Lexicon · 52 entries

L

-la1v

drink

ọ̀lịla a drinking

ife ọ̄lịla drink

-lafọ drink and leave some remaining

-lakwu drink again, in addition, the remainder

-laju afọ drink to satiety

-lalụ drink a part

-la oke mmānya drink to excess; get drunk

-la, -lụ2v

sleep

-lamì ụla fall fast asleep

-larụ alarụ congeal, coagulate, curdle (e.g. oil)

-larụ ụlā, -lụ ụla sleep

-la3v

have coition with: Ọ chọ̀ ịlā ya He wants to sleep with her

-la di have sexual intercourse (of woman); be sexually loose (of woman)

-là +1v

entice; seduce; deceive

-làdà soothe, rock (a baby)

-làfù seduce; deceive

nlafù seduction; deceit

-làpụ̀ta ile put out the tongue

-là ụ̀là entice; charm; persuade

-là2ext. suff. 1

open; flat; exposed

-chalàpụ̀ anya stare at

-nwulàpụ̀ flash

-telà rub flat

-la-chav

lick; eat (juicy fruit); drink (soup)

-la-pav

stick to; cling to

-lapado n’àrụ stick to body

-lapalụ n’àrụ cling (to somebody)

-le1v

sell

òlile (art of) sale

afịa ōlile merchandise; commodity

-le (afịa) ọkshọ̀m̀ -lebe (= -lesị) sell wares at an auction sell to

-ledà sell cheaply

-lefọ sell, leaving some parts

-lefù sell into slavery

-lesị sell to: Ị mā elesị m̄ ewu gị̄? Won’t you sell me your goat?

-le2v

be rotten

-letọ̀ be very rotten

-letọ̀sị be completely rotten

-le ùle rot; be rotten; be corrupt; be lazy

-le3v

brand with hot thing; burn, touch with fire or hot object; be hot B. brand with hot object; burn or touch with fire, hot object: Ị̀ nà-àchọ ilē m ọkụ? Are you going to burn me?

-ledo blaze out; catch fire

-leji cut asunder by burning

-le ọkụ A. be hot, warm: Àrụ gị̄ nà-èle ọkụ̄ Your body is hot

(ọkụ) -le be hurt or touched (by fire or hot object): Ọkụ̂ lè m̀ n’aka I was burned on the hand

-lè1v

fulfil; come to pass; (of medicine or sorcery) be efficacious

òlìlè fulfilling; coming to pass

-lèzù fulfil; come to pass

-dị ìlè (of medicine or sorcery) be efficacious

(ọgwụ̀) -lè (of medicine or sorcery) be efficacious

-lè2ext. suff.1

(used with movement) about; used only in:

-gbelè loiter; creep about: Àda nà-ègbelèghalị ebe a nà-èsi ōlili Ada is hanging about where a feast is being prepared

-kpọlè roll along: Afụ̀lụ̀ m̀ nyà kà ọ nà-àkpọlè bọọ̀lụ̀ I saw her rolling a ball

letàn

letter (E., cf. akwụkwọ)

-de letà write letter

-degalụ letà write letter to: A gà-èdegalụ yā letà He will be written a letter

-delụ letà write letter to; help write letter: Ànyị gà-èdelụ yā letà We shall write him (a letter)

-deta letà write letter to (the speaker): Òbi kwù nà nya gà-èdeta letà ogè nya lù Òbòdò Oyìbo Obi said he would write when he reaches the United Kingdom

-nata letà receive letter

-za letà reply to letter

-zìpụ̀ letà post, mail, dispatch, send out letter: Agà m̀ èzipụ̀ letà m echī I shall dispatch my letter tomorrow

-li1v

eat; acquire; absorb B. eat from; have a share of (inheritance)

òlili feast; eating; consumption

Òlili Nsọ Holy Communion

-li àkụ̀ inherit wealth:

Ọ̀bị̀àgèèliàkụ̀ name for a girl born into a wealthy family

òli àkụ̀ loved wife; heir; inheritor

-li àrụ efè be at ease, free from care: Ọ nà-èli àrụ efè He is just resting quietly at home, or He is at ease

-lichapụ̀ eat up; devour

-lidà cause someone to spend all he has

-li èlèlè gain

-lifọ eat and leave some remaining

-ligbàdo eat up

-ligbu defraud (otherwise than in trading)

nligbu cheating; fraud

-liju afọ eat to satiety

-likọ eat together

-likpù overwhelm, swallow up (of water, mud, etc.)

-likwu eat more

-li ǹgàlị̀ take bribe

-li ngọ̄ accept a bribe

-li nni eat food; feed

-li nrā fine; impose a fine

-li obì resemble in behaviour; behave in exactly the same way as another person

-li òlili have a feast

-li ọkụ̀ inherit wealth

-li ọnụ̄ dumbfound; astonish: O lì m̀ ọnụ̄ It astonished me

-lipụ̀ devour; eat up

-lita n’ùkwù inherit; gain by inheritance

-lite A. accommodate; contain

-lite ekpē inherit

-li ulù gain; profit; benefit

-li ụgwọ̄ receive salary, wages, etc.

-li ụ̀wà enjoy; enjoy life

(m̀milī) -li (of water) drown: Ọ nà-àgbaku onye mmilī nà-àchọ ilī He is running to a person about to drown

-li +2v.:

-li ìzìzì tickle: Ọ nà-èli m̄ ìzìzì He is tickling me

-li3ext. suff.1

on; against

-fili support

-meli overcome

-lìext. suff.1

reduce to small units; splinter; crush (something softer or more fragile than -gwò)

-bèlì cut into small pieces: Achọ̀ m̀ ibēlì anụ m gà-ènye nwa nkịtā I want to cut into small pieces the meat I intend to give to the puppy

-gbalì dissolve; crush; break into small pieces: Mkpụlụ ọgwụ̄ dānyelụ n’ime mmīli agbalìgo The tablet which has fallen into water has dissolved

-kụlì break into pieces by knocking: Ọ nà-àkụlì ajā She is breaking a piece of mud wall

-tilì break (e.g. china, tilley-lamp)

-zọ̀lì reduce to powder or splinters by stepping on: Ị nà-àzọlī m̄ ụkwụ You are stepping on my foot

-lì-lìv

be very old (of thing): Àfè m elilìgo My garment is already tattered

-lìlì èlilì be old and tattered (of clothes); crumble (of a wall): O yì àfe lilì èlilì She is wearing an old and tattered dress

lìlìlìn

shivering or quivering state

-kpo lìlìlì swarm (of bees)

-rụ̀ lìlìlì shiver; quiver

-lị +1v

climb; creep

ọ̀lịlị a creeping, stroll

-lị alị creep (of insects, etc.)

-lịdà descend; go down

-lịfèta climb over

-lịgo climb

-lịgota climb up

-lịkwàsị climb upon; climb up again

-lịpụ̀ alight from a vehicle

-lị ugwu climb mountain, hill; move uphill

-lị2ext. suff. 1

for one’s own benefit; to oneself

-kpachalị (lit.) scrape for the benefit of oneself; (fig.) enjoy; scrounge: Ọ nà-èje n’ebe a nà-aŋụ̀lị aŋụ̀lị nnwā ịmā mà ọ nwè ịfe ọ gà-àfụ kpachalị She is going to the place where a naming ceremony is going on to see whether there is something she could get to eat (or, take away)

-kwàchalị exclaim in pleasure or amusement; chuckle: Gèe ntị̀, ị gà-ànụ kà Àda nà-akwàchalị Listen, you will hear Ada chuckling to herself

-lachalị lick; (fig.) make the most of; enjoy: Ọ bụlụ nà ulù àdapụ̀talụ m̄ ebe m jèkọ̀ m̀ lachalịa yā If I get some profit (usu. unexpected) where I am going, I will make the most of it

-mụlị, -kpụ̀mụ̀lị̀ smile; laugh

-ŋachalị roast (for oneself): Anà m̀ èje iŋāchalị àbụ̀ba anụ̄ nnē nyèlụ̀ m I am going to roast the animal fat that mother has given me

-lị, li3ext. suff.1

about; around (often combined with -gha 1.B)

-gòli rejoice; make joyful noise: Ànyị nà-egòli We are rejoicing

-jeghèli wander about at random

-nọ̀lị sit around; sit around idly: Ọgè ǹcha kà ọ nà-anọ̀lị n’ụnọ̄ Āda He always sits around in Ada’s house

-ŋụ̀lị rejoice: Gịnị̂ kpàtà ijì aŋụ̀lị? Why are you rejoicing?

-lị, -li4ext. suff.3

still: Ị̀ nọ̀lị̀lị? Are you still here?

lị̀

enc. indicates politeness (can follow verb or (pro)-noun): Kwùe nyā lị̀ Say it, then!: Jèelị̀ afịa Please to go market: Gwa m̄ lị̀ ife i kwùlụ̀ Please tell me what you said: Bị̀alị̀ Please come!

-lị̀ +v

-lị̀ ọ̀lị̀lị̀ announce news, usu. to summon people to a meeting

onye ọ̀lị̀lị̀ town-crier

-lị(-ta)

(deriv. suff.) against; opposing; opposite: Èbùnù naàbọ̀ nà-àkụlịta m̀pì n’ìlo Two rams are butting their heads together outside

-kụlịta knock against, together

-chelịta iru face; direct gaze against, towards: Ọ nà-èchelịta afị̄a iru It is facing the market

-lo1v

be painful; ache

òlilo being painful

-lo ilo hurt; ache; be painful

àrụ ōlulo weariness

ife ōlulo hurt; pain

-lo2v

be among; be one of: Ebo lòlụ̀ na ndi a chụpụ̀lụ̀ n’ọlụ Ebo was one of the people dismissed from work

-lo elo be useful; be fitting

-lo n’ife be useful

-lo +3v.:

-lo ilo bear a grudge; be enemies

-lòv

think (about a problem)

-lòchìgha repent; reflect

-lò èlò think

-lòfìè think wrongly; be mistaken

-lògha repent; change one’s mind

nlògha repentance; change of mind

-lo ìlìlò, ìlòlò think; suggest

lòkene! think, please! just think of it (usually of something bad)

-lòkọba consider: Anà m èlokọ̀ba ife o mè m I am thinking of all the things he has done to me (good or bad)

-lòpụ̀ta think out; suggest

-lòta, -lòte remember

nlòta remembrance

-lòtalụ remind

-lòzọ forget

nlòzọ forgetfulness

alò advice; suggestion

ọka elùlò, ọka ilòlò counsellor; thinker; adviser

-lọ +1v.:

-lọ mmụọ̄ feast the dead; offer food to the ancestors

-lọ +2v

bend; twist; be bent, twisted

-lọgọ̀ be crooked, bent, winding, sinuous, tortuous: M̀kpịsị afụ̀ lọ̀(lụ̀) àlọ The spike is bent

-lọji twist yam tendrils round the stake

-lọji onu break the neck

-lọkọ curl hair

-lọ̀ +1v

dream

-lọ̀ nlọ dream

-lọ̀2v

be thick (of liquids)

ọ̀lụ̀lọ̀ being thick

-lọ̀ àlọ̀ be thick (of liquids): O tègo m jì wèlụ èli ofe dị̄ gololo, mà kịtāà achòlụ̀ m̀ ilī ofe lọ̄lụ àlò For a long time I have been eating watery soups but now I want to eat a thick soup

-lọ̀ +3v.:

-lọ̀ anya eye; look at angrily or with contempt: Ọ nà-alọ̄ m̄ anya She is eyeing me

lọlọn

a chief’s wife

-lu1v

reach; arrive at; amount to; reach a time: O lūe It is time: Ò lue m̀gbè afụ̀, ... When it was time, ...: Ò luzịa It happened; it came to pass; then

-lu aka receive; reach

-lu anị̀ arrive at a settlement, conclusion

-lu àrụ receive; reach

-lu ogō reach age (for doing particular things); perform ceremony (for girl reaching puberty); be able to

-lute arrive at; reach

-lu2v

grow; breed

-lu arụrụ breed worms

-lu dọ̀tị be dirty, filthy

-lu inyi be dirty

-lute grow (head hair)

-lu3v

overflow, rise (of river in rainy season): Òrìm̀mìlì lùù n’arọ̄ à The Niger has overflowed this year

-lukpù overflow; drown; submerge

-lusà overflow; spread

m̀mili ōlulu rising of water at flood-time

-lù1v

A. become soft; soften B. (of pears) soften by warming (in hot ashes, water, etc.) C. (of cassava) become soft by fermentation

-lù èlù become soft

-lù2v

threaten (of rain): Mmilī nà-elù Rain is threatening

-lùchì obscure (sun, of clouds)

-lụ1v

work; construct; make: Ọ nà-àlụ ọlụ̄ He is working B. work; task; work to be done; working: Òlili nà ọ̀lụlụ̂ dị̀ be m̄ There is plenty of eating and working in my house

ọ̀lụlụ A. working; constructing; making

-lụ ajọ̄ ọlụ do work badly: Ọ nà-àlụ ajọ̄ ọlụ He is a bad worker

-lụcha ànị̀ cultivate land; clear weeds

-lụmì go far with a task: Ndụ̀ àlụmìgo ugbō yā Ndụ has gone very far in the cultivation of his farm

-lụni build up

-lụnwù rebuild

-lụ ọlụ work

-lụsị finish a piece of work: Alụ̄sịgo m̄ ọlụ m̄ I have finished my work

-lụsi ike work hard, energetically

-lụta earn

-lụ ugbo work a farm

-lụ ụnọ̀ build a house

ọlụ work; labour; profession; task

-lụ +2v.:

-lụ àrụ ụkà be self-controlled

-lụlịta ụkà debate; discuss

-lụ onwē ụkà be disciplined, self-controlled: Ọ nà-àlụ onwe yā ụkà He is self-controlled

-lụ ụkà dispute with; argue

-lụ +3v

defile; desecrate; be faulty, defective B. (fig.) To prove that food and drink presented by the host to his guests have not been poisoned, the host usually tastes from every eatable thing presented before allowing his guests to have their share. This tradition is called ịlụ̄ ọgwụ̀: Bikō kpọ̀ọ di bī ụnọ̀ kà ọ bịa lụalụ ānyị nni ọgwụ̀ Please call the master of the house to come and taste the eatables (traditionally, to prove absence of poisoning)

-lụ afọ have stomach-ache

-lụ alụ̄ be defiled, corrupt; commit abomination

-lụ ànị̀ commit abomination, havoc, treachery: Ibè lụ̀lụ̀ ànị̀ Ibe committed an abomination

-lụ (nni) ọgwụ̀ A. neutralise effect of poison: Anà m̀ èje ịkpọ̄ dibị̄a ga-alụ ọgwụ̀ ànyị lòlụ̀ nà e tìnyèlụ̀ n’ime nni e bùnyèlụ̀ ànyị I am going to call a native doctor who is going to neutralise the effect of the poison we think has been added to the food offered to us

àrụ ọ̄lụlụ state of being maimed or spiritually unclean

-lụ4v

see -la 2.

-lụ 5., -lu, -lị, -liinfl. suff

(-lu after o u, -lị after ị, -li after i) neutral tense marker, denoting past with action verbs and present with non- alternating stative verbs: Ì lìlì gịnị̄? What did you eat? Fâ jèlụ̀ afịa They went to market: Àdâ màlụ̀ mmā Ada is beautiful: Ọ chọ̀lụ̀ egō He wants money. With alternating stative verbs, its absence denotes present time and its presence past time: Àdâ bù ìtè Ada is carrying a pot: Àdâ bùlù ìtè Ada carried a pot. It is often reduced to -V (i.e. a vowel identical with the preceding vowel) or entirely dropped: Kèdụ m̀gbè i jị̀lì/jìì/jì bịa? When did you come?: Ọ rị̀lị̀/rị̀ị̀/rị̀ enū He climbed up. When followed by another suffix of the same shape (i.e. -lụ 6 or -lụ 7.), the first one is dropped entirely if the sentence is unemphatic and reduced to -V if the sentence is emphatic: O sìlì yà nni She cooked food for him: O sììlì yà nni She did cook food for him (-lụ 5. + -lụ 6.) Edèlụ̀ m̀ nyà akwụkwọ I wrote to him: Edèèlụ̀ m̀ nyà akwụkwọ I did write to him (-lụ 5. + -lụ 6.): Bikō nyèlụ yā aka chị̀kọọlụ yā òlòma dị̄ n’ime ụnọ̀ Please help her gather and take away the oranges in the room (-lụ 5. + -lụ 6.; more emphatic than chị̀kọlụ, implying that the oranges are scattered and take longer to collect: Achọ̀ m̀ kà ị gokọọlụ m̄ ọ̄kụkọ̀ abùke n’afịa I want you to help go round in the market and buy me abuke fowls (-lụ 5. + -lụ 6. more emphatic than gokọlụ, implying that every single one from all parts of the market must be bought): Ọ gbàwàlụ̀ ọsọ He ran away (at the first sight of danger): Ọ gbàwààlụ̀ ọsọ He ran away (in the midst of the battle) (-lụ 5. + -lụ 7.)

-lụ 6., -lu, -lị, -liext. suff. 1

(-lu after o u, -lị after ị, -i after i; follows inflectional suffixes) dative suffix, denoting that the action is done to or for the benefit of the indirect object: Ọ zụ̄tagolu m̄ ewu He has bought a goat for me. If there is no indirect object, it is understood to be for the benefit of the subject (reflexive): Bùlu jī Carry yams (for yourself). For rules of combination with -lụ 5. (neutral), see under -lụ 5.

-fụtalụ discover for

-gotelụ buy for

-lụ7ext. suff. 1

(-lu after o u, -lị after ị, -li after i) ablative suffix denoting from, away: Ọ zụ̄golu m̄ ewu He has bought a goat from me (note contrast in meaning with: Ọ zụ̄golu m̄ ewu He has bought a goat for me (usually, unambiguously, zụ̄tagolu m̄), proving that this is a different suffix from -lụ 6.). For rules of combination with -lụ 5., see - lụ 5

-gbawalụ run away

-kpọkọlụ gather together and take away

-ŋụlụ drink from

-wèlụ take; take away; take from

-lụ̀1v

stick in, out B. persist

-lụ̀ aka point out; put finger on

-lụ̀do A. stick in

-lụ̀do osisi stick a stick into the ground

-lụ̀nye aka poke finger into

-lụ̀ +2v.:

-lụ̀ ụkwụ limp

-lụ̀ +3v.:

-lụ̀ ụla be sleepy

-lụ̀4ext. suff. 1

(cf. -lụ 3.) polluting; spoiling

-gbalụ̀ pollute by mixing

-tilụ̀ àrụ bruise

-tụlụ̀ roll in; wallow