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TENTERBELLY NOUN one who distends his belly; a glutton ...1628 obs. ETYMOLOGY from tenter (vb. to stretch cloth on a tenter) + belly (n.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1628 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Not with sweet wine, mutton and pottage, as many of those Tenterbellies doe, howsoeuer they put on Lenten faces, and whatsoeuer they pretend, but from all manner of meat..." From: The Anatomy of Melancholy, With all the kindes, causes, symptomes, prognostickes, and seuerall cures of it. - Robert Burton
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CRAMPAND ADJ. curling, curly ...a1500 Sc. obs. ETYMOLOGY of obscure origin; implies an intransitive cramp (to curl) not otherwise known, + Scots -and (-ing) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1500 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...O wantone zowth als fresche as lusty may Farest of flowris renewit quhyt and reid Behald our heidis o lusty gallandis gay Full laithly thus sall ly thy lusty heid Holkit and how and wallowit as the weid Thy crampand hair and eik thy cristall ene Full cairfully conclud sall dulefull deid Example heir be ws it may be sene..." From: The Thre Deid Pollis In - Bannatyne Poems - Patrick Johnston RHETORCULIST NOUN a petty or mediocre orator ...1607 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin rhetorculus (mediocre orator), from Latin rhētor (rhetor n. a teacher or professor of rhetoric) + -culus + -ist FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1607 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "... And therefore it pleaseth God, to let them passe through the fire, either of some reproachful Shemei (for the tong is a fire, saith S. Iac. 5. 6.) to reuile their persons: or some vnnaturall Cham, to reueale their turpitudes, or some Yelping Rhetorculists, to crie them downe into Premuniries..." From: A Brand. Titio erepta. On the fift day of Nouember last, before the Honourable Lordes of his Maiesties Priuie Councell, and the graue iudges of the law, &c. this Sermon Preached by the Reuerend Father in Christ, William, Lord Bishoppe of Rochester. - William Barlow OPEROUS ADJ. made or done with much labour or effort; laborious, industrious, busy; painstaking, tedious; toilsome ...a1538 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin operōsus (involving much effort, laborious, industrious, painstaking), from oper- , opus (work) + -ōsus FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1538 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Muche Scripture recordeth this office not prophane, If they be wrought in fayth they be good works no doubt, These shuld be always operous mens nedes to sustaine, And not inprōpt, but assiduous their works to bring about..." From: The Fall and Euill Successe of Rebellion from time to time wherein is contained matter, moste meete for all estates to vewe. Written in Old Englishe verse - Wilfrid Holme BOATION NOUN a crying out, a bellowing, a roaring; a loud, bellowing noise; an uproar ...1646 rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin boation-, boatio (roaring, bellowing), from Latin boāt- , past participial stem of boāre (to bellow) + -iō (-ion) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1646 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Whether the large perforations of the extremities of the weazand, in the abdomen, admitting large quantity of air within the cavity of its membranes, as it doth in frogs, may not much assist this mugiency or boation, may also be considered. For such as have beheld them making this noise out of the water, observe a large distention in their bodies; and their ordinary note is but like that of a raven..." From: Pseudodoxia Epidemica - Thomas Browne UMBRATIOUS ADJ. suspicious; captious; apt to take umbrage; tetchy ...a1639 obs. ETYMOLOGY irregularly from umbrace (vb. to surround; to obtain) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1639 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...First, he was to wrastle with a Queens declining, or rather with her very setting Age (as we may term it,) which, besides other respects, is commonly even of it self the more umbratious and apprehensive, as for the most part all Horizons are charged with certain Vapours towards their Evening..." From: A Parallel Betweene Robert Late Earle of Essex, and George Late Duke of Buckingham - Henry Wotton MELLER NOUN 1. a person who meddles, interferes, or deals in something; a person who is involved in some affair ...c1450 obs. exc. Sc. 2. a melodrama ...1915 US colloq. VERB to strike, to hit, to beat ...1862 Amer. dial. ETYMOLOGY n. 1. from mell (vb. to mix, associate, have dealings) + -er n. 2. a shortened form of mellerdrammer (melodrama) vb. from mell (vb. to strike or beat with a mallet or hammer; hence, to beat severely) + -er FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1450 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Erelles and Emperours nane wille he spare: Prestys and parsones and prelatis of pryde: Thies justyce and mellarse of lawe and of lare: Þat now are fulle ryalle to ryne and to ryde: In lande..." From: The Quatrefoil of Love - Edited from MS by Israel Gollancz and Magdalene Marie Weale, 1935 JUVENTUTE NOUN youth; the age of youthful vigour or early manhood ... 1541 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin juventūs, -tūt-em (the age of youth), from juvenis (a young person) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1541 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Ages ve foure.Adolescency to .xxv. yeres, hotte and moyst, in the whiche tyme the body groweth. Iuventute vnto .xl. yeres, hotte and dry, wherin the body is in perfyte growthe. Senectute, vnto .lx. yeres colde and drie, wherin the bodye be∣gynneth to decreace. Age decrepite, vntil the last time of lyfe, accidently moist, but na¦turally colde & drye, wherin the powers and strength of the bo∣dy be more and more minished..." From: The Castel of Helthe Gathered, and made by Syr Thomas Elyot knight, out of the chief authors of Phisyke; whereby euery man may knowe the state of his owne body, the preseruation of helthe, and how to instruct well his phisition in sicknes, that he be not deceyued. - Thomas Elyot DESERTRICE NOUN a female deserter ...1645 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from deserter (n.); on the type of French feminines, e.g. actrice FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1645 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Soon after wee are bid leav Father and Mother, and cleav to a Wife, but must understand the Fathers consent withall, els not. Cleav to a Wife, but let her bee a wife, let her be a meet help, a solace, not a nothing, not an adversary, not a desertrice; can any law or command be so unreasonable as to make men cleav to calamity, to ruin, to perdition?..." From: Tetrachordon, Expositions upon the foure chiefe places in Scripture which treat of Mariage, or nullities in Mariage- John Milton NEPOTE NOUN 1. a nephew ...1519 Sc. obs. 2. a grandson ...a1525 Sc. obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin nepōt-, nepōs (grandson, descendant, a prodigal) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1519 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...James commendator of Arbroth lets for five years from Lammess 1520 to his cowsyng and nepot Jhone of Betown of the Chreych the teind-sheaves of the kirk of Dunbog - paying yearly £100 Scots, namely, £50 at the feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross called Beltyme 1521, and other £50 at Lammess following..." From: Liber S. Thome de Aberbrothoc Registrorum Abbacie de Aberbrothoc, Pars Altera Registrum Nigrum Necnon Libros Cartarum Recentiores Complectens. 1329-1536 - C. Innes and Patrick Chalmers, 1856 STRIVOUS ADJ. full of strife ...a1382 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from strife (n.) + - ous FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1382 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Whi thanne turned awei is this puple in to Jerusalem with striuous turnyng awei?..." From: The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books, in the Earliest English versions made from the Latin Vulgate - Edited by Josiah Forshall and Frederic Madden; Oxford University Press edition, 1801 WRAWFUL ADJ. peevish, crabbed, ill-tempered; perverse, contrarious ...c1386 obs. exc. Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY of unknown origin; the forms indicate an unrecorded Old English wráh, wrág FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1386 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Aftyr the synne of Envye and Ire; now wole I speke of thee synne of Accidie. For Enuye blyndeth the herte of a man & Ire trobleth a man. And Accidie maketh hym heuy thoughtfull & wrawe [v.rr. wrowe, Ellesmere MS. wrawful]..." From: The Parson's Tale - Geoffrey Chaucer KIPSIE also KIPSY NOUN 1. a house, the home ... 1916 Aust. 2. a lean-to, a shelter; a dugout ...1919 Aust. ETYMOLOGY from kip (n. a lodging house; a house of ill fame) + -y FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1916 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...There wus a sorter glimmer in 'er eye, An 'appy, nervis look, 'arf proud, 'arf shy; I seen 'er in me mind be'ind the cups In our own little kipsie, bye an' bye..." From: Doreen and The Sentimental Bloke - Clarence James Dennis HENDY ADJ. 1. of a person: courteous, civil, gracious; lovely, agreeable; noble, valiant ...a1250 obs. 2. useful ...c1275 obs. NOUN a lovely or agreeable person ...a1350 obs. ETYMOLOGY probably from hend (adj. courteous, gracious, kind) + -y, FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1250 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Þeonne beo ȝe his hendi children þet cusseð þe ȝerden þet he haueð ou mide i þrosschen..." From: The English Text of the Ancrene Riwle: edited from Cotton MS. Nero A.xiv Edited by Mabel Day CORRIGE VERB to correct, to chastise, to punish ...c1374 obs. ETYMOLOGY from French corriger, from Latin corrigĕre (to correct vb.), from cor- = com- together, altogether + regĕre (to make straight or right) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1374 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...ne þis ne seye I nat now for þat any man myȝt þenk þat þe maneres of shrewes ben coriged and chastised by veniaunce. and þat þei ben brouȝt to þe ryȝt wey by þe drede of þe tourment..." From: Chaucer's translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosphiæ" - Geoffrey Chaucer TENERITUDE NOUN tenderness, softness ...c1440 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin teneritūdo (softness, tenderness), from tener (tender) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1440 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...But ther the place is cloos, is hem tenclude, And holde out wynde, although he rowne or crie: So wol their fatnesse and teneritude With hem be stille. And yf a chese is drie, Hit is a uice, and so is many an iye..." From: The Middle-English translation of Palladius De Re Rustica Edited by Mark Liddell BUCKIE NOUN 1. the whirled shell of any mollusc ...1596 Sc. 2. (also BUCKY) a perverse or refractory person; a mischievous or lively boy ...1719 Sc. 3. a child's rattle made from plaited rushes and containing dried peas ...1768 Sc. 4. † the hind-quarters of a hare ...1787 Sc. 5. a smart blow on the chops; a push ...1825 Sc. 6. a trifle of no value ...1865 Sc. VERB 1. to strike or push roughly ...1866 Sc. 2. to walk hurriedly and bouncing against what may be in the way ...1866 Sc. ETYMOLOGY of unknown origin. for n.2. - possibly a variant of bockie (a hobgoblin; also used of a person one cannot bear), or from obsolete buck (he-goat), or from buckie (n.1), because of its twisted shell FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1596 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...flowis intil a certane bosum of salt water on the sey syd, quhair in the space of xii. houris thay grow in fair cokilis or bukies..." From: The Historie of Scotland - John Leslie Translated by James Dalrymple PINGUIOUS ADJ. of the nature of fat; fatty, oily ...1681 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin pinguis (fat, plump, fatty, greasy, rich, fertile) + -ous FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1681 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...a sufficient Soil for propagating and producing them; which I am the more apt to believe, since in the following, and some other parallel Histories, I shall mention, where such Hair hath been found, likewise this pinguious or fatty substance hath also been observed..." From: Philosophical Collections, Containing an Account of such Physical, Anatomical, Chymical, Mechanical, Astronomical, Optical, or other Mathematical and Philosophical Experiments and Observations as have lately come to the Publishers hands. - edited by Robert Hooke, John Martyn, Richard Chiswell ...Some Anatomical Observations of Hair found in several parts of the Body; as also Teeth, Bones, &c. with parallel Histories of the same observed by others. Communicated by Edward Tyson, Doctor of Physick, and Fellow of the Royal Society. RORY-CUM-TORY ADJ. noisy, boisterous ...1893 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from an alteration of rory-tory (adj. noisy, boisterous) + insertion of cum (prep.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1893 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...I can just mind Key Pinsent - a great, red, rory-cum-tory chap, with a high stock and a wig like King George - 'my royal patron' he called 'en, havin' by some means got leave to hoist the king's arms over his door..." From: The Delectable Duchy - Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch AMPLIFICATE VERB to amplify, to augment, to enlarge, to extend; to dwell long on a subject ...1731 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin amplificāt- participial stem of amplificā-re (to enlarge) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1731 - To AMPLIFICATE [amplificatum, L.] to amplify, augment or enlarge From: The Universal Etymological Dictionary - Nathan Bailey EXAMPLE "...The true distinction with regard to the horns appears to be that already mentioned: - that the Sthenorhines have only the nose - not the forehead - elongated or amplificated through a growth of horns, and this is an epidermic amplification..." From: The Classification of Animals Based on the Principle of Cephalization - James D. Dana, 1864 |
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