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HEREDATION NOUN the act of inheriting; inheritance ...1606 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin heredation-, heredatio (action of inheriting), from heredat-, past participial stem of heredare (to inherit) + Latin -iō (-ion) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1606 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...For the Iewes doe comprise all titular rights vnder one of three: acquisition, like Abrahams (in the conqueis of the caue Gen. 23.) Heredation, like Isaacs (succeding thereto) lucrifaction, like Iacobs, whose wealth was the winning of his owne hand-hammers..." From: The Blame of Kirk-Buriall tending to perswade Cemiteriall Civilitie - William Birnie
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SCALPTIZE VERB to scratch ...1708 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin scalpt-, scalpĕre (scalp vb. † to scrape, to scratch) + -ize FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1708 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...but also discovers, that, through the Revolution of many Retrograde Moons, you have in Egypt press'd the Extremities of your Fingers, with the hard Tenants of your Mouths, and scalptiz'd your heads with frequent applications of your Unguicules..." From: The Works of F. Rabelais, M.D.: or, The Lives, Heroic Deeds and Sayings of Gargantua and Pantagruel, done out of French by Sir Tho. Urchard, Mr. Motteux, and others - Peter Antoine Motteux FLOCCIPEND VERB to regard as insignificant, worthless, or of no account; to make no account of, to regard as unimportant or irrelevant ...1548 rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin phrase floccī pendĕre (floccī, + pendĕre to weigh, esteem) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1548 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...any other ridiculous articles they layde to hym, whiche the cares of euery honest creature knowynge the duetie of the subie to hys prynce, woulde abhorre and floccipend, to the whiche he so wisely and boldely aunswered, that in parte he asswaged their malice, and mitigated their rage. In so much that he was more gentler entreated then he was before..." From: The vnion of the two noble and illustre famelies of Lancastre (and) Yorke, beeyng long in continual discension for the croune of this noble realme with all the actes done in bothe the tymes of the princes, bothe of the one linage and of the other, beginnyng at the tyme of kyng Henry the fowerth... - Edward Hall MENALTY NOUN the middle class of society ...1548 rare ETYMOLOGY from mean (adj. intermediate, intermediary) + -alty; possibly after commonalty (n.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1548 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...In this parliament wer adnichilate al the actes paed in the parliament holden by kyng Richard in the .xxj. yere of his reigne, whiche was called the euill parliament for the nobilitee, the worse for the menaltie, but worste of all for the cōmonaltee..." From: The vnion of the two noble and illustre famelies of Lancastre (and) Yorke, beeyng long in continual discension for the croune of this noble realme with all the actes done in bothe the tymes of the princes, bothe of the one linage and of the other, beginnyng at the tyme of kyng Henry the fowerth... - Edward Hall VIBRATIUNCLE NOUN a minute or slight vibration or agitation ...1749 ETYMOLOGY from Latin vibratiuncula, diminutive of Latin vibrātio (vibration n.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1749 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Sensory Vibrations, by being often repeated, beget, ini the medullary Substance of the Brain, a Disposition to diminutive Vibrations, which may also be called Vibratiuncles, and Miniatures, corresponding to themselves respectively..." From: Observations on Man, His Frame, His Duty, and His Expectations - David Hartley GAYSOME ADJ. 1. full of gaiety; blithe, light-hearted, buoyant, cheerful ...1598 rare 2. inspiring with gaiety; cheery; pleasant ...1633 rare ETYMOLOGY from gay (adj. bright or lively-looking) + -some FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1598 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...To these quick Nuptials entred suddenly Admired Teras with the Ebon Thye, A Nymph that haunted the greene Sestyan groves, And would consort soft virgins in their loves, At gaysome Triumphs, and on solemne dayes, Singing prophetike Elegies and Layes: And fingring of a silver Lute she tide, With black and purple skarfs by her left side..." From: Hero and Leander - Begun by Christopher Marlowe and finished by George Chapman DRACONIC ADJ. 1. pert. to a dragon; of the nature of a dragon ...1680 2. pertaining to or characteristic of Draco, archon at Athens in 621 B.C., or the severe code of laws said to have been established by him; rigorous, harsh, severe, cruel ...1708 ETYMOLOGY from Latin draco, -ōnem, from Greek δράκων (dragon); also from the Greek personal name Δράκων, (Draco) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1680 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...He was cast out into the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him: This appearance thus in Heaven signified the destruction of the Empire as Draconick and Idolatrous, that none of that foul stamp should be in high places of the Empire, but such as were professed Christians..." From: Apocalypsis Apocalypseos; or The Revelation of St. John the Divine Unveiled - Henry More PLINGER NOUN a beggar ...1904 sl. rare ETYMOLOGY of unknown origin FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1904 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...The Plinger.—He is generally an able-bodied man and asks for a few cents to make up a dime for a bed or carfare..." From: The New York Times Dec. 25, 1904 KOKUM also COCUM, COKUM, KOCUM ADJ. smart, cunning, sly; advantageous, lucky ...1839 sl. rare NOUN 1. good sense; ability; acumen; judgement; knowledge; cunning; cleverness, shrewdness ...1848 sl. rare 2. advantageous or favourable circumstances; luck ...1851 obs. 3. deceit, entrapment ...1886 Aust. sl. 4. (also CHOCHEM) a thief, usually an intelligent one ...1963 S. Afr. criminals' sl. ETYMOLOGY from Yiddish khokhem (wise, prudent), from Hebrew ḥāḵām (wise, prudent), from the same Semitic base as Arabic ḥakīm (learned person) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1839 - Cocum, very cunning and sly. To fight cocum, to be wary From: Dictionary of the Flash or Cant Language - Henry Brandon in Poverty Mendicity and Crime, Or, The Facts, Examinations, &c. Upon which the Report was Founded - W. A. Miles EXAMPLE "...We both have reached a time of life When 'tis good ‘Cokum’, lad, to buy ‘a knife’...." From: The Sydney Daily Advertiser Oct. 11, 1848 CRICHTON also ADMIRABLE CRICHTON NOUN a person who excels in all kinds of studies and pursuits; one who is noted for supreme competence; later, a person of an inferior social status or lower place in a hierarchy who is far more talented and capable and has more natural authority than his or her superiors ...1807 ETYMOLOGY from the surname of James Crichton of Clunie (1560–85?), a Scottish prodigy of intellectual and knightly accomplishments; in later use, chiefly after the character of the talented and resourceful butler in J. M. Barrie's play The Admirable Crichton (1914) (first performed in 1902), named in allusion to James Crichton of Clunie FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1807 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...To march in her usual track excites no admiration; but when, in her wanton moods, she forms an O'Brien of eight feet, and a Boruwlaski of three, an admirable Crichton with every accomplishment and a thousand other men with none, 'tis by these deviations that she raises astonishment..." From: The Eccentric Mirror: Reflecting a Faithful and Interesting Delineation of Male and Female Characters, Ancient and Modern, Who have been particularly distinguished by extraordinary Qualifications, Talents, and Propensities, Natural or Acquired - G. H. Wilson ODIBLE ADJ. worthy to be hated, hateful; horrible, odious; repulsive to the senses ...c1425 obs. ETYMOLOGY Latin ōdibilis (hateful) from stem of ōdisse (to hate) + -ibilis -ible FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1425 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...His face was so hatful and odyble, And his loke so hydous and orible. And ay he had in custom & vsaunce, As in bokis is made remembraunce..." From: Troy Book - Guido delle Colonne Translated by John Lydgate |
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