​Daily Word Quiz
 
DODMAN
a) a scarecrow
b) a person whose eyes stick out
c) a silly fellow
d) a snail
 
Answer below
 
 
Today's Featured Word
​ HOSPITIOUS
 
ADJ.
hospitable ...1588 obs.
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin hospitium a hospitable reception
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1588 - see EXAMPLE below
 
EXAMPLE
"...But forc'd by tempests hither ('gainst my mind)
Where I shall hope hospitious friends to find."
 
From: The Most Excellent History of Dorastus and Fawnia
By: Robert Greene, 1588
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
 
 
Daily Word Quiz Answer
 
DODMAN d) a snail ...c1550 obs. exc. Eng. dial.

Daily Word Quiz
 
HACKETY
a) a hacking cough
b) a hatchet
c) the game of hopscotch
d) bed coverings
 
Answer below.
 
 
Today's Featured Word
RUSTICAN
 
NOUN
a countryman, a rustic, a peasant ...1570 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin rusticanus rustic
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
Rusticane, rusticus
From: Manipulus Vocabulorum
A Dictionarie of English and Latine Wordes
By: Peter Levins, 1570
 
EXAMPLE
"...Marius was also a rusticane of the countrey."
 
From: Petrarca's Phisicke Against Fortune
Translated By: Thomas Twyne, 1579
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
 
 
Daily Word Quiz Answer
 
HACKETY c) the game of hopscotch ...19C Eng. dial.
 

Daily Word Quiz
 
OVIARY
a) a flock of sheep
b) a racing pigeon
c) a midwife
d) the yolk of an egg
 
Answer below.
 
Today's Featured Word: SUPERBILOQUENT
 
ADJ.
speaking proudly or haughtily ...1658 obs.
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin superbiloquentia haughty speech
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
Superbiloquent, speaking proudly, or haughtily
From: The New World of English Words
By: Edward Phillips. 1658
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• An Universal Etymological English Dictionary,
Nathan Bailey, 1737
• Dictionary of Early English,
Joseph Shipley, 1955
 
Daily Word Quiz Answer
 
OVIARY a) a flock of sheep ...1623 obs. rare
 

Daily Word Quiz
 
BARNYARD SALAD
a) steak and eggs
b) mud, mire
c) petting zoo
d) manure
 
Answer below.
 
Today's Featured Word:  BRAVASHING
 
ADJ.
boasting, swaggering, blustering ...1652 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from French bravache a swaggerer
from Italian bravaccio bully
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1652 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...which he did do with such a height of spirit, and in such a lofty
and bravashing humour, that..."
 
From: The Jewel
By: Thomas Urquhart, 1652
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
 
Daily Word Quiz Answer
 
BARNYARD SALAD d) manure ...1968 Amer. dial
 

Daily Word Quiz

GO FOR THE BIG SPIT
a) to make every effort to succeed
b) to flaunt, to behave immodestly
c) to use foul language
d) to vomit
 
Answer below.

Today's Featured Word

MATAEOLOGY
 
NOUN
a vain, useless, or unprofitable discourse;
foolish words, nonsense ...1656
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Greek mataiologia idle or foolish talk
from mataios vain + -logia discourse
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1656 - Blount Glossographia
Mateologie (mataeologia) vain enquiry, or over curious search
into high matters an mysteries.
 
EXAMPLE
"...The sapience of our forefathers and the defectiveness
of our dictionaries are simultaneously illustrated by the
bead-roll of mataeology embodied in the extract here following."
 
From: Modern English
By: Fitzedward Hall, 1873
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• A Supplementary English Glossary,
O. Davies, T. Lewis, 1881
• The American Encyclopaedic Dictionary, 
Robert Hunter, 1895
• Dictionary of Early English,
Joseph Shipley, 1955

Daily Word Quiz Answer

GO FOR THE BIG SPIT d) to vomit ...1960 Aust. sl.
​

Daily Word Quiz

THRASONICAL
a) given to bragging, boasting
b) eager, enthusiastic
c) promiscuous, wanton, loose
d) easily upset or agitated

Answer below.

Today's Featured Word

CREABLE
 
ADJ.
1. easy to believe, credible ...1480 obs.
2. that may be created or produced ...a1656 obs.
 
ETYMOLOGY
adj. 1 from Old French creable credible, now croyable
adj. 2. from Latin creabilis from creare to create
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1480 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"......entendement how this fable is creable."
 
From: The Booke of Ovyde Named Methamorphose
By: William Caxton, 1480
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• The Encyclopaedic Dictionary,
Robert Hunter, 1879-1888
• Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language,
Noah Porter, 1895


Daily Word Quiz Answer

THRASONICAL a) given to bragging, boasting;
​exhibiting ostentation ...1564

Daily Word Quiz

LIGHTWOOD-KNOT FLOATER
a) a fishing lure
b) something small or unimportant
c) a heavy rain
d) a heavy blow

Answer below.


Today's Featured Word

FAULTWORTHY
​
ADJ.
deserving of blame, blameworthy, culpable, reprehensible
...1586 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from fault (vb.) + worthy
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1586 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...Secondly, that every mome is more prompt to reprehend such things, which in his owne conceit he iudgeth faultworthy,
then to prayse those matters..."
 
From: The Blazon of Gentrie
The Glorie of Generositie
To the Gentlemen of the Inner Temple
By: John Ferne, 1586
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• The Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia,
​William Dwight Whitney, 1889-1891


Daily Word Quiz Answer

LIGHTWOOD-KNOT FLOATER c) a heavy rain ...1944 Amer. dial.

Daily Word Quiz

FLUSHOGRAM
a) an unpaid bill
b) a note of dismissal or rejection
c) junk mail
d) all of the above

Answer below.


Today's Featured Word

TONITRUANT
 
ADJ.
1. thundering, loud ...1907
2. forceful, vigorous ...1907
 
ETYMOLOGY
from late Latin tonitruantem, pres. pple. of tonitruare to thunder
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1907 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...Mr. Asche's robust personality and tonitruant style"
 
From: The Times (London, England)
5 Sept. 1907
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933


Daily Word Quiz Answer

FLUSHOGRAM b) a note of dismissal or rejection ...1956 Amer. sl.

Daily Word Quiz

MEACOCK
a) troublesome, unruly
b) miserly, stingy, mean
c) effeminate, cowardly, timorous, spiritless
d) proud, haughty
 
Answer below.

Today's Featured Word

WANSONSY
 
ADJ.
mischievous ...1819 Scot.
 
ETYMOLOGY
from wan- lacking, missing + sonsy (adj.) endowed with good sense
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1819 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...We'll learn ye to be douce,
Ye auld wansonsy b___h."
 
From: The Jacobite Relics of Scotland
By: James Hogg, 1819
"Queen Anne: or, The Auld Gray Mare
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• The English Dialect Dictionary,
Joseph Wright, 1898-1905
• An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language,
John Jamieson, 1879-1887

Daily Word Quiz Answer

MEACOCK c) effeminate, cowardly, timorous, spiritless ...1587 obs

NOUN
a lazy, idle, or indolent person; a sluggard, a laggard ...1607
 
ETYMOLOGY
from slow (adj.)
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1607 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...The maintenance of a sort of slow-bellies, whose seruice
to Gods church was altogether vnprofitable"
 
From: A Defence of the Ministers Reasons for Refusall of Subscription to the Booke of Common Prayer
By: Samuel Hieron, 1607
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
​James Murray, 1887-1933

Daily Word Quiz Answer

d) HACK-STOCK a chopping-block ...a1500 obs.
 

NOUN
a strong clumsy shoe in which one walks heavily ...1697 obs.
 
ETYMOLOGY
from plod (vb.) + shoe
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1697 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...Because I han't a pair of plod shoes, and a dirty shirt,
you think a woman won't venture upon me for a husband."
 
From: Aesop. A Comedy. With the Addition of a Second Part
By: John Vanbrugh, 1697
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• A Supplementary English Glossary,
​T. Lewis, O. Davies, 1881

ADJ.
burning hot ...1688 obs.
 
ETYMOLOGY
from flame (vb.) + -atious 
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1688 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...A Flamation, or Flamatious feeling; as the pain of
burning and scalding: or through hot raging distempers."
 
From: The Academy of Armory,
Or A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon
By: Randle Holme, 1688
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
​James Murray, 1887-1933
 

VERB
to make difficult, to impede an action, etc. ...1611 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from ppl. stem of medieval Latin difficultare to render difficult
from difficultas difficulty
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
"Difficulter. To difficultate or difficilitate; to make difficult..."
From: A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues
By: Randle Cotgrave, 1611
 
EXAMPLE
"...upon the circumstances which facilitated or difficultated
(if I may make such a word for the nonce) the introduction
​of Christianity in different ages and parts of the world."
 
From: Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey
Dec. 17, 1829; Published 1856
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language,
Rev. John Ogilvie, 1847-1850
• Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language,
​Noah Porter, 1895

NOUN
a little Venus; a small, beautiful woman ...1621 rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin Vener-, Venus
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1621 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...he admires her on the other side, she is his idol, lady, mistress,
venerilla, queen, the quintessence of beauty..."
 
From: The Anatomy of Melancholy
By: Robert Burton, 1621
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• Dictionary of Early English,
​Joseph Shipley, 1955

VERB
to die ...c1400
 
ETYMOLOGY
from close vb. to conclude, to bring to a close or an end
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
c1400 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...And after course of our kynd closit his dayes."
 
From: The "Gest Hystoriale" of the Destruction of Troy
Translated from Guido de Colonna's "Hystoria Troiana"
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
​James Murray, 1887-1933
 

NOUN
a fool, a simpleton ...1400 obs.
 
ETYMOLOGY
from unwise adj.
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1400 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...Gyf no fayth to þe sawys of vnwysmen þat sayen þat men
mowe noght come to science of þe Planetys, ffor þay
wat noght what þay say."
 
From: Three Prose Versions of the Secreta Secretorum
Translated 1400
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
​James Murray, 1887-1933

​1. CACHINNATE
a) to talk inconsequentially; to chatter
b) to void excrement
c) to laugh loudly or immoderately
 
2. SHICKER
a) a drinker of alcohol; a drunkard
b) an inexperienced person, a greenhorn
c) a short jacket

3. NATURE BUMP
a) a small hill
b) a pimple
c) a contemptible or unpleasant person
 
4. PEJORATE
a) to smell unpleasant
b) to steal credit card data on the internet
c) to make or grow worse; to deteriorate

5. DAINTY-CHAPPED
a) having full but tender lips
b) fastidious or particular as to eating and food
c) of a boxer: easily knocked out
 
6. QUISBY
a) an eccentric person
b) the penis
c) a frog, or young toad

7. LABONZA
a) a female labourer
b) a false beard used in the theatre
c) the posteriors
 
8. OBFLISTICATE
a) to utterly perplex, to confound
b) to forget
c) to vanquish, to obliterate

9. HONTOUS
a) full of shame; ashamed; shameful
b) abominable, detestable, odious
c) exceedingly angry

10. NORMA STOCKERS
a) a heroin addict
b) large female breasts
c) the common dragonfly

VERB
to embellish, to beautify ...1540 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin bellus beautiful + -fy
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1540 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...The embellishing or bellifying Medicines whereof
I intend to speak here..."
 
From: The Birth of Mankind
Translated By: Thomas Raynald, 1540
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• Dictionary of Early English,
Joseph Shipley, 1955
• Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English,
​Thomas Wright, 1880
 

​ADJ.
hilly ...1550 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from hill + -ous
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1550 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...and the way leading between the said parish church and the Forest is very foul, painful and hillous..."
 
From: Decree of Chancellor of Lancashire (1550)
in Edwards Baines The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, 1870
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933
• The Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia,
William Dwight Whitney, 1889-1891

ADJ.
helpful, giving aid, assisting ...1657 obs. rare
 
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin adjutorius serving to help + -ous
 
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1657 - see Example below
 
EXAMPLE
"...to which parts their faculties are destined, as adjutorious,
for the one consists of ..."
 
From: A Medicinal Dispensatory: Containing the Whole Body of Physick
By: Jean de Renou, Translated by R. Tomlinson, 1657
 
SOURCES
• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
James Murray, 1887-1933