(1) to bore a hole;

to pierce.

(2) to penetrate.

(3) to give a sudden start (cf. ha 1 [ / ]; v. ɽ̃ũɽ̃ã [ ˩ ˥ ]).

to frighten;

okpia n-ɔxiã ni ha ʋ̃ɛ-nwa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ \ ] that man who is going (there) frightened me just now (continued: ikeɽ̃ũɽ̃ã giɽi [ ˩ \ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “and I gave a sudden start”);

cf. ha [ ˥ ].

to pay a debt;

also ha‿(o)sa [ ˩ ˥ ];

ɔha ʋ̃-en-osa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he always pays me the debt;

the ipf. indicates that the payment is made continuously, i.e. in rates.

(1) to make a parcel of leaves, e.g. food-stuff that easily breaks into small crumbs as izɛ [ ˥ ˩ ], eʋoxo [ ˩ \ ˩ ], akasã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], ulɔkã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], etc.;

ɔha‿ulɔkã gũ ʋ̃ɛ dɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he parcelled “corn cake” for me to buy.

ha‿ibo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to hide some object in a box in order to make somebody guess it as a test of his telepathic gifts;

ɔha‿ibo y-ɛkpokĩna [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ] he put something secret into this leather box;

v. sã‿ibo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

(2) to tie;

in ha‿ema [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] and ha‿inya [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to tie yams to the yam-stack (eru [ ˩ ˥ ]);

i.e. they are tied to the ugã [ ˩ ˩ ] which is part of eru;

v. n-ema [ ˥ ˩ ].

to stand sloping, at an angle (but not crooked in itself);

erhã na hã [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ] this tree stands at an angle;

owa na hã [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ] this house hangs over.

Idiom.: amɛ (or, eʋaɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ]) hã ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] the water (or, food) has gone the wrong way (in drinking or eating, i.e. into the windpipe).

iɽo hã-ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “thinking is at an angle with him”: he is embarrassed, puzzled, confused;

cf. ihã [ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) to dress up as a masquerade-dancer;

(2) to dress up, in a more general sense;

cf. ɛhã [ ˥ ˩ ].

to pick, sort out, e.g. good grains, beans, etc. from a heap;

hãn-ihɛʋ̃ɛ n-ɔma ʋ-uw-ihɛʋ̃ɛ na [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ] pick the good beans out of these beans!

to be pregnant;

ɔtɛ̃ ʋ̃ɛ haʋ̃a [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] my ɔtɛ̃ is pregnant.

in hawa yo hawa re [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] to be restless (e.g. of a man who has lost something).

to refuse;

he [ ˥ ] y-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] (a) to refuse somebody’s company;

(b) to divorce;

ɔh-ɛe y-otɔ [ ˩ (5-1) ˧ ˩ ] (a) he refused his company;

(b) he divorced her.

he [ ˥ ] y-ɔ [ \ ] lit. “to refuse (somebody) in it” (same as fi [ ˥ ] y-ɔ [ \ ]), to leave in the lurch, e.g. in a palaver.

an auxiliary verb indicating (a) that the main action is performed in spite of many obstacles or reluctance: “at last”;

it seems to be used mostly with following ɣi [ ˩ ], but it is also found with ɽa [ ˥ ], i.e. in the ingressive form;

iheɣiɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ ] I have done it at last, or, after all;

iheɽaɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ] now at last I am going to do it.

(b) when following ma [ ˥ ], the negative particle of the pf., it means “not yet”: ɔmahere [ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ] he has not yet come.

to give a name (i.e. christen);

ɔhe ʋ̃-eni [ ˩ / ˦ ˩ ] (also he [ ˥ ]) he gave me a name;

m-ɔh-ɛɽ-eni ʋ-adabi-ɔe [ / ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] it was I who gave him a name at the same time when he was born;

cf. iheni [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

an exclamation of surprise.

a bird whose cry is much heard, but which “never comes to the main road”;

the cry is usually heard dying down or receding into the distance.

to carry (many things; v. viɔ [ / ]);

cf. hɛ 2 [ / ] (?).

in hɛ yo hɛ re [ / ˥ / ˥ ] to breathe heavily;

cf. hɛwɛ 1 [ ˩ ˥ ].

a particle closing a sentence or clause opened by ʋ- “how”;

ʋ-uwa ʋiɛ hɛ [ ˩ / / / ] how have you (pl.) slept?

ʋ-ɛɣ-aye hɛ [ ˩ / ˥ / ] what (how) is the time?

no;

v. mm [ \ ];

ɛo [ ˥ ˦ ].

to level ground for the purpose of house-building;

ɔhɛ̃h-ɔɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ‿ / ] he levelled it.

hɛ̃h-ũnu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to level mouth”: to come to an agreement or decision;

iɽ̃ã hɛ̃h-ũnu [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] they have come to an agreement;

cf. ihɛ̃hũnu [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

cf. hɔ [ / ].

a variant of the verb fɛko [ ˩ / ];

hɛko ɣaguã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ] speak gently!

safely;

easily.

cf. hɔ̃ [ ˥ ].

to breathe;

ɔhɛw-ɛsɛse n-uɣɛgi-afiãma fiã‿ã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˧ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˩ / ] he breathes properly so that you need not be afraid;

lit. “so that you must not allow pulse to beat you”;

ɔhɛwɛ y-otɔ hɛwɛ y-uxuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “+he is (heavily) drawing breath down and up”: he is breathing with difficulty, as e.g. a man suffering from asthma.

to refrain from doing a certain thing;

hɛwɛ re [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] don’t do it!

lit. something like “leave off!”;

used when an order previously given is revoked;

hɛwɛ! ɣɛɣiyo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ \ ] stop!

don’t go!

ɔtexiã, iɣigu‿ɛe guã, ɔnahɛwɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) / ˥ \ ˩ ˥ ] he was about to go, when I talked to him: he then gave it up;

v. ko‿ɛtĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ].

to pray Osa [ ˩ ˩ ] and Ɛhi [ ˩ ˩ ] for one’s well-being during the next reincarnation (ari-aʋehe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ]);

occurs in a proverb;

cf. ɛhi [ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) to climb;

ihĩ‿oke [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] I am climbing a hill;

ihĩ‿ũhuʋ̃-erhã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] I climbed up a tree.

(2) of new moon: to come out for the first time;

uki mahehĩ [ ˩ / ˥ ˥ / ‿ ˩ ] the moon has not yet come out.

(3) to ride a horse;

ihĩ‿ɛ̃sĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] I am riding a horse.

(4) to show, of tribal marks which stand up a little from the surrounding skin;

iwu‿ɛɽe hĩɽ̃ĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ] his tribal marks show.

Idiom.: hĩ oha [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to give presents to one’s superior, also to the Ɔba;

v. imuohã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (to the Ɔba only);

z-igwɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] (wife to her husband, man to his superior, e.g. to the chief of the quarter);

eʋ̃i n-iɣaya hĩ‿oha eɽ-iho na [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] “the things which I will take to present are the ones I am looking for now”.

second part of verbal combinations implying the meaning “away”, “out of”, v. mu 1 [ ˥ ].

to scrape;

hia‿erhã na n-ɔri-ɛsɛse [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “scrape this plank that it may be properly smooth!” hia [ / ] kua [ ˥ ] to scrape off.

to try to keep up one’s social position, or one’s health;

to struggle against difficulties;

to strive one’s utmost;

ɛrheʋ̃ɛ̃‿eʋ̃i, ɔyehia [ / / ˩ ˩ \ ˩ / / ] though he has nothing, he is still “trying” (to keep up appearances);

uhia sɛ nɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] you have “tried” enough;

e.g. if one has been offered enough by a poor host, or, if somebody has tried to give help, but without success.

to be bright and clean;

only used of something that has been washed;

ukpɔ̃ na hiãɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ / ˩ / ˩ ] this cloth is bright (after being washed);

cf. uhiãʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ], huã 1 [ / ];

v. nwanwanwa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

to ask for a sacrifice by means of an oracle;

of a god;

v. ese [ ˩ ˩ ].

to blow on a fire;

ɔhi-erhɛ̃ [ ˩ / ˥ ˩ ] he blew on the fire;

ɔhi-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he is blowing on it.

(1) to put a ceiling on a room (but “to roof” is dɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ]).

(2) to ridge a roof.

at all;

ɛrɔɔ hiehie [ / ˥ ‿ / / / ‿ ˩ ] there are none at all!

or, he is not at all there!

to be prosperous, wealthy;

ɔhiɛ̃ nɛ-sɛse [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he is very prosperous.

(1) to deceive.

(2) to fail;

of charms.

describes a high and faint voice;

used with the verb guã [ / ].

tall and fat, same as gbɔhuũ [ ˦ ˦ ];

used with the verb ye [ ˥ ];

v. gbokoo [ ˦ ˦ ].

trembling;

of old people, or nervous trembling;

used with the verb gwɔ [ ˥ ];

not as strong as zɛzɛzɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ],

to upset;

v. ni [ ˥ ] for a canoe;

ɔhihi-ɔe n-owiɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ˦ ] he upset it this morning.

hihiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] kua [ ˥ ] to upset so that the contents are thrown, or poured, out (e.g. a bucket of water).

misty;

only used of the mist in the early morning, not of the mist during the harmattan which may last up to 8.30 a.m.;

used with ɽu [ ˥ ].

to be proud (in a bad sense; zɛ 2 [ ˥ ] is used in a good sense);

ʋ-ɔhio ba [ / ˥ / ] what is he proud of?

to urinate.

(1) to cut a straight line into something, e.g. to slit the peel of a plantain in order to take it off more easily before roasting the plantain;

(but “to split through” is va [ / ]);

also in hiɔ‿iwu [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to mark the designs of tattooings on the skin (previous to the actual process);

(2) in hiɔ‿(o)tɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to dig a grave.

to drag somebody on the ground, v. Uke keʋe arhuaɽo;

ɔhiɔɽɔ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he dragged me (along on the ground).

to breathe heavily.

to swell;

obɔ ʋ̃ɛ hiʋ̃iaɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ] my hand is swollen;

cf. uhiʋ̃iãʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ];

v. hue [ / ].

describes the noise of distant rainfall, or of a distant waterfall;

amɛ rhɔ hmmm [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] it is raining far away.

(1) to look for;

to want;

iho‿ɛɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] I want it.

ho [ / ] ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ] to offend;

ɔho ʋ̃-ɛ̃ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he always offends me.

ho‿ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to love;

to like;

ɔho‿ɛʋ̃ɛ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he likes me.

ho [ / ] bɛkũ [ ˩ ˥ ] to look for something without finding it;

ɔho‿ɛɽe bɛkũ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] he looked for it, but he could not find it.

(2) to have sexual intercourse ( “with” is expressed by the direct object).

to blow (wind);

idiom.: hoh-otɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] lit. “to blow the ground”: to dig a grave;

iɽ̃ã ɣihoh-otɔ, akeɣimu‿ɛ̃ y-ɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] “+when they had dug a grave, he was then put into it” (possibly also iɽ̃ã ɣi- [ ˥ ˩ \ ]).

to lay eggs;

usually without ekɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ];

ɔxɔxɔ na hɔe [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ \ ] the hen has laid (an egg).

(1) to hear;

ihɔ̃-ɛ̃ ʋ-unu‿ɛ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “I heard it from his mouth”: I heard it from him.

h-ɛ̃ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] lit. “to hear word”;

gi-ah-ɛ̃ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] “let hear word”: shut up!

(2) to understand;

ɔh-ɛ̃do [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he understands Bini;

ihɔ̃‿ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] I understand it.

(1) to wash;

hɔ‿ukpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to wash clothes;

hɔ‿eto [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to wash one’s hair;

idiom.: hɔ‿ɛzɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “to wash river”, a method of fishing, v. iɽewe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

(2) to drink, and bathe in, blood, as done by the chief Ɔsa [ ˥ ˩ ] during a certain sacrifice.

(3) to collect and mix mud, in hɔ‿ekɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] (same as ɽu‿ekɛ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ]), also h-ɛkɛ̃ [ / ˩ ].

to grow (of hair), hũ‿edɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to grow grey hair”: to become old.

also hɛ‿uro, to be full, of the moon;

cf. uro [ ˩ ˩ ];

v. ko-ro [ / ˩ ], vɛwae [ ˥ \ ].

to brush oneself or something as a means of purification, e.g. after a breach of taboo;

hɔʋ̃-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to purify oneself by brushing;

hɔʋ̃-owa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to purify a house;

hɔʋ̃-ɛʋo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to purify a village;

cf. ihɔʋ̃egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) to foam;

ɔhu sɔsɔsɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] it is foaming a great deal.

hu [ ˥ ] ekpa [ ˩ ˥ ] to make sick;

to nauseate, e.g. a bad smell or taste;

not used metaphorically;

mu fua-ɣ-ɔhu ʋ̃-ekpa [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] take (it) away, for it makes me sick!

(2) to grow quickly (of a child).

to feel sleepy (impersonal use);

oʋe hũ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] I feel sleepy.

to be, become quiet (of children: to stop crying);

ɔhũ nwa [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he is quiet;

he has stopped crying;

v. g-unu [ ˩ ˥ ], hɔ̃ [ ˥ ].

(1) to be, become, clean;

ukpɔ̃ na huãɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ / ˩ / ˩ ] this cloth is clean;

oko na huã gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] this fellow is very clean, neat (also huã [ / ]);

ukpɔ̃ n-ɔma huã ɽ-urhuaɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ (3-1) ] it is a dirty cloth that you wear.

(2) to be holy;

Orhiɔ̃ N-ɔhuãɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] the Holy Ghost;

cf. hiã [ / ], uhiãʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

to make a sacrifice prepared with new yam as is done to every god at the end of the agwɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

to swell;

owɛ n-imu gb-eʋ̃i hueɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ \ / ˩ ] lit. “my foot which I took to hit something is swollen”;

cf. uhueʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

v. hiʋ̃ia [ ˩ ˥ ].

cf. hɔ̃ [ / ].

(1) to wake somebody up;

huɛ̃ ʋ̃ɛ ʋ-ɛd-agbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] wake me up when day is breaking.

(2) to restore somebody from a faint;

m-ɔ̃hũ-ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ ʋ-ɔkuɔɽe [ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] it was I who restored him when he had fainted;

v. rhiɔ [ ˥ ].

cf. ho [ / ].

very deep and narrow;

e.g. of a ditch, or of a narrow passage through the bush, the entrance of which is like a hole, e.g. an ega‿ifi [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ];

used with ye [ ˥ ].

to have a surfeit;

to have too much of a good thing;

ɔhũhũ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] I am sick of the sight of it;

v. xã 2 [ / ].

describes an indistinct muttering or grumbling;

used with the verb gwi [ ˥ ].

describes a bad smell, like that of a dead rat e.g.;

used with the verb wia [ / ];

v. zuzuzu [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

describes an extremely lazy way of walking, as well as a “dull” appearance generally, used e.g. with the verb xiã [ ˥ ];

cf. zuɽɔzuɽɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ];

v. mitaã [ ˩ ˩ ].