interstitial - Referring to the space between cells, atoms or molecules, or soil particles. Interstitial cells are those cells that exist in the connective tissues between other tissues and structures + interstipitalis (l) - between trunks, among branches.
curfew - a regulation in force in mediæval Europe by which at a fixed hour in the evening, indicated by the ringing of a bell, fires were to be covered over or extinguished; Hence, the practice of ringing a bell at a fixed hour in the evening, usually eight or nine o'clock, continued after the original purpose was obsolete, and often used as a signal in connexion with various municipal or communal regulations + couvre-feu (fr) - curfew; fire-cover.
watch one's step - to be very careful not to make a mistake + thin end of the wedge - an act that may seem unimportant but is thought to be the first stage of a change that could become much more serious or harmful.
high powered - having great power or drive (lit. and fig.); forceful, energetic
hefty - of considerable weight and size; Of a person: possessing physical strength and weight, rugged and powerful ("a hefty athlete").
hoyden - a boisterous noisy girl, a romp + head
think nothing of - to make light of, make no difficulty or scruple about
ramp = romp (v.) (now dial.) - to play, sport, or frolic in a very lively, merry, or boisterous manner.
suite - a train of followers, attendants, or servants; a retinue
smokeless - emitting or producing no smoke
trich - to deceive, cheat, play false with
ragazza (it) - girl
ladra (it) - thief + Rossini: La Gazza Ladra (The Thieving Magpie).
smuggle - import or export without paying customs duties
Adam's apples
deceitful - marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another
jade - a woman adulterer + 'deceitful jade' (Joyce's note) [lie motif, jewel motif].
gee - An exclamation of surprise or enthusiasm; also used simply for emphasis + gee (Slang) - vulva.
wedge - vulva (Slang); something solid that is usable as an inclined plane (shaped like a V) that can be pushed between two things to separate them; a diacritical mark (an inverted circumflex) placed above certain letters (such as c) to indicate pronunciation.
begorra - Anglo-Irish alteration of the expletive by God
flay - to strip or pull off the skin or hide of
laney - of or pertaining to a lane
kosen - cousin (obs.) + kosen (ger) - caress + kissing cousins.
proscribe - to reject, condemn, denounce as useless or dangerous; to prohibit, interdict + prescribed.
Population peg (notebook 1923) → Population Peg - nickname of Margaret Sanger, 20th century American advocate of birth control.
twim (Slang) - vulva + two
Tommy Atkins - Familiar form of Thomas Atkins, as a name for the typical private soldier in the British army + asking
Béarla (Irish) - English language + barley - a strong cereal of the genus Hordeum, or its grains, often used as food or to make malted drinks.
snakke (Norwegian) - speak + snakke (Danish) - chatter.
swearword - a word used in profane swearing, a profane word + svare (Danish) - answer + snaking forwards.
nursemaid - a young woman employed as maid to attend to little children + nurse (Slang) - whore + Magd (ger) - girl.
man of war - a fighting man; a soldier, warrior (obs. exc. arch. or jocular.)
say (Irish Pronunciation) - sea
generable - that may be generated or produced
roost - to lodge, harbour, make one's abode or quarters. In mod. use: To pass the night.
apposite - well put or applied; appropriate, suitable (to); opposite
lead by the nose - to cause to obey submissively
(not anal but confessional)
felon - 'terribly' great, 'tremendous', huge (Sc. obs.); a vile or wicked person + fellow.
suspiciously - in a way deserving of suspicion; so as to arouse suspicion + especially.
slugger - one who delivers heavy blows, a pugilist, prize-fighter; a sluggard
belabour - to exert one's strength or ability upon; fig. To assail with words.
ardently - with great eagerness or keen desire; passionately, earnestly, zealously
fetid - having an offensive smell, stinking + (notebook 1924): 'evil of raw spirits' → Connacht Tribune 12 Apr 1924, 5/3: 'Doing the Devil's Work': (of the Bishop of Galway) 'Dr. O'Doherty adverted to the poteen evil, warning the people of the dangers and the evils of raw spirits'.
prurity = pruriency (obs. rare.) - liking for or tendency towards impure or lascivious thought + purities
rod - an instrument of punishment, either one straight stick, or a bundle of twigs bound together + forty-rod (Slang) - cheap overproof whiskey.
whisk - to beat or whip with a rod of twigs or the like + twenty-odd cherry brandies.
coney - a rabbit; simpleton (Slang) + The Cat and Cage pub, Dublin.
spotted dog - a white or light-coloured dog with black or dark spots, esp. a Dalmatian
bis (ger) - until
South Lotts Road, Dublin
tight - on terms of close friendship, intimate
fizzle - the action of breaking wind quietly
glib - to talk volubly
gab - the action of gabbing or talking; prattle, talk, twaddle
draggletail - a woman whose skirts are wet and draggled, or whose dress hangs about her untidily and dirty; a slut
drab - a harlot, prostitute + James Joyce: Gas from a Burner 83-84: 'And the foreigner learns the gift of the gab From the drunken draggletail Dublin drab'.
bally - a euphemism for bloody, used as a vague intensive of general application; 'jolly', 'confounded'
bill - to send a bill or account to, to charge
might - mighty + bright
meeth - mead (the drink); methe (measure) + meet
NAVAN - Town, County Meath + neamh (Irish) - heaven.
Hellfire Club, Dublin + Kells, County Meath.
give the goby to - to outstrip, leave behind; Also, to leave.
dare - to be courageous enough to try or do something + 'You may go, darling Nelly, to the wake in Kildare... But keep your legs together coming home from the wake' (song).
Byron's "Maid of Athens" begins, "Maid of Athens, ere we part, Give, oh give me back my heart!" + Spare the rod and spoil the child (proverb) + "I have already noted the fireplace's role as a conduit to Issy's room upstairs. Inevitably, Issy is envisioned as Cinderella." (John Gordon: Finnegans Wake: a plot summary).
lilylike - resembling a lily
buck - to move quickly and violently; Of a horse: To leap vertically from the ground, drawing the feet together like a deer, and arching the back.
but - to say or use 'but' + 'Wid my bundle on my shoulder, Faith! there's no man could be boulder, I'm laving dear ould Ireland widout warning, For I lately took the notion For to cross the briny ocean, and I shtart for Philadelphia in the mornin'' (song).
hep - to hop on one's foot
hop - an act, or the action, of hopping; a short spring or leap, esp. on one foot
horn - to sound a horn; to signal to (someone) with a horn
brainy - having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence
cancan - a kind of dance made popular at the public balls in Paris, with extravagant and indecent gestures + raise Cain - create a disturbance.
rouse - to stir up, agitate
commotion - a disturbance, agitation
apt - suited, fitted
flail - to scourge, whip; to beat or thrash
tail - the lower and hinder part of the human body; posteriors, buttocks