Tag: 1500 – 1599

Word of the Day: SURQUIDANT

ETYMOLOGY
from Old French surcuidant (present participle of surcuidier) 
from popular Latin supercōgitāre ,
from super- (super- prefix) + cōgitāre (to think, to cogitate)

EXAMPLE
“…and yet they were but febly enformed in maister Porphiris problemes, and haue waded but weakly in his thre maner of clerkly workes, analeticall, topicall, and logycall: howbeit they were puffed so full of vaynglorious pompe and surcudant elacyon, that popholy and peuysshe presumpcion proyoked them to publysshe and to preche to people imprudet perilously…”

From: Honorificatissimo: Replycacion agaynst Yong Scolers
By John Skelton, 1528

Word of the Day: AMENOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin amœnus (pleasant) + –ous

EXAMPLE
“…Whose mynde was none other but to pass the time, and their predestinate perpetual captivitie in the amenous varietie of over reading and revoluting many volumes and sundry books of divers sciences and strange matters…”

From: Some Specimens of the Poetry of the Antient Welsh Bards
By the Rev. Mr. Evan Evans, 1764
A Poem Entitled, The Ode of the Months, composed by Bwilym Ddu of Arfon, to Sir John Griffydd Llwyd, of Tregarnedd and Dinornig

Word of the Day: RUTTERKIN

ETYMOLOGY
from rutter (a dashing gallant) + -kin

EXAMPLE
“…COURTLY ABUSION. Huffa, huffa, taunderum, taunderum tayne, huffa, huffa
CLOAKED COLLUSION (To the audience.) This was properly prated, sirs. Wat said a?…”
COURTLY ABUSION. Rutty bully jolly rutterkin, heyda!
CLOAKED COLLUSION. De que pays este vous…”

From: Magnyfycence
By John Skelton, a1529

Word of the Day: TRIM-TRAM

ETYMOLOGY
for n.1., apparently a reduplication with vowel variation of trim (adj.);
for n. 2., apparently a whimsical application of n.1.

EXAMPLE
“…Esebon, Marybon, Wheston next Barnet;
A trym tram for an horse myll it were a nyse thyng;
Deyntes for dammoysels, chaffer far fet:
Bo ho doth bark wel, but Hough ho he rulyth the ring…”

From: Speke Parott
By John Skelton, 1523

Word of the Day: LITTLE SON

ETYMOLOGY
perhaps after Middle French, French petit-fils (grandson, grandchild)

EXAMPLE
“… is the transporting ȝoure littil son and my onelie child in this countrey. To the quhilk albeit I be never sa willing, I wald be glaid to have ȝoure advyse therein, as in all uther thingis tuiching him. I have born him…”

From: The Love Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots
– Hugh Campbell, 1824
Letter written to the Countess of Lennox, July 10, 1570

Word of the Day: HEARTSOME

ETYMOLOGY
from heart + -some

EXAMPLE
“…And ze defend the cruell Jesabell
Than Baallis Priestis will cal zow verray kynde
Now euerie Dowglas of ane hartsum mynde,
Thinke on dame Margaret sumtyme in the towre,
And of young Charles prudent of Ingyne…”

From: Heir Followis ane Ballat Declaring the Nobill and Gude Inclinatioun of Our King
– Robert Sempill, 1567

Word of the Day: JOLIOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from joly, jolie (jolly) + -ous

EXAMPLE
“…Wantoun and blyith, and euer geuin to sport,
And efter drink desyrous of comfort:
Iocund with Ioy, and Iolyous to Iaip,
With mockis and mowis of nature as the Aip.
And he that hes the nature of the fyre,
Is euer hait, in crabitnes, and Ire…”

From: Ane Treatise callit the Court of Venus
– John Rolland, 1575

Word of the Day: HUDDLE-DUDDLE

ETYMOLOGY
?? huddle is an obsolete word for a miserly old person

EXAMPLE
“…Yea, in the worde of one no more wealthy then hee was, (wealthy saide I? may I’le be sworne hee was a grande iurie man in respect of me,) those graybeard Huddle-duddles and crusty cum-twangs were strooke with stuch stinging remorse of their miserable Euclionisme and snudgery…”

From: Lenten Stuffe
– Thomas Nashe, 1599