GEORDIE DIALECT WORDS F to H

Geordie words beginning with F, G and H. The phrases in bold are translated at the end of the page.

Geordie Words : A-B | C-E | F-H | I-L | M-Q | R-T | U- Z

F : Feul, frozzen on a fell wi’oot a fern

Faa: To fall, also the name of a Gypsy clan (the Faws) and a general term for a gypsy.
Faalen Wrang: Pregnant.
Fadge: A kind of loaf / girdle cake.
Fash and Fashed: To Trouble or to bother.
Fatha: Dad. Especially in County Durham. ‘Me fatha’s gan doon the toon’
Fell: Hill.
Femmer: Fragile or easily broken. A Viking word.

Fern: Phone.
Fernietickles: Freckles.
Fettle: Mend fix, good condition, good health. In good fettle. Also ‘What fettle the day? – how are things with you today, what’s happening? Fine fettle means in good shape.
Flummixed: Stumped in an argument, gobsmacked etc. Aw wes’ flummixed.
Flee: Fly. ‘We flee oot on Satada’.
Foisty: Musty.
Fond: Silly. Fond fyeul – a silly fool.
Fond of a treat: Dicing with danger or difficulty.
Force: Waterfall in Teesdale and Yorkshire but not in Weardale or Northumberland.
Footie: Game of football.
Forry: Ferry. ‘Aw catched the varry forst forry’.
Forst: First.
Fower: Four.
Fyeul or Feul: Fool.
Frae: From. The same as in Scots but much rarer in North East England.
Frozzen: Freezing, feeling cold. ‘A’m frozzen’.

G : Glaiky aad gadgies gan canny in galluses

Gadgie: A man, usually an old man, an aad gadgie, or an official of some kind. Word of Romany gypsy origin. An aad Gadgie is an old man.
Gaff: Old theatre or cinema. A cheap theate was called a ‘penny gaff’ or flea pit.
Galloway or Gallowa’: Pony.
Gallusses: Braces (for trousers).
Gan: Go. From the Anglo Saxon and Viking word for go.
Gan Canny: Go carefully. Take care.
Gan on the Hoy: To go out drinking.
Gang: Variation of ‘Gan’, see above.
Gannin: Going – Gannin’ alang the Scotswood Road to see the Blaydon Races.
Ganny: Grandmother. Especially Sunderland and also South Shields.
Ganzie / Gansey: A jumper / sweater.
Garth: Yard or Garden. ‘Haad on ma, aw’s wetchin Garth Crooks on the telly’…’Nee bether, aboot time they catched those gnome thieves’.
Gate: Usually means ‘way’ or ‘street’ often found in older North East street names like Gallowgate, Bondgate, Gilesgate. ‘Gan yer ain gate’ means go your own way. As in the well-knaan Fleetwood Mac sang ‘Ye can gan yer ain gate’.
Gaumless: Stupid or useless. A Norse word.
Geet: Geet. Very or great. ‘Geet walla’ means very big.
Getten: Got. ‘Aw’s been getten a new fern’ – I’ve got a new phone. Ooo!
Geordie: A native of Tyneside and especially Newcastle. Historically seems to have been a term for a North East pitman and not just those from Newcastle.
Gie: Give. See also Give.
Gill: A ravine.
Girn: Grimace or grin.
Gissy: Pig.
Give: Given. ‘It was give to us.
Give Ower or Gie Ower: Stop doing that, it’s annoying.
Glaky: Awkward or slow in wit.
Glee Ee: Squinty.
Gliff: A fright.
Glower: Glare or to gaze in wonder.
Gob: Mouth also known as a mooth.
Good: Well, healthy. ‘Aw’s good thanks’.
Googley: Staring, rolling prominent eyes.
Goosegog: Gooseberry.
Gowk: A fool, a cuckoo (the bird) or also a core as in an apple core.
Gox: God. As in Begox – By God.
Grand-Da: Grandfather, especially in Durham but could also be Grandfatha’.
Graft: Work hard
Grund: Ground.
Gulley: A large knife.
Gyet: Gate or way, road etc.
Gyetsid, Gyetside: Gateshead.
Gyezend: Thirsty.

Geordie Dictionary Print. Featuring over 560 North East words. Poster Print (A2 only).

H : Howay hinny, hoy oot yer haipeths

Haad: Hold can also occur as haud.
Haad yer pash: Be patient.
Hacky: Dirty. ‘Me spade’s hacky’. Also means Lazy.
Hadaway: Get away – you’re having me on. Thought to derive from a naval term.
Hadden: Get a hold of it.
Haipeth: Half Penny.
Hanky: Handkerchief.
Hard: Heard.
Hardlies: Rarely, scarcely. ‘A’wve hardlies bin thor.
Harrin’: Herring.
Hather: Heather also known as ling.
Haugh: Pronounced Hoff or Harf – flat riverside land eg Derwenthaugh, Blakehopeburnhaugh.

Haway: A Sunderland phrase of encouragement usually including a mysteriously placed apostrophe as in ha’way. The Tyneside equivalent is ‘Howay’ (which see also) meaning ‘come on’. ‘Ha’way the lads’ is often heard at Sunderland football matches.
Heor: Here.
Heugh: A spur-shaped hill or promontory such as that at Hartlepool or Tynemouth or Segger Heugh.
Hev: Have. ‘Te’ hev and te’ haad’.
Hewer: Coal miner who works at the coalface.
Hinny: Honey – a term of endearment. ‘Y’areet hinny?’
Hoggers: Pitmen’s trousers.
Holm: Island in a river or dry land surrounded by marshy land, river meadow.
Hookie mat: Home-made mat.
Honkers/Honkas: Ya’ honkas/ On your haunches. Was a popular resting/sitting stance of North East miners.
Hoos: House.
Hope: A side valley, esepcially in the dales of Northumberland and Durham for example Hedleyhope.
Horts: Hurts.
Hes or Hez: Has.
Hoppings: A fair or dance from the Anglo-Saxon word hoppenmeaning fair. The Toon Moor Hoppings are held in Newcastle.
Hor: Her.
How: A call for someone to pay attention, be alert. See ‘How Man!’ below.
How Man: Hey be careful man, calm down, listen to what I’m saying be sensible etc.
Howay: An encouraging phrase from Tyneside meaning ‘come on’ – ‘Howay the lads’ is chanted at Newcastle United football matches. Howay is Tyneside. See also Haway
Howay Man: Come along hurry up etc. The phrase “Howay-man-woman-man” might be addressed to a woman who needs to catch up or speed up either physically or mentally. When addressed to a male the phrase is simply “Howay Man!”
Howfing: Huge, great
Howk: Scratch or pick.
Hoy: Throw. “Gannin on the Hoy” or “Gan on the Hoy” means to go out drinking.
Hoyin’ Oot: Throwing out, or pub closure time.
Hunkers: See honkers.
Hyem or Yem,  Hame: Home. Scandinavian origin. More rarely occurs as ‘hame’ but that word is more common in Scotland. ‘Aw’s gan yem’ means I’m going home.

F – Feul, frozzen on a fell wi’oot a fern  :

A foolish person getting rather cold on a remote hill without a cell phone.

G – Glaky aad gadgies gan canny in galluses  :

Slow-witted old men going on their way rather carefully wearing trouser braces. Keep on going gentlemen.

H – Howay hinny hoy oot yer haipeths :

Come on my dear throw away your old half-pennies (they’re no longer legal currency – haven’t been for years).

Geordie’ dialect origins | Origins of the term Geordie?

‘Mackems’ and Jamies | Geordie Dictionary