ETYMOLOGY
for the verb: probably a nursery or jocular word, imitating the action of the lips in an infant’s kiss;
Old French has baer, beer (to open the mouth, to gape);
also, possibly a contracted form of basse (to kiss)
EXAMPLE (for verb)
“…Thanne wolde I seye, “Goode lief, taak keep
How meekly looketh Wilkyn, oure sheep!
Com neer, my spouse, let me ba thy cheke!
Ye sholde been al pacient and meeke…”
From: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue
By Geoffrey Chaucer, c1386
ETYMOLOGY
from French cagnard (sluggard)
(according to Littré, from Italian cagna bitch, fem. of cane dog)
EXAMPLE
“…He leneþ on is forke ase a grey frere
þis crokede caynard sore he is adred
Hit is mony day go þat he was here
ichot of is ernde he naþ nout ysped …”
From: The Harley Lyrics, a1350
ETYMOLOGY
– from French lamentation or from Latin lāmentātiōnem,
from lāmentārī to lament
EXAMPLE
“…Truelie me thinketh that the soune of my lamentacious wepyng is right now flowe into youre presence…”
From: The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer;
Compared with the Former Editions, 1721
Usk’s Testament of Love
ETYMOLOGY
– from Anglo-Norman crious (also crieis, criois) clamorous,
from crier (vb. cry) + –ous
EXAMPLE
“… A fool womman, and crious sat in the ʒate doris of hir hous…”
From: The Holy Bible
Made from the Latin Vulgate by John Wycliffe and His Followers.
Edited by the Rev. Josiah Forshall and Sir Frederic Madden.
Volume III, 1850
Proverbs, Cap. IX
ETYMOLOGY
from Anglo-Norman huniss-, Anglo-Norman and Old French honiss-, extended stem of Anglo-Norman hunir, Anglo-Norman and Old French honir (French honnir ) to shame, to humiliate, to ruin, to damage
FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
a1325 – see EXAMPLE below
EXAMPLE
“…Me sholde him [sc. Christ] hounschy & skorne boþe ffer & neye.….”
From: The Southern Passion
A Middle English poem;
Edited by Beatrice Daw Brown, 1927
Lexicophilia 