Tag: 1850 – 1859

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

Word of the Day: DRUMBELO

also DROMMELL, DROMOS (plural), DRUMBLE (Eng. dial.), DRUMMIL (Eng. dial.)

ETYMOLOGY
possibly from dialect drumble (to talk meaninglessly or monotonously, to blather or ramble)

EXAMPLE
“… This before remēbred ſupplicatiō was attentiuely noted & much feared, amongſt ye curſed companie of drouſie dreaming Dromos, I mean Baals Baldons yt mungrel Maſſalians & cruel churchrobbers whome it touched moſt in effect, in ſo muche that the groſſe Goſpeller, Ethnike Epicures, beaſtly bellygods, wicked worldlyngs and ſpirituall ſhauelyngs, were fallen in a pelting chafe, the bloudy Biſhoppes broyled, the cullionly Cardinalles coured, the proude Priours frouned, the fat Abbots ſwet, the pore Friers curſed, the white Chanons chafed, the poore Nunnes puled like Puttockes, in concluſion, all the ſectarie Sathaniſts were ſore diſpleaſed …”

From: Polybius
The Hystories of the most Famous and Worthy Cronographer Polybius discoursing of the Warres betwixt the Romanes and Carthaginenses
Translated by C. Watson, 1568

Word of the Day: CUFFER

ETYMOLOGY
for. n. 1. & n. 2. from cuff (to strike with the fist or open hand, to buffet) + -er
for n. 4. from cuff (to discuss, to talk over) + -er

EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… LET US LEARN THE LAWS OF FASTING, that we run not uncertainly, nor beat the air, nor be as such cuffers who fight as it were with their shadow. Fasting is a medicine; but physick, although it be never so good, that is prescribed, oftimes becomes unprofitable, by reason of the imprudence of him that useth it. …”

From: The Paschal or Lent-Fast, Apostolical & Perpetual at first deliver’d in a sermon preached before His Majesty in Lent and since enlarged
By Peter Gunning, 1662

Word of the Day: EAR-DROPPER

ETYMOLOGY
from ear + dropper

EXAMPLE
“… But, that he was a Creature of the Duke’s, and commended to him by Bishop Williams, the Historian is strangely out again. It is possible an Ear-dropper might hear such things talk’d at Cock-pits and Dancing-schools, miserable Intelligence to thrust into an History …”

From: Scrinia Reserata a Memorial Offer’d to the Great Deservings of John Williams, D. D.
By John Hacket, a1670

Word of the Day: TAKY

ETYMOLOGY
from take (to catch the fancy or affection of; to excite a liking in; to captivate, delight, charm) + -y

EXAMPLE
“…Speaking thus, Mr. Blyth now proceeded to perform by one great effort those two difficult and delicate operations in art, technically described as “putting in taky touches, and bringing out bits of effect.” These arduous final processes, are, as all painters know, only to be accomplished through the medium of certain mystic bodily evolutions, …”

From: Hide and Seek,
By Wilkie Collins, Vol. I. 1854

Word of the Day: COCKYOLLY BIRD

ETYMOLOGY
probably from an extended form of cock (a mature male of the domestic chicken) + bird 

EXAMPLE
“…The artist’s occupation is gone henceforth, and the painter’s studio, like ‘all charms, must fly, at the mere touch of old philosophy.’ So Major Campbell prepares the charming little cockyoly birds, and I call the sun in to immortalize them. …”

From: Two Years Ago
By Charles Kingsley, 1857

Word of the Day: SACK-PANTS

ETYMOLOGY
from sack + pants

EXAMPLE
“…I left the brig at 10 ½ A.M. with but five dogs and a load so light as to be hardly felt. 
It required some suggestive incident to show us how we have gradually become assimilated in our habits to the necessities of our peculiar life. Such an incident I find in my equipment. Compare it with similar sledge outfits of last winter and you will see that we are more than half Esquimaux. It consists of —
1. One small sledge, five feet six by two.
2. An extra jumper and sack pants for sleeping.
3. A ball of raw walrus meat. This is all …”

From: Arctic Explorations:
The Second Grinnell Expedition
In Search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, ’54, ’55
Journey in Search of Hans. Tuesday Apr. 10.
By Elisha Kent Kane, 1856