Dictionary

of
New Mexico
and
Southern
Colorado
Spanish
 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2018 with funding from
Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofnewmOOOOcobo
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A Dictionary of New Mexico

and Southern Colorado Spanish
The primary area in which New Mexico and southern Colorado Spanish is spoken.
 A
Dictionary
of
New Mexico
and
Southern Colorado
Spanish

Rubén Cobos

MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO PRESS

SANTA FE
 All things to nothingness descend,
Grow old and die and meet their end;
Man dies, iron rusts, wood goes decayed,
Towers fall, walls crumble, roses fade . . .
Nor long shall any name resound
Beyond the grave, unless’t be found
In some clerk’ book; it is the pen
Gives immortality to men.—Anonymous

The publication of this volume has been supported in part

by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Copyright © 1983 the Museum of New Mexico Press

Post Office Box 2087
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

10 9 8 7

Printed in the United States of America.

All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Cobos, Rubén.
A dictionary of New Mexico and southern Colorado Spanish.
Bibliography: p.
1. Spanish language—Provincialisms—New Mexico—Dictionaries.
2. Spanish language—Provincialisms—Colorado—Dictionaries. 3. Spanish
language—Etymology—Dictionaries. I. Title.
PC4829.N4C6 1982 467'.9789 82-22528
ISBN 0—89013—141—4 (clothbound), ISBN 0—89013—142—2 (paperback)

Designed by Glen Strock.

 Contents

Preface VI

Introduction viii

Use of the Dictionary xvii

DICTIONARY 3

Bibliography 181
 Preface

The lexical items contained in this work come from towns and villages
of the upper Rio Grande in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.
A dialect of Spanish has been spoken uninterruptedly since the end of the
seventeenth century in New Mexico, and since the middle of the nineteenth
century in southern Colorado.
I have been in direct contact with the Spanish spoken in these areas
since coming from Mexico into New Mexico some fifty years ago. It was as
a student at Menaul, a Presbyterian school for Spanish-American boys in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, that I first became acquainted with New Mex¬
ico Spanish as spoken by my classmates. Those young men came to Menaul
from homes in Santa Fe, Chimayó, Española, El Rito, Peñasco, Taos, Mora.
Chama, and other towns in New Mexico, and from Antonito, Conejos, La
Jara, Alamosa, Fort Garland, San Luis, Walsenburg, Trinidad, La Junta,
and other towns in Colorado.
Since the early 1940s, with the help of my students at the University of
New Mexico and the cooperation of villagers in their sixties, seventies and
eighties, I have recorded a large body of New Mexico and southern Colo¬
rado Indo-Hispanic folklore materials on magnetic tape. Included in this
collection are hundreds of personal interviews and countless examples of
corridos and inditas (local ballads), children’s games and songs, folktales, chistes
(anecdotes), jokes, home remedies, recipes, narratives dealing with local events,
proverbs, riddles, songs, versos (rimed quatrains), and witch stories and
accounts of witchcraft. These materials gave me the majority of terms. Many
items, also, come from literary works touching on New Mexico history, cus¬
toms and life in general in this area (see Bibliography).
I have excluded common household words in daily use (such as agua,
water; burro, donkey; caballo, horse) which are readily recognized as stan¬
dard Spanish. I have included words which have local acceptations super¬
imposed on their original meanings, a shift of accent, or definite semantic
variations not present in their standard Spanish counterparts.
The spelling of entries in this work is based on current rules of Span¬
ish orthography and accentuation. Alphabetization, likewise, follows stan¬
dard Spanish practices. The letters ch, 11 and ñ occur after c, 1 and n
respectively, and have separate, individual sections in the dictionary.
Pronunciation of local Spanish is akin to that of northern Mexico,
and both differ from Castilian Spanish pronunciation with respect to
c, z, 11, and y.

c, z: c before e and i, and z in a final position or before a, o, u, have the

sound of English s in assess, assets, professor (centavo [sentábo], cinco
[.sínko], zacate [sakáte], zoquete [sokéte], azul [asúl], capaz [kapás], luz [lús]).
11, y: 11 and y are pronounced like English y in yes, yet (calle [káye], caballo
[katáyo], pollo [poyo], ayer [ayer], joyo [xóyo]).

For the pronunciation of Spanish vowels and consonants (except as noted

above), I suggest the pronunciation aids in the pages preceding the Span¬
ish section of Appleton’s New Cuyás English-Spanish, Spanish-English Diction¬
ary (see Bibliography).
I wish to thank my communicants for their help in clarifying lexical
meanings with which I was not completely familiar. I am eternally grateful
to my wife, Ella M. Cobos, for letting me use her collection of Indo-Hispanic
folklore materials. I also want to thank Mrs. Elvira García Cobos, RN, PhN,
for her invaluable contributions of vocabulary items used in Indian and
Hispanic folk-medicine in Taos county. Likewise, I am most grateful to those
students at the University of New Mexico (1944-1976) who helped me in
contacting and scheduling interviews with their parents or relatives, or who
interviewed those persons themselves as part of their class assignments in
my courses in Southwest Indo-Hispanic folklore. I would also like to thank
the staff at the Museum of New Mexico Press, James Mafchir, publisher,
Sarah Nestor, editor, and Martha Baca, who with her specialized knowledge
of regional and archaic terms provided many valuable editorial suggestions
and additions.

Vll
 Introduction

The Spanish spoken in rural areas of New Mexico and southern Colo¬
rado can be described as a regional type of language made up of archaic
(sixteenth- and seventeenth-century) Spanish; Mexican Indian words, mostly
from the Náhuatl; a few indigenous Rio Grande Indian words; words and
idiomatic expressions peculiar to the Spanish of Mexico (the so-called
mexicanísimos)', local New Mexico and southern Colorado vocabulary; and
countless language items from English which the Spanish-speaking segment
of the population has borrowed and adapted for everyday use. New Mex¬
ico and southern Colorado Spanish, quite uniform over the whole geographi¬
cal area, has survived by word of mouth for over three hundred and eighty
years in a land that until very recent times was almost completely isolated
from other Spanish-speaking centers.
Basically Spanish in its morphology and syntax, New Mexico and south¬
ern Colorado Spanish is an offshoot of the Spanish of northern Mexico,
especially with respect to usage and pronunciation. This is understandable,
since New Mexico was an integral part of New Spain (Mexico) from 1540
to 1821 and a part of Mexico from that year until 1850, when it became a
territory of the United States.

Archaic Spanish

The original settlers who came to New Mexico in 1598—to the Nueba
México, as the land was called at that time—brought with them a sixteenth-
century Spanish that was fundamentally rural Castilian, mixed with the speech
of Andalusians, Asturians, Basques, and Galicians (see Espinosa, Estudios).
Words such as luma <Sp. lluvia [,lübia], flash flood; mantehna <Sp. mantellina
[:manteljna], a short cloak worn by women; pelizcar <Sp. pellizcar [peliQkár], to
pinch; pelizco <Sp.pellizco [peliQko], pinch; and turra <Sp. zurra [Oúra], beating,
which betray a European Spanish pronunciation, and the use of expres¬
sions such as ¡A redo vaya!, Good heavens!; en silla de manos, regally; ¿La
gracia de su merced?, Your name, please?; ¡Bal, ni que juera el rey!, Gee, as if
he were a king!, testify to the presence in New Mexico of a continental type
of Spanish during colonial times.
The following are a few examples of the archaic sixteenth- and
seventeenth-century vocabulary that constitutes an integral part of New Mex¬
ico and southern Colorado Spanish: alverjón, peas; arrollar, to lull to sleep;
camalta, bed; el celebro, the mind; cientopiés, centipede; cudicia, greed; ¡Curre!,
Run!; culantro, coriander; desafuciado, discouraged; dispertar, to awaken;
dispierto, awake; empeloto, stark naked; húmido, humid; iyendo, going; jogata,
fire; lumbncias, worms; mushas, front part of the face; ñervos, muscles; ñudo,
knot; reíos, timepiece; rétulo, sign; rostro, trace, track; turco, gypsy.
In addition to the above, in sporadic areas of New Mexico and south¬
ern Colorado the local speech contains certain phonological speech man¬
nerisms that date from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These
peculiarities have been thoroughly studied by A. M. Espinosa, Sr., E. C.
Hills and others (see Bibliography). Among the speech mannerisms are (1)
the aspiration of f, h, s, and related s sounds (za, zo, zu): jui (fui); jogata
(fogata); jervir (hervir); jumo (humo); jumadera (humareda); caja (casa); No je.
(No sé.); rajón (razón); quijás (quizá); ajul (azul); (2) diphthongization of some
stressed words: cqj (cae); Cain (Caín); peas (país); tapao (tapado); alzao (alzado);
paraíso (paraíso); and (3) the pronunciation of a paragogic i sound at the end
of infinitives and oxytones ending in 1, n, r, and s: papeli, ¿Acuáli?, ¿Quiéni?,
Belem, A ven, beben, Taosi, despuesi. This paragogic sound is usually added
to words that appear isolated or at the end of a breath group. As stated
above, these speech mannerisms appear only in certain sporadic areas and
are not widespread.
What is widespread and very typical of local Spanish both in New Mex¬
ico and southern Colorado are the following. First, the disappearance of
the second person plural verb form in all conjugations (the vosotros form):
lonchar (present) loncheo, lóncheos, lonchea, lonchamos,-, lonchean; (preterit)
lonché, lónchales, lonchó, lonchamos, -, loncharon; (imperfect) lonchaba,
lonchabas, lonchaba, lonchábanos,-, lonchaban. (See cambeo, coser, juir, oler,
and vide.) Second, the change of the verb endings in the second person
singular of the preterit from Standard Spanish -aste, -iste, -iste either to -ates,
-ites, -ites or to -astes, -istes, -istes: hablé, habíales (habastes), habló; comí, comités
(comistes), comió; viví, vivites (vivistes), vivió. (The corresponding Standard Span-

IX
ish forms are: hablaste, comiste, viviste.) Third, the transfer or substitution of
the first person plural ending -emos of the second conjugation to the same
person in the third conjugation: bebo, bebes, bebe, bebemos,-, beben; vivo,
vives, vive, vivemos (St. Sp. vivimos),-, viven. This is true of all third
conjugation verbs: muremos (Sp. morimos), sintemos (Sp. sentimos), salemos
(Sp. salimos), etc. The gentle folk use the ending -emos to express present
time and the -irnos ending for past time. (Todos los días venemos. We come
every day. Ayer no venimos. We did not come yesterday.) Fourth, the shift of
accent and the substitution of the form -nos for the verb endings -emos, -amos,
-amos of the Standard Spanish forms in the first person plural of the pres¬
ent subjunctive: (Local Spanish) háblenos, bébanos, vívanos; (Standard Spanish)
hablemos, bebamos, vivamos. (’M papá no quiere que háblenos. My father doesn’t
want us to talk.) The particle -nos also replaces the Standard Spanish end¬
ings of the first person plural of the imperfect indicative: (Local Spanish)
hablábanos, bebíanos, vivíanos; (Standard Spanish) hablábamos, bebíamos, vivíamos.
Fifth, the loss of intervocalic -d at the end of past participles of -ar verbs
(buscar, hablar, tomar, etc.) and in adjectives derived from these verb forms:
buscao (Sp. buscado), hablao (Sp. hablado), tomao (Sp. tornado).

Náhuatl vocabulary

As the Spanish language spread throughout central New Spain dur¬

ing the course of the sixteenth century, it adopted many words from the
Indian dialect, particularly from the Náhuatl. Most of this vocabulary referred
to items related to the culture of the Aztecs and for which the Spaniards
had no equivalents in their tongue (metlacahuitl, pole for hanging skins, nexectic,
ashen colored, tenamaxtli, trivet, tequesquitl, efflorescent). Many of these terms
are no longer household words in the Spanish of Mexico; if they are used,
they have undergone pronunciation changes that make them quite differ¬
ent from their sixteenth-century originals. In New Mexico and southern
Colorado, however, most words retained from the Náhuatl of Oñate’s day
are still pronounced very much as they were spoken by the early seventeenth-
century settlers (shocoque <Náhuatlxococ [sokók\, sour; tinamaishte <Náhuatl
tenamaxtli [tenamástli], trivet; nesha <Náhuatl nexectic [neséktik], yellowish). We
must point out that the adjective nexectic meant ashen-colored to the Aztecs
and that it was applied to corn tortillas that turned grayish due to an ex¬
cess of lime used in the boiling of the corn. In New Mexico and southern
Colorado the term nesha is applied to the color of the flour tortilla that
turns yellowish due to the use of too much baking powder in the prepara¬
tion of the dough.
The following entries exemplify the vocabulary from the Náhuatl that

X
has been retained by New Mexicans and southern Coloradoans from their
seventeenth-century ancestors: chichínele, fawner; chimal, shield; chincual, a
kind of diaper rash; guajalote (confused with ajolote), salamander; júmate,
dipper; metlacahuitl, pole for hanging hides out to dry; nesha, yellowish;
shocoque, sour, spoiled; tapeshte, a type of hayloft; tazol, straw; tazolera, shed
for storing hay, straw, etc.; tequesquite, crude bicarbonate of soda; tina-
maishte, trivet.
Words such as nesha, shocoque and tinamaishte, which locally retain the
sixteenth-century palatal fricative sound of x [s], may date from a transi¬
tion period when Spanish x was changing from palatal to velar. Other terms
(jacal < Náhuatl xacalli [sakáli], jicara <Náhuatl xicalli [sikáli], and júmate < Ná¬
huatl xumatli [sumátli]) had already changed the Náhuatl palatal fricative
[s] to a velar [x] by the time they came into New Mexico.

Rio Grande Indian vocabulary

As life went on in New Mexico during the seventeenth, eighteenth and

nineteenth centuries, the colonists, particularly those establishing their
rancherías (groups of ranches) near the Rio Grande Indian pueblos, acquired
a few local Indian words pertinent to plants, articles of dress, housing, foods,
topography, etc., which they incorporated into their language. The list of
these terms is very short, due primarily to the lack of an extended social
contact between the Spaniards and their Indian neighbors. One must remem¬
ber that by the Laws of the Indies the Spaniards were forbidden to estab¬
lish themselves within the limits of the Indian settlements. It was only for
purposes of mutual protection against nomadic marauders that a few Span¬
ish villages (San Gabriel, Don Fernando de Taos, Peña Blanca, and one or
two others) were founded near those of the Indians.
The following is a list of Indian terms that have figured in the every¬
day language of New Mexicans of Spanish descent: aguapá, cattail, cacona,
turquoise ornament; cachinas, ceremonial dolls; comanche, comancha (also,
cumanche, cumancha), Comanche; conchelle, dressed buffalo skin; coi or coye,
underground cellar; coyaye, rattlesnake weed; cuncoso, having sediment,
coffee grounds or crumbs; cunques, coffee grounds or crumbs; chaquegiie, a
kind of mush; chiguata, squaw or woman; chigüil, dale; chimajá, parsley; chirmyó,
obsidian flake; guayabe, a kind of paper-thin bread; Java, ceremonial chamber;
oshá, wild celery; pagué, a medicinal plant used in the making of tea; per gate,
nipple or teat; pujacante, Comanche Indian witch doctor; tano, inhabitant
of Galisteo, New Mexico (the Tano Indians had a settlement in the vicinity
of present-day Galisteo); teguas, Indian buffalo-skin sandals, topil, cane or
rod of authority; tosayes, sun-dried strips of pumpkin.

XI
Old Mexico Spanish terminology

Toward the end of the nineteenth century (in the early eighties and
nineties), American agriculture, small industries and the railroad attracted
thousands of Mexican braceros or farmhands to New Mexico, Colorado, Texas,
and other states of the Southwest. The Mexican newcomers brought with
them the Spanish of Mexico—a Spanish basically Castilian in construction
but definitely influenced and enriched by countless terms and idiomatic
expressions of the various Indian dialects of that country. By the first
decade of the twentieth century, “Mexican Spanish” began to show its in¬
fluence on the colonial type Spanish of the New Mexicans and southern
Coloradoans. Contributing to this was the mobility of the Mexican immi¬
grants working on the railroad in various parts of northern New Mexico
and southern Colorado and in Colorado’s rich carrot, potato and sugar-beet
fields. Another very important factor was the literary impetus given to
Mexican Spanish language and culture by Mexican nationals residing per¬
manently throughout the Southwest. These people established clubs and
libraries where books written in Spanish could be checked out and read.
The same Mexican citizens published literary works, jokes, riddles, stories,
folktales, and ballads and printed local and national news, so that Mexicans
throughout the area would be well informed even though they did not know
English. The bilingual Americans of Spanish descent profited greatly by
this dissemination of Mexican language and culture.
The following items are typical of the Mexican Spanish vocabulary that
has come into New Mexico and southern Colorado in the course of the last
hundred years: arrancado, broke, penniless; la arranquera, the depression;
bolillo, white citizen of the United States (the designation bolillo is synony¬
mous with gringo, but bolillo is equivalent to the Indian word paleface", it com¬
pares the skin color of an American to that of the small, French-style Mexican
breakfast roll called bolillo)', cócano, turkey (the words ganso and torque are
far more common in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado); cuate,
pal; chamacos, kids (laplebe is a more common term); chapulín, grasshopper;
chipie, spoiled child; diantre, imp; enlame, slime; guangoche, burlap; güilanchar,
to pamper or spoil a child; joto, homosexual; mayate, Black; mero, almost,
exactly; papalote, kite; petaquilla, trunk; pirujo, piruja, homosexual; tápalo,
shawl; tepocate, tadpole; trastes, dishes; trastero, cupboard; tucero, prairie-dog
hole or mound; tuza, prairie dog; zacate, grass; zacatito, lawn; zapeta, diaper;
zoquete, mud.

Typical regional vocabulary

The lack of a continuous, day-to-day contact with the people of Mex¬

ico throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, together

Xll
with a dearth of books, dictionaries and other reading materials, stagnated
and impoverished the Spanish of the colonists. Many times these people
could not recall the name of a particular article and had no recourse but to
coin a new term. It is wonderful to observe how resourceful the New Mexi¬
cans were in developing their purely local nomenclature. This was done
most naturally on the basis of their senses, especially their keen observa¬
tion of the color, shape and general appearance of the objects under
consideration. The foul smell of the stinkbug, for example, suggested the
name perrodo <Sp. pedorro, flatulent. The Mexican word for stinkbug (pinacate)
seems to have come too late for its adoption in New Mexico. Because of its
stripes (Sp. rayas), the chipmunk was called rayús or ratón rayús. The bat,
which has the appearance of a mouse, was given the designation ratón volador
(flying mouse) because of its ability to fly. The Germans seem to have had
the same idea in naming their bat fleder maus (winged mouse)! Crutches are
designed to fit (when needed) under one’s armpits. The Spanish term for
armpit is sobaco, and the local populace readily came up with the name
sobaqueras (those what-you-may-call-’em that fit under one’s armpits). Again,
as in the case of the stinkbug, the Spanish designation for crutches (muletas),
brought into the area by Mexican immigrants, came too late to be adopted
locally. Northern New Mexicans tried some berries in the mountains and,
finding them to taste somewhat sour, gave them the name of agritos <N. M.
Sp. agro, sour. Southern Colorado Hispanos, likewise, called the red
gooseberries aguaditas (the watery ones) for lack of a more precise name.
The following entries give an idea of local or regional New Mexico and
southern Colorado Spanish: aguapiedra, carbonate of lime; alejo, shabby;
alegris, homemade rouge; amarre, mock arrest during a dance; estar arrendando,
to be famished; atrotear, to incite; basa (hacer basa), to cut up or misbehave;
bau (dar bau), to please or give in to another’s whims; caladas, waves on one’s
hair; calave, skeleton; calote, plaster cast; callado, illegitimate child (illegitimates
are also referred to as “de los pajaritos del monte,” “[gift] of the birds of the
woods”); compostura, cornice or crown decoration on a trastero-, comprender,
to hire or to employ; cuerpo, blouse; cuipas, shavings of juniper bark; champes,
rosehips; chifonete, a kind of clown; desorillo, rough pine slab; dominita, a
kind of scapular used to ward off evil or disease; empelillado, an adjective
applied to a horse or donkey weak from eating nothing but tender grass;
encuerdo, muscle twist; engüerado, rotten (egg); forcha, mason’s hawk; guachas,
lies; ispiado, sore (from split hooves); lavastin, calcimine; mataseca, name of
an indoor game for children; melacera, shed where syrup is made; mulero,
bootlegger; ocupar, to need; palomita, butterfly, moth; pelilludo, an adjective
applied to a donkey or horse with the use of only one of its testicles; perfición,
resemblance; pichete, large mole or birthmark; pingo, tilted, or with one leg
shorter than the other or others; pinta, penitentiary \ pintarse, to leave; pitijuyo,
a kind of weevil; poros, nostrils; quedada, old maid, spinster; rabiate, a

Xlll
long line of things; raíces, red beets; salado, cursed; varillero, hawker, peddler;
ucioso, mischievous.

Borrowings from English

When New Mexico became a territory of the United States in 1850 and
very soon after the various non-Pueblo Indians were pacified, Americans
from the East and Middle West started moving into southern Colorado and
New Mexico. These americanos (as they were then and still are called), brought
with them a new language filled with words, phrases and idiomatic expres¬
sions that the natives learned and adopted, Hispanicizing these terms and
pronouncing them as closely as they could to the English originals. English
greetings such as howdy, how do you do, and how do you do, suh came out
of the mouths of Hispanos as jare, jarirú and jariusa, respectively. Baking
powder and yeast powder, which had been used previously, were Hispani-
cized into bequenpaura and espauda, espabre and espaura. Through metathe¬
sis (the transposition of letters or sounds in a word), undoubtedly, the
endearing English term, sweetheart, produced the local entry, guisa, meaning
sweetheart, girl friend, and good-looking, as an adjective. The masculine
form of this noun resulted in guiso, for boyfriend, and handsome, as an
adjective. Another endearing expression, honey, gave us jane [xáne]. This
word, in turn, created the verb janear, to look for girls. The expression,
how much?, was Hispanicized into jamache, which, in turn, gave us jamachar,
to talk turkey.
Many words for which the natives had no equivalents were adopted
and used as though they had always been part of the local speech. Some of
these terms are easily recognized, especially when they are spoken: atomobil,
automobile; cloche, clutch; fíate, flat; gaselin, gasoline; garache, garage; telefón,
telephone; güinchil, windshield; reque, requera, requearse, wreck, wrecker and
to have a wreck, respectively. Words such as atomobil, gaselin, garache, saxofón,
and telefón retained their pronunciation and stress as in English because it
was directly from oral English (and not from Spanish) that they were first
heard. When Spanish terms such as automóvil, gasolina, garaje, saxófono, and
teléfono came into the area just before the First World War, it was hard for
the people to adjust to the pronunciation of the “mexicanos de México”!
The following vocabulary will give an idea of how extensively New Mexi¬
can and southern Coloradoans borrow terms and expressions from English:
aseguranza, insurance; bequenpaura, baking powder; bisquete, biscuit (the word
galleta is more common); bloque, block, the head; buen tiempo, good time;
cacombra, cucumber; cambiar de mente, to change one’s mind; chanza, perhaps;
¡Chite!, Shit!; clas, class, kind; coconate, coconut; contesta, contest; copa, cup,
as of coffee; correr, to run for public office; corretear, to correct (school papers,

XIV
etc.); craqueado, cracked; crismes, Christmas; crochar, to crochet; cruque, crook;
cuque, cookie; cute, coat, especially an overcoat; cutilio, cotillion; daime, dime;
cuara, quarter; nicle, nickel; pene, penny; dejar saber, to let (one) know; descargar,
to discharge, as from the armed services; dompe and dompear, dump, to dump;
dona, doughnut; enlistarse, to enlist; escrache, de escrache, by scratch; escuela
alta, high school; espauda or espaura, baking powder; esperar niño, to be
expecting; fecha, date or rendezvous; flirtear, to flirt; florería, flower shop;
gérmenes, germs; granma, granpa or granpo, grandma, grandpa; greira, grater;
greve, gravy; grique, Greek; gauche, watchman; ingenio, engine, motor; jaira,
harrow; librería, library; línea, line, persuasive speech; lonchar, lonche, to lunch,
lunch; magacin, magazine; menejador, manager; mistear, to miss; los mompes,
the mumps; mope, mopear, mop, to mop; mula, corn liquor; nodriza, nurse;
nodrizo, male nurse, orderly; pinates, peanuts; polbero, pallbearer; pope, puppy,
dog; rentar, to rent, lease; rusio, Russian; sobrechuses, overshoes; taite, tight,
stingy; tichear, to teach; trampe, bum, hobo, tramp; troca, troque, troquear, troquero,
truck, to truck, truck driver; yela, jelly; yonque, junk.
These elements, then (and I repeat them here in reverse order)
—borrowings from English, local and regional vocabulary, words and idio¬
matic expressions peculiar to the Spanish of Mexico, indigenous Rio Grande
Indian terms, Mexican Indian vocabulary (mostly from the Náhuatl), and
archaic sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spanish—make up the Spanish
dialect of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.
It must be pointed out at this juncture that in our day, in the 1980s,
the dialect is losing its struggle for existence because English is the official
language of the area (notwithstanding state constitutional articles or amend¬
ments to the contrary—especially in New Mexico). The Hispano popula¬
tion in the region lives in an Anglo-oriented environment where all facets
of daily living (commerce, education, entertainment, local and national news
communications, politics, etc.) use English for their expression. When
Hispanos discuss the latest news, politics or items having to do with enter¬
tainment in Spanish, they borrow and use with their Spanish many English
words for which they have no equivalents in their dialect. Terms and expres¬
sions such as average rainfall, ballpoint pen, bowling tournament, belt buckle,
closed circuit, corduroy pants, dividend, faucet, frostless refrigerator, ice¬
cream cone, ice maker, insurance premium, jumper cable, magnet,
microphone, pencil sharpener, premium gasoline, unleaded gasoline, quilt,
reversible sweater, schedule, skiing, spark plug, speedometer, special deliv¬
ery letter, station wagon, stock market, subpoena, summons, volts, watts,
windshield sticker, and thousands of others, which the average English-
speaking person uses frequently, are typical of this borrowed vocabulary.
In the face of such Spanish language deficiencies, the Hispanos in this
region of the Southwest are inevitably shifting to English as their most im¬
portant medium of communication. It is only the older citizens who still use
Spanish, however deficient it may be. Most young Hispano parents in their

XV
twenties and thirties are no longer speaking Spanish to their children. If
these young people know Spanish themselves, they find it very difficult and
inconvenient to transmit it to their offspring. And often children, especially
in the company of their Anglo-American playmates, find it embarrassing
for their parents to address them in Snanish!
' As a result of this state of t
aking citizens join their c
turn of the twenty-first cen
com pie teTyVe jTafUcTt h e arcfi^4ocal Spanj§h^dialect. That this has not
happeh~e(Tsd~taT"in'the hundred and tfiirty years or so since the English
language came into the region, testifies to the strength of the langur ore
of Cervantes.

Rubén Cobos
Professor emeritus
University Of New Mexico

XVI
 Use of the Dictionary

The elements in an entry consist of: the word (occasionally followed

by pronunciation if this varies from the norm), the part of speech (abbre¬
viated), the derivation (in brackets), definition(s), idiomatic phrases which
incorporate the word, examples of usage (in parentheses), and extended
examples from literature and the oral tradition (indented and translated,
with sources given).
Although accents are not generally used on capital letters in Spanish,
they are occasionally retained in the dictionary as aids to pronunciation when
this is necessary.
Epigraphs at the headings of letters are traditional Colorado and New
Mexico Spanish proverbs.
The following abbreviations and phonetic symbols are used in the
dictionary:

Abbreviations

ad). adjective bot. botany

adv. adverb cf. compare
Am. American Col. Colonial
astron. astronomy Colo. Colorado
aug. augmentative conj. conjunction

XVII
contr. contraction Mod. Modern
derog. derogatory mus. music
dim. diminutive N.M. New Mexico
Eng. English no. northern
euph. euphemism ornith. ornithology
excl. exclamation pi plural
/• feminine poet. poetic
fig. figurative(ly) Port. Portuguese
Fr. French prep. preposition
i.e. that is pres. part. present participle
imp. imperative pron. pronoun
indef. indefinite pt. part. past participle
int. intransitive q.v. which see
interj. interjection reflex. reflexive
interr. interrogative so. southern
It. Italian Sp. Spanish
Lat. Latin St. Standard
lit. literally sw Southwest(ern)
m. masculine Terr. Territorial
med. medical trans. transitive
met. metathesis var. variant
Mex. Mexican vars. variants
milit. military vb. verb
min. mineralogy

Phonetic symbols

[t>] fricative b between vowels [1] 1 as in million

M ts sound in colonial Spanish [5] sh as in shoe
[c] ch sound as in China [B] approximate th sound as in thin
[ct] fricative d between vowels [x] h sound as in hue
fe] fricative g between vowels

xviii
 A Dictionary of New Mexico
and Southern Colorado Spanish
■
 Amor de lejos es pa los pendejos.
Love at a distance is for fools.

abajar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. abaxar] int., flex., to open up suddenly or hit; to
to descend, to come or go down; trans., spread out, as a disease; abrirse de seco,
to lower. (Abaje la güeja. Lower your -ca, to be parched. (Esta tierra ya se abre
head.) de seca. This land is almost parched.)
¡Abranse! Get out of the way!
abaldonado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. abaldo¬
nar] abandoned, forsaken; neglected. abuelo, m. [<Sp. abuelo, grandfather] bug¬
(Este probe muchito lo dejaron abaldonado. bear; name of one of the dancers in
This poor child was left abandoned.) the Matachines, q.v.
abaldonar, vb. [<Sp. abandonar] trans., to Santa Claus was still unknown in
those days. The abuelo (bug-a-boo-
abandon, to forsake; to neglect. Abal¬
man) took his place, although he was
donar is explained in Aurelio M. Espi¬
nosa, Estudios I, 177-178, as a case of a stern old man dreaded by the chil¬
dren. Dressed in an old, shabby,
dissimilation.
patched suit and patched hat, the
abatanado, -da,adj. [<Mex. Sp. abatanado]
abuelo went around the luminarias
snarled, tangled, applied to hair, yarn,
cracking his long whip, sending the
etc.
boys home on the run. He followed
abridor, m. [<Sp. abridor] opener; abridor some of them into their homes and
de jarros, can opener. Cf. Sp. abridor de made them kneel down and say their
latas. prayers. If they did not know their
abrigo, m. [<Sp. abrigo, wrap, overcoat] prayers, he gave them a good scold¬
abrigo de abajo, winter underwear. ing and told them to stay home and
abrir, vb. [<Sp. abrir] to open. (Ya está learn them. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo,
abriendo. The sky is now clearing.) Re¬ Shadows of the Past)

3
abuja
abuja,/. [<Sp. aguja] needle; syringe; acompañamiento, m. [<Sp. acompaña¬
hand of a clock or watch. N.M. and so. miento, retinue] group of attendants at
Colo. Hispanos confuse the conso¬ a Penitente’s deathbed, wake or funeral
nants b (v) and g: burrión <Sp. gorrión, procession; retinue at a casorio or wed¬
gomitarse <Sp. vomitarse, guñuelo <Sp. ding.
buñuelo, etc. aconforme, adv. [<Sp. conforme] accord¬
abujerar, vb. [<Sp. agujerear] to pierce, ing to; in proportion to. Aurelio M.
to bore, to make holes. Espinosa, Estudios I, 240-241, cites this
abujero, m. [<Sp. agujero] hole; ajuero entry as an example of prothesis.
(<Sp. agujero) is a more common term. acoordinar, vb. [<Sp. coordinar, to coor¬
abujeta,/. [<Sp. agujeta, a kind of latchet dinate] to train (dogs, horses, etc.).
with metal tips] hairpin; bobby pin. acuál, int. pron. [<Sp. cuál] which, which
¡Abujetas! Watch out! (slang). one. (¿Miras aquella ánsara? ¿Acuál? Do
abularia,/. [<N.M. Sp. albularia<arbo- you see that wild goose? Which one?)
laria<Sp. herbolaria, herbalist] female N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. confuses cuál
folk healer. See also albolaria, ambularia, (accusative) with (a) cuál (dative).
arbolaria, arbularia. acha,/. See hacha.
acabo, adv. [<Sp. al cabo] anyway; at any achachurrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. achucha¬
rate. rrado, crushed] wrinkled (clothes) or
acafetado, -da, adj. [<Sp. café, coffee- dented (car fender).
colored] brown, brownish. achantarse, vb. [<SW Sp. chante<Eng.
acamorrado, -da,adj. [<Mex. Sp. encamo¬ shanty] to get married; to “shack up”
rrado] drowsy. (slang).
acariciarse, vb. [<Sp. acariciar, to caress] achapanecada, adj. [<N.M. and so. Colo.
to pick one’s eyebrows. Sp. chapaneca] applied to a woman with
acarralado, -da, adj. [<Sp. acarralado, with heavy makeup. Also, chapaneca, máscara,
a thread skipped (weaving)] thread- payasa, pintureteada.
worn, threadbare. achicharronado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp.
acatar, vb. [<Sp. acatar, to respect] to achicharronado<chicharrón, crackling]
notice; to realize; to occur to one. (No wrinkled, dented.
acatamos. It did not occur to us.) achinar, vb. [<Sp. achinar?, to intimidate]
aceite, m. [<Sp. aceite, oil] aceite de castor, achinársele el cuerpo a uno, to get goose
castor oil; aceite de lámpara, kerosene; flesh.
aceite de olivo, olive oil; aceite mexicano achón, m. See hachón.
or volcánico, volcanic oil, a patent lini¬ achucharrado, -da, adj. [ < Sp. achuchurrado,
ment. crushed] dented, wrinkled.
acentellado, -da, adj. [<Sp. centella, flash achucharrar, vb. [<Sp. achuchurrar, to
of lightning] in a hurry; lightning fast. crush] to dent, to wrinkle.
(Salió de aquí acentellado. He left here adelante, adv. [<Sp. adelante, farther off]
like a flash of lightning.) pa adelante, pregnant. (Ella está pa ade¬
acirgüelado, -da, adj. [<SW Sp. cirgüela, lante. She is pregnant.)
plum] doped up; in a stupor (slang). ¡Adevina!,interj. [<N.M. Sp.adevinar<Sp.
acompañador, m. [<Sp. acompañar, to ac¬ adivinar] Guess! Guess what!
company] in N.M. Penitente flagella¬ adevinador, m. [<N.M. Sp. adevinar, to
tion rituals, the accompanying brother guess, to foretell] fortune-teller; sooth¬
who aids a flagellant. See hermano salido sayer. Cf. Sp. adivino.
a luz. adevinancia, f. [<Sp. adivinanza] riddle.

4
 aguapiedra
Also, adivinancia, adevinanza. agringado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. gringo,
adevinar, vb. [<Sp. adivinar] to foretell; an Anglo American] said of a Mexi¬
can American acculturated into Anglo-
to guess.
American society.
adevino, m. [<Sp. adivino] fortune-teller,
agringarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. gringo<Mex.
soothsayer; palmist.
Sp. gringo, foreigner, Anglo-Ameri¬
¡Adió!, interj. [<Mex. Sp. ¡Adió!] Of all
can] to act and talk like an Anglo-
things! The very idea! Cf. Sp. ¡Nofaltaba
American.
más!
agrito, m. [<Sp. dim. of agrio, sour] bot.,
adobe, m. [<Sp. adobe] adobe brick; also,
a three-leaf plant with small red ber¬
the specially prepared mud from which
ries.
adobes are made.
Like his Spanish forebears and his agro, -ra, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. agro (Mo¬
Pueblo neighbors, the New Mexican lina)] sour, acid.
uses mud to build his house. Adobe, agua,/. [<Sp. agua] water; cortarle ’l agua
he calls it, a term of Moorish origin a alguno, to put a stop to someone’s
to which our word “daub” is relat¬ actions or activities; de agua, adj., gay,
ed. (Roland F. Dickey, New Mexico homosexual (slang).
Village Arts) aguachinado, -da, adj. [Sp. aguachinado,
adonaime, m. [<Eng. iodine] tincture of flooded] said of plants suffering from
iodine. an excess of water.
afijar, vb. [<Sp. fijar] to fasten, to fix. aguachinarse, vb. [<Sp. aguachinar, to
¡Afíjate! Brace yourself! Watch it! You flood (land)] said of a plant that with¬
just watch! ers or dies from an excess of water or
humidity. (Ya esta matita se aguachinó.
afloja-tuerca, m. [<Sp. aflojar, to loosen,
This little plant is ruined.)
and tuerca, nut] wrench.
agacharse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. agacharse] to aguachistarse, aguachinarse, var.
consent; to hush a thing maliciously; aguadearse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. aguadearse]
to look the other way. to become physically weak.
agachón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. agacharse] aguaditas,/. pi. [<Mex. Sp. aguada?, said
permissive. of fruits without taste] red gooseber¬
agachón, m. [<N.M. Sp. agacharse] cuck¬ ries.
old. aguado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. aguado,
agarrada,/. [<Mex. Sp. agarrada] dispute; weak] physically weak; wishy-washy.
quarrel; fight. aguador, m. [<Sp. aguador, water carri¬
agarrar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. agarrar] to take; er] ditch boss (Las Cruces, N.M.). In
int., to go in a certain direction. {¿Par northern New Mexico and southern
’onde agarró? Which way did he go?) Colorado the term for ditch boss is
See also ganar. mayordomo de ’cequias.
agarrón, m. [<N.M. Sp. agarrar] dispute, aguapé,/. [<Tewa ’Awap’a] bot., Cattail.
quarrel; fight, scuffle. Cf. Sp. espadaña.
agoris, m. [<unknown origin] berry of aguapiedra, / [<Sp. agua, water, wnd pie¬
the juniper tree. dra, stone] carbonate of lime formed
agradar, vb. [<Sp. graduarse] to graduate. by the mineral content of water.
agradecido, -da, adj. [<Sp. agradecer, to Aguapiedra, found in caves, is a
be grateful for] hardy, said of plants, deposit that, supposedly has been
shrubs, etc. (Esta planta es muy agrade¬ formed by the mineral content of
cida. This is a very hardy plant.) water so that long narrow stone-like

5
 aguansmo
deposits, resembling a bone on one aigriento, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. aigre, air]
side and a stone on the other, are windy; stormy.
produced. (Leonora S.M. Curtin, aigrio, -a,
adj. [<Sp. agrio] sour; unfriend¬
Healing Herbs of the Upper Rio Grande) ly; introverted.
aguarismo, m. [<Sp. guarismo, cipher] any aigro, -gra, adj. [<Sp. agrio] sour; acrid.
one of the numerals or numerical char¬
aigrón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of aigre, air;
acters; sin aguarismo, countless.
wind] gust of wind; windstorm.
¡Aguate! (A'guate), interj. [SW Sp. slang
aigroso,-sa,&d/. [<N.M. Sp.aigr^] stormy;
¡Aguate!] Be careful! Watch out! (slang).
windy.
agüelo, m. [<Sp. abuelo] grandfather; bo¬
ajalote,m. [<Mex. Sp.aJo/o^<Náhuatlax-
geyman; one of the characters in the
olotl, salamander] tiger salamander.
folk dance, Los Matachines.
ajamachar, vb. [<Eng. at how much?]
agüerado, -da,adj. [<Mex. Sp.güero (huevo
to haggle (about prices, etc.). See also
güero)] rotten (applied to eggs). See
jamachar.
also engüerado.
ajitado, -da, adj. [<Sp. ahitado<ahitarse,
¡Aguila! (A'güila), interj. [<Mex. Sp.
to stuff oneself] stuffed or suffering
¡Aguila!] Look out! Watch out! Ponerse
from indigestion.
águila, to be aware or on the lookout;
ser una águila, to be astute, sharp. ajitarse, vb. [<Sp. ahitarse] to become up¬
set, particularly when eating greasy or
aguinaldo, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. aguinaldo]
oily food, butter, etc.
a gift (candy, cookies, fruit, etc.) given
to children on the Epiphany, when the ajito, m. [<Sp. ahíto, indigestion] indiges¬
birth of Christ was celebrated. On the tion; repletion.
evening of the sixth of January, chil¬ ajo, m. [<Sp. ajo] garlic. ¡Mal ajo! Con¬
dren went from house to house ask¬ found it!
ing for aguinaldos. ajolote, m. [<Mex. Sp. ajolote] tiger sala¬
En Belén nació Jesús mander. See also guajalote.
que es hijo de María, ajondar, vb. [<Sp. ahondar] to make deep¬
los señores como usted er; to deepen.
dan aguinaldo este día.
ajuera, adv. [<Sp. afuera] out; outside.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem
ajuerado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ajuero, hole]
The son of Mary;
full of holes; perforated.
Gentlemen like you
Give presents on this day. ajuerar, vb. [<Sp. agujerear] to make holes;
(N.M. Sp. verso popular) to perforate.
ajuereño, -ña, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ajuera] out¬
agüitado, -da, adj. [<Sp. cuitado<cuitas]
sider; from another place.
sad, dejected; mad, as a result of frus¬
tration. ajuero, m. [<Sp. agujero] hole; perfora¬
tion.
agüitarse, vb. [<Sp. acuitar, to afflict] to
Redondito,
become frustrated or angry.
redondón
agüite, m. [<N.M. Sp. agüitarse] dejection;
sin ajuero
frustration. ¡Qué agüite! How frustrat¬
y con tapón.
ing! What a bummer! (slang).
Somewhat round,
aigre, m. [<Sp. aire] air; daraigre una per¬ Quite a bit round,
sona a otra, to resemble; en tanto que el Without a hole,
aigre, right away, in a jiffy; mal aigre, And with a cork.
bad air which often causes a slight pa¬ (La calabaza, The Pumpkin, N.M. Sp.
ralysis. riddle)

6
 alegría
ajumado, -da, adj. [<Sp. ahumado, black¬ ¡Ave María!
ened with smoke] black; blackened; Let’s sing to the dawn
smoked. Cf. Sp. tiznado. The day is breaking;
ajumar, vb. [<Sp. ahumar, to blacken with We shall give thanks,
smoke] to cure with smoke (hams, Hail Mary!
etc.); to blacken with smoke. (A la mejor (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. alba)
cocinera se le ajuma l’ olla. Everyone can albayalde, m. [<Sp. albayalde, white lead]
make a mistake.) a kind of homemade face powder
ajuyentado, -da, adj. [<Sp. ahuyentado, made with white clay.
driven away] said of the person who albazo, m. [<Sp. alba, dawn] Col. N.M.
stays away from his friends and rela¬ Sp., surprise dawn attack against no¬
tives; scared, driven away; alienated, madic Indian camps.
ajuyentar, u¿.[<Sp. ahuyentar, to drive albercoque, m. [<Sp. albarcoque, var. of
away] to scare away, to drive away; albaricoque] apricot.
reflex., to stay away from friends or alberjón, m. See alverjón.
relatives; to become alienated,
albolaria,/ [<N.M. Sp. arbolaria<Sp. her¬
ala,/. [<Sp. ala] wing; alas caidas, down¬ bolaria] woman herb healer.
hearted, depressed; cortarle las alas a
alborucero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. alborozo, mer¬
uno, to cut or put down; dar alas a uno,
riment] boisterous, noisy.
to encourage, to incite; pegarse ala, to
albularia,/. [<N.M. Sp. albolaria (var.)]
boast, to brag.
herb healer.
alabado, m. [<Sp. alabar, to praise] a kind
of religious hymn of praise to God, alburucero,-ra,adj. [<N.M. Sp.alborucero
the Virgin or the saints, (var.)] boisterous.
alacrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pt. part, of lacrar, alcahuete, -ta, m. and/ [<Sp. alcahuete]
to injure the health of] injured, hurt¬ pimp; rascal; adj., permissive.
ing; in bad physical condition; ailing, alcajol, m. [<Eng. alcohol] alcohol.
afflicted, disease-ridden, alcalde, m. [<Sp. alcalde, mayor] Indian
alambre, m. [<Sp. alambre] wire; wire pueblo officer assisting the cacique or
screen door; ponerse en 7 alambre, to get chief. In old New Mexico the alcalde
drunk. had powers of a judge.
alambrón, m. [<Sp. aug. of alambre] large, alcanforina,/ [<Sp. alcanfor, camphor]
heavy wire; telephone call, mothball. See also carbólico.
álamo, m. [<Sp. álamo, poplar] cotton¬ alcanzado, -da, adj. [<Sp. alcanzado, hard
wood tree. up, broke] quick-witted; alert; finan¬
alanés, m. [<Sp. alanés] a kind of stag. cially well-off.
See also venado alanés. alcanzar, vb. [<Sp. alcanzar] to catch up;
alante, adv. [<Sp. adelante] ahead; for¬ to succeed; reflex., to make ends meet.
ward, onward. {Tiene buen trabajo pero no se alcanza.
He has a good job but he can’t make
alargarse, vb. [<Sp. alargar] to raise a bid;
ends meet.)
to increase.
alegar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. alegar] to argue;
alazán, m. [<Sp. alazán, sorrel (horse)]
to dispute. {Han estado alegando toda la
elk; venado alazán, elk; adj., sorrel,
mañana. They have been arguing all
alba,/. [<Sp. alba] dawn, daybreak; a kind
morning long.)
of morning song of praise to the dawn.
alegata,/. [<N.M. Sp. alegar] dispute;
Cantemos 7 alba,
heated argument.
ya viene el día
daremos gracias, alegría,/ [<Mex. Sp. alegría] bot., Red

7
alegrís
cockscomb; Lady bleeding; also, a kind huana and drugs (slang).
of homemade rouge. alivianado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. alivián]
The belles of the ranchos and vil¬ said of a person under the influence
lages have a disgusting habit of of marihuana or drugs; stoned (slang).
besmearing their faces with the crim¬
alivianar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. alivián] to aid;
son juice of a plant or fruit called
to help.
alegría . . . for the purpose of pro¬
alivioso, -sa,adj. [<Sp. alivio, relief] easy;
tecting the skin from the sun ... by
done with ease.
washing off the paint, the cheeks
look as fresh and ruddy as the nat¬ alma,/. [<Sp. alma] soul. ¡Alma mía de tu
ural darkness of their skin will per¬ alma! You poor thing! /Mal haya tu
mit. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce of the alma! Damn you!
Prairies) almacén, m. [<Sp. almacén, store] a kind
of shelf.
alegrís, m. [<N.M. Sp. alegría] a kind of
homemade rouge used by New Mex¬ almena,/ [<Sp. almena, merlon of a bat¬
ico women in the nineteenth century. tlement] Col. N.M., crenellated para¬
See alegría. pet around the roof of a building.

alejo, -ja, adj. [Cunknown origin] slop¬ almendras,/ pi. [<Sp. almendra, almond]
py; ill-kempt. nuts in general, except peanuts. See
pinates.
alfalfilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of alfalfa] bot.,
Yellow sweet clover. almetir, vb. [<Sp. admitir] to admit.

alfarfa,/. [<Sp. alfalfa] alfalfa (var.). almirar, vb. [<Sp. admirar] to admire.

alfarfón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of alfarfa] almitaño, m. [<Sp. ermitaño] hermit.

bot., Sweet clover. almorzar, vb. [<Sp. almorzar, to have
alferecía,/. [<Sp. alferecía] epilepsy. lunch] to have breakfast.

alfileria,/. [<Sp. alfilerillo, filaree] bot., almuada [almwáda], /. [<Sp. almohada]

Pinclover, a plant of the Cranesbill pillow; pegársele las almuadas a uno, to
family. Also, alfilerillo. oversleep.
almuadilla [almwadia], f. [<Sp. dim. of
algaraciento,-ta,adj. [<N.M.Sp. algaraza,
almohada] one of the four perpendicu¬
noise] boisterous; noisy.
lar arms above the axle of a wagon;
algaraza,/. [<Sp. algazara] hubbub, noise.
part of a horse’s collar.
Also, algarazo.
almuadita [almwadita], f. [<Sp. dim. of
algodón, m. [<Sp. algodón] cotton; bot., almohada] cushion; pin cushion.
Fremont cottonwood.
almuerzo, m. [<Sp. almuerzo, lunch] break¬
algodones, m. pi. [<N.M. Sp. algodón] cot¬ fast.
tonwood grove.
almur, m. [<Sp. almud] a measure of grain
algotro, -tra, pron. [<Sp. algún otro] an¬ and dry fruit equivalent to half a bushel.
other; someone else.
altamisa,/ [<Sp. artemisa] bot., Worm¬
alilañas,/. pi. [<Mex. Sp. alilaya] cunning, wood.
craftiness.
altanero, adj. [<Sp. altanero] haughty, bul-
alimal, m. [<Sp. animal] animal; adj., stu¬ lying.
pid.
alto, m. [<Sp. alto, story, as of a building]
alís, m. [<Sp. alisar, to smoothen] a plas¬ attic; loft; gabled roof; casa de alto,
ter finish made with tierra bayita, a kind two-story house.
of yellow clay.
alverjón, m. [<Sp. arvejón, aug. of arvejo,
alivián, m. [<Sp. aliviar, to relieve] relief, bastard chick-pea] pea; peas.
aid; used in connection with mari¬ Toda esta tierra [seventeenth-century

8
 andar
New Mexico] es fértilísima, que da con witchcraft and held schools where be¬
muy grande abundancia todo lo que en ginners were taught how to bewitch
ella se siembra: maiz, trigo, frijoles, lente¬ and how to transform themselves
jas, habas, alverjoes, calabazas, sandías, into different things and animals.
melones, pepinos. The ambularias that came into pos¬
All this land is exceedingly fertile; session of the piedra imán were still
it produces in great abundance all more powerful; they knew every¬
that is planted therein: corn, wheat, thing and could transform them¬
beans, lentils, horse beans, peas, selves into any shape. Thepiedra imán
pumpkins, watermelons, canta¬ was a fury stone which was fed nee¬
loupes, cucumbers. (Fray Alonso de dles and water, and if the stone was
Benavides, Memorial) lost or stolen from its owner, the
owner immediately lost her mind or
amacizar, vb. [<Sp. macizo, strong] to be¬
dried up into a skeleton. (Cleofas
come stronger, harder. (Ya está amacizan¬
M. Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
do 7 agua. The rain is getting stronger.)
americano, -na, m. and/. [<Sp. americano]
amachado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. ama¬ applied by older Indo-Hispanic Amer¬
charse, to balk] balking; insistent. Also, icans in New Mexico and southern
amachón. Colorado to any non-Spanish-speaking
amacharse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. amacharse, to whites. See also anglo.
become stubborn] to balk; to act stub¬ amolado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. amolado]
born; to refuse to move; to refuse to broke; badly off financially.
return a thing. (Le presté un libro y se amolar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. amolar] to bother,
amachó con él. I lent him a book and he to annoy. (No vengas a amolar. Don’t
has refused to return it.) bother me.)
amadable, adj. [<Sp. amable] affable; ami¬ amolé, m. [<Mex. Sp. amo/^<Náhuatl
able; a good mixer. Cf. Sp. simpático. amulli] bot., Amolé plant used in mak¬
amargoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. amargo] bitter, ing soap.
sour. (Estas naranjas están murre amar¬ amolillo, m. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of amolé]
gosas. These oranges are very bitter. bot., Wild licorice.
¡Qué amargoso este Rosenaldo! What a amuinado, -da, adj. [<Sp. amohinado, ir¬
sourpuss Rosenaldo is!) ritated] annoyed, irritated; restless; in
amarre, m. [<Sp. amarrar, to tie] mock ill humor; disgrunfied, angry, grouchy.
arrest during an old-fashioned dance. amuinar, vb. [<Sp. amohinar] to annoy,
It was the custom, when anyone to vex; reflex., to become annoyed,
danced for the first time, to take restless; grouchy.
the person and carry him in arms anancas, prep. [<Sp. en ancas, on the
around the hall. This was called the rump] montar anancas, to ride on the
amarre. Before he was allowed to rump, i.e., behind the rider.
go, someone close in friendship or ananchar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. anchar] to widen.
relationship had to redeem him.
ancón, m. [<Sp. ancón] cove. See incón.
This redemption was the desempeño.
(Fabiola C. de Baca Gilbert, We Fed ancho, m. [<Sp. ancho, wide] no dar 7 an¬
Them Cactus) cho, to fall short of expectations.
andabita,/. [<Sp. dim. of aldaba] latch.
ambularia,/. [<Sp. herbolaria] a woman
versed in the use of medicinal herbs. andalón, -na, adj. [<Sp. andar, to walk]
At one time people believed the ambu¬ wandering; restless; of a roving dispo¬
laria was a witch. sition.
The ambularias were graduates in andar, vb. [<Sp. andar] ¡Andale, pues!

9
anducio
OK. Andarle a uno, to be in trouble; ring made up of two or more rings
not to be able to stand a thing. (Ya me assembled into a single unit.
anda. I can’t stand it anymore.) ánima, /. [<Sp. ánima, soul] ser ánima
anducio, -cia, adj. [<Sp. andar] wander¬ una persona, to be deceased. (F ¿quése
ing; roving. mano Sarapio? Ya es ánima. And where
angelito, m. [<Sp. angelito, little angel] a is old man Sarapio? He died.)
term of endearment; a representation anisóte, m. [<Sp. aug. of anís, anise] bot.,
of a cherub used as a decorative motif Sagebrush; Wormwood.
by New Mexico santeros, q.v. Velorio de anque, conj. [<Sp. aunque] even though.
angelito, wake for a dead child; entierro
ánsara,/. [<Sp. ánsar] gander; swan; wild
de angelito, burial of a dead child.
goose. Also, ánsera.
Children that have not been bap¬
ansí, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ansi] thus; in
tized are destined, according to the
that way. See also ansina, asina.
popular faith, to a kind of negative
existence in the world of spirits, ansina, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ansina] thus,
called Limbo, where they remain in that manner.
forever without either suffering pun¬ anta,/. [<Sp. anta, elk] anta blanca, dressed
ishment or enjoying happiness. Bap¬ buffalo skin, white elkskin; anta gorda,
tized infants, on the other hand, buckskin, deerskin; pelar 7 anta, to die.
being considered without sin, are antonce, adv. [<Sp. entonces] then, at that
supposed to enter at once into the time. Also, antonces.
joys of heaven. The deceased child
is then denominated an angelito (lit¬ añidir, vb. [<Sp. añadir] to add; to add
to.
tle angel), and is interred with joy
and mirth instead of grief and wail¬ áñil, m. [<Sp. añil, indigo] bot., Sunflow¬
ing. It is gaudily bedecked with fan¬ er; áñil del muerto, bot., Gold weed;
ciful attire and ornaments of tinsel Crownbeard.
and flowers; and being placed upon año, m. [<Sp. año] year; del año ’e V hebra,
a small bier, it is carried to the grave old; del año de upa, old, old-fashioned;
by four children as gaily dressed as from the year one, antiquated.
their circumstances will allow; ac¬
apachangado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pa¬
companied by musicians using the
changa, noisy party] noisy, rowdy.
instruments and playing the tunes
of the fandangos; and the little pro¬ aparejo, m. [<Sp. aparejo] Terr. N.M.,
cession is nothing but glee and mer¬ packsaddle.
riment. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce of The aparejo (or pack saddle, if it
the Prairies) can be so styled), is a large pad con¬
sisting of a leathern case stuffed with
anglo, adj., n. [<Eng. Anglo, as in Anglo-
hay, which covers the back of the
Saxon] applied loosely in New Mexico
mule and extends half way down on
and southern Colorado to any white
European mixture, particularly an En¬ both sides. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce
of the Prairies)
glish-speaking white person coming
into this area from the eastern and aparnado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. parna
middle-western states. See also bolillo, <Eng. partner] chummy; close to some¬
gavacho and tejano. one; friendly, intimate.
angurriento, -ta, adj. [<Sp. estrangurriento] apeñuscado, -da, adj. [<Am. Sp. apeñus¬
said of the person who voids urine with cado, heaped up] jammed, crowded.
great difficulty. (Iba ese bos pero bien apeñuscado. The
anillo, m. [<Sp. anillo] ring; loop at the bus was jam-packed.)
end of a rope; anillo de ramal, a special apeñuscar, vb. [<Am. Sp. apeñuscar, to

10
 armas de pelo
heap up] to jam or pile up. aquéllas (de aquéllas), adj. [<Sp. aquéllas,
apergatado, -da, adj. [<Sp. apercatado, the former, those yonder] de aquéllas,
aware] impulsive. out of sight, super (slang).

apinchado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pinchar, to arabe [arábe] -ba, m. and/. [<Sp. árabe,
pinch] upset; angry. Arab] Arab, Lebanese, Syrian.

apincharse, vb. [<Sp. pinchar, to pinch] araña,/ [<Sp. araña] spider; bot., Spider
to become upset or angry. See also em- plant; araña del sol, deadly vinegaroon;
picarle la araña a una mujer, to be preg¬
pincharse.
nant. Also, a kind of chandelier (ceil¬
aplastarse, vb. [<Sp. aplastar, to flatten]
ing candle holder).
to sit down comfortably.
arañado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. arañado]
aplicación,/. [<Eng. application] appli¬
kiped; swiped, stolen (slang).
cation, as for a job. (Ya puse mi aplicación.
arañar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. arañar] to steal
I’ve put in my application.)
(slang).
aplomarse,^. [<Mex. Sp.aplomarse<Sp.
arbolera,/ [<Sp. arboleda] grove; orchard.
plomo, lead] literally, to become heavy,
like lead; to be slow in one’s actions; to arbolaria,/. [<Sp. herbolaria] herb heal¬
hesitate; to “miss the boat.” er. Arbolarias were formerly suspected
of being witches. See ambularia.
¡Apoco!, interj. [<Sp. apoco, soon after] I
bet! Oh, yeah? You don’t say! You’re arbularia,/. Arbolaria (var.).
kidding! arcina,/. See harcina.

apomarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp .pomo, spongy] arción, m. [<Mex. Sp. arción<Sp. ación]
to become spongy. (Ya estos tanapes están leather strap supporting the stirrup.
apomados. These turnips have become archivo, m. [<Sp. archivo, archive] folk
spongy.) poet or pueta, q.v.; scribe.
aprecio, m. [<Mex. Sp. aprecio] hacer apre¬ ardilla,/ [<Sp. ardilla] chipmunk; squir¬
cio, to mind, to pay attention to; dar or rel.
tener aprecio, to attend to. (Esta plebe no ¡A redo vaya!, interj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. a
hace aprecio. These kids don’t mind.) riedro vaya—riedro<Lat. retro, behind]
aprevenir, vb. [<Sp. prevenir, to prepare] to a kind of curse against the devil or an
get ready; to make plans. Also, aprevinir. exclamation of surprise. Good heav¬
apriesa, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. apriesa] fast; ens! Of all things!
in a hurry; quickly. (No vayas tan apriesa. arete, m. [<Sp. dim. of aro, hoop] ear¬
Don’t walk so fast.) drop; earring in general; a term ap¬
plied to a child who always insists on
aprobar, vb. [<Sp. probar] to taste. (Aprué¬
tagging along with an older brother
belo está murre bueno. Taste it; it’s very
or sister.
good.)
arisco, -ca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. arisco, easily
aprontarse, vb. [<Sp. aprontar, to get
frightened] suspicious; distrustful.
ready quickly] to make an appearance;
to turn up unexpectedly. armada,/. [<Eng. army] the armed forc¬
es, army; lucky break. ¡Qué armada!
aprovechado, -da,adj. [<Sp. aprovechado,
What a lucky break! See also armón.
industrious, diligent] mean; said of
someone who takes advantage of oth¬ armarse, vb. [<Am. Sp. armarse] to get a
ers, particularly the weak or unfortu¬ lucky break. (Te armates con ese carro.
nate; bullying. You got a lucky break with that car.)

apuntarse, vb. [<Sp. apuntar, to stake, to armas de pelo,/, pi. [<Mex. Sp. armas de
put up] to join others, as in a game of pelo] Terr. N.M. Sp., chaps.
chance. Last but not least, there are the armas

11
 armitaño
de pelo, being a pair of shaggy goat arrede, adv. [<Sp. adrede] on purpose;
skins (richly trimmed across the top knowingly.
with embroidered leather) dangling arrellenarse, vb. [<Sp. arrellanarse] to sit
from the pommel of the saddle for at ease; to be satisfied with one’s situa¬
the purpose of being drawn over the tion. Cf. arranarse.
legs in case of rain, or as a protec¬
arremedar,vb. [<Mex. Sp. arremedar<Sp.
tion against brush and brambles. (Jo-
remedar] to imitate; to mimick. Also,
siah Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies)
aremellar.
armitaño, m. [<Sp. ermitaño] hermit. arrempujar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. arrem-
armón, m. [<Sp. aug. of arma] lucky pujar<Sp. empujar] to push, to shove.
break. Arrempujón, violent push.
aroplano, m. [<Sp. aeroplano] airplane. arrendando, pres. part. [<unknown ori¬
arpa,/. [<Sp. arpa] harp; tirar 7 arpa, to gin] estar arrendando, to be famished.
die (slang). (.Este muchito llegó arrendando. This child
was famished.)
arranarse, vb. [<Sp. arrellanarse, to sit at
arrentar, vb. [<Eng. to rent] to rent, to
ease] to squat; to become established;
lease. (Están arrentando. They are rent¬
to settle down; to get married.
ing-)
arrancado,-da,adj. [<Mex. Sp. arrancado]
arreón, w. [<N.M. Sp. arrear] havoc; hacer
flat broke, destitute; más arrancado que
arreón, to cause a great deal of havoc;
las mangas de un chaleco, flat broke.
to raise hell. (El Maque hizo arreón con
arranquera,/ [<Mex. Sp. arrancado] hard
todos. Mack raised hell with everyone.)
times; economic depression.
arrepentirse, vb. [<Sp. arrepentirse, to re¬
arrapar, vb. [<Sp. rapar] to crop; to shave
pent] to change one’s mind; to repent;
the head.
to be sorry. (Siempre no vendió la yegua,
arras, / pi. [<Sp. arras, dowry] thirteen se arrepintió. He did not sell the mare
small coins which the groom gives to after all; he had a change of mind.)
his bride as a pledge of his willingness arresucismo, m. [< unknown origin] strong
to support her. desire to do a thing; inspiration; rap¬
arrastrar, vb. [<Sp. arrastrar, to drag] ar¬ ture.
rastrarle a uno, to be good at or to excel arribar, vb. [<Sp. arribar] to attain suc¬
at something. cess; to prosper.
arrastre, m. [<Mex. Sp. arrastre, stone arribeño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. arriba] highland¬
mill] Terr. N.M. Sp., a kind of crude er; said of a person living along the
drag; min., a mortar and pestle method Rio Grande north of La Bajada in
of crushing ore. The arrastre was also Santa Fe county.
called a molienda.
arrimado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. arrimado]
arrastrón, m. [<N.M. Sp. arrastrarle a uno] moocher. (El pescado y el arrimado a los
lucky break. ¡Qué arrastrón! What a tres días apestan. Fish and moochers
lucky break! [unwelcome guests] stink after three
arreador, m. [<N.M. Sp. arrear, to drive days.)
(cars)] driver; chauffeur. arrimar, vb. [<Sp. arrimar, to place near]
arrear, vb. [<Sp. arrear, to drive (animals)] to shelter; to protect; to spank. (Anoche
to drive a vehicle. Cf. Sp. conducir and le arrimaron al niño. Last night they
Mex. Sp. manejar. spanked the child.)
arrebosar, vb. [<Sp. rebosar] to overflow arrollar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. arrollar] to
or run over, as a liquid from a con¬ lull to sleep.
tainer. arroz, m. [<Sp. arroz, rice] rice-sized peb-

12
 atole
bles on which Penitentes knelt as pen¬ mer] meteorologist.
ance. asusidiado,-da,adj. [<Sp.susidio, restless¬
arrumbar, vb. [<Sp. arrumbar, to put a ness] restless, excited.
thing in a lumber room] to heap or atacarse, vb. [<Sp. atracarse, to stuff one¬
pile up things in a careless manner. self with food] to cram or glut oneself.
arrumbe, m. [<N.M. Sp. arrumbar] snow¬ ¡No te ataques! Don’t overdo it! ¡Atácate!
bank. See also tapanco. Now you have done it!
artes, m. pi. [<Sp. artes, arts] magic tricks; ataduras, / pi. [<Sp. atadura, the act of
hacer artes, to perform magic tricks. tying together] garters.
artesano, m. [<Sp. artesano, craftsman] atarantado, -da, adj. [<Sp. atarantado, bit
wood-carver. by a tarantula] dizzy; groggy; half
artista, m. [<Sp. artista] artist; magician. drunk; stupid; idiotic; absentminded.

arujos, m. pi. [Cunknown origin] hacer atarantamiento, m. [<N.M. Sp. atarantar,

una cosa arujos or de arujos, to lose a to choke or strangle] dizzy spell; grog¬
thing designedly or on purpose. In the giness.
San Luis Valley in southern Colorado atarantar, vb. [<Sp. atarantado] to choke;
an arujo is an outfit (dress). to strangle; to knock out. (A uno de los
arvejón, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. arvejón moqueteros me lo atarantaron. One of the
(Benavides)] pea, peas. boxers was knocked out.)

ascenso, m. [<Sp. ascenso, raise] credit. atarantarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. atarantar] to
become dizzy; to faint.
asegún, prep. [<Sp. según] according to.
See also asigún. atarque, m. [<Sp. atracar, to cram or
glut] beaver-like river dam; backwater;
aseguranza,/. [<Sp. aseguranza, security]
pond. Cf. Sp. remanso.
insurance; insurance policy.
atarrascazo, m. [<Sp. atarazar, to bite or
aserpiente, /. [<Sp. serpiente, serpent]
wound with one’s teeth] blow or hit on
crocodile; alligator.
the head with the fingernails; akin to
aserrar, vb. [<Sp. serrar and var. aserrar] Sp. coscorrón.
to saw.
atascado, -da, adj. [<Sp. atascado, bogged
aserrón, m. [<Sp. aserrar] large saw; two- down] churlish; indecent; rude; stu¬
handled saw. pid. (¡Oh, suéltame, atascado! Oh, let me
aserronear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. aserrón] to saw go, stupid.)
with a large saw. atascar, vb. [<Sp. atascarse, to get bogged
asignatura,/. [<Sp. asignatura, subject of down] to penetrate; to stick one object
study (biology, chemistry, etc.)] class into another.
assignment. atendencia,/ [<Eng. attendance] atten¬
asigún, prep. Asegún, var. dance. Cf. Sp. asistencia.

asina, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. asina] in that atender, vb. [<Sp. atender, to pay atten¬
manner; thus. tion to] to attend a class, meeting, etc.
Cf. Sp. asistir.
asolapado, -da, adj. [<Sp. solapado, cun¬
ning] antisocial; in a crouch, crouched; atengir, vb. [<Mex. Sp. atingir, to hit the
sneaky. mark] to understand, to comprehend.

aspeta,/. [<Mex. Sp. espeta, hope] estar a atocar, vb. [<Sp. tocar] to feel; to touch.
la aspeta, to be waiting to be called to a atolate, m. [<Mex. Sp. atole, a kind of
job; to be on the alert or on the look¬ corn drink] mess; muddy mess; mud-
out. hole.
astrónomo, m. [<Sp. astrónomo, astrono¬ atole, m. [<Mex. Sp. atole] corn mush or

13
atomobil
gruel; dar atole con el dedo a alguno, to frustration. ¡Qué atraso! What a set¬
deceive a person; después de atole frío, back! How frustrating!
too late; echar mocos en 7 atole, to make atravesado, -da, adj. [<Sp. atravesado, ly¬
a boo-boo or a faux pas; to say the ing across] boring; contrary, disagree¬
wrong thing at the wrong time. able; caerle atravesada una persona a otra,
atomobil, m. [<Eng. automobile] auto, to be disliked, repugnant. (Esa me cae
car. Words such as atomobil, garache, muy atravesada. That woman bores
gaselín, telefón, came into New Mexico me. [I can’t stand that woman.] Este
and southern Colorado from oral Eng¬ niño es muy atravesado. This child is
lish before appearing in their standard very contrary.)
Spanish form (automóvil, garaje, gaso¬ atrevido, -da, adj. [<Sp. atrevido, daring]
lina, teléfono). As a consequence of this, mean, despicable; said of a person who
Hispanos in the area have retained the takes advantage of others. Also, apro¬
hispanicized English words in favor of vechado.
the later correct Spanish forms.
atrijas,/. pi. [unknown origin] girl’s or
atornillar, vb. [<Sp. atornillar, to screw woman’s panties.
on] to bring pressure to bear on some¬
atril, m. [<Sp. atril, lectern] bookshelf.
one; to put the screws on someone.
atrincar, vb. [<Sp. trincar, to bind secure¬
atorugar, vb. [<Sp. atarugar] to cram food,
ly] to press against; to chuck or wedge;
etc., into the mouth.
to drink liquor; atrincarse un hombre a
atrabancado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. atra¬ una mujer, to have sexual intercourse.
bancado, wild, blundering] impulsive;
atrincón, m. [<N.M. Sp. atrincar] bump;
reckless, rash.
collision; clash.
atrampado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. atram¬
atrocidad, /. [<Sp. atrocidad, atrocity]
par, to block off, to trap] blocked off;
destruction; atrocidad y media, quite a
trapped; run over, as by a vehicle.
havoc.
atrampar, vb. [<Sp. trampa, trap] to trap;
atrociento, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. atroz,
to snare; to run over. See also trampar.
destructive] careless; destructive; mis¬
atrancado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. atran¬ chievous; playful, prankish; rude, un¬
carse] drunk; boorish, said especially mannerly.
of someone who will not listen to rea¬
atropellar, vb. [<Sp. atropellar, to run
son.
over] to abuse. (Tú vienes aquí nomás a
atrancar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. tranca, lock] to atropellarnos. You come here only to
bar; to lock; to overfill a container with abuse us.)
liquid; haber or tener de algo hasta pa
atroteado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. atrotear,
atrancar puertas, to have an abundance
to coax, to convince] brainwashed; con¬
of a thing; reflex., to get drunk.
vinced.
atranque, m. [<N.M. Sp. atrancar, to lock]
atrotear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. trotear<Sp. trotar,
an emotional blow or setback. ¡Qué
to trot] to get someone to move swift¬
atranque! How disappointing!
ly; to incite. (La atrotearon que viniera a
atrás, adv. [<Sp. atrás] behind, toward papearme. They got her to come run¬
the back; dar pa atrás, to return an ob¬ ning and tell me off.)
ject; estar pa atrás, to be backward; venir atroz, adj. [<Sp. atroz, atrocious] care¬
or volver pa atrás, to return or come
less; destructive, as a child with his
back.
clothes, shoes, etc.; mischievous; play¬
atrascender, vb. [<Sp. trascender] to give ful, prankish.
off a pleasant, agreeable aroma. aturdido, -da, adj. [<Sp. aturdido, dazed]
atraso, m. [<Sp. atraso, backwardness] dazed; harebrained; stupid.

14
 azul
audencia,/. [<Eng. audience] audience. throw] push; lift, ride (in a vehicle).
audiencia,/. [<Sp. audiencia] Col. N.M. averiguar, vb. [<Sp. averiguar, to investi¬
Sp., a judicial body possessing legisla¬ gate] to argue; to quarrel. (No averigüen
tive, administrative, executive, and ec¬ tanto. Don’t argue so much.)
clesiastical functions. averiguata, /. [<N.M. Sp. averiguar, to
auditorio, m. [<Eng. auditorium] hall; argue] heated argument; quarrel.
auditorium. avispa,/ [<Sp. avispa, wasp] honeybee.
aumento, m. [<Sp. aumento, increase] Col. See also ovispa.
N.M. Sp., addendum; postscript; side¬ avispero, m. [<Sp. avispero, wasp’s nest]
board on a wagon. swarm of bees; ponerse al avispero, to
auto, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. auto\ a religious be on the alert and ready to seize an
folk play; proceedings of a case or law¬ opportunity.
suit. avocado,m. [<Eng. avocado] avocado. Cf.
avareo, m. [<unknown origin, probably Sp. aguacate.
linked to Eng. average] average. ayacahuite, m. [<Mex. Sp. ayacahuite or
ávaro, -ra, m. and/. [<Sp. avaro, miser] pino ayacahuite] bot., Royal pine. Also
miser; adj., avaricious, selfish; tight, called pino real.
miserly. ayate,m. [<Mex. Sp. ayate<Náhuatlayatl,
aveno, m. [<Sp. avena, oats] oats; oatmeal. a kind of cloth made from agave fi¬
See also otemil. bers] a gunnysack-like cloth used by
aventada, /. [<Sp. aventar, to cast, to Indians of Mexico as a poncho; Col.
throw] lift; ride (in a vehicle). Also, N.M. Sp., a kind of poncho.
aventadita and aventón. azonzado, -da, adj. [<Am. Sp. azonzado,
aventarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. aventarse, to let silly, stupid] delirious.
go; to let one’s hair down] to let go; to azul, m. [<Sp. azul, blue] blue; an in¬
do one’s stuff or thing; to excel or be tense turquoise blue used on lower
very good at something. (.Aviéntese, tía. part of whitewashed walls and doors;
Let yourself go, auntie.) azul presado, bluish purple; azul viejo,
aventón, m. [<Sp. aventar, to cast; to indigo blue.

15
 Bueno es culantro pero no tanto.
Too much of a good thing is not good.

bable, m. [<Sp. baúl (bable<baule<baul baique, m. See baica.

<baúl)] cedar chest, footlocker, trunk. bajito, m. [<Sp. dim. of bajo, low] chopped
baboso, -sa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. baboso] drool¬ car or jalopy; a “low rider” (slang).
ing idiot, simpleton; smart aleck. bal, interj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. bah and Lat.
bacha,/. [<Mex. Sp. bacha] cigar or ciga¬ aliud, another thing] ¡Bal tú! Pero, ¿pa
rette butt. qué? Oh, yeah? You don’t say!

bache, m. [<Sp. bache, pothole] deal; ar¬ baleado, -da,adj. [<Mex. Sp. baleado, gun¬
rangement. (Ahi estaban los dos y al fin shot] wounded or killed by a shot from
se hizo el bache. The two were there and a firearm.
finally the arrangement was made.) balear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. balear, to shoot at
random] to wound or kill by a shot
bagre, m. [<Mex. Sp. bagre] catfish. Cf.
from a firearm.
Sp. barbo.
balone, m. [<Eng. baloney sausage] bo¬
baica,/. [<Eng. bike] bicycle; motorcycle.
logna sausage; baloney; foolishness;
bailada,/. [<Sp. bailar, to dance] dance nonsense.
piece; dance; echar una bailada, to
balún, m. [<Eng. balloon] balloon.
dance.
bambalearse, vb. [<Sp. bambolearse, to
baile, m. [<Sp. baile] dance; baile chango,
stagger] to reel, to totter. (El Elifaz
footwork; baile de desquite or de desem¬
andaba bambaleándose. Eliphaz was tot¬
peño, a dance to fulfill some social ob¬
tering.)
ligation or promise; baile de gusto, “for
fun” dance; baile de prendorio, engage¬ bandeja,/. [<Sp. bandeja, tray] pan; bandeja
ment dance; baile de San Vito, St. Vitus maqueada, enamel pan.
dance. bandera,/. [<Sp. bandera] flag; manchar

16
 bayetón
la bandera, to make a blunder. most minute detail, for banquets, fi¬
bándido, m. [<Sp. bandido] bandit, rob¬ estas, weddings, funerals, and other
ber; criminal, outlaw. See also méndigo affairs requiring expert knowledge
for a change of accent. of technique and protocol. (William
A. Keleher, Memoirs)
banqueta,/. [<Mex. Sp. banqueta] side¬
walk. basudero, m. [<Sp. basurero<basura] rub¬
bish dump; dung heap.
banquete, m. [<Sp. banquete, banquette]
ledge or bench around the top of a basura,/. [<Sp. basura, rubbish] poner a
house or kiva wall. uno de la basura, to tell someone off.

baquear, vb. [<Eng. to back] to back up. batalla,/ [<Sp. batalla, battle] nuisance.
Cf. Sp. retroceder. ¡Qué batalla! What a nuisance! What a
hassle!
baquetón, m. See vaquetón.
batán, m. [<Mex. Sp. abatanado, snarled]
baraña,/. [<Sp. maraña, place rendered
snarl, tangle, as in the hair; a knot in
impassable by brambles or briers] bram¬
one’s hair.
ble patch, brier.
batarete, m. [<Mex. Sp. batarete, a mixed
baratillo, m. [<Sp. baratillo, secondhand
drink] mess; a kind of cereal made
store] clearance sale.
with roasted cornmeal; hodgepodge.
barato, -ta, adj. [<Sp. barato, cheap (price
Cf. Sp. baturrillo.
wise)] cheap, stingy, tight.
bate, m. [<Eng. bat] baseball bat.
barbacoa,/. [< Am. Sp. barbacoa] corn bin;
bate, m. [<Sp. batir, to beat] mixture;
loft for storing produce.
mess; hacer bates, to make a mess, as
barcino, -na, adj. [<Sp. barcino] reddish
with mud.
with black.
batea, /. [<Sp. batea, tray] prospector’s
bargueño, m. [<Sp. bargueño, gilt and
pan; large wooden bowl.
painted desk] Col. N.M. Sp., traveling
batear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. bate<Eng. bat] to
desk. Also, vargueño, q.v.
bat (baseball).
barropiedra, m. [<Sp. barro, clay, and
batería,/ [<Sp. batería, battery] flashlight;
piedra, stone] lit., clay stone; black col¬
battery.
ored clay or stone clay used in making
pottery. batir, vb. [<Sp. batir, to beat (cream, etc.)]
batirle el moco a alguno, to give some¬
barullento, -ta, adj. [<Sp. barullo, confu¬
one a beating.
sion] noisy, rowdy.
bato, m. [<N.M. Sp. Bato?, name of a
basa,/ [<unknown origin] hacer basa, to
shepherd in the folk play, Los pastores]
cut up; to misbehave.
character, dude, fellow, guy. ¡Ese bato!
basas,/ pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp. baxas] casu¬
Hi, guy!
alties.
bau, m. [<Sp. vaho?, vapor] pleasure; dar
bastimento, m. [<Sp. bastimento, food¬
bau, to give in to someone’s whims; to
stuffs] lunch that is eaten out in the
please.
field.
bau, m. [<Sp. vado, ford] level part of a
basto, m. [<Sp. basto, pad] saddle skirt
river or stream.
made of sole leather lined with un¬
baustizar, vb. [<Sp. bautizar] to baptize.
dressed lambskin.
(Baustizaron al baby. They baptized the
bastonero, m. [<Sp. bastonero] master of
baby.)
ceremonies at a dance, fiesta, banquet,
etc. bayeta, /. [<Sp. bayeta, baize] woolen
A bastonero is responsible for super¬ homespun.
vising all arrangements down to the bayetón, m. [<Sp. aug. of bayeta] baize

17
bayo
with nap. and square. ¡Hace bien! Good for him!
bayo, -ya, adj. [<Sp. bayo, bay] dun- Ponerse uno bien, to brag, to put one¬
colored; bayo coyote, said of the dun- self in an advantageous position; no
colored horse with a black stripe down estar bien una persona, to be mentally
its back. unbalanced.

bayoneta,/. [<Sp. bayoneta, bayonet] hot., bienhado, -da, adj. [<Sp. bienhadado]
a plant with stiff, upright leaves re¬ lucky; happy-go-lucky.
sembling bayonets. bigote, m. [<Sp. bigote] mustache; mover el
becerrillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of becerro, calf] bigote, to chat, to chew the rag.
cuero becerrillo, calf rawhide used in the bil, m. [<Eng. bill (statement)] bill; dollar
making of thongs and leather shoe¬ bill.
laces. See also crudillo. bil, m. [<Eng. bale (hay)] bale.
bejuco, m. [<Sp. bejuquillo, a kind of small bingo, m. [<Eng. bingo] game of bingo.
gold chain] a round, braided choker¬
binguero, -ra, adj. [<Eng. bingo] said of
like gold chain with the figure of a
a person who is very fond of playing
goldfish attached in the form of a pen¬
bingo.
dant. See also cordón.
bironga,/ [<Eng. beer and Sp. onga]
bellota,/. [<Sp, bellota] acorn; bellota de
beer. Also, birria.
sabino, juniper berry; mistletoe; a kind
bisquete, m. [<Eng. biscuit] biscuit. See
of bread made with flour from ground
also galleta.
acorns; dar bellota a alguno, to bewitch
someone. bizcochito, m. [<Sp. dim. of bizcocho, bis¬
cuit] a kind of sugar cookie.
beneficiar, vb. [<Sp. beneficiar, to culti¬
vate] to weed, as a corn patch. bizcocho, m. [<Sp. bizcocho, biscuit] toast
made in the oven; female organ (ta¬
benerito, -ta,adj. [<Sp.Benedicto] blessed;
person’s name. boo); hacerse bizcocho, to refuse (taboo).
Cajita de Dios benerita, bizcochuelo, m. [<Sp. dim. of bizcocho] a
que se abre y se cierra kind of leavened bread. Once baked,
y no se marchita. the bizcochuelo is split open and put
Little box by God blessed again in the oven to brown, hence the
It opens and closes but it name bizcochuelo (baked on both sides).
never wilts. blanco, m. [<Sp. bianco, target] tirar blancos,
{El ojo, The Eye, N.M. Sp. riddle) to shoot at targets (bottles, tin cans,
bequenpaura, m. [<Eng. baking powder] etc.); pi, blank spaces; blanks, as for a
baking powder. job application.
berrendo, m. [<Sp. berrendo, two-colored] blandura, /. [<Sp. blandura, softness]
antelope; adj., mottled. looseness of bowels.
berrinche, m. [<Sp. berrinche, tantrum] blanquear, vb. [<Sp. blanquear] to dawn;
temper tantrum; hacerse uno de berrin¬ to whitewash (walls).
che, to want to be coaxed.
blanquillos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. blanquillos]
berruga, f. See verruga. eggs (rare).
betabel, m. [<Mex. Sp. betabel] sugar beet. blasón, m. [<Sp. blasón, honor] solatarun
Also, betabel de azúcar. See also raices. blasón, to start a rumor. See also bolada,
betabelero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. betabel] bulla.
sugar-beet worker. bloque, m. [<Eng. block] block; city block;
bicoca, /. [<It. bicoccaf, small stone] the head.
money (slang). See also lana, manil, jando. boca {boca de ángel), adj. [<Sp. boca,
bien, adv. [<Sp. bien] well; bien a bien, fair mouth] boca de ángel, a term applied to

18
 borboración
a shy person, particularly one who bolo, m. [<Mex. Sp. bolo<Lat. volo, I do
rarely complains about anything. (what a baby is supposed to answer
when asked by the priest if he—the
bocón, -na, adj. [<Sp. aug. of boca,
mouth] said of the person with large, baby—is willing to take baptism)] a
protruding lips; curser. coin of small denomination given by
the padrino to children at a wedding;
bofetazo, m. [<Sp. bofetón] a hard blow
shoeshine.
on the face.
bolote,m. [<Mex. Sp. borlote, row, uproar]
bofo, -fa, adj. [<Sp. fofo, soft, spongy]
brawl, noisy dance or party; celebra¬
physically weak; cowardly. See also fatal.
tion.
bogue, m. [<Eng. buggy] buggy.
bolsa,/ [<Sp. bolsa, purse] pocket; hot-
boguecito, m. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of bogue] water bottle.
baby buggy. bolsear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. bolsa, pocket] to
boila,/. [<Eng. boiler] boiler. pick someone’s pocket.
bola, /. [<Sp. bola, ball] ball (general); bolso, m. [<Sp. bolso, money bag] a shell-
doorknob; no dar pie con bola, to be trimmed band worn by Santo Domin¬
disoriented or in a predicament, to run go, New Mexico, Indian men. The bolso
from pillar to post. crosses a person’s chest and back and
bola,/. [<Mex. Sp. bola, disorder, tumult] is fastened at the belt.
fight, riot; dar bola, to treat with indif¬ bollito, m. [<Sp. dim. of bollo, small
ference; to let something ride; hacerse sugar roll] a kind of cookie.
bola una persona, to become confused bollo, m. [<Sp. bollo, small sugar roll] a
out of nervousness; de a bola, many, a kind of breakfast roll; female organ
great number. (taboo).
bola, m. [<unknown origin] Mexican sil¬ bombera, /. [<Mex. Sp. bombo] weak;
ver one-peso coin (slang). weakling.
bolada,/. [<Mex. Sp. bolada<bola, occur¬ bombo, -ba, adj. [<Mex. Sp. bombo, weak]
rence] rumor; soltar la bolada, to start soft, weak.
a rumor. bonche, m. [<Eng. bunch] bunch; bun¬
bole, m. [<Eng. baldy] said of a horse or dle. (Le costó un bonche. It cost him a
cow with a white forehead. bundle [slang].)

boleta, /. [<Eng. ballot] ballot. Cf. Sp. bonete, m. [<Sp. bonete, bonnet] arrojarse
balota. los bonetes. To argue heatedly.
bonque, m. [<Eng. bunk] bunk bed; bed
bolillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. bolillo, a kind of
(slang).
breakfast roll] name applied to a non-
Indo-Hispanic American white, an boquera,/ [<Sp. boquera, eruption of the
“Anglo”; roller, as on a washing ma¬ lips] cold sore.
chine; cylinder wax record; rolling pin. boquinete, m. [<Mex. Sp. boquinete, said
Cf. Sp. rodillo. of a person with a harelip] sucker (fish);
bolita,/ [<Sp. dim. of bola, ball] play¬ said of a person with a fish-like mouth.
ing marble; túnico de bolitas, polka-dot boquisuelto, -ta, adj. [<Sp. boca, mouth,
dress; pisar bolitas de oro, to be on cloud and suelto, loose] said of a person who
nine; frijol de bolita, a kind of round¬ cannot keep a secret.
shaped bean. borboración,/ [<Mex. Sp. górgoro (gor-
bolito, m. [<Sp. dim. m. of bola] a brown, goración)] gurgling sound.
round-shaped variety of bean grown Calabaza borboraza
in mountain areas. llena de borboración

19
boronía
con el casco ’e la cabeza brava, adj. [<Sp. bravo, brave, fierce] in
y las patitas de león. heat, applied to cows, female dogs, etc.
Pumpkin lunking, breca,/ [<Eng. brake] brake, as in a car.
Full of gurgling,
brel, m. [<Eng. bread?] a kind of coarse
With its shell for a head
bread made by shepherds.
And legs like a lion.
brincacharcos, adj. [<Sp. brincar, tojump,
(La tortuga, The Turtle, N.M. Sp.
and charcos, puddles] hyperactive; jit¬
riddle)
tery, unsettled; scatterbrained.
boronía,/. [<Am. Sp. boronía, a dish made
brincochar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. brincacharcos]
with eggplant and tomato] a small top.
tojump around.
Cf. Sp. perinola.
brindarse, vb. [<Sp. brindar, to drink to
borrega,/. [<Sp. borrega] sheep; ewe; andar
another’s health] to treat oneself to
en la borrega, to be working in a sheep
good food or good living.
camp; to tend sheep.
broche, m. [<Sp. broche, brooch] safety
borrego, m. [<Sp. borrego] yearling lamb;
cuckold. pin; a snap, as on a harness. See also
fistol.
borrego, adj. [<N.M. Sp. borrego] easygo¬
broma,/ [<Sp. broma, joke, prank] de¬
ing, ignorant.
lay; time-consuming difficulty; trou¬
borreguera, adj. [<Sp. borrega, sheep] of
ble; embarrassing difficulty; meterse en
or pertaining to sheep; /., sheepskin
bromas, to get into difficulties. ¡Qué
jacket.
broma! What a hassle!
borreguero, adj. [<Sp. borrega] of or
bromoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. broma, de¬
pertaining to sheep (campo borreguero,
lay] delaying, slow; time-consuming.
sheep camp, etc.); m., sheepherder.
brujo, m. [<Sp. brujo, sorcerer] sorcerer;
boruca,/ [<Mex. Sp. boruca] hacer una
Indian medicine man; adj., psychic. (Es
cosa de boruca, to lose a thing design¬
muy brujo. He is very psychic.)
edly or on purpose; to change the sub¬
ject. buche, m. [<Sp. buche, craw, crop of
birds] double chin; goiter; echarse algo
bosque, m. [<Sp. bosque, woods] cotton¬
en el buche, to grab something for
wood grove; wooded area fringing a
keeps, to kipe.
body of water, such as a lake, river,
stream, etc. bueyada,/ [<Sp. buey, ox] drove of oxen;
group of ignorant men. Cf. Sp. boyada.
bostecear, vb. [<Sp. bostezar] to yawn.
bueyero, -ra, m. and /. [<Sp. buey, ox]
bota,/. [<Sp. bota] boot. (Al que le venga la
person in charge of caring for or driv¬
bota que la reciba [or que se la ponga]. If
ing oxen. Cf. Sp. boyero.
the shoe fits, wear it.) Dar la bota a
alguno, to give someone the boot; botas, bulto, m. [<Sp. bulto, statue] image of a
leggings; soft leather flaps to cover the holy person carved in the round; ghost.
leg and foot; andar en la bota, to irri¬ (Se nos aprontó un bulto. A ghost ap¬
gate. peared to us.) Bulto de media talla, a
bulto with only the head and upper
bote, m. [<Eng. bottle] jail; bottle. Pásate
extremities carved in the round, the
el bote, pass the bottle.
rest of the body consisting of a wooden
botija, /. [<Sp. botija, a kind of earthen frame covered with cloth.
jug] hot-water bottle.
bulla,/. [<Sp. bulla] noise; rumor. (Aquí
bracero, m. [<Sp. bracero<brazo, arm] day anda la bulla de que el rey quiere casar a
laborer, Mexican farm worker. la principa. There is a rumor going
bragado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. bragado] around here that the king wants to
striped, spotted. marry off the princess.)

20
 buti
bulliciento, -ta, adj. [<Sp. bulla, noise] very valuable. (Lansing B. Bloom,
noisy; lively, merry, boisterous. Cf. Sp. “Barreriro’s Ojeada Sobre Nuevo
bullicioso. Mexico,” New Mexico Historical Re¬
view)
buñiga, /. [<Sp. bumga] cow chip, cow
dung. ¡Come buñigas! Go to blazes! burriñates, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. burruñates]
a dish made with cabrito (goat) intes¬
buñuelo, m. [<Sp. buñuelo, fritter] Indian
tines fried in hot fat.
fried bread. The term buñuelo and so¬
burrión, m. [<Sp. gorrión] sparrow. See
paipilla (<Sp. dim. of sopaipa) are often
also gurrión.
used interchangeably to refer to the
same kind of fritter. Also, guñelo, es¬ burro, -rra, adj. [<Sp. burro, ass] dumb,
pecially in southern Colorado. stupid; dunce.

buquipa, m. [<Eng. bookkeeper] book¬ burro, -rra, m. and/. [<Sp. burro, ass]
keeper; certified public accountant. donkey; burro de carpintero, sawhorse;
m., male mule deer; burro manadero
bura,/. [<Mex. Sp. bura, a kind of deer
(<Sp. manada, herd), seed donkey used
(■Odocoileus hemionus)] mule deer; sor¬
among a herd of mares for the pur¬
rel deer, desert mule deer.
pose of crossing with the mares to ob¬
The sorrel deer or ‘ bura . . . the
tain mules.
figure of this animal is certainly gal¬
busa,/. [<N.M. Sp. abusado<Sp. aguzado]
lant. Its body is like that of a mule,
sharp, smart; “on the ball.” ¡A la busa!
and its antlers astonish one’s eyes,
Careful! Watch out! (slang).
their branches rising from six to
seven feet from base to tip. The buti, adv. [<Mex. Sp. slang buti] much;
flesh is said to be bad but the skins are very (slang).

21
 Con pacencia se gana el cielo.
Patience is its own reward.

cabaderiza,/ [<Sp. caballeriza] barn, shed cat out of the bag, to spill the beans, to
for horses; stable. Also, caballariza. let out a secret.

caballerango,m. [<Mex. Sp. caballerango, cabildo, m. [<Sp. cabildo, corporation of

head groom] bronco buster; cowboy. a town] Col. N.M. Sp., municipal coun¬
Eng. wrangler, one who tends and cil headed by the alcalde or mayor.
rounds up cattle and horses, is de¬ cabo, m. [<Sp. caber, to fit] I fit. Nor¬
rived from caverango<caballerango, mally a child’s substitution for quepo,
good horseman. cabo is common in most northern New
Mexico and southern Colorado villag¬
caballito, m. [<Sp. dim. of caballo, horse]
es, where the present indicative of
small horse; pon,y; human ladder, as
caber, to fit, is conjugated as follows:
for scaling a wall; los caballitos, merry-
cabo, quepes, quepe, cabemos, -,
go-round; caballito del diablo, a kind of quepen.
dragonfly.
cabra,/. [<Sp. cabra, goat] goat, antelope;
cabañuelas,/. [<Sp. dim. of cabaña, hut] doe; meterle las cabras a alguno, to bring
name given to the first twelve days of pressure to bear on someone; to take
the month of January. Each one of to court; se le fueron las cabras, he lost
these days is supposed to show the his marbles (slang).
kind of weather to be had during each cabrestear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. cabresto, rope]
of the twelve months of the new year. to lead stock by a rope.
cabeza,/. [<Sp. cabeza, head] Col. N.M. cabresto, m. [<Mex. Sp. cabresto, horsehair
Sp., head or chief of a tribe; cabeza de rope] rope in general; guide or bell
embarañada, bot., a plant of the Aster animal.
family; echarse por la cabeza, to let the cabrilla, /. [<Sp. dim. of cabra] goat;

22
 café

Las cabrillas, the Pleiades. cachina,/ [<N.M. Indian kachina] Indian

ceremonial doll, supernatural symbol.
cabrón, m. [<Sp. aug. of cabro, billy goat]
cuckold; pimp; S.O.B. (taboo). cachivaches, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. cachi¬
cabronazo, m. [<Sp. aug. of cabrón] a hard vaches] trifles; odds and ends,
blow. cacho, m. [<Mex. Sp. cacho, piece] piece
(sexual connotation),
cabás, m. [<Eng. caboose] caboose.
cachucha, /. [<Sp. cachucha, a kind of
cacahuate, m. [<Mex. Sp. cacahuate<Ná¬
cap] canvas top of a covered wagon;
huatl cacahuatl] peanut. Don Cacahuate,
comic character in Southwest folklore. top of a convertible; condom.
Don Cacahuate and his wife, Doña Ce¬ cachupín, m. [<Mex. Sp. gachupín, low-
bolla, are usually the butt of a series of class, mean Spaniard] Spaniard (gen¬
moron jokes. eral). Also, gachupín.
cacaraquear, vb. [<Sp. cacarear] to cack¬ cadajón, m. [<Sp. cagajón, horse dung]
le; to yak-yak; to chatter; to exagger¬ dung of donkeys, horses, mules, etc.
ate one’s own actions; to brag. Also, Mañana domingo
caracaquear. se casa Benito
cacarizo, -za, adj. [<Mex. Sp. cacarizo] con un borreguito.
pock-marked. ¿Quién es la madrina?
cacique, m. [<Am. Sp. cacique, political Doña Catalina.
boss] Pueblo Indian chief and ceremo¬ ¿ Quién es el padrino ?
nial leader. Don Juan Botijón.
¿De qué hacen la fiesta?
cacombra,/. [<Eng. cucumber] cucum¬
De un cadajón.
ber. Cf. Sp. pepinillo.
¿ Quién se lo come ?
cacomite, m. [<Mex. Sp. cacomite] bot.,
El perro pastor.
Wild onion. See also cebollita.
Tomorrow, Sunday,
cacona, /. pi. [<Zuni cacona] a kind of Benito is marrying
turquoise ornament worn in colonial A little lamb;
New Mexico by Zuni Indians. Who’s the maid of honor?
All the people of this town [Zuni] Lady Catalina;
wear turquoises hanging from their Who’s the best man?
noses and ears; these ornaments are Sir John Botijón.
called cacona. (Percy M. Baldwin, What’s for the reception?
“Fray Marcos’ Relación,” New Mex¬ A large piece of dung;
ico Historical Review) Who’s going to eat it?
cacha,/. [<Sp. cacha] handle; de mala The shepherd dog.
cacha, ill-disposed, mean; spiteful. (N.M. Sp. children’s rhyme)
cachaña,/. [<Mex. Sp. cachañe] bot., a
caer [kái\, vb. [<Sp. caer, to fall] caer
plant used medicinally. The root is
agua, to rain; caer nieve, to snow; caerle
used to ward off evil or witchcraft.
bien una persona a otra, to appeal to
cachanilla,/. [<N.M. Sp. cachaña] bot., a someone; caerle un hombre a una mujer,
plant used medicinally. to court, to propose. {El Frutoso le cayó
cachar, vb. [<Eng. to catch] to catch; to a la Sofronia. Frutoso proposed to So-
kipe. {Me cacharon. They caught me fronia.) Caerle tierra a una persona, to
[slang].) have trouble, to meet one’s equal,
cachetada,/. [<Mex. Sp. cachetada] a slap café, m. [<Sp. café, coffee] cafe; restau¬
in the face. Cf. Sp. cachete. rant; no hacerle café una persona a otra,
cachetazo, m. [<Mex. Sp. cachetazo] a slap to be socially unequal to someone.
in the face. {Malaquias no le hace café a la Rosenda.

23
 Malaquias is not Rosenda’s equal.) female.
cafuso, -sa, adj. [<Port. cafuso, offspring cajón, m. [<Sp. cajón] large box; box of a
of a Black and an Indian woman] black; truck or wagon; coffin; wooden mold
ugly; very dark-complexioned. (/Cál¬ for adobes; letter box; drop box. Cf.
late, negro cafuso! Shut up, you dirty, Sp. buzón.
ugly thing!) cajonería,/. [<N.M. Sp. cajón, coffin] fu¬
cagalera,/. [<Mex. Sp. cagalera] the low¬ neral home or parlor, mortuary; cof¬
er part of the colon. fin factory.
Entre Melón y Melambes cajonero, m. [<N.M. Sp. cajón, coffin]
mataron una ternera; coffin maker; funeral director; under¬
Melón se comió la carne taker.
y Melambes, la cagalera.
cajuetón, m. [<N.M Sp. aug. of cajete]
Melón and Yulick
large bowl.
Butchered a calf;
calabacear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. calabacear] to
Melón ate the meat
turn down a proposal of marriage.
And Yulick my ass.
Y a no vivo en El Cerrito
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. folk rhyme)
donde usté me conoció;
cagazón,/. [<Sp. aug. of cagada, excre¬ ’hora vivo más abajo,
ment] scolding, dressing down. donde me calabaceó.
caguillas, adj. [<Mex. Sp. caguillas, stin¬ I have moved from El Cerrito
gy] afraid. Where we two first met;
caída [káida], f. [<Sp. caída de agua] wa¬ Now I live down the hill
terfall. Where you said no to me.
caído [káido], m. [<Sp. caída] declivity; (N.M. Sp. verso popular)
dip; landslip; adj., madly in love (slang). calabacilla, /. [<Sp. dim. of calabaza,
caja, /. [<Sp. caja] box; carved wooden gourd, pumpkin] a kind of wild gourd
chest; caja del río, river basin; real caja, the approximate shape and size of a
safe, sub-treasury. tennis ball.

cajero, -ra, m. and/. [<Sp. cajero] cash¬ calabacitas,/ pi. [<Sp. dim. of calabaza]
ier; clerk;/., saleslady. squash; zucchini.

cajeta, / [<Mex. Sp. cajeta, a kind of calabaza,/ [<Sp. calabaza] pumpkin; cala¬
carmelized candy] applesauce, jelly. baza mexicana, garden pumpkin; cala¬
Yela(<Eng. jelly) is a more popular baza de pastel, a specially prepared ripe
term for jelly. pumpkin used for pumpkin pies; dar
calabazas una mujer a un hombre, to re¬
No saben que soy el duce
ject or turn down a man’s proposal of
la cajeta, la ensalada,
marriage.
la azúcar, el piloncillo,
los anises y la gracia . . . calabozo, m. [<Sp. calabozo, dungeon]
They don’t know I am the candy dungeon; jail.
The jelly and the salad; calabrote, m. [<Sp. calabrote, stream cable]
The white and brown sugar, large, heavy rope.
The aniseed in preserves, caladas, /. pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp. calada?,
And, above all, the grace. craggy road] waves, as on one’s hair.
(Los Comanches, N.M. Sp. folk drama)
calar, vb. [<Sp. cala, small piece cut out
cajete, m. [<Mex. Sp. cajete<Náhuatl ca- of a watermelon to try out its ripeness,
xitl, bowl] tub; tin tub, washtub. color, flavor, etc.] to try, to sound out.
cajetuda, adj. [<N.M. Sp. cajete, tub] said calave, m. [<Sp. calavera, skull] bones;
of a woman with large hips; a sexy skeleton. (Ese chulo es puro calave. That

24
 camacho
dog is nothing but skin and bones.) If that bedbug were to bite me
calcos, ra. pi. [<Mex. Sp. slang, calcos] And if I died from the bite,
shoes (slang). I’d raise one of my buttocks
And use it as a suppository.
caldear, vb. [<N.M Sp. caldo, flattery] to
(Trovos del Viejo Vilmas, N.M. Sp. folk
compliment; to flatter; caldearse unaper-
poetry)
sona, to brag. See also caldo (echarse el
caldo). calor,/ [<Sp. calor (ra.)] heat; mucha ca¬
lor, very hot.
caldera,/. [<Sp. caldera, boiler] volcanic
valley. calote, ra. [<Sp. cal, lime] plaster cast;
adj., strong, muscular. Also, colote.
caldero, -ra, adj. [<N.M Sp. caldo, flat¬
tery] said of a person who likes to flat¬ calquigüite, ra. See chalchigüite.
ter others; flirtatious. calunia,/ [<Col. N.M. Sp. calunia (Moli¬
caldito, ra. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of caldo, flat¬ na)] calumny, libel, slander.
tery] thin soup; flattery; change of caluniador, -ra, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. cal-
subject in a conversation to throw or uniador] slanderer.
put someone off. calvario, ra. [<Sp. calvario, Calvary] site
Vide venir una indita near a Penitente morada (chapter
bastante americanada, house). The calvario represents the hill
y a los pastores de Otero of Calvary where Jesus is supposed to
nomás caldito les daba. have been crucified.
I saw an Indian maiden coming,
calzonear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. calzones, pants]
She acted like an Anglo; to defecate; to go through someone’s
She gave Otero’s shepherds
pockets; to rob.
Nothing more than flattery.
calzoncitos, ra. pi. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of cal¬
(Indita de Siete Lagunas, N.M. Sp. folk
zones, pants] basketball or track shorts.
song)
caldo, ra. [<Mex. Sp. caldo, soup] broth, calzones, ra. pi. [<Sp. calzones, breeches]
soup; flattery; echarse uno el caldo, to pants, trousers; calzones rotos, tramp;
brag or to exaggerate one’s achieve¬ meterse uno en sus calzones, to wear the
ments. pants. (Ella está metida en sus calzones.
She wears the pants.)
calentón, ra. [<Sp. calentar, to heat] boil¬
er; hot-water tank or reservoir in a calzonudo, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. calzones,
wood stove. pants] brave; courageous; daring.

calía,/. See calilla. ¡Calla!, interj. [<Sp. callar, to hush] You

caliche, ra. [<Sp. caliche, pebble in a don’t say! How strange!
brick, flake of lime] a crust of calcium callado, -da, ra. and /. [<Sp. callar, to
carbonate (CaC03) formed on stony hush] Col. N.M. Sp., illegitimate child;
soil in arid regions. in southern Colorado such a child is
caliente, adj. [<Sp. caliente] hot; correrle referred to as “de los pajaritos del monte”
caliente a uno, to be in a predicament (from the birds of the forest).
or in a fix; estar caliente (el tiempo), to calle,/ [<Sp. calle, street] street; space
be hot. (¡Qué caliente está hoy! How hot between rows in a sown field.
it is today.) Cf. Sp. Hace calor.
cama,/ [<Sp. cama] bed; felly of a wagon
calilla,/ [<Sp. calilla] suppository.
wheel.
Si esa chinche me picara
y del piquete muriera, camacho, ra. [<Mex. Sp. camacho, a kind
levantaría la nalga of duck?] lump on the forehead or
de calía me la metiera. head. See Mex. Sp. chichón.

25
 camada
camada,/. [<Sp. camada, litter] age; kind. potato; yam; bulb (iris, lily, etc.); adj.,
(Son de la misma camada. They are of dunce, stupid.
the same age.) Mira, sin hacer alarde,
camaleón, m. [<Sp. camaleón, chameleon] Chicoria, no seas camote
horned toad. ¡Cómo quieres desmentir
camalta,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. cama alta] bed. a un padre y sacerdote!
El se echa en cama alta, en la esterica Pay attention and don’t brag,
yo. Chicoria, don’t be a dunce.
He lies down on a bed; I lie down How can you say the father,
on a mat. A priest, is lying?
(.Romances de América, Colección (Trovos del Viejo Vilmas, Chicoria y
Austral) Otros Poetas, N.M. Sp. folk poetry)
camalteado,-da,adj. [<N.M. Sp. camaltear,
to wear out someone in bed (sexual¬ campamocha,/ [<Mex. Sp. campamocha]
ly)] sexually worn out. praying mantis. Cf. Sp. rezadora.

camaltear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. camalta, bed] campanita,/ [<Sp. dim. of campana, bell]
to wear out somone in bed (sexually). small bell; jingle bell.

camaltita,/. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of camalta] campero, m. [<Sp. campero, friar who su¬
crib; twin bed. perintends a farm] said of the person
who runs a sheep camp.
camandulero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. camandulero,
full of tricks] experienced, especially campito, m. [<Sp. dim. of campo, field]
in matters of sex. time. (Dése un campito y vaya a vernos.
Give yourself a little time and come to
camastrón, adj. [<Sp. camastrón, sly, cun¬
visit us.)
ning] old seed male; viejo camastrón,
dirty old man. camposanto, m. [<Sp. campo santo, holy
ground] burial plot in front of a church,
cambiar, vb. [<Sp. cambiar] to change; to
cemetery.
cash checks. Cambiar conjugates as fol¬
lows: cambeo, cambeas, cambea, cambi¬ canaigra, m. [<Mex. Sp. canaigre] bot.,
amos,-, cambean. Dock root. Also, canaigre.

cambullón, m. [<Sp. cambullón, swindle] canal, m. [<Sp. canal, gutter] rain spout;
en cambullón, in droves. roof gutter.
También algunas viejitas canaleja,/. [<Sp. dim. of canal] rain gut¬
llegaron en cambullón ter.
y andaban como ratitas canas,/. pi. [<Sp. canas] gray hair; salirle
en la pisca del piñón. canas a uno, to get gray hair; sacarle
Also some little old ladies canas verdes a uno, to drive one mad.
Got there in droves;
canasto, m. [<Sp. canasto, large basket]
They went about like mice
basket; bassinet; bushel.
Picking up their piñón nuts.
candelaria,/ [<Sp. Candelaria, Candle¬
(N.M. Sp. folk song)
mas] girl’s name; Candlemas; bot.,
camellar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. camellar] to work
Torchweed.
(slang).
candelilla,/ [<N.M. Sp. dim. of candela]
camello, vb. [<Mex. Sp. camellar] work
frost particles in the air; name of a
(slang). See also jale, chamba.
plant from which wax is extracted.
camino, m. [<Sp. camino] road, way; El
candil, m. [<Mex. Sp. candil, a kind of
camino, the Milky Way.
tin lamp] a kind of kitchen lamp using
camisa,/ [<Sp. camisa] shirt; canvas cov¬ coal oil as fuel. (Candil de la calle y escuri-
er for a wagon. See also cachucha. dad de su casa. Charity begins at home.)
camote, m. [<Mex. Sp. camote, yam] sweet canela,/. [<Sp. canela] cinnamon; hasta

26
 capote

los más de canela, even those from the plant used for its medicinal properties;
best families. cañutillo del llano, bot., Scouring rush.
canijo, -ja, adj. [<Mex. Sp. canijo] damned, caparejo, m. [<Sp. aparejo] Col. N.M.,
wretched; interj., Damn it! packsaddle.
The loads are carried on packsad-
canilla,/. [<Sp. canilla, shin bone] shin
dles of a peculiar shape, made for
bone; pi, extremely thin legs or wrists.
the purpose, and, in the language
canillera,/. [<N.M. Sp. canilla, thin leg
of the country, are called caparejo.
or wrist] leather strap used on the
They consist of a wide leather pad
wrist.
stuffed with hay or grass, which fits
canjilón, m. [<Sp. cangilón] ram’s horn; across the back of the animal, and ex¬
pi, antlers. tends some distance down the sides.
canoba, /. [<Am. Sp. canoa] trough; They are secured with a wide band¬
chute for conveying grain; rain gutter. age of sea-grass or leather, and are
cantada,/ [<Sp. cantada, cantata] song; drawn as tight around the mule as
folk tune. can be borne. (W.W.H. Davis, El
Gringo)
cantador, m. [<Sp. cantador, cantor] folk
singer; singer. capaz, adj. [<Sp. capaz] capable; hacerse
capaz de algo, to be cognizant of, to
cantaleta, /. [<Sp. cantaleta, confused
notice or take note of; ser capaz de, to
noise, as of voices, instruments, etc.]
be liable to. (Es capaz de que te mate. He
the same old song; a repeated com¬
is liable to kill you.)
plaint. (Aquí viene el Vitelio con la misma
cantaleta de siempre. Here comes Vi¬ capeada,/. [<Sp. N.M. capearse, to duck]
telio with his age-old complaint.) act of ducking, as to avoid a blow.

cantina, /. [<Sp. cantina, canteen] bar, capear, vb. [<Sp. capa, cape] to wave
tavern; large wallet or leather box. hello or good-bye from a distance;
reflex., to duck, as to avoid a blow.
cantón, m. [<Sp. cantón, region] home;
hometown (slang). capear, vb. [<Eng. slang to kipe] to help
out; to hand over something on the
cantonear, vb. [<N.M. cantón] to live or
sly (slang).
to be staying at home (slang).
capero, m. [<Sp. capa, cape] caretaker of
cañada,/ [<Sp. cañada, glen] a dry riv¬
the costumes (capes) of the players in
erbed; a small canyon in the sierra.
the Matachines dance.
cañaigra, / [<Mex. Sp. cañaigre] bot.,
capirotada,/ [<Mex. Sp. capirotada] bread
Wild pieplant; Sour dock root. Also,
pudding. The term sopa, q.v., is a more
cañaigre.
common word for this kind of pud¬
cañatilla, /. [<N.M. Sp. cañutillo] bot., ding.
Mormon tea.
capirote, -ta, adj. [<Sp. capirote, said of
caño, m. [<Sp. caño, tube, iron pipe] caño the animal having the head of a differ¬
de camino, culvert. ent color than the body] said of an
cañón, m. [<Sp. cañón, tube, pipe] stove¬ animal having eyes of different colors
pipe. (one blue, one gray, for example); cabra
capirota, black and white goat; gallina
cañute, m. [<Sp. cañuto, iron pipe] metal
capirota, speckled hen.
pipe; a kind of flute; a baton used in
the game of cañute. This game is played caporal, m. [<Mex. Sp. caporal] overseer
with four batons (cañutes), each with who works under a mayordomo (boss,
its respective markings and names: el manager).
uno, el dos, el mulato, and el cinchado. capote, m. [<Sp. capote, raincoat] canvas
cañutillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. canutillo] bot., a cover or top of a wagon or convertí-

27
 capulín
ble; condom. nothing but skin and bones.)
capulín, m. [<Mex. Sp. Náhuatl carcamán, m. [<Mex. Sp. carcamán] a
capulí] bot., Chokecherry; Wild cherry. game of chance involving the use of
capusanto, m. [<Sp. campo santo] ceme¬ dice in order to guess the lucky num¬
tery. ber in a raffle.
cara, /. [<Sp. cara] face; darle a uno la cárcula, /. [<Sp. cárcola] treadle, as in a
cara al suelo, to show a long face; cara loom.
de papa, ugly; sacar la cara por alguien, carcular, vb. [<Sp. calcular] to calculate,
to stand up for someone. to figure up, etc.
caracaquear, vb. [<Sp. cacarear] to cack¬ cárculas, f. pi. [<Sp. cálculos] calcula¬
le. See also cacaraquear. tions, computations.
caracol, m. [<Mex. Sp. caracol] curl of cárculos, m. pi. [<Sp. cálculos] calcula¬
hair; ringlet; Col. N.M., horse races tions, computations.
among the Zuni Indians.
cardillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of cardo] thistle.
carajazo, m. [<Mex. Sp. carajazo<Sp. car-
cardo santo, m. [<Mex. Sp. cardosanto]
ajo] heavy blow.
bot., a prickly, white-flowered poppy
carajo, -ja, adj. [<Sp. carajo, male organ] plant used medicinally to cure dysen¬
mischievous; impish; destructive. ¡Ca¬ tery; also called chicalote.
rajo! Curses!
carestolendas, f. pi. [<Sp. carnestolendas]
San Pedro tiró una piedra
the three carnival days before Ash
de una escalera pa abajo,
Wednesday.
y le respondió San Pablo,
cargar, vb. [<Sp. cargar] to carry; to load;
¡No tires, calvo carajo!
to wear. (¡Qué buenos zapatos carga! He
St. Peter hurled a stone
wears some fancy shoes!) Cargarle la
From atop a ladder
viga a alguno, to tell someone off; cargar
And St. Paul cried out:
algo a la cuenta, to charge to one’s ac¬
“Watch it, you impish baldpate.”
count.
(N.M. Sp. verso popular)
carguero, m. [<Sp. carga, load] freight
carajón, m. [<Sp. cagajón] horse dung.
train.
See also cadajón.
carguitas,/. pi. [<Sp. dim. pi. of carga,
carambada,/. [<Sp. ¡Caramba!, Good
load] en carguitas, piggyback. (Sc lastimó
heavens!] rash or inconsiderate act.
la S of roma y tuvieron que llevarla en car-
¡Qué carambada! Oh, heck!
guitas. Sofronia got hurt and they had
caramelo, m. [<Sp. caramelo, sugar candy] to carry her piggyback.)
a homemade syrup used to sweeten
caribe, adj. [<Am. Sp. caribe, Carib] a kind
sopa (bread pudding). This syrup is
of chili sauce made with raw red chili
also called azúcar quemada (carmelized
peppers. See also chile caribe.
sugar). The caramelo is invariably di¬
carichopo, -pa, adj. [<Sp. cara, face, and
luted with water before pouring it on
the sopa. N.M. Sp. chopo, short] applied to the
child whose feelings have been hurt;
caravana, f. [<Sp. caravana, caravan] pouting.
courtesy bow; a parade, as Caravana
caridad, f. [<Sp. caridad] charity; pedir
de los paisanos in Santa Fe.
limosna para hacer caridad, to rob Peter
carbólico, m. [<Sp. carbólico, carbolic] to pay Paul.
mothball.
carmil, m. [<Sp. carmín, pale rose color]
carcaje, m. [<Mex. Sp. carcaj<Sp. carcax, rouge.
quiver] thin, emaciated person. (El
carnal, -la, m. and f. [<Sp. carnal, carnal;
Rutilio es un puro carcaje. Rutilio is
flesh and blood] brother; carnala, sis-

28
 cascarear
ter (slang). handmade wooden cart used by the
carnalismo, m. [<SW Sp. carnal, broth¬ Penitentes, q.v., and in which a figure
of Death rides in processions; pescar a
er] brotherhood.
Carnalismo, a feeling or an alle¬ uno de carreta, to take advantage of
giance that permeates the Chicano someone.
movement means a type of broth¬ carretela,/ [<Sp. dim. of carreta] buggy;
erhood within members of La Raza carretela de vidriera, stagecoach.
characterized by depth of feeling carretil, m. [<Sp. dim. of carrete] bobbin.
and allegiance to other carnales. It is carretilla,/ [<Sp. carretilla, pulley] spool
the type of feeling and allegiance
(of thread).
that many blood relatives have for
carria, /. [<SW Sp. slang carria, static]
one another. Once a Chicano is your
dar carria, to bother, to harrass. {Ese
carnal, he will stand by you through
bato me da mucha carria. That dude
thick or thin. (Lydia R. Aguirre,
gives me a lot of static [slang].)
“The Meaning of the Chicano Move¬
ment,” Social Case Worker) carrios, m. pi. [Cunknown origin] time
out; pedir carrios, to ask for time out
carne adobada,/. [<Sp. carne, meat, and-
(in the game of chueco, q.v.).
adobada, pickled] meat pickled in hot
chili sauce; chili pork. carrito, m. [<Sp. dim. of carro, carriage]
toy car; street car. See also carroza.
carnerito, m. [<Sp. dim. of carnero, ram]
name of a game in which two children carro, m. [<Sp. carro] car (auto); carro ’e
take turns at hitting each other’s caballos, wagon; el carro, astron., the
knuckles until one of the two gives up. Big Dipper in Ursa Major.

carnero, m. [<Sp. carnero, ram] carnero carroferril, m. [<Sp. ferrocarril] railroad;

cimarrón, Rocky Mountain bighorn; train (iron horse).
carnero meso, carnero padre, carnero toro, Ahi viene el carroferril
carnero teretón, seed ram. con dirección a Durango;
el que se embarca en él
carola,/. [<Sp. escarola?, plaited frill] a
Dios nomás sabe hasta cuándo.
kind of saddle blanket used on don¬
Here comes the train
keys and mules.
On its way to Durango;
Al ensillar mi mulita
Whoever gets aboard
y al echarle la carola
Only God knows if he’ll return.
me acordé de mi negrita,
{El carroferril, N.M. Sp. folk song)
esa mala pagadora.
carroza, /. [<Sp. carroza, large coach]
As I saddled my mule
Saddle blanket and all, streetcar; bus.
I was thinking of my darling carrucha,/ [<SW Sp. slang carrucha] car
And how she did me wrong. (auto);jalopy.
{La mulita, N.M. Sp. folk song) cartera,/ [<Sp. cartera, wallet] envelope.
carpa,/. [<Am. Sp. carpa<Quechua carp- casa, /. [<Sp. casa] house; cas’ ’e corte,
pa, canopy] tent; canvas top of a cov¬ courthouse; cas’ ’e segunda, secondhand
ered wagon. See also camisa, cachucha. store.
carpeta, /. [<Sp. carpeta, table cover] a cascaje, m. [<Sp. cascajo, gravel] parched
kind of card game; gang. earth; caked earth, especially when dry
carpolio, m. See tarpolio. after a rain.
carramplón, m. [<Col. Sp. carramplón] cáscara,/ [<Sp. cáscara, peel] a kind of
flintlock musket. homemade cosmetic; a cheap watch
(slang); bark of a tree.
carreta,/ [<Sp. carreta] ox cart, wheel¬
barrow; carreta de la Muerte, a small cascarear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. cáscara, bark

29
 cascarones
(of a tree)] to cut off the bark of a log, catágalo, m. [<Sp. catálogo] catalogue.
tree, etc. Also, catálogo.
cascarones, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. cascarones] cateado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. catos, blows]
egg shells filled with confetti; baile de beaten up; damaged.
cascarones, a dance during which the cato, m. [<Mex. Sp. catorrazo] blow; dar
dancers break confetti-filled eggshells catos a uno, to beat up. (Hubo catos anoche.
over their partners’ heads. There was a fistfight last night.)
cascarria,/. [<Mex. Sp. cascarria] mud catoche,adj. [<Mex. Sp. catoche] annoyed;
that adheres to one’s shoes; an old angry (slang).
worn-out car; jalopy.
catrín, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. catrín, dandy]
cascarriento, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. cascar¬ well-dressed, elegant.
ria] covered with bits of dry mud; said
cavador, m. [<Sp. cavador, digger] hoe.
also of animals with their fur or wool
Cf. Sp. azadón.
covered with cockleburs; shaggy.
cayús, m. [<Eng. cayuse, Cayuse Indians]
cashira, m. and/. [<Pueblo Indian pronun¬
mustang, horse.
ciation of Castilla, Castile] Col. N.M.,
Spaniard; Spanish-speaking person. cazuelón, m. [<Sp. aug. of cazuela, cook¬
ing pan] cocer los cazuelones, to prepare
casorio, m. [<Sp. casorio, hasty marriage;
food in large amounts. See also peroles.
shotgun wedding] wedding. Cf. Sp.
casamiento. cebadilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of cebada, barley]
caspa, /. [<Sp. caspa, dandruff] grime; bot., Deer’s ears; Indian caustic barley.
crust of filth on a person’s body, and cebolla,/ [<Sp. cebolla] onion; bulb of
especially on some children’s hands, any bulbous root. See also papa.
elbows and feet. cebollín, m. [<Sp. cebollino, young onion]
caspudo, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. caspa] cov¬ bot., Wild onion; onion seeds; chives.
ered with crust of filth, especially on cebollita, /. [<Sp. dim. of cebolla] bot.,
the hands. Wild onion.
castear, vb. [<Sp. casta, caste] to breed cedro, m. [<Sp. cedro] cedar; juniper bark
animals successfully. used in dyeing; cedro blanco, bot., White
Castilla, f. [<Sp. Castilla, Castile] Col. cedar; cedro colorado, bot., Red cedar;
N.M., Spaniard; de Castilla, thorough¬ cedro chivo, bot., Alligator juniper.
bred vs del pais, native; rosa de Castilla, ’ceitera,/ [<Sp. aceitera] oil can.
a kind of wild rose. ceja,/. [<Sp. ceja] eyebrow; cliff.
castilleja,/. [<Sp. dim. of Castilla] bot., celador, m. [<Sp. celador, watchman] war¬
Bear tongue, a medicinal plant. den in the sect of Penitentes.
castira, adj. [<Sp. Castilla, Castile] Col. celebro, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. celebro] brain;
N.M., a term used by New Mexico In¬ cerebrum.
dians to refer to Spaniards. Also, cashira.
cemente, m. [<Sp. cemento] cement; con¬
casto, -ta, adj. [<Sp. casta] half-breed; crete.
mixed-blood.
’cemita, /. [<Sp. acemita, bran flour]
castrado, m. [<Sp. castrar, to castrate] a whole wheat flour; harin' 'e cemita,
medium-sized billy goat that will be whole wheat or bran flour; a kind of
used eventually as a chivato or seed sweet roll flavored with anise seeds.
goat; a yearling lamb that will be used
(Cuando no hay pan, buenas son cemitas.
in time as a seed ram. See also carnero. Half a loaf is better than none. [N.M.
catacismo, m. [<Sp. catecismo] catechism. Sp. proverb.])
catacizar, vb. [<Sp. cauterizar, to cauter¬ cencía,/. [<Sp. ciencia] science; memory;
ize] to make up, as after a quarrel. mental alertness.

30
 clavarse

cenicienta,/. [<Sp. cenicienta] Cinderella; cienegoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ciénega]
cenicienta golosa, a girl who eats a great muddy, miry.
deal, is greedy, gluttonous. cientopiés, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. cientopies
ceniza,/. [<Sp. ceniza, ashes] ceniza curada, (Molina)] centipede.
a specially prepared kind of ashes used cimarrón, m. [<Am. Sp. cimarrón, wild]
in making an outdoor fire during rainy stray animal living in the wilds. (Un
weather. grito a tiempo saca un cimarrón del monte.
centro, m. [<Sp. centro, center] a kind of A stitch in time saves nine.) PL, boiling
brooch with a clasp to catch or join the beans; adj., shy, wild,
ends of a bejuco or bejuquillo, q.v.; a cimbra,/ [<Sp. cimbrear, to bend] bed
kind of board of directors of the Peni¬ spring; ridge.
tente sect; downtown. (Voy al centro. I ciminterio, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ciminteno
am going downtown.) (Molina)] cemetery.
’cequia,/ [<Sp. acequia, ditch] irrigation cinchado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. cinchado]
ditch. The term acequia is used in Santa striped; name of one of the batons
Fe as the name of a street, Acequia Madre used in the game of canute, q.v.
(main ditch).
cincho, m. [<Sp. cincho, cinch] Está cin¬
cerezo, m. [<Sp. cerezo, cherry tree] cher¬ cho. (<Eng. It’s a cinch.) It’s a certainty.
ry; cherry (sexual connotation); árbol
cinta,/ [<Sp. cinta, ribbon] cintas de los
de cerezo, cherry tree.
zapatos, shoelaces. See also cordones.
cerote, m. [<Sp. cerón, dregs of pressed
cintillas, /. pi. [<Sp. dim. of cinta, rib¬
wax formed into a cake] stool (excre¬
bon] shoelaces.
ment), turd.
cintopié, m. [<Mex. Sp. cintopie] centi¬
Cibola,/ [<Zuni Shiwina, tribal range]
pede.
sixteenth-century Spanish name for
Zuni and all the lands which later (in cisca, / [<Mex. Sp. cisca, shame] fear;
1583) became known as Nueba Mexico tener cisca, to be scared or afraid. Also,
(New Mexico). cisco (slang).

cibolero, adj. [<N.M. Sp. cibolo<Cibola] cizaña,/ [<Sp. cizaña, discord] tumble¬
buffalo hunter. weed; meter cizaña, to sow discord. Cf.
Sp. sembrar cizaña.
cíbolo, m. [<N.M. Sp. Cibola< Shiwina,
Zuni] buffalo; also called vaca de cizañoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. cizaña] a person
Cíbola. who sows discord; instigator,
claco, m. [<Mex. Sp. tlaco, a three-cen¬
Nuevo México insolente,
tavo coin] Col. N.M. Sp., one eighth
entre los cíbolos criado,
of a real; pi, a few pennies,
dime, ¿ quién te ha hecho letrado
pa cantar entre la gente ? clas,/. [<Eng. class] class; kind, sort. ¿De
Insolent New Mexico qué clas? What kind?
Brought up among the buffalo; clástico,m. [<Sp.plástico] poultice; clástico
Tell me, who has taught you de mostaza, mustard plaster,
To sing in front of people. clavado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. clavarse]
(Trovos del Viejo Vilmas, N.M. Sp. folk rich, in the money (slang). {La viuda se
poetry) quedó clavada. The widow was left well
set financially.)
cielo, m. [<Sp. cielo] sky, juntársele a uno
el cielo con la tierra, to become con¬ clavar, vb. [<Sp. clavar, to nail] to get, to
fused; to go to pieces. grab. ¡Clávatela! Grab it! Also, to spot.
(Le clavó el ojo. He spotted her.)
ciénega,/. [<Am. Sp. ciénega<Sp. cié¬
naga] marsh, swampy land; small farm. clavarse, vb. [<Sp. clavarse, to nail] to get

31
 clavero
a lucky break, to be fortunate (slang). west’ ,” New Mexico Magazine)
clavero, m. [<Sp. clavero, keeper of the cochera, /. [<Mex. Sp. cochera, garage]
keys] warp nailer in a loom. storage shed.
clavo, m. [<Sp. clavo] nail; pi, long side¬ cochi, m. [<Mex. Sp. coche<cochino] pig.
burns in the shape of a nail; poner el cochinada,/. [<Sp. cochino, pig] mess.
clavo y remacharlo, to start a job and
cochino, m. [<Sp. cochino] pig; cochino
finish it.
barrili, glutton; adj., dirty; nasty; ob¬
clin,/. [<Sp. crin] mane (horse’s, lion’s, scene.
etc.).
cochiteño, -ña, adj. [<N.M. Sp. Cochiti
clisarse, vb. [<Sp. eclipsarse] to become <Keres Ko-tyi-ti, name of a Rio Grande
eclipsed; ojos clisados, dreamy, droopy
Indian pueblo] a resident of Cochiti.
eyes.
cocho, m. [<Sp. bizcocho, biscuit] female
cloche, m. [<Eng. clutch] clutch. (Este organ (taboo).
es un cloche de Ford. This is a Ford
codicil, m. [<Sp. codicilo, codicil] Col.
clutch.)
N.M. Sp., a note, a sort of IOU.
cobija, /. [<Mex. Sp. cobija] blanket; Coronado accepted the brown horse,
shawl; homemade quilt; cover, as for
not as a gift but as a loan, giving
a wagon. See also cuilta.
Oñate a note (codicil) which pro¬
Just as the blanket was the universal
vided that the animal should be paid
garment of the man, every village
for or returned. (Herbert E. Bolton,
woman wore a cobija, or shawl. She Coronado)
folded a square of colored cloth into
codo, m. [<Sp. codo] elbow; darde codo, to
a triangle and tossed it over her
nudge, to give someone inside infor¬
head and shoulders as bonnet and
mation.
cloak. (R.F. Dickey, New Mexico Vil¬
lage Arts) cofre, m. [<Sp. cofre, chest] trunk. (The
terms petaca and petaquilla are far more
cobijarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. cobija] cobijarse
common.) Piggy bank.
con la misma cobija, to be in cahoots
with someone; to be of the same ilk as coi, m. [<Tewa coi] Col. N.M. Sp., lower
someone. apartment of an Indian multifloor
dwelling; underground shed. See so-
cócano, m. [<Mex. Sp. cócono, young tur¬
terrano.
key] turkey. The terms ganso and tor¬
que, q.v., are far more common. cojinillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. cojinillo] net;
pocket; a kind of pouch.
cocinear, vb. [<Sp. cocinar] to cook.
The corazas of travelling saddles are
coco, m. [<Sp. coco, bogey man] bogey
also provided with several pockets
man; meter el coco a alguno, to frighten
called coginillos, a most excellent
someone.
contrivance for carrying a lunch or
coco, m. [<Eng. cocoa] cocoa; pulverized bottle, or anything to which conve¬
chocolate; chocolate drink. nient access may be desired. (Josiah
coconate, m. [<Eng. coconut] coconut. Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies)
coche, m. [<Sp. coche, coach] name of a col, m. [<Sp. col (/.)] cabbage. (Curre a la
game. era y tráete unos coles. Run to the gar¬
Coche (coach), another game played, den patch and bring a few heads of
was similar to El molino [q.v.], except cabbage.)
that each player was given the name cola,/. [<Sp. cola] tail; cola larga, the devil.
of a town on the road from Berna¬ The term cola larga is also applied to a
lillo to Fas Vegas. (Dudley Gordon, person who enters or leaves a room
“Charles F. Fummis, ‘Mr. South¬ and does not close the door behind

32
 comer
him. Cola de pato, Terr. N.M. Sp., a red seed] a kind of homemade rouge.
kind of leather housing to cover the Children are gay in white starched
entire haunches of a horse, mule, etc.; dresses and pink and blue stockings.
no pescarle la cola a alguno, said of a The older little girls manage to steal
person who is hard to contact, or find enough colorín from their big sisters
at home. to imprint bright red spots on their
cheeks. (Aurora Lucero White Lea,
colcha, /. [<Sp. colcha, coverlet] bed¬
“folkways and fiestas,” New Mexico
spread; a homemade embroidered cov¬
Magazine)
erlet often used as a tapestry. See cuilta.
In Spanish, colcha means quilt, but coludo, -da, adj. [<Sp. aug. of cola, tail]
the embroideries on wool obviously ratón coludo, squirrel.
were not quilts. (E. Boyd, Popular coluna,/. [<Col. Sp. coluna (Molina)] col¬
Arts of Spanish New Mexico) umn.
colear, vb. [<Sp. cola, tail] Col. and Terr. collar, m. [<Sp. collar] funda de collar,
N.M., the action of overturning a bull, sweat pad, as on a horse’s collar.
cow or heifer by grabbing the animal’s comadre, /. [<Sp. comadre, ritual co¬
tail while on the run on horseback. parent] a term by which godparents
coleo, m. [<Mex. Sp. coleo] a sport in address the mother of their godchild
which a horseman takes an animal by and by which the child’s parents ad¬
the tail and, while on the run, over¬ dress the godmother. La Comadre Sebas¬
turns it. tiana, an image of Death in its skele¬
colero, m. [<SW Sp. slang colero] a comb, ton form shown riding a cart (carreta
especially one with a handle-like end. de la Muerte) in Penitente processions.
The colero is carried in a back pocket, See compadre.
and hence may be linked to the word comal, m. [<Mex. Sp. coraa/<Náhuatl co-
cola, tail. malli] copper or iron griddle.
coliflor, m. [<Sp. coliflor if.)] bot., cauli¬ The stone or, later, copper griddle
flower. (A la Rufina no le gusta el coliflor. or comal and the iron trivet or tina-
Rufina doesn’t like cauliflower.) maiste were the principal hearth-side
cooking devices. (E. Boyd, “fire¬
colita,/. [<Sp. dim. of cola, tail] bot., a
places and Stoves in Colonial New
plant of the Buckwheat family.
Mexico,” El Palacio)
colmar, vb. [<Sp. colmar, to fill to the
comancha,/. [<Plains Indian Comanche]
brim] colmarle el jarro a alguno, to have
Comanche squaw.
enough of a thing. (El Melquíades ya me
colmó el jarro con sus pendejadas. I’ve Comanche, m. [<Plains Indian Comanche]
had enough of Melquíades’ foolish¬ Los comanches, name of a Christmas skit
ness. A plato lleno lo colman. Them that in which the image of the Christ Child
has, gits.) is kidnapped, supposedly by Coman¬
che Indians (actually by villagers dis¬
coloquio, m. [<Sp. coloquio, colloquy] a
religious folk play in dialogue form, guised as Indians). Also, a folk drama
depicting the preparations for and the
written in poetry or in prose and with
ensuing battle between Comanche In¬
little or no plot.
dians and Spanish soldiers in New
color, m. [<Sp. color] de medio color, pink.
Mexico (1870s).
Colorado, -da, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. colo¬
comanchero,ra. [<PlainsIndianComartc/^]
rado, vermilion (Molina)] red; red¬
Indian trader.
head. Cf. Sp. pelirrojo. (A m papá lo
llamaban el colorao. People used to call comelón, -na, adj. [<Sp. comilón] glutton.
Dad “Red.”) comer, vb. [<Sp. comer] to eat; comer con
colorín, m. [<Mex. Sp. colorín, a kind of las dos manos, to eat heartily, especially

33
 compa
at someone else’s expense; comerse a concha, chinaware.
alguno por algo, to pressure or bother a conchabar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. conchabar]
person for something. (Ya me comen to come to an understanding; to talk
por su dinero. They are pressuring me someone into doing something; to get
for their money.) someone on your side; reflex., to get
compa, m. [<Mex. Sp. compa<compañero] married.
chum; friend. conchelle, m. [<Eng. conch shell?] dressed
compadre, m. [<Sp. compadre, ritual co¬ buffalo skin.
parent] a term by which godparents Conchelle or conchelli, in New Mex¬
address the father of their godchild ican Spanish a masculine noun,
and by which the child’s parents ad¬ meaning buffalo skin (dressed).
dress the godfather. The terms com¬ (A.M. Espinosa, Los Comanches)
padre and comadre (plural compadres) concho, m. [<Mex. Sp. concho, Indian]
are also used by parents-in-law when conch shell used in blowing to give sig¬
addressing one another.
nals; said of the person who walks in
compañía,/. [<Eng. company] company. the heat of the sun without a hat; maiz
Cf. Sp. compañía. concho, a kind of large grain corn used
complexión,/. [<Eng. complexion] com¬ in commercial fried corn known as
plexion. Cf. Sp. tez. “crazy corn.”
complimentar, vb. [<Eng. to compliment] conchudo, -da, adj. [<Sp. conchudo, scaly]
to compliment. ill-bred person; shameless scoundrel;
compostura, f. [<Sp. compostura, com¬ rogue (rare).
position] carved cornice or crown dec¬ conducta,/. [<Sp. conducta, a number of
orating the top front of a trastero or mules or horses used to carry money
cupboard; cosmetics, makeup. from one place to another] Col. N.M.
comprender, vb. [<Sp. comprender, to Sp., trade caravan; military expedition.
comprehend] to hire; to engage, as by Conductas were organized to go
contract. (El Celedonio está comprendido to Chihuahua, taking dressed deer,
pa cuidar las borregas este mes. Cele¬ buffalo robes, sheep, tobacco, salt
donio has been hired to herd the sheep in exchange for luxuries of gold and
this month.) silver, dress stuffs and confections,
común, m. [<Mex. Sp. común] outhouse, choice liquors and cheese. (Marie
toilet. Dunn, “Thirty Families and a Priest,”
New Mexico Magazine)
conciliario, m. [<Sp. conciliar] a kind of
chairman of a Penitente council. It was conestipado, -da, adj. [<Sp. constipado,
the conciliario who opened a Penitente suffering from a common cold] con¬
meeting; mediator. stipated. See constipado.
concuño, -ña, m. and f. [<Sp. concuñado, congo, -ga, adj. [<Mex. Sp. congo, a kind
a kind of brother-in-law] The term of yellowish vegetable dye] frezadas
concuño explains the family relation¬ congas, multicolored woolen blankets
ship between two male in-laws mar¬ used as subaderos, or saddle blankets.
ried to sisters. Two women married to
conocer, vb. [<Sp. conocer, to know] to
brothers are each others’ concuñas.
know; to realize; to figure. (Se estuvo
concha,/. [<Sp. concha] shell; nickel or dispierto hasta una hora que él conoció que
leather disc that forms a washer for la cabeza del borrego estaba ya asada.
saddle strings; silver or copper disc in He kept awake up to a time when he
the form of a shell used by Navajo figured the lamb’s head was already
Indians on belts; hacerse a la concha, to roasted.) To seek, as a wife. (Este mu¬
huddle up; to go to sleep; trastes de chacho andaba conociendo mujer. This

34
 copete
young man was seeking a wife.) wagon.
conquián, m. [<Mex. Sp. conquián] name contralátigo, m. [<Mex. Sp. contralátigo]
of a card game. a kind of thong that holds the ring in
the cinch of the saddle.
conse, m. and /. [<Sp. consentido, pam¬
pered] a term of endearment used in contrapecho, m. [<Sp. contra, against, and
reference to one’s girl or boyfriend. pecho, breast] breast roller in a loom.
constipado, -da, adj. [<Eng. constipated] contraria,/ [<Sp. contraria, contrary] op¬
constipated. Cf. Sp. estreñido. posite point of view.
consuegros, m. pi. [<Sp. consuegros] a term contrarreata, /. [<Sp. contra and reata,
used in reference to the in-law rela¬ lariat] a sort of rigging strap.
tionship among the parents of a mar¬ contrayerba,/ [<Mex. Sp. contrayerba, a
ried couple. medicinal plant] bot., Caltrop. Arbo¬
contado, pt. part. [<Sp. contado, enumer¬ larias have used the contrayerba as an
ated] echar de contado, to tell someone antidote for almost any poison as well
off. as to build up a person’s blood.
contesta,/. [<Eng. contest] contest; con¬ convenencia,/. [<Sp. conveniencia] conve¬
testa de belleza, beauty contest. nience; pa su convenencia, for his con¬
contesta, /. [<Sp. contestación] answer, venience.
reply. convidado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pt. part, of con¬
conti, contr. [<Sp. con todo y] together vidar] to invite; quedar convidado, to
with. have learned one’s lesson. (Vale más
contijoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. contagioso] con¬ llegar a tiempo que ser convidado. It’s bet¬
tagious. (Es una enfermedad murre conti- ter to arrive in the nick of time than to
josa. It’s a very contagious disease.) be invited. [An expression said by a
person who arrives at a place just as
contimás, contr. [<Sp. con todo y más] let
the table is being set for a meal.])
alone. (Eso lo hacemos los probes, contimás
los ricos. We, the poor, do it, let alone convite, m. [<Mex. Sp. convite, parade]
the rich.) invitation, in the form of a parade, to
contoy, contr. [<Sp. con todo y] together some public function (circus, dance,
with. political rally, etc.). See also gallo.
A wagon was hitched, in which the
Aunque tus padres me dieran
convite for the baile started out. A fid¬
los güeyes contoy carreta,
dler, a guitarist, and a singer climbed
no me casara contigo,
into the wagon and rode around the
ojos de borrega prieta.
three towns, playing and singing, fi¬
Even if your parents gave me
nally coming back to the hall where
Oxen, cart and all,
the dance was to be held. This was
I wouldn’t marry you
the convite, the public invitation to
With your eyes
the dance. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo,
Like those of a black sheep.
Shadows of the Past)
(N.M. Sp. verso popular)
cónyugue, m. and/. [<Sp. cónyuge, mate]
contra,/. [<N.M. Sp. contraria, the oppo¬
consort, mate; pi, married couple.
site point of view or opinion] dar con¬
tra, to contradict. (No le des contra porque copa,/ [<Sp. copa, wineglass] drinking
se emperra. Don’t contradict him be¬ cup; una copa de café, a cup of coffee;
cause he gets angry.) See also contraria. pi, drinks. (Vamos a echarnos unas copas.
Let’s have a few drinks.)
contralanza,/ [<Sp. contra, against, and
lanza, lance] a term applied to the ex¬ copete, m. [<Sp. copete, crest] tener uno de
tension of the pole under the box of a algo hasta el copete, to be fed up or dis-

35
 copetón
gusted. (Las tonteras del Celestino ya me coronilla,/ [<Mex. Sp. coronilla, a flower
tienen hasta el copete. I’ve had enough of a climbing vine] hot., a plant of the
of Celestino’s foolishness.) See also Aster family (Blanket flower).
colmar el jarro.
corregüela,/. [<Sp. correhuela] hot., Morn¬
copetón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. copetón, ing glory.
haughty] said of a hen or rooster with correr, vb. [<Sp. correr, to run] to dis¬
a large crest; conceited, haughty. miss, as from a job. (Lo corrieron del
coqueta,/. [<Sp. coqueta, ferule] a kind of trabajo. They fired him.) To run, as
dangling earring adorned with jewels. for public office. (Anda corriendo para
coralillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. coralillo, a shrub] alguacil mayor. He is running for sher¬
hot., Red bearberry. iff.) Correrle caliente a alguno, to be in a
difficulty.
coraza,/. [<Sp. coraza, cuirass] a kind of
saddle covering popular in Territorial corretear, vb. [<Sp. corretear, to wander]
New Mexico. to run someone ragged; to keep some¬
The coraza is a cover of embossed one extremely busy. To correct school
leather embroidered with fancy silk papers (< Eng. to correct). (Se la pasó toda
and tinsel, with ornaments of sil¬ la noche correteando los tests. She spent
ver, and is thrown loose over the all night correcting tests.)
cushion and fuste, or saddle tree, corrida,/. [<Col. Sp. corrida, flow, as of
the extremities of which protrude water] runoff; cattle ranch outfit; cor¬
through appropriate apertures. (Jo- rida del gallo, game of chicken pull;
siah Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies) corrida de argollas, game on horseback
in which a rider uses a lance to get
cordillera,/. [<Sp. corredera, race strip] a
iron rings (argollas) off a rack.
street-like rural road with houses in a
On San Juan day, July 25 [sic], the
row along one or both of its sides. The
cowboys would stage some really ex¬
term cordillera (correllera or corrillera)
citing sport. The old Spanish game,
has been applied in the past to the
La Corrida del Gallo (running the
row of houses along the cordillera. Por
rooster), proved thrilling both to
cordillera, by relays.
the cowboys taking part, and towns¬
My grandfather, Don Vicente, bought
people as well. A live rooster was
part of the Arroyo Hondo grant and
buried in the sand up to its neck.
built for his family a big seventeen-
Cowboys on their horses would
room house, on the cordillera which
choose sides, or teams, and each
connected the two main villages and
man in turn would lean low in his
ran along the edge of the lower ridge,
saddle as he raced past the poor
flanked on the south side by the
rooster, seeking to pluck the fowl
mansions of the haciendados, land
from its temporary grave. If the grab
and sheep owners. (Cleofas M. Jara-
was successful, the fellow was off for
millo, Shadows of the Past)
a race, his team-mates protecting
cordón, m. [<Sp. cordón, cord] string, him from the onslaught of the op¬
queue or line of people or animals; a posing side, who sought a chance to
round, braided gold chain, usually with get the rooster away from the rider
the figure of a fish attached in the and over their goal line. The win¬
form of a pendant. ning team would later be treated to
cormillo, m. [<Sp. colmillo] eyetooth; en¬ a dance by the losers. (Sadie L.
señar el cormillo, to bare one’s fangs; no George, “Frontier Town,” New Mex¬
dar ni cormillo, to be exceedingly stin¬ ico Magazine)
gy. (A burro dado no se le ve el cormillo. corrido, m. [<Sp. corrido] a popular bal¬
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.) lad patterned after the Spanish romance

36
 critiquear
vulgar (popular ballad) of the eigh¬ tive Indians, i.e., from Cibola, lands
teenth century. that eventually (after 1583) became the
corta,/. [<Sp. corte, cut] a small flock of kingdom of New Mexico.
sheep; a bunch of stray sheep. craqueado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. craquear
cortada,/. [<Sp. cortar, to cut] a cut. <Eng. to crack] chinked, cracked;
cortar, vb. [<Sp. cortar, to cut] ¡Córtale! crazy; silly.
Cut it out! (<Eng. Cut it out.). craques, /. pi. [<Eng. crackers] soda *
coruco, m. [<Mex. Sp. curuco] chicken crackers.
louse. Also, curucu, goruco and gorupo. creído [kréicto], -da, adj. [<Sp. creído
cosa,/ [<Sp. cosa] thing; cosa de, about; <creer, to believe] candid; easily duped,
cosa nada, hardly anything. naive; conceited.

coser, vb. [<Sp. coser, to sew] Cocer, to cresta,/ [<Sp. cresta, crest] comb, as on a
boil, and coser, to sew, are confused in rooster; picarle la cresta a alguno, to ir¬
N.M. and so. Colo. Spanish. Both verbs ritate; to tease.
change the stem vowel o to ue under crestón, m. [<Sp. cresta, crest] hillock;
the voice stress (cueso, cueses, cuese, cos¬ summit.
emos, -, cuesen). (La Sinla cuese muy criadillas, /. pi. [<Mex. Sp. criadillas]
bien, pero yo cueso mejor con mi nueva Rocky Mountain oysters.
Singer. Sirila sews very well, but I sew criador, m. [<Sp. criador, breeder] breed¬
better with my new Singer.) er, rancher.
cosijoso, -sa,adj. [<Sp. cosijoso and cojijoso, crimen, m. [<Sp. crimen, crime] false wit¬
peevish, irritable] bothersome; having ness or accusation, slander, outrage.
the qualities of a pest, a hanger-on. (Es un crimen lo que están haciendo con la
costumbre, m. [<Sp. costumbre (/.)] custom. plebe hoy día. It’s an outrage what they
(Tienen el costumbre de no contestar. They are doing with our youth nowadays.
have the bad habit of not answering.) Le levantaron un crimen. They accused
cotense, m. [<Mex. Sp. cotense] canvas; him falsely.)
ticking. Also, cotensio. criminoso, -sa, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. cri¬
cotilio, m. [<Eng. cotillion] See cutilio. minoso (Molina)] libelous, slanderous.
<9 cotón, m. [<Sp. aug. of cota, doublet]jack- criollo, adj. [<Am. Sp. criollo, born in
et; cotón de garra, cotton jacket; cotón the Americas] native, homegrown;
de jerga, heavy woolen sweater; cotón thoroughbred.
de lona, denim jacket; cotón pinto, Macki¬ crisanto, m. [<Sp. crisantemo] chrysanthe¬
naw; cotones, cotton goods; no salir de mum.
cotón azul, to be in the same rut. crismes, m. pi. [<Eng. Christmas] Christ- •
cotonía,/ [<Sp. cotonía, a kind of cotton mas season; Christmas gifts or pres¬
cloth] a cotton twill similar to cotton ents. ¡Mis crismes! A greeting used at
flannel. Christmas time among friends (Merry
tn coyaye, m. [<Tewa coyaye] bot., also known Christmas). Darle sus crismes a alguno,
as yerba de la víbora, Rattlesnake weed. to give someone his due or comeup¬
coye, m. [<Tewa coi] lower apartment pance.
of an Indian multifloor dwelling. See cristiano, -na, m. and /. [<Sp. cristiano,
also soterrano. Christian] said of a Spaniard as op¬
posed to an Indian; name for the Span¬
coyote, -ta, m. and /. [<Mex. Sp. coyote]
ish language; hablar en cristiano, to
said of the youngest child in a family;
offspring of a mixed Anglo-American speak Spanish.
Indo-Hispanic marriage; native, of critiquear, vb. [<Sp. criticar, to criticize]
the country (criollo)', indios coyotes, na¬ to find fault with; to criticize. Also,

37
crochar
tritiquear. (Cuando de 1905, N.M. Sp. folk poem)
crochar [krosár], vb. [<Eng. to crochet] cuanto, adj. [<Sp. cuanto, whatever] de
to crochet. Cf. Sp. tejido de gancho. cuanto hay, old-fashioned, old; un túnico
croché [ikróse], m. [<Eng. crochet] crochet de cuanto hay, an old-fashioned dress.
needle. Cf. Sp. gancho. cuara, m. [<Eng. quarter] twenty-five cent
crucifico, m. [<Sp. crucifijo] crucifix. coin; caer cuara, to be disagreeable or
unpleasant. See also peseta.
crucita,/. [<Sp. dim. of cruz (crucecita)]
small cross; girl’s name. cuaresmales, m. pi. [<Sp! cuaresmal, Len¬
ten] Lenten dishes.
cruda,/. [<Mex. Sp. cruda] hangover.
The Lenten days of penance become
crudo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. cruda] applied
feast days of the palate. Housewives
to a person suffering the aftereffects
vie with each other in concocting los
of overindulging in alcohol.
cuaresmales, Lenten dishes. On these
crudillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of crudo, raw] raw, days too, the true western hospital¬
as in cuero crudillo; calf rawhide used ity is at its best. By eleven o’clock
in making thongs and leather shoe¬ and until noon children go from
laces. See also becerrillo. house to house with a saucer of sopa,
cruque, adj. [<Eng. crook] crooked; m., with a plate of enchilada, with a cup
crook. of atole that “mother made and hopes
cruz,/ [<Sp. cruz, cross] ¡Póngote las cru¬ you enjoy it.” (Margaret Abreu, “In
ces! An expression used in conjunction the New Mexico Kitchen,” New Mex¬
with the sign of the cross to conjure or ico Magazine)
show amazement. cuartear, vb. [<Sp. cuartear, to split into
cuaco, -ca, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chacuaco, of pieces] to remove the fat from pork.
little or no use] flimsy. cuartilla,/ [<Sp. cuartilla, fourth part of
cuacha,/. [Cunknown origin] sheep; an arroba] Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp., a
sheep camp. Mexican coin worth three centavos or
cuacho, -cha, adj. [<Mex. Sp. cuachalote, one fourth of a real.
sloppy] short, uneven; said of a fowl cuarto, m. [<Sp. cuarto, room] cuarto de
when some of its feathers have been recibo, living room; six-hour shift.
plucked out; unas naguas cuachas, un¬ cuartón, m. [<Sp. cuartón, beam] log;
even skirts. sawlog.
cuajar, vb. [<Sp. cuajar] to jell or crystal¬ cuartoneador, m. [<N.M. Sp. cuartón, log]
lize. ¡Eso no cuaja! You are fibbing! I logger. Also, cuartonero.
can’t believe that!
cuasi, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. cuasi] almost.
¡Cuándo!, interj. [<Am. Sp. ¡Cuándo!,
cuate, -ta, m. and/ [<Mex. Sp. Ná¬
Impossible! Never!] comment denoting
huatl coatí, snake] twin; chum, friend,
skepticism; m., a type of popular song
pal.
with a refrain that ends with the interj.,
¡Cuándo! cuatezón, m. [<Mex. Sp. cuatezón] chum,
. . . éste sí no tiene fin [el chapulín] friend, pal.
con todo viene acabando cuatro, adj. [<Sp. cuatro, four] pegar en
habrá otro animal sutil, cuatro, to be hitting on all four (cylin¬
pero ya como éste, ¡Cuándo! ders); in top shape.
This one [the grasshopper] knows cubo, m. [<Sp. cubo, bucket] cubo de ca¬
no limits; mino, culvert; box in an irrigation ditch
It is eating everything; to form an outlet. (Como los cubos de
There might be insects more subtle, noria, unos suben y otros bajan, an ob¬
But like this one—Impossible! servation on the ups and downs of life.)

38
 culeco
cucaracha,/. [<Mex. Sp. cucaracha, an cuerpoespín, m. [<Sp. puerco espin] por¬
old car] jalopy. cupine. For other cases of metathesis
cucuy, m. [<Mex. Sp. coco, bogeyman, and see carroferril (ferrocarril) and patarrabo
¡Uy!, an expression denoting fright] (taparrabo).
bogeyman. cuete, m. [<Mex. Sp. cuete<Sp. cohete] fire¬
cucharita,/. [<Sp. dim. of cuchara, spoon] cracker; pistol; fig., nothing. (No le des
teaspoon; shoehorn. ni cuete. Don’t give him anything.) ¡Come
cuetes! Go to blazes! The heck with
cuchilla,/. [<Am. Sp. cuchilla] a strip of
you! Andar or estar cuete, to be drunk;
land or hill with one end narrower
ponerse uno cuete, to get drunk.
than the other; cliff.
cuetear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. cuetear] to pistol
cudicia,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. cudicia (Mo¬
whip; to shoot someone.
lina)] covetousness, avarice; greed.
cuilta,/ [<Eng. quilt] homemade quilt;
cuello, m. [<Sp. cuello] collar, as of a shirt;
comforter, quilt. Cf. Sp. colcha and
bajarle el cuello a alguien, to cut some¬
N.M. Sp. colcha.
one down to size; pararse uno el cuello,
to put on airs; to think oneself supe¬ cuipas,/. pi. [<Mex. Sp. cuipó or cuipú, a
rior to others; to show off. medicinal plant] shavings or thin slices
of cedar or juniper bark.
cuenda,/. [<Sp. cuenda, end of a skein of
New Mexican médicas are sometimes
silk or yarn] cord, string. {Por la cuenda
called upon to cure hervor de sangre
se devana la madeja, an observation that
(skin rash presumably caused by
a sample of a thing shows what the rest
blood pressure). When this occasion
is like.) Cf. Sp. Por el hilo se saca el ovillo.
arises, they boil two heaping hand¬
cuento,m. [<Sp. cuento, fairytale] folktale; fuls of cuipa de sabina in a quart of
cuento de nunca acabar, an endless story; water, strain the liquid when it has
the same old story (excuse). cooled, and add a teaspoonful of
cuera, /. [<Sp. cuera, a kind of leather soda and a tablespoonful of salt.
jacket] a wide leather belt or sash placed They sponge the entire body of the
around a donkey’s rump in order to patient with this solution, and pre¬
hold down the saddle; girl friend; adj., scribe a complete rest until the itch¬
good-looking. ing, through this treatment, has
cuerda,/ [<Sp. cuerda, cord] small whip disappeared. (Leonora S. M. Cur¬
used by Penitentes. tin, Healing Herbs of the Upper Rio
Grande)
cueritos, m. pi. [<Sp. dim. of cuero, hide,
skin] strips of pigskin after removal culantro, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. culantro (Mo¬
of the fat; bacon rinds, pork skins. lina)] coriander. (Mod. Sp. cilantro is
not a common term in New Mexico and
cuero, m. [<Sp. cuero] hide; cuero congo,
southern Colorado.) Fig., anus, back¬
leather strips (thongs) used for shoe¬
side. (Bueno es culantro pero no tanto, a
laces; cuero crudillo, rawhide taken from
proverb recommending that one not
the body of an animal dying of natu¬
do a thing to excess.)
ral causes, i.e., not butchered. Cuero
crudillo is soaked in water until soft¬ culeco, -ca, adj. [<Sp. clueco (metathesis)]
ened and is used in the making of broody; gallina culeca, brooding hen.
Indian-type moccasins called teguas; La tuerta culeca
adj., good-looking. pasó por aquí,
cuerpo, m. [<Sp. cuerpo, bodice] blouse convidando
(general). Cf. Sp. blusa. Cuerpo de Edu¬ a todos sus amos,
cación, Board of Education; Cuerpo de menos a mí.
Sanidad, Board of Health; en cuerpo, The one-eyed brooding hen
uncovered. Just went by here;

39
culimpinado
She invited all her masters cuque, m. [<Eng. cookie] female organ
All except me. (taboo).
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. nursery
cuques, m. pi. [<Eng. cookies] cookies.
rhyme)
curado, -da, adj. [<Sp. curar, to cure]
culimpinado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. culim- “burnt,” as in having learned one’s les¬
pinar] on all fours. son; quedar curado, to laugh exceed¬
culimpinarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. culimpinarse] ingly (slang).
to get on all fours. curandero, -ra, m. and/. [<Sp. curar, to
culo, m. [<Sp. culo, backside] anus (ta¬ cure] healer; folk practitioner special¬
boo); female organ (taboo); ser culo una izing in the use of home remedies and
persona, to be an ass. (No seas culo. herbs.
Don’t be an ass.) Although folk medicine is in general
culumpinado, -da, adj. See culimpinado. known by all members of a cultural
cumanche, -cha, m. and/. Comanche, var. group, some persons, because of age,
experience, or special interest, may
cuna, /. [<Sp. cuna] cradle; name of a have a more extensive knowledge
N.M. and so. Colo, folk dance featur¬ than their neighbors and friends
ing the holding of arms by two cou¬ and thus acquire a somewhat special¬
ples to simulate the rocking of a cuna ized status. The partera, or midwife,
or cradle.
is an example of such a person. In
cuncoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. cunques] full the field of general medicine, médi¬
of bran, crumbs or coffee grounds. cas and curanderas, whose knowledge
(¡Hi, qué café tan cuncoso! This coffee is of herbs and household remedies is
nothing but coffee grounds!) somewhat greater than that of the
general population, perform a sim¬
cunques, m. pi. [<Zuni cunques, bits of
ilar function, being called upon for
corn (or cornmeal) used for ceremo¬
assistance when a medical problem
nial purposes] dregs; coffee grounds;
gets beyond the competence of the
crumbs; cunques de la manteca, bacon
patient or his relatives. None of
drippings; tortillas cunques, ground corn
them, of course, is a specialist in the
tortillas.
Anglo sense of having a specialized
¿ Qué andas buscando, gallina ciega ?
kind of training and being given dis¬
Cunques pa mis pollitos;
tinctive, formal recognition (licen¬
¿ Quése los pollitos ?
sure) for their skill. But they are
Están debajo ’e la artesa.
specialists in the sense that they are
What are you looking for,
considered to have greater knowl¬
Oh, blind hen?
edge of medical matters than other
Crumbs for my little chicks;
people in the population and per¬
Where are your chicks?
form a specialized function. (Lyle
They are under the wooden bowl.
Saunders, Cultural Difference and
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. children’s Medical Care)
rhyme)
curco, -ca, adj. [<Am. Sp. curco] hunch¬
cuña, f. [<Sp. cuña] wedge; ser mala cuña, backed.
to be a bad influence. (No hay peor cuña curcuspin, m. [<N.M. Sp. cuerpoespin] por¬
que la del mismo palo, a dicho or proverb cupine.
pointing out that there is no worse
curia,/. [<Sp. curia, care, skill] ingenui¬
enemy than a former friend [or rela¬
ty, skill; ser de mucha curia, to be fussy
tive] who has turned against a person.)
or fastidious, especially in the sense of
cuñado, -da, adj. [<Sp. cuñado] chum, being attentive to minute details; to be
friend, pal; protégé. meticulous, industrious, painstaking.

40
 cuzco
curioso, -sa,adj. [<N.M. Sp. curia] ingen¬ cute, m. [<Eng. coat (overcoat)] overcoat;
ious, creative. cute de agua, raincoat; cute de peluche,
¡Curre!, excl. [<Col. N.M. Sp.<Galician fur coat.
Sp.?] Run! (Curre, espanta ese chulo. cutilio, m. [<Eng. cotillion] an elaborate
Run, chase away that dog.) ballroom dance resembling a quadrille,
with frequent changing of partners.
cursiento, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. cursio] said
of the person who is suffering from cuzco, -ca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. guzgo, glut¬
diarrhea. tonous] greedy, hoggish; selfish, stin¬
gy; m. and/., cuzquera, stinginess.
cursio, m. [<Sp. curso] looseness of the
Este se jallo un huevito,
bowels; diarrhea.
éste lo echó afrir,
curuco, m. See coruco. éste lo meneó;
curvear, vb. [<Eng. to curve or throw a éste le echó sal
curve ball] to two-time a person; to y éste viejo cuzco
cuckold. se lo comió.
This one [one of the fingers] found
curvia,/. [<Eng. curve] curve; shape.
a small egg,
(¡Qué curviasyyo sin brecas! What curves
This one put it to fry;
and me without any brakes! [Admiring
This one scrambled it,
a female’s curves.])
This one put salt on it,
cusco, -ca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. guzgo] See And this old stingy one
CUZCO.
Ate it all up.
cusquera,/. [<N.M. Sp. cuzco] See cuzco, (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. rhyme for a
cuzquera. finger game)

41
 Lo mismo es Chana que Juana.
(It doesn’t make any difference.)

chacotear, vb. [<Sp. chacotear, to scoff] to or feet while swimming or taking a

tease; to flirt; to touch a person of the bath.
opposite sex. (No se anden ahi chacote¬
cháchara,/. [<Sp. cháchara, chit-chat] idle
ando. Don’t be touching each other.)
talk; hacer la cháchara, to pretend, to
chacotero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. chacotero, wag¬ make believe; pi, junk, knickknacks.
gish] teaser, said of the person who
chacho, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chocho, a kind of
flirts, touches or gets familiar with per¬
locust] child-of-the-earth or Jerusalem
sons of the opposite sex; loud, noisy
cricket.
person.
chaguaripa, ra. [<Mex. Sp. Sahuanpa, a
chacuaco, -ca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chacuaco,
town in Sonora] a large straw hat.
ugly, repugnant] flimsy; useless or of
little use; unserviceable. chagüiste, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chagiiistle] a dis¬
ease that affects certain grasses caus¬
chacuaco, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chacuaco, a spe¬
cies of elder] elderberry; the dark-blu¬ ing them to become yellowish brown.
ish berry of this tree; cigar, cigarette chalán, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chalán, gar¬
(slang). rulous, congenial] well dressed, ele¬
gant.
chacual, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chacual, small
leather basket] Col. N.M. Sp., gourd chalchigüite, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chalchihuite,
cup. Chacuales were lined with a vivid a kind of Mexican jade] turquoise.
red color and decorated on the out¬ ¡Chale!, interj. [unknown origin, probably
side with flowers and foliage of differ¬ related to Eng. Charles, pronounced
ent colors. locally as chales] No! No way!
chacualear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chacualear, to chalis, ra. [<Sp. chalis, mohair] Col. N.M.
clatter] to make noise with the hands Sp., a fabric made of goat’s hair often

42
 chaperito
mixed with silk. around; congenial.
chalupa,/. [<Mex. Sp. chalupa, a canoe¬ chancla, /. [<Sp. chancla, old worn-out
like boat] jalopy; a kind of Mexican- shoe] an old shoe; any low-cut shoe;
style dish. an oxford; tirar chancla, to dance.

chamaco,-ca,ra. and/. [<Mex. Sp. chamaco, chanclazo, m. [<N.M. Sp. chancla] blow
child, kid] brat, child, kid; los chamacos, with a shoe; tirar chanclazo, to dance.
the kids. chanclear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. chancla] to
chamba,/. [<Mex. Sp. chamba, odd job] dance. Also, chancletear.
job, work. chango, -ga, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. chango]
chambear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chamba] to do monkey; name applied by northern
odd jobs. New Mexicans to residents of the lower
Rio Grande villages of New Mexico;
chamizal (chamisal), m. [<Mex. Sp. cha-
adj., clownish, foolish; ponerse chango,
mizal] sagebrush field.
to take advantage of an opportunity.
chamizo (chamiso),m. [<Mex. Sp .chamizo,
changuito, -guita, m. and /. [<Mex. Sp.
var. of chamiza] bot., Sagebrush; cha¬
dim. of chango] small monkey; a term
mizo jediondo, chamizo pardo, vars. of
of endearment equivalent to English
Sagebrush; chamizo blanco, bot., Gold-
darling; boy or girl friend.
enrod.
chante, m. [<Eng. shanty] home, house
champes, m. pi [<unknown origin] the
(slang); shack.
ripened fruit of a rose bush; rose hip;
the yellow rose. chanza,/ [<Eng. chance] break; chance;
opportunity; a way out. (Estos no dan
champion, m. [<Eng. champion] cham¬
chanza. These guys don’t give us a
pion; ad]., outstanding.
chance. No hubo más chanza. There was
champú, m. [<Eng. shampoo] shampoo.
no other way out.) Adv., perhaps. (¿Van
chamuces, m. pi. [<Fr. chamois] women’s a ir ustedes? Chanza. Are you going?
moccasins; bedroom slippers. Perhaps.)
chamuscar,^. [<Sp. chamuscar, to scorch] chapa, /. [<Mex. Sp. chapa] lock (of a •
to scorch on one side; to singe. door); darle a uno en la chapa, to give
chamuscado, -da,adj. [<N.M. Sp. chamus¬ someone a beating.
car] sun- or wind-burned; scorched; chapaneca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chapa, heavy
singed. makeup, and chapaneca, short in stat¬
chamuz, m. [<Fr. chamois] bedroom slip¬ ure] said of the woman who uses heavy
per. See chamuces. makeup; la chapaneca, the bugbear. See
chamuza,/. [<N.M. Sp. chamuz<Fr. cham¬ also máscara, pintureteada, payasa.
ois] shammy skin or cloth; chamois. chaparejos, m. pi. [<N.M. Sp. chaparro,
Cf. Sp. gamuza. shrub, and aparejo, gear] a kind of leg¬
chan, m. [<Mex. Sp. chan<Náhuatl chian] gings made of leather; chaps.
bot., a plant of the Mint family used in chaparrito, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of
the making of tea. chaparro] short in stature; a term of
chanate,m. [<Mex. Sp. chanate<Náhuatl endearment; shorty; boy or girl friend;
zanatl, ornith., a kind of black bird] sweetheart.
black in color; a Black; black coffee chaparro, -rra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chaparro]
(slang). short in stature.
chancear, vb. [<Sp. chancear, to joke] to chapeones, m. pi. [Cunknown origin]
joke; to kid or to treat familiarly. name of persons in charge of the cos¬
chancero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chancear, tumes of the Penitentes.
to kid] said of the person who kids chaperito, m. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of chapero]

43
chapero
hat; a fancy hat; name of a New Mex¬ charolita,/. [<Am. Sp. dim. of charola]
ico village. cereal bowl; pi, Lenten dishes. See
chapero, m. [<Sp. chapeo, hat] palm-leaf cuaresmales.
or straw hat; worn-out hat; by exten¬ There was a great deal of exchang¬
sion, any hat. (No saigas sin chapero. ing done of charolitas—dishes—at
Don’t leave without your hat.) noon both Holy Thursday and Good
Friday. Neighbors and friends were
chápete, m. [<Mex. Sp. chápete, a rosy
seen carrying back and forth small
spot on the cheek] smut growing on
bowls filled with panocha, capirotada,
corn and wheat stalks; sexual inter¬
torrejas, or whatever other nice dish
course (taboo).
they had prepared. This exchange
chapetear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chápete] to en¬
of special dishes went on in every
gage in sexual intercourse.
small village during Holy Week.
chapetonada,/. [<Mex. Sp. chápete] sil¬ (Cleofas M. Taramillo, Shadows of the
ver ornament on a saddle. Past)
chapín, -na, adj. [<Sp. chapín, clog] pi¬ charón, adj. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of chara]
geon-toed; crooked; said of the per¬ said of the man having a large organ;
son who wears out his shoes on one m., large male organ (taboo).
side more than the other.
charque, m. [<Eng. shark, a greedy per¬
chapo, -pa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chapo<Nᬠson] hustler; serun charque, to be sharp;
huatl tzapa, midget] short and squat¬ to be “on the ball.”
ty. Also, chopo.
charquias, /. pi. [<Sp. dim. of charcas]
chapolear, vb. [<Sp. chapalear, to clatter] Col. N.M. Sp., small pools of water.
to make a clattering noise with shoes
En veinte e siete del dicho, salimos de
that are too large for the wearer’s feet.
este parage e fuimos á dormir a la ba¬
chapucear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chapuza, cheat¬ rranca, donde se volvió el caballo de Vi-
ing] to cheat. ruega, donde había unas charquías de
chapucero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chapucero] agua honda.
cheat, cheater. On the 27th of said month we left
chapulín, m. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of chapul] this camping site and went on to
grasshopper; insulting finger sign. spend the night at the ravine, where
Viruega’s horse came back. There
chapuza,/ [<Mex. Sp. chapuza] cheating;
were some small pools of deep water
hacer chapuza, to cheat.
here. (Gaspar Castaño de Sosa, Mem¬
chaquegüe, m. [<Tewa] a mush or por¬ oria del descubrimiento)
ridge made with blue cornmeal; the
blue cornmeal itself. charro, -rra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. charro, pic¬
turesque] elegant, beautiful, as applied
chaqueta,/ [<Sp. chaqueta]jacket; voltear
to clothes, dress, etc. (¡Qué charro anda
la chaqueta, to change sides in politics.
mi hijo! How elegant my son looks!)
chaquetero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. chaqueta] said
chas, m. [<Sp. chas, noise of wood crack¬
of the person who changes sides in
ing] no dar de chas una cosa, to turn
politics.
sour, to go awry; to have an unex¬
chaquira,/. [<Mex. Sp. chaquira] bead- pected result; to fail.
work; glass bead.
chasco, m. [<Sp. chasco, disappointment]
chara,/ [<Mex. Sp. chara, child?] ornith.,
bad experience; mechanical failure;
meadowlark; male organ (taboo). mishap; trouble; embarrassing diffi¬
charchigiiite, ra. See chalchigüite. culty; mess. ¡Qué chasco! What a mess!
charola,/. [<Am. Sp. charola, tray] bak¬ chascoso, -a, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chasco] trou¬
ing pan; large bowl; serving dish; tray. ble-ridden.

44
 chile
chatos, m. pl. [<Sp. chato, flat-nosed] brassiere.
pubic lice. chichi (chiche),/. [<Mex. Sp. chiche, mam¬
chaveta,/. [<Mex. Sp. chaveta, a kind of mary gland, breast] breast; teat; dar
shoemaker’s knife] darle a alguno en la chiche, to breast-feed; prendidos de la
chaveta, to beat up someone. chiche (or de la teta), feeding from the
chavo, -va, m. and/. [<Sp. ochavo, a small public trough.
coin] kid; boy or girl friend. chichigua,/ [<Mex. Sp. chichigua] wet
chavos, m. pl. [<Sp. ochavos] money in nurse. The term nodriza, q.v., Sp. for
general. wet nurse, is the common term used
for an ordinary nurse.
chayóte, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chayóte, a
kind of vegetable] sloppy, ill-kempt. chichigüite, m. [<Mex. Sp. chalchihuite, a
kind of Mexican jade] turquoise.
chayóte, -ta, adj. [<Eng. shy] bashful, shy.
chichinóle,m. [<Mex. Sp. achichincle <Ná-
Chencha,/[<Sp. Hortensia] A lo que te
huatl atl, water, and chichinqui, suck¬
truje, Chencha. Let’s get with it.
er] fawner; flatterer; a hanger-on. Also,
chequear, vb.[< Eng. to check] to check. chinchincle.
chequers, m. //.[<Eng. checkers] check¬ chichón, m. [<Mex. Sp. chichón] lump
ers (game). growing or left after a blow (on the
chere, adj. [<Eng. cherry] new; virginal; forehead, head, etc.). The term ca-
said of a girl who is a virgin. (La Se- macho is far more common in northern
naida está chere. Senaida is a virgin.) New Mexico and southern Colorado.
chical, m.[< N.M. Sp. chico,Chico bush] chichona, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chiche, teat] said
a thicket of Chico or Rabbit thorn of the woman having large breasts.
bushes. chiflado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chiflado,
chicalote, w.[<Mex. Sp. chicalote< Náhuatl silly] angry, mad; childish.
chicalotl] bot., a Prickly poppy plant chiflarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chiflar] to become
with white flowers; also called cardo upset or angry; to act silly, childish.
santo. (No te chifles. Don’t act silly.)
chicano, -na, m. and/[<Col. N. M. Sp. chifleta, / [<Mex. Sp. chifleta, innuen¬
mexicano [mesikáno], a resident of Mex¬ do] a hint; a sarcastic remark.
ico [mesiko], capital of the Aztecs] a
chiflón, m. [<Mex. Sp. chiflón, tube] flue;
Mexican American (loosely used term).
lamp chimney; stovepipe.
chiclano, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chiclán] said of chifonete, m. [<Tewa?] Indian clown; said
the horse with only testicle or with only of an older woman who uses exces¬
the epididymis. See also pelilludo. sive makeup in order to give the im¬
chico, m. [<Sp. chico?] bot., Chico bush pression that she is young. See also
or Rabbit thorn, a shrub of the Night¬ achapanacada. Cf. Sp. carantoña.
shade family. See also tomatillo. chiguata,/. [<Navajo chiguata] squaw;
chicoria,/ [<Sp. chicoria] bot., Dandelion; woman.
Cankerwart. chihuil (chigiiil), m. [<Navajo?] small
chicos, m. pl. [<Mex. Sp. chícales?] spe¬ valley.
cially prepared dehydrated corn used chilar, m. [<Mex. Sp. chile] chili patch.
in flavoring beans, pork and other chile, m. [<Mex. Sp. chile, Náhuatl chilli]
dishes. chili pepper; male organ; chile caribe, a
chicharrones, m. pl. [<Mex. Sp. chichar¬ kind of chili sauce made with raw chili
rones] cracklings; the crisp meaty resi¬ peppers, garlic, salt, etc.; chile ’e perro,
due of hot fat. Cf. Sp.fritada. sty; chile mango, bell pepper; chilepiqui,
chichero, m. [<N.M. Sp. chiche, breast] a small, piquant red chili pepper; chile

45
chilero
puerco, bot., Pigweed. ing iron.
chilero, -ra, ra. and /. [<N.M. Sp. chile] chinga,/. [<Mex. Sp. chinga] beating. /Qué
chile vendor; tag applied by southern chinga! How disappointing! (taboo).
Coloradoans to Mexican-Americans chingado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chingado]
from New Mexico. ruined; S.O.B. (taboo).
chilorio, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chile] a midnight chingar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chingar] to both¬
supper at a velorio (wake), where the er; to have sexual intercourse (taboo).
main course consists of a dish of red
chingazo, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chingazo] hard
chile sauce with potatoes, pork, garlic,
blow.
and salt.
chingle, ra. [<Eng. shingle] shingle; techo
chilote, ra. [<Col. Sp. xilote [silóte]] an ear
de chingles, shingle roof.
of corn which is beginning to develop.
chingón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chingón]
chillado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. a toda chilla]
great; “out of sight”; spirited (taboo).
fast; in a hurry; in a rush. (Salió de
aquí pero chillado. He left here in a chinita, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chino, curl] rip¬
great hurry.) Angry, mad. pling, applied to the surface of the
water.
chimajá,/. [<Tewa?] bot., a medicinal
plant of the Parsley family. Wild pars¬ chinito, -ta, ra. and/. [<Mex. Sp. chinito]
ley. The chimajá has an edible root and an endearing term equivalent to Eng¬
a yellow flower. lish darling, honey, sweetheart.

chimal,ra. [<Mex. Sp. chimal< Náhuatl chi- chino, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chino, curl] curly,
malli, shield] Col. N.M., a homemade applied to the hair.
shield made of rawhide. chino, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chino] curl of hair;
ringlet.
Chimayó, m. [<Tewa tsimajó, obsidian
flake] N.M. place-name; Indian-type De los chinos de tu frente
blanket; a detribalized Indian or geni- me darás para semilla,
zaro, q.v. para acordarme de ti
a todas horas del día.
chimayoso, -sa (pi. chimayoses), adj. [<Te-
Some of the curls on your forehead
wa tsimajo] rustic; countrified; a resi¬
You will give me as a token,
dent of the village of Chimayó.
So that I will remember you
chimolear, vb. [<Sp. chisme, gossip] to At all hours of the day.
tattle. (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso pop¬
chinadores,ra./?/. [<Mex. Sp.chinos, curls] ular)
curling irons. chipe, adj. [<Eng. cheap] cheap, stingy.
chincual,ra. [<Mex. Sp. chincual<Náhuatl Also, taite.
tzinco, in the anus, and atl, water] a chipie, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chípil<Náhuatl
kind of heat rash affecting babies; di¬ tzipitl, cry baby] said of the child who
aper rash. becomes sick upon being weaned, or
chinchero, ra. [<Sp. chinche, bedbug] place due to the mother’s becoming pregnant
ridden with bedbugs; jail. while still nursing the child; spoiled;
ra., the next to the last or smallest child
chinchicle, ra. See chichincle.
in a family. See also coyote.
chinchonte, ra. [<Mex. Sp. sinsonte<cen-
chiquear, vb. [<Sp. chico, child] to treat
zontle] ornith., mockingbird.
somone like a child; to spoil or pam¬
chinchorro, ra. [<Mex. Sp. chinchorro] per; reflex., to want to be begged or
drove of animals; Terr. N.M. Sp., a coaxed. (Ya ella tiene con quien chiquearse.
small dragnet. She now has someone to spoil her.)
chinero, ra. [<N.M. Sp. chinos, curls] curl¬ chiqueo, ra. [<N.M. Sp. chiquearse] indul-

46
 chispo
gence; caress. ful or shy.
chiqueón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chiquearse] chiquitoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chíquete,
spoiled; bothersome. chewing gum] sticky, applied especially
chiquero, m. [<Mex. Sp. chiquero, corral to mud.
or stable] a small brush pen; pigpen; chiribi, m. [<Eng. shivaree] noise; noisy
dirty place. (El cuarto del Onofre parece gathering or party; “where the action
un chiquero. Onofre’s room looks like a is”; excitement.
pigpen.) chirinola,/. [<Sp. chirinola, trifle] brawl;
chíquete, ra. [ < Col. N. M. S p. chíquete < N á- good time; excitement; binge, carous¬
huatl chictli] chewing gum; chíquete de al; spree. (El Maque anduvo en la chirinola
embarañada, bot., a plant of the Aster toda la noche. Mack was out all night on
family. a binge.)
In May, small, yellow balls form on chirinolear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. chirinola] to
the plant Chíquete de embarañada go out for a good time.
(Lygodemia juncia Pursh) and the
chiripada,/. [<Mex. Sp. chiripada, chance]
children gather them for gum. But,
lucky break or stroke; de chiripada, by
what is most surprising, these yel¬
chance, by coincidence.
low balls turn bright blue when they
are chewed and small boys can spit chirrión, m. [<Mex. Sp. chirrión] a kind
a nice long streamer at the family of whip; volteársele a uno el chirrión por
cat or sister’s clean dress, or perhaps el palito, to get a taste of one’s own
can scare mother a little into think¬ medicine; said of something that back¬
ing they have been eating something fires.
perfectly horrible. . . . chíquete de chirrionera,/. [<Mex. Sp. chirrión, bull-
trementina, chewing gum from the whip] a kind of snake.
crystallized resin of the piñón tree; chirrionero, m. [<Mex. Sp. chirrión] Col.
chíquete güerito, a kind of soft chew¬ N.M. Sp., mule driver.
ing gum made from the resin of the
chisguete, m. [<Sp. chisguete, spout] loose¬
pine tree. (Leonora S.M. Curtin,
ness of bowels; diarrhea. (El Baldemar
Healing Herbs of the Upper Rio Grande)
cayó aquí con chisguete. Baldemar got
chiquiao, m. [<N.M. Sp. chiquearse, to
here with diarrhea.)
want to be begged or coaxed] a dance
game during which poetic quatrains chismolear, vb. [<Sp. chisme, gossip] to
carry tales; to tattle.
are exchanged by the participants.
chiquigüite (chiquihuite), m. [<Mex. Sp. chispa, /. [<Sp. chispa, spark] steel for
chiquihuite<Náhuatl chiqui-huitl] bot., striking fire with a flint; lighter; ser
Osier willow rod; wicker basket. uno muy chispas, to be easy to upset or
Here, too, on All Soul’s Day, gather anger; tener la chispa a la orilla, to be
the women of the pueblo, trim and very touchy or easy to anger.
comely in their festal best; each bear¬ Traditionally different, New Mex¬
ing upon her head a flaring rushen icans used the word chispa for the
chiquihuite heaped with offerings, steel itself as well as for the sparks
mostly grotesque-shaped little loaves made by it or by a flame . . . The
of sweetened, well-shortened bread New Mexican chispa consistently was
they have for days been baking in of iron, blacksmith-made and of
the outdoor homos. (Charles F. Lum- elongated U shape, undecorated ex¬
mis, Mesa, Canyon and Pueblo) cept for the incurved rat-tail ends.
(E. Boyd, “The Use of Tobacco in
chiquito, m. [<Sp. dim. of chico, child]
Spanish New Mexico,” El Palacio)
baby. (La vieja del Sarapio tuvo chiquito
anoche. Sarapio’s wife had a baby last chispo, -pa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chispo, ele¬
night.) Hacerse el chiquito, to act bash¬ gant] dapper; elegant; well-dressed.

47
chisqueado
chisqueado, -da, adj. [<SW Sp. slang chis- chocoque [sokóke], adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp.
quear, to mess up] messed up; ruined; chocoque [sokóke]] sour, spoiled. (Esta
wrecked; badly off financially. leche está chocoque. This milk is sour. La
guisa del Sammy le sirvió unos frijoles
chisquear, vb. [<SW Sp. slang chisquear]
chocoques. Sammy’s girl friend served
to mess up, to ruin.
him some spoiled beans.)
chiste, m. [<Sp. chiste, joke] joke, anec¬
chocoyle, m. [<Mex. Sp.?] bot., Violet
dote; folktale; trick. (El chiste no es mear
wood sorrel.
sino que el chorro haga espuma. The trick
is not to piss, but to get the piss to chocoyol, m. [<Mex. Sp. chocoyol] bot.,
make foam.) ¡Oh, chiste! You are kid¬ Watercress. Cf. Sp. berro.
ding! De chiste, in fun, jokingly; no tener chocroso, -sa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chocroso]
chiste una cosa, to be dull. greasy, dirty, filthy.
chistear, vb. [<Sp. chiste, joke] to kid; to chochita,/. [<Mex. Sp.?] bot., a kind of
joke. mountain grass.

¡Chite!, interj. [<Eng. shit] Heck! Shit! chocho [soso], adj. [<Mex. Sp. chocho, pig]
slow-moving; awkward; dirty, sloppy,
chitear, vb. [<Eng. to cheat] to cheat (in
unkempt.
school).
chole,m:/. [<Mex. Sp. Chole<Soledad] ¡Ya
chiva,/. [<Mex. Sp. chiva, cocaine] co¬
chole! Cut it out! Enough!
caine; heroin; fink; pi, belongings,
cholejo, -ja, adj. [<unknown origin] care¬
baggage; andar en la chiva, to be work¬
lessly dressed, ill-kempt, shabby.
ing in a sheep camp; meterle las chivas a
alguno, to pressure someone, as for cholla,/. [<Mex. Sp. cholla] bot., Buck-
payment of a bill, etc.; to sue; to make horn cactus; Cane cactus.
it hot for someone. (El finance company chombo, -ba, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chombo, buz¬
le metió las chivas a la Dulcinea. The fi¬ zard?] hacerse chombo, to pretend igno¬
nance company made it hot for Dul¬ rance for one’s own convenience; to
cinea.) want to be coaxed or begged.
chivarrias,/. pi. [<Mex. Sp. chivarrias] chones, m. pi. [<N.M. Sp. child’s pronun¬
kidskin chaps or leggings. ciation of calzones [kaleones], ’chones]
panties.
chivato, m. [<Am. Sp. chivato] seed goat;
buck; rascal; S.O.B., villain. chongo, m. [<Mex. Sp. chongo, chignon]
chivito, -ta, adj. [<Sp. dim. of chivo, billy queue-style hair worn by some Rio
goat] mischievous; rascal. Grande Indians in New Mexico; chongo
race, relay race held at Isleta Pueblo;
chivo, m. [<Sp. chivo, male goat] male
tabaco de chongo, twist tobacco; levan¬
goat; S.O.B.; adj., mean; mischievous;
tarse uno con el chongo atravesado, to get
vengeful; hacerle de chivo los tamales a
up on the wrong side of the bed, to
alguno, to deceive a person.
get up in ill humor.
cho, m. [<Eng. show] movies, show. See chongudo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chongo]
also mono, vistas. wearing the chongo, pigtails or braids.
chococarse, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. chocoque chonguitos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of
[sokóke] < Náhuatl xococ, sour] to become chongo] a dish consisting of goat (ca¬
sour. brito) intestines braided into a twist
chocolate, m. [<Eng. chocolate] chocolate and fried in deep fat.
candy; chocolate syrup. chonque, m. [<Eng. chunk] chunk, piece.
chocolatero, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. chocolatera, chonte, m. [<N.M. Sp. contraction of
chocolate pot] a copper mug used for chinchonte (sinsonte), mockingbird] or-
drinking cocoa. nith., mockingbird; also applied to a

48
 chuzas
person who is always whistling. chuchupate, m. [<Mex. Sp. chuchupate, a
chopo, m. [<Sp. chopo, poplar] bedroom medicinal plant] bot., a kind of Wild
slipper; rubber overshoe; adj., short celery; same as oshd in northern New
in stature. Mexico, q.v.
choque, m. [<Eng. chalk] chalk. Cf. Sp. chueco, m. [<Mex. Sp. chueco, crooked]
tiza. name of a shinney-like game played
with a ball and a curved club (el chueco).
choque, m. [<Eng. shock] shock; electric
Cf. Sp. chueca, a cricket-like game. Adj.,
shock.
twisted, crooked, bent.
chora,/. [<Mex. Sp. cachora, a kind of
chulo, -la, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. chucho?,
iguana] male organ. See also chara.
dog] cur, mongrel, mutt; dog.
choriz, m. [<Sp. chorizo, sausage] pork
chumares[súmares],m.pl. [Cunknownor¬
sausage; bologna sausage.
igin] underwear.
chorrera,/. [<Sp. chorrera, runlet] right
chupadero, m. [<Sp. chupar, to suck] a
of way or access space between two
kind of cattle tick.
houses differently owned.
chorro, m. [<Sp. chorro] stream of things; chupar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chupar] to smoke.
en chorro, single file; in line. Cf. Sp. fumar.

chortes, m. pi. [<Eng. shorts] basketball churrete, m. [<Mex. Sp. churrete] smear
or track shorts. (excrement).

chota, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. slang chota, churreteado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chur¬
fink, pig] cop, police officer; police reteado, spattered] dirty (with a dirty
force. face); smeared with excrement.
chote, m. [<Eng. schottische] a popular churria,/ [<Mex. Sp. churria, looseness
folk dance. of bowels] prostitute; loose woman.
choteado, -da, adj. [<Eng. shot, ruined] chutero, m. [<N.M. Sp. chutear, to shoot]
shot; in a bad condition. troubleshooter; explosives expert.
chotegón, m. [<Eng. shotgun] shotgun. chuzas,/, pi. [<Mex. Sp. chuza, move or
choza, /. [<Sp. choza, hut] house, hut; stroke in a game of pool] Terr. N.M.,
hogan; tepee. a gambling game played with three
billiard-like balls that were numbered.
¡Chu!, interj. [<Eng. Shoo!] used to scare
Also, a roulette-like game.
away animals.
Communication was had with a large
chuchear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chucho, tattle¬
sala on which was to be found every
tale] to tattle; to fawn, to play up to; to
kind of gambling game known in
cringe.
the West in those times, the principal
chucho, -cha, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chucho] af¬ games being faro and monte, and in
fectionate; tattletale. the early days a game called chusas,
chuchulucos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. chuchu- the precursor of the roulette wheel
lucos, knickknacks] knickknacks; small of more recent times. (Ralph Emer¬
toys. Also, chuculucos. son Twitchell, Old Santa Fe)

49
 Dios da pero no acarrea.
God provides, but He has no special delivery
service.
(God helps those who help themselves.)

daime, m. [<Eng. dime] ten-cent coin. clavo, to hit the nail on the head; dar
The names of American coins in cir¬ de chas una cosa, to backfire; dar en la
culation are expressed in hispanicized madre or en la torre, to beat up some¬
English: cuara (quarter), daime (dime), one; darle a uno las doce, to be unable
dolar (dollar), nicle (nickel), etc. Occa¬ to stand a thing, to be in a bind; no dar
sionally peseta and dos reales are heard pie con bola, to be unable to find a solu¬
for quarter, and cuatro reales for fifty tion to a problem; dar calabazas una
cents. Tostón (fifty cents) is common in mujer a un hombre, to reject a man’s
southern New Mexico. proposal for marriage.
dama,/. [<Sp. dama, lady] flower girl at dealtiro (deatiro), adv. [<Mex. Sp. de
a casorio (wedding); maid of honor at altiro] extremely so. (¿Se dañó mucho?
a dance. ¡Dealtiro nada! Is it damaged badly?
Extremely so!) Deatiro, terrible. (¡Este
danzada,f. [<Sp. danza, dance] a single
Roy sí es deatiro! Roy certainly is terri¬
performance at a dance.
ble!)
danzante, m. [<Sp. danzante, dancer] a debasana,/. See dobasana.
ceremonial dancer in the dance, Los
decedido, -da, adj. [<Sp. decidido] bold,
Matachines.
daring, determined.
dañero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. daño, damage] de¬ décima, f. [<Sp. décima] a ten or forty-
structive, as rats, coyotes, etc. Cf. Sp. four line poem with various rhyme
dañino. patterns.
dar, vb. [<Sp. dar, to give, produce] to decir, vb. [<Sp. decir] to say; to match, to
give; a todo dar, “cool,” fine, splendid, harmonize, as an article of clothing
etc. ¡Dale! Step on it. (Hurry.) Darlas, harmonizing with another. (Ponte esa
to be all done in, exhausted; darle al corbata colorada para que le diga al vestido.

50
 descoger
Put on that red tie to match your suit.) said of one who repeatedly slights oth¬
de cuanto hay, adj. [<Sp. de cuanto hay, ers.
of whatever there is on hand] old; desapartar, vb. [<Sp. des and apartar] to
old-fashioned. (Un cute de cuanto hay, separate. Cf. Sp. apartar.
an old-fashioned overcoat.) desbarrumbado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. des-
de deveras, adv. [<Sp. de veras] really; barrumbado] dilapidated; in ruins; fallen
truly; honestly. or falling apart.
dedo, m. [<Sp. dedo] finger; fink; squeal¬ desborujado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. des-
er; trabarle los dedos a alguno, to turn borujar] messed up, as a drawer, one’s
someone down; to refuse (help, etc.). hair, etc.
dejar, vb. [<Sp. dejar, to leave] dejar saber, desborujar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. des and boru-
to let one know. (Déjame saber. Let me quear] to search through a drawer
know.) Cf. Sp. hacer saber. Por no dejar, leaving things in disarray; to mess up.
jokingly, in fun; not seriously. descalentar, vb. [<Sp. escalentar, to foment
delantar,w. [<Sp. delantal] apron; kitchen and preserve natural heat] to arouse
apron. sexually; reflex., to become sexually
aroused.
delicado, -da, adj. [<Sp. delicado] finicky,
particular. descalofriado,-da,adj. [<Sp. escalofriado]
chilled; shivering.
dende, prep. [<Col. N.M. Sp. dende (Mo¬
lina)] since. (Dende aquel día ya no ha descalzo, m. [<Sp. descalzo, barefooted] a
vuelto. He has not returned since that kind of flatulence expelled without the
day.) usual accompanying noise. (La Ursulita
soltó un descalzo. Ursulita dropped a si¬
deoquis, adj., adv. [<Sp. de oque, gratis]
lent rose.)
free; gratis; unemployed. (¿Qué razón
me dan de la Colástica? Está deoquis la descansar, vb. [<Sp. descansar, to rest; to
probe. How about Colástica? She’s un¬ rest in peace] to rest; to recover from
employed, poor thing. El Toribio me an illness. (Y, ¿cómo está la Erminda? Ya
hizo el trabajito deoquis. Toribio did the descansó, ya anda andando. And how is
little job free of charge.) In vain, to no Erminda? She is well now and she’s
avail. up and around.)
deputado, m. [<Sp. diputado] deputy; of¬ descanso, m. [<Sp. descanso, rest] shrine
ficer. or rest usually marked by a heap of
stones and a wooden cross.
deputar, vb. [<Sp. diputar] to deputize.
The spot where Governor Pérez
derramadero, m. [<Sp. derramar, to spill]
was killed is marked by a descanso
spillage; slope; sloping. Also, redama-
or heap of stones surmounted by a
dero.
cross, and may be seen a little to the
desafuciado, -da, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. right of the road as one drives from
desafuciado<Sp. desahuciado, despaired Santa Fe. (W.M. Merger,Berger’s Tour¬
of] dejected, demoralized; frustrated, ist Guide of New Mexico)
discouraged, sad.
descargado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. descar¬
desahijar, vb. [<Sp. desahijar, to wean] to gar] discharged from the armed ser¬
wean (lambs); to weed. vices.
desahíje [desáixe], m. [<Sp. desahijar, to descargar, vb. [<Sp. descargar, to unload]
wean] act of weaning lambs; weaning to discharge from the armed services.
time. descoger, vb. [<Sp. descoger, to expand]
desaigre, m. [<Sp. desaire] slight. to choose, to select.
desaigroso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. desaigre] Una rosita de mayo

51
 descollado
descogida entre millares; desgotado, -da, adj. [<Sp. escotado] decol-
entre más me estoy contigo, leté, low-cut (dress).
más ganas me dan de estarme. desgraciado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desgraciado,
Loveliest of May roses unfortunate] despicable; caddish;
Chosen among thousands; S.O.B. (taboo).
The more I am with you,
desguangüilado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. des-
The more I feel like staying.
guangüilado, dressed in disarray] loose,
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso popu¬
as legs of a table; not firm.
lar)
desguanzado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. des¬
descollado, -da, adj. [<Sp. descollar, to
guanzado] faint, feeble, as a bedridden
excel] open; treeless, applied to a hill¬
patient.
top.
deshijadero,m. [<N.M. Sp. deshijar]lamb¬
desconchinflado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. des-
ing season; place where weaning of
conchinflado, in disorder] unkempt,
lambs takes place.
disorganized; silly.
deshijar, vb. [<Sp. desahijar] to wean
descontarse, vb. [<Sp. descontar, to dis¬
(lambs); to thin out (plants).
count] to “split” or move away (slang).
deshojar, vb. [<Sp. deshojar, to strip off
descosido, -da, adj. [<Sp. descosido, ripped]
the leaves] to husk, as corn. Cf. Sp.
said of a loose person who feels free
deshollejar.
and unattached.
descubrir, vb. [<Sp. descubrir] to discov¬ deshoje, m. [<Sp. deshoje, the fall of leaves
er; descubrir el pastel, to let the cat out from plants] corn shucks (husks) used
of the bag; to spill the beans. for tamales, “roll-your-own” cigarettes,
etc.
descuido, m. [<Sp. descuido, oversight] en
un descuido, when you least expect it. desjaretado, -da, adj. [<Sp. des, to undo,
desdientado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desdentado] and jareta, seam] tattered, ill-kempt;
toothless or having a missing tooth. raggedy. (No falta un roto para un des¬
jaretado. Every Jack has his Jill.)
desempeño, m. [<Sp. desempeño] act of
redeeming a pledge. desliz, m. [<Sp. desliz, slip or act of slip¬
It was the custom, when anyone ping] desliz de nieve, avalanche.
danced for the first time, to take desmadrado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. des¬
the person and carry him in arms madrado] badly beaten (slang).
around the hall. This was called the
desmorecerse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. desmore¬
amarre. Before he was allowed to go,
cerse] desmorecerse de risa, to become
someone close in friendship or rela¬
blue in the face with laughter.
tionship had to redeem him. This
redemption was the desempeño. The desmorecido, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. des¬
desempeño usually was a promise of morecerse] blue in the face from exces¬
a dance at a fixed date. (Fabiola C. sive laughter or anger.
de Baca Gilbert, We Fed Them Cac¬ desocupado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. desocu¬
tus) par] idle, unemployed, out of work.
desensartarse, vb. [<Sp. desensartar] to get desocupar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. desocupar] to
out from under (fig.). dismiss or fire from a job. (A la Solema
desfondingado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desfonda¬ la desocuparon del Mongomer. Solema
do, with the bottom out or broken] said was fired from Montgomery Ward’s.)
of a container (can, barrel, etc.) with its See also correr.
bottom out.
desorillo, m. [<Sp. des, without, and N.M.
desgarratado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desgarrado, Sp. orillo<orilla, edge] edging, as of a
torn] raggedy, tattered. slab of wood.

52
 desvalerse
despacioso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. despacio, slow] desprovecido, vb. [<Sp. desproveer] lack¬
slow; slowpoke. ing; deprived. Cf. Sp. desprovisto.
despadazar, vb. [<Sp. despedazar] to tear desquebrantar, vb. [<Sp. des and que¬
to pieces. brantar] to break one’s fast.
despanzurrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. despanzur¬ destapador, m. [<Sp. des and tapador,
rado] burst; torn, with the insides out. plug] plunger; corkscrew.
desparachina,(2í¿/. [<Sp. espadachín, bully] destartalado, -da, adj. [<Sp. destartalado,
said of the person who affects valor; huddled] in disarray; topsy-turvy.
garrulous. Also, despadachina. destemplamiento, m. [<Sp. destemplar, to
desparecer, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. despare¬ distemper] destemplamiento de cabeza,
cer] to disappear. Cf. Mod. Sp. desa¬ headache.
parecer. Desparecer, to send away, is destender, vb. [<Sp. destender, to fold] to
used by Cervantes. spread, as a disease. This verb appar¬
desparramar, vb. [<Sp. desparramar, to ently has been confused with extender,
scatter] to spill (liquids). Cf. Sp. derramar. to spread, to fan out.
despedida,/. [<Sp. despedida, farewell] a destonado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desentonado] flat
stanza in a ballad in which the com¬ (music).
poser takes leave of his listeners; name destornillado, -da, adj. [<Sp. destornillar,
of a poetic composition in honor of a to unscrew] “nuts,” silly.
deceased person, or of someone leav¬
destornudar, vb. [<Sp. estornudar] to
ing on a trip, going off to war, etc.
sneeze.
despedimento, m. See despedida.
destornudo, m. [<Sp. estornudo] sneeze.
despeletrear, vb. [<Eng. to spell] to spell.
destrabancado, -da, adj. [<Sp. atraban¬
See also espeletrear.
cado] careless, reckless.
desperficionado, -da,adj. [<N.M. Sp.per-
destrampado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. des¬
fición<Sp. perfección, beauty, grace] said
trompar] free after being pinned down;
of a person with a distorted face due
shabbily dressed, in rags; drunken,
to pain or anger; distorted; ugly in
drugged.
dress and physical appearance. (La
destrampar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. des and tram-
Sotelita está tan desperficionada que cuasi
par] to free from an object that is pin¬
ni la conocía. Sotelita is so changed
ning one down. See trampar.
[ugly] that I hardly recognized her.)
destraviado, -da, adj. [<Sp. extraviado]
desperficionarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. perfi-
stray; lost.
ción] to make a mess of one’s looks by
trying to improve them, i.e., by put¬ destripado, -da, adj. [<Sp. destripar, to
ting on an excess of makeup or wear¬ disembowel] suffering from or having
ing something outlandish. a hernia.

desplumado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desplumar, to destriparse, vb. [<Sp. destripar] to rupture
deplume] salir desplumado, to come out an intestine (tripa); to get a hernia.
or be defeated in a fight. desuciado (deshuciado), adj. [<Sp. desahu¬
despostillado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desportillado] ciado, given up] apathetic.
chinked, chipped, as glass, china, etc. desvalerse, vb. [<Sp. des and valerse] to
despostillar, vb. [<Sp. desportillar, to make break a relationship with.
nicks on a surface (paint, enamel, glass, Carretita, carretón
china, etc.)] (Este pichel está todo des- los que se valen al compadre
postillado. This pitcher is all chipped.) y a la comadre y se desvalen,
desprender, vb. [<Sp. desprender] to un¬ se les parte el corazón.
hitch (horses, mules); to detach. Little cart, large cart

53
desvelado
Those who vow to be co-parents With the snow up to my knee
And break the relationship To say, “Good morning”
Will die of a broken heart. To Manuelita Garcia.
(N.M. and so. Colo, verso popular) (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. quatrain
desvelado, -da, adj. [<Sp. desvelado] de¬ from Los días)
prived of sleep; having the qualities of diabla, /. [<Sp. f. of diablo, devil] she-
a cad, wretch; euphemism for desgra¬ devil; mischievous female. Cf. Sp.
ciado, q.v. diablesa.
desvestido, -da, adj. [<Sp. desvestido] un¬ diablo, m. [<Sp. diablo] devil; ser el mismo
dressed. Cf. Sp. desnudo. diablo, to be mean as hell, ruthless.
desvestirse, vb. [<Sp. desvestirse] to shed dialtiro, adv. [<Mex. Sp. dialtiro] ex¬
one’s clothes, to undress. tremely so; adj., terrible, terribly mis¬
desviejar, vb. [<Sp. des and viejo] to get chievous.
rid of old stock (cows, ewes, etc.). diantre, m. [<Mex. Sp. diantre] imp, little
detectivo, -va, m. and /. [<Sp. detective] devil; adj., impish, devilish, evil, mean.
detective. diasque, m. [<Mex. Sp. diasque<Náhuatl
devisar, vb. [<Sp. divisar] to descry at a diache] excl. to express astonishment,
distance. surprise, etc.; m. and f., devil, deuce.
devorado, -da, adj. [<Sp. devorado, de¬ diente, m. [<Sp. diente] tooth; pegarle a
voured] in disarray, as a house; un¬ alguno en el diente flojo, to touch some¬
kempt; mad, beside oneself with anger. one on a tender spot.
dexagerado, -da, adj. [<Sp. exagerado] dientista, m. [<Sp. dentista] dentist.
given to extremes, said of one who dientón, -na, adj. [<Sp. dentón] having
overdoes things. large, uneven teeth.
Mi marido es un hombre borracho
dieta,/. [<Sp. dieta, diet] postpartum pe¬
y un hombre dexagerado,
riod (40 days) in which the mother ob¬
se mantiene en las cantinas
serves traditional ways of caring for
sin penas y sin cuidado.
her well-being (food, drink, sponge
My husband is a drunkard
bathing, exposure, etc.).
And is given to extremes;
He is always in the saloon diferenciarse, vb. [<Sp. diferenciarse, to
Without worries or cares. differ] to disguise oneself; to appear
(N.M. and so. Colo, verso popular) different.

dexagerar, vb. [<Sp. exagerar] to overdo dijir, vb. [<Sp. decir] to say; to harmo¬
a thing; to overact. nize; to match. See decir.
día, m. [<Sp. día, day] ir de mediodía pa dijunto, -ta, m. and /. [<Sp. difunto] de¬
abajo, to be going down the drain, to ceased; apparition; ghost. (Esa es la her¬
be getting old. (Ya la Toribia va de medio¬ mana de la dijunta Olivama Las or da.
día pa abajo. Toribia is going down the That woman is the sister of the late
drain [is getting old].) Día de Acción de Olivama Lasorda.)
Gracias, Thanksgiving; dar los días, to
diluvio, m. [<Sp. diluvio, deluge] flash
serenade those persons named Man¬
flood, freshet. See also luvia.
uel or Manuela on New Year’s morn¬
ing. dioquis, adv. See deoquis.

Desde mi casa he venido dios, m. [<Sp. Dios, God; idol] ser un dios,
con la nieve a la rodilla, to be very good at something; to excel.
a darle los buenos días (Este Palemón es un dios. Palemón is cer¬
a Manuelita García. tainly great.)
I’ve come from home dipo, m. [<Eng. depot<Fr. dépót] bus or

54
 dormilones

railroad station or terminal. pierto] awake; knowledgeable; “on the

disconsuelo, m. [<Sp. desconsuelo] afflic¬ ball.”
tion, sorrow. diteria,/. [<Sp. difteria] diphtheria.
disflorear, vb. [<Sp. des and florear, to diversar, vb. [<Sp. diversificar, to diversi¬
flower] to scan, as a road; to descry at fy] to argue, as in a poetic joust; to
a distance. converse in poetry.
Me subí pa arriba ’el cerro divurcio, m. [<Sp. divorcio] divorce.
a disflorear la ladera dobasana,/. [<Am. Sp. damasana] a kind
y alcancé a ver nítidos bultos of jug; a glass bottle enclosed in wick¬
y también la polvadera. erwork.
I went up to the hilltop
doce, f. pi. [<Sp. doce] twelve; darle las
To scan the hillside;
doce a una persona, to be in a bind; not
I was able to make out
to be able to stand a thing; to get the
Outlines of persons and dust clouds.
urge. (Anda más apriesa, Macedonia, ya
(Indita del Indio Victorio, N.M. Sp.
me dan las doce. Walk faster, Macedo¬
ballad)
nia, I can’t stand it.)
disparar, vb. [<Sp. disparar, to fire (gun,
docena,/. [<Sp. docena, dozen] representar
rifle, etc.)] to pick up the tab; to pay
catorce por docena, to misrepresent; to
for a round of drinks; to treat one’s
represent more than one actually is or
friends, relatives, etc. (Esta vez le toca
has. (El Sabino siempre anda representando
disparar a ’m primo Pantaleón. This time
catorce por docena. Sabino is always
it’s cousin Pantaleón’s turn to pay.)
misrepresenting.)
disparate, m. [<Sp. disparate, absurdity]
dolar [dolár], m. [<Eng. dollar] dollar (pi,
name of a folk poetic composition set
dolares). The term peso (<Mex. peso) is
to music. Other names for this type of
much more common than dolar. (Este
composition are mentiras (tall tales) and
cute me costó cien dolares. This overcoat
relaciones.
cost me a hundred dollars.) Cf. Sp.
Un ciego estaba escribiendo
dólares.
lo que un mudo decía
dominita, / [<Sp. dominica?] a tiny pil¬
y un sordo estaba escuchando
low-shaped sack worn by some persons
pa platicarlo otro día.
together with their scapulary as a safe¬
A blind man was jotting down
guard against evil.
What a deaf-mute was saying,
And a deaf man was listening dompe, m. [<Eng. dump] dump; dump
In order to talk about it next day. heap. (La Rafela y el Prudencio viven en
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. disparate) un dompe. Rafela and Prudencio live in

dispensa,/. [<Sp. despensa, pantry] stor¬ a dump.)

age shed; tool shed. See also fuerte and dompear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. dompe] to dump;
fuertecito. to break a relationship with. (A la Ni-
colasa la dompió el Abedón. Abedón broke
dispensado, -da, adj. [<Sp. dispensado, ex¬
up with Nicolasa.)
cused] mentally retarded; idiotic, mo¬
ronic. (¿Quién se pone a decir eso? La dona,/ [<Eng. doughnut] doughnut.
Facundita lo dice. Sí, pero ella está dis¬ (Oye, Alfirio, anda tráete unas donas. Say,
pensada. Who has the temerity to say Alfirio, go get some doughnuts.)
that? Facundita says it. Yes, but she’s donado, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. donado] a lay
not all there.) brother dedicated to a religious order
dispertar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. dispertar without yet having taken the orders.
(Calderón)] to awaken; to wake up. dormilones, m. pi. [<Sp. dormilón, sleepy
dispierto, -ta, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. dis- head] bot., a plant of the Aster family.

55
dormirse
dormirse, vb. [<Sp. dormirse] to go to above statement. The people ex¬
sleep; to solidify (cement, yeso, etc.). press much uncertainty about the
Dormirse pidiendo, to ask an exorbitant origin, whereabouts, and doings of
price for an item. (Estos del flea market dwarfs. (Aurelio Macedonio Espi¬
se duermen pidiendo. These people at nosa, “New Mexican Folklore,” The
the flea market ask exorbitant prices.) Journal of American Folklore)
dos, m. [<Sp. dos, two] name of a playing durmilón, m. [<Sp. dormilón, sleepyhead]
card; name of one of the batons in the lazy person; a kind of nighthawk; also,
game of canute; dos por cuatro, two-by- a kind of stink beetle. Cf. N.M. Sp.
four (lumber); en un dos por tres, in a perrodo, stinkbug.
jiffy; right away.
durundún, m. [<N.M. Sp. Juan Durun-
drogas,/, pl. [<Sp. droga, artifice] hacer dún, onomatopoeic name] A children’s
drogas, to cheat. game at Christmas time. Under the
duce, adj. [<Sp. dulce] sweet; papas duces, direction of an agüelo, a combination
sweet potatoes. (Hicites esta sopa murre of bugbear and Santa Claus, children
duce. You made this pudding much form in a circle and dance as they sing
too sweet.) the song of Juan Durundún. Following
ducha,/ [<Sp. ducha, shower] douche. is the chorus:
(La Encarnación se dió una ducha durante Baila, paloma
su dieta. Encarnación took a douche
de Juan Durundún;
during her postpartum period.)
durundún, dun, dun,
duende, m. [<Sp. duende, elf] dwarf; durundún, dun, dun.
midget. Dance, dove
Dwarves (los duendes) are individu¬ Ofjohn Durundún:
als of small stature, who frighten Durundún, dun, dun,
the lazy, the wicked, and in particu¬ Durundún, dun, dun.
lar the filthy. The New Mexican (La paloma de Juan Durundún, N.M.
idea about dwarfs is embraced in the and so. Colo. Sp. children’s game)

56
 El que porfía mata venado.
He who perseveres goes far.

eclís, m. [<Eng. eclipse] eclipse. uñas, to kipe, to steal.

echada,/. [<Sp. echárselas, to boast] boast¬ echón, m. [<Sp. echar, to cast] the act of
ing. (Son más las echadas que las que están making someone believe something.
poniendo. The brooding hens out¬ (¡Qué echón se dio Avaristo. Avaristo
number those that are laying [a famil¬ certainly went for it hook, line and
iar way of saying that a person is brag¬ sinker.)

ging]-) ¡Echú!, interj. [<Eng. shoo!] expression

echar, vb. [<Sp. echar] to cast; to throw; used in getting a horse, mule, donkey,
to put out; echar a alguno, to kid, to etc., to get going.
make a person believe something being efectos, m. pi. [<Sp. efectos, goods] mer¬
said (flattery, mostly). (Al Aquino lo es¬ chandise; efectos secos, dry goods. Cf.
tán echando. They are kidding Aquino.) Sp. telas.
Echar la plática, to give a preaching to; ejes, m. pi. [<Sp. eje] axle; estar uno hasta
echar menos <Sp. echar de menos, to miss; los ejes, to be up to one’s neck.
echar por delante, to get the best of. (Los
elotes, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. elote] tender
escueleros se echaron por delante a la mes-
ear of corn; ciertos elotes, you-know-
tra. The pupils got the best of their
who (when speaking of a person whose
teacher.) Echar un chapulín, to make
name one does not want to mention).
an obscene gesture with a finger; echar¬
(Y, ¡cómo está ciertos elotes? And how’s
le a uno sus papas, to give someone a
you-know-who?)
piece of one’s mind; echarse un hom¬
embabucar, vb. [<Sp. embaucar] to de¬
bre a una mujer, to have sexual inter¬
course; echarse uno por la cabeza, to let ceive.
the cat out of the bag; echar las cinco embanquetar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. banqueta,

57
 embarañada
sidewalk] to build a curbing or side¬ having the appearance of sheep in a
walk. flock; said of the sky with cirrus clouds;
embarañada,/. [<N.M. Sp. embarañado clouded.
<Sp. enmarañado, entangled] bot., Cone Patio encharcado,
flower, a plant whose leaves are chewed cielo emborregado,
like chewing gum. See chíquete de em¬ sale un negrito
barañada. culimpinado.
Patio full of puddles
embarañado, -da, adj. [<Sp. enmarañado]
Sky full of clouds,
entangled, disheveled (hair).
A small Black comes out
embarañar, vb. [<Sp. enmarañar] to en¬
Walking on all fours.
tangle.
(El perrodo, The Stinkbug, N.M. and
embarrado, -da,adj. [<Sp. embarrado, plas¬ so. Colo. Sp. riddle)
tered] soiled, dirty.
embromado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. em¬
embarrar, vb. [<Sp. embarrar, to plaster] bromar, to detain] detained. (’M papá se
to smear; to get dirty. quedó embromado en la plaza. Father was
embicionar, vb. See imbicionar. detained in town.)
embijado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. embijar] embromar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. embromar, to
soiled, dirty. take someone’s time with idle talk] to
embijar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. embijar] to soil, detain or delay; reflex., to be detained.
as with excrement, mud, etc. (Rutiliano se embromó con el tractor y no
pudo venir. Rutiliano got tied up with
embocar, vb. [<Sp. embocar, to get into
the tractor and couldn’t come.)
the mouth] to enter a place; to place a
thing inside another; to hit. (.Embócale embromoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. em¬
uno al Alfirio pa que se calle. Hit Alfirio bromar] time-consuming; annoying,
so he will shut up.) vexing. (Este trabajo es muy embromoso.
This work is very annoying.)
embolado, -da, adj. [<Sp. embolado, with
balls (bolas)] said of a bull with balls of embudo, m. [<Sp. embudo, funnel] fun¬
cotton on the points of its horns. These nel-shaped canyon.
balls are permeated with oil and set After an hour had passed, an Indian,
afire, causing a great deal of smoke, sent by the said don Luis, came to
which makes the bull dizzy or drunk¬ notify me that the inhabitants of this
like; drunk. pueblo of Taos had been discovered
and that they were in an embudo
embolancia, f. [<Sp. ambulancia] ambu¬
which is located in the center and at
lance; ambolanza, var.
the entrance to the said mountains,
embolarse, vb. [<Sp. embolar, to put balls on the peaks of which some of the
of cotton on the tips of bulls’ horns] to said Taos rebels were stationed as
get drunk. sentinels. (J.M. Espinosa, First Expe¬
embone, m. [<Sp. abono] fertilizer. (El dition of Vargas . . ., 1692)
Abedón le anda echando embone al zacatito. embutido, m. [<Sp. embutido, inlaid work]
Abedón is putting fertilizer on the a kind of exquisite embroidery; vb.,
lawn.) embutir, to embroider.
emborucar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. boruca, noise] empacadora,/. [<N.M. Sp. empacar, to
to confuse. (Avarico emborucó a la Pan- bale, to can] hay baler; canning ma¬
cracia y le quitó dos suckers. Avarico con¬ chine.
fused Pancracia and took two lollipops
empacar, vb. [<Sp. empacar, to pack in
away from her.)
chests] to can (fruits, vegetables, etc.).
emborregado, adj. [<Sp. borrego, lamb] Cf. Sp. envasar.

58
 empinchado
empadrinar, vb. [<Sp. apadrinar] to spon¬ empelotarse, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. empelo¬
sor; to serve as godparents. tarse (Cervantes)] to undress.
empalmar, vb. [<Sp. empalmar, to dove¬ empeloto, -ta,adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. empelo¬
tail] to pile up. tarse] stark naked; undressed.

empanaditas, /. pi. [<Sp. empanaditas, emperrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. emperrado

meat pies] small fruit or mincemeat <perro, dog] irritated, out of sorts;
mad, angry. See also enchulado.
turnovers.
empanturrado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. em¬ empinado, -da, adj. [<Sp. empinado, on
tiptoes] bent; on all fours; slouched.
panturrado] satiated, glutted with food.
(Este baby le gusta estarse empinado. This
empanturrarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. empantur¬
baby likes to get on all fours.)
rarse] to become glutted with food; to
empinar, vb. [<Sp. empinar, to raise] to
become satiated.
knock down or out; to shoot down;
empanzarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. empanzarse]
reflex., to get on all fours; empinarse un
to glut oneself with food; to become
hombre a una mujer, to have sexual in¬
bloated.
tercourse with a woman (taboo); em¬
empañar, vb. [<Sp. apañar, to pilfer] to pinarse la botella, to drink (liquor).
catch, to apprehend. Tan, tan.
empaque, m. [<Sp. empaque, packing] ¿Quién es?
package; parquete, q.v., is a more com¬ El Santiaguito de palo;
mon term. ¿Qué traes?
emparejar, vb. [<Sp. aparejar, to get Un preso.
ready] to level, to smoothen, as a sur¬ ¿Qué delito cometió?
Lo jalié comiendo queso
face.
y no me dio.
empatar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. empatar, to equal]
Pues, la sentencia que le doy:
to tie (a score). (Los dos tiros están empa¬
Que se empine y le den una nalgada.
tados. The two teams are tied.)
Knock, knock,
empate, m. [<Sp. empate, equality] tie (as Who’s there?
a score or game). Little wooden St. James.
empavonado,-da, adj. [<N.M. Sp .pavón, What are you bringing?
pavement] paved. (Ya la cordillera es¬ A prisoner.
tá empavonada. The road is already What crime did he commit?
paved.) See cordillera. I caught him eating cheese
empavonar, vb. [<N.M. Sp.pavón] to pave And he didn’t give me any.
(a street, driveway, highway, etc.). O.K. I sentence him
To get on all fours and be spanked.
empedido, -da, adj. [<Sp. impedido] crip¬ (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. children’s
pled; bedridden; handicapped.
game)
empegoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. empegar] to cover ¿ Qué está haciendo esa paloma
with pitch (pega); applied to the child sentada en esa 'zotea?
that insists on tagging along or “stick¬ Mirando los sinvergüenzas
ing” around when he is not wanted; empinarse la botella.
hanger-on. What’s that dove doing
Seated on the rooftop?
empelillado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. pelillo,
Watching the shameless rogues
tender shoot of grass] said of the ani¬
Drinking from their bottle.
mal (donkey, horse, mule, etc.) that is
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. children’s
weak and unable to perform due to
having eaten nothing but pelillo, the rhyme)
tender shoots of grass. empinchado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pinchar, to

59
empincharse
prick or wound] annoyed; angry; upset. enea, prep. [<Sp. en ca (sa dej] at the home
empincharse, vb. [<Sp. pinchar] to be¬ of. (¿Ontá la Lisaida? Todos están enea
come annoyed, angry or upset. (No le mano Beño. Where is Lisaida? They
piques la cresta al Fares porque lo haces are all at old man Beno’s.)
empincharse. Don’t tease Fares, because encaconado, -da, adj. [<Zuñi cacona] Col.
you are going to get him mad.) N.M. Sp., wearing turquoise orna¬
emplazado, m. [<Sp. emplazar, to cite be¬ ments (cacona) on noses and ears. See
fore a judge] Col. N.M. Sp., fortified cacona.
place; settlement; stronghold. encajonado, m. [<Mex. Sp. encajonado
emponjado, -da, adj. [<Sp. esponjado] <cajón, box] narrow passage or can¬
puffed up; inflated. (Ahi va el Urbán yon; box canyon; adj., boxed in.
emponjado como un torque. There goes encalada,/. [<Sp. cal, lime] job of white¬
Urbán puffed up like a tom turkey.) washing; adj., whitewashed; said of
emponjarse, vb. [<Sp. esponjarse] to be¬ females made up with a white home¬
come puffed up or bloated. made powder called cáscara, q.v. Cf.
Sp. encaladura.
emprendado, -da, adj. [<Sp. prendado,
pledged] engaged to be married. Al fin llegué a Santa Fe
emprendimiento, m. [<Sp. prender, to muy alegre y muy contento,
seize] act of seizing the person rep¬ sin nada de bastimento
resenting Christ in an enactment of y todo el camino a pie;
Christ’s seizure by the Roman soldiers amigo, ¡qué fríos pasé!
(N.M. Passion play). Y aquellas juertes nevadas,
sufriendo güeñas heladas
empresario, m. [<Sp. empresario, agent]
viendo algunas cosas nuevas;
Col. N.M. Sp., a kind of land grant;
De ahi pasé hasta Las Vegas
grantee receiving the empresario or land
a ver a las encaladas.
grant.
Finally I got to Santa Fe,
emprestar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. emprestar] Joyful and glad,
to lend; to loan out. Without any food
empuercar, vb. [<Sp. emporcar] to soil. And walking all the way.
(No vayas a empuercar tu túnico. Don’t Friend, I sure was cold
go soil your dress. Ya lo empuerqué, ya In those snowstorms
qué. It’s too late, I already did.) Reflex., And suffering from the cold,
to get dirty. (No te vayas a empuercar. Seeing some new things.
Don’t go get dirty.) From there I went on to Las Vegas
empuyado, -da, adj. [<Sp. puya, goad] To see the white-faced women.
said of the person who gets a lucky (La Severiana, N.M. Sp. folk song)
break or improves his economic situa¬
encale, m. [<Sp. encalar, to whitewash]
tion through a windfall.
job of whitewashing.
enancas, f. pi. [<Sp. en and anca] butt,
encalmado, -da, adj. [<Sp. encalmarse, to
rump; llevar a uno en las enancas, to
be worn out with fatigue] parched with
have one ride pillion.
thirst. (Probe muchito, llegó aquí encal¬
enanchar, vb. [<Sp. ensanchar] to widen; mado. Poor child, he got here parched
to stretch. See also estrechar (<Eng. to with thirst.)
stretch).
encalotado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. calote,
enantes, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. enantes] be¬ plaster of Paris cast] wearing a cast;
fore. encolotado, var.
enavegar, vb. [<Sp. navegar, to travel] to encalotar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. calote] to put a
rove, to wander. plaster cast on.

60
 encuerdado
encaminada,/. [<Sp. encaminar, to show tado de collie y German shepherd, a half¬
the way] jaunt; pilgrimage. collie, half-German-shepherd puppy.)
Not only must they dance (the two enease,prep. [<Sp. en casa de] chez, at the
oldest members of the village of Tor¬ home of. (¿Onde va a ser el party? En¬
tugas), they must take part in the case Abundo. Where is the party going
encaminada, the pilgrimage to the to be? At Abundo’s.)
summit of the mountain where an encerado, m. [<Mex. Sp. encerado, water¬
image of the Virgin lies hidden in a proof canvas] a kind of window shade;
cave. (Margaret Page Hood, “The an ointment made from tallow, candle
Day of the Virgin,”NewM exico Maga¬ wax, turpentine, oshá roots, and other
zine) ingredients.
encaminar, vb. [<Sp. encaminar, to guide] encerrar, vb. [<Sp. encerrar] to enclose;
to accompany someone a short dis¬ to store away alfalfa, hay, straw, etc.
tance; to show the way. (La Apolonia ya (¿Quése la plebe? Andan encerrando al¬
se va; curre encamínala. Apolonia is falfa. Where are the kids? They are
leaving; go with her a part of the way.) storing alfalfa.)
encamorrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. encamor¬ encimoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. encima, above]
rarse, to embroil oneself in a dispute] with the qualities of a hanger-on, pest;
drowsy; sleepy. bothersome, imposing.
encañar, vb. [<Sp. canas, gray hair] to encino, m. [<Sp. encina, bot., Evergreen
get gray hair; to grow old. oak] encino roble, bot., Live oak; Ever¬
encandilado, -da, adj. [<Sp. encandilado] green oak.
dazzled (with strong lights); crazy, enciscado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. cisca,
“nuts”; dazed. (Aquí estuvo la encandi¬ shame] annoyed, angry; in ill humor;
lada de la Maclovia. Crazy Maclovia was afraid. See also cisca.
here.) encuentado, -da, adj. [<Sp. cuentas, ac¬
encanicado, -da, adj. [<unknown origin] counts, bills] debt-ridden, said of the
madly in love. person who owes everyone.
encanijado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. encani¬ encuentro, m. [<Sp. encuentro, encounter]
jado] feeble, thin, weak. (¿De quién es El encuentro, a dramatization of the
ese chulo tan encanijado? Whose is that meeting of Christ and Mary during
dog? He’s nothing but skin and bones!) the Passion. Llevarse de encuentro a uno,
to run over or drag someone along.
encanillado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ca¬
(Al Corpus se lo llevó de encuentro un ca¬
nillas] handcuffed; shackled. (Al Mere-
ballo. A horse dragged Corpus along.)
gildo lo llevaban encanillado. They took
The Holy Friday processions are lit¬
Meregildo handcuffed.)
tle different from those on Holy
encarchado, -da, adj. [<Sp. escarcha, frost] Thursday. At eleven in the morn¬
covered with frost. ing a dramatization of the meeting
encargo, m. [<Sp. encargo, favor] estar de of Our Lord and the Virgin during
ruego y encargo, to be dependent on the Passion, El encuentro, is enact¬
others, particularly with respect to ed. (Juan B. Rael, The New Mexico
transportation. Alabado)
encarrujado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. encar¬ encuerado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. encuer¬
rujado, wrinkled] wavy or curly, ap¬ ado] undressed; naked. Cf. Sp. desnudo.
plied to hair; bent down with age; stiff. encuerarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. encuerarse] to
Cf. Sp. aterido. denude; to shed one’s clothes.
encartado, -da, adj. [<Sp. encartar, to out¬ encuerdado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. encuer-
law] of mixed blood. (Un chulito encar¬ dar, to overwind] overwound, as a

61
encuerdar
clock, watch, toy, etc. line, file] in line; in a queue; in single
encuerdar, vb. [<Sp. en and cuerda, wind¬ file.
ing] to overwind a clock, toy, watch, enchorrarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chorro] to get
etc. into single file.
encuerdo, m. [<Sp. encordar, to tie with a enchutado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chulo,
cord] a cramp, as in a leg; a muscle cur] angry, mad.
twist; a charley horse. enchularse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. chulo] to be¬
enculado, adj. [<Mex. Sp. enculado, liv¬ come angry or mad.
ing in concubinage] said of the man endabita,/. [<Sp. dim. of aldaba, latch]
having sexual intercourse with one latch. See also andabita.
particular female.
endaime, m. [<Sp. andamio] platform,
encumbrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. encumbrado, scaffold. See also endamio.
lofty (hill, mountain, etc.)] drunk, high
endame, m. [<Eng. dam] small dam to
in spirits.
collect rain water for cattle; a représ,
enchagüistado, adj. [<Mex. Sp. encha- q.v.; a lining or casing in a well.
güistado] yellowish brown (grass).
endamia,/. See endamio, endaime.
enchagüistarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chahuiste
endamio, m. [<Sp. andamio] platform;
or chahuistle, a disease affecting grass¬
scaffold.
es] enchagüistarse el zacate, said of the
ende,prep. [<Col. N.M. Sp.ende (Molina)]
grass that becomes yellowish brown
since. {¿Ende cuándo están aquí? Ende
with disease. See chagüiste.
ayer. Since when have you been here?
enchancletado, -da, adj. [<Sp. enchancle¬
Since yesterday.) Cf. Sp. desde, since.
tado, wearing slippers] wearing slippers
endeantes, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ende and
or shoes without socks or stockings; en¬
antes, long before] awhile ago.
chancletarse, to put on slippers {chanclas).
endenantes, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ende
enchantado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. slang
and antes] long before now; awhile ago;
enchantarse, to get married] married;
before; formerly.
living together without being married
(slang). endrogado, -da, adj. [<Sp. en and droga]
drugged up; heavily in debt.
enchantarse, vb. [< N. M. Sp. chante<Eng.
enferma, adj. [<Sp. enferma, ill, sick] en¬
shanty, shack] to get married or to live
ferma de baby or de chiquito, large with
together without being married (slang).
child, pregnant; enferma de su tiempo,
enchilarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. chile] to burn
menstruating.
one’s hands, lips, etc., when peeling
hot chile peppers. enfermedad,/. [<Sp. enfermedad, illness]
enfermedad de los fríos, malaria.
enchinado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. chinos,
enfiestado, -da, adj. [<Sp. fiesta] enjoy¬
curls, ringlets] said of the person wear¬
ing a fiesta or celebration.
ing curlers.
enfunado, -da, adj. [<Sp.furia, fury] fu¬
enchinador, m. [<N.M. Sp. chinos] curl¬
rious. Cf. Sp. enfurecido.
ing iron.
enganchado, -da, adj. [<Sp. enganchar, to
enchinar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. enchinar] to curl
hook] “hooked”; engaged.
the hair; reflex., enchinársele a uno el
cuero, to get goose pimples; enchinarse engarruñado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. en¬
uno el pelo, to curl one’s hair. garruñado, shrunken] curled up, stiff,
as with cold or from arthritis. {La Albina
enchinchado, -da, adj. [<Sp. chinche, bed¬
tiene los dedos todos engarruñados. Al¬
bug] angry, mad.
bina’s fingers are completely curled
enchorrado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chorro, up.)

62
 enjoscarse

El día que salí de El Paso huero, rotten, applied to an egg] said

no caminé muy contento, of the unhatched egg that becomes
pues no saqué bastimento rotten. See also agiierado.
y de dinero iba escaso; engüerarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. güero, rotten]
caminando muy despacio to become rotten (applied to eggs).
por llegar a la Costilla, engüevarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. giievo (Sp.
al fin llegué a la Mesilla huevo and related to güevón), lazy] to
después de pasar el río, become lazy; to refuse to move. See
muy cansado y sin cuartilla also amacharse.
y engarruñado de frío.
enguruñado, -da, adj. [<Sp. engurriñado,
The day I left El Paso
melancholy, applied to birds] curled
I did not travel in joy
up; stiff, as with arthritis. See also en¬
For I had no food
garruñado.
And was short of money.
enjarrado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. enjarrar,
I went on quite slowly
To get to La Costilla; to plaster] plastered.
Finally I got to Mesilla enjarrador, -ra, m. and f. [<N.M. Sp. en¬
After crossing the river; jarrar, to plaster] plasterer; bricklayer;
I was tired and penniless mason. (La Colástica es buena enjarradora.
And stiff from the cold. Colástica is a good plasterer.)
(La Severiana, N.M. Sp. folk song) enjarrar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. enjarre, mud plas¬
ter] to plaster with a specially prepared
engasado, -da, adj. [<Sp. gas] gassed up;
mud or clay.
very much in love.
enjarre, m. [Cunknown origin] mud or
engerido, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. engerido,
clay plaster; the act of plastering. (¡Qué
cringing] stiff with cold or fear; shy,
buen enjarre tiene esta pader! This wall is
bashful, timid. (¡Cómo es engerido este
very well plastered.)
Epifanio! Epifanio certainly is timid!)
Sickly, sickly looking. enjengible, m. [<Sp.jengibre] ginger.
engrido, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. engreído, El brandy es otro remedio
fond of<Sp. engreído, conceited] at¬ que llevando 7 interés
tached to (an object); fond of. (La Zoila mézclenlo con enjengible
está muy engrida con su pony. Zoila is y échenle ahi tantita nuez,
pues yo me curé una vez,
very fond of her pony.)
se mejueron los dolores;
engrirse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. engreírse] to be¬
ni puetas ni cantadores
come fond of or attached to a thing.
no dejen de conocer.
engrudado, -da, adj. [<Sp. engrudo, paste] Brandy is another cure
dirty, soiled. Which, if you’re interested,
engrudar, vb. [<Sp. engrudar, to paste You can mix with ginger,
with engrudo] to get (a thing) dirty; to Adding a pinch of nutmeg.
soil. See Sp. engrudo. Why, I cured myself once
engualde, adv. [<Sp. en igual de] instead And got rid of all pain.
of. (Engualde ir al venado deberías estarte Poets and singers
aquí conmigo. Instead of going hunting Know all this well.
you should stay here with me.) (La enfermedad de los frios, N.M. Sp.
folk song)
engüechar, vb. [<Sp. en and Eng. wedge]
to wedge. (Engüecha esa varilla para que enjoscado, -da, adj. [<Sp. enfoscado, trou¬
puedas rajarla. Put a wedge on that log bled] extremely out of sorts, infuriat¬
so you can split it.) ed, in ill humor.

engüerado, adj. [<N.M. Sp. güero<Sp. enjoscarse, vb. [<Sp. enfoscarse, to become

63
 enjotado
uneasy, troubled] to become extremely enojo.
infuriated.
enojón, -na, adj. [<Sp. enojarse, to become
enjotado, -da, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. enxotado angry] peevish; easy to anger. (’M pnmo
[ensotado] put away in a corner] said of Adonáis es murre enojón. Cousin Adonáis
the person who stays home, away from is very peevish.) See also nojón.
school or work, and indoors, particu¬ enrabiatado,-da,adj. [<N.M.Sp.enrabiatar,
larly in the kitchen; in the way. (Y ¿quése to tow] towed; towed away.
el Franque? Ahi, ’stá enjotado en la cocina.
enrabiatar, vb. [<Sp. rabiatar, to tie by
And what about Frank? He’s there laz¬
the tail] to tow; to take in tow.
ing around in the kitchen.)
enraizar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. enraizar] to root;
enjote, m. [<Mex. Sp. ejote, string bean]
to take root.
estar uno esperando que le traigan el enjote,
to expect others to wait on one hand enramada, f. [<Sp. enramada, bower] a
and foot. kind of corral to trap wild horses; a
fence made with tree branches. See
enlame, m. [<Mex. Sp. enlame, slime]
also ramieda.
scum; slime. (Piedra movediza no cría
enlame. A rolling stone gathers no enranarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. arranarse] to
moss.) See also lama. get married.

enlistado, -da, adj. [<Eng. enlisted] en¬ enredisto, -ta, adj. [<Sp. enredar] instiga¬
listed in the armed services. Cf. Sp. tor, tattler.
alistado. enregistrar, vb. [<Sp. registrar] to regis¬
enlistarse, vb. [<Eng. to enlist] to enlist. ter; to enroll; carta enregistrada, certi¬
Cf. Sp. alistarse. fied or registered letter.

enmariguandado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. enroña, f. [<Mex. Sp. roña, grudge]
mariguana] said of the person under grudge; ill will, resentment. (ElAlarico
the influence of marihuana; stupefied, y la Alcarita se tienen muncha enroña. Ala-
dull. rico and Alcarita bear quite a grudge
against each other.)
enmojecer, vb. [<Sp. enmohecer] to rust.
(Ese cavador se va a enmojecer si lo dejas enroñar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. roña, grime] to
ahi juera. That hoe is going to get rusty dirty; to soil.
if you leave it outside.) enroscado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. enroscado]
enmojecido, -da, adj. [<Sp. enmohecido] curled up, like a ram’s horn or snake.
rusty. (El Félique se ensartó un clavo en¬ enroscarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. enroscarse] to
mojecido en un pie. Félique stuck a rusty curl up like a ram’s horn or snake.
nail in one of his feet.) See also mojoso. ensartado, -da, adj. [<N.M. ensartar, to
enmorecerse, vb. [<Sp. esmorecerse (An¬ stick, to thread] stuck; threaded (nee¬
dalusia)] to become blue in the face dle). Cf. Sp. clavar and enhebrar.
from laughter or anger.
ensartar, vb. [<Sp. ensartar, to string] to
enmorecido, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. en¬ stick a thorn into; to thread a needle.
morecerse] blue in the face from laugh¬ (Climaco se ensartó una espina en un pie.
ter or anger. Climaco stuck a thorn in one of his
enmugrar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. enmugrar] to feet.)
soil; to get a thing dirty. (No te vayas a ensarte, m. [<Sp. ensartar, to string] a line
enmugrar. Don’t go get dirty.) of things; a bunch; a series of things.
enojada, f. [<Sp. enojar, to anger] fit of (Lo que dice el Amarante es un ensarte de
anger; quarrel. (LaAcasitay 7Acorsinio mentiras. What Amarante is saying is a
se dieron una buena enojada. Acasita and bunch of lies.)
Acorsinio had quite a quarrel.) Cf. Sp. ensistido, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ensistir, to

64
 entraña
tempt] “lit up,” as with intoxicating cold or fear.
drinks. enternecido, -da, adj. [<Sp. enternecido
ensistir, vb. [<Sp. insistir, to insist] to in¬ <entemecer, to move to compassion]
sist; to tempt. stuck; in a rut.

En el Río ’e Sapelló enterrar, vb. [<Sp. enterrar] to bury; to

comenzó la suerte mía; sink (a post in the ground); enterrarse
¿ Qué es lo que me sucedió, uno una abuja, espina, etc., to stick
Virgen pura y madre mía, oneself with a needle, thorn, etc.
que el maldito me ensistió entibiar, vb. [<Sp. entibiar, to cool] to
a hacer tan grande avería? warm; to heat. (Mira, Melquíades, entibí¬
In the River Sapelló ame esta agua, está murre fría. Look,
My bad luck started. Melquíades, warm this water for me;
What happened to me, it’s much too cold.)
Oh, holy Virgin Mary, entierro, m. [<Sp. entierro] burial; buried
That the evil one tempted me treasure.
To do such great harm.
entitulado, -da, adj. [<Sp. intitulado] en¬
(.Indita de la Pablita, N.M. Sp. ballad)
titled.
ensofiate, m. [<Mex. Sp. estafiate] bot., a entitular, vb. [<Sp. intitular] to entitle; to
medicinal plant. See also estafiate. give a title to.
ensotado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. ensotado, entonación,/. [<Sp. entonación, intona¬
put away in a nook or corner] See tion] air; melody, tune.
enj otado. Twenty-six of the hymns are sung
entabicado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. tabique, to the accompaniment of an un¬
partition; jail] jailed; in jail; parti¬ named regional tune, merely de¬
tioned, as a room. scribed as aire nacional (national air),
canto nacional (national hymn), to¬
entabicar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. entabicar] to par¬
nada del pais (a tune of the region),
tition (a room); tojail (slang).
or entonación mejicana (a Mexican
entarimado, -da, adj. [<Sp. tarima, mov¬ air). (J.B. Rael, The New Mexican
able platform] covered with a wooden
Alabado)
floor. (Un cuarto entarimado, a room
entrada, /. [<Sp. entrar, to enter] Col.
covered with a wooden floor.) M.,
N.M. Sp., an exploring or reconnoi-
flooring.
tering military expedition.
entarimar, vb. [<Sp. tarima] to cover a
éntrale, imp. [<Sp. entrar] start (eating,
floor with wood flooring.
working, etc.); get started; go to it;
entarime, m. [<Sp. tarima] flooring; begin; help yourself. (Bueno, pos, én¬
wooden floor; platform. trale. OK, get started.)
entenga, interr. [<Sp. tener, to have] OK? entraña,/. [<Sp. entraña, entrail] bot.,
Do you understand? Will you do it? Buckhorn cactus; Cane cactus. See also
('Cuando venga el Secundino le dice que cholla, choya, velas de coyote.
vaya a verme, ¿entenga? When Secun¬ The word cactus is taken from the
dino comes, will you tell him to go see Greek, kaktos meaning prickly plant,
me?) Also, ¿Tenga?, ¿Tengue? and but the entraña is distinguished from
¿Tengues? the numerous varieties of prickly
entengues, interr. [<Sp. tener] Do you pear by its upstanding, erect stems,
hear? Do you understand? (Dile a la which, when completely dried, re¬
Cleofas que vuelvo, ¿entengues? Tell semble a cylindrical piece of lattice
Cleofas that I’ll be back. Do you hear?) work. These are sometimes gath¬
enterido, -da, adj. [<Sp. aterido] stiff with ered for canes, picture frames, or as

65
entriega
souvenirs and this probably accounts ¡Erre!, interj. [<Sp. ¡Arre!] Get up! (Call
for its being called cane cactus. (Leo¬ to a donkey to start moving.)
nora S.M. Curtin, Healing Herbs of
escabroso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. escabroso, crag¬
the Upper Rio Grande)
gy, rough (terrain)] distrustful, suspi¬
entriega, f. [<Sp. entrega, delivery! the cious; easily frightened. {AlErastoya lo
act or ceremony of sponsors’ {padrinos’) tienen escabroso los chotas. Erasto is
delivering a baptized child or a newly scared stiff of the police. Suéltame. Ya
wedded couple to their respective par¬ me tienes escabroso. Let go of me.
ents; entriega de bautismo, baptismal en¬ You’ve conditioned me.)
triega; entriega de novios, entriega of the
escaldarse, vb. [<Sp. escaldar, to scald] to
newlyweds; entriega de santo, delivery
get burnt by the sun or a hot pave¬
of the village patron saint to the spon¬
ment to the point of getting blisters.
sors for the new year.
{La Frumencia tiene la espalda bien es¬
entrón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. entrón] brave; caldada. Frumencia’s back is covered
courageous; determined. {Este muchito with blisters.)
sí es entrón. This little kid is certainly
escalereado, m. [<Sp. escalera, ladder,
determined.)
staircase] stairs, staircase.
entrucharse, vb. [<Sp. trucha, trout] to
escamado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. escamado,
get into a place (home, office, etc.),
wary] frightened, scared; astonished,
especially to meddle in someone else’s
surprised. {Con tanta jumadera yo quedé
business. {El Abade se entruchó en mis
bien escamado. I was scared with all that
negocios. Abade meddled in my af¬
smoke.)
fairs.)
escamarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. escamarse, to be¬
enyerbado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. enyer-
come wary] to become frightened or
bar<yerba (weed), to poison with a
scared.
harmful herb] crazy, as a result of
smoking marihuana or of having taken escame, m. [<N.M. Sp. escamarse] fright;
other drugs; also said of the horse that sudden terror.
has eaten loco weed {garbancillo). escaparse, vb. [<Sp. escaparse] to have a
enyerbar, vb. [<N.M. Sp .yerba, weed] to narrow escape; escaparse de, almost,
poison with harmful herbs {yerbas) or nearly. {Nos escapamos de helar. We al¬
poisonous powders. {Al Crispiniano lo most froze [to death].)
enyerbaron las guisas. Crispiniano was escapatorio, m. [<Sp. escapatoria] escape;
poisoned by his girl friends.) excuse. {Tenemos que fregar los trastes,
enzoquetado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. zoquete] no hay escapatorio. We have to wash the
covered with mud; dirty or full of mud. dishes; there’s no way out.)
Cf. Sp. enlodado.
escarapelar, vb. [<Sp. escarapelar, to dis¬
enzoquetarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. zoquete] to pute, to quarrel] to strip off a surface
get dirty with mud. See zoquete. of stucco, plaster, etc. {Esta pader está
¡Epa!, interj. [<Mex. Sp. ¡Epa! and ¡Epale!] toda escarapelada. This wall is com¬
Watch out! Look out! That’s enough! pletely stripped off.)
Quit it!
escarbar, vb. [<Sp. escarbar, to scratch (a
epazote, m. [<Mex. Sp. epazote<Náhuatl surface)] to dig (holes); to probe. {La
epatl, skunk, and tzotl, filth] bot., a me¬ mierda, entre más le escarban, más jiede.
dicinal plant, Wormseed. A shady affair becomes worse with the
era,/. [<Sp. era, thrashing floor] vegeta¬ probing.)
ble garden or patch. {Curre a la era y escarfe,ra. [<Eng. scarf] scarf. {¡Qué escarpe
tráete unas raices. Go to the garden tan colorado trae la Gertrudis. What a red
patch and bring some red beets.) scarf Gertrude is wearing.)

66
 espaldas mojadas
escaso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. escaso, limited; small] spy; to lurk] to search. (Le esculcaron
lacking in common sense; resourceless. las bolsas pero no le jallaron el dinero.
(Este Atanasio sí no es nada escaso. Atan- They went through his pockets but did
asio is quite resourceful.) not find the money on him.)
escoba,/. [<Sp. escoba] broom; bot., a kind escupión, m. [<Sp. escorpión?] a kind of
of grass used in the making of home¬ yellow lizard found in sandy, rocky
made brooms; escoba de la víbora, bot., places.
Yellow weed; Rattlesnake weed. (Al escurana,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. escurana]
probe de Filogonio le zampó su vieja con darkness. (El otro día hubo una escurana
una escoba. Poor Filogonio; his wife hit en Nueva Yorka. There was a blackout
him with a broom.) in New York the other day.)
escobetilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of escoba, broom] escurecer, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. escurecer]
whisk broom. Cf. Sp. escobilla. to get dark. (Salemos cuando ya esté es-
escobetin, m. Whisk broom, var. cureciendo. We will leave when it starts
escofaina,/. [<Sp. escofina] rasp. to get dark.)

escondijo, m. [<Sp. escondrijo] burrow; escuridad,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. escuridad]

hiding place; hole. darkness.

escrachar, vb. [<Eng. to scratch] to re¬ escuro, -ra, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. escuro]
ject; to scratch (a ballot), i.e., to reject dark; late. (El bos llegó aquí ya escuro.
some candidates on a ballot in favor The bus got here when it was already
dark.) Also, de escuro, late in the eve¬
of others.
ning.
escrache, m. [<Eng. scratch] fluke; de es-
crache, by chance or by coincidence. esfera,/. [<Sp. esfera, sphere] condition;
(Los Tigers ganaron el juego de puro es¬ mental state. (No puedo alegar con ella
crache. The Tigers won the game by cuando está en esa esfera. I cannot argue
with her when she is in that [mental]
pure chance.)
state.)
escrebir, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. escrebir (Cer¬
vantes)] to write; to scribble. (Voy a eslique, m. [<Eng. slicker] raincoat. (Está
escrebirle a la Rafela a ver si me la traigo. cayendo muncha agua, ponte el eslique.
I am going to write to Rafela to see if I It’s raining cats and dogs; put on your
can get her to come and stay with me.) raincoat.)
escrepa,/. [<Eng. scraper] scraper. (El esmorecerse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. desmorecerse]
Tranquilino va a tener que meterle la es¬ to become blue in the face with laugh¬
crepa a esta tierra. Tranquilino is going ter or anger. See also desmorecerse. (La
to have to use a scraper on this land.) Crescencia se esmoreció de risa con el chiste
de Mano Cacahuate. Crescencia became
escudilla,/. [<Sp. escudilla, porringer] ce¬
blue in the face with laughter with the
real or soup bowl. (Esta escudilla está
joke about Mano Cacahuate.)
que no hay otra para los cornflakes. This
bowl is just right for the cornflakes.) esmorecido, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. desmore¬
escuela,/ [<Sp. escuela] school; escuela cido] blue in the face from laughter or
alta, high school; dar escuela, to teach. anger.
See also tichear. espabre, m. [<N.M. Sp. espaura] baking
escueleros, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. escuelero, powder. See espauda.
elementary school teacher] elementary espaldas mojadas, /. pi. [<Sp. espaldas,
schoolchildren. (Curre a ver si ya salieron backs, and mojadas, wet] wetbacks, a
los escueleros. Go see if school has let name applied to undocumented Mex¬
out.) ican laborers crossing the border into
esculcar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. esculcar, to the United States.

67
 espanto
espanto, m. [<Sp. espanto, fright] fright; espichado, -da, adj. See espichadito.
ghost; estar curado de espanto, to be ex¬ espiche, m. [<Eng. speech] address, <•
perienced. A kind of illness akin to speech. {¡Uh, qué espiche! Gee, what a
shock which is produced by fright. speech! Díganle al Nicasio que eche él un
espantón, -na, adj. [<Sp. aug. of espanto, buen espiche. Tell Nicasio to make a
fright] easily frightened; given to ex¬ real speech.)
aggeration; harshly critical, censorious. espinacito, m. [<Sp. dim. of espinazo,
{¡Bal, Sebastiana, no seas tan espantona! spine, backbone] vertebra or segment
Oh, come on, Sebastiana, don’t put on composing the backbone.
so! Este burro es muy espantón. This ass “This is the first red chile this year,”
is easily frightened.) said Doña Paula. “It has espinacito—
« espauda,/. [<Eng. yeast powder] yeast sections of the spinal column in it
in powder form; baking powder. Also, with plenty of garlic and orégano.”
espaura, espabre. (Fabiola C. de Baca Gilbert, The Good
Life)
espavientoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. aspaviento,
fuss] excitable, emotional; given to ex¬ espinilla, /. [<Sp. espinilla, blackhead]
aggerated display of emotion. pimple; pi., acne. The Spanish word
espinilla translates as both blackhead
especies, f. pi. [<Sp. especie, kind, sort]
and pimple. In Southwest Spanish espi¬
spices. Cf. Sp. especias.
nillas are pimples and the term black¬
• espeitar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. espeta, the act of head is simply borrowed from English
looking forward to a thing] to look and used as such. {La Atanasia se está
forward to a thing; to prospect. sacando los blackheads. Atanasia is squeez¬
*■ espeletrear, vb. [<Eng. to spell, and Sp. ing her blackheads.)
suffix etrear] to spell. Cf. Sp. deletrear. espirina,/. [<Sp. aspirina] aspirin, buf-
ferin, etc.
espelma,/. [<Mex. Sp. espelma<Sp. es¬
perma, stearin] paraffin; wax. espuelear, vb. [<Sp. espolear] to spur on
(an animal).
esperanza, /. [<Sp. esperanza] hope. {La
esperanza es la última que muere. While esque, vb. exp. [<Sp. diz que] they say that;
there’s life, there’s hope.) ¡Qué esper¬ that’s what they say; that’s what I hear,
anzas! Impossible! That can never be! etc. {¿Esque se mató el Eduvigen?—Esque.
Is it true that Eduvigen got killed?
esperanzado, -da, adj. [<Sp. esperanza]
That’s what I hear.)
hopeful; said of one who hopes to be
corresponded with in love or who esquina,/. [<Sp. esquina] corner; sombrero
hopes to achieve or receive a thing, de cuatro esquinas, four-cornered hat.
favor, etc. {El Emigidio está esperanzado In colonial New Mexico three-cornered
que le escriba la Cornelia. Emigidio has hats (tricornios) were worn by magis¬
hopes that Cornelia will write to him.) trates, and perhaps in fun someone
esperar, vb. [<Sp. esperar, to hope, and might have shaped his hat into a four-
cornered head covering.
Eng. to expect (a baby)] {La Eleuteria
Enamorado garriento
está esperando. Eleuteria is expecting.)
sombrero de cuatro esquinas,
esperma,/. See espelma.
anda, vete al gallinero
espichadito, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. espi- y enamora a mis gallinas.
chadito, with its tail between its legs] You ragamuffin of a lover
abashed; confused; embarrassed. {No With your four-cornered hat;
sé qué jue lo que pasó pero el Sevenano salió Go down to the chicken coop
del meeting murre espichadito. I don’t And make love to my hens.
know what happened, but Severiano (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso popu¬
left the meeting quite embarrassed.) lar)

68
 estrechar
esquineado, -da, adj. [<Sp. esquina, cor¬ estanco, m. [<Sp. estanco] Col. and Terr.
ner] folded into a triangle. N.M. Sp., a government owned store.
esquinero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. esquina, street estar, vb. [<Sp. estar, to be] Está bien. It’s
corner] loafer; said of one who whiles OK. Usted está mal. You are wrong. Está
away his time standing on a street cor¬ caliente (el día). It’s hot (the day). Hoy
ner. está murre frío. It’s very cold today. Estar
estación,/. [<Sp. estación] station; estación en todo menos en misa, to be aware; to
de gasolina, gas station. Cf. Sp. surtidor. meddle. (La Edicia en todo está, menos
en misa. Edicia is always into every¬
estachar, vb. [<Eng. to stash] to stash
thing.) ¡Ahí ’stuvo! There you are!
away.
That’s it!
♦ estafeta,/. [<Sp. estafeta, rural post of¬
fice] post office. esteble, m. [<Eng. stable] barn; stable.
estafetero, -ra, m. and/. [<N.M. Sp. es¬ estenazas,/. pi. [<Sp. tenazas, pincers,
tafeta, post office] postmaster; post¬ foreceps] pliers.
mistress. estilar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. estilar] to dis¬
estafiate, ra. [<Mex. Sp. estafiate <NáhuaÜ till; to fall in drops (rain, snow).
iztahuatl] hot., a medicinal plant, Rocky
estilla,/. [<Sp. astilla] chip; splinter. (De
Mountain sage. tal palo, tal estilla, a chip off the old
• estampa,/ [<Sp. estampa, print] postage block.)
stamp.
estiquer, m. [<Eng. sticker] windshield
Si fuera papel volara
inspection sticker. (Con el winchil que¬
si fuera tinta escribiera;
brado no te van a dar estiquer. You are
también si fuera una estampa
not going to get a sticker as long as you
en este sobre me fuera.
have a broken windshield.)
If I were paper I would fly
If I were ink I would write; estógamo, m. [<Sp. estómago] stomach.
Also, if I were a postage stamp The word panza, belly, is far more
I would go to you in this envelope. common. (La yerbabuena es buena pal
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso popular) dolor de estógamo. Mint is good for a
stomachache.)
estancia,/. [<Am. Sp. estancia, farm] Col.
N.M. Sp., a permanent homestead ad¬ estrechar, vb. [<Eng. to stretch] to stretch.
jacent to a pastureland; landed prop¬ Sp. estrechar has the opposite meaning,
erty; small farm. to make narrow.

69
 Favor referido, ni de Dios ni del diablo agradecido.
People do not appreciate being reminded of a
favor done them.

faceta, -to, adj. [<Mex. Sp. faceto, vain] adv., falta que, perhaps; maybe; could
conceited; dull; vain. (¡Cómo es faceta be. (Falta que no sea el Práxedes. Per¬
esta Rumalda! Rumalda is so conceit¬ haps it isn’t Práxedes. ¿Crees que ganan
ed!) el juego? Falta. Do you think they will
faceteador, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp.facetearse] win the game? It could be.)
show-off; said of one who puts on airs. faiteado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. faitear, to
(El Frumencio es murre faceteador. Fru- spoil] spoiled; silly; foolish. (Esta cha-
mencio is quite a show-off.) maca sí está bien faiteada. This girl is
facetearse, vb. [<N.M. Sp .faceta] to show certainly spoiled.)
off; to put on airs. faitear, vb. [<Sp.falta, fault] to spoil. (Por
fácil, adv. [<Sp.fácil, easy] maybe; pos¬ favor, no me faitee a los muchachos.
sibly; could be. (Oye, ¿Crees que vendrá Please do not spoil my kids.)
la Rufina?—Fácil. Say, do you think faitearse, vb. [<N.M. Sp .faitearse] to act
Rufina will come? Could be.) silly or spoiled to the point of being
factor, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. factor] a royal considered foolish or crazy; to want to
official; a disbursing officer and sup¬ be coaxed. (Andale, no te faitees; canta
ply agent. la cantada de El piojo y la liendre. Come
on; don’t act silly. Sing the song of
factura,/. [<Sp. manufactura?] sawmill.
“The Louse and the Nit.”)
fachoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. fachoso, having
fandanguero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. fandango]
a ridiculous aspect] puffed up; arro¬
said of the person who is fond of noisy
gant.
dances, commotion and a good time.
falda, f. [<Mex. Sp .falda] brim of a hat.
(’M primo Iriñe o es más fandanguero que
faltar, vb. [<Sp. faltar, to be deficient] qué. Cousin Irineo is quite fond of

70
 florería
commotion and a good time.) fiebre,/. [<Sp .fiebre] fever; fever blister.
fandango, m. [<Mex. Sp. fandango, row; fiero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. fiero, fierce] ugly;
commotion] dance; shindig. homely; ungainly.
farolazo, m. [<Mex. Sp .farolazo, a drink fierramienta,/. [<Sp. fierro, iron] hard¬
of brandy] a drink of liquor. (Ven, ware; tools. See Sp. herramienta.
vamos a echarnos un farolazo. Come on, fierro, m. [<Sp. fierro, iron] branding
let’s have a drink.) iron; brand; scrap iron; pi, cents, pen¬
farolito, m. [<Sp. dim. offarol, lantern] a nies; tools.
kind of festive light, especially of the Under Sp. law, the fierro was the
candle-in-a-paper-bag variety. Farolitos brand of the original owner. When
take their name from the word farol, the animal was sold, a second brand,
lantern. See luminarias. called the venta or buyer’s brand, ob¬
literated the first. (Roland F. Dick¬
fashico, -ca, m. and/. [<N.M Sp. fashico
(a child’s pronunciation of Francisco)] ey, New Mexico Village Arts)
a Black; fashicos, folk characters in N.M. fierrocarril, m. [<Sp.ferrocarril] railroad.
and so. Colo, folklore. See mano fashico. Also, carroferril.
Adj., stupid, moron-like. fiestin, m. [<Sp. festin<fiesta] feast; ban¬
fatal, adj. [<Sp.fatal, unfortunate] brit¬ quet.
tle (things); delicate; feeble; fragile; filo, m. [<Sp .filo, cutting edge] cutting
physically weak. (Aquí viene la Librada. edge; crease, as on pants or trousers.
No la atoques, es muy fatal. Here comes finación,/ [<Sp./m, end, close, termi¬
Librada. Don’t touch her, she is very nation, etc.] end; la finación del mundo,
feeble.) the end of the world.
fe,/. [<Sp .fe, faith] ser uno de muy mala fe, físico, -ca, adj. [<Sp .físico, physical] fin¬
to be very unfriendly or distrustful; icky, particular, squeamish; foolish.
mean; dar fe, to nose around or pry
fistol, m. [<Am. Sp. fistol, scarf pin] safety
into other people’s affairs. (Aquí viene
pin.
mana Virginia a dar fe. Here comes old
fíate, m. [<Eng. flat] flat, in the sense of
lady Virginiajust to nose around.)
wine or a tire being flat.
fecha,/. [<Sp.fecha, calendar date, and
fletero, m. [<Sp. flete, freight] freight
Eng. social date] appointment; en¬
train; freighter; fruit and vegetable
gagement; social date. (Esta noche tengo
vendor.
fecha con mi güisa. I have a date with
my girl friend tonight.) flirtear, vb. [<Eng. to flirt] to flirt.

feria,/. [<Sp. feria, fair] state fair; small flor, /. [<Sp. flor] flower; flor de ángel,
change; money (“bread”); feriecita, kids bot., Angel flower; flor de San Juan,
(small fry); no volver ni por la feria, to bot., Tree primrose; flor de Santa Rita,
bot., Painter’s brush, Painted cup; flor
vanish.
de sauz, bot., Elderberry. See also varas
feriar, vb. [<N.M. Sp .feria] to change; to
de San José.
exchange; to barter. In colonial times
floreado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. florear, to
people who went to fairs to exchange
bloom] salir floreado un asunto, to back¬
animals, produce, etc., for commodi¬
fire, to turn out badly. (Les salió floreada
ties and other necessities spoke of feriar
su diligencia. Their efforts were for
unas cosas por otras (exchange some
naught.)
things for others). The verb feriar is
conjugated like N.M. Sp. cambiar: fereo, florear, vb. [<Sp .flor, flower] to bloom;
fereas,ferea, etc. See cambiar. to flower. Cf. Sp. florecer.

fiance, m. [<Sp.fianza] bond; bail. florería,/ [<Sp. flor] flower shop; green-

71
floresta
house. Mauricio is a thoroughgoing rascal; he
floresta,/ [<Sp .floresta] forest; La Floresta, dropped the cat into the toilet.) Estar
Forest Service. uno fregado, to be badly off financially
or physically.
florón, m. [<Sp. aug. of flor, flower]
flower bouquet; name of a children’s fregar, vb. [<Mex. Sp .fregar, to annoy,
game similar to “Button, button, who to bother; to wash dishes] to bother;
has the button.” to cheat (to rook). (A la probe de la
fogón, m. [<Sp. fogón, hearth] fireplace; Librada la fregaron con su dinero. They
furnace. Seejogón. cheated poor Librada out of her money.
Ya el Gorgonio la fregó. Gorgonio has
foguera,/. [<Col. Sp. foguera, fire (Cova-
had it.) Fregarla de frío, de hambre, de sed,
rrubias)] blaze, bonfire; fire. Seejoguera.
de sueño, etc., to be unable to stand be¬
fon, m. [<Eng. fun] fun; a good time. ing cold, hungry, thirsty, sleepy, etc.
fonazo, m. [<N.M. Sp./orc] a lot of fun; (Esta muchitaya la friega de hambre. This
an exceptionally good time. child is famished.) Fregar los trastes, to
fonógrafo, m. [<Sp./onógra/o<Eng. pho¬ wash the dishes; fregar la pacencia, to
nograph] fonógrafo de bolillo or de vasi- tax one’s patience; fregar pato, to get a
to, Edison-type cylinder phonograph; lucky break. (¡Ya ni la friegan! They
fonógrafo de platillo, Victrola-type pho¬ are taking advantage of us!)
nograph. fregazo, m. [<Mex. Sp .fregar] hard blow;
forcha, /. [Cunknown origin] mortar¬ punch. (El Sarapioy el Onésimo andaban
board; mason’s hawk. a los fregazos. Sarapio and Onésimo
were punching each other.)
forro, m. [<Mex. Sp. slang forro] an
attractive, beautiful woman; sexpot fregón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. fregar] both¬
(slang). ersome; strong, brave; splendid, won¬
derful. (El baile de casorio estuvo fregón.
foturo, m. [<Sp. futuro] future.
The wedding dance was wonderful.)
fracasado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. fracasar,
to damage] damaged; dented, as a car’s fresno, m. [<Sp. fresno, ash tree] home¬
fender. made scraper consisting of a large log
which is pulled over the land surface
fracasar, vb. [<Sp .fracasar, to crumple]
by a team of horses, mules, etc. By
to dent; to fail; m., fracaso, fatal acci¬
extension, an iron scraper dragged by
dent.
a tractor. See also escrepa.
frastero, -ra, m. and/ [<Sp.forastero] out¬
frezada,/ [<Sp. frazada] blanket; frezada
sider; stranger. (La Petronila no es fras¬
conga, a multicolored blanket the size
tera, ella fue nacida aquí en El Cerrito.
of a subadero or saddle blanket; frezada
Petronila is no outsider; she was born
tilma, a kind of poncho worn by Indi¬
here in El Cerrito.)
ans. See also cobija, tilma.
fregada, / [<Mex. Sp. fregada] bother,
friega,/. [<Mex. Sp. friega] annoyance,
nuisance. ¡A la fregada! What a mess!
bother; beating. (Al Aparicio le metieron
Now you (I, we) have done it!
una friega. Aparicio was given quite a
fregadera, / [ < M e x. S p .fregadera <fregar] beating.) ¡Qué friega! How annoying!
nuisance; foolishness, tomfoolery, What a nuisance!
horseplay. ¡Qué fregadera! What a
frijol, m. [<Sp-frijol, kidney bean] beans,
mess! What a nuisance!
pinto beans; pi, dish of beans. (Pásame
fregado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. fregar] both¬ los frijoles, Justiniano. Justiniano, pass
ersome; cunning, sly; mean, mischie¬ me the beans.) Frijoles refritos, refried
vous; m., imp; rascal. (El Mauricio es un beans; no ganar or no hacer ni pa los
fregado; echó el gato en el común. frijoles, to earn very little. (Ahi ontá el

72
 fundilludo
Severino no hace ni pa los frijoles. doesn’t join the fight because he is
Severino makes very little in his pres¬ afraid.)
ent job.) Frijoles de jarro, canned beans; fuchi fuchi, m. [<Mex. Sp. ¡Fuchi!, ugh!]
frijol verde, string beans. fear. (Al Frumencio se le hace fuchi fuchi.
frijolillo, m. [<Sp. dim. oí frijol, kidney Frumencio is afraid.)
bean] bot., Locoweed. fuella, /. [<Sp. huella] footprint; trace,
frío, m. [<Sp .frío, cold] cold; estar murre track. (Aquí se ven las fuellas del joso. I
frío, to be very cold. (¡Qué frío está esta can see the bear’s tracks right here.)
mañana! How cold it is this morning!) Los fuerte, m. [<Sp.fuerte, fort] small store¬
fríos or la enfermedad de los fríos, malaria. room for farm implements and fod¬
La enfermedad de los fríos der. Also, fuerte cito and dispensa. Adj.,
no hallo cómo puedan ser, strong (coffee). (Este café está murre
ellos traen mil disvarios, fuerte. This coffee is much too strong.)
son de quitar y poner; See also juerte.
un puro agua nomás beber
fuertecito, m. [<Sp. dim. of fuerte, fort]
sin quitarse la sequía,
small log cabin or adobe shack used as
y si beben todo un día
a granary or tool shed. See alsojuertecito.
no hallo cómo puedan ser.
fuerza,/. [<Sp. fuerza, strength] ¡De
The chills
fuerza! Naturally! Of course! To be
Just don’t make any sense;
sure! ¡A mí ni fuerza me hace! It doesn’t
They make you delirious;
worry me at all!
They come on and off;
It’s a continuous drinking of water funda,/. [<Sp.funda, case (pillowcase)]
And still the thirst persists, funda de collar, sweat pad on a horse’s
And if they drink a whole day . . . collar.
Theyjust don’t make any sense. fundillo, m. [<Mex. Sp.fundillo] backside,
(La enfermedad de los fríos, N.M. and anus; coward, said of someone lacking
so. Colo. Sp. folk song) in guts; pi, panties. (Ya te rompites los
frun frun, m. [<Mex. Sp. fruncirse, to act fundillos. You tore your panties.)
bashful] fear. (El Silvestre no le entra a fundilludo, adj. [<N.M. Sp. fundillo]
los catos porque tiene frun frun. Silvestre baggy, applied to pants or trousers.

73
 Gusto con gusto siempre es gusto.
Pleasure with taste is always a pleasure.

gabacho, m. See gavacho. galgo, -ga, adj. [<Mex. Sp. galgo, glutton¬
gabazo, m. [<Sp. gabazo, bagasse] pulp, ous] thin, emaciated; hungry-looking.
skin and seeds of grapes after press¬ galopear, vb. [<Sp. galopar] to gallop.
ing for juice. gallero, -ra, m. and /. [<Sp. gallo, roost¬
gacho, -cha, adj. [<Sp. gacho, bent down¬ er] rider taking part in the game of
ward] bad; lousy. ¡Qué gacho! What a gallo or corrida del gallo.
bummer! (slang). galleta,/ [<Sp.galleta, hardtack] biscuit.
gachupín, adv. [<Am. Sp. gachupín, low- The term bisquete (<Eng. biscuit) is more
class Spaniard] said of the person who common.
speaks Spanish with a twang. (La Blan- gallina, /. [<Sp. gallina, hen] chicken,
dina habla muy gachupín. Blandina speaks hen; coward; gallina frita, fried chick¬
Spanish with a twang.) en; gallina de la tierra, wild turkey; ga¬
gaita,/. [<Mex. Sp. gaita, deceitful trick] llina pininea, bantam hen; pata de gallina,
trick, especially to escape pursuit or crow’s feet; gallina tecolota, Plymouth
capture. (El Ciríaco les hizo unas gaitas y Rock or speckled hen.
se les juyó. Ciriaco escaped from them gallineta, /. [<Sp. dim. of gallina] Col.
with a few tricks of his.) and Terr. N.M. Sp., roadrunner.
galán,m. [<Sp.galán, gallant] “Elgalán,” gallito, m. [<Sp. dim. of gallo, rooster] a
the devil. Also, Pata Galán. stroll by musicians through a village
galera,/. [<Mex. Sp. galera, long stor¬ to announce a dance, game or some
age room] farm implement shed; long other form of entertainment.
room of a house in which grain is gallitos, m. pi. [<Sp. dim. of gallo, cock,
stored. rooster] a game in which two children

74
 gasolinera
take turns at rubbing each other on expectorate] to gargle. Cf. Sp. gar¬
the back of the hand until it bleeds, or garizar.
until one of the contestants gives up. gargantón, m. [<Sp. garganta, throat] a
gallo, m. [<Sp. gallo] cock, rooster; “aquel flat necklace with large brooch-like de¬
gallo,” the devil; gallo gallina, sissy signs in floral effects. Also, gargantilla.
(“chicken”); gallo grande, big shot; im¬ garifo, -fa, adj. [<Sp. garifo or jarifo, pom¬
portant person. Cf. Sp. pez grande. pous, showy] skinny; physically weak.
Comer gallo, to be looking for a fight. (El (¡Qué garifo está el Maque! How skinny
Cesáreo comió gallo. Cesáreo is looking Mack looks.)
for a fight.) Corrida de gallo or correr el
garra,/. [<Mex. Sp. garra] rag; sanitary
gallo, game of the buried rooster in
napkin; traer la garra una mujer, to be
which riders vie with one another at
menstruating; garra pa los trastes, dish
picking up a rooster which has been
rag; hecho (hecha) garras, torn, raggedy,
buried in the sand up to its neck; tocar
in rags; garras, rags, worn-out clothes,
gallo, to advertise with music and much
baggage. See also garritas.
fanfare a coming event (dance, mov¬
ies, game, etc.) and invite the public to garrancho, m. [<Mex. Sp .garrancho, rent
attend. or tear] a hole; a tear in one’s clothes;
a piece of cloth torn off; a rip. (Ahi
gambusino, m. [<Mex. Sp. gambusino] pet¬
traes un garrancho en el túnico. You
ty miner; prospector; greedy person.
have a tear in your dress.)
ganar, vb. [<Sp. ganar, to gain] to go in a
garrero, m. [<N.M. Sp. ganufljunk; odds
certain direction. (¿Par’ ’onde ganó el
and ends; rags; worthless stuff.
Cayetano? Which way did Cayetano go?)
ganchete, m. [<Sp. dim. of gancho, hook] garriento, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. garras] rag¬
mirar de ganchete, to look askance; from gedy, tattered, in rags. (Garriento como
the corner of one’s eye. (La Dominica mano Canuto. In rags, like Canuto.)
se quedó mirando de ganchete al Librado y garritas,/. pi. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of garras,
luego torció ’l hocico. Dominica kept rags] baggage; belongings; clothes.
looking at Librado from the corner of garrocharse, vb. [<Sp. garrochear, to goad]
her eye and then made a wry face.) to handle; to touch, said of children
gandul, m. [<Sp. gandul, tramp] Col. and who touch and handle one another
Terr. N.M. Sp., Indian warrior; brave; while playing. (¡Cómo no me gusta que
buck. esta plebe se anden garrochando unos a
gansa,/. [<N.M. Sp. ganso, turkey] the otros! How I hate for these kids to be
hen of the turkey; girl or woman with handling one another!)
a runny nose. garrotero, m. [<Sp. garrote, cudgel]
ganso, m. [<Sp. ganso, gander] tom tur¬ moocher, especially one who bums cig¬
key; stork. See also torque. arettes or money; conductor (trains);
garache, m. [<Eng. garage] garage. Cf. adj., stingy. (¡Ah, cómo es garrotero este
Sp. garaje. Quirino! Quirino is so stingy!)

garambullo, m. [<Mex.Sp garambullo] garruleta,/ [<Mex. Sp. garraleta, piece

bot., Gooseberry; Gooseberry shrub. of an old rag] jalopy.

garañón, -ña, adj. [<Mex. Sp. garañón, garruñal, m. [<Mex. Sp. engarruñado,
seed horse] seed horse; also said of curled up] field full of brambles and
the person who is much given to lust; briers; thicket; garuñal, var.
adj., lecherous. gaselin, m. [<Eng. gasoline] gasoline; se
garbancillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. garbancillo de le acabó el gaselin (fig.), he ran out of
buey] bot., Locoweed. gas.
gargajear, vb. [<Sp. gargajear, to spit; to gasolinera,/. [<Eng. gasoline] gas station.

75
gato
Cf. Sp. surtidor. gérmenes, m. pi. [<Sp. germen, seed] bac¬
gato, m. [<Sp. gato, cat] cat; trigger of a teria; germs. Cf. Sp. microbios.
pistol or gun. Cf. Sp. gatillo. gileño, -ña, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. Xila
gavacho, -cha, m. and /. [<Col. N.M. (Gila)<Apache tsihl, or dzihl, moun¬
Sp. gavacho<Yr. gavache, southern tain; Mountain People] Gila Apache.
Frenchman] foreigner; Anglo-Amer¬ gimiriquear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. girimiquear]
ican; gringo. Also, gabacho. to whine, to whimper. Also, gimiquear,
gavilla, /. [<Sp. gavilla] gang; political girimiquear.
ring. gladiola,/. [<Eng. gladiola] gladiola. Cf.
gazada,/. [<Sp. gaza, loop] noose; hang¬ Sp. gladiolo.
man’s rope. gogote, m. [<Sp. cogote] nape of the neck.
gaznate, m. [<Sp. gaznate] windpipe; golondrina,/. [<Mex. Sp. golondrina] a
throat. medicinal plant; bot., Spurge.
gazuzo, -za, adj. [<Sp. gazuza, extreme golondrino, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. golon¬
hunger] said of the person who eats drino] brownish yellow; tawny, the color
between meals, muncher; gluttonous. of horses, mules, etc.
genario, m. [<Sp. geranio] geranium. goloso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. goloso, fond of dain¬
generoso, adj. [<Sp. generoso] rich (wine); ties] having a voracious appetite; glut¬
unsurpassed; excellent. tonous.
genio, m. [<Sp. genio, disposition] ill tem¬ golpanazo, m. [<Sp. aug. of golpe, blow]
per. (Me hizo mal genio. He received heavy blow; thud.
me coldly [scowlingly].)
gomitar, vb. [<Sp. vomitar] to vomit.
genioso, -sa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. genioso] of a
gorda, adj. [<Sp. gorda, fat; fat female]
bad disposition.
fat with child; pregnant.
genizaro, -ra, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. geni-
gorgollones, m. pi. [<Sp. borbollones] a
zaro, offspring of non-European par¬
gorgollones, bubbling hot; jirviendo a
ents of mixed blood] a non-Pueblo
gorgollones, bubbling hot. (’L agua está
Indian captive rescued by the Spanish
jirviendo a gorgollones. The water is
settlers from various nomadic tribes.
bubbling hot.)
See jenízaro.
gente,/. [<Sp. gente, people] visitors. (Nos gorgorear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. gorgorear, to
cayó gente. We have company.) Gente gargle; to warble] to bubble; to gob¬
fina, the elite; gente de razón, educated ble, as a turkey.
people; Col. N.M. Sp., non-Indians gorgoritos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of gór¬
whose way of life followed Spanish goros] small bubbles.
rather than Indian customs; adj., con¬ górgoros, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. górgoros] bub¬
genial, friendly. bles.
gentiles, m. pi. [<Sp. gentil, gentile] Col.
gorras blancas, / pi. [<Sp. gorras, caps]
N.M. Sp., gentiles, non-Christianized
white caps, a clandestine organization
Indians (Apaches, Comanches, Kio-
operating in San Miguel county, New
was, Navajos, Pawnees, Utes, Wichitas,
Mexico, against Anglo-American ex¬
etc.) living in or roaming around the
pansion in that area (1880s).
fringe areas of the Spanish settle¬
ments. gorrudo, -da, adj. [<Sp. gorra (de gorra,
genuino, -na, adj. [<Sp. genuino, genuine] to sponge)] lazy; mooching; roguish.
smashing, super. (Un party pero genuino, goruco, m. [<Mex. Sp. gorupo] chicken
a really super party.) louse.
gerga. See jerga. gota, /. [<Sp. gota, drop] ni gota, not a

76
 groga
drop (of anything). a longhair.
gotinado, -da, adj. [<Sp. goteado, speck¬ gresco, -ca, adj. [<Sp. gresca, carousal]
led] spotted; sprinkled. alert; lively; full of life. (La Simonita es
gracia,/. [<Sp. gracia, grace] name. ¿La una niña muy gresca. Simonita is a very
gracia de su merced? What is your lively child.)
name? ¿Su gracia? Your name please? greso, -sa, adj. [< Sp. grueso] corpulent;
Echar una cosa a la gracia, to laugh off heavyset; thick.
a thing. (Le dije pero lo echó a la gracia.
gretas,/, pi. [<Sp. grietas] cracks. (El Cri-
I told him but he just laughed it off.)
santo tiene las manos llenas de gretas.
¡Qué gracias! or ¡Para esas gracias! Big
Crisanto has chapped hands.)
deal!
gretudo, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. gretas] cuero
gradar, vh. [<Sp. graduar] to graduate.
gretudo, chapped skin.
Cf. Sp. graduarse.
greve, m. [<Eng. gravy] gravy.
graje, m. [<Sp. grajo] crow (mostly in folk¬
gringada, /. [<Sp. gringo, foreigner]
tales).
group of Anglo-Americans.
grampa,/. [<Sp. grapa] staple.
gringo, -ga, m. and /. [<Sp. gringo, for¬
grampa, m. [<Eng. grandpa] grand¬
eigner] Terr. N.M. Sp., an English-
father. Also, grampo.
speaking white person from the United
grampear, vh. [<N.M. Sp. grampa, staple]
States; a white foreigner; a Yankee;
to staple. gringo salado, insipid gringo (an insult).
grande, adj. [<Sp. grande, large] old (in When the great influx of non-Span¬
years); elderly; mature. (ManaFaustina ish people occurred after 1848, the
ya es mujer grande. Old lady Faustina is New Mexicans referred to them gen¬
an elderly woman.) En sus grandes, at erally as ‘gringos.” In origin, this
its height or highest point. term was not one of opprobrium,
grandulos, m. pi. [<N.M. Sp. gandules] but simply meant any foreigner (not
Indian braves. Spanish or Indian) who spoke the
granear, vh. [<Eng. to grind] to grind Spanish language without a good ac¬
(motor valves). cent—unintelligibly. A Spanish dic¬
tionary published in 1787 shows that
graniento, -ta, adj. [<Sp. grano, boil] cov¬
gringo (perversion of griego, Greek)
ered with boils or acne.
was used in Spain long before Mex¬
granjeador, -ra, adj. [<Sp. granjear] said
icans of the Southwest applied the
of the person who brings or works
term. (New Mexico. A Guide to the Col¬
himself into another’s favor. (El Ber¬
orful State)
nabé siempre ha sido muy granjeador. Ber¬
nabé has always been very serviceable.) gripa,/. [<Mex. Sp. gripa, grippe] flu,
granma,/. [<Eng. grandma] grandmoth¬ influenza; common cold.
er; granny. grique, adj. [<Eng. Greek] Greek.
grano, m. [<Sp. grano ] grain (collective grisma,/ [<Sp. brizna, bit, fragment] bit;
noun); Col. N.M. Sp., a copper coin speck; ni grisma, not a bit, nothing.
equal to one twelfth part of a real; grano griso, -sa, m. and / [<Eng. greaser] low-
enterrado, pus-filled boil. class Mexican national.
greira,/. [<Eng. grater] grater. gritos, m. pi. [<Sp. gntos, shouts] a gritos y
greña,/. [<Sp. greña, long, tangled hair] sombrerazos, by the skin of one’s teeth;
tangled or mussed up hair; a toda greña, barely.
in a hurry, at breakneck speed. groga,/ [<Mex. Sp. drogas, debts] hacer
greñudo, -da, m. and/. [<N.M Sp. greñas] grogas, to delay; to cheat.

77
groj ellas
grojellas,/. pi. [<Sp. grosellas] currants. bofetada.
grulla, /. [<Sp. grulla, crane] sandhill guango, -ga, adj. [<Mex. Sp. guango
crane. (A tu tierra grulla, que ésta no es <guangoche, burlap] loose, slack; flab¬
tuya. Go home, crane; this is not your by; loose fitting; baggy.
land. Said to someone who is not wel¬ guangoche, m. [<Mex. Sp. guangoche] bur¬
come.) lap; gunnysack.
grullo, -lia, adj. [<Mex. Sp. grullo] dark guangochudo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. guan¬
gray; mouse-colored, applied to hors¬ goche] loose; loose fitting; baggy.
es, mules, etc.
guapo, -pa, adj. [<Sp. guapo, bold] ener¬
guacamole,m. [<Mex. Sp. guacamole <Ná- getic; applied to a person who goes
huatl ahuacamulli] guacamole dip. out on a cold day without too much
guaco, m. [<Mex. Sp. guaco, a medicinal clothing; handsome.
plant] hot., Stinkweed; Rocky Moun¬ guarache, m. [<Mex. Sp. guarache] a kind
tain bee plant, whose roots are used to of sandal with tire-casing sole.
obtain a black paint.
guardapolvo, m. [ < Sp. guardapolvo] a kind
guacha,/. [<Eng. washer, flat metal ring] of border, usually made of oilcloth,
washer; wristwatch (slang); pi, exag¬ which was attached to kitchen walls to
gerations, lies. keep the whitewash from getting on
guache, m. [<Eng. watchman] watchman; one’s clothes.
guard. Also, guacho. guardia, m. and/ [<Sp. guardia, guard]
guachita, /. [<N.M. Sp. guacha, metal ángel de la guardia, guardian angel. Cf.
washer] small, round, flat washer-like Sp. ángel de la guarda.
stone that children throw over the sur¬ guardián, m. [<Sp. guardián] Col. N.M.
face of the water in a lake, river, etc. Sp., the superior of a convent of the
Cf. Sp. laja. order of St. Francis.
guadaña,/. [<Sp. guadaña, scythe] load guarefol, m. [<Mex. Sp. garibol?] decora¬
of hay; hayrack; hay wagon. Also, tion, ornament (dress).
guadaña de paja, load of hay. guargüero, m. [<Sp. gargüero] gullet;
guaiño, -na, m. and/. [<Eng. wino] wino; windpipe; throat.
alcoholic. guasa, /. [<Mex. Sp. guasanga, noisy
guajalote, m. [<Mex. Sp. ajolote<Náhuatl mirth; racket] noise; hearsay; rumor;
axolotl] a kind of salamander. by extension, the memory (reminder).
Sandovalito,
guaje, m. [<Mex. Sp. guaje] gourd; hacer
toda tu gente
guaje a alguno, to deceive or fool some¬
ya se acabó,
one.
ya se acabó,
guajito, m. [<Mex. Sp. guaje, gourd] small
y acá la guasa
gourd; Col. and Terr. N.M., tobacco
nomás quedó.
flask.
Sandovalito,
guajolote, m. [<Mex. Sp.guajolote, turkey] All your people are dead;
turkey (so. N.M.); tiger salamander. All are dead!
See guajalote. Their memory
gualde, adv. [<N.M. Sp. engualde] in¬ Is all that remains.
stead of. (Indita de Sandovalito, N.M. Sp. folk
song)
guamanil, m. [<Sp. aguamanil] wash-
stand. guato, m. [<Eng. wad] wad; bundle of
guamazo, m. [<Mex. Sp. guamazo] a blow money (slang).
on the face with the hand. Cf. Sp. guayabe, m. [<Tewa buwayabe, paper

78
 güinchil
bread] a kind of wafer-like bread made /., darling.
with blue cornmeal. The Hopi Indi¬ guerra,/. [< Sp .guerra] war; annoyance;
ans call this same bread piki; the Zuni trouble. (¡Hi’, cómo da guerra esta plebe!
Indian name for the guayabe is hewe. Damn, these kids give one a lot of
They [the Pueblo Indians] make trouble!)
another quality of bread from maize
guerrista, adj. [<N.M. Sp. guerra, trou¬
different from the tortilla, the use of
ble] annoying; bothersome; trouble¬
which is principally confined to the
some.
Indians, which is called guayabe.
güevo, m. [<Sp. huevo, egg] egg; testicle;
The corn is first ground in the me¬
agüevo, forcefully, by force; andar uno
tate, and then mixed with water into
que no le cabe un güevo, to be exceed¬
a thin paste when it is baked before
ingly elated and proud. (Anda el Maque
the fire in flat stones heated for
que no le cabe un güevo. Mack is over¬
that purpose. The paste is laid on
come with joy and pride.) Tener un
in exceedingly thin layers, and is al¬
hombre los güevos mero a medio, to be a
most immediately baked and peeled
real macho; costar una cosa un güevo y
off, when a new supply is placed
parte del otro, said of a thing that is ex¬
upon the stone. (W.W.H. Davis, El
ceedingly expensive.
Gringo)
güevón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of güe¬
• Guayuma,/. [<Eng. Wyoming] the state
vo] large testicle; indolent, lazy; shift¬
of Wyoming. (El Venancio anda en la
less. (Elias era más güevón que el pastor
borrega en Guayuma. Venancio is work¬
Bartolo. Elias was lazier than Bart the
ing in a sheep camp in Wyoming.)
shepherd.)
« guayumero, m. [<N.M. Sp. Guayuma]
güey, m. [<Sp. buey] ox; cuckold; adj.,
sheepherder working in Wyoming.
stupid.
(Aquí van llegando los guayumeros. The
guía,/. [<Sp. guía, guide] Col. and Terr.
Wyoming sheepherders are just ar¬
N.M. Sp., guideline; bill of lading;
riving.)
invoice; shoot or sucker of a vine; bell
güeja,/. [<Mex. Sp. giieja<cahita bueha, a
or lead animal; ensign or banner;
bowl made from a gourd shell] bald-
opening in an irrigation ditch (’cequia);
head, baldplate; head. Also, a smok¬ La guía, the North Star.
ing pipe bowl or any vessel made out
guiangue,ra. [<Eng. gang] gang. (Poraquí
of a gourd or pumpkin shell. ¡Cuidado
pasó el Prudencio con su guiangue.
con la güeja! Watch your head! (Said
Prudencio and his gang just went by
or indicated by a sign at the entrance
here.)
of a low cave, room or any other low
entrance.) güíjalo, m. [<Mex. Sp. güíjalo, turkey] tom
turkey (so. N.M.).
güelada,/. [<N.M. Sp. güelo<Sp. vuelo,
flight] de güelada, fast, quickly (slang). güila,/ [<Mex. Sp. güila] loose woman;
prostitute.
güelta,/. [<Sp. vuelta] turn; stroll; jugarle
una güelta a alguno, to play a trick on güilanchar,t»¿. [<Mex.Sp. güilanche<güil-
someone; darle sus güeltas a alguno, to ana, to crawl] to pamper a crawling
give someone a good thrashing; tirar infant; to spoil (children).
la güelta, to die. güilo, -la, adj. [<Mex. Sp. güilo, crippled;
güerinche, adj. [<Mex. Sp. güerinche] disabled] dizzy; doped up; half-witted;
blondish; light-complexioned. Also, reeling, staggering.
güeruncho. güinche, m. [<Eng. winch] winch.
güero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. güero] light- güinchil, m. [<Eng. windshield] wind¬
complexioned; blond; foreign; m. and shield (car). Also, vidrio and virdio.

79
gümi
güini, m. [<Eng. wienie] wiener, frank¬ güiso, m. [<N.M. Sp. güisa] boyfriend,
furter; vienna sausage. sweetheart; adj., handsome, good-
güique, adj. [<Eng. weak] physically weak; looking.
weakened. güisque, m. [<Eng. whiskey] whiskey;
güirigüiri,m. [<onomatopoeic term]chat¬ hard liquor.
ter; yak-yak. guñelo, m. See buñuelo.
güisa,/. [<Eng. sweetheart (güisa<juisa gurrión, m. [<Sp. gorrión] sparrow. Also,
<suijá)] sweetheart, girl friend; adj., burrión.
beautiful, good-looking. gusano, m. [<Sp. gusano] worm. (La Fe¬
güisero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. güisa] said liciana se levantó con el gusano salido.
of the person who goes after individ¬ Feliciana got up on the wrong side of
uals of the opposite sex. the bed.)

80
 Hacerle bien al ingrato es lo mismo que ofenderlo.
Not everyone appreciates kindness.

ha, vb. [<Sp. haber, to have] I have, he dle, she slipped the hábito on the
has. New Mexicans and southern Colo¬ child. He wore it under his clothes
radoans use the third person singular until the habit wore out. (Cleofas M.
of haber for both the first and third Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
person forms. (Yo no ha visto nada. I hablador, -ra, adj. [<Sp. hablador, talk¬
haven’t seen anything.) ative] gossipmonger; liar.
habas,/, pi. [<Sp. habas, beans] horse
hacer, vb. [<Sp. hacer] to do, to make; hacer
beans. diligencia, to try; hacer guaje a alguno, to
habitito, m. [<Sp. dim. of hábito, habit, deceive, to fool. ¡Qué le hace! It doesn’t
dress] a garment in the form of a night¬ matter. Hacer que and verb, to pretend.
shirt that is put on a sick child in the (Hacía que lloraba. He was pretending
hope that he will get well. that he was crying. El Rosebaldo está ha¬
hábito, m. See habitito. ciendo que hace. Rosebaldo is pretend¬
When their children were ill, the ing to be doing something.) Hacer raya,
mothers made votive promises. If to make a hit; hacerse, to refuse. (An¬
the child were cured through the dale, Pilar, no te hagas. Come on, Pilar,
intercession of a certain saint, the don’t say no.) ¡Qué se me hace! Oh, yeah?
mother would have el hábito (the (I don’t believe it!) Hacerse uno viejo,
habit of the saint) put on the child. gordo, feo, etc., to begin to get old; to
An intimate comadre was invited as become fat, ugly, etc. (¡Qué vieja se está
godmother (madrina). She sewed the haciendo la Figenia! Figenia is getting
red habit of el Santo Niño or the so old!) Hacerse uno de mil colores, to be¬
blue or brown ones of St. Anthony come embarrassed; hacérsele a uno, to
or St. Joseph, had them blessed, and seem to one. (¡Vi a la Frumencia y se me
with a prayer, holding a lighted can¬ hizo tan fea! I saw Frumencia and she

81
haciendado
seemed so ugly to me! Al EcLumenio ya túnico de cuanto hay. Rafela is wearing
se le hace que no se casa con la Atanasia. an old-fashioned dress.)
Edumenio seems to think that he will hechizo, -za, adj. [<Sp. hechizo, artificial]
never marry Atanasia.) homemade, rather than store-bought.
haciendado, m. [<Sp. hacendado] rich ha¬ helarse, vb. [<Sp. helarse] ¡Ya me helo! I’m
cienda owner; land or sheep owner. freezing! Cf. Sp. ¡Ya me hielo!
hacha,/. [<Sp. hacha] ax; torch; pasársele helera,/. [<Sp. helar, to freeze] icebox;
a uno 7 hacha, to go to extremes, to refrigerator. Also, hielera.
overdo a thing.
hermano, -na, m. and /. [<Sp. hermano]
hachazo, m. [<Sp. hachazo] blow with an brother; hermano carnal, blood broth¬
ax. ¡Qué hachazo! What a boo-boo (faux er; hermano de disciplina, flagellant; her¬
pas). See also manchón. mano de leche, foster brother; hermano
hachazuela,/. [<Sp. dim. of hacha] hatch¬ mayor, older brother; presiding offi¬
et; small ax. cer of a Penitente brotherhood; hermano
hachón, m. [<Sp. aug. of hacha] large ax; salido a luz, said of a Penitente who no
homemade torch used in processions longer has to wear a hood in Penitente
at Christmas in Taos Pueblo. Easter rites.

hallar, vb. [<Sp. hallar] to find; to discov¬ hético, -ca, adj. [<Sp. hético, consump¬
er; to realize; hallársela una persona, to tive] marasmic, emaciated, especially as
fall into a habit. (Ya la Cipriana se la applied to a child suffering from mal¬
halló venir a echarme mis papas. Cip¬ nutrition and showing an enlarged
riana has gotten into the habit of com¬ stomach and an emaciated body.
ing over to tell me off.) Sp. hallar is hicotea,/. [<Am. Sp. hicotea, a kind of
invariably pronounced [xayár] in N.M. water turtle] a small turtle. (La Odosia
and so. Colo. Spanish. Seejallar. está como la hicotea; se le va en puro pujar.
hambre, m. [<Sp. hambre (/.)] hunger. Odosia is like the turtle; she’s nothing
Tener mucho hambre, to be very hungry; but groans.) Also Jicotea.
ser una persona 7 hambre del mundo, to be hielera,/ [<Sp. helar, to freeze] icebox;
very stingy. refrigerator; a very cold room. (Este
hambriento, -ta, adj. [<Sp. hambriento] cuarto es una hielera. This room is as
hungry; stingy; selfish. cold as an icebox.)

harcina,/. [<Sp. hacina] haystack; hay¬ hierba, / [<Sp. hierba, grass] weed, weeds.
loft. (Esta yarda es una pura hierba. This yard
is nothing but weeds.) Also spelled yerba.
harina, /. [<Sp. harina] flour; harina ’e
’cemita, a kind of whole wheat flour hierbajes, m. pi. [<Sp. herbajes, herbage]
used in the making of cemitas (coffee herbs (general); a collection of herbs.
cakes); harina pa chaquegiie, ground (Aquí viene mano Beño con sus hierbajes.
blue cornmeal used in the making of a Here comes old man Beño with his
porridge (also called chaquegüe)\ harina herbs.)
’e maiz, cornmeal; harinilla ’e maiz, a hierbero, -ra, m. and /. [<Sp. hierbas,
finely ground corn flour made from herbs] herbalist; herb doctor; seller of
roasted blue corn. medicinal herbs; weeds or pile of weeds.
hatajo, m. [<Sp. dim. of hato, flock] small ¡Qué hierbero! What an awful lot of
flock; bunch; lots. Col. and Terr. N.M. weeds!
Sp., a string of mules (mule train); un higuita,/ [<Sp. higa, amulet] a charm or
hatajo de mentiras, a bunch of lies; un amulet in the form of a closed fist with
hatajo de veces, many times. the thumb sticking out between the
hay, vb. [<Sp. hay < haber] de cuanto hay, index finger and the third or middle
old-fashioned; old. (La Rafela trae un finger. An higuita is usually worn by a

82
 hormiga
child around his neck to ward off the Boyd, “The Use of Tobacco in Span¬
evil eye (mal ojo). ish New Mexico,” El Palacio)
hijadero, m. [<Sp. ahijadero] lambing sea¬ hojelata,/ [<Sp. hoja de lata, hojalata]
son; lambing site. tin, as in tin can (unjarrito de hojelata)',
hijado, -da, m. and/. [<Sp. ahijado] god¬ pi., homemade tin hair rollers. (La An¬
child; hijado depila, baptismal godchild. selma anda toda la plaza con sus hojelatas.
¡Hi[jo]! , interj. [<Sp. hijo] Damn! (¡Hi. . . Anselma goes all over town with her
qué fiera está la güisa del Alanís. Damn, homemade tin hair rollers.)
Alanis’ girl friend is ugly!) hojero, m. [<N.M. Sp. hojas] Terr. N.M.
¡Hijo!, interj. [<Sp. hijo] Damn! Good Sp., a kind of beaded wallet in which
gosh! (¡Hijo ’e la qué viejota! Damn, society ladies carried hojas (cigarette
what a sexpot! ¡Hij’ ’e Nea, qué vieja tan papers) for hand-rolled cigarettes.
fiera! Damn, what an ugly old woman!) The hojas were most likely to be
carried in a buckskin wallet rather
hilachas,/, pi. [<Mex. Sp. hilacha] rags,
than one of leather or velvet, al¬
tatters; ser uno puras hilachas, to be
though some ladies had them of em¬
nothing but rags. (Mana Irinea es puras
broidered silk, or, after 1840, of
hilachas. Old lady Irinea is nothing but
bead-work. (E. Boyd, “The Use of
rags.)
Tobacco in Spanish New Mexico,”
hilachento,-ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp .hilachento]
El Palacio)
in rags, raggedy, tattered.
hombrada, adj. [<Sp. hombre, man] said of
hilo, m. [<Sp. hilo] thread; grain; contra 7
the woman with a man’s characteris¬
hilo, against the grain; jallarle 7 hilo a
tics. (La Wenceslada es medio hombrada,
una cosa o a una persona, to follow the
¿no te parece? Wenceslada is somewhat
grain; to find a way; to get along with
mannish, don’t you think?)
someone. Clothesline. See also percha.
hombrecito, m. [<Sp. dim. of hombre] male
hispano, -na, adj., m. and/ [<Sp. hispano]
child; baby. (¿Qué tuvo la Seferina, hom¬
Hispanic; a person of Spanish or Indo-
brecito o mujercita? Hombrecito. Is Sefer-
Hispanic descent native to the Ameri¬
ina’s baby a boy or a girl? A boy.)
can Southwest.
hombrera, adj. [<Sp. hombre] man crazy;
hocico, m. [<Sp. hocico, snout] snout;
said of the woman who likes to go out
mouth. (Al Adelmo le dieron en 7 hocico.
with many men. (Las hijas de la Práxedis
Adelmo got a good beating.) ¡Cállate 7
son más hombreras que qué. Práxedis’
hocico! Shut your mouth! Shut up!
daughters are very man crazy.)
hogarse, vb. [<Sp. ahogarse] to choke; to
drown. (El muchito de la Criselda se hogó hombrote, adj. [<Sp. aug. of hombre] ap¬
en la ’cequia. Criselda’s child drowned plied to a macho, a he-man; said of the
in the ditch.) boy or young man who does chores
with enthusiasm and zest. (¡Mi hijo
hoguera,/. [<Sp. hoguera] bonfire; bon¬
Marcelino es muy hombrote! My son,
fire used as a luminaria, q. v. The term
Marcelino, is quite a man.)
joguera may be more common.
horita, adv. [<Mex. Sp. horita <dim. of
hojas,/, pi. [<Sp. hoja, leaf] inner leaves
Sp. ahora] just now; immediately; right
of corn husks used as paper for hand-
away. (¿Quése el Cleofes? Horita se va
rolled cigarettes.
iyendo. Where is Cleofes? He left just a
The constant making and lighting
moment ago.)
of cigarritos entailed carrying about a
small kit of “makings”—punche, ho¬ hormiga,/ [<Sp. hormiga] ant; hormiga
jas (“papers”—actually inner leaves colorada, red ant; hormiga mielera, hon¬
of corn husks, cut into convenient ey ant; hormiga mochilera, a kind of
squares), tinder, flint, and steel. (E. pouched ant; hormiga perroda, a small,

83
hornacina
stinking red ant; hormiga voladora, fly¬ huesito, m. [<Sp. dim. of hueso, bone] small
ing ant; termite. bone; huesito sabroso, anklebone. (La
The honey ants [hormigas mieleras] Nicasia anda cojeando porque se dio un
or pouched ants, are known for stor¬ golpe en el huesito sabroso. Nicasia is
age of honey in their abdomens, col¬ limping because she hit herself on the
lected as it oozes from live galls on anklebone.)
scrub oak branches growing near
hueso, m. [<Sp. hueso] bone; pi., dice
their nests. The insects’ bodies are
(<Eng. bones). (Lo mejor de los huesos es
so elastic they often become greatly
tirarlos. The best thing about “bones”
swollen with their amber liquid and
is to throw them.) Ser una persona puros
children enjoy pinching them and
huesos, to be very thin, emaciated. (El
sucking the sweet. This they do with
probe de mano Labriano es puros huesos.
impunity since these ants cannot bite.
Poor old man Labriano; he’s nothing
(Leonora S. M. Curtin, Healing Herbs
but skin and bones.)
of the Upper Rio Grande)
huevo, m. See güevo.
hornacina, /. [<Sp. hornacina, vaulted
huevón, huevona, adj. See güevón.
nichel a kind of glass niche.
Since the church to the Spanish Co¬ huevonera,/. [<Sp. huevo, egg] the act of
lonial was first consideration in his being or feeling lazy. (La huevona de la
daily living, it is safe to say that the Ramona todavía no se levanta. ¡Qué hue¬
first tin articles fashioned were those vonera! Lazy Ramona is not up yet.
destined for the church or private How lazy can you get!)
chapel. This is evidenced by the nu¬ huevudo, adj. [<Mex. Sp. güevo (huevo)] a
merous articles found today that he-man (macho).
formerly were in church use: arañas, huiso, -sa, m. and f. See güisa.
ceiling candle holders, pantallas, wall
hule, m. [<Sp. hule] rubber; inner tube;
candle holders, candeleros, candle¬
linoleum; oilcloth; rubber band; pi,
sticks, nichos, niches, and hornacinas,
condoms; rubber shoes (galoshes). (Las
niches entirely of glass. (Carmen
llantas de hoy en día ya no tienen el hule
Espinosa, “Color for Mi Casa,” New
que tenían las de antes, ’hora cuasi todas
Mexico Magazine)
son tubeless. Today’s tires no longer
horno, m. [<Sp. horno] oven; large bee- have inner tubes like yesterday’s tires;
hive-shaped outdoor oven; large iron now almost all are tubeless. Esta ma¬
frying pan.
ñana le trajieron el hule de la cocina a
On Monday and Tuesday of Holy mana Sinforosa. Old lady Sinforosa got
Week the conical adobe ovens were her kitchen linoleum this morning.)
seen smoking throughout the three
húmido, -da, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. húmido
villages, while the week’s supply of
(Villagrá)] humid, damp.
bread and panocha was being baked.
Resollando vertía y derramaua
The mud ovens must be blessed
sobre la enjuta arena guijarrosa
before using them, or they won’t
del húmido licor una gran copia.
bake the bread right; it will come
Breathing audibly he shed and
out soggy. To bless the oven, salt is
spilled
sprinkled on the cross and prayers
On the dry and pebbly sandy ground
recited. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shad¬
An abundance of the humid essence
ows of the Past)
of life.
horrores, m. pi. [<Sp. horror] havoc, de¬
(Gasper Pérez de Villagrá, Historia
struction.
de la Nueba Mexico)
hueja,/. See giieja.
húngaro, -ra, m. and /. [<Sp. húngaro,
huero, m. See güero. Hungarian] gypsy; fortune-teller.

84
 Ir por lana y volver trasquilado.
To come out on the short end of a deal.

ichite, w. [<Mex. Sp. istle <Náhuatl¿>d/t, ijotes, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. ejotes, string
vegetable fiber] fiber cord; curled beans] vines of the green-bean plants.
shavings of wood used for stuffing or imágines,/. pi. [<Sp. imágenes] images;
packing. reflections.
idea,/- [<Sp. idea] tenerle mala idea a al¬ imbicionar, vb. [<Sp. ambicionar, to covet]
guno, to have it in for someone; to to get someone, especially a child, to
bear ill will toward someone. See also covet a thing or to form a bad habit;
(mala) pica. to tempt, to tantalize; to corrupt. (No
imbiciones a ese muchito con ese chocolate.
ideático, -ca, adj. [<Sp. ideático, nuts ]
Don’t tempt that child with that choc¬
finicky, fussy; stubborn.
olate candy.)
ideoso, -sa, adj. See ideático. impitoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. impetuoso] impet¬
uous; impulsive; violent. (Ese Tercio sí
idomia, /. [<Sp. idioma (m.), language]
es impitoso, pa que vea. Tercio really is
Spanish language. (Estos americanos, no-
impetuous, to give you an example.)
más aprender 7 idomia les falta. All these
gringos need is to learn the Spanish imponerse, vb. [<Sp. imponerse, to impose
language.) oneself] to become accustomed or used
to. (Yo no estoy impuesto a tanto ruido. I
igualado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. igualado]
am not used to so much noise.)
lacking in respect toward superiors,
impuesto, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. imponerse,
especially by treating them familiarly.
to become accustomed to] accustomed,
igualarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. igualarse] to feel used to; mal impuesto, overindulged,
equal to a superior. spoiled. (¡Ah, cómo tienen mal impuesto a
ijadero, m. See ’hijadero. este chamaco! Gosh, you really have

85
incensó
this kid spoiled.) meeting; El incuentro (Penitente rite),
incensó, m. [<Sp. incienso\ incense. an enactment of the meeting of Christ
incón, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. encón, cove] a and the Virgin Mary during the Pas¬
sion.
bay or beach in the middle of a wide
stream or river; bend of a river, shel¬ indiada,/, pi. [<Sp. indio, Indian] a large
tered cove. group of Indians; adj., Indian-like,
El trece del dicho, salimos deste parage e or following the ways of life of the
fuimos a dormir tres leguas de allí; en Indians.
un encón, estaba el pueblo último donde
indiana,/ [<Mex. Sp. indianilla] printed
habíamos salido, una legua de nosotros.
calico. Also, indianilla.
On the thirteenth of the aforesaid
A hi viene el carroferril
we left this camping site and went
viene cargado de indianas;
on to spend the night three leagues
viene quebrando los precios
from there; at a bend of a river was
de las tiendas mejicanas.
situated the last pueblo from which
There comes the train,
we had departed, a league from us.
It is loaded with calico;
(Gaspar Castaño de Sosa, “Memoria
It is breaking the prices
del Descubrimiento,” Documentos iné¬
Of the Mexican stores.
ditos)
(El carroferril, N.M. Sp. folk song)
inconar, vb. [<Sp. enconar] to infect or
Womenfolk of the ruling class var¬
cause infection.
ied the plain chemise with indianilla,
incono, m. [<Sp. encono, ill will] inflam¬ a cotton print made in Mexico in
mation, infection; infected sore area imitation of East India block-prints.
supposedly brought about by a person (Roland F. Dickey, New Mexico Vil¬
who is believed to have the power to lage Arts)
infect another’s sore or inflamed spot.
indino, -na, adj. [<Sp. indigno] unworthy.
inconoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. enconoso] apt to
cause or produce inflammation; said indita, /. [<Mex. Sp. indita, a song in
of the person who is believed to have praise of an Indian maiden] Indian
the power to infect another’s sore or maiden; a New Mexico ballad with an
inflamed spot. imitative Indian melody and a refrain
If a person had a cut or sore he in which the word “Indita” stands out.
must stay away from outsiders. If In the ballads the term indita refers to
the sore became inflamed after he the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s
had attended some gathering of peo¬ dark-complexioned patron saint.
ple, or someone had come into the Adiós, Rumaldo Gallegos,
room where the sick person was, the padre desafortunado,
person was blamed for having af¬ se te murió 7 único hijo
fected the sore.
que tenías a tu lado,
The sick must be especially care¬ ’biéndose muerto el otro
ful of a woman carrying a baby for Trinidad, allá en Colorado.
a woman in this condition was be¬ ¡Ay, indita, pídele al cielo
lieved to be most inconosa. The que les dé consolación
woman was perfectly innocent of a los padres de Gallegos.
having caused any harm; it was just
Farewell, Rumaldo Gallegos,
some unconscious, uncontrollable, Most unfortunate parent;
malignant power in her, as in the
The only son you had with you
ones who caused the evil eye [mal
Has now passed away;
ojo]. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows
Your other son having died
of the Past)
In Trinidad, Colorado.
incuentro, m. [<Sp. encuentro, encounter] Alas, Indita, pray to God

86
 izque
To bring comfort introducir, vb. [<Sp. introducir, to intro¬
To the parents of Gallegos. duce] to introduce, in the sense of
(Indita de Rumaldo Gallegos, N.M. Sp. making persons acquainted with each
ballad) other. Cf. Sp. presentar.
infante, m. [<Eng. infant] infant, baby. intuato, -ta, adj. [<Sp. intacto] intact; adv.,
exactly. (El refrigerador está intuato como
infeitarse, vb. [<Sp. infectarse] to become
lo dejamos. The refriegerator is exactly
infected.
as we left it.)
infierno, m. [<Sp. infierno] hell; en elquinto
inventorio, m. [<Eng. inventory] venta de
infierno, an expression to indicate a
inventorio, inventory sale.
great distance.
inverniz, -za, adj. [<Sp. invernizo, hiber¬
influencia,/. [<Sp. influenza] the flu.
nal] said of the lamb or heifer born in
ingenio, m. [<Sp. ingenio, talent] car
winter.
engine. (Este carro tiene un ingenio de
trescientos caballos. This car has a three- invicionar, vb. See imbicionar.
hundred horsepower engine.) ipazote, m. See epazote.
Inglatierra,/. [<Sp. Inglaterra] England. ir, vb. [<Sp. ir, to go] ir chillado (a todo
chile, a todo güelo, or a sesenta), to be in
ingüente, m. [<Sp. ungüento] ointment,
a hurry; to go full speed; ir a pie y
salve.
tierra, to go on foot; ir de medio día pa
inmortal,/. [<Mex. Sp. inmortal, a me¬
abajo, to show one’s age; ir (salir) pa
dicinal plant of the Milkweed family]
juera, to go to the bathroom; ir pa atrás,
bot., Antelope horns, Spider milkweed.
to go back, to return.
inocente, m.,f. [<Sp. inocente] child; ad].,
iriaza,/. [<Sp. eriaza] uncultivated field;
simpleminded, mentally retarded per¬
stubble field.
son; idiot. ¡Inocente para siempre! April
ispiado, -da, adj. [<Sp. espiar, to warp]
fool!
said of the mount with sore or split
inorante, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ynorante]
hooves as a result of traveling over
ignorant.
hard or rocky surfaces.
instanciar, vb. [<Sp. instar] to press or
isque, vb. exp. [<Sp. diz que] Did you know
urge a request or petition,
that. . . ? They say that. . . , etc. Also,
íntico, -ca, adj. [<Sp. idéntico] identical;
esque.
the “spitting image.”
ivel, m. [<Sp. nivel] level; spirit level.
introducido, -da, adj. [<Sp. introducir, to
introduce or to bring into notice] ac¬ iyendo, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. y yendo, lit.,
tive; expressive; gregarious, outgoing, going there] going. (Óyeme, Core, no
applied especially to one who easily quiero que te me andes iyendo de noche.
wins the goodwill of those around him. Listen, Core, I don’t want you to be
going out at night.)
introdución,/ [<Sp. introducción] intro¬
duction, in the sense of introducing a izque, vb. ex. [<Sp. diz que] they say that;
speaker to an audience or introducing rumor has it that. That’s what they
one person to another. Cf. Sp. presen¬ say. (¿Izque te casates? Izque. Is it true
tación. Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp., a kind that you got married? That’s what they
of introduction duty on commodities. say.)

87
 Jugando, jugando, nace un niño llorando.
In play and in fun a squealing baby can be born.

jabla,/. [<Sp. jaula] cage; wire enclosure, ro, wild rose leaves, and home-made
jablarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp .jabla] to get into bran starch; the whole mixture was
a car; to climb aboard. (Apúrate, Rubel, ground into a paste and formed into
jáblate. Hurry, Rubel, climb aboard little cakes which were set out in the
[slang].) sun to dry. These jaboncillos were
jabón, m. [<Sp .jabón, soap \ jabón de lejía, used as a face soap only and were
homemade laundry soap made with kept as something very precious.
lye and pork lard. When pine oil is (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows of the
Past)
added to this soap it is called jabón de
trementina. jacal, m. [<Mex. Sp. /zca/< Náhuatl xa-
calli] a small hut with walls consisting
jaboncillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of jabón] a spe¬
of rows of vertical poles (varillas) filled
cially prepared face soap made from
in between with mud.
the jabón de lejía.
Home-made hard soap was cooled, jacalear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. jacal] to go visit¬
the top skimmed off into another pot ing with neighbors; to gossip; to tattle.
and boiled with water until no lye (La Senaida se la pasa jacaleando con las
was left. The soap was cooled, cut up vecinas. Senaida spends her time gos¬
into shavings and put into a bag; the siping with the neighbors.)
bag was put into a pail of water jacalero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp .jacal] said
covered with corn husks and left to of the person that spends his or her
soak for three days, the water being time gossiping with neighbors.
changed every day. Then the bag jaiguaras, adj. [<Eng. high waters] said
was drained out of the water, the of trousers that are so short they hardly
soap mixed with melon seeds, rome¬ go down to one’s ankles.

88
 jarro
jaina,/. [<Eng. honey] girl friend; girl something greedily] to pilfer; to steal.
(slang). {El Colas anda en la chirinola con Also, jambear.
su jaina. Colás is out having a good jambo, -ba ,adj. [<N.M. Sp. jambar or jam-
time with his girl friend.) bear] thievish; given to stealing.
jainear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. jaina] to look for jamón, m. [<Sp.jamón] ham; bacon;jamón
or go out with girls (slang). blanco (or salado), salt pork; jamón de
jaira,/. [<Eng. harrow] harrow, a farm almuerzo, bacon.
implement for leveling the soil and janchar, vb. [<Eng. honcho, leader] to
preparing it for planting. grab; to kipe (slang).
jaitón, -na, adj. [<Eng. high-toned] af¬ janche (jarichi), adj. [<N.M. Sp .janchar]
fectedly stylish; well-groomed. avaricious; grabby.
jaitunato, -ta,adj. [<Eng. high-toned] See jando, m. [<Eng. handout] money; “bread”
jaitón. (slang).
jajar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. jajar<Sp. jadear, to jaque, m. [<Eng. hack] a kind of carri¬
pant] to pant with anticipation or ex¬ age; buggy.
pectation. {Las botijonas de las cuntas están jara,/. [<Sp. jara, a kind of shrub] bot.,
jajando porque te caigas. The fat twins Sandbar willow \ jara de la hoja redonda,
are panting with expectation to see you bot., Round-leaf sandbar willow; rod,
fall down.) a slender twig used for whipping mis¬
jalado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. jalarse, to get chievous children.
drunk] drunk; tipsy. jaral, m. [<Sp. jaral] Sandbar willow
jalador, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. jalar, to work] thicket.
said of a good worker or one who is jarazo, m. [<N.M. Sp. jara] blow with a
not afraid to work. jara or willow rod.
jalar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. jalar<Sp. halar, to jare, vb. exp. [<Eng. howdy] hello, hi,
pull] to haul or tow; to pull; to work howdy.
(slang). jaresa, /. [<Sp. cresa] maggot. See also
jale, m. [<Mex. Sp. slang jale] job; work. queresa.
{El Gualberto está deoquis, no tiene jale.
jarirusa, vb. ex. [<Eng. How-d’-ye-do, sir]
Gualberto is staying home; he doesn’t
how do you do? Hablar jarirusa, to
have a job.)
speak English.
jalón, m. [<Mex. Sp. jalón] pull; de un
jariusa, vb. ex. [<Eng. How-d’-ye-do, sir]
jalón, all at once; estar algo de un jalón,
how are you? {Jariusa, Mrs. Martinez,
to be just right, perfect or wonderful.
como ’sta, güeña? How are you, Mrs.
{¿Cómo estuvo el party? Estuvo de un jalón.
Martinez, are you well?)
How was the party? It was wonderful.)
jarrería,/. [<N.M. Sp. jarro, tin can] a
jamachar, vb. [<Eng. how much?] to hag¬ great number of tin cans; pile of dis¬
gle; to “talk turkey.” {¿Quése’m primo carded tin cans.
Pantale ón? Ahi ’stá j amachando con el
jarrito, m. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of jarro] tin
gabacho. Where is cousin Pantaleón?
can. {Curre a la tienda y tráeme un jarrito
There he is haggling with the gringo.)
de leche Pete. Run to the store and
jamache, m. [<Eng. how much?] how bring me a can of Pet milk.)
much?; estar a jamache, to haggle.
jarro, m. [<Sp. jarro, clay jar] tin can;
jambado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. jambado] colmarle el jarro a alguno, to be the limit,
gluttonous. {Un chulito encartado de cuzco to have had enough. {Ya el Rosebaldo
y jambado. A small dog, half-greedy me colmó el jarro con su güiri-güiri. I’ve
and half-gluttonous.) had enough of Rosebaldo’s yakety-
jambar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. jambar, to take yak.)

89
 jarrumbre
jarrumbre, /. [<Sp. herrumbre] rust of jefe, m. [<Sp. jefe, chief] chief; boss;jefe
iron; iron-like taste. Also, jerrumbre. politico, political boss. Jefe, jefa, jefito,
jaspe, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. jaspe, gypsum jefita are terms used in Southwest Span¬
(Molina)] chalk; gypsum; homemade ish for father, mother (the old man,
whitewash; adj., off-white. the old woman). (Tengo que ir a ayudarle
jatancioso, -sa, adj. [<Sp.jactancioso] ar¬ a mi jefito. I have to go and help my
rogant; boastful. old man.)

jatearse, vb. [<Sp. jactarse] to boast; to jején, m. [<Am. Sp. jején, gnat] mosqui¬
brag. to, gnat.

jato, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hato [;xáto], part jemiquear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. jemiquear and
of a flock] flock of sheep. jeremiquear<Jeremias (Jeremiah)] to be
crying or sobbing constantly.
Te doy el perro y el gato
el jato y el almirez jenízaro (genizaro), -ra, m. and /. [<Sp.
tan sólo porque te quedes jenízaro] a person of mixed blood; an
esta noche y otras tres. Indian captive ransomed by the Span¬
I will give you the dog and the cat ish authorities from his Apache, Co¬
The flock and the mortar, manche, Navajo, or Ute masters and
If only you will stay used by his rescuers as a domestic or
This night and three more. soldier; also, a descendant of these
(El pastor tonto, N.M. and so. Colo. ransomed Indians; adj., dark-skinned.
Sp. ballad) The term “genizaro” has been de¬
rived from the Turkish yeni, new,
Jauja, /. [<Col. N.M. Sp .Jauja] a land of and cheri, troops; hence the English
plenty mentioned in sixteenth- and “Janizary,” a member of a body of
seventeenth-century Spanish songs still Turkish infantry made up of slaves,
sung in New Mexico. conscripts, and subject Christians.
Desde la tierra de Jauja In Spanish the word came to be ap¬
me mandan solecitar, plied specifically in different periods
que me vaya, que me vaya and situations to various non-typical
de un tesoro a disfrutar. groups or blood mixtures. In New
From the land of Jauja Mexico it was used to designate non-
They have sent for me, Pueblo Indians living in more or less
Asking me to go Spanish fashion. Some of them were
Some treasure to enjoy. captives ransomed from the nomadic
(La tierra de Jauja, N.M. Sp. folk tribes, and their mixed New Mexico-
song) born descendants inherited the des¬
ignation. Church and civil records
jedentina, f. [<Mex. Sp. jedentina] foul
reveal such varied derivations as
smell, stench.
Apache, Comanche, Navajo, Ute,
jeder, vb. [<Sp. heder] to stink. (Se le hace
Kiowa, Wichita, and Pawnee. Many
que a él no le jiede. He thinks he’s so
had Spanish blood, clandestinely or
great!)
otherwise. They all bore Christian
jediondilla,/. [<Mex. Sp. jediondilla] bot., names from baptism and Spanish
Creosote. surnames from their former mas¬
Here is some mariola, rubber bush, ters; belonging no longer to any par¬
which is so good for bringing down ticular Indian tribe, they spoke the
a fever. And this is hediondilla, cre¬ broken Spanish observed by Do¬
osote, to use for baths when there is minguez [Fray Francisco Atanasio
high fever. (Fabiola C. de Baca Gil¬ Dominguez], (Eleanor B. Adams and
bert, The Good Life) Fray Angélico Chávez, The Missions

90
 jicotera
of New Mexico, 1776) a Jesús, to call out the name of Jesus,
jeremiquear, vb. [<Mex. Sp.jeremiquear] as a person is breathing his last; Jesús
to sob; to whimper. See jemiquear. Nazareno, the Man of Sorrows.
When a sick person was in his last
jeresas,/. pi. [<Sp. cresas] maggots. Also,
agony, the rezador, whose profession
queresas and jar esas.
it was to recite prayers at religious
jerga, /. [<Col. N.M. Sp. xerga [sérga] gatherings, was called in to gritarle
(Molina), a kind of sackcloth] Col. and a Jesús, call out the name of Jesus
Terr. N.M. Sp., a coarse twilled woolen three times as the person was expir¬
stuff used for floor coverings; rug; ing. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows
carpet. of the Past)
For this purpose [rugs] coarser yarn ¡Jesús y cruz!, inter j., said by people in
was spun . . . The jerga (also spelled old New Mexico before going into a
gerga or xerga) was woven in lengths body of water to swim.
about two feet wide and sewn to¬ The waters of lakes and rivers are
gether so that the floor was covered said to sting (pican) during the month
wall to wall with this carpet, usually of May; and those who bathe therein
a diagonal twill but sometimes her¬ always say before entering into the
ringbone or diamond weave. The water, to cure it, u¡Jesús y cruz!”
common kind was of light and dark (Aurelio Macedonio Espinosa, “New
natural wool colors. (E. Boyd, Popu¬ Mexican Spanish Folklore,” TheJour-
lar Arts of Spanish New Mexico) nal of American Folklore)
The fabric most used by the com¬
jeta,/. [<Sp .jeta] thick, heavy lips; darle a
mon people was called jerga, a coarse
alguno en la jeta, to give someone a
woolen cloth resembling rough serge.
good beating; colgar jeta, to be upset,
Depending upon the fineness of the
annoyed or angry. (El Faustino traía
yarn and the tightness of the weave,
una jeta que le colgaba. Faustino had a
jerga was employed variously for
long face [seemed upset]. El Amarante
skirts and trousers, carrying cloths,
también traiba una jeta que se la pisaba.
and saddle blankets. For suitings,
Amarante also seemed very upset.)
the material was dyed red, dark blue,
or cocoa brown, and worn pieces jetón, -na, adj. [<Sp. jeta] said of a per¬
were pieced together in checkers for son having thick, protruding lips.
carpeting. (Roland F. Dickey, New jicara,/. [<Mex. Sp. jícara<Náhuatl xi-
Mexico Village Arts) calli, a kind of gourd] a drinking vessel
jerrar, vb. [<Sp. errar, to commit errors] made from a gourd shell cut in half; a
to miss (a mark or bull’s eye, a blow, chocolate mug. Also, the head. ¡Usen
etc.). (Le tiré al jarro pero le j erré. I shot la jicara! Use your head!
at the tin can but I missed it.) See also jicarilla,/ [<Mex. Sp. dim. of jicara] a
mistear. drinking cup made from a gourd shell
jerrumbre, /. [<Sp. herrumbre] rust of cut in half; a gourd cup; a bowl-shaped
iron; taste of iron. Also Jarrumbre. wicker basket.
jicote, m. [<Mex. Sp.jicote<Náhuaüxicote]
jervir, vb. [<Sp. hervir] to boil (liquids).
(Antes de beber agua del río la Rafela wasp.
siempre lajierve. A mí no me gusta 7 agua jicotea,/. [<Mex. Sp. hicotea] a small tur¬
jervida. Rafela always boils river water tle. (Está como la jicotea: se le va en puro
before drinking it. I don’t like boiled pujar. He is like the turtle; he is noth¬
water.) ing but groans.)
Jesús, m. [<Sp.Jesús]]esus (Jesse). ¡Jesús! jicotera,/ [<Mex. Sp .jicote] wasps’ nest;
God bless you (upon sneezing)! Gritarle swarm of wasps.

91
jiel
jiel,/. [<Sp. hiel\ bile; gall; gallbladder; jogata,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hogata<huego
echar la Kiel, to work very hard. [xwégo] fire] blaze; bonfire.
Jijo!, interj. [<Mex. Sp. ¡Jijo!<Sp. hijo] jogón, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. aug. of huego
Damn! Good gosh! [xwégo], fire] fireplace; room heater;
jilote,m. [<Mex. Sp.jilote<Náhuatl xilotl] jogón de campana, kitchen fireplace with
roasting ear of corn; name of a folk a hood; jogón de pader or padercita, a
dance (Eljilote). kind of corner fireplace.
jimeriquear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. jirimiquear] joguera,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hoguera [xog-
to sob; to whimper. See also jemiquear, éra], fire flames] bonfire; bonfire-type
jeremiquear. luminaria, q.v.
jito, -ta, m. and/. [<Sp. dim. of hijo, son] Jojolas!, interj. Keen! Swell! (slang).
a term of endearment for hijo, hija jola, /. [<Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp .jola,
(son, daughter). Northern New Mex¬ one-eighth part of a real] small change;
ico and southern Colorado Spanish- penny (slang).
speakers are very fond of nouns in
jolgorio, m. [<Sp. holgorio] mirth, noisy
their diminutive form.
merriment, carousal.
joca,/. [<Eng. hawk] plasterer’s hawk.
jolino, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. jolino] having
joda, /. [<Mex. Sp. joder, to annoy, to little or no tail (said mostly of barn¬
bother] a bother; a beating. (Le metieron yard fowl).
una jo da al Tercio. Tercio got a good jololote, m. [<N.M. Sp. jolote] corncob.
beating, fuimos a la papa y nos metieron Also, jolote.
una buena joda. We went to work in the
jolote, m. [<Mex. Sp. olote] corncob.
potato fields and they really worked
us hard.) The wordsjoda, joder, jodido, joncho, -cha, adj. [<unknown origin]
etc., are considered taboo terms. spongy; rotten; barren, as a cow,
woman, etc. See also orra.
jodal,m. [<N.M. Sp .joda] a lot of; a great
number of anything. (Tengo un jodal jonda, f. [<Col. N.M. Sp. honda [xónda] ]
de cosas que hacer. I have a great many sling; an eye or ring at one end of a
things to do [taboo].) lariat through which the other end is
slipped in order to form a noose.
jodazo, m. [<N.M. Sp. joda] a hard blow
(taboo). Cf. Sp. golpazo (<golpe). jondable, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hondable [xon-
ddble] sunken] the sunken part in a
joder, vb. [<Mex. Sp. joder] to annoy,
river or stream, especially one form¬
to bother; to have sexual intercourse
ing a whirlpool; a whirlpool.
(taboo).
No mas que seys pozuelos se mostraban
jodido, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp .joder] badly
sobre la superficie de la tierra, como
off (financially or physically). (Está bien
rodelas todos, y de hondo una quarta el
jodido; perdió todo lo que tenía. He is re¬
que mas hondable estaba.
ally badly off; he lost everything he
Only six small holes could be seen
had [taboo].)
on the surface of the land, all like
jodón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. joda] first- shields, and the most sunken one
rate; great; super; strong. (Hicieron un was no more than eight inches deep.
baile pero jodón. They made a first-rate (Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá, Historia
dance [taboo].) Cf. Am. Sp. macanudo. de la Nueba Mexico)
joganza,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. holganga [xol- jondear, vb. [<N.M. Sp.jonda<Sp.honda]
gántsa] ] pleasure. (El muerto a la bar¬ to discard; to throw out. (Ella le jondeó
ranca y el vivo a la joganza. The dead to con la puerta. She slammed the door
the hillside and the survivors to their on him. La Prudencia jondeó hoy al Fru-
fun.) toso. Prudencia threw Frutoso out of

92
 juir
the house today.) josear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. joso, bear] to search
or go through clothes, a drawer, etc.,
jondo, -da, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hondo
and leave things in disarray.
[xóndo] ] deep.
jongo, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hongo [xóngo] ] josijoso, -sa, adj. See cosijoso.
mushroom; mandar a uno a frir jongos, joso, -sa, m. and/. [<Sp. 050] bear. {Juimos
to tell someone to go to the devil; to al venado y nos salió un joso tamañote.
ruin someone. We went hunting and met up with a
jonuco, m. [<Mex. Sp .jonuco, cubbyhole] huge bear.)
said of a homemade, unprofessional josquere, m. [<Navajo hoskere (taboo
looking room added on to a house. word)] andar en el josquere, to be sow¬
jomada,/. [<Sp. jomada, a one-day’s jour¬ ing one’s wild oats.
ney] Jornada del muerto, Journey of joto, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. joto, effeminate]
Death, name of a desert area in south- m. and/., homosexual (derog.).
central New Mexico; jornada de recua, joyo, m. [<Sp. hoyo] hole; pothole; name
day’s journey of a pack drove. of a game in which round, flat stones
The day’s travel is made without {tejas) are thrown into a small hole in
a nooning respite; for the conse¬ the ground {eljoyo). See teja.
quent unloading and reloading Juan Moco, a term applied to a very un¬
would consume too much time: and tidy, dirty person.
as a heavily-packed hatajo should
juato, m. [unknown origin] fuss; ado.
rarely continue en route more than
{¡Bal, qué juato! Ni que juera el rey. What
five or six hours, the jornada de
fuss! You’d think he was the king!)
recua (day’s journey of a pack-drove)
is usually but twelve or fifteen miles. judío, -ia, m. and/. [<Sp. judío] Jew;
(Josiah Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies) said of an infant not yet baptized; adj.,
stingy, tight.
jorongo, m. [<Mex. Sp. jorongo, a kind of
poncho] a knot or coil of hair worn at juego, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. huego [xwégo]
(Molina)] fire; fever blister Juego manso,
the top of a woman’s head.
slow fire; game (in general), as juego
jorunda,/. [unknown origin] bugbear;
de football, de basketball, etc.; gambling.
witch.
{Al Fabián le gusta muncho el juego.
josco,-ca,adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. hosco[xósco] Fabián likes gambling a great deal.)
bago en color (ochre?)] grayish brown;
juerte, adj. [<Sp. fuerte] strong; brave.
faded or colorless.
{Este niño no llora, es muy juerte. This
Una vaca jo sea child doesn’t cry; he’s very brave.)
pasó por el mar,
juerte, m. [<Sp .fuerte, fort] hut, shed or
pegando bramidos
small outbuilding for storing hay. Also,
sin ser animal.
juerte cito.
A grayish brown cow
juerza,/. [<Sp. fuerza] strength; ajuerza, ■
Crossed the ocean,
by force; de juerza, naturally; of course.
Bellowing away
Without being an animal. juez, m. [<Sp. juez, judge] juez receptor,
{La nube, The Cloud, N.M. and so. Col. N.M. Sp., a judge delegated to
Colo. Sp. riddle) conduct judicial proceedings on behalf
of a superior.
joseado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. joso, bear]
jugar, vb. [<Sp.Jugar] to play; to gamble;
mussed up; in disarray. {Alguno anduvo
de por jugar, in jest; jokingly.
en mi cajón y me lo dejó todo joseado.
Someone got into my drawer and left juir, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. huir [xwir] ] to
it all mussed up.) flee (juigo, juyes, juye, juyemos,-,

93
juisque
juyen). ing) temper; touchy.
juisque, m. [<Eng. whiskey] whiskey; jumo, m. [<Sp. humo] smoke. (Losjogones
brandy; hard liquor in general. de campana no hacen muncho jumo. Fire¬
julano, -na, m. and/. [<Sp.fulano] a term places with a hood keep smoke at a
used in reference to a person whose minimum.)
name one does not wish to divulge. jura, f. [<SW Sp.jura<Sp.jurar] the po¬
julio, m. [<Sp. julio] julio de hilo, warp lice; the law; policeman, policewoman;
roller in a loom; julio de tela, cloth roller. patrol wagon.
jumadera,/. [<Sp. humareda] a great deal Jura!, interj. [<Sp. jurar, to swear] You
of smoke. don’t say! Swear (to it)!
júmate, m. [<Mex. Sp.yima£r<Náhuatl jurundio, m. [<unknown origin] bug¬
xumatl, a ladle made from a gourd bear.
shell] a dipper made from a gourd
shell; dipper. jurundún, m. [<unknown origin (prob¬
ably onomatopoeic)] a kind of buzzing
In the kitchen, Teodora set a pot of
insect.
the strained milk to boil in the roomy
hearth of the fogón de campana, its jurupián, m. [< unknown origin] bugbear.
wide hood extending out over the juzgar, vb. [<Sp. juzgar, to judge] to
posts set on tinamastes on the coals. judge; to find fault; to estimate. (Yo
She took from the coals the pot of juzgo que habrá como unas diez millas
blue atole gruel, set it on the door de aquí a Santa Fe. I estimate that it
sill and sat by it, cooling it by letting must be some ten miles from here to
the hot gruel drop in the air from a Santa Fe.)
gourd júmate, which she dipped and
raised with a quick, deft twist of her juzgón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. juzgón] ac¬
hand. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows cuser, faultfinder; said especially of
of the Past) one who pries into other people’s af¬
fairs or one who accuses others impul¬
jumazo, m. [<Sp. humazo, smoke] fumi¬
sively without actually having all the
gation; dar jumazos a un cuarto, to fu¬
facts. (No hagas cosas buenas que parezcan
migate a room.
malas porque la gente es muy juzgona.
jumear, vb. [<Sp. humear] to emit smoke.
Don’t do good deeds that may ap¬
jumitos, adj. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of jumo] pear suspect, because people often
said of a person with a very short (fum¬ misjudge.)

94
 La mentira es como el maiz: sola sale.
Lies are like corn, they crop up by themselves.

labioso, -sa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. labioso] in¬ smart; intelligent; said of the child who
sincere, given to the use of lip service; starts speaking at a very early age (3-
crafty, cunning. 4 years).
ladino, -na, m. and /. [<Am. Sp. ladino]
labor,/. [<Mex. Sp. labor, cornfield] Col.
Col. N.M. Sp., half-breed; said of the
and Terr. N.M. Sp., mine pit.
Indian who spoke his native tongue
Some municipal provisions have been
and Spanish.
established in pursuance of which
No one is to make battle, including
any person may open a labor, or pit
the friendly Indian warriors, who
on occupied ground not nearer than
are to be told this by interpreters,
ten paces to another. (Josiah Gregg,
although most of them and their
Commerce of the Prairies)
captains are ladinos and understand
lacena,/. [<Sp. alacena] shelf; lacena del and speak our language. (José Man¬
jogón, mantelpiece. uel Espinosa, First Expedition of Var¬
lacre, m. [<Mex. Sp. lacre, a kind of red gas into New Mexico, 1692)
color] a thinly woven cotton material lado, m. [<Sp. lado] side; por el lado, with
used in lining and to cover cajones de the grain; dar a alguno por el lado, to
muerto (coffins); a kind of black velvet. treat someone with kid gloves,

ladeado, -da, adj. [<Sp. ladeado <.lado, ladrón, m. [<Sp. ladrón] thief; ladrón
side] inclined to one side; crooked; fino, ringleader of thieves; the smart¬
said of a swindler. (El Policarpo y ’l est thief.
Eduviges son muy ladeados. Policarpo lagañas,/, pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp. lagañas
and Eduviges are a pair of swindlers.) (Molina)] bleariness of the eyes.

ladino, -na, adj. [<Am. Sp. ladino] sharp, lagañoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. lagañas]

95
lagartijo
bleary; with one’s eyes emitting a slimy And it did not break;
humor; bleary-eyed. The calf climbed it
lagartijo, m. [<Sp. dim. of lagarto] lizard. And it did not break;
The term lagarto (as in standard Span¬ The cow climbed it
ish) is more common. And it broke!
Which weighed more?
lagarto, m. [<Sp. lagarto] swindler; thief;
The cow.
lizard; alligator.
Raise her tail and lick it.
lágrimas,f. pi. [<Sp. lágrimas, tears] lágri¬
(N.M. Sp. children’s chiste)
mas de Cristo, staurolite crystals in the
form of a cross; fairy crosses. lambeta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. lamber] said of
one who is always polishing the apple;
Many of us have seen these perfect
bootlicker.
little stone crosses known to Anglos
as Fairy Crosses, to Spanish-Ameri- lambido, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. lamber]
cans as Lágrimas de Cristo (Tears of smooth and pressed down, as hair á la
Christ), and to Indians as Stones of Rudolph Valentino.
the Gods. (Merlin Wendland, “Stau¬ lambión, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. lamber] ap¬
rolite, Starbright,” New Mexico Maga¬ plied to an apple polisher.
zine)
lambiscón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lambiscón]
lagrimilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of lágrima, tear] flatterer; bootlicker.
bird shot; buckshot.
lambisconear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. lambiscon¬
laguna,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. laguna, la¬ ear] to flatter; to play up to someone.
gunajo (Molina)] lake. The Spanish lambrijo, -ja, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lambrijo]
term laguna for lagoon is virtually un¬ hungry-looking; starving; skinny.
known in New Mexico.
lambusco, -ca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lambusco]
lama, /. [<Mex. Sp. lama] moss. (Piedra
fond of sweets; gluttonous; hungry
movediza no cría lama. A rolling stone (rare).
gathers no moss.) See also enlame.
lámpara, /. [<Sp. lámpara, lamp] clever,
lambe,adj. [<N.M. Sp. lamber <Sp. lamer, witty; crooked, cunning, sharp.
to lick] flatterer; apple polisher; m., lamparazo, m. [<Mex. Sp. lamparazo] a
bootlick; bootlicker.
drink of whiskey or any hard liquor.
lamber, vb. [<Sp. lamer] to lick; to play lana,/. [<Sp. lana, wool] money (slang);
up to someone; to cater to; to polish lana verdín, greenbacks; ir por lana y
the apple. volver trasquilado, to set out to accom¬
Un viejito y una viejita plish some task and fail; to get the
hicieron una escalerita; short end of a deal.
subió el viejito y no se quebró, lángaro, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lángaro]
subió la viejita y no se quebró, hungry, hungry-looking; petty thief;
subió el becerro y no se quebró, kleptomaniac; rascal, rogue.
subió la vaca y se quebró.
langosta,/. [<Sp. langosta] La langosta, a
¿Acuál pesaba más?
plague of grasshoppers.
La vaca.
lanita, /. [<Sp. dim. of lana, wool] lint,
Alzale la cola y lámbele la caca.
fuzz; nap.
A little old man and a little old
woman largucho, -cha, adj. [<Sp. dim. of largo]
Made a small ladder. tall and lanky.
The little old man climbed it Las posadas, f. pi. See posadas (Las po¬
And it did not break; sadas).
The little old woman climbed it lástico, m. [<Sp. elástico, elastic] rubber

96
 lemitar
band. lecheros, m. pi. [<Sp. leche, milk] bot.,
Milkweed. Also, lechones and lechugas.
lastimada,/. [<Sp. lastimar, to hurt] hurt,
injury. lechuda, adj. [<Sp. leche, milk] said of a
cow with a large udder.
latía, /. [<Sp. latilla, dim. of lata, log]
wood lath; small peeled poles used as lechuguilla, / [<Mex. Sp. lechuguilla]
lath in beamed ceilings. a small species of the Agave or Cen¬
The master bedroom is distinctive tury plant] bot., Sand verbena; Indian
for its well-proportioned corner fire¬ hemp; Dogbane.
place and its beamed ceiling, with lechuza, / [<Sp. lechuza, screech owl]
latías, or saplings, laid in herring¬ Coquimbo owl; a small owl-like bird
bone design above the beams. (Amy that hovers over prairie-dog mounds;
P. Hurt, “Houses with a Past,” New also called lechuza tucera (<tuza, prairie
Mexico Magazine) dog), prairie-dog owl.
latón, m. [<Sp. latón, latten brass] galva¬ This owl has been called the Coquimbo
nized corrugated iron; sheet metal; tin owl. Its note, whether natural or imi¬
roofing. tative, much resembles that of the
The galvanized iron [latón], or “tin” prairie dog. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce
roof was widely adopted by native of the Prairies)
villagers, since it eliminated constant lelo, -la, adj. [<Sp. lelo, stupid] staring;
repairs to the earthen roof, and if stupefied; shocked. (Faustina se quedó
properly constructed, the overhang¬ lela cuando realizó que el matador era
ing eaves protected adobe walls. (Ro¬ su hijo, el Odosio. Faustina remained
land F. Dickey, New Mexico Village speechless when she realized that the
Arts) murderer was her own son, Odosio.)
lavada,/. [<Sp. lavar, to wash] washing. lernita,/ [Cunknownorigin]bot., Squaw-
(Todo saldrá en la lavada. It all comes bush; pi, the berries of this bush; jugar
out in the wash.) a las lemitas, to play with a baby’s feet as
lavadero, m. [<Sp. lavar] washboard; the child lies in his crib. The mother re¬
scrubboard. The term is also applied peats the following rhyme as she plays
to a road that resembles a washboard. with the baby’s feet:
lavandija,/ [<Sp. sabandija, an insect] a Estas dos patitas
kind of water bug. jueron a cortar lemitas;
lavastín, m. [<N.M. Sp. lavar, to wash] corre 7 una,
corre 7 otra,
whitewash; calcimine.
corren las dos juntitas.
leche, /. [<Sp. leche, milk] milk; leche
These two little feet
agria, buttermilk; leche clan, custard;
Went to gather berries;
leche cuajada, buttermilk; leche de jarro,
This one runs,
canned milk; leche nevada, ice milk, ice
The other one runs;
cream. They both run together.
Tecolote, ¿duonde vienes?
(N.M. Sp. children’s rhyme)
De la Sierra Colorada,
The tall, green Lemitas bushes
voy a vender cacahuates
formed a hedge along the lower
pa’ comprar leche nevada.
ridge. The green berries furnished
Owl, where are you coming from?
an acid drink, and the hard gum
From the red-colored sierra;
boiled in water made a nice flavored
I am going to sell peanuts
chewing gum. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo,
In order to buy some ice cream.
Shadows of the Past)
(El tecolote, N.M. and so. Colo. Sp.
folk song) lemitar, m. [<N.M. Sp. lemitas, Squawbush

97
 lengón
berries] Squawbush field. Name of a Maurice did not go beyond the third
New Mexico village. grade in school, but he is well estab¬
lengón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lengón <Sp. lished.)
lengua, tongue] gossipmonger; tattle¬ liebre, m. [<Sp. liebre, hare] a drunk; a
tale; “loud mouth.” wino.
lengonear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. lengón] to gos¬ liga, /. [<Sp. liga] garter; rubber band.
sip, to carry tales; to engage in idle See also lástico.
talk.
limpiada,/ [<Sp. limpiar, to clean] clean¬
lengua,/. [<Sp. lengua, tongue] lengua de ing; house cleaning; act of cleaning
vaca, bot., Yellow dock; Sour dock. one’s clothes, etc. Cf. Sp. limpiadura.
lengua larga, /. [<Sp. lengua, tongue] limpiamocos, m. pi. [<Sp. limpiar, to clean,
gossipmonger, tattletale. and mocos, discharge from the mucous
lépero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lépero] shame¬ membranes of the nose] handkerchief.
less; tricky; m. andf, rogue, scoundrel; líncere, m. [<Sp. lince, lynx] weasel; adj.,
petty thief. acute, cunning; sharp, smart.
The arrival of the wagons produced
lindero, m. [<Sp. linde, boundary] small
a great deal of bustle and excitement
irrigation ditch between two parcels
among the natives. “Los americanos”—
of land or between two properties.
“Los carros”—“La entrada de la cara¬
(Está seco el lindero. Yo creo que nos cor¬
vana” were to be heard in every di¬
taron 7 agua. The ditch is dry. I believe
rection; and crowds of women and
they’ve cut off our water.)
boys flocked around to see the new¬
línea, /. [<Sp. línea, line] persuasive
comers; while crowds of léperos hung
speech. (¡Hi. . . qué línea la del Gerardo!
about as usual to see what they could
What a line Gerardo has!)
pilfer. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce of
the Prairies) lío, m. [<Sp. lío, entanglement] echar lío,
to court; the act of courting a young
lepra,/. [<Sp. lepra, leprosy] eczema.
woman.
letra,/. [<Sp. letra, a kind of song whose
lion, m. [<Eng. lion] mountain lion;
first lines are amplified (glosadas)] As
puma; cougar.
used in N.M. folk plays, a letra is a
strophe that is sung rather than spo¬ lírico, adv. [<Sp. lírico] by ear, i.e., with¬
ken, and serves as a refrain or as an out formal training, especially in music
introduction to some subsequent ac¬ or vocal art. (La Gorgonia sabe tocar
tion or event. la guitarra pero sólo lírico. Gorgonia
knows how to play the guitar, but only
leva,/ [<Mex. Sp. leva, frock coat (slang)]
by ear.)
dress coat; leva de hule, raincoat; leva
borreguera, sheepskin coat. lirio, m. [<Sp. lirio] iris; lily.
The Spanish New Mexicans assert
levantado, -da, adj. [<Sp. levantarse, to
that the iris roots are poisonous.
arise from bed] up; out of bed; up
Through what evidently is a quirk
and around. (¿Ya está levantado el Tercio?
Is Tercio up and around?) of terminology, they refer to the
plant as lirio, whereas the strict Span¬
libertoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. libertad, liberty]
ish translation of the word is lily and
free; enjoying freedom.
not iris. (Leonora S.M. Curtin, Heal¬
librería, / [<Sp. librería, bookstore] li¬ ing Herbs of the Upper Rio Grande)
brary. Cf. Sp. biblioteca.
lisa,/ [<Sp. liso, plain] shirt (slang).
libro, m. [<Sp. libro, book] book; grade lisón, m. [<Sp. alisar, to make smooth]
in school. (El Mabricio nomás hasta 7 a final combing of one’s hair before
libro tres jue pero ’stá muy bien puesto. going out; the act of fixing up (slang).

98
 luvia
lisos, m. pi. [<Sp. liso, smooth] harness lonja,/. [<Mex. Sp. lonja, slice of fat] fat;
frame in a loom. pi, blubber. Echar lonja, to lounge, to
liviano, -na, adj. [<Sp. liviano, light; of take it easy; to get fat.
little weight] fast (in speed). (¡Cómo es lucas, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lucas, “nuts”] crazy;
liviano este Gregorio! Gregorio is cer¬ “nuts.”
tainly fast!) lucha, /. [<Sp. lucha, struggle] hacer la
lo, adv. [<Sp. luego] immediately; lo lo, lucha, to try.
immediately; right then and there. luego, luego, adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. luego
lobo, m. [<Mex. Sp. lobo] said of the per¬ luego] forthwith, right away; on the
son who has a quarter blood relation¬ spot.
ship with a person of another race; a lugar, m. [<Sp. lugar, place] tomar lugar
person with one “Anglo” grandparent; un suceso, to take place (as an event).
monkey wrench; wolf (<Eng. wolf), said Cf. Sp. tener lugar.
of the man who is fond of women; lumbre, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lumbre] hard, as
lobo de canute, pipe wrench; adj., of a child’s being hard on clothing, shoes,
mixed blood. etc. (El muchito de la Sofronia es muy
logros, m. pi. [<Sp. logro, gain] apostar lumbre con sus calzones. Sofronia’s boy
hasta logros, to bet anything. is very hard on his pants.)
lombral, m. [<Sp. umbral (1 umbral)] tim¬ lumbrera, /. [<Sp. lumbrera, skylight]
ber for a threshold (lintel). opening or breather on top or on the
lomo, m. [<Sp. lomo, the back of an ani¬ side of an adobe oven (homo). (Lumbrera
mal] back. Cf. Sp. espaldas. Sobarle el de la calle y escuridad de su casa. Charity
lomo a alguno, to play up to someone. begins at home.)
(Cuando no hay lomo de todo como. When lumbrero, m. [<Sp. lumbre, fire] fireman,
I cannot get sirloin, I’ll eat any meat. fire fighter.
[Beggars can’t be choosers.]) lumbricias, /. pi. [<Mex. Sp. lumbrices,
Iona,/. [<Sp. Iona] canvas; blue denim; earthworms] earthworms, tapeworms;
pi, levis; overalls. also, lumbrices; adj., lumbriciento, -ta, suf¬
lonche, m. [<Eng. lunch] lunch; cara de fering from worms.
lonche, said of a person considered to luminaria,/. [<Sp. luminaria, festive light]
be a pushover. (Le vieron cara de lonche. any of several festive lights (bonfires,
They saw him coming [considered him candle-in-sack lights, votive lights, etc.),
an easy victim].) which are displayed as a sign of festiv¬
lonchear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. lonche] to have ity and rejoicing, especially at Christ¬
lunch (loncheo, loncheas, lonchea, lon¬ mas time.
che amos, -, lonchean). lurio, -ria, adj. [<Mex. Sp. lurio] crazy;
lonchera,/. [<N.M. Sp. lonche] lunch pail. goofy; “nuts.”
longdistans, m. pi. [<Eng. long distance] luvia, /. [<Col. N.M. Sp. lluvia [lúbia],
a kind of union suit or heavy winter heavy rain] flash flood; squall. See also
underwear. diluvio.

99
 No lloro pero me acuerdo.
(How things have changed!)

llaneros, m. pi. [<Sp. llaneros, plainsmen] The [Coronado] expedition [1541]

the Plains clan of the Jicarilla Apaches. skirted Cerro Cuervo, and probably
See also olleros. entered the basin of Pajarito Creek
The Jicarillas are divided into two in the vicinity of present Newkirk.
bands, the Olleros, or Mountain clan, Toward the east they could see the
and the Llaneros, or Plains clan. Each imposing line of rampart-like cliffs
spring in by-gone years the two clans which gave the vast level expanse
would separate, the Mountain peo¬ ahead of them the name of Llano
ple going to the country around Estacado (Stockaded or Palisaded
Taos and Española and along the Plain), later mis-translated by An¬
Chama river, where they did a little glo Americans into “Staked Plains,”
farming and hunting and a little which completely misses the point of
raiding of the Pueblos. The Plains the Spanish designation. They were
clan went east into the New Mexico called Stockaded Plains from the rim-
plains and into the Texas Panhandle, rock which at a distance looks like a
where they hunted buffalo. In the stone fortification. The usual explan¬
fall the tribe united and a general ation about driving stakes to avoid
thanksgiving celebration was held. getting lost is an engaging folk tale.
(Betty Woods, “Jicarilla Fiesta,” New (Herbert E. Bolton, Coronado, Knight
Mexico Magazine) of the Pueblos)
llano, m. [<Sp. llano, plain] Llano estacado llegar, vb. [<Sp. llegar] to arrive; to stop
(Stockaded Plain), the Staked Plains by. ¡Lleguen, lleguen! Stop by, come on
in eastern New Mexico and western over (visit with us).
Texas. llena, /. [<Sp. llenar, to fill; to glut] fill-

100
 llorona
ing. (Este muchito no tiene llena. This 4. the ghost of La malinche, the “tongue”
kid doesn’t know when to stop eating.) or interpreter and mistress of Cortés,
llorona (La llorona, the wailing woman), conqueror of Mexico, who betrayed
/. [<Sp. llorar, to cry, to wail] a ghost. her people for her lover; 5. the ghost
People believe La llorona to be: 1. the of an unmarried young woman who,
ghost of a woman seeking her children to spite her paramour and father of
who died at birth. The ghost wails in her two children, drowns them when
the night as a sign of danger or im¬ she discovers that he is making plans
pending death; 2. a soul from Purga¬ to leave her in order to marry a wealthy
tory atoning for its sins; 3. the spirit of society lady whom his mother has cho¬
an Aztec goddess to whom babies were sen for him. The latter version of this
sacrificed, and who is heard during the legend appeared in book form in the
night looking for children to carry off; 1920s.

101
 Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
The devil knows more because he is old than
because he is the devil.
(Experience is the best teacher.)

macana, f. [<Mex. Sp. macana, war club] maderear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. madera] to flat¬
cudgel; male organ (taboo). ter; to compliment; reflex., to boast; to
maceta, f. [<Mex. Sp. maceta, flowerpot] show off.
crap. ¡Come maceta! Go to blazes!
maderista, adj. [<N.M. Sp. madera] fib¬
macucho, -cha, adj. [<Mex. Sp. macucho] ber; flatterer; liar. Also, maderisto.
cunning, sly; experienced.
madero, m. [<Sp. madero, wooden beam]
machín, m. [<Mex. Sp. machín, monkey] heavy wooden cross used by N.M. and
a kind of marmot or woodchuck. so. Colo. Penitentes during their reli¬
macho, adj. [<Sp. macho, male] strong, gious ceremonies at Easter time.
virile and brave; pararle el macho a al¬
madre,/. [<Sp. madre, mother] Col. and
guno, to put a stop to, or keep some¬
Terr. N.M. Sp., female cook for a com¬
one from doing a thing.
pany of muleteers; a toda madre (ATM),
machona, adj. [<Sp./ of macho, potent] great, wonderful; “far-out.” Mentarle
barren female; tomboy. la madre a alguno, to insult or taunt
machorra,/. [<Mex. Sp. machorra] bar¬ someone, esp. by mentioning the word
ren female; tomboy. See also orra. “madre” in a derogatory way. ¡Ni madre!
madera, /. [<Sp. madera, wood] fib, lie; No way! No tener uno ni madre, to be
flattery. Dar madera, to flatter. ¡Madera! destitute, penniless. ¡Qué madre! How
You are kidding. (That’s a lie.) ¡No gorgeous! (Applied to a woman.)
madera! I am serious. (It’s no lie.) madrecita,/ [<Sp. dim. of madre] an en¬
madereado, -da, m. and /. [<N.M. Sp. dearing term used to refer to one’s
madera] conceited person; boaster; grandmother.
show-off. madrina, /. [<Sp. madrina] bell mare;

102
 maldito
bridesmaid; godmother. earth had opened beneath him and
madurarse, vb. [<Sp. madurarse, to ripen swallowed him up to his waist. His
(fruit)] to mature. (Ya se maduró mi ase- mother ran for the priest; the priest
guranza. My insurance policy has ma¬ came, and after many prayers and
sprinkling with holy water, the earth
tured.)
released him. Repentant of his sin,
máfrico, m. [<Eng. maverick] an un¬
he promised to travel over the world,
branded animal, especially a calf or
advising the young to respect and
steer; a stray.
obey their parents. (Cleofas M. Jara-
magacin, m. [<Eng. magazine] magazine, millo, Shadows of the Past)
review.
mala, adj. [<Sp. mala, bad] mala cacha,
maiste, m. [<Mex. Sp. mástil<Náhuatl cantankerous, ill-tempered; mala mujer
maxtlatl] flat of the thigh in beasts from or mala suegra, tumbleweed; a la mala,
the flank to the hock. treacherously.
maíz [ruáis], m. [<Sp. maiz<West Indies malacariento, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mala¬
mahís] maiz azul, blue corn; maiz cahui- cariento] with a wry face; said of some¬
lense, a kind of multi-colored corn used one who is always scowling or who
mostly for chicken feed; maiz concho shows a long face to those whom he
(<Quechua kumcho), a large, white corn contacts. (El Acorsinio me cae muy atra¬
used in the making of roasted corn re¬ vesado. Es muy malacariento y siempre trae
ferred to commercially as “crazy corn”; una jeta que se la pisa. I can’t stand
maiz duce, sweet corn; darle su maiz a Acorsinio. He is always scowling and
alguno, to give someone a beating. always has a long face.)
majada,/. [<Sp. majada, shepherds’camp malacate, m. [<Mex. Sp. malacate] spin¬
for the night] shelter for sheep; dung dle, whirligig spindle; the pin by which
of goats, sheep, etc.; excrement in a the thread is formed and on which it
child’s diaper or pants. is wound.
maje, adj. [<Mex. Sp. maje] dunce; stupid. Much of the spinning is done with
majóte, m. [<N.M. Sp. majada, excrement] the huso or malacate (the whirligig
spindle), which is kept whirling while
stool (fecal matter).
the thread is drawn. The dexterity
mal, m. [<Sp. mal, evil] evil; harm; hacer
with which the females spin with this
mal, to cause harm or damage; hacer
simple apparatus is truly astonish¬
un mal, to hurt or harm. ¡Mal ajo! Con¬
ing. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce of the
found it! Mal hablado, curser, swearer.
Prairies)
¡Mal haya quien! Well, of all things!
Can you beat that? What do you know?, maldiciento, -ta, adj. [<Sp. maldiciente]
etc. Mal hijo, bad son, a local legend said of the person who swears a great
of a young man who raised his hand deal and who uses profane or obscene
against his father and how heaven language at every turn. (Yo no conozco
a nadien tan maldiciento como el Jim. I
punished him.
I was a very young child when the know of no one who swears as much
mal hijo passed through our village, as Jim.)
but he impressed me for life. Mount¬ maldito, -ta, adj. [<Sp. maldito, wicked]
ed on a burro, he went from town cursed, damned; m. (El maldito), Satan,
to town preaching to the young, the devil.
showing them his clenched hand Enel Rio ’e Sap ello
and the scar on his wrist where the comenzó la suerte mía;
knife turned and stuck when he ¿ Qué es lo que me sucedió,
raised it to strike his father. The Virgen pura y madre mía,

103
maleado
que el maldito me ensistió evil eye. Also, mal de ojo.
a hacer tan grande avería ? malora (malogra), f. [<Mex. Sp. malora,
In the River Sapelló mischievous] an evil spirit said to ap¬
My bad luck started. pear in the form of a rolling ball of
What happened to me, cotton; adj., mischievous, bullish.
Oh, holy Virgin Mary, La malora is an evil spirit which wan¬
That the devil tempted me ders about in the darkness of the
To do such great harm. night at the crossroads and other
(Indita de la Pablita, N.M. Sp. ballad) places. It terrorizes the unfortunate
maleado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pt. part, of malear, ones who wander alone at night, and
to corrupt] ill-advised; brainwashed. has usually the form of a large lock
maleficiado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pt. part, of of wool or the whole fleece of wool
maleficiar] bewitched or made ill through of a sheep (un vellón de lana). Some¬
witchcraft. times it takes a human form, but
maleficio, m. [<Sp. maleficio] enchant¬ this is rare; and the New Mexicans
ment; spell. say that when it has been seen in
The general name for any evil or human form, it presages ill fate,
harm caused by a witch is, in New death, or the like. When it appears
Mexico, maleficio. (Aurelio M. Es¬ on dark nights in the shape of a
pinosa, “New Mexican Spanish Folk¬ fleece of wool, it diminishes and in¬
lore,” The Journal of American Folklore) creases in size in the very presence
of the unfortunate one who sees it.
maleta,/. [<Sp. maleta, valise] ladies’ hand¬
It is also generally believed that a
bag; saddlebag; wallet.
person who sees la malora, like one
One burro with pack saddle carries
who sees a ghost (un difunto), for¬
two kegs of water; another, the bed¬
ever remains senseless. When asked
ding and tent, while on the last one
for detailed information about this
are the maletas—saddlebags con¬
myth, the New Mexicans give the
taining cooking utensils and food.
general reply, “It is an evil thing” (es
(N. Howard Thorp, “Following the
cosa mala). (Aurelio M. Espinosa,
Flock,” New Mexico Magazine)
“New Mexican Spanish Folklore,”
malhecho, m. [<Sp. malhecho, evil deed] The Journal of American Folklore)
enchantment; spell. Also, maleficio.
matoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. malo, mean, and
maliciada,/. [<N.M. Sp. maliciar] gossip; suffix -oso] evil, mean, wicked. (Esta
hint; innuendo. C le of es sí que es malos o, para dale una
maliciar, vb. [<Sp. maliciar, to suspect ma¬ idea. Cleofes is really mean, just to give
liciously] to realize; to suspect. you an example.)
mal impuesto, -ta, adj. [<Sp. impuesto, im¬ malpais, m. [<Sp. mal país, bad terrain]
posed] spoiled. lava beds; badlands.
malinche, f. [<Mex. Sp. malinche, the mallugar, vb. [<Sp. magullar] to bruise
“tongue” or interpreter of Hernán (fruits, vegetables).
Cortés] name of the female character mam an tar, vb. [<Sp. amamantar] to breast¬
(a small girl) in the dance of Los Mata¬ feed.
chines, q.v. Also, a ghost.
mamasola, f. [<unknown origin] a sure
malino, m. [<Sp. maligno, malignant] El move in the game of pitarrila, q. v.
malino, the evil one, the devil.
manadero,adj. [<Mex. Sp. manadero]burro
malo, m. [<Sp. malo, evil, bad] El malo, manadero, seed donkey set apart to
the devil. mate with mares.
mal ojo, m. [<Sp. mal, evil, and ojo, eye] mancornadora, /. [<Mex. Sp. mancorna-

104
 manofashico
dora] hooker, prostitute; two-timing steps into it with its forefeet, and
female. the mangana de cabra, popular in
mancornar, vb. [<Sp. mancornar, to tie goat roping, where the roper man¬
two head of cattle by the horns so both ages to get the loop into a figure 8
can work as a team] to hook, as a hook¬ and catches its quarry around the
er. See mancornadora. neck and forefeet at the same time.
(John L. Sinclair, “Spinning Them
mancuerna,/. [<Sp. mancuerna, a pair of
Fancy,” New Mexico Magazine)
animals or things] a kind of yoke made
with a double rosary which is placed manganilla,/ [<Sp. dim. of mangana] a
around the necks of a couple about to small figure-8 loop. See mangana.
be married in church and while they mangos, m. pi. [<Sp. mangos, mangoes]
are still kneeling before the priest. The bell peppers. See chile (chile mango).
mancuerna, put on by the priest or by
mania,/ [<Sp. mania, mania] bad habit.
one of the mothers of the couple, sym¬
manil, m. [<Eng. money [man'é] money;
bolizes the joining of the pair in holy
bread (slang).
matrimony. After taking holy com¬
munion, the young people may take manito, -ta, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of
off the mancuerna and store it away as mano<hermano] friend; neighbor; dear.
a memento. (¡No, manita, ni lo pienses! No, dear,
don’t even think about it!) Los manilos,
mancuernillas,//?/. [<Mex. Sp. mancuer¬
the New Mexicans, a term applied by
nillas] cufflinks.
Mexican immigrants to northern New
manchón, m. [<Sp. aug. of mancha, stain]
Mexicans of Indo-Hispanic descent.
large stain. ¡Qué manchón! What a dis¬
grace! How embarrasing! Hacer un man¬ mano,/ [<Sp. mano) hand; small oblong
chón, to blunder; to make a boo-boo. pumice stone which is rubbed back
mandón, m. [<Sp. mandar, to command] and forth on a metate or grinding stone;
Col. N.M. Sp., head or chief of an In¬ a mano (or a la mano), down, down
dian tribe; adj., bossy. payment; dar una mano, to help; to give
A los mandones y cabezas se les requirió a helping hand; de segunda mano, sec¬
que se sosegasen y volviesen al estado de ond hand, used; mano de obra, handi¬
work; meter mano, the act of the male
antes.
The heads and chiefs were given touching or handling the female’s parts;
notice to calm down and to return pedir la mano de una señorita, to ask for a
to their former state. young woman’s hand in marriage; tener
(Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá, Historia buena mano, to have a green thumb;
de la Nueba Mexico) to have a natural aptitude or knack
for doing things; tener mala mano, to
manejador, m. [<Sp. manejar, to handle]
have negative results when undertak¬
manager. Cf. Sp. gerente.
ing a project. La mano negra, the Black
mangana,/ [<Sp. mangana] a fancy throw Hand, name of an activist organization
of a lasso; a type of loop used in las¬ operating in northern New Mexico in
soing. the 1920s. Pararse de manos, to antici¬
All sorts of loops were invented in or¬ pate, to jump to conclusions.
der to make personal contact between
mano,-na,ra. and/ [<Mex. Sp. mano<her-
man and beast. Along the Mexican
mano, brother] friend, old man. (Mano
border the vaqueros brought the
Francisco, brother Francis. Aquí nos cayo
mangana into being. It is a neat way
of “forefooting,” the mangana de pie mano Labre. Old man Labre dropped
being a loop open on the ground in on us.)
and the catch made when an animal manofashico, m. [<N.M. Sp. manoFashico

105
manorroto
<Francisco] a character in N.M. and so. sons named Manuel or Manuela.
Colo. Spanish folklore. Manofashicos, New Year’s day is the day of los Man¬
or simply fashicos, are described as be¬ ueles, and the women and men called
ing morons or retarded individuals by this name were serenaded on this
and are the object or butt of moron day . . . We awakened with the sound
jokes; adj., dark-complexioned; un¬ of music and singing at our front
kempt, untidy. door; my husband in bathrobe and
manorroto, -ta, adj. [<Sp. manirroto] ex¬ bedroom slippers opened the door
travagant, spendthrift; wasteful. and was greated by the usual verse:
Por aquí caigo,
manque, conj. [<Sp. mas aunque] even if,
even though. por aquí levanto,
a darle los buenos días,
mansito, m. [<Sp. dim. of manso, tame]
pues hoy es día de su santo.
cuckold; adj., tame; pusillanimous.
This way I stumble,
manta,/. [<Sp. manta, bleached cotton] This way I rise
Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp., coarse cot¬ To wish you happiness
ton cloth used in the making of skirts, On your saint’s day.
petticoats, shawls, kerchiefs, bed sheets, (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows of the
bed hangings, etc. Manta de techo, mus¬ Past)
lin ceiling cloth; min., a streak of pay
manzana,/. [<Sp. manzana] apple; man¬
gravel.
zana americana, bot., Delicious apple;
mantelina,/. [<Sp. mantellina [mantelina]] manzana de Adán, Adam’s apple; man¬
a short cloak worn by women. zana (or manzanita) de San Juan, a kind
mantelito, m. [<Sp. dim. of mantel, table¬ of local apple that ripens early (by St.
cloth] napkin. Cf. Sp. servilleta. John’s day, June 24); manzana del pais,
mantención,/. [<Sp. manutención] sup¬ local or homegrown apple; manzana
port; livelihood. molida, apple butter, applesauce.
mantenido, m. [<Sp. pt. part, of mantener, manzanita,/. [<Sp. dim. of manzana] la
to support] bum; moocher; pimp; es¬ manzanita de Adán, Adam’s apple; man¬
pecially the man who is kept by a zanita de San Miguel, crab apple; min.,
woman. a lode of gold-bearing quartz; bot.,
Pointleaf manzanita.
mantilla, /. [<Sp. mantilla, veil] diaper.
Also, a kind of saddle blanket for win¬ maña, /. [<Sp. maña, cleverness] bad
ter use. habit; darse mañas, to find a way or
solution; to manage.
mantona,/. [<Sp. mantón, a kind of shawl]
a kind of cloak or cape. mañana,/ [<Sp. mañana, morning] hacer
Mother brought out her black taf¬ la mañana, to take a drink of liquor
feta silk mantona to wear for the fu¬ (brandy, whiskey, etc.) in the early part
neral. This silk cape was made with of the morning.
three lace flounces trimming the cir¬ mañaneador, -ra, adj. [<Sp. mañanear, to
cular bottom, and the black lace veil rise very early] early riser.
fastened at the collar dropped over mañanitas,/. pi. [<Sp. dim. of mañana] a
her head . . . The mantonas were kind of morning serenade adopted
worn in mourning and at the church from Mexican folklore.
services during Lent and Holy Week. Estas son las mañanitas
(Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows of the que cantaba el Rey David
Past)
a las muchachas bonitas
Manueles, m. pi. [<Sp. Manuel<Emanuel] se las cantamos aquí.
New Year’s Day serenade given to per¬ This is the song

106
 mashi
King David used to sing; guana] marihuana addict. Also, a per¬
We are singing it here son under the influence of dope, drugs.
To all the pretty girls. mariola,/. [<Mex. Sp. mariola] bot., Rub¬
(Mexican folk song) ber bush.
Also, one of several names for the
mariquilla,/ [<Sp. dim. oí Maria, Mary]
Mexican corrido or ballad.
bot., Goldenrod.
mañoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. maña, cunning]
maroma,/ [<Mex. Sp. maroma] somer¬
cunning; knavish.
sault; echar maromas, to perform acro¬
mapa,/. [<Sp. mapa (m.)] map. (Tráeme batic stunts; las maromas, the circus.
la mapa. Bring me the map.)
maromear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. maromas] to
maque, m. [<Mex. Sp. maque, a kind of
perform gymnastic or acrobatic feats.
lacquer] house paint; dar maque, to
maromero, -ra, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. maro¬
paint (houses, barns, etc.).
mero] acrobat; pi, circus people; pinto
maquear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. maque] to paint
beans; Mexican jumping beans; pi,
(houses, fences, barns, etc.).
sperm (slang).
máquina,/. [<Sp. máquina, machine] au¬
marquesote, m. [<Mex. Sp. marquesote, a
tomobile; motor; máquina de rajar, saw¬
kind of caramel] a kind of light sponge
mill; a toda máquina, full speed; fast,
cake.
in a hurry; very nice, super, far out
Then and there I made up my mind
(slang). that marquesotes were the last word
maravilla, /. [<Sp. maravilla, common in pastry de luxe . . . However, the
marigold] bot., Wild four-o’clock. forty eggs as the chief ingredient for
marbolina,/ [<Eng. marble?] a kind of marquesotes were nothing as com¬
glazed marble. pared to the problems of the early
marcado, -da, adj. [<Eng. marked] settlers’ wives when they wanted to
marked; stolen (slang). bake light bread or cake. There was
no baking powder nor soda. (Mar¬
marcial, m. [<Sp. marcial, martial] fort,
garet Abreu, “In the New Mexico
fortification, stronghold.
Kitchen,” New Mexico Magazine)
Capitán Chía,
Capitán Chía, marranada,/ [<Sp. marrano, pig] mess.
rinda su marcial; martigón,ra. [<Sp. almartigón<almártiga]
jeya,jeya,jeya, a kind of homemade halter.
jeya, jeya, jeya. rnaruca,/ [<Sp. Maruca (Mary)] Col. and
Captain Chia Terr. N.M. Sp., a name applied to an
Captain Chia Indian girl or woman taken from the
Surrender your fort; Indians and reared by a Spanish-speak¬
Jeya,jeya,jeya, ing family. See jenízaro.
Jeya, jeya, jeya.
máscara,/ [<Sp. máscara, mask] name
(N.M. Sp. folk song)
applied to a middle-aged woman who
marchante, -ta, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. mar¬
uses an excess of cosmetics to hide her
chante] customer. Also used in so. Spain
wrinkles; homely or ugly female. Cf.
(Andalusia).
Sp. carantoña.
Marias,/ pi [<Sp. Maria, Mary] Las tres mashi, m. [<Mex. Sp. machiche] the devil.
Marías, astron., the three stars form¬
Also, mashishi; adj., impish.
ing the belt of Orion. In New Mexican Spanish the Devil
mariguana,/ [<Mex. Sp. mariguana] bot., is known by various names, el ma¬
Marihuana, a plant of the Hemp family. shishi, el diablo, el malo. There is lit¬
mariguano, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mari- tle difference in the meaning of these

107
mastranzo
names. All three are epithets of the them to utter a sound or speak out
Devil . . . the Devil is not an impor¬ will have to eat the mataseca, previously
tant factor in New Mexican Spanish specified as being a carcass covered
folklore and he is not even feared. with maggots, excrement, etc.
(Aurelio M. Espinosa, “New Mexi¬ mateo, -a, m. and /. [<N.M. Sp. mato
can Spanish Folklore,” The Journal <surumato] euphemism for surumato,
of American Folklore) a derogatory term applied to Mexican
mastranzo, m. [<Sp. mastranzo] hot., Ap¬ immigrants at the end of the nine¬
ple mint. N.M. and so. Colo, arbolarias teenth century; the term is still in use
(female herbalists) recommend mas¬ today.
tranzo to induce menstruation. mato, m. <surumato, var. See surumato.
masudo, -da, adj. [<Sp. masa, dough] matraca,/ [<Sp. matraca, rattle] a rattle
doughy; pasty, applied mostly to or homemade clacker used by N.M.
breads. and so. Colo. Penitentes in their reli¬
mata,/. [<Sp. mata, shrub] plant; herb. gious ceremonies on Good Friday.

matachín, m. [<Sp. matachin<It. matas- matralladora,/ [<Sp. ametralladora] ma¬

sino] a dancer in the Matachines ritual chine gun.
dance; said of a person ridiculously matraquero, m. [<Sp. matraca] Penitente
dressed and wearing a mask; a kind of brother in charge of making rattling
clown. Los Matachines, an old Spanish noise with the matraca.
ritual dance with traditional European maverico, m. [<Eng. maverick] a stray
overtones. The Matachines dance was animal, especially an unbranded calf.
introduced in New Spain (Mexico) by The term máfrico is more common, q.v.
the early settlers and was later modified
mayate, m. [<Mex. Sp. mayate<Náhuatl
by the clergy to include aspects of Aztec
mayatl, a multicolored beetle] black
rituals and the clash of Spanish and
beetle; a Black. The term is also ap¬
Mexican Indian cultures. Moctezuma
plied to a dark-complexioned person.
(Emperor Moctezuma II of the Aztecs)
and Malinche (interpreter and mistress mayor, m. [<Eng. mayor] city mayor. Cf.
of the conqueror of Mexico, Hernán Sp. alcalde.
Cortés) figure among the various char¬ mayorcito, -ta, adj. [<Sp. mayor, older]
acters of this dance, which is per¬ young boy or girl in his or her late
formed in some Spanish settlements teens; m. and/., teenager.
and Indian pueblos on August 10. mayordomo, m. [<Sp. mayordomo, stew¬
matada,/. [<Sp. matar, to make a horse’s ard] patron or sponsor of the annual
back sore by the rubbing of the har¬ church fiesta in a village; foreman or
ness] sore on a horse’s back. Cf. Sp. manager; overseer; a subordinate of¬
matadura. ficer in a Penitente brotherhood; ditch
matalote, m. [<Col. Sp. matalote (Cervan¬ boss.
tes)] a horse in poor condition, a nag mazmorro, m. [<Sp. mazmorra?] nose bag
(rare). for feeding grain to horses, mules, etc.
matarique, m. [<Mex. Sp. matarique] bot., Cf. Sp. morral.
a medicinal plant. mecapal,m. [<Mex.Sp. mecapaKNáhuatl
mataseca,/ [<Sp. mata, plant, sprig, and mecapalli] a wide belt or sash for carry¬
seca, withered] an indoor game de¬ ing objects.
signed to keep children quiet in the mecate, m. [<Mex. Sp. mecate, fiber rope]
evening. Children are sat around the cord; rope; string;//., shoestrings.
kitchen table and told that the first of mecatear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. mecatear, to tie

108
 melado
with ropes] to beat someone with a is an example of such a person. In
rope; mecatearlas, to die. the field of general medicine, médi¬
meco, -ca, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. chichimeca, cas and curanderas, whose knowledge
Apache-like Indian in the Valley of of herbs and household remedies is
Mexico at the time of the occupation somewhat greater than that of the
of the valley by the Aztecs] Indian general population, perform a sim¬
in general; a left-handed person; pi., ilar function, being called upon for
sperm (taboo). assistance when a medical problem
gets beyond the competence of the
mecha,/. [<Eng. match] match; light, as
patient or his relatives. None of
for a cigarette. Also, wick<Sp. mecha.
them, of course, is a specialist in the
The word fósforo (as in standard Span¬
Anglo sense of having a specialized
ish) is more common in northern New
formal recognition (licensure) for
Mexico and southern Colorado.
their skill. But they are specialists in
mechas,/ pi. [<Mex. Sp. mechas] dishev¬
the sense that they are considered
eled hair. to have a greater knowledge of med¬
mechero, m. [<Mex. Sp. mechero] dishev¬ ical matters than other people in the
eled hair. population and perform a special¬
mechón, m. [<Sp. aug. of mecha, wick] a ized function. (Lyle Saunders, Cul¬
kind of homemade torch consisting of tural Difference and Medical Care)
oil-soaked sticks bound together about médico, m. [<Sp. médico, an M.D.] an
a long pole. herb healer. Invariably the médico per¬
mechudo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mechudo] forms more or less the same functions
applied to a person with disheveled as an arbolaria. In addition to this,
hair. See also greñudo. he is often a sobrador (a combination
medecina, /. [<Sp. medicina] medicine; of masseur and chiropractor) and is
medecinapa las moscas, insecticide. sought after by the male who might
find it embarrassing to call upon a
media luna, /. [<Sp. media luna, half
médica or a woman healer.
moon] the white part of a fingernail.
medio, m. [<Sp. medio, one half] Col. and
medias,/ pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp. medias<Sp.
Terr. N.M. Sp., half a real, a silver coin
medias piernas] socks; stockings; medias
equivalent to 6x/4 centavos or half a real;
caidas, adj., a term applied to a disor¬
medio a medio (tenerlos medio a medio), to
ganized person who is always late for
be macho; to be strong and resolute.
his appointments; medias de hilo, cot¬
ton stockings. mejicano, -na, adj. [<Sp. mexicano, Mexi¬
can] Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp., a New
médica,/ [<Sp. médica, female physician]
Mexican of Indo-Hispanic descent; a
female folk practitioner who invariably
Mexican national; the Indian language
combines the functions of an arbolaria,
of the Valley of Mexico (Aztec or Ná¬
a curandera, a general practitioner, an
huatl); the Spanish language in New
herbalist, a midwife, and a practical
Mexico and southern Colorado; hablar
nurse.
en mejicano, to speak Spanish.
Although folk medicine is in general
known by all members of a cultural melacera,/. [<N.M. Sp. melaz, syrup]
group, some persons, because of age, place or shed where syrup is made.
experience, or special interest, may Also, mielero, mielera and me lacero.
have a more extensive knowledge melado, m. [<Sp. melado<miel, honey;
than their neighbors and friends covered with honey] a kind of thick,
and thus acquire a somewhat special¬ homemade syrup used in sweetening
ized status. The partera, or midwife, sopa, or bread pudding; adj., honey-

109
melárchico
colored. (Menos de ayer estuvieron aquí. They
melárchico, -ca, adj. [<Mex. Sp. melár¬ were here only yesterday.)
chico] depressed; homesick; listless; menso, -sa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. menso] dumb,
melancholy, sad. stupid.
Children and even pet animals, hav¬ mente, m. and/. [<Sp. mente] mind; cam¬
ing become greatly attached to a biar de mente, to change one’s mind;
person who went away and left them, hacer la mente, to make up one’s mind.
became melárchicos (melancholy) ('Todavía no hago mi mente. I haven’t
and refused to eat. Babies became made up my mind yet.) Usar el mente
sick, and a red ribbon was tied on (or la mente), to think; to use one’s
their wrist as a cure. Birds also re¬ mind; perder la mente, to go crazy; to
fused to eat or sing, and died, when lose one’s mind.
they became melárchicos. (Cleofas M.
mentira,/. [<Sp. mentira] lie; a kind of
Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
poetic composition exalting the char¬
melaz, m. [<Sp. melaza] Karo syrup; mo¬ acteristics of animals or insects. ¡No
lasses; pancake syrup; corn or cane mentira! It’s no lie!
syrup.
mentolate (mentolato), m. [<Eng. mentho-
mema, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mema] a term ap¬ latum] mentholatum.
plied to a baby girl born with a par¬
menudo, m. [<Mex. Sp. menudo] Mexi-
tially closed vulva. Also, a flat-chested
can-style tripe.
woman.
meramente, adv. [<Mex. Sp. mero] almost.
memoria, f. [<Sp. memoria] memory; a
(Hija, meramente que oigo a San Antonio.
kind of ring made up of two or more
Daughter, I can almost hear St. An¬
rings which fit together into a single
thony.)
unit. The term anillo de ramal is also
meras,/ pi. [<Mex. Sp./. of mero] acme,
used for this type of ring. An “In me-
height. (El baile estaba en sus meras. The
moriam” poem appearing in Spanish
dance was in full swing. El Maque andaba
language newspapers.
en sus meras. Mack was at the height of
memorioso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. memoria, mem¬
his celebrating.)
ory] said of the person who has a
mero, adv. [<Mex. Sp. mero, almost] al¬
good memory. (Al mentiroso le conviene
most, exactly. (Ya mero llegan. They are
ser memorioso. Liars must have good
almost here. Aquí mero cayó. It fell right
memories.)
here.) Adj., true, real. (El es el mero
memorizar, vb. [<Eng. to memorize] to
diablo. He is a real devil. El es su mero
commit to memory, to memorize. Cf.
mero [amante]. He is her one and only
Sp. aprender de memoria.
[lover].)
méndigo, -ga, m. and f. [<Sp. mendi¬
mesalina,/. [<Sp. mesa, table] waitress;
go] beggar; pauper; adj., despicable;
girl who waits on tables in saloons.
treacherous; S.O.B.
mescal, m. [<Mex. Sp. mezcal] an intoxi¬
menear, vb. [<Sp. menear] to stir; menear
cating drink made from the stalk and
la cabeza, to nod.
leaf base of the maguey or agave plant.
menjamín, m. [<Sp. Benjamin] favorite
mescalero,ad/. [<N.M. Sp. mescal] maker
son; teacher’s pet.
of mescal; m. and/., Mescalero Apache
menoleño, -ña, adj. [<Eng. Menaul, a Indian.
Presbyterian school in northeast Albu¬ This [mescal], like other larger plants
querque] a student at Menaul School; of the genus, was used by the In¬
a Menaul graduate or alumnus. dians in making mescal. The thick
menos de, adv. [<Sp. nada menos que] only. leaves were cooked in large pits

110
 mielero
made in the ground and lined with to wear the pants; meterse el sol, for the
stones, which were first fired, then sun to set; metida del sol, sunset.
filled with the plant. It is from their
metiche, adj. [<Mex. Sp. metiche] busy¬
preparation of this article of food
body; gossip; meddler.
that the Mescalero Apaches receive
their name. (E.O. Wooton and Paul metlacahuitl, m. [<Náhuatl metlacahuitl]
C. Standley, Flora of New Mexico) Col. N.M. Sp., pole used for hanging
skins (pelts, hides, etc.) to dry.
mesilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of mesa, table] small
tableland or plateau; a narrow, semi¬ mexicano, -na, adj. [<Sp. mexicano] Terr.
circular cliff over the bed of a stream. N.M. Sp., a Mexican national; a New
Mexican of Mexican descent; the Span¬
mesmo, -ma, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. mesmo,
ish language as spoken in New Mexico
Mod. Sp. mismo] same; similar; self. (Yo
and southern Colorado. Also, mejicano.
mesmo lo digo. I myself say it.)
meso, adj. [<unknown origin] seed ram mezcal, m. See mescal.
(carnero meso). mezquino, m. [<Mex. Sp. mezquino] wart.
mestela, /. [<Sp. mistela, a spiced wine Cf. Sp. verruga.
drink] an aromatized and sweetened mezquitama, m. [<Mex. Sp. mezquitama]
liquor used as a beverage. Also, mistela. Col. N.M. Sp., a kind of bread or sweet
In olden days, every bar in the re¬ roll made by N.M. Indians.
gion was graced by a bottle of whis¬ And these people, who must have
key containing chimajá, and at Los numbered more than a thousand
Lunas, its flowers, with sugar, were Indian men and women, who were
added to a jug of whiskey, and al¬ settled in their rancherías and grass
lowed to stand for two years. This huts, came out to meet us, among
made an excellent cordial called me¬ them men, women and children,
stela, which was served in tiny glasses and each one brought his present
at fiestas and other celebrations. of mezquitama, which is made (hecho)
(Leonora S.M. Curtin, Healing Herbs of a fruit like the carob bean. (Espejo
of the Upper Rio Grande) Expedition into New Mexico, Colec¬
mesteño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. mesteño<Mesta, ción de documentos inéditos, Vol. XV)
stockman’s corporation] a stray; wild, miel,/. [<Sp. miel] honey; miel virgen, vir¬
unbranded horse. gin honey; miel mexicana, Karo-type
mesteñero, adj. [<Sp. mesteño, wild horse] syrup.
mustang hunters.
mielero, m. [<Sp. melero, place where
Another sport that took these men
honey is kept] shed or place where
to the plains was walking down wild
syrup (melaz) is made; cane mill.
horses. Mesteñeros, the takers of
A great attraction for the village
mustangs, using many mounts and
children in the fall of the year was
never pushing them beyond a walk,
the mielero. This mud stove was built
could keep a stallion and his band
against the outside wall of a house
of mares moving until they wearied
in the same style as the braseros in the
utterly, and could be roped and
old Mexico kitchens. It was made of
thrown. (Erna Lergusson, Our South¬
plastered adobes in the shape of a
west)
narrow, long table with six holes on
mestro, -tra, m. and /. [<Sp. maestro] the top, where earthen pots were
teacher. set to boil . . . The women poured
meter, vb. [<Sp. meter, to put away] ¡Métele! the liquid [the juice from the pulp]
Hurry up! Meterse uno en sus calzones, with a gourd dipper into the ollas,

111
miembra
strained it, and boiled it until the and a great deal of noise; noise, dis¬
juice was clear red. (Cleofas M. Jara- turbance; gossip.
millo, Shadows of the Past) And day and night, during the three
miembra,/. [<Sp./. of miembro, member] days that we stayed there, they al¬
female member of a club, organiza¬ ways made mitotes and balls, and
tion, etc. dances. (Espejo Expedition into New
Mexico, Colección de documentos iné¬
miembresia,/. [<Sp. miembro, member]
ditos, Vol. XV)
membership.
mierda,/. [<Sp. mierda, excrement] traer moco (mocos), m. [<Sp. mocos] discharge
la mierda prendida, to be guilty; to be from the mucous membranes of the
implicated in some wrongdoing. nose; colgarle el moco a uno, to be an¬
noyed or angry; echar mocos en 7 atole,
mil, m. [<Sp. mil, one thousand] estar uno
to say something out of place, to com¬
en sus mil y mil, to be on cloud nine.
mit a faux pas; sacarle el moco a alguno,
milagro, m. [<Sp. milagro, miracle] ¡Qué to give someone a bloody nose; to
milagro! What a pleasant surprise! (said make someone get a runny nose from
upon receiving a visitor—friend, rela¬ a strenuous workout. (Esos ejercicios te
tive, neighbor, etc.—whom one has not sacan el moco. That kind of exercise
seen for some time); name of a poetic will give you a runny nose.)
composition exalting the exploits of a
mocoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. mocos, snivel]
saint, Los milagros de San Antonio, for
snively, snotty; young upstart, brat; la
instance.
mocosa, sheep camp; sheep work. {El
mimbreño, -ña, m. and /. [<Sp. mimbre,
Canuto anda en la mocosa. Canuto is out
willow] name of one of the Apache
tending sheep.)
Indian tribes.
mocha,/ [<Mex. Sp. mochar, to chop; to
mirruña,/ [<Mex. Sp. mirruña] a small
cut] shunt engine in a railroad yard
bit of anything; a crumb. ¡Qué mirruña!
(rare).
How stingy can you get! What stingi¬
ness! moche, m. [<Eng. mush] cooked cereal,
especially oatmeal {otemil).
misa,/ [<Sp. misa, church mass] venir a
misa y quedarse al rosario, to overstay mocho, -cha, m. and /. [<Mex. Sp. mocho]
one’s visit; misa de aguinaldo, Col. and said of the person who has lost an arm
Terr. N.M. Sp., an evening mass on or a leg; cf. Sp. manco. The term mocho
Christmas Eve, at the conclusion of is also applied to a bull, cow, steer,
which gifts were given to household etc., with only one horn. El mocho,
servants. Spanglish, a mixture of Spanish and
misionario, -ria, m. and /. [<Eng. mis¬ English in one’s language; adj., hypo¬
crite.
sionary] missionary. Cf. Sp. misionero.
mistear, vb. [<Eng. to miss] to miss a modito, m. [<Sp. dim. of modo, manner]
mark, target, etc. {La Macedonia le tiró sarcastic tone of voice. {Me lo dijo con
a los blancos pero les miste ó a todos. Mace¬ modito. He said it to me sarcastically.)
donia shot at the targets but missed mofoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. mofarse, to sneer]
every one of them.) sneering.
mistela,/ See mestela. mogote, m. [<Mex. Sp. mogote] isolated
mitimita, adv. [<Sp. mitad y mitad] by grove; clump of trees or scrub brush
halves; halfers; in equal amounts or standing isolated in a plain or prairie;
portions. name of a so. Colo, village.
mitote, m. [<Mex. Sp. mitote, disturbance] mojado, -da, m. and/. [<Sp. mojar, to wet]
Col. N.M. Sp., a dance with drinking wet; wetback; undocumented Mexican

112
 montera
immigrant. pail half-full of warm water, then,
mojino, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mojino<Sp. taking the baby by the feet, to dip
mohíno, black] said of a chocolate- the top of his head in the water. The
colored animal, especially a cow or suction, as his head is pulled out,
bull, with a black snout. raises the fontanel. Then the white
of an egg is applied as before. All
mojo, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. moho [móxo] ]
sorts of ailments are attributed to
mildew; rust.
the falling of the soft spot, but these
mojoso, -sa, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. moho] methods will surely cure it. (Leonora
moldy; covered with mildew; rusty. S. M. Curtin, Healing Herbs of the
molacho, -cha, adj. [<Mex. Sp. molacho] Upper Rio Grande)
toothless or missing some teeth.
mollete, m. [<Mex. Sp. mollete] a kind of
molcas, m. [<Mex. Sp. mokas] a term used sweet roll.
to refer to someone one does not want
mompes, m. pi. [<Eng. mumps] mumps.
to mention by name, you-know-who
mona,/. [<Sp. mona, drunk] annoyance,
(rare).
bother; beating; mark, target. See also
molendero, m. [<Sp. molendero, miller]
friega.
horned toad (mentioned in riddles and
folk poetry). monarca, m. [<Sp. monarca, monarch]Mo¬
narca, the player representing Aztec
molesta, /. [<Sp. molestia] annoyance,
emperor Moctezuma II in the dance
bother, trouble, inconvenience. (No vale
of Los Matachines.
la molesta. It is not worth the trouble.)
monda,/ [<Mex. Sp. monda, beating] the
molienda, /. [<Mex. Sp. molienda] a
male organ.
crushing mill. Also, an arrastre for min¬
monito, m. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of mono, doll]
erals, q.v.
witches’ doll; figurine; pi, comics.
molino, m. [<Sp. molino, mill] mill; £7mo¬
A New Mexican fell ill and went to
lino, a N.M. children’s game.
see a médica in Santa Fe. She told
molón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. molón] annoy¬ him he was embrujado [bewitched]
ing; bothersome. and that he should go home and
molote, m. [<Mex. Sp. molote] braid worn look for a monito (a doll in his image)
by some N.M. Pueblo Indians. behind the toilet. He followed in¬
mollera,/. [<Sp. mollera, top of the head] structions and found one buried a
fontanel. few feet behind the privy. He de¬
La mollera (the fontanel or soft spot stroyed the monito and was cured.
on a baby’s head) which is believed (Lyle Saunders, Cultural Difference
to cave in and cause illness, is treated and Medical Care)
as follows: the midwife boils a pinch mono, m. [<Mex. Sp. mono, doll (muñeco)]
of manzanilla in a little water. When effigy or doll made by a witch; mov¬
it is still lukewarm, she takes a small ies; show; adj., clownish.
quantity in her mouth and then,
montecito, m. [<Sp. dim. of monte, woods]
putting her lips to the child’s head,
outer edge of a forest.
sucks until the mollera has resumed
the correct position. After the suck¬ montera,/ [<Sp. montera, a kind of cap]
ing, salt may be put on the spot, or, cloth sunbonnet.
better, a piece of linen is spread with Montera sobre montera
the thoroughly beaten white of an montera de rico paño,
egg, placed on the head, and allowed el que no me la adevine,
to dry there. Another method of ni en todo el año.
bringing up the fontanel is to fill a Bonnet upon bonnet

113
Montezuma
Bonnet of fine cloth; morillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. morillo, crossbeam]
He who fails to guess jamb post. Also, a fat person.
Will not guess in a year. morirse, vb. [<Sp. morirse] to die; to so¬
(El col, The Cabbage, N.M. riddle) lidify, as cement or plaster. (Ten cuidado
Montezuma, m. [<Mex. Sp. Montezuma] que no se te muera el cemente. Be careful;
esperar a Montezuma, to wait in vain for don’t let the cement die [harden].)
a thing. mormado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mormado]
montoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. montuoso, hilly] said of the person suffering from nasal
wooded land. congestion.
moño, m. [<Sp. moño, knot of hair] levan¬ mormarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. mormarse] to
tarse uno con el moño atravesado, to get get a stuffed up nose.
up on the wrong side of the bed. mormurar, vb. [<Sp. murmurar] to back¬
mope, m. [<Eng. mop] mop. bite; to detract or talk behind a per¬
mopear, vb. [<Eng. to mop] to mop. son’s back.

moqueño, -ña, m. and f. [Moqui (Indian)] moro, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. moro] applied
Moqui Indian. to horses having a bluish white color
with dark brown spots.
moquetazo, m. [<Sp. aug. of moquete, blow
on the face] hard blow on the face or Moros y Cristianos. A traditional Spanish
nose; hard blow in general. dramatic presentation on horseback of
a skirmish between moros (Moors) and
moquetero, m. [<Sp. moquete] boxer, prize¬
cristianos (Spaniards) for the possession
fighter. Also, someone fond of fighting.
of the Holy Cross.
moquis, m. pi. [Moqui (Indian)] Moqui
Septiembre 8, Día de Nuestra Señora,
Indians.
fue la gran fiesta de la dedicación de la
mora, f. [<Sp. mora, mulberry] berry; dicha Yglessia de Sant Joan Baptista,
strawberry. Cf. Sp. fresas (strawber¬ bendixola nuestro Padre Comissário, y
ries). Pescar a alguno en las moras, to consagró las aras y cálices; predicó el
catch someone in the act (with his Padre Salazar, y á la tarde hizo todo el
hands in the cookie jar). real, fiesta, con una buena escaramuza
morada,/. [<Sp. morada, dwelling] Peni¬ de moros y cristianos, éstos á pie y con
tente chapel and chapter house of the arcabuzes, y aquellos á caballo con lanzas
organization. y adargas.
moradilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of mora, mulber¬ On September 8, the day of Our
ry] bot., Verbena. Lady, was celebrated the great feast
morcilla,/. [<Sp. morcilla, blood pudding] of the dedication of the aforesaid
blood sausage. church of St. John the Baptist. Our
commissary father blessed it and con¬
morcillo, -lia, adj. [<Mex. Sp. morcillo]
secrated the altars and the chalices.
The term morcillo is applied to red-
Father Salazar delivered the sermon
dish-colored cattle having white legs.
and that evening the whole camp
mordaz (mordaces), m. [<Sp. mordaza, celebrated with a good skirmish be¬
nippers] clothespin. See also palitos de tween Moors and Christians, the
la ropa, trampas and trampitas. former on horseback, using lances
morete, m. [<Mex. Sp. morete, bruise] and shields, and the latter on foot
bruise from a blow; black-and-blue and bearing harquebuses.
mark. The term moretón (<standard Sp. (Ytinerario, Documentos inéditos, Vol.
moretón) is more common. XVI)
moreteado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. morete] morrodo, -da, adj. [<Sp. modorro] drow¬
bruised up; black-and-blue from blows. sy, sleepy; dull, slow at learning.

114
 mulato
mortorio, m. [<Sp. mortuorio] mortuary, men at Christmastime.
funeral home. Dec. 24th. Young men and boys in
disguise (wolves, bears) some wear
mosca,/. [<Sp. moscatel (wine)] wine in
paper sacks over their faces; many
general.
put on women’s dresses. Come in¬
mosco, m. [<Sp. mosco, mosquito] house¬
to homes and execute grotesque
fly. Cf. Sp. mosca.
dances and cut all sorts of silly ca¬
mosquita,/. [<Sp. dim. of mosca] small pers all without uttering a single
fly; mosquita muerta, a female who feigns word, to the delight of the adults
meekness. and the terror of the children. (Her¬
mostacilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of mostaza, mus¬ minia B. Chacón, “The Christ Child
tard] hot., Peppergrass, a plant of the Comes to New Mexico,” New Mexico
Mustard family. Magazine)
mostrarse, vb. [<Sp. mostrar, to show] to muela,/ [<Sp. muela, molar] molar; chew¬
go back on one’s word. ing tobacco; hacerse uno muelas de gallo,
to pretend not to understand what is
mostro, m. [<Col. Sp. mostruo (Cervantes)]
monster; hydrocephalic child. being said; to act conceited.
muerto, m. [<Sp. muerto] corpse; floor
mota, /. [<Sp. mota, mote] cotton ball;
powder puff; white spot on a cow’s fore¬ joist; railroad tie; pi, timbers.
head; marihuana (slang); bot., name of mugrero, m. [<Sp. mugre, grime] junk;
a plant with a yellow blossom; levantarse worthless things.
uno con su mota, to get up on the mugroso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. mugre, filth]
wrong side of the bed; to be in ill dirty, filthy; greasy. Cf. Sp. mugriento.
humor. muina,/. [<Sp. mohína, animosity] dis¬
moto, m. [<Sp. moto<motocicleta\ motorcy¬ pleasure; ill humor.
cle; adj., doped up, as with mota (ma¬ muino, -na, adj. [<Sp. mohíno] fretful;
rihuana). grouchy, peevish; restless.
moverse, vb. [<Sp. moverse] to move. ¿Qué mujer,/ [<Sp. mujer] woman; wife; buena
se mueve? What’s new? What’s up? mujer, bot., a plant of the Loasa family.
(slang). See also pegapega. Mujer de la calle,
movida,/ [<Sp. mover, to move] mode prostitute.
of operation, procedure; plans; date mujercita,/ [<Sp. dim. of mujer, woman]
or social engagement; “the ropes” baby girl. {La Soveida tuvo una mujercita.
(slang). Soveida gave birth to a baby girl.)
movido, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. movido, mujerero, adj. [<Mex. Sp. mujerero] fond
noisy] aggressive; active; said of a per¬ of women or given to spending his
son with a lot of drive. time gossiping in the kitchen with the
moyote, m. [<Mex. Sp. moyote, a kind of women.
flying beetle] mosquito. mujerota, adj. [<Sp. aug. of mujer] hard¬
muchachada,/ [<Mex. Sp. muchachada] working or brave female (“a lot of
“the boys”; a group of boys and girls; woman”).
a gang. mula,/. [<Sp. mula, mule] mule; stubborn
muchito, -ta, m. and/. [<Sp. dim. of mu¬ or hard to handle female; homemade
chacho] little boy; kid, child. {El muchito corn liquor; whiskey. Col. and Terr.
de la Feliza se levantó con su mota. N.M. Sp., {mulos) unsalable goods; mula
Feliza’s little boy got up on the wrong blanca {<Eng. white mule), cheap liquor.
side of the bed.) mulato, m. [<Sp. mulato, mulatto] name
mudos, m. pi. [<Sp. mudo, mute] bogey¬ of a baton used in the game of can-

115
mulera
ute, q. v. muñiga, /. [<Sp. boñiga] cow dung or
One of the four canutes was striped cow chip.
all over by narrow lines, running murciégalo, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. murciégalo,
from the center, which was marked Mod. Sp. murciélago) bat. The term
by a line all around the middle of ratón volador is a more common term
the wooden cylinder, to the two ends in New Mexico.
like the bars on a barber’s pole.
murimundo, -da, adj. [<Sp. moribundo,
These lines were burnt into the Ca¬
near death] goofy; applied to a sim¬
nute’s surface and produced a fas¬
pleton.
cinating brown. At the closed end it
had four straight lines burned into murir, vb. [<Sp. morir] to die. Morir and
it. By name this canute was called murir are alternate forms in N.M. and
so. Colo. Spanish.
“El mulato.” (Reginaldo Espinosa,
“Cañute,” New Mexico Magazine) murre, adv. [<Sp. muy, very, and prefix
re] very. (Esta muchita es murre gente.
mulera, /. [<Sp. mula, mule] Col. and
This child is very friendly.)
Terr. N.M. Sp., bell mule.
musarañas,/. pi. [<Mex. Sp. musarañas]
mulero, -ra, m. and /. [<N.M. Sp. mula grimaces; gestures; hacer musarañas, to
<Eng. mule, corn whiskey] bootlegger; make wry faces.
adj., said of the person who likes or is
mushas,/. pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp. muxas
fond of homemade liquor.
[musas]<Lat. musso, mussas. Cf. It. muso,
muncho, -cha, adj. [<Sp. mucho] much; a snout] the front part of the face.
great deal. (/Cállate o te doy en las mushas! Shut up
mundo, m. [<Sp. mundo] world; pedir este or I’ll hit you in the mouth!)
mundo y el otro por una cosa, to ask an musho, -sha, adj. [<N.M. Sp. mushas, the
exorbitant price for an article. Also, front part of the face] pug-nosed;
dormirse (se duermen pidiendo). stuck-up.
muñeco, m. [<Sp. muñeca, a small bundle música, /. [Sp. música, music] music.
of medicinal ingredients] a cord or (Música pagada mal sonada. Music paid
cloth band worn by a pregnant woman. for in advance has a sour sound. I.e., a
About the time that the first move¬ job paid for in advance is not always
ments of the baby are felt, the done right.) Música de boca, harmonica;
mother begins wearing a muñeco, a fig., the mouth. (Le dieron en la música.
cord or cloth band which is wrapped They hit him in the mouth. I.e., they
tightly around the waist to keep the gave him a beating.) The term música
foetus in place and prevent damag¬ is also applied to a small bright red
ing the upper organs of the moth¬ insect that emits a musical sound.
er. (Lyle Saunders, Cultural Difference muslos, m. pi. [<Sp. muslo, thigh] muscles.
and Medical Care) See also ñervos.

116
 Noche alegre, mañanita triste.
A night of revelry, a morn of grief.

nacer, vb. [<Sp. nacer, to be born] nacerle a nadie, is rare.

uno, to feel like. (Lo hago porque me nace. nagüelita,/. [<Mex. Sp. nana agüelita]
I am doing it because I feel like it.) granny, grandma, grandmother.
nacimiento, m.[<Mex. Sp. nacimiento] nagüilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of naguas] breech¬
creche or manger scene; source of a ing (on a harness).
stream. nagüitas,/. pi [<Sp. dim. of naguas, un¬
The visit of Joseph and Mary at derpetticoat] small slips; adj., sissified;
Bethlehem is enacted at a number said of someone who is afraid.
of homes in the village [Las posadas].
nalgazo, m. [<Sp. aug. of nalga, buttock]
Lucifer conceals himself in each
blow or push with the buttocks.
home and rejects the wayfarers;
then he finally welcomes them at nalgón, -na, adj. [<Sp. aug. of nalga, but¬
one house where a nacimiento or tock] having large buttocks; pájaro nal¬
creche has been prepared for the gón, a nobody; an unimportant person
Christ Child. (T.M. Pearce, “The in political circles.
New Mexican Shepherds’ Play,” West¬ nana,/. [<Mex. Sp. nana <Náhuatl nantli]
ern Folklore) mother, mom, mommy; nanny (as in
nación, f. [<Sp. nación, nation] Indian nanny goat).

tribe. nanero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. nana, mother]

said of the child who does not want to
nacho, adv. [<Eng. Naturally!] natural¬
be separated from his mother; spoiled.
ly, of course.
narco, m. [<Eng. narcotics] narcotics
nadien, indef. pron. [<Sp. nadie] nobody,
no one. The addition of an extra con¬ agent (slang).
sonant at the end of a word, such as naretón, -na, adj. [<Sp. nariz, nose] said

117
 natilla
of the person with a large or protrud¬ was ground on the metate (a long,
ing nose. Cf. Sp. narigón. black pumice stone). This dough was
natilla, /. [<Sp. natillas, custard] butter- used for making tamales. (Cleofas M.
fat; custard. Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
navajo (navajoses), m. [<Tewa Nata, cul¬ nochecita,/. [<Sp. dim. of noche, night]
tivated field] a member of the Navajo nightfall; dusk.
community; Navajo Indian. Cf. Sp. nodriza,/ [<Sp. nodriza, wet nurse] nurse.
nava, plain surrounded by mountains. Cf. Sp. enfermera.
necho, -cha, adj. [<Col N.M. Sp. nexa nodrizo, m. [<N.M. Sp. nodriza, nurse]
[nésa] < Náhuatl nexectic, ashen-colored] male nurse; male nurse’s aide; orderly
yellowish, said especially of wheat tor¬ in a hospital.
tillas when they have an excess of bak¬ nojao, -da, adj. [<Sp. enojado] annoyed;
ing powder or when they are made angry.
with bicarbonate of soda instead of
nojarse, vb. [<Sp. enojarse] to become an¬
baking powder. Mexican corn tortillas
noyed or angry.
are said to be nejas (<Náhuatl nexectic)
nojón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. nojarse] easily
or ashen-colored when an excess of
annoyed or angered; peevish, touchy.
lime powder is used in boiling the corn.
noquear, vb. [<Eng. to knock out] to
nel, adv. [<Mex. Sp. nel <Nelson, a dip¬
knock out. {Al Willie lo noquearon con
lomat in Woodrow Wilson’s time] The
uno que le dieron en 7 hocico. Willie was
euphemism Nel (No) is a remnant of
knocked out with a blow on the mouth.)
the original negative expression, “Nel¬
son le dijo a Wilson,” heard throughout norte, m. [<Sp. norte, north] guide; in¬
Mexico during World War I. The ad¬ spiration; north; north wind.
verb nel is now usually followed by the norteado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. norteado,
word mano (<hermano, chum). ¡Nel, dull-brained] silly; ignorant; stupid;
mano! No, chum! No, no way! See also bewildered; lost. {Andamos norteados,
¡Chale! Maque. We’ve lost our way, Mack.)
Nicanor, m. [<Sp. Nicanor, a man’s name] nosca,/. [<Sp. rosea (euphemism)] back¬
No estés como Nicanor, terco. Don’t be side; the buttocks. {Le dieron una patada
insistent (stubborn). en la nosca. They kicked his butt.)
nicle, m. [<Eng. nickel] nickel, a five- novedoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. novedoso, novel,
cent coin. See cuara. original] curious; fond of the latest
nievada,/. [<Sp. nevada] snowfall; snow¬ gossip or news.
storm. novilear, vb. [<N.M, Sp. novilero] to pry;
nina,/. [<Sp. madrina] godmother. to nose around or pry into other peo¬
ple’s business.
nito, -ta, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. nito <Sp.
hermanito] dear, friend. {¡Bal, nita! ¿pero novilero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. novelero, fond of
pa qué? Heavens, dear, what for?) hearing and telling the latest news]
curious, as a cat, goat, etc.; gossip
nixtamal, m. [<Mex. Sp. nixtamal] corn
monger.
boiled in lime water from which a paste
{masa) is made for tamales or tortillas; nuevas,/. pi. [<Sp. nuevas, news] news;
the unground nixtamal (hominy) is used hacerse uno de nuevas, to act surprised.
for posole. nuevecientos, adj. [<Sp. novecientos] nine
Some of the white corn was made hundred.
into nixtamal, boiled in lime water nuevecito, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. nuevecito]
until the skin peeled off, then washed new; brand new; in mint condition.
and dried for posole; the remainder nuez,/. [<Sp. nuez, walnut] nutmeg. Cf.

118
 nutria

Sp. nuez moscada. Adding a pinch of nutmeg,

El brandy es otro remedio Why, I cured myself once.
que llevando 7 interés, (La enfermedad de los fríos, N.M. Sp.
mézclenlo con enjengible folk song)
y échenle ahí tantita nuez
nunca, adv. [<Sp. nunca, never] ¡Mas que
pues yo me curé una vez . . .
nunca! Never!
Brandy is another cure
Which, if you’re interested, nutria,/. [<Sp. nutria, otter] beaver (Sp.
You can mix with ginger, castor).

119
 Más vale maña que juerza.
(Brain over brawn.)

ña, /. [<Sp. ña <señá <señora, a title of vous; tendinous, applied to meats.

address equivalent to English Mrs.]
ñervudo, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ñervos,
The title ña is rare, the more common
muscles] tough, tendinous, applied to
form being Mrs. (Eng. Mrs.) (¿Cómo meats.
está la Mrs. Martínez? How is Mrs.
ñublado,-da,adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ñublado
Martinez?)
(Molina)] cloudy.
ñervos, m. pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp. niervos]
ñublarse, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ñublarse] to
muscles; nerves. (¿Cómo me duelen los
become cloudy.
ñervos! My muscles ache so much!)
Rollizos niervos, cuerdas y costales ñublina,/. [<Sp. neblina] mist, fog.
qual si fueran dos muros poderosos ñudo, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ñudo, knot (Mo¬
assíparados se quedaron. lina)] knot. (Este orillo no sirve pa nada,
Strong muscles, of the ribs and legs tiene munchos ñudos. This slab is worth¬
as if they were two powerful walls. less; it is full of knots.)
Thus they remained standing.
ñudoso, -sa, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. ñudoso,
(Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá, Historia
knotty (Molina)] knotty, as wood. See
de la Nueba Mexico)
also abatanado for knots in hair, string,
ñervoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ñervos] ner¬ etc. Madera ñudosa, knotty pine boards.

120
 Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel.
(Out of sight, out of mind.)

obispa,/. [<Sp. avispa, wasp] See ovispa. Shepherds’ Play (Los pastores) where
shepherds go up to the manger and
obispón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of ovispa]
present their individual gifts to the
See ovispón.
Christ Child.
ocote,m. [<Mex. Sp. ocote <Náhautlocotl,
’ogadero (’hogadero), m. [<Sp. ahogadero,
pitch pine] bot., Ocote pine; Pitch or
a kind of throatband] throatband or
Torch pine.
latch, a part of the headstall of a bri¬
ocotillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of ocote] bot.,
dle or halter.
a thorny desert shrub variously known
as Candlewood, Coachwhip cactus, ’ogar (’hogar), vb. [<Sp. ahogar] to drown;
Devil’s walking stick, Jacob’s staff, to choke; to smother.
Monkeytail cactus, etc. oido \6ido], m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. oydo (Mo¬
lina)] ear, inner ear; sense of hearing.
ocotoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ocote] hav¬
ing a high pitch content (applied to Cf. Mod. Sp. oído.
woods). ojala, interj. [<Mex. Sp. ojala <Sp. ojalá,
God grant] I (we, they, etc.) hope to
ocupar, vb. [<Sp. ocupar, to occupy] to
God. Like fun! That’s what you think!
need; to occupy. (Vamos a ocupar tres
huevos pal queque. We are going to Also, ojale.
need three eggs to make the cake.) ojelata,/. See hojelata.
ochá,/. See oshá. ojero, m. See hojero.
oficio, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. oficio] official ojetar, vb. [<Sp. objetar] to object; to op¬
government communication. pose.
ofrecimiento, m. [<Sp. ofrecimiento, of¬ ojo, m. [<Sp. ojo, eye] ¡Ojo! Heads up!
fering] offering; the portion of the Watch out! Ojo caliente, hot spring; ojo

121
 oler
de agua, (water) spring; ojo de buey, a cebadilla.
kind of rainbow; ojo de perdiz, partridge
orejón, m. [<Sp. orejón] slice of dry fruit
eye, a kind of diamond twill used in
(apple, apricot, peach, etc.); cuckold;
weaving jerga; hacer ojo (or mal de ojo),
adj., having large ears; a kind of bum¬
to cast a spell. ¿Con qué ojos, divina
blebee.
tuerta? How?, with what money? Ser
oremos, m. pi. [<Sp. oremos, let us pray]
uno puros ojos, to be emaciated, very
thin. Christmas treats (candy, fruit, nuts,
etc.) given to children on Christmas
oler, vb. [<Sp. oler, to smell] The verb
Eve and Christmas morning; los oremos,
oler differs from standard Spanish oler
children and youngsters who go from
in its conjugation in the present indi¬
house to house asking for oremos and
cative and present subjunctive {oigo,
threatening to break down doors and
oles, ole, olemos—as in standard Span¬
windows if they do not get them.
ish, and olen). There is no second per¬
Oremos, oremos,
sonal plural form in any of the tenses.
angelitos sernos,
The present subjunctive follows the
del cielo venemos
first person singular of the present in¬
a pidir oremos,
dicative: oiga, oigas, etc.
y si no nos dan,
ololote, m. [< Mex. Sp. olote < Náhuatl olotl,
puertas y ventanas
core] corncob. Also, olote.
nos la pagarán.
olla,/. [<Sp. olla, pot] pot; chamber pot; Let us pray, let us pray,
jug; pail; slop jar, etc.; olla del carbón, We are little angels;
coal bucket; olla de empacar, pressure We are coming from heaven
cooker; pi, clay pots; pots and pans; To ask for treats,
pottery. And if you don’t give us any
olleros, m. pi. [<Sp. olla, pot] pot mak¬ Your windows and doors
ers; the mountain clan of the Jicarilla Will pay for it.
Apaches. See llaneros. (N.M. Sp. strophe recited by the
onda,/. [<Sp. onda] wave; agarrar la onda, oremos)
to catch on; to get it (to understand); orero, -ra, m. and/. [<Sp. oro, gold] gold¬
to become aware. ¡Qué buena onda! smith. Cf. Sp. orfebre.
What good luck! What a good trip! organza,/ [<Sp. holganza, entertainment]
(slang). amusement; diversion. {El muerto al pozo
onza,/. [<Sp. onza] Col. and Terr. N.M. y el vivo a Vorganza. The dead to the
Sp., a gold coin worth sixteen dollars. grave and the living to their fun.)
opas,/ pi. [<Quechua upa, mute] trifles orillo, m. [<Sp. orillo, edge] rough pine
(rare). slab.
ora, adv. [<Sp. ahora] now; shortly. {Ora orita, adv. [<Mex. Sp. ahorita) just now; a
venemos. We’ll be right back.) little while ago; in a little while.
oración,/ [<Sp. oración] prayer; pi, the oro, m. [<Sp. oro] gold; oro colador, gold
Angelus; evening prayers. leaf; adj., American currency, vs. plata,
órale, adv. [<SW Sp. ora and le] alright; Mexican currency; cien pesos oro, a hun¬
OK, fine; excl., Hi! Listen! dred dollars.

oreja,/ [<Sp. oreja] ear; agachar las orejas, oropel, m. [<Sp. oropel] tinsel; tinfoil; hilo
to act meek; parar oreja, to perk up de oropel, gold-studded thread.
one’s ears; trampar oreja, to go to bed; oroplano, m. [<Sp. aeroplano] airplane.
orejas de burro, a kind of bugbear; ore¬ or’ora, adv. [<Sp. ahora, ahora] presently,
jas de venado, bot., Deer’s ears. See just now. {Or’ora se van iyendo. They

122
 oyodín
just now left.) oshá,/. [Clndian?] bot., medicinal plant,
Wild celery; a plant of the Parsley
orra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. machorra] said of
the female animal that is barren or family.
sterile. Also, the female animal not ovispa,/. [<Sp. avispa, wasp] honeybee,
touched by the male. wasp.
ortero, m. [<Sp. hortera, a kind of wooden ovispón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of ovispa]
bowl] Col. N.M. Sp., basin; dip. bumblebee, drone, hornet. (Le picó un
ortiguilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of ortiga] nettle, ovispón a la Monica. Monica was stung
thistle. by a hornet.)
orutar, vb. [<Sp. eructar] to belch. oyodín, m. [<Eng. iodine] iodine; Mer-
oscurana,/. [<Mex. Sp. oscurana] dark; curochrome.
darkness; blackout. See escurana.

123
 Pa pendejo no se necesita mestro.
To be a fool one needs no school.

pa,prep. [<Col. N.M. Sp. pa, for (Molina)] town; region; village; del pais, home¬
for; in order to; pa adelante, pregnant grown, local.
(taboo). (La Grabiela está pa adelante. Each region has its own crafts, its
Grabriela is pregnant.) special local products, its exclusive
pacencia, f. [<Sp. paciencia] patience. fiestas, its plays, dances, and folk
pachuco, -ca, m. and/. [<SW Sp. pachu- ways. In speaking of “mi pais” a
co\ Chicano zoot-suiter, originally from native does not refer to the state,
El Paso, Texas. but rather to his own region, more
pader, f. [<Sp. pared] wall. often to his special village. (Aurora
Lucero White, “Folkways,” New Mex¬
paderón, m. [<Sp. paredón] standing wall.
ico Magazine)
padrastro,m. [<Sp.padrastro, stepfather]
paisano, m. [<Mex. Sp. paisano] roadrun-
hangnail; stepfather.
ner; pheasant. See also gallineta.
padre, adj. [<Mex. Sp. padre, large, co¬ The roadrunner has many names.
lossal] wonderful. (¡Qué padre estuvo el It is called paisano, correcamino, chap¬
party! The party was wonderful! ¡Qué arral cock, lizard bird, snake killer,
padre es la vida! How sweet life is!) churca, cock of the desert, etc. (Ilion
pagar, vb. [<Sp. pagar, to pay] to get even. Chase, “Roadrunner,” New Mexico
(Me la pagas. I’ll get even with you.) Magazine)
1 o pay. (No paga hacer favores. It doesn’t
paiser, m. [<N.M. Sp. jbaw] countryman;
pay to do favors.)
said of the person from one’s home¬
pagué, m. [<Tewa?] bot., Fetid marigold, town or village.
a medicinal plant.
pajarito, m. [<Sp. dim. of pájaro] small
pais [páis], m. [<Sp. pais] country; home¬ bird; name given to a male child’s or-

124
 panilla
gan; adj., de los pajaritos del monte, ille¬ tain mahogany; palo ensebado, greased
gitimate, gift of God (baby), pole. Cf. Sp. cucaña. ¡Palo!, inter]., a
sound in imitation of a hard blow,
pájaro, m. [<Sp. pájaro] bird;pájaro nalgón,
a Mr. Nobody; a windbag; pájaro piñon¬ palomilla,/. [<Mex. Sp. palomilla, gang]
ero, bluejay; pájaro de siete colores, said butterfly; children (small fry); gang.
of a person wearing articles of cloth¬ palomillo, m. [<Sp. dim. oí palomo, pal¬
ing of various (non-matching) colors. omino] Col. N.M. Sp., a kind of mot¬
pajecita, /. [<Sp. dim. /. of paje, page, tled pony; a pinto.
valet] flower girl attending a bride. Ponies were bred for it [buffalo
hunting], often of the creamy stock
pajue, m. [<unknown origin] idle talk;
Queen Isabella sent to Mexico, pa-
gossip; mischievous lie.
lomillos . . . “paint horses.” (Erna
pajuela, /. [<Mex. Sp. pajuela, sulphur
Fergusson, Our Southwest)
match] a tomboy; a female who is al¬
palomita,/ [<Sp. dim. oí paloma, dove]
ways on the go; a liberated female.
small dove; turtledove; butterfly; moth;
pajuelazo, m. [<Mex. Sp. pajuela, sulphur
m., pigeon.
match] a drink of whiskey; sound of a
palomo, -ma, adj. [<Am. Sp. palomo) beige
falling body; thud; blow with a whip.
or cream-colored. Cf. palomino.
pajuelear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pajuela] to flap,
as a flag; pajuelearle a alguno, to excel, pan, m. [<Sp. pan] bread; pan de cemita, a
to be very good at something. (Al Pru¬ kind of whole wheat bread; pan del
dencio le pajuelea pa correr. Prudencio is sábado, a gift, usually in the form of
good at running.) See also arrastrarle. groceries, which schoolchildren took
on Saturdays to the village teacher in
pala,/. [<Sp. pala] shovel; crane; hacerle
exchange for teaching them Christian
la pala a alguno, to be in cahoots with
doctrine. Pan duce, pastries, sweet rolls;
someone; to back someone who is lying
de pan llevar, prep., fit or prepared for
or exaggerating,
planting, applied to land.
palagar, m. [<Sp. paladar] palate,
pandearse, vb. [<Sp. pandear, to bend]
palero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. pala {hacer la
to cringe, as with pain; to get one’s
pala)] conniving; said of someone who
feelings hurt; to complain; to be con¬
backs another person in telling a lie or
cerned. {¿Qué estás pandeándote? Why
exaggerating.
are you so concerned?)
paleta,/ [<Sp. paleta, blade or bone of
the shoulder] leg of lamb, panderete, m. [<Sp. pandereta, tambou¬
rine] an uneven haircut; a chunk of
palito, m. [<Sp. dim. of palo] small stick;
hair or a furrow in a haircut.
El palito, name of a children’s game;
palito de los dientes, toothpick; palitos de pandito, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pando, sway-
la ropa, clothespins. backed] vain or conceited; self-satisfied.
palma,/ [<Sp. palma, palm tree] three¬ pando, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pando] sway-
pronged wand used by the Matachines backed; excessively drunk.
in their dance (Los Matachines)', bot.,
panear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pan, a name for
Soapweed; Yucca {palmilla).
the female organ] a male’s sexual over¬
palmilla,/ [<Mex. Sp .palmilla] Sp. dim. ture toward a woman (derog.). See also
of palma, bot., Soapweed; Yucca, mano {meter mano).
palo, m. [<Sp. palo, stick] palo amarillo,
paniles, m. pi. [<unknown origin] side¬
bot., Fremont’s barberry, a shrub of the
board on a truck or wagon. Also, parales.
Barberry family; palo blanco, bot., As¬
pen; also, pimp, procurer; palo de Brasil, panilla,/ [<Sp. dim. oí pana, velveteen]
bot., Logwood; palo duro, bot., Moun¬ velvet, velveteen.

125
panjoto
panjoto, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. panjotudo] paño,m. [<Sp.paño, cloth] handkerchief;
fat; sloppy. valse del paño, lit., waltz of the handker¬
panjotudo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp .panjotudo] chief, a folk dance in which a handker¬
fat; sloppy. chief is used by the dancers. Pregnancy
mask or darkening of a woman’s facial
panocha,/. [<Mex. Sp. panocha, a kind
area during pregnancy.
of raw brown sugar] a pudding, con¬
serve or dessert made from ground pañoleta,/. [<Mex. Sp. pañoleta] a kind
wheat grain which has been sprouted. of mantilla.
Also, female organ (taboo). papa,/ [<Mex. Sp .papa] potato; la papa,
a political plum. {Ahi ’stá la papa. It’s
panqueque, m. [<Eng. pancake] pancake;
yours for the asking.) Papas duces, sweet
waffle.
potatoes; papas tostadas, potato chips;
pantalones, m. pi. [<Sp. pantalones, pants] no tener uno ni pa la papa, to be short
pantalones rabones, knee breeches. The on grocery money; echarle sus papas a
word calzones (pants, trousers, slacks, alguno, to scold or tell someone off;
etc.) is a more common term for pants. bulb (iris, lily, etc.).
pantalla,/. [<Sp.pantalla, lampshade] Col. papá, m. [<Sp. papá, dad] daddy, papa;
and Terr. N.M. Sp., wall candle holder. papá grande, grandfather.
Since the church to the Spanish co¬ papada, /. [<Sp. papada, double chin]
lonial was first consideration in his chance; opportunity.
daily living, it is safe to say that the
papalina,/. [<Sp. papalina, a kind of cap
first tin articles fashioned were those
with flaps] sunbonnet; beating; thrash¬
destined for the church or private
ing; ponerle una papalina a alguno, to
chapel. This is evidenced by the nu¬
give someone a good thrashing.
merous articles found today that
formerly were in church use: ara¬ papalote,m. [<Mex. Sp.papalota <Náhuatl
ñas, ceiling candle holders; pan¬ papalotl, butterfly] kite; windmill.
tallas, wall candle holders; candeleros, papalotear, vb. [<N.M. Sp.papalote, wind¬
candlesticks; nichos, niches, and hor¬ mill] to flap in the wind; papalotearle a
nacinas, niches entirely glassed. (Car¬ alguno, to excel or be extremely good
men Espinosa, “Color for Mi Casa,” at something. {Al Frutoso le papalotea
New Mexico Magazine) para cantar. Frutoso is good at singing.)

pantera, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pantera, brave] papalotitos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. papalota,
said of a person who is smartly dressed; butterfly] sweetpeas.
dapper. {¡Qué pantera anda el Acorsinio papear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. papas, scolding]
esta mañana! How dapper Acorsinio to scold or tell someone off. See papa,
looks this morning!) above.

pantura,/. [<unknown origin] a kind of papel,m. [<Sp.papel, paper] newspaper;

hinge (rare). paper in general; papel del común (or
delprivao), toilet tissue.
panza, /. [<Sp. panza, belly] a dish made
papelito, m. [<N.M. Sp. papel, paper]
with tripe, hominy and chili; belly,
leerle a alguno su papelito, to get to know
stomach. {Dice la Rosenda que le duele la
someone’s behavior; to get someone’s
panza. Rosenda says she has a stomach¬
number. {Ya le leyeron su papelito. They
ache.)
are on to his tricks.)
panzón, -na, adj. [<Sp. panzón, large-
papera,/ [<Sp. papera, mumps] goiter;
bellied man] fat; estarpanzona una mujer, mumps.
to be pregnant.
papero, m. [<N.M. Sp. papas, scolding] a
pañiles, m. pi. [<unknown origin] side¬ great number or pile of potatoes; a
board on a truck or wagon. Also, pandes. scolding. {¡Qué papero le pusieron! What

126
 parquero
a scolding he got!) Adj., sarcastic; said es tanto brinco estando el suelo tan parejo?
of the person who is always scolding An expression meaning, You’re mak¬
others. Also, papiento and papión. ing a mountain out of a molehill.)
papitas,/. pi. [<N.M. Sp. dim. oí papas, pares, m. pi. [<Sp. par, pair] ¿Pares o
potatoes] small potatoes; papitas de tordo, nones?, Odd or Even, a children’s game.
a kind of small, round potatoes, The early New Mexican women used
papos, m. pi. [<Sp. zapatos (child’s pro¬ the gourds as darning balls. And
nunciation)] shoes. their children play a well-known
paquete, m. [<Mex. Sp. paquete] elegant game with the wild squash seeds.
carriage or bearing. One holds a few of them in his closed
fist and another tries to guess their
parada,/. [<Mex. Sp. parada] mala parada,
number. The command, ¡Adivina,
ill turn or wicked trick. (Le hicieron una
buen adivinador! “Guess, good gues-
mala parada. They played a dirty trick
ser,” often is varied by the question,
on him.)
¿Pares o nones? Odd or even? (Leo¬
parado, -da, adj. [<Sp. parado] stopped; nora S. M. Curtin, Healing Herbs of
standing; protruding; en parado, stand¬ the Upper Rio Grande)
ing with legs apart, a position assumed
by the man at the bottom of a cabal¬ pariagüe, m. [<Sp. paraguas] umbrella.
lito or human ladder formed to scale parientes, m. pi. [<Eng. parents] parents;
walls, fort enclosures, etc. Piedra Pa¬ relatives.
rada (Standing Rock), N.M. Sp. name
parna, m. and /. [<Eng. partner] pal;
of Shiprock; caer parado, to be lucky
partner; friend.
everywhere one goes; to fall among
friends. parparear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. párparo, eye¬
paragua, m. [<Sp. paraguas] umbrella; lid] to blink; to wink.
parasol. Also, paragiie and panagiie. párparo, m. [<Sp. párpado] eyelid.
paraíso [paráiso], m. [<Sp. paraíso] para¬ parque, m. [<Sp. parque] park; ammuni¬
dise; the Garden of Eden; heaven. tion. Also, a card issued to schoolchil¬
paraje, m. [<Sp. paraje <parar, to stop] dren in territorial days. Schoolteachers
camping ground or encampment; lo¬ issued the parques for good behavior,
perfect attendance, exceptional class
cation; stop.
work, or for some heroic deed and
paralís, m. [<Sp. parálisis] paralysis. exempted the bearer of such a card
parar, vb. [<Sp. parar] to stop; parade 7 from a pela, or thrashing, a total of ten
agua a alguno, to put a stop to some¬ times. Each time a pupil was about to
one’s actions or activities; pararse el be punished, he would show his parque
cuello, to put on airs. to the school master, who then would
merely reprimand the child and cut
pardear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. pardo, gray] to
or punch out one of the ten exceptions
become dusky or shadowy. (Ya está
(much like a restaurant meal ticket)
pardeando. It is getting dark.)
until eventually all the exceptions were
pardito, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. pardo] gray¬ used up. Parques could be voided for
ish. serious offenses. (Amador Abeyta, Sab¬
pardo, -da, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. pardo inal, N.M.)
<Lat. pardus] gray. Cf. Sp. pardo. parquear, vb. [<Eng. to park] to park a
pardusco, -ca, adj. [<N.M. Sp.pardo, gray] vehicle.
grayish. parquero, -ra, m. andf. [<N.M. Sp. parque
parejo, -ja, adj. [<Sp. parejo, equal, similar] nacional, national park or forest] for¬
even; smooth, as a surface. {¿Pa qué est ranger.

127
 parquete
parquete,m. [<Sp.paquete, package] pack¬ soggy or wet, applied to wood; pithy
age; paper sack, paper bag. or spongy.
párraco, m. [<Sp.párroco, parson] curate; pastel, m. [<N.M. Sp .pastel, pie] descubrir
parish priest. el pastel, to let the cat out of the bag; to
parranda,/. [<Mex. Sp. parranda] drink¬ spill the beans.
ing spree; noisy party. pasteo, m. [<Sp./?asto] pasture.
parrandear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. parrandear] pastilla,/. [<Sp. pastilla, lozenge] coin of
to go on a drinking spree in the com¬ small denomination (usually a dime)
pany of friends and women. given by the padrino (godfather) to
parrandero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. par¬ children attending a baptismal cere¬
randero] said of a person who is fond mony.
of drinking sprees and merriment. Refreshments were served to the
partida,/ [<Sp.partida, crew; gang] flock godparents and intimate friends in¬
of sheep usually numbering a thou¬ vited to the feast. La pastilla was
sand head. asked of the padrinos in fun by the
The caporal. . . furnished the sheep grownups, but the children received
camps with provisions, and it was nickels and dimes, and the baby was
his duty to make sure that water was given a five or ten-dollar gold piece,
available for the partidas under the according to the means of the godpa¬
care of each shepherd. A partida rents. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows
usually consisted of a thousand head of the Past)
of sheep. (Fabiola C. de Baca Gil¬ pastorela,/. [<Mex. Sp. pastorela] shep¬
bert, We Fed Them Cactus) herds’ play also known as Los pastores,
partidario, m. [<Sp. partidario, partisan] a dramatic presentation in which shep¬
sharecropper; tenant farmer; an inde¬ herds go to Bethlehem to offer gifts
pendent stockbreeder. to the Christ Child.

partido, m. [<Sp. partido, profit] Col. pastores (Los pastores). See pastorela.
N.M. Sp., political district into which a pata,/. [<Sp. pata, foot or leg of beasts]
province was divided; political party; pata de gallina, crow’s foot (wrinkles at
flock of goats, sheep, etc.; tener partido the outer corners of the eyes); pata de
con todos, to get along well with every¬ gallo, pattern in a game played with
one; a system of shares. string and the ten fingers of the hands;
partirse, vb. [<Sp.partirse] to get excited; Pata Galán, euphemism for the devil;
to become upset or riled (used mostly ir a pata, to walk (to hoof it); salir con
in folktales). una pata más corta que la otra, to miscal¬
culate; to figure wrong.
parva,/. [<Sp. parva] large group; flock
of birds. Also, parvada and parvón. patada, /. [<Sp. patada and Eng. kick
(fig.)] kick of liquor or a firearm; darle
pasatiempo, m. [<Sp.pasatiempo, pastime]
patadas al mundo, to go out into the
hysterical parade during the Santa Fe
fiesta. world; estar una cosa de la patada, to be
bad (applied to a situation). ¡Hijo ’e la
pasearse, vb. [<Sp. pasearse] to go for a
patada! Damn!
stroll. Vayan a pasearse. Come on over
for a visit. (This expression is used by patarrabo, m. [<Sp. taparrabo] breech-
a person inviting another to pay him cloth; loincloth.
or her a visit.)
patatús, m. [<Sp. patatús, fainting spell]
pasión,/. [<Sp.pasión, passion] a kind of epileptic fit.
prayer.
patita,/ [<Sp. dim. of pata] small foot;
pasmado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pasmado] patita ’e la paloma, bot., Quaker bonnet

128
 pelada
(flower); patita ’e lion, bot., Wild gera¬ which produced so much prehistoric
nium; mujeres de la patita, prostitutes; artifact material—the Cerro de Pe¬
streetwalkers. dernal. (E. Boyd, “The Use of To¬
bacco in Spanish New Mexico,” El
patito, m. [<Sp. dim. of pato, duck] small
duck, duckling; bot., Buffalo pea; Wild Palacio)
sweet pea; echar patitos, to throw stones pedista, adj. [<N.M. Sp. pedo, disturb¬
obliquely on the surface of the water ance] boisterous; said of someone fond
(duck and drake). of disturbances or commotion.
pato, m. [<Sp. pato, duck] duck; teapot. pedo, m. [<Mex. Sp. pedo] commotion;
¡Al agua, patos de la laguna! Let’s get disturbance; hacer una cosa de pedo, to
started! Cola de pato, a leather housing laugh off a thing or turn it into ridi¬
attached to the cande of a saddle; creerse cule; hacerle pedo un hombre a una mu¬
uno tan pato, to think oneself better jer, to flirt with a woman. {El Elifás le
than others; fregar pato, to get a lucky anda haciendo pedo a la Figenia. Elifás is
break or have unexpected good luck. flirting with Figenia.) Adj., drunk (m.
pautado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pactado] in agree¬ and /.).
ment with the devil, said of a person pedorrera,/. [<Sp. pedorrera, flatulence]
who supposedly has made a pact with commotion; disturbance; noise.
the devil. pedrero, m. [<Sp. pedrero, swivel gun] Col.
pavón, m. [<prob. related to Eng. pave¬ N.M. Sp., a small homemade howitzer
ment] pavement; paved road. using balls of stone, spikes, etc.
The first capital building was built
payasa, /. [<Sp./ of payaso, clown] said
in Pueblo style, three stories high,
of an older woman who uses excessive
around a square. In the plaza were
makeup.
planted the pedreros, or small how¬
pazote, m. See epazote. itzers, using balls of stone. (Clara D.
pazotillo, m. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of pazote] True, “Forgotten Capital,” New Mex¬
bot., Horseweed. ico Magazine)
peaje, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. peaje] toll, pega,/. [<Sp. pegar, to stick or adhere]
tribute. glue; paste. Also, pegapega.
peco, -ca, m. and/. [<Col. and Terr. N.M. pegajoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. pegajoso, sticky]
Sp. peco] an inhabitant of the Indian sticky; bothersome; pesky, as a child
pueblo of Pecos. that wants to go everywhere wfth an
pecheras, f. pi. [<Sp. pechera, bosom of a older brother or sister; hanger-(jj.
shirt] bib, overalls. pegapega,/ [<Mex. Sp. pegapega,Wkind
peda, f. [<N.M. Sp. pedo, peda] drunk; of thistle] bot., a thistle of the Loasa
drunken spree. Cf. Sp. borrachera. {An¬ family; the term is also applied loosely
dan en la peda. They are out on a drunk¬ to any mucilage or glue. See also mujer
en spree.) Adj., drunk. {La Gertrudis {buena mujer).
anda peda. Gertrude is drunk.) pegar, vb. [<Sp. pegar] to strike; to make a
pedernal, m. [<Sp. pedernal, flint] flint- hit with someone; to date someone. {El
stone knife; any hard stone that can Cleofes está pegando con la güerita. Cleofes
produce a spark. is making a hit with the blonde.)
The “flint” was not true flint, as that
pela,/ [<Mex. Sp. pela] whipping, beat¬
material is not locally available. New
ing, thrashing.
Mexicans used the term pedernal
for obsidian and other hard stone pelada,/. [<Mex. Sp. pelada {la mera pe¬
harder than limestone and sand¬ lada)] the naked truth; the spot. {Esa
stone, as well as for the volcanic peak canción me dio en la mera pelada. That

129
 peladera
song hit me where it hurts.) of one testicle.
peladera,/. [<Mex. Sp. peladera] rip off; pelito, m. [<Sp. dim. of pelo] a tiny bit; a
highway robbery. small portion or a fraction of anything.
pelado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pelado, tramp] (Todavía le falta un pelito para la libra. It
broke; penniless. is not quite a pound; it needs a tiny bit
pelagartear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pelagartear] more.)
to swindle; to pull the wool over some¬ pelizcar, vb. [<Sp. pellizcar <peliQkár] to
one’s eyes. pinch.
pelagartero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pela- pelizco,ra. [<Sp.pellizco <peliQko] pinch;
gartero] swindler; petty thief. pricking sensation.
pelarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pelarse] to leave; pelo, m. [<Sp. pelo] hair; fur wrap; de
“to split”; pelárselas, to be anxious, pelo en pecho, brave; daring; macho;
eager. (.Están que se las pelan por que te peloy rostro, the very image. (La Angela
caigas. They are eagerly waiting for es el pelo y rostro de papá. Angela is the
you to fall.) very image of my father.) No tener pelos
pelegrino, -na, adj. [<Sp. peregrino] pil¬ en la lengua, to be outspoken; quedar
grim; adj., strange, rare. algo al puro pelo, to fit just right.
Dios con artificio fino pelón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pelón] bald-
pintó al divino portento headed; hairless or having very short
y a María en su entendimiento hair; difficult; risky; said also of the
como que es pintor divino animal (cow, goat, ram) with only one
con amor muy pelegrino horn. La pelona, Death.
para madre la eligió. pelorina,/ See pelerina.
God with His fine workmanship
pelota, /. [<Col. N.M. Sp. en pelota, in
Painted the divine wonder
one’s underclothes] stark naked.
And in his judgment,
Being a divine painter, pelotero, -ra, m. and/. [<Sp. pelotero, ball
With a very strange love maker] baseball player.
Chose Mary for a mother. peluche, m. [<Mex. Sp. peluche, plush]
(A.M. Espinosa, “Romancero Nue- fur; cute de peluche, fur coat.
vomejicano,” Revue Hispanique) pelusa,/. [<Mex. Sp. pelusa] gang; riff¬
pelenqueador, -ra, m. and/. [<N.M. Sp. raff.
pelenquear] scavenger, beachcomber. pelusero, m. [<Sp. pelo, hair] excessive
pelenquear, vb. [<unknown origin] to body hair.
gather; to pick up on the run; to pellas,/. pi. [<Sp. pella, roll of raw lard]
scavenge. flab; rolls of fat on a person; echar pellas,
peleonero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. pelear, to fight] to grow fat; to lie around idle.
said of the youth who is always fight¬ pellejo, m. [<Sp. pellejo] skin; ser una
ing or looking for a fight; quarrel¬ persona el puro pellejo, to be nothing
some. but skin and bones; to be emaciated,
skinny.
pelerina,/. [<Mex. Sp. pelerina <Fr. pel¬
erine, a kind of cape] raincoat; topcoat. pena,/ [<Sp.pena, sorrow] bashfulness;
shyness; embarrassment.
pelillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. pelillo, a kind of
penco, m. [<Mex. Sp. penco, horse] moth¬
grasslike plant] tender grass; fuzz.
erless animal, especially a lamb; said
pelilludo, adj. [<N.M. Sp. pelillo] said of of the man who is accepted and fa¬
the horse or male donkey not com¬ vored by another man’s wife; adj., ap¬
pletely castrated, i.e., still with the use plied to a runt.

130
 perrera
pendejada,/. [<Mex. Sp. pendejada, stu¬ perdido, adj. [<Sp. perdido, lost] de perdi¬
pid act] blunder; boo-boo; foolishness; do, at least; at a minimum. (De perdido
stupidity. se tardaron quince minutos pa llegar a
donde estaba el carro. They took at least
pendejo, -ja, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pendejo, cow¬
[a minimum of] fifteen minutes to get
ardly; stupid] awkward; dull, slow;
to where the car was.)
stupid.
perejundia, /. name of one of the dancers
pene, m. [<Eng. penny] one-cent coin;
in Los Matachines (a man dressed as a
penny.
woman).
penitensaria,/. [<Eng. penitentiary] pen¬
perfición,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. perfición]
itentiary, “the pen.” See also la pinta.
likeness, resemblance. (No le jallo per¬
penitente, adj. [<N.M. Sp. euph. of pen¬
fición a esta muchacha. I cannot place
dejo] silly; crazy; foolish; stupid. (No
this girl [although she does look fam¬
hagas eso, no seas penitente. Don’t do
iliar].)
that; don’t be foolish. ¡Qué hombre tan
perfil,m. [<Sp.perfil, profile] drawnwork
penitente! What a stupid man!)
or lacework.
penitente, m. [<Sp. penitente, penitent]
perfilar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. perfil] to make
said of one who does penance; los peni¬
tentes (or los hermanos penitentes), a lacework.
Roman Catholic brotherhood of Indo- pergamino, m. [<Sp. pergamino, parch¬
Hispanic origin that observes certain ment] applied to a sheepskin that has
rites related to the Passion of Christ. lost all its wool and remains in an ex¬
These rites include fasting, flagella¬ tremely dry condition.
tion, the enactment of the Last Supper, pergate, m. [<Indian?] nipple of a wom¬
scenes from the Passion, and the sing¬ an’s breast.
ing of alabados or religious songs
pericos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. perico, a plant]
(hymns of praise).
bot., a kind of Canna plant.
penquero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. penco, or¬
phaned lamb] said of the person who periquear, vb. [<Sp. perico, parrot] to
raises orphaned lambs; m., large num¬ chatter; to gossip.
ber of pencos. periquera,/ [<Sp. perico, parrot] peanut
pepenar, vb. [ < Mex. Sp. pepenar < Náhautl gallery in a theatre.
pepena, to pick up what has been scat¬ perjurio, -ria, m. and/. [<Sp. perjuro] per¬
tered on the ground] to pick up; to jurer.
stop by for someone. (Te pepeno a las
perol, m. [<Sp. perol] kettle; cocer los pe¬
ocho. I’ll pick you up at eight.)
roles, to prepare large amounts of food;
pepitoria,/. [<Mex. Sp. pepitoria] a kind
comerse una persona los peroles, to be fam¬
of candy made with brown sugar and
ished, to eat heartily. (El Maque se comió
pumpkin seeds. los peroles. Mack was famished.)
peras, /. pi. [<Sp. pera, pear] pears;
perra,/ [<Sp. perra, bitch] female dog.
ponerle a uno las peras a dos reales, to
Hacer la perra (or la perrito), to gold-
give someone his comeuppance; to give
brick; to pretend to be working.
someone a good thrashing.
percíngula, /. [<Sp. porciúncula] a re¬ perrada,/ [<Sp. perrada] pack of dogs;
andar a la perrada, to be at each other’s
ligious feast formerly observed in
throat. (La Perfilia y su viejo andaban a
northern New Mexico and southern
la perrada en el baile. Perfilia and her
Colorado. Also, precingula.
husband were at each other’s throats
percha, /. [<Sp. percha, clothes rack]
at the dance.)
chicken roost; clothesline; ornith.,
robin. perrera, /. [<Sp. perro, dog] gang in a

131
perrilla
free-for-all fight. petaquilla,/ [<Mex. Sp. dim. oí petaca]
perrilla, /. [<Mex. Sp. perrilla] sty (rare). small trunk; footlocker.
See chile (chile ’eperro). petate, m. [<Mex. Sp .petate] mat; enrollar
el petate, to roll the mat (to die) (rare).
perrito, m. [<Sp. dim. of perro] small dog;
puppy; perrito de agua, a kind of river petencia,/. [<Sp. apetencia] appetite;
rat. hunger.

perro, -rra, adj. [<Sp. perro] mean; perro petón, m. [<Sp. aug. of peto, false blouse
viejo, experienced; m., perro chato, bull¬ front] a kind of blouse.
dog. petrol, m. [<Eng. patrol] highway patrol.
perrodo, -da, adj. [<Sp. pedorro<pedo, Also, petrolino.
flatulence] flatulent; m., a kind of black petunia,/. [<Eng. petunia] petunia.
beetle; a stinkbug; hormigas perrodas, a peyote, m. [<Mex. Sp. peyote] bot., Peyo¬
kind of stinky red ants. te, a kind of cactus with button-like
persecutar, vb. [<Eng. persecute] to per¬ tops which are chewed, especially by
secute. Cf. Sp. perseguir. some Indians, for their hallucinogenic
persogar, vb. [<Sp. aspersogar] to tether; effects.
to tie with a tether or rope. pial, m. [<Mex. Sp. pial] a kind of lasso
pesa,/. [<Sp. pesa, weight] weighing scale. with which a steer or calf is roped or
lassoed by a hind foot.
pésame, m. [<Sp. pésame (Mepesa.)] an ex¬
pression of sorrow at someone’s death. pica,/ [<Sp. pica, pike] ill will; tenerle
The normal expression in New Mex¬ mala pica una persona a otra, to have it
ico and southern Colorado, addressed in for someone; to bear ill will toward
individually to each member of a be¬ someone.
reaved family, is “Siento mucho su pesar. ” De Chimayó para arriba
(I am so sorry for your grief [or for nuestra gente está muy rica;
your loss].) Condolences. (Vamos a dale al que no tiene dinero
el pésame a mano Beño. Let’s give old le tienen muy mala pica.
man Beno our condolences.) North from Chimayó
Our people are very rich;
pescuezudo, -da, adj. [<Sp. pescozudo]
They bear ill will
having a large neck.
Toward him who has no money.
peseta, /. [<Sp. peseta, euph. of pesado,
(N.M. Sp. verso popular)
dull] boring; disagreeable; unpleasant;
picada,/ [<Sp. picar, to sting] bite (in¬
unbearable. (El Sarapio me cae pesado. I
sect, snake, etc.); dim., picadita, a kind
can’t stand Sarapio.) Quarter; Col. and
of marble game.
Terr. N.M. Sp., a silver coin worth two
reales or twenty-five centavos. picado, -da, adj. [<Sp. picado, pitted]
pespuntear, vb. [<Sp. pespuntar, to back¬ pockmarked; left with a strong desire;
stitch] to sew with a back seam; to quedarse uno picado, to be left licking
dance on tiptoe. one’s chops; annoyed; angry; shocked.

pesudo, -da, adj. [<Sp. peso] rich; in the picapica,/ [<Mex. Sp. picapica, any of
money; “loaded” (slang). several plants that irritate upon con¬
tact] bot., a kind of poison ivy.
pesuña,/. [<Sp. pesuña, hoof] hoof; ir a
picar, vb. [<Sp. picar, to prick] to bite, as
pesuña, to “hoof it” (slang).
an insect; to harm. (Le picó el frío. He
petaca,/. [<Mex. Sp. /?é>¿aca<Náhuatl caught cold.) To goad, to spur on. ¡Pí¬
petacalli] chest; a hamper made of raw- cale! Hurry up! Step on it! Picarle la
hide; trunk (general); pi, hips; but¬ araña a una mujer, to become pregnant;
tocks. picarle la cresta a alguno, to tease, to

132
 pilguanejo
provoke someone to anger. ¿Qué te piedra, f. [<Sp. piedra, stone] pebble;
pica? What’s wrong with you? rock; stone; tombstone; piedra infernal,
silver nitrate; piedra Upe, lime powder;
picardía,/. [<Sp. picardía, knavery] bad
piedra lumbre, flint; piedra de moler,
or blasphemous word,
grindstone; estar una cosa tres piedras,
picarse, vb. [<Sp. picarse, to be vexed] to
to be excellent, fine. Piedra imán or
develop a taste or desire for some¬
imana, lodestone (used by some peo¬
thing; to become addicted,
ple to attract love or wealth).
pico, m. [<Sp. pico] pickax; de pico y pala,
piedroso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. piedra] rocky,
pick and shovel; the mouth; a kiss (es¬
pecially piquito). (La que da el pico, da el stony. Cf. Sp. pedregoso.
nico. The girl that kisses does not stop piensos, m. pi. [<Sp. pienso, thought]
at kissing.) Male organ (euph.). thoughts. (Esos son sus piensos. Those
picolargo, m. [<Mex. Sp. pico largo] or- are his thoughts. That is his opinion.)
nith., snipe.
pierda, f. [<Sp. piedra] pebble; rock;
picón, m. [<N.M. Sp. picado, left with a stone.
strong desire] a whetting, a taste. (Lo
pierde, m. [<Sp. perder, to lose] loss. (No
hago nomás pa dales un picón. I do this
tiene pierde. You can’t go wrong. You
just to give them a taste.)
can’t lose.)
picha,/. [<Col. Sp. pixa [pisa]] male organ.
Cf. Sp. pija. pierna,/. [<Sp.piema, leg] Col. and Terr.
N.M. Sp., a width used in measuring
pichel, m. [<Mex. Sp. pichel] a kind of
the manta or cloth.
pitcher.
pichete, m. [Cunknown origin] large The piema was not a specific mea¬
mole or birthmark. surement and was varied according
to the demands of the encomendero.
pichicuate, -ta, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. pi-
(E. Boyd, Popular Arts of Spanish New
chicuate <Náhuatl pitza huac, a poison¬
Mexico)
ous snake] said of the child who is born
after the mother has given birth to pieza,/. [<Sp. pieza, piece] dance piece;
twins. Also, a small snake; the male phonograph record. Also, platillo.
organ.
pilateño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. Pilato, Pilate] dic¬
pichón, m. [<Sp. pichón] pigeon; sexual tatorial; ruthless; órdenespilateñas, ruth¬
intercourse. less orders.
pichonear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. pichón] to en¬
pilguanejo, -ja, m. and /. [<Mex. Sp.
gage in sexual intercourse, pilguanejo <Náhuatl pilhuan, son, and
pichudo, adj. [<N.M. Sp. picha] having a suffix -ejo; child reared in a convent to
large picha (male organ), serve the clergy] nickname of a colo¬
pidiche, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pidiche, mooch- nial poet known as El Viejo Vilmas; adj.,
er] said of the person who is always ignorant; stupid.
asking for things; a moocher, a para¬ En el pueblo de Oposura
site. repicaron las campanas;
pidigüeño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. pedigüeño] said cuando yo bajé de allá,
of the person who is continuously ask¬ ya era muerto El Pilguanejo.
ing for things. In the town of Oposura
pie, m. [<Sp. pie] foot; a pie fijo, without The church bells tolled;
letup, without stopping, incessantly; When I left that place
piecito, small foot; sprig or shoot off Old man Vilmas was dead.
a plant; un piecito de genario, a shoot (Trovos del Viejo Vilmas, N.M. Sp. folk
of geranium. poetry)

133
 pilinguito
pilinguito, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp.pilinguito] for a phone call.)
small, tiny.
píndora,/. [<Sp. píldora] medicinal pill.
pilmama,/. [<Mex. Sp.pilmama <Náhuatl pinganillas, / pi. [<Mex. Sp. en pin¬
pilli, son, and mama, one who carries] ganillas, on tiptoe] in a squatting posi¬
wet nurse; baby-sitter. tion. Cf. Sp. en cuclillas.
pilón, m. [<Mex. Sp. pilón, something pingo, -ga, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pingo, the
given into the bargain] bonus, extra; devil] out of balance; with one leg
lagniappe; de pilón, extra, gratis. shorter than the other, as a chair, table,
Las viejitas a cuartilla, etc.; drugged or high on drugs (slang);
las muchachas a tostón, horse.
las nueras a diez centavos
pingorongo, -ga, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pin-
y las suegras de pilón.
gorongo, beak] restless.
Our ladies for pennies,
Girls for fifty cents; pingorotear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. pingorongo]
Daughters-in-law for a dime to be restless or jumping around, as
And mothers-in-law as a bonus. children. (No anden ahi pingoroteando
(N.M. Sp. verso popular) en esa camalta. Quit jumping on that
bed.)
piloncillo, m. [<Mex. Sp.piloncillo] brown
sugar in small pylon-shaped cakes. pinineo, -a, adj. [<unknown origin]
Therefore these poor miners [gam¬ dwarfed; small. Gallinas pinineas, ban¬
businos] lead a miserable life after all. tam chickens.
When short of means they often pininos, m. pi. [<Sp. pinitos, first steps
support themselves upon only a real taken by a child] hacer pininos, to take
each per day, their usual food con¬ one’s first steps.
sisting of bread and a kind of coarse pinsel (apinsel), adv. [<Sp. pinrel, foot] a
cake-sugar called piloncillo, to which pinsel, on foot. (Vamos a pinsel. We are
is sometimes added a little crude going to “hoof’ it [slang].)
ranchero cheese. (Josiah Gregg,
pinta,/. [<Sp. pinta, spot] resemblance;
Commerce of the Prairies)
la pinta, the “pen” (penitentiary); adj.,
pinabete, m. [<Sp. pino abeto, a kind of speckled.
pine] pine tree in general.
pintarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pintar (hacerpinta,
pinacate, m. [<Mex. Sp. pinacate, a kind to play hooky)] to go away, to leave, to
of black beetle] stinkbug; a Black; adj., split (slang); pintarse el pelo, to dye one’s
moronic, slow, stupid. hair. Cf. Sp. teñir.
Les daré el ¿Cómo les va?
pinto, m. [<Sp. pinto, painted] pinto
que el trovar es mi deseo;
(horse); inmate in a penitentiary; pi,
estos cuatro pinacates
pinto beans; name of one of the ba¬
de a quince me los tanteo.
tons in the game of canute, q.v.; adj.,
I will say, “How are you?”
pinto, mottled; poner pinto a alguno, to
For I felt like versifying;
tell someone off.
Stinkbugs like these
I beat fifteen at a time. pintureteada, adj. [<Sp. pintura, paint]
(Trovos del Viejo Vilmas, N.M. Sp. folk said of the woman who uses facial
poetry) makeup to excess. See also máscara and
payasa.
pinates, m. pi. [<Eng. peanuts] peanuts.
piñón, m. [<Sp. piñón, scrub pine] nut
pinche, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pinche, worthless] pine; the edible piñón nut of this tree.
crummy; damned; stingy; vile, wretch¬ piñonada, /. [<Sp. piñón] large quantity
ed. (No traigo ni un pinche daime pal of piñón nuts; season for harvesting
telefón. I haven’t got a crummy dime piñón nuts.

134
 plata
piñonero, m. [<Sp. piñón] ornith., blue- ness] a kind of tic-tac-toe game in which
jay; blue crow; adj., said of the person one of the players tries to be the first
who gathers or sells piñón nuts. to place three of his chips (pebbles,
piojo, m. [<Sp. piojo, louse] louse; wee¬ marbles, grains, etc.) at consecutive
vil; piojo amarillo, bean weevil; piojo points where lines intersect.
resucitado, upstart; Johnny-come-lately; pitazo, m. [<Mex. Sp. pitazo <Sp. aug. of
parvenu. pito, horn, whistle] telephone call; ring
pipa,/. [<Sp. pipa, pipe] pipe, iron pipe; (telephone); honk.
drunkard; darle a alguno en la pipa, to pitear, vb. [<Sp. pitar] to honk (car, train,
give someone a beating. etc.).
pipino, m. [<Sp.pepinos] pickled cucumber. pitero, m. [<Sp. pito] Penitente player of
pipirin,m. [<Mex. Sp. slangpipirin] food; the pito.
lunch (slang). pitijuyo, m. [<unknown origin] a kind
pipirisqui, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pipisqui] said of weevil that attacks the leaves of
of the person with thin eyelashes. plants, such as beans and corn.

piquinique, m. [<Eng. picnic] picnic; pito, m. [<Sp. pito, small flute] fife or
flute used by the Penitente brothers;
outing.
spout; valve stem; male organ. ¡Come
piquipiqui, vb. [<N.M. Sp. pica y pica] a
pitos! Go to blazes!
continuous teasing or irritating. (¡No
estés ahi piquipiqui! Quit your constant pizquear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pizcar, to pick
cotton, fruit, etc.] to pick fruit, vege¬
teasing!)
table gardens, etc.
piquito, m. [<N.M. Sp. pico, kiss] a little
placita,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. plaza, fortified
kiss (especially, a child’s kiss).
place] settlement; small town, village;
pirujo, -a, m. and /. [<Mex. Sp. pirujo,
court, patio.
fond of women] male or female homo¬
plan, m. [<Sp. plan] bottom or basin of a
sexual.
river, valley, tic. Jugarle un plan a alguno,
pisado, m. [<Sp. pisar, to tread] a kind of
to play a trick on someone.
wine made by treading on the grapes
plancha,/ [<Sp. plancha] flatiron; slow¬
in a large vat.
poke; tirar la plancha, to throw in the
pisito, m. [<Sp. dim. of piso, floor] small
towel; to fail.
rug; throw rug.
planchada,/ [<Sp.plancha, flatiron] iron¬
piso, m. [<Sp. piso, floor] rug; throw rug.
ing; work of ironing.
pispireta,/. [<Mex. Sp.pispireta]liberated
planchazo, m. [<Sp. aug. oí plancha] blow
woman.
with a flatiron; dar planchazo, to get
pisquear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pizcar, to pick even.
cotton, fruit, etc.] to pick peas, pota¬
planta,/ [<Sp.planta] introductory qua¬
toes, etc.
train to a décima glosada, a forty-four
pistear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. pisto] to drink line poem. See décima.
booze, liquor.
plantarse, vb. [<Sp. plantarse, to balk]
pisto, m. [<Mex. Sp. pisto] a drink of liq¬
to dress up. (La Senaida llegó aquí muy
uor; liquor; adj., drunk. (El Silas anda
plantada. Senaida got here all dressed
pisto. Silas is drunk.)
up.)
pitajaya,/. [<Mex. Sp. pitahaya, a plant
of the Cactus family] small fruit of the plasta,/. [<Sp. plasta, anything soft] cow
huevo de indio cactus; bot., a plant of the chip or dung; excrement.
Cactus family. plata,/ [<Sp.plata, silver] money; silver;
pitarrilla,/ [<Sp. dim. oí pitarra, bleari- Mexican currency. Cien pesos plata, a

135
plática
hundred pesos (Mexican currency). game. Also, pócar.
See oro. pocilio, m. [<Sp. pocilio, chocolate cup]
plática,/. [<Sp.plática] conversation; re¬ mug, especially for serving Mexican-
volver la plática, to change the subject style cocoa.
in a conversation. In the trastero, built in the wall and
platicón, m. [<Sp. aug. oí plática, conver¬ closed with hand-carved doors, was
sation] long conversation; ad]., said of kept Aunt Dolores’ set of fine china,
one who likes to converse a great deal. little pocilios (mugs), and her cop¬
platillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of plato, dish] per jarra imported from Mexico.
auto license plate; phonograph record These were brought out on special
(platter). occasions, especially when serving
the spicy, foamy Mexican chocolate
plato, m. [<Sp. plato] dish; colmarle el plato
to some distinguished guest, such as
a alguno, to aggravate a person. See
the bishops and other dignitaries.
also/zrro (colmarle el jarro a alguno).
(Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shadows of the
platón, m. [<Sp. aug. oí plato, large dish] Past)
washbasin.
poco, -ca, adj. [<Sp. poco, a small amount]
plaza,/. [<Sp. plaza, square] town; down¬ un poco de café, a little coffee; una poca
town; Col. N.M. Sp., stronghold, forti¬ de agua, a little water.
fied place; plaza de armas, army campsite
pochar, vb. [<Mex. Sp.pochi, cropped or
where troops of a garrison drilled.
short-tailed] to crop or cut the hair
plebe,/ [<Sp.plebe, populace] children, very short. Also, to poach (<Eng. to
kids; small fry; the gang. {¿Dónde de¬ poach).
jaron a la plebe? Where did you leave
pocho, -cha, m. and /. [<Mex. Sp. pocho
the kids?)
< Yaqui pochio, dull] Mexican American
ploga, /. [<Eng. plug] plug, as of tobac¬ (derogatory); the Spanish language as
co, gas, water, etc.; electric light plug. spoken by pochos.
Also, plogue.
pochote, m. [<Mex. Sp. aug. of pocho]
ploguear, vb. [<Eng. to plug] to plug (a sissy (slang).
gap, hole, outlet, etc.).
poder, vb. [<Mex. Sp. poder] poderlas una
plomo, -ma, adj. [<Sp. plomo, lead] lazy; persona, to be equal to a task; to be
applied to a slowpoke (rare). good at something. {El sí que las puede.
pluma, /. [<Sp. pluma, feather] loose He is really good.)
woman; prostitute. polbero, m. [<Eng. pallbearer] pallbearer.
plumajillo, m. [<Mex. Sp.plumajillo] bot., poleadas,/, pi. [<Sp. poleadas] pap; po¬
Plumajillo or Sneezeweed, a plant of leadas de harina blanca, a kind of paste
the Aster family. used in wallpapering; poleadas de harina
población,/. [<Sp. población] Col. N.M. tostada, a kind of pap used medicinally
Sp., a group of ranches {ranchos)-, town; for loose bowels in infants or the very
settlement. See also presidio, ranchería. old.
In New Mexico, except for the vil¬ politico, -ca, adj. [<Sp. politico, political]
lage, the loosely grouped ranchos in-law; padre politico, father-in-law.
were generally referred to as pobla¬ politiquear, vb. [<Sp.política, politics] to
ciones, or, if the population consoli¬ work in politics.
dated for mutual defense, as plazas.
politiquero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. politi¬
(E. Adams and F.A. Chávez, The Mis¬
quear] political busybody; petty politi¬
sions of New Mexico, 1776) cian.
poca, /. [<Eng. poker] poker, a card polvadera, /. [<Sp. polvareda] cloud of

136
 potrero
dust; dust storm; dusty place. Name populación,/. [<Eng. population] popu¬
of a New Mexico village. lation. Cf. Sp. población.
polvero, m. See polbero. poquitero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. poquito, a tiny
polvillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of polvo] ground bit] cheap; stingy, miserly. See also taite.
toasted bread; a drink made from porlos, adv. [Cunknown origin] ir a los
toasted flour used for stomach upset. porlos, to go half-and-half. Cf. Sp. a
polvitos, m. pi [<Sp. dim. of polvo, pow¬ medias.
der] magical powders supposedly pre¬ poros, m. pi. [CSp. poros, pores] nostrils;
pared by witches. conj. (poro), but. Cf. Sp. pero.
pomilla,/. [<Sp. dim. oí pómez, pumice] porra,/. [<Sp. porra, blackjack] beating,
pumice; pumice gravel. thrashing; echar una porra, to toss a
pomo, -ma, adj. [<Sp. pómez, pumice] coin; to cast or throw lots.
foamy; pumice-like; spongy. portarse, vb. [<Sp. portarse, to behave] to
pompa, /. [<Eng. pump] pump. Also, appear; to come. (Ni pajaritos se portan
por aquí. Not even birds come here.)
pompe.
pompear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. pompe, pump] pos, adv. [<Sp. pues] well, why, etc. ¡Pos
to pump. sí! Of course! Also,pus.

pompita,/. [<N.M. Sp. dim. oí pompa, posadas,/ pi. [<Sp. posada] lodging. Las
pump] eyedropper. posadas (the seeking of lodging), an
enactment of Joseph and Mary’s jour¬
ponchado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. ponchar,
ney in search of lodging on the night
to puncture] flat or punctured, as a
of Christ’s birth.
tire.
Las Posadas [The Inns]. The visit of
ponchar, vb. [<Eng. to puncture] to punc¬ Joseph and Mary to various inns at
ture. (Se nos ponchó un hule. We have a Bethlehem is enacted at a number
flat tire.) of homes in the village; Lucifer con¬
poner, vb. [<Sp. poner] to place; ponérselas ceals himself in each home and re¬
una persona, to go on a drunken spree. jects the wayfarers; then he finally
ponsión,/. [<Sp. poción, potion] a kind welcomes them at one house where
of very strong cathartic; ponsión negra, a nacimiento or creche has been pre¬
black potion. pared for the Christ Child. (T.M.
Pearce, “The New Mexican ‘Shep¬
ponso, m. [Cunknown origin] bot., Tansy.
herds’ Play,” Western Folklore)
póñil, m. [Cunknown origin] bot., Apache posolada, f. [<Mex. Sp.posolada <posole]
plume, a grass used in making home¬ a dinner in which the main dish con¬
made brooms and dusters. sists of posole.
popalina,/. Set papalina. posole, m. [<Mex. Sp. pozole <Náhuatl
pozolli] a dish prepared with chili, hom¬
pope, m. [<Eng. puppy] dog; puppy. See
iny, pork, and other ingredients; hom¬
also chulo.
iny soup.
popote, m. [<Mex. Sp. popote, stalk] a kind
posta,/ [<Sp. posta, post] a la posta, speed¬
of stud for pierced ears.
ily; with great haste.
popotillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of popote, potrero, m. [<Sp. potrero, grazing land]
stalk] bot., a plant used in making a pasture; a gap or narrow ridge between
tea for kidney trouble; Desert or Mor¬ cliffs; potreros are also described as
mon tea. “fingers” of lava rock.
popotón, m. [<Mex. Sp. aug. of popote] It is our only country of potreros. It
bot., Porcupine grass. See also zacate is difficult to diagram, but perhaps
{del burro). the best idea of its ground plan is to

137
pozo
be had by laying the two hands side grouped together for defense, and
by side upon a table, with every fin¬ not places intended for the punish¬
ger spread to its widest. The Rio ment of delinquents. (Lansing B.
Grande flows about north and south Bloom, “Barreiro’s Ojeada Sobre
through the line of the knuckles in Nuevo Mexico,” New Mexico Histori¬
a gorge over two thousand feet deep. cal Review)
The spread fingers represent the presilla,/. [<Sp. dim. oí presa, dam] small
cañons; the wedge-shaped spaces dam built in an unleveled field to get
between them are the tall potreros. water to higher ground.
These vast tongues of volcanic rock—
pretales, m. pi. [<Sp. pi. of pretal, breast¬
some of trap, some of lava, some of
plate] suspenders'. Cf. Sp. tirantes.
dazzling pumice—a dozen or more
miles long, eight to ten in width pretensión,/. [<Mex. Sp. pretensión] ar¬
nearest the mountains, taper to a rogance; presumptousness.
point at the river, and there break pretensioso, -sa, adj. [<Mex. Sp. preten¬
off in columnar cliffs from one thou¬ sioso] arrogant; conceited; presump¬
sand to twenty-five-hundred feet in tuous.
height. (Charles F. Lummis, The Land pretil, m. [<Sp. pretil, battlement] a low
of Poco Tiempo) parapet made of adobe, brick, cement,
pozo, m. [<Sp. pozo, hole] rut or deep etc., built around a flat roof.
hole in a road or street; pothole. Cf. prevalicar, vb. [<Sp. prevaricar] to de¬
Sp. bache. range one’s mind; to cause one to act
prender, vb. [<Sp. prender] to hitch horses; in an incoherent manner and do fool¬
to light (fires). ish things.
prenderse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. prenderse] to priesa,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. priesa] haste,
become attached; to tag along. (Se le hurry; promptness; darse priesa, to
prendió su hermanito y siempre no juimos. hurry.
Her little brother tagged along and primera,/ [<Sp. primera] first; de primera,
we did not go after all.) first class; de buenas a primeras, when
prendido, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. prenderse] least expected; poner un carro en primera,
addicted to or hooked on (drugs); at¬ to get a car in first gear.
tached or spoiled, as a child; hitched, primiciero, m. [<Sp. primicias, first fruits]
as a team of horses; lighted or turned Col. N.M. Sp., collector of first fruits.
on. (Las lámparas estaban prendidas. The An official [primiciero] is appointed
lamps were lit.) In full swing. (El baile to collect this offering of first fruits,
estaba prendido. The dance was in full and he brings it in carts or in any
swing.) way he can. (E. Adams and F.A.
prendorio, m. [<Sp. prenda, pledge] en¬ Chávez, The Missions of New Mexico,
gagement ceremony and ensuing re¬ 1776)
ception. primor, m. [<Sp.primor, beauty] richness;
presado, adj. [<Fr. bleu de Prusse] azul neatness. ¡Quéprimor! How wonderful!
presado, dark blue powder used in What an abundance! How beautiful!
dyeing. principa, /. [<Sp. príncipe] princess (in
presidio, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp.presidio <Sp. folktales).
presidio] a group of citizens armed for principal, -la, m. and /. [<Sp. principal]
defense. elder; an Indian pueblo official; prin¬
Whenever presidios are mentioned cipal of a school or school district;
in this Ojeada it should be under¬ school superintendent.
stood that they are armed people prisca,/. [<Sp. brizna, fragment] iota; a

138
 pulgón
small amount. (No tiene ni prisco, de ver¬ to be frightened; to be in a bind; to
güenza. He has no pride whatsoever. not be able to make ends meet; puerta
He is a shameless rogue.) de alambre, screen door; puerta de gra¬
prisco, adj. [<Mex. Sp. prisco, peach] du¬ cias, Col. N.M. Sp., lit. “door of grace,”
razno prisco, a kind of small, sweet a direct entrance from the refectory
smelling peach. to the church proper; puerta del zaguán,
Enun vapor de Jalisco a large gate (puertón).
me salí a pasear un día; puerto, m. [<Sp. puerto, port] military
de allí me pasé a Sevilla; outpost; puerto del gobierno, garrison.
llegué a los Ranchos de A trisco Puerto de Luna, N.M. place-name.
comprando durazno prisco . . . puertón, m. [<Sp. portón] large gate; also
On a ship bound for Jalisco called puerta del zaguán.
I went out for a walk; A tier of rooms . . . encompass an
From there I went on to Seville open patio or court, with but one
And got to Ranchos de Atrisco door opening into the street, a huge
Buying small local peaches. gate called la puerta del zaguán, usu¬
(La Severiano, N.M. Sp. folk song) ally large enough to admit the family
privado, m. [<Sp. privado, private] toilet; coach. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, Shad¬
outhouse. ows of the Past)
probe, adj. [<Sp. pobre] poor. ¡Probecito! pues, adv. [<Sp. prep, pos] en pues de,
Poor thing! after; in pursuit of.
probeza,/. [<Sp. pobreza] poverty. (¡Qué puesto, -ta, adj. [<Sp. pt. part, of poner, to
probeza! What poverty!) place] bien puesto, financially well-off.
programa,/. [<Sp. programa] program. pueta, m. [<Sp. poeta, poet] folk poet; ver¬
(¡Qué bonita programa! What a nice pro¬ sifier.
gram! ¿Cómo estuvo la programa? How pujacante, m. [<Comanche pujacante]
was the program?) witch doctor or medicine man; sooth¬
propio, adj. [<Sp. propio, proper] al pro¬ sayer; hacer una persona su pujacante, to
pio, on purpose. perform one’s magic.
¡Pucha!, interj. [<Mex. Sp .pucha] expres¬ They [the Comanches] have their
sion of astonishment, disbelief, sur¬ diviners to whom they give the name
Pujacantes, which is the same as if
prise, etc. Goodness!
they called them wizards. (Lansing
puches, m. pi. [<Sp. puches] a kind of egg
B. Bloom, “Barreiro’s Ojeada Sobre
and sugar cookies resembling sponge
Nuevo Mexico,” New Mexico Histori¬
cake in their texture.
cal Review)
puela,/. [<Fr. poéle (la poéle)] frying pan;
pul, m. [<Eng. pool and pull] game of
skillet.
pool; political pull.
puelada, /. [<N.M. Sp. puela] frying-
pulga,/. [<Sp. pulga, flea] flea; laxative,
panful. (Hazte una puelada de papas.
physic. N.M. Hispanos identify the
Make a frying-panful of potatoes.)
word purga with Sp. purgación, gonor¬
puelar, m. [<N.M. Sp. puela] assortment rhea, and avoid it.
of pots and pans. (¡Hi, qué puelar! What pulgarse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. pulga, laxative]
an assortment of pots and pans!) to take a laxative.
puente, /. [<Col. N.M. Sp. la puente] pulgatorio,m. [<Sp.purgatorio] Purgato¬
bridge. ry; rezar por las ánimas del pulgatorio, to
puerta, /. [<Sp. puerta] door, gate; dar pray for the souls in Purgatory.
puerta una mujer, to sit in an indecent pulgón, m. [<Sp. aug. oí pulga, flea] large
position; no jaliar la puerta una persona, flea; bean fly; black bedbug-like insect.

139
pulso
pulso, m. [<Sp. pulso, pulse] bracelet; arado, plowshare; una punta de ladrones,
pulse; alborotarle el pulso un hombre a a bunch of thieves.
una mujer, to get a woman sexually puntada,/ [<Sp.puntada (sewing) stitch]
aroused; traer el pulso alborotado, to be hint; absurdity. ¡Qué puntada! How
sexually aroused. absurd! How disgraceful! Agarrar la
pulla,/. [<Sp. púa] barb; fish bone; splin¬ puntada, to catch on, to get the hint.
ter; tack; pullas, sarcastic remarks. puntilla, /. [<Mex. Sp. puntilla] tack;
puncha,/. [<N.M. Sp. punche, low-class thumbnail; shoemakers’ nail.
tobacco] low-class female (slang). punto, m. [<Sp. punto] place; point; spot;
punche, m. [<Indian?] a low-class, home¬ drawn work (trabajo de punto); punto de
grown tobacco; tobacco in general. buey, Col. N.M. Sp., oxgoad.
Also, punche mexicano. puñeta,/ [<Mex. Sp. puñeta] hacerse un
Although true tobacco is a Spanish hombre la puñeta, to masturbate (said
introduced product in the South¬ of the male).
west, the punche grown in New Mex¬
pupu, m. [<child’s expression] fear; ente¬
ico is called native tobacco as much
rrarle a uno pupu, to be afraid, scared.
to distinguish it from commercial
brands as to indicate its potent qual¬ purga (la purga), f. [<Sp. purgación] the
ities. (E. Boyd, “The Use of Tobacco clap (gonorrhea), syphilis.
in Spanish New Mexico,” El Palacio) pus, adv., conj. [<Sp. pues] then; well.
punchón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. oí punche] Also, pos.
bot., Wild tobacco. puta,/ [<Sp. puta, prostitute] loose wom¬
punta,/ [<Sp.punta, edge] bunch; large an; ser una mujer más puta que una gal¬
group; a punta de, by dint of; punta del lina, to be promiscuous as a cat.

140
 Querer es poder.
Desire is power.

quebrada,/. [<Sp. quebrada, break, ra¬ hind. (Quédate tú ahi estudiando. You
vine, and Eng. slang break, a piece of stay around studying.) Quedarse como
good luck] break (slang). (Estos batos no el que chifló en la loma, to be left in the
nos dan quebrada. These guys don’t lurch; to be stood up; to be disappoint¬
give us a break.) ed; quedarse una mujer para vestir santos,
quebrado, -da, adj. [<Sp. quebrar, to break] said of a woman who apparently will
broken; broke (penniless); wavy (hair); remain unmarried.
stoop-shouldered; ojos quebrados, droopy quelites, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. quelite, wild
(eyes). See clisarse (ojos clisados). spinach] greens, particularly those ob¬
quebrar, vb. [<Sp. quebrar, to break, and tained from wild plants such as Dock,
Eng. to break in] to break in (an en¬ Wild mustard, Lamb’s quarters, Purs¬
gine, shoes, etc.); to go broke. (Cuida lane, etc. Quelite de burro, a kind of
tu dinero si no te vas a quebrar. Take nonedible (poisonous) quelite.
care of your money, otherwise you are Weeds of New Mexico in their young
going to go broke.) and tender growth have long been
quedada,/ [<Mex. Sp. quedada, lit., left¬ eaten by the native people, but only
over] spinster; old maid. recently has their food value in re¬
gard to vitamins been established.
quedar, vb. [<Sp. quedar, to remain] to
A number of these, called greens,
be left or to remain. (¿Cuántos quedan?
or quelites, have been identified and
How many are left?) To fit. (Estas chi¬
analyzed in both the fresh and canned
nelas no me quedan. These shoes do not
state. (Beth B. Brady, “Vitamins from
fit me.) To look (well/bad). (¡Qué mal te
Weeds,” New Mexico Magazine)
queda esa leva! That coat looks bad on
you.) Quedarse, to remain or stay be¬ quemado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. quemado,

141
quemón
resentful] taught by experience; hav¬ and sol, sun] opening in the sky at twi-
ing learned one’s lesson; sunburned. light.
Cf. Sp. tostado; m., finish, as on a ce¬ quimón, m. [<Sp. camón, camones, fellies
ment floor, sidewalk, etc. of cartwheels] wood rim, as of a wagon
quemón,m. [<Mex. Sp. quemón<Sp. que¬ wheel. See also cama.
mar, to burn] to burn or cause to be¬ quimona, /. [<Eng. kimono] kimono;
come angry; to taunt. (Lo voy a hacer robe.Cf. Sp. kimono.
para dales un quemón. I am going to do quince, m. [<Sp. quince] fifteen; estar or
it just to taunt them.) ir pal quince, to be off; to be wrong;
quemoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. quemar, to burn] salir pal quince, to be wrong; to miscal¬
piquant; highly seasoned; hot, as chili. culate. (Yo mesmo iba a hacer el income
Cf. Sp. picante. tax pero salí todo pal quince. I was going
to prepare my income tax myself, but
queque, m. [<Eng. cake] cake; queque de
casorio, wedding cake. I was all wrong.)

queresas,/, pi. [<Mex. Sp. queresas<Sp. quiote, m. [<Mex. Sp. <?mote<Náhuatl

cresas] maggots. quiotl] stalk, stem; el quiote, male organ;
pelarse uno el quiote, to be idle, to laze
querido,-da,adj. [<Sp. querido<querer, de¬ around.
sired] ¡Qué querido! How nice! How
quiquiriquear, vb. [<Sp. quiquiriquí (also,
neat! M. or/., loved one, kept woman
kikirikx), onomatopoeic word (cock-a-
(mistress).
doodle-doo)] to chatter, prattle; to en¬
quése, interr. [<Sp. qué es de] what has gage in idle gossip; to brag.
become of?; where is? (¿Quése el Maque?
¡Quítate!, interj. [<Sp. quitarse, to remove
Where’s Mack?)
oneself] Forget it! (Ya sentándose éste a
quesera,/. [<Sp. quesera, cheese board] a la mesa, ¡Quítate! Once this guy sits at
loft suspended from a ceiling. See also the table, forget it!)
barbacoa.
quiut, adj. [<Eng. cute] cute; darling;
quesque, vb. exp. [<Sp. var. of diz, they lovely.
say, and que, that] is it true that?; they
quiutito, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of quiut
say that. That’s what they say. (¿Ques¬
<Eng. cute] very cute; very lovely; just
que te casas?—Quesque. Is it true you are
wonderful. (Qué sombrero tan quiutito
going to get married? That’s what they
trae la Ella. What a cute hat Ella is
say.) See also esque.
wearing.)
questa [kwésta],f. [<Sp. nineteenth-cen¬ quiviro,a<¿f. [<N.M. Sp. quiviro<Lagran
tury spelling. Cf. Mod. Sp. cuesta] hill; Quivira, a mythical place] brokenly.
N.M. place-name. (Habla español muy quiviro. He speaks
quiebrasol, m. [<Sp. quebrar, to break, Spanish brokenly.)

142
 Yo conozco a la Rafela, no me la ponderen tanto.
I know Rafela, don’t exaggerate her qualities
to me.
(When one knows a situation well, there is no
need for others to exaggerate.)

rabajeño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. río abajo, down¬ rabullirse, vb. [<Sp. rebullirse] to stir; to
river] lowlander, said of a person re¬ begin to move.
siding along the Rio Grande in New Es tan angosta mi cama
Mexico below La Bajada hill, south of que ni rabullirme puedo,
Santa Fe. que para deber de estar
A l pasar por La Cañada un pie sobre otro tengo.
me dijo una rabajeña, My bed is so narrow
—Si me ves con mi marido, That I can hardly stir,
no me hagas ninguna seña. And in order to stay in it
As I passed through La Cañada I have to cross my feet.
A local belle warned me once: (Cristo en la cruz, N.M. and so. Colo.
“If you see me with my husband, Sp. Penitente alabado)
Pretend you don’t know me.” ración, /. [<Sp. ración, radon, portion]
(N.M. Sp. verso popular) vertebra or segment composing the
rabiate, m. [<Sp. rabo, tail, and atar, to backbone; pi, a dish in which the meaty
tie] file, line or series of things follow¬ part consists of vertebrae or segments
ing one another. (Vimos vinir un rabiate of an animal’s backbone; beef back¬
de indios. We saw a long line of Indians bones. See also espinacito.
coming.) See Sp. rabiatar. radio, m. [<Sp. aparato de radio] radio set;
rabo, m. [<Sp. rabo, tail] handle, as of a radio receiver. (Nos compramos un radio
dipper or skillet. The term is also ap¬ en el Mongomer. We bought a radio set
plied to a child born after twins. The at Montgomery Ward’s.)
rabo is believed to have extraordinary radiola,/. [<Eng. radiola] radio victrola;
powers. radio phonograph.

143
raíces
raíces [ráises],f. pi. [<Sp. pi. of raíz, root] which has become romal in cow range
red beets; raíz quemosa, radish. idiom. (S. Omar Barker, “Sagebrush
Son nación agricoltora Spanish,” New Mexico Magazine)
que siembran toda semía; ramieda,/. [<Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp.
por ser comidas de casa ramieda] a kind of fence, palisade or
siembran melón y sandía; stockade (< Sp. rama, branch). Ramiedas
también siembran calabazas were erected around a plaza (hamlet)
raíces y de todas yerbas. as a protection against Indian attacks.
They are an agricultural people rana,/. [<Sp. rana] frog; female organ
Who sow all kinds of seeds; (taboo); ranazo, heavy blow; thud, from
Because they are eaten at home, a fall.
They raise cantaloupes and
ranchería,/. [<Am. Sp. ranchería, a col¬
watermelons;
lection of huts] Col. and Terr. N.M.
They also cultivate red beets and
Sp., población, group of ranches; In¬
All kinds of plants [herbs].
dian settlement.
(A. M. Espinosa, “Romancero Nuevo-
It looks like there could be no mis¬
mejicano,” Revue Hispanique)
take in the place, but de Vaca con¬
raid, m. [<Eng. ride] lift, ride. (Vamos anca tinued to tie in his location. It was at
7 colorado que nos dé un raid. Let’s go to the end of his “fifty leagues north¬
Red’s so he will give us a ride.) Also, ward” which would be near the pres¬
raite. ent Artesia that he came to the four
rajas,/, pi. [<Sp. raja, split] planking or rancherías where he turned west to¬
rough boards used as lath for ceilings ward the mountains. The Spanish
and roofing. See also latía. word ranchería does not translate
well into English. The reference was
rajada,/. [<Sp. rajar, to split] crack. Cf.
to four semi-permanent Indian vil¬
Sp. rajadura.
lages. (Mrs. Tom Charles, Tales of
rajarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. rajarse] to split (as the Tularosa)
in St. Spanish); fig., to back down. (¡No
te rajes! Don’t back down.) To tattle. (Se ranchero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. ranchero,
rajó con su papá. He told his dad.) rancher] bashful, shy; m., rancher.

rajetas, adj. [<N.M. Sp. rajarse] said of a ranfla,/ [<Eng. rambler (American Ram¬
person who habitually goes back on bler)] auto, car (slang).
his word. rango, m. [<Sp. rango, rank] grimace;
gesture; agarrar rango, to assume a po¬
rajón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. rajarse] said
sition (body or face) in a gesture of
of a person who tattles or goes back
contempt or ridicule. (Nomás le dije y
on his word; coward; run, as in a stock¬
lo, lo agarró rango. As soon as I told
ing. (La Clorinda trae un rajón en una
him, he made a wry face.)
media. Clorinda has a run in one of
her stockings.) rapis (a rapis), adv. [<Sp. rapar, to shave]
to cut the hair very short; to shave the
ramal, m. [<Sp. rama, branch] a ring (anillo
head. Cf. Sp. a rapa.
de ramal) made up of two or more
rings assembled into a single unit, al¬ raspa,/ [<Am. Sp. raspa, act of scrap¬
so called memoria. A two-tongued or ing] a folk dance of Mexican origin in
branched whip. which the dancers shuffle their feet
When the vaquero tied or braided back and forth in time with the music;
together his bridle reins so that the snow cone.
ends furnished him a two-tongued raspón, m. [<Sp. raspar, to scrape] scratch,
whip, he called it a ramal (rah-Mahl) skinning. Cf. Sp. rasguño.

144
 real
rasposo, -sa, adj. [<Sp. raspar, to scrape] (¿Qué es gringa la Mary?—No, es raza.
rough; harsh. Is Mary Anglo? No, she is Mexican-
rasquera,/. [<Sp. rascar, to scratch] itch; American.)
itching. La raza is an expression used by Span¬
rastra,/. [<Sp. rastrear, to harrow] har- ish-speaking people in the South¬
' row. Cf. Sp. rastro. See also fresno and west to designate their own group.
jaira; adj., lazy, shiftless. Literally translated, it means “the
rastrillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of rastro, rake] race.” It should be remembered,
rake; entregar el rastrillo, to die. however, that “Za raza” has a some¬
what different meaning from the
rastrojear, vb. [<Sp. rastrojo, stubble] to
English word “race,” and that in
scrounge. See also pelenquear.
using it, the Spanish-speaking peo¬
rata,/ [<Sp. rata, rat] rat; ground squir¬ ple intend no implication that they
rel; fink (slang). are biologically different from the
ratón, m. [<Sp. ratón, mouse] mouse; majority of Anglos.
squirrel; ratón coludo, ground squirrel; The real test of affiliation with the
ratón pardo, gray squirrel; ratón rayús, Mexican ethnic group, however, is
chipmunk. See also ardilla. Ratón vola¬ the feeling of belonging to a body
dor, bat. See also murciégalo. which, on the whole, has cultural
ratonal, m. [<Sp. ratón, mouse] mouse and “racial” unity. In the case of the
nest; bunch of mice; a plague of mice. Mexican, ethnic consciousness is ex¬
ratonera,/ [<Sp. ratón] rat or squirrel’s pressed by his identification with La
nest; a number of mice; a junky place. Raza, “The Race,” a genetic denom¬
(El Santiago vive en una ratonera de los ination by which he includes all Mex¬
diablos. James lives in a heck of a junky icans regardless of class differences
place.) or place of birth. This ethnic con¬
Flocks of bluejays added their cries sciousness becomes intensified in
of “pi-ño-nes” to those of gleeful chil¬ those who live in a predominantly
dren making a lucky find of a rato¬ Anglo or non-Latin society that re¬
nera, a rat or squirrel hole packed gards Mexicans as culturally differ¬
full of piñones. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo, ent and, for the most part, socially
Shadows of the Past) inferior. Sociologically, therefore,
raya,/ [<Mex. Sp. raya] payday (día de recognizable physical or cultural
raya). characteristics do not per se indicate
membership in an ethnic group. It
rayado, -da, adj. [<Sp. raya, stripe] striped.
is rather the identification of self
Col. N.M. Sp. los rayados, a name ap¬
with the group or the “we feeling”
plied by the early Spanish explorers
that is significant. (Lyle Saunders,
to the Jumano Indians.
Cultural Difference and Medical Care)
rayar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. rayar, to pay labor¬
ers] to draw, to earn. (¿Cuánto rayas? razón,/. [<Sp. razón, reason] reason; in¬
How much do you make?) To pay. formation, news. (¿Qué razón me dan del
(¿Cuándo rayan? When do they pay?) Pete? Do you have any news of Peter?)
To curse or tell someone off. (Nos ray¬ ¡Con razón! No wonder! De razón, ra¬
aron. They cursed us.) Rayar mail, to tional; gente de razón, the Hispanos or
strip fresh corn from the cob. non-Indians whose way of life followed
Spanish rather than Indian customs.
rayús, m. [<N.M. Sp. ratón rayús] chip¬
munk. real, m. [<Sp. real, royal] Col. N.M. Sp.,
raza, /. [<Mex. Sp. raza, the Mestizo royal campsite; headquarters; main
people] La raza, the Mexican-Ameri- body of an expedition; a silver coin
can minority; adj., Mexican-American. worth 121/2 centavos; real caja, royal

145
realizar
strong box; sub treasury; real de minas, recalarse, vb. [<Sp. recalcar, to seat at
mining town; pi., money. (Ella tiene ease] to move in with someone. (Tú
reales. She’s got money. She’s loaded.) vienes y te recalas conmigo. You come
realizar, vb. [<Sp. realizar, to realize a and move in with me.)
profit, and Eng. to realize or under¬ recebido, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. pt. part, of
stand fully] to realize. (No realicé lo que recebir, to receive] received.
estaba diciendo. I didn’t realize what I recebir, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. recebir] to
was saying.)
receive. Cf. Sp. recibir.
reata,/. [<Sp. reata, a kind of rope] rope; recorte, m. [<Sp. recorte, clipping] a kind
the male sex organ; ser una persona muy of trivet (rare).
reata, to be brave or fair in one’s deal¬
rechaz, m. [<Sp. rechazo, rebound] re¬
ings. (El Efrén es muy reata. Efren is
bound, recoil; de rechaz, indirectly, by
very fair [a man of his word].)
rebound or ricochet; grazingly.
reatazo, m. [<Sp. reata] blow with a rope
rechola,/. [<Mex. Sp. rechola, gather¬
or with any other object; thud, as from
ing of friends] gathering of bums or
a fall. (Se dio un buen reatazo. He took a
tramps; gang of hoodlums;//., friends.
hard fall.)
(¡Píntate de aquí con tus recholas! Get
rebansa,/ [<Sp. rebalsar, to dam water
out of here with your bum friends.)
to form a pool] overflow, as of a ditch.
recholear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. arrecholear, to
rebansar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. rebansa] to over¬
get together] to loaf, to loiter.
flow.
recholero, -ra, m. and/. [<N.M. Sp. re-
rebilión, ra. [<Sp. rebelión, rebellion] bliz¬
cholear] loiterer; bum.
zard; sandstorm; storm; de rebilión, by
recholiento, -ta, adj.[<N.M. Sp. recholear,
surprise; venta de rebilión, clearance
sale. to loiter] loitering; fond of gang gath¬
erings.
reborujar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. reborujar<Sp.
reburujar] to move things to and fro in redamadero,m. [<N.M. Sp. redamar<Sp.
a disorganized manner; to muss up. derramar, to spill] drain; slope; spillage.

reborujo, m. [<Sp. reburujo, a bundle redamar, vb. [<Sp. derramar, to spill] to

wrapped up carelessly] a mess of things drain; to spill.
piled up helter-skelter; altercation, redame, m. [<Sp. derramo, spillage] de¬
brawl; confusion. clivity, slope; drain; spillage.
Su mujer, como lo vía redepente, adv. [<Sp. de repente, sudden¬
que algo le carcomía, ly] maybe, perhaps. (Redepente va a
le pregunta con pacencia llover. Perhaps it will rain.) Suddenly.
que si qué era lo que había. (Nos cayó aquí mu redepente. He dropped
El, no queriendo contarle in on us all of a sudden.)
ni que de una vez supiera,
redetir, vb. [<Sp. derretir] to melt. Also,
le dice que viene huyendo
reditir. (Ya se reditió la nieve. The snow
de un reborujo en Rivera.
has melted away.)
His wife, sensing that
Something was wrong, redibar, vb. [<Sp. derribar] to demolish,
Asked him patiently to throw down. Echar abajo and tumbar
What was the matter. are more common terms.
And not wanting her to know, redo (a redo), adv. [<Col. N.M. Sp. riedro
He avoided an answer, <Lat. retro, behind] /A redo vaya! Interj.
Saying he had gotten away used as a kind of curse against the devil
From a brawl in Rivera. or merely as an exclamation of sur¬
(N.M. Sp. Corrido de Rivera) prise. Good heavens! Of all things! (¡Se

146
 remolote
casó la Sofronia! Sí, ¿eh? ¡A redo vaya! relación,/. [<Sp. relación, narrative] ac¬
Sofronia got married! Oh, yeah? Good count; narrative; a type of folk song
heavens!) dealing with some absurdity as a theme
and narrating exploits of animals or
redución,/. [<Sp. reducción] Col. N.M.
insects in an exaggerated manner.
Sp., mission center established for the
conversion of nomadic Indians. relajar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. relajar] to embar¬
rass.
reflejar, vb. [<Sp. reflejar, to reflect, as a
mirror reflects light, images, etc.] to relaje, m. [<Mex. Sp. relajo] embarrass¬
notice; to realize or understand fully. ment. ¡Qué relaje! How embarrassing!
(No reflejé que era mana Casimira. I did How awful! How absurd!
not realize it was old lady Casimira.) relajo, m. See relaje.
See also realizar. relativos, m. pi. [<Sp. relativo, relating to,
reforme, m. [<Sp. reformar, to reform] and Eng. relative, kinsman] relatives,
turning plow. kinsfolk.
refrescadora,/. [<Sp. refrescar, to cool] relator, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. relator] coun-
refrigerator. cilor-at-law appointed to make the
briefs of cases to be tried.
refritos, m. pi [<Sp. re, over, and fritos,
fried; fried over] fried over (beans), relis, m. [<Mex. Sp. relis, declivity] cliff;
refried beans. ledge; landslide.
Vuela, vuela, palomita,
refusilata,/. [<Sp. re, over, and fusilar,
párate en aquel relís;
to execute] brawl; free-for-all fight;
aquí se acaban cantando
riot; tumult.
los versos de Reyes Ruiz.
regente, adj. [<N.M. Sp. re, very, and gente, Fly away, little dove,
nice] affable; extremely kind; friend¬ Find your rest on that cliff;
ly. (Probecita, es medio feíta pero mu re¬ Here ends with a song
gente. Poor little thing, she’s somewhat The ballad of Reyes Ruiz.
homely but she’s very nice.) See also (Mexico, Corrido de Reyes Ruiz)
gente. relisar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. relis, landslide] to
regidor, m. [<Sp. regidor, magistrate] slide.
Col. N.M. Sp., alderman; councilman;
relós (reloses), m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. relox
member of a cabildo. [felós]] clock; watch; timepiece.
regla,/. [<Sp. regla, ruler] stripe or wain¬ remangar, vb. [<Sp. remangar, arremangar,
scoting painted on the base of a wall. to tuck up] to pilfer; to steal (slang).
Cf. Sp. cenefa.
remanse, m. [<Sp. remanso, stagnant wa¬
regoldar, vb. [<Sp. regoldar] to belch; to ter] backwater, as in a stream.
take it easy.
remolina, /. [<Sp. remolino, whirlwind]
regüelcar, vb. [<Sp. revolcar, to wallow in commotion; turmoil. (Donde no hay
mud] to get dirty. (Ten cuidado, no te harina todo se hace remolina. A home
vayas a regüelcar. Be careful, don’t get without means turns into turmoil.)
dirty.) remolión, m. [<N.M. Sp. remolina, tur¬
regüeldo, m. [<Sp. revuelco, rolling] whirl¬ moil] venta de remolión, rummage sale;
pool in a stream or river. clearance sale.
rejiego, -ga, adj. [<Mex. Sp. rejiego, crafty, remolotazo, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of remo¬
cunning] untamed, wild; barren, ap¬ lote] an out-of-hand brawl or free-for-
plied to mules; touchy. all fight.
rejunjuñar, vb. [<Sp. refunfuñar] to remolote, m. [<Mex. Sp. molote, disturb¬
grumble. ance] brawl; free-for-all fight.

147
rencoristo
rencoristo, -ta, adj. [<Sp. rencor, grudge] garse<Sp. repantigarse] to lean back in a
rancorous; spiteful. chair with one’s legs stretched out; to
rendir, vb. [<Sp. rendir] to yield; to go stretch out comfortably in a chair. Also,
far; to stretch; to tip, as one’s hat in replantarse.
greeting someone. (.Echale más harina reportar, vb. [<Eng. to report] to report;
al chile pa que rinda. Put more flour in to tell on someone; to accuse; reflex.,
the chili so that it will go farther.) to report; to appear or present one¬
renegado, -da, adj. [<Sp. renegado, apos¬ self at a place. (Lo llamó el juez y tiene
tate] said of one who curses as a mat¬ que reportarse a la cas ’e corte el lunes. He
ter of habit. was called in by the judge and has to
report to the courthouse on Monday.)
renganche (de renganche), prep, phrase
[<Sp. reenganche] de renganche, with reporte, m. [<Eng. report] report; report
someone else. (Vamos ir de renganche. card; income tax return.
We are going with someone else. [Some¬ représ, m. [<Sp. represa, dam] a kind of
one else is taking us.]) dam made by damming the lower part
rengo, -ga,adj. [<Mex. Sp. rmgo<Sp. ren¬ of a runoff so that rainwater will col¬
co] lame; crippled; handicapped. lect into a pool. Represes are chiefly
used for watering livestock.
renguear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. renguear<Sp. ren¬
quear] to limp. represón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of représ]
large dam.
renta,/. [<Sp. renta, income] house rent.
repuñar, vb. [<Sp. repugnar] to cause dis¬
rentar, vb. [<Eng. to rent] to rent. See
gust, to be repugnant or repulsive.
arrentar.
repuñoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. repugnante] re¬
reparador, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. reparar,
pugnant, repulsive, hateful, loath¬
to buck] said of the mount (donkey,
some. Cf. Sp. antipático.
horse, mare, mule, etc.) that bucks or
rears on the slightest provocation. reque, m. [<Eng. wreck] accident (auto);
wreck.
reparar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. reparar] to buck;
to rear on the hind legs, as horses, requearse, vb. [<N.M. Sp. reque, wreck]
mules, etc.; to throw a temper tantrum. to have an auto accident; to have a
wreck. (Se requearon. They had a wreck.)
reparo, m. [<Mex. Sp. reparo] act of buck¬
ing or rearing; temper fit or tantrum. requera, f. [<Eng. wrecker] tow truck;
wrecker.
repechado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. repechar,
to shelter] protected, sheltered. requesitoria, /. [<Sp. requisitoria] Col.
N.M. Sp., requisition.
repechar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. repechar] to shel¬
requesón, m. [<Sp. requesón, pot cheese]
ter; reflex., to find or take shelter.
a kind of moist cheese made with
repecho, m. [<Mex. Sp. repecho<Sp. re¬
whole milk and rennet. After the milk
pecho, declivity] shelter; protected place.
boils it is allowed to simmer; as it does,
repelar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. repelar, to nag] to the whey surfaces and is dumped out.
grumble; to nag; to scold; to find fault. The requesón is then ready to serve.
repelón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. repelón, nag¬ res,/. [<Sp. res, animal] beef; cow; carne
ger] grumbling; nagging; said of one de res, beef; res caida, a term applied to
who finds fault incessantly. an easy female.
reperiquete, m. [<Sp. re, repetitive pre¬ resacado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. resacado]
fix, and periquete, instant] temper fit; cunning, sly.
tantrum.
resbalador, m. [<Sp. resbalar, to slide]
replantinarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. replanti- playground slide.

148
 ribete
rescate, m. [<Mex. Sp. rescate, a kind of signed to hang on a wall. See also tabla.
auction in mines] Col. N.M. Sp., sale; retacado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. retacado,
a kind of market or fair where Indi¬ glutted] constipated.
ans and settlers gathered to trade their retajila,/. See retejila.
animals, captives, goods, etc.
retaque, m. [<Sp. retacar] indigestion.
reseco, m. [<Sp. reseco, exsiccation on
retejila,/. [<Mex. Sp. retejila] a long line
trees or shrubs] dry spot on the face
of things; a pile of many things. Una
or other parts of the skin. Also, reseca.
retejila de ladrones, a bunch of thieves;
resignar, vb. [<Sp. resignarse, to resign una retejila de carros, a long line of cars.
oneself, and Eng. to resign, as from a
retén, m. [<Sp. retén, reserve] check chain
position] to resign. (El Cástulo resignó
from double tree to front axle of a
ayer. Castulo turned in his resignation
wagon.
yesterday.)
retobado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. retobado,
resolana,/. [<Mex. Sp. resolana] sheltered
saucy; stubborn] grumpy; nagging;
or sunny side of a place; warmth given
stubborn.
off by the sun.
retranca,/ [<Mex. Sp. retranca, brake]
resolanear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. resolanear] to
barnyard gate; brake on a wagon.
sit in the sunny side of one’s house; to
retratería,/ [<Mex. Sp. retratería] pho¬
be idle.
tographer’s studio. Cf. Sp. fotografía.
resolanero, -ra, adj. [<N.M. Sp. resolana]
retratero, -ra, m. and /. [<Sp. retratar,
said of someone who enjoys the shel¬
to photograph] photographer. Cf. Sp.
tered side of his house; lazy, shiftless.
fotógrafo.
resollar, vb. [<Sp. resollar, to breathe au¬
rétulo, m. [<Col. Sp. rétulo] sign, placard.
dibly] to breathe normally. Cf. Sp. res¬
Cf. Mod. Sp. rótulo.
pirar. (No sé qué me dio, no puedo resol¬
lar. I don’t know what’s wrong with reumos, m. pi. [<Sp. reuma, rheumatism]
me; I can’t breathe.) arthritis, rheumatism.
respetivo, -va, adj. [<Sp. respetar, to re¬ revesear, vb. [<Sp. revés] to strike with
spect or show respect] well-mannered; the back of the hand. (¡Cállate o te re-
respectful. Cf. Sp. respetuoso. veseo! Shut up or I’ll slap you.)
resquecito, m. [<Sp. dim. of resquicio] revisadero, m. [<Sp. revisar, to check or
crack, as in a door. examine] Col. N.M. Sp., peephole or
small window in a torreón, q.v.
resuello, m. [<Sp. resuello, audible breath¬
ing] breathing; breath. (No andes tan revolver, vb. [<Sp. revolver, to stir] to stir;
rieso, ya se me acabó el resuello. Don’t revolver la plática, to change the sub¬
walk so fast; I am out of breath.) ject in a conversation.

resumidero, m. [<Sp. re and sumidero, rezador, -ra, m. and/ [<Sp. rezar, to pray]
drain] drain; leakage. (Laguna que no prayer leader and reader in a Penitente
tiene desagüe, tiene resumidero. A morada; term applied to a person who
lake that has no outlet has a drain. is paid to pray at burials, funerals or
[Where there’s a will, there’s a way.]) wakes (velorios).

resurarse, vb. [<Sp. rasurarse] to shave. riarribeño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. río arribeño,
(Vale más vivos barbones que muertos re- from upstream] said of a person from
surados. Better a live coward than a Rio Arriba county in New Mexico or
dead hero.) of a person living along the Rio Grande
north of San Ildefonso to the Colorado
retablo, m. [<Sp. retablo] a two-dimen¬
line. See also rabajeño.
sional line painting of a saint or holy
person on a flat tablet or board, de- ribete, m. [ <Sp. ribete, cantle] boot; de ribete,

149
rienda
to boot; in addition to; extra. romal, m. [<Sp. ramal, a strand of rope]
rienda,/. [<Sp. rienda, rein] rein; dar ri¬ a kind of rope; a kind of leash attached
enda a un niño, to control or rear a to the reins of a riding horse.
child; a media rienda, at a trot. romerillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of romero, rose¬
rieso,adv. [<Sp. recio, strong, heavy] hard; mary] bot., Silver sage. Also, romerillo
loud; fast, rapidly. (No andes tan rieso. del llano.
Don’t walk so fast. Llovió rieso. It rained romper, vb. [<Sp. romper, to break] to
hard.) tear; to take after someone; to attack.
ril (riles), m. [<Eng. rail] rail; cattle guard. (Me rompió un chulo. A dog attacked
rin, m. [<Eng. rim] rim; wheel. me. ¡Le dije una picardía y rómpeme! I
told him a bad word and did he come
rincón, m. [<Sp. rincón, nook] nook, cor¬
after me!)
ner; cul de sac; large basin; cove.
ronca, /. [<Sp. roncar, to snore] heavy
rinconada,/. [<Sp. rinconada, a kind of
sleep after a drunken spree.
corner] dead end; cul de sac.
rondana,/ [<Sp. roldana] pulley wheel.
rinconera,/. [<Sp. rincón, inner corner]
rondanilla,/ [<N.M.Sp.dim. of rondana]
corner shelf; whatnot, an open shelf
pulley wheel.
for bric-a-brac.
roña,/ [<Sp. roña, scab] caked dirt on
risión, /. [<Mex. Sp. risión<Sp. irrisión,
one’s hands; chapping; dirt; adj., roñoso,
mockery] ridicule. ¡Qué risión! How ri¬
dirty.
diculous!
ropa,/. [<Sp. ropa, clothes] clothes; ropa
rito, m. [<Sp. dim. of río (riito), river]
de abajo, underwear.
place-name in New Mexico and south¬
ern Colorado. ropón, m. [<Sp. ropón, a wide, loose gown
worn over one’s clothes] a gown-like
riumos, m. pi. See reumos.
baby dress.
robabueyes, m. [<Sp. robar, to steal, and
rosa,/ [<Sp. rosa] rose; rosa de Castilla, a
bueyes, oxen] cattle rustler; thief.
wild rose; echar de rosa a uno, to use
rodado, -da, m. and/. [<Sp. rodar, to roll, someone as a scapegoat; to blame an¬
to wander] tramp; wanderer. other for one’s actions; Col. N.M. Sp.,
rodar, vb. [<Sp. rodar, to roll] to announce a prayer said by an Indian official on
the banns of marriage; to wander. his knees as he passed the cane of au¬
thority to his successor; pi, popcorn.
rodestrado, m. [<Sp. rodete, a kind of bor¬
der, and estrado, hall] a border or dec¬ rosea,/. [<Mex. Sp. rosea, a kind of sweet
oration made of cloth or oilcloth which roll] anus; buttocks. (Le dieron una pa¬
is placed on walls of halls and rooms tada en la rosca. They kicked his ass.)
to keep the whitewash from soiling Hacerse rosca una persona, to want to
one’s clothes. be begged or coaxed; to refuse; to fail
to cooperate. (Se hizo rosca. He said no.)
rofe, adj. [<Eng. rough] rough; boister¬
roscón, -na, adj. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of rosea]
ous; unrefined, uncouth. (¡Cómo es rofe
said of a person who fails to cooper¬
este muchito! This kid is so rough!)
ate; said of a person who uses others
rogón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. rogón] said of or takes advantage of them (slang).
someone who begs insistingly, espe¬
rosero, m. [<N.M. Sp. rosas, popcorn]
cially in matters of love.
popcorn machine.
rolado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. rolar<Eng. roseta,/ [<Sp. roseta] sandbur; scalloped
bedroll] asleep; sleeping; in bed. wheel-design used in decorating colo¬
rolar, vb. [<Eng. roll<bedroll] to sleep; nial furniture.
reflex., to go to bed; to go to sleep. rosetilla,/. [<Sp. dim. of roseta] bot., a

150
 rusto
plant known also as yerba del sapo. mentos Inéditos)
rosillo, m. [<Sp. rosillo] bot., Shrubby Por el rostro de la sangre
cinquefoil used in early New Mexico que Jesucristo redama
in the making of yellow dye; adj., of a camina la Virgen pura
bay or sorrel color. en una fresca mañana.
Following the trail of the blood
rosita,/. [<Sp. roseta] tassel, as on corn
That Jesus is shedding,
and other plants; rosita morada, bot.,
The Immaculate Virgin wanders
Alpine pink.
along
rosquear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. rosea, ass] to One early cool morning.
make a thread, as in a pipe; to have (Por el rostro de la sangre, N.M. and
sexual intercourse (taboo). so. Colo. Penitente alabado)
rostro, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. rostro, track,
meditas,/, pi. [<Sp. dim. of rueda, wheel]
trace, trail] track, trace, trail. Cf. Mod.
round dried slices of summer squash.
Sp. rastro.
Zaldívar andobo setenta leguas la tierra ruego, m. [<Sp. ruego, entreaty] de ruegoy
[Llano Estacado] hasta el pueblo de las encargo, at the mercy of others or de¬
nueve leguas de largo. Topó rostro de pending on others, particularly with
Humayna algunas veces. respect to transportation. (¿Que todavía
Zaldívar travelled seventy leagues están aquí? Sí, andamos de ruego y en¬
over the land [Llano Estacado] as cargo. Are you still here? Yes, we are
far as the nine-league long settle¬ looking for someone to give us a ride.)
ment. Occasionally he ran into Hu- rusio, -sia, m. and/ [<Sp. ruso] Russian.
mayna’s trail. (Ytinerano in Docu¬

151
 Saber es poder.
Knowledge is power.

sabandija, /. [<Sp. sabandija, a kind of sabidico, -ca, adj. [<Sp. saber, to know]
insect] a small water bug with extreme¬ learned, well-informed; applied to a
ly long legs. know-it-all.
sabanero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. sabana, sabina, /. [<Sp. sabina, juniper] cedar;
prairie] of or pertaining to the prai¬ sabina blanca, bot., White cedar; sabina
rie; m., Col. N.M. Sp., person in charge colorada, bot., (Red) cedar; almáciga de
of the mules of a mule train. sabina, juniper pitch or resin; bellota de
sabanilla, f. [<Sp. dim. of sábana\ Terr. sabina, bot., Mistletoe.
N.M. Sp., baize; woolen homespun; sabino, m. [<Sp. sabina, juniper] sabino
also known as bayeta.
macho, bot., Mule pine; adj., pinto
Sabanilla or plain-weave homespun color (horses); pi, peeled small poles
in natural finespun yarn was made of juniper used as lath in ceilings.
for many purposes. Dyed with indi¬
sabrosearse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. sabrosearse]
go, it made men’s breeches, women’s
to lick one’s chops. Cf. Sp. saborearse.
skirts, and Franciscan habits. Sewn
into a sack and stuffed with raw sacarol, m. [<Eng. sucker rod] an iron
wool, it made a mattress; it was the rod from a pump handle to the cylin¬
fabric on which the solid, all over der in a well.
wool embroidery of the colcha was sacarreal, adj. [<Sp. sacra y real, sacred
done. (E. Boyd, Popular Arts of Span¬ and royal] your royal highness, a term
ish New Mexico) used in N.M. and so. Colo. Spanish
saber, vb. [<Sp. saber, to know] to know. folktales when addressing the king.
Déjame saber. Let me know. ¿Sabes cómo? sacatapones, m. [<Sp. sacar, to pull out,
Do you know what I mean? and tapones, plugs; lit., cork-puller-

152
 sangría
out] corkscrew. Cf. Sp. tirabuzón. salpiquear, vb. [<Sp. salpicar] to spatter,
sacate, m. See zacate. to splash.

saco, m. [<Sp. saco, coarse cloth] Col. and saltar, vb. [<Sp. saltar, to jump] tojump;
Terr. N.M. Sp., a woolen jacket with¬ saltar una cosa, to fail; to come to an
out sleeves much like a Mexican cotorina end. (¡Ahi saltaron los calzones! That’s
(vest). the end of my trousers!) Saltar del cas¬
They [the Indians of the pueblos carón, just hatched, applied to a young
west and south of Santa Fe] mostly upstart.
wear a kind of short breeches and saltreática,/. [<Mex. Sp. sal hepática] Ep¬
long stockings, the use of which they som salts. Also, saltrática and saltrástica.
most probably acquired from the
saludes,/, pi. [<Sp. pi. of salud, health]
Spaniards. The saco, a species of
greetings; regards. Cf. Sp. saludos (<si2-
woolen jacket without sleeves, com¬
ludo).
pletes their exterior garment, (josiah
salvado, m. [<Sp. salvado, bran] bran; fig.,
Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies)
dandruff.
sacre, m. [<Fr. sacré, damned, cursed] a
curse. (Me echó un sacre. He cursed me.) salvaje, adj. [<Sp. salvaje, savage] coarse,
gross; stupid.
sacristán, m. [<Sp. sacristán, sexton] sex¬
ton; Col. N.M. Sp., Indian boy selected salvar, vb. [<Sp. salvar, to save (a life)] to
by the priest to assist him in the mass save; to save money. Cf. Sp. ahorrar.
and to receive religious instruction. salvia,/ [<Eng. salve] ointment, salve.
saguán, m. See zaguán. (Ella se puso salvia en un hombro que le
dolía muncho. She put some salve on
salado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. salado, un¬
one of her shoulders that was giving
lucky] insipid (dull); fraught with fail¬
her a great deal of pain.)
ure; unlucky. (/Gringo salado! Cursed
gringo!) sanamabiche, adj. [<Eng. son of a bitch]
salarata,/. [<Sp. salerato<Mod. Lat. sal caddish; despicable.
aeratus, aerated salt] bicarbonate of sanar, vb. [<Sp. sanar] to give birth, to
soda. Also referred to as soda del martillo get well.
(Arm and Hammer soda). sancochar, vb. [<Sp. sancochar, to parboil]
salero, m. [<Sp. salero, gracefulness] echar to boil fresh meat with vegetables, gar¬
salero, to show off. lic and salt; to scald (corn).
salido, -da, adj. [<Sp. salido, protruding] sanefa, /. [<Sp. cenefa] border or list
aggressive; bold; forward. painted on bottom part of a wall, es¬
salir, vb. [<Sp. salir, to go out] salirsele a pecially a porch wall.
uno (un secreto), to make a slip; to let sangrador, m. [<Sp. sangrar, to let blood]
the cat out of the bag; salir pa atrás, to Penitente brother who scarified nov¬
come out short; to get the short end ices’ backs to allow blood to flow freely
of a deal. from lashes received in Lenten rites.
salitre, m. [<Sp. salitre, nitre] a salinous sangre,/. [<Sp. sangre, blood] blood; san¬
compound of several salts including gre de Cristo, bot., Creeping barberry;
nitre. sangre de toro, bull’s blood, a synthetic
salmos, m. pi. [<Eng. salmon] jack mack¬ dye; sangre de venado, bot., Dragon’s
erel; salmon. blood, rattan palm; adj., sangre liviana,
salmuera,/. [<Sp. salmuera, brine] brine; compatible, congenial; sangre pesada,
any food with an excess of salt. boring, dull; uncongenial.
salpática,/. [<Mex. Sp. sal hepática] Ep¬ sangría,/. [<Sp. sangría, bleeding] a kind
som salts. of small ditch perpendicular to and

153
sangrita
taking off from a contraacequia or coun¬ sastifacer, vb. [<Sp. satisfacer, to satisfy]
ter ditch, which, in turn, takes off from to satisfy. (No me sastifació. It did not
the main ditch. satisfy me.)
sangrita,/. [<Sp. dim. of sangre, blood] sastifación,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. satisfación]
agarrar sangrita, to improve one’s eco¬ satisfaction.
nomic situation; to attain a definite de¬ saxofón, m. [<Eng. saxophone] saxo¬
gree of security. phone. Cf. Sp. saxófono.
sangrón, -na, adj. [<Sp. aug. of sangre, Sebastiana,/ [<Sp. Sebastiana, woman’s
blood] boring; disagreeable; uncon¬ given name] name given to a carved
genial. image of the death angel. Also called
sanjuanear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. sanjuanear, to la comadre Sebastiana.
punish] to thrash or shake a child; to sebo, adj. [<Sp. sebo] tallow; a term ap¬
spank. plied to a lazy, shiftless person.
santería,/. [<Sp. santo, saint’s image] place seca,/ [<Sp. seca, dry] a term used to
where sacred images (santos) are carved; refer to a ewe not taken by the seed
the art of carving santos; collection of ram at a particular mating season.
santos.
secina,/. See Spanish cecina.
santero, -ra, m. and/ [<Sp. santo] wood-
¡Séchu!, interj. [<onomatopoeic] com¬
carver, particularly one who carves san¬
mand to a donkey to stop.
tos or images of holy persons.
seda,/ [<Sp. seda, silk] silk; criado (criada)
santo, m. [<Sp. santo] image or statue of
entre sedas (brought up in silk gar¬
a saint or holy person; santo de bulto,
ments), pampered; spoiled.
statue of a saint. See bulto. Santo de
segunda,/ [<Sp. segunda, second] second
retablo, votive picture offering; santo
gear (auto); cas’ ’e segunda, secondhand
de talla, image of a santo in the round;
store; hacer la segunda, to harmonize
statue of a santo or holy person; quedarse
in parallel thirds.
una mujer pa vestir santos, said of a
woman who will probably never marry, seguro, m. [<Mex. Sp. seguro] safety pin.
a spinster. The term fistol (<Mex. Sp .fistol, hair
pin) is more common.
santo entierro, m. [<Sp .santo entierro, holy
burial] Christ in the holy sepulcher, seigo, vb. [<Sp. ser, to be] I am. (¿Quién es
an image (santo) depicting Christ in a el Silas? Yo seigo. Who is Silas? I am.)
coffin. semaneros, m. pi. [<Sp. semana, week]
santopiés, m. [<Col. Sp. ciento pies (Mo¬ Col. N.M. Sp., Indian workers fur¬
lina)] centipede. nished by the Indian pueblos to work
sapiento, -ta, adj. [<N.M. Sp. sapo] lucky. for the priest and the pueblo mission
or church.
sapo, m. [<Sp. sapo, toad] toad; lucky shot
semilla,/ [<Sp. semilla] seed; aventarle la
in the game of basketball; fat, chubby
semilla a alguno, to tell someone off.
person; hacer un sapo, to make a goal,
especially by accident; lucky break; de semita,/ See cemita.
sapo, by chance, by a lucky stroke. senado, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. senado, as¬
sardo, m. [<Mex. Sp. slang sardo, senti¬ sembly; audience] audience. Cf. Sp.
nel] soldier (slang). concurrencia. Senado ilustre, illustrious
audience.
sarnoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. sarnoso, itchy]
dirty; shabby. sencia, f. See cencia.
sartén, m. [<Sp. sartén (f.)] frying pan; sentido, m. [<Sp. sentido, sense, sense of
skillet. The word puela (<Fr. poéle) is hearing] ear; inner ear.
more common. señas, /. pi. [<Sp. señas, signs] obscene

154
 sobar
gestures; finger signs. de manos, to wait on someone hand and
sepoltura,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. sepoltura foot, to cater to or play up to some¬
(Mod. Sp. sepultura)] grave. one.

serruche, m. [<Sp. serrucho, handsaw] sillero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. silla] said of a per¬
handsaw; saw in general. son who uses a saddle rather than rid¬
ing a horse bareback.
serruchear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. serruche] to
saw. silleta,/. [<Sp. dim. of silla] chair; silleta
mecedora, rocker, rocking chair.
sesenta (a sesenta), adv. [<Sp. sesenta, six¬
ty] ir a sesenta, to be making sixty miles ¡Simón!, adv. [<Mex. Sp. ¡Simona!, Yes!
per hour; to go fast, to be speeding. (euph.)] Yes! (euph.) (¿Vas ir? Simón.
Are you coming? Yes.)
sesos, m. pi. [<Sp. seso, brain] common
sense; adj., sesos de borrego, stubborn; simpático, -ca, adj. [<Sp. simpático, conge¬
sesos de burro, ignorant, stupid (both nial, pleasant] attractive, good-looking.
applied sarcastically). sincero [sínsero], adj. [<Sp. sincero] sin¬
sestear, vb. [<Sp. sestear<siesta] to rest cere.
from work; to take a short break. síndico, m. [<Sp. síndico, recorder] care¬
seta, /. [<Eng. set] seta de trastes, set of taker of a cemetery ; trustee (both per¬
dishes. taining to the Penitentes).

setear, vb. [<Eng. to set] setear la mesa, to sinsonte, m. [<Mex. Sp. sinsonte] ornith.,
set the table. mockingbird. See also chinchonte and
chonte.
setemesino, -na, adj. [<Sp. siete, seven, and
mesino<mes, pertaining to the month] sintopié, m. See cintopié.
premature; applied to a baby born sinvergüenzada,/ [<Mex. Sp. sinvergiien-
prematurely. zada<sinvergiienza] base, shameless ac¬
sharque, m. [<Eng. shark] chiseler, tion.
swindler. sinvergüenzo, -za, adj. [<Mex. Sp. sinver-
sho, m. [<Eng. show] movies; show; güenzo] applied to a rascal, rogue. Cf.
theatre. Sp. sinvergüenza.

shocoque, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. xococ [so- sipapú, m. [<Tewa sipapú, cave] cavity in
kók\ sour] sour, spoiled; leche shocoque, the earth’s surface; hole in the ground.
buttermilk. siquear, vb. [<Eng. to sic] to sic a dog on
Antenoche jui a tu casa someone.
y me dieron de cenar sisaría,/. See cizaña.
unas tortillas shocoques
sitio, m. [<Mex. Sp. sitio] a spread (cat¬
y frijoles sin guisar.
tle); Col. N.M. Sp., small farm.
Night before last
so, adv. [<Eng. so] so. (So, nosjuimos. So,
I went to your home
we left.)
And was served spoiled tortillas
And beans without salt and sobador, m. [<Mex. Sp. sobador] folk chi¬
shortening. ropractor; bonesetter.
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso popu¬ sobajar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. sobajar] to humil¬
lar) iate; to cut someone down to size.
shosho, -sha, adj. [<Mex. Sp. chocha, sow] sobaqueras, /. pi. [<Sp. sobaco, armpit]
sloppy; ill-kempt; dirty. crutches. Cf. Sp. muletas.
silla,/. [<Sp. silla, saddle] a sag between sobar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. sobar] to set dislo¬
two mountain peaks; silla de manos, cated bones; to rub or give someone a
sedan chair; traer a una persona en silla rubdown; to massage.

155
sobrado
sobrado, m. [<Sp. sobrado,pt. part, of sobrar, Toda tu solecitud
extra; a kind of garret] floor or story se ferea en rigor extraño;
in buildings. Col. N.M. Sp., casas de mi vida, hace más de un año
cuatro sobrados, four-story buildings que no sé de tu salud;
(in reference to Indian pueblos, such esa sí es ingratitud:
as Pecos and Taos). no enviarme cuatro letritas
sobrar, vb. [<Sp. sobrar, left over] to feel una o dos con tus manitas
like it (sarcastic). (¿Ahora te sobró? Now con los que vienen y van.
you felt like it, huh? [It’s about time.]) ¡Ese sí es crecido afán!
¡Ah, qué ingrata te acreditas!
sobrechuses, m. pi. [<Sp. sobre, over, and
All your sweet affection
Eng. shoes] overshoes; galoshes.
Is changing strangely,
soca,/. [<Mex. Sp. soca, stubble] ¡Nisoca!
My beloved. It’s over a year now
Nothing! Nothing at all! (slang).
That I’ve had no news of you;
social, m. [<Eng. social] party or infor¬ Don’t be so thoughtless;
mal gathering of persons for amuse¬ Write me a few lines,
ment or recreational purposes; darun One or two with your tiny hands
social, to have a party. And send them to me
soda,/. [<Eng. soda] soda; soda pop; soda With travellers that come and go.
del martillo, bicarbonate of soda (Arm This is a most anxious concern;
and Hammer soda). See also salarata. Please don’t disappoint me.
sofás, m. [<Sp. sofá] couch; sofa\pl., sofases. (¡Ah, qué ingrata te acreditas!, N.M.
Sp. décima)
soflamero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. soflamero
<Sp. soflamero, said of one who uses solera,/ [<Sp. solera, entablature] insula¬
deceitful language] a term applied to tion between beams (vigas) of an adobe
someone who raises a fuss over slight house.
things or who complains in an exag¬ solevado, -da, adj. [<Sp. solevar, to incite
gerated way about petty things; n., a to revolt] arrogant, haughty; snobbish.
chronic complainer (slang). Also, having a swollen rectum; suffer¬
soguilla,/ [<Sp. dim. of soga, a kind of ing from a slight case of shock.
rope] a woman’s thin gold or silver sollame, m. [<Sp. sollamar, to scorch] an
necklace, originally made of inter¬ ulcer-like sore in the mouth; cold sore;
twisted strands like a rope or cord. fever blister. Also, sollamo.
sol, m. [<Sp. sol, sun] sun; a mete sol, at sombra,/ [<Sp. sombra, shadow] shade;
sundown. lampshade.
solamente (que no solamente), adv. [<Sp. sombrear, vb. [<Sp. sombrear, to shade]
solamente, only] only; que no solamente, to rest in the shade. (Vamos a sombrear
splendid, wonderful. (¡Hubo una boda un rato. Let us rest a while in the
que no solamente! There was [took shade.)
place] a wonderful wedding!) sombrerazos, m. [<Mex. Sp. sombrerazos]
solano, -na, adj. [<Sp. solo, alone] alone, a gritos y sombrerazos, barely; by the skin
solitary (rare). of one’s teeth (rare).
solecito, m. [<Sp. dim. of sol, sun] sunny sombrita,/ [<Sp. dim. of sombra, shade]
side; warmth given off by the sun. shade; shady side. (Vamos a estamos toda
(Vamos a sentarnos en el solecito. Let’s la mañana en la sombrita. Let’s spend
sit out in the sunny side [of a house, the whole morning in the shade.)
place, etc.].) sonar, vb. [<Sp. sonar, to sound] to sound.
solecitud,/ [<Sp. solicitud] anxiety, solic¬ (Ya ni suena ni truena. You don’t even
itude. hear about him any more. He is all

156
 sudario
washed up.) Sonarse, to be announced. soportar, vb. [<Sp. soportar, to suffer, and
(Se sonó en la suidá de que ya el príncipe Eng. to support] to support; to back;
había jallado mujer. It was announced to maintain financially. Cf. Sp. apoyar
that the prince had found a wife.) and mantener.
sopa, f. [<Col. N.M. Sp. sopa (de pan) soporte, m. [<Eng. support] maintenance;
(Molina)] a kind of bread pudding support. Cf. Sp. sustento.
containing toasted bread, cheese, cin¬ soquete, m. See zoquete.
namon, sugar, etc.
soroche, adj. [<Am. Sp. soroche, a kind of
sopaipillas,/, pi. [<Sp. dim. of sopaipa, a illness caused by rarefaction of the air
kind of fritter] fritters made of bread at great heights] filthy, grimy; grouchy;
dough cut in squares and fried brown mischievous, roguish. Also, sorocho,
in deep fat. sorocha.
In some parts of New Mexico the sospirar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. sospirar] to
sopaipilla is called the buñuelo. Er¬ sigh.
na Fergusson says it is a sopaipilla sospiro, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. sospiro] sigh;
when cut into a small square shape, pegar un sospiro, to sigh.
a buñuelo when cut large and round,
with a hole punched in the middle. . . . despidiendo treinta ayes y sesenta
(Thomas Ewing Dabney, “What’s sospiros.
Cooking?,” New Mexico Magazine) . . . moaning and lamenting and
sighing incessantly .
sopanda,/ [<Mex. Sp. sopanda] car spring;
(Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don
bedspring. Cf. Sp. muelles, resorte.
Quijote de la Mancha)
sopetón, m. [<Sp. sopetón (desopetón), sud¬
denly] de un sopetón, in one gulp. sótano, m. [<Sp. sótano, cellar] sunken
sopitas,/ pi. [<Sp. dim. of sopa, sop] milk part in a river or stream. See also
porridge; sopitas de miel, fig., kindness, jondable.
niceness; sopitas dejiel, bitterness, hard¬ soterrano,m. [<Col. N.M. Sp .soterrano<so-
ship, a hard life or hard time. (Ahora te terrar, to bury; to place underground]
da sopitas de miel, más tarde te dará sopitas underground structure for storing pro¬
de jiel. Now he’s all kindness; later he duce (apples, cabbages, carrots, pota¬
will make it hard for you.) toes, etc.) and canned goods.
soplar, vb. [<Sp. soplar, to blow] to blow. suadero, m. [<N.M. Sp. subadero] saddle
(Ya no sopla. He hasn’t got it in him blanket.
[physically or sexually]. He’s all washed suave, adj. [<Sp. suave, soft] soft; fine,
out.) Reflex., to make off with; to gulp splendid; adv., alright; very well. (¿Cómo
down, to swallow. estuvo el party? Estuvo muy suave. How
Hubo una gran fiesta was the party? It was very good. ¿Nos
hubo muncho vino; vamos?—Suave. Shall we leave? Very
suéltanse los gatos, well.)
sóplanse al padrino. subadero, m. [<Mex. Sp. sudadero] sad¬
There was quite a celebration dle blanket.
And much wine was drunk; suceso, m. [<Sp. suceso, event, and Eng.
The cats got loose success] success. Cf. Sp. éxito.
And gulped down the best man.
sudadero, m. [<Sp. sudadero, a kind of
(El piojo y la pulga, N.M. Sp. folk
handkerchief or cloth for wiping off
song)
sweat] saddle blanket.
soplón, m. [<Mex. Sp. soplón<Sp. soplar, sudario, m. [<Sp. sudario, shroud] shroud;
to blow] tattler, fink (slang). a kind of prayer, especially one for

157
suera
the soul of a deceased person. Sudarios súpito, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. súpito, fast
are usually recited at velorios (wakes) asleep] dead; fast asleep; out cold;
or during Easter time at Penitente rites. knocked out.
suera,/. [<Eng. sweater] sweater. Cf. Sp. surumato, -ta, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. Suru-
suéter (m.). muato, a place-name in Jalisco, Mexi¬
suerte,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. suerte] agricul¬ co] a term applied by New Mexico
tural plot on which settlers raised corn, Indo-Hispanos to low-class Mexican
beans, wheat, squash, etc. farm workers.

suertudo, -da, adj. [<Sp. suerte, luck] for¬ susirio, m. [<Sp. susidio] anxiety; restless¬
tunate; lucky. ness; concern; worry.
suiche, m. [<Eng. switch] switch. susto, m. [<Sp. susto, fright] fright; shock.
suichear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. suiche<Eng. Some kinds of susto, a type of ill¬
switch] to turn on a switch. ness resulting from fright, are of the
suidá,/ [<Sp. ciudad] city. magical etiology in that they are felt
to be caused by the possession of an
sumidero, m. [<Sp. sumidero, sink] masked
individual by an evil spirit. And there
well; pitfall; sinkhole.
are, of course, many kinds of be¬
A very curious and disagreeable
witchment in which a person with
freak of nature found in some parts
evil intent and magical power can
of the Southwest is that treacherous
cause illness symptoms in another.
pitfall known as the sumidero . . .
Psychological diseases are those in
These characteristic pits are a sort
which a strong emotional experience
of mud springs with too much mud
causes the appearance of the disease
to flow, and too much water to dry
symptoms. Examples are susto when
up. They are roundish, about the
it occurs in young children who have
size of a well-hole, and sometimes as
suffered a severe fright, or epi¬
deep—in fact, they are what we might
lepsy, which is believed to result
call masked wells. These masked
from strong emotional feelings. (Lyle
wells occur in bare alkali-covered
Saunders, Cultural Difference and
flats. The mud upon their surface is
Medical Care)
baked dry, and there is absolutely
nothing to distinguish them from sute, m. [<Eng. suit] suit (slang). Sp. vestido
the safe ground around. (Charles F. (dress) is a more common term. Sp.
Lummis, Some Strange Corners of Our túnico (tunic), in turn, is the term for
Country) dress.

158
 Tanto quiso el diablo a su hijo hasta que le sacó un ojo.
The devil so loved his child that he finally
plucked out one of his eyes.
(An overindulgent parent often spoils his
children.)

tabique, m. [<Mex. Sp. tabique, jail] el symbolize life itself, rain gourds that
tabique, thejailhouse (slang). rattle their prayer messages for rain,
tabla,/. [<Sp. tabla, board] board; two- symbolic rain sashes, and tablitas or
dimensional line painting of a saint or head boards that bear symbols of
holy person on a flat tablet or board; sun, moon, and clouds. (Grant Max¬
the board itself. See also retablo. Estar well, “Corn Dance,” New Mexico Maga¬
or quedar tablas, to be even; to break zine)
even; to tie. tablón, m. [<Sp. aug. of tabla, board] a
A retablo, sometimes called a tabla large flat log hewn into the shape of a
(board), is a painting in tempera col¬ trough. The tablón was used as a wash-
ors on a slab or panel of pine pre¬ tub for woolens.
viously coated with one or more Erineo cut and pounded the amolé
layers of yeso (gesso). A group of roots and threw them into the tab¬
these panels, forming what is known lón—a long log trough—bare footed
in English as an altar piece, altar women knelt around the trough and
screen, retable, or reredos, is also with bare arms beat the warm water
called a retablo. (José E. Espinosa, until the foamy amolé suds filled the
Saints in the Valleys) tablón. Into the suds the blankets
and carpets were dipped, beaten,
tablita, /. [<Sp. dim. of tabla, board]
and squeezed, until the fadeless col¬
small board; a thin wooden headdress
ors were again bright. (Cleofas M.
painted in bright colors. The tablita is
Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
used by Santo Domingo, New Mexico,
Indian women in their festive rites. taconear, vb. [<Sp. tacón, heel] to dance.
There are evergreen branches to tacuche, m. [<Mex. Sp. tacuche, a kind of

159
taipear
prisoners’ uniform] man’s suit (slang), Pile the tanates high! . . . Steadying
suit of clothes (slang). the canoe, he loaded ore into two
taipear, vb. [<Eng. to type] to type. rawhide buckets called tanates. (G.
F. Shenk, “The First Gold Mine,”
taite, adj. [<Eng. tight] tight, miserly.
New Mexico Magazine)
talco, m. [<Sp. talco, talc] pulverized mica
tando, m. [<Mex. Sp. slang tando, hat]
or micaceous earth.
hat (slang). See also chapero, chaperito.
talegas,/, pi. [<Mex. Sp. talegas, testicles]
taño, -na, adj. [<Tewa Tagno, place-
testicles.
name] Indian from Tano, a colonial
talián, m. [<Eng. Italian (The Italian)] a Indian pueblo on the site of present
folk dance. Galisteo; an inhabitant of Galisteo, New
talón, m. [<Sp. talón, heel] picarle or avi¬ Mexico; the Indian language of the
sarle a talón or talones, to take off Taños Indians.
quickly; to flee. tanque, m. [<Sp. tanque, vat] tank, reser¬
talpa,/. [<Mex. Sp. tlalpa] a knob of land voir; gas tank.
rising above the mesa; N.M. place- tanre, adv. [<Sp. tan, so, and prefix re]
name. exceptionally. (.Probecito, siempre jue
talvina,/. [<Sp. talvina, a kind of milk tanre güeno con todos. Poor dear, he al¬
extracted from seeds] a homemade ways was so exceptionally good to every¬
face bleach. one.)
Talvina was another face bleaching tansé, m. [<Eng. tansy?] bot., Tansy. Cf.
mask made of bran and the crushed
Sp. tanaceto.
red spikes of the alegría plant or wild
tanteada,/. [<Mex. Sp. tanteada, guess]
raspberries. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo,
rough estimate.
Shadows of the Past)
tantear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. tantear, to guess
talla,/. [<Eng. tie] railroad tie.
or calculate approximately] to guess
talludo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. talludo] rug¬
the price or weight of an object; to
ged; sturdy.
beat. (Se lo tantearon. They beat him.)
tama,/ [<unknown origin] stand, as for To spy upon; tantearse el sombrero, to
a chest or trunk (rare). tilt one’s hat to one side.
An especially handsome chest sat tanteo, m. [<Mex. Sp. tanteo, appraisal]
upon a stand called tama, a carved calculation; echar un tanteo a algo, to
wooden framework not unlike a pair guess or approximate the price, value,
of andirons. (Roland F. Dickey, New etc., of an item or article; al tanteo, at
Mexico Village Arts) sight. (Al tanteo yo diría que pesa unas
tamaño, -ña, adj. [<Sp. tamaño, size] size; diez libras. Just by looking at it, I’d say
interj., ¡Tamaño . . ./You rascal! it weighs some ten pounds.)
tamborín, m. [<Sp. tamboril, a kind of tanto, adv. [<Sp. tanto, in such a manner]
tambourine] noise; racket (rare). Por tanto y no and vb., almost did not
tanape, m. [<Eng. turnip] turnip; tanape and vb. (Por tanto y no vamos. We al¬
amarillo, rutabaga. Also, tánape. most did not go. Col. N.M. Sp. (Mo¬
lina)). ¿Qué tanto? How much? Cf.
tanate, m. [<Mex. Sp.<Náhuatl tanatl]
Mod. Sp. ¿Cuánto?
testicle; Col. N.M. Sp., a rawhide buck¬
et for loading ore in a mine. taoseño, -ña, adj. [<Taos (Indian pueb¬
On that day in 1680, an Indian lo)] a resident of the town of Taos,
stood on a ledge beside slowly flow¬ New Mexico.
ing water inside the mine ... a cry tapa,/ [<Sp. tapa, lid] crown of a hat; lid;
interrupted his moment of rest . . . hubcap.

160
 tazol
tapadera,/. [<Sp. tapadera, lid] lid; pimp; tarpaulin.
conniver; toe guards or taps. tarre, adv. [<Sp. tan, so, and augmenta¬
tapado, -da, adj. [<Sp. pt. part, of tapar, tive prefix re] so; extremely. (Probecito,
to stop up] said of a dunce; ignorant; tarre güeno que era. Poor dear, he was
constipated; plugged up. so nice.)
tapador, -ra, adj. [<Sp. tapar, to cover] tarria,/. [<Mex. Sp. tarria] a kind of cush¬
pimp; conniver. ion placed at the back of a saddle for
tapalina, /. [<Mex. Sp. tápalo, shawl] carrying things.
a kind of homemade sunbonnet; a tarunual, adj. [<Mex. Sp. tarahumara
homemade raincoat made of gunny- (Tarahumara Indian)] ignorant; stu¬
sack, newspaper, etc. pid.
tápalo, m. [<Mex. Sp. tápalo] shawl. Cf. Este tarunual Manuel
Sp. dial. jue caus ’e mi perdición,
que al hombre Joaquín Terrazas
tapanco,m. [<Mex. Sp. tapanco<Náhuatl
le ha entregado mi nación;
tlapantli, flat roof] attic; heap or pile;
que al hombre Joaquín Terrazas
tapanco de nieve, snowbank.
le ha entregado mi nación.
tapeiste, m. [<Mex. Sp. tapeste<Náhuatl
This stupid Manuel
tlapechtli] a kind of hayloft or bower in
Was the cause of my downfall,
which to keep alfalfa, hay, etc., and For he surrendered my people
which also serves as shelter for domes¬
To that man Joaquin Terrazas;
tic animals. Also, tapeste. For he surrendered my people
tapeo, m. [<Eng. top] act of topping, as To that man Joaquin Terrazas.
sugar beets. (N.M. Sp. Indita del Indio Victono)
tapón, m. [<Sp. tapón, stopper] plug; hard, tasajos, m. pi. [<Sp. tasajo, jerked beef]
dry mucous plugging up a child’s nose. twists or strips of melon, pumpkin,
tapushque, m. See tepnshque. etc., dried in the sun.
tarasqueadas,/. pi. [<Mex. Sp. tarascadas From the pile of yellow pumpkins
<tarasquear, to snap, as in biting] taras¬ on the back porch, the smallest ones
queadas de hogado, said of someone were selected, peeled, cut in half,
who snaps back or grasps a chance to and hung on the orchard posts to
put a point across in a conversation. dry and sweeten in the sun for tasajos.
They were to be used for empanaditas
tarima,/ [<Sp. tarima, a kind of movable
and pie fillings mixed with raisins
platform; bench] adobe ledge built
and piñón nuts. These tasajos were
against a wall to serve as a bench; baile
also made from melons cut in strips
de tarima, a marathon type of dance in
and dried. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo,
which a couple danced on a narrow
Shadows of the Past)
pine slab thrown across a shallow ditch.
The object of this dance was to see tasol, m. See tazol.
how long the dancers could dance with¬ tasolera,/. See tazolera.
out falling into the water. tata, m. [<Mex. Sp. tata, old one] dad;
tarime, m. [<Sp. tarima, platform] wooden grandpa; elder.
floor. tatemar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. tatemar, to un¬
tarja,/ [<Sp. taja, tally] slab, as of salt derdo (meat)] to half roast, to cook
pork or bacon. rare.
tarjar, vb. [<Sp. tarjar, to tally] to make taure, m. [<Sp. tahúr, gambler] swindler;
sarcastic remarks. gambler.
tarpolio, m. [<Eng. tarpaulin] canvas; tazol, m. [<Mex. Sp. tazol, trash] bean

161
tazolera
hulls and other refuse left after thrash¬ times the next player knocked his
ing; straw. opponent’s teja into the hole, count¬
tazolera,/. [<Mex. Sp. tazolera] shed for ing three points for him. Twelve
storage of hay, straw, etc. points won the game. (Cleofas M.
Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
tecato, -ta, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. tecata,
drug] drug addict (slang). tejamanil, m. [<Mex. Sp. tejamanil<Ná¬
huatl tlaxamanilli, small boards] shin¬
teclo, -cla, adj. [<Mex. Sp. slang teclo]
gle; techo de tejamanil, shingle roof.
drunk, tipsy.
tejano, -na, adj. [<Sp. tejano, from Tejas
tecolote, -ta,<2<¿/ [<Mex. Sp. tecolote<Ná¬
(Texas)] a term applied disparagingly
huatl tecolotl, owl] speckled; gallina teco¬
to a white stranger coming into the
lota, Plymouth Rock (hen).
area from Texas or from the eastern
tecoloteño, -ña, adj. [<N.M. Sp. Tecolote, states; a gringo.
place-name] a resident of Tecolote,
Old people, in my youth, used to
New Mexico.
recount what they remembered of
tecomblate,m. [<Mex. Sp. tecomblate] hot., the terrible Téjanos. Huge men they
Caltrops. were, red and hairy, uttering in¬
techagüiste,m. [<Mex. Sp. zacahuistle< Nᬠcomprehensible noises instead of
huatl zacatl, grass, and huitztli, thorn] words, frightening babies, stealing
hot., a kind of wild grass with thorns. cattle, breaching wine and brandy
techo, m. [<Sp. techo, roof] ceiling; roof; casks, and, when drunk, even dese¬
techo de chingles, shingle roof; techo de crating chapels. My grandfather
latón, galvanized or “tin” roof; techo claimed that the unequaled size of
de manta, unbleached muslin ceiling our cottonwood tree was due to fer¬
tacked on to roof beams; techo de teja¬ tilization the Téjanos gave it when
manil, shingle roof. they butchered in the patio where it
grew. Quite naturally to simple Mex¬
tegua,/ [<Opata begua] leather Indian
ican people, “Tejano” was a name
sandal; the Tewa language or nation;
of loathing and fright. (Erna Fergus-
pisarle a la tegua, to step on it; to hurry.
son, Our Southwest)
teja, / [<Sp. teja, roof tile] a small flat
stone used in the game of teja. The tejaván, m. [<Sp. teja vana (a tejavana,
game itself is a horseshoe-type of con¬ with no more roof than the tiles)] attic;
test in which tejas (stones, silver dollars, loft; gabled roof.
iron washers, etc.) are thrown from a tejendero, -ra, m. and /. [<Sp. tejer, to
distance into a small hole in the ground. weave] weaver (rare).
When not engaged in sports or ex¬ tela,/. [<Sp. tela, cloth] cloth; film that
citing games, the men played el hoyo forms on boiled milk; tela de alambre,
and moved with the sun to snow- wire screen; tela de cien hilos, baize (ba¬
cleared patios. Two small, round yeta)-, tela de primavera, flowered silk.
holes were dug in the ground about telefón,m. [<Eng. telephone] telephone.
thirty feet apart. Each player, stand¬
telefoneada, / [<Mex. Sp. telefoneada]
ing by one of the holes, took two
telephone call, ring. (Dame una telefo¬
turns at throwing his tejas (a flat
neada. Give me a ring.)
round stone about three inches in
diameter), into the opposite hole. tembladora,/ [<Sp. tembladora, a kind of
Three points were won with each pin] hairpin-like ornament on a spiral.
teja that fell inside the hole, one or temolada,/. [<Mex. Sp. temole<Náhuatl
two points by the ones that fell on tetl, fire, and molli, stew] ragout; fric¬
the edge or touched the hole. Some¬ assee; goulash.

162
 testa
tender, vb. [<Sp. tender] tender el día, to tequitato, m. [<Náhuatl tequihuaque?, war¬
dawn. rior] Col. N.M. Sp., a kind of town
tenga, interr. [<Sp. tener?] Do you under¬ crier in an Indian pueblo; a kind of
stand? Will you? (Aquí le dejo a la plebe, constable.
la cuida, ¿en tenga? I am leaving the These caciques have under them . . .
children with you; you take care of tequitatos, who are like alguaciles
them, do you understand?) Okay? All [constables], and who execute in the
right? pueblo the cacique’s orders, just ex¬
actly like the Mexican people. And
tenis, m. pi. [<Eng. tennis shoes; tennis]
when the Spaniards ask the caciques
tennis; tennis shoes; colgar los tenis, to
of the pueblos for anything, they call
die (slang).
the tequitatos, who cry it out through
teño, -na, adj. [<Col. N.M. Sp. tenuo] ten¬ the pueblo in a loud voice, where¬
uous; delicate; subtle. Cf. Sp. tenue. upon they bring with great haste
Gracia juera que conmigo what is ordered. (H. E. Bolton, Span¬
dijieras, Gracia, soy güeno, ish Explorers in the Southwest)
que en este punto tan teño tercera,/. [<Sp. tercera, third] third gear
cantaras con eficacia. (auto).
It would be something if to me terciar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. terciar, to carry an
You would say, “Gracia, I am good,” object on one’s back] to throw a serape
And of this subtle subject over one’s shoulder.
You would sing successfully.
tercio, m. [<Mex. Sp. tercio, bale] bale
('Trovos del Viejo Vilmas, N.M. Sp. folk
of hay; a tercios, by thirds. In a land
poetry)
worked a tercios, the farmer kept two
teóriga,/. [<Sp. teórica, theory] talk; echar thirds of the produce and turned over
la teóriga, to chat, to converse. one third to the owner of the farm.

tepocate,m. [<Mex. Sp.tepocate<Náhuat\ teretón, adj. [<Am. Sp. terete, robust] car¬
tepocatl] tadpole. Cf. Sp. renacuajo. nero teretón, seed ram. See carnero.

tepopote,m. [<Mex. Sp. tepopote <Náhuaü terquear, vb. [<Sp. terco, obstinate] to in¬
tepetl, hill, and popotl, stem] bot., Mor¬ sist; to bother.
mon tea. See also cañutillo. terregal, m. [<Sp. tierra, earth] dusty
tepushque, m. [<Mex. Sp. tepuzque<Ná- place; excessive dust; loose dirt.
huatl tepuzqui, copper] a pile of things; terrenazo, m. [<Sp. tierra, earth] home¬
a lot; a great number. (Tengo un te¬ town. See also pais.
pushque de trastes que fregar. I have a terrero, m. [<Sp. tierra, earth] cloud of
big pile of dishes to wash.) Also, a con¬ dust; dusty place.
coction; a casserole. terribloso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. aug. of terrible]
tequesquite,m. [<Mex. Sp. tequesquite<Ná- terribly mischievous.
huatl tetl, stone, and quizquitl, efflor¬ terromote,m. [<Sp. terremoto, earthquake]
escent] a crude bicarbonate of soda; whirlwind.
bicarbonate of soda; prenderse uno como
terrón (terrones), m. [<Sp. tierra, earth]
hierba ’e tequesquite, to be a nuisance.
sod squares held together by plant
Tequesquite is a crude sodium bicar¬
roots. Terrones are used as adobes in
bonate which forms on the borders
house construction.
of mineral springs in New Mexico,
and which is also found near several tesgüín, m. [<Mex. Sp. tesgüino, alcoholic
lakes of the state. (Leonora S. M. beverage] a kind of homemade corn
Curtin, Healing Herbs of the Upper Rio liquor. Also, tesgüino, tisgüín.
Grande) testa,/. [<Sp. testa, forehead] head.

163
testear
testear, vb. [<Eng. to taste] to taste; to tiliches, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. tiliches] odds
try. (Tested esta birria a ver si ya esta fría and ends; trifles.
suficiente. Try this beer to see if it is tilma,/ [<Mex. Sp. tilma<Náhuatl tilmat-
cold enough.) li, cape] Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp., a
testiga,/. [<Sp./. of testigo, witness] fe¬ kind of poncho; a short Indian saddle
male witness. blanket.
teta,/. [<Sp. teta, teat] nursing bottle; pac¬ timbrero, m. [<Eng. timberman] lumber¬
ifier; hecho teta, sulking; prendido de la jack.
teta, feeding from the public trough. tinaja,/ [<Sp. tinaja, a large earthenjar]
tetera,/. [<Am. Sp. tetero] nursing bottle. a kind of natural rock tank.
tetones, m. pi [<Sp. aug. of teta, teat] They [Rocky Mountain bighorn or
young green pods of the female cot¬ carnero cimarrón] are more depend¬
tonwood. ent on water than many desert crea¬
tures, and one of the best places to
tichear, vb. [<Eng. to teach] to teach; to
observe them is at a spring or one
instruct.
of those natural rock tanks called
tiempo, m. [<Sp. tiempo, time; weather] tinajas (tih-NAH-hahs) by the Span¬
time in general; menstrual period. (Le ish. (George Olin, Animals of the South¬
vino su tiempo. She is menstruating.) west Deserts)
Tener un buen tiempo, to have a good
tinamaiste, m. [<Mex. Sp. tinamaste or
time; tiempo santo, Holy Week; sacar
tenamaste < N áhuatl tenamaxtli < tetl, stone,
uno su tiempo, to draw one’s pay upon
and namictia, to level] trivet. Also,
dismissal.
tinamaishte.
tienda,/ [<Mex. Sp. tienda, store] tienda Cooling was done in three places: in
de daime, ten-cent store; tienda de quince, outdoor barbecue pits, in outdoor
fifteen-cent store; tienda de segunda, beehive-shaped adobe ovens, and in
secondhand store. the fireplace. Because there was no
tiendajón, m. [<Sp. tendajón, tent] grocery space for a crane or roasting spit or
store. dripping pan, the pot that was to
tiendero, -ra, m. and/. [<N.M. Sp. tienda, boil stood over a plain iron trivet or
grocery store] grocery-store keeper. tinamaiste while things to be kept
warm stood on raked-out coals or
tiento, m. [<Sp. tiento, maulstick] a kind of
merely on the warm adobe hearth.
bundle carried on the back of a saddle.
(E. Boyd, Popular Arts of Spanish New
tierra,/ [<Sp. tierra, land] earth, ground;
Mexico)
land; tierra amarilla, yellow stained mi¬
ca; a kind of beige yellow clay used on tinieblas,/, pi. [<Sp. tinieblas, utter dark¬
the lower quarter of a wall, as a wain¬ ness] a portion of the Penitente Lenten
service which is held in complete dark¬
scot; tierra bajita (same as tierra amarilla);
tierra blanca, white clay used in white¬ ness.
washing walls; tierra negra, black earth; When midnight comes, a very dra¬
tierra de oro (same as tierra amarilla)-, matic ceremony—las tinieblas (the
tierra de rata or de tuza, earth dug up by tenebrae), commemorates the three
gophers; tierras de pan llevar, arable hours of darkness that prevailed over
lands; poner tierras por medio, to make the earth when our Lord died. At
tracks, to get away. the beginning of the ceremony, all
candles on a tenebrae candelabrum
tíguere, m. [<Sp. tigre] tiger (also, jaguar,
are lighted. These are of yellow wax,
wildcat).
with the exception of the candle at
tildio, m. [<Mex. Sp. tildio, sandpiper] a the top, which is white. Two singers
kind of waterbug. See sabandija. chant a strophe from the Miserere

164
 tofe
and, immediately after, another pair social date; rendezvous. Also, tirón.
of singers answers with a stanza from tirado, -da, adj. [<Sp. tirar, to toss] ugly;
some hymn dealing with the Passion useless, worthless; in disarray, as a
at the end of which two candles on room (messy).
the tenebrae candelabrum are ex¬
tirante, adj. [<Sp. tirante, tense] passed
tinguished. A second stanza is sung
out, as from drinking too much liquor.
by each pair of singers, and two
tirar, vb. [<Sp. tirar, to cast] to cast; to
more candles are extinguished. This
shoot; to throw down; tirar la vuelta, to
continues until there remains only
die; tirar la toalla (<Eng. to throw in
one, the white candle at the top. The
the towel), to give up; tirarse un hombre
ceremony symbolizes the manner in
a una mujer, to “lay” a woman.
which the apostles abandoned Jesus.
The white candle, which represents tirili,adj. [<Mex. Sp. slang tirilongo, zoot-
Jesus, is removed to another room suiter] in the know. (Es un bato tirili.
so that there remains no light in the He is a dude in the know [slang].)
church. When the church is dark, tiro, m. [<Sp. tiro, team of oxen] team
the rezador (prayer leader) shouts: (basketball, football, etc.). De a tiro (dea-
“Salgan, vivos y difuntos a acompa¬ tiro), awful, terrible; mischievous.
ñarnos por el amor de Dios” (“All ye tirón, m. [<Sp. tirón, pull] hard pull; so¬
living and dead persons come forth cial date. Also, tirada.
to join us, for the love of God”).
tis, m. [<Mex. Sp. tis<Sp. tisis] tubercu¬
Immediately after, the rezador re¬
losis.
cites the Apostles’ Creed three times
in a low voice while the members tisgüín, m. [<Mex. Sp. tisgüino] corn li¬
of the congregation make all kinds of quor; homemade booze.
noises with wooden clappers, chains, titiritear, vb. [<Sp. tiritar] to shiver, as
drums, and flutes to symbolize the from cold or fear.
disturbances of nature when Our tlaco, m. [<Mex. Sp. tlaco] Col. N.M. Sp.,
Lord died. (Juan B. Rael, The New a copper coin worth one and a half
Mexican Alabado)
centavos.
tinta,/. [<Sp. tinta, ink] ink; house paint.
tlazole, m. [<Mex. Sp. tlazole] straw.
Cf. Sp. pintura.
toallita,/ [<Sp. dim. of toalla, towel] small
tinto, -ta, m. and /. [<Sp. tinto, dyed] a
towel; toallita de la cara, washcloth.
Black.
tobazo, m. [<Sp. tobazo, cotton thistle]
tipleoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. tiple, treble; high-
bot., Johnson grass.
pitched] bothersome.
tipo, adj. [<Sp. tipo, type] well-dressed; toca,/. [<Sp. toca, a kind of hood] hood;
good-looking; echar tipo, to show off covering; hacer tocas pa que tapen bocas,
one’s clothes. to try to put a rumor down because
rumors fly.
tíquete, m. [<Eng. ticket] ticket (railroad,
bus, etc.); traffic ticket or fine. (Vas tocar, vb. [<Sp. tocar, to touch, etc.] to
mu’ rieso, te van a dar un tíquete. You happen. (Tocó que ya no se murió. It so
are going too fast; you are going to get happened that he did not die after all.)
a ticket.) To have the occasion to. (Me tocó ver el
eclís. I had the occasion to see the
tira,/. [<Mex. Sp. tiras, rags] rags; shreds;
hacer tiras y correas de uno, to give one a eclipse.)
sound beating; hecho tiras, raggedy, in tocayo, -ya, m. and/. [<Mex. Sp. tocayo
shreds. <Náhuatl tocaitl, alter ego] namesake.
tirada, /. [<Mex. Sp. tirada, sly action] tofe, adj. [<Eng. tough] tough. Also, tofote.

165
toga
toga,/. [<Sp. toga, dignity (of a judge)] topil, m. [<Indian topil] rod of justice;
false pride; snobbishness. (De esa toga mayor of an Indian pueblo; constable.
murió mi gato. How snobbish can you In New Mexican Spanish, topil has
get! [An expression used to put down usually the meaning of alcalde, al¬
a snobbish person.]) guacil, hence applied to the cane or
togado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. toga, snob¬ club which he carried, then to the
bishness] snobbish; haughty. club in general. (A. M. Espinosa,
“New Mexican Spanish Folklore,”
toloache, m. [<Mex. Sp. toloache<Ná¬
The Journal of American Folklore)
huatl toloa, and tzin] bot., Thorn apple,
Mad apple, Jimson weed. toque, m. [<Sp. toque, touch] puff of a
marihuana cigarette (slang).
tolvache, m. [<Mex. Sp. tolvache] bot., a
plant used in curing body sores. torcer, vb. [<Sp. torcer, to twist] to nab
tolvonudo, -da, adj. [<unknown origin] (slang); torcer el rabo, to die; torcer el
fat; bulging. pico, to die (applied to birds); torcerse
una persona, to act bashful or shy; to
tomado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. pt. part, of
wince, as from a blow or from pain.
tomar, to imbibe] drunk, tipsy.
torcha, f. [<Eng. torch] torch; welding
tomar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. tomar, to imbibe]
torch.
to imbibe; to succeed. (Tomé escapar. I
succeeded in escaping.) To feel obli¬ torchero, m. [<Sp. antorcha, torch] tall
tin candelabra.
gated or forced to. (Tomo estarme aquí
fregando los trastes. I have to stay here She fashioned a pair of tall tin can¬
washing the dishes.) Tomar efecto, to delabra or torcheros, holding seven
take effect; tomar lugar, to take place; candles in each, a very striking de¬
tomar uno su tiempo, to take one’s time. sign of bird wings and plant forms
which decorate a nook just off the
tomatillo, m. [<Mex. Sp. dim. of tomate]
entrance hall. (Ina Sizer Cassidy,
a kind of green tomato; bot., Ground
“Art and Artists of New Mexico,”
cherry; tomatillo chico, bot., Chico bush;
New Mexico Magazine)
tomatillo del campo, bot., Bull nettle.
toreado, -da, adj. [<Sp. toreado, mocked
tombé, m. [<Indian tombé] a kind of In¬
<toro, bull] sly, cunning; hard to fool
dian drum.
or to deceive; experienced. (Esa guisa
tomisto, -ta, adj. [<Mex. Sp. tomar, to im¬ está muy toreada. That chick has been
bibe] addicted to drinking; applied to around [isexperienced].) Also, toreadito,
a habitual drinker. toreadita.
tompeate, m. [<Mex. Sp. tompeate] a kind torear, vb. [<Sp. torear, to mock] to tease;
of basket; pannier. to nettle; torearse, to frustrate oneself.
ton, m. [<Eng. ton] ton. Cf. Sp. tonelada. toriquear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. toro<Eng. bull
tonel, m. [<Sp. tonel, barrel] ton; ton (idle talk)] to shoot the bull (slang).
truck; racklike sideboard put on wag¬ torito, m. [<Sp. dim. of toro, bull] a kind
ons or trucks; tunnel; hay-loader. of cocklebur; torito de la virgen, ant lion.
tonses, m. pi. [<Eng. tonsils] tonsils. tornaboda,/. [<Mex. Sp. tornaboda] cele¬
tontear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. tontear<tonto, stu¬ bration that takes place the day after a
pid] to miss an opportunity through wedding.
sheer stupidity.
tornillo, m. [<Sp. tornillo, screw] screw;
tontera,/. [<Mex. Sp. tontera] foolish act; bot., Screw bean; faltarle un tornillo a
stupidity. Cf. Sp. tontería. una persona, to be “nuts” or off one’s
topadero, m. [<Sp. topar, to meet by rocker.
chance] goal in the game of chueco, q.v. torote, m. [<Mex. Sp. torote] a shrub

166
 trancadera
with enlarged or thickened bark which in general. Also, corrido, indita, versos.
holds a supply of water. trago, m. [<Sp. trago, swallow (of liquid)]
torque, m. [<Eng. turkey] tom turkey. a drink, especially of liquor. (Vamos a
See also ganso. echarnos un trago. Let’s have a drink.)
torre,/. [<Sp. torre, tower] darle a uno en traídas y llevadas,/ pi. [<Col. N.M. Sp.
la torre, to give someone a sound beat¬ traidas y llevadas] loose women; prosti¬
ing. tutes.
torrejas,/, pi. [<Sp. torrejas, fritters] egg . . . y al desarmarle, como él se imagi¬
naba que aquellas traidas y llevadas
fritters; torrejas con chile, egg fritters
que le desarmaban eran algunas princi¬
with chile.
pales señoras . . .
torreón, m. [<Sp. aug. of torre, tower] Col.
. . . and as they took off his arms, for
N.M. Sp., a round-shaped tower built
he imagined that these loose women
for defense; pi., round flat stones
were some important ladies, . . .
found in streams. See Sp. lajas.
(Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don
torta,/ [<Sp. torta, loaf] loaf of bread; Quijote de la Mancha)
estar prendido de la torta, to be feeding
tramitar, vb. [<Sp. trámite, procedure] to
from the public trough. See also teta.
plot, to plan. Cf. Sp. tramar.
tortera, /. [<Sp. torta] a kind of bread
tramos, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. slang tramos]
pan; tin or wood cover for adobe ovens.
trousers, pants (slang).
tosayes, m. pi. [<Tewa tosayes] strips of
trampa,/ [<Sp. trampa, trap] trap; spring
dry pumpkin.
catch, as on a cigarette case; pi, clothes¬
tostadas,/ pi [<Mex. Sp. tostadas<torti- pins. See also mordaz and palito (palitos
llas tostadas] fried tortilla chips. de la ropa).
tostón, m. [<Mex. Sp. tostón, a coin worth trampar, vb. [<Sp. trampa, trap] to trap;
fifty centavos] fifty cents; bot., cultivated to catch, as a finger. (Se trampó un dedo.
Cosmos, a plant of the Aster family. He caught one of his fingers.) To pin
totacho, m. [<Mex. Sp. totache<Náhuatl under; to run over, to trample; trampar
to, our, and tatli, father] our language, oreja, to retire, to go to bed.
i.e., the Spanish language spoken in Adiós, adiós,
the American Southwest. que te vaya bien;
trabajar, vb. [<Sp. trabajar and Eng. to que te trampe el tren
work] to work; to function. (Mi reíos que te machuque bien.
no trabaja. My watch is not running Good-bye, good-bye,
[working].) May you fare well;
trabán, m. [<Sp. truhán, knave] gambler; May a train run over you;
And mangle you well.
rogue.
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. rhyme)
trabar, vb. [<Sp. trabar, to join] to irri¬
tate; to contradict. (No le trabes. Don’t trampe, m. [<Eng. tramp] hobo, tramp;
contradict him. Nos trabaron los dedos. parvenu.
They turned us down.) trampear, vb. [<Eng. to tramp] to lead
trácalas,/ pi. [<Mex. Sp. trácalas] schemes; the life of a tramp; trampear el tren, to
debts (rare). ride the rods.
tracalero, -ra, adj. [<Mex. Sp. tracalero, tranca,/ [<Sp. tranca, bar placed across
schemer] said of one who owes many a door from within] crossbar; lock.
bills (rare). (Echale tranca al carro. Lock the car.)
tragedia, / [<Mex. Sp. tragedia] ballad See atrancar.
dealing with some tragic theme; ballad trancadera, / [<N.M. Sp. tranca, lock]

167
trancar
door latch. trato. This store has a lot of business.)
trancar, vb. [<N.M. Sp. tranca, lock] to travesía,/. [<Sp. travesía, crossing] short¬
close; to lock. (Tranca la puerta. Close cut.
[or lock] the door.) See also atrancar. tray, m. [<Eng. try] try; hacer el tray, to •
trancazo, m. [<N.M. Sp. tranca, crossbar] try, to attempt.
blow with a tranca; blow in general. (Se treato, m. [<Sp. met. of teatro] theatre.
dio un trancazo. He bumped his head.)
treila, m. [<Eng. trailer] trailer. Also,
tranchete, m. [<Sp. tranchete, shoemaker’s tréilar.
heel knife] meat carver; mirar de tran¬
treinta-treinta, m. [<Eng. thirty-thirty
chete, to look out of the corner of one’s
(.30-30) rifle] a .30-30 rifle.
eye. See also ganchete.
tren, m. [<Sp. tren, series of things] be¬
traque, m. [<Eng. track] railroad track;
longings; furniture; things. (Aquí llegó
racetrack; estar juera del traque, to be
la Senaida con su tren. Senaida just got
“nuts”; to be goofy.
here with her furniture and belong¬
traqueado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. traque ings.)
(juera del traque)] goofy; “nuts.”
tresquilar, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. tresquilar]
traquear, vb. [<Sp. traquear, to crack] to to shear (sheep).
burst; to explode. (La Elisa está que ya
tripa,/. [<Sp. tripa, gut] garden hose. *
traquea. Elisa is so large [fat with child]
that she is about to burst.) To hit with triques, m. pi. [<Mex. Sp. triques, kitchen
a loud sound (like a slap). (¡Cállate o te utensils] articles of furniture; house¬
traqueo! Shut up or I’ll slap you good.) hold goods.

trasbocar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. trasbocar, to tritear, vb. [<Eng. to treat] to treat. #
vomit] to breathe one’s last breath; to trítico, -ca, adj. [<Sp. crítico, critical] said
vomit. of someone who makes fun of or ridi¬
trasbocadera,/. [<N.M. Sp. trasbocar, to cules others’ opinions, customs, views,
vomit] vomiting spell. etc.; faultfinding.

traspasado, -da, adj. [<Sp. traspasar, to tritiquear, vb. [<Sp. criticar, to criticize]
transfix] famished; weak from lack of to criticize; to find fault. (Al Max le
nourishment. gusta mucho tritiquear. Max sure likes to
criticize.)
trasquila,/. [<Sp. trasquilar, to shear] Col.
N.M. Sp., a form of branding; shear¬ troca,/ [<Eng. truck] truck; troca de los «*
ing season (sheep); work of shearing lumbreros, fire engine; troca de dompe,
sheep. dump truck.

trastes, m. pi [<Mex. Sp. trastes, dishes] trocada,/. [<N.M. Sp. troca, truck] truck-
trastes de barro, pottery; trastes de con¬ load.
cha, china dishes; fregar los trastes, to trocado, -da, adj. [<Sp. trocar, to ex¬
wash the dishes. Cf. Sp. lavar los platos. change] distorted. (Habla inglés todo
trastear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. trastear, to search] trocado. He speaks English badly [in a
to go through or search carelessly distorted way]. Trae los zapatos trocados.
through a drawer; to reel, to stagger; He’s got his shoes on wrong.)
to pry into (drawers, trunks, etc.). See trocón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of troca, truck]
also josear. large truck; semitrailer.
trastero, m. [<N.M. Sp. trastes, dishes] trochil, m. [<Col. N.M. Sp. troxil, dim. of
cupboard; china closet. trox [tros], granary] small enclosure;
trato, m. [<Mex. Sp. trato, small store or hogpen, pigsty. Cf. Mod. Sp. troj.
stand] business. (Esta tienda tiene mucho trochimochi, adv. [<Sp. troche moche] hel-

168
 tuniquera
ter-skelter; in a confused manner. Rafela wants the biggest piece for her¬
troja,/. [<Sp. troj] granary. self.)
They filled mud trojas to the ceiling troque, m. [<Eng. truck] truck. See also
with rich grain, for these great, big troca.
houses were built for abundance and troquear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. troque] to truck.
to be self-sustaining. In those years troquero, -ra, m. and/. [<N.M. Sp. troque]
Taos county had become the gra¬ truck driver.
nary of New Mexico. (Cleofas M. Jar-
troquita,/. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of troca] small
amillo, Shadows of the Past)
truck; pickup truck; fancy or brand-
trojero, -ra, m. and / [<N.M. Sp. troja, new truck.
granary] keeper of the troja or gra¬
trotear, vb. [<Sp. trotear, to trot; to get a
nary in the game of canute.
person to move quickly] to set on; to
Three small earthen pots were then
incite, to urge on. (La trotearon que vini¬
brought into the room. The largest
era a echarme mis papas. They set her
one was given to Tomás, making
on to come and tell me off.)
him the trojero of the Troja Mayor
(the holder of the main granary). trovo, m. [<Sp. trova, verse] a kind of
One hundred and one kernels were poetic composition in which two or
then put into his pot—his troja. (Regi- more folk poets engage in dialogue
naldo Espinosa, “Canute,” New Mexico covering a wide variety of subjects (phi¬
Magazine) losophy, Biblical themes, etc.). The
most popular New Mexico trovos are
trola,/ [<Eng. trowel, trowel for plas-
those of old man Vilmas (El Viejo Vil-
tering<Mex. Sp. trola, match, light]
mas), Chicoria, Cienfuegos, and other
match, light (slang).
bards; poetic joust.
trompa,/. [<Mex. Sp. trompa, snout]
snout; thick, protruding lips; darle a trucha,/. [<Sp. trucha] trout; trucha ro¬
alguien en la trompa, to hit someone in silla, rainbow trout; ir a la trucha, to go
the mouth; poner tamaña trompa, to fishing; adj., sly, not easily deceived.
sulk. ¡Truchas! Look out! Watch it! (slang).
Ponerse trucha, to be on the lookout
trompada,/ [<Mex. Sp. trompada] a blow
(slang).
on the face (mouth or nose) with one’s
hand. trusco,m. [<Mex. Sp. trusco<Sp. trocisco?,
piece] stool (turd). ¡Come truscos! Go to
trompeta, . [<Mex. Sp. trompeta] drunk;
blazes! Skip it! Forget it!
merry, especially from drinking.
tubo, m. [<Eng. tube] inner tube.
trompezar, vb. [<Sp. tropezar] to stumble;
to trip. tucero,m. [<Mex. Sp. tucero<tuza, prairie
dog] prairie-dog hole or mound.
trompezón, m. [<Sp. tropezón] act of trip¬
ping or stumbling. tule, m. [<Mex. Sp. ít¿/c<Náhuatl tullin]
bot., Cattail. See also aguapá.
trompillo, m. [<Sp. dim. of trompo, top]
bot., Morning glory. tumbaga, / [<Mex. Sp. tumbaga, gold
ring] a large ring made of an alloy of
trompitas,/ pi. [<N.M. Sp. trompa, snout]
copper and gold.
hacer trompitas, to pucker the lips.
túnel [tunél],m. [<Sp. túnel<Eng. tunnel]
trompudo, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. trompudo]
having a long snout or thick, protrud¬ cave; tunnel.

ing lips. túnico, m. [<Sp. túnico, a kind of gown]

woman’s dress; túnico de cola, gown
troncha,/ [<Mex. Sp. troncha, food] larg¬
est piece, slice or portion of anything. with a long train.
(La Rafela quiere toda la troncha par’ ella. tuniquera, / [<N.M. Sp. túnico, dress]

169
turco
dressmaker; seamstress. tusado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. tusar] bobbed
turco, -ca, m. and/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. turco, hair; a style of haircut.
Turk, gypsy] gypsy; fortune-teller. tusar, vb. [<Sp. atusar, to cut hair evenly]
Also, húngaro. to bob (hair).
turra,/. [<Sp. zurra [0úfa], flogging] flog¬ tútano, m. [<Sp. tuétano] bone marrow.
ging; whipping. tuza,/. [<Mex. Sp. ¿t¿za<Náhuatl tuzan]
tusa, tusero. See tuza, tucero. prairie dog.

170
 Un grito a tiempo saca un cimarrón del monte.
A shout in time gets a stray animal out of the
woods.
(A stitch in time saves nine.)

ubrada, adj. [<Sp. ubre, udder] applied low end. At the other end, the closed
to a cow with a swollen udder, end, it had one line drawn. This ca¬
nute was called el Uno (The One).
ubre, m. [<Sp. ubre (f.), udder] udder,
(Reginaldo Espinosa, “Cañute,” New
ulcera [ulséra],/. [<Sp. úlcera] ulcer. Mexico Magazine)
¡Újule!, interj. [<Mex. Sp. ¡Újule!] excl.
unto, m. [<Sp. unto, grease] axle grease.
denoting surprise or ridicule.
úlsuras,/. pi. [<Sp. úlceras] ulcers, uñas,/, pi. [<Sp. uñas, fingernails, toe¬
nails] claws, fingernails, talons, toe¬
ullar, vb. [<Sp. aullar] to howl,
nails. Uñas largas (long fingernails), a
ullido, m. [<Sp. aullido] howl,
term applied to a person known to be
umento, m. [<Sp. aumento] sideboard a cleptomaniac; enseñar (or sacar) las
placed on the box of a wagon or truck, uñas, to show one’s teeth; to show one’s
ungüente, m. [<Sp. ungüento] ointment, true colors; echar las cinco uñas a una
salve. See also ingüente, salvia. cosa or clavarle la uña a una cosa, to
uniones,/, pi. [<Eng. union suit] heavy steal, to swipe.
winter underwear. Uropa,/. [<Sp. Europa] Europe.
uno, m. [<Sp. uno, one] one; El uno, name usía, m. and/ [<Sp. usía<vuestra señoría]
of one of the four batons used in the your lordship, sir; ma’am; un usía, a
game of canute. certain someone.
Another of the canutes was striped
only one fourth part of its surface— ¡Uta! ,interj. [<Sp. euph. of ¡Puta!] Damn!
the burnt stripes running to the hol¬ (euph.).

171
 Vale más adorada de viejo que esclava de joven.
Better be an old man’s darling than a young
man’s slave.

vaca,/. [<Sp. vaca, cow] cow; female elk; bond] loose woman, prostitute, whore.
Col. N.M. Sp., vacas de Cíbola, buffalo. vagamundo, m. [<Sp. vagabundo] irre¬
Also, cíbolos. Vaca orra, sterile cow. See sponsible bum.
orra.
vaina,/. [<Mex. Sp. vaina, lie] echar vainas,
vaciar, vb. [<Sp. vaciar, to empty] to de¬ to cast sarcastic remarks or aspersions.
flate a tire; to empty; reflex., to reach
valer, vb. [<Sp. valer, to be worth] to be
an orgasm.
worth. (No me valió. I couldn’t get away
vaciero, m. [<Sp. vaciero, a kind of shep¬ with it.) Valerse a la comadre, to swear
herd] Col. N.M. Sp., assistant to a ca¬ eternal friendship (one woman to an¬
poral (foreman) in a sheep ranch. other).
vacil, m. [<Mex. Sp. vacilón, fun] fun, Chiquigüitito de flores
good time; binge. no te redames,
vacilada,/. [<Mex. Sp. vacilada] raillery; que en esta vida y en l’otra
teasing; noisy mirth. siempre seremos comadres.
Redondito, redondón,
vacilar, vb. [<Mex. Sp. vacilar] to kid; to
la que se vale a la comadre
make fun of. (Te están vacilando. They
se le parte el corazón.
are kidding you [pulling your leg].)
Little flower basket
To deceive or two-time a person. (Su
Do not spill over,
güisa lo está vacilando. His girl friend is
For in this life and the next
two-timing him.)
We will always be good friends.
vacilón, m. [<Mex. Sp. vacilón] good time, Round and round and round again
fun; binge, carousal, spree. Whoever swears eternal friendship
vagamunda,/ [<Sp. vagamunda, vaga¬ Will be brokenhearted.

172
 vega
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso her thumb the roof of the palate so
popular) the baby would not grow up chato,
valorista, adj. [<Sp. valor, courage] brave, flat-nosed. (Cleofas M. Jaramillo,
courageous, daring. Shadows of the Past)

valse, m. [<Sp. vals, waltz] waltz; valse varillero, m. [<Sp. varilla, rod] peddler;
chiquiao (or versiao), a dance during hawker. The term varillero was applied
which dancing partners compliment early in the twentieth century to ped¬
each other in poetic quatrains. dlers in New Mexico (mostly Syrians,
Lebanese, etc., who rode the rods
Eres linda entre las lindas
under railroad boxcars and went from
linda sin comparación
town to town selling pins, needles,
lindos tu padre y tu madre
y linda tu generación. thread, etc.).
You are beautiful among the varjel, m. [<Sp. verjel, flower garden] gar¬
beautiful den (rare).
Beautiful beyond compare; Hizo que Adán se durmiera
Your parents are wonderful en un hermoso varjel
And so is all your lineage. y le dio una compañera
(N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. verso pa que estuviera con él.
popular) He caused Adam to slumber
vallero, m. [<N.M. Sp. del valle] a kind of In a beautiful flower garden
blanket with a complicated pattern of And gave him a female companion
stars. The vallero is said to have origi¬ To live with him there.
nated in El Valle, near Trampas, New (N.M. and so. Colo. Sp. Entriega de
novios)
Mexico.
vaqueta,/. [<Sp. vaqueta, tanned cowhide] varseliana,/ [<Mex. Sp. varsoviana<Var-
leather in general; leather strap. sovia, Warsaw] a kind of folk ball¬
room dance known in New Mexico and
vaquetón, -na, adj. [<Mex. Sp. vaquetón, southern Colorado as the “put-your-
lazy person] impudent; brazen; rude, little-foot-forward” dance.
shameless; m. and/., rascal, rogue.
vecino, -na, m. and/. [<Sp. vecino, neigh¬
vara, f. [<Sp. vara, a variable unit of bor] neighbor (friend); citizen; inhab¬
length about 2.8 ft.] vara de San José, itant; head of a household; Col. N.M.
bot., Hollyhock. Sp., taxpayer.
várbula (várvula),f. [<Sp. válvula] valve. vedera,/. [<Sp. vereda] path; shortcut;
vargueño, m. [<Sp. vargueño^Vargas] a agarrar la vedera, to take the shortcut.
kind of desk; a chest-secretary. Also, vega,/. [<Sp. vega] grassland; meadow;
bargueño. pastureland.
The Spanish clerk worked at a var¬ With Mexican independence came
gueño, a sort of chest filled with a new policy. Lands were granted to
drawers, from which the lid was let individuals for their own use and to
down as a writing surface. (Roland groups that were founding colonies.
F. Dickey, New Mexico Village Arts) Grants to settlements included farm¬
varilla,/. [<Sp. varilla, small rod] iron ing lands which were later appor¬
rod; pole; fence post; wooden log; tioned to individual settlers and
beam; pi, rods on a baby’s nose. pasture lands (vegas) which were
When a baby was born the first thing common grazing lands available to
the midwife attended to was to subirle all. (Beatrice Chauvenet, “Titles
las varías de la nariz, raise the rods from the King of Spain,” New Mexico
on the baby’s nose by pressing with Magazine)

173
veigo
veigo, vb. [<Sp. veo<ver, to see] I see. Cf. Sp. con su permiso.
veintidós, m. [<Eng. 22 rifle] 22-caliber venida,/. [<Sp. venir, to come] an inter¬
rifle. mittent stream sometimes carrying
vejentorio, m. [<Sp. vejestorio] group of water; a flash flood.
old people. Also, viejestorio. venir, vb. [<Sp. venir, to come] venir pa
vela,/. [<Sp. vela, candle] candle; vela ’e atrás, to come back, to return; venirle
sebo, tallow candle; vela ’e espelma or su tiempo a una mujer, to menstruate.
vela ’e cera, paraffin or wax candle; venta,/ [<Sp. venta, sale] sale; Col. N.M.
velas de coyote, coyote candles or cholla Sp., branding iron or brand with which
stems; velas de Dios (candles of our an animal was rebranded upon being
Lord), bot., Yucca. sold. The venta or new brand obliter¬
velados, m. pi. [<Sp. velar, to keep watch ated the brand of the previous owner;
over] newlyweds. quitclaim brand; venta de remolida, clear¬
At the first opportunity the newly- ance sale, rummage sale.
married had to be velados—that is, venteado, -da, adj. [<N.M. Sp. venta, quit¬
they must kneel with the padrinos claim brand] said of the animal whose
before the sanctuary rail, holding brand was tampered with, especially
lighted candles, from the Gospel to by rebranding.
the end of the Mass services, in order
ventear, vb. [<N.M. Sp. venta, quitclaim
to receive the nuptial blessing. (Cleo-
brand] to rebrand with a venta or
fas M. Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
branding iron.
velis, m. [<Eng. valise] suitcase. ¡Águila
ventosa,/ [<Sp. ventosa] a kind of laxa¬
con los velises! Heads up! Be on the
tive suppository.
lookout!
ver, vb. [<Sp. ver, to see] to see. (Ahi veraste
velorio, m. [<Mex. Sp. velorio<Sp. vela¬
tú. You’ll see. You’ll find out. [A kind
torio] wake; velorio de angelito, vigil for
of threat.])
a deceased child. See angelito. Velorio
verdolaga,/ [<Sp. verdolaga, bot., Purs¬
de santo, vigil for a saint.
lane] bot., Pigweed.
venado, m. [<Sp. venado, deer] deer; ve¬
vergüero, m. [<Sp. gargüero] gullet, wind¬
nado alazán (or, simply, alazán), elk
pipe. See also guar güero.
(also known as buró). Venado alanés,
stag. verijas,/ pi. [<Sp. verija, lower abdomen]
pubic region; the region of the geni¬
vender, vb. [<Sp. vender, to sell] to sell;
tals.
venderse una persona, an expression
applied to a person who breaks an ob¬ verónicas,/ pi. [<Sp. Verónica, woman’s
ject at a store. (No vayas a quebrar ese name] name given to small girls who
pichel porque te vendes. Don’t break that followed the Penitentes and wiped the
pitcher, because you’ll have to pay for brows of those who were flagellating
it.) Vender a una mujer, an expression themselves during Easter rites.
applied when a man walks along with verruga,/ [<Sp. verruga, wart] chafing;
a woman and she is on the side next to scar or scarred tissue; verruga de bor¬
the curb. rego, fold in sheep’s skin.
vendible, m. [<Sp. vendible, salable] road¬ verso, m. [<Sp. verso, line of poetry] rim¬
side food stand, as fruit stand, ham¬ ing couplet; verso popular, riming cou¬
burger stand, etc. Cf. Sp. puesto. plet used in Southwest Spanish folk
venia,/. [<Col. N.M. Sp. venia] permis¬ poetry.
sion; con la venia, excuse me (said upon vestido, m. [<Sp. vestido, dress] suit; men’s
taking leave of someone in a group). suit of clothes. See túnico and Sp. traje

174
 villero
(suit). people.
vía,/. [<Sp. vida, life] ¡Por vía tuya! Please! viejitos (Los viejitos), m. pi. [<Sp. dim. of
(For your life’s sake!) viejo, old man] the old men; the old
folks; one’s aged parents; Los viejitos, a
vía, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. vía (veía)] used
folk dance of Mexican provenience.
to see, was seeing. (¡Ah, cómo hacía que
no lo vía! I hadn’t seen you in ages!) viejo, -ja, m. and/ [<Sp. viejo, old man]
old man, old woman; husband, wife, a
viaje, m. [<Sp. viaje, trip] viaje redondo,
term of endearment; viejondo, old with
round trip. Cf. Sp. viaje de ida y vuelta.
respect to others of a young group; el
víbora,/. [<Sp. víbora, viper] rattlesnake.
viejo, the boss. Also, el patrón.
viborón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of víbora,
vieneván, m. [<Sp. viene, van] Col. and
rattlesnake] large snake; mythical mon¬
Terr. N.M. Sp., spelling primer, so-
ster snake principally in Taos and Pi-
called because children spelled a word,
curis Indian folklore.
then recited it: v-i-e-n-e (viene), v-a-n
Beyond La Glorieta, the picnic
(van).
grounds of the Taos people, the
viernes (de los morrodos), m. [ < S p. viernes,
Indians forbade white people to
Friday] Viernes de los morrodos, Dunce
enter the river canyon. Stories were
Friday. Col. and Terr. N.M. Sp., tag ap¬
told about the Indians having an
plied to the last school day of the week
enchanted gold mine in the moun¬
when slow learners were kept after
tains; others about the Indians hav¬
school. On Fridays, school children
ing a viborón (monster rattlesnake),
could go home once they had recited
to which they fed infant babies on
their lessons correctly. The morrodos
certain feast days, and this was the
(Sp. modorros) or slow learners many
reason for the non-increase of the
times had to stay after school and do
Pueblo’s population. (Cleofas M.
special chores for the mestro or master
Jaramillo, Shadows of the Past)
(teacher). See also morrodo, (This in¬
vicio, m. [<Sp. vicio, vice, addiction]
formation was supplied by Mr. Ama¬
bad habit; vicio inocente, petty vice, bad
dor Abeyta of Sabinal, New Mexico.)
habit.
viga,/ [<Sp. viga, beam, log] roof beam;
Of all the petty vices practiced by
cargarle la viga a alguno, to tell some¬
the New Mexicans, the vicio inocente
one off. (Mano ’Pimenio me cargó la
of smoking is the most intolerable;
viga. Old man Epimenio told me off.)
and yet it is a habit of which the
loveliest and the most refined equally villa,/. [<Sp. villa, town] Col. N.M. Sp.,
partake. (Josiah Gregg, Commerce of a town with special privileges.
the Prairies) The word villa [veé-yah] cannot prop¬
erly be translated into English, for
vida,/. [<Sp. vida, life] life; a vida y con¬
it meant not a mere town or village,
tento, completely pleased; overjoyed;
but a special settlement with royal
to one’s full enjoyment and satisfac¬
prerogatives as a capital, which when
tion.
grown bigger, would be given the
vide, vb. [<Col. N.M. Sp. vide] I saw (vide,
title of Ciudad Real or royal city.
vites, vido, vimos, -, vieron). Cf. (Fray Angélico Chávez, “The King¬
Mod. Sp. vi. dom of New Mexico,” New Mexico
vidrio, m. [<Sp. vidrio, glass] crystal; glass; Magazine)
windshield (car). Also, virdio. villero, -ra, adj. [<Sp. villa, town] towns¬
viejacondo, adj. See viejo (viejondo). people; pi, the people of Santa Fe,
viejestorio, m. [<Sp. vejestorio, petulant New Mexico.
old man] group or gathering of old Santa Fe never developed enough

175
villita
in Spanish times to become a city; it I remember being begged
stayed a villa ... Its inhabitants were By those who now hardly see me,
not called ‘Santa Féans’ but villeros, And seeing this turn of events
even within my memory. (Fray An¬ I am giving you this advice:
gélico Chávez, “The Kingdom of There’s quite an interval of time
New Mexico,” New Mexico Magazine) Between yesterday and today.
villita,/. [<Sp. dim. of villa, town] set¬ (N.M. Sp. folk poetry)
tlement; suburb; village. volada,/ See bolada.
vinatero, m. [<Sp. vinatero, vintner] Col.
volado, -da, adj. [<Sp. volarse, to become
and Terr. N.M. Sp., distillery.
irritated or exasperated] said of the
According to local tradition supplied
person who gets annoyed or angry
by Mr. Pascual Martínez of Taos, a
on the slightest provocation; flighty;
“John Rawlins” lived at Taos in the
touchy; immature.
early [18]30’s. He and a brother were
engaged in the fur trade and later volante, m. [<Am. Sp. volante, a two¬
established a distillery, or vinatero wheeled covered vehicle] Col. and
about three miles up the little Rio Terr. N.M. Sp., a kind of two-wheeled
Grande cañón in charge of one Pe¬ carriage lighter than a carreta (oxcart).
dro Antonio Gallegos. (Lansing B. The latter [the Ecclesiastical Judge
Bloom, “Barreiro’s Ojeada Sobre don Lorenzo Rivera] is insolvent on
Nuevo México,” New Mexico Histori¬ the one hand, and on the other, it is
cal Review) known that he keeps a volante with
violín, m. [<Sp. violín] de violin, free, gra¬ which he furnishes the presidios
tis; at someone else’s expense. with seeds, etc., and that he is a very
wealthy father. (Eleanor B. Adams
virdio, m. [<Sp. met. of vidrio, glass] glass;
and Fray Angelico Chávez, The Mis¬
crystal; windshield (car).
sions of New Mexico, 1776)
virgüela,/. [<Sp. viruela] pock; smallpox;
volantín, m. [<Mex. Sp. volantín, somer¬
virgüela de gallina, chicken pox.
sault] merry-go-round. See caballito
visita, / [<Sp. visita, visit] subordinate
(Los caballitos).
mission administered by a priest in res¬
voltear, vb. [<Mex. Sp. voltear] to turn (a
idence at a neighboring parish.
page, a corner, etc.); voltear pa atrás, to
vistas, /. pi. [<Sp. vista, view] movies;
turn back, to look back.
show.
Entré a la iglesia
vítores, m. pi. [<Sp. vítor, shout of joy] y pisé una grada,
Hurrah! Good news! voltié pa atrás
vitrola,/. [<Eng. Victrola] Victrola; pho¬ y no vide nada.
nograph. I went into the church
vivas,f. pi. [<Sp. ¡Viva!, Long live . . . !] And stepped upon a step;
excl. of joy; compliments; a kind of I then looked back
toast honoring a guest. And didn’t see a thing.
(La granada, The Pomegranate, N.M.
vivén, m. [<Sp. vaivén] fluctuation; vicis¬
Sp. riddle)
situde, turn of events, change.
Recuerdo que me rogaban vuelo, m. [<Sp. vuelo, flight] flight; darse
los que ahora apenas me ven, vuelo, to have a good time.
y mirando tal vivén vuelta,/. [<Sp. vuelta, stroll] stroll; turn;
dándoles consejo estoy . . . poner a uno de vuelta y media, to tell
de que hay una gran distancia someone off; tirar la vuelta (or tirar la
la que va de ayer a hoy. última vuelta), to die.

176
 Ya está muy viejo Pedro pa cabrero.
Peter is much too old for a goatherd.
(The old gray mare is not what she used to be.)

yagual, m. [<Mex. Sp. yagual<Náhuatl let gaura; yerba de la víbora, bot., Snake
yahualli] a kind of pad or bolster placed or Rattlesnake weed; yerba del apache,
on the head to cushion the weight of bot., Indian paintbrush or Painted cup
objects carried on one’s head. (same as yerba de la miel virgen)', yerba
del buey, bot., Gum plant; yerba del ca¬
yantén, m. [<Indian?] bot., Common
ballo, bot., Groundsel; yerba del chivato,
plantain.
bot., Jerusalem oak; yerba del lobo, bot.,
yarda,/. [<Eng. yard] yard; yardstick; Orange sneezeweed; yerba del manso,
enclosure; backyard; railroad yard; bot., a plant of the Lizard’s tail family;
yarda de madera, lumberyard. yerba del negro, bot., Globe mallow; yerba
yela,/. [<Eng. jelly] jelly; yeta de champe, del oso, bot., Cow parsnip; yerba del
rosehipjelly. pasmo, bot., Chill weed; yerba del peco,
yerna,/. [<Sp.yema, bud] hangnail. bot., Baneberry; yerba del pescado, bot.,
Pennsylvania smartweed; yerba del pujo,
yerba,/ [<Sp. yerba, herb; grass] herbs;
a plant used in the curing of tenesmus;
weeds. (Cortaron la yerba. They cut the
yerba parda, bot., Blueweed; yerba santa,
weeds.) Cf. Sp. mala yerba. Yerbabuena,
bot., Mountain balm,
bot., Mint; yerba de Alonso García, bot.,
yerbal, m. [<Sp. yerba, weeds] a pile of
Feather dalea, a medicinal plant; yerba
weeds; a place covered with weeds,
de la golondrina, bot., Spurge; yerba de
la miel virgen, bot., Indian paintbrush yesquera, /. [<Sp. yesquero, tinderbox]
or Painted cup; yerba de la negrita, bot., tinderbox.
Bristly mallow; yerba de la peña or de la If the tinder box, or yesquera, ever
piedra, bot., Gray lichen, Moss; yerba de la was common in New Mexico, it has
sangre, bot., Creeping barberry, Ore¬ survived only in one example in the
gon grape; yerba de la virgen, bot., Scar¬ collection of the Historical Society.

177
yonque
This one is of German silver and is went to the junkyard and brought back
therefore easily dated in the later all this worthless stuff.)
19th century. It is marked “Josefa yugo,m. [<Mex. Sp. slangywgo<Sp.ywg0,
Valdez” making it the property of a yoke] work (slang); a job. (¿Quése el
lady. (E. Boyd, “The Use of Tobacco Félix?—Todavía en el yugo. Cae aquí
in Spanish New Mexico,” El Palacio) como a las cinco de la tarde. Where’s
yonque, m. [<Eng.junk]junk; junkyard. Felix? Still working. He gets here about
(Los muchitos jueron ai yonque y de allá five o’clock.) See also jale and chamba
llegaron con todo este garrero. The kids (slang).

178
 Zorra vieja no cae en la trampa.
You can’t catch old birds with chaff.

zacate, m. [<Mex. Sp. zacate, grass] grass; zafón, m. [<N.M. Sp. zafarse] a sudden
hay; straw; zacate del burro, cut and jerk. (Pegó un zafón y se nos soltó. He
dried sagebrush used in the making jerked suddenly and got away from
of brooms (also called popotón). us.)

zacatera,/. [<N.M. Sp. zacate, grass] shed zaguán, m. [<Sp. zaguán, entrance hall]
or barn in which hay, straw, etc., are entrance; vestibule; a sort of wide
outside sheltered entrance or gate;
stored.
breezeway.
zacatito, m. [<N.M. Sp. dim. of zacate]
zalea,/. [<Sp. zalea, sheepskin mat] sheep¬
tender grass; lawn; lawn grass. (Vamos
skin; goatskin; tender la zalea, to die.
a sentarnos en el zacatito. Let’s sit out on
the lawn.) zampar, vb. [<Sp. zampar] to thrust one
thing into another; to enter; to hit, to
zacatón, m. [<N.M. Sp. aug. of zacate,
grass] bot., Bunch grass; Porcupine strike.
grass. zancajoso, -sa, adj. [<Sp. zancajoso, clum¬
zacatonal, m. [<N.M. Sp. zacatón, Bunch sy] gawky.
grass] spots covered with zacatón or zapatero, m. [<Sp. zapatero, shoemaker]
Bunch grass. quedarse uno zapatero, to be left without
making a single point in a game.
zafado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. zafado] crazy,
zapato, m. [<Sp. zapato, shoe] shoe; zapatos
“nuts”; silly.
de hule, rubbers; galoshes; overshoes.
zafarse, vb. [<Mex. Sp. zafarse, to become
zapeta,/. [<Mex. Sp. zapeta] diaper.
dislocated] to become dislocated (joints,
etc.). (Se le zafó un hombro. He suffered zarcillo, m. [<Sp. zarcillo, tendril of a vine
a shoulder separation.) or other climbing plant] bot., Fuchsia,

179
zoquetal
a plant of the Evening primrose fam¬ zorra, /. [<Sp. zorra, fox] fox; hacer la
ily; Bleeding heart. zorra, to take time off on the job; to
zoquetal, m. [<Mex. Sp. zoquete, mud] loaf; to goldbrick.
muddy place; mudhole. zorrera,/. [<N.M. Sp. zorrero, loafer] a
zoquete, m. [<Mex. Sp. zo<7t¿£fe<Náhuatl term applied to a sheep that insists on
zoquitl] mud; plaster. straying from the flock.
zoquetero, -ra, m. and /. [<N.M. Sp. zo¬ zotea,/ [<Sp. azotea, flat roof] roof. (Que
quete, mud, plaster] plasterer, especi¬ no se suban los muchitos a la zotea porque
ally one who uses mud to plaster adobe se caen. Don’t let the kids get on the
walls. roof because they’ll fall.)
zoquetoso, -sa, adj. [<N.M. Sp. zoquete, zumbado, -da, adj. [<Mex. Sp. zumba,
mud] muddy. ¡Zoquete! Like heck! drunken spree] drunk; tramp.

180
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189
 Praise for
A Dictionary of New Mexico
and Southern Colorado Spanish
By Rubén Cobos
“Professor Cobos provides all the pertinent information con¬
cerning each individual entry, including sources, pronuncia¬
tion and usage. The format is consistent and clear. The study
is monumental and exhaustive in scope. I believe the work
will become a classic in its field."
SABINE R. ULlBARRI
•Professor of Modern and Classical Languages
University of New Mexico

“This book has long been awaited by the scholarly community

in the Southwest. It is doubtful that anyone but Professor Cobos
could produce this work today, since much of his material . . .
was collected beginning in the 1940s.
“Cohos’ study represents the first serious attempt by a lex¬
icographer to deal with the variant of the Spanish language
which has evolved over the past 300 years in Northern New
Mexico and Southern Colorado. The dictionary should go
far in establishing this speech as a legitimate dialect of
Spanish and in calling attention to its richness, variety and
historical significance.”
MARC SIMMONS
Author, New Mexico: A History;
Albuquerque, A Narrative History;
Co-Author, Southwestern Colonial Ironwork

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pro¬

fessor Rubén Cobos is an in¬
ductee of the New Mexico Folk¬
Cover design by Glen Strock lore Hall of Fame. His long and
interesting career has included
te^rhinor jobs at Stanford Uni-
Highlands
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