ma1 [mã́] vb. to fit; to suit (e.g. of
clothing), Ẹwu naa ma mwẹn ― “This
dress suits me (i.e. it looks good on
me).”
ma2 [mã́] vb. to form a crowd; to
cram: Evbo ma ye evba ― “People
have formed a crowd there.”
ma3 [mã́] vb. 1. to mould something
(e.g. pots or building blocks). (cf.
manọ1) 2. to make; to install (into
office).
ma4 [mã́] aux. to pretend to be doing
something: Ọ ma viẹ ― “He is only
pretending to be crying.”
ma5 [mã́] adv. the neg. particle in
clauses with past or perfect tense
meaning: I ma yo: “I did not go.”
I ma he yo ― “I have not yet gone”.
ma6 [mã́] aux. 1. indicates that the
action in the main verb had been
performed sometime before: Ọ ma
nọ ọnrẹn nẹ ― “He had asked him
already before.”
%%
ma [mã̀] pron. a form of the 1st
per. pl. pronoun; it usually serves as
subj. of the clause or sentence in
which it occurs: Ma sẹ owa nẹ ―
“We have reached home already”.
maa1 [mã̀ã́] vb. 1. to teach; to show:
Ọ maa ọnrẹn ebe: “He taught her
(book)”. Ọ maa mwẹn odẹ ― He
showed me the way; 2. prep. occurs
after verbs such as rhie, ta, kha, etc.
as the equivalent of the prep. “to”:
Ọ rhie ẹre maa mwẹn ― “He showed
it to me.”
maa2 [màá] vb. to be good; nice;
proper, etc. Okhuo na maa mẹ gbe ―
“This woman is very good to me.”
malomalo [málómáló] adj.; adv. 1.
twisted, rumpled. 2. roughly; untidily:
in appearance: Ọ vbuọ ukpọn nii
malomalo ― “He folded that cloth
roughly.”
mama1 [mã̀mã́] vb. 1. to adhere; to
stick together; Ukpọn ne ọ hẹ ye
ẹkpẹtin hia mama kugbe ― “The
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clothes he packed into the chest
have all stuck together.”
mama2 [mã̀mã́] vb. to massage: Ọ ya
ukpọn mama ọnrẹn egbe ― “She
massaged his body with a piece of
cloth.”
manọ1 [mã̀nɔ̃́] vb. iter. or pl. of ma3:
Iran manọ akhe vuọn otọ ― “They
moulded pots all over the place.”
manọ2 [mã̀nɔ̃́] vb. to writhe; to twist
and roll oneself about. (e.g. with pain
or discomfort). Ọ gha manọ yo
manọ rre vbe ukpo ― “He is writhing
on the bed.”
meto [mẽ̀tó] vb. (< mọ ― eto) to
plait hair.
mẹ1 [mɛ̃́] vb. to hiss (to express con-
tempt or grief.) Ọ mẹ suẹẹn: “She
hissed a hissing sound”.
mẹ2 [mɛ̃́] vb. to plait hair. Ọ guẹ
eto ne a mẹ ― “She is good at hair-
plaiting.”
mẹ3 [mɛ̃́] pron. 1. a form of the
emphatic 1st per. sgl. pronominal
which serves as subject of the clause
or sentence in which it occurs: Mẹ
yo nẹ ― “I have gone already”; 2.
with a high tone, it represents the
indirect object form of the 1st pers.
sgl. pron. Ọ rhie mẹ ― “He gave me”
(The high tone on the prououn is
realized as slightly lower than the
preceding high tone because it is
at an utterance final position).
mẹtin [mɛ̃̀tĩ́] n. cf. sẹtin.
mi [mĩ́] vb. to squeeze; to wring: Ọ
mi ukpọn nii ọ ke taẹn ― “She wrung
that cloth before she spread it out.”
miamia [mỹã̀mỹã́] vb. to forget: Ọ
%%
miamia eni mwẹn ― He forgot my
name.
miaro1 [myã́ɽò] vb. (< miẹ ― aro) “to
find eye”, to have the opportunity
to do something: I ma miaro ya sẹ
odẹ ọghuẹ ― “I did not find the
chance to get to your place: I have
been pre-occupied”.
miaro2 [myã́ɽò] vb. (< mi ― aro) “to
squeeze eye” 1. to make faces at;
to sneer at.
miegbe [myẽ̀gbé] vb. (< miẹ ― egbe)
“to see each other”; to meet.
miẹ [myiɛ̃́] vb. to see; to find: I miẹ
iyan ne u viọ rre ― “I saw the yams
that you brought.”
miẹ [myɛ̃́] vb. to accept; to receive:
Ọ miẹn mwẹn ígho ― “She accepted
(the) money from me.”
miẹdia [myɛ̃̀dìá] vb. to be in waiting;
to grant audience to.
miẹfan [myɛ̃̀fã́] vb. to redeem; to
rescue.
miẹkue [myɛ̃̀kwé] vb. to admit (some-
thing) as fact; to confess to some-
thing.: Ọ miẹkue íghẹ rẹn ọ rriọe ―
“He admitted that he was the one
who ate it.”
miẹrhie [myɛ̃́řìè] vb. (< mie ― rhie):
“to see and take”; to come upon;
to find; to discover. Ọ mie ígho rhie
vbe odẹki ― “He found some money
on the way to the market.”
miẹmiẹ1 [myɛ̃̀myɛ̃́] vb. to suck some-
thing: Ọ gha miẹmiẹ ikpẹ ọmerhan ―
“He is sucking the seed of a fruit.”
miẹmiẹ2 [myɛ̃̀myɛ̃́] vb. to be sugary-
sweet: ọ miẹmiẹ sọsọsọ: “It is overly
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sweet”.
miẹmiẹmiẹ [myɛ̃̀myɛ̃̀myɛ̃̀] adj. (usually
with the vb., ye) sugary sweet.
migbo [mĩ́g͡bó] vb. to echo: Urhu ẹre
migbo la umọdia ― “His voice echoed
down the street.”
mile [mílè] vb. (< miẹ ― ile) “to
accept a bet” to make a bet; to bet.
(also tile: < ta ile ― “to say a bet”^).
mimi [mĩ̀mĩ́] vb. (with aro) to shut;
to close: Wa mimi aro ne a
nerhunmwun: “Close your eyes and
let us pray.”
mina [mĩ̀nã́] vb. to dream: Ọ mina
miẹ ọse ọre nasọn ― “He dreamt
about his friend last night”.
miobọ [myõ̀bɔ́] vb. “to find hand”:
to find time; to be chanced: I ma
miobọ ya rre nodẹ ― “I did not find
time to come yesterday.” (cf. miaro).
miọghọn [mĩɔ̃̀ɣɔ̃́] vb. 1. to be slippery;
to cause to slip: Eke ne ọ tue amẹ
yi na miọghọn ― “This place where
he spilled water is slippery”; 2. to
slip: Ọkpan miọghọn fua vbe obọ
mwẹn ― “The plate slipped out of
my hand.” (cf. khuo).
miọghọọn [myɔ̃̀ɣɔ̃̀ɔ̃̀] adj. (usually with
ye) smooth glossy: Egbe ẹre ye
miọghọọn ― “Her body is very
smooth.”
mitan [mĩ̀tã́] vb. to be lazy; to be
sluggish: Ọvbokhan naa mitan gbe ―
“This child is very lazy.”
mitanmitan [mĩ̀tã̀mĩ̀tã̀] adv.; adj.
lazy; weak; wretched: Ọ gha họ ukpọn
vba mitanmitan ― “She is washing
clothes over there in a very lazy
manner.” Oghẹdẹ na ye mitanmitan
%%
― “These plantains are very wretched”.
miuhunmwun [myũ̀hṹɱũ̀] vb. (< mie
― uhunmwun) “to see head”: to
survive: Ẹi miuhunmwun vbe eke
ne iran gie ẹre na ― “He won’t survive
from this mission that they have
sent him.”
mobọ [mòbɔ́] adv. very much; very
well: Evbare na mobọ rhiẹnrhiẹn ―
“This meal is very delicious”.
mohu [móhù] vb. to be angry. (also
muohu).
mose [mòsé] vb. to be beautiful; love-
ly; nice.
mosee [mòsèè] adj. very beautiful; ap-
pealing: Ẹvbo na ye mosee ― “This
town is very beautiful.” (also
mosemose).
mosemose [mòsèmòsè] adj.; adv. 1.
cf. mosee. 2. beautifully.
mọ [mɔ̃́] vb. to bear fruit. Erhan
ogui na ma mọ ukpo na ― “This
ogui tree did not bear fruit this year.”
mọmọ [mɔ̃̀mɔ̃́] vb. 1. to borrow: Ọ
mọmọ igho vbe aza ya bowa ― “He
borrowed money from the bank to
build a house.”; 2. to lend: Ọ mọmọ
igho nẹẹn ya dẹ evbare: “He lent him
money to buy food with.”
mọtọn [mɔ̃́tɔ̃̀] vb. “to acquire rust”
1. to rust; 2. to be rusty; ise na mọtọn
― “This nail is rusty” (also muọtọn).
mu1 [mṹ] vb. to carry; to lift up:
Ọ mu aga yan uhunmwun eteburu ―
He lifted the chair on top of the table.
mu2 [mṹ] vb. to catch; to capture;
to arrest: Olakpa mu iran vbe odẹ
ẹki ― “The police arrested them
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on the way to the market.”
mu3 [mṹ] vb. 1. to be afflicted (e.g.
by disease or sickness) (the cause
of affliction is always subject of
sentence): Oni mu ẹnrẹn nasọn ―
“He was afflicted by fever last night.”^;
2. to be moved emotionally or psy-
chologically (the emotion or psych.
state often occurs as subject): Ohu
mu mwẹn ― “I am angry”. Ekhue
mu ẹnrẹn ― “He was shamed.”
mu4 [mṹ] vb. to acquire (usually a
status): Ọ mu okaro vbe edanmwẹn
ne iran ruu ― “He acquired the first
position in the exam that they did.”
Ọ mu eyẹ nẹ ― “He has already
acquired a grandparent’s status.”
mu5 [mṹ] vb. to be sharp: Ọpia na i
mu ― “This machete is not sharp.”
mu6 [mṹ] vb. 1. (of soup) to lose
taste; (e.g. from having been kept
for too long): Uwọnmwẹn na mu
nẹ ― “This soup has deteriorated”;
2. (of day) to lose light; to grow
dark: Ẹdẹ mu nẹ ― “The day has
grown dark.”
mu-dede [mũ̀dèdé] idiom. to embrace;
to hug: Ọ muerhae dede ― “He
embraced his father.”
mu-fua [mũ̀fùá] idiom. to lose: Ọ mu
ígho fua vbe odẹ ― “He lost money
on the way.”
mu-gba [mũ̀g͡bá] idiom. cf. mu-rri.
mu-gbọọ [mũ̀g͡bɔ́] idiom. to establish;
to found: Ọ mu esuku gbọọ ye ẹvbo
ima ― “He established a school in
our town.”
mu-hẹn [mũ̀hɛ̃́] idiom. to initiate;
to start: Ọ ma he ye mu iwinna nii
hẹn ― “He still hadn’t started on that
%%
job.”
mu-hin [mũ̀hĩ́] idiom. to store away
(something); to conceal: Ọ ya mu ígho
hin vbe aza ― “He went and stored
away money in the bank.” (also
mu-lẹree). 2. to remove from; to
take away from.
mu-kee [mũ̀kèé] idiom. to put on the
fire (to cook): Ọ mu iyan kee ― “He
put some yam on the fire (to cook).”
mu-khuẹ [mũ̀xùɛ́] idiom. to promise
away in marriage; to betroth: ọ mu
ovbi-ẹre nọdiọn khuẹ mẹ ― “He
betrothed his oldest daughter to me”.
mu-khui [mũ̀xwí] idiom. to arrest.
Olakpa mu Ozo khui ― “The police
has arrested Ozo.”
mu-kpaa [mũ̀k͡pàá] idiom. to help to
carry load. Ọ ma miẹ omwan ne ọ
gha mu ihẹ kpaa ore ― “She did not
find anybody to help her carry some
of her load.”
mu-lẹree [mũ̀lɛ̀ɽèé] idiom. to conceal
something. (cf. mu hin).
mu-maa [mũ̀màá] idiom. to show
(something) to. Ọ mu owẹ ne ọ
bunrun ma mwẹn ― “He showed me
his broken leg.”
mu-na [mũ̀nã́] idiom. to give (some-
thing big or bulky) to: Ọ mu owa ne
ima ― “He donated a house to us.”
The particle na changes to ne when
immediately followed by its object.
mu-rre [mũ̀ré] idiom. to bring: Imoto
mu iran rri Ẹdo ― “A vehicle brought
them to Benin.” The particle rre
changes to rri when immediately
followed by its object.
mu-rri [mũ̀rí] idiom. to get stuck; to
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experience a stalemate; to encounter
difficulties ― Ẹmwẹn iwinna rẹn
mu-rri. He has encountered a stale-
mate in the matter of his job. (i.e.
he hasn’t made any progress in his
job prospects). (also mu-gba).
mu-roo [mũ̀ɽòó] idiom. “to worry
about (something)”; to grieve over:
Ẹmwẹn ovbi ẹre ne ọ wuu ẹre ọ
mu-rooro ― “It is the matter of his
deceased child that he is grieving
about.”
mu-ru [mũ̀ɽú] idiom. to cheat (some-
body). Ọ mu iyẹe ru gbe ― “He cheats
his mother excessively.”
mu-ve [mũ̀vé] idiom. to buy whole-
sale: Ọ mu ikhiavbọ nii ve ― “He
bought that okro wholesale.”
mu-vbovbo [mũ̀ʋòʋó] idiom. to carry
on the back: Ọ mu ovbi-ẹre vbovbo ―
“She backed her child.”
mua1 [mũ̀ã́] vb. to multiply; to in-
crease. Ọ mua ígho ne ọ ya suẹn
ẹki igbava nẹ ― “She has multiplied
the amount with which she started
trading twice over already.”
mua2 [mũ̀ã́] vb. (with ẹmwẹn) to
argue with; to disagree with. Ọ mua
arowa re ẹmwẹn ― “She disagreed
with what her husband said.”
muawẹ [nw̃áwɛ̀] vb. (< mu ― awẹ)
“to hold fast”: to observe a fast;
to fast.
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muegbe1 [mwẽ̀gbé] vb. (< mu1 ―
egbe) “to carry body” to prepare;
to get ready.
muegbe2 [mwẽ̀gbé] vb. (< mu ― egbe)
to dress up; to adorn oneself.
muẹmuẹ [mwɛ̃̀mwɛ̃́] vb. to idle: Ọ gha
muẹmuẹ vbe ẹziekẹn ― “She is idling
by the corner.”
mugbo [mwgbó] vb. (< mu ― ugbo)
to make farm; to start a farm.
muigbinna [mwígbĩ́nã̀] vb. to stop a
fight; to settle a quarrel.
muma [mũ̀mã́] vb. to form a lump;
to cling together into a lump.
muniẹ [mṹnĩɛ̃́] vb. to be sluggish;
clumsy.
muohan [mwõ̀hã́] vb. 1. to be afraid;
to be frightened: Ọ muohan mwẹn:
“He is afraid of me”; 2. to terrify;
to make afraid: Ebiebi mu mwẹn
ohan ― “Darkness terrifies me.”
muohan [mũõ̀hã́] vb. to offer as a
gift; to present. Ọ ya igho muohan
ne iran ― “He presented them with
money”.
muohioro [mũóhióɽò] vb. to be lone-
ly; to be desolate. Owa na mu ọmwan
ohioro ― “this house makes one
feel lonely.”
muohu [mwóhù] vb. cf. mohu.
