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flibbertigibbet FLI-bur-tee-jib-uht noun a silly person; a person who changes their mind at the drop of a hat 1907O. HenryHeart of the WestHe shut himself in his room like some venomous kobold or flibbertigibbet, whining, complaining, cursing, accusing.1969Kurt VonnegutSlaughterhouse FiveAll this responsibility at such an early age made her a bitchy flibbertigibbet.1986Winston GroomForrest Gump'This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet,' Tom o'Bedlam say.Labels: Kurt Vonnegut, O. Henry, Winston Groom
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objurgate awb-jur-GAYT verb to scold; to chastise; to denounce 1871George MeredithThe Adventures of Harry Richmond'Prayers!' He was about to objurgate, but affirmatived her motion to ring the bell for the servants, and addressed Peterborough: 'You read 'em abroad every morning?'1907O. HenryHeart of the WestFour of his fellow-passengers followed, inspired by his example, ready to explore, to objurgate, to resist, to submit, to proceed, according as their prime factor might be inclined to sway them.1914Arnold BennettThe Price of LoveRachel remained alone, to objurgate Rachel. It was indeed only too obvious from Mrs. Tams's constrained and fussy demeanour that the old woman had divined the existence of serious trouble in the Fores household.1926H. Rider HaggardThe Treasure of the Lake...at this point a kind of rage possessed me which caused me to berate and objurgate Hans…Labels: Arnold Bennett, George Meredith, H. Rider Haggard, O. Henry
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vade mecum VAY-dee MEE-kuhm noun a handy reference book; a manual; something carried around for convenience of reference 1829Various The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction (7 February 1829)To these are superadded the usual contents of a pocket book, so as to render the present volume a desirable vade-mecum for the operative, the manufacturer, and engineer.1910O. HenryStrictly BusinessSo, driven to the wall, we go for our subject-matter to the reliable, old, moral, unassailable vade mecum—the unabridged dictionary. 1978James A. MichenerChesapeakeAnd she handed him a small, poorly printed volume called The Industrious Boy's Vade Mecum.1990Robertson DaviesA Voice From the AtticThey share with a great part of literate mankind the dream of the Wondrous Book, the invaluable Vade Mecum, in which the answer to their special question is to be found.Labels: James A. Michener, O. Henry, Robertson Davies, Various
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yoiks yoiks interjection an utterance of surprise: "Yoiks!" 1867M. E. BraddonBirds of PreyDon't let him slip through your fingers for a day; hunt him from lodging to lodging, from tavern to tavern, into jail and out of jail—tantivy, yoicks, hark-forward!1908O. HenryThe Gentle GrafterWe'll go out and get what's coming to us from a farmer; and then yoicks! and away.1914Israel ZangwillChildren of the GhettoOh yes! Yoicks! Tallyho!' cried Benjamin, with sudden excitement.1922P. G. WodehouseRight Ho, JeevesIt only needed Aunt Dahlia after them, shouting 'Yoicks!' or whatever is customary on these occasions, to complete the resemblance to a brisk run with the Quorn.1960Algis BudrysRogue MoonYoicks!' he yapped twistedly…Labels: Algis Budrys, Israel Zangwill, M. E. Braddon, O. Henry, P. G. Wodehouse
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jeremiad jaer-uh-MAI-uhd noun a lengthy complaint or harangue; a prophesy of doom 1884Joris-Karl HuysmansAgainst The GrainWhen Des Esseintes had studied theology, he was already sick and weary of the old monk's preachings and jeremiads, his theories on predestination and grace, his combats against the schisms.1901Matthew Phipps ShielThe Purple CloudHowever, the bodies here were not numerous, most, as before, being foreigners: and these, scattered about this strict old English burg that mourning dark night, presented such a scene of the baneful wrath of God, and all abomination of desolation, as broke me quite down at one place, where I stood in travail with jeremiads and sore sobbings and lamentations, crying out upon it all, God knows.1903Samuel ButlerThe Way of All FleshMoreover, Puritanism restricted natural pleasures; it substituted the Jeremiad for the Paean, and it forgot that the poor abuses of all times want countenance.1908Martha SummerhayesVanished ArizonaBut, alas, evil times have fallen upon us, and—I'm not writing a jeremiad—I took the book from the post office and when I saw the crossed guns and the '8' there was a lump in my throat, and I went into the barber shop and read it through before I left.1912O. HenryRolling StonesNot grief, but a hereditary rapprochement with death in the abstract, moved her to a dismal, watery snuffling, accompanied by her usual jeremiad.Labels: Joris-Karl Huysmans, Martha Summerhayes, Matthew Phipps Shiel, O. Henry, Samuel Butler
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