BLUE-BELL, sb. Hyacinthus, non-scriptus, Wild Hyacinth.-SHREWS-
BURY. Generally used in the plural form Blue-bells.
BLUE-BONNET, sb. same as Billy-biter, q. v.- -BRIDGNORTH.
BLUE-BOTTLE, sb. Centauréa Cyanus, Corn Blue-bottle. Com.
BLUE-CAP, the same as Blue-bonnet.-BRIDGnorth.

BLUE FLATS, sb. a valuable iron-stone.-COLLIERY; M. T.

"This iron-stone, which occurs in nodules of all imaginable shapes, is full of the fossil Unio or Anthracosia, and impressions of the vegetable Lycopodiaceae.'-Notes on the Shropshire Coal-field, by T. PARTON, F.G.S., 1868.

See Black Stone, also Coal-field.

BLUE FOX-GLOVE, sb. Campanula Trachélium, Nettle-leaved Bellflower.-WHITCHURCH, Tilstock.

BLUE-HEADS [bloo'edz], sb. pl. the flowers of Scabiosa succisa.— CORVE DALE. Cf. Devil's-bit.

BLUNGE [blunzh'], v. a. to knead or mix up hastily, as of dough or dumpling.-ELLESMERE; WEM. Now, Jenny, be sharp an' blunge up a bit o' dumplin' for the lads, or they wunna think it's 'Amp'n [Hampton] Wakes.'

BOAR SEG [boa ur' seg'], sb. a boar that has been gelt.-CLEE HILLS. Qy. com.

BOAR-THISTLE [boa ur' thiss 1], sb. Carduus lancelolatus, Spear Plume-thistle.-CLEE HILLS. Qy. com.

BOASOM [boa zum], sb., var. pr. bosom.

Com.

BOBBERSOME [bobur'sum], adj., sl. free; lavish.—NEWPORT. 'Dunna yo be too bobbersome wi' yore money.'

BOBBISH [bob'ish], adj., sl.? pretty well and bright in health and spirits. Com.

BODGE [boj ], (1) v. a. to patch clumsily; to mend roughly. Com. 'Theer, I've tore my gownd! I canna-d-awilde to mend it properly, nod now, so I mun bodge it up.' Cf. Botch.

(2) sb. a rough patch; a clumsy, bungling job of any kind. Com. Cf. Shakespeare's bodged for 'bungled.'—3 K. Henry VÏ. I. iv. 19. BOES [boaz], sb. pl. Pediculi humani; insecta parva comâ infantum. -SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH; LUDLOW. Cf. Bugs. See Bk. II., Folklore, &c., 'Superstitions concerning Insects.'

BOFFLE [bofl], v. a., var. pr. to confuse; to baffle. Com. 'I knowed right well 'e wuz tellin' me a lie, so I cross-waund 'im a bit an' soon boffled 'is story.'

BOKE [boak], (1) v. n. to thrust at, as with a rail or stake.SHREWSBURY; WEM; WHITCHURCH. E pooled a stake out o' the 'edge an' boked at 'im.' Boke is another form of poke; but a curious distinction is made between the b of the one word and the p of the

other; they are used with a difference.' As B is a heavier letter than P, so to boke is a heavier action than to poke. A man bokes with a rail or other thick piece of wood, and pokes with a light stick. See B and P in Grammar Outlines (consonants).

(2) v. n. to stare about in a stupid, half-blind way; to shy, when used with reference to a horse.-WEM, Hopton. "E went alung the rooad bokin an' startin' at everythink, till I thought I c'u'd niver a druv 'im 'ere.'

BOLTIN [boal-ti'n], same as Battin; refined pronunciation. SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH; CLUN. Der. 'boutin.'

BOND [bond], (1) pret. and part. past, bound.-Newport; Wey;

ELLESMERE.

Three hundred foxes took Sampson for Ire,
And alle her tayles he togider bond.'

Cf. Bund (1).

CHAUCER, B. 3222 (Six-text ed.), Skeat.

(2) sb. a straw band for binding sheaves.―ibid.

"Canstow seruen," he seide "other syngen in a churche,
Other coke for my cokers other to the cart picche,
Mowe other mowen other make bond to sheues."

Piers Pl., Text C. pass. vi. 1. 14.

The Bond is that as ties the Corn into Bundles.'—Academy of Armory, Bk. III. ch. iii. p. 73.

Cf. Bund (2).

(3) sb. the load of coal or iron-stone to be drawn up. Com. M. T. (4) [bon or bond'], sb. a band or gang of pit-men working together. -COLLIERY; M. T. "E works i' the bon'

BONDSMEN [bonz men], sb. pl. men working in a band, whose duty it is to remove the coal after it has been 'holed' by the ‘holers;' first knocking away the 'sprags,' q. v. Com. M. T.

BONK [bongk], sh. a sloping height; a steep pitch or incline in a road. Com. Mr. Gittins o' Churton 'ad a prime mar' spiled the tother day gwein down Welbi'ch [Welbatch] bonk; the waggoner must a bin a nauf to goo down a place like that athout scotchin'.'

'Quhil the reflex of the diurnal bemys

The beyn bonkis kest ful of variant glemys.'

GAWIN DOUGLAS (A.D. 1513), Prol. of the XII Buk of Eneados. Specim. Eng. Lit., xiii. 1. 62.

Cf. Bonky-pieces.

BONKIE [bongk'i'], sb. a girl employed on the bank' as a 'bonksman' is.-COLLIERY; M. T.

BONKSMAN [bongks'mun], sb. a man on the bank' who disposes of the coal as it comes to the surface.-COLLIERY; M. T.

BONKY-PIECES [bongk'i' pee'si'z], sb. pl. steep, sloping fields.— PULVERBATCH. Qy. com. 'I tell yo' a double plough's no chonce i' them bonky-pieces, they'n chuck it out spite o' yore tith.' Cf. Sidelant leasow.

BONNY [bon'i'], adj. comely; stout-what the French understand

by embonpoint; quite a distinct sense from the Scottish bonnie.' The term is not of very frequent use.-PULVERBATCH; CORVE Dale; CLEE HILLS. Betty Jenkins praises 'er pastur's; whad a bonny Ŏoman 'er's gwun! 'er wuz a poor torrel the las' time I sid 'er.'

BOOK [buck], WHITCHURCH, Tilstock;-school book. [ski'uel buek']. Cf. Scotch Buik,'

BOOGIE [boog'i'], sb. a supernatural being; a spectre; a household sprite.-SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH; WORTHEN.

'K. Edw. . . . For Warwick was a bug that fear'd us all.' 3 K. Henry VI. V. ii. 2. W. bugan, a bugbear. Cf. Bugabo. See Bk. II., Folklore, 'The Boogies an' the Saut-box.'

BOOSEY [boo'zi'], sb. the upper end of the cow-stall where the fodder lies. Com. Booc or boos, netystalle.'-Prompt. Parv. A.S. bós, bósig, a stall; manger; crib.

BOOSEY-PASTURE, sb. ground claimed by the off-going tenant at Lady Day for the use of his cattle up to the first of May, on which to consume hay, turnips, and such produce as is not allowed to be taken off the farm.-PULVERBATCH. Qy. com.

BOOSEY-STAKE, sb. the stake to which the cow is fastened in the boosey by a 'cow-chain.'-WEM. Qy. com. Cf. Stelch (2).

BORE-PASSER [boa ur' pas ur'], sb. a gimlet.-WORTHEN. 'Persowre (or wymbyl), Terbellum.'-Prompt. Parv. Cf. Nail-passer.

BORROW [bo'r'u'], sb., var. pr. a barrow.-CORVE Dale.

BOSH [bosh], (1) sb. the rough, bristly part of a boar's head between the ears.-PULVERBATCH. Qy. com.

(2) sb. the curly front of a bull's head between the horns.-ibid.

'Leon . . . The steer, the heifer, and the calf

Are all call'd neat.

Leon. Thou want'st a rough push and the shoots that I have To be full like me.'-Winter's Tale, I. ii. 128.

BOSS [boss'], (1) sb. a protuberance of iron in the top part of the spindle in which the brandarts were placed. Com. See Brandarts. (2) sb. a hassock. Com.

1778. for a Boss for the Communion 0. 8. 0.'-Churchwardens' Accounts, Hopton Castle, Salop.

BOST [bost], (1) v. a., var. pr. to burst.

Com. I doubt we

sha'n 'ave to bost that door open, for the kay canna be fund 'igh, low, nor level.'

(2) a slight imprecation. Com. Bost that chap, w'y couldna-d-'e a lef' that lather w'eer I put it? an' then I should a 'ad it.'

BOSTEN [bos'n], part. adj. full to repletion; burst.-SHREWSBURY; ELLESMERE. Qy. com. I conna tak' no more, Missis, I'm welly

bos'n.'

BOTCH [boch'], v. a. to patch old clothes, but not necessarily in a rough and clumsy way.-NEWPORT. Cf. Bodge (1). See 'Botch' in WEDG.

BOTTLE [bot 1], (1) sb. a small wooden barrel or keg for carrying drink to the field. Com. Bottles vary in size: those used by the ploughman or labourer hold about three pints, while the harvestmen's bottles contain from two to six quarts. Tell Bill to tak' the 'ackney mar' an' start off ŏŏth them two bottles an' bayte-bags to the turmit fallow-it's aumust the middle o' the day.' 'Bag and bottle.' -Robin Hood, ii. 54, in HAL. Cf. Costrel.

(2) sb. a bundle of hay.-PULVERBATCH; CORVE DALE; ELLESMERE. 'I axed the Maister to let me 'ave a bit of 'ay; 'e said 'e darna sell, but 'e'd gie me a bottle, as the cow wuz nigh cauvin.'

'Al-though it be nat worth a botel hey.'

CHAUCER, H. 14 (Six-text ed.), Skeat.

'I have a great desire to a bottle of hay.'

Mids. Night's Dream, IV. i. 37.

To look for a needle in a bottle of hay' is a common proverb which occurs in Clarke's Phraseologia Puerilis, 1655. See HAL.

'A thousand pounds, and a bottle of hay,

Is all one thing at Doom's-day.'

HOWELL'S Proverbs, ed. 1660, in HAL.

Botelle of hey.'-Fenifascis. Botelle of haye, botteau de foyn. Aske you for the hosteller, he is aboue in the haye lofte makynge botelles (or botels) of hay, boteller.'-PALSG. In Norfolk it denotes the quantity of hay that may serve for one feed.'-FORBY.-Prompt. Parv, and Notes.

BOTTLE-TIT, sb. Parus caudatus, the Long-tailed Tit-mouse.LUDLOW. Cf. Can-bottle.

BOTTOMLEY BAY, sb., var. pr. Botany Bay.-NEWPORT; WHITSee 'Sosebry' in Place Names.

CHURCH.

BOUGHS [bouz], to be up in the boughs' is a phrase signifying to be put quickly out of temper; to be easily offended.-SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH; CORVE DALE; CLEE HILLS. "Er wuz all up the boughs in a minute.' Cf.

'Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres.'

CHAUCER, The Knightes Tale, 1. 674, ed. Morris. BOUGHT OFF THE PEGS, phr. sl.? said contemptuously of second-hand or slop-made' clothing. SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH; WEM. E bought it off the pegs, it ŏŏnna do 'im much joy.' BOUK [bouk], (1) sb., obsols. a bucket of what is technically known as bend ware.'-PULVERBATCH. Cf. Quaigh.

(2) sb. a pail with an upright handle, used for various purposes of brewing, dairy-work, &c.-WEM; WHITCHURCH; ELLESMERE.

'He beareth Azure, a Milk-Pail, Argent. This is the Badge and Cognizance of the Milk-Maids, whom I have heard give this sort of vessel several denominations; of some it is called a Pail, a Cruck, an

Eshon; of others a Bouk.'-Academy of Armory, Bk. III., ch. viii. p. 335.

A.S. buc, a bucket. See Bk. II., The Bouk, A Descriptive Poem.' (3) sb. a large barrel used for drawing water in sinking purposes. Com. M. T.

(4) sb. the box of a wheel.-PULVERBATCH.

BOUKIN [bouki'n], sb., obsols. same as Bush (2).—PULVERBATCH ;

CLEE HILLS.

BOUSTER [bou'stur'], sb., var. pr. a bolster.

Com.

BOUT [bout], sb. a course in knitting round a stocking.—PULVERBATCH; WELLINGTON. "'Qu bin 'ee gettin' on ŏŏth that stockin?' 'I'm at the quirk ŏòthin a bout or two.

(2) sb. a turn once up and down a ploughed field. Com. The number of bouts to a but' varies according to the nature of the soil, on stiff land fewer than on dry, light ground. To bout up is to ridge ground for turnips.-CLEE HILLS.

(3) sb. a turn of illness. Com. I'm glad to 'ear poor John's better, 'e's 'ad a bad bout on it; 'e's bin o' the box three months.' On the box means dependent on the sick club.

(4) sb. a party.-PULVERBATCH. 'They'd'n a big bout at the uvver 'ouse las' wik.'

BOUTHERS [bou'dhur❜z], sb.pl. boulders; paving-stones.-NEWPORT. BOUTIN [bouti'n], usual pronunciation of 'boltin,' q. v. James France of Pulverbatch said of an uncomely woman-servant that, "Er wuz jest like a boutin o' straw ŏŏth one bun' round it.' See Bund. Cf. Bautin.

BOW [boa], sh. a steel fire-guard encompassing the kitchen fireplace. Rings usually encircle the top rod of the bow for the children to play with.-SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH. Qy.com. BOWERY [bouth'r'i'], sb. a bower; a shady recess.-SHREWSBURY; MUCH WENLOCK.

BOW-HAULER, BOW-HAULIER [buo'au lur', buo'au lyur'], sb., obsols, a man who by means of a rope drags a barge along the Severn. -MUCH WENLOCK. The first form of the word obtains between Coalport and Buildwas; the second about Cressage.

'With regard to the mode of hauling barges, an obvious improvement would be the opening of a good towing-path along the river, and the substitution of horses for men in this slavish labour. That this project is perfectly feasible, even on the most difficult banks, has been shown by the laudable and successful experiment of Mr. Reynolds, of Ketley, who formed a path for horses near his manufactories at Coalport, and carried it on through rugged banks, and over some of the worst fords, for a distance of two miles, to the Iron Bridge.'-REV. J. NIGHTINGALE'S Description of Shropshire, p. 41, ed. 1810.

BOWL [boul], (1) sb. a child's hoop.-SHREWSBURY; PULVERBATCH; ELLESMERE. Now, Tummy, dunna bring yore bowl o' the causey; goo i' the lane, yo'n 'ave a better run theer.'