[‘ A country person; a yokel, a peasant.'] Etymology: < /Jobson/, considered as a typical surname of country people. Compare Hob n.1, Hodge n., hick n.1 In depreciative use perhaps sometimes associated with job n.2, job v.2 Compare the following earlier use of the surname, apparently in a generic or proverbial use (or with allusion to such use), collocated with the surname Hobson: 1594 W. Clerke /Triall of Bastardie/ vii. 62 Betweene the consanguines themselues, by this marriage, there is no affinitie contracted, more than was betweene Hobson and Iobson, by looking through a hedge when they spyed one another.

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[‘ The nape of the neck.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /njuːk/, U.S. /n(j)uk/ Etymology: < Middle French, French /nuque/ the nape of the neck (1546; earlier in sense ‘spinal cord’ (1377; attested earlier in this sense as /nuche/ nuche n.)) < post-classical Latin /nucha/ nucha n. Compare earlier nuche n., nuke n.1 N.E.D. (1907) gives the pronunciation as (n/ü/k) nyk.  *1.* The nape of the neck. 1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens /Niewe Herball/ ii.

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Forms:* α. 18 *psithurisma. β. 18 psithurism. *Etymology:* < Hellenistic Greek ψιθύρισμα (also ψιθυρισμός) (noun) whispering < ancient Greek ψιθυρίζειν to whisper (probably < ψίθυρος (adjective) whispering, slanderous, of uncertain origin + -ίζειν -ize suffix, although the adjective may be derived from the verb) + -ισμα (also -ισμός ) -ism suffix. N.E.D. (1909) gives the headword form as psithurism with the pronunciation as (psi·þiŭriz’m) ˈpsɪθjʊərɪz(ə)m . Obs. Whispering; a whispering noise.

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credit Cyanide and Happiness

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[‘ /trans./ To attack or oppose with words, action, influence, etc.; esp. to call into question, controvert, or dispute the truth or validity of (a statement, belief, argument, etc.). Now rare.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /əˈpjuːn/, U.S. /əˈpjun/ Forms: lME *opugne*, lME– *oppugn*, 15 *opponge*, 15–16 *oppugne*, 15–16 *oppung*, 16 *opugn*; also /Sc./ pre-17 *oppugne*, pre-17 *oppung*, pre-17 *oppungn*. Etymology: < Middle French, French †/oppugner/ to attack, assault (c/1372–4), to attack the truth of, to resist (Cotgrave 1611), and its etymon classical Latin /oppugnāre to oppose in speech or action, to attack, to fight against, assail, assault, besiege, (of a thing) to be opposed to, run contrary to, in post-classical Latin also to prevail upon (1578 in the passage translated in quot.

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[‘ /trans./ To account or call (a person, etc.) happy or blessed.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmakərʌɪz/, U.S. /ˈmækəraɪz/ Forms: 18– *macarise*, 18– *macarize*, 18– *makarize*. Etymology: < ancient Greek /μακαρίζειν/ < /μάκαρ/ blessed, fortunate (further etymology unknown) + /-ίζειν/ -ize suffix.  /rare/.  /trans./ To account or call (a person, etc.) happy or blessed. a/1818 R. Whately /Misc. Remains/ (1865) 9 A man is admired for what he /is, macarized for what he has, praised for what he does.

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[‘ Ignorant. Freq. with of.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈnɛsɪənt/, U.S. /ˈnɛʃ(i)ənt/, ˈnɛsiənt Forms: lME *nesciant*, 16 18– *nescient*. Etymology: < classical Latin /nescient-, /nesciēns, present participle of nescīre to be ignorant, not to know < /ne-/ not (see ne adv.1) + scīre to know (see science n.). Compare Anglo-Norman /nescient/ (first half of 13th cent.), Old French /nesciens/, nescient (/a/1227, in a single source).  *A.* adj.  *1.* Ignorant. Freq. with of.

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[‘ Esp. of a friend: best; favourite. Freq. in bezzie mate; cf. best friend n.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈbɛzi/, U.S. /ˈbɛzi/ Forms: 18– *bezzy*, 19– *bessie*, 19– *bessy*, 19– *bezzie*. Etymology: < /bes-/ (in best adj.) + -y suffix6. Compare bestie n.  /colloq./ (chiefly Eng. regional (esp. north-west.)).  *A.* adj.  Esp. of a friend: best; favourite. Freq. in bezzie mate; cf. best friend n. 1865 ‘A. Ward’ /Travels/ ii.

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[‘ Excessive self-esteem; overweening self-confidence; arrogance, presumption; conceit.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌuːtrəkwiːˈdɒ̃s/, U.S. /ˌutrəˌkwiˈdɑns/ Forms: lME *outrecuidaunce*, lME *vtterquidaunce*, lME–15 *oultrecuydance*, lME–15 *oultrecuydaunce*, lME–15 *oultrequydance*, lME–15 *outrequydance*, 15 *oltreqedance*, 15 *oultrecuidance*, 15 *oultrecuidaunce*, 15 *outrequydaunce*, 15 *owtherquedaunce*, 15 *ultraquidance*, 15 *ultrequedance*, 15 *ultrequidance*, 15–16 18– *outrecuidance*, 16 *outercuidance*, 16 *outrequodance*, 16 *owtherquedance*. Etymology: < Middle French /outrecuidance/, oultrecuidance, outrequidance (French /outrecuidance/; 12th–13th cent. in Old French) < /outrecuider/ (12th cent.; < /outre/ beyond, excessively (see outrance n.

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[‘ A petty or pointless dispute, a squabble; trivial or nonsensical speech or writing; squabbling, quarrelling; idle chit-chat. Only in collocation pribble and prabble.'] Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈprɪbl/, U.S. /ˈprɪb(ə)l/ Forms: 16 *prible*, 16– *pribble*. Etymology:Variant of prabble n., perhaps arising from the reduplicated formation pribble-prabble n. (which is attested slightly earlier). In quots. 1603, 1693 representing a supposed Welsh English pronunciation.  A petty or pointless dispute, a squabble; trivial or nonsensical speech or writing; squabbling, quarrelling; idle chit-chat.

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