logy

Pronounced: LOW-gee, adj

Notes: I’m not sure why such a short, useful word is not better known

Yesterday’s word

The word rowel, as a verb means “to prick; to vex”. As a noun, it is the small spiked wheel on the end of a spur attached behind the shoes of a horse rider. They are used to goad a horse.

Background / Comments

It is pretty straightforward; this word came from Old French roele, which came from Latin rotella (small wheel). Not being familiar with all of the equipment used in horse riding, I thought that rowels were the spurs.

First usage

The word came into English in the late 1200s

rowel

Pronounced: ROU-uhl, noun/verb

Notes: Some people may know this word

Yesterday’s word

The word argosy means

  • a large ship; especially a large merchant ship
  • a rich supply
Background / Comments

Although it looks like it, argosy is not related to argonaut. Argosy comes from Ragusa, which is the Italian name for the city which is not Dubrovnik in Croatia. Over time, Ragusa mutated into ragusea, the word for the laden merchant ships that sailed from Ragusa. As time went on the spelling changed to argosy. In addition, as is the case with many words, the meaning broadened to mean any merchant vessel or rich store.

First usage

The word came into English in the late 1500s

argosy

Pronounced: ARE-guh-see, noun

Notes: I had no idea of the meaning of this word

Yesterday’s word

The word cutpurse means “a thief, especially one who steals from people’s pockets”

Background / Comments

Before clothing had pockets, people carried their money in a pouch (purse) that hung from a girdle (a belt, cord, sash, or the like worn about the waist). A thief would cut off the purse: hence, “cutpurse”. Eventually, pouches were sewn onto one’s clothing and called “pockets”, and the word evolved into “pickpocket”. I seem to recall reading of cutpurses in books set in the pre-pocket days. Incidentally, there is also a word “pickpurse”.

First usage

The word came into usage in the mid 1300s. For comparison, pickpocket showed up in the late 1500s and pickpurse showed up in the late 1300s.

cutpurse

Pronounced: CUT-purse, noun

Notes: If you watch shows set in the past, you may know this one

Yesterday’s word

The word rapporteur means “a person who gives reports (as at a meeting of a learned society)

Background / Comments

To me, this word is just a fancy one for “secretary”. As you may expect, this word comes from French; specifically, from the Middle French word rapporter (to bring back, report, or refer). A more common descendant from this word is rapport.

First usage

This word entered the language in the early 1500s

rapporteur

Pronounced: ra-pour-TUHR, noun

Notes: This seems to be a fancy word for which we have a simpler one

Yesterday’s word

The word scapegrace means “a scoundrel; a mischievous person”

Background / Comments

This word was coined to describe a person who had “escaped” the “grace” of God.

First usage

This word showed up in the early 1800s

scapegrace

Pronounced: SKAPE-grace, noun

Notes: You may be able to guess the meaning (if you don’t know it)

Yesterday’s word

The word transpontine means “situated on the farther side of a bridge”. This word also has a British meaning “situated on the south side of the Thames”.

Background / Comments

The word comes from trans- (across) and Latin pons (bridge) — and the bridge was any London bridge that crossed the Thames. Originally, usage referred to the less respectable theaters on the south side of the Thames. The more respectable north side of the river was the cispontine, meaning “situated on the North side of the Thames”. As the usage of these words spread, the meaning became more generalized to the far side/near side meanings.

First usage

This word came into usage in the mid-1800s.

transpontine

Pronounced: tran(t)s-PAHN-tine, adj

Notes: This is an interesting word (in addition to the regular meaning, there is a British meaning)

Yesterday’s word

The word catchpenny means, as a noun, “something that’s designed to sell quickly”. As an adjective, it means “relating to something designed to sell quickly: cheap, flashy, or sensationalistic”

Background / Comments

I thought that this word referred to a miser or miserly. It is a shortening of the phrase “catch a penny”. It is another tosspot word.

First usage

This word began to be used in the mid-1700s

catchpenny

Pronounced: KATCH-pen-ee, adj/noun

Notes: I had the meaning of this word confused

Yesterday’s word

The word brackish has a couple of meanings:

  • somewhat salty
  • Not appealing to the taste; repulsive
Background / Comments

I knew that brackish meant “somewhat salty”, but I was unaware of the “repulsive” definition. The word comes from the Dutch word brak (salty). This was the original meaning of the word; because salt water is undrinkable, the idea of distasteful arose over time.

First usage

This word showed up in the 1500s.

brackish

Pronounced: BRAH-kish, adj

Notes: I knew one meaning, and was unaware of the others, so I included it

Yesterday’s word

The word jerkwater means “remote, unimportant, or small”

Background / Comments

Back in the days of steam locomotives, they needed frequent refills of water. The train would make water stops near streams and lakes and haul water up to the boiler. These trains were called jerkwaters from jerking water in buckets. The stops were often in remote, insignificant areas, and the word spread to describe towns around these areas — the phrase ‘jerkwater town’ is what I remember from western shows. However, the adjective can be applied to anything small, insignificant, backward, or inferior. Note that jerkwater is a tosspot word.

First usage

The word began to be used in the late 1800s

jerkwater

Pronounced: JERK-wah-tuhr, adj

Notes: I recognized this word from westerns, but my understanding of the definition was a bit off

Yesterday’s word

The word smashmouth means “characterized by brute force without finesse”

Background / Comments

I’ve heard this word used to describe physical, hard-hitting football, and that was indeed how it started. It has since spread to other contact sports. It is sometimes used to describe politics (at least in the United States).

First usage

This word is relatively new; it showed up in the 1980s.