it's

Contraction of ‘it is’, ‘it has’ or 'it was'.

it’s too expensive; it’s coming right for us!; it's a free country

[...], guided not by his own Will, but by the Medick Science, which dictates, that it's recessary, beneficial, and convenient to alter, mix, and temper this medicine, and fit it to the Disposition, and Constitution of the Patient[.]

1743, Martin Marley, The Good Confessor, page 307:

The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about[…]and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention. Partly, this is a result of how online advertising has traditionally worked: advertisers pay for clicks, and a click is a click, however it's obtained.

2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 48:

It’s been a long time since I’ve had cheesecake.

It’s the same stoneground flour from this week that we used to make last week's strudel.

I guess for you it's the past that had a surprise in store.

2016, Dominique Roques, Pico Bogue - Volume 4 - Striking the Balance, page 31:

it's a fine line between love and hate; it's a package for you by the door

(dialectal) There's, there is; there're, there are.


its

As for the main bulk of Palaces, its true ſome have a greatneſs in plainneſs, […]

1662, Balthazar Gerbier, A Brief Discourse Concerning the Three Chief Principles of Magnificent Building. Viz. Solidity, Conveniency, and Ornament., London, page 37:


your

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

non-rhotic, show–sure merger, African-American Vernacular

yaw (non-rhotic, paw–poor merger or dialectal)

From Middle English your, youre, ȝour, ȝoure, from Old English ēower, īower (“your”, plural), from Proto-West Germanic *iuwar, from Proto-Germanic *izweraz. Cognate with Saterland Frisian jou (“your”), Dutch jouw (“your”), German Low German jo, jos (“your”), German euer (“your”, plural), Danish jeres (“your”).


their

From Old Norse þeirra. Replaced native Old English heora.


you're

your (unstressed form, also sometimes stressed form)

You’re smarter than I am!

“Heavens!” exclaimed Nina, “the blue-stocking and the fogy! —and yours are pale blue, Eileen!—you’re about as self-conscious as Drina—slumping there with your hair tumbling à la Mérode! Oh, it's very picturesque, of course, but a straight spine and good grooming is better.[…]”

1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:


ai

Contraction of aight (which itself is a contraction of all right).

Ai, let's go.


whose

From Middle English whos, from Old English hwæs, from Proto-Germanic *hwes, genitive case of *hwaz (“who”) *hwat (“what”).


gone

Take or be taken. Get yours or get got. It was the code of the streets and I'd lived by it. The way things was looking, I was prolly gone die by it too.

2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 24:

Alternative spelling of gon／gon': short for gonna, going to.


there

From Middle English there, ther, thare, thar, thore, from Old English þēr, þǣr, þār (“there; at that place”), from Proto-West Germanic *þār, from Proto-Germanic *þar (“at that place; there”), from Proto-Indo-European *tó-r (“there”), from demonstrative pronominal base *to- (“the, that”) + adverbial suffix *-r̥.
Cognate with Scots thar, thair (“there”), North Frisian dear, deer, där (“there”), Saterland Frisian deer (“there”), West Frisian dêr (“there”), Dutch daar (“there”), Low German dar (“there”), German da, dar- (“there”), Danish der (“there”), Norwegian der (“there”), Swedish där (“there”), Icelandic þar (“in that place, there”).


who's

Who’s that in my bed?

Who’s been sleeping in my bed?

“Who’s he want to fight?” Martin asked, and the man said: “I’ve heard him twice. He wants to kick the Indians out of Texas. He wants to fight Santy Anny and whip him proper. And he wants us to take Santy Fay”.

2014, James A. Michener, Texas, page 572:


das

(often African-American Vernacular) That is; that's


am

From Middle English am, em, from Old English eam, eom (“am”), from Proto-West Germanic *im, from Proto-Germanic *immi, *izmi (“am”, form of the verb *wesaną (“to be; dwell”)), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésmi (“I am, I exist”).
Cognate with Old Norse em (Old Swedish æm (“am”)), Gothic 𐌹𐌼 (im, “am”), Ancient Greek εἰμῐ́ (eimí, “am”), Old Armenian եմ (em, “am”), Albanian jam (“am”).

(informal or dialectal) Contraction of I am.


arrow

though he hath lived here this many years, I don't believe there is arrow a servant in the house ever saw the colour of his money.

1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 153:

(obsolete) Contraction of ever a (sometimes used with a redundant a or an).


you'd

2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Omega (Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi):
Morinth: Look into my eyes and tell me you want me. Tell me you'd kill for me. Anything I want.


I'd

I'd already been there, but I wanted to go again.

But had me believing it was always something that I'd done [...]

2011, Gotye, Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) [Official Music Video] (yt)

I'd like to go to Armenia one day, but am worried about the weather.


'tis

’Tis a shame!

’Tis but a scratch!

No, ’tis not ſo deep as a vvell, nor ſo vvide as a church-door [i.e., a wound]; but ’tis enough, ’tvvill ſerve: aſk for me to-morrovv, and you ſhall find me a grave man.

c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

Why should we say ’tis yet too soon, / To seek for Heaven or think of death […]

1825, Harrison’s Amusing Picture and Poetry Book, page 5:

It looks well in a picter, I’ve heerd say; but there an’t weather in picters, and maybe ’tis fitter for that, than for a place to live in.

1844 (date written), Charles Dickens, “Third Quarter”, in The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year out and a New Year in, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1845, →OCLC, page 119:

(literary or archaic, also occasionally informal) Contraction of it is.


she's

* Contraction of she is.
* Contraction of she has.

ő

with a noun or adjective in the predicate

(neki) van …-a/-e/-ja/-je (with the possessive form of the noun)


usedn't to

He usedn’t to live in London.

Usedn't your uncle to live with you?

(Ireland, archaic in British, obsolete elsewhere) used not to, didn't use to


sha'n't

Bel[linda] […] Nay you ſha'n't go one ſtep out of the room. / […] Lady B[rute] Pray give me leave. / Lady Fanc[yfull] You know I won't. / Lady B. Indeed I muſt. / Lady Fanc. Indeed you ſha'n't. / Lady B. Indeed I will. / Lady Fanc. Indeed you ſha'n't. / Lady B. Indeed I will. / Lady Fanc. Indeed you ſha'n't. Indeed Indeed Indeed you ſha'n't. (Exit Lady Fanc. running. They follow.

1697, [John Vanbrugh], The Provok'd Wife: A Comedy, as It is Acted at the New Theatre, in Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields, London: Printed by J. O. for R. Wellington, at the Lute in St. Paul's Church Yard, and Sam. Briscoe in Covent-Garden, →OCLC, act III, page 33:

[Alice:] I'm sure I sha'n't be able!

1866, Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 2, →ISBN, page 14:

That's not a threat, sir, for they have played fair with me, and I sha'n't sacrifice a penny of their money—unless they force me to do so. But—I'm in control. I'm sitting pretty. They can't unseat me, and I warn them not to try.

1922, Rex [Ellingwood] Beach, “chapter XXIV”, in Flowing Gold, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, by arrangement with Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 290:


wo'n't

(archaic) Alternative spelling of wouldn't


I'll

These fragments I have shored against my ruins / Why then Ile fit you.

1922 October, T[homas] S[tearns] Eliot, “Part V. What the Thunder Said.”, in The Waste Land, 1st book edition, New York, N.Y.: Boni and Liveright, published December 1922, →OCLC, page 49, lines 430–431:


wanna

Contractions. Attested as early as 1824.

I wanna go home!

'Pair of shoes for you at last.' I picked one up. It was weathered, with a split heel and no laces. 'Too big for me,' I said, dropping it back to the floor. 'Wanna look at the Germans, like?' said Ade, standing. 'Proper, like? Come on.[…]

2017 January 31, Emma Kennedy, Shoes for Anthony: A Novel, Macmillan, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 115:

(colloquial) Represents a contracted pronunciation of want to.

I wanna puppy!

(colloquial) Represents a contracted pronunciation of want a.


gotta

I gotta learn this for my exam.

If there's beer, dude, you don't even gotta ask.

“All right, let’s go. They must have sake, eh? Oh, Izuna, will you come along?”
“If they have fish or meat, you don’t gotta ask, please.”

2016, Yuu Kamiya, translated by Daniel Komen, No Game No Life, volume 4:

(informal, colloquial) Synonym of have got to, have to


gotta

I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night

2009, The Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling:

(informal, colloquial) Contraction of got a.


doona

“I doona ken how he found us,” he muttered darkly.

2005, Karen Marie Moning, Spell of the Highlander, page 122:

“Are you talking to those cats again? Do you really think they listen? Do you really think they understand?”
“I doona know, Grandma. And I doona care.”

2005, Harold Cheney, Jack of Tabbyshire: Jack of Tabbyshire and Other Grandfather Tales, page 9:

“Oh, and doona go near the ruins or the castle when I leave,” he said, picking up the book and heading for the door.

2007, Margo Maguire, A Warrior′s Taking, page 286:


she'll

Yet Ile not leaue to interceſsionate, / To her hard Breaſt, for my too gentle Hart : / That if her Rigor ſhe'le not mitigate, / At leaſt ſhe'le ſomewhat eaſe me of this Smart : / I onely craue if ſhe'le not yeelde relieſe, / T'adiourne my paine, and to proroge my Griefe.

1598, Robert Tofte, “The Second Part of the Moneths Mind of a Melancholy Lover.”, in Alba. The Month's Minde of a Melancholy Lover. (Poetry), published 1880, →OCLC, page 67:


you'll

You’ll cowards don’t even smoke crack.


that'd

That'd be great.


dont

dont tread on me


'taint

“’Taint no need botherin her, then. You kin come around in the mawnin ...
“’Taint no need of that,” Snopes said, take I’ll take you back to Memphis Sunday.


one's

This one's for you.


gimme

Gimme the ball.

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight / Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?

1979, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson (lyrics and music), “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”, in Voulez-Vous, performed by ABBA:

Come on, Dad / Gimme the car tonight / I got this girl, I wanna…

1983, Gordon Gano (lyrics and music), “Gimme the Car”, in Violent Femmes, performed by Violent Femmes:


who'd

Aria also told me that a dead asari woman was found in one of the wealthy apartments -- that she was the one who'd killed my daughter.

2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Thank you from my daughter:


'twill

Mercutio:No: 'tis not so deepe as a well, nor so wide as a Church doore, but 'tis inough, ’twill serue: aske for me to morrow, and you shall find me a graue man.

1597, Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, scene 1:

“You get the Red Room, Kipper.” “Right-ho.” “I had it last year. ’Tis not as deep as a well nor as wide as a church door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve,” I said, recalling a gag of Jeeves’s.

1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter X:


when's

When's the next train?

When's he said he's coming?

When's the next train arrive?

When's the last time you went snorkeling?


what's

What’s going on?

What’s that got to do with it?

What’s that mean?


lorra

Reduction of lot of. Representing a clipped or slurred pronunciation, especially associated with a stereotypical Liverpudlian pronunciation popularised by British singer and TV personality Cilla Black.

We're gonna have a lorra fun tonight, chuck!

(espcially Liverpool) Contraction of lot of.


ur

(Internet slang, text messaging, colloquial) Abbreviation of you're (you are).


dint

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


canna

I canna' change the laws of physics.

1966, “The Naked Time”, in Star Trek: The Original Series, season 1, episode 4, spoken by Scotty (James Doohan):

(Scotland, Cumbria, Jamaica) Contraction of can not: cannot.


that'll

That'll be what the problem is.


that's

From that + 's (contraction of words ending in s).

thass

dialect or representing slurred, drunken speech

That's the book I've been looking for.

Collingwood are saying that's Stephenson's 10th game.

I've managed to find the solution to the problem that's been bugging me all day.


tint

(Yorkshire, colloquial) it is not; it isn't; 'tisn't; it'sn't


you's

Talking to you’s always an adventure.

You’s a goddamn creep.


yer

Yer a lotta nosey parkers.

1991, Kathleen Dayus, Where There's Life, London: Virago Press Ltd:

‘Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh,’ said Hagrid. ‘Harry – yer a wizard.’

1997 June 26, J. K. Rowling [pseudonym; Joanne Rowling], chapter IV, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter; 1), London: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:

(UK, slang) Pronunciation spelling of you're, you are.


chill

Chill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, King Lear, act 4, scene 6, line 226; republished as The Tragedy of King Lear, Cambridge University Press, 2005, →ISBN, page 232:

Yet since their eyes make hart so sore, hey ho, chill love no more.

1588, anon. or William Byrd, Though Amaryllis Daunce in Greene:


woulda

Eye dialect form of a reduction of would have.

You woulda told him the truth.


d'ye

D'ye ken John Peel with his coat so grey?


'sup

Sup, bro?


d'you

D’you go to the store yet?


d'you

D’you think this outfit suits me?


methinks

From Old English mē thyncth, from mē (“to me”) + thyncth (“it seems”) (from þyncan (“to seem”)); equivalent to me (“object pronoun”) + think (“to seem”). The modern syntax would be "it makes me think". Compare synonymous German mir/mich dünkt, Old Norse mér þykkir (Icelandic mér þykir).

methinks the truth should live from age to age,

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

And then methought my dream changed, and two Great Giants with heading-axes came striding over the bed, […]

1862 February, George Augustus [Henry] Sala, “The Strange Adventures of Captain Dangerous; a Narrative in Plain English, […] Chapter the Fourth. My Grandmother Dies, and I am Left Alone, without So Much as a Name.”, in George Augustus Sala, editor, Temple Bar: A London Magazine for Town and Country Readers, volume IV, London: Office of "Temple Bar," 122 Fleet Street; Ward and Lock, 158 Fleet Street; New York, N.Y.: Willmer and Rogers, →OCLC, page 304:

Dr. Tobias Funke: Methinks a cupid I shall play.

2003, “Bringing Up Buster”, in Arrested Development:


innit

Innit your birthday today?

It's your birthday today, innit?

(informal, low register) Contraction of isn't it.

Innit dolphins are a type of whale?

You were dissing my girl, innit?

(British, informal) Used as a replacement for any other negative tag question, irrespective of person, number, or verb. May precede the statement.

I like pop music, innit.

discourse marker
discourse marker#English

(British, informal) Used as a discourse marker.


birra

All the screaming in the night that gets in your head and it's not like you're getting your end away no more neither cause she's too shagged for fancy knickers and a birra cut and thrust, now that you've got the kid.

(UK, dialect, informal) Contraction of bit of.


where's

Where's your hat?

Where's she gone?

Where's he go every day?


there's

There’s a strange guy over there.

There's far too much attention being paid to it.

There’s some chairs upstairs, aren’t there?

Imagine there’s no countries.

1971 October 11, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, “Imagine”, Imagine, Apple Records

There's only two types of people in this world: the conformist API consumer and the renegade web scraper.

2024 July 26, Fireship, “Am I going to jail for web scraping?”, in YouTube:

There’s been an accident!


hella

Shortened form, or elision, of phrases like "hell have", approximating casual speech in writing.

Where the hella you been?


kindsa

Written form of a reduction of "kinds of"

1970-1975, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
Four hour flight & I saw the Rocky Mountains & all kindsa shit from the plane, the view was so clear.

Manny don't sell one kinda pizza, or two kindsa pizzas, or ten kindsa pizzas.

1993, Kent Harrington, A Brother to Dragons, page 151:

'Cause Johnny has a girlfriend name of Rose and she's a good girl knows all kindsa grammar and she's gonna graduate an' be a secretary in a big company in Manhattan and John don't wanna be no dumb ass trying to marry Rose.

2005, Frank McCourt, Teacher Man, page 78:

These were natural kindsa waves, pursued the driver. Lightning made them.

2006, Leinster Murray, Operation Terror, page 58:

(colloquial) Contraction of kinds of, plural of kind of.


betcha

From bet + -cha. Second sense possibly from bet your rather than bet you.

I betcha any money that that's the case.

‘[A]nd I’ll betcha Ignatz here’d think the top of a cocoanut tree nineteen times wonderfuller.’

1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 19:

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of bet you.

You betcha! (meaning You can bet your bottom dollar!)

(pronunciation spelling, informal) Can be sure of it.


getcha

Written form of a reduction of get you.
get + -cha

Look out, or Daddy's gonna getcha!

We all go through that. Don't let it getcha down.

Yeah, I getcha, smarty pants.

Getcha butt over here!


lemme

Lemme go!

Hey, lemme see that bag. What’s in there?


kinda

Written form of a reduction or pronunciation spelling of kind of.

Carmiesha had never once busted him in a lie, and she never had no kinda drama with him and no other chick. She damn sure couldn't say that for Dre.

2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 128:

What kinda music do ya want ta play? Do ya want volume or somethin' more subtle?

2008, Jacob Curtis, The Song Itself: A Gnostic Remembrance, page 68:


dunno

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-dunno.wav

(General American, after a stressed pronoun) -oʊ

Written form of don't know, which is a reduction of do not know or does not know.

I dunno the answers to any of those questions, and you dunno and he dunno either.

"Where'd he go?" / "Dunno."

Fer, as the poit sez, me 'eart 'as got / The pip wiv yearnin' fer - I dunno wot.

1915, C.J. Dennis, The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, published 1916, page 13:

pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of do not know; pronunciation spelling of does not know.


gotcha

I gotcha now, ya little twerp.

Yeah, I gotcha. Good thinkin'!


Ile

Ile write to my lord ſhe's dead: O Imogen! / Safe mayſt thou wander, ſafe returne agen.

1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 385, column 1:


I'm

أَكُونُ

verb كان (kān) is rarely used in the present tense

我... (wǒ ...) (是 (shì) is not used with adjectives)

jestem ... (the following noun is in the instrumental, adjective is in the nominative case)

(เป็น (bpen) is not used with adjectives) ผม... m (pom ...)

я ...

verb бути is not used in the present tense

(là is not used with adjectives) tôi ...


int

In't it ready yit?


yr

(Internet slang, text messaging) Contraction of you are.


wotcher

Representing an abbreviated pronunciation of various phrases.

Wotcher think?

(informal, chiefly British) Contraction of what do you.

Listen, do wotcher gotta do!

(informal, chiefly British) Contraction of what you.

Wotcher doing?

(informal, chiefly British) Contraction of what are you.

Wotcher been up to?

(informal, chiefly British) Contraction of what have you.


shouldn't've

She’s right. I shouldn’t’ve come.

1990 October, Jamie Delano, “The Bogeyman”, in Hellblazer, number 34, DC Comics, page 8:

(informal) Contraction of should not have.


'twould

‘It is well the earth gave way’, the sexton was saying, ‘on a night when we were here to find it. I was in the graveyard myself after midday, and all was snug and tight then. ’Twould have been awkward enough to have the hole stand open through the day, for any passer-by to light on.’

[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:


leggo

He stepped in, gripping the orderly by the front of his white jacket. "Hey, leggo me. You’ll start hemorrhaging and they’ll blame me."

1949, William Lindsay Gresham, Limbo Tower, page 87:

Hey, leggo, mister! I want to stay up there in the sun! Jim picked up the kid and carried him.

“Hey, leggo,” Nick said pushing Jamy back a little. “What are you doin’?” “I just wanted to hug you.”

2005, Christine M McMahon, Choices Made: The Street Years:

(slang, chiefly imperative) Contraction of let go.

(slang, chiefly imperative) Contraction of let's go.


here's

“[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes like
 Here's rattling good luck and roaring good cheer, / With lashings of food and great hogsheads of beer. […]”

1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:


which's

I didn’t ask for installation but they still charge me the installation which’s fine for me.

“Which’s the best man?” continued the young lady with the dark blue eyes.

1873, William Henry Thomes, The Bushrangers, page 38:

He’s the one that gits the full good ’f a clock, which’s the comp’ny they are.

1922, Marion Ames Taggart, Who is Sylvia?, Page & Company Doubleday, Country Life Press, page 267

To the best of my knowledge... which’s not a great deal... the Peraltas weren't here until late in the ’thirties.

1996, Nelson C. Nye, The White Chip, →ISBN, page 140:


i'

Thou speak'st with all thy wit; / And yet, i' faith, with wit enough for thee.

c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], line 44:


chad

Chad et in my meend, and zo chave still. Bet chawnt drow et out bevore tha begen'st agen, and than chell.

1839, An Exmoor Scolding, London: John Russell Smith, page 11:


how's

How’s that work?


a

Contraction of gonna, itself a reduction of going to; see Etymology 8 above (“to”).

I'm a go see what's going on out there.

"Sure, Billy, I'm a run downstairs to the machine and get me a pack of bigarettes," he said, taking off with his Melody.

2010, Todd Bridges, Killing Willis: From Diff'rent Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted, New York, N.Y.: Touchstone Books, →ISBN, page 146:

Ain't nothin' in the house to eat and now that we has Mr. Alex staying with us a few days I'm a need to buy some groceries so yous two can have the house to yo'self 'til I get back.

2012, Bertrand E. Brown, Sylvia's Dilemma: A Novel, →ISBN, page 95:

I'm a head out there now and take a look.

2018, Monica Jeremie, Married to a Dade County Bully 2, Urban Chapters Publications, →ISBN, page 85:

"The Glock 26 and the motherfucking, uh, the Hi-Point. I'm a try to get the both of them," another said.

2021, Ioan Grillo, Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels, New York, N.Y. […]: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, page 141:

(African-American Vernacular) Used to express a future action; going to.


sithee

Sithee, ther's a bowt here at's comin lowse, best to get it aat an a new-un in.

(UK, Yorkshire, Lancashire) See thee; variously used as a farewell (i.e. I will see you later) or an admonition to pay attention (= see here)


dontcha

Written form of a reduction of don't you; don't + -cha.

Dontcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?


chell

From ch- + shall, from ich or che + shall.

Me a strat in the chups? Dest hire ma? Come aneest me, chell pummel tha, chell vag tha, chell lace tha.

1839, An Exmoor Scolding, London: John Russell Smith, page 4:


chave

From Middle English ichave, equivalent to ch- + have, from ich + have.


th'

And well beſeemes all knights of noble name, / That couett in th’immortall booke of fame / To be eternized, […]

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 152:

Maſt. Good: Speake to th’Mariners: fall too’t, yarely, or we run our ſelues a ground, beſtirre, beſtirre.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 1, column 1:

Then marke th’inducement. Thus it came; giue heede too’t:

1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 217, column 1:

New life and joy th’ expanding floweret feels: / His pitying Mistress mourns, and mourning heals!

1796–1797, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “[Poems Collected in 1796–1797.] Poems of 1976.”, in The Poetical and Dramatic Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge […], volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 119:

I. Th’art kinde.

c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 132, column 1:

She crossed her hand an’ turned her face up like a bird does, only th’ ain’t no birds what can sing like she did; seemed like she was n’t a‐doin’ of it at all,—voice came out of itself, like ’s if ’t was just a waitin’ for a change to git out.

1891 Feb, Edith Brower, “Treshornish”, in The Overland Monthly, volume XVII, number 98, San Francisco: The Overland Monthly Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 135:


giz

(UK, slang) Pronunciation spelling of give us.


would've

We would've been warmer if you had closed the window.

I would've gone if it hadn't rained.

Contraction of would have indicating a non-occurring action or state that was conditional on another non-occurring event in the past.


an'

She'll be ridin' an' comin' up soon.

The smart girl an' the silly boy.

(Mid-Ulster, others) Alternative form of and


should've

He should've arrived earlier.


how'd

How'd you find it?

Well? How'd he done it?

How'd you like a nice swift kick?


where'd

Charlie: 'Camouflage or no camouflage, it'll have to get up pretty early in the morning to— Hey! Where'd it go?!'

2020 October 30, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Piklopedia (Dwarf Orange Bulborb)

Now where'd he go?

“Where'd you go? If you had your choice, where'd you go?” No answer.

2014, Lucy Daniels, High on a Hill, page 229:


whatcha

Whatcha doin'?

Whatcha talking 'bout?

Whatcha sayin'?

(colloquial) Contraction of what are you.

Whatcha been up to?

(colloquial) Contraction of what have you.

Whatcha think?

Whatcha got there?

Whatcha wanna do now?

(colloquial) Contraction of what do you.

Do whatcha gotta do!

'Tain't whatcha do, it's the way thatcha do it.


I'd've

If I knew you were coming, I’d’ve baked a cake.

(nonstandard) I would have (I would’ve; I'd have; I woulda).


sorta

There's gotta be some sorta explanation.

He glanced at her then back at me. "What sorta research?"
"Well, war correspondent might not be too far off," I said.

2001, Lawrence A. Wenzel, The Sandcastle at High Tide, page 97:


lotta

A whole lotta people feel the same way I do.

I'm gonna be good to you / There's a whole lotta things / You and I could do

1972, Al Green (lyrics and music), “Simply Beautiful”:


gon

Clipping of gonna. Compare Middle English gon, dialectal gan, Dutch gaan.

I’m gon be there around four.


why'd

Why'd he wanna go and do a thing like that?


what're

What're you up to?


what'd

What'd he say to you?

I don't want to get good. What'd my wife say?

1902, George Horton, The Long Straight Road, page 348:

What'd you have said a few months ago, Ranger?

1916, David Graham Phillips, The second generation, page 229:

What'd he have done?

What'd the neighbors say if they knew I was actually a Jew?

2004, Hand in Hand with Tommy, page 171:

What'd he done to deserve two blows like that?

1922, Medical Review of Reviews, Volume 28, page 272:

What'd she done with her shoes?

She was very nice, she smiled, and she said well lots of people were on probation, what'd I done?


there'll

There'll be hell to pay if you don't.

“I don't know how you and the ‘head,’ as you call him, will get on, but I do know that if you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there'll be trouble. […]”

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

“Most of this is bound to come out. There'll be a public scandal”

1945, J. B. Priestley, chapter 3, in An Inspector Calls:


y'know

Y'know, come to think of it, you're right.

That's not helpin' anything, y'know.

But I guess that's life, y'know?

Even though in a way you let him freeze to death in the water, because the way I see it...
I agree. Y'know, I think he actually could have fitted on that bit of door.
There was plenty of room on the raft.
I know. I know, I know.

2016 February 2, Kate Winslet et al., Jimmy Kimmel Live!:

(informal) alternative form of you know.


what'll

What'll it be?

(nonstandard) Shortened form of what will and what shall


there'd

There'd be little point in it.

(colloquial) Contraction of there would.


why's

Why's he doing that?

Why's everyone gone home?

Why's he want to do that?


'twas

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, / […]

’Twas the night before Christmas, […]

1823, perhaps Clement Clarke Moore, A Visit from St. Nicholas:

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; / […]

1871, Lewis Carroll, “Jabberwocky”, in Through the Looking-Glass:

'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

’Twas the first of many feats so great,
A legend through and through. We sing of him,
Artorigus, the Noble and the brave.

2012 May 8, “Noble Knight Artorigus”, in Galactic Overlord, Konami:

(archaic or poetic) Contraction of it was.


how've

How’ve you been?


there're

/ˈðɛəˌɹə(ɹ)/

No, my prince. It's less than truthful. There are princes among men. There're men endowed with a special quality. It’s a quality for which they are loved—it may be by those who scarcely know them. As you were loved in Navarre.

1974, Philip Freund, “Charles IV”, in More Off-Broadway Plays, page 34:

There're a few blacks and Hispanics in town, but you somehow don't notice them.

1988, Hillary Waugh, A Death in a Town, page 166:


usta

That safe's one o' th' kind I'm usta.

It needs a lot of work, and it's a tad smaller than I'm usta, but you know what they say...

2011, By Red Neck Crick, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 324:

We usta have a rule that if a trusty shot an escaping convict, then the trusty would go free.

1941, James Howell Street, In my father's house:


wanta

Written form of a reduction of want to, used informally in most English dialects.

“We don’t wanta. Come on aid us. It might be night time when de water hem you up in heah. Dat’s how come Ah won’t stay. Come on, man.”

1937, Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Harper Perennial, published 2000, page 163:


ure

(informal, Internet, text messaging) Abbreviation of you're (you are).


in't

O braue new world / That has ſuch people in't.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], pages 17–18:

But all of that's what the point is not / The point's that there in't no romance around there

2006, Alex Turner (lyrics and music), “A Certain Romance”, in Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, performed by Arctic Monkeys:

(Northern England, informal) Contraction of isn't.


fina

I'm like, "Well I'm fina catch the bus home," 'cause... my cousin was fina walk down to my auntie house but I wanted to go home.

2008, Jodie Miller, quoting "Lisa", Getting Played: African American Girls, Urban Inequality, and Gendered Violence, →ISBN:

"I'm fina make some money off yo' ass."

2011, Charlan M. Johnson, Once Lost... ...Now Found, →ISBN, page 8:

Then [the girls] come out cryin', sayin' I'm fina go home.

2013, Jody Miller, quoting "Shauntell", “Case study: African American girls, urban inequality”, in The Oxford Handbook of Ethnicity, Crime, and Immigration, →ISBN, page 267:

"I'm fina beat this bitch ass!"

2013, Sami Martin, Kept Quiet: A Story of Family, Sex & Deceit, →ISBN, page 182:

African-American Vernacular form of fixing to: used to express a desire or future action.


'twere

I had been glad if 'twere us but not them.

You drink wine as 'twere water!

To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.

c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

Then he came down rejoicing and said, "I have seen what seemeth to be a city as 'twere a pigeon."

1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Night 17”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:


gorra

You've gorra flippin' nerve showing your face round here.

(informal, representing slurred pronunciation) Got a.


cannit

(Geordie) Alternative spelling of cannot.


everybody's

Everybody's going to the party.

Almost everybody's read that book.


something's

Something's going wrong.

Something's just fallen off the shelf.


oughta

There oughta be a law against that.

(colloquial or dialectal) Contraction of ought to.

You oughta been here an hour ago.

(colloquial or dialectal) Contraction of ought to have.


daren't

c1865, 1998, Leo N. Tolstoy, War and Peace, page 161 -
"The bigwigs here think so too, but they daren't say so."


whaddya

Whaddya think of my new dress?

"Mildred's got five kids?" Frank seemed genuinely startled. "Well, whaddya know! Mildred with five kids!"

1942 September 27, “A Mark Hellinger 'Short Short' Story”, in The Democrat and Chronicle's Sunday Magazine, Rochester, N.Y., page 10:

LESTER: Well, suppose you wished one candle would stay lit.
CHESTER: Whaddya mean?
LESTER: I mean suppose you wished that one candle would stay lit, and then you blew them all out. What would happen?
CHESTER: Well, it couldn't happen. Unless you blew them all out.

2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 237:

(slang) Contraction of what do you. See what'd and d'ya.

Whaddya doing?


worn't

It worn't long befoor he coom // To see ha matters stood;

c. 1872, John Hartley, Yorkshire Ditties, Second Series:

Which on 'em was Oxford? The inside one. No, it worn't—they was outside.

1892 April 9, Punch, or the London Charivari, volume 102:

There worn't nothin' in it but a spinnin' wheel and a stool.

1904, Folk Tales Every Child Should Know:

(largely obsolete, still found in some dialects, particularly in UK) Alternative spelling of weren't

largely obsolete; still found in some dialects; particularly in UK; largely obsolete; still found in some dialects; particularly in UK


dunt

(Yorkshire) Pronunciation spelling of don't.


wouldn't've

Anyway, my Daddy said if you wasn’t such a coward, trying to haze that boy with a big bunch of others, you wouldn’t’ve got shot in the first place […]

1936, Eugene Morehead Armfield, Where the Weak Grow Strong, page 115:

[…] if there had been a man around, taking hold of things, her father’s partner wouldn’t’ve been able to get away with most of the estate the way he did…

1950, Irwin Shaw, Mixed Company: Collected Short Stories of Irwin Shaw, page 276:

I didn’t bring him here. If you wouldn’t have gone out, I wouldn’t have either. I’d have thrown him out right away. He wouldn’t’ve made it through the door.

1983, Elias Canetti, Comedy of Vanity and Life-Terms, page 47:

2006 October, Goff Morgan, "We Wouldn't've Had To Do It" (poem).

(colloquial) Contraction of would not have.


bisn't

Thee bisn't playin with I any more. (You are not playing with me any more.)

(West Country, Bristol, only used with second-person singular) aren't


fitna

I'm fitna go to the store.

(rare) African-American Vernacular form of fixing to: used to express a desire or future action.


it'sn't

It'sn't that hard.

1994 September 3, Lillith Kylan Lerien, “Short message before vanishing for the weekend”, in alt.pub.coffeehouse.amethyst (Usenet):

Or it'sn't. Or I'ven't. Or ... bah. Nevermind.

1996 December 10, Louis Nick III, “Updated Kibology Web Pages”, in alt.religion.louis-nick (Usenet):

Anyway, the tone and tenor of your questions suggest that it'sn't my views that matter to you - it is that I agree with you.

1997 May 29, Sikhivahan, “Naga's irrelevant arguments Re: PROLETARIAT SCHOOLGIRL!!!”, in soc.culture.indian.gujarati (Usenet):

NO it'sn't. His whole team is paying the price.

1998 June 17, j.m...@usa.net, “We don't like your tackel. Your team lost”, in rec.sport.soccer (Usenet):

I don't say it'sn't possible, I'm completly open minded .

1998 November 3, olivier Laurent, “EU and ways of government”, in alt.politics.usa.republican (Usenet):

It'sn't a spam. I post my messages manually with respect of this news.

2003 August 7, Florian Lhermite, “The Snoozing Team : 750mo no limit transfert PHP/MySQL remuneration up to 19.000$ / month”, in alt.www.webmaster (Usenet):


yessum

"I would like to sit down in your shade beside you," said the Tall Man. "Yassum," said the Little Bit of a Girl. […] "Why do you have the crutch?" asked the Tall Man presently. "Yassum, the crutch, the doctor he gave it to me, yassum," said the Little Bit of a Girl.

1905 September, Harry Persons Taber, “The Crutch”, in William Elliott Lowes, editor, Book of the Royal Blue, volume VIII, number 12, Baltimore, Md.: Passenger Department, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, →OCLC, page 24, column 1:

"Yessum." Luster said. "We coming. You done played hell. Get up." He jerked my arm and I got up.

1929, William Faulkner, “April 7, 1928”, in “The Sound and the Fury”, in The Sound and the Fury & As I Lay Dying, New York, N.Y.: The Modern Library, published 1946, →OCLC, page 74:

Little Chuck's face contracted and he said gently, "You mean him [a louse], ma'am? Yessum, he's alive. Did he scare you some way?" / Miss Caroline said desperately, "I was just walking by when it crawled out of his hair … just crawled out of his hair—"

1960 July 11, Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa., New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC, part 1, page 32:

(US, dialectal, dated) Used to express agreement with a woman (and, somewhat less commonly, a man): yes, ma'am.

kyllä rouva

(informal) used to express agreement with a woman


geddit

Ya gotta keep yer eye on the ball, son. Eye. Ball. Eyeball. Geddit?

The current political joke is that 'Mbeki shot himself in the kneepad' (Nepad geddit?) over Zimbabwe.

2005, Patrick Bond, Fanons Warning: a civil society reader on the New Partnership for Africa's Development, page 79:

Pronunciation spelling of get it, often with the meaning "Do you understand the humour?".


more'n

Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’[…].” So I started to back away again into the bushes. But I hadn't backed more'n a couple of yards when I see something so amazing that I couldn't help scooching down behind the bayberries and looking at it.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:


is't

How now? moodie? / What is't thou canſt demand?

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 4:


supposta

(chiefly US) Pronunciation spelling of supposed to.


I's

From I + 's (contraction of is, has, and was).

I's going now.

(nonstandard, dialectal) Contraction of I is.

i's

eye dialect version of it's (it is), rather than I is, but is often written the same as I's because it is at the beginning of a sentence.

I's got to go.

(nonstandard, dialectal) Contraction of I has.

I's going to the store yesterday.


gunna

1915, George Bronson-Howard, God’s Man, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, page 132,
“Oh, yes, I can,” answered Pink, “you’re gunna try to make me think you’re stuck on Beau. What you’re gunna give him you was [sic] saving for me. See? I’m jerry.” And he laughed at her encrimsoned face.

a. 1972, J. R. Simplot, quoted in Neal R. Peirce, The Mountain States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Eight Rocky Mountain States, W. W. Norton & Company (1972), →ISBN, page 134,
We have the products here, the raw materials, the know-how to do it. That’s simple, and we’re gunna do it.

2007, Mallory Dunn, The Letters, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 14,
“Always, Drake. No police officer will ever hold you down.” Myrick looked around. “Man, I hate hospitals. Let’s get out of here. I’m gunna go sign that paper work.” [sic] Myrick turned towards the door as he escaped the pressing moment with his son.


waddya

Waddya want now, kid?

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of what do you.


whaddaya

"Aspirin? Whaddaya want aspirin for, Harry?..."

1969, Robert Coovert, Pricksongs & Descants: Fictions, Grove Press, published 2000, →ISBN, page 224:

"Whaddaya mean twelve bucks? The sign says seven!"

2007, Kemble Scott, Soma, Kensington Books, →ISBN, page 23:


onna

"Next thing I know you're onna ground, bloody. I don't know what come over me. You goin' out?" Lenny asked.

1976, Jonathan Betuel, The Dogfighter, page 187:

Mal said, “How you doing then?” “Me? I'm onna dole, mate. I'm onna street.”

2007, Martin Amis, Vintage Amis, Vintage, →ISBN, page 30:

I bin tole ta put a rag onna stick 'tween huh teef so she not bite huh tung.

2012, C. V. Warmouth, A Louisiana Purchase, page 405:


helluv

Shortened form, or elision, of phrases like "hell of" or "hell have", approximating casual speech in writing.

Oh, you goddam-betcha, Julie, it's one helluva lot better — one HELLUV A lot better — to be born dirt-poor. Course then you get to stay that way the rest of your life.

1977, Curt Johnson, The Morning Light, page 214:

“That's the helluv it — beggin' yer pardon, miss...”

1997, Kat Martin, Innocence Undone, page 297:

“Helluv it is,” he grumbled. “I was thinking of marrying her myself. Wrote her a letter, but it didn't get posted in time.”

1997, Kat Martin, Innocence Undone, page 173:

Where the helluv you been?


I'se

1907, McClure's Magazine, Page 416,
I jes' ‘mence tellin' ‘er all ‘bout ‘ow I'se comin' down de road, an' all ‘bout ole man where's […]

1966, “I'se the B'y”, by Dick Nolan
I'se the b'y that builds the boat
And I'se the b'y that sails her
I'se the b'y that catches the fish
And brings 'em home to Liza

(nonstandard) Contraction of I is, meaning I am (or other senses of be).

I'se sabed up quite a heap ; an' John mean to put it inter hosses an' a dray […]

1887, Making of America Project, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell, The Living Age, page 108:

(nonstandard) Contraction meaning I have.


wotcha

Wotcha doin'?

Wotcha got there?

It ain't wotcha do, it's the way thatcha do it

(colloquial, eye-dialect, uncommon) Alternative form of whatcha


can't've

They can’t’ve seen us yet or they would have come over to say hello.


shalbe

Away, away, no time ſhalbe omitted, / That will be time and may by vs befitted.

c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], lines 381–382:

The wombe ſhall forget him, the worme ſhall feed ſweetly on him, hee ſhall be no more remembred, and wickednes ſhalbe broken as a tree.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 24:20, column 2:


when'd

When'd you get back from holiday?


i's

I's

I is; contraction of dialectal sometimes confused with i's because both are often at the beginning of a sentence and therefore capitalized the same.


couldna

Written form of a reduction of could not have.

You couldna said it better if you tried.

(chiefly slang) Contraction of could not have.


wouldna

Written form of a reduction of would not have.

I wouldna done that if I were you.


who'd've

(informal) Contraction of who would have.


ya'll

Don't go in, ya'll only make thins worse.

1857, Barry Alan Grael, work based on Dion Boucicault's play, The Streets of New York http://books.google.com/books?id=dVr8FZH65foC, page 70

Yis, yis; ya'll be forced, or else ya'll tak t' luck awaäy wi' ya, an' that wad niver deä.

1886, Donald MacLeod, editor, Good Words for 1886, page 201:

Bill's spilin' for a fight, / An' one o' these black God-forgotten days / He'll let tha devil tap 'im on tha shoulder, / An' then ya'll see what happens.

1921, Robert Norwood, Bill Boram, page 52:

Ya'll like that. Ya'll come out smellin like a rose, looking like one, too.

1985, V.C. Andrews, Heaven, →ISBN, page 243:

Ya'll only ever be Xavier Cassidy's work horse. He won't treat ya right.

2002, Marina Carr, By the Bog of Cats, page 24:

But then ya'll only have two oxen if ya do that, Mrs. Burt.

2006, J. R. Reynolds, Sustenance of Courage, page 281:


methinketh

From Middle English me thinketh, from Old English mē þyncþ; equivalent to me + thinketh, where me is the object pronoun.


whatsamatta

Pronunciation spelling of what's the matter.

pronunciation spelling of

Whatsamatta you? (What's the matter with you?)

(idiomatic) What is the matter? What is wrong?


Ima

Ima call her as soon as you hang up.

2000, Charlotte Carter, Coq au vin, Warner Books, →ISBN, page 124:

Alternative form of Imma (I'm going to).

Ima gonna close my eyes and you toss that there pebble in the air.

2006, Dax Herrera, Edgar N Vective: Paranormal Detective, Hammerica Publishing, →ISBN, page 65:


had've

If I had've known, I would have told you.

(nonstandard) had have (used in conditional statements to express "had")


hadda

1967-1969, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
Told him I hadda be on the bus for work and he rode with me.

If I hadda known, I wouldn't've gone.

(Canada, US, nonstandard) had (used in conditional statements; compare had've)


don'tcha

Written form of a reduction of don't you

What's the matter? Don'tcha believe me?


letcha

I letcha do it.


couldn've

(nonstandard) Contraction of couldn't've.


mightna

Written form of a reduction of might not.

You mightna wanna do that.


coupla

There's a coupla guys here to see you.

I've been to New York a coupla times.

“[…] Did you make her be late signing in?” […] “Coupla minutes,” he said.

1951, J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 54:


Imma

Written form of a relaxed pronunciation of I'm gonna. Includes a reduction of /mn/ to /m/ (see reduction of /mb/ and /mn/ on Wikipedia). Common in and possibly originated in African-American Vernacular English, but is used more broadly today. Harvard professor Sunn m'Cheaux says the term originated in the Gullah English creole language, where "a-" replaces "-ing" and indicates immediate future tense.

so Imma say 16 or 17, cool

Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you, Imma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!

2009, Kanye West, MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West (actor):

I told you we should have gone with the mermaid costume. I'mma put this on -- 'cause I'm going to the race cause I feel better.

2017, Frankie Pamplemousse, “The No-Kart Race”, in The ZhuZhus:

(chiefly US, informal) Contraction of I'm gonna.


there've

en-cont

[there]]'ve. Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.">there've

There've been a few problems.

(colloquial) Shortened form of there have.


y'see

Y'see, they’re just like us.

(informal) Shortened form of you see (meaning you comprehend).


whyn't

‘She's skeered. Whyn't they leave her be?’

1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage, published 1993, page 67:

(US, dialectal) Contraction of why don't.

"Whyn't he tell me, the dang little fool?" "He did!" Mrs. Adams sobbed. "He did tell you, and you wouldn't give it to him."

1921, Booth Tarkington, Alice Adams, page 389:

(US, dialectal) Contraction of why didn't.


'twouldn't

My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter III, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:


we'd've

If you hadn't got us out of that traffic jam, we'd've missed the flight.


you'd've

If you had been there, you'd've laughed your head off.


he'd've

If I had returned, he'd've made me pay again.

(nonstandard) he would have; he would’ve; he woulda.


they'd've

If Jones hadn't been sent off for a foul, they'd've won easily.

(colloquial) they would have; they would’ve; they woulda.


dincha

"It's like lookin' at a nakid lady," she said. "It ain't." "Dincha ever see one?"

1937, Whit Burnett, Martha Foley, Story:

"Thought you'd seen the last of me, dincha, girlie?" Clay Larsson leered down at Shane and me.

2001, Jenny Carroll, Code Name Cassandra:

(pronunciation spelling, informal) Didn't you.


how'll

I'm as willing to save life as the next man, but I'm not going to wreck my ship fooling round a reef in the night-time. How'll you get a boat over, anyhow?

"Well, mine ain't," said Beatrice; "I wish she was, that's all; I'd like to change with you; come, how'll you swap?"

So Smith took the bait, and says he, "Mr. Brown, I wouldn't sell out, but we might swap aroun' — How'll you trade your place fer mine?"

1916, James Whitcomb Riley, Hewitt Hanson Howland, The Hoosier Book: Containing Poems in Dialect:

(US, dialect, dated) will, how about (as a proposal)


you'ven't

From you + -'ve + -n't or you've + -n't.


I'ven't

Try to circumvent me, and I'm a ugly customer. I'll show you I'ven't any-mosity. Your father pays—you 'pologize.

1859, George Meredith, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel: A History of Father and Son, page 174:


he'sn't

You see he'sn't actually going to hurt only body, but it's as bad, since, af the case wor elseway than it happins, he'd hurt sum, and sorely too' an'. as it is, there is much hurt to be.

1854, J. G. MacWalter, Tales of Ireland and the Irish, page 222:

So, nope, he'sn't about to play the Naga sadhu for his harassed womenfolk.

2001 December 21, Hidden Agenda, “an news: Naked Sadhus taking care of college girls”, in soc.culture.indian (Usenet):

All of this is good, except it's so easy to resent that he'sn't sobbing right along with me.

2005, Courtney Jane Kendrick, Enjoy It!, page 161:


we'ven't

He _is_ somehow above them because he isn't a homo sapien and we'ven't a way to stop him short of kryptonite.

1994 October 28, Tanya 'The Crazy Chick' Goins, “Does Superman need to manhandle suspects?”, in alt.tv.lois-n-clark (Usenet):

We'ven't heard it yet, but we have spent several hours staring at the shiny black vinyl!

1999 August 30, Dauber, “A couple of Pet Sounds questions”, in rec.music.artists.beach-boys (Usenet):

Ah. We'ven't exchanged even a couple of arguments yet and you're already into your "you-are-a-bigot-and-your-uncle-is-a-hate-monger" routine.

2000 August 4, ergo_co...@my-deja.com, “Why Paki militants are cowards”, in soc.culture.indian (Usenet):


n't

Do n’t tell me you ‘have n’t got time,’ / That other things claim your attention; / There ’s not the least reason or rhyme / In the wisest excuse you can mention: / Do n’t tell me about ‘other fish,’ / Your duty is done when you buy ’em; / And you never will relish the dish, / Unless you ’ve a woman to ‘fry ’em.’

1845 March, “Editor’s Table”, in The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XXV, New York, N.Y.: […] John Allen, […], page 267, columns 1–2:

Will n't ye gie us a bit o' time ?—Will n't ye consent to mak' your changes rather more slowly?

1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “Noah and Moses”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 196:

The only reply is that we did n't. That is the irrefragable fact. We did n't.

1913 August, Jack London, chapter XIX, in John Barleycorn, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 186:


inna

In state-of-the-art dance hall, the bass booms like electrified tympani, the snare gets busy inna quasimilitary techno stylee […]

Thrill as Babyface protégé Jon B sings "Pride & Joy" inna ragga stylee, and keep in mind that hardcore reggae (see last year's blockbuster "Who Am I") makes the best crossover.

1999, SPIN, volume 15, number 8, page 155:


cmon

Cmon cmon baby!


that'd've

If I’d been there that’d’ve been awesome.

(nonstandard) that would have; that would’ve.


we's

We's gonna eat dat sandwich.

(African-American Vernacular, Southern US) Contraction of we is.


they's

They's gonna have breakfas' now.

(dialect) Contraction of they (third-person pronoun) is.

They's a house on the end of the street.

(dialect) Contraction of they (=there) is.


'ere

‘He’s a queer customer, the vun-eyed vun, sir,’ observed Mr. Weller, as he led the way. ‘He’s a-gammonin’ that ‘ere landlord, he is, sir, till he don’t rightly know wether he’s a-standing on the soles of his boots or the crown of his hat.’

1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “(please specify the chapter name)”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:

(British, slang and dialectal) Pronunciation spelling of there.


theres

But theres almost as many different sorts of marriages as theres different sorts of people.

1908, George Bernard Shaw, Getting Married:


wan't

This lass, Nelly Long, she was dressish and dapper,
And, though our Dick was a good looked lad,
She snubb'd him, scop'd him, for she was a snapper,
And told him quite plumpish—she wan't to be had: […]


hes

From he's via a reduction of the apostrophe.

(informal, nonstandard) Alternative form of he's


gonno

(slang, rare) Pronunciation spelling of going to.


you'll've

You’ll’ve finished by the time I got home.

If you never do another thing you’ll’ve done more than any architect I know.

1990, Ward S Just, Twenty-one: selected stories:


wontcha

(pronunciation spelling, informal) Won't you.


whatchoo

"I don't care whatchoo tell 'er, fo'real," he said, scooting to the end of the piano bench.

Well, whatchoo gonna do about it, Momma?

2007, Joseph Wambaugh, Hollywood Station:

"Whatchoo want 'em for?" "It's a surprise," he says.

2008, Carolyn Chute, The Beans of Egypt, Maine:

(eye dialect, informal) What you; what do you; what are you (mostly in questions).


whom're

“Whom’re you playing this week?” Ernest said.
“Georgetown.”

1939, Irwin Shaw, Sailor off the Bremen, page 9? 〃, 〃:

Hector clapped his hands loudly and looked around the room.
“Whom’re you applauding?” Molly asked naively.
“Applauding? Oh — oh — ” Hector began to laugh and the others at the table joined him. “That’s the way we summon waiters and servants here,” he explained.

1943, Estelle Schrott, Heaven is for the Angels, Appleton-Century, page 65:

“Whom’re you calling?” Tony asked.
“Your mother.”

1956, Irwin Shaw, Lucy Crown, page 296 ^〃 (third edition; Random House)

“Whom’re you talking of? What’s happened?” asked Ion.

1958, Mykhaĭlo Kot︠s︡i︠u︡bynsʹkyĭ, Chrysalis, page 16 ^〃 (Foreign Languages Publishing House)

‘Whom’re you trying to fool?’ I said. ‘Whom? I see through you just like the people on all the other worlds do! I know you know what a mumbo-jumbo your United Churches are. I know you know the way of life you sing of through your nose so much isn’t what you claim it is. I know your Eldest Bright and his gang of narrow-minded old men are just a gang of world-hungry tyrants that don’t give a damn for religion or anything as long as they get what they want. I know you know it — and I’m going to make you admit it!’

1975, Gordon Rupert Dickson, Soldier, Ask Not, Sphere, page 188:

Rohan Batra threw back his head and guffawed. “What is this?” he bellowed, “jungle thrills for tourists? First you show us a herd of tame elephants, then you get all spooky about a puddle of dirty water. And finally you weave a tale around a harmless forest guard standing in a fire-break. Come off it! Whom’re you trying to fool?”

1978, Hugh Gantzer, Flashpoint!, Vikas, →ISBN, page 69, →ISBN:


she'd've

If I had returned, she'd've made me pay again.

(nonstandard) she would have; she would’ve; she woulda.


abouta

Written form of a relaxed pronunciation of about to. Common in and possibly originated in African-American Vernacular English, but is used more broadly today.


witcher

... an' t'hell witcher ponies I says

And Wiltz said, 'Come on witcher conversation, Mr. Avery. Come on witcher conversation.'

1974, Paul R. Clancy, Just a Country Lawyer: A Biography of Senator Sam Ervin, page 103:

Whyncha quit? You can do construction work witcher ol man.

1999, Richard Price, Bloodbrothers, page 113:

How's it feel to be drinkin' and smokin' witcher big-time, freelance gunman. Huh? Pretty exciting or what?


gissa

This bloke comes up to his mate, and says "Ere," 'e says, 'gissa fag, tosh,' 'e says.

1952, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Sir Francis Cowley Burnand, Sir Owen Seaman, Punch:

(Pacing up and down in front of the protesting ICKLES, threateningly.) C'mon, Emma, gissa hand here.

"An' you're gorgeous, here, gissa kiss."

(UK, slang, nonstandard, in imperative utterances) Give us a; give me a.


didna

And he gi'ed him anither shake--then, laying haud of his nose, he swore that he would pu't as lang as a cow's tail, if he didna that instant restore him his lost property.

1827, Various, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 10,:

Don't ye remember I wore it to the picnic? an' then it didna suit, an' I put it back in the box.

1888, Helen Hunt Jackson, Between Whiles:

When I said that a man's name was on a bullet, I didna mean that it was written there."

1917, John Hay Beith, All In It: K(1) Carries On:


dessay

I've nothing partickler against him--he's steady enough, I dessay.

"I dessay they're sent for some wise purpose," said Mr. Coombes.

Emma resumed an air of prudery, 'Before very long, I dessay.'

1906, George Gissing, The House of Cobwebs and Other Stories:

"Not exactly wot you could call nasty," ses Mr. Goodman, "though I dessay it would seem so to you.


wossat

(pronunciation spelling, informal) what's that?


thou'rt

No; thou’rt a fool, I'll swear, if e’re thou grant;
Much of my veneration thou must want,
When once thy kindness puts my ignorance out;
For a learn’d Age is always least devout.

17th century, Abraham Cowley, Against Fruition:


⠽⠗ your

and from there ⠽⠗⠋ yourself; ⠽⠗⠧⠎ yourselves


wouldnae

If I was to lose my job and not be able to pay my mortgage they would take my house away, they wouldnae say, 'Well, sorry about that but here's a big payoff anyway.

2009 January 24, Simon Hattenstone, “Sir Fred, just say sorry”, in The Guardian:


didja

Missy: 'WISPS, HUH? AM I RIGHT? YOU OKAY? OR DIDJA WANT TO PLAY [Joustus] AGAIN?'

2019 December 10, Yacht Club Games, Shovel Knight: King of Cards, Nintendo 3DS, level/area: Tower of Joustus:

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of did you.


wouldja

She screwed up her brow and frowned. "Oh Oliver, wouldja please?"

2002, Erich Segal, Love Story, HarperCollins, page 47:


dassn't

They dursn't go theer nomoor seein as they wor copp'd steylin last time.


meseemeth

"Meseemeth a whetstone shrills at my tongue!"

1879, F. D. Morice, Pindar, chapter 8, page 129:


willya

Pronunciation spelling of will + ya (you).


didya

Where didya get the pretty wallpaper?

1976, Ronald Hugh Morrieson, The scarecrow:


cain't

A variant spelling of can't, representing the pronunciation of this word in the southern United States.

Stands to reason, the Mexican government, they cain’t persuade any real Mexican priests to travel all the way to Texas. Those hanker after the fleshpots of the big city. So the oney priests they can get to work in land s’far away are Irishmen who cain’t make no livin’ in Ireland, and who cain’t speak a word of Spanish neither, if’n you ask me.

1985, James A. Michener, Texas: A Novel. Reprinted 2014, Random House Publishing Group, page 460

(chiefly Southern US) Nonstandard form of can't.


plzthx

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-plzthx.wav


Oi've

(south west England) Pronunciation spelling of I've.


Oi'll

(south west England) Pronunciation spelling of I'll.


weve

(informal, nonstandard) Alternative form of we've


wonnot

"I would say something more," said Matilda, struggling, "but it wonnot be — Isabella — Theodore — for my sake — oh!" She expired.

1764, Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto:


what've

What've you been up to?


where've

Where've you been all day?


won't've

We're still safe. They won't've seen us yet.


mustn't've

He isn't here. He mustn't've realised we'd be arriving so early.


oughtn't've

"Hell, mebbe we oughtn't've done that." Tony was regretful.

(UK, colloquial or dialectal) ought not to have


mightened

Julie, at first surprised, was now shocked, but too intelligent to argue at this time. "At least you're still here, which you mightened have been if luck hadn't been around? My mum didn't get that option."

2007, D. Bruce Edwards, Apple Girl, →ISBN, page 371:

‘D’you think it'll brighten up, Mister Weather-man?’ Well it might. ‘I don't think it will, ya know!’ Well it might or it mightened who's to say.

2001, Enda Walsh, Bedbound: &, Misterman : two plays, →ISBN:


may've

"He may've hid?" asked Bentley. The boatswain nodded an affirmative. "He may've, sir. But we looked and searched a bit, and we found nothing. We flushed a few more drunken buggers out for locking up, but no Black Bob. I'm sorry, sir, but I wouldn't be surprised..."

2004, Jan Needle, The spithead nymph, page 139:


orter

"I orter ha' warned you," said Dan.

1897, Rudyard Kipling, Captains Courageous:

(colloquial or dialectal) Contraction of ought to.


aren'chu

The [ɑːnˈtjuː] of aren't you is pronounced [ɑːnˈtʃuː] by some speakers; the (always prevocalic) combination [tj] often becomes [tʃ]; aren't + -chu.

“You’re reg’lar gen’man ‛bout it, aren’chu?”

1956, John G. Burnett, Company Man, Harper, page 132:

“Aren’chu gonna kiss me good night?”

1994, Abraham Rodriguez, Spidertown, Penguin Books, page 259:


all's

Everything will be fine when all's said and done.

All's I know is that there are still many expressions missing.

[Turtle, playing flute and prancing:] All's I can say, if you want spring to hustle along you gotta encourage it.
 [Albert:] An' all's I can say is how can you be so fey?

1960 January 10, Walt Kelly, Pogo, Sunday, comic strip, →ISBN, page 268:

(now colloquial) Contraction of all as: all that.


norra

This is norra lorra fun.

(informal, representing northern pronunciation) Not a.


han't

They can't launder fast enough, so what do you do with it? Where do you put it? You hide it in somebody else's place; somebody who han't got a clue what's going on and couldn't do a fat lot about it if they did.

2023, Sally Wainwright, 26:09 from the start, in Happy Valley, season 3, episode 2, spoken by Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire):

(Yorkshire, otherwise archaic) Haven't; hasn't.


hain't

"But he never speaks ter anybody, child—he hain't for years, I guess, except when he just has to, for business, and all that."

1913, Eleanor H. Porter, chapter 8, in Pollyanna, L.C. Page, →OCLC:

“Doan’ hurt me — don’t! I hain’t ever done no harm to a ghos’. I alwuz liked dead people, en done all I could for ’em. You go en git in de river agin, whah you b’longs, en doan’ do nuffn to Ole Jim, ’at ’uz awluz yo’ fren’.”

1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter VIII, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) […], London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC:


ain'tcha

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of aren't you.

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of haven't you.


aint

(informal, nonstandard) Alternative form of ain't


on't

“Speak no more on’t,” she said; “and now let us part, our conversation may attract more notice than is convenient for either of us.”

1820, [Walter Scott], chapter I, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 29:

'For', says she, 'he is run off I know not where, but as he makes his bed, must he lie on't; and if he run away for his pleasure, may stay away for mine.

[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:

(archaic, regional) Contraction of on it.


doan'

"Doan' hurt me—don't! I hain't ever done no harm to a ghos'. I alwuz liked dead people, en done all I could for 'em. You go en git in de river agin, whah you b'longs, en doan' do nuffn to Ole Jim, 'at 'uz awluz yo' fren'."


d'y'all

D'y'all wanna go out for lunch?

(nonstandard) Shortened form of do you all; do y'all.

(nonstandard) Shortened form of did you all; did y'all.


sortsa

Written form of a reduction of sorts of.

Sends a letter to the Globe and Mail and starts claiming that his friend Mackay says that there's all sortsa cabinet ministers ringing up all sortsa judges in Canada.

1977, Fred C Dobbs, The Golden Age of B.S., page 93:

"Oh. Togs. lt just means.. .special sortsa clothes. Toads? Gad, what a dodo l picked to fall in love with me."

1984, DeKalb College, DeKalb Literary Arts Journal, volume 17, page 38:

Hampton delves into all sortsa cultural rootage — from country blues to smarmy Broadway show-tunage, combining them in a friendly, swinging way. This is the sorta record that should appeal to anybody who gave up on Zappa after Weasels Ripped My Flesh.

1988 June, “Underground”, in Spin, page 32:


'zat

Oh hangin' my stockin'
I can hear a knockin'
 'Zat you, Santa Claus

1953, Louis Armstrong, 'Zat You, Santa Claus?:

(nonstandard, pronunciation spelling) Is that


so's

[so]]'s. Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.">so's

Of all the queer collections of humans outside of a crazy asylum, it seemed to me this sanitarium was the cup winner. […] When you're well enough off so's you don't have to fret about anything but your heft or your diseases you begin to get queer, I suppose.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter V, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

"Has he been working?" / "Not so's you'd notice."


so's

My father's at work right now. So's my mother.


so's

My father's gone away on holiday. So's my mother.


it'd've

'Sorry I couldn't offer to come and help you. It'd've been just like the old days,' Pat said softly.

2011, Margaret Dickinson, Red Sky in the Morning:

He'd've probably been as mad as the dickens, if it'd've been someone else dying like that, not giving him a chance to finish the race and win the cup, or something.

1984, Wayne A. Myers, Dynamic Therapy of the Older Patient:


geddid

Ya gotta keep yer eye on the ball, son. Eye. Ball. Eyeball. Geddid?

Alternative form of geddit Pronunciation spelling of get it.


c'mere

Gearmo: 'Hey! C'mere!'

2010 May 23, Nintendo EAD Tokyo, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo, Wii, level/area: C'mere, Goomba:


ye're

(chiefly archaic) Contraction of ye are.


ye'll

(archaic, informal) Contraction of ye shall.

(archaic, informal) Contraction of ye will.


ye'd

Isn't that my baby you're carryin', and wasn't I the best lover ye'd ever met?

2017, David Bischoff, Charles Sheffield, The Selkie:

(archaic, informal) Contraction of ye had.

“Ye'd beat me?” She was suddenly breathless. “Really, Bertie? Ye'd beat me?”

1995, Catherine Coulter, The Duke, →ISBN:

If ye bring ye'er wife f'r to see th'game, an' she has her name in th'paper, that counts ye wan. So th'first thing ye do is to find th'raypoorter, an' tell him ye're there. Thin ye ordher a bottle iv brown pop, an' have ye'er second fan ye with a towel. Afither this ye'd dhress, an' here ye've got to be dam particklar or ye'll be stuck f'r th' dhrinks.

2012, Jeff Silverman, Classic Golf Stories: 26 Incredible Tales from the Links, →ISBN, page 169:

(archaic, informal) Contraction of ye would.


gerra

Go an' gerra few more cans.

(informal, representing northern pronunciation) Get a.


methinx

Methinx that line in the sand has been drawn.

1997, Roger Waters, “VEWY VEWY QUIET IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH????”, in alt.fan.howard-stern (Usenet):

Just a suggestion, but I think that GNER do a very cheap rail ticket as long as you spend the Saturday night away from London ( damm good idea methinx! ).

1999, croft_house, “Exiles and the Borthdi Meet.”, in uk.local.geordie (Usenet):

(slang, nonstandard or humorous) Eye dialect spelling of methinks.


'e'll

A representation of the pronunciation of he’ll by a speaker whose dialect lacks the voiceless glottal fricative or transition ([h]).

I know it’s cos ’es new when we’ve got ’im trained ’e’ll be as good as gold like me know ’is place jump when ’es asked no ’olding ’im like a frog ’e’ll be jump jump jump...

1998, David Griffiths, Please Be Gentle: A Conjectural Evaluation of the Masked Performance of the Comedia Dell’Arte, page 78:


Ide

Were it to search the furthest Northern clime / Where frosty Hyems with an ycie Mace / Strikes dead all living things, Ide find it out, / And borrowing fire from those fayre sunny eyne / Thaw Winters frost and warme that dead cold clime: […]

1605, The Trial of Chivalry, (a play of uncertain unauthorship):


wunt

(Yorkshire) Pronunciation spelling of wouldn't.


he've

"He's not at home, and won't be this side of eleven o'clock. He've been forced to go over to Yalbury since shutting out work. I shall do quite as well."

1874, Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd:


she've

'That wife o' thine. She's an entertainen woman, not to speak disrespectful.'
'She is: and a winnen one. Look at the husbands she've had—God bless her!'


ight

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


thers

They've raised some fine buildings 'at's worth lookin at,-- They're a credit to th' city, thers noa daat o' that; But ther's nowt strikes a stranger soa mich as a seet O'th' craad 'at's i' Briggate at Setterdy neet.

Well, Miss Susan, thers plenty for you to eat and drink.

1905, George Bernard Shaw, The Irrational Knot:


why're

'Daidre, have you something to hide?'
'Nothing that would interest Scotland Yard. Why're they investigating me?'

2011, Elizabeth George, Careless in Red:


werena

"I've been thinking this long time that ye or Duncan would see that sunbonnets werena braw enough for a woman of my standing, and ye're a guid laddie to bring me this beautiful hat."

Corp's face shone, but Gavinia said at once, "You werena sic great friends as that; were you, man?"


useter

There was JOB BIGLER, who useter leed the Skeensboro brick meetin house quire, tryin to pick his teeth with the corner of a pictur-frame, while standin before the lookin glass was WILLYAM DUNBAR vainly endevorin to ascertain if he was the Siameese Twins, or else was the lookin-glass a double-plated one.

1870, Various, Punchinello, Vol. 2, No. 36, December 3, 1870:

"Me an' Dusty useter 'ave a drop an' a jaw together every night for three months after we married.

"Then I met Spruggy Boyce, who useter drive with me in the Umpteenth Field Ambulance.

1919, Various, Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, June 18, 1919:


whuss

"We got a meetin'," Cooly reminded me. ¶ "Yeah." I guess I must have grimaced at the thought. ¶ "Whuss the problem?" Spade asked. ¶ "Nuthin'," I lied. "I'm sleepy."

1970, Gil Scott-Heron, The Vulture, New York, N.Y., Cleveland, O.H.: World Publishing Company, page 112:

Pronunciation spelling of what's, representing African-American Vernacular English.


whatya

(slang) Pronunciation spelling of what do you.


allis

I ain't readin' allis garbage.


to've

"Lord, Paul! you ought to've sent an 'ailstone into that little black 'un."

1847 March 30, Herman Melville, Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:

I've met with some queer adventures, as you call them, in these woods too; some that I wouldn't have gone out arter if I'd known what they were to 've been afore I started.

1857, Samuel H. Hammond, Wild northern scenes, page 166:

The fireplace is supposed to've been there since about 1900, so in an ideal world, we'd have old-white panelling and a dado.

2006, Jane Stevenson, Good women: three novellas, page 25:

That damned thing had to've been fifteen hundred feet long by five hundred feet wide and over a hundred feet tall.

2010, Arlen Blumhagen, Mount: A Mountain Man's Adventures:


o'th'

There’s a trim rabble let in ; are all theſe

1747, William Shakespeare quoted in The Works of Shakespear in Eight Volumes, Volume V., King Henry VIII., Scene VII., page 449


wa'n't

My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter III, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

"You're soft, Jane," said Miranda once; "you allers was soft, and you allers will be. If 't wa'n't for me keeping you stiffened up, I b'lieve you 'd leak out o' the house into the dooryard."

1903, Kate Douglas Wiggin, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm:

(colloquial, dated) Pronunciation spelling of wasn't. Compare wadn't.


this's

This's got to be the worst speech I've ever heard.

This's the best house ever!


y'all're

Give me a call if y'all're up for huntin' later today.


casn't

Thee casn't see I. (You can't see me.)


I'll've

I'll've finished the job by tomorrow morning.


binna

Sam cow binna browse down deh Sam's cow was browsing down there tuh Bull Head Crick.

1917, Julian Street, American Adventures:

The man's language grew more and more violent as the minutes passed and still I did not reappear, until, having consumed as much time as I thought becoming, I went to the doorway, and said, in the manner of stating a simple fact of no importance, "Key binna hangin' on nail, measter.

"De'il kens," answered Gapey; "gin it binna i' the boddom o' Rob Bruce's wame."

1900, George MacDonald, Alec Forbes of Howglen:

I am sure, had I been to undergo ony thing of that nature,--that's to say that's beyond nature--I would hae skreigh'd out at once, and raised the house, be the consequence what liket--and, I dare say, the minister wad hae done as mickle, and sae I hae tauld him,--I ken naebody but my brother, Monkbarns himsell, wad gae through the like o't, if, indeed, it binna you, Mr. Lovel."

1816, Sir Walter Scott, The Antiquary, Volume 1:


y'ave

HOPES guilty, FORTUNES crackt, and th’ ILLS y’ave done.


was't

Was’t not enough, when thou, prophane Diſeaſe,
Did’ſt on this Glorious Temple ſeize ?
Was’t not enough, like a wild Zealot, there
All the rich outward Ornaments to tear,
Deface the innocent pride of beauteous Images ?
Was’t not enough thus rudely to defile,

1700, Abraham Cowley, The Works of Mr. Abraham Cowley, page #29

But thou muſt quite deſtroy the goodly Pile ?


y'are

Of if ye ſhould, y’are never the nearer : For I’ll not own it to ye.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 122:

(rare, nonstandard) Contraction of you are.


y'ad

If you preſs it further, they’ll tell you preſently, here have been ſuch and ſuch Counts and Marquiſes, that found no fault with this Wine : If you don’t like it, y’ad beſt mend your ſelf elſewhere.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 59:


see't

May a body ſee’t a little ?

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 14:


by't

Well, and how came you by’t ?

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 252:


y'ere

Pardon me, Sir, my Bluntneſs muſt go on ;
By barb’rous Fears and Counſels y’ere undone.

1702, Charles Sedley, The Works of Sir Charles Sedley, Bart, page 6:

Rivers adorn the Earth ; the Fiſh, the Seas ;
Flowers and Graſs, the Meadows ; Fruit and Trees ;
The Starts, the Fields of Air thro’ which they ride ;
And Woman all the Works of God beſide ;
Yet baſe detracting Envy won’t allow
They ſhould adorn themſelves ; then pray, Sir, now
Produce ſome reaſons why y’ere ſo ſevere ;
For envious as you are, you know they’re Fair.

1709, Robert Gould, A Satyr against the Pride, Luſt, and Inconſtancy, &c. of Woman, page 8:

(obsolete, rare) Contraction of ye were.


may't

How long may’t be, ſince we Four were in Penſion together at Paris ?

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 261:


does't

But what does’t value while he lies out ?

1680, Matthew Stevenson, The Wits Paraphras’d, page 30:


into't

Why would not Providence let us go out of the World as ſmoothly as we came into’t ?

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 155:


after't

I do, ſays he, God ſend us good luck after’t.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 2:


at's

This Diſh would have cheared up the heart of the old Evangelical Monk Hilarian, with a hundred more of his Fellows at’s heel : But Paul and Anthony would have liv’d a whole Month upon’t.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 93:


call't

To call’t a Map doth but a part implie,
’Tis the whole Globe of Martyrologie.

1651, Samuel Clarke, A Generall Martyrologie, page 26:


shall's

What ſhall’s do ?

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 124:


as't

All Volumes of this Subject here are ſet
As’t were contracted in an Alphabet.

Paradiſe, it had ſo much of the Lily, as’t had nothing of the Roſe ; yet there were iſtius modi paſſiones, quæ ordinatur ad bonum.

1669, Nathanael Culverwel, An Elegant and Learned Discourse of the Light of Nature, page 102:


to't

In ſhort ; if you would know what was done in my Tent, I can tell ye ; but for the Hiſtory of the Battle, I can ſay nothing to’t.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 51:


if't

Yes, yes ; they put on all my Fineries, let down my Hair, and dreſs’d me, juſt as if’t had been for my Wedding.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 121:


has't

This learned Athens never could declare,
Nor Ariſtole’s Schole when he taught there:
Apollo in Parnaßus reads not love,
Like one that has’t by inſtinct from above;
He ſpeaks but coldly, has no voice of fire,
As thoſe whom Love himſelf deigns to inſpire,
Nor can his elevated Fancy riſe
Equal to th’ height of thy grand myſteries.

1685, H.W., Miscellany Poems and Translations by Oxford Hands, page 182:


before't

In Fine, it Continued ſo till this Preſent Year 1708. that, King Lewis having got a Third Blow at the Battel of Audenard, the Confederate Generals thereupon March’d ſtraight to it, Inveſted it on the Second of Auguſt, Open’d Trenches the Tenth, Begun to Batter it the Fifteenth, and are ſtill Lying before’t.

1708, John MacGregory, The Geography and Hiſtory of Life, page 39:


do't

If I ſend ’em to my Son, their Anſwer is, if you’ll but ſay the word, I’m ſure he’ll do’t.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 15:


view't

Piſgah’s too farre to ſee the Holy‐Land,
Stand here on Calvary, and view’t at hand


for't

I am woe for't, Sir.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 17:

And what’s your Reaſon for’t ?

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 140:


th'are

If they be foule th’are odious, and if faire,
Th’are like rich veſſel ful of poyſnous drugs,
Or like black ſerpents arm’d with golden ſcales,
For my owne part,they ſhall not trouble me.

1608, Thomas Heywood, The Rape of Lvcrece, page 79:


with't

Whether in Death breath’d out into the Air
She mix confus’dly with’t, and periſh there ;
Or thro’ vaſt Shades and horrid Silence go
To viſit brimſtone Caves, and Pools below ;
Or into Beaſts retires.

1715, Titus Lucretius Carus, T. Lucretius Carus, Of the Nature of Things, page 18:


in's

Let Theophilus ſpeak to that point ; for he’s never without Greek in’s Mouth.

1699, Desiderius Erasmus, Twenty‐two Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, page 65:


how't

How ſoul and ſpright be ſevered we ſee,
But how’t works by it ſelf is not yet ſhown;
I mean without this ſprights aſſiſtencie,
Though not quite by its ſelf.

1642, Henry More, A Christiano‐Platonicall diſplay of Life, page 122:

All that behold it cannot but be aſtoniſh’d to conſider how’t was poſſible that Torments ſhould be repreſented to us on a Flower.

1706, François Gentil, Louis Liger, Le Jardinier Solitaire, pages 374–375:


unto't

On ev’ry ſide from this old Caſtle down,
Is perfect Cliff, except towards the Town,
Where the aſcent is ſteep ; but in the Rock,
Forc’d by the pond’rous Hammers conqu’ring ſtroak,
A winding way from the rough Mountains foot
Was made the only Avenue unto’t.

1683, Charles Cotton, The Wonders of the Peake, page 66:


have't

Although they ſemme us onely to affect,
’Tis their Content, not ours, they moſt reſpect :
They for their own ends cunningly can feigne,
And though they have’t by nature, yet they’ll ſtrain :
Snre if on earth, by wiles gain’d might be bliſſe,
Staight that I were a woman I would wiſh.

1640, George Herbert, Witts Recreations, page 97:

Yet ’cause the Rout will have’t perform’d by you,
And long to see done what they dare not Doe.

Then other whiles for outer Soles they raiſe,
Such poor thin Hides by their unlawful ways,
Which they well know, for ſuch uſe are not fit,
Theſe Crafts they uſe more Money for to get,
Than lawful ways can compaſs them, or bring :
And thus we ſee Money’s the only thing
At which all Trades and Myſteries do look,
And are reſolv’d to have’t by Hook or Crook.

1698, L. Menton, William Coward, Matthew Prior, John Oldham, Money Maſters all Things, page 75:


'tshall

For quotations using this term, see Citations:'tshall.


and's

I’ve work on coffee ever since,
 And’s been as happy as a prince,
And eat like other men.

1877, William Glenn, Brighter Days for Working Men, page 295:

No ſooner the money for this was brought hither,
But a croud of true Letters came flocking together,
How Hotham and’s army , and others were beaten.

1668, Alexander Brome, Songs and other Poems, page 128:

Nay th’ Earth it ſelf, on which we tread (they ſay)
Turns round and’s moving ſtill ; then why not they?

1668, Alexander Brome, Songs and other Poems, page 229:


forda

Compound between English words for, and the in informal speech. From the early 2020s.

(Philippines, slang, neologism) down (comfortable [with]) for something


dun't

(Northern England) Pronunciation spelling of doesn’t.


2021, “UN Framework for Responding to the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Nepal”, in United Nations (auto-downloading DOCX), archived from the original on 2023-02-06:

Victims of conflict, persons with disabilities and sex workers specifically noted their exclusion from receiving information on, and delivery of, relief support.


not've

I'd not've fallen in if you'd've told me it was there, Da. And I'd not've sunk if you'd've taught me how to swim.

1998, David Weber, The War God's Own, →ISBN:

Mac McAdams might not've added all those "ayes," but he spoke in such a melodious dialect that "aye" kind of came out understood.

“To the fan, did it add that much value?” Nelson wondered. “Was it worth that much time? I don’t know. It might not’ve.”

2018, MST3K, Turkey Day, and 30 years of taking over the world before pie is served:


whyja

"Why d'you" /ˈwaɪdju/ becomes /ˈwaɪdʒə/ ("whyja") by yod-coalescence (whereby /j/ assimilates to /ʒ/) and reduction of the unstressed /u/ (which becomes /ə/).

…whyja afta caws awl these arguments eh? Why can’t ya just, ya know, chill out?

2000, Niall Griffiths, Grits, Vintage,, →ISBN, page 360:

Why is that? ¶ The deeds and titles lady looked at her like she was stupid. ¶ Whyja think?

2003, Marianne Wiggins, Evidence of Things Unseen, Simon & Schuster,, →ISBN, page 105:

Abe heard Julie sleepily call, “Abe, whyja open the door?” He told her he had heard a car start up and take off, looked outside and saw a box on the stoop with a note attached, sitting in the rain.

2010, Warren J. Luedtke, Stories of Life, Xlibris,, →ISBN, page 18:


howja

"How d'you" /ˈhaʊdju/ becomes /ˈhaʊdʒə/ ("howja") by yod-coalescence (whereby /j/ assimilates to /ʒ/) and reduction of the unstressed /u/ (which becomes /ə/).

“Selby.” ¶ “Howja spell it?” ¶ “S-e-l-b-y.”

1920 June 19, P. G. Wodehouse, The Little Warrior, part IX, in Collier's, page 14

‘Howja do! Howja do! Howja do! Hellooooo everybardy!…’

1972, Ian Whitcomb, After the Ball, 2nd Limelight Edition (1994), pages 112–113

“Howja do that?” she mumbled thickly. “Howja make firecrackers sound just like guns indoors?” Boy, they sure got some smart guys there, she thought.

2010, Charisse Goodman, The Starved Senses, Dog Ear Publishing,, →ISBN, page 257:


waint

Well tha may think folks like it cos it's packed up to door, I've come here tonight but I wain't come no more. Cos it's all made o' plastic, it's plain tha can see. Well it may do for others but it waint do for me.

2011, “Awterations” (track 14), in Bread and Fishes, performed by Houghton Weavers:

(Yorkshire, Lancashire) Pronunciation spelling of won't, wouldn't


chud

Good Gentleman goe your gate, and let poore / volke paſſe: an ’chud ha’ bin zwaggered out of my life, / ’twould not ha’ bin zo long as ’tis by a vortnight.

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi], page 304, column 2:


that're

Those're some of the things that're important to me.


those're

"Those're the Hoyts," he said.

1998, Russell Banks, Affliction, Vintage Canada, →ISBN, page 17:


which've

Farewell unto the crowded bars / Of which've been my home,

1962, Bob Dylan, The Ballad of Donald White:

I've seen Moon throw a good many passes which've been on the mark but have been dropped or simply misjudged.

1996 October 13, Ricky W. Brown, “A Long Pro-Purple Ran”, in alt.sports.football.mn-vikings (Usenet):


thats

Why thats the way to choake a gibing ſpirrit, / Whoſe influence is begot of that looſe grace, / Which ſhallow laughing hearers giue to fooles, […]

c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

No eye hath ſeene ſuch skarcrovves. Ile not march vvith them through Couentry vvith them, thats flat: […]

c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; […], quarto edition, London: […] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1598, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

He is made like a tilting staffe; and lookes / For all the world like an ore-rosted pigge: / A great Tobacco taker too, thats flat.

c. 1599 (date written), I. M. [i.e., John Marston], The History of Antonio and Mellida. The First Part. […], London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Mathewe Lownes, and Thomas Fisher, […], published 1602, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

Euery man can ſay Bee to a Battledore, and write in prayſe of Vertue, and the ſeuen Liberall Sciences, threſh corne out of the full ſheaues, and fetch water out of the Thames; but out of drie ſtubble to make an after harueſt, and a plentifull croppe without ſowing, and wring iuice out of a flint, thats Pierce a Gods name, and the right tricke of a workman.

1599, [Thomas] Nashe, “To His Readers, Hee Cares Not What They Be”, in Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC:

When yond fame ſtarre thats weaſtward from the pole […]

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

At your pleaſure thats rare; then rovvlie, povvlie, our vviues ſhall lye at your commaund: […]

1601–1602 (date written), attributed to Thomas Dekker and/or Thomas Middleton, Blurt Master-Constable. Or The Spaniards Night-walke. […], London: […] [Edward Allde] for Henry Rockytt, […], published 1602, →OCLC, signature B2, verso:

[The game of dice and ball] is near of kin, in the nature of the vvord to that game of Cock-all, vvhich boyes uſe amongſt us, vvhich Cock-all, is as much vvin and take all, as a Cock does vvho victorying, has not onely the praiſe of all, but vvins all thats laied on the match by the Abettors againſt him.

1663, Edward Waterhous [i.e., Edward Waterhouse], chapter XLVIII, in Fortescutus Illustratus; or A Commentary on that Nervous Treatise De Laudibus Legum Angliæ, Written by Sir John Fortescue Knight, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Roycroft for Thomas Dicas […], →OCLC, page 517:


wasna

"that when I was a hempie of nineteen or twenty, it wasna my fault if I wasna at a' the merry-makings time about."

1820 March, [Walter Scott], The Monastery. A Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Co., and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC:


mehopes

Apparently a neologistic pseudoarchaism, designed to resemble methinks or meseems, which are genuinely archaic.

Gentle maiden, though a captive, mehopes thou hast not found this confinement irksome, […]

1860?, in Godey's Magazine, volumes 60-61, page 424


berra

We berra gerrout! ("We'd better get out!")

(informal, representing northern pronunciation) Better.


this've

Like I say, properties like this've been two a dollar for years and the fires have just about killed sales at any price.

2010, John Eugene Sullivan, Firebug, page 64:


this'd

This'd be OK.

(rare, nonstandard) This would (in conditional sense).


bain't

"I aint afeard at all, I thank God!" said Christian strenuously. "I'm glad I bain't, for then 'twon't pain me... I don't think I be afeard—or if I be I can't help it, and I don't deserve to suffer. I wish I was not afeard at all!"

1871, Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native:

"Bain't you glad that we've become gentlefolk?"

1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 51:


y'knew

'Why didja leave him with your husband if y'knew he was zonked outta his skull?' the detective demanded.


wudn't

Pronunciation spelling of wouldn't. (Contraction of would not.)


wudn't

He wudn't about to leave.

Pronunciation spelling of wasn't. (Contraction of was not.)


idn't

It idn't over here.

Pronunciation spelling of isn't. (Contraction of is not.)


a'n't

Alternative spelling of ain’t, originating as a contraction of am not


you'dn't've

From you + wouldn't (would + not) + have.

(nonstandard or colloquial or dialectal) You would not have.


I'dn't've

From I'd (“I would”) + -n't (“not”) + -'ve (“have”).

suffix

(nonstandard or colloquial or dialectal) I would not have.


toldja

Toldja we would get rain today.


whatchu

Whatchu doin'?

Whatchu think?

Whatchu been up to?

Whatchu mean?

(African-American Vernacular) what are you; what do you; what have you; what you.


t'ye

(archaic, dialectal) Contraction of to you.


oughten

I was jest a little child but I knowed I oughten to go without my clothes.

(colloquial or dialectal) ought not, oughtn't


thone

This Indenture made ⁊c. Betweene ſir E. A. and dame M. his wife on thone party, and J. N. of ⁊c. and W. his wife on thother partie, Witneſſeth, that where the ſaid Sir E. A. ⁊ M. ſtand ſeiſed of, and in the manoꝛ of M. and of one capitall meſuage called E. and the sſite of demeane of the late diſſolued Monaſtery of E. in the county of W. and of diuers maſuages, lands, temenents, and hereditaments in E. S. A. and B. in the ſaid county of W.

1615, William West, The First Part of Simboleography. […], London: […] Companie of Stationers, unnumbered page:


s'long

She won't notice us s'long as you keep your mouth shut!

Goodbye! — S'long!


you'ren't

(rare, nonstandard) Contraction of you are not.


y'all'd

(colloquial) Contraction of y'all would.


woo't

Come show me what thou'lt doe. / Woo’t weepe? Woo’t fight? Woo’t teare thy selfe? / Woo’t drinke up Esile, eate a Crocodile?

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 278, column 2:


musn't

Thomas Dibdin, Guilty or Not Guilty
Nay, Sir, you musn't mind it — it's quite a common thing in our parish […]

Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn
So I said it wouldn’t be no use to try to play it any longer, and I would just make a clean breast and tell her everything, but she musn't go back on her promise.


whadda

A month later, I'm still feeling its magic, although I no longer have the urge to stand up and movie theater and holler, "Whadda we want?!" ("Gay Rights" was the response of the hour, by the way.)

1987 December 6, Liz Nania, “A Momentous Event: The National Gathering Of Bisexuals At The March On Washington”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 21, page 5:

Whadda you want?


meetcha

Pleased to meetcha.


people'd

I can't go out dressed like this. People'd stare!


better'n

You’ve been mighty good to me, boys—better’n anybody else in this town.

1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XXIII, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 183:


aincha

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of ain't you.


why'm

“Why'm I here, Captain? To humiliate myself at sword practice? To go crazy thinking my best friend is a murderer? Which she's not, by the way. […]


what'm

What'm I looking at?


fixna

I'm fixna go to the store.

(rare) African-American Vernacular form of fixing to: used to express a desire or future action.


gizza

"It's just more money down the drain. Gizza beer, will ya?"
"It's not shite," replies Ronnie sullenly, "it's just good business sense, something neither of you two have. What do you think, Terry?"


insteada

Written form of a reduction of instead of.

(chiefly slang) Contraction of instead of.


gwineter

‘Ef you gwineter kill me, Brer B’ar, kyar me ter dat big flat rock out dar on de aidge er de mill-pon’, whar I kin see my fambly, en atter I see um, den you kin take you axe en sqush me.’

1886, Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings/Mr. Bear catches Old Mr. Bull-Frog:

"DAH, now, Huck, what I tell you?--what I tell you up dah on Jackson islan'? I TOLE you I got a hairy breas', en what's de sign un it; en I TOLE you I ben rich wunst, en gwineter to be rich AGIN; en it's come true; en heah she is! DAH, now! doan' talk to ME--signs is SIGNS, mine I tell you; en I knowed jis' 's well 'at I 'uz gwineter be rich agin as I's a-stannin' heah dis minute!"

1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “Chapter XLIII”, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) […], London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC:

(archaic, African-American Vernacular) Contraction of going to