de31(basic meaning:) to eat (if eating does not need much chewing, cf. ngobi v.), to consumeBa de saab (siita, zom).They eat T.Z. (honey, millet flour). Cf.: Ba ngobi lam (tue, muma). They eat meat (beans, rice).Niiga de wuuk.Cows eat grass (browse, graze).Nur kan de tiim ale wa pok-a.A man does not eat medicine with his wife (distrusts her).Jam te ti de.Come, let us eat (said to a guest by sb. who is just having hot food; the answer of the guest is:) Ku a niag. It is a blessing. (= no; or:) De a te mu. Eat for me (no).2to harmBaruk an de wa.Poison did not harm him.3to win, to be givenKa banama ale de gbeni jinla?Which team won the hockey match today?Ba le ko buuku la, mi de ka bogi.When they killed the goat, I was given (I won) the front leg.4to burn (trans. and intrans.)Bolim a de bag-bag.The fire is burning hard.Bolimu de gbangka.The fire burnt the paper.5to make use of, to cheatWa de wa choa.He made use of his companion (cheated him).6to spend (time)N de bakoai Navarong.I spent a week at Navrongo.7to marry (restr.)Fi dan faari nipokwai ate fi kan de, koma a ngma fu kama.If you marry a woman whom you should not marry (lit. do not eat), the ancestors rebuke you.deka pukogniwidow marriage8de + abstract noun: de tuemto be bitter, grim, ferocious (lit. to eat bitterness)de masimto be sweet (lit. to eat sweetness)de ninaungto suffer (lit. to eat suffering)N kowa ale kpi ale ge mu la, n kasiyam a de ninaung.When (after) my father died and left me, I always suffered.de naamu(to eat chieftaincy) to get or be in possession of chieftaincy, to rule as a chiefAzantilo ala de naamu jinla.Azantilo is ruling as a chief today.de doatato make friends (with)de nongtato start a love affairN yoawa a piilim nongta deka ale baanowa biika.My younger sister has started a love affair with the diviner's son.de ning (cf. ning n. front)to go first, to take the lead, to be firstDe ning ga puusi naawa, mi ale pa sang.Greet the chief first, I will follow.Chivie de ni.You should be ashamed (lit. shame eat you).(mod.) de biam daito celebrate birthdayDiemwa n de n bena pisiye biam dai.Yesterday I celebrated my twentieth birthday.9to be sharpN gebika a de.My knife is sharp.ja-diim, pl. ngan-diinta n.
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