KWASS

[kwas] — Adjective, noun.

Meaning: Afraid, Awe; Distrust; Dread; Fear; Fearful; Shy; Tame; Timid

Origin: From a Chinookan particle k’wash ‘afraid’

Expressing notions of fear and hesitancy, the word “kwass” lends itself to an adequate description of a “kwass kalakala” (pigeon).

Scary movies are designed to “mamook kwass” (scare, frighten, alarm), and experience “hyas kwass” (horror) in order to “chako kwass” (frighten) us, or at least make us “kwass pe shake” (shudder).

A “kwass man” (coward) would be considered  “kwass tumtum” (cowardly; fearful), and would likely say “nika kwass” (I am afraid). But if one was “halo kwass” (fearless, bold, hopeful) and “halo nika kwass kopa yaka” (reliable), they would be expected to say “halo nika kwass” (I will risk it).