It’s not often that a book sends me to the dictionary these days – possibly because I don’t have all that much free time to read, but that’s beside the point. The point is that a few days ago, a mere 438-page volume had me reaching for my laptop no less than 26 times. Then I figured if I was going to be learning, so were you, and now here we are. (Side note: I had a good idea of what most all of these words were, just by context, but they intrigued me enough to want to know more. Others, like #3, I knew but wanted to know their etymology.)
1. Leat – an artificial watercourse or aqueduct dug into the ground, especially one supplying water to a watermill or its pond
2. Chandler - a person or shop/store that sells equipment for ships; maker or seller of candles
3. Vicar - a person acting as a representative for a superior; usually used to refer to a parish priest
(Note: I knew the meaning of this, but wondered from when & where it originated. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it was first used around the year 1300 and comes from Old French.)
4. Falderal - nonsense refrain in songs (circa 1701)
5. Reticule - a drawstring handbag or purse
6. Ducking chair – a strong wooden chair attached to a seesaw in which a person was placed for the purpose of being submerged in a body of water for punishment; a variation on a cucking stool
7. Pillory – from 1274; a punishment device made of wooden or metal framework on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, similar to the stocks
8. Mercenary – from 14th century; one who works only for hire or pay
(I knew this one as well, but the context in which it was used made me wonder if there was an alternate meaning. If so, I haven’t found one.)
9. Comfits – sugarplums; from around 1334, from the Old French word confite, which was taken from the Latin confectum, meaning confection
10. Wricked – twisted, turned; sprained; or a painful spasm especially in the neck or back
11. Livery – a household allowance of any kind to retainers or servants
(Most historical books use this term to refer to a stable or place of business where one could rent or board a horse, buggy, or carriage. I find it interesting how that meaning evolved from the original meaning.)
12. Grotty - slang used mostly in British as a shortened form of grotesque
13. Paragon - from 1548; a model or pattern of excellence; (again, the etymology is interesting)
14. Battledore - a small racquet used with a shuttlecock to play a game similar to modern badminton
(Personally, I think “battledore” is so much cooler-sounding than “racquet.”)
15. Dotage - circa 1300; originally referred to all sorts of mental impairment, but in the late 14th century began to refer mainly to senility or mental issues related to old age
16. Patrician - a noun used to refer to a member of the ancient Roman noble order; most of the uses I’ve seen use it as an adjective, usually referring to a person’s features (e.g., “a patrician nose”) and is meant as a compliment to say that the person’s looks are noble or aristocratic
17. Abigail – a proper name from the Old Testament; used as a common noun to refer to a lady’s maid or handmaid, apparently based on a character from a play in the early 1600s
18. Syllabub - a traditional English dessert usually made from rich milk or cream seasoned with sugar and lightly curdled with wine or cider
19. Widgeon - a type of migratory wild duck; uncertain origin
20. Tippet – from what I can tell, a sort of shawl; “a covering for the shoulders, with long ends that hang in front”
21. Pelisse – a specific sort of military jacket, later used as inspiration for long, fitted coats for women
22. Primrose – from prima rosa, meaning “first rose,” because it blooms early in the spring
(I knew what a primrose was, but wondered how it got its name.)
23. Fichu - from 1803 meaning “carelessly thrown on”; later used in the 18th century as a noun to refer to a large, square kerchief worn to fill in the low neckline of a bodice
24. Bombazine - a fabric originally made of silk or silk and wool, but now also made from cotton and wool, or just wool; prior to the 20th century, black bombazine was considered appropriate for a woman in mourning, when she would wear only black for a period of up to 4 years after the death of a loved one or relative (or a loved one who was also a relative, or a relative who was also a loved one)
25. Fowling piece – a shotgun
26. Vociferously - manner of speaking characterized with shouting, yelling, or great energy & determination (it appears to be closely related to vehemently)