Ẹsẹ̀

A fẹsẹ̀ ba orí ilẹ̀ – We set foot on land/We disembarked.

A fẹsẹ̀ gbá bọ́ọ̀lù – We played football.

A nasẹ̀ lọ sí ọjà – He was strolling to the market.

Àṣà yìí fẹsẹ̀ mule – This custom is firmly established.

Ẹ jẹ́ kí a péjú pésẹ̀ sí ìpàdé náà – Let us all be present at the meeting.

Ẹsẹ̀ dá wáí – There are no visitors here.

Ẹsẹ̀ gììrì nílé àńjọ̀fẹ́, ańjọ̀fé kú, a ò rí ẹni kan – Feet rush to a house where people can get things for nothing, when things can no longer be got for mere asking, such visitors cut short their visits (rats deserts a sinking ship).

Ẹsẹ̀ kò gbèjì ni ibẹ̀ yẹn – That is a narrow track.

Ẹsẹ̀ kò pọ̀ lọ́nà yìí – This is an unfrequented road.

Ẹsẹ̀ kún mi – I am tired of standing.

Ẹsẹ̀ ni ó lò tí ó fi rí iṣẹ́ – He used his influence to secure the job.

Ẹsin náà tasẹ̀ wáíwáí – The horse kicked backward.

Gbogbo wa ni a pésẹ̀ sí ìpàdé náà – we were all present at the meeting.

Gìrì-gìrì ni ẹsẹ̀ ń wọ́ọ́ lọ sílé rẹ̀ – People are flocking to his home.

Ijó ń bẹ nínú arọ, ẹsẹ̀ ni kò sí – The lame wants to dance but there are no legs/Barkis is willing/Opportunity makes the thief.

Ìṣẹ̀lẹ̀ méjèèjì náà ṣẹlẹ̀ ní ṣísè-n-tẹ̀lé – The two events are inseparable.

Ìyàwó á fẹsẹ̀ẹre tẹlé o – Goodluck on your marriage, bridegroom.

Kò jẹ́ kí o ya òun lẹ́sẹ̀ kan – He won’t let him out of his sight for a moment.

Kò lẹ́sẹ̀ nílẹ̀ – He has no supporters.

Kò mẹsẹ̀ kó yẹjú – He who has come uninvited should withdraw.

Máà yẹsẹ̀ – Don’t move.

Máà yinsẹ̀ – Don’t move.

Mo fẹsẹ̀ bù – I hurt my leg so that it bled.

Mo fẹsẹ̀ ra ijó – I took part in the dance.

Mo fi ẹsẹ̀ pa – I hurt my leg.

Mo rí ojú ẹsẹ̀ lórí yanrìn – I saw his footprints on the sand.

N kò gbọ́ iró ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ – I didn’t hear his footfalls.

N ò mọ ibi tí orí ń bá ẹsẹ̀ẹ́ rè – I don’t know what is in store for me.

N ó mú un wá lẹ́sẹ̀ kan náà tí mo bá ti lò ó tán – I shall bring it as soon as I finished using it.

N ó mú un wá lẹ́sẹ̀ kẹsẹ̀ tí mo bá ti lò ó tán – I shall bring it as soon as I finished using it.

Ní ìrọwọ́rọsẹ̀ ni ó rí owó yií – He got this money easily.

Ó bá ẹsẹ rẹ̀ sọ̀rọ̀ – He took a hurried leave.

Ó bá ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ sọ̀rọ̀ – He took to his heels.

Ó dásẹ̀ dúró – He halted.

Ó dásẹ̀ níbẹ̀ – He ceased going there.

Ó di irun kòlẹ́sẹ̀ – She made a style of hairdressing where the hair is plaited from the front to the back of head; the plaits descending to the nape of the neck.

Ó dide lójú ẹsẹ̀ – He stood up immediately.

Ó dúró ní ẹsẹ̀ ọ̀nà – He stood by the roadside.

Ó dúró síbi ẹsẹ̀ mi – He stood near my feet.

Ó fẹsẹ̣̀ bale – He put down his foot.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ iṣẹ́ yìí lélẹ̀ – He started work on this.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ kan délé mi – He paid me a flying visit.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ kọ – He knocked his foot on something.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ kọ́lẹ̀ lọ – He walked away slowly and dejectedly.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ lé ọ̀nà Èkó – He set out for Lagos.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ lulẹ̀ – He stamped on the ground.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ rọ́ – He sprained his foot/He dislocated his foot.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ ṣẹ́ – He broke his leg.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ tẹ̀ ẹ́ – He trod on it.

Ó fẹsẹ̀ wọ́ odò náà – He waded through the river.

Ó fi orí ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ rìn kọjá lọ sí ojú fèrèsé – He is tiptoed over to the window.

Ó fi ọwọ́ kan àtẹ́lẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ – He touched the sole of his feet.

Ó gbé mi lẹ́sẹ̀ – He took me on his knee.

Ó gùn ní ẹsẹ̀ bàtà mẹ́fà – It is six feet long.

Ó ka ẹ̀sẹ̀ apààyàn sí i lẹ́sẹ̀ – He accused him of murder.

Ó ka ẹsẹ̀ wọn – He counted their legs.

Ó kasẹ̀ – He paced along/He stepped out.

Ó kásẹ̀ – It came to an end.

Ó kasẹ̀ ìyàwó – He walked slowly/She walked with measured tread.

Ó kó ẹsẹ̀ tile – He raced along.

Ọ́ kọ́ mi lẹ́sẹ̀ – He impeded me.

Ó kọsẹ̀ bá mi – He happened to meet me.

Ó lẹ́sẹ̀ – He is sociable.

Ó lẹ́sẹ̀ nílẹ̀ – He has supporters.

Ó lọ gbọnsẹ̀ – He went to relieve himself/He went to the lavatory.

Ó lọ nasẹ̀ ní ọjà – He went for a stroll in the market.

Ó mẹ́sẹ̀ dúró – He persevered/He is dogged.

Ó mọ àtẹsẹ̀wáyé ọmọ rẹ̀ – He knows his child’s destiny.

Ó nasẹ̀ – He stretched out his leg.

Ó nasẹ̀ lọ – He went for a walk.

Ó ní ẹ̀lasẹ̀ – He has a splitting of the skin under his toes.

Ó ní ẹ̀làsẹ̀ – He has a splitting of the skin under his toes.

Ó ní ẹsẹ̀ – He is influential.

Ó ní ẹ̀yasẹ̀ – He has a splitting of the skin under his toes.

Ó ní ìbẹ́sẹ̀ – He has a splitting of the skin under his toes.

Ó ní ìlasẹ̀ – He has a splitting of the skin under his toes.

Ó pasẹ̀ fún ọmọ – She jingled herself about to soothe the baby carried on her back.

Ó ra ẹsẹ̀ bàbá ń Kánò – he bought a cooked cow’s leg.

Ó rin ẹsẹ̀/Ó fi ẹsẹ̀ rìn – He travelled on foot.

Ó rosẹ̀ fún mi – He waited some time for me.

Ó rọwọ́rọsẹ̀ ṣe é – He had no difficulty in doing it.

Ó sáré, ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ kò bale – He ran at full speed.

Ó ṣe ẹsẹ̀ kan ilé, ẹsẹ̀ kan òde – He sat on the fence (he waited to see which way the cat jumped).

Ó sẹsẹ̀ kan gbé – He committed an error of judgment.

Ó sésẹ̀ níbí – He has ceased coming here.

Ó ṣísẹ̀ – He departed/He moved off.

Ó tẹ̀ mí lẹ́sẹ̀ – He trod on my foot.

Ó tẹsẹ̀ dúró – He halted.

Ó ti ipàsẹ̀ èyí ya àgàn – She has for this reason become barren.

Ó tọ ìṣísẹ̀ mi – he guided my footsteps.

Ó topasẹ̀ mi – He pursued me/He dogged my footsteps.

Ó tọsẹ̀ ẹjẹ̀ náà – He spoored the track of the blood.

Ó tọsẹ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ náà – He delved into the matter.

Ó yásẹ̀ – He is fast.

Ó yẹsẹ̀ – He moved away a short distance.

Ọba náà gbésẹ̀ – The king died.

Ọjà yìí kò gbẹsẹ̀ – This market is overcrowded/This market is parked with people.

Òjò náà ti kásẹ̀ – The rain has stopped.

Ọrùn ẹsẹ̀ mi ti wú – My ankles have swollen.

Òtá wa forí sábẹ́ ẹsẹ̀ wa – Our enemies submitted to us.

Ọwọ́ ti wọwọ́, ẹsẹ̀ ti wọ ẹsẹ̀ – Harmony has prevailed between them.

Pasẹ dà kúrò níbí – Move your leg away from here.

Rí mi lẹ́sẹ̀ kan – See me for a moment.

Wò mí lẹ́sẹ̀ kan – Please, excuse me for a moment.

Wọ́n kẹ́sẹ̀ lọ – They went together.

Wọ́n pésẹ̀/Ẹsẹ̀ wọn pé – They assembled.

Wọn yasẹ̀ – They dissolved their partnership.

Reference

Abraham, R.C. (1958), Dictionary of Modern Yoruba. London: Hodder and Stoughton.