Aiwa, effendi——Yea, noble sir. Allah——God. Allah-haly ‘m
alla-haly——A singsong of river-workers. Allah Kerim——God is
bountiful. Allshu Akbar——God is most Great. A’l’meh——Female
professional singers Antichi——Antiquities.
Backsheesh——Tip, douceur, bribe. Balass——Earthen vessel for carrying
water. Basha——Pasha. Bersim——Grass. Bimbashi——Major. Bishareen——A
native tribe. Bismillah——In the name of God. Bowab——A doorkeeper.
Corvee——Forced labour.
Dahabeah——A Nile houseboat with large lateen sails.
Darabukkeh——A drum made of a skin stretched over an earthenware funnel.
Doash——(Literally) Treading. A ceremony performed on the return of the
Holy Carpet from Mecca.
Dourha——Maize.
Effendina——Highness. El aadah——The ordinary. El Azhar——The Arab
University at Cairo. Fantasia——Celebration with music, dancing, and
processions. Farshoot——The name of a native tribe. Fatihah——The
opening chapter of the Koran, recited at weddings, etc.
Feddan——The most common measure of land—a little less than an acre.
Also dried hay.
Fellah (plu. fellaheen)——The Egyptian peasant.
Felucca——A small boat, propelled by oars or sails.
Fessikh——Salted fish.
Ghaffirs——Humble village officials.
Ghawdzee——The tribe of public dancing-girls. A female of this tribe is
called “Ghazeeyeh,” and a man “Ghazee,” but the plural
Ghawazee is generally understood as applying to the female.
Ghimah——The Mahommedan Sunday.
Gippy——Colloquial name for an Egyptian soldier.
Goolah——Porous water-jar of Nile mud.
Hakim——Doctor.
Hanouti——Funeral attendants.
Hari-kari——An Oriental form of suicide.
Hashish——Leaves of hemp.
Inshallah——God willing.
Jibbeh——Long coat or smock, worn by dervishes.
Kavass——An orderly.
Kemengeh——A cocoanut fiddle.
Khamsin——A hot wind of Egypt and the Soudan.
Khedive——The title granted in 1867 by the Sultan of Turkey to the ruler
of Egypt.
Khiassa——Small boat.
Khowagah——Gentleman.
Koran——The Scriptures of the Mahommedans.
Kourbash——A stick, a whip.
La ilaha illa-llah——There is no God but God. Mafish——Nothing.
Magnoon——Fool. Malaish——No matter. Mamour——A magistrate.
Mankalah——A game. Mastaba——A bench. Mejidieh——A Turkish Order.
Mirkaz——District. Moghassils——Washers of the dead. Moufetish——High
steward. Mudir——A Governor of a Mudirieh or province. Muezzin——The
sheikh of the mosque who calls to prayer. Mushrabieh——Lattice window.
Naboot——Quarter staff. Narghileh——The Oriental tobacco-pipe. Nehar-ak
koom said——Greeting to you. Omdah——The head of a village.
Ooster——One of the best sort.
Ramadan——The Mahommedan season of fasting. Reis——Pilot.
Saadat el basha——Excellency.
Sais——Groom.
Sakkia——Persian water-wheel.
Salaam——A salutation of the East; an obeisance, performed by bowing
very low and placing the right palm on the forehead and on the
breast.
Sarraf——An accountant.
Shadoof——Bucket and pole used by natives for lifting water.
Sha’er——A reciter. (The singular of Sho’ara, properly signifying a
poet.)
Sheikh-el-beled——Head of a village.
Shintiyan——Very wide trousers, worn by the women of the middle and
higher orders.
Sitt——“The Lady.”
Tarboosh——Fez or native turban. Tarah——A veil for the head.
Ulema——Learned men.
Waled——A boy. Wekeel——A deputy. Welee——A favourite of Heaven;
colloquially a saint.
Yashmak——A veil for the lower part of the face. Yelek——A long vest or
smock, worn over the shirt and shintiyan.
Zeriba——A palisade.
ETEXT EDITOR’S BOOKMARKS:
A look too bright for joy, too intense for despair
All the world’s mad but thee and me
Anger was the least injurious of all grounds for separation
As if our penalties were only paid by ourselves!
Credulity, easily transmutable into superstition
Dangerous man, as all enthusiasts are
He had tasted freedom; he was near to license
His gift for lying was inexpressible
One favour is always the promise of another
Oriental would think not less of him for dissimulation
Paradoxes which make for laughter—and for tears
The friendship of man is like the shade of the acacia
Vanity of successful labour
What is crime in one country, is virtue in another
Women only admitted to Heaven by the intercession of husbands
All books are sourced from Project Gutenberg