Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Another 'borrowed' word today :

fioritura

• noun (pl. fioriture) Music an embellishment of a melody, especially as improvised by an operatic singer.
— origin Italian, literally ‘flowering’, from fiorire ‘to flower’.

voussoir

• noun Architecture - a wedge-shaped or tapered stone used to construct an arch.
— origin early 18th cent: via French from popular Latin volsorium, based on Latin volvere ‘to roll’. The word, borrowed from Old French, was also used for a time in late Middle English.

seconde

• noun Fencing - the second of eight parrying positions.
— origin early 18th cent.: from French, feminine of second ‘second’.

Richard Ruck wrote:seconde

• noun Fencing - the second of eight parrying positions.
— origin early 18th cent.: from French, feminine of second ‘second’.

Ah, I have used this one. I fenced at University.

Not very well, difficult at 9am on a Saturday with a hangover.

englishangel wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:seconde

• noun Fencing - the second of eight parrying positions.
— origin early 18th cent.: from French, feminine of second ‘second’.

Ah, I have used this one. I fenced at University.

Not very well, difficult at 9am on a Saturday with a hangover.

Sounds dangerous!

I don't think 9 a.m. on a Saturday existed when I was at University....

It only lasted until Easter of my first year. then I moved out of digs and into a bedsit where I had to look after myself. All Saturday morning vanished then.

ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.
— origin late 19th cent. (originally Scots in the sense ‘proceed warily’): from ca' (variant of the verb call) and canny.

Well, at least it's a British word...

Great Plum wrote:Well, at least it's a British word...

At long last.......

Richard Ruck wrote:ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.

I think I do that some days, when I am on a go slow!! Now I know a word for it, thank you.

Katharine wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.

I think I do that some days, when I am on a go slow!! Now I know a word for it, thank you.

I bet Barbara will find something to say about it as well.

It doesn't apply to me at work, but I definitely limit housework as much as possible.

Ca'canny aboot t'hoose?

Richard Ruck wrote:ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.
— origin late 19th cent. (originally Scots in the sense ‘proceed warily’): from ca' (variant of the verb call) and canny.

Isn't this working to rule ? dear to the hearts of Shop Stewards everywhere. Known in french as " déplacement d'air..."

Not something that I have ever tried - too dense and brainwashed into the Karoshi society...

"pale"

adj. describing complexion when pupil at Christs Hospital is confronted by master bearing cane or slipper. Vb to describe change from ruddy (often inebriated) appearance upon such happening.

n. - Racist. a barrier erected to keep Irish out (cf Hadrians Wall erected to keep Scottish out). Hence "beyond the pale" - totally unacceptable

I imagine that quite a few of us already knew this one :

divertimento

• noun (pl. divertimenti or divertimentos) Music - a light and entertaining composition, typically one in the form of a suite for chamber orchestra.
— origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a diversion or amusement): Italian, literally ‘diversion’.

Someone at OUP likes Italy, it seems :

seicento

• noun [mass noun] [often as modifier] the style of Italian art and literature of the 17th century: Florentine seicento painting.
— derivatives
seicentist noun.
— origin Italian, ‘600’, shortened from mille seicento ‘1600’, used with reference to the years 1600–99.