Ah been feelin' dat somethin' set for still-bait In other words, she is saying that she's feeling like she's the target of the community disapproval, like a bait on a hook that can't move or wriggle as a worm might do.
Ah done cut a hawg I've made a mistake. Tea Cake thinks that perhaps he has said something he shouldn't have said.
Ah knowed you would going tuh crawl up dat holler In other words, I knew that you were going to take that path in the discussion. Sam will "smoke out" Lige in his rebuttal. The two men engage in regular and predictable arguments. Each one knows pretty well what the other one will say, but all of this is part of the entertainment on the porch of the store.
Ah'm uh son of Combunction a polite way of swearing; similar to "Well, I'll be a son of a gun. . . ."
All de women in de world ain't . . . teppentine still and saw mill camp free and easy women, women from the lowest level of laborers. Turpentine stills and saw mills were usually located in the woods, removed from town and close to the trees essential for their products.
All them dat's goin' tuh cut de monkey in other words, if everyone has finished acting silly.
and yo' feet ain't mates In the first part of Matt's response, he does something that frequently occurs in folk speech: He equates the man Sam with a lie. "You'se a lie, Sam," he says, adding "Yo' feet ain't mates," meaning that Sam is not put together right and hence can't be believed.
angel with the sword a metaphor for death; the biblical reference comes from Numbers 22:23: ". . . the angel standing in the door with his sword drawn. . . ."
Bahaman drummers Hurston worked with Bahaman musicians in one of her theatrical efforts, and she used some of their nicknames for the characters in this novel.
bander log possibly a long log that people sat on while they bantered, joked, and gossiped.
beaten biscuits Southern cooks have long prided themselves on their beaten biscuits, pounding the dough for 20 or 30 minutes with a mallet or hammer, beating air into it until it is light.
before de ornery varmit could tack a sailing and boating term, consistent with the strong wind that was blowing during this episode. To a sailor, "tack" means to turn the bow to the wind. The mule wasn't fast enough to turn and run into the wind in pursuit of the children.
bell-cow the leader of the herd; here, the most important women in town.
black gaiters ankle-high shoes with elastic gores at the sides. For Joe, they would be a classy sort of houseslipper.
black-eyed peas and rice This combination is known as "Hoppin' John." It is a staple with a long history in Southern cooking.
booger man the mythical monster who is often called the "boogeyman"; a frightening imaginary being, often used as a threat in disciplining children.
bore the burden in the heat of the day The biblical reference is to Matthew 20:12: "These latecomers did only one hour's work, yet you have treated them on a level with us, who have sweated the whole day long in the blazing sun."
bucked each other beat and/or challenged each other.
buy and sell such as them Nanny is concerned about both the protection and economic security that Logan can offer Janie.
celebration funerals and wakes often become festive affairs when family and friends gather, not only for the burial but also for a celebration of the life of the deceased.
class off act better than other people, show off.
cold-cocked her a look looked her straight in the eyes.
come kiss and be kissed come and talk to me, Janie is saying; it's implied that the townspeople should do more of this in their lives.
commence to begin; start; originate.
crazy as a betsy bug a variation of "crazy as a bed bug," an insect of a family (Cimicidae) of wingless, bloodsucking hemipteran insects, especially the species (Cimex lectularius) with a broad, flat reddish-brown body and an unpleasant odor that infests beds, furniture, walls, and so on, is active mainly at night, and may transmit a variety of diseases.
