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

• mèt CA ( adj., n. )
  1. Mute; muet.
     Li parl pa. Li mèt. Se en sour-e-mèt. He doesn't speak. He's mute. He is a deaf-mute. (CA) See examples
• mèt CA, PC ( n. ) mét NE
  1. Master; maître.
     So mèt lès li kour aou l ole. His master lets him go wherever he wants. (PC) •Nous té libe; nous té pas bligé travaille pou ein maite. We were free, we didn’t have to work for a master. (FO T20) •’maite cérémoni' n.phr. Master of ceremonies, emcee; maître des cérémonies. ♦ Mouché Préval té capitaine bal. So cocher Louis té maite cérémoni. Mr. Preval was captain of the ball, and his coachman was the master of ceremonies. (T10) •’maite d’équipage' n.phr. Superintendent of sugar boilers; directeur des chaudières à sucre. •Maite Rénard sé to dépité ou so prémié comis, é lote té maite d'équipage. Master Fox was his deputy or chief clerk, and the other was mate. (FO 1887) See examples
  2. Teacher; maître d’école, instituteur, •mèt-d-ekòl
     n.phr. (PC); mèt-d-ekol (CA; ST); met-lekol (NE); met-lekòl (PC). Schoolteacher (male); maître d’école, instituteur. Mèt-d-ekòl se pa pele on mon. The schoolteacher never called on me. (PC); Mèt-d-ekol-la li gen en ti sifle e kan li sif piti-ye arèt helaye, fe ye komèrs. The schoolteacher has a whistle, and when he whistles, the children stop yelling. (CA) • mèt lamizik n.phr. (CA). Music teacher; professeur de musique. See examples
• mèt CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( v.tr. ) mété CA, PC mé CA, PC mét PC mè NE
  1. To put; mettre.
     Mo mete en lòt tai on cha-la. I put another tire on the car. (PC); Chyen-la te anraje. Ye te gen pou mèt en mizo an so ladjèl pou peche li mòrd moun. The dog was rabid. They had to put a muzzle on his mouth to keep him from biting. (CA) •Li ramassé tout La Graisse, et mené li dans vié baignoire. He collected all of the grease and put it in an old bathtub. (T29) •me par-tèr v.phr. (BT); met pa-tè (PC); me pa-tèr (BT). 1) To set down, put down; (re)mettre, poser (par terre, etc.), faire descendre. Paski to me li par-tèr, i va chape. If you set him down he’ll take off. (BT) • M'a met twa partè la e to sa gen pou marche labalans larout. I’ll let you down there, and you’ll have to go the rest of the way on foot. (JR) 2) To put down (a card, an amount of money, in a game); jouer (une carte, une somme d’argent, dans un jeu). Nou jwe pou trwa sou, vou konnen se pa larjan, n a met trwa sou pa-tè. We play for three cents, you know that’s not big money, we just put down three cents. (PC) •mèt latab v.phr. (CA); met latab (PC). To set the table; mettre le couvert. Mo met latab e la mo manje. I set the table and then I ate. (PC); Me la nap an latab e no va mèt latab. Put a tablecloth on the table and we’ll set the table. (CA) •mèt devan lalwa v.phr. (CA); mèt devan lalwò (PC). To arrest, take to court, to sue; arrêter, poursuivre en justice. Mo mèt li devan lalwa . Li twe mo chyen. I sued him. He killed my dog. (CA) To take (a matter) to court; poursuivre (une affaire) en justice. ♦ N'a met sa an lwa. Nou vye hobo te chagren. Li te vini pou regle det-sa-la, men li te tro tar pou toumen sa kouri an lwa . ‘We’re taking the matter to court.’ The old hobo was sorry. He had come to settle the debt, but he was too late to keep it from being taken to court. (JR) •mete en grigri v.phr. To cast a spell; jeter un sort. cf. grigri •mèt a langre v.phr. (BT). To fatten up, make fat; engraisser. Ina de kaj de poul pou don-l-ton nou te prann de poul mèt ye a langre pour angrèse. There were cages from the time when they used to take chickens to fatten them up. (BT) •mèt a tèr v.phr. (ST); me a tèr (PC). To land; atterrir. Se la ye me a tèr isit-la. Here is where they land. (PC); Kan bato-la mèt a tèr, tout moun desann. When the boat landed, everyone got off. (ST) •Si vit konm Batis rantre dan piròg-la li kanmanse pagaye vit e dan en ti manman ye met a tèr. As soon as Baptiste got into the pirogue, he began paddling quickly, and in a moment they landed. (JR) •mèt DOWN v.phr. (BT). To put down, insult; insulter. En kousayœr...T ape mèt li DOWN kon to di se en siro. A womanizer... You’re putting him down when you call him a syrup. (BT) • mèt latè v.phr. (PC). To bank up, rebank, place soil around the base of (plants); rechausser, butter (des plantes). Mo mèt latè ora dekàn-la. I put dirt around the base of the cane stalks. (PC) •mèt li-menm an ta v.phr. (PC). To coil up; se lover. Li mèt li-menm an ta. Pou li sote, pou li SPRING, pou li morde twa. [The rattlesnake] coils up in order to jump, in order to bite you. (PC) •mèt on v.phr. mèt onn (PC). To turn on; allumer. Mo se monte trèktè, mo se mèt lalumyè onn. I got onto the tractor, I put the light on. (PC) •mète anddan v.phr. To fool, trick; tromper, décevoir. ♦ Antouène, si nous pas bien veillé', Milates va mené nous en dedans. Antoine, if we don’t pay close attention, the mulattoes will trick us. (T35) •mèt on (so) gad v.phr. To notify; avertir, cf. gad •mèt kouche v.phr. (PC). To put to bed, lay down; coucher. Li mèt ti bebe-la kouche dan bèrsèz-la. She lay the baby down in its crib. (PC) See examples
  2. To put on, wear; mettre, porter.
     Mo mete lenj-yen, mwò mo met mo lenj. I wear clothes, I put on clothes. (PC); Si to mèt to lamant tou le jour, t ap ize li. If you wear your watch every day, you’re going to wear it out. (CA) ♦ Dans l'ancien temps vié neg coutime mené cantchie. In the old days the old blacks would wear leather shoes. (T27) •met (so) lenj ON v.phr. To put on one’s clothes, dress, get dressed; s’habiller, mettre ses vêtements, cf. lenj See examples
  3. To put in, add; ajouter.
     Tou moun FERTILIZE jou jordi. Ye fe pa rekòt si ye pa mete fimye anndan-la. Everyone fertilizes these days. They don’t harvest if they haven’t put in fertilizer. (PC) ♦ Pou la tche d chat met di sel don la limonnad e pi koup latche en chat pou fe li senyen e pi met di son chat-la ondon la limonnad. For shingles, put some salt in lemonade and then cut off a cat’s tail to make it bleed, and then put some of the cat’s blood in the lemonade. (LA) See examples
  4. To make (smooth, happy, etc.); rendre (lisse, content, etc.).
     En galèr [se] pou mèt le planch egal. Ina de fwa, li pa egal. Pas en galèr, sa me li egal. A plane is for making boards even. Sometimes they’re not even, but pass a plane and that evens them out. (BT) See examples
• mètrès CA, NE, PC ( n. ) métrès BT, CA, PC, ST
  1. Schoolteacher (female); maîtresse d’école, institutrice.
     Dez ekòl isit, le metrès te vini, i konnèse pa grant afèr pour parle mèriken. Some schools here, teachers would come who didn’t speak much English. (BT) •metrès-d-ekol n.phr. (CA; ST); mètrès lekòl (PC); metres lekol (NE). Schoolteacher; maîtresse d’école, institutrice. See examples
  2. Mistress; maîtresse, amante.
     Ye te pèl sa, nòm blon-la e fom blon-la sète so metrès. They called a white man’s white woman his mistress. (PC) See examples
  3. Wife of slaveholder; femme de maître d’esclaves.
     ♦ Mo mait et mo maîtresse yé pa gaingnain pareil. My master and my mistress have no equals. (T27) See examples
• mèzur ST ( n., adv. ) mèsir MO 60 mizi CA, PC
  1. Measure; mesure.
     To pran en mèzur la sentur pou fe en rob. You take a waist measurement to make a dress. (ST); Si t ole taye kèkicho, konm en kilot ou en ròb, to gen la mizi to gen taye li. If you want to cut something, like a pair of pants or a dress, you have the measurement, you have to measure it. (PC) •a mizur conj. a mizi (CA; PC); an muzi (PC); a mzir, a mzur, a mizir (BT). As; à mesure que. A mizi dolo-a te e bèk, nouzòt te e vonse on li, e te ramas lamous. As the water receded we advanced on it gathering moss. (PC); A mizi tan-la ape vini vayan, li t ape mennen li deyò. As the weather was getting nice, he would bring it outside. (CA) ♦ Katafo semen lafarin an mizi ye marche. Catafo sowed flour as they walked. (JR)Slowly, little by little; peu a peu. La janni an muzi . It will ripen little by little. (PC) See examples
• mèzuré ST ( v.tr. ) mizi CA miziré CA, PC mirisé PC muzur PC mzur PC mizuré PC mizir BT, CA, PC
  1. To measure; mesurer.
     Ye mirise li FROM so latèt kote so zòtery. They measured him from head to toe. (PC); Va mizi sa. Va wa koman lonng sa ye. Go measure that. Go see how long it is. (CA) ♦ Lese mwa mizire, Lapen di li. Alonje to-menm e m'a mizire avek baton-la. ‘Let me measure you,’ Rabbit said. ‘Stretch out and I’ll measure you with that stick.’ (JR) See examples
• Mèñan No sources ( n. )
  1. Title of the Voodoo god; titre du dieu du vaudou.
     ♦ Aïe! diet Voodoo Maignan! [An invocation of the Voodoo god]. (GC2) REM: GC2 notes: «(Voodoo) is the name of an imaginary being of vast supernatural powers residing in the form of a harmless snake... In Louisiana... Voodoo bore as a title of greater solemnity the additional name of Maignan.» See examples
• mé gen ( conj. ) mè PC min PC
  1. But; mais.
     En kokodri, tan k t ape gète li, i va kouche trankil. Me la, kan ti ba lœy, la i va seye chape. An alligator, as long as you watch him he’ll lie still. But as soon as you bat an eye he’ll try to get away. (BT); Li fe akrwar li plen kouraj me li pœr. He pretends he’s full of courage but he’s afraid. (ST) ♦ Macaque là li té pas grand, li té pli gros qu ‘eine souris, mais pas si gros qu’ein éléfant. The Monkey was not big, the Monkey was bigger than a mouse but not as big as an elephant. (T36) See examples
• mé CA, PC, ST ( n. ) mwa d mé PC
  1. May; mai.
     Me le dis seu May 17. (PC) ♦ Tout moune connin qué tous les ans au mois de mai lapin gagnin ein maladie. Everyone knows that every year in the month of May Rabbit gets a sickness. (FO T3) See examples
• méday BT, CA ( n. )
  1. Medal; médaille.
     Mo gen en meday dan mo kou. I have a medal around my neck. (CA) ♦ [Pou lèrb-a-la-pis,] pou onpeche trape li to pòrt en meday on plon si lapo. For poison ivy, to keep from getting it you wear a lead medal against your skin. (BI) •meday an kaspilèr n.phr. (BT). Scapular; scapulaire. Meday an kaspilèr. THEY HAVE en portre a Jeju Kri òho. To donn sa kan oun moun te konennfœrm. Chak piti to gen enn de meday. A scapular. They have a picture of Jesus Christ on them. You give that when someone is being confirmed. Each child had one of the medals. (BT) cf. skapilèr See examples
• médikal MO 72 ( n. )
  1. Healer, folk healer; traiteur, guérisseur.
     Li t otè èt medikal. He wanted to be a healer. (MO 72) See examples
• médikaman PC, CA ( n. ) médikòman PC mèdikòmon PC
  1. Medicine; médicament.
     Doktè dòn mwen en papye pou mon gen mo medikòman. The doctor gave me a paper so that I could get my medicine. (PC) See examples
• méfyan CA, PC ( adj. ) méfyè PC
  1. Mistrustful, suspicious; méfiant.
     Se en boug te mefyan sa. He was a mistrustful guy. (PC); Mo pa mefyan. Mo gen konfyons dan twa. I’m not suspicious. I trust you. (CA) See examples
• méfyans No sources ( n. )
  1. Distrust, mistrust; méfiance.
     ♦ Li té gagnin ein ti méfiance malgré Compair Lapin té assiré li li té pas bésoin pair. He had some distrust even though Brer Rabbit assured him there was no reason to be afraid. (FO T2) See examples
• mégri CA ( v.intr. )
  1. To lose weight; maigrir.
     Li malad. Li megri. He’s sick. He lost weight. (CA) ♦ M’a manger yé démain mais faut to donne yé plein souper. Mo p'olé yé maigri. I will eat them tomorrow but you have to give them a big supper. I don’t want them to lose weight. (BD) See examples
• mékyé CA ( n. ) mèké CA
  1. Trick, wile; manège, tour.
     Li konen fe mèke. Li konen sote ho. He knows how to do tricks. He knows how to jump high. (CA) ♦ Mo cré ta bate Compair Chivreil, si to fé mékié ma di toi. I think you will beat Brer Deer, if you do this trick I’ll tell you. (T5) See examples
• mélanjé CA ( v.tr. ) mèlanjé PC, ST mélajé PC mélayé BT
  1. To mix, mix up; mélanger.
     Leu patwa , sè te en langaj ki e mèlanje. Se mèlanje avek, mo pans, le nwar, lez endyen, leu franse. Sa tou melanje. Epi ave langle osi. Our ‘patois’ is a mixed language. It is mixed with, I think, the language of Africans, and Indians, and French. And English also. (PC); Mo melanje tou sa ansanm. I mixed all that together. (CA) ♦ Lait pur vaut mieux que ça qui mélangé! Pure milk is better than mixed. (T35) See examples
• mélyòré No sources ( v.tr. )
  1. To improve, (make) better; améliorer.
     ♦ Yé voyé ein délégation, ein bande chien pou mandé Bon Djé pou li méliorer yé condition. They sent a délégation, a pack of dogs to ask God to improve their condition. (FO T15) See examples
• mémwa CA, PC ( n. ) lamémwar PC
  1. Memory; mémoire.
     Li ja bliye, lamemwa gonn. He’s already forgotten, his memory is gone. (PC); Li gen bon memwa. Li rapèl tou kikchoj. He’s got a good memory. He remembers everything. (CA) See examples
• mémèr CA ( n. )
  1. Grandmother; grand-mère.
     Memèr, li gen so konpatriòch. Grandma’s got her cohorts. (CA) See examples
• méprizé PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To scorn; mépriser.
     Se si kekenn e dòn twa kichò, e t ole plis, t e abize so labonte paski le e fe di byen pou twa, li e dòn twa tou sa li kapab e dèn s kòm si te e meprize li. It’s if someone is giving you something and you want more, you’re abusing his kindness because he’s doing a good thing for you, he’s giving you all he can and it’s as if you’re scorning him. (PC) ♦ Yé méprisé nous; aussi, resté ferme, Car milates sra nous Ponce-Pilates. They scorned us, so remain firm, for mulattoes will be our Pontius Pilates. (T35) See examples
• mérin CA, PC ( n. ) mirin PC
  1. Wooden shingle; bardeau en bois.
     Mo mèt meren an mo lamezon pou kouvèr li. I put wooden shingles on my house to roof it. (CA) See examples
• mérité CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To deserve; mériter.
     Boug-sa-la, li merité sa. Sèt en bon boug. That guy, he deserved it. He’s a good guy. (CA) ♦ Mo fie, to gagné miyor tchor passé tou zeine zans dans péhi cila; ta gagné ça to mérité. My daughter, you have a better heart than all the young folks in this country; you will get what you deserve. (T7) See examples
• méshan CA ( adj. )
  1. Mean, nasty; méchant.
     Moun-sa-la, se mechan. Ye vo pa aryen. Ye pa vayan di tou. Those people, they’re mean. They're worthless. They’re not nice at all. (CA) ♦ Rose té méchant, é Blanche té bon. Rose was nasty, and Blanche was good. (T30) See examples
• métal PC ( n. ) mètal PC
  1. Metal; métal.
     Si to trouven en trou dan to dan, wen to va ranje li. Ye ranpli li de fwa ave lor, oben kek mètal ki fo. If you have a cavity you go get it filled. They fill it sometimes with gold or another metal that is strong [hard]. (PC) See examples
• métis No sources ( n. )
  1. Half-breed; métis, sang-mêlé.
     ♦ Ah! métisse-là mouri, murmura Lagniappe. Oh! The half-breed is dead, Lagniappe mumbled. (ME) See examples
• métodis CA ( n. ) marèdis PC
  1. Methodist; Méthodiste.
     Mo pyo katolik. Mwa mo pa bèptis, mwa. Marèdis. Tou kalite lòt lalijyon, mo se katolik. I’m pure Catholic. I’m not Baptist or Methodist or any other kind of religion, I’m pure Catholic. (PC) See examples
• métyé CA ( n. )
  1. Trade, profession; métier.
     Boug-sa-la, li gen en metye. Li fòrdjon. Li fe sa byen. That guy has a profession. He’s a blacksmith. He does it well. (CA) ♦ A ben, li di a so manman, mo fini aprann mo metye. Sa ki to profesyon? so manman mannde li. Mo metye se vole, li reponn. ‘Well,’ he told his mother, 'I’ve finished learning my trade.’ ‘What is your profession?’ she asked him. ‘My profession is stealing,’ he replied. (JR) See examples
• méyœr CA, NE, ST ( adj. ) méyé PC mèyè PC méyèr CA, NE, PC méyè CA mèyèr MO 60 [in sense 2:] lé mèyœr PC lé méyœr NE
  1. Better; meilleur.
     Li gen en meyœr char ke twa. He has a better car than you do. (NE); Li konen fe meyè ke sa. He can do better than that. (CA) ♦ N'a wa sa ki meyè ant mwen e twa. We’ll see which of us is the better one. (JR) See examples
  2. Best; le meilleur.
     La mèyèr ras dè bèt The best race of animals. (MO 60); Nou te bale la Fòs Rivyè. Ye min you-zòt te meyè dansè an Fòs Rivyè. We were the ‘False River Dancers’. They meant ‘Y’all are the best dancers on False River.’ (PC); Mari, se mo meyœr zami. Marie is my best friend. (ST) ♦ Ye garde alantou pou en plas pou kouche, e meyè choz ye wa te en ti labit ki te ase sek pou ye kouche san mouye ye-menm. They looked around for a place to lie down, and the best thing they saw was a little hill that was dry enough for them to lie down without getting wet. (JR) See examples
• mézavantur No sources ( n. )
  1. Mishap, misfortune; mésaventure.
     ♦ Quand mo mandé li pou Barber li dis moin qu’ein mésaventure té fait li membe dé l'enfer au lié dé laLegislature. When I asked him about Barber he told me that a mishap had made him a member of hell instead of the legislature. (T38) See examples
• mézon BT, MO 60, NE ( n. ) lamézan PC mézan PC mèzan PC lamézon CA, PC, ST
  1. House; maison.
     Ye kase la vyey mezon, e pi la ye rebati dan la menm plas. They tore down the old house and then they built a new one on the same spot. (BT); Onkote lamezon ina en pakonye. Beside the house there is a pecan tree. (NE); Mo mèt meren an mo lamezon pou kouvèr li. I put wooden shingles on my house to roof it. (CA) ♦ Li rive kote en gro lamezon e li frape on lapòt. Enn fanm ouvri pou li e li mannde li ou met lamezon-la te. He arrived at a big house and he knocked on the door. A woman opened to him, and he asked where the master of the house was. (JR) •lamezon blan n.phr. (CA). The White House; la Maison Blanche, •lamezon pitenn n.phr. (CA; PC). Whorehouse; bordel. Sa se en lamezon piten. That’s a whorehouse. (CA) •mèzan an brik n.phr. (PC); mesan de brik (PC). Brick house; maison en briques. Li gen en gro mèzan an brik. He has a big brick house. (PC) •mezon d kour n.phr. (PC). Courthouse; palais de justice, tribunal. •mezon kadjen n.phr. (PC). Acadian-style house; maison de style acadien. See examples
  2. Base (in children’s chase games); but (dans les jeux d’enfants).
     Nave enn plas kè te pèle lamezon. Kan ti trouve l fwèt, ti peu fwète tou seu-la ke t ape jwe jichka i ariv a lamezon. Apre t ariv a la mezon, n a pa pèrsòn ki poure fwète two. There was a place called ‘base’. When you found the whip you could whip all of those playing until they got to base. After you got to base there was no one who could whip you any more. (BT) See examples
• mòd PC ( n. )
  1. Style; mode.
     Se lamòd. That’s the style. (PC) See examples
• Mòm NE ( n. ) Mam CA, PC
  1. Mother, Mom; maman.
     Me-tchèn, to konè, kon ye va che mòm, mòm parl sa epi mo popa parl sa. Mine, you know, when they go to mom’s, she speaks [Creole]. (NE); Mo gen en kapo nef. Mam jist achte li pou man. I’ve got a new coat. Mom just bought it for me. (CA) See examples
• mòr BT, CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( adj. ) mò PC
  1. Dead; mort.
     Enn betay vivan pli leje k en betay mòr. A living animal is lighter than a dead animal. (BT); Li te mòr kan mo rive kote li. He was dead when I arrived at his house. (CA) ♦ Li te krwa sete nonm mòr la ki te gen li. He thought it was the dead man who had gotten him. (JR) See examples
• mòr MO 60, PC ( n. ) lamò PC lamòr CA
  1. Death; mort.
     To mòr sète larjan. Deaths brought in money. (PC); Kan li marye, li fe en promès pou rèste ansanm juska lamòr. When he married, he made a promise to stay together until death. (CA) ♦ La mor pa fé moin peur. Death doesn’t scare me. (ME) •a lamò adv.phr. Close to death; à l’article de la mort. L a lamò. He is close to death. (PC) See examples
  2. Dead man; mort.
     ♦ Mo oua ein mort qui t'apé porté trois vivants et li t'apé nourri yé. I saw a dead thing who was supporting three living things and it was nourishing them. (BD) See examples
• mòr PC ( n. ) mò PC
  1. Bit (of a bridle); mors.
• mòrd CA, NE, PC ( v.tr. ) mordé MO 60 mot BT
  1. To bite, sting (of an insect); piquer.
     Garson-sa-la te sòrti dèt mòrd par le marongwen. That boy was just stung by mosquitoes. (NE); 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) ♦ Konm ye kouche marongwan-ye tonmbe mòd ye. When they went to bed the mosquitoes began to bite them. (JR) See examples
  2. To bite; mordre.
     Mile le bwate m pa konè si sè en sèrpan ki mòrd l o ki. The mule is limping, I don’t know if it was bitten by a snake or what. (PC); S ape mot? Are the fish biting? (BT); Li te pa fe en bon lapèch. Pwason-ye te pa ap mòrd. The fishing wasn’t good. The fish weren’t biting. (CA) ♦ Jean Sotte gardé yé, li taté yé, li té proche envie mordé ladans. Foolish John looke.’ at them, felt them, and almost wanted to bite into them. (FO T18) See examples
  3. To cut (of a plane); couper (en parlant d’un rabot).
     Vou ka SET li, lès li soti plen, lès li mòrd ti bren, pa ti bren, mòrd plen. You can set it [i.e. the blade of the plane] so that it cuts a little or cuts a lot. (PC) See examples
• mòrdir CA, MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Bite; morsure.
     Si to gen en mòrdir chyen anraje, to vini anraje twa-mèm. If you have a bite from a rabid dog, you get rabid yourself. (CA) ♦ [Pou] mòrdir serpon, nou te pile delay e vlope li apre mòrdir-la. For a snake bite, we would grind up some garlic and wrap it against the wound. (BI) See examples
• mòsh No sources ( n., adv.phr. ) pa mòch PC pa mòdj PC
  1. Not much; pas beaucoup.
     Ma gran-mòmon te pal pa sa mòtch. My grandmother didn’t speak it much. (PC) See examples
• mòtiriyal BT ( n. )
  1. Material, fabric; étoffe.
     Mo va o vilaj e m achte le mòtiriyal. I go into town and buy fabric. (BT) See examples
• mœl PC ( n. ) lamèi CA
  1. Whetstone; meule.
     Èn mœl pou file kouto. A whetstone for sharpening a knife. (PC); Mo dòn mo frèr en lamèl pou file kouto. I gave my brother a whetstone for sharpening knives. (CA) ♦ [Pou] lèrb-a-la-pis, lave vou avek dolo lamel. For poison ivy, wash yourself with grindstone water. (BI) See examples
• na PC ( adv., int., int. )
  1. Now; maintenant.
     Na nou gen tivi. Now we have TV. (PC). Now; or, eh bien. Pa chode li na paskè li pe e sòti byen. Don’t scald it now, because it won’t come out well. (PC) See examples
• nabi No sources ( n. )
  1. Article of clothing; vêtement, habit.
     ♦ Yé mandé yé popa cofer li pa donnin yé bel zabi comme kenne piti compair Lapin. They [the little Boukis] asked their father why he did not give them fine clothes like those of Compair Lapin’s children. (FO 1887) See examples
  2. Suit; complet.
     ♦ Ta bo mené bel robe la, moin, in vaillant nabit noir. You can put on that beautiful dress, and I will put on a pretty black suit. (T31) See examples
• najé CA, PC ( v. )
  1. To swim; nager.
     Ye se fe chval naje larivyè-la. They made their horses swim across the river. (PC); Dan lete, no mèt en vyey rob e no te ale naje dan kanal. In the summer, we would put on an old dress and we would go swimming in the canal. (CA) ♦ Di jis coulé dri et rempli bac léyé, assez pou to nagé', assez pou to néyé. The syrup flowed thick and filled the buckets, enough for you to swim in, enough for you to drown in. (T27) See examples
• nanj ST ( n. ) nonj NE lanj CA
  1. Angel; ange.
     Dan paradi, enòra de lanj e Sènyœr-la. In heaven, there will be angels and the Lord. (CA) ♦ Colombe fait li signe, et di li tende, pas per, et cher ti nange la halé fourmi à ter. The dove gave him a sign and told him to wait and not be afraid, and the little angel pulled the ant to the surface. (T18) •lanj gardyen n.phr. (CA); nanj gardyen (ST). Guardian angel; ange gardien. So lanj gardyen te avèk li. Li tonbe dan lak e li pa nwaye. His guardian angel was with him. He fell in the lake and he didn’t drown. (CA); Mo nanj gardyen ape gete apre mwen. Mo te gen plen traka e maladi dan mo lavi. My guardian angel is watching over me. I’ve had a lot of trouble and sickness in my life. (ST) See examples
• nankin No sources ( n. )
  1. Nankeen; nankin.
     ♦ ’Mericain coquin, billé en nankin, voleur di pain chè Michié d'Aquin à quat’ heures di matin. American rascal dressed in Nankeen, stealer of bread from Mr. D’Aquin at four in the morning. (TN) See examples
• nap CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Tablecloth; nappe.
     La nap latab. The tablecloth. (PC); Me la nap an latab e no va mèt latab. Put a tablecloth on the table and we’ll set the table. (CA) See examples
• nargé CA, ST ( v.tr. ) nèrgé CA
  1. To tease, make fun of, pick on; se moquer de, tourmenter.
     Ye t ape narge piti-la e li t ape kriye. They were teasing the child and he was crying. (CA) See examples
• nasyon CA, NE ( n. )
  1. People, race, ethnic group, nation; ethnie, peuple, race, nation.
     Mwa mo di ina en ta ondon mo-tchèn nasyon ki gen mèm koulœr kòm twa. I’ll tell you, there are a lot of people in my own race who have the same skin color as you. (NE); Ena diferan nasyon, de Portoriken, Lespagnòl, Arichmen. There are different ethnic groups, Puerto Ricans, Spanish, Irishmen. (CA) ♦ Nouzote moune, nou bligé appranne la langue les ote nachion, si nou olé causé ave yé. We men are obliged to learn the language of other nations if we want to converse with them. (FO 1887) See examples
• nat CA ( n. )
  1. Banana curl; grande boucle longue.
     No te tòrtiye no cheve-ye dan lapay-mayi pou fe de nat. We would twist our hair in cornsilk to make banana curls. (CA) See examples