[‘ /Eng. regional/ (Staffs. and Shropshire). A person who strikes or hits; spec. one formerly employed to strike inattentive members of a church congregation with a rod. Now hist.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈnɒbl̩ə/, ˈnɒblə, U.S. /ˈnɑb(ə)lər/ Forms: see nobble v. and -er suffix1. Etymology: < nobble v. + -er suffix1; in sense 2 with allusion to the intoxicating effect of the drink. *I.* A person that hits; something used for hitting.
[‘ A machine designed to fly by means of artificial flapping wings. Cf. earlier orthopter n.1’] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈɔːnᵻθɒptər/, ˌɔːnᵻˈθɒptər, U.S. /ˈɔrnəθɑptər/, ˈɔrnəθɑpdər Forms: 19 *ornithoptere* /rare/, 19– *ornithopter*. Etymology: < ornitho- comb. form + -pter comb. form, after French ornithoptère (first used in this sense by P. Renard 1908, in L’Aérophile 15 Jan. 35). Compare earlier orthopter n.1 The French word was intended to replace orthoptère/ orthopter n.1 because of the latter’s etymological inappropriateness and its homonymy with the entomological term orthopter n.
[‘ Presence in more than one place at the same time; spec. as an attribute of saints.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌplʊərɪˈprɛzns/, ˌplɔːrɪˈprɛzns, U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈprɛz(ə)ns/ Etymology: < pluri- comb. form + presence n., after omnipresence n. Now rare. Presence in more than one place at the same time; spec. as an attribute of saints. 1791 J. Boswell /Life Johnson/ anno 1773 I. 419 A. Toplady: ‘Does not their invocation of saints suppose omnipresence in the saints?
[‘ In classical tragedy (and hence in other forms of drama, fiction, etc.): a point in the plot at which a sudden reversal occurs. In extended use: a sudden or dramatic change; a crisis.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌpɛrᵻpᵻˈtʌɪə/, ˌpɛrᵻpᵻˈtɪə, U.S. /ˌpɛrəpəˈti(j)ə/, ˌpɛrəpəˈtaɪə Forms: 15– *peripetia*, 17 *peripaetia* /irreg./, 17 *peripatia* /irreg./, 17 *peripeitia* /irreg./, 17– *peripeteia*. Etymology: < post-classical Latin /peripetia/ a turn right about, a sudden change (a/1540), especially that on which the plot of a tragedy hinges (1579) and its etymon ancient Greek /περιπέτεια (Aristotle) < /περιπετής/ changing or turning suddenly ( < /περι-* peri- prefix + /πετ-*, stem of *πίπτειν* to fall (see ptosis n.
[‘ A coward, a villain; a person who breaks the law or a code of honour; an outlaw.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈnʌɪðɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈnaɪðɪŋ/ Forms: OE–eME *niðing*, lOE–ME 16– *nithing*, eME *niþinc*, eME *niþincke*, ME *niþing*, ME *niþinge*, ME *nythyng*, ME *nythynge*, ME *nyþing*, ME *nyþyng*, ME 19– *nything*. Etymology: < early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic /níðingr/, Old Norwegian /níðingr/ (Norwegian /niding/), Old Swedish /nīþinger/ (Swedish /niding/), Danish /nidding/) < the Scandinavian base of Old Icelandic /níð/ nithe n.
[‘ A song or poem written in celebration of a (forthcoming) wedding.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌprəʊθəˈleɪmɪəm/, U.S. /ˌproʊθəˈleɪmiəm/ Forms: 15– *prothalamion*, 17 19– *prothalamium*. Etymology: < pro- prefix2 + -thalamion (in epithalamion, variant of epithalamium n.). Apparently coined by Spenser (see quot. 15971), to denote a piece written in celebration of a forthcoming wedding. In subsequent use the sense is apparently sometimes extended to denote any piece written in celebration of a wedding.
[‘ The action or fact of breaking out afresh; a recurrence of a disease or medical condition, or of an undesirable state of things, bad feelings, etc., esp. after a period of quiescence or remission.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsns/, ˌrɛkruːˈdɛsns, U.S. /ˌrikruˈdɛs(ə)ns/ Etymology: < post-classical Latin /recrudescentia/ (1660 or earlier) < classical Latin /recrūdēscent-, /recrūdēscēns, present participle of recrūdēscere/ recrudesce v. + /-ia/ -ia suffix1: see -ence suffix. Compare French /recrudescence (1810 of an illness; 1834 in extended use).
[‘ /trans./ To blunt, deaden, dull the sensation of; to deprive of sharpness or vigour.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /əbˈtʌnd/, ɒbˈtʌnd, U.S. /ɑbˈtənd/ Forms: ME– *obtund*, 16 *obtunde*. Etymology: < classical Latin /obtundere/ to beat against, to blunt, deaden, to deafen < /ob-* ob- prefix + /tundere/ tund v. Compare French †/obtundre* (1611 in Cotgrave; earlier in Middle French as *obtondre* (1507)). Chiefly Med. /trans./ To blunt, deaden, dull the sensation of; to deprive of sharpness or vigour.
