• AGHAST
adj. 1850 obs. rare – ghastly; like a spectre or a dead boy; death-like, pale, wan
vb. 1876 rare – to frighten, to dismay, to shock; to make aghast
• AGHASTED
adj. 1. a1425 obs. – frightened, terrified
adj. 2. 1683 rare – filled with shock or horror; made aghast
• AGHASTING
adj. 1. 1593 obs. – frightening, terrifying, alarming
adj. 2. 1967 rare – shocking, horrifying
n. 1. 1663 obs. – the act of frightening or terrifying
n. 2. 1920 rare – the filling of someone with shock or horror
• AGHASTMENT
n. 1. 1594 obs. – terror, fright, alarm
n. 2. a1860 rare – shock, horror
• AGHASTNESS
n. 1845 – horror
• AGIBLE
adj. a1475 obs. – possible to be done; practicable, practical
n. 1677 obs. – something that is practicable or that can be done
• AGIG
adj. 1767 rare – giggling, excited, agitated
• AGILE
adj. 1649 obs. rare – of wood: readily worked
• AGILENESS
n. 1653 rare – agility; the ability to move readily and quickly; nimbleness, dexterity
• AGILIOUS
adj. 1599 obs. rare – agile
• AGILITY
n. 19C sl. – female genitals
• AGIN
vb. a1000 obs. – to begin
• AGINATE
vb. 1623 obs. rare – to trade or deal in small wares; to peddle
• AGINATOR
n. 1623 obs. rare – a dealer in small wares; a peddler
• AGINER
n. 1905 US colloq. – one who opposes some specific position or point of view, or who tends to disfavour anything unfamiliar; also, a person having a habitually negative attitude; one who opposes any change as a matter of principle
• AGINNER
n. 1. a1300 obs. – a person who begins or initiates something
n. 2. 1905 US colloq. – one who opposes some specific position or point of view, or who tends to disfavour anything unfamiliar; also, a person having a habitually negative attitude; one who opposes any change as a matter of principle
n. 3. 1981 US sl. – a person morally opposed to carnivals and the circus
• AGINNING
n. 1340 obs. – a beginning
• AGIO
n. 1. 1696 – the percentage charged on the exchange of one currency, or one form of money, into another that is more valuable; hence, the excess value of one currency over another
n. 2. 1817 – money-changing, exchange business
• AGIOTAGE
n. 1726 – the business of money-changing; also, speculation in stocks
• AGIST
vb. 1. a1450 – to let or hire land for pasture; originally woodland
vb. 2. 1473 – to pasture livestock belonging to another person, usually for hire or for some consideration; also, to pasture one’s own livestock on land belonging to another person
vb. 3. 1585 – of livestock: to pasture for a specified time
vb. 4. 1601 obs. – to make lands or their owner liable to a rate or tax
• AGISTAGE
n. 1691 obs. – agistment; the taking and feeding of other person’s cattle in the king’s forests, or on one’s own land
• AGISTATION
n. 1686 obs. rare – agistment; the taking and feeding of other person’s cattle in the king’s forests, or on one’s own land
• AGISTATOR
n. a1634 rare – a person who supervises the agistment of livestock; an officer of the royal forests, who takes charge of animals agisted, and accounts for the money paid for their agistment
• AGISTER
n. 1677 – a person who supervises the agistment of livestock; an officer of the royal forests, who takes charge of animals agisted, and accounts for the money paid for their agistment
• AGISTMENT
n. 1. a1447 – the rate levied on or profit made from the pasturing of another person’s cattle
n. 2. a1450 obs. – the herbage of a forest, or the right to it
n. 3. 1537 – a taking of livestock to feed at an agreed rate; also, the opening of a forest for a specified time to livestock
n. 4. 1632 obs. – a rate or charge levied upon the owner or occupier of pasture lands
• AGISTOR
n. 1594 – a person who supervises the agistment of livestock; an officer of the royal forests, who takes charge of animals agisted, and accounts for the money paid for their agistment
• AGITA
n. 1979 US sl. – upset, annoyance; anxiety, agitation
• AGITABLE
adj. 1603 rare – capable of being mentally or emotionally disturbed; easily excited or made anxious
• AGITAGIOUS
adj. ?1609 obs. – quivering, shaking
• AGITANT
adj. 1681 rare – relating to or causing agitation
n. 1. 1644 obs. – an assistant, a helper; an aide
n. 2. 1665 – a person who instigates public dissent or unrest
n. 3. 1918 rare – something that causes agitation
• AGITATE
adj. 1. 1449 obs. – moved backwards and forwards repeatedly; shaken
adj. 2. 1566 Sc. obs. – debated, discussed
adj. 3. 1567 obs. – disturbed in one’s mind
vb. 1. 1598 rare – to discuss, debate, or promote a subject as a question to be settled
vb. 2. 1629 rare – to be mentally busy with; to consider on all sides; to resolve in the mind; to contrive busily
vb. 3. 1634 obs. – to do the work involved in the affairs of another; to act as an agent or manager
• AGITATED
adj. 1629 rare – debated, discussed; promoted or kept before the public by discussion
• AGITATE THE GRAVEL
vb. 1958 US sl. – to leave
• AGITATE UP A STORM
vb. 1954 Amer. dial. – to create a commotion (mental or physical) over something
• AGITATION
n. 1. 1573 obs. – physical motion, action; activity
n. 2. 1913 – in South Asia: a public demonstration; a strike
• AGITATIONAL
adj. 1844 – concerned with the promotion of discussion on public questions
• AGITATO
adj. 1964 colloq. – agitated; in a state of nervous tension or anxiety
• AGITATOR
n. 1. 1647 – a person who acts on behalf of others; an agent; any of the agents or delegates of the private soldiers in the Parliamentary Army in 1647-9
n. 2. M19 sl. – a bell-pull, a door-knocker
• AGITATORIAL
adj. 1826 – relating to agitation or to an agitator
• AGITATRIX
n. 1. 1656 obs. – a female agent
n. 2. 1881 – a female agitator
• AGITPOP
n. 1968 – popular art or music characterized by the expression of radical or alternative political and social ideas
• AGITPROP
n. 1. 1925 – agitation and propaganda as an unfocused political tactic; a fashionable genre of theatre arts with a (usually) left-wing political agenda
n. 2. 1959 – writing, esp. drama and lyrics, used as a vehicle for political propaganda
n. 3. 1967 – political propaganda of any kind
• AGIVE
vb. 1. a1000 obs. – to give up, to give back; to surrender
vb. 2. 1669 Eng. dial. rare – to give way or yield’ to abandon a state of rigidity
• AGLE
vb. a1325 obs. rare – ? to think, to believe
• AGLEE
adj. 1899 Amer. dial. – gleeful
• A-GLEG
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – asquint
• AGLET
n. 1. 1365 – a tag attached to the end of a shoelace, originally of metal and now also of plastic, intended primarily to make it easier to thread through the eyelet holes
n. 2. 1530 – any metallic or sparkling stud or spangle worn on an item of clothing
n. 3. 1533 obs. – a scrap, a shred, the slightest bit
n. 4. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an icicle
• AGLET BABY
n. 1826 obs. – a small or young person
• AGLEY
adj. 1824 Sc. & Amer. dial. – wrong; awry, askew, oblique
adv. 1786 Eng. dial. – awry, wrong; askew, obliquely, a squint
• AGLIDE
vb. a1000 obs. – to glide up, away, or off; to slide, to slip
• AGLIFT
adj. a1400 obs. rare – frightened, terrified, startled
• AGLISH
adj. 1999 Can. – nauseated; sick to one’s stomach
• AGLIST
adv. 1858 rare – glistening
• AGLISTEN
adv. 1891 – glistening
• AGLOPPENED
adj. c1450 obs. rare – frightened, startled
• AGLORE
adj. 1967 Amer. dial. – aplenty, in abundance
• AGLORY
adj. 1969 Amer. dial. – aplenty, in abundance
• AGLU
n. 1835 Can. – a breathing-hole in the ice, made by a seal
• AGLUT
vb. c1400 obs. – to feed to repletion
• AGLY
vb. a1250 obs. rare – to avoid, to evade; to slip away from
• AGMINAL
adj. 1727 obs. – relating to a troop of soldiers
• AGNAIL
n. 1. a1000 – a corn, a bunion; an ingrown toenail
n. 2. 1737 – a loose piece of skin at the base of the fingernail; a hangnail
• AGNAME
n. 1652 – a name used instead of or in addition to a person’s usual given name and surname; a byname; a nickname
• AGNATE
adj. 1604 – related through the male line
n. 1. 1474 – a relation through the male line; also, more generally, a relation through the father
n. 2. 1969 Amer. dial. – a playing marble, orig. made of agate stone but since early 20th century commonly replaced by glass imitating agate in colour
and pattern
• AGNATIC
adj. 1715 – related through the male line
• AGNATICAL
adj. 1660 obs. rare – related on the father’s side
• AGNATICALLY
adv. 1861 – through the male line
• AGNATION
n. 1531 – relation traced through the male line; more generally, relationship traced through the father
• AGNES
n. 1. 1960s US homosexual sl. – a term of address used to one who is presumed to be a fellow homosexual
n. 2. 1969 Amer. dial. – a playing marble which is considered special
• AGNITE
vb. 1694 obs. rare – to recognize or acknowledge in some capacity
• AGNITION
n. a1425 – the act of recognizing or acknowledging something; a recognition, an acknowledgement
• AGNIZE
vb. 1. 1535 obs. – to recognize or acknowledge in some capacity
vb. 2. 1570 obs. rare – to gain knowledge of; to learn
• AGNIZED
adj. 1834 obs. rare – recognized, acknowledged
• AGNOMEN
n. 1651 – a name used instead of or in addition to an original or usual name; a byname
• AGNOMICAL
adj. 1881 obs. rare – belonging to the absence of set purpose or intention
• AGNOMINAL
adj. 1652 – relating to an agnomen
• AGNOMINATE
vb. 1595 obs. – to call instead of or in addition to a usual name
• AGNOMINATION
n. 1590 obs. – the giving of a byname or surname; a byname; a surname
• AGOG
adj. 1. 1664 – excited, eagerly expectant, enthusiastic
adj. 2. 1969 Amer. dial. – askew, awry, out of line
adv. 1. c1450 – in excited readiness, expectation, or desire; in a state of great eagerness, enthusiasm, excitement, suspense, or astonishment
adv. 2. 1746 Eng. dial. – on the move, going
adv. 3. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – sloping, not straight
• A-GOGGLE
adj. 1865 – of the eyes: goggling, protuberant, staring, esp. with expectation, amazement; of a person: having such a demeanour
adv. 1. 1510 – with a squint
adv. 2. 1862 – with the eyes protuberant or staring, esp. in expectation, amazement, etc.
adv. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – trembling, shaking with palsy
• AGOGGLED
adj. 1860 rare – staring, having staring eyes
• AGOGIC
adj. 1662 obs. rare – pert. to modelling in wax
• A-GO-GO
adj. 1. 1960 colloq. – in the newest style; faddish, trendy; fashionable, modish, up to date, with it, lively, ‘swinging’
adj. 2. 1961 – in abundance, galore, aplenty
adj. 3. 20C Amer. sl. – of a rapid and dizzying tempo
• AGOMENT
n. 1957 Amer. dial. – aggravation, annoyance, frustration
• AGON
n. 1. 1592 – a public celebration of games, including athletic, dramatic, and musical contests, in the ancient Greek or Roman world; a contest for a prize at such games
n. 2. 1649 – a painful struggle, esp. a psychological one; a conflict, fight, competition
n. 3. 1847 – a verbal contest or dispute between two characters in an ancient Greek play
• AGONAL
adj. 1. 1770 – relating to an ‘agon’ or public celebration of games
adj. 2. 1878 – relating to the stage of death or the process of dying
adj. 3. 1896 – characterized by competition; competitive; conflictual
• AGONARCH
n. 1656 – a presiding authority at an ‘agon’ or public celebration of games; a judge or overseer of proceedings; generally, a master of revels
• AGONE
adj. 1. a1000 obs. – of a period of time: gone by, elapsed
adj. 2. c1275 – that is in the past
adv. 1420 – ago, since
• AGONIES
n. 1970s drugs sl. – the pain of withdrawal from narcotic drug use
• AGONIOUS
adj. 1. 1494 – full of agony, agonizing
adj. 2. a1513 – involving struggle; relating to the agony of death
• AGONISE
vb. 1897 Sc. – to frighten, to fill with horror
• AGONISED BUTTON
n. 1984 UK – on military uniforms: an anodised aluminium (Staybrite) button
• AGONISM
n. 1. 1592 obs. rare – the victor’s prize in a contest
n. 2. 1688 – strenuous struggling; competing for a prize; also, a strenuous struggle; a combat, a competition
• AGONIST
n. 1. 1623 – in the ancient Greece and Rome: a competitor in public games
n. 2. 1687 – a person engaged in a dispute, contest, or struggle; a main character in a drama or course of events, a protagonist
n. 3. 1914 – a writer of an ‘agony column’
• AGONISTARCH
n. 1744 obs. – a trainer of combatants for public games in ancient Greece or Rome
• AGONIZER
n. L19 UK society sl. – one who makes intense efforts to gain a specific effect
• AGONY
n. 1. M19 sl. – problems, difficulties
n. 2. 1902 sl. – style, fashion
n. 3. 1980s W. Indies & Black British teen sl. – the sensations felt during sex
• AGONY AUNT
n. 1975 sl. – a problem-solving columnist of newspapers and magazines to whom the lovelorn and generally wretched can write and their letters will be answered in print or privately, usually female
• AGONY AUNTIE
n. 1975 sl. – a problem-solving columnist of newspapers and magazines to whom the lovelorn and generally wretched can write and their letters will be answered in print or privately, usually female
• AGONY BOX
n. 1. 1902 US sl. – a piano
n. 2. 1929 US sl. – a record player, a phonograph
n. 3. 1942 sl. – a radio
n. 4. 2000s sl. – a ukulele
• AGONY BUGGY
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an ambulance
• AGONY BUS
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an ambulance
• AGONY CART
n. 1918 hospital usage – a low cart used to bring instruments, bandages, medicines, etc., to a patient’s bedside
• AGONY CHARIOT
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an ambulance
• AGONY COLUMN
n. 1. L19 – the section of a newspaper dedicated to special advertisements, particularly those for missing relatives and friends, and thus filled with personal agony
n. 2. 1950s – a regular newspaper or magazine feature containing readers’ questions about personal problems with replies from a columnist, usually female
• AGONY CRATE
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an ambulance
• AGONY HACK
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an ambulance
• AGONY IN RED
n. L19 sl. – a vermilion costume
• AGONY PIPE
n. 1935 US sl. – a clarinet
• AGONY SHIFT
n. 1944 Amer. sl. – a work shift between the day and graveyard shifts, from about 4 pm to midnight
• AGONY UNCLE
n. 1970s sl. – a problem-solving columnist of newspapers and magazines to whom the lovelorn and generally wretched can write and their letters will be answered in print or privately, usually male
• AGONY WAGON
n. 1. 1980 hospital usage – a low cart used to bring instruments, bandages, medicines, etc., to a patient’s bedside
n. 2. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an ambulance
• AGORAMANIA
n. Bk1991 – a mania for open spaces
• AGORAPHOBIA
n. Bk1991 – an abnormal fear of being in crowded, public places, like markets
• AGOY!
int. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a mild exclamation or oath
• AGRAPHOBIA
n. Bk2008 – fear of sexual abuse
• AGREAT
adv. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – of work: done by the piece
• AGREEABLE RATTLE
n. L18 sl. – a chattering, but not unpleasant, young man
• AGREEABLE RUTS OF LIFE
n. L19 sl. – the vagina
• AGREE LIKE HARP AND HARROW
vb. 1563 obs. – not to agree at all (the things being utterly different, though their names alliterate)
• AGREEMENTS
n. c1900 Sc. – condiments and the like – salt, pepper, sugar, cream, etc.; the accessories of the table
• AGREEMONY
n. 1678 obs. nonce word – agreeableness
• AGREE NOT TO DISAGREE
vb. 1967 Amer. dial. – to cease quarrelling and determine to make amends
• AGREE TO AGREE
vb. 1967 Amer. dial. – to cease quarrelling and determine to make amends
• AGREGADO
n. 1871 Amer. dial. – a farmhand or a man allowed to work for himself on part of the landowner’s soil
• AGRICOLOUS
adj. 1825 rare – engaged or interested in agriculture; rural
• AGRICULTURAL
adj. 1. 1930s Amer. sl. – ungraceful or clumsy
adj. 2. 1982 UK sl. – in cricket: describes a simple, slogging shot off a sweeping bat
• AGRICULTURAL STUDIES
n. 1990s US college sl. – the cultivation of home-grown marijuana
• AGRIZOOPHOBIA
n. Bk2008 – fear of wild animals
• AGRO
adj. 20C teen & high school sl. – mad; aggravated, irritated, annoyed
n. 1. 1969 sl. – a source of annoyance or inconvenience; any form of problems, difficulties, harassment
n. 2. 1969 Brit. sl. – aggressive or violent behaviour, esp. formerly by skinhead gangs
n. 3. 1969 Aust. – an aggressive person
• AGROD
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a nightmare
• AGRONOY
vb. L19 sl. – to irritate, to annoy
• AGROOF
adj. 1721 Sc. – face downwards, prone
• AGROUND
adj. L18 sl. – ruined, at a loss
adv. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – on foot
• AGROVOKE
vb. 1920s Aust. sl. – to annoy, to irritate
• AGRUE
adv. 1856 Sc. – of a state in which one shivers with cold or shudders with fear or repulsion; a-shiver, shuddering
• AGRUFF
adj. 1721 Sc. – face downwards, prone
• AGTEROS
n. L19 S. Afr. sl. – a plodder, a dawdler, one who lags behind
• AGUA!
int. 1990s US prison sl. – an exclamation of warning that an officer is making his rounds
• AGUA ARDIENTE
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – any strong alcoholic drink
• AGUACOTE
n. 1897 – the alligator pear or avocado
• AGUADIENTE
n. 1834 Amer. dial. – any strong alcoholic drink
• AGUADINTE
n. 1847 Amer. dial. – any strong alcoholic drink
• AGUARDENT
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – any strong alcoholic drink
• AGUARDIENTE
n. 1857 Amer. dial. – any strong alcoholic drink
• AGUE
n. 1. 1935 Amer. dial. – the nervous excitement felt by an inexperienced hunter at the sight of game
n. 2. 1966 Amer. dial. – a general feeling of discomfort
• AGUE-FACED
adj. 1912 Amer. dial. – twitchy
• AGUEFIED
adj. 1939 Amer. dial. – pained, stiff, store, as with ague
• AGUERRIED
adj. 1734 obs. rare – experienced in or trained for war
• AGUN-BOAT
n. 1853 Anglo-Indian – a steamer
• AGUR-FORTY
n. 1859 Amer. dial. – any very strong drink, usually alcoholic but sometimes coffee
• AGUSH’D
adj. 1777 Eng. dial. – terrified, afraid, astonished
• AGUSHMENT
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – sudden terror, astonishment
• AGVICE
n. 1927 Amer. dial. – advice
• AGYIOMANIA
n. Bk1991 – a mania for streets
• AGYIOPHOBIA
n. Bk2008 – fear of being in a street
• AGYROPHOBIA
n. Bk1991 – an abnormal fear of crossing streets
• A.H.
n. 1. 1910s US euphemism – the asshole, the anus
n. 2. 20C Amer. sl. – a despised person; an asshole
• AH-AH
n. 1928 Amer. dial. – a stupid person; a fool
• AHAHANA!
int. 1938 Hawaii – shame on you!
• AH-AHS
n. 20C Brit. sl. – defecation
• AHANA
int. 1938 Hawaii – shame on you!
• AH-BAY-SAY
n. 1920 Sc. – the alphabet
• AH CABBAGE
n. 1900s Aust. sl. – a nickname for a Chinese immigrant
• AH CABBAGE JOHN
n. 1900s Aust. sl. – a Chinese vegetable seller
• ‘AH! DON’T MINGLE
adj. Bk1902 colloq. – of drinks: unmixed with water
• A-HEAD
n. 1. 1966 US sl. – an amphetamine abuser
n. 2. 1971 US sl. – a frequent user of LSD
• AHEAD
adv. 1847 Eng. dial. – overhead
• AHEAD OF THE GAME
adj. 1850 – having an advantage in a competitive situation; having done more than necessary
• AHEAT
adv. 1871 Sc. – in or into a hot or warm condition
• AHECHIE!
int. 1825 Sc. – an exclamation used in ludicrous contempt
• AHEIGHT
adv. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – on high, aloft
• AHENEAN
adj. 1664 obs. rare – brazen
• AHHH, ROOSHAN
phr. 1949 US sl. – used as a youth-to-youth greeting
• AHILDING
adj. 1896 Eng. dial. – ailing, poorly
• AHIND
adv. 1806 Sc. & Eng. dial. – of place: in the rear, at the back, behind
prep. 1. 1814 Sc. & Eng. dial. – of a place: at the back or in the rear of
prep. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – of time: after, behind
• A HINT OF MINT
n. 1950s US homosexual sl. – a trace of homosexual tendencies
• A-HISHI-BAW
n. Bk1911 Sc. – a lullaby
• AH LADS!
int. 1839 Eng. dial. – an exclamation of surprise
• AH LAWFUL!
int. 1790 – an exclamation
• A-HOLE
n. 1. 1942 Amer. sl. – an asshole; a very stupid or annoying person; a term of contempt
n. 2. 1942 US sl. – the anus
• A-HOLE BUDDY
n. 1958 US sl. – an extremely close friend
• AHOME
adv. Bk1865 Sc. & Eng. dial. – at home
• A-HOMEL
adv. 1825 Sc. obs. – turned upside down; applied to a vessel whose bottom is upwards
• AHOO
adj. 1899 Amer. dial. – aslant, out of plumb, lopsided, awry
• AHORSE
adv. 1860 – on horseback
• AH SIN
n. L19 Aust. sl. – a Chinese person
• AH TUFF!
int. Bk1970 US students’ sl. – great! wonderful!
• A-HUH
adj. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – awry, askew, lopsided, aslant
adj. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – not straightforward or open; wrong
adj. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – upset, vexed, anxious
• A-HUNGERED
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – hungry
• AHUNGRY
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. & Amer. dial. – hungry, troubled with hunger
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Updated: October 1, 2022
Lexicophilia 