Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Convince
To convict; to prove guilty of.
"O seek not to convince me of a crime,
Which I can ne'er repent, nor can you pardon"
Dryden
"O seek not to convince me of a crime,
Which I can ne'er repent, nor can you pardon"
Dryden
Monday, November 23, 2009
Mucker
To mucker:
To scramble for money; to hoard up; to get or save meanly: a word used by Chaucer, and still retained in conversation
To scramble for money; to hoard up; to get or save meanly: a word used by Chaucer, and still retained in conversation
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Expletive
Something used only to take up room; something of which the use is only to prevent a vacancy.
"Oft the ear the open vowels tire, While expletives their feeble aid do join."
Pope: Essay on Criticism
"Oft the ear the open vowels tire, While expletives their feeble aid do join."
Pope: Essay on Criticism
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Lown
A scoundrel; a rascal:
"King Stephen was a worthy peer,
His breeches cost him but a crown,
He thought them six pence all too dear,
And therefore call'd the taylor lown".
-Shakespear
"King Stephen was a worthy peer,
His breeches cost him but a crown,
He thought them six pence all too dear,
And therefore call'd the taylor lown".
-Shakespear
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Bear-Garden
A word used in familiar or low phrase for rude or turbulent: as, a bear-garden fellow; that is, a man rude enough to be a proper frequenter of the bear-garden. Bear-garden sport, is used for gross inelegant entertainment.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Craber
The poor fish have enemies enough, besides such unnatural fisherman; as otters, the cormorant, and the craber, which some call the water-rat.
Walton's Angler
Walton's Angler
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fatigate
to fatigate:
To weary; to fatigue; to tire; to exhaust with labour; to oppress with lassitude
To weary; to fatigue; to tire; to exhaust with labour; to oppress with lassitude
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Case
In ludicrous language, a condition with regard to leanness, or health.
"For if the sire be faint, or out of case,
He will be copy'd in his famish'd race"
Dryden's Virgil.
"For if the sire be faint, or out of case,
He will be copy'd in his famish'd race"
Dryden's Virgil.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Conundrum
A low jest; a quibble; a mean conceit: a cant word.
"Mean time he smoaks, and laughs at a merry tale,
Or pun ambiguous, or conundrum quaint.
-Phillips
"Mean time he smoaks, and laughs at a merry tale,
Or pun ambiguous, or conundrum quaint.
-Phillips
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Stickle
(1) To take part with one side or other.
(2) To contest; to altercate; to contend rather with obstinancy than vehemence.
(3)To trim; to play fast and loose; to act a part between opposites.
(2) To contest; to altercate; to contend rather with obstinancy than vehemence.
(3)To trim; to play fast and loose; to act a part between opposites.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Demure
Grave; affectedly modest: it is now generally taken in a sense of contempt.
"So cat, transfrom'd, sat gravely and demure
"Till mouse appear'd, and thought himself secure.
-Dryden
"So cat, transfrom'd, sat gravely and demure
"Till mouse appear'd, and thought himself secure.
-Dryden
Monday, November 2, 2009
Cant:
(1) A corrupt dialect used by beggars and vagabonds.
(2) A particular form of speaking peculiar to some certain class or body of men.
"I write not always in the proper terms of navigation, land service, or in the cant of any profession.
-Dryden.
(3) A whining pretension to goodness, in formal and affected terms.
(4) Barbarous jargon.
(5) Auction.
(2) A particular form of speaking peculiar to some certain class or body of men.
"I write not always in the proper terms of navigation, land service, or in the cant of any profession.
-Dryden.
(3) A whining pretension to goodness, in formal and affected terms.
(4) Barbarous jargon.
(5) Auction.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Bilingsgate
(A cant word, borrowed from Bilingsgate in London, a place where there is always a crowd of low people, and frequent brawls and foul language.) Ribaldry; foul language.
"There stript, fair rhet'rick languish'd on the ground, and shameful bilingsgate her robes adorn."
-Dunciad b. iv.
"There stript, fair rhet'rick languish'd on the ground, and shameful bilingsgate her robes adorn."
-Dunciad b. iv.
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