Category: Word of the Day – U

Word of the Day: UMBRACIOUS

ETYMOLOGY
irregular from Latin umbra (shade, shadow) + -acious

EXAMPLE
“… About the same period also an approach was made, by altering and levelling the ground, and planted with elms, sycamores, and chestnuts on each side, which have already become very umbracious, and will in the course of a few more years, when he who planted them rests beneath their shade, form a stately avenue. …”

From: The History and Topography of the Isle of Axholme
By William Brocklehurst Stonehouse, 1839

Word of the Day: UNHEEDY

ETYMOLOGY
from un- + heedy (heedful, careful, cautious)

EXAMPLE
“… Vpon vvhom he is sayd so much to haue doted, that in regard of her excellencie, he scorned & wrote against the beauty of Helena. For which his praesumptuous and vnheedie hardinesse, he is sayde by vengeaunce of the Gods, thereat being offended, to haue lost both his eyes. …”

From: The Shepheardes Calender conteyning tvvelue æglogues proportionable to the twelue monethes
By Edmund Spenser, 1579

Word of the Day: UBIQUITANT

ETYMOLOGY
from ubiquit- (in ubiquitair (adj.), ubiquitarian (n.), ubiquitism (n.), ubiquity (n.), etc.) + ‑ant 

EXAMPLE
“… as neither is pure Air. Hence divers Divines aver Angels to be corporeal, becaus finit and limited to place; being bounded, as it were, with a superficies, that they cannot be ubiquitants every wher or elswher at once: Much more then Mens Souls, which liv in Bodies. …”

From: Theoremata Theologica: Theological Treatises.
Octo theses theologicæ: Eight theses of divinity
By Robert Vilvain, 1654

Word of the Day: UNPLAUSIVE

ETYMOLOGY
from un- + plausive (expressive of approval or praise),
from Latin plaus-, ppl. stem of plaudere (to applaud) + -ive

EXAMPLE
“… Achilles stands i’th entrance of his Tent;
Please it our Generall to passe strangely by him,
As if he were forgot: and Princes all,
Lay negligent and loose regard vpon him;
I will come last,’tis like heele question me,
Why such vnplausiue eyes are bent? why turn’d on him?
If so, I haue derision medicinable,
To vse betweene your strangenesse and his pride,
Which his owne will shall haue desire to drinke;
It may doe good, pride hath no other glasse
To show it selfe, but pride: for supple knees,
Feede arrogance, and are the proud mans fees. …”

From: The Tragedy of Troylus and Cressida
By William Shakespeare, 1609

Word of the Day: UXORIOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin uxorius (from uxor (wife))

EXAMPLE
“…And gripe their wast within a narrow span:
Fond Caenis that would’dst wish to be a man;
Whose mannish Hus-wiues like their refuse state,
And make a drudge of their vxorius mate,
Who like a Cot-queene freezeth at the rocke,
Whiles his breach’t dame doth man the forren stock…”

From: Virgidemiarum. The three last bookes
By Joseph Hall, 1598

PRONUNCIATION
uk-SOR-ee-uhss

Word of the Day: UNFORTUNABLE

ETYMOLOGY
from un- + fortunable (favoured by fortune, fortunate → obs.)

EXAMPLE
“…Is not the Realme of Scotland rich ynough to nourish and to bring hir vp? by God, this manner of doing of king Lisuard is so vnfortunable and so farre out of reason, that I had rather die a hudreth fold (if it were possible) than not to be reuenged: and already I haue sent to my father to prouide therefore…”

From: Amadis de Gaula 
Translated out of French into English by Thomas Paynell, 1567

Word of the Day: UBIQUARIAN

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin ubique (wherever, anywhere, everywhere) + -arian

PRONUNCIATION
yoo-buh-KWAIR-ee-uhn

EXAMPLE (for adj. 1)
“…Tho’ detestable the place,
Mean the lodgings, small and base,
Tho’ the crowded hoy pours forth
Company of little worth,
Coach or chariot, tho’ there’s none,
Rattling thro’ the fishing town,
Yet, Maria, yet, my fair,
Happiness shalt find us here:
Happiness our friend shall be,
Ubiquerian deity!…”

From: The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Chronicle
Volume XXXII, 1762
Happiness Every Where
Occasioned by a fair Lady’s condemning the Author’s choice of Margate, for a Place of Entertainment