Showing posts with label 1:XI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1:XI. Show all posts

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Nivel

Meaning: among other things, to wrinkle one's nose at someone or something.

Usefulness: 1 ("Don't nivel at me, young lady!" "In my day, there'd have been none of your nivel; we'd have loved a nice bit of brains, my word.")

Logofascination: 2 (I'm a little surprised that this died out; I can't think of another word for this particular movement. It should be pointed out that nivel can also cover grimaces, and may be related to snivelling, or to an old word for brow or forehead.)

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Unforgolden

Meaning: listed by the OED as unrequited, it turns out that this rather poetical word probably means 'unpaid'. I think Sir Thomas would appreciate that.

Usefulness: 1 (For sheer beauty; "we the unforgolden..." may well increase receipts if introduced to your debtor's statements.)

Logofascination: 1 (We're talking some old Anglo-Saxon language here; so old that I've had to find whole new websites to look it up, and having found them, am still not quite sure what the etymology is.)