sideways

He builds houses sideways, with the front door on the side.

A bishop moves only diagonally; a rook, only sideways, forward, and back.

He looked sideways at the new arrival, wondering who she was.

“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

The economy has been moving sideways for several months now.

We realized the project could go sideways very quickly if we didn't get the sales and marketing people on our side.

As we walked deeper into the darkness, we both knew this could go sideways in a heartbeat. We were sitting ducks. Birds on a wire. Canaries in a coalmine.

2011, D. P. Lyle, chapter 78, in Hot Lights, Cold Steel, →ISBN, page 340:

It feels like the probability of something going sideways here is higher.

2023 May 20, Tabby Kinder, George Hammond, quoting Ivan Matkovic, “So long, San Francisco”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 1:

(chiefly US, colloquial) Not as planned; towards a worse outcome.


ere

From Middle English er, from Old English ǣr (adverb, conjunction, and preposition), from Proto-West Germanic *airi, from Proto-Germanic *airiz, comparative of Proto-Germanic *airi (“early”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éyeri (“day, morning”) (compare Avestan 𐬀𐬫𐬀𐬭 (ayar, “day”), Gk. ἠέριος (ēérios, “at daybreak”), see also era, Albanian herët (“early in the morning, at daybreak”) ). The adverb erstwhile retains the Old English superlative ǣrest (“earliest”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian eer (“before”), Dutch eer (“before, sooner than”), German ehe (“before”).

inh

Thys is he of whome I ſpake / he that cõmeth after me / was befoꝛe me be cauſe he was yer thẽ I.

1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, John j:[30], folio cxix, verso:


canny

Northern English dialect, from can (“to know”) ( + -y), from Middle English can, first and third person singular of cunnen, connen (“to be able, know how to”), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). Compare Scots canny, English cunny, Old English cann (“knowledge, assertion”). More at can, cunning.

cog

a canny long journey

canny near home

That’s a canny big horse, man!

(Northumbria) Very, considerably; quite, rather.

he sits very canny

drive canny

(Scotland, Northumbria) Gently, quietly; carefully, skilfully.


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”).

The beggar asked for change, but the haughty woman only looked at him askance.

The scandal of opposition died down, and the stone-carver himself, though the town-folk continued to eye him askance, was able to secure other work through the favor of discriminating patrons.

1932, Clark Ashton Smith, The Maker of Gargoyles:

Both […] were viewed askance by authority.

1875, William Ewart Gladstone, The Church of England and Ritualism:

My palfrey eyed them askance.

1828, Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations, volume III, Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney:

(of a look or glance) With disapproval, skepticism, or suspicion.

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:


tog

Row 1 (Right side): Slip 1, K1, K2 tog, YO, K 10, (K2 tog, YO) twice, K3.

2012, Kay Meadors, Knitting for a Cure, page 34:


aught

From Middle English aught, ought, from Old English āht, āwiht, from ā (“always", "ever”) + wiht (“thing", "creature”). More at wight.

[…] and if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,
And sing it to her bones [...]

1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

(archaic) At all, in any degree, in any respect.


cater

Probably ultimately from French quatre (“four”), possibly via cater (“change-ringing”), although Liberman argues for a derivation from a North Germanic prefix meaning "crooked, angled, clumsy" from which he also derives cater-cousin and, via Norse, Old Irish cittach (“left-handed, awkward”). He finds this more likely than extension of the dice and change-ringing term cater as an adverb, given the likely cognates in other Germanic languages. Caterpillar and caterwaul are unrelated, being derived from cognates to cat, but may have influenced the pronunciation of Liberman's proposed earlier *cate- or undergone similar sound changes.

Cater and Cater-cornered, diagonal; diagonally. To ‘cut cater’ in the case of velvet, cloth, etc., is... ‘cut on the cross’. Cater-snozzle, to make an angle; to ‘mitre’.

1881, Sebastian Evans, Leicestershire Words, Phrases, and Proverbs, s.v. "Cater and Cater-cornered":


cam

en-adv

cam (comparative more cam, superlative most cam)

more cam (comparative)
most cam (superlative)


elsewhere

From Middle English elswher, from Old English elles hwǣr and elles hwerġen (“elsewhere”); corresponding with else + where.

If you won’t serve us, we’ll go elsewhere.

These particular trees are not to be found elsewhere.

Oh, had we some bright little isle of our own, / In a blue summer ocean far off and alone; / [...] / Where simply to feel that we breathe, that we live, / Is worth the best joys that life elsewhere can give.

[1850?], Thomas Moore, “Had We Some Bright Little Isle of Our Own”, in W[illiam] M[ark] Clark, compiler, Clark’s Orphean Warbler. Containing a Choice Collection of Nearly Two Thousand Favourite Songs, Glees, Duets, &c., so Popular at the Present Time, as Sung at the Theatres, Public Concerts, &c., in London, London: Published by W. M. Clark, […], →OCLC, page 36:

He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair.

2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 2012-02-13, page 162:

Synonym of somewhere else: in, at, or to some other place.


completely

completely (comparative more completely, superlative most completely)

more completely (comparative)
most completely (superlative)

It should not have been omitted that previous to completely stripping the body of the leviathan, he was beheaded.

1851, Herman Melville, chapter 70, in Moby-Dick:

She completely abandoned her Tuesdays at home, and did not return the visits of those who had called upon her.

1899, Kate Chopin, chapter XIX, in The Awakening:

Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY immediately maneuvered his craft through several strafing runs which completely silenced the enemy.

1969, E.R. Zumwalt, Jr., Silver Star Citation - John Kerry:

Please completely fill in the box for your answer, using a number 2 pencil.

I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.

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

Our future may lie beyond our vision, but it is not completely beyond our control.

1968 June 8, Edward M. Kennedy, Tribute to Senator Robert F. Kennedy:

1975, Helen Schucman, A Course in Miracles/Workbook for Students, Lesson 75: The light has come,
Keep a completely open mind, washed of all past ideas and clean of every concept you have made.

He is completely mad.

(degree) To the fullest extent or degree; totally.


fondly

fondly (comparative more fondly, superlative most fondly)

more fondly (comparative)
most fondly (superlative)

From Middle English fondly, fondely, fonnedli, equivalent to fond + -ly.

He looked fondly at the pictures of his high-school friends.

In a fond manner; affectionately; tenderly.

"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?" / I fondly ask...

1673, John Milton, When I Consider How My Light Is Spent ('On His Blindness')

[…] she fondly believes that ten millions of the free people of the Union will allow her and her seceding brethren to open and shut the portals of this mighty region at their pleasure.


breech

From Middle English breche, from Old English brēċ, from Proto-Germanic *brōkiz pl, from Proto-Germanic *brōks (“clothing for loins and thighs”). Cognate with Dutch broek, Alemannic German Bruech, Swedish brok. Doublet of vraka.

der

(obstetrics, of birth) With the hips coming out before the head.


equally

en-adv

equally (comparative more equally, superlative most equally)

more equally (comparative)
most equally (superlative)

All citizens are equally taxed.

The pie was divided equally among the guests.

They shared equally in the spoils.

And when their ſcattered armie is ſubdu’d:
And you march on their ſlaughtered carkaſſes,
Share equally the gold that bought their liues,
And liue like Gentlmen in Perſea, […]

c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:

(manner) In an equal manner; in equal shares or proportion; with equal and impartial justice; evenly

The gas stations are equally far from the highway.

The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.[…]Their example was followed by others at a time when the master of Mohair was superintending in person the docking of some two-year-olds, and equally invisible.

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, pages 58–59:

(degree) In equal degree or extent; just as.

John suffered setbacks at his job. Equally, Frank's business slowed.

(conjunctive) Used to link two or more coordinate elements


firstly

Coined before 1475, from Middle English fyrst-lyk, equivalent to first + -ly.

Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants. […] Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand.

1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:

(formal) In the first place; before anything else; first.


gaily

gaily (comparative more gaily, superlative most gaily)

more gaily (comparative)
most gaily (superlative)

The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.

1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 7, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:


conveniently

conveniently (comparative more conveniently, superlative most conveniently)

more conveniently (comparative)
most conveniently (superlative)

his body was now conveniently inclin'd towards me, and just softly chucking his smooth beardless chin, I asked him if he was afraid of a lady?

1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC:

In a convenient manner, form, or situation; without difficulty.

You expect me to believe that someone created a wormhole, and now conveniently has disassembled it?

1993, Michael Piller, “Emissary”, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Gul Jasad (Joel Swetow):

In a manner provoking suspicion due to how well it suits someone's purposes.


fairly

fairly (comparative more fairly, superlative most fairly)

more fairly (comparative)
most fairly (superlative)

From Middle English fayrly, fayrely, vayrliche, equivalent to fair + -ly.

A jury is expected to ensure that the accused is fairly judged.

(manner) In a fair manner; fair; not biased or skewed or favouring a certain party

a town fairly situated for foreign trade

Consumer laws aim to have consumers fairly treated.

10. You will be civil and attentive to passengers, giving proper assistance to ladies and children getting in or out, and never start the car before passengers are fairly received or landed.

1859, Alexander Easton, “Rules adopted by the Sixth Avenue Railway, N. Y.”, in A Practical Treatise on Street or Horse-Power Railways, page 108:

They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.[…].

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

The weather this weekend will be fairly dry.

My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter III, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania. The first barrels of crude fetched $18 (around $450 at today’s prices). It was used to make kerosene, the main fuel for artificial lighting after overfishing led to a shortage of whale blubber.

2013 August 3, “Yesterday’s fuel”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:

We quadrilled, waltzed, and conversed, in all of which my clever partner excelled; and her charms, combined with the excellent champagne I imbibed, fairly dazzled my imagination.

1834, Arthur Courtenay, Autobiography and Letters of Arthur Courtenay, page 36:

Betty grew so nervous and frightened, that she fairly bawled to her colleague, Moggy, and told her she would not stay in the room unless she sat up all night with her.

1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:

That Pen, which now writes blottingly, might be well made at first, and will write fairly again […]

1653, John Gauden, Hieraspistes, page 248:

I was at the Mathematical School, where the Maſter taught his Pupils after a Method ſcarce imaginable to us in Europe. The Propoſition and Demonſtration were fairly written on a thin Wafer, with Ink compoſed of a Cephalick Tincture. This the Student was to ſwallow upon a faſting Stomach, and for three days following eat nothing but Bread and Water. As the Wafer digeſted, the Tincture mounted to his Brain, bearing the Propoſition along with it.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Permitted to See the Grand Academy of Lagado. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 78:

(archaic) Of handwriting: neatly and legibly.


finally

From Middle English finally, fynaly, fynally, fynaliche, fynalliche, equivalent to final + -ly.

The contest was long, but the Romans finally conquered.

In a world in which "like singing,/ the next day's shriek for ease rises," in a world whose "survivors" are "capable of any cry, never done/ clasping in the city's shaken places," it is perhaps not surprising to find a dehumanizing but finally protective system of alienation imposing itself.

1975 December 20, Rudy Kikel, “The Closed Closet Policy and the Poetry of Paul Monette”, in Gay Community News, volume 3, number 25, page 9:

Cyberneticism is, finally, a refined form of scientism, and therefore it is also more dangerous. This form of scientism is not based on linear causality, as mechanistic thought is; rather, it is based on circular causality.

2024, Egbert Schuurman, Ruben Alvarado, Technology and Christianity: Essays on the Interface, page 113:

At bottom; ultimately; when all is considered.

Finally, I washed my dog.

I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.

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

At any other time Jessamy would have laughed at the expressions that chased each other over his freckled face: crossness left over from his struggle with the baby; incredulity; distress; and finally delight.

1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 122:

(sequence) To finish (with); lastly (in the present).

The question of his long-term success has now been finally settled.


ana

From Ancient Greek ἀνά (aná, “of each”).

wine and honey, ana [or contracted to aa] / ij
of wine and honey, each, two ounces

Take Sugrede Coriandre ſeedes 3 qv. of an ovvnce, deſcidede liqveriſh ℥ [?]. Calmus, redd Roſes, ana a q. of an ounce, Cĩnamone 3 qv. of an ounce, Ginger, cloves, Mace, Nuttmegges, ana a q. of an oũce, all vvhich being contunded together, & as much Suger mixede thervvith, as ther is of the other poulder, or accordinge as vve deſire the dulcor therof, vve muſt in the morning faſting, or one hovver before ſuppervſe heerof.

1599, Oswaldus Gabelhouer, translated by Charles Battus and A. M., The Boock of Physicke: […], Dort: […] Isaack Caen, page 116, column 2:

(in prescriptions) Of each; an equal quantity.


ana

ana (comparative more ana, superlative most ana)

more ana (comparative)
most ana (superlative)

Your right half would move ana, let us say, and your left half would move kata. The two halves would, in their parallel spaces, move past the plane of rotation, and then they would swing back into our space.

1985, Rudy von Bitter Rucker, The Fourth Dimension: A Guided Tour of the Higher Universes, page 43:

Added to the conventional FPS control keys are two extra keys that move the player in ana and kata direction in 4d space. If you go in this extra direction the space around you changes, the room transforms.

In a direction analogous to up, but along the additional axis added by the fourth dimension.


instead

From in + stead, from Middle English ine (“in”) + stede (“stead”). Related to German statt.

I was going to go shopping, but I went dancing instead.

‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’

1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […] But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.

2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:

In the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative.


diverse

diverse (comparative more diverse, superlative most diverse)

more diverse (comparative)
most diverse (superlative)

From Old French divers, from Latin diversus (“various, different”), also written divorsus, past participle of diverto, divortere (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”); see divert.


fain

fain (comparative fainer, superlative fainest)

fainer (comparative)
fainest (superlative)

From Middle English fain, fayn, feyn, from the adjective (see above).

Leonato: I would faine know what you haue to ſay.

1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 113, column 2:

Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
 But am betroth’d unto your enemy

1633, John Donne, Holly Sonnets, section XIV:

The second thing I fain would have had was a tobacco-pipe, but it was impossible to me to make one…

1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:

]Fain would I add to my beauty and my length of days if that be possible.[

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, chapter XXV, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

1891, George Du Maurier, Peter Ibbetson:

As a matter of fact, although Woman means everything to Man’s sexuality, and is the embodiment of all that his reproductive instinct can desire, even when it is at its keenest, Man means very little to Woman. He is, after all, no more than the sparking-plug that sets an elaborate process going, and the brief moment in which his share in her business is accomplished, and the incomplete pleasure it affords her, are ridiculously insignificant when compared with the importance he himself would fain attach to them.

1923, Anthony Ludovici, “The Positive Man and the Positive Woman”, in Woman; A Vindication, London: Constable:

Gonzalo: Now would I giue a thouſand furlongs of Sea, for an Acre of barren ground: Long heath, Browne firrs, any thing; the wills aboue be done, but I would faine dye a dry death.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 1:


luckily

luckily (comparative more luckily, superlative most luckily)

more luckily (comparative)
most luckily (superlative)

They luckily escaped injury.

In a lucky manner; by good fortune; fortunately.


longhand

From long + hand, by analogy with shorthand.

Written by hand in normal characters, as opposed to shorthand.

I had to write the essay out twice longhand – they wouldn’t let me print it out. It took forever!

Written by hand (with pen or pencil), rather than printed out; handwritten.


horseback

From Middle English horsebacke, horsebak, horsbak, equivalent to horse + back.

He rode horseback into town.


lowly

lowly (comparative more lowly, superlative most lowly)

more lowly (comparative)
most lowly (superlative)

From low + -ly; compare Middle English lowly.

In a low manner; humbly; meekly; modestly.

He muttered lowly.


moreover

From Middle English moreover, moreovere, morover, mooreover, more-overe, mare over, equivalent to more + over.

For three years there had been pestilence, and in the last of the three a famine; moreover, there was imminence of war.

1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 61:

The characteristics ‘terrestrial’ and ‘two-footed’ are predicated of the species ‘man’, but not present in it. For they are not in man. Moreover, the definition of the differentia may be predicated of that of which the differentia itself is predicated.

1928, E. M. Edghill, Categories, translation of original by Aristotle:

A curious thing about the ontological problem is its simplicity. It can be put in three Anglo-Saxon monosyllables: ‘What is there?’ It can be answered, moreover, in a word—‘Everything’—and everyone will accept this answer as true.

(conjunctive) In addition to what has been said; furthermore; additionally.


leisurely

leisurely (comparative more leisurely, superlative most leisurely)

more leisurely (comparative)
most leisurely (superlative)

From earlier leisurelily, by haplology, equivalent to leisurely + -ly.

For some minutes he walked leisurely but uncollectedly, along the line of stalls; as if contemplating the rich display of summer fruits still remaining unsold.

1838, Catherine Grace Frances Gore, Mary Raymond, and Other Tales, volume 2, page 124:

Sunset Crescent Drive curved leisurely north from Sunset Boulevard, well beyond the Bel-Air Country Club golf-course.

1943, Raymond Chandler, The High Window, Penguin, published 2005, page 37:

Oh give me a land / where the bright diamond sand / flows leisurely down to the stream
where the graceful white swan / goes gliding along / like a star in a heavenly dream.

2008, “Home on the Range”performed by Lisa Loeb:


outwards

outwards (comparative more outwards, superlative most outwards)

more outwards (comparative)
most outwards (superlative)

From Middle English outwardes, from Old English ūtweardes; equivalent to outward + -s or out + -wards. Cognate with German auswärts.

Light falling on them is not reflected outwards.

1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC:

From the interior toward the exterior; in an outward direction.

Wo be to you scrybes, and pharises ypocrites, for ye are lyke unto paynted tombes which appere beautyfull outwardes: but are within full off deed mens bones and of all fylthynes.

1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew:

(obsolete) Outwardly; (merely) on the surface.


midweek

From mid- + week. Compare Saterland Frisian Midwiek (“Wednesday”, literally “midweek”), German Mittwoch (“Wednesday”, literally “midweek”).

cog

Leicester could only manage a goalless draw midweek with Sutton Coldfield and will be keen to return to winning form.


likewise

From Middle English lykewise, lykewyse, lyke wyse, lijk wise, a shortened form of Middle English in lik wise (“in like wise”); equivalent to like + -wise. Compare with otherwise.

der

<i class="Latn mention" lang="en">in like wise</i>

Public transportation is virtually inaccessible in this country; likewise, its hospitals are also not very user-friendly.

Margaret enjoys playing tennis on Saturdays, Jeremy likewise.

"But it looks like the kid ain't got no appetite to git well, for they misses him from the tent in the night and finds him rootin' in the grass, and likewise a drizzle fallin'. 'G'wan,' he says, 'lemme go and die like I wanter. He said I was a liar and a fake'—McGuire says—'and I was playin' sick. Lemme alone.'

1903 February, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “Hygeia at the Solito”, in Everybody’s Magazine, volume VIII, number 2, New York, N.Y.: John Wanamaker, →ISSN, page 179, column 1:

It was very nice meeting you, Samantha. ― Likewise, Mr Thompson.


perforce

From Middle English par force, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French par force (“by force”).

If ſhe denie, Lord Hastings goe with him,
And from her iealous Armes pluck him perforce.

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

For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require
My dukedom of thee, which, perforce, I know
Thou must restore.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

Mr. Wickham's happiness and her own were perforce delayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins's proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could..

1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 17, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:

"Keep fast thy hold, for by such stairs as these,"
The Master said, panting as one fatigued,
"Must we perforce depart from so much evil."

1882, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Inferno, canto 34:

So, bevelling around by Mullett's and the Signal House which they shortly reached, they proceeded perforce in the direction of Amiens street railway terminus

1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 16]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:

Accordingly work perforce had to be begun. The first sod was cut at Anley, near Settle, in November, 1869, [...].

1939 July, John D. Hewitt, “Some Notable British Main Lines: 1. Settle and Carlisle, L.M.S.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 35:

Adult immigrants must perforce learn some English, and their children are likely to become English monolinguals.

2006, Alejandro Portes, Rubén G. Rumbaut, Immigrant America: A Portrait, 3rd edition, page 239:

The central issue in this case is whether the procedures followed respected the applicants’ family life or constituted an interference with the exercise of the right to respect for family life which could not be justified as necessary in a democratic society. […] It is true that Article 8 contains no explicit procedural requirements, but this is not conclusive of the matter. The relevant considerations to be weighed by a local authority in reaching decisions on children in its care must perforce include the views and interests of the natural parents.

2013 August 1, European Court of Human Rights, A.K. and L. v. Croatia, number 37956/11, marginal 62–63:

By constraint of circumstances; of necessity, inevitably, unavoidably; as a matter of course.


recently

en-adv

recently (comparative more recently, superlative most recently)

more recently (comparative)
most recently (superlative)

a recently published book

The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. To display them the walls had been tinted a vivid blue which had now faded, but the carpet, which had evidently been stored and recently relaid, retained its original turquoise.

1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."

2013 June 21, Chico Harlan, “Japan pockets the subsidy …”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 30:

vor kurzem

all referring to a particular recent event


exact

en-adverb

exact (comparative more exact, superlative most exact)

more exact (comparative)
most exact (superlative)

From Latin exāctus (the verb via Middle English exact), perfect passive participle of exigō (“demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test”), from ex (“out”) + agō (“drive”).

She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!


needs

From Middle English nedes (“of necessity, necessarily; inevitably, unavoidably”) [and other forms], from Old English nēdes, nīedes (“of necessity; not willingly”), from nīed + -es (suffix forming adverbs from nouns).
The English word is equivalent to need + -'s (possessive marker) and hence to need + -s (suffix forming adverbs).

nb...

neds, nedez, nedis, nedisse, nedys, nedysse, needes, needis, needs, neodes, (Early Middle English) nydes

As touching corporal puniſhments and penance, as faſting, diſciplin, hare cloth and other chaſtiſements, it behoueth thee herein to vſe good diſcretiõ, taking ſuch as help to repreſſe the aſſaults and temptations of the fleſh, and leuing others that may be hurtful, not yeelding herein to the heats, which ſome nouices are vvont to haue in their beginning, who thorough indiſcrete mortifying, and dompting of their fleſhe, fal into ſome ſuche infirmitie, as aftervvardes they muſt needes pamper and cheriſhe it to much.

1584, Iaspar Loarte [i.e., Gaspart Loarte], “Certaine General Aduertissementes Necessary for suche as Minde to Serue God Sincerely”, in James Sancer [pseudonym; Stephen Brinkley], transl., The Exercise of a Christian Life. […], [Rouen]: [Robert Person’s Press], →OCLC, pages 10–11:

To haue no Schreene between this part he plaid, / And him he plaid it for, he needes will be / Abſolute Millaine,[…]

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 2, column 2:

For they both ſay and beleeue that this picture hath ſo great vertue, as alſo that of Padua, whereof I haue before ſpoken, that whenſoeuer it is carried abroad in a ſolemne proceſſion in the time of a great drougth, it will cauſe raine to deſcend from heauen either before it is brought backe into the Church, or very ſhortly after. […] I cannot be induced to attribute ſo much to the vertue of a picture, as the Venetians do, except I had ſeene ſome notable miracle wrought by the ſame. For it brought no drops at all with it: onely about two dayes after it rained (I muſt needes confeſſe) amaine. But I hope they are not ſo ſuperſtitious to aſcribe that to the vertue of the picture.

1611, Thomas Coryate [i.e., Thomas Coryat], Coryats Crudities Hastily Gobled Vp in Five Moneths Trauells […], London: […] W[illiam] S[tansby for the author], →OCLC, pages 214–215:

To begin therefore with Traditions, which is your forlorn hope that in the first place we are to set upon: this must I needs tell you before we begin, that you much mistake the matter, if you think that traditions of all sorts promiscuously are struck at by our religion.

1625, James Ussher, “Of Traditions”, in An Ansvver to a Challenge Made by a Iesuite in Ireland. […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for the Society of Stationers, →OCLC; republished in C[harles] R[ichard] Elrington, editor, The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, D.D. Lord Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of All Ireland, volume III, Dublin: Hodges & Smith; London: Whittaker & Co., [1831], →OCLC, page 41:

Sole partner and ſole part of all theſe joyes, / Dearer thy ſelf then all; needs muſt the Power / That made us, and for us this ample World / Be infinitly good, […]

1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 411–414:

―And the maſter of my hotel, ſaid I, as I concluded it, will needs have it, Monſieur le Count, that I ſhall be ſent to the Baſtile— […]

1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], “The Passport. Versailles.”, in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volume II, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, […], →OCLC, page 62:

So ſtooping down, as needs he muſt / Who cannot ſit upright, / He graſp'd the mane with both his hands / And eke with all his might.

1782, William Cowper, “The Diverting History of John Gilpin, […]”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], published 1785, →OCLC, page 349:

The Squire must needs have something of the old ceremonies observed on the occasion; so, at the gate of the church-yard, several little girls of the village, dressed in white, were in readiness with baskets of flowers, which they strewed before the bride, […]

1822 May 21, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Wedding”, in Bracebridge Hall, or The Humourists. A Medley. […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 339:

Vulcan was a smith as well as Harry Wynd; he would needs wed Venus, and our Chronicles tell us what came of it.

1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter VII, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume III, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC, page 179:

O my God, if man be only / A willy-nilly current of sensations— / Reaction needs must follow revel—yet— / Why feel remorse, he, knowing that he must have / Moved in the iron grooves of Destiny?

1882, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “The Promise of May”, in Locksley Hall Sixty Years After etc., London, New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1886, →OCLC, Act II, page 119:

["]Why, Marty—whatever has happened to your head? Lord, it has shrunk to nothing—it looks like an apple upon a gate-post!" / Her heart swelled and she could not speak. At length she managed to groan, looking on the ground, "I've made myself ugly—and hateful—that's what I've done!" / "No, no," he answered, "You've only cut your hair—I see now." / "Then why must you needs say that about apples and gate-posts?"

1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter III, in The Woodlanders […], volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 48:

The time of year a twelvemonth past, / When Fred and I would meet, / We needs must jangle, till at last / We fought and I was beat.

1896, A[lfred] E[dward] Housman, “[Poem] XXV”, in A Shropshire Lad, New York, N.Y.: John Lane Company, The Bodley Head, published 1906, →OCLC, stanza 1, page 36:

His spirits finally quite restored, he must needs go and caress his possessions, and take a lamp and show off their points to his visitor and expiate on them, quite forgetful of the supper they both so much needed; […]

1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, “Dulce Domum”, in The Wind in the Willows, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 110:

I doubt we can make it on foot, laden as we are. Dear me! I think we had better have a cab. An extravagance, of course, but needs must where the devil drives, eh?

1956, Gerald Durrell, “The Talking Flowers”, in My Family and Other Animals, Harmondsworth, Middlesex [London]: Penguin Books, published 1959 (1974 printing), →OCLC, page 221:

(archaic) Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably.


secondly

Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants. […] Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand.

1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:


pell-mell

From French pêle-mêle, from Old French pesle-mesle, apparently a rhyme based on the stem of mesler (“to mix, meddle”). Compare meddle, melee.

But ſeeing that there the murdring Enemie, / Peſle-meſle, purſued them like a ſtorme of hayle, / They gan retyre vvhere Iuba vvas encampt; […]

[1594, Robert Garnier, translated by Thomas Kid [i.e., Thomas Kyd], Pompey the Great, His Faire Corneliaes Tragedie: […], London: […] [James Roberts] for Nicholas Ling, published 1595, →OCLC, act V:

Never was there a great battle fought more pell-mell, since war began; never was valor so completely thrown away.

1861, George Wilkes, The Great Battle, page 27:

The table was covered with a confusion of papers, books, pamphlets, all heaped upon one another pell-mell; […]

[1884], [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “‘The Breaker has come up before Them’”, in Ishmael: […], volume I, London: John and Robert Maxwell, […], →OCLC, page 289:

Pell-mell they rushed for Inverness and safety, leaving the strange battlefield to the stalwart five.

1905, Charles Sanford Terry, The Young Pretender, page 81:

A group of the reapers whom we had seen running from the fields were lying all pell-mell, their bodies crossing each other, at the bottom of it.

1913, Arthur Conan Doyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Poison Belt […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

And the prompter our payments the more pell-mell the news came in and the more obligingly gruesome its detail.

1996, Rodney Hall, The Island in the Mind, page 400:

Some are already packed up well; / Others are at it, most pell mell.

2006, Marion Woods, “Getting Ready”, in A Spiritual Journey Through Poetry with Marion Woods, published 2009, page 48:

In haste and chaos; uncontrolledly, confusedly.


rife

en-adv

rife (comparative more rife, superlative most rife)

more rife (comparative)
most rife (superlative)

From Middle English rife, from Old English rīfe, rȳfe (“rife, abundant, frequent”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīb, from Proto-Germanic *rībaz (“generous”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp- (“to tear (off), rip”). Cognate with West Frisian rju (“rife, much”), Dutch rijf (“abundant, copious”), Low German rive (“abundant, munificent”), Icelandic rífur (“rife, munificent”), Faroese ríviligur (“plentiful, abundant”), Faroese rívan (“abundantly”), Icelandic reifa (“to bestow”).

cog

The snowdrops grow rife on the slopes of Mount Pembroke.


behind

en-adv

behind (comparative more behind or (rare or nonstandard) behinder, superlative most behind or (rare or nonstandard) behindest)

more behind (comparative)
behinder (comparative nonstandard rare)
most behind (superlative)
behindest (nonstandard rare superlative)

From Middle English behinde, behinden, from Old English behindan (“on the back side of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihindan, *bihindini (“on the back side of, in the rear of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bi- + *hindō (“the hind side, back part”), equivalent to be- + hind. Compare Old Saxon bihindan (“behind”, adverb), Middle High German behinter (“behind; back”).

noncog

The water flows out through the pipe, and the sediment collects behind.

At or in the rear or back part of something.

We ran and ran, without once looking behind.

The slower runners were left a long way behind.

In the cricket match, England finished a long way behind.

The worst thing about autumn is that winter follows behind.

I shall not lag behind.

1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

So as to come after someone or something in position, distance, advancement, ranking, time, etc.

I couldn't be bothered to carry the ironing board, so I left it behind.

He stayed behind after the war.

He left behind a legacy of death and sorrow.

The island was inundated by the sea, leaving not a trace behind.

Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
 And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, / Leave not a rack behind.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

So as to be still in place after someone or something has departed or ceased to exist.

[…] forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 3:13:

Backward in time or order of succession; past.

‘After the performance was over I went behind, and spoke to her.’

1890, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Vintage, published 2007, page 68:

Behind the scenes in a theatre; backstage.

We cannot be sure that there is no evidence behind.

1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 4, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 16:

(archaic) Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining.


simply

en-adv

simply (comparative more simply, superlative most simply)

more simply (comparative)
most simply (superlative)

From Middle English symply, symplely; equivalent to simple + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology.

(manner) In a simple way or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; alone.

(manner) Plainly; without art or subtlety

Mrs. Thorold had told her sons that a young lady was visiting at the house, whose history she had given them in short hand, describing her as a dependent on the late Mrs. Willoughby, whom her son had very simply intended to marry at Alvestone […].

1791, Charlotte Smith, Celestina, Broadview, published 2004, page 179:

I was simply asking a question.

A “moving platform” scheme[…]is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails.[…]This set-up solves several problems […]. Stopping high-speed trains wastes energy and time, so why not simply slow them down enough for a moving platform to pull alongside?

2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 13 (Technology Quarterly):

Rather than scanning a boarding pass or handing over a passport, you simply stare into a camera and you’re verified.

2019 May 21, Dylan Curran, “Facial recognition will soon be everywhere. Are we prepared?”, in The Guardian:

That was a simply wonderful dessert.

What about the way you love me? / And the way you squeeze me? / Simply beautiful

1972, Al Green (lyrics and music), “Simply Beautiful”:

Simply, he just fired you.


regardless

regardless (comparative more regardless, superlative most regardless)

more regardless (comparative)
most regardless (superlative)

/ɹɪˈɡɑɹd.lɪs/

/ɹɪˈɡɑːd.lɪs/

Tatiana knew the meat had passed its expiry date, but she ate it regardless.

Without attention to warnings or indications of bad consequences.

malgrat tot

actioned in a way which shows no consideration


shortly

From Middle English schortly, schortliche, from Old English sċortlīċe (“shortly; before long; soon”), equivalent to short + -ly.

inh

In a short or brief time or manner; quickly.

No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.

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, page 46:

Ideas are generally expressed more shortly in verse than in prose

We shall not describe this tragical scene too fully; but we thought ourselves obliged, by that historic integrity which we profess, shortly to hint a matter which we would otherwise have been glad to have spared.

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

'Well, I still think it was a rather off-hand way for you—for anyone—to behave,' he said shortly.
Suddenly Melody felt trapped—and annoyed. And she didn't like being spoken to like a child, either.

2009, Susanne James, The Millionaire's Chosen Bride, page 147:


stealthily

en-adv

stealthily (comparative more stealthily, superlative most stealthily)

more stealthily (comparative)
most stealthily (superlative)

The dog obeyed the significant beck of his finger, and they drew off, stealthily, together.

1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy’s Progress. […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC:

So intent was he upon this personal appraisement of his features that he did not hear the parting of the tall grass behind him as a great body pushed itself stealthily through the jungle; nor did his companion, the ape, hear either, for he was drinking and the noise of his sucking lips and gurgles of satisfaction drowned the quiet approach of the intruder.

1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter 5, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, 1914 June, →OCLC:


strait

strait (comparative straiter, superlative straitest)

straiter (comparative)
straitest (superlative)

From Middle English streit, from Old French estreit (modern form étroit), from Latin strictus, perfect passive participle of stringō (“compress, tighten”). Doublet of stretto and strict.

Lords, take your places; and, I pray you all, / Proceed no straiter ’gainst our uncle Gloucester / Than from true evidence of good esteem / He be approved in practise culpable.

1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:


vicariously

In a vicarious manner; indirectly; as, by, or through a substitute; by proxy.


souse

Obscure origin. Compare Middle German sûs (“noise”).

Mr Nash […] suddenly taking the gentleman by the collar of his coat, and waistband of his breeches, threw him souse over the parapet to the object of his love.

1780, Philip Thicknesse, The Valetudinarian's Bath Guide:

(now rare, dialectal) Suddenly, without warning.


heap

From Middle English hepe, from Old English hēap, from Proto-West Germanic *haup, from Proto-Germanic *haupaz (compare Dutch hoop, German Low German Hupen, German Haufen), from Proto-Indo-European *koupos (“hill”) (compare Lithuanian kaũpas, Albanian qipi (“stack”), Avestan 𐬐𐬂𐬟𐬀 (kåfa)).

We are all familiar with the stereotyped broken English which writers of Western stories, comic strips, and similar literature put into the mouths of Indians: 'me heap big chief', 'you like um fire water', and so forth.

1980, Joey Lee Dillard, Perspectives on American English, page 417:

Once upon a time, a Scotsman, an Englishman, and an Irishman are captured by the Red Indians […] He approaches the Englishman, pinches the skin of his upper arm, and says, "Hmmm, heap good skin, nice and thick.

2004, John Robert Colombo, The Penguin Book of Canadian Jokes, page 175:

(possibly offensive) very; representing broken English stereotypically or comically attributed to Native Americans


syne

syne (comparative more syne, superlative most syne)

more syne (comparative)
most syne (superlative)

From Middle English syne, syn, sin, a contracted form of sithen (“since”). More at sithen.

At last he comes, and on his knee
The wee tots a'thegether cling,
An' ilk yen strives to catch his ee,
Syne tugs his cwoat an' bids him sing.

1866, Susanna Blamire, edited by Sidney Gilpin, Songs and Poems, page 17:

Sic a pair o' friends aa nivvor seed either before or syne.

1894, Howard Pease, The Mark o' The Deil And Other Northumbrian Tales, page 20:

Yet in two-three years they'd chaved and saved enough for gear and furnishings, and were married at last, and syne Will was born, and syne Chris herself was born, and the Guthries rented a farm in Echt […].

1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song (A Scots Quair; 1), Polygon, published 2006, page 38:

(Scotland, Northern England) Subsequently; then.

[Each rogue] shall be discovered either soon or syne.

"I had rather it came to-morrow than a month hence. Come, I know, it will; and, as your country folks say, better soon than syne […]

(Scotland, Northern England, chiefly in phrases like "soon as syne") Late.

I eat, drink, and sleep as sound as I did twenty years syne; yes, I laugh heartily too, and find as many subjects to employ that faculty upon as ever; fools, fops, and knaves, grow as rank as formerly, yet here and there, […]

1808, Allan Ramsay, The Gentle Sheperd, page 64:

Camden Lyde had come to dwell in Mapleblade, a long while syne. His father had been in times past the parish parson, and the son was kindly affectionate to the old village scenes, and to the faces that seemed in some sort to belong to him[…]

(Scotland, Northern England) Before now; ago.


straightforward

en-adj

straightforward (comparative more straightforward or straighterforward, superlative most straightforward or straightestforward)

more straightforward (comparative)
straighterforward (comparative)
most straightforward (superlative)
straightestforward (superlative)

In a straightforward manner; straightforwards; straightforwardly.


tally

en-adv

tally (comparative more tally, superlative most tally)

more tally (comparative)
most tally (superlative)

From Middle English tally, talliche, equivalent to tall + -ly.

And you, Lodovick, / That stand so tally on your reputation, / You shall be he shall speak it.

c. 1612, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, The Captain, Act II, scene ii:

(obsolete) In a tall way; stoutly; with spirit.


sleek

A late variant of slick; cognate to German schleichen (Old High German slihhan) and Dutch slijk (“mud, slime”). Compare slink.

(dated, colloquial) With ease and dexterity.


blind

blind (comparative more blind, superlative most blind)

more blind (comparative)
most blind (superlative)

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

It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness.

1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 196:

to swear blind

1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 195:

(poker, three card brag) Without looking at the cards dealt.

Blind bake your pie case for fifteen minutes, then add the filling. This will help avoid a “soggy bottom”.

If the shell is going to be baked without a filling, “baking the crust blind,” prick the bottom and sides of the crust to allow the steam to escape. Another variation: line the bottom of the crust with parchment paper […]

2012, Frank D. Conforti, Food Selection and Preparation: A Laboratory Manual, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 63:

PIE WEIGHTS: When you are baking a crust blind, which means when you are partially or fully baking it without filling (see blind-baking, page 474), you need something to keep the crust from puffing up: weights.

2013, Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, →ISBN, page 490:

(cooking, especially in combination with ‘bake’) As a pastry case only, without any filling.


splay

splay (comparative more splay, superlative most splay)

more splay (comparative)
most splay (superlative)

PIE word
 *dwís
The verb is derived from Middle English splaien, splayen (“to display; to spread out, unfurl (a flag, etc.); (cooking) to cut open (a fish) lengthwise and lay it open; (figurative) to appear; to spread”), an aphetic form of Middle English displaien, displayen (“to display”): see display.
The adjective and adverb are derived from the verb, or from splayfoot (noun) or splayfooted (adjective). The noun is derived from the verb.

In an oblique or slanted manner; obliquely, slantedly.

Of walking, etc.: with the feet turned outwards; in a splayfooted manner.


sly

From Middle English sly, sley, sleigh, sleiȝ, from Old Norse slǿgr (“sly, cunning”, literally “capable of hitting or striking”), from Proto-Germanic *slōgiz (“lively, agile, cunning, sly, striking”), from Proto-Indo-European *slak- (“to hit, throw”). Cognate with Icelandic slægur (“crafty, sly”), Norwegian Nynorsk sløg (“sly”). Related to sleight, slay. In all likelihood, however, unrelated with Saterland Frisian slau (“sly, crafty”), Dutch sluw (“sly, cunning”), Low German slu (“sly, cunning”), German schlau (“clever, crafty”).


sheer

en-adv

sheer (comparative more sheer, superlative most sheer)

more sheer (comparative)
most sheer (superlative)

From Middle English shere, scheere, schere, skere, from Old English sċǣre (“pure, sheer; shining, clear”), from Proto-Germanic *skairiz; supplanted the semantically close shire (dialectal), from Middle English schyre, schire, shire, shir, from Old English sċīr (“clear, bright; brilliant, gleaming, shining, splendid, resplendent; pure”), beside which existed Middle English skyr, from Old Norse skírr (“pure, bright, clear”), both from Proto-Germanic *skīriz (“pure, sheer”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₁y- (“luster, gloss, shadow”).
Cognate with Danish skær, German schier (“sheer”), Dutch schier (“almost”), Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍂𐍃 (skeirs, “clear, lucid”). Outside Germanic, cognate to Albanian hir (“grace, beauty; goodwill”).

cog

Hector the ashen lance of Ajax smote / With his broad faulchion, at the nether end, / And lopp’d it sheer.

1791, William Cowper, The Iliad of Homer, translation of original by Homer, Book XVI:

Swift into the dark stream at once he fell, / As the red star at once falls swift and sheer / From sky to sea

1888, Francis Hastings Doyle, “Hylas”, in The Return of the Guards: And Other Poems, translation of original by Theocritus:

Descending , and in half cut sheer

1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:


smack

From Middle English *smakken, from Middle Dutch smacken (modern Dutch smakken (“to smack, pop, hurl down, crash”)), from Old Dutch *smakkon, from Proto-West Germanic *smak(k)ōn. Cognate West Frisian smakke, Middle Low German smacken (“to hit, hurl, fling”), Plautdietsch schmaksen (“to smack the lips”), German schmatzen (“eat noisily”), regional German schmacken, Schmackes (“vigour”) (compare Swedish smak (“slap”), the first part of Saterland Frisian smakmuulje (“to smack, slap”)).

Right smack in the middle.

After one early moment in their courtship, Franny expresses, "That night I could feel my beauty standing up inside me for the first time in my life." These heightened scenes of discovery are offered smack amidst moods of vicious aggression and unresolvable separation, keeping Unusual Company rich with subtle twists.

1987 December 13, Elizaeth Pincus, “Gritty Love”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 22, page 9:

As if with a smack or slap; smartly; sharply.


slack

From Middle English slak, from Old English slæc (“slack”), from Proto-Germanic *slakaz. For sense of coal dust, compare slag.

slack dried hops


boots

That dress is fierce boots!

Hello-tis, it's Jorgeous! This spicy Latina dancing diva started drag at the age of 16 and never looked back. A fierce performer who was born to do drag, Jorgeous is looking to dance the house down boots all the way to the top.

2021 December 2, Raffy Ermac, “Meet the Sickening Queens of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 14”, in Out:

As for Lindsay [Hubbard], it’s like this Courrèges dress was hand dyed to look as excellent on her as a dress could possibly look. Her breasts are sat, her waist snatched, and all the other sorts of things I could possibly say about a girl boss queen who slays boots the house.

2024 May 16, Joan Summers, “So Chic, Very Chic: Trade of the Season”, in Paper:

[see title]

2024 June 12, Jess Reynolds, “47 pics from D.C.'s Capital Pride Parade 2024 that are boots the house (and Senate) down queer joy”, in Out:

There’s some people in the world who treat the girls differently based on their track records, which is crazy boots, but now you can clock the tea, clock the track record, clock the win, clock the tiara and… you could never.

2024 September 6, Sam Damshenas, quoting Lemon, “Drag Race winner Lemon on fulfilling her zestiny and prioritising “party girl vibes””, in Gay Times:

(drag slang) Used as an intensifier: very, to a great degree; exceptionally.


bluggy

1993, Cathedral, Maitland, I, Headline Book Publishing plc
It was probably too late to say sorry, but she'd better bluggy try!

(British slang, euphemistic) bloody (as intensifier).


extra

That day he ran to school extra fast.


desirously

en-adv

desirously (comparative more desirously, superlative most desirously)

more desirously (comparative)
most desirously (superlative)


desirably

desirably (comparative more desirably, superlative most desirably)

more desirably (comparative)
most desirably (superlative)


despondingly

despondingly (comparative more despondingly, superlative most despondingly)

more despondingly (comparative)
most despondingly (superlative)


stark

From Middle English stark, starc, from Old English stearc, starc (“stiff, rigid, unyielding, obstinate, hard, strong, severe, violent”), from Proto-West Germanic *stark, from Proto-Germanic *starkuz (“stiff, strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terg- (“rigid, stiff”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian sterc (“strong”), Dutch sterk (“strong”), Low German sterk (“strong”), German stark (“strong”), Danish stærk (“strong”), Swedish stark (“strong”), Norwegian sterk (“strong”), Icelandic sterkur (“strong”). Related to starch.
In the phrase stark naked: an alternation of Middle English stert naked, from stert (“tail”), a literal parallel to the modern butt naked.

der

stock (non-rhotic, father-bother merger)

He's gone stark, staring mad.

She was just standing there, stark naked.

[…] held him strangled in his arms till he was stark dead.

1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):

“… That woman is stark mad, Lord Stranleigh. Her own father recognised it when he bereft her of all power in the great business he founded. …”

1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:


despicably

en-adv

despicably (comparative more despicably, superlative most despicably)

more despicably (comparative)
most despicably (superlative)

In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly


despisingly

despisingly (comparative more despisingly, superlative most despisingly)

more despisingly (comparative)
most despisingly (superlative)


twofold

PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English twofold, from Old English twēofeald. Equivalent to two + -fold; cognate to Icelandic tvöfalt and Dutch tweevoudig.


unlikely

unlikely (comparative more unlikely, superlative most unlikely)

more unlikely (comparative)
most unlikely (superlative)

From Middle English unlykely, unlikly, unlykly, unlicli, equivalent to un- + likely.


bluntly

bluntly (comparative more bluntly, superlative most bluntly)

more bluntly (comparative)
most bluntly (superlative)

Note the preſumption of this Scythian ſlaue:
I tel thee villaine, thoſe that lead my horſe
Haue to their names tytles of dignitie,
And dar’ſt thou bluntly cal me Baiazeth?

c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:

To put it bluntly, they are going to have to start defending a heck of a lot better than they have been, otherwise their season - and top-flight status - could well be over before they know it.

2021 November 29, Alan Shearer, “Why Newcastle have to win their next two games to give them hope of staying in the Premier League - Alan Shearer analysis”, in BBC Sport:

Drivers' union ASLEF bluntly rebuffed the claim of unofficial action, calling it a lie. And Avanti West Coast was unable to provide any proof for its assertion, when questioned by RAIL.

2022 August 24, Philip Haigh, “Network News: Union slams Avanti West Coast: 'lie' as services slashed”, in RAIL, number 964, page 6:

In a blunt manner; without delicacy, or the usual forms of civility.


SFAIK

so far as I know
so far as I know#English

(Internet) Initialism of so far as I know.


desolately

desolately (comparative more desolately, superlative most desolately)

more desolately (comparative)
most desolately (superlative)


fortunately

fortunately (comparative more fortunately, superlative most fortunately)

more fortunately (comparative)
most fortunately (superlative)

[ˈfɔɹt͡ʃnəʔli]

Fortunately for Sam, his pet hamster was alive.


permyriad

There has been a 5 permyriad rise in the price of that commodity.

(rare) One out of every ten thousand (myriad); one percent of one percent.


IRL

Due to the splendid isolation guaranteed by her social position she had never met a cock IRL and, as there was no Wi-Fi in the palace, she had no opportunity to check the facts.

I’ve recently been trying out Tinder, and while I match with people and even chat with them everything seems to be going well, but whenever I bring up meeting IRL, they are quick to ghost me.

2015 October 15, “Why is it so hard to go from chatting on Tinder to meeting up in real life?”, in The Guardian:

(Internet slang) Initialism of in real life (as opposed to online).


desperately

desperately (comparative more desperately, superlative most desperately)

more desperately (comparative)
most desperately (superlative)

She desperately grabbed at the nearby branches as she heard the branch she was standing on start to snap.

I could desperately do with some coffee right now.

In a desperate manner; without regard to danger or safety; recklessly.

The race for silver medal was desperately close, they needed a photo finish to separate the runners.


stag

From Middle English stagge, steg, from Old English stagga, stacga (“a stag”) and Old Norse steggi, steggr (“a male animal”), both from Proto-Germanic *staggijô, *staggijaz (“male, male deer, porcupine”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *stegʰ-, *stengʰ- (“to sting; rod, blade; sharp, stiff”). Cognate with Icelandic steggi, steggur (“tomcat, male fox”). Related to staggard, staggon.

My brother went stag to prom because he couldn't find a date.

Of a man, attending a formal social function without a date.

ilman seuralaista

of a man, attending a formal social function without a date


ultimately

Firstly,… Secondly,… Ultimately,…

Ultimately, he will have to make a decision before the end of the week.

That Wolves reached half-time on level terms had much to do with the ultimately luckless Hennessey, who was in action in the opening minute to tip away Samir Nasri's shot following a City corner.

2011 October 29, Neil Johnston, “Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:

Cognate to Gottscheerish boßər, bàsser. Ultimately cognate to standard High German Wasser.

Shortened from maxiature, ultimately from Latin maximus ("large").

Ultimately from Latin equus ("horse").

(linguistics) Used to indicate the etymon at which a given etymological derivation terminates.


He banned spearfishing wherever he could, started the first eco-moorings in the Caribbean, stopped others from coral- and shell-collecting, and had so much fun 24/7 that some unusually powerful people began to hang with him.

2006, Scuba Diving (issues 1-6, page 49)

At the same time that I used Woebot, I also volunteered for a crisis text service available 24/7 for people to message in times of need.

2022 September 27, Barclay Bram, “My Therapist, the Robot”, in The New York Times:

Secondly, preserved railways are not 24/7 operations. There are closed seasons where they can be turned into open-air classrooms.

2024 April 3, Richard Foster, “Training the next generation of engineers”, in RAIL, number 1006, page 48:

twenty-four seven
twenty-four seven#English


w/e

(text messaging, Internet slang) Abbreviation of whenever.


supra

(law) Used to indicate that the current citation is from the same source as the previous one.

Set aside the very recent #MeToo discussion, which as noted supra is deserved and should actually influence how we read his work.

2018 September 15, Julius Taranto, “On Outgrowing David Foster Wallace”, in Los Angeles Review of Books:


yer

Most likely from the intrusive R, between "yeah" (/jəː/) and a non-high vowel (/ə/, /ɪə/, /ɑː/, /ɔː/). For example, "Yeah-r-I know" (/jəɹ ʌɪ nəʊ/)

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling

(UK, slang) Pronunciation spelling of yeah, yes.


not on your nelly

From nelly, Nelly Duff, rhyming slang for puff (of breath = life).

(idiomatic, chiefly UK) not on your life, an emphatic form of no.


FT

I've been facing the trans issue "face on" since about 2-3 years ago, having really admitted it to myself about 4 years ago (freshperson in college), [...] So you can see I'm very confused, yet 99% sure I want to take 'mones and see how far I really need to go to be happy. do I live FT?

1996 November 23, so...@triax.com, “not stereotypical”, in alt.transgendered (Usenet):


none the less

For beauty and picturesqueness and sheer thrill these discoveries remain unmatched by those of any subsequent year. None the less, no one, not even Mr. Evans himself, ever expected that so much was to follow.

1907, Ronald M. Burrows, The Discoveries In Crete, page 4:

I none the less hold that [John Maynard Keynes'] insights were several orders more profound and realistic than those of his recent critics.

1982, Frank Hahn, Monetary and Inflation, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, page xi:

These tales are written in an English dialect—none the less a dialect for that it lacks uniformity in the misplacement of aspirates, and lacks, too, strange words misunderstanded of the reader.

1896 March, E[dith] Nesbit, In Homespun, London: John Lane, […]; Boston, Mass.: Roberts Bros., page v:

One likes him none the less—rather, one likes him the more; since its faults are due to his very virtues.

1903, William Macdonald, “[Notes to “Critical Essays”] Recollections of a Late Royal Academician (“Englishman’s Magazine,” September 1831)”, in Charles Lamb, Critical Essays, London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co.; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co., page 319:

His favorite toys were pencils and brushes, for he early learned to paint. But he was none the less a boy for being an artist, and so Edwin and his brothers had fun together, as a picture he painted in these play-days suggests.

1909 April, Louise Fanshawe Gregory, ““The Little Dog-Boy””, in St. Nicholas: An Illustrated Magazine for Young Folks, volume XXXVI, number 6, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co.; London: Frederick Warne & Co., page 497:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see none, the, less.


additionally

It is nonobtuse if none its dihedral angles is obtuse, and acute if additionally none of them is right.

2015, Jan Brandts, Apo Cihangir, “Enumeration and investigation of acute 0/1-simplices modulo the action of the hyperoctahedral group”, in arXiv:

Additionally, the more subgingival the restorative margin, the more tooth is reduced.

2017, Jose-Luis Ruiz, Supra-Gingival Minimally Invasive Dentistry, page 13:

By way of addition; in addition to; also.


dadgum

dadgum (comparative more dadgum, superlative most dadgum)

more dadgum (comparative)
most dadgum (superlative)

It's just too dadgum hot to run in the park.


concordantly

concordantly (comparative more concordantly, superlative most concordantly)

more concordantly (comparative)
most concordantly (superlative)

Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.

2003, The Wachowskis, The Matrix Reloaded, spoken by The Architect (Helmut Bakaitis):


tumultuously

tumultuously (comparative more tumultuously, superlative most tumultuously)

more tumultuously (comparative)
most tumultuously (superlative)

But in the lovver Houſe ſome there vvere vvhich handled theſe things more tumultuouſly, namely, Bell and Monſon great Lavvyers, Dutton, Paul VVentvvorth, and others, vvhich rent the Authority of the Queenes Majeſty too much, […]

1635, William Camden, “The Ninth Yeere of Her Raigne. Anno Domini, 1566, and 1567.”, in R[obert] N[orton], transl., Annals, or, The Historie of the Most Renowned and Victorious Princesse Elizabeth, Late Queen of England. […], 3rd edition, London: […] Thomas Harper, for Benjamin Fisher, […], →OCLC, 1st booke, page 69:

But the greater truth may be that this is simply how generational and cultural change really comes to Washington—not in the flash of one man’s election, but gradually and tumultuously, with moments in which we lurch forward interrupted by stretches that drag us back.

2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a second term, [Barack] Obama will confront familiar headwinds”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:


wonderful

From Middle English wonderful, wondirful, from Old English wundorful (“wonderful”), from Proto-West Germanic *wundrafull, equivalent to wonder + -ful. Cognate Dutch wondervol (“wonderful”), German wundervoll (“wonderful”). Compare Old English wuldorfull (“glorious”).

Miss Nancy's wonderful like what her mother was, though; isn't she, Kimble?

1861, George Eliot, Silas Marner, London: Penguin Books, published 1967, page 153:

[graffito] WANTED BIG COCK TO SHARE MY WIFE. SHE HAS BIG TITS AND [EXPLETIVE] WONDERFUL. TOO MUCH FOR ME MAN.

1975, Rennie Ellis, Australian Graffiti:

(dialect) Exceedingly, to a great extent.


thereby

From Middle English therby, from Old English ðǣrbig, equivalent to there + by. Compare the parallel formation of German dabei.

Thirdly, Whereas the Maintenance of an hundred thouſand Children, from two Years old, and upwards, cannot be computed at leſs than Ten Shillings a piece per Annum, the Nation's ſtock will be thereby encreaſed fifty thouſand pounds per Annum, beſides the profit of a new Diſh, introduced to the Tables of all Gentlemen of Fortune in the Kingdom, who have any refinement in Taſte, and the Money will circulate among our ſelves, the Goods being entirely of our own Growth and Manufacture.

1729, [Jonathan Swift], A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents, or the Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick, Dublin: […] S[arah] Harding, […], →OCLC, pages 11–12:

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

1787, United States Constitution, Article VI, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

(formal) By it; by that; by that means, or as a consequence of that.


alley oop

Borrowed from French allez-hop!, the cry of a circus acrobat about to leap. From allez (“go! let's go!”), 2nd-person plural or formal indicative form of aller, and hop, onomatopoeic.

Down with the starched collars! Allez up with the soft!

1923 November 8, The Daily Herald, page 4:


whilst

From Late Middle English whilst, whilest, qwhilste (Northern England), quilest (Northwest Midlands) [and other forms], from whiles (“during the time that, while; only so long as; provided that; because, since; until”) + -t (excrescent suffix, perhaps due to a combination of -(e)s and the following word the, or influenced by the superlative suffix -est). Whiles is derived from whiles (“period of time, a while”, noun) (probably from the second element of adverbs and conjunctions like otherwhiles and somewhiles), from while (“period of time, a while”, noun) + -s (suffix forming adverbs of manner, space, and time); and while is from Old English hwīl (“period of time, a while”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (“period of time, a while; period of rest, break, pause”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest; peace, rest”). The English word can be analysed as whiles + -t (excrescent suffix appended to words suffixed with -s).
cognates
* West Frisian wylst (“whilst”)

nb...

whylest, whylst, (Northwest Midlands) quilist, quylest, quylist

suffix

Nay, I prethee put on this gown, & this beard, make him beleeue thou art ſir Topas the Curate, doe it quickly. Ile call ſir Toby the whilſt.

c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 270, column 2:

Hero. Leave, leave, tis novv too late. She is dead, her laſt is breathed. / Cleo[phila]. VVhat ſhall vvee doe. / Her[o]. Goe run, / And tell the Duke; and vvhilſt ile cloſe her eyes.

c. 1607–1611 (first performance), Franc[is] Beaumont, Jo[hn] Fletcher, Cupids Revenge. […], 3rd edition, London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews], published 1635, →OCLC, Act II, scene [v]:

What money have I bought with me? […] even but a small sum; something in hand the whilst.

1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter X, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 209:

(archaic or obsolete except dialectal) Often preceded by the: During the time; meanwhile.


hereby

There is a mighty man, which wonnes hereby, / That with most fell despight and deadly hate / Seekes to subvert her Crowne and dignity […].

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

I hereby declare you husband and wife.

(formal) By this means, action or process.


kindly

en-adv

kindly (comparative kindlier or more kindly, superlative kindliest or most kindly)

kindlier (comparative)
more kindly (comparative)
kindliest (superlative)
most kindly (superlative)

From Middle English kyndly, kyndely, kyndeliche, kundeliche, from Old English ġecyndelīċe, equivalent to kind + -ly.

He kindly offered to take us to the station in his car.

Because I could not stop for Death, / He kindly stopped for me; / The carriage held but just ourselves / And Immortality.

a. 1887 (date written), Emily Dickinson, “[Book IV.—Time and Eternity] The Chariot”, in Mabel Loomis Todd and T[homas] W[entworth] Higginson, editors, Poems, First Series, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1890, →OCLC, page 138:

She was both beautiful and young to their eyes. Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders. Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and they looked kindly upon the little girl.

1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:

Aguero was quick to block Hennessey's attempted clearance and the ball bounced kindly to Dzeko, who had the simplest of tasks to put City ahead.

2011 October 29, Neil Johnston, “Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:

Kindly refrain from walking on the grass.

Kindly move your car out of the front yard.

Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me / Who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be?

a. 1770s, Traditional (lyrics and music), “Seven Drunken Nights ”, performed by The Dubliners:

I don't take kindly to threats.

Aunt Daisy didn't take it kindly when we forgot her anniversary.

(US) With kind acceptance; used with take.


worldwide

The character of James Bond is known worldwide.

English is spoken worldwide.


solipsistically

solipsistically (comparative more solipsistically, superlative most solipsistically)

more solipsistically (comparative)
most solipsistically (superlative)

Of course, solipsistically, an actor wants to do projects that are good for him.

2004 November 18, William H. Macy, “Tavist Smiley”, in PBS:

With consideration only for one's own interests.


mid-spring

In the middle of spring (the season), or a spring (leap).


commonly

commonly (comparative more commonly, superlative most commonly)

more commonly (comparative)
most commonly (superlative)

As he thereon stood gazing, he might see / The blessed Angels to and fro descend / From highest heaven in gladsome companee, / And with great joy into that Citie wend, / As commonly as friend does with his frend.

1590, Edmund Spenser, chapter LVI, in The Faerie Queene, Book I, lines 497–501:


instantaneously

Without any delay; in an instantaneous manner.


willy nilly

willy nilly (comparative more willy nilly, superlative most willy nilly)

more willy nilly (comparative)
most willy nilly (superlative)

Whenever I see a long handsome neck, willy nilly, the thought will come uppermost—What a capital neck for carving! Those cursed executions! One can't rid one's mind of them.

1868, [Johann Wolfgang von] Goethe, translated by Arthur Duke Coleridge, Egmont. A Tragedy. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, act II, page 40:

And, while he sleeps, the indwelling Compassion preserves him, willy nilly, from the suicide which, in his waking hours, he has tried so frantically hard to commit.

1948 August, Aldous Huxley, “The Script”, in Ape and Essence, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 154:


similarly

similarly (comparative more similarly, superlative most similarly)

more similarly (comparative)
most similarly (superlative)

The sisters dressed similarly.

The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.

2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 55:

(conjunctive) Used to link similar items


roughly

roughly (comparative roughlier or more roughly, superlative roughliest or most roughly)

roughlier (comparative)
more roughly (comparative)
roughliest (superlative)
most roughly (superlative)

They treated the prisoners roughly [...] slashing pitilessly with their whips to drive them as wretched animals before them.

1966, James Workman, The Mad Emperor, Melbourne, Sydney: Scripts, page 60:

In a rough manner; without kindness, softness, or gentleness.

Satanism can be divided, roughly, into two branches: the Luciferians and the Palladists.

1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 259:

Of the roughly 400 emerging infectious diseases that have been identified since 1940, more than 60% are zoonotic: ie they came from animals. Throughout history this has been common.

2013 December 6, Alok Jha, “A deadly disease could travel at jet speed around the world. How do we stop it in time?”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 26, page 27:

Without precision or exactness; imprecisely but close to in quantity or amount; approximately.


slap

From Middle English slappen, of uncertain origin, possibly imitative. Compare Low German Slappe (“slap”), whence also German Schlappe (“defeat”). Compare also Italian sleppa (“slap”).

onomatopoeic

imitative

He tossed the file down slap in the middle of the table.

You just take my orders, Cap’n Hawkins, and we’ll sail slap in and be done with it.

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

They called the tom-cat to the trap, / Who molrowed as he smelt at the door, O— / Opened his mouth and swallowed him slap, / All the while most profanely he swore, O!

1864, Tony Pastor, John F. Poole, Tony Pastor's Complete Budget of Comic Songs, page 63:


hierarchically

en-adv

hierarchically (comparative more hierarchically, superlative most hierarchically)

more hierarchically (comparative)
most hierarchically (superlative)

Of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy

Pertaining to a transitive relation between objects by which they may be ordered into a hierarchy.


temp

Alternative form of temp. (“in the time of”)


sunny

From Middle English sunni, from Old English *sunniġ. Cognate with West Frisian sinnich, Low German sünnig, Dutch zonnig, German sonnig. Equivalent to sun + -y.


all of a sudden

/ˌɔl əv ə ˈsʌdən/

All of a sudden I felt very hot and tired.

― Enju: “Wh-What?! What are you saying all of a sudden?! Idiot! Hentai!”

2016 December 19, Moe! Ninja Girls, Japan: NTT Solmare, iOS, Android, scene: Season 3, Chapter 3:

(set phrase, colloquial) Suddenly, quickly, without warning.

فَجْأَةً

colloquial: suddenly — see also suddenly


quicksmart

quicksmart (comparative more quicksmart, superlative most quicksmart)

more quicksmart (comparative)
most quicksmart (superlative)

[...] if this prick screws up, I'll ditch him quicksmart. [...]

2005, “Nanageddon”, in The Mighty Boosh:


promptly

promptly (comparative more promptly, superlative most promptly)

more promptly (comparative)
most promptly (superlative)

[…] the ducklings nestled down inside it and promptly fell asleep.

1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:

In a prompt manner.
Both soon and quickly.

The sale will begin on January 28th, promptly at 9 a.m.

In a prompt manner.
Exactly at a specific time.


bush

From older Dutch bosch (modern bos (“wood, forest”)), first appearing in the Dutch colonies to designate an uncleared district of a colony, and thence adopted in British colonies as bush. Could alternatively be interpreted as a semantic loan, as bush (etymology 1) is cognate to the aforementioned archaic Dutch bosch.

On hatching, the chicks scramble to the surface and head bush on their own.

(Australia) Towards the direction of the outback.


de novo

/deɪˈnəʊvəʊ/

Borrowed from Latin dē novō (adverb, literally “from the new”), from dē (“from”) + novō, ablative singular of novus (“new”).

bor+

One luckless wight contrived to upset the gravy; and then gravy had to be got up de novo, with due care and formality,[…]

1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, chapter VII, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC:

Talking of “natural selection;” if I had to commence de novo, I would have used “natural preservation.”

1887, Charles Darwin, “To C. Lyell, September 28, 1860”, in Francis Darwin, editor, The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, volume II, New York: D. Appleton & Company:

But if I had not taken things for granted, if I had examined everything with the care which I should have shown had we approached the case de novo and had no cut-and-dried story to warp my mind, should I not then have found something more definite to go upon?

1904 September, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Abbey Grange”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., published February 1905, →OCLC:


in vitro

Borrowed from Latin in vitro (“within the glass”), from vitrum (“glass”).

In an artificial environment outside the living organism.

lombikban

adverb: in an artificial environment outside the living organism


further

From Middle English further, forther, from Old English forþor, furþor (“further”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *furþer, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (a common preposition), equivalent to fore + -ther (a vestigial comparative ending still present in such words as other, either, whether, and, in altered form, in after); or as sometimes stated, as forth + -er. Cognate with Scots forder, furder (“further”), Saterland Frisian foarder (“further”), West Frisian fierder (“further”), Dutch verder (“further”), German fürder (“further”).

gloss

I can run further than you.

I live a little further out of town.

How was your company doing ten years further back?

“A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing.[…]”

1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

(comparative form of far) To, at or over a greater distance in space, time or other extent.

Of the two civilisations, this one was further advanced.

I do not propose to discuss it any further. - Please, let me explain just a little further.

(comparative form of far) To a greater extent or degree.

Chapter 10 further explains the ideas introduced in Chapter 9.

Don't confuse things further.

Further, affiant sayeth naught. (A formal statement ending a deposition or affidavit, immediately preceding the affiant's signature.)

The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives.[…]who, if anyone, is policing their use[?] Such concerns were sharpened further by the continuing revelations about how the US National Security Agency (NSA) has been using algorithms to help it interpret the colossal amounts of data it has collected from its covert dragnet of international telecommunications.

2013 July 26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 26:

Beyond what is already stated or is already the case.

It is overlong, and further, it makes no sense.

Further, besides sensible things and Forms he says there are the objects of mathematics, which occupy an intermediate position,[…].

1924, Aristotle, translated by W. D. Ross, Metaphysics, Book 1, Part 6:

(conjunctive) Also; in addition; furthermore; moreover.

Further to our recent telephone call, I am writing to clarify certain points raised.

This example is further to the one on page 17.

The Court notes that the applicant’s registration by the StB as their “agent” lies at the heart of the application. Although the Court has no jurisdiction ratione temporis to examine the registration as such, it observes that, further to his registration, the applicant was issued with a negative security clearance and his name and reputation were called into question.

2006 February 14, European Court of Human Rights, Turek v. Slovakia, number 57986/00, marginal 110:


eh

And she: "Ay man, watch you one foot ass. Wen I want a man, I want a good man. Me eh want man like you."

1972, Harold Sonny Ladoo, No Pain Like This Body, Toronto, Ont.: Anansi, →ISBN, page 73:

(Caribbean, chiefly Trinidad and Tobago) Used to negate the following verb; (am/are/is/do/does) not.


A.D.

In China, surviving single pagodas at the Fo-kung Temple, Ying Hsien, Shansi, and at the P'u-shou Temple in Hopei, both dating from the eleventh century A.D., no doubt indicate persistence of this earliest plan under the architecturally conservative Liao (p. 709) long after it had disappeared in more metropolitan areas.

1958, William Willetts, “Buildings”, in Chinese Art, volume 2, Penguin Books, →OCLC, page 733:

Their greatest discovery came on an expedition in 1937 when they dated and meticulously catalogued Foguang Si, or the Temple of Buddha’s Light, in Wutai County, Shanxi Province. The breathtaking wooden temple was built in 857 A.D., making it the oldest building known in China at the time. (It is now the fourth-oldest known).

2018 April 11, Daniel E. Slotnik, “Overlooked No More: Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng, Chroniclers of Chinese Architecture”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2018-04-12, Obituaries:

Six hours are enough to devour the over 900 miles from Shanghai to Xi’an, the landlocked capital of Shaanxi Province in China’s central northwest, standing on the bones of the imperial city of Chang’an. In the seventh and eighth centuries A.D., this was the center of not only China but the globe — the eastern origin of the trade routes we call the Silk Road and the nexus of a cross-cultural traffic in ideas, technology, art and food that altered the course of history as decisively as the Columbian Exchange eight centuries later.

2020 May 11, Ligaya Mishan, “Eating in Xi’an, Where Wheat and Lamb Speak to China’s Varied Palette”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-05-11:

Alternative form of AD; abbreviation of anno Domini.


circumspectly

en-adv

circumspectly (comparative more circumspectly, superlative most circumspectly)

more circumspectly (comparative)
most circumspectly (superlative)

In a circumspect manner. With consideration for all that is pertinent.


certainly

certainly (comparative more certainly or (rare, obsolete) certainlier, superlative most certainly or (rare, obsolete) certainliest)

more certainly (comparative)
certainlier (comparative obsolete rare)
most certainly (superlative)
certainliest (obsolete rare superlative)

From Middle English certeynly; equivalent to certain + -ly.

he verily thought he had young live frogs in his belly, qui vivebant ex alimento suo, that lived by his nourishment, and was so certainly persuaded of it, that for many years following he could not be rectified in his conceit.

The torque was "built up" in the special back axle and the car crawled tankwise but very certainly over the obstacles without a jar or hesitation.

1923, A. A. Hill, Automobile Dealer and Repairer, page 30:

In a way which is certain; with certainty.

The accident was certainly caused by human error.

That was certainly sweet of him.

You may certainly join us for dinner.

So this was my future home, I thought! Certainly it made a brave picture. I had seen similar ones fired-in on many a Heidelberg stein. Backed by towering hills,[…]a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.

1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

WikiLeaks did not cause these uprisings but it certainly informed them. The dispatches revealed details of corruption and kleptocracy that many Tunisians suspected, but could not prove, and would cite as they took to the streets.

2013 June 7, Gary Younge, “Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 18:

Would you like it with ice?  Certainly, and with lemon please.

An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.


bestest

It's my first time behind the wheel, but I'll do the bestest I can do!

(nonstandard, informal, humorous or childish) best; the best of the best


thereof

From Middle English thereof, therof, ther-of, ther of, from Old English þǣrof; equivalent to there + of. Compare Swedish därav.

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof

Hee [Solomon] ouerlaid also the house, the beames, the postes and the wals thereof, and the doores thereof with gold, and graued Cherubims on the walles.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Chronicles 3:7:

I would swallow my pride, I would choke on the rinds / But the lack thereof would leave me empty inside

1998, Eve 6 (lyrics and music), “Inside Out”, in Eve 6:

From that circumstance or origin; therefrom, thence.

daarvan

from that circumstance or origin; therefrom, thence


practically

practically (comparative more practically, superlative most practically)

more practically (comparative)
most practically (superlative)

Coordinate term: de jure

Stalin was not technically or legally the head of state but was practically so.

It is true that the Articles of the [Argentine] Constitution promise fair conditions under which to live; but, unfortunately, the self-same Constitution, in the hands of unscrupulous administrators, becomes so elastic as to be practically a dead letter.

1893, C. E. Akers, “The Argentine Position”, in Argentine, Patagonian, and Chilian Sketches, with a Few Notes on Uruguay., London: Harrison and Sons, page 12:

In practice; in effect or in actuality, though possibly not officially, technically, or legally.

Near-synonyms: effectively, nearly, virtually

He was practically uneducated, barely able to read and write a simple sentence.

If the ranchero had practically all the water near him, he had also practically all the cattle, […]

1898, E[merson] Hough, “The Round-Up”, in The Story of the Cowboy, New York: D. Appleton and Company, page 153:

The turnip is one of the lordliest vegetables in the world; its broth is practically a soup in itself.

1969, Robert Farrar Capon, “Living Water”, in The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection:

He wasn't very good with words or numbers; he was more of a practically minded person

He was practically educated and lacked theoretical depth.

With respect to practices or a practice.

Coordinate term: easily

practically achievable

In a way that is practical: feasibly; unchallengingly.