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The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities
The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities: A Yearbook of Forgotten Words | Paul Anthony Jones
191 posts | 2 read | 1 reading | 10 to read
Paul Anthony Jones has unearthed a wealth of strange and forgotten words: illuminating some aspect of the day, or simply telling a cracking good yarn, each reveals a story. Written with a light touch that belies the depth of research it contains, this is both a fascinating compendium of etymology and a captivating historical miscellany.
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keithmalek

September 2
ucalegon (n.) A neighbor whose house is on fire

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keithmalek

September 1
sceptredom (n.) The reign of a king, royal power or sovereignty

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keithmalek

August 31
intershock (v.) To collide, to hit or strike together

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keithmalek

August 30
anabiosis (n.) A revival, a coming back to life.

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keithmalek

August 27
escaramouche (n.) A brief skirmish or fit of anger.

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keithmalek

August 26
viaticated (adj.) Fully prepared for a journey

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keithmalek

August 23
consanguinate (v.) To sympathize, to have an affinity with or fondness for.

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keithmalek

August 22
desulture (n.) The act of vaulting from one horse to another.

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keithmalek

August 21
cyllenian (adj.) Pertaining to theft or thieving

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keithmalek

August 15
circumduction (n.) a longwinded, roundabout route or course of action

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keithmalek

August 12
jeopard (v.) to stake a bet

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keithmalek

August 8
climb-tack (n.)-- a cat that likes to walk on shelves.

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keithmalek

August 5
Proteusian (adj.) able to change shape at will; variable, inconstant.

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keithmalek

July 29
denary (n.) a group of ten

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keithmalek

July 26
Sardoodledom (n.) well-made but contrived or trivial works for theater.

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keithmalek

July 25
siderodromophobia (n.) the fear of rail travel.

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keithmalek

July 21
pelmatogram (n.) a footprint

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keithmalek

July 17
steganogram (n.) a coded text or message

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keithmalek

July 16
basiate (v.) to kiss
Derived from a Latin word for a kiss on the hand, to basiate is to kiss. To suaviate is also to kiss, a term derived from suavis, a Latin word meaning 'sweet,' and to osculate or to deosculate is also to kiss, both of which come from a Latin word for 'kiss,' osculum, that literally means 'little mouth.'

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keithmalek

July 10
lawrence (n.) A shimmering heat haze.

As well as being a boy's name, a lawrence is also a heat haze--the shimmering, undulating appearance of the air above a hot surface.

Suet624 I never knew that! 2mo
5 likes1 comment
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keithmalek

July 5
paw-paw (adj.)-- Immoral, obscene

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keithmalek

July 4
Monadnock (n.) An isolated hill or mountain

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keithmalek

July 3
Cosmognosis (n.)-- The natural instinct that tells a creature when to migrate.

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keithmalek

July 2
Meditullium (n.) The absolute middle or core of something.

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keithmalek

June 30
Transpontine (adj.) Located on the opposite side of a bridge.

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keithmalek

June 29
Scathefire (n.) A vast, destructive conflagration

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keithmalek

June 27
Mavortian (adj.) Warlike, martial.

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keithmalek

June 25
Decapulate (v.) To pour a liquid from one vessel into another.

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keithmalek

June 17
Gaping-stock (n.) Someone or something being stared at by a crowd.

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keithmalek

June 11
Abscotchalater (n.) Someone hiding from the police.

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keithmalek

June 10
Sheep-biting (n.) Treacherous, underhand behavior.

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keithmalek

June 9
Curfuggle (n.) A confused mess; disorder, disarray.

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keithmalek

June 7
Wunderkammer (n.) A collection of oddities; a room set aside for just such a collection.

TheSpineView Love this word! 3mo
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keithmalek

June 8
Boothale (v)-- To pillage or plunder.

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keithmalek

Extra-foraneous (adj.) --Outdoor

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keithmalek

June 4
Anaphora (n.) A figure of speech that repeats a sequence of words at the start of successive clauses.

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keithmalek

June 3
Morganatic (adj.)-- Designating a marriage between two people of unequal social rank.

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keithmalek

June 2
Vespering (adj.)-- Flying westwards, heading towards sunset.

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keithmalek

May 29
Transnivean (adj.)- Located beyond the snows, beyond snow-capped mountains.

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keithmalek

May 23
dimber-damber (n) The leader of a gang of criminals.

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keithmalek

May 22
three-pipe(adj.)-- extremely complex, requiring much thought.

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keithmalek

May 19
Spousebreach: (n) Adultery.

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keithmalek

May 16
Premiation (n.)- A prize-giving, the act of bestowing a reward. To premiate, likewise, is to bestow or award a prize, while something that is premiable is deserving of just such a reward.

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keithmalek
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TheSpineView That's an excellent word for #WeirdWordWednesday @CBee 4mo
7 likes1 comment
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