melon

melon (countable and uncountable, plural melons)

→ Japanese: メロン

→ Korean: 멜론 (mellon)

→ Welsh: melon

From Middle English meloun, melon, from Old French melon, from Late Latin melonem, from Latin melopeponem, from Ancient Greek μηλοπέπων (mēlopépōn), from μῆλον (mêlon, “apple”) + πέπων (pépōn, “ripe”).

(countable) Any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae grown for food, generally not including the cucumber.

Genus Cucumis, various musk melons, including honeydew, cantaloupes, and horned melon.

melon:

(uncountable) A light pinkish orange color, like that of some melon flesh.

(countable, Australia, New Zealand, derogatory) A member of the Green Party, or similar environmental group.


melon

Of a light pinkish orange color, like that of melon flesh.


linen

en-noun

linen (countable and uncountable, plural linens)

From Middle English lynnen, lynen, from Old English līnen (“linen", "made of flax”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnīn (“made of flax”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”), equivalent to line + -en. Cognate with Latin līnum (“flax”) and thus also Linum. More at line.

inh

She put the freshly cleaned linens into the linen closet.

But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶[…]The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook,[…].

1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:

(countable) Domestic textiles, such as tablecloths, bedding, towels, underclothes, etc., that are made of linen or linen-like fabrics of cotton or other fibers; linens.

linen:

A light beige colour, like that of linen cloth undyed.


coarse

en-adj

coarse (comparative coarser, superlative coarsest)

coarser (comparative)
coarsest (superlative)

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

Adjectival use of course that diverged in spelling in the 18th century. The sense developed from '(following) the usual course' (cf. of course) to 'ordinary, common' to 'lacking refinement', with 'not fine, granular' arising from its application to cloth. Compare the development of mean.

coarse manners

coarse language

☞ This word [earth] is liable to a coarſe vulgar pronunciation, as if written Urth;[…]

1791, John Walker, A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary […] , London: Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robinſon, Paternoſter Row; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, →OCLC, page 211:

The butcher and the porkman painted up only the leanest scrags of meat; the baker, the coarsest of meagre loaves.

2007, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, Penguin, →ISBN, page 34:


achiote

en-noun

achiote (countable and uncountable, plural achiotes)

/ˌɑt͡ʃiːˈoʊti/

Borrowed from Spanish achiote, from Classical Nahuatl āchiyōtl.

Bixa orellana
Bixa orellana#Translingual

A tropical American evergreen shrub, Bixa orellana; the lipstick tree.


double vision

A disorder of vision in which a single object is seen as two.


apricot

apricot (countable and uncountable, plural apricots)

Alteration of apricock (with influence from French abricot), itself an alteration of abrecock (with influence from Latin apricum (“sunny place”)), from dialectal Catalan abrecoc, abricoc, variants of standard albercoc, from Arabic الْبَرْقُوق (al-barqūq, “plums”), from Byzantine Greek βερικοκκία (berikokkía, “apricot tree”), from Ancient Greek πραικόκιον (praikókion), from Late Latin (persica) praecocia (literally “(peaches) which ripen early”), (mālum) praecoquum (literally “(apple) which ripens early”). Doublet of precocious.

der

apricot:

A pale yellow-orange colour, like that of an apricot fruit.


peep

Back-formation from peeps, a shortened form of people.


red violet

Of a purplish red colour, like that of a red violet flower.


puce

en-noun

puce (countable and uncountable, plural puces)

From French couleur puce, from Latin pūlex (“flea”).

puce:

dark puce:

For blacks, browns, puces, and violets, the acetate or tartrate of iron must be employed.

1881, Alvin Wood Chase, Dr. Chase's Recipes Or, Information for Everybody, page 596:

A brownish-purple color, sometimes more or less deep red or grayish.


puce

en-adj

puce (comparative pucer, superlative pucest)

pucer (comparative)
pucest (superlative)

→ Welsh: piws

Of a brownish-purple color, sometimes more or less deep red or grayish.


couch

en-verb

couch (third-person singular simple present couches, present participle couching, simple past and past participle couched)

couches (present singular third-person)
couching (participle present)
couched (participle past)
couched (past)

From Middle English couchen, from Old French (se) couchier, (se) colchier (“go to bed, lay down”), from Latin collocāre (“set in place”), from com- (“together, with”) + locāre. Doublet of collocate.

[…] A Man having a Cataract in both Eyes, which intirely deprived him of Sight, committed himſelf to an Oculiſt, who finding them ripe, performed the Operation, and couched the Cataracts with all the Succeſs could be deſired; but after they were couched, he could not ſee objects diſtinctly, even at an ordinary Diſtance, without the Help of a very convex Lens; which is what every body has obſerved to be neceſſary to all thoſe who have had a Cataract couched: […].

1759, William Porterfield, A Treatise on the Eye, the Manner and Phænomena of Vision. In Two Volumes, volume I, Edinburgh: Printed for A. Miller at London, and for G. Hamilton and J. Balfour at Edinburgh, →OCLC, page 433:

(ophthalmology, transitive) In the treatment of a cataract in the eye, to displace the opaque lens with a sharp object such as a needle. The technique is regarded as largely obsolete.


manatee

→ Japanese: マナティー (manatī)

→ Korean: 매너티 (maeneoti)

→ Welsh: manatî

Borrowed from Spanish manatí, from a Cariban-language term meaning ‘breast’, ultimately from Proto-Cariban *manatɨ; compare Kari'na manaty, Trió manatï, Apalaí manaty, Akawaio manatï, Pemon manatü, Macushi manatî.

The ecological importance of the manatee is clear; scientists have demonstrated the dependancy of all components of an ecosystem on one another . . .

1988, Tampa Bay Magazine (Sept–Oct 1988, page 60)

Any of several plant-eating marine mammals, of family Trichechidae, found in tropical regions.

lamantyn

any of several plant-eating marine mammals, of family Trichechidae


fawn

From Middle English fawne, fowne, foun, from Old French faon, foon, feon, from Vulgar Latin *fētōnem, from Latin fētus (“offspring, young”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”). Displaced native Old English hindċealf (literally “deer calf”). Doublet of fetus.

ncog

fawn:

A pale brown colour tinted with yellow, like that of a fawn.


mango

en-noun

mango (countable and uncountable, plural mangoes or mangos)

→ Armenian: մանգո (mango) (or from Russian манго (mango))

→ Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܡܵܢܓܘܿ (mango)

→ Asturian: mangu

→ Catalan: mango

→ Chichewa: bango

→ Czech: mango

→ Danish: mango

→ Dutch: mango

→ Esperanto: mango

→ Finnish: mango

→ Georgian: მანგო (mango)

→ German: Mango

→ Greek: μάνγκο (mángko)

→ Hebrew: מנגו (mango)

→ Hungarian: mangó

→ Irish: mangó

→ Italian: mango

→ Japanese: マンゴー (mangō)

→ Korean: 망고 (manggo)

→ Macedonian: манго (mango)

→ Norwegian: mango

→ Polish: mango

→ Romanian: mango

desctree

→ Russian: манго (mango)
→ Armenian: մանգո (mango) (or directly from English mango)
→ Kazakh: манго (maño)
→ Mongolian: манго (mango)

→ Slovak: mango

→ Slovene: mango

→ Spanish: mango

→ Swedish: mango

→ Turkish: mango

→ Welsh: mango

Online Etymology Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
mango

Borrowed from Portuguese manga, from Malayalam മാങ്ങ (māṅṅa) / Tamil மாங்காய் (māṅkāy), possibly via Malay mangga, ultimately from Proto-South Dravidian *mām-kāy (“unripe mango”), a compound of *mām (“mango tree”) + *kāy (“unripe fruit”). First used for the fruit as early as the 1580s and the tree by the 1670s. The Oxford English Dictionary says it ultimately stems from Malayalam മാങ്ങ (māṅṅa, “unripe mango”) (മാവ് (māvŭ, “mango tree”) + കായ (kāya, “unripe fruit”)), while the Online Etymology Dictionary points to Tamil மாங்காய் (māṅkāy, “unripe mango”) (மா (mā, “mango”) + காய் (kāy, “unripe fruit”)). The etymology of the -o ending is not certain.

der

Tamil மாங்காய் (māṅkāy)

檨仔

soān-á, soǎiⁿ-á, sōaiⁿ-á, soāiⁿ--á, soān--á

mango:

A yellow-orange color, like that of mango flesh.


diamond

en-noun

diamond (countable and uncountable, plural diamonds)

From Middle English dyamaunt, from Old French diamant, from Late Latin diamās, from Latin adamās, from Ancient Greek ἀδάμᾱς (adámās, “diamond”). Doublet of adamant. The printing sense is a calque of Dutch diamant, used by Dirck Voskens who first cut it around 1700; compare pearl, ruby (“size of type between pearl and nonpareil”).

der

Elphingston. Pearl a Chevron Diamond between three Boars Heads Eraz'd Ruby, arm'd of the first. / Eymouth. Diamond a Lyon Rampant Pearl, on a Canton of the 2d, a Cross Ruby.

1720, Francis Nichols, Rudiments of Honour, page 296:

The Field is Ruby, on a Bend Topaz, three Martlets Diamond. The Armes of the most Noble and Puissant Lord, Edward Brabazon, Earl of Meath, and Baron of Atherdee in the Kingdom of Ireland. His Lordship's Atchievements are Quarterly of sixteen Coats. 1. Brabazon, as above. 2. Diamond, on a Chevron between three Pickaxes Pearl, as many Mullets Ruby, by the Name of Mosley. 3. Saphire, ten Bezants, 4, 3, 2, 1, by the Bisset.

1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd; Or, an Abridgment of Guillim, page 504:

Pearl, an Eagle, Diamond, between three Crosses Patee, Ruby, for Morrys.

1754, John Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland; Or, a Genealogical History of the ..., page 71:

(heraldry) Sable, when blazoning by precious stones.


neen

And mar her milk, Ise greet out bath my Neen.

1683, George Meriton, A Yorkshire Dialogue:


unicorn

From Middle English unicorne, unikorn, from Anglo-Norman unicorne, Old French unicorne, and their source, Latin ūnicornis, from ūnus (“one”) + cornū (“horn”). Other senses from either rarity (e.g., possessing multiple skills) or by physical resemblance to having a horn (e.g., howitzer). The finance sense was coined by American investor Aileen Lee and first used in a 2013 article.

God brought him forth out of Egypt, he hath as it were the ſtrength of an Vnicorne: he ſhall eate vp the nations his enemies, and ſhall breake their bones, and pierce them thorow with his arrowes.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 24:8, column 1:

רְאֵם ראם#Hebrew

(historical) In various Bible translations, used to render the Latin unicornis or rhinoceros (representing Hebrew רְאֵם): a reem or wild ox.

unicorn smoothies

(attributive) Being many (especially pastel) colours; multicoloured.


glasses

Spectacles, frames bearing two lenses worn in front of the eyes.


eyeglasses

en-noun

eyeglasses pl (plural only, attributive eyeglass)

Digging deeper, the invention of eyeglasses is an elaboration of the more fundamental development of optics technology. The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone,[…].

2013 September-October, Henry Petroski, “The Evolution of Eyeglasses”, in American Scientist, United States: Sigma Xi, →ISSN, →OCLC:


Saturn

From Old English Sætern, from Latin Sāturnus, probably from Etruscan 𐌔𐌀𐌕𐌓𐌄 (satre), plausibly influenced by Latin satus, past participle of serere (“to sow”).

12. Venus, a Staff in Pale Sol, and thereupon a Cross Pattee, Luna surmounted off a Pall of the last, charged with 4. like Crosses fitched Saturn, edged and stringed as the second. This Coat belongs to the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury, to whose place it appertains to Crown and Inaugurate the Kings of England.

1693, Richard Blome, The Art of Heraldry, in two parts ... second edition ..., pages 76-77:

[…] The Field is Luna, a Chevron, Mars, between three Bull's Heads couped Saturn, armed Sol. This Coat-Armour pertained to the Right Noble Family of Thomas Bulleine Lord hoo and Hastings, Viscount Rochford, […] [pages 200-201:] I have omitted, in this Edition, that Escucheon Sol, charged with three Toads erected Saturn, which, according to some Authors, was the Coat-Armour of the ancient Kings of France; […]

1724, John Guillim, A Display of Heraldry, page 151:

The Archiepiscopal See of Armagh bears Jupiter, a Pastoral Staff in Pale Luna, ensigned with a Cross Pattee Sol, surmounded by a Pall of the second, edged and fringed of the third, charged with four like Crosses Pattee Fitched Saturn.

1739, James Ware, Walter Harris, The Whole Works of Sir James Ware Concerning Ireland, volume 1, page 1:

(heraldry, rare) Sable (black), in the postmedieval practice of blazoning the tinctures in the arms of certain sovereign people and places as planets.


pie-eyed

en-adj

pie-eyed (comparative more pie-eyed, superlative most pie-eyed)

more pie-eyed (comparative)
most pie-eyed (superlative)

From pie (“type of pastry consisting of an outer crust and a filling”) + eyed, a hyperbole suggesting that a person’s eyes are open so wide that they are as large as pies.

[H]ere I've been roosting all day long, with nothing to do but gaze at this bunch of would-be scribes grinding out jazz copy, and now, at half-past four, that pie-eyed zebra of a Sunday editor has to hand me an assignment about as concrete as a hunk of Hudson River mist; and I've got a date with Vita for supper at six.

1921 February, R. A. Chath, “The Phantom Call”, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Radio News, volume 8, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, →OCLC, page 537:

Of all the blockheads in the world, I have the finest collection working for me. Terence Tadpole is a dolt, Sidney Squirrel is a sentimental idiot, Freddie Fox is a pie-eyed fool, Felix Frog is a perfect imbecile.

1923 September 15, “Pat”, “Railway Supply Man’s Bedtime Story: Broadcasted from Station RYREV, Chicago. No. 23.”, in Willard A. Smith et al., editors, Railway Review, volume 73, Chicago, Ill.: Railway Review, →OCLC, page 404, column 1:

When the pie-eyed teens in the school hall, where I, decades before, had grasped the tendril with which I would swing out of Essex, like a tubby Tarzan, look to me full of X Factor ambition and Xbox distraction and tell me that they "want to be famous too," I wince, but I want to tell them they've been swindled. That they are being horribly misled by the dominant cultural narratives.

2014, Russell Brand, “Serenity Now”, in Revolution, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, →ISBN, pages 16–17:

(informal, originally US) With one's eyes wide open and staring in an expressionless manner; wide-eyed.

睜大眼睛的 /睁大眼睛的

with one's eyes wide open and staring in an expressionless manner


mince pie

Gorblimey, guvnor, I couldn't believe me mince pies!

Cockney rhyming slang
Cockney rhyming slang

(Cockney rhyming slang, chiefly in the plural) An eye.


eucalyptus

en-noun

eucalyptus (plural eucalypti or eucalyptuses)

eucalypti (plural)
eucalyptuses (plural)

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁wes-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁wésus?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁es-?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁su-
Proto-Hellenic *ehu-
Ancient Greek ἐΰς (eǘs)
Ancient Greek εὖ (eû)
Ancient Greek εὐ- (eu-)
Ancient Greek καλύπτω (kalúptō)
Proto-Indo-European *-tós
Ancient Greek -τός (-tós)
Ancient Greek καλυπτός (kaluptós)
taxonomic name Eucalyptuslbor.
French eucalyptusbor.
English eucalyptus
Borrowed from French eucalyptus.

etymon

Any of many trees, of genus Eucalyptus, native mainly to Australia.


moccasin

John Smith (explorer)
Louisville Zoo
Musée de l'Armée
Néstor Kirchner
President of Argentina

From Powhatan makasin, mockasin, mawhcasuns (plural), from Proto-Algonquian *maxkeseni. The word is cognate with Massachusett mohkisson, mokussin, Mi'kmaq mksɨn, Munsee mahkusin, Ojibwe makizin. First appears c. 1612 in the writings of John Smith. It has been suggested that sense 4 (“North American snake”) may be derived from a different Native American word.

refn

From the collection of the Musée de l'Armée in Paris, France.

The formal moccasins belonged to the former President of Argentina Néstor Kirchner (1950–2010) and are from the collection of the Museo del Bicentenario in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

moccasin:

He came in a primitive, rickety buggy, drawn by an old, moccasin-colored horse, which, it is to be hoped, had seen better days.

1898 October, Leverett W. Spring, “The Career of a Kansas Politician”, in J[ohn] Franklin Jameson, editor, The American Historical Review, volume IV, number 1, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., published 1899, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 80:

I prefer the Culprit brand in the moccasin color, the red shad color and the black with blue tail.

1993, W[alter] Horace Carter, Bud Andrews, Headstart Fishing Handbook, Tabor City, N.C.: Atlantic Pub. Co., →ISBN, page 134:

A light beige colour, like that of a moccasin.


marigold

/ˈmæɹ.ɪˌɡəʊld/

/ˈmæɹ.ɪˌɡoʊld/

/ˈmɛɹ.ɪˌɡoʊld/

From Middle English marigolde, marygoldye, from Mary (referring to the Virgin Mary) + Middle English golde (“marigold”).

compound

A piece of marigold or bay leaf was imbedded in the metal, and over it a carbuncle or chrysolite was placed.

1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 155:

Any of the Old World plants, of the genus Calendula, with orange, yellow or reddish flowers.

Native Americans introduced whites and slaves to several edible greens including marigold, milkweed, and pokeweed (Whit 2007).

2009, Herbert C. Covey, Dwight Eisnach, What the Slaves Ate, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 87:

Any of the New World plants, of the genus Tagetes, with orange, yellow or reddish flowers.

(UK, slang, obsolete) A million pounds sterling.

Alternative form of Marigold (rubber glove for cleaning)


marigold

en-adj

marigold (comparative more marigold, superlative most marigold)

more marigold (comparative)
most marigold (superlative)

/ˈmæɹ.ɪˌɡəʊld/

/ˈmæɹ.ɪˌɡoʊld/

/ˈmɛɹ.ɪˌɡoʊld/

marigold:

Having the color of marigolds, a bright yellowish-orange hue.


bumblebee

1520s from bumble + bee, replacing Middle English humbul-be. Merged with Middle English bombeln (“to boom, buzz”), in the late 14th century.

der

A mid yellow, sometimes slightly orange.


carrot

en-noun

carrot (countable and uncountable, plural carrots)

→ Fijian: kareti

→ Malay: karot

→ Tagalog: karot

→ Thai: แครอท (kɛɛ-rɔ̀t)

From Middle English karette and Middle French carotte, both from Latin carōta, from Ancient Greek καρωτόν (karōtón). Doublet of carotte and related to caraway. Displaced native Middle English more, from Old English more, moru (“edible root, parsnip, carrot”), related to German Möhre (“carrot”).
* Noun sense of "motivational tool" refers to carrot and stick.
* Verb sense in felt manufacture refers to the orange colour of drying furs.

(slang) A redhead; a ginger-haired person


anosmia

anosmia (countable and uncountable, plural anosmias)

/æˈnɑːzmiːə/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-anosmia.wav

From New Latin anosmia, equivalent to an- + -osmi.

Often accompanied by an inability to taste, anosmia occurs abruptly and dramatically in these patients, almost as if a switch had been flipped.

2021 January 2, Roni Caryn Rabin, “Some Covid Survivors Haunted by Loss of Smell and Taste”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Inability to smell; the inability to perceive odors.


anosmic

en-adj

anosmic (comparative more anosmic, superlative most anosmic)

more anosmic (comparative)
most anosmic (superlative)

He had an anosmic patient who was very fond of the bouquet of moselle. […] One gentleman fell from his horse, fractured the ethmoid bone, and became anosmic.

1870 February 12, William Ogle, “Anosmia; Cases Illustrating the Physiology and Pathology of the Sense of Smell”, in James G. Wakley, editor, The Lancet: A Journal of British and Foreign Medicine, Physiology, Surgery, Chemistry, Criticism, Literature and News, volume I, number 2424, London: Published by John James Croft, at the office of "The Lancet," 423, Strand, →OCLC, page 231, column 1:

The possible influence of various sensory factors in migration was tested by Dodson and Leggett (1974) who compared the behaviour of ultrasonically tagged control shad with ones which had been blinded, or had the olfactory system occluded (anosmic fish), or had been subjected to both these operations. […] Both blind and blind/anosmic fish orientated into the tidal current and altered their swimming speed in relation to the speed of the tide as did intact fish.

1982, J. H. S. Blaxter, J. R. Hunter, “The Biology of Clupeoid Fishes”, in J. H. S. Blaxter, Frederick S[tratten] Russell, Maurice Yonge, editors, Advances in Marine Biology, volume 20, London, New York, N.Y.: Academic Press, →ISBN, pages 124–125:

As a first step in determining the degree of involvement of other sensory systems in the smell deficits of anosmic patients, a retrospective study was undertaken to determine if these patients could separate trigeminal and nontrigeminal odorants. […] The results of this analysis demonstrated […] that anosmic patients could separate ammonia and vinegar from the other eight odorants of the OCM [Odorant Confusion Matrix], even though these odorants are usually not correctly identified.

1994, David E. Hornung, Daniel Kurtz, Steven L. Youngentob, “Anosmic Patients Can Trigeminal and Nontrigeminal Stimulants”, in K[enzo] Kurihara, N[oriyo] Suzuki, H[isashi] Ogawa, editors, Olfaction and Taste XI: Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste and of the 27th Japanese Symposium on Taste and Smell: Joint Meeting Held at Kosei-nenkin Kaikan, Sapporo, Japan, July 12–16, 1993, Tokyo, Berlin, New York, N.Y.: Springer-Verlag, →ISBN, page 635:

Klopfer and Gamble (1966) gave 16 female goats (C. hircus) 5 min of contact with their young at parturition. Nine of the mothers had been temporarily rendered anosmic (could not smell) at parturition by spraying a 10% cocaine hydrogen chloride solution into their nostrils 20–90 min prior to parturition. […] Eight of the nine females who were anosmic at parturition but could smell at reintroduction accepted their own offspring, as well as alien young during reinstatement.

2008, Edward O. Price, “Maternal and Neonatal Behavior”, in Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior: An Introductory Text, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, Cambridge, Mass.: CABI, →ISBN, page 149:

(pathology) Having anosmia; lacking a sense of smell.

The whales, porpoises and seals have however a reason that man does not possess for being anosmic. For they, in common with all the living world of earth and air, left the sea millions of years ago and, as they developed lungs with which to breathe, so did they modify their organs of smell to receive sensations from air, not water. Eons later, in comparatively recent geologic times, when these few mammals left the land and returned to the water, this differentiation for air-smelling had gone too far. Their senses of smell failed to react to water-borne stimuli. […] It is worth discussing these anosmic animals, and what caused them to lose the sense of smell.

1960, James Knox Millen, “chapter II”, in Your Nose Knows: A Study of the Sense of Smell, Los Angeles, Calif.: Cunningham Press, →OCLC, page 13:

Even in the totally anosmic whale without an olfactory nerve, bulb, or tract, it is noteworthy that the third-order neurons of the olfactory system still persist.

1978, R. Bruce Masterton, K. K. Glendenning, “Phylogeny of the Vertebrate Sensory Systems”, in R. Bruce Masterton, editor, Sensory Integration (Handbook of Behavioral Neurobiology; 1), New York, N.Y.: Plenum Press, →DOI, →ISBN, page 5:

Because dolphins are regarded as anosmic, because the animals usually swallow fish and other food whole without mastication, and because, until recently, taste buds had not been found in the tongue of several dolphin species, some cetologists have doubted that the animals possess the sense of taste.

1990, Sam H. Ridgway, “The Central Nervous System of the Bottlenose Dolphin”, in Stephen Leatherwood, Randall R. Reeves, editors, The Bottlenose Dolphin, San Diego, Calif., London: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 85:

(zoology) Lacking olfactory organs; anosmatic.


anosmic

A person who has lost the sense of smell (an anosmic) is deprived of more than pleasurable sensations, for it has been argued that as the environment becomes more polluted what the nose knows may have to be taken seriously[…].

1982, Trygg Engen, “Introduction”, in The Perception of Odors (Academic Press Series in Cognition and Perception), New York, N.Y., London: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 1:

An anosmic will be able to taste the sweetness of an apple or a pear but will be unable to distinguish between their flavors or be able to taste chocolate.

2006, Richard L. Doty, Steven M. Bromley, Windolyn D. Panganiban, “Olfactory Function and Dysfunction”, in Byron J. Bailey, Jonas T. Johnson, Shawn D. Newlands, editors, Head & Neck Surgery – Otolaryngology, 4th edition, volume 1, Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, →ISBN, page 298, column 1:

The emotional consequences of smell loss are often underestimated, particularly in the medical community. Anosmics show varying degrees of depressive symptoms, such as feelings of helplessness, isolation in their condition, sad mood, loss of independence, and fatigue. Depression is common among patients with smell dysfunction. One-fifth of a sample of anosmics scored in the clinically depressed range on a depression measure, […]

2011, Tim Jacob, “The Science of Taste and Smell”, in Francesca Bacci, David Melcher, editors, Art and the Senses, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 202:

(pathology) A person with anosmia; a person lacking a sense of smell.


pong

1992, Bryce Courtenay, Tandia, Volume 1, 2011, Read How You Want, page 109,
She sniffed, squiffing up her nose. ‘What a pong! Do they all smell like this?’

I can remember calling round once and when she answered the door I was greeted by an unmistakable, noxious pong. “I can smell gas!”
I said. “Oh, have I left the ring on?” she asked vaguely.

1998, Catherine Fox, Heaven′s Scent: Third Way, page 13:

2000, Susan Sallis, 2011, unnumbered page,
‘I see what you mean about the pong. I couldn′t smell it on myself but I can smell it on you!’

If you want to empty a crowded room strong body pong will usually do the trick.

2009, Martin Fine, The Devil′s Fragrance, page 109:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) A stench, a bad smell.


pong

en-verb

pong (third-person singular simple present pongs, present participle ponging, simple past and past participle ponged)

pongs (present singular third-person)
ponging (participle present)
ponged (participle past)
ponged (past)

1997, Taufiq Ismail, David M. E. Roskies (translator and editor), Stop Thief!, Black Clouds Over the Isle of Gods and Other Modern Indonesian Short Stories, page 97,
On she walked at a crawling pace, ponging of sweat, drops of mucus and blood falling between her feet.

2009, Susan Brocker, Saving Sam, HarperCollins, New Zealand, unnumbered page,
The place ponged, like the smell of stale cat pee.

“[…]That toothless bloke ponged. Couldn′t you smell him? He smelled like a bloody pub floor at closing time.”

2010, Robin Easton, Naked in Eden: My Adventure and Awakening in the Australian Rainforest, page 63:

2011, Victor Pemberton, We′ll Sing at Dawn, 2012, eBook, Headline Publishing, unnumbered page,
[…] and this evening, Eileen Perkins′s daughter Rita ponged with the smell of cheap carbolic soap, after a late-afternoon visit to the public baths down Hornsey Road.

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) To stink, to smell bad.


oak

en-noun

oak (countable and uncountable, plural oaks)

Inherited from Middle English ook, oke, aik, ake, from Old English āc (also as Old English ǣċ), from Proto-West Germanic *aik, from Proto-Germanic *aiks, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyǵ- (“oak”).
Cognates
From Proto-Germanic: Scots aik, West Frisian iik, Dutch eik, German Eiche, German Low German Eek, Danish eg, Norwegian Bokmål eik, Norwegian Nynorsk eik, Swedish ek, Yiddish אייכנבוים (eykhnboym).
From Proto-Indo-European: Latin aesculus (“Durmast oak”), Lithuanian ąžuolas (“oak”), Albanian enjë (“juniper, yew”), Ancient Greek αἰγίλωψ (aigílōps, “Turkey oak”)).

cog

It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.

1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:

Instead there were the white of aspens, streaks of branch and slender trunk glistening from the green of leaves, and the darker green of oaks, and through the middle of this forest, from wall to wall, ran a winding line of brilliant green which marked the course of cottonwoods and willows.

1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 8, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:

(countable) A deciduous tree with distinctive deeply lobed leaves, acorns, and notably strong wood, typically of England and northeastern North America, included in genus Quercus.

Any tree of other genera and species of trees resembling typical oaks of genus Quercus in some ways.

Toxicodendron, poison oak, in family Anacardiaceae


oak

en-verb

oak (third-person singular simple present oaks, present participle oaking, simple past and past participle oaked)

oaks (present singular third-person)
oaking (participle present)
oaked (participle past)
oaked (past)

(wine, transitive) To expose to oak in order for the oak to impart its flavors.


chromatic

en-adj

chromatic (not generally comparable, comparative more chromatic, superlative most chromatic)

more chromatic (comparative)
most chromatic (superlative)

Borrowed from French chromatique (“chromatic”) or directly from its etymon Latin chrōmaticus, from Ancient Greek χρωματικός (khrōmatikós, “relating to colour; one of the three types of tetrachord in Greek music”), from χρῶμα (khrôma, “colour; pigment; chromatic scale in music; music”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- (“to grind; to rub; to stroke; to remove”), perhaps in the sense of the grinding of pigments) + -τῐκός (-tĭkós, suffix forming adjectives); analysable as chroma + -tic.

der

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-chromatic.wav

(not comparable) Characterized or caused by, or relating to, colour or hue.

գունային

characterized or caused by, or relating to, colour or hue

(comparable) Brightly coloured; colourful, vivid.

Uses relating to colour
Brightly coloured; colourful, vivid.

(not comparable, optics) Having the capacity to separate spectral colours by refraction.

(not comparable, graph theory) Relating to colorings of graphs.

Uses relating to colour
Relating to colorings of graphs.

All the intervals of the scale that are a whole tone (step) distant from each other may be divided into half tones, (small steps), forming an entire scale of small intervals, (half tones), called the Chromatic Scale. […] All the tones (steps) of the scale being thus divided, either by means of the sharp or flat, we shall have for our Chromatic Scale thirteen intervals, of a half tone (small step) each.

1853, William B[atchelder] Bradbury, George F[rederick] Root, assisted by Thomas Hastings, T[imothy] B. Mason, “The Singing Class”, in The Shawm: Library of Church Music: […], New York, N.Y.: Mason Brothers, […], →OCLC, lesson VIII (Dynamics (Power of Sounds)), page 23, column 1:

Relating to or using notes not belonging to the diatonic scale of the key in which a passage of music is written.

cromàtic

relating to or using notes not belonging to the diatonic scale of the key in which a passage of music is written


blanched almond

en-noun

blanched almond (countable and uncountable, plural blanched almonds)

blanched almond:

A subtle yellow shade or hue, like that of blanched almonds.


blanched almond

Of a subtle yellow shade or hue, like that of blanched almonds.


sour

sour (countable and uncountable, plural sours)

From Middle English sour, from Old English sūr (“sour”), from Proto-West Germanic *sūr, from Proto-Germanic *sūraz (“sour”), from Proto-Indo-European *súHros (“sour”).
Cognate with West Frisian soer, Dutch zuur (“sour”), Low German suur, German sauer (“sour”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian sur, French sur (“sour”), Faroese súrur (“sour”), Icelandic súr (“sour, bitter”),
Polish ser (“cheese”),
Czech sýr (“cheese”),
Slovak syr (“cheese”),
Russian сырой (syroj, “raw”),
Ukrainian сири́й (syrýj, “raw”),
Old Church Slavonic сꙑръ (syrŭ, “moist, cheese”).


umami

From Japanese 旨味, うまみ (umami), from 旨い (umai, “delicious”), which describes the quality of a pleasant, savory taste.

Umami is the mysterious “fifth taste”—a flavour that has never seemed to fit into the existing categories of sweet, sour, salty and bitter. South-east Asian chefs have exploited it throughout history—it's an essential part of the taste of seaweed, among other things[…]

2000 January 28, Oliver Burkeman, “Things that make you go yum”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

But we are, of course, sweaty, fleshy lady-animals – all fur and umami.

A few types of molecules get sensed by receptors on the tongue. Protons coming off of acids ping receptors for "sour." Sugars get received as "sweet." Bitter, salty, and the proteinaceous flavor umami all set off their own neural cascades.

2018 May 16, Adam Rogers, “The Fundamental Nihilism of Yanny vs. Laurel”, in Wired:

I quickly realized that I have always been obsessed with umami; I just didn't know it. It's why a sprinkle of Parm on just about anything heightens that dish's flavor; it's why grilled smoky mushrooms taste so good. Umami is a deeply satisfying taste, and luckily for us, umami is everywhere—it's in tomatoes and soy sauce, fresh and dried mushrooms, aged cheese, nutritional yeast […]

2019, Raquel Pelzel, Umami Bomb: 75 Vegetarian Recipes That Explode with Flavor, Workman Publishing, →ISBN, page 2:

One of the five basic tastes, the savory taste of foods such as seaweed, cured fish, aged cheeses and meats.

ngjelmë

one of the five basic tastes, savoriness


taste

(Internet slang) Deliberate misspelling of tasty.


yummy

en-adj

yummy (comparative yummier, superlative yummiest)

yummier (comparative)
yummiest (superlative)

(colloquial, lighthearted, often childish) Delicious.


delicious

delicious (comparative more delicious, superlative most delicious)

more delicious (comparative)
most delicious (superlative)

From Middle English delicious, from Anglo-Norman delicious, from Old French delicious, delicieux, from Late Latin dēliciōsus (“delicate, delicious”), from dēliciae (“delights”), plural of dēlicia (“pleasure”), from deliciō (“I allure, I entice”), from de- (“away”) + laciō (“I lure, I deceive”), from Proto-Italic *lakjō (“to draw, pull”), of unknown ultimate origin. Displaced native Old English ārlīċ (“delicious”).

der

The irony is delicious!

But the houses are so delicious and the way they're townscaped on to hilly bits is absolutely wonderful.

1986, Patrick Lichfield, Courvoisier's Book of the Best, page 230:

Jones had not travelled far before he paid his compliments to that beautiful planet, and, turning to his companion, asked him if he had ever beheld so delicious an evening?

1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

(colloquial, figurative) Pleasing to a person's taste; pleasing to the eyes or mind.


cataract

→ Cebuano: katarak

→ Marshallese: kōtrāāk

From Middle English cataract, cateract, cateracte, cataracta, from Latin cataracta (“waterfall, portcullis”), from Ancient Greek καταρράκτης (katarrháktēs), from καταράσσω (katarássō, “I pour down”), from κατα- (kata-, “down”) + ἀράσσω (arássō, “to strike, dash”). Its pathological sense probably came from its alternative sense in Latin, “portcullis”, through French through the notion of “obstruction”, in this case, of vision.

Rarely, a dense, swollen neglected cataract precipitates an angle-closure glaucoma.

1999, J. J. Gallo, J. Busby-Whitehead, W. Reichel, P. V. Rabins, R. A. Silliman, Reichel’s Care of the Elderly, page 563:

Shallow, this is what I created
Splayed out skeletons in the cracks in the pavement
And now, can you feel the injection back behind those cloudy eyes?
In-between every cataract, a projection of my life

2022, “Rotoscope”, performed by Spiritbox:

(pathology) A clouding of the lens in the eye leading to a decrease in vision.


blindness

en-noun

blindness (usually uncountable, plural blindnesses)

From Middle English blyndnes, blyndnesse, from Old English blindnes (“blindness”), equivalent to blind + -ness.

A tormenting hunger shuddered through her and she wished she could put aside the power. Oh, to be as others were — blind in that safest of all blindnesses, living only the hypnoidal half-life into which birth-shock precipitated most humans.

(figuratively) Want of intellectual or moral discernment; mental darkness; ignorance, heedlessness.


jade

jade (usually uncountable, plural jades)

Borrowed from French le jade, rebracketing of earlier l’éjade (“jade”), from Spanish piedra de ijada (“flank stone”), via Vulgar Latin *iliata from Latin ilia (“flank”). (Jade was thought to cure pains in the side.)

jade:

A bright shade of slightly bluish or greyish green, typical of polished jade stones.


madder

madder (countable and uncountable, plural madders)

From Middle English mader, madere, mædere, from Old English mædere, mæddre, mædre, from Proto-Germanic *madarǭ (compare Swedish madra, Old Norse / Icelandic maðra), from Proto-Indo-European *modʰro-, cognate with Proto-Slavic *modrъ (“blue”), and compare Irish madar (“madder”), Latvian madara (“madder”).

Rubia tinctorum
Rubia tinctorum#Translingual

A herbaceous plant, Rubia tinctorum, native to Asia, cultivated for a red-purple dye (alizarin) obtained from the root.


madder

en-verb

madder (third-person singular simple present madders, present participle maddering, simple past and past participle maddered)

madders (present singular third-person)
maddering (participle present)
maddered (participle past)
maddered (past)


blaze

blaze (third-person singular simple present blazes, present participle blazing, simple past and past participle blazed)

blazes (present singular third-person)
blazing (participle present)
blazed (participle past)
blazed (past)

From Middle English blasen, from Middle English blase (“torch”). See above.

The campfire blazed merrily.

(intransitive) To be on fire, especially producing bright flames.


pareidolia

en-noun

pareidolia (countable and uncountable, plural pareidolias)

Borrowed from German Pareidolie, constructed from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-, “alongside”) + εἴδωλον (eídōlon, “image”) + -ία (-ía).

der

This last is called by Dr. Kahlbaum, changing hallucination, partial hallucination, perception of secondary images, or pareidolia.

1868 July, John Sibbald, The British Journal of Psychiatry, volume 13, page 238:

Pareidolia underlies several forms of divination.

1993, Raymond Moody, Paul Perry, Reunions: Visionary Encounters with Departed Loved Ones, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →ISBN, page 13:

Pareidolias aren't solely limited to images. When I was a youngster, I remember listening to The Beatles' song "Strawberry Fields" over and over to hear what seemed to be "I buried Paul."

2006, Steve W. Martin, “Choosing Your Battles”, in Heavy Hitter Selling: How Successful Salespeople Use Language and Intuition to Persuade Customers to Buy, Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 150:

Pareidolia is a state of mind where a vague or unclear image is perceived to be something recognizable, regardless of whether it's something you expect to see. The most famous example of pareidolia is the familiar face of the Man in the Moon.

2010, Rick Emmer, “Nessies of the New World”, in Loch Ness Monster: Fact or Fiction? (Creature Scene Investigation), New York, N.Y.: Chelsea House Publishers, Infobase Publishing, →ISBN, page 81:

(psychology) The tendency to interpret a vague stimulus as something known to the observer, such as interpreting marks on Mars as canals, seeing shapes in clouds, or hearing hidden messages in music.

بَارِيدُولِيَا

tendency to interpret vague stimuli as something familiar


spectacles

en-noun

spectacles pl (plural only, attributive spectacle)

(formal) A pair of lenses set in a frame worn on the nose and ears in order to correct deficiencies in eyesight or to ornament the face.

(cricket, slang) Synonym of pair (“score of zero runs in both innings”)


specs

(colloquial, plural only) Abbreviation of spectacles.


lunettes

A particular kind of spectacles/glasses, consisting of two circular lenses connected by a half-circle bridge over the nose.


odor

odor (countable and uncountable, plural odors)

From Middle English odour, borrowed from Anglo-Norman odour, from Old French odor, from Latin odor.
Cognates
* Swedish odör (“bad smell”)

Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a strange, and for me, a most fortunate thing. Yet oddly enough I found here a far more unlikely substance, and that was camphor. I found it in a sealed jar, that, by chance, I supposed had been really hermetically sealed. I fancied at first the stuff was paraffin wax, and smashed the jar accordingly. But the odour of camphor was unmistakable.

1895 May 7, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter X, in The Time Machine: An Invention, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC:

Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive.

رَائِحَة

any smell, whether fragrant or offensive; scent; perfume


azured

en-adj

azured (comparative more azured, superlative most azured)

more azured (comparative)
most azured (superlative)

azure:


forget-me-not

Calque of Middle French ne m'oubliez mie or German Vergissmeinnicht.

calque

forget-me-not:

Coordinate term: see at Appendix:Colors

en:80b0ff, light blue color, named after flower

A light tint of blue, the color of the flower.


cecity

From Latin caecitās (“blindness”), from caecus (“blind”) + -itās (“-ness, -ity”).


rufous

en-noun

rufous (countable and uncountable, plural rufouses)

Partners in Flight — a conservation group that tracks several species of birds, including hummingbirds — estimates that the rufous population is currently 62% smaller than it was in 1966. […] Rufouses are adapting, however, and becoming more willing to use urban feeders and gardens.

2021, Daniel I. Stein, Attracting Hummingbirds:

rufous hummingbird
rufous hummingbird#English

(countable) Short for rufous hummingbird.


deaf

en-adj

deaf (comparative deafer, superlative deafest)

deafer (comparative)
deafest (superlative)

From Middle English deef, from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τυφλός (tuphlós, “blind”). See also dumb. Doublet of daff, dof, and dowf.

اَلصُّمّ

unable to hear, used as a substantive: deaf people considered as a group

My brother has been deaf since sustaining injuries in the war.

It's important for TV shows to provide closed captioning for the deaf.

Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf.

1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

Deaf vvith the noyſe I took my haſty flight.

1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 6:

Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear.


malodorous

en-adj

malodorous (comparative more malodorous, superlative most malodorous)

more malodorous (comparative)
most malodorous (superlative)

/ˌmælˈəʊ.də.ɹəs/

There were malodorous garbage bags aplenty outside her house.


diopter

From Latin dioptra, from Ancient Greek διόπτρα (dióptra).

A unit of measure of the power of a lens or mirror, equal to the reciprocal of its focal length in meters. Myopia is diagnosed and measured in diopters.


rank

rank (comparative ranker or more rank, superlative rankest or most rank)

ranker (comparative)
more rank (comparative)
rankest (superlative)
most rank (superlative)

From Middle English rank (“strong, proud”), from Old English ranc (“proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, forward, overbearing, showy, ostentatious, splendid, bold, valiant, noble, brave, strong, full-grown, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rank, from Proto-Germanic *rankaz (“straight”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“straight, direct”). Cognate with Dutch rank (“slender, slim”), Low German rank (“slender, projecting, lank”), Danish rank (“straight, erect, slender”), Swedish rank (“slender, shaky, wonky”), Icelandic rakkur (“straight, slender, bold, valiant”).

cog

Your gym clothes are rank, bro – when'd you last wash 'em?

Divers sea fowls taste rank of the fish on which they ordinarily feed.

1661, Robert Boyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-physical Doubts & Paradoxes, […], London: […] J. Cadwell for J. Crooke, […], →OCLC:

(obsolete) Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.

Strong to the senses; offensive; noisome.

Having a very strong and bad taste or odor.


citron

en-adj

citron (comparative more citron, superlative most citron)

more citron (comparative)
most citron (superlative)

Borrowed from French citron (“lemon, lime”), Latin citrus (“citron tree, thuja”), probably via Etruscan derived from Ancient Greek κέδρος (kédros, “cedar”) (see there for further etymology).


shades

His shades are by some famous designer.


sunglasses

en-noun

sunglasses pl (plural only, attributive sunglass)

It is impossible to know accurately how you look in your sunglasses.

1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 75:

Tinted glasses worn to protect the eyes from the sun or other bright light. May also be worn as a fashion accessory. Plural of sunglass.

syze dielli

tinted glasses worn to protect the eyes from the sun

તડકાનાં ચશ્માં

taḍkānā̃ caśmā̃

lentes / anteojos / espejuelos solares / oscuros / ahumados / ajumados


sunnies

From sunglasses + -ie (“diminutive suffix”), retaining the plural form.

She took off her sunnies and polished them, a little vigorously.

2005, Dave Franklin, Manic Streets of Perth, published 2011, unnumbered page:

With Heath wearing a black beanie and his trademark sunnies, the couple arrived in Perth at 12.20 p.m. after flying in from the US via Sydney.

2008, Janet Fife-Yeomans, Heath: A Family′s Tale, page 97:

2009, Susan Lyons, Sex Drive, Kensington Press, US, page 160,
“Sunscreen for you.” Her skin was a light golden brown. “And sunnies and a hat.” He slipped on his own sunglasses.

Bring the Prada sunnies, the papers and an appetite if you′re heading here for breakfast.

2009, Justine Vaisutis, Australia, Lonely Planet, page 525:

I can see it now: these sunnies are going to be your fave in no time!.

2024 October 8, Megan Uy, Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien, “65+ Fall Prime Day Fashion Deals Your Closet Is Begging You to Shop”, in Cosmopolitan:

(chiefly Australia, New Zealand, informal) Sunglasses.


loden

The first thing that caught my eye on this excursion was the number of grey, brown and green loden coats and hats, and how well and sensibly everyone was dressed in general, how remarkably solid were the shoes of the pedestrians of Nuremberg.

2011 [2001], Anthea Bell, transl., Austerlitz, Penguin, translation of original by W. G. Sebald, page 314:

A thick waterproof cloth used for garments.

loden:

A dark green colour, like that of loden cloth.


loden

en-adj

loden (comparative more loden, superlative most loden)

more loden (comparative)
most loden (superlative)

Of a dark green colour, like that of loden cloth.


bay

From Middle English baye, baie, from Old English beġ (“berry”), as in beġbēam (“berry-tree”), conflated with Old French baie, from Latin bāca (“berry”).

Laurus nobilis
Laurus nobilis#Translingual

Laurus nobilis, a tree or shrub of the family Lauraceae, having dark green leaves and berries.


bay

en-verb

bay (third-person singular simple present bays, present participle baying, simple past and past participle bayed)

bays (present singular third-person)
baying (participle present)
bayed (participle past)
bayed (past)

From Old French bay, combined with aphetized form of abay; verbal form of baier, abaier.

The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bay'd.

1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

For at the last shall the thunder, fleeing to escape from the doom of the gods, roar horribly among the Worlds; and Time, the hound of the gods, shall bay hungrily at his masters because he is lean with age.

1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 92:

The scene was rocking, all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, The Crypt-Kicker Five.

1962, “Monster Mash”, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Lenny Capizzi (lyrics), performed by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers:


bay

en-noun

bay (countable and uncountable, plural bays)

From Middle English bay, bai, from Old French bai, from Latin badius (“reddish brown, chestnut”).

der

bay:

A brown colour/color of the coat of some horses.


bluish

en-adj

bluish (comparative more bluish, superlative most bluish)

more bluish (comparative)
most bluish (superlative)

From Middle English blewissh, blewisch (also Middle English bloysh), equivalent to blue + -ish.

Riding high on love's true bluish light

1978, “Heart of Glass”, in Parallel Lines, performed by Blondie:

Having a tint or hue similar to the colour blue.

To this day, I usually read my Bible a couple of times a day, and I still enjoy attempting to express my feelings through poetry, especially when I'm feeling bluish.

2009, John Wooden, Jay Carty, Coach Wooden One-On-One:


purplish

purplish (comparative more purplish, superlative most purplish)

more purplish (comparative)
most purplish (superlative)


mulberry

mulberry (comparative more mulberry, superlative most mulberry)

more mulberry (comparative)
most mulberry (superlative)

From Middle English mulbery, molberye, murberie, partly from Old English mōrberġe (“mulberry”) (q.v.), and probably partly from Middle Low German mulbere (“mulberry”). Compare Dutch moerbezie, moerbei (“mulberry”), German Maulbeere (“mulberry”).


watermelon

en-noun

watermelon (countable and uncountable, plural watermelons)

/ˈwɔːtəˌmɛlən/

From the 1610s, a compound of water + melon. The meanings referring to environmentalists, collaboraters, and behind schedule projects, derive from the idea of having green (eco-friendly, pro-Tatmadaw, on-schedule) outward appearance while being red (socialist, pro-rebel, behind schedule) in a hidden way comparable to that of the fruit.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus#Translingual

A plant of the species Citrullus lanatus, bearing a melon-like fruit.


mascara

mascara (countable and uncountable, plural mascaras)

/ˌmæsˈkɑːɹə/

apply mascara

put on mascara

mascara runs

mascara smudges

With her rouged cheeks, silver lipcoat and mascara she might have been any girl after an hour at her mother's dressing table.

2000, JG Ballard, Super-Cannes, Fourth Estate, published 2011, page 157:

There were a lot of young girls, in their early-twenties she guessed, many of them either Gothed up in thick black mascara and black lip stick, others looking like stereotypical Beat Girls in black rollnecks and jeans.

2007, James Burr, Ugly Stories for Beautiful People, page 45:

A cosmetic used to darken and thicken the eyelashes.


grope

en-verb

grope (third-person singular simple present gropes, present participle groping, simple past and past participle groped)

gropes (present singular third-person)
groping (participle present)
groped (participle past)
groped (past)

From Middle English gropien, from Old English grāpian, related to grīpan (whence English gripe); compare also grip.

The parents found the couple kissing and groping.

To touch (another person) closely and (especially) sexually.

лезть impf (leztʹ) (к (k) + dative case)


straw

en-noun

straw (countable and uncountable, plural straws)

→ Japanese: ストロー

From Middle English straw, from Old English strēaw, from Proto-West Germanic *strau, from Proto-Germanic *strawą (“that which is strewn, straw”), from Proto-Indo-European *strew- (“to spread around, strew”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Sträi (“straw”), West Frisian strie (“straw”), Dutch stro (“straw”), German Low German Stroh (“straw”), German Stroh (“straw”), Norwegian and Swedish strå (“straw”), Icelandic strá (“straw”), Walloon strin, Albanian shtrohë (“kennel”).

der

straw:

(uncommon) A pale, yellowish beige colour, like that of a dried straw.

The Bromfield Street offices were housed in a dilapidated but heavily-insured building, owned by a straw for a wealthy downtown real estate developer, surrounded by expensive new commercial developments, and in a city renowned for arson-for-profit.

1984 August 4, Larry Goldsmith, “Cops Charged With Setting GCN Fire”, in Gay Community News, page 1:


straw

Of a pale, yellowish beige colour, like that of a dried straw.


bice

en-noun

bice (countable and uncountable, plural bices)

From French bis, akin to Italian bigio (“light gray, tawny”). Doublet of beige.

A pale blue pigment, prepared from the native blue carbonate of copper, or from smalt.


petrichor

/ˈpɛt.ɹɪˌkɔɹ

From petr(o)- + ichor.
Coined by Australian scientist Richard Grenfell Thomas in 1964 for the article “Nature of Argillaceous Odour”, co-authored by Isabel Joy Bear and published in the journal Nature.

coinage

Though it had yet to begin raining, the familiar smell of petrichor appeared to be already present and Neelam suddenly wished she was sitting at home with a nice cup of tea and a good book.

2010, Val Panesar, For the Sake of the Future:

The sources of the heavenly scent during and immediately after it rains are petrichor and geosmin. Petricor is an oil produced by plants then absorbed by rocks and soil and released into the air during rainfall.

2012, Diane Olson, A Nature Lover's Almanac, Gibbs Smith, →ISBN:

The distinctive scent, caused by geosmin, which accompanies the first rain after a long, warm, dry spell.

petrichor

distinctive scent which accompanies rain

He hypothesizes that this factor may be petrichor, an oil which has been isolated from silicate minerals and rocks[…].

1980, John E Bardach et al., Fish Behavior and its Use in the Capture and Culture of Fishes:

The yellow organic oil that yields this scent.


funk

en-noun

funk (countable and uncountable, plural funks)

1620, from French dialectal (Norman) funquer, funquier (“to smoke, reek”), from Old Northern French fungier (“to smoke”), from Vulgar Latin fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre (“to smoke, fumigate”). Related to French dialect funkière (“smoke”). More at fumigate.

The foulest stench is in the air; the funk of 40,000 years and grizzly ghouls from every tomb are closing in to seal your doom.

1982, “Thriller”, in Rod Temperton (lyrics), Quincy Jones (music), Thriller, performed by Michael Jackson (featuring Vincent Price), Epic Records:

(countable) Foul or unpleasant smell, especially body odor.


funk

en-verb

funk (third-person singular simple present funks, present participle funking, simple past and past participle funked)

funks (present singular third-person)
funking (participle present)
funked (participle past)
funked (past)

(intransitive) To emit an offensive smell; to stink.

He funks Basketia and her son to death

Funking a cobbler – that is, blowing smoke into his stall; smoking cigars at divans and club houses; […]

(transitive) To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke.

散發臭味 /散发臭味

to envelop with an offensive smell or smoke


odour

en-noun

odour (countable and uncountable, plural odours)

So after learning a great deal about iron founding and much more about pike fishing, one regretfully took leave of a shop full of kindly characters and proceeded to a worse lot of odours in the brass foundry.

1944 November and December, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—II”, in Railway Magazine, page 343:

(British spelling) Alternative spelling of odor


smelly

en-adj

smelly (comparative smellier, superlative smelliest)

smellier (comparative)
smelliest (superlative)

above board

antonym(s) of “having a quality that arouses suspicion”

She was hesitant to remove her shoes, as her socks were rather smelly.


fetid

fetid (comparative more fetid, superlative most fetid)

more fetid (comparative)
most fetid (superlative)

Borrowed from Latin fētidus (“having offensive odour”), originally fēteō (“to stink”).

bor+

I caught the fetid odor of dirty socks.

[…] this room, where misfortune seems to ooze, where speculation lurks in corners, and of which Madame Vauquer inhales the warm, fetid air without being nauseated.

1878, Henry James, “Honoré de Balzac”, in French Poets and Novelists, London: Macmillan, II, p. 122:


bouquet

Borrowed from French bouquet. Doublet of bosket.

This Bordeaux has an interesting bouquet.

The remarkable flower bouquet lasts for hours until it dissolves into a sweet vanilla smell.


garnet

From Middle English gernet, granate, from Old French grenate, from grenat (“pomegranate red”). Doublet of grenade.


fiery

en-adj

fiery (comparative more fiery or fierier, superlative most fiery or fieriest)

more fiery (comparative)
fierier (comparative)
most fiery (superlative)
fieriest (superlative)

From Middle English fyry, from fyr (“fire”). Equivalent to fire + -y.

Blast after blast, fiery outbreak after fiery outbreak, like a flaming barrage from within,[…]most of Edison's grounds soon became an inferno. As though on an incendiary rampage, the fires systematically devoured the contents of Edison's headquarters and facilities.

2006, Edwin Black, chapter 1, in Internal Combustion:


sight

en-noun

sight (countable and uncountable, plural sights)

From Middle English siȝht, siȝt, siht, from Old English siht, sihþ (“something seen; vision”), from Proto-West Germanic *sihti, equivalent to see + -th. Cognate with Scots sicht, Saterland Frisian Sicht, West Frisian sicht, Dutch zicht, German Low German Sicht, German Sicht, Danish sigte, Swedish sikte.

He is losing his sight and now can barely read.

Thy sight is young, / And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle.

c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain!

1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 12, line 67:


myopic

The offbeat little girls of “Playdate,” whose mothers stumble through parenthood, are not the first characters to feel like cultural descendants of Salinger’s children, those savants, myopics, guileless nose pickers and practicing belchers who seem to glow on the page, highlighting the shallowness of the adults.

2008 March 23, Polly Morrice, “Descended From Salinger”, in New York Times:


arcus senilis

(ophthalmology) A faint whitish ring around the iris in elderly people; discoloration of the iris with age.

arco senil

a faint whitish ring around the iris in elderly people; discoloration of the iris with age


xerophthalmia

xerophthalmia (countable and uncountable, plural xerophthalmias)

(ophthalmology) A condition due to a deficiency of vitamin A where the conjunctiva and cornea become dry. The condition starts with conjunctival xerosis and night blindness and progresses to corneal xerosis and, later, a severe condition called keratomalacia.


niffy

en-adj

niffy (comparative niffier, superlative niffiest)

niffier (comparative)
niffiest (superlative)


whiffy

whiffy (comparative whiffier, superlative whiffiest)

whiffier (comparative)
whiffiest (superlative)

niffy

giving off a bad smell; colloquial/slang


blind

blind (comparative blinder, superlative blindest)

blinder (comparative)
blindest (superlative)

From Middle English blynd, from Old English blind, from Proto-West Germanic *blind, from Proto-Germanic *blindaz.

a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse

even a blind pig can find an acorn once in a while

even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king

there are none so blind as those who will not see

Even a blind hen sometimes finds a grain of corn.

Braille is a writing system for the blind.

his blind eye

He that is strucken blind cannot forget / The precious treasure of his eyesight lost.

c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

He was plainly blind, for he tapped before him with a stick, and wore a great green shade over his eyes and nose...

1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

(not comparable) Unable to see, or only partially able to see.

a blind path

a blind ditch

a blind corner

the blind mazes of this tangled wood

1634 October 9 (first performance), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:

(not comparable, of a place) Having little or no visibility.


visibility

en-noun

visibility (countable and uncountable, plural visibilities)

From Middle French visibilité, from Late Latin visibilitas; equivalent to visible + -ity.

‘Sir, I have seen all the visibilities of Paris, and around it; but to have formed an acquaintance with the people there, would have required more time than I could stay.’

1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson, Oxford, published 2008, page 658:

(obsolete, rare) Something worthy of being seen; a sight.


blush

blush (countable and uncountable, plural blushes)

From Middle English blusshen, bluschen, blusschen, blisshen, from Old English blysċan (“to be red; shine”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *blaskijaną, from *blasǭ (“burning candle; torch”) or alternatively from Proto-Germanic *bluskijaną, from *blusjǭ (“torch”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-.
Cognate with Middle Low German blöschen (“to blush”). Compare also Old English blysian (“to burn; blaze”), Dutch blozen (“to blush”), Danish blusse (“to blush”), Old Norse blys (“torch”), Danish blus (“blaze”).

inh

And now the rosy blush of morn began to mantle in the east, and soon the rising sun, emerging from amidst golden and purple clouds, shed his blithesome rays on the tin weathercocks of Communipaw.

1809, Diedrich Knickerbocker [pseudonym; Washington Irving], A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), New York, N.Y.: Inskeep & Bradford, […], →OCLC:

Each painting consists of a white aluminum disk, sprayed at the edges with a subtle blush of blue, pink or grey.

1968 August 10, “Light on Light”, in Time:

A glow; a flush of colour, especially pink or red.


pongy

en-adj

pongy (comparative pongier, superlative pongiest)

pongier (comparative)
pongiest (superlative)

2001, Ken Campbell, Home, in John O′Connor, Scripts and Sketches, Heinemann Educational, UK, page 79,
Look, they′ve even put a pair of old pongy socks exactly like mine in the corner by the door, exactly like I bunged them last Sunday. Mind you, they are a bit pongier than I remembered. But mind you, they would get pongier over the week.

Moments later, a small, sobbing figure would emerge—dirty as a rat and smelling pongier than the rottenest egg.

2005, James Duncan, Sweets That Eat Children!, page 2:

In France, Époisses is known as the pongiest of its 500-odd cheeses; in the UK 19 humans and an electronic nose voted Vieux-Boulogne the world's smelliest cheese.

2010, Lonely Planet staff, The Europe Book: A Journey Through Every Country on the Continent, page 57:

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, informal) Having a bad smell.


haw

en-noun

haw (countable and uncountable, plural haws)

Late Middle English (denoting a discharge from the eye), of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Etymology 2 above, describing a berry.

nictitating membrane
nictitating membrane

(countable, anatomy) The third eyelid, or nictitating membrane.


sandy

en-adj

sandy (comparative sandier, superlative sandiest)

sandier (comparative)
sandiest (superlative)

From Middle English sandi, sondy, sandiȝ, from Old English sandiġ (“sandy”), equivalent to sand + -y. Cognate with Dutch zandig (“sandy”), German sandig (“sandy”), Swedish sandig (“sandy”).

Some plants grow best in sandy soil.

Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

sandy:


aural

aural (comparative more aural, superlative most aural)

more aural (comparative)
most aural (superlative)

for some speakers, to distinguish from oral; Latinate

The meaning of the songs transcended their subject matter; for me they are an aural history that speaks more clearly than any book ever could, not just about dancing and having sex but about being alive in the late '70s.

1989 December 10, Andrew Miller, “It's That Old Highway I'm Looking For”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 16:

Clark made the album with producer Jack Antonoff, current collaborator of choice for Taylor Swift and Lorde. His involvement didn’t have a huge aural impact – the thrillingly disjointed but melodically gorgeous St Vincent sound remained intact – but his inclination for taking real-life trauma and fashioning it into pop took the album a step beyond Clark’s previous work.

2017 December 22, Rachel Aroesti, “The best albums of 2017, No 1: St Vincent – Masseduction”, in the Guardian:

He was alive to every creak and dunt, the thinness of the walls, as if the tenement block was a kind of aural panopticon that funnelled every sound to the other residents, let everyone eavesdrop on their business.

2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 274:


bole

en-noun

bole (countable and uncountable, plural boles)

From Ancient Greek βῶλος (bôlos, “clod or lump of earth”): compare French bol. Doublet of bolus.

bor

bole:

The shade of reddish brown which resembles this clay.


cerise

en-adj

cerise (comparative more cerise, superlative most cerise)

more cerise (comparative)
most cerise (superlative)

Borrowed from French cerise (mid 19th century), itself from Vulgar Latin ceresia, from Latin cerasium. Doublet of cherry and kirsch.

(of textiles, especially silk) Cherry-colored; a light bright red.


dun

From Middle English dun, donn, dunne, from Old English dunn (“dun, dingy brown, bark-colored, brownish black”), from Proto-West Germanic *duʀn, from Proto-Germanic *duznaz, *dusnaz (“brown, yellow”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Cognate with Old Saxon dun (“brown, dark”), Old High German tusin (“ash-gray, dull brown, pale yellow, dark”), Old Norse dunna (“female mallard; duck”).
Alternative etymology derives the Old English word from Brythonic (compare Middle Welsh dwnn (“dark (red)”)), from Proto-Celtic *dusnos (compare Old Irish donn and Scottish Gaelic donn (“brown”)), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰews- (compare Old Saxon dosan (“chestnut brown”)). More at dusk.

cog

dun:


iris

irises (plural)
iris (plural)
irides (plural)

From Middle English [Term?], from Latin īris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”). Presuming an earlier form *ϝῖρις (*wîris), possibly from a derivative of Proto-Indo-European *w(e)ih₁-ro- (“a twist, thread, cord, wire”), from *weh₁y- (“to turn, twist, weave, plait”). If so, it would be cognate to English wire.

der

(anatomy) The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, which adjusts to control the amount of light reaching the retina, and which forms the colored portion of the eye (See Iris (anatomy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia).


litmus

en-noun

litmus (countable and uncountable, plural litmuses)

From Middle English litmose, lytmose, litemose, from Old Norse litmosi (“moss used for dyeing”), from lita (“to dye, stain”) + mosi (“moss”), the former from litr (“colour, dye, blee”), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlituz (“appearance, blee”), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to see”). Cognate with Old English wlite (“appearance, form, brightness, countenance”). More at moss.

cog

(uncountable) A dyestuff extracted from certain lichens, that changes color when exposed to pH levels greater than or less than certain critical levels.

A simple test of acidity in a liquid using litmus, usually in the form of litmus paper.

A simple test of any attribute; a litmus test.


myopia

en-noun

myopia (countable and uncountable, plural myopias)

Borrowed from Ancient Greek μυωπία (muōpía, “shortsightedness”), from μύω (múō, “to shut, close”) + ὤψ (ṓps, “eye”) + -ία (-ía).

af

Coordinate term: presbyopia

The modern rise in myopia mirrored a trend for children in many countries to spend more time engaged in reading, studying or — more recently — glued to computer and smartphone screens.

2015 March 15, Elie Dolgin, “The myopia boom”, in Nature:

(pathology) A disorder of the vision where distant objects appear blurred because the eye focuses their images in front of the retina instead of on it.


onyx

From Middle English onix (c. 1300), earlier oniche (c. 1250), from Old French oniche or onix, from Latin onyx, from Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónux, “onyx”). Doublet of unguis.

And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

There was no moon, only stars set brilliantly in the soft black onyx of the sky : a black night and very silent on Cimiez ; and a black and silent prospect from the verandah […]

1922, Michael Arlen, “3/7/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:


patina

Borrowed from Italian patina, from Latin patina (“dish, pan”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek πατάνη (patánē), either from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread”) or from Pre-Greek. Doublet of paten, patena, and patine.

der

Of a green colour, tinted with grey, like that of bronze patina.


thrum

onomatopoeic

Imitative

The trailblazing Oaxacan chef Alejandro Ruiz […] has spiked this black-bean sauce with a hidden depth charge of flavor: patches of foliage from a local avocado tree. The leaves electrify the sauce with an unexpected thrum of black licorice.

2014 October 25, Jeff Gordinier, “In search of the perfect taco”, in T: The New York Times Style Magazine (international edition), page 100:


umber

en-noun

umber (countable and uncountable, plural umbers)

From Middle French ombre (“umber”), from terre d'ombre (“dark ochre”), from Old French umbre (“shade, shadow”), from Latin umbra. Doublet of umbra.

umber:

I'll put myself in poor and mean attire,
And with a kind of umber smirch my face;
The like do you; so shall we pass along,
And never stir assailants.

c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], lines 518-21:

A brown clay, somewhat darker than ochre, which contains iron and manganese oxides.


askance

Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Middle English askoyn (“at a slant, askance”), Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).

cog

I glanced askance at this strange creature, and found him watching me with his queer, restless eyes.

1896, H. G. Wells, chapter 8, in The Island of Doctor Moreau:

...the head-stones in the grave-yard beneath seemed to be holding themselves askance to keep it out of their faces.

1878, Henry James, chapter 1, in The Europeans:


eyeball

en-verb

eyeball (third-person singular simple present eyeballs, present participle eyeballing, simple past and past participle eyeballed)

eyeballs (present singular third-person)
eyeballing (participle present)
eyeballed (participle past)
eyeballed (past)

From eye + ball. Compare Middle English balle off the eye, balle of þe eyȝe (“eyeball”, literally “ball of the eye”).

A good cook can often just eyeball the correct quantities of ingredients.

Each geometric construction must be exact; eyeballing it and getting close does not count.

(transitive, informal) To gauge, estimate or judge by eye, rather than measuring precisely; to look or glance at.


dandelion

en-noun

dandelion (countable and uncountable, plural dandelions)

From Middle English dentdelyon, from Old French dent de lion (“lion's tooth”), also in Latin dēns leōnis, referring to the jagged shape of the plant's leaves. The term has since died out in French (except in Swiss French, perhaps surviving there under the influence of German Löwenzahn with the same literal meaning), but compare Spanish diente de león, Portuguese dente-de-leão, Italian dente di leone, German Löwenzahn, Norwegian Bokmål løvetann, Welsh dant y llew, all descendants, calques, or loan translations of the Latin term.

voikukankeltainen

color of a dandelion flower, dandelion color, dandelion yellow

downward-turned leaves under the flowerhead

Taraxacum officinale

syn. Taraxacum officinale subsp. vulgare

the sanguine hue of the poppy and the hibiscus, the gold of the daisy and dandelion, the dark green of the sorrage on either side, and the blue and purple of the blossoming mulberry and sycamore

1910, Joseph Richardson Parke, The Wizard of the Damavant: A Tale of the Crusades, page 151:

There are asexual variants among all sorts of creatures, including jellyfish, dandelions, lichens and lizards.

2018 April 24, John Launer, “Do We Even Need Men?”, in Literary Hub:

Taraxacum officinale
Taraxacum officinale#Translingual

(countable) Any of the several species of plant in the genus Taraxacum, characterised by yellow flower heads and notched, broad-ended leaves, especially the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).

luleradhiqe

plant, wild flower of the genus Taraxacum

Taraxacum erythrospermum

Taraxacum laevigatum, red-seeded dandelion; achenes reddish brown and leaves deeply cut throughout length. Inner bracts' tips are hooded.

often considered a variety of Taraxacum laevigatum


deodorization

en-noun

deodorization (countable and uncountable, plural deodorizations)

The act of depriving of odor, especially of offensive odors resulting from impurities.


fixation

fixation (countable and uncountable, plural fixations)

From Old French fixation. By surface analysis, fix + -ation.

fixació

a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing

(ophthalmology) maintaining of the gaze on a single location.


hircine

en-adj

hircine (comparative more hircine, superlative most hircine)

more hircine (comparative)
most hircine (superlative)

First attested in its present form in 1650–1660: From Middle English hircyne, from Latin hircīnus (“of a goat”, “goat-scented”); equivalent to hircus (“a male goat”) + -īnus (“-ine”). Cognate with French hircin. Compare caprine, haedine.

der

Possessed of an odour reminiscent of goats.


hircine

(mineralogy) A fossil amorphous resin which, when burnt, gives off a pungent, hircinous aroma.


mignonette

From French mignonnette, from mignon (“dainty”) + -ette (diminutive suffix).

After amusing herself for a brief time with picking to pieces some mignonette which filled a box on the window-sill, Marie threw the flowers from her, and exclaimed,—"And here we are seated together, as we used to talk away half the night in Italy. Good Heavens! how we are altered!"

1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter I, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 2:

These rooms were on a level with the apartments of our friends Bows and Costigan next door at No. 4; and by reaching over the communicating leads, Grady could command the mignonette-box which bloomed in Bows’s window.

1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 43, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

Reseda odorata
Reseda odorata#Translingual

A plant, Reseda odorata, having greyish-green flowers with orange-coloured stamens, and exhaling a delicious fragrance. In Africa it is a low shrub, but further north it is usually an annual herb.

Lawsonia inermis
Lawsonia inermis#Translingual

A mignonette tree (Lawsonia inermis), source of the dye henna.

mignonette:

A greyish-green colour, like that of the flowers of the plant.


mignonette

en-adj

mignonette (comparative more mignonette, superlative most mignonette)

more mignonette (comparative)
most mignonette (superlative)

She wore a dishabille of mignonette-green silk and bead-diapered head-dress that added several inches to her height […].

1919, Ronald Firbank, Valmouth, Duckworth, hardback edition, page 44

Of a greyish-green colour, like that of the flowers of the plant.


oyster

From Middle English oystre, from Old English ostre, reinforced or superseded by Anglo-Norman oistre, which is from Old French oistre, uistre (compare modern French huître); both lines (Old English and Old French) from Latin ostrea, from Ancient Greek ὄστρεον (óstreon). Doublet of ostro (“a purple dye”).

als

mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel

oyster:

A pale beige color tinted with grey or pink, like that of an oyster.


oyster

oyster (comparative more oyster, superlative most oyster)

more oyster (comparative)
most oyster (superlative)

Of a pale beige colour tinted with grey or pink, like that of an oyster.


pearl

en-noun

pearl (countable and uncountable, plural pearls)

Horace
Jean Jannon
New Testament
Vergil
en:pearl
en:pearl (disambiguation)
en:pearl (typography)

From Middle English perle, from Old French perle of uncertain etymology. Probably via unattested Medieval Latin *pernula, from Latin perna (“haunch; a marine bivalve shaped like a leg of lamb”) but also derived from Medieval Latin perla, from Latin perula (“little bag”). Its typographic use follows the name given by Jean Jannon to the type used in his miniature editions of Vergil, Horace, & the New Testament in the 1620s, which were the smallest printed works to his time. Its surfing use derives from the supposed resemblance to pearl diving.

der

Errol. Pearl three Escutcheons Ruby. / Elgin. Topaz a Saltier and Chief Ruby, on a Canton Pearl a Lyon Rampant Saphyr, which last is their paternal Coat; and the Field Topaz, and Saltier, and Chief Ruby, was the Arms of King Robert the Bruce, they altering the Field from Pearl (as he bore it) to Topaz.

1720, Francis Nichols, Rudiments of Honour, page 296:

The Field is Ruby, on a Bend Topaz, three Martlets Diamond. The Armes of the most Noble and Puissant Lord, Edward Brabazon, Earl of Meath, and Baron of Atherdee in the Kingdom of Ireland. His Lordship's Atchievements are Quarterly of sixteen Coats. 1. Brabazon, as above. 2. Diamond, on a Chevron between three Pickaxes Pearl, as many Mullets Ruby, by the Name of Mosley. 3. Saphire, ten Bezants, 4, 3, 2, 1, by the Bisset. 4. Pearl, on a Bend Diamond, nine Annulets conjoined in three Links Topaz.

1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd; Or, an Abridgment of Guillim, page 504:

(1) Pearl, a Cross, Ruby, with the Effigies of our Saviour thereon, Topaz, born in Memory of one of the Family's fighting against the Turks.

1754, John Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland; Or, a Genealogical History of the ..., page 71:

(heraldry) Argent, in blazoning by precious stones.


reek

en-noun

reek (countable and uncountable, plural reeks)

From Middle English rek, reke (“smoke”), from Old English rēc, from Proto-West Germanic *rauki, from Proto-Germanic *raukiz, from Proto-Indo-European *rowgi-.
See also West Frisian reek, riik, Dutch rook, Low German Röök, German Rauch, Danish røg, Norwegian Bokmål røyk; also Lithuanian rū̃kti (“to smoke”), rū̃kas (“smoke, fog”), Albanian regj (“to tan”).


sanguine

en-adj

sanguine (comparative more sanguine, superlative most sanguine)

more sanguine (comparative)
most sanguine (superlative)

From Middle English sanguine, from Old French sanguin, ultimately from Latin sanguineus (“of blood”), from sanguis (“blood”), of uncertain origin, perhaps Proto-Indo-European *h₁sh₂-én-, from *h₁ésh₂r̥ (“blood”). Doublet of sanguineous.


sanguine

en-noun

sanguine (countable and uncountable, plural sanguines)

(heraldry) A tincture, seldom used, of a blood-red colour (not to be confused with murrey).


sanguine

en-verb

sanguine (third-person singular simple present sanguines, present participle sanguining, simple past and past participle sanguined)

sanguines (present singular third-person)
sanguining (participle present)
sanguined (participle past)
sanguined (past)

To stain with blood; to impart the colour of blood to; to ensanguine.


sunflower

From sun + flower. Compare English sunbloom.

(UK, rail transport) An Automatic Warning System (AWS) indicator in the driver's cab that is displayed after a driver has acknowledged an audible warning, which consists of a yellow circle enclosing a white circle, with black spokes overlaid.


tact

Borrowed from French tact, following a semantic shift from earlier tact (“sense of touch; feeling”), borrowed from Latin tāctus (“touched”). The borrowing was likely influenced by earlier English tact (“sense of touch; feeling”), which was a parallel borrowing directly from the Latin.

m+

By the use of tact, she was able to calm her jealous husband.

I used tact when I told my fat uncle that his extra weight made him look better.

He had formed plans not inferior in grandeur and boldness to those of Richelieu, and had carried them into effect with a tact and wariness worthy of Mazarin.

1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:

A tact which surpassed the tact of her sex as much as the tact of her sex surpassed the tact of ours.

Sensitive mental touch; special skill or faculty; keen perception or discernment; ready power of appreciating and doing what is required by circumstances; the ability to say the right thing.


tart

en-adj

tart (comparative tarter, superlative tartest)

tarter (comparative)
tartest (superlative)

From Middle English tart, from Old English teart (“sharp, rough, severe”), from Proto-West Germanic *tart, from Proto-Germanic *tartaz (“rough, sharp, tearing”), from Proto-Germanic *teraną (“to tear”), from Proto-Indo-European *der- (“to flay, split, cleave”). Related to Scots tairt (“tart; tartness”), Dutch tarten (“to defy, challenge, mock”), German trotzen (“to defy, brave, mock”), perhaps Albanian thartë (“sour, acid, sharp”).

cog

I ate a very tart apple.


tasty

en-adj

tasty (comparative tastier, superlative tastiest)

tastier (comparative)
tastiest (superlative)

From taste + -y.
The Philippine sense is due to a genericized trademark from Taystee Bread Company, a defunct American company.

These items will make an attractive and tasty display.

(obsolete) Having or showing good taste; tasteful.


teak

en-noun

teak (usually uncountable, plural teaks)

Derived from Portuguese teca, from Malayalam തേക്ക് (tēkkŭ) / Tamil தேக்கு (tēkku).

Tectona grandis
Tectona grandis#Translingual

(uncountable, countable) An extremely durable timber highly valued for shipbuilding and other purposes, yielded by Tectona grandis (and Tectona spp.).

(countable) A tree of the species in the genus Tectona.

teak:

(uncountable) A yellowish brown colour, like that of teakwood.


teak

Of a yellowish brown colour, like that of teak wood.


zaffre

zaffre (countable and uncountable, plural zaffres)

From Italian zaffera, from Latin sapphirus (“sapphire”). Doublet of sapphire.

If Zaffre or Regulus of Cobalt be dissolved in the same manner in spirit of nitre, or aqua fortis, a reddish colour is produced on exposing the paper to heat.

1791, Erasmus Darwin, The Economy of Vegetation, J. Johnson, page 49:

A blue pigment obtained by roasting cobalt ore.

zaffre:

A cobalt blue colour, like that of the pigment.


argent

argent (countable and uncountable, plural argents)

From Middle English argent, from Old French argent m (“silver”), from Latin argentum n (“white money, silver”).

der

argent:

The metals are gold and silver, these being termed "or" and "argent".

1909, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry:

(heraldry) The white or silver tincture on a coat of arms.

The polish'd argent of her breast.

1842, Alfred Tennyson, “A Dream of Fair Women”, in Poems. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:

(archaic or poetic) Whiteness; anything that is white.


argent

Or ask of yonder argent fields above, / Why Jove's Satellites are leſs than Jove?

1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle I, London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 5, lines 49–50:

... when the shield is argent, it is shown in an engraving by being left plain.

1889, Charles Norton Elvin, A Dictionary of Heraldry:

(heraldry): of white or silver tincture on a coat of arms.


porky

Fucked if I know, I never even clapped my little porkies on him before.

2015, Jeremy Cameron, Brown Bred in Wengen:

(Cockney rhyming slang, in the plural) An eye.


periwinkle

Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca), of unknown origin.

/ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/

periwinkle:

A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.


periwinkle

en-adj

periwinkle (comparative more periwinkle, superlative most periwinkle)

more periwinkle (comparative)
most periwinkle (superlative)

/ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/


periwinkle

From Middle English [Term?], alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna (“kind of mussel”), itself from Ancient Greek πίνη (pínē), variant of πίννα (pínna, “mussel”)) and Old English wincel (“corner”) (compare dialectal Danish vinkel (“snail shell”)). More at winch and wink.

/ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/

He was working a pin into a periwinkle shell, turning it to extract the toothsome morsel of meat.

2022, Paul McAuley, Beyond the Burn Line, Gollancz, page 217:


unctuous

unctuous (comparative more unctuous, superlative most unctuous)

more unctuous (comparative)
most unctuous (superlative)

/ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/

From Late Middle English unctuous [and other forms], borrowed from Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus (“greasy, oily, unctuous”), from Latin ūnctum (“ointment; rich banquet; rich savoury dish”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly’ forming adjectives from nouns). Ūnctum is a noun use of the perfect passive participle of unguō (“to anoint; to smear with oil, to grease or oil”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃engʷ- (“to anoint; to smear”).
Cognates
* Italian untuoso
* Old French onctües, unctueus, unctuose (modern French onctueux)
* Portuguese unctuoso
* Spanish untuoso

nb...

unctouus, unctuos, unctuose, unctuouse, unctuus, ungtuous

мазен

of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner

Again, Taſts may properly be ſaid, to be Soft or Hard. A Soft Taſte, is either Vapid, as in VVatery Bodies, VVhites of Eggs, Starch, Fine Boles, &c. Or Unctuous, as in Oyls, Fat, &c. […] Contrary to an Unctuous Taſte, are Aſtringent, and Pungent; as in Galls, and Spirit of Sal Aromanick.

1675 April 4 (Gregorian calendar), Nehemiah Grew, “[Several Lectures Read before the Royal Society.] A Discourse of the Diversities and Causes of Tasts Chiefly in Plants. Read before the Royal Society, March 25. 1675. Chapter I. Of the Several Sorts of Simple and Compounded Tasts; and the Degrees of Both.”, in The Anatomy of Plants. […], [London]: […] W. Rawlins, for the author, published 1682, →OCLC, page 280:

The halls and passages of the castle were already permeated with rich and unctuous smells, and a delicate nose might have picked out and arranged, by their finer or coarser vapors, the dishes preparing for the upper and lower tables.

1866 January, Bayard Taylor, “Beauty and the Beast. A Story of Old Russia.”, in Beauty and the Beast: And Tales of Home, New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam & Sons, […], published 1872, →OCLC, section III, page 15:

"Unctuous is probably quite a good description, but there's a sweetness, too, and a mouthfeel," ventures Heston Blumenthal, chef at the Fat Duck at Bray.

2000 January 28, Oliver Burkeman, “Things that make you go yum”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-05-30:

Of an aroma or taste, or a beverage (such as coffee or wine) or food (such as gravy, meat, or sauce): having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour; lush, rich.

romig

of an aroma or taste, or a beverage or food: having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour — see also lush, rich


hepatic

From Middle English epatik, from Late Latin hepaticus, from Ancient Greek ἡπατικός (hēpatikós, “of the liver”), from ἧπαρ (hêpar, “liver”).

hepatic:

Polyhydrite, a silicate of oxide of iron from Breitenbrun, Saxony, is of a hepatic color, vitreous lustre and opaque

1842, Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger, “Mineralogical Notices”, in The American journal of science and arts, page 386:

In fact bis weakness was for alcoholic stimulants. Hence his liver was carefully examined. It was not of the usual hepatic color ; in this case it presented a deep purple-black

1872, “Remarks on Longevity”, in The Medical and surgical reporter, page 104:

Among the most striking ot the internal modifications is the gradual change of the liver from the characteristic hepatic color to a bright green.

1893, The Wilder quarter-century book: a collection of original papers, page 438:

Of a deep brownish-red color like that of liver.


dunny

en-adj

dunny (comparative dunnier, superlative dunniest)

dunnier (comparative)
dunniest (superlative)

Probably from dun (“to ring”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).

af

Dunny, somewhat deaf, deafish.

1708, J. Kersey, Dictionary Anglo-Britannicum:

(UK dialect) Somewhat deaf, hard of hearing.


sniff

en-noun

sniff (countable and uncountable, plural sniffs)

From Middle English sniffen, of imitative origin.

onomatopoeic

imitative

Tottenham did have a sniff of goal when Defoe's drilled cross just eluded his strike partner at the far post but their best effort came early in the second half when Ryan Fredericks cut in from the right before firing into the side netting.

2011 November 3, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport:

Telecoms firms want a sniff, having invested heavily in ultra-fast, low-latency 5G spectrum.

2021 December 18, “The billionaire battle for the metaverse”, in The Economist, →ISSN:

(countable, colloquial) A brief perception, or tiny amount.


parchment

en-noun

parchment (countable and uncountable, plural parchments)

/ˈpʰɑɹt͡ʃmənt/

From Middle English parchemyn, parchement, from Old French parchemin, via Latin pergamīna, from Ancient Greek Περγαμηνός (Pergamēnós, “of Pergamon”), which is named for the ancient city of Pergamon (modern Bergama) in Asia Minor, where it was invented as an expensive alternative for papyrus. Cognate with Danish pergament, Dutch perkament, French parchemin, German Pergament, Greek περγαμηνή (pergaminí), Italian pergamena, Norwegian pergament, Portuguese pergaminho, Galician pergameo, Romanian pergament, Russian пергамент (pergament), Spanish pergamino, and Swedish pergament.

der

The creamy to tanned color of parchment.


shiner

From Middle English schyner, equivalent to shine + -er. Compare Old English sċīnere (“one who produces deceptive appearances, magician”).


wink

en-verb

wink (third-person singular simple present winks, present participle winking, simple past and past participle winked)

winks (present singular third-person)
winking (participle present)
winked (participle past)
winked (past)

From Middle English wynken, from Old English wincian (“to wink, make a sign, close the eyes, blink”, weak verb), from Proto-West Germanic *winkōn (“to close one's eyes”), from Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve”). Cognate with Middle Low German winken (“to blink, wink”), German winken (“to nod, beckon, make a sign”). Related also to Saterland Frisian wäänke, Dutch wenken (“to beckon, motion”), Latin vacillare (“sway”), Lithuanian véngti (“to swerve, avoid”), Albanian vang (“tire, felloe”), Sanskrit वङ्गति (vaṅgati, “(he, she) limps”).

cog

Some trot about to bear false witness, and say anything for money; and though judges know of it, yet for a bribe they wink at it, and suffer false contracts to prevail against equity.

1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:

But man doth know / The ſpring, whence all things flow: / And yet, as though he knew it not, / His knowledge winks, and lets his humours reigne: / They make his life a conſtant blot, / And all the bloud of God to run in vain.

1638, George Herbert, “Miserie”, in [Nicholas Ferrar], editor, The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, 5th edition, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] T[homas] Buck, and R[oger] Daniel, printers to the Universitie of Cambridge, →OCLC, page 94:

Therefore the scripture represents wicked men as without understanding […] they are not blind; but they wink; […] though they know God, yet they do not glorify him as God […]

1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC:

But whenever obstinacy, which is an open defiance, appears, that cannot be winked at, or neglected, but must, in the first instance, be subdued and mastered; only care must be had, that we mistake not ; and we must be sure it is obstinacy, and nothing else.

1693, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, § 79:

For although the Queen had ordered a little Equipage of all things neceſſary while I was in her Service, yet my Ideas were wholly taken up with what I ſaw on every ſide of me, and winked at my own Littleneſs as People do at their own Faults.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The King and Queen Make a Progress to the Frontiers. The Author Attends Them. The Manner in which He Leaves the Country Very Particularly Related. He Returns to England.”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), pages 306–307:

(intransitive) Usually followed by at: to look the other way, to turn a blind eye.


wink

a nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat

I couldn't bear to leave him where he is. I shouldn't sleep a wink for thinking of him.

1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 25”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:

Couldn't sleep a wink last night / Oh how I'd love to hold you tight

1973, Bryan Ferry (lyrics and music), “Pyjamarama”, performed by Roxy Music:

A brief period of sleep; especially forty winks.

silmällinen

brief period of sleep — see also forty winks


audible

en-adj

audible (comparative more audible, superlative most audible)

more audible (comparative)
most audible (superlative)

Borrowed from Middle French audible, from Late Latin audibilis, from Latin audire (“to hear”).

"Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible […]

1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC: