TRIFLOUSalso TRIFLELOUS
ADJ. trifling; insignificant, trivial; frivolous ...1509 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from trifle (n.) + - ous FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1509 - See Example below EXAMPLE "...Tryfelous thynges that were lytell to be regarded she wolde let passe by..." From: Sermon Sayd in the Cathedrall Chyrche of Saynt Poule... By: Bishop John Fisher, 1509 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933
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CHUCKABYNOUN
a term of endearment ...1607 obs. ETYMOLOGY from chuck n. a term of endearment applied to husbands, wives, children, and close companions FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1607 - See example below EXAMPLE "Hony. Do not thy cheekes burne sweete chuckaby, for wee are talking of thee" From: West-Ward Hoe By: Thomas Dekker and John Webster, 1607 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • The Progressive Dictionary of the English Language, Rt. Rev. Samuel Fallows, 1885 • The Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia, William Dwight Whitney, 1889-1891 RUMPANTADJ.
breaking the law, offending ...1621 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Anglo-French rumpant = French rompant, pres. pple. of rompre to break FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1621 - See Example below EXAMPLE "...And that whatsoever persons or person, that finde or impeach any of the said vessels Rumpants or forfeits against this act, by the authority of the same..." From: Acts and Ordinances in the Fifth Year of Edward the Fourth, in Sir Richard Bolton's 'The Statutes of Ireland', 1621 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 BULBITATEVERB
to befoul one's breeches ...1623 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY derived via Latin bulbitare from Greek word for cow dung FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1623 Bulbitate, to befilth one's breech From: The English Dictionarie or an Interpreter of Hard English Words By: Henry Cockeram, 1647 SOURCES • The English Dictionarie or an Interpreter of Hard English Words, Henry Cockeram, 1647 • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-933 WIBBETNOUN
1. a little piece, a wee bit ...Bk1869 Eng. dial. (Lancashire) 2. a very small child ...Bk1869 Eng. dial. (Lancashire) ETYMOLOGY literally, a 'wee bit'" FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1869 - see Example below EXAMPLE "What a wibbet that barne is." From: A Glossary of the Words and Phrases of Furness, (North Lancashire) By: J. P. Morris, 1869 SOURCES • A Glossary of the Words and Phrases of Furness, (North Lancashire), J. P. Morris, 1869 • The English Dialect Dictionary, Joseph Wright, 1898-1905 HORELINGalso HORLING
NOUN a fornicator, a whoremonger; an adulterer, a paramour ...c1200 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Middle English hore whore + -ling FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1200 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "... Hwat sullen horlinges don þes wichen and þe forsworene Wi swo fele beð icleped swo fewe beð icorene..." From: A Moral Ode In Old English Homilies of the Twelfth Century. from the unique manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 ZWODDERADJ.
drowsy and dull ...1847 Eng. dial. NOUN a drowsy, stupid state of body or mind ...Bk1825 Eng. dial. (Somersetshire) ETYMOLOGY • ? Anglo-Saxon swodrian to get drowsy, to fall asleep • ? Middle Dutch has swadderen to be weary with drinking or to stagger with drunkenness • ? Jennings in 'Observations on Some of the Dialects in the West..." suggests it is derived from sudor a sweat FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1825 - Zwodder. a drowsy and stupid state of body or mind From: Observations on Some of the Dialects in the West of England, particularly Somersetshire, etc. By: James Jennings, 1825 EXAMPLE "...We simmed to skeer droo Sparkvurd like A ship out on the water; Thik putt did sim to eche along As mid be in a zwodder." From: Somerset Folk Series, 1922 SOURCES • A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, James Halliwell, 1847 • Observations on Some of the Dialects in the West of England, particularly Somersetshire, etc., James Jennings, 1825 • The English Dialect Dictionary, Joseph Wright, 1898-1905 MAMISHADJ.
uxorious, showing a great or excessive fondness for one's wife ...a1641 obs. rare Note: In "A Supplementary English Glossary" (O. Davies, T. Lewis, 1881) the given definition is: foolish, effeminate, mammyish (?) The example shown below is also given, preceded by: "...Bp. Hall,. speaking of the husband having rule over the wife, says ...." ETYMOLOGY from mam (n.) mother + -ish FIRST DOCUMENTED USE ? a1641 - See Example below EXAMPLE "...and, if the Crown be set upon the head (as the husband may give honour to the weaker vessel) yet it is a pittyful head that is not better then the crown that adornes it; but why urge I this? none but some mamish Monsters can question it, and if there be any such that would fain read the words amiss, that the wife hath power over her head, they are most worthy to be punished by the whip of authority, then by their neighbours shame, or my censure. From: The Women's Vail Or a Discourse Concerning the Necessity, or Expedience of the Close-Covering of the Heads of Women By: Bishop Joseph Hall, a1641 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • A Supplementary English Glossary, O. Davies, T. Lewis, 1881 NITENTADJ.
shining, lustrous ...1616 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin nitentem, pres. pple. of nitere to shine FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1616 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...vppon a blacke horse, nitent as the iett, in armor (all as blacke) coms fairelie sett," From: Continuation of Chaucer's "Squire's Tale" By: John Lane, 1616 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, Nathan Bailey, 1737 URSICIDENOUN
one who kills a bear ...a1861 ETYMOLOGY from Latin ursi, ursus bear + -cide killer of FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1861 - See example below EXAMPLE "...Vain hope! I was not to be an ursicide. I begin to fear that I shall slay no other than my proper personal bearishness." From: Life in the Open Air By: Theodore Winthop SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 EXUBERATEADJ.
overflowing, superabundant ...1638 obs. VERB to be in great abundance; to be plentiful; to abound; to overflow ...1623 ETYMOLOGY adj. from Latin exuberatus pa pple. of exuberare, from ex- + uberare to be fruitful vb. from Latin exuberat- ppl. stem of exuberare FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1623 - Exuberate, to abound From: The English Dictionarie or an Interpreter of Hard English Words, Henry Cockeram, 1623 EXAMPLE (for vb.) "...the exuberate singularity in Merchants of all nations." From: The Tree of Humane Life; Or The Bloud of the Grape By: Tobias Whitaker, 1638 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • The English Dictionarie or an Interpreter of Hard English Words, Henry Cockeram, 1647 • The Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia, William Dwight Whitney, 1889-1891 • The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language, Rev. John Ogilvie, 1847-1850 • A Complete Dictionary of the English Language, Thomas Sheridan, 1790 SCAGMAGLYADJ.
worthless ...1866 Eng. dial. (Lincolnshire) ETYMOLOGY ? from 'cag-mag', anything valueless or worthless FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1866 - Provincial Words and Expressions Current in Lincolnshire By: J. Ellet Brogden, 1866 SOURCES • The English Dialect Dictionary, Joseph Wright, 1898-1905 • Provincial Words and Expressions Current in Lincolnshire, J. Ellett Brogden, 1866 IMPERANTADJ.
commanding, ruling ...1617 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin imperantem, pres. ppl. of imperare to command FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1617 - See Example below EXAMPLE "...and yet imperant only, not elicient; dirigent, not exequent, as your School-men loue to speak." Elicient - that performs an elicit act Dirigent - that directs, directing Exequent - that executes From: Epphata to F.T. (Fitzherbert, Thomas) Or, The Defence of the Right Reuerend Father in God By: Samuel Collins, 1617 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • The Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia, William Dwight Whitney, 1889-1891 GURGITATEVERB
to swallow greedily, to devour ...1656 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin gurgitat- ppl. stem of gurgitare to engulf, to flood FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1656 - Gurgitate, to swallow or devoure From: Glossographia, Thomas Blount, 1656 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language, John Ash, 1795 • An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, Nathan Bailey, 1737 OPINATEADJ.
1. opined, supposed ...c1450 obs. 2. obstinate in opinion; opinionated ...1491 obs. VERB to give an opinion; to pronounce a formal or authoritative opinion ...1625 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin opinatus pa. pple. of opinari to opine, to be of opinion FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1450 (adj. 1) "...myn opinate riȝtwesnes for defending..." From: De Imitatione Christi The Earliest English translation, c1450 EXAMPLE (adj. 2) ..."He had condescended to make it to that other whiche was opynate." From: Vitas Patrum Translated By: William Caxton, 1491 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 BLORENOUN
1. stormy breath; noisy bluster; loud talking; bragging talk ...c1440 arch. 2. a violent blowing; a blast of wind; a gust or gale ...1559 arch. 3. the air ...c1614 arch. VERB 1. to cry; to cry out loudly; to weep ...c1440 obs. exc. Eng. dial. 2. of animals: to bleat, to bray, to bellow ...1865 Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY n. from E-NED: apparently related to blow, blast; but the form does not seem capable of etymological explanation; perhaps it is partly onomatopoeic vb. a variant or parallel of blare FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1440 - see Example below EXAMPLE "...Byde me here bewchere Or more blore be blowen." From: York Mysteries (York Plays. The plays performed by the crafts or mysteries of York on the day of Corpus Christi), c1440 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 • The English Dialect Dictionary, Joseph Wright, 1898-1905 • A Glossary, or Collection of Words, Phrases, Names, and Illusions to Customs, Proverbs, Etc....., Robert Nares, 1888 • A Standard Dictionary of the English Language, Isaac K. Funk, 1908 • Dictionary of Early English, Joseph Shipley, 1955 • Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Porter, 1895 • Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English, Thomas Wright, 1880, 1886 THE WEEK OF THE FOUR FRIDAYSNOUN
an imaginary date that will never arrive ...1760-72 obs. FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1760-72 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...exactly at the period that the hogs shall be brought to feed along with the herrings: or at the time of the appearance of the comet with three tails; or on the week of the four Fridays, so long looked for by astrologians." From: The Fool of Quality Or, The History of Henry, Earl of Moreland By: Henry Brooke, 1760-72 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 LAUTIOUSADJ.
luxurious ...1547 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY improper formation from Latin lautus washed, sumptuous + -ious FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1547 - see Example below EXAMPLE "...This impediment (fatness) doth come of ...laucyouse fedyng." From: The Breviary of Health By: Andrew Boorde, 1547 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 CONJUGALIZEVERB
to become conjugal, to marry ...1823 nonce word ETYMOLOGY from 'conjugal' + -ize (conjugal - from Latin conjugalis, from conjugem consort, spouse from con- together + jug- root of jungere to join, yoke) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1823 - see Example below EXAMPLE "...In your anxiety however, to conjugalize, I beseech you, by the apple of your eye, not to imitate those husband-hunting Nina Vernons* who ..." *Nina Vernon - when an old maid displays a great deal of pretension, it is usual to say, "she is a Nina Vernon." (A character in La Petite Ville [The Little Village], by Louis-Benoît Picard, 1801) From: The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, Conjugalism, Or the Art of Making a Good Marriage, 1823 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 PENELOPENOUN
a chaste and faithful wife ...1581 ETYMOLOGY from Greek mythology - in Homer's Odyssey, Penelope is pictured as the chaste and faithful wife of Odysseus (Ulysses) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1581 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...My concubine is a great deale more modest, than thy Penelope; so then she must take heede how she giueth men occasion to thinke sinisterly of her..." From The Ciuile Conuersation of M. Steeuen Guazzo written first in Italian... By Stefano Guazzo Translated by George Pettie, 1581 SOURCES • A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, James Murray, 1887-1933 |
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