Word of the day - wordhoard

Feb 08, 2014 02:13



This one actually came across while back, but I am behind in updating...

wordhoard, n. -‘ A store of words; (in later use esp.) the vocabulary of a person, group, or language.’
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈwəːdhɔːd/, U.S. /ˈwərdˌhɔ(ə)rd/
Forms: see word n. and hoard n.1
Etymology: < word n. + hoard n.1
orig. poet.

A store of words; (in later use esp.) the vocabulary of a person, group, or language.
In modern use first appearing in translations of or references to the Old English word; now in more general use, although still somewhat arch.

eOE Metres of Boethius (partly from transcript of damaged MS) vi. 1 Ða se wisdom eft wordhord onleac, sang soðcwidas.
OE Widsith 1 Widsið maðolade, wordhord onleac.
1842 B. Thorpe tr. Codex Exoniensis 313 List what to me a prudent sage..Said, a wise messenger,..His word-hoard disclos'd.
1850 M. F. Tupper King Alfred's Poems 27 Then did Wisdom again Unlock his word-hoard well.
1869 W. Barnes Early England & Saxon-English 130 A Hoard, as herd, is a kind of gathering of any kind of things, as..Word-hoard-Vocabulary.
1939 L. Bacon Semi-centennial iii. 38 The rite properly initiated, he unlocked his word-hoard.
1961 Webster's 3rd New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. Pref. 6a/1 Books consulted in the Springfield City Library whose librarians have..given the editorial staff..access to its large and valuable word-hoard.
1966 Listener 24 Nov. 779/2 Thomas was immensely proud of his bulging word-hoard.
1999 K. Jackson Invisible Forms 106 The archaised wordhoard of Furnivall & Co.

books, words

Previous post Next post
Up