Tag: 1500 – 1599

Word of the Day: TITUBATE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin titubat-, past participial stem of titubare (to walk unsteadily, to totter, to stagger, to falter, to vacillate or dither, to make a mistake, slip up, or stumble (in speech or action)

PRONUNCIATION
TIT-yuh-bayt

EXAMPLE
“…Repercussed by the ryght redolent & rotounde rethorician R. Smyth P. with annotacios of the mellifluous and misticall Master Mynterne, marked in the mergent for the enucliacion of certen obscure obelisques, to thende that the imprudent lector shulde not tytubate or hallucinate in the labyrinthes of this lucubratiuncle…”

From: An Artificiall Apologie (title page)
By R. Smyth, 1540

Word of the Day: SUBDOLOUS

ETYMOLOGY
either from late Latin subdolosus (rather cunning), from classical Latin subdolus (sly, deceitful, treacherous) + -osus (-ous),
or from classical Latin subdolus (sly, deceitful, treacherous) (from sub- (sub-) + dolus (dole – the corrupt, malicious, or evil intention essential to the guilt of a crime)) + -ous

PRONUNCIATION
SUB-duh-luhss

EXAMPLE
“…The subdolous crafte and deceate of Satan…”

From: Ane Cathechisme or Schort Instrvction of Christian Religion
By Peter Canisius
Translated by Adam King, 1588

Word of the Day: LIFESOME

ETYMOLOGY
from life (n.) + -some

EXAMPLE (for adj. 1)
“…If badd, how happ’s that none his hurtes disproue?
If willingly I burne, how chance I waile?
If gainst my will, what sorrow will auaile?
O liuesome death, O sweete and pleasant ill,
Against my minde how can thy might preuaile?
If I bend backe, and but refraine my will,
If I consent, I doe not well to waile…”

From: ἐκατομπαθία: The Hekatompathia or Passionate Centurie of Loue
By Thomas Watson, 1582

Word of the Day: OFFENSANT

ETYMOLOGY
from offence (to offend) + -ant

EXAMPLE
“…Now agayne because the ribbes, in their inner region or side, are succinged and clothed with a most sensible Membran called Pleura, and to the end that, the asperitie and roughnes of the ribbes, might not be at any time, to the sensibilitie of the same, offensaunt, it was therfore carefully prouided for, they beyng inwardly, wrought so smooth & easie for the same as may be deuised…”

From: The Historie of Man 
By John Banister, 1578

Word of the Day: CAFARD

ETYMOLOGY
from French cafard, caphard, of doubtful origin:
some have proposed to identify it with Catalan cafre (infidel), Spanish, Portugese cafre (cruel), which are apparently adapted from Arabic kafir

PRONUNCIATION
kaff-AR

EXAMPLE
“…wherat he woundred, and sayd that he thought Your Grace the Prince best furnished thereof in Christendom. We commoned of the cafart, Cornibus, that slanderose frere. He said that Your Majesties Ambassadour, the Bishop of Hereford, hath sued and proposed certayn articles against him, athe copie whereof he hath promessed to sende unto me…”

From: State Papers Published Under the Authority of His Majesty’s Commission
King Henry the Eighth, 1830
Crumwell to King Henry VIII, 1539

Word of the Day: CLUNCHFIST

ETYMOLOGY
from clunch (to clench) + fist

EXAMPLE
“…such a quoile with pro and con, such vrging of Ergoes, til they haue gone fro Art togither by the eares, and made their conclusions end with a Clunchfist, right like the old description of Logicke…”

From: Plaine Percevall, the Peace-maker of England:
Being a Reply to Martin Mar-Prelate
By Richard Harvey, 1590

Word of the Day: AFFRONTOUS

ETYMOLOGY
 either from affront (n.) or affront (vb.) + -ous,
perhaps after Middle French affronteur (opposing, attacking)

EXAMPLE
“…for those Counsels are sufficient honourable, which render securitie vnto doubtfull affaires. And on the contrary, those are most affrontous, & miserable; when being enterprised with temeritie, onely to shew a vaine presumption, and rigorous boldnesse of minde, they are wont to disturbe the good courses of the honorable enterprises, and of the victories whereof great hope is to be had…”

From: The Theorike and Practike of Moderne Warres
By Robert Barret, 1598