ETYMOLOGY
from womb (the abdomen or abdominal cavity of a person or animal; the belly, obs.) + joy
EXAMPLE
“… for bischopis, munkis & chanons sillen þe perfeccion of cristis pouert & his apostlis, & also trewe prechynge for a litil stynkyng muk or drit, & worldli lordschipe, & wombe ioie and idelnesse …”
From: The English Works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted
By John Wyclif, c1430
Edited by Frederic David Matthew, 1880
ETYMOLOGY
from wool + bird (the offspring or young of animals, obs.)
EXAMPLE
“… With all the natural timidity of the hare whom he thus particularised, I was proceeding to help him, when Echo inquired if he should send me the breast of a swiss; and the facetious Eglantine, to increase my confusion, requested to be allowed to cut me a slice off the wing of a wool bird. …”
(Note: swiss = a pheasant)
From: The English Spy: an original work, characteristic, satirical and humorous, comprising scenes and sketches in every rank of society
By Charles Molloy Westmacott, 1825
ETYMOLOGY
of unknown origin
ETYMOLOGY
from water + funk (a cowardly or nervous person)
EXAMPLE
“… The arms, he may next be taught, do little more in the act of swimming than support the body; the necessary speed is procured by the action of the legs. A sensible lad, who is not a “ water-funk ”— to use the expressive term of the period— if the theory of the art be thus explained to him, ought to swim in six or seven lessons. …”
From: The Academy. A weekly review of literature, science, and art
Swimming. By A. Sinclair and W. Henry
August, 1893
ETYMOLOGY
from windy (1. speaking at length; 2. of food or drink: causing flatulence) + wallet (possibly from Scottish sense of a fund of stories, poems, recollections, etc.)
EXAMPLE
“… Gowkscroft and Barnside,
Windy-wallets fu’ o’ pride;
Monynut, and Laikyshiel,
Plenty milk, plenty meal;
Straphunton Mill, and Bankend,
Green cheese as teugh as bend;
Shannabank and Blackerstane,
Pike the flesh to the bane;
Quixwood, and Butterdean,
Lu’ o’ parritch to the een! …”
From: The Popular Rhymes, Sayings, and Proverbs of the County of Berwick
By George Henderson, 1856
ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly a variant of woozy (dizzy or unsteady); possibly after muzzy (drowsy, spiritless; confused, mentally hazy; dazed and unfocused)
EXAMPLE
“… I am very nearly mad, I am quite slowly turning wuzzy. I see four people instead of one, and I have an irresistible longing to eat the fire and beat my door-handle. …”
From: Antony (Viscount Knebworth): A Record of Youth
By Edward Anthony James Lytton, 1935
Letter written 10 March, 1921
ETYMOLOGY
of obscure origin
EXAMPLE
“… be sure to give it a second plowing, just overthwart all the lands, and so cut the Turfe, that the Soard may have all the Winters frost to wroxe, and moulder it, which towards March thou mayst plow again, and so cast it, or raise it, as thy Land requireth …”
From: The English Improver, or a New Survey of Husbandry discovering to the kingdome that some land, both arrable and pasture, may be advanced double or treble
By Walter Blith, 1649
Reducement of Land to Pristine Fertility
ETYMOLOGY
reduplication of wrangle (n.) with change of vowel as in jingle-jangle, tingle-tangle, etc.
EXAMPLE
“…It was a most delightful godsend to the paper in which it appeared, and it came at a time when the House was not sitting, and there was no wringle-wrangle of debates to furnish material for the columns of big type which are supposed to sway the masses. …”
From: All Sorts and Conditions of Men: An Impossible Story
By Walter Besant, 1882
ETYMOLOGY
from wag (vb.) + tongue (n.)
EXAMPLE
“…but now indeet her tongue is loosened, and she talks, yes indeet, she does talk nineteen to the dozen and more. A silent woman she was. It is the nearest approach to a miracle I ever care to see. A chatterbox she is, and worse – a regular woman wag-tongue, a regular woman wag-tongue. I cannot get in a word edgeways now …”
From: Macmillan’s Magazine
Volume LXXXVI, May to October,1902
A Woman Wag-tongue
ETYMOLOGY
from way (a track, a road, a path) + worn
EXAMPLE
“…Say then, if England’s youth in earlier days
On Glory’s field with well train’d armies vy’d,
Why shall they now renounce that gen’rous praise?
Why dread the foreign mercenary’s pride?
Tho’ Valois brav’d young Edward’s gentle hand,
And Albret rush’d on Henry’s way-worn band,
With Europe’s chosen sons in arms renown’d,
Yet not on Vere’s bold archers long they look’d,
Nor Audley’s squires nor Mowbray’s yeomen brook’d;
They saw their standard fall, and left their monarch bound….”
From: Ode to the Country Gentlemen of England.
By Mark Akenside, 1758
Lexicophilia 