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.

Defining ‘Geordie’ | The Roots of ‘Geordie’ | ‘Mackem’

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 where they are called ‘linns’. ‘Force’ meaning waterfall, is a Viking word.
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 theatre 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. See Who is a Geordie?
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 / thorsty.

H : Howay hinny, hoy oot yer haipeths

Haad: Hold can also occur as ‘haud’.
Haad yer pash: Be patient.
Hacky: Dirty / dorty. “Me spade’s hacky”. Also means Lazy.
Hadaway: Get away – you’re having me on. Thought to derive from a naval / nautical 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: ‘Hyuff’. A spur-shaped hill or promontory such as that at Hartlepool or Tynemouth or Segger Heugh at Sacriston.
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 for North East miners.
Hoos: House.
Hope: A side valley, especially in the dales of Northumberland and Durham for example Hedleyhope, Burnhope, Sweethope.
Horts: Hurts.
Hes or Hez: Has.
Hoppings: A fair or dance from the Anglo-Saxon hoppen meaning 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

11oz Geordie Mug