T

Targe: A scold, a battleaxe.

'She's a right oul' targe, that one.'

Taws: A strap made of leather. Used for corporal punishment, sharpening open razor etc. Not in widespread use any more. Dominic Campbell adds: Taws is also used to mean marbles.: "Let's play (a game of) taws". Also used to mean testicles: "He cud do with a good kick in the taws"

Teem: Drain off water.
'Teem the spuds and mash in the scallions, will ye.'

Terrible: Very.

'I couldn't watch Bambi, it's terrible sad.'

Through-other: Chaotic, untidy, confused, disorganised.

'He's the most through-other bein' that God ever made.'

'Thon place is terrible through-other, I don't know how they keep goin'.'

Thee: The number after two. Probably an inherited pronunciation from Irish speakers trying to cope with unfamilar consonants when they had to rapidly switch to speaking English.

Thick: Friendly, close.

'Them two's been quare 'n' thick this years.'

Thon: That.

'See thon one thonder, he's my brorr.' Pronounced with a th sound closer to that in the than in thick.

Thonder: Over there. See above.

Til: To.

'Ah'm away til the bookies, so ah am.'

Totie: Emphasises the smallness of something.

'Ach, it was only a totie, wee cake, so it was. It'll make no difference at all.'

Tuk bad: Fell ill.

'He tuk bad and had til be tuk til the Mater.' Dominic Campbell adds: Tuk bad is also used when a woman goes into labour.

Turn: Convert.

'She was rared a Protestant but she turned when she got married, so she did.'

Tundish: A funnel, of the sort you'd use to pour petrol into your car for example.

Twig: Understand, comprehend.

'Sure, I twigged right away what he was at but I never let on.'

Trig / Trigged - You're looking quare & trig today in your new outfit

That coat of paint fair trigged up the house From: Ethna Middleton

Teeshy paper. Tissue paper, "Give us some teeshy paper 'til a wrap up his present" From: Farnsbarn

Thatch - Hair. "comb yer thatch before yah go out" From: Farnsbarn

This years- for many years. "A havn' seen him this years." From:
Stephen Hewitt

Teeshie. Pet name for Patricia From: John

Tick - Credit, hence the sign in the corner shop `BROKEN CLOCK-NO TICK'. From: Farnsbarn

Thick - in Downpatrick area can also mean 'easily riled' or 'on a short fuse'. From: Jim

Towpad. A path beside the river Lagan, where horses towed the barges, also where young couples walked on a Sunday evening. From John Maze

Ticket - someone who has acted foolishly. From - Kris

Till: Half open. Leave the wee door till, and pull the big door after ye! From: John Maze

That's sickening, it would give yee the Jandies: Better known as Jaundice, a disease of the Liver. From: John Straney

Tummler - glass (as in tummler o' milk). From: Mark

Tankin It. A Person Layin over the tank of a moterbike going at great speed. From: Donna Knapper

This weather: these days, e.g. "We're coming down in cards this weather, so we are." From: Luke Robinson

Tovy or tovie - my granny's word for someone who has a high opinion of themselves - I use it regularly - ' shes a tovy wee article ' From: Jean Elliott

Tansad: a pushchair. From Barb Redman

Tear - (rhymes with care) A drinking spree - He was on the tear all week end. From Harold Walmsley

Tarra =Terrible. e.g. 'Ach that's tarra about yer wee man dyin the other day. Tarra all together.' From: Terence Donnelly

That there: (Newry) that is usually followed by there in that there town. From Robert.

Thaveless - useless. From Jean Elliot

Tartles - clothes, especially old clothes "I'm going out to the garden on my old tartles". From Ian McConnell

Teemin'- Raining. It's teemin', rainin' cats an' dogs so it is. From Rex

Tinker - rascal -usually used to describe a spoiled bad behaved child "She's a bad wee tinker so she is". From Louise

Toul - a Belfast towel. From Glynis

Turmit: Turnip in country parts of Tyrone. From: Nigel

Towe rag: Pronounced toe rag, describes a very nasty person probably from the spinning industry as teaseing towe was an unpleasent task. From Sian Ferguson.
Roy Smyth adds: tow rag pronounced as written but derived from the word touareg, a desert dwelling arab warrior

Thole: put up with. 'You'll just have to thole the pain.' From Linda

Thran - commonly used to describe someone of a stubborn nature e.g. "He knows he was wrong, but he's too thran to apologise" From: Roland McIntyre. Paavo adds: used of a person to mean uncooperative, unpleasant, obstinate.

Tube: Idiot. From: Brian

Taty-Farl: 'Potato bread' as in 'Ge'es a bit o' taty-farl'. From: Jo

Thaefullus - weak
'He gave a thaefullus excuse for not coming'
Also can mean embarrassed: 'I was thaefullus at him' meaning I felt embarrassed for him. From Eleanor Ebrahim

Teeming refers to heavy rain
'It's teeming down outside' (why we have to confirm it's outside I don't know because I've never seen it inside) From: Sian Ferguson

Tout - to tell the authorities, or person who tells the authorities. Ranges from telling the teacher about a bullying or misbehaving classmate to passing information to the police about paramilitary colleagues. "Don't tell him anything, he's a tout"; "Did you tout on me?" From: Mark

Tovie - a conceited person who thinks a lot of himself. 'They were always very tovie. To tove - boast about yourself or your family. From Eleanor Ebrahim

Traipse - dawdle or dander. 'she traipsed up the toen to get her messages' From: David Graham

Thran: difficult, stubborn. 'That wee girl is wild thran, she won't do nothing she is told.' From Christopher Cowan.

Themins. Those people. From: Anon.

Tastie - he's a rare tastie worker/ he's very tastie
meaning to be be neat and tidy workman, good at his job. From: Mary.

Tummel/tumble...knock down.
'That's a wild bad smell, it would tummel a horse.' From Gloria Galway.

Thrapple: to choke. 'he nearly thrappled me so he did.' From Des.

Turn as in funny. He was a quare turn so he was. From: Anon

Turn. He tuk a wee turn. He became ill. From: Anncestor

Tea Leaf = to steal something. "ack he tea-leafed it" From Steph.

Talent: Good looking, attractive people ie "Was there any talent in the bar last night?" From: Sally Kelly

Tap: To beg money, to scrounge or ask for a loan ie "He tapped a fiver off me last night" From: Sally Kelly

Theday: Northern Irish for today. From: Sally Kelly

Themorra: Northern Irish for tomorrow. From: Sally Kelly

There now: At present/the present time ie "He left the house there now."
From: Sally Kelly

Thick: Stubborn, headstrong/petulant, sulky, peevish. From: Sally Kelly

Thole: To bear, tolerate, put up with. From: Sally Kelly

Thon: That, place, person, thing further removed. From: Sally Kelly

Thonner/thonder: Over there, yonder. From: Sally Kelly

Thran: Stubborn, cranky, obstinate. From: Sally Kelly

Through-going: Naughty, mishievious. From: Sally Kelly

Through-other: Untidy, unkempt, with no sense of order.
From: Sally Kelly

Throw the broad on her: To do a handbrake turn on a bicycle. From: Sally Kelly

Tight: Miserly, mean, small minded. From: Sally Kelly

To bog the arm in: To take advantage of/to take more than your fair share. From: Sally Kelly

To fit you better: To be in one's better/best interests ie 'It would fit you better if you went home early!' From: Sally Kelly

Tonic: A delightful person, someone who is good company ie "She/he's a tonic" From: Sally Kelly

Turf moul': Remnants of turf/peats - gritty substance at the bottom of the turf bucket. From: Sally Kelly

Twisted: Drunk, inebriated. From: Sally Kelly

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