Nyaudzosingwi starting with G

Figurative Expressions

• gaDescribes falling from a high place to a lower one head downwards, so that it is the head that strikes the ground first.
• gaDescribes chopping something with an axe or another cutting implement.
• ga-aDescribes a bright light flashing out for a brief moment. People found out who the thief was when a torch went ga-a.
• ga gaDescribes chopping with something sharp or hard, using a great deal of force.
• ga ga gaDescribes laughing in a high-pitched voice, showing great delight. Example: he burst out laughing ga ga ga when told to go out with a girl he did not want.
• gabada gabadaDescribes walking noisily, like a person wearing oversized shoes. When he was caught in the rain wearing gumboots he walked along going gabada gabada.
• gabhuDescribes catching fire fiercely and without warning, as grass does, or something that has had paraffin put on it. Example: when the wind came the dry grass went up gabhu. Compare ngandu.
• gabhuVariant spelling of "bhagu".
• gabidi gabidiDescribes drinking in such a way that the sound is heard in the throat. When the cattle had finished eating the meal, they went gabidi gabidi drinking the water that was in the drums.
• gabuDescribes striking hard with the fist. Also describes the goring of cattle with their horns when fighting.
• gadaDescribes sitting down on the ground; also describes falling on the back of the head.
• gada gadaDescribes walking with the head held up in the air.
• gadagaDescribes letting the head hang backwards, as a child does when it falls asleep while being carried on the back. Compare ragu ragu.
• gadaga narlanaDescribes walking in such a way that people watching you admire you.
• gaduDescribes striking a person or something else with force. Compare ga-a, ja-a. Also describes chopping forcefully with a cutting tool.
• gadyaDescribes swallowing liquid things, with the throat heard making a sound.
• gadzaDescribes setting something down gently after it has been lifted up.
• gadzakataDescribes setting something down in such a way that it will not topple over onto the ground.
• gaga gagaDescribes the falling of drops of water when rain is just beginning. Compare dodo dodo.
• gagadi gagadiThe sound or manner of a horse running in a race.
• gagaduDescribes biting off a small piece from something hard.
• gagamaVariant spelling of "gaga".
• gagami gagamiDescribes walking while favouring a leg that is sore or shorter than the other. He went gagami gagami on his way home, as the thorn that had snapped off in his leg was very big.
• gahananaDescribes keeping one's gaze fixed on something without blinking.
• gamhiUsed of a person who is not treading properly, because his leg is painful.
• gamuDescribes receiving something humbly, with a show of modesty.
• gangaraDescribes being fully out in the open, plainly exposed. When the clouds had cleared, the moon was left standing out gangara.
• gangavataUsed of something that is out in the open where it can be seen.
• ganhuDescribes water ceasing to flow or rain stopping; also describes dividing things or places apart. The two men had a big farm, but they split it ganhu down the middle, one taking this side and one the other.
• gapiDescribes lapping up water the way a dog drinks water.
• garagadaDescribes climbing up on top of something high.
• garagadaDescribes collapsing in a heap, as a beast does when it is struck with an axe at slaughter. When he was hit with a hard fist, he went down garagada.
• gasuDescribes the ceasing of the rain.
• ge ge geDescribes cutting deeply with a sharpened object so that the place gapes open. Also used of laughing.
• gebuDescribes goring or butting forcefully with the horns.
• gede gedeVariant spelling of "gede".
• gegeduDescribes the crunching of something hard while eating. "I heard gegedu and knew he was eating a bone."
• gejeVariant spelling of "gede".
• geruDescribes cutting hair, usually with scissors.
• giDescribes striking hard with the fist.
• gi giDescribes walking while striking the ground so that it makes a rumbling noise. Example: I heard gi gi behind the house and knew that father had arrived.
• gi gi giDescribes laughing noisily in a high-pitched voice. Compare ge ge ge.
• gidhi gidhiDescribes the movement of an animal or person striking the ground noisily as they go.
• gidhi-iDescribes making a very loud noise like the going off of a bomb. Example: When the gun went off gidhi-i, everyone fled.
• goDescribes sitting with the buttocks on the ground and the feet also planted on the ground, usually done by someone who is tired. Example: I saw him just sitting go in the field while the others worked.
• goDescribes chopping a tree or some other thing. When a snake does go, it has bitten something.
• go go goDescribes the dripping of water or of other things onto one and the same spot. Compare dho dho dho.
• go go goUsed of a person asking permission to enter (knocking). Example: I heard go go go and knew there was someone outside. Compare ko ko ko.
• go-oUsed of food that is over-salted. Example: The relish was go-o and sharp because it had been seasoned twice.
• go tendeDescribes sitting down in a thoroughly settled, comfortable manner.
• gobodo gobodoDescribes walking with the heels and toes making an audible sound.
• godiUsed when something has gone godi, meaning it has entered into some place.
• godi godiDescribes climbing a step or something else quickly. Compare kata kata.
• gofuDescribes inserting a finger or a stick in order to get something out, usually from a hole. Example: poke gofu into the hole with a stick.
• gojo gojoDescribes the noise a cart makes as it travels over rough, uneven ground. "Don't let the cart go over the rocks making gojo gojo."
• gojodoDescribes the falling of a large object with a loud noise, usually one made of metal. Example: The car went gojodo into the gully because the driver was drunk.
• gojodoDescribes the collapse of a person or animal that has suddenly lost all strength. Example: the beast was given just one blow of the axe and down it went gojodo. Compare gwadagwa.
• gojotoDescribes falling to the ground with a noise. "He dropped the piece of iron down, gojoto."
• goko-oThe cry a hen makes when it has been startled: goko-o.
• gombeDescribes the loss of strength, usually in the knees.
• gondoroThe sound made like that of an empty drum when it is struck by something.
• gongondoroThe sound made by an empty bucket or empty drum when it falls.
• gonjoroThe rattling sound made by a cart or an empty drum, especially when there is a small piece of metal or a small stone inside it.
• gorwaDescribes sitting with the legs spread apart. "The children were sitting gorwa in the sand."
• guDescribes the knocking of one thing against another (compare bvanga, guma); also the unplanned meeting of people; also the emptying out of things by tapping the container they are in. Example: Tap this tin gu so that all the salt comes out.
• guDescribes staring at a person for a long time.
• gubhuDescribes entering water and splashing it. Compare puva, bhangu.
• gubhuDescribes water splashing or gushing out of a vessel such as a gourd. Example: The water went gubhu out of the bucket when I knocked against it.
• gubidiDescribes swallowing quickly, with a slight sound made inside.
• gubuDescribes striking something so that whatever was inside it spills out. "He struck the plate gubu, and all the relish fell in the dirt."
• gubvutu gubvutuThe swishing noise made by a person wearing a dress or garment that reaches down to the legs.
• guchutuUsed when a person has sat down on the ground in a way that shows great exhaustion. Compare rukutu.
• gudaVariant spelling of "gwadara".
• gudeUsed of a person covering the whole body with a blanket or a cloth.
• gudhu-u
• guduDescribes swallowing something such as water in a way that makes the throat sound.
• guduDescribes the snapping of something in the middle. Example: He broke the maize cob gudu and gave his elder brother one piece.
• gudubiVariant spelling of "gurwi".
• gudubu gudubu
• guduguUsed of a person wrapping the whole body in a blanket or a cloth.
• gudumuUsed when something has fallen from a high place.
• guduruVariant spelling of "gunduru".
• gudyaDescribes swallowing something noisily.
• gudyuDescribes swallowing water or some other drink noisily. Compare gadya, gatya.
• guguduDescribes beating a thing or a person until it dies. "The boy struck the puppy gugudu, thinking he was playing, but he had actually killed it."
• guguduruDescribes crunching hard food with the mouth closed. Compare babandu.
• gujuDescribes bouncing or being jolted up into the air, as happens when something travels along a poorly made road.
• gukuchiDescribes carrying many assorted things at once. "He had pumpkins, groundnuts, bambara nuts, maize and sugarcane gukuchi in his arms."
• gumbu
• gumbushuDescribes lying down out in the open with nothing to cover oneself with.
• gumhiDescribes the walk of a person who has injured one leg or who is crippled.
• gumhikumhiVariant spelling of "gumhi".
• gumuDescribes knocking or striking against something gently. Also describes causing things to spill after knocking the container they are in, and also the starting of doing something.
• gundumu
• gunduru
• gunguDescribes being aggrieved or distressed.
• gungunduruDescribes finishing off food or drink that one had. Also describes the rolling of a heavy object with a hole through its middle, and the noise caused by striking something such as a drum with a stone.
• gununu gununu
• gurududuDescribes tilting the head to one side in a way that shows a person is sad. Example: when he was worn out from crying for his mother, the child let his head go gurududu as he sat on the ground.
• guruguduDescribes moving about in a way that is heard from inside something. "I could hear cockroaches going gurugudu in my box of clothes."
• gurugudyuThe sound made when a person swallows something hurriedly.
• gurungundyuDescribes swallowing quickly.
• gurunu
• gururuThe sound of an animal roaring or bellowing. Also the sound of a person snoring, usually while asleep. Compare gwiriri.
• gurwadaDescribes kneeling down in a way that shows humility when handing something to a person one holds in respect. Example: the bride knelt gurwada on the ground as she handed her mother-in-law the bread. Also describes kneeling in a way that shows the knees have no strength. Compare -guda, -gwadara.
• gurwi
• gutsuDescribes raising the head up and lowering it again to show agreement with what is being said, i.e. nodding. While his father spoke, the son kept nodding his head to show he approved of what was being said.
• gutya
• guumu
• gwaDescribes striking or chopping with a stone or some other object. Compare gwe.
• gwaDescribes a place, or a clay object that was wet, becoming hard and dry; also the drying up of water, as in a well. Also describes snapping off, as a dry stick does.
• gwa gwa gwa
• gwaba gwabaDescribes the slow, little-by-little walking of a person or animal whose knees have no strength. The sick person walked gwaba gwaba as though about to fall.
• gwabadaRepeated as gwabada gwabada, it describes a person walking noisily, like someone wearing oversized shoes. The illustrative example is incomplete.
• gwabadaraDescribes falling down out of exhaustion. Compare gwadara.
• gwabhuDescribes pulling off a lid or a patch from where it was stuck, or finishing off what one was doing. Example: the bottle top went gwabhu, and the drinker started on the beer inside. Compare kwetsu.
• gwabvu
• gwacharaUsed of a vessel or utensil that has fallen with a clatter. He flung down the bundle of firewood and it went gwachara on the ground. Also used of a person collapsing from tiredness or weakness.
• gwachata
• gwada
• gwadabuDescribes lifting off a heavy cover or lid that was closing a vessel or some other place.
• gwadabvuDescribes ripping or tearing something open with a horn, or scratching at it forcefully.
• gwadagwa
• gwadaraDescribes dropping or falling flat to the ground. He was struck with that knobkerrie and fell flat on the ground.
• gwadara gwadaraDescribes the struggling and rising up of an animal that had been lying down on the ground.
• gwagwada
• gwajanuDescribes the coming apart of pieces of metal that had been fastened or joined together. The plough struck the rocks and went gwajanu, with pieces flying this way and that. Compare kwetsu.
• gwajataThe sound of something falling noisily, as when a bundle of firewood is dropped on the ground.
• gwaju
• gwamuUsed of a person who has been given a hard, heavy slap.
• gwanguDescribes scooping something out, such as milk from a container, using a ladle.
• gwanhu
• gwanzuUsed of a log that has been split down the middle; also of striking a hard slap. He was dealt a resounding slap and the boy saw stars in broad daylight.
• gwaradaThe sound made by a stiff, hardened hide. Compare kwanyanu.
• gwaragwada
• gwaragwadaUsed of a thing that makes a grating, rattling noise when it is bent or crumpled.
• gwaranuThe slight noise made when opening or closing a door that scrapes against the ground.
• gwashuVariant spelling of "gwishu".
• gwauDescribes barking loudly and forcefully.
• gwavaDescribes standing at a distance from the person to whom one wishes to make a request; a worker does so when asking the farm manager for leave. Also describes shifting from one spot to another while remaining seated.
• gwavava
• gweDescribes people coming upon one another suddenly and unexpectedly. Also describes settling on top of something: the baboon, having eaten its fill of maize, went gwe and sat on top of a rock in the field. Also describes striking a person, animal or vessel with a stone or some other object.
• gweba gwebaDescribes walking little by little in a way that shows there is no strength in the knees.
• gwebede gwedebe
• gwebuDescribes prising off a lid or lifting a flat slab of stone to see what is beneath it. He lifted the flat stone gwebu and saw a scorpion.
• gwedeDescribes things, especially metal ones, fitting closely together when they are being joined.
• gwede
• gwede gwedeDescribes making a noise like that of a wagon on the move. Also describes rocking something such as a pole planted in the ground so as to work it loose. He first rocked the pole gwede gwede, then pulled it out easily.
• gwede reDescribes walking little by little in a way that shows a lack of strength.
• gwedeba
• gwedebu
• gwedemuDescribes banging dishes together. The plates were clattered gwedemu so that mother would hear that the sadza was finished. Also describes jabbing someone under the chin, done by a person who has been provoked.
• gwedu
• gwedzva gwedzvaDescribes walking without lifting the legs much, in a manner showing lack of strength.
• gwedzvede gwedzvedeDescribes walking with the legs dragging along because of tiredness.
• gwegwedu
• gwegwendereThe clattering sound a metal vessel makes when it falls onto hard ground. Mother heard a plate go gwengwendere and ran to where the dishes were being washed.
• gwejeDescribes things, especially metal ones, fitting closely together. Compare gedye.
• gweje gweje
• gwejenuDescribes the forcing apart of pieces of metal that are joined together. Used, for example, of a door being wrenched open so that those shut inside can get out.
• gwendereThe noise made by vessels or utensils knocking repeatedly against one another.
• gwengwendere
• gwenjere
• gwerebvuVariant spelling of "gwabvu".
• gwerede gwerede
• gwerenuDescribes the removing of the barrier poles that close the entrance of a cattle pen or a garden.
• gwi
• gwiDescribes cutting through and severing something in a single stroke. Also used of a person who is strong and in good health.
• gwi mb uDescribes the tearing or breaking off of a branch from a tree.
• gwibaDescribes vehicles crashing into one another and denting each other; also the bringing of horns together as bulls do when fighting. Also used of blocking up an opening that stands gaping.
• gwibuDescribes cutting something into two pieces, as when he cut the sugarcane and shared it between Tendai and Zivanai. Also describes laughing in a way that shows a free and happy heart.
• gwindiriDescribes a person being in good health and sturdy — as when an old man is still strong although he has lived many years. Also used of a thing lying just where it has been thrown down, looking of no use.
• gwipfuDescribes breaking something off with the hands; he broke off the morsel and threw it into his mouth.
• gwiriDescribes setting off on a journey, or following a trail where an animal has passed.
• gwirididiDescribes the sky being closed over with cloud. When the early morning is overcast in this way, the elders say that something ominous is going to happen.
• gwirigwidiDescribes darting into a hole at once; the creature shot into its hole on seeing the dogs coming.
• gwiririDescribes breathing noisily while asleep. A person who breathes gwiriri in their sleep is not taken along to share a sleeping place.