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thaveless - Hamely Tongue

Source: The Hamely Tongue: A Personal Record of Ulster-Scots in County Antrim

Author: James Fenton

Comments: ‘The Hamely Tongue’ has been widely acclaimed as the authoritative record of contemporary (surviving) Ulster-Scots in its heartland of County Antrim where James Fenton faithfully recorded his dictionary items among a network of other native speakers over a 30-year period. This searchable online version of his book takes its text from ‘Part One’ of the fourth edition of 2014 and includes over 3000 word entries. The book preliminaries, supplementary word lists and end matter have been excluded.

thaveless ~ incompetent, lacking initiative, useless (Did ye iver see sitch a thaveless cretter?); (of a tiny screw, flimsy gadget, etc.) difficult to handle firmly (It’s that thaveless a thing); (forced to) feel helpless, etc. (It wud mak ye thaveless jaist luckin at him). (Also loc. and occas. thraveless) [Sc. thieveless f. OSc. theaveless not to the purpose, ineffectual; OSc. thewless immoral f. E thew bodily strength; thus = vigour + less (SND)]

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