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Sunday, April 1, 2012

Words...Words...Words


Interesting Fact - William Shakespeare added over 1700 newly-coined words to the English language.  Among the bon mots currently in circulation, the following are culled from Romeo and Juliet:
abate * abhor * absolve * addle * adversity * agile * amble * ambuscade * 
amorous * anon *  antics * apothecary * asunder * atomies * augment * 
baleful * bandy * bauble * bawdy * bedeck * beguile * behoove * beshrew *
bier * bode * braggart * brawls * budge *  cankered * carrion * chaste * 
chide * choler/ic *churl * clout * conduit * conjure *consort * contagion * 
cot-quean *cull * dank * demesnes * descry * dexterity *direful * dirge * 
distill * distraught * dissemblers * doff * doleful * dote * dowdy *dram *
drivel * drowsy * ducats * dun * effeminate * entreat * fain * felon * fester * 
fickle * fleck * forfeit * forswear * gadding * garish *giddy * gory * 
gossamer * grubs * headstrong * haughty* heretic * idolatry * importune * impute * inauspicious * inexorable * jaunt * jocund * lineaments * livery *
loins * loll * loathsome *mammet * mandrakes *martial * matron * maw 
meddle * minions * minstrels * mire * morsel * musty * naught * nimble * nuptials *obsequies * paramour *passado* partisans * penury * pernicious * peppered *  pestilence * portly * poultice * presage * prate * presage * privy * prolix/ity * purge * quench * restorative *revels * rote * runagate * sallow * saucy * scourge *scurvy * sententious * sepulcher *slander * sojourn * solace * 
stint * stratagem * stealth * sunder * supple * tarry * tedious * tithe * thither
trencher * troth * trudge * unruly * unseemly *  unwieldy * vestal * vial * 
visage * waddle * wantons * wench * whit * wretch * wreak * zounds * [157+]

1 comment:

MC Tracy said...

Wow! I did not know that. Now I am going to have to look up the others! I'll bet you that Mercutio coined more than a few. He was quite creative, as you know!