Word of the Day

Word of the Day: POLITIZE

ETYMOLOGY
from polity (a particular form of government or political organization),
from obsolete French politie, from Latin polītīa (state, government) + –ize

EXAMPLE
“…Matters of state we vse to politize,
Procrastinating for aduantage great,
LOVE, lingring hates, and lothes to temporize,
Delaie’s too olde, for his orewarmed heate:
Ah, doe not driue me of thus (still) in vaine,
Still for to lose tis much, once let me gaine…”

From: Alba The Months Minde of a Melancholy Louer
By Robert Tofte, 1598

Word of the Day: DISMARRY

ETYMOLOGY
from 16th century French desmarier (‘to diuorce, vnwed, or vnmarrie’, Cotgrave),
from des- (dis-)  + marier (to marry)

EXAMPLE
“…And he was heyre to his father, and had fayre herytages, and was lykelye to enjoye more; howebeit, agaynst the yonge mannes mynde he was dismaryed, and maryed agayne to another gentylwoman, at the pleasure of the duke of Burgoyne and of the lorde de la Tremoyle…”

From: The Cronycle of Syr John Froissart
Translated out of French by Sir John Bourchier Lord Berners, 1525

Word of the Day: ANSEROUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin anser (goose) + -ous

EXAMPLE
“…Can any one be so anserous as to suppose, that the faculties of young men cannot be exercised, and their industry and activity called into proper action, because Mr. Hamilton teaches, in three or four years, what has (in a more vicious system) demanded seven or eight?…”

From: The Edinburgh Review, June, 1826
Hamilton’s Method of Teaching Languages

Word of the Day: CLAWBACK

ETYMOLOGY
from ‘to claw the back of‘ (to flatter, fawn upon)

EXAMPLE
“…Yea, trouble not your self sir, ye may hauke and hunt, & take youre pleasure. As for the guiding of your kingdom and people, let vs alone with it.
These flattering clawbackes ar original rotes of all mischief…”

From: The Second Sermon of Maister Hughe Latimer, which be Preached before King Edward
By Hugh Latimer, 1549

Word of the Day: EYE-BRINE

ETYMOLOGY
from eye + brine

EXAMPLE
“…The Iudge that would be lik’st him, when he giues
His Doome on the Delinquent most that grieues.
Powders his words in Eye-brine, so to tast
of Grace, to them, that (so condemn’d) are grac’t…”

From: A Select Second Husband for Sir Thomas Ouerburie’s Wife,
now a Matchlesse Widow;
Divers Elegies Tovching the Death of the Never Too Mvch Praised and Pitied, Sir Thomas Overbvry
By John Davies, 1616

Word of the Day: INCREPATE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin increpāt-, ppl. stem of increpāre (to make a noise at, scold, chide),
from in- (in-) + crepāre (to make a noise, creak, etc.)

EXAMPLE
“…Yes, Jonas is passionate, but God doth oppose him; he is eager upon a cruell bent, but God doth increpate, and interrogate him…”

From: God’s plea for Nineveh,
or, London’s Precedent for Mercy Delivered in Certain Sermons within the city of London
By Thomas Reeve, 1657

Word of the Day: VULPECULATED

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin vulpecula, dim. of vulpes (fox)

EXAMPLE
“..the Dun Cow went a maskarado last night, and is not as yet returned. Upon the fourth of this month our neighbour Geoffrey’s barn was eclipsed, ab ovo ad mala. And the night before Widdow Wamford was vulpeculated of her brood Goose.—latet anguis in herbâ. The Turkie Cock growes very melancholy…”

From: Mr Hobbs’s State of Nature Considered,
In a Dialogue Between Philautus and Timothy
By John Eachard, 1672

Word of the Day: NEED-NOT

ETYMOLOGY
from need (vb.) + not

EXAMPLE
“…As if divine providence had so di∣vided it, that other lands should be at the care & cost to bear, dig out and refine, and Iudea have the honour and credit, to use, expend, yea neglect, such glittering need-nots to humane happinesse…”

From: A Pisgah-sight of Palestine and the Confines thereof with the History of the Old and New Testament acted thereon
By Thomas Fuller, 1650