Tag: 1850 – 1859

Word of the Day: FLUMMADIDDLE

ETYMOLOGY
probably from flummery (nonsense, humbug, empty trifling)

EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… When Mr. Middleton was spoken to on the subject of sending Julia to Frankfort, he at first refused outright. ” No,” said he, ” indeed she shan’t go ! What does she want of any more flummerdiddle notions ? What she does know is a damage to her ! “
“But do you not wish to give your daughters every possible advantage ? ” said Mr. Wilmot. …”

From: Tempest and Sunshine; or, Life in Kentucky
By Mary Jane Holmes, 1854

Word of the Day: NEVER-SWEAT

ETYMOLOGY
from never + sweat

EXAMPLE
“… This would be received with peals of laughter, and followed by a general repetition of the same cry. Next, a hundred and fifty cat-calls of the shrillest possible description would almost split the ears. These would be succeeded by cries of ” Strike up, you catgut scrapers,” ” Go on with your barrow,” ” Flare up, my never-sweats,” and a variety of other street sayings. Indeed, the uproar which went on before the meeting began will be best understood if we compare it to the scene presented by a public menagerie at feeding time. …”

From: London Labour and the London Poor;
A cyclopaedia of the condition and earnings of those that will work, those that cannot work, and those that will not work,
By Henry Mayhew, 1851

Word of the Day: OENOPHILIST

ETYMOLOGY
from oeno- (relating to or resembling wine) + -philist (loving the person or thing denoted)

EXAMPLE
“… Are the Temperance men to be allowed to shout in the public places? are the Vegetarians to bellow ” Cabbage for ever?” and may we modest Œnophilists not sing the praises of our favourite plant? After the drinking of good Bordeaux wine, there is a point (I do not say a pint) at which men arrive, when all the generous faculties of the soul are awakened and in full vigour; when the wit brightens and breaks out in sudden flashes; when the intellects are keenest; when the pent up words and confined thoughts get a night-rule, and rush abroad and disport themselves; when the kindest affections come out and shake hands with mankind, and the timid Truth jumps up naked out of his well and proclaims himself to all the world. …”

From: Title: The Virginians
By William Makepeace Thackeray, 1859

PRONUNCIATION
ee-NOFF-uh-list

Word of the Day: GIG-LAMPS

ETYMOLOGY
from gig (a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage) + lamp

EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… A “Wo-ho-ho, my beauties!” brought the smoking wheelers upon their haunches; and Jehu, saluting with his elbow and whip finger, called out in the husky voice peculiar to a dram-drinker, “Are you the two houtside gents for Hoxfut?” To which Mr. Green replied in the affirmative; and while the luggage (the canvas-covered, ladylike look of which was such a contrast to that of the other passengers) was being quickly transferred to the coach-top, he and Verdant ascended to the places reserved for them behind the coachman. Mr. Green saw at a glance that all the passengers were Oxford men, dressed in every variety of Oxford fashion, and exhibiting a pleasing diversity of Oxford manners. Their private remarks on the two new-comers were, like stage “asides,” perfectly audible.

“Decided case of governor!” said one.

“Undoubted ditto of freshman!” observed another.

“Looks ferociously mild in his gig-lamps!” remarked a third, alluding to Mr. Verdant Green’s spectacles.

“And jolly green all over!” wound up a fourth. …”

From: The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green
By Cuthbert Bede, (real name Edward Bradley), 1853

Word of the Day: FAM

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.

Word of the Day: QUISBY

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

Word of the Day: JIMJAMS

ETYMOLOGY
a reduplicated term, of which the elements are unknown;
from the mid 16th century – in the singular, originally denoted a knickknack or small article

EXAMPLE (for n. 1)
“… Andy Collins, an Irishman, who has lived alone in his cabin, about a mile below us, for a year or more, has been a hard drinker ever since we have known him. He bought his rum by the gallon and kept soaked all the time. Tuesday night he had a bad attack of the jim-jams, and his nearest neighbor, O’Neil, heard him yelling and shrieking like all possessed. …”

From: The Diary of a Forty-Niner
By Chauncey Canfield, 1906
Chapter XVI, February 1, 1852

Word of the Day: OMNINESCIENT

ETYMOLOGY
from omni- combining form of Latin omnis (all) + nescient from Latin nescientem, 
pres. pple. of nescire (to be ignorant), from ne (not) + scire (to know)

EXAMPLE
“… The appeal is generally from those who know something to those who know less – and at last to those who are omni-nescient. …”

From: A Report of Proceedings at a Public Meeting of the Merchants, Bankers, and Traders of the City of London, held at the London Tavern, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 1851
For a Reform of the Board of Customs
Part II. Chapter II. Appeals

Word of the Day: TIB

ETYMOLOGY
perhaps the same as Tib, a shortened hypocoristic form of the female name Isabel; now rather rude or slighting (except playfully);
also with dim. -y or -ie, Tibbie, a common female name in the north

EXAMPLE
“… .Trupeny. Mary then prickmedaintie come toste me a fig,
Who shall then know our Tib Talke apace trow ye?

An. Alyface. And why not Annot Alyface as fyne as she?

Trupeny. And what had Tom Trupeny, a father or none?

An. Alyface. Then our prety newe come man will looke to be one …”

From: Ralph Roister Doister 
By Nicholas Udall, a1556