ETYMOLOGY
from bacon + tree – ‘growing bacon’
EXAMPLE
“… The pig was forgotten directly, and I began to have my doubts whether the parson would have cared to leave the ‘ nut brown ‘ for the sight of a whole Smithfield of ‘ bacon trees,’ he looked so happy after his second pull at the tankard. …”
From: Popular Edition of Tales and Sketches of Lancashire Life;
By Benjamin Brierley, 1884
“Marlocks Of Merriton”
ETYMOLOGY
from by- + dweller
EXAMPLE
“… Their number encreasing, and doings outragious, Sir Edmund Windam Knight, at that time high Shiriffe of the Shire, made proclamation among them in the Kings
name to depart, which if they did not foorthwith, he pronounced them Traitors, but had not his Horse beene the swifter, he had beene either taken or slain, thereupon their terror began to be fearefull, & themselues to be furnished with weapons, Armour, and Artillery, daily brought them in abundance by the By-dwellers, besides store of victuals to maintaine their Campe. ….”
From: The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of ye Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. Their originals, manners, warres, coines & seales…
By John Speed, 1611
ETYMOLOGY
from bum + bags (trousers, sl.)
EXAMPLE
“… Hodgson in a bit of pink!
Shade of Stultz, shade of Brummell,
Who of such a sight could think,
Having seen him in the pommel?
Hodgson in white leathers, tights,
Braces, bumbags, brogues, or breeches
Made to fit like very Flight’s,
Till the pressure starts the stitches. …”
From: The Annals of the Warwickshire Hunt, 1896
Costume of the New Master of the Quorn (Mr. Hodgson)
By Lord Rosslyn in Blackwood’s Magazine, February Ist, 1840
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin blatero, -onem (babbler), from blaterare
EXAMPLE
“… I will endeavour to lose the memory of him, and that my thoughts may never run more upon the fashion of his face, which vou know he hath no cause to brag of; I hate such blateroons:
Odi illos ceu claustra Erebi
I thought good to give you this little mot of advice, because the Times are ticklish, of committing- secrets to anv, tho’ not to — Your most affectionate Friend to serve you,
j. H. …”
From: A New Volume of Letters
By James Howell, 1647
ETYMOLOGY
from blast + bob (a light blow as with anything rebounding)
EXAMPLE
“… Much lyke as in forrest a long set dottrel, or oaktree,
With northen blusters too parts contrayrye retossed:
Thee winds scold strugling, the threshing thick crush crash is owtborne,
Thee boughs frap whuarring, when stem with blastbob is hacked:
Yeet the tre stands sturdy: for as yt toe the skytyp is haunced,
So far is yt crampornd with roote deepe dibled at helgat’s:
So this courragious gallant with clustered erraunds
Is cloyed and stinging sharp car’s in brest doe lye thrilling.
His mynd vnuariant doth stand, tears vaynelye doe gutter. …”
From: Thee First Foure Bookes of Virgil his Æneis
Translated into English heroical verse by Richard Stanyhurst, 1582
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin blasphematorius, from blasphemator (from blasphemat-, past participial stem of blasphemare (to blaspheme)) + -ius
EXAMPLE
“… But againe I renounce and abiure now and for euer, both her and all her doctrine; in so much as that it is against the expresse word of God, blasphematory, Apostatique, superstitious, and as farre from the meaning of Christe our true maister, as darkenesse from light, as falshood from trueth, & vice from vertue: most humbly beseeching almighty GOD (thorough the entralls of his mercy, and through the most precious bloude which his sonne Iesus Christ hath shed for me) that he will not lay to my charge the faults of my youth nor iudge me according to the sinnes of my ignorance; but rather pursuing his mercy begunne in me, he will pardon all my offences committed by me either in works, words or thoughts, and in others, through examples and wicked superstitious doctrines: …”
From: The Confession and Publike Recantation of Thirteene Learned Personages,
Translated out of the French and Dutch printed copies, by I.M., 1602
ETYMOLOGY
from be- + daff (a fool, a simpleton)
EXAMPLE (for vb. 1.)
“… Folweth ecco, that holdeth no silence,
But ever answereth at the countretaille :
Beth not bedaffed for your innocence,
But sharply taketh on you the governaille :
Emprenteth wel this lesson in your minde,
For comun profit, sith it may availle. …”
From: Canterbury Tales; The Clerkes Tale
By Geoffrey Chaucer, c1386
ETYMOLOGY
probably an alteration of blandish (to charm or flatter in order to entice, etc.), perhaps after philander;
apparently intended as a form characteristic of Irish English; (Irish blanndar (dissimulation, flattery))
EXAMPLE
“… He looked at me wearily; his eyes were sunk in his head, and his face was drawn and white. ‘Eyah!’ said he; ‘I’ve blandandhered thim through the night somehow, but can thim that helps others help thimsilves? Answer me that, sorr!’…”
From: Soldiers Three
By Joseph Rudyard Kipling, 1888
With the Main Guard
ETYMOLOGY
from Greek βόρβορος (filth) + -λογία (discoursing)
EXAMPLE
“… Evil words are not winde, as most imagine, but the devils drivell, that leaves a foul stain upon the speaker, and oft sets the like upon the hearer. Shun obscene borborology (saith one) and unsavoury speeches: thou losest so much of thine honesty and piety, as thou admittest evil into thy tongue. …”
From: A Commentary or Exposition upon all the Epistles, and the Revelation of John the Divine
By John Trapp, 1647
ETYMOLOGY
from the genitive of bird + nye for eye, as in my nye = myn eye;
possibly an alteration of pigsney (a sweetheart, a term of endearment)
EXAMPLE
“… Oh Mistris May, come to bed Sweet-heart come, my Duck, my Birds-nye; Zblood, I must goe to Salisbury to morrow, bring me my Boots quickly; Zounds, will not the Rogues bring me more Money; Zblood, that Cock’s worth a Kings Ransome, a runs, a runs, a thousand pound to a Hobby-horse; Rub, Rub, Rub, a pox Rub a whole hundred Rubs; …”
From: The last vvill and testament of Philip Herbert, burgesse for Bark-shire, 1650
Lexicophilia 