essaawa.

a- (ka/bu) small tongue; hand (of a clock or watch), kukaza kalimi, to be all talk, to talk when action is required, kukuba muntu kalimi, to coax/sweet-talk someone. Era akalimi bwe kaalumvi'...And when the time finally arrived... 'lit. When the small tongue bit. cf. olulimi.

nnumye) v.tr. bite; pinch; hurt; pain; ache; fig. accuse, charge with a fault, kuluma bugigi, to grit the teeth (in pain). kuluma mba, to clench the teeth (in anger), kuluma munno, to accuse your companion/the other person of wrong doing, kuluma kiwanvuwanvu, to eat on the run; to eat hurriedly/while standing up. Embwa ennumye. The dog has bitten me. Ennyonta ennuma. I am thirsty. Enjala ennuma. I am hungry. Akalimi k'essaawa kalumye. The hour (hand, on the clock) has just struck.

become silent; stop (of a clock or watch), relig. make a retreat.

e- (n/n) [Sw.,Ar.3 hour; time of day; watch; clock. Ssaawa mmeka? What time is it? okukyuka ng'essaawa, to be fickle, be as changeable as a chameleon, essaawa ey'oku mukono, wristwatch.

v.i. pant; breathe with difficulty; throb (of the heart); tick (of a clock). Aliko kateetera. He is extremely ill.

o- (mu/mi) kind of sunflower; sundial; clock; watch, cf. lenga, enjuba.

okukyuka mu ddiini, to change one's religion, okukyuka nga ssaawa, to be as changeable as a chameleon (lit. clock). Yali akyuseeko ku bwongo. He was mentally disturbed/insane.

Queen's Tower clock (in Kampala),

(low tone) particle used: 1) as the introductory element in the second of two closely related clauses. The corresponding English may be a verbal participle; in other cases nga may be rendered how, how much. Mbalaba nga batambula mu kkubo. I see them walking in the road. Bwe yalaba ng'akooye n'asaba okuwummula. When he saw how tired he was, he asked to rest. 2) as the equivalent of the English conjunction if. Nga tebatuuse ku ssaawa bbiri, tobalindirira. If they have not arrived by eight o'clock, do not wait for them. 3) as the equivalent of the English conjunction when. Ng'otuuse obandabiranga. When you arrive give them my regards. 4) in conjunction with bwe, meaning while, as. Tunyumye nga bwe tuwaata. Let us converse as/while we are peeling. 5) as the introductory element in a ‘not yet' clause (= neg. + -nna-). Toweereza bbaluwa ezo nga sinnakugamba. Do not send off the letters before I tell you. 6) as an untranslatable element in some compound tenses. Babadde nga bayimba we nnagendeddeyo. They were singing when I went there. (E.O.A.)