Igbo English Dictionary A Comprehensive

Dictionary of the Igbo Language with an English

Igbo Index 1st Edition Michael J. C. Echeruo
download
https://ebookgate.com/product/igbo-english-dictionary-a-
comprehensive-dictionary-of-the-igbo-language-with-an-english-
igbo-index-1st-edition-michael-j-c-echeruo/

Get Instant Ebook Downloads – Browse at https://ebookgate.com

 Get Your Digital Files Instantly: PDF, ePub, MOBI and More
Quick Digital Downloads: PDF, ePub, MOBI and Other Formats

Oxford Duden Pictorial English Dictionary with English

Arabic Index Moustafa Gabr

https://ebookgate.com/product/oxford-duden-pictorial-english-
dictionary-with-english-arabic-index-moustafa-gabr/

Olaudah Equiano and the Igbo World History Society and

Atlantic Diaspora Connections Chima J. Korieh

https://ebookgate.com/product/olaudah-equiano-and-the-igbo-world-
history-society-and-atlantic-diaspora-connections-chima-j-korieh/

English Lao Lao English Dictionary Russell Marcus

https://ebookgate.com/product/english-lao-lao-english-dictionary-
russell-marcus/

Japanese English Bilingual Visual Dictionary Japanese

English Bilingual Visual Dictionary 1st Edition Dk
Publishing

https://ebookgate.com/product/japanese-english-bilingual-visual-
dictionary-japanese-english-bilingual-visual-dictionary-1st-
edition-dk-publishing/
A Concise Dictionary of Middle English Middle English
Edition Anthony Lawson Mayhew

https://ebookgate.com/product/a-concise-dictionary-of-middle-
english-middle-english-edition-anthony-lawson-mayhew/

The Concept of the Supreme Being in Igbo Traditional

Religion A Critical Analysis for a Better Understanding
1st Edition Isidore Chika Orjikwe

https://ebookgate.com/product/the-concept-of-the-supreme-being-
in-igbo-traditional-religion-a-critical-analysis-for-a-better-
understanding-1st-edition-isidore-chika-orjikwe/

The Oxford New Greek Dictionary Greek English English

Greek Watts

https://ebookgate.com/product/the-oxford-new-greek-dictionary-
greek-english-english-greek-watts/

5 Language Visual Dictionary English French German

Spanish Italian Angeles Gavira

https://ebookgate.com/product/5-language-visual-dictionary-
english-french-german-spanish-italian-angeles-gavira/

A German Word Family Dictionary Together with English

Equivalents Howard H. Keller

https://ebookgate.com/product/a-german-word-family-dictionary-
together-with-english-equivalents-howard-h-keller/
Igbo-English
Dictionary
----c.o----
A Comprehensive Dictionary
of the Igbo Language with an
English-Igbo Index
---c.o------
Michael J. C. Echeruo

....•••
~
ai,

Longrnan
-~
----.,.,.----~--- ~ - -- ~ -

. "Longman Nigeria Plc

52 Oba Akran Avenue
P.M.B. 21036
Ikeja, Lagos State
Nigeria
'reI. (01) 4978925-9
Fax (01)4964370
E-mail: l(lngman@linksE:'rve.~om

Area offices and branches

Abuja, Agbor, Akure, Enugu, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ios, Owerri,
Zaria and representatives throughout Nigeria

All rights reserved. No part (If this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the copyright owner.

© Longman Nigeria Plc 2001

First published 2001

Reprinted 2003

ISBN 978 0264744

Printed by Orit Egwa Ltd, Dopemu, Agege, Lagos.

 la lovlnl lDe"'ry of my motlaer

(Ugoeze) Martba Nwiilari Echeruo

wbo worked wadi BleOD .1I1s Dledonary
till ller death in November, 1995
Map ofsouth-eastern Nigeria showing the Igbo Language area

,.
 Contents

Dedication III

Map of Igbo language area IV

Contents v

Abbreviations vi

Introduction VII

Acknowledgements XVII

Bibliography XVIII

Igbe-Euglish dictionary 1

English-Igbo index 177

Appendices
I. Suffixes and enclitics 277

Il. Numbers 279

Ill. Inkhom terms 280

 Abbreviations

adj adjective/adjectival noun Boob of the Bible

adv adverb/adverbial noun
alph letter of the alphabet . Acts Acts
aux auxiliaryto verbs Chr Chronicles
conj conjunction Cor Corinthians
dem demonstrative pronoun Oan Daniel
esp. especially Est Esther
excl exclamation or interjection Ezek Ezekiel
H . Hightone Ezra Ezra
inter interrogative pronoun Gen Genesis
L Low tone Heb Epistle to the Hebrews
lit literally Is Isaiah
n noun or nominal Jer Jeremiah
nom nominalisation Jn Letterto John
num numeral Job Job
prep preposition Lev Leviticus
pm pronoun l.k Luke
S Downstepped tone Mal Malachi
sfx suffix or enclitic Mt Matthew
v verb or verbal Numbers
Num
var variant Prov Proverbs·
Yor Yoruba Ps Psalms
Examples follow Rev Revelation
=
. Meaning follows Sam Samuel
Additional note follows Song Song of Songs
<> Etymological note Tit Letterto Titus
[] Encloses tone
() Encloses dialect zone

l
 1

Introduction
The Igbo language
Igbo is one ofthe eight major languages in the Benue-Congo Group ofAfrican languages (Williamson
1989). Spoken by some 20 million Nigerians, it is one of the three "national languages" (the others
being Hausa and Yoruba) so designated in the Nigerian Constitution. Although fairly sizeable
dictionaries are available for Yoruba and Hausa, nothing comparable exists for Igbo. This dictionary is
a modest first step towards meeting that need.
Every serious work on the Igbo language since J. P. Schon's Ibo Primer (1852) has had to
provide some listing ofIgbo words. Ofthe dedicated vocabulary lists, the best known are those of'S.
Crowther and J. P. Schon (1882 and 1883), the 1904 polyglot Ibo Dictionaryby A. Ganot (and his
Grammaire Ibo, 1879), Northcote W. Thomas's English-Ibo Ibo-English Dictionary (1913), and the
Dictionary ofthe Ibo Language: English-Ibo (1923) by Archdeacon T. J. Oeq and others. More
recently, we have R. G. Annstrong's Comparative Wordlist ofFire Igbo Dialects (1967), Igbo: A
Learner's Dictionary (1968) by B. F. Welmers and W. E. Welmers; and Kay WilIiamson's'Igbo-
English Dictionary (1972) which, although based on C. W. Pearman's manuscript wordlist,
incorporates the work of C, N. and E. l. Madiinagii who, under Dr. WiIliamson's guidance, added
new material to the collection.
Two dictionaries. have been produced by native speakers of the language: Okowa Okwu:
Igbo-English English-Igbo Dictionary (1962) by F. C. Ogbah; and A Modern Engltsh-Igbo Dictio,':ary
(1985) by H. l. Nnaji. Both are important pioneering efforts. AS the recent festschrift, F. C. Ogbalii
and the Igbo Language (ed. A. E. Afigbo, 1995) amply reminds us, Dr. OgbaIii was the motive force
behind the emergence of Igbo language revival and development. Although, therefore, there are
deficiencies in his compilation, it was his enthusiasm and commitment that has made much subsequent
work on Igbo possible. Every student oflgbo will remain grateful to him for that leadership. Okowa
Okwu, unfortunately, tried to do two things.at the same time: provide a list of original Igbo words,
and supply acceptable Igbo transliterations for English words in common use. especially in the
school system, e.g. bacteria = bakiteria, bank = banki, latitude = latitudi. Cantata = Kantata; and
sulphur = solufO. It did neither as satisfactorily as intended. Okowa Okwu has a short English-Igbo
wordlist, and an-evenshorter list of Igbo synonyms which was also intended to serve the community
ofstudents and teachers. H. I. Nnaji's Modern English-Igbo Dictionary ( 1985) is a different kind of
work. It offers meanings in both English and Igbo for a very wide selection of English headwords,
essentially translating standard dictionary definitions of the English headwords into Igbo.
This Dictionary ofthe 19bo Language is an attempt at a comprehensive reference work. It
collects discrete meaningful free-forms from various dialects of Igbo, and provides summary or
extended meanings with exampJes as necessary. Because it was not conceived of as a "learner's
dictionary", this volume has not tried specifically to find or provide lgbo equivalents for particular
English words. Quite the reverse: the dictionary has tried to identify Igbo words and to provide an
English-language gloss to those words in as approximate a sense as is possible. In consequence,
users anxious to find Igbo equivalents for particular English words may have to turn to the English
Igbo-Index for the closest synonym.
I'-~-el-e-c-ti-o-n-o-f-m-a-te-r-i-al-S----": :"'-----=------------­
Igbo Dictionary

Because this dictionary has been designed to be as comprehensive as possible. even ifnot definitive
in every instance, and to record and gloss all meaningful discrete word-forms in the various dialects
of Igbo, no distinctive occurring forms have been excluded. Accordingly. the following forms are
recorded:
a) distinctive forms that occur in any dialect, provided they can be accounted for by some general
phonological or other rule; e.g. okpala, okpara, okwala, okwara, opara (= first son); fa, ha, va,
wa (= they); mie, nwaami, nwanyi, nwunye (= wife; woman); and ele, elege, eleglti (= like, as);
b) "aberrant" forms, some of them adopted from other languages which occur but do not fit existing
rules, e.g. afe (= cloth, dress); akamu (= corn-starch); akupe (=fan); and oloma (= orange).
Although they have not been so categorised, these items fall into three classes:
i) ["native words"]: abali (= night-time), nkita (= dog). and iidara (= star apple);
ii) [derived words]: ecice (= thought [from cee = thinkj), mkpari (= ridicule [kpa-ria = ridicule]);
and
iii) [assimilated words]: anyanwii (= sun [from any a (= eye) + anwii (= sunlight)]. and eligwe (=
heaven [from elu = top, high + igwe = sky]). Indeed, almost all Igbo nouns of more than 3-
syllables are either nominalisations (ogbakoba (= assembly [from gba-kod], or re-duplicated
forms: e.g. igirigi (= dew), [gbaa] okirikiri (= surround) (Green and Igwe 1963; Anagbogii 1990).
Entry items have been collected from a variety of sources: classic texts such as the Protestant
Bible, Bible Nsii; existing dictionaries and wordlists; creative works of poetry. drama, and especially
fiction (from Pita Nwana's-Omeniiko to Tony Ubesie'sJiio Obinna); works written in English about
Igbo life -from Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart to Chukwuemeka Ikes The Bottled Leopard;
technical and periodic literature: from works on Agriculture, Religion and Anthropology to essays
and field studies on feminism and birth songs, for example. Inevitably. several other possible sources
of information have not been used, and the work of lexicography must remain a continuing one.

The new standard orthography (NSO)

The orthography adopted for this Dictionary is the New Standard Orthography (NSO) reproduced
below. It is an updated and modified version of the official Onwu Orthography (1961 ).
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, GB, GH, GW, H, I, I, J, K, KP, KW, L, M, N, NW, NY, N, 0,
0, P, R, S, SH, T, U, D, V, W, Y, Z
The New Standard Orthography (NSO) makes four changes to the 1961 orthography.
a) Sub-dotted vowel characters
The Onwu Orthography allowed Igbo to bewritten entirely in the Roman script, with only the exception
of the three closed vowels, i, 0, and u, with subscript dots under them. This particular exception has
led to techriical typographical complications which-could not have been foreseen in 1961. Underlining
ofIgbo texts has hitherto been plagued by technical'problems; in both handwritten and in some typed
texts, the sub-dots have invariably been overwritten or typed-over by the underlining character.
Moreover, by using the sub-dot, the Onwii Orthography consigned Igbo, unintentionally, to a script
group to which, by the very nature of its sound system. it did not belong. In any event. although some
Nigerian languages use sub-dotted vowels (e. g. Efik and Yoruba), there are other Nigerian languages
which use "unconventional" characters. An example is Kanuri with an absurd minuscule "0" as a sub-
dot under "a" and "e." Igbo does not. therefore, jeopardise any pan-Nigerian orthographical convention
by simplifying its practices. To resolve these problems, the New Standard Orthography (NSO) replaces
the sub-dotted vowels with umlauted ones ( I; 0; and ii ).
b) The "eh" digraph
"Ch" is redundant as a digraph. That is to say. iflgbo had a "c" there would perhaps be justification
for "ch" but that is not the case. Nowhere in the Igbo language does a situation arise in which "eh" is

viii
 Introduction

in complementary distribution with "e" , In addition, the Onwu Orthography does not allow Igbo to
have a simple "e" although it is well understood that Igbo "eh" is neither "a clear-cut cluster" nor "a
combination of c and h" but "a single sound" (Emenanjo, 1978) . Whereas with other Igbo consonant
clusters (gb; gh ; gw; kp ; and sh), the component elements are themselves characters within the
alphabet, in.their own right, the matter is different for " eh" , We thus have a character made up of"c"
and "h" when the "c" does not occur independently in the alphabet. One consequence of thi s
situation is that in enumerations, an alphabetical listing that begins with "a, b .. : ' must-use "eh" --
because "e" is not a letter in the alphabet. The New Standard Orthography (NSO) resolves this
difficulty by replacing the digraph "eh" throughout with a simple "c". It is a modest but impo rtant
change. It may be a difficult change for some people to accommodate, but it is a necessary one .

c) Sort order
It has long been recognised that the order of the Igbo alphabet in the Onwii Orthography needed
modification. In proposing a revision to "simplify the work of lexicographers and in consonance
with existing international practices," the Standardisation Committee recommended the following
order:
a b, e, d, e, f, g, gb, gh , gw, h i, i, it k. kp, kw l, m. n, d, nw, oy 0 , 0, p r, 50 sti, I u it, v w, y z
The New Standarii Orthography (NSO) has mo dified this ord r furthe r by moving " ii" to a position
after ' nw' and " b y", as had indeed been proposed years ago (lgwe and Green [1964 ]). This change
realises the ful l logic of an alpbabetically-ordered orthography, TIlls orde r i follo wed throughout
this dictionary. Accordingly. j ust as 0 and agii come before agba, 0 also anwii and anyii come
before ana, and ¥> en.

d) The voiced velar nasal, ii

The voiced velar nasal has been variously represented in the Igbo orthography. In the Onwu
orthography, it is represented as an "n" with a super scripted dot (ri), Thisvariation, like its predecessors,
i\ and I), is a non-standard character which does not exist in the Internat ional character set. The New
Standard Orthography has replaced it with n, which is a standard character available to both the
specialist and the general public alike. With this change, all four unique characters ofthe Igbo alphabet
(I, 0, u and ii) can now be written and printed with standard characters by all and sundry.

The status of "sh"

Although initial "sh" appears in only a handful of words, but relatively more frequently in medial
positions, yet it does not replace "s" in those po itions , and so justifies its existence as a distinct item
in the Igbo orthography and oun d sy tem . The ins tances of initial occurrence are mostly dialectal,
but m'edial occurrence cut across zones. It i poss ible that its fate in a future Igbo language, like that
of "v ' (and, in certain contexts, of " f" will b determ ined by the relative pace of standardisation in
conj unction with the discernible movem . nt of the language in the direction of increasing devoicing of
many of its consonants.

Arrangement ofthe dictionary

The Dictionary provides the following features:

a) Igbo headword
This is either a free-form word (udo = cable; bia = come), or a longer noun or verb phra se (ibe nna =
uncle; abali-di-egwu = armed robbery; or tiikwasi obi = have confidence in).·

b) Grammatical class
Grammatical class (using abbreviations) is indicated in italics immediately after the headword The two
main classes identified are, ofcourse, nouns and verbs. Others are adjectives, adverbs. conjunctions,

ix

. . . . . .- _. . .- - - - _...........--=-=-=-==---=-- - - - - - -
 tgbo Dictionary

exclamations or interjections , prepositions, and suffixes. Classification has not been complicated for
nouns and verbs: all nouns, except for loan words. have an initial vowel, semi-vowel or syllabic
nasal; the verbs. without exception , ha e initial consonants. Adjectives and adverbs are a different
matter, as is well-known . The use of the term "qualificative noun" instead of adject ive is helpful in
drawin g attention to the problem : but it solves nothing (Emenanjo, 1978). The fact is that ome Igbo
nouns (but not most) can be used to serve expl icitly "adjectival" functions without a change in fOIDl
or tone. When serving that function, they are usually "marked" by a preceding "dl"' verb. Nouns that
function in this way can. however, be identified only by their semantic character. In this dictionary,
therefore. they have been listed as nouns and a adjectives (e.g. ogologo n = length; ogologo adj =
long). Where this is impossible. J have preserved their classifi cation a nouns but added a note to the
gloss when the English equivalent is actually an adjective. Additionally. in the English-Igbo Index.
the English equivalents of these Igbo nouns/adjective are identified as "adjec tives." as they must be.
A similar difficulty arises with adverbs. sometimes called "adverbial nouns" by those who
assert quite flatly that "there is no syntactic class of adverbs in Igbo' . although "adverbial notions
are frequently found" (Emenanjo, 1978). Where a noun can serve as adverb; where the word that
serves that function does not otherwise satisfy the first conditions for a noun-class word. it i classified
exclusively as an adverb. All adverbs. in addition. satisfy the simple test ofbeing minimally functional,
for example. after mee (as in mee gar'i gar'i; mee osiso). For this rea on. most ideo phones are
classified as adverbs. Most adverbs would consequently be expected to take the form of duplicated
adjectivals; as for example, ngwa ngwa .
c) Tone
Because tone-m arking is not obligatory in Igbo, and because there has been no agreement as to
whether all or only "low" and "downstepped" tones should be marked. this dict ionary has taken the
comprom ise route and indicated tone in capital letters wirhirrsquare brackets n[ [", Because ofvariations
in tone across dialects (and among users). the tones given in this dictionary may not always correspond
to those known to particular native users. espec ially as no particular dialect has been regarded as
"standard". However, every attempt has been made to ensure that the tone recorded is actual and
current in the language . Some errors of transcription (and a great deal of genuine disagreement) are
certa in to arise in this effort, and correct ion that are necessary will be made in future editions.
d) Dialect zone
In a number of instances. dialect zones have been indicated after the headword . This designation is
intended to identify a particularlocale (or region) for some words, but mostly as a matter of detail
especially for those forms that (for reasons ofdialect purity) are not interchangeable between dialects;
e,g.. rie ihe (Owere); lie ire (Onica) = eat something. but not *rie ire. or *lie ihe . There is no attempt
to provide dialecta l locations on a regular or consistent basis. In addition . the designations "Onica"
and "Owere" are used both for forms local to the two towns. as well as for usages associated with the
two main dialect areas. Similarly, some ofthe names given for zones refer to towns . local government
areas, even electoral constituencies. Although the practice may make zoning somewhat untidy, it
nevertheless allows for specific additional (and useful) information to be provided regarding the
occurrence of particular words .
e) Meanings
Meanings have been given as briefly and as succinctly as possible; in fact; in many cases. explanatory
definitions have been found unnecessary, and so single word meanings have been provided; as. for
example, mmiri = water! However, with culture words, and with verbaIs. addit ional information, and "
examples, have been provided . Many names of plants. and animals have only been given generic
definition. mainly because identification with English equ ivalents has not always been possible , or
has been problematic. In these cases. for this edition of the dictionary, ~ have listed the word primarily
so as to preserve its form and general meaning . Wherever possible, howe ver. I hare given technical or

x
 Introduction

sci ent ific names for plants and animals. It should be pointed out that some of these scientific names
have changed over the years, and a current set of terms will have to be worked into future ed itions.
Sometimes a list ofmeanings is provided which cannot all be exactly right. A good example
is anyii, which is rendered as "cucumber; melon; pumpkin." As is obvious, the word cannot be all
three th ings . But because these items have not been satisfactorily identified, and because usage of
these English equivalents has been extremely loose , many lgbo speakers have found themsel ves
using any or all of the three English words indicated when referring to anyu .
When mo re than one major meaning ha been provided, numbers have been used to mark
the ir boundaries. Nothing is implied in the order of the entries regarding what is usually thought of as
primary and secondary meanings' or fOT tha t matter, idiomatic or other specialised usages of the
word. Wh ere the differences in meaning are slight (akwa = "cloth" , " clothing" , "dress," for example),
numbers have been el iminated altogether and meanings have been separated on ly by semi-colons.

f) Examples
As a matter ofpoIicy, examples have been provided only where they are absolutely necessary. Since
the body of published material on which to base reliable citations of usage is relatively limited,
ingenious examples created-by the lexicographer can often become self-serving and unverifiable
instruments. Such examples have been avoided.

g) Variants
Varian ts are defmed here as phonologicall y related alremative form s of headwords. They exclude
synonyms. Only significant variants (Le. variants that would otherwise be lost or m istaken for other
words) are listed it isnot im plied in an y way that a particular variant is restricted to the zone indicated.
No pre ference isexpressed or implied as to the importance or status of any variant. Hence, for example,
okpal~ okpara ok w al a, and opara are listed as variants of one another. Nor is the list of dialect
variants exh aus ti ve as some recent studies of d ialect variants for common body parts have
demonstrated. Where the variant is actually a different lexical entity (e.g, "think" = cee [Owere]; loo
[Onitsha]), attention has been drawn to the fact in an asterisked (* ) Note.

h) Etymology
Etymological and derivational notes for particular words are given in angled brackets. These notes
range from obvious instances ofborrowing as Maazi from "Monsieur" and parallel cognates such as
okwute and Yoruba okuta (= "rock') to more problematical items concerning Ijaw roots for ogumabiri
(= "daily market"), and YorubalNubian sources for ala (= "earth")!

i) Related words
Where necessary or useful, short Dotes have been provided directing the reader to particular
connections or usages between the word in question and other words and usages. Such notes have
been marked by a single asterisk, and come immediately after meanings and examples.

SpeDingconventions
Igbo is essentially a two-syllable (VCV or CV(V» language. Extensi ons of this basic syllabic structure
are usually. VCV+CV(V). or VCV +VCv. Most junctures are , therefore. marked by double vowel
seq uen ces - which th en ar e affec ted by rules of assimilation. The practical problem for Igbo
lexicography is to maintain a balance between, on the one band, retaining scribal forms whichpreserve
the assimilated syllabic form, and, on the other. re-consriruting those forms into their original ind ividual
word unitslinked by blank spaces or hyphens. The latter must be done often if the underlying links
within compounded multi-syllabic words are not to be lost. To complicate matters . Igbo words are
often truly complete statements, e.g. Dwunyemkpiiriiiidaasii ii (= allophone). lit"the wife of me seed
ofthe sound/phone ofa language." As written, it is virtually un-pronounceable and awkward. There
are many words, not as tedious as this, which raise serious problems for spellers. Because existing

xi
 lgbo Dictionary

texts themselves carry both forms in no particular order and for no particular reason. both forms and
spellings will be recorded and cross-referenced. as circumstances dictate .
The Standardisation Committee of the Society for the Promotion of lgbo Language and Culture,
through its influence on the school system and the examinations proces s up to the university level.
has had a very salutary effect on the standardisation of Igbo spelling conventions. Still, as is perhaps
to be expected. much remains to be done . In fact. some of the conventions already established may
need to be reviewed. For example, the Committee's recommendation that lgbo words be spelt "us
pronounced except where convention has established a particular spelling" becomes problematic
when the Committee does not quite indicate which "conventions" are to be regarded as "established."
The Standardisation Committee also recommends that "each of the two or more elements which has
an independent and identifiable meaning, should be written separately". but makes exceptions of"all
kinship terms" (except "professions usually preceded by di") and "fossilised forms" such as "dike,
dibia, nwoke, nwata, okorobia, agboghobia, usekwu , and ugoloma." Other writers have made their
own exceptions.
Established spelling usages for personal and place names. for example. have remained largely
unstandardised, and this dictionary has not attempted to impose a standard method for re-writing
these names. It is easy enough to attempt such an exercise with "Onitsha" ()n"ical . " Awka (Oka) or
"Owerri" (Owere), Names like "Afikpo" (Ehu Ugbo ). "Umuahia" (O ma ahr a or "'m u ahia ) create
problems requiring a fuller uncovering of histor y and a sifting f' folk et. mologrcs and genea log ies to
resolve. In the absence of writers and publishers independent I the tandardi uion nnrnittee and
the competition for book sales, the determination of spelling. con entions ha. been leti to schoolmasters
and examiners who have used the penalty of fai lure at publ ic examinati ns [0 uupo e a pelling
convention neither justifiable in logic, nor in the eco nomy of effort it require s. This dictionary has
been a victim ofthis state ofaffairs . In the absence Ia widely canvassed and fully developed spelli ng
convention, and lacking the benefit of the authority of independent creativ e writers. the dictionary
has applied a minimalist rule to all words encountered; namely, whenever in doubt. to separate out the
component parts ofcompound words . The rule can be expanded as follows: wherever an independent
unbound meaningful unit can be identified in a lexical item of at least three (or four) syllables, the
unit has been kept apart (with or without a hyphen) for the convenience of users, and the benefit of
lexicography, rather than as a prescription for spelling. Nothing is lost. in relation to the lexicon. but
the extra space or hyphen ; what is gained, however, is a fuller appreciation of the original structure of
the word from its combining elements.
Arising from this . too, have been duplications and apparent inconsistencies. The entries elu
i~we, elu-igwe and eligwe represent three phases of the spelling standardisation scheme. The first
gives the two elements out of which the word " heaven" was compounded: the second. with the tell-
tale hyphen. indicates the very close formation that has developed between them : the third shows the
two bonded together in a word which existing texts have spelt in this particular way . Nothing,
obviously. prevents speakers of the language from pronouncing all three forms alike. From a
lexicographer's point of view, the first consideration has been the preservation, wherever possible.
of compounding elements that are also lexical items in their own right .

Tone and default tone

Igbo is a two-tone (High. Low) language: akwa [HHJ (= tear); akwa [HL] (= cloth): akwa [LHJ (=egg);
akwa [LLJ (:. bridge): saa [HHJ (= be wide or outspread): and saa [LH] (= answer: give reply to). The
so-called Class 5 nouns (c.g. agii [HSJ = leopard) which feature i.~ downsrepped high tone in the
second syllable. are not as unique as previously believed. since they all also permit a semantically
acceptable HH tone pattern (Echeruo, 1996). Thus , although agii [HH and HS) ( == tiger) occurs in the
language. and is meaningful ; akwa [HS] may occur in a sequence. but would be meaningless in
isolation. From this consideration alone . it is obvious that only tone patterns which can occur with
meaning in isolation from other syntactical processes need have a place in the determination of the

Xll
 Introduction
form and boundaries of an Igbo word.
Thi dictionary therefore, works from the po ition that minutely exactphonetic tone-marking
ofwrittenlgbo is unacceptable and untenable. uch an act is a denial of orthography itself Such a
result cannot be the goal of eith er orthography or lexicography , Tone-marking must onl represent a
stable pattern fo r partic ular lexical items seen as isolable units . It is this to" pattern, not the many
possible patterns a lexical item may manifest in various syntactic and phou logical environments,
that must be represented. I call this the "default lexical tone." Hence. although akwa = tear) may
occur in many contexts with a variety of tone patterns (in assoc iative constructions, for example), yet
it is co nsistently represented by its default [HH] too! pattern.
To repeat: entri e carry their default tone values; that is, the tones with which they are identified
in their primary entry; thus ignoring tone change dictated by the contingent environment Ama
iigha (= false witness) as an entry retains the default tones of its constituent units: ama ([LL] =
information) and iigba ([LH] = a lie), even though the compound word is realised with a different
tonal pattern io actual spe ech.

Dialec and a standard language

tudents oflgbo used to speak ofth language 's six dialect zones: Plains; Osimili; Savannah; Omambala;
Central; D elta: and Enyom. More politically-minded investigators have preferred to see otherwise
obviously Igbo dialects as quite different languages. That phase of political sc holars hip is almost
ove r though vestiges remain in certain areas. Informally though,Igbo peak ers know among others,
ofAhoada, Bende, Ika (Western Igbo) Ikwerre lzzi Mbaise, Nsuka, Obowo, Ohiihii. 6rnca (Onitsba)
and Owere (Owerri) dialects, etc . Actually, as with many other languages though not exactly for the
same reasons, many intermediate and transitional groupings exis t. As is clear from Peannan 's work , an
Igbo dictionary based on a particular dialect (Onica, in th is instance) may not be- as unique in its
lexicon as might be supposed.
In general there are two major dialect zones. in Igbo : Owere and Omca, although quite
ignificant variations occ ur within each zone. Indeed the zones are defined by a general combination
ofsyntactical. Iexical. and phonological features rather than exclusively by anyone of those elements.
Thi is important to bearin mind., especially because many specialised wo rd are to be found across
dialect zones in small well-defined pocketsofusage. Within the Onicazone, the followiogsubregions
can be identified: We t Igbo; Osomari'; siika-Udi; and Izi-Abakaliki. The trong local variations in
the Oka area and the transitional features ofthe Ihiala-Uli complex may also be noted. The Owere zone
incorporates such distin ct sub-regions as Mbaise; Afikpo-Eda; Obaafia-Bende-OhUhii; gwa-Aziimini
an d lkwere-Ahoada. It i impo rtan t to emphasize that although, a with all language comm uni ties,
m utual inte lligibility i impaired or restricted acre s these dialect (and sub-regional) zones, the basic
elements of the language remain constant 'throughout.
Wo rk for this dictionary has shown that the phonological boundaries do not always coincide
with the lexical. Word forms have been foun d in widely separated amd non-contiguous areas of
lgboland. For the purposes of this dictionary... therefore, recording existing dialect variants has been
more important than identifying their preci e dialec t zones. Over the years, a written standard Igbo
(called Ig bo Izu gb e, by the Standardisation Co mmittee) has been gaining currency in educational
institutions. the mass media, as well as in popular publications. Th is standard language draws from
two main ari etie s ofspoken 19b : a "generalised Owerri/Umuahia lgbo " and a "genera lised Onitsha
Igbo" (Emenanjo, 1978). While the dri e for a standard language makes ermnent ense with regard
to str ucture. it is an impoverishing development when applied to the lexicon. What this dictionary
does is to try to record the totallgbo word-stock, and give writers (and peakers the fre edom to use
the language as creatively and as unabashedly as they wish , knowing that readers and listeners have
a reference work to aid comprehension.
How best to represent the variations in spoken Igbo across the language area is beyond the
scope of this dictionary to determine. It is however clear that how we read texts depends on conventions
that are not entirely dependent on spelling. It is possible, therefore, for a reader of ar. Igbo text to

XIII
 Igbo Dictionary

pronounce am; ahii, or avii as he or she chooses, depending on the dialect base that determines his
or her spoken form of Igbo. Texts demand dialectal accuracy and fidelity only in creative or academic
works where dialectal variations are tokens of character definition and scholarly precision.

Igbo verbals
T his dict ionary tries to accord Ig bo verbals a place in the lexicon co mpara ble to that wh ich they
enjoy in the grammars. There have been harp disagreements among sc holars as to the exact boundarie
o f an Igbo verb class , arising from om very basic prob lem ofde finitio n (Uwalaka, 1983 : Emenanjo,
1983a ; Ojr, 19"83 and Nwachukwu, 1983b). This rate of' uncertainry rais . pro blems for lexicography.
First. Igbo ver bs have, for the most part, been studie d under their stem and infinitive forms and are
so li ted in existing voc abulary lists . As a result. for example, Igbo verbs are listed or cited under two
vowels; " i " or "a"
i-» (i-le [= to look], i-li [= to bury]; i-Io [= to swallow], i-Iu [= to throw]);
a-» (i-la [= to go back home], i-la [= to ignore a wrong], 1-10 [= to dream], and'a-lii [= to
marry].)
.econdly. an d qui te as im portantly. some of the more crucial distinctions which need to be
made in Jgb o verba l studie are ob cured by th e reliance on either infinitive or stem citations after
th e man ne r of the European la nguages. The difference between so-called Class I and Class 2 verbs
would. for example , be unnoticed unles the imperat ive forms of these verbs are examined
t wachukwu, 19 3a). Furtherm ore , a chara cteris t ic feature of Igbo is the manner in which its verbs
res pond (phenological ly) in the im perative mood. The-evidence shows that Igbo verbs follow a very
rigi d gri d when forming positive imperative forms . and this grid is tell-tale oftheir other characteristics.
Igbo verb , a this d ictionary demonstrate , ha ve defining two-syllable endings. as follows : -aa, -ee.
-ie, -Ia, - 0 0, -00. and -iio . Th ere are. indeed. instan ces when this scheme appears not to be operative.
as with l\'elii an d were (= take). But eve n in uch instances, there is a parallel form wee which has the
same meaning, Whet her we sho uld conclude fro m this that the 2-syllablt: imperative form evolved in
the ame way fro m -re and -lii is another matter. What is clear is that Igbo verbs are better accounted
for by using their positi ve imperative forms than the stem forms so habitually in use in Western
linguistics . On e cle ar ad anlage of this is that all Igbo verbs can be found distributed over the
co nsonant s which are the firs t element of their structure. At the same time. the cited forms are also
semantically viable; that is, meanings can be attached to them in ways that arc more specific than
wou ld be po ssibl e with stem-forms.
T hirdly , the se verb- forms are glossed together with the nouns which complete their meaning.
O bj ection s have been rai ed aga inst fhe argument that all lgbo verbs have an obligatory noun
complement; it has been sho wn, for exam ple. that the noun complements in some lgbo verbs are not
equival nt to Latin ac cusa tive (Uwa laka, 1983 ). Still. as the evidence of this dictionary shows. Igbo
verb ac tually appear in the following form ats:
a) independent forms laa = go; go home
b) conditional forms i) laa di = get married
ii) laa n'Iyi = go to waste
iii) laa elu = rise
Quite as importantly, then, there are Igbo verbs that never appear as independent forms ; there are
verbs ( e.g. gbaa or kwaa) which attain their full semantic form only in the presence of a noun
complement. These forms have a phone-semantic core of meaning which can only be fully realised
in the actual presence of a noun complement. In this sense, the "verb", properly-speaking. is neither
-gbaa nor kwaa in isolation but the expression "gbaa (or kwaa) + complement", We do not know
enough about the phone-semantic basis of the Igbo language to make any serious detenninations as
to how these various verbal forms should be classified or grouped from a lexical point of view. What
is apparent on the present evidence is that the lgbo verb does involve a noun complement, although
that complement may be realised as a "null" in some instances. ' '

xiv
 Introduction
III these circumstances, this D ictionary lists lee and nee (= look); it also li ts the full forms,
lee nya, and nee anya . as well as other rela ted forms (Iee/ree = be effective (of medicine. charm]'
leeJree = sell; leeJree = rot and le ree = burn). It also lists simi larly constructed forms : baa anya;
c.aa aoya: daa anya; baa aoya; kaa aoya; kpuo anya; r~a anya; roo anya; aa anya; taa an ya;
waa an ya; and wee anya .
Finally. the dic tionary has avoided sub-classifying erbs as tran itive or intransitive; as auxiliary,
complementary, relational or copulative. These labels do not directly affect the le ical enterprise,
alth ou gh they enable s tuden ts of ot her languages to recognise in what ways Igbo differs from the
langua ges they alrea dy know. The so-called auxiliaries ( di ga, ka, ma, na ) and copulas (b u, di, no and
wii ) are. in this context. better see n as verb forms that never take the direct positive imperative'
when they do they cease to be auxil iaries or co pulas in function ~ meaning. a situation not very
different from that of the so-called compound erbs (e.g. dapuo [<daa + puo] = fall + ha e a gap or
ope ning) in which. for the positive imperative, the end-verb carries the appropriate inflectional ending.

English-Igbo index
Part Two ofthe dictionary is the English-Igbo Inde x. This index has been generated from the English-
word meaning field ofthe main Igbo dictionary da tabase. It is strictly an index. For example, the Igbo
entry, agba (with variations in tone) generates th e following English equivalent entries in the index:
~ appointrnent~ £bin; k.QlQ[; contract; covenant; epoch ; fork of road ; indjgence;~; leucoderma;
Wlin; ~; schedule; skin dis ease: swelling; testament; ~; and ~. Similarly, under English
"whip:' for example, rea ders will find Igbo equi valents: agba: agba osisi: agbala aja; anya acii;
ana: aiiu; apipiJl' ekwe: nail; itari~ mkpisi~ okpili; and iitali. Every English word. then. for which
there is an equivalent word or phrase in lgbo will appear as a headword. What the index does not do,
however is attempt to be a key to translating particular English words into Igbo.

History of the Dictionary

This Dictionary began as an attempt to implement an idea (Echeruo, 1972) . It sought to take advantage
of the highly structured nature of the Igbo language to develop some general rules by which all two-
and three-syllable words - from aba to iiziizu: from bau to ZUzU6 - might be generated. The resulting
w rdl ist wo uld then be ubj ected to inten sive field review to determine which of the words generated
in the ex ercise existed in the lgbo lexicon. The task of developing those rules continues: but it became
clear ov er the years that the cons truction of rules requi red to define the structure of poly-syllabic lgbo
wo rds was a maj or undertaking in itself. Because the law of word-formation and combination in 19b
are yet to be fully understood, more nonsense words were being generated than .eerned reasonable
to use as research base. Moreover. even if satisfactorily completed, the list would not sub uanually
obviate the need to compile a wordlist oflgbo using fairly traditional lexicographic methods. By 1993
I had to suspend wo rk on that aspect of the project.
There can be no do ubt now tbatthe grammarof lgbo will eventually be better revealed through
a fuller unde rstandin g o f its ph o ne -se man tic morphology. In my viev . the uccess of any
com pre hen ive standardisatio n initiative. and even the via bility ofany effort to invent new words tor
modem conditions, will depe nd on how closely any formulations in that regard conform to. or at lea t
acknowledge, the word-and meaning-making habits ofthe lgbo language. for example. vowel harmony
has beco me a sta ple of our des cription of the Igbo sound system. Standardising the language by
invoking the vowel harmonising principle will, in ODe simple step, remove one large area of uncertainty
not only in the lexicon, but also in the exceptions that must be: made to many a rule of syntax or
phon o logy. But that step cannot yet be taken because not enough theoretical work has been done to
dete rm ine the ex tent to which har mony, includi ng recently proposed principles of " conso nant
harmony". pre-determines semantic and yntacti c viability in lgbo ; or to explain why certain
barmonissing sequences, but not others. are permitted within the language's lexicon. The most
im portant studies' touching o n vowel harmony sinc e Carnochan's (1960) mostly address the mode

xv
 l1.L...llli --'~.....,...'.~

Igbo Dictionary

and place ofproduction for the two groups ofvowels . But the logic by which combinations of certain
consonants and vowels are validated appears mostly neglected. A generated word-list could , therefore,
still provide us with a bank of information that will help us better understand how lgbo works by
displaying the thousands oflogically-possible segments which have not made it into the Igbo lexicon.
On present evidence, the reason for their exclusion appears to be largely phono-semantic.
A dict ionary is always work-in-progress. Each new day brings to mind a new word or phrase;
or a better understanding of an existing entry. The work of comp iling a comprehensive dictionary of
Igbo will, therefore, never ever end. It is my earnest hope that thi dictionary will serve as the basis
for even better, more accurate , and more comprehensive record 0 f the word- hoard ofthe Igbo language .

xvi

- I - - . . , - - - -- - ,
 Acknowledgements
The preparation ofthis dictionary has been more time-conswning than might have been the case,
mainly because I chose, as a matter of principle, to enter and edit every entry and gloss myself. The
days and years spent on the keyboard have, however, not been entirely needless; for this work with
all its deficiences is truly my little labour of love. I have nobody to blame for any inaccuracies but
myself. But I have many people to thank for encouragement and assistance. Among them, I may
make special mention ofthe following:

Chief Philip Edomobi of Umunwno, whose comments on a.draft of the dictionary saved me from
many blunders; Prof. Eugene L Nwana ofNnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, and his father,
Chief B . Egwuatii Nwana ofAwka, for a detailed review of the dictionary especially as it related to
Oka culture; Dr. Paul C.lheakararn, Dean ofthe School ofArts and Hwnanities, Alvan Ikoku College
ofEducation, Owerri, who read through the entire dictionary at its earliest stages. and helped coordinate
my data collection efforts; Mr Ogbolue of lsele Uku, Delta State. Nigeria, with invaluable material
from the West Niger area; Arc. Matthew Nwachukwu now oflmo State University, Owerri, Nigeria,
who was my first assistant on the project; Dr. P. A. Ezikeojiaku of Imo State University, Owerri,
Nigeria, for guidance with tone marking; Dr. Omen Maduka-Durunze of Abia State University, Uturu ,
Nigeria, the leading authority on Igbo phono-semantics, for many hours of invaluable discussion;
Prof. Chukwuma Aziionye, of the University.of Massachusetts, Boston, for making available to me
his transcriptions of epic poetry from the Ohafia and Bende areas ; Prof. Rornanus N. Egudu, of the
University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria (formerly Education Attache at the Nigerian Mission in
Washington), for his close review of some of the glosses and entries in their earl iest forms; Chief
Solomon Amadiume, Eze-Ideyi of Nnobi (and author of two reference works on Igbo customs) for
expert assistance on Igbo proverbs and culture; Prof. Chukwuma Azuonye of the University of
Massachusetts for permission to use material from his unpublished collection of epic poetry from the
Item-Ohafia-Bende area; Prof. Ononye Tess Onwueme of the University of Wisconsin at Eau'Claire,
Illinois, for help with many West Niger dialect words; Prof. Emma N. Obiechina who shared his
wealth of information on Igbo culture, and especially on Igbo fish-lore with me : Dr. Donatus Ibe ,
Department of Agronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, whose help was invaluable in tracking
down the botanical names oflgbo plants; Prof. Ebo Ubahakwe of the University of lbadan, Nigeria,
my first resource associate on the project, who has continued to offer moral support to the project;
Mr. 1. A. O . Umeh of the Department of Linguistics, Alvan lkoku College of Education, Owerri,
Nigeria, who so generously gave of careful and sensible judgment; Mr. Ezekiel Oyouwa ofAmaediaba
Nkpa, Abia State, Nigeria, whose knowledge of Igbo history and culture clarified many an intractable
problem; Mrs Ihuoma Emejiiaiwe of Alvan lkoku College of Education. Owerri, who helped with
matters relating to women; my nephews and nieces, Emeka, Ifeanyi, Adamma, Uzoma, and Obinna
Echeruo who spent many hours spotting missing items from the dictionary; and my brother, Sen.
Emeka P. Echeruo, and his wife, pr. Chinelo U. Echeruo, for many months of service as couriers and
inform ants.

1wish especially to thank my wife, Dr. Rose N. Echeruo, and our children -Ike, Oke , Ijeorna,
Chinedu, and Ugonna - who served as the sounding board for every improbable Igbo word or phrase,
and who appear to have survived the experience.

I am particularly grateful to Syracuse University for the time and facilities made available to
me in the course of this work.

Michael J. C. Echeruo
14 March, 1997

xv ii
 Igbo Dictionary

Bibliography

Adams,R.F.G.
1932 A Modern Ibo Grammar. London : Oxford University Ptess .
Afigbo, A. E. 00.
1995 F. C. Ogbalii and the Igbo Language. Onitsha, Nigeria: University Publishing Co.
Anagbogu, Philip N.
1990 The Grammar ofIgbo Nominalisations. Onitsha , Nigeria: University Publishing Co.
Anagbogu, P. N.
1995 "F . C. Ogbalu and Igbo Lexicon." In F. C. Ogbalii and the Igho Language. A. E. Afigbo, ed.
Onitsha , Nigeria : University Publishing Co. Pp. 181,- 185
Armstrong, R. G.
1967 A Comparative Word List of Five Igbo Dialects. Occasional Publications, no. 5. Ibadan:
Institute of African Studies, University oflbadan, Ibadan, Nigeria .
Carnochan,J.
1960 "Vowel Harmony in Igbo". African Language Studies I: I55-163.
Carrell, Patricia L.
1970 A Transformational Grammar ofIgbo . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Clark. Mary M.
1990 The Tonal System ofIgbo. Publications in African Languages and Linguistics. Providence,
'RI : Foris Publications .
Echeruo, Michael J. C.
1972 "The Future ofIgbo Studies : A Very Modest Proposal". In Igbo Language and Culture . ed.
F. C. Ogbalu and E. N. Emenanjo. vo\. 21badan: University Press Ltd., pp. 228-237.
1995 'The Case-Tone Factor in Igbo Nouns" . AAP 43 (March. 1995)
Emenanjo,E.N.
1978 Elements ofIgbo Grammar. Ibadan, Nigeria: Oxford University Press.
1983 "Verb Derivational Morphology". In Readings on the Igbo Ve~·h . P. A. Nwachukwu. pp. 43-
59. Onitsha , Nigeria: Africana-Fep Publishers.
Emenanjo, E. N.; l. A. O. Umeh; and J. U.Ugoji, eds.
1990 Igbo Metalanguage: A Glossary ofEnglish-Igbo Technical Terms in Language, Literature.
and Methodology. vo\. 1 Ibadan: University Press Ltd.
Ezikeojiakii, P. A.
1989 Fonoloji na Utoasusu Igbo. Ibadan, Nigeria: Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Ltd.
Green, M. M., and G. E. Igwe
1963 A Descriptive Grammar ofIgbo. Berlin and London: Akademie- Verlag; Oxford University
Press.
Igwe, G. E., and M. M. Green
1970 A Short Igbo Grammar in the Official Igbo Orthography. Ibadan [Nigeria]: Oxford
University Press.
Ikekeonwu, Clara I.
1985 "Aspects of Igbo Dialectology: A Comparative Phonological Study of Onitsha and Central
Igbo Dialects." Journal of West African Languages 15 (October) :93- I09.
Maduka-Durunze, Omen N. .
1983-84 "lgbo ldeophones and the Lexicon." Journal ofthe Linguistic Association ofNigeria
2: 23-29
1991 "Phonosemantic Antecedents of Some Verbs in Igbo," Journal of West African
Languages 21: 105-115 . .-

XVJll
 Introduction

Ndukwe, Pat.
1995 " F. C. Ogbalii and the Standardisation ofIgbo Language." In F. C. Ogbalii and the Igbo
Language ed. A. E. Afigbo. Onitsha, Nigeria: University Publishing Company. pp. 201-213
NEROC.
1991 Quadrilingual Glossary ofLegislative Terms (English-Hausa-Igbo- Yoruba) . ed . Ayo Banjo
et al . Lagos: Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.
Nnaji,H.L
1985 A Modern English-Igbo Dictionary. Asst. by G. C. Nnaji. Onitsha: Gonaj Books
Nwachukwu, P. Akujuoobi
1981 Towards an Igbo Literary Standard. London: Kegan Paul.
1983a "Towards a Classification of Igbo Verbs". In Readings 011 the Igbo Verb. P. Akujuoobi
Nwachukwu ed. pp. 17-42.
1983b "Inflectional and Non-Inflectional Affixes". In Readings on the Igbo Verb. P. Akujuoobi
Nwachukwu ed. pp. 61-77.
Nwacbukwu, P. Akujuoobi,ed.
1983 Readings on the Igbo Verb. Onitsha, Nigeria: Africana-Fep Publishers.
Ogbalu,F.C.
1962 Okowa Olcwu: Igbo-English/English-Igbo Dictionary. Onitsha, Nigeria: University
Publishing Company.
Ogbalu, F. C., andN. E. Emenanjo,ed.
1975 Igbo Language and Culture. vol. 2. Ibadan, Nigeria: Oxford University Press.
Oji,N.
1983 "Non-Finite Forms of the Verb," In Readings on the Igbo Verb. ed. P. A. Nwachukwu. pp.
79-97.
SPLIC. .
1977 Recommendations ofthe Standardisation Committee ofthe SPILC. vol. 1. 2nd ed. Onitsha:
SPILC
Thomas, Nortbcote W.
1969a Anthropological Report on the Ibo-Speaking Peoples ofNigeria (1913). Pt. 1I: English-Ibo
and Ibo -English Dictionary. New York: Negro Universities Press.
1969b Anthropological Report on the Ibo-Speaking Peoples ofNigeria (1914). Part V Addenda to
Ibo-English Dictionary. New York: Negro Universities Press.
Ubabakwe,Ebo.
1981 Igbo Names: Their Structure and Their Meanings. Nigerian Names, vol. 2. lbadan
[Nigeria]: Daystar Press.
Uwalaka, A. A.
1983 "Some Problems Related to Igbo Verbal Studies". In Readings on the Igbo Verb. ed. P. A.
Nwachukwu, pp. 7-15.
Ward, lda C.
1941 loo Dialects and the Development ofa National Language. Cambridge: Heffner and Sons
Ltd~
Welmers, Beatrice F., and Wm. E. Welmers
1968 Igbo : A Learner's Dictionary. Los Angeles, CA.: AfricanStudies Center.
Williamson, Kay
1972 Igbo-English Dictionary. Based on the Onitsha Dialect. Benin, Nigeria: Ethiope Publishing
Co.
1989 "Benne-Congo Overview". In The Niger-Congo Languages: A Classification and
Description ofAfrica 's Largest Language Family. Ed & Preface by John Bender-Samuel. Asst
ed. Rhonda L. Hartell. pp: 269-336. Lanham: University Press of America.

xix
(

I
I

I
I
 Part I

Igbo-English
A Igbo-English
aba inya /I [LL HL] first hair on baby's head;
baby hair. var. aba nya; aMnii; aponli.
aba ono 11 [LL HH] cheek;jaw. var. agba ntl;
A agba onii.
abaca 11 [HHH] da y-old young chick; grower
chick; sometimes called "uriom" or "uyom".
A ,alph [H) 'First letter of the Igbo alphabet;
abaca 11 [LLL] 'sliced, dried cassava flueS;.-.
-open unrounded front vowel.
tapioca flakes; -salad made from tapioea,
a dem [L] this; this one - nke a = this one'
flakes. var. abaja. ·See "acica" = wafess,
obodo a = this town . ·See "ahii" = that; that
abada n [LLH] wax printed cloth; wax print;
one.
printed cloth.
a pm [H] 11; first person pronoun; 2it - A na-
abadaba ad] [HHHH] broad; flat or wide.
ekwu na = it is said that; J one (used in im-
abadaba n [LLLLJ narrow raffia-and-cotton
personal constructions) - Anaghieji abaliacii
cloth, the material from which men's tradi-
eghu ojii = one doesn't lookfor a black goat
tional pants or loin cloths were made.
~n~t .
abaja /I [LLLJ sliced cassava; tapioca flakes.
a-a excl [H-L] oh!; what!; exclamation of
var. abaca.
surprise.
abaje 11 [HHHJ (loan(?)) barrel.
aba adj [LH] flat; prone - dee ha aba = lav
them flat, - abaka /I [LLH] type of fish.
abakpa n [LLL] (Ioan(?)) market-town;origi-
aba n [HH] 'metal rod, bar or pin; 2forked pole,
nally name for section of lgbo town settled
used to support roofor scaffolding; ·' hook or
by Hausa traders and cattlemen; now found
staple. ·See "oke azu" = pole.
as specific place name for urban areas no
aba 11 [HH] bottle; glass container. ·See also
longer so-settled - Abakpa-Nike = the Hausa
"akarama," ekpem," "irom", and "01010".
quarters at Nike (near Enugu).
aba n [HL] short form of"aba-iceku", a type
abala 11 [HHH] iroko fruit. ·See "ilpo oji"" =
of tree. var. abaceku.
iroko fruit.
aba n [LL] 'branch ofa tree; lroadjunction;
abala 11 [HHLJ fowl meat, especially includ-
Jhouse corner. var. agba.
ing wing or leg. var. abara.
aba 11 [LL] open wound; sore with pus. *See
abala agidi n [LLH HHL] blanket; thick cover
"onya" = wound.
cloth worn to keep off the harmattan. var.
aba 11 [LL] I iron rod or metal bar; 2(sometimes)
abara agidi; abara ngidi; avara.ngidi.
short metal piece used to hold something
together; metal pin; staple. ...
abala ngidi n [LLH HHL] blankercthick
. cover
cloth worn to keep off the harmattan. var.
aba n [LL] house corner.
abara agidi; abala ngidi; aVaTa Dgidi.
aba n [LL] epoch or season; period oftime in
abalaba n [HHHH] food bowl imide of clay.
the past marked by very important events.
abali n [LLL] night; night-time - Abalidiegwu!
var. aba.
= night time is.frightening or mysterious. var.
aba n [LL] (Afikpo) masked spirit or mas-
abani; aoasi.
querade - oke aba = chief (or principal)
abafi n [LLL] climbing rope made from brush-
masquerade.
like plant var. apari.
aba aja n [HH HH] sand. ·See "uzuzu" = fine
abafi isi /I [LLL LL] dead of night; the pitch
sand.
darkness of night. var. abafi ishi .
aba aka n [LH HH] kindred; lineage.
abali-di-egwu " [LLL-L-HL] robbers; under-
aba aka n [LL HH] twig; tree-branch; var. ana
world gangs; whence. robbery - ndi abali-
aka.
di-egwu = men of the criminal underworld
aba ezi n [LH HH] road crossing; intersec-
usually operating by night: hence. robbers:'
tion var. agba iizo.
abali-di-egwu akariala = there's too much
aba iceku n [LL-LHH] leguminous tree, used
robbery.
as a fallow crop; (possibly) velvet tamarind
abam n [HLL] corner; edge.
(Dialum ~ineense).
3
( t a ~ ......._ ....
- ...,UiL•. - .- - •.-..-- - - - -- - - - -

Igbo Dictionary abiia

abana

abana 11 [LLL] water yam, a "bastard" spe- = long basket.

cies of yam. abo 11 [HH] 'box of wicker-work used as a
abani n [LLL] night; night-time. var. abali; coffin; -grave.
aiiasi abd 11 [LH] forest: plantation: wooded area of
abara n [HHL] fowl meat, usually including settlement: now found in place names - Abo
the leg or wing. var. abala. = Aboh. name of a commun ity in Mbaise clan.
abara n [HLL] threadworm. var. avara. aboca [abb oca] n [LHH] calico or similar
abara n [LLL] deep hole in the ground for kind of cloth; cotton cloth: Lit: white sheet
planting yam (in areas of Igboland where of cloth imported (originally) from Aboh.
yam-mounds are not in fashion). abogba idide n [HLL HLL] discarded or
abara agidi n [LLH HHL] blanket; thick cover molted skin of a worm.
cloth worn to keep off the harmattan. var. abokd 11 [HHH] crab: king-crab. var. abiikb,
abala ngidi; abala agidi; avara ngidi abonli n [LLHL] (Uzuakoli) first hair on
abara ngidi n [LLH HHL] blanket; thick cover baby's head: baby hair. var. aba mya; apiinli.
cloth worn to keep off the harmattan. var. aboo num [LHH] two: the number 2 - aboo =
abara agidl; avara ngidi; abala ngidi ova; ha aboo = both ofthem: aboo ezuola =
abazii n [HHL] gale; high winds accompany- two is enough: will do. vat: abiia; abiio.
ing a rain storm. aboo num [LHH] twice: second - ugboro aboo
abd n [HHH] alphabet; "A Be" - giiora m ABD = second time: ite aboo = two pots. var.
= recite the (Igbo) ABC/or me!. ahiia: abuo.
abia 11 [HLL] male person. abosi n [HHL] rear entrance to a house; back
abi n [HL] breed; stock; lineage: seed; gene. door.
)'Gr. abiilii; abiirii. abosi 11 [HLL] 'camwood tree; redwood tree,
abi n [LH] -a variety of yam, light yellow in used as cosmetic dye; -medicinal plant also
colour, with a thick bark; also called "ji Ita". used as chewing-stick for cleaning teeth
var. abi-i (D. l'Otunda). (Bl1phia uuidis:
abia 11 [HLL] 'ritual drum used during certain aboso 11 [LHH] cricket: insect of the grass-
festivals, esp. the New Yam (or Ahiajoku/ hopper family. var. abiizii; aviiyii; aviizii;
Fejioku) festival; -type of music (usually mbisi: mboso.
"ifie") played to the accompaniment of the abii 11 [HH] pus: yellowish discharge from
"abia" drum. *Music played during Fejioku infected wound or boil. var. avii,
festival. abii 11 [HH] cat; 'specifi cally, the bush-cat.
abiba 11 [HHL] 'plumage or feather, especially abii n [HH] 'belly; stomach; abdomen: intes-
of young bird; -hair; down. var. ab'ba. tines; entrails: -womb. var. afo: ahd.
abi'di 11 [HLL] kind of monkey. var . abiidii. abii n [HH] companion; comrade.
abigbo n [LHL] a traditional dance, usually abii 11 [HL] (Onica) hymn: psalm: song of
associated with Mbaise and northern Ngwa joy, especially one associated with religious
areas, and known for its vibrant but cultivated services; the word of choice for the Protes-
rhythms and biting (often indelicate) satiri- tant missions - Ahii oma = [Book of) Psalms;
cal lyrics. ndiabii> singers: musicians; choristers. VG/".
abi"i 11 [LHL] a variety ofyam, light yellow in ebu; avii. * See "ukwe = hymn, the word
colour, with a thick bark; also called "ji ita". favoured by the Catholic missions.
vat: abi. abii 11 [HL] armpit.
abi"i 11 [LHL] coin-currency formerly in use in abii n [LL] stock: breed; kindred. VGr. abiirii.
Igboland. abii 11 [LL] worm.
abirfka 11 [LLLH] roasted plantain. *See also abii ala 11 [HH LL] viper: adder. var. abii ani
"iikpoci" = plantain. abii ani 11 [HH LL] (Onica) viper; adder. var.
abisi 11 [HHL] stinging black ant. va,.. agbisi; abii ala; avu ana.
agbishi abiia 1111111 [LHH] two; the number 2 - abiia =
abb 11 [HH] long, oblong basket. *See "ukpa" two: ha abiia = both of'them: abiia ezuolu =

4
abua Igbo-English ada

two is enough; will do. var. aboo; abuo. ahirTha; aviirivii.

abua num [LHH] twice; second - ugboro abiia abiirii n [HLL] breed; stock; lineage; seed;
= second time; ite abiia = two pots. var. abOo; gene - abiirii iiioo = bad lineage or breed;
abuo. lineage with undesirable character traits.
abuba n [HHL] leaf; palm fibre. var. abiilii.
abuba n [HHL] 'plumage or feather.especially abiizii n [HHL] cricket; mole-cricket.
of young bird; 2hair; down var. abiba. aea 11 [LL] a kind of wooden gong.
ababa n [LLL] body-fat; fatty tissue; fat. var. aea iikii n [LH HH] a kind of magical show;
abtibara. according to Ogbalu, an ancient magical craft
abuba isi n [HHL HH] hair; locks . "of picking things from boiling oil".
abuba ji akpii n [HHL H HH] cassava slices.
var. abiibaji akwii. *See "abaca" = tapioca. aeala n [LLL] 'bamboo; giant grass; 2fish-trap
abiibanti 11 [HHHLL] cheekbone.jawbone, made from bamboo stakes. var. aeara.
abiibara n [LLLL] body-fat; fatty tissue; fat acanii n [LLL] blue bead.
var. abuba. aeara n [LLL] (Owere) fish-trap made from
abiibo n [HHH] egg yolk ; yolk; yellow inner bamboo.
part of an egg. var. abubu. aeara n [LLL] 'bamboo; giant-grass; 2ta11
abo.bo n [HHH] mashed yam. edible grass used (esp. in Umuahia area) in
abo.bo n [HLH] cooked vegetable dish . the preparation of soup. var. aeala.
abo.bii n [HHH] egg yolk ; yolk; yellow inner aeara ugo n [LLL LL] beautiful woman of
part of an egg. var. abiibo. stately carriage, robust like the prime young
abo.bo. n [HHH] abstinence; deliberate act of shoot of the ra~a-palm.
refraining from doing something in obedi- ad n [HH] 'pelvis; hip-joint; head of thigh-
ence to an injunction whether or not self-im- bone ; femur ; 2linesofthread worn by women
posed around the hip as ornament var. aciTi.
abubii n [HHL] I dry waste fibre ofchafffrom ad n [HH] pineapple. var. aeoo.
palm nut; dried fibrous remains of palm ael 11 [HH] rabbit -hole.
bunch that did not thrive; 2rag. ael n [HH] 'species of sasswood, also known
abiidii n [HLL] variety ofmonkey. var. abidi. as pink mahogany; -the seed ofthe "aci" tree,
abugho n [LHL] maiden; woman in her late used in making soup (Gossweilerdendron
teens or early 20's. var. agboghO; agbo.gho. balsamiten/m).
abo.ke n [HLH] chicken used for sacrifice; ael It [LL] haemorrhoids; piles.
shabby chicken not likely to survive, anyway. aclca n [LLL] (Onica) 'dried, sliced plantain;
abiiko n [LHH] crab; king-crab. var. aboko. dried yam haulm; 2w heat or corn bread; bis-
abiilii 11 [LLL] breed; stock; lineage; seed; gene cuit ; wafer ; more specifically, communion
- abiilii ojM = bad lineage or breed; lineage bread ; Jfoofoo from cooked, dried and pre-
with undesirable character traits. var. served cocoyam, to be eaten with beans, etc.
abiirii. during lean planting season, especially in Udi
abiilii akwo n [HLL] palm-fruit fibre; chaff area .
of the palm fruit dried after extraction ofoil. acica mbadamba n [LLL HHHHH] wafers;
*See "abiinbu" = chaff of palm-fruit. Lit: flat and wide yam flakes . *Usedto trans-
aboo 11 [LHH] two ; the number 2 - abiio = late "wafers" in Lev. 2.
Two; ha abilo = both ofthem ; abiioezuola = aeiTi n [HHH] head ofthigh-bone; femur; hip-
t\l'O is enough; will do. var. aboo; abiia. joint or pelvis . var. ad.
abiio Illlm [LHH] twice; second - ugboro abiio acill 11 [LLL] a variety of water yam.
= second time; ite ahiio = two pots. var. abOO; aeiri iba n [HHH HH] abscess.
abiio. acita n [LLL] chin .
abiio num [LHH] two; the number 2. aeoo n [HHH] pineapple. var . aci.
abiiribii n [HLLL] palm fruit fibre; fibre of ada ad) [HH] many .
the palm fruit dried after extraction ofoiL var. ada 11 [HH] fall; collapse; slip - odi okUko Itwe

5
 . _ - ~- - -

ada Igbo Dictionary afO

ada = it's 1I0t the chicken but the person adudu /1 [HLL] (Owere) insinuation.
chasing it about that gets to fall: Lit: the adudii /1 [HLL] iron tong used to pick up hot
chicken chaser owns thefall. objects from cooking po t.
ada n [HL) beetle whose larvae develop in afa /1 [HH] 'd ivination; consultation with dei-
dung which it is forever ferrying. ties regarding past or future events byvthrow-
ada /1 [LH) 'firstdaughterofa family ; daughter; ing and "reading" cowries. animal teeth.
female child; 2tenn ofendearment or courtesy coins. etc . as dice - g baa ala = foretell the
for a young woman., future: perform a divination; "oracle.
ada ani n [HHL] (Oguta) dust; earth; sand. afa n [HH] edible fruit : garden egg ; var: afiifa.
var. aja. "Short form of "a fii fa".
ada ani n [HH LL) room. afa n [HL] 'name; given name - ala obodo ==
ada us hi n [HL HL] (West Igbo) 'dung-bee- to wn 's name: baa afa = christen: name; 2pa_
tie; Lit: stinking beetle; 2dwarf; person of triarchal name; lineage: family line - ala III
extremely short stature. var. adakada . efuna = may my nam e never never be lost ;
ada uno n [LH HL] (Onica) oldestvnwa-ada", i.e. may 111)' family line continue through
or woman born into a kindred; usually a children; 'reputation; good name -mebie ora
married woman ofthe kindred. var. ada iilo . mmadii = defame somebody: ruin some-
*See "nwa ada" = woman married in her own body's reputation. var. aha.
kindred. afa n [LL] hair: beard - afa oni! = heard;
adaa adv [HHH] (Onica) never - Adaa eh moustache: Lit: hair around the mouth.
awo eli = One never eats toad; Toads are afa onu n [LL HH) (Onica) beard: moustache.
never eaten . var. adaghi; anaa; anaghi. 1'(/1'. aha onii; ava onu .
*short for "Adaghi .." = One doesn't ever afata n [HHH] kind of fruit .
are n [LL] cloth; dress; garment var. efe.
adaka n [HHH] variety of yam . afe isi 11 [LL HH) head-dress : Lit: cloth for the
adaka 11 [HHH) mole or dark mark, e.g . in the head. var. efe isi . *Sec "ogodo isi" == head
palm or hand . dress.
adaka 11 [HHH] a shortish rifle or gun; gun afere 11 [HHH] dish; plate; serving plate;
with sawed-offbarrel. *named after "adaka" modem crockery. \'Or. efere; afele.
= dwarfish person; baboon. afi azii n [HH HL) gill: organ used by fish for
adaka n [LHH] ape ; baboon; chimpanzee. breathing.
·See also "ozo" = gorilla. afia 11 [HHH] (Onica) 'market - uno afia =
adaka n [LHL] beetle; dung-beetle. var. shop: store; 2trade; business; commercial
adakada; ada usbi. activity - afia mmanii = oil trade; afia ajoka
adakada n [HLHL] I dung beetle; 2small crab . == business (trade) is quite bad. var. ahia.
adani 11 [HHH] small basket with fine eyes. afia 11 [HHH] loom; instrument for weaving
used for sifting, e.g. stone from rice. cloth.
adidi 11 [LLL] young female of birds; young afia iwu 11 [HHH HH) 'contraband; goods
hen; pullet - adidi okiiko = pullet, or young prohibited by law; "trade in banned or pro-
hell. hibited goods. var. ahia iwu.
adiele n [HHLH) 'mate; comrade; compan- aria olii 11 [HHH HH] festivities, held on a
ion; a person, often of about the same age , designated market day, to mark the "iwa-ji"
who is a companion and associate or com- harvest festival: market-day set aside in hon-
rade in any number of undertakings; a close our of farmwork.
friend and associate; 2father's name ofaffec- afifia 11 [HHHH) grass ; green leaf.
tion for a son; hence, father's companion. afifia 11 [HHHH) antelope (Sittltun~a).
adiko 11 [LLH] severe headache; migraine. arn 11 [HH] a variety of fresh water fish.
ado /1 [HL) species ofyam that grows on climb- arn 11 [HH] I belly; stomach; abdomen; entrails;
ing stems; sometimes called the "air yam" intestines; also womb - ara ukwu == pot-belly;
(Dioscoria spp.). afo anii = entrails ora slaughtered animal;

6
afO Igbo-English agadagba

'womb - nwa afo ya = a child other ....·omb; afiifii n [HHH] 'pain; suffering; tribulation;
afi) ime = pregnancy; -'condition affecting the 'punishment.
stomach - afo na-agba ya = he has a afiifii 11 [HHH] type of maggot or caterpillar
running stomach. var. ahd; abii. that feeds-on fruit. "See "ot(' = beetle.
afO n [HH] tube; tyre; any inner tubing made afiifii 11 [HLL] swollen and hardened scar.
from rubber or similar material- afo moto = afiilii 11 [LLL] bullet; iron shots for a dane gun.
1II0tortyres; afO taya = tyre tube. * A mean- amlii iizii 11 [HHH HL] metal shavings from
ing derived by analogy with "afo" = stom- iron-work; the sparks that rise from the anvil
ach, intestines. during metal work: also slag. smelt-waste.
afO n [HL] year., vat: afOlo iizii.
AfO n [LL] I third day of the 4-day Igbo week; afiirii arii 11 [HLH HH] fart; gas or wind
'market that holds on AfO day; 'personal emitted from the anus.
name. var. ahd. *Afo ukwu = main Afo mar- aga 11 [HH] needle; metal trap; threading nee-
ket/day; AfO nta = minor AfO market/day. dle. *cf. "agiu" = needle.
afO ime n [HH HH] pregnancy - 0 bu afo ime aga n [HH] thorny twining plant. *See "uke"
= she is pregnant; Lit: she is carrying a preg- = medicinal plant.
nancy. aga n [HH] (West Igbo) cup.
afO nta 11 [HH HL] small intestines; entrails. aga n [LL] la childless (unmarried") woman
afO obata n [HH LLL] (Onica) dysentery; of advanced years; a sterile or infertile
inflammation of the bowels followed by se- woman; sometimes a post-menopausal
vere diarrhoea. var. afO obara. woman - aga eji di. eji mm = the barren
afO obara n [HH LLL] (Owere) dysentery; woman has neither husband nor child; 'in-
severe diarrhoea. var. afOobala. fertility; barrenness. *cf. Yor: "agan" = bar-
afO oki"ka 11 [HH LLL] constipation; harden- ren woman.
ing of stool leading to difficulty in evacua- aga n [LL] fishing gear. including spear and
tion. net - aga azii = fishing spear: Littfish needle.
afOoma n [HH HH] goodwill or favour; kind- aga azii 11 [HH HL] fishing spear; Lit: fish
ness - Ilwee afii oma ebe m no = have good- needle.
will towards me. agaji 11 [LL H] high-yielding white yam. *See
afO ukwu n [HH HH] swollen stomach; dis- "ji aga" = variety of yam.
ease of the stomach. aga ngwii n [HH LL] crocodile; kind ofcroco-
afO iikwii n [HH HH] heel; the back of the dile.
foot. *See "ikili" = heel. aga nkwo n [LL HH] short-winged bird of
afOlO 11 [HHH] shavings from iron-monger- prey of the hawk family; kite.
ing. *See "afolo uzii" = iron shavings. agaba n [HHH] I razor blade; blade; 'sharp two-
afOlo iizii n [HHH HL] metal shavings from sided narrow knife used as surgical knife;
iron-work; the sparks that rise from the anvil lancet. var. agiiba; agoba.
during metal work; also slag, smelt-waste. agaba 11 [HHH] masquerade with the fierce
var. amlii iizii. aspect ofa lion ("agaba") from which it takes
am dem [HL] that; that very one. var. ahii. its name.
*Sometimes shortened to "a", as in "Ndi a" agaba n [HHH] a prickly plant.
= "Ndi am". agada 11 [HHH] sword with bent or curved
am n [HL] fart; gas or wind emitted from the end.
anus. var. abii. agada n [HHH] a kind offrog.
am n [HL] (loan) half, as in "half-penny." agada n [LLH] folding easy-chair.
*Full form is "afii peni", agada n [LLH] shrimp.
am onii n [LL.HH] * See "afa onii", agadaga adj [HHHH] huge; large.
amfa n [LHH] edible fruit from the "ofe" plant, agadagba n [HHHL] (Ohaozara) men's un-
smaller than the garden egg; used in prepar- derpants, woven from a mix ofcotton, grass
ing salads and other delicacies. and tree-bark, also called "nwa Igba" or

7
agadi Igbo Dictionary ago nkwo

"igba". *See "igba", var. agidi; agili; agi'ri.

agadi n [HHH] old person; a person of ad- agiri n [HHH] hair-agii'i"isi= hairofthehead:
vanced years - agadi nwoke na agadi nwanyi' lock.
= all old mall and an old woman. agiri 11 [LLL] 'iron ball used as shot; bullet;
agadigba 11 [HHHL] hard-dried cod-fish. lead or iron pellet; bird-shot; 'ball-bearing.
agafu n [LLL] burglar; thief. var. agidi; agiTi; agi'ni.
agala isi 11 [HHH HH] hair; hair on the head. agi'riga 11 [LHLH] (Owere) kindofspear. IW.
var. agara isi; agili isi. agiliga.
agalaba 11 [HLLL] 'tree branch; forked branch agirigada 11 [HHHHH] wry person; person
of trees; 2cross road, or road junction; 'sec- with dry. mocking humour.
tion or division of organisation, society or agogo n [HHH] (loant'Z)) metal gong.
other large group. var. ngalaba. ago n [HH] kind of spoon.
agalama 11 [LLLL] ripe. dry kola-nut. ago n [HH] outright denial; disclaimer; the
agalama n [LLLL] an animal said to be para- formal act of disassociating oneself from a
lysed by light. charge - goo agi) = deny. *See "agiigo" =
agale 11 [LHL] (West Igbo) animal fur. denial.
agam 11 [LLL] spear used in fishing. ago n [HH] herbal potion.
agam-evu 11 [HLH-LL] fancynameforakindof agoba 11 [HHH] I razor blade: blade; 2sharp two-
maggot with a particularly offensive odour; sided narrow knife used as surgical knife or
Lit: I won't carry (touch) it. lancet. var. agaba; aguba.
agama 11 [LLL] clitoris; small upper end ofa agofii n [HHL] liar; a person with a reputation
woman's genitalia. for never telling the truth.
Agana n [LLL] a title among the Osomarl agolo n [HHH] sticky sap of tree. or similar
people, taken by persons of considerable substance, used to trap birds; bird-line.
wealth. agolO 11 [HHH] species of fish.
agangwu 11 [HHLL] crocodile; kind ofcroco- agolO n [LLL] a kind of plant. var. agolii.
dile. ago ad} [HH] huge; powerful; Ut: tiger-sized;
agara isi 11 [LLL HH] hair; hair on the head. tiger-like in power.
var. agala isi. ago n [HH] farm,
agene n [I.,LL] (West Igbo) bamboo mat. ago 11 [HH] hawk; kite.
agidi 11 [LHH] cream of corn; blancmange ago 11 [HH] tiger; leopard; (inaccurately) chee-
made from guinea-corn. tah. *Often also used to mean "cheetah" and
agidi n [LLL] 'bullet; iron or lead pellet used "leopard".
as shot; birdshot; 'ball~bearing. var. agili; ago 11 [HL] 'namesake; one who shares same
agini; agiri. name. and (in some cases) the same guard-
agiga 11 [HHH] needle (threading); skewer; ian spirit from the spirit world. as another;
spike. rar. aga. 'spirit double; parallel incarnations of the
agiga 11 [HLL] corner; edge - nokeghe 11 'agi'ga same being; 'spirit of mischief; prankster
iilo = move over to the side (or corner) of spirit. *See ·'gi.io aha' = christen; cf. Egyptian
the house. var. aguga. "ka" (Yor: "Esu") = "spirit double".
agili 11 [LLL] 'iron ball used as shot; bullet; ago aba 11 [HH HH] lion. *See "agaba" = lion.
lead or iron pellet; bird-shot; 2ball-bearing. agu aba 11 [HH HL] razor blade; blade; sharp
var. agidi'; agini; agiri. two-sided narrow knife used as surgical knife
agili isi 11 [LLL HH] hair of the head; locks. or lancet. var. agiiba; agoba.
agili'ga n [HHHH] tattered basket; faggots; agii isi 11 [HH HH] disease of skin; scalp
thatch. infection.
agiTiga 11 [HLHH] (Onica) spear. var. agiriga. ago iyi n [HH HH] crocodile; large.
agi'ni 11 [LLL] kind of mat. amphibious. tropical reptile with thick scales;
agi'ni 11 [LLL] 'iron ball used as shot; bullet; Lit: river tiger.
lead or iron pellet; bird-shot; 2ball-bearing. ago nkwo 11 [HH HH] falcon; hawk; kite. var.

8
agii iino Igbo-English agba iizo

agli nkwii. agba 11 [LL] (West lgbo) indigence-daaagba

agii iino n [HH HL] gecko; house. or do- = become indigent: fall into indigence.
mestic lizard; also called wall-gecko agba 11 [LL] paint ;colour-agballhie= brown
(pfJOodacn'!us ~ecko) . (earth) colour.
agliba n [HHH] 'razorblade; blade; :sharp two- agba 11 [LL] rheumatism.joint swelling. *See
sided narrow knife used as surgical knife or "eguru",
lancet var. agaba; agoba. *properly, "agii agba n [LL] chapter.
aba". agba n [LL] fat.
agiiga 11 [HLL] corner; edge - nokeghe agba n [LL] epoch or season; period of time
11 'agiiga iifo = move over to the side (or cor- in the past marked by very important events.
ner) ofthe house. var. agiga. var. aba. *cf Yor: "igba or "ugba" = time .
agligo .n [HLH] . outright denial; disclaimer; agba n [LL] palm kernel.
the formal act ofdisassociating oneselffrom agba ahii n [HH HH] penis; male sexual or-
a charge - goo ago = deny. *See "ago" = gan.
denial. agba ahii n [HH HH] 'colour of the skin;
agiigo n [LLL] argument; objection; conten- complexion; -blotch or blemish on the skin.
tiousness; disputation - sie agiigo = challenge agba ala n [HH LL] cosmetic body marks cut
an opinion; contest an argument; adamantly around breasts or across stomach; scarifica-
hold-oil to an opposing opinion. tions on the body.
agiigii n [HHH] 'count; the act of counting - agba ala n [LH LL] lowerjaw. var. agba ani.
agiigii on;; = head count; census; 2reckoner agbaamimi n [HH LLL] (West Igbo) kind of
or counter. basket. var. iigbo amimi.
agilii n [HHH] 'hunger; starvation; 2desire. agba ani n [LH LL] lowerjaw. var. agba ala.
var. agiirii; agiiii. agba anya n [LL HH] eye-lid. VOl'. iku anya.
agiilU n [HHH] kind of plant. agba avii n [LH HL] armpit. VO l' . avii .
agiilU n [HHHlLLL] bush-cat. agba eli n [LL HH] upper jaw. var. agba elu;
agiilii n [HLH] thin oil. agba enu.
agiilii aro n [HHH HL] any disease that ap- agba elu n [LL HH] upper jaw. var. agba eli ;
pears to return to its victim every year; Lit: agba enu,
[disease] that counts a year [and returns]. agba enu n [HH HH] upland; sub-fertile farm-
*See "Ogbu n'orie" = disease that flares up land. ·See "igbo" and "ani' oca",
every four days. agbaenu 11 [LLHH] upperjaw. var. agbaelu;
agiirii n [HHH] 'hunger; starvation; 2desire. agbaeli.
VOl'. agiilii; agiiii. agba igwe n [HH HH] cloud; patches (lit:
agiiii n [HHH] 'hunger; starvation; 2desire. VOl'. blemishes) in the sky.
agiilii; agiirii. agba ilu 11 [HH HH] bitter kolanut; crunchy
agba 11 [HH] whip. bitter nut, often served with. or as a substi-
agba n [HH] species of hardwood tree. tute for kolanut. var. akii ilu . ·See "ugugolo"
agba n [HH] totem in the shape of a pillar; a = bitter kola .
phallus symbol. agba mmiri 11 [LL HHH] blister; skin condi-
agba n [LL] 'appointment; schedule; tryst - tion caused by burn.
yie agba = fix an appointment; set a date; agba na uce 11 [LL L HL] anxiety ; worry; Lit:
2contract; covenant; pledge - Agba ode = Old appointments and much thought.
Testament; kwee agba = enter into a contract agba nti 11 [LL HH] cheek;jaw. var. aba ono;
or covenant; make a solemn pledge. agba onii .
agba 11 [LL] chin; jaw. var. aba. agba oruma 11 [LH LLL] bone disease.
agba n [LL] skin disease; leucoderma. agba osisi 11 [LL HHH] whip; twig used as
agba 11 [LL] branch; fork of road - agba iizo whip. var. agba. *See ';agbala aja" = whip.
= point where road branches out in several agba iizo 11 [LH HH] road crossing; intersec-
directions. tion. var. aba ezi.

9
 agbaa anii Igbo Dictionary agbo

agbaa anii /I [LL HH] idiot; stubborn per son . ried woman . usuall y with man y children; a
agbada 11 [HHH] flat fryin g pot. woman of power. "Shortened as "agbala" ,
agbada Il [HHH] two-edged carving knife . agbalagada /I [HHHHH] (Onica) thunder.
agbada /I [HHH] barn; outdoor storehouse for agbale 1/ [LLLL] (West Igbo) special cloth
farm and garden produce. worn by women in their first pregnancy.
agbadi 11 (1oan('.')) kind of a dance. *Also called "ipeteri" = fertility cloth.
agbadi 11 [HLL] (loan('.')) thick.low-quality oil. agbalumo 1/ kind of herb used in the rituals
agbagadii adj [HHHH] large and crooked - associated with "Ogbanje" (ChITSO()hl'f1/1n1
agbagadii mpi = large and crooked hams albidlllll ).
(e.g. ofram ). agbara /I [HLL] demon : evil spirit. var.
agbagba nti 11 [HHH LL] cheek; cheek bone. agbala.
agbagha n [LLL] animal skin or hide; leather. agbara 1/ [HLL] kind of bean with sharp
agbagha iikwii Il [LLL HH] sandal; shoe; Lit : prickly hair.
leather covering for the foot. agbara agba 1/ [LLL LH] pottage, made of
Agbagwii Il [HHL] 'fortnightly market at shelled breadfruit seeds and cooked in a sauce
Uzuakoli, reputed to be the largest slave of peppers and dried fish .
market in the Bende area of Igboland - na agbara agba 11 [LLL LH] loose-fitting tailored.
mgbe mbii. obii Btanko bii og e ukwu karia mostly women' s. dress. often touching the
Agbagwu = at first. Bianco was a larger ankles.
market than Agbagwii t Omeniiko t ; !a agbara am 11 [HHH HHH] cake made from
monthly market-day festival in the Uzuakoli? ground and spiced melon seed. wrapped with
Mbaano/Etiti area market by lavish entertain- leaves in sm all pellets. and steamed till done.
ment for in-laws. and other visiting guests; it *See "nwa nru" = melon seed.
has no links with the slave market. *Actually, agbasa /I [LLH] (Onica) left-over food .
"agba agwii", so-named after the mighty agbata 11 [LLL] border: boundary ; neighbour-
"agba" tree on the site. consecrated to the hood - agbata ohi = neighbour. one whose
powerful deity, Agwi.i. "obi " or main house. is next-door; a st one
agbala n [HHH] hairy seed. throwaway.
agbala 11 [HLL] (Onica) generic name for a agbata ekwu n [LLL HH] health . *See "ekwu"
spirit or deity; spirit; demon-deity. va r. = hearth .
agbara. agbata obi 11 [LLL HL] neighbour.
Agbala 11 [HLL] (Onica) name of an oracle agbata iikwii 11 [LLL HH] groin: Lit: the space
dedicated to the Agbala deity, a ruthless and between the legs .
unforgiving deity, often associated with both agbe n [LL] calabash ; gourd. var. agbele.
Awka and Nri. agbele 11 [LLL] calabash or gourd; float. var.
agbala 11 [LLL] (Onica) four-cornered seat, agbe.
or chair. agbidi 11 [HLL] box; container.
agbala 11 [LLL] 'community; 2hall used for agbirigba n [HHHH] small pod-bearing grass.
communal meetings by either men or agbishi n [HHL] stinging black ant. var. abisi;
women. agbisi.
agbala 11 [LLL] (Onica) 'adult man who has agb'isi 11 [HHL] stinging black ant. var. abisi;
not taken any title; 2a woman ofpower; hence. agbishi.
a he-woman; a "strong". well-to-do. married agbo n [HH] 'v om it: sickness; :disgust. var.
woman. usually with many children - Agbala agboo; agbii .
di Jla ejelii ozi = well-to-do woman with a agbo 11 [HH] cord : rope tor climbing: var. agbii.
husbandfor errand boy. agbd 11 [HH] palaver; tangle; minor quarrel.
agbaJa aja 11 [HLH HH] whip. var. agba. *See agbo 11 [HH] cloth used as cover or spread over
"agba osisi" = whip. something: blanket: sometimes, table cloth.
agbala nwanyi n [LLLHL] well-to-do, mar- agbo n [HH] fore st.

10
agbo Igbo-English agwa etiti

agbo n [LL] calabash; gourd from which cala- agha n [HH] (Onica) battle ; war. var. aba;
bashes are carved. aya.
agbo 11 [LL] breed; seed or gene; stock ; ge- agha 11 [HL] instrument used in weaving; spin-
netic trait; genetic characteristic - ezigbo agbo dle.
Ilwanyi! ajo agbii eghu = womanfrom a good aghaa 11 [LHH] manner; condition - 0 di
(breeding) stock; bad goat stock. aghaa? = in what condition is he? how is he?
agbogho 11 [LHL] maiden; woman usually in I'a,.. aoaa.
her late teens or early 20's. var. abiigho; aghala 11 [LHH] wastrel: rascal; good-for-
agbiigho; agboghii-obia. nothing person ; vagabond; neer-do-well.
agbijgho mmiid n [LHH LHH] mermaid; spirit VOl'. aghara .
maiden. aghara 1/ [LHH] confusion; disorder; pande-
agbogho obia n [LHH HLL] maiden; young monium. va,.. aghala.
woman. var. abiigho; agboghO; agbiigho. aghara 11 [LLL] wastrel; rascal; good-for-
agbokili n [HHHH] armlet. nothing person; vagabond; neer-do-well.
agboli n [HHL] impotence. var. agboni. va,.. aghala.
agbolo n [HHH] echo. agbara aghara adv [LHH LHH] randomly;
agbolO n [LLL] species ofmango, used as soup indiscriminately.
thickener. mr. agbono (Irvillgia gabol1ell- aghirigha n [HHHH] 'crumbs; pieces; 2husks
sis). . ofpalm fruit left after nuts are extracted.
agbologada 11 [HHHHH] molar ; back teeth aghiri"igha 1/ [LLHL} confusion; rascality.
used in grinding. va,.. agbiiliigam. agho 11 [HH] iguana; monitor. var. aghii.
agbon'i n .[HHL] impotence. var. agboli. agho 11 [HH] rancidity; staleness; rancid taste ,
agbono n [LLL] species of mango, used as e.g. that of food left overnight; SOUT. *cf.
soup thickener. var. agbolo (lrvingia 'labo- "uka": "ola"; "ura" = sourness, staleness.
osusis). agho n [HL] cunning: craftiness: deceit; trick-
agboo 11 [HHH] vomit. ery - gllijo agllii = p lay tri cks or pranks;
agbii n [HH] 'rope worn around the waist and deceive through cu nning. \ '0 1'. aghiigho .
wound round the ankles when climbing; agho ufu 11 [LH LL] bribe; bribery ; ea y or
2cord; rope used as fetters. var. agbo. improper profit from a deal. VOl'. aghii ufu ,
agbii n [HH] sore with pus. aghii 11 [HH] iguana ; monitor. crocodile. mr.
agbii n [HL] 'vomit; sickness; 2disgust. VOl'. aghO.
agbO; agboo. aghii ufu 11 [LH LL] bribe; bribery; easy or
agbii n [HL] gum of tooth. improper profit from a deal. I'Qr . agho ufu .
agbiigba 11 [LLL] 'plate, basin or other con- aghiighii n [HLL] cunning: deceit: trickery;
tainer made from light metal (often iron) and fraud; craftiness - ghiio aghiigho = play 'rich
used in the kitchen and elsewhere; 2zinc roof- or pranks: deceive through cunning.
ing sheet; metal roofing: var. iigbiigba. agwa 11 [HH] shade: area under shade.
agbiigba n [LLL] conspiracy; treachery. agwa 11 [HH] fever, with loss ofappetite: !state
agbiigbo n [HHH] dust-bin; refuse dump; of mental depression or anxiety.
dump yard. agwa 11 [HL] 'eczema; leucoderma: skin-dis-
agbiigbo n [LHL] bark.hardskin, var. mbiibo; ease: !measles. \'al'. iigwa : iigwo .
mgbiigbo. agwa 11 [LL] beans: black-eyed beans.
agbiigho n [LHL] maiden; woman usually in agwa n [LL] kind; sort.
her late teens or early 20's. var. agbOgho; agwa n [LL] 'character; manners; temper;
agbogho obia; agbogho. conduct - agml iiil1a = good behaviour; ex-
agbiiliigam n [HHHHH] (Oka) molar; back emplary character; -habit.
teeth used in grinding. var. agbOlogada. agwa agwa 11 [LH LL) spotted: pied; parti-
agbiirii n [HHH] (Bende) cassava flour. var. coloured; having a patchwork of colours.
akpii. agwa etiti 11 [LL LHL) island - ruo agba etiti
agbiirii n [LLL] kindred; lineage; gene stock. 111a = reached u small island (Acts 27: 16) .

JI
 agwata Igbo Dictionary aho

agwata n [HHH] bush-cat. child after divination, showing the god or

agwi n [HL] kind of hoe. var. agwu . other agency involved in its birth; e.g. Nwa-
agwo 11 [HH] generic name for snake; serpent. agwii; Nwa-cukwu: Nwa-amadi = son of
agwo n [HH] 'raffia; raffia-fibre; 2head-pad Agwii, Cukwu, or Amadi. *Also known as
made from raffia. var. ngwo (Raphja "aha ci" = name of destiny.
vjnifera). '. ahaba n [LHH] velvet tamarind, a leguminous
agwo eghu n [HH HH LLL] black cobra, a very tree, used mainly as fallow crop to restore soil
poisonous snake; Lit: the goat-snake. var. fertility (Acit/a bate";: Dialium f:llilleense).
eghu anya obara; agwo ewu (Naja mela- *Known in some areas as "iceku" or
nolellca Hq/D. *See "ubi" and "agwo anya "ohambe",
obara". ahara oca n [HHH HH] large white variety of
agwo ewu n [HH HH LLL] black cobra, a very crayfish.
poisonous snake; Lit: the goat-snake. var. ahiara n [HHHH] giant leaf grass .
eghu anya obara; agwo eghu (Nqja mela- ahHgba n [LHHL] osimon plant.
lIoleuca HalD. *See "ubi" and "agwo anya ahia 11 [HHH] 'market - iilo ahia = shop ; store;
obara", 2trade; business: commercial activity - ahia
agwo nkwii n [HH HH] centipede; sometimes, mmanii = oil trade; ahia ajoka = business
millipede. (trade) is bad. var. afia,
agwo iilo 11 [HH HL] gecko; wall-gecko; liz- "hia iwu 17 [HHH LH] 'contraband; goods
ard usually found around the house . prohibited by law; 2trade in banned or pro-
agwii 11 [HL] carved representation ofa deity; hibited goods. var. aCia iwu.
fetish; idol; totem. ahia ogwe 17 [HHH HL] evening market;
Agwii 11 [HL] a deity; god of madness. market that does not begin until late after-
agwu 11 [HL] (West Igbo) kind of hoe. vor. noon.
agwi. Ahiajokii 11 [LLLHH] 'Yarn god; 2NewYam
agwii nkwo 11 [HH HH] kite. Festival; an annual harvest festival marking
agwo Bsi 11 [HL LL] god of evil (poison); the formal harvest of the new yam , and pay-
patron spirit of quacks and fortune. tellers. ing tribute to the Yam god. I'W' lfejioku;
"Fortune-tellers had to have an "agwu-isi"; Fejioku.
even if they did no evil. ahiara 11 [HHHH] 'name ofa market; Lit: mad
agwugwa n [HLH] a riddling game; riddle or people 's market; i.e. market with an unusu-
conundrum. var. gwam-gwa gwam. ally high number of people with mental prob-
aha 11 [HH] (Arocukwu) war; battle. var. agha; lems; -name of a community; place name -
aya. Ahiara = community ill Mbaise .
aha 11 [HL] name ; given name - aha obodo = ahihla Il [HHHH] leaf: grass: weed.
town's name; goo aha = christen; name - ahihla ofe n [HH] leafofthe "ofe" plant, used
reputation; good name ; Jlineage; family line; in soups and other foods: the plant produces
people who go by the same patriarchal name the "afufa" fruit. a small. delicious relation
- aha m efula = may my never never be lost; of the garden egg. var ofe.
i.e. may my family line continue through ahihi'ara 11 [HHHH] wild okra, a long-fruited
children. var. aCa. jute plant. var. ahtihara (C. olitorius ). *Same
aha ci n (HH L] a sacred name given a child as Yoruba "oyo" = wild okra.
after divination, showing the god or other ah ihi'ara 11 [HLHHH] edible fern with highly
agency involved in its birth; e.g. Nwa-agwu; viscous sap.
Nwa-cukwu; Nwa-amadi = son of Agwu , ahiri 11 [HHH] column ; line; row; queue.
Cukwu, or Amadi. *Also known as "aha ahiri' 11 [HLL] fart: gas - nviio aMi/lli = fart;
iiwa" = earthly name. pass gas or wind from the ( II/ /lS. var. ahiirti.
aha onu 11 [LL HH] (Owere) beard; mous- ahi'riha 11 [HHHH] chaff from dried fibre of
tache. var. aCa ono; ava onu. palm fruit. var. aburibu: aviiri'vti .
aha iiwa 11 [HL LL] a sacred name given a aho 11 [HH] (Enugu) 'belly; stomach; intes-

12
aho Igbo-English ajirija

tine; stomach; 'womb: va,.. am; abii. aja ana 11 [HH LL] earth shrine. var. aja-ani;
aho 11 [HL] year. var. am ; arb, aja-ala.
Abo n [LL] (Afikpo) 'third day of the 4-da y aja ani 1/ [HH LL] (West Igbo) male cricket.
Igbo week; ' market that holds on AfO day. aja uke 1/ [LL LL] sacrifice to ward offfuture
var . Am. disaster by keep ing evil spirits at bay . *See
ahii dem [HL] that; that very one - onye ahii " uke" = hard ship .
= that ve,:v person. var. afii . *Sometimes ajaba /l [HHH] (Afikpo) area reserved for
shortened to "a", as in "Ndi'a" = "Ndi ahu ". principal actors in a masquerade for storing
ahii n [HH] (Bende) melon; climbing plant equipment and changing costumes; tiring
that produces flat-bodied edible seeds. area .
ahii n [HH] hair or body air. var. ashi. ajadu 1/ [LLL] (West lgbo) 'widow. especially
ahii n [HL) fart; gas or wind emitted from the if widowed in her youth: young widow ; 2a
anus . var. arii. young widow who does not elect to be inher-
ahii n [LH] body; body surface or skin ; flesh. ited. or to have a steady lover , but instead
var. arii; esbu. accepts men as sex partners as she pleases;
ahii ekere n [LH HHH] groundnut; peanut. ( In an extended sense) harlot.
ahii ike n [LH HH) good health ; health or well- ajadu 11 [LLL] (Onica) widower; Also ajadu
being. nwoke
ahii nwanyi 11 [LH LL] vagina; private part s ajaghija 11 [HHHH] ceremony (especially in
of a woman's anatomy. Oka) whereby prospective title takers are
ahii okii 11 [LH HH] fever; high body tem- presented to current title holders ; perform-
perature associated with illness; Lit: hot (or ance ofthis ceremony is a mini-title in itself.
warm) body. var. arii okii. ajakpa 11 [HLH] woman with pronounced
ahii onii n [LL HH] beard; moustache; Lit: masculine features .
mouth hair. ajali 11 [HHH] 'rust: 'red earth. var. ajara;
abiihara 11 [HHHH] wild okra, a long-fruited ajari.
jute plant var. ahihiara (c. olitorius). *Same ajara n [HHH] I rust - tua a/am = become rusty;
as Yoruba "oyo" = wild okra. 2 red earth. var. ajali; ajari.

ahiihii n [HHH] pain; punishment; suffering. ajari 11 [HHH] 'rust; 2red earth. rar. ajara;
var. afiifii. ajali.
ahiihii 11 [HHH] insect; maggot; ant var. ajata 11 [HHH] fly-whisk .
ehuhu;esusu;ariirii. ajl 11 [HH] hair, excluding human body hair;
abiibii 11 [HLL] fart; gas - nyuo ahiihii = fart; animal hair; fur.
pass gas or windfrom the anus. var. ahiirii . ajl 11 [HH] part of a carcass.
abiirii 11 [HLL] fart; gas or wind from the anus. aji 11 [HL] tree with malleable bark which can
var. ahiirii. be turned into wool-like strings.
aja n [HH] I earth, and its various loose forms : ajl agba 11 [HH LL] beard ; Lit: hair ofthe chin!
sand, soil, dust, and mud; but excluding such Jaw.
solid forms as gravel, stone or rock ; 2wall; ajl anii n [HH HH] wool; Lit: animal hair .
earthen wall. vat". iiza; ada ani. aji iku 11 [HH LL] eye lash ; hair lining the
aja 11 [HH] species of tree . eyebrow.
aja n [HH] wooden clappers used as a musical aji"i 11 [HL] antidote; something taken to coun-
instrument; cymbal. * See "kponkpo" = teract the effect of a poison or other power-
wooden 'clappers. ful potion.
aja n [LL] oblation; offering; sacrifice - aja aji"i n [HLL] waist-band; belt.
Masi = sacrifice ofthe Mass . aji"i 11 [LHH] crocodile.
aja 11 [LL] 'large premiwn-quality freshwater ajilija 11 [HHHH] pebble; fine stone. var.
fish of the same family as "asa"; 2shark. ajlrlja
*"When he went fishing, he caught only asa ajirija 11 [HHHH] pebble: fine stone. var .
and aja". Nwapa, Efuru. ajilija.

13
ajirija Igbo Dictionary aka ngo

ajilija 11 [HHHH] sweat; body sweat. var. aka aboo 11 [HH LHH] two-handed stool.
aj"ir"ija; aziriza aka abuo 11 [HH LHH] double-dealing: steal-
ajirija n [HHHH] sweat; body sweat. var. ing; theft.
ajilija; aziriza aka afii 11 [LH HL] previous year var. aka ;
ajo ad] [HH] bad; faulty. aka ahii .
ajo ad) [HH] 'bad; not right - ajo uzo = bad aka ahia 11 [HH HHH] the first sale supposed
road: ajo nri = ajo nri = tasteless or 1111- to bring luck (or ill-luck) for the rest of the
appetisingfood; "hurtfuL unkind; discourte- day .
ous - ajo okwu = unkind, hurtful or dis cour- aka ahii 11 [LH HL] previous year. var. aka;
teous speech/words; 3evil or forbidden - ajo aka afii.
oMa = sacred or evilforest. *"Ajo" always aka azii 11 [HH LH] bribery; dishonest deal-
precedes the noun it modifies. ing .
ajii n [HH] pillar of house. aka ebe 11 [HH HH] testimony; witness.
ajii n [HH] 'head-pad made from leaves or aka ebe 11 [LL HL] flying ant yam-eating bug .
cloth; pad serving as stand for wine keg; 'gir- aka ekere 11 [HH HAH] groundnut. var. aha
dle ; Jsmall bundle or roll. e.g. of vegetable. ekere.
ajii n [HH] crocodile. var. ajii-iyi. aka ekpe 11 [HH LL] left hand; Lit: leopard 's
ajii n [HL] dizziness; epilepsy; giddiness. hand; southpaw's hand. vat: aka Ikpa; aka
ajii n [HL] consolation. ibite.
ajii ala n [HH LL] puff-adder; homed viper. aka enwe 11 [HH LL] deceit; foul play.
var. ajii-ani. aka en we 11 [HH LL] 'left hand; "southpaw.
ajii ani" n [HH LL] puff-adder; homed poi- 1'01'. aka Ikpa.

sonous viper. var. ajii ala (Bits oiistanss. aka ibite 11 [HH LLH] left hand - aka ibite =
ajii di mgba n [LL H HH] convulsion. *See left-hand; OI1lI!II(f ibite = left-handed person;
"ose" = convulsion. Lit: one who does /acts with the let; haud. var.
ajii iyi n [HH HH] crocodile; Lit: water viper. aka i"kpa.
var. aj'ii (Clltavhractlls). aka ike 11 [HH HH] tight-fistedness: cruelty-
ajiijii n [HLH] inquiry; question. (j nu-erne aka ike = he is tight-fisted; he call
ajiijii onii n [HLH HH] interview; oral ques- he cru el
tioning. aka ikwe 11 [HH HL] pestle .
ajUlii n [HHH] tranquiliser. aka Ikpa 11 [HH LL] left hand. Far. aka ekpe.
aka n [HH] branch; limb; tendril. aka Ila 11 [HH HL] (Aziunini) left-handed
aka 11 [HH] manner; style; way. person; southpaw. "See "ornena ibite " = one
aka n [HH] 'hand; finger-akaapiilagi'= God who acts with the left-hand.
forbid! Don 'tsay,it was an accident: Lit : fllCl)' aka Inya 11 [LH LL] (Oka) mat made of raffia
[FOW} hand never act on its own will; "han- palm, or from "ata' grass .
dle; attachment to an object by which it can aka ji 11 [HH H) yam sprout the tender light
be held, lifted, or carried. 1'01'. eka. green bud of yam.
aka n [HH] place; place where - 0 jere aka aka mbo n [LH HH] pangolin.
ah a = she went to that place: Aka 0 jere aka mkpo 11 [HH HH] pangolin. var . akabo,
adtglu anya = He went to a place not far aka mkpu 11 [HH HH] disease leading to the
away. var. eka. painful swelling of the finger- or toe-nail:
aka 11 [HL] dwarf; more particularly those whitlow. Far. aka nzo .
serving the chiefs ofNri. *See "nwa aka" = aka mpi 11 [HH LL] furked horns.
dwarf. aka na aka 11 [HH H HH] palm wine jar; kind
aka n [LH] previous year. var. aka ahii; aka ofjug.
afii . aka ode 11 [HH HH] wooden club used for
aka n [LL] wood insect. laundry .
aka n [LL] poisonous brown snake which can aka ngo 11 [HH HL] whitlow; inflammation of
strike from tree branch. the finger-nail.

14
aka ngwe Igbo-English akiti

aka ngwe 11 [HH HH] pestle; pounder; grind- "osu" . *See "ugwule" = slave village.
ing stone. akanwii n [LHH] potash; saltpetre; salt-like
aka nni n [HH HH] right hand var. aka nri. substance used in food preparation, and in
aka nri n [HH HH] right hand. var. aka nni. the production of gun-powder. var. akawa.
aka nzo 11 [HH HH] disease leading to the akanya 11 [LHH] I roofing mat made from
painful swelling of the finger- or toe-nail; bamboo fronds - iild akanya = tent : Lit: house
whitlow. var. aka mkpu . built with tarpaulin or canvas; lcanvas; tar-
aka nzo n [HH HH] finger-nail disease; whit- paulin. var, akanye; ok'iy"i.
low . akanye 11 [LHH] roofing-mat; canvas; tarpau-
aka odo 11 [HH HH] pestle; wooden instru- lin - iilo akanye = tent: Lit: house built with
ment for pounding food, etc. in mortar. var. tarpaulin or canvas. var. akanya; oki"y"i.
odo. akara n [HHH] (Bende) bitter kolanut.
aka okpo 11 [HH LL] fist; clenched hand; Lit: akara n [HLL] line; row - akara nZ/I = line of
"hand [set to give a] blow". chalk-mark. var. akala. *See "oke" = bound-
aka omii n [HH HH] grindstone. ary.
aka iitara n [HH HLL] (Ohafia/Nsuka) right akara n [LLL] (loan) bean cake; cake made
hand. from ground beans. duly seasoned and fried
aka-nni ori 11 [HH-HH HH] (Onica) klepto- in hot oil.
mania; incorrigible thief. akara n [LLL] 'measure or length of cloth;
akabiri n [HHLL] long green snake, usually strip of cloth; '(strictly) cloth with "nsibidi"
found living on tree-tops. motifs woven into them. var . iikara.
akabo 11 [HLL] pangolin; also known as ant- akara aka n [HLL HH] personal destiny or
eater. var. akabii; akamkpo. fortune; one's pre-determined luck ; Lit: lines
akabii 11 [HLL] pangolin; also known as ant- on one 's palm . var. akala aka.
eater. var. akabd; akamkpd, akara ihu n [HLL HH] (Owere) wrinkles;
akaje n [LLL] (loan(?» insult ; mockery; ridi- Lit : lines of the forehead. var. akala iru.
cule - mee mmadii akaje = mock or ridicule akara ogiri n [LLH LLL] (Ndizogii) 'vaga-
somebody. va r. akaji. bond; neer-do-well: 'sometimes used in a
akaji 11 [LLL] (loan(?)) insult; mockery; ridi- derogatory way to refer to an uncircumcised
cule. var. akaje. male. vor . akara ogoli ; okali oholi; ofo ogoli .
akakpd n [LLL] dwarf; thick-set man . akarama n [HHHH] (loan) 'bottle or flask ;
akala 11 [HLL] boundary; line; row. var. akara. glass container: ' special flask in use in the
*See "oke " = boundary. Niger Delta in the early years of European
akala n [LLL] (loan) bean cake; cake made trade. var. kalamam.
from ground beans, duly seasoned and fried akasa 11 [HLH] species ofcocoyam. var. akasi
in hot oil. var. akara. (Xanthosoma sasiuiialium). *See "ede aro"
akala iru n [HLLHH] (Onica) wrinkles; lines = cocoyam; also called "ede bekee" = Euro-
on the forehead var. akara ihu. pean cocoyam.
akalaka 11 [HHHH] crab . akasa 11 [LHL] kind ofcloth of special design ,
akalikpd 11 [HHHH] pupa stage of beetle. imported (then) mainly from Akassa port .
akalo 11 [LLL] (Oka) fog . akasi n [HLH] species ofeocoyam. mr. akasa
akamkpd 11 [HLL] pangolin; also known as tXsuulsusunu: susiiuialuuu). *See "ede aro"
ant-eater. var. akabd; akabii. = cocoyam.
akamu 11 [LLL] pap made from maize flour ; akata n [HHH] a variety of plant used in
cream of corn /maize. hedges and fenc es.
akana 11 [HHH] (West Igbo) twig. akawa 11 [LHH] (Bende) potash; saltpetre;
akani 11 [HHH] (Onica) anger. salt-like substance used in food preparation,
akankolo n [HHHHH] (West Igbo) name for and in the production of gun-powder. vat:
the village set aside for cult or indentured akanwu ,
slave in West Niger area; cult slave; same as akiti n [HHH] (loan(?» bracelet.

15
 aki Igbo Dictionary akpaigbo

aki 11 [HH] Ikernel; palm kernel ; "nut; hard seed fests do gs.
of fruit. var. akii. akoro 11 [LI-IH] a type of climbing plant.
aki 11 [HH] hunchback; hump-back . akotokpo 11 [HHHH] low-grade palm oil.
aki bekee 11 [HH LLL] coconut. var. akii bekee akpa 11 [1-11-1] uninhabited land ; wilderness:
(Coeos nueifera) . heath - bugude 11 'egu akpa = li ved in the
aki ilu 11 [HH LL] an bitter edible fruit, COIU- wilderness . var. ikpa. "The example is from
monly called the bitter kola, on account of Os0111ar'l: see also " oma agu" = heath.
its permitted use as a kolanut substitute. V O l'. akpa 11 [HH] matchet for cutting grass.
n.
akii ilu «(hil1eD/laC? *The fruit ha s many akpa 17 [HH] kind of fruit .
medicinal uses. akpa 17 [HH] species of fish .
aki mkpikii 11 [HH HHH] two palm kernels akpa 11 [1-11-1] tick; small para site of the spider
fused together; twin nuts. var. akii mkpi. family that afflicts dogs. "See "a koro" == tick.
akidi 11 [HHL] (West Igbo) dwarf; trickster. akpa 11 [LI-I] kind of edible caterpillar com-
akidi 11 [LHL] cowpea. monl y found on palm trees ,
akidi mpkishi n [LHH HHH] chicken peas. akpa 11 [LL] groundnut; peanut, HII'. okpa.
akika 11 [HLL] la mark or scratch; "ornamen- akpa 11 [LL] dumb person .
tal mark on the body- akpa 11 [LL] 'bag: pouch ; pocket ; sack: Cnest
akika 11 [LHL] (Ihiala) dry yam stems. - akpa aihi = bee hive .
akika 11 [LHL] white ant. akpa 11 [LL] kind of game .
akika oyighoyi n [HHH LLLL] finishing or akpa abii 11 [LL HH] bo il: cellulitis.
smoothing chisel used by blacksmiths. akpa af 11 [LL HH] diviner's bag.
akikala 11 [LHHH] (aka) crab. akpa agii 11 [LL BB] (Oka ) hunter 's trap for
akikb 11 [HHH] (Onica) story. val', akiikd . large animals . "See "mkpakana" = lion trap .
aki'li adj [HHH] (Onica) thin . akpa akpa n [LL LL] small tortoi se.
akiTibii 11 [HHLH] (aka) coconut. akpa akpa 11 [LL LL] (Ndizogu) maize ; corn;
akil'iko 11 [HLHH] dry yam stems. mai ze-pottage .
akiri 11 [LLH] frog. akpa akii 11 [LL HH] quiver: bundle of ar-
akiri"ka 11 [HHHH] tattered basket; bamboo rows.
mat; thatch. akpa ala 1/ [HH LL] thunder.
akiti 11 [HHH] specjes of tree . akpa ala 1/ [LH HH] dung beetle whose lar-
akitikpa 11 [LHHH]" kind of wild yam. vae develop in dung. and is for ever ferrying
akitikpo 11 [HHHH] male lizard. dung. \'(/1'. akpa ana ,
akd 11 [HH] pneumonia. akpa ala 11 [LL HH] kind of sleeping mat.
ako 11 [LH] cleverness; guile. akpa ala 11 [LL HH] underclothes supporting
akd na nee 11 [LH L HL] common sense; in- the breasts : bra : bra ssiere. \ '((1' akpa ara .
telligence; practical wisdom. akpa amii 11 [LL HL] scrotum ; bag of skin
akoli"ko 11 [HHHH] scabies on animals. containing testicles.
akolO 11 [LHH] common sense ; sense. akpa anwii 1/ [LL HH] hi ve: bee-hive; honey-
akolo 11 [LHH] kidney. VOl'. akiild; akiirii. comb. VUI'. akpa afiii ,
akom 11 [HLL] hepatitis; jaundice; yellow akpa afiu 1/ [LL HH] beehive; hive; honey-
fever. comb. vat: akpa anwii.
akom 11 [LL] hippo. V O l'. akiim. akpa ara 11 [LL HH] (Owere) underclothes
akoo abaa n [HHH LHH] a variety ofcocoyam supporting the breasts; bra ; brassiere. \'(/1'.
that produces multiple tubers; sometimes akpa ala .
called "ede India"; Lit: "plant it, and it mul- akpaego 17 [LLHH] 'bag of money : a set o f
tiplies". VOl'. oeO. twenty "ukwu ego" or about 1.200 cowries;
akoro 11 [HHH] dryness of the vagina; atresia 18 of them (21.600 cowries) would be the
vaginae. VOl'. akpold, *Full form is "akoro equivalent of one hundred English pounds
otu". sterling; 2purse or pouch .
akoro n [LHH] tick ; spider-like flea that in- akpa igbo 11 [LH LL] (Onica) medium-sized

16
akpa Igbo-English akpo

women's all-purpose bag, used for going to akpete 11 [HLL] (loan ") bush-rat.
the market. akpi 11 [HH] (West lgbo) uncircumcised pe-
akpa mma-mirl 11 [LL HH-HH] bladder. var. nis: penis with foreskin still intact.
akpa nwa-mili. akpi 11 [HL] bug; scorpion; tick.
akpa nwa 11 [LL HH] ovary; womb ; uterus . akpi mkpa 11 [HH HH] hides ; animal hide .
akpa nwa-mili 11 [LL HH-HH] bladder, var. akpi nta 11 [HL HH] dog flea: tick .
akpa mma-miri. akpi ozala 1/ [HH LLL] scorpion. var . akpi
akpaka 11 [HHH] anvil ; iron stand used by ozara.
smiths; "See "osi arna" ;: anvil. akpi ozara 11 [HH LLL] scorpion. var . akpi
akpaka 11 [LHH] 'oil-bean fruit; oil-bean tree ; ozala.
-dish made from oil-bean seed and spices . akpidi 11 [HHH] low-grade palm oil, thick
var. iigba; iikpaka; iikpakala (Pentaclethra almost to a geL Wlr. akpdtd: akpiitii.
macrophvlla). akpili 11 [LHH] 'throat; neck: ldesire: appetite
akpaka anwii 11 [HHH HH] honey-comb; - akptltogonogo> ambition : Lit: long throat.
beehive. va r . akplr'i.
akpako 11 [LLH] calabash or gourd. *See akpili 11 [LHH] flute made from calabash. var.
"agbe" ;: gourd. akpiri,
akpala 11 [LHH] bird droppings. var. akpana . akpili n [LLL] money bundle, amounting to
akpalata 11 [HLLL] bamboo basket. 108,000 cowries. *The equivalent, then , of
akpana n [LHH] bird droppings. var . akpala. five pounds sterling.
akpankwo 11 [LHHH] dung-beetle . akpili aka 11 [LHH HH] pulse ; rate of heart
akpara 11 [HLL] wide wicker-basket or tray. beat as measured from the wrist .
var. asakala. "See " oda" ;: basket. akpili ide n [LHH HL] whitish insect that
akpara 11 [LHH] bird droppings; bird dung. clusters around fruit trees and fruit leaves.
akpara 11 [LLL] large animal of the duiker var . akpiri ide; akpiri Ida.
family, close to "ekpeke and different in akpili nta 11 [LHH HL] larynx; voice box .
colour from "mgbada" . *See "mgbada" and akpimkpa n [HLHH] 'kind of tick that pro-
"ekpeke", duces rashes on animals; -rashes produced by
akparata 11 [HHHH] species oftree with hard- tick-bite.
wood timber. akpirf 11 [LHH] 'neck; throat; ldesire; ambi-
akpata 11 [HHH] broom made of small long tion; greed - akpiriogologo> ambition: Lit:
sticks. long throat; ' thirst. var. akpili.
akpata n [HHH] 'drying tray made of wicker- akpiri 11 [LHH] flute made from long narrow
work; lshed . gourd. mr. akpm. "See " opu" ;: flute.
akpata 11 [HLL] measles; infectious disease, akpiri 11 [LLH] flea: bed bug.
mostly ofchildren, marked by numerous skin akpir'j ide n [LHH HL] whitish insect that
rashes. clusters around fruit trees and fruit leaves .
akpata n [HLL] (Abo) prawn; shrimp. var. akp"jri Ida.
akpata oyi 11 [HLL HH] goose-bump; raised akpiri ida 11 [LLH HL] whitish insect that
bristles on the skin caused by very high fe- clusters around fruit trees and fruit leaves.
ver or fear ; goose-flesh. VUI'. akptri-ide.

akpata onii 11 [HH-HH] story: tale . akpiri uta 11 [LHH HH] larynx: voice box.
akpati 11 [HLL] large box ; suitcase usually of var. akpill uta .
wood or metal, very much like a cabin box - akpirima 11 [LLLL] (loan) thief; one who
akpati ozu ;: coffin; Lit: box for a corpse. pilfers things, especially from the farm. var .
akpati ozu 11 [HLL HH] box in which a corpse ekperlma,
is placed for burial. akpo 11 [LH] type of fish.
akpele 11 [LLL] flute-like musical instrument akpo 11 [LL] low grade wine from trunk of
made from a narrow gourd; flute. var. akplli ; palm. "See "iti '" low grade wine .
akpir"i. *See "oja" = flute . akpii 11 [HH] chin: upper jaw: tooth gum. var.

17
 -_
..... ..........'''-- ~ "..,~ ......----- ---
akpokpa Igbo Dictionary akii

akpu. akpii otuwe 11 [LL HLL] navel. var. otuwe;

akpokpa 11 [LLH] (Afikpo) corn; maize. vat: otume; akpa otobo: otobo: akpa otume.
i"kpakpa. akpii ohii 11 [HL HH] buttock. var. akpii ahii;
akpoli 1/ [HHH] (Onica) current: waves. akpii arii.
akpolo 11 [HHH] dryness ofthe vagina; atresia akpii onii 11 [HH HH] 'Adam's apple; the
vaginae. vat: akoro. *full form is "akpolo "stump" or projection in front of the neck;
otu", 2 go itre, or disease involving swelling of the

akpolu 11[HLL] (Onica) spleen disease. thyroid gland. var. akpii akpili.
akpoto 11 [HHH] low grade palm oil, thick akpii orii 11 [HL HH] buttock. m 1'. akpii ahii;
almost to a gel. va r. akpidi; akpiitii . akpii ohii: akpii arii .
akpoto 11 [LLL] (Afikpo) walking stick. akpiikpa 11 [HHH] scabies.
akpii 11 [HH] 'cassava plant or tuber: -mashed akpiikpa 11 [HHH] mango.
cassava, soaked in water for lip to four days. akpiikpa 11 [HLL] broom made from shrubs.
washed clean. and cooked: foofoo: 'tapioca. akpukpo /1 lHHH] 'hide: processed skin of
or dried thinly-shredded cassava slices animal: leather - akpiikpo auii = hide of
("'fallihot eSClIle11la: A4allihot unlissiiua) . skill lied animul: -membrane or outerskiu;
Akpii 11 [HH] a god or deity to which the foreskin - i:~ha akpiikp6 = drum membrane.
"akpu" tree is dedicated. var. akpiikpii .
akpii 11 [HH] 'silk-cotton-tree: huge tree with akpukpo iikwii 11 lHHH HH] footwear; shoes;
thorns, held sacred in most communities: the Lit: hides for the feet.
thorn-tree. or red-tlowered silk-cotton tree- akpiikpii 11 [HHIl] hide: skin..
akpii 0/1\\'0 ogbu anii ukwu = sacred tree [that akpiikpii 11 [HHH] small hard lumps in oth-
rejuvenates] killers o] hug: animals (i,e. erwise well-pounded foofoo or similar prepa-
leopards): ckapok tree (Cciha /Jelulalldra: B. ration.
luuuuuussuse). *Thc example is from V . lke. akpiikpii 11 [HHHJ 'hide: processed skin of
The Bottled Leopard. p. 133 . animal: leather - akpiikpii ani! = hide of
akpii 11 [HL] knot; non-pus swelling: tumour. skinned animal: -rnembrane or outerskin:
akpii 1/ [HL] seed yam. foreskin - i"gha akpiikpo = drum membrane.
akpii 11 [IlL] stump. var. akpiikpii.
akpii 11 [LH] chin. vat: akpo. akpiikpii ahii 11 [HHH HH] skin; animal skin.
akpii ahii 11 [HL HH] buttock. var. akpii arii. akpiikpii nni 11 [HHH HH] small hard lumps
akpii akpi'li' 11 [HH HHH] 'Adam's apple; the found in poorly pounded foofoo or similar
"stump" or projection in front <of the neck: preparation. 1'(/1'. akpiikpii nri. *See "ntakii
2goitre, or disease involving swelling of the nm .
thyroid gland. var. akpii onii. akpiikpii nri 11 [HHH HIl] small hard lumps
akpii arii 11 [HL HH] buttock. vat: akpii ahii, found in poorly pounded foofoo or similar
akpii ji 11 [HH H] seed yam; stump of har- preparation. vat: akpukpii nni.
vested yam, used as "seed" in next year's akpiirii 11 [HHH] (Afikpo) kernel: fruit; seed.
planting. \-ar. mkpurii.
akpii mmiri 11 [HL HHH] varicose veins: akpiitii 11 [HHH] low grade palm oil, thick
enlarged veins. almost to a gel. 1"(/1' . akpidi; akpoto.
akpii nkolo 11 [HH LLL] variety of cassava. akii 11 [HH] edible clay. *See "iilo" = clay.
akpii osisi n [HL-HHH] stump; tree-knot. akii n [HH] [palm kernel; kernel; 2n ut; hard
akpii otobo 11 [LL HLL] navel; stump on the seed of fruit. var. aki,
stomach at which the umbilical chord is at- akii 11 [HH] pubic hair.
tached to the body. var. otuwe; otume: akpa akii 11 [HL] black beads.
otuwe; otobo; akpa otume. • akii 11 [LH] arrow - akpa akii = quiver.
akpii otume 11 [LL HLL] navel. var . otuwe; akii 11 [LH] shutter.
otume: akpa otobo; otobo; akpa otuwe. akii 11 [LLJ property; riches: wealth; mammon.
akpii otutu 11 [HL-HHH] blister. akii 11 [LL] edible species of flying ant: often

18
akii bekee Igbo-English akwa mkpuci

fried in its oil and dried for storage. var. akii the edges or corners.
ebe; akii mpu. akiikwa 11 [HHH] pain (orperiodofpain) after
akii bekee n (HH LLL] coconut. var. aklbekee childbirth . *See "onodii nwa' = post-pactum
(Cocos nucifera). pains .
akii ebe 11 [LL HL] 'edible species of flying akiikwa one 11 [HHH HH] children by the
ant or termite; often fried in its oil and dried same mother; mother' s children.
for storage; 2yam-eating bug. var. akii; akii aklilo 11 [LHH] kidney. var . akolO; akiirii.
mpu. akiilii 11 [HHH] ornament.
akii eze n [LH HH] tooth-ache. aklilii 11 [HLL] fungus attaching to the palm
akii ilu 11 [HH HH] bitter kola nut; crunchy tree; mushroom .
bitter nut , often served with , or as a substi- akiilii n [LHH] tick: insect parasite of the
tute for, kola nut . var. agba Hu . *See spider family : a kind of flea .
"ugugolo" = bitter kola. akiilii 11 [LLL] premium quality palm wine.
akii mkpi n [HH HH] two palm kernels fused var. akiirii.
together; twin-seeded palm nut. var. aki akiim 11 [HHH] hippo. 1'W·. akom .
mkplkd. *A reference to the twin balls ofthe akiim ala 11 [HHH LL] species of yam .
he-goat! . akiipe 11 [LLH] (loan) fan; hand -held personal
akii mkpu n [LL HH] edible species offlying fan made from a species of raffia palm.
ant; often fried in its oil and dried for stor- akiirako 11 [LLHH] charred remains of food.
age . var. akii; akii mpu. akiirii 11 [LHH] kidney. var. akiilii: akolO.
akii mmiri n [HH HHH] hail; hailstorm. var. akiirii 11 [LLL] premium quality palm wine.
akii mmili. vat: akiilii .
akii mpu n [LL LH] edible flying ant or ter- akiirii 11 [LLL] species ofsmall, black insect;
mite. var . akii; akii ebe; akii mkpu. tick .
akii otii n [LL HH] clitoris; small upper end akiirii iigba 11 [LLL LL] kind of prickly plant
of a woman's genitalia. var. atiitii otii . - okpa nkii akpara akiirii iigba = thefirewood
akii ugo n [HH LL] white palm kernel. picker knows better than to pick the "akiirii
akii ii10 11 (LL LL] purlins; horizontal bam- iigba " plant. \'{Ir. akiirii.
boo roofing member. akwa 11 [HH] lamentation; tears; weeping.
akiibara n [HHHH] creepingplantthatcauses akwa n [HH] funeral; funeral obsequies; wake
skin irritation. var. akiigba; akiigbara (M11=. keeping; lamentations for the dead; mourn-
cuna urens). ing. with associated crying.
akiigba n [HHH] prickly creeping plant. var. akwa 11 [HH] money bundle amounting to
akiibara; akiigbara (Mucuna urens). 1,200 cowries. *See "ayolo" = cowries.
akiigbara n [HHHH] irritant creeping plant akwa 11 [HL] cloth : cloth lengths. *See
var. akiigbara; akiigba (Ml/cl/na uisus). "ogodo" = waist-cloth.
akiiko 11 [HHH] narrative ; story ; tale. akwa n [LH] egg .
akiiko n [HLL] curved hoeing knife . var. akwa 11 [LL] bridge - akwa mmiri = bridge
nkuko. across a river: formerly constructed oflogs
akiiko ani n [HHH LL] legend; tales of the and held together with ropes.
land and lineage. akwa n [LL] 'bed: couch; -hammock. or bed
akiikoifo n [HHHHL] folk-tales of'a general made from canvas or tarpaulin.
type, usually in prose, with songs inter- akwa 11 [LL] (Onica) kind of bird.
spersed var. akiiko iro. akwa arara 11 [HH LLL] lament; cry ofsorrow
akiiko iro n {HHH LH] folk-tale of a general by the weak . *See "uri akwa " = dirge ; lament.
type, usually in prose, with songs inter- akwa mkpe 11 [H L HL] sack -cloth worn for a
spersed var. akiiko ifo. season of months by widowed people; Lit:
akiikii n [HLL] side; corner; part. cloth of widowhood .
akiikii 11 [LLL] gossip. akwa mkpuci 11 [HL HLH] curtain or veil;
akiikii akiikii adv [HLL HLL] sideways; from cloth used in covering or shielding object or

19
, ,j !I

lgbo Dictionary ala nkita

akwala

area - akwa mkpuci iru = veil to coverthe [a: e epileptic' tits ,

akwirla 11 [LLL] harlot or prostitute. var.
(E\". 26 :31).
akwala n [HHL) root - gban.l·e akwala = set akwiina. "See "akwLina-akwLina" = harlot.
down roots. vat: akwara. akwiima 11 [LLL] smallpox - kworo there kuru
11\l'it ak:viima= agree 10 ((117'1' a child infected
akwala iru n [HLL HH] (Onica) wrinkles:
lines on the forehead, 1'01', akwara ihu. with small-pox [akv. i ;II /(/ / in one '.I' arms/or
akwam ozu 11 [LHH HH] funeral or burial rites . fear of causing ctntuu nI""IIICI1I.
akwara 11 [HHH] guinea-worm. akwiina n [LLL] harlot or prostitute. 1'111'.
akwara n [HHL] 'coarse fibre from the peti- akwiila. *See "akwuna akwuna" = harlot.
oles or slender stalk of grO\ving palm leaves; akwuna akwima 11 [LL L LLL] harlot or pros-
'twine; rope . titute; named after "Akunakuna", the Ogoja
akwara 11 [HHL] I root - gban.l'e akwara = set town famous 111 colonial times as source of
do: \'I { roots: 'nerve; tendon; artery. vat: harlots for West African cities, ]'01'. akwiila:
akwala. akwiina .
akwara iru n [HLL HH] (Owere) wrinkles; ala adj [LL] south; southerly. *compare with
lines on the forehead. var. akwala ihu. "ugwu" = "north".
akwii 11 [HH] palm; palm-nut; palm-tree. VOl'. ala 11 [HH] (Oni'ca) breast - ike ala = breast
nkwii (Elaise fJuinensis). lobe. var ara .
akwii 11 [HH] (Bende-Ohafia) silk-cotton tree. ala 11 [HH] (Onicn ) madness; insanity. var.
akwii 11 [LH] deserted farmland. ara .
akwii n [LH] nest; widow's hut. ala n [HH] used to i etcr to suckers or shoots
akwii 11 [LH] door; shutter; window. of particular plants.
akwii 11 [LH] l1et for catching fish; fish trap . ala 11 [LL] (Owere ) earth: ground; land; soil.
var. nkwu (azii). var. ani: ale.
akwii 11 [LL] widow. *See "okwa" = widow. ala n [LL] bottom. 1'01' ani'. *cf. "isi" = top.
akwii ani 11 [HH LL] white ant. Ala /1 [LL] (Owere] Earth: Earth goddess. VUI'.
akwii nro 11 [HH HL] hand-squeezed palm Ana; Ani.
oil; i.e. quality palm oil extracted by hand ala aka /I "[LL HH] 'tributary; arm or branch
from fresh unboiled fruits . (e.g . of river); -inlct - a/a aka osimiri '= sea
akwii olu 11 [HH HL] pineapple. \'((1', nkwii inlet, \ ar, ara aka,
olu. ala akoro /I [LL LLL] earth; earths crust.
akwiikwa 11 [HLL] earthen pot-stand. ala enu /1 [HH HH] (Omca) colostrum; moth-
akwiikwa n [LLL] curse - gbaa akwiikwa = er's first milk, usually yellow and bitter.
rain abuses. ala eze /I [LL HL] kingdom; dominion.
akwiikwo 11 [HHI-I] paper; book; leaf; sheet ala ezi /1 [LL LH] shrine containing the clay
of paper. figures of family deities; a kind ofvigbudu".
akwilkwo akpii 11 [HHH HH] vegetable and *See "igbudu" = family idol.
banana dish. ala mgbalagada /1 [HH HHHHH] flat fallen
akwiikwo ndii n [HHH HL] green leaf; non- breast associated with adult women, *See
edible green leaf - akwiikwo ndu, akwukwo "ala mgbotogo" = fallen breasts.
ndii = green; greenish. ala mgbotogo /1 [HH LLLH] flat fallen breast
akwiikwo nni n [HHH HH] vegetable; edible associated with adult women.
green vegetable. var. akwiikwii nri. ala mmiiii /1 [HH LHH] 'spirit world: Lit: land
akwukwo nri 11 [HHH HH] vegetable; edible of the spirits; nether world: 'hell - zida na
green vegetable. var. akwiikwo nni, 111/1/66 = descended IJ110 hell (Is. 5: 141. \,(11',
Akwiikwd Nsd n [HHH HH] Holy Bible; the ala mrnuo .
texts of the Old and New Testaments; Lit: ala nkita /1 [HH HHL] (Onica) rabies; Lit:
Sacred Book. dog madness.
akwiikwii 11 [LLL] epileptic fits: fits oftrepi- ala nkita /1"[HH HHL] (Onica) shrubby climb-
dation - akwukwu na-ebu ya = he does have ing plant with white-to-pink flowers (D.

20

-r- t .............---
ala ntakd Igbo-English ama

sassuilis) . crest on head of cock. var. arii okpa; alo

ala ntakd 11 [HH HHH] nodal breasts yetto be egbene.
fully formed; shrunk breast of a grown alolO 11 [LLL] dregs .
woman. aloo n [HHH] umbilical chord var . aliilo.
ala oca 11 [LL HH] sub-fertile land; land far alukpu 11 [HLL] (Oka) cloud. var. irukpu.
away from (flood) water. val". ani" oca. alii CId; [HH] (Onica) heav y - ibu alii = heavy
ala okpoo 1/ [LL HHH] dry parched land . load. var. arii.
alaga 11 [HHH] needle. alii 11 [~H] bite - taa alii = hire. var. arii.
ale 11 [LL] (Afikpo) earth; ground; land; soil. alii 1/ [HH] (West Igbo) sponge made from
var. ala; ani palm frond ; called " ncic a" when used to wash
ale le 11 [LLL] (Oka) delicacy of bean meal , plates . var. alii.
mixed with oil and other spices, and steamed alii n [HH] (Onica) abomination; sacrilege;
to a stable consistency in a wrap of select taboo. var . arii. "Usually against the Earth.
leaves; very much like the "moi moi", var. as in "luo ani" = commit an abomination.
elele . alii 11 [HH] bell.
all n [LH] parasite that attacks the eyes. var. alii n [HH] weight; heaviness. var . arii.
ari; ari"ri alii 11 [HL] ceremonial staff of office or walk-
ali'bala 11 measles; infectious disgase, mostly ing stick carried by titled men - alii OZO =
ofchi ldren, marked by numerous skin rashes. ceremonial staffcarried by 0:0 title holders.
\'01". -alubala. "See "akpata" = measles. var. alo . *See otO.
alibo 11 [LLH] (1oan)~.Qlj1~m yam. maize, alii okpa 11 [LH LL] cockscomb. *See "alo
or cassava. egbene" = cockscomb .
allghi'ri' adj [HLLL] lean and tough. var . Aliia exc/ [LLL] (West Igbo) Welcome! ;
anighini. Welcome backl: Happy return home!. var.
alika 11 [HLH] 'lizard; 2rascal; person oflean ne.
and ungainly build. aliibala n measles: infectious disease, mostly
alila n [HHH] funnel. ofchildren, marked by numerous skin rashes.
alila n [LHH] surgical blade. val". alibala . *See "akpata" = measles.
arm n [HHH] (Onica) 'centipede; millipede; aliilo n [HHH] umbilical chord. var. alOo.
"euphemism for "snake" -Ieele alili> look! aliilii 11 [HLH] cloud; haze; mist. var. aliiliiii.
a centipede; a phrase used to politely ask a alUlU n [LHH] marriage; the act of getting
speaker to stop. var. ar·irl. *See "esu" = married - aWW di IIa nwal1Yi' = marriage
millipede. between husband and woman. var. OIUlii.
alili" n [LLL] (Onica) undeserved agony; ex- aliilii 11 [LLL] stake from tree branch used to
treme grief; misfortune; sorrow - aririka njo support yam stems and tendrils.
= the ivorst suffering is undeserved agony. aliilii ana If [HHH LL] mischief; wickedness;
var. arlr]. meanness. var. ariirii ala.
alo 11 [LL] gong. *cf. "agogo" = gong. aliilUii n [HLHH] cloud; haze; mist. var. aliilii.
alO 11 [HH] homed viper; puff-adder. aliiliiii 11 [LHHH] blue or indigo dye; the tree
alO 11 [HH] umbilical chord. from which dyes are obtained.
alo n [HL] walking stick, or ceremonial staff aliisi n [HHH] (Onica) fetish; idol; carved
ofoffice carried by titled men - alo OZO = staff \ representation ofa spirit or deity. var. ariisi.
ofoffice used by an OZO title holder. var. alii. ama 11 [HH] (Nsiika) god; 'spirit.
*See "ngwu' = staff of office. ama n [HH] 'compound; settlement; 2fringe
alo 11 [LL] big metal gong, used in the or outer part of settlement (as distinct from
"Atilogwu" dance. its core , or "nguru") - Isu ama = part ofIsft
ald egbene n [LH LLL] cockscomb; red fleshy regarded as being 011 its outerfringes ofthe
crest on head of cock. var. alO okpa; arii settlement.
okpa. ama n [HH] 'spleen.iinflammation of the
alO okpa [LH LL] cock's comb; red fleshy spleen with associated pain. var. iima.

21
 ama Igbo Dictionary ana aghara ndii

ama 11 [HH] 'family group or kindred; small amaghi ama 11 [HHH LH] accident: some-
village; 2road leading from village or family thing done unwittingly - (j bii amaghiama =
group; maintained by the community and it was all accident: the act was not intended.
serves social and ritual functions; 3village amala adv [LLL] about; almost - (j bialu amala
square; open space used for meetings and izu ita = he came about three weeks ago .
other communal activities. amala n [HLL] cross-beam .
ama 11 [HL] measure; step. amala n [LHH] (aka) colour - all/ala ojii =
ama 11 [HL] 'chapter; verse; 2mark; pointer to black or blue-grey colour.
a location. amala 11 [LLL] (Onica) paddle; broad-bladed
ama 11 [LL] 'information; intelligence; 2inform- oar used by canoe-men .
ant - onye ama = spy; informant. amala 11 [LLL] grace ; mercy ; pity ; favour;
ama n [LL] time. kindness. var. amara.
ama alia n [HH HHH] boil; inflammation; amaDi adv [LLL] at; at the time of; on the
inflammation of the gums; tooth ache. var. occasion of- amani onwu ul1yi'= at the time
ama ahia. ·See "ama azi" = tooth ache. ofour death.
ama am n [LH HH] enlarged spleen; spleni- amara 11 [LLL] grace; mercy; pity; favour;
tis. var. uma aro. kindness. vor. amala.
ama af610 n [LH LLL] male sterility. amara n [LLL] paddle; broad-bladed oar used
ama ahia 11 [HH HHL] boil; inflammation; by canoe-men .
inflammation of the gums; tooth ache. var. ami n [HL] kind of reed shaped for wine-tap-
ama afia. ·See "ama azi" = tooth ache. ping.
ama ala n [HH LL] plank . ami 11 [LL] female genitals.
ama ala n [HH LL] indigenous person; per- ami aca Il [LH LH] fast maturing variety of
son born into the community. maize; Lit: ripening even while growing.
ama ama adj [HL LH] well-known or illus- amiri n [HHH] wine.
trious; famous ; popular; renowned - 0 bii amusu 11 [HHH] witch; witchcraft ; the prac-
onye ama ama = he is a well-known person- tice whereby a sleeping victim is attacked by
ality. • a witch appearing in the form of bird, insect,
ama azi n [HH HH] tooth ache. or animal. var. amiisu.
ama onye n [LL HH] spy; informant; Ut: you amii 11 [HH] (Onica) cheer; hilarity ; laughter;
never know who!. smile - oci no amu = laughter and smiles .
ama ukwu n [HH HH] main or primary vil- amu 11 [HH] mark or tattoo on chest or fore-
lage open space; village central square. *See head.
"obodo ezi" = village square. amu 11 [HL] penis; testicle.
ama ugha n [LL LH] false testimony . amu ibi 11 [HL HL] hernia.
ama ugha 11 [LL LH] false information. amiidezi 11 [HHHH] slave; indentured house
ama iikwii n [HL HH] unit of measurement; servant. *See also "oru".
verse - ama iikwii ise = five steps (lit: foot- amtima 11 [HHH] prophecy; warning - onye
lengths); 5th verse (e.g . ofsong or poem). amiima = prophet.
ama-afia aka 11 [LL-HHH HH] whitlow; in- amuma [HLH] dirt; filth.
11
flammation of the finger-nail. amuma [LLL] lightning; lightning flash -
11
ama-afia eze n [LL-HHH HH] tooth-ache. amiima igwe = lightningflash; Lit: flashes
amadi n [LHH] free-born adult; aristocrat or ofthe sky.
noble man; in the Aro system, refers to a amiima 1/ [LLL] mental illness.
member ofan Aro settlement whose ances- ana n [LL] (Onica) earth; ground ; land.
tors were never slaves. ADa 11 [LL] (Onica) Earth; Earth goddess. var.
Amadi oha n [LHH LL] .Igod of thunder; its Ana; Ani.
shrine is marked by a forked stick, or a log ana aghara ndii 11 [LL HHH HL] a variety of
resting on two large bamboo posts; 2carved orange with edible rind. used in curing palm
figure of the god. wine.

22
ana aka Igbo-English anya ji

ana aka 11 [LL HH] twig ; tree-branch. var. tion of "anu" = beast.
aba aka. anunu 11 [HHH] pus.
anaga n [HHH] surgical needle. aouno 11 [LLL] kind of bird.
anagba 11 [HHH] anklet; bracelet. aniinu ede 11 [LLL] 'cocoyam tuber. esp . the
anam n [LLL] cloth work loosely around the branching tuber which serves as sucker;
waist; loin cloth. cocoyam connlets; -kiud of cocoyam with
anambe 1/ [LLL] (Mbieri) branching tuber of small reddish sucker-like tubers . var. aoiinii;
the cocoyam. var. anunii; anunii-ede. anambe.
anasi 11 [HHH] head-wife; first wife in a po- aououii 11 [LLLL] variety of dye or pigment;
lygamous household; also called " nwanyi isi the blue-dye producing plant. .
ci''t. anwa n [HL] attempt; a trial.
ani 11 [HL] porcupine. anwa n [LL] dogs vomit - nkita adighi eli
ani 11 [LL] (Onica) earth; earth goddess; anwa ya = a dog does 110t eat its OWI1 vomit.
ground. var. ala; ana. anwa nsi n [LL LL] magic ; necromancy.
ani 11 [LL] bottom. var. ala. anwofi n [HHH] joy; rejoicing; gladness. vat:
Ani 11 [LL] (Onica) Earth; Earth goddess. var. anofi.
Ala ; Ana. anwii 11 [HH] sun ; sunl ight .
ani pm [HH] one alone; solo. *See "naani". anwii 11 [HH] mosquito.
ani olu 11 [LL HH] wetlands, orland constantly anwii 11 [HH] bee. var. aoii.
under flood; flood plain; wetlands; riverine aowii anwii ad; [HL HL] immortal; never
land. *See "rngboko" = wetlands. dying.
ani Dca n [LL HH] sub-fertile land; land far anwii nta n [HH HL] mosquito.
away from (flood) water. *also called "agba- aowiilii 11 [HLL] smoke: soot. var. anwurii;
enu" or "igbo". anyiilii .
aniga 11 [HLlf] (Onica) lizard var. anika. anwiirii n [HHL] smoke; soot \ '0 1'. 3DWiilu'
*Used with this meaning in the novel, anyiilii.
Ojaadili. p. 2. anwuru 11 [HLL] ground tobacco ; snuff; to-
anighini adj [HLLL] lean and tough. var. bacco. var. anwiilii.
alighiri. anwiita 11 [HHL] mosquito. var. anwii nta.
amKa 11 [HLH] lizard var. aniga. anya adj [HH] far: distant.
anim 11 [LLH] female tortoise. var. aniim; aoya n [HH] eye .
anyim. anya n [HH] attitude; disposition.
aoima 11 [HLL] seed yam. good for planting. anya 11 [HH] watch .
anini 11 [LHH] coin formerly in local use; worth anya 11 [HH] plate.
a farthing or a quarter of a penny - lowest- anya 1/ [HH] gap or narrow opening; small
value coin; mite. fissure; openingjust enough to allow light to
anD num [LH] four; the number 4; fourth. pass through - mee ([11.Fa = have a gap : cie
anu 11 [HH] 'animal; beast; 2flesh; meat. var. 1I11HI = he completely sealed.
unu. anya 11 [LL j thick rope made from plant-skin;
anu ahu 11 [HH LH] flesh . var. anii arii. cane made from similar material.
anu aro n [HH LH] flesh. var. aou ahii. anya acii 11 [HH HH] whip; cane .
aou ohia n [HH HHH] animal; beast ; Lit: ani- anya atUlii 11 [HH HHL] blue eyes . like those
mal of the forest. of sheep.
anum n [LLH] female tortoise. VOl'. anim; anya egbe 11 [HH HH] squint-eye.
anyim. anya egele 11 [HH LLL] eyes that do not see
anum iiyOlo n [LLH HLL] (bka) plantain; well in strong light; hazel eyes.
variety of plantain with smallish fruits . aoya ike 11 [HH HH] boldness: aggressive-
anumaoii 11 [HHHLL] 'animal; beast; 2stupid ness.
person - kpaa agwa ka aniimanii = behave aoya ji 11 [HH H] set of yarns from ten barn
like a animal. without sense. *A 'reduplica- poles (or "mkpa.,) each consisting of about

23
J" frr 2 I I r

Igbo Dictionary apa

anya mba

48 yams. *See "mkpa" = barn pole. coin.

anyii ike 11 [HH HH] axe. var. anyike.
anya mba n [HH HH] eye-sore.
anyii nda 11 [HH LL] pumpkin: cucumber.
anya mkpo n [HH HH] blindness.
anyii nka 11 [HH LL] hammer, about half the
anya mkpolo n [HH LHH] blindness.
size of the maim hammer ("otutu"), used by
anya mkpord 11 [HH LHH] blindness.
anya mmanii 11 [HH HHH] jaundiced eyes; smiths to round off sharp edges: smoothing
yellow eyes associated with fever. hammer.
anyiilii 11 [HHH] bundle offruit vat: anyiirii.
anya mmiri n [HH HHH] tears.
anya mpia n [HH HHH] blindness in one eye. anyiilii 11 [HLL] smoke; soot - anyiili! oki! =
anya nku 11 [HH LL] (Ngwa) backbone; smoke : soot troni burning. var. anwiilii;
hence, strength - nwa bii anya nku = child is anyurii.
(family 's) backbone. var. anyunku. anyiirii 11 [HHH] bundle of fruit. 1"(/1". anyulii.
anya nniinii n [LL] species ofbird; kingfisher. anyiirii 11 [HLL] gum; flesh surrounding teeth
anya olu 11 [LL HH] necklace . - anvuru e:e = tooth gUIIl.
anya oca n [HH HH] impudence. ana 11 [HH] cane; rope: whip. var. anii.
anya ogbango 11 [HH HHLL] blindness. ana 11 [HH] black foul-smelling an t. 1'(1/'. ana
anya ojoo 11 [HH HHH] dislike; hatred. ahia,
anya okii 11 [HH HH] I inflammation ofthe eye; ana ahia 11 [HH HHH] black foul-smelling
conjunctivitis; keratitis; "envy. ant. vu r. ana .
anya oma n [HH HH] friendship; love. ana nti n [HH HL] inattention: stubbornness.
anya ucici 11 [HH LHL] lIight; night-time; Lit : afiaa n [LHH] manner: condition - iizo diaiiaa
eye ofdarkness. *See "anyasi" = night-time . = a particular wuvnnanner. var. aghaa.

anya ufie 11 [HH LLL] squint-eye; red-eye. *equivalent to Owerri "kpa".

var. anya uvie; anya uflfle. afiara 11 [HLL] garden egg.
anya utitie 11 [HH LLLL] red eyes; squint- afiasi 11 [HHH] head-wife; first wife in the
eyes. household of a titled man.
anya ukwu 11 [HH HH] greed; covetousness. afiasi 11 [HI-IL] soldier-ant. var. agbisi.
anya uvie n [HH LLL] squint-eye. var. anya afiasf 11 [LHL] »ight; night-time. var. anyasi.
utie. anoli 11 [HLH] gladness; joy: rejoicing. var.
anya iifii 11 [HH LH] envy; jealousy; Lit: pain anwoli.
in the eye. anii 11 [HH] bee; honey.
anyali 11 [LLL] albino. anii n [HH] whip: cane: rope. var. ana.
anyanwii 11 [HHL] sun; Lit: eye of sun. anuli n [HL HLH] happiness; joy: rejoicing;
anyari 11 [LLL] albino. gladness. vat: aiiiir'i.
anyasi 11 [LHL] night; night-time. *See "anya afiiil]' n [HLH] (Onica) happiness.joy; rejoic-
ucici" = night-time. mg .
anyi pm [HH] we; ourselves - ol1weanyi> we afiiirf 11 [HLH] (Owere) happiness; joy; re-
ourselves. joicing; gladness.
anyi(m) 11 [LLL] female person; woman. apa 11 [HH] dispute.
anyike 11 [HLH] axe. var. ayike; onyike. apa 11 [LH] . unbelief.
anyim 11 [LLL] female tortoise. var. anim; apa 11 [LH] Y-shaped metal coin which re-
aniim. placed the hoe-shaped metal coin, "arryii,"
anyim 11 [LLL] river. used in the Arocukwu/Bende area.
anyinya 11 [LLL] horse. var. inyinya. apa n [LH] raffia palm win: wine of inferior
anyinya ibu 11 [LLL HH] donkey; ass: beast quality collected from felled "ngwo". var.
of burden. akpa. *See "eruru"; "ngwo" = raffia wine .
anyii 11 [HH] cucumber; melon; pumpkin. apa 11 [LL] scar from healed wound - onya
anyii 11 [HH] axe. naa, apa ra adaa alia = the wound may heal,
anyii n [HH] hoe-shaped metal coin used in hut the scar never goes all·a)'.
the Arocukwu/Bende area; replaced by "apa' apa n [LL] swollen spleen: disease of the

24
apa Igbo-English aro

spleen. by dog-bite. vur. ala nkita,

apa 11 [LL] laziness. ara nkita 11 [HH HHL] shrubby climbing plant
apa 11 [LL] thigh. var . apata. with white-to-pink flowers (D. saxatilis) .
apa 11 [LL] 'an insect or winged beetle that araba n [HHH] (aka) hardwood used by
breeds in oil palm flower; 2the pupa of the • smiths to make handles for metal tools
beetle. (Griljonia Bauai).
apali n [LLL] 'rope, secured atthe ankle, used art 11 [LH] 'filaria, a parasite that attacks the
for climbing trees; different from "ete" which eyes ; 2hookwonn. 1'(/1'. ali; arir].
secures the climber around the waist; "ex- ari n [LL] early morning meal : breakfast; meal
posed root of iroko tree. - gbaa ari - break fast . "See "ucu" = break-
apart n [LLL] (alii) ropefor climbing trees. fast.
var . abali. ar'i n [Ll.] hook. "See .. fiko' = hook .
apart 11 [LLL] foolishness. ar'i igbe 11 [LH HL] plant which gives out a
apata 11 [LLL] thigh; whole leg. var. apa: fragrant smell when burnt: used both as medi-
apata iikwii. cine and as seasoning.
apata iikwii 11 [Ll.L HH] thigh; whole leg. ari' nze // [LH Ll.] but for the grace oL .: thanks
var. apa; apata. to ... - ari n: e Cukwu = bv the grace ofGod
apl 11 [Ll.] uncircumcised man, ... : i.e.. things would have been awful butfor
apia 11 [HHH] uncircumcised penis ; foreskin, Gocl's sa ving g race.
intact over penis, aria 11 [HLL] personal or household property
apia n [HHH] I kind of bird; "beak of a bird . - jiri aria gbaa aka ebe = use household
apia mmiri n [HHH HHH] diver bird. ' property I.J"~ pledge.
ap'ip'i 11 [LLL] castrated he-goat var. apiri api; aria 11 [LLL] 'funnel, faucetorsimilarobject
mpipi, for collecting or transferring liquid; "flagon ,
aplpla 11 [HHHH] punishment; sanction. var . *See "ogbanaga = funnel.
op'ip'ia. arla mmiri n [LLL HLL] water jug - aria
ap'ip'ia n [HHHH] cane; whip. mmiri oki! = hot water kettle.
ap'ir'i ap'i 11 [Ll.L LH] castrated he-goat. VUI'. ar'ia mmiri okii 11 [lLL HLL HH] kettle: hot
apipi; mp'ip'ia. water kettle.
apiti n [HLL] mire ; mud. arikwa 11 [LHH] intestinal worm.
ap'ito 11 [HLL] mud: mire. var. ap'iti. artlrka n [HLHH] ship's anchor - tiipiisiri
apdnli 11 [LHL] (Uzuakoli) first hair on ba- arilika 11 'ile = cast of] the anchors (Acts
by's head; baby hair, var. aba Inya; abonh . 27:40) ,
apopa 11 [lHH] canoe paddle. ariri' 11 [HHH] (Owere) centipede: millipede;
apii n [HH] silk-cotton tree . snake . 1'((1' . alil'i. *See "esu = millipede.
apii ji n [HH H] white yam. ar'ir'i n [LHH] filaria, a parasite that attacks
apiipa 11 [LHH] species of fish (Teta/pia (?)) , the eyes. var. ali; ari.
apiipa n [LLH] groundnut; peanut. arlr'i n [LLL] (Owere) 'undeserved agony;
ara n [HH] breast-ikeara= lobeofthe breast. extreme grief: misfortune; sorrow - arii'i' ka
var. ala. nj o = the worst suffering is undeserved
ara n [HH] madness; mental illness; insanity; agollY: "public humiliation, or grave insult.
dementia. var. ala. var. alill.
ara n [LL] gimlet; skewer; yam fork . arir'i 11 [LLL] feeling ofguilt or remorse: com-
ara aka 11 [Ll, HH] 'tributary; arm or branch punction.
(e .g . of river); 2inlet - ara aka osimiri = sea ar'ir'iij n [HLHH] plea: prayer; request ,
inlet. var. ala aka. ard 11 [HH] dream. 1'111'. nro .
ara enu n [HH HH] (Owere) colostrum; arb 11 [HL] advice: suggestion. var. alo.
mother's first milk after delivery. var. ala ard /1 [HL] year. var. afb; ahd,
enu . arb 11 [HL] walking-stick.
ara nkita n [HH HHL] rabies; madness caused aro 11 [HL] arrow; ceremonial spear; spear.

25
Another Random Scribd Document
with Unrelated Content
attend his house every Sabbath. These things constituted my highest
ideas of human duty at that time; but even these promises, like those
made during the heat of the battle in the Macedonian, were made to
be broken.
After a little delay, we were conveyed on board the Cumberland,
where we soon heard the well-known summons of “All hands up
anchor, ahoy!” A cloud of canvas dropped from her gigantic yards; the
sportive breeze came obedient to our wish; and the huge form of the
Cumberland, accompanied by a large convoy of merchant vessels,
was borne rapidly along upon the yielding waves. Cape Town, Table
Mountain, the Lion’s Rump, and our prison-yard, were soon left far
behind, leaving no traces of their existence on the distant horizon;
they were to be known to us hereafter only among the images of the
brain—as recollections, not as realities. We had spent eight months in
the prison of Cape Town.
Our treatment in this ship was superior to what we received in the
Medway. Instead of the cable tier, we had berths on the upper gun
deck, and our allowance of food was sufficient for our wants.
Arriving at St. Helena, we remained a few days in port. This rough,
rock-bound island had not yet received its future prisoner, the
emperor of France. Here we were removed from the Cumberland.
Twenty-four of us were sent on board the Grampus, of fifty guns, the
rest were sent home in our old conqueror, the Medway; my lot being
cast among the former.
This transfer to the Grampus greatly alarmed me; since the more
men I saw, the greater, of course, was my chance of detection. I had
already escaped being known on board of two seventy-fours; but I
could not promise myself the same impunity much longer. However,
as I saw no one whose face was familiar, when I went on board, I felt
a little more easy. But that night, I had occasion for great trepidation
and alarm. About nine o’clock, I heard the order from an officer, of
“Pass the word for the boy Leech.” This was followed by several
voices hallooing, “Boy Leech! boy Leech!” My heart beat like a trip-
hammer against my bosom, and a cold sweat crept over my whole
body. My shipmates said they meant me; but I would not reply. After
a few moments, I breathed more freely, and the fear of death passed
away. I heard some one saying, “Your master wants you;” which
convinced me that there was a “boy Leech” among the crew of the
Grampus, as well as another boy Leech among the American
prisoners.
On our passage, we made a strange sail. Coming up to her, to our
infinite satisfaction we beheld the stars and stripes at her mast-head.
“Brother Jonathan has come to town,” said one of our men. “He is a
most welcome visitor,” the rest replied; for indeed “the old gridiron”
never looked so pleasant as it did then. This meeting confirmed us in
the report of peace between the two nations. This was as gratifying
to the crew of the Grampus as to us; for they had recently heard that
the war with France was ended, and they were all hoping to get
discharged. This expectation was defeated, however, by intelligence
from some passing ship, that Napoleon was at Paris again, with a
force of sixty thousand men.
Nothing could exceed the joy of the officers, and the vexation of
the crew, at this piece of information. The former dreaded a peace,
because it would place many of them on half-pay; while the chances
of war inspired them with hopes of promotion; hence they ran
alongside almost every ship in the fleet, shouting, “Have you heard
the news? Bonaparte has got to Paris with sixty thousand men!”
Really, some of them seemed crazy with joy at the idea of protracted
war. Not so, however, the seamen; they longed for peace, since war
only brought them hard usage, wounds and death. While, therefore,
the officers were rejoicing, they were muttering curses and oaths,
wishing Bonaparte and his army at perdition. Nor was it strange that
they felt thus; for the discipline on board the Grampus was
excessively severe. They were constantly flogging in the most harsh
and cruel manner. The Sirens were astonished at what they saw; for
on board our brig, we seldom saw more than a dozen lashes inflicted
at one time, and that not very often.
At last we came in sight of the white cliffs of old England. To avoid
suspicion, I appeared much interested in everything I saw on the
coast, and asked the men all those questions which are natural to a
stranger, when he sees a new country for the first time. These
inquiries they answered with the utmost good humor; for an
Englishman is proud of his country, notwithstanding he may find hard
usage from her hands.
My American friends have frequently asked if my language did not
excite suspicion that I was English. It never did to my knowledge;
indeed, so free was I from English provincialisms, that it was often
remarked to me, that I “needed no protection;” meaning, that I
should be taken for a Yankee, without offering proof.
With all this in my favor, I could not behold myself approaching my
native soil, without many misgivings. To a man who knows a halter is
hanging over his head, everything furnishes cause for alarm; a
piercing look, a whisper, or the sudden mention of his name, is a
cause of disquietude, sufficient to stir his inmost soul. Captain
Nicholson gave me no little uneasiness, by sending for me one day,
just before we arrived in port, to make some inquiries about Mr.
Crowninshield, of Salem, Mass. Luckily, I could say I had seen him;
beyond that, I could give no further information. He supposed me to
be a native of Salem, while I was quaking, through a fearful
expectation of being found nearly as ignorant of that city, as I had
been, on another occasion, of the city of Philadelphia.
At length we reached Spithead, and were removed to an old
prison-ship, called the Puissant, which had once belonged to the
French. Here we were treated with great lenity; we were even
allowed liberty to go on shore. Had I dared, I would have run away;
the dread of the halter restrained me! I did not even venture to write,
lest my mother should be tempted to visit me, or even to write; since
even a letter from any place in England, might awaken suspicion
concerning my true character.[25]
After a stay of several weeks in the old Puissant, orders came for
our transfer to the Rover, a gun-brig, which had orders to carry us to
Plymouth. Here was a double risk again before me. I had to risk
being known by the crew of the Rover, and by the many persons who
had known me at Plymouth. However, the good hand of Providence
was with me to preserve me. We reached our port in safety, where,
to our great delight, we heard that the Woodrop Simms, of
Philadelphia, was to be the Cartel to convey us to America.
Before we were allowed to tread her decks, however, we had to
spend two or three days on board the Royal Sovereign, of one
hundred and ten guns, because the Woodrop Simms was not quite
ready to receive us. Here I was exposed to the gaze of eight hundred
men; but none of them knew me. Indeed, this was my most
hazardous situation; for the Sovereign and Macedonian had sailed in
company before the capture of the latter. Whenever any of her men
came near our quarters, I endeavored to look cross-eyed, or closed
one eye so as to appear partially blind; and in various other ways
altered my appearance, so that even an old shipmate would have
been puzzled to recognise me at first.
At last, the grateful news reached us that the Cartel was ready. We
went on board with great gaiety, where we met our shipmates who
had left the Cape before us. They had been confined in the
celebrated Dartmoor prison, with a number of other prisoners, where
they had met with rather rough treatment and rougher fare. They
were present at what they called the Massacre. Several of the
prisoners were detected in an effort to escape. To strike terror into
the poor victims, Captain Shortland ordered his men to fire in upon
them. Quite a number were killed, and more wounded, by this cold-
blooded act; the rest sought the shelter of the prison walls. Several
Americans suffered in this wanton assault. Our meeting at this
juncture was a source of mutual gratulation.
Our ship was now surrounded with boats containing provisions of
all descriptions. To our surprise, the Dartmoor men bought freely of
everything. Where they obtained their money, we could not imagine.
We learned afterwards that their stock consisted of counterfeit coins,
manufactured by the prisoners! It was well for them that our ship put
to sea before John Bull’s peace officers received information of the
fraud. What a school for every species of vice is opened by war! The
corruptions and vices occasioned by the operation of this system, are
beyond the power of the imagination to conceive.
My feelings were peculiar as I beheld my native land receding from
my vision. I was happy, and yet sad. Happy, because I was now safe;
sad, because I was again leaving the soil which held my mother and
my friends. On the whole, my joyous feelings prevailed.
A few days out, we were hailed by an English frigate. She sent a
boat alongside to make some inquiries, and left us to pursue our way
in peace. We were all in good spirits; our men being divided into
watches to assist the crew of the ship; our officers all snugly
quartered in the cabin, and myself appointed to assist the steward;
an office quite agreeable to one who had lived on prisoners’ fare
more than a year,[26] because it brought me a few of the spare
luxuries from the officers’ table.
One morning, shortly after the English frigate had boarded us,
Captain Nicholson asked me something about Salem. I smiled. He
inquired why I laughed. “Sir,” said I, “Salem is not my native place by
considerable.”
“What do you mean?” asked the captain, looking somewhat
puzzled at my manner of treating the subject.
I then unfolded the secret of my having been one of the crew
captured in the Macedonian. They seemed amazed at the risks I had
encountered since the capture of the Siren, and congratulated me
very warmly on my really hair-breadth escape from the halter. It was
a fortunate escape indeed, for which I can never be sufficiently
thankful to that All-seeing Eye, that watched for my safety in the
moment of peril.
During this voyage, a great deal was said about quitting the seas
and settling down in quietness ashore. One of our shipmates, named
William Carpenter, who belonged to Rhode Island, had a particular
enthusiasm in favor of farming. He promised to take me with him,
where I could learn the art of cultivating the soil. Many of us made
strong resolutions to embark in some such enterprise. The pleasures
of agriculture were sung and praised among us in so ardent a
manner, that he must have been incredulous indeed, who could have
doubted, for a moment, the certainty of quite a number of our hands
becoming farmers, whenever we should gain the land.
One night we lay in our hammocks, talking with great earnestness
about our favorite scheme, the wind blowing quite freshly on deck.
Said one, “If I ever get home, you won’t catch me on board of a ship
again.” “Yes,” said another; “farmers live well, at any rate. They are
not put on allowance, but have enough to eat: if they work hard all
day, they can turn in at night; and if it blows hard, the house won’t
rock much, and there’s no sails to reef.” While this and similar
conversation was going on, the wind was blowing harder and harder:
from occasional heavy puffs, it at last grew to be a tremendous gale.
Hearing so much wind, though there were hands enough on deck to
manage the ship, some of us got up to assist if we were needed. It
was now blowing most fearfully; the wild howling and whistling
among the rigging, the wilder roar of the angry sea, the hallooing of
the captain, and the impenetrable darkness which lent its horrors to
the scene, were appalling even to a sailor’s breast. Just as I stepped
upon deck she shipped a heavy sea, which drenched me to the skin.
Presently, we heard the crash of falling timbers, and away went a
top-mast, and a yard in the slings. There were now so many men on
deck that we were in each other’s way; some of us went below and
turned in, with the full expectation that our ship would founder
before morning; and thinking it would be as well to go down in our
hammocks as on deck.
While this state of gloomy foreboding continued, some of my
shipmates manifested great alarm about eternity. They prayed aloud,
in deep distress. Others only cursed, and said, as if in bravado, “We
are all going to hell together.” For my own part I kept repeating the
Lord’s prayer, and renewing those promises so often made in the
moment of apparent destruction.
At length the day dawned, revealing the sad havoc made by the
winds, of our masts and rigging. We also saw a number of those
dwellers on the ocean, called Mother Carey’s chickens. Our shattered
aspect reminded me of the Macedonian after the battle, excepting
that we had no wounded and dead about us now. Captain Jones, who
had not left the deck a moment during the night, declared that,
though he had been twenty-five years at sea, he had never witnessed
such a gale before. Our ship was nearly new, and an excellent sea-
boat, or she would have shared the fate of many a ship in that
terrible gale. As the wind abated with the approach of day, we
repaired our damages and proceeded on our voyage, frequently
passing vessels which had suffered as severely as ourselves. This gale
was on the 9th and 10th days of August, 1815. Probably many, both
sailors and landsmen, will recollect this and the September gale of
that year, which occasioned such destruction of life and shipping.
Sailors are superstitious. Our men attributed this mishap to the
presence of some Jonah in the ship. The man they pitched upon, as
the probable offender, was an old sea-captain, who had been cast
away several times. That he had done some fearful deed, was a
matter of undoubted truth among them; but not being so resolute as
the mariners of Tarshish, they did not cast him into the sea; neither
did this liberality on their part cost us our lives, for, after several days
of pleasant weather, we one morning found ourselves safely anchored
at the quarantine ground, near the city of New York.
The crew of the Siren having obtained leave to go on shore, full of
my good purposes to lead a steady life on the land, I hurried directly
to Broadway, to inquire for my former employer, the kind-hearted
boot-maker. To my disappointment, he had gone to Philadelphia; so
that I returned on board, somewhat chagrined at the failure of my
plan.
The next morning we were conveyed, in a large sail-boat, on board
the Tom Bowling, an hermaphrodite brig. Here I was congratulated
by the old quartermaster, Lewis Deal, who was with me when we
narrowly escaped capture at the mouth of Salem harbor, while on a
fishing excursion. He said he had felt much anxiety for my safety all
the voyage, especially as it was reported that my former captain had
made strict search for the Macedonians among all the American
prisoners who were carried to England. The kind-hearted old man
wept tears of gladness at my safe return.
While we staid in the Tom Bowling, the September gale, mentioned
above, took place. We were right glad, as it broke its fury over our
anchorage in vain, to think we were so safely housed in a good
harbor, instead of being exposed to its wrath on the deep. Many a
brave heart perished in that memorable storm.
The two years having expired for which we shipped, we were paid
off. With the sum of one hundred dollars, I hurried on shore and
deposited my funds in the hands of my landlord, at a sailor’s
boarding-house. Now followed a life of dissipation and folly. The
grave resolutions, passed at sea, to settle down as steady farmers,
vanished into air. Drinking, swearing, gambling, going to the theatre,
and other kindred vices, took up all our time as long as our money
lasted. Our religious vows were equally slighted and forgotten:
instead of being better, we became worse than ever. We felt as if New
York belonged to us, and that we were really the happiest, jolliest
fellows in the world.
For my own part, I fell deeper into wickedness than ever before:
drinking, swearing, and gambling as I had never done on any former
occasion. How could it be otherwise? Who cared for the sailor then?
Not one. He was left to his own depraved heart’s promptings. Bethels
and religious boarding-houses did not then throw their genial
influences round his path, to charm his footsteps to the shrines of
virtue and religion. Near the very spot where the Bethel church now
stands in New York, I have frequently gambled for hours, with a
bottle of spirits on the table, uncaring and uncared for by any human
being. Thrice blessed be the man who first established Bethels and
temperance boarding-houses! They are the sailor’s life-boats, which
snatch him from the gory jaws of the unprincipled landsharks who
fatten on his ruin.
Sometimes, in a sober moment, I thought I would break away from
this wicked mode of life. I even engaged myself to a boot-maker, to
complete my knowledge of his business; but, the dread of the
confinement to the shoe-bench, which my riotous fancy painted as
being worse than a prison, drove me from my purpose, and left me
still among my shipmates.
At last my landlord told me my money was all expended, and that I
must look out for something to do. My shipmates were in a similar
dilemma, their number decreasing every day, as one after another
shipped in the various merchant vessels preparing for sea. Alas! for
our farmers in perspective. Their dreams of ploughing the land
evaporated, leaving them what they were before, and what most of
them remained until death, the ploughmen of the ocean. My
landlord’s gentle hint put a stop to my excesses, for the very
sufficient reason that it was attended with a protest on my further
checks for funds. For a while, I found employment in loading and
unloading ships, and in assisting to fit them for sea. But this proving
an uncertain employment, I was induced to join a number of my
fellow-boarders in going to the rendezvous of the United States brig
Boxer. Here we shipped for two years more. I was then eighteen
years of age, and was rated as an ordinary seaman, with ten dollars
per month wages. Behold me then, dear reader, once more on board
a man of war, in spite of all the dangers I had escaped, and the
promises I had made to risk myself no more on the ocean! The next
chapter will unfold the events which transpired while I sailed in the
Boxer.
 CHAPTER XI

O
n shipping in the Boxer, I received three months’ advance,
which, excepting a small sum expended for clothing, fell into
the hands of my rapacious landlord. How much this gentleman
contrived to filch from me, it is not in my power to say; but that he
was well paid, I have no doubt. He had my hundred dollars, my
advance, all I earned for working on the wharves, and nine dollars
beside, which I obtained from the purser. All this, according to his
account, I spent in a few weeks, with the exception of a very small
sum laid out for clothing. As I had no means of proving his
statements false, there was no alternative but submission, and a
return to a life of toil and danger, to earn a fresh supply.
As the method by which I obtained the nine dollars, above
mentioned, from the purser, will exhibit one of the modes in which
seamen are sometimes cheated, I will relate it. While in the Siren I
drew but half my allowance of grog. By the rules of the service, I
could claim the balance in money. This I overlooked when we were
paid off, but, when my funds got low, it came into my mind. I
proposed to some of the boys, who had a similar claim, to visit the
purser. They only laughed at me, and said it would be of no use, for
he would not pay it now we were discharged. Finding they would not
join me, I went alone to the City Hotel, where the purser boarded,
and inquired for him of the bar-tender. He came down stairs, and I
spread out my complaint before him. He blustered and said I had no
such claim allowed; I insisted, and told him it was my right, and he
must pay it. Hoping to get rid of me, he told me to call again the next
day. This I did, when he paid me nine dollars. This will show the
reader one of the ways in which poor Jack is plundered, and that too
by gentlemen!
 The Boxer lay at the navy yard, whither we were conducted. The
vacillation of a seaman’s character was illustrated before we got on
board, by one of our hands running away: another went a little
beyond the first. He went on board, where he pretended to lose his
hat overboard. Begging permission to recover it, he seized the rope
which fastened the boat to the shore, dropped over the stern into the
boat, and pushing up to the wharf, leaped ashore and made off. Such
fickle-mindedness is not uncommon among sailors.
We lost another of our crew in a more melancholy manner; he was
in my mess, an Englishman by birth, who had just left a British vessel
to enter the American service. He was at work on the main yard, and
by some means or other, losing his foothold, he fell. Unfortunately, he
struck a carronade screw in his descent, which inflicted a terrible
wound. The poor man suffered excruciating agonies for a short time,
and died. We buried him on shore, in a plain coffin, without form or
ceremony. Such are the contingencies which wait to hurry seamen to
the grave!
We were kept busily at work upon the brig for some time; after
which our commander, Captain Porter, came on board. We soon
found him to belong rather to the race of Fitzroys and Cardens, than
to that of Decaturs, Parkers or Nicholsons. He was inclined to tyranny
and severe discipline.
He soon gave us a specimen of his character in a most illegal act of
punishment. We lay alongside the Hornet or Peacock, I forget which.
It happened that her captain and most of her officers were gone
ashore one day. Our captain accidentally saw one of her men
engaged in some act of misconduct: instead of entering a complaint
against the man to his own officers, he ordered him to be seized up
and severely flogged, notwithstanding the earnest entreaties of the
offender for pardon. Why the captain of that vessel did not call
Captain Porter to an account for this manifest invasion of his
prerogatives, I never knew, for we put to sea shortly afterwards. An
officer who would thus gratuitously volunteer his services to punish a
man, must be a tyrant at heart. So at least we thought; while many
misgivings, concerning the future, troubled our minds.
 As I was now rated an ordinary seaman, and not a boy, as
heretofore, I had a station assigned me in the fore-top, instead of
being a servant to any of the officers. I was also appointed to be one
of the crew of the captain’s gig. This made my lot one of more
fatigue and exposure than in any former voyage; a proof of which, I
very soon experienced. It being now late in the fall, the weather
became very cold. One afternoon, the pennant having got foul of the
royal mast, an officer ordered me to go up and clear it. I had no
mittens on; it took me some time to perform my task, and before I
came down one of my fingers was frozen. Thus it is, however, with
the poor tar; and he thinks himself happy to escape his dangers with
injuries so slight as this.
The disposition of our commanding officer was still further revealed
to my discomfort one day, while we were at work on the cables.
Something I did, not happening to suit him, he gave me a severe
blow on the head with his fist, not far from the place where I had
been previously injured by the malice of the Malay boy. This unmanly
blow occasioned me violent pains for several days.
Since that time, I have felt a peculiar hostility to a practice, which
is lamentably common in some schools and families; I mean that of
rapping children on the head with a thimble, or with the knuckles, or
anything else. The practice is the result of irrational passion, it is
dangerous, and cannot therefore be too severely reprobated. If it is
pleaded as necessary to enforce obedience and ensure respect, I
know it will fail of such effects; it will only excite feelings of revenge,
ill-will and malice.
We now received sailing orders, and were very soon under weigh,
bound to the Balize at the mouth of the Mississippi. On this passage
we had further opportunities of learning the character of our officers.
Although Captain Porter was stern and severe, yet he never used bad
language. He always spoke with the utmost deliberation, but with
such obvious indications of feeling, that we often trembled to hear his
voice. Most of the other officers were by no means novitiates in the
art of swearing; but our sailing-master exceeded all the rest in this
diabolical habit. Whenever it was his watch on deck, he exercised his
voice, and practised the use of his choice and varied vocabulary of
oaths, by hallooing and threatening the men continually. Whenever
we had to set on sail, or to reef, he was especially diligent in these
matters; mingling with his curses, threats of the lash to those who
were tardy, or whose movements did not exactly suit his taste. If
such officers could only apprehend the profound contempt and bitter
hatred with which they are regarded by their maddened crew, they
would both tremble for safety, and despise their own littleness of
soul. No really great man would enact the childish vagaries of a petty
tyrant.
There was one respect in which we were more annoyed in the
Boxer than I had been in the Macedonian. In this latter ship, none
but the captain could order a man to be flogged; in the Boxer, the
lieutenant or the officer of the watch could send a man to the
gangway, and order the boatswain to lay on with a rope’s-end. This is
a liberty which the laws of the navy should prohibit. A man should be
secured the rights of a citizen, as well on the planks as on the soil of
his country. True, it may be said, severity of discipline is necessary to
good order in a ship. Not severity, but strictness, is what is wanted.
Let a strict discipline be enforced, with pleasant looks, and a “Hurrah
my lads, bear a hand!” and obedience will be more prompt and more
perfect than when every order is accompanied with a “Damn you,”
and with an exhibition of the rope’s-end or cat-o’-nine-tails. Common
sense, as well as experience, will sustain this opinion.
While these matters were passing on board, our little brig was
dashing through the waves in fine style. We arrived at the Balize,
from whence we dropped down to Ship Island, where we took in
water. A share of this severe task fell to my lot, for I was here taken
out of the gig, and placed in the jolly-boat, to make way for a smaller
and lighter lad in the former. We obtained our water by digging large
holes in the sand, into which we placed our casks; the salt water, by
passing through so much sand, would be so thoroughly filtrated, that
by the time it reached our casks it was fit for use. We then emptied it
into ten-gallon kegs, called breakers, which we carried on our
shoulders to the boat. This of itself was hard work, but we had
certain tormentors on this island, which made it a task of much
suffering. These were hosts of hungry, gigantic moschetos, which
assailed our persons, and especially our naked feet, in flying
squadrons, with a ferocity that indicated an uncontrollable thirst for
blood. But even these were not our worst persecutors. They were
attended by armies of large, yellow horseflies, which our men called
gallinippers. These merciless insect savages were always sure to
attack the very spot we had rubbed sore, after the bite of a
moscheto. Their bite felt like the thrust of a small sword; I still retain
scars on my feet occasioned by these fierce gallinippers.
This island bore marks of the battle of New Orleans; for we found
various articles bearing the broad arrow and stamped G. R. We also
remarked several mounds, which had the appearance of being large
graves. We afterwards learned that this was the place where the
British brought their dead, after their unsuccessful attack on the city
of New Orleans.
From Ship Island, we proceeded to New Orleans. This was a
laborious passage; the current ran down the river with amazing force,
bearing huge logs on its bosom, which, if suffered to strike either our
bows or cables, were capable of doing much damage: to avoid them
required no trifling exertions. Sometimes we endeavored to track her,
or draw her along with ropes, as canal-boats are drawn by horses.
But, as this brought us into shallow water, it was abandoned.
The banks of the river displayed large numbers of alligators,
luxuriating on the numerous logs that were fast in the mud. We made
many attempts to get near enough to these scaly monsters to pierce
them with a boat-hook; but they kept too sharp a look-out for us;
invariably diving into the stream before our boat got near enough for
us to strike them. But, if we failed in capturing alligators, we obtained
an abundance of palm-leaf, from the shore, with which we furnished
ourselves with hats.
An instance of our commander’s tyranny occurred while we were
ascending the river. He had requested a seaman, named Daily, who
was somewhat acquainted with the river, to act as pilot. By accident
or negligence, he suffered the brig to strike the bottom, though
without the least injury. The captain flew into a passion, ordered him
to the gangway, and commanded the boatswain’s mate to lay on with
his rope’s-end. I did not witness this flogging, for the hands were not
called up to witness punishment, unless administered by the cat-o’-
nine-tails, but one of my messmates said that he received at least
one hundred lashes. I saw him several days afterwards, with his back
looking as if it had been roasted, and he unable to stand upright. He
wore the same shirt in which he was flogged for some time
afterwards. It was torn to rags, and showed the state of his back
beneath. His object in wearing it was to mortify and shame the
captain for his brutality.
The severity of flogging with the rope’s end is justly described in
Mr. Dana’s excellent book, called “Two Years before the Mast.”
Though not so cruel as the cat, it is nevertheless a harsh, degrading
punishment. Our men used to say that “they would as lief be cut up
on the bare back with the cat, as have back and shirt cut up
together,” as was poor Daily’s. In truth, that flogging was both unjust
and illegal. The articles of war provide, that not more than twelve
lashes shall be given for a crime; but here one hundred were inflicted
for no crime—for an accident, which might have happened to the
best pilot who ever ascended the Mississippi. But though the captain
was thus rendered amenable to the law, who would believe a poor
sailor? Had he complained, it would doubtless have been to his own
injury; for law, and especially naval law, is always on the side of the
strong. This was not the only case of illegal flogging; but the
justification of these excessive whippings, was found in the pretended
existence of several crimes in the helpless offenders.
On one occasion we were at our quarters, exercising in the various
evolutions of war; now at our guns, and then going through the
forms of boarding an enemy; now running aloft, as if in the act of
cutting down our enemy’s rigging, and then rushing below, as if to
board her, firing our pistols, stabbing with our boarding-pikes, and
cutting on all sides with our cutlasses. In the midst of this
excitement, the movements of one of the men not happening to
please the captain, he seized a cutlass and struck him a tremendous
blow with its flat side; heated with passion, he let it glance as he
struck, and the edge, entering the man’s back, made a deep flesh
wound, which was very sore a long time. Some of our men swore
that if they had been the sufferer, they would have shot the captain
dead on the spot! Are men of such brutal tempers fit to command a
man of war? Is it not wonderful that mutiny is so rare under such a
discipline? Such an officer might do to command a crew of pirates,
but not of freemen, such as Americans feel proud to entrust with the
keeping of their national honor on the deep.
On reaching New Orleans, our ship was overhauled and repaired.
We were sent on board the Louisiana, an old guard-ship, but had to
cross the river every morning to assist in working on the brig. Several
of our men, and myself among them, were quite sick here, owing to
the free use of river water. The Louisiana had a number of men
confined on board, for some crime; they wore chains round their
legs, which were fastened to a large ball: the nature of their offence I
did not ascertain.
The effects of Captain Porter’s severity were seen here in the loss
of two of the crew. They belonged to the gig, and ran away while he
was on shore. He made a strict, but unsuccessful, search after them.
To deter others from a like attempt, or because he wanted an object
on which to wreak his vengeance, he gave one poor fellow a cruel
flogging for what, in sober fact, was no offence at all. The man was
on shore, with some others, fixing the rigging, and, for some purpose
or other, had walked a short distance from the rest, without the
slightest intention to run away. But the captain wanted a victim, and
this served for an excuse.
Our brig being finished, we returned on board, and were soon back
at our old station off Ship Island, where we found several other small
naval craft. While here I saw a man flogged through the fleet, or, as
this might more properly be called, the squadron. His was the only
instance of the kind I saw while in the American navy, and, although
his back was most brutally mangled, yet I do not think he suffered
equal to those who are flogged through an English fleet. Still, the
indignity and brutality are the same in kind, though differing in
degree: a man should never be made to endure it.
Not far from our station, at a place called St. Lewis’ Bay, our
captain purchased some land, and actually sent some of our men to
make a clearing upon it, and to erect a log house. Whether this was a
legal employment of the strength and skill of his men or not, I cannot
decide; but it struck me as being a perversion of the national
resources to his own private benefit. Why should a captain of a ship
of war be permitted to employ the time and energies of his men for
private uses, while an officer of the government, who should employ
its funds for his own advantage, would be charged with
embezzlement and fraud? The cases are precisely alike, except that
one uses the public money, the other what costs that money. It is a
fraud on the country, and an imposition on the men.
A tragic event occurred at Lewis’ Bay on the 4th of July, which
occasioned a fearful sensation throughout the ship. I was sent thither
that day in the launch. Feeling fatigued, I remained with another in
the boat, which was anchored near the shore. After some time one of
the crew, named Thomas Hill, came back for a pistol, for there were
several in the boat, and deliberately charged it. My companion, an old
Macedonian, named Cox, asked him what he wanted with a pistol.
Hill, who was a very desperate fellow, told him to mind his own
business, or he would shoot him. Cox, knowing his character, thought
it best to let this insult pass, supposing he was only going off to shoot
a dog or snake, as the latter creature abounded there. Having loaded
his pistol, Hill went off, and we thought no more of the matter.
Presently a man came running down to the boat to inform us that
two of our men were quarrelling. Just at that moment, we heard the
report of a pistol: hurrying to the spot, described by our informant,
we found a shipmate, by the name of Smith, bleeding on the ground,
with a pistol-shot lodged in his breast by Hill. We gathered round
him; in his agony he begged us to shoot him dead, for his suffering
was not to be endured. Supposing he was dying, our testimony to his
statement that Hill was his murderer, was taken on the spot. The
victim was then removed to a suitable place to be taken care of; the
next day he was carried on board the brig, and from thence to a sort
of hospital on shore, where, after lingering a few days, he died. The
murderer was seized and placed in irons on board the brig. He was
afterwards removed to another ship, but what was done with him I
never heard with certainty; it was reported that he was pardoned.
The cause of this fatal affray was that great instigator of crimes,
Rum. The men were both under its influence; fired with its fumes,
they lost all discretion, and commenced a quarrel: from words they
proceeded to blows. In this struggle Smith had the advantage.
Finding himself worsted, the other ran down to the boat for a pistol.
With this, he returned and threatened to shoot his adversary. Smith
demanded a pistol for himself, that, as he said, he might have fair
play. At that instant his cowardly opponent shot him! Had they both
been sober, this tragedy would never have been enacted. Who can
reveal the effects of alcohol?
From this station we sailed to Tampico, where we lay but a short
time, meeting with nothing worthy of remark, except that we found
abundance of turtle in the river; during the day we could see their
heads peeping up from the river in all directions. At night we used to
send our men ashore to take them. This was done by tracking them
on the sand, whither they went to deposit their eggs. We used to
turn them over on to their backs, and drag them down to the boat.
When alongside they were hoisted on board with a tackle; some of
them weighing four or five hundred weight. They were then killed,
and converted into a soup for the whole ship’s company.
The day after we left Tampico on our passage to Vera Cruz, I was
looking out on the cat-head or starboard bow; seeing a sail, I
shouted, “Sail ho!” when three other vessels hove in sight. These
were all patriot privateers, so we were ordered to our quarters; but
the vessels, discovering our character, kept clear of our guns, and we
pursued our own course.
About ten o’clock, A. M., we saw two more of these privateers,
crowded with men, but mounting only one long gun. Mistaking us for
a Spanish brig, with money on board, they fired most lustily for us to
heave to. We mounted short carronades, excepting two long nines at
the bows, so we bore down, all hands being at their quarters, to
bring our short guns to bear upon them. Meanwhile we kept one of
the long nines in full blast. I was stationed at this gun; and it being
my duty to sponge and load, I had to exert every muscle and strain
every nerve, as, firing only one gun, it was necessary to discharge it
as often as possible. Before, however, we came near enough to injure
them, they discovered what we were, fired a leeward gun in token of
friendship, and hauled off. If they had not, our men very elegantly
observed, they would have found they had taken the wrong pig by
the ear.
We soon came in sight of the beautiful revolving light, which
throws its friendly beams on the port of Vera Cruz, where, as in the
former places, we lay a short time, and then, after visiting some
other ports, we returned to our former station at Ship Island. Here,
however, we remained for only a brief period, before we were under
weigh for New Orleans, from which place we sailed to Havana. Such
is the constant change kept up by men of war on a cruise.
On this passage, I was placed in a position which exposed me to
the punishment of the lash, though by a mere accident I escaped.
There was a habit indulged in among us, which is common among all
sailors at sea; I mean that of stealing a nap during our watch at
night. Seated on the carriage of a gun, or on a shot-locker, with
folded arms, we indulged in many a minute of sweet sleep,
notwithstanding it was contrary to the rules of the ship. To prevent
this as much as possible, the officer of the watch used to give the
first man he caught napping, a handspike, with which he was
compelled to walk the deck until he found another sleeper, to whom
he was allowed to transfer his burden. One night I was caught
dozing, and had to perform the consequent march with the
handspike. After walking about, without success, in search of a
sleeper, for some time, I thought it might be well to try my fortune in
the tops. Scarcely had I set foot on the top, before the officer below
cried, “Fore-top, there!”
“Sir?”
 “Aloft, and take in the fore-top-gallant sail!”
This order caused every man to spring to his station. Supposing no
one would pass before the mast, I stood my handspike upright
against it. But there happened to be a man, by the name of Knight,
dozing there; and when he was aroused by the command of the
officer, he passed before the mast to get on to the starboard side. As
sailors usually grasp something when aloft, he missed his hold of
what he intended to catch, and seized my handspike, which of course
fell. To my consternation, he fell with it. Tumbling out of the fore-top,
he fortunately struck the foot-rope of the fore-yard, which broke the
force of his fall. When he reached the deck, he came bouncing on a
tall, stout Irishman, named Tom Smith, who, not imagining the cause
of so rough and sudden an assault, roared out, as they both fell
together on the deck, “Och! indeed you have killed me!” Here,
however, he was mistaken; he was more frightened than hurt; and
the innocent cause of his fright was able to resume his duties, after
two or three days’ respite. Very fortunately for my back, the unlucky
handspike was not suspected; and my share in this serio-comic
accident remained a secret within my own breast.
It has often been a subject of surprise to my mind, that men so
seldom fall from the tops, in the long night-watches they keep there.
Often have I stood two hours, and, sometimes, when my shipmates
have forgotten to relieve me, four long, tedious hours, on the royal
yard, or the top-gallant yard, without a man to converse with. Here,
overcome with fatigue and want of sleep, I have fallen into a dreamy,
dozy state, from which I was roused by a lee lurch of the ship.
Starting up, my hair has stood on end with amazement at the danger
I had so narrowly escaped. But, notwithstanding this sudden fright, a
few minutes had scarcely elapsed before I would be nodding again.
How wonderful that more are not swallowed in the hungry deep!
When the weather was rough, we were indulged with permission to
stand on the fore-top-sail yard, or on the top-gallant cross-trees; and,
if the ship rolled heavily, we lashed ourselves to the mast, for greater
safety. I can assure my readers, there is nothing desirable in this part
of a sailor’s duty. In whatever the pleasure of a life at sea consists, it
is not in keeping a look-out from the mast-head at night.
But the most disagreeable of all is, to be compelled to stand on
these crazy elevations, when half dead with sea-sickness. Some
suppose that sailors are never sea-sick after the first time they go to
sea. This is a mistake; it is very much with them as it is with
landsmen, in respect to being sick in a coach. Those who are of
bilious temperaments, are always affected, more or less, when they
ride in a stage or sleigh; while others are never sick on these
occasions. So with seamen; some are never sea-sick, others are sick
only when going out of port, while some are so in every gale of wind.
Mr. Dana mentions some of the crew in his ship, who were sick, after
being at sea two years, as they came to Boston. I was usually sick
after laying some time in port, and have often stood at the mast-head
when so sick that any landsman on shore, in a similar state, would
think it hard if he could not lie abed. For a sailor, there is no
allowance made for sea-sickness; he must remain at his post until it
is time to be relieved.
When we entered Havana, we came to anchor near the Spanish
fort, and fired a salute, which was courteously returned by the
Spaniards. We had been here but a short time, before an Irishman,
named Dougherty, who had formerly deserted from the Spanish
garrison, took it into his head to run away from our brig. This he
accomplished by the assistance of some Spaniards, to whom he made
himself known. Several others also left us, in this port, among whom
was our swearing sailing-master; and a great deal was said about
running away throughout the ship. The man who was flogged on
suspicion at New Orleans, now endeavored to get off in reality. He
strayed from the boat, but the officer, meeting him, endeavored to
force him back. He resisted; a struggle ensued; the officer fell to the
ground, and the man called to the Spaniards to assist him. They left
him, however, to fight his own battles; and the officer, having
succeeded in getting the advantage, presented a pistol to his breast,
and he surrendered. For this offence, he was flogged most fearfully.
In the British service, he would have been hung! It is certain death
with them, to strike an officer.
Hearing so much said about running away, and feeling almost as
unhappy as when in the Macedonian, I began to think of it myself.
Sometimes I thought of trying to get into the Spanish garrison as a
soldier; at others, of joining some of the numerous slavers that lay
there, and in which our men said a good chance could be had. Sad
chances, as they now appear, especially the latter; but I was young
and ignorant. My feelings and the advice and opinion of my
shipmates influenced me more than the dictates of an enlightened
understanding. Resolving to make a trial, if opportunity offered, I one
day put on an extra shirt and drew on a second pair of pantaloons.
When thus prepared, the officer of the deck happened to discover the
two waistbands of my trousers; he questioned me with a suspicious
curiosity. I told him as specious a tale as I could invent on the spot;
which was, that I had been mending my trousers, and, before they
were finished, was called to go ashore in the boat, and not having
time to put them away, had slipped them on. Fortunately, a needle
and some thread which I had about me, confirmed my story and
saved me from difficulty. It was pretty obvious, however, that the
officer, though silenced, was not satisfied; for I was so closely
watched, after that day, I gave up the idea of escape as utterly futile
and hopeless.
From Havana we returned to the mouth of the Mississippi, where
we captured the Comet, a patriot schooner, on suspicion that the
patriotism of her crew had degenerated into something less
respectable. Harsh as it must have sounded in the ears of her
officers, we charged them with piracy; took possession of the vessel,
and brought her hands, as prisoners, on board our brig. Her master’s
name was Mitchell; his crew were all stout, fierce-looking blacks,
having all sorts of odd names, such as Monday, Friday, &c. She had a
rich cargo, and contained large sums of money. It was reported that
they had attacked an island somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, and
murdered its governor. We put them in irons, with sentries over them,
who were charged to cut off their heads if they dared to lift them
above the hatchway. I performed this duty a part of the time,
parading round the hatch with a drawn cutlass; but they showed no
symptoms of resistance, and were sent in their vessel to New
Orleans. Their fate I never ascertained.
This adventure cost one of our own crew, an Irishman, by the
name of Tom Smith, a severe flogging. Smith was quite a moral
philosopher in his way; though it is to be regretted that his
philosophy was a little infected with lunacy. Its premises were
certainly sound, but, unfortunately, its conclusions bore but little
relation to the parent of whom they boasted. He taught that man was
born to do good; that his chief good was the promotion of his own
interests; and that, per consequence, he should help himself to
whatever he could lay his hands on, without regard to the rights of
others. With these views, Tom earnestly defended the rightfulness of
piracy, and could he have managed to get on board a pirate vessel,
or even have contrived to wrest our own ship from the hands of her
officers, and hoist the black flag, he would have cheerfully done so.
But somehow, although he had made a number of disciples among
his shipmates, our captain paid no manner of respect to his theories;
for, when Tom, in consistency with his often declared principles,
deliberately carried off a large sum of money from our capture, to his
own quarters, the captain, who perceived the theft himself, ordered
him to the gangway, and administered as many hard lashes, as if Tom
had had no philosophy at all.
But, although Tom Smith’s philosophy did not save its unlucky
advocate from the unphilosophic punishment of the whip, it
nevertheless exerted a baneful influence on the morals of our crew.
Many of them were doubtless bad enough when they came on board;
but a more complete school for the practise of iniquity never existed,
than that on board our brig. Profanity, blasphemy, lying, licentious
conversation, and even a system of petty stealing, were practised on
a large scale. Many of the men were ripe for any crime within the
power of depraved humanity to commit, and I have often thought
that even the decks of a privateer or a pirate, could not lead one
faster and deeper into the extremes of wickedness, than did the
influence of our main deck.
With what a voice do such pictures of sailor immorality, call for
exertion on the part of an enlightened Christian community, in behalf
of seamen? Where is the presence of the meek spirit of Christianity
more needed, than on the decks of our merchant and naval vessels?
Where would missionaries and Bibles accomplish more than here?
There is no sphere of Christian usefulness so important, so promising
as this. Every vessel in the navy should have its chaplain. Not one of
your proud, fun-loving, graceless wine-bibbers, but a humble,
devoted man, who would not think it beneath his dignity to mingle
with the common sailors, as a pastor among the flock of his
affections, moulding their rough, but susceptible natures into the
image of virtue, by the force of his pious example, and the influence
of his effectual prayers. Then, in the merchant service, a species of
itinerant missionary might be indefinitely useful. He might be sent out
by a society, pledged for his support; and, by permission of the
owners, sail in a ship on her outward passage. Arrived at her port, he
might sail to another place, in a different ship, and then return home
in a third. In this way, a score of devoted men of the right stamp,
could exert an unparalleled influence on the character of sailors. Vice,
irreligion, profanity, and insubordination, would presently flee away
before the beautiful purity of religion, and our ships, instead of being
designated as floating hells, would become houses of God, arks of
holiness, consecrated Bethels! Pray, Christian, that this desirable
consummation may be speedily attained; and be not satisfied with
merely praying; add action to your prayers. Stir up your church to the
claims of seamen! Give your money to assist in supporting sailors’
missionaries, Bethels, and the like. Make it the settled purpose of
your heart, not to rest until you behold the sailor elevated to his
proper position, which is that of a Christian man!
 CHAPTER XII

A
fter a short stay at the Balize, we put to sea once more, for the
purpose, as it was understood, of touching at Havana, and then
returning to New York. This was a cheerful voyage; the idea of a
speedy return to America, spread a feeling of exquisite delight over the
whole crew, and converted the performance of our duty into a
pleasure. One effect was, to set those hands, who were gifted with the
talent, so highly prized in a man of war, of “spinning yarns,” busily at
work during every spare moment, when a group could be gathered to
listen. Foremost among these intellectual time-killers was Richard
Dickinson, a messmate of mine, a good-natured Englishman. He called
himself the son of Old Dick, by which epithet he was usually called.
Dick’s powers were now in great demand, and he exercised them to
our universal satisfaction, but with how great regard for truth I cannot
determine. It is probable, however, that truth entered very little into
Dick’s productions. He was a sort of off-hand novelist; all he cared for
was effect, and where truth failed him, fiction generously loaned her
services. So bewitching were Dick’s stories, that I used to long for the
hour when we could lay in our hammocks and listen. My first
salutation, when we lay for the last time in the port of Havana, was,
“Come, Dick, tell us a yarn.”
“What is the use? you will go to sleep,” he used to reply.
“No I won’t, Dick; I can listen to your yarns all night,” was my usual
answer.
Dick would then begin some yarn, which, if not so interesting as the
thousand-and-one stories in the Arabian Nights’ entertainments, was at
least as true to nature, and, in respect to its humor, might be
compared to some of the sayings of that illustrious personage, Sancho
Panza, the renowned squire of the immortal Don Quixote; but, in spite
of my promises, I usually gave notice of my condition after a short
time, by performing a concord of nasal sounds, vulgarly called snoring,
which would set Dick to swearing, and often put an end to his
performances for the night.
I need scarcely say, that these “yarns” were by no means favorable
in their moral effects on the listener. They generally consisted in
fictitious adventures on the sea and on the shore, plentifully
interlarded in their recital with profane oaths and licentious allusions.
When seamen become elevated, and are properly instructed, these
filthy stories will be superseded by reading good and useful literature,
with an abundance of which every ship should be supplied by the
benevolence of the Christian public.
On the passage to Havana, Dick and myself fell under the
displeasure of the captain. We were stationed one night in the fore-
top, where we were comfortably dozing away the time. The captain
was on deck. The officer of the watch hailed the fore-top. We did not
hear him until the call was repeated two or three times. For this we
were ordered below, and told by the captain that we should be flogged
the next day before the whole crew. With this consolatory information
we returned to our station, without the least inclination to sleep again
for that watch. With a sort of philosophic desperation, I laughed and
said, “Dick, which would you rather do—have your grog stopped
awhile, or take a flogging?”
Dick was very fond of his grog; so he replied, “Oh, I had rather they
would stop my wind than my grog, and would sooner be flogged by
considerable than lose that.” I question, however, if he had been left to
choose between grog and whip at the gangway, whether he would not
have altered his tone in favor of his grog. Still, his answer shows, how
strongly sailors are attached to their beloved rum. I am happy to know
that this regard is dying away, and that temperance is doing something
among sailors. May it go on, until cold water is as popular in a man of
war, as grog was twenty years since. We never heard, however, of our
offence again. Dick was quite a favorite with the officers, and, except a
blow in the head, given me by the captain, I had never been punished.
Perhaps these were the reasons why we escaped the gangway.
 At Havana we got a large amount of Spanish dollars aboard for some
merchants in New York. These were smuggled from the shore. Our
men were sent off in the boats, with their pockets and bosoms well
stuffed with the precious metal; and in this way we soon got it all
safely lodged in our hold, except that the captain’s servant, falling
desperately in love with them, furnished himself with all he could carry,
and ran away from the ship.
After adding to our freight of dollars a fine supply of oranges,
lemons, pine-apples, &c., we cheerfully weighed anchor and set sail for
New York. We reached that port after a short and prosperous voyage;
meeting with no incident, except that the cold weather caused us a
little suffering, and enabled the purser to add a few dollars to the
profits of the voyage, by supplying us with a lot of red flannel shirts.
When I was on board the Siren, I was contented. The officers were
kind, the crew were peaceful and well-behaved; but in the Boxer, some
of the officers were severe, and the crew corrupt, and I did not enjoy
myself at all. Some said that in time of war the men were better
treated than in time of peace; but though this may be true to a limited
extent, yet I think the difference in these two brigs was owing more to
the character of their respective officers than anything else. Be this as
it may, my experience in the Boxer had completely sickened me of man
of war life, and I determined, if possible, to get free of it at once and
forever.
My station, as one of the crew of the jolly-boat, gave me frequent
opportunities to accomplish my purpose. So, one day, at the solicitation
of a shipmate, I resolved to make the attempt. Cruel treatment was
my excuse; yet I have sometimes been ashamed of my course in this
instance; and would heartily advise all boys in the naval service to stay
their time out. We were successful in escaping; and as we had but
little money, I therefore proceeded directly from the shore to a pawn
shop, and there disposed of our pea-jackets, which were new, and for
which the purser had charged us ten dollars apiece. We obtained the
pitiful sum of six dollars for the two. With this, we started in a hack,
which was to carry us outside of the city. We then travelled hard all
day, resting at night in a barn, where we suffered extremely from the
cold. The next day we pursued our way towards New Haven. The day
after, we were still on the road. This was the Sabbath, and we felt
strangely at seeing the good people of the village, through which we
passed, going to meeting. The foot-stoves, that the grave matrons
bore in their hands, were things I had never seen before; so, to the
great merriment of my companion, I observed that they were excellent
contrivances to carry their books in to meeting! We reached New
Haven on Monday evening, where we put up at a sailors’ boarding-
house for the night. Here my shipmate left me, and I proceeded alone
to Hartford, begging my support by the way, for my money was by this
time all exhausted.
At Hartford I tried to ship on board some merchant vessel. Not
succeeding, I strove to find some one to take me as an apprentice to
instruct me in the art of bootmaking, but with no better success. These
repulses discouraged me. It was Christmas day, and the associations
connected with the day—the merry-makings of my early boyhood—
were anything but pleasant to me in my distress. The bell was tolling
for the funeral of priest Strong, and it seemed as if the melancholy of
the mourners fully accorded with my feelings, and was preferable in
my mind to the spirit of rejoicing that prevailed among those who were
keeping merry Christmas in merry mood. Perhaps, if they had invited
me to partake of their cheer, I should have changed my opinion. As it
was, with only five cents in my pocket, I wandered lonely and sad
through the city. With a feeling of despair I stepped into a cellar for
something to drink. They charged me five cents, and left me at once
friendless and penniless. At the bridge, the toll-keeper demanded a
cent. I looked at him fiercely, and told him I had nothing. He let me
pass over toll free. Towards night, feeling tired and hungry, I
endeavored to hire myself. But who would employ an utter stranger? I
went to a number of houses, imploring a lodging for the night. With
freezing coldness, I experienced repulse after repulse, until my heart
chilled with horror, with the fear of spending that long, cold night out
of doors. At last I called on a kind-hearted Presbyterian, who gave me
a supper, lodging and breakfast. Their morning and evening devotions
were peculiarly interesting to me; for, excepting while a prisoner at the
Cape of Good Hope, I had never listened to an extemporaneous prayer.
 The next morning I left this truly hospitable family, and pursued my
inquiries for employment. Some asked if I could chop wood; others, if I
knew anything about farming; and when I answered “No,” they shook
their heads, and I trudged on. Sometimes I offered to work for my
board, but, being a sailor, and having no recommendations, people
were afraid to take me into their families. Still I pushed on. A man
overtook me in the town of Coventry, and began a very interesting and
faithful discourse about religion. I listened respectively; he took me
home with him, where, although he was a deacon, he gave me some
cider-brandy: but these were not the days of temperance. After this he
sent me to Pomeroy’s tavern, where he thought they would hire me.
This application failing, he advised me to apply at the glass works
which were a little distance from that place. With this advice, I took
leave of Deacon Cook, and proceeded towards the glass-houses.
Before reaching them, however, night came. A family, who occupied
a red house, received me, whose hospitality I returned by singing a
number of sea songs. Early the next morning, I tried to get work at the
glass-house, but though I was willing to stay for my board, they would
not take me. Mr. Turner, the agent, very kindly gave me a breakfast,
and then I left him, determined to get to Boston if possible, and go to
sea once more.
My situation was really a trying one: my only clothing was a blue
jacket and trousers; shoes more than half worn out, and a little
tarpaulin hat stuck on the back of my head, in genuine sailor fashion.
[27] Mittens and money were alike far off from my fingers, and friends
were as scarce as money. People, too, seemed afraid of a sailor; and
this, in addition to all my other troubles, rendered me an object of
suspicion. At such times, I assure my young reader, that the picture of
a kind mother and a good home, are but too faithfully presented to the
mind, filling it with a thousand vain and useless regrets. No young man
need desire to be in the outcast prodigal condition in which I stood, in
the depth of that cold winter.
When I reached the town of Mansfield, I called at the house of a Mr.
Nathaniel Dunham; the kind manners and friendly language of whose
lady I shall never forget. She told me that if I was honest, Providence
would shortly open some way by which I could live. Her words fell on
my ear like a prophecy, and I left the house, confident of some
favorable turn in my affairs before long. At Mansfield Four Corners, I
inquired of Dr. Waldo, who, with several others, sat under a piazza,
and afterwards of a Mr. Edmund Freeman, for employ. They gave me
no encouragement. Persevering, I at last met with a Mr. Peter Cross,
who, seeing my sailor garb, asked what ships I had sailed in. Hearing
me mention the Macedonian, he said, “There is a man here whose
name is William Hutchinson. He was taken in her. Do you know him?”
“Yes,” said I, after a moment’s recollection; “he was our armorer’s
mate.”
Of course, I lost no time in seeking for my old shipmate. After
crossing various lots, and getting vexed and perplexed for want of
proper direction, I reached his comfortable homestead. He did not
recognise me at first, on account of the great alteration a few years
had made in my size and appearance; but, when he did recall me to
his recollection, with the generous frankness of a sailor, he offered me
all the hospitality and assistance in his power. A good supper was
speedily spread; and then, seated before his ample fireplace, sparkling
and crackling with a cheerful blaze, we recounted our adventures. He
had wandered into Connecticut, and married a very respectable
woman. They now owned a house and some land, and were in
tolerably comfortable and thriving circumstances. With such discourse,
we talked away the better part of the night, when the old tar showed
me my chamber, archly observing that “my bed would not rock much.”
The next morning, he said I should not leave him until I was
provided for in some way or other. Through his influence, a Mr. James,
his brother-in-law, employed me to work in his cloth-dressing
establishment. As I was ignorant of the business, and was not really
needed, my board was to be my only compensation.
My new situation soon grew delightful to me, and I felt happier than
I had ever done since I left Bladen. My time passed very pleasantly,
especially my evenings, when the neighbors came in to hear me spin
sea yarns and forecastle songs. Some of the young men of the “baser
sort” judged me to be a fit instrument to act Samson for their
enjoyment, in the house of God. So they invited me to attend the
meetings of the Methodist Episcopal church in that place. But they
greatly misjudged the character of seamen; who, as before remarked,
usually pay respect to the ordinances and ministers of religion. I
attended the meeting, but not to make sport. The result of this ill-
designed invitation on myself will appear hereafter.
The winter months fled, and the spring found me unfurnished with
means co-extensive with my wants. Determined to remain ashore, if
possible, I hired myself to a farmer for my board. In the evenings I
braided straw hats, and thus obtained a scanty supply of clothing. A
little incident, illustrative of the thoughtless playfulness of sailor
character, may not be displeasing to my young readers.
Whoever has seen a perfect novice undertake to guide an ox-team,
may form some idea of the ludicrous adventures through which I
passed during my agricultural novitiate with these horned animals.
Perseverance, however, gave me some little control over our team,
when, as fate would have it, my employer “swapped” them for another
pair. When they came home, after some little hallooing and whipping, I
succeeded in “yoking” them; then seizing the goad-stick, with as much
dignity as ever Neptune wielded his trident, I mounted the tongue,
(which I called the bowsprit,) and with the ladders rigged up at both
ends I gave the word of command to my team. They, however, showed
signs of mutiny, and, taking to their heels, bore me off in triumph. This
was sport indeed; there I stood, my head and shoulders passed
between the front rigging, laughing as if my sides would burst, while
rakes, forks and boards were playing leap-frog, at the tail of my cart,
and my master’s boy was half frightened out of his wits. At length the
angry voice of my master roused me from my sportive mood; he did
not relish the rough usage his farming tools were receiving, and
coming up with my horned steeds, he speedily stopped their speed
and my sport. I need only add that his rebukes made me more careful
afterwards.
When the haying season commenced, I left my first employer, and
obtained the sum of eight dollars per month, and board; the wages,
however, in accordance with the true Yankee method of making money
out of everything, were to be payable at the village store. This change
led me into a situation which proved another link in the chain, which
ended in my conversion to God. The son of my employer died; he was
about fourteen years of age; in company with a pious member of the
Methodist church, I sat up one night with the corpse. With the
faithfulness of a true Christian, he improved the occasion by seriously
conversing with me on the great concerns of immortality. His
discourse, together with the funeral services, had a very softening and
gracious influence on my feelings, though the only present, practical
effect was a more punctual attendance on the services of the
sanctuary.
Towards winter, I went to live with Mr. Joseph Conant, to learn the
business of filing augers and steelyards. Here my acquaintance was
considerably enlarged, as several young men were attached to the
establishment. Among them was one who made a profession of
religion. As is usual among the young, we were devoted triflers; and
he, to my astonishment, was as jocose and merry as the rest. Ignorant
as I was of religion, his conduct appeared strangely inconsistent; I
wondered he did not converse with me about my soul. One day I took
him aside and faithfully expressed my views of his conduct. He
acknowledged his guilt. Afterwards we attended meetings in company,
and he was faithful in speaking with me about the things that belonged
to my salvation. He urged upon me the importance of giving myself up
to God at once, and affectionately invited me to attend class-meeting.
My mind was seriously inclined, but I could not yet venture upon so
close an intercourse with the people of God.
One Sabbath evening, my friend, Ela Dunham, who had dealt so
faithfully with me, when we watched together over the corpse of Orson
Kidder, asked me, “When do you intend to set out and seek religion?”
I replied, somewhat evasively, “Any time.”
“Well,” said he, “are you willing we should pray for you, and will you
go forward for prayers to-night?”
To this I replied, that I would think of it. The meeting proved to be
intensely interesting. My desire to express the inward workings of my
mind, grew strong. Of the forms and practices of Christians in revivals,
I was altogether ignorant, having never witnessed a conversion in my
life; still, it seemed to me highly proper to declare my feelings in the
presence of Christians, that they might give such instructions as were
necessary to lead me into the right way. With these views, I
determined to rise and speak, though the evil one whispered, “Not yet!
not yet!” in my ears. Just as I stood up, some one, not seeing me,
began to sing; this, I took to be a suitable excuse for further delay,
and sat down, heartily wishing that no one had seen me. Fortunately,
my friend Dunham had witnessed my movement. He requested them
to stop singing, because a young man wished to speak. Thus
encouraged, I told them I was then nineteen years of age, and it
seemed to me too much of life to spend in sin; that eternity was a
solemn idea, and I desired them to tell me how to prepare to enter
upon it with joy. They proposed to pray with me. We then all kneeled
down together. Most fervently did they pray for the divine blessing to
rest on the stranger youth, bowed in penitence before them, and most
sincerely did I join my prayers with theirs before the throne of God.
After prayer, they sung the following familiar lines, which I insert both
for their intrinsic excellence, and for the pleasantness of the
associations connected with them in my own mind.

“Alas, and did my Saviour bleed!

And did my Sovereign die!
Would he devote that sacred head,
For such a worm as I?

O the Lamb! the loving Lamb!

The Lamb on Calvary,
The Lamb that was slain,
Yet lives again,
To bleed and die for me.”

Although these words were very sweetly applied to my mind, I did

not feel any evidence of the favor of God that night. The next day, with
a strong purpose to live for eternity, I entered on my daily tasks.
Religion was the theme of my thoughts and discourse; during the day,
a sweet calm came over me; peace and joy filled my soul. It was the
pardoning love of God applied to my guilty spirit.
 Ah! thought I, this must be religion; but desiring to be right, I went
to my employer and communicated my feelings to him. His reply rather
damped my joy. He was a moralist; morality, he said, was all-sufficient
to secure a man’s well being both in this life and in that to come. This,
however, did not satisfy my mind. To me it seemed certain that
genuine repentance, and a change of heart, were all-essential to my
happiness; and these, if not already mine, I determined to possess.
The remarks and experience of the Methodists, at their prayer
meetings, were greatly blessed to my comfort. Gradually the light
broke; the day-star shone. Peace, like a river, filled my breast; joy, as
from an unfailing fountain, bubbled up within me; love animated my
affections; by day and by night I sang the praises of God, and the
society of Christ’s dear people seemed precious indeed to my soul. I
thought this sweet frame would last forever. I determined it should, so
far as my efforts were necessary for its continuance. Alas! I knew not
my own heart: a dreary wilderness state was before me, and I, like
many an unwary soul before me, heedlessly stumbled into its gloomy
shadows.
By a sudden change in the condition of my employer, I was led to
seek employment in Ashford. Here, in the shop of Mr. Giles Stebbins, I
was surrounded by many light-minded, trifling young men. Falling into
the same snare for which I had reproved a professor before I was
converted, my peace and calm were lost, every evidence darkened,
and the wretchedness of a backslider in heart filled my soul. This
apostacy lasted several months, when, through the love and long-
suffering of a gracious God, I was once more restored to a state of
salvation. Since that time, though I have not gained all that is
desirable, and that is offered in an abundant gospel, yet I have been
trying to stem the torrent of iniquity, which runs through the earth,
and striving to make my way to the port of Glory.
The next fall I walked eighteen miles to a camp-meeting in
Thompson, Conn., the first I had ever attended. Though the scene was
novel, I soon took a deep interest in the services; especially when
informed that a sailor was going to preach one evening. This sailor was
no other than the well-known Rev. E. T. Taylor.[28] His text was in
Welcome to Our Bookstore - The Ultimate Destination for Book Lovers
Are you passionate about books and eager to explore new worlds of
knowledge? At our website, we offer a vast collection of books that
cater to every interest and age group. From classic literature to
specialized publications, self-help books, and children’s stories, we
have it all! Each book is a gateway to new adventures, helping you
expand your knowledge and nourish your soul
Experience Convenient and Enjoyable Book Shopping Our website is more
than just an online bookstore—it’s a bridge connecting readers to the
timeless values of culture and wisdom. With a sleek and user-friendly
interface and a smart search system, you can find your favorite books
quickly and easily. Enjoy special promotions, fast home delivery, and
a seamless shopping experience that saves you time and enhances your
love for reading.
Let us accompany you on the journey of exploring knowledge and
personal growth!

ebookgate.com