H

 

Half, on...
Unfinished, as in ".... they called in while I was busy 'round the house so I had to leave the work on half."

Half soaked, 'alf soaked
Slow in movement and/or wit; "He's proper 'alf soaked - too slow to catch a cold.!

Hammer and Tongs
Loudly, passioately; "You could 'ear them 'alf way down the street - quarreling 'ammer and tongs they was!"

Hammering/'ammering, a good...
A thrashing, as in "When I get you home by damn you're in for a good 'ammering!"

Had
(a) Tricked; "He thought he had a bargain there, but he was had!"
(b) Available ; "I was out of flour to make a bit of cake, and there was none to be had."

Had up
Summoned to appear in court; "He was 'ad up for speeding... "

Hair off/'air off
Showing anger; "You're dad will 'ave 'is 'air off when 'e sees what you been up to!"

Hand/'and, turn 'is...
Ability, skill as in "Oh, 'e's a tidy feller 'round the 'ouse - (he can) turn 'is 'and to anythin(g)."

Hand, in your...
(a) A way of having tea; "Will you have a cup of tea in your hand, or will you have it by the table, tidy like??!
(b) Readily available; "You can't turn that down - it's money in the 'and really!"

Hand's turn/ 'and's turn
Work, as in "'E's too tired to gerrout of 'is own way - never does (a) 'ands turn 'round the 'ouse."

Handy/'andy
Skilful, good at D.I.Y.: "'E's real 'andy 'round the 'ouse - e've just knocked their two rooms into one!"

Haze for heat/'aze for 'eat
A phrase used by local weather prophets when assuring you that the early morning mist will give way to warm sunshine.

Heaps/'eaps
(a) Plenty, a large number; "She put plenty of food forthem - there was 'eaps to be 'ad there." and "There's 'eaps/loads a people coming to the party."
(b) A good deal, as in "She've been bard this ages - but she's 'eaps better now!".

Heart/'eart
Willingness, motivation "They're so slummocky - I'm gone. I don't have no 'eart to clean the place now."

Heaving/'eaving
Crowded, as in "I'm gone. I 'ate all this Christmas shopping - everywhere's 'eavin(g), innit??"

Heavy hand/'eavy 'and
Strees and strain, as in "She've 'ad (a) 'eavy 'and with 'im - nursing 'im all through the winter."

Heavy handed/'eavy/'anded
Liking a lot of, as in "He's light on the milk, but he's heavy handed on the sugar."

Hec
To hop. This is the Welsh word for the action.

Hewm/'ewn
At ease with - another Welsh word.

Hight-th/'eyt-th
Height, in Wenglsih, is treated in the same manner as 'depth'; "That tree you planted is a fair hight-th/eyth-th now, innit?"

Hikey/ikey
Conceited. stuck up; "'Ikey bit she is for sure!"

Hi-ya, Eye-ah
Seemingly on of the most popular forms of local greting nowadays having supplanted to a large extent one time favourites like 'shw mai?', and 'owbe?' and 'awright?'

Hell
c.f. ''Ell

Here's
What awful, as in "Here's weather - masty like?"

Hit him sick/'it 'im sick
A dreadful sounding, often uttered (but thankfully rarely executed) local threat,;"There's times I could cheerfully 'it 'im sick."

Hobbles/'obbles
'Moonlighting', illicit work, as in "'E's supposed (sposed) to be on the sick, but 'e's doing a tidy few 'obbles!"

Hog/'og
Extent, as in "There was no half measures - we atta go the whole (whool) hog/'ool 'og."

Holt
Wenglish for 'hold' as in "He took holt of her coat to stop her from going."

Hop/'op, on the...
Without preparation, unexpectedly, as in "Only after breakfast they told us about it - we atta go on the 'op as it were."

Hopeluss/'opeluss
Hopeless

Hopes
Expectations, as in "'E's been real bard this ages, but there's 'opes for 'im now."

Hope in hell/'ope in 'ell
No chance at all, as in "I told 'em to forget it - they 'aven't an 'ope in 'ell."

How are you fixed?
How are you placed?, as in "They're running a trip to the Panto on Tuesday - how are you fixed for going?"

How(s) (are) you keeping?
A local enquiry about the stae of one's health; "How (are) you keepin(g) these days with all this sicknuss about??"

How are you off for.... ?
How well provided are you for... ?? Do you need any fresh supplies of...?

How do you sell.... ?
What price is/are.... ? As in, "How do you sell the apples, eggs, ham etc..."

How's it looking?
What are my prospects?; "How's it looking to borrow a couple of quid??"

Howbe/'owbe
A local greeting

Hump/'ump
Carry; "When you've finished youer shopping, you gorrw 'ump it all the way back!"

Hunted
Searched, as in ".... I can't think where it can be - I've 'unted 'igh and low ....