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

quondam

KWAWN-duhm

adjective

having been one time; former; of a former time

1852Elizabeth WetherellQueechyThorn's answer was merely a bow, and Mr. Carleton withdrew, his quondam antagonist lighting him ceremoniously to the door.1877T. S. ArthurGrappling with the MonsterAttacks of sickness.—A quondam inebriate should never employ a physician who drinks, and should always tell his medical attendant that he cannot take any medicine containing alcohol.1914Wu TingfangAmericaI have noticed curiously enough that English Colonials, especially in such particulars as speech and manners, follow their quondam sister colony, rather than the mother country. And this, not only in Canada, where the phenomenon might be explained by climatic, geographic, and historic reasons, but also in such antipodean places as Australia and South Africa, which are so far away as to apparently have very little in common either with America or with each other.

Labels: Elizabeth Wetherell, T. S. Arthur, Wu Tingfang

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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pharisaical

far-uh-SAY-uh-kuhl

adjective

holier-than-thou; hypocritical sanctimony; disgustingly hypocritical

1854T. S. ArthurTen Nights In A Bar-Room, and What I Saw There'I don't see that they have done him much harm. He sowed his wild oats—then got married, and settled down into a good, substantial citizen. A little too religious and pharisaical, I always thought; but upright in his dealings. He had his pleasures in early life, as was befitting the season of youth—why not let his son taste of the same agreeable fruit?1886Andrew LangBooks and BookmenThere is or used to be a poem for infant minds of a rather Pharisaical character, which was popular in the nursery when I was a youngster.1903Erskine ChildersRiddle of the SandsI was forced to continue turning her assumed character to account; but it would be pharisaical in me to say that I rose to any moral heights in her regard—wine and excitement had deadened my better nature to that extent.1909Robert Hugh Benson The Necromancers Little scenes rose before her—all passed almost in a flash of time—as she stood with her hand on the medieval-looking latch of the gate, and she saw herself in them all as a proud, unmaidenly, pharisaical prig, in love with a man who was not in love with her.

Labels: Andrew Lang, Erskine Childers, Robert Hugh Benson, T. S. Arthur

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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