Page:Glossary of words in use in Cornwall.djvu/210

Rh Mark the ground, put foot to the ground. 'He could hardly mark the ground:' said of a horse that was very lame.

Marred, v. hindered; interfered with.

Married upon, Married on, v. married to. 'She was married upon a man they call McKee.'

Marrow, v. to lend men or horses for labour to a neighbour, and to receive a similar loan in return when needed. Same as To neighbour.

Marvel, sb. a marble.

Mashheroon, sb. a mushroom.

Mashy-coms, Mash-corns, sb. roots of 'silver-weed' (Potentilla anserina). The root is roasted and eaten. It tastes much like a parsnip ('s Flora Belfastiensis).

Mass. 'If ye missed mass ye hut the gatherin',' i. e. you nearly did something.

Master, sir; a term of address. 'Are you wanting any bog-wood the day, master?'

Mate, sb. meat; i. e. food of any kind. 'The horse dos'nt take his mate now at all.'

Material, adj. good; excellent. 'A material cow.'

Maug, v. to walk away. 'Maug off with you.'

Maunder, v. to talk in a wandering way.

Maunna, Maunnae, v. must not.

Mavis (pron. maivis), sb. a thrush. 'You can sing like a mavis,* a saying, generally used satirically.

May be that! Oh! indeed I

May flower, sb. the marsh marigold, Caltha palustris.

May I never stir, an appeal, used to give force to any statement.

May jack, sb. the whimbrel. It is erroneously believed to be the young of the curlew.

May shell, sb. the bone of a cuttle fish, Sepia officinalis.

Mays. 'Between the two Mays,' between the 1st and 12th of May.

Meal ark, sb. a large chest or bin for holding a store of meal.

Meal's meat, sb. a meal; the food taken at one meal.

Mealy-crushy, sb. oatmeal, fried in dripping. Same as Durgan.

Mealy-mouthed, adj. shy; backward in asking; not speaking out plainly when something disagreeable has to be said.

Mean. 'As mean as get out,' very mean.

Means. 'Not by no manner of means,' i. e. by no means.