work - 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.
work ~ (as in) at yer work up to one’s tricks, dodges, etc. ill tae work wae (see ill). lake a day’s work (of one’s approach to a task, a meal, etc.) with great (often exaggerated) energy (went at it lake a day’s work). work at practise, do for a living (he works at the plumbin); indulge in (A see ye still work at the smokin); dabble in, practise in an amateurish way (A’m naw whut ye’d cal an artaist, but A work at it). workin at going along to the best of one’s ability (Och, we’r workin at, lake iveryboady else — isn’t that a’ a boady can dae?). work on seek to improve or change (a skill, a habit, etc.: still naw gret, but A’m workin on it); (of a pain, an injury, etc.) trouble, trouble intermittently (It worked on him his day. Also wrocht on); persist intolerably or unwisely (Ye’ll work on tae ye get yersel in bother). work wae use, manage with (There’s nae knives or forks, so we’ll jaist hae tae work wae wer fingers).
