From The Dictionary of English Etymology, 2nd ed., by Hensleigh Wedgwood (1872) -- Hugger-mugger or hodermoder or hudgemudge are "adverbial expressions applied to what is done in a concealed or clandestine manner."
I am almost as intrigued by the name Hensleigh as I am by the expressions!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sozzled
What a great word! According to the OED, it means very drunk.
Charles Harrington Elster, in his book What in the Word, lists quite a few synonyms for drunk including, "back teeth afloat," "amiably incandescent," and "iced to the eyebrows."
Charles Harrington Elster, in his book What in the Word, lists quite a few synonyms for drunk including, "back teeth afloat," "amiably incandescent," and "iced to the eyebrows."
Scotch marriage
This phrase intrigues me. According to James M Dixon in Dictionary of Idiomatic English Phrases (1891), a Scotch marriage is an irregular marriage.
What marriage isn't irregular?
Okay, further research seems to indicate that all that was required for a Scotch marriage was for both parties to agree that they are married.
What marriage isn't irregular?
Okay, further research seems to indicate that all that was required for a Scotch marriage was for both parties to agree that they are married.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Ichor
The mineral in gods' and godesses' blood. "He believed he had ichor flowing through his veins."
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Attic Salt
Wit or refined pleasantry. "Triumph swam in my father's eyes at the repartee -- the Attic salt brought water into them."
Dictionary of Idiomatic English Phrases, James Main Dixon, 1891.
Dictionary of Idiomatic English Phrases, James Main Dixon, 1891.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Favorite definition
Several years ago I looked up the word "dilemma" in the Oxford English Dictionary. One of the definitions I found was "a ticklish plight."
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
What the dickens is Doozandazzy?
In the book, Informal English, by Jeffrey Kacirk, the word "doozandazzy" is defined as "Something, the name of which cannot be readily recalled." I'm not sure why I picked that name, but it seemed to fit. I tried a bunch of other names: "What in the dickens?" "moonglade" "izickity." None really struck a chord. I have a feeling a lot of I will post here is about words and phrases we don't use very much anymore. They fascinate me.
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