Author: Lexico

Word of the Day: GASTROPHILE

ETYMOLOGY
– from Greek γαστρ(ο)-, γαστήρ (gaster – stomach) + θίλ-ος (filos – friend)

EXAMPLE
“…From the foregoing observations we must conclude that the glutton practises without any regard to theory; and we call him Gastrophile. The gormand unites theory with practice, and may be denominated Gastronomer…”

From: Tabella Cibaria.
The Bill of Fare:
A Latin Poem,
Implicitly translated and fully explained in copious and interesting notes, relating to the Pleasures of Gastronomy, and the Mysterious Art of Cookery,
Ange Denis M’Quin, 1820

Word of the Day: AFFECTIOUS

ETYMOLOGY
– from affection on analogy of caution, cautious, action, actious, etc.

EXAMPLE
“…and geif ze think it meit, I pray zou, wryt ane afectious letter to my mother, that scho may mak delygens…”

From: Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok
By William Fraser, 1863
“Lady Elizabeth Maxwell to Sir John Maxwell of Pollok, 23d July, c. 1580”

Word of the Day: PURSE-LEECH

ETYMOLOGY
– from purse (receptacle for money) + leech (a person who will ‘stick to’ another for the purpose of getting gain out of him)

EXAMPLE
“…False Counsellors (Concealers of the law),
Turn-coate Attornes, that with both hands draw,
Slie Peti-foggers, Wranglers at the barr,
Proud purse-leaches, Harpies of Westminster,
With fained chiding, and foul iarring noise
Breake not his braine, nor interrupt his ioyes…”

From: Bartas his deuine weekes and workes
– Guillaume de Saluste Du Bartas 
Translated and dedicated to the Kings most excellent Maiestie By Iosuah Syluester 
(translated by Joshua Sylvester) 

Word of the Day: ONYCHOPHAGIST

ETYMOLOGY
– from onycho- (relating to the nails) + –phagist (denoting people or animals who eat a particular food)

EXAMPLE
“…My eldest daughter had finished her Latin lessons, and my son had finished his Greek; and I was sitting at my desk, pen in hand and in mouth at the same time, (a substitute for biting the nails which I recommend to all onygophagists)…”

From: The Doctor &c.
By Robert Southey, 1834
“The Utility of Pockets. A Compliment Properly Received”

Word of the Day: ROWDY-DOW

also Scottish and dialect form ROW-DE-DOW

ETYMOLOGY
–  originally a variant of row dow dow ( a series of sounds as produced by beating a drum)
– later possibly influenced by rowdy dowdy (characterized by noisy roughness)

EXAMPLE
“…There has been a terrible rowdydow in the operatic green-room…”

From: Dashes at Life with a Free Pencil
By Nathaniel Parker Willis, 1845

Word of the Day: POWFAGGED

ETYMOLOGY
– from pow, variant of poll (the top of the head) + fagged (extremely tired)

EXAMPLE
“…Ther’s some sort o’ rumption gooin on ‘ith country, no deawt, an’ wi’st be gettin lurked, or lawmt, or powfagged some road, so let’s turn back while us booan are whul…”

From: Tales and Sketches of Lancashire Life
By Benjamin Brierley, 1862

Word of the Day: OBROGATE

ETYMOLOGY
– from ppl. stem of Latin obrogāre (partly to repeal a law by passing a new one), 
from ob- (ob-) + rogāre (to ask, supplicate, propose a law, introduce a bill)

EXAMPLE
“…makes it a badge of royalty, that the Prince, without his subjects consent, may prohibite, abrogat, derogat, subrogat, and obrogate to the standing laws, wheir he sees it necessar, excepting the laws of God, of nature…”

From: Historical Notices of Scottish Affairs
By Lord John Lauder Fountainhall, 1848