Category: Word of the Day – S

ETYMOLOGY
from Old English stǽlwierðe, from stǽl (place) + wierðe (worth – adj.);

From OED: “The length of the vowel in the first syllable seems to be authenticated by some of the early Middle English forms; the shortening of ǽ to ă in the first element of a compound is normal. The Old English stǽl(the quantity of which is certain from the three occurrences in poetry) appears not to be immediately connected with the synonymous stæl with short vowel (dat. stale); according to some scholars it represents a contraction of Old Teutonic *staþl- or *stađl-, the relation of Old English stǽl to staðol foundation being considered parallel with that of mǽl speech to the synonymous mæðel. The 13th century form staðelwurðe, occurring only once strongly confirms this view.
The early Middle English forms with medial e, stele-, steale-, stalewurðe are difficult to account for.“

EXAMPLE (for n.)
“… Such semblaunt to þat segge semly ho made
Wyth stille stollen countenaunce, þat stalworth to plese,
Þat al forwondered watz þe wyȝe, and wroth with hymseluen,
Bot he nolde not for his nurture nurne hir aȝaynez,
Bot dalt with hir al in daynté, how-se-euer þe dede turned
towrast. …”

From: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Author unknown; a late 14th-century chivalric romance in Middle English alliterative verse;
Edited by Sir Israel Gollancz through the Early English Text Society, 1940

ETYMOLOGY
from slidder (to slide, to slip) + -y

EXAMPLE (for adj. 3)
“… Full slyddrie is the sait that thay on sit,
And for thair fault till Hell sune sall thay flit,
For suddanlie thay sall die with mischeif,
Thair distructioun salbe without releif. …”

From: A compendious book of godly and spiritual songs : commonly known as ‘The gude and godlie ballatis’
By John Wedderburn , Robert Wedderburn
Reprinted from the edition of 1567
Edited by Alexander Ferrier Mitchell, 1897
Quam bonus Deus Israell. Psal. lxxiij

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin scortator, agent-noun from scortari (to associate with harlots) + -ory

EXAMPLE
“… Delights of Wisdom Concerning Conjugial Love
After which Follow Pleasures of Insanity Concerning Scortatory Love …”

From: A Translation of “De Amore Conjugiali“
By Emanuel Swedenborg
Translated by Alfred Acton, 1794

ETYMOLOGY
earlier form of smuggle (vb.)

EXAMPLE
“… Which computation is sufficiently justified by the Customs of the Three Kingdoms, whose intrinsick value are thought to be near a Million per annum, viz. Six hundred thousand pounds, payable to the King; 100 thousand Pounds, for the charges of Collecting, &c. Two hundred thousand pounds smuckled by the Merchants, and one Hundred thousand pounds gained by the Farmers; according to common Opinion, and Mens Sayings: And this agrees also with that proportion, or part of the whole Trade of the World, which I have estimated the Subjects of the King of England to be possessed of; viz, of about Ten of Forty Five Millions. …”

From: Political Arithmetick
By Sir William Petty, 1691

ETYMOLOGY
from sable (black) + -ize

EXAMPLE
“…Some chroniclers that write of kingdom’s states,
Do so absurdly sableize my white
With maskes, and interludes, by day and night,
Bald may games, beare baytings, and poore orations,
Made to some prince, by some poore corporations. …”

From: The Scourge of Folly
By John Davies of Hereford, 1611

ETYMOLOGY
fancifully from solemn (adj.), after melancholy

EXAMPLE
[Dr. John Beatty to Philip Fithian]
Philadelphia, December 18th, 1772

“… I rode that evening you left me as far as Cormans; being very Solemncholly and somewhat tired, I concluded to stay there all night; and very early next morning breakfasted at Gloucester and got into Philadelphia before Eleven of the clock …”

From: Journal and Letters
By Philip Vickers Fithian, 1900

ETYMOLOGY
from Old French solacieus (soulaceus, etc.),
from solas (solace, comfort, consolation)

EXAMPLE
“… þou allone most swete & most solacious, þou allone most faire & most louely, þou allone most noble and most gloriose, …”

From: Translation of Thomas à Kempis, De Imitatione Christi, c1450

ETYMOLOGY
from sinister:  from Old French  senestre, sinistre or Latin sinister (left, left-hand)

EXAMPLE
“… That which still makes her mirth to flow,
Is our sinister-handed woe,
Which downwards on its head doth go,
And, ere that it is sown, doth grow.
This makes her spleen contract,
And her just pleasure feast:
For the unjustest act
Is still the pleasant’st jest. …”

From: Lucasta: Posthume Poems
Lucasta Laughing
By Richard Lovelace, a1657

ETYMOLOGY
from segge (to say) + -er

EXAMPLE (for n.1.)
“… As yoe are a lorde most lofsom of lyre
Vndir sir Pilate that lyfis in this empire,
Ȝone segger that callis hymselffe a sire
With tresoure and tene sall we taste hym.
Of yoone losell his bale schall he brewe,
Do trottes on for that traytoure apas
In hast. …”

From: York Mysteries, c1440
The Agony and Betrayal

ETYMOLOGY
from sniffle (vb.) + -er

EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… Gin this be courting, well I wat ’tis clear,
I gat na sik a teazle this seven year :
Sae ye maun gee your answer now perqueer,
I maunna ilka day be coming here,
To get sic sniflers ; courting’s nae a jest.
Another day like this’ll be my priest.’ …”

From: Helenore: Or the Fortunate Shepherdess, a Pastoral Tale
By Alexander Ross, 1768