ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly from quiz (n.) + -by
EXAMPLE
“… Alibi. What wou’d I do then?
Air. Aye, Sir, what wou’d you do then?
Soph. Cou’dn’t he push a little feeble old quisby like you down into a chair?
Alibi, How, pray?
Soph. Shew him how, Robin?
Air. Why there – (puts him into a chair) Just that way
Alibi. Well, now Old Quisby’s down in the chair – what wou’d he do then?…”
From: The Toy
By John O’Keeffe, 1789
ETYMOLOGY
from sit (vb.) + upon (prep.), after to sit upon
EXAMPLE
“… I need scarcely say that he kept a tiger, and that the tiger was a perfect model of a brute. He wore a sky-blue coat with silver buttons, a pink-striped waistcoat, green plush sit-upons, and flesh-coloured silks in-doors; out of doors the lower garments were exchanged for immaculate white doeskins, and topboots — virgin Woodstocks on his hands, and a glazed hat upon his head with forty-two yards of silver-thread upon it to loop up the brims to two silver buttons. …”
From: Peter Priggins, The College Scout
By Theodore Hook, 1841
ETYMOLOGY
from bucol-ic + -ism
EXAMPLE
“…The attempt produces a farrago which, in point of Greek, is disgraceful to the reputation of the University; for what can be more lamentably absurd than to see the lowest” bucolisms” of Theocritus thrust in as the necessities of a Sapphic ode require? The Greek Professor might very profitably publish a canon on this subject. …”
From: Introductions to the study of the Greek classic poets
By Henry Nelson Coleridge, 1830
ETYMOLOGY
from Greek ἐπιχώριος (in or of the country) (from ἐπί- (epi-) + χώρα (country) + ‑ιος) + -al
EXAMPLE
“…this double suffering will shortly be succeeded by a very peculiar, perfectly epichorial, and most distracting method of separating dust from carpets (of which more anon); while you must, at all times, be prepared for the infernal bagpipe, modulated by the blind for the benefit of the deaf, to say nothing of the stridulous flute, which it hath pleased Pan, Apollo, or Nemesis, hitherto to restrain to the classical region of the college. …”
From: The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal
Volume 3, 1833
“The City of the Clyde”
Letter from Henry d’Arcy, Esq., to Charles Vernon, Esq.
ETYMOLOGY
noun: from the French
verb: French blaguer, from the noun
EXAMPLE
“…In later editions of The French Revolution Carlyle did not alter a word of his original account. Instead, he added directly to the main text a new concluding paragraph correcting Barere’s story, which he terms a ‘masterpiece; the largest, most inspiring piece of blague manufactured, for some centuries, by any man or nation. As such, and not otherwise, be it henceforth memorable’…”
From: The French Revolution
By Thomas Carlyle, 1839
ETYMOLOGY
from nib (a person of superior social standing or wealth; a gentleman [slang]) + – some
EXAMPLE
“…I ne’er was a nose, for the reg’lars came
Whenever a pannie was done:—
Oh! who would chirp to dishonour his name,
And betrays his pals in a nibsome game
To the traps?—Not I for one!
Let nobs in the fur trade hold their jaw
And let the jug be free:—
Let Davy’s dust and a well-faked claw
For fancy coves be the only law,
And a double-tongued squib to keep in awe
The chaps that flout at me!…”
From: The House Breaker’s Song
By G. W. M. Reynolds in Pickwick Abroad, 1839
ETYMOLOGY
irregularly from Latin terra (earth) + culture
EXAMPLE
“…We venture at the outset to introduce a new term, and that for the only justifiable reason, viz: because there is no single word heretofore in use in our language expressive of the idea we wish to express. Agriculture is the culture of the field, and includes the operations of farming or the tillage of large portions of land. Horticulture is the culture of the garden, and has reference to the production of kitchen vegetables, fruits and flowers. We have often felt at a loss for a word to include all these, and as Terraculture, or the culture of the earth, exactly expresses the idea, and as it is derived from the Latin in a manner exactly similar to the other terms, we think there must result a decided advantage from its introduction. It comprehends all things which are produced from the earth, by the labor of man and beast, through the agency of vegetable life. Every thing that germinates and grows by receiving its nourishment from the soil, belongs to this department…”
From: The Franklin Farmer,
Devoted to Improvements in the Science of Agriculture, the Practice of Husbandry, and the Mind, Morals, and Interests, of the Cultivators of the Soil.
Vol. I., Edited by Tho. B. Stevenson, 1837-8
ETYMOLOGY
from Old Sc. bawté, bawtie (a dog’s name), extended to dogs;
bawd is a Sc. term for a hare
EXAMPLE
“…I rew the race that Geordie Steill
Brocht Bawte to the kingis presence.
I pray God lat hym neuer do weill,
Sen syne I gat na audience.
For Bawte now gettis sic credence,
That he lyis on the Kingis nycht goun.
Quhare I perforce for my offence,
Man in the clois ly lyke ane loun….”
From: The Warkis of the Famous and Vorthie Knicht Schir Dauid Lyndesay of the Mont, alias, Lyoun King of Armes
By David Lindsay, 1568
‘The Complaint and Publiet Confessioun of the Kingis Auld Hound, callit Bagsche, directit to Bawte, the Kingis best belouit dog, and his Companʒeonis’
PRONUNCIATION
BAW-tee
ETYMOLOGY
from Italian ruvido (rough, rugged, rude, uncivilized, ill-mannered),
from Latin rugidus (creased, wrinkly),
from ruga (crease, small fold, wrinkle) + ‑idus (‑id)
EXAMPLE
for adj. 1
“…Gaza now is called Habalello, and is composed of twelve hundred fire-houses, and sensible against the incursions of Arabs: The ruvid Cittizens, being Turkes, Moores, Jews, domeseticke Arabians, with a few Georgians, & Nostranes …”
From: The Totall Discourse of the Rare Adventures & Painefull Peregrinations of long Nineteene Yeares Travayles from Scotland, to the most famous Kingdomes in Europe, Asia, and Affrica.
By William Lithgow, 1632
ETYMOLOGY
from bam (to hoax, to make fun of to impose upon the credulous) + bluster
EXAMPLE
“…”In course,” continued Joe, more soothed: “none but a Jolly would go to say anything again it, or doubt the woracity o’ the thing. Well, shipmates, to heave ahead, I’m saying I was reg’larly bamblustercated when one of the genelmen up in the niches squeaks out, ‘King Herod, I’ll just thank your for a thimble-full of the stuff.'” …”
From: Bentley’s Miscellany, Volume II, 1837
‘Nights at Sea’
Lexicophilia 