Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: gad-ZOO-kuh-ree, noun Notes: I’ve not run across this word Yesterday’s word The word yerk means, as a verb, “to rise, stir, strike, whip, pull, kick… and so on”. As a noun it means “a sudden movement, kick, jerk, stab, etc” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / CommentsContinue reading “gadzookery”

Pronounced: yuhrk, verb/noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word Yesterday’s word The word hackle means First usage Our word came into English in the first half of the 1400s Background / Comments Like you, I was aware of the phrase “raise one’s hackles”, said of people. This usage is figurative; a personContinue reading “yerk”

Pronounced: HAH-kuhl, noun Notes: I knew one definition (you probably do, too), but one was not known to me Yesterday’s word The word bacchant means “a boisterous reveler” First usage Our word came into English in the very late 1600 Background / Comments Even though it was the third pronunciation, it is how I wouldContinue reading “hackle”

Pronounced: buh-KANT (alt-1: buh-KAHNT; alt-2: BAK-uhnt) Notes: I didn’t quite define this word properly, but I was a bit close Yesterday’s word The word picaresque means “of or relating to rogues, rascals, or roguish protagonists” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments Our word comes from the SpanishContinue reading “bacchant”

Pronounced: pih-kuh-RESK, adj Notes: A neat word, unknown to me Yesterday’s word The word autolycan means “characterized by thievery or trickery” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments The reason I said that I was surprised that I didn’t know our word was that while in school, IContinue reading “picaresque”

Pronounced: ah-TAHL-uh-kuhn, adj Notes: I’m a little surprised that this word was new to me Yesterday’s word The word misbegotten means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments The only definition I knew was the third one; I have a faint memory of hearing it used in some old-timeContinue reading “autolycan”

Pronounced: miss-bih-GAH-tuhn, adj Notes: I knew one of the definitions, but not all of them Yesterday’s word The word welter, as a noun, means As a verb, it means First usage Our word came into English in the very early 1400s Background / Comments Our word came from the Middle Dutch word welteren; possibly fromContinue reading “misbegotten”

Pronounced: WELL-tuhr, noun/verb Notes: I was thinking of “welt” (and that was incorrect) Yesterday’s word The word bumbershoot means “umbrella” (as you may know) First usage Our word came into English in the very late 1800s Background / Comments When I saw this word, the UK came to mind; possibly because they have several nicknamesContinue reading “welter”

Pronounced: BUM-ber-shoot, noun Notes: I knew this word, but it has an interesting background. Do you know the word? Yesterday’s word The word megrim can mean First usage Our word is quite old; coming into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments Our word is another one that was created in error; when we tookContinue reading “bumbershoot”

Pronounced: ME-grim, noun Notes: Not a word I’ve heard Yesterday’s word The word Argus is a First usage I could not find information about when this word came into English Background / Comments As I noted yesterday, our word was a marginal case. I was aware of the Argus from Greek mythology, but I wasn’tContinue reading “megrim”