Common dictionary

Most players in our world simply use Common as a direct translation from whatever language they speak. However, certain words are different, as demonstrated by the following list.

A
Alae (ah-LAY): "Fortunate Meeting". A contraction of an elven phrase. It was a greeting and reassurance of peaceful intentions between travelers in the southern and eastern coastlands around the Sea of Fallen Stars. It became a common greeting across all Faerûn during the 15 century DR.

Alavairthae (al-ah-VARE-thay): "May your skill prevail". A common farewell among the Red Wizards of Thay.

Alehouse: Tavern.

Amarast (Ah-mah-RAST) "Fare well until next we meet!". A common farewell among the sailors of the South.

Anyhail: Anyhow, anyway.

Art or The Art: Arcane magic and its mastery.

B
Badaulder (BAH-doll-durr): - Hogwash, nonsense, etc. It originated in the Western Heartlands, but in the late 14 century DR its usage creep into Cormyr, the Dalelands, the Moonsea, and Sembia.

Bluefin: - Tuna

Blusterwing: - Grouse

Brighstar: Could mean either great, exciting, pleasing, marvelous, or superb.

Browncap: - a wild mushroom.

Burslake (or simply slake): - Trout

Bustard: - Turkey

C
Candle-cup: A bed paired with a table and an oil lamp.

Chamberjack or chambermaid, informally jack or maid: An employee of an small inn.

Clevershanks or clevertongue: A know-it-all. The first word refers to men, the second to women.

Codloose winker: Lecher

Croft: An steading or an isolated farm.

Crofter: The owner of a croft, or a worker of said croft (usually, kin to the owner). Can also be used as substitute for farmer.

D
Darburl (DAR-burl): Angry.

Darchains: Suites of linked rooms in a house, usually three.

Darkblade: A mercenary with dubious morals and/or loyalty.

Darkhall: Any rundown house.

Deepnight: Midnight.

Doorguard: A guard that guards a doorway of a building.

Durgos (DUR-ghosz): "Peace". A corrupted form of the orcish greeting "Durgreos". Used by mongrelmen and human slavers. In the 15 century DR, it as also a popular greeting among dragonborn, and traders and sailors of all races.

E
Elsun: Late morning.

Evenfeast: Dinner.

Eventide: Gloaming.

F
Fieldings: Vegetables

Fireseared: Grilled

Flamed: Seared

G
Galad: Heartlands word meaning something akin to "I'm astonished!"

Garderobe: Bathroom. Another term for a bathroom was jake. Outdoor bathrooms were called privies, thunderthrones, or gloryhouses.

Glim/Glimmer: Something beautiful or flashy.

Goldenpanned: Sautéed.

Godswake: Predawn.

Goodsir and goodwoman, or sometimes fairlady: A polite greeting, usually used with strangers.

Gulletfire: Bad beer or wine.

H
Harbright: Full morning.

Hardjaws: Garrulous regulars of a tavern.

Haularake (HAH-rake; pronounced very quickly, as if it has but two syllables): God-damnit. It was an all-faith polite insult.

Hawksnarl: A man who always yelled or was nastier or more aggressive than prudent or necessary.

Hay-nose: A hick. Bumpkin is also used for this term.

Highborn or high-nose: A noble. The second word was a pejorative.

Highsun: Noon.

Highsunfeast: Lunch.

Hiresword: A mercenary.

Holy-nose: A priest. It was a mild-offensive word.

Hrast (hur-RAST) or hrammar (hur-RAM-uh) in the south: A non-deity-specific "damn".

K
Keghand: A waiter.

Kell: To try. It was a derisive, cynical or disbelieving word, used only when the thing you were trying to do seemed to be impossible. Kell never changed due to tense.

Knuckle or thumbknuckle: Brussels sprout.

L
Lalandath: - Agile, sleek or lithe, often used to describe female dancers whose beauty was accentuated by their movements.

Lammath Drios (lham-math-DREE-ohs): "Fortune find you." Parting used in Essembra and the surrounding lands (except Sembia, as they see it as a word only used by bumpkins).

M
Mayhap: Perhaps.

Morningfeast: Breakfast.

Murdath: A standath without cellars.

My hearth: My house. A term usually used to refer to a cottage.

N
Naeth (naythh, drawn-out "th") or naed (nayd) in the south: Dung (exclamation).

Nandra: Something mediocre. Usually used to bicker over prices.

Navalar: Catfish.

Nightfall: Dusk.

Nightjack or nightmaid, informally potjack and potmaid: An employee of a large inn.

P
Plounce: - Squab

Parharding: - A swear word used as an adjective ("Parharding wizard!")

Power: Divine magic.

O
Olore' (Oh-LOR-ay) "Well met" or "Good day". A common greeting in the lands surrounding the Sea of Fallen Stars.

On the morrow: Tomorrow.

Orbal (OR-ball): The Shining South equivalent of naeth.

Outlander: A foreigner.

R
Rhambukkya (ram-BOOkh-yah): "Ride High". Greeting used by Shaaryan nomads and the inhabitants of Elfharrow.

Rivvim: Smitten, in love, lusty. As in "I'm rivvim for her".

Roofwrack: A dilapidated house.

S
Sabbas (sab-BAS): "Run free." A parting used by centaurs, and by many nomads and riders of many races.

Sabruin (sah-BROO-in): Get lost or harsher similar words.

Scorchkettle: - A woman who always yelled or was nastier or more aggressive than prudent or necessary. Sometimes, it was used to refer to both genders.

Saer: See, goodsir.

Sark (ssark, drawn-out "s"): A more offensive form of Haularake.

Sellsword: A well-established or veteran mercenary.

Shaeling: Minnow

Sheelie: Bass

Shield: Pastry crust

Silverfin: Whitefish

Skaether: Restaurant

Sorn: Salmon

Spear, also known as greenneedles: Asparagus.

Spurnarmor: A good-looking man or woman with a spectacular figure.

Standath: A rectangular stone building with cellars. Common across the Dragon Reach and Moonsea.

Stettar voh (stet-tar VOH): "Gods-power keep you well." A formal, peaceful greeting and parting among merchants in southern Faerûn and in Laerakond.

Stlarn (stuh-LARN): Polite equivalent of F-word. About as blasphemous as "darn" used where we might say "screw" or "screwing" (stlarning).

Straek (strrake, drawn-out "r"): Something akin "go kill yourself, right now and painfully."

T
Tallhouse: A tall, narrow, tenement-like building sharing side walls with adjacent buildings. Tallhouses were common in Waterdeep, Athkatla, and the cities of Sembia in the 14 and 15 centuries DR.

Tantam: A common greeting in the North.

Tavernmaster or tankard-tender: An innkeeper or the owner of a tavern.

Tenday: A week.

Thael: Glad, pleasant or heart-lifting.

Tharsun: Late afternoon.

Throatslake: See, gulletfire. Also, a healthy and thirst-quenching drink that wasn't particularly pleasant.

This night: Tonight.

Thulsun: Early afternoon.

Turnshield: - Polite cormyrean term for bastard.

V
Vasark: Horsemeat.

Vlandranna (vlan-DRANNA): "Gods grant". Used in conjunction with with whatever you wanted the gods to grant you. A corrupted Dwarven word used by those living on and around the Sea of Fallen Stars.

W
Waelo: Equivalent to "hey, there!".

Watchwolf: - A guard.

Wench: A barmaid or a waitress.

Z
Zzar: - Ice wine.