da¹ [ '][dá] {SS::} 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] {SS::} 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] {SS::} vb. to be stingy with; to hold
preciously: ígho da okpia na gbe ―
“This man is very stingy with money.”

da⁴ [ '][dá] {SS::} vb. to drink (especially al-
coholic drinks).

da⁵ [ '][dá] {SS::} adv. indicates that an action
has just been begun or completed; or
that it has just taken place: Te Ozo
da rre na. ― “Ozo has only just
arrived.”

da⁶ [ '][dá] {SS::} adv. (usually with expression
vbs. such as tie, van, go, etc.): loudly:
%%

Ọ da tie ẹre ― “He called loudly for
him”.

daa¹ [ `'][dàá] {SS::} 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] {SS::} 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] {SS::} vb. (with amẹ) to collect
rain water dropping from the roof:
lahọ, daa amẹ mẹ ― “Please collect
some rain-water for me.”

daa [ `'][dàá] {SS::} vb. part. toward: mu aro
daa mwẹn ― “turn (your) face to-
ward me.”

dabadogun [ ` ` ' '][dàbàdógṹ] {SS::} n. a tree,
Parinarium.

dada [ ` '][dàdá] {SS::} vb. to haul by hand (us-
ually involving more than one per-
son). Iran dada re laọ owa ― “they
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---

hauled it into the house.”

daehọ [ ][daehɔ] {SS::} vb. ― to anticipate;
to expect.

dagbẹn [ ' '][dã́gbɛ̃́] {SS::} vb. ― to be accurate;
to fall into line.

damẹ [ ' `][dámɛ̃̀] {SS::} vb. to become liquified.

dan [ '`][dã́ã̀] {SS::} adj. bad, evil: ọmwan dan
nọ ― “He is an evil person”.

dandaandan [ ' '' '][dã́dã́ã́dã́] {SS::} adv. exactly;
precisely (of time or location).

danmwenhọ [ ` ` '][dã̀ɱẽ̀hɔ́] {SM::} vb. 1. to listen:
lahọ danmwenhọ mwẹn ― “Please,
listen to me.” 2. to obey; to heed.

danmwẹn [ ` '][dã̀ɱɛ̃́] {SM::} vb. 1. to taste some-
thing; 2. to test; to try out.

dayi [ ` '][dàyí] {SM::} 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] {SS::} vb. to drink wine or
any alcoholic drink. (cf. da⁴ ).

de¹ [ '][dé] {SM::} vb. 1. to fall; Ọvbokhan nii
dee ― “That child fell.” 2. to be
epileptic.

de² [ '][dé] {SM::} 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?”

dè³ [ `][dè] {SS::} inter. pron. what? which? as
in:
dẹghe? (< de ẹghẹ) ― “what time?
when?”
%%

dehe? (< de ehe) ― “what place?:
where?”
devbene? (< de evbene) ― “what
manner?: how?”
demwin? (< de emwin) ― “what
thing?: what?”
dọghe? (< de ọghe) ― “whose?”
dọnwan? (< de ọmwan) ― “who”. etc.

debaa [ ` `'][dèbàá] {SM::} vb. 1. to join with; to
mix with. 2. to support; to side with.
3. (in the religious sense): to bless.

dede [ ` '][dèdé] {SS::} vb. to embrace.

dee¹ [ `'][dèé] {SS::} 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] {SM::} 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.”

deghẹ¹ [ ' `][déɣɛ̀] {SS::} conj. if.: deghẹ u yo,
u gha miọẹn ― “if you go, you will
see it.”

deghẹ² [ ' `][déɣɛ̀] {SS::} inter part. an interroga-
tive marker requiring a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
answer: Q: Deghẹ u miọẹn? Ans. Ẹo,
i ma miọẹn; or Ẹẹn, i miọen ― Q:
“Did you see it? Ans No, I did not
see it; or Yes, I saw it.”

dekaan [ ` `'][dèkã̀ã́] {SS::} vb. to touch; to come
in contact with: abọ ukpọn ọnrẹn
dekaan mwẹn ― “The tip of her cloth
touched me.”

dekẹe [ ` `'][dèkɛ̀é] {SS::} vb. to remain; to be left-
over. (also dekẹrre).

dekuun [ ` `'][dèkũ̀ṹ] {SS::} vb. to collide with; to
bump into: Iran dekuun egbe vbe odẹ
― “They bumped into each other on
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---

the way.”

demu [ ` '][dèmú] {SS::} vb. to pertain to; to con-
cern.

dele [ ` '][dèlé] {SS::} vb. plural or reiterative sense
of de¹.

dẹ [ `][dɛ̀] {SS::} vb. to buy: ọ dẹ evbare vbe
ebuka ― “He bought some food at
the canteen.”

dẹghe [ ` '][dɛ̀ɣé] {SS::} vb. to see; to sight: I
dẹghe ẹre vbe obọ ọre ― “I sighted it
in his hands.”

dia¹ [ `'][dìá] {SS::} vb. to be located at; to
reside at: Edo ẹre i dia ― “I resided
in Benin City”.

dia² [ `'][dìá] {SS::} vb. to menstruate.

dia [ '][dyá] {SM::} 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] {SS::} 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] {SS::} vb. to wait for:
Diakhẹ mwẹn ― “Wait for me”.

dido [ ' `][dídò] {SM::} vb. 1. to be large; ex-
pansive: ukpọn na dido ― “this cloth
is very wide.” 2. to be mature; ex-
perienced with age; strong: erhan
na dido ne ― “This tree has achieved
full maturity.”

diẹn [ `'][dĩ̀ɛ̃́] {SS::} vb. to be senior to; to be
older than: Rẹn ọ diẹn mwẹn ― “He
is older than me.”

digiẹ [ ` '][dìgyɛ́] {SS::} vb. to become firmly es-
tablished.
%%

digiẹn [ ` '][dìgỹɛ̃́] {SS::} vb. to squat.

diguẹ [ ` '][dìgwɛ́] {SS::} vb. to kneel down.

digba [ ' `][dígbà] {SS::} vb. to be big; large; ex-
tensive ― Ugbo ẹre digba sẹẹ ọghomwẹn
― “His farm is larger than mine.”

dihoi [ ' `][díhoì] {SS::} vb. to become nothing;
become worthless or useless; to fail.

dikhuẹkhuẹ [ ' ` '][díxwɛ̀xwɛ́] {SS::} vb. to be
dwarfed.

din¹ [ '][dĩ́] {SS::} vb. to be brave; to be bold.

din² [ '][dĩ́] {SS::} vb. to be hoarse ― urhu mwẹn
din ne eve ― “My voice is hoarse from
crying.”

dinmwin¹ [ ` '][dĩ̀ɱĩ́] {SM::} 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] {SS::} vb. to dip into liquid:
Ọ dinmwin ukpu ye uwu akhe-amẹ
― “He dipped the cup into the water
pot.”

dinmwindinmwin [ ' ' ' '][dĩ́ɱĩ́dĩ́ɱĩ́] {SS::} adj. (usu-
ally introduced by the verb ye) very
deep.

dinna [ ` '][dĩ̀nã́] {SS::} vb. to reach; to arrive at:
Ẹghẹ dinna ẹgogo eha nẹ ― “Time has
reached 3 o’clock already.”

divu [ ` '][dìvú] {SS::} vb. (of seed-yam only) to
rot and germinate.

diyi [ ` '][dìyí] {SM::} 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.

diyẹndiyẹn [ ` ` ` `][dĩ̀yɛ̃̀dĩ̀yɛ̃̀] {SS::} adj. clumsy in
$Page 019$

shape or motion.

dizigha [ ' `'][dízìá] {SS::} vb. to commit murder.

do¹ [ '][dó] {SS::} vb. to weave: ọ guẹ okhuae
ne a do. ― “He knows how to weave a
basket.”

do² [ '][dó] {SM::} 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] {SS::} vb. to move restively: Ọ gha
do yo do rre ― “He is moving back
and forth.”

do⁴ [ '][dó] {SS::} adv. stealthily; secretly: Ọ do
ta ma rẹn ― “She told him secretly.”

dobọyi [ ` ' `][dòbɔ́yì] {SS::} vb. to stop; to ter-
minate: 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] {SS::} vb. to stay quietly; to
live peacefully.

doẹki [ ' `][dwɛ́kì] {SS::} vb. to trade.

dogaa [ ` `'][dògàá] {SS::} vb. to surround; to
encircle.

domia [ ` '][dòmỹã́] {SM::} 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] {SS::} vb. to carry secretly; to
steal (a large or heavy object).

doo¹ [ ''][dóó] {SS:gr:} int. an informal greeting,
%%

equivalent to “hello”, expressed
between peers, or by an older or senior
person to a younger or junior one. The
plural form, wa doo!, is usually used
by an older person to two or more
younger people. It is also used by an
adult visitor to announce his presence
in a house.

doo² [ `'][dòó] {SS::} vb. an expression inviting
somebody to do something: Doo
tota! ― “Come and sit down.”

doo³ [ `'][dòó] {SS::} adv. serves as a sequential
marker in a narrative or discourse:
iran ghi se evba, iran na doo tue evbo
hia; iran na doo tota . . . ― “when they
got there, they then greeted every-
body; they then sat down.”

dorhie [ ` '][dòryé] {SS::} vb. to steal.

dovbe [ ` '][dòʋé] {SS::} vb. to toss about in
sleep.

dọlọ¹ [ ` '][dɔ̀lɔ́] {SS::} vb. 1. to repeat; to do
again (also dọlegbe): Ọ dọlọ bọe ―
“He built it again.”

dọlọ² [ ` '][dɔ̀lɔ́] {SS::} vb. to rub a mud floor
or wall with the traditional muddy
solution.

dọlọ³ [ ` '][dɔ̀lɔ́] {SS::} vb. (with ukpọn): to sew:
Ọ ya emasini dọlọ ukpọn mwẹn ―
“He sewed my cloth by machine.”

dọlọ⁴ [ ` '][dɔ̀lɔ́] {SS::} 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] {SM::} 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
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in their proper place inside.”

dọmọ [ ' `][dɔ́mɔ̀] {SM:gr:} int. 1. a deferential
greeting, normally used for chiefs or
other elderly people to whom courteous
regard is due: Dọmọ, edionmwan!
“Greetings, old man!” 2. a greeting
used for people resident at the Oba’s
palace.

dọmwandẹ [ ' ` '][dɔ́ɱã̀dɛ́] {SS::} adj. each one;
everyone: Dọmwandẹ ẹvbo mwẹn urhu
ne ọ zẹ ― “Each country has the
language that it speaks.”

dọn [ `][dɔ̃̀] {SS::} vb. to be or become lean; to
be emaciated.

dọnmwẹn [ ` '][dɔ̃̀ɱɛ̃́] {SS::} vb. to construct the
frame of a roof with rafters,
before it is covered with thatch.

dọnmwinyi [ ` ` '][dõ̀ɱĩ̀yí] {SS::} vb. to proclaim
a law or regulation.

dọọn [ `'][dɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] {SM::} vb. 1. to snap. Ifi Ozo
%%

---

dọọnrẹn ― Ozo’s trap snapped (i.e.
and caught some animals). 2. to
operate a switch.

dọyọ [ ` '][dɔ̀yɔ́] {SS::} vb. to quench; to cease
burning: Erhẹn naa dọyọ nẹ ― “This
fire has ceased to burn.”

dududu [ ' ' '][dúdúdú] {SS::} adv. very dark: Ọ
siere dududu ― “It is extremely
dark.”

duẹ [ `'][dùɛ́] {SS::} vb. to scatter; to disrupt.

dunmwun¹ [ ` '][dũ̀ɱṹ] {SS::} vb. to pound:
Iran dunmwun ema ne ima ― “They
pounded pounded-yam for us.”

dunmwun² [ ` '][dũ̀ɱṹ] {SS::} 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] {SS::} vb. to be successful; to
turn out right.