ETYMOLOGY
? from Middle English trant (cunning action, trickery)
EXAMPLE
“…About this period died at Hawick two lone sisters, named Marjory and Isobel Hume, designated the Tranties, rather more intelligent than their neighbours in a similar humble condition of life…”
From: Hawick and its Old Memories
By James Wilson, 1858
ETYMOLOGY
? for the first element ‘catter’ perhaps from Dutch kater (tomcat) + batter (to fight)
EXAMPLE
“…By Gemini ! you never heard such a catter- batter! The whole court-room stamping and laughing fit to split, and the ushers calling order, and the tipstaffs running, and his worship gobbling like a cailzie-cock…”
From: Blackwood’s Magazine
Volume 225, 1929
ETYMOLOGY
from lack + brain
EXAMPLE
“…Say you so, say you so, I say vnto you againe, you are a shallow cowardly hind, and you lie: what a lacke braine is this? by the Lord our plot is a good plot, as euer was laid, our friends true and constant: a good plot, good friends, and ful of expectation: an excellent plot, verie good friends; what a frosty spirited rogue is this?…”
From: Henry IV, Part I
By William Shakespeare, 1598
ETYMOLOGY
from polity (a particular form of government or political organization),
from obsolete French politie, from Latin polītīa (state, government) + –ize
EXAMPLE
“…Matters of state we vse to politize,
Procrastinating for aduantage great,
LOVE, lingring hates, and lothes to temporize,
Delaie’s too olde, for his orewarmed heate:
Ah, doe not driue me of thus (still) in vaine,
Still for to lose tis much, once let me gaine…”
From: Alba The Months Minde of a Melancholy Louer
By Robert Tofte, 1598
ETYMOLOGY
from 16th century French desmarier (‘to diuorce, vnwed, or vnmarrie’, Cotgrave),
from des- (dis-) + marier (to marry)
EXAMPLE
“…And he was heyre to his father, and had fayre herytages, and was lykelye to enjoye more; howebeit, agaynst the yonge mannes mynde he was dismaryed, and maryed agayne to another gentylwoman, at the pleasure of the duke of Burgoyne and of the lorde de la Tremoyle…”
From: The Cronycle of Syr John Froissart
Translated out of French by Sir John Bourchier Lord Berners, 1525
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin anser (goose) + -ous
EXAMPLE
“…Can any one be so anserous as to suppose, that the faculties of young men cannot be exercised, and their industry and activity called into proper action, because Mr. Hamilton teaches, in three or four years, what has (in a more vicious system) demanded seven or eight?…”
From: The Edinburgh Review, June, 1826
Hamilton’s Method of Teaching Languages
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin scientissimus, superl. of sciens (knowing) + -ous
EXAMPLE
“…Scientissimous Interpreters of the Laws of England…”
From: Judges Judged out of their Own Mouthes,
or, The Question Resolved by Magna Charta, &c.
John Jones, 1650
ETYMOLOGY
from ‘to claw the back of‘ (to flatter, fawn upon)
EXAMPLE
“…Yea, trouble not your self sir, ye may hauke and hunt, & take youre pleasure. As for the guiding of your kingdom and people, let vs alone with it.
These flattering clawbackes ar original rotes of all mischief…”
From: The Second Sermon of Maister Hughe Latimer, which be Preached before King Edward
By Hugh Latimer, 1549
ETYMOLOGY
from eye + brine
EXAMPLE
“…The Iudge that would be lik’st him, when he giues
His Doome on the Delinquent most that grieues.
Powders his words in Eye-brine, so to tast
of Grace, to them, that (so condemn’d) are grac’t…”
From: A Select Second Husband for Sir Thomas Ouerburie’s Wife,
now a Matchlesse Widow;
Divers Elegies Tovching the Death of the Never Too Mvch Praised and Pitied, Sir Thomas Overbvry
By John Davies, 1616
ETYMOLOGY
from anti- + -loquy (Latin loqui to speak)
EXAMPLE
“…The Antiloquie…”
(Heading)
From: The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of all the Independents and Sectaries, with the Totall Overthrow of their Hierarchy
By John Bastwick, 1646
Lexicophilia 