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

• fri CA, PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To fry; faire frire.
     Biskwi fri . Fried biscuits. (PC); Mo fri pa dezwit. Mo lenm pa dezwit fri. Mo manj pa sa. I don’t fry oysters. I don’t like fried oysters. I don’t eat them. (CA) ♦ Fri de ked ra e frote avek ye. Fry some rattails and mb yourself with those. (BI) See examples
• frijidèr CA ( n. ) frijidè BT, PC
  1. Refrigerator; réfrigérateur.
     Dzifa-lœ va gate o stov si to me pa sa karemon don frijidè-lœ. The rice dressing will spoil on top of the stove if you don’t immediately put it in the refrigerator. (BT) See examples
  2. Freezer; congélateur.
     Mo gen entande pou DEFROST mo frijidèr. Mo va atann juska sa fe cho. I intend to defrost my freezer. I’m going to wait until it’s hot out. (CA) See examples
• frikasé CA, NE ( n. ) frikasèi PC
  1. Fricassee, stew; fricassée, ragoût.
     Pour li, Tchoupoule, c'tait dans ein fricassée et li jamais passé son temps à jongler comment parler. For him, Tchoupoule was in a fricassee and he never spent time wondering how to talk. (DC); Fwa dir se bon dan frikase kochon. Pig’s liver is good in pork fricassee. (CA) See examples
• frikasé PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To fricassee; faire une fricassée.
     O vou kwi kirey konm nenpòt ki, vou ka fe enn SAUCE o frikase li. Oh, you cook squirrel like anything else, you can make a sauce or fricassee it. (PC) See examples
• friko CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Food; nourriture.
     ♦ Compair Bouki li té fé so frico et li avé so famie manzé yé vante plin tou lazoumée. Brer Bouki made his food, and he and his family ate their fill all day long. (T6) See examples
  2. Dish made of grilled inner organs; plat composé d’abats grillés.
     En friko? Sa sòr dan en lavach. To kou achte lavyànd, l a dòn twa en ti bout le fwa, le mou, latche. A [friko]? It comes from a cow. You go buy meat, he’ll give you a little piece of the liver, the lungs, the tail. (PC) See examples
  3. Stew; ragoût.
     Mo fe en friko patat pou manje aswa pou soupe. I made a potato stew to eat tonight for dinner. (CA) See examples
• friksyonnin CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To rub; frotter, frictionner.
     Mo friksyonnen li avèk SALVE kan li gen en rim an so lèstoma. I mb salve on him when he’s got a cold in his chest. (CA) ♦ [Pou] mal de gòrj, to fliksyonn avek di swif e di penpèrment. For a sore throat, you mb (your neck) with tallow and peppermint. (BI) See examples
• frim No sources ( n. )
  1. Fame; renommée.
     ♦ Savan Missié Kabri, ki konm tou gri-gri, sé pas krivin pour frime. Wise Mr. Goat who knows every charm, he’s not writing for fame. (TN) See examples
• fringan CA, PC ( adj. )
  1. Frisky, high-spirited, lively; fringant.
     Moun te pli frengan. People were more high-spirited (in those days). (PC); Piti-la tro frengan. Larèt pa. The child is too lively. He doesn’t stop. (CA) See examples
• friskata PC ( n. )
  1. Banana shrub; espèce de plante.
     To gen le friskata andan kabann-na. You have banana shrubs in the house. (PC) See examples
• frison PC ( n. ) frisan CA, PC
  1. Chill, chills; frisson.
     Dite laflè siro te ban pou frison. Elderberry leaf tea was good for chills. (PC); To byen fre kan to gen frisan. T ap tranble. You’re very cold when you have the chills. You’re trembling. (CA) ♦ Jist oir li ça donn ‘ moin frisson, c'est lamaison Dénise . Just seeing it gives me chills, that’s Denise’s house. (T11) •frison potrin n.phr. (PC); fichan potrin, fison d pòtrin, fison potrin, fison pòltrin (PC); frisant potrin (CA). Pneumonia; pneumonie. Si vou gonn deyò vou pa gen kapo ou ka trape frison potrin. If you go out (and) you don’t have a coat you can catch pneumonia. (PC) ♦ Pou frison potrin met de sonsi pou tire dison ontour kote sa kalme to ladoulè. For pneumonia, put on some leeches to draw the blood, that will calm your pains. [ 'frisson potrine ‘] (LA) See examples
• frizé PC, ST ( adj. ) frizlé PC
  1. Kinky, nappy, frizzy; crépu.
     Moun gen ye cheve-ye frize. There are some people with kinky hair. (PC) See examples
  2. Curly; frisé, bouclé.
     Sa, men sa gen cheve drwat men li li gen so cheve-ye frize. That one has straight hair, but the other one has curly hair. (PC); Li gen latèt frize. She has very curly hair. (ST) See examples
• frizé CA, PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To curl (hair); friser (les cheveux).
     L e frize se chveu. She is curling her hair. (PC); L ap frize mo chve-ye. She is curling my hair. (CA) ♦ Compair Tigue té farô com ein pan et té apé frizé so moustace. Brer Tiger was as dressed up as a peacock, and he was curling his moustache. (T8) See examples
  2. To braid; natter, tresser.
     L e frize se chveu . She’s braiding her hair. (PC) See examples
• frodé CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To mess up, ruin, botch; gâcher, bousiller.
     Si to pa mèt tou kikchoj pou fe baryèr-la, l ap ale rouye e l ap ale kase. Li se pa dire. To frode li. If you don’t put in everything to make the fence, it’s going to rust and it’s going to break. It won’t last. You messed it up. (CA) See examples
• fromaj CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Cheese; fromage.
     To fe fromaj e lakrèm dile lavach. You make cheese with the cream of cow’s milk. (CA) ♦ Li dit yé li té acheté di beurre, fromage et biscuit. He told them that he had bought butter, cheese and biscuits. (FO T4) See examples
  2. Head cheese; fromage de tête.
     No te pran HOGSHEAD la nou fe fromaj. We took the pig’s head and we made (head) cheese. (PC) ♦ Pensez donc yé té gagnin des tas énormes de chorisses, de fromage de cochon, de pain maïs, dé patates, mo pas connin ça li té pas gagnin. Think about it, they had enormous piles of sausage, head cheese, cornbread and potatoes. I don’t know what they didn’t have. (T40) •latèt fromaj n.phr. Head cheese; fromage de tête. cf. tèt See examples
• fromi BT, CA, NE, PC ( n. ) froumi CA, NE formi NE fròmi PC fronmi PC
  1. Ant; fourmi.
     To gen garde fe atansyan si se en marangwen o si se en fromi, avan to tchouwe li. You have to check and see if it’s a mosquito or an ant before you kill it. (PC); Si to jis touche en tal froumi rouj, ye va sòrti e grenpe apre twa e mòrd twa. If you just touch a red ant hill, they’ll come out and climb on you and bite you. (CA) ♦ Li oi dans do l(eau ain pauv piti fourmi, dibout, en hau ain copeau, et qui tapé débat pou sauver so la peau. He saw in the water a poor little ant standing on a wood shaving, which was struggling to save its skin. (T18) See examples
• fromon NE ( n. )
  1. Wheat; froment.
     ♦ To pron en kiyèr la farin fromon e to deley li don dolo ked. You take a spoonful of wheat flour and you dissolve it in lukewarm water. (BI) See examples
• fron PC ( n. ) fran PC lafron CA
  1. Forehead; front.
     Li gen en mark d anvi an son fron. He has a birth-mark on his forehead. (PC); Mo mete en Sèrvyèt e vinèg an so lafron e sa koupe so lajyèv. I put a towel with vinegar on his forehead and it broke his fever. (CA) ♦ Mo jà touié plin moune avé mo fron; si mouen cogné toi, ma fanne to caboche an piti moceau. I’ve killed a lot of people with my forehead; if I strike you, I will break your little head to pieces. (T2) See examples
• fronsé CA ( v. )
  1. To gather; froncer.
     Li te gen en rob avèk en volan tou fronse. She had a dress with gathered flounces. (CA) ♦ So jipons, yé gaignin dé volan tou froncé avec la dentel. Her petticoats, they have gathered flounces of lace. (WO) See examples
• fronté No sources ( adj., adv. )
  1. Sassy, insolent, cocky; effronté.
     To tro fronte avèk to moman. l fo pa to parl kòm sa e to moman. You are too sassy with your Mama. You mustn’t talk to your Mama like that. (CA) ♦ To blié parlé créol; mo oua ça. Epi asteur, effronté, to tutéié to Mamrie. You've forgotten how to speak Creole. And now, sassy one, you’re calling your Mamrie ‘tu’. (ME)In a sassy way; d’une manière effrontée. Mo di li pou li arète fe sa parske sete pa byen. Li repon mo bèk frannte. L ape fe so frannte avèk man. Mo babiye li. I told him not to do that because it wasn’t good. He answered me back in a sassy way. He backtalked me (so) I scolded him. (CA) See examples
• fronté PC ( n. ) franté PC frannté CA
  1. Impertinence; impertinence. •fe (so) frannte
     v.phr. (CA). To backtalk, be sassy, talk back; répondre insolemment, être effronté. L ape fe so frannte avèk man. Mo babiye li. He backtalked me. I scolded him. (CA) ♦ To koné mo zamé lémé fé fronté avé blan . You know that I’ve never liked to be sassy with white folks. (T12) See examples
• frotez BT ( n. )
  1. Washboard used as a rhythm instrument; planche à laver utilisée comme instrument de musique.
     La li te bat la froteuz e pi li te chante. And he started to play the washboard and sing. (BT) See examples
• frotwar BT ( n. ) frotwa CA
  1. Washboard; planche à laver.
     Mo gen en frotwa pou lave lenj. I’ve got a washboard for washing clothes. (CA) See examples
  2. Washboard used as a rhythm instrument; planche à laver utilisée comme instrument de musique. (BT)
• froté CA, NE, PC ( v., v.tr., v.refl. ) frèt PC
  1. To rub; frotter.
     Li frote so lamen avek savon. She rubbed her hands with soap. (PC); Mo frote mo lamen parskè ye fre. I’m rubbing my hands because they’re cold. (CA) ♦Li metté garçon la on litte et li frotté li si tant, qué piti la réveillé. He put the little boy on the bed and rubbed him so much that the little boy awoke. (FO T20) See examples
  2. To scrub; laver à la brosse, frotter.
     Le chodyèr gen pou dèt frote e rense. The pots have to be scrubbed and rinsed. (PC)To rub oneself; se frotter. En lang on se li to t fròt avek. Salve is what you rub yourself with. (PC) ♦[Pou] demonjezon, vou me la sonn e di sel e vou fròt vou avek sa. For the itch, you mix ashes and salt and you rub yourself with that. (BI) See examples
• froubi PC ( v.tr. ) frobi NE, CA
  1. To scrub, mop (the floor); fourbir, laver (le plancher).
     Te gen froubi leu planche, nouzòt pa gen le MOP, non. No te kouri an no-kenn jnou ave en RAG, mo te froubi. We had to scrub the floor and we didn’t have a mop. We had to get down on our knees with a rag and scrub. (PC) See examples
• froufrou CA ( adj. )
  1. Wild, rowdy; sauvage, chahuteur.
     L ape sotaye. Li froufrou. He’s jumping around. He’s rowdy. (CA) See examples
• frèn CA, PC ( n. ) flènn PC frènn PC
  1. Ash; frêne.
     Ni chenn ni flenn. Neither the oak tree nor the ash tree. (PC); To koup dibwa frèn pou brile dan fouye pou livè. You cut ash trees to bum in your fireplace for the winter. (CA) •frenn pikon n,phr. Prickly ash, toothache tree; frêne piquant. (Zanthoxylon clova ). ♦[Pou ] mal o don, fe twa en chik avek frenn pikon e met sa si to don. For a toothache, get a chaw of prickly ash and put it on your tooth. (BI) See examples
• frèr gen ( n. )
  1. Brother; frère.
     En swar, mo frèr e mo t ap fume, lapip a tonbe partèr. One evening my brother and I were smoking. The pipe fell to the ground. (BT); Li t ape babiy e e mo frèr. He was fussing at my brother. (CA) ♦ Katafo te lœ plis vye dan le trwa ti frè. Catafo was the oldest of the three little brothers. (JR) See examples
• frèsh CA, NE, PC ( adj. ) frish PC frésh PC fré NE, ST
  1. Fresh; frais.
     Tou le smenn ye se tchwe en kochon, e nou se gen frich. Every week they used to kill a pig. We would have fresh meat. (PC); Li fe li-mèm frèch pou kapab galope pli vit. She freshened herself up to be able to run faster. (NE) ♦ Gay are cilà té fé bon lavianne fraîche. That fellow (i.e. that bull) would give good fresh meat. (T8) See examples
  2. Cool; frais.
     Ye fe frèch jodi. It’s cool out today. (CA); Li trape divan fre. He caught the cool breeze. (ST) See examples
• frèsh PC ( n. ) frésh PC lafrèsh CA, ST
  1. Cool breeze; brise rafraîchissante.
     Enave en bòn frèch on larivyèr. There was a cool breeze off the river. (PC) •pran lafrech v.phr. (CA). To enjoy the breeze, get some fresh air; prendre le frais. M asit an lagalri pou pran lafrèch. I’m sitting on the porch to get some fresh air. (CA) ♦ Li ï rete pann la e li prann lafrrch tou la rout. He remained hanging there the whole way, enjoying the breeze. (JR) •dòn lafrèch v.phr. (CA). To provide shade; donner de l’ombre. Dibwa-sa-a ap dòn lafrèch. This tree is providing shade. (CA) ♦ Li temps pou nous planté calbasse auras cabane, pou yé donne nous lafraiche en bas yé gros laliane. It is time for us to plant squash around the house for them to give us shade under their tall vines. (T27) See examples
• frèz CA, PC ( n. ) fréz PC
  1. Strawberry; fraise.
     En dezè plen ave frez. A strawberry patch. (PC); Kan to plant to frèz-ye. When you plant your strawberries. (CA) See examples
• fré CA, NE, PC ( adj. ) frèt MO 60, BT frwa MO 60
  1. Cold; froid.
     Li fe fre isi dan livè. It’s cold here in winter. (PC); En bon vèr dolo fre, se bon kan ye fe cho. A nice glass of cold water, that’s good when it’s hot. (CA) REM: Given the similarity of reflexes of French froid and frais in Louisiana, the two words appear to have partly merged. ♦ Li dit li li té content oua li trouvé quéque morceau dibois pou fait difé, pasqué yé fait bien frette. He told her he was very happy that she had found a piece of wood to make a fire because it was very cold. (FO T27) •vini fre v.phr. (CA; PC). To get cool; (se) refroidir. Vou wa disik si vou bwi li, safe m a toumen en zafè epe, e la, ska l a vini fre, li kou an boul, ansonm, ave siro. You see, when you boil sugar, it makes it turn thick, and then when it cools it forms little balls of syrup. (PC); Mo vini fre. Ye te f e fre deyòr la. I got cold. It was cold out. (CA) •tchwe (li) fre v.phr. To kill cold; tuer raide. ♦ Anmeriken-la trape so fizi e tire li an trèvè so kò. Li tchwe li fre. The American grabbed his gun and shot him through his body. He killed him cold. (JR) See examples
• fré CA, PC ( n. ) frèt NE
  1. Cold; froid.
     Fre-la tchouwe ye, byen pròch. The cold almost killed them (the sugar cane stalks). (PC) ♦ Lapé laissé moin mouri faim et frette dihors. He’s letting me die of hunger and cold outside. (T27) See examples
  2. Cold, flu, influenza; rhume, grippe.
     Li gen en gro fre an so lèstoma. Le e touse. He has a cold in his chest. He is coughing. (PC) See examples
• fré No sources ( n. )
  1. Cost, charge, expense; frais, coût.
     ♦ Mannejè-la va peye le fre lakour. The manager will pay the court costs. (JR) See examples
• frédi CA, PC ( v., v.intr., v.tr. )
  1. To cool down; (se) refroidir.
     Demòv. Te kite dolo-la fredi, bwa pa li cho la, bwa li fre. They would let the water cool off. They didn’t drink it hot, they drank it cool. (PC); Tan-la ap fredi. S ap ale fe fre aswa-la. The weather is cooling down. It’s going to be cold tonight. (CA)1. To freeze, chill; glacer, geler. ♦ Sa li wa a pe pre si pa de li, kan li leve so latet, fredi li avek lapè. What he saw about six steps from him froze him with fright. (JR) 2. To cool down; refroidir. Si to manje tro cho, to gen pou fredi li, pou to konen manje li. If your food is too hot, you have to let it cool down so you can eat it. (CA) See examples
• frédèn No sources ( n. )
  1. Prank; fredaine.
     ♦ Ça fait Compair Lapin consenti resté avec so femme jisqua li mouri et c’est comme ça li marié avec tout so frédaine. So Brer Rabbit agreed to stay with his wife until she died, and so that’s how he got married, with all of his pranks. (FO T15) See examples
• frékantasyon* No sources ( n. ) frékatasyon PC frikantasyon PC
  1. Company, visitors; invités, de la visite.
     Ye ye pa gen frekatasyon. They don’t have any company. (PC) See examples
• frékanté CA, PC ( v.tr. ) frikanté PC frékonté PC frékant PC frèkanté PC
  1. To see, visit; fréquenter, rendre visite à.
     Nou frekant pa a souvon paskœ nou pa gen labarkasyon. We don’t get together often because we have no transportation. (PC); M ap ale frekante mo piti-ye an vil. I'm going to visit my children in New Orleans. (CA) ♦ Faut quitté tout zonnair la yé, plus fréquenté moun qui coquin. You have to leave all of your honor, and not frequent disreputable people. (T31) See examples
• fréshman PC ( adj. )
  1. Cool; rafraîchissant, frais.
     Li gen pou et frechman dèmen maten. It’s going to be cool tomorrow morning. (PC) See examples
• frét CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Freight train; train à fret. (PC) •char fret
     n.phr. Freight train; train à marchandises, cf. char See examples
  2. Freight, load; fret, cargaison.
     En charabon se pou charye fret. A four-wheeled cart is for carrying freight. (PC) See examples
• fròm NE, PC ( prep. ) fòm PC
  1. From; de.
     Aben, aò to fròm ? Well, where are you from? (PC); Moun klè. To pròch pa ka fe la diferans fròm blan. Light-skinned blacks. You almost can’t tell them apart from white people. (PC); Tou le pre-midi li te marche mon fròm isi drwèt-la-la o ST. FRANCIS. Every afternoon he accompanied me from here to St. Francis. (NE) See examples
• fumyé PC ( n. ) limyé CA, PC
  1. Fertilizer, manure; fumier.
     Tou moun FERTILIZE jou jordi. Ye f e pa rekòt si ye pa mete fimye anndan lan. Everyone fertilizes nowadays. They wouldn’t harvest if they didn’t put down some fertilizer. (PC); Me fimye apre to plant. Li va grosi byen. Put fertilizer around your plant. It will grow well. (CA) ♦ Pou la roujol pron di fimye mouton e fe en di te avek sa, sa fe di byen. For measles take some sheep dung and make a tea with that, that will help. [‘fimier’] (LA) See examples
• fumyé No sources ( v.tr. ) fimyé PC
  1. To fertilize; fertiliser.
     Ye te plant defev pou fe fimye, li te fimye pou trwaz an la. They planted beans as fertilizer, they worked as fertilizer for three years. (PC) See examples
• fumé BT ( v.tr. ) fimin CA, PC fim CA, PC fumin PC fum PC fimè NE
  1. To smoke (tobacco); fumer (du tabac).
     En swar, mo frèr e mo t ap fume, lapip a tonbe partèr. One evening my brother and I were smoking. The pipe fell to the ground. (BT); Li te gen en CANCER andan so kò, se fimen ki fe sa. He has cancer in his body, it’s smoking that caused it. (PC) ♦ Pou lopresyon fimen koma konm di taba, sa geri opresyon. For asthma, smoke jimson weed like tobacco, that will cure asthma. (LA) See examples
  2. To smoke (meat); fumer (de la viande).
     Mo gen p alime koton mayi-ye pou fimen pwason ou chawi ou landoui. I’ve got to light the corncobs to smoke fish or raccoon or sausage. (CA) See examples
• fuzi No sources ( n. ) fizi CA, PC, NE
  1. Rifle, shotgun; fusil.
     Vyeu nòm-la te gen en fizi. My old man had a rifle. (PC) ♦L/ oua ein bougue avec ein fisil qui t’apé viser ein gros calencro. He saw a guy with a rifle aiming at a big buzzard. (BD) •fizi deu kou n.phr. (BT); fizi de kou (CA; PC). Double-barrelled shotgun; fusil à deux coups. To konnen pa en fizi deu kou? I te kase la, te mèt te deu kartouch. You don’t know double-barrelled shotguns? They’re divided there in the middle, you put in your two cartridges. (BT) •fizi en kou n.phr. (CA; PC). Single loader; fusil à un coup. •fizi si kou n.phr. (CA). Automatic rifle, shotgun; fusil à six coups, fusil automatique. En bagèt, se en fizi si kou. To kapab tire si fwa. A ‘baguette’ is a six-shot rifle. You can fire it six times. (CA) See examples
• fuziyman No sources ( n. )
  1. Shooting; fusillement.
     ♦ Mo sir kan Kongre Laid a tandé nouvail cila, la vautré Marciman pou Radiko ki fé fizilman là. I'm sure that when the Congressman has heard the news, he will wallow in the thanks of the radicals who did the shooting. (T 16) See examples
• fuziyé No sources ( v.tr. )
  1. To shoot; fusiller.
     ♦ Kofair péhi cila lib si ein bon Radiko pa gaigné droâ fiziyé ein dam Rébail tan-zan-tan pou mizé nou zot? Why is the country free if a Radical doesn’t have the right to shoot a damn rebel from time to time just for fun? (T16) See examples
• fwa BT, CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( n. )
  1. Time (instance, occasion); fois.
     Mo deja chache de kokodri. Sète kat fwa, sen fwa, trap ye vivan. I’ve been alligator hunting. It was four or five times. We caught them alive. (BT); Trwa fwa par jou. Three times a day. (PC); Ena de fwa mo pa konen dòrmi le swa. There are times when I can’t sleep at night. (CA) ♦ I nave enn fwa enn fonm te gen en ti bebe. There was once a woman who had had a baby. (LA) •a la fwa adv.phr. (CA; PC). At a time, at once; à la fois. Mo vann trwa a la fwa. I sold three at a time. (PC); M ap mèt jich enn a la fwa. I’m just putting in one at a time. (CA) ♦ Au même moment lafenête brisé en mille morceaux et dolo commencin entré comme si mille robinets té ouvri à lafois . At the same time the window broke in a thousand pieces and water began to come in as if 1000 faucets had been turned on at once. (T40) • de-fwa adv. (NE; PC); na-le-fwa, zon-de-fwa, zon-le-fwo (NE); ena-de-fwa (CA); lefwa, na-dè-fwa, enon-le-fwa (PC). Sometimes; quelquefois. De-fwa sa sòr on kreol parske la mo choke. Sometimes it comes out in Creole because I’m mad. (NE) •enn fwa adv.phr. (CA; PC); èn fwa, oèn fwa (PC). Once, one time; une fois. Ena enn fwa nou kou on djob... One time we went on a job... (PC) ♦ Latcheu Caïman té si long, et li t apé trainé tant, qué mo manqué craser li plus d'ein fois . The alligator’s tail was so long, and it was dragging around so much that I nearly crushed it more than once. (T40) •en lot fwa adv.phr. (CA). Another time; une autre fois. Mo sère mo lafisèl pou sèrvi en lot fwa. I saved my string to use another time. (CA) •Ena enn fwa. adv.phr. (CA). Once upon a time; il était une fois. •’Eine fois, bonne fois’ adv.phr. Once upon a time; il était une fois. ♦ Eine fois, bonne fois, yé té gain ein t'it bougue à force li té béte yé té pélé li Jean Sotte. Once there was a boy who was so stupid that they called him Foolish John. (BD) •fwa-sa-la adv.phr. (CA; PC). At that time; à ce moment-là. Li gen en gro pòltrès. Mo te gen trant on fwa-sa-la. He has a big photograph of me. I was thirty at that time. (PC); Fwa-sa-la, mo t ap ale o magazen. At that time I was going to the store. (CA) •lez-ot fwa adv.phr. (PC); don lez-ot fwa, ondon lez-ot fwa (NE); dezòt foua (MO 60); lòt fwa (BT). Formerly, in the olden days; autrefois. Jòrdi le piti pa kòm ondon lez-ot fwa. These days kids are not like they used to be. (NE); Konm lòt-fwa kan nou te piti, mo monmon te fe nouzòt de chimij avèk de sak d farin. When we were children, our mother made us shirts out of flour sacks. (BT) ♦ Ein jou , dan taw lézot foi, Compair Bouki couri dîné côté so ouasin Compair Lapin. One day long ago, Brer Bouki went to have dinner at his neighbor’s, Brer Rabbit. (T2) •plen le fwa adv.phr. (PC); plen de fwa (CA). Often, many times; souvent, maintes fois. Èna plen le fwa, dibwa dekonn-lan pa gen chikro. Many times the sugar cane stalk has no sucrose. (PC); Plen de fwa, mo bliy sa m ap ale fe. Often I forget what I'm going to do. (CA) •souvant fwa adv.phr. Often, oftentimes; souvent, cf. souvan See examples
  2. [Multiplication], Times; fois.
     Trwa fwa trwa nèf. Three times three is nine. (PC) See examples
• fwa CA, PC ( n. ) dufwal PC léfwa BT, PC, ST
  1. Liver; foie.
     Mo lem le jwa kochon, do mo lèm pa le fwa bef I like pork liver, but I don’t like beef liver. (PC); M ap boure mo kana pou THANKSGIVING. Mo mèt diri e fwa e jijie pou fe en far. I’m stuffing my duck for Thanksgiving. I put rice, liver and gizzards to make a stuffing. (CA); Li gen le fwa malad. He has liver problems. (BT) REM: This word is often used in the plural. The unagglutinated form fwa is rare in PC. ♦Ma acheté ain morço lé foie pou yé lunch. I bought a bit of liver for their lunch. (WO) •fwa blan n.phr. (BT). Lungs; poumons. Le fwa blan sa se plus dan vo do. The lungs are higher up in your back. (BT) •fwa dir n.phr. (CA). Liver (of a pig); foie (de cochon). Fwa dir, se bon dan frikase kochon. Pig’s liver is good in a pig fricassee. (CA) •fwa mou n.phr. (CA). Lungs (of a pig); poumons (de cochon). No manj pa fwa mou-la paske sa gen pa gou kom fwa dir. Se le pomon du kochon. Se pa manjab. We don’t eat the lungs because they don’t have any taste like the liver has. Those are the lungs of the pig. They’re inedible. (CA) •fwa nwar n.phr. (BT). Liver; foie. Fwa nwar kole ora vo kœr. The liver is around your heart. (BT) See examples
• fwa No sources ( n. )
  1. Faith; foi. •ak de fwa
     n.phr. Act of faith; acte de foi. (PC) •’Bonne foi, bonne foi.’ exp. [Opening formula used by storytellers]. REM: Fortier 1887:116 says: «The negro narrator begins his story with the words: «bonne foi, bonne foi!» good faith, good faith! which signify that what is going to be said is strictly true.» See examples
• fwataj PC ( n. )
  1. Whipping; fouettage.
     En bon fwataj. A good whipping. (PC) See examples