Page:A Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases.djvu/106

Rh HAW.—A dwelling enclosed by woods.

HAWLD HARD.—Stop! There is a game commonly played about Christmas time where a number hold a piece of a handkerchief. One then moves his hand round the handkerchief, saying, "Here we go round by the rule of Contrairy. When I say "hawld hard, "let go," and when I say "let go," "hawld hard;" forfeits are paid by those not complying with the above order, which is said suddenly and in a loud tone so as to confuse the players.

HAWLE.—A hole.

HAWLT.—Hold. "I can't get hawlt on 'in" (I can't get hold of him).

HAWS.—The same as.

HAZZICK.—A wood usually of Scotch firs with much coarse rank grass. There is a "hazzick" on the Little Hungerford estate, Hampstead Norreys.

HEAD.—The face.

HEAL.—To cover.

HEART ZICK.—Sadly out of spirits through trouble.

HECCATS.—A short dry wearing cough.

HECCATTY.—One having the "heccats."

HEDGE-POKER.—A hedge sparrow. The name "hedge-poker" may have been given because the bird pokes about a hedge and will fly no distance away.

HEDGIN'.—A common sport, where boys go on either side of a hedge when the leaves have fallen, with long light poles. On seeing any bird fly into the hedge a-head, one gives the word, and both beat the hedge from opposite sides; the bird gets too confused to fly out and is generally killed by branches knocked against it; ten or twelve birds are often killed in an afternoon's "hedgin'."

HEFT.—To try the weight of a thing by lifting it. A woman selling a turkey will say "heft 'un," i.e., "Lift it to see how much it weighs."

HEN-US.—A house fitted round with rows of compartments for hens to lay eggs in, and with perches for them to roost upon.