Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Wednesday Western- Palavering "bout words

For writers of westerns who want to give their stories the true western flair here are some words to toss into your stories.

Fractious                    
simmered                                
tipped his hat                         
rebuff
Mercantile                  
Give my regards to                
unhand me                             
pitiable glance
Swooned                    
bridle jingling                         
moved with an easy prowl     
bemused
Cowpoke                    
donned his hat                                   
hand cupped her elbow          
court (date)
Compunction             
Scandalously pleased             
seen the error of his ways      
tin washtub
Babble and blither      
tinny tune of a piano              
touched the brim of his hat    
hoosegow
Offer my assistance   
Flummoxed                            
Befuddled                              
oughtn’t to…
I reckon                      
in the altogether (naked)        
wrenched off boots                
palavering (talking)
Confabulation            
balderdash                              
old rope springs on bed          
spectacle
Ledger book               
said with an indignant sniff   
Union blue                             
the Rebs
Fretful                        
looking/feeling so retched      
tend to business                     
telegraph operator
Commotion    
stampede
strung ‘em up                         
price on his head                    
whooping it up
Horsewhip                  
interjected                              
turnin’ coward                                   
yellow bellied
Gulch                         
Had him pegged for…           
critters                                    
raising dust
Bandana                     
rattler striking                         
virtues                                    
all hell broke loose
Spin a yarn                 
old geezer                               
saloon                                     
Cayuse (small pony)
Oration                       
nickered                                 
perdition                                 
sweltering
Buckboard                 
roustabouts                             
sawdust floors                        
heathen
Trail-worn                  
fingers or hands calloused     
damnation                              
cattle trails
Copious                      
holster riding low on hip        
brothel or bathhouse              
ill repute
Cowpunchers             
ladies of ill repute                  
mutton choppers                    
gathering of lost sheep
Pious                          
thunderous                             
rendition                                 
both Colts at the ready
Bindweed                  
warm molasses                       
stormed like a barn cat            

4 comments:

ChuckTyrell said...

Lots a words there that never find their way into my Westerns. Hmmm. Am i lacking in vocabulary or what?

Paty Jager said...

Chuck, I think it just depends on your characters and setting. I usually like to have one character with colorful language just for a little humor.

Stephanie said...

Thanks Paty. I've used many of these words but some are new to me. They'll appear some place, some time. ;)

Paty Jager said...

Stephanie, they always add some western color when used.