The Bible in Spain. Volume 2 of 2

Amigo. Span. and Port. A friend.

Anciña Anciñaco. Basque. The ancient of the ancient.

Andalou. Rom. An Andalusian.

André. Rom. In. P. ii. 56.

Anise-brandy. Eng. A cordial, something like the French anisette. The anise (Pimpinella anisum) is largely cultivated in Spain, where it is known as anis. The seed is dried and exported, the aniseed of the English cake-makers.

Aoud. Arab. According to Borrow, a stallion. It is the Moorish ‘aud = horse.

Aquel. Span. That.

Arco. Span. and Port. A bow, an arch.

Ardoa. Guipuzcoan and Biscayan for arno, arnoa, wine, the final a being the definite article.

Argelino. Span. A native of Algiers.

Armada. Span. and Port. A fleet, or navy.

Aromáli. Rom. Truly. Arromales = caramba. J.

Arriero. Span. Muleteer; one who cries arrhé or harré, Arabic “Gee up!” The older form of Harriero, given in the Dictionary of the Spanish Academy, more clearly preserves this etymology.

Arroba. Span. and Port. A weight equal to about 25 lbs. English. Arab, ar ruba‘, a quarter.

Arroyo. Span. A brook, stream.

Artesano. Span. Artisan, workman.

Ashor. Hebr. Jewish feast of the tenth (day), ‘āsor. It is really the Arabic ‘ashūrā.

Atajo. Span. A short cut, material or moral; an expedient of any kind. Lit. a tying; atar, to tie.

Atalaya. Span. A watch-tower. Port. atalaia. A word of Arabic origin; aṭ-ṭalí‘ah, a view.

Attar. Arab. Essence. More correctly, ‘aṭar. Frequently in combination. The Eng. otto.

Auslandra. Milan. The meaning of this word is given by Borrow himself as “to roam about in a dissipated manner.” It is obviously the Germ. Ausland, “a foreign country,” made into an Italian verb. On the authority of the native of Como, whom Borrow met at Cerrig y Drudion, it was considered a vulgar word, even in the gergo of the Milanese, and that it is so may be proved by a reference to Cherubini, Vocabolario Milanese-Italiano, s.v. Slándra, Slandrà.

Auto da fé. Port. Span. auto de fé. Execution of persons condemned by the Inquisition.

Avellana. Span. A filbert.

Ayana. Arab. According to Borrow, a locust. It is not an ordinary Arabic word, possibly of some North African dialect.

Azabache. Span. Jet. The Arab, as-sabaj.

Azabacheria. Span. Jet-market.

Azinheira. Port. The holm-oak.

Azumbre. Span. A measure for liquids, the eighth of an arroba, equal to about half a gallon. From the Arab. ath-thumn = the eighth.

Bab. Arab. Gate. Bab del Faz, gate of Fez.

Bacalhão. Port. (In Span. Bacallao or Abadejo). Salt cod, commonly imported from the Newfoundland coast.

Bahar. Arab. Sea.

Bahi or Baji. Rom. Fortune. Penar baji, decir la buena ventura, to tell fortunes. According to Borrow, the Sanscrit and Persian baḥkt.

Bakh, Bok. Rom. Luck. Kosko bakh, “Good luck to you!” P. ii. 398; A. 47; M. vii. 14.

Balad. Arab. Land. Also beled.

Balichó. Rom. A hog. P. ii. 420; A. 54; M. vii. 15.

Bar. Aram. Son.

Bar. Rom. A stone. P. ii. 409; M. vii. 16.

Bar Lachí. Rom. The loadstone; a gypsy charm or talisman. Lit. “the good stone.” See Lachó.

Baria. Rom. Used by Borrow in ch. x., and given in Z. ii. 147, as Germanía, or thieves’ slang, for a gold onza (q.v.). Cf. varia = weight. A. 12. It is also the plural of bar, used by English gypsies for a sovereign. The correct Gitano for onza is jara.

Baribú, Baributre, Baribustre. Rom. Plenty, much. P. ii. 400; M. vii. 17.

Baro. Rom. Great. Len Baro = the great river, the Guadalquivir. Hokkano Baro = the great trick. See Hok. P. ii. 411; A. 59; M. vii. 17.

Barra. Arab. Outside; out of the town. See Soc.

Barraganeria. Span. Concubinage. See note, i. 157.

Barranco, Barranca. Span. A fissure in a hill, a deep cleft, made by the action of water; a precipice.

Barrete. Span. A helmet, cap.

Barrio. Span. One of the quarters or districts into which a large town is divided. Fr. quartier.

Batu, Bato. Rom. Father. Perhaps from the Russ. batuschca, q.v. In thieves’ slang, a prison governor or jailer. P. ii. 430; F. 145; G. i. 61; J.

Batuschca, Batushka. Russ. Little father. A term of endearment or familiar address, something like the Span. tio, uncle.

Beber. Span. and Port. To drink.

Becoresh. Hebr. I.e. Epikores = Epicurus, selected by Jewish writers as a type of insolent atheism.