How much the author is indebted to the previous industry of others is shewn by the number of the footnotes, and other references in the text, which together amount to close upon five hundred. Others have laboured and he has entered into their labours, and his object, in this, as it were, post-prandial utterance, is to own, with gratitude, the varied viands—epulæ lautissimæ—which he has found spread before him. He would say, with Cicero, opipare epulati sumus; and yet there are many baskets of fragments left. He would also here express his thanks for the unvaried kindness with which his personal visits, in search of local information, have been welcomed; for the helpful response always made to his enquiries; as well as for the sympathy shewn towards his undertaking. But for these the work could not have attained its present dimensions, nor could much of its most interesting matter have been obtained; while, further they have made the work a task of real pleasure to himself. He can only say, in conclusion that if others should find, in the perusal of these pages, even a tithe of the entertainment which he has himself found in the compilation of them, he will be more than satisfied—gratified—by the result. A GLOSSARY OF LINCOLNSHIRE WORDS & PHASES. _Argufy_. To matter, be of importance. “It does not argufy at all,” _i.e._ “It does not signify,” or “It makes no difference.” _Bab_. A sort of dredge, with hooks below it, to clear out fen drains of the weeds. _Bage_. A paring of turf formerly used for fuel. _Bandy-ball_. The game of hockey, also called shinty or shindy. _Banker_. A navvy employed in digging or repairing fen drains. _Bat_. A small bundle of straw or grass. _Battle-twig_. An earwig. _Baulk_. Hiccough. _Bealto_. To squeal, or bawl, used of a child screaming. _Beastlings_. The first milk drawn from a cow after calving, which is specially rich. _Beck_. A brook. Reed’s beck, Odd’s beck. _Bested_. Beaten. “He will best you,” _i.e._ get the better of you. _Bevering-time_. Luncheon time. Compare “Beverage.” _Blowns_. Exclamation of surprise. Compare “Zounds,” (supposed to be a contraction of “God’s wounds.”) Blowns probably a contraction of “blood and wounds,” _i.e._ of Christ. _Boon_, _to_. To repair the roads. The road surveyor was called the boon master. _Bran in the face_. Freckles. _Brat_. A child. Term of contempt, “Take that tiresome brat away.” _Breed_. Each separate line of walk when a party is shooting through a wood. _Breer_. The strip of grass between a ditch, and the ploughed land of a field. 3d. per chain was paid for cleaning out a ditch and mowing the breer. _Brock_. Sheep dung dried to be used as fuel. _Brog_. To pierce holes with a stick, &c. “Brog him in the ribs,” _i.e._ poke him. _Bub_ or _bubbling_. A young bird, a fledgling. _Bule-ding_. The common pronunciation of “building.”