Aback - some time ago in the past.
A La Vive - Live bait ... Fishing with the use of live bait. (bait kept alive in a special water filled trough. (containter/bucket)
Abir (East Indian) – red liquid thrown on participants of Phagwa.
Ajoupa – Small thatch-roofed house. Covered with woven palm branches. Walls Made from woven bamboo strips, plastered with lipe (lepay) or tapia, a mixture of clay-dirt and dried cow manure.
Alpagat - Soft cloth sandals woven top with leather soles.
All Foes (All Gours) - a card game played by four people in which points are: high, low, jack or hang-jack and game.
All Now - presently. At this very moment.
Anchar - East Indian appetizer of spicy green mangoes or pommecythere, or any fruit mixwed with massala and pepper.
Arrape - a fried mixture of cornmeal with meat.
Bacalao - Spanish for saltfish (Preserved codfish, salted).
Baggananya - Odds and ends.
Bahut (French) – Cabinet, chest, trunk. Lots of anything. Copious. Any crop in full season. Tomato in de market Bahut Bahut.
Banjar – banjo-like musical instrument with the resonant box made from a large calabash. Used in early days by minstrel mas.
Barra - East Indian soft bake, made of flour, slit open for a variety of ingredients. Two are used for doubles.
Barrication - Barricade.
Bathe in the Salt - take a sea-bath. (bathe in the sea).
Bhaigan - eggplant (melongen).
Beat Books - to cram for a test/hit the books (study).
Boof - to insult, yell at or argue with someone.
Bush Tea - a hot drink brewed from local herbs.
By de Time - in the meantime.
Caiso/Kaiso - calypso.
Callaloo - a thick soup made of dasheen leaves, okra, coconut milk, crab and seasonings.
Candle Fly – The night-flying beetle that emits a flashing phosphorescent light from an abdominal organ.
Carbide – The electropositive carbon compound used before batteries were available, to light house-lamps, bicycle headlights, hunter's searchlight.
Carietos - Indigenous First Peoples form of Calypso.
Chicki Chong - a small, hastily constructed kite made from papers, without a frame and carrying a paper tail. Also a whistling bird.
Coal Pot - a cast iron stove with coals as fuel used for cooking.
Coki-O-Ko - to carry someone on your back. (piggyback)
Congoree - Millipede. Slow-moving many-leggged worm-like creature that rolls up into a tight circle when touched. (type of insect)
Corn Hox - the cob or husk of the corn.
Coskorob (Coski) - fresh water fish.
Crab Back – A morsel made from crabmeat, bread and seasoning, served in the shell.
Crab Race - An annual event in Tobago accompanied by goat racing and general festivity. Crabs are raced in lanes with numbers or colours on their back. The course is about 3m/10ft long and made of canvas. A race may take as long as an hour.
Daal - East Indian split peas soup.
Daalpourie – East Indian roti with split peas filling.
Dahee - East Indian for yogurt.
Damadol - east indian word for tomato.
Darkers – sunglasses/night vision.
Dhantal - Eastern Indian percussion instrument consisting of a length of iron rod and u-shaped metal striker. Rod is held and released intermittently for variation in tone.
Dholak - East Indian hand drum.
Early O' Clock - very early. Well in advance.
Eat Nice - everything fine.
Echo Supper Vamper - Harmonica popular in 1940's.
Eddoes - A ground provision. Edible root.
Engine Room - the driving percussion in a steel band.
Ent – Is that not so? That’s true. Isn’t it?
Evenin' - any time after noon.
Farine - preserved grated cassava, orginally from the First Peoples.
Fat Cap - A large oversized hat worn mostly by 'Bad-Johns' in the early days.
Fensin - hedge or fence made up of live plants.
Fig - banana.
Fire Side - An outdoor cooking area made up of mud, clay and stones.
Fish Tea - fish broth.
Fishinin' - fishing.
Flambeau - a "torch light" made from kerosene-filled bottle and wick.
Fleet Ah Licks - to administer a beating that one cannot forget. A severe licking.
Flim - film.
Fresh Cold - the cold or flu.
Galvanize - galvanized iron roofing.
Garaly (Gallery) - verandah or porch.
Gilpin - cutlass or machete.
Ginger Beer - A drink extracted from the ginger root and fermented, sweetened, served cold.
Ital – Rasta vegetable diet. No meat.
Girl Days – time spent playing hoop, jacks, hop-scotoch, jumping rope, dolly house.
Grappe - French for Bunch, cluster of (grapes). Bunch of coconuts, anything. By the grappe - many at a time. A loose measurement.
Greasy Rice - rice boiled with a coconut, without meat.
Groun’ Provision - All starchy root vegetables. ie. Tanya, eddoes,dasheen, yam, potatoes etc...
Gordbrudda - friend.
Government Juice - Tap water. (free liquid)
Gummagalla - a small lizard.
Half-a-Shoes - an old shoe.
Haul Up - a drinking straw.
Heh - Here you are.
Hindi - One of the many languages spoken by T&T East Indians. Some others include Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Hindustani, Urdu.
Hollows - the landscaped section of the Savannah near the Maraval round-a-bout, between the Prime Minister’s Office and opposite the zoo, A favourite spot for picnics and family days. Also steelband concerts were held around carnival time – free to the public.
I eh askin' yuh, ah tellin' yuh - I am absolutely sure. (sometimes used even when they are not sure)
Ice Man – Character that sold ice from a pushcart and sang a little ditty. "Ice, ice, cold ice, ice in yuh ice".
Icy Hot - thermos flask.
In Trut (In truth) - for real, no lie.
In Two Twos - Very quickly. In a flash. In no time at all. Quick as a wink.
Jack Spania (also know as Jep) - One specie of wsp that usually builds its nest in and around the home near the ceiling. Becomes quite aggressive if disturbd, inflicting a pain from the tip of its tail into the flesh of the victim. Swelling, which starts almost immediately, can be lessened by squeezing the combined juices of any three available leaves and rubbing it into the spot. Sting should first be extracted if possible.
Jackalantan - Jack-o’-lantern, Will-o’-the-wisp. Folklore. A light that attracts the unwary into desolate harmful areas, far away from their destination, then the light vanishes.
Jammoon - East Indian java plum, flour sweet. Another name for Pommerac.
Jatahar - East Indian word for stick.
Jep - an hornet or jackspaniard.
Ji – East Indian - respect. ex. Mummy Ji, Aunty Ji.
Jim Boots - gym shoes.
Jitney - an ol'-time van, small transport truck, ancient 4-wheeler.
Jumbie - ghost.
Kachori - East Indian dish made from fried, seasoned, ground daal (split peas) and served with chutney.
Keroseene Stove - a two or more burner cooking stove that uses keroesene for fuel.
Kicksy - funny/entertaining/laughable.
Klim - any brand of powdered milk.
Kurma - East Indian Sweet. Flour mixture, fried to a light, crisp texture, and dipped into a sugar solution.
L'argour - money (patois).
Lancin - a sharp, piercing pain.
Las-Lap - last jump up before midnight Ash Wednesday for those who didn't get enough of Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
Lazy Man Wo'k - Work done in a slip-shod manner. To Take short cuts on a job, thereby making it unsafe or look unfinished.
Lef Dat - leave that!
Lef to me - if it was left up to me.
Licks - a beating or spanking (physical punishment).
Macafouchette - the left overs of a meal.
Mafube - Large plantain (Tobago).
Make Style - too show off.
Mala - east indian word for flower garland.
Manicou Crab - a mountain crab. Brown vicious in nature.
Merle Corbeau - French for blackbird.
Mess Up - to spoil a good time.
Ming Pilling – Very stingy. Very silly person.
Morocoy - a member of the turtle family that lives on land.
Mo-Vay-Lang (Mauvais Langue ... French for "Bad tongue") - to bad talk someone, or engage in nasty gossip.
Nai - East Indian Barber.
Nail jook - when you step on an upright nail bare-footed (requires a tetanus shot).
Nana - East Indian for grandfather.
Nani - East Indian for Grandmother.
Nort' Stan' – The North Stand within the Carnival Complex of the Queen’s Park Savannah, temporarily erected for the Carnival celebrations, attracting the more boisterous and party-seeking patrons.
Not So Hot - Not feeling well (uner the weather...ill/sick).
Nutmeg – A dense crowned tree with aromatic wood. Fruit oval, splitting to reveal a dark seed, covered by a red-branched mace. Stroke victims keep a piece of seed in their mouth to ward off further attacks. Grated seed spice flavoring for eggnog and punch. Produces hallucinations.
Nylon Pool – a waist-high are off Buccoo reef in Tobago, seemingly in the middle of the ocean. So named because of its remarkably clear water.
Obeah - a kind of witchcraft or sorcery practised in the Caribbean.
Ocean - A character famous for being able to consume great volumes of food and drink at one sitting, whose legend grows with time. Winner of many eating competitions. Etc.. pitch-oil.
Ochroe and Rice - popular cook up of ochroes and rice, with a little salftish. (Okra... West Africa)
One One – Just one or two. Only a few. Scattered.
One To Go - a route or "pirate" taxi driver call for one more passenger to fill the cab or maxi so it maybe on its way.
Qui – French for who, whom, that, which.
Out de Lite - turn off the light.
Own-Way – Stubborn person. One who always insists on having his own way, right or wrong.
Pan - Musical Instrument indigenous to Trinidad & Tobago. 55-gallon oil drums are cut to various depths that determine pitch and resonance of high tenors to deep bass. Tempered through fire and hammering, grooved sections are tuned to carry the full chromatic range of notes capable of playing from Classic to Calypso.
Panyard - where a local panside practice in their location (home yard for their community).
Papa Yo - exclamation of surprise.
Parang - Originating in Venezuela, old Spanish type songs, performed in the festive Christmas season by ‘Perandero’ groups.
Partner in Crime – Bird of a feather. Good buddies.
Pastelle - a Christmas delicacy, made from grated corn stuffed with meat, olivies, raisins, etc. wrapped and tied in banana leaves and boiled.
Pembwa - breadfruit.
PH – A private car being illegally operated as taxi. License plate start with 'P' for private, 'H' for hired or taxi.
Picoplat - small bird, kept for its whistling abilities.
Pioki - a sand fly.
Police an T'ief - a kids game of cops and robbers.
Pommerac - pear shaped fruit, red in colour with white cotton flesh, containing a large seed.
Poopa - father...used to describe any outstanding person or thing.
Pow - Chinese puffed, steamed, meat-filled pie.
Queeze - squeeze.
Quick sharp! - Quickly! Hurry! Right now! Do fas!.
Quidbullin' - Bird-whistling competition.
Quite - Very far away.
Racketty - shaky (not strong).
Raff - To grab suddenly. To seize, snatch.
Ramage - French warbling birds. A creative musical solo; musical improvisation. Sustained whistling of a bird. To cuss and carry on at length.
Rain Set Up - large nimbi (rain clouds) darkening the sky - a sign of impending rain.
Rapso - the poetry of Calypso, the power of the word, championed by Brother Resistance many years before USA Rap appeared.
Ray Minor - A minor key .. the key in which most old-time lavways were played.
Red Mango - Chopped full mangoes, boiled, prepared with sugar, spices, red food colouring. Also prepared with pepper seasoning without sugar.
Revin - earlier name for pan ramage (ramajay).
Rock Cake – Heavy cake made with grated coconut. Very hard, hence given the name Rock cake.
Rockstone - a small stone.
Roller – A bicycle rum without spokes, usually pushed along with a stick.
Rounders - A mainly girl's game - like baseball without the bat. The runaround.
Safe - storage cabinet for food. Made of wooden uprights and shelves and completely encased in a fine mesh wire which kept its contents "safe" from flies etc...
Saga Ting - Popular dance of the early 1960’s. Any fancy finishes, pretty or frilly touches added to the average thing.
Sahina - deep fried dhal with either spinach, pakchoi (bok choy), or dasheen .
Salt Kind - any salt-preserved meat. (pigtail, pig-feet, ox-tail)
Sampat - an old slipper.
Scarlet Ibis - Protected bird, displayed on the left side of the National Coat-of-Arms. Nests in the Sanctuary, in the Caroni Swamp.
Sea Bart - sea bath.
Shades - sunglasses.
Siparia – First Peoples mission town. In 1795, the Capuchin priests, following a Pope Pious VI decree that declared La Divina Pastora (The Divine Shepherdess) the patron saint of all the Capuchin missions, a festival still celebrated to this day. It was also the place where the First Peoples developed the Tapia loam for plastering their ajoupas.
Sling - syrup of sugar cane.
States - anywhere in the United States of America.
Strimps - shrimps. (seahell type of food)
Sugar Cake – confectionery made from grated coconut, boiled in sugar with added food colouring.
Swell up yuh Face - to look angry or pout.
T'ree Hole - a game of marbles involving three small holes hastily dug for that occasion. Sometimes played with raw cashew nuts.
Tac Tac - a large black hunting aunt whose bite causes swelling.
Talala - confusion.
Tan Tan - aunt.
Tantie - auntie.
Tea - any hot drink (tea, coffee or chocolate milk etc...).
Ten Comman'ments - bared feet, ten toes exposed.
Tin Cup - a drinking vessel fashioned from a used milk tin, handle and all.
Topside - windward side of Tobago.
Torchlight - a flashlight.
Trinbago - Trinidad & Tobago – used to express unity and the single statehood of both islands.
Trinidad Time - anytime...up tomany hours late for an appointment. Also any time is the right time to be in Trinidad.
Twin Brother - good friend.
Umpteen - Universal. Plenty of anything.
Underneat - sly/underhanded.
Upstairs H ouse - a two-storey dwelling (house/home).
Vanity - dresser top with a lit mirror where ladies pt on their make up.
Veni (patois) - come.
Vincy - A citizen of St. Vincent.
Vup - In cricket, to swing the bat as hard as possible. A wild vup - to do the same but with the eyes closed, and hoping with some luck to hit the ball.
Vuvaneer - to hover like a bee or humming bird.
Waiter - a serving tray.
Walk a Good Foot - to arrive jus in time; ex. lunch (Tobago).
Wash Dong – To Drink any liquid after a meal.
Water Coconut - a coconut which is young and full of liquid.
We go pick up - see ya later!
We is we - you are among frineds (we are all one).
Who doh hear go feel - Those who don't heed (listen to) advice or warnings will feel the consequences.
Wood Ants - termites.
X It - a method of measuring any distance by 'ex'-panding the fingers and using the space between the thumb and little fingers as one 'measure'. Movement is made by moving the thumb over until it touches the little finger in a sideways crab-like motion.
X-tray - X-ray.
Yam – 'Ground' provision. The fleshy, edible tuberous root of a genus (Dioscorea) of climbing tropical plants. A large variety of the sweet potato.
Yam it Dong - To eat hastily.
Zaboca - avacado pear.
Zabico – One of the many varieties of mango.
Zagaa - gecko (house) lizard usually foun behin pictures on walls waiting to pounce on any unwary insects..
Zante – Stick fighting movement. Zante yuh body. Gallery – to show off. Also Exante Xante.
Zaqai - Tobago 'swiper' - long handle curved blade, cuts grass with a swiping action.
Zangie - fresh water eel.
Zashwa - Sardines.
Zatie - small cut.
Zigwah - a detour from a planned route.
Zingay ta-la-la - An old folk song.
Zug/Zug Up - A rough and uneven cutting of anything.