Editor’s Corner: Fossil Words, Part 3

Posted by: Jack Henry | November 17, 2016

Editor’s Corner: Fossil Words, Part 3

In my last two posts (here and here), I discussed fossil words (words that are not widely used outside of one or two well-known phrases) and gave some examples.

Here are 13 more fossil words, along with the phrases in which you can still find them. The definitions are from Merriam-Webster.

· mettle: vigor and strength of spirit or temperament ("test one’s mettle")

· offing: the near or foreseeable future ("in the offing")

· petard: a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall ("hoist by one’s petard")

· riddance: deliverance, relief ("good riddance")

· shebang: everything involved in what is under consideration ("the whole shebang")

· shrift: a remission of sins pronounced by a priest in the sacrament of reconciliation ("short shrift")

· sleight: dexterity, skill ("sleight of hand")

· turpitude: inherent baseness; depravity ("moral turpitude")

· ulterior: going beyond what is openly said or shown and especially what is proper ("ulterior motive")

· vim: robust energy and enthusiasm ("vim and vigor")

· wedlock: the state of being married; marriage, matrimony ("out of wedlock")

· wreak: bring about, cause ("wreak havoc")

· yore: time past and especially long past ("days of yore")

Bonus Spelling Tips

This list contains two commonly misspelled phrases: "wreak havoc" (not "wreck havoc") and "sleight of hand" (not "slight of hand").

The Mnemonic Dictionary has several tips for remembering how to spell wreak. This is my favorite:

Tip: Wreak sounds like (and is spelled like) creak. The ship creaked when the pirates wreaked havoc on it.

I couldn’t find a good mnemonic for sleight, so I conjured one up. When magicians perform sleight of hand, they commonly hide things in their sleeves.

Tip: When you’re talking about magic, the word sleight has a silent e hidden in its sleeve.

Symitar Documentation Services

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.

Posted in Articles

Editor's Corner