to cut loose, in (1) to cut palm nuts (and let them drop);

yaf-ɛ̃dĩ na [ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ] go and cut these palm nuts!

(2) to remove the thatch of a house in order to replace it by new leaves (or, to remove old leaves from the thatch?);

fã‿owa na mɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] remove (the thatch of) this house for me!

(the ã represents only a very short glide).

fã [ ˥ ] fua [ ˥ ] (a) to release;

to acquit in court;

ɔfã‿ɛ̃ fua ʋ-ikotu (or, ʋ-ow-ɛzɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] he released him out of court;

(b) to set free (a slave).

f-ẽma [ ˥ ˩ ] to loosen (i.e. to take out) yams from the stack (eru [ ˩ ˥ ]) ɣaf-ẽma ʋ-eru na [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] who took the yams out of this yam-stack?

(1) to escape;

to slip out;

ahĩaʋ̃ɛ ni f-ima [ ˥ ˦ / / ˦ ˩ ] that bird escaped us;

ɔʋoxã na fe ʋ-iyɔha [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ] this boy is free from pawn, i.e. from being pawned;

ɔfe ʋ̃-obɔ de gb-otɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] it slipped out of my hand and fell down.

f-ɔrhiɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ] “to escape life”, i.e. to faint.

(2) to be cured from a disease;

okpia na fe nɛ ʋ-uhuʋ̃u n-ɔvae [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ] this man has recovered from (lit. “escaped”) the disease he had;

v. lɛ [ / ].

to be rich;

cf. fe [ / ], ɛfe [ ˩ ˩ ].

to enrich.

cf. fã [ ˥ ].

(1) entirely, completely;

used with the verb fo [ ˥ ];

ɔfo fɛɛɽɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] it is entirely finished (but v. fɛfɛɛfɛ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ]).

(2) for good, finally;

isi kpaa-ʋa fɛɛɽɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] I left there for good.

entirely, completely, altogether;

used with the verb fo [ ˥ ];

ɔfo nɛ fɛfɛɛfɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˧ ˧ ] it is completely finished;

ri‿ɔe fo fɛfɛɛfɛ [ ˥ \ / ˦ ˦ ˦ ] eat it all up!

(the fo may be omitted);

v. giɛ̃ [ / ].

an auxiliary verb (cf. hɛko [ ˩ / ]) indicating that the main action is carried out gently, gradually, which may come to mean “carefully” or even “secretly” according to the context;

inwin-iɽ̃ã fɛko fo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] their work is getting slowly finished;

fɛko [ ˩ \ ] gently!

(“softly softly”).

very sharp;

accompanies the verb mu 2 [ ˥ ];

v. ʋɛɽɛʋɛɽɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) to throw;

combinations with verbs: fi [ ˥ ] dɔ̃ [ ˥ ] to miss;

to mistake;

ahoa n-ikɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃-nwa, ifi‿ɛe dɔ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ \ ˩ ˥ / ˦ ] lit. “the hawk I just aimed at, I missed it”;

v. zĩ‿ãɽo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

fi [ ˥ ] fi [ ˥ ] to throw something into;

ɔfi‿ɛe fi oha [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he threw it into the bush.

fi [ ˥ ] gbe [ ˥ ] to throw something at...;

ɔfi‿ɛe gbe ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ] he threw it at me.

fi [ ˥ ] gb-ua [ ˥ ] (gbe [ ˥ ] ɽua [ ˥ ]) to shoot dead.

fi [ ˥ ] kui [ / ] to throw ɛbo [ ˩ \ ] at a man.

fi [ ˥ ] xɛ [ / ] to throw ɛbo [ ˩ \ ] on the road (same as gbe [ / ] xɛ [ / ]).

Combinations with nouns: fi‿agba [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to summon a meeting;

in a saying which occurs in a story;

but v. also tie [ / ], t-iko [ ˩ ˥ ].

fi‿axwɛe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to play marbles.

fi egbe del-egbe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to transform oneself, e.g. into an animal;

v. xiã [ / ].

fi‿ema [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to dig the big yam-poles (ikpɛsi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]) into the ground;

for the ɛɣɛ [ ˩ ˥ ]-poles it is ba‿ema [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], v. ba 2 [ / ];

fi [ ˥ ] “to throw” expresses a more forcible action than ba [ / ] “to pierce”.

fi‿eso [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] weri-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to turn some things round”: to revise (Egh. Hist.).

fi‿exwae [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] yɔ [ \ ] to wish something bad to a man, holding an exwae [ ˥ ˩ ] in front of the mouth and spitting after the words;

to curse by means of a charm;

“to implicate”.

fi‿ɛkũ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] refers to the movements during the coitus;

a formula of blessing is: uɣufi ɛkũ ihoi [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] may your coitus movements not be in vain;

used by a person senior to a woman met when sweeping the house, or the dais of her husband’s Erha [ ˥ ˥ ], as an act of purification when having cleansed herself after menstruation;

v. axuɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

f-iha [ ˥ ˩ ] to cast an oracle (does not indicate which oracle is meant);

n-ɔf-iha [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] for “oracle-doctor” as given by N.W.Th. is said not to be as good an ɔb-iha [ ˩ \ ˩ ], v. ɔbo [ ˩ ˥ ].

f-itã [ ˥ ˥ ] to quote a proverb as answer to somebody’s question;

he has to guess the meaning;

“to drop a proverb”, v. kp-itã [ ˥ ˥ ].

f-iʋe [ ˥ ˩ ] to give somebody a hint by means of a proverb;

the person thus adadressed needs further explanation;

ɔf-itã f-iʋe mɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] he gave me a hint by means of a proverb.

f-iyeke [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] gbe [ ˥ ] to turn the back towards something, e.g. gb-odɛ [ ˩ ˥ ], to the road.

fi‿obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] yi [ ˥ ] to put one’s hand into something.

fi‿okĩ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to perform okĩ [ ˥ ˩ ], v. gbe [ ˥ ].

fi‿ukusɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to construct a rattle, i.e. to throw the cord round the calabash to and fro when making the net covering the calabash.

fi [ ˥ ] unu [ ˩ ˥ ] to speak in an unseemly way of, or to, one’s superior (Egh. Hist.).

(2) to beat (also of the pulse);

obɔ ɽuɛ fi leilei ɽa [ ˩ ˩ / ˦ ˧ (3-1) ˩ ] is your pulse (lit. “hand”) beating?

fi [ ˥ ] eʋ̃i [ ˩ \ ] to hit somebody, lit. “to hit (somebody) something”, viz. a blow: refers e.g. to a blow in anger, while gbe 1 [ ˥ ] means “to flog as a punishment”;

ifi‿ɛɽ-eʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ \ ] I hit him, cf. egbe n-ɔfi‿ɔʋ̃a‿eʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ].

fi oɣoɽoko [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] to hop on one foot.

(3) to shoot;

v. sa 2 [ ˥ ].

(4) to attack;

of a disease;

eʋ̃ifi fi‿ɛe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ] “small pox has struck him”: he has caught small pox.

(5) it also denotes the direction (of a throw only?) into some locality, v. fi [ ˥ ] fi [ ˥ ].

(6) to leave, in fi [ ˥ ] yi [ ˥ ];

ɔfi‿ɛ(e) yi [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] he left it.

fi [ ˥ ] ya [ \ ] to die, of a man with family;

wu [ ˥ ] is used of a single man;

of a man who has a family it was said that “part of his body is still living”, v. also ikiã [ ˩ ˥ ].

Iterat. filo [ ˩ ˥ ] (a) to drop things one by one;

(b) to shoot birds or animals one by one;

(t)-ifil-iɽ̃ã [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] I am shooting them one after the other;

(c) to be foolish;

t-ufilo [ ˥ ˩ \ ] are you mad?

v. kiza [ ˩ ˥ ];

cf. fieɣe [ ˩ ˥ ].

(1) to cut;

fiã [ ˥ ] fua [ ˥ ] to cut off.

fiã [ ˥ ] gbe [ ˥ ] “to cut (and) add to (?)”: to bless;

of a Christian blessing (but v. n-erhuʋ̃u (na 2 [ ˥ ]) [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] na [ ˥ ] “to say prayer for (somebody)”: to bless in the pagan way);

cf. afiãgbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ].

fiã [ ˥ ] na [ ˥ ] to cut (food) for somebody;

t-uɽami-ɔ̃mɔ fiã na [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “may you get a child (or, children) to cut (food) for!”: used as a formula of thanksgiving after a meal by a woman towards a senior woman or man, also to her own parents, v. ɛrɛe [ ˩ \ ].

fiã [ ˥ ] ra [ / ] (a) to cross a river by swimming, or a road;

iɽ̃ã fĩ-ɛ̃zɛ ra [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ / / ] they are crossing the river;

cf. gbe [ / ] ra [ / ], v. gwa 1 [ ˥ ];

(b) to break into a row of people called ikpokpã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] at an ugie [ ˩ ˩ ], or into a row (single or double file) of people at an Ɔvia [ ˩ ˥ ] festival.

In the case of the Ɔvia, the man was (is?) whipped for it;

in the case of the ikpokpã, he was formerly killed and is nowadays made to pay for a big sacrifice costing up to £5.

fiã [ ˥ ] ɽe [ ˥ ] (a) to bite;

ekita fiã ʋ̃ɛ ɽe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] a dog has bitten me;

(b) idiom.: to cheat;

iɣafiã‿ɛ̃ɽ-ɛsɛse, ɣaɣe ʋ̃ɛ ɣ-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ˦ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] I shall cheat him ( “bite him eat”) properly, (just) look at me and (look) at him!

(i.e. you will see).

Combinations with nouns: f-ĩdĩ [ ˥ ˩ ] to dig a grave: fĩ-enwɛ [ ˩ ˩ \ ] “to be cut breast”: to be weaned.

fiã [ ˥ ] iɣo [ ˥ ˥ ] “to cut money”: to fine somebody;

v. zɛ 1 [ ˥ ];

afĩ-ozo‿iɣo ʋ-ikotu n-owiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] Ojo was fined in court this morning.

f-ĩɣo [ ˥ ˥ ] to change money;

f-ĩɣo na (i)mɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] change this money for me!

v. idɔla [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

f-ĩhue [ ˥ ˥ ] “to be cut at the nose”: to be defaced, of a coin or cowrie.

fi-odɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] yi [ ˥ ] obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] “to cut the road to somebody’s hand”: to reach a certain place earlier than somebody else by using a shorter road;

to make a short cut.

fĩ-osuɣu [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] yi [ ˥ ] egbe [ ˩ ˥ ] to trouble somebody (by means of charms or intrigues).

fĩ-ovã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to give a nickname (praise-name), v. also ɽe 1 [ ˥ ];

ɔfĩ-ovã mɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˥ ] he gave me a nickname.

fĩ-ɔ̃ka [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to reap corn (maize).

(2) to become, be, cut or broken;

to come off (of a button e.g.);

iri n-itaɛ̃ n-iteɽat-ũkpɔ̃ (tã [ ˥ ]) yi fiaɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ ] “the rope I put up (tã [ ˥ ]) on (yi [ ˥ ]) which I was about to spread clothes has snapped” (bũ [ / ] is only used of wood and iron; v. also wu [ ˥ ]).

(3) to kill a sacrificial victim.

(4) to be salty;

v. tãtaãtã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(5) to smell sharp;

v. taĩtaĩ [ ˩ ˩ ].

to hit (a man);

ifĩaʋ̃-ɔ̃ɽ-eʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ] lit. “I hit him something”, i.e. a blow (the ɽ is not nasalised).

cf. fiã [ ˥ ].

to make a clearing for a farm, with matchets, previous to felling the trees on the plot;

fi-fie ni-sɛse [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˥ ˦ ] make that clearing properly!;

cf. ifie [ ˩ ˥ ];

v. gb-itɛ [ ˥ ˥ ].

to sway, to swing something;

ɔfieɣ-uherhɛ̃ xiã ʋ-imi‿ɔɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˥ / ] he was swinging the firebrand (along) when I saw him;

cf. fi [ ˥ ];

v. ɽueɣe [ ˩ ˥ ] (to shake something that is on the ground).

imitates the cry of the rat oxã [ ˩ ˩ ].

cf. fiã [ ˥ ].

cf. fi [ ˥ ].

cf. fiã [ ˥ ].

very tall and thin, of a tree only;

used with ɔtaɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ] “it is tall”.

cf. fi [ ˥ ].

cf. fi [ ˥ ].

cf. fi [ ˥ ].

to finish;

often followed by nɛ [ ˥ ] “already”;

fo [ / ] also often follows another verb in order to express that the action expressed by that verb has been finished;

erhã na fo nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] this (fire) wood is finishing (already);

ɔrhi-ɛɽe fo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ / ] “he has taken it finished”: he has taken it all;

cf. ufoʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

to perspire;

used with the subject ɔfɔ “perspiration”;

ɔfɔ fɔ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] I am streaming with perspiration;

cf. ɔfɔ [ ˩ ˥ ], fɔ [ / ].

to splash a liquid “medicine” on plants in order to make them yield plentifully.

This liquid, called ɛbo n-ayafɔ‿inya [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], i.e. “medicine to be splashed on yam”, is obtained from the tree osuɔ̃bɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ / ];

cf. afɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] (which is also splashed on the body or the house for the purpose of purification).

cf. fe [ ˥ ].

in fu [ ˥ ] re [ ˥ ] to become, be, cool;

fu [ ˥ ] egbe [ ˩ ˥ ] to be peaceful, comfortable for somebody;

eʋ̃a na (or, aga na [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] “this chair”) fu ʋ̃-egbe [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “this place is comfortable (i.e. peaceful, without worry) for me”.

fu‿ɛko [ ˩ ˩ \ ], only in the pf. (fu‿ɛko [ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ]): to be of peaceful disposition.

to mix;

ɔfũ‿ofigbɔ̃ ʋ-igaɽi ku gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] he mixed palm-oil with gari.

in fu [ / ] re [ ˥ ] to cool;

ɔfu‿amɛ na re [ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ] he cooled this water.

to snatch;

to grab;

ibiɛka ni, wafu ɛʋɛe n-ɔr-eʋa viɔ [ ˩ / ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ (4-1) / ] “(you) children there, snatch the kolas there and take them!” fu ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to stammer, or, more exactly to begin one word before finishing the other (v. b-ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ]).

second part of verbal combinations implying that the object is thrown away (but for liquids and grains, v. kua [ ˥ ]);

v. mu [ ˥ ], fiã [ ˥ ], fã [ ˥ ].

to be white;

ɔfua ʋ-akɔ̃ n-unu [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “it is white like the teeth of the mouth”;

cf. fuɔfua [ ˩ ˥ ], ɛfua [ ˥ ˩ ].

(1) to perish;

a curse: uɽafuã [ ˥ ˦ / ] may you perish!

(answer: iwua‿en-ɔfuã o [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ (5-4) ˧ ] “I am forbidden what is perished o”: something like “God has not destined me to perish”).

(2) to die out;

ɛgbɛ-iɽ̃ã fuã xiã [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ˥ ] lit. “their family (sib) are perishing along”, i.e. dying out.

This would be a bad curse if uttered to a member of the clan;

cf. fua [ ˥ ] (?).

smothering, of a fire that only smokes a little;

a smaller fire than that described by ɽuɛɽuɛɽuɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ];

used with the verb ba [ / ].

to be white;

ukpɔ̃ n-ozo rhuaɛ̃ fuɔfua [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ˥ ] the cloth Ojo wears is white;

cf. fua 2 [ ˥ ].