[‘ As an exhortation: ‘be quiet’, ‘be of few words’, ‘enough said’. Cf. palabra n.'] Forms: 16 *pacus palabros*, 16 *paucas pallabris*, 16 *paucos palabros*, 16 18 *pocas palabras*, 18 *paucas palabras*. Etymology: < Spanish /pocas palabras/, lit. ‘few words’ (first half of the 13th cent.) < /pocas/, feminine plural of poco (end of the 11th cent.; < classical Latin /paucus/ few (see pauci- comb. form)) + the plural of /palabra/ palabra n.
[‘ Belief in things beyond the certain and verifiable.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈɑːbəɡlaʊbə/, U.S. /ˈɑbərˌɡlaʊbə/ Etymology: < German /Aberglaube/ (13th or 14th cent. in Middle High German) < Middle High German /aber/ again, but (in compounds expressing opposition or falsity; originally a comparative of ab: see of prep.) + gloube belief (see belief n.). Not fully naturalized in English. Belief in things beyond the certain and verifiable. [1873 M. Arnold /Lit.
[‘ The condition of being overshadowed or darkened; a darkening or blacking-out; shade or gloom.'] Etymology: < post-classical Latin /obtenebration-, /obtenebratio obscuration, darkening (5th cent.) < /obtenebrat-, past participial stem of /obtenebrare/ obtenebrate v. + /-io/ -ion suffix1. Compare Middle French /obtenebration (16th cent.). Compare later /tenebration/ n. at tenebrate adj. Derivatives. /Obs./ The condition of being overshadowed or darkened; a darkening or blacking-out; shade or gloom. 1626 Bacon /Sylua Syluarum/ §725 In every Megrim, or Vertigo, there is an Obtenebration joyned with a Semblance of Turning Round.
*Pronunciation:* ˈtmiːsɪs Forms:* (Also 15 *timesis.) *Etymology:* < Greek τμῆσις a cutting, from verbal ablaut series τεμ-, τομ-, τμ- to cut. Grammar and Rhetoric. The separation of the elements of a compound word by the interposition of another word or words. (Often a reversion to the earlier uncompounded structure.) 1592 A. Day Eng. Secretorie ii. sig. N2v, Tmesis or Diacope, a diuision of a word compound into two partes, as: What might be soeuer vnto a man pleasing,.
[‘ Of a maze or labyrinth: having more than one possible route between the centre and the outside. Also fig.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌmʌltɪˈkəːsl/, U.S. /ˌməltiˈkərs(ə)l/; see also multi- comb. form. Etymology: < multi- comb. form + -cursal (in unicursal adj. and n.). Compare earlier bicursal adj. Of a maze or labyrinth: having more than one possible route between the centre and the outside. Also fig. 1922 W. H. Matthews /Mazes & Labyrinths/ xxi.
[‘ A difficult or disagreeable person, esp. a child. Sometimes used as a scolding term of reproach. (In quots. only from the writings of Dylan Thomas.) Cf. pig n.1 5.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmʊxɪn/, ˈmʊkɪn, U.S. /ˈmʊkən/, Welsh English /ˈmʊxɪn/ Inflections: Plural *moochins*, unchanged. Forms: 19– *moochin*, 19– *mwchin*. Etymology:Alteration of Welsh /mochyn/ pig, greedy or immoral person (1595), singulative form < collective plural moch pigs (also in Old Welsh) < a Celtic base ( > Early Irish /mucc/, Breton /moc’h/, etc.
[‘ Money, cash.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈuːftɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈuftɪʃ/ Forms: 18 *ouftish*, 18– *ooftish*. Etymology:Apparently an alteration of Yiddish /afn tish/ (perhaps with regional pronunciation of- or ōf-) in gelt afn tish money on the table < /gelt/ gelt n.2 + af on, on to ( < Middle High German /uf/, ouf: see up prep.1) + -n, oblique form of definite article + tish table ( < Middle High German /tisch/: see dish n.
It’s been said that puns are the lowest form of humor. I beg to differ.
[‘ Of earth or (later chiefly) an item of food, esp. cheese: crumbly, friable. Also: composed of crumbly earth.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈməːli/, U.S. /ˈmərli/, Sc. /ˈmʌrli/ Forms: 16 18– *murly*, 19– *murlie*. Etymology: < murl v. + -y suffix1. Now Sc. Of earth or (later chiefly) an item of food, esp. cheese: crumbly, friable. Also: composed of crumbly earth. 1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault /Maison Rustique/ iii.
[‘ Able or ready to do anything. Also (occas.): (derogatory) meddling.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /panˈəːdʒɪk/, U.S. /pænˈərdʒɪk/ Etymology: < ancient Greek /πανοῦργος/ ready to do anything, knavish ( < /παν-* pan- comb. form + /ἔργον* work: see erg n.1) + -ic suffix, perhaps after Panurgic adj.1 Compare earlier panurgy n. Able or ready to do anything. Also (occas.): (derogatory) meddling. 1873 J. Morley /Rousseau/ I. 291 Rousseau bade..the panurgic one to attend to his own affairs.