236 Contributions towards a Wiltshire Glossary. 
An-pussy. The sign “ &,” or “ Ampassy,” at the end of the alphabet in the 
old spelling-books, was usually known as and-pussy in Wilts, and was 
popularly supposed to represent a pussy-cat sitting up. N. & S.W., obsolete. 
As. That. Sometimes re-duplicated, thus, “I don’t know as how as I can 
go.” N. & S.W. 
At. (1) “Add :—S.W. (2) Add :—S.W. 
(3) “At cart,” carrying or hauling, the word “ wheat,” “hay,” “ dung,” etc., 
as the case may be, being prefixed. “ At rip,” reaping. N. & S.W. 
Athert-and-across. Crossing in several directions. “In th’ inside o’ the 
spire there’s braces athert an’ across.” N. & S.W. 
Athert-asquint. Across anything in a diagonal direction. To plough a 
square field straight across from side to side would be to do it “athert,” 
while to plough it from corner to corner diagonally would be “athert- 
asquint.” There is a three-cornered piece of ground in Dauntsey Wood, 
which is known as the‘‘ Squint-piece.” N. & S.W. 
Avish. (A broad.) Half-witted, silly. (Motes and Queries, 6th Aug., 1881.) 
Aavish or Haavish at Clyffe Pypard, where it is commonly used of 
children who are of weak intellect, silly, or spoilt, especially the latter. N.W. 
Back-friends. Add:—*Back-fringe at Chippenham. (Hist. of 
Chipp.) 
Back-side. Add :—Still applied to a backyard in S. Wilts. 
Badger’s flower. Allium ursinum, L., Ransoms. N. W. (Calstone.) 
Bad, Bod. Add :—(2) n. The outer shell of the walnut. N.W. (Gloue. bord.) 
Bake. (1) and (2) Add :—N.W. 
(4) v. To toast bread. ‘Bake I a bit o’ bread, do’ee, now, mother!” 
Invariably so used in N. Wilts. 
Bake-flint. “ Biak-vlints,” the white shelly flints found on the thin stony 
pared land, or “ bake,” on the downs. 8.W. (Shrewton.) 
Bakky-Lamb. A sheep. (Notes and Queries, 6th Aug., 1881.) At 
Shrewton commonly used by or to children in speaking of sheep. S.W. 
*Bald-rib. A cut of meat, taken rather lower down than the spare-rib, and 
not having any fat in it. N.W. (Glouc. bord., occasionally.) 
Bams. Add :—Also applied to leather leggings reaching up the thigh. 
Straw-bams and Hay-bams, make-shift leggings of straw or hay 
ropes twisted round the legs, often used in snow or very wild rough weather. 
N. & S.W. 
When the Wilts Volunteers were first enrolled, it is said that some of 
the raw recruits failed to respond to the orders ‘ Right—Left,” being 
