BOBOLYNE NOUN a fool, a gaby - c1540 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY ? from bob (vb. to make a fool of, to deceive [obs.]); also Spanish 'bobo' (a fool) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1540 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...It wonder is to me, Howe ye maye fathers be Your sede to multiply, But yf yow be incubi, That gender gobolynes: Be we not bobolynes, Sutch lesinges to beleve, Whiche ye amonge vs dry [ve]?..." From: The Image of Ipocrysy - in The Poetical Works of John Skelton (1843)
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HIGH STRIKES NOUN hysterics; a display of over whelming, uncontrollable emotion or agitation, esp. as a result of acute distress; chiefly used with 'the' - 1809 rare, colloq. & humorous usage ETYMOLOGY punning alteration of hysterics, after 'high' and the plural of 'strike' (a distance, obs.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1809 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...The orator once more gets into the high strikes, and again suffers his philosophical spirit to regale itself with what we conceive to be (though perhaps erroneously) another tit bit of domestic scandal..." From: The Anti-Jacobin Review and Magazine; Or, Monthly, Political, and Literary Censor September to December Inclusive. 1809 - Abolition of Tithe, Richard Flower WOMANTHROPE NOUN a person who hates women; a misogynist - 1863 rare, humorous usage ETYMOLOGY a humorous blend of woman and misanthrope (a hater of mankind) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1863 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...I had nothing to beguile the time except the conversation of a stoker in a state of what I once saw described in a novel by a female hand as "doubtful ebriety" - a mistake in etymological analogy, for which I had been prepared a few pages before, by finding a misogynist called a " womanthrope."..." From: The Competition Wallah - George Otto Trevelyan PLORE VERB to shed tears, to wail; also, to lament - 1373 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Anglo-Norman and Middle French plorer, plourer ; also in Anglo-Norman as plurer, plorrer, ploure, variants of Old French, Middle French, French pleurer to shed tears, to suffer, to lament, to mourn, or their etymon Latin plōrāre to wail, lament FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1373 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Flatrie flourith, treuthe plourith..." From: The Sermons of Thomas Brinton, Bishop of Rochester - Edited by Sister M.A. Devlin, (vol. 1, Royal Historical Society Publications ser. 3, vol. 85 (1954)) STRADAROLLE NOUN a highwayman - 1562 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Italian stradaruolo (freebooter), from strada (street) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1562 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Then this subtill olde Ruter sent to Scanderbeg a messager, requiring him to fyght with him like a prince in appointed battayle, and not vpon suddennes in suche sorte lyke a stradarolle and thefe, seking alwaye to take the enemye vnprouided...." From: Two Very Notable Commentaries te one of the Originall of the Turcks and Empire of the house of Ottomanno - Translated out of Italian into English by John Shute NOBBER ADJ. nine - 1996 Brit. sl. NOUN n. 1. a blow to the head - 1811 boxing sl., rare n. 2. a boxer skilled in delivering blows to the head - 1821 boxing sl., obs. n. 3. a person who seeks contributions of money, esp. after a performance; one who collects money for a street entertainer - 1890 Brit. sl., rare n. 4. nine - M19 sl. n. 5. one who is having sexual intercourse - 20C Irish sl. ETYMOLOGY n. 1. - from nob (the head) + -er n. 2. - from nob (to beat, to strike) + -er n. 3. - from nob (to seek contributions of money) + -er FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1811 (n. 1.) - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...A Nobber A Doubler...." From: Catalogue of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum Division I. Political and Personal Satires CHRISTIANOCATEGORIAN NOUN an accuser of Christians - 1620 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin Christianocategorus (accuser of Christians) from Byzantine Greek Χριστιανοκατήγορος, from Χριστιανο- Christiano- comb. form + ancient Greek κατήγορος (katḗgoros) (accuser) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1620 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...In a word, we find in your images the Hellenisme, the doctrine of Simon Magus, of the Carpocratians, of the Basilidians, the Christianocategorians, and others your fore-fathers..." From: The Three Conformities; Or The Harmony and Agreement of the Romish Church with Gentilisme, Iudaisme and Auncient Heresies - Written in French by Francis de Croy, translated by William Hart EXOUSIASTIC ADJ. pert. to authority; authoritative - 1688 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Greek ἐξουσιαστικός (exousiastikos) (authoritative), from ἐξουσιάζειν (to exercise authority,) from ἐξουσία (authority) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1688 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Finally, the Exousiastick power of trying, sending, & Authorizing office-bearers in the Church, is made useless & void by this Toleration...." From: The Testimony of Some persecuted Presbyterian Ministers of the Gospel, unto the Covenanted Reformation of the Church of Scotland - James Renwick TRACTATRIX NOUN a female shampooer - 1874 rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin tractātrix feminine of tractātor shampooer, also, one who treats of a subject FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1874 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Their ladies are very hard in what they say about gentlemen, but their actions seem to belie them. That stout Miss Susanetta, with her shrill voice, and her hand of the tractatrix, is a strange creature...." From: Frances - M. [and F.) Collins GLACIOUS ADJ. resembling ice - 1646 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from French glacieux (obs.), from Latin glaciēs (ice) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1646 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...which although to some degree exhaled and placed in cold conservatories, will Crystallise and shoot into white and glacious bodyes; yet is not this a congelation primarily effected by cold...." From: Pseudodoxia Epidemica, or, Enquiries into Very Many Received Tenents and Commonly Presumed Truths... - Sir Thomas Browne DADDLE NOUN n. 1. a hand or fist - 1725 Eng. dial. & sl., arch. n. 2. gait - 20C Irish sl. VERB vb. 1. to be slow in motion or action; to dawdle; to idle, to trifle, to waste time; to potter about; to saunter - 1673 colloq., later Sc. & Eng. dial. vb. 2. to walk totteringly or unsteadily, like a child; to stagger; to walk with short steps, as a small child or an infirm person 1710 obs. exc. Eng. dial. vb. 3. of a prostitute: to walk the streets - 1825 Sc. obs. vb. 4. to cheat, to trick, to swindle - 1883 rare vb. 5. to enjoy lesbian sex; the implication is of mutual masturbation - 19C sl. vb. 6. to trouble, bother, annoy, worry - Bk1900 Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY of unknown origin (vb. 4. - possibly a variation of 'diddle' (to cheat or swindle)) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1673 (see vb. 1) - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...When I and my Bride [went to] bed, on my wedding-day at night, My fancies with pleasure she fed, for I had my full delight. She [could teach in] Venus's school, and with me she did daddle; But I, a young puny fool, [knew nothing of curb or] saddle....." From: Mirth for Citizens; Or, A Comedy for the Country - A. Miles RISCONTER NOUN a meeting, an encounter ...1592 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY possibly from an alteration of rescounter (n. obs. an encounter, meeting, esp. a hostile or competitive one), after Italian riscontro (feedback, reply, confirmation) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1592 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...The Cardinal had only signified the Fact, as suspecting (belike) the risconter of the Pope's Courriers, and since then that matter hath been quiet in open appearance..." From: Reliquiæ Wottonianæ: Or a Collection of Lives, Letters, Poems with Characters of Sundry Personages - Henry Wotton MENDICIARY ADJ. appropriate to beggars ...1652 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from OED: from mendic- (in e.g. mendicity n.) + -iary, after formations in -ary on stems in -i- (e.g. judiciary adj., auxiliary adj., pecuniary adj.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1652 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...devesting Noble-men of their rights of Patronages, and bringing their persons to stand before them on Penitentiary Pews (like so many varlets) in mendiciary and gausapinal garments, not so much for any trespass they had committed, as thereby to confirm the Soveraignty of their Hierarchical jurisdiction, which is neither Monarchical, Aristocratical, nor Democratical, but a meer Plutarchy, Plutocracy, or rather Plutomanie..." From: Ekskybalauron: or, The discovery of a most exquisite jewel, more precious then diamonds inchased in gold, the like whereof was never seen in any age; found in the kennel of Worcester-streets, the day after the fight. Serving in this place, to frontal a vindication of the honour of Scotland - Thomas Urquhart DRIFFLE NOUN 1. a slight shower of rain or snow; a drizzle; a short spell of stormy weather; a gale ...1824 Sc. 2. a scolding ...1866 Sc. 3. a quantity of work done with speed ...1866 Sc. 4. haste, speed ...1925 Sc. VERB 1. to utter in driblets ...1593 obs. 2. to drink deeply ...c1645 obs. 3. to drizzle; to rain or snow fitfully or in sparse drops, as at the ‘tail’ of a shower ...1639 Sc. 4. to scold ...1898 Sc. 5. to drip, to cause to drop ...1906 Amer. dial. ETYMOLOGY possibly allied to dribble (vb.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1593 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Why, man, he is worth a thousand of these pidlinge and driblinge Confuters, that sitt all day buzzing vpon a blunt point, or two: and with much adoe drifle-out as many sentences in a weeke, as he will powre∣downe in an howre...." From: Pierces Supererogation: Or, A New Prayse of the Old Asse - Gabriel Harvey USELL ADJ. wretched, miserable, lowly ...c1175 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from early Scandinavian, Old Danish usel (Danish ussel [miserable, wretched]), from the Scandinavian base of Old Icelandic ú- (un-) + the Scandinavian base of Old Icelandic sæll (happy) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1175 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Acc uss birrþ witenn þatt he warrþ, All wiþþ hiss aȝhenn wille, Unnorne & wrecche & usell child Inn ure mennisscnesse, Forr þatt he wollde inn heoffness ærd Uss alle makenn riche..." From: The Ormulum (The Ormulum is a 12th century work of biblical exegesis, written by a monk named Orm, or Ormin, an Augustinian canon in the north of England) - Edited by Robert William Burchfield PECCADILLIE NOUN a minor fault or sin; a trivial offense, a petty crime ...1660 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from peccadillo (n.) with the ending assimilated to -y FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1660 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...There is great commerce of all wares and merchandise, of slaves especially, both males and females; 'tis but a peccadillie, for a Master to lye with his slave, but if she proves with child, the law enfranchises her, and she may go whither she pleases...." From: The World Surveyed, or The Famous Voyages & Travailes of Vincent le Blanc, or White, of Marseilles - Vincent Le Blanc Translated by Francis Brooke BAZE also BAIZE NOUN confusion, bewilderment ...1833 Sc. VERB to stupefy, to frighten, to alarm; to puzzle, to bewilder, to daze ...1603 obs. exc. Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY from OED: apparently identical with Dutch bazen, verbazen (to astonish, to stupefy); but its late appearance in English (or Scots) is not explained FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1603 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Supponing mee ane Deuill of Hell, With crewell conjuratiounes fell, Did mee out of his hous expell, As with a Bogill bazed: As ane out of his mynde or marrit, He hes mee of his hous debarrit, I can not tell quhat hes him skarrit, Or hes the man amazed..." From: Ane Verie Excellent and Delectabill Treatise Intitulit Philotus Quhairin we may persave the greit inconveniences that fallis out in the mariage betvvene age and zouth FUCATE ADJ. artificially coloured, beautified with paint; hence, falsified, disguised, counterfeit ...1531 obs. VERB to colour, to paint, to counterfeit ...1535 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin fūcātus, past participle of fūcāre (to paint, rouge), from fūcus (n. paint or cosmetic for beautifying the skin) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1531 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Finally all disceyte and dissimulation, in the opinion of them whiche exactely honoure iustyce, is nerre to dispraise than commendation, all though that therof mought ensue some thinge that were good. For in vertue may be nothing fucate or counterfayte...." From: The Boke Named The Governour - Thomas Elyot CHICKET ADJ. cheerful ...1682 obs. exc. Eng. dial. NOUN a dormer window ...1845 Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY of unknown origin; perhaps from chick (vb. to chirp, to cheep) + -et FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1682 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...A third remains; The Prelate takes the Urn, And to play fair gives it a double turn: Their fligg'ring Souls do now on Tiptoes stand, 'Twixt fears and hopes for the deciding hand; How blithe wast thou, how Buxome, and how chicket, When once thy Name proclaimed by the Ticket, Past all the fear of Contingent Disaster, Appear'd before the face of thy great Master, Boirude (I mean) the Sexton? Some do say, Thy livid Front e're while as pale as Clay, Glow'd into Sanguine; and thy Rosy Hew Did the Wan Sallow of thy Hide Subdue! Thy Gouty Legs and Toes benumm'd before, Ventur'd to cut three Capers on the Floor!..." From: Le Lutrin an Heroick Poem - originally written in French by Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux; made English by N. O. AWKY ADJ. untoward, perverse, difficult, awkward, clumsy ...1655 obs. ETYMOLOGY from awk (untoward, froward, perverse) + -y FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1655 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Thirdly, Because it is so awky a business, and hard a work, to recover the activity of Grace once lost, and to revive a duty in disuse: I have put off my Coat, faith the Spouse, Cant..." From: The Christian in Compleat Armour. Or, a Treatise of the Saints War Against the Devil - William Gurnall |
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