Dictionary of Louisiana Creole

The contents of this website remain the intellectual property of the following authors: Albert Valdman, Thomas A. Klingler, Margaret M. Marshall, Kevin J. Rottet

• Warning: There has been no censoring of the data, including offensive language or racial slurs.
• Orthography: Entries use the modern Kouri-Vini Orthography; however, the examples retain their original orthography based on Haitian Creole from the book. There are also several examples written in a French Orthography; these have also been left as is in the book. Additionally, the acute (à) and circumflex (â) when used for stress, preterit, or disambiguation, have not been included separately (i.e., aren't used).
• There are several variants for certain sounds that have not been included in the variants for entries. Please use the variants in quotations in place of the others when searching for words with the following sounds:
  • use "s" for /s/ ← s, ç
  • use "è" for /æ/ ← æ, è
  • use "i" for /ɪ/ ← ì, i
  • use "an" for /ã/ ← an, am, en, em
  • use "on" for /ɔ̃/ ← on, om
  • use "in" for /ɛ̃/ ← in, im
• Parts of Speech abbreviation correspondences:
  • adj. = Adjective
  • adv. = Adverb
  • adv.phr. = Adverbial Phrase
  • art.def. = Definite Article
  • art.indef. = Indefinite Article
  • conj. = Conjunction
  • dem. = Demonstrative
  • det. = Determiner
  • det.poss. = Possessive Determiner
  • f. = Feminine
  • int. = Interjection
  • interr.phr. = Interrogative Phrase
  • m. = Masculine
  • n. = Noun
  • n.phr. = Noun Phrase
  • num.card. = Cardinal Number
  • num.ord. = Ordinal Number
  • onom. = Onomatopoeia
  • pl. = Plural
  • place n. = Place Name
  • prep. = Preposition
  • pron. = Pronoun
  • pron.indef. = Indefinite Pronoun
  • pron.refl. = Reflexive Pronoun
  • pron.rel. = Relative Pronoun
  • prop.n. = Proper Noun
  • ptcl. = Preverbal Particle
  • sg. = Singular
  • v. = Verb
  • v.aux. = Auxiliary Verb
  • v.cop. = Copular Verb
  • v.intr. = Intransitive Verb
  • v.mod. = Modal Verb
  • v.phr. = Verb Phrase
  • v.refl. = Reflexive Verb
  • v.tr. = Transitive Verb
• Sources abbreviation correspondences (post-1960):
  • gen = (BT + CA + NE + PC + ST)
  • AN = Ancelet 1994
  • BT = Bayou Teche, field data
  • CA = Côte des Allemands, field data
  • DC = Clifton 1980
  • DT 77 = Tentchoff 1977
  • GY = Guidry, Richard
  • HW = Hebert Wiltz
  • MO 60 = Morgan 1960
  • MO 69 = Morgan 1969
  • MO 72 = Morgan 1972
  • NE = Neumann 1985
  • PC = Pointe Coupee, field data
  • ST = Saint Tammany, field data
  Sources abbreviation correspondences (pre-1960):
  • BD = Broussard 1942
  • BI = Bienvenu 1933
  • BO = Bourgeois 1927
  • DU = Durand 1930
  • FO T# = Fortier 1895
  • FO 1887 = Fortier 1887
  • GC1 = Cable 1886a
  • GC2 = Cable 1886b
  • JR = Jarreau 1931
  • KB = Krehbiel 1962
  • LA = Lavergne 1930
  • ME = Mercier 1881
  • ME 90 = Mercier 1890
  • ME 91 = Mercier 1891
  • PE = Perret 1933
  • T# = Neumann 1987 Text # (T12–T17 are satirized Creole, use with caution)
  • TM = Marie Augustin
  • TN = Tinker 1935
  • TP = Trappey 1916
  • WO = Marguerite Wogan

Website created by William S. Morales.

5139 entries found

• dènn BT, ST ( n. ) dèn NE dind MO 60
  1. Turkey; dinde, dindon.
     Devan leu denn, ina kèkchòch ki pouch deyòr konm le chveu, me se sa nou apèl la kravat. On the breast of the turkey there’s something that grows out like hair, but that’s what we call the ‘tie’. (BT) ♦ Est-ce qué to connin qué pou couri dinde oté yé latéte? Did you know that to nin, turkeys take their heads off? (FO T7) •kana denn n.phr. Muscovy duck; canard d’Inde. ( Cairina moschata). cf. kanar See examples
• dèpartémon PC ( n. )
  1. Department; département.
     Mo pons sète diferan dèpartemon. I think there were different departments. (PC) See examples
• dèrnyé NE ( adj. ) dènnyin PC dènniyè PC dènyè PC dènyin PC daryin PC dèrñin CA, PC dèryin CA, PC dañin CA dèrnyér (f.) NE
  1. Last; dernier.
     Dèrgnen jènèrasyon ye parle meriken e ye piti. The last generation, they speak English with their children. (PC) ♦ Piti dergné li pa boucoufor, li vini lasse tousouite, et li tombé bap! The last little one was not very strong, he got tired at once and he fell, bam! (T6); ' dernier’ (T34); ‘derhien’ (T13); ‘le damié jour [le damye jour]’ The last day. (BI) •daryen non n.phr. Last name; nom de famille, cf. non •an dèrnye adv.phr. on dèrnye (NE); an dennye (BT); an dariyen, on denrgnen, on dèryen, l an dèrnyen (PC). 1) Lately; dernièrement. Sa a vini an dennye ke mon te gen tro pour fe. It has ended up lately that I’ve had too much to do. (BT) 2) Finally, at last; enfin. On dèrnye li di: ‘O mè ‘, li di, ‘mo kònè sa ki monk Bouki! ‘ Finally he said, ‘Oh! I know what Bouki is missing!’ (NE) •dèryèmon adv. (PC); daryenmon (CA); dèryermon (NE); dènyèman (PC). Lately; dernièrement. Ye gen en lòt kalite machin dèryèmon. They’ve got a different kind of machine lately. (PC); Daryenmon mo te pa achte patat o chèvrèt an chèmen. Lately I haven’t bought potatoes or shrimp on the side of the road. (CA) See examples
• dèryèr No sources ( prep., adv. )
  1. Behind; derrière.
     Vou rapel vyè prizon-la dèryè la, ti batis an brik la? Do you remember the old prison behind there, the little brick building? (PC); En fwatèz vyen dèryèr twa e si li trap twa, l ap ale taye to lajanm e so latche . A coach whip snake comes up behind you, and if he catches you he’ll whip your leg with his tail. (CA) ♦ Li kache dèryè en dibwa li ousi, e li gete pou wa sa li te gen pou fe. He hid behind a tree also, and he waited to see what he should do. (JR); ‘derrière ‘ (T23; T40) •parti dèryè v.phr. To go get, fetch; aller chercher, ci. parti •voye dèryè v.phr. To send for; faire venir, cf. voye 2. After, in pursuit of (e.g. s.o. being courted); à la poursuite de (par ex. qn qu’on courtise). Si to lenm en fiy to dèryè li, e li p ole twa mè to stil dèryè li, pou fe li lèm twa. If you love a girl you’re after her. And she doesn’t want you, but you’re still after her, to make her love you. (PC)1. Behind, in the back; en arrière. Mo di m a bare devan, pa beuzwen bare dèryèr. I said I’ve locked up in front, no need to lock in back. (BT); Blan toujou RIDE devan e nwa daryè. Whites always rode in front and blacks in back. (CA) ♦ Li pati maché', mé so jié apé cléré côté-ci, côté-là, divan, darié. He began to walk, but his eyes were looking this way and that, in front, in back. (T3) 2. In the past; dans le passé. Nou kapab achte tatè, nou ka achte lamezon. Nou te pa ka pou fe sa dèriyè. We can buy land, we can buy a house. We were never able to do things like that in the past. (PC) See examples
• dèryèr CA ( n. ) dèryè PC
  1. Buttocks, behind; fesses, derrière.
     Si ye mèt vou dan en lakaj, vou pa gen dolo, e kèkenn vini RESCUE ou va bo dèryè nonm-sa-la . If they put you in a cage and you have no water, and someone comes to rescue you, you will kiss that man’s behind. (PC); To dèryèr jich ap plote. Your rear end is shaking. (CA) •dèryè so kou n.phr. Nape, back of the neck; nuque. (PC) See examples
• dèryèr-isi NE ( adv. ) dèryèr-isit NE
  1. Here, around hère; autour d’ici.
     Se tou l mèm, se tou paronte ki rès dèryèr-isi. Everyone who lives around here is related (to one another). (NE) See examples
• dé gen, MO 60 ( art.indef. ) dè MO 60 déz BT, CA, MO 60, PC d NE, PC
  1. Some; des, quelques.
     To mon] sa èk de graton. You eat that with crackling. (NE); Dez ami. Some friends. (MO 60); Mo monmon te fe nouzòt de chimij avèk de sak d farin. Our mother made us shirts out of flour sacks. (BT); Ye se pran en bout koton mayi pou bouche lajòg pou pèche dez ensèk. They would take a corncob to plug the jug to keep insects out. (PC); San e wit an e l ape pike de koutdepwent, a so laj-la. A hundred and eight years old, and she’s making quilts, at her age. (CA) REM: This marker of the indefinite plural is not accepted by all speakers (NE 1985: 114). ♦ Pensez donc yé té gagnin des tas énormes de choris ses, de fromage de cochon, de pain maïs, dé patates. Just think, there were enormous piles of sausage, of head cheese, of corn bread, of potatoes. (T40) See examples
• dé PC ( n. )
  1. Thimble; dé (à coudre).
     To pran to en de avet en negwiy. You get yourself a thimble and a needle. (PC) ♦ [Pou] de dart, konm sa komons e se piti mo Chòf en de byen cho e mo pòz li si dart-la. Sa ti li. For skin blotches, when they’re just starting out and they’re small, I heat up a thimble and I set it on the blotch. That kills it. (BI) See examples
• dé MO 60, NE ( det. ) d MO 60, NE, PC
  1. Some; du, de la.
     Konbyen d piti t ale batize? How many children are you going to baptize? (NE); Mo seyè gen d larjan. I tried to get some money. (PC) ♦ Pou moin plus de bon passe-temps! No more good pastimes for me! (T32) See examples
• dé NE ( prep. )
  1. Of, from; de.
     Kek-choj te tonbe par-ter de latab . Something fell off the table onto the floor. (NE); Ye chache le Fronse de la Kanada. They chased the French out of Canada. (NE) See examples
• dé-latét CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Two-headed evil person; personne méchante à deux têtes. (CA)
  2. Practitioner of voodoo; pratiquant du vaudou.
     To tànde pale pou houdou? Aben se sa to pel moun de-latet, se en moun ki fe houdou, li a dòn twa kechò pou met on kekenn pou genye larjan pou fe larjan ave ye. You’ve heard of voodoo? Well, that’s what you call a [moun de latet]. It’s a person who does voodoo. He’ll give you something to put on someone to get money from them. (PC) See examples
• déanshé PC ( v.tr. ) déhanshé CA, PC
  1. To dislocate; disloquer.
     Mo kwa li te déhanche so janm anmba lekòr. I think he dislocated his leg down the bank. (PC); Li dehanche so bra kan li tonbe. He dislocated his arm when he fell. (CA) See examples
• déba CA, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Stockings; bas.
     Mo mo te gen en SHORT PANTS ek de ba. I had a pair of shorts with stockings. (PC); Vye tan pase fam mèt deba anho ye pye e nom mèt chosèt. Long ago women wore stocking son their feet and men wore socks. (ST) ♦ Quand yé vini comme ça tous neg yé galopé acheté souyés, débas, couvertes pou yé vlopé. When they come in like that they all run to buy shoes, stockings, blankets to wrap themselves in. (T27) See examples
• débarasé CA ( v., v.refl., v.tr. )
  1. To get rid of; se débarrasser de.
     Mo debarase mo-mèm avèk tou sa mo te gen andan mo tirwa. I got rid of everything I had in my drawers. (CA) ♦ Pététe mo va débarrassé tout lé dé a la fois. Perhaps I’ll be rid of them both at the same time. (FO T3)To clear out; débarrasser. M ap debarase mo kabine. M ap jete tou sa ki pa bon andan la. I'm clearing out my cabinets. I’m throwing away everything that’s not good in there. (CA) See examples
• débarbouyé CA ( v.refl. )
  1. To get cleaned up; se débarbouiller.
     Ye te gen pou debarbouye ye-mèm avonn ye pran ye dmen. They had to get cleaned up before they had their dinner. (CA) See examples
• débarké CA, PC ( v.intr. )
  1. To land, disembark; débarquer.
     Mo debarke a AUSTRALIA, delod leu bato. I disembarked in Australia and unloaded the boat. (PC) See examples
  2. To get out (of a vehicle); descendre (d’une véhicule).
     Kan no te arive a legliz , no debarke anba charèt. When we had arrived at church we got out of the cart. (CA) See examples
• débaré NE ( v.tr. )
  1. To open, unlock; ouvrir, déverrouiller.
     Onka no genp sòrti, debar lapòrt. In case we have to get out, unlock the door. (NE) See examples
• débat BT, CA, MO 60, PC ( v.intr. )
  1. To try, make an effort, struggle; s’efforcer, se débattre.
     Moun-sa-ye te pòv pòv bet-ye. Ye te e debat pou gen manje. Those people were really poor. They had to struggle just to have something to eat. (PC); Malad konm èl te malad, èl t ap debat pou ede le moun. Sick as she was, she was struggling to help those people. (BT); Si to pa debat, to va pa trouve louvraj. If you don’t make an effort, you won’t find work. (CA) ♦ Courant la té si fort ça té souteni li bien. A force débatte, nager, nager, li traversé lote coté. The current was so strong that it held him up well. By struggling, swimming and swimming, he crossed to the other side. (FO T15) See examples
  2. To manage, get by; se débrouiller.
     Mo gen pou debat le sèl moyè mo kone. I have to get by the only way I know how. (PC); ‘Konmon to ye ? ‘ (M ap débat toujou .’ «How are you?» «I’m still managing.» (BT) ♦Tout sa to capab fait yé va dit to coupab. Vaut mié to paix, et pis... débate comme to capab. Whatever you do, they’ll say you’re guilty. It’s better for you to be quiet and get by as best you can. (T24) See examples
  3. To argue; se disputer.
     Ye t ape debat e ye jete lalanp-la parlè. They were arguing and they knocked the lamp over on the floor. (CA) * See examples
  4. fig.
     To struggle, fight with; se battre avec. Ède momon e piti-ye, debat e ye, tòsl e ye, toute e ye, mèt ye kouche, chanje ye, fe ye manje si ye te gen monj.* I helped the mother with her kids. I struggled with them, put them to bed, changed them, made their food when they had to eat. (PC) See examples
• débatman PC ( n. )
  1. Hard time, difficulty (doing sth.); mal, difficulté (à faire qch).
     Mo te gen en debatman pou koupe lèrb. I had a hard time cutting the grass. (PC) See examples
  2. Fight, struggle; lutte, débat. (PC)
• débay MO 60, MO 72 ( v.tr. )
  1. To harvest, clear away; récolter.
     Mo tè jist de bay mo rekòl. I had just harvested my crops. (MO 72) REM: Note the similar lebay (q.v.). See examples
• débité PC ( n. ) débitè shèrif PC
  1. Deputy; député.
     ♦ Maite Rénard sé to dépité ou so prémié comis, é loté té maite d'équipage. Master Fox was his deputy or chief clerk, and the other was mate. (FO 1887) See examples
• débité CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To gut; étriper.
     Li twe so kochon e li te debite li. Ye fonn li e ye tou nètwaye. Ye ote tou letrip-ye dan so vant. He killed his pig and he took the insides out. They split him in two and they cleaned everything and they take out the tripes in his stomach. (CA) See examples
• déboshé CA ( v. )
  1. To leave work; débaucher.
     Kan mo fini louvraj mo deboche. When I finish my job, I leave work. (CA) See examples
• déboulé CA, ST ( v.intr. )
  1. To tumble; débouler, dégringoler.
     Li t ap kòrde dibwa e dibwa-la komanse deboule. He was cording wood and the wood began to tumble. (CA); Mo popa deboule lechèl. My papa fell down the ladder. (ST) ♦ Compair Lapin déboulé anba talle zéronce et ri: -KiakI kiak! kiak! Brer Rabbit tumbled into the briar patch and laughed, ‘Ha ha!’ (T2) See examples
  2. To collapse, cave in; s’écrouler, s’effondrer.
     To sil anba la ka deboule, si sil-la vini pouri, l a monje l a deboule an-o to pilye-la. Your sill underneath can collapse, if the sill becomes rotten, it’ll be eaten, it’ll collapse on top of your piling. (PC) See examples
• débourbé CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To cleanse of mud, remove the mud from; débourber, décrasser.
     Li ale pilote dan labou. Kan li soti, li te tou bourbe e la li te gen pou débourbé li-mèm, pou lave li-mèm. He went stomping around in the mud. When he got out, he was all muddy, then he had to clean the mud off himself. (CA) See examples
  2. To pull out of the mud; débourber.
     ♦ Li mandé li mème service la pou débourbé so lavache qui té pris au ras ein bayou dans bois. He asked for the same favor of helping pull his cow out of the mud; it was stuck by a bayou in the woods. (FO TI) See examples
• déboushé CA, PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To uncork; déboucher.
     Debouche li mo bwa ‘goulou goulou goulou. ' I uncorked it and drank, glug glug glug. (PC); To gen pou debouche laboutey diven pou lese li soufle. You have to uncork the bottle of wine to let it breathe. (CA) ♦ En bas nabe yé tout qualité flairs dans moune té la; quand ein moune té respiré c’est comme si yé té débouché ein fiole lessence dans ein la chambre. Under the trees there was every kind of flower in the world; when a person breathed it it was as though they’d opened a bottle of perfume in a room. (FO T15) See examples
• débout CA, NE, PC ( adv. ) débou PC dibout PC
  1. Standing (up); debout.
     Li t ape seye travaye debout. Li te pa labitid. He was trying to work standing up. He wasn’t used to that. (CA) ♦ Ye te pròch dromi dibout telman ye te las. They were almost asleep standing up, they were so tired. (JR) •rèste debout v.phr. (PC). To stand, be standing; rester debout. Mè mo m pe e rèste debout la pou garde pou dòn mon. But I’m not going to stand there waiting to be given something. (PC) ♦ Li té si faibe li té pas capabe resté diboute. She was so weak she couldn’t remain standing. (FO T20) See examples
• débout CA, NE, PC, ST ( v.intr. )
  1. To stand, be standing; être (se mettre) debout.
     Ena en GANG nom debout la dan kwen-la. There’s a group of men standing there in the comer. (CA) •debout drwat v.phr. (PC). To stand straight; se tenir droit. Si vou ole konnen si l e debout drwat, vou me zafè sa wa gout dolo-la. If you want to know whether the plank is standing straight, you put this thing down and look at the air bubble. (PC) •debout on v.phr. (PC). To stand over, watch over someone’s shoulder; regarder par dessus l’épaule de qn. Si to pa debout on li la, li pe e f e li byen. If you don’t stand over him, he won’t do a good job. (PC) See examples
  2. To rise, get up (in the morning), be awake, up; être éveillé, se lever.
     Apre li byen dòrmi, li lèv debout e li bwa so kafe. After he has slept well, he gets up and he drinks his coffee. (CA); Ye te debout. They were up. (ST) ♦ Compair Zavoka dijà diboute apé boi so kafé. Brer Lawyer was already up drinking his coffee. (T5) See examples
• débri CA ( n. ) dibri PC
  1. Debris; débris.
     Se tris, ena de plas nou pase aò ye pa kò fini ote dibri-la, aò STORM-la te pase. It’s sad, we passed through some places where they haven’t finished removing the debris from when the storm came through. (PC) See examples
• débruti BT ( adj. )
  1. Sophisticated, well-educated, advanced; sophistiqué, bien-instruit.
     Sète du monn d Ibèri e Lafayèt paskœ Pon Bro e la parwas Sen Marten te pa gen du monn ke te debruti ase. It was people from Iberia and Lafayette because Breaux Bridge and St. Martin Parish didn’t have sophisticated enough people. (BT) See examples
• débòrdé CA ( v., v.intr. )
  1. To overflow; déborder.
     Kan lekim te fòrmen antèr lasoup-la, no te gen pou ekimen li pou pa se debòrde. When foam formed on top of the soup, we had to skim it off so it wouldn’t overflow. (CA) See examples
• dédi BT ( v.tr. )
  1. To deny; nier.
     Mo se demand sa, dedi sa, se di ke mon te pa fe sa. I would have denied that, I would have said I didn’t do that. (BT) See examples
• dédin CA, PC ( adj. )
  1. Hard to please, finicky, fussy; difficile (à plaire).
     Mo manj pa tou kicho. Mo deden. Mo delika pou mo manje. I don’t eat just anything. I’m fussy about my food. (PC); Nikol pa netwaye planche-la byen. Li bakle li. Sa fe mo deden. Nicole didn’t clean the floor well. She did it hastily. I’m not pleased with it. (CA) See examples
• défan PC ( v.tr. ) défòn MO 60, NE, PC défòn NE, PC défandé BT défonn PC
  1. To defend; défendre.
     En cha, se sa i defande avèk, se zargo. A cat, that’s what he defends himself with, his claws. (BT); Ka li te jenn li te toujou konnen defan so frè. When she was young she always defended her brother. (PC) ♦ Chyen-ye se defann li kont djab le s-ye. The dogs would defend him against the demonesses. (JR) See examples
  2. To prohibit, forbid; défendre.
     Vou ka defonn mo pase òrmi mo gen koup en lalwa. You can prohibit me from passing through unless I break a law. (PC) ♦ Vié femme la prend crié et pi li défende Jean couri coté roi encore. The old woman started to cry and she forbad John to go to the king again. (FO T18) See examples
• défans No sources ( n. )
  1. Defense; défense. •san defans
     adj.phr. Helpless, defenseless; sans défense. ♦ Li té sans défense et bligé resté dans so trou. He was defenseless and was forced to stay in his hole. (FO T3) See examples
• défansé CA, PC ( v., v.tr., v.intr. )
  1. To smash in; défoncer.
     Li vini. Li defanse mo lapòrt pou rantre dan mo lamezon. He came. He smashed in my door to get in my house. (CA) ♦ Madamme Ranhoutan gardé tou partou, lécurie pa défoncé. Mrs. Ranhoutan looked everywhere, the stable had not been smashed in. (T6) See examples
  2. To remove the bottom from (a barrel); enlever le fond (d’un baril). (PC)To break open, burst; se casser, éclater.
     ♦ Ponga to fon defons, nwaro. si to fon defons to va tchwe mwen. [Riddle:] Mind well your bottom does not fall out, Darky. If your bottom should out (sic) you will kill me. Answer: A pot of water boiling over the fire. [ ‘ défonce ‘] (DU) See examples
• défig PC, ST ( n. ) défik BT fig MO 60
  1. Fig; figue.
     Ga fige-la, safe defig men, lapli ja komonse. Apre trwaz an IN A ROW nou pa met en defig. Look at that fig tree, it produces figs but the rain has already started, and this is the third year in a row we haven’t had a single fig. (PC) ♦ Des figues apé vini et ti zoranges aussi. Figs were coming out and little oranges too. (T27) •pye defig n.phr. (PC). Fig tree; figuier. Nou gen en pye defig dan lakou. We have a fig tree in our yard. (PC) See examples
• défin CA, NE, PC, ST ( adj. ) défint BT
  1. Late, deceased; défunt, décédé.
     Mo defen mari mouri. My late husband. (PC); Defent Pakout sete le plu vyeu don mo famiy. The late Pakoot was the oldest sibling in my family. (BT) ♦ Ti bougue la prend l'aimin madame la autant qué so défint moman. The boy started loving the woman as much as his deceased mother. (FO T2) See examples
  2. Long lost; adjectif désignant qn qu’on n’a pas vu depuis longtemps.
     Defen Stivonn, aw to te? Steven, where have you been? (BT) See examples
• défin PC ( n. )
  1. Late, deceased; défunt.
     Mo defen. My late [husband]. (PC) ♦ Fo jonmen pote dey onvon defen don sèkey. You must never mourn until the deceased is in his coffin. (BD) See examples
• défo CA ( n. )
  1. Character flaw, fault; défaut.
     Se en bon pèrsòn me son defo, li paresèz . She’s a good person, but her character flaw is that she’s lazy. (CA) ♦ Froumi-la laime pas prêter; c'est so sél défaut: The ant does not like to lend. That’s his only character flaw. (BD) See examples
• défréshi CA, PC ( v.tr. ) défrèshi PC
  1. To clear (land, for planting); défricher.
     T ole defrechi laté. He wanted to clear his land for planting. (PC); Defrechi ye pèl sa. Ye ap bouldouz dibwa. Clearing they call that. They’re bulldozing trees. (CA) See examples
• défé BT, CA ( v.tr. ) défèt BT, NE
  1. To undo; défaire.
     Mo defe lourle pou lanji mo rob. I undid the hem to lengthen my dress. (CA) See examples
  2. To destroy; défaire, détruire.
     Sa tou defèt zòt mezon. That (the flood of 1927) completely destroyed your houses. (NE) See examples
  3. To tear down, demolish; démolir.
     Bòiy defe sa depons. Boy tore down his outhouse. (BT) ♦ Je te blije defet lachimne pou sòti Jon ladon. They were forced to tear down the chimney to get John out of it. (TP) See examples
• défék PC ( n. )
  1. Defect; défaut.
     Li pa okupe apre li leve kèkicho ki te lou. Ti bebe-la, fè en defek dan so kò. She didn’t take care, she lifted something that was heavy. The little baby, (it) made a defect in its body. (PC) See examples
• déga No sources ( n. )
  1. Damage; dégâts.
     ♦ Vapé élevé piti layé', é can yé vini gran, cé justeman su vou ya commancé yé déga. A swallow who saw that said to him, «You’re going to raise those young, and when they are grown you’re the one that they will do their damage to.» (ME 90) See examples
• dégan CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Glove; gant.
     Kase mai, vou pran vou lamen e vou pran en degan vou trape l vou kase 1. To pick corn, you take your hand, you take gloves, and you grab it and break it. (PC); Mo mari t ape kupe zèrb deyò e ye te fe si fre ke li te blije mèt so degan-yen. My husband was cutting grass outside and it was so cold he had to put gloves on. (CA) ♦ Mo sorti sans metté mo gants et mo couri loin du théâte. I went out without putting on my gloves and I went far away from the theater. (T38) See examples
  2. Glove (for dusting the furniture); gant (à épousseter les meubles).
     Mo gen en ti degan fe an LAMB kòm en mouton e mo pouste avèk li. I have a little glove made out of lambskin and I dust the furniture with it. (CA) See examples
• dégizman CA, ST ( n. )
  1. Disguise; déguisement.
     Kan li vini, li te gen son degizman e mo pa rekònèt li. When he came he had his disguise and I didn’t recognize him. (CA) ♦Li passé lasoirée apé causé avec Guichard, qui té pas capab dansé à cause so déguisement. He spent the evening chatting with Guichard, who could not dance because of his disguise. (T40) See examples
• dégizé CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To disguise; déguiser.
     Sa sam pa la mèm pèrsòn parskè li tou degize. It doesn’t look like the same person because he’s all disguised. (CA) ♦Derrière nous té ein nhomme déguisé en diable boiteux. Behind us was a man disguised as a lame devil. (T40) See examples
• déglan PC ( n. ) déglann CA glan ST
  1. Acorn; gland.
     Deglan, se chenn ki fe sa. Acorns, it’s the oak tree that produces them. (PC); No te va achte en sak de nwazèt pu kenz sou. Enave denwa, dezalmann, deglann, de zortej nèg osi. We would buy a big back of nuts for 15 cents. There were walnuts, almonds, acoms, Brazil nuts too. (CA) ♦ Lamrise, des glannes, piti pacanes et graines lilas. Cherries, acoms, little pecans and lilac seeds. (T27) See examples
• déglann CA, PC ( n. ) déglan PC
  1. Gland; glande.
     Li gen deglann gonfle. She has swollen glands. (PC) ♦ Pou mal de gòrj e pou de glonn. For a sore throat and (swollen) glands. (BI) See examples
• dégo PC ( n. )
  1. Italian; Italien.
     Ye te gen en bann de dego ki te kònè rèste anlòtour isit. There were a bunch of Italians living near here. (PC) See examples