Author: Lexico

Word of the Day: COBNOBBLE

ETYMOLOGY
– ? from cob (n. a blow; vb. to strike) + nobble (vb. to strike, to hit)

EXAMPLE
“…Charles: He who would from parties rob’ll
Finds out he’s in the wrong box.
Clem.: Him we’ll capture and cobnobble,
Open locks whoever knocks.”

From: Lacy’s Acting Edition of Plays, Dramas, Farces, Extravaganzas, Etc., Etc.
Volume 93, 1871
Robert Macaire, Or, The Roadside Inn Turned Inside Out.
By Henry J. Byron, Scene II

Word of the Day: QUOMODOCUNQUIZE

ETYMOLOGY
– from classical Latin quōmodocunque, a variant of quōmodocumque (in whatever way); from quōmodo (in what way) + cumque 

EXAMPLE
“…whereof those quomodocunquizing clusterfists and rapacious varlets have given of late such cannibal-like proofs, by their inhumanity and obdurate carriage towards some…”

From: The Works of Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty, Knight.
Reprinted From the Original Editions, 1834
The Discovery of a Most Exquisite Jewel, 1652

Word of the Day: MINUATE

ETYMOLOGY
irregular formed on Latin minuĕre to lessen + -ate

EXAMPLE
– “The sole dissent about its composition, is in the tincture of the silk, and the weight of Musk, which some augment, others minuate“

From: A Medicinal Dispensatory: Containing the Whole Body of Physick:
Composed By The Illustrious Renodaeus,
Englished and Revised by Richard Tomlinson, of London, Apothecary, 1657

Word of the Day: PRESTIGIATORY

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin praestigiatorius from praestigiat– , past participial stem of praestigiare prestigiate (vb.) to deceive by illusion as if by magic
+ Latin –ōrius –ory 

FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1588 – see EXAMPLE below

EXAMPLE
“…or finally of any their other colourable glosses, & hypocriticall subornations, in some like prestigiatory, and sophisticall veine?…”

 From: A Discoursiue Probleme Concerning Prophesies
– John Harvey

Word of the Day: RAUCID

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin raucus (adj.) hoarse, harsh, raucous + -id 

FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1730 – see EXAMPLE below

EXAMPLE
“…In Needy Thraldom, fearful, darkling lay,
Expected fond were the sweet-warbled Ode
Of vig’rous Stretch; when not th’ Elegiac Tone
Which on Maander’s Stream the raucid Swan,
At Fate’s Approach, was storied erst t’ emit,
The pining, heartless, wasted Pris’ner groans…”

From: Freedom; A Poem, Written in Time of Recess from the Rapacious Claws of Bailiffs, and Devouring Fangs of Goalers
To which is annexed The Author’s Case 
– Andrew Brice

Word of the Day: UNASINOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin ūnus one + asinus ass, after unanimous

FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1656 – see EXAMPLE below

EXAMPLE
“…Go your wayes,” says he to Dr Wallis and Seth Ward, you uncivil Ecclesiastiques, inhyman divines, Dedoctors of Morality, Unasinous collegues, Egregious pair of Issachars, most wretched Vindices and Indices Academarium….”

From: Elements of Philosophy the First Section, Concerning Body,
Wwritten in Latine by Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury;
And now translated into English;
To which are added Six lessons to the Professors of Mathematicks of the Institution of Sr. Henry Savile, in the University of Oxford

Word of the Day: HONISH

ETYMOLOGY
 from Anglo-Norman huniss-, Anglo-Norman and Old French honiss-, extended stem of Anglo-Norman hunir, Anglo-Norman and Old French honir (French honnir ) to shame, to humiliate, to ruin, to damage

FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
a1325 – see EXAMPLE below

EXAMPLE
“…Me sholde him [sc. Christ] hounschy & skorne boþe ffer & neye.….”

 From: The Southern Passion
A Middle English poem;
Edited by Beatrice Daw Brown, 1927