ETYMOLOGY
from Latin dubitat-, participial stem of dubitare (to doubt)
EXAMPLE
“… as it shall now fare with him, the whole Future may be this way or be that. If, for example, he were to loiter dubitating, and not come; if he were to come, and fail: the whole Soldiery of France to blaze into mutiny. …”
From: The French Revolution: a History
By Thomas Carlyle, 1837
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin aequivocantem, present participle of aequivocare, from aequivocus (ambiguous)
EXAMPLE
“… to trie battaile with the Medes: yea, and and answere by Oracle later than these before cited, which verily was true, but no lesse ambiguous and equivocant, …”
From: The Roman History Of Ammianus Marcellinus
Translated by Philemon Holland, 1609
ETYMOLOGY
from doss (n. lodging, a bed) (vb. to sleep)
EXAMPLE
“… Most of the ‘dossers’ were transient customers, people who were always on the move. …”
From: New York Police Gazette
“Leaves from the Diary of a Celebrated Burglar; Being a Compilation of the Events and Occurences of the Most Exciting, Interesting and Extraordinary Character in the Life of a Thief“
By Anonymous, 1865
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin ludibundus, from ludere (to play)
EXAMPLE
“… I promise you, Hylobares, tho’ the fancy of Cuphophron may seem more ordinarily ludibund and lightsomely sportful, yet what he points at seems to be overlamentably true …”
From: Divine Dialogues, Containing Sundry Disquisitions & Instructions Concerning the Attributes and Providence of God
By Henry More, 1668
ETYMOLOGY
either an alteration of Norse (adj.) after Scottish, or directly from Norwegian norsk (Norse), with suffix substitution
EXAMPLE
“… for he was in prayer more frequent then yong ones are usually seen to be, of a spare diet, and so compassionate of the poor, as all that came in his hands he distributed among them: Servanus his Master loving him beyond others, was ordinarily wont to call him Mongah, which in the Norish tongue, signifieth a deare friend; and this way came he to be called Mungo. …”
From: The History of the Church of Scotland, beginning in the year of our Lord 203 and continued to the end of the reign of King James the VI
By John Spottiswood, 1677
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin victitare (to subsist (on something)); from victus (food, sustenance)
EXAMPLE
“… And soe most commonlye the occasione of death commeth throughe the inordinate state of life, in eatinge, and drinckinge vvithout observinge anye rule of
victitation, hauntinge also of vvoemen, and not suffering themselves to be handled, of the handes of the Chyrurgian, as the cause requireth, it be ether in tenting of the vvounde, by inscisione, by cauterisatian, & by keepinge himselfe quiet vvhich all aunciente Chyrurgians so highly and exactlye commande, …”
From: The Frenche Chirurgerye, or All the Manualle Operations of Chirurgerye, with Divers, & Sundrye Figures, and Amongst the Rest, Certayne Nuefownde Instrumentes, Verye Necessarye to All the Operationes of Chirurgerye
By Jacques Guillemeau
Translated by A.M., 1598
ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly a variant of woozy (dizzy or unsteady); possibly after muzzy (drowsy, spiritless; confused, mentally hazy; dazed and unfocused)
EXAMPLE
“… I am very nearly mad, I am quite slowly turning wuzzy. I see four people instead of one, and I have an irresistible longing to eat the fire and beat my door-handle. …”
From: Antony (Viscount Knebworth): A Record of Youth
By Edward Anthony James Lytton, 1935
Letter written 10 March, 1921
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin debellat-, participial stem of debellare (to subdue in fight)
EXAMPLE
“… But let vs proceed: for now all claimes & quarrels were as open, as if no obstacle had euer beene interposed: the ignominie of their late terrible toiles wounded all true French hearts, and they desire (king Edward growne aged) not to seeme by sitting still vpon so many thornes of disgrace, and losse, to haue beene outwarred, though ouer-warred, and though in two or three battels inferior, yet not to haue beene clearely debellated. …”
From: The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of ye Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans
By John Speed, 1611
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin pigritudo (laziness); from Latin pigr-, piger (lazy) + ‑itudo ‑(itude)
EXAMPLE
“… But, with a little thoughtful frequenting, those deserted river-sides become contemplative and pleasant rambling-places, and, if some whim of fashion do not make the bank of the Hudson like the Marina of Smyrna, a fashionable resort, I have my Sunday afternoons provided for, during the pigritude of city durance. …”
From: Dashes at Life With a Free Pencil
By Nathaniel Parker Willis, 1845
ETYMOLOGY
from rhinoceros + -ical
EXAMPLE (for adj. 1.)
“… Cheat. My lusty rustic, learn and be instructed. Cole is, in the language of the witty, money. The ready, the rhino ; thou shalt be rhinocerical, my lad, thou shalt.
Belf. Admirable, I swear ! Cole ! ready ! rhino ! rhinocerical ! Lord, how long may a man live in ignorance in the country. — And how much cole, ready, and rhino, shall I have? …”
From: The Squire of Alsatia. A comedy
By Thomas Shadwell, 1688
Lexicophilia 