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Monday, May 18, 2015

OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 008

Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:

Snuff-dipping - A mode of taking tobacco practiced  by some of the lower class of women in the United States, consisting of dipping a brush among snuff and rubbing the teeth and gums with it.

Primovant - In ancient astronomy, that sphere which was supposed to carry the fixed stars in their daily motions, to which all the other orbs were attached.

Celibatist - A person who is unmarried.

Hungerslain -  Having a famished appearance. The term is freely applied where circumstances hardly warrant it, as in the case of a family who occupy a large residence without having the means to provide suitable attendance.

Clapperclaw - to jangle and claw each other about. (from Dutch & German klappen, to strike.

- To tongue-beat, to scold.

- To scratch, maul, fight in an unskillful manner; generally used of women . . . Hence, clapperclaw, a noisy woman.

- A man having his face scratched by his wife is said to be "clapper-claad."

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