Tag: 1600 – 1699

Word of the Day: NANNICOCK

ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly from Nanny, pet-form of the female forenames Anne and Agnes with suffix ‑cock 

EXAMPLE
“… Hee that doth wonder at a Weathercocke,
And plaies with euery feather in the winde,
And is in loue with euery Nannicocke;
Yet scarcely knowes an Orange by the Rinde:
When euery Foole is found out in his Kinde,
How is it possible but he should passe,
For a poore silly simple witted Asse?…”

From: Pasquils Fooles-Cap sent to such (to keepe their weake braines warme) as are not able to conceiue aright of his mad-cap,
By Nicholas Breton, 1600

Word of the Day: PERENDINATE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin perendinat-, past participial stem of perendinare (to defer until the day after tomorrow, to postone for a day) from perendinus ((the day) after to-morrow), from perendie (on the day after to-morrow) + -inus, or from peren- + din- (day)

EXAMPLE (for vb. 1.)
The chairman of the board perendinated the meeting so that all members would be able to attend.

Word of the Day: AMICITIAL

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin amicitia (friendship), (from amicus (friend)) + -al

EXAMPLE
“… What M. Ellis denyeth to be the question.
1. He saith it is not meant of the essential onenesse.
Answ. But this is meant, and is the foundation of the other.
2. It is not (saith he) meant of engagement to mutual care one of another.
Answ. Not amicitial or fraternal only, but authoritative, the greater part to regulate the lesse. …”

From: A Vindication of the Essence and Unity of the Church Catholike Visible, and the priority thereof in regard of particular churches in answer to the objections made against it
By Samuel Hudson, 1650

PRONUNCIATION
am-uh-SISH-uhl

Word of the Day: COCTURE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin coctura (a cooking)

EXAMPLE
“… For truly, whatsoever is cast into the stomack, digestion being at length finished, is transchanged, and far separated from boyling and other coctures, after whatsoever degree prepared. …”

From: Oriatrike or, Physike Refined
By Jean Baptiste van Helmont
Translated by John Chandler, 1662

Word of the Day: VILIPENDIOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from vilipend (vb.) + -ious;
from French vilipender, or from Latin vilipendere, from vilis (vile, worthless) + pendere (to consider, esteem)

EXAMPLE
“… And thou ignoble horse-rubbing peasant, that by the borrowed title of a Lord (being but a vilipendious mechanicall Hostler, hast laid this insulting insupportable command on me: the time shall come, when thou shalt cast thy anticke authority, as a snake casts her skin; and then thou for an example to future posterities shalt make an vnsauory period of thy maleuolent dayes in litter and horse-dongue …”

From: All the vvorkes of Iohn Taylor the water-poet Beeing sixty and three in number
By John Taylor, 1630

Word of the Day: BIRD’S-NIE

ETYMOLOGY
from the genitive of bird + nye for eye, as in my nye = myn eye;
possibly an alteration of pigsney (a sweetheart, a term of endearment)

EXAMPLE
“… Oh Mistris May, come to bed Sweet-heart come, my Duck, my Birds-nye; Zblood, I must goe to Salisbury to morrow, bring me my Boots quickly; Zounds, will not the Rogues bring me more Money; Zblood, that Cock’s worth a Kings Ransome, a runs, a runs, a thousand pound to a Hobby-horse; Rub, Rub, Rub, a pox Rub a whole hundred Rubs; …”

From: The last vvill and testament of Philip Herbert, burgesse for Bark-shire, 1650

Word of the Day: POLYMATH

ETYMOLOGY
from Greek πολυµαθής (having learnt much), from πολυ- (poly-, much) + μάθη (learning) from the base of µανθάνειν (to learn)

EXAMPLE (for n.)
“… To be counted writers, scriptores ut Salutentur, to be thought and held Polumathes and Polyhistors, apud imperitum vulgus ob ventosæ nomem artis, to get a paper-kingdom: nulla spe quæstus sed ampla famæ, in this precipitate, ambitious age, nunc ut est sæculum, inter immaturam eruditionem, ambitiosum et præceps (’tis Scaliger’s censure); and they that are scarce auditors, vix auditores, must be masters and teachers, before they be capable and fit hearers. …”

From: The Anatomy of Melancholy 
By Robert Burton, 1624

Word of the Day: SCOPTIC

ETYMOLOGY
from Greek σκωπτικός, from σκώπτειν (to mock, jeer)

EXAMPLE
“… Againft these Books, the ‘Learned employed their Learning, and the Witty employed their Wit. Celsus, Porpbyrius, Jamblichus, Hierocles, and other Philosophers, endeavoured to dispute them out of the world, Symmachus and Libanius, and other Rhetors to declaim them away. Julian and Lucian and other Scoptick wits, endeavoured to jeer and droll away the credit of them. …”

From: Sermon Against the Anti-scripturists
By Seth Ward, 1670

Word of the Day: MOLIMINOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin molimin- molimen (effort); (from moliri (to make an effort, undertake, attempt)) + -ous

EXAMPLE (for adj. 1.)
“… In all great distresses the body of the people was ever constrained to rise, and by the force of a Major party to put an end to all intestine strifes, and make a redresse of all publique grievances, but many times calamities grew to a strange height, before so combersome a body could be raised; and when it was raised, the motions of it were so distracted and irregular, that after much spoile and effution of bloud, sometimes onely one Tyranny was exchanged for another: till some way was invented to regulate the motions of the peoples moliminous body, I think arbitrary rule was most safe for the world, but now since most Countries have found out an Art and peaceable Order for Publique Assemblies, whereby the people may assume its owne power to do itselfe right without disturbance to it selfe, or injury to Princes, he is very unjust that will oppose this Art and order. …”

From: Observations upon some of His Majesties late answers and expresses
By Henry Parker, 1642

PRONUNCIATION
moh-LIM-uh-nuhss