ETYMOLOGY
Middle English: in sense adj. 1, from broth (impetuous, violent, wrathful) + -ly;
sense adj. 2, possibly a derivative of brothel
EXAMPLE (for adj. 1)
“… þan said Isaac tille him, “ert þou his mayntenour?
Fulle broþely & brim he kept vp a trencheour,
& kast it at Statin, did him a schamfulle schoure.
His nese & his ine he carfe at misauentoure. …”
From: Peter Langtoft’s Chronicle, (as illustrated and improv’d by Robert of Brunne), 1330
ETYMOLOGY
of unknown origin
EXAMPLE
Most of Janine’s friends were aware that when she lied she had a tendency to drote.
ETYMOLOGY
from obsolete French repentin, -ine, or from Latin repentinus,
from repent-, repens (sudden) + ‑inus (‑ine)
EXAMPLE
“… Whan thou shalte ought do, of vnexpert or newe
Fyrste ponder in thy mynde, reuoluynge busely
What maner, and how great thynge, may therof ensue
Attempt nothynge weyghty, in haste nor sodaynly
If thynges may byde, tary, begyn thou nat rasshely
For enterpryses rasshe, hasty and repentyne
Ar chefe thynges bryngynge, great warkes to ruyne …”
From: Here begynneth a ryght frutefull treatyse, intituled The Myrrour of Good Maners,
By Dominicus Mancinus
Translated by Alexander Barclay, ?1518
PRONUNCIATION
ruh-PEN-tighn
ETYMOLOGY
from most (greatest in size, bulk, etc.) + what (pronoun); probably after somewhat (adv.)
EXAMPLE (for adv. 2.)
“… The parentes and freindes with whom I haue to deale, be mostwhat no latinistes: and if they were, yet we vnderstand that tounge best, whervnto we are first borne, as our first impression is alwaie in English, before we do deliuer it in Latin. …”
From: Positions vvherin those primitiue circumstances be examined, which are necessarie for the training vp of children, either for skill in their booke, or health in their bodie,
By Richard Mulcaster, 1581
ETYMOLOGY
from pleasure (vb.) + -ance
EXAMPLE
“… With a mighty noise, noye for to here,
Playnond with pytie, no pleasurance at all,
With sykyng & sorow said on this wise:—
“A! fonnet folke, why fare ye thus now,
With solas full sore, and sanges of myrthe,
At the weddyng of the weghes, þat shall to wo turne. …”
From: The “Gest Hystoriale” of the Destruction of Troy
from Guido de Colonna’s “Hystoria troiana.”, a1400
PRONUNCIATION
PLEZH-uh-ruhns
ETYMOLOGY
Middle English from Old French destrobler, ‑troubler, from des-, Latin dis- + trobler, troubler (to trouble)
EXAMPLE
“… Debonairly, and nothing loude,
He sayde, `I prey thee, be not wrooth,
I herde thee not, to sayn the sooth,
Ne I saw thee not, sir, trewely.’
`A! goode sir, no fors,’ quod I,
`I am right sory if I have ought
Destroubled yow out of your thought;
Foryive me if I have mistake.’
`Yis, th’amendes is light to make,’
Quod he, `for ther lyth noon ther-to;
Ther is nothing missayd nor do,’
Lo! how goodly spak this knight,
As it had been another wight; …”
From: The Book of the Duchesse
By Geoffrey Chaucer, c1369
ETYMOLOGY
from middle French maleureus, maleureux, modern French malheureux (unfortunate, unhappy, wretched; from maleur (ill fortune, misfortune) + ‑eus (‑ous)
EXAMPLE
“…And seithe: “O,” seith he, “tho people bene passinge evreux whan there is a kinge of goode dis
crecioun and of goode counseill and wise in sciencez. And gretly bene the people malevreux whanne any of thise thingis abovesaide fauten in a kinge.”…”
From: Translation of The Dicts and Sayings of the Philosophers, a1661
By Curt Ferdinand Buhler, Early English Text Society, 1941
ETYMOLOGY
from shittle (obsolete, fickle, flighty, inconstant) + witted
EXAMPLE
“… I am aferd þat Jon of Sparham js so schyttyl-wyttyd þat he wyl sett hys gode to morgage to Heydon, or to sum oþer of vwre gode frendys, but jf I can hold hym jnne þe better ere ȝe kom hom…”
From: Paston Letters and Papers of the Fifteenth Century
Margaret Paston to Jon Paston, 1448
ETYMOLOGY
originally from Middle French adoulcir, also written addoulcir; (mod. adoucir) (to sweeten):
—late Latin addulcire; from ad (to) + dulcis (sweet); subsequently refashioned after Latin
EXAMPLE
“…And thenne shalle not the Rigour and the reffuse of my noble lady be myned and adoulced by my habondaunt prayers and oroisons. yes verily. that shall she be or nature shall faylle. And if not the goddes shall be iniuste and agaynst me…”
From: The History of Jason
By Raoul Le Fevre
Translated by William Caxton, 1477
PRONUNCIATION
uh-DULS
ETYMOLOGY
from French crudelité, from Latin crudelitas (cruelty), from crudelis (cruel)
EXAMPLE
“…The thyrd synne is vnmyserycorde and crudelyte For he whyche playeth wold fayne take from his felowe bothe breche and sherte the whiche thynge the theuys whyche dyspoyle and robbe the pylgrymes doon not…”
From: Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton
Translated by William Caxton, 1483
Lexicophilia 