Category: Word of the Day – S

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin spect-, ppl. stem of specere (to look)

EXAMPLE
“…Furthermore to make him more carefull to regard vertue, he planted into him very deepe rootes and prickes of conscience, hee added moreouer Statutes and Lawes, not onely emprinted within euery ones hart, but engrauen also outwardly in spectible Tables…”

From: Against Ierome Osorius Byshopp of Siluane in Portingall and against his slaunderous inuectiues An aunswere apologeticall.
By Walter Haddon and John Foxe
Translation by James Bell, 1581

ETYMOLOGY
from obsolete French strategematique,
or from Latin strategematicus, from strategēmat-, strategema (stratagem) + -icus (-ic)

EXAMPLE
“…Wherefore such persons as be illuminated with the brightest irradiations of knowledge and of the veritie and due proportion of things, they are called by the learned men not phantastici but euphantasioti, and of this sorte of phantasie are all good Poets, notable Captaines stratagematique, all cunning artificers and enginers, all Legislators, Polititiens, & Counsellours of estate, in whose exercises the inuentiue part is most employed, and is to the sound and true iudgement of man most needful…”

From: The Arte of English Poesie
By George Puttenham, 1589

ETYMOLOGY
from French Sacripant, from Italian Sacripante, a character in Boiardo’s Orlando innamorato

EXAMPLE
“…He is surprised by a nymph of exquisite loveliness, who vainly assails his constancy, and who is  at length seized by the supervening  Itifal, a Sacripant of  knighthood.  The adventures in general  are spun out and interrupted by flat conversations…”

From: Historic Survey of German Poetry
By William Taylor, 1829

ETYMOLOGY
? from Old Norse slœ́ða (to drag, trail) (so Norwegian slöda; also, to work carelessly)

EXAMPLE
“…Again, the combination of labourers and Poor people may very much prejudice, besides their slothfull and sleathy slubbering of it, if not exceeding carefully overseen…”

From: The English Improver Improved Or the Survey of Husbandry Surveyed
By Walter Blith, 1652

ETYMOLOGY
for adj. 1: from Latin stultitia (folly),
from stultus (foolish)

EXAMPLE
“…In Wales in diuers places is vsed these two stulticious matters, the fyrste is, that they wyl sell their lams, and theyr calues, and theyr corne the whyche is not sowen, and all other newynges, a yere before that they be sure of any newynge; and men wyl bye it, trustynge vppon hope of suche thynges that wyl come…”

From:
The Fyrst Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge
By Andrew Boorde, 1549

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin sitibundus (thirsty),
from Latin sitio (to be thirsty) + abundo (to abound)

EXAMPLE
“…The spas of Germany turned the tide towards Kissingen, Wildbad, and Carlsbad; and now Vichy will be the Thule of the sitibund Britishers who like to drink mineral water in good company, and now learn that they are certain to find both in perfection at Vichy…”

From:
The Mineral Springs of Vichy
By Augustus Bozzi Granville, 1859

ETYMOLOGY
from slap (to lap → Eng. dial.) + sauce

EXAMPLE
“…At dinner and supper the table doth craue
good fellowly neighbour good manner to haue.
Aduise thee well therefore, ere tongue be too free,
or slapsauce be noted too saucie to bee…”

From: Points of Huswifrie
In Fiue Hundreth Points of Good Husbandry
By Thomas Tusser, 1573

ETYMOLOGY
from snug + -ery

EXAMPLE
“…“Here you will be quite to yourselves,” said Lady Clonbrony; “let me establish you comfortably in this, which I call my sanctuary – my snuggery – Colambre, that little table! …”

From: The Absentee
In Tales of Fashionable Life 
By Maria Edgeworth, 1812

ETYMOLOGY
vb.: from Dutch snateren or Low German snat(t)ern (Greek schnattern, Swedish snattra),
of imitative origin

EXAMPLE (for vb.)
“…for if thou considerest the things are easie attained, every ditch offering the some of them, and the preparation so trinial, that there is as much art to make a mess of pottage; in this above all other I have deserved well at thy hand, if thou hast a heart to improve it, neither do I doubt, although many will be angry and snatter at it, but this entrance which I have given in this receipt will stand while the world indures and get strength, and my memory held in honor, for so good service in it…”

From: The Unlearned Alchymist His Antidote
By Richard Mathews, 1662

ETYMOLOGY
of unknown origin

EXAMPLE
“…He’s a a real down sliverly chap , I wouldn’t hev nowt to do wi ‘ him if I was you…”

From: Glossary of Words Used in the Wapentakes of Manley and Corringham, 
Edward Peacock, 1877