ETYMOLOGY
from late Latin devenustare (to disfigure, deform),
from de- + venustare (to beautify), venustus (beautiful)
EXAMPLE
“…but that Christ and his Servants may have comfort and stability amongst us, that those who Rule would fence the Vine, Learning, against beasts of Prey, and Foxes of spoil, who would rejoyce to see what yet remains of beauty and order, devenustated and exposed to shame and dishonour…”
From: An Humble Apologie for Learning and Learned men
By Edward Waterhouse, 1653
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin degrandinare,
from de- + grandinare (to hail),
from grando, grandinem (hail)
EXAMPLE
It rained and then degrandinated heavily just as we left, the stones being of all shapes and sizes.
ETYMOLOGY
n. 1.: ? variant of dumble, dummel (Eng. dial., a stupid, slow person)
n. 2.: a variant or alteration of dimble (a deep, shady dell, a dingle)
vb. 4.: apparently a nasalized form of drubble (to trouble, disturb), parallel to drumbly, drumly (adj.) from drubly; but possibly a back-formation from the adj.
vb. 5.: blend of drum and rumble
EXAMPLE
“…Yea but what am I, a Scholer, or a scholemaister, or els some youth.
A Lawier, a studient or els a countrie cloune
A Brumman, a Baskit maker, or a Baker of Pies,
A flesh or a Fishmonger, or a sower of lies:
A Louse or a louser, a Leeke or a Larke:
A Dreamer, a Drommell, a fire or a sparke:
A Caitife, a Cutthrote, a creper in corners,
A herbraine, a hangman, or a grafter of horners…”
(Note: drommell is the earliest variant of drumble)
From: A New Tragicall Comedie of Apius and Virginia
By R.B., 1575
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
ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin
EXAMPLE
“…The Waspes neast is begun by one great Waspe, which you may therefore call the Mother-waspes, the which in Cancer (or in hot and dry springs somewhat rather) within some hole, vsually made in the ground by a Moale, Mouse, or other meanes, worketh a comb of the vtter drix of pales or other timber, in forme of a round tent hanging by the top to the ouer-part of the hole.…”
From: The Feminine Monarchie,
Or the Historie of Bees
By Charles Butler, 1623
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin dēsidiōsus (slothful)
EXAMPLE
“…In my travels through the various counties of England, I have marked the lack of feracity, arising from the lower orders becoming desidiose. …”
From: Langreath: A Tale
By Mrs. Eliza Nathan, 1727
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin dicax, dicaci-(talking sharply) + -ous
EXAMPLE
“…Giovanni (or Lanciotto) deputes his more blandishing and dicacious brother to be his proxy in the marriage ceremonies; and afterwards, as the morning breaks, when the susceptible lady actually discovers her husband to be a wise, stern, moral man…”
From: The North American Magazine
Volume 4, 1834
Francesca Da Rimini
A Tragedy by Silvio Pellico
ETYMOLOGY
from Old French delaieus, from delai (delay) + -ous
EXAMPLE
“…Neuyrthelesse I remembere well that ye delt wythe ryght delayous peple, my lord Archbyshop and othere of my lordys, and I dempte by-cawse of youre long tarryng that by youre sad dyscrescyon all hadde ben sett thorow…”
From: Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century
– John Paston, 1469
– Edited by Norman Davis, Richard Beadle, and Colin Richmond, 2004
ETYMOLOGY
– from Latin doctiloquus (learnedly-speaking)
EXAMPLE
“…Most prudent,
Most grave,
Most scientific Jordan,
the most religious admirer of,
Sir,
Your very high Doctiloquous Sapience…”
From: Posthumous Works of Frederic II, King of Prussia, Vol. IX,
Correspondence. Letters Between Frederic II and M. Jordan
Translated From the French By Thomas Holcroft, 1789
Letter LIV, From the King, The Camp of Molwitz, May 13, 1741
ETYMOLOGY
from dunce (n.) + -fy
EXAMPLE
“…I would gladly rid my hands of it cleanly if I could tell how, for what with talking of coblers, & tinkers, & roapemakers, and botchers, and durt-daubers, the marke is cleane gone out of my muses mouth, and I am as it were more than dunsified twixt diuinitie and poetrie…”
From: The Vnfortvnate Traveller
Or, The Life of Iacke Wilton
Thomas Nashe, 1594
Lexicophilia 