Lost Words

 

Playing with Parquet means I’ve been finding all manner of lost or dead words to add to those I’ve long treasured. It’s a good idea when writing not to use a word that no one is going to understand. It doesn’t make you clever; it just demonstrates what a colossal arse the writer is. You do not egress the portal, you walk through a door – even if you have to mention that at all. Nonetheless and for names and for titles, for places or things they can be fabulous as in fictional worlds there is a certain expectation for invention anyway. In the likes of Parquet, an exercise purely to enjoy spinning a world when taking a break from doing that at work anyway, it’s a lot more fun to actually use a  word that means what it says (even if in context then it looks like something made up). So as names, as places, but not as a demonstration of one’s ability to hide what is actually being written.

            These are some of my favourites that can be used in such a way. Many are old slang, some are just dead words. Some just sound good.

 

Acrasial. Bad-tempered, particularly mean, even unfair.

Altham. A vagabond’s woman.

Barque (of frailty). A wanton, a trollop.

Bawker. A player of games with a strong following, one with fans that howl and deride his opponent.

Belemite. Malingerer.

Bonifate,  Lucky, a fortunate man.

Botcher. Clothes-mender.

Bosky. Drunk.

Callet. Drab, dull.

Calvert. To exaggerate one’s achievements or status,

Clewner. A false scholar.

Castaldy. A position of responsibility over another’s means, the act of a reeve, a steward.

Cit. Derisory term for a trader.

Coxcomb. A fop, a dandy.

Crassulent. Grossly fat.

Crocus. A surgeon.

Crepuscule. Twilight.

Derrick. A hangman.

Dottrel. Easy mark or prey.

Drigger. A thief.

Duckies. Breasts.

Faradiddles. Lies.

Foppotee. A fool, an idiot.

Fustigate. To beat with a stick or club.

Gullgrope. To lend money.

Gully. A dagger.

Homerkin. Seventy-five gallons of beer or ale, a barrel holding that amount.

Jangles. Rumour and gossip.

Jordan. A chamberpot, (oh, the hilarity).

Mingent. One that is having a piss, or the act itself.

Murklins. The dark, in the dark.

Nithing. A weak man.

Palliard. A beggar.

Picaroon. A rogue, a pirate.

Punkateero. A pimp.

Salwog. To chase, to plunder.

Scut. A cut or dent in part of a ship.

Shonnies. Venereal diseases.

Skilly. Broth, thin soup with little substance.

Veney. Sword practise with sticks.