Trappers Dictionary
A tiny glimpse at some of the free trappers lingo.
LANGUAGE OF THE TRAPPER
airth: earth
beaver kitten: a newcomer
blunderbuss: a short musket
Bug’s boys: a term used by trappers for Blackfeet warriors
bull thrower: nickname for a trapper’s rifle
capote: a long blanket coat with a hood
child: a term used by a trapper when talking about himself
do: his destiny
doomed beaver: death is about to occur
fer: for
foofaraw: 1. Indian women’s trinkets, trifles, etc. purchased by the trappers for their
Indian wives 2. decoration, anything frivolous 3. a great “to-do” over nothing gittin’ yore
Glass Mountain: obsidian cliff found in Yellowstone National Park, it is located on
the road between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin
gone beaver: a dead man, or a man deeply in trouble
greenhorn: an inexperienced person, someone new to the mountains
hair up: getting upset, or bothered by a situation
he was made riddle of: filled with holes
hyar’s damp powder and no fire to dry it: a bad situation
knows fat cow from poor bull: said of an experienced trapper
leetle: little
lost your topknot: lost your scalp
old coon: term used when addressing a friend, a friend experienced and skilled
in the mountains
old hoss: a close friend
parler: to talk
passed in his checks: died or been killed
peetrified: petrified
pilgrim: a newcomer to the mountains
plew: prime beaver skin
possibles bag: a leather sack hung over the shoulder which contained the things a
trapper might “possibly” need, such as needle, bullet mold, tobacco, etc.
raise meat: to hunt to obtain meat for the pot
rite: right
saved my hide: saved my life
shut-eye: sleep
some punkin: 1. a good thing 2. a good-looking Indian girl
some time before yore kettle’s greased agin: some time before you eat again
spin a good yarn: to tell a story
struck off on his own hook: to go his own way
swallering fire: drinking whiskey
that shines: something good; an indication of approval
tonguin’: talking
war: were
waugh: an exclamation
whar his stick floated: where a man was intended to go or what he was intending to
Copyright John Meade. All rights reserved.