History is full of amazing and sometimes terrible old words. Here are some notables.
abroad | out of doors |
advertisement | a notice to readers in a book |
ague | malaria or a similar illness |
aliment | food; nourishment |
animalcule | a microscopic animal |
apothecary | a person who prepared and sold medicine |
asunder | apart |
audition | the power of hearing |
aught | anything at all |
avaunt | go away |
bane | poison |
bedlam | an asylum |
behold | see or observe |
behoof | benefit or advantage |
beldam | an old woman |
betimes | in good time; early |
bibliopole | a dealer in books |
billow | a large sea wave |
blow | produce flowers or be in flower |
bodkin | a dagger |
bootless | (of a task) ineffectual; useless |
breech | a person’s buttocks |
bridewell | a prison or reform school for petty offenders |
brimstone | sulphur |
bruit | a report or rumour |
buck | a fashionable and daring young man |
bumper | a generous glass of an alcoholic drink |
burgess | a full citizen of a town or borough |
buss | a kiss |
caboose | a kitchen on a ship’s deck |
cadet | a younger son or daughter |
caducity | the infirmity of old age; senility |
camelopard | a giraffe |
carl | a man of low birth |
ceil | line or plaster the roof of (a building) |
champaign | open level countryside |
chapman | a pedlar |
circumjacent | surrounding |
cicisbeo | a married woman’s male companion or lover |
cispontine | on the north side of the Thames in London |
clerk | a literate or scholarly person |
clew | a ball of thread |
clout | a piece of cloth or clothing |
commend | entrust someone or something to |
commons | provisions shared in common; rations |
communicant | a person who imparts information |
compass | encircle or surround |
con | study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing) |
condition | social position |
conjure | implore (someone) to do something |
contemn | treat or regard with contempt |
contumely | insolent or insulting language or treatment |
cordwainer | a shoemaker (still used in the names of guilds) |
corrupt | rotten or putrid |
cottier | a rural laborer living in a cottage |
coxcomb | a vain and conceited man; a dandy |
coz | cousin |
crinkum- | elaborate |
crankum | decoration or detail |
crookback | a person with a hunchback |
crumpet | a person’s head |
cruse | an earthenware pot or jar |
cully | a friendly form of address for a man |
cutpurse | a pickpocket |
dame | an elderly or mature woman |
damsel | a young unmarried woman |
dandiprat | a young or insignificant person |
darbies | handcuffs |
dark | ignorant |
degrade | reduce to a lower rank, especially as a punishment |
degree | social or official rank |
delate | report (an offence) |
demoralize | corrupt the morals of |
dight | clothed or equipped |
discover | divulge (a secret) |
dispraise | censure or criticize |
divers | of varying types; several |
doit | a very small amount of money |
dot | a dowry from which only the interest or annual income was available to the husband |
doxy | a lover or mistress |
drab | a slovenly woman |
drought | thirst |
egad | exclamation of surprise, anger, or affirmation |
embarrass | hamper or impede |
embouchure | the mouth of a river |
ere | before (in time) |
espousal | a marriage or engagement |
estate | a particular state, period, or condition in life |
expectations | one’s prospects of inheritance |
expiry | death |
fain | pleased or willing under the circumstances |
fainéant | an idle or ineffective person |
fair | beautiful |
fandangle | a useless or purely ornamental thing |
fare | travel |
fervent | hot or glowing |
fie | exclamation used to express disgust or outrage |
filibeg | a kilt |
fishwife | a woman who sells fish |
fizgig | a silly or flirtatious young woman |
flux | diarrhoea or dysentery |
forfend | avert or prevent (something evil or unpleasant) |
forsooth | indeed |
fourscore | eighty |
freak | a whim |
frore | frozen or frosty |
froward | (of a person) difficult to deal with; contrary |
fruit | offspring |
fudge | nonsense |
furbish | polish (a weapon) |
gadzooks | an expression of surprise or annoyance |
gage | a valued object deposited as a guarantee |
gallant | a dashing gentleman |
gammer | an old woman |
garland | a literary anthology |
garth | a yard or garden |
gentle | noble or courteous |
go-cart | a baby walker |
God’s acre | a churchyard |
goodly | attractive, excellent, or virtuous |
goody | (with a name) an elderly woman of humble position |
grateful | received with gratitude |
grimalkin | a cat |
gudgeon | a credulous person |
gyve | a fetter or shackle |
habiliment | clothing |
halt | lame |
handmaid | a female servant |
hearken | listen |
hence | from here |
herbary | a herb garden |
hereat | as a result of this |
hereunto | to this document |
hereupon | after or as a result of this |
hie | go quickly |
hight | named |
hither | to or towards this place |
horse-coper | a person who deals in horses |
horseless carriage | a car |
host | an army |
hotchpotch | a mutton stew with mixed vegetables |
howbeit | nevertheless |
husbandman | a farmer |
imminent | overhanging |
indite | write; compose |
inscribe | enter the name of (someone) on a list |
intelligence | news |
intelligencer | a person who gathers intelligence |
invest | surround (a place) in order to besiege or blockade it |
iron horse | a steam railway locomotive |
izzard | the letter Z |
jade | a bad-tempered or disreputable woman |
jakes | an outdoor toilet |
job | turn a public office or a position of trust to private advantage |
kickshaw | a fancy but insubstantial cooked dish |
kine | cows collectively |
king’s shilling, take the | enlist in the army |
knave | a dishonest or unscrupulous man |
larcener | thief |
latchet | a narrow thong or lace for fastening a shoe or sandal |
laud | praise |
laver | a basin or similar container used for washing oneself |
learn | teach |
leech | a doctor or healer |
leman | a lover or sweetheart |
let | hinder |
levant | abscond leaving unpaid debts |
Levant | the eastern part of the Mediterranean |
levy | a body of enlisted troops |
lief | as happily; as gladly |
lordling | a minor lord |
love apple | a tomato |
Lucifer | a match |
lurdan | an idle or incompetent person |
lying-in | seclusion before and after childbirth |
magdalen | a reformed prostitute |
mage | a magician or learned person |
maid | a girl or young woman |
malapert | presumptuous and impudent |
malison | a curse |
man-at-arms | a soldier |
marry | an expression of surprise, indignation, or emphatic assertion |
mayhap | perhaps; possibly |
measure | a dance |
meat | food of any kind |
mechanical | a manual worker |
meet | suitable or proper |
methinks | it seems to me |
mooncalf | a foolish person |
morrow, the | the following day |
mummer | an actor in the theatre |
natural | a person born with impaired intelligence |
naught | nothing |
nay | no |
neat | a bovine animal or animals |
nice | fastidious |
nigh | near |
nithing | a contemptible or despicable person talk about or make |
noise (something) about | known publicly |
nubbing-cheat | a gallows |
numbles | a deer’s entrails as food |
orison | a prayer |
orts | scraps; remains |
otherwhere | elsewhere |
overleap | jump over or across |
pale | an area within determined bounds or subject to a particular jurisdiction |
palfrey | a docile riding horse |
pate | a person’s head |
peeler | a police officer |
pelf | money, especially when gained dishonestly |
peradventure | perhaps |
perchance | by some chance |
peregrinate | travel or wander from place to place |
pest | bubonic plague |
pestilence | a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague |
peterman | a thief or safe-breaker |
physic | medicinal drugs or medical treatment |
piepowder | a traveller or an itinerant merchant or trader |
pismire | an ant |
pistoleer | a soldier armed with a pistol |
plight | solemnly pledge or promise (faith or loyalty) |
pollard | an animal that has lost its horns or cast its antlers |
poltroon | an utter coward |
popinjay | a parrot |
portage | the action of carrying or transporting |
portion | a dowry |
portion | a person’s destiny or lot |
posy | a short motto or line of verse inscribed inside a ring |
pouncet-box | a small box with a perforated lid used for holding a substance impregnated with perfume |
prithee | please |
profess | teach (a subject) as a professor |
progress | a state journey or official tour |
purfle | an ornamental or embroidered edge of a garment |
pythoness | a woman believed to be possessed by a spirit and to be able to foresee the future |
quality | high social standing |
quean | an impudent girl or woman |
quick, the | the living |
quidnunc | an inquisitive, gossipy person |
quiz | look intently at (someone) |
quoth | said (in I / he / she quoth) |
rack | (of a cloud) be driven by the wind |
raiment | clothing |
rapscallion | a mischievous person |
rathe-ripe | (of fruit) ripening early in the year; (of a person) precocious |
receipt | a recipe |
recipe | a medical prescription |
recompense | punish or reward appropriately |
recreant | cowardly |
rede | advice or counsel |
reduce | besiege and capture (a town or fortress) |
relieve | make (something) stand out |
repair | an abode or haunt |
repulsive | lacking friendliness or sympathy |
riband | a ribbon |
rover | a pirate |
rude | ignorant and uneducated |
ruth | a feeling of pity, distress, or grief |
sacring | the consecration of a bishop, a sovereign, or the Eucharistic elements |
saddle-bow | the pommel of a saddle |
salamander | a red-hot iron or poker |
sanative | healing |
sanguinary | involving or causing much bloodshed |
sap | make (a building etc.) insecure by removing its foundations |
saturnism | lead poisoning |
scantling | a specimen, sample, or small amount |
scapegrace | a mischievous person; a rascal |
scaramouch | a boastful but cowardly person |
science | knowledge |
sciolist | a person who pretends to be knowledgeable |
scold | a woman who nags or grumbles constantly |
scot | a tax-like payment |
scurvy | worthless or contemptible |
sea coal | mineral coal |
seizing | a length of cord or rope on board a ship |
sennight | a week |
shambles | a slaughterhouse |
shrive | (of a priest) absolve (a person making a confession) |
silly | helpless; defenceless |
sippet | a small piece of bread or toast for dipping into soup or sauce |
skirt | an edge, border, or extreme part |
slay | kill in a violent way |
slipshod | (of shoes) worn down at the heel |
slugabed | a lazy person who stays in bed late |
small beer | weak beer |
smite | defeat or conquer |
soak | drink heavily |
soft tack | bread, especially as rations for sailors or soldiers |
soil | a stain |
sooth | truth |
sore | extremely; severely |
speed | success; prosperity |
spence | a larder |
statuary | a sculptor |
steed | a horse |
stripe | a blow with a lash |
strumpet | a female prostitute or a promiscuous woman |
success | a good or bad outcome |
sugarplum | a small round boiled sweet |
surety, of / for a | for certain |
swain | a country youth |
swash | flamboyantly swagger about or wield a sword |
sweeting | darling |
sweetmeat | an item of confectionery or sweet food |
tantivy | a rapid gallop or ride |
tapster | a person who serves at a bar |
tenter | a person in charge of something, especially factory machinery |
thenceforth | from that time, place, or point onward |
thereunto | to that |
therewith | with or in the thing mentioned |
thither | to or towards that place |
thrice | three times |
tilt with | engage in a contest with |
timbrel | a tambourine or similar instrument |
’tis | it is |
tithe | a tenth |
tocsin | an alarm bell or signal |
tope | drink to excess |
top-sawyer | a distinguished person |
trespass | a sin or offence |
trig | neat and smart |
trigon | a triangle |
troth | faith or loyalty when pledged in a solemn undertaking |
turnkey | a jailer |
‘tween | between |
tweeny | a maid who assisted both the cook and the housemaid |
uncle | a pawnbroker |
uncommon | remarkably |
unhand | release from one’s grasp |
up to snuff | up to the required standard |
usher | an assistant teacher |
varlet | an unprincipled rogue |
venery | hunting |
verily | truly; certainly |
verse | a line of poetry |
very | real; genuine |
visionary | existing only in the imagination |
wain | a wagon or cart |
wait on/upon | pay a respectful visit to |
waits | street singers of Christmas carols |
wast | second person singular past of be |
watch | remain awake as religious observance |
watchful | wakeful |
watchword | a military password |
weasand | the oesophagus or gullet |
wench | a girl or young woman |
whence | from what place or source |
whereat | at which |
wherefore | for what reason |
wherewith | with or by which |
whilom | formerly |
white goods | domestic linen |
whither | to what place or state |
wight | a person of a specified kind |
wise | manner, way, or extent |
withal | in addition |
without | outside |
wondrous | wonderfully |
wont | accustomed |
wonted | usual |
wool-stapler | a dealer in wool |
wright | a maker or builder |
yclept | by the name of |
ye | you |
yea | yes |
yoke | the amount of land that one pair of oxen could plough in a day |
yonder | over there |
zounds | an expression of surprise or indignatio |
Source: OxfordDictionaries.com