o, pl. ammwe.

wekka.

to lose one's head over something; to lose one's sense of values because of something. N'obugagga nno bwe butyo tebubama- langamu nsa. And do not, in that way, let (the desire for) wealth get the better of you/ cause you to lose your perspective. Okuvuma omusomesa kimumalamu ensa eri b'asomesa. To insult the teacher causes him to lose respect in the eyes of the students he is teaching.

consisting of the place formatives e- and wa. to, from or at the house/place of (similar to French chez). Nnenda ewa Mukasa. I am going to Mu- kasa's. Nva wa Mukasa gye banywa omwenge. I am coming from Mukasa's where they are drinking beer. With the possessive prefixes are derived the forms ewaffe (less commonly ewattu), at or to our place; ewammwe (rarely ewannyu), at or to your place, and ewaabwe, at or to their place. See also waaboffe, etc.

take place. Ebyafa mu nju endala saabimanya. I did not find out what happened in the other house. Agafaayo? What's new? What is happening at your place? What's happening over there? The reply is usually Ekyali. cf. ekyafaayo.

be like; look like; be similar; seem, appear. Obulwadde buno bulaanana kawaali. This disease resembles smallpox. Mwenna mu- faanana. You are all alike. Banno ba- faanana batya? What are your friends like? Afaanana ng'alya. He seems to be eating, obutafaanana nga bulijjo, unlike the usual situation, in an unusual manner. oku- faanana ne + noun = like, just like. okufaanana n'amawanga amalala, just like other nations.

legs); distribute widely. Tongaayuulirako mimwa! Don't give me any of your talk, lit. spread your lips to me! Bakigaayudde ng'enkoko eriibwa abantu omusanvu. (prov.) lit. They distributed it like the chicken which is eaten by seven people. (Said when the provisions of food or beer are insufficient for the guests). cf. olugaayu.

as an aux. verb before a following inf. denoting desirability, suitability or obligation Ogwana okugenda okulaba ssengaawo. You ought to (should, have to) go and see your aunt.

a- (ka/bu) small village. Tosekera ku kaalo katono. lit. You don't laugh in a small village, i.e., Your laughter is very loud. You laugh too much. cf. ekyalo.

ggwe kennyini, you yourself, nange kennyini, and 1 myself.

e- (ki/bi) bowl; vessel; plate. Gy'otosula tosalirayo bibya. (prov.) lit. Where you do not live, you do not serve the dishes (of food). You are master only in your own home or your own sphere of activity, cf. obubya.

e- (ki/bi) Ensimbi ng'ozi- funye leka zireme kukumezaako biwaawaa- tiro. When you have obtained the money don't let it go to your head, lit. grow wings for you.

ndaze) v.i. go, go away. v.tr. show, indicate, point out; take leave of, indicate one's intention to depart; announce one's arrival, indicate one's intention to arrive. Kirungi okulaga bakadde bo ng'olina gy'ogenda. It is a good idea to tell your parents if you are going anywhere. Vauuagamu oiunwe. He pointed his finger at me. He pointed me out. olunaku olulage, the appointed day.

nnemye) v.i. & tr. fail; be too much for. Talirema kujja. He will not fail to come. He will certainly come. Ekyo kyamulema okukola. He failed to do that. That proved too much for him. Eby'obufuzi bimulemye. He has been a failure in politics. As an aux. verb lema is used in the neg. imper. and in the neg. subj. Tuleme kwerabira. Let US not forget. Kwata ekitabo kyo kireme okugwa. Hold on to your book so that it does not fall.

bewitch, place a a spell on, put a hex on. okuloga obulwa- dde, to cure of sickness, okuloga ennyon- ta, to assuage thirst. Nzija kukukuba nkuloge eddalu eryo erikuli mu mutwe. I'll give you a beating that will knock that nonsense out of your head. Akuloze mukazi Muyima? Has a Muhima woman bewitched you? What has paralysed your efforts? Why are you there doing nothing (when work must be done or when danger must be avoided)? cf. -loge, obulogo, eddogo, omuloge, omulogo.

o- (lu/n) flat tray (made from the fibers of papyrus or other plants; often used for winnowing). Emimwa gye gya lugali. His lips are flat and spread out (as opposed to thick and protruding). Wa lugali. He has a ‘big mouth.' Nzigyako olugali. Shut your big mouth, cf. walugali.

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.

nnunze) v.tr. season, flavor, add flavor to; salt, okulunga taba mu mmindi, to fill a pipe with tobacco, okulunga kintu mu mmindi, to lose out on, fail to get., Bw'otoolime nnyo pikipiki gy'osuubira oku- gula ojja kugirunga mu mmindi. If you are not diligent with your cultivating you can forget about the motorcycle you were hoping to buy.

kumira bugobo, to gulp down, bolt; to believe anything one is told, be gullible, kumira maziga, to hold back the tears; to stop crying, kumira ppinu, lit, to swallow a pin, i.e., to be resolute/ determined/brave in the face of impending danger, kumira mangota ng'embuzi, to gulp down noisily, kumira nkambi, to sip. kumira mwoyo, to be brave in the face of pain/danger, keep a ‘stiff upper lip.' kumira mmwan- yi, lit. to swallow coffee berries, i.e., to make a blood brotherhood pact (with someone). kumira ku ddusu, to experience a feeling of relief (e.g., after a crisis). Bye r.ksgambyc Limire. Keep what 1 have told you to yourself.

e- (n/n) described in previous dictionaries as: sternum, sternal cartilage; pit of the stomach; internal bodily part. It is now used almost always in a figurative sense: heart, soul, seat of the emotions. It occurs in hundreds of phrases and expressions of which the following is a sampling: mu ngeri ya kawanika mmeeme, in a frightening way. kwekuba mmeeme, to reconsider, emmeeme n'enfa, and my heart sank/I was utterly distressed. Nze emmeeme yangwa wala. I became very depressed. Otukubye wala emmeeme. You have really given us a scare. Emmeeme yamudda mu nteeko. He felt relieved, lit. his heart went back in place, ow'emmeeme etawaana amangu, one who is easily nauseated. Emmeeme entye- muse. 1 am terribly anxious/concerned/ shocked. Kino kyali ng'ekyawanula emmeeme ye. This seemed to relieve him/ calm him down. Emmeeme katale, ky'esiima ky'egula. (prov.) The heart is like going to market — it buys what it wants. Emmeeme gy'esula, ebigere gye bikeera. fprov.J Where the heart sleeps is where the feet- go in the morning, i.e., when you sleep with the intention of doing something, that is what you do. Emmeeme etefumba kigambo ekwo- geza munno ky'atagenda kwerabira. (prov.) lit. The heart which does not fashion well the spoken word makes you say what your friend will never forget. The spoken word can never be retracted.

e- (stem-bindi) (n/h) pipe ( for smoking), bukya luba nga luba lwa mmindi, for a very long time, kwogera bikulire nga mmindi, to speak with the wisdom of experience. Omwenge oguli eri n'ow'emmindi asena. There is a tremendous quantity of beer over there, lit. the one with a pipe draws (some). Tolikula olibnmba mmindi/ You are not going to grow up molding pipes, i.e., are you going to behave like a child all your life? cf. akabindi, ekibindi, olubindi.

ensonga; use c. form of verb, e.g., ekyakukoza bw'otyo kiki? what was your motive in acting so ?

founded in 1911. cf. munna-.

brother (of the same mother, hut of the opposite sex of the person spoken of), mwannyinaze, my sister/ brother, mwannyoko(wo), your sister/brother, mwannyina, his or her sister/brother, cf. nnyina, kannyina.

o- (mu/ba) wheedler, coaxer. Omweyogereze takusuuza kayanzi ko. (prov.) The coaxer does not make you throw your little grasshopper away. A person cannot be talked out of what he holds dear. cf. yogera.

involve oneself in, meddle in; become involved with. Lwaki onaayiza ebitakukwatako? Why do you involve yourself in matters which do not concern you">

e- (n/n) remainder; surplus, with the -a of rel. surplus, spare, emmere ey* en- fissi, surplus food, ebiseera byo eby'enfis- si, your spare time. cf. fikka.

e- (n/n) advantage; excess; surplus; interest, kulya mu banno nkizo, to excel/ do better than your friends. Yatulyamu enkizo. He did better than we. He got the best of us. cf. Ikira.

e- (n/n) concrete, mortar, ekyuma eki tabu la enkokoto, concrete mixer. Tomala kulya kya munno n'okiyita enkokoto. (prov.) Don't eat your companion's (food) and then call it concrete. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

e- (n/n) meat; flesh. Nnyama ntono okaayana eri mu nkwawa. (prov.) lit. You complain about the small amount of meat (allotted to you) when it is (safely)under your arm. cf. nnakanyama.

cf. nnya-

-ko or -wo), kumalamu kyeso, to win at the game of mweso. kumalamu musolo, to flee, run off at a great speed, kumalamu kigwo, to throw (in wresting); to prevail (e.g., in an argument). Olumbe lwamumalamu amazzi. He died of illness, lit. disease finished up the water in him. kumalako kisa, to give up on (a person). Ommazeeko ekisa. You have worn out my kindness (because of your lack of appreciation), okumalawo obwe- taavu, to meet a need.

e- (n/n) fly, housefly. Ensowera ekugwa ku bbwa y'ekwagala. (prov.) A fly that lands on your sore likes you (because he gives you notice that something must be done about it), cf, omusowera.

e- (n/n) food taken on a journey. Ataalugende, entanda akusibira ya menvu. He who is not going (on the journey) prepares for you a lunch of ripe bananas (which will spoil before you reach your destination).

e- (n/n) calf of the leg; in the plur. loins, kulega muntu ntumbwe, to follow after a person, dog the heels of a person. Mugende muzannyeemu emmere ekke mu ntumbwe. Go and play a while so your food may be digested, lit. go down into the calves. Kulemberamu y'akulega entu- mbwe. (prov.) lit. (He who says) ‘you go first' is measuring the size of your legs. He who gives you a task is trying to test your capabilities.

e- (n/n) hole dug in front of a termite hill to catch the termites as they come out. Ezigwa mu nvubo z'enswa. (prov.) Those which fall into the hole are the termites (destined for you and you should be content with your lot).

try to produce. Sakiriza ku maanyi oveeko mu nnyumba. Try to pull yourself together so that you can come out of the house for a while. Yagezaako okusakiriza enseko naye ne zimubula. He tried to find something to laugh at but failed. cf. akasaka, ekisakiro, omusasi, ensaka.

cut in pieces. Oteekwa okukola ennyo ate nga tosalaasala mu kuyiga kwo. You should work very hard and not interrupt your studies.

rub; paint (a picture); infect, contaminate, kusiiga mulwa- dde, to anoint a sick person, administer the last sacraments, kusiiga langi, to paint, color fan object), kusiigako liiso, to see; to meet, okusiiga akazigo ku maaso, to use sweet talk in lying or deceiving, lit. smear a little oil on the eyes. Akusiiga enziro. He is damaging your reputation.

bring one after another; toddle along; quicken one's pace. Musomberereko ku bigere tutere tutuuke. Quicken your pace so we can arrive early.

ssengange (ssejinange), ssengaawo, ssengaawe; ssengaffe, ssengammwe, ssengaabwe = my aunt, your aunt, his/her aunt, etc.

etc. Tonsundirako lubuto. Get away from me, lit. don't shake your stomach in my direction. cf. -sunde, ^omusunzi, essundiro.

v.i. blink, okutemya n'okuzibula or okutemya ekikowe, in the i.winkling 01 an eye, very quickly, kutemya bukofu, to be alert/wide awake, lit. blink like a guinea fowl, ow'erimu kutemya ku w'abiri, a person with one (eye, eriiso implied) to blink at one with two (eyes). This is used of an event, gathering, celebration, etc., which is very impressive or of enormous magnitude, okutemyako, to give a hint to by winking. Akutemyako, oyagala wa mbazzi? (saying) He has winked at you, do you want the one with the ax (to tell you)? Do you need a roof to fall down on your head?

cajole, coax. v.i. keep doing; continue on; keep going; stay on. Twalirizaako. Keep on, don't give up. Mweddemu muleme kutwalirizibwa mamotoka. Take care that you are not taken in by/lose your head over big automobiles.

waabommwe, waaboobwe These constructions, usually following a personal noun such as mwana, are composed of the -a of rel. + -bo- + a plur. pron. They are best rendered of (our, your, their) family/ household/clan. Ono ani? Mwana waaboffe. Who is this? He is one of our family, cf. boowo.

mpeereddwa) pass, be given. Gakuweebwa munno. (prov.) (Advice — amagezi) is given to you by your friend. It is good to listen to other people's advice.

nnyanise) v.tr. put in the sun to dry (clothing, coffee, etc.); fig. expose. Leka kwanika munno bw'otyo. Don't tell all you know about your friend. okwanika inf.

njasamye) v.i. open the mouth; be open, open (of the mouth); fig. open, open up (something which can be compared to the mouth). Yeegombanga ettaka lyasame limumire. He used to wish that the earth would open and swallow him up. Ky otonnalya tosooka kwasama. (prov.) lit. What you have not yet eaten, do not first open your mouth (in anticipation). Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. okwasama inf.

etc., declare openly to. Akwatulira akira akugeya. (prov.) Me who tells you to your face is better than he. who slanders you behind your back.

njise) v.i. pass (in time, through space), kuyita ku muntu kkuutwe, to pass a person without greeting him. kuyita mu mannyo ga mpisi, to have a narrow escape, lit. pass through the teeth of the hyena, kuyita ku luti, to slip off of the skewer, i.e., have a narrow escape, kuvitako wa fOmiilangirn) Ssegaamwenge. to get drunk, lit. pass by (Prince) Beer, kuyita ga mpiteeyite, to pass/go here and there, kuyita kuli, to be arrogant/insolent, kuyita mu mankwetu, to use secretive/ questionable methods, act on the sly. kuyita Ttembo (a Kabaka who went mad), to go crazy, okutuuka nga buyise, to arrive late. Ekyo kyamuyita ku nviiri. That left him indifferent. He didn't care, lit. it passed over his hair. Amazzi gayita kuli. The waters (e.g., in a river) are flooding/overflowing. Omulimu gwange gwa kiyita mu luggya. My job is only temporary, lit. passing through the yard. Yayita eby ama- teeka. He passed his course in law. Tujja kubuyitamu. (-bu- implies bulwa, danger.) You and I are going to have trouble. You and I will have it out. Bw'oyita n'omubi obijja. If you associate with an evil person you will become corrupted. Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you what you are.

be quenched (of a fire); go out (of a light). Amagezi muliro, bwe guzikira oguggya ewa munno. (prov.) Wisdom is like fire; when (yours) goes out, you can get (more) from your friend/neighbor.

wave about; swing; keep (someone) on the go, cause to move about; bother, okuwuuba omuntu ebbaluwa, to write a person a letter, kujja ng'owuuba emikono, to come empty- handed, lit. waving your arms. Yawuubako olubu lw ebigere mu maka ga Mukasa. He dropped over to Mukasa's house.

v.i. become impoverished; become destitute; suffer greatly. Bw'odooba bw'ogwa awabi ng'eyali munno akwerabira. (prov.) When you become destitute, when your situation becomes bad (lit. you fall into a bad place), then he who was your friend forgets you.

v.tr. revile; say foolish/stupid things (to). Tombejjererako. Stop your foolish talk (to me).

grumble (of the waves, of a storm); whistle, rustle (of the wind); be confused, be at a total loss as to what to do. Abantu abaa- badde wali nga bawuuma buwuumi. (The number of) people who were there was enormous. Owuumye! You must be out of your mind if you think that I am going to do that!

(in certain cases) maternal aunt. The forms are: mmange or nnyabo, nnyoko, nnyina, nnyaffe, nnyammwe, nnyaabwe (my mother, your mother, his/her mother, etc.). Note that nnyabo is also used: 1) as a term of address for a woman: Miss, Mrs, madame and 2) as an interj. expressing sympathy or pity: oh dear! Note that nnyoko, your (sing.) mother is sometimes used in a bad sense. It may be replaced by mukyala.

go beyond. Ng'olugoye 1 wo lukunukkidde! Your dress looks/is lopsided!

kufuuyirira kanwe (or kagalo), to wish someone bad luck; to wait impatiently for a desired event, lit. to keep blowing on one's little finger. Fuuyirira enkuba ereme kutonnya. Keep your fingers crossed (make a wish) that it won't rain. Nga bw'ampisizza bw'atyo nja kumufuuvirira agwe ebibuuzo. Since he has treated me in this fashion, I hope/I am going to make a wish that he flunks his examinations.

sympathy or surprise, or simply to fill a gap in the conversation, my, oh my! say! I'm telling you, you can bet your life! Oyogedde wamma! You said it!

king, etc.). eby'okulya, food, okulya obwami, to assume the chieftainship, kulya mu ndago, to sing, kulyamu luyi, to slap, kulyamu kikonde, to punch with the fist, kulya mazzi, euph. to drink a lot of beer, lit. water, kulyamu lukwe, to plot, conspire, kulya kijaja or kigagga, to eat very well/in great style, kulya muntu kimuli, to interrupt a person in bi? conversation. kulya nkoko bbiri, to give one's sister in marriage to two men (thereby receiving the gift of two chickens), kulya misinde, to run very fast, kulya butaaia, to roam at large, be on the loose (e.g., of an escaped prisoner), kulya bulamu, to enjoy life, have a good time, kulya eki- banja/emmayiro, to come into land/an estate, okulya ebbanja, to incur a debt, okulya obugenyi, to receive food or presents while a guest, okulya enguzi, to take a bribe, okulya engere, to walk fast, okulya ensimbi, to steal money, okulya ensowole, to take something (e.g., the chieftainship) when one is incompetent or unprepared. Genda olye enkoko yo. You have had a lucky escape/a narrow escape, lit. go and eat your chicken. Omuwala yamulyamu omwoyo. The girl won/stole his heart. Obusungu bwandya. I was consumed with anger. Mwana muwala, oyo andya omutwe! I am completely enamored of that girl, lit. she eats my head. Baagala kumulyamu maaso. They wanted to bawl him out/upbraid him severely. Okulya ennyingi si kuggwa maddu. (prov.) To eat a lot is not to get rid of one's appetite. The more you have, the more you want. Amaanyi sigalya. (prov.) Force does not prevail. Physical strength alone does not accomplish things. Ky'otonnalya tokyesunga. (prov.) What you have not yet eaten, do not anticipate. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. Kye walyanga bw'olaba ennaku olekayo. (prov.) What you used to eat — when you experience hard times — you give up. One must adjust to circumstances/ calamaties.

reach; (followed by an abstract noun, often the equivalent to the English comparison of equality). Ennyumba ye yenkana n'eyaffe obunene. His house is as large as ours. Benkana obukulu/amaanyi. They are of the same age/equal in strength. Eki- banja kyo kyenkana wa? How big is your piece of land, lit. extends where? buli Muganda w'afa yenkana, every Muganda, no matter who he may be. okwenkana awo, to that degree, to that extent. Wamukubira ki okwenkana awo? Why did you strike him so much/to that extent? kyenkana, lit. it is equal, often used as an adv., equally, in the same manner. Kyenkana okugamba nti..., It is the same as saying/it is equivalent to saying... Amala gavuga kyenkana nga bwe yandibadde omu ku nsi. He drives just as if he were the only person on earth. okwenkana inf.

share with one another; distribute; be alloted, have a share. Ggwe wagabana ki? What was your share? What did you get? Okunoga emmwanyi ennaku zino kutuga- banye. At present (these days) the harvesting of the coffee is keeping us completely occupied/is our exclusive preoccupation. Enkomerero y'omwezi eneetuuka ddi ne tugabana? When will the end of the month come so that we can get paid?

v.tr. appl. caus. wish for (someone). Tukwagaliza obu- wanguzi mu bigendererwa byo. We wish you success in your objectives.

kiki? What has caused you to hang your head? cf. ssekkoteka.

drink together with. Fumba caayi onywekereze emmere. Make yourself some tea to go along with the food. cf. nywa.

o- (mu/ba) butcher; flayer; rare surgeon. Amatu g'omubaazi gawulira kya ‘Embwa etwala ennyama yo.' (prov.) The ears of the butcher only hear: ‘The Dog is carrying off your meat.' Possibly = To each his own. cf. baaga.

my husband babbaffe our husbands (b)balo your husband babbammwe your husbands bbaawe her husband babbaabwe their husbands bba wa bonna. the husband of all (a title of the Kabaka).

grow rigid; euph. die; become well established (of a practice); be firm/resolute; stand up for oneself, okukala amaaso, be be brazen-faced, erinnya ne likala, and the name ‘stuck.' Bw'otokala tolya. If you don't stand up for yourself, you will never get ahead.

(or wannyo): Awalungi tewaba wannyu. (prov.) lit. A beautiful place is not (the place of) your mother (wannyu - wa nnyoko). Be it ever so humble there is no place like home.

pron. who? whom? Bali baani? "ho are those (people)? Eki- tabo kino ky'ani? Whose book is this? Erinnya lyo gw'ani? What is your name? ne bwe...ani, no matter who. Ne bw aliba ani n'atugamba okugenda tetuligenda. No matter who tells us to go, we shall not go.