Steve Luttrell
@slluttrell.bsky.social
Bookworm. Sky watcher. Intransigent centrist.
Note: I'll be taking off the month of December. The outdated words will return on January 5th, 2026.
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. No matter how you observe, have a great time!
#OutdatedWords
(1 of 2)
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. No matter how you observe, have a great time!
#OutdatedWords
(1 of 2)
November 28, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Note: I'll be taking off the month of December. The outdated words will return on January 5th, 2026.
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. No matter how you observe, have a great time!
#OutdatedWords
(1 of 2)
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. No matter how you observe, have a great time!
#OutdatedWords
(1 of 2)
November 28th: Today's outdated term is "wes hāl," meaning "be well." This is the origin of "wassail," as in "Here we come a-wassailing..."
Pronunciation: wess HALE.
Source: Collins English Dictionary, 13th Ed. (2018).
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy holidays! See you in 2026!
(2 of 2)
Pronunciation: wess HALE.
Source: Collins English Dictionary, 13th Ed. (2018).
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy holidays! See you in 2026!
(2 of 2)
November 28, 2025 at 1:16 PM
November 28th: Today's outdated term is "wes hāl," meaning "be well." This is the origin of "wassail," as in "Here we come a-wassailing..."
Pronunciation: wess HALE.
Source: Collins English Dictionary, 13th Ed. (2018).
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy holidays! See you in 2026!
(2 of 2)
Pronunciation: wess HALE.
Source: Collins English Dictionary, 13th Ed. (2018).
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy holidays! See you in 2026!
(2 of 2)
November 27th: The outdated word for today is "brǣding," a generic term for any kind of cooked meat.
Pronunciation (I think): BRAY-ding.
Happy Thanksgiving, to those who observe.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): BRAY-ding.
Happy Thanksgiving, to those who observe.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 27, 2025 at 8:35 AM
November 27th: The outdated word for today is "brǣding," a generic term for any kind of cooked meat.
Pronunciation (I think): BRAY-ding.
Happy Thanksgiving, to those who observe.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): BRAY-ding.
Happy Thanksgiving, to those who observe.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 26th: The outdated word for today is "bēorđegu," meaning "beer drinking."
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-OR-theh-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-OR-theh-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 26, 2025 at 1:33 PM
November 26th: The outdated word for today is "bēorđegu," meaning "beer drinking."
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-OR-theh-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-OR-theh-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 25th: The outdated word for today is "glīwman," meaning "minstrel" or "jester."
Pronunciation (I think): GLYEW-mon.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): GLYEW-mon.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 25, 2025 at 12:44 PM
November 25th: The outdated word for today is "glīwman," meaning "minstrel" or "jester."
Pronunciation (I think): GLYEW-mon.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): GLYEW-mon.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Note: Since the holiday season is drawing nigh, this week we'll look at festive terms from Old English.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
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#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(1 of 3)
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Note: Since the holiday season is drawing nigh, this week we'll look at festive terms from Old English.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(1 of 3)
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
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Except where noted, the source for all of these is “A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary” by J.R. Clark Hall. It was published by the University Of Toronto Press in 1960.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
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#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(2 of 3)
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Except where noted, the source for all of these is “A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary” by J.R. Clark Hall. It was published by the University Of Toronto Press in 1960.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(2 of 3)
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(2 of 3)
November 24th: The outdated word for today is "bēodgereordu," meaning "feast."
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-ud-yeh-reh-ORD-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
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Pronunciation (I think): BEE-ud-yeh-reh-ORD-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(3 of 3)
November 24, 2025 at 9:57 AM
November 24th: The outdated word for today is "bēodgereordu," meaning "feast."
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-ud-yeh-reh-ORD-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(3 of 3)
Pronunciation (I think): BEE-ud-yeh-reh-ORD-oo.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
(3 of 3)
November 21st: The outdated term for today is "lamb-skin men," 18th-century British slang for court judges.
Source: "B.E., Gentleman." (Late 1700s.) A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew. London: privately printed.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
See you Monday!
Source: "B.E., Gentleman." (Late 1700s.) A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew. London: privately printed.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
See you Monday!
November 21, 2025 at 11:20 AM
November 21st: The outdated term for today is "lamb-skin men," 18th-century British slang for court judges.
Source: "B.E., Gentleman." (Late 1700s.) A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew. London: privately printed.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
See you Monday!
Source: "B.E., Gentleman." (Late 1700s.) A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew. London: privately printed.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
See you Monday!
November 20th: The outdated word for today is from Old English. It's "mađum," meaning "treasure" or "jewel."
Pronunciation (I think): MATH-em.
Bessinger, J. B. (1960.) A Short Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. University of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): MATH-em.
Bessinger, J. B. (1960.) A Short Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. University of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 20, 2025 at 10:44 AM
November 20th: The outdated word for today is from Old English. It's "mađum," meaning "treasure" or "jewel."
Pronunciation (I think): MATH-em.
Bessinger, J. B. (1960.) A Short Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. University of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): MATH-em.
Bessinger, J. B. (1960.) A Short Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. University of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
November 19th: From Middle English, today’s outdated word is "dalf," the past tense of "delven," meaning "to dig."
Per John Ball: "When Adam dalf, and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"
Source: Ball, J. (1381.) Untitled sermon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasant...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Per John Ball: "When Adam dalf, and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"
Source: Ball, J. (1381.) Untitled sermon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasant...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Peasants' Revolt - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 19, 2025 at 10:04 AM
November 19th: From Middle English, today’s outdated word is "dalf," the past tense of "delven," meaning "to dig."
Per John Ball: "When Adam dalf, and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"
Source: Ball, J. (1381.) Untitled sermon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasant...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Per John Ball: "When Adam dalf, and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"
Source: Ball, J. (1381.) Untitled sermon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasant...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
November 18th: The outdated word for today is "rampsman," which is 19th-century London slang for "a highway robber who uses violence when necessary."
Source: "A London Antiquary" (1860.) A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words. London: John Camden Hotten.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
Source: "A London Antiquary" (1860.) A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words. London: John Camden Hotten.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
November 18, 2025 at 11:40 AM
November 18th: The outdated word for today is "rampsman," which is 19th-century London slang for "a highway robber who uses violence when necessary."
Source: "A London Antiquary" (1860.) A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words. London: John Camden Hotten.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
Source: "A London Antiquary" (1860.) A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words. London: John Camden Hotten.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
November 17th: The outdated word for today is "derne," meaning "secret" or "remote."
Pronunciation (I think): DEHR-neh.
Source: Anonymous. (1400s.) A Little Geste of Robin Hood.
chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/gest-robyn-h...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): DEHR-neh.
Source: Anonymous. (1400s.) A Little Geste of Robin Hood.
chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/gest-robyn-h...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
A Gest of Robyn Hode (Original) | Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website
chaucer.fas.harvard.edu
November 17, 2025 at 10:36 AM
November 17th: The outdated word for today is "derne," meaning "secret" or "remote."
Pronunciation (I think): DEHR-neh.
Source: Anonymous. (1400s.) A Little Geste of Robin Hood.
chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/gest-robyn-h...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): DEHR-neh.
Source: Anonymous. (1400s.) A Little Geste of Robin Hood.
chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/gest-robyn-h...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
November 14th: The outdated word for today is "dægrēdlēoma," meaning "light of dawn."
Pronunciation (I think): "dey-REED-lee-OH-MA."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
Pronunciation (I think): "dey-REED-lee-OH-MA."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
November 14, 2025 at 11:50 AM
November 14th: The outdated word for today is "dægrēdlēoma," meaning "light of dawn."
Pronunciation (I think): "dey-REED-lee-OH-MA."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
Pronunciation (I think): "dey-REED-lee-OH-MA."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
November 13th: The outdated verb for today is "to thwang," meaning "to be flogged."
Source: "The Wakefield Master." (Fourteenth Century.) The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play.
pressbooks.nvcc.edu/eng245britli...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Source: "The Wakefield Master." (Fourteenth Century.) The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play.
pressbooks.nvcc.edu/eng245britli...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Background: “The Second Shepherd’s Play” – British Literature
Unknown date (possibly as early as the fourteenth century) The Wakefield Master The Second Shepherds’ Play was written by an unidentified writer known as the…
pressbooks.nvcc.edu
November 13, 2025 at 11:10 AM
November 13th: The outdated verb for today is "to thwang," meaning "to be flogged."
Source: "The Wakefield Master." (Fourteenth Century.) The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play.
pressbooks.nvcc.edu/eng245britli...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Source: "The Wakefield Master." (Fourteenth Century.) The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play.
pressbooks.nvcc.edu/eng245britli...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
November 12th: Today's outdated word is from Modern English. It's "joute," a 19th-century military term for "a close fight between two individuals."
Source: Wilhelm, T. (1880.) A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. L. R. Hammersly & Co.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
Source: Wilhelm, T. (1880.) A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. L. R. Hammersly & Co.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
November 12, 2025 at 1:55 PM
November 12th: Today's outdated word is from Modern English. It's "joute," a 19th-century military term for "a close fight between two individuals."
Source: Wilhelm, T. (1880.) A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. L. R. Hammersly & Co.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
Source: Wilhelm, T. (1880.) A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. L. R. Hammersly & Co.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
November 11th: The outdated term for today is "lady abbess," which is 19th-century London slang for "the mistress of a brothel."
Source: Grose, F. (1811.) Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. London: publisher unclear.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
Source: Grose, F. (1811.) Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. London: publisher unclear.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
November 11, 2025 at 10:45 AM
November 11th: The outdated term for today is "lady abbess," which is 19th-century London slang for "the mistress of a brothel."
Source: Grose, F. (1811.) Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. London: publisher unclear.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
Source: Grose, F. (1811.) Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. London: publisher unclear.
#OutdatedWords #ModernEnglish
November 10th: The outdated word for today is "sluchched," meaning "filthy."
Pronunciation (I think): SLOOSH-ched.
Source: "The Gawain Poet." (Late 1300s.) Patience. See line 342. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patienc...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): SLOOSH-ched.
Source: "The Gawain Poet." (Late 1300s.) Patience. See line 342. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patienc...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Patience (poem) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 10, 2025 at 10:38 AM
November 10th: The outdated word for today is "sluchched," meaning "filthy."
Pronunciation (I think): SLOOSH-ched.
Source: "The Gawain Poet." (Late 1300s.) Patience. See line 342. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patienc...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): SLOOSH-ched.
Source: "The Gawain Poet." (Late 1300s.) Patience. See line 342. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patienc...
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
November 7th: The outdated word for today is "lēasbrēdende," meaning "wily" or deceitful."
Pronunciation (I think): "lee-AS-BREE-en-deh."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
Pronunciation (I think): "lee-AS-BREE-en-deh."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
November 7, 2025 at 11:16 AM
November 7th: The outdated word for today is "lēasbrēdende," meaning "wily" or deceitful."
Pronunciation (I think): "lee-AS-BREE-en-deh."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
Pronunciation (I think): "lee-AS-BREE-en-deh."
Source: Clark Hall, J.R. (1960). A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. University Of Toronto Press.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
See you Monday!
November 6th: The outdated word for today is "erndinge," meaning "result of an undertaking" or "outcome."
Pronunciation (I think): EARN-din-geh.
Source: Anonymous. (Circa 1250.) King Horn. See line 615.
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): EARN-din-geh.
Source: Anonymous. (Circa 1250.) King Horn. See line 615.
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
November 6, 2025 at 9:31 AM
November 6th: The outdated word for today is "erndinge," meaning "result of an undertaking" or "outcome."
Pronunciation (I think): EARN-din-geh.
Source: Anonymous. (Circa 1250.) King Horn. See line 615.
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): EARN-din-geh.
Source: Anonymous. (Circa 1250.) King Horn. See line 615.
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Note: Even if I agree with the sentiment, I don't want to see any expletive-laced posts in my feed. I will unfollow anyone who does this.
November 5, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Note: Even if I agree with the sentiment, I don't want to see any expletive-laced posts in my feed. I will unfollow anyone who does this.
November 5th: Happy Guy Fawkes day! The outdated word for today is "gauding," meaning "festivity."
Pronunciation (I think): GOW-ding.
Source: Skeat, W., Mayhew, A.L. (1914.) A Glossary of Tudor and Stuart Words. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): GOW-ding.
Source: Skeat, W., Mayhew, A.L. (1914.) A Glossary of Tudor and Stuart Words. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
November 5, 2025 at 10:56 AM
November 5th: Happy Guy Fawkes day! The outdated word for today is "gauding," meaning "festivity."
Pronunciation (I think): GOW-ding.
Source: Skeat, W., Mayhew, A.L. (1914.) A Glossary of Tudor and Stuart Words. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
Pronunciation (I think): GOW-ding.
Source: Skeat, W., Mayhew, A.L. (1914.) A Glossary of Tudor and Stuart Words. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish
November 4th: Today’s outdated word is from Dr. Johnson's 1755 dictionary.
"Tapster," noun. "One whose business is to draw beer in an alehouse."
Source: Johnson, S. (2006). A Dictionary Of The English Language. Penguin Classics.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish #DrSamuelJohnson
"Tapster," noun. "One whose business is to draw beer in an alehouse."
Source: Johnson, S. (2006). A Dictionary Of The English Language. Penguin Classics.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish #DrSamuelJohnson
November 4, 2025 at 12:23 PM
November 4th: Today’s outdated word is from Dr. Johnson's 1755 dictionary.
"Tapster," noun. "One whose business is to draw beer in an alehouse."
Source: Johnson, S. (2006). A Dictionary Of The English Language. Penguin Classics.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish #DrSamuelJohnson
"Tapster," noun. "One whose business is to draw beer in an alehouse."
Source: Johnson, S. (2006). A Dictionary Of The English Language. Penguin Classics.
#OutdatedWords #EarlyModernEnglish #DrSamuelJohnson
November 3rd: The outdated word for today is "topcastell," meaning a platform atop a ship's mast designed for archers to shoot from.
Source: Tolkien, J.R.R. (1922.) A Middle English Vocabulary. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Source: Tolkien, J.R.R. (1922.) A Middle English Vocabulary. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
November 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM
November 3rd: The outdated word for today is "topcastell," meaning a platform atop a ship's mast designed for archers to shoot from.
Source: Tolkien, J.R.R. (1922.) A Middle English Vocabulary. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
Source: Tolkien, J.R.R. (1922.) A Middle English Vocabulary. Clarendon Press (Oxford).
#OutdatedWords #MiddleEnglish
October 31st: The outdated word for today is "fǣrdēađ," meaning "sudden death."
Pronunciation (I think): FAIR-dee-ath.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy Halloween! See you Monday (and stay well)!
Pronunciation (I think): FAIR-dee-ath.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy Halloween! See you Monday (and stay well)!
October 31, 2025 at 11:05 AM
October 31st: The outdated word for today is "fǣrdēađ," meaning "sudden death."
Pronunciation (I think): FAIR-dee-ath.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy Halloween! See you Monday (and stay well)!
Pronunciation (I think): FAIR-dee-ath.
#OutdatedWords #OldEnglish
Happy Halloween! See you Monday (and stay well)!