SOME HOLDERNESS DIALECT FIGHTING WORDS. 27 1 



gives " hezzle, to castigate with a hazel or other stick ; " 

 thus, "If Ah catch tha, mi lad, Ah'll hezzle thi hide 

 fo' tha." 



Hidin' — A hidin' is a No. 8 flogging on the hide or back ; not 

 lightly admistered nor lightly forgotten, a thing of awe 

 and reverence. It inculcates remembrance, and the 

 memory of it accelerates present action. It is often 

 given with a vehemence not usually associated with the 

 administration of justice. Yes, a good hidin is benefi- 

 cent in its result. 



Hod is the common word for " hold." When tired, we like 

 a seat with good " back-hod ; " to " tak hod " is figura- 

 tive language for beginning or commencing any work ; 

 thus, "hod," as a flogging or a punishment, is some- 

 thing that takes "hold" of you, and its embrace is 

 anything but pleasant. It is a dire threat to say " Ah'll 

 gi'e tha some hod afooar lang. " 



Hum is a punishment inflicted by boys on an obstinate or 

 "stunt" player. They "lug" his hair, or strike him 

 with their caps, saying, "Hum, hum, hum," and the 

 louder their victim cries the louder do they " hum' hum, 

 hum," until their leader cries out "Off," when all must at 

 once desist. 



Jowl has some momentum about it, as "bash" has. It 

 reminds one of the conundrum, " When the irresistible 

 comes into contact with the immovable, what happens ? " 

 Far more pleasant things could be mentioned than the 

 "jowling of yo'r heead an' wall tigither." The violent 

 introduction of these two induces " heead-work," and it 

 is little comfort to be told that they " deeah wark afooar 

 they come off. " 



A Knap is a slight blow with knuckles or cane, an admonition 

 in deeds, not words (the embryo of a " leathering " 

 administered oy strap, belt, or cat of nine tails , the last, 

 emblematic of the nine lives which a cat is said to 

 possess — nine times cumulative, biting, and lacerating. 



Lam is not the gentle lamb that Mary had. It is a word said 

 to spur on the castigator to more heroic performance. 

 There is nothing half-hearted about the injunction, 

 " Lam intiv him, an' mak him think on ! " It recalls a 

 police case in which it was said that a bystander had 

 urged two women combatants to further duelling by 

 saying, " Goo it, Sal ; Ah'll hod thi bonnet." 



