “omee”, from It. “uomo”, man. According to Baker, “omee” was first recorded in Hotton’s Dictionary of Slang, published in 1864, & was defined as “master” or landlord.]
omi- pref. marking the male gender: he-, man-, etc. (omi-gato, tomcat; omi-pelone, gay man); see omi-cheet. [Pola.]
omi-beebee* n. uncle
omi-beebee-leik* adj. avuncular
omi-bugel* n. bull
omi-chal* n. (a) male inhabitant of (country); (b) male adherent of (religion); (c) male member of (society, race, etc.); (d) male speaker of (language); see in relevant headword.
omi-chavi* n. boy. omi-chavi a dha bugerlz. cowboy (Omi-Chavi a dha Bugerlz Bilaung Medza-Nauchi)
omi-cheet* n. male of the animal, bird or fish species (kakeling omi-cheet)
omi-chikel* n. male bird: cock
omichude* n. (always in sing.). manhood, virility
omichudinosa* adj. manly, masculine, virile
omi-feeli* n. male child: son, boy (omi-feeli a dha dui-baj-martha, grandson)
omi-gato* n. tomcat
omi-grei* n. boyfriend
omi-pelone n. gay man or guy: homosexual [joc.; lit., “he-woman”]. [Combination (one of the oldest) of “omi” & “pelone”.]
omi-pelonichude* n. homosexuality
omi-pivli* see pivli
omi-zelda* n. warlock, wizard (Dhee Omi-Zelda auv Auz)
-oni* n. suff. marking the augmentative form. Morphology as for -eeni. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “-one”.]
opel see ogel
or conj. or; see in nix. [Eng.]
ord/a intr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). 1 (a) to go (all senses, including as preparatory v.: “order lau your luppers on the strillers bona” [Baker, quoting orthographically from “Round the Horne” (36); see in leo], “Go have a good play on the piano”; orda moulti cheimz ta, go somewhere often: frequent; orda/ordering ta dha tenz fa dhee afeyrimento, do[ing] the beat; bee ordering tu, be going to: plan to, intend to); (b) to leave (room, etc.). 2 (a) to come (all senses); (b) to reach orgasm: (loosely) to ejaculate, to come or cum. 3 to fare. ordering. 1 going (ordering marreer, ejaculate [n.]: come or cum, spunk, jissom). 2 coming. — orda alay. go down: set. orda ankora. go back: return. orda aun. go on, take place. orda away. come or go away (Orda away! Go away!). orda erbree. come or go out[side]. orda bona. suit (Shee ordez u bona). orda in. come or go in (orda in dha worta, go swimming: swim; ordering in dha worta, swimming). orda oup. come up: [a]rise. Heo ar-u ordering? How are you going? (all senses); see in kolde. [Parly. The v. phrase “orda in dha worta” is calqued on Roma. “jalno ando pawni”, lit., go in the water.]
ordeli variant of orda, used in the infinitive or imperative mood only.
ordineyr* adj. ordinary, common, normal, usual. — narda ordineyr. abnormal, uncommon, unusual. [Anglicised pronunciation of Fr. “ordinaire”.]
orguri* 1 n. desire, wish. 2 v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) intr. to desire, to wish; (b) tr. to desire, to wish for; to want. [Anglicised corruption of It. “augurare”.]
orguribelay* adj. desirable. — narda orguribelay. undesirable
ort modal. ought. orta. ought to. [Eng.]
-osa adj. suff.denoting abundance: -ful, -ous. -osimento. n. form: -osity; see Morphology, above. [Pola., from It. “-osa”.]
oup adv./prep. 1 up[on]. 2 above. oupar. upper (uppar lukaudi, upper body: torso). ouparst. uppermost. [Eng.]
ova prep. 1 over (all senses); see ayjax. 2 across (a bati-lapa ova dha m’ui, a slap across the face). [Eng.]
oyst/a 1 adj. oral. 2 n. (pl. -ez). 1 mouth. 2 smile°. — tirn wouniz oysta oup. make one smile. [Eng. “oyster”, from its moistness; properly, not Pola.]