an interrogative particle conveying the idea expressed by the pronoun “which”;

the nouns linked with it are followed by relative sentences: d-ɔʋ̃a [ ˩ \ ] which man: who;

d-eʋ̃i [ ˩ \ ] which thing: what;

d-ɛɣɛ [ ˩ ˩ ], d-ɛkpo [ ˥ ˥ ] which time: when;

d-ɛdɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] which day: when;

d-eke [ ˩ ˥ ], d-ehe [ ˩ ˥ ] which place: where;

d-asɛ [ ˥ ˥ ], d-ako [ ˩ ˩ ] which spot: where;

d-uki [ ˩ ˩ ] which month;

d-ɛʋo [ ˩ ˩ ] which country.

It is used alone in d-en-ɔxĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] which (out of a certain number) is it?

(2) when used with ɔʋ̃a [ ˩ \ ] and repeated with a following noun or with ɔɣ-ɔe [ ˥ \ ] it comes to mean “every one”, e.g. d-ɔʋ̃a d-ɔɣ-ɔe wɛ ri-eʋaɽe obɔ-ɽe [ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ] everyone must eat his own food;

d-ɔʋ̃a d-owa-ɽe lao [ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ / ] everyone must enter his own house, i.e. “I do not want you here any longer”.

to have a severe, hard effect, in obɔ da‿e [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] “hand was hard on him”: he received a severe blow;

gi-obɔ da‿e [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] “let the hand be severe on him”: hit him properly!

an encouragement for one party in a fight;

ɔda ʋ̃ɛ gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] it grieves me very much;

I am very sorry;

idiom.: eʋ̃i da‿e [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] “thing grieves him” viz. to give it away: he is stingy;

cf. eʋ̃idaʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ].

an auxiliary verb indicating (1) that the subject performs the main action of his own will, or initiative;

t-idaɽu‿ɛe [ ˥ ˦ ˦ (4-1) ] I shall do it of my own free will;

ɔmakɛɽ-agi-ɔ, ukeda-ɣaxiã [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ ] “it was not (yet) up to the time that you were sent, then you went on your own account”: you went before you were sent.

(2) (with a long vowel) that the subject is just starting to perform the main action;

t-idaɽu‿ɛe [ \ ˥ ˥ \ ] I am starting to do it (now).

to drink alcoholic drinks, also d-anyɔ [ ˩ ˥ ];

cf. ɔdanyɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

to pour down, of rain;

stronger than rhɔ [ / ];

amɛ na dae-sɛse [ ˩ / ˩ \ ˥ ˦ ] the rain has come down with a vengeance;

cf. da [ / ] (?).

in d-itã [ ˥ ˩ ] to take the ordeal;

da‿e [ ˥ ˩ ] take it!

da-ɽe [ ˩ \ ] pass (it to) him!

in d-iɣo [ ˥ ˩ ] ɽua [ ˥ ] “to become smoke”: to be annihilated (in a war-song);

also d-iɣ-ua [ ˥ / ];

probably also in d-ihoi [ ˥ ˩ ] to be in vain.

in d-iziɣa [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] to commit a murder;

Ojo d-iziɣa ʋ-egb-aʋ̃-ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ n-ɛɣ-ɛd-ia [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ] Ojo committed the murder of his wife three days ago.

in da [ ˥ ] vã [ ˥ ], da [ ˥ ] tu [ ˥ ] to shout;

da [ ˥ ] tie [ / ] to shout (and call somebody).

to stretch out;

to turn towards;

in da‿obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to stretch a hand out (in order to obtain something).

As second part of verbal combinations it indicates a direction towards somebody or something: giɛ [ ˥ ] da [ / ] to laugh in the direction of, or towards, somebody;

ɣɛgiɛ da ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] “don’t laugh towards me!” but ɣɛgiɛ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ \ ] “don’t laugh at me!” mu aɽo [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] da [ / ] to turn one’s face towards somebody.

As first part of verbal combinations in da [ / ] na [ ˥ ] to give somebody precedence of seniority, i.e. though being equal in age and position, as a matter of politeness;

ɔda mɛ gbe [ ˩ / ˦ ˧ ] he always gives me precedence.

da [ / ] yi [ ˥ ] na [ ˥ ] to hold something for somebody;

miɛ da‿e yi mɛ (miɛ [ / ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “take and hold it for me!” da [ / ] yi [ ˥ ] xɛ [ / ] (a) to stop somebody until somebody else comes ( “to stop wait”);

da‿e yi xɛ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “stop him (to wait) for me!” (b) to adjourn (legal proceedings);

mad-en-ɛzɔ yi xɛ‿iko n-ɔde [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ] we adjourned the case until the next court ( “wait court which is coming”).

da [ / ] yi [ ˥ ] is also “to prevent”, e.g. in ɔda ʋ̃ɛ yi n-iɣɛgb-ẽbe na [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˨ ˨ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he prevented me from writing this letter, lit. “that I might not write”.

In connection with a noun and a verb in d-amɛ [ / ˩ ] na [ ˥ ] (or gu [ ˥ ]) to catch dropping water for somebody;

d-amɛ gũ ʋ̃ɛ (or mɛ [ ˥ ]) ya nw-igaɽi na [ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “catch the (dropping) water for me to (take and) drink this cassava”.

d-obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] yi [ ˥ ] to hold on (doing something);

d-obɔ yi‿itere [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] hold on until I come!

bad;

eʋ̃i dã nɔ [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] it is a bad thing (scil. to do).

a tree, Parinarium sp.

to carry (heavy things) by hand;

ɔdada‿e xiã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] he is carrying it along.

exact(ly);

of time.

cf. da 3 [ ˥ ].

(1) to test;

cf. ɔdaʋ̃(ɛ)ofigbɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(2) to taste something.

(3) in daʋ̃-ehɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to test ear”: to listen;

ɔdaʋ̃-ehɔ-ɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] he is listening to it.

(1) to fall;

ɔde ʋ-uhuʋ̃-erhã [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] he fell from the top of the tree;

iter.: dele [ ˩ ˥ ], e.g. in iɽ̃ã dele [ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] they fell (one after the other), but iɽ̃ã de [ ˥ ˩ \ ] they fell (all at the same time).

(2) to happen;

to come about;

ʋ-ɔya-de [ \ ˩ ˥ ] “what did it take to fall?”: how did it come about?

Combinations with verbs: de [ ˥ ] ba [ / ] to join;

v. ya 3 [ ˥ ] ba [ / ];

ɔde ba‿iɽ̃ã [ ˩ ˧ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he joined them;

ɔde ba-ɽe [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] it agrees to it;

it goes with it, of different kinds of merchandise (e.g. beans) which can be mixed with each other in order to fetch a higher price.

de [ ˥ ] gbe [ ˥ ] to fall on something.

de [ ˥ ] gb-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] to fall on the ground, down;

ɔfe ʋ̃-obɔ de gb-otɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] it slipped from my hand (and) fell down.

de [ ˥ ] kũ [ / ] to knock against somebody or something, e.g. in the dark;

idiom.: de kũ‿erhã kũ‿iri [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to hit oneself here and there, “against rope, against wood”;

ɔde kũ‿erhã kũ‿iri xiã ʋɔ-d-anyɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ˥ ] he hits against this and that when he is drunk.

de [ ˥ ] lel-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to fall (and) follow one another”: to fall one after the other, as e.g. bottles standing in a row;

v. dele [ ˩ ˥ ].

de [ ˥ ] mudia [ ˥ ˥ ] to stop dead when going or running, or e.g. when suddenly sliding.

Combinations with a noun: d-igwɛ [ ˥ ˥ ] to kneel, but de-gwɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] (a) to fall on one’s knees, e.g. in wrestling;

iɽ̃ã hegbasikã ʋ-ɔde-gwɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] they had just started shaking each other (as a preliminary to a wrestling-match), when he fell down on his knees.

(b) to remain unfulfilled;

to fail, of a promise;

enya n-ɔnyaɽ̃ɛ̃ hia de-gwɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] all the promises he has given have not been carried out.

(c) to sink in, of the nose, as an organic malformation;

ihu-ɛɽe de-gwɛ [ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] his nose is sunk in, deformed.

in de [ ˥ ] kɛ(e) [ / ] to remain, also de [ ˥ ] kɛ [ / ] re [ ˥ ];

inya n-ɔde kɛ re bũ n-aɣaɽ-axwɛ (ɽe [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] “yams which remain are many that we may eat (them) to-morrow”: there remain for us many yams to be eaten to-morrow;

n-ɔde kɛe r-eʋa [ ˥ ˥ / ˦ (3-1) ] the remainder is there;

cf. kɛ 1 [ / ].

to tie;

to fasten;

de [ / ] mu [ ˥ ] to tie to;

d-ɛɽe mu‿erhã na [ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] tie it to this stick!

cf. Yor. de [ ˩ ];

v. gba 2 [ ˥ ].

an exclamation calling attention to one’s presence (A. Biogr.);

v. ge [ \ ].

to embrace;

v. mu 1 [ ˥ ], va 2 [ ˥ ] mu [ ˥ ].

(1) if;

deɣ-ɛr-owa, ta ma-ɽ̃ɛ̃-ɣ-irhi-ukpɔ̃ ʋ-eʋ̃ã [ ˥ / ˥ ˦ ˩ / / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] if he is not at home, tell him that I have taken a cloth from here!

(2) a particle implying that a question asked will be answered in the affirmative: “I hope..., I suppose ...”: deɣ-uma [ ˥ ˩ / ] I hope you are well?

to buy;

eʋ̃i n-udɛe ɔna xĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ˩ \ ] is this the thing you have bought?

id-osisi [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] I bought a gun;

d-eʋ̃i na mɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] buy this thing for me!

(e)n-ɔd-eʋ̃i‿kuɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] “he who buys on credit”: debtor;

cf. adɛ [ ˥ ˩ ];

v. xiɛ̃ [ ˥ ].

to see;

idɛ ɣ-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˧ / ˩ ] I saw it;

cf. bɛ [ ˥ ] ɣe [ / ], ɣe [ / ];

v. miɛ [ ˥ ].

to be brave;

ɔdĩ [ ˩ \ ] he is brave.

to be hoarse;

urhu dĩ‿ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ] “voice is hoarse (to) him”: he is hoarse;

v. ɛgogo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

in dia [ ˥ ] ke [ ˥ ] to be near;

v. si [ ˥ ] kɛ [ / ].

dia [ ˥ ] ya [ ˥ ] to stay somewhere;

to lodge;

ɔdi-eʋ̃a ya [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] he (often, or usually) stays here (the ya is not used in relative sentences);

v. mu 1 [ ˥ ].

to become, be straight;

ɔdiae [ ˩ \ ] it is straight.

to menstruate.

(1) to be old;

idiom.;

used by old people instead of xĩ-ɔ̃maɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] for men, animals, and trees;

ahĩaʋ̃ɛ na dido [ ˥ ˦ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ] this is an old bird, e.g. if its flesh is tough.

(2) to be mighty, e.g. by possessing a powerful charm;

v. wohia [ ˥ ˩ ].

cf. de 1 [ ˥ ].

cf. da 6 [ ˥ ].

cf. da 6 [ ˥ ].

to reach;

to arrive;

idĩn-eʋa, imami-ɔɛ̃ ʋ-owa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] I arrived there (but) I did not find him at home;

idiom.: dĩn-odɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “to reach the road”: to be successful;

a curse: eʋ̃i n-uɽu hia ɛɣadĩn-odɛ nwuɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] lit. “things that you are doing all, it will not reach the road for you”: whatever you do will not meet with success;

this can only be used as a curse, not in conversation with a man who is unlucky, apparently because the expression itself is considered to be harmful;

v. heʋeheʋe [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

to be senior;

idĩ-ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] I am senior to him ( “I senior him”);

cf. odiɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ];

v. dido [ ˥ ˩ ], ixiʋ̃i [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

cf. da 5 [ ˥ ].

to (rot and) germinate;

of seed-yam only.

(1) to be deep;

ɛzɛ na diʋ̃i gbe [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] this river is very deep.

(2) to be hard to understand;

to be idiomatic;

exɔ-ɽe diʋ̃i gbe [ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] his conduct is hard to understand;

ɛdo n-uzɛe na ɛdo n-ɔdiʋ̃i nɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˥ ] the Bini you speak is “deep” Bini, i.e. very idiomatic speech.

(3) to go to the bottom of a river, etc.;

v. iɽ̃aʋ̃iɽ̃ã [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ];

cf. diʋ̃idiʋ̃i [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ], udiʋ̃iʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ].

deep, but not narrow;

v. gulugulu [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ];

used with the verb ye [ ˥ ];

cf. diʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ].

not to reach normal size;

to fall short in size, of men, animals, but also of corn;

cf. xwiɛxwiɛɛxwiɛ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ];

v. kpɛ-iri [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] (of men and animals only).

cf. da 7 [ ˥ ].

(1) to weave, also used of the spider.

du‿ido [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to weave (ido [ ˩ ˥ ] “weaving”).

d-ukpɔ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ] to weave cloth.

(2) to make baskets;

gũ ʋ̃ɛ hu‿ɔʋ̃a n-ɔgua du‿oxuae (ho [ / ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˩ \ ] help me to look for a man who knows how to make baskets!

(1) to attend, e.g. du‿ɛki [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] “to attend market”: to trade;

du‿ikotu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to attend at court, of chiefs;

do‿ugie, d-ugie [ ˥ ˩ ] to hold an ugie, of the Ɔba and his chiefs.

(2) to be in full swing, of trade in the market;

ɛki do [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] the market is on, or is in full swing.

to feed, of birds and bush-animals;

v. ɽe 1 [ ˥ ] (of man and domestic animals).

to stand around somebody or something;

cf. ga [ / ].

a verb implying the idea “to come”, but always followed by another verb: “to come in order to do something”;

v. ya [ / ];

do s-ɛɣɛ na (sɛ 1 [ ˥ ]) [ / ˩ / ˩ ] “coming to reach this time”: up to this time;

until now.

to do something secretly;

ɔdo ɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] he did it secretly.

do [ / ] guã [ / ] “to talk secretly”: to whisper.

do [ / ] gu [ ˥ ] guã [ / ] to talk to somebody in secret;

to whisper to somebody.

do [ / ] mu [ ˥ ] “to carry secretly away”: to steal (heavy things).

do [ / ] rhie [ / ] “to take secretly away”: to steal;

ɔdo ʋ̃-ɛ̃rhu rhie [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ] he stole me my cap;

ɔdo ɛwu rhie gũ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he stole a garment for me.

cf. da [ / ].

to move to and fro, of people ill, drunk, drugged, or in agony;

ɔɣidomia yo domia re ʋ-is-eʋa [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] he was writhing (to and fro) in agony when I came ( “reached”) there;

cf. d-oʋe [ ˩ ˥ ].

a common form of informal salute given when meeting somebody equal or inferior to oneself (same an koyɔ [ ˥ ˩ ]): hullo!

plur. wa doo [ ˩ ˥ ];

do tɛ [ ˥ / ] indicates that the speaker is worried or absent-minded (v. Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ] song 2);

d-ɔmɔ o [ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] a salutation addressed to chiefs, v. ɔmɔ [ ˩ ˥ ];

do‿ɛwae n-ɔbũ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “do, big family”: answer of the senior of a clan to the clan-greeting (v. la 3 [ ˥ ]);

instead of ɛwae [ ˩ ˩ ], ɛgbɛe [ ˩ \ ] or uniɛ [ ˥ ˥ ] can be used.

to move to and fro without sleep;

cf. d-omia [ ˩ ˥ ].

to become, be thin;

lean;

ɔʋ̃a n-ɔdɔɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ] a thin, lean man;

cf. dɔ̃ [ / ] (?), udɔ̃ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

v. si 1 [ ˥ ].

to extinguish a fire;

dɔ‿erhɛ̃ yɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] quench the fire!

to stretch itself, of a springtrap when catching;

ifi na dɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ] the trap has stretched itself;

cf. dɔ̃ [ ˥ ] (?)

a verb indicating (1) that a certain action is performed again;

v. weri-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ];

ɔdɔlɔ ɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] he did it again;

dɔl-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] is also used, e.g. in dɔl-egbe ta [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] to repeat (saying), dɔl-egbe ɽu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] to repeat (doing).

Hence, (2) to mend;

to repair;

in dɔlɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] ɽu [ ˥ ] to repair.

dɔlɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] yi [ ˥ ] to repair, and, to prepare;

also: to put in a safe place;

dɔl-etebuɽu yi, atekpaɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ] lay the table before we leave.

dɔl-amiɔʋ̃aʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ˩ ] “to settle adultery”: to pay the fine which is, at least, partly used for the pacification-sacrifice (v. zɔ [ / ]), and receive kola from the husband as a sign of reconciliation.

(3) dɔl-otɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to propitiate the ground, e.g. after a suicide.

in dɔl-owa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to rub the walls of a house with water, mud, or leaves (Yor.) and cowdung in order to smoothe them;

cf. dɔlɔ 1 [ ˩ ˥ ].

in dɔl-ukpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to sew a cloth, or clothes (not only “to mend”);

cf. dɔlɔ 1 [ ˩ ˥ ];

v. emasini [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], se [ ˥ ].

enticing (of women’s eyes);

v. sĩ‿ãɽo [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

(1) to put rafters on a house previous to thatching it.

(2) to grow up;

idiom. for nwa 1 [ / ];

mostly followed by de [ / ] or re [ ˥ ] “coming”;

ɔɣadɔʋ̃ɛ re nɛ xerhe, iɣaagi-ɛɽ-ɛdo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] when he will be grown up a little, I shall be sending him to Benin.

(3) in dɔʋ̃-ĩyi [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to impose a law.

quite black, e.g. soil under a rubbish-heap;

ɔsieɽe duduudu [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] it is quite black;

cf. dũdũdũ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ]

dark blue, like ink, police uniforms, and avocado-pears;

used with the verb bi [ ˥ ].

to scatter.

cf. do 2 [ ˥ ].

to dance the ugba [ ˥ ˩ ]-dance.

cf. do 1 [ ˥ ].

(1) to pound;

ɔduʋ̃-ema [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he is pounding fufu;

duʋ̃-exwae [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to make an exwae [ ˥ ˩ ]-charm, exwae [ ˥ ˩ ] is always pounded and then made (ma 4 [ ˥ ]) into an oblong lump;

duʋ̃-exwae comprises the entire process.

(2) to forge;

not used metaphorically.

imitation of the noise made by the emada’s anklets (aba [ ˥ ˩ ] or ɛɽ̃ɔʋ̃ɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ]).

describes the noise made by lubasere [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].