ETYMOLOGY
from Latin spissus (thick, close, compact)
EXAMPLE
“…Methought this Drink had a kind of a sweet taste, like Asses Milk, yet it could not properly be called a liquor, but rather a certain concreted Mist or spiscious Froath; for being with no small paine got out againe, I found it had not so much as moistned my Cloaths…”
From: The Comical History of Francion
By Charles Sorel, 1655
ETYMOLOGY
from little + what
EXAMPLE
“…Philip answeride to him, The looues of two hundrid pens suffysen not to hem, that ech man take a litle what…”
From: The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books, in the earliest English versions made from the Latin Vulgate
(Wycliffite, early version), c1384
ETYMOLOGY
from snuff + -y
EXAMPLE
“…I’m sure she makes a very Tarquinius Sextus of me, and all about this Serenade,—I protest and vow, incomparable Lady, I had begun the sweetest Speech to her—though I say’t, such Flowers of Rhetorick—’twou’d have been the very Nosegay of Eloquence, so it wou’d; and like an ungrateful illiterate Woman as she is, she left me in the very middle on’t, so snuffy I’ll warrant…”
From: Sir Patient Fancy
By Aphra Behn, 1678
ETYMOLOGY
of unknown origin
EXAMPLE
“…That tells vs of Proiects beyond the Moone, of Golden Mines, of Deuices to make the Thames run on the North side of London (which may very easily be done, by remouing London to the Banke-side) of planting the Ile of Dogs with Whiblins, Corwhichets, Mushromes and Tobacco. Tut I like none of these, Let mee see, as I take it, it is an inuectiue against Coaches, or a proofe or tryall of the Antiquitie of Carts and Coaches…”
From: All the vvorkes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet
By John Taylor, 1623
The VVorld runnes on VVheeles
ETYMOLOGY
from late Latin meliorat-, ppl. stem of meliorare, from Latin melior-, (melior better)
PRONUNCIATION
MEE-lee-uh-rayt
EXAMPLE
“…safe from all daungiers,beeyng proude therof not without cause, he would often saie: I found Roome made but of bricke, and I will leaue it of marble. Nothyng to a prince maye bee more magnificente or regall, then if the same dooe meliorate & bettre ye state of a dicion or royalme descended and come to his possession…”
From: Apophthegmes that is to saie, prompte, quicke, wittie and sentencious saiynges, of certain emperours, kynges, capitaines, philosophiers and oratours…
By Desiderius Erasmus
Translated by Nicholas Udall, 1542
ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
perhaps from cockle (to move or rock unsteadily; to totter or wobble)
EXAMPLE
“…Their bind was just a Scots pint over-head, and a tappit-hen to the bill, and no man ever saw them the waur o’t. It was thae cockle-brained callants of the present day that would be mair owerta’en with a puir quart than douce folk were with a magnum…”
From: St. Ronan’s Well
By Sir Walter Scott, 1823
ETYMOLOGY
from belly (n.) + cheer
EXAMPLE
“…so they would contynue, in case theyr ordinaries, Curates, & ministers were not trylers and hynderours therof, and if they were not seduced, and taught by sedicious earewhisperours contrary to the worde of God & the Kynges hyghnes mooste godly gracious procedinges, onely for pelfe , belycheare, ease and lucre. But take me not, that I meane all them to be triflers, hynderours, or sinistre resisters, that are ordinaries, curates or ministres…”
From: The Seconde Tome or Volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus
By Desiderius Erasmus
Translated by John Olde, 1549
ETYMOLOGY
from whizz (to move swiftly or with such a sound) + -er
EXAMPLE
“…The washerwoman finds her occupation almost gone through the introduction of machinery. The larger part of the city of Troy is devoted to the manufacture of engines, whizzers, starchers, and other machines of the steam laundry. The most interesting machine is the whizzer, which dries clothes in 1,000 revolutions a minute…”
From: The Pall Mall Budget, July 1887
Volume 35
ETYMOLOGY
from sober + the plural of side
EXAMPLE
“…I am sorry you have been again out of luck with a horse; but do not despair. I have got a sober sides on trial for a week past, but really & truly cannot make time to put him to the proof, & he stands idle in my stable, but hope as I have often, very often hoped before that I shall have more time the next week…”
From: The Selected Letters of Josiah Wedgwood, Feb, 1779
Edited by Anne Finer and George Savage, 1965
ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
perhaps from the Teutonic root flap and Old French frapillier (to be indignant, murmur)
EXAMPLE
“…Elixir vitae, and the precious Stone,
You know as well as how to make an Apple;
If’te come to the workinge then let you alone,
You know the coullers black brown bay and dapple,
Controwle you once then you begin to fraple.
Swearing and saying, what is fellow is this?
Yet still you worke but ever worke amisse…”
From: Sir Edward Kelle’s Worke,
In Elias Ashmole’s Theatrum Chemicum Brittanicum, 1652
Lexicophilia 