ba1 [bá] vb.
to watch; to guard:
ghá ba ẹre ne ẹ ghẹ lẹ fua ― “keep watching it so that it does not run off”
.
ba2 [bá] vb.
1. to do something stealthily:
te ọ ba la owa ẹre i ma na họn ― “he sneaked into the house, and that is why I did not hear him”
.
2. to walk lifelessly, as if from weakness.
baa1 [bàá] vb.
1. to be red or orange;
2. to be brightly coloured.
3. to shine, e.g. of the moon; to be lit (of lamps & other sources of light).
baa2 [bàá] vb.
1. to implant a straight object into something, mostly into the ground; to thrust:
ọ baa erhan ye otọ ― “he stuck a stick into the ground”
.
2. (idiomatic) (with ohoghoi): to pin on, to attribute to:
ọ baa mwẹn ohoghoi ― “he pinned lies on me; i.e., he told lies against me.”
baa3 [bàá] vb.
to be difficult, arduous.
baa4 [bàá] vb.
1. (with ẹmwẹn) to twist; to alter:
ọ baa mwẹn ẹmwẹn ― “he twisted my words: he lied against me”
.
baan [bã̀ã́] vb.
to abstain from; to give up something; to stop doing something.
baba1 [bàbá] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of baa
3 i.e. to implant several objects or to implant the same object repeatedly:
ọ baba erhan lele otọ ― “he stuck sticks along the ground”
.
baba2 [bàbá] vb.
reiterative sense of ba
1 above; i.e. to watch repeatedly; to spy on continuously:
gha baba ẹre ne ọ ghẹ lẹ fua ― “keep watching it so that it does not run off.”
baba3 [bàbá] vb.
to grope; to feel about as one does in the dark.
ba igban [bàígbã̀] vb.
(idiom) to proclaim a woman as the wife of the Ọba of Benin:
iran baa uvbi nii igban ― “they declared that young woman a wife of the Ọba.”
ba ku [bàkú] vb.
1. to make a mistake, to miss;
2^.^ in the Christian sense ― to transgress; to sin.
balọ1 [bàlɔ́] vb.
to be painful; to hurt.
balọ2 [bàlɔ́] vb.
1. to scoop liquid with a small container;
2. to spill; to pour out.
ban [bã́] vb.
1. to peel off;
2. to separate forcibly:
ọ gha ban ikpakpa re fua ― “he will peel the skin off”
.
bannọ [bã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of ban: e.g. to peel off several slices; or two or more people peel off something.
bebe [bèbé] vb.
1. to be mischievously overactive; troublesome (usually of children):
ọvbokhan na bebe gbe ― “This child is too troublesome.”
2. adventurous.
begbe [bègbé] vb.
(< ba egbe) to be self-protective; to be on one’s guard.
bẹbuu [bɛ̀búù] vb.
child language expression meaning “to lie down”.
bẹẹ1 [bɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to slice:
bẹẹ iyan nii ye akhe ― “slice that yam into the pot (and cook it)”
.
bẹẹ2 [bɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
(with ọgọ) to tap (palm wine); to collect and store away. (cf: ọbọgọ; bọọgọ).
bẹghe [bɛ̀ɣèé] vb.
to see; to sight:
I bẹghe ẹre vbe ọ dee ― “I saw him as he was approaching”
. (cf: dẹghee).
bẹlẹ [bɛ̀lɛ́] vb.
plural reiterative sense of bee1: to cut into several slices; or for several people to engage in slicing.
bẹmwẹn [bɛ́ɱɛ̃̀] vb.
to stammer.
bi1 [bí] vb.
1. to shove, to push:
bi ẹre hin odẹ rre ― “push it out of the way”
.
2. (idiomatic) to be moved by; to be of concern to; (usually occurs in negative clauses):
ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn ma bi mwẹn ― “His affairs are not of any concern to me”
. (cf. kaan).
bi2 [bí] vb.
to vomit:
ọ bii ukhunmwun nii hia kua ― “He vomitted all that medicine out”
. (cf. kpa).
bi3 [bí] vb.
1. to be dark in shade or colour:
ukpọn naa ẹre ọ bi sẹ ọnii ― “This cloth is darker than that one.”
2. (with amẹ) to threaten; to be imminent:
amẹ bi ― “Rain is threatening”
(that is, there are dark clouds in the sky).
3. (with certain fruits, such as orunmwun; orhurhu; etc.): to be ripe; to be ready-to-eat:
orunmwun naa bi nẹ ― “This pear is ripe.”
bian [bĩ̀ã́] vb.
to slice off a strip.
bibi1 [bìbí] vb.
to grope; to roam aimlessly (cf. bibi-odẹ).
bibi2 [bìbí] vb.
to be foolish; to be stupid:
ú bibi ― “you are stupid.”
bibiode [bỳbiòdɛ́] vb.
to get lost; to go astray (bibi (vb) + odẹ ― road).
biegbe [byègbé] vb.
to give way; to dock.
biẹ [byɛ́] vb.
1. to give birth;
2. to have children (as opposed to being barren);
3. to have off-shoots (with plants such as iyan or igari).
bigọọ [bìgɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to be crooked; curved or bent; not straight:
erhan na bigọọ ― “This tree is crooked.”
bigbe [bìgbé] vb.
to shut; to close.
bii [bìí] vb.
to stab; to jab with a pointed object:
ọ ya opia bii ẹre ― “He stabbed him with a knife.”
bobo [bòbó] vb.
to run anxiously back and forth (like a hen about to lay an egg); to wander aimlessly.
bodẹ [bòdɛ́] vb.
to stand guard (ba1 + odẹ ― road).
bolo [bòló] vb.
to peel (skin), to strip off:
ọ bolo alimo ― “he peeled the orange.”
bọ1 [bɔ́] vb.
to build; construct:
ọ bọ egedege: “he built a storey-house.”
bọ2 [bɔ́] vb.
1. to predict; to tell one’s fortune:
ọbo bọ mẹ ― “the native-doctor told me my fortune.”
2. to consult a fortune-teller or native doctor:
i khian ya bọ yọ ― “I am going to consult a native-doctor on the matter.”
bọ3 [bɔ́] vb.
to be favourable to; to be good for (usually in proper names such as Isibọ; Edobọ; etc.).
bọnmwẹn1 [bɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃] vb.
1. to drop in small pieces, or granular form; to flake off:
iku ehẹn esọ bonmwẹn kua ― “some small pieces flaked off from the fish.”
2. to winnow.
3. to shake off dust or dirt from a surface:
bonmwẹn aga nii u ke tota yọ ― “dust that chair before you sit on it.”
bọnmwẹn2 [bɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
(usually with verbs such as rhie, mu, kpaọ, dee, etc.) to do swiftly; to do briskly; to whisk off:
ọ bonmwẹn kpao ― “She left briskly”
.
bọọ [bɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to console; to cheer up (usually a child who has been crying).
bọọn [bɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] vb.
(of wearing apparel) to lift, to raise up:
bọọn ukpọn ― “to raise up cloth (thereby revealing what lies below)”^
.
bubu [bùbú] vb.
1. (usually with verbs like kpaegbe; tota; kpao, etc.); to move in an awkwardly brisk manner:
ọ bubuu kpaegbe: “he got up in an awkwardly brisk manner.”
2. to be awkward; clumsy.
bue [bùé] vb.
to stay long; to linger:
ghẹ bue vbe ẹki-o ― “don’t linger at the market.”
iran buere ― “they stayed long”
.
bun [bṹ] vb.
1. to be plentiful; to be numerous:
ẹvbo bun vbe odọọ: “people are plentiful over there”^
.
2. vb. (usually with the adv. gbe) to be much with:
iku bun ẹnrẹn gbe: “he is too fond of playing ― he plays too much.”
bunnọ [bũ̀nɔ̃́] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of buun:
aberhan bunnọ kue otọ ― “Tree branches have broken off on the ground”
.
buu1 [bùú] vb.
1. to go toward; to approach something/somebody; to meet or join:
Ọ buu erhae ― “He went to meet his father.”
2. to approximate or approach in size or value:
ọna buu ọnii ― “This one approaches that one in value”
.
3. to deposit money toward; to make a down-payment on.
buu2 [bùú] vb.
1. to settle (e.g. a case):
Ọ buu ohiẹn ne iran ― “He settled the case for them.”
2. to decide on something; to fix (e.g. a date):
ọ buu ẹdẹ ne iran ― “He fixed a date for them (i.e. He gave them an appointment).”
buu3 [bùú] vb.
1. to found; to establish:
Ọ kpẹre ne a ghi buu ẹvbo nii ― It is a long time since that town was founded
.
2. to assemble for a meeting; to meet as a group.
buun1 [bũ̀ṹ] vb.
to break; to snap.
buun2 [bũ̀ṹ] vb.
to confess to adultery by a woman.
da1 [dá] vb.
(usually with obọ as subj.) to affect severely; to feel gravely:
obọ ohanmwẹn da re ― “The hand of hunger was severe on him; i.e. he starved.”
2. (with amẹ) to fall heavily:
Amẹ na wa da ― “This rain fell very heavily”
.
da2 [dá] vb.
to rouse a feeling of longing; to cause to desire:
Ẹmwẹn ọse mwẹn da mwẹn ― “The thoughts of my friends rouse a feeling of longing in me.”^
da3 [dá] vb.
to be stingy with; to hold preciously:
ígho da okpia na gbe ― “This man is very stingy with money.”
da4 [dá] vb.
to drink (especially alcoholic drinks).
daa1 [dàá] vb.
to treat with respect and consideration:
Ọ daa ne erhae gbe ― “He treats his father with deference.”
(hence Adaa ― name of a person).
daa2 [dàá] vb.
(with
obọ) to stretch out toward;
ọ daa obọ nẹẹ ― “he stretched out (his) hands for him ― i.e. as though to pick him up”
.
daa [dàá] vb.
(with amẹ) to collect rain water dropping from the roof:
lahọ, daa amẹ mẹ ― “Please collect some rain-water for me.”
dada [dàdá] vb.
to haul by hand (usually involving more than one person).
Iran dada re laọ owa ― “they hauled it into the house.”
daehọ [daehɔ] vb.
― to anticipate; to expect.
dagbẹn [dã́gbɛ̃́] vb.
― to be accurate; to fall into line.
damẹ [dámɛ̃̀] vb.
to become liquified.
danmwenhọ [dã̀ɱẽ̀hɔ́] vb.
1. to listen:
lahọ danmwenhọ mwẹn ― “Please, listen to me.”
2. to obey; to heed.
danmwẹn [dã̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
1. to taste something;
2. to test; to try out.
dayi [dàyí] vb.
1. to hold; to grip; to retain.
2. to withhold; to prevent:
Iwinna ẹre ọ da mwẹn yi ne i ma na sẹ eke ne u ye ― “It was work that prevented me from coming to your place.”
dayọn [dàỹɔ̃́] vb.
to drink wine or any alcoholic drink. (cf. da4 ).
de1 [dé] vb.
1. to fall; Ọvbokhan nii dee ― “That child fell.”
2. to be epileptic.
de2 [dé] vb.
1^.^ to result in; to arise or follow as consequence:
Ẹzo de igbinna ne iran ― “The quarrel resulted in a tight between them.”
2. to come about; to happen:
vbe ẹzọ na a ya de hẹ? ― “How did this quarrel come about?”
debaa [dèbàá] vb.
1. to join with; to mix with.
2. to support; to side with.
3. (in the religious sense): to bless.
dede [dèdé] vb.
to embrace.
dee1 [dèé] vb.
to hold in a leash; dee ẹwe nii ne ẹ ghẹ lẹẹ fua ― “Hold that goat in a leash so that it won’t escape.”
dee2 [dèé] vb.
1. to approach; to be in the process of coming;
Ọten mwẹn dee vbe odẹ “My sister is approaching down the road”
;
2. to indicate that referent will be available in a short while:
ọ dee ne ọ do tuọ ― “He will soon come to greet you.”
dekaan [dèkã̀ã́] vb.
to touch; to come in contact with:
abọ ukpọn ọnrẹn dekaan mwẹn ― “The tip of her cloth touched me.”
dekẹe [dèkɛ̀é] vb.
to remain; to be leftover. (also dekẹrre).
dekuun [dèkũ̀ṹ] vb.
to collide with; to bump into:
Iran dekuun egbe vbe odẹ ― “They bumped into each other on the way.”
demu [dèmú] vb.
to pertain to; to concern.
dele [dèlé] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of de1.
dẹ [dɛ̀] vb.
to buy:
ọ dẹ evbare vbe ebuka ― “He bought some food at the canteen.”
dẹghe [dɛ̀ɣé] vb.
to see; to sight:
I dẹghe ẹre vbe obọ ọre ― “I sighted it in his hands.”
dia1 [dìá] vb.
to be located at; to reside at:
Edo ẹre i dia ― “I resided in Benin City”
.
dia2 [dìá] vb.
to menstruate.
dia [dyá] vb.
1. to be straight:
úkpo naa diae ― “This road is straight.”
2. dia [dìá] to straighten, to make straight;
dia erhan na mẹ ― “straighten this stick for me.”
diake [dyàké] vb.
to be located close to; to stay with;
Diake omọ mẹ ne i ya giẹgiẹ khuẹ ― “Stay with the child for me while I go quickly to bathe.”
diakhẹẹ [dyàxɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to wait for:
Diakhẹ mwẹn ― “Wait for me”
.
dido [dídò] vb.
1. to be large; expansive:
ukpọn na dido ― “this cloth is very wide.”
2. to be mature; experienced with age; strong:
erhan na dido ne ― “This tree has achieved full maturity.”
diẹn [dĩ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to be senior to; to be older than:
Rẹn ọ diẹn mwẹn ― “He is older than me.”
digiẹ [dìgyɛ́] vb.
to become firmly established.
digiẹn [dìgỹɛ̃́] vb.
to squat.
diguẹ [dìgwɛ́] vb.
to kneel down.
digba [dígbà] vb.
to be big; large; extensive ―
Ugbo ẹre digba sẹẹ ọghomwẹn ― “His farm is larger than mine.”
dihoi [díhoì] vb.
to become nothing; become worthless or useless; to fail.
dikhuẹkhuẹ [díxwɛ̀xwɛ́] vb.
to be dwarfed.
din1 [dĩ́] vb.
to be brave; to be bold.
din2 [dĩ́] vb.
to be hoarse ―
urhu mwẹn din ne eve ― “My voice is hoarse from crying.”
dinmwin1 [dĩ̀ɱĩ́] vb.
1. to be deep;
2. to be complex;
3. (of Edo) to be idiomatic:
Ẹdo na dinmwin ― “This Ẹdo speech is deep; i.e., very idiomatic.”
dinmwin2 [dĩ̀ɱĩ́] vb.
to dip into liquid:
Ọ dinmwin ukpu ye uwu akhe-amẹ ― “He dipped the cup into the water pot.”
dinna [dĩ̀nã́] vb.
to reach; to arrive at:
Ẹghẹ dinna ẹgogo eha nẹ ― “Time has reached 3 o’clock already.”
divu [dìvú] vb.
(of seed-yam only) to rot and germinate.
diyi [dìyí] vb.
1. (used as a curse) to become an outcast; to be denounced.
Te u gha diyi ― “May you be denounced.”
2. (< de1 + iyi): “to contravene a rule or law”; to commit a breach.
dizigha [dízìá] vb.
to commit murder.
do1 [dó] vb.
to weave:
ọ guẹ okhuae ne a do. ― “He knows how to weave a basket.”
do2 [dó] vb.
1. (of a gathering or an occasion) to hold:
iran gha do iko vbe Ẹdo ― “They are holding a meeting in Benin.”
2. to be in full session (e.g. of ẹki):
Eki do vbe odọ ― “The market is in full session overthere.”
do3 [dó] vb.
to move restively:
Ọ gha do yo do rre ― “He is moving back and forth.”
dobọyi [dòbɔ́yì] vb.
to stop; to terminate:
Iran we ne Ozo dobọyi vbe iwinna ― “They said that Ozo should stop at work; i.e. Ozo was terminated at work.”
(cf. da-yi).
dodia [dòdyá] vb.
to stay quietly; to live peacefully.
doẹki [dwɛ́kì] vb.
to trade.
dogaa [dògàá] vb.
to surround; to encircle.
domia [dòmỹã́] vb.
1. to toss and roll about uncomfortably:
Ọ gha domia vbe ukpo vba ― “He is tossing about overthere on the bed.”
2. to wander aimlessly; to drift:
Te ọ ghara domia khian vbe uwu agbọn. “He was just wandering about aimlessly in the world.”
domu [dòmú] vb.
to carry secretly; to steal (a large or heavy object).
doo2 [dòó] vb.
an expression inviting somebody to do something:
Doo tota! ― “Come and sit down.”
dorhie [dòryé] vb.
to steal.
dovbe [dòʋé] vb.
to toss about in sleep.
dọlọ1 [dɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
1. to repeat; to do again (also dọlegbe):
Ọ dọlọ bọe ― “He built it again.”
dọlọ2 [dɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
to rub a mud floor or wall with the traditional muddy solution.
dọlọ3 [dɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
(with ukpọn): to sew:
Ọ ya emasini dọlọ ukpọn mwẹn ― “He sewed my cloth by machine.”
dọlọ4 [dɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
to reconcile; to make up after a quarrel:
Iran dọlọ nẹ vbe ẹzo ne iran te gha gui ― “They have reconciled after the quarrel that they had.”
dọlọyi [dɔ̀lɔ̀yí] vb.
1. to repair; to mend:
Ọ dọlọ ikẹkẹ mwẹn yi ― “He repaired my bicycle.”
2. to take care of; to arrange; to put in safe keeping:
Ọ dọlọ emwin hia yi vbe uwowa ― “She arranged everything in their proper place inside.”
dọn [dɔ̃̀] vb.
to be or become lean; to be emaciated.
dọnmwẹn [dɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
to construct the frame of a roof with rafters, before it is covered with thatch.
dọnmwinyi [dõ̀ɱĩ̀yí] vb.
to proclaim a law or regulation.
dọọn [dɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] vb.
1. to snap.
Ifi Ozo dọọnrẹn ― Ozo’s trap snapped (i.e. and caught some animals)
.
2. to operate a switch.
dọyọ [dɔ̀yɔ́] vb.
to quench; to cease burning:
Erhẹn naa dọyọ nẹ ― “This fire has ceased to burn.”
duẹ [dùɛ́] vb.
to scatter; to disrupt.
dunmwun1 [dũ̀ɱṹ] vb.
to pound:
Iran dunmwun ema ne ima ― “They pounded pounded-yam for us.”
dunmwun2 [dũ̀ɱṹ] vb.
to introduce into fashion; to bring into vogue:
igoru ikhuo-Ẹdo ghi vbe ya dunmwun rre ― “Gold is what Benin women have introduced into fashion.”
dunna [dũnã] vb.
to be successful; to turn out right.
faa [fàá] vb.
to disgrace; to embarass.
fan [fã́] vb.
1. to release; to acquit, to set free:
A fan ọnrẹn vbe eghan ― “He has been freed from imprisonment”
.
fan ẹdin ― “to cut loose palm nuts from the tree”
,
2. to fall; drop suddenly:
ọ fan fi iguẹ ― “he dropped suddenly unto his knees”
;
amẹn fan fua ― “the rain started to fall suddenly”
.
fannọ [fã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. to loosen; to untie; to unfold:
fannọ oko ne a ghe emwin ne ọ rre uwẹre ― “loosen the parcel so we can look at what it contains”
;
2. plural or reiterative sense of fan:
Iran fannọ avbe oleghan kua ― “They have released the prisoners”^
.
fe1 [fé] vb.
to escape; to become free.
Ẹwe fe vbe irri ― The goat has escaped from the leash
; 2. to recover from illness:
Ọ fe nẹ vbe uhunmwonva ne ọ te vae ― “He has recovered from the illness that had afflicted him”
.
fe2 [fé] vb.
to be wealthy; to be rich.
fee [fèé] vb.
to make rich; to enrich.
fenma [fẽ́mã̀] vb.
(< fan ― ema) “free yam”: to remove yams from the yam stack.
fẹko [fɛ̀kó] vb.
to be gentle, mild or gradual in doing something:
Iran fẹko dee vbe umọdia ― “They are gradually approaching in the distance.”
(also hẹko).
fi1 [fí] vb.
to throw:
ọ fi ígho fii otọ ― “he threw the money onto the ground.”
fi2 [fí] vb.
1. to beat (of the pulse)
Udu ere gba fi leilei ― “His heart is beating rapidly”
.
2. to hit:
Ọ fi ẹre ubi ― “He hit him a slap” i.e. “He slapped him”
.
fi3 [fí] vb.
to shoot:
ọ fi ahianmwẹn vbe uhunmwun erhan ― “He shot a bird on the tree.”
fi4 [fí] vb.
to cover; to surround:
Erhọn fi ẹre egbe hia ― “craw-craw covered all his body: he is covered all over with craw-craw”
,
fi ekharha gue ẹre ― “Spread an umbrella over him: cover him with an umbrella.”
fi5 [fí] vb.
to leave behind:
Ọ fi ọmọ yọ mwẹn otọ ― “She left a child behind with me.”
fi-dọn [fìdɔ̃́] vb.
“to throw and miss”: to miss a target; to make a mistake.
fiagba [fyàgbá] idiom, vb.
an idiomatic expression that means “to summon a meeting” ― used mainly in folktales.
fián1 [fỹã́] vb.
1. (active sense):
1. to cut;
2. to break (e.g. of string or rope); (stative sense): to be cut or broken; to be loose:
Erọ fian mwẹn obọ ― “The knife has cut my hand.”
;
Irri ne u ya dee ẹwe fiaẹn ― “The rope with which you tied the goat is broken.”
2. (of money): to change into smaller denominations (cf. fingho).
fian2 [fỹã́] vb.
1. to be salty;
2. to have a sharp smell:
Orere hia waa fian ne ahiọ ― “The entire yard has a sharp smell from urine”
;
Uwọnmwẹn ne u lee waa fian. ― “The soup you cooked is too salty.”
fian-re [fyã̀ɽé] vb.
“cut eat”; to bite.
fian-rraa [fỹã̀ràa] vb.
“cut cross”: to cross over (e.g. a river).
fiangbe [fỹã̀g͡bé] vb.
“cut in addition to”: to bless.
fianmwẹn [fỹã̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
to hit (against):
Ọ rhie erhan fianmwẹn ọnrẹn uhunmwun ― “He took a stick hit him on the head: He hit his head with a stick”
.
fianyaẹngbe [fỹã̀ỹã̀ɛ̃gbé] vb.
(< fian-yan-egbe) “to cut over body”. to self-aggrandize; to over-estimate one’s worth.
fie [fìé] vb.
to clear a plot with hoes and machets in preparation for farming. This usually precedes the felling of the trees on the plot.
fieghe [fyèɣé] vb.
to swing something; to sway; to wave:
Ọ fieghe obọ daa mwẹn vbe ọ gberra ― “He waved hands to me when he passed.”
fienwẹn [fỹẽ̀w̃ɛ̃́] vb.
“to cut breast”: to wean; to be weaned.
fiemwin [fyèɱĩ́ĩ̀] vb.
“to hit something”: to hit (somebody).
fiẹkun [fyɛ̀kṹ] vb.
“to throw waist”: to move the hips back and forth as in the movements during coitus.
fifi [fìfí] vb.
1. to leer with a longing for something:
Ghe fifi yọ mwẹn evbare ― “Don’t leer at my food.”
fiha [fíhà] vb.
“to throw oracle”: to cast oracle; to consult a diviner.
fikọ [fìkó] vb.
to stand and stare.
filo [fìló] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of fi1 and fi3:
1. throw or drop things one by one; many people dropping things at the same time;
2. to shoot things one by one; or many people shooting things at the same time.
findin [fĩ́dĩ̀] vb.
“cut a grave”: to dig a grave.
fingho [fĩ́ɣó] vb.
1. “cut money”: to fine; to issue a fine;
2. to change money into smaller denominations; to give change.
finhue [fíhué] vb.
“to cut nose”
1. to have a deformed nose;
2. to have excessive nasality in one’s speech.
finve [fĩ̀vé] vb.
“to cut a price”: to price something.
fioghoroko [fyóɣóɽóko] vb.
to hop about on one foot.
fiokin [fyókĩ̀] vb.
“to throw circles”: to turn round and round on the same spot (often leads to giddiness).
fionrueghe [fỹṍɽwèɣè] vb.
“to cause disturbance”: to harass.
fionsughu [fỹṍsuɣù] vb.
“to cause trouble”: to inflict trouble or problems.
fionvan [fỹõ̀vã́] vb.
“to throw a proverb”: to quote a proverb at somebody, expecting the latter to determine its meaning.
fiunu [fyùnú] vb.
“to throw mouth”: to speak disrespectfully of, or to, one’s superior.
fiweriẹ [fìwèriɛ́] vb.
to change; to transform.
fiya [fìyá] vb.
1. to die;
2. to abandon.
fiyekegbe [fíyèkègbé] vb.
“to throw back against”: to ignore; to neglect.
fo [fó] vb.
to finish; to end:
evbare foo vbe owa ― “food is finished in the house.”
fọ [fɔ́] vb.
(used with ọfọ as subject) to perspire:
ọfọ fọ mwẹn ― “Perspiration is perspiring me”: I am perspiring
.
fọrhiọn [fɔ̀řyɔ̃́] vb.
“to finish strength”: to faint; to pass out.
fu [fú] vb.
to be gentle; docile:
ekita naa fu gbe ― This dog is very docile
.
fua2 [fwá] vb.
to be white or whitish (also fuọfua).
fuan [fũ̀ã́] vb.
to perish; to be annihilated.
fuegbe [fwègbé] vb.
“to be gentle to body”: to suit; to be agreeable for.
fuẹko [fwɛ̀kó] vb.
“to be gentle in the belly”: to be of a gentle disposition.
fuẹn1 [fwɛ̃́] vb.
to stamp and roll about in:
Ibieka nii gha fuẹn vbe ekhuọrhọ ― “^Those children are stamping and rolling about in the mud.”
fuẹn2 [fwɛ́] vb.
to waste; to squander:
Ọ fuẹn igho erhae hia foo ― “He squandered all his father’s money completely.”
fuẹnrhẹn [fwɛ̃̀řɛ̃́] vb.
to smear on:
Ọ ya uwọnmwen fuẹnrhẹn egbe hia ― He smeared himself all over with soup
.
fuozu [fwózú] vb.
to be blind. (also fuezu).
fuọfua [fwɔ̀fwá] vb.
to be white or whitish (also fua).
furhu [fùřú] vb.
to grab; to snatch, to rush for, (usually of many objects and by more than one participants):
Iran furhu ehia foo ― “They have grabbed it all completely”
. (also fuu).
furhẹmwẹn [fùřɛ́ɱɛ̃̀] vb.
“to rush words”: to stutter. (also furhuẹmwẹn).
fuu [fùú] vb.
(usually in relation to large quantities): to grab; to appropriate greedily; to snatch.
ga1 [gá] vb.
to serve:
ọ ga mwẹn la ukpo eha ― “He served me for three years.”
ga2 [gá] vb.
to be cooked; to be ready to eat.
Iyan na gae ne ― “This yam is cooked.”
gaa [gàá] vb.
to surround; to encircle (also lẹgaa; gaga).
gaga1 [gàgá] vb.
cf. gaa.
gaga2 [gàgá] vb.
1. to manage; to cope with limited means.
2. to care for; to look after:
Rẹn ẹre ọ gagae khian ― “He is the one tending him.”
gi [gí] vb.
to allow to do; to permit to do, to let:
Ọ gi Ozo la owa ― “He let Ozo enter the house”
. It has a variant gu when the object is 1st or 2nd pers. sg. pro.:
Ọ gu mwẹn la owa ― “He let me enter the house.”
2. to be able (to do something).
gia [gìá] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of fian:
1. to cut into several parts or pieces;
2. to cut several objects;
3. several people cut the same object; several people cut various objects. (also giagia).
giagia [gyàgyá] vb.
cf. gia.
giagha [gyàɣá] vb.
to cut or tear into shreds or little pieces.
Ọ giagha ukpon ye ọre ẹkun ― “He tore her cloth into shreds on her waist”^: “He tore the cloth she wrapped around her waist into shreds.”
giasẹn [gìásɛ̃̀] vb.
“to spit saliva”:
1. to spit;
2. to pronounce a curse or evil wish on a person.
gie [gyé] vb.
to send:
Ọ gie ẹre Ẹdo ― “He sent him to Benin.”
gie1 [gìé] vb.
to describe; to show:
Ọ gie odẹ ma mwẹn ― “He described the road to me; he showed me the way”
.
gie2 [gìé] vb.
to compare: (usually occurs with a pre-verb ya)
Ya ọna gie ọnii ― “Compare this with that.”
gie3 [gìé] vb.
to spit (e.g. of a snake such as the spitting cobra).
gie4 [gìé] vb.
to affect (of certain sickness):
Uruvba gie ẹre akharha ― “Boil has affected his thigh: he has a boil on his thigh.”
giẹ1 [gyɛ́] vb.
to laugh.
giẹ2 [gìɛ́] vb.
to rip off, or tear off:
abọ ukpọn mwẹn giẹre ― the edge of my cloth has ripped off
.
giẹgiẹ1 [gyɛ̀gyɛ́] vb.
to tear to bits; to break into pieces.
giẹgiẹ2 [gìɛ́gyɛ̀] vb.
to make haste; to be fast:
giẹgiẹ rri ọre ― “Eat it fast.”
giẹghẹ [gyɛ̀ɣɛ́] vb.
to be small (of many objects), in size, rather than quantity: tiny.
giẹn [g̃ɛ̃́] vb.
to burn.
giẹngiẹn [gỹɛ̃̀gỹɛ̃́] vb.
1. to have low endurance or tolerance for pain or physical discomfort:
Egbe giẹngiẹn mwẹn gbe ― “My body cannot endure much pain.”
2. to be hypersensitive.
go [gó] vb.
to shout, to scream (also so).
gọ [gɔ́] vb.
(in the active sense): to bend or curve; (in the stative sense): to be bent, curved or crooked.
gọlọ [gɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
to walk gracefully.
gọn-ugie [gɔ̃̀ṹgyè] vb.
to worship; to hold the festival of.
gu-dẹ [gùdɛ́] vb.
“to help buy”:
1. to assist in buying;
2. to buy from.
gu-dia [gùdìá] vb.
to live with (usually as a ward or servant).
gu-guan [gùgũ̀ã́] vb.
to speak with; to speak to.
gu-gui [gùgwí] vb.
“to quarrel with”: to scold; to query.
gu-gbinna [gùgbĩ̀nã́] vb.
“to fight with”.
gua1 [gùá] vb.
1. to adulterate;
2^.^ to admix (also guagua).
gua2 [gùá] vb.
(< guẹ-vbe-a-ya): to know how (to do something); always occurs as a first member of serial verb constructions. (also guara).
gua1 [gwá] vb.
to row (a boat). (also guokọ).
gua2 [gwá] vb.
1. to dig;
2. to plant pieces of yam or cassava in prepared heaps of soil.
gua3 [gwá] vb.
(of space) to be capable of accommodating; to have enough room for.
Emwanna gha gua ima ― “This place can accommodate us.”
gua4 [gwá] vb.
(with ehien) to scratch or tear (with finger nails).
gua5 [gwá] vb.
(with kpaọ) to rise; to swell.
gualọ [gwàlɔ́] vb.
1. to look for; to search;
Ọ gha gualọ igho ― “He is looking for money”
(also hoo).
guagua [gwàgwá] vb.
to admix (cf. gua1 (vb)).
guan [gũ̀ã́] vb.
to speak; to say something.
gue1 [gùé] vb.
1. to cover; to put a lid on;
2. to shut; to close:
Ọ gue unu nẹ ― “He has shut mouth: he has shut up.”
gue2 [gwé] vb.
1. to be located with;
2. to be in possession of.
Ebe mwẹn gue Ozo ― “My book is with Ozo.”
Igho i gue mwẹn ― “Money is not with me: I have no money”
.
guemwin [gwèɱĩ́ĩ̀] vb.
“^to know something”: to be skilled; to be proficient.
guero [gwèɽó] vb.
(< guẹ ― ero) “to know tricks”: to be cunning.
guẹ [gwɛ́] vb.
to know; to be skilled at something.
gue [gùɛ́] vb.
to make sacrifice to one’s head during the Iguẹ ceremony; (also ruhunmwun).
guẹzẹ [gwɛ́zɛ̀] vb.
“to row river”: to cross a river by boat.
gui1 [gwí] vb.
1. to quarrel; to have a disagreement.
ma vbe ọre gui ― “He and I are quarrelling”
;
2. to complain; to be displeased with:
Ọ gui ighẹ i ma tuẹ ọre ― “He is complaining that I did not greet him”
;
3. to state one’s case (in a quarrel):
Ọ ghi gui oghẹe ne, mẹ na vbe gui ọghomwẹn ― “After he had stated his case, I then stated mine.”
gui2 [gwí] vb.
to drone; to mutter indistinctly.
guiẹzo [gwyɛ́zɔ] vb.
1. (< gui-ẹzo) to argue a case.
2. to complain.
gunu [gùnṹ] vb.
“to shut mouth”: to keep quiet; to shut up.
guo [gùó] vb.
to collapse; to break down.
guobọ [gwòbɔ́] vb.
“to know hand”: to be accustomed to; to understand (somebody or something).
guokọ [gwòkɔ́] vb.
to row or sail a boat.
guọ [gwɔ́] vb.
to tremble; to shiver.
guọghọ [gwɔ̀ɣɔ́] vb.
1. (in the transitive sense): to break; to crush; to pull apart;
2. (in the intransitive sense): to be broken; to get crushed or crumpled.
guọnmwengbe [guɔ̃̀ɱẽ̀g͡bé] vb.
to turn away abruptly (as if in protest).
guọnmwẹn [guɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
1. to move abruptly or suddenly;
2. (of a dog’s tail): to wag.
gba [g͡bà] vb.
to tie; to bind:
ya irri gbae ― “Use a rope to tie it: Tie it with a rope”
.
gba3 [g͡bá] vb.
1. to be complete; to be accurate;
2. to assemble; to gather (of people):
Ẹvbo gba ye evba ― “People are gathered there.”
Ígho nii gbae ― “That amount is accurate.”
gbakhẹẹ [g͡bàxɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to waylay; to lie in wait for.
gbaa [g͡bàá] vb.
to know somebody thoroughly, (especially his/her weaknesses or failures):
Iran hia gbaa ruẹ nẹ ― “They all know all your weaknesses already.”
gbaan [g͡bã̀ã́] vb.
to shift; to cause to move or fall by brushing against:
Ọ ya ukoko-obọ gbaan mwẹn emiowo fua vbe obọ ― “He used his elbow to knock down my meat from my hand”
.
gbae [g͡báè] vb.
to be big; to be full-sized (also digba).
gbaẹngbe [g͡bã̀ɛ̃gbé] vb.
(< gbaẹn-egbe): “to shift body”: to move out of the way for something/someone; to shift one’s position; to avoid.
gbakiyẹyẹ [g͡bákíyɛ̀yɛ́] vb.
(< gbe-akiyẹyẹ) “to make a joke”, to make a fool of; to make a joke of:
Iran gha yae gbakiyẹyẹ ― “They are making a fool of him”
.
gbakpan1 [g͡bákpã́] vb.
(< gbe-akpan) to be bald.
gbakpan2 [g͡bák͡pã́] vb.
(< gbe-akpan): “to cause obstruction with foot”: 1. to obstruct or intercept someone walking along by causing him/her to stumble over his/her foot:
Ọ gbakpan yọ mwẹn owẹ, i na de ― “He caused me to stumble, and I fell”
: to cause to falter in one’s walk:
Ukpọn ne ọ rhuaen gbakpan ye ọre owẹ “The cloth she had wrapped around her caused her to falter in her walk.”
gbalama [g͡bálàmà] vb.
(< gbe ― alama) to be meddlesome; to undertake responsibilities that normally belong to others.
gbaleto [g͡bàlètó] vb.
(< gbalọ ― eto) “to wrap hair”: to wear a head-scarf.
gbalọ [g͡bàlɔ́] vb.
1. to wrap;
2. pl. or iter. sense of gba: to tie several objects; or to tie a rope round and round several times.
gbannọ [g͡bã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. to clear; to brighten up; (e.g. of cloudy weather):
Iso hia gbannọ nẹ ― “The entire sky has cleared. (i.e. it won’t rain any longer)”^
;
2. (of sickness) to improve:
Oni ne ọ gbẹe fẹko gbannọ nẹ ― “The fever that had afflicted him is now gradually improving.”
gbaroghee [g͡báɽòɣèé] vb.
(< gbe
2 ― aro ― ghee): to take care of; to look after:
Rẹn ẹre ọ gbaroghe mwẹn vbe asikito ― “He was the person who looked after me in the hospital”
.
gbasan [g͡básã́] vb.
1. (< gbe3 ― asan) “to beat (with) cane”; to whip; to cane;
2. (idiomatic); to urinate (of male only).
gbe1 [g͡bé] vb.
1. to hatch:
ọkhọkhọ mwẹn gbe ihinrọn ― “My hen hatched seven (chicks)”^
;
2. to break (of day):
Ẹdẹ ma he gbe ― “The day has not broken: It is not yet daybreak.”
;
3. to force open (e.g. door)
Urho-iyekowa ẹre oyi gbe laọ owa ― “It was the back door that the thief forced open to get into the house.”
;
4. (with ete olighi, etc.): to precipitate something; to cause; to bring about:
Ọ gbe olighi ye iran iko ― “He caused a disruption in their meeting.”
gbe2 [g͡bé] vb.
1. to dance:
Iran gha gbe ugho ― “They are dancing ugho dance”
.
2. to move:
ọ gha gbe yo gbe re ― “It is moving back and forth; i.e. it is not stable”
.
gbe3 [g͡bé] vb.
1. to beat; flog:
Iye Ozo gbẹẹ ye emwin ne ọ mu-fua ― “Ozo’s mother beat him on account of the thing he lost”
.
2. to catch in a trap:
Ọ ya ifi gbe uzo ― “He caught an antelope with his trap.”
3. to kill;
imọto gbe arhunmwenva vbe odẹ Ẹdo ― “A car killed two people along the Benin road.”
gbe4 [g͡bé] vb.
to pick leaves of a plant by hand:
I khian ya gbe ebuwọnmwẹn vbe iyekowa ― “I am going to pick vegetables from the back-yard.”
gbe5 [g͡bé] vb.
to undertake; to do; to make; to produce;
gbugbo gbe ― ugbo): “to do farm” ― to make a farm, or to engage in farming
.
gbe6 [g͡bé] vb.
1. (usually with liquids) to pour, to spill:
Ọ gbe amẹ ye otọ ― “He poured water on the ground”
;
2. to expose to; to come into contact with:
Ọ ya egbe gbe amẹ ― “He got his body wet.”
3. to soil; to make dirty:
Ọ gbe ukpọn gbe ― “she wears out cloth too readily.”
gbe7 [g͡bé] vb.
to be forfeited; to be gone for good:
Igho hia ne o zẹ ye ovbokhan ren uhunmwun gbee ― “All the money he had paid on his wife’s head (i. e. as bride-price) is forfeited.”
gbè-gué [g͡bègwèé] vb.
to protect one’s secrets or weakness; to cover up for someone.
gbè-kaan [gbèkã́ɛ̃] vb.
“to move and touch”: to venture into contact with; to cross somebody’s path (in an adventurous sense):
Ghẹ gbe-kaan rẹn ighẹ ẹ i maa ― “Don’t cross his path, for he is not good!”
.
gbe-kue [g͡bèkweé] vb.
“to break and spill over”: to abuse vituperatively; to revile a person.
Okhuo nii ghi gbe-kue Ozo nẹ, ekhue na ghi mu ẹnrẹn ― “After that woman had reviled Ozo, he became ashamed.”
gbe-muotọ [g͡bèmwótɔ̀] vb.
“to beat to the ground”
1. to ruin completely; to exhaust someone’s resources;
2. to deface; to wreck.
gbe-rua [g͡bèɽuá] vb.
“to beat to the limit”: to kill. (also gbua).
gbee [g͡bèé] vb.
1. to slant:
Owẹ ọvbokhan na gbeere ― “This child’s legs are slanted i.e. they are not straight.”
2.
Iran mu erhan gbee odẹ ― “They placed a stick across the road to block it.”
gbehẹn [g͡béhɛ̃̀] vb.
(< gbe3 ― ehen) “to catch fish”: to fish.
gbenbe [g͡bẽ̀bé] vb.
(< gbẹn-ebe) “to write book”: to write; to write a letter.
gbele [g͡bèlé] vb.
pl. or reit. of gbe:
Ọ ya asan gbele iran ― “He flogged them with a cane.”
gberraa [g͡bèràá] vb.
to pass; to cross; to go through.
gbẹbẹn [gbɛ́bɛ̃̀] vb.
(< gbe2-ebẹn) “to dance (with) ẹbẹn”: to toss ẹbẹn in the ceremonial dance performed by chiefs while paying their respects to the Ọba.
gbẹhun [g͡bɛ̀hṹ] vb.
(< gbe ― ẹhun) “to break into a decayed state”: to decay from insect contamination.
gbẹmwẹnho [g͡bɛ̀ɱɛ̃̀hó] vb.
(< gbe-ẹmwẹn-ẹho): to spell out the meaning of a word in direct terms; to speak in direct, rather than idiomatic language.
gbẹn1 [g͡bɛ̃́] vb.
to write; to carve; to mark.
gbẹn2 [g͡bɛ̃́] vb.
to deflesh a piece of meat; to chew around bone.
gbẹn3 [g͡bɛ̃́] vb.
to clear off grass from a plot:
gbẹn irunmwun ― “cut grass”
.
gbẹngbẹn [g͡bɛ̃̀gbɛ̃́] vb.
1. intensive sense of gbẹn2;
2. to narrate in great detail, especially in secret:
Emwin hia ne iran ru ẹre vbe iyẹe i rre owa, ọ na doo gbẹngbẹn ehia ma iyẹe ― “All the things that they had done to her when her mother was away from home, she then narrated it all in great detail to her mother”
.
gbẹnnẹ [gbɛ̃̀nɛ̃́] vb.
pl. and reit. sense of gben
1:
Ọ gbẹnnẹ emwin ye aro ― “She has marks on her face.”
gbẹro [g͡bɛ́ɽó] vb.
to be exterminated.
U gha gbẹro ― “May you become exterminated”. (a common curse)
.
gbẹtẹ [g͡bɛ́tɛ̀] vb.
(< gbe ― ẹtẹ): to have an ulcer or a sore (usually on a leg or foot).
gbigiawẹ [g͡bìgyáwɛ̀] vb.
(< gbe2 ― igiawẹ) to move with loud steps: to stamp around; to step firmly and loudly.
gbigunma [g͡bìgṹmã̀] vb.
(< gbe5 ― iguma) to grunt (e.g. with pain or fatigue).
gbigbi [g͡bìg͡bí] vb.
to spread like the wind:
Iyẹn nii gbigbi se ehe hia nẹ ― That news has spread everywhere (like the wind)
.
gbigbo [g͡bíg͡bò] vb.
(< gbe3 ― igbo) “to hit a top”^: to play the game of igbo (in which a top is spinned in sand, by means of a piece of string tied to a stick).
gbikhiavbọ [g͡bíxyavɔ̀] vb.
(< gbe3 ― ikhiavbọ) to beat okro in a wooden mortar with a pestle (the traditional method of preparing okro for use in soup.)
gbinna1 [g͡bĩ̀nã́] vb.
to fight.
gbinna2 [gbĩ̀nã́] vb.
to seek the protection of somebody (from an adversary).
gbinrunmwun [g͡bĩ́ɽũ̀ɱũ̀] vb.
(< gbẹn ― irunmwun): to clear grass.
gbirhu1 [g͡bìřú] vb.
(< gbe5 ― irhu) to make a roost (of a bird) to sit on eggs; to brood.
gbirhu2 [g͡bìřṹ] vb.
(< gbe5 ― irhu) “to make a shade” to cast a shade.
gbirro [g͡bírò] vb.
(< gbe ― irro): to pose a riddle.
gbiyarre [g͡bìyárè] vb.
(< gbe-iyare) “to shout ‘Iyare’”: to wish well somebody who is embarking on a challenging enterprise by uttering “Iyare” (May you go and come); to wish safe return from the performance of a feat.
gboba [g͡bóbà] vb.
(< gbe ― oba): to be dented; to cave in.
gbobodo [g͡bóbóòdò] vb.
(< gbe ― obodo): “to dance obodo”: to pirouette; to spring and spin round and round on one foot.
gbodan [g͡bódã́] vb.
(< gbe ― odan): to interrupt; to obstruct.
gbogiẹ [g͡bògyɛ́] vb.
(< gbe ― ogié) laugh at; to make fun of.
gbohio [g͡bòhyó] vb.
(< gbe ― ohio): to cave in; (of ground): to give way.
gbokhokho [g͡bóxoxò] vb.
(< gbe3 ― okhokho): to hit on the head with the knuckles.
gbokhokheve [g͡bòxóxèvé] vb.
(< gbe1 ― okhokho-evẹ): to burst into tears; gbokhokhogie: “to burst into laughter”.
gbotọ1 [g͡bótɔ̀] vb.
(< gbe3 ― otọ): to wear routinely; to wear everyday.
gbọfọ [g͡bɔfɔ] vb.
(< gbe ― ọfọ): to break out (with) sweat: to become damp; to be wet.
gbọọ [g͡bɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to bark (of a dog).
gbọọ [g͡bɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to plant seedlings or cuttings:
Ọ gbọọ iyan ― “He planted yam seedlings.”
gbọrho [g͡bɔ́řɔ̀] vb.
(< gbe1 ― ọrho): “to hit mud”:
1. to be muddy, to get into mud;
2. to move around in the mud.
gbọtọn [g͡bɔ́tɔ̃̀] vb.
(< gbe1 ― ọtọn) to break out with rust: to become rusty.
gbọvo [g͡bɔ̀vó] vb.
(< gbe5 ― ọvo―)^: to begrudge; to resent.
gbua [g͡bùá] vb.
(see gbe-rua).
gbubi [g͡búbì] vb.
(< gbe3 ― ubi): to slap (somebody).
gbugbo [gbúgbó] vb.
(< gbe5 ― ugbo) “to make farm”: to farm.
gbuke [g͡búkè] vb.
(< gbe2 ― uke): “to dance uke dance”: to dance with joy by stamping around to a beat.
gbukpukpẹ [g͡búk͡púk͡pɛ̀] vb.
(< gbe2 ― ukpukpe)
1. to dance “ukpukpe” dance;
2. to trek back and forth anxiously.
ghàa [ɣàá] vb.
to bask (usually in the sun, firelight, etc.); to enjoy warmth and light.
ghaan [ɣã̀ã́] vb.
to be expensive; dear.
ghae [ɣàé] vb.
to share; to divide:
Iran ghae egbe ye ihieva ― “They divided themselves into two parts.”
ghagha [ɣàɣá] vb.
to brag; to show off.
ghan [ɣã́] vb.
to behave haughtily; to be contemptuous.
ghee [ɣèé] vb.
1. to look at; to watch.
2.
vbl. part. toward; in the direction of:
Ọ niẹ ebọ ghee odukhunmwun ― “He stretched his arm toward up; i.e. He lifted his arm upwards.”
.
ghẹẹ [ɣɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to fornicate; to be promiscuous.
ghẹghẹ [ɣɛ̀ɣɛ́] vb.
1. to manage or handle a delicate or clumsy object with caution;
2. to cope with great effort:
Ọ fẹko ghẹghẹ egbe khian ― “He is merely managing to survive.”
ghogho [ɣòɣó] vb.
to wander; to roam; go from place to place.
ghoo1 [ɣòó] vb.
1. to hawk things for sale (e.g. by carrying them displayed on a tray or basket).
2. of birds: to fly around in circles.
ghoo2 [ɣòó] vb.
to be a religious follower of;
ma i ghoo ẹbọ; Osanobua ẹre ima ghoo ― We do not worship or believe in pagan gods; it is God that we worship and believe in
.
ghọghọ [ɣɔ̀ɣɔ́] vb.
to be glad; to rejoice:
I ghọghọe ighẹ u sẹtin rre. “I am glad that you could come.”
ghughe [ɣùɣé] vb.
(< ghee-ughe): “to look at a show”: to watch a performance; to stare.
ghughẹ [ɣùɣɛ́] vb.
to stoop; to bend.
ha1 [há] vb.
1. to pierce;
2. to penetrate:
Ha uvun ye ebe na ― “Pierce a hole in this paper.”
Olodẹ ha mwẹn obọ ― “A needle has pierced my hand.”
ha2 [há] vb.
to start suddenly; to shudder:
Ọ hae vbe ọ bẹghe mwẹn ― “She started suddenly when she saw me.”
haa1 [hàá] vb.
to frighten; to cause to shudder.
haa2 [hàá] vb.
1. to parcel something;
2. (yams) to tie to stakes.
haako [hàákò] vb.
(< haa-ako) “to parcel a gift”: to send a gift parcel.
hae [hàé] vb.
to pay; to compensate:
Ha ígho ne ọ khare ― “Pay the amount she specified.”
haan1 [hã̀ã́] vb.
to slope; to slant.
haan2 [hã̀ã́] vb.
(of eating) to cause to choke (from food or liquid going into the windpipe).
Ẹhiẹn haan mwẹn ― “Pepper has choked me (by getting into my windpipe).”
haan3 [hã̀ã́] vb.
to deck up oneself in good clothes; to be all dressed up.
hanmwan [hã̀ɱã́] vb.
to be pregnant; to be with child.
hannọ [hã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
to select; to pick out; to choose.
hapa [hápà] vb.
to tie a piece of cloth around the waist and between the legs (to protect the sex organs) like underpants. This is often done as extra precaution before a fight.
he1 [hé] vb.
to refuse; to reject; to decline.
hẹẹ1 [hɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to pack and take away several things; to gather and remove.
hẹẹ2 [hɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
in:
hẹẹ yo, hẹẹ rre ― to heave up and down (e.g. of waves); to parade up and down
.
hẹẹkẹn [hɛ̀ɛ́kɛ̃̀] vb.
(< hẹẹ ― ekẹn) “to pack mud”: to pile up and prepare mud for house-building.
hẹko [hɛ̀kó] vb.
cf. fẹko.
hẹnhẹn [hɛ̃̀hɛ̃́] vb.
1. to level up; to make level;
2. to form a sediment in a liquid.
hẹnhontọ [hɛ̃̀hṍtɔ̀] vb.
(< hẹnhẹn ― otọ) to level ground in preparation for erecting a building on it.
hẹnmwẹn [hɛ̃́ɱɛ̃̀] vb.
(< họn ― ẹmwẹn) “to hear word” to be obedient; to be responsive to instruction.
hẹwẹ1 [hɛ̀wɛ́] vb.
(< hẹẹ
2 ― ẹwẹẹ)― to breathe:
Ọ gha hẹwẹ fuẹn-fuẹn ― “He is breathing fast: He is panting”
.
hẹwẹ2 [hɛ̀wɛ́] vb.
1. to rest; to take a break from something exerting:
Ọ ghi zẹ winna, ọ na yaa hẹwẹ ― “After working for a while, he went to rest.”
;
2. to refrain from doing something; to stop doing what one was previously doing:
ọ hẹwẹ nẹẹ, ẹ i ghi viẹ ― “She has stopped, she is no longer crying.”
(also koẹtin).
hi [hí] vb.
to pledge with one’s maker about the course of one’s life in the next reincarnation.
hia1 [hìá] vb.
1. to make an effort; to try;
2. to struggle against odds;
3. to make appreciable mark in one’s effort:
Ọ hiare vbe edanmwẹn ne iran ruu ― “He tried in the examination that they did.”
hia2 [hìá] vb.
to scrape off (skin or cover):
Hia ukpakọn na mẹ ― “Scrape off the skin from this chewing-stick for me.”
hian [hĩ̀ã́] vb.
to be clear and clean (e.g. of stream-water); to be bright (e.g. of cloth that has been washed clean).
hie1 [hìé] vb.
to blow on a fire to keep it glowing:
Hie ẹrhẹn na ne ọ ghẹ dọyọ ― “Blow this fire so that it won’t go out”
; 2. to steam, or massage with a hot substance:
Ọ ya amerhẹn hie ẹre uhunmwun ― “He massaged his head with hot water.”
hie2 [hìé] vb.
1. to put a ceiling on a room;
2. to construct the ridge of a roof.
hie3 [hìé] vb.
to arch; to bend; (also hierre):
Iyeke ẹre ghi hierre ne ihẹ ― “His back has become bent from the load he has been carrying”
.
hiengbe [hyẽ̀gbé] vb.
(< hin ― egbe) “to climb body”: to cover one’s body:
Ọ ya ukpọn hiengbe: “He used cloth to cover his body: He is covering his body with a cloth”
.
hiẹ [hìɛ́] vb.
to reduce in quantity or intensity: (e.g. of a crowd).
ẹvbo hiẹ nẹ vbe evba ― “People are now fewer there.”
hihiẹ [hìhyɛ́] vb.
to pour; to spill:
hihiẹ amẹ kua vbe akhe nii ― “Pour out the water from that pot.”
hiin [hĩ̀ĩ́] vb.
1. to climb:
ọ hiin odukhun ― “He climbed up.”
;
2. to swell:
Ehe ne ọ gbekpa yọ ọre hiinrin ― The place where he hit him has swollen up
(cf. hinmwian);
3. (of new moon) to rise or appear:
Uki hiinrin node ― “The new moon appeared yesterday.”
hin [hĩ̀ĩ́] vb.
to ride (e.g. bicycle or horse).
hinmwian [hĩ̀ɱĩã́] vb.
to swell; to be swollen:
Owẹ ne i ya khian hinmwiaẹn ― “The feet with which I walked are swollen.”
hio [hyó] vb.
to be arrogant; to be proud.
hiọ1 [hìɔ́] vb.
to urinate.
hiọ2 [hìɔ́] vb.
to run a line through something with a knife to open it (e.g. a pod of Kola-nut).
hiọrọ [hyɔ̀ɽɔ́] vb.
1. to crawl along the ground (e.g. a snake’s motion);
2. to drag something on the ground (e.g. something heavy):
Iran gba hiọrọ erhan nii la iba ― “They both dragged that piece of wood on to the slab.”
hiọnrọn [hyɔ̃̀ɽ̃ɔ̃́] vb.
to breathe.
ho-bẹkun [hòbɛ̀kṹ] vb.
(< hoo1 ― bẹkun) to fail to find; to be irrecoverable; to be lost.
hoaro [hùáɽò] vb.
(< hoo1 ― aro): to be curious; to be forward.
hoẹmwẹn1 [hùɛ́ɱɛ̃̀] vb.
(< hoo1 ― ẹmwẹn)
1. to be quarrelsome;
2. to provoke; to offend:
Iran ọ ho ẹre ẹmwẹn: “They are the ones who provoked him.”
hoẹmwẹn2 [hùɛ́ɱɛ̃̀] vb.
(< hoo1 ― ẹmwẹn) “to want the words”^ to like somebody; to love somebody.
hoho [hòhó] vb.
to blow (e.g. of wind).
hohua [hòhùá] vb.
to come to naught.
hoo1 [hòó] vb.
1. to look for;
2^.^ to want.
hoo2 [hòó] vb.
to have sexual intercourse with.
họ [hɔ́] vb.
to lay (eggs).
họn [hɔ̃́] vb.
1. to hear;
2. to understand.
3. (with ẹmwẹn) to obey; to heed counsel or advice.
họnmwẹn [hɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
to brush oneself or something as a means of purification (e.g. after a breach of taboo):
ọ gbe ẹwe ya honmwengbe ― “He killed a goat and used it to purify himself.”
họnmwẹngbe [hɔ̃̀ɱẽ̀g͡be] vb.
to perform purification of self. (cf. họnmwẹn).
họọ [hɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to wash (of clothes).
họọn [hɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] vb.
1. to sprout (of new leaves);
2^.^ to grow (of hair).
hu1 [hú] vb.
1. to foam;
2. (of soap) to form a lot of suds (i.e. to be effective for washing things clean).
hu2 [hú] vb.
to show rapid growth (esp. the young of humans or animals).
hu3 [hú] vb.
(with ekpa) to cause to want to vomit: to cause nausea;
Ewia naa hu mwẹn ekpa ― “This smell rouses nausea in me; i.e. it makes me want to vomit.”
huan [hũ̀ã́] vb.
1. to be clean; to become clean; to be neat;
2. to be holy (in the Christian sense):
Orhiọn Nọhuanrẹn ― “The Holy Spirit”
.
hue [hùé] vb.
to swell; to rise; to increase in bulk:
Igari na huere ― “This garri has increased in bulk.”
huẹ [hùɛ́] vb.
to sulk; to be moody.
huẹhuẹ [hwɛ̀hwɛ́] vb.
to be sickly.
huẹn [hũ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to rouse somebody (from sleep or state of unconsciousness).
hughu [hùɣú] vb.
to heave; to move back and forth (of a mass, such as water or a crowd).
Iran na gha hughu yo hughu rre ― “They were heaving back and forth.”
hun [hũ] vb.
(with the noun
ovbe ― “sleep”) to have a desire for (sleep):
Ovbe hun mwẹn ― “Sleep is with me” ― I am feeling sleepy
.
hunwan [hũ̀w̃ã́] vb.
to be silent; to stop crying (of a child).
ka2 [ká] vb.
to recount all the evil deeds committed as a witch, or practitioner of other strong and evil forces; to confess to evil doings.
ka3 [ká] vb.
to count; to reckon:
Ka iran ghee deghẹ iran gbae ― “Count them to see whether they are correct.”
ka4 [ká] vb.
to dry; to be crisp:
eka ne ọ fiaẹn ma ka ― “The bean-cake that she fried was not crisp!”
ka5 [ká] vb.
to buy palm wine (or other kinds of drinks):
Ọ ka ọgọ ayọn eha gie arowa ọre ― “He bought and brought three bottles of wine to his master.”
kaa1 [kàá] vb.
to make dry; to cause to become crisp:
Iran gha kaa ehẹn vbe ovẹn: “They are drying fish in the sun.”
kaa2 [kàá] vb.
to carve (e.g. a piece of wood).
kaan1 [kã̀ã́] vb.
1. to touch;
2. to pertain to; to concern:
Ẹmwẹn na kaan mwẹn ― “This matter concerns me.”
kaan2 [kã̀ã́] vb.
(of gun, pipe, etc.), to load; to fill with relevant substance:
Ọ kaan ukoko ne ọse ọre si ― “He filled a pipe for his friend to smoke.”
ọ kaan osisi mu gọ ― “He loaded a gun and placed it by.”
kae [kàé] vb.
the cry of a squirrel.
kaẹn [kã̀ɛ̃́] vb.
1. to construct or build with wood;
O kaẹn ùkhuerhe mẹ ― “He constructed a stool for me.”
;
2. to nail something; to attach things together with a nail:
Ọ kaẹn erhan nii mu ẹkhu-orere mẹ: “He nailed that wood to the front door for me.”
kaka [kàká] vb.
1. to become dry; to be dehydrated (e.g. of leaves becoming dry and crisp).
kalọ [kàlɔ́] vb.
to stab repeatedly; to chop down:
Izigha ya ọpia kalọ iran vbe odẹ: “A highway robber stabbed them with a machete on the way.”
kan [kã́] vb.
to be difficult; to be tough:
ẹghẹ naa ghi kan gbe ― “These times are now very tough: These are difficult times.”
kan [kã̀] vb.
in the idiom kan ukọ: to query; to find fault with.
kanro [kã́ɽò] vb.
to feel unenthusiastic about (doing something) to feel reluctant about:
Eki na waa kọn mwẹn aro ne a yo: “I am not at all eager about going to this market.”
kanmwan [kã̀ɱã́] vb.
to be small.
karo [káɽò] vb.
“to be in front of”
1. to precede; to be ahead of;
2. to be first:
Ozo ọ karo vbe edanmwẹn ne iran ruu ― “Ozo was first in the examination that they did.”
kayọn [kàyɔ̃́] vb.
(< ka4 ― ayọn) to buy wine.
ke1 [ké] vb.
1. to be located next to; to be near:
Owa mwẹn ọ ke ọghẹe ― “My house is next to his.”
ke2 [ké] vb.
to be located at, relative to something else; to occupy a space (relative to something else):
Ọ we ne imẹ ke odaro ne irẹn ke iyeke: “He said that I should stay in front while he stays behind.”
kee [kèé] vb.
1. to support on a potrest (to cook):
Mu iyan kee ne a re ― “Put the yam on the pot-rest so that we may eat: Cook the pot of yam (over the fire) on the pot-rest for us to eat.”
.
2. to prop up, to hold up in place:
Ọ ya erhan kee ẹre ― “He supported it with a stick.”^
keegbe [kèègbé] vb.
(< kee ― egbe) “to prop up self”: to assume falsely a higher status than one is entitled to.
keere [kèérè] vb.
to be appropriate; to be good; to be suitable:
Ọ keere ye ukpo ne iran muẹrẹn yi naa ― “He is appropriate for this post that they have now put him.”
;
Ọ keere ne a gha ta emwanta ― “It is good for us to be telling the truth:”^ “It is good for us to speak the truth always”
.
kegbe [kègbé] vb.
(< ke
1-egbe): “to be near each other”: to be located next to each other; to be neighbours.
Iran bọ owa kegbe ― “They built houses next to each other.”
keke [kèké] vb.
to jostle; to push against:
Ọ keke ẹre fi ẹkhokho ― “He jostled her into a corner.”
kẹẹ [kɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
1. to be prompt; to be quick:
obọ kẹẹ iran vbe iwinna na ― “Hand was quick for them in this work: they were quick in completing this work”
;
2. (as an idiom with obọ):
obọ kẹẹ nẹ: “The work has already been completed”
. (also
“Ọ kẹẹ nẹ”: “It is already completed”
.) Thus:
ọ kẹẹ iran ya ruẹe nẹ i ke sẹ evba. “They were already done with doing it before I got there: They had already completed doing it before I got there.”
kẹẹ [kɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to remain; to be left over:
ígho ne ọ kẹẹre ọna khin ― Here is the money that was left over
. (also kẹrre).
kẹkẹ [kɛ̀kɛ́] vb.
to rot; to become rotten.
kẹrre [kɛ̀ré] vb.
to remain; to be left over. (cf. kẹẹ).
kẹtin [kɛ̀tín] vb.
(< koo ― ẹtin) “to gather strength”:
1. to rest, to relax;
2. to give up; to stop;
3. to die.
kie1 [kìé] vb.
1. to open; to unfold (e.g. ekharha: umbrella);
2. to display:
O do ya ukpọn ne ọ da dẹ kie vbe ẹki ― “She came to display her newly-acquired cloth in the market.”
kie2 [kìé] vb.
to remove:
Ọ kie ukpọn hin ovẹn rre: She removed the clothes from the line
.
kigho [kíɣó] vb.
(< ka ― ígho) “to count money”; to reckon money.
kii [kìí] vb.
1. to coil; to curl up (e.g. of reptiles),;
2. to coagulate or thicken (e.g. of owo ― a kind of sauce; or palm-oil):
Ofigbọn na kii mu ọgọ ― “This palm oil has coagulated and stuck to the bottle.”
kin1 [kĩ́] vb.
1. to tie tightly; to bind:
Ọ ya okun kin ẹbo ― “She used a twine to tie the bag tightly.”
;
2. to plait hair with thread.
kin2 [kĩ́] vb.
1. to look for (fallen) fruits at the base of a tree;
2. to examine traps for catch.
kinmwin [kĩ̀ɱĩ́] vb.
to hit hard; to strike hard.
kinna [kĩ̀nã́] vb.
to watch cautiously; to spy on.
kinnegbe [kĩ̀nẽ̀gbé] vb.
(< kinna ― egbe) “to watch body cautiously”^: to be on the alert for one’s safety; to be mindful about one’s safety.
kinnọ [kĩ̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. to coil around (iter, sense of kii 1.);
2. to bind with rope:
Iran ya irri kinnọ ẹnrẹn mu erhan ― “They bound him to a tree with rope”
.
kiyeke [kíyèkè] vb.
(< ke2 ― iyeke) “to be located at the back”, to be behind or at the back of.
kiza [kìzá] vb.
1. to be senseless; to be stupid;
2. to be mad.
ko1 [kó] vb.
to hold a meeting; to congregate:
Iran gha ko vbene iran khian ya suẹn ọnrẹn hẹẹ: “They are meeting to decide how they will set about starting it.”
2.
aux. indicates that the action in the main verb was performed by more than one person:
Iran hia ọ ko rri ọre ― “They all ate it together; or, They all joined in eating it.”
(also koko).
ko2 [kó] vb.
to make aload pad:
ọ ghi ko ne, ọ na mu ihe yan uhunmwun: “After she had made a load-pad, she lifted the load on her head.”
kodaro [kòdárò] vb.
(< ke2 ― odaro) to be in front. (also karo).
kokerhẹn [kòkéřɛ̃̀] vb.
(< koko1 ― erhẹn) “to assemble five” ― to make a fire.
kokẹtin [kòkɛ̀tĩ́] vb.
(< koko1 ― ẹtin) “to gather strength” ― to rest; to take a break (from labour) (also kẹtin).
koko2 [kòkó] vb.
1. to care for; to tend:
Rẹn ọ koko ọmọ mẹ: She is the one who tends the children for me
;
2. to feed; to provide for.
koo [kòó] vb.
to set fractured bones.
kotọ [kótɔ̀] vb.
to be underneath or below.
kọ [kɔ́] vb.
1. to plant; to grow something;
2. (with ẹbọ ― “a god”) to put up a shrine for:
Ọ kọ olokun ne amwẹn ọnrẹn ― “He installed an olokun shrine for his wife”
.
kọlọ [kɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
to pick (fruit or leaves) from a tree; to pluck.
kọn1 [kɔ̃́] vb.
to be foolish; to be senseless.
Ọ kọn sẹẹ ẹwe ― “He is foolish more than a goat: He is more foolish than a goat.”
kọn2 [kɔ̃́] vb.
(of humans) to crawl around on all fours; (of animals) to graze.
kọnkọn [kɔ̃̀kɔ̃́] vb.
(pl. ref.) to be big in size:
Iyan ne u dẹ rre na waa kọnkọn ― “These yams that you bought and brought are very big.”
ku1 [kú] vb.
to dip (in liquid); to immerse; to plunge:
Ọ ku ọbọ ye uwu akhe sa amẹ ― “He dipped his hand into the pot and collected some water.”
ku2 [kú] vb.
to lose in value; to be devoid of worth:
Ẹki ne ọ do ku gbe ẹre ― “The trading that he was doing has become worthless: he has gone bankrupt in his trading.”
ku3 [kú] vb.
to join with;
Iran ku kugbe rri ọre: “They joined together to eat it”
.
kuamẹ [kuámɛ̀] vb.
(< kue ― amẹ) “to allow water” ― to become soggy; to become unwholesomely or unpleasantly damp.
kuan1 [kũ̀ã́] vb.
1. to injure; to cause injury to; to afflict, or be afflicted:
Emwin kuan rẹn vbe oha ― “Something afflicted him in the bush.”
;
2. (usually as a second verb): to hit against:
Ọ mu obọ kuan ye egbekẹn ― “He hit his arm against the wall.”
kue1 [kwè] vb.
1. to agree to something:
Ọ kue ne ọ rhie vbe ọghẹe ― “He agreed for her to take from his own”
;
2. for a woman to allow a man to have sexual intercourse with her.
kuebe [kwèbé] vb.
(< ku2 ― ebe) “to be devoid of leaves”, (of a tree) loose leaves; to become bare.
kuẹki [kwɛ́kì] vb.
(< ku2 ― ẹki) “to be devoid of value in trade”;
1. to depreciate in value;
2. to become bankrupt.
kuẹ́n [kwɛ̃́] vb.
(occurs with dẹ: to buy): without paying: on credit:
Ọ dẹ ẹwu kuẹn vbe obọ mwẹn: “She bought a dress on credit from me.”
kùẹn [kwɛ̃̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to curl (also sikuẹn).
kuẹnkhun [kwɛ̃́xũ̀] vb.
(< kun-ekhun) “to form a cripple”: to become immobile; to be rendered motionless.
kugbe1 [kùgbé] vb.
to join together; to unite (also kukugbe).
kukugbe [kùkùgbé] vb.
cf. kugbe1.
kukhunmwun [kúxũ̀ɱù] vb.
(< ke2 ― ukhunmwun) to be above: to be on top of; to be higher than.
kulo [kùló] vb.
to be damaged; to be spoiled:
Ikẹkẹ na kulo nẹ; ẹi ghi gie a hiin. “This bicycle is now bad; it can no longer be ridden.”
kulu [kùlú] vb.
iter. of ku:
Iran kulu obọ ye uwawa zọlọ emiọwo ne i rrọọ viọ ― “They dipped their hands into the pot and picked out all the meat in it.”
kun [kṹ] vb.
to construct something; to fashion something:
Ọ kun imọto nẹẹ ya gha kuu ― “He constructed a (toy) car for him to play with.”
kuun [kũ̀ṹ] vb.
to package something; to pack together:
Ọ kuun emwin ẹnrẹn hia kpaọ ― “He packed all his things away.”
kuọ [kùɔ́] vb.
to faint; to become unconscious.
khaa [xàá] vb.
to say.:
Vbe ọ khaa hẹẹ? “What did he say?”
khaan1 [xã̀ã́] vb.
to be fed up with; to have had enough of (something):
Iwinna khaan mwẹn: “I have had enough of work.: I don’t want any more work.”
khaan2 [xã̀ã́] vb.
to sift; to separate the undesirable parts from the good parts (of something):
Khaan ẹre nii u ke muẹn ye akhe ― “Sift those beans before you put them into the pot.”
khaevbisẹ [xàeʋìsɛ́] vb.
“to say what comes to be”: to be in authority; to govern.
khamaa [xàmã̀ã́] vb.
to tell:
Khamaa rẹn ― “Tell him”
(also tamaa).
kharha [xàřá] vb.
to drop (of many things).
Alimoi kharha kua vbe okhuae ― “The oranges have dropped from the basket.”
kherhe [xèřé] vb.
1. to be small;
2^.^ to be little.
khẹẹ [xɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to await; to expect:
Ọ khẹẹ ruẹ vbe uwowa: “He is waiting for you inside.”
khẹkhẹ [xɛ̀xɛ́] vb.
to be simple; to be easy (usually occurs in negative clauses)^:
Iwinna na i khẹkhẹ ― “This work is not easy: It is tough.”
khẹke [xɛ̀ké] vb.
to be appropriate (in the sense of “what should be”):
Ọ khẹke ne u rhie ígho ẹre nẹẹ ― “It is appropriate that you give him his money: You ought to give him his money.”
khẹko [xɛ̀kóò] vb.
(< khọọ ― ẹko) “to spoil stomach”: to irritate or be irritated; to upset or be upset:
Ẹmwẹn ne ọ tae nii wa khọ mwẹn ẹko ― “Those things that he said really upset me.”
khia1 [xìá] vb.
to hurt:
Obọ khia mwẹn ― “(my) hand hurts me.”
khia2 [xìá] vb.
to scrape, to scratch with a sharp object. (skin or bark of something)
khia ukpakọn na mẹ ― “Scrape off the bark from this chewing stick for me.”
khian1 [xyã́] vb.
to walk; to go by foot.
Imọto u la rre ra te u khiaẹn? “Did you come by car or did you walk?”
khian [xĩ̀ã́] vb.
to transform into something else; to change; (usually by magical means):
ọ khian enọwanrẹn nẹ ― “He has become an elderly person; he has aged.”
; 2. to become.
khianmwun [xyã́ɱũ̀] vb.
to proceed; to keep going:
Ọ na khianmwun vbe uwowa ― “He proceeded into the house.”
khiẹ1 [xìɛ́] vb.
to mourn for; to grieve:
khiẹgbe ― “to mourn self”: to show conventional signs of grief
.
khiẹ2 [xìɛ́] vb.
1. to obstruct a passage with something;
2. to put a cork on a bottle.
khiẹn [xỹɛ̃́] vb.
1. to sell; to trade in:
Ọ khiẹn ukpọn vbe eki ― He sells cloth in the market
.
Igari ọ khiẹn: “She is a trader in garri: She is a garri-seller.”
;
2. to defeat (somebody) in a game.
Ọ khiẹn mwẹn vbe isẹ ne ima fii. “He defeated me in the game of isẹ that we played.”
khiẹn [xĩ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to wipe off; to clean off:
Ọ khiẹn ameve hin aro rre ― “She wiped off the tears from her eyes.”
khiẹn [xĩ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to twist:
ọ khiẹn mwẹn obọ ghee iyeke ― “He twisted my arm to the back.”
khinkọ [xĩ́kɔ̃̀] vb.
(< khian
4 ― iko) “to become an impediment”; to constitute a nuisance; an opponent or an enemy:
Ọ khin ere ikọ vbe isi-iwinna rẹn ― “He has constituted himself into a nuisance for him at his work place.”
khinraan [xĩ̀ɽã̀ã́] vb.
I. to melt. (e.g. of coagulated fat when heated).
khirhi [xìří] vb.
to do hurriedly; to be in haste:
Ọ khirhi le ẹre ― “He was in haste in cooking it: He hastily cooked it.”
khiokhio [xyòxyó] vb.
1. to scrape off (e.g. the burnt sediment of food in a pot.);
2. to scratch (with a sharp edge)
Ehọ ughegbe khiokhio mwẹn obọ ― “The edge of the mirror scratched my hand”
.
khọ [xɔ́] vb.
to resemble; to look like:
Ọvbokhan na ma zẹdẹ khọ evbibiọe ― “This child does not at all resemble his parents.”
khọnu [xɔ̀nú] vb.
(< khọọ ― unu) “to be bad in the mouth”; to taste bitter or sour. (cf. rriara).
khọọ [xɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1^.^ to be evil; bad:
evbikhọọ ― “a no-good”
;
orukhọọ: evil deeds; sins (in the Christian sense)
.
2. to be stern, strict, or severe:
Etisa na khọọ gbe ― This teacher is very strict
;
3. to be un-pleasant; to be bitter:
Ukhunmwun na khọọ unu ― “This medicine is unpleasant (in) the mouth: it is bitter.”
khọọn1 [xɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] vb.
1. to fight incessantly:
Te iran vbe ọvbokhan rẹn khọọn sin ― “He and his wife have been fighting incessantly all this time.”
;
2. to fight a war with:
Ẹvbo iran o gu ẹvho ima khọọn. “It is their town fighting a battle with our town.”
Ma ẹre ọ khian khọọn miẹ otọ ― “We are the ones who shall fight and receive the ground: We shall win.”
khọọn2 [xɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] vb.
1. to be desired; to be craved:
Iyan khọọn mwẹn: “I have a desire for yam”
.
Ibọru ne a gbe khọọn mwẹn: “I crave ball-playing: I feel like playing ball”
;
2. to be inclined toward doing, to feel like doing:
Ọ gha khọọn ruẹn u rhie nẹẹn deghẹ ọ ma vbe khọọn ruẹn u hẹwẹ ― “If you feel inclined to do so, you give it to her, if you are not so inclined, you leave it i.e. if you like you may give it to her, if not, you don’t.”
khọrhiọn [xɔ̀řĩɔ̃́] vb.
to be ugly:
Aro ẹre khọrhiọn gbe ― Her face is very ugly
.
khu [xú] vb.
1. to chase; to run after;
2. to drive away:
Iran khu mwẹn vbe ẹvbo nii ― “They drove me away from that town.”
khua1 [xùá] vb.
to be heavy:
Ihẹ na khua mwẹn ― “This load is heavy for me (to carry).”
khua2 [xùá] vb.
1^.^ to catch on a hook; to hang up:
Khua ukpọn na ye ise ne ọ rre egbekẹn ― “Hook this cloth on the nail on the wall.”
2. to clamp:
Ekhu khua mwẹn obọ ― “The door has clamped my hand.”
khuakhua [xwàxwá] vb.
1. to be tight; to be insufficiently roomy:
Aga na khuakhua ima ― “This chair is tight for us”
;
2. to jostle one another (e.g. in a crowd); to pack into a limited space.
khuan [xw̃ã́] vb.
to earn money; to make money:
Ígho ne ọ khian ya bọ owa ẹre ọ khuan. “It is the money that he intends to build a house with that he is making.”
khuan [xũ̀ã́] vb.
(with isan: faeces): to feel the urge to defecate:
Isan khuan mwẹn ― “I feel the urge to defecate.”
khuarha [xwàřá] vb.
to crack open by force (e.g. of a nut).
khue [xùé] vb.
(of udu: “heart”) to pound; to beat fast:
Iran ghi mu ẹnrẹn, udu ẹre na gha khue leilei: “When they caught him, his heart was pounding very fast.”
khuẹ [xùɛ́] vb.
1. to bathe; to wash (one’s body);
2. to swim.
khuẹn [xw̃ɛ̃́] vb.
(of ifi: trap) to set:
Ọ khuẹn ifi ye iyekowa ― “He set a trap in the backyard.”
khuẹnniẹ [xw̃ɛ̀nyɛ̃́] vb.
to respond; to reply.
khuẹrhẹ [xwɛ̀řɛ́] vb.
1. to be soft.
2. to be easy; not difficult.
khuo [xwó] vb.
to be slippery:
Iba na khuo gbe ― “This slab is very slippery.”
(also miọghọn).
khui [xùí] vb.
to lock:
Khui ẹkhu nii ― “Lock that door”
.
khuia [xwyá] vb.
to become clear, (of a person):
Urhu ne ọ te din mwẹn khuia nẹ ― “My voice that was ‘lost’ is now clear.”
khuikhui [xwìxwí] vb.
to be black; to be dark in complexion.
khuiwu [xwìwù] vb.
to be jealous; to begrudge:
Ọ khuiwu ọrue ọre gbe ― “She is overly jealous of her mate.”
khulo [xùló] vb.
iter, or pl. sense of khu:
Ọ khulo iran hia kua ― “He chased all of them away.”
khuorho [xwòřó] vb.
to putrefy; to rot.:
Alimoi ne ọ de rre hia wa khuorho ― “The oranges that she bought here have all rotted.”
khuọn [xũ̀ɔ̃́] vb.
1. (with ọka: maize): to detach the grains from the cob:
Khuọn ọka yọ mwẹn ọkpan ― “Detach some corn grains (and put them) onto my plate.”
;
2. to pick off (of leaves or fruits from a tree);
3. to shed or be shed; to fall off: e.g. of leaves from a tree:
Ebe erhan naa hia khuọn kua nẹ ― “The leaves of this tree have all been shed.”
khuọnmwin [xwɔ̃̀ɱĩ́] vb.
to be sick; to be afflicted:
I ma rẹn emianmwẹn ne ọ khuọnmwin ― “I don’t know the ailment that afflicts him: I don’t know what he is sick of.”
khurhu [xùřú] vb.
to be thick (of sauce or soup).
kpa1 [k͡pá] vb.
1. to vomit;
2. (with itan: proverb) to produce; to give:
Ọ kpa itan ma iran ― “He told them proverbs.”
kpa2 [k͡pá] vb.
(of plantain and banana plants) to bring forth fruit:
Ọghẹdẹ na kpa nẹ ― “This plantain plant has sprouted a fruit.”
kpaa [k͡pàá] vb.
1. to raise; to lift up:
Kpaa ihẹ na ghee deghẹ ọ khua ― “Lift up this load to see whether it is heavy”
;
2. to help to carry load:
Gu mwẹn mu ekherhe kpaa ruẹ vbe ihẹ naa ― “Let me help you to carry some of this load.”
kpaegbe [k͡paègbé] vb.
(< kpaa ― egbe) “to raise body”: to stand up; to rise.
kpaẹn [k͡pã̀ɛ̃́] vb.
1. to yank off (e.g. branches of a tree);
2. to pluck (e.g. fruits from a tree);
3. to fall off (by itself).
Abọ ọre kpaẹn fua ― a branch of it has fallen off
.
kpalọ [k͡pàlɔ́] vb.
to peel; to strip the bark off (e.g. a piece of wood or a tree-trunk):
Lahọ, kpalọ alimoi na mẹ ― “Please peel this orange for me.”
kpannọ [k͡pã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
reit. or pl. sense of kpaẹn:
Ebe hia kpannọ vuọn otọ ― “The leaves have all fallen to the ground.”
kpaọ [k͡pàɔ́] vb.
to leave; to depart:
Erhae kpaọ gha rrie Eko ― “His father left and went to Lagos.”
kpatalẹ [k͡pàtálɛ̀] vb.
to defecate (not in popular use).
kpe [k͡pé] vb.
1. to wash (something):
kpe ọkpan: to wash dishes; to do dishes
.
2. to immunize oneself with charms against various sources of harm;
3. to dress a wound: of. kpẹtẹ.
kpee1 [kpèé] vb.
1. to play a musical instrument:
Iran gha kpee ema vbe odọ ― “They are playing drums over there.”
;
2. to sing and dance in a procession:
Iku kpee dee vbe urria: “A dance group is approaching in the distance”
.
kpee2 [k͡pèé] vb.
to blame (somebody) for something that went wrong; to accuse of being responsible for a mishap:
Ghẹ kpee mwẹn ighẹ i ma ren ọkpa, i ma rẹn eva vbe emwin ne ọ ruẹ ― “Don’t blame me, for I know nothing about what is wrong with you.”
kpee3 [kpèé] vb.
to shout continuously; to scream:
Ọ kpee eve rua vbe ọ ya aro miẹ ọnrẹn ― “She shouted out a cry when she saw it with her eyes: She burst out crying when she set eyes on it.”
kpee5 [k͡pèé] vb.
(with uhunmwun: “head”): to ache:
uhunmwun kpee mwẹn: “My head is aching me: I have a headache.”
kpeema [k͡pèémà] vb.
(< kpee1 ― ema) “to play drums”: to drum.
kpeghe [k͡pèɣé] vb.
to shake; to sway:
Akọn mwẹn kpeghe ― “My tooth is shaking.”
kpẹẹ [k͡pɛ̀é] vb.
to be a long time, to remain for long.:
Ọ kpẹre vbe ugbo ― “He was a long time at the farm.”
kpẹkpẹ [k͡pɛ̀k͡pɛ́] vb.
to frequent a place; to visit frequently.
Ọ kpẹkpẹ vbe owa mwẹn ― “He visits my house often.”
kpẹn [k͡pɛ̃́] vb.
(with iyan or ema): to harvest.
Iran gha kpẹn iyan vbe ugbo ― “They are harvesting yams at the farm.”
kpigho [k͡píɣò] vb.
(< kpe-ìgho) “to wash horns”: (idiom) to struggle (with somebody); to compete (with somebody):
Iran vbe arowa re gha kpigho ― “He is having a struggle with his master.”
kpogho1 [k͡pòɣó] vb.
to be loose; not tight:
Italawẹ na kpogho vbe ẹkun mwẹn ― “These trousers are loose around my waist.”
(also logho).
kpogho2 [k͡pòɣó] vb.
to make a solution; to prepare a liquid mixture:
Kpogho ukhunmwun nẹẹn nẹ ọ wọn ― “Mix a solution of medicine for him to drink.”
kpokpo [k͡pòk͡pó] vb.
to worry (somebody); to harass; to disturb.
kpola [k͡pòló] vb.
1. to sweep;
2. to gather (things) together; to assemble (things):
Emwin hia ma ghi mwẹn vbe owa, avbe oyi kpolo ehia, iran viọre. “All the things that we have in the house, the thieves assembled all and took away”
; (cf. koko
1).
kpoo1 [k͡pòó] vb.
to sink; to give way (e.g. of the ground):
Otọ kpooro vbe iyekowa ― “The ground sank in the backyard.”
kpoorhu [k͡pòórhù] vb.
(< kpee-urhu) “to shout voice”: to preach.
kpọ [k͡pɔ́] vb.
to be plentiful; to be in large supply:
Evbare waa kpọ vbe ẹvbo na ― “Food is in large supply in this town.”
kpọkọ [k͡pɔ̀kɔ́] vb.
to dribble; to emit saliva: (of infants, after a meal.)
kpọlọ [k͡pɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
to be large; big; huge.
Owa ne ọ bọe waa kpọlọ ― “The house he built is quite large.”
kpọnmwẹn [k͡pɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
to thank; to give thanks to:
Ọ kpọnmwẹn mwẹn ye iyobo ne i rhie nẹẹn ― “He thanked me for the help I gave him.”
la1 [lá] vb.
1. to pass; to take (i.e. a certain way); to cross.
Edinran u lae ra odọ? ― “Was it this way you took or the other (way)?”
;
2. to expire; to be out-dated:
Ẹghẹ ọre la ne; a i ghi ru ẹe: Its time has passed; it is no longer done
.
la2 [lá] vb.
to be loud; to resound:
Urhu ẹre la sẹ ọghomwẹn ― “His voice is louder than mine.”
la3 [lá] vb.
1. to emit pus (e.g. of an infected ear):
Ehọ ọre la: “His ear is giving off pus”
.
2. to produce water; to run (of a faucet):
Ọgba ne ọ rre owa na i la ― “The tap in this house does not run.”
laa [làá] vb.
to haul or carry many things, individually:
yaa laa iyan na laọ owa ― “Go and carry each of those yams into the house”
.
ladian [làdã̀ã́] vb.
to come out; to appear.
Ọ ladian vbe iyekowa ― “He appeared in the backyard”
.
lagha [làɣá] vb.
to dangle; to hang:
Obọ ovbuẹ lagha fua vbe uwu ukpọn ― “Your child’s arm is dangling from the cloth” (i.e. the cloth with which the child is tied behind his mother.)
lahọ [làhɔ́] vb.
please:
Lahọ, mu mẹ ― “Please, help me to lift the load on my head.”
lalọ [làlɔ́] vb.
to lick:
Ọ lalọ uwọnmwẹn foo nẹ ― “He has finished licking the soup.”
laọ [làɔ́] vb.
1. to enter (e.g. into a house):
Ọ ma laọ uwowa vbe ọ sẹ emwan ― “He did not come into the house when he got here”
: (also lao);
2.
prep. occurs after verbs such as rhie, mu, viọ, etc., to mean “into”:
Ọ mu ihẹ ọre laọ owa ― “He carried his load into the house.”
le1 [lé] vb.
1. to cook food; to prepare food:
Ọ gua le ere ― “She knows how to cook beans.”
;
2. to immunize with charms.
le2 [lé] vb.
to be very dirty; to be filthy:
Te ughugha ere le ― “His room is filthy”
.
lee [lèé] vb.
(used with yan) to insult somebody with abuses and belittling gestures:
Ọ lee yan rẹn ― “She rained abuses on him and belittled him with gestures.”
(also leghe).
lele1 [lèlé] vb.
1. to follow; to accompany:
Ọ lele erhae gha rrie ugbo ― “He followed his father to the farm.”
lele2 [lèlé] vb.
1. to roam; to wander:
Ọ lele ẹvbo hia khian ― “He is travelling through every country”
;
2. to be everywhere:
Utun wa lele ehehia vbe ugbo na ― “There are mushrooms everywhere in this farm.”
lẹẹ1 [lɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to flee; to run away:
Ọyi nii lẹẹre ― “That thief fled.”
; 2. (of river) to flow.
lẹẹ2 [lɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to run (off colour); to wash off colour; to be non-colourfast.
Ukpọn na lẹẹ ― “This cloth runs”
.
lẹgaa [lɛ̀gàá] vb.
to surround; to go around. 2. as a prep. it means “around”:
Ọ gba ogba legaa owa re ― “He built a fence around his house.”
lẹre [lɛ̀ɽé] vb.
to hide:
Ọ lẹre ye iyeke ẹkhu ― “He hid behind the door.”
lẹvbo [lɛ́ʋò] vb.
(< la ― ẹvbo) “to pass town”: to roam through town; to perambulate.
lighi [lìɣí] vb.
1. to tangle (e.g. of a string);
2. to disrupt; to disturb peace (e.g. of a gathering):
Ọ lighi iko ne iran do rua ― He disrupted the meeting that they were holding
.
logho [lòɣó] vb.
1. to be watery (of a solution):
Uwonmwẹn na logho gbe ― “This soup is too watery: it is not thick enough.”
2. to be slack; not tight:
Ewu na logho vbe egbe mwẹn ― “This dress is too slack on me.”^
(also kpogho). loghologho ― watery; 3 loose.
loo [lòó] vb.
1. to use:
Erọ mwẹn ẹre ọ looro ya fiaẹn ― “It was my knife that he used to cut it.”
;
2. to spend (e.g. time; money; etc.).
Uzọla eva ẹre ọ looro vbe evba nii ― “Two weeks was what he spent in that town.”
;
Ọ loo ígho hia ne ọ guẹe foo ― “He spent all the money that he had.”
lore [lóé] vb.
to roam; to walk about (also lẹvbo).
lọ [lɔ́] vb.
1. to grind:
Ọ lọ ẹhiẹn: She ground pepper
;
2. to sharpen:
lọ erọ na mẹ ― “Sharpen this knife for me.”
;
3. (idiomatic): to be a witch.
lọọ [lɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to press clothes with an iron:
Ọ gha lọọ ewu ne ọ khian yọ ― “She is pressing the dress that she will wear.”
;
2. to press over or hit with something heavy:
Ọ ya odo lọọ ọre obọ ― “She pressed over her hand with the mortar.”
lọghọ1 [lɔ̀ɣɔ́] vb.
1. to be difficult; to be taxing:
Iwinna na lọghọ gbe ― “This work is very difficult.”
2. to cause suffering or agony:
Uhunmwonva na waa lọghọ mwẹn ― This sickness is really causing me a lot of agony
.
lọghọ2 [lɔ̀ɣɔ́] vb.
to dangle (cf. lagha).
lọlọ [lɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
iter. of lọọ
2:
Ọ ya ekpa lọlọ ọre arọ ― “He pounded his face with blows (from his fist).”
lue [lùé] vb.
to chew:
lue unu ― “to chew mouth”; “to munch”
.
luẹluẹ [lwɛ̀lwɛ́] vb.
1. (of plants) to wither;
2. to be fatigued.
lughaẹn [lúɣãɛ̃̀] vb.
to be different; to be unique:
Ọna ọ lughaẹn vbe uwu iran ― “This is the unique one among them.”
lughu [lùɣú] vb.
to stir up; to disturb:
Ọ lughu amẹ nii ― “She stirred up the water”
. 2. to be unsettled; to be turbulent:
Ẹko mwẹn lughu ne i na rhulẹ ― “My stomach became unsettled because I ran.”
lurho [lúřò] vb.
“to pass gates”: to go from door to door.; to make the round of houses.
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).
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.”
mama1 [mã̀mã́] vb.
1. to adhere; to stick together;
Ukpọn ne ọ hẹ ye ẹkpẹtin hia mama kugbe ― “The 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 ma
3:
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 contempt 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.”
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 [myɛ̃́] 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 (something) as fact; to confess to something.:
Ọ miẹkue íghe 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 something:
Ọ gha miẹmiẹ ikpẹ ọmerhan ― “He is sucking the seed of a fruit.”
miẹmiẹ2 [myɛ̃̀myɛ̃́] vb.
to be sugarysweet:
ọ miẹmiẹ sọsọsọ: “It is overly 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).
mitan [mĩ̀tã́] vb.
to be lazy; to be sluggish:
Ọvbokhan naa mitan gbe ― “This child is very lazy.”
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.”
mohu [móhù] vb.
to be angry. (also muohu).
mose [mòsé] vb.
to be beautiful; lovely; nice.
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 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 psychologically (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.”
mua1 [mũ̀ã́] vb.
to multiply; to increase.
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.
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 lonely; to be desolate.
Owa na mu ọmwan ohioro ― “this house makes one feel lonely.”
muohu [mwóhù] vb.
cf. mohu.
mwaan1 [ɱã̀ã́] vb.
to measure; to gauge; to weigh:
Mwaan ọnrẹn ne a rẹn vbene ọ tan sẹ hẹẹ ― “Measure it so that we may know how long it is.”
mwaan2 [ɱã̀ã́] vb.
to perform a surgical operation on; to cut open the body as part of an operation:
Te iran mwaan ẹnrẹn egbe vbe asokito ― “He was operated upon at the hospital.”
(Also used of corpses to describe the process of an autopsy).
mwaanmẹ [ɱã̀ã́mɛ̃̀] vb.
(< mwẹẹn + amẹ) to be juicy; to contain much fluid:
Ivin-ebo na waa mwaanmẹ ― “This coconut has much milk.”
mwanmwan [ɱã̀ɱã́] vb.
to arrange (things and people):
Ọ mwamnwan ukpọn ye ẹkpẹtin ― “He arranged clothes into the box.”
mwẹẹn [ɱɛ̃̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to have; to possess:
ọ mwẹẹn emọ eva ― “She has two children.”
mwẹn-ígho ― “to be affluent.”
mwọọnghae [ɱɔ̃̀ɔ̃́ɣaè] vb.
(< mwẹẹn + ọghae) to be warm in temperature (e.g. water, or the body, etc.).
na1 [nã́] vb.
1. to narrate:
Ozo na evbene emwin nii hia ya sunu hẹẹ ― “Ozo narrated how all those things came about”
;
2. to say, to utter (e.g. a prayer). (cf. naa).
naa [nã̀ã́] vb.
to spread uncomplimentary information about; to broadcast maliciously:
Ọ gha naa mwẹn khian ighẹ i ma rhie okhuo: “He is spreading unpleasant news about me concerning my not marrying.”
nana [nã̀nã́] vb.
1. to tread step by step; to climb gradually;
Fẹkọ nanaẹ ne u ghẹ de ― “Climb it slowly and gradually so that you may not fall.”
2. to narrate in detail; to spell out fully.
nerhunmwun [néřũ̀ɱũ̀] vb.
to pray (also lerhunmwun).
nẹ1 [nɛ́] vb.
to defecate; to pass out faeces.
ni1 [nĩ́] vb.
1. to subscribe (money) toward a group fund; to pay a membership levy:
i ni ígho-emitin mwẹn nẹ ― “I have paid my membership levy for my society”
;
2. to impose a membership levy:
Iran ni ígho-ukpọn emitin gun mwẹn ― “They sent to me about the membership levy I was required to pay, toward the purchase of the society uniform.”
ni2 [nĩ́] vb.
1. (of a boat or canoe) to overturn; to sink:
Ọkọ iran ni ye ẹzẹ ― “Their boat overturned in the river.”
ni3 [nĩ́] vb.
(with orhiọn) to fail; to cease:
Orhiọn ni mwẹn ― “Soul has failed me”: “I feel faint; I am tired.”
niania [nyã̀nyã́] vb.
(usually with an abstract obj.) to drag indefinitely; to extend beyond proportions:
Ọ guẹ vbe a niania ẹmwẹn hẹẹ gbe ― “He is too fond of dragging matters indefinitely.”
(also tiantian).
niẹ [nĩ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
1. to stretch; to extend, to point:
Ọ niẹ owẹ gbe odẹ ― “He extended his legs across the way.”
nọnọ [nɔ̃̀nɔ̃́] vb.
to drip; to pour a drop at a time, or very slowly e.g.
ofigbọn nọnọ ye aga ― “Some palm oil dripped on the chair.”
pàpá [pàpá] vb.
1. to stroke gently with the palm of the hand, or any flat object.;
2. to attach (something) to a flat surface:
ọ papa ebe nii mu ẹkhu ― “He attached that sheet of paper to the door.”
pẹpẹ [pɛ̀pɛ́] vb.
1. to lure; entice:
Ọ pẹpẹ ọre fi osa ― “She lured him into debt.”
;
2. to pet; to pamper.
piẹn [pĩ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
1. to press against;
2. to push forcibly into a limited space or against a hard surface:
Ọ piẹn ọnren mu egbekẹn ― “He pressed her against the wall.”
piẹnpiẹn [pỹɛ̃̀pỹɛ̃́] vb.
1. same as piẹn;
2. (of space) to be too tight.
piẹnrhẹn [pỹɛ̃̀řɛ̃́] vb.
to become smashed; (of ripe fruit or vegetable) to be smashed; to decompose.
piọrhọ [pyɔ̀řɔ́] vb.
same as piẹnrhẹn.
pirhi [pìří] vb.
1. to blur, or smear:
Ọ pirhi ehia kugbe ― “He smeared all together.”
;
2. to be or become blurred, or smeared ―
Emwin hia ne i gbẹn pirhi vbe aro mwẹn ― “Everything I wrote became blurred in my eyes.”
raan [ɽã̀ã́] vb.
to till; to stuff up; to cram:
Ọ ran uvun ne ọ tọnnọẹ ― “He filled the hole that he dug.”
rae [ɽàé] vb.
to go to a place (occurs more generally in a negative clause):
Ọ wẹ irẹn i ghi rae ― “He said that he will not go any more.”
; 2. (with sẹ in sẹ-raẹ): to leave; to depart:
Ọ sẹ erhae rae ye igue ― “He from his father departed at the village” ― “He departed from his father in the village or: He left his father behind in the village.”
ranmwẹn [ɽã̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
to fry in oil; to cook by frying ―
Ọ ranmwẹn emiowo ne ima re ― “He fried meat for us to eat.”
ranran [ɽã̀ɽã́] vb.
to melt; to become liquefied by heat:
Ofiugbọn ne ọ mu yan erhẹn ranran nẹ ― “The oil that he put on the fire has melted.”
; 2. (fig.) to melt with fear or apprehension:
ọ te ranran vbe ọ deghe ẹre ― “He almost melted when he saw her.”
re1 [ɽé] vb.
to eat (when followed directly by its object, it becomes rri)
Iran rri ẹma ne ọ le ne iran ― “They ate the pounded yam that he cooked for them.”
re2 [ɽé] vb.
to acquire (something): (when directly followed by its object, it becomes rri) ―
Iran gu ẹre ghọghọ yẹ egie ne ọ re ― “They rejoiced with him over the chieftaincy title that he acquired.”
Ọ rri egie ― “He acquired a title.”
re3 [ɽé] vb.
to incur (e.g. hardship) (when directly followed by its object, it becomes rri):
Ọ rri oya vbe owa ọdọ ọre ― “She incurred abuse in her husband’s house.”
re4 [ɽé] vb.
(of shoes, blades of knives, machetes, etc.) to deteriorate in quality; to wear; to show signs of damage or age as a result of ordinary use:
Ibata na re nẹ ― “These shoes are now worn.”
ree [ɽèé] vb.
1. to bury (a dead person).;
2. to conceal:
Ọ ree ẹre ye uwu ukpọn ― “She concealed it in her apparel.”
rẹẹn [ɽɛ̃̀ɛ̃́] vb.
1. to know ―
I rẹẹn inu ne ọ rre evba ― “I know how many that are there”
.;
2. to be acquainted with; to recognize ―
Ọ ma ghi te rẹẹn ọnrẹn ― “He almost did not recognize him.”
rẹnrẹn1 [ɽɛ̃̀ɽɛ̃́] vb.
1. to tickle (somebody); to excite the nerves (of somebody) to produce laughter:
Ọ gha rẹnrẹn mwẹn ― “He is tickling me.”
;
2. to be tickled.
rẹnrẹn2 [ɽɛ̃̀ɽ̃ɛ̃́] vb.
to crawl (like an insect); to glide slowly on the ground.
rẹrẹ [ɽɛ̀ɽɛ́] vb.
1. to deceive ―
Ọ rẹrẹ ọre miẹ ọnrẹn igho ― “He deceptively took money from him.”
;
2. to lure, to entice:
Ọ ya igho rẹrẹ ọre rhie kpaọ ― “He used money to lure her away with him. He lured her away with money”
.
rinmwian [ɽĩ̀ɱyã́] vb.
to beg; to plead with:
Rinmwian mwẹn ne i ghẹ kpaọ sẹ ruẹ rae ― “Plead with me not to depart from you.”
ro1 [ɽó] vb.
to be cheap:
Evbare waa ro vbe ẹvbo na ― “Food is quite cheap in this town.”
ro2 [ɽó] vb.
(of a boil or an inflamed tumour) to leak out pus; to discharge pus:
arighẹghan ne ọ mu ẹre owẹ ma he ye ro ― “The boil that afflicted him on the leg has not yet started to discharge pus.”
ro3 [ɽó] vb.
to flood; to inundate; to form a crowd:
Amẹ ro vuọn úkpo ― “Water has flooded the road: The road is flooded with water.”
Ọgba ro ne ẹvbo ― “The tap is crowded (with people).”
rogho [ɽòɣó] vb.
to be undesirably soft or watery; (of fruit or vegetable); to deteriorate; to start to rot.:
Etamatosi hia ne ọ dẹ rre rogho vuọn okhuae ― “All the tomatoes she bought here have started to rot in the basket.”
roro [ɽòɽó] vb.
1. to think, to meditate;
2. to compute; to reckon;
3. to add:
Roro ehia kugbe ne u khama mwẹn inu ne iran khin ― “Add all together and tell me how many they are.”
(also roo).
rọ1 [ɽɔ́] vb.
1. to exchange:
Ya ọnona rọ ọnii ― “Exchange that with this.”
;
2. to change money into smaller denominations; to make change:
Lahọ, rọ ígho na mẹ ― “Please, change this money (into smaller denominations) for me.”
rọ2 [ɽɔ́] vb.
to come to a standstill; to rest; to stop:
Ai miẹ ẹghẹ ne agbanmwẹn ọnrẹn ya rọ ― “There is never a time that his jaws are at rest. (i.e. He is forever talking).”
rọkhọ [ɽɔ̀xɔ́] vb.
(of fruit)
1. to be very ripe:
alimoi na rọkhọ nẹ ― “This orange is now very ripe.”
;
2. to be easy (to do); to be stress-free:
Iwinna ne ọ mu mẹ ru rọkhọ ― “The work that he gave me to do is easy.”
;
3. to be comfortable; peaceful:
Owa na rọkhọ mwẹn egbe ― “This house is comfortable for me (for my body)”
.
4. (of illness) to subside; to lessen:
Uhunmwonva ẹre fẹko rọkhọ nẹ ― “His illness is gradually subsiding.”
rọn [ɽ̃ɔ̃́] vb.
1. to drip; to shed moisture or liquid; to leak:
Ofiugbọn rọn kua vbe uko ― “The oil dripped out of the calabash.”
;
2. to look radiant; to have a sheen:
Ke ne ọ ya sẹ Ẹdo, te ọ ghi rọn ― “Since she arrived in Benin, she has been looking radiant.”
rọnmwẹn [ɽ̃ɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
to marry (used mainly of a woman)
Ọtenmwẹn ẹre ọ rọnmwẹn ― “It is my relation that she married.”
ru [ɽú] vb.
1. to do; to perform ―
Ọ ru iwinna ne a munẹẹn nẹ ― “He has already performed the task that he was assigned.”
;
2. to perform the ritual rites (e.g. of ancestors or a deity); to offer sacrifice:
Akhuẹ ẹre ọ khian ru erhae ― “It is tomorrow that he will perform the rites of his father (or ancestors).”
;
3. to be like; to have the characteristics of:
Ukpọn ne iran dẹe ru ebebe ― “The cloth which they bought is greenish (is like foliage)”
.
ru-khọọ [ɽúxɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to sin; to err;
2. to ill-treat.
ruan1 [ɽũ̀ã́] vb.
to drug (a person); to administer poison (to a person).
Iran ruan rẹn vbe ehe ne ọ yoo ― “They drugged him where he went.”
rue [ɽùé] vb.
to vie with (usually of co-wives).
ruegbe [ɽwègbé] vb.
to engage in a verbal or physical tussle with somebody:
Te iran eveva ruegbe sin ― “Both of them have since been engaged in a tussle.”
rueghe [ɽwèɣé] vb.
to shake; to move back and forth; to be unsteady.
ruẹ1 [ɽùɛ́] vb.
1. to learn:
Ọ ruẹe vbene a ya kuun ẹnrẹn hẹẹ ― “He learned how it is constructed”
;
2. to teach (to somebody)
Ọ ruẹ ọre ikẹkẹ ne a hin ― “He taught him how to ride a bicycle.”
ruẹn [ɽ̃ũ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to pour liquid into a container; to fill with liquid:
Ruẹn amẹ ye ọgọ nii mẹ ― “Fill that bottle with water for me.”
ruẹse [ɽwɛ̀sé] vb.
1. (< ru1 ― ẹse) “to do a kindness”; to help; to bestow a favour;
2. (as part of the greeting: “U ruẹse”) to be deserving of one’s gratitude or indebtedness:
“U ruẹse vbe egbe mwẹn ” ― “I am grateful for your help/kindness to me.”
runran [ɽ̃ũ̀ɽ̃ã́] vb.
to be startled; to start or shudder (e.g. with shock or fright):
Ọ runraẹn vbe avan-nukhun-mwun vaẹn ― “She shuddered when it thundered.”
ruosa [ɽwòsá] vb.
(< ru1 ― osa) to incur a debt; to be in debt.
rhaa [řàá] vb.
to steal:
Iran rhaa gbe vbe ẹvbo na ― “They steal exceedingly in this town (i.e. there is a lot of stealing in this town.)”
rhaan [řã̀ã́] vb.
1. to loosen; to untie:
Rhan irri nii hin ẹnrẹn owẹ rre ― “Loosen that rope from its leg.”
;
2. (with aro) to open.
rhaanro [řã̀ã́rò] vb.
(< rhaan ― vbe ― arọ) “open at the eyes”: to be sophisticated; to be civilized. (cf. ìrhànrò).
rhanmwẹn [řã̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
1. to dip (a piece of food) into soup or sauce (before eating it) (e.g. eba or pounded yam).;
2. to touch, to come into contact with:
Ukpọn ne ọ rhuaẹn rhanmwẹn otọ ― “The cloth she is tying touches the ground.”
;
3. (idiom) to be affected severely:
Obọ rhanmwẹn ọnrẹn vbe ugbemwẹn ne iran gbẹe ― “He really had it from the beating that they gave him.”
rhia [řyá] vb.
1. to spoil or to become spoilt; to go bad; to develop a fault:
Ikẹkẹ mwẹn rhiae ― “My bicycle has developed a fault.”
Uwọnmwẹn na rhiae ― “This soup has gone bad.”
rhie [řìé] vb.
1. to take; to acquire (used generally of a singular obj. only)
Ọ rhie ebe ne ọ ghaa rre evba ― “He took the book that was there.”
;
2. to pick up something:
Ọ rhie ẹre kpaọ gha rrie owa ― “He picked it up and took it home (with him)”
.
Combination with advs. and other verbs:
rhie baa ― “to add”:
Ọ rhie ekherhe baa re ― “He added a little to it”
;
rhie-fua ― “to throw away”:
“Ọ rhie enọkẹre fua” ― “He threw away the other one”
:
rhie-gbakhua ― “to save”; “^to put away as standby”:
O rhie ígho kherhe gbakhua khẹẹ ivbi-ẹre ― “He saved a little amount of money away for his children.”
rhie ― hin ―
1. “to remove”:
Ọ rhie nẹima ne ọ rrọọ hin vbọ ― “He removed the bad one out of it”
.;
2. to store away; to keep:
Ọ rhie ígho ne iran rhie nẹẹ hin ― “He kept the money that they gave him.”
rhie ― lẹre ― “to hide (something)”:
Ọ rhie ígho ẹre lẹre ye uwowa ― “He hid his money in the house”
;
rhie maa “to show”; “to prove to”:
Ọ rhie uyinmwẹn dan rẹn maa vbe evba ― “He demonstrated his bad habit there.”
rhie na ― “to give to”; “donate”:
Ọ rhie ígho ne ibiẹka eso ― “He gave money to some children.”
“rhie-rrọ” ―
1. “to perch”:
Ọ rhie rro ye uhunmwun erhan ― “It perched on the tree.”
;
2. “to hang up” ―
Ọ rhie ẹwu ẹre rrọ ye irri ― “He hung up his garment on the rope.”
rhie mwẹẹn ― “to hold”:
Ọ rhie ẹkpo mwẹẹn vbe obọ ― “He was holding a bag in his hand.”
; 3.
rhie-yi ― “to place or leave (somewhere)”:
Ọ rhie ígho ye otọ ― “He left money down (behind)”
.
rhiegbe [řyègbé] vb.
“^to take self”: to emancipate from apprenticeship or wardship.
rhiẹnrhiẹn [řỹɛ̃̀řĩɛ̃́] vb.
1. (of edible things) to be delicious; to be appetizing:
Evbare na waa rhiẹnrhiẹn ― “This meal is very delicious”
;
2. (of non-edible things): to be delightful, pleasant and pleasurable:
Eghẹ emwiunkpo rhiẹnrhiẹn gbe ― “The new year period is very pleasant.”
rhikhan [řìxã́] vb.
1^.^ to be smooth, supple and pliable; (of pounded yam): to be of smooth consistency; “good-to-eat.”;
2. to put up a struggle:
Ọ rhikhaẹn lelẹe ― “She struggled after him”
.
rhinnọ [řĩ̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. to disturb a wound through contact with something:
Ọ rhinnọ mwẹn owẹ ― “He hurt the wound on my leg.”
;
2. to rouse painful memories:
Ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn wa vbe rhinnọ mwẹn orhiọn ― “Thoughts of him have again roused painful memories in my mind.”
rhiobọyebe [řiòbɔ́yèbé] vb.
(< rhie-obọ-ye-ebe): “Put hand on paper” ― to sign or certify a document.
rhiọ [řyɔ́] vb.
to do something very early in the morning (at the crack of dawn):
Ọ rhiọ khuẹ ne ọ mieke na rherhe muegbe ― “He bathed at dawn so that he would be ready in time.”
rhiọha [řyɔ̀há] vb.
(< rhie ― ọha) “to take a bride”: to marry.
rhiọrre [řyɔ̀ré] vb.
to wake up; to rise:
Ọ rherhe rhiọrre nowiẹrẹ ― “He woke up early this morning.”
rhiukorrọọ [řìúkórɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
(< rhie-uko-rrọọ) “to hang up the gourd”: an idiom for “to commit suicide by hanging”; “to hang.”
rhoo1 [řòó] vb.
1. to praise (esp. in the religious sense).;
2. to compliment or commend somebody on some outstanding achievement or good disposition.
rhoo2 [řòó] vb.;
to commit a breach of etiquette in reference to the Ọba.
rhovbiẹ [řòvyɛ́] vb.
to abuse or insult verbally:
Ne ọ na rhovbiẹ mwẹn ẹre i na gbẹe ― “On account that he abused me verbally was why I beat him.”
rhọọ1 [řɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to pick up things from the ground:
Ọ gha rhọ alimoi ne i kharha kua ― “She is picking the oranges that dropped (down).”
rhọọ2 [řɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to rain:
amẹ rhọọre nodẹ ― “It rained yesterday.”
rhu1 [řú] vb.
1. to cover over something (e.g. with a larger object):
Ọ si ukpọn rhu aro ― “He pulled the cloth (to cover) over his face.”
;
2. to cast a shade over (something):
Erhan rhu gue ẹre ― “A tree has cast a shade over it.”
;
3. to wear a hat:
Ọ rhu erhu ― “He wore a hat”
.;
4. (of plants) ― to have a full foliage; to be covered with leaves.;
5. (of eyes) to be blind:
Te aro ọre rhuu ― “His eyes are blind.”
rhu2 [řú] vb.
to light a lamp or a fire; to set ablaze:
Ọ rhu erhẹn ye owa ― “He set fire to the house.”
rhua [řùá] vb.
to soak (something) in liquid:
Ọ rhua igari ye amẹ ― “She soaked some garri in water.”
(also rhuarhua).
rhuan [řwã́] vb.
1. to wrap a piece of cloth around the body; to tie a wrapper;
2. to dress up (e.g. in full regalia).
rhuan [řũ̀ã́] vb.
to shed skin (e.g. of snakes); to peel.
rhuarhua1 [řwàřwá] vb.
cf. rhua.
rhuarhua2 [řuàřuá] vb.
to look fatter and healthier, esp. after an illness; to put on a little more flesh esp. by a lean person.
rhuẹ1 [řùɛ́] vb.
to circumcize.
rhuẹ2 [řùɛ́] vb.
(of fats and oil): to coagulate; to congeal.
rhuẹ3 [řùɛ́] vb.
(of a trap): to set a trap.
Ọ rhuẹ ifi khẹe ofẹn ― “He set a trap for the rats.”
rhugbama [řùg͡bàmá] vb.
to assemble; to come together.
rhulẹ [řùlɛ́] vb.
(< rhie ― ule)
1. “to take a race”: to run:
Ọ sẹtin rhulẹ ― “He can run.”
;
2. (in combination with another vb.): to make haste; to hurry:
Ọ rhulẹ ru ẹre ― “He made haste to do it: he did it hastily.”
rhuo [řùó] vb.
to peel off the skin (used mainly of boiled yam):
Ọ rhuo iyan ye ọre odo ― “He peeled yam into the mortar for him (to pound)”
.
rhuọ [řwɔ́] vb.
to boast; to brag.
rhurhẹ [řùřɛ́] vb.
1. to pour away; to spill:
amẹ rhurhẹ kua vbe ọgọ ― “Water poured out of the bottle.”
;
2. to break out with; to develop (usually of a skin condition):
Ikponi rhurhẹ kuẹ ọre ― “He broke out into goose-bumps.”
rhurhu [řùřú] vb.
to crowd together; to move in swamps:
Iran rhurhu lẹga ẹre ― “They crowded around it.”
rraa1 [ràá] vb.
1. to dab (something) on; to smear with a cream or some solution: (e.g. paint):
Ọ ya orhue rraa uhunmwun ― “He dabbed chalk on his head.”
;
2. to caress esp. (with the palm); to rub back and forth:
Ọ gha ya obọ rraa ẹre egbe ― “She is caressing him with her hand.”
rraa2 [ràá] vb.
(usually in combination with fian ― to cut): to cross:
Ọ fian ukpo rraa ― “He cut across the road: he crossed the road.”
rraa3 [ràá] vb.
to catch something that was thrown into the air:
Ọ rraa ibolu ne a fi giẹe ― “He caught the ball that was thrown to him.”
rraa4 [ràá] vb.
to commit a breach (of the law); to fail in the application of a rule:
Ọ rra uhi ― “He broke the law.”
rraa5 [ràá] vb.
(with ikpowo ― porridge) to prepare (porridge), to cook (it).:
Ọ ma rẹn vbe a rraa ikpowo hẹẹ ― “He did not know how to prepare porridge.”
rraan [rã̀ã́] vb.
1. to heat up (e.g. cold soup);
2. (of egbe ― body): to be well, sound:
Egbe ma rraan mwẹn ― “Body is not sound for me: I am not well; I am ill.”
;
3. (of weather) to be crisp and nice:
ehe hia rraanrẹn ― “Everywhere is crisp and bright”
.
rrabọ [ràbɔ́] vb.
(< rraa1 ― obọ) “to rub hands”: to rub palms together in a gesture expressive of supplication, respect or praise.
rre [ré] vb.
1. to be located at:
Iran rre ughugha nii ― “They are in that room.”
;
2. to be available at:
Egbẹ ọna vbe rre ẹvbo ima ― “This variety is also found in our town”
(when there is no direct locative complement, or when a prep. occurs before the locative, the form used is rrọọ):
Eso vbe rrọọ vbe ughugha nii ― “There are also some in that room.”
rre [réè] vb.
1. to arrive:
Node ẹre ọ rre ― “Yesterday was when he arrived”
(with this sense, it usually does not take a locative complement);
2. to come (when there is a locative complement it becomes rri):
I rre, sokpan i ma miẹ omwan rhọkpa vbe owa ― “I came but I did not find anybody at home”
; I rri emwan, sokpan . . . “I came here, but . . . .”^ (with this sense, rre is replaced by dee in the progressive aspect)^:
I dee ― “I am coming”
(when there is a locative complement, dee becomes di):
I di owa ruẹ ― “I am coming to your house.”
rree [rèé] vb.
to be distant; to be remote (in both time and space):
Eko rree vbe Ẹdo ― “Lagos is far from Benin”
;
Ọ rreere ne a ghi ru ẹre ― “It is a long time ago that it was done.”
rri1 [rí] vb.
1. to tie a knot; to fasten:
Rri ere mu aberhan ne ọ ghẹ lẹ fua ― “Fasten it to a branch so that it may not run away.”
;
2. (with mu): to tangle; to get stuck:
Ọ mu rri ― “It has tangled.”
rri2 [rí] vb.
1. to tread upon; to trample:
ọ ya owẹ rri mwẹn ukpọn mu otọ ― “She trampled over my cloth.”
(cf. rrilo).
rri3 [rí] vb.
the transitive form of re (1, 2 & 3):
Ọ rri izẹ ― “He ate rice.”
rria1 [rìá] vb.
to rinse out:
Ọ rria ukpọn hẹ ye ovẹn ― “She rinsed clothes and put them out in the sun.”
rria2 [rìá] vb.
to extrapolate; to interpret into more familiar terms (e.g. of a configuration in an oracle).
rriabe [ryàbé] vb.
(< re3 ― abe) to be guilty (in a case).
rriaikhi [ryàìxí] vb.
to avenge; to take revenge.
rriara [ryàɽá] vb.
to be bitter, unpleasant, sour.
rriarria [ryàryá] vb.
to hover around (a person) with a craving for a share of his/her food:
Ọ gha rriarria ye ọre evbare ― “She is hovering around with a craving for his food.”
rriase [riàsé] vb.
(< re3 ― ase) to be innocent (in a case).
rrie [rìé] vb.
1. to retreat; to go away:
Ọ gha ru ẹre fo nẹ, ọ rrie ― “When he has completed it, he will go away”
.;
2. to be in the process of going (to a place); to be on the way to:
Ọ rrie uhunmwun ne a gie ẹre ― “He is on his way on the errand which he was sent.”
Ọ rrie owa ― “He is on his way home.”
rriẹrriẹ [ryɛ̀ryɛ́] vb.
(of something cooking over an open fire) to turn over or around; to adjust over the fire (so that it doesn’t burn).
rrievbare [ryèʋàɽé] vb.
(< re1 ― evbare) “to eat food” ― generally means “to eat” when nothing specific is indicated.
rriẹ [ryɛ́] vb.
to be smooth:
Gie ẹre rrie ― “Let it be smooth.”
rriẹ [rìɛ́] vb.
to make smooth; to cause to be smooth:
Ya okuta rriẹ ọre ― “Smoothen it with a stone.”
rriẹrriẹ́ [ryɛ̀ryɛ́] vb.
1. to loiter;
2. to frequent a place ―
Ọ rriẹrriẹ vbe owa ọre ― “He visits her house frequently.”
rrii [rĩ̀ĩ́] vb.
to keep domestic animals (not as pets, but as livestock):
Ọ rrii ẹwẹ ― “She keeps goats.”
rrilo [rìló] vb.
1. the plural or reiterative sense of rri
1. and 2.:
Ọ rrilo iran mu erhan ― “He tied them to trees.”
Ọ ya owẹ rrilo mwẹn ukpọn ― “She trampled over my clothes.”
;
2. to massage:
Ọ ya amerhẹn rrilo ẹre egbe ― “She massaged his body with hot water.”
rriokodẹ [ryòkódɛ̀] vb.
(< re2 ― okodẹ) “to acquire what one was entrusted with” ― to embezzle.
rriosa [ryòsá] vb.
(< re
3 ― osa) “to incur debt”: to be in debt; to owe (usually money):
Ọ rri Ozo osa ― “She owes Ozo money.”
rriovan [ryòvã́] vb.
(< re
2 ― ovan) “to acquire a nickname” ― to bear as a nickname:
Ọ ya Ọsa rriovan ― “He has “Ọsa” as a nickname.”
rrioya [ryóyà] vb.
(< re3 ― oya) “to incur insult”: to suffer.
rriukhu [ryùxú] vb.
(< re2 ― ukhu) “to acquire inheritance” ― to inherit.
rroo1 [ròó] vb.
to process by heating (e.g. of pepper or okro).
rroo2 [ròó] vb.
to be strong and indelicate (e.g. of pottery).
rrọ́ọ [rɔ́ɔ̀] vb.
to exist; to be:
Igho ye rrọọ ― “Money still exists: There is still money”
;
Emwan eso rrọọ ne ẹi gua tie ebe ― “There are some people who cannot read.”
rrọ̀ọ1 [rɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to endure; to bear:
Egbe mwẹn i-rrọọ ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn ― “My body cannot endure his matter i.e. I am not able to undertake responsibility for him”
;
2. to accommodate; to have capacity for (in terms of volume):
Ọgọ na i-rrọọ ehia ― “This bottle cannot accommodate all”
(also gua).
rrọọ2 [rɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to stir, to turn over (e.g. of soup)
Rrọọ uwọnmwẹn nii ne ẹi ghẹ giẹn ― “Stir that soup so it may not burn.”
rrua [rùá] vb.
1. to push; to shove:
Ọ rrua mwẹn gbotọ ― “He pushed me down.”
;
2. (usually of limps) to bump; to knock (against something):
Ọ rrua owẹ ― “He bumped his foot.”
rruan [rũ̀ã́] vb.
to afflict:
Ẹbe rruan rẹn ― “Adversity has afflicted him.”
rruọrruọ [rwɔ̀rwɔ́] vb.
to talk in coherently; to babble.
sa1 [sá] vb.
1. (of water) to draw, to collect:
Ọ sa amẹ vuọn akhe hia ― “She drew water into all the pots”
.;
2. (of liquids, generally): to scoop; to collect with a hollow container:
Sa uwọnmwẹn ye ọkpan mẹ ― “Scoop some soup into the plate for me.”
sa2 [sá] vb.
to cast (in brass or bronze):
Iran sa ẹre ye ama ― “They cast a figure of him.”
sa3 [sá] vb.
1. to sting; to bite:
Ẹyẹn sa mwẹn vbe oha ― “A snake bit me in the bush.”
;
2. to shoot (with a weapon):
Ọ ya uhanbọ sa ẹre ― “He shot it with a bow.”
saa1 [sàá] vb.
to burst; to break open explosively:
Ọmọ-okpagha saare ― “The cassia-pod has burst open.”
(cf. salọ).
saa2 [sàá] vb.
1. to weave or braid hair (by hand);
2. to weave generally:
Ozo gua saa ẹbo ― “Ozo knows how to weave a sack.”
saan [sã̀ã́] vb.
to jump:
Ọ saan ogba gberra ― “He jumped over the fence.”
saba [sàbá] modal
1. to be able; to be capable:
Ọ saba winna ― “He is able to work: He works well.”
;
2. to be permitted; may:
U saba kpaọ ― “You may go”
;
3. to be possible; can, could, might, etc.:
Ọ saba lẹẹ deghẹ u ma gbaro sotọ vbe egbe ẹre ― “He could escape if you do not watch him diligently.”
sahẹ [sáhɛ̀] vb.
to faint; to lose consciousness.
salọ1 [sàlɔ́] vb.
1. Plural or reiterative sense of sa (“to sting”):
Ehihi salọ mwẹn egbe hia ― “Ants have bitten me all over my body”
;
2. Pluralor reiterative sense of saa
1:
Ọmọ okpagha hia salọ vuọn otọ ― “Cassia pods have burst and are all over the ground.”
salọ2 [sàlɔ́] vb.
to comb (hair):
Ọ ma salọ eto ẹre ― “He did not comb his hair.”
sakaan [sàkã̀ã́] vb.
to be spoiled; to be over-indulged (usually of children). Transitive sense = sakan:
Ọ sakan ọmọ na ― “she spoiled this child”
.
sakọn1 [sákɔ̃̀] vb.
(< sẹ ― akọn) “to chip teeth”: to have one’s teeth filed (for cosmetic effect).
sakọn2 [sákɔ̃̀] vb.
(< se
1 ― akon) “to sew teeth”: to grip (something) with the teeth:
Ọ sakọn mu ẹnrẹn ― “She gripped it with her teeth.”
samẹ [sámɛ̀] vb.
(< sa
1 ― amẹ) (in the Christian sense) to baptize; to be baptized:
I samẹ vbẹ ẹghẹ ne i na ye kherhe ― “I was baptized when I was very small.”
sanmwẹn [sã̀ɱɛ̃́] vb.
(of specks or small drops of liquid).
1. to splash on:
amẹ sanmwẹn kuọ nwen ― “Water splashed on me.”
;
2. to snatch:
Ọ sanmwẹn ọnrẹn vbe obọ mwẹn ― “He matched it from me.”
;
3. to shake out (to release excess water, dust, dirt, etc.).
sanmwẹn ọnrẹn u ke taẹn ― “Shake it out before you spread it.”
se1 [sé] vb.
to sew ―
Ọ se ukpọn ẹse ― “She sews (cloth) well.”
se2 [sé] vb.
to break open a shell; to husk:
Ivin ma se vbe odọ sin ― “We have since been husking palm kernels over there.”
; 2. (with ivin) to have multiple births:
Ọ se ivin eva ― “She gave birth to twins.”
sekhae [séxàe] vb.
to march.
sẹ1 [sɛ́] vb.
1. to reach; to be up to: (applicable to time and space):
O sẹ uki eha ne ọ ghi kpaọ ― “It has reached three months since he left.”
Ọ sẹ ibiriki isẹn ne ima he la ― “It is up to five miles that we have walked.”
;
2. to be adequate; to be enough:
Igho na i sẹ mwẹn ya dẹ ọre ― “This money (amount) will not be enough for me to buy it.”
;
3. to arrive (at a location).
De ẹdẹ ne ọ sẹ emwan yi? “When did he arrive here?”
;
4. to visit; to come or go:
Ọ ma he sẹ owa mwẹn ke ne ọ ya sẹ evbo na ― “He has not visited my house since he arrived in this town.”
;
5. to come to be; to come true:
Emwẹn ọbo sẹe ― “The word of the oracler has come to be.”
sẹ2 [sɛ́] vb.
to chip:
Ehọ akhe na sẹ fua ― “The tip of this pot has chipped off.”
sẹ3 [sɛ́] vb.
(of osẹ ― witness) to testify as witness (usually combines with its generic object, osẹ as a single word ― sosẹ ― when they are not discontinous)^
Ọ sosẹ gbe iran ― “She testilied against them.”
Ose ohoghoe ẹre ọ sẹe gbe iran ― It was false testimony that she gave against them
.
sẹẹ [sɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
1. to surpass; to be superior to:
Etin ẹnrẹn sẹẹ ọghuẹ ― “His strength is superior to yours.”
;
2. (in a comparative sense): to be more or geater than:
Ọna kpolọ sẹẹ ọnii ― “This is bigger than that.”
sẹrae [sɛ́ɽàé] vb.
(< sẹ ― rae) to leave behind; to leave alone.:
Ọ sẹ ovbi ẹre rae ye owa ― “She left her child behind at home.”
sẹrhiẹnrhiẹn [sɛ̀řyɛ̃̀řẏɛ̃́] vb.
to revoke a curse; to absolve (a person) from the effect of a curse:
I sẹrhiẹnrhiẹn ruẹn ihẹn ne i tie nuẹn ― “I absolve you from the effect of the curse I had pronounced on you.”
sẹtin [sɛ̀tín] vb.
(< sẹ1 ― ẹtin) “to be able” to be strong enough (to do something); to be capable of (doing something). (also saba, mẹtin).
si1 [sí] vb.
1. to cause; to bring about:
Ọ si amẹ gbe iran ― “He caused rain on them.”
Rẹn ẹre ọ si ẹre ighẹ ọ wu ― “He was the one that caused it that she died: He brought about her death.”
si2 [si] vb.
1. to pull (something); to drag (something):
Ọ si ukpọn gue egbe ― “He pulled the cloth to cover his body: He pulled the cloth over his body.”
;
2. to shift (something):
Si ẹre hin odẹ rre ― “Shift it out of the way.”
;
3. to move; to change location:
Iran si kpaọ gha rrie ẹvbo ọvbehe ― “They moved away to go to another town”
(cf. si-kẹẹ; si-mama; si-koko etc.).;
4. (of baby): to crawl:
Ẹi he si ― “She is not crawling yet.”
si3 [sí] vb.
to reduce; to grow less (in size, intensity, or capacity):
Amẹ ne ọ te ro vuọn ukpo si nẹ ― “The water that had flooded the road has reduced.”^
(cf. siame).
si4 [sí] vb.
to smoke (i.e. cigarette or pipe):
Ọ si esiga ― “He smokes cigarettes.”
si-kaẹn [sìkã̀ɛ̃] vb.
(< si2 ― kaẹn) to be or become sound and strong.
si-kẹẹ [sikɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
(< si2 ― kẹẹ) to be close to.
si-koko [sìkòkó] vb.
(< si2 ― koko) to assemble.
si-kuẹn [sìkwɛ̃́] vb.
(< si2 ― kuẹn) to crouch; to fold over; to bend.
si-khua [sìxwá] vb.
(< si2 ― khua) to hinge (something); to hold in place.
si-mama [sìmàmá] vb.
(< si2 ― mama) to crowd together; to become jammed together.
si-yo [sìyó] vb.
(< si2 ― yo) to move away, move off.
siamẹ1 [syámɛ̃̀] vb.
(< si3 ― amẹ) to emaciate.
siamẹ2 [syámɛ̀] vb.
(< si1 ― amẹ) to cause rain to fall (usually by magical means).
sie1 [sìé] vb.
to be dark (in shade or complexion).
Ovbi ẹre sie sẹ mwẹn ― “Her child is darker than me.”
(also siere).
sie2 [sìé] vb.
to lower (something) down (e.g. a load carried on the head, or a pot on the fire).
Ọ sie ihẹ ne ọ mu ― “She put down the load that she was carrying.”
siere [sìěɽě] vb.
to be black:
Ọvbokhan na siere ― “This child is black in complexion.”
(also sie
1 ).
siẹn1 [ɛ̀yɛ̃́] vb.
to deny.
siẹn2 [syɛ̃́] vb.
1. to drain:
Siẹn amẹ ọnrẹn kua ― “Drain out the water.”
;
2. to flow steadily; to drip:
Ameve siẹn kua vbe aro ọre ― “Tears are streaming from her eyes”
;
3. to be drenched:
Egbe ẹre siẹn ne ọfo ― “His body is drenched with sweat.”
siẹn3 [sĩ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
1. (of structure) to collapse:
Ekẹn siẹn rhu ẹre ― “The walls collapsed on him.”
;
2. (of a crowd): to pour from all sides:
Iran siẹn rhu ẹre ― “They crowded on him.”
sihuan [sìhũã́] vb.
(< so ― ihuan) “to sing a song”: to sing.
sikan [sìkã́] vb.
1. to struggle (with somebody or thing):
Ọ sikan lẹlẹe ― “He kept up the struggle with him (in a fight)”^
;
2. to gum to something; to be stuck to:
ukpọn ọnrẹn sikaẹn mu aga ― “His cloth stuck to the chair”
;
3. to be tough; hard to chew (of meat).
silo [sìló] vb.
plural or reiterative sense of si
2:
Ọ silo emwin ẹnrẹn hia kpaọ ― “He moved all his things away.”
Ọ silo ehia khian ― “He is dragging all along.”
sin1 [sĩ́] vb.
to miss (e.g. in a game); to fail to perform according to the rules (such as dropping a dice, etc.). It usually means that the player loses points and also his turn.
sin2 [sĩ́] vb.
(usually occurs as a second vb.) ― to rub on; to smear:
Ọ ya iruẹn sin mwẹn ukpọn ― “She used dirt to rub on my cloth: She soiled my cloth with dirt.”
sin-aro [sĩã́ɽò] vb.
to make faces (usually associated with brides); to put on a haughty look.
sin-ẹro [syɛɽo] vb.
(with ẹro) to be diligent; to be perceptive (same as wẹro).
sinmwin1 [sĩ̀ɱĩ́] vb.
to struggle (with somebody else) to obtain something; to obtain by force:
Ọ sinmwin ẹnrẹn emiowo rhie ― “He obtained the piece of meat from him by force.”
sinmwin2 [sĩ̀ɱĩ́] vb.
1. to cure; to heal with medication:
Ọ sinmwin ẹnrẹn vbe emiamwẹn ne ọ khuọnmwin ― “He cured him of his illness.”
;
2. to save; to protect:
Osanobua sinmwin ima vbe obọ ẹbee ― “God saved us from danger.”
sinmwin3 [sĩ̀ɱĩ́] vb.
to have as a younger sibling:
Ozo ẹre Atiti sinmwin kegbe ― “Ozo is the person Atiti has as her immediate younger sibling.”
siosa [syòsá] vb.
(< si2 ― osa) “to draw a debt”: to demand payment of a debt.
sire [sìɽé] pre-vb.
“Is it true that . . . ?” “Is it the case that?”: occurs in an interrogative clause to indicate that special confirmation is desired regarding the action or state expressed in the verb:
Ọ sire ma? Is it “really”
good? (somewhat like “gele” ― “really”,“truly”).
siwu [síwù] vb.
to make the tribal tattoo-marks.
so1 [só] vb.
1. to prick; to pierce slightly:
Igban so mwẹn owẹ ― “a thorn has pricked my foot”
;
2. to jab (with a pointed object, such as a nail, or with a fist):
Ọ so ekpa ye ọre ẹkoo ― “He jabbed her on the stomach with his fist”
.;
3. to tap fluid (e.g. from a boil, or the trunk of a tree).
so2 [só] vb.
1. (with obọ (hand) as obj.) to touch in hand-shake (usually occurs as one word with its direct obj., obọ when they are not discontinuous):
Iran ghi sobọ nẹ, iran na tota ― “After they had shaken hands, they sat down.”
cf.:
Ọ sọ mwẹn obọ ― “He shook hands with me”
.;
2. to grip (usually with the hands):
Ọ so obọ ye ọre ukpọn ― “He gripped her cloth (with her hands)”
.
so3 [só] vb.
to shout; to make a loud cry or vocal sound:
Ọ so dee vbe umọdia ― “She shouts as she approaches in the distance.”
so4 [só] vb.
(with ihuan as obj.) to sing; to utter musically (usually occurs with its generic object, ihuan, as one word):
Ọ sihuan ẹsẹse ― “She sings songs very well: She sings very well.”
; 2. (of asukpẹ): to have the hiccups:
Asukpẹ so mwẹn ― “I have the hiccups.”
so5 [só] vb.
1. (with ebiebi “darkness” as subj.): to fall; to occur:
Ebiebi ma he so ― “Darkness has not fallen.”
;
2. to effect; to hatch; to make:
so uma ― “to make a conspiracy”
.
sobọ [sòbɔ́] vb.
cf. so2.
sogho1 [sòɣó] vb.
to rinse (container, mouth, etc.) by filling with water or other liquid, shaking and emptying; to cleanse from impurities by rinsing:
Sogho akhe nii u ke samẹ yọ ― “Rinse that pot before you store water in it.”
sogho2 [sòɣó] vb.
to cause something to rattle; to cause a rattling noise by shaking something:
Ghẹ ghi sogho emwin yọ mwẹn ehọ ― “Stop rattling things in my ears.”
sogho3 [sòɣó] vb.
same as logho.
sokpan2 [sòkpã́] vb.
to make an exception of:
Gbe enena ne u sokpan enikẹre ― “Beat these (ones) and exempt the rest.”
solo1 [sòló] vb.
1. plural or reiterative sense of so
1 and so
3:
Emwin solo iran owẹ ― “Things pricked their feet.”
Ibieka nii gha solo ― “Those children are shouting.”
solo2 [sòló] vb.
to pick one by one with a pointed obj. (e.g. of birds eating grain).
sosẹ [sósɛ̀] vb.
cf. sẹ3.
sotọ [sótɔ̀] vb.
(< sẹ ― otọ) “to reach the ground”: to be imminent; soon to happen:
Emwiunkpo sotọ nẹ ― “The New-Year is at hand.”
sọn1 [sɔ̃́] vb.
1. to sprout;
2. to grow high or bushy (used of grass and hair).
sọn2 [sɔ̃́] vb.
to take or consume time and or energy (usually occurs in neg. clauses).
Ẹi sọn iran ruẹe foo ― “It will not take time before they complete it.”
sọnnọ [sɔ̃̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. to irritate; to aggravate:
Emwin ne ọ ru sọnnọ mwẹn gbe ― “What she does irritates me a lot.”
;
2. to feel resentful toward; to feel aversion toward:
Ẹi sọnnọ ọmwan rhọkpa ― “She does not resent anybody.”
sọọ [sɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to tear or be turn; to rip (e.g. of cloth or paper);
2. to split into pieces (e.g. of wood with an axe):
Ọ ya ughamwan sọọ erhan nii ― “He split the wood into pieces with an axe.”
sọtẹ [sɔ́tɛ̀] vb.
1. to defy;
2^.^ to rebel against.
sọyẹnmwẹn [sɔ́ỹɛ̃̀ɱɛ̃̀] vb.
to rejoice; to make merriment.
su1 [sú] vb.
1. to guide; to lead; to direct.;
2. to escort:
su mwẹn sẹ umọdia vbodọ ― “Escort me to the lane over there.”
;
3. to tend livestock:
ọsuohuan ― “shepherd.”
su2 [sú] vb.
to pay as interest on money borrowed or in forbearance of debt:
Ikpọn eheha ẹre ọ hae vbe uki ne ọ ya su ig͡ho ne ọ mọmọe rre ― “He pays three pounds a month as interest on the money he borrowed.”
sua [sùá] vb.
cf. to push, to shove:
Ọ sua mwẹn gbotọ ― “He pushed me down.”
(cf. rrua).
suakpa [swákpá] vb.
to make a click with the thumb and middle finger as part of the gesture of denouncement or disgust.
suẹn [sũ̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to begin, to initiate:
Ọ suẹn okhian nẹ ― “He has started to walk.”
suku [sùkú] vb.
(with aro as obj.): squeeze; to wrinkle:
Ọ suku aro ― “He squeezed his face: he frowned.”
sukpẹ [sùkpɛ́] vb.
(with owẹ as obj.) to limp:
Ọ sukpe owẹ dee ― “He is approaching with a limp.”
suma [súmã̀] vb.
(< se
1 ― uma) “to make a conspiracy” to conspire:
Iran suma gbẹe ― “They conspired and killed him.”
sun1 [sṹ] vb.
1. to move slowly; to be slow:
Ọ sun gbe ― “He is very slow.”
to crawl.
sun2 [sṹ] vb.
to be sticky or glutinous.
Ọ sun vbe ọdan ― “It is sticky like gum.”
sun3 [sṹ] vb.
to have a smooth consistency; to be free of granular or other solid contents (e.g. of wellpounded yam):
Ema na ma sun; ikpẹ vuọẹn ― “This pounded-yam is not smooth; it is full of lumps.”
sunnọ [sũ̀nɔ̃́] vb.
pl. or reiterative sense of sun
1:
Iran sunnọ gbe ― “They are very slow.”
Egilẹ hia sunnọ kua ― “All the snails have crawled away.”
sunnọsunnọ [sũ̀nɔ̃̀sũ̀nɔ̃̀] vb.
describes a very slow, lifeless gait.
sunsun [sũ̀sṹ] vb.
to be blurred; to be dim (of perception):
Ehia sunsun yọ mwẹn aro ― “They have all become blurred in my eyes. (I am confused about them).”
sunu [sùnṹ] vb.
to happen; to occur.
Nodẹ ẹre ọ sunu ― “It was yesterday that it happened.”
suo [sùó] vb.
to collapse; to cave in (e.g. of walls or the ground).
susẹ [susɛ] vb.
to be in poverty; to suffer.
ta [tá] vb.
1. to say, to state:
Ọ tae vbene o ya de ― “He stated how it happened”
ta-ma ― “to tell, to report to”^, (cf. khaa). talọ plural or reiterative sense of ta: to talk continuously; to narrate; to prattle; to chat.;
2. (with isẹ) to play the isẹ game
Isẹ Ẹdo lọghọ gbe ne a ta ― “Isẹ Edo is very difficult to play”
;
3. (with ile) to make a bet.
taa [tàá] vb.
1. to imitate; to mimick:
Ọ guẹ vbe a taa ọmwan ― “He is good at imitating people.”
;
2. to compare:
Ai ya Edo taa igue ― “You cannot compare Benin with a village.”
tafia [tàfyá] vb.
to be nosy; to meddle; to interfere; to be forward.
Ẹi re iren a tiere; te ọ tafia lele iran ― “It was not him they called, he merely forwardly tagged along with them.”
takhirhi [táxìřì] vb.
to perform a single or multiple somersaults in the air.
talọ [tàlɔ́] vb.
1. pl. or reit. sense of ta
1:
Iran gha talọ ― “They are talking.”
;
2. To grumble; to complain:
Ọ gha talọ ighẹ i ma doo tuẹ iran ― “He is complaining that I did not come to visit them.”
: talọ kue ― “to upbraid; to insult”:
Iran hia talọ kue ọre rhunmwunda emwin daan ne ọ ru ― “They all upbraided him for the bad things that he did”
. talọ maa ― “to report to; to lay a complaint with.”
Iran doo talọ ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn maa erhae ― “They came to report him to his father.”
;
3. (idiom) to be mentally deranged or unstable:
Ọ talọ ― “He is mentally unstable.”
tamaa [tàmã̀ã́] vb.
to tell (also khamaa).
tan1 [tã́] vb.
1. to be tall (of human beings):
Ọvbokhan na gha tan ― “This child will be tall.”
;
2. to be long (applies to both time and objects):
Ẹghẹ ne ọ gbe vbe Ẹdo ẹre ọ tan sẹẹ ne ọ khian gbe vbe Eko ― “The period he spent in Benin is longer than what he will spend in Lagos.”
Erhan na ma tan sẹ vbene ima ho ― “This stick is not long enough as we want”: “^This stick is not as long as we would want.”
tan2 [tã́] vb.
1. to spread out:
Iran tan ukpọn ye ovẹn ― “They spread out clothes in the sun.”
;
2. to hang or tie across (e.g. a rope):
Ọ tan irri ye odẹ ― “He tied a rope across the road.”
tee [tèé] vb.
to decorate, to ornament:
Ọ ya efoto tee ughugha ẹre ― “He decorated his room with pictures.”
tengbemu [tẽ̀gbémũ̀] vb.
(< tọn ― egbe ― mu) “to lift body” to be haughty; proud; arrogant.
tete [tèté] vb.
to economize, to use sparingly:
Ọ ma rẹn vbe a tete ígho hẹẹ ― “He does not know how to spend money economically.”
tẹ1 [tɛ́] vb.
to fall out of favour with; to fall out of grace:
Ọ tẹ nẹ vbe aro mwẹn; ma vbe ọre i ghi ku ― “She has fallen out of favour with me; she and I are no longer close.”
tẹẹn1 [tɛ̃̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to be related to; to have as a blood relative:
Ma vbe ọre tẹẹnrẹn vbe oberha ― “She and I are related paternally.”
tẹẹn2 [tɛ̃̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to file up; to display in a file:
Avbe oleghan tẹẹn dee ― “The prisoners are approaching in a file.”
ti [tí] vb.
to boil (e.g. water):
Gie amẹ ti nẹ u ke mu iyan yọ ― “Let the water boil first before you add the yam.”
(also tin).
ti [tí] vb.
to be plump:
Okhuo na ti vbe egbe hia ― “This woman is plump all over.”
tian [tĩ̀ã́] vb.
to praise:
Ọ tian rẹn ye iwinna ne ọ winnae ― “He praised him for the work that he did.”
tiantian [tĩã̀tiã́] vb.
same as niania.
tie [tìé] vb.
1. to call; to summon:
Tiẹ ẹre gun mwẹn ― “Call him for me (also summon him to me)”
.;
2. to utter; to call out ―
Iran tie eni ẹnrẹn vbe odọ ― “They are calling out his name over there.”
;
3. to read (also tiebe):
Ọ tie ebe ne iran gbẹn giẹe ― “He read the letter that they wrote to him.”
tiebe [tièbé] vb.
(< tie ― ebe) “to read book”: to read; to study ―
Ọ gua tiebe ― “He can read”
(cf. tie).
tiẹbọ [tìɛ́bɔ́] vb.
(< tie-ẹbọ) “to call a deity”: to swear; to swear at (somebody).
Ọ tiẹbọ mẹ ― “He swore at me.”
tiẹzọ [tìɛ́zɔ́] vb.
(< tie-ẹzọ) to sue.
tighi [tìɣí] vb.
cf. lighi.
tiihẹn [tìhɛ̃́] vb.
to swear at; to curse (a person).
tiko [tìkó] vb.
(< tie ― iko) “to summon a meeting”; to assemble; to hold a meeting.
tila [tìlá] vb.
to belittle; to despise:
Ọ ya aro tila oghian mwẹn rua ― “He used eyes to belittle my enemy: He belittled me with her look.”
tile [tílè] vb.
to make a bet. (cf. ta).
tin1 [tĩ́] vb.
to fly:
Elikhukhu tin fua ― “The pigeon has flown away.”
tin2 [tĩ́] vb.
(with ihin) to sneeze (It usually occurs as a single word with ihiin when the two are not discontinuous in a sentence):
Ọ tinhiin kuọ nwẹn ― “He sneezed on me.”
tin3 [tí] vb.
to boil. (cf. ti).
tinniẹ [tynĩɛ̃́] vb.
to be small; tiny:
Ọwẹ ọre tinniẹ ― “Her feet are small.”
tisẹ [tísɛ̀] vb.
(< ta ― isẹ) “to play isẹ”: to play isẹ ( a kind of game).
titi [tìtí] vb.
1. to be renowned; famous:
Ọba Ẹdo titi gbe ― “The ruler of Benin is very famous.”
;
2. to be popular, to be in vogue:
Igoru titi gbe vbe obọ ikhuo ― “Gold is very popular among women.”
to [tó] vb.
1. to be peppery hot:
Uwọnmwẹn na waa to ― “This soup is very peppery.”
;
2. to be “effective” (usually of a drug, a charm or a deity):
Ukhunmwun na to gbe ― “This medicine is very effective.”
toba [tòbá] vb.
to stick to; to adhere to ―
Ebae toba mu ọkpan ― “Eba has stuck to the plate.”
tohan [tòhã́] vb.
to be compassionate toward; to be kind to; to pity:
Ọ tohan Ozo rhie ígho nẹ ― “He compassionately gave Ozo some money.”
tohoghe [tòhóɣè] vb.
(< ta ― ohoghe) “to tell a lie”; to lie:
Ọ tohoghe gbe ― “He is fond of lying.”
tota [tótàá] vb.
to sit down; to sit.
toto [tòtó] vb.
to revive; to fill out (usually of an emaciated person).
Egbe ẹre fẹko toto dee nẹ ― “Her body is gradually filling out again.”
tọ [tɔ́] vb.
to live long:
Emiamwẹn i khian giẹe tọ ― “Sickness will not let him live long.”
tọlọ1 [tɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
1. to itch:
Egbe hia tọlọ mwẹn ― “All my body is itching me: I am itching all over.”
;
2. to scratch:
Ọ tọlọ eke ne imuẹ na rriọe ― “He scratched where the mosquito bit him.”
tọlọ2 [tɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
(with ohuẹn) to suffer from cough; to cough ―
Ohuẹn tọlọ mwẹn ― “Cough aftlicts me: I have cough.”
tọn1 [tɔ̃́] vb.
1. to be hot (i.e. of high temp.)
Ya ukpọn muẹn ighẹ ọ tọn ― “Carry it with a piece of cloth for it is hot.”
tọn2 [tɔ̃́] vb.
to roast (over open fire):
Ọ tọn ọghẹdẹ ne ima re ― “She roasted plantain for us to eat.”
tọn3 [tɔ̃́] vb.
to fell (a tree); to cut down (usually a tree):
Ọ ma tọn erhan ne i rre evba ọ kẹ gha kọ emwin yọ ― “He did not fell the trees there before he started to grow things in it.”
tọn4 [tɔ̃́] vb.
to bury (something) in the ground:
Ọ tọn ígho ẹre hia ye uwotọ ― “He buried all his money in the ground.”
tọn5 [tɔ̃́] vb.
(with mu) to lift; to carry:
Ọ tọn ihẹ mu yan uhunmwun aga ― “He lifted the load onto the top of the chair.”
tọnnọ [tɔ̃̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. pl. or iter. sense of tọn
2; tọn
3; tọn
4 and tọn
5:
Iran tọnnọ iyan re ― “They roasted yam and ate”
;
Iran tọnnọ erhan nii hia kua ― “They fell all those trees”
;
Iran tọnnọ ígho iran hia ye uwotọ ― “They buried all their money in the ground”
;
Iran tọnnọ ihẹ mu yan uhunmwun ― “They lifted the loads onto their heads.”
tọntọn [tɔ̃̀tɔ̃́] vb.
cf. toto.
tu1 [tú] vb.
1. to cry:
Ọ kpẹre ne ọvbokhan na ke tu sin ― “It is a long time since this child has been crying.”
;
2. to shout:
Iran tu ne oghọghọ vbe iran mioẹn ― “They shouted for joy when they saw him.”
tu2 [tú] vb.
(of ẹgogo) to strike:
Inu ẹgogo ọ he tu yi? “How many clocks have struck? i.e. what time is it?”
tu3 [tú] vb.
(with asẹn) to emit (spit).
tua [tùá] vb.
1. to tighten; to make firm:
Tua irri ne u ya gba iran ne iran ghẹ kharha kua ― “Tighten the rope with which you tied them so that they may not drop out.”
;
2. to intensify (e.g. effort)
Wa tua yọ ne a rherhe ruẹe foo ― “Intensify your effort so that we may complete it in good time.”
(also tuabọ);
3. to be overly-demanding; to impose excessive pressure:
Iwinna rẹn tua gbe ― “His work is too demanding.”
tuabọ [twàbɔ] vb.
(< tua ― obọ) “to tighten hand”: to intensify effort (in doing something). (also zabọ).
tuakpẹ [twàkpɛ́] vb.
(< tua ― ukpe) “to intensify lip”: to shout; to talk loudly.
Ọ tuakpẹ gbe ― “He shouts too much.”
tuasẹn [tuásɛ̃̀] vb.
(< tu3 ― asẹn) “to emit spit”: to spit.
tue1 [tùé] vb.
1. to pour out (from a container):
Ọ tue ayọn ye ukpu ― “He poured wine into a cup (from a bottle)”
;
2. to spill:
amẹ tue kue otọ ― “Water spilled onto the ground”
;
3. to leak out; to ooze:
Owẹ ne ọgọ fian mwẹn re ye tue esagiẹn ― “My foot which was cut by a piece of bottle is still oozing blood.”
tue2 [tùé] vb.
(of eto) to comb or brush out and leave unstyled or unplaited:
“Okhuo na tue eto ye uhunmwun gha rrie ore”^ ― “This woman brushed out her hair and went out like that i.e. She went out with her hair brushed out unstyled and unplaited.”
tuẹ [twɛ́] vb.
1. to greet; to salute.
Ọ ma tuẹ ọmwan rhọkpa vbe ọ laọ owa ― “He did not greet anybody when he came into the house.”
;
2. to pay a visit (to a person):
Ọ ya tuẹ ọse ọre ne ọ da biẹ ― “She went to visit her friend who had just had a baby.”
tuẹintuẹin [tw̃ɛ̃́ĩtw̃ɛ̃́ĩ] vb.
cf. tuẹin.
tuẹyi [twɛ̀yí] vb.
to announce the presence of a person; to seek audience for a person:
Ọ kpẹre nẹ i ghi rre sin; i ma miẹ enọ tuẹyi mwẹn ― “It is a long time since I arrived; I did not find anybody to announce my presence.”
tughu [tùɣú] vb.
cf. lughu.
tukẹ [tùkɛ́] vb.
to be small, tiny.
Iyan na tukẹ gbe ― “These yams are too small.”
tulẹ [tùlɛ́] vb.
1. to run (same as rhulẹ);
2. tulẹmu: to pick up a race; to take off; to start running
tuo [twó] vb.
1. to hang low:
Ọbọtuo na tuo ― “These eaves are low-hanging”^
;
2. (of a garment) to droop low; to be long:
Gi abọ ẹwu na tuo ― “Let the edge of this cloth droop low.”
va1 [vá] vb.
1. (of animal) to dissect; to cut up;
2. to break into parts along natural lines of partitioning (e.g. the parts of a kola-nut):
Va ẹvbẹe na ne a rriọe ― “Break this kola that we may eat it”
;
3. (of plantain) to peel; to split and remove the peel:
Ọ va ọghẹdẹ ye erhẹn: “She peeled a plantain (and put it) in the fire (to roast).”
va2 [vá] vb.
(of sickness): to be afflicted by illness (usually has “uhunmwun” as its subject):
Uhunmwun va mwẹn ― “I am sick; I am not well.”
vaa [vàá] vb.
to split into two parts (they need not be equal). to break or crack:
Ọ ya erhan vaa re uhunmwun ― “He broke her head with a stick.”
vaan [vã̀ã́] vb.
to call at a place, (by way of digression from the main destination); to make a side-call at a place.
Ọ vaan owa mwẹn vbe ọ ke ẹki dee ― “She called at my house on her way from the market.”
van [vã́] vb.
to shout:
Ọ van mu iran ― “He shouted on them.”
vabọ [vàbɔ́] vb.
1. to branch off; to develop a branch:
Erhan na vabọ gbaa ehe hia ― “This tree has branched all over.”
;
2. to depart from a main track; to digress; to change course. (cf. vaan).
vanbọ [vã̀bɔ́] vb.
1. to cease (from doing something); to desist; to stop:
Ọ vanbọ vbe ayọn ne a da ― “He has stopped drinking alcohol.”
ve [vé] vb.
to price something; to bargain for:
Ei gua ve emwin ― “He does not know how to bargain for something.”
vẹ1 [vɛ́] vb.
1^.^ (of a secret; scheme) to become exposed; to come to the open:
Ero ne iran ru vẹe gbe iran ― “The trick or secret scheme that they made got exposed on them.”
;
2. to expose:
Gha vẹe ero na? ― “Who exposed this scheme?”
vẹ2 [vɛ́] vb.
1. (of a sore) to deteriorate; to break out:
Ghẹ gi ẹtẹ na vẹ sẹ ọna ― “Don’t let this sore deteriorate more than this.”
;
2. to disperse (of a crowd) ―
Iran vẹe kpaọ ― “They all dispersed.”
;
3. to spill, to pour out:
Igarri vẹe kua vbe ẹbo ― “The garri poured out of the sack.”
vẹẹ [vɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to disperse a crowd; to chase away a large group of people or animals in different directions:
Ọ vẹẹ avbe ẹwe nii kua ― “He chased away the goats in different directions.”
vẹn1 [vɛ̃́] vb.
to wrestle.
vẹn2 [vɛ̃́] vb.
1. (of a fire) to catch; to break into flames:
Hie erhẹn na ne ọ vẹn ― “Blow this fire so that it may catch.”
;
2. to spark off; to erupt; to break out:
Ẹzọ vẹn ne iran vbe odọ ― “A quarrel has broken out among them over there.”
vẹn3 [vɛ̃́] vb.
to swear (usually by something deemed powerful or potent, such as God or a special deity, etc.).
vian [vĩ̀ã́] vb.
to grumble; to complain (about misfortune or lacks.).
viẹ [vyɛ́] vb.
1. to cry; to weep.;
2. to crow (of a rooster).
viẹn [vỹɛ̃́] vb.
1. to ripen (used mainly of palm fruits);
2. (of eyes) to wear a look expressive of a longing for, (a strong desire for):
Aro ẹre viẹn ye ọmwẹn evbare ― “His eyes are set on my food: He longs for my food.”
vin1 [vĩ́] vb.
1^.^ to dart; to start very rapidly in some direction:
Ọ vin gberra mwẹn ― “He darted past me.”
;
2.
vin rraa ― “to jump over.”
vin2 [vĩ́] vb.
1^.^ to cut with a sharp object (e.g. in vaccination);
2. to mark (something):
Ọ vin emwin ye egbeken ― “He marked something on the wall.”
vinhẹn [vĩ̀hɛ̃́] vb.
(< vẹn ― ihẹn) “to swear an oath”: to swear (cf. vẹn3).
vinnọ [vĩ̀nɔ̃́] vb.
pl. and iter. sense of vin 1 and 2.:
1.
Iran vinno kua ― “They darted away”
;
2.
Ọ ya abẹe vinnọ ọnrẹn uhunmwun ― “He used a pen-knife to cut marks on his head.”
viọ [vìɔ́] vb.
1. pl. sense of rhie (i.e. implies that many objects (people or things) are taken; or that many people are performing the taking; or both.):
Iran viọ iran kpaọ ― “He took them away”
;
Iran viọ eso kpaọ ― “They took some away.”
etc.
vo [vó] vb.
(of yams) to rot internally (usually from excessive heat):
Iyan na ne u dẹ rre voo ― “This yam that you bought home has rotted.”
Ghẹ gie iyan na vo ― “Don’t let this yam rot.”
vu [vú] vb.
1. to root out; to dig up:
Ọ vu inian erhan nii hin otọe rre ― “He dug up the roots of that tree out of the ground.”
vulo [vùló] vb.
pl. and iter. sense of vu:
Iran vulo igari ke ugbo rre ― “They dug up some garri roots from the farm.”
vuan [vũ̀ã́] vb.
to slip and fall from a height:
Ọ vuan vbe aga ― “He slipped and fell from the chair.”
vuọn1 [vw̃ɔ̃́] vb.
to be full ―
“Akhe na vuọẹn ne amẹ”^ ― “This pot is full of water.”
vùọn2 [vw̃ɔ̃́] vb.
to fill ―
Ọ sa amẹ vuọn akhe ― “He fetched water to fill the pot.”
vba [ʋá] vb.
1. (of liquids and powdery mass) to spill as a result of heaving motion; to overflow from the heaving force:
Amẹ ke ekpamaku vba kue otọ ― “Water spilled onto the floor from the basin.”
;
2. to heave:
Amẹ gha vba yo vbarre vbe ekpamaku ― “The water is heaving back and forth in the basin.”
vbaa [ʋàá] vb.
1. to meet; to join with; to catch up with:
Ọ ya vbaa ore vbe ugbo ― “He went to meet him in the farm.”
;
2. (idiomatic): (usually in construction with “vbe owa”): to be a virgin:
A vbaa ọre vbe owa ― “She was met at home: She was a virgin.”
;
3. to affect (e.g. a curse).
Ihẹn ọnrẹn i vbaa mwẹn ― “His curse will not affect me.”
;
4. to land on; to hit (as a target):
Ugbe vbaa ọre uhunmwun ― “A missile hit her on the head.”
(also vbaọ).
vbee [ʋèé] vb.
to be scarce; in short supply:
Ígho vbee gbe vbe ẹghẹ na ― “Money is very scarce at this time.”
vbẹe [ʋɛ́è] vb.
to be wide, broad:
Urro na vbẹe ― “This wooden tray is wide.”
vbẹ̀ẹ1 [ʋɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
1. to widen; expand:
Ọ fian ekherhe ya vbẹẹ ukpọn na ― “She cut a little bit to widen this cloth.”
;
2. (idiomatic) (with aro as subject): to be wide-eyed; to be greedy:
Aro vbẹẹ ọre gbe ― “Eyes widen for her excessively: She is very greedy.”
vbẹẹ2 [ʋɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to stoop:
Ọ vbẹẹ la onurho ― “He stooped to cross the doorway.”
vbiẹ [ʋìɛ́] vb.
to sleep:
Ohuẹn ma gi Ọzo vbiẹ nasọn ― “Cough did not let Ozo sleep last night.”
vbiẹrẹ [vyɛ̀ɽɛ́] vb.
to be cowardly; to lack courage:
Ọ vbiẹrẹ gbe ― “She is too cowardly.”
vbiẹvbiẹ [ʋiɛ̀ʋiɛ́] vb.
1. to heat up (water):
Ọ khian vbiẹvbiẹ amẹ nuẹ ― “She is going to heat up some water for you.”
;
2. to be warm; (of water) to be “not cool”, and therefore unpleasant to drink:
Amẹ na wa vbiẹvbiẹ, ẹi gi a wọn ― “This water is quite warm; it is not suitable for drinking.”
vbokho [ʋòxó] vb.
1. to bend; to twist:
Ọ vbokho ẹre obọ ghe iyeke ― “He twisted her arm to the back.”
;
2. to be flexible; be capable of bending:
Erhan na i-vbokho ― “This piece of stick is not flexible.”
vboo1 [ʋòó] vb.
1. to ripen; to be ripe:
Ẹdin-ebo na vbooro nẹ ― “This pineapple has ripened.”
;
2. (of eyes) to redden (with expectation):
Aro ọre vbooro ye odẹ ― “Her eyes have reddened on the road: Her eyes are fixed on the road (with expectation).”
vbovbo [ʋòʋó] vb.
1. to carry (usually a child) on the back:
Ọ mu ọmọ vbovbo ― “She backed a child”
;
2. to be carried on the back:
Ọ wẹ irẹn i vbovbo ― “He said he will not be carried on the back.”
vbọ1 [ʋɔ́] vb.
1. to spring; to leap:
Ọ vbọe hin uhunmwun erhan ― “He leapt up on the tree”
;
2. to pull out, to extract:
Iran vbọ mwẹn akọn vbe asokito ― “They extracted my tooth at the hospital.”
vbọlọ [ʋɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
1. pl. and iter. sense of vbọ:
Iran vbọlọ akọn ― “They had their teeth extracted.”
Iran vbọlọ kpaọ ― “They leapt away.”
vbu [ʋú] vb.
to borrow:
Ọ doo vbu ukpọn vbe obọ mwẹn ― “He came to borrow some cloth from me.”
vbuaro [vwáɽò] vb.
to be stranded; to be in a helpless state.
vbuovbuo [vwòvwó] vb.
1. to heat (native pear) in hot ashes or hot water to soften the pulp.;
2. to deteriorate; to go bad. (of perishable foods, esp. fruit, vegetable, and meat).
vbuyẹ [ʋùyɛ́] vb.
to be lazy; weak.
waa1 [wàá] vb.
1. to lay out; to display; to spread out:
Ọ waa emwin ne ọ khiẹn ye atẹtẹ ― “She displayed what she was selling on a straw tray.”
;
2. to divide into parts or groups:
Ọ waa iran ye ihi-eha ― “She divided them into three parts.”
waa2 [wàá] vb.
to castrate (e.g. goat or dog).
waa3 [wàá] vb.
(in wabọ) “to exterminate” (the branches or offspring):
A wabọ ọre ― “His lineage has been exterminated.”
A gha wabuaa (a common curse) “May your lineage be exterminated.”
waan1 [wã̀ã́] vb.
1. to grow up; to mature:
Ọ ma he waan ― “She is not yet matured.”
waan2 [wã̀ã́] vb.
to be wise; to be intelligent:
Ọvbokhan na waan gbe ― “This child is very intelligent.”
waan3 [wã̀ã́] vb.
(of the day) to dawn; to grow light:
Ẹdẹ waan nẹ ― “The day has dawned.”
wagha [wàɣá] vb.
to disintegrate; to crumble:
Ukpudu umwẹn ne ọ mu mwẹn wagha ye ọre obọ ― “The lump of salt that she was holding has crumbled in her hands.”
wanmẹ [w̃ã́mɛ̃̀] vb.
(< wọn ― amẹ) to drink water.
wanniẹ [w̃ã̀nỹɛ̃́] vb.
1. to respond; to reply.;
2. to argue with:
Ohan i gi a wanniẹ ọnrẹn ẹmwẹn ― “One does not argue with him for fear.”
wannọ [w̃ã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
to isolate; to separate:
Ọ wannọ iran ― “He separated them.”
we [wé] vb.
to order (something); to send for something from the market:
Ọ we mwẹn izẹ ― “She ordered for rice through me.”
wee1 [wèé] vb.
1. to open by lifting the lid; to uncover:
Ọ wee ọkpan ne ọ ghe emwin ne ọ rọọ ― “He opened the dish to see what is in it.”
;
2. (of hat) to lift off (from the head);
3. (of book) to open.
wee2 [wèé] vb.
1. (of a crowd) to shout in applause; to shout in unison.;
2. to shout upon in contempt (e.g. a thief or criminal); to boo at:
Iran gha wee oyi nii khian ― “They are booing the thief along.”
wegbe [wègbé] vb.
to be strong; to be energetic.
werriegbe [wèriègbé] vb.
to turn back; to go back; to return:
Ọ werriegbe gha rrie ẹvbo ẹre ― “He went back to his country”
; (with another verb in a serial construction, it usually has the adverbial meaning of “again”).
werriẹ [wèriɛ́] vb.
to roll; to turn over:
Ọ werriẹ fi uvun ― “He rolled into a hole.”
wẹẹ [wɛ́ɛ̀] vb.
to say (usually doesn’t require a complementizer):
ọ wẹẹ ọ foo nẹ ― “He said (that) it is finished.”
wẹnrẹn [w̃ɛ̃̀ɽ̃ɛ̃́] vb.
thin, narrow, lean.
wẹro [wɛ́ɽò] vb.
to be resourceful; sensible.
wẹwẹ [wɛ̀wɛ́] vb.
to drizzle.
wia [wìá] vb.
to smell:
ehe hia wia ― “Everywhere is smelling.”
wie [wìé] vb.
to collapse; to fall in a heap:
Ekẹn wie rhu iran ― “The wall collapsed on them.”
wiẹn [w̃ỹɛ̃́] vb.
1. to wear out something (to use roughly);
2. to be worn (e.g. from friction, or from being rubbed against something else);
3. to be rumpled:
Ukpọn mwẹn hia wiẹnrẹn vbe ẹkpẹtin ― “All my clothes are rumpled in the box.”
wii [wìí] vb.
to get lost; to be missing:
Igho mwẹn wiiri ― “My money is missing.”
wika [wíkà] vb.
1. to struggle along; to make a great effort:
Ọ wika lele iran ― “He struggled to keep up with them.”
;
2. to be hardened; to be tough:
Ọ wika gbe ― “He is very tough.”
winhin [w̃ĩ̀hĩ́] vb.
to scent; to give off a pleasant smell (e.g. of food).
Uwọnmwẹn ne ọ le wa winhin sẹ ediran ― “The soup she is cooking has scented this far.”
winna [w̃ĩ̀nã́] vb.
to work; to labour:
Ọ winna gbe ― “He works very hard.”
wio [wìó] vb.
1. to slip out (e.g. of beads on a string); to drop from a string:
Emiegbe mwẹn wioro ― “My beads have dropped from the string.”
(also used of things tied together.)
wiolo [wyòló] vb.
pl. or iter. sense of wio:
Owẹe hia wioloo kua vbe irri ― “All the broomsticks have slipped off from the rope.”
wo [wó] vb.
1. to be strong; to be tough:
Erhan na ma wo ― “This wood is not strong”
;
2. to be difficult; to be hard:
Iwinna na ghá wo ― “This work will be hard.”
;
3. (of certain fruit, e.g. plantain, coconut) to be mature; to be ready to pick:
Ọghẹdẹ na ghá kpẹe ọ ke wo ― “This plantain will take a while to become mature.”
wogho [wòɣó] vb.
(of a crowd) to make noise ―
“Iran gha wogho yọ mwan ehọ”^ ― “They are making noise in one’s ears.”
worua [wòɽùá] vb.
to become cool; to cool down. (cf. furre).
wọn [wɔ̃́] vb.
to drink:
Ọ wọn ukhunmwun ― “He drank medicine.”
(cf. wanmẹ).
wọọ [wɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to tire, to be fatigued;
Egbe wọọ mwẹn ― “Body has fatigued me: I am tired.”
wu [wú] vb.
1. to die:
Amwẹn ọnrẹn wuru ― “His wife died.”
;
2. to break (e.g. of glass, china, mirror, bottle, etc.)
Ọgọ-amẹ wuru ― “The waterbottle broke.”
wua [wùá] vb.
to forbid; to be tabooed.
Ma wua egilẹ ― “We forbid (the eating of) snails.”
wulo [wùló] vb.
pl. and iter. sense of wu:
Iran hia wulo ― “They all died.”
wuo [wùó] vb.
to rub on:
Ọ ya ori wuo egbe ― “She rubbed her body with cream.”
ya1 [yá] vb.
lit. = to use (occurs only in construction with other verbs, and has as its object nouns or noun phrases that semantically express a wide range of relationships with the second and main verb of the sentence) such as,
instrumental:
Ọ ya erọ fian iyan ― “He used a knife for cutting the yam”
.
temporal:
Ọ ya awa eha dolọ ẹre yi ― “It took him three hours to repair it.”
manner:
Ọ ya ogiogiẹ miẹ ẹre ― “She laughingly took it from him or she took it from him by laughing”
;
reason:
Ọ ya ezurọ rhia ẹre rua ― “He spoilt it out of stupidity.”
etc.
ya2 [yá] vb.
(occurs only in construction with another vb.): to cause:
Ọ ya evbare khian aghaghan vbe ẹvbo naa ― “He caused food to become very expensive in this town.”
ya3 [yá] vb.
to spend (time); to last (for a certain length of time):
Ọ ya uki eha ọ ke rhia ― “It lasted three months before it became spoiled.”
ya4 [yá] vb.
(usually followed by a prep. na or ne):
1. to present with a gift:
Ọ ya ígho ne ibiẹka eso ― “He presented some children with money.”
;
2. (with ọmọ) to betroth:
Iran ya ọmọ nẹẹ ― “They betrothed a girl to him.”
ya5 [yá] vb.
(occurs only in construction with a second verb which serves as the main verb of the sentence): to proceed (to do something):
Ọ ya lovbiẹ ― “He went to lie down”
;
Ọ ya gu ẹre winna ― “He went to help him to work.”
ya6 [yá] vb.
(with ama) to make (a mark) on:
Ọ ya ama ye emwin ẹnrẹn hia ― “He made a mark on all his property.”
ya-baa [yàbàá] vb.
1. to join with; to combine with:
Iran yabaa enikẹre ― “They joined with the rest.”^
;
2. (in Xtian sense) to bless:
Osanobua yabaa ọre ― 1. God blessed him; 2. God was with him
.
ya-gba [yàg͡bá] idiom.; vb.
to become stuck; develop a stalemate:
Emwẹn nii yagba ― “A stalemate has developed over that matter.”
ya-ghae [yàɣàé] vb.
to distribute; to give away:
Ọ ya ẹfe ẹre hia ghae ― “He gave away all his wealth.”
ya-leekhue [yàlèéxwè] idiom.; vb.
(also ya-neekhue) (< ya ― ne ― ekhue) “to give to shyness”: to relent (on account of somebody, or for consideration of somebody).
Ọ ya emwin hia ne Ozo ru ẹre lekhue erhae ― “He relented on all the things Ozo had done to him on account of his father.”
ya-maa [yàmàá] idiom.; vb.
1. to forgive (someone):
Ọ ya emwin hia ne o ru maa rẹn ― “He forgave her all the things she had done.”
;
2. to expose (esp. the faults of a person):
Ọ ya egbe ẹre maa vbe eke ne ọ yoo ― “He exposed his bad ways where he went.”
ya-wee [yàwèé] idiom.; vb.
to bequeath to; to authorize to own:
Ọ ya ẹfe ẹre hia wee iran ― “He bequeathed all his wealth to them.”
ya-yi [yàyí] idiom.; vb.
to believe; to have faith in:
Ọ ya ẹmwẹn ne u khama rẹn yi ― “He believed what you told him.”
; 2. (in the religious sense) to be a Christian:
Ọ ma yayi ― “He is not a Christian.”
yaan1 [ỹã̀ã́] vb.
to own; to possess:
Rẹn ọ yaaẹn owa ne ima ye ― “He is the one who owns the house in which we live.”
yaan2 [ỹã̀ã́] vb.
to pledge; to promise:
Ọ yaanrẹn ighẹ ren gha sẹtin haa osa nii ― “He pledged that he will be able to pay up that debt.”
yalọ [yàlɔ́] vb.
1. (used of jelly-like substance or other soft masses) to scoop (a usually large bulk of):
Ọ yalọ obuẹ hin otọ rre ― “He scooped off the clay from the ground.”
;
2. (of a large or amophous mass) to move clumsily (e.g. of a very fat person):
Ọ yalọ khian ― “He is moving clumsily along.”
(Also: ọ yalegbe khian).
yan1 [ỹã́] vb.
1. to tear off; to sever; to disjoin:
Abọ ẹkpo na yan fua ― “The strap of this bag has torn off”
;
2. to ply open; to open wide:
Ọ yan ẹkhu yotọ ― “He opened the door wide. (or He left the door wide open).”
yan2 [ỹã́] vb.
(of the limbs) to be fatigued; to be weary after exertion; to be exhausted:
Owẹ yan mwẹn ― “My legs are fatigued.”
yan3 [ỹã́] vb.
(of fire) to be ablaze:
Erhẹn nẹ ọ hiere yan kua ― “The fire he made is in full blaze.”
yan4 [ỹã́] vb.
(e.g. of a child) to make a lot of fuss; to demand a lot of attention by crying frequently and behaving hard-to-please:
Ọvbokhan na gha yan ma iyẹe ― “This child is making a lot of fuss to his mother.”
yangbe [ỹã̀gbé] vb.
to ignore; to discountenance:
Ọ yangbe emwin dan hia ne ọ ru ― “She ignored all the bad things that he does.”
yanghan [ỹã̀ɣã́] vb.
to tear to pieces; to mangle; to tear roughly so as to disfigure:
Uwaya yanghan mwẹn ukpọn rua ― “The wire has torn my cloth to pieces.”
yankan [ỹã̀kã́] vb.
to walk abnormally (usually with legs spread apart):
Ọ yankan dee vbe egui ― “He is approaching with an abnomal walk like that of a tortoise.”
yanrre [ỹã̀ré] vb.
to be left over; to remain:
Emwin ne ọ khiẹn gbae, ọ yanrre ― “The things she is selling are complete and with some left over.”
yanyan [ỹã̀ỹã́] vb.
1. to yawn;
2. (of lightning) to flash.
ye1 [yé] vb.
to be like; to seem: (Does not take clausal complements):
Ọ ye mosemose ― “It has the quality of being beautiful: It is beautiful.”
ye2 [yé] vb.
(as in yerhẹn) to make or set (a fire):
Akhuẹ ẹre iran khian yerhẹn ye iku na ― “It is tomorrow that they will set fire to this rubbish heap.”
yee1 [yèé] vb.
to recall; to remember:
Ọ yee ẹmwẹn ne i khama ọnrẹn ― “He recalled the words that I told him.”
yee-rre [yèré] vb.
1. same as yee1;
2. to remind:
Ọ yee mwẹn ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn rre ― “He reminded me of her.”
yegbe [yègbé] vb.
to be cautious; to be mindful of self:
U ghu yegbe vbe ehe ne u rrie na ― “You should be cautious where you are going.”
yenhọ [ỹẽ̀hɔ́] vb.
(< yin ― ehọ)
1. to be deaf; to be hard of hearing;
2. to be stubborn; to be disobedient. (cf. yin).
yẹẹ [yɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to please; to appeal to; to delight:
Ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn yẹẹ mwẹn ― “Her matter appeals to me”: “^I like her.”
yevbe [yéʋe] vb.
to be like; to seem:
Ọ yẹvbe ne ọ vbiẹ ― “He seems to be sleeping.”
(cf. ye).
yẹẹn [ỹɛ̃̀ɛ̃́] vb.
to press upon (usually with something heavy):
Ọ ya olọ yẹn ọnrẹn ― “He pressed it by means of a grinding-stone.”
yẹẹn muotọ ― “to press down.”
yẹẹn-egbe [ỹɛ̃̀ɛ̃̀gbé] vb.
to exert the physiological pressure necessary to eject something from the body through any of the posterior openings, e.g. in childbirth; or during defecation.
yẹnkẹn [ỹɛ̃̀kɛ̃́] vb.
same as yankan.
yi1 [yí] vb.
1. to create:
A ma yi ẹre ẹse ― “He was not created right”^
;
2. (with uhi) to make ( a law) to institute (a decree):
Ariọba yi uhi yọ ― “The government has instituted a law about it.”
yi4 [yí] vb.
(as in yi-ẹro): to take note of; to be aware of:
Ọ yi emwin ẹro gbe ― “She is very observant of things.”
yighẹ [yìɣɛ́] vb.
to be weak; to be frail:
Ona yighẹ gbe ― “This is too weak.”
yiin [ỹĩ̀ĩ́] vb.
1. to behave:
Ei yiin ẹse ― “He does not behave well”
;
2. to inhabit; to dwell in:
Idunmwun ọkpa ma kagha yiin ma ke kpaọ gha di ediran ― “We inhabited the same street before we left to come this way”
.
yiin ke ― “to live next to; to be neighbours with.”
yilo [yìló] vb.
1. (usually of flowing liquid or drawing substance): to collect together and drain off; to mop up:
Ọ yilo uwọnmwẹn hin ọkpan rre ― “She drained off the soup from the plate.”
;
2. (with kua) to drip off; to slide off.
yin1 [ỹĩ́] vb.
1. to be blocked;
Ehọ ọre yiin ― “His ears are blocked: He cannot hear (well).”
;
2. to be dense; to be tightly packed (e.g. of weed).
yin2 [ỹĩ́] vb.
(as in yin-ehiẹn) to pinch. (with the finger nails).
yo1 [yó] vb.
1. to go;
I yo owa ọre nodẹ ― “I went to his house yesterday.”
;
2. to attend:
Ọ yo esọsi ima ― “He attends our church.”
(In the progressive aspect, rrie is used instead of yo):
Ọ rrie esọsi ― 1. He is going to the church
.
yo2 [yó] vb.
1. to be high (e.g. of a wall):
Ekẹn na yo ― “This wall is high.”
;
2. esteemed; high (e.g. of a position or post).
Ukpo ẹre yo vbe ehe ne ọ na winna ― “His post is high or senior in his place of work.”
yọ [yɔ́] vb.
to wear (a garment):
Ọ yọ ẹwu nọmose ― “She is wearing a lovely dress.”
yọọ [yɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to arrange one after the other (usually in a tile or row):
Ọ yọọ iran ye uviẹn ― “He arranged them in a line.”
;
2. (of a crowd): to move uniformly; to troop:
Iran yọọ dee ― “They are trooping in this direction.”
yunmwun [ỹũ̀ɱṹ] vb.
1. to shine (of the sun):
Ovẹn ma yunmwun ẹrẹ ― “The sun did not shine today.”
;
2. (of aro) to frown; to wear an unhappy or unpleasant countenance:
Ọ yunmwun aro rua ye uhunmwun ― “He is wearing a frown.”
yunnu [ỹũ̀nṹ] vb.
(< yan ― unu) “to open mouth”; to surprise; to amaze:
Ọ yan mwẹn unu ― “It amazed me.”
yuo [yùó] vb.
same as wio.
zaan [zã̀ã́] vb.
1. to criticize; to find fault with; to condemn:
Iran zaan rẹn ye emwin nẹ ọ ruu ― “They criticized him for what he did.”
zabọ [zàbɔ́] vb.
expresses the adv. meaning of “quickly”:
Ọ zabọ kpaọ ― “He quickly left.”
zaro [záɽò] vb.
to reprimand; to scold:
Ọ zaro mu ẹnrẹn vbe ọ viẹ ― “He reprimanded her when she was crying.”
zagadabu [zàgàdàbú] vb.; idiom.
to have fun; to play around.
zagha [zàɣá] vb.
to scatter; to fall out of place in various directions; to be in disarray:
Ẹhoho zagha ebe mwẹn hia kue otọ ― “The wind has scattered all my books to the floor.”
zama [zàmá] vb.
to show deference to; to show courteous regard to:
Ọ zama ọmwan gbe ― “She always treats her elders with deference.”
ze [zé] vb.
to be stiff or hard:
Ekẹn na zee nẹ ― “This wall has hardened.”
ze-vbe-udu ― “to be hard-hearted”: “stubborn.”
zedu [zèdú] vb.
(< zẹ
4 ― edu) to interpret; to translate:
Ọ ma miẹ ene ọ gha zedu nẹẹn ― “He did not find anyone to interpret for him.”
zẹ1 [zɛ́] vb.
1. to select; to choose:
Ọ zẹ ẹwu ne ọ yẹ ọre ― “She chose the dress that she liked.”
;
2. to delegate (a person):
Ozo ẹre iran zẹe gha khian ― “Ozo was the person they delegated to go.”
;
3. (of solid mass nouns) to take a portion of:
Ọ zẹ izẹ mu gie iran ― “She took some rice to carry to them.”
zẹ hin ― “to remove some portion of”
;
zẹ baa ― “to add a portion to”
;
zẹ kua ― “to pour a portion away etc.”
zẹ2 [zɛ́] vb.
to be responsible for (an action); to cause a situation:
Iran ẹre ọ zẹe ighẹ ma miẹ odẹ la ― “They were responsible for our being able to find a way to pass.”
zẹ3 [zɛ́] vb.
to rank; to occupy a certain position relative to:
Rẹn ọ zẹ lele mwẹn ― “He is the one who ranks after me.”
ze4 [zɛ́] vb.
to speak a language:
Ọ gua zẹ Ebo ― “He can speak English.”
zẹ5 [zɛ́] vb.
to spend (money); to pay a levy or fine:
Ọ zẹ ígho-emitin ― “He contributed his society levy.”
zẹ6 [zɛ́] vb.
to be arrogant; to behave overbearingly ―
Ọ zẹ vbe emwan esi ― “He is behaving overbearingly as though he were a better person.”
zẹbi [zɛ̀bí] vb.
to be guilty:
Ozo ọ zẹbi vbe ẹzo na ― “Ozo is the guilty party in this case.”
zẹtin [zɛ̀tĩ́] vb.
(< zẹ ― ẹtin) to be rebellious; to be defiant; to contradict:
Ne ọ gha ya ru vbene a gie ẹre, ọ gha zẹtin obọ ọre ― “Instead of doing as he was commissioned, he is being defiant.”
ziẹn [zyɛ̃́] vb.
1. to plant (something thin or pointed); to insert:
Ọ ziẹn erhan yotọ ― “He stuck a piece of stick into the ground.”
;
2. (with aro) to fix (eyes) on; to scrutinize:
Ọ ziẹn aro mu ẹnrẹn ― “He fixed his gaze on it.”
;
3. to get stuck; (e.g. of a vehicle’s wheels in a muddy terrain):
Imọto ẹre ziẹn ye uwu ọrho ― “His vehicle got stuck in the mud.”
ziẹnziẹn [zyɛ̀zyɛ̃́] vb.
to squeeze into; to force into; to penetrate by force:
Ọ ziẹnziẹn egbe la owa ― “He squeezed to get into the house.”
ziga [zìgá] vb.
to struggle; to cope; to make an effort;
O fẹko ziga vbe iwinna ne iran mu nẹẹn ― “He is trying to cope gradually with the work they gave him.”
zighi [zìɣí] vb.
1. to become confused; to be disorderly:
Ughugha ẹre hia zighi ne ukpọn ― “His entire room is disorderly with clothes.”
;
2. to make disorderly; to disrupt:
Ọ zighi iran iko rua ― “He disrupted their meeting.”
zighó1 [zíɣó] vb.
(< zẹ ― ígho) to cut milk-teeth.
zighó2 [zíɣó] vb.
(< zẹ5 ― ígho)
1. to spend money;
2. to pay a fine.
zighò [zíɣò] vb.
(< zọọ ― ìgho) to grow horns.
zihin [zìhĩ́] vb.
(< zẹ ― ihiin) to blow the nose.
ziin [zĩ̀ĩ́] vb.
1^.^ to endure; to bear:
Ọ ziin oya nọbun ― “He endured a lot of insults”
;
2. ziengbe (< ziin egbe): “endure self”; to be patient; to persevere.
zobọ [zòbɔ́] idiom.; vb.
1. to cease from doing; to stop (doing) to give up on.:
Ọ zobọ vbe iwinna ne ọ ka gha ru ― “He has stopped doing his previous work.”
;
2. to come to an end; to close:
Ma zobọ nẹ vbe esuku ― “We have closed at school.”
;
3. to leave; to release:
Ọ zẹ iran obọ ― “He released them.”
zogiẹ [zògyɛ́] vb.
(< zẹ-ogiẹ) “to cause laughter”; to be funny.:
Ẹmwẹn ọnrẹn zogie gbe ― “His words are very funny.”
zowẹ [zówɛ̀] vb.
(< zẹ ― owẹ) to take a step; to move:
Ghẹ zowẹ kpaọ vbe evba ― “Don’t step away from there.”
zozo [zòzó] vb.
to wander; to perambulate:
Ọ zozo gbe ― “He wanders too much.”
zọkan [zc̀kã́] vb.
to shout angrily; to speak harshly:
Ọ zọkan mu ẹnrẹn ― “He shouted angrily at him.”
zọlọ [zɔ̀lɔ́] vb.
the pl. or reit. sense of zọọ
2:
Iran zọlọ iyan foo vbe akhe ― “They picked out all the yam pieces from the pot.”
zọọ1 [zɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to germinate; to sprout:
Ọka ne ọ kọe zọọ nẹ ― “The corn that she planted has sprouted.”
zọọ2 [zɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
1. to extract; to pick out:
Ọ zọọ igban hin ẹre owẹ rre ― “He extracted a thorn from his foot.”
zọọ3 [zɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
(with ẹse) 1. to perform a sacrifice (usually determined by the oracle as a means of atoning for some previous wrongdoing, or of ensuring the goodwill of some powerful forces, etc.).
zọọ4 [zɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
(of ọmọ) to perform the naming ceremony of a new-born infant (usually on the seventh day of birth).
zuan [zũ̀ã́] vb.
to indicate or express undisguised desire for somebody’s food (e.g. by hovering around them with a yearning gaze at the food, etc. ).
zughu [zùɣú] vb.
1. to roll around on the ground in grief or distress.;
2. to struggle against efforts to restrain one (e.g. in a fight).
zunu [zùnṹ] vb.
(< zẹ ― unu) “to choose mouth” to be choosy about food; to be fastidious about what one eats.
zurọ [zùɽɔ́] vb.
to be stupid; to be foolish:
Ọ zurọ gbe ― “He is very foolish.”
zuwu [zùwú] vb.
to commit suicide.