For this week, I’m digging into words from a book that was replete with good ones:
gauds, pl n Pieces of showy finery; a gay trapping, trinket, or the like; any object of ostentation or exultation
page 4, Godric by Frederick Buechner
“We had rabbitfur, goosefeather, beeswax, calfskin, garlic and gauds galore.”
Not gaudy?
perry, n A fermented liquor, similar to cider but made from the juice of pears
page 11, Godric by Frederick Buechner
“She had long legs and hair in a tangle and a gap between her teeth for squirting cider or perry through if ever the whim should take her.”
knout, n A leather scourge used for flogging
page 19, Godric by Frederick Buechner
“I’ve seen a shaft of light aslant through dark, a fierce lance tilted to the heart of things, a flail, a knout.”
goodman, n The man of the house, master, husband, head of a family; an appellation of civility; a term of respect, frequently used to or of a person before his surname: nearly equivalent to Mr. or sometimes to gaffer, sometimes used ironically
page 20, Godric by Frederick Buechner
“‘I planted horns on many a goodman’s brown and jollied lads with tales about it afterward.’”
fettle, v To line the hearth of (a reverberatory furnace) with loose sand or ore in preparation for pouring molten metal
page 29, Godric by Frederick Buechner
“If my lord said harrow, he’d harrow, said tinker, he’d tinker or fettle he’d fettle though he was no villein bound to serve but a man born free as any man and paid the rent of our poor roof with pence.”
More great words on my Words from my reading page.
Books cited here:
Godric by Frederick Buechner [Amazon]*
What new words have you found lately?
* That’s an affiliate link; I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small commission on sales through my affiliate links.
I suppose that gauds makes sense if you consider gaudy! Fun words, this week.
Yes, they’re certainly related, but I’d never heard a noun form of it before!
Always love this feature (and love the evolving look of your blog — so beautiful). I want to be a goodwoman.
A great title to aspire to, I think!
And thanks so much, Beth.
I’ve never heard a noun form of gaudy before either, but I like it. I also like perry, but I think it should be spelled “peary”! If you get a chance, my words are here.
Yes, “peary” would make the meaning of that word a bit more clear, wouldn’t it?
Great words, I like the word perry.
I actually used gauds in Scrabble the other day, but had no idea what it meant. All of your words are new to me.
LOL! I’ve been known to do that in Scrabble, too play words I don’t know, that is.
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