ETYMOLOGY
from Dutch kelder a (cellar)
EXAMPLE
“… Angell of light, und darknesse too, I doubt,
Inspir’d within, and yet posses’d without.
Majestick twilight in the state of grace,
Yet with an excommunicated face.
Charles and his Mask are of a different mint,
A Psalme of mercy in a miscreant print.
The Sun wears Midnight, Day is beetle-brow’d,
And Lightning is in Keldar of a cloud. …”
From: The Character of a London-Diurnall with Severall Select Poems
By John Cleveland, 1647
“The Kings Disguise“
ETYMOLOGY
either from nabal (a churlish or miserly person) + -itic;
or from nabalite (a foolish person) + -ic
EXAMPLE
“… since they see no reason, why these, as Christs Agents, and Gods Embassadours, should not as well deserve, and enjoy a competent, and comely maintenance, as any publique Officers, either Civill, or Military: Who have more of power to exact, but not more of right, either humane or divine; nor yet more of merit, to require their payes, and fees; Yea, Ministers still dare to hope, that those in power have not any such Nabalitick and churlish humor, as to feast those that shear, and sometimes slay the sheep; while they starve the Shepheards: …”
From: Hieraspistes a Defence by way of Apology for the Ministry and Ministers of the Church of England
By John Gauden, 1653
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin decumanus (very large, immense; usually of waves) + -al
EXAMPLE
“… till in the closure of the luxuriant period, the decumanal wave of the oddest whimzy of al, enforced the charmed spirits of the auditory (for affording room to its apprehension) suddenly to burst forth into a laughter; which commonly lasted just so long, as he had leasure to withdraw behind the skreen, shift off with the help of a Page, the suite he had on, apparel himself with another, and return to the stage to act afresh; for by that time their transported, disparpled, and sublimated fancies, by the wonderfully operating engines of his solacious inventions, had from the hight to which the inward scrues, wheeles, and pullies of his wit had elevated them, descended by degrees into their wonted stations, he was ready for the personating of another carriage; …”
From: Εκσκυβαλαυρον [Ekskybalauron]: or, The Discovery of a Most Exquisite Jewel, More Precious Then Diamonds Inchased in Gold, the Like Whereof Was Never Seen in Any Age
By Thomas Urquhart, 1652
ETYMOLOGY
from rattle (succession of short, sharp sounds) + noddled
EXAMPLE
“… Well, take this monster all together, and hees a clubfooted, hamble shanck’t, burstengutted, long-neck’t, rattlenodled, large lugg’d eagle eyd Hircocerous, a meere chimera, one of the devils best boys ; but having served him an apprentiship he’s now set up for himself and came out with his wares the last summer cave tertio. …”
From: Confused Characters of Conceited Coxcombs
By K.W., 1661
ETYMOLOGY
from distraction + -tious
EXAMPLE
“… There were indeed bruits of fear, and there were companies of suspicious persons who at the best, live upon the vices of the Nation, and who like Coasters ride out at Sea, to expect prey from wrecks, and small Boats which they can Master and prey upon, such Cormorants of pillage and snaps of ruine My Lodgings were an eminent instance of before they were burned yet open violence there was none to speak of, but much even of exemplary Justice, and charitable Mercy, In the time of the Fires raging, and of the distractious impetuosity; which I write not to vindicate the dissolute Multitude of pretended Labourers, and other instruments of carriage (who exhansed the rates of their own portadge, while perhaps their Wives, Children, and Servants, or some of them, were busie at other work, all becoming theirs which their hook could reach, or their Net drag away.) …”
From: A short narrative of the late dreadful fire in London
By Edward Waterhouse, 1667
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin sterquilinium (a dunghill), (from stercus (dung))
EXAMPLE
“… The itching of scriblers, was the scab of the time; It is just so now, that any triobolary pasquiller evry tressis agaso, any sterquilinious raskall, is licenc’d to throw dirt in the faces of Soveraign Princes in open printed language: But I hope the times will mend, and your Man slo if he hath any face, you have so well corrected him, So I rest …”
From: A New Volume of Letters
By James Howell, 1647
Letter to Dr. D. Featley, 1 Aug. 1644
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin internigrant-, internigrans (interspersed with black);
from inter- (between or among) + nigrans (dark-coloured, black), use as adjective of present participle of nigrare (to be black);
from nigr-, niger (black)
EXAMPLE
“The old canvas was internigrant from the soot of the chimney fire”
ETYMOLOGY
adj. 1.: from chit (a freckle or wart, obsolete) + -y
adj. 2. & 3..: apparently deduced from chitty-face, (thin face), but afterwards associated with chit (the young of a beast)
n. 1.: from Hindi chiṭṭhi, Marathi chitthi, chithi and its cognate
Hindi ciṭṭhi (document, letter, note, promissory note, pass), of uncertain origin
EXAMPLE (for adj. 1.)
“… How shall I stifle now my rising Phlegm,
Are all, are all his Thoughts employ’d on them
Shall they such Chitty Jades so happy be,
And can he not bestow one word on me;
Hence from my Sight, avoid this wicked Room,
Go you ungracious Minxes, get you home. …”
From: The Rival Milliners: or, the Humours of Covent Garden
A Tragi-Comi-Operatic-Pastoral Farce
By Robert Drury, 1737
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin celebris (crowded, much frequented; festive), variant of celeber (famous, well-known) + -ous
EXAMPLE (for adj. 1.)
“… Howe happy are those men, who for their constant standing in the gappe, against Sathan & Antichrist, are every day illustrated, and made celebrious, by the maligning
of the adversaries of truth? Their soules are in peace, and their glory is promulgated by their enemies trumpets, who the more they oppugne them, the more we doe loue them, and eternise the memory of them. …”
From: The Reasons vvhich Doctour Hill hath brought, for the vpholding of papistry, which is falselie termed the Catholike religion
By George Abbot, 1604
ETYMOLOGY
short for famble;
for n. 4.: shortened from family
EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… Jenny being very genteely dressed, he observed a Gentleman who was a very Rum Muns, (that is, a great Beau) who had a very Glim Star, (that is, a Ring) upon his Feme, (that is, Hand} which she longed to make, so giving the Hint to her Companions to Bulk the Muns forward, (that is, Push) they pushed him quite in; …”
From: Select trials at the Sessions-House in the Old-Bailey, for murder, robberies, rapes, sodomy, coining
From the year 1720, to this time. 1742
The following is a particular Account of the Transactions of the Life of Mary Young, alias Jenny Diver, &c. &c. &c.
Lexicophilia 