Tag: 1600 – 1699

Word of the Day: COVER-SLUT

ETYMOLOGY
from cover (to put or something over an object, with the effect of hiding from view or protecting) + slut (an untidy, dirty, or slovenly woman; a woman who is habitually careless, lazy, or negligent with regard to appearance, household cleanliness, etc.)

EXAMPLE
“… But as it is a sad thing that the grace of God pretended, should be used as a pander unto wantonness, so it is no less hateful, that the providence of God should be misapplied as a cover-slut of idleness, ignorance, and unconscionableness: for who knowes not that our life is so in Gods hand, as it is ordinarily preserved ro lost by the use or want of things proper thereto? even hunger if self would be certainly mortal, if not appeased by meat appropriated thereto by the appointment of God. …”

From: Natures explication and Helmont’s vindication.
Or A short and sure way to a long and sound life.
By George Starkey, 1658

Word of the Day: AMPUTE

ETYMOLOGY
from French amputer, from Latin amputare (to remove by cutting off)

EXAMPLE
“… The Blood of Christ, as purging away the guilt of sin, was represented in Circumsion as to be shed; but it is represented in Baptism as already shed, and applyed to the party baptized. The body of sin was represented in Circumcision under the notion of a superfluity to be amputed and cut off: ‘Tis represented in Baptism under the notion of a defilement or pollution, which is removed by washing. But the use of the one and the other in general was and is the same, namely to represent to the mind that way, and those means, by and through which the soul hath remission of sin, peace which God, and is brought to future Salvation. …”

From: An essay to revive the primitive doctrine and practice of Infant-Baptism
By Joseph Whiston, 1676

Word of the Day: NOCTIVAGANT

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin noctivagant-, noctivagans, present participle of noctivagare (to wander or roam about at night)

EXAMPLE
“…How should this make vs mourne like Doues, and groane like Turtles? The wilde Swallowes, our vnbridled Youngsters sing in the warme Chimneyes: the lusfull Sparrowes, noctiuagant Adulterers, sit cherping about our houses; the filching Iayes, Secret theeues, rob our Orchards; the Kite and the Cormorant, deuoure and hoord our fruits: and shall not among all these, the voyce of the Turtle be heard on our land, mourning for these sinfull rapines? …”

From: The Diuells Banket
By Thomas Adams, 1614

PRONUNCIATION
nock-TIV-uh-guhnt

Word of the Day: VERSIPELLOUS

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin versipellis, from vers-, vertere (to turn) + pellis (skin)

EXAMPLE
“… The power, indeed, is in the witch, and not conferred by him; but this versipellous or Protean impostor – these are his words – will not suffer her to know that it is of her own natural endowment, though for the present charmed into somnolent inactivity by the narcotic of primitive sin. …”

From: The House By The Churchyard
By Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, 1863
Chapter V. How the Royal Irish Artillery Entertained some of the Neighbours at Dinner

Word of the Day: DEBLATERATE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin deblaterare transitive (to prate of, blab out), from de- + blaterare (to prate)

EXAMPLE
“… Robert Louis Stevenson, the traveler and author, writes: I conceived a great prejudice against missions in the South Seas, and I had no sooner come there than that prejudice was first reduced and then annihilated. Those who deblaterate against missions have only one thing to do, to come and see them on the spot. They will see a great deal of good done, and I believe, if they be honest persons, they will cease to complain of mission work and its effect. …”

From: What is a Christian and A Talk on Books,
By Henry Drummond, 1891
Thomas E. Watson “exposed”; an examination of his “Foreign missions exposed”.

Word of the Day: PERCULSIVE

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin perculs-, past participial sterm of percellere (to upset, strike with consternation) + -ive

EXAMPLE
“… But grant that ONELY bee an alleuiating particle, yet it is so by comparison: and so is an OATH, a tryall of more ease, both to body and minde then are those other meanes by Rackes and tortures (vsuall in the Inquisition:) for as the peines are vnsufferable to flesh and blood, so haue they a very perculsiue force euen vpon the Soule, Nam & innocentes cogit mentiri door, saith the Stoicke, because in so many streights, of terrour, payne, hope, feare, nihil veritati loci relinquitur, as the Orator well obserued, (let Aelian speake of the Egyptians courage or insensiblenes what he will): men will say any thing (though most vnture) for ease and release from such pangs. …”

From: An Answer to a Catholike English-man
By William Barlow, 1609

Word of the Day: DILOGICAL

ETYMOLOGY
from Greek δίλογος (dilogos) (doubtful), διλογία (repetition) + -ic + -al, after logical

EXAMPLE
“… Therefore some of the subtler, haue deliuered their opinions in such spurious, enigmaticall, dilogicall termes, as the Diuell gaue his Oracles; that since Heauen will not follow their Instructions, their Constructions shall follow Heauen. And because the Weather hath not fallen out, as they haue before tolde, they will now tell as the weather falles out. …”

From: The Sacrifice of Thankefulnesse 
By Thomas Adams, 1616

Word of the Day: PERPOTATION

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin perpotation-, perpotatio (continued drinking, drinking bout), 
from perpotat-, past participial stem of perpotare (to drink heavily),
from per- + potare (to drink) + ‑io (-ion) 

EXAMPLE
“… How could the inner man be capable of appreciating epic, when the outer man had been clogged with so much adventitious matter? Some of the guests seemed eminent professors of perpotation. My host was old, but still a literary enthusiast. His poetic fire had increased with his corporeal frigor. …”

From: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction
Containing Original Essays, Historical Narratives….
Volume VIII. 1826
“Epicism”

Word of the Day: NOTT-HEADED

ETYMOLOGY
from nott for notted (shorn, cut close, or smooth), from nott (to shear or poll), which is from the Saxon hnot, meaning the same

EXAMPLE
“… Your Sages in generall, by seeing too much ouersee that happinesse; Only your block-headly Tradesman; your honest meaning Cittizen; your not-headed Countrie Gentleman; your vnapprehending Stinckerd is blest with the sole prerogatiue of his Wiues chamber. …”

From: The WIddowes Teares, A Comedie
By George Chapman, 1612

Word of the Day: LATIBULATE

ETYMOLOGY
from participial stem of Latin latibulari, from latibulum (hiding place)

EXAMPLE
“…Shhhh! Do you hear the whispers?
ones that taunt, laugh and persuade
they are here, there, and everywhere
as I latibulate with my face to the wall

Sometimes they chant a single word
in chorus or in perpetual canon
until the sound overwhelms my thoughts
Shhhh! Do you hear the whispers? …”

From: The Monday Morbs – Volume 1 Of Fearful and Monstrous Things
By S.B. Pearce, 2023
‘Hiding in the Corner’