sxoidmal

Comments by sxoidmal

• sxoidmal commented on the word swachele

  In the 1901 Century Dictionary Vol. VII I found an entry for "swashly," which is defined much as "swachele" was supposed. It's not unreasonable to presume that "swachele" is a misspelling that sounded correct to Simon Forman, whose journal is foggy with alternate spellings and best-guesses.

  January 3, 2015

• sxoidmal commented on the word acatry

  "Acatry—Is this term still in use? I have just met with it for the first time, "Clerk of the Acatry to the Royal Household" (temp. Charles II.), and on turning to the Technological Dictionary I find it written Acatery, and it is said to be "a sort of check between the king's kitchen and the purveyors." No derivation is given. Query, is it from the French—Achat, Achaterie, Acatery, Acatry?" — John J. A. Boase.

  "Acatery is obsolete; but in Todd's Johnson we meet with "Catery, the depository of victuals purchased." See also Kelham, Norm. Dict., "Serjeaunt de l'acaterie, serjeant of the catery." In the Ordinances and regulations, &c. published by the Society of Antiquaries, Liber Niger Edw. IV., acatery is the room or place allotted to the keeping of all such provisions as the purveyors purchased for the king; and achatour (p. 22.), the person who had charge of the achatry. The office of achator, or purveyor, was common in religious establishments. Most lexicographers derive the word from the Fr. achator, to buy or purchase, to purvey, to provide. Hence the modern word caterer. Boucher says, "Acheter was formerly written and pronounced achapter, and seems to have a connexion not very remote with the common English words, chap, chapmen, cheap, to cheapen, to chop, or exchange, &c."

  Notes and Queries, Medium of Inter-Communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. Second Series, Volume Second: July—December, 1856; London: Bell & Daldy.

  March 19, 2013

• sxoidmal commented on the word acatry

  "The word catering comes from the term Acatry so it is the “below-stairs” servants, who bought, stored and cooked the food for the Palace."

  http://www.henrytudor.co.uk/page26.htm

  March 19, 2013

• sxoidmal commented on the word acatry

  acatry, n.

  Pronunciation: Brit. /əˈkeɪtri/, U.S. /əˈkeɪtri/

  Forms: 15 accatre, 15–16 acatrye, 15– acatry, 16 acatrie, 16 accatrie, 17 accatery, 17 accatry, 17– acatery.

  Etymology:Either < acate n. + -ry suffix, or alteration of achatry n. after acate n. Compare Anglo-Norman achaterie office for purchasing supplies (a1376).

  Now hist.

  Provisions bought in rather than made in the house, esp. meat and fish; a place of storage of, or staff responsible for, such provisions in a large household, spec. the English royal household.

  March 19, 2013

• sxoidmal commented on the word acatry

  "The acatry was responsible for the reception and storage of meat for the royal tables. In 1660 the establishment of the acatry consisted of a clerk and a sergeant, appointed by royal warrant, and a yeoman of the salt stores, yeomen and grooms, appointed by lord steward's warrant."

  'The household below stairs: Acatry 1660-1761', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660-1837 (2006), pp. 415-418. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43855 Date accessed: 19 March 2013.

  March 19, 2013

• sxoidmal commented on the word humbug

  From the Editor's Drawer of 'Harper's New Monthly Magazine,' No. CCLXXXVI--March 1874--Vol. XLVIII.

  Speaking of the word "humbug," DeQuincey says "it rests upon a very firm and comprehensive basis. It can not be rendered adequately either by German or by Greek, the two richest of human languages. Its origin, however, is wrapped in doubt, the stories concerning it being vague and uncertain. The following I regard as the most trustworthy: At one time there was war between Germany and Austria, and constantly the wildest and most incredible stories concerning the victory or defeat of the German arms would be spread, entirely without truth. They were all traced to Hamburg; so, whenever any thing marvelous was announced, men would say, 'Oh! that is a Hamburg,' and finally a 'humbug.' "

  September 21, 2009

• sxoidmal commented on the word swachele

  No one knows what it means, and its meaning is lost. I was browsing the Oxford English Dictionary and saw it in a list. Here’s the sum and whole of its entry:

  "Obs. Origin and sense unknown."

  Less than enlightening! It includes one original reference, in the diary of Simon Forman, which I find elsewhere referenced in The Notorious Astrological Physician of London.

  "This yere I bought many pictures about our Lady dai. This sommer I had my own pictur drawn, and mad my purple gowne, my velvet cap my velvet cote my velvet breches my taffety cloke, my had & many other thinges & did let my hear & berd growe. . . . I bought my swachele sword this yer & did the hangers with siluer."

  It’s theorized that swachele may mean “swash,” akin to flashy or a quality of swagger.

  September 3, 2009