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
Information on contents and orthography:
(see more)
- 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
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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
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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
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tònèr
CA
(
n.
)
tonnèr
BT
tonnè
PC
tònè
PC
toné
MO 60
-
Thunder; tonnerre.
Panm beni; mèt sa dan lamezon. E kan se move tan, priy e en ti morso panm pou pèche tonnèr e zeklèr, ye te di. A blessed palm branch, you put that in your house, and when the weather is bad you pray with the piece of palm to prevent thunder and lightning, they used to say. (BT); Ye te gen paratònèr pou trape tònèr e zeklèr pou peche lamezon brile ou magazen mayi. They used to have lightning rods to catch the thunder and lightning to prevent the house or corn crib from burning. (CA) ♦ Tonnerre grondé, la plie tombé, crapeau crié, ç’ain vié chanson tout moun conain. The thunder is rolling, the rain is falling, the toads are croaking, that’s an old song that everyone knows. (T27) •pyèr tònèr n.phr. Iron pyrite; pyrite de fer. cf. pyèr •sakre tònèr n.phr. Good heavens! mon Dieu! C’est vrai, ça pas gain entas l’argent mais li gain laliberté, li gain confiance et, sacré tonnerre, le nèg était content! It’s true, he didn’t have a lot of money, but he had freedom, he had trust, and good heavens, the black man was happy! (DC) •tonèr mekraz exp. May lightning strike me! Que le tonnerre m’écrase! Tonnerre m’écrase! Boss a parti galoper comme ça-là, c’était un assassin. Thunder strike me! Boss took off running like this was an assassin. (AN T30) ♦ Tonnèr krazé moué, mo vié kompèr, si to té oua ti blan là bessé so la tet, li té fé to onte. May lightning strike me, my old buddy, if you had seen the little white boy lower his head it would have made you ashamed. (T12) •tonèr me chen int. Good heavens; mon Dieu. Tonnerre Méchain! Baille-mo-z’en cinq! » Good heavens! Given me five of them! (DC)
See examples
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tòpèt
No sources
(
n.
)
-
Small flask; topette, petit flacon.
♦ Fô no boâ ein lote topète à lasanté Madamme Cabri. We have to drink another flask to Mrs. Goat’s health. (T8)
See examples
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tòpé
No sources
(
v.intr.
)
-
To agree; se mettre d’accord.
♦ Eh bien! Compair Bouki, si to olé, no va couri lachache dézef torti. -Topé! allon, no couri ti suite . ‘Well, Brer Bouki, if you are willing, we will go hunt for turtle eggs.’ ‘Agreed! let’s go right away.’ (T4) •tòp int. You’re on! Agreed! Top! ♦ »Sa to di nou ajet en ladjòg di ven zordi-la ?» Lapen di. «Tòp!» Bouki reponn. «Ta kouri chèche li, twa. » ‘What do you say to buying a jug of wine today?’ Rabbit said. ‘Agreed!’ Bouki replied. ‘You go get it.’ (JR)
See examples
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tòr
CA, PC
(
n.
)
-
Heifer calf, young heifer; jeune taure, jeune génisse, •tit tòr
n. (BT); ti tòr (CA). Heifer calf, young heifer; jeune taure, jeune génisse. Kan to gen en vo, to swa gen en ti bœf ou en tit tòr. If you have a calf, you either have a young bull or a heifer. (BT); Lavach-la i en ti tòr asmaten. The cow had a young heifer this morning. (CA)
See examples
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tòr
No sources
(
n.
)
ditòr
MO 60
dutòr
CA
-
Harm; tort.
Ki va fè toua ditòr? Who is going to do you harm? (MO 60); Sa toujou ape bataye me safe pa enn-e-lot dutòr. They are always fighting but they don’t hurt one another. (CA) •an tòr v.phr. (CA). To be wrong, be mistaken; avoir tort, se tromper. Mo konen li pa drwat. Li an tòr. I know he’s not right. He’s wrong. (CA) •(gen) tòr v.phr. To be wrong, be mistaken; avoir tort, se tromper. ♦ Pauv ’ Tit Poucette té chagrinain tou moune. Li té gain toujou ’ tort. En même temps, li té plis smatte qué yé tous. Poor Little Poucette upset everyone. He was always wrong. At the same time he was smarter than all of them. (BD) ; Lion la dit tigue té gagnin tort. The Lion said that the Tiger was wrong. (FO T12)
See examples
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tòrdé
CA
(
adj.
)
todé
PC
tòr
PC
tòrd
PC
tordé
PC
-
Nappy, kinky; crépu.
Torde, krote se mèm kichò. Kinky and nappy are the same thing. (PC)
See examples
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tòrdé
CA, ST
(
v.,
v.tr.,
v.intr.
)
tòr
PC
tòrd
CA, PC
-
To twist; tordre.
Li komanse tòr se zorey e frote li anba so vont. He began to twist his ears and mb his belly. (PC); Mo pa ka torde lenj. Mo pongnen feb. I can’t wring out the wash. My wrists are weak. (ST) ♦ Li tordé la corde la et a la fin li réissi halé Baleine au ras la terre. He twisted the rope and finally he succeeded in pulling the Whale close to land. (FO T1)
See examples
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To wring out, twist; tordre, essorer.
Vou lave le ave lavet-la, e la vou tòrd lavet-la, e souye lasyet-la. You wash (the plate) with the dishrag, and then you wring out the dishrag, and you wipe the plate dry. (PC)To twist, writhe; se tordre, se contorsionner. ♦ Li rentré dan cabanne et li trivé Compair Lapin apé tordi on so lite. He went into the house and found Brer Rabbit writhing around in his bed. (T3)
See examples
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tòrkèt
CA, ST
(
n.
)
trokèt
CA
-
Twist, plug of tobacco; torquette, carotte de tabac.
Papa Ijen li te fe de tròkèt avek taba ke li te cheche. Grandpa Eugene made tobacco plugs with tobacco he dried. (CA) ♦ Lot avanzhier mo té kouri asté ein trokette taba koté gro boutic Muchieu Batisse . The day before yesterday I had gone to buy a big twist of tobacco in Mr. Baptiste’s big store. (T12)
See examples
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Bun, knot of hair; chignon.
Mo sœr fe en tòrkèt an so latèt. Li gen cheuveu long e mens. My sister makes a bun on her head. She’s got long thin hair. (ST)
See examples
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tòrné
PC
(
n.
)
-
Tornado; tornade.
-
tòrshon
CA, PC
(
n.
)
tòrshan
PC
-
Dishrag, rag; torchon, chiffon.
Mo gen en dra dechire. Mo va mèt li de kote pou fe tòrchon. I’ve got a tom sheet. I’m going to put it aside to make rags. (CA)
See examples
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Loofah, dishrag (dishcloth) gourd, a species of the Luffa, whose fruit is dried and used to scrub dishes or to scrub the skin; loofa, courge dont la chair est utilisée pour nettoyer la vaisselle ou la peau. (Luffa cylindrica).
Le fèy tòrchon sa se de lèb ki, le fey ye koum en morso lenj. Dishrag gourd, that’s a grass whose leaves are like a piece of cloth. (PC); No te pile labrik e sèrvi en tòrchon pou frote planche. We would grind brick and use a loofah to scrub the floor. (CA) ♦ Pou tropik, bouyi fey tòrchon epi bwa sa. For dropsy, boil some loofah leaves and drink that. (LA)
See examples
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tòrtiyan
CA, ST
(
n.
)
-
Bun, knot of hair; chignon.
To très to chevey-ye e la to tòrd ye e to me lepengn. Sa fe en tòrtiyan. You braid your hair and twist it and you put a pin in it and that makes a bun. (CA)
See examples
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tòrtiyé
CA
(
v.tr.
)
tòtiyé
PC
-
To twist; tordre, tortiller.
No te tòrtiye no cheve-ye dan lapay-mayi pou fe de nat. We would twist our hair in comsilk to make banana curls. (CA) ♦ Et li commencé tortillé la corde la avec so la trompe. And he began to twist the rope with his trunk. (FO T1)
See examples
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To wrap; envelopper.
♦[Pou] friksyon pwatrin, fe en kataplas avek lafarin mayi e lamoutard. Ontòrtiye li avek sa. For pneumonia, make a poultice with wheat flour and mustard. Wrap him up with that. [‘ entortillez’ ] (BI)
See examples
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To fold; plier.
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uit
No sources
(
num.card.
)
wi
PC
oui
BT
yuit
CA, PC
wit
CA
-
Eight; huit.
Se konm en gitar, me se plu piti, en mèdlin. Ina oui kòrd ape sa. It’s like a guitar, but it’s smaller, a mandolin. There are eight strings on that. (BT); [Kòrde] wi pye lonng e kat pye laotè. La to gen en kòd. Eight feet long and four feet high. Then you’ve got a cord of wood. (PC) ♦ Li té dans in carrosse tout en or, et yavait huite choals blancs qui té apé trainin carrosse la. She was in a gilded carriage, and there were eight white horses pulling the carriage. (FO T16) •yuit è adv.phr. uit è (PC). Eight o’clock; huit heures. Mo travai tou le jou a yuit è. I work every day at eight o’clock. (PC)
See examples
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ulsèr
PC
(
n.
)
ilsin
PC
islin
PC
-
Ulcer; ulcère.
Mo gen enn ulsèr. I have an ulcer. (PC); En ilsen, li blès lèstoma li fe en trou anho-la. Èna de moun sa tonm konsè dan vou lèstoma. An ulcer wounds your stomach, it makes a hole in it. There are some people with whom that turns cancerous in their stomach. (PC)
See examples
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umid
PC
(
adj.
)
imid
CA
-
Wet, damp, moist; moite, humide.
Ye tòrd lavet-la, e ye chech lasyet-la avek lavet-la umid. They wring out the dishrag and they dry the plate off with the dishrag damp. (PC); Mit-ye rès dan limidite e ye manj lenj imid. Moths live in dampness and they eat damp clothes. (CA)
See examples
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uzé
PC
(
v.tr.
)
izé
CA, NE, PC
isé
BT
-
To wear out; user.
Afòs dubwa-sa-le te marche disu, t wa konm li uze ? Do you see how worn out the wood has gotten, from being walked on so much? (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)
See examples
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To use; employer, utiliser. (NE)
♦Sa se donnen ye en lachans pou ize ye nouvo langaj. That would give them a chance to use their new language. (JR)
See examples
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va
CA, MO 60, NE, PC
(
ptcl.
)
a
CA, NE, PC
-
[Future]. To be going to, will; aller (+ inf.).
Mo kwa m a la dèmen, m pa kwa m a KICK THE BUCKET. I think I'll be here tomorrow. I don’t think I’ll kick the bucket. (PC); Du moman mo va fini mo va èt avèk twa . As soon as I’m finished, I’ll be with you. (CA) ♦ Bon Dié va pini yé; y alé marré yé vente; ...Avant longtemps ya oi yé lamaison en vente. God will punish them; their stomachs will grow lean; before long they will see their houses up for sale. (T27)
See examples
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[Habitual],
M a pyèste men m pe e koud. I mend but I don’t sew. (PC); Na-le-fwa mwa e Alma no va parle. There are times when Alma and I speak together. (NE)
See examples
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Will be; serai, etc.
♦ La nous va héreux et personne pas allé tracassé nous zotes. Then we will be happy and no one will bother us. (FO T15) cf. ale
See examples
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va
CA, PC
(
v.intr.
)
-
To go; aller.
Li va kote boutik tou le jou. She goes to the store every day. (PC); Sa se en lamezon piten. Va pa la. That’s a whorehouse. Don’t go there. (CA) REM: NE notes that this term has begun to replace the traditional Creole form kouri in this usage. ♦ Ye frenmen tou fnet-ye e pòt-ye avan ye va kouche. They shut all the windows and the doors before they went to bed. (JR) •sa va exp. (PC). That’s all right; ça va. Mo pa kone si sa va. I don’t know if that’s all right. (PC) •va byen ansanm v.phr. (CA). To get along well; s’entendre bien. Sa se mo padna. No va byen ansanm. That’s my friend. We get along well. (CA) •va fèr fout! v.phr. (PC); kouri fèr fout! (PC). Go to hell! Va te faire foutre! •va lachas v.phr. To hunt, go hunting; aller à la chasse, cf. lachas •va a lamèrd! v.phr. Go to hell! Va à la merde! cf. mèrd •va-t-e-vyen v.phr. (CA; PC). To go back and forth, corne and go; aller et venir.
See examples
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To fit; aller (en parlant d’un vêtement).
M ap seye rob-sa-la pou wa si li va. I’m trying this dress on to see if it fits. (CA)
See examples
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vagabon
No sources
(
n.
)
vakahon
CA
-
Womanizer; coureur de femmes.
Sa se ye pèl monn se pa bon, ‘li vakabon\ That’s what they call people who aren’t any good; he’s a womanizer. (CA)
See examples
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Vagabond, pirate; vagabond, pirate.
Li rès pa dan en plas. Li toujou ap ale. Se en vakabon. He doesn’t stay in one place. He’s always leaving. He’s a vagabond. (CA) ♦ Sete en navir vagabon. Ye se pase e ramase tou moun ye se wa. It was a pirate ship. They would pass by and kidnap everyone they saw. (JR)
See examples
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vakans
PC
(
n.
)
vakons
PC
vakon
PC
-
Vacation; vacances.
Nou kouri an vakons, an Florida . We’re going on vacation in Florida. (PC)
See examples
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vakarm
No sources
(
n.
)
-
Ruckus, din, racket; vacarme, tapage.
♦ Si jamais vous tendé vacarme, c’était jou la. If you’ ve ever heard a ruckus it was that day. (FO T2)
See examples
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vals
BT, CA
(
n.
)
-
Waltz; valse.
Mo konmons e danse enn vals. Ye te kouri asi pour garde konmon mo tape danse lavals, a fòrs mo tape danse li byen. I began to dance a waltz. They all went to sit down to watch how I was dancing it, I was dancing it so well. (BT)
See examples
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valsé
BT, CA, PC
(
v.
)
vòlsé
NE
-
To waltz; valser.
Li t ape volse fòm-la. He was waltzing with the woman. (NE); Li konen valse. Sete en plezi garde li e so fonm danse. He knows how to waltz well. It was a pleasure to watch him and his wife dance. (CA) ♦ Ala ain bourrique tendé la misique, li vini valsé, com quand li cabré. Then a donkey heard the music, he came to waltz like when he is bucking. (T10)
See examples
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To spin (a top); lancer (une toupie).
Enn toupi, sa ti fe boukou fwa te valse. A child's top, what you usually did was make it spin around. (BT)
See examples
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valèr
CA
(
n.
)
lavalèr
CA
valè
PC
-
Value; valeur.
Divon-la soukouyè li, la lo ki fonm patè, la li dèchir tou koton. Sa fè, koton konm sa pa gen valé. The wind shakes it, and the water falling tears the cotton. Cotton like that has no value. (PC); En tayo se en chyen komen. Li pa gen oken valèr. A hound is a common dog. It doesn’t have any value. (CA)
See examples
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valé
CA, PC, ST
(
v.tr.
)
val
BT
-
To swallow; avaler.
Lagargony, la, to val, sa se la lœ manje pas. The throat, there, when you swallow that’s where your food passes. (BT); Zozo-la gen en gro gozye. Li konen vale de gro pwason. That bird has a large throat. It can swallow big fish. (CA) ♦ Kouri dan lakou e trape to pli gro denn e fe li vale bag-la. Go into the yard and grab your biggest turkey and make it swallow the ring. (JR)
See examples
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van
No sources
(
n.
)
divan
CA, PC, ST
divon
NE, PC
von
NE, PC
duvan
PC, NE
-
Wind; vent.
Lantan pase mo se janmen fèrme mo lapòt. Kite li gran ouvè. Kite divan soufle andan 1. A long time ago I never shut my door. I left it wide open to let the wind blow in. (PC); Divan-la jete mo garaj. Mo i pou rebati li. The wind knocked over my garage. I had to rebuild it. (CA) ♦ Tendé di vent, ma chère, mais c’est pas zouragan; quite li soufflé, pas per, c’est bon di vent printemps. Hear the wind, my dear, it's a good spring wind. Let it blow, don’t be afraid, it’s a good spring wind. (T27) •von-d-nòr n.phr. (NE). North wind; vent du nord. Sa-fe kon le von-d-nòr komonse soufle, le zwa e kanar se pase. When the North wind began to blow, the geese and ducks went by. (NE) •di-van-de-si n.phr. (CA). South wind; vent du sud.
See examples
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Wind, breath; haleine, souffle.
Mo divon kout. I’m short of breath. (PC)
See examples
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vandrédi
CA, PC, ST
(
n.
)
vanndrèdi
PC
vondrèdi
PC
vondédri
PC
vandròdi
PC
-
Friday; vendredi.
To pa vini vondrèdi? You can’t come on Friday? (PC) ♦ Mo fe trwa je vou sali mari si en premye vondredi de lin. I say three Hail Marys on the first Friday of the month. (BI) •Vandrèdi Sen n.phr. (PC). Good Friday; Vendredi Saint.
See examples
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vanis
PC
(
n.
)
lavanni
CA
-
Vanilla; vanille.
Nou va mèt lafarin, nou lès li bat. Kant i fini bat nou mèt dla vanis. We put in flour and then beat it. When it is beaten we add vanilla. (PC); Mo mèt lesans lavanni dan mo lakrèm, dan mo gato e dan mo labwi. I put vanilla flavoring in my ice cream, in my cake and in my custard. (CA)
See examples
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vanjans
No sources
(
n.
)
-
Revenge, vengeance; vengeance.
♦ Limin torches, crié vengeance et liberté, sellé Zambi, tan vou la ville. I must light the torches, shout vengeance and freedom, saddle Zombi, and wait for you in town. (TM)
See examples
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vanjé
No sources
(
v.tr.
)
-
To avenge; venger.
♦ Mo zanfans, Compair Tigue sassiné Compair Cabri, et mo promi so vêve pou vangé li. My children, Brer Tiger killed Brer Goat, and I promised his widow to avenge him. (T8)
See examples
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vann
CA, PC, ST
(
v.,
v.tr.,
v.intr.
)
van
CA, PC
vonnd
PC
vandi
PC
vonn
CA, PC
von
MO 60, NE
von
NE, PC
-
To sell; vendre.
Latè, Bon Dyeu te met sa pa pou vonnd, sète pou dòn pou pòv moun-ye. God did not make the earth to sell, it was to give to poor people. (PC); Mo kouzen elve en ta kochon. Li angrèse ye pou vann pou krismis. My cousin raised a lot of pigs. He fattened them to sell for Christmas. (ST) ♦ Sipposé no té vende no momans! Suppose we sold our mothers! (T9)To sell, be sold; se vendre. En pake kafe van pou kat pyas. A packet of coffee sells for four dollars. (PC)
See examples
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vanntri
PC
(
n.
)
-
Braggart; vantard.
Groz vanntri. Big braggart. (PC)
See examples
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vanné
PC
(
v.tr.
)
vanté
PC
-
To winnow; vanner.
Kokiy-ye, le kòch-ye. To ote sa, la to vante li. The shells. You remove them and winnow them. (PC)
See examples
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vant
BT, CA, PC, ST
(
n.
)
vannt
PC
vonnt
PC
vont
MO 60
-
Stomach, belly; ventre. Mo
me mo kalson e apre mo me mo kòrse pou plati mo vant. I put on my panties and then I put on my girdle to flatten my stomach. (CA); Li gen en gro vant. He has a fat stomach. (ST) ♦ 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 had his family eat their bellies full all day long. (T6) •gen en gro vont v.phr. (PC). To be pregnant; être enceinte. Si li se gen en gro vannt, pou trouvè en bebe. If she was pregnant with a child. (PC) •mal o vant n.phr. Stomachache; mal au ventre, mal à l’estomac. cf. mal
See examples
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vant
No sources
(
n.
)
lavant
CA, PC
lavont
MO 60
-
Sale, market, business; vente, commerce.
Ye te pa lavant pou ye. They weren’t for sale. (PC); Li gen bon lavant parske li vann tou kèkchoj bon marche. He’s got a good business because he sells everything cheap. (CA)
See examples
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vantay
CA, PC, ST
(
n.
)
lévantay
CA, PC, MO 60
névantay
CA
évantay
MO 60
-
Fan; éventail. M
ape vante mo-mèm avèk en vantay. I am fanning myself with a fan. (PC); No te f e no levantay avèk latongnen e no te sèr sa kan ye te fe cho. We made fans from palmetto and we used them when it was hot. (CA) ♦ Li cou chaché in ventail avec déplime pan et li di so femme vanté li tout temps li dromi. He went to get a fan with peacock feathers and he told his wife to fan her the whole time she slept. (FO T16)
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Electric fan; ventilateur.
Apre sa, no te gen gro vantay lèstrisite. After that, we got big electric fans. (CA)
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vantrilòg
CA
(
n.
)
-
Ventriloquist; ventriloque.
Enave en nom ki te vantrilòg e nouzòt t ap garde labouch maryonèt e no te pa kapab konprann koman li parle. There was a man who was a ventriloquist and we would watch the puppet’s mouth and we couldn’t understand how it spoke. (CA) ♦ Nonm-sa-la te en vantrilòg, e li te lenmen fe fars tou tan. That man was a ventriloquist, and he liked to play jokes all the time. (JR)
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vantré
No sources
(
v.tr.
)
-
To disembowel, gore; éventrer.
♦ Gay are cila té fé bon lavianne fraîche; mé corne là yé cé pa batême katin; si mo také li, sire la vantré mouen! That guy would make a good fresh meat; but those horns are no picnic; if I attack him, surely he will gore me. (T8)
See examples
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vanté
CA, PC
(
v.
)
vonté
NE, ST
-
To fan; éventer.
Li te gen si tèlmon cho! Inave en ti narb. Se te don lete. Li akroupi la. Li t ape vonte. He was so hot! There was a little tree. It was in the summer. He crouched down and he was fanning himself. (NE); No te vante nouzòt avèk levantay. We would fan each other with fans. (CA) ♦ Li di so femme vanté li tout temps li dromi. He told his wife to fan her the whole time she slept. (FO T16)
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vanté
CA
(
v.tr.
)
-
To praise, speak highly of, brag about; vanter, louer.
Li toujou ap vante so mari koman li bon pou li. She’s always bragging about her husband how good he is to her. (CA) ♦ Tou les ote zanimo té tan vanté dolo la com li té clair. All the other animals praised that water so highly. (FO 1887)
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vanté
No sources
(
v.tr.
)
-
To invent; inventer.
♦ Ça fait, faut to fait ‘tention bougues smatte-yé qui toujou ‘ en train ' venter zaffaires pou’ ftraper couillons. So you have to pay attention to smart guys who are always trying to invent ways of tricking fools. (BI)
See examples
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vantœr
PC, ST
(
adj.,
n.
)
vanntè
PC
vantèr (m.)
CA
vantèz (f.)
CA
-
Pretentious, showy, proud; crâneur, prétentieux, orgueilleux.
Ènan moun ki mach vantè. E èna moun ki parle vanntè . There are people who walk proud. And there are people who talk proud. (PC); Li vantèr de li-mèm. Li parl toujou pou li-mèm ou pou so piti-ye. He’s boastful about himself. He’s always talking about himself or his kids. (CA); Li vantœr kòm en pan. He’s proud as a peacock. (ST) ♦ Compair Cabri vini vantor, marcé latête en lair et croâ li mem cé liron dan savanne et dan diboi. Brer Goat became boastful, walked with his head in the air and thought he was the most important in the meadow and the woods. (T8) •fe so vantèr v.phr. (CA). To boast, brag; se vanter. Li t ap fe so vantèr pou nouzòt te opsèrve li. He was bragging so we would watch him. (CA) ♦ Pove Hibou té gagnin pou monté dans nabe la so vente vide et Moquère té pé fait so vantor apé chanté si fort .-Chivi! Chivi! Ta la la! Poor Owl had to climb up in the tree with his belly empty, and the mocking bird was boasting by singing Chivi! Chivi! ta la la! (FO T14)Braggart; vantard. (PC)
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vapèr
No sources
(
n.
)
lavapè
PC
-
Steam; vapeur.
Lasiklèri, li mach on lavapè. The sugar refinery runs on steam. (PC) ♦ [Pou] lafyev,fe bouyi de fiè labsent. La mete sa don en bake. Gen li cho bouyon, la met pèrsonn-la pardesi lavapèr de sa. For fever, boil some flowers of absinth. Then put it in a bucket and get it boiling hot, and put the sick person over the vapors. (BI)
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vash
MO 60, NE
(
n.
)
lavash
CA, PC
-
Cow; vache.
M ole trè en lavach. I want to milk a cow. (PC); Kan lapli t ap tonbe, lavach-ye ye te tou galope pou reste anba chèd-la. When the rain was falling, the cows all ran to stay under the cowshed. (CA) ♦ Ma cré to té di mouen to boi larosé on zerbe et dolo dans piste laouache. I thought you told me that you drank the dew from the grass and the water from the cow trails. (T2)
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Vashri
CA
(
place n.
)
-
Vacherie.
No gen trwa o kat labank isit la Vachri me mwa mo pa gen larjan dan ye. There are three or four banks in Vacherie but I don’t have money in them. (CA)
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vayan
CA, PC, MO 60, ST
(
adj.,
adv.
)
vonñon
PC
vòyan
PC
vanyan
PC
vayon
NE
vayont (f.)
NE
-
Pretty, beautiful, nice, handsome; beau, joli.
So moman sè tè en vòyon fam. Her mother was a beautiful woman. (PC); To gen en vayan bag an to dwa. You’ve got a pretty ring on your finger. (CA) ♦ Comme tout ça yé oua té vaillant, yé pensé yé sré resté la pou vive . Since everything they saw was beautiful, they thought they would stay there to live. (FO T15)
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Nice, good, kind; gentil, sympathique, bon.
Se la tou se vayon moun-laye, se laba kote Vye Djab! That’s where all those nice people are, down at Old Devil’s place! (NE); Moun-sa-la, se median. Ye vo pa aryen. Ye pa vayan ditou. Those people, they’re worthless. They’re not nice at all. (CA)Well, nicely; bien. Flè-la ap grosi vayan. The flower is thriving. (CA)
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vaz
CA
(
n.
)
-
Vase, pot, container; vase, pot, récipient.
Mo lese vaz-la tonbe e li brize. I dropped the vase and it broke. (CA) ♦ To pronn de bourjon siro, to me li don en vaz e la to vide dolo ked on li. You take some elderberry buds, you put them in a vase and then you pour lukewarm water on them. (BI)
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vaz
No sources
(
n.
)
lavaz
CA, PC, ST
-
Algae, moss, seaweed; algée, varech.
Lapwason i rès kache dan lavaz-l pou monje chèvrèt-ye. The fish stay hidden in the weeds to eat shrimp. (PC); Dolo avèk lavaz vèr desi se glisan. Pwason-ye manj sa. Water with green algae on top is slippery. Fish eat it. (CA)
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Mud; boue, vase.
♦ Tan Madamme Ranhoutan oua so gran labarbe tou plin lavase, li bligé ri. When Mrs. Orangutan saw his beard full of mud, she had to laugh. (T6)
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vazlinn
No sources
(
n.
)
lavazlinn
CA
lavazélinn
CA
-
Vaseline; vaseline.
Lavazlin peche bobo-ye demanje. Otreman ye se grate sa e sa se sengnen. Vaseline prevented wounds from itching. Otherwise, they would scratch them and they would bleed. (CA) ♦ Si li bril tro pase en pe louil doliv ou lavazlin pou onpeche li brile. If it bums too much, put on a little olive oil or vaseline to keep it from burning. (BI)
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ve
No sources
(
v.
)
-
To want; vouloir, cf. olé