POLARI–ENGLISH DICTIONARY
(P–R)
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.
pal* n. (a) pal, “bro”; (b) partner in (i) crime; (ii) sex: sex[ual] partner; (c) term of address, especially pejoratively toward a stranger. [Roma. “pal”, “prala”; as a term of address, “pal” is heard extensively in US in the general population.]
palari1 1 adj. pertaining to speech. 2 v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) intr. (i) to speak, to talk, to utter (Nanti palari! Don’t speak!); (ii) to answer°, to reply°; (b) tr. (i) to speak (palari Polari, speak Polari); (ii) to talk to someone (palari dhee omi); (iii) to tell°, to mention°; (iv) to answer°. — palari abeot. speak about or of: mention. palari daus. answer, reply [back], counter. -palariing. -speaking (Paumi-palariing, English-speaking). sanz palariing. not to mention. [Pola., from It. “parlare”.]
palaribelay* adj. speaking (part). — narda palaribelay. unspeakable
Palari2 variant of Polari
palari-lob/e n. (pl. -ze). ear (better, nel, nelli, which see). [Hybrid word: Pola. “palari” & Eng. “lobe”.]
palarimento* n. (pl. -ze). word: by extension, [quick or short] conversation: (a) speech, talk; (b) answer, reply. — in pogee palarimentoze. in short
palari-peip 1 n. (pl. -s). [tele]phone. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.; -s 3rd pers.). to [tele]phone, to call, to ring (Palari-peip dha sharpez! Call the police!). [Hybrid word: Pola. “palari” & Eng. “pipe”.]
palias n. (pl. -iz). back [anat.] (Ya moudhez palias iz krashing hir!). [Pola., from Fr. slang “paillasse”, prostitute (who spends her time on her back).]
paloni variant of pelone
pan* 1 n. tie (all senses). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, bound; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to tie, to bind; (b) [= pan reon] to enclose, to put in a pound. pand. (a) bound, tied; (b) enclosed (pand ten, enclosure, pound). — pan alay. tie down (all senses). pan oup. bind or tie up (all senses). leo in dha pand ten. put in a pound: impound. [Roma. “pand”.]
panarli variant of palari, used in the infinitive or imperative mood only (Nanti panarli! Don’t speak!). — asarles ta panarli. so to speak. dhatz [ta] panarli. that is [to say]: id est, c’est-à-dire. [Corruption of It. parlarlo, to speak it, with euphonic sound-shift from “l” to “n”, to avoid unwanted alliteration.]
pandor/a 1 adj. (a) inquisitive; (b) gossipy° (pandora kakel or pelarva, gossip). 2 n. (pl. -ez). (a) inquisitive gay man; (b) gossip° (esp. gay). — fayk dha pandora abeot. gossip about. [Gayle.]
pane/m n. (rare pl. -rmz). bread (fayking omi/pelone a dha panem, baker). [Pola., from cant “pannam” (cf., Lavengro, p. 267); cf., Fr. “pain”, It. “pane”, Lat. “panis”.]
pap* 1 n. (always in sing.). milk. papeeni. cream. 2 tr. v. to milk. — pap a dha wilertz. breast milk. [Eng. “pap”; cf., cant “paplar”, milk-pottage. “Papeeni” is calqued on Roma. “smentini”.]
parchay* n. (always in sing.). peace (all senses: parchay an kweirt, peace and quiet). — in parchay. in peace. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “pace”.]
parchayosa* adj. peaceful
parjhio* n. (pl. -ze). page. [Frenchified pronunciation of It. “paggio”.]
park variant of parka
park/a tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). 1 to give, to administer°. 2 pay [out] (parka dha mejhiz, pay the bill, pay the money). parkering. paying (parkering ninti, wages, pay[-packet]). parkering omi. (fem.: parkering dona/pelone) payer, pay-master. — parka auf. pay off. parka daus. pay back (all senses): repay. [Pola., from It. “pagare”; cf., Roma. “pes(sa)”.]
parka-auf* n. pay-off (all senses)
parka-daus* n. pay-back (all senses)
parkimento* n. (always in sing.). pay[ment]
parlegelars* n. (always in sing.). asparagus. [A.-Ind. or Domestic Hind. “pálagiláss”.]
parlemento variant of palarimento
Parliv’u* 1 adj. pertaining to France: French. 2 n. [= Tem bilaung Parliv’u] France. — bilaung Parliv’u. French (dha chalz bilaung Parliv’u, the French; lingo bilaung Parliv’u, French; [omi-/pelone-]chal bilaung Parliv’u, Frenchman or -woman). Parliv’u-palariing. French-speaking. [Eng. slang “parley-voo”, listed in Chambers, from Fr. “parlez-vous (français)?”, do you speak (French)?; properly not Pola.]
Parliv’u-akwa* n. mineral water (fizi Parliv’u-akwa, sparkling mineral water)
Parlyaree 1 adj. Parlyaree (Parlyaree chal, Parlyaree speaker). 2 n. (always in sing.). [= Parlyaree lingo] Parlyaree, a 19th-century argot of carnival & circus workers, people in the theatre, etc., & by extension, gipsies, thieves & other outcasts from society, which forms the basis for Polari (which see). [Corruption of It. “parlare”, to speak.]
parni 1 adj. 1 [pertaining to] rain, pluvial. 2 pertaining to tears: tear, lachrymal. 2 n. 1 rain[drop]. 2 tear[drop]. 3 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to rain (“Sheez Parniing dhee Omiz”, “It’s Raining Men” [Weather Girls]). — fayk dha parniz. cry. sanz parniz. in need of or wanting rain. [Pola., from A.-Ind. “pawnee”, Hind. “pani”; cf., Roma. “pâni”, “pawni”; Baker gives “rain-water”.]
parni-leik* adj. teary
parniosa* adj. rainy
parni-worta* n. (always in sing.). rain-water
parree1* 1 n. (a) change (all senses); (b) exchange, swap. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to change (all senses: parree ya dooka, change your luck. Chaumeni dauliz nix mei parree. Some things never change.); (b) to exchange, to swap. — gay parree. one-night stand. dha moultiar shee parreez, dha moultiar sheez dha saym baj an manki shoze. the more things change, the more they stay the same. (Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.) [Roma. “parra”, “porra”, influenced by foll; cf., Eng. apparent & parry.]
Parree2* n. Paris (Parree Iz aun dha Glima). — bilaung Parree. Parisian (fashion, etc.: a[n omi-/pelone-]chal bilaung Parree, a Parisian). Gay Parree. Gay Paree. [Eng. colloquialism, most often as in “Gay Paree”.]
parreko* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to thank. — Parreko[ze]. Thank you [Thanks]. Parreko daus. You’re welcome. Parreko ta dha Doubel! Thank God!, Thank the Lord! palari parreko tu. say thank-you to: thank. tip parrekoze. give thanks. [Roma. “parraco”, I thank, “paracrow”; cf., Gr. “parakalô”, you’re welcome.]
parrekochude* n. (always in sing.). gratitude
parrekochudinosa* adj. grateful
parvi* 1 adj. [pertaining to or the colo(u)r of an] apple. 2 n. apple (parvi a dha drome see alli-appel; parvi a dha/bilaung pauv, potato [lit., pomme de terre]). [Roma. “pauvi”, “paub(i)”.]
parvi-akwa* n. [apple-]cider
parvi-ten* n. orchard
parvi-virdi* adj. apple-green
pasari* 1 n. pass (all senses). 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to pass [by]. pasariing omi or pelone. passer-by. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “passare”.]
pasarjhio* n. passage (all senses). [Frenchified pronunciation of It. “passagio”.]
pasteesh* 1 n. mess. pasteesheeni. little mess: stain (on one’s dress: orded pasteesheeni, cum stain). pasteeshoni. big mess: stain (on one’s character). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to mess [up], spoil, ruin ([tray baj] pasteesht tenz, [ancient] ruins). — leo a pasteesheeni aun. stain. [Frenchified pronunciation of It. “pasticcio”.]
patek/a* n. (pl. -ez). [water]melon. [A.-Ind. “pateca”; cf., Fr. “pastèque”.]
pate/n* n. (pl. -rnz. leaves). leaf. [Roma. “pattin”.]
paten-cheet* n. plant. paten-cheet fa dha dubiz. marijuana [plant]
paug/a* intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed, broken, burst, busted; -ering gerund/pres. part.). (a) to break, burst, bust; (b) to break into: to burglarise, burgle (pauga a boteek, break into a shop). paugering. burglary. paugering a dha karsi. house-breaking, burglary. paugering omi a dha karsi. (fem.: paugering dona/pelone a dha karsi) house-breaker: burglar. paugering omi. burglar. (fem.: paugering dona/pelone). — pauga auf. break or snap off; see shoosh. [Roma. “poggra”.]
paul n. wig. [Pola., from Molly slang.]
Paulari variant of Polari
Paumi* 1 adj. pertaining to England: English. 2 n. [= Tem bilaung Paumi] England. Paumi Polari. (a) gay slang; (b) English sprinkled with Polari (i.e., word substitution), as in “Nanti dinarli in the kix? What are you worried about? I’ve got nanti dinarli in the bank!”. — bilaung Paumi. English (dha chalz bilaung Paumi, the English; lingo bilaung Paumi, English; [omi-/pelone-]chal bilaung Paumi, Englishman or -woman). Paumi-palariing. English-speaking. [Eng. pej. “Pommy”.]
Paumi-akwa* n. soda water. [Calqued on A.-Ind. “bilayutee pawnee”, European water.]
paump* 1 n. (a) pomp; (b) (pl. -s). (i) ceremony (instance or concept of); (ii) display. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to display. [Eng. “pomp”; cf., It. “pompa”.]
paumparjhio* n. (always in sing.). display
paund/a* 1 n. (pl. -ez). thought. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -erd; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to ponder, to think [over] (Arnt nel pogeeleeni, ya moudherz paundering! Shush, I’m/we’re thinking!). [Eng. “ponder”.]
paunderosa* adj. deep in thought: weighty, ponderous
paunt1 n. pimp, ponce. [Eng. “ponce”, listed in Chambers as well as Baker (with dubious etymology).]
paunt2 n. pound [sterling] (UK currency: pauntz, beeyoniz an saultiz, pounds, shillings and pence; roze paunt). [Pola., from It. “pondo”, weight, Lat. (libra) pondo, pound by weight.]
pauntichude* n. sterling
pauntz (pl. -iz) variant of paunt1
pausi* n. fork. pausileeni. fork (dinner). pausiloni. pitchfork. [Truncation of Roma. “possey-mengre”, (pitch)fork, from “pus”. straw.]
pauso* 1 adj. (a) possible; (b) able. 2 adv. possibly, maybe, perhaps. 3 modal. to be able: to know how to: can (Pauso-u strila dha strilez? Can you play the piano?). — narda/nix pauso. unable, impossible, cannot (can’t), could not (couldn’t) ([Moudha] narda pauso orda shay v’u dhis sarla. I can’t come to your place tonight). [It “posso”, I can.]
paut n. 1 [porcelain] pot (paut fa dha char, teapot; paut fa dha lag-worta, chamberpot, po[t]). 2 (always in sing.). porcelain. 3 (pl. -z. teeth) tooth. — a [dha] paut. porcelain. nanti pautz in dha koubed. no teeth: toothless°. [Eng. (slang) “pot”.]
pauv* 1 adj. [pertaining to the] ground, dirt or earth. 2 n. (always in sing.). (a) ground, dirt, earth; (b) land (nix wouniz pauv, no man’s land). 3 tr. v. to establish, to found. [Roma. “po(o)v”, “puv(vo)”.]
pauv-cheet* n. [any (esp. root)] vegetable: rhizome (pauv-cheet a dha paternz, [leafy] vegetable: pauv-cheetz a dha paternz, greens)
pauvimento* n. (a) (always in sing.). establishment; (b) (pl. -ze). foundation
pauv-paylo* n. ground-nut, peanut
pauv-teer* n. mole. [Calqued on Roma. “pov-guero”, lit., earth-fellow.]
paxe/n* n. (pl. -rnz). package, pack. paxeneeni. packet (paxeneeni a vogze). paxenoni. parcel. [Fr. colloquialism “pacson”.]
payge/l* n. (pl. -rlz). idiot, fool, simpleton (A paygel an hir hambag ar fachimentay irnist intu dui. A fool and his money are soon parted). [A.-Ind. “poggle”, “pagal”, “puggly”.]
paygel-leik* adj. foolish, simple-minded
paygellichud/e* n. (pl. -ze). folly
paylo* 1 adj. [pertaining to a] nut. 2 n. (pl. -ze). nut [bot.]. [Roma. “pailloes”, filberts.]
pee n. letter P (pee). [Eng.]
peek* 1 adj. [pertaining to] lace. 2 n. (always in sing.). lace (g’uli peek, black lace). [Cant.]
peers* n. (always in sing.). health. [Roma. “peeapen”.]
peersi* adj. healthy. — narda peersi. unhealthy
peet/a* n. (pl. -ez). 1 suitcase, [overnight] bag. 2 scrotum (peiping a dha peeta, bagpiping). peetereeni. [shopping] bag. [Cant.]
peetesili* n. (always in sing.). parsley. [A.-Ind. “petersilly”, from Du. “peterselie”.]
peip see char-peip, gayj, palari-peip as well as in peeta
pek* 1 n. (always in sing.). bacon. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -king gerund/pres. part.). to roast. pekt. roasted (pekt karnish, roast beef). [Cant “ruffe peck”, bacon (cf., Germ. Speck),conflated with Roma. “pek(’)t”,roasted.]
pelarv/a 1 n. (pl. -ez). (a) talk, discussion; (b) excuse°; argument (as a way of getting out of something); (c) nonsense, rigmarole, carry-on (Kel pelarva! What nonsense! What a carry-on!); (d) (-ez, always in pl.) never-ending discussions. 3 v. tr. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). (a) to discuss (pelarva dha dauliz, discuss matters, talk matters or things over); (b) to say or to speak (Palarved-u chaumeni? Did you say something?); (c) carry on. pelarvering. saying, talking. pelarvering chovi. sitting-room. pelarvering vakarya. [tele]phone. — hav a pelarva. have an argument or dispute. [Pola. paronym of “palari”, to speak, from Eng. “palaver”; cf., Fr. “palabres”, never-ending discussions.]
pelarvibelay* adj. talking (horse, etc.: pelarvibelay chikel, parrot)
pelon/e 1 adj. female°, woman°. 2 n. (pl. -ze). (a) female [of the species]: woman; (loosely) girl; (b) mistress: gentlewoman, lady (often in terms of attributes, function or position, used in compounds or n. phrases, or after the gerund; see dona; dha pelone a dha karsi soze pelarvering, the lady of house speaking); (c) wife. [Pola., from cant “blowen”; cf., Roma. “bloen”, “blowing”, cited at some length in Borrow.]
pelone- pref. marking the female gender: she-, woman-, etc. (pelone-jugel, bitch; pelone-omi, gay woman: lesbian [joc.; lit., “she-man”]; pelone-pig, sow); see pelone-cheet. [Pola.]
pelone-bugel* n. cow (pelone-bugelz pap, cow’s milk)
pelone-chal* n. (a) female inhabitant of (country); (b) female adherent of (religion); (c) female member of (society, race, etc.); (d) female speaker of (language); see in relevant headword.
pelone-chavi* n. girl
pelone-cheet* n. female of the animal, bird or fish species (kakeling pelone-cheet)
pelone-feeli* n. female child: daughter, girl (pelone-feeli a dha dui-baj-martha, granddaughter)
pelone-grei* n. 1 mare. 2 girlfriend
pelone-jugel* n. bitch (animal)
pelone-omi n. gay woman: lesbian [joc.; lit., “she-man”]. [Combination (one of the oldest) of “pelone” & “omi”.]
pelone-omichude* n. lesbianism
pelone-pig* n. female elephant
pelone-pivli* see pivli
pelonichude* n. (always in sing.). womanhood, femininity
pelonichudinosa* adj. womanly, feminine
peoda* n. (always in sing.). 1 powder. 2 dust. [Eng. “powder”; cf., It. “polvere”.]
peoderosa* adj. 1 powdery. 2 dusty
peon* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, -did; -[d]ing gerund/pres. part.). to pound. — peon dha lapez. applaud, clap [one’s hands]. peonding dha lapez. applause, clapping. [Calqued on Harlem Jive “mitt pounding.]
Peree variant of Parree
pero* conj. however, but, and. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “però”.]
peroni = pir evri wouni, which see, in wouni. [Pola. “peroney” (Lucas, 97).]
perri* adj. frightened, afraid, fearful. — fayk perri. frighten; see traysh. [Cant.]
perrichud/e* n. (rare pl. -ze). fear
perrichudinosa* pleon. adj. frightened, afraid, fearful
pich* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t, sent; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to send, to despatch. — pich alay. send down. pich auf. send off: despatch. pich away. send away. pich erbree. send out[side]. pich oup. make fun of someone: send up. pich ova. send across or over: transport. picht alay. sent down. picht ova. sent across or over: transported. [Roma. “bitch(a)” conflated with Eng. “pitch”; cf., Roma. “bitcheno”, sent, as in transported, with a small town in Tasmania called Bicheno.]
pich-auf* n. send-off
pich-oup* n. send-up
pig n. elephant (pigz lati, stye [on the eye]). [Pola., from Eng. “pig” (unexplained); Baker makes much of the “creative use” in Pola. of extending the meaning of “pigz lati”, pigsty (even though pig means elephant), to a stye on the eye.]
piko* 1 adj. [pertaining to a] shoulder. 2 n. (pl. -ze). shoulder (a piko fa dha parniz, a shoulder to cry on). [Roma. “pikko”.]
pindro* n. foot. pindro a dha grei. hoof. [Roma.]
pir1* prep. by. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “per”.]
pir2* n. stomach, belly. [Roma. “per”, “pur”.]
pir-cheet* n. apron. [Calqued on cant “belly cheat”.]
pirpera* 1 adj. purple. 2 n. purple. pirpereeni. mauve. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “porpora”.]
pirperarjhio* n. (always in sing.). purpleness, extended to purple prose
pish/a* n. (pl. -ez). (a) [any (kind of annoying, biting or stinging)] insect or bug; (b) flea. pisha a dha letti. bedbug. [Yidd. “pisher”, an insignificant person (i.e., a “pisser”), conflated with Roma. “pishen”, insect, flea.]
pishpash* 1 adj. [pertaining to] rice. 2 n. (always in sing.). rice. [A.-Ind. Yule writes: “Apparently a factitious Anglo-Indian word, applied to a slop of rice-soup” (715).]
pivli* n. (a) [= omi-pivli] widower; (b) [= pelone-pivli] widow. [Roma.]
pizare/s* 1 n. (a) (pl. -siz). debt; (b) (always in sing.). credit. 2 intr. v. (pp./p. t. -rst, indebted; -ing gerund/pres. part.; -siz 3rd pers.). to be in debt. [Roma. “pazorrhus”, “pizarris”.]
pizaressiz-omi* n. (fem.: pizaressiz-dona/-pelone) debt-collector. [Patterned on Pola. “strilez-omi”; cf., Parly./Pola. “toba-(h)omi”, rent collector.]
plaunk* 1 adj. [pertaining to] wine. 2 n. (always in sing.). wine (fay plaunk, white wine). [Eng. slang “plonk” with dubious etym.; Chambers suggests that it was orig. Aust. slang, from Fr. “(vin) blanc”, (white) wine.]
plaunk-didel* n. brandy
playstr/a* n. (-ez, always in pl.). pincers, tweezers. [Roma. “plaistra”.]
playt see in dish
plenni* 1 adj. 1 plenty. 2 (a) full; (b) -ful (equivalent to “full of”, which see, below). 2 adv. [= plennimentay] 1 fully. 2 enough, sufficient. 3 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to fill. — plenni a. 1 plenty of. 2 full of, -ful of, -ate (incl. fig.: plenni a dha daumarjhio, compassionate; a chovi plenni a jugerlz, a roomful/room full of dogs). [Fr. “plein”, full, conflated with Eng. “plenty”.]
plenni-eekaf* 1 adj. full-length (plenni-eekaf frauk or mirra, full-length dress or mirror). 2 n. full-length portrait
plezzari* 1 n. pleasure. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to please; (b) to pleasure. [Corrupt or pseudo-Italianised version of Fr. “plaisir”.]
plezzaribelay* adj. pleasurable, pleasant. — narda plezzaribelay. unpleasant
pogee adj./adv. 1 little (Shee dauliz mee pogee. It matters little to me, It’s of little import[ance] to me, It’s not that important to me). 2 (a) few° (with countable ns: pogee cheimz, few times); (b) little° (with uncountable ns). 3 hardly°. pogeear. 1 less (with adjs in comparative degree: pogeear bona vardering, less attractive). 2 (a) fewer (with countable ns: pogeear jaugering latiz aun worta, fewer yachts); (b) less (with uncountable ns). pogeearst. (a) fewest; (b) least. pogeeleeni. very little. — a pogee [a]. 1 a little, a bit [of], a piece [of] (a pogee akwa, a little water; a pogee moultiar [dhan], a little more [than]). 2 a few. a pogeeleeni a. 1 a little bit or piece of. 2 a couple of (minutes later, etc.). a pogeeloni a. a big bit or piece of. a pogee a pogee. little by little. att dha pogeearst. at [the] least. [Pola., from It “poco”.]
pokard/a* n. (pl. -ez). fistful
po/ke* n. (pl. -xe). fist. [Corruption of Fr. “poing” or It. “pugna”, conflated with Eng. “poke”.]
Polari 1 adj. Polari[-speaking] (Polari chal, Polari speaker). 2 n. (always in sing.). [= Polari lingo] Polari [“language”]; see Paumi Polari, in Paumi. [“Polari”, “Palari”, “Parlar(e)y”, “Parlaree”, a corruption of “Parlyaree” — itself a corruption of It. “parlare”, to speak. Polari was adopted by gay & lesbian people in the 20th century, esp. prior to gay liberation, with many words borrowed from Cockney, Sanskrit by way of Romany, cant & other slang.The traffic was not all one way, however, with some locutions entering English parlance by way of popular entertainment, such as the 1960s BBC radio programme “Round the Horne”, but also cited in more recent comedy shows, such as “Little Britain” and “The Graham Norton Show”. Because Polari has become the most common spelling, I have retained it, but with the idea that the pronuciation also changes in accordance with the orthography.]
poosh* 1 n. burial. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to bury. [Roma.]
por* n. feather. plume (all senses: a por a foges, a plume of smoke). [Roma.]
pordo* adj. heavy, weighty. [Roma.]
pordomento* n. (always in sing.). heaviness, weight
porl* n. tent. porloni. marquee. [A.-Ind. “pawl”.]
pouj* n. (pl. -iz). bridge (all senses: a jauga a dha pouj, a game of bridge). [Roma. “pudge”.]
poump* n. pump. — poump fa dhee arris/dha harris. enema. poump fa dha klevvi. douche. [Eng. “pump”.]
poun/k n. (pl. -x). homosexual man. [Eng. “punk”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola.]
poure/m* n. (pl. -rmz). leek. pouremeeni. garlic. pouremoni. onion. [Roma. “purrum”, “purrun”; cf., It “porro”, leek.]
poy* adv. then (next, afterwards). [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “poi”.]
prat* 1 adj. pertaining to the thigh or hock (prat karnish a dha grounting cheet, ham). 2 n. thigh, hock. [Cant.]
praumess/a* 1 n. (pl. -ez). promise. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to promise. Praumessed Tem. Promised Land. — praumessa wouni self tu. commit to. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “promessa”.]
praunto* adj. (a) ready, prompt; (b) quick; (c) alert. — azz praunto azz. as soon as. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “pronto”.]
praygo* 1 n. (pl. -ze). 1 orison, prayer. 2 petition. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to ask (favor), to solicit. — Praygo! Please! praygo for. ask for. fayk or pelarva a praygo. say a prayer: pray (Ya moudha fayx a betti praygo for u. I say a little prayer for you). tip a praygo. present a petition. tip a praygo tu. petition. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “prego”.]
pressari* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to press or push [down on]. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “pressare”.]
prig* 1 n. ride. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d, ridden, rode; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to ride (horse, bike, bus). priging omi. (fem.: priging dona/pelone) rider (priging omi a dha grei, horseman). [Cant.]
privi adj. private, personal (Ya Moudhez Nogo Privi Eideho); see in larda. [Eng.]
protesto* 1 n. protest. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to protest. [Anglicised pronunciation of It.]
p’uch/e* 1 n. (pl. -iz). question (p’uchiz a dha charpering omiz, [police] questioning). 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -te; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to ask (p’uche a p’uche, ask or pose a question). [Roma. “putch”.]
p’un/a (pl. -ez) variant of paunt2
qu- words: see kw-
-r, -ra pron. unstressed variant of hir, added to the end of prepositions & verbs; see in Morphology for -a2–3
radee/k* n. (pl. -x). root. [Mock Frenchified pronunciation of It. “radice”.]
rag* 1 adj. menstrual. 2 n. (always in sing.). menstrual blood: menses. — bee aun dha rag. to menstruate. [Eng.]
ran* n. rod. [Roma.]
rang* 1 n. paint. ranging. painting (all senses). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -id; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to paint (all senses: rang enni wouniz eekaf, paint someone’s picture or portrait; rang wouniz neirz, paint one’s nails). rang a dha gan. lipstick. rang a dhee neirz. nail-polish. [Hind.]
rashi* 1 adj. pertaining to religion: religious (affairs). 2 n. (pl. -iz). religion. [Roma. “rashi”, clergyman; cf., Sans. “rishi”, holy man.]
rashi-homi variant of rashi-omi
rashiosa* adj. religious (person)
rashi-omi* n. (a) [= rashi-[h]omi a dha Baula chalz] priest, clergyman; (b) [= rashi-[h]omi a dha Kosha chalz] rabbi; (c) [= rashi-[h]omi a dha Moro chalz] imam
rate/l n. (pl. -rlz). rattle (all senses). 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -rld; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to rattle. rateling kove (joc.; properly, rateling cheet). taxi, cab. [Hybrid word: Eng. “rattle” & Pola. “cheet”/“kove”.]
rati* 1 adj. [pertaining to] blood: bloody. 2 n. (always in sing.). blood. 3 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to bleed; see rag. [Roma. “ratti”.]
rati-leik* adj. 1 bloodlike. 2 blood-red
rauj/a tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to have intercourse with, to copulate with. raujering. coitus, copulation, [sexual] intercourse. raujering cheet. penis [facet.]. [Eng. colloquialism “roger”; “raujering cheet” is a Pola. construction.]
raumboyl* 1 adj. [pertaining to] guard or watch. 2 n. guard, watch. 3 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to guard, to watch [over]. [Cant.]
raumboyl-jugel* n. guard dog
raumboyl-kove* n. guard, warden, warder, watchman. raumboyl-kove fa dha bleeting cheetz. shepherd[ess]. raumboyl-kove fa dha lagz. prison warder
raumboyl-omi or -dona/-pelone* = raumboyl-kove
Raumeni* 1 adj. gipsy [gypsy], Romani [Romanes or Romany] (Raumeni chal, gipsy/Gipsy; Raumeni lingo, gipsy language: Romani; Raumeni omi, rom; Raumeni rei, Romany rye: (a) gipsy gentleman; (b) gentleman who mixes socially with gipsies). 2 n. gipsy [gypsy], Romani [Romanes or Romany]. — Raumeni-palariing. Gipsy-speaking. [Roma. “rom”, man, husband.]
ree- pref. marking the redoing or repeat of: re-; an apostrophe follows if the next letter is an “r” (ree’role, reroll). [Eng., exemplified in gay slang with “reemolde”.]
reef tr. v. (pp./p. t. -t; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to feel someone up, cop a feel of someone. reefing. frottage. reefing omi. (fem.: reefing pelone. frotteuse) frotteur. [Pola., according to Baker, perhaps derived from Eng. backslang (for “feel”); cf., Eng. “riffle”.]
reekorl* 1 n. memory. 2 intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to remember, to recall. [Eng. “recall”; cf.,. It. “ricordo”.]
reelati* intr./tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to relocate: move [away], to shift [away]; see deelati. [dee + “lati”.]
reemakiarjhio* n. makeover
reemolde n. (a) sex-change [operation]; (b) by extension, [any (cosmetic)] operation or surgery°. [Gay slang “remould”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola.]
reeporto* 1 n. report (all senses). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to report. [Anglicised pronunciation of It. “rapporto”.]
-reeni see -eeni
reerl adj. (a) (intensifier) real; (b) not as a transvestite, not [in] drag; (c) not homosexual (reerl girl, real girl, i.e., not a “girl” in the Polari sense); see akchwel. [Pola., from Eng. “real”.]
reet/a n. (pl. -ez). male prostitute: “rent[-boy]”; see charvering omi, in charva, dili-boy, rent. [Gayle “rita”.]
reevard/a* tr. v. (pp./p. t. -ed; -ering gerund/pres. part.). to see again. — Ta dha reevardering! See you [later]! Goodbye! Ta dha reevardering narda laung cheim! See you [again] soon!
reezoni* n. reason (all senses). [Corruption of Eng. “reason”.]
reezonibelay* adj. reasonable. — narda reezonibelay. unreasonable
rei* n. (a) gentleman, mister; (b) with capital “R”, honorific: Mr. [Roma. “raia”, “rye”.]
reidez see in ogel-reidez
reir 1 adj. [pertaining to] hair. 2 n. (a) (always in sing.). hair (on the head or body: jhoojh dha reir, style one’s hair; (b) (pl.). hair[s (on the body)]. reir av dhee aunk. nostril or nose hair. reirz a dha larda. pubic hair: pubes. reirz a or aun dha jubze. chest hair. reirz a or in dha nelz or nelliz. ear hair. — a dha reirz a dha larda. pubic. nanti reir. bald. [Pola., from Eng. backslang “hair”; i.e., “riah”.]
reir-jhoosha n. see jhoojhing omi a dha reir, in jhoojh. [Pola.]
reirosa* adj. hairy, hirsute
reir-shoosha more common variant of reir-jhoosha
reit 1 adj./adv. right (not wrong). 2 n. 1 right. 2 (-z, always in pl.) revenge. — fayk dha reitz. get or seek revenge. sheez reit. all right (definitely); see in lav. [Eng.]
rent n. male prostitute: “rent[-boy]”; see charvering omi, in charva, dili-boy, reeta. [Eng. “rent”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola. It is a well-known colloquial term in British gay circles that, through mass media, is now understood in the wider community.]
rent/a (pl. -ez) variant of rent
reon adj./adv. [a]round. [Eng.]
rin* 1 n. file (all senses). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to file (all senses). [Roma.]
ris* n. wrist(s). [Eng.]
Roma* n. Rome (Roma nix wauz tarded oup in ‘una dives. Sor dromze fambel ta Roma.). — bilaung Roma. Roman (fashion, etc.: an omi-/a pelone-]chal bilaung Roma, a Roman; Baula keyr [a/fa dha praygoze] bilaung Roma, the Roman Church: Catholicism). [It.]
romarjhio* n. (pl. -ze). [= romarjhio a dha jhoojh] fashion, style
rome* n. 1 fashion-conscious person. 2 (a) lover, romeo; (b) gigolo; see houzben. [Cant; cf., Roma. “rom”, husband.]
rome-leik* adj. 1 fashion-conscious, fashionable. 2 gigolo-like
rook* n. (pl. -x). 1 pole. 2 tree. rookeeni. bush. rook a dha barki. mast. [Roma. “rook”; Borrow also cites Hung. Roma. “rukh”, Span. Roma. “erucal”, olive-tree, & Sans. “vriksha”; cf., Eng. “ricker”, from Germ. “Rick”, pole (Chambers). “Rook a dha barki”is calqued on Roma. “berro-rook”.]
rook/a* n. (pl. -ez). letter (all senses: rooka a dha runze, letter of the alphabet). rookereeni. note. [A.-Ind. “roo(c)ka”, “rocca”.]
rookarjhio* n. (pl. -ze). forest, wood[s] (“nix pauso varda dha roox fa dha rookarjhio”)
rookerarjhio* n. (rare pl. -ze). mail, post
rouf 1 adj. rough, tough (all senses). 2 n. (pl. -s). aggressive, crude, macho, esp. heterosexual, man: tough [guy]; by extension, ruffian, hooligan, thug. [Eng. “rough”, listed in Baker; properly, not Pola. Chambers even lists “rough trade” (see following) as “casual sexual partner(s), esp. homosexual: violent or sadistic male prostitute(s)” (1,279).]
roy* n. spoon. [Roma. “roi”.]
royarda* n. spoonful
royrl adj. (a) queenly; (b) aristocratic°. [Eng. “royal”.]
roze* 1 adj. (a) pink (Roze Flemingoze); (b) rose. 2 n. (a) pink; (b) [= roze-smel] rose. [Fr. “rose”.]
rozei* n. quilt[-cover], bedspread, counterpane. [A.-Ind. “rozye”.]
roze-rook* n. rose [bush]
roze-smel see in roze
rozi 1 n. rubbish or dust-bin, garbage or trash can (US). 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -d; -ing gerund/pres. part.). (a) to rubbish° (idea); (b) to trash° (room). [Pola., from Eng. nautical slang according to Baker. Perhaps it is related to A.-Ind. “rozye” (see rozei, above), “the bundle of rags on which Fakirs and the very poorest people sleep”(Yule, 386).]
rozi-cheet* n. (a) piece of rubbish, trash or garbage; (b) (-z, always in pl.). rubbish, trash, garbage. — Sheez bona ta fayk erbree dha kaud rozi-cheetz! Good riddance to bad rubbish!
rozi-leik* adj. gutter (rozi-leik chavi, guttersnipe, ragamuffin; rozi-leik kove, bum)
rujh/e* 1 adj. clean. 2 tr. v. (pp./p. t. -de; -ing gerund/pres. part.). to clean (rujhe wouniz bugel [with a loupa], pick one’s nose). — fayk rujhe. [make] clean. [Roma. “iuziou”, “roujio”.]
run/e* n. (pl. -ze). alphabet. [Eng. “rune”.]
Ruski* 1 adj. pertaining to Russia: Russian. 2 n. [= Tem bilaung Ruski] Russia. — bilaung Ruski. Russian (lingo bilaung Ruski, Russian; [omi-/pelone-]chal bilaung Ruski, Russian). Ruski-palariing. Russian-speaking. [Eng. slang “Russky”, a corruption of Russ (Burroughs writes “rooski” in My Education); properly not Pola.]
rusli* adj. (a) hard (all senses); (b) difficult, tough; (c) durable, strong (all senses: Bruce Lee wauz tray rusli). — narda rusli. (a) soft; (b) easy; (c) weak. [Roma. “ruslo”, strong.]
ruslimento* n. (a) hardness (all senses); (b) difficulty; (c) strength (all senses)
rusli-mouj* n. hard hat: helmet
rusli-pisha* n. beetle