ETYMOLOGY
from Latin decennalis (of ten years) + -an
EXAMPLE
“… But the war was finished in the first year of the fourteenth Olympiad, in which the Corinthian Damon conquered in the stadium, and when, among the Athenians, the Medontidae still held the decennalian government, and the fourth year of the reign of Hippomenes was expired. …”
From: The Description of Greece
By: Pausanias
Translated by: Thomas Taylor
ETYMOLOGY
from Greek δένδρον (dendron) (tree) + philos/phile (loving, fond of; lover)
EXAMPLE (for n.)
“… This is the statement of a wild dendrophil. …”
From: Pall Mall Gazette
December, 1988
ETYMOLOGY
origin unknown;
a connection with dod (a rounded summit or eminence (dialect)), has been suggested
EXAMPLE
“… KYNGE JOHAN. God hathe me ordeynned in this same princely estate
For that I shuld helpe such as be desolate.
SEDWSYON. Yt is as great pyte to se a woman wepe
As yt is to se a sely dodman crepe,
Or, as ye wold say, a sely goose go barefote.
KYNGE JOHAN. Thou semyste by thy wordes to have no more wytt than a coote.
I mervell them arte to Englond so unnaturall,
Beyng her owne chyld: thou art worse than a best brutall. …”
From: Kynge Johann,
By John Bale, a1563
ETYMOLOGY
from drizzling + miserable
EXAMPLE
“… As loggers used to say, two ‘drizzerable‘ days of sullen wet wind blew by before I dared risk the open lake in the canoe. To mollify my impatience, I spent the time rethinking the cabin logs, rebracing roof members, and chopping wood, should I decide to spend another winter there. …”
From: The Bears and I
By Robert Franklin Leslie, 1971
ETYMOLOGY
adj.: from Latin dilucidatus, past participle of dilucidare (to make clear, to explain), from dilūcidus (clear, bright)
vb: from Latin dilucidat- participial stem of dilucidare (to make clear, to explain)
EXAMPLE (for vb.)
“… .For we folowe not only a standynge text of the Hebrue, with the interpretacion of the Caldee, and the Greke, but we set, also, in a pryvate table, the dyversite of redinges of all textes, with suche annotacions, in another table, as shall douteles delucidate and cleare the same; as well without any singularyte of opinions, as all checkinges and reprofes. The prynt, no doubt, shall please your good Lordship. …”
From: State papers, published under the authority of His Majesty’s Commission. King Henry the Eighth
Coverdale and Grafton to Crumwell, 1538
ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
Scots has doss (neat, spruce) and dossie (a sprucely dressed person)
EXAMPLE (for adj.)
“… I’ll tell you where they’ll get the pull of us,” (this very confidentially and in my ear.)
“There ain’t no weather down there,” (pointing to asphalt with this whip), “and what with the ladies’ bonnets and blokes’ dossy hats, that’s a big matter. …”
From: The Daily Colonist
Victoria, BC, Sunday September 2 1900
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin dimicationem, noun of action, from dimicare (to fight)
EXAMPLE
“… At this time there was one Alexander, a godly and worthy man, Bishop of Constantinople. He in the dimication which arose about Arius, shewed himself a very prudent and pious man: For as soon as Arius came to Constantinople, he presently raised divisions amongst the people there also, so that great tumults ensued whilest one part of the people stood for the Faith confirmed by the Nicene Council: …”
From: The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History contained in the lives of one hundred forty eight fathers, schoolmen, first reformers and modern divines which have flourished in the Church since Christ’s time to this present age
By Samuel Clarke, 1654
ETYMOLOGY
from descent + -ive
EXAMPLE
“… howsoeuer I purpose not in the like nice respect to leape ouer the laudable petigree of Yarmouth, but will fetch her from her swadling clouts or infancy, & reueale to you when and by whom she was first raught out of the oceans armes, and start vp and aspired to such starry sublimitie ; as also acquaint you with the notable immunities, franchises, priuileges she is endowed with beyond all her confiners, by the discentiue line of kings from the conquest. …”
From: Lenten Stuffe
By Thomas Nashe, 1599
The Praise of the Red Herring
ETYMOLOGY
from dislike (adj.) + -en, after like, liken
EXAMPLE
“… Dis-mantle you, and (as you can) disliken
The truth of your owne seeming, that you may
(For I do feare eyes ouer) to Ship-boord
Get vndescry’d. …”
From: Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies
By Wiliam Shakespeare, 1632
The Winters Tale, a1616
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin discrepat-, past participial stem of discrepare (to differ in sound, to be out of tune, to be out of harmony or inconsistent with, to have differences or discrepancies, to lack agreement, to differ in opinion, to disagree,
from dis- + crepare (to make a noise, to creak)
EXAMPLE (for vb. 1.)
“… So that discrepating from his first propertie, vtterly corrupteth, decayeth, becommeth absumpt in the degree of death. …”
From: The Flower of Phisicke
By William Clever, 1590
Lexicophilia 