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impignorate im-PIG-no-rayt verb to pawn something; to take out a mortgage on something 1835Captain Frederick Marryat The Pacha of Many Tales Mine is a military conscience, and I agree with Bates and Williams, who flourished in the time of Henry V., that it is 'all upon the King:' that is to say, it was all upon the king; and now our constitution has become so incomparably perfect, that 'the king can do no wrong;' and he has no difficulty in finding ministers, who voluntarily impignorating themselves for all his actions in this world, will, in all probability, not escape from the clutches of the great Pawnbroker in the next—from which facts I draw the following conclusions:—1st. That his Majesty (God bless him!) will go to heaven. 2ndly. That his Majesty's ministers will all go to the devil. 3rdly. That I shall go———on with my story. 1889Robert Louis Stevenson In the South SeasHowever, I have got the yacht paid off in triumph, I think; and though we stay here impignorate, it should not be for long, even if you bring us no extra help from home. 1889Robert Louis StevensonLetter to Charles Baxter (9 February 1889)He has no lands, only the use of such as are impignorate for fines; he cannot enrich himself in the old way by marriages; thrift is the chief pillar of his future, and he knows and uses it.1903Richard Garnett The Twilight of the Gods and Other Tales'I rejoice to state,' rejoined Porphyry, 'that it is not these volumes that have involved us in our present difficulties with the superintendent of the Imperial treasury, nor can they indeed, seeing that they are now impignorated with him.' Labels: Captain Frederick Marryat, Richard Garnett, Robert Louis Stevenson
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catachresis ka-tuh-KREE-suhs noun mistaken use of words; an out of context or mixed metaphor; the change in a word's meaning over time 1840Captain Frederick MarryatOlla PodridaI was going to say that he could not call his soul his own; but that would be a Catachresis, and I hate and abominate every thing which begins with CAT.1842Caroline Matilda KirklandForest LifeIn vain is the far-sounding bell strapped round the neck of the master ox or cow, (for we say master-cow by catachresis I suppose.)1957John Wyndham The Midwich Cuckoos I wonder if a sillier and more ignorant catachresis than 'Mother Nature' was ever perpetrated? 1990Bill BrysonThe Mother TongueThis drift in meaning, technically called catachresis, is as widespread as it is curious.Labels: Bill Bryson, Captain Frederick Marryat, Caroline Matilda Kirkland, John Wyndham
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fillip FIL-uhp noun a blow or flick resulting from the sudden release of a finger curled against the thumb; something trivial; something of no consequence 1832Captain Frederick MarryatNewton Forster This was quite an event, and gave a fillip to the inertness of Madame de Fontanges, whose curiosity was excited. 1880Sir Richard Francis BurtonThe Kasidah of Haji Abdu El-YezdiEat, drink, and sport; the rest of life's not worth a fillip, quoth the King; Methinks the saying saith too much: the swine would say the selfsame thing!1902Harold MacGrathThe Puppet CrownMaurice contemplated him serenely. 'Impossible,' with a fillip at the end of his cigar.1968Ngaio MarshClutch of ConstablesA handful of nice little facts and a fillip to the imagination.Labels: Captain Frederick Marryat, Harold MacGrath, Ngaio Marsh, Sir Richard Francis Burton
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philology fuh-LAW-luh-jee noun the study of literature and language; linguistics 1838Captain Frederick MarryatRattlin the ReeferTo those curious in philology I convey the information, that in the word 'dinghy', the 'g' was pronounced hard.1851Samuel SidneyRides on RailwaysTo philology even, the deadly science of dead languages, and the great business of public schools, he contrived to impart life by continually pointing out its bearing on the history of the races of mankind.1888Richard C. TrenchOn the Study of WordsIt would not be easy to bring together two scholars who have bestowed more thought and the results of more laborious study on the whole subject of phonetic spelling than Mr. Ellis and Dr. Murray have done, while yet at the last annual meeting of the Philological Society (May 20, 1881) these two distinguished scholars, with mutual respect undiminished, had no choice but to acknowledge that, while they were seeking the same objects, the means by which they sought to attain them were altogether different, and that, in the judgment of each, all which the other was doing in setting forward results equally dear to both was only tending to put hindrances in the way, and to make the attainment of those results remoter than ever.1990Isaac AsimovThe Complete Stories, Volume One: The Up-to-Date Sorcerer...he, in common with many practical scientists, enjoyed a proper scorn for the rarefied niceties of classical philology…Labels: Captain Frederick Marryat, Isaac Asimov, Richard C. Trench, Samuel Sidney
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post meridiem post muh-rid-EE-uhm adverb, adjective after noon; source of abbreviation PM which signifies the hours of the day between noon and midnight; literally: after the sun has crossed the line (of the sundial) 1846Captain Frederick Marryat The Privateersman We then took our leave, promising to be back by dinner-time, and I went with Philip to fit him out in a more creditable way; and having made my purchases and given my orders, (it being then almost two o'clock post meridiem,) we hastened to Mr Trevannion's, that we might be in time for dinner.1991Robert Ludlum The Road To OmahaI hereby determine that the hour of our conference will take place post meridiem, the specific time to be mutually agreed upon with later communication by telephone. Labels: Captain Frederick Marryat, Robert Ludlum
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