Category: Word of the Day – A

ETYMOLOGY
from Anglo-Norman aidaunt, aydaunt, and from Anglo-Norman and French aidant (helping, and helper, ally), present participle of aider (to aid)

EXAMPLE (for adj.)
“… All blest secrets all you vnpublisht vertues of the earth,
Spring with my teares beaydant (be aydant) and remediat,
In the good mans distresse, seeke, seeke, for him,
Lest his vngouernd rage dissolue the life.
That wants the meanes to lead it. …”

From: True Chronicle Historie of the Life and Death of King Lear and his three daughters
By William Shakespeare, 1608

ETYMOLOGY
from awe (a feeling of terror or dread mixed with reverence) + bound (compelled, obliged)

EXAMPLE
“… As she uttered the interrogatory, she raised the rattle-snake in her hands, holding it so that it might be distinctly seen by those whom she addressed. The reptile hissed, accompanying the sibilation with a sharp “skirr” of its tail. Who could doubt that it was an answer in the affirmative?
Not the Yamassees, who stood awe-bound and trembling in the presence of the mighty sorceress. …”

From: Osceola the Seminole,
Or, The Red Fawn of the Flower Land
By Capt. Mayne Reid, 1858

ETYMOLOGY
from Greek aσµατογράϕος (from ᾀ̑σμα, -µατ– (song, lyric) + -γράϕος writing, writer) + -er

EXAMPLE
” … (Title) 1639 Songs: – A Collection of Original Songs, by Oddibus, Funnybus, Asmatographer to the Court of Comus…”

From: Catalogue of the Singularly Curious, Very Interesting, and Valuable Library
of Edward Skegg,
Arranged by S. Leigh Sotheby, Auctioneer of Literary Property, and Works of Art,
1842

ETYMOLOGY
from Greek αἴλουρος [ailouros] (cat) + –phobos (fear)

EXAMPLE
“… Of Ailurophobia and the Power to be Conscious of the Cat as Near, when Unseen and Unheard. …” (Title)

From: Transactions of the Association of American Physicians.
Twentieth Session held at Washington, D.C., May 16 and 17. 1905
By S. Weir Mitchell

PRONUNCIATION
ay-lyoor-oh-FOH-bee-uh

ETYMOLOGY
from. Latin alius (another) + -icide (the killing of), in allusion to suicide

EXAMPLE
“… Would the Lord Chief Justice be at all surprised if one of his amiable and interesting, but insane, correspondents were to take a mad freak into her head some day, and commit suicide or allicide? If, instead of adorning the Queen’s Bench, he honoured the chair of an insurance company, what would he think of the rate of payment requisite on the lives of such persons going at large? …”

From:  Punch, or The London Charivari,
December 19, 1868
Look After Lunatics

ETYMOLOGY
from French amputer, from Latin amputare (to remove by cutting off)

EXAMPLE
“… The Blood of Christ, as purging away the guilt of sin, was represented in Circumsion as to be shed; but it is represented in Baptism as already shed, and applyed to the party baptized. The body of sin was represented in Circumcision under the notion of a superfluity to be amputed and cut off: ‘Tis represented in Baptism under the notion of a defilement or pollution, which is removed by washing. But the use of the one and the other in general was and is the same, namely to represent to the mind that way, and those means, by and through which the soul hath remission of sin, peace which God, and is brought to future Salvation. …”

From: An essay to revive the primitive doctrine and practice of Infant-Baptism
By Joseph Whiston, 1676

ETYMOLOGY
from Middle French aidance, from aider (aid) + -ance

EXAMPLE
“… All swolne with chafing, downe Adonis sits,
Banning his boystrous, and vnruly beast;
And now the happie season once more fits
That louesicke loue, by pleading may be blest:
For louers say, the heart hath treble wrong,
When it is bard the aydance of the tongue. …”

From: Venus and Adonis
By William Shakespeare, 1593

ETYMOLOGY
from apt (intelligent, quick-witted) + -cock – a well-known suffix in surnames, as Alcock, Badcock;
probably from the use of ‘cock’ as a familiar term of appreciation for a man who fights with pluck and spirit

EXAMPLE
“…Tom marched away to school earlier than usual that afternoon, while the women went to the door and watched him trudge off, both mightily proud of his performance and his battered brown face.
“He be a reg’lar li’l apty-cock, sure ‘nough!” said Joan.
Mrs. Tregenza answered with a nod, and looked along the road after her son. …”

From: Collection of British Authors
Vol, 3228, 1897
Lying Prophets, By Eden Phillpotts

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin amplecti (to embrace, clasp), from amb- (about) + plectere (to plait, twine)

EXAMPLE
“...With what ioy Charles the people the amplect
Theyr ryght great ioyes done playnly testifye
Mixed with swete sownes of many a sect
Some sownyng trumpes and clarions wonders hye
Some other syngynge most melodiously
Some vpon lutes some vpon harpes play
The to reioyce in all that euer they may….”

From: Anonymous translation of Latin verses by William Lily, 1522
“Of the tryumphe and the verses that Charles th’emperour and the most myghty redouted kyng of England Henry_the_.viii. were saluted with passyng through London”

ETYMOLOGY
originally from Middle French adoulcir, also written addoulcir; (mod. adoucir) (to sweeten):
—late Latin addulcire; from ad (to) + dulcis (sweet); subsequently refashioned after Latin

EXAMPLE
“…And thenne shalle not the Rigour and the reffuse of my noble lady be myned and adoulced by my habondaunt prayers and oroisons. yes verily. that shall she be or nature shall faylle. And if not the goddes shall be iniuste and agaynst me…”

From: The History of Jason
By Raoul Le Fevre
Translated by William Caxton, 1477

PRONUNCIATION
uh-DULS