Word of the Day

Word of the Day: CAUPONATE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin caupōnāt- ppl. stem of caupōnāri (to traffic or trade in),
from caupōnem (retail tradesman, huckster, innkeeper)

EXAMPLE
“…Nor may these false and flattering Dalilahs of our times (who by cauponating Religion and handling the Scriptures deceitfully, seek to betray the strength, honour, and order this reformed Church in England, under pretences of great kindness)…”

From: Hieraspistes: A Defence by Way of Apology for the Ministry and Ministers of the Church of England
By John Gauden, 1653

Word of the Day: HARRIDAN

ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly from French haridelle (an old jade of a horse – 1558), (a woman (especially a servant) who is too weak to work – 1690) + a derivative suffix of uncertain origin)

EXAMPLE
“…Parret. Doest take me for a Harridan, or a Cuffey? ha!
Owmuch. I believe thee a very obliging Creature, truely.
Parret. I won’t be believed an obliging Creature by ne’re a Sir Fopling of you all, the Court know me a Creature of Heavens special Handy-work, and if I live to see the City, Bow shall Ring with thy abominations, till Mary-Overs eccho thy lewdness: Tempt me to be an obliging Creature…”

From: Tunbridge-Wells, or, A days courtship a comedy
By Thomas Rawlins, a1670

Word of the Day: TRISTITIATE

ETYMOLOGY
rom Latin tristitia (sadness) + -ate

EXAMPLE
“…What man is it which lives so happily, which feares not something that would sadden his soule if it fell? Nor is there any whom calamity doth so much tristitiate, as that hee never sees the flashes of some warming joy. Beasts with beasts are terrified and delighted…”

From:  Resolves or, Excogitations: A Second Centurie
By Owen Felltham, 1628

Word of the Day: OPIFEROUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin opifer (help-bringing),
from opem (help) + -fer

EXAMPLE
“…I heard that a hardy little band tried to read it through , but fell asleep after having read the opiferous leaves of the first chapter . I speak not of the puffs , profusely given to it by generous friends , interested or stipended parties…”

From: Critical Dialogue Between Aboo and Caboo On A New Book:
Or A Grandissime Ascension
Edited by E. Junius (A.E. Rouquette), 1880

Word of the Day: AMNICOLIST

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin amnicola (growing beside a river)
(from amnis (river) + -cola (inhabitant, worshipper)) + -ist

EXAMPLE
“…society without seleection, constitutional bumpers, and stale anecdotes, I determined to explore the banks of the Liffey, and to search among the amnicolists for that entertainment which eluded my pursuit in the urbanity of the capital…”

From: Hibernian Magazine
By Robert Jephson, 1782

Word of the Day: GIXY

ETYMOLOGY
? possibly connected with gig (an eccentric person)

EXAMPLE
“…Hereupon it fell out, after the expiring of a scantling of Weeks, that Master Carvel became as jealous as a Tygar, and entred into a very profound suspition, that his new-married Gixy did keep a Buttock-stirring with others: to prevent which inconveniency, he did tell her many tragical Stories of the total Ruine of several Kingdoms by Adultery…”

From: The Third Book of the Heroick Deeds and Sayings of the good Pantagruel.
By Francois Rabelais
Translated by Thomas Urquhart, 1693

Word of the Day: GRUNDYITE

ETYMOLOGY
after Mrs. Grundy, a character mentioned in the play Speed the Plough (1798) by Thomas Morton (1764?-1838), English playwright

EXAMPLE
“…Meantime there is some meaning in having a gentleman and a classic at the head of affairs, who may now and then direct the stream of public bounty to us, poor devils, whom the Grundyites would not only remunerate, but kick out of society as barely respectable…”

From: Alfred Lord Tennyson: A Memoir
Letters 1842-1845
By Alfred Tennyson, 1897

Word of the Day: DRETCH

ETYMOLOGY
from Old English drecc(e)an: unknown in the other Germanic languages

EXAMPLE
“…Sir sayd sir Bors after ye were departed from vs we alle that ben of youre blood and youre well wyllers were soo dretched that somme of vs lepte oute of oure beddes naked & some in their dremes caughte naked swerdes in their handes therfor said sir Bors we deme there is some grete stryf at hand…”

From: Le Morte Darthur
By Sir Thomas Malory, 1470

Word of the Day: DOITRIFIED

ETYMOLOGY
blend of doited (having the faculties impaired by age) and petrified

EXAMPLE
“…“What passed, say ye? O, there wasna muckle: I was in a great passion, but she was dung doitrified a wee. When she gaed to put the key i’ the door, up it flew to the fer wa’. ‘Bless ye, jaud, what’s the meaning o’ this?’ quo she. ‘Ye hae left the door open, ye tawpie!’ quo she.…”

From: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
By James Hogg, 1824