The Oxford History of Medieval Europe Flashcards
duchy, n.
1 The territory ruled by a duke or duchess. lME.
grand duchy: see grand adjective1.
2 spec. (D-.) Each of the royal dukedoms of Cornwall and Lancaster, having certain estates, revenues, and jurisdictions of their own. l15.
ORIGIN: Partly from Old French duché fem., later form of ducheé from Proto-Romance, from Latin dux, duc-, partly from Old French & mod. French duché masc. from medieval Latin ducatus territory of a duke, from Latin dux, duc-: see duke noun, -y5.
vicissitudes, n.
1
a† Reciprocation, return. rare. Only in m16.
b (An) alternation, (a) regular change; esp. a repeated succession of opposites. Now arch. & poet. e17.
b M. O. W. Oliphant Her girlish shyness…made the colour come and go in rapid vicissitude upon her cheek. R. S. Ball Remarkable climatic vicissitudes during past ages.
2 The fact or liability of change occurring in a specified thing or area; an instance of this. l16.
S. Johnson There is likewise in composition…a perpetual vicissitude of fashion. New Yorker Vicissitudes of taste can come into play.
3 Change or mutability regarded as a natural process or tendency in human affairs. l16.
J. H. Newman A world of conflict, and of vicissitude amid the conflict.
4 In pl. Changes in circumstances; uncertainties or variations of fortune or outcome. e17.
R. Davies A fine discussion about the surprises and vicissitudes life brought to just about everybody.
vicissiˈtudinous adjective characterized by vicissitude; subject to changes of fortune or circumstance: m19.
ORIGIN: Old French & mod. French, or Latin vicissitudo, from vicissim by turns, from vic-: see vice noun4 & preposition, -tude.
enclave, n.
1 A region belonging to a country but surrounded by another country, as viewed by the latter (cf. exclave). m19.
2 A culturally or socially distinct minority group in a society or place. m20.
ORIGIN: French, from Old French & mod. French enclaver enclose, dovetail from popular Latin, from in- en-1 + clavis key.
enclave adjective
see enclavé.
enclave ɪnˈkleɪv ♫ , ɛn- ♫ verb trans. lME.
Surround and isolate; make an enclave of.Rare before l19.
ORIGIN: Old French & mod. French enclaver: see enclave noun. In mod. use from enclave noun.
vituperative, adj.
1 Of words, language, etc.: containing or expressing strong depreciation; violently abusive or censorious. e18.
E. K. Kane His eloquence becoming more and more licentious and vituperative. Art in America Negative and…vituperative criticism of young artists.
2 Characterized or accompanied by vituperation. m18.
C. McWilliam He…saved me…from the vituperative, obsessing voice of Margaret.
3 Of a person: given to vituperation; employing or uttering abusive language. e19.
vituperatively adverb m19.
ORIGIN: Late Latin vituperativus, formed as vituperate verb: see -ive.
toady, n. & v.
A noun.
1 A toad, formerly spec. a small or young toad. Long rare or obsolete. l17.
2 A person who behaves servilely to or fawns on another; a sycophant, an obsequious hanger-on. Also (derog., rare), a humble friend or dependant. e19.
B verb trans. & intrans. Be a toady (to); behave servilely to or fawn on (a person). e19.
toadyish adjective e20.
toadyism noun behaviour characteristic of a toady m19.
ORIGIN: from toad + -y6. In sense 2 perh. back-form. from toad-eater.
inveterate, adj.
A adjective.
1 Of disease: of long standing, chronic; resisting treatment. lME.
b Long established, ancient, old. Now chiefly of a (bad) habit, prejudice, etc.: deep-rooted, obstinate, ingrained e16.
c Persistent, lasting. l18.
H. Lyte Medicines against an old inueterate cough.b Evelyn Rotten wood,…especially that which is taken out of an Inveterate willow tree. J. A. Froude His relations with Francis…were those of inveterate hostility.c E. Mannin A big part of Ahmad’s charm was his inveterate desire to please.
2 Settled or confirmed in a habit or practice; habitual, hardened, obstinate. l15.
H. T. Lane She had been made a hard liar by hard treatment, and was…an inveterate mischief-maker. D. M. Thomas She…enjoyed writing—she was, for example, an inveterate letter-writer.
3 Full of obstinate prejudice or hatred; embittered, malignant; virulent. Now rare or obsolete. e16.
B noun. A person who is confirmed in some (bad) habit; a confirmed or hardened offender. e18.
inveterately adverb m17.
inveterateness noun m17.
ORIGIN: Latin inveteratus pa. pple of inveterare make old, formed as in-2 + veter-, vetus old: see -ate2.
†inveterate verb trans. l16–m19.
Make inveterate; establish by long usage or custom; harden, confirm.
†inveteration noun (rare) the action of making something inveterate; the process of becoming inveterate: m17–e18.
ORIGIN: from inveterate adjective & noun or from Latin inveterat- pa. ppl stem of inveterare: see inveterate adjective & noun, -ate3.
proselytize, v. freq. derog.
1 verb intrans. Convert a person or people, esp. from one religious faith to another. l17.
J. N. Isbister An ardent follower of Freud proselytizing for him.
2 verb trans. Convert (a person or people), esp. from one religious faith to another. l18.
J. Bayley To proselytize the reader and inculcate in him his own…beliefs.
proselytiˈzation noun the action or practice of proselytizing l19.
proselytizer noun a person who proselytizes m19.
ORIGIN: from proselyte noun + -ize.
macabre, n. & adj.
A noun.
1 dance of macabre, = danse macabre. Long obsolete exc. hist. lME.
2 A macabre happening. rare. e20.
B adjective. Grim, gruesome. Orig. in dance macabre. Cf. danse macabre. m19.
H. Acton With macabre humour—somewhat sinister in retrospect—Nancy wrote…about her tomb and burial. Godfrey Smith The macabre pull of the Chamber of Horrors still exercises its malevolent thrall.
macabrely adverb m20.
ORIGIN: from Old French macabré adjective (mod. macabre), perh. alt. of Macabé Maccabaeus, Maccabee, with ref. to a miracle play containing the slaughter of the Maccabees. In early use perh. regarded as a proper name.
