-
October 1
Today's word
calamanco
A checkered woolen fabric often used for the uppers of women's shoes in the 18th century.
-
October 2
Today's word
patriot
An ardent supporter of one's country, devoted to the protection of its people and principles. Particularly applied to North Americans opposing continuing English rule.
-
October 3
Today's word
gridiron
A small, standing iron grate used to broil meat over a fire.
-
October 4
Today's word
fire dogs
A pair of iron supports used in a fireplace to suspend burning wood above the hearth.
-
October 5
Today's word
public vendue
A public auction.
-
October 6
Today's word
moil
To work hard, to labor at dull chores. Heard in the phrase "toil and moil."
-
October 7
Today's word
tyre
The iron rim on a wooden wheel of any vehicle.
-
October 8
Today's word
taffeta
In the 18th century, a shiny silk used in dressmaking.
-
October 9
Today's word
ready money
Cash.
-
October 10
Today's word
cudgel
A crude, heavy walking stick.
-
October 11
Today's word
japanning
Decorating wood or metal to imitate Oriental designs.
-
October 12
Today's word
spider
A frying pan with short legs and a long handle used for cooking on a hearth.
-
October 13
Today's word
specie
Any type of coined metallic money.
-
October 14
Today's word
marriage bond
A legal document signifying a couple's intent to marry, and if the bride is underage, the consent of her father.
-
October 15
Today's word
gown
A lady's dress, worn over a petticoat.
-
October 16
Today's word
hemp
Plant fiber used for making rope and heavy fabrics.
-
October 17
Today's word
reale
A Spanish silver coin used throughout the American colonies; also called a dollar.
-
October 18
Today's word
flax
The plant that provides linen fibers.
-
October 19
Today's word
fowling piece
A smooth-bore long gun that shoots shot; usually used for hunting birds.
-
October 20
Today's word
bowfat
A built-in storage cupboard.
-
October 21
Today's word
luster
A glass chandelier.
-
October 22
Today's word
calash
A large, folding hat built with arches of cane covered with silk.
-
October 23
Today's word
cistern
A vessel used at the dinner table to hold large quantities of wine.
-
October 24
Today's word
headright
A grant of 50 acres of land promised to each person brought to settle in the colony.
-
October 25
Today's word
joe
A coin made of gold from Portugal.
-
October 26
Today's word
quit rent
Small sums paid by individual landowners to the king for the use of land, since theoretically all land belonged to the crown.
-
October 27
Today's word
muster
A periodic calling together of militia troops from their homes for inspection and training.
-
October 28
Today's word
shagreen
Untanned shark's skin, often dyed green or black.
-
October 29
Today's word
sempstress
A seamstress.
-
October 30
Today's word
warp
Lengthwise thread on the weaver's loom.
-
October 31
Today's word
wight
An unfortunate wandering spirit or supernatural being.
-
November 1
Today's word
apprentice
A young person taken in by an accomplished tradesperson for the purpose of learning a trade.
-
November 2
Today's word
glebe
A portion of land set aside for the support of an Anglican minister.
-
November 3
Today's word
stock
A short, unattached, stand-up neckband.
-
November 4
Today's word
hustings
The name given to the municipal courts of towns like Williamsburg and Norfolk, Virginia.
-
November 5
Today's word
cresset
An iron basket that holds burning wood, coal, or pitched rope to provide outdoor heat and light.
-
November 6
Today's word
farthing
A coin worth a quarter of a penny.
-
November 7
Today's word
retreat
A beat of the drum at the firing of the evening gun; the end of the soldier's working day.
-
November 8
Today's word
castor
A hat made of beaver pelt.
-
November 9
Today's word
gesso
A preparation of glue and inert white powder, like gypsum or chalk, used as a priming or grounding material onto which paint or metal leaf was applied.
-
November 10
Today's word
carbine
A gun used by cavalry that is not as long as a traditional musket.
-
November 11
Today's word
gabions
Large cylindrical wicker baskets, open at both ends, to be filled with earth and incorporated in earthen fortifications.
-
November 12
Today's word
draught
When the term is applied to animals, it indicates a strong beast used for drawing a weight or pulling heavy loads.
-
November 13
Today's word
landau
A four-wheeled carriage with a convertible top, named for the town in Germany where it originated.
-
November 14
Today's word
journeyman
A person who has completed an apprenticeship and has become sufficiently skilled to work in a shop.
-
November 15
Today's word
hogshead
A cask, specifically a wooden container for shipping tobacco in the colonial period, measuring four feet high and 30 inches in diameter at each end.
-
November 16
Today's word
halfpenny
Half of a penny, pronounced "hay-penny."
-
November 17
Today's word
three-cornered hat
A turned up, or "cock," hat.
-
November 18
Today's word
fortnight
A phrase used to describe the span of fourteen nights.
-
November 19
Today's word
spatterdashes
Gaiters of leather or canvas shaped to the leg, covering from the knee to the ankle.
-
November 20
Today's word
review
The drawing out of all or part of the army for inspection.
-
November 21
Today's word
skep
A straw beehive.
-
November 22
Today's word
brimstone
Sulphur used in gunpowder, fireworks, and medicines.
-
November 23
Today's word
counting room
An office in which a bookkeeper kept the records of the store.
-
November 24
Today's word
pilgrim
A traveler who undertakes a journey, particularly one to a place of religious significance.
-
November 25
Today's word
tattoo
The order for all enlisted men to retire to their quarters.
-
November 26
Today's word
gallipot
A small jar often used in apothecaries to hold ointments and medicines.
-
November 27
Today's word
Pontefract cakes
A licorice candy, not too sweet, from Pontefract, England.
-
November 28
Today's word
pence
More than one penny.
-
November 29
Today's word
weft
Crosswise thread carried in the shuttle of the loom; the woof.
-
November 30
Today's word
teetotum
A top with numbered sides used instead of dice in children's games.
-
December 1
Today's word
parterre
A garden feature with geometric beds planted with bushes and flowers and separated by paths.
-
December 2
Today's word
lancer
A cavalryman armed with a lance who rides a light, fast horse.
-
December 3
Today's word
poll
The head, as in "poll tax," or "poll comb."
-
December 4
Today's word
salamander
A circular iron plate with a long handle. The plate was to be heated in the fire and used to brown the top of a pudding or other food item.
-
December 5
Today's word
bowling alley
Any long, flat, outdoor green space for bowling or playing skittles.
-
December 6
Today's word
trencher
A wooden disk or square from which food was served or eaten.
-
December 7
Today's word
hussar
A cavalryman on a medium horse, carrying little equipment, often used as a messenger.
-
December 8
Today's word
apothecary
Similar to today's pharmacists, the 18th-century apothecary diagnosed ailments and prepared treatments to ease their symptoms.
-
December 9
Today's word
loo
A card game similar to whist played with either three or five cards. The penalty for losing a trick or breaking a rule is being "looed," or compelled to add money to the pool.
-
December 10
Today's word
treenware
Small, useful articles made from wood.
-
December 11
Today's word
ha-ha
A ditch or sunken fence to contain livestock. Because it could not be seen from the house or garden, it unified the garden with the surrounding countryside.
-
December 12
Today's word
calumet
A tobacco pipe with a clay bowl, a long reed stem, and decorated with feathers.
-
December 13
Today's word
blind man's buff
A party game in which one person is blindfolded and the other players jostle and taunt him. The "blind man" has to catch and name another player to end his turn.
-
December 14
Today's word
piggin
A little wooden bucket with a long handle made from one of its staves, sometimes used like a ladle.
-
December 15
Today's word
duffle
Thick, rough cloth made from wool and used to make rugged clothing.
-
December 16
Today's word
factor
One who buys or sells for another.
-
December 17
Today's word
fusil
A type of musket that weighs comparatively little.
-
December 18
Today's word
ninepins
Nine skittles, or pins, are knocked down with a rolling ball in a game similar to modern bowling.
-
December 19
Today's word
trammel
Several rings used to hook a cooking pot by its bail over the fire.
-
December 20
Today's word
gartering
The banding used to create garters, which are small loops secured around the calf to hold stockings up.
-
December 21
Today's word
bateau
A small boat used on rivers.
-
December 22
Today's word
firkin
A cask roughly a quarter of the size of a barrel.
-
December 23
Today's word
peltry
Fur skins or pelts.
-
December 24
Today's word
portmanteau
A piece of luggage for traveling.
-
December 25
Today's word
holiday
Literally, "holy day," an occasion of religious observance.
-
December 26
Today's word
freeholder
Any person who owns land, including women and children under legal age.
-
December 27
Today's word
goose
An 18th-century game played with counters on a compartmentalized board decorated with pictures of geese.
-
December 28
Today's word
snuff
Tobacco that has been dried and ground into powder, to be inhaled or placed between the lip and gums.
-
December 29
Today's word
hominy
Maize finely ground or beaten, soaked with lye-water, then boiled or baked.
-
December 30
Today's word
barrow
A castrated male hog.
-
December 31
Today's word
rout
A large formal evening party.
-
January 1
Today's word
fishgigs
A kind of fish spear.
-
January 2
Today's word
ninemen's morris
A board game similar to tic-tack-toe played between two players, each with a number (usually nine) of pebbles, wood or metal discs, pegs, or pins.
-
January 3
Today's word
pirogue
A canoe-like vessel, with or without sails.
-
January 4
Today's word
tun
A cask often used to hold wine or beer.
-
January 5
Today's word
gorget
A metal plate worn around the neck by military officers as a symbol of rank.
-
January 6
Today's word
riding chair
A light, two-wheeled vehicle built to accommodate one or two passengers, drawn by a single horse.
-
January 7
Today's word
pied
Multicolored, originally black and white like a magpie.
-
January 8
Today's word
steelyards
A balance with two unequal arms, the longer having a movable counterpoise and the shorter bearing a hook to hold the object being weighed.
-
January 9
Today's word
baroque
A popular 18th-century architectural style with whimsical embellishments as its hallmark.
-
January 10
Today's word
curiosity
A hobby or interest; a recreational pursuit.
-
January 11
Today's word
housewifery
The job of running a household and managing the expenses thereof.
-
January 12
Today's word
spinster
A woman who spins thread, also the legal term for an unmarried woman.
-
January 13
Today's word
corn
The seed of a cereal crop, such as wheat, barley, or rye.
-
January 14
Today's word
pullet
A young domestic fowl that is older than a chick but not fully mature.
-
January 15
Today's word
sack
Dry white wine or sherry made in what is now the Jerez region of Spain.
-
January 16
Today's word
undertaker
One who undertakes a task or job in contract with another.
-
January 17
Today's word
waste-book
A blank book for rough notes on expenses and purchases. Figures from the waste-book would later be copied into a formal ledger.
-
January 18
Today's word
drugget
Wool, wool-linen, or wool silk-cloth for wearing apparel, or for spreading under a table to catch crumbs.
-
January 19
Today's word
rococo
A decorative or architectural style marked by ornate scroll and shell patterns.
-
January 20
Today's word
phaeton
A light, four-wheeled, open vehicle drawn by a pair of horses.
-
January 21
Today's word
smelt
The process of melting ore to separate pure metal from dirt, sand, and impurities.
-
January 22
Today's word
hoecake
A simple bread made with cornmeal, salt, and water, fried on a hoe in front of a fire.
-
January 23
Today's word
bloom
The process of melting ore to separate pure metal from dirt, sand, and impurities.
-
January 24
Today's word
blancmange
Almond cream in gelatin form, a popular 18th-century dessert.
-
January 25
Today's word
collation
A small meal served late in the evening, usually light food requiring little preparation.
-
January 26
Today's word
isinglass
A semitransparent, whitish, pure form of gelatin made from the air bladders of sturgeons.
-
January 27
Today's word
pillory
An instrument of punishment built to confine the neck and wrists in a wooden yoke.
-
January 28
Today's word
marchpane
A kind of candy made from pounded almonds and sugar, formed into small cakes or ornamental shapes.
-
January 29
Today's word
dinner
The main meal of the day, in the 1700s, served about 2:00 p.m.
-
January 30
Today's word
sweetmeats
Delicacies such as candied fruits and nuts or sugared pastries.
-
January 31
Today's word
plantation
A farm or estate where a staple crop such as cotton, sugar, or tobacco is grown.
-
February 1
Today's word
mantuamaker
A dressmaker who makes mantuas, a popular style of gown in the 17th and 18th centuries.
-
February 2
Today's word
chariot
An enclosed vehicle with one forward-facing seat that accommodates two to three people.
-
February 3
Today's word
tenement
Any rented property, whether land or buildings.
-
February 4
Today's word
supper
The last meal of the day, usually a light meal of leftovers. Also an elaborate meal for a festive social occasion.
-
February 5
Today's word
parish
The district under the oversight of a single minister.
-
February 6
Today's word
vestry
An assembly of elected representatives of a parish, held originally in the part of the church where robes, or vestments, were kept.
-
February 7
Today's word
clerk
A legal profession of the 18th century.
-
February 8
Today's word
printer's devil
A young boy hired to perform small tasks or errands in the printer's office.
-
February 9
Today's word
dilettante
A connoisseur of fine arts.
-
February 10
Today's word
pier
The brick or stone composing the structure of walls set between windows or doors.
-
February 11
Today's word
tessera
The small bits of colorful marble and glass that comprise a mosaic.
-
February 12
Today's word
gaol
Jail.
-
February 13
Today's word
form
A backless bench.
-
February 14
Today's word
beau
A young lady's suitor or male admirer.
-
February 15
Today's word
forcemeat
Finely chopped and highly seasoned meat, formed into small balls and used as stuffing or garnish.
-
February 16
Today's word
beaker
A large drinking cup with a wide mouth.
-
February 17
Today's word
pitch
A sticky resin made made from the distillation of wood tar or turpentine, used to seal and waterproof ships.
-
February 18
Today's word
milliner
A shop that carries exquisite goods, particularly those from Milan, Italy.
-
February 19
Today's word
porter
A beer prized for its dark, bitter composition.
-
February 20
Today's word
carter
The driver of a cart.
-
February 21
Today's word
gazette
A newspaper or other periodical.
-
February 22
Today's word
twelfth night
January 5th, the end of the Christmas holidays.
-
February 23
Today's word
lottery
A fund-raising scheme for a charitable institution, wherein a distribution of prized is determined by the random selection of numbered tickets, or lots.
-
February 24
Today's word
commonwealth
The happiness and security of the public, also the population of a state.
-
February 25
Today's word
stocks
An instrument of punishment consisting of two planks set edgewise with two holes cut in the center. The person sat with his ankles locked between the two planks.
-
February 26
Today's word
visto
A view or prospect, especially as seen through an avenue of trees or similar long and narrow opening.
-
February 27
Today's word
barm
The frothy mass of fermentation formed on top of ale.
-
February 28
Today's word
brawn
The fleshy part of the back leg of an animal, suitable for roasting.
-
March 1
Today's word
betwattled
Surprised; confounded, out of one's senses.
-
March 2
Today's word
catsup
A sauce of mashed anchovies, oysters, mushrooms, or walnuts.
-
March 3
Today's word
collop
A slice of meat.
-
March 4
Today's word
blackjack
A large leather jug for beer or other beverages, made black by an external coat of tar.
-
March 5
Today's word
comfit
A dry sweetmeat; any kind of nut, fruit, seed or root that has been dried and preserved with sugar.
-
March 6
Today's word
hartshorn
The horn or antler of a hart, or deer, used as a source of gelatin.
-
March 7
Today's word
ashcake
A batter of cornmeal, salt and water, cooked in the coals of a fire.
-
March 8
Today's word
johnnycake
In England, an oatmeal or barley cake. In North America, the recipe is adapted and made with cornmeal.
-
March 9
Today's word
jelly
A moist gelatin of sweetmeat or preserved fruit.
-
March 10
Today's word
lights
An anatomical reference to the lungs.
-
March 11
Today's word
tripe
An animal's stomach, prepared as food.
-
March 12
Today's word
pottage
A hearty meat and vegetable stew.
-
March 13
Today's word
ragout
A flavorful stew of vegatables and chopped meat.
-
March 14
Today's word
sago
The starchy pith of West Indian palms, used to thicken soups and puddings.
-
March 15
Today's word
shoat
A weaned young pig.
-
March 16
Today's word
sippet
A crunchy garnish of toasted or fried bread.
-
March 17
Today's word
souse
A boiled, seasoned, pressed loaf of scraps from a pig's head.
-
March 18
Today's word
coxcomb
A flirtatious, frivolous man.
-
March 19
Today's word
squab
An immature pigeon.
-
March 20
Today's word
rennet
Undigested, curdled milk from a calf's stomach used in the cheese-making process.
-
March 21
Today's word
standing dish
A favorite item at the table, served each day or at each meal.
-
March 22
Today's word
caster
A ceramic, glass, or metal dispenser for condiments such as vinegar, pepper, or dry mustard.
-
March 23
Today's word
cruet
An oil or vinegar dispenser for use at the table.
-
March 24
Today's word
demijohn
A large glass jug with a three to ten gallon capacity, often protected with a wicker or rush covering.
-
March 25
Today's word
firkin
A cask made to convey fish, butter, or other liquids, equal in volume to one fourth of a barrel.
-
March 26
Today's word
flagon
A hefty, lidded drinking bottle with a handle and spout.
-
March 27
Today's word
tureen
A serving dish for soup or stew, characterized by its deep oval shape.
-
March 28
Today's word
minuet
A triple-time dance performed by a single couple.
-
March 29
Today's word
cotillion
The term for a number of French dances composed of an assortment of steps and figures.
-
March 30
Today's word
country dance
A family of English dances in which couples line up in facing pairs.
-
March 31
Today's word
lard
An exclamation expressing surprise, taken from the word "lord."
-
April 1
Today's word
fie
A phrase denoting denial or rejection of the comments of another.
-
April 2
Today's word
buss
A lusty kiss.
-
April 3
Today's word
coquette
A flirtatious, silly woman.
-
April 4
Today's word
gallant
A man who is a woman's partner in intrigue, often a married woman's lover.
-
April 5
Today's word
swain
A charming country beau.
-
April 6
Today's word
twire
A flirtatious glance.
-
April 7
Today's word
baggage
An immoral woman unworthy of respect.
-
April 8
Today's word
bugbear
Something superficially frightening but actually powerless.
-
April 9
Today's word
hussy
A bold, saucy, or ill-mannered woman.
-
April 10
Today's word
puppy
A disparaging term for a man who is young, foolish, or both.
-
April 11
Today's word
genteel
A well-bred person with charming manners.
-
April 12
Today's word
vulgar
Low bred or ill-mannered.
-
April 13
Today's word
beauty spot
A mole-like spot which fashionable ladies applied to the face.
-
April 14
Today's word
huzzah
An exclamation of agreement or encouragement: a hurray.
-
April 15
Today's word
watertable
A sloping angle incorporated into masonry to channel water away from the foundation.
-
April 16
Today's word
upright
A charming country beau.
-
April 17
Today's word
above stairs
A building's upper floors: upstairs.
-
April 18
Today's word
vice
Wicked or immoral habits or behavior.
-
April 19
Today's word
constitutional
Something that is understood to have a positive effect on health, like a walk or fresh air.
-
April 20
Today's word
melancholy
Suffering the effects of black bile; to be irritable, angry, or peevish.
-
April 21
Today's word
phlegmatic
To have phlegm as the dominant bodily humor, characterized by passivity and inactivity.
-
April 22
Today's word
bilious
To be snappish, bad-tempered.
-
April 23
Today's word
humors
A medical theory that credits health with a balance of four humors: blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy. Excess or deficit of any could cause illness or mood changes.
-
April 24
Today's word
spermaceti
A fatty substance harvested from sperm whales used to make medicines and candles.
-
April 25
Today's word
coney
A rabbit.
-
April 26
Today's word
rush
A straight-stemmed marsh plant used as fuel for light and as a floor covering.
-
April 27
Today's word
diversion
Recreation or amusement.
-
April 28
Today's word
entertainment
Hospitable accommodation for the needs of a guest, especially a formal meal.
-
April 29
Today's word
hall
A dwelling's principal multipurpose room.
-
April 30
Today's word
passage
In Southern domestic architecture, the space at the center of a house which runs from the front door to the back door, providing a waiting area and allowing air to circulate.
-
May 1
Today's word
palladian
An architectural style referring to an 18th-century English preference for the neoclassical style of Palladio and reaction against the baroque.
-
May 2
Today's word
gill
A liquid measure equal to two ounces or a fourth of a pint.
-
May 3
Today's word
dram
A modest serving of a cordial or alcohol, equal to one eighth of an ounce.
-
May 4
Today's word
ell
A textile measurement which varies by country.
-
May 5
Today's word
tithe
A tax for the support of religious establishments.
-
May 6
Today's word
levy
A tax assessed by person.
-
May 7
Today's word
tonic
An invigorating or bracing medicine.
-
May 8
Today's word
pocketbook
A folding case for carrying papers in one's pocket, or another term for a man's wallet.
-
May 9
Today's word
loyalist
In the Revolutionary War, one who remained loyal to England.
-
May 10
Today's word
tarring and feathering
To smear an individual with tar and then cover him with feathers; a mob punishment inflicted on unpopular or scandalous characters.
-
May 11
Today's word
osnabrug
A coarse linen or cotton made in Osnabruk, Germany. The rugged fabric was ideal for hard-wearing clothing, sacks, and tents.
-
May 12
Today's word
saltpeter
Potassium nitrate used in making gunpowder and some medicines.
-
May 13
Today's word
spectacles
Eyeglasses.
-
May 14
Today's word
queue
A long braid of hair.
-
May 15
Today's word
damask
A richly woven silk fabric ornamented with elaborate patterns.
-
May 16
Today's word
bohea
One of the finest types of black tea.
-
May 17
Today's word
leghorn
Braided and bleached straw used in the construction of hats and bonnets.
-
May 18
Today's word
hornbook
The alphabet and Lord's prayer, mounted on a piece of wood and covered by a thin sheath of horn, used as a child's learning aid.
-
May 19
Today's word
lanthorn
A transparent or translucent case made to protect a flame; a lantern.
-
May 20
Today's word
dunghill fowl
Poultry, chickens.
-
May 21
Today's word
idle
Once who is lazy, worthless, and of no value.
-
May 22
Today's word
industrious
One who is hardworking, able, and clever.
-
May 23
Today's word
liberty pole
A center of community protest.
-
May 24
Today's word
midden
A domestic trash pit.
-
May 25
Today's word
proclamation
Originally a king's formal order, later used to refer to any official announcement.
-
May 26
Today's word
declaration
A public statement contained in a document or public act.
-
May 27
Today's word
freshet
A flood caused by heavy rains or melted snow.
-
May 28
Today's word
instant
The current, or present. For example, "the 21st instant" would refer to the 21st of this month.
-
May 29
Today's word
vizt.
An abbreviation of the Latin "videlicet," meaning "namely," or "to wit." Used in correspondence or conversation to introduce an amplification or explanation.
-
May 30
Today's word
do.
An abbreviation for "ditto," meaning "the same."
-
May 31
Today's word
candlelight
The time when candles are lit: nightfall, or dusk.
-
June 1
Today's word
chamberpot
A vesel kept in the bedchamber for nighttime emissions.
-
June 2
Today's word
necessary house
A small structure with an enclosed seat on a raised platform built to house a latrine.
-
June 3
Today's word
lady
A genteel female, or the wife of a lord.
-
June 4
Today's word
dyet
An allowance or provision of food: board.
-
June 5
Today's word
bumbo
A punch made from rum, sugar, water and nutmeg.
-
June 6
Today's word
small beer
Beer low in alcoholic content, taken at meals and throughout the day.
-
June 7
Today's word
limner
One who paints portraiture.
-
June 8
Today's word
matron
A woman in charge of the maintenance and operation of a charitable institution.
-
June 9
Today's word
comedian
An actor who is not a tragedian.
-
June 10
Today's word
playhouse
A theater where plays are performed.
-
June 11
Today's word
player
An actor or actress who performs in plays.
-
June 12
Today's word
remonstrance
An appeal or request.
-
June 13
Today's word
apron
A decorative or protective article worn over a woman's gown.
-
June 14
Today's word
petticoat
A skirt worn under a woman's gown.
-
June 15
Today's word
colors
The flag or standard of a military unit or ship.
-
June 16
Today's word
stays
A shaping garment which molded a woman's torso into a conical form.
-
June 17
Today's word
pap
Soft baby food made of bread moistened with milk or water.
-
June 18
Today's word
pudding cap
A padded bonnet worn by toddlers to protect the head during play.
-
June 19
Today's word
leading strings
Fabric lines sewn to a child's clothing used to tether a toddler to an adult.
-
June 20
Today's word
pater
One who performs the duties of a legal or biological father.
-
June 21
Today's word
wet nurse
A woman hired to breastfeed an infant.
-
June 22
Today's word
clout
A baby's diaper.
-
June 23
Today's word
dissenter
One who separates from a specified church.
-
June 24
Today's word
gambol
To caper or romp like children or playful animals.
-
June 25
Today's word
lark
A lighthearted adventure.
-
June 26
Today's word
epergne
A branching centerpiece at the table used to hold sweetmeats, fruit, nuts, and other delicacies.
-
June 27
Today's word
sexton
An officer of the church whose duties include ringing the bell and digging graves.
-
June 28
Today's word
orphan
A child rendered parentless by death or abandonment. In colonial Virginia, the term might apply to a minor whose father has died but whose mother is living.
-
June 29
Today's word
runaway
A fugitive or deserter.
-
June 30
Today's word
ague
A malarial fever marked by fits or paroxysms. Sufferers experience cold, hot, and sweating stages.
-
July 1
Today's word
quarter
A slave dwelling.
-
July 2
Today's word
closet
A small room or office used for study, writing, or privacy.
-
July 3
Today's word
syllabub
A sweetened cordial made with milk or cream mixed with wine or cider.
-
July 4
Today's word
gentry
The rank of a gentleman or lady.
-
July 5
Today's word
militia
A supplemental civilian military force.
-
July 6
Today's word
sheepshead
A large, abundant, and prized species of fish found in coastal North America.
-
July 7
Today's word
train oil
An oil boiled from the blubber of whales, seals, and other fish.
-
July 8
Today's word
drum line
A line strung for catching a drum-fish, which gets its name from the drumming noise it makes.
-
July 9
Today's word
subscriber
One who signs a letter or formal document: the undersigned.
-
July 10
Today's word
wit
Sharpness, cleverness, or one who embodies those qualities.
-
July 11
Today's word
artful
To be dexterous or clever.
-
July 12
Today's word
posset
A sweet, curative drink of hot curdled milk and ale or spirits.
-
July 13
Today's word
waistcoat
A vest-like article worn by gentlemen who would have pronounced the word "weskot."
-
July 14
Today's word
neck handkerchief
A piece of fabric worn at the top of a woman's low gown.
-
July 15
Today's word
dutch oven
A capacious iron cooking pot which is nested in embers and whose lid is covered with coals.
-
July 16
Today's word
wench
A young enslaved female servant.
-
July 17
Today's word
greengage
A greenish plum with a fine flavor.
-
July 18
Today's word
salad oil
olive oil
-
July 19
Today's word
N.B.
An abbreviated form of the Latin phrase, "nota bene," meaning "note well."
-
July 20
Today's word
perukemaker
One who makes perukes, which today are known as wigs.
-
July 21
Today's word
cordwainer
A shoemaker.
-
July 22
Today's word
bursar
An organizations' treasurer.
-
July 23
Today's word
embargo
A boycott which prohibits the entry of foreign ships and the departure of native ones, generally issued under threat of conflict.
-
July 24
Today's word
treatise
A literary work which examines a particular subject in some detail.
-
July 25
Today's word
compleat
Entire; complete
-
July 26
Today's word
sparrowgrass
Asparagus
-
July 27
Today's word
middling
The middle class, or people of moderate means.
-
July 28
Today's word
shift
A long, sleeved undergarment worn under a gown.
-
July 29
Today's word
banyan
A man's slightly fitted dressing gown; popular leisure wear in the 18th century.
-
July 30
Today's word
draper
A seller of wool or linen cloth.
-
July 31
Today's word
punch
The most popular mixed drink of the 18th century, made with citrus, sugar, water, spice, and spirits.
-
August 1
Today's word
Michaelmas
The feast of St. Michael, celebrated September 29 and pronounced "Mickelmas."
-
August 2
Today's word
cimling
A summer squash with a scalloped edge.
-
August 3
Today's word
dentifrice
Tooth powder, or toothpaste.
-
August 4
Today's word
landskip
A painted depiction of inland scenery, as distinguished from a sea picture, portrait, or other subject.
-
August 5
Today's word
tea canister
A caddy for holding dry, unused tea leaves.
-
August 6
Today's word
perry
A cider-like alcoholic beverage made from pear juice.
-
August 7
Today's word
arrack
A distilled beverage made from the fermented sap of the coconut palm.
-
August 8
Today's word
tippling
To drink alcohol often and in small quantities; the habitual indulgence in intoxicating beverages.
-
August 9
Today's word
dropsy
A morbid condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the body's serous cavities or connective tissue.
-
August 10
Today's word
wassail
A beer-based hot holiday punch popular in the Christmas season.
-
August 11
Today's word
pettiauger
A common pleasure boat of the colonial period, adapted from American Indian log canoes.
-
August 12
Today's word
post rider
One who delivers mail on horseback.
-
August 13
Today's word
physick
The professional practice of medicine.
-
August 14
Today's word
indenture
A binding contract which obligates a servant to a master or an apprentice to a trade.
-
August 15
Today's word
joiner
A woodworker who creates objects by joining wood.
-
August 16
Today's word
slipshod
Wearing loose or shabby footwear suggestive of an overall state of decrepitude.
-
August 17
Today's word
allarums
A call to arms; a signal for men to arm themselves.
-
August 18
Today's word
tocsin
A ringing alarm bell.
-
August 19
Today's word
domestic economy
The knowledge of household management, to include food preparation, sewing, and laundry.
-
August 20
Today's word
billet
An order to provide food and shelter for troops.
-
August 21
Today's word
consort
A companion or partner, sometimes a spouse.
-
August 22
Today's word
bother
A petty trouble or disturbance, or the exclamation made in the presence of one.
-
August 23
Today's word
bepester
To nag or annoy.
-
August 24
Today's word
chocolate
A beverage made from roasted and ground seeds of the cacao pod and heated milk, water, brandy, or wine.
-
August 25
Today's word
outlandish
A strange and unfamiliar denizen of a foreign country.
-
August 26
Today's word
circular letter
Correspondence written to be circulated among people with a shared interest in its contents.
-
August 27
Today's word
metropolis
A country's foremost city or seat of government.
-
August 28
Today's word
continental
A designation attributed to those things coming from or belonging to the colonies during and after the Revolutionary War.
-
August 29
Today's word
quartermaster
A military officer whose responsibility is the overseeing of military provisions and supplies.
-
August 30
Today's word
pamphleteer
A writer of brief political tracts or pamphlets.
-
August 31
Today's word
orangerie
A greenhouse optimized for the cultivation of oranges and other exotic citrus in cold climes.
-
September 1
Today's word
herbal
A written work about plants and the garden.
-
September 2
Today's word
alderman
A city magistrate, subordinate in stature to the mayor.
-
September 3
Today's word
pockets
A small pouch sewn into a woman's waistband and worn under her gown.
-
September 4
Today's word
hothead
One whose even temper is easily lost.
-
September 5
Today's word
beeves
The plural of beef; cattle or oxen.
-
September 6
Today's word
kine
The plural of cow.
-
September 7
Today's word
dovecote
A raised house for nesting doves or pigeons.
-
September 8
Today's word
Whitsunday
The seventh Sunday after Easter; Pentecost
-
September 9
Today's word
hautboy
An oboe, a reeded wind instrument.
-
September 10
Today's word
armonica
Benjamin Franklin's musical invention, a glass cylinder mounted horizontally and played by touching moistened fingertips to the rotating instrument.
-
September 11
Today's word
savages
A term applied to groups regarded as uncivilized and uneducated. Often used to refer to American Indians.
-
September 12
Today's word
palisade
A series of wooden posts forming a wall or fortress.
-
September 13
Today's word
abscond
To run away with the intent of concealing oneself, as a criminal before the law.
-
September 14
Today's word
maize
Also known as Indian corn, a cereal grass of North America.
-
September 15
Today's word
milk pan
A shallow dish where milk rests as the cream rises.
-
September 16
Today's word
seething
A cooking term analogous to boiling.
-
September 17
Today's word
dispensatory
A manual of medicines and instructions for the method of their application.
-
September 18
Today's word
battery
A small complement of artillery pieces used for tactical missions.
-
September 19
Today's word
pioneers
Infantrymen whose job it is to clear a path to admit the passing of the troop as a whole.
-
September 20
Today's word
inventory
A list of the property and holdings of a deceased person.
-
September 21
Today's word
appraisement
An inventory which lists the value of the property of a deceased person.
-
September 22
Today's word
fabric
The structure or construction of anything, especially of buildings.
-
September 23
Today's word
senight
A phrase used to describe the span of seven nights.
-
September 24
Today's word
smokehouse
A small outbuilding or room used to cure meat by means of smoke.
-
September 25
Today's word
suit
The collective term for a gentleman's coat, waistcoat, and breeches.
-
September 26
Today's word
warehouse
A building used to store merchandise, especially tobacco in 18th-century Williamsburg.
-
September 27
Today's word
sugar islands
The Caribbean, where sugar was the main crop in the 18th and 19th centuries.
-
September 28
Today's word
chamber
A particular room or set of rooms in a house, often a bedroom.
-
September 29
Today's word
cocoa
Corruption of the Spanish word "cacao," the Mexican name of the cacao-seed. By 1604, a beverage made from the seeds of the cacao-tree was called chocolate.
-
September 30
Today's word
robin
The name English colonists gave to the red-breasted thrush of North America.
-
October 1
Today's word
almanac
An annual table or book of tables containing a calendar of months, days, holidays, and useful information.
