Blood & Rhetoric

“áberan”

1. with sense of movement, (1) to bear off, bring, carry; se hwæl hine ábær tó Nineuéa byrg the whale carried him to Nineva; (1a) sv/r4 w.r.a. to restrain oneself; (1b) to take away, carry away, remove; (2) to bring forth, (a) to bear a child; (b) to bring to light, reveal; 2. to take away, carry away, remove; with sense of rest (metaph.), (1) to bear with, tolerate; (2) to bear, endure, suffer, not give way under trial, suffering, etc.; (3) to bear, be under an obligation for an imposition, etc.;

– From the Old English Dictionary

“heterarchy”

The government of an alien. Greek heteros, foreign, and arche, rule.

–Rev. John Boag, Imperial Lexicon (1850)

“yare”

marked by quickness and agility; nimble; prepared; easily handled.

– From The Phrontistery Word List: Definitions of archaic words

“wobble-shop”

A shop where intoxicants are sold without a license.

John Farmer & E. Henley, Slang and Its Analogues, 1890-1904

And in the spirit of intoxication and celebration — HAPPY 4th OF JULY, AMERICANS!

“felo de se”

Anglo-Latin felo, felon, and de se, of himself.

He that deliberately puts an end to his own existence, or commits an unlawful malicious act; the consequences of which is his own death; as if, attempting to kill another, he runs upon his antagonist’s sword; or, shooting at another, the gun bursts and kills himself. The party must be of years of discretion and in its senses; else it is no crime.

Sir William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1765-69

“pubble”

Full, plump; usually spoken of corn or fruit.

John Brockett, Glossary of North Country Words, 1825

“erubescency”

Blushing for shame… for fear of loss of reputation.

Nathaniel Baily, Etymological English Dictionary, 1749.

“cook, slut & butler”

A common expression applied to a person who does all the turns of work in a house.

– John Brockett, Glossary of North Country Words, 1825

“ketchcraft”

The hangman’s craft.

– Sir James Murray, New English Dictionary, 1901.

After Jack Ketch, an infamous London executioner, who died in 1686, and was apparantly either very awkward or sadistic with his beheading techniques.

“pokeweed religion”

– The sort of religious excitement that springs up rapidly and seems impressive, but has no permanant value. The terms lightnin’ bug revivals carries the same meaning.

Vance Randolph, Down in the Holler: A Galery of Ozark Folk Speech, 1953