The Death of Fissiparous and Other Words: A Dictionary of Words & Phrases on the Verge of Extinction

trencherman

TREN-chur-muhn

noun

a person who eats heavily; a person who eats to the point of excess

1891VariousPunch (Vol. 100, May 23, 1891)Lower down sat John Tooker, 'Girt Jan Doubleface' he was ever called, not without a sly hint of increasing obesity, for John, though a mighty man of thews and sinews, was no small trencherman, and, as the phrase is, did himself right royally whenever porridge was in question.1930John Buchan Castle GayDougal, though very hungry and usually a stout trencherman, had not enjoyed his luncheon. 1997Nelson DemillePlum IslandDr. Zollner was arranging his large lunch in front of him with the expertise of a real trencherman.

Labels: John Buchan, Nelson Demille, Various

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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bon vivant

bawn vee-VAWNT

noun

an elegant and refined person, especially when it comes to fine dining and social events; bon viveur

1865Fyodor DostoevskyThe CrocodileA certain well-known bonvivant of the highest society, probably weary of the cuisine at Borel's and at the X. Club, went into the Arcade, into the place where an immense crocodile recently brought to the metropolis is being exhibited, and insisted on its being prepared for his dinner.1994Quentin TarantinoPulp FictionINT. LANCE'S HOUSE - NIGHT At this late hour, Lance has transformed from a bon vivant drug dealer to a bathrobe creature.1997Nelson DemillePlum IslandI thought about Mr. Fredric Tobin, proprietor, bon vivant, connoisseur of all things beautiful, local big wheel, acquaintance of the deceased.

Labels: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nelson Demille, Quentin Tarantino

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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gentrification

jen-truh-fuh-KAY-shuhn

noun

migration of middle or high class persons to a low or working class neighborhood; the restoration of a dilapidated community

1981John UpdikeRabbit Is Rich...the old retired people are being forced out by gentrification, the middle class returning to the cities.1997Nelson DemillePlum IslandThere has been some gentrification in recent years, boutiques, trendy restaurants, and all that, but Claudio's remains pretty much the same as it was when I was a kid.1999Ed McBainThe Last DanceThere were sections of Diamondback that long ago had been sucked into the quagmire of hopeless poverty, where any thoughts of gentrification were mere pipe dreams.

Labels: Ed McBain, John Updike, Nelson Demille

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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