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minauderie mee-nod-YAER noun a contrived and unnatural show or display; affectation 1823Sir Walter ScottPeveril of the PeakJulian was under the necessity of enduring all her tiresome and fantastic airs, and awaiting with patience till she had 'prinked herself and pinned herself'—flung her hoods back, and drawn them forward—snuffed at a little bottle of essences—closed her eyes like a dying fowl—turned them up like duck in a thunderstorm; when at length, having exhausted her round of minauderies, she condescended to open the conversation.1850William Makepeace ThackerayThe History of Pendennis, his Fortunes and Misfortunes, his Friends and his greatest Enemy...what a pretty natural manner she has; how much pleasanter than the minauderies of the young ladies in the ballrooms.1853Charlotte BronteVillette'There is no time to be lost,' he went on, now speaking in French; 'and let us thrust to the wall all reluctance, all excuses, all minauderies. You must take a part.'1884Charles ReadeA Perilous Secret'Connu ,' said Hope, 'voyons ca;' and in a minute repaired the article, and the girl spread it, and went off wriggling and mincing with it, so that there was a pronounced horse-laugh at her minauderies.1885Robert Louis StevensonLetter to William Archer (18 October 1885)Again, your first remark upon the affectation of the italic names; a practice only followed in my two affected little books of travel, where a typographical minauderies of the sort appeared to me in character; and what you say of it, then, is quite just.Labels: Charles Reade, Charlotte Bronte, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, William Makepeace Thackeray
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quidnunc KWID-nuhngk noun a person who pretends to know something; a gossip; a busybody 1871Charles ReadeA Terrible TemptationSoon after this a gaping quidnunc came to Sir Charles and told him Lady Bassett was felling trees in North Wood.1899George A. AitkenThe TatlerThe insignificancy of my manners to the rest of the world makes the laughers call me a quidnunc, a phrase I shall never inquire what they mean by it.1903Joseph FurphySuch is Life'I neither know him nor do I feel any aching void in consequence,' I replied, pointedly interpolating, in two places, the quidnunc's flowers of speech.Labels: Charles Reade, George A. Aitken, Joseph Furphy
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hoc age hok ayj phrase do this; in doing your duty let nothing hinder your zeal 1847John AubreyThe Natural History of WiltshireThe consistorie of this church (Salisbury) was as eminent for learning as any in England, and the choire had the best method; hence came the saying 'secundum usum Sarum'. Over every stall there was writt 'hoc age'. These old stalles were taken down about 1671, and now they sitt in the quire undistinguisht, without stalles.1873Charles Reade A Simpleton So to church they went; and Staines, whose motto was 'Hoc age,' minded his book. Rosa had intervals of attention to the words, but found plenty of time to study the costumes. 1877Michel de MontaigneThe Essays of MontaigneThe Romans, in their religious exercises, began with 'Hoc age' as we in ours do with 'Sursum corda'; these are so many words lost to me: I come already fully prepared from my chamber.Labels: Charles Reade, John Aubrey, Michel de Montaigne
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jobation jawb-AY-shuhn noun a scolding 1884Charles ReadeA Perilous SecretWalter Clifford returned home pretty well weaned from trade, and anxious to propitiate his father, but well aware that on his way to reconciliation he must pass through jobation.1884Ada Ellen BaylyWe Two'I was called this morning into Mr. Ashgrove's private room; he informed me that he had just learned with great annoyance that I was the nephew of that (you can supply his string of abusive adjectives) Luke Raeburn. Was it true? I told him I had that honor. Was I, then, an atheist? Certainly. A Raeburnite? Naturally. After which came a long jobation, at the end of which I found myself the wrong side of the office door with orders never to darken it again, and next month's salary in my hand.'1887H. Rider HaggardAllan QuatermainHe listened to this jobation submissively, and then frankly acknowledged that he had spoken hardly. It is one of the best points in Sir Henry's character that he is always ready to admit it when he is in the wrong.1907Edmund GosseFather and SonIt is difficult for me to justify to myself the violent jobation which my Father gave me in consequence of my scream, except by attributing to him something of the human weakness of vanity.Labels: Ada Ellen Bayly, Charles Reade, Edmund Gosse, H. Rider Haggard
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peine forte et dure pen for tay dyoor phrase strong and painful punishment; torture 1735Arthur L. HaywardLives of the Most Remarkable CriminalsBurnworth absolutely refused to plead at all; upon which, after being advised by the judge not to force the Court upon that rigour which they were unwilling at any time to practice, and he still continuing obstinate, his thumbs (as is usual in such cases) were tied and strained with pack thread. This having no effect upon him, the sentence of the press, or as it is sailed in Law, of the Peine Fort et Dure, was read to him in these words: You shall go to the place from whence you came, and there being stripped naked and laid flat upon your back on the floor, with a napkin about your middle to hide your privy members, and a cloth on your face, then the press is to be laid upon you, with as much weight as, or rather more than you can bear.1859Charles ReadeIt Is Never Too Late to MendThe governor put him on a favorite crank of his, and gave him eight thousand turns to do in four hours and a half. He knew the boy could not do it, and this was only a formula he went through previous to pillorying the lad. Josephs had been in the Pillory about an hour when it so happened that the Reverend John Jones, the chaplain of the jail, came into the yard. Seeing a group of warders at the mouth of the labor-cell, he walked up to them, and there was Josephs in peine forte et dure.1958Ian FlemingDr. NoThe Grand Inquisitor sat in the high-backed chair. The hour had struck for the peine forte et dure.Labels: Arthur L. Hayward, Charles Reade, Ian Fleming
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à propos de rien a pro-PO d' ree-uhn phrase in connection with nothing; apropos of nothing 1849Charles KingsleyYeast: A ProblemThe ice thawed rapidly; and one evening it split up altogether, when Bracebridge, who was sitting drawing by Lancelot's sofa, instead of amusing himself with the ladies below, suddenly threw his pencil into the fire, and broke out, a propos de rien—'What a strange pair we are, Smith! I think you just the best fellow I ever met, and you hate me like poison—you can't deny it.'1859Charles ReadeLove Me Little Love Me LongI must repeat, they have not that excuse. Perhaps their risibility had been exhausted. After laughing three hours a propos de rien, it is time to be serious out of place.1907Frances Hodgson BurnettThe ShuttleIt might seem a propos de rien, but he did not care in the least. He wanted to hear what she would say.Labels: Charles Kingsley, Charles Reade, Frances Hodgson Burnett
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