Category: Word of the Day – F

ETYMOLOGY
corruption of French fanfelue, from medieval Latin famfalūca (bubble, lie),
apparently from Greek πομϕόλυξ (bubble)

EXAMPLE
“…In brest of the Godesse Gorgon was cocketed hardlye,
With nodil vnioyncted, by death, light vital amoouing.
Voyd ye fro theese flamfews, quoa the God, set a part the begun wurck…”

From: Thee First Foure Bookes of Virgil his Aeneis
Translated intoo English heroical verse by Richard Stanyhurst, 1582

ETYMOLOGY
from Old French faillance, from faillir (to almost do something, to fail)

EXAMPLE
“…but when you come to Exercise the whole company ioyned, you may at some times for your owne satissaction in the more ready & gracefull performance of them, command the Postures to bee done by the whole number at once, with such pawse betweene euery Posture, as may afford you meanes to discerne any faylance therein: but whensoeuer you skirmish you shall vse no more of direction then,
1. Make Ready.2. Present.3. Giue Fyre…”

From: The Compleat Gentleman, fashioning him absolute in the most necessary & commendable qualities concerning minde or bodie that may be required in a noble gentleman
By Henry Peacham, 1627

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin fluctisonus; fluctus (wave) + sonus (sound)

EXAMPLE
“…Flash! White raw human waves make a fluctisonous roar!…”

From: G Day, Please God, Get Me Off the Hook
By Neil Baker, 2010

ETYMOLOGY
from flap (to move up and down) + sauce (n.)

EXAMPLE
“…hath nowe brought (to howse) nowe hathe this glutton. i. this flappe sawce (the thyng) that he may plentuously swallowe downe hole…”

From: Gulielmus Gnapheus’ Comedye of Acolastus
Translated by John Palsgrave, 1540

ETYMOLOGY
irregular from frigid + -ious

EXAMPLE
“…Like curelesse cures, past and repast repaire:
Frigidious Ianus two-fold frozen face,
Turnes moyst Aquarius into congeal’d yce:
Though by the fires warme side the pot haue place…”

From: All the workes of Iohn Taylor the water-poet
Beeing sixty and three in number
Anagrams and Sonnets, 1630

ETYMOLOGY
from fandangs (fanciful adornments in personal attire, trinkets (Eng. dial.))

EXAMPLE
“…who though a little proud and finical, to be sure he will yaw a parcel of nonsense about jukes and lords, and them sort of fandangus trumpery, and puts a parcel of gibberish whims into the head of all the women he falls in with…”

From: The Beggar Girl and Her Benefactors
– Agnes Maria Bennett, 1797

ETYMOLOGY
? from Friday being a day of fasting

EXAMPLE
“…without a sermon pareneticall for exhortation, that hee might seeke bethe where they were and were not, as Skoggin did the hare, and presse an army royall of arrand honest women, to scale the fortresse of modestie with friday faced scoulds, ere he coulde triump for halfe such a victory in twise so much space…”

From: Philotimus
– Brian Melbancke, 1583

ETYMOLOGY
from medieval Latin faculentus, from facula, fax (torch)

EXAMPLE
“…Als it is red in storyis ancient,
Thocht it be not in ald nor new Testament.
How that Vergill that worthie wise doctour,
In latin toung was ane most faculent,
Nane mair pregnant, facund, nor eminent,
To writ, or dyit, he was of Clerkis flour…”

From: Ane Treatise callit the Court of VENVS,
deuidit into four Buikis,
Newlie Compylit be IOHNE ROL­LAND in Dalkeith, 1575