Nincompoop Ninnyhammer Afinine wretches. Hocus pocus-Pfeudo-necromancy. Femminy-cremminy!-An emafcnlate obteftation. Crinkum-crankum-Lines of irregularity and involution.. Helter Skelter-quafi hilariter & celeriter, fignifying motion of equal jocundity and velocity. Hodge-podge-A culinary mixture of heterogeneous ingredients, applied metaphorically to all difcordant combinations. Philological difquifitions are but ill adapted to the readers of a fugacious paper. Having, therefore, already given a fufficient indication of my purpose to the philofopher, the academic, and the scholar, I fhall at prefent add no further interpretations; but in order to convince the learned of the neceffity and importance of the work announced to them, I fhall fomewhat enlarge the catalogue of terms that demand explication; which, like bafe metal among legitimate coin, have, by long usage, become current in our language; and without which the commerce of the world, or even the traffic of letters, can with difficulty be maintained either with profit or delectation. To explain them may be fome glory: it would N 3 In the mean-while, fubfcriptions are taken in at all the moit eminent bookfellers in London and Weftminiter; of whom may be learnt all further particulars relative to this arduous and important undertaking. SPECIMEN. Higgled-piggledy-Conglomeration and confufion. Title-cane-Futile converfation. Foo! Fau! Fam!-Gigantic intonations. da invernon of capitals and fundamentals. Nove de Joy-Adolefcence, between the period of puberty and virility. Adequate retaliation. Silly Bresentation and irrefolution. Vậy -- The execution of an act maugre the confoot of anether. Dagbjungik➡ Ae ist fufpenfion. Fluordinate precipitation. Kdo among mau enigmatic exordium. Tintiurabulory chimes, ufed Healy to grify di patch and v The loweit Flebeians. Nincompoop } Afinine wretches. Hocus pocus-Pfeudo-necromancy. Femminy-cremminy!—An emafcnlate obteftation. Rigmarole-Difcourfe, incoherent and rhapsodical. Crinkum-crankum-Lines of irregularity and involution.. Helter Skelter-quafi bilariter & celeriter, fignifying motion of equal jocundity and velocity. Hodge-podge-A culinary mixture of heterogeneous ingredients, applied metaphorically to all difcordant combinations. Philological difquifitions are but ill adapted to the readers of a fugacious paper. Having, therefore, already given a fufficient indication of my purpose to the philofopher, the academic, and the scholar, I fhall at prefent add no further interpretations; but in order to vince the learned of the neceffity and the work announced to them, I fhall arge the catalogue of terms that demand ; which, li' be .. Το bafe metal among legiti ufage, become current in which the commerce of raffic of letters, can with either with profit or delectam may be fome glory: it would N 3 Slap-dafh, Slap-bang, Hum drum, Harum-fcarum, Rantum fcantum, Pit-pat, Chit-chat, Prittle-prattle, Hoity-toity, Tip top, Hubble-bubble, Humptdy-dumptdy, Tory-tory, Tuzzy-muzzy, Namby-pamby, Hurdy-gurdy, Hum-ftrum, Humbug, Hugger-mugger, Hiccius-doccius, Shiddlecum-fh-e, Snip-fnap, It is easy, from this fpecimen, to fuppofe extenfion and amplification. Printed authorities will be fubjoined fubjoined as vouchers, for the existence of every term and word that fhall be cited, and its various fignifications, where there are more than one, pruperly explained. He who writes the dictionary of any tongue, may be confidered as labouring in a coal mine; but he who collects the refuse of a language, claims more than ordinary commiferation, and may be faid to fift the cinders. A PERSIAN LEXIPHANES. SONG, TRANSLATED BY SIR WILLIAM JONES. SWEET maid, if thou wouldst charm my fight, And bid thefe arms thy neck infold That rofy cheek, that lily hand * Boy, let yon liquid ruby flow, A bow'r fo fweet as Mofellay. ; * A meleed ruby is a common periphrafis for wine in the Perfian poetry. See Hafez, Ode 22. |