Medieval manuscript image of a creature with a bird body and legs and an enormous human female head.
hēafod, n.n: head. (HAY-ah-vod / ˈheːa-vɔd)
Image: Catoblepas (a beast famous for its heavy head) in Jacob van Maerlant’s Der Naturen Bloeme; Netherlands, 14th century; Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 13440, f. 4r.
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ildcian, wk.v: to delay. (ILD-chi-ahn / ˈɪld-tʃɪ-an)
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Medieval tapestry depicting a group of men pointing up at a comet soaring brightly across the sky, with the Latin caption ‘Isti mirant stella’.
lēoht-bēamede, adj: (of a comet) having beams or rays of light. (LAY-o’ht-BAY-ahm-uh-duh / ˈleːɔxt-ˌbeːam-ə-də)
Image: Bayeux Tapestry (scene 32); France (Bayeux), second half of 11th century; Bayeux, Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Baron-Gérard.
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un-geblȳged, adj: undismayed. (UN-yeh-BLUH-yed / ˈʌn-jɛ-ˌblyː-jɛd)
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stæf-plega, m.n: a letter-game or a literary game. (STAFF-PLEH-ga / ˈstæf-ˌplɛ-ga)
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Medieval manuscript image of a golden-haired woman, nimbed and crowned, holding three arrows in her right hand, standing with arms extended, shielding with her ermine-lined cloak some women, a pope, clerics and a cardinal; they stand before a tent held open by two angels.
casul, n: over-garment, cloak. (KA-zull / ˈka-zʌl)
Image: Ursula of Cologne in a Book of Hours; Belgium (Bruges), c. 1460; Morgan Library & Museum, M.387, f. 113v.
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weorod, adj: sweet. (WEH-oh-rod / ˈwɛɔ-rɔd)
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dōm-ēadig, adj: blessed with power. (DOME-EH-ah-dih / ˈdoːm-ˌeːa-dɪj)
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Medieval manuscript image of a man pounding on a gold bar with a hammer; he is surrounded by heaps of gold coins, including some in an open chest and sack.
cnucian, wk.v: to knock, beat, pound. (K’NUCK-i-ahn / ˈknʌ-kɪ-an)
Image: Register of creditors of a Bolognese lending society; Italy (Bologna), c. 1394-1395; Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.1056, f. 1v.
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cēp-sceamol, m.n: a toll-booth, seat of custom, treasury. (CAPE-SHEH-ah-moll / ˈkeːp-ˌʃɛa-mɔl)
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þrægan, wk.v: to run, proceed in a course. (THRAG-on / ˈθræ-gan)
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Medieval manuscript image of a green snake coiling its way up a margin beside and through an initial decorated with curving lines and dots.
eft-ongēn-bīgan, wk.v: to untwist again, to unwreathe. (EFT-on-yain-BEE-gahn / ˈɛft-ɔn-jeːn-ˌbiː-gan)
Image: Livre des propriétés des choses; France (Toulouse), c. 1350; Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, Ms. 1029, f. 236v.
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lāðian, wk.v: to be hateful or loathed. (LAA-thi-ahn / ˈlaː-θɪ-an)
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laðian, wk.v: to invite, call, call upon. (LA-thi-ahn / ˈla-θɪ-an)
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Medieval manuscript image of a woman sitting between two strongboxes containing coins and gold vessels, from which she takes bags in each of her hands.
gītsung, f.n: greed, covetousness. (YEET-zung / ˈjiːt-zʌŋ)
Image: Guillaume de Lorris & Jean de Meun’s Le roman de la rose; France (Paris), c. 1350; Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.324, f. 2v.
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ge-sīcan, wk.v: to wean. (yeh-SEE-kahn / jɛ-ˈsiː-kan)
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andettere, m.n: a confessor. (AN-det-teh-ruh / ˈan-dɛt-tɛ-rə)
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Medieval manuscript image of blue horse with spots.
frid-hengest, m.n: of uncertain meaning but ‘hengest’ is ‘horse’: one idea is ‘horse-horse’ (tautological); (less likely) ‘beautiful-horse’, ‘peace-horse’ or ‘war-horse’. (FRID-HENG-gest / ˈfrɪd-ˌhɛŋ-gɛst)
Image: Bestiary; England, 1220-1240; @theul.bsky.social Kk.4.25, f. 59r.
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lēod-hata, m.n: tyrant (people-hater). (LAY-od-HA-ta / ˈleːɔd-ˌha-ta)
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un-āblinnende, adj: unceasing. (UN-ah-BLIN-nen-duh / ˈʌn-aː-ˌblɪn-nɛn-də)
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Medieval manuscript image of a couple embracing who, while human on top, have legs and tails like dragons and the tails have human heads attached to the ends.
lufung, f.n: loving, action of loving. (LUH-vung / ˈlʌ-vʌŋ)
Image: Book of Hours; Flanders (Cambrai?), c. 1300-1310; Walters Art Museum, Ms. W.88, f. 139v.
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æsc-rōf, adj: valiant in war, of martial renown. (ASH-ROAF / ˈæʃ-ˌroːf)
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Medieval manuscript image of rain pouring down and deep water filled with the corpses of humans and animals that go all the way down to the ground.
grund, m.n: bottom, lowest part of anything; solid bottom or earth underlying something; abyss, hell; ground. (GRUND / ˈgrʌnd)
Image: Noah’s Flood, William de Brailes; England (Oxford), c. 1230; Walters Art Museum, W.106.3R.
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stǣr-leornere, m.n: one who learns history, a historical scholar. (STAER-LEH-or-neh-ruh / ˈstæːr-ˌlɛɔr-nɛ-rə)
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stǣr, n.n: a history. (STAER / ˈstæːr)
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Medieval manuscript image of a woman spinning using a freestanding distaff; her cat has pounced on her twirling spindle.
hrēol, n: reel, spool. (H’RAY-ol / ˈhreːɔl)
Image: The Maastricht Hours; Liège, 14th century; @britishlibrary.bsky.social Stowe 17, f. 34r.
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for-gitan, str.v: to forget, neglect. (for-YIT-ahn / fɔr-ˈjɪt-an)
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nīhsta, m.n: neighbour. (NEE’H-sta / ˈniːx-sta)
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Medieval manuscript image of a grey-haired, bearded man studying a book written in Hebrew.
gomel-feax, adj: hoary-locked, grey-haired. (GAW-mel-FEH-ahks / ˈgɔ-mɛl-ˌfɛaks)
Image: King Solomon reading the Scriptures; France, 1277-1286; @britishlibrary.bsky.social MS Additional 11639, f. 116r.
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lār-hlystend, m.n: candidate for baptism, catechumen, one receiving (or having received) religious instruction (before baptism); lit. ‘lore-listener’. (LAHR-HLUE-stend / ˈlaːr-ˌhly-stɛnd)
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