the end of an era (the 1300’s) friends, i knew this day would eventually come and though i have been preparing for it mentally these last 5 weeks, nothing could brace me for the anguish i felt upon awakening this morning knowing that the archaic and provincial f-words series would soon meet its bitter end. i briefly considered word-blogging archaic e-words, but that seemed kinda arbitrary (plus: words that begin with e are lame). [part the final: FOX-IN-THE-HOLE to FYLLOK] FOX-IN-THE-HOLE. A type of game where boys hopped on one leg and beat one another with or pieces of leather tied at the end of strings FOXY. Said of beer which has not fermented properly FRAME-PERSON. A visitor whom it is thought requisite to receive ceremoniously FRAM-WARD. In an opposite direction FRANCH. To scrunch with the teeth FRAZE. Half a quarter of a sheet of paper FREAMING. Said of the noise a boar makes in rutting time FREE-MARTIN. If a cow has twin calves of different sexes, the female is termed a free martin, and is said never to breed FRENCHMAN. Any man of any country that cannot speak English FRESCADES. Cool refreshments FRIMICATE. To affect delicacy; to give one’s self airs about trifles FRIPPERY. An old clothes shop FRODMORTELL. A free pardon for murder or manslaughter FROSLING. Any thing as a plant or animal nipped or injured by frost FRUITESTERE. A female seller of fruit FUCKWIND. A species of hawk FUDDLE. To intoxicate fish FUDGEL. An awkward child FUGLEMAN. A person who directs the cheering of a crowd or mob FULLAMS. False dice. There are high fullams and low fullams to denote loaded on the high or low number FULLOCK. To jerk the hand unlawfully FURCHURE. The place where the thighs part FYLLOK. A wanton girl now, if you will allow me a moment to vent my despair, i will excuse myself to a public place and fullock like a chronic masturbator on a benzedrine bender.

the end of an era (the 1300’s)

friends, i knew this day would eventually come and though i have been preparing for it mentally these last 5 weeks, nothing could brace me for the anguish i felt upon awakening this morning knowing that the archaic and provincial f-words series would soon meet its bitter end. i briefly considered word-blogging archaic e-words, but that seemed kinda arbitrary (plus: words that begin with e are lame).

[part the final: FOX-IN-THE-HOLE to FYLLOK]

  • FOX-IN-THE-HOLE. A type of game where boys hopped on one leg and beat one another with or pieces of leather tied at the end of strings
  • FOXY. Said of beer which has not fermented properly
  • FRAME-PERSON. A visitor whom it is thought requisite to receive ceremoniously
  • FRAM-WARD. In an opposite direction
  • FRANCH. To scrunch with the teeth
  • FRAZE. Half a quarter of a sheet of paper
  • FREAMING. Said of the noise a boar makes in rutting time
  • FREE-MARTIN. If a cow has twin calves of different sexes, the female is termed a free martin, and is said never to breed
  • FRENCHMAN. Any man of any country that cannot speak English
  • FRESCADES. Cool refreshments
  • FRIMICATE. To affect delicacy; to give one’s self airs about trifles
  • FRIPPERY. An old clothes shop
  • FRODMORTELL. A free pardon for murder or manslaughter
  • FROSLING. Any thing as a plant or animal nipped or injured by frost
  • FRUITESTERE. A female seller of fruit
  • FUCKWIND. A species of hawk
  • FUDDLE. To intoxicate fish
  • FUDGEL. An awkward child
  • FUGLEMAN. A person who directs the cheering of a crowd or mob
  • FULLAMS. False dice. There are high fullams and low fullams to denote loaded on the high or low number
  • FULLOCK. To jerk the hand unlawfully
  • FURCHURE. The place where the thighs part
  • FYLLOK. A wanton girl

now, if you will allow me a moment to vent my despair, i will excuse myself to a public place and fullock like a chronic masturbator on a benzedrine bender.

November 19, 2009
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tags
f-words ap f-words words lists mediæval esoterica

the penultimate edition

you know how when you are grinding down forks and your house becomes dirty with all that dust? well, there is a word for that.

also: you know how when you (or your nurse) are rolling around in bed having a grand old time and then you (or your nurse) realise that you accidentally squished some baby (it happens to the best of us)? well, there is a word for that as well.

[part the fourth: FLUTTERGRUB to FOURINGS]

  • FLUTTERGRUB. A field labourer
  • FLYABOSTIC. Outrageously showy as in dress
  • FNASTE. To breathe hard
  • FOAP. To comb back
  • FOLE-LARGE. Foolishly liberal
  • FOMBLITUDE. A weak comparison
  • FOOT-ALE. A fine of beer paid by a workman on entering a new place
  • FOREGANGER. One who goes before
  • FORK-DUST. The dust made in grinding forks
  • FORKELYD. Wrinkled with age
  • FORREL. The cover of a book
  • FOR-LY. To overlay and kill a child as a nurse or mother sometimes does accidentally
  • FOR-SLEUTHE. To lose through sloth; to be spoilt from lying idle
  • FOR-SNEYE. To do evil slyly
  • FOR-SONGEN. Tired with singing
  • FOR-SWAT. Covered with sweat
  • FOR-SWONK. Tired with labour
  • FOR-TEACH. To unteach
  • FOR-ȜODE. Lost, forgot, or omitted
  • FORTH-RIGHT. A straight or direct path
  • FOURINGS. An afternoon meal taken at 4 o’clock
November 12, 2009
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tags
esoterica f-words mediæval words ap f-words

more f-words from yesteryear

[part the third: FLAP-DRAGON to FLURT]

this week’s edition contains a mésalliance of both handy definitions (“a side of bacon”, “to laugh sarcastically”), balderdash™-style descriptions (“the person who puts the feather on an arrow”, “having a mouth like a flounder”), and suessian whimsy (flee flowns, flibberjibber, and flothery). enjoy:

  • FLAP-DRAGON. A small substance such as a plum or candle end set afloat in a cup of spirits and when set on fire, snatched by the mouth and swallowed. This was a common amusement in former times but is now nearly obsolete
  • FLAWPS. An awkward, noisy, untidy, and slovenly person
  • FLAZE. A smoky flame
  • FLEACHES. Portions into which timber is cut by the saw
  • FLEAMY. Clotted with blood
  • FLEE FLOWNS. The eggs of flies in meat
  • FLECK. a side of bacon
  • FLETCHER. An arrow maker. Properly the person who put on the feather
  • FLIBBERGIBBER. A lying knave
  • FLIGHT-SHOT. The distance a flight arrow would go, about a fifth part of a mile
  • FLIPPERING. Crying, weeping
  • FLIT. To move, especially at night to cheat the landlord
  • FLIZZEN. To laugh sarcastically
  • FLIZZOMS. Flying particles
  • FLOKE MOWTHEDE. Having a mouth like a flounder
  • FLOOD MARK. The mark which the sea at the highest tide makes on the shore
  • FLOP. the scrotum
  • FLOTHERY. Slovenly but attempting to be fine and showy
  • FLUMP. a heavy fall
  • FLURCH. A great quantity
  • FLURT. To snap the fingers derisively. Hence any satirical action or speech
November 4, 2009
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tags
ap f-words f-words lists words esoterica

[part the second: FERLY to FLAPDOODLE]

thus resumes the second part of my poolitzer-nominated series within a series of select f-words from this ferly dictionary:

  • FERLY. Wonderfully strange
  • FERNYERE. In former times
  • FEVER-LURDEN. The disease of idleness
  • FEZZON. To seize on—generally applied to the actions of a greedy ravenous eater
  • FILL DIKE. The month of February
  • FIMASHINGS. In hunting, the dung of any kind of wild beasts
  • FIPPLE. The under lip
  • FIRST FOOT. The name given to the first person who first enters a dwelling house on New Year’s day
  • FIRSUN. Furze or gorse
  • FISS BUTTOCKED SOW. A fat, coarse, vulgar, presuming woman
  • FIX. A lamb yeaned dead
  • FLACKET. A girl whose clothes hang loosely about her
  • FLAG. A flake of snow
  • FLANKER. A spark of fire
  • FLANTUM FLATHERUM PIEBALD DILL. A woman fantastically dressed with various colours
  • FLAPDOODLE. The stuff fools are said to nourished on
October 27, 2009
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tags
f-words words mediæval esoterica ap f-words days

provincial f-words from the 14th century

bros, i started the f-word series as a way of showcasing some choice morsels from specialised dictionaries. i chose words that start with f partly because of my infantile preoccupation with labiodental fricatives but also because enabling limits on my search meant that i would have more free time to hang out with my buddies at applebee’s and talk about witty hollister t-shirts. this system had been going swell until my good friend orson, dropped this onto my desk and my world shattered.

its full title is: a dictionary of arcahic and provincial words, obsolete phrases, proverbs, and ancient customs, from the fourteenth century (1850)—and it is worthy of a 5 part series within a series.

[part the first: FADGY to FELSH]

  • FADGY. Corpulent; unwieldy
  • FAEGANG. A gang of beggars
  • FAFF. To move violently
  • FAIR-TRO-DAYS. Daylight
  • FAITOUR. An idle lazy fellow; a scoundrel; a flatterer; Hence, a general term of reproach
  • FALDORE. A trap-door
  • FALLE. A mouse-trap
  • FALLINGS. Dropped fruit
  • FALLOWFORTH. A waterfall
  • FAMBLE. To stutter, or murmur inarticulately
  • FANGAST. Fit for marriage, said of a maid
  • FANOM-WATER. The acrimonious discharge from the sores of cattle
  • FANTICKLES. Freckles
  • FARAND. Used in composition for advancing towards, or being ready. Fighting farand: ready for fighting. Farand-man: a traveller or itinerant merchant
  • FARREL. The fourth part of a circular oatcake, the division being made by a cross
  • FARTHINGS. Flattened peas
  • FASGUNTIDE (1) Trouble; care; anxiety; fatigue (2) The tops of turnips
  • FASYL. A flaw in cloth
  • FEANT. A fool
  • FEATLET. Four pounds of butter
  • FEELDY. Grassy
  • FEER. to run a little way back for the better advantage of leaping forwards
  • FELSH. To renovate a hat
October 21, 2009
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tags
esoterica f-words linguistics mediæval oulipo words ap f-words