ETYMOLOGY
conjectured to be a whimsical imitation of concur (cur = dog);
but no evidence has been found of its actual origin
EXAMPLE
“… Alcum. So is it, and often doth it happen, that the iust proportion of the fire and all things concurre.
Rafe. Concurre, condogge. I will away.
Alcum. Then away. …”
From: Gallathea
By John Lyly, 1592
ETYMOLOGY
from the name of Mr. Pecksniff, a hypocritical character in Charles Dickens’s novel “The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit“
EXAMPLE
“… Should Welby Pugin ever favour us with a Supplement to his Contrasts, he will uo doubt bring forward as one most egregious instance of architectural bathos the unlucky structure commented upon in the preceding paragraph. He might also hold up for reprehension a good many Pecksniff specimens of Gothic and Tudor of very recent date – certainly more recent than would be imagined, for some of them seem to be almost twin-brothers to Strawberry Hill, or else to the front of Guildhall …”
From: The Civil Engineer and Architect’s Journal, Scientific and Railway Gazette
Volume 7, 1844
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin decumanus (very large, immense; usually of waves) + -al
EXAMPLE
“… till in the closure of the luxuriant period, the decumanal wave of the oddest whimzy of al, enforced the charmed spirits of the auditory (for affording room to its apprehension) suddenly to burst forth into a laughter; which commonly lasted just so long, as he had leasure to withdraw behind the skreen, shift off with the help of a Page, the suite he had on, apparel himself with another, and return to the stage to act afresh; for by that time their transported, disparpled, and sublimated fancies, by the wonderfully operating engines of his solacious inventions, had from the hight to which the inward scrues, wheeles, and pullies of his wit had elevated them, descended by degrees into their wonted stations, he was ready for the personating of another carriage; …”
From: Εκσκυβαλαυρον [Ekskybalauron]: or, The Discovery of a Most Exquisite Jewel, More Precious Then Diamonds Inchased in Gold, the Like Whereof Was Never Seen in Any Age
By Thomas Urquhart, 1652
ETYMOLOGY
from carrion (the human body) + case (a covering)
EXAMPLE
“He wore a tight, white, long-sleeved, button-up carrion-case.”
ETYMOLOGY
from rattle (succession of short, sharp sounds) + noddled
EXAMPLE
“… Well, take this monster all together, and hees a clubfooted, hamble shanck’t, burstengutted, long-neck’t, rattlenodled, large lugg’d eagle eyd Hircocerous, a meere chimera, one of the devils best boys ; but having served him an apprentiship he’s now set up for himself and came out with his wares the last summer cave tertio. …”
From: Confused Characters of Conceited Coxcombs
By K.W., 1661
ETYMOLOGY
from distraction + -tious
EXAMPLE
“… There were indeed bruits of fear, and there were companies of suspicious persons who at the best, live upon the vices of the Nation, and who like Coasters ride out at Sea, to expect prey from wrecks, and small Boats which they can Master and prey upon, such Cormorants of pillage and snaps of ruine My Lodgings were an eminent instance of before they were burned yet open violence there was none to speak of, but much even of exemplary Justice, and charitable Mercy, In the time of the Fires raging, and of the distractious impetuosity; which I write not to vindicate the dissolute Multitude of pretended Labourers, and other instruments of carriage (who exhansed the rates of their own portadge, while perhaps their Wives, Children, and Servants, or some of them, were busie at other work, all becoming theirs which their hook could reach, or their Net drag away.) …”
From: A short narrative of the late dreadful fire in London
By Edward Waterhouse, 1667
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin sterquilinium (a dunghill), (from stercus (dung))
EXAMPLE
“… The itching of scriblers, was the scab of the time; It is just so now, that any triobolary pasquiller evry tressis agaso, any sterquilinious raskall, is licenc’d to throw dirt in the faces of Soveraign Princes in open printed language: But I hope the times will mend, and your Man slo if he hath any face, you have so well corrected him, So I rest …”
From: A New Volume of Letters
By James Howell, 1647
Letter to Dr. D. Featley, 1 Aug. 1644
ETYMOLOGY
from gig (a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage) + lamp
EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… A “Wo-ho-ho, my beauties!” brought the smoking wheelers upon their haunches; and Jehu, saluting with his elbow and whip finger, called out in the husky voice peculiar to a dram-drinker, “Are you the two houtside gents for Hoxfut?” To which Mr. Green replied in the affirmative; and while the luggage (the canvas-covered, ladylike look of which was such a contrast to that of the other passengers) was being quickly transferred to the coach-top, he and Verdant ascended to the places reserved for them behind the coachman. Mr. Green saw at a glance that all the passengers were Oxford men, dressed in every variety of Oxford fashion, and exhibiting a pleasing diversity of Oxford manners. Their private remarks on the two new-comers were, like stage “asides,” perfectly audible.
“Decided case of governor!” said one.
“Undoubted ditto of freshman!” observed another.
“Looks ferociously mild in his gig-lamps!” remarked a third, alluding to Mr. Verdant Green’s spectacles.
“And jolly green all over!” wound up a fourth. …”
From: The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green
By Cuthbert Bede, (real name Edward Bradley), 1853
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin internigrant-, internigrans (interspersed with black);
from inter- (between or among) + nigrans (dark-coloured, black), use as adjective of present participle of nigrare (to be black);
from nigr-, niger (black)
EXAMPLE
“The old canvas was internigrant from the soot of the chimney fire”
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin detractorius (disparaging, slanderous), from detractor (a defamer, slanderer) + -ory
EXAMPLE
“… Let him say al this, and much more, which idle and slothfull Christians are accustomed to bring for their excuse: let him alleage the same as much and as often times as he wil: it is but an excuse, and a false excuse, and an excuse moste dishonourable and detractorie to the force of Christ holie grace purchased vnto vs by his bitter passion …”
From: A Christian Directorie guiding men to their saluation
By Robert Parsons, 1585
Lexicophilia 