Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: BOH-gart, verb Notes: I didn’t know this was a word (thus its inclusion), but you may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word pachydermatous means of or relating to the pachyderms thick; thickened callous; insensitive First usage This word came into usage in the early 1800s (maybe mid-1800s) Background / CommentsContinue reading “bogart”

Pronounced: pah-kih-DUHR-muh-tuhs, adj Notes: You may know one meaning, like I did, but there are other meanings, so I included it Yesterday’s word The word jackleg means, as an adjective “unskilled; unscrupulous; incompetent”. As a noun, it refers to an unskilled or unscrupulous worker First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s BackgroundContinue reading “pachydermatous”

Pronounced: JACK-leg, adj/noun Notes: I didn’t know this word Yesterday’s word The word compunctious means arising from remorse or regret feeling remorse or regret First usage The word came into being in the very late 1500s Background / Comments Shakespeare created this word for the play Macbeth. It was created from noun compunction, which cameContinue reading “jackleg”

Pronounced: kuhm-PUNG(k)-shus Notes: I knew of “compunction”, but not this word Yesterday’s word The word four-flusher means “a pretender, bluffer, or fraudster” First usage This word started to be used in the early 1900s Background / Comments The word comes from poker. A “flush” is five cards of the same suit. Someone who has fourContinue reading “compunctious”

Pronounced: FOUR-flush-uhr, noun Notes: I’ve run across this word in reading, but my meaning was bit off. In addition, I find the background to be interesting Yesterday’s word The word slumgullion is “a meat stew” First usage This word first showed up in the late-1800s, but see the background below Background / Comments The firstContinue reading “four-flusher”

Pronounced: SLUM-gull-yuhn, noun Notes: Yet again, a word I do not know Yesterday’s word The word wirepuller is “a person who manipulates or exerts control from behind the scenes” First usage This word showed up in the early 1800s Background / Comments I was thinking of some device that stretched (“pulled”) wires, but that’s notContinue reading “slumgullion”

Pronounced: WIRE-puller Notes: This wasn’t what I thought, but it makes sense Yesterday’s word The word bolide is “a large meteor : fireball; especially one that explodes” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments A very bright meteor often trails sparks and looks like a missile. Our word wasContinue reading “wirepuller”

Pronounced: BOH-lide, noun Notes: As with many of the words I post here, this word is unknown to me… but at least it is something we know Yesterday’s word The word highbinder is “a swindler, gangster, or a corrupt politician” First usage This word showed up in the early 1800s Background / Comments There wasContinue reading “bolide”

Pronounced: HIGH-bine-duhr, noun Notes: Interesting etymology for this one Yesterday’s word The word fomite means “an object (for example, a dish or article of clothing) that may be contaminated with infectious organisms and serve in their transmission. First usage This word came into usage in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word is back-formation ofContinue reading “highbinder”

Pronounced: FOH-mite, noun Notes: A word I don’t know, but with an interesting background Yesterday’s word The word snollygoster is “a shrewd, unprincipled person” First usage This word goes back to the mid-1800s Background / Comments This is kind of a fun word to say; I may start using it for other drivers that doContinue reading “fomite”