1. Meters in English Poetry. FRONT_4
2. Apothecaries signs. FRONT_4
3. Planetary and zodiacal signs. FRONT_4
4. Crosses and ecclesiastical signs. FRONT_4
5. Reference marks. FRONT_4
FRONT_1 Conventions used in the Dictionary
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The reader will appreciate that in a work of this size a number of special
conventions are adopted in the interests of saving space. The most
important of these are listed below.
1. highlighting: Contrasting highlighting has been applied to headwords
normally to be printed in italics.
2. oblique stroke: An oblique stroke (/) is used to mark the end of that
part of the headword to which highlighted elements introduced with a
dash or a hyphen later in the same entry should be attached. Thus the
entry collegi/um, ...pl -a shows that the plural form should be
collegia, and the inflexions given as gallop/, ...-ed, -er, ing are to
be understood as galloped, galloper, and galloping
3. dash: A dash (--) is used to stand for the repetition of a single word
already given, and the oblique stroke again marks the end of a common
element. Use of more than one dash indicates the repetition of a
corresponding number of words.
4. hyphen: In headwords the hyphen (-) serves two purposes: to indicate
that a compound is normally hyphenated whenever used, and to introduce
a further second element to form a compound with a first element
marked off earlier in the entry by means of an oblique stroke
5. Being a dictionary and not a descriptive handbook, this book is
designed to provide information whenever possible at the point in the
alphabetical sequence to which the reader may be expected to refer
with a particular word in mind. The compilers have thought it useful
however to include general entries on broader aspects of usage,
especially where this has enabled them to group together
representative examples of words and uses of which total coverage in
their respective places in the dictionary is precluded for reasons of
space. Appended below is a list of longer entries which deal with the
broader aspects of usage:
abbreviations and contractions
-able
Acts of Parliament
Arabic
Assemblies
astronomy
authorities
book sizes
botany
BSI
capitalization
Chinese
creole
date
decimal currency
decimal fractions
diphthongs
division of words
Dutch
edition
-ei-
elision
ellipsis
footnotes
fractions
French
German
Greek
headlines or running titles
Hebrew
-ie-
impression
imprint
Italian
italic
-ize and -ise
Japanese
Latin
ligature
-like
Mac
manuscript
mathematics
names of persons and places
neo-
non-
numerals
pagination
poetry
Polish
possessive case
preliminary matter
proof
proof-correction marks
punctuation
quotation marks
quotations
re-
reference marks
Russian
Saint
SI
Swedish
Syriac
titles (cited)
US spellings
well-
Welsh
-yse
zoology
All dates given in the dictionary are after Christ unless otherwise
specified.
Abbreviations used regularly in the rulings and explanations are listed
below; others are given in the dictionary itself. Abbreviations of
subjects (anthropology, botany, etc.) are also valid for their
corresponding adjectival forms (anthropological, botanical, etc.).
abbr. abbreviation
absol. absolute, (used) absolutely
adj. adjective
adv. adverb
Afr. Africa(n)
Afrik. Afrikaans
anat. anatomy
anc. ancient
anthrop. anthropology
apos. apostrophe
Arab. Arabic
arch. archaic
archaeol. archaeology
archit. architecture
astr. astronomy
attrib. attributive, (used) attributively
b. born
bacteriol. bacteriology
bibliog. bibliography
bind. binding
bot. botany
Brit. British
c. century
c. (italic) circa
campan. campanology
Can. Canada, -ian
cap. capital
cc. centuries
Ch. Church
chem. chemistry, chemical
Chin. China, Chinese
class. classical
collect. collective(ly)
colloq. colloquial(ly)
comb. combination, combining
comp. computer typesetting
cook. cookery
d. died
Dan. Danish
dau. daughter
d‚p. d‚partement (Fr.)
derog. derogatory
dress. dressmaking
Du. Dutch
dyn. dynamics
eccl. ecclesiastical
elec. electrical
esp. especially
exclam. exclamation
f., fem. feminine
fam. family
fig. figurative(ly)
Fl. Flemish
foot. football
Fr. French
gen. general
geog. geography
geol. geology
geom. geometry
Ger. German
Gr. Greek
gram. grammar
her. heraldry
hist. history
hort. horticulture
hunt. hunting
Ind. India(n)
indep. independent
Ins. Insurance
Ir. Irish
It. Italian
ital. italic
joc. jocular(ly)
Lat. Latin
lit. literary
liturg. liturgical, liturgy
m. masculine
mag. magnetism
math. mathematics
mech. mechanics
med. medicine
meteor. meteorology
mfr. manufacture
mil. military
mod. modern
mt. mountain
mus. music
myth. mythology
n., neut. neuter
naut. nautical
obs. obsolete
off. official
orig. original(ly)
ornith. ornithology
Parl. Parliament(ary)
partic. participle, participial
path. pathology
philos. philosophy
photog. photography
phys. physics, physical
physiol. physiology
pl. plural
poet. poetical
polit. political
Port. Portuguese
predic. predicative (used) predicatively
prep. preposition
pron. pronounced
propr. proprietary
pseud. pseudonym
psych. psychology
RC(C) Roman Catholic (Church)
relig. religion
rhet. rhetoric(al)
Rom. Roman
Russ. Russian
s. small
S. Afr. South Africa(n)
S. Amer. South America(n)
Sc. Scottish
Scan. Scandinavian
sci. science
Scrip. Scripture
sig. signature
sing. singular
Skt. Sanskrit
Sp. Spanish
spec. specifically
Swed. Swedish
techn. technical
theat. theatre
theol. theology
trop. tropical
Turk. Turkish
typ. typography
US United States, America(n)
usu. usually
zool. zoology
This dictionary includes some words which are or are asserted to be
proprietary names or trade marks.
Their inclusion does not imply that they have acquired for legal purposes
a non-proprietary or general significance, nor is any other judgement
implied concerning their legal status.
In cases where the compilers have some evidence that a word is used as a
proprietary name or trade mark this is indicated by the words 'propr.
term', but no judgement concerning the legal status of such words is made
or implied thereby.
a are (unit of area) (no point in scientific and technical work),
atto-, year
a. accepted (Fr. accept‚, Ger. acceptiert), on bills of exchange;
acre, active (in grammar), adjective, anna, area, arrive, (Lat.)
ante (before)
a not an, before all words beginning with a consonant (except
silent h: e.g. a horse, a hotel; but an heir, an hour) or with a
vowel that is pronounced with the sound of w or y: e.g. a one, a
European, a union. Similarly with abbreviations: e.g. an FA Cup
match, a Unesco post
Ћ, „ in German, Swedish, etc., may not be replaced by Ae, ae (except
in some proper names), A, a, or ligatured Ae, ae. The first only
of two vowels takes the umlaut sign, as „u
Џ †ngstr”m
† the "Swedish a", used in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish
@ at, the "commercial a" used in calculating from prices
AA Advertising Association, Alcoholics Anonymous, anti-aircraft,
Architectural Association, Associate in Arts, Automobile
Association; film-censorship classification
AAA Amateur Athletic Association, American Automobile Association
AAC anno ante Christum (in the year before Christ) (s. caps.)
Aachen W. Germany; cf. Aix-la-Chapelle
AAF Auxiliary Air Force (till 1957), (US) Army Air Force
AAG Assistant Adjutant-General
AAIA Associate of the Association of International Accountants
AAMI Association of Assistant Mistresses, Incorporated (usu. called
AAM). See also IAAM
A. & M. (Hymns) Ancient and Modern
A. & N. Army and Navy (Stores, Club)
a.a.O. (Ger.), am angefЃhrten Orte (at the place quoted)
AAR against all risks (Ins.)
aard/vark, -wolf
different animals (one word)
Aarhus Denmark.
AAS Academiae Americanae Socius (Fellow of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences), Acta Apostolicae Sedis (Acts of the
Apostolic See), Agnostics' Adoption Society
AB Artium Baccalaureus (US Bachelor of Arts); able-bodied (seaman)
ab (Lat.), from
ABA Amateur Boxing Association, American Bankers' Association,
American Bar Association, Antiquarian Booksellers' Association,
Association of British Archaeologists
ABAA Associate of British Association of Accountants and Auditors
abac/us pl. -uses, counting-frame, (archit.) plate at top of columns
abalone shellfish … bas (Fr.), down with
abattoir slaughter-house Abb. (Ger.), Abbildung
abb. abbess, abbey, abbot
Abbasid Baghdad caliphs, not Abassid
abb‚ (Fr. m.) eccl. title (not ital.)
Abbildung/
(Ger. typ. f.), an illustration (cap.); pl. -en; abbr. Abb.
Abbotsinch Airport
Glasgow
abbr. abbreviat/ed, -ion
abbreviat/e, -or
abbreviations and contractions
See the many instances in this book for rulings in individual
cases. Subject to these, the following leading types may be
noted for guidance:
(a) Abbreviations with several even full or even small
capitals, and acronyms in initial capitals and lower case,
take no points (BBC, TUC, MA, QC, NW, OHG, OED, BC, AD,
Aslef, Sogat); similarly the numerical abbreviations 8vo,
4to, etc., 1st, 2nd, etc., but not initials of personal
names (H. G. Wells, G.B.S.).
(b) Abbreviations having a single capital letter take full
points (J. Austen, five miles S.); but C, F (of
temperature) and chemical symbols do not.
(c) Abbreviations and contractions in a mixture of upper and
lower case take full points (A. & M., M.o.D., B.Litt., Kt.,
Sun., Jan., Yorks.); Dr, Revd, Mr, Mrs, Ms, Mme, Mlle, St
(Saint), Hants, Northants do not.
(d) Single-letter lower-case abbreviations take the full point
(l. 5, p. 7, don't be a b. fool); but p (new pence) does
not (price 50p).
(e) Measures of length, weight, time, etc. take the full point
except when used in specialist scientific or technical
writing (cm., min., lb.)
ABC the alphabet, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, Associated British
Cinemas, Audit Bureau of Circulations, Australian Broadcasting
Commission
ABCA Army Bureau of Current Affairs, now BCA, Bureau of Current
Affairs
ABC Guide
abdicat/e, -ion, -or
abecedarian
(adj.), arranged alphabetically; (noun), person learning
alphabet
… Becket (Thomas)
?1118-70, Abp. (one t)
Abendlied (Ger.), evening song (cap.)
Aberdeen Angus
(two caps.)
Aberdeen terrier
(one cap.)
Aberdonian
(native) of Aberdeen
Abergavenny
Gwent
Abernethy biscuit
(one cap.)
Aberystwyth
Dyfed, not -ith
abest (Lat.), he, she, or it, is absent; pl. absunt
abett/er in law -or
ab extra (Lat.), from outside
abgk., abk., abgekЃrzt
(Ger.) = abbreviated
Abhandlungen
(Ger. f. pl.), Transactions (of a Society); abbr. Abh.
Abidjan Ivory Coast
abigail lady's maid
Abilene Kan., Tex., US
ab incunabulis
(Lat.), from the cradle
Abingdon Oxon. and Va., US
Abington Cambs., Northampton, Strathclyde, Limerick, and Mass., US
ab/ initio
(Lat.), from the beginning, abbr. ab init.; -- intra, from
within
Abl. (Sp.), abril (April)
abl. ablative
ablaut variation in root vowel of a word (e.g. sing, sang, sung)
-able (the suffix). Words ending in silent -e tend to drop the e
before-able, as conceivable, debatable. It is retained when it
serves to prevent the modification of the preceding consonant,
as changeable, peaceable. In practice the following words also
often retain the e: blameable, giveable, hireable, likeable,
liveable, nameable, rateable, saleable, sizeable, tameable,
timeable, tuneable, unshakeable. Many verbs of more than two
syllables ending in -ate drop this ending before -able, as
alienable, calculable, tolerable. See the list in Hart's Rules,
p. 83
able-bodied
(hyphen)
ABM anti-ballistic-missile missile
A-bomb atomic bomb (no point, hyphen)
aboriginal
(adj.), indigenous (with init. cap., in techn. sense in
Australia); aborigin/es (pl. noun, for sing. use -al) also with
init. cap. in Australia
ab origine
(Lat.), from the beginning
aboul/ia loss of will-power, not abulia; adj. -ic
above/-board, -mentioned, -named
(hyphens)
ab ovo (Lat.), from the beginning
Abp. Archbishop
abr. abridged, abridgement
abr‚g‚ (Fr. m.), abridgement
abr‚viation
(Fr. f.), abbreviation
abridgement
abbr. abr.
abs. absolute(ly), abstract
abscess
Abschnitt/
(Ger. typ. m.), section, part, chapter, or division (cap.) pl.
-e
absciss/a (math.), pl. -ae
absente reo
(Lat.), the defendant being absent; abbr. abs. re.
absenter not -or
absent-minded/
(hyphen), -ly, -ness
absinth/ the plant; -e, the liqueur
absit/ (Lat.), let him, her, or it be absent; -- omen, let there be no
(ill) omen
absolute(ly)
abbr. abs.
absorption
not -btion
abs. re. absente reo, q.v.
abstract abbr. abs.
absunt see abest
Abt. (Ger.), Abteilung (division)
abt. about
ABTA Association of British Travel Agents
Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
abulia use aboulia
ab/ uno disce omnes
(Lat.), from one (sample) judge the rest; -- urbe condita, AUC
(but A.U.C. in printing classical Latin texts), from the
foundation of Rome, 753 BC
AC Alpine Club, (or A/C) Aircraftman, Assistant Commissioner,
Athletic Club, Companion of the Order of Australia
A/C (current) account; in printing use acct.
AC ante Christum (before Christ) (s. caps.)
Ac actinium (no point)
a.c. alternating current (elec.), author's correction
ACA Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales; (or Ireland)
Academician
abbr. A.
Acad‚mie fran‡aise
(one cap.)
Academy a learned body; abbr. A. or Acad. (cap.)
Academy (the)
the Platonic school of philosophy
Acadian of Nova Scotia (Fr. Acadie)
a cappella
(It.) (mus.), unaccompanied, not alla cappella
ACAS Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service
ACC Army Catering Corps
acc. acceptance (bill), accusative
Acca Israel, use Acre
Accademia (It.), Academy
Accadian use Akkadian
acced/e, -er
accedence a giving consent
accelerando/
(mus.), accelerating; as noun, pl. -s; abbr. accel.
accelerat/e, -or
acceptance
abbr. acc.
accept/er in law and science -or
accessary use accessory
accessible
access/it (Lat.), he, she or it, came near; pl. -erunt
accessory (noun and adj.), use now in all senses, not -ary
access time
(computing)
acciaccatura
(mus.), a grace-note
accidence inflexions of words
accidental
(mus.)
accidentally
not -tly
accidie, acedia
listlessness
acclimatize
not -ise
ACCM Advisory Council for the Church's Ministry (formerly CACTM)
Acco Israel, use Acre
accolade
accommodat/e, -ion
(two cs, two ms)
accompanist
not -yist
accouche/ment, ur, -use
(not ital.)
account abbr. A/C; in printing use acct.
Accountant-General
abbr. A.-G.
Accra Ghana, not Akkra
acct. account, or account current
accumulat/e
(two cs), -or
accusative
abbrs. acc., accus.
ACE after Christian (or Common) era (non-Christian usage in place of
AD)
ACF Army Cadet Force
ACGB Arts Council of Great Britain
ACGBI Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland
ACGI Associate of the City and Guilds of London Institute
Achaemenid
not Achai-
Acheson (Dean Gooderham)
1893-1971, US diplomat
… cheval (Fr.), on horseback
Achilles/' heel
(apos.); -- tendon (no apos.)
Achin Sumatra, Indonesia, not Atchin
Achnashellach
Highland
achy (adj.), not achey
ACI Army Council Instruction
ACIA Associate of the Corporation of Insurance Agents
ACIB Associate of the Corporation of Insurance Brokers
acid rain (two words)
ACII Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute
ACIS Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
acknowledgement
not -ledgment
ACMA Associate of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
acolyte not -ite
acoustics (noun sing.) the science of sound, (noun pl.) acoustic
properties
ACP Associate of the College of Preceptors; Association of Clinical
Pathologists; Association of Correctors of the Press, now part
of NGA, q.v.
acquit/, -tal
(verdict), -tance (settlement of debt)
Acre Israel, not Acca, Acco
acre abbr. a.
acriflavine
an antiseptic, not -n
Acrilan propr. term (cap.)
acronym word formed from initials, as Anzac, q.v.
acrylic (chem.)
ACS Association of Commonwealth Students
ACSA Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
ACT Australian Capital Territory
act. active
Actaeon a mythical hunter
ACTH adrenocorticotrophic hormone
actini/a (zool.), pl. -ae
actinium symbol Ac
actinomy/ces
(bot.), pl. -cetes
actionnaire
(Fr. m.), a shareholder
active abbrs. a., act.
actor (person), but one-acter (play)
acts of a play
(typ.), cap. A only when number follows, as Hamlet, Act I, sc.
ii. See also authorities
Acts of Parliament
(cap. A), cited thus: Factory and Workshop Act, 1891; use arabic
numerals for chapter numbers in Public (General) and Private
Acts (e.g. 3 & 4 Geo. V, c. 12, ss. 18, 19) and lower-case
roman numerals in Public (Local) Acts (e.g. 3 & 4 Geo. V, c.
xii, ss. 18, 19). See also Hart's Rules, p. 53
Acts of Sederunt
(Scots law)
Acts of the Apostles
abbr. Acts
ACTT Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians
AD (anno Domini) should always be placed before the numerals; BC
after (s. caps.)
ad advertisement (no point)
ad. adapted, adapter
a.d. after date
a.d. ante diem (before the day)
adagio/ (mus.), slow; as noun, pl. -s
Adams (John)
1735-1826, US statesman, President 1797-1801; -- (John Quincy),
his son, 1767-1848, President 1825-9
Adam's Peak
Sri Lanka
adapt/able, -er
(person), -or (device)
a dato (Lat.), from date
ADC aide-de-camp
ad captandum vulgus
(Lat.), to catch the rabble, claptrap
Addams (Charles Samuel)
1912-88, US cartoonist; -- (Jane), 1860-1935, US social worker
and writer
addend/um something to be added; pl. -a (not ital.)
addio (It.), goodbye
Addis Ababa
capital of Ethiopia
additive (something) in the nature of an addition
addorsed (her.), not adorsed, adossed
Addressograph
propr. term for addressing-machine (cap.)
adducible not -eable
Adelie/ Land
Antarctica; -- penguin
Adenauer (Konrad)
1876-1967, German statesman, Chancellor of W. Germany 1949-63
ad eundem (gradum)
(Lat.), to the same degree at another university
… deux/ (Fr.), of (or between) two; -- -- temps (see valse)
ad/ extra (Lat.), in an outward direction; -- extremum, to the last; --
finem, near the end, abbr. ad fin.; -- hanc vocem, at this
word; -- hoc, for this (purpose); -- hominem, to the (interests
of the) man, personal; -- hunc locum, on this passage, abbr.
a.h.l.; -- idem, to the same (point)
adieu/ pl. -s (not ital.)
ad/ infinitum
(Lat.), to infinity; -- interim, meanwhile, abbr. ad int.
adiўs (Sp.), goodbye
Adirondack Mountains
(US), not -dac
Adj. Adjutant
Adj.-Gen. Adjutant-General
adjectiv/e
abbr. a., adj.; -al, -ally
adjudicator
not -er
adjutage a nozzle, not aj-
Adjutant/ abbr. Adj. (rank, cap.); ---General, abbr. A.-G. or Adj. Gen.
adjuvant
Adler (Alfred)
1870-1937, Austrian psychologist
ad lib (adv., noun, and verb)
ad/ libitum
(Lat.), at pleasure; -- litem, appointed for a lawsuit
ad locum (Lat.), at the place, abbr. ad loc. (not ital.)
Adm. Admiral, Admiralty
adman (one word)
admin short for administration (no point)
administrable
not -atable
administrat/or
abbr. admor.; -rix, abbr. admix.
Admiral in Fr. amir/al, pl. -aux; abbr. Adm.
Admiralty, the
abbr. Adm.; see M.o.D.
admiration (note of)
exclamation mark, ! See punctuation VII
ad misericordiam
(Lat.), appealing to pity
admiss/ible
not -able, but admittable
admix. administratrix
ad modum (Lat.), after the manner of
admonitor/
not -er; -y
admor. administrator
ad nauseam
(Lat.), to a sickening degree
ado work, trouble (one word)
adobe (Sp.), sun-dried brick
Adonai (Heb.), the Lord
Adonais Keats, in Shelley's elegy, 1821
Adonis (myth.), beloved of Venus
adopter not -or
adorable not -eable
adorsed, adossed
use addorsed
ADP automatic data processing
ad/ personam
(Lat.), personal; -- referendum, for further consideration; --
rem, to the point
adrenalin not -ine
adresse (Fr. f.), address
Adrianople
now Edirne
… droite (Fr.), to the right
adscriptus glebae
(Lat.), bound to the soil (of serfs)
adsorb, adsorption
condensing, condensation, of gases etc. on surface of solid;
adsorbent
adsum (Lat.), I am present
adulator not -er
ad/ unguem
(Lat.), perfectly; -- unum omnes, all, to a man; -- usum,
according to custom, abbr. ad us.
adv. adverb, -ially, advocate
adv. adversus (against)
ad valorem
(Lat.), according to value; abbr. ad val.
adverb/, -ially
abbr. adv.
ad verbum (Lat.), to a word, verbatim
adversus (Lat.), against; abbr. adv.
advertise not -ize
advertisement
abbr. ad, or advt., pl. ads, or advts.advis/e, not -ize; -able,
not eable
advis/er not -or; -ory
ad/ vitam aut culpam
(Lat.), for lifetime or until fault; -- vivum, lifelike
AH anno Hegirae, the Muslim era (s. caps.). See also hegira
ah when it stands alone, takes an exclamation mark (!). When it
forms part of a sentence it is usually followed by a comma, the
! being placed at the end of the sentence: as "Ah, no, it
cannot be!"
AHA Area Health Authority
aha exclam. of surprise. See also haha
ahimsa (Skt.), non-violence
a.h.l. ad hunc locum (on this passage)
Ahmad/abad, -nagar
India, not Ahmed-, Amed-
Ahmadu Bello University
Nigeria
AHMI Association of Headmistresses, Incorporated. See also IAHM
… la carte
(a meal) that must be ordered from a wide range of available
dishes (not ital.). See also table d'h“te
Aladdin not Alladin
… la mode in fashion (not ital.)
Alanbrooke (Viscount)
(one word)
Џland Islands
Baltic Sea
… la page (Fr.), up to date
alarm/ not alarum except in alarums and excursions; -- clock (two
words)
… la russe
in the Russian style (not cap.)
Alas. Alaska
alas when it stands alone, takes an exclamation mark (!). When it
forms part of a sentence it is usually followed by a comma, the
! being placed at the end of the sentence: as "Alas, it is
true!"
Alaska (baked)
(cap.)
Alb. Albanian
Alba. Alberta, use Alta.
Alban. formerly signature of Bp. of St Albans (full point); now St
Albans: (colon)
albedo/ fraction of radiation reflected; pl. -s
Albee (Edward)
b. 1928, US playwright
Albigens/es
Manichaean sect; adj. -ian
albin/o pl. -os, fem. -ess; -ism, not -oism; -otic (adj.)
Albrighton
Shropshire
album/en natural white of egg; -in, its chief constituent; adj. -inous
Albuquerque
New Mexico, US
Albury Herts., Oxon., Surrey
Alcaeus of Mytilene
(b. c.620 BC), Greek lyric poet
alcaic metre
alcalde (in Spain) magistrate, mayor
Alcatraz US prison, San Francisco Bay, Calif.
alcayde (Sp. alcaide), governor, gaoler
alc zar (Sp.), palace, fortress, bazaar
Alceste opera by Gluck, 1767
Alcestis, Alcibiades
not Alk-
ALCM Associate of the London College of Music
Alcoran use Koran
Alcyone (myth.), not Hal-
Aldborough
Norfolk, N. Yorks.
Aldbrough Humberside
Aldbury Herts.
Aldeburgh Suffolk
al dente (It.), cooked but not soft
Alderbury Wilts.
Alderman abbr. Ald.
Aldermaston
Berks.
Alderney Channel Islands; in Fr. Aurigny
Aldine (adj.), printed by Manutius, q.v., who introduced italic type
Aldis lamp
a hand lamp for signalling
Aldsworth Gloucester, W. Sussex
Aldus Manutius
printer, see Manutius
Aldworth Berks.
Alecto (myth.), one of the Furies
alehouse (one word)
Alen‡on lace
(‡)
aleph (Heb.), see accents
Aleutian Islands
Bering Sea
A level examination (no hyphen)
alexandrine
metre
ALF Automatic Letter Facer
Alfa-Romeo
Italian make of car
Alford Grampian, Lincs., Som.
Alfred abbr. A. or Alf.
alfresco (adj. and adv.), one word
Alfreton Derby.
Alg. Algernon, Algiers
alg/a (bot.), pl. -ae (not ital.)
Algarve (the)
Portugal
algebra abbr. alg. See also mathematics
ALGOL (comp.), Algorithmic Language
algology (hot.)
Algonqui/an
of a large group of N. Amer. Indian tribes; -n, of one people
in this group; not -nki-
alguazil (in Spain) a constable
Alhambra Moorish palace at Granada; adj. Alhambresque
alia (Lat. pl.), other things
alias/ (noun), pl. -es; also adv.
alibi/ (noun), pl. -s
alienator not -er
Aligarh Uttar Pradesh, India
Alighieri family name of Dante
align/, -ment
not aline
alii (Lat. pl.), other people
alimentative/, -ness
not alimentive, -ness
aline use align
alin‚a (Fr. m.), paragraph
Alipore India
Alipur India and Pakistan
Alitalia Italian airline
ali/us (Lat. m.), another person; pl. -i
Aliwal E. Punjab, India, also S. Africa
alkali/ pl. -s
alkalize not -ise
Alkestis, Alkibiades
use Alc-
Alkoran use Koran
alla breve
(mus.), 2 or 4 minims in bar
alla cappella
(mus.), use a cappella
Alladin use Aladdin
Allahabad Uttar Pradesh, India
Allah il Allah
corruption of Arab. la ilaha illa'llah, There is no god but God
(Muslim prayer and war-cry)
Allan-a-Dale
minstrel hero
allargando
(mus.), broad, spread out
all‚e (Fr. f.), alley, avenue
Allegheny mountains and river, US; but Allegany, Pittsburgh, Pa.
allegretto/
(mus.), fairly brisk; as noun, pl. -s
allegro/ (mus.), brisk, merry; as noun, pl. -s
allele alternative genetic character, not -l
alleluia Lat. form (also liturgical) for Heb. (and biblical) hallelujah
allemande Ger. dance
Allendale Northumb.
Allen (George) & Unwin, Ltd.
publishers
Allen (W. H.) & Co., Ltd.
publishers
allerg/y, -ic
sensitive(ness) to certain foods, pollens, etc.
alleviator
not -er
Alleynian member of Dulwich College
All Fools' Day
(caps., no hyphen)
allg., allgm., allgemein
(Ger.), general (adj.)
All-Hallows
All Saints' Day, 1 Nov. (caps., hyphen)
Allhallows
Kent (one word)
allineation
not alin-
Allingham (Margery)
1904-66, English novelist
allodium estate held in absolute ownership, not alo-
allons! (Fr.), let us go!, come!
allot/, -ment, -table, -ted, -ting
all' ottava
(mus.), an octave higher than written; abbr. all' ott.
all right not alright, all-right
all round ("all round the Wrekin"), prep.
all-round ("an all-round man"), adj.
All/ Saints' Day
1 Nov.; -- Souls College, Oxford (no apos.); -- Souls' Day, 2
Nov.; -- Souls' Eve, 1 Nov. (caps., no hyphens)
allspice (one word)
all together
(in a body); but altogether (entirely)
alluvi/um pl. -a
Alma-Ata cap. of Kazakh Rep., USSR
Alma Mater
fostering mother, one's school or university
almanac but "Oxford", also "Whitaker's", Almanack
Alma-Tadema (Sir Lawrence)
1836-1912, Dutch-born English painter
Almighty (the)
(cap.)
Almondbury
W. Yorks.
Almondsbury
Avon
Alnmouth Northumb.
Alnwick Northumb.
alodium use allodium
A.L.O.E. A Lady of England (Charlotte M. Tucker, 1821-93)
… l'outrance
should be … outrance, to the bitter end
ALP Australian Labor Party
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
d‚p. France (hyphens)
Alpes-Maritimes
d‚p. France; abbr. A.M.
Alphaeus Apostle James's father
alphanumeric
(comp.), of instructions containing alphabetic, numerical, and
other characters (one word)
alpha/ particle, -- ray
(two words)
alright use all right
ALS Associate of the Linnean Society; autograph letter signed
Alsace-Lorraine
Alsirat (Arab.), bridge to paradise
alt (mus.), high note
alt. alternative, altitude
Alta. Alberta, Canada, not Alba.
alter/ ego
(Lat.), one's second self, pl. -- egos; -- idem, another self
Altesse (Fr. f.), Altezza (It.), Highness
Althing the Icelandic parliament
Althorpe Humberside
Althorp Library
and Park (Northants)
altitude abbr. alt.
alto/ (mus.), pl. -s; abbr. A.
altogether
see all together
alto-relievo/
high relief; pl. -s; Anglicized version of It. alto rilievo
AM Air Ministry, Albert Medal, amplitude modulation, Artium
Magister (US Master of Arts); Ave Maria (Hail, Mary!) (caps.):
Member of the Order of Australia
A.-M. d‚p. France, Alpes-Maritimes
AM anno mundi (in the year of the world) (s. caps.)
Am americium (no point)
Am. American
a.m. (Lat.), ante meridiem (before noon) (lower case, points)
AMA Assistant Masters' Association, officially IAAM; American
Medical Association
amah child's nurse (in Far East)
Amalek not -ech, -eck
amanuens/is
pl. -es
amateur abbr. A.
Ambala India, not Umbal(l)a
ambassad/or
fem. -ress
ambassy use embassy
ambergris waxy substance used in perfumery
ambiance French spelling of ambience (q.v.), used in English esp. of
accessory details in a work of art
ambidextrous
not -erous
ambienc/e the surroundings (not -y). See also ambiance
ambivalen/t, -ce
amblyop/ia
impaired vision; adj. -ic
Amboina Indon., properly Ambon, not Amboyna
amboyna (wood)
ambry use aumbry
AMDG ad majorem Dei gloriam (for the greater glory of God)
ѓme damn‚e
(Fr.), a "cat's paw", devoted adherent
Amedabad Amednagar, India, use Ahmad-
Ameer use Amir for Arabic, Emir for Turkish and Indian titles
amend to correct an error, make minor improvements. See also emend
amende honorable
(Fr. f.), honourable reparation
a mensa et toro
(Lat.), from bed and board, a legal separation, not -- -- --
thoro
Amer. American
Americanize
not -ise
American spellings
see US spellings
America's Cup (the)
yachting trophy
americium symbol Am
Amerindian
American Indian
merveille
(Fr.), perfectly, wonderfully
AMG(OT) Allied Military Government (of Occupied Territory) (Second World
War)
Amharic official lang. of Ethiopia
amicus curiae
(Lat.), a friend of the Court, a disinterested adviser; pl.
amici --
amidships not -ship (one word)
amino acid
(chem., two words)
Amir Arab. title, not Ameer. See also Emir
Amis (Kingsley)
b. 1922, English writer
Ammal (Ind.), suffix used to indicate that a name belongs to a woman,
e.g. Dr E. K. Janaki Ammal
Amman Jordan
Ammergau Bavaria
ammeter for measuring electric current
amoeb/a pl. -as (not ital.)
… moiti‚ (Fr.), half
amok not amuck
Amoor use Amur
amortize not -ise
amour propre
(Fr.), self-respect, proper pride
amp ampere
AmpЉre (Andr‚ Marie)
1775-1836, French physicist (accent)
ampere elec. unit of current (no accent), abbr. A (sing. and pl.) or
amp (no point)
ampersand = &, may be used in names of firms as Smith & Co., and in Acts
of Parliament, q.v. In general use and. For &c. use etc.
amphetamine
(med.)
amphibian (zool.) member of the Amphibia; vehicle adapted for land and
water
amphor/a a jar; pl. -ae
ampoule glass container for hypodermic dose
Amritsar India, not Umritsur
amt. amount
amuck use amok
Amundsen (Roald)
1872-1928, Norwegian explorer; S. Pole, 1911
anapaest foot of three syllables (See Figure 1 in topic FRONT_4)
anastase use anatase
anastomos/is
communication by cross-connections; pl. -es;-ist
anat. anatom/y, -ical
anatase a mineral, not anastase
anathema/ a curse, pl. -s;-tize
anatomize dissect, not -ise
anatom/y, -ical, -ist;
abbr. anat.
anatta (bot.), use annatto
anc. ancient
ancest/or fem. -ress, not -rix
anchor/ite
hermit, not -et; adj. -etic
anchylosis
use ank-
ancien r‚gime
(Fr. m.), the old order of things
ancient abbr. anc.
Ancient Mariner (Rime of the)
by S. T. Coleridge, 1798
Ancient Order of Druids
abbr. AOD; -- -- -- Foresters, AOF; -- -- -- Hibernians, AOH
and (gram.). Where and joins two or more subjects in the singular
number the verb must be in the pl., e.g. Jack and Jill are
going. Where and joins two single words the comma is generally
omitted. Where and joins the last two words of a list a comma
should precede it; e.g. black, white, and green. See also
ampersand
Andalusia Spain; in Sp. AndalucЎa
andante (mus.), moving easily, steadily
andantino/
(mus.), rather quicker (formerly slower) than andante; as noun,
pl. -s
and/or signifying either or both of the stated alternatives
Andrea del Sarto
1486-1531, Italian painter
Androcles not -kles
aneurysm not -ism
Angeles (Victoria de los)
b. 1923, Spanish soprano
Angelico (Fra)
1387-1455, Italian painter
anglais/ (Fr.), fem. -e, English (not cap.); but Anglais/, -e,
Englishman, Englishwoman
Anglesey Wales, not -ea; in Welsh Ynys Mon
Anglesey (Marquess of)
anglice in English (no accent); abbr. angl.
Anglicize not -ise (cap.)
Anglo/-French
abbr AF; ---Norman, abbr. AN; ---Saxon, abbr. AS
Angora Turkey, now Ankara
Џngstrom (A. J.)
1814-74, Swedish physicist
†ngstr”m unit of length; abbr. Џ
Angst (Ger. f.), fear, anxiety
aniline source of dyes. Also adj.
animalcule/
pl. -s, not -ae
animalcul/um
pl. -a
anim‚ W. Ind. resin (not ital.)
anim‚ (Fr., mus.), animated
anion (elec.), ion carrying negative charge of electricity
Ankara Turkey, formerly Angora
ankylos/is
fusion of bones, not anch-; pl. -es
Anmerkung/
(Ger. f.), a note (cap.); pl. -en; abbr. Anm.
ann. annals, anni (years), anno, annual
anna/ pl. -s, formerly 16 to rupee, now replaced by decimal coinage
(Ind. and Pak.); abbr. a.
annales (Fr. pl. f), annals; abbr. ann.
annals abbr. ann.
Annam not Anam, formerly kingdom within Fr. Indo-China, now merged in
Vietnam
Annan Dumfries & Galloway
Ann Arbor Mich., US
annatto (bot.), orange-red dye, not an-, -a
Anne of Cleves
1515-57, fourth wife of Henry VIII of England
Anne of Geierstein
by Sir W. Scott, 1829
Anne (Queen)
1702-14, b. 1665
Anne (Saint)
annex verb; annexe, noun
anno/ (Lat.), in the year, abbr. ann.; -- aetatis suae, aged, abbr.
aet., or aetat.; -- Hegirae (Muslim era), abbr. AH (s. caps.);
-- mundi, in the year of the world, abbr. AM (s. caps.); all
three abbrs. to be placed before the numerals
Anno Domini
abbr. AD (s. caps.)
annonce (Fr. f), advertisement
annotat/ed, -or
not -er; abbr. annot.
annual abbr. ann.
annul/ar ringlike; -ate,-ated, -et, -oid
ann/us (Lat.), year; pl. -i; -us mirabilis, remarkable year
anonymous abbr. anon.
Anouilh (Jean)
1910-88, French playwright
anschluss union (cap. A in Ger.)
answer abbr. A. or ans.
Ant. Anthony, Antigua
ant. antonym
Antaeus
antagonize
not -ise
Antananarivo
Madagascar
Antarctic/, -a
ante (not ital.), stake in card-game
ante/ (Lat.), before; -- bellum, before the war
antechamber
not anti-
ante diem (Lat.), before the day; abbr. a.d.
antediluvian
(one word)
antemeridian
(one word)
ante meridiem
(Lat.), before noon; abbr. a.m.
ante-mortem
(adj., hyphen)
antenatal (one word)
antenn/a (zool.), pl. -ae; (US) radio, pl. -as
ante-post in racing (hyphen)
ante-room (hyphen)
Anthony Anglicized from Lat. Antonius (NB Antony and Cleopatra); abbr.
Ant.
anthropolog/y, -ical;
abbr. anthrop.
anthropomorphize
not -ise
anthropophag/us
(noun), cannibal; pl. -i; adj. -ous
antichamber
use ante-
Antichrist
(cap.), but antichristian
anticline (geol.)
anticlockwise
(one word)
antifreeze
(one word)
Antigua abbr. Ant.
anti-hero principal character lacking traditional heroic qualities
antilogarithm
(one word), abbr. antilog
antimatter
(one word)
antimony symbol Sb
antinomy conflict of authority
antiparticle
(one word)
antipathize
not -ise
antiq. antiquar/y, -ian
antiqs. antiquities
Antiqua (Ger. typ. f.), roman type (cap.)
antique paper
a moderately bulky, opaque book paper with roughish surface
antisabbatarian
anti-Semit/e
(hyphen, one cap.); adj. -ic; noun -ism
antistrophe
stanza corresponding to the strophe in Greek dramatic chorus
antistrophon
(rhetoric), a retort
antitetanus
(adj., one word)
antithes/is
pl. -es
antithesize
not -ise
antitoxin (one word)
antitype not ante-; that which corresponds to the type
Antony see Anthony
antonym a word of opposite meaning; abbr. ant.
antrycide (against tsetse fly), not -tri-
Anvers Fr. for Antwerp, Belgium, in Fl. Antwerpen
Anwick Lincs.
anybody any person
any body any group of persons
any/how, -one, -thing, -where
(one word)
any one (person, thing), when each word to retain its meaning (see
Hart's Rules, p. 77)
anyway one word in conventional sense, but note you can do it any way
you like (two words)
Anzac Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (First World War)
Apennines Italy (one p, three ns), in It. Appennini
aper‡u (Fr. m.), outline
aperitif/ an alcoholic appetizer, pl. -s (not ital., no accent)
APEX Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical, and Computer
Staff
apex/ pl. -es; adj. apical
apfelstrudel
baked apples in pastry (not ital., not cap.)
aphaere/sis
removal of a sound from the beginning of a word; adj. -tic
apheli/on (astr.), pl. -a
aphid/ pl. -s
aphi/s pl. -des
apical see apex
ap. J.-C. (Fr.), AD
… plaisir (Fr.), at pleasure
Apocalypse
(NT), abbr. Apoc.
Apocrypha (cap. A) abbr. Apocr. (for abbrs. of books see under names);
adj. apocryphal
apodictic clearly established; not -deictic
apodos/is (gram.), pl. -es
apog/ee (astr.), abbr. apog.; adj. -ean
Apollinaire (Guillaume)
1880-1918, French poet
Apollinaris (water)
mineral water from Ahr Valley, Germany
Apollin/arius
(sometimes -aris), Christian heretic, c.310-c.390; -arianism
Apollo/ Greek god; -- Belvedere, statue in Vatican; adj. -nian
Apollonius Rhodius
Greek poet, c.25O BC
Apollos Acts 18:24, follower of St Paul
Apollyon the Devil
apologize not -ise
apophthegm
pithy maxim
a-port (hyphen)
apostasy not -cy
apostatize
not -ise
a posteriori
(reasoning) from effects to causes
Apostle abbr. Ap., pl. App.
Apostles' Creed
(caps.)
Apostroph/
(Ger. m.), apostrophe; pl. -e (cap.)
apostrophe
see possessive case, punctuation VIII, quotations
apostrophize
not -ise
apothecaries' weight, signs
(See Figure 2 in topic FRONT_4) Print quantities in lower case
letters close up behind symbol: final i becomes j, as vij = 7,
j = 1
apothegm use apophthegm
apotheos/is
pl. -es
apotropaic
averting ill luck
App. Apostles
app. appendix
appal/, -led, -ling
Appalachian Mts.
E. North America
appanage use apa-
apparatus/
pl. -es, not -ati (but use an alternative, e.g. appliances,
when possible)
apparitor officer of ecclesiastical court, not -er
app. crit.
apparatus criticus
appeal/, -ed, -ing
appeasement
not -sment
appell/ant, -ate, -ation, -ative
append/ix abbr. app.; pl. -ices, zool. and general, abbr. apps.
appetiz/e not -ise; -er, -ing
appliqu‚ Eng. noun, adj., and verb; past partic. appliqu‚d
appoggiatura
(mus.), type of grace-note, leaning note
appreciat/or
not -er; adjs. -ive, -ory
apprentice
abbr. appr.
apprise (to inform)
apprize (to value)
appro (on) approval (no point)
appro. approbation
approver one who turns Queen's evidence
approximat/e, -ely, -ion;
abbr. approx.
appurts. appurtenances
Apr. April
APRC anno post Romam conditam (in the year after the building of Rome
in 753 BC) (s. caps.); but use AUC, q.v.
aprЉs/ (Fr.), after; -- coup, after the event; ---midi, afternoon
(hyphen); -- moi (or nous) le d‚luge, after me (or us) the
deluge; -- ski, (of) time after day's skiing
April abbr. Apr.; in Fr. avril (not cap.)
a/ primo (Lat.), from the first; -- principio, from the beginning
a priori (reasoning) from causes to effects (not ital.)
apriorism doctrine of a priori ideas (one word, not ital.)
apropos (of);
… propos de bottes (Fr.), beside the mark
APS Associate of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
apse/ semicircular recess, esp. in church; pl. -s
apsi/s in an orbit, point of greatest or least distance from central
body; pl. -des
apud (Lat.), according to, in the work, or works, of
AR anno regni (in the year of the reign) (s. caps.)
Ar argon (no point)
a/r all risks
ARA Associate of the Royal Academy, London
Arabi/a, -an, -c;
abbr. Arab.
Arabian Nights' Entertainments (The)
Arabic (typ.), 28 letters (all consonants, each with several forms
according to position) and many accents (representing vowel
sounds and other phonetic features). It is read from right to
left; hence if any passage is divided, the right-hand words must
go in the first line, and the left-hand words in the second
line. See also BSI
arabic numerals
numerals used in ordinary computation, as, 1, 2, 3 (not cap.).
See also numerals
arach. arachnology
arachnid (zool.) member of the Arachnida
arachnoid (bot.) having long hairs, (anat.) one of meninges
ARAD Associate of the Royal Academy of Dancing
Aragon not Arr-; in Sp. Aragўn
Araldite propr. term (cap.)
ARAM Associate of the Royal Academy of Music
Aramaic Semitic language; abbr. Aram.
Aran, Island of
Donegal, Ireland. See also Arran
Aran Islands
Galway Bay, Ireland. See also Arran
ARAS Associate of Royal Astronomical Society
ARB Air Registration Board, Air Research Burcati
ARBA Associate of the Royal Society of British Artists
arbit/er, -rary, -ration
abbr. arb.
arbiter elegantiae
(Lat.), a judge of taste
arbitr/ament
not -ement
arbitrator
legal or official word for arbiter
arbor spindle, axis
arboretum (bot.), tree-garden; pl. -a
arboriculture
abbr. arbor.
arbor vitae
conifer
arbour bower
ARBS Associate of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
ARC Aeronautical Research Council, Agricultural Research Council,
Architects' Registration Council
Arctic Circle
(two caps.); Arctic regions (one cap.)
Ardleigh Essex
Ardley Oxon.
ARE Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers,
Arab Republic of Egypt
are unit of square measure, 100 square metres
aren't to be printed close up
areol/a a small area; pl. -ae (not ital.)
Arequipa Peru
ar€te mountain ridge
argent (her.), silver, abbr. arg.
Argentina the country, or Argentine Republic
Argentine (adj.); also (noun) the inhabitant. See also Argentinian
Argentinian
(adj.); also (noun) the inhabitant; tending to replace
Argentine; not -ean
argentum silver, symbol (chem.) Ag
argon symbol Ar
argot slang (not ital.)
arguable not -eable
argumentum ad/ crumenam
(Lat.), argument to the purse; -- -- hoc, -- for this (purpose);
-- -- hominem, -- to the man's interests; -- ignorantiam, --
based on the adversary's ignorance; -- -- invidiam, -- to men's
hatreds or prejudices; -- -- rem, -- to the purpose; --
verecundiam, appeal to modesty; argumentum baculinum, or -- ad
baculum, -- of the stick, club-law; argumentum e silentio, --
from silence
argy-bargy
dispute, wrangle, not argle-bargle (hyphen)
Argyle Minnesota, US
Argyll/and Bute District; -- and Sutherland Highlanders; -- and the Isles
(Bp. of); -- (Duke of)
Argyllshire
(former county of) Scotland
Arian (theol.), a follower of Arius; (one) born under Aries
ARIBA Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. See
also RIBA
ARICS Professional Associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors
AriЉge d‚p. France
Aristotel/ian
not -ean
Arius c.250-c.336, Christian heretic
Ariz. Arizona (off. abbr.)
Ark. Arkansas (off. abbr.)
Arlay d‚p. Jura, France
Arle Glos.
Arles d‚p. Bouches-du-Rh“ne, France
Arm. Armenian, Armoric
armadillo/
pl. -s
armchair (one word)
Armenia ancient country, now in part a Soviet Socialist Republic; adj.
Armenian (geog., ethnic, or eccl.). See also USSR
Arminius (Jacobus)
Latinized form of Jacob Harmen, 1560-1609, Dutch theologian
armory heraldry
armoury collection of arms
armpit (one word)
ARMS Associate of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters
arm's length
(two words)
Army see Navy
Army/ Dental Corps
now RADC; -- Nursing Service, ANS; -- Order, AO; -- Ordnance
Corps, now RAOC; -- Service Corps, later RASC, now RCT; --
Veterinary Department, AVD, now RAVC
Arnold (Edward)
(Publishers), Ltd.
Arnold (E. J.) & Son, Ltd.
publishers
arnotto use annatto
Arola Piedmont, Italy
Arolla Switzerland
Arolo Lombardy, Italy
Aroostook War
1842, settled border of Maine and New Brunswick
ARP air-raid precautions
arpeggio/ (mus.), striking of notes of chord in (usu. upward) succession;
pl. -s
ARPS Associate of the Royal Photographic Society
arquebus use harq-
ARR anno regni Regis or Reginae (in the year of the King's or
Queen's reign) (s. caps.)
arr. arranged, arriv/e, -ed,-es, -als
Arragon use Aragon
Arran (Earl of)
Arran (Isle of)
Scotland. See also Aran
arr€t (Fr. m.), decree
Arrhenius (Svante August)
1859-1927, Swedish scientist
arriЉre/-garde
(Fr. f.), rearguard; ---pensee/, a mental reservation, pl. -s
arrivis/me
(Fr. m.), ambitious behaviour; -te, one who behaves thus
arrondissement
(Fr. m.), division of department
arrowhead (one word)
Arrows of the Chace
by Ruskin, not Chase
ARSA Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, ditto Royal Society of
Arts
ARSCM Associate of the Royal School of Church Music
arsenic symbol As
ars est celare artem
(Lat.), the art is to conceal art
ARSL Associate of the Royal Society of Literature
ARSM Associate of the Royal School of Mines
ARSS Antiquariorum Regiae Societatis Socius, Fellow of the Royal
Society of Antiquaries
ARSW Associate of the Royal Scottish Society of Painting in Water
Colours
art. article, artillery, artist
art deco decorative art-style of 1920s
artefact not arti-
arteriosclerosis
hardening of the arteries (one word)
arthropod/
member of Arthropoda, animals with jointed body and limbs; pl.
-s
article abbr. art.
articles of roup
(Sc. law), conditions of sale (by auction)
articles (titles of)
(typ.), when cited, to be roman quoted
artifact use artefact
artillery abbr. A. or art.
artisan not -zan
artiste (either sex), professional singer, dancer, or other performer
artizan use artisan
art nouveau
(Fr.), 19th-c. ornamental art-style
art paper a high quality coated paper used for illustrations
artwork (one word); abbr. a/w
Arundel W. Sussex
Arundell of Wardour (Baron)
title now extinct
Arva Cavan, not Arvagh
ARWS Associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours
ascender (typ.), top part of letters such as b d f h k l
Ascension/ Day
(caps., two words); -- Island, S. Atlantic
ascetic austere
Ascham (Roger)
1515-68, English writer
ascites (sing. and pl.), abdominal dropsy
Asclepiad metre, not Ask-
Asclepius the Greek god, not Asklepios, except in Gr. contexts. See also
Aesculapius
a/s de (Fr.), aux soins de, c/o
ASDIC Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee; used for a
form of hydrophone (Asdic, now officially Sonar, q.v.)
ASE Amalgamated Society of Engineers
ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations
as follows:
(use colon only, not :--)
Asgard the heaven of Norse mythology
ash Old-English letter ligatured ae, also used in phonetic script,
Danish, and Norwegian
Ashant/i Ghana; not -ee; also Asante
Ashby de la Zouch
Leics. (no hyphens)
Ashkenazim
pl., East-European Jews, as distinct from Sephardim
Ashkhabad cap. of Turkmenistan, USSR
ashlar (archit.), not -er
Ashmolean Museum
Oxford
Ashtar/oth, -eth
Bib. and Sem., otherwise use Astarte
Ashton/-in-Makerfield, ---under-Lyne
Gr. Manchester (hyphens), not -Lyme; Ashton upon Mersey, Gr.
Manchester
ashtray (one word)
Ash Wednesday
first day of Lent (two words)
Asian (adj. and noun), (native) of Asia; not Asiatic, which is now
freq. pejorative
asinin/e like an ass, not ass-; noun -ity
Asir ("the inaccessible"), see Saudi Arabia
Asklepiad use Asclepiad; Asklepios, see Asclepius
Aslef Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
Aslib Association of Special Libraries and Information Bureaux
ASM air-to-surface missile
AsniЉres Paris suburb
Asola Lombardy, Italy
Asolo Venetia, Italy
asper Greek rough breathing
asperges (noun sing.), sprinkling with blessed water
asphalt not ash-, -e
asphodel immortal flower in Elysium
asphyxia interruption of breathing
aspic a poisonous serpent, a savoury jelly
ASR (comp.), answer send and receive
ass. assistant
assafoetida
use asa-
assagai use assegai
assai (mus.), very
assailant
assassin
assegai spear, not assa-
Assemblies, National and Federal.
In addition to titles in English (Parliament, Assembly, Senate,
Diet, etc.) in English-speaking countries and translation of
foreign titles (National Assembly for Assembl‚e Nationale,
etc.), the following titles are correct for particular
countries:
Bulgaria--Subranie.
Denmark--Folketing.
Finland--Eduskunta.
Germany, Federal Republic
of--Bundesrat (Upper House)
and Bundestag (Lower House).
Germany, Democratic Republic
of--Volkskammer (not recognized
by Western countries).
Iceland--Althing.
India--Rajya Sabha (Council of
States) and Lok Sabha (House of
the People).
Iran--Senate and Majlis.
Ireland, Republic of--Seanad
ђireann (Senate) and D il ђireann
(House of Representatives)
Israel--Knesset.
Netherlands--Staten Generaal,
comprising Eerste Kamer (First
Chamber) and Tweede Kamer (Second
Chamber).
Norway--Storting, comprising
Lagting (Upper Council) and
Odelsting (Lower Council).
Poland--Sejm.
Spain--Cortes.
Sweden--Riksdag (or Diet).
Switzerland--Nationalrat/Conseil
National and St„nderat/Conseil des
ђtats
Assembly (Church of Scotland) (cap. A), properly General Assembly (also
in other Presbyterian Churches). See also Church Assembly
assent/er one who assents; -or, one who subscribes to a nomination paper
assert/er one who asserts; -or, an advocate
assess/able, -or
ASSET Association of Supervisory Staffs, Executives, and Technicians
assign/ee one to whom a right or property is assigned; -or, one who
assigns
Assiniboine
Canada, not Assinn-
Assisi Italy
assistant abbr. ass. or asst.
assizer officer with oversight of weights and measures; not -ser, -sor,
-zor
assoc. associat/e, -ion
ASSR Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
asst. assistant
Assuan use Aswan
assurance insurance of life (the technical term). See also life insurance
assymmetry
use asymmetry
Assyr. Assyrian
a-starboard
(hyphen)
Astarte Syrophoenician goddess; not Ashtar/oth, -eth
astatine symbol At
Asterabad Iran
asterisk see reference marks
Asti Italian white wine
ASTMS Association of Scientific, Technical, and Managerial Staffs
astr. astronom/y, -er
astrakhan lambskin from Astrakhan, USSR
astrol. astrolog/y, -er
Astronomer Royal
(caps., no hyphen)
astronomy abbr. astr. (See Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
astrophysic/s
(one word); -al, -ist
Asturias Spain, not The --
Asunciўn Paraguay
ASVA Associate of the Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers
Aswan Egypt; not the many variants
asymmetry not ass-
asymptote line approaching but not meeting a curve
auberge (Fr. f.), an inn; aubergiste (m. or f.), innkeeper
aubergine fruit of egg-plant
Aubign‚ d‚p. Deux-SЉvres, France
Aubigny d‚p. Nord, France
aubr/ietia
dwarf perennial, not -etia
AUC anno urbis conditae (in the year from the building of the city
of Rome in 753 BC) (s. caps.; no points except in Latin
composition); also ab urbe condita, from the foundation of the
city
Auchinleck (Field-Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre)
1884-1981, British soldier
Auchnashellach
Highland, use Ach-
au/ contraire
(Fr.), on the contrary; -- courant de, fully acquainted with
AUEW/ Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, -- (TASS), ditto
(Technical and Supervisory Section)
au fait (Fr.), thoroughly conversant
Aufkl„rung
(Ger. f.), enlightenment, esp. the eighteenth-century
intellectual movement
Auflage/ (Ger. f.), edition, impression; pl. -n (cap.); abbr. Aufl.;
unver„nderte --, reprint; verbesserte und vermehrte --, revised
and enlarged edition
au fond (Fr.), at the bottom
auf Wiedersehen
(Ger.), till we meet again
Aug. August
aug. augmentative
Augean (stables), filthy (cap.)
auger tool for boring
aught anything. See also nau-
au/ grand serieux
(Fr.), in all seriousness; -- gratin, browned with cheese etc.
augur Roman soothsayer; (verb) foresee, portend
August abbr. Aug.
Augustan of Augustus or an era compared to his
Augustine Augustinian monk; St --, 354-430, Bp. of Hippo; St --, d. 604,
first Abp. of Canterbury
Augustinian
monk of order following St Augustine of Hippo
au jus (Fr.), in gravy
auk diving bird, not awk
auld lang syne
(caps. for song title)
Auld Reekie
Old Smoky, that is, Edinburgh
Aumale (duc d')
aumbry closed recess in wall of church, not ambry
Aumerle, Duke of
(in Shakespeare's Richard II)
au/ mieux (Fr.), very intimate; -- naturel, in its natural state, plainly
cooked
aunty not -ie
au/ pair (Fr.), at par, on mutual terms; au pair girl (not ital.); --
pied de la lettre, literally
Aurangzeb 1618-1707, Mogul emperor, not the many variants
aurar pl. of eyrir, q.v.
aurea mediocritas
(Lat.), the golden mean
aureola a saint's halo
au/ reste (Fr.), besides; -- revoir, till we meet again
Aurigny Fr. for Alderney
auror/a austral/is
pl. -ae -es; -- boreal/is, pl. -ae -es
aurum gold, symbol (chem.) Au (no point)
Aus. Austria, - n
Auschwitz German concentration camp in Poland in Second World War
au s‚rieux
(Fr.), seriously
Ausgabe (Ger. f.), edition; abbr. Ausg. (cap.). See also compounds
Buch-, Pracht-, Volks-
Austen (Jane)
1775-1817, English writer
Austin English form of the name Augustine; -- (Alfred), 1835-1913, Poet
Laureate 1896-1913; -- (John Langshaw), 1911-60, English
philosopher; --, Tex., US
Austral/ia, -ian
abbr. Austral.; -asia, -asian
Australian Capital Territory
abbr. ACT
Austrasia Frankish Kingdom of 6th- 8th cc.
Austria abbr. Aus.
Austria-Hungary
(but Austro-Hungarian); in Ger. ™sterreich-Ungarn
autarchy absolute sovereignty
autarky self-sufficiency
Auteuil Paris suburb
auteur (Fr. m.), author
auth. authentic, author, -ess, -ity, -ized
authorities
at the end of quotations, or in notes:
I. In scientific and technical work use the Harvard system,
giving:
1. Name of author in roman.
2. Date of publication.
3. a, b, c, etc. close up after date to distinguish
between works of same author and date.
4. A full alphabetical list in the style of II below at
the end of the work, or of each chapter.
II. In general setting give:
1. Name of author in roman.
2. Name of book in italic, and, if necessary, the series
title in roman.
3. Title of article roman in quotation marks, name of
journal in italic.
For detailed examples see Hart's Rules, pp. 50-4.
Act, scene, and line III. iii. 45
Book iii
Book and line (long poems) iii. 25
Canto and line xvi. 25
Chapter and page xiv. 25
Chapter and verse (biblical) 2: 34
(formerly ii. 34)
Chapter, section, and paragraph
(some scientific and philosophical works) 22.2.25
Paragraph °68
Section °5
Volume, chapter, and page IV. vi. 97
Quote the minimum number of divisions consistent with
clarity; the smallest in arabic numerals, the next in lower
case roman, and so on
authorize not -ise
Authorized Version
(of Bible) (caps.); abbr. AV
autis/m morbid absorption in fantasy, or mental condition obstructing
response to environment; adj. -tic
autobahn/ German arterial road (not cap., not ital. in Anglicized form);
pl. -s
autochthon/
original inhabitant; pl. -s; adj. -ous
autocracy absolute government
auto/-da-f‚
(Port.), pl. autos-da-f‚; (Sp.) -- de fe; "act of the faith",
burning of heretic by Inquisition
autogiro not -gyro
autolithography
(typ.), printing by lithography from stones or plates prepared
by the artist personally
automaton/
pl. -s (but automata when used collectively)
autonomy self-government
autonym a book published under author's real name
auto/pista
Spanish arterial road; -route, French ditto
autore (It.), author; abbr. aut.
autostrad/a
Italian arterial road; pl. -e
autres temps, autres moeurs
(Fr.), other times, other manners
BA Bachelor of Arts, Booksellers Association, British Academy, --
Airways (combining BEA and BOAC 1973), -- America, --
Association
Ba barium (no point)
BAA British Airports Authority, -- Astronomical Association
Baalbek Syria
baas (Afrik.), master, boss
Ba'ath Iraqi and Syrian political party
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis, 1922 (rom. in allusive use)
Babcock & Wilcox
engineers
babiroussa
a wild hog, not baby-, -russa
babu Indian title, not baboo
BAC British Aerospace Corporation
baccalaureate
university degree of bachelor
baccarat a card-game; in Fr. m. baccara
Bacchanalia/
festival of Bacchus, strictly pl. but used in Eng. as sing.; -n
(not cap.), riotous or drunken
Bacchant/ male or female follower of Bacchus; -e, female only
Bach/ German musical family, more than fifty in number in seven
generations, of whom the greatest was -- (Johann Sebastian),
1685-1750 (of the fifth generation), composer of orchestral,
instrumental, and choral music; also important were his father's
cousin, -- (Johann Christoph), 1642-1703, composer; and of J. S.
B.'s twenty children, -- (Wilhelm Friedemann), 1710-84; -- (Carl
Philipp Emanuel, usu. referred to as C. P. E.), 1714-88,
developer of sonata and symphony form; -- (Johann Christoph
Friedrich), 1732-95; -- (Johann Christian), 1735-82, "the
English Bach"
Bacharach small Rhineland town (wine-producing); -- (Burt), b. 1929, US
composer
Bachelier Љs/ lettres
(Fr.), Bachelor of Letters, abbr. B. Љs L.; -- -- sciences,
ditto Science, B. Љs S. (no hyphens)
Bachelor/ abbr. B.; -- of Agriculture, B.Agr. (US); -- -- Architecture,
B.Arch.; -- -- Arts, BA; -- -- Canon and Civil Law, BUJ; -- --
Civil Engineering, BCE; -- -- Civil Law, BCL; -- -- Commerce,
B.Com.; -- -- Dental Surgery, BDS or B.Ch.D.; -- -- Divinity,
BD; -- -- Education, B.Ed.; -- -- Engineering, BE or B.Eng. or
B.A.I. Dub. (Dublin); -- -- Law, BL: -- -- Laws, B LL; -- --
Letters, B.Litt. or Litt.B., in Fr. B. Љs L.; -- -- Medicine,
BM or MB; -- -- Metallurgy, B.Met.; -- -- Mining Engineering,
BME; -- -- Music, B.Mus. or Mus.B.; -- -- Obstetrics, BAO; -- --
Philosophy, B.Phil.; -- -- Science, B.Sc., or BS (US), in Fr. B.
Љs S.; -- -- Surgery, BC, B.Ch., BS, or Ch.B.; -- -- Technical
Science, B.Sc. Tech.; -- -- Theology, B.Th.
bacill/us pl. -i (not ital.)
back (typ.), see margins
back-bench(er)
(Parl.) (hyphen)
Backhuysen (Ludolf)
1631-1708, Dutch painter, not Bakhuisen
backing up
(typ.), printing on the second side
backwoodsman
(one word)
Bacon (Sir Francis)
(often incorrectly Lord), 1561-1626, Baron Verulam and Viscount
St Albans
Baconian pertaining to Roger Bacon, died c.1292; or to Sir Francis Bacon;
or to the theory that Sir Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's
plays
bacshish use baksheesh
bacteri/um
microscopic organism; pl. -a; -cide
bade see bid
Baden-Baden
W. Germany (hyphen)
Baden-Powell (Robert Stephenson Smyth, Baron)
1857-1941, Founder of Boy Scouts, 1908 (hyphen)
badinage (Fr. m.), humorous ridicule
Baedeker (Karl)
1801-59, guidebook publisher
Baffin/ Bay
island, NE America, not -ns, -n's
BAFU Bakers', Food, and Allied Workers' Union
bagarre (Fr. m.), brawl
Bagehot (Walter)
1826-77, English writer
Baghdad Iraq, not Bagd-
BagnЉres/ de Bigorre
d‚p. Hautes-Pyrenees; -- de Luchon, d‚p Haute-Garonne, France
bagnio/ bathing-house, oriental prison, brothel; pl. -s
Bagnoles d‚p. Orne, France
Bagnols d‚p. Gard, France
bagpip/e(s), -er
(one word)
B.Agr. (US), Bachelor of Agriculture
Baha'/i religion initiated by Bah 'u'll h (1817-92); -ism
Baham/as W. Indies, indep. 1973; adj. -ian
Bahrain islands, Persian Gulf, not -ein
Baiae Naples
B.A.I. Dub.
Bachelor of Engineering, Univ. of Dublin
baignoire (Fr. f.), theatre box at stalls level
Baikal (Lake)
USSR
bail (noun) security for appearance of prisoner, cross-piece over
stumps in cricket, (hist.) outer line of fortifications; (verb)
to deliver goods in trust, (naut.) to scoop water out of; to
secure release on bail. See also bale
bailee one to whom goods are entrusted for a purpose
bailer (naut.), one who bails water out, scoop used for bailing. See
also bailor, bale
bailey outer wall of castle; Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal
Court
bailie (Sc.), an alderman; bailiery, jurisdiction of a bailie, not
-iary
bailiwick office or jurisdiction of a bailiff
Baillie (Joanna)
1762-1851, Scottish poet
BailliЉre, Tindall, Ltd.
publishers
bailor (law), one who entrusts goods to a bailee. See also bailer
Baily's/ Magazine; -- Directory
bain-marie
double saucepan; pl. bains-
Baireuth Bavaria, use Bay-
Bairut Lebanon, use Beirut
baklava Turkish pastry with nuts and honey
baksheesh (Arab., Turk.), a gratuity, not the many variants
bal. balance
Balaclava not -klava
balalaika Russian stringed instrument
balanceable
not -cable
Balbriggan
Co. Dublin; also knitted cotton goods
bale/, -s abbr. bl. or bls.
bale (noun) a package, (arch.) destruction, woe; (verb) to make into
a package; -- out, to escape from an aircraft by parachute. See
also bail
Bѓle Fr. for Basle
Balfour/ (Baron, of Burleigh); --
(Baron, of Inchrye); -- (Earl of). (Three distinct titles)
Bali/ Indonesia; adj. -nese
Baliol an Anglo-Norman family, not the Oxford College, Balliol
balk (verb), not baulk
Balkan Mts.
Bulgaria
Balkhan Mts.
Transcaspia
Ballaarat Victoria, Australia, use -larat
ballade medieval French poem, also its imitation
Ballantine (James)
1808-77, artist and poet; -- (William), 1812-86, serjeant-at-law
Ballantyne (James)
1772-1833, and -- (John), 1774-1821, Sir W. Scott's printers
and publishers; -- Press, founded by them in 1796; -- (Robert
Michael), 1825-94, Scottish writer for boys
Ballarat Victoria, Australia, not -aarat
ballet-dancer
(hyphen)
ball game (two words)
Balliol College
Oxford. See also Baliol
ballistic/
(adj.); -s, pl., the science (two ls)
ballon d'essai
(Fr. m.), a "feeler" of any kind
ballot/, -ed, -ing
ballroom (one word)
Ballsbridge
Co. Dublin (one word)
ballyhoo vulgar publicity
baloney use boloney
BALPA British Air Line Pilots' Association
Baluchi a native of Baluchistan, not Be-, Bi-
baluster upright supporting a rail, commonly of stone and outdoors, tbe
whole structure being a balustrade. See banister
Balzac (Honor‚ de)
1799-1850, French writer; -- (Jean Louis Guez de), 1596-1654,
French writer
Bamberg W. Germany, not -burg
Bamburgh Northumberland
banal commonplace
Banaras Hindi for Benares
Band (Ger. m.), a volume, pl. B„nde; abbr. Bd., pl. Bde.
bandanna a handkerchief, not -ana
b. & b. bed and breakfast
B. & F.B.S.
British and Foreign Bible Society
bandit/ pl. -s
bandoleer a belt for cartridges, not -olier, -alier
bandolero Spanish brigand
Bandung Indonesia, not Bandoeng
bang Indian hemp, use bh-
Bangalore Mysore, India
Bangkok Thailand, not Bankok
Bangladesh
"Land of the Bengalis", formerly E. Pakistan; indep. 1972
banister upright supporting a rail; commonly of wood, indoors, on
staircase, the whole structure being banisters (pl.). See
baluster
banjo/ pl. -s
bank abbr. bk.
banking abbr. bkg.
banknote (one word)
Bankok use Bangkok
bank paper
a thin, strong paper
banlieue (Fr. f.), precinct, suburb
banneret (law), a knight made on the field of battle
bannerette
small banner
banns not bans
banquet/, -ed, -ing
(one t)
banquette a raised way behind firing-rampart; seat
Bantu designating a group of Central, E., and S. African native
peoples and languages
BAO Bachelor of Art of Obstetrics
BAOR British Army of the Rhine
bap. baptized
Baptist abbr. Bapt.
baptistery
not -try
baptize not -ise
Bar called to the (cap.); bar, unit of pressure, 1/10 megapascal
bar. barley-corn, baromet/er, -ric, barrel
Barbad/os not -oes, indep. 1966, abbr. Barb., adj. -ian
barbarize not -ise
Barbary N. Africa
barbecue open-air roasting (party) (not -que)
barberry shrub of genus Berberis, not ber-, -ery
barbet tropical bird
barbette gun platform
Barbirolli (Sir John)
1899-1970, English conductor
barcarole Venetian gondolier's song; in Fr. barcarolle
B.Arch. Bachelor of Architecture
Barclays Bank, Ltd.
(no apos.)
Bareilly Uttar Pradesh, India, not -eli
Barenboim (Daniel)
b. 1942, Argentinian-born Israeli musician
Barents Sea
north of Norway and USSR, not -'s, -'z
bargain/er
a haggler; -or (law), the seller
Bar Harbor
Maine, US
Baring-Gould (Revd Sabine)
1834-1924, English author (hyphen)
baritone (mus.), not bary-
barium symbol Ba
bark vessel (arch. and poet.); in techn. sense use barque
Barkston Lincs., N. Yorks.
barleycorn
(one word), abbr. bar.
bar/maid, -man
(one word)
Barmecide one who offers illusory benefits, not -acidc
bar mitzvah
Jewish initiation rite
Barmston Humberside
barn (phys.), unit of area, abbr. b
Barnaby Bright
St. Barnabas' Day, 11 June; longest day, Old Style
Barnard (Dr Christiaan)
b. 1922, S. African surgeon
Barnardo (Dr Thomas John)
1845-1905, British philanthropist
baro/graph
a recording barometer; -gram, the record; -logy, science of
weight; -meter, -metric, abbr. bar.
baron member of lowest order of British nobility; cap. when with name
(but Lord more common); l.c. with foreign name (but in Ger.
cap.); abbr. B.
baron/ (Fr.), Baron; fem. -ne (not cap.)
baron and feme
(law), husband and wife regarded as one
baronet/ member of lowest hereditary titled British order; cap. when with
name; abbr. Bt.; baronetage, baronets collectively, book about
them; baronetcy, patent or rank of baronet
Barons Court
London (no apos.)
baroque exuberant archit. style of seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
applied also to music and other arts (not ital., not cap.)
barouche four-wheeled carriage, not baru-
barque vessel with aftermost mast fore-and-aft rigged and remaining
masts square rigged, not bark
barquentine
three-masted vessel with foremast only square-rigged, not
-antine, barke-
barr. barrels, barrister
barrac/uda
large W. Indian sea-fish; -outa only with reference to Thyrsites
atun (Austral. and NZ)
barrator (law), malicious litigant, not -ater, -etor
barratry (law), vexatious litigation; (marine law) master's or crew's
fraud or negligence
Barrault (Jean-Louis)
b. 1910, French actor, director, producer
barrel/, -s
abbr. bar., barr., bl., bls.
barrel/led, -ling
barrico/ a small cask, pl. -es
Barrie (Sir James Matthew)
1860-1937, Scottish novelist and playwright
Barrie & Jenkins, Ltd.
publishers
barrister abbr. barr.
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria (hyphens)
Bart. Baronet, use Bt.
bartender (one word)
Barth (Heinrich)
1821-65, German explorer; -- (John), b. 1930, US novelist; --
(Karl), 1886-1968, Swiss theologian
Bartholomew Day
24 Aug. (caps., two words, for London local terminology but St
Bartholomew's Day for the massacre, 1572)
Bartўk (Bela)
1881-1945, Hungarian composer
Bartolommeo (Fra)
1475-1517, Italian painter
Bartolozzi (Francesco)
1727-1813, Italian engraver
Bart's St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Baruch (Apocr.), not to be abbr.
baruche use barouche
barytone use bari- except for the Greek accent
bas bleu (Fr. m.), a "bluestocking"
base abbr. b.
baseball US national game played by two teams of nine; ball used in it
BEA British Epilepsy Association, -- Esperanto Association, --
European Airways (see BA)
beach-la-mar
pidgin English of W. Pacific
bear (Stock Exchange), speculator for a fall
beard (typ.), the space between the bottom of the x-height (q.v.) and
the upper edge of the shank
beargarden
(one word)
B‚arnaise rich white sauce
bearskin military cap (one word)
beastings use bee-
beasts of the chase
(law), buck, doe, fox, marten, roe; ditto forest (law), boar,
hare, hart, hind, wolf; ditto warren (law), cony and hare; ditto
of venery (law) are "beasts of the forest"
beatae memoriae
(Lat.), of blessed memory; abbr. BM
Beata/ Maria
or -- Virgo (Lat.), the Blessed Virgin; abbr. BM or BV (no
points). See also BMV, BVM
Beatles (the)
pop group, fl. 1960s
beatnik member of "beat" generation
beau (pl. beaux), not ital.
Beauclerc sobriquet of Henry I
Beauclerk fam. name of Duke of St Albans
Beaudelaire
use Bau-
beau-fils (Fr. m.), son-in-law, stepson; without hyphen, beautiful son
Beaufort scale
of wind force (one cap.); for details see under wind
beau ideal
model of excellence (not ital.)
beauidealize
not -ise (one word)
Beaujolais
a burgundy
Beaulieu Hants
beau monde
the fashionable world
Beaune a burgundy
beau-pЉre (Fr. m.), father-in-law, stepfather; without hyphen, beautiful
father
beaux-arts
(Fr. pl. m.), fine arts
beaux/ esprits
(Fr. pl. m.), brilliant wits, sing. bel esprit; -- yeux, good
looks
beccafico/
small edible Italian bird, not beca-; pl. -s
b‚chamel (Fr. cook.), white sauce named after B‚chamel, steward of Louis
XIV
b€che-de-mer
sea-slug, a Chinese delicacy
Bechstein (Friedrich Wilhelm Carl)
1826-1900, German pianoforte maker; -- (Johann Matth„us),
1757-1822, German naturalist
Bechuana/, -land
S. Africa. See Botswana
Becket (…)
see … Becket
Beckett (Samuel)
1906-89, Irish writer
becquerel unit of radioactivity, abbr. Bq
Becquerel French family of physicists: -- (Antoine C‚sar), 1788-1878,
father of -- (Alexandre Edmond), 1820-91, father of -- (Antoine
Henri), 1852-1908, discoverer of radioactive -- rays, now gamma
rays
bed (typ.), the part of the press on which the forme lies
B.Ed. Bachelor of Education
bedaw/een, -i, -in
use bedouin
bed/bug, -clothes
(one word)
Beddgelert
Gwynedd, not Beth-
bedeguar mosslike excrescence on roses
bedel Oxford official form of beadle; at Cambridge and London, bedell
Bedfordshire
abbr. Beds.
bedouin a desert Arab, not the many variants; pl. same
bed/owy use -ouin
bed/pan, -post, -ridden, -room
(one word)
Beds. Bedfordshire
bed/-sitter, -sitting-room
(hyphens)
bed/sore, -time
(one word)
bed/uin use -ouin
beefsteak (one word)
beehive (one word)
beerhouse (law), where beer is sold to be drunk on or off the premises
beer-mat (hyphen)
beershop (law), where beer is sold to be drunk off the premises
beestings first milk from a mammal, not bea-, bie-
beeswax (noun and verb)
Beethoven (Ludwig van not von)
1770-1827, German composer; divide Beet-hoven
BEF British Expeditionary Force
be/fall not -fal; past -fell
Beggar's Opera
not -s'
behemoth biblical animal (book of Job), thought to be the hippopotamus
behoof (noun), benefit
behove (verb), to be incumbent on
Behring (Emil von)
1854-1917, German bacteriologist
Behring Isle, Sea
and Strait, use Bering
beignet (Fr. m.), a fritter
Beijing Pinyin form of Peking
Beinn Bhuidhe
near Inveraray, Strathclyde. See also Ben Buie
Beirut Lebanon, not Ba-, Bai-, Beyrout(h). See also Bayreuth
bel unit of ten decibels (decibel is more often used); abbr. B
Belalp Switz. (one word)
Bel and the Dragon
(Apocr.), abbr. Bel & Dr.
beldam (arch.), a hag, not -e
Bel‚m Brazil, formerly Par
bel/ esprit
(Fr. m.), a brilliant wit, pl. beaux esprits; -- ‚tage, the
first floor, not belle --
Belgique (Fr. f.), Belgium; belge, Belgian (not cap., unless used as a
noun)
Belg/ium, -ian, -ic
abbr. Belg.
Belgrade Yugoslavia
believable
not -eable
Belitung Indonesia, not Billiton
Belize/ Cent. America, formerly British Honduras; adj. -an
Bernardine
Cistercian, from St Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153
Berne Swiss canton and town, in Ger. Bern; -- Convention (1886 and
later revisions) deals with copyright: there are now over sixty
members (incl. UK but not US or USSR). Basically each
member-nation extends benefit of its two copyright laws to works
by citizens of other member-nations, and no registration of the
book or claim to copyright is required. The author also has the
"moral right" during his lifetime to object to any alteration of
his work, regardless of copyright-ownership. See also Universal
Copyright Convention
Berners (Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson, Baron)
1883-1950, English composer; -- (John Bourchier, Baron),
1467-1533, English translator; -- (Dame Juliana), wrote Boke of
St Albans, first ed. 1486
Bernhardt (Rosine called "Sarah")
1845-1923, actress
Bernoulli family of Swiss mathematicians, not -illi
bernouse Arab cloak, use burnous
bersaglier/e
(It.), a rifleman; pl. -i
Berthelot (Pierre Eugene Marcelin)
1827-1907, French chemist and statesman
Berthollet (comte Claude Louis)
1748-1822, French chemist
Berwickshire
former county of Scotland
beryllium symbol Be
Berzelius (J”ns Jakob, baron)
1779-1848, Swedish chemist
B. Љs A. now B. Љs L.
Besan‡on d‚p. Doubs, France
B. Љs L. (Fr.), Bachelier Љs lettres (Bachelor of letters)
beso/ las manos
(Sp.), "I kiss the hands" (frequently said or written); -- los
pies, "I kiss the feet"
B. Љs S. (Fr.), Bachelier Љs sciences (Bachelor of Science)
Bessarabia
district in Moldavia and Ukraine, ceded by Romania to USSR, 1940
Bessbrook Co. Armagh
Bessemer process
in steel mfr. (one cap.)
Besses o' th' Barn
Greater Manchester
bestialize
not -ise
beta/ particle, -- ray
(two words)
betatron apparatus for accelerating electrons
betel leaf of betel-pepper, chewed in East
betel-nut misnomer for areca-nut, chewed with betel
Betelgeuse
(astr.), red star in Orion, not -x
b€te noire
(Fr. f.), one's pet aversion, not -- noir; pl. -es -es
bethel Nonconformist chapel (not cap.)
b€tise (Fr. f.), stupidity
Betjeman (Sir John)
1906-84, English poet and writer on architecture; appointed Poet
Laureate 1972
betony (bot.), not bett-
better one who bets, not -or
Betws-y-coed
Gwynedd (hyphens)
Bevan (Aneurin)
1897-1960, Welsh politician. See also Bevin
bevel/, -led, -ling
Beveridge (William Henry, Baron)
1879-1963, English economist
Beverley Humberside
Beverly Miss., US
Beverly Hills
Calif., US
Bevin (Ernest)
1881-1951, English politician. See also Bevan
bevy proper word for a company of ladies, larks, maidens, quails, or
roes; also in gen. use
Bewick (Thomas)
1753-1828, English engraver
Bexleyheath
London (one word)
bey (Turk.), a governor; Bey of Tunis, formerly ruler of Tunisia
(cap.)
beylic jurisdiction of a bey, not -ik
Beyrout(h)
Lebanon, use Beirut
bezant gold coin first struck at Byzantium, not by-
Bible abbr. Bib. (cap., but three bibles = three copies of the Bible).
See also authorities, quotation marks
Biblia Pauperum
medieval "Bible of the poor", in pictures (caps.)
biblical (not cap.), abbr. bib.
bibliograph/er, -ic, -ical, -y;
abbr. bibliog.
bibliopeg/y
bookbinding as a fine art; -ist
biblio/theca
(Lat.), a library; -thЉcaire (Fr. m.f.), a librarian; -thЉque
(Fr. f.), a library
Bibliothek/
(Ger. f.), a library; -ar (Ger. m.), a librarian (caps.)
bicameral with two legislative chambers
Bickleigh Devon
Bickley Cheshire, London, N. Yorks.
bid past bade, partic. bidden, but bid is used for both in auction
sense (I bid њ10 for it; њ10 was bid) and for partic. in some
phrases, e.g. do as you are bid
Biedermeier
Ger. 19th-c. conventional artistic and literary style
biennial two-yearly, but biannual, half-yearly
bienni/um a two-year period; pl. -ums
biens‚ance
(Fr. f.), propriety
bienvenu/ (Fr.), fem. -e, welcome; -e (f.), a welcome
BIF British Industries Fair
biff/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, cancelled
Bigelow (Erastus Brigham)
1814-79, US inventor and industrialist; -- (John), 1817-1911, US
journalist and diplomat
Biglow Papers (The)
anti-slavery poems 1848 and 1857-61, by James Russell Lowell
bigot/, -ed
bijou/ a "gem"; pl. -x
Bilbao Spain
bilberry not bill-
bilbo/ Spanish sword or rapier; pl. -s
bilboes pl., fetters
Bildungsroman
(Ger. m.), novel of early life
bile-duct (hyphen)
bill (parliamentary) (cap. when part of title)
billet/, -ed, -ing
billet-doux
a love letter; pl. billets-doux (hyphens)
billiard/-ball, -cue
etc., not billiards- (hyphens)
billion in Britain, France (since 1948), and Germany, a million
millions; in USA, and increasingly in British usage, a thousand
millions; abbr. bn. See also trillion
Billiton Indonesia, use Belitung
bill of/ exchange
abbr. b.e.; -- -- lading, abbr. b.l; -- -- sale, abbr. b.s.
biltong (Afrik.), sun-dried meat
Biluchi use Bal-
BIM British Institute of Management
bimetall/ic, -ism, -ist
bimillenary
(adj. and noun), (designating) a period of 2,000 years; a
two-thousandth anniversary
bi-monthly
avoid as ambiguous; use (adj. or adv.) semi-monthly or (adv.)
twice a month, every two months, as appropriate
bindery a bookbinder's establishment
binnacle (naut.), a compass-stand
binocle a field-glass
binocular/
(adj.), for two eyes; -s (pl. noun), field- or opera-glasses
Binstead IW
Binsted Hants, W. Sussex
Binyon (Laurence)
1869-1943, English poet
biochemist/, -ry
(one word)
biodegradable
(one word)
biograph/er, -ic, -ical, -y;
abbr. biog.
biological nomenclature:
see Hart's Rules, pp. 6-7
biolog/y, -ical;
abbr. biol.
bio/mathematics, -physics
(one word)
Bipont/, -ine
books printed at Bipontium (ZweibrЃcken), W. Germany
bird-bath (hyphen)
bird/cage, -seed
(one word)
birds-eye view
(one Hyphen)
bird/-song, -table
(hyphens)
Birmingham
abbr. Birm., B'ham; -- Small Arms, BSA
Birnam Tayside, immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth
Birstall Leics., W. Yorks.
birth certificate
(two words)
birth/-control, -rate
(hyphens)
birthmark (one word)
birthplace
abbr. bpl.
birthright
(one word)
BIS Bank for International Settlements
bis (Fr., It., Lat.), twice, encore
bis. bissextile
Biscayan abbr. Bisc., pertaining to Biscay, Spain; Basque
bis dat qui cito dat
(Lat.), he gives twice who gives quickly
bise (Fr. f.), cold N. wind in S. France
BISF British Iron and Steel Federation
Bishop abbr. Bp., (chess) B
Bishopbriggs
Strathclyde
Bishop in partibus infidelium
RC bishop taking title from ancient see situated "in territory
of unbelievers", now termed "Titular Bishop"
bishop's signature
usually consists of Christian name and diocese (John
Birmingham). For special spellings and punctuation of certain
signatures refer to individual entries in this book
Bishop's Stortford
Herts. (apos.)
Bishopsteignton
Devon (one word)
Bishopston
Avon, W. Glam.
Bishopstone
Bucks., Hereford & Worc., Kent, E. Sussex, Wilts.
Bishop's Waltham
Hants (apos.)
Bishopthorpe
residence of Abp. of York (one word)
Bishopton Co. Durham, N. Yorks., Strathclyde
bisk use bisque
Bismarck (Karl Otto Eduard Leopold Furst von)
1815-98, German statesman, not -ark
bismillah (Arab.), "in the name of God", not biz-
bismuth symbol Bi
bisque in tennis, croquet, golf; unglazed white porcelain; rich soup
(not ital.)
bissextile
(noun and adj.), Latin leap year, abbr. bis.
bistoury surgeon's scalpel
bit (US), 12.5 cents; (comp.) binary digit (see also byte)
bitts (naut., pl.) pair of posts on deck for fastening cables, etc.
bitumin/ize, -ous
bivouac/, -ked, -king
bi-weekly avoid as ambiguous; use (adj. or adv.) semi-weekly or
fortnightly, (adv.) twice a week or every two weeks, as
appropriate
BOA British Optical Association, -- Olympic Association
Boabdil last Moorish king of Granada, 1482-92; d. c.1533
BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation (see BA)
Boadicea use Boudicca
Boanerges sing. or pl., loud preacher(s)
boarding/-house, -school
(hyphens)
Board of Trade
abbr. B.o.T. or B. of T., absorbed in Department of Trade and
Industry, 1970
boatswain contr. bos'n
boat-yard (hyphen)
Bobadil braggart, from Bobadill in Jonson's Every Man in His Humour
bobolink N. American songbird
bob-white American quail
Boccaccio (Giovanni)
1313-75, Italian writer (four cs)
Boccherini (Luigi)
1743-1850, Italian composer
Bodhisattva
in Buddhism and Hinduism, person able to reach nirvana
Bodicote Oxon.
Bodleian Library
abbr. Bod. Lib., Bodl., Bodley
Bodoni (Giambattista)
1740-1813, Italian printer and punch-cutter; designer of Bodoni
type
body (typ.), the measurement from front to back of the shank of a
piece of type; in the Anglo-American system 12 pt. = 0.166 in.
See also Didot
body-blow (hyphen)
bodyguard (one word)
body-weight
(hyphen)
Boeotia/ district of cent. Greece; -n, stupid
Boerhaave (Herman), 1668-1738, Dutch naturalist
Boethius (Anicius), AD 470-525, Roman statesman and philosopher
boeuf (Fr. m.), beef
B. of T. Board of Trade, q.v.
bogey in golf
bogie wheeled undercarriage
Bogota NJ, US
Bogot Colombia, S. America
bog/y ghost, not -ey pi. -ies
Bohemian (noun and adj.), socially unconventional (person); bohemianism
(not cap.)
Bohr (Niels Hendrik David)
1885-1962, and his son -- (Aage), b. 1922, Danish physicists
Bo‹eldieu (Fran‡ois Adrien)
1775-1834, French composer
boiler-room
(hyphen)
boiler suit
(two words)
boiling-point
(hyphen), abbr. BP or b.p.
Bokhara river, NSW, Australia. See Bukhara for the town in Uzbekistan
Bokm†l see Riksm†l
bold-face type, as this;
indicated in copy by wavy underline; abbr. b.f.
bolero/ Spanish dance, woman's short jacket; pl. -s
Boleyn (Anne)
1507-36, 2nd wife of Henry VIII of England
BolЎvar (Simўn)
1783-1830, S. American patriot
bolivar Venezuelan monetary unit
Bolivia/, -n
abbr. Bol.
B”ll (Heinrich)
1917-85, German writer
Bologna Italy, in Lat. Bononia; adj. Bolognese, but spaghetti bolognese
bolometer radiation measurer
boloney humbug, not bal-
Bolshevik advocate of proletarian dictatorship by soviets; member of
majority group of Russian Social Democratic Party, later the
Communist Party, opp. to Menshevik
bolts (bind.), the three outer edges of a folded sheet before trimming
Boltzmann constant
(phys.), symbol k
bolus/ large pill; pl. -es
Bombardier
cap. as title; abbr. Bdr.
bombazine a fabric, not -basine, -bazeen, -bycine
bombe (Fr. cook. f.), conical confection
bona/ fide
(Lat.), genuinely; -- fides, good faith (no accent)
bon-bon a kind of sweet; bon- bonniЉre, a box for sweets
bon-chr‚tien
a pear; pl. bons- chr‚tiens
bond abbr. bd.
bondholder
(one word)
bond paper
a hard, strong paper
Bonduca use Boudicca
Bo'ness Central (apos., being orig. Borrowstounness). See also Bowness
Boney sobriquet of Napoleon. See also bony
bon/ go–t (Fr. m.), good taste; -- gr‚, mal gr‚, whether one likes or not
Bonheur (Rosa)
1822-99, French painter
bonhomie (Fr. f.), good nature
bonhomme (Fr. m.), a pleasant fellow, a friar
Bonhomme (Jacques)
the French peasant
bonjour (Fr. m.), good-day (one word)
bon/ march‚
(Fr.), a cheap shop, cheap; -- mot, a witticism, pl. bons mots
(two words)
bonne (Fr. f.), a maid
bonne bouche
(Fr.), a dainty morsel, pl. bonnes bouches; bonne/ foi, good
faith; -- fortune, success, pl. bonnes fortunes; -- grѓce,
gracefulness, pl. bonnes graces
bonnet/, -ed, -ing
bonnet rouge
(Fr. m.), Republican's cap
Bononia Lat. for Bologna, Italy
bonsai (Jap.), dwarfed plant
bonsoir (Fr. m.), good-evening, good-night (one word)
bontebok (Afrik.), pied antelope, not -buck
bon ton (Fr. m.), good style
bon vivant/
one fond of luxurious food (no hyphen, not ital.); pl. -s. The
fem., bonne vivante, is not in French usage
bon viveur
one who lives luxuriously (not in French usage)
bon voyage!
(Fr.), a pleasant journey!
bony not -ey. See also Boney
Booerhave see Boerhaave
book/ -s, abbr. bk., bks.
bookbind/er, -ing
(one word)
book-end (hyphen)
bookkeep/er, -ing
(one word)
booklet (typ.), usually an inset, saddle-stitched piece of printing,
with limp cover
bookmak/er, -ing
(one word)
bookmark(er)
(one word)
book-plate
(hyphen)
books (cited titles of)
in italic; but series titles roman
book/seller, -stall
(one word)
Booksellers Association
abbr. BA
book sizes
(typ.): the following are the standard untrimmed book sizes in
mm., 4to and 8vo: metric crown, 252 x 192, 192 x 126; metric
large crown, 264 x 204, 204 x 132; metric demy, 282 x 222, 222 x
141; metric royal, 318 x 240, 240 x 159; A4, 303 x 213; A5, 216
x 151. For the former sizes see crown, demy, foolscap, imperial,
medium, pott, royal, small royal
books of Scripture
(typ.), not to be italic, nor quoted; for abbrs. see separate
titles
book trim (bind.): standard trim is 3 mm. off head, foredge, and tail
margins
bookwork (one word)
Boole/ (George)
1815-64, English logician and mathematician; adj. -an
Boone (Daniel)
1735-1820, American explorer and colonizer
Bo”tes (astr.), the constellation
booze (to) drink, not -se, house, bowze
Bophuthatswana
S. Africa, indep. 1977
bor. borough
Borak (Al)
the winged horse on which Muhammad, in a vision, ascended to
heaven
Bordeaux d‚p. Gironde, France; a claret or any wine of Bordeaux
Bordeaux mixture
of lime and copper sulphate, to kill fungus and insect parasites
on plants
born/ of child, with reference to birth, abbr. b.; -e, carried, also
of birth when 'by' (with name of mother) follows
born/‚ (Fr.),fem. -‚e, narrow-minded
Borodin (Alexander Porfiryevich)
1834-87, Russian composer and chemist
boron symbol B
borough abbr. bor.
Borstal institution for reformative training (cap.)
bortsch Russian soup
borzoi/ Russian wolfhound; pl. -s
bosbok Afrik. for bushbuck
Bosch (Hieronymus)
?1450-1516, Dutch painter
bos'n contr. of boatswain
Bosporus strait separating European and Asian Turkey, not Bosph-
Bossuet (Jacques Benigne)
1627-1704, French bishop and writer
Boswellize
to write laudatory biography (cap.)
B.o.T. Board of Trade, q.v.
bot/ not -tt; -fly (hyphen)
botanize not -ise
botan/y, -ical, -ist
abbr. bot.; genera, species, and varieties to be ital.; all
other divisions roman: Rosales (order); Rosaceae (family); Rosa
(genus); Rosa moschata (species); Rosa moschata var. nastarana
(variety); Rosa moschata cv. Plena (cultivar). Specific and
infraspecific epithets, even when derived from names of persons,
should be l.c.: Lilium wardii, Camellia x williamsii, not
Wardii, Williamsii. Also l.c. are names of flowers used
non-technically, as geranium, lobelia. See Hart's Rules, pp. 6-7
bothy (Sc.), hut, not -ie
bo-tree sacred tree of India
Botswana S. African independent republic 1966, formerly Bechuanaland
Botticelli (Sandro)
1447-1515, Florentine painter
Boucicault (Dion)
1822-90, Irish playwright
Boudicca d. AD 61, Queen of Iceni
boudoir (not ital.)
bouffant puffed out, as a dress (not ital.)
bougainvillaea
trop. plant with rosy bracts
Bouguereau (William Adolphe)
1825-1905, French painter
bouillabaisse
thick fish soup (not ital.)
bouilli (Fr. m.), stewed meat (not ital.)
bouillon broth (not ital.)
boul. boulevard
boule a French game akin to bowls (not ital.)
boule (inlay), usually spelt buhl, q.v.
Boule legislative council in ancient Greek city-state
boulevard/
(Fr. m.), abbr. boul.; -ier, a "man about town"
boulevers/‚
(Fr.), overturned; -ement (m.), a violent inversion
Boulez (Pierre), b. 1925, French composer
Boulogne d‚ps. Haute-Garonne and Pas-de-Calais, France
bounceable
not -cable
bouncy not bouncey
bound abbr. bd.
bouquetin the ibex
bouquinist
second-hand bookseller: in Fr. m. bouquiniste
bourgeois/
(Fr.), fem. -e, one of the middle class; -ie, the middle class
(not ital.)
bourgeois (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 9 pt.; pron.
berjoyce (stress on second syllable)
Bourn Cambs.
bourn stream, (arch.) a limit, not -ne
Bourne Lincs.
Bournemouth
Dorset
Bournville
Birmingham
bourr‚e (Fr.), old lively dance, music for this (not ital.)
bourse foreign money-market, esp. Paris
bouse (naut.), to haul, not -wse. See also booze
boustrophedon
written from left to right and right to left on alternate lines,
esp. in Gr. inscriptions
boutique small shop (often within a shop) for individual clothes and
accessories
boutonniЉre
(Fr. f.), a buttonhole
bouts-rim‚s
rhymed endings
Bouvet I. (Norw.), Antarctic Ocean
bowdlerize
to expurgate, from Dr T. Bowdler (not cap.)
bowled (cricket), abbr. b.
Bowness Cumbria. See also Bo'ness
Boxing Day
first weekday after Christmas Day (caps.)
box number
(two words)
box-office
(hyphen), abbr. b.o.
boycott to exclude from society or business, from Capt. Boycott (not
cap.)
brackets (typ.), square [], angle; not the parentheses or round form ().
See punctuation XI
Bradford: sig. of Bp. of Bradford (colon)
Braggadochio
in Spenser's Faerie Queene
braggadocio
empty boasting (not ital.)
Brahe (Tycho)
1546-1601, Danish astronomer
Brahma supreme Hindu god (not ital.)
brahma, brahmaputra
Asian domestic fowl (not cap.)
Brahmaputra
Indian river
brahmin/ member of Hindu priestly caste; pl. -s; adj. -ical
Brahmoism reformed theistic Hinduism
brail to haul up
Braille signs composed of raised dots replacing letters, for the blind
Braine (John)
1922-86, English novelist
braise (cook.), not -ze. See also braze
brake/ for wheel, a large vehicle, etc., not break; -- horsepower (two
words)
Br. Am. British America
Bramah (Ernest)
1867-1942, English writer; -- (Joseph), 1749-1814, English
inventor of -- lock etc.
brand-new not bran-
Brandt (Willy)
b. 1913, German statesman, Chancellor of W. Germany 1969-74
Brandywine
battle, 1777, of American War of Independence
brant-goose
use brent-
Brant“me (Pierre de Bourdeille, Seigneur de)
1540-1614, French writer
Brasilia new cap. of Brazil, 1960
brass/ (binder's)
die for blocking book-cases, pl. -es; -- rule (typ.), for
printing simple borders or lines between columns of type
brassard badge worn on arm
brasserie beer garden, licensed restaurant; brasserie (Fr. f.), also
brewery
brassie golf-club with brass sole, not -y
brassiЉre woman's undergarment supporting breasts. See also bra
bratticing
(archit.) open carved work; (coal-mining) wooden shaft-lining or
screen
Brauneberger
a white wine
Braunschweig
Ger. for Brunswick
brav/a! (It.), "well done!" to a woman; -o! to a man; brav/o (noun), a
cry of "well done!"; pl. -os
bravo/ a desperado; pl. -es
braze to solder, not -ise, -ize. See also braise
brazier worker in brass, pan for holding lighted coal, not -sier
Brazil/, -ian
abbr. Braz.
Brazzaville
cap. of Congo, q.v., Cent. Africa
BRCS British Red Cross Society
BRD (Ger.), Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Federal Republic of Germany
bread/board, -crumb
(one word)
break/ (typ.), the division into a fresh paragraph; ---line, last one
of a paragraph: never to begin page, and should have more than
five letters, except in narrow measures. See also brake
breakdown (noun), a collapse, analysis of statistics (one word)
Breakspear (Nicholas)
Pope Adrian IV from 1154 to 1159, not -eare
breakthrough
(noun, one word)
breakup (noun, one word)
breathalyser
device for testing amount of alcohol in the breath, not -iser,
-izer; breathalyse, to carry out test
breathings
see accents
breccia rock composed of angular fragments, not -cchia
Brechin Tayside
Brecht (Bertolt not -th-, -d)
1898-1956, German playwright
Brecon Powys
breech birth
(two words)
breeches-buoy
life-saving apparatus (hyphen)
Bren gun light machine-gun (two words)
brent-goose
not bra-
Brescia Lombardy, Italy
Breslau Ger. for Wroclaw (Poland)
Bretagne Fr. for Brittany; Grande --, Great Britain
Breton (inhabitant) of Brittany, abbr. Bret.
Bretton Woods
New Hampshire, US (UN Monetary Conf., 1944)
Breughel use Brueghel or Bruegel, q.v.
brev. brevet, -ed
breve a curved mark to indicate a short vowel or syllable
brevet d'invention
(Fr. m.), a patent
brevet‚ s.g.d.g.
(Fr.), patented without government guarantee (sans garantie du
gouvernement)
breviary book containing RC daily service
brevier (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 8 pt.; pron.
breveer (stress on second syllable)
briar use -er
Briarean many-handed, like Briareus, of Gr. myth., not -ian
bribable not -eable
bric-…-brac
curiosities in furniture and furnishings (hyphens, accent)
bronzing (typ.), printing in yellow and then dusting with bronze powder
to imitate gold
brooch a dress-fastening, not -ach
Brooke Leics., Norfolk; -- (Baron); -- (Rupert), 1887-1915, English
poet
Brookline Mass., US
Brooklyn New York
Brooks's Club
London, not -es's
broomstick
(one word)
Brother (monastic title), abbr. Bro.
brother/ abbr. b. or bro., pl. -s, brethren, abbr. bros.; ---german,
having same parents; -- -in-law, pl. brothers-in-law;
---uterine, having same mother only (hyphens)
brougham one-horse or electric closed carriage (not cap.)
brouhaha (Fr. m.), a commotion
Brown (Ford Madox)
1821-93, English painter; -- (John), 1800-59, US abolitionist;
-- (Robert), 1773-1858, Scottish botanist
Browne (Charles Farrar)
see Ward; -- (Hablot Knight), 1815-82, English artist, pseud.
Phiz, illustrated Dickens; -- (Sir Thomas), 1605-82, English
physician and author
Brownian motion
of particles (observed by Robert Brown)
Brownie junior Guide
brownie Sc. house-spirit
browse to eat, read desultorily, not -ze
BRS British Road Services
Bruckner (Anton)
1824-96, Austrian composer
Bruegel (Pieter)
c.1520-69, Flemish painter; Brueghel (Pieter, 1564-1638, and
Jan, 1568-1625), his sons, also painters; not Breu-
Bruges Belgium, in Fl. Brugge
Brummagem abbr. Brum, derog. form of Birmingham; (adj.) tawdry
Brummell (George Bryan, "Beau")
1778-1840
Brunei NW Borneo
Brunel (Marc Isambard)
1769-1849, and -- (Isambard Kingdom), 1806-59, his son, British
engineers; -- University, Uxbridge, 1966
Brunelleschi (Filippo)
1377-1446, Italian architect and sculptor
Brunhild (Norse myth.)
BrЃnnhilde
Wagnerian heroine
Brunonian noun, an alumnus of Brown University, US; adj., of the system of
medicine of Dr John Brown of Edinburgh, 1736-88
Brunswick normal Eng. for Braunschweig, Germany
Brussels cap. of Belgium, in Fl. Brussel, in Fr. Bruxelles
Brussels sprouts
(cap., no apos.)
brut (Fr.), unsweetened
brutalize not -ise
Bruxelles Fr. for Brussels
bryczka a Polish carriage (the Polish spelling; for Eng. form use
britzka)
BS Bachelor of Surgery or (US) Science; Blessed Sacrament; British
Standard
b.s. balance sheet, bill of sale
BSA Birmingham Small Arms, British School at Athens
B.Sc. Bachelor of Science; B.Sc.(Econ.), ditto in faculty of
Economics; B.Sc.(Eng.), ditto Engineering, Glas.; B.Sc.Tech.,
Bachelor of Technical Science
b.s.g.d.g.
see brevet‚
BSI British Standards Institution. A complete list of British
Standards is in BS Yearbook. Standards in fields relevant to
this dictionary are BS 1219 (Proof correction), BS 1629
(Bibliographical references), BS 1749 (Alphabetical
arrangement), BS 1991, Part I (Letter symbols, signs,
abbreviations), BS 2961 (Typeface nomenclature), BS 2979
(Transliteration of Cyrillic and Greek characters), BS 3700
(Index preparation), BS 3763 (SI units), BS 3814 (Glossary of
rotary press terms), BS 3862 (Symbols for languages,
geographical areas, and authorities), BS 4148 (Abbreviation of
periodical titles), BS 4149 (Glossary of paper and ink terms),
BS 4277 (Terms used in offset lithography), BS 4280
(Transliteration of Arabic), BS 4812 (Romanization of Japanese),
BS 5261 (Proof correction and copy preparation), BS 5775
(Quantities, units and symbols)
BSJA British Show Jumping Association
BSR British School at Rome
BST British Summer Time (before 1968 and from 1972); -- Standard
Time (1968-71) (both 1 hr. ahead of GMT)
C carbon, (elec.) coulomb, centum (a hundred), Celsius or
centigrade, (mus.) common time, the third in a series
C. Cape, Catholic, century, chairman, chief, Church, Command paper
(q.v.), congress(ional), Conservative, consul, contralto,
Council, counter-tenor, Court, Gaius
° copyright
c (as prefix), centi-
c. cent, -s, centime, century, chapter, city, colt, conductor,
constable, copeck, cubic, (cricket) caught, (meteorol.) cloudy
CA California (off. postal abbr.), Central Africa, Central America,
M. Inst. Chartered Accountants of Scotland, Chief Accountant,
chronological age, Civil Aviation, College of Arms, commercial
agent, Consumers' Association, Controller of Accounts, Court of
Appeal
C/A capital account, commercial account, credit account, current
account
cantus firm/us
(mus.), basic melody in counterpoint, pl. -i; in It. canto
fermo, pl. canti fermi
Canute accepted variant of Cnut, 995-1035, king of Norway, Denmark, and
England
canvas/ coarse linen; -ed, -es
canvass/ to solicit votes; -ed, -er, -es
canyon a gorge
caoutchouc
unvulcanized rubber
CAP Common Agricultural Policy (EEC)
Cap (Fr. geog. m.), Cape
cap. capital letter, chapter, foolscap
cap-…-pie from head to foot (accent, hyphens, not ital.)
Cap d'Ail town, d‚p. Alpes-Maritimes, France
Cape/ cap. when with name, abbr. C.; -- Breton, Nova Scotia, not
Briton, Britton, Briton, abbr. CB; -- of Good Hope, abbr. CGH;
-- Province (of S. Africa), abbr. CP
Capek (Josef)
1887-1945, and his brother -- (Karel), 1890-1938, Czech writers
Cape Town S. Africa (two words)
Cape Verde/ Islands
off W. Africa, indep. 1975; not -- Verd, -- de Verd, adj. -an
Cap Haitien
town in Haiti
capias (law), writ of arrest
Capital Gains Tax
abbr. CGT
capitalization
(see Hart's Rules, pp. 8-14, 92-6 for French, 107-8 for German,
122-4 for Russian). When in doubt use lower case. Use initial
capitals for:
Abstract qualities personified: O Fame!
Acts of Parliament and Bills (titles of).
Adjectives derived from proper names, when connection with
the name is still felt to be alive, as Christian, Homeric,
etc., but not when the connection is remote or conventional,
as roman (numerals), or when the sense is an attribute, as
chauvinistic, gargantuan, quixotic.
Aircraft (types of), as a Concorde, a Starfighter.
Archaeological eras, see Historical eras below.
Associations, as Charity Organization Society.
Bible (and books of the Bible: but see s.v.), Book of Common
Prayer, Old Testament, etc.
Botany, all divisions higher than species, that is, genera,
families, orders, classes, etc. See also botany (as main
entry).
Churches, as Baptist Church.
Compass point abbreviations, N., N. b E., NNE, NE b N., etc.
Compass points when denoting a region (the mysterious East,
unemployment in the North).
Compound titles, as Assistant Adjutant-General, Chief
Justice, Ex-President, Major-General, Vice-President.
Days, as Christmas Day, Lady Day, Monday, New Year's Day.
Deity (the), and related words, as Allah, Almighty, Christ,
Dominus, Father, God, Jehovah, Lord, the Deity, the Holy
Trinity, Yahveh; pronouns to have lower case except at
author's request, but always who, whom.
Festivals, as Easter, Whitsuntide.
Full point, cap. follows unless the point marks an
abbreviation.
Geographical names with recognized status, as Northern
Ireland (but northern England), East Africa, New England
(USA), River Plate (but the river Thames).
Geological formations, as Devonian, and eras, as Palaeozoic.
German nouns: see Hart's Rules, pp. 107-8.
Government (the).
Historical eras and events, as Dark Ages, Early Minoan,
Perpendicular, the Renaissance, First World War (but not
archaeological eras, as neolithic, palaeolithic).
House of Lords, Commons, etc.
Institutions and movements, as Christianity, Islam, Marxism;
the Crown, Parliament, the State.
MS, MSS, manuscript, -s.
Nicknames, as the Iron Duke, the Admirable Crichton.
O! and Oh! (the interjections), and O (vocative).
Palaeontology, all divisions higher than species.
Period, see Full point above.
Poetry, generally at beginning of each line in classical
English and French; not necessarily in German, Latin, or
Greek.
Political bodies and parties, as Assembly, Senate;
Conservative, Republican.
Postcodes, as BR6 8JU (even full caps., no points, lining
numerals; but when the fount has non-lining numerals, or in
a s.-cap. context (e.g. publisher's imprint), even s. caps.
may give a better effect).
Proper names, including English Christian names, surnames,
and names of an individual, family, place, locality, and the
like; also attributes used as proper names, as a Black
(Negro), a Blue (university), a Red (a communist).
Proprietary terms: Aspro, Kodak, Persil.
PS, postscript.
Question, the next word following a question mark should
generally begin with a capital letter.
Quotations, when syntactically complete: Consider this "Thou
art the man", but Do not follow "the madding crowd".
Rank, when individuals are referred to or addressed by their
rank, as "the Squire said", "Good evening, General".
Religious denominations: Nonconformist, Orthodox.
Roads, Gardens, Gates, Groves, Hills, Parks, Squares,
Streets, Terraces, etc., when with name.
Ships, as the Cutty Sark, HMS Dreadnought.
Sovereign (the), in proclamations, all personal pronouns
referring to, as Her, Him, His, etc.
Titles and Subtitles of books, films, newspapers,
periodicals, and plays, the first word and important words
only, as "I Forbid the Banns", Farmer and Stockbreeder, The
Merchant of Venice; but scientific and technical
bibliographies often capitalize first word and proper names
only. For French titles see Hart's Rules, p. 93; in Italian
titles capitalize the first word only; for Russian titles
see Hart's Rules, p. 123.
Titles of corporations, as Department of Trade.
Titles of courtesy, honour, and rank: HRH, TRH, the Prince
of Wales, the Bishop of Oxford, President Roosevelt, His
Grace, Sir John Smith, J. Smith, Esq., Mr J. Smith, etc.;
note compound titles: Assistant Adjutant-General,
Vice-President.
Titles of distinction, as FRS, LL D, are usu. put in large
caps. Even s. caps. often improve general effect.
Titles of pictures, as for books; but identificatory
descriptions given by cataloguers etc. where no artist's
title exists take initial capital only.
Titles of poems and songs, when formed from the first line,
to be capitalized as book-titles, as "I Fear no Foe", "Where
the Bee Sucks".
Trade names, see Proprietary terms above.
Vehicles (types of), as a Dormobile, a Jaguar.
Verbs derived from proper names when there is direct
reference to the name, as Americanize, Hellenize.
Zoology, all divisions higher than species, that is, genera,
families, orders, classes, etc. See also zoology (as main
entry)
capitalize
not -ise
capital letter
abbr. cap.
capitals (large)
indicated in copy by three lines underneath the letter; abbr.
cap. See also capitalization
capitals (small)
usually about two-thirds size of large caps., indicated in copy
by two lines underneath; may be used for subsidiary headings,
(with large-cap. initials) for the signatures of printed
correspondence, and for any even large-cap. matter that would
otherwise gain excessive prominence on the page. They are not
used in German, Greek, or Russian. Abbr. (typ.) s.c. (without
points as a proof-correction mark); also s. cap., pl. s. caps.
See also even s. caps.
Capitol temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill, anc. Rome; Congress
building, Washington DC, US
capitulum (bot., anat.), small head, knob
cappuccino
(It.), coffee with milk
capriccio/
(mus.), fanciful work; pl. -s, adj. -so
caps. and smalls
(typ.), set in small capitals with the initial letters in large
capitals; abbr. caps (or c) and sc
capsiz/e not -ise; noun -al
Captain abbr. Capt.
caption (typ.). descriptive matter printed above or below an
illustration; (US) heading of chapter, page, or section
Captivity (the)
of the Jews (cap. C)
caput/ (lat.), head; -- mortuum, worthless residue after distillation
Car. Carolus (Charles)
car. carat
carabineer
soldier with carbine, not carb-, -ier; but Carabiniers & Greys
carabinier/e
Italian soldier serving as policeman; pl. -i
Caracci family of painters, 1550-1619, not Carr-
Caractacus
accepted form of Caratacus, fl. AD 5O, king of Silures, anc.
Britain
caracul use karakul
carafe glass container for water or wine, not -ff, -ffe
caramba! (Sp.), wonderful!, how strange!
carat a weight, not caract, carrat, karat; abbr. K. or car.
caratch use kharaj
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da)
1569-1609, Italian painter
caravanserai
inn with courtyard used as halting-place for caravans, not
-sary, -sery, -sera. See also khan
caravel Spanish ship
caraway plant with aromatic fruits ("seeds"), not carra-
carbineer use carabineer
carbohydrate
(one word)
carbon symbol C
carbon copy
abbr. c.c.
carbon dating
(two words)
carbonize not -ise
carbon paper
(two words)
carburett/ed, -or
not -t-, -er
carcass/ not -ase; pl. -es
Carcassonne
d‚p. Aude, France
carcinom/a
a cancer; pl. -ata
card. cardinal
cardamom aromatic capsules of ginger plants, not -mon, - mum
card-game (hyphen)
Cardigan Dyfed. See also Ceredigion
card-index
(noun & verb)
Carducci (Giosu‚)
1835-1907, Italian poet
carefree (one word)
car€me (Fr. m.), Lent
care of abbr. c/o
caret insertion mark ^
caretaker (one word)
Carew (Richard)
1555-1620, English poet; -- (Thomas), 1595-?1639, English poet
and courtier
car/ex sedge; pl. -ices
Carey (Henry)
?1690-1743, English poet and composer; -- (Henry Charles),
1793-1879, US economist, son of next: -- (Mathew, one t),
1760-1839, US publicist; -- Street, London, syn. with the
Bankruptcy Court. See also Cary
cargo/ pl. -es
Caribbean Sea
W. Indies, not Carr-
Cariboo Mountains
BC, Canada
caribou N. American reindeer, pl. same (not -boo)
Caribou Highway
BC, Canada
Caribou Mountain
Idaho, US
carillon (chime of) bells
Carington see Carrington
Carinthia Austria, in Ger. K„rnten
cariole use carr-
Carisbrooke
IW
carit… (It. art), representation of maternal love
Carleton (William)
1794-1869, Irish novelist
Carlile/ (Richard)
1790-1843, English reformer and politician; -- (Revd Preb.
William), 1847-1942, founder of Church Army. See also Carlisle,
Carlyle
Carliol: sig. of Bp. of Carlisle (colon)
Carlisle Cumbria; -- (Earl of). See also Carlile, Carlyle
Carlist supporter of Spanish pretender Don Carlos (1788-1855)
Carlovingian
use Carolingian
Carlsbad Czechoslovakia, not K-; in Czech Karlovy Vary
Carls/krona
Sweden, -ruhe, W. Germany, use K-
Carlton Club
London
Carlyle (Thomas)
1795-1881, Scottish writer. See also Carlile, Carlisle
Carlylean not -eian, -ian
Carmagnola
Piedmont, Italy
"Carmagnole (La)"
French revolutionary song and dance
Carmarthen
Dyfed, not Caer-
Carnarvon Gwynedd, use Caernarfon, but -- (Earl of)
Carnatic Madras, India, not K-
Carnaval/ suite of piano pieces by Schumann, 1834-5; -- des animaux (le),
suite for small orchestra by Saint-Saens, 1886; -- romain (le),
overture by Berlioz, 1844. See also Carnival
"Carnaval de Venise, (le)"
(mus.), popular type of air and variations, early nineteenth
century
Carnegie (Andrew)
1835-1919, Scottish-born US millionaire and philanthropist
carnelian use cor-
carnival in Fr. m. carnaval, in Ger. n. Carneval
Carnival overture by Dvorak, 1891. See also Carnaval
Carnoustie
Tayside
carol/ -led, -ler, -ling
Carolean of the time of Charles I or II, not -ine
Carolingian
of the Frankish dynasty of Charlemagne, not Carlovingian, Karl-
Carolus Lat. for Charles; abbr. Car.
carous/e drink heavily; -al
carousel tournament, rotating conveyor system. See Carrousel
car-park (hyphen)
Carpathian Mts.
E. Europe, not K-
carpe diem
(Lat.) enjoy the day
carpet/, -ed, -ing
carport (one word)
carp/us the wrist; pl. -i
Carracci use Caracci
carrageen Irish moss; not moss, -gheen; from Carragheen, near Waterford
Carrantuohill
Kerry, highest mt. in Ireland
Carrara N. Italy, source of marble
carrat use carat
carraway use cara-
Carribbean
use Cari-
Carrigtohill
Cork (one word)
Carrington (Baron)
family name Carington (one r)
carriole a carriage, not cariole
Carroll (Lewis)
(Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), 1832-98, English author
Carrousel (place du)
Paris, from Fr. carrousel (m.), a tilting-match
Carrutherstown
Dumfries & Galloway (one word)
carry-cot (hyphen)
carsick (one word)
Carte (Richard D'Oyly)
1844-1901, see D'Oyly Carte
carte (fencing), use quart
carte blanche
(Fr. f.), full discretion (ital.)
carte-de-visite
(not ital.)
Carter, Paterson & Co.
former carriers, London
Cartesian see Descartes
cart-horse
(hyphen)
cartouche (archit.), scroll ornament, (archaeol.) ring enclosing
hieroglyphic royal name, not -ch
cartridge paper
a firm, strong paper
cart/-wheel, -wright
(hyphens)
carvel-built
(naut.), with smooth planking
Cary (Henry Francis)
1772-1844, English translator of Dante; -- (Arthur Joyce Lunel),
1888-1957, English novelist; -- (Lucius), Lord Falkland,
1610-43; -- (Alice), 1820-71, -- (Phoebe), 1824-71, US sisters,
poets. See also Carey
caryatid/ female figure as a column; pl. -s
CAS Chief of the Air Staff
Casabianca (Louis de)
?1755-98, French seaman
Casablanca
Morocco
Casa Grande
prehistoric ruin in Arizona, US
"Casa Guidi Windows"
by Mrs Browning, 1851
Casals (Pablo)
1876-1973, Catalan cellist
Casanova de Seingalt (Giovanni Giacomo)
1725-1803, Italian adventurer
Casas Grandes
Mexican village with famous ruins
Casaubon (Isaac)
1559-1614, French scholar and theologian; -- (M‚ric), 1599-1671,
his son, clergyman; -- (Mr), in G. Eliot's Middlemarch
casava use cassava
casbah use k-
case (bind.), bookbinding consisting of two boards joined by a
flexible spine, and usually covered with cloth etc.; upper --
(typ.), capitals; lower --, small letters
casein milk protein, not -ine
cases (law), abbr. ca.
casework (one word)
cashew trop. American tree with edible nuts
Cashmer/, -e
use Kashmir
cashmere soft wool fabric, not -meer, cachemere, -ire. See also
kerseymere
Casimir-Perier (Jean Pierre Paul)
1847-1907, French Pres. 1894-5 (no accent)
casine use casein
casino/ pl. -s (not ital.)
Caslon (William)
1693-1766, typefounder; cutter of Caslon type
cassata It. ice-cream (not ital.)
Cassation (Cour de)
highest court of appeal in France
cast off (typ.), to estimate amount of printed matter copy would make
castor a beaver (hence castor oil) or its fur; a small wheel for
furniture; a small pot with perforated lid (hence castor sugar).
See also caster
Castor and Pollux
stars, also patrons of sailors
castrat/o (mus.), castrated male soprano; pl. -i
casual incidental, not regular. See also causal
casus/ belli
(lat.), the cause of war; -- foederis, case stipulated by
treaty; -- omissus, case unprovided for by statute
CAT College of Advanced Technology, computer-assisted typesetting
Cat. Catalan, Catullus
cat. catalogue, catechism
cataclasm violent disruption
cataclysm/
deluge, violent event; -al, -ic, -ist, not -atist
Catalan of Catalonia; abbr. Cat.
Cataline use Catiline
catalogu/e
abbr. cat.; -ed, -er, -ing
catalogue raisonn‚
(Fr. m.), an explanatory catalogue
Catalonia in Sp. Catalu¤a
catal/yst a substance facilitating chem. change; -yse, not -ize; -ysis;
-ytic
catamaran a raft; also two-hulled boat
catarrh inflammation of mucous membrane
catarrhine
narrow-nosed (of monkeys), not -arhine
Catch (Jack)
use Ke-
catch/-all, -as-catch-can
(hyphens)
catchline (typ.), a line containing catchword(s), signature letter, etc.
catch-phrase
(hyphen)
catchpole a sheriff's officer, not -poll
catch-22 inescapable dilemma, after novel by Joseph Heller, 1961
catchword (typ.), the first word of next page printed at bottom of
preceding page; word(s) printed at head of dictionary page as
guide to its contents
Cѓteau Cambr‚sis (Peace of)
1559
catechism teaching by question and answer; abbr. cat.
catechiz/e, -er, -ing
not -is-
catechumen
convert under instruction before baptism
categorize
to classify, not -ise
caten/a a chain; pl. -ae
cater-cousin
a good friend, not qua-
caters (campan., pl.), changes on nine bells
Cath. Catherine, Catholic
cath. cathedral
Catharine Kans., NY, Pa., US
cathars/is
purging; pl. -es
Cathay poetical for China, not K-
cathedral cap. when with name, as Ely Cathedral; abbr. cath.
Catherine abbr. Cath.; St --, hence -- pear and -- wheel; -- I and II,
empresses of Russia; -- of Aragon, Howard, -- Parr, first,
fifth, and sixth wives of Henry VIII of England; -- de Medici,
1519-89, Queen of France
cathisma use ka-
cathod/e negative electrode; --e ray tube, abbr. CRT; -ic, -ograph; not
k-
Catholic abbr. C. or Cath.
catholic/ism, -ize
not -ise
Catiline (Catilina, Lucius Sergius)
108-62 BC, Roman conspirator, not Cata-
cation (elec.), ion carrying positive charge of electricity, not k-
cat-o'-nine-tails
(hyphens)
cat's/-cradle
a children's game; -eye, precious stone, (C-, propr. term) stud
in road
Catskill Mountains
New York, US
cats-paw person used as tool, (naut.) a light air, not catspaw
catsuit (one word)
Cattegat use Dan. Kattegat (Swed. Kattegatt)
Cattleya an orchid genus
Catullus (Gaius Valerius)
?84-?54 BC, Roman poet, abbr. Cat.
Cauchy (Augustin Louis)
1789-1857, French mathematician
caucus political meeting
Caudillo Spanish "leader", title assumed by Gen. Franco after Spanish
Civil War
caught (cricket), abbr. c.
cauldron not cal-
caulk to make watertight, not calk
caus. causa/tion, -tive
causal having to do with a cause. See also casual
causa/tion, -tive
abbr. caus.
cause c‚lЉbre
(Fr. f.), famous law case, pl. -es -es
causerie (Fr.f.), chat, usu. as informal essay
cauterize not -ise
Cavafy (Constantine)
1863-1933, Greek poet, not K-, -is
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Rustic Gallantry), opera by Mascagni, 1890
cavass use k-
caveat a formal warning (not ital.)
caveat/ actor
(Lat.), let the doer beware; -- emptor, ditto buyer; -- viator,
ditto traveller
cave canem
(Lat.), beware of the dog
caviare pickled sturgeon-roe, not -iar, -ier
cavil/ to make trifling objections, -led, -ler, -ling
Cavour (Count Camillo)
1850-61, Italian statesman
Cawnpore usual form in English history of the now correct Kanpur
CC 200, Caius College, Central Committee, Chamber of Commerce,
Chess Club, Circuit Court, City Council, -lor, Civil Court,
Common Councilman, Companion of the Order of Canada, Consular
Corps, Countryside Commission, County Clerk, -- Commissioner, --
Council, -lor, -court, Cricket Club, Cycling Club
cc (no points), cubic centimetre (in engines, etc.)
cc. capita (chapters)
c.c. carbon copy
CCC 300, Corpus Christi College, Oxf. and Camb.
CCCC 400
CCF Combined Cadet Force
C.Chem. chartered chemist
CCP Code of Civil Procedure, Court of Common Pleas, credit card
purchase
centering framing for an arch, not -reing. See also centre
centi prefix meaning one-hundredth, abbr. c
centigrade
(not cap.); abbr. C
centigram not -gramme; abbr. cg (no point in scientific and technical
work)
centilitre
abbr. cl (no point in scientific and technical work)
centime/ one-hundredth of French franc; pl. -s; abbr. c. or cts.
centimetre
0.394 inch, not -er; abbr. sing. and pl. cm. (but no point in
scientific and technical work)
Cento Central Treaty Organization
cent/o writing composed of scraps from various authors; pl. -os
Central region of Scotland
central abbr. cent.
centralize
not -ise
Central Provinces
(India), now Madhya Pradesh
centr/e, -ed, -ing;
(typ.), set matter in middle of line, measure, etc. See also
centering
centre-notes
(typ.), those between columns
cents abbr. c., or cts.
centum a hundred; abbr. C (no point). See also per cent
centumvir/
Roman commissioner; pl. -i
centurion commander of company in Roman army, not -ian
century (typ.), spell out in bookwork; abbr. C. or cent.
cephalic of the head, not k-
Cephalonia
Gr. island, anc. name Cephallenia
ceramic etc., not k-; abbr. ceram.
Cerberus (Gr. myth.), three-headed dog at gate of Hades
cerebell/um
the hinder brain; pl. -a; adj. -ar
cerebro/-spinal, -vascular
(hyphens)
cerebr/um the brain proper; pl. -a; adj. -al
cere/cloths, -ments
grave-clothes, orig. dipped in wax, not sere-
Ceredigion
district of Wales, formerly Cardiganshire
cerge use cie-
ceriph (typ.), use serif
cerise (Fr. f.), cherry
cerise a colour
cerium symbol Ce
CERN Conseil Europ‚en (now Organisation Europ‚enne) de Recherches
Nucl‚aires, European Council for Nuclear Research
cert colloq. abbr. of certainty (no point)
cert. certificate, certify
Cert. Ed. Certificate in Education
certiorari
a writ removing a case to a higher court
cerulean blue, not cae-, coe-
Cervantes Saavedra (Miguel de)
1547-1616, author of Don Quixote
cervi/x (anat.), pl. -ces, adj. -cal
Cesarean use Cae-
cesarevitch
Tsar's eldest son, use tsarevich
Cesarewitch
horse-race
cesser (law), the coming to an end
c'est/-…-dire
(Fr.), that is to say; -- la guerre, it is according to the
customs of war; -- le premier pas qui co–te, it is the first
step that is difficult
Cestr: sig. of Bp. of Chester (colon)
Cestrian of Chester
cestui que/ trust
(law), a beneficiary, pl. cestuis -- -- (not trustent); -- --
vie, he on whose life land is held, pl. cestuis -- --
cesura use cae-
CET Central European Time
cetera/ desiderantur or -- desunt
(Lat.), the rest are missing
ceteris paribus
(Lat.), other things being equal; abbr. cet. par.
Cetinje Yugoslavia, formerly cap. of Montenegro, not Cett-, Zet-, -inge
Ceylon republic within Commonwealth, 1972, officially Sri Lanka
(Ceylon); adj. Ceylonese. See also Sinhalese
chameleon lizard of changeable colour, not chamae-
chamfer to bevel
chamois-leather
not shammy-
chamomile use cam-
Chamonix d‚p. Haute-Savoie, France, not -ouni, -ounix, -oisny
champagne a sparkling wine
champaign flat open country
champerty (law), an illegal agreement, not -arty
champignon
(Fr. m.), a mushroom, not -pinion
Champlain (Lake)
between NY and Vt., US
Champlain (Samuel de)
c.1570-1635, French founder of Quebec, Can.
champlev‚ a kind of enamel
Champollion (Jean Fran‡ois)
1790-1832, French Egyptologist
Champs Elys‚es
Paris
chancellery
not -ory
chancellor
(cap. as title), abbr. chanc.
chance-medley
(law), a form of homicide (hyphen)
Chancery abbr. Chanc.
chancre venereal ulcer
chandelier
branched hanging support for lights
Chandler's Ford
Hants
Chanel (Gabrielle)
1883-1971, French perfumer
change/able, -ability change-over
(noun, hyphen)
channel/, -led, -ling
Channel Islands
not -- Isles; abbr. CI
chanson/ (Fr. f.), a song; -nette (f.), a little song; -nier (m.), singer
or song-writer in cabaret
chant/ singing; -er, of bagpipe, not chau-
Chantilly d‚p. Oise, France
Chantrey/ (Sir Francis Legatt)
1781-1841, sculptor; -- Fund, Royal Academy of Arts, London
chantry endowed chapel
chanty use shanty
chap. chapel, chaplain, chapter
chaparejos
(pl.), cowboy's leather riding-breeches, not -ajos
chapeau/ (Fr. m.), a hat, pl. -x; -x bas! hats off!; ---bras,
three-cornered hat carried under arm
chapel abbr. chap.; (typ.), smallest organized union group in printing
works, in journal and in some bookwork editorial offices; father
of --, its chief officer
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Derby. (hyphens) chapelle ardente (Fr. f.), a chapel lighted for
a lying-in-state (no hyphen)
Chapel Royal
pl. Chapels --
chaperon not -one, -onne
Chap.-Gen.
Chaplain-General
chaplain abbr. chap.
Chapman (Geoffrey)
publisher
Chapman & Hall Ltd.
publishers
Chappell (William)
1809-88, music publisher
chapter/, -s
abbr. c., cap., ch., or chap.
chapter-headings
(typ.), choice of type is a matter of taste; no general rule can
be stated
char/, -red, -ring
char small trout, not -rr
charabanc/
a motor coach,; pl. -s, not char-…-banc
characteriz/e
not -ise; -able, -ation, -er
charg‚ more fully charg‚ d'affaires; pl. charg‚s (not ital.)
charisma/ spiritual power of person or office; adj. -tic
charivari a mock serenade; London Charivari (The), former subtitle of
Punch
Charlemagne
742-814, king of the Franks from 768
Charles abbr. C. or Chas.
Charles's Wain
(astr.), Ursa Major
Charleston
Ill., SC (source of the dance), W. Va., US
Charlestown
Mass., US
Charlottenburg
Berlin
charlotte russe
(cook.), custard or cream enclosed in sponge-cake (not ital.)
Charollais
breed of cattle, not -olais
Charon (class. myth.), the ferryman of the Styx
charpoy Indian bedstead
charr use char
charter flight
(two words)
charter-member
(hyphen)
charter-party
written evidence of agreement, esp. naut. (hyphen)
Charters Towers
Queensland, Australia (no apos.)
chart paper
machine-made from best rags, suitable for lithographic
map-printing
chartreuse
a liqueur first made at Carthusian monastery near Grenoble
Chartreux a Carthusian monk
Charybdis personified whirlpool in Str. of Messina. See also Scylla
Chas. Charles
chase (typ.), metal frame holding composed type
Chasid/, -ic
use H-
Chasles (Michel)
1793-1880, French mathematician; -- (PhilarЉte), 1798-1873,
French lit. critic
chass‚ (Fr. m.), dance step; -- crois‚, double chass‚
chassis window sash, a framework as of motor car, pl. same (not ital.)
chastis/e not -ize; -ement, -ing
chѓteau/ (Fr. m.), a castle; pl. -x (not ital.)
Chateaubriand (Fran‡ois Ren‚ vicomte de)
1768-1848, French writer and statesman (no accent)
Chѓteaubriand
(Fr. cook.), fillet of beef, cut thick and grilled
Chaucer/ (Geoffrey)
?1345-1400, English poet; adj. -ian
chauffeu/r
driver of motor car, fem. -se
chaunt/, -er
use chant
chauss‚e (Fr. f.), a causeway, the ground level chaussures (Fr. f. pl.),
boots shoes, etc.
Chautauqua
New York State, celebrated resort
chauvin/ism, -ist
(not cap.)
Ch.B. Chirurgiae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Surgery)
Ch.Ch. Christ Church, Oxford
Chebyshev (Pafnuti Lvovich)
1821-94, Russian mathematician, not Tch-
check to stop. See also cheque
check/-in, -list, -out, -up
(nouns, hyphens)
Cheddar cheese
not -er
Cheeryble Brothers
in Dickens's Nicholas Nickleby
cheese/board, -cake, -cloth
(one word)
cheesy not -ey
cheetah hunting leopard, not chet-
chef (Fr. m.), a cook; chef/ de cuisine, head cook; -- d'orchestre,
leader of the orchestra; -- d'oeuvre, a masterpiece, pl.
chefs---
cheir- use chir-
Cheka USSR "Extraordinary Commission (against counter-revolution)",
1917-22. See also OGPU
Chekhov (Anton Pavlovich)
1861-1904, Russian playwright and story-writer, not the many
variants
CHEL Cambridge History of English Literature
Chelmsford:
sig. of Bp. of Chelmsford (colon)
chem/ical, -ist
not chy-; abbr. chem.
chemico-physical
(hyphen)
chemin de fer
(Fr. m.), railway; a form of baccarat
chemistry (typ.), caps. for initial letters of symbols, no point at end.
Names of chemical compounds to be in roman, not caps. Some
prefixes are ital. or s. caps.; abbr. chem. See also elements
(chemical)
Chemnitz E. Germany, now Karl Marx Stadt
cheque a written order (US check)
chequer (noun) pattern of squares; (verb) to variegate, interrupt (not
-ck-) Chequers, Prime Minister's official country house in
Bucks.
Cherbourg d‚p. Manche, France
cherchez la femme
(Fr.), look for the woman
chЉre amie
(Fr. f.), a sweetheart
Cherenkov (Pavel Alekseevich)
b. 1904, Russian physicist, discoverer of radiation
ch‚r/i (Fr.), fem. -ie, darling (‚)
chernozem Russian black soil
Cherokee N. American Indian
chersonese
name applied to various peninsulas; cap. when used as name (esp.
of Thracian peninsula W. of Hellespont)
cherub/ an angelic being; pl. -s; Heb. pl. -im
Cherubini (Maria Luigi)
1760-1842, Italian composer
Cherwell Oxford river
che sar… sar…
(It.), what will be, will be
Cheshire abbr. Ches.
Chesil Beach
Dorset
chessboard
(one word)
chess-man (hyphen)
Chester formal name for Cheshire, now only hist. esp. in "County
palatine of Chester"
Chester-le-Street
Co. Durham (hyphens)
chestnut not chesnut
chetah use chee-
Chetniks guerrilla forces raised in Yugoslavia during Second World War by
Gen. Mihailovich
cheval/ (Fr. m.), a horse, pl. chevaux; -- de frise (mil.), obstacle to
cavalry advance, usually in the pl. chevaux de frise
cheval-glass
tall mirror on frame
Chevalier/ (Albert)
1861-1923, English music-hall artiste; -- (Maurice), 1888-1972,
French entertainer chevalier d'industrie (Fr. m.), a swindler
Chevallier (Gabriel)
1895-1969, French novelist
cheville violin peg, stopgap word in sentence or verse
chevrotain
deerlike animal, not -tin
chevy use chivvy
Chevy Chase (Ballad of)
Cheyenne Wyoming, US; also an Indian tribe
Cheyne Walk
Chelsea
chez (Fr.), at the house of
chi/ Gr. letter; ---square, method of comparing statistical
experiment with theory
Chi. Chicago
Chiang Kai-shek
1887-1975, Nationalist Chinese statesman
Chianti Italian wine
chiaroscuro/
light and shade, pl. -s
chibouk a Turkish pipe, not chibouque
chic (noun and adj.), stylish(ness) (not ital.)
Chicago Ill., abbr. Chi.
chiccory use chicory
Chichele Oxford professorships
Chichen Itz
Mexico, site of antiquities
Chickahominy
(battles of the), in SE Virginia, American Civil War
Chickamauga
(battles of), 1863, N. Georgia
chicken-pox
(hyphen)
chicory not chiccory
chief abbr. C. or ch.; Chief/ Accountant, CA; -- Baron, CB; -- Justice
(caps., no hyphen), abbr. CJ; -- of General Staff, abbr. CGS
chield (Sc.), a young man, not chiel
chiffon dress fabric or ornaments
chiffonier
a sideboard, not -nnier (not ital.)
chiffre (Fr. m.), figure, numeral, monogram
chignon a coil of hair
chigoe W. Indian parasite, not jigger
child/bed, -birth
(one word)
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
by Byron, 1811-17
Childermas
28 Dec.
childlike (one word)
child/-minder, -proof
(hyphens)
Chile S. America, not Chili; adj.
Chilean
Chilianwala
Pakistan, not Chilianwallah, Killianwala
chilli/ red, or Guinea, pepper, not chile, chili, chilly; pl. -es
chimaera use chimera
Chimborazo
Ecuador
chimera a creation of the imagination, (biol.) an organism with two
cells of two or more genetically distinct types, not -aera
chimere bishop's upper robe, not -er
chincapin dwarf chestnut, not -kapin, -quapin
Chindits British glider-borne troops in Burma in Second World War
chin‚ (Fr.), variegated (of stuffs)
Chinese/ abbr. Ch. or Chin.; (typ.) printed in characters numbering
several thousand, which are phonetically transcribed into the
Latin alphabet according to various systems, notably (1) Pinyin,
e.g. Hua Guofeng, Tianjin, sometimes with accents indicating
tone of spoken syllables, (2) Wade-Giles, e.g. Hua Kuo-Feng,
Tientsin, sometimes with superior figures indicating tone; --
Classics, the sacred books of Confucianism
chinoiserie
Chinese decorative objects
chipmunk a N. American ground-squirrel, not -uck
Chipping Campden
Glos.
chi-rho monogram of XP, first letters of Greek "Christos"
chiromancy
palmistry, not cheir-
Chiron the centaur, not Cheir-
chiropodist
one who treats hands and feet, not cheir-, -pedist
chiropract/ic
(sing.), removal of nerve interference by manipulation of spinal
column; -or, one who does this
Chiroptera
the bat order
chirosophy
palmistry, not cheir-
chirrup/, -ed, -ing
chirurgiae
(Lat.), of surgery; abbr. Ch.
chisel/, -led, -ling
chit, chitty
(Anglo-Ind.), a letter
Chittagong
Bangladesh
chivvy to harass, not che-, chivy
chlorine symbol Cl
chlorodyne
medicine containing chloroform, not -ine
chlorophyll
(bot.), green colouring matter of plants, not -il, -yl
Ch.M. Chirurgiae Magister (Master of Surgery)
chm. chairman (m. and f.)
choc. chocolate
chock/-a-block, -full
(hyphens)
Choctaw tribe of N. American Indians
choir part of a church, or singers, not quire
cholera morbus
acute gastro-enteritis
cholesterol
fatty alcohol found in parts of the body, not -in
cl centilitre, -s (no point in scientific and technical work)
cl. class, clause, cloth
Clackmannan
district and former county of Scotland (three ns)
Clairaut (Alexis Claude)
1713-65, French mathematician, not -ault
claire-cole
use clearcole
clairvoyant/
fem. -e (not ital.)
clam/ to clog, smear; -miness, -my
clamjamphrie
(Sc.), rubbish, also a mob, not the many variants
clam/our but -orous
clampdown (noun, hyphen)
clang/our but -orous
ClaparЉde (Jean Louis Ren‚ Antoine ђdouard)
1832-70, Swiss naturalist
claptrap empty words (one word)
claque/ hired applauders; -ur, member of claque (not ital.)
clar. (mus.) clarinet; (typ.) clarendon
clarabella
(mus.), an organ stop, not clari-
Clarenceux
the second King-of-Arms, not -cieux
clarendon (typ.), a thickened modern type, not a generic term for
bold-face type (q.v.); abbr. clar.
Clarendon/ Press
named after -- Building, a former printing house of the
University Press at Oxford; hence still the imprint on certain
learned books of the OUP
claret red wine of Bordeaux
clarinet/, -tist
not -ionet; abbr. clar.
Clarissa Harlowe
by Richardson, 1748
class abbr. cl.
class. classic, -al, classification
classes (bot., zool.), (typ.) to be in roman with capital initials
clause so-and-so (typ.), to have lower-case c; abbr cl., pl. cll.
Clausewitz (Karl von)
1780-1831, Prussian mil. writer
clayey of the substance of clay
CLB Church Lads' Brigade
cld. called, cancelled, cleared (goods or shipping), coloured
clean (typ.), said of proofs or revises with few errors, or pulled
after matter has been corrected
clean disc
see disc
clearcole (noun and verb), (to paint with) a coating of size, not claire-
clear days
time to be reckoned exclusive of the first and last
cleared (goods or shipping), abbr. cld.
clear/-eyed, -headed, -sighted
(hyphens)
clearing bank
(two words)
clearing-house
abbr. CH
clearstory
use clere-
clearway (one word)
cleistogam/ic, -ous
(bot.), permanently closed and self-fertilizing, not k-
Clemenceau (Georges EugЉne Benjamin)
1841-1929, French politician, not Cl‚-
Clemens (Samuel Langhorne)
1835-1910 ("Mark Twain"), US writer
clench to secure (a nail or rivet), to grasp firmly; the action or
result of these. See also clinch
clepsydra/
an ancient water-clock, not k-; pl. -s
cleptomania
use k-
clerestory
(archit.), upper part of wall with row of windows, not clear-
clerk abbr. clk.
Clerke (Agnes Mary)
1842-1907, English astronomer
Clerk-Maxwell (James)
1831-79, see Maxwell (James Clerk)
Clerk/ of Parliaments
(caps.); -- of the Peace, abbr. CP; -- of the Privy Council,
abbr. CPC
Clermont Ferrand
d‚p. Puy-de-D“me, France (hyphen)
Cleveland county of England
clevis/ U-shaped iron at end of beam for attaching tackle, pl. -es
clew ball of thread; (naut., verb or noun) (to draw up) lower corner
of sail. See also clue
cl. gt. (bookbinding) cloth gilt
clich‚ (typ.), European term for a block or stereotype; a hackneyed
phrase
clicker (typ.), former title of foreman of a companionship (q.v.)
Clicquot (Veuve)
a brand of champagne
clientele clients collectively (no accent, not ital.)
climacteric
(noun or adj.), (pertaining to) a critical period; grand --, the
age of 63
climactic pertaining to a climax
climatic pertaining to climate
clinch to make fast a rope in a special way, to embrace, to settle
conclusively; the action or result of these. See also clench
Clinker (Humphry not -ey)
by Smollett, 1771
clinometer
instrument for measuring slopes, not k-
Clio (Gr.), muse of history
cliometrics
(pl. used as sing.), statistical method of historical research
cliqu/e, -ish, -ism, -y
not -eish, -eism, -ey (not ital.)
clish-ma-claver
(Sc.), gossip (hyphens)
Clitheroe Lancs.
clitor/is (anat.), female organ; adj. -al
clk. clerk
cll. clauses
Cllr. Councillor
Cloaca Maxima
sewer of anc. Rome (caps.)
cloche (hort.), bell-glass or glass cover for plants; woman's
close-fitting hat (not ital.)
clock-face
(hyphen)
cloff an allowance on commodities, not clough
cloisonn‚ (Fr.), a kind of enamel
close (typ.), the second member of any pair of punctuation marks, as
"]); pron. kloze
close up (typ.), to push together, to remove spacing-out leads; close
matter, unleaded, or thinly spaced
close-up (noun)
closure a stopping, esp. of debate in Parliament; in Fr. f. cl“ture
Clos Vougeot
a burgundy
clot-bur (bot.), burdock, not clote-, cloth-
clote (bot.), burdock and similar burry plants, not ---bur
cloth/ abbr. cl.; -- of Bruges, gold brocade
Clotho (Gr. myth.), the Fate that draws the thread of life
cl“ture (Fr. f.), closure
clou (Fr. m.), point of chief interest
Cloud-cuckoo-land
(hyphens, one cap.)
cloudy (meteor.), abbr. c.
clough a ravine
clove hitch
a knot (two words)
clubbable sociable
club-foot congenital disorder (hyphen)
clubhouse (one word)
clue information to be followed up. See also clew
Cluniac (monk or nun) of branch of Benedictine order stemming from
Cluny, France
CO Colorado (off postal abbr.), Commanding Officer, conscientious
objector, criminal offence, Crown Office
Co cobalt (no point)
Co. Colon, Company, County
c/o care of
coad. coadjutor
coaetaneous
use coe-
coagul/um a clot; pl. -a
Coalbrookdale
Shropshire
coal/-dust, -face
(hyphens)
coal/field, -man
(one word)
coal-mine (hyphen)
coalmouse (ornith.), the coal titmouse, not cole-
coal-pit (hyphen)
Coalville Leics.
coastguard
one man or the body of men (one word), abbr. CG
coat of arms
(three words)
co-author noun and verb (hyphen)
coaxial (one word)
cobalt symbol Co
Cobbe (Frances Power)
1822-1904, British social writer
coble boat, not cobble
Coblen/ce, -z
W. Germany, use Koblenz
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language), a computer-programming
language; caps. or even s. caps.
cobra de capello
Indian snake, not da, di
Coburg Iowa, US; Saxe---, Germany, not -ourg, -urgh
coca S. Amer. shrub, source of cocaine
Coca-Cola abbr. Coke, carbonated soft drink from cola nut and cacao
(propr. terms)
Cocagne use Cockaigne
cocaine not -ain; pop. abbr. coke
cocco (bot.), Jamaica plant tuber, not cocoa, coco
coccy/x (anat.), end of spinal column; pl. -ges
Cochin-China
formerly part of Fr. Indo-China, now of Vietnam (hyphen)
cochle/a the ear cavity; pl. -ae
cochon de lait
(Fr. m.), sucking pig
Cockaigne London, not Cocagne, Cockayne
cock-a-leekie
(Sc.), soup, not cockie-leekie, cocky-leeky
cockatiel small crested Australian parrot, not -teel
cockatoo/ large crested Australian parrot; pl. -s
cockatrice
fabulous serpent
Cockcroft (Sir John Douglas)
1897-1967, British nuclear scientist
Cocker (Edward)
1631-75, reputed author of Arithmetic; "according to Cocker",
accurate
cockney native of E. London (not cap.)
cockscomb a plant. See also coxcomb
cockswain use coxswain
Cocles (Horatius)
who kept the Sublician Bridge
coco trop. palm-tree bearing coconut. See also cacao, cocco
coconut not cokernut
Cocos Islands (Keeling Islands)
Bay of Bengal
cocotte small dish, (arch.) a prostitute
Cocytus a river in Hades
COD cash, or collect, on delivery
COD Concise Oxford Dictionary
cod. codex
Code Napol‚on
(Fr. m.), civil code promulgated 1804-11
cod/ex ancient MS, abbr. cod.; pl. -ices, abbr. codd.
codfish (one word)
codling small cod, elongated apple
cod-liver oil
(one hyphen)
Cody (William Frederick)
1846-1917, "Buffalo Bill", US showman
coed coeducational, girl at coeducational school (no point)
coeducation/, -al
(one word)
coefficient
(one word)
Coelebs in Search of a Wife
by Hannah More, 1709
Coelenterata
a zool. phylum (not ital.)
coeliac abdominal, not ce-
coenobite member of monastic community, not cen-
coequal (one word)
coerulean use ce-
coetaneous
of the same age, not coae-
coeternal (one word)
Coeur de Lion
Richard I of England, or Louis VIII of France (no hyphens)
coeval of the same age (one word)
coexist/, -ence
(one word)
coextensive
(one word)
C. of E. Church of England
coffee bar
(two words)
coffee/-bean, -cup, -house, -pot
(hyphens)
coffer-dam
a watertight enclosure
cogito, ergo sum
(Lat.), I think, and therefore I exist (motto of Descartes)
cognate abbr. cog.
cogniz/e to become conscious of, not -ise; -able, -ance, -ant
cognoscent/e
(It.), a connoisseur; pl. -i, not con-
cognovit (actionem)
(law), an acknowledgement that the action is just
coheir/, -ess
(one word)
COHSE Confederation of Health Service Employees
COI Central Office of Information
COID Council of Industrial Design, now Design Council
coiff/eur (Fr. m.), -euse (f.), hairdresser; -ure (f.), head-dress,
hair-style
Coire Grisons, Switzerland; use Chur
coits use quoits
coke pop. abbr. for cocaine
Coke abbr. for Coca Cola (propr. term)
Coke (Sir Edward)
1552-1634, Lord Chief Justice of England
cokernut use coconut
Col. Colonel, Colossians
col. colonial, column
cola W. Afr. tree and its seed, not k-
colander a strainer, not colla-, culle-
colcannon an Irish dish, not cale-, cole-
cold composition
(typ.) see hand-setting; (comp.) see strike-on
Cold Harbor
Va., US, scene of three Civil War battles
Coldharbour
Dorset, Glos., Surrey
Cold Harbour
Lincs., Oxon.
cold/metal, -- type
(typ.) sorts cast up for hand composition or correction; (comp.)
see strike-on
Coldstream/
Borders, a town; -- Guards, not The Coldstreams, abbr. CG
cold war (the)
(not caps.)
colemouse use coalmouse
Coleoptera
(Zool.), the beetles
cole-pixy use colt-pixie
Colerain NC, US
Coleraine Co. Londonderry
Coleridge (Hartley)
1796-1849, English minor poet and critic, son of next; --
(Samuel Taylor), 1772-1834, English poet and critic; -- (Sara,
not -ah), 1802-52, English writer
Coleridge-Taylor (Samuel)
1875-1912, English composer
coleslaw salad of chopped cabbage (one word)
Colette pen-name of Sidonie Gabrielle Claudine Colette, 1873-1954,
French writer
colic/, -ky
Coligny (Gaspard de)
1519-72, French Huguenot leader
Coliseum London theatre. See also Coloss-
coll. colleague, collect/ed, -ion, -or, college
collage art composition with components pasted on to a surface
collander use colander
colla/ parte or -- voce
(mus.), adapt to principal part or voice; abbr. col. p., or col.
vo.
collapsible
not -able
coll' arco
(mus.), with the bow
collar of SS
see SS (collar of)
collat. collateral, -ly
collat/e (bind.) to check sequence of gathered sections; (typ.) to put
the sheets of a book in right sequence; (bibliog.) to compare
minutely two copies of same book, to provide information for
such a comparison; -or, not -er
colla voce
see colla parte
colleague abbr. coll.
collect. collectively
collectable
not -ible
collectanea
(Lat. pl.), collected notes
collect/ion, -or
abbr. coll.
collections
an Oxford college examination
collective nouns
see nouns (collective)
colleen (Anglo-Irish), a girl
college abbr. coll. (cap. when used as part of name)
CollЉge de France
(m.)
College of Arms
abbr. CA
College of Justice
(Sc.), supreme civil courts
collegi/an
a member of a college; -ate, belonging to a college
collegi/um
an ecclesiastical body uncontrolled by the State; pl. -a
col legno (mus.), with the wood of the bow
Colles fracture
(med., of wrist)
collie a dog, not -y
Collins a letter of thanks for hospitality (from the character in Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice)
Collins (William) Sons & Co., Ltd.
publishers
collogue to talk confidentially
collop a piece of meat
colloq. colloquial, -ly, -ism
colloqui/um
conference; pl. -a
colloqu/y talk; pl. -ies; -ize, not -ise
collotype (typ.), a planographic (q.v.) process used mainly for the finest
reproduction work
Colo. Colorado, US
Cologne W. Germany, in Ger. K”ln
Colombia (Republic of)
S. America. See also Colu-
Colombo cap. of Sri Lanka, not Colu-
Colўn Cent. Amer.; abbr. Co. See also Columbus
colon see punctuation IV
Colonel/ abbr. Col.; -- Bogey (golf), the imaginary good player
colonial abbr. col.
coloniz/e not -ise; -able, -ation
colonnade row of columns
colophon (typ.), an inscription at the end of a book, giving the sort of
details now usually found on the title-page; incorrect name for
publisher's device or trade mark
colophony rosin
Colorado off. abbr. Colo.
coloration
not colour-
Colosseum Rome. See also Colis-
Colossians
abbr. Col.
coloss/us pl. -i
Colossus of Rhodes
(cap.)
colourant not colorant
Coloured/ (S. Afr.), of Asian or mixed ancestry (adj.); -s, Cape Coloured
people (cap.).
colourist not colorist
Colour-Sergeant
not -jeant; abbr. Col.-Sgt., Col.-Sergt.
Colour (Trooping the)
not Colours
col. p. (mus.), colla parte (adapt to principal part)
colporteur
hawker of books, esp. bibles (not ital.)
Colquhoun pron. ko-hoon (stress on second syllable)
colt abbr. c.
colter use cou-
colt-pixie
a mischievous fairy, not cole-pixy
columbari/um
a dovecot, place for cremation urns; pl. -a
Columbia (British)
Canada, abbr. BC
Columbia (District of)
US, abbr. DC (no points). See also Colo-
columbium now called niobium
Columbo use Colombo
Columbus (Christopher)
1451-1506, Genoese navigator; in Sp. Cristўbal Colўn
column abbr. col.
colure (astr.), each of two great circles of the celestial sphere
Colville of Culross (Viscount)
col. vo. (mus.), colla voce (adapt to principal voice)
com/a (astr.), nebulous envelope round head of comet, (bot.) tuft of
hair; pl. -ae
comb. combin/e, -ed, -ing
combat/, -ed, -ing, -ive
Combermere (Viscount)
combin/e, -ed, -ing
abbr. comb.
Comdr. Commander
Comdt. Commandant
come-at-able
accessible (hyphens)
Comecon economic association of Communist countries
Com‚die Fran‡aise (La)
off. name of Le Th‚ѓtre Fran‡ais (caps.)
Com‚die Humaine (La)
series of novels by Balzac, 1842-8
com‚dien/ (Fr.), actor; fem. -ne
comedy abbr. com.
come/ prima
(mus.), as at first; -- sopra, as above, abbr. co. sa.
comfit/ sweetmeat, not con-
comfrey (bot.), ditch plant, not cum-
comic abbr. com.
Comintern the Communist (Third) International, 1919-43, not Kom-
comitadji band of irregulars (in the Balkans), not k-
comitatus (Lat.), a retinue, a county or shire; pl. same
comitia (Lat. pl.), Roman assembly of the people
Comitia (pl.), a meeting of the Senate of Dublin University; --
Aestivalia, ditto in summer; -- Hiemalia, ditto in winter; --
Vernalia, ditto in spring
commando/ (member of) body of troops, esp. shock troops; pl. -s
command paper
abbr. C. (1870-99) or Cd. (1900-18) or Cmd. (1919-56) (old
series); Cmnd. (1956- ) (new series), followed by number
comme ci, comme ‡a
(Fr.), indifferently, so-so
commedia dell'arte
Italian Renaissance comedy, mainly improvised by guild of
professional actors
comme il faut
(Fr.), as it should be
Commemoration
at Oxford, annual ceremony in memory of founders and benefactors
commencement
ceremonial conferring of university degrees, as at Cambridge;
(US) a speech-day
commendam ecclesiastical benefice held in commendam, i.e. without duties
commentary
abbr. comm.
commentator
not -er
commerce abbr. comm.
Commissary-General
(hyphen); abbr. CG
commission/, -er
abbr. com.
commissionaire
uniformed door-attendant (not ital.); in Fr. m.
commissionnaire, less specific in meaning
commit/, -ment, -table
(not -ible), -tal, -ted, -ting committee, representative group
from a larger body (coll. sing., with sing. verb); abbr. com.
See also committor
committ/er
one who commits; -or (law), a judge who commits a lunatic to the
care of a committee (stress on final syllable)
Commodore (naval), abbr. Cdre, Cmdr. See also Air Commodore
common/, -er, -ly
abbr. com.
Common Bench
abbr. CB
common metre
(mus.), abbr. CM
commonplace
(adj.) (one word)
Common Pleas
abbr. CP
common sense
adj. with noun (hyphen when attrib.)
commonsensical
(adj.) (one word)
Common Serjeant
not -geant; abbr. CS or Com.-Serj.
common time
(mus.), abbr. C
Common Version
(of the Bible); abbr. CV or Com. Ver.
commonwealth
(cap. when part of name); abbr. comm.
Commonwealth
(Australian), abbr. Cwlth
commune communal group (esp. sharing accommodation), small territorial
division (France and elsewhere); abbr. com.
communicat/e, -ed, -ion
abbr. com.
communications satellite
not -ation (two words)
communiqu‚
an official report
Communist abbr. Com.; -- Party, abbr. CP
communize to make common; not -ise
commutator
apparatus for reversing electric current
commuter one who travels regularly to work in a town
Comor/o Islands
Indian Ocean, indep. 1975, adj. -an
compagnon de voyage
(Fr. m.), travelling companion
Companies Act
(no apos.)
companionship
(typ.), former name of a group of compositors working together
under a clicker (q.v.); abbr. 'ship
company abbr. Co., (mil.) Coy. (point). See also compagnie
comparative
abbr. comp.
compare abbr. cf. (confer), or cp.
comparison
abbr. comp.
compass (typ.), the compound points, when printed in full, to be
hyphened without caps., as north-east, north-by-north-east,
north-north-east, north-east-by-north. See also abbreviations,
capitalization
compendi/um
pl. -a
competit/or
fem. -ress
CompiЉgne d‚p. Oise, France
compile, -ed, -er, -ation
abbr. comp.
complacen/t
self-satisfied; -cy
complaisan/t
obliging; -ce
Compleat Angler (The)
by Izaak Walton, 1653
complement
(verb and noun), to make complete, that which makes complete
completorium
(Lat.), compline; pl. -a
complexion
not -ction
compliment
(verb and noun), (to) praise, flatter(y)
compline last service of the day (RCC), not complin
composer, -ite, -ition, -itor
abbr. comp.
compos mentis
(Lat.), in one's right mind
compote stewed fruit
compound, -ed
abbr. comp.
compound ranks or titles
each word to have cap., as Assistant Adjutant-General,
Vice-President
comprehensible
not -able
comprise not -ize; -ed, -ing
compromise
not -ize
compte/ (Fr. m.), an account; -- rendu, official report, pl. comptes
rendus
"Comptes Rendus"
reports of the French Academy (caps.)
Compton-Burnett (Dame Ivy)
1884-1969, English novelist (hyphen)
comptroller
retain when citing official title which has it, otherwise use
controller
Comptroller-General of the National Debt Office
ditto of the Patent Office (caps., hyphen)
computer calculating and data-processing machine
computerize
not -ise
Com.-Serj.
Common Serjeant
Comsomol use K-
Comte (Auguste)
1798-1857, French philosopher; -ian, -ism, -ist
comte (Fr.), Count; fem. comtesse (not cap.)
Con. Consul
con to direct a ship's course, to examine, to swindle, not -nn, -un;
-ning
con. conclusion, conics, conversation
con. contra (against, in opposition to)
Conakry Guinea
con amore (It.), with affection (not ital. in mus.)
con brio (mus.), with vigour
conc. concentrat/ed, -ion
concensus use conse-
concentration camp
(two words)
Concepciўn
name of many Cent. and S. American places (but not in Brazil)
concert/-goer, -hall, -master
(hyphens)
Concert/meister, -stЃck
(Ger. mus.), now Konzert- (cap.)
Concertgebouw Orchestra
Amsterdam
concertin/o
(mus.) pl. group of soloists, short concerto, pl. -os
concerto/ (mus.), pl. -s (but concerti grossi); abbr. cto.
concessionaire
holder of a concession, usu. of a monopoly from a foreign
government (not ital.), in Fr. m. concessionnaire
console (archit.) bracket; key-desk of an organ; cabinet for
radio(gram), etc.
Consolidated Annuities
abbr. Consols
consomm‚ clear soup
consonant abbr. cons.
consonantize
to make consonantal; not -ise
con sordino
(mus.), with a mute
conspectus
(Lat.), a general view (not ital.)
con spirito
(mus.), spiritedly
constable abbr. c. or cons.
Constance lake and town, Switzerland
Constans Roman emperor 337-50
Constans mythical King of Britain
Constant (Benjamin;
in full, Henri Benjamin Constant de Rebecque), 1767-1830, French
Swiss political novelist; -- (Benjamin Jean Joseph), 1845-1902,
French painter
Constantino/ple
now usu. Istanbul; -politan
Constitution
of a country (cap. C)
constitution/, -al
abbr. cons.
construction
abbr. constr.
Consuelo by George Sand, 1842
Consul abbr. C. or Con.; Lat. pl. consules, abbr. coss.
Consul-General
abbr. C.-G.
Consumers' Association
abbr. CA
consummat/e
(verb), to perfect or complete; (adj.), perfect, complete; noun
-ion
contadin/o
Italian peasant, pl. -i; fem. -a, pl. -e
contagi/um
contagious matter; pl. -a
containing
abbr. cont.
contakion use kontakion
contang/o (Stock Exchange), charge for carrying over; pl. -os
conte (Fr. m.), short story
conte (It. m.), a count
contemptible
not -able
contents abbr. cont.
conterminous
with a common end or boundary, not cot-
Contes drolatiques
by Balzac, 1832-7
contessa (It.), a countess
Continent (the)
(cap.); continent of Europe, etc. (not cap.); abbr. cont.
continu/e, -ed
abbr. cont.
continu/o (mus.), an improvised keyboard accompaniment; pl. -os
continu/um
(philos., phys.), a continuous quantity; pl. -a
cont-line (naut.), spiral space between rope strands, space between stowed
casks
contr. contract, -ed, -ion, -s, contrary
contra against, in opposition to; abbr. con.
contrabasso
(It. mus.), the double-bass, abbr. CB; in Eng. contrabass
contract/, -ed, -ion, -s
abbr. contr.
contracting-out
(noun, hyphen)
contractions
see abbreviations
contractor
not -er
contrafagotto
(It. mus.), the double bassoon (one word)
contra jus gentium
(Lat.), against the law of nations
contralt/o
(mus.), lowest female voice; pl. -os; abbr. C.
contra/ mundum
(Lat.), against the world; -- pacem (law), against the peace
contrariwise
contrary abbr. contr.
Contrat social (Le)
by J. J. Rousseau, 1762
contretemps
a mishap (not ital.)
contributor
not -er
control/, -led, -ling
controller
see comptroller
Controller-General
but Comptroller-General of the National Debt Office and of the
Patent Office
Controller of Accounts
abbr. CA
conundrum/
riddle; pl. -s
convector apparatus for heating by convection
convenances (les)
(Fr. f. pl.), the proprieties
convener caller of a meeting
convention/, -al
abbr. conv.
conventionalize
not -ise
conversation
abbr. con.
conversazione/
a meeting for learned conversation; pl. -s
converter not -or
convertible
not -able
convey/er (person); -or (thing) esp. in conveyor belt
Convocation
a provincial assembly of the Church of England; a legislative
assembly of certain universities
convolvulus/
flower; pl. -es
Conwy river and town, Gwynedd
cony/ a rabbit, not coney, pl. conies; ---garth, a rabbit-warren
Conyngham (Marquess)
Cooch Behar
India, not Kuch
cooee (esp. Australian bush) call, not -ey, -hee, -ie
Cook (Captain James)
1728-79, British explorer; -- (Thomas), 1808-92, English travel
agent
cookie (Sc.) a bun, (US) a small cake or biscuit, not -ey, -y
coolabah Austral. gum-tree, not -ibah
coolie (Ind., Chin.), native hired labourer, not -y
Coomassie Ghana, use Kumasi
Cooper (James Fenimore
one n), 1789-1851, US novelist
co-operat/e, -ion, -ive
(hyphen), but uncooperative (no hyphen)
Co-operative Society
(hyphen)
co-opt (hyphen)
co-ordinate
(hyphen); but in math. usu. coordinate; and uncoordinated
Cop. Copernican
cop. copper, copulative
copaiba (med.), a balsam from a S. American tree, not -va
coparcen/ary
(law), joint heirship to an undivided property, not -ery; -er, a
joint heir
COPEC Conference on Christian Politics, Economics, and Citizenship
copeck a hundredth of a rouble, not -ec, -ek, ko-; abbr. c.
Copenhagen
Copernican
abbr. Cop.
copier not copyer
copper abbr. cop.; symbol Cu (cuprum)
copperas ferrous sulphate, green vitriol
copperize to impregnate with copper, not -ise
copro- (in compounds), dung-, not k-
Copt. Coptic, liturgical language of Egyptian Christians
copul/a (gram., logic, anat., mus.), that which connects; pl. -ae
copulative
abbr. cop.
copy (typ.), matter to be reproduced in type. See also manuscript
copy-book (hyphen)
copyer use -ier
copyholder
(typ.), (formerly) a proof-reader's assistant
copy preparation
see manuscript
copyright notice
the copyright symbol °, name of copyright-owner, and date of
publication must appear (usu. on the verso of the title-page) in
every copy of a book claiming copyright protection under the
Universal Copyright Convention (q.v.). See also Berne Convention
copy/-typist, -writer
(hyphens)
coq/ (Fr. m.), cock; -- au vin, chicken cooked in wine; -- de
bruyЉre, black game
coquet/ fem. -te, a flirt; -ry, -ting, -tish
coquille (Fr. typ. f.), a misprint
Cor. 1 and 2 Corinthians
cor. corpus; (mus.) cornet, corno (horn); coroner
coram (Lat.), in presence of; -- judice (law), before a judge; --
nobis, before us; -- paribus, before one's equals; -- populo,
before the people
Corniche (La)
coast road from Nice to Genoa; in It. La Cornice
Cornish/ abbr. Corn.; -- gillyflower, a variety of apple
Corn Laws (caps.)
corn/o (mus.), a horn, pl. -i; -o inglese (It.), cor anglais
cornu/ (anat.), hornlike process; pl. -a
Cornubia (Lat.), Cornwall
cornucopia/
horn of plenty; pl. -s; adj. -n
Cornwall abbr. Corn.; in Fr. f. Cornouailles
coroll. corollary, inference
corolla/ (bot.), pl. -s
coron/a (archit., bot., anat., astr.), pl. -ae
coroner cap. as title; abbr. cor.
coronis mark of contraction (crasis) in Greek
Corot (Jean Baptiste Camille)
1796-1875, French painter
Corporal abbr. Cpl.
corpor/al of the human body; -eal, physical, mortal, opp. to spiritual
corporealize
to materialize, not -ise
corposant St Elmo's fire
corps sing. and pl.
corps/ d'arm‚e
(Fr. m.), army corps, -- de ballet, company of ballet-dancers;
-- de bataille, central part of an army; -- d'‚lite, a picked
body; -- des lettres (Fr. typ.), the body of the type; --
diplomatique, diplomatic body
corp/us body; pl. -ora, abbr. cor.
Corpus Christi
festival of institution of the Eucharist, on the Thursday after
Trinity Sunday
Corpus Christi College
Oxf. and Camb., abbr. CCC
corpus delicti
(law), the facts constituting an alleged offence
corp/us lut/eum
(physiol.), ovarian body; pl. -ora -ea
C“te d'Azure
eastern Mediterranean coast of France
C“te-d'Or d‚p. France
c“telette (Fr. f.), a cutlet
coterie a "set" of persons (not ital.)
coterminous
use cont-
C“te-r“tie
(Fr. f.), a red wine
c“tes de boeuf
(Fr. f.), ribs of beef
C“tes-du-Nord
d‚p. France
cotillion a dance; in Fr. m. cotillon
cottar peasant, not -er
cotter pin, wedge, etc.
Cotter's Saturday Night (The)
by Burns, 1786
Cottian Alps
France and Italy
cottier a cottager
cotton/ in Fr. m. coton; -tail (one word), American rabbit; -- wool (two
words), raw cotton
Cottonian Library
in British Museum (British Library, Reference Division)
cottonize to make cotton-like, not -ise
couch a kind of grass. See also cutch
coud‚ (astr.), telescope with light-path bent at an angle
Cou‚ism psychotherapy by auto-suggestion (Emile Cou‚, 1857-1926)
couldn't to be printed close up
couldst (no apos.)
coul‚ (mus.), a slur
coul‚e a lava-flow
couleur (Fr. f.), colour; -- de rose, roseate (figurative)
coulisses (pl.), the wings in a theatre
couloir a gully
Coulomb (Charles Augustin de)
1736-1806, French physicist; coulomb (elec.), unit of charge,
abbr. C
coulter a plough blade, not col-
council/ assembly; -lor, member of a council, abbr. Cllr.
council/ estate, -- flat, -- house
(two words), properties owned by council; -house (hyphen), in
which council meets
counsel/ advice, barrister; -led, -ling; -lor, one who counsels
count/ -ess (cap. as title); abbr. Ct.
countdown (noun, one word)
counter (typ.), space wholly or mainly enclosed within a letter, e.g.the
centre of O
counter/balance, -charge
(one word)
counter/-cheer, -claim
(hyphens)
counter-clockwise
(one hyphen)
counter-quarte
(fencing) (hyphen), not -carte
counter/-reformation
(caps. with hist. reference); -revolution (hyphens)
counter-tenor
(mus.), abbr. C.
Countesthorpe
Leics.
Counties palatine
Cheshire and Lancs. (cap. C only)
countrif/y,-ied
not country-
country/ dance, -- house
(two words)
countryside
(one word)
country-wide
(hyphen)
county abbr. Co.
County Council/, -lor
abbr. CC
County court
(one cap.), abbr. CC
coup a stroke, esp. a political revolution
Coupar Angus
Tayside (no hyphen), not Cupar --
coup/ de foudre
(Fr. m.), stroke of lightning; -- de fouet (fencing), a "beat";
-- de grѓce, a finishing stroke; -- de main, sudden attack to
gain a position; -- de maЊtre, a master-stroke; -- de pied, a
kick; -- de poing, blow with the fist, -- de soleil, sunstroke;
-- d'essai, first attempt; -- d'‚tat, sudden or violent change
in government; -- de theatre, sudden sensational act; -- d'oeil,
a glance, wink
coupe a shallow dish
coup‚ a covered motor car for two (accent, not ital.)
coupee in dancing, a salute to partner
couper (Sc.), a dealer
Couperin (Fran‡ois)
1688-1733, French composer
coup manqu‚
(Fr. m.), a failure
courante (music for) dance with gliding step, not coranto
Cour de Cassation
see Cassation
courgette small marrow (not ital.)
courier travelling attendant, in Fr. m. courrier
Court abbr. C. or Ct.
Courtauld Institute of Art
London
court bouillon
(Fr. cook. m.), fish stock
Courtelle propr. term for an acrylic fibre (cap.)
Courtenay fam. name of Earl of Devon
courtesan prostitute with wealthy clients
court-house
abbr. CH
Courtmantle
use Cu-
court martial
(noun, two words), pl. courts --; court-martial (verb, hyphen)
CP Cape Province (of S. Africa), Central Provinces, now Madhya
Pradesh (India), Chief Patriarch, Civil Power, --Procedure,
Clarendon Press, Clerk of the Peace, Code of Procedure, College
of Preceptors, Common Pleas, -- Prayer, Communist Party,
Congregatio Passionis (Passionist Fathers), Court of Probate
cp. compare
c.p. candlepower, carriage paid
CPC Clerk of the Privy Council
c.p./i. characters per inch; --l., ditto per line; --m., ditto per
minute; --s., ditto per second, cycles per second
Cpl. Corporal
CPO Chief Petty Officer, Compulsory Purchase Order
CPR Canadian Pacific Railway
CPRE Council for the Protection of Rural England
CPS Custos Privati Sigilli (Keeper of the Privy Seal)
CR Carolina Regina (Queen Caroline), Carolus Rex (King Charles),
Civis Romanus (a Roman citizen), Community of the Resurrection,
Custos Rotulorum (Keeper of the Rolls), credit rating, current
rate
Cr chromium (no point)
Cr. credit, -or, Crown
cr. created
Crabb (George)
1778-1854, English philologist
Crabbe (George),
1754-1832, English poet
Cracow acceptable Anglicized spelling of Krakўw, Poland
Craigton Glasgow
Crane (Harold Hart)
1899-1932, US poet; -- (Stephen), 1871-1900, US novelist and
poet
cranes-bill
plant of the genus Geranium, not cranesbill
crani/um skull; pl. -a
crap/e gauzelike fabric, usu. black, for mourning; adj. -y. See also
cr€pe
crassa negligentia
(law), criminal negligence
crawfish large marine lobster
crayfish freshwater crustacean
CRC camera-ready copy
cream/-laid
a writing paper with wire marks; ---wove, ditto without
created abbr. cr.
Creation (the)
(cap.)
crЉche a day nursery
Cr‚cy (battle of)
1346, not Cressy, Cr‚ci
credit/, -or
abbr. Cr.
credit card
(two words)
cr‚dit/ foncier
(Fr. m.), society for loans on real estate; -- mobilier, ditto
on personal estate
credo/ creed; pl. -s
creese use kris
Crefeld W. Germany, use Krefeld
Creighton (Mandell)
1843-1901, Bp. and historian
crematori/um
pl. -a
crЉme de la crЉme
(Fr. f.), the very best, not cre-, cr€-
Cremona a violin made there (cap.)
crenate (bot.), notched (of leaves)
crenellate(d)
(mil.), furnish(ed) with battlements
crenulate (bot.), finely notched
Creole (strict use, usu. cap.) pure-blooded descendant of French,
Spanish, Portuguese settlers in W. Indies, Louisiana,
Mauritius, Africa, and E. Indies; (loose use, not cap.), a Negro
born in America; a Creole-Negro half-breed speaking a Spanish or
French dialect; dialect thus imposed by a dominant group
creosote not kreosote
cr€pe/ (Fr. m.), crape fabric other than black, (f.) pancake; -- de
Chine, raw silk crepe; -- lisse, smooth crepe; -- Suzette, small
pancake. See also crape
crescendo/
(mus.), growing in force; abbr. cres., cresc.; (non-techn.),
gradually increasing noise; pl. -s
Cressy use Crecy
cretaceous
chalky, not -ious
Cretan of Crete
cretin type of mental defective; in Fr. m. cr‚tin, f. cr‚tine
cretonne a cotton cloth
Creusot (Le)
d‚p. Saone-et-Loire, France, not -zot
crevasse large fissure, esp. in the ice of a glacier
CrЉvecoeur (Michel Guillaume Jean de)
1735-1813, French-born US writer
crЉve-coeur
(Fr. m.), heart-break; pl. same
crevette (Fr. f.), prawn
crevice small fissure
Criccieth Gwynedd
Crichton (James)
1560-?85, Scottish scholar and soldier, "the Admirable --"
cricket/, -er, -ing
cri de coeur
(Fr. m.), passionate appeal
crim. con.
(law), criminal conversation, adultery
crime passionnel
(Fr. m.), crime caused by sexual passion (two ns)
Crimplene propr. term for bulked Terylene (cap.)
cring/e, -ing
crinkum-crankum
intricate, crooked, not -cum -cum
cris/is pl. -es
crispbread
thin rye etc. biscuit (one word)
crit. critic/al, -ized
criteri/on
standard of judgement; pl. -a
criticaster
a petty critic
criticize not -ise
critique a review (not ital.)
Critique of Pure Reason
in German Kritik der reinen Vernunft, by Kant, 1781
CRMP Corps of Royal Military Police
Croat a native of Croatia; Serbo-Croat Hrvat
crochet/ hooked-needle work; -ed, -ing
Crockford in full Crockford's Clerical Directory, the "Who's Who" of the
clergy, from 1858
Crockford's
London club
crocus/ pl. -es
Croesus 6th c. BC, rich king (and the last) of Lydia
croissant crescent-shaped roll, not croisant
Croix de Guerre
French decoration
Cro-Magnon
(anthrop.), of a prehistoric race, remains found at --, d‚p.
Dordogne, France
Cromartie (Earl of)
cromesquis
(Fr. cook. m.), see kromesky
Crome Yellow
by Aldous Huxley, 1921
Cronos use K-
Crookback sobriquet of Richard III, not Crouchback
Crookes (Sir William)
1832-1919, English physicist
Croonian Lecture
of Royal Society
croquet/ game (not ital.); as verb, -ed, -ing
croquette (Fr. f.), rissole (not ital.)
crore (Ind.), ten millions, point thus: 1,00,00,000. See also lakh
crosette use crossette
crosier Bp.'s or Abp.'s staff, not -zier
croslet use crosslet
cross (typ.), proof-correction sign for a battered sort
crossbar (one word)
cross-bench(er)
(Parl.) (hyphen)
cross-bill
(law), a promissory note given in exchange; a bill brought by
defendant against plaintiff in a Chancery suit (hyphen)
crossbill a passerine bird
crossette (archit.), a ledge, not crose-
Crossgates
Cumbria, Fife, Powys, N. Yorks.
Cross Gates
W. Yorks.
Crosshill Fife, Strathclyde
Cross Hill
Derby., Shropshire
Crosskeys Co. Antrim, Co. Cavan, Gwent
Cross Keys
Kent, Wilts.
crosslet (her.), small cross, not croslet
cross, Maltese; Latin; Greek; Tau
(See Figure 4 in topic FRONT_4)
crossroad(s)
(one word)
cross/-section, -wind
(hyphens)
crossways not -way, -wise
crossword (puzzle)
crotchet/ a mus. note; a whim; -ed, -ing, -y
Crouchback
use Crookback
croupier gaming-table attendant
cro–ton (Fr. m.), a bit of crust or toast
Crowland Lincs., Suffolk, not Croy-
Crown (the)
(cap. C) abbr. Cr.
crown former size of paper, 15 x 20 in.; -- 4to, 10 x 7.5in.; -- 8vo,
7.5 x 5in. (untrimmed); basis for size of metric crown, 768 x
1008 mm. See also book sizes
Crowner's quest
dialectal for Coroner's inquest (cap. C only)
Crown Office
abbr. CO
Crowther-Hunt (Baron)
(hyphen)
crozier use cros-
CRP Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium (Calendar of the Patent Rolls)
CRR Curia Regis Roll
CRT cathode ray tube
cru (wine), growth (no accent)
Crucifixion (the)
(cap. C)
Cruft's Dog Show
not -s'
Cruikshank (George)
1792-1878, English caricaturist and illustrator
crumhorn use krummhorn
cruse a jar, not cruise
crush bar (two words)
crush-barrier
(hyphen)
Cruso NC, US
Crusoe (Robinson)
by Defoe, 1719
crux of an argument; pl. cruces (not ital.)
crux/ ansata; commissa; decussata; stellata
(See Figure 4 in topic FRONT_4)
cryogenics
the study of low-temperature refrigeration
cryptogam/
(bot.), any member of the Cryptogamia, flowerless plants; adj.
-ous
crypto/gram
anything written in code; -grapher, -graphic, -graphy
CS Chemical Society (now part of Royal Society of Chemistry), Civil
Service, Clerk to the Signet, College of Science, Common
Serjeant, Court of Session, Custos Sigilli (Keeper of the Seal)
Cs caesium (no point)
c/s cycles per second
Csar etc., use Ts-
csardas Hungarian dance, pl. same, not cz-
CSC Civil Service Commission, Conspicuous Service Cross (now DSC)
Culpeper Va., US, from Governor -- (Thomas, Lord), 1578-1662
cultivar (bot.), variety made by cultivation, abbr. cv.
CUM Cambridge University Mission
cum (Lat.), with (not ital.)
Cumaean of Cumae, near Naples
Cumbernauld
Strathclyde, "new town", 1956
Cumbria county of England
cum dividend
with dividend; abbr. c.d.
cumfrey use co-
cum grano salis
(Lat.), with a grain of salt
cumin plant with aromatic seeds, not cummin
cummerbund
a waistbelt, not ku-, -band
Cummings (Edward Estlin)
1894-1962, US poet who renounced use of capital letters
cum multis aliis
(Lat.), with many others
cum. pref.
cumulative preference
cumquat use k-
cumul/us (meteor.), a cloud form; pl. -i; abbr. k.
cuneiform wedge-shaped, not cunif-, cunef-
Cunninghame Graham (Robert Bontine)
1852-1936, British writer
CUP Cambridge University Press
Cupar/ Fife; -- Angus, Tayside, use Coupar Angus
cupbearer (one word)
cupro-nickel
alloy of copper and nickel
cuprum copper, symbol Cu
cur. currency, current
curable not -eable
cura‡ao liqueur, not -oa
curare a drug, not -a, -i, urari
curb for verb, and curb of bridle. See also kerb
curbstone use kerb-
cur‚ French priest; petit --, French curate
cure-all a universal remedy (hyphen)
curfuffle use ker-
Curia/ the papal court (cap.); -- advisare vult, the court desires to
consider; abbr. c.a.v.
Curie (Marie Sklodowska)
1867-1934, and her husband -- (Pierre), 1859-1906, French
scientists
curie unit of radioactivity, abbr. Ci (cap.); now replaced by
becquerel
curio/ an object of art; pl. -s (not ital.)
curium symbol Cm
curlicue a decorative curl, not -eque, -ycue
currach a coracle, not -agh
Curragh (The)
Co. Kildare
curren/t, -cy
abbr. cur.; electric current, symbol I or i (ital.)
currente calamo
(Lat.), easily, fluently
curricul/um
course of study, pl. -a; -um vitae, summary of a career, pl. -a
vitae; abbr. c.v.
Currie Lothian
Curry Co. Sligo
cursor (comp.), movable spot of light on VDU (q.v.) screen, indicating
item being edited
curtain-raiser
(theat.), Fr. lever de rideau
Curtiss (Glenn Hammond)
1878-1930, US pioneer aviator
Curtmantle
sobriquet of Henry II, not Cou-
curtsy/ not -sey; -ing
curvilinear
(one word)
Curwen (John)
1816-80, pioneer of tonic sol-fa
cuscus/ a marsupial; ---grass, of India. See also couscous
custodia legis
(Lat.), in the custody of the law
custom-house
(hyphen); abbr. CH
cust/os (Lat. m.), a custodian, pl. -odes; Custos/ Privati Sigilli,
Keeper of the Privy Seal, abbr. CPS; -- Rotulorum, Keeper of
the Rolls, abbr. CR; -- Sigilli, ditto Seal, abbr. CS
cut and dried
(adj., no hyphens)
cut-back (noun, hyphen)
Cutch India, use K-
cutch catechu, extract of Indian plants, tough paper sheets used by
gold-beaters, not k-. See also couch
cut/-off -out
(nouns), -price (adj.) (hyphens)
cuts (typ.), illustrations
Cutty Sark
famous clipper, now in dry dock at Greenwich
D 500, deuterium (= heavy hydrogen), the fourth in a series
D. Deputy, (US) Democrat, Duke, Deus (God), Dominus (Lord), prefix
to enumeration of Schubert's works (see Deutsch)
d (prefix) deci-
d. date, daughter, day, dead, degree, departs, desert/ed, -er,
died, dime, dioptre, dose, (Fr.) douane (customs), droite (the
right hand), (it.) destra (right), (Lat.) decretum (a decree),
denarii (pence), denarius (penny), (meteor.) drizzling
d' as prefix to an un-Anglicized proper name should, in accordance
with continental practice, be lower case and not cap., as
d'Arsonval, except at beginning of sentence. Signatures to be
copied. See also accents
da/ ballo (mus.), dance style; -- capo, or -- capo al fine, repeat to the
word fine, abbr. DC; -- capo dal segno, repeat from the sign,
abbr. DS; -- capella, or -- chiesa, in church style
Dacca use Dhaka
d'accord (Fr.), I agree
Dachau Nazi concentration camp, 1933-45
dachshund badger-dog
dacoit Indian robber, not dak-, dec-
dactyl/ foot of three syllables, adj. -ic (See Figure 1 in
topic FRONT_4)
Dada/ unconventional art c.1920; -ism
daddy-long-legs
the crane-fly (hyphens)
dado/ wooden skirting; pl. -s
Daedalus builder of the Cretan labyrinth
daemon (Gr. myth.), supernatural being, indwelling spirit, not daimon,
demon
daffadowndilly
a daffodil, not daffi-, daffo-, daffy- (one word)
Dagapur Ethiopia
dagger, double --
See reference marks (See Figure 5 in topic FRONT_4) The dagger
in Eng. before, in Ger. after, a person's name, signifies "dead"
or "died"
daggle-tail
use draggle-
dago/ Spaniard, Portuguese, or Italian (derog.), pl. -s
Dagonet, Sir
King Arthur's fool
Daguerre (Louis Jacques Mand‚)
1789-1851, French pioneer of photography
daguerreotype
(not cap.)
dahabeeyah
Nile sailing-boat
Dahomey W. Africa, now Benin
D il ђireann
Lower House of Irish Parliament
d'ailleurs
(Fr.), besides
daimio/ Japanese noble; pl. -s
Daimler motor car
daiquiri a cocktail
dais small platform, not da‹s
dakoit use dac-
Dakota (North and South)
off. abbrs. N. Dak. or ND, S. Dak. or SD
Dalai Lama
the Grand Lama of Tibet
Dali (Salvador), 1904-89, Spanish painter
Dalila see Delilah
Dallapiccola (Luigi)
1904-75, Italian composer
Dalmatian spotted dog, not -ion
dal segno (It. mus.), repeat from the sign, abbr. DS
damageable
not -gable
Damara/, -land
SW Africa
damascen/e, -er
ornament(er) in metal, not -keen, -kin
Dame aux Camelias (La)
play by Dumas fils, 1848
Damien de Veuster (Joseph)
1840-89, Belgian priest to leper colony in Hawaiian Islands,
"Father Damien"
damnosa hereditas
(Lat.), a legacy involving loss
damnum absque injuria
(Lat.), damage without wrong
Damon and Pythias
(Gr. myth.), model friends
Dan. (Book of) Daniel
Dan/a‰ mother of Perseus, also asteroid; Danaea, fern genus; -a‹d, dau.
of Danaus; -aus, son of Belus
Dandie Dinmont
breed of Scottish terrier, from Andrew Dinmont, farmer in
Scott's Guy Mannering
dandruff scurf, not -riff
Danegeld land-tax, not -lt
Daniel (Book of)
abbr. Dan.
Daniell's battery
(elec.), usu. called a Daniell cell
Danish/ abbr. Da.
danke sh”n
(Ger.), many thanks
Dannebrog Danish national standard, also order of knighthood, not Dane-
d'Annunzio (Gabriele)
1864-1938, Italian writer
danse macabre
(Fr. f.), dance of death
danseuse (Fr. f.), a female dancer
Dant/e Alighieri
1265-1321, Italian poet; -ean, -esque, -ist (caps)
Danzig Baltic free port
daou use dhow
DAR daughters of the American revolution
d'Arblay (Mme)
1752-1840, the English novelist Fanny Burney
Darby and Joan
devoted old married couple
d'Arc (Jeanne)
Joan of Arc, 1412-31
Darcy de Knayth (Baroness)
daredevil (one word)
daren't to be printed close up
dare say (two words)
Dar es Salaam
cap. of Tanzania (no hyphens)
Darjeeling
not Darji-
Dark Ages (the)
(caps.)
dark-room (hyphen)
darshan (Hindi), seeing a revered person
Darwen Lancs., not Over --
Darwin/ (Charles Robert)
1809-82, author of Origin of Species; -- (Erasmus), 1731-1802,
English physician and poet, grandfather of Charles; -ian, -ism,
-ist
das (Ger.), the (neut. sing. nominative and accusative); also that.
See also das heisst
dash see punctuation XII
dashboard (one word)
das/ heisst
(Ger.) that is to say, abbr. d.h.; -- ist, that is, abbr. d.i.
dass (Ger.), that (conjunction)
dat. dative
data see datum
data/bank, -base
(one word)
datable capable of being dated, not -eable
data processing
(hyphen when attrib.)
date abbr. d. The order is day, month, year, as 5 June 1903; in Fr.
le 5 juin 1903; in Ger. den 5. Juni 1903. Names of days and
months generally in full, but may be abbreviated in footnotes.
All-figure form in Britain 5.6.03; in US 6.5.03 (month first),
international dating system (see BS 4795) is year, month, day,
e.g. 1971-04-20. No comma in four-figure years, but 10,000 BC,
etc. For periods use least number of figures, as 1904-7, 1920-1,
1926-8; but 1890-1905, 1913-15, and always in full in display
matter
date-line (hyphen)
dative indirect object; abbr. dat.
dat/um thing known or granted, pl. -a
daube braised meat stew
Daudet (Alphonse)
1840-97, French novelist; -- (L‚on), 1867-1942, French writer
and politician
daughter/ abbr. d. or dau.; ---in- law, pl. daughters-in-law (hyphens)
d'Aumale (duc)
Daumier (Honor‚)
1808-79, French painter
Dauntsey's School
Devizes
dauphin eldest son of King of France, 1349-1830; dauphiness, his wife,
in Fr. dauphine
Dauphin‚ region of SE France
Dav. David
Davenant (Sir William)
1606-68, English playwright and poet, Poet Laureate 1660-8
Davis (Jefferson), 1808-89, Pres. Confederate States
Davis/ apparatus, for escape from submarine; -- Cup, tennis trophy
Davy (Sir Humphry), not -ey, -ey, 1778-1829, English chemist,
inventor of Davy lamp
Davy Jones's locker
the sea-bed
Dawley Shropshire
day abbr. d.; (typ.), of the week, and of fasts, feasts, festivals,
holidays, to have initial caps. Abbr., when necessary, Sun.,
Mon., Tue., Wed., Thur., Fri., Sat. In Fr. the names do not take
caps., as lundi
DE Delaware (off. postal abbr.), Department of Employment
de as prefix to a proper name, in accordance with continental
practice, should not have initial cap., as de Candolle; except
when Anglicized, as De Vinne, or at beginning of sentence.
Signatures to be copied
deaconate use diac-
dead abbr. d.
dead heat (noun), dead-heat (verb)
Dead Letter Office
now Returned ditto; dead/line, -lock (one word); -- reckoning
(naut.), abbr. DR; -- reprint (typ.), a reprint with no
correction; -- weight, abbr. d.w.
dean wooded valley, use dene
Dean of Faculty
(Sc.), (not of the), president of the Faculty of Advocates;
abbr. DF
Dear/ Madam, -- Sir
in printed letter full left (comma, no dash)
Decani dean's or south side of a choir (north side in Durham
Cathedral), abbr. Dec.; opp. to Cantoris
decanter bottle to hold decanted liquor
Deccan India, not Decan
deceased abbr. dec.
d‚c‚d/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, deceased; abbr. d‚c.
December abbr. Dec.; in Fr. m. d‚cembre, abbr. d‚c. (not cap.)
decenni/um
a decade; pl. -a
decentralize
not -ise
decern (Sc. law), to judge. See also discern
deci- prefix meaning one-tenth, abbr. d
decibar one-tenth of a bar, q.v.
decibel unit for comparing intensity of noises, power, etc.; abbr. dB
Decies (Baron)
decigram not -mme, abbr. dg (no point in scientific and technical work)
decilitre abbr. dl (no point in scientific and technical work)
decimal currency
(British, as from 15 February 1971). For amounts less than a
pound express as (new) pence: 54p (roman, no point); for amounts
of one pound or more express as pounds and decimal fractions of
a pound (point in medial position, omitting p); the (new)
halfpenny should be expressed as a fraction
decimal fractions.
No decimal can be plural, or take verb in pl., however many
numerals it contains; (typ.) print in numerals. The decimal
point should be on the line, as 1.5, except in decimal currency.
In languages other than English, a decimal comma is often used
(1,5)
decimalize
not -ise. But Decimal Currency Board used -ise, -isation
decimal point
(two words)
decimator one who decimates, takes every tenth part or man, not -er
decimetre one-tenth of a metre, 3.937 in., not -er; abbr. dm (no point in
scientific and technical work)
decimo-octavo
(typ.), 18mo (not ital.); see eighteenmo
deckle edge
ragged edge of hand-made paper, not -el
declar/ation, -ed
abbr. dec.
Declaration of Independence
US, 4 July 1776
d‚class/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, who has fallen to an inferior status
declension
(gram.), system of case-endings; abbr. dec.
declinable
not -eable
declination
(astr.), angular distance from the celestial equator; abbr. dec.
decoit use dac-
decollate to behead; Decollation of St John the Baptist, 29 August
d‚collet/age
(Fr. m.), (wearing of) low neck of dress; -‚, fem. -‚e, with
low-necked dress
decolorize
not -ise
decolour to render colourless
d‚cor stage or room furnishings and fittings
decorat/e, -or
Decoration Day
(US), usu. last Mon. in May
decorative
abbr. dec.
decorum propriety of conduct
decree nisi
(law), the first stage in the dissolution of a marriage
decrepit decayed, not -id
decrescendo/
(mus.), decreasing in loudness; abbr. dec. or decres.; as noun,
pl. -s
decret/um (Lat.), a decree; pl. -a; abbr. d.
Dedlock (Sir Leicester and Lady)
in Dickens's Bleak House
d‚fense/ d'afficher
(Fr.), stick no bills; -- d'entrer, no admittance; -- de fumer,
no smoking
defensible
not -ceable, -sable
defensor fidei
(Lat.), Defender of the Faith; abbr. DF
defer/,-ence, -rable, -red, -rer
-ring
deferred (shares), abbr. def.
de fide (Lat.), authentic, to be believed as part of the (Christian)
faith
definable not -eable
defin/ed, -ite, -ition;
abbr. def.
definite article
see the
deflate to remove air, to reverse economic inflation
defle/ct to bend downwards; -xion, correct, but -ction is increasingly
common, and usual in US
Defoe (Daniel)
1661-1731, English writer, not de Foe
defunct abbr. def.
deg. degree(s)
d‚gag/‚ (Fr. m.), fem. -‚e, unconstrained
Degas (Hilaire Germain Edgar)
1834-1917, French painter (no accent)
de Gaulle (General Charles Andr‚ Joseph Marie)
1890-1970, French President 1944-5, 1959-69
degauss/, -ing
anti-magnetic-mine device or method
degradable
not -eable
degree 1/360th part of circle; -- of latitude, 69 statute or 60 geog.
miles; abbr. d. or deg.
degrees of/ inclination
(typ.), to be in words, as "an angle of forty-five degrees",
except in scientific and technical work; -- -- temperature, to
be in figures
d‚gringolade
(Fr. f.), rapid deterioration
de/ haut en bas
(Fr.), contemptuously; -- haute lutte, with a high hand
De‹aneira wife of Hercules; also an asteroid
de-ice (hyphen)
Dei/ gratia
(Lat.), by the grace of God; abbr. DG; -- judicium, the
judgement of God (see also Deo)
Deity (the)
see capitalization
d‚j… vu (Fr.), seen before
d‚jeuner/ (Fr. m.), breakfast or lunch; petit --, coffee and rolls on
rising; -- … la fourchette, meat breakfast, early lunch
de jure (Lat.), by right
Dekker (Thomas)
c.1570-1640, English playwright
Del. Delaware (off. abbr.)
del. delegate, delete
del. delineavit (drew this)
Delacroix (Ferdinand Victor EugЉne)
1799-1863, French painter
de la Mare (Walter)
1873-1956, English poet
de la Ram‚e (Louise)
pseud. Ouida
De la Roche (Mazo)
1885-1961, Canadian novelist
Delaroche (Paul)
1797-1856, French painter
Delaware off. abbr. Del. or (postal) DE
De La Warr (Earl)
dele (typ.), delete (proof-correction sign )
deleatur (Lat.), let it be deleted
delegate abbr. del.
delenda (Lat.), things to be deleted
delft, delftware
glazed earthenware made at Delft (formerly Delf) in Holland
Delibes (L‚o)
1836-91, French composer
delicatesse
delicacy (not ital.); in Fr. f. d‚licatesse
delicatessen
(Germanic pl. of above), prepared foods, shop or department
selling them
Delilah (OT), but Dalila in Milton's Samson Agonistes
delineable
that can be delineated
delineavit
(Lat.), drew this; abbr. del.
delirium/ disordered state of mind, with hallucinations, pl. -s; --
tremens, delirium with trembling induced by heavy drinking,
abbr. d.t., d.t.'s
De L'Isle (Viscount)
deliverer not -or
Della Cruscan
(noun and adj.), (member) of Florentine Accademia della Crusca,
concerned with purity of Italian, sixteenth century; or of
English poetical group in Florence, eighteenth century
Della Robbia
an enamelled terracotta invented by Luca della Robbia. See also
Robbia
Delphi Greece, site of ancient oracle, in Gr. Delphoi
de luxe (Fr.), luxurious
dem (Ger.), to or for the (m. and neut. sing., dative)
dem. (typ.), demy
demagog/ue, -y, -uery, -ic
(of, action of) a leader of the people
dem/ain use -esne
de mal en pis
(Fr.), from bad to worse
demarcate to mark the limits of, not -kate
demarch chief officer of anc. Attic deme; modern Greek mayor
d‚marche (Fr. f.), political procedure
demean to lower in dignity, to conduct (oneself)
demeanour bearing towards another
d‚menti (Fr. m.), official denial
dementia mental enfeeblement (not ital.)
demesne a landed estate, not -ain
demi/god, -john
(one word)
demilitarize
not -ise
demi/-monde
(Fr. f.), prostitutes (ital., hyphen); ---pension, accommodation
with one main meal per day; ---saison, spring or autumn fabric
demise death; to bequeath, not -ize
demitasse small coffee-cup; in Fr. f. demi-tasse
demo/ colloq. for demonstration, pl. -s
demobilize
to discharge from the army; not -ise; colloq. demob
Democrat/, -ic
abbr. (US) D.
democratize
not -ise
Democrit/us
5th c. BC, Greek philosopher; adj. -ean
d‚mod/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, out of fashion
demoiselle
young lady (not ital.)
Demoivre (Abraham)
1667-1754, French mathematician (one word)
demon see daemon
demon. demonstrative
demonetize
to divest of value as currency, not -ise
demon/ic, -ize
not dae-
demonstrable
not -atable
demonstrator
not -er
demoralize
not -ise
De Morgan (Augustus)
1806-71, English mathematician; -- (William Frend), 1839-1917,
his son, English novelist
de mortuis nil nisi bonum
or bene (Lat.), speak nothing but good of the dead
demos the people (not ital.)
dempster use deem-
demurrable
that may be demurred to
demurrage undue detention of ship, railway wagon, etc.; compensation for
this
demurrer (law), plea that opponent's facts, though true, do not support
his case
demy a scholar at Magdalen Coll., Oxford; pl. demies
demy pron. demeye, with stress on second syllable (typ.), former size
of paper, 17.5 x 22.5 in.; -- 4to, 11.25 x 8.75in.; -- 8vo, 8.75
x 5 in. (untrimmed); basis for size of metric demy, 888 x 1128
mm. See also book sizes
D.En. Department of Energy
den (Ger.), the (m. sing., accusative); to the (pl., dative)
Den. Denmark
denar use dinar
denar/ius penny; pl. -ii, pence; abbr. d.
denationalize
not -ise
dene wooded valley, not dean
D.Eng. Doctor of Engineering
dengue not -- fever, denga, -gey
Denholm Borders
Denholme W. Yorks.
deniable etc., see deny
denier one-twelfth of French sou; unit of silk, rayon, nylon yarn
weight
denim twilled cotton fabric for overalls, etc.
Denmark abbr. Den. See also Assemblies
de nos jours
(Fr.), of our time
denouement
an unravelling (no accent, not ital.)
denounce give notice to terminate (treaty)
de nouveau
(Fr.), afresh
de novo (Lat.), afresh
dent. dent/al, -ist, -istry
dentelle (Fr. f.), lace-work
dentil one of the toothlike blocks under the bed-moulding of a cornice,
not -el, -ile
den/y, -iable, -ial, -ier
deoch an doris
(Sc.), a parting-cup, not the many variants
deodand personal chattel that has caused death
deodar E. Indian cedar
deodoriz/e
not -ise; -er
Deo/ favente
(Lat.), with God's favour; -- gratias, thanks to God; --
volente, God willing, abbr. DV (see also Dei)
dep. departs, deposed, deputy
d‚p. (Fr.), d‚partement (shire), d‚put‚ (deputy)
DEP Department of Employment and Productivity, now DE
d‚partement
(Fr. m.), shire; abbr. d‚p.
department
abbr. dept.
departmentalize
not -ise
Department of Education and Science
abbr. DES
Department of Employment
abbr. DE
Department of Energy
abbr. D.En.
Department of Health and Social
Security, abbr. DHSS
Department of Industry
abbr. DI
Department of the Environment
abbr. D.o.E.
Department of Trade
abbr. D.o.T.
Department of Trade and Industry
see now Department/ of Trade, -- Industry
d‚pays/‚ (Fr.) fem. -‚e, out of one's usual element
depend/ant
(noun), -ence, -ent (adj.)
depilatory
removing, or remover of, hair
de pis en pis
(Fr.), from bad to worse
de plano (law), clearly
depolarize
not -ise
deposed abbr. dep.
depositary
a person
depositor not -er
depository
a place
depot in Fr. m. d‚p“t
depressible
not -able
de profundis
(Lat.), out of the depths
de proprio motu
(Lat.), of his, or her, own accord
dept. department
d‚put‚ a member of the lower French Chamber
deputize not -ise
deputy abbr. dep.
Deputy Lieutenant
abbr. DL
De Quincey (Thomas)
1785-1859, English essayist
der (Ger.), the (m. sing. nominative) of or to or for the (f.
sing., genitive and dative, or m., f, and neut. pl., genitive)
der. deriv/ation, -ative, -ed
Derbyshire
abbr. Derby.
de rЉgle (Fr.), in order
de rigueur
(Fr.), according to etiquette
derisible laughable, not -able
derisory derisive, scoffing
deriv/ation, -ative, -ed;
abbr. der.
derm the true skin; also derm/a, -is
dernier/ (Fr.), last; -- cri, the very latest; -- ressort, a last
resource
derring-do
daring action, not doe
Derry postally acceptable abbr. of Londonderry (town or county)
der Tag (Ger.), the (great) day
derv fuel oil for heavy vehicles
DES Department of Education
des (Fr.), of the (pl.); as prefix to a proper name, treat as de,
q.v.
dЉs (Fr.), since
des (Ger.), of the (m. and neut. sing., genitive)
Descartes (Ren‚)
1596-1650, French mathematician and philosopher; adj. Cartesian
descend/ant
(noun), person or thing descended; -ent (adj.), descending
descender (typ.), lower part of letters such as g, j, p, q, y
descendible
that may descend or be descended, not -able
desert a wilderness; to abandon. See also dessert
desert/ed, -er
abbr. d.
d‚shabill‚
(Fr. m.), undress, dishabille
desiccate to dry, not dessicate
desiderat/um
something desired; pl. -a (not ital.)
desirable not -eable
Des Moines
Iowa, US
desorb, desorption
release from adsorbed state
despatch use dis-
desperado/
a desperate man; pl. -es (not ital.)
despicable
despise not dis-, -ize
despotize to act the despot, not -ise
dessert a dinner course. See also desert
dessertspoonful/
pl. -s, two drams (one word)
dessicate use desiccate
destra/ (It.), right-hand side, abbr. d.; -- mano (mus.), the right
hand, abbr. DM
destructible
not -able
destructor
a refuse-burning furnace, not -er
desuetude disuse
desunt/ cetera
(Lat.), the rest are missing; -- multa, many things are wanting
Detaille (Jean Baptiste ђdouard)
1848-1912, French painter (no accent)
detector (person or thing), not -er
de te fabula narratur
(Lat.), of thee is the story told
detent a catch (mechanical)
d‚tente (Ft. f.), cessation of strained relations between States
d‚tenu/ (Fr.), fem. -e, one detained in custody
deterrent not -ant
detonat/e, -or
detour a circuitous way; in Fr. m. d‚tour
detract/or
fem. -ress
detritus debris (not ital.)
de trop (Fr.), not wanted; superfluous
Deus/ (Lat.), God, abbr. D.; -- avertat! God forbid! -- det, God
grant; -- misereatur, God be merciful
deus ex machina
"a god from a machine" (device in anc. Gr. theatre), a solution
or intervention in the nick of time
deuterium symbol D (no point); -- oxide, heavy water
Deuteronomy
abbr. Deut.
Deutsch/ (Andr‚), Ltd., publishers; -- (Otto Erich), 1883-1967 compiler
of thematic catalogue of Schubert's works, see D.
Deutsche Mark
(W. Ger. curency), usu. written and spoken Deutschmark or
D-Mark, abbr. DM (no point). See also mark
Deutschland, Deutsches Reich
Ger. names for Germany
de Valera (ђamon)
1882-1975, Prime Minister of Ireland, 1937-48, 1951-4, 1957-9,
President, 1959-73
Devanagari
Ind. alphabet
develop/, -able, -ment
not -pe
devest see divest
deviat/e, -or
not -er
deviling a young devil
devilling working as a hack
devilry not -try
devil's advocate
official at papal court who proposed objections to a
canonization, an adverse critic
Devil's Island
penal settlement, Fr. Guiana
devis/e not -ize; -er, one who devises (non-legal)
devis/ee one who is bequeathed real estate; -or, one who bequeaths it
devitalize
to render lifeless, not -ise
devoir an act of civility (not ital.
Devon off. name of the county
Devonshire
abbr. Devon.
De Vries (Hugo)
1848-1935, Dutch botanist
DEW distant early warning
Dewalee use Diwali
dewar vacuum flask (not cap.)
De Wet (Christian Rudolph)
1854-1922, Boer general and statesman
Dewey (George)
1837-1917, US admiral; -- (John), 1859-1952, US philosopher; --
(Melvil), 1851-1931, US librarian; -- (Thomas Edmund), 1902-71,
US politician
De Witt (Jan)
1625-72, Dutch statesman
dexter (her.), the shield-bearer's right, the observer's left, opp.
sinister
diallage (rhet.), figure of speech in which various arguments are brought
to bear on one point, (mineral.) a brown, grey, or green mineral
similar to augite
dialling/ code, -- tone
(two words)
dialogue conversation in drama, novels, etc., not necessarily between two
persons only
dialyse (chem.), to separate by filtration through a membrane, not -ize,
-yze
dialys/is pl. -es
diamant‚ (Fr.), sparkling with powdered crystal
diameter abbr. dia. or diam.
diamond (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 4.5 pt.
diarchy rule by two authorities, not dy-
diarrhoea not -oea
diaspora a dispersal; (cap.) that of the Jews after the Babylonian
captivity of 597-538 BC
diatessaron
a harmony of the four gospels (not cap.)
diathes/is
a habit of body, pl. -es
DIC Diploma of Membership of Imperial College, London
dic/ey risky, not -cy; -ier, -iest
dichotomize
to divide into two parts, not -ise
Dickens House
London, headquarters of the Dickens Fellowship (no apos.)
dickey use dicky
Dicksee (Sir Frank)
1853-1928, painter, PRA 1924-8
dicky rear seat (usu. folding type), false shirt-front, small bird,
not -ey
dict. dictator, dictionary
Dictaphone
(propr. term)
dictionnaire
(Fr. m., two ns), dictionary
dict/um a saying; pl. -a
dicy use dicey
didactyl two-fingered, not -le
didn't to be printed close up
Didot (typ.), European system for type measurement; 12 pt. Didot =
4.512 mm. See also body
didst (no apos.)
die (Ger.), the (f. sing., and m., f., and neut. pl., nominative and
accusative)
diecious use dioe-
died abbr. d. See also dagger
die-hard (hyphen)
dieresis use diae-
dies (Lat.), day(s)
diesel compression-ignition engine
dies/ fausti
(Lat.), auspicious days; -- infausti, inauspicious days; --
irae, day of wrath
dies/is (typ.), rare name for double dagger; pl. -es (See Figure 5 in
topic FRONT_4)
dies/ juridicus
(Lat.), a day on which courts sit; -- nefasti, blank days; --
non (law), a day on which no business is done
die-stamping
(typ.), intaglio (q.v.) process leaving raised impression
dietitian not -cian
Dieu et mon droit
God and my right (English royal motto)
Die Wacht am Rhein
(Ger.), the Watch on the Rhine, famous German patriotic song
differ/, -ence
abbr. diff.
differenti/a
a distinguishing mark; pl. -ae
digamma archaic Gr. letter
digester person or instrument, not -or
digestible
not -able
digitiz/ation
(comp.), electronic reduction of characters, by scanning, to a
series of digital signals; -ed fount, fount so prepared stored
electronically in photosetter (also called ECM)
dignitary not -atory
digraph two letters represeing one sound, as ph in digraph. See also
dipthongs and Hart's Rules, p. 62
dike not dyke
diktat categorical statement (not ital.)
dil. dilute
dilapidat/e, -ed, -ion
not de-
dilatable not -eable
dilatation
expansion, "more correct than dilation" (OED)
dilator muscle or instrument that expands, incorrectly formed but more
common than dilatator
dilemma/ position involving choice between two unsatisfactory lines of
argument or action; pl. -s
dilettant/e
(It.), a lover of or dabbler in the fine arts; pl. -es or -i
Dilhorne (Viscount)
fam. name Manningham-Buller
diligence a stage-coach (not ital.)
Dillon (Viscount)
diluvi/um (geol.), aqueous deposit; pl. -a (not ital.)
dim. dimidium (one half), diminutive
dim. diminuendo
dime (US), ten cents; abbr. d.
diminuendo
(It. mus.), getting softer; abbr. dim.
DIN Deutsche Industrie-Norm; the international paper-size system
(some trimmed sizes in mm.): A0, 841 x 1,189; A4, 210 x 297; A5,
148 x 210; B0, 1,000 x 1,414; B1, 707 x 1,000. For some
untrimmed sizes in this system, see book sizes
Dinan d‚p. Cotes-du-Nord, France
Dinant Belgium
dinar Byzantine gold coin (denarius); unit of currency in various
Asian and African countries and Yugoslavia, not de-
Dinard d‚p. Cotes-du-Nord, France
d'Indy (Paul Marie Th‚odore Vincent)
1851-1931, French composer (small d)
Ding an sich
(Ger. philos. n.), thing in itself
ding-dong (hyphen)
dinghy small boat, not -gey, -gy
dingo/ Australian native dog; pl. -es
dingy grimy. See also dinghy
dining/-car, -room, -table
(hyphens)
dinner-jacket
abbr. DJ
dioces/e, -an;
abbr. dioc.
dioecious (bot.), not die-
Diogenes 412-323 BC, Cynic philosopher
Diogenes Laertius
biographer of philosophers, about AD 200
dionym a binomial name, as Homo sapiens
Dionysia (noun pl.), orgiastic and dramatic festival(s) of Dionysus
Dionysi/ac
of Dionysus; -an, of Dionysus or of Dionysius
Dionysius 430-367 BC, and his son, fl. 350 BC, tyrants of Syracuse
Dionysus Greek god Bacchus
dioptre lens measure, abbr. d.
Dioscuri (the)
Castor and Pollux
Dip. Diploma
Dip. A.D. Diploma in Art and Design
Dip. Ed. Diploma in Education
Dip. H.E. Diploma of Higher Education
diphtheria
not dipth-
diphthongs
(typ.), combined letters to represent single sounds, are
employed in Danish, French, Icelandic, Norwegian, and
Old-English words, and as phonetic symbols, instead of the
separate letters ae, oe. ae and oe should be used in Latin and
Greek words. Generally no ligatures are used in US. See also
German
diplomat not now diplomatist; abbr. dipl.
diplomate one holding a diploma; in Fr. dipl“m/‚, fem. -‚e
Diplomatic
Lectureship in, not Diplomatics
dipsomania/, -c
Directoire
French Directory of 1795-9; adj., of the dress or furniture of
the period (cap.)
dis aliter visum
(Lat.), the gods have thought otherwise
disappoint
(one s, two ps)
disassemble
take (machine) apart. See also dissemble
disassociate
use dissociate
disburden not -then
disbursement
not -sment
disc now accepted for disk, esp. in compds., disc harrow, disc
jockey, slipped disc; also compact (optical) disc
disc. discover/ed, -et; discount
disc jockey, abbr. DJ
discern/ to see; -ible. See also decern
disciplinary
not -ery
discipline
abbr. dis.
discipular
disciple-like
disco/ dancing-party with records, pl. -s
discobol/us
a discus-thrower, not -ulus; pl. -i (not cap.). The Discobolus
(cap.), the lost statue by Myron, of which discoboli are copies
discoloration
not discolour-
discolour/, -ed, -ment
not discolor
discomfit/, -ed, -ing
to thwart; noun, -ure
discomfort
(noun) lack of ease; (verb) to make uneasy
disconnection
discontinu/e, -ed
abbr. dis.
discoth‚que
room or small hall used for dancing to recorded music
discount abbr. dis.
discover/ed, -er;
abbr. disc.
discreet judicious
discrete separate
disect use dissect
disenfranchise
use disfranchise
disenthral/
not -enthrall, -inthral(l); -led, -ment
disenthrone
use dethrone
diseu/r (Fr. m.), artist entertaining with monologues, fem. -se
disfavour not -vor
disfranchise
not -ize
disguis/e, -er
dishabille
untidy dress
dishevelled
with hair or dress in disorder, not -eled
disinterested
impartial (not the same as uninterested)
disjecta membra
(Lat.), scattered remains, but "disjecti membra poetae" (Horace)
disk (in comp. input) of limp plastic, storing input-material and
driving photosetter
dismissible
not -able
disorganiz/e, -er
not -ise
disorient/ed, -ing
and disorientat/ed, -ing, are equally established in modern
usage. See also orient
dispatch/, -er
not des-
dispensable
not -ible
dispensary
abbr. disp.
dispise use de-
display/ (typ.), the setting and leading of titles, advertisements, etc.,
direction to set in this style; -- type, of size or cut suited
to this, or any type cast in an especially durable metal
Disraeli (Benjamin)
1804-81, Earl of Beaconsfield
d'Israeli (Isaac)
1766-1848, writer, father of the foregoing
dissect/, -ion, -or
not dise-
disseis/e to dispossess wrongfully, not -ze; -ee, -in, -or, -oress
dissemble to conceal. See also disassemble
disseminat/e
to scatter abroad; -or
Dissenter from Church of England (cap.)
dissertation
abbr. diss.
dissociate
to separate, not disassociate
dissoluble
not -uable
dissolvable
not -ible
dissyllable
use disy-
dissymmetry
not disy-
dist. distance, distilled, distinguish, -ed, district
distension
state of being stretched, not -tion
distich/ couplet; pl. -s
distil/ but -lation; -led, abbr. dist.
distingu/‚
(Fr.), fem. -‚e, distinguished-looking
distinguish/, -ed;
abbr. dist.
distrait/ (Fr.), fem. -e, absent-minded
distributary
one of the streams of a river delta
distribute
(typ.), to put type back into case, or to melt down type; abbr.
dis.
distributor
one who or that which distributes
district abbr. dist.
District/ Attorney
(US), abbr. DA; -- Court, -- of Columbia, abbr. DC; -- Registry,
DR
disyllab/le, -ic, -ize
of two syllables, not diss-; in Fr. m. dissyllabe
disymmetry
use diss-
ditheism belief in two gods, not dy-
dithyramb wild hymn of Bacchic revellers, not dythi-
diverticul/um
a byway, esp. of the intestines; pl. -a
divertiment/o
(It.), a kind of ballet, (mus.) entertainment-piece, pl. -i;
also (Fr.) divertissement
divest not de- (except in law, as devest out of)
divid/e, -ed, -end, division
divisor, abbr. div. Sign for ц
divide et impera
(Lat.), divide and rule
Divina Commedia (La)
1300-18, by Dante, not Come-
Divis (Ger. typ. n.), the hyphen
divisi (mus.), in several parts
divisible not -able
divisim (Lat.), separately
division of words.
Usually divide a word after a vowel, taking over the consonant.
In present participles take over -ing, as sound-ing, divid-ing;
but trick-ling, chuck-ling, and similar words. Generally, when
two consonants or vowels come together divide between them, as
splen-dour, appreci-ate. Terminations such as -cian, -sion,
-tion should not be divided when forming one sound, as Gre-cian,
ascen-sion, subtrac-tion. Hyphenated words should be divided at
the hyphen, and in lexical work etc. a second hyphen may be used
to clarify their spelling, e.g. second-/-hand. Avoid divisions
which might confuse: leg-ends (le-gends), reap-pear (re-appear),
ex-acting (exact-ing). American printers divide strictly
according to pronunciation. For a fuller treatment and for
word-division in foreign languages see Hart's Rules, pp. 14-16,
97-8, etc.
divisor (math.), a factor
divorc/‚ fem. -‚e, a divorced person; Eng. divorcee is common gender
Diwali Hindu festival, not Dewalee
Dixie/ or -land (one word), the Southern States, US
DM Deputy Master, Deutsche Mark (W. Ger. currency), Doctor of
Medicine (Oxford), (Fr.) Docteur en M‚decine (Doctor of
Medicine), (It. mus.) destra mano (the right hand)
dm decimetre(s) (no point in scientific and technical work)
Domus Procerum
(law), the House of Lords; abbr. DP or Dom. Proc.
Don Spanish title; see Dom
Donegal Ireland
Donegall (Marquess of)
Donizetti (Gaetano)
1797-1848, Italian composer
donna (It.), a lady (ital.)
Donne (John), 1573-1631, English poet
donn‚e (Fr. f.), basic fact
don't to be printed close up
doolie (Ind.), a litter, palanquin, not dhooley, -lie, -ly, dooly
Doolittle (Eliza)
heroine of Shaw's Pygmalion; -- (Hilda), 1886-1961, US poet
"Doomsday Book"
use Domesday
door-keeper
(hyphen)
doormouse use dor-
Doornik Fl. for Tournai
dop (Afrik.), brandy, tot
doppelg„nger
(Ger. m.), a wraith
Doppelpunkt
(Ger. typ. m.), the colon
doppio (movimento)
(It.), double (speed)
Doppler effect
(phys.), apparent change of frequency when source of vibrations
is approaching or receding, from Christian Johann Doppler,
1803-53, Austrian physicist; not ”
Dor. Doric
DORA Defence of the Realm Act, 1914
Dor‚ (Paul Gustave)
1833-83, French painter and engraver
dormer window
(two words)
dormeuse (Fr. f.), a settee, nightcap, travelling sleeping carriage
dor/mouse not door-; pl. -mice
dormy (golf), as many up as there are holes to play, not -ie
Dorneywood
Bucks., country house used as off. residence by any Minister
designated by the Prime Minister
dorp (Afrik.), village, country town
d'Orsay (Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, Count)
1801-52, "the last dandy"
Dorset not Dorsetshire
dory, John Dory
fish, not -ey
dos- -dos (Fr.), back to back, a sofa made for sitting so
dosage (med.), not -eage
dose (med.), abbr. d.
dosimeter not dosemeter
Dos Passos (John Roderigo)
1896-1970, US writer
dossier papers referring to some matter (not ital.)
DR (naut.) dead reckoning, dispatch rider, District/ Railway, --
Registry, (Ger.) Deutsches Reich (German Empire)
Dr doctor (before name)
dr. drachm, -s, drachma (dram or coin), -s, dram, -s, drawer
drachm use dram, except for apothecaries' measure and weight; abbr. dr.
drachma/ a dram, various coins; pl. -s, abbr. dr.
draft a deduction in weighing, a mil. party, a money order, a rough
sketch; to draw off, to sketch; abbr. dft. See also draught
draftsman one who drafts documents. See also draughtsman
drag‚e a sweetmeat enclosing drug or nut or fruit
draggle-tail
a slut, not daggle-
dragoman/ Arabic interpreter; pl. -s, not -men
dragon-fly
(hyphen)
dragonnade
French persecution of Protestants in 1681, not -onade, -oonade
Dragoon Guards
abbr. DG; these are not "Guardsmen"
dram sixty grains, one teaspoonful, sixty minims, small drink, see
drachm; pl. -s, abbr. dr.
dramat/ic, -ist
abbr. dram.
dramatis personae
(list of) characters in a play, abbr. dram. pers.
dramatize not -ise
Drang nach Osten
(Ger.), desire for expansion eastwards
Drapier's Letters
by Swift, 1724
draught act of drawing, a take of fish, 20 lb. of eels, act of drinking,
a dose, a vessel's depth in water, a current of air, liquor "on
draught". See also draft
draughtsman
one who makes drawings, plans, etc., piece in game of draughts.
See also draftsman
drawback in tech. meaning of excise duty remitted, abbr. dbk.
drawer abbr. dr.
drawing-room
(hyphen)
draw-on cover (bind.), limp cover glued to back of book
Drdla (Franz)
1868-1944, Czech composer
dreadnought
thick cloth, battleship, not -naught
Dred Scott
Negro slave (19th c.), subject of US law case
Dreiser (Theodore)
1871-1945, US novelist
driblet a trickle, not dribb-
dri/er, -est, -ly;
also drier, one who or that which dries; but dry/ish, -ness
driftwood (one word)
drip/-dry, -proof
(hyphens)
drivable not -eable
drivell/ed, -er, -ing
(two ls)
drive out (typ.), to set matter with wide word spacing, such setting
drizzling (meteor.), abbr. d.
droit moral and legal right
droit de seigneur
(Fr. m.), lord's right to enjoy vassal's bride
droite (Fr. f.), the right hand; abbr. d.
Drontheim use Trondheim
dropped head
(typ.), opening title of chapter etc. set lower than first line
of text on other pages
droshky (Russ. pl. drozhki), a four-wheeled vehicle, not -sky
drought/, -y
arid(ity), not drouth
DRP Deutsches Reichspatent (German patent)
drum/beat, -fire, -head, -stick
(one word)
drunkenness
(three ns)
Druse one of a Syrian sect, not Druz, -e
Dryasdust a dull pedant (character in prefaces of Scott's novels) (one
word, cap.)
dry/er, -est, -ly
use dri-
dry goods (US), textiles
dry/ish, -ness
dry-point etching needle, the work produced by it (hyphen)
du as prefix to a proper name, in accordance with continental
practice, should not have initial cap., as du Chѓtelet, except
when Anglicized or at beginning of sentence. Signatures to be
copied
Dual Monarchy
(caps.)
dub. dubitans (doubting), dubius (dubious)
Du Barry (Marie Jeanne B‚cu comtesse)
1746-93, favourite of Louis XV of France
dubbin grease for leather, not -ing
Dublin abbr. Dubl.
Dubois-Raymond (Emil)
1818-96, German physiologist, not du Bois
duc (Fr.), Duke; fem. duchesse (not cap.)
duces tecum
(Lat.), a subpoena
du Chaillu (Paul Belloni)
1837-1904, French-American explorer in Africa
dug-out canoe made from single tree-trunk (hyphen)
Duguesclin (Bernard)
1314-80, Constable of France
duiker (Afrik.), a small antelope, not duy-
duke cap. as title, abbr. D.; in Fr. duc (not cap.)
Dukhobors Russian sect, not Douk-
Duleep Singh
not Dhuleep, Dulip
dullness not dulness
Dulong and Petit (law of)
(physics)
Dumas (Davy de la Pailleterie Alexandre)
1802-70, French writer; -- (fils, Alexandre), his son, 1824-95,
also writer; -- (Jean Baptiste Andr‚), 1800-84, chemist
du Maurier (George Louis Palmella Busson)
1834-96, English artist and author; -- (Sir Gerald), 1873-1934,
his son, actor-manager; -- (Dame Daphne), 1907-89, his daughter,
author
Dumbarton Strathclyde
Dumbarton Oaks
estate in Washington, DC, at which -- -- Conference was held,
1944
dumb-bell (hyphen)
dumbfound/, -ed, -er
not dumf-
Dumfries & Galloway
region of Scotland
dum sola (et casta)
(law), while unmarried (and chaste)
Dunbarton former Scottish county. See also Dumbarton
Dunblane Central, not Dum-
Duncan-Sandys (Baron)
(hyphen)
Dunelm: sig. of Bp. of Durham (colon); of Durham University (no point,
no colon)
dungaree coarse calico; pl. overalls made of it; not -eree(s)
duniwassal
(Sc.), a Highland gentleman, not dunni-
Dunkirk d‚p. Nord, France; in Fr. Dunkerque
Dun Laoghaire
port of Dublin
Dunnottar Castle
Grampian
Duns Scotus (Johannes)
1265 or 1274-1308, metaphysician
duo/ pair of artistes; pl. -s
duodecimo/
or twelvemo/ (typ.), a book based on 12 leaves, 24 pages, to the
sheet; pl. -s; abbr. 12mo
duologue (stage) conversation between two
duplex/ apartment
(US), one on two floors; -- house (US), one for two families
duplication of points
see punctuation XV
Du Pont family of American industrialists
Duquesne/ (Abraham, marquis)
1610-88, French admiral; -- Fort, French fort, 1754, renamed
Fort Pitt (Pittsburg, Pa.), 1758, on its capture by the English
dur (Ger. mus.), major
durab/le, -ility
DЃrer (Albrecht)
1471-1528, German painter; Dureresque, in his style
duress constraint, not -e
D'Urfey (Thomas)
1653-1723, English playwright
Durham abbr. Dur.
DЃrrenmatt (Friedrich)
b. 1921, Swiss playwright
durrie use dhurrie
Dushanbe formerly Stalinabad, cap. of Tadjikistan, USSR
dust-bowl area denuded of vegetation by drought (hyphen); Dust Bowl
(caps., no hyphen), the region along the western edge of the
Great Plains, US
Dutch/ abbr. Du.; -- alphabet (typ.), same as English but q and x are
used only in borrowed foreign words. Accented letters are often
used in stressed syllables. Marked letters ‰ and ”, diaeresis.
ch must never be separated; for y use ij, cap. IJ
dutiable subject to duty
duumvir/ one of a pair of Roman officials; Eng. pl. -s
dux top pupil (not ital.)
dux (Lat.), a leader, pl. duces; -- gregis, leader of the flock
E Egyptian, einsteinium (no point), (prefix) exa-, the fifth in a
series. See also Lloyd's
E. Earl, east, -ern, English
e eccentricity of ellipse, (dyn.) coefficient of elasticity,
(elec.) electromotive force of cell
e (It., Port.), and
‚ (Port.), is
Љ (It.), is
Љ (e grave accent), to be used for the last syllable of past
tenses and participles when that otherwise mute syllable is to
be separately pronounced, as "Hence, loathЉd Melancholy!". See
also accents
each (gram.) must be followed by verb and pronoun in sing., as "each
dog knows its own master"; abbr. ea.
EAEC European Atomic Energy Community (now Euratom)
eagre tidal wave, not -er
E. & O. E.
errors and omissions excepted
earache (one word)
ear-drum (hyphen)
earl (cap. as title); abbr. E.
Earls Court
London (no apos.)
ear/mark, -phone
(one word)
ear/-piece, -plug, -ring
(hyphens)
earth (the)
cap. only in astronomical contexts and in a list of planets (See
Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
earthwork (one word)
east/, -ern
abbr. E. See also capitalization, compass
eastbound (one word)
East Bridgford
Notts.
East End London (caps.)
East-Ender
(hyphen)
Easter Day
first Sunday after the calendar full moon on, or next after, 21
March
East Kilbride
Strathclyde, "new town", 1947
easy chair
(two words)
easygoing (adj., one word)
eau/-de-Cologne, -- de-Nil, -- de-vie
(hyphens); -- forte, nitric acid, also an etching; ---fortiste,
an etcher; ---sucr‚e, sugar and water (not ital.)
Edda/ a collection of Icelandic legends; pl. -s; The Elder --, a
collection of poems, eleventh century and earlier; The Younger
--, thirteenth-century stories, prosody, and commentary
Eddy (Mary Morse Baker)
1821-1910, founder of Christian Science
Eddystone Lighthouse
edelweiss Alpine plant
edema/, -tous
use oed-
Edgbaston Birmingham, not Edge-
edge-tool not edged --, but "with edged tools" (fig. sense)
edgeways not -way, -wise
Edgeworth (Maria)
1767-1849, English novelist; -- (Richard Lovell), 1744-1817, her
father, English educationist
Edgware London; -- Road
edh use eth
edidit (Lat.), edited this
edile use aedile
Edinburgh abbr. Edin.
Edipus use Oe-
Edirne formerly Adrianople, Turkey
Edison (Thomas Alva)
1847-1931, US inventor
‚dit/‚ fem. -‚e, par (Fr.), published by
‚diteur (Fr. m.), a publisher, not editor
edition the state of a book (also the copies, or any one copy, so
printed) at its first publication, and after each revision,
enlargement, abridgement, or change of format (2nd, 3rd,
etc./revised/enlarged/abridged/ paperback, etc., edition); not
any reprint containing no substantial alteration (see
impression); abbrev. edn.; in trade practice 1/e, 2/e, etc. =
1st, 2nd, etc., edn. See also reprint
‚dition de luxe
(Fr.), a sumptuous edition (ital.)
editio/ princeps
a first printed edition; pl. -nes principes
Eiffel/ (Alexandre Gustave)
1832-1923, French engineer; -- Tower, Paris
eigen/frequency, -function, -value
(math. and phys., one word)
eighteenmo/
(typ.), a book based on 18 leaves, 36 pages, to the sheet; also
called octodecimo, decimo-octavo; pl. -s; abbr. 18mo
Eighteenth Amendment
to the Constitution of the US, 1920, introducing prohibition of
intoxicating liquor; repealed by Twenty-first Amendment, 1933
eigret/, -te
use aigrette. See also egret
eikon use icon
Eikon Basilike
pamphlet reputedly by Charles I, more probably by John Gauden,
1605-52, bishop and writer; another, written by Titus Oates,
ded. to William III and attacking James II
Einstein (Albert)
1879-1955, German physicist (naturalized American 1940); --
(Alfred), 1880-1952, German musicologist
einsteinium
symbol E
Eire in Gaelic means "Ireland"; former off. name of the Republic of
Ireland (or "the Irish Republic"), i.e. the 26 counties,
formerly Irish Free State
eirenicon a peace proposal, not ir-
Eisenhower (Dwight David)
1890-1969, President of US, 1953-61 American general, Supreme
Commander of Allied Expeditionary Force in Second World War
Elagabalus
204-22, emperor of Rome 218-22, not Elio-, Helio-
El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd.
El Alamein
Egypt; battle, 1942
‚lan dash, spirit; -- vital, life-force (ital.)
Elbrus (Mount), Caucasus, not -ruz, -urz
Elburz mts., Iran, not -bruz
elchee Anglicized version of elchi, Turkish ambassador
Elder Brethren
of Trinity House (caps.)
El Dorado the golden land (two words, not ital.)
eldorado/ place of great abundance, pl. -s
elec. electricity, electrical, electuary
elector not -er; (hist.) German prince electing emperor (cap. as title)
Electra complex
exaggerated attachment of daughter to father, the fem. analogue
of Oedipus complex
electress not -toress
electro/ (no point), abbr. of electrotype; pl. -s
electrocute
to put to death by electricity, not -icute
electroencephalogram
(one word), abbr. EEC
electrolyse
to break up by electric means, not -yze
electrolyte
solution able to conduct electric current
electromagnet/ic, -ism
(pertaining to) electricity and magnetism (one word)
electrometer
electricity measurer (one word)
electromotive
producing electricity (one word)
electromotor
an electric motor (one word)
electron-volt
unit of energy (hyphen); abbr. eV (one cap.)
electroplate
coat with metal by electrolysis, objects thus made (one word)
electrostatic
of electricity at rest (one word)
electrotype
duplicate printing plate made by copper electrolysis (one word);
abbr. electro
electuary a sweetened medicine; abbr. elec.
eleemosynary
charitable
eleg/y funeral song, pensive poem; adj. -iac; -ist, writer of elegy,
not -iast; -ize, write elegy, not -ise. See also elogy, eulogy
elementary
abbr. elem.
elements (chemical), no point after symbols. See also under each name
elench/us (logic), a refutation; pl. -i; adj. elenctic, not -chtic
elephant name for a former size of paper, 20 x 27 in.
Elephantine
Egypt, famed for archaeological yields
elevator not -er
Elgin Marbles
transported to British Museum from Athens, 1805-12, by Earl of
Elgin
El Giza Egypt, site of the pyramids, use Giza
Elia pseud. of Charles Lamb
Elias Gr. form of Elijah used in NT (AV)
Elien: sig. of Bp. of Ely (colon)
eligible not -able
Eliogabalus
use Ela-
Eliot fam. name of Earl of St Germans; - (George), 1819-90, pseud. of
Mary Ann, or Marian, Evans, English novelist; -- (Thomas
Stearns), 1888-1965, US (naturalized British) poet
ђlisabethville
Zaire, now Lubumbashi
elision (typ.), suppression of letters or syllables in such contractions
as e'en, there'll, I'd, you've, it's (it is, has), William's
(William is, has). In Eng. and Ger. set close up. In Fr. put a
space after an apostrophe following a word of two or more
syllables (e.g. bonn' petite but j'ai). In It. set close up
where the apostrophe follows a consonant (e.g. dall'aver but a'
miei). In Gr., Lat., Sp. to be spaced. See also ellipsis
‚lite the chosen ones; size of letters on some typewriters (not ital.)
elixir alchemist's preparation to change metals into gold or to prolong
life indefinitely
Elizabeth abbr. Eliz.
Ellice Islands
W. Pacific, now Tuvalu
Elliot in fam. name of Earl of Minto; family in Jane Austen's
Persuasion
Elliott (Ebenezer)
1781-1849, English poet
ellips/is the omission of words; pl. -es; (typ.) three points (not
asterisks) separated by normal space of line are sufficient.
When three points are used at the end of an incomplete sentence
a fourth point should not be added; normal space before the
first point. Where the sentence is complete, the closing point
is set close up, followed by the three points for omission. See
Hart's Rules for rules in foreign languages. See also elision
Ellis Island
New York harbour
‚loge (Fr. m.), an oration of praise; Anglicized as eloge (no accent)
elogy; elogi/um
pl. -a; eloge (see above); (funeral) oration of praise. See also
elegy, eulogy
Elohim (Heb.), the Deity
eloin (law), to abscond, not -gn
Elois/a, -e
see H‚lo‹se
E. long. east longitude
El Paso Texas, US, not -ss-
El Salvador
republic of Cent. America, cap. San Salvador
Elsass-Lothringen
use Alsace-Lorraine
Elsevier see Elzevier
Elsinore Eng. for Dan. Helsingor
elucidator
one who makes clear, not -er
elusive difficult to grasp, mentally or physically. See illusive
elver a young eel
Elyot (Sir Thomas)
?1499-1546, English writer
Elys‚e palace, Paris
Elysium (Gr. myth.), abode of dead heroes (cap., not ital.)
elytr/on hard wing-case of beetle; pl. -a (not ital.)
Elzevier Dutch family of booksellers and printers, in business
?1583-1712, not Elzevir, although the form is found in some
bibliographical sources. The name of the modern publisher is
Elsevier
en/ arriЉre
(Fr.), behind; -- attendant, meanwhile; -- avant, forward; --
bloc, in the mass; -- brosse, bristly-cut
enc. enclos/ed, -ure
encaenia Commemoration at Oxford, not -cenia (not ital.)
encage, encapsulate, encase
not in-
enceinte pregnant, a fortified enclosure
enchase to put in a setting, engrave, not in-
enchiridi/on
handbook or manual; pl. -a (not ital.)
en clair (Fr.), in ordinary language (not in cipher)
enclave territory surrounded by foreign dominions
enclos/e, -ure
not in- (but Inclosure Acts)
encomium/ a eulogy; pl. -s (not ital.)
encore again (not ital.)
encroach to intrude usurpingly, not in-
encrust not in-; but incrustation
encumber to hamper, burden, not in-
encyclopaed/ia, -ic, -ical, -ism, -ist, -ize
but use -ped- in quoting titles where that spelling was
preferred; abbr. ency.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
abbr. EB, Ency. Brit.
Encyclop‚die
the French encyclopaedia ed. by Diderot, 1751-72;
encyclop‚diste, a writer for it (not cap.)
en dash (typ.), a short dash as in "1914-18", "the Fischer-Spassky
match"; contrast hyphen. See also punctuation XII
endemic regularly found in a specified place, opp. to epidemic
endemn/ify, -ity
use in-
endent/, -ure
use in-
en/ dernier ressort
(Fr.), as a last resource; -- deshabille, in undress
end leaves
see endpapers
endors/e to write on the back of, not in-; -able, not -eable, -ible
endpapers (bind.), the sheets at the beginning and end of a book, half of
each pasted to inside of cover, half forming flyleaf
endue to clothe, not in-
endur/e, -able, -ed, -er, -ing
not in-
endways not -wise
Endymion Greek legend, and Keats's poem; also Disraeli's last novel
ENEA European Nuclear Energy Agency
enema/ (syringe for making) injection into rectum; pl. -s (not ital.)
energize not -ise
en/ face (Fr.), facing; -- famille, with one's family
enfant/ gѓt‚
(Fr. m.), spoilt child; -- prodigue (l'), the prodigal son; --
terrible, indiscreet person
enfeoff (hist.), to transfer land to possession of a subordinate tenant.
See also fee, feoff/ee, -ment
en f€te (Fr.), in festivity
enfin (Fr.), finally (one word)
enfold not in-
enforce/, -able
not in-
enfranchis/e, -able, -ement, -ing
not -ize
Eng. England, English
eng. engineer, -ing, engrav/ed, -er, -ing
Engadine Switzerland; in Ger. Engadin
engag/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, morally committed
en gar‡on (Fr.), as a bachelor
Engels (Friedrich)
1820-95, German socialist, associate of Karl Marx
engineer/, -ing
abbr. eng.
engine-room
(hyphen)
Engl/and, -glish
abbr. Eng.
English (typ.), name for former size of type, about 14 pt.
engraft not in-
engrain to dye in the raw state, not in-. See also ingrain
en grande/ tenue
or -- -- toilette (Fr.), in full dress; en grand seigneur,
magnificently
engross to buy wholesale, copy in a large hand, absorb attention of, not
in-
engulf not in-, -gulph
enigma/ riddle; pl. -s
enjambment
in verse, the continuation of sense beyond the end of a line; in
Fr. m. enjambement
en masse (Fr.), in a body
enmesh to entangle, not emm-, imm-
Enniskillen
Co. Fermanagh; -- (Earl of), but Inniskilling Dragoons and
Fusiliers
ennui boredom (not ital.)
ennuy/‚ fem. -‚e, bored (not ital.)
ENO English National Opera
enoculate use in-
enology use oen-
en/ pantoufles
(Fr.), relaxed; -- passant, by the way, in passing (also of a
pawn capture in chess); -- pension, as a boarder
enplane use em-
en/ poste (Fr.), in official position; -- prince, in princely style; --
prise (chess), in a position to be taken
enquire to ask. See also inquire
enquiry a question, the general word, "inquiry" being reserved for an
official investigation
en/ rapport
(Fr.), in sympathy; -- regle, as it should be, in order; --
revanche, in revenge
enrol/, -ment
not enroll-; but -led, -ler, -ling
en route (Fr.), on the way
en rule (typ.), see en dash, punctuation XII
ens an entity; Lat. pl. entia
En Saga (Swed.), A Saga (title of tone-poem by Sibelius, 1892)
Enschede Netherlands, but Ensched‚ en Zonen, printing house at Haarlem
ensconce to protect with an earthwork, establish snugly, not ins-, es-
en secondes noces
(Fr.), by second marriage
ensemble general effect, group of players (not ital.)
ensheath not -the
ensilage storage of green fodder in pits or silos
ensnare/, -ment
not in-
en somme (Fr.), in short
ensuing not -eing
en suite (Fr.), to match, forming a unit
ensuite (Fr.), after, following (one word)
ensure to make safe. See also assurance, insurance
enswathe to wrap, not in-
ENT ear, nose, and throat
entailed estate
one settled on a series of heirs, not in-
entente/ meaning; -- cordiale, cordial understanding, (caps.) that
between Britain and France, 1904 onwards; entente (un mot …
double), a word or phrase with two meanings, pl. mots … double
entente. See double entendre
enterprise
not -ize
enthral/, -led, -ler, -ling, -ment
enthron/e, -ization
not in-
entitle not in-. See also intitule
entomology
the study of insects; abbr. entom.
entourage surroundings, attendants (not ital.)
en-tout-cas
(Fr.), umbrella-cum-parasol; En-Tout-Cas (caps.) propr. term for
type of hard tennis-court
entozo/on internal parasite; pl. -a (not ital.)
entr'acte/
(performance in) the interval between two acts; pl. -s
en train (Fr.), in progress
entrain to board a train, to put aboard a train
entrain (Fr. m.), heartiness
entrammel/
to entangle; -led, -ling
entrap/, -ped, -ping
not in-
entreat to beseech, not in-
entrechat a jump in which a dancer strikes the heels together several
times (not ital.)
entrec“te (cook.), the "undercut"
entr‚e a dish served between courses, right of admission (not ital.)
entremets side dishes (not ital.)
entrench not in-
entre nous
(Fr.), confidentially
entrep“t a market (not ital.)
entrepreneur/
person in control of business enterprise, a contractor (not
ital.); adj. -ial
entresol a storey between ground floor and first floor (not ital.)
‚pat/ant (Fr.), shocking; -er les bourgeois, to shake up the hidebound
epaulette shoulder-piece, not -et
EPDA Emergency Powers Defence Act
‚p‚e sword used in fencing
epergne table ornament to hold flowers or fruit (not ital., no accent)
ђpernay French white wine
Eph. Ephesians, Ephraim
ephah Hebrew measure, not epha
ephedrine an alkaloid used as cardiac depressive or for asthma, not -in
ephemer/a same as -on; pl. -as (not ital.)
ephemer/is
an astronomical almanac; pl. -ides
ephemer/on
insect that lives for a day, pl. -ons (not ital.); (bibliog.)
printed item intended for transient use (e.g. theatre programme,
bottle label), pl. -a
Ephesians abbr. Eph.
ephod Jewish priestly vestment
ephor/ Spartan magistrate, pl. -s
ephphatha (Aram.), "Be opened"
epicedi/um
funeral ode; pl. -a
epicene sexless (contemptuous), (gram.) referring to either sex
epicentre point over centre of earthquake
Epicoene by Ben Jonson, 1609
epicure/ one who indulges in a refined way in the pleasures of the table;
adj. -an
Epicurean a philosopher who identifies pleasure with virtue, following the
Greek Epicurus, 342-270 BC
epideictic
adapted for display, not -ktic
epidemic (disease) breaking out locally and lasting only for a time
epidermis the outer skin or cuticle
epilogue concluding part of a lit. work
epiornis use aepy-
epiphany the manifestation of a god; (cap.) 6 Jan., the manifestation of
Christ to the "wise men"
epiphyte a plant that lives on the surface of another
Epirot inhabitant of Epirus, not -te
episcopal belonging to bishops; abbr. episc.; (cap.) title of Anglican
Churches in Scotland and US
"Epithalamion"
by Spenser, 1595
epithalami/um
a nuptial song; pl. -a
epitheli/um
surface tissue; pl. -a
epitomize to shorten, summarize, not -ise
epizo/on (zool.), an animal that lives on the surface of another; pl. -a;
-otic, epidemic in animals
e pluribus unum
(Lat.), many made one (motto of US)
EPNS electroplated nickel silver
eppur si muove
(It.), and yet it does move (ascribed to Galileo, after his
recantation)
escalat/e, -ion
to rise, rising, steadily and inevitably, like an escalator
escallop shellfish, use scallop
escalope collop, slice of meat
escargot edible snail
escarp/, -ment
a steep slope, not -pe
Escaut Fr. for Schelde
eschalot use shallot
eschatology
(theol.) doctrine of last things
escheator official who watches over forfeited property, not -er
eschscholtzia
a yellow-flowered plant
esconce use ens-
Escorial Spain, not Escu-
escritoire
not -oir (not ital.)
Esculap/ius, -ian
use Ae-
escutcheon
heraldic shield, plate for keyhole, etc., not scut-
Esdras in the Apocrypha, First, Second, Book of, abbr. 1, 2 Esd.
Eskimo/ not Esquimau; pl. -s
ESN educationally subnormal
esophag/us, -eal
use oes-
esp. especially
ESP extra-sensory perception
espagnol/ fem. -e (Fr.), Spanish
espagnolette
fastening for french window
espalier a lattice-work, a trained fruit-tree (not ital.)
especially
abbr. esp.
Esperanto an artificial universal language, invented by L. L. Zamenhof,
1887
espiЉglerie
roguishness (not ital.)
espionage spying (not ital.)
espressivo
(mus.), with expression, not ex-
espresso apparatus for making coffee under pressure, the coffee produced,
not exp- (not ital.)
esprit/ (Fr. m.), genius, wit; -- de corps, members' respect for a
society; -- de l'escalier, inspiration too late; -- fort, a
strong-minded person, pl. esprits forts (ital.)
Esquimalt Vancouver Island, Canada, not -ault
Esquimau use Eskimo
Esquire abbr. Esq.; J. Smith, jun., Esq., not Esq., jun.
ess name of the letter s; pl. esses
ess. essences
essays (typ.), cited titles to be roman quoted; caps. as in title
Essouan use Aswan
established
abbr. est.
Established Church
(caps.); abbr. EC
Establishment (the)
(the values held by) the established sector of society (cap.)
estamin a woollen fabric, not ‚t-
estaminet (Fr. m.), a caf‚
estanci/a (Sp.-Amer.), cattle farm; -ero, its keeper
Estate/s of the Realm
the Parliament of Scotland before union with England in 1707; -s
(the Three), Lords Spiritual (bishops), Lords Temporal, Commons;
-- (the Third), French bourgeoisie before the Revolution; --
(the Fourth), the Press
Esther (OT), not to be abbr., but Rest of Esth. (Apocr.)
esthet/e, -ic
use aes-
estimator not -er
estiv/al, -ation
use aes-
Estonia not Esth-, a Soviet Socialist Republic. See also USSR
estoppel (law), a conclusive admission, not -ple, -pal
et alii (Lat.), and others; abbr. et al., not et als.
etalon (phys.), interference-device (no accent, not ital.)
‚tamin use estamin
‚tat-major
(Fr. m.), a staff of military officers
et cetera (not ital.), abbr. etc.; comma before "etc." if more than one
term precedes; comma after "etc." if it would be needed after an
equivalent phrase such as "and the like".
etceteras extras, sundries (one word)
Eternal City (the)
Rome
eth Old-English and Icelandic letter (distinguish from thorn and
wyn, qq.v.), also used in phonetic script; not edh
ether medium filling all space, not ae-
ethereal/, -ity, -ly
not -ial
Etherege (Sir George)
?1635-91, English playwright
evaporimeter
instrument to measure evaporation, not -ometer
evening abbr. evng.
even pages
(typ.), the left-hand, or verso, pages
even s. caps.
(typ.), word(s) set entirely in small capitals
ever joined to interrogatives used universally (whatever is, is
right) but not to those used emphatically (what ever do you
mean?)
everglades
(US), tracts of low swampy ground; (cap.) a large area like this
in Florida
evermore (one word)
every must be followed by verb and pronoun in sing., as "every bird
tries to protect its young"
every/body, -day
(adj.), Everyman, -one (but -- one when each word to retain its
meaning; cf. Hart's Rules, p. 77), -thing, -way (adverb), -where
(one word)
face (typ.), the printing surface of type; the design of a particular
fount
facet/ one side of a cut gem; -ed, -ing, not -tt-
facetiae humorous anecdotes (not ital.)
facia tablet over shop, with occupier's name; dashboard of a motor
car. See also fascia
facies (nat. hist.), general aspect
facile princeps
(Lat.), easily best (ital.)
facilis descensus Averni
(not Averno) (Lat.), easy is the descent to Avernus
fa‡on de parler
(Fr.), mere form of words
facsimile/
exact copy (one word, not ital.;) pl. -s; abbr. fac.
facta, non verba
(Lat.), deeds, not words
factious characterized by faction(s)
factitious
not natural
factorize not -ise
factotum/ servant who attends to everything; pl. -s (not ital.)
factum est
(Lat.), it is done
facul/a bright solar spot; pl. -ae; not fae-
fado/ Portuguese folk-song; pl. -s
faec/es pl., excrement; adj. -al
faerie (arch. and poet.), Fairyland, not -y
Faerie Queene (The)
by Spenser, 1590-6
Faeroe Isles
Danish, in N. Atlantic, use The Faeroes; adj. Faeroese
fag-end (hyphen)
faggot bundle of sticks, seasoned meatball, derog. name for woman
fah (mus.), not fa
Fahrenheit
temperature scale; abbr. F
FAIA Fellow of the Association of International Accountants
faience glazed pottery, not fa‹-, fay-
fain‚ant idle, idler (not ital.)
faint ruled
(paper), use feint
fair abbr. F.
fair and square
(no hyphens except when attrib.)
fair copy transcript free from corrections; abbr. f. co.
Fair Isle Shetland, and knitting-design
fair play (two words)
fairway not fare- (one word)
fairyland (one word)
fairy-tale
(hyphen)
fait accompli (un)
(Fr. m.), an accomplished fact
faith-heal/er, -ing
(hyphen)
Faizabad Uttar Pradesh (India), use Fyz-
fakir Muslim or Hindu religious mendicant, not the many variants
Falang/e, -ist
(member of) political party in Spain or Syria
faldstool not fold- (one word)
Falernian wine of ancient Campania
Falkland/ Islands
S. Atlantic; -- (Viscount)
Falk Laws 1874-5, German anti-Catholic laws introduced by politician
Adalbert Falk
Falla (Manuel de), 1876-1946, Spanish composer
fal-lal piece of finery, not fallol; collect. noun fallallery
fallible liable to err, not -able
Fallodon (Edward, Viscount Grey of)
1862-1933, English statesman, not -en
fall-out (noun), from nuclear explosion (hyphen)
falsa lectio
(Lat.), a false reading; abbr. f.l.
falucca use felucca
falutin see high-falutin
FAM Free and Accepted Masons
fam. familiar, family
familiarize
not -ise
family abbr. fam. See also botany, zoology
fan/ belt, club, dance
(two words)
fandango/ (Sp.), a dance or its music; pl. -es (not ital.)
Faneuil Hall
historic building, Boston, Mass., US
fanfaronade
arrogant talk, not -nnade, -farronade
fanlight (one word)
fantas/ia (mus.), a free composition (not ital.); pl. -ias
fantasize not -ise
fantasmagoria
use phantas-
fantast a dreamer, not ph-
fantasy not ph-
Fanti tribe in Ghana, not -te, -tee
Fantin-Latour (Henri)
1836-1904, French painter
fantoccini
(It.), marionettes
fantom use ph-
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (of UN)
FAP First Aid Post
faqu/eer, -ir
use fakir
far. farriery, farthing
farad/ (elec.), unit of capacitance; abbr. F (no point); -ic current
(med.), not -aic
Faraday (Michael)
1791-1867, English chemist
fareway use fair-
farewell (one word)
far/-fetched, -flung
(hyphens)
farinaceous
starchy, not -ious
Faringdon Oxon., not Farr-
farm-hand (hyphen)
farm/house, stead, yard
(one word)
Farne Islands
N. Sea, not Farn, Fearne, Ferne
far niente
(It.), doing nothing. See also dolce -- --
Faroe use Faeroe
farouche sullen from shyness (not ital.)
Farquhar (George)
1678-1707, Irish dramatist
farrago/ a hotchpotch, not fara-; pl. -s
Farrar (Frederick William, Dean)
1831-1903, English divine and writer
farriery horse-shoeing; abbr. far.
Farringdon Within, Without
wards of the City of London
Farsi language of Iran
farth/er, -est
use further/er, -est
farthing abbr. f. or far.
FAS Fellow of the Anthropological Society; ditto Antiquarian Society
fasces (pl.), a bundle of rods, the symbol of power
fasci/a (archit.), long flat surface under eaves or cornice; pl. -ae.
See also facia
fascicle, fascicule
fascicul/us
(pl. -i), a bundle, bunch; one part of a book published in
instalments
Fasc/ism, -ist
(noun and adj.); -istic (adj.)
Fastens/-een, -eve, -even
(Sc.), Shrove Tuesday, not Feastings-
fata Morgana
mirage seen in Str. of Messina (ital.)
Fates (the Three)
Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis
fat face type
display type (q.v.) with thick stems and fine hair-lines
Father (relig.), abbr. Fr.; (the), as Deity (cap.)
father-in-law
pl. fathers-in-law (hyphens)
father of the chapel
see chapel
fathom abbr. f. or fm.
fatstock (one word)
faubourg (Fr. m.), a suburb, cap. F when with name (not ital.)
Faulkland in The Rivals, by Sheridan
Faulkner (William)
1897-1962, US novelist
faultfind/er, -ing
(one word)
faun/ Latin rural deity; pl. -s
fauna/ (collect.sing.), the animals of a region or epoch; pl. -s not
ital.)
Faure (Fran‡ois F‚lix)
1841-99, French statesman
Faur‚ (Gabriel)
1845-1924, French composer
faute de mieux
(Fr.), for want of better
fauteuil/ (Fr.), armchair, membership of French Academy; pl. -s
Fauves (Les)
group of painters led by Matisse; fauvism, style of painting
associated with them (not cap.)
faux pas (Fr. m.), a blunder (two words, pl. same)
favour/, -able, -ite, -itism
Fawkes (Guy)
1570-1606, conspirator
fawn young deer, its colour; as verb, to grovel
fayence use faience
FBA Fellow of the British Academy, not FRBA
FBAA Fellow of the British Association of Accountants and Auditors
FBCS, Fellow ofthe British Computer Society
FBI (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBIM Fellow of the British Institute of Management
FBOA Fellow of the British Optical Association
FC Football Club, Free Church (of Scotland)
FCA Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and
Wales (or Ireland) (off.)
FCGI Fellow of the City and Guilds of London Institute
FCIA Fellow of the Corporation of Insurance Agents
FCIB Fellow of the Corporation of Insurance Brokers
FCII Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute
FCMA Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
FCO Foreign and Commonwealth Office
f. co. fair copy
FCP Fellow of the College of Preceptors
fcp. foolscap
FCS Fellow of the Chemical Society, now FRSC
FCSA Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
FCSP Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
FCST Fellow of the College of Speech Therapists
FD fidei dlfensor (Defender of the Faith)
Fe ferrum (iron) (no point)
Fearne Islands
use Farne
feasible practicable, not -able
Feastings-
see Fastens-
featherfew
use fever-
featherweight paper
light but bulky book paper
February abbr. Feb.
fecal, feces
use fae-
fecerunt (Lat. pl.), made this; abbr. ff
fecial use fetial
fecit (Lat.), made this; abbr. fec.
fedayeen Arab guerrillas (pl.)
Federal Assemblies
see Assemblies
Federalist
abbr. Fed.
federalize
not -ise
fee/ (law), an inherited estate of land; -- simple, estate unlimited
as to class of heir (two words); ---tail, estate so limited
(hyphen). See also fief
feedback return of part of output to input (one word)
feedstock (one word)
feeoff use fief
feeoffee use feoffee
feet see foot
feff/ use fief; -ment, use feoffment
Fehmgericht
(Ger.), use Femgericht, qv.
Feilding fam. name of Earl of Denbigh. See also Fie-
feint (noun) sham attack, (verb) to pretend
feint ruled
(paper), not faint
feld/spar a rock-forming mineral; adj. -spathic; not felspar
F‚libre member of F‚librige, school of Proven‡al writers
Felixstowe
Suffolk
fellah/ Egyptian peasant; pl. -in, not -s, -een.
fellmonger
hide-dealer
felloe wheel rim, not felly
Fellow abbr. F; in Lat., socius; or, in the Royal Society, sodalis
fellow/ citizen, - men
(two words)
fellow/-feeling, -traveller
(hyphens)
felly use felloe
felo de se
(Anglo-Lat.), suicide; pl. felos de se
felon one who commits a grave crime; abbr. F.
felspar use feldspar
felucca small Mediterranean vessel, not fal-, fil-
fem. feminine
female (bot., zool., sociol.), abbr. f.
feme/ (law), wife, not femme; -- covert, married woman, -- sole, woman
without husband (two words). See also femme
Femgericht/
(Ger.), pl. -e, medieval German tribunal, Anglicized as
Vehmgericht, q.v.
feminine abbr. f. or fem.
feminize to make feminine, not -ise
femme/ de chambre
(Fr. f.), chambermaid, lady's maid, pl. femmes -- --; --
fatale, a dangerously attractive woman; -- galante, a
prostitute; -- incomprise, an unappreciated woman; -- savante, a
learned woman. See also feme
femto- prefix meaning "10 to the power of -15", abbr. f
fem/ur thigh bone, pl. -ora (not ital.); -oral
fencible able to be fenced; (hist., noun) soldier liable only for home
service; not -able
F‚nelon (Fran‡ois de Salignac de La Mothe)
1651-1715, French ecclesiastic and writer, not F‚n‚-
fenestr/a (anat.), a small hole in a bone; pl. -ae (not ital.)
fenugreek leguminous plant, not foenu-
feoff use fief
feoff/ee (hist.), one enfeoffed, not feeo-; -ment, act of enfeoffing.
See also enfeoff, fee, fief
ferae naturae
(law), adj., wild (of animals), literally "of a wild nature"
Ferd. Ferdinand
Ferdausi Persian poet, use Fir-
fer de lance
venomous snake (trop. S. Amer.)
Ferghana cent. Asia, not -gana
Feringhee in the Orient, a European, esp. a Portuguese; not the many
variants
Fermanagh County
N. Ireland, abbr. Ferm.
fermium symbol Fm
Ferne Islands
use Farne
Ferrara Italy; -- (Andrea), 16th c., Italian swordsmith
Ferrari (Paolo)
1822-89, Italian dramatist
Ferrero (Guglielmo)
1871-1942, Italian historian
ferret/, -ed, -er, -ing
ferrule metal cap on end of stick (two rs), not ferrel. ferule
ferrum iron, symbol Fe
ferryman (one word)
fertilize not -ise
ferule a cane or rod for punishment (one r). See also ferrule
fess (her.), not fesse
festa (It.), a festival
Festschrift/
(Ger. f.), writings presented to scholar; pl. -en
f€t/e entertainment, -ed (not ital.); f€te-champ€tre outdoor
entertainment; F€te-Dieu, feast of Corpus Christi, pl. Fetes---
(ital., hyphen)
fetial ambassadorial, not fec-
fetid ill-smelling, not foe-
fetish/ inanimate object worshipped by savages, (psych.) abnormal cause
of sexual desire, not -ich, -iche; -eer, -ism,-ist (not ital.)
fetor bad smell, not foe-
fetus use foe-
feu/ (Sc.), ground-rent, pl. -s
feu/ (Fr.), late, deceased; fem. -e
Feuchtwanger (Lion)
1884-1958, German novelist
feud. feudal
feudalize to make feudal, not -ise
feu/ d'artifice
(Fr. m.), firework, pl. feux --; -- de joie, a salute, pl. feux
-- --
feu-duty (hyphen)
feuille (Fr. typ. f.), a sheet
Feuillet (Octave)
1821-90, French novelist and playwright
feuillet/ (Fr. typ. m.), a leaf; -- blanc, blank leaf
feuilletage
(Fr. cook. m.), puff-pastry
feuilleton
(Fr. m.), light literature; in Fr. part of newspaper etc.
devoted to this
Feulhs use Fulahs
feverfew (bot.), Chrysanthemum parthenium, not feather-, fetter-, -foe
f‚vrier (Fr. m.), February, abbr. f‚v. (not cap.)
fez/ a cap; pl. -zes (not ital.); adj. -zed
FF Felicissimi Fratres (Most Fortunate Brothers)
ff (typ.), as initials for proper name, not Ff; in Welsh, a
separate letter, not to be divided
ff. folios, following (pl., preferred to et seqq.)
ff (mus.), fortissimo (very loud)
ff fecerunt, q.v.
FFA Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries (Scotland)
FFAS Fellow of the Faculty of Architects and Surveyors
fff (mus.), fortississimo (as loud as possible)
F.F.Hom. Fellow of the Faculty of Homoeopathy
FFPS Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons
FFR Fellow of the Faculty of Radiologists
FGS Fellow of the Geological Society
FH fire hydrant
FHA Fellow of the Institute of Health Service Administrators
FHS Fellow of the Heraldry Society
FIA Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries
F.I.A.A. & S.
Fellow Architect Member of the Incorporated Association of
Architects and Surveyors
FIAC Fellow of the Institute of Company Accountants
fiacre a four-wheeled cab
FIAI Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Commercial Accountants
fianc/‚ fem. -‚e, one betrothed (not ital.)
fianchetto/
(chess), placing bishop on long diagonal (pl. -es; not ital.)
fianna the militia of Finn and other legendary Irish kings; Fianna/,
pl., the Fenians; -- Eireann, the Fenians of Ireland; -- F il,
the Irish Republican party
F.I.Arb. Fellow of the Institute of Arbitrators
FIAS Fellow Surveyor Member of the Incorporated Association of
Architects and Surveyors
fiasco/ a failure; pl. -s
fiat formal authorization (not ital.)
Fiat Fabbrica Italiana Automobile Torino (It. motor car, company, and
factory)
fiat/ justitia
(Lat.),let justice be done; -- lux, let there be light
FIB Fellow of the Institute of Bankers
F.I.Biol. Fellow of the Institute of Biology
fibrin blood protein appearing as network of fibres, not -ine
fibul/a leg-bone, brooch; pl. -ae
FICE Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers
fiche microfiche; pl. same
fichu woman's neckerchief (not ital.)
FICS Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers; ditto
International College of Surgeons
fic/tion, -titious
abbr. fict.
fictionalize
not -ise
FID Fellow of the Institute of Directors
fidalgo (Port.), a noble
fiddle-de-dee
nonsense (hyphens)
Fidei Defensor
(Lat.), Defender of the Faith; abbr. FD or Fid. Def.
fides Punica
(Lat.), Punic faith, bad faith
fidget/, -ed, -ily, -ing, -y
(one t only)
FIDO Fog Investigation Dispersal Operation
fidus Achates
(Lat.), a trusty friend
FIEE Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
fief (hist.), land held by tenant of a superior, not feoff. See also
enfeoff, fee, feoff/ee, -ment
field-glasses
(hyphen)
Fielding (Henry)
1707-54, English novelist. See also Fei-
Field Marshal
(two words, caps. as title); abbr. FM
Field Officer
(two words, caps. as title); abbr. FO
fieri facias
(Lat.), "see that it is done", a writ; abbr. fi. fa.
fiesta festivity, holiday
FIFST Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology
fift/y, -ieth
symbol L
fig. figure, figurative, -ly, figure
figurant/ (Fr. m.), a member of the ballet chorus, pl. -s; fem. -e, pl.
-es. Also (It. m. or f.) -e, pl. -i
figure-head
(hyphen)
figures term used by some printers for arabic numerals; BS 2961
recommends the term numerals (q.v.) for both arabic and roman.
See also authorities, decimal currency, lakh
FIHE Fellow of the Institute of Health Education
F.I.Inst. Fellow of the Imperial Institute
FIJ use FJI
Fiji/ W. Pacific, indep. 1970; adj. -an only of Polynesians,
otherwise Fiji
filagree use filigree
Fildes (Sir Luke)
1844-1927, English painter
filemot a yellowish-brown, "dead leaf" colour, not filamort, filmot,
phil-
filet (cook.), fillet
filfot use fy-
filibeg (Sc.), kilt, not the many variants
filibuster
one who obstructs public business by a long speech, the speech,
not fill-
filigree/ ornamental metallic lace-work, adj. -d, not fila-, file; --
letter (typ.), an initial with filigree background
filing cabinet
(two words)
Filipin/as
Sp. for Philippine Islands; -o(s), native(s) of the islands
fille de/ chambre
(Fr. f.), chamber-maid, lady's maid, pl. filles -- --; -- joie,
a prostitute
fillet/ in Fr. m. filet; -ed, -ing
fillibeg use fili-
filling-station
(hyphen)
fillip/ a stimulus; -ed, -ing
fillipeen use philippina
fillister a kind of plane-tool (two ls)
filmot use filemot
filmsetting
(typ.), composition and correction on photographic film instead
of in metal
filoselle floss silk (not ital.)
fils (Fr. m.), son, as Dumas fils (not ital.)
filter/ device for separating solid matter from liquid; -bed, -paper
(hyphens). See also philtre
filucca use felucca
F.I.Mech.E.
Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Fin. Finland, Finnish
finable liable to a fine
finale conclusion (not ital.)
finalize not -ise
fin de siЉcle
(Fr. f.), end of the (nineteenth) century, decadent
firn n‚v‚, granular snow not yet compressed into ice at head of
glacier (not ital.)
first (adj.), abbr. 1st
first aid (two words)
first/-born, -class
(adj. and adv.), -fruit (hyphens)
firsthand (adj., one word), but at first hand (two words)
first proof
(typ.), the first impression taken, and corrected by the "copy"
first-rate
(hyphen)
First World War
1914-18 (caps.); also World War I
firth an estuary, not fri-
FIS Fellow of the Institute of Statisticians
FISA Fellow of the Incorporated Secretaries Association
Fischer (Robert James)
b. 1943, US chess master
Fischer-Dieskau (Dietrich)
b. 1925, German baritone
fisgig use fiz-
fish/ cake, -- finger
(two words)
fishing/-line, -rod
(hyphens)
fissile able to undergo fission, not fissionable
FIST Fellow of the Institute of Science Technology
fisticuffs
not fisty-
fistul/a opening of internal organ to the exterior or to another organ,
pl. -ae (not ital.)
fit (arch.)
section of a poem, not fytte
FitzGerald/
fam. name of Duke of Leinster; -- (Edward), 1809-83, English
poet and translator (one word), cap. G
Fitzgerald/ (Francis Scott Key)
1896-1940, US novelist; -- (George Francis), 1851-1901, Irish
physicist, devised the theory of -- contraction, lower-case g
Fitzwilliam/ College, -- Museum
Cambridge
fivefold (one word)
fixed star
sign (See Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
fizgig flirtatious girl, small firework, not fis-, fizz-
fizz a sound, not fiz
FJI Fellow of the Institute of Journalists, not FIJ
fjord use fiord
FL (naval) Flag Lieutenant, Florida (off. postal abbr.)
Fl. Flanders, Flemish
fl. florin, fluid, (Neth. etc.) gulden
fl. flores (flowers), floruit (flourished)
f.l. falsa lectio (a false reading)
Fla. Florida (off. abbr.)
FLA Fellow of the Library Association
flabbergast
to dumbfound, not flaba-, flaber-
flabell/um
(eccl. and bot.), a fan; pl. -a
flag/-boat, -day
(hyphens)
flageolet (mus.) small flute, (bot.) kidney bean, not -elet (not ital.)
flag-pole (hyphen)
flag/ship, -staff
(one word)
flak anti-aircraft fire, not -ck
flamb‚ (Fr. cook.), served in flames
flambeau/ a torch; pl. -s (not ital.)
flamboyant
showy, (archit.) with flamelike lines (not ital.)
flamenco/ type of gypsy song or dance from Andalusia, pl. -s (not ital.)
flame-thrower
(hyphen)
flamingo/ trop. bird; pl. -s
flammable inflammable
Flamsteed (John)
1646-1719, first English Astronomer Royal (1675-1719), not
-stead
Flanders abbr. Fl.
flѓn/erie (Fr. f.), lounging; -eur, fem. -euse, an idler
flannelette
cotton imitation of flannel, not -llette
flannelled
not -eled
flash/back, -light, -point
(one word)
flat/ back
(bind.), see square back; ---impression or -- pull (typ.), see
rough pull
flat-fish (hyphen)
flatworm (one word)
Flaubert (Gustave)
1821-80 French novelist
flautist not flut-
flavour/, -ed, -ing, -less
but flavorous
flЉche (Fr. f.), an arrow; flЉche (archit., not ital.), a slender spire
foliate (verb) number folios consecutively, (adj.) leaflike
Folies BergЉre
(ital.)
folio/ (typ.), a sheet of MS or copy; a page number; a book based on
two leaves, four pages, to the sheet; pl. -s; as verb, -ed, not
-'d; abbr. fo., fol.
foli/um (Lat.), a leaf; pl. -a
folk-dance
(hyphen)
Folketing Danish Parliament; not -thing
folklor/e, -ism, -ist, -istic
(one word)
folk/-song, -tale
(hyphens)
follic/le (bot., med.), small sac, not -cule; but -ular, -ulated
following abbr. f. or fol.
fonda (Sp.), an inn
fondant a sweetmeat (not ital.)
fondue melted cheese, eggs, etc., not fondu
fons et origo
(Lat.), source and origin
font (US typ.), Eng. fount
Fontainebleau
d‚p. Seine-et-Marne, France
Fonteyn (Dame Margot)
b. 1919, English prima ballerina
foodstuff (one word)
foolproof (one word)
foolscap former size of paper, 17 x 13.5 in.; -- 4to, 8.5 x 6.75 in.; --
8vo, 6.75 x 4.25 in.(untrimmed). See also book sizes
foot in metric system 30.48 centimetres; abbr. ft; not now in
scientific use
foot-and-mouth
disease (hyphens)
football (one word)
foot/-brake, -bridge
(hyphens)
foot candle
(two words)
foot/hills, -hold, -lights, -loose
(one word)
footnotes in copy should be written either at the bottom of the folio or
on a separate sheet, with reference figures for identification;
(typ.) all references In text to be by superior figures outside
the punctuation mark or quote, except in math. setting (see
reference marks). For a second set of cues use superior letters.
At page make-up, leave apparent white between end of text and
first line of notes
foot/path, -plate, -print
(one word)
Foots Cray
London
Footscray Vic., Australia
foot/sore, -step, -stool, -way, -wear
(one word)
for. foreign, forestry
foram/en (anat., bot.), an orifice; pl. -ina
forasmuch (one word)
foray a raid, not forr-
forbade see forbid
for/bear to abstain, past -bore, partic. -borne. See also forebear
Forbes-Robertson (Sir Johnston)
1853-1937, English actor
for/bid past -bade, partic. -bidden, -bidding
force majeure
(Fr. f.), circumstances beyond one's control
forcemeat meat finely chopped and seasoned, not forced- (one word)
forceps surgical pincers; pl. same
forcible not -cable
Ford (Ford Madox)
orig. surname Hueffer, 1873-1939, English writer
forearm (noun and verb, one word)
forebear ancestor. See also forbear
forebod/e, -ing
not forb-
forecast
forecastle
not fo'c'sle
foreclose
foredge (bind.), the edge of a book opposite the binding, not fore-edge.
See also margins
fore-edge (hyphen in non-technical uses)
fore-end not forend
Forefathers' Day
(US), anniversary of landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass.,
21 Dec. 1620, usu. celebrated on 22 Dec.
forefend use forf-
fore/finger, -front
(one word)
foregather
use forg-
fore/go to go before, past -went, partic. -gone, -going. See also forgo
forehead
foreign abbr. for.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
formed, 1968, from the two separate Offices; abbr. FCO
Foreign/ Mission
abbr. FM; -- Office (caps.), abbr. FO, combined, 1968, with the
Commonwealth Office
forel early vellum-like covering for books, not forr-
fore/leg, -lock, -mast, -play
(one word)
fore/run past -ran, partic. -run; -runner (one word)
Forester (Cecil Scott)
1899-1966, English novelist
foretell not fort-, fortel
for ever for always (two words); forever, continually (one word)
forewarn not for- (one word)
foreword (of book), not forw-. See also preliminary matter
forfeit
forfend avert, not fore-
forgather not fore-
forget-me-not
(bot.)
forgett/able, -ing
forgivable
not -eable
for/go to abstain from, past -went, partic. -gone, -going. See also
forego
formalin a germicide or preservative, not -ine
formalize not -ise
format/ (typ.), the size (octavo, quarto, etc.) of a book; (loosely) its
general typ. style and appearance; (comp.) a frequently-used set
of typographical commands stored in the keyboard (not ital.); as
verb, past -ted, partic. -ted, -ting
forme (typ.), a body of type secured in the frame called a chase; not
form
former first of two. See also latter
formul/a pl. -as, (sci.) -ae (not ital.); abbr. F.
forray use foray
forrel use forel
forsaid use fore-
Fors Clavigera
by Ruskin, 1871-84
Forster (John)
1812-76, English biographer (see also Foster); -- (Edward
Morgan), 1879-1970, English novelist
forsw/ear, -ore, -orn
forsythia ornamental shrub
Fort cap. F when with name, as Fort Southwick, Tilbury Fort; abbr.
Ft.
fort. fortification, fortified
forte/ person's strong point (not ital.); (mus.), strong and loud,
abbr. f; ---piano, loud, then immediately soft (hyphen), abbr.
fp; --piano, early form of pianoforte (one word)
fortell use fore-
fortissimo/
(mus.), very loud; as noun, pl. -s; abbr. ff
fortississimo/
(mus.), as loud as possible; as noun, pl. -s; abbr. fff
fortiter in re
(Lat.), bravely in action. See also suaviter in modo
FORTRAN Formula Translation, a computer compiler language
forty-eightmo
(typ.), a book based on 48 leaves, 96 pages, to tbe sheet; abbr.
48mo
forwarn use fore-
forzando (mus.), forced; abbr. fz (no point). See also sforzando
foss/a (anat.), a cavity; pl. -ae
fosse a ditch, not foss
fossilize not -ise
Foster (Birket)
1825-99, English painter; -- (John), 1770-1843, Englisb essayist
(see also Forster); -- (Stephen Collins), 1826-64, US
song-writer; -- (Sir Harry Hylton-), see Hylton-Foster
Fotheringhay Castle
Northants, 1066-1604
Foucault (John Bernard L‚on)
1819-68, French physicist
Foucquet use Fouq-
foul/ adv. -ly; -up (hyphen as noun)
Foulahs use Fulahs
foulard a fabric (not ital.)
foul proof
(typ.), a proof-reader's marked proof as opposed to the
corrected (or clean, q.v.) proof which succeeds it
foundry not -ery; -- proof, final proof from forme which has been
prepared for plating
fount (typ.), a complete set of type of one particular face and size;
in US font
Fouqu‚ (Friedrich, Baron de la Mode)
1777-1843, German poet and dramatist
Fouquet (Jean)
1416-80, French painter; -- (Nicolas), 1615-80, French
statesman; not Foucq-
four-colour process
(typ.), printing in yellow, magenta, cyan, and black to give a
complete colour reproduction
fourfold (one word)
Fourier (Fran‡ois Marie Charles)
1772-1837, French socialist, hence Fourier/ism, -ist, -ite; --
(Jean Baptiste Joseph), 1768-1830, French mathematician and
physicist, hence Fourier Series
four-poster
four-post bed
four/score, -some
(one word)
four-stroke
(hyphen)
Fourth of July
US Independence Day (caps.)
Fourth of June
George III's birthday, day of celebration at Eton
Fowler (Francis George)
1870-1918, English lexicographer; -- (Henry Watson), 1858-1933,
English lexicographer, author of Modern English Usage and joint
author, with brother F. G., of The King's English
Fox (Charles James)
1749-1806, English politician; -- (George), 1624-91, English
preacher, founder of Society of Friends (Quakers)
Foxe (John), 1516-87, English martyrologist
foxed paper
stained with yellowish-brown spots
fox/glove, -hole, -hound
(one word)
fox/-hunt, -terrier
(hyphens)
foxtrot (one word)
foyer theatre lounge (not ital.)
FP Fine Paper (the best edition of a work); fire-plug; (Sc.) former
pupil(s)
f.p. freezing-point
fp (mus.), forte-piano, loud, then immediately soft
FPA Family Planning Association, Foreign Press Association
F.Ph.S. Fellow of the Philosophical Society of England
FPS Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Fr francium (no point)
Fr. Father, France, French, Friar, Friday; (Ger.) Frau (Mrs, wife)
(It.) Fratelli (Brothers)
fr. fragment, franc, from, (Ger.) frei (free)
fra (It.), brother, friar (no point)
fracas noisy quarrel; pl. same (not ital.)
fractionalize
not -ise
fractions (typ.), spell out simple fractions in textual matter, e.g.
one-half, two-thirds, one and three-quarters; hyphenate
compounded numeral in compound fractions such as nine
thirty-seconds, forty-seven sixty-fourths; in statistical matter
use one-piece fractions where available, but if these are not
available use split fractions, i.e. those with dividing line
attached to denominators and the numerator justified above it;
but to avoid difficult handwork complex non-displayed fractions
are now often set in fount-size numerals with a solidus between,
e.g. 19/100. For math. setting, see Hart's Rules, pp. 55-6
fractions, decimal
see decimal fractions
FRAD Fellow of the Royal Academy of Dancing
fraenum not fre-
F.R.Ae.S. Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
F.R.Ag.Ss.
Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies
FRAI Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute
Fraktur (typ.), name for German style of black letter
FRAM Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music
framable not -eable
framework (one word)
franc (Fr. m.), coin (not ital.); abbr. f. or fr., pl. f. or frs., to
be put after the figures, as 10 f. 50 c., or 10.50 fr.
fran‡aise (… la)
(Fr.), in the French style, not cap. F
France abbr. Fr.
Franche-Comt‚
province, France
franchise the right to vote, not -ize
francium symbol Fr
Franck (C‚sar Auguste)
1822-90, Belgian-born French organist and composer
Franco (General Francisco)
1892-1975, Spanish head of state 1939-75
franc-tireur
(Fr. m.), an irregular sharpshooter; pl. francs-tireurs
franglais (Fr. m.), French regarded as including too many borrowings from
English
Frankenstein
(in Mary Shelley's novel), the maker of the monster, not the
monster
Frankfort Ind. and Ky. (US)
Frankfurt/-on-Main
W. Germany; -- -on-Oder, E. Germany; in Ger. Frankfurt/ am
Main, -- an der Oder (no hyphens)
frankfurter
seasoned smoked sausage
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
German newspaper, not Frankfor-, fur-
Franz Josef Land
Arctic Ocean (USSR)
frappant (Fr.), striking, affecting
frapp‚ (Fr.), iced
FRAS Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, ditto Asiatic Society
Fraser family name of Barons Lovat, Saltoun, and Strathalmond. See also
Frazer
Fraser River
Brit. Columbia, Canada
Fraser's Magazine
frat/e (It.), a friar; pl. -i
fraternize
not -ise
Frau/ (Ger. f.), Mrs, wife, not Fr„u; abbr. Fr.; pl. -en
Fr„ulein (Ger. n.), Miss, unmarried lady; pl. same; abbr. Frl.
Fraunhofer/ (Joseph von)
German physicist, discoverer of -- lines in sun's spectrum (no
umlaut)
Frazer (Sir James George)
1854-1941, English anthropologist. See also Fraser
FRBS Fellow of the Royal Botanic Society; Fellow of the Royal Society
of British Sculptors
FRCGP Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners
FRCM Fellow of the Royal College of Music
FRCO Fellow of the Royal College of Organists
FRCOG Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
FRCP Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London
F.R.C.Path.
Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
FRCS Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, England
FRCVS Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London
F.R.Econ.S.
Fellow of the Royal Economic Society
Fred. Frederic, Frederick. When it is a full name, or a diminutive of
familiarity, it takes no point
Fredericton
New Brunswick, Canada, not -ck-
free and easy
(three words)
freeboard (one word)
free-born (hyphen)
freedman an emancipated slave; freeman, one to whom the freedom of a city
has been given
free/-for-all, -hand
(adj.) (hyphens)
free/hold, -holder
(one word)
free-lance
(noun & verb)
Freemantle
use Frem-
Freemason/, -ry
(cap., one word)
free-range
(adj., hyphen)
free/-thinker, -thought
(hyphens)
free will the power of self-determination (two words); freewill (adj., one
word)
freeze to convert to ice. See also frieze
freezing-point
abbr. f.p.
frei (Ger.), free; abbr. fr.
Freiberg Saxony, Germany
Freiburg/ im Breisgau
Baden, Germany; Ger. abbr. -- i.B.
Freiburg Switzerland, use Fribourg
Freiherr Get. title; abbr. Frhr.
FreischЃtz (Der)
opera by Weber, 1819
freize use frieze
Fremantle W. Australia, not Free-
French abbr. Fr.; (typ.), alphabet as English; see accents. There are
strict rules for capitalization, division of words, spacing,
etc. The following must suffice here, but reference to Hart's
Rules, pp. 89-103, is strongly recommended. Division of words
is according to spoken syllables, rarely etymology: single
consonant goes with following vowel, including consonant + r or
+ l; take over gn (e.g. sei-gneur); doubled consonants may he
divided. No caps. for adjectives of nationality, the first
pers. pronoun, days of week, months, names of cardinal points,
names indicating rank, as anglais, je, lundi, mars, le nord, le
duc. Accents: acute (') used only over e; when two es come
together the first always has acute accent, as n‚e; grave (')
used over a, e, u; circumflex (^) used over any vowel. Cedilla
c (‡) used only before a, o, u. Diaeresis as in English; the
digraph oe is not to be separated. Quotation marks are usu.
guillemets ® Ї, though rules are more commonly used in
conversational passages
french chalk
(not cap.)
French groove
(bind.), extra space between board and spine
Frenchified, Frenchlike
(cap.)
french polish/, -er, french windows
(two words, not cap.)
frenetic delirious, frantic, not ph-
frenum use frae- feq., frequent, -ly, -ative
frЉre (Fr. m.), brother, friar
FRES Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society
fresco/ water-colour done on damp plaster; pl. -s (not ital.)
freshman first-year man at university (one word)
freshwater
(adj., one word); fresh water (noun, two words)
Fresnel (Augustin Jean)
1788-1827, French physicist
fret/saw, -work
(one word)
Freud/ (Sigmund)
1856-1939, Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis;
adj. -ian
Freytag (Gustav)
1816-95, German writer
FRG Federal Republic of Germany
FRGS Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
F.R.Hist.S.
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Frhr. (Ger.), Freiherr (a title)
FRHS Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society
Fri. Friday
friar's balsam
tincture of benzoin, not -s'
FRIBA Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (pl. FF-)
Fribourg Switzerland, not Frei-; in Ger. Freiburg
FRIC Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, now FRSC
fricandeau/
braised and larded fillet of veal; pl. -x (not ital.)
fricassee/
a white stew (not ital., no accent), pl. -s
FRICS Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Friday abbr. F., Fr., or Fri.
Friedman (Milton)
b. 1912, US economist
frier one who fries, use fryer
Friesian breed of cattle, not Fris-
frieze cloth, (archit.) part below cornice, not frei-
FRIPHH Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene
frippery tawdry finery
Fris. Frisia (Friesland, in Netherlands), Frisian. See also Friesian
fris/ette curls on forehead, not friz-; -eur, hairdresser; -ure, mode of
hairdressing
frisson (Fr. m.), a shudder
frit/ (Fr. cook.) fem. -e, pl. -(e)s, fried
frith estuary, use firth
frizz to roughen, curl, not friz
Frl. (Ger.), Fr„ulein (Miss)
F.R.Med.Soc.
Fellow of the Royal Medical Society
F.R.Met.S.
Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
FRMS Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society
FRNS Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society
fro (no point)
Froebel (Friedrich)
1782-1852, German educationalist, founder of kindergarten system
Frolic/, -ked, -king
fromage (Fr. m.), cheese
Fronde French rebel party during minority of Louis XIV
GA General Assembly (Sc. Ch.); Georgia, US (off. postal abbr.)
Ga gallium (no point)
Ga. Gallic; Georgia, US (off.)
gabardine durable cloth
gabbey use gaby
gabbro/ (geol.), an igneous rock; pl. -s
gaberdine a loose cloak
Gabon/ W. Africa, indep. republic 1960; adj. -ese
Gaborone Botswana
gaby a simpleton, not -ey, gabbey, gawby
Gadarene swine
Gaddi family of Florentine painters, 1259-1396
Gadhel/ a Gael of the Irish, Highland Scottish, or Manx branch; adj. -ic
Gaditanian
of Cadiz, SW Spain
gadolinium
symbol Gd
Gadshill Kent, site of Gad's Hill Place, Charles Dickens's residence
1860-70; character in Shakespeare's Henry IV (one word)
Gaekwar title of prince of Baroda, India, not Gaik-
Gaelic/ abbr. Gael.; -- alphabet, same as English, but no j, k, q, v, w,
x, y, z. See also accents
Gaeltacht region of Ireland where vernacular language is Irish
gaga senile, incapable (one word)
Gagarin (Yuri Alekseyevich)
1934-68, Russian cosmonaut, first to orbit earth, 1961
gage a, or to, pledge. See also gauge
gaiety not gay-
Gaikwar (title), use Gaek-
gaillardia
(bot.), a plant
gaily not gayly
gairfish use garfish
gairfowl use gare-fowl
gairish use garish
Gair Loch Strathclyde, use Gare-
Gairloch Highland, not Gare-
Gaitskell (Hugh Todd Naylor)
1906-63, British statesman
Gaius Roman praenomen, not Caius; abbr. C.
gal unit of acceleration, with numbers Gal (no point)
Gal. Galatians
gal. gallon, -s
gala/ festive occasion; pl. -s (not ital.)
galaena use -lena
galangale use gali-
galantine white meat served cold in jelly, not gall-
Galantuomo (Il Re)
King Victor Emmanuel I of Italy
galanty show
a shadow pantomime, not -tee, gallantee, -ty
Galatea (Acis or Pygmalion and)
Galati Romania, not -acz, -atch, -atz
Galatia Asia Minor
Galatians abbr. Gal.
galavant use galli-
Galaxy (astr.), the Milky Way (system) (cap.)
gale (meteor.), wind moving at 40-70 miles per hour
galena lead ore, not -aena
galera (Sp. typ.), a galley
galЉre (Fr. f.), galley (ship); qu'allait-il faire dans cette --? (how
did he get into this scrape?)
Galilean of Galilee, or of Galileo
Galileo [Galilei]
1564-1642, Italian astronomer and mathematician; in Fr. Galil‚e,
It. Galilei
galingale a sedge with medicinal root, not gala-
galiot a vessel, use gall-
galipot a resin. See also gall-
galivant use galli-
gall. gallon, -s
gallantine
use galantine
gallanty show
use gala-
gallaway see gallo-
gall-bladder
(hyphen)
Galle town, Sri Lanka, formerly Point de Galle
gallery in Fr. f. galerie
Galles (Fr. f. sing.), Wales; adj. gallois/, fem. -e
galley/ (typ.), a flat oblong tray for holding composed type; -- proofs,
those supplied in "slips" about 18 in. long (i.e. impressions
taken from type on galleys). See also proof
Gallic of Gaul, French; abbr. Ga.
gallice in French
Gallic/ism
French idiom; -ize, to make Gallic or French, not -ise
Galli-Curci (Amelita)
1889-1963, Italian soprano
galligaskins
pl., breeches, not -in
gallimaufry
a medley
galliot Dutch cargo-boat
Gallipoli S. Italy, Turkey
gallipot a small jar. See also gali-
gallium symbol Ga
gallivant to gad about, not gala-, gali-
gallon/, -s
abbr. gal. or gall.
galloon a dress trimming
galloot use galoot
gallop/ a horse's movement; -ed, -er, -ing. See also galop
gallopade Hungarian dance, not galop-, gallopp-
Gallovidian
of Galloway
Galloway SW Scotland
galloway a horse, also breed of cattle, not galla-
gallows treated as sing.
gallstone (one word)
Gallup/ (Dr George Horace)
1901-84, founded American Institute of Public Opinion, 1936; --
poll, measure of public opinion (two words, one cap.)
galoot an awkward fellow, not gall-, geel-
galop a dance. See also gallop
galore in abundance
galosh/ an overshoe, not gol-, -oshe; -ed
galumph to gallop triumphantly
galv. galvan/ic, -ism
Galvani (Luigi)
1737-98, discoverer of galvanism
galvanize not -ise
Galway W. Ireland
Galwegian of Galloway
Gama (Vasco da)
1467-1524, Portuguese navigator, first round Africa to India
Gambia (The)
W. Africa, indep. 1965
Gambier Ohio, US
gambier a gum, not -beer, -bir
gamboge yellow pigment, not -booze
gambol/ to frisk; -led, -ling
game/bird, -keeper
(one word)
gamin/ a street urchin, fem. -e (not ital.)
gamma/ unit of magnetic flux density; in SI units 1nT; -- globulin, a
protein; -- ray (two words)
gammon a cured ham, not gamon
gamy having the flavour or scent of game left till high, not -ey
Gand Fr. for Ghent, Belgium
Gandhi/ (Mohandas Karamchand)
(Mahatma Gandhi), 1869-1948, Indian nationalist leader; -- (Mrs
Indira), 1917-84, Prime Minister of India 1966-77, 1980-4, dau.
of Pandit Nehru, not related to preceding; -- (Rajiv), b. 1944,
Prime Minister of India 1984-, her son
gangli/on knot on nerve; pl. -a
gangue rock or earth in which ore is found
gangway (one word)
ganister a hard stone, not gann-
gantlet use gaun-
gantry platform to carry travelling crane, etc., not gau-
Ganymede (Gr. myth.), cup-bearer to the gods
gaol/ -er, not jai-. See also goal
gaol/bird, -break
(one word)
Garamond a typeface
Garamont (Claude)
c.1500-61, French type-designer, -cutter, and -founder
Garcilaso de la Vega
1503-36, Spanish poet; -- -- -- -- ('the Inca'), 1540-1616,
Spanish historian
gar‡on (Fr. m.), bachelor, boy, waiter (ital.)
Garde nationale
(Fr.), national guard (one cap.)
gardenia (bot.), an ornamental shrub (not ital.)
Gardens abbr. Gdns.
gare (Fr. f.), railway station
garefish use garfish
gare-fowl the great auk, not gair-, gar- (hyphen)
Gare Loch Strathclyde, not Gair
Gareloch Highland, use Gair-
garfish similar to pike, not gair-, gare-
gargantuan
enormous (not cap.)
gargoyle (archit.), grotesque spout, not -ile, -oil
Garhwal Uttar Pradesh, India
gari use gharry
garish gaudy, not gair-
garlic but garlicky
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
W. Germany
garnet red precious stone
garn/i (Fr.), fem. -ie, furnished
garrott/e to throttle, not -ote, garotte; -er
Garter King-of-Arms
herald, not -at-
gas (US colloq.), gasoline
gaseous
Gaskell (Mrs Elizabeth Cleghorn)
1810-65, English novelist
gasoline volatile liquid from petroleum, esp. (chiefly US and techn.)
petrol, not -ene
Gasp‚ peninsula, cape, and town (Quebec prov., Canada)
gas poisoning
(two words)
Gast/haus (Ger. n.), an inn; pl. -h„user (cap.)
Gast/hof (Ger. m.), a hotel; pl. -h”fe (cap.)
gastronom/e
a judge of good eating; -ic, -y
gastropod any member of the Gastropoda, mollusc class (not ital.); not
-ster-
gѓt/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, spoiled
gѓteau/ (Fr. m.), cake, pl. -s
gatecrash/, -er
(one word)
gate/fold folded oversize page (one word)
gate/keeper, -post, -way
(one word)
gather (bind.), to assemble the printed and folded sections in sequence
GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
gauch/e awkward; -erie, awkwardness (not ital.)
gauche (Fr.), left; abbr. g.
gaucho/ a mounted herdsman, native of the pampas, not gua-; pl. -s
gaud/y annual entertainment, esp. college dinner; (adj.) showy; -ily,
-iness
gaug/e a measure; -ing, not guage. See also gage
Gauguin (EugЉne Henri Paul)
1848-1903, French painter
Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (ђtienne)
1772-1844, French zoologist, not -frey (one hyphen only)
Geoffrey-Lloyd (Baron)
geog. geograph/er, -ical, -y
geographical qualifiers
forming everyday terms, usually have lower-case initials, as
chinese white, indian ink, roman type. But Brussels sprouts,
London pride. See capitalization and Hart's Rules, pp. 12-13
geol. geolog/ical, -ist, -y
geologize not -ise
geology names of formations to have caps., as Old Red Sandstone
geom. geome/ter, -trical, -try
Geordie native of Tyneside
Georg Ger. for George
George abbr. Geo.
George-Brown (Baron)
Georgetown
Guyana
George Town
Cayman Is., Malaysia (two words)
Georgia US; off. abbr. Ga. or (postal) GA
Georgia a Soviet Socialist Republic. See also USSR
Georgian of Georgia or the Georges
Georgium sidus
(astr.), old name for Uranus
Ger. German, Germany
ger. gerund, -ial
geranium/ (bot.), pl. -s (not ital.)
Gerard (John)
1545-1612, English botanist, not -arde
gerbil desert rodent, not jer-
gerfalcon use gyrfalcon
G‚ricault (Jean Louis Andr‚ Th‚odore)
1791-- 1824, French painter
gerkin use ghe-
German abbr. Ger. (typ.), now usually set in roman (Antiqua) type; see
accents. The Fraktur alphabet (listed in Hart's Rules, p. 104)
has no small caps. or italic, emphasis being shown by
letter-spacing. For details of German printing-practice (note
esp. the rules on capitalization, word-division, and ligatures)
see Hart's Rules, pp. 103-11
german (cousin)
germane to
relevant
germanium symbol Ge
Germanize not -ise
Germany abbr. Ger.
G‚r“me (Jean L‚on)
1824-1904, French painter
gerrymander
to manipulate unfairly, not je-
gerund/, -ial
abbr. ger.
Ges. (Ger.), Gesellschaft (a company or society) (cap.)
gesammelte Werke
(Ger. pl.), collected works (one cap.)
Gesellschaft
(Ger. f.), a company or society (cap.), abbr. Ges.
gesso/ gypsum used in art, pl. -es
gest. (Ger.), gestorben, deceased
Gestalt/ a shape, the whole as more than the sum of its parts; also used
as adj. to describe philosophy or psychology based on this
Gestapo German secret police (under Hitler)
Gesta Romanorum
(Lat. pl.), medieval collection of anecdotes
gesticulator
one who moves his bands and arms in talking, not -er
gestorben (Ger.), deceased; abbr. gest.,
gesundheit!
(Ger.), your health (said also to one who sneezes)
get-at-able
accessible (hyphens)
gettable (two ts)
Gettysburg
Pennsylvania, scene of Battle and of Lincoln's address, 1863
Geulinex (Arnold)
1625-69, Dutch philosopher
GeV giga-electron-volt
Gewandhaus
(Ger. n.), Clothworkers' Hall, concert-hall in Leipzig
gewgaw gaudy plaything (one word)
geyser hot spring, water-heater (not ital.). See also geezer
gnos/is knowledge of spiritual mysteries; pl. -es; -tic, having
spiritual knowledge; Gnosticism, an eclectic philosophy of the
redemption of the spirit from matter through knowledge
GR Georgius, or Gulielmus, Rex (King George, or William)
Gr. Grand, Greater, Grecian, Greece, Greek
gr. grain, -s; for gram use g.
Graafian follicle
in ovary
Graal use Grail
Gracchus (Gaius Sempronius)
153-121 BC, and his brother -- (Tiberius Sempronius), 163-133
BC, the Gracchi, Roman reformers
grace-note
(mus.) (hyphen)
Graci n (Baltasar)
1601-58, Spanish moralist
gradatim (Lat.), step by step
gradus ad Parnassum
(Lat.), step(s) to Parnassus; Lat. or Gr. poetical dictionary;
any series of graded exercises; in short gradus (not ital.)
Graeae (Gr. myth.), three sisters who guarded the abode of the Gorgons
Graec/ism a Greek characteristic; -ize, -ophile
Graf (Ger.), a count; fem. Gr„fin (cap.)
graffit/o scribbling, usu. on wall; pl. -i. See also sgraffito
Grahame (Kenneth)
1859-1932, English author
Graian Alps
France and Italy
Grail (the Holy)
in medieval legend, the platter used by Christ at the Last
Supper, and by Joseph of Arimathea to catch Christ's blood, not
Graal, Graile
grain apothecaries', avoirdupois, or troy weight, all the same, being
0.0648 gram; abbr. gr.
Grainger (Percy Aldridge)
1882-1961, Australian-born US composer
gram unit of mass; abbr. g. (but no point in scientific and technical
work);in SI units 0.001 kg
gram. gramm/ar, -arian, -atical
gramaphone
use gramo-
graminivorous
feeding on grass, not gramen-
gramm/ar, -arian, -atical
abbr. gram.
grammar school
(two words)
gramme use gram
Grammont E. Flanders, Belgium
Gramont (Philibert, comte de)
1621-1707, French courtier, adventurer, and soldier, not Gramm-
gramophone
not grama-, grammo-
Gram's stain
(bacteriol.) (cap.)
Granada Spain
granadilla
one of the passion-flowers, not gren- (not ital.)
Gran Chaco (El)
region in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina, S. America
Grand abbr. G. or Gr.
grandad not grand-dad
grandam grandmother, old woman, not -dame
grand-aunt
(hyphen)
Grand Canyon
Arizona, US
grandchild
(one word)
Grand Coulee Dam
Washington, US
grand-dad use grandad
granddaughter
(one word)
Grand/ Duchess, -- Duchy, -- Duke
(two words, both caps. if used as title); abbr. GD
grande/ dame
(Fr.), dignified lady; -- passion, violent love-affair; --
tenue, or -- toilette, full dress
grandeur naturelle
(Fr. f.), life-size
grandfather
(one word)
Grand Guignol
horrific drama (not ital.)
grand jury
(not caps.)
grand mal (Fr. m.), serious form of epilepsy (ital.)
grandmaster
chess-player of highest class
Grand Master
(caps.), abbr. GM
grand' messe
(Fr. f.), high mass
Grand Monarque (le)
Louis XIV
grand monde (le)
(Fr.), the Court and nobility
grandmother
(one word)
grand/-nephew, -niece
(hyphen)
Grand Old Party
(US), the Republican party; abbr. GOP
grandparent
(one word)
Grand Prix
(Fr.), international motor-racing event; pl. Grands -- (not
ital.); abbr. GP
Grand Rapids
town, Michigan, US
grand signior
one of high rank; (caps.) the Sultan of Turkey; in Fr. grand
seigneur; It. gran signore; Sp. gran se¤or
grandson (one word), abbr. g.s.
granduncle
(one word)
grangerize
to illustrate a book with cuttings etc. from other sources, to
produce a book with blank leaves for these; not -ise (not cap.)
granny not -ie
Grant Duff (Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone)
1829-1906, Scottish politician (no hyphen)
granter one who grants
Granth the Sikh scriptures, not Grunth
grantor (law), one who makes a grant
gran turismo
(It.), touring-car
Granville-Barker (Harley)
1877-1946, English playwright, producer, and actor
grapefruit
pl. same
graphology
study of character from handwriting, not graphio-
gras (Fr.), fem. grasse, fat. See also gros
Grasmere Cumbria
grass/ (typ.), casual work; -- hand, one casually employed
Grass (GЃnter Wilhelm)
b. 1927, German novelist
Grasse d‚p. Alpes-Maritimes, France
grass/hopper, -land
(one word)
gratia Dei
(Lat.), by the grace of God
gratin see au gratin
gratis for nothing, free (not ital.)
Grattan (Henry)
1746-1820, Irish statesman and orator
Gratz Austria, use Graz
Gr„tz Czechoslovakia, use Hradec
Gr„tz Poland, use Grodzisk
GraubЃnden
Ger. for Grisons
grauwacke use grey-
gravamen/ chief ground of complaint; pl. -s
grave (mus.), slow, solemn
grave accent
gravel/ cover with gravel, puzzle; -led, -ling
Graves a Bordeaux white wine
Graves' disease
exophthalmic goitre (apos.)
grave/stone, -yard
(one word)
gravitas (Lat.), solemn demeanour
gravure (typ.), intaglio printing process (from photogravure)
gray colour, use grey
gray unit of absorbed radiation dose; abbr. Gy (no point); in SI
units 1 J/kg
Gray (Asa)
1850-88, US botanist; -- (Louis Harold), 1905-65, English
radiobiologist; -- (Thomas), 1716-71, English poet. See also
Grey
grayling a fish, not grey-
Gray's Inn
London
graywacke use grey-
Graz cap. of Styria, Austria, not Gratz
grazier one who pastures cattle, not -zer
GRCM Graduate of the Royal College of Music
greasy not -ey
Great Britain
abbr. GB
Greater Manchester
metropolitan county
great gross
144 dozen; abbr. g.gr.
Great Power
(caps. with hist. reference)
great primer
(typ.), name for a former size of type, about 18 pt.; pron.
primmer; abbr. g.p.
Greats Oxford BA final examination for honours in Lit. Hum.
Grecian almost entirely superseded by Greek except as adj. with ref. to
archit. and facial outline, and as noun for a boy in the top
form at Christ's Hospital, or a Greek-speaking Jew of the
Dispersion; also -- bend, -- knot, -- slippers; abbr. Gr.
Grec/ism, -ize, -ophil
use Grae-
Greco (El)
1541-1614, Spanish painter, born in Crete, real name Domenico
Theotocopuli or Kyriakos Theotokopoulos
Greece abbr. Gr.
greegree Afr. fetish, not gri-gri
Greek (typ.) for details of alphabet, word-division, accentuation,
numerals, etc. see Hart's Rules, pp. 111-16. See also accents.
With a few exceptions for early texts, the same sorts are used
in classical and modern work, but modern initial rho does not
take a breathing. In England a sloping fount (esp. Porson, q.v.)
is preferred for classical work; in Greece and the continent
generally, upright founts predominate in all setting, and in
some (not scholarly) work accents and breathings are replaced by
superscript dots. Abbr. Gr. or Gk.
Greek calends (at the)
never; in Lat. ad kalendas Graecas
Greeley (Horace)
1811-72, US journalist and politician
Greely (Adolphus Washington)
1844-1935, US general and Arctic explorer
Green (John Richard), 1837-83, English historian
Greene (Sir Conyngham), 1854-1934, British diplomatist; -- (Graham), b.
1904, English novelist; -- (Plunket), 1865-1936, English singer;
-- (Robert), 1560-92, English dramatist and pamphleteer
green/gage, -grocer, -house
(one word)
Greenland/, -er, -ic
green-room
room off-stage for actors (hyphen)
greensand a sandstone; Lower and Upper Greensand, two strata of the
Cretaceous system
Greenwich Mean Time
(caps.), abbr. GMT
greetings card
not greeting (two words)
gregale the Mediterranean NE wind, not -cale, grigale (not cap.)
grЉge colour between beige and grey, not grei-
gregory-powder
an aperient
Greifswald
E. German university town
Grenada W. Indies, indep. 1974
grenadilla
use gran-
grenadine a thin silk fabric; (cook.) dish of veal or poultry fillets; a
syrup made from currants or pomegranates, in Fr. m. grenadin
Grenadines
chain of islands between Grenada and St Vincent, W. Indies
Gresham/'s Law
"bad money drives out good", from Sir Thomas --, 1519-79,
English financier
Gr‚try (Andr‚ Erneste Modeste)
1741-1813, French composer
Greuze (Jean Baptiste)
1725-1805, French painter
Gr‚vy (Fran‡ois Paul Jules)
1807-91, French President, 1879-87
grey colour, not gray
Grey (Lady Jane), 1537-54, proclaimed Queen of Eng., 1553, deposed,
beheaded. See also Fallodon; Gray
greybeard old man, large jug, clematis (one word)
Greyfriars College
Oxford
grey-hen fem. of blackcock (hyphen)
greyhound (one word)
greyling use gra-
grey matter
(two words)
greywacke (geol.), a sedimentary rock, not grau-, gray- (not ital.)
Grieg (Edvard Hagerup)
not Edward, 1843-1907, Norwegian composer
Grieve see MacDiarmid
griffin a fabulous creature, not -on, gryphon
griffon vulture, breed of dog
grigale use gre-
gri-gri use greegree
grill to cook under grill, etc.
grille a grating (not ital.)
grill/‚ fem. -‚e (Fr. cook.), broiled
grimalkin a cat, spiteful old woman
Grimm (Jakob)
1785-1863, and his brother -- (Wilhelm), 1786-1859, German
philologists, collectors of fairy-tales; Grimm's Law, deals with
consonantal changes in Germanic languages
Grimond (Joseph)
b. 1913, British Liberal politician
Grimsetter Airport
Orkney
grimy begrimed, not -ey
Grindelwald
Switz., not Grindle-
grindstone
(one word)
gringo/ (Sp. Amer.), a foreigner, esp. English-speaking (derog.); pl.
-s (not ital.)
grippe influenza
Griqua/ half-breed of Cape Dutch and Hottentot parents; -land, S.
Africa
grisaille a method of decorative painting (not ital.)
grisette a working girl
grisly terrible, not grizz-
Gris-Nez (Cap), d‚p. Pas-de-Calais, France (hyphen)
Grisons Swiss canton, in Ger. Graubunden
grissini (It. pl.), long sticks of crispbread
gristly having or like gristle, not -ey
Grizel a proverbial meek wife
grizzly/ grey-haired; -- bear (two words)
gro. gross
Grodzisk Poland, not Gratz
groin the fold between belly and thigh; (archit.) line of intersection
of two vaults. See also groyne
gros/ (Fr.), fem. -se, big. See also gras
grosbeak the hawfinch
groschen (m.), Austrian and old German small coin; pl. same
grosgrain corded silk fabric
gros point
(Fr. m.), cross-stitch embroidery on canvas
H henry (unit of inductance), hydrogen, (pencils) hard (see also
HH, HHH), (former film-censorship classification) horrific,
(mus.) B natural in German system, the eighth in a series
H. harbour, hydrant
h hour, -s (in scientific and technical work), (as prefix) hecto-
hair-space
(typ.), very thin space formerly used for letter-spacing
(hyphen)
hair/-style, -stylist, -trigger
(hyphens)
Haiti W. Indies, not Hayti; formerly the island of Hispaniola, now its
western part
hajji see hadji
hakenkreuz
(Ger. n.), the swastika
hakim oriental medical man, oriental ruler, not -keem
Hakluyt (Richard)
c.1553-1616, English historian and geographer; -- Society; not
Hack-
halal meat prepared according to Muslim law
halberd/ combined spear and battleaxe, not -ert; -ier
Halcyone use Alcyone
hale to drag, not hail
Halevi (Judah)
c.1085-1140, Spanish-Jewish philosopher and poet
Hal‚vy (ђlie)
1870-1937, French historian; -- (Jacques Fran‡ois Fromental
ђlie), 1799-1862, his great-uncle, French composer; -- (Joseph),
1827-1917, French traveller; -- (Ludovic), 1834-1908, father of
ђlie, French playwright and novelist
half see fractions
half/ a crown, -- a dozen, -- an hour
etc. (no hyphens), but half/ -crown, -dozen, -hour (etc.)
half-and-half
(hyphens)
half/-binding
(bind.), when the spine and corners are bound in a different
material from the sides (hyphen); ---bound (hyphen)
half/-breed, -caste, -hearted
(hyphens)
half/ holiday, -- moon, -- pay
(two words)
half/-mast, -past
(hyphens)
halfpenny (one word)
halfpennyworth
(one word), colloq. ha'p'orth
half/-price, -term, -time
(hyphens)
half-title
(typ.), the short title printed on the leaf before the full
title. Also called bastard title
halftone (typ.), technique whereby the various tones are represented by
varying sizes of minute dots (one word)
half/-way, -wit(ted), -year(ly)
(hyphens)
Haliburton (Thomas Chandler)
1796-1865, Canadian-born British writer; pseud. Sam Slick
halibut a fish, not hol-
halieutic of fishing
hallabaloo
use hulla-
Hall‚/ (Sir Charles)
1819-95, German-born Mancunian pianist and conductor, founded --
Orchestra 1857
Halle an der Saale
E. Germany; abbr. Halle a/S.
hallelujah
see alleluia; "Hallelujah Chorus", in Handel's Messiah
Halles (Les)
Paris, the central market until 1968
Halley (Edmond
not -und), 1656-1742, English astronomer
halliard use halyard
Halliwell-Phillipps (James Orchard)
1820-89, English Shakespearian scholar
hallmark mark used at Goldsmiths' Hall and by Govt. assay officials for
marking standard of gold and silver
hallo not he-, hu-
Hallow/e'en
31 Oct.; -mas (one word), 1 Nov., All Saints' Day
hall/ux the great toe; pl. -uces
halm stalk or stem, use haulm
halo/ ring of light round moon, head, etc.; pl. -es
Hals (Frans)
1580 (or 84)-1666, Dutch painter
halva sweetmeat of sesame flour and honey, not -ah
halyard (naut.), a rope for raising sail, not halli-, hauly-
hamadryad/
a wood-nymph, a serpent, a baboon; pl. -s
Hambleden Bucks.; -- (Viscount)
Hambledon Hants, Surrey
Hambleton Lancs., Leics., N. Yorks.
Hambros Bank, Ltd.
(no apos.)
Hamburg/ city in W. Germany, a fowl, a grape; -er (not cap.), cake of
chopped steak usu. in a roll
"Hamelin (Pied Piper of)"
by R. Browning, 1842
Hamitic group of Afr. languages
hammam Turkish bath, not hummum, -aum
Hammarskj”ld (Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl)
1905-61, Sec.-Gen. of UN 1953-61
Hammergafferstein (Hans)
pseud. of Henry W. Longfellow
Hammerklavier
(Ger.), former name of pianoforte (opp. harpsichord); (quot.
marks, not ital.) name given to a piano sonata by Beethoven
Hampden (John)
1594-1643, English patriot and statesman
Hampshire abbr. Hants
Hampton Court
London
hamster household pet
ham/string
past and partic. correctly -stringed, but -strung favoured by
usage
Hamtramck Mich., US
hand/bag, -bell, -bill, -book, -brake
(one word)
Hand/buch (Ger. n.), manual (cap.), pl. -bЃcher
h. & c. hot and cold (water)
handcuffs (one word)
Handel (George Frideric)
1685-1759, German composer resident in England; in Ger. H„ndel.
See also Handl
Handels/blatt
(Ger. n.), trade journal (cap.), pl. -blatter
handful/ not -ll; pl. -s
handicap/, -per, -ping
handiwork not handy-
H. & J. (comp.), hyphenation and justification
handkerchief/
pl. -s, abbr. hdkf.
Handl (Jacob)
1550-91, Austrian composer, not Ha-. See also Handel
hand/list, -made, -maid(en)
(one word)
hand-out (noun, hyphen)
hand-picked
(hyphen)
handrail (one word)
Handschrift
(Ger. f.), MS; abbr. Hs. (cap.)
handsel/ earnest-money; -ling, not hans-
handset combined mouthpiece and ear-piece (one word)
hand-setting
(typ.), manual composition from previously-cast metal sorts
assembled in a fount-case (hyphen)
hand/shake, -writing
(one word)
handyman (one word)
handywork use handi-
hangar/ a shed; -age
hangdog shamefaced (one word)
hanged past tense or partic., used of capital punishment; other senses
use hung
hanger one who, or that which, hangs; also a sword, a wood
hanging/ paragraph
or -- indent (typ.), short paragraph or listed items (as in
bibliographies) set with second and following lines indented
under first line (as here)
hangover after-effects of drinking (one word)
Hanover in Ger. Hannover
Hans/ (Du., Ger.), Jack; -- Niemand, "Mr Nobody"
Hanse/ medieval German league; adj. -atic
hansel use hand-
hansom a two-wheeled cab
Hants Hampshire (no point)
hapax legomen/on
(Gr.), a word found once only; pl. -a
hard copy (comp.), printed or typed record of keyboard input (two words).
See also soft copy
Hardecanute
accepted variant of Harthacnut, 1019-42, king of Denmark and
England
hard hit severely affected (two words)
Hardie (James Keir)
1856-1915, British socialist
hardi/hood, -ness
not hardy-
Harding (Baron, of Petherton)
Hardinge (Viscount); -- (Baron, of Penshurst)
hardline (adj.), unyielding (one word)
hardness (mineral.), abbr. h.
hards coarse flax, not hur-
hard shoulder
on motorway (two words)
Hardt Mountains
Bavarian Palatinate. See also Harz --
Hardwicke (Earl of)
hardwood (one word), but hard-wooded
hard-working
(hyphen)
harebell (bot.), not hair- (one word)
hare/-brain, -brained
not hair- (hyphens)
Harefoot sobriquet of Harold I
harelip not hair- (one word)
harem (Arab.), the women's part of a house, its occupants, not -am,
-eem, -im (not ital.)
harem-scarem
use harum-scarum
Hargreaves (James)
1720-78, English weaver, inventor of the spinning-jenny
haricot a ragout usu. of mutton and beans; haricot de mouton, Irish
stew; -s blancs, kidney beans; -s d'Espagne, scarlet runners; -s
verts, French beans
haridan use harridan
harier use harrier
harijan Indian Untouchable
hari-kari use hara-kiri
harim use harem
Haringey Greater London borough, 1965, not -ay. See also Harringay
Harington (Sir John)
1561-1612, English poet and pamphleteer. See also Harri-
hark listen, but (arch.) hearken
harl a fibre, not -le
Harlech Gwynedd, not -ck
Harleian of Harley
Harlem New York. See also Haarlem
Harlesden London
Harleston Devon, Norfolk, Suffolk
Harlestone
Northants
Harlow (Jean)
1911-37, US film-actress
Harlow Essex, "new town", 1947
Harlowe (Clarissa)
by Richardson, 1748
harmattan W. African land-wind
Harmen see Arminius
harmonize not -ise
Harper's Bazaar
US magazine of fashion, founded 1867; also the British version,
founded 1929, now Harpers & Queen
Harpers Ferry
West Virginia, US (no apos.)
Harper's Magazine
US monthly magazine, founded 1850
harquebus a portable gun, not -ss, arquebus; -ier
Harraden (Beatrice)
1864-1936, English writer
harrass use harass
harridan a haggard old woman, not hari-
harrier one who harries, a hound for hunting hares, a hawk, a
cross-country runner, not harier
Harringay N. London. See also Haringey
Harrington (Earl of).
See also Hari-
Harrogate N. Yorks., not Harrow-
Harrovian member of Harrow School
Hart (Horace)
Printer to the University of Oxford 1883-1915
hartal closing of Indian shops as protest or gesture
Harte (Francis Bret),
1836-1902, US novelist and story-writer
hartebeest
S. Afr. antelope, not hartb-, -bees
Hartford Conn., US
Harthacnut
more correct form of Hardecanute
Hartlepool
Cleveland
hartshorn ammonia (one word)
Hart's Rules for Compositors and Readers
39th edition, completely revised, 1983
Hartz Mountains
use Harz --. See also Hardt
harum-scarum
reckless (hyphen), not harem-scarem
Harun-al-Rashid
763-809, a caliph of Baghdad, hero of the Arabian Nights, not
-oun, -ar-, -sch- (two hyphens)
Harvard system of references
see authorities
Harvard University
abbr. Harv. or HU, at Cambridge, Mass., US
Harv/ey (William)
1578-1657, English physician, discovered blood circulation;
-eian, not -eyan
Harz Mountains
cent. Germany, not Hartz --. See also Hardt
has-been/ person or thing that is no longer of use, pl. -s (hyphen)
Hasek (Jaroslav)
1884-1923, Czech satirist
Hashemites
Arab princely family
hashish hemp smoked or chewed as drug, not hach-, hasch-, -eesh, -isch
Hasid/ member of mystical Jewish sect; adj. -ic, not Hass-, Ch-
Haslemere Surrey. See also Haz-
hasn't to be printed close up
Hasse (Johann Adolph)
1699-1783, German composer
Hassler (Hans Leo)
1564-1612, German composer
hatable not -eable
hatband (one word)
hatch/back
(car with door at rear), -way (one word)
hatha yoga
system of exercises in yoga
hat-pin (hyphen)
Hatshepsut
Queen of Egypt, c.1500 BC
hatti/ short form of ---humayun or ---sherif, Turkish edict made
irrevocable by Sultan's mark
hat trick (two words)
hauler one who or that which hauls
haulier a man employed in hauling something, esp. coal in a mine; a firm
or person engaged in road transport
haulm (bot.), a stalk or stem, not halm
haulyard use hal-
Hauptmann (Gerhart)
1862-1946, German poet and dramatist; -- (Moritz), 1792-1868,
German composer
Hausa of Cent. Sudan, not -ssa, Housa
hausfrau Germanic housewife (ital., not cap.)
Haussmann (Georges EugЉne, baron)
1809-91, Paris architect
Haute/-Garonne
d‚p. SW France; -Loire, d‚p. cent. France; -Marne, -Saone, d‚ps.
E. France; -Savoie, d‚p. SE France (hyphens)
Hautes-Alpes
d‚p. SE France (hyphen)
Hautes-Pyrenees
d‚p. SW France (hyphen)
hauteur haughty demeanour (not ital.)
Haute-Vienne
d‚p. cent. France (hyphen). See also Vienne
haute vol‚e
(Fr. f.), the upper ten
haut-go–t (Fr. m.), high flavour
haut monde
(Fr. m.), fashionable society
Haut-Rhin d‚p. E. France (hyphen)
Hauts-de-Seine
d‚p. Paris region, France (two hyphens)
Havana Cuba, not -ah, -annah; in Sp. Habana
Havas a French news agency
haven't to be printed close up
haver (Sc.), to talk nonsense (not to vacillate)
Haverfordwest
Dyfed
Havergal (Frances Ridley)
1836-79, English hymn-writer
haversack bag for carrying food, not -sac
havoc/ (noun); as verb, -ked, -king
Havre France, use Le Havre
Hawai/i one of the Hawaiian Islands, formerly Sandwich Islands; these
islands as a group; state of US comprising most of them, off.
abbr. (postal) HI; adj. -ian
haw-haw a sunk fence, use ha-ha
Haw-Haw (Lord)
nickname of William Joyce, American-born German propagandist in
Second World War, executed 1946
hawk's-bill
a turtle
hawk-eyed (hyphen)
hawse (naut.), part of ship's bows
hawthorn (one word)
Hawthorne (Julian)
1846-1934, US writer; -- (Nathaniel), 1804-64, his father, US
novelist
hay a country dance, not hey (but Shepherd's Hey, by P. A. Grainger)
Haydn (Johann Michael)
1737-1806, and his brother -- (Franz Joseph), 1732-1809,
Austrian composers; -- (Joseph), d. 1856, compiled Dictionary of
Dates
Haydon (Benjamin Robert)
1786-1846, English painter
hay fever (two words)
hay/field, -maker, -rick, -stack
-wire (one word)
Hayti use Haiti
hazel/-hen, -nut
(hyphens)
Hazlemere Bucks. See also Has-
Hazlitt (William)
1778-1830, English essayist; -- (William Carew), 1834-1913,
English bibliographer
HC habitual criminal, Heralds' College, High Church, Holy
Communion, Home Counties, (Fr.) hors concours (not competing),
House of Commons, House of Correction
h.c. honoris causa
HCF or h.c.f. (math.), highest common factor; HCF, Honorary Chaplain
to the Forces
HE His Eminence, His or Her Excellency; high explosive
He helium (no point)
head (typ.), the blank space at the top of a page. See also margins
headache (one word)
headachy not -ey
head/band band worn round head, (bind.), strengthening band of
multicoloured silk etc. sewn or stuck to head (and sometimes
tail) of back of book; -board (one word)
head-dress
(hyphen)
headgear (one word)
headings (typ.), should be graded to show relative importance, and used
consistently throughout
head/lamp, -land
(one word)
Headless Cross
Hereford & Worc.
headlight (one word)
headlines or running titles (typ.), at head of pages; various combinations
can be adopted, including book, part, section, or chapter title,
subhead, or summary of page content, shortened if necessary to
keep it to a single line; in bookwork chapter title generally
most suitable on both recto and verso, dividing long titles
across opening; pagination, q.v., may be included in outer
corners
headman a chief (one word)
head/master, -mistress
as general term (one word)
Head/ Master, -- Mistress
official title at certain schools (two words); abbr. HM
head-note summary at head of chapter or page, (mus.) a tone produced in
the head register (hyphen)
head-on (hyphen)
head/phone(s), -piece
(one word)
headquarters
used as sing. of the place, pl. of the occupants (one word);
abbr. HQ or hdqrs.
head-rest support for the head (hyphen)
headroom (one word)
head-sail one before the foremast (hyphen)
headscarf (one word)
head sea waves from forward direction (two words)
headship position of chief (one word)
headsman executioner (one word)
headstock bearings in machine (one word)
head/stone, -strong, -way
(one word)
head wind (two words)
headword (typ.), emphasized word opening a paragraph or entry, etc. (as
here) (one word)
head-work (hyphen)
heal see hele
health/ centre, -- certificate, --
food (two words)
healthful not -ull
health/officer, -visitor
(two words)
Heap see Heep
hear, hear!
exclamation of agreement, not here, here
hearken see hark
Hearn (Lafcadio)
1850-1904, US author
heart/ache, -beat
(one word)
heart-break/, -er, -ing, heart-broken
(hyphens)
heartburn pyrosis (one word)
heart-burn
jealousy (hyphen)
heart-disease
(hyphen)
heart failure
(two words)
heartfelt (one word)
hearth/rug, -stone
(one word)
heart/-rending, -searching
(hyphens)
heart's-ease
a pansy (apos., hyphen)
heart/sick, -sore
(one word)
heart/-strings, -throb, -whole
(hyphens)
heathenize
not -ise
heather mixture
fabric of mixed hues (two words)
heat-resistant
(hyphen)
heave ho! (two words)
Heaven cap. when equivalent to the Deity; l.c. when a place, as "heaven
is our home"
heaven/-born, -sent
(hyphens)
Heaviside layer
layer of the atmosphere that reflects radio waves, not Heavy-
heavy/-duty, -handed
(hyphens)
heavy water
(two words)
heavyweight
(one word)
Heb. Hebrew(s), Epistle to the Hebrews (NT)
hebdomad/ a group of seven, a week, not -ade; adj. -al
Hebraize to make Hebrew, not -ise, -aicize
Hebrew (typ.), 22 letters (all consonants) and many strokes and points
(representing vowel sounds), etc. It is read from right to left:
hence if any passage is divided, the right-hand words must go in
the first line, and the left-hand in the second. Abbr. Heb.
Hebrews abbr. Heb.
Hebridean not -ian
Hecat/e a Greek goddess; adj. -aean
hecatomb sacrifice of many (literally 100) oxen
heckelphone
(mus.), baritone oboe
Heckmondwike
W. Yorks.
Hecla mt., Western Isles, not Hek-. See also Hekla
hectare 10,000 sq. metres; abbr. ha (no point in scientific and
technical work)
hecto- prefix maning 100; abbr. h; hectogram (hg), 100 grams;
hectolitre (hl), 100 litres; hectometre (hm), 100 metres (abbrs.
no point in scientific and technical work)
Hedda Gabler
play by Ibsen, 1890
hedgehog/ adj. -gy
hedgerow (one word)
hedgrah use hegira
hee-haw a, or to, bray, not he-
heel see hele
Heep (Uriah)
in Dickens's David Copperfield, not Heap
Heer (Ger. n.), army (cap.)
Heft (Ger. n.), number, part, abbr. H.
Hegel/ (Georg, not -e, Wilhelm Friedrich)
1770-1831, German philosopher; adj. -ian
hegemon/y leadership, esp. political; adj. -ic
hegira the flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, 16 July AD 622,
from which the Muslim era is reckoned (Arab. hijrah); not
hedgrah, heijira (not ital.). The calendar follows a 355-day
lunar cycle, and it is difficult to to equate AD and AH dates
Heidegger (Martin)
1889-1976, German philosopher
Heidelberg
W. German university town
Heidsieck a champagne
Heifetz (Jascha)
1901-87, Russian-born US violinist
heighday use hey-
heigh-ho an audible sigh, not hey-
height to paper
(typ.), overall height of type, usu. 2.33 cm.
hermeneutics
the science of interpretation, treated as sing.
hernia/ a rupture; pl. -s
hero/ (a, not an) pl. -es; adj. -ic
Herodotus c.484-c.420 BC, Greek historian, abbr. Hdt. or Herod.
heroin a drug, not -ine
heroine heroic woman, chief female character in story, etc.
heroize to make a hero of, not -ise
herpes a skin disease; herpes zoster, shingles
herpetolog/y
study of reptiles; -ist, not er-
Herr/ (Ger. m.), Mr, Sir, pl. -en
Herr (der)
(Ger.), the Lord (cap.)
herr (Dan., Norw., Swed.), Mr, abbr. hr.
Herrenvolk
(Ger. n.), master race, (in Nazi ideology) the German people
Herrgott (Ger.), Lord God
herring-bone
a stitch (hyphen)
Herrnhuter
one of the sect of the Moravians (not ital.)
Her Royal Highness
(caps.), abbr. HRH
hers (no apostrophe)
Herschel (Caroline Lucretia)
1750-1848, German-born English astronomer; -- (Sir John
Frederick William), 1792-1871, English astronomer, son of --
(Sir William, orig. Friedrich Wilhelm), 1738-1822, German-born
English astronomer
Herschell (Baron)
Herstmonceux
E. Sussex, site of Royal Observatory, not Hurst-
hersute use hir-
Hertford/ -shire
Herts. Hertfordshire
Hertz (Heinrich Rudolf), 1857-94, German physicist, discoverer of
Hertzian waves, used in radio-communication
hertz SI unit of frequency, pl. same; abbr. Hz
Hertzog (James Barry Munnik)
1866-1942, S. African statesman, not Herzog
Herz (Ger. n.), heart (cap.)
Herzegovina
use Herce-
Herzog/ (Ger. m.), duke, pl. -e; -in (f.), duchess; -tum (n.), duchy,
not -thum (caps.)
Hesperis a genus of plants
Hesperus evening star
Hesse German state, in Ger. Hessen; Hessian, inhabitant of Hesse, in
Ger. Hess/e, f. -in
Hesse (Herman)
1877-1962, German writer
hessian a coarse cloth
het (Du. n.), the; abbr. 't, as van 't Hoff
hetaer/a (Gr.), a courtesan, pl. -ae; -ism, not -tair-, -tar-
heterogeneous
dissimilar, not -nous
heteroousian
(theol.), believing Father and Son to be of unlike substance,
not heterou-. See also homoiousian, homoousian
Hetton-le-Hole
Tyne & Wear (hyphens)
heu (Lat.), alas!
heureka use eu-
heuristic inciting to find out (an educational method). See also eureka
hex- Gr. prefix for six; in Lat. sex-
hey a dance, use hay
heyday prosperity, not heigh- (one word)
heyduck Hungarian of an ennobled mil. class (Hung. hajdЈ, pl. hajduk)
Heyerdahl (Thor)
b. 1914, Norwegian ethnologist (Kon-Tiki expedition, 1947)
HO Home Office, (Ger.) Handelsorganisation (state shop in GDR)
Ho holmium (no point)
ho. house
Hoangho use Hwang-Ho
hoard store of money or possessions, to save these. See also horde
hoar-frost
(hyphen)
hoarhound use hore-
Hobbema (Meindert)
1638-1709, Dutch painter
Hobbes (John Oliver)
pseud. of Pearle Mary Teresa Craigie, 1867-1906, English writer;
-- (Thomas), 1588-1679, English philosopher
hobbledehoy
raw youth, not the many variants
hobby-horse
(hyphen)
hob-nob (hyphen)
hobo/ (US), a tramp; pl. -es
Hoboken NJ, US
hoboy (mus.), use oboe
hoc/ age (Lat.), attend!; -- anno, in this year, abbr. h.a.; -- genus
omne, all of this kind; -- habet, he has a hit (of gladiators)
Hoccleve (Thomas)
?1370-?1450, English poet, not O-
hochepot (Fr. cook., m.), hotchpotch, stew, ragout
Ho Chi Minh/
1892-1969, Vietnamese politician; -- City, Vietnam, formerly
Saigon
Hocking (Joseph)
1855-1937, and his brother, -- (Silas Kitto), 1850-1935, British
novelists
hoc/ loco (Lat.), in this place; -- mense, in this month, abbr. h.m.; --
monumentum posuit, erected this monument, abbr. HMP; -- sensu,
in this sense, abbr. h.s.; -- tempore, at this time, abbr. h.t.;
-- titulo, in, or under, this title, abbr. h.t.
hocus/ to hoax, drug; -sed, -sing
hocus-pocus
jugglery, deception (hyphen)
Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd.
publishers
hodgepodge
use hotchpotch
hodie (Lat.), today
hodmandod a snail
hodograph (math.), a curve
hodometer use od-
Hoe Plymouth
Hoe US printers: Robert, 1784-1833, his son Richard March, 1812-86,
and grandson Robert, 1839-1909
hoeing not hoing
Hofer (Andreas)
1767-1810, Tyrolese patriot
Hoffmann (August Heinrich)
1798-1874, German writer ("Hoffmann von Fallersleben";
Deutschland Ѓber Alles, 1841); -- (Daniel), 1576-1601, German
theologian; -- (Ernst Theodor Amadeus, orig. Wilhelm),
1776-1822, German writer and composer, source of Offenbach's
Tales of Hoffmann; -- (Friedrich), 1660-1742, German chemist.
See also Hofmann
Hoffnung (Ger. f.), hope (cap.)
Hoffnung (Gerard)
1925-59, English humorous artist and musician
Hofmann (August Wilhelm von)
1818-92, German chemist; -- (Josef Casimir), 1876-1957, Polish
pianist and composer; -- (Johann Christian Conrad von), 1810-77,
German theologian. See also Hoffmann
Hofmannsthal (Hugo von)
1874-1929, Austrian poet, librettist of some operas by Richard
Strauss
hoggin gravel mixture
hogmanay (Sc.), the last day of the year
hogshead/, -s
abbr. hhd.
Hogue (La)
d‚p. Manche, France
Hohenzollern (House of)
Prussian Imperial family
hoiden use hoy-
hoing use hoe-
hoi polloi
(not the -- --) (Gr.), the masses, not oi --
hokey-pokey
ice-cream, not hoky-poky (hyphen)
hokum stage business used for cheap effect
Holbein (Hans)
German painters: "the Elder", 1465-1524; "the Younger",
1497-1543
H”lderlin (Johann Christian Friedrich)
1770-1843, German poet
hold-up (noun), delay, robbery (hyphen)
holey having holes
Holi Hindu religious festival
holibut use halibut
holiday-maker
(hyphen)
holily in holy manner
Holinshed (Raphael)
d. 1580, English chronicler, not -ings-, -head
Holland the country, use Netherlands; but North --, South --
(provinces), Parts of -- (former division of Lincolnshire)
holland a linen (not cap.)
hollandais/
(Fr.), fem. -e, Dutch (not cap.)
hollandaise
a creamy sauce (not ital.)
Hollands Dutch gin
hollow (bind.), paper reinforcement of back, sometimes also of spine,
of book
hollyhock a plant
Hollywood Los Angeles, Calif., US
Holman-Hunt (William)
1827-1910, English painter (hyphen)
Holmes (Oliver Wendell)
1809-94, US author, and his son, 1841-1935, US lawyer
Holmes-McDougall, Ltd.
publishers
holmium symbol Ho
Holm Patrick (Baron)
holocaust whole burnt offering, wholesale sacrifice or destruction (cap.
with hist. reference to 1939-45)
Holofernes
Assyrian general (-ph- in NEB); a pedantic teacher (Shakespeare:
Love's Labour's Lost)
holograph a document wholly in the handwriting of the person from whom it
proceeds
holus-bolus
all at once (hyphen)
Holy Communion
(caps.), abbr. HC
Holy Cross Day
(three words, caps.), Holy Rood Day, feast of the Exaltation, 14
Sept.
Holy/ Family, -- Ghost, Land
(two words, caps.)
Holyoake (George Jacob)
1817-1906, English writer and agitator; -- (Rt. Hon. Sir Keith
Jacka), 1904-83, Prime Minister of New Zealand, 1960-72
holy of holies
inner chamber of the Jewish tabernacle (not caps.)
Holy Thursday
Ascension Day in English Church; but Thursday in Holy Week, or
Maundy Thursday, in Roman Church
Holy Week the week before Easter (two words, caps.)
Holywood Co. Down, N. Ireland
Hom. Homer
homage public acknowledgement of allegiance, in Fr. hommage (m.), q.v.
homard (Fr. m.), lobster
hombre (Sp.), man
Homburg soft felt hat
Home/ surname, pron. Hume; -- of the Hirsel (Baron)
home/-brewed, -coming
(hyphens)
Home Counties (the)
Essex, Herts., Kent, Surrey (sometimes includes Berks., Bucks.,
Sussex); abbr. HC
home/-grown
(hyphen)
Home Guard
(two words, caps.), (member of) British citzen army formed in
1940, abbr. HG (no points). See also LDV
homeland (one word)
home-made (hyphens)
homeopathy
use homoeo-
Homer c.9th c. BC, Greek poet, abbr. Hom.
Home Rule (two words, caps.); abbr. HR
homesick/, -ness
(one word)
homespun (one word)
home/ straight, -- town
(two words)
homework (one word)
homey use homy
homing not -eing
homin/id member of family Hominidae; -oid, manlike animal
Hommage/ d'auteur, -- de l'auteur
(Fr.),with the author's compliments; -- d'editeur, -- de
l'editeur, ditto publisher's, not editor's
homme/ d'affaires
(Fr.), business man, not -- des --; -- de bien, a respectable
man; -- de cour, a courtier; -- de lettres, author; -- de
paille, man of straw; -- d'ep‚e, a mil. man; -- de robe, lawyer;
-- d'esprit, man of wit; -- d'‚tat, statesman; -- de t€te, man
of resource; -- du monde, man of fashion
Homo (zool.), genus of man
hom/o (Lat.), human being; pl. -ines
homoeopath/y
treatment of diseases by minute doses of drugs that excite
similar symptoms; -ic, -ist (not homeo-)
homogene/ous
consisting of parts all of the same kind; noun -ity
homogenize
to make (milk) homogeneous, not -ise
homogenous
having common descent
homoiothermic
warm-blooded
homoiousian
(theol.), believing Father and Son to be of like substance (not
ital.). See also heteroousian, homoousian
homologize
be or make homologous, not -ise
homonym a word of same form but different sense, not -me
homoousian
(theol.), believing Father and Son to be of the same substance,
not homou- (not ital.). See also heteroousian, homoiousian
homophones
words spelt differently but pronounced alike
Homo sapiens
(zool.), the species modern man
Homs Syria
homy homelike, not -ey
Hon. Honourable (son or daughter of a peer; MP), Honorary
honeydew a sticky substance, a melon, a tobacco (one word)
honeyed sweet, not -ied
honey/moon, -suckle
(one word)
Hong Kong (S. coast of China) (no hyphen), abbr. HK
Honi soit qui mal y pense
shamed be he who thinks evil of it (motto of the Order of the
Garter)
honorand one to be honoured
honorarium/
voluntary fee for professional services; pl. -s (not ital.)
honorary/ (of office, etc.) bestowed as an honour, unpaid; -- secretary,
abbr. Hon. Sec.
honorific (utterance) expressing honour or respect
honoris/ causa
or -- gratia (Lat.), for the sake of honour
honourable
abbr. for son or daughter of peer, or for MP, Hon.; for Indian
title, Honble.
Hons. Honours
Hon. Sec. honorary secretary
hoodwink (one word)
hoof/ usual pl. -s, not -ves
Hooghly India, not Hugli
Hook (Theodore Edward)
1788-1841, English humorist. See also Hooke
hookah oriental pipe, not the many variants
hook and eye
(no hyphen)
Hooke (Robert)
1635-1703, English physicist. See also Hook
Hooker (Sir William Jackson)
1785-1865, and his son -- (Sir Joseph Dalton), 1817-1911,
English botanists
hooping cough
use wh-
hoopoe S. European bird
hoor/ah, -ay
use hurr/ah, -ay
Hoover propr. term for vacuum cleaner (cap.)
Hopi/ American Indian, pl. -s, not -ki, -qui
Hopkins (Gerard Manley)
1844-89, English poet; -- (Johns, not John), 1795-1873, US
financier; -- (Johns) University, Baltimore, Md., US (no apos.)
hop-o'-my-thumb
a dwarf (hyphens)
hop-picker
(hyphen)
Hoppner (John)
1758-1810, English painter
hopscotch children's game (one word)
hor. horizon, -tal
hor/a (Lat.), hour, pl. -ae; horae/ canonicae, hours for prayer; --
subsecivae, leisure hours
Horace (in Lat., Quintus Horatius Flaccus), 65-8 BC, Roman poet, abbr.
Hor.
Horatius Cocles
who kept the Sublician Bridge
horde troop of nomads, crowd of people. See also hoard
horehound a plant (juice used for coughs), not hoar-
horizon/, -tal
abbr. hor.
horn (English), one of the oboes, use cor anglais; -- (French),
circular coiled horn, usu. with valves
hornblende
a mineral, not -d
hornpipe a dance, music for it (one word)
horology ahbr. horol.
horresco referens
(Lat.), I shudder to mention it
hors/ (Fr.), beyond, out of; -- concours, not for competition (not
de); -- de combat, disabled; -- de la loi, outlaw; -- de pair,
without an equal; hors-d'oeuvre, appetizer
Horse Artillery
(caps.), abbr. HA
horseback (one word)
horse/-box, -chestnut
not -chesnut; -flesh (one word), -fly (hyphen)
Horse Guards
abbr. HG (two words, caps.)
horse/hair, -play
(one word)
horsepower
(abbr. hp), unit of power (7.46 x 100 watts)
horse-rac/e, -ing
(hyphen), but Horserace (one word) Totalisator Board, and
Horserace Betting Levy Board
horse-radish
(hyphen)
horseshoe (one word) but horse-shoeing (hyphen)
Horseshoe Fall
Niagara; Horse Shoe Falls, Guyana
horse-tail
Turkish standard; a plant (hyphen)
horsewhip (one word)
"Horst Wessel Song"
song of the German Nazi party, after the writer of the words
horsy horselike, not -ey
hort. horticulture
hortus siccus
collection of dried plants
Hos. Hosea
hosanna/ a shout of praise, "save, we pray", not -ah (not ital.); Hosanna
Sunday, Palm Sunday
hospital/ abbr. hosp.; -ize, not -ise
hospitaller
one of a charitable brotherhood (US -aler)
hotbed (one word)
hotchpot (law), commixture of property to secure equable distribution
(one word)
hotchpotch
(cook.) (one word). See also hodgepodge
h“te (Fr. m.), innkeeper, host; also guest
hotel see a; -- (name of), to be roman quoted to avoid ambiguity, as
"The Farmhouse"
H“tel des Invalides
Paris, founded 1670 as hospital for disabled soldiers; contains
Napoleon's tomb (caps.)
h“tel/ de ville
(Fr. m.), town hall; ---Dieu (l'), chief hospital of a town (one
cap.); -- garni, -- meubl‚, furnished lodgings
hotelier hotel-keeper (not ital., no accent)
hot/foot, -head, -house, -plate
(one word)
hot metal (typ.), justified mechanical composition in purpose-cast metal
sorts or slugs by casting-machine driven by punched paper roll
from keyboard
hotpot (cook.) (one word)
houdah use how-
Houdan breed of fowls
Houdin (Jean EugЉne Robert)
1805-71, French conjuror
Houdini (Harry)
real name Ehrich Weiss, 1874-1926, US escapologist
Houdon (Jean Antoine)
1741-1828, French sculptor
Houghton-le-Spring
Tyne & Wear (hyphens)
hour/ -s, abbr. hr., hrs., but h (no point, same in pl.) in scientific
and technical work; -glass (hyphen)
houri/ a nymph of the Muslim paradise; pl. -s
Housa use Hausa
house number of, in a street, has no comma after, as 6 Fleet Street;
abbr. ho.
House (the), the Stock Exchange, Christ Church (Oxford), the House of
Commons, (formerly) the workhouse
house-agent
(hyphen)
house arrest
(two words)
houseboat (one word)
housebote (law), tenant's right to wood to repair house (one word)
housebreak/er, -ing
(one word)
house/-flag
distinguishing flag of a shipping company; -fly (hyphens)
house style
(typ.), the custom of a printing establishment as to both the
literal aspect (use of capitals, spellings, abbreviations,
italics, word-division, etc.) and the general layout and design
house/wife, -work
(one word)
Housman (Alfred Edward)
1859-1936, English scholar and poet; -- (Laurence), 1865-1959,
his brother, English writer and artist
Houssaye (ArsЉne)
1815-96, French novelist and poet; -- (Henri), 1848-1911, his
son, French historian
Houyhnhnm one of a race of horses with noble human characteristics
(Swift's Gulliver's Travels), pron. hwinnim; contrasted with
Yahoo, q.v.
Howards End
by E. M. Forster, 1910 (no apos.)
howbeit (one word)
howdah elephant-seat, not -a, houda, -ah, -ar
how-do-you-do
or how-d'ye-do, awkward situation (hyphens)
hubris/ (Gr. drama), presumptuous pride that invites disaster, not hy-
(not ital.); adj. -tic
huckaback rough-surfaced linen fabric, not hugga-
Hucknall Notts., where Byron is buried
Hudson Bay
N. America, but Hudson's Bay Company
Hueffer later Ford (F. M.), q.v.
huggaback use huck-
hugger-mugger
secret(ly) (hyphen)
Hughenden Bucks., not -don
Hugli use Hooghly
Hugo (Victor Marie)
1802-85, French poet, novelist, and playwright
Huguenot (hist.), a French protestant, not -onot
huissier (Fr. m.), bailiff, door-keeper
huЊtres (Fr. f. pl.), oysters
huius/ anni
(Lat.), of this year, abbr. h.a.; -- mensis, of this month,
abbr. h.m.
hullabaloo
uproar, not the many variants
Hullah (John Pyke)
1852-84, English musician
hullo use hallo
Hulsean Lectures
Cambridge
Humanae Vitae
(Lat.), of human life, name of encyclical on contraception, by
Pope Paul VI, 1968
Humaniora (Lat.), the humanities; abbr. Hum. See also Lit. Hum.
humanize not -ise
humankind (one word)
Humberside
county of England
humble-bee
(hyphen)
humble pie
(to eat), not umble (two words)
Humboldt (Friedrich Heinrich Alexander, Baron von)
1769-1859, German naturalist; -- (Karl Wilhelm, Baron von),
1767-1835, his brother, German philologist, statesman, and poet
humdrum commonplace (one word)
Humean of David Hume, 1711-76, Scottish historian and philosopher, not
-ian
humer/us upper-arm bone, pl. -i (not ital.)
humming-bird
(hyphen)
hummum Turkish bath; use hammam
humoresque
a musical caprice, not humour-
humor/ist, -ize
not -ise
humorous/, -ly, -ness
humoursome
(capricious)
humous see humus
humpback(ed)
(one word)
Humperdinck (Engelbert)
1854-1921, German composer
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
1391-1447, son of Henry IV of England, Protector during minority
of Henry VI
Humphrey's Clock (Master)
by Dickens, 1840
Humphry (not -ey) Clinker, by Smollett, 1771
Humpty-Dumpty
(hyphen), a short, squat person (from character in nursery
rhyme)
hum/us vegetable mould; adj. -ous
hunchback(ed)
(one word)
hundert (Ger.), hundred
hundred/ symbol C; -weight/, -s (one word), abbr. cwt
hundred-and-first
etc. (hyphens)
hundred-per-cent
(adj.), entire
Hundred Years War
between England and France, 1337-1453 (caps., no apos.)
hung see hanged
Hung. Hungar/y, -ian
Hungary abbr. Hung.; in Fr. Hongrie, in Ger. Ungarn, in Hung. (Magyar)
Magyarorsz g
Hunstanton
Norfolk
Hunter's Quay
Strathclyde (apos.)
Huntingdon
Cambs.
Huntingdonshire
former county of England, abbr. Hunts.
Huntington
Hereford & Wore., Shropshire, Staffs., N. Yorks.; -- Library,
San Marino, Calif., US
Huntley Glos., Staffs.
Huntly/ Grampian; -- (Marquess of), not -ey
Hunyadi J nos
Hungarian mineral water
Hunyady (J nos)
1387-1456, Hungarian general of Romanian descent, not -adi
hurds use hards
hurdy-gurdy
(mus.), not hirdy-girdy, q.v.
hurly-burly
commotion, not hi-, bi-
hurrah or hurray, not hoo-
hurry-curry
use hara-kiri
hurry-scurry
pell-mell, not -sk-
Hurstmonceux
E. Sussex, use Herst-
Hurstpierpoint
W. Sussex (one word)
husband abbr. h.
Husbands Bosworth
Leics. (no apos.)
Huss/ (John)
1369-1455, Bohemian religious reformer, in Ger. Hus (Johann);
-ite
hussy pert girl, not -zzy
Huygens (Christian)
1629-95, Dutch mathematician and astronomer, not -ghens
idem/ (Lat.), the same, or as mentioned before; abbr. id. (not ital.,
not cap. except to begin sentence or note), pl. same, used
generally to avoid repetition of author's name in footnotes or
bibliographical matter (see also ibidem) -- quod, the same as,
abbr. i.q.
identif/y, -ication
not ind-
Identikit (picture), composite drawing of face (propr. term). See also
photofit
ideo/gram, -graph
a character symbolizing the idea of a thing without expressing
its name
ideologue a visionary
ideolog/y study of ideas, a way of thinking; -ical,-ist; not ideal-
ides (pl.), in Roman calendar the fifteenth day of March, May, July,
October, the thirteenth of other months
id est (Lat.), that is; abbr. i.e. (not ital., l.c., comma before)
id genus omne
(Lat.), all of that kind
idiolect linguistic system of one person, not ideo-
idiosyncra/sy
a peculiarity of temperament, not -cy; -tic
idl/ing, -y
not -eing, -ey
IDN in Dei nomine (in God's name)
idolater not -or
idolize not -ise
idol/um a false mental image; pl. -a
Idumaea not -mea
idyll a work of art depicting innocence or rusticity, not -yl
ihr (Ger.), to her, her, their, (fam.) you (not cap.)
IHS abbr. of Gr. Iesous (H being Gr. cap. long E); later interpreted
as Lat. Iesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus Men's Saviour); In Hoc
Signo (vinces), in this sign (thou shalt conquer); In Hac
(Cruce) Salus, in this (cross) is salvation
IHVE Institution of Heating and Ventilation Engineers
imp. (Fr.) inprimeur (printer); (Lat.) imperator (emperor),
imperatrix (empress)
impa/nel, -nnel
use empanel
impassable
that cannot be passed
impasse a deadlock (not ital.)
impassible
that cannot feel
impassion/
to stir emotionally; -ed, not em-
impasto/ the thick laying-on of colour, pl. -s
impayable (Fr.), invaluable, priceless
impedance (elec.), hindrance to alternating current
impedimenta
(pl.), (mil.) baggage
impel/, -led, -ler
not -lor, -ling
imperative
(mood) expressing command; abbr. imp.
imperat/or
(Lat.), fem. -rix, absolute ruler; abbr. I. or imp.
imperf. imperfect, (stamps) imperforate
imperfect abbr. imp. or imperf.
imperfection
(typ.), copy of book with printing or binding faults; good sheet
needed to complete a binding order or replace faulty one
imperial abbr. imp.
imperial former size of paper, 22 x 30 ins.; -- 4to, 15 x 11 in.; -- 8vo,
11 x 7.5 in. (untrimmed). See also book sizes
imperil/, -led, -ling
imperium/ (Lat.), absolute power; -- in imperio, an empire within an
empire
impermeable
that cannot be passed through
impersonal
abbr. imp.
impetus/ momentum, incentive; pl. -es
imphee a sugar-cane, not -fe, -phie (not ital.)
impi (S. Afr.), a Zulu regiment, an armed band
imping/e to make an impact; -ing
implacable
not -ible
import/ed, -er
abbr. imp.
impose (typ.), to arrange pages of type in a "forme" so that they will
read consecutively when the printed sheet is folded
impostor not -er
impracticable
incapable of being accomplished. See also unpractical
impregn/able
that cannot be taken by force; -atable, that can be impregnated
impresa (It.), an undertaking
impresario/
manager of operatic or other cultural undertakings (one s, not
ital.); pl. -s
impressa (It.), an imprint
impression
(typ.), product from one cycle of a printing machine; all the
copies of book etc. printed at one press-run from the same type,
plates, etc., abbr. imp., in trade practice 1/i, 2/i, etc. =
1st, 2nd, etc. imp.; indentation in paper by a printing surface;
pressure exerted between printing and impression surfaces
impressionable
not -ible
imprimatur
official licence to print, sanction; abbr. imp. (not ital.)
imprimi potest
(Lat.), formula giving imprimatur (ital.)
imprimis (Lat.), in the first place, not in primis (ital.)
imprint any paper printed for circulation in the United Kingdom must
show the name and address of the printer, who must for six
months keep one copy with the name and address of his customer;
name and address of printer and publisher must appear on all
parliamentary and municipal election work; matter bearing no
message (e.g. business stationery) is exempt from these
requirements. -- (publisher's), the name of the publisher,
place of publication, and date, usu. printed at the foot of the
title-page. See also preliminary matter
impromptu/
(adv. and adj.) extempore, (noun) piano-piece, pl. -s (not
ital.)
improvable
not -eable, -ible
improvis/e
to extemporize, not -ize; -ator, one who speaks or plays music
extempore; -er, in general, one who improvises
improvvisat/ore
(It.), improvisator; pl. -ori, fem. -rice
indeclinable
(gram.), having no inflexions; abbr. indecl.
indefatigabl/e
tireless; -y
indefeasible
that cannot be forfeited, not -able
indefensible
that cannot be defended, not -able
indefinite
abbr. indef.
indelible that cannot be blotted out, not -able, -eble
indemni/fy
to protect against harm or loss; -ty; not en-
indent (typ.), to begin a line, or lines, with a blank space, as here;
not en-
indentation (hanging or reverse)
(typ.), see hanging paragraph
indentif/y, -ication
use id-
indenture sealed agreement, esp. one binding apprentice to master, not en-
independ/ence, -ent
abbr. ind. or indep.
Independence Day
US, 4 July
independency
a country that has attained independence
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
not Oddfellows, abbr. IOOF
in deposito
(Lat.), in deposit
indescribable
not -eable, -ible
index/ pl. -es, abbr. ind. For general instructions for setting indexes
see Hart's Rules, pp. 20-3
ind/ex (sci. and math.), pl. -ices
"Index/ Expurgatorius"
(Lat.), index of the passages to be expunged; "-- Librorum/
Expurgandorum" (RCC), a list of books which might be read only
in expurgated editions; "-- Prohibitorum" (RCC), a list of books
which the Church forbade to be read
India/ -n, abbr. Ind.
India/man a large ship in the Indian trade; pl. -men
Indiana (US), off. abbr. Ind. or (postal) IN
Indianapolis
US
indian/ corn, -- ink
not india (not cap.)
Indian summer
period of warm weather in late autumn; tranquil and productive
late period of life
India paper
thin book paper, not -ian (no hyphen); Oxford -- --, very thin,
strong bible paper made only for the OUP
indiarubber
(one word)
indication
abbr. ind.
indicative
(gram.), abbr. indic.
ind/ices (sci. and math.), not -exes; sing. -ex
indicia (pl.), signs, identifying marks (not ital.)
indict/ to accuse by legal process; -er, not -or
indiction (later Rom. Emp.), cycle of years for administrative and dating
purposes
indigestible
not -able
indiscreet
injudicious
indiscrete
not divided into distinct parts
indispensable
not -ible
indite to put into written words
indium symbol In
individualize
not -ise
individu/um
(Lat.), the indivisible; pl. -a
Indo-China
unofficial collective name for the countries of the SE peninsula
of Asia
Indo-European
abbr. IE or Indo-Eur.
Indo-German/, -ic
abbr. IG or Indo- Ger.
Indonesia indep. 1950, formerly Dutch East Indies, with W. New Guinea
added 1962; abbr. Indon.
indoor/, -s
(one word)
indorse etc., use en-
Indostan use Hindu-
indraught a drawing in, not -aft
indubitabl/e
not -ible; -y
induction not -xion
indu/e, -re
use en-
industrial
abbr. ind.
in‚dit/ fem. -e (Fr.), unpublished
inedita (Lat.), unpublished compositions
ineducable
incapable of being educated, not -atable, -ible
ineffaceable
ineligible
not -able
inept out of place
inertia (not ital.), but vis inertiae
in/ esse (Lat.), actually existing; -- excelsis, in the highest (degree);
-- extenso, in full; -- extremis, at the point of death
in f. in fine (finally)
inf. infantry, inferior, infinitive
inf. (Lat.), infra (below)
infallib/le
not -able; -ilist, a believer in the Pope's infallibility, not
-blist
Infanta dau. of King and Queen of Spain; Infante, younger son of ditto
infantry abbr. inf.
infantryman
(one word)
infected area
abbr. IA
infer/ to draw a conclusion; -red, -ring
infer/able
not -rr-; -ence
inferior abbr. inf.
inferiors (typ.), small characters set at lower (right) side of ordinary
characters
inferno/ a scene of horror, pl. -s; (cap. and ital.) the first part of
Dante's Divina Commedia, describing his journey through Hell
in fieri (Lat.), in course of completion
infighting
boxing at close quarters, internal conflict (one word)
infill/ to fill in; -ing
infin. infinitive
in fine finally; abbr. in f. (not ital.)
infinitive
abbr. inf. or infin.
in flagrante delicto
(Lat.), in the very act of committing the offence
infula/ each of the ribbons of a bishop's mitre, pl. -e
infuser one who or that which steeps something in a liquid, not -or
infusible that cannot be melted
in futuro (Lat.), in, or for, the future
Inge (William Ralph, Dean), 1860-1954, English divine
Ingelow (Jean)
1820-97, English poet
in genere (Lat.), in kind
ingenious inventive
ing‚nue (Fr. f.), an artless girl
ingenuity inventiveness
ingenuous/
free from guile; noun -ness
ingle-nook
chimney corner (hyphen)
Ingoldsby Legends
by R. H. Barham, 1840
ingraft, ingrain
(verb), use en-
ingrain/ (adj.), dyed in the yarn; -ed (adj., less specific), deeply
rooted, inveterate. See also engrain
Ingres (Jean Auguste Dominique)
1780-1867, French painter (no accent)
in/gross, -gulf
use en-
in-group small exclusive group of people (hyphen)
inhabitant
abbr. inhab.
in hac parte
(Lat.), on this part
in/ hoc (Lat.), in this respect; -- hoc salus, safety in this; --
infinitum, for ever
in-house (adj., hyphen)
INI in nomine Iesu (in the name of Jesus)
Inishfail poet. for Ireland, not Inn-
init., initio
Normally italic. (Lat.), in the beginning
initial/ -led, -ling
initial letter
(typ.), large letter used at beginning of chapter
Initial Teaching Alphabet
(caps.), abbr. i t a (spaced l.c., no points)
injuri/a (Law), a wrong; pl. -ae
ink-blot test
(one hyphen)
Inkerman Crimea, not -ann
ink/pot, -stand
(one word)
ink-well (hyphen)
in-laws relatives by marriage (hyphen)
in/ limine
(Lat.), at the outset, abbr. in lim.; -- loco, in place of; --
loco citato, in the place cited); -- loco parentis, in the
position of parent; -- medias res, into the midst of affairs; --
medio, in the middle; -- medio tutissimus ibis, the middle
course is safest; -- memoriam, to the memory (of)
innamorat/o
fem. -a, mod. It. spelling of inam-
inner (typ.), the side of a sheet containing the second page
Innes (Cosmo)
1798-1874, Scottish historian; -- (James Dickson), 1887-1914,
British painter; -- (Michael), pseud. of John Innes Mackintosh
Stewart, b. 1906, British novelist; -- (Thomas), 1662-1744,
Scottish historian
Inness (George)
1825-94, US painter
innings (US inning), portion of game played by one side; pl. same
Innisfail use Inishfail
Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.
See also Enniskillen
innkeeper (one word)
inn (name of)
see hotel
Innocents' Day
28 Dec. (caps.)
innoculate
use ino-
in/ nomine
(Lat.), in the name (of a person)
Innsbruck Austria
Inns of Court (the)
Inner Temple, Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn, Gray's Inn
in/ nubibus
(Lat.), in the clouds; -- nuce, in a nutshell
innuendo/ an injurious insinuation, pl. -es, not inu- (not ital.)
Innuit a Canadian Eskimo. See also Yuit
inoculate to inject an immunizing serum into, not en-, inn-
in/ pace (Lat.), in peace; -- pari materia, in an analogous case; --
partibus infidelium, in the regions of unbelievers, abbr. i.p.i.
or in partibus; cf. Bishop
in-patient
(hyphen)
in petto (It.), secretly
in/ pontificalibus
in pontifical vestments; -- posse, potentially; -- potentia,
potentially; -- primis, use imprimis; -- principio, in the
beginning, abbr. in pr.; -- propria persona, in his, or her, own
person; -- puris naturalibus, naked
input/ (verb), -ting, past and partic. input
inquire to undertake formal investigation. See also enquire
inquiry an off. investigation. See also enquiry
inquorate lacking a quorum
in/ re (Lat.), in the matter of; -- rem (law), relating to a matter; --
rerum natura, in the nature of things
INRI Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the
Jews)
inset (bind.), a folded section (min. 4 pages) placed inside (usu. at
centre) of another section, so that sewing passes through both;
a small map etc. printed within the borders of a larger one
inshallah if Allah wills
insign/ia badges of office, is pl., sing. -e (not ital.)
insisten/ce, -t
not -ance, -ant
in situ (Lat.), in position
insnare use en-
in so far (three words)
insomuch (one word)
insoucian/ce
lack of concern; -t, unconcerned (not ital.)
Inspector abbr. Insp.
Inspector-General
abbr. IG or Insp.-Gen.
INST in nomine Sanctae Trinitatis (in the name of the Holy Trinity)
inst. instant, institut/e, -es, -ion
Inst. Act.
Institute of Actuaries
install/, -ation
(two ls)
instalment
(one l)
instant of this month, abbr. inst.
instantaneous
occurring or done instantly
instanter at once (jocular) (not ital.)
in statu/ pupillari
(Lat.), in a condition of pupillage; -- quo (ante, prius; nunc),
in the same state (as formerly; as now)
Inst./D. Institute of Directors; -- F., ditto Fuel
instil/ to inculcate gradually; -led, -ling
Institut de France
the association of five French Academies
Institut Fran‡ais du Royaume-Uni
the French Institute, London
Institute see separate entries beginning I. or Inst. (Institute of), FI
(Fellow of the Institute of), RI (Royal Institute of)
Institution
see separate entries beginning I. (Institution of), FI (Fellow
of the Institution of), RI (Royal Institution of)
institutionalize
not -ise, -ionize
institutor
not -er
Inst./P. Institute of Physics; -- R., ditto Refrigeration
instruct/or
not -er; fem. -ress
instrument/, -al
abbr. instr.
insurance when effected against a risk, but assurance (q.v.) of life;
insur/e, -er in all insurance senses; abbr. ins.
intaglio/ incised design, pl. -s (not ital.); see also cameo; (typ.), a
printing process based on an etched or incised plate
intailed use en-
intangible
not -able
intarsia mosaic woodwork
intelligentsia
(collect. noun), the intellectual part of population, not -zia
Intelsat International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium
in tenebris
(Lat.), in darkness, in doubt
inter/ to bury; -red, -ring
inter/ (Lat.), between; -- alia, among other things; -- alios, among
other persons
inter. intermediate
intercom internal telephone system (no point)
intercontinental
(one word)
interest abbr. int.; in Fr. m. int‚r€t
interface (comp.), boundary or link between two computer units (one word)
interim (noun) the mean while; (adj.) temporary (not ital.)
interior abbr. int.
interjection
abbr. int. or interj.
interlea/f
an extra leaf, usu. blank, inserted between the regular leaves
of a book for notes or to protect illustration; caption pasted
on inner margin of plate; pl. -ves; -ve, to insert such a leaf
interlinear matter
(typ.), small type between lines of larger
intermarr/iage, -y
(one word)
intermedi/ate
abbr. inter.; -um, an intervening agent, pl. -a (not ital.)
intermezz/o
short piece of entertainment, pl. -i; (cap., ital.) opera by
Richard Strauss, 1924
International (the first)
association of working classes of all countries (Marxist,
1862-73); -- (the second) (French, 1889- ); -- (the third)
(Russian communist, 1959-43), in Fr. Internationale, also
called the Comintern; -- (the fourth) (Trotskyist, 1938- )
Internationale (The)
French socialistic hymn
internationalize
not -ise
inter nos (Lat.), between ourselves
internuncio/
papal ambassador, pl. -s (not ital.)
interoceanic
(one word)
interpellate
(Parl.), interrupt to demand explanation
interplanetary
(one word)
Interpol the International Criminal Police Commission
interpolate
make insertions
interpret/, -ed, -er
abbr. int., -ing; -ative, not -pretive
interregn/um
period between one ruler and another; pl. -ums
interrelat/ed, -ionship
(one word)
interrog. interrog/ation, -ative, -atively
in terrorem
(Lat.), as a warning
interrupter
not -or
inter/ se (Lat.), among, or between, themselves; -- vivos, from one living
person to another
Intertype propr. term for a composing machine that casts lines of type,
and for (computer-driven) photosetting systems developed by firm
of this name
inter-war of period between two wars (hyphen)
in testimonium
(Lat.), in witness
inthron/e, -ization
use en-
intitule etc., not en-, but entitle
intonaco (It.), plaster surface for fresco painting, not -ico
in toto (Lat.), entirely
intra/ (Lat.), within; -- muros, privately
intra/muscular
ahbr. IM; -venous, abbr. IV
intrans. intransitive
intransigent
(adj.), uncompromising; in Fr. intransigeant (m. and adj.) (no
accent)
intrap use en-
intra-uterine
within the womb (hyphen)
intravenous
within a vein (one word)
intra vires
(Lat.), within one's powers
in-tray (hyphen)
intreat use en-
intrench use en-
intrigant/
fem. -e, intriguer
introduction
abbr. introd. See also preliminary matter
introvert not intra-
intrust use en-
intussusception
(physiol.), taking in of foreign matter by living organism,
withdrawal of one portion of tube into another (double s)
intwine, intwist
use en-
inuendo use inn-
inure to accustom, (law) to take effect, not en-
in/ usu (Lat.), in use; -- utero, in the womb; -- utroque iure, under
both laws (canon and civil)
inv. invenit (designed this)
inv. invent/ed, -or, invoice
in vacuo (Lat.), in empty space
Invalides (H“tel des)
Paris, see H“tel
invenit (Lat.), designed this; abbr. inv.
invented abbr. inv.
inventor not -er; abbr. inv.
Inveraray Strathclyde, not -ry
inverness man's sleeveless coat with removable cape (not cap.)
Inverness-shire
former county of Scotland (hyphen)
Invertebrata
(coll. noun), all animals other than vertebrates
inverted commas
see quotation marks
inverter not -or
Inverurie Grampian
investor not -er
in vino veritas
(Lat.), a drunken man speaks the truth
invita Minerva
(Lat.), uninspiredly
in vitro (Lat.), in the test-tube
in vivo (Lat.), in the living organism
invoice abbr. inv.
involucre (anat., bot.), a covering, envelope (not ital.)
Ion/ian (hist.) of Ionia, (mus.) the mode; -ic (of) dialect and archit.
order
ionize to convert into ions, not -ise
IOOF Independent Order of Odd Fellows
IOP Institute of Painters in Oil Colours
IOR Independent Order of Rechabites
iota/ the Gr. i (no dot); -- adscript, printed after lower-case alpha,
eta, and omega; -- subscript, printed beneath those letters. See
also Hart's Rules, p. 112
ISC Imperial Service College (Windsor), now combined with Haileybury
-ise see -ize
IsЉre river and d‚p., SE France
Iseult Tristram's lady-love, not the many variants (but Isolde in
Wagner's opera)
Isfahan Iran, not Isp-
ISI International Statistical Institute, Iron and Steel Institute
isl. island, -s, isle, -s
Islam lit. "surrender (to God)", the Muslim religion. See also Muslim
island/, -s
abbr. I. or isl.; when with name to have cap., as Cape Verde
Islands, Isle of Man. In Fr. f. Њle
Ўsland Ice. for Iceland
Island (Ger. and Dan. n.), Iceland; Isl„nder (Ger. m.), an Icelander
Islay Strathclyde, not Isla
isle/ -s, abbr. I. or isl.
Isle of/ Man
abbr. I.o.M. or IOM; -- Wight, abbr. IOW, I.o.W., or IW
Isleworth London
ism the suffix used as generic noun
ISM Imperial Service Medal; Incorporated Society of Musicians
Ismaili (member) of a Muslim sect
isn't is not, to be printed close up
ISO (Companion of the) Imperial Service Order, International
Organization for Standardization
isobar (meteor.), not -are (not ital.)
Isocrates 436-338 BC, Athenian orator
isola (It.), island
Iso/ld, -lde, -lt, -lte, -ulde
see Iseult
isosceles (geom.), of a triangle, having two sides equal
isotop/e a form of an element differing from other forms in the mass of
its atoms; adj. -ic
isotron a device for separating isotopes by accelerating ions
isotrop/ic
(phys.), having same properties in all directions; noun -y
Ispahan use Isfahan
Israel/i (noun and adj.), (a citizen) of the modern state of Israel, est.
1948; -ite (noun), one of the Jewish people, adjs. -itic, -itish
ISSN International Standard Serial Number
issue (second)
(bibliog.), state resulting from sheets of same edition (q.v.)
being bound up with new title-page and additional matter, or in
a different order. The original state of that edition is then
called the first issue. See also impression
Istanbul Turkey, formerly Constantinople
isth. isthmus
Isthmian games
one of the four principal Panhellenic festivals
i t a (spaced l.c., no points), Initial Teaching Alphabet
ital. italic
Italian (typ.), same alphabet as Eng., omitting k, w, x, y (and j except
in names). Some words take a grave accent (or acute, if the
author prefers it) on the final vowel: with even full caps. a
final apostrophe may be used. For word-division and spacing,
see Hart's Rules, p. 157. Abbr. It.
italic (typ.), a style of type, indicated in copy by a single
underline. Use italic in English for foreign words and phrases
not naturalized; for words or letters mentioned by name, as the
letter a; for titles of books, very long poems, plays, films,
operas, works of art, newspapers, and periodicals; and as a
method of emphasizing or distinguishing. There is no italic in
German Fraktur type, Greek, or Bernard Shaw's plays, letters
being interspaced instead. Abbr. ital. See also botany,
quotation marks, zoology, the many words and phrases in this
dictionary where a preference for italic or roman is indicated,
and a fuller treatment in Hart's Rules, pp. 23-8
italice (Lat.), in Italian
italicize to print in italic type, not -ise
italienne (… l')
(Fr.), in Italian style (l.c. i)
Italiot of the ancient Greek colonies in S. Italy, not -ote
Italy abbr. It.; in Fr. f. Italie; in Ger. n. Italien; in It. Italia
item a separate thing
item (Lat.), also, likewise
itemize to give item by item, not -ise
itin. itinerary
ITO International Trade Organization
its poss. pronoun (no apos.)
it's it is; (typ.) no space before apos. See also punctuation VIII. 2
-ize use in preference to -ise as verbal ending where both spellings
are in use. Use -ise in advertise, advise, apprise, arise,
chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, demise, despise,
devise, disfranchise, disguise, emprise, enfranchise,
enterprise, excise, exercise, franchise, improvise, incise,
merchandise, premise (verb), prise (open), promise, reprise,
supervise, surmise, surprise, televise. Many examples are given
in this book. See also Hart's Rules, pp. 84-6
Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh, India, not now Jubbulpore
jabot ornamental frill on woman's bodice or (hist.) man's shirt-front
Jac. Jacobus (James)
jacana small tropical wading bird, not ja‡-, jass-
jacconet use jaco-
jackanapes
(noun, sing.), a pert fellow (one word)
Jack and Jill
not Gill
jackaroo (Austral. slang), a newcomer (usu. from England), not -eroo
jackass a male ass, a stupid person
jackboot (one word)
jacket/, -ed, -ing
jack-in-the-box
(hyphens)
Jack Ketch
the hangman, not -- Ca-, -- Ki-
jack of all trades
(four words)
Jack Russell
see Russell
Jackson (Andrew)
1767-1845, US President 1829-37; -- (Thomas Jonathan,
"Stonewall"), 1824-63, Confederate general at the first battle
of Bull Run, 1861
Jacob/ean of the reign of James I of England; of St James the Less. See
also Jacobian
Jacobi (Karl Gustav Jakob)
1804-51, German mathematican, hence (in math.) Jacobian. See
also Jacobean
Jacobin a French Dominican monk; a member of a French revolutionary
society which met, 1793-9, in a former Jacobin convent; jacobin,
a hooded pigeon; not -ine
Jacobite an adherent of James II of England after his abdication in 1688,
or of his line
Jacobus Lat. for James; abbr. Jac.
jacobus a gold coin of James I
jaconet a medium cotton cloth, not jacc-
Jacquard (Joseph Marie)
1752-1834, French weaver; hence -- loom
Jacquerie the French peasant revolt of 1358
Jacques Bonhomme
good fellow James, popular name for French peasant
jacta est alea
(Lat.), the die is cast
jactation boasting
jactitation
(law), false pretence of marriage; (path.) restless tossing of
the body
j'adoube (Fr.), "I adjust", said by a chess-player touching, but not
moving, a man
Jaeger propr. term for woollen clothing material from which vegetable
fibres are excluded (cap.)
jaeger see J„ger
JAG Judge Advocate General
J„ger (Ger. m), huntsman, rifleman; Anglicized as jaeger, not yager
jag/gernaut, -anath
use juggernaut
jaghire Indian land tenure, not -gheer, geer, -gir
Jalalabad Afghanistan and Uttar Pradesh, India, not Jela-
Jalandhar use Jullundur
jalopy a dilapidated motor car, not -ppy
jalousie external window shutter
jam/ to pack tightly; -med, -ming. See also jamb
Jamaica indep. 1962; abbr. Jam.
jamb a side post, as of a door. See also jam
jambon/ (Fr. cook. m.), a ham; -neau, small ham
jamboree rally of Scouts
James abbr. Jas.
Jamesone (George)
1588-1644, Scottish painter
Jameson/ Raid
S. Africa, 1895-6, from Sir Leander Starr --, 1853-1917, S. Afr.
statesman
James's Day (St)
25 July (caps., apos.)
Jamieson (John)
1759-1838, Scottish lexicographer. See also James-
jam satis (Lat.), enough by this time
Jan. January
Janeite an ardent admirer of Jane Austen's writings
Jane's year-books on aircraft, ships, etc. (apos.)
janizary Turkish soldier, not -issary
Jan Mayen Arctic island (Norwegian)
Jansen/ (Cornelius)
1585-1638, RC Bishop of Ypres; -ist, one who believes, with
Jansen, that the natural human will is perverse
Janssen (Cornelius)
1590-1665, Dutch painter; -- (Johannes), 1829-91, German
historian; -- (Pierre Jules C‚sar), 1824-1907, French astronomer
Janssens (Abraham)
1569-1631, Dutch painter
January abbr. Jan.
Janus Roman god of doors
janvier (Fr. m.), January; abbr. janv. (not cap.)
Jap/ (colloq., usu. derog.), a Japanese; pl. -s (no point)
Jap. Japan/, -ese
Japan abbr. Jap.; native name Nippon
japan/ to lacquer with a hard varnish; -ned, -ner, -ning
Japanese/ (typ.) printed in characters numbering several thousand,
alternating with signs for some fifty syllables (each of which
has two different signs), which are phonetically transcribed
into the Latin alphabet according to various systems, of which
the Hepburn system is the best known; abbr. Jap.; -- paper,
handmade (usu. in Japan), used for proofs of etchings and
engravings
Japheth third son of Noah, not -et
Jaques in Shakespeare's As You Like It
jar/ -red, -ring
Jardin/ d'Acclimatation, -- des Plantes
Paris, bot. and zool. gardens
Jeaffreson (John Cordy)
1831-1901, English historical writer
Jeanne d'Arc
(Fr.), Joan of Arc
Jean Paul pseudonym of J. P. F. Richter, q.v.
Jedda Saudi Arabia, not Jidda, -ah
jee/-ho, -up
use gee-
Jeejeebhoy (Sir Jamsetjee)
1783-1859, Indian philanthropist
Jefferies (Richard)
1848-87, English naturalist
Jefferson (Thomas)
1743-1826, third President of US
Jefferys (Thomas)
fl. 1732-71, English cartographer
Jeffrey (Francis, Lord)
1773-1850, Scottish jurist and literary critic
Jeffreys (George, Baron)
1648-89, the infamous judge
jehad use jihad
Jehlam use Jhelum
Jehovah traditional form of Yahveh, q.v.
jejune meagre, insipid (not ital.)
Jekyll (Dr.) and Mr. Hyde (Strange Case of)
by R. L. Stevenson, 1886
Jelalabad, Jellalabad
use Jala-
jellaba Arab's hooded cloak, not dj-
jellify to convert into jelly, not -yfy
jelly baby
(two words)
jellyfish (one word)
Jemappes (battle of), Belgium, French victory over Austrians, 1792, not
Jemm-
jemimas elastic-sided boots (not cap.)
je ne sais/ quoi
(Fr.), an indescribable something; -- -- -- trop, I don't
exactly know
Jenghis Khan
use G-
Jenisesi use Yeniseisk; Jenissei, use Yenisei
Jenkins's Ear
incident which precipitated war with Spain, 1739
jennet a Spanish horse, not genit, gennet, -tt. See also genet
jeopardize
to endanger, not -ise
Jephthah judge of Israel; Jephtha, oratorio about him by Handel, 1752
jequirity Indian shrub with ornamental and medicinal seeds, not -erity
Jer. Jeremiah
jerbil use ger-
jeremiad a lamentation, not -de
Jerez Spain, not Xeres
jerfalcon use gyr-
jeroboam winebottle containing 10-12 quarts
J‚r“me Bonaparte
1784-1860, brother of Napoleon I
jerry/-builder
builder of unsubstantial houses (hyphen); -building, -built
jerrymander
use ge-
jersey a knitted fabric, a garment of same (not cap.)
Jervaulx Abbey
N. Yorks.
Jes. Jesus
Jespersen (Jens Otto Harry)
1860-1943, Danish philologist, not -son
jessamin/, -e
use jasmine
Jesse father of David (OT)
Jesuits (Order of)
Societas Jesu (Society of Jesus); abbr. SJ
Jesus abbr. Jes.; in voc. (arch.) Jesu
jet-black (hyphen)
jet/ engine, -- lag
(two words)
jet-propelled
(hyphen)
jet propulsion
(two words)
jetsam (naut.), goods thrown overboard, not -som, -some, -son
jettison (naut.), the act of throwing goods overboard
jeu/ (Fr. m.), game, pl. -x; -- de mots, play upon words; -- de
paume, real tennis(-court); Mus‚e du Jeu de Paume (caps.),
Paris, exhib. of impressionist paintings; -- d'esprit, a witty
trifle
jeune fille
(Fr. f.), a girl
jeune/ premier
(Fr.), a stage lover; fem. -- premiЉre
jeunesse dor‚e
(Fr. f.), gilded youth
Jewel (John)
1522-71, English bishop
jewel/, -led, -ler, -lery
Jew's harp
small lyre-shaped instrument played against the teeth
johannes a gold coin of John V of Portugal, not joa-
Johannesburg
S. Africa
Johannine of the apostle John, not Johannean
Johannisberg
Hesse, W. Germany
Johannisberger
Rhine wine, not -berg (not ital.)
John abbr. J. See also Jno.
John Dory a fish, not ---ey; also dory
Johnian (member) of St John's College, Cambridge
johnny fellow, man (not cap.)
Johnny Crapaud
nickname for a Frenchman
John-o'-Groat's House
Highland
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Md., US, not John -- -- (no apos.)
Johnson (Lyndon Baines)
1908-73, President of US 1963-9; -- (Samuel), 1709-84, English
prose-writer and lexicographer. See also Jonson
Johnsonese
a stilted style, not Jon-
John the Baptist
(caps.)
Johore see Malaya (Federation of)
joie de vivre
(Fr.), joy of living (no hyphens)
joint/ capital, -- stock
etc. (hyphen when attrib.)
Jokjakarta
Indonesia
jole use jowl
jolie laide
(Fr. f.), fascinatingly ugly woman
Jon. Jonathan
Jonah (Book of)
not to be abbr.
jonquil a narcissus (not ital.)
Jonson (Benjamin--"Ben")
1572-1637, English playwright. See also Johnson
Joppa anc. name of Jaffa, Israel
Jordaens (Jakob)
1593-1678, Dutch painter
Jordan/ a united kingdom from 1950; adj. -ian
Jorrocks' Jaunts
by R. S. Surtees, 1831-4
Jos. Joseph
Josephine (the Empress)
Marie JosЉphe-Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, widow of Visc.
Beauharnais, m. Napoleon I 1796, divorced 1809
Josh. Joshua (OT)
jostl/e to push; -er, -ing
jot/, -ted, -ting
joule (phys.), SI unit of energy, abbr. J
jour. journal, journey
jour/ (Fr. m.), day, abbr. jr.; -- de f€te, a festival; -- de l'an,
New Year's Day; -- des morts, All Souls' Day, 2 Nov.; -- gras,
flesh-day; -- maigre, fish-day
journal abbr. jour.
journ/al (Fr. m.) pl. -aux, newspaper; journal intime, a private diary
Journal Officiel
the French and EEC equivalents of London Gazette, abbr. JO
journey abbr. jour.
journeyman
(typ.), a compositor, printer, or bookbinder who has completed
his apprenticeship
Judge/ abbr. J.; -- Advocate/ (no hyphen), abbr. JA; -- -- General (no
hyphen), abbr. JAG (caps.)
judgement but judgment in legal works
Judges (OT), abbr. Judg.
judicial abbr. jud.
Judith (Apocr.), not to be abbr.
judo/ modern form of ju-jitsu; -ist
jug/ -ged, -ging, -ful
juge/ de paix
(Fr. m.), justice of the peace; -- d'instruction, examining
magistrate
Jugendstil
Ger. name of art nouveau (ital., cap.)
juggernaut
(cap). incarnation of Vishnu, carried on huge wheeled vehicle
under which devotees were said to sacrifice themselves; (not
cap.) large heavy vehicle, not a-
Jugoslavia
use Yugoslavia
jugular vein
(in the neck)
juillet (Fr. m.), July (not cap.)
juin (Fr. m.), June (not cap.)
ju-jitsu Japanese wrestling, not jiu-. See also judo
juke-box (hyphen)
julep a medicated drink; (US) drink of spirits, sugar, ice, and mint,
not -ap, -eb
Julian/ "the Apostate" Roman emperor, 331-63; -- Alps, Italy-Yugoslavia
Julien (Saint-)
a claret (hyphen)
julienne (Fr. f.), a clear soup containing vegetables in strips, also a
pear
juliet cap
(two words, not cap.)
Jullundur India, not Jalandhar
July not to be abbr.
jumble sale
(two words)
jumbo/ big person or thing; pl. -s; -- jet (two words)
jumelles (Fr. f. pl.), opera-glasses
Jun. Junius
jun. junior
junction abbr. junc.
June not to be abbr.
Juneau Alas., US
Jung (Carl Gustav)
1875-1961, Swiss psychiatrist
junior abbr. jun., not jnr., jr., junr.; J. Smith, jun., Esq., not
Esq., jun.
Junker (Ger. m.), a young squire or noble (cap.)
junket/, -ed, -ing
junk-shop (hyphen)
junr. junior, use Jun.
junta political clique, a council in Spain or Italy
Junto the Whig chiefs in reigns of William and Anne
jupe (Fr. dress. f.), jupon (m.), a skirt or petticoat
Jurassic (adj.), a geol. period (cap., not ital.)
jure/ divino
(Lat.), by divine right; -- humano, by human law
jurisp. jurisprudence
Juris utriusque Doctor
(Lat.), Doctor of both civil and canon law; abbr. JUD
jury-box (hyphen)
jury/man, -woman
(one word)
jus (Fr. cook. m.), gravy
jus (Lat.), law; -- canonicum, canon law; -- civile, civil --; --
divinum, divine --; -- gentium, law of nations; -- gladii, the
right of the sword
jusjurandum
(Lat.), an oath; pl. jurajuranda
jus/ mariti
(Lat.), right of husband to wife's property; -- naturae, law of
nature; -- primae noctis, droit de seigneur; -- relictae, right
of the widow
Jussieu (Adrien de)
1797-1853, and his father, -- (Antoine Laurent de), 1748-1836,
French botanists
Just. Justinian
just a knightly combat, use joust
juste milieu
(Fr. m.), the golden mean
Justice a judge; abbr. J., pl. JJ.
Justice Clerk (Lord)
second highest Scottish judge (caps.); abbr. JC
Justice General (Lord)
highest Scottish judge (caps.)
Justice of the Peace
abbr. JP
justiciar/, -y
a judge, not -er, -itiar (not ital.)
K kalium (potassium), Kelvin (temperature scale), kelvin (unit of
temperature), (chess) king (no point); (comp.) unit of
core-memory size, = 1,024 (often taken as 1,000) words; the
tenth in a series
K. (assaying) carat, king(s), King('s), K”chel (Mozart thematic
catalogue no.)
k (as prefix), kilo-
k. (meteor.), cumulus
k (phys.), Boltzmann constant K2, the second highest mountain in
the world, in Karakoram Mts.
knight abbr. K., Knt., Kt., (chess) Kt or N (no point). See also KB,
KBE, KCB, KCIE, KCMG, KCSI, KCVO, KG, KP, KT
Knightbridge
Cambridge professorship, not Knights-
knight errant
pl. knights errant (two words), but knight-errantry (hyphen)
Knightsbridge
London
Knights/ Hospitallers
charitable military brotherhood (otherwise -- of St. John, -- of
Rhodes, -- of Malta), maintaining hospital for pilgrims in
Jerusalem from middle of eleventh century
knit/, -ted, -ting
knitting/-machine, -needle
(hyphens)
knobby knob-shaped
knobkerrie
(S. Africa ), short stick with knobbed head, not -kerry, -kiri;
in Afrik. knopkierie
knockabout
(noun and adj., one word)
knock/-down
(adj.); -knee(d); -out (hyphens)
Knole Kent, Som.
knopkierie
use knobkerrie
Knossos Crete, not Cnossus
knot/, -ted, -ting;
as measure of speed, abbr. kn.
kreuzer Austrian and old German copper coin; abbr. kr.
kriegspiel
the war-game, in Ger. n. Kriegsspiel
krill tiny plankton
kris Malay dagger, not creese, kreese
kromesky Russian dish of minced chicken fried in bacon; in Fr. m.
cromesquis
krone/ silver coin, Austrian (pl. -n), Danish (pl. -r), Norwegian (pl.
-r), Swedish (kron/a, pl. -or), and Icelandic (krўn/a, pl.
-ur), all abbr. kr.; Czechoslovak koruna
Kronos (Gr. myth.), not C-, -us
Kroo W. African Negro, not -ou, -u (not ital.)
Kropotkin (Prince Peter Alexeivich)
1842-1921, Russian geographer, revolutionist, and author, not
Kra-, -ine
KRP (chess), king's rook's pawn (no points)
Kru use Kroo
Kruger (Stephanus Johannes Paulus)
1825-1904, S. Afr. statesman
L fifty, learner (motor vehicle), the eleventh in a series
L. Lady, Lake, Latin, (theat.) left (from actor's point of view),
(Lat.) liber (book), Liberal, licentiate, (biol.) Linnaeus,
lir/a, -e, (Fr.) livre (book, pound), Loch, (Lat.) locus
(place), London, Lough, prefix to enumeration of D. Scarlatti's
works (see Longo)
l. or њ, pound, the form њ to be used and placed before figures, as
њ50. If l. is used, it must be placed after, as 50l. њE,
Egyptian pound (100 piastres); њm., (one) million pounds. See
also decimal currency
l. (but no point in scientific and technical work), litre(s). When
there may be confusion, the word should be spelt out in full
l. leaf, league, left, (Ger.) lies (read), (meteor.) lightning,
line, link. See also l. or њ
LA law agent, Legislative Assembly, Library Association, Local
Authority, Los Angeles, Louisiana (off. postal abbr.)
La lanthanum (no point)
La. Lane, Louisiana (off. abbr.)
la (mus.), use lah
laager encampment, esp. in circle of wagons; in Afrik. laer. See also
lager
Lab. Labour (party), Labrador
lab (no point) laboratory
label/, -led, -ling
labi/um (anat.) a lip or liplike structure; pl. -a
Labor Day (US), first Monday in Sept.
lab/our, -orious
Labour Day
(UK and many other countries), 1 May
Labourers Act
(caps., no apos.)
labourite supporter of Labour Party (not cap.)
labour-market
(hyphen)
Labrador abbr. Lab.
labr/um (Lat.), lip of a jug, etc.; pl. -a
La BruyЉre (Jean de)
1645-96, French writer and moralist
labyrinth/
structure with many confusing passages; adjs. -ian, -ic, -ine
LAC Leading Aircraftman, Licentiate of the Apothecaries' Company,
London Athletic Club
lac a resin. See also lakh
Laccadive Islands
off Madras west coast
lace-up (adj. and noun), (shoe) having laces (hyphen)
lace/wing, -wood
(one word)
lace-work (hyphen)
Lachaise (P‚re)
Paris cemetery (two words, caps.)
lѓche (Fr.), lax, cowardly (ital.)
laches (law), negligence or unreasonable delay (not ital.)
Lachesis (Gr. myth.), the Fate that spins the thread of life
lachrym/al
of tears; -ation, -atory, -ose; not lacry-; lacri- is a correct
form, now usual in scientific use
lackadaisical
listless
lacker use lacquer
lackey a footman, not -quey
Lackland sobriquet of King John
Laconian Spartan
laconic concise (not cap.)
lacquer a varnish, not lacker
lacquey use lackey
lacrimal etc., see lachry-
La Crosse Wis., US
lacrosse a ball game
Lacryma Christi
a sweet red or white wine from Mt. Vesuvius area
lacrymal etc., use lachry-
lacun/a a missing portion, esp. in ancient MS; pl. -as or -ae (not
ital.)
LACW Leading Aircraftwoman
lacy lacelike, not -ey
laddie young fellow, not -y
Ladies (the)
women's lavatory (cap., no apos.)
Ladies'/ Gallery
House of Commons; -- Mile, Hyde Park, London
ladies' man
(apos., two words)
Ladikia use Latakia
Ladin Engadine dialect
Ladino/ Spanish dialect, non-Indian in Cent. Amer., pl. -s
Ladismith Cape Province. See also Ladysmith
Lady abbr. L.
Lady (Our) (caps.)
ladybird (one word)
Lady Day/ 25 Mar. (two words, caps.); -- -- in Harvest, 15 Aug.
ladyf/y, -ied
not -if-
lady-in-waiting
(hyphens)
ladylike (one word)
Lady Margaret Hall
Oxford, abbr. LMH
lady's maid
pl. ladies' maids (no hyphen)
Ladysmith Natal. See also Ladismith
lady-smock
cuckoo flower (hyphen)
lady's slipper
(apos.)
laemergeier
use lammergeyer
laer (Afrik.), use laager
laesa majestas
(Lat.), lЉse-majest‚
Laetare Sunday
fourth in Lent
laevo- prefix meaning left, not le-
Lafayette/ (Marie Joseph, marquis de)
1757-1834, French general, aided Americans in Revolution (one
word); -- College, Easton, Pa.
Laffitte (Jacques)
1767-1844, French statesman
Lafite (Chateau-)
a claret (hyphen)
Lafitte (Jean)
1780-c.1826, buccaneer of unknown origin
La Follette (Robert Marion)
1855-1925, US politician
La Fontaine (Jean de)
1621-95, French writer
LAFTA Latin-American Free Trade Association
lager light beer. See also laager
Lagerkvist (P„r)
1891-1974, Swedish novelist
Lagerl”f (Selma Ottilia Lovisa)
1858-1940, Swedish novelist
Lagrange (Joseph Louis, comte)
1736-1813, French mathematician
Lagting Upper House of Norwegian Parliament
La Guaira Venezuela, not -yra
La Guardia/ (Fiorello Henry)
1882-1947, Mayor of New York (one word, two caps.); -- Airport,
New York, US
LAH Licentiate of Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin
lah (mus.), not la
La Hague (Cape)
NW France
La Haye Fr. for The Hague
La Hogue in Fr. La Hougue, a roadstead, NW France
Lahore Pakistan, not -or
Laibach Yugoslavia, Ger. for Ljubljana
laicize to secularize, not -ise
laid paper
that which when held to the light shows close-set parallel lines
La‹s a Greek courtesan and beauty of fourth century BC
laissez/-aller
(Fr.), absence of restraint; ---faire, letting people do as they
think best, let well alone!; ---passer (m.), pass, permit (for
persons and things); not laisser-
Lake cap. when with name, as Bala Lake, Lake Superior; abbr. L.
Lakeland the Lake District in Cumbria (one word)
lakh/ (Anglo-Ind.), 100,000, not -ck, -c (not ital.); -- of rupees,
pointing above one lakh is with a comma after the number of
lakhs: thus 25,87,000 is 25 lakhs 87 thousand rupees. See also
crore
Lalitpur Uttar Pradesh, India, not Lalat-
Lalla Rookh
by Moore, 1817
"L'Allegro"
by Milton, 1632
Lam. Lamentations (OT)
lama Buddhist priest (cap. when part of title). See also llama
Lamarck/ (Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, chevalier de)
1744-1829, French naturalist; adj. -ian
Lamarque (comte Maximilien)
1770-1832, French general
Lamartine (Alphonse Marie Louis de)
1790-1869, French poet and statesman
lamasery a monastery of lamas
Lambar‚n‚ Gabon, site of Albert Schweitzer's hospital
lambaste to beat, criticize, not -bast
lambda Gr. letter; (phys.) symbol for wavelength
lamb's fry
(cook.) (apos., two words)
lambskin (one word)
lamb's-wool
(apos., hyphen)
LAMDA London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
lam‚ (adj. and noun), (material) with inwoven gold or silver thread
(not ital.)
lamell/a a thin plate; pl. -ae
Lamentations (Book of)
abbr. Lam.
lamin/a a thin plate; pl. -ae
Lammas 1 Aug.
lammergeyer
the bearded vulture, not lae-, le-, -geier
lampblack (one word)
lamp-holder
(hyphen)
lamp/lighter, -post, -shade
(one word)
Lancashire
abbr. Lancs.
Lancaster (County
or County palatine, of)
formal name of Lancashire
Lance-Bombardier
abbr. L.Bdr. or L/Bdr.
Lance-Corporal
abbr. L/Cpl.
lancewood a tough W. Indian wood (one word)
Lancing College
W. Sussex
Lancs. Lancashire
Land (Ger. n.), province of W. Germany or Austria; pl. L„nder
(ital., cap.)
landau/ pl. -s; -let, a carriage (not ital.)
landdrost (S. Afr.), a district magistrate (not ital.)
landfall (one word)
landgrav/e
a German count; fem. -ine
landgraviate
a landgrave's territory, not -vate
landholder
(one word)
l„ndler Austrian dance
land-locked
(hyphen)
land/lubber, -mark
(one word)
land-mine (hyphen)
L. & N.W.R.
London and North-Western Railway, became part of LMSR until
nationalization
Landor (Walter Savage)
1775-1864, English poet and prose writer
landowner (one word)
landscape (typ.), book, page, or illustration of which the width is
greater than the depth. See also portrait
Land's End
Cornwall
landslide (one word)
lands/man pl. -men
L. & S.W.R.
London and South-Western Railway, became part of SR until
nationalization
land-tax (hyphen)
L. & Y.R. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, became part of LMSR until
nationalization
Lane abbr. La.
Lang (Andrew), 1844-1912, Scottish man of letters; -- (Cosmo Gordon),
1864-1945, Abp. of Canterbury
lang. language
Langeberg Mountains
S. Africa; in Afrik. Langeberge
langouste (Fr. f.), a spiny lobster
langsam (Ger. mus.), slowly
lang syne long ago (two words)
language abbr. lang.
langue/ de chat
(Fr. f.), finger-shaped biscuit or chocolate; -- d'oc, medieval
French spoken south of the Loire; -- d'oil, ditto north of the
Loire
Languedoc former French province, between R. Loire and Pyrenees
languor/ lassitude; -ous
langur Indian monkey
laniard use lany-
Lankester (Sir Edwin Ray)
1847-1929, English zoologist
lanolin fat in sheep's wool, not -ine
Lansdown Avon, Glos.; -- (battle of), 1643
Lansdowne (Marquess of)
Lansing Mich., US
lantern-slide
(hyphen)
lanthanum symbol La
lanyard short rope attached to something, not lani-
Lao people and language of SE Asia
Laoco”n Trojan priest, subject of a famous sculpture
Laodicean lukewarm (of feelings)
Laois county of Ireland, formerly Leix
Laos independent 1949, formerly the kingdoms of Luang Prabang and
Vientiane and the principality of Champassac (Fr. Indo-China);
adj. Laotian
Lao-tzu c.605-530 BC, founder of Taoism (hyphen)
Lap. Lapland. See also Lapp
La Paz Bolsvia
lap-dog (hyphen)
lapel/ the lap-over of a coat, not -elle, lappelle; -led
lapis lazuli
a rich blue stone or its colour (two words, not ital.)
Laplace (Pierre Simon, marquis de)
1749-1827, French astronomer
Lapland abbr. Lap.
Lapp a native of Lapland, (adj. and noun) Lappish
lappelle use lapel
lapsus/ (Lat.), a slip; -- calami, ditto of the pen; -- linguae, ditto
tongue; -- memoriae, ditto memory; pl. same
Laputa/ flying island in Swift's Gulliver's Travels; -n, visionary,
absurd
lar/ Roman household god; pl. -es; lares and penates, one's home
lardon bacon for larding, not -oon
La Reyne/ le veult, -- -- s'avisera
forms of Le Roy etc. when queen is reigning
large crown (metric)
see book sizes
large-paper
special copies of a book, with large margins, etc.; also termed
‚dition de luxe; abbr. LP
largess a free gift, not -esse (not ital.)
larghetto (mus.), fairly slow
largo (mus.), slow, broad
lariat rope for tethering animals, not -iette, larriet (not ital.)
larkspur (bot.) (one word)
La Rochefoucauld (Fran‡ois, duc de)
1613-80, French writer
La Rochelle
d‚p. Charente-Maritime, France
Larousse/ (Pierre Athanase)
1818-75, French lexicographer; --, French publishers of
reference books
larrikin Australian street rowdy, not lari-
larv/a pl. -ae (not ital.)
laryn/x (anat.), pl. -ges; -geal, -gitis
lasagne (It. pl.), pasta in wide ribbons
Lasalle (Antoine Chevalier Charles Louis, comte de)
1775-1809, French general
La Salle (Antoine de)
c.1400-60, French soldier and poet; -- (St Jean Baptiste de),
1651-1719, French founder of the order of Christian Brothers; --
(Ren‚ Robert Cavelier), 1643-87, French explorer
Lascar E. Indian sailor (not ital.)
Las Casas (Bartolom‚ de)
1474-1566, Spanish missionary, "the apostle of the Indies"
Las Cases (Emmanuel Augustin Dieudonn‚, comte de)
1766-1842, friend of Napoleon I on St Helena
Lascaux SW France, site of palaeolithic cave-art
laser device using light amplification by stimulated emission of
radiation (acronym). See also maser
lashkar a body of Indian irregular troops (not ital.)
Las Meninas
by Vel zquez, not -i¤as
La Spezia NW Italy, not -zzia
Lassa Tibet, use Lhasa; --, Nigeria, source of -- fever
Lassalle (Ferdinand)
1825-64, German Socialist (one word). See also Lasa-
Lassell (William)
1799-1880, English astronomer
lassie young girl, not -y
lasso/ as noun, pl. -s; as verb, -ed, -es, -ing
Lassus (Orlandus)
1532-94, Belgian-born composer
Last Supper (the)
(caps.)
Lat. Latin; lat., latitude
Latakia Syria, not Ladi-, -ieh, -yah
latchkey (one word)
lateish use latish
La TЉne ware
(anc. pottery)
Lateran/ (St John)
church in Rome; -- Council, one of five held there
latex/ rubber fluid, pl. -es
lath a thin strip of wood
lathe machine for turning
lathi heavy stick carried by Indian police
Latin abbr. L. or Lat.; (typ.) alphabet same as English without w.
Accents and ligatures falling into disuse; most scholars use i
for j, many use lower-case u for v and cap. V for U. For use of
caps. and word-division, see Hart's Rules, pp. 114-15
Latin Cross
artwork name=crx.
latine (Lat.), in Latin
Latinity the quality of one's Latin
Latinize to make Latin, not -ise
latish fairly late, not lateish
latitude abbr. lat.
Latour (Chateau-)
a claret (hyphen)
La Trobe university, Melbourne
Latrobe Pa., US, and Tas., Austral.
latten metal like brass (not ital.)
latter second of two. See also former
Latter-day Saints
Mormons' name for themselves
Latvia a Soviet Socialist Republic, see USSR; adj. Latvian or Lettish
Latymer Upper School
Hammersmith, London
laudator temporis acti
(Lat.), a praiser of past times
laughing/-gas, -stock
(hyphens)
launderette
not -drette
laura/ (hist.), a group of hermits' cells; pl. -s
laurel/, -led
Laurence (Friar)
in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. See also Law-
Laurentian
Mts. and (geol.) rocks, near the St Lawrence River, Canada
laurustinus
an evergreen, not laures-, lauris-
Laus Deo (Lat.), Praise (be) to God, abbr. LD
lav colloq. for lavatory (no point)
Lavoisier (Antoine Laurent)
1743-94, French chemist (one word)
law (typ.), practically no punctuation used in legal documents. Copy
must be followed. Spell out all figures; law/ agent, abbr. LA;
---binding, -- calf, -- sheep, binding in smooth pale brown
calfskin or sheepskin, formerly much used for law books
lawcourt (one word)
Law Courts (the)
(caps., no hyphen)
lawgiver (one word)
lawn tennis
see tennis
Lawrence (David Herbert)
1885-1930, English novelist; -- (Sir Thomas), 1769-1830, English
painter; -- (Thomas Edward), 1888-1935, English archaeologist
and soldier, "Lawrence of Arabia", (from 1927) Aircraftman Shaw;
-- (St), Canadian river. See also Lau-
lawrencium
symbol Lw
Laws abbr. LL
law sheep see law
law-stationer
(hyphen)
lawsuit (one word)
Laxness (Haldўr Kiljan)
b. 1902, Icelandic writer
lay untilled land, use lea
layabout (one word)
Layamon fl. 1200, English priest
lay brother
(etc.) (two words)
lay-by/ short "siding" on main road, pl. -s (hyphen)
layette complete outfit for a baby (not ital.)
layout (noun, one word)
lazaretto/
a place for quarantine (not ital.); pl. -s
lazy/-bones, -tongs
(hyphen)
lazzaron/e
one of a low class at Naples, not lazar-; pl. -i
letterpress
(typ.), printing from raised type and/or blocks; text as opposed
to illustrations (one word)
letterset (typ.), printing by letterpress on to a blanket and then
offsetting on to the paper (one word)
letters of distinction
as FRS, LL D, etc., are usually put in large caps. Even s. caps.
often improve general effect
letterspacing
(typ.), shown in copy by short vertical dashes between letters
(one word)
letters patent
formal writing conferring patent or privilege (two words)
Lettish see Latvia
lettre de/ cachet
(Fr. f.), warrant for imprisonment, bearing the royal seal; --
-- cr‚ance, -- -- cr‚dit, letter of credit; -- -- marque, letter
of marque, q.v.; pl. lettres de
lettuce not -ice
Letzeburgesch
German dialect of Luxemburg
leu Romaniun monetary unit; pl. lei
leucotomy a brain operation, not -k-
leukaemia excess of white corpuscles in blood, not -c-, -ch-, -kemia
Leuven Fl. for Louvain
Leuwenhoek
use Leeuwenhoek
Lev. Leviticus
lev/ pl. -a, Bulgarian monetary unit
levant morocco
(binding), a superior quality with prominent grain
levee an assembly (no accent, not ital.); US river embankment
level/, -led, -ler, -ling
lever de/ rideau
(Fr. m.), opening piece at theatre, "curtain-raiser"; -- --
s‚ance, closing of a meeting
leviable that may be levied
Leviathan book by Hobbes, 1651
leviathan sea-monster
L‚vi-Strauss (Claude)
b. 1908, French anthropologist
Leviticus abbr. Lev.
Levkosia Gr. for Nicosia
levo- prefix, use laevo-
Lewes E. Sussex
Lewes (Charles Lee)
1740-1803, English actor; -- (George Henry), 1817-78, English
philosopher and critic. See also Lewis
Lewis Western Isles
Lewis (Sir George Cornewall
not Cornw-), 1806-63, English statesman and man of letters; --
(Cecil Day), 1904-72, Poet Laureate 1968-72; -- (Clive Staples),
1898-1963, English writer; -- (Harry Sinclair), 1885-1951, US
novelist; -- (Isaac Newton), 1858-1931, US soldier, inventor of
-- gun; -- (Matthew Gregory, "Monk"), 1775-1818, English writer
of romances. See also Lewes, Wyndham Lewis
lex (Lat.), law; pl. leges
lexicog. lexicograph/er, -y, -ical
lexicon/ dictionary, esp. of Greek, Hebrew, Arabic; pl. -s; abbr. lex.
(not ital.)
lex/ loci (Lat.), local custom; -- non Scripta, unwritten law; -- scripta,
statute law; -- talionis, "an eye for an eye"; -- terrae, the
law of the land
ley untilled land, use lea, but ley farming, grass-growing
Leyden/ Netherlands, use Leiden, but -- jar (elec.)
libr/a pound, pl. -ae; abbr. њ, l., lb. See also l. or њ
librair/e (Fr. m.), bookseller; -ie (f.), bookseller's shop
librar/ian, -y;
abbr. lib.
librett/o (It.), text of an opera, etc.; pl. -os, -i (not ital.); -ist,
writer of this
libris (ex-)
see ex-libris
libr/o (It.), a book; pl. -i
Libya N. Africa, indep. 1951, formerly Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, and
Fezzan (Italian)
Libyan of anc. N. Africa or mod. Libya
licence (noun), a permit; (US -se)
licens/e (verb), to authorize; -ee, -er, -ing
licensed victualler
licentiate
abbr. L.
licet (Lat.), legal; it is allowed
lichee use litchi
lichen epiphytic veg. growth
Lichfield Staffs. See also Litch-
Lichfield:
sig. of Bp. of Lichfield (colon)
lich-gate roofed gateway of churchyard, not lych-
lichi use litchi
lickerish desirous, greedy. See also liquorice
Lick Observatory
California
licorice use liquor-
Liddell (Henry George)
1818-98, English lexicographer, father of the original of Alice
in Wonderland
lido/ open-air swimming-pool, pl. -s
Lie (Jonas Lauritz Edemil),
1833-1908, Norwegian novelist; -- (Trygve Halvdan), 1896-1968,
Sec.-Gen. of UN 1946-53
Liebfraumilch
a hock; in Ger. Liebfrauenmilch
Liebig/ (Justus, Baron von)
1803-73, German chemist; --, a beef extract first prepared by
him (cap.)
Liechtenstein
principality on Upper Rhine
lied/ (Ger. n.), a song; pl. -er
Lieder ohne Worte
songs without words
Lieferung (Ger. f.), a part of a work published in instalments, abbr. Lfg.
LiЉge Belgium,/ formerly Li‚-; in Fl. Luik; Liegeois/, fem. -e, an
inhabitant of LiЉge.
lieu (in) in place (of) (not ital.)
Lieutenant/
abbr. Lt. or Lieut.; ---Colonel, abbr. Lt.- or Lieut.-Col.;
---Commander, abbr. Lt.- or Lieut.-Com.; ---General, abbr. Lt.-
or Lieut.-Gen.; ---Governor, abbr. Lt.- or Lieut.-Gov.
(hyphens)
life/belt, -boat
(one word)
life cycle
(two words)
life/-guard, -jacket
(hyphens)
Life Guards
regiment of household cavalry (two words); Life-guardsman
(hyphen)
life insurance
is the general term. See also assurance
life/like, -line
(one word)
lifelong lasting for life (one word). See also livelong
life-size(d)
(adj., hyphen)
lifetime (one word)
ligature (typ.), two or more letters joined together and forming one
character or type. See also diphthongs, and Hart's Rules, pp.
62-3
light (verb), past lit (preferred), partic. lit when predic. (the fire
is lit), lighted when attrib. (a lighted match)
light bulb
(two words)
lightening
making less heavy
lighthouse
(one word)
Light Infantry
abbr. LI or Lt. Inf.
lighting-up time
(one hyphen)
light meter
(two words)
lightning (meteor.), abbr. l.
light-o'-love
fickle woman (hyphens, apos.)
lightship (one word)
lightweight
(one word)
light-year
(astr.), unit of distance (hyphen)
ligneous of wood, woody
-like. In formations intended as nonce-words, or not generally current,
the hyphen should be used. It may be omitted when the first
element is of one syllable, but nouns in -l always require it,
e.g. eel-like
likeable not lika-
likelihood
not -lyhood
Lilienthal (Otto)
1849-96, German aviator
Liliput liliputian, use Lilli-, lilli-
lillibullero
a seventeenth-century song refrain, not the many variants (not
ital.)
Lilliput country of the pygmies in Swift's Gulliver's Travels;
lilliputian, diminutive (not cap.)
lily of the valley (no hyphens)
limbo/ the borderland of Hell, a place of oblivion; pl. -s (not ital.)
limbus/ fatuorum
(Lat.), a fool's paradise; -- infantum, limbo of unbaptized
children; -- patrum, limbo of pre-Christian good men
lime/-juice, -kiln
(hyphens)
lime/light, -stone
(one word)
limes (Lat.), Roman frontier (ital.)
Limey (derog.), an English immigrant in former British colonies; (US
slang), a British sailor, an Englishman. See also limy
Limited abbr. Ltd.
limy limelike, sticky. See also Limey
lin. line/al, -ar
linable able to be covered on the inside, not linea-
linage the number of lines, payment by the line. See also lineage
linament use linea- or lini-
linchpin not ly- (one word)
Linch's law
use lynch
Lincoln: sig. of Bp. of Lincoln (colon)
Lincoln Center
New York, a nexus of theatres, opera-house, concert-hall, etc.
Lincolnshire
abbr. Lincs.
Lindbergh (Charles Augustus)
1902-74, US aviator
Lindley (John)
1799-1865, English botanist
Lindsay (Earl of)
family name Lindesay-Bethune; -- (Sir Coutts), 1824-1913,
English artist; -- (Sir David), 1490-1555, Scottish poet; --
(Nicholas Vachel), 1879-1931, US poet
Lindsey (Earl of)
family name Bertie
line abbr. l.; pl. ll.
lineage ancestry. See also linage
line/al, -ar
abbr. lin.
lineament a feature, not lina-. See also liniment
Linear/ A earlier of two forms of anc. Cretan writing; -- B, later form,
found also on Gr. mainland (no hyphens)
line block
(typ.), letterpress (q.v.) block for lines and solids
lingua franca
an international language, esp. a mixture of It., Fr., Gr., and
Span. used in the Levant (not ital.)
liniment an embrocation, not lina-. See also lineament
lining numerals
(typ.), those that align at top and bottom, 1234567890
lining paper
(binding), that inside the cover
link 7.92 in.; one-hundredth of a chain; abbr. l.
Linn/aean abbr. Linn.; but -ean Society, London (off. spelling); abbr. LS
Linnaeus (Carolus)
1707-78, Swedish naturalist; in Sw. Carl von Linn‚; abbr. L. or
Linn.
Linnhe (Loch)
Highland
Linotype firm formerly producing hot-metal composing machine casting each
line of type as a continuous unit (abbr. Lino), now various
computer-driven filmsetting systems not on the slug (q.v.)
principle
linsey-woolsey
a thin coarse fabric of linen and wool; gibberish; not linsy-,
-wolsey
Linson (bind.), strong paper used in place of bookcloth (propr. term)
lintel/, -led
liny full of lines, not -ey
Lion (Gulf of the) or Lion Gulf, off Mediterranean Fr. coast; in Fr.
golfe du Lion, not Lions, Lyon, Lyons
Lionardo da Vinci
use Le-
lionize not -ise
Lippi (Fra Filippo
or Lippo), c.1406-69, and -- (Filippino), c.1457-1504, his son,
Italian painters
lip/salve, -stick
(one word)
lip-service
(hyphen)
liq. liquid, liquor lique/faction, -factive, -fiable, -fy, not liqui-
liqueur/ a strong alcoholic liquor, sweetened and flavoured (not ital.);
---glass (hyphen)
liquid abbr. liq.
liquidambar
a genus of balsam-bearing trees, not -er (one word, not ital.)
liquor/ abbr. liq.; -- on draught, not draft
liquorice not licor-
liquorish desirous, greedy, use licker-
lir/a unit of Italian currency; pl. -e; abbr. L.
lissom supple, not -e
Liszt (Abb‚ Franz)
1811-86, Hungarian pianist and composer
lit. literal, -ly, literary, literature, litre, little
Litchfield
Hunts, also Conn., US; -- (Earl of). See also Lich-
litchi Chinese fruit (-tree), also grown in Bengal, not the many
variants (not ital.)
Lit.D. Literarum Doctor (Doctor of Letters). See also D.Lit., D.Litt.,
Litt.D.
lite pendente
(Lat.), during the trial liter/al, -ally, -ary, -ature; abbr.
lit.
literal (typ.)
printing of wrong sort, of turn (q.v.), or of sort in battered
state or wrong fount
literalize
etc., to render literal, not -ise
litera (or littera) scripta manet
(Lat.), the written word remains
literat/i the learned as a class; sing. -us, not litt-
literatim (Lat.), letter for letter
Lith. Lithuanian
lithium symbol Li
lithography
(typ.), planographic (q.v.) printing process from smooth plate,
originally a stone; abbr. litho (no point)
Lithuania a Soviet Socialist Republic. See also USSR
Lit. Hum. Literae Humaniores, Faculty (Classics and Philosophy) at Oxford
litigious fond of going to law
litmus-paper
(hyphen)
Litolff (Henri Charles)
1818-91, French pianist, composer, music-publisher
litotes (rhet.), a form of meiosis (q.v.), esp. one using ironical
negative, e.g. no mean feat
litre/ abbr. l. (but no point in scientific and technical work) or
lit., one-thousandth of a cubic metre, 1.76 pint; -age, number
of litres
Litt.B. Literarum Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Letters)
Litt.D. Litterarum Doctor (Doctor of Letters, Camb. and TCD). See also
D.Lit., D.Litt., Lit.D.
littera see litera
litterateur
a literary man (not ital.)
litterati use lite-
Little Englander
(hist., two words, caps.)
Littlehampton
W. Sussex (one word)
Littleton family name of Baron Hatherton; -- (Sir Thomas), ?1407-81,
English jurist. See also Lyttelton
littoral a region by a coast
Littr‚ (Maximilien Paul ђmile)
1801-81, French lexicographer
liturg. liturg/ies, -ical, -y
liv. (Fr.), livre (m. book, f. pound)
liveable not liva-
livelong intensive and emotional form of long. See also lifelong
Liver/politan, -pudlian
(inhab.) of Liverpool
Liverpool:
sig. of Bp. of Liverpool (colon)
livestock (one word)
Livingston
Lothian, "new town", 1962
Livingstone (David)
1813-73, Scottish explorer and missionary
Livorno Italian seaport, formerly in Eng. Leghorn
livraison (Fr. f.), a part of a work published in instalments
livre (Fr. m.), book; (f.) pound; abbr. L. or liv.
Livy (in Lat., Titus Livius), 59 BC-AD 17, Roman historian
Lloyd's/ the association of underwriters, not -s'; -- marks, in --
Register of Shipping, in order of merit, for wooden ships, Al,
Al (in red), AE, and E; for iron or steel, 100 Al, 90 Al, 80 Al.
See also Loyd
locale scene of operations (erron. form, but well established)
localize not -ise
loc. cit. loco citato (in the place cited) (not ital.)
loch Scottish lake, not -ck; capital when with name, abbr. L.
Lochalsh Highland
lochan small Scottish lake
Loch Awe Strathclyde
Lochearnhead
Central (one word)
Lochgilphead
Strathclyde
Loch Leven
Highland, Tayside
Lochnagar mountain in Grampian (one word)
Lock/e (John)
1632-1704, English philosopher; adj. -ian, not -ean
lockjaw (one word)
lock-out employers' refusal of work; pl. lock-outs (hyphen)
locksmith (one word)
lock-up (noun or adj., hyphen); -- (typ.), exertion of pressure to hold
various elements in the forme together
loco/ locomotive, pl. -s (no point)
loco/ (Lat.), in the place; -- citato, ditto cited, abbr. l.c. or loc.
cit. (not ital.); -- laudato, ditto cited with approval, abbr.
loc. laud.; -- sigilli, ditto of the seal, abbr. LS; -- supra
citato, ditto cited above, abbr. l.s.c. (not ital.)
Locofoco (US), extreme section of Democratic Party, 1835
locum/-tenency
(hyphen); -- tenens, a substitute, pl. -- tenentes (not ital.)
loc/us (Lat.), a written passage, a curve, pl. -i; locus/ citatus, the
passage quoted; -- classicus, an authoritative passage from a
standard book, pl. loci classici; -- communis, a commonplace; --
delicti, the place of a crime; -- in quo, the place in which; --
poenitentiae, a place of repentance; -- sigilli, the place of
the seal, abbr. LS; -- standi, recognized position, (law) right
to appear
LOD Little Oxford Dictionary
lodestar star steered by, not load-
lodestone use load-
lodg/e, -eable, -ement, -ing
lodging-house
(hyphen)
Loeb (James)
1867-1933, US banker, founder of the -- Library of classical
authors
loess (geol.), deposit of fine yellowish loam in certain valleys, not
lo‰ss, l”ss
L. of C. line of communication
Lofoten Islands
Norway, not -den, -ffoden
log logarithm (no point)
log. logic
logan-stone
a rocking-stone, not loggan-, logging-
logarithm abbr. log; -- (natural), to base e, abbr. ln
log-book (hyphen)
loge (Fr. f.), theatre stall (ital.)
loggia/ (It.), a gallery; pl. -s
logi/on a saying of Christ not in the Gospels; pl. -a (not ital.)
logo/ (colloq.), a device used as printed badge etc. of organization,
pl. -s (no point)
logotype (typ.), several letters, or a word, cast as a single sort
log-roll/, -er, -ing
(to give, one who gives) mutual aid among politicians or
reviewers (hyphen)
logwood (one word)
Lohengrin German hero; (ital.) opera by Wagner, 1850
Loir, Loire, Loiret
French rivers
lollipop/ a sweetmeat, not lolly-; -- man (colloq.), traffic-controller
Lombroso (Cesare)
1836-1909, Italian criminologist
Lom‚ Togo
Londin: sig. of Bp. of London (colon)
London/ abbr. L. or Lond.; -- Apprentice, hamlet in Cornwall; -- County
Council/, -lor, abbr. LCC (no points). See also GLC
long. longitude
longboat (one word)
long-bodied
(typ. adj.), denoting metal sorts whose body is cast a point or
more longer than the size of letter upon them normally takes,
producing the effect of leading, q.v.
longbow (one word)
long-distance
(adj., hyphen)
longe use lu-
long/eval long-lived, not -aeval; -evity
Longfellow (Henry Wadsworth
not Words-), 1807-82, US poet
longhand (one word)
Long Island
US; abbr. LI
longitude abbr. long.
long jump (two words)
Longleat House
Wilts.
Longman Group Ltd.
publishers
Long Mynd (The)
Shropshire; Longmynd Group (geol.) (caps.)
Longo (Alessandro)
1864-1945, compiler of edition of Domenico Scarlatti's keyboard
works
longo intervallo
(Lat.), at a long interval
long page (typ.), one having a line or lines more than its companion pages
long primer
(typ.), name for a former size of type, about 10 pt.; pron.
primmer
Longridge Lancs.
Longshanks
sobriquet of Edward I
Longships islands and lighthouse off Cornwall
long-shore
(adj., hyphen), not 'long-; long-shoreman
long ton 2,240 lb., abbr. l.t.
Longton Lancs., Staffs.
Longtown Cumbria, Hereford & Worc.
longueur tedious passage in book, play, film, usu. pl. (ital.)
long/ways, -wise
(one word)
looking-glass
(hyphen)
look-out/ pl. -s (hyphen)
loophole (one word)
loosestrife
(bot.) (one word)
Lope de Vega
see Vega Carpio
loping with long strides, not lope-
lopsided (one word)
loquitur (Lat.), he, or she, speaks; abbr. loq.
Lorca (Federico GarcЎa)
1899-1936, Spanish poet
Lord (with name), may be substituted for Marquess, Earl, or Viscount,
and is more often used than Baron
Lord abbr. Ld.
Lord/ Chamberlain, -- Chancellor
abbr. LC; -- Chief Baron, abbr. LCB; -- Chief Justice, abbr.
LCJ; -- Justice, abbr. LJ, pl. L JJ (thin space); ---Lieutenant,
pl. Lord-Lieutenants (hyphen), abbr. LL; -- Mayor (two
words,caps.); -- of hosts, -- of lords, as Deity (one cap.); --
President of the Council, abbr. LPC; -- Privy Seal, abbr. LPS;
-- Provost, abbr. LP
Lord's Cricket Ground
London (apos.)
Lord's Day
(caps.)
Lordship abbr. Ldp.
Lord's/ Prayer, -- Supper, -- Table
(caps.)
Lorelei siren of the Rhine, not -ey, Lurlei
Lorenzo see Louren‡o
Loreto Colombia, Italy, Mexico, Peru
Loretto Anglicized version of the It. Loreto; also Scottish school
lorgnette opera-glass, or pair of eye-glasses with long handle
loris small lemur, not lori, lory
Lorrain (Claude)
(n‚ Gel‚e), 1600-82, French painter, not -aine
Lorraine see Alsace-Lorraine
lory one of the parrots. See also loris
losable not -eable
Los Angeles
Calif., US
l”ss (geol.), use loess
Lot-et-Garonne
d‚p. France
loth/ -some, use loath(-)
Lothario/ "the gay", in Nicholas Rowe's The Fair Penitent, 1703; pl. -s
Lothian region of Scotland
Loti (Pierre)
pseud. of Julien Viaud, 1850-1923, French writer
lotus/ Egyptian and Asian water lily; pl. -es
lotus-eater
not lotos-; but "The Lotos-Eaters" by Tennyson
louche (Fr.), disreputable (ital.)
loudspeaker
(one word)
lough Irish lake, capital when with name, abbr. L.
LS Leading Seaman, Linnean Society, loco or locus sigilli, (in) the
place of the seal
l.s. left side
LSA Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries
l.s.c. loco supra citato (in the place cited above)
LSD the hallucinatory drug d-lysergic acid diethylamide, librae,
solidi, denarii (pounds, shillings, and pence, also њ.s.d.),
Lightermen, Stevedores, and Dockers
LSE London School of Economics and Political Science
LSI (comp.), large-scale integration
LSO London Symphony Orchestra
L. (&) S.W.R.
London and South Western Railway (became part of SR until
nationalization)
M 1,000; (chem.) molar; motorway; (as prefix) mega-; the twelfth
in a series
M. Majesty, Marqu/ess, -is, Member, metronome, middle, militia, (in
Peerage) minor, Monday, (Fr.) main (hand), middle (a thousand),
monsieur, (It.) mano (hand), mezz/o, -a (half), (Lat.) magister
(master), medicinae (of medicine)
m metre(s) (in scientific and technical work), (as prefix) milli-
MA Magister Artium (Master of Arts), Massachusetts (off. postal
abbr.), Military Academy
mA (elec.), milliampere (no point)
m/a (book-keeping), my account
ma (Italian), but
ma'am see madam
Maartens (Maarten)
pseud. of Joost Marius van der Poorten-Schwartz, 1858-1915,
Dutch novelist, wrote in English
Maas see Meuse
Maastricht
Netherlands, not Maes-
Mabinogion
collection of ancient Welsh romances
Mac (the prefix), spelling depends upon custom of the one bearing
the name, and this (MacDonald, Macdonald, McDonald, etc.) must
be followed. In alphabetical arrangement it should, however
spelt, be treated as Mac
mac colloq. for mackintosh, not mack (no point)
macadamize
to cover with layers of small broken stone, each rolled in, not
-ise; from John Loudon McAdam, 1756-1836, British engineer
Macao E. Asia, not -au
macao a parrot, use macaw
macaron/i (not macc-), long tubes of pasta; an eighteenth-century dandy,
pl. -ies; -ic, in burlesque verse, Latinized modern and
modernized Latin
MacArthur (Douglas)
1880-1964, US general
Macaulay (Dame Rose)
1881-1958, British novelist; -- (Thomas Babington, Baron),
1800-59, British writer
macaw a parrot, West Indian palm, not macao, maccaw
Macc. (1, 2)
Maccabees, First, Second Book of
Maccabean of the Maccabees, not -baean
McCarthy (Eugene Joseph)
b. 1916, US politician; -- (Joseph Raymond), 1909-57, US
politician; -- (Mary), 1912-89 US writer
MacCarthy (Sir Desmond)
1878-1952, British writer
Macchiavelli
use Mach-
McCormack (John)
1884-1945, Irish-born US singer
McCoy (the real)
the genuine article
MacCunn (Hamish)
1868-1916, Scottish composer
MacDiarmid (Hugh)
1892-1978, Scottish poet, pseud. of Christopher Murray Grieve
Macdonald (Alexandre)
1765-1840, Duke of Taranto, French marshal; -- (Flora), 1722-90,
Jacobite heroine; -- (George), 1824-1905, Scottish novelist and
poet
MacDonald (Rt. Hon. James Ramsay)
1866-1938, British Prime Minister 1924, 1929-35
MacDowell (Edward Alexander)
1861-1908, US composer
Maced. Macedonian
mac‚doine mixed fruit or vegetables
McGill Universiry
Montreal, Canada
Macgillicuddy's Reeks
mountains in Kerry
McGonagall (William)
1830-1902, Scottish poet noted for his bad verse
McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Ltd.
MacGregor family name of Rob Roy
ma chЉre (Fr. f.), my dear. See also mon cher
machete Central American knife, not matchet
Machiavell/i (Niccol•)
1469-1527, Florentine statesman, playwright, writer on political
opportunism, not Macch-; adj. -ian (cap. only in lit. or hist.
usage); noun, -ianism, not -ism
machicolation
(archit.), openings between supporting corbels
machina (Lat.), a machine. See also Deus ex-
machinab/le, -ility
not machine-
machine abbr. M/C.
machine revise
final proof before actual printing
Mach number
ratio of speed of a body to speed of sound in surrounding
atmosphere (not cap.), from Ernst Mach, 1836-1916, Austrian
physicist
Machpelah burial place of Abraham, not Maep-
Machu Picchu
Peru, site of antiquities
Mackenzie (Sir Edward Montague Compton)
1883-1972, British novelist
McKinley (William)
1843-1901, US President 1896-1901
mackintosh
a waterproof, colloq. mac (no point); patented by Charles
Macintosh, 1766-1843, Scottish chemist; not maci-
mackle printing blemish
macle twin crystal, spot in a mineral
MacLehose & Sons
printers, Glasgow
MacLeish (Archibald)
1892-1982, US poet
Macleod (Fiona)
pseud. of William Sharp, 1856-1905, Scottish poet and novelist
McLuhan (Herbert Marshall)
1911-81, Canadian sociologist
MacMahon (Marie Edm‚ Patrice Maurice de)
1808-93, Duke of Magenta, French marshal, President 1873-9
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ont., Canada
Macmillan (Maurice Harold, Earl of Stockton)
1894-1986, British statesman
Macmillan/ Publishers, Ltd.
London; -- Publishing Company, Inc., New York
McNaghten Rules
on insanity as defence in criminal trial; not named from
MacNaghtan (Edward), 1830-1913, English judge, but from the
murderer of Sir Robert Peel's private secretary, 1843
Mѓcon d‚p. Saone-et-Loire, France; also a burgundy, not -‡on
Macpelah use Mach-
Macquarie University
Sydney
macram‚ lace
a trimming of knotted thread, not -mi-
Macready (William Charles)
1793-1873, English actor
macrocosm the great world. See also microcosm
macron a mark (-) to indicate a long vowel or syllable (See Figure 1 in
topic FRONT_4)
macroscopic
visible to the naked eye
macrurous (zool.), long-tailed, not maerourous
macul/a a spot; pl. -ae
Madagascar
off SE coast of Africa, formerly the Malagasy Republic
madam pl. -s; colloq. abbr. 'm, ma'am (cap. for the correct form of
address to the Queen), marm, m'm, mum
Madame abbr. Mme, not Mdme; pl. Mesdames, abbr. Mmes (no point after
abbrs.)
M„dchen (Ger. n.), girl; pl. same (cap.)
Madeira island, wine, cake
Mademoiselle
abbr. Mlle, not Mdlle; pl. Mesdemoiselles, abbr. Mlles, not
Mdlles (no point after abbrs.)
Madhya Pradesh
(India), formerly Central Provinces; abbr. MP
madonna (representation of) the Virgin Mary (cap. as name)
madonna (It.), my lady, madam (in 3rd person only, not cap.)
madrasah (Ind.), a school or college (not the many variants)
Mad. Univ.
Madison University, US; Madras
Maecenas/ a patron of the arts, not Me-; pl. -es
maelstrom whirlpool, not mahl-, mal-
Maelzel (Johann Nepomuk)
1772-1838, German musician. See also metronome
maenad/ a female follower of Baechus, not me-; pl. -s
maestoso (mus.), majestic, stately
Maestricht
Netherlands, use Maas-
maestr/o (mus.), master, composer, conductor; pl. -i (not ital.)
Maeterlinck (Maurice)
1862-1949, Belgian poet, playwright, essayist, philosopher
Mae West inflatable life-jacket named after film actress (two words,
caps.)
MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food
Mafia Sicilian secret society, extending to US. See also Camorra
mafios/o member of Mafia, pl. -i (not cap.)
ma foi! (Fr.), upon my word!
Mag. Magyar (Hungarian)
mag. magazine, magnetism
Maga colloq. for Blackwood's Magazine
magazine abbr. mag.
magazines (titles of)
(typ.), when cited, to be in italic
magdalen a repentant prostitute, a home for such; but Mary Magdalene
Magdalen College
Oxford
Magdalene College
Cambridge
Magdalenian
(archaeol.), late palaeolithic culture or period
maggot a grub. See also magot
magic/ (verb), -ked, -king
magilp use meg-
magister (Lat. m.), master, abbr. M.; -- artium, Master of Arts, abbr.
MA; -- chirurgiae, ditto Surgery, abbr. M.Ch.
magistrand
an arts student ready for graduation, esp. now at Aberdeen
Univ.; at St Andrews a fourth-year student
magma/ a mass; pl. -ta, or -s in gen. use
Magna Carta
(1215), not -- Cha-
magnalium alloy of magnesium and aluminium
magnesium symbol Mg
magnetism abbr. mag.
magnetize not -ise
magneto/ type of electric generator; pl. -s
magnification sign
x (followed by a numeral)
magnifico/
Venetian grandee, pl. -es (not ital.)
magnif/y, -ied, -ying
magnifying glass
(two words)
magnum a reputed two-quart wine bottle
magnum bonum
a large, good variety, esp. of plums or potatoes; pl. magnum
bonums (two words, not ital.)
magn/um op/us
(Lat.), an author's chief work; pl. -a -era. See also opus
magnum
magot ape, also Chinese or Japanese figure. See also maggot
Magritte (Ren‚)
1898-1967, Belgian painter
mag/us a wise man; pl. -i; but the Magi (cap.)
Magyar dominant race in Hungary; a Hungarian; the Finno-Ugric speech of
Hungary; abbr. Mag.
magyar type of blouse or of its sleeves
Mahabharata
Indian epic (accent on third syllable)
Mahame/dan, -tan
use Muhammadan, q.v.
mahara/ja Indian prince, not -jah (cap. as title); -nee, wife of maharaja,
not -ni
maharishi Hindu sage
mahatma in esoteric Buddhism one possessing supernatural powers; (with
cap.) title prefixed to exalted persons, esp. Gandhi
mahaut use mahout
Mahican (member of) an American Indian tribe between the Hudson River
and Narragansett Bay. See Mohegan and Mohican
mah-jong Chinese game played with tiles, not -ngg (hyphen)
Mahler (Gustav)
1860-1911, Austrian composer
mahlstick painter's hand-test, use maul-
mahlstrom use mael-
Mahom/et the trad. English spelling, not -ed; but use Muhammad. See also
Islam, Muhammadan, Muslim
mahout elephant-driver, not -aut
Mahratta use Maratha
Mahratti use Marathi
mahseer large Indian freshwater fish, not the many variants
mahwa Indian tree
mai (Fr. m.), May (not cap.)
Maia (Gr. myth.), mother of Hermes
maidan (Ind., Pers.), a plain, an esplanade, not -aun
maiden/hair, -head
(one word)
maiden name
(two words)
maieutic of Socratic method of educing latent ideas
maigre day
(RCC), one when no flesh is eaten
Maillol (Aristide)
1861-1944, French sculptor
maillot (Fr. m.), dancer's tights, woman's bathing-suit
main/ (Fr. f.), a hand, also a quire, abbr. M.; -- droite, right hand,
abbr. MD; -- gauche, left hand, MG
Maine US, off. abbr. Me. or (postal) ME
Maine-et-Loire
d‚p. France (hyphens)
main line (hyphen attrib.)
mainline (verb, take drugs)
main/sail, -spring, -stay
(one word)
Mainz am Rhein
W. Germany (no hyphens), not Mayence
maiolica use maj-
maisonette
a small house, a flat; Anglicized form of Fr. f. maisonnette
maison garnie
(Fr. f.), furnished house
Maisur see Mysore
maЊtre/ title of French advocate; -- d'h“tel (Fr. m.), house steward; …
la -- --, plainly prepared with parsley (no hyphen)
maЊtresse (Fr. f.), mistress
maiuscol/a
(It. typ.), capital letter; -etto, small capital letter
Maj. Major
maj. majority
Majest‚ (Sa)
(Fr. f.), His, or Her, Majesty, not Son --
Majesty abbr. M.
Majlis see Assemblies
majolica an Italian glazed or enamelled earthenware, not maiol-; in It.
maiolica
Major/ abbr Maj.; -- General (caps. as title, hyphen), abbr. Maj.-Gen.
Majorca Balearic Is.; in Sp. Mallorca
major-domo/
a house steward, pl. -s (hyphen)
majority abbr. maj.
majuscule a capital, or upper-case, letter
make-believe
(hyphen)
makeready (typ.), preparation of forme or plate, fitting of new offset
blankets, on printing machine (one word)
makeshift (one word)
make-up (typ.), arrangement of matter into pages
makeweight
(one word)
Mal. Malachi, Malayan
Malacca see Malaya (Federation of)
malacology
study of molluscs; abbr. malac.
maladroit clumsy (not ital.)
mala/ fide
(Lat.), treacherously; -- fides, bad faith; -- in se (Lat.),
acts which are intrinsically wrong
M laga Spain (accent); Malaga, wine from there
Malagasy native or language of Madagascar
Malagasy Republic
see Madagascar
malague¤a dance from M laga
malaise discomfort, uneasiness
malamute Eskimo dog, not male-
Malaprop (Mrs)
in The Rivals, by Sheridan, 1775
malapropos
inopportunely; in Fr. mal … propos
Malawi/ Cent. Africa, independent state within the Commonwealth, 1964,
republic 1966; formerly Nyasaland; adj. -an; -- (Lake), formerly
Lake Nyasa
Malay language and people
Malaya (Federation of):
till 1957 consisted of nine states (Johore, Kedah, Kelantan,
Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Trengganu) and
the two British settlements of Penang and Malacca; adj. Malayan,
abbr. Mal.
Malayalam language of Malabar coast, SW India
Malaysia/ since 1957, independent state within the Commonwealth; consists
of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak; adj. -n
malcontent
not male-
mal de mer
(Fr. m.), seasickness
Malden Surrey
mal de t€te
(Fr. m.), headache
Maldiv/es (The)
SW of Sri Lanka; adj. -ian
Maldon Essex
mal du pays
(Fr. m.), homesickness
male abbr. m. (bot., zool., sociol.)
maleable use mall-
malecontent
use malc-
malee use mallee
malemute use malamute
malentendu
(Fr. m.), misunderstanding (one word)
Malesherbes (Chr‚tien Guillaume de Lamoignon de)
1721-94, French statesman. See also Malherbe
malgr‚ (Fr.), in spite of
Malherbe (Fran‡ois de)
1555-1628, French writer. See also Malesherbes
mali Indian gardener. See also mallee
Mali/ republic in NW Africa, 1960, formerly French Sudan; adj. -an
Malines Belgium, not Mechlin, q.v.
Mallarm‚ (Stephane)
1842-98, French poet
malleable not male-
mallee Australian eucalyptus. See also mali
Mallorca Sp. for Majorca
Mallow Co. Cork
Malmaison near Paris (one word)
Malmesbury
Wilts.
malmsey a sweet wine, not -sie, -esie, -asye
Malone (Edmond
not -und), 1741-1812, British lit. critic
Malplaquet
(battle of), 1709
malpractice
misbehaviour, not -se
malstrom use mael-
Maltese Cross
(See Figure 4 in topic FRONT_4)
Malthus (Thomas Robert)
1766-1834, writer on population
Malton N. Yorks.
mama use mamma
mameluco in Brazil, offspring of a White and an Indian
Mameluke (hist.), member of mil. body that ruled Egypt 1254-1811, not
the many variants
mamill/a nipple; pl. -ae; adj. -ary
mamma child's name for mother, not mama
mamm/a breast; pl. -ae; adj. -ary
mammee tropical American tree, not the many variants
Mammon wealth personified (cap.)
Man. Manila; Manitoba
man. manual
Man (Isle of), see Isle of Man
man about town
(three words)
manacle fetter, not -icle
Manacles rocks off Cornish coast
manage/able, -ment
manakin trop. American bird. See also manikin, mannequin, minikin
ma¤ana (Sp.), tomorrow
Manassas Virginia, scene of American Civil War battles
Manasseh (tribe of)
Manasses (Prayer of)
Apocr., abbr. Pr. Man.
man-at-arms
pl. men-at-arms (hyphens)
manatee the sea-cow
Manaus Brazil
manche (Fr. m.), a handle; (f.) a sleeve
Manche (La)
(Fr.), the English Channel
Manche d‚p. France
Manchester
abbr. Manch. or M/C.
Manchester:
sig. of Bp. of Manchester (colon)
man-child pl. men-children (hyphens)
Manchu (noun), an inhabitant or the language of Manchuria; (adj.), of
the land, people, or language of Manchuria; not -choo, -chow
Manchukuo, an empire of NE Asia, 1932-45, formed by the Japanese
out of Manchuria, Chinese Jehol, and part of Inner Mongolia
Manchuria region in E. Asia, named (1643) from an invading Mongolian
people; see previous entry; returned to China, 1945
Mancunian (inhabitant) of Manchester
Mandalay Burma, not Mande-
mandamus writ issued from a higher court to a lower, not -emus (not
ital.)
mandarin western name for a Chinese official; a small Chinese orange;
(cap.) Chinese language; not -ine
mandatary (law, hist.), one to whom a mandate is given
mandatory (adj.), commanding, compulsory
M and B (also M and B 693), sulphonamide drug (from initials of
manufacturers May and Baker)
Mandelay, mandemus
use -da-
mandioc use manioc
mandolin stringed instrument, not -ine
mandrel a spindle, not -il
mandrill a baboon
manЉge horsemanship, riding school. See also menage
Manet (Edouard), 1832-83, French painter
man/et (Lat., theat.), he, or she, remains; pl. -ent
manganese symbol Mn
mangel-wurzel
a large beet, not mangle-, mangold-
mango/ Indian fruit, not -oe; pl. -es
mangold-wurzel
use mangel---
mangosteen
tropical fruit, not -an, -ine
mangy having mange, not -gey
manhaden use men-
manhandle (one word)
manhattan a cocktail (not cap.)
Manhattan Island
New York
Manhattan Project
the production of the first atomic bombs in US
Manheim W. Germany, use Mann-
man-hour/ work of one man per hour, pl. -s (hyphen)
man-hunt (hyphen)
Manichaean
pertaining to the Manichees, religious followers of the Persian
Mani, c.216-76; not -chean
manicle a fetter, use -acle
manifesto/
declaration of policy; pl. -s
manikin a dwarf anatomical model, not mana-, manni-. See also manakin,
mannequin, minikin
Manila Philippine Islands, abbr. Man.
manila hemp, paper, not -illa
manilla African bracelet
manioc the cassava plant, not the many variants
maniple subdivision of Roman legion, vestment
manipulator
not -er
Manipur NE India, not Munnepoor
Manitoba Canada; abbr. Man.
man-made (hyphen)
mannequin dressmaker's (live) model. See also manakin, manikin
Mannheim W. Germany, not Manh-
mannikin use mani-
mannish manlike (usu. derog. of woman)
Mannlicher rifle
mano/ (It. f.), a hand, abbr. M.; -- destra, right hand, abbr. MD; --
sinistra, left hand, abbr. MS
manoeuvrab/le, -ility
(US maneuverab/le, -ility)
manoeuvr/e, ed, ing
(US maneuver/, -ed, -ing)
man-of-war
armed ship; pl. men-of-war (hyphens)
man-of-war's-man
(apos., hyphens)
manqu/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, unsuccessful
Mansard (Fran‡ois)
1598-1666, French architect
mansard roof
lower part steeper than upper (not cap.)
Mansfield (Katherine)
1888-1923, NZ-born British writer of short stories, pseud. of
Kathleen Beauchamp, later Murry. See Murry
mansuetae naturae
(law), adj., tame (of animals), lit. of a tame nature
mantel shelf above fireplace
mantelet short cloak; movable screen to protect gunners, not mantlet
mantelpiece
not mantle-
mantilla (Sp.), a short mantle; a veil covering head and shoulders
manum/it to set (slave) free; -itted, -itting; noun -ission
manu propria
(Lat.), with one's own hand
manus (Lat. f), a hand; pl. same
manuscript
abbr. MS (a, not an), pl. MSS (but spell out except in bibliog.
enumeration). Also called copy. It should be cleanly typed
double-spaced on one side of paper (which should be of the same
size throughout). One inch blank margin on left-hand side. Caps.
I, J, S, T, and l.c. e, i, l, m, n, t, u, if handwritten, to be
clear. Italics, bold, small capitals, etc. are indicated by
underlining as in proof correction, q.v. Copy must be folioed in
consecutive order throughout: not each chapter separately. Never
place corrections or additions on back of a leaf, but put in an
extra leaf and mark it, say, 23 A, B, or C; cue the alteration
clearly into the original text. If a leaf is deleted, say 24,
mark previous one 23-24. All matter not to be printed (e.g.
folio numbers, directions to the printer) to be ringed round in
ink. Adhesive tape should be used as little as possible, and
pins and staples should not be used. Copy for extracts and
footnotes should be incorporated in sequence with the text. See
also footnotes and BS 5261 part 1
manuscrit (Fr. m.), MS; abbr. ms., pl. mss.
Manuskript
(Ger. n.), MS; also printer's copy
Manutius/ (Aldus)
1450-1515, in It. Aldo Manuzio; -- -- "the younger", 1547-97;
-- (Paulus), 1512-72; Italian printers
Manx/ of the Isle of Man; -man, -men, -woman, -women (one word)
Manzanilla
a dry sherry
Mao/ism doctrine of Mao Zedong; -ist
Maori/ member or language of native race of New Zealand; pl. -s
Mao/ Zedong (-- Tse-tung)
1893-1976, Chairman of Chinese Communist Party 1954-76
Maquis the resistance movement in France in Second World War; from
Corsican maquis, scrubland
mar/, -red, -ring
Mar. March
mar. maritime
Mar (Earl of), family name: of Mar. See also Mar and Kellie
marabou/ feather, -- stork
not -bout, -bu
marabout N. African monk or hermit, not -but
Maracaibo Venezuela, not -ybo
maranatha (Syriac), "our Lord cometh"
Mar and Kellie (Earl of)
family name Erskine. See also Mar
maraschino
a liqueur
Marat (Jean Paul), 1743-93, French revolutionary
Maratha an Indian people, not Mahratta
Marathi Indian language, not Mahratti
Marazion Cornwall
marbling (bind.), staining endpapers or book edges to resemble marble
marbly marble-like, not -ley
marbr‚ (Fr.), marbled; also marbled edges of books
Marcan of St Mark, not Mark-
marcato (mus.), emphasized
March (month of), abbr. Mar.
march. marchioness
M„rchen (Ger. n.), a fairy-tale; pl. same
marches/e (It.), marquis; fem. -a, marchioness
marchioness
abbr. march. (cap. as title)
Marcobrunner
a hock
Marconi (Guglielmo, Marchese)
1874-1937, inventor of radio telegraphy; marconigram, message
sent by his system
Marcuse (Herbert)
1898-1979, German-born US philosopher
Mardi Gras
Shrove Tuesday
mare (Lat.), sea, (astr.) lunar plain, pl. maria; -- clausum, a sea
under one country's jurisdiction; -- liberum, a sea open to all
countries
mar‚chal/ (Fr. m.), Field Marshal; his wife; -e
Mar‚chal Niel
a rose
mare's-tail
(bot.), marsh plant (apos., hyphen)
marg. margin, -al
margarine butter-substitute, colloq. marge
margarite a mineral or rock-formation
Margaux (Chateau-)
a claret (hyphen)
marge colloq. for margarine, not marg
marge (Fr. f.), margin
margin/, -al
abbr. marg.
marginalia
(pl.), marginal notes (not ital.)
margins (typ.), the four are called back (at binding), head (top),
foredge (opposite the binding), and tail (foot of page). An
acceptable ratio for the size of margins, in order as above, is
1:1.5:2:2.5
Margoliouth (David Samuel)
1858-1940, British orientalist
Margrethe b. 1940, Queen of Denmark 1972-
marguerite
ox-eye daisy
mariage de convenance
(Fr. m.), marriage of convenience, not marr-
Mariamne name of two wives of Herod the Great
Marianne woman symbolizing France
Marie/ de' Medici
1573-1642, wife of Henry IV of France (de', not de); in Fr. --
de M‚dicis
marijuana (Sp.), hemp, not -huana
marin/ade (Fr. cook. f.), a pickle; -ate, to steep in it
Mariolatry
(derog.), worship of the Virgin Mary, not Mary-
marionette
a puppet; in Fr. f. marionnette
maritime abbr. mar.
marivaudage
(Fr. m.), daintily affected style, from Marivaux (Pierre Carlet
de Chamblain de), 1688-1763, French playwright and novelist
Mark (St) (NT), not to be abbreviated; adj. Marcan, not Mark-
mark/ German coin, pl. in English contexts -s; the currency of the
Federal Republic of Germany is based on the Deutsche Mark, q.v.
mathematics
(typ.), reference to footnotes in math. works to be marks of
reference (dagger etc. but not *), and not superior figures, as
these may be mistaken for indices. When letters are required for
formulae, caps. and l.c. (not s. caps.) are usual. A formula, if
detached from the text, is generally set in the middle of the
line; and if it has to be carried on to the next, the break is
made at an equals, minus, or plus sign, which is carried over.
Abbr. math. See also BSI, fractions, numerals
Mathew (Lord Justice)
1830-1909
Mathews (Charles)
1776-1835, English actor; -- (Charles James), 1803-78, his son,
English actor and playwright; -- (Elkin), publisher; --
(Shailer), 1863-1941, US educator and theologian. The usual
spelling of the name is Matthews
matin (Fr. m.), morning
matin‚e afternoon entertainment; matin‚e musicale, ditto with music
matins sometimes in Prayer Book mattins
matriculator
not -er
matr/ix (typ.), individual die for casting type; pl. -ices
matronymic
use metro-
matt (of colour) dull, without lustre, not mat
Matt. St Matthew's Gospel
Mattei (Tito)
1841-1914, Italian composer
matter (typ.), MS or copy to be printed, type that has been set
Matthews the usual spelling, but see Mathews
mattins see matins
Mau Uttar Pradesh, India. See also Mhow
Maugham (William Somerset)
1874-1965, English novelist and playwright
Maugrabin (Hayraddin)
in Scott's Quentin Durward
Maulmain Burma, use Moulmein
maulstick painter's hand-rest, not mahl-
Mau Mau a Kikuyu secret society in Kenya, rebelled 1952 (two words)
Maundy Thursday
day before Good Friday, not Maunday (two words)
Maupassant (Guy de)
1850-93, French writer
Mauresque use Mor-
Mauretania
ancient region of NW Africa
Mauretania
name of two successive Cunard liners
Maurist member of the reformed Benedictine congregation of St Maur (Fr.)
Mauritania
NW Africa, indep. 1960
Mauriti/us
former British colony, French-speaking, in Indian Ocean; indep.
1968; adj. -an
mausoleum/
a magnificent tomb; pl. -s
mauvaise honte
(Fr. f.), shyness
mauvais/ go–t
(Fr. m.), bad taste; -- pas, a difficulty; -- quart d'heure, bad
quarter of an hour, a short unpleasant time; -- sujet, a
ne'er-do-well; -- ton, bad style
maverick an unbranded animal, masterless person, rover
Max. Maximilian I or II, Holy Roman emperors
max. maxim, maximum
maxill/a the jaw; pl. -ae
maximize not -ise
maxim/um the greatest; pl. -a; abbr. max. (not ital.)
maxwell unit of magnetic flux; abbr. Mx
Maxwell (James Clerk)
1831-79, Scottish physicist, not Clerk-Maxwell
Maxwell-Lyte (Sir Henry Churchill)
1848-1940, English hist. writer
May (month of), not to be abbreviated
may (tree) (not cap.)
maya (Hindu philos.), illusion
Maya/ one of an Indian people of Cent. America and S. Mexico; pl. -s;
adj. -n
maybe perhaps (one word)
May-bug (hyphen)
May Day 1 May (caps., two words)
Mayday international radio distress signal (one word, cap.)
Mayence on the Rhine
use Mainz am Rhein
Mayfair London (one word), but May Fair Hotel, London
May/flower, -fly
(one word)
mayhem (legal and US) maiming
mayn't to be printed close up
mayonnaise
(Fr. f.), a salad-dressing (not ital.)
maypole (one word)
May queen (two words)
mayst (no apos.)
mazagran (Fr. m.), black coffee served in a glass
Mazarin Bible
42-line, first book printed from movable type, by Gutenberg and
Fust, c.1450. Cardinal Mazarin, 1602-61, had twenty-five copies
MD managing director, Maryland, US (off. postal abbr.), (Lat.)
Medicinae Doctor (Doctor of Medicine), mentally deficient,
Middle Dutch, (It. mus.) mano destra (right hand), (Fr. mus.)
main droite (right hand)
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Jacob Ludwig Felix)
1809-47, German composer
mendicity begging
meneer (Afrik.), Mr, sir
menhaden a N. American fish of herring family, not man-
meningitis
inflammation of meninges
meno (It. mus.), less
Menorca Sp. for Minorca
mensa (Lat.), a table; a mensa et toro, from bed and board (a kind of
divorce), not thoro
Menshevik member of a minority group of the Russian Social Democratic
Party before 1917. See Bolshevik
Men's Lib (caps., no point)
mens/ rea (Lat.), criminal intent; -- sana in corpore sano, a sound mind
in a sound body
menstru/um
a solvent; pl. -a
mensur. mensuration
menswear (one word, no apos.)
menthe (Fr. cook. f.), mint, not mi-
Menton Fr. Riviera, often given It. spelling Mentone
menu/ (Fr. m.), bill of fare, pl. -s
Menuhin (Yehudi)
b. 1916, US violinist
MEP Member of the European Parliament
m.e.p. mean effective pressure
mephistophelean
malicious, cynical, not -ian
mer. meridian, meridional
Merano Italian Tyrol
Merath use Meerut
Mercator's projection
a method of map-making, from Latinized form of surname of
Gerhard Kremer, 1512-94, Flemish-born German cartographer
Mercedes German make of car; Merc‚dЉs (Fr.), Mercedes (Sp.), girl's name
mercerize treat cotton under tension, not -ise
merchandise
(noun and verb), not -ize
Merchant/ Company Schools
Edin.; -- Taylors Company; but -- Taylors' School (apos.)
merci (Fr. m.), thanks; no, thank you; (f.) mercy
mercury symbol Hg
Meredith (George)
1828-1909, English novelist and poet; -- (Owen), see
Bulwer-Lytton (Edward Robert)
meretricious
befitting a prostitute, showy
meridian a great circle passing through the poles of a sphere and any
given place; esp. that which cuts the observer's horizon at due
north and south, and which the sun crosses at (local) noon;
abbr. m. or mer.; (fig.) the highest point
meridies (Lat.), noon; abbr. m.
meridional
of a meridian, abbr. m. or mer.; (in the northern hemisphere)
southern; of S. Europe; (noun) an inhabitant of S. Europe, esp.
of S. France
M‚rim‚e (Prosper)
1803-70, French novelist and historian
merino/ sheep, pl. -s
meritocracy
government by the best people
meritorious
deserving reward or praise
merle the common blackbird, not merl
merlin falcon
merlon solid part of embattled parapet
Merovingian
(king) of a Frankish dynasty in Gaul and Germany, c.500-700, not
-j-
merry andrew
buffoon (two words, not cap.)
merry-go-round
(hyphens)
merrythought
the wishbone (one word)
Merseyside
metropolitan county
Merthyr Tydfil
Mid Glam. (two words), not -vil
Merv USSR, now Mary
mesa (Western US), flat-topped mountain
m‚salliance
(Fr. f.), marriage with a social inferior; use misalliance
Mesdemoiselles
abbr. Mlles, not Mdlles
mesjid use mas-
mesmerize to hypnotize, fascinate, not -ise
Mesolongi use Missolonghi
Mesozoic (geol.) (cap.)
mesquite N. American tree, not -it
Messerschmitt (Willy)
1898-1978, German aircraft-designer, not -dt
Messiaen (Olivier EugЉne Prosper Charles)
b. 1908, French organist and composer
Messiah, Messianic
Messiah, oratorio by Handel, 1742, not The Messiah
Messieurs (Fr.), abbr. MM.; sing. Monsieur
Messrs sing. Mr (no point)
mestiz/o one of Spanish and American-Indian blood, not -ino; pl. -os;
fem. -a, fem. pl. -as
met. metallurg/y, -ical, -ist, metronome
meta- (chem. prefix) (ital.)
metal/, -led, -ling, -lize
not -ise
metallurg/y, -ical, -ist
abbr. met. or metall.
metal rule
(typ.), a type-high strip of metal for printing a line on paper:
en rule, em rule, two-em rule, and longer
metamorphos/e
to transform, not -ise, -ize; noun -is, pl. -es
Mindererus/
Latinized name of R. M. Minderer (c.1570-1621), German
physician; -- spirit, a diaphoretic
mineralog/y, -ical
abbr. mineral., (of) the study of minerals; not minerolog/ical,
-y
minever use mini-
mingy mean, not -ey
Mini propr. term for car made by British Leyland (cap.)
mini in gen. senses, esp. short skirt (not cap.)
mini/bus, -cab, -car
(one word)
Mini‚ (Claude ђtienne)
1814-79, inventor of rifle, etc.
minikin a diminutive person or thing. See also manakin, manikin
minim a drop, one-sixtieth of fluid drachm; abbr. min. (See Figure 2
in topic FRONT_4)
minimize not -ise
minim/um pl. -a (not ital.); abbr. min.
mining abbr. min.
minion (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 7 pt.
miniscule use minuscule
miniskirt (one word)
minister abbr. min.
minium red oxide of lead
miniver a fur, not -ever
Minn. Minnesota (off. abbr.)
Minneapolis
Minn., US
Minnehaha wife of Hiawatha
minnesinger
one of a school of medieval German lyric poets (not ital.)
Minnesota off abbr. Minn. or (postal) MN
Minoan pertaining to the civilization of ancient Crete (from King
Minos)
minor abbr. min., (in Peerage) M.
Minorca Balearic Is.; in Sp. Menorca
Minories a street in London
Minotaur monstrous offspring of a bull and Pasipha‰, wife of King Minos
Min./ Plen.
or Plenip., Minister Plenipotentiary; -- Res., ditto
Residentiary
M.Inst.P. Member of the Institute of Physics
Mint (the)
(cap.)
minthe use menthe
minuet a dance, or its music, not -ette
minus/ less, sign -; a negative quantity, a disadvantage, pl. -es
minuscule a small, or lower-case, letter, (adj.) tiny, not mini-
minute/, -s
abbr. m. or min. (but no point in scientific and technical
work), sign '; -- mark ('), symbol for feet, minutes, also
placed after a syllable on which the stress falls
minuti/ae small details; sing. -a (not ital.)
MIOB Member of the Institute of Building
Miocene (geol.) (cap., not ital.)
mi/osis contraction of the pupil of the eye, not my-; adj. -otic
MIPA Member of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
mirabile/ dictu
(Lat.), wonderful to relate; -- visu, ditto see
Mirat use Meerut
mirepoix (Fr. cook. m.), saut‚d chopped vegetables
mois (Fr. m.), month, abbr. m (no point). See also month
Mojave Desert
Calif., US, not Moh-
mol (chem.), abbr. of mole, q.v.
molar (chem.), abbr. M
molasses syrup from sugar, not moll-
Mold Clwyd
Moldavia a Soviet Socialist Republic. See also USSR
mole (chem.), SI unit of amount of substance; abbr. mol
MoliЉre pseud. of Jean Baptiste Poquelin, 1622-73, French playwright
moll (Ger. mus.), minor
mollah use mu-
mollasses use mola-
Moln r (Ferenc)
1878-1952, Hungarian playwright
Moloch Canaanite idol to whom children were sacrificed (often fig.),
not -eck
Moltke (Count Helmuth Karl Bernard von)
1800-91, Prussian field marshal; -- (Helmuth Johannes Ludwig
von), 1848-1916, his nephew, German general in First World War
molto (mus.), much, very
mol. wt. molecular weight
molybdenum
symbol Mo
Mombasa Kenya, not -assa
moment/um impetus, mass x velocity; pl. -a (not ital.)
monochrom/e
(picture) in one colour (one word); -atic
monocle a single eyeglass
monocoque/
aircraft or vehicle with body of single rigid structure, pl. -s
monogam/y marriage with one person; -ous
monogyny marriage with one wife
monophonic
see monaural
Monophoto (typ.), propr. term for (computer-driven) filmsetting systems
adapted from Monotype principles
monopol/ism, -ist, -istic, -ize, -y
Monotype (typ.), propr. term for a composition system, using separate
keyboard and caster, for casting single types; abbr. Mono
Monroe Doctrine
that European powers should not interfere in American affairs,
from James Monroe, 1758-1831, US president
Mons Belgium
Mons. this abbr. for Monsieur is regarded as incorrect in France
Monseigneur
(Fr.), abbr. Mgr.; pl. Messeigneurs, abbr. Mgrs. See also
Monsignor
Monserrat Spain. See also Mont-
Monsieur/ (Fr.), Mr, Sir, abbr. (to be used in third person only) M; pl.
Messieurs, abbr. MM.; -- Chose, Mr So-and-so. See also Mons.
Monsignor/
RCC title, abbr. Mgr.; pl. -s, abbr. Mgrs.; It. -e, pl. -i
mons Veneris
rounded mass of fat on woman's abdomen above vulva (one cap.)
Mont. Montana (off. abbr.)
montage mounting photographs and other objects on a surface to make a
design; selecting, cutting, and combining separate "shots" to
make a continuous film
Montagu of Beaulieu (Baron)
Montagu (Lady Mary Wortley)
1689-1762, English writer
Montague Romeo's family in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Montaigne (Michel Eyquem de)
1533-92, French essayist
Montana off. abbr. Mont. or (postal) MT
Mont Blanc
(caps.)
mont-de-pi‚t‚
(Ft. m.), Government pawnshop; pl. monts------ (hyphens)
Monte Cristo
not -- Christo
Montefiascone
Italian wine, not -sco (one word)
Montenegr/o
republic of Yugoslavia; adj. -in
Monterey Calif., US
Monte Rosa
Switzerland (caps., two words)
Monterrey Mexico
Montesquieu (Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de)
1689-1755, French jurist and philos. writer
Monteverdi (Claudio Giovanni
Antonio), 1567-1643, Italian composer
Montevideo
cap. of Uruguay (one word)
Montgomerie
family name of Earl of Eglinton; -- (Alexander), 1556-1610,
Scottish poet
Montgomery
second title of Earl of Pembroke, town and former county in
Wales, also towns in Ala. and W.Va., US, and Pakistan
Montgomery of Alamein (Bernard Law Viscount)
1887-1976, British field marshal in Second World War.
month/, -s
abbr. m.; -- (day of the), to be thus, 25 Jan., not Jan. 25.
When necessary, months to be abbreviated thus: Jan., Feb., Mar.,
Apr., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.; May, June, July to remain
in full. In Fr. the names of months do not take caps., as
janvier
Montpelier
Vermont, US
Montpellier
d‚p. H‚rault, France
Mont-Saint-Michel
d‚p. Manche, France (caps., hyphens); in Cornwall, Mount Saint
Michael, use St Michael's Mount
Montserrat
Leeward Islands. See also Mons-
Montyon prizes
of French Academy, not Month-
Moodkee use Mudki
Moog synthesizer
propr. term for electronic musical instrument (one cap.)
Mooltan use Mu-
moolvi/ Muslim doctor of the law, pl. -s, not -vee, -vie
moon cap. only in astronomical contexts and in a list of planets;
abbr. m. (See Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
moon/beam, -light, -lit
(one word)
moonshee Indian writer or teacher, not munshi
moonshine (one word)
Moore (George)
1852-1933, Irish novelist; -- (Sir John), 1761-1809, British
general, killed at Corunna; -- (Thomas), 1779-1852, "the bard of
Erin". See also More
Moosonee (Abp. of), Ontario, Canada
mop/e, -ed, -ing, -ish
Mor. Morocco
moral (adj.) concerned with principles of right and wrong (e.g. --
philosophy), virtuous (opp. to immoral); (noun) a moral lesson
or principle, in Fr. f. morale
morale state of mind, in respect of confidence and courage, of groups
of combatants or others under stress; in Fr. m. moral
moralize not -ise
moratori/um
pl. -ums
Moray former Scottish county, not Morayshire; -- (Earl of)
morbidezza
(It. art), extreme delicacy
morbilli (med.), measles, not -bilia
morbus (cholera) (not ital.)
morceau/ (Fr. m.), a morsel, also a short mus. piece; pl. -x
mordant biting; (substance) fixing dye
mordent (mus.), a type of ornament
more (Lat.), in the manner of
More (Hannah)
1745-1833, English religious writer; -- (Sir Thomas), 1478-1535,
English writer, canonized 1935. See also Moore
moreish so pleasant one wants more, not -rish
morel an edible fungus, nightshade, not -lle
morello/ bitter dark cherry, pl. -s
more majorum
(Lat.), in the style of one's ancestors
morendo (mus.), dying away
mores (Lat. pl.), social customs and conventions
moresco an Italian dance (not cap.). See also Morisco
Moresque Moorish, not Mau-
more suo (Lat.), in his, or her, own peculiar way
Moretonhampstead
Devon (one word)
Moreton-in-Marsh
Glos. (hyphens, not -in-the-Marsh)
morganatic marriage
between royalty and commoner, the children being legitimate but
not heirs to the higher rank (not cap.)
morgue a mortuary
morgue (Fr. f.), haughtiness
Morisco/ Moorish, a Moor, pl. -s. See also moresco
Morison (James)
1816-93, Scottish founder of the Evangelical Union, 1843; --
(James Augustus Cotter), 1832-88, English hist. writer; --
(Stanley), 1889-1967, typographer
Morisot (Berthe)
1841-95, French Impressionist painter
Morland (George)
1763-1804, English painter
Mormon member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (not -an)
morn. morning
Mornay (Duplessis-)
1549-1623, French Huguenot leader
mornay (cook.), sauce flavoured with cheese
Morny (duc de)
1811-65, French statesman
Morocc/o abbr. Mor.; adj. -an; not Ma-; indep. 1956
morocco leather
(bind.) (not cap.); french -- --, a low grade with small grain;
levant -- --, high grade with large grain; persian -- --, the
best, usu. finished on the grain side
morph. morphology, the study of forms (bot. or linguistics)
Morpheus god of sleep, not -aeus
morphia a drug (pop. for morphine)
Morrell (Lady Ottoline)
1873-1938, English hostess
Morris (Gouverneur)
1752-1816, US statesman, and his great-grandson, 1876-1953, US
writer; -- (William), 1834-96, English craftsman, poet, and
socialist; -- (William Richard, Lord Nuffield), 1877-1963,
English industrialist and philanthropist
morris dance
(two words, not cap.)
mortgag/ee
the creditor in a mortgage; -er, the debtor; in law, -or
mortice use -ise
mortis causa
(Lat., Sc. law), in contemplation of death
mortise/ hole for receiving tenon in joint; -- lock, one recessed in
frame etc. (two words), not -ice
Morton/ (John)
c.1420-1500, English statesman, deviser of --'s Fork
Morvan (Le)
French district
Morven Grampian
Morvern Highland
MOS (comp.), metal oxide semiconductor
Mosaic of Moses
mosaic/ representation using inlaid pieces of glass, stone, etc.; as
verb -ked, -king; -ist, maker of mosaics
Moscow USSR, in Russ. Moskva
Moseley a Birmingham suburb. See also Mosl-
Moseley (Henry Gwyn Jeffreys)
1887-1915, English physicist
Moselle river, France-Germany; in Ger. Mosel
moselle a white wine (not cap.)
Moslem use Muslim
Mosley (Sir Oswald Ernald, Bt.)
1896-1980, English politician. See also Mose-
mosquito/ pl. -es, not mu-
Mossley Ches., Gr. Manch., Staffs.
mosso (mus.), "moved" (e.g. pi— mosso, more moved = quicker)
Most High as Deity (caps.)
Moszkowski (Moritz)
1854-1925, Polish composer
MOT Ministry of Transport, now Department of Transport, but still
used colloq. in MOT test for motor vehicles
mot (Fr. m.), a word; mot … mot, word for word, abbr. m. … m.
Mother Carey's chicken
the storm petrel
Mother Hubbard
a character in a nursery rhyme; a gown such as she wore
Mother Hubberds Tale
by Spenser, 1591
Mothering Sunday
fourth in Lent
mother-in-law
pl. mothers-in-law (hyphens)
motherland
(one word)
mother-of-pearl
(hyphens)
mother tongue
(two words)
motif dominant idea in artistic expression; ornament of lace, etc.
(not ital.)
motley a mixture, not -ly
moto/ (It. mus.), motion; -- continuo, constant repetition; --
contrario, contrary motion; -- obbliquo, oblique motion; --
perpetuo, a piece of music speeding without pause from start to
finish; -- precedente, at the preceding pace; -- primo, at the
first pace; -- retto, direct or similar motion
motor/ bike, -- boat, -- car, -- coach, -- cycle
(two words, hyphens when attrib.)
MP Madhya Pradesh (India), formerly Central Provinces, Member of
Parliament (pl. MPs), Metropolitan Police, Military Police,
mille passus (a thousand paces, the Roman mile)
m.p. melting-point
mp (mus.), mezzo piano (fairly soft)
MPA Master Printers Association
m.p.g. miles per gallon
m.p.h. miles per hour
M.Phil. Master of Philosophy
MPO Metropolitan Police Office ("Scotland Yard")
MPS Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
MS manuscriptum (manuscript), pl. MSS (no point). See also
manuscript
MS Master of Science, ditto Surgery, multiple sclerosis, (Lat.)
memoriae sacrum (sacred to the memory of), Mississippi (off.
postal abbr.), (It. mus.) mano sinistra (the left hand)
Ms title of woman whether or not married (no point)
m/s metres per second, SI unit of speed
ms. (Fr.), manuscrit (MS)
MSA Member of the Society of Apothecaries (of London), Mutual
Security Agency
M.Sc. Master of Science
MSH Master of Staghounds
MSI (comp.), medium-scale integration
MSIAD Member of the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers
m.s.l. mean sea-level
MSM Meritorious Service Medal
MSS manuscripta (manuscripts). See also manuscript
muesli food of cereal and dried fruit, etc. (not ital.)
muezzin Muslim crier, not mou-
muffetee a wristlet
muflon use mou-
mufti (Arab.), a magistrate, not -tee (ital.)
mufti (in)
in civilian dress (not ital.)
Mughal use Mogul
mugwump an Indian chief one who thinks himself important, (US politics)
a politician critical of his party
Muhammad now correct for Mohammed and the traditional English form
Mahomet
Muhammadan
pertaining to, a follower of Muhammad; not Mahometan,
Mohammedan. See also Muslim
MЃhlhausen
Thuringia, E. Germany
mujik Russian peasant, use moujik
Mukden China
mulatto/ offspring of a European and a Black; pl. -s
mulch half-rotten vegetable matter, not -sh
Mulhouse Alsace, France; in Ger. MЃlhausen
mull (bind.), coarse muslin glued to backs of books
mullah (Muslim), a learned man (not cap.), not moll-, mool-, -a
mullein tall yellow-flowered plant, not -en
MЃller (Friedrich Max-)
1823-1900, English philologist
mulligatawny
a soup, not muli-, mulla-
mulsh use mulch
Multan Pakistan, not Moo-
Multatuli pseud. of Edward Dowes Dekker, 1820-87, Dutch writer
multimillionaire
a possessor of several millions (one word)
multinational
(one word) not multiple mark (typ.), the sign of multiplication
x
multiplepoinding
(Sc. law), a process which safeguards a person from whom the
same funds are claimed by more than one creditor (one word)
multiplication point
to be set medially, as mъs, metre-second
multiracial
(one word)
multi-storey
(hyphen)
multum in parvo
(Lat.), much in small compass
mumbo-jumbo/
an object of popular homage, meaningless ritual or language, pl.
-s (hyphen)
Munchausen (Baron)
1720-97, Hanoverian nobleman whose extravagant adventures are
the theme of Adventures of Baron Munchausen, collected by
Rudolph Eric Raspe; in Ger. MЃnchhausen
MЃnchen Ger. for Munich
mungoose use mon-
municipalize
etc., not -ise
Munnepoor use Manipur
munshi (Ind.), use moonshee
Munster Ireland
MЃnster W. Germany; Switzerland
muntjak a S. Asian deer, not -jac, -jack
Muntz (metal)
alloy of copper and zinc for sheathing ships, etc., not Muntz's
Murdoch (Jean Iris)
b. 1919, British writer; -- (John), 1747-1824, friend of Burns
Murdock (William)
1754-1839, inventor of coal-gas lighting, not -och
murky dark, not mi-
Murray the usual spelling, but see Murry
MЃrren Oberland, Switzerland
murrhine fluorspar ware; not murrine, myrrhine
Murrumbidgee
river in NSW, Australia
Murry (John Middleton)
1889-1957, English hist. writer, not -ay; -- (Kathleen), wife of
above, see Mansfield
Murshidabad
W. Bengal, India
mus. museum, music, -al
musaeo/graphy, -logy
use museo-
Musalman use Mussul-
Mus.B. Musicae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Music)
musc/a (Lat a fly; pl. -ae
Muscadet a dry white wine from Brittany. See also muscatel
Muscat cap. of Oman, S. Arabia
muscatel general name for a wine made from the muscat-grape
(musk-flavoured)
Muschelkalk
(geol.), shell lime-stone (cap.)
Musc/i the true mosses; sing. -us
muscovado/
unrefined sugar, pl. -s
Mus.D. Musicae Doctor (Doctor of Music)
museo/graphy
museum cataloguing; -logy, the science of arranging museums, not
musae-
myall wild Australian Aboriginal, Australian acacia
myceli/um (bot.), the thallus of a fungus; pl. -a
Mycennean of Mycenae (anc. Greece) or its civilization
Myddelton Square
Clerkenwell, London. See also Mi-
Myddleton (Sir Hugh)
1560-1631, London merchant
My dear Sir
(in letters, two caps. only, comma at end)
Myers (Frederic William Henry)
1843-1901, English poet, essayist, spiritualist; -- (Leopold
Hamilton), 1881-1944, English novelist. See also Miers, Myres
myna (bird), use mina
mynheer (Du.), Sir, Mr, in Du. mijnheer; a Dutchman
myop/ia shortness of sight; adj. -ic
myosis use miosis
myosotis the forget-me-not
Myres (Sir John Linton)
1869-1954, English archaeologist. See also Miers, Myers
Myriapoda the centipedes and millepedes, not Myrio-
myrobalan a plum, not -bolan
myrrhine use murrh-
myrtle not -tel
Mysore Deccan, India, not the more correct Maisur
myst. mysteries
myth. mytholog/y, -ical
mythopoei/a
construction of myths; -c, mythmaking, not -pae-, -pei-
Mytilen/e Lesbos, Greece; adj. -aean; Mitylene in NT; Mitilini, the
modern city
myxoedema metabolic disease, not myxed-
myxomatosis
a contagious and destructive infection of rabbits
14.0 N
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
NALGO, Nalgo
National and Local Government Officers' Association
Nama (S. Afr.), Hottentot tribesman
namable use name-
Namaqualand
(off spelling), S. Africa (one word)
namby-pamby
weakly sentimental (hyphen)
name abbr. n.
nameable not namable
namely preferred to viz.
N. Amer. North America(n)
namesake (one word)
names of periodicals
see periodicals
names of persons and places
initial letters to be capitalized, as John Smith, West Africa
(see capitalization). They may undergo changes for political or
other reasons, as when Saigon becomes Ho Chi Minh City, or Sir
Francis Bacon becomes Baron Vetulam and then Viscount St.
Albans. Names from countries where the Latin alphabet is not
used need transliteration, and for most languages there is no
universally accepted system; transliterated forms may therefore
vary (see, e.g., Hart's Rules, p. 131, concerning Russian). The
same applies to translated names (Ivan the Terrible or John the
Dread). For words derived from proper names, see Hart's Rules,
pp.12-13
names of ships
(typ.), to be italic
Namibia formerly South West Africa
N. & Q. Notes and Queries
nankeen fabric, not -kin
nano- prefix meaning one-thousand-millionth (10 to the power of -9),
abbr. n
nanometre one-thousandth of a micrometre; abbr. nm;
NE new edition (also n/e), New England, north-east(ern)
Ne neon (no point)
n‚ (Fr.),fem. n‚e, born
n/e (banking), no effects.See also NE
Neal (Daniel)
1678-1743 English Puritan writer; -- (John), 1793-1876, US
writer
Neale (John Mason)
1818-66, English hymnologist
Neanderthal/ man, -- skull
names for palaeolithic fossil hominid identified in 1856 in
valley of this name near DЃsseldorf, W. Germany; -er, a
Neanderthal man, not -tal-
Neapolitan/
(inhabitant) of Naples; -- ice, ice-cream layered in different
colours; -- violet, kind of sweet-scented viola
neap-tide tide of smallest range (hyphen)
near abbr. nr.; near by (adv., two words); nearby (adj., one word)
Nearctic (zool.), of northern N. America, not Neoarctic
neat-house
shed for cattle (hyphen)
neat's-foot oil
(one hyphen)
NEB National Enterprise Board, New English Bible
Nebraska off. abbr. Nebr. or (postal) NB
Nebuchad/nezzar
king of Babylon, destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC (Nabuchodonosor
in AV Apocr. and in the Vulgate; -rezzar, in Jer. 43: 10, etc.)
nebula/ pl. -e
necess/ary, -ity
Neckar river, WЃrttemberg, W. Germany
Necker (Jacques)
1732-1804, French statesman
nec pluribus impar
(Lat.), a match for many (motto of Louis XIV)
NED New English Dictionary, use OED (Oxford English Dictionary)
NEDC National Economic Development Council, colloq. Neddy
NEDO National Economic Development Office
n‚e (Fr. f.), born
needlework
(one word)
Neele (Henry)
1798-1828, English poet
neelghau an antelope, use nilgai
ne'er/ never; -- -do-well (hyphens)
ne exeat regno
(law), a writ to restrain a person from leaving the kingdom
nefasti (dies)
(Lat.), blank days
neg. negative, -ly
Negev (the)
region of S. Israel, not -eb
n‚glig‚ (Fr. m.), women's informal wear, a diaphanous dressing-gown, not
negligee
negligible
not -eable
negotiate not -ciate
Negretti & Zambra
instrument-makers, London
Negrillo/ one of a dwarf Negro people in Cent. or S. Africa; pl. -s
(cap.)
Negri Sembilaa
see Malaya (Federation of)
Negrito/ one of a dwarf Negroid people in the Malayo-Polynesian region;
pl. -s (cap.)
Negritude quality of being a Negro (cap.)
Negr/o pl. -oes, fem. -ess (cap.)
Negroid not -rooid
Negus title of Emperor of Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
negus wine-punch
Neh. Nehemiah
Nehru (Jawaharlal, "Pandit"), 1889-1964, Indian nationalist leader,
Prime Minister from 1947
n.e.i. non est invent/us, -a, um (he she, or it, has not been found)
neice use niece
neige (Fr. cook. f.), whisked white of egg
neighbour/, -hood, -ly
not -or
Neilgherry Hills
S. India, use The Nilgiris
Neill (Alexander Sutherland), 1883-1973, British educationist; --
(Patrick), d. 1705, first printer in Belfast, of Scottish birth;
-- (Patrick), 1776-1851, Scottish naturalist
neither (of two), is; neither he nor she is; but neither he nor they
are, neither these nor those are
Nejd ("the plateau"); see Saudi Arabia
nekton free-swimming organic life, as opp. to plankton
NEL National Engineering Laboratory
nematode (noun or adj.), (of) roundworm or threadworm, not -oid
Nemean/ (adj.), of the vale of Nemea in anc. Argolis; -- games, one of
the four principal Panhellenic festivals; -- lion, slain by
Hercules
nemes/is (cap. when personified); pl. -es
nemine/ contradicente
(Lat.), unanimously, abbr. nem. con.; -- dissentiente, no one
dissenting, abbr. nem. diss.
nemo/ (Lat.), nobody; -- me impune lacessit, no one attacks me with
impunity (motto of Scotland, and of the Order of the Thistle)
nemophila (bot.), a garden flower, not -phyla
N. Eng. New England
ne nimium (Lat.), shun excess
nenuphar the great white water-lily. See also Nuphar
neo- is freely added (with hyphen) to the names of philosophies and
institutions and to their adjectival forms, to designate their
revivals (retain caps. of words which have them)
neo-Christianity, neo-classical, neo-colonialism, neo-Freudian,
neo-Romantic, etc. An exception is Neoplatonism (q.v.)
Neoarctic use Nearctic
neo-colonial/, -ism
(hyphen)
Neocomian (geol.) (cap.)
neodymium symbol Nd
neolithic (archaeol.) (not cap.)
neolog/ize
to use new terms, not -ise; -ism, abbr. neol.
neon symbol Ne
Neoplaton/ism
the revived Platonism of the 3rd-6th cc.; adj. -ic (one word,
one cap.)
Nep. Neptune
Nepal/ kingdom between Tibet and India, not -aul; adj. -ese, not -i
neper unit for comparing power levels
nephew abbr. n.
ne plus ultra
(Lat.), perfection
neptunium symbol Np
ne quid nimis
(Lat.), be wisely moderate
Nerbudda Indian river, use Narbada
NERC Natural Environment Research Council
nereid/ a sea-nymph pl. -s or (with cap.) -es
Neri (Saint Philip)
1515-95, founder of the Congregation of the Oratory
Nesbit (Evelyn)
pseud. of Mrs Edith (Hubert) Bland, 1858-1924, English writer
Nesbitt (Cathleen)
1890-1982, English actress
Nessler's reagent
(chem.), from Julius Nessler, 1827-1905, German chemist
n'est-ce-pas?
(Fr.), is it not so?
Nestl‚ Co., Ltd. (The)
net/ not subject to deduction; -- book, whose retail price is fixed
by publisher; not nett
net/, -ted, -ting
net curtain
(two words)
Netherlands (The)
country, not Holland; abbr. Neth.
netsuke/ Japanese ornament, pl. -s
nett not subject to deduction, use net
nettle-rash
(hyphen)
network (one word)
Neuchѓtel Switzerland, white or red wine from there
Neufchѓtel
d‚ps. Aisne and Seine-Maritime, France; a kind of cheese
Neuilly d‚p. Seine, France
neume (mus.), (sign indicating) group of notes to be sung with one
syllable, not neum
neuralgia pain in a nerve (a symptom, not a disease)
neurasthenia
nervous prostration, chronic fatigue
neurine a poisonous ptomaine, not -in
neuritis inflammation of nerve-fibres
neurone nerve-cell and its appendages, not -on
Neuropter/a
an order of insects (lacewings, etc.) sing. -on
neuros/is a functional derangement through nervous disorder; pl. -es
neurotic/ (adj. and noun); -ally, -ism
neuter abbr. n. or neut.
neutralize
not -ise
neutrino/ (phys.), an uncharged particle with very small mass; pl. -s
neutron/ (phys.), an uncharged particle; pl. -s
Nevada off. abbr. Nev. or (postal) NV
n‚v‚ (Fr. m.), glacier snow (not ital.)
never/-ending, -failing
(hyphens)
nevermore (one word)
never-never
(colloq.), hire-purchase (hyphen)
nevertheless
(one word)
Nevill family name of Marquess of Abergavenny
Neville family name of Baron Braybrooke
new abbr. n.
Newbery (John)
1713-67, English printer; -- Medal (US)
Newbiggin Cumbria, Durham, Northumb., N. Yorks.
Newbigging
Strathclyde, Tayside
new/-blown, -born
(hyphens)
Newborough (Baron)
New Brunswick
Canada, abbr. NB
Newburgh Fife, Grampian, Lanes.; -- (Countess of)
New Castle
Ind., Pa., US
Newcastle:
sig. of Bp. of Newcastle (colon)
Newcastle/ upon Tyne
Tyne & Wear; -- under Lyme, Staffs. (no hyphens)
newcomer (one word)
Newdigate (Sir Roger)
1719-1806, founder of Oxford prize for poem
new edition
abbr. NE, n/e
New English Bible (The)
first part (the New Testament) publ. 1961, complete 1970; abbr.
NEB
newfangled
(one word)
New Forest
Hants (two words)
Newfoundland/
(one word), Canada, abbr. NF, Mfld.; -er, an inhabitant
New Guinea
see Papua
New Hall Camb. Univ.
Newham borough of Gr. London (one word)
New/ Hampshire
off. abbr. NH, never abbr. as - Hants.
New Haven Conn., US (two words)
Newhaven Lothian, E. Sussex (one word)
New Hebrides
abbr. N.Heb.; now Vanuatu
New Jersey
US, off. abbr. NJ
new-laid egg
(one hyphen)
New Mexico
US, off. abbr. N.Mex. or (postal) NM
New Mills Ches., Powys
Newmilns Strathclyde
Newnes (Sir George)
1851-1910, publisher
New Orleans
La., US, abbr. NO
new paragraph
(typ.), abbr. n.p.
New Quay Dyfed, Essex (two words)
Newquay Cornwall (one word)
New Red Sandstone
(geol.) (caps.)
news agency
(two words)
news/agent, -caster, -letter
(one word)
New South Wales
Australia (three words, caps., no hyphens); abbr. NSW
news/paper, -paperman
(one word)
Newspaper Publishers' Association
abbr. NPA
newspapers (titles of)
see periodicals
newsprint paper on which newspapers are printed
news-reader
(hyphen)
newsreel (one word)
news/-sheet, -stand
(hyphens)
news theatre
(two words)
New Style according to the Gregorian calendar, adopted in Britain on 14
Sept. 1752 (omitting 3-13 Sept.), and in Russia in 1917; abbr.
MS. See also Old Style
new style numerals
see numerals
newsvendor
not -er
newsworthy
(one word)
New Testament
abbr. MT; for abbr. of books in, see each title
newton SI unit of force; abbr. N
Newton Abbot
Devon
Newton-le-Willows
Merseyside, N. Yorks. (hyphens)
Newtonmore
Highland (one word)
Newton Poppleford
Devon
Newton Stewart
Dumfries & Galloway (two words). See also Newtownstewart
Newtown Powys, adjacent to site of "new town", 1967
Newtownabbey
Co. Antrim (one word)
Newtownards
Co. Down (one word)
Newtownbutler
Co. Fermanagh (one word)
Newtowncunningham
Co. Donegal (one word)
Newtownforbes
Co. Longford (one word)
Newtownmountkennedy
Co. Wicklow (one word)
Newtownsands
Co. Limerick (one word)
Newtownstewart
Tyrone (one word). See also Newton Stewart
New Year's Day
(caps.)
New York the US State, abbr. NY; the city, often abbr. NYC, but
officially New York, NY
New Yorker
inhabitant of New York
New Yorker (The)
magazine (ital.)
nex/us (Lat.), a tie, a linked group; pl. -us (pedantic) or -uses
(gen.), not -i
Niagara river separating Ontario, Canada, from New York State, US
Niagara Falls
waterfalls of R. Niagara; town, NY; town, Ontario
Nibelungenlied
German epic, twelfth-thirteenth century
niblick a golf-club
Nicar. Nicaragua
Nicene Creed
issued in 325 by the Council of Nicaea (in Asia Minor); to be
distinguished from the longer Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed of
the Thirty-nine Articles
niche a recess, not -ch
Nicholas Anglicized spelling of the names of five popes, two Russian
emperors, and the patron saint of Russia; in Russ. Nikolai
Nicholson the usual spelling, but see Nicolson
nicht wahr?
(Ger.), is it not so?
nick (typ.), a groove cast in the shank of a type
nickel/ symbol Ni; -- plating (hyphen); -- silver (two words)
nickel (US), a five-cent coin
nicknack use knick-knack
nickname (one word)
Nicobar Islands
Indian Ocean, not Nik-
nicol prism
from William Nicol 1768-1851, Scottish physicist
Nicolson (Hon. Sir Harold George)
1886-1968, British politician and man of letters
Nicomachean Ethics
by Aristotle
Nicosia Cyprus (Gr. Levkosia), Sicily, not Nik-
NID Naval Intelligence Division
nid/us (lat.), a nest; pl. -i
Niebelungenlied
use Nib-
Niebuhr (Barthold Georg)
1776-1831, German historian and philologist; -- (Karsten),
1733-1815, German traveller; -- (Reinhold), 1892-1971, US
theologian
niece a relation, not nei-
niell/o Italian metal work; pl. -i (not ital.)
Niepce (Joseph Nic‚phore)
1765-1833 French physicist, originator of photography; -- de
Saint-Victor (Claude Marie Fran‡ois) 1805-70, his nephew,
inventor of heliographic engraving
Niersteiner
a hock (wine)
Nietzsche (Friedrich Wilhelm), 1844-1900, German polit. philosopher
NiЉvre d‚p. France
Niger (Republic of), W. Cent. Africa, indep. 1960
Nigeria (Republic of)
W. coast of Africa, indep. 1960
Nijni Novgorod
Russian city (no hyphen), now named Gorky; not Nizh-
Nikobar Islands, Nikosia
use Nic-
nil/ (Lat.), nothing; -- admirari, wondering at nothing (not admiring
nothing); -- conscire sibi, to be conscious of no fault; --
desperandum despair of nothing, not never despair
nilgai short-horned Indian antelope, not neelghau, nylghau
Nilgiris (The)
hills, S. India, not Neilgherry Hills
ni l'un (or une fem.) ni l'autre (Fr.), neither the one nor the other
nimbo-strat/us
(meteor.), low grey layer of cloud, pl. -i
nimb/us a halo, a rain cloud; pl. -i or -uses; adj. -used
niminy-piminy
affectedly delicate, not -i -i
n'importe!
(Fr.), never mind!
Nin (Ana‹s)
1903-77, French-born US writer
nincompoop
a simpleton (one word)
ninepins game (one word)
ninth not -eth
niobium symbol Nb
nip/, -ped, -per, -ping
Nippon native name for Japan, not Nihon
nirvana in Buddhism and Hinduism, cessation of sentient existence
nisi unless; nisi prius, unless before
Nissen/ (Peter Norman)
1871-1930, British engineer, inventor of -- hut
nis/us (Lat.), an effort; pl. -us
nitrate a salt of nitric acid
nitrite a salt of nitrous acid
nitrogen symbol N
nitrogenize
not -ise
nitrogenous
not -eons
nitro-glycerine
an explosive, not -in (hyphen)
nizam a Turkish soldier, (cap.) title of ruler of Hyderabad pl. same
No. no., from It. numero (number); pl. Nos., nos.;
no (the negative), pl. noes
Noachian pertaining to Noah
Nobel (Alfred Bernard)
1833-96, Swedish inventor of dynamite; -- prizes (six), awarded
annually for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology and Medicine,
Literature, Peace, Economics
"Noctes Ambrosianae"
articles in Blackwood's Magazine, 1822-35
nocturn (RCC), part of matins orig. said at night
nocturne (painting) a night-scene, (mus.) a night-piece (not ital.)
NOD Naval Ordnance Department
nod/, -ded, -ding
nod/us difficulty, pl. -i
No‰l the name
Noel Christmas; Eng. Nowel(l), obs. except in carols
noetic of the intellect
Noh Jap. drama with dance and song, not No (cap.)
noisette hazel-nut; (cook.) in pl. -s, small choice pieces of meat;
(bot.) a hybrid between China and moss rose
noisome noxious, ill-smelling (no connection with noise)
noisy not -ey
nolens volens
(Lat.), willy-nilly; pl. nolentes volentes
noli me tangere
(Lat.), don't touch me (no hyphens)
nolle prosequi
(Lat.), plaintiff's relinquishment of suit; abbr. nol. pros.
nolo/ (Lat.), I will not; -- contendere, I plead guilty; --
episnopari, I do not wish to be a bishop (formula for avoiding
responsible office)
nol. pros.
nolle prosequi
nom. nominal, nominative
no man's land
unclaimed territory (apos., three words)
nom de guerre
(Fr. m.), assumed name
nom de plume
pseudonym (not in Fr. usage)
nom de th‚ѓtre
(Fr. m.), stage-name
nom/en a name, pl. -ina, abbr. N.; nomen/ generinum, a generic name; --
specificum, a specific name
nomin. nominative
nominative
(gram.), the case of the subject; abbr. n., nom., or nomin.
non/ (Lat.), not; -- assumpsit, a denial of any promise
non- is freely added (with hyphen) to adjectives and to nouns of
action, condition, or quality to indicate their opposites
(retain caps. of words which have them) non-aggression,
non-co-operation, non-Euclidean, non-resident, non-toxic, etc.
It is also attached to give sense "that does not --" non-skid,
non-slip, non-stick, etc.
nonce-word
one coined for the occasion (hyphen)
nonchalance
indifference (not ital.)
nonchalant
indifferent
non-commissioned officer/, -s
abbr. NCO
non compos mentis
(Lat.), of unsound mind
non con. non-content, dissentient
Nonconformist
an English Protestant separated from the Church of England (cap.
only in this sense)
non constat
(Lat.), it is not clear
non-co-operation
(two hyphens)
nones (pl.), in Roman calendar the ninth day, counting inclusively,
before the ides
non est/ (Lat.), it is wanting; -- -- invent/us, -a, -um, he, she, or it
has not been found, abbr. n.e.i.
nonesuch (strictly correct), nonsuch (usual), person or thing that is
unrivalled
Nonesuch Press
founded by Sir Francis Meynell
nonet (mus.), composition for nine performers
none the less
(three words)
non-Euclidean
(hyphen, one cap.)
non-hero opposite of a hero (hyphen)
non/ inventus
(Lat.), not found; -- libet, it does not please (me); -- licet,
it is not permitted, abbr. n.l.; -- liquet, it is not clear,
abbr. n.l.; -- mi ricordo (It.), I do not remember; -- nobis
(Lat.), not unto us; -- obstante, notwithstanding, abbr. non
obst.; - obstante veredicto, notwithstanding the verdict
non-lining numerals
see numerals
non-net book
one that retailer may sell at less than published price
nonpareil unequalled; (typ.) name for a former size of type, about 6 pt.
non placet
(Lat.), it does not commend itself
nonplus/ to perplex; -sed, -sing non plus ultra (Lat.), perfection
non/ possumus
(Lat.), we cannot; -- prosequitur, he does not prosecute, abbr.
non pros.; -- sequitur, it does not follow logically, abbr. non
seq.
non-resident
(hyphen)
non/-skid, -slip, -stick
see non-
non-stop (hyphen)
nonsuch now usual for nonesuch, q.v.
nonsuit stoppage of suit by judge when plaintiff has failed to make a
case (one word)
non-toxic (hyphen)
non-U not characteristic of the upper class (hyphen, no point)
noon abbr. n.
noon/day, -tide
(one word)
no one (two words)
n.o.p. not otherwise provided for
no par. (typ.), matter to run on, and have no break
Nor. Norman
Norddeutscher Lloyd
(two words); abbr. NDL
Nordenfeldt gun
Nordenskj”ld (Nils Adolf Erik Baron)
1832-1901, Swedish Arctic explorer
Noronha (Fernando de)
Brazilian penal colony in S. Atlantic
Norroy and Ulster
the third King-of-Arms
Norse abbr. N.
north/ -ern, abbr. N. See also capitalization, compass
North (Christopher), pseud. of Prof. John Wilson, 1785-1854, Scottish
poet
Northallerton
N. Yorks. (one word)
North Americ/a, -an
abbr. NA or N. Amer.
Northamptonshire
abbr. Northants
northbound
(one word)
North Britain
or Scotland, abbr. Scot., not NB
North Carolina
abbr. NC
Northd. Northumberland
North Dakota
abbr. N. Dak. or (postal) ND
North Downs
Kent, etc.
north-east/, -ern
abbr. NE
northeaster
wind (one word)
northern abbr. N.
Northern Territory
(Australia), abbr. NT
Northesk (Earl of)
North-German Gazette
(one hyphen)
Northleach
Glos. (one word)
North Pole
(caps.)
Northumberland
abbr. Northumb. or (postal) Northd.
North Wales
abbr. NW
north-west/, -ern
abbr. NW
Norvic: sig. of Bp. of Norwich (colon)
Norw. Norway, Norwegian
Norway in Norw. Norge; in Fr. NorvЉge. See also Assemblies
Norwegian typography
see accents
Nos. nos., numbers
nosce teipsum
(Lat.), know thyself
nose/bag, -band, -bleed
(one word)
nose-cone (hyphen)
nosedive (noun and verb, one word)
nose/-piece, -wheel
(hyphens)
nosey use nosy
noster (Lat.), our, our own; abbr. N.
Nostradamus
(in Fr., Michel de Nostredame), 1503-66, French astrologer
nostrum/ a quack remedy; pl. -s (not ital.)
nosy not nosey
Nosy Parker
an inquisitive person (two caps.)
nota bene (Lat.), mark well; abbr. NB
notabilia (Lat. pl.), notable things
notand/um (Lat.), a thing to be noted; pl. -a
Notary Public
law officer two words) pl. -ies --; abbr. NP
notation see numerals
note/, -s abbr. n., pl. nn. See also footnotes, let-in notes,
shoulder-notes, side-notes
note/book, -case, -paper, -worthy
(one word)
notic/e, -eable, -ing
notice-board
(hyphen)
notif/y, -iable, -ied, -ying
notiti/a (Lat.), a list; pl. -ae
not proven
see proven
Notre Dame
Ind., US, university town
Notre-Dame
(Our Lady), abbr. N.-D., French name of many churches, not N“-
(hyphen)
Notre-Seigneur
(Fr.), Our Lord, abbr. N.-S.
Nottinghamshire
abbr. Notts.
Nouakchott
Mauritania
n'oubliez pas
(Fr.), don't forget
nougat a confection
nought the figure zero (0). See also naught
noumen/on an object of intellectual intuition, not perceptible by the
senses, opp. to phenomenon; pl. -a; -al, -ally
noun abbr. n.
nouns (collective)
if regarded as a whole to be treated as singular, e.g. the army
is, the committee meets. If regarded as a number of units, to be
treated as plural, e.g. The French (people) are thrifty
nouns (German)
all have initial caps. in Ger. usage
nous (Gr.), intellect, shrewdness (not ital.)
nous avons chang‚ tout cela
(Fr.), we have changed all that
nous verrons
(Fr.), we shall see
nouveau/ riche/
(Fr. m.), parvenu; pl. -x -s
nouvelles (Fr. f. pl.), news
nouvelle vague
(Fr. f), new wave
Nov. November
nova/ (astr.) new star, pl. -e
Novalis pseud. of Baron Friedrich von Hardenberg, 1772-1801, German
writer
nuclide (phys.), atom having specified type of nucleus, not eide
-nugger Indian suffix, use -nagar
NUGMW National Union of General and Municipal Workers
NUI National University of Ireland
Nuits-Saint-Georges
a red burgundy (two hyphens)
NUJ National Union of Journalists
nulla bona
(law), no goods that can be distrained upon
nullah (Ind.), a dry watercourse (not ital.)
nulla-nulla
Australian wooden club, not -ah -ah
nullif/y, -ied, -ying
nulli secundus
(Lat.), second to none
Num. Numbers (OT), not Numb.
NUM National Union of Mineworkers
num. numeral, -s
number abbr. No. or no., pl. Nos. or nos.
number (house), in road or number (cont.) street, no comma following,
as, 6 Fleet Street. See also numerals
numbskull use nums-
numerals (see BS 2961).
I. Roman
Use full caps. for Henry VIII, Gipsy Moth III, etc., LXX
(Septuagint), and in lines of even full caps. Elsewhere
small caps. give a better appearance to the page, and lower
case is used for prelim page numbers, etc. See also
authorities.
II. Arabic
Two cuts are used: old style (or non-ranging, non-lining)
1234 etc., and new style (or modern, lining, ranging) 1234
etc. (used esp.in scientific and technical work). Use
numerals, not words, for ages, but "he died in his eightieth
year"; bookwork, rarely, and only those over 100 (but in
statistic passages numerals are used more freely); dates,
days and years regularly, months for brevity; degrees of
heat; money (omit the ciphers for cents, pence, etc., when
there are none, as e.g. $100, not $100.00); narrow measure
(works of); numbers with vulgar or decimal fractions; races,
distance and time; scores, of games and matches; specific
gravity (relative density); statistics; time of day when
followed by a.m. or p.m.; votes; weights, when abbreviated
units are given.
Numerals are not to be combined with words in one amount
(use all numerals, or all words); use commas to separate
each group of three consecutive numerals, starting from the
right, when there are four or more, except in math. work and
pagination; in scientific and foreign-language work thin
spaces are used instead of commas (1234567 not 1,234,567);
in pagination, dates, etc., use the least number of numerals
possible (42-5, 161-4, 1961-8, 1961-75, 1966/7) -- but this
does not apply to the numbers 10-19, which represent single
words, so 10-11, 16-18, 210-11 dates involving changes of
century and all BC dates must be given in full; number of a
house in road or street, etc., not to be followed by comma
as it does not make the meaning clearer.
Use words for: beginning of sentences; degrees of
inclination; indefinite amounts, as two or three miles, I
have told you a hundred times; legal work, always; street
names (numerical), as Fifth Avenue; one-and-twenty, etc.
(hyphens). See also decimal currency, fractions, lakh
num‚r/o (Fr. m.), number; -oter, to number (e.g. pages) -oteur,
numbering machine
numis. numismatic, -s, numismatology
Nummer (Ger. f.), number, abbr. Nr.
numskull a dunce, not numb-
Nunc Dimittis
(Lat.), (musical setting of) the Song of Simeon as a hymn
nuncio/ a papal ambassador; pl. -s
NUPE National Union of Public Employees
Nuphar yellow water-lily genus. See also nenuphar
NUR National Union of Railwaymen
Nuremberg not -burg; in Ger. NЃrnberg
Nureyev (Rudolf Hametovich)
b. 1939, Russian ballet-dancer
nurl use knurl
NЃrnherg Anglicized as Nuremberg
nurs/e, -eling, -ing
nursemaid (one word)
nurseryman
(one word)
nursery/ rhyme, -- school
(two words)
NUS National Union of Seamen; ditto Students
NUT National Union of Teachers
nut/, -ted, -ting, -ry
nut/crackers; -hatch
a bird; -shell (one word)
NUTG National Union of Townswomen's Guilds
nux vomica
seed of E. Indian tree, source of strychnine (two words, not
ital.); abbr. nux vom.
OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
oecist the founder of a Greek colony, not oik-
oecology use ec-
oecumenic/, -al
see ecumenic/, -al
Oecumenical Patriarch
Abp. of Constantinople, head of the Orthodox Church
OED Oxford English Dictionary; NED (New English Dictionary) is now
incorrect
oedema/ swelling; -tous, not ed-
Oedipus/ the Theban hero, not Edi-; -- complex (psych.), a boy's
subconscious desire for his mother and hostility to his father
(two words); adj. Oedipal
OEEC Organization for European Economic Co-operation, now OECD, q.v.
Oehlenschl„ger (Adam)
1779-1850, Danish writer
oeil (Fr m) eye pl. yeux; oeil-de- boeuf, a small round window, pl.
oeils-de boeuf; oeil-de-perdrix, a soft corn, pl.
oeils-de-perdrix
oeillade (Fr. f.), a glance
oeno/logy study of wine; -phile, lover of wines, not en, oin-
o'er to be printed close up
oersted (phys.) unit of magnetic field strength, from Hans Christian
Oersted, 1777 1851, Danish physicist;
oesophag/us
the gullet; pl. -i; -eal (not ital.)
Oesterreich
(Ger.) Austria, use ™s-
oestrogen, oestrus
(US e-)
oeuf (Fr. m.) egg; oeufs/ … la coque, boiled eggs; … la neige,
whisked eggs; … l'indienne, curried eggs de Pѓques, Easter eggs;
sur le plat, fried eggs
oevre (Fr. f.) work, esp. writers or artist's work taken as a whole
offcut remnant of paper, wood, etc.; (typ.) a remnant of paper. board,
or cloth cut off from a larger piece (one word)
off-day (hyphen)
Offenbach (Jacques), 1819 80, German-born French composer
offer/, -ed, -ing, -tory
offg. officiating
offhand/, -ed
casual, extempore (one word)
offic/e, -er
abbr. off.
official abbr. off. or offic.
officiating
abbr. offg.
officina (Lat.), a workshop. See also oficina
officinal used in a shop, used in medicine, sold by druggists; abbr. off.
off/-licence
-peak (adj.) (hyphens)
offprint (typ.), a separately printed copy, or small edition, of an
article which originally appeared as part of a larger
publication
offset (typ.), unwanted transfer of ink from printed sheet to one laid
on top of it (now commonly set-off, q.v.); a planographic (q.v.)
printing process in which ink is transferred on to an
intermediate rubber blanket cylinder and then offset on to the
paper (also ---litho, ---lithography)
offshoot (one word)
offshore (adj. and adv., one word)
offside (sport) (one word)
offspring (one word)
off-stage (adj. and adv., hyphen)
offstreet (anj., one word)
oficina (Sp.), a S. American factory. See also off-
Oh to be used as an independent exclamation, followed by a comma or
exclamation mark. Use O to form a vocative, and when it is not
separated by punctuation from what follows, as O mighty Caesar!,
O for the wings of a dove. See Hart's Rules, p. 30
OHBMS On Her, or His, Britannic Majesty's Service
O. Henry see Henry
OHG Old High German
Ohio off. postal abbr. OH
ohm SI unit of electrical resistance; see also mho; from Georg Simon
Ohm, 1787-1854, German physicist
OHMS On Her, or His, Majesty's Service
oho! exclamation of surprise, not O ho, Oh ho, etc.
ohone Scottish and Irish cry of lamentation. See also ochone
Oneida socialist community started at Lake Oneida, NY, US, 1847
one-idea'd
(hyphen)
O'Neill (Eugene Gladstone)
1888-1953, US playwright; -- (Moira), pseud. of Agnes Higginson
Skrine, fl. 1900, Irish poet; -- of the Maine (Baron); family
name of Baron Rathcavan
oneiro/critic, -logy, -mancy
interpreter of study of, divination by dreams, not oniro-
oneness (a not an) (one word)
one-off made as one only (hyphen)
oneself is reflexive or intensive; one's self, one's personal entity
one-sided (hyphen)
ONF Old Norman-French
ongoing continuing (one word)
onirocritic
etc., use oneiro-
onlook/er, -ing
(one word)
on ne passe pas
(Fr.), no thoroughfare
o.n.o. or near(est) offer
onomastic/
relating to names; -on, a vocabulary of proper names
onomatopoe/ia, -ial, -ian, -ic, -ical, -ically
word-formation by imitation of sound; abbr. onomat.
onomatopo/‰sis, -etic, etically
not -poie-
onrush (one word)
onshore (adj. and adv., one word)
onside (sport) (one word)
Ontario Canada; abbr. Ont.
on to (two words)
ontolog/y metaphysical study of the essence of things; -ize, not -ise
OP observation post, Ordinis Praedicatorum (of the Order of
Preachers, or Dominicans)
op. operation; optime, q.v.
o.p. overproof; (theat.) opposite the prompter's side, or the actor's
right; (bibliog.) out of print
op. (Lat.), opus (work), opera (works)
op art art in geometrical form giving the illusion of movement (no
point)
op. cit. opere citato (in the work quoted) (not ital.)
OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
open-and-shut case
(two hyphens)
open-door policy
opportunity for free trade (one hyphen)
open-heart
of surgery (hyphen)
open/-hearted, -mouthed
(hyphens)
open-plan (ad., hyphen)
Open Sesame
(caps., two words)
open-work/, -ed, -ing
(hyphens)
opera see opus
operable that can be operated (on)
opera buffa
(It.), comic opera; in Fr. op‚ra bouffe
Op‚ra-Comique
Paris theatre (hyphen)
op‚ra comique
(Fr. m.), opera with spoken dialogue
opera/-glass, -house
(hyphens)
opera seria
(It.), 18th-c. opera on heroic theme
operation abbr. op., in pl. ops.
opercul/um
(biol.), a cover; pl. -a (not ital.)
opere/ citato
(Lat.), in the work quoted, abbr. op. cit.; -- in medio, in the
midst of the work
operetta/ light opera, pl. -s
ophicleide
(mus.) serpent, bass or alto key-bugle, not -eid
ophiolatry
worship of serpents
ophiology study of serpents, not ophid-
ophthalmic
of the eye
Opie (Amelia)
1769-1853, English novelist, wife of -- (John), 1761-1807,
English painter
opinion poll
(two words)
o.p.n. ora pro nobis (pray for us)
opodeldoc a liniment
opopanax a perfume
Oporto Portugal; in Port. Porto
opp. opposed, opposite
oppress/or
not -er
ops. operations
opt. optative, optical, optician, optics
optical centring
(typ.), positioning on page of a title or passage of verse so
that it appears to the reader to be centred, although by
measurement it is not
optime at Cambridge, one next in merit to a wrangler (q.v.) (not
ital.); abbr. op.
optimize to make the best of not -ise
optim/um pl. -a
opus/ (Lat.), a work, pl. opera (not ital. in mus.), abbr. op.; --
magnum, a great work, pl. opera magna. See also magnum opus
opuscul/um
(Lat.), a small work, an essay; pl. -a; in Eng. opuscule/, pl.
-s
opus number
(mus.) (two words)
opus/operantis
(Lat.), the effect of a sacrament resulting from the spiritual
disposition of the recipient (the Protestant view); -- operatum,
ditto resulting from the grace flowing from the sacrament itself
(the RC view)
OR operational research, Oregon (off. postal abbr.), other ranks
or two or more singular subjects joined by or take the verb in the
singular number, e.g. John or William is going. Where or joins
the last two words of a list, a comma, e.g. black, white, or
green
or (her.), gold
or. oriental
o.r. owner's risk
ora (Lat. pl.), mouths; see os
orangeade not -gade
Orange Free State
prov. of S. Africa (three words), abbr. OFS
Orange/ism
extreme Irish Protestantism, not -gism; -man (one word, cap.)
Orangeman's Day
12 July
orange-peel
(hyphen)
orang/-utan
not ourang-, -outang, -utang (hyphen, not ital.)
Oranmore and Browne (Baron)
ora pro nobis
(Lat.), pray for us; abbr. o.p.n.
orat. orator, -ical, -ically
oratio/ obliqua
(Lat.), indirect speech; -- recta, direct speech. Manner of
reporting speech, e.g. "I am glad", he said, "to see you again"
(recta); He said that he was glad to see me again (obliqua)
oratorio/ pl. -s; -- (titles of) (typ.), when cited, to be in ital.
orc a killer whale, not ork
Orcadian of Orkney
orchid member of a family of mainly exotic flowering plants; orchis,
(esp. wild) orchid or one of genus Orchis
Orczy (Baroness Emmuska)
1865-1947, Hungarian-born English novelist
OS Old Saxon, -- School, -- Series, -- Side, -- Style (before
1752), old style (type), ordinary seaman, Ordnance Survey,
(clothing) outsize
Os osmium (no point)
o.s. only son
o/s out of stock, outstanding
os (Lat.), a bone; pl. ossa
os (Lat.), a mouth; pl. ora
OSA Order of St Augustine
Osaka Japan, not Oz-
OSB Order of St Benedict
Osborn (Sherard)
1822-75, British rear-admiral and Arctic explorer
Osborne IW
Osborne family name of Duke of Leeds; -- (John James), b. 1929, British
playwright
Osbourne (Lloyd)
1868-1947, writer (stepson of R. L. Stevenson)
oscill/ate
to fluctuate; -ation, -ator, -atory, -ogram, -ograph, -oscope
oscul/ate to kiss, adhere closely; -ant, -ation, -atory
oscul/um (Lat.), a kiss, pl. -a; osculum pacis, the kiss of peace
OSD Ordnance Survey Department, Order of St Dominic
Oset use Ossett
OSF Order of St Francis
O.Sl. Old Slavonic
Osler (Sir William)
1849-1919, Canadian physician
Oslo formerly Christiania, capital of Norway
Osmanli of the family of Osman (1259-1326, not Othman; founder of the
Ottoman empire), not -lee, -lie, -ly (not ital.)
osmium symbol Os
o.s.p. use ob.s.p.
ossa (Lat. pl.), bones; see os
ossein bone cartilage, not -eine
Ossett W. Yorks., not Oset, Osset
ossia (It. mus.), or
Ossory, Ferns, and Leighlin (Bishop of)
o.s.t. (naut.), ordinary spring tides
Ostend Belgium; in Fr. Ostende, in Fl. Oostende
ostensibl/e
outwardly professed; -y
ostensive/
indicating by demonstration; -ly
osteomyelitis
inflammation of the marrow of the bone (one word)
osteria (It.), an inn
™sterreich/
(Ger.), Austria, not Oe-; -- -Ungarn, Ger. for Austria-Hungary
Ostiaks use Osty-
ostinato/ (mus.), repeated melodic figure, pl. -s
ostrac/on a potsherd, used in anc. Greece for inscribing and voting, pl.
-a (not -k-); -ize, to banish dangerously powerful citizen by
votes recorded in this way, to exclude from favour, not -ise;
-ism
P (car) park, (chess) pawn, (as prefix) peta-, phosphorus, (phys.)
poise, the fifteenth in a series
P. pastor, post, president, prince, (Fr.) PЉre (Father), (Lat.)
Papa (Pope), Pater (Father), pontifex (a bishop), populus
(people)
p penny, pennies, pence (see decimal currency); (as prefix) pico-
p. page, participle, (meteor.) passing showers, passive, past,
per, (Fr.) pass‚ (past), pied (foot), pouce (inch), pour (for),
(Lat.) partim (in part), per (through), pius (holy), pondere (by
weight), post (after), primus (first), pro (for)
PA Pennsylvania (off. postal abbr.), personal assistant, Press
Association, public address, Publishers Association
Pa (phys.), pascal, (chem.) protactinium (no point)
Pa. Pennsylvania (off. abbr.)
p.a. per annum (yearly)
Paarl Cape Province, S. Africa
pabulum food (not ital.)
PABX private automatic branch exchange
pace/ (Lat.), with due respect to (one holding a different view), --
tua, by your leave
pacha use pasha
pachyderm a thick-skinned mammal
pachymeter
instrument for measuring small thicknesses, not pacho-. See also
micrometer
package/, -s
abbr. pkg.; -- holiday, -- tour (two words)
pack-drill
(hyphen)
packet/, -ed, -ing
pack/-horse, -saddle
(hyphens)
packing/-box, -case, -needle, -sheet
(hyphens)
packthread
(one word)
pad/, -ded, -ding
paddle/-boat, -steamer, -wheel
(hyphens)
Paderewski (lgnace Jan)
1860-1941, pianist, first Premier of Polish Rep., 1919
Padishah a title applied to the Shah of Iran, the Sultan of Turkey, the
Great Mogul, and the (British) Emperor of India; in Pers.
padshah
padlock (one word)
padre (colloq.), a chaplain
padre (It., Port., Sp.), father, applied also to a priest
padron/e (It.), a master, employer; pl. i
Padua in It. Padova
paduasoy strong corded silk fabric, not the many variants
p.ae. partes aequales (equal parts)
paean a song of triumph. See also paeon, peon
paedagogy use ped-
paederast/, -y
use ped-
paediatric/
(med.), relating to children (esp. their diseases) -s, the
science; -ian
paedo/baptism, -philia
not ped- (one word)
paella dish of rice and meat or fish
paeon (Gr. and Lat. prosody), a foot of one long and three short
syllables. See also paean, peon
paeony use peony
Paesiello (Giovauni)
1740-1816, Italian composer of operas
Paganini (Niccol•), 1782-1840, Italian violinist and composer
paganize not -ise
page (typ.), one side of a leaf; type, film, etc., made up for
printing on this; abbr. p., pl. pp. See also pagination
paginate to number pages consecutively
pagination
(typ.), the numbering of the pages of a book, journal, etc.; may
be in headline or at foot of page; generally omitted on opening
pages of chapters, main sections, etc. See also preliminary
matter
paging not page-; (comp.), method of presenting text for editing on VDU
in static full-screen units. See also scrolling
Pagliacci (I)
opera by Leoncavallo, 1892
Pahang see Malaya (Federation of)
Pahlanpur Rajasthan, India, use Pal-
Pahlavi language of Persia under Sassanians, not Pehlevi
paid abbr. pd.
paillasse (Fr. f.), a straw-mattress, in Eng. palliasse
pailles/ (Fr. cook. f.), straws; -- de parmesan, cheese-straws
Pain (Barry Eric Odell), 1864-1928, English humorous writer. See also
Paine, Payn, Payne
pain (Fr. m.), bread
Paine (Thomas)
1737-1809, English-born political philosopher and American
patriot, author of The Rights of Man. See also Pain, Payn, Payne
painim a pagan, use pay-
paint. painting
paintings (titles of), when cited, to be in italic
paintwork (one word)
pair/, -s abbr. pr.
pais/a coin of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, pl. -e
Paisano/ (Mex.), nickname for a Spaniard; pl. -s
pajamas US form of pyjamas
Pak. Pakistan, -i
pakeha (Maori), a white man
Pakistan/ independent rep. 1956; left Commonwealth 1972; adj. -i; abbr.
Pak. See also Bangladesh
Pal. Palestine
Palaearctic
(zool.), of northern Old World, not Palaeoarctic
palaeo- prefix ( = ancient), not -eo-
palaeography
study of anc. writing; abbr. palaeog.
palaeolithic
(archaeol.) (not cap.)
palaeology
study of antiquities, not paleo-
palaeontology
study of fossils; abbr. palaeont.; (typ.) genera, species, and
varieties to be italic, other divisions roman. See also botany,
zoology
Palaeozoic
(geol.), not Paleo (cap.)
palaestra a Gr. or Rom. wrestling-school, not pale-
palais (Fr. m.), palace (rom. for dance-hall)
Palanpur Rajasthan, India, not Pahl-
palatable not -cable
palate roof of the mouth, sense of taste. See also palette, pallet
palazz/o (It.), palace; pl. i
pal/e -ish
paleo- prefix, use palaeo-
Palestin/e
abbr. Pal.; adj. -ian
palestra use palaestra
paletot an overcoat (no accent, not ital.)
palette/ artist's thin portable board for colour-mixing; -knife (hyphen).
See alto palate, pallet
Palgrave (Francis Turner)
1824-97, English anthologist
Pali language of Buddhist scriptures
palindrom/e
word or phrase reading the same backwards as forwards; adj. -ic
Palladian characterized by wisdom or learning, after Pallas, epithet of
Gr. goddess Athena; also a Renaissance modification of the
classic Roman style of architecture, from Andrea Palladio,
1518-80, Italian architect
palladium image of Pallas Athena; also metallic element, symbol Pd
pallet mattress, projection on a machine or clock, valve in an organ,
platform for carrying loads. See also palate, palette
palliasse a straw-mattress; in Fr. f. paillasse
palliat/e to alleviate, minimize; -ive (adj. and noun)
Pall Mall London street (two words)
pallor paleness, not -our
Pallottine Fathers
RC society of priests
Palmers Green
London (no apos.)
palmetto/ small palm-tree, pl. -s
palm/-honey, -oil
(hyphens)
Palm Sunday
one before Easter (two words, caps.)
Palomar (Mount)
(observatory, telescope), Calif., US
palp/us insect's feeler; pl. -i
palsgrav/e
count palatinate; fem. -ine
pam. pamphlet
Pamir tableland in Cent. Asia, not -irs
pampas-grass
(hyphen)
Pan. Panama
panacea a cure-all (not ital.)
pan/-African
-American (but Pan American Airways, Union), -Anglican
(hyphens.)
panakin use pannikin
Panama/ Cent. America; abbr. Pan.; adj. -nian
Pandean pipes
not -aean (cap.)
pandect a treatise covering the whole of a subject (pl., cap) the digest
of Roman law made under the Emperor Justinian in the sixth
century
pandemonium
utter confusion, not pandae-
Pandit (Mrs Vijaya Lakshmi), b. 1900, Indian diplomat
pandit use pundit, but Pandit (cap.) as Indian title
P. & O. Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company
p. & p. postage and packing
panegyr/ic
a formal speech or essay of praise; -ical, -ist, -ize, not -ise
panel/, -led, -ling
panem et circenses
(Lat.), bread and circus games
paner (Fr. cook.), to dress with egg and breadcrumbs
pan-Hellen/ic, -ism
(hyphen)
panic/, -ked, -ky
panikin use pannikin
pan-Islam/
-ic (hyphen)
Panizzi (Sir Antonio)
1797-1879, Italian-born English librarian
Panjab use Punjab
panjandrum
a mock title
pannikin a little pan, not pana-, pani-, -can
pan-pipe not Pan's -- (hyphen)
pan-Slav/ic
-ism, not pan-Scl-
pantagraph
use panto-
Pantaloon the lean old man of Italian comedy
panta rhei
(Gr.), all things are in a state of flux
pantheon temple to all gods, (cap.) circular one in Rome
Panth‚on Paris
pantihose women's tights (one word)
panto/ colloq. for pantomime, pl. -s
pantograph
instrument for copying to scale, framework for transmitting
overhead current to electric vehicle, not panta-, penta-
panzer/ (Ger.), armoured; -- division (two words)
Papa (Lat.), Pope; abbr. P.
papal/, -ly
Papal States (the)
(hist.) (caps.)
Papandreou (Andreas Georgios)
b. 1919, Greek economist and politician; -- (Georgios),
1888-1968, his father, Greek statesman
papaw a small N. American deciduous tree, or its edible fruit; a
tropical Amer. evergreen tree, or its edible fruit; not pawpaw,
papaya
papaya use papaw
paperback a type of book (one word)
paper sizes
see crown, demy, DIN, elephant, foolscap, imperial, medium,
post, pott, royal, small royal. See also book sizes
papet/ier (Fr.), fem. -iЉre, a stationer
Papier (Ger. n.), paper (cap.)
papier (Fr. m.), paper (not cap.)
papier mѓch‚
moulded paper pulp (two words, not ital.)
papill/a a small protuberance on a living surface,pl. -ae; -ary,
-ate,-ose
papillon (Fr. m.), butterfly
papoose N. American Indian infant, not papp-
Papst (Ger. m.), Pope .(cap.)
Papua New Guinea/
indep. 1975, adj. -n; abbr. PNG
papyr/us anc. writing-material or MS written on it, pl. -i; -ology, the
study of papyri, -ologist
par equality (of exchange etc.) (no point). See also parr
par. paragraph, parallel, parish
par (Fr.), by, out of in, through
Par Brazil, now Belem
para- (chem. prefix) (ital.)
Para. Paraguay
para(s) paragraph(s)
paradisaical
not -iacal
paraffin not -fine
paragon (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 20 pt.
paragraph a distinct section of type-matter on page; (typ.) in
conversation, one for each fresh speaker or interruption. First
line usually indented one em. Last line should have more than
five letters. Abbr. par., pl. pars., paras.
Paraguay/ S. Amer.; adj. -an; abbr. Para.
parakeet not paraquet, -oquet, -okeet, parr-
paralipomena
OT books of Chronicles, not -leip-
paralips/is
drawing attention to a subject by affecting not to mention it,
pl. -es, not -leipsis, -lepsis, -lepsy
parallel/ abbr. par.; -ed, -ing
parallelepiped
a solid figure bounded by six parallelograms, not -ipiped,
-opiped
paralogize
to reason falsely, not -ise
paralyse not -ise, -ize, -yze
Paramatta use Parra-
paramecium
(zool.), not -aecium, -oecium
parameter (math.), variable factor constant in a particular case; avoid in
gen. use
paranoi/a insanity characterized by delusions, not -noea; -ac, -d
paraph the flourish at the end of a signature
paraphernalia
(pl.), miscellaneous personal belongings
paraquat a herbicide
paraquet use parakeet
parasitize
not -ise
paratroops
airborne parachute troops
parbleu! (Fr. colloq.), an exclamation of surprise
parenthes/is
pl. -es, abbr. parens., the upright curves (). See also
brackets, punctuation X
parenthesize
to insert as a parenthesis, not -ise
parerg/on a subsidiary work; pl. -a (not ital.)
par/ excellence
(Fr.), pre-eminently; -- exemple, for example, abbr. p. ex
pargana (lnd.), a parish, not perguunah
par hasard
(Fr.), by chance, not -- haz-
parheli/on
a mock sun; pl. -a
pariah (lnd.), one of low or no caste; a social outcast
pari mutuel
(Fr.), a totalizator
pari passu
(Lat.), at the same rate
parish/ abbr. par.; -- priest, abbr. PP
Parisian of Paris (cap.); Parisienne (Fr. f.), a woman of Paris (cap.)
park abbr. P or pk.
Park (Mungo), 1771-1806, Scottish traveller in Africa
parka Eskimo hooded jackct
Parkinson's/ disease
shaking palsy, studied by James Parkinson (1755-1824); -- law,
the law, facetiously expounded by C. N. Parkinson, that work
expands to fill the time available for it
Parliament/
(cap.), abbr. Parl; -- House, Edin., the Scottish Law Courts.
See also Assemblies
Parmesan a hard cheese made at Parma and elsewhere
Parnass/us (Mount)
Greece, sacred to the Muses; adj. -ian, poetic
parochialize
not -ise
parokeet use parakeet
parol (law), oral, not written, not -le
parol/e prisoner's promise not to escape, (mil.) a word of honour; as
verb, partic. -ing; -ee, one paroled
paronomasia
word-play
paroquet use parakeet
paroxysm a fit of pain, passion, laughter
paroxytone
(Gr. gram.), (word) with acute accent on last syllable but one
parquet/ wooden flooring; as verb, past and partic. -ed; -ry; in Fr. f.
parqueterie
Parr (Catherine), 1512-48, last wife of Henry VIII; (Thomas, "Old"),
?1483-1635, English centenarian
parr a young salmon, not par
parrakeet use parakeet
Parramatta
NSW, not -mata, Para-
parramatta
light dress fabric (not cap.)
Parratt (Sir Walter)
1841-1924, English organist
parricid/e
murder(er) of a near relative or of a revered person; adj. -al.
See also patri-
Parrish's chemical food
parroquet use parakeet
pars. paragraphs
parsec (astr.), a unit of distance, 3.26 light-years, abbr. pc
Parsee/ a descendant of the Zoroastrians who fled from Persia to India
in the eighth century pl. -s; not -si
Parsifal opera by Wagner, 1879
parsimon/y
meanness, adj. -ious, not parci-
parsnip (hort.), not -ep
part abbr. pt.
part. participle
partable (law), use -ible
parterre a flower-bed, or garden (not ital.); also area in theatre
between orchestra and audience
partes aequales
(Lat.), equal parts; abbr. p. ae.
part-exchange
(noun and verb, hyphen)
Parthenon temple of Athena on Acropolis at Athens
Parthian shot
etc., glance or remark made when turning away (one cap.)
parti (Fr. m.), party (faction), match (marriage), resolution (good or
bad)
partible (law), that must be divided, not -able
participator
not -er
participle
a verbal adjective; abbr. P. or part.
particoloured
variegated, not party- (one word)
particularize
not -ise
partie/ (Fr. f), part; -- carr‚e, a party of two men and two women
partim (Lat.), in part; abbr. p.
parti pris
(Fr. m.), foregone conclusion, prejudice
partisan an adherent of a party (freq. derog.), (mil.) a member of a
resistance movement, not -zan
partout (Fr.), everywhere
part/-owner, -song
(hyphens)
part time (hyphen when attrib.)
party (Conservative, Labour, Liberal, etc.) (not cap. p)
party-coloured
use partic-
party line
(two words)
party-wall
(hyphen)
parvenu/ fem. -e, pl. -s, -es, an upstart (not ital.)
Pasadena Calif., US
pascal (phys.), SI unit of pressure; abbr. Pa
Pas-de-Calais
d‚p. N. France (hyphens); Pas de Calais (Fr. m.), Strait of
Dover (three words)
pas de/ chat
(Fr. m.), special leap in ballet; -- -- deux, dance for two; --
-- quatre, ditto four; -- -- trois, ditto three
pasha/ (Turk.), a title placed after the name, not -cha; in Fr. m.
pacha; -lic, pasha's province
Pashto language of the Pathans, not -u, Push-
paso doble
(Sp.), ballroom dance in march style
pass. passive
passable that may be passed. See also passible
passacaglia
(mus.), instrumental piece based on old dance
pedagog/ue
schoolmaster (arch. and derog.); -y, -ics, science of teaching,
not pae-
pedal/, -led, -ling
pederast/, -y
not paed-
pedlar travelling vendor of small wares, not -er
pedo/baptism, -philia
use paedo-
Peeblesshire
former Sc. county, abbr. Peebles.
peel (hist.), small square tower, not pele
Peele (George)
?1558-?97, English playwright
peep/-hole, -show
(hyphens)
peeping Tom
voyeur (one cap.)
peer group
(two words)
peewit the lapwing, not pewit
Peggotty family in Dickens's David Copperfield
Pehlevi use Pahlavi
PEI Prince Edward Island, Canada
peignoir a woman's loose dressing-gown
peine forte et dure
(Fr. f.), severe punishment, a medieval judicial torture
Peirce (Charles Sanders)
1839-1914, US mathematician, founder of philosophical pragmatism
Peking/ China, not Peip-, -kin; in Pinyin Beijing; -ese, (inhabitant) of
Peking; Pekinese, a small dog, colloq. peke
pekoe a black tea, not peckoe, peco (not cap.)
pele use peel
pell-mell confusedly
Peloponnese
the modern Morea, S. Greece
pemmican dried meat for travellers, not pemi-
Pen. Peninsula
penalize not -ise
pen-and-ink
(adj., hyphens)
Penang see Malaya (Federation of)
penates (pl.), Roman household gods. See also lar
pence see penny
penchant bias (not ital.)
pencil/, -led, -ling
PEN Club an international association of writers (= Poets, Playwrights,
Editors, Essayists, Novelists)
pendant anything hanging
pendent (adj.), suspended
pendente lite
(Lat.), during the trial
pendulum/ pl. -s
penetrable
that may be penetrated
penetralia
(pl.), innermost recesses (not ital.)
pen-feather
quill-feather. See also pin-feather
pen-friend
(hyphen)
penguin a bird. See also pinguin
penholder (one word)
penicillin
(med.)
Penicillium
(bot.), a genus of fungi, mould (ital.)
Penicuik Lothian
peninsula/
(noun), pl. -s; adj. -r
Peninsular/ Campaign
SE Virginia, 1862, in American Civil War; -- War, Spain and
Portugal, 1808-l4, in Napoleonic Wars
penis/ the male organ, pl. -es
penknife (one word)
Penmaenmawr
Gwynedd
penman/, -ship
(one word)
pen-name (hyphen)
pennant (naut.), a piece of rigging, a flag
penniless not penny-
pennon (mil.), a long narrow flag
penn'orth (colloq.), a pennyworth
Pennsylvania
off. abbr. Pa. or (postal) PA, not Penn., Penna.
penny pl. pennies (number of coins), pence (sum of money); abbr. s.
and pl. d.; new penny, pl. new pence (not pennies), abbr. p (no
point). See also decimal currency
pension/ a boarding-house, -school; en --, on boarding terms; pensionnat
(Fr. m.), a boarding-school
penstemon use pentstemon
Pent. Pentecost
pentagon/ figure or building with five sides; (cap.) headquarters of US
defence forces; adj. -al
pentagram five-pointed star
pentagraph
use panto-
pentameter
(prosody), verse of five units
Pentateuch/
first five books of the OT; -al (cap.)
Pentecost Whit Sunday; abbr. Pent.
pentecostal
(not cap.)
penthouse (one word)
pentstemon
(bot.), not pens-
penumbr/a (astr.), lighter shadow round dark shadow of an eclipse; pl. -ae
peon a servant. See also paean, paeon
peony a flower, not pae-
PEP Political and Economic Planning
pepo/ fleshy fruit of melon, etc., pl. -s
pepsin an enzyme in gastric juice, not -ine
Pepys (Samuel)
1633-1703, diarist and civil servant
per. period
per (Lat.), by, for; abbr. p.
PERA Production Engineering Research Association of Great Britain
perai use piranha
Perak see Malaya (Federation of)
per annum yearly, abbr. p.a. or per ann.
per caput for each person, preferable to per capita
perceiv/e, -able, -er
per cent for each hundred (two words, no point), symbol %
percentage
(one word)
perceptible
not -able
Perceval one of King Arthur's knights; -- (Spencer), 1762-1812, English
statesman
perch (rod or pole) 5.029 m., (area) 25.29 sq. m.; do not abbreviate
perchance perhaps
percolat/e, -ing, -or
per/ contra
(Lat.), on the other hand; -- curiam, by the court
perdendosi
(mus.), dying away
per diem daily; as noun, daily allowance
perdu/ fem. -e, concealed, lost
PЉre (Fr. m.), RCC father; abbr. P.
pЉre (Fr. m.), father, as Dumas pЉre (not ital.)
PЉre Lachaise
Paris cemetery (two words, caps.)
perf. perfect, (stamps) perforated
perfect abbr. perf.
perfect binding
unsewn binding, q.v.
perfecter one who perfects, not -or; (typ.), a printing press which prints
both sides of the paper at one pass
perfectib/le, -ility
not -ab-
perfecting
(typ.), printing the second side of a sheet
perforated
abbr. perf.
perforce of necessity (one word)
Pergamon Press, Ltd.
publishers
Pergamum city and kingdom in anc. Asia Minor
Pergolesi (Giovanni Batista)
171O-36, Italian composer
pergunnah (Ind.), a parish, use pargana
periagua use piragua
peridot gem, not -te
perig/ee (astr.), abbr. perig.; adj. -ean
P‚rigord (Fr. cook.), cooking based on truffles
perimeter circumference
per incuriam
(Lat.), by oversight
perine/um (anat.), pl. -ums; adj. -al
per interim
(Lat.), in the mean time
period abbr. per.; in typ. called the full point or point; see
punctuation V
periodicals
(titles of), when cited, to be italic; as a rule, the definite
article should be in roman lower case, except in The Economist
and The Times
peripatetic
walking about; (cap.) Aristotelian (school of philosophy)
peripeteia
sudden reversal of fortune, not -tia (not ital.)
periphras/is
circumlocution, pl. -es; adj. -tic
perispomen/on
(Gr. gram.), (word) with circumflex on last syllable, pl. -a
peristyle (archit.), row of columns round temple
periton/eum
(anat.), pl. -eums; -eal, -itis
perityphlitis
(path.)
periwig/, -ged
not perri-
periwinkle
plant, and mollusc
Perlis see Malaya (Federation of)
perm colloq. for permanent wave, permutation, and corresponding verbs
(no point)
permeable that may be permeated
per/ mensem
for each month; -- mille, for each thousand
permis de s‚jour
(Fr. m.), residence permit
permissible
not -able
permit/, -ted, -ting
Perўn (Juan Domingo)
1895-1974, pres. of Argentina 1946-55, 1973-4
per pais (Norman Fr.), by jury (= by the county)
perpetuum mobile
(Lat.), something never at rest
per/ procurationem
(Lat.), by agency of, now often on behalf of, abbr. per pro. or
p.p.
perriwig use peri-
Pers. Persia, -n
pers. person, -al, -ally
per/ saltum
(Lat.), at a leap; -- se, by himself, herself, itself, or
themselves
Perse see Leger
Persia/, -n
abbr. Pers.; but use Iran/, -ian, of the modern state
Persian usually printed in Arabic alphabet with slight modifications
Persian/ carpet, -- cat, -- rug
(caps.), but persian morocco (bind.) (no caps.)
persiflage
banter (not ital.)
persil (Fr. m.), parsley
persimmon (bot.), the date-plum, not -simon
persist/ence
(in Fr. f. persistance), -ency, -ent
persona/ perceived characteristics of personality, pl. -e (not ital.)
persona/ grata
(Lat.), an acceptable person; -- gratissima, a most acceptable
person; -- ingrata, -- non grata, unacceptable person; pls. -ae
-ae
personalize
not -ise
personalty
(law), personal estate, not -ality
personnel staff of persons employed in any service, members of armed
forces; -- carrier, -- manager (two words)
persp. perspective
Perspex propr. term for a transparent plastic (cap.)
perspicac/ity
clearness of understanding; adj. -ious
perspicu/ity
clearness of statement; adj. -ous
per stirpes
(Lat.), by the number of families
persuadable
use with ref. to a particular instance, in gen. use next
persuas/ible
open to persuasion; -ive, able to persuade
PERT programme evaluation and review technique
pertinac/ity
persistence; adj. -ious
peruke a wig, not -que
Peruv. Peruvian
per viam (Lat.), by way of
pes (Lat.), a foot; pl. pedes
peseta Spanish unit of currency, abbr. pta.
Peshawar W. Pakistan, not -ur
peso/ unit of currency in some Latin-American countries, pl. -s
peta- prefix meaning ten to the power of 15, abbr. P
P‚tain (Henri Philippe)
1856-1951, French Marshal
petal/, -led
peterel use petrel
Peterlee Co. Durham, "new town", 1948
Peter Schlemihl
a well-meaning unlucky fellow (title of a novel by Chamisso,
1814)
Peter's pence
(hist.), an annual tax of one penny per household paid to the
papal see, discontinued in England under Henry VIII; from 1860 a
world-wide voluntary contribution to the papal treasury on St
Peter's Day
petit/ (Fr.), fem. -e, small; -- bourgeois, member of lower middle
class; -- d‚jeuner, breakfast; -- four, a small fancy cake (pl.
-s fours)
petitio principii
(Lat.), begging the question
petit/ mal
(Fr. m.), mild form of epilepsy; -- point, embroidery in small
stitches
petits/ pois
(Fr. m. pl.), green peas; -- soins, little attentions
petit verre
(Fr. m.), a glass of liqueur
Petrarc/h (Francesco)
1304-74, Italian scholar and poet, in It. -a; adj. -an
Petre (Baron)
petrel a bird, not -erel
Petriburg:
sig. of Bp. of Peterborough (colon)
Petrograd name given to St Petersburg during the First World War; now
Leningrad
petrol refined petroleum used as fuel
petroleum unrefined oil
petrology abbr. petrol.
Pettie (John)
1839-93, Scottish painter
pettifog/ to cavil in legal matters; -ger, -gery, -ging
Phaethon (Gr. myth.), son of Helios, not Phae-, -ton
phaeton a carriage
phalan/x line of battle, a compact body of men; pl. -xes; (biol.) a bone
or stamen-bundle, pl. -ges
phall/us pl. -uses, (bot., med., relig.) -i
phanariot one of Greek official class in Constantinople under Ottoman rule
phantasize
use fan-
phantasmagor/ia
a shifting scene of real or imagined figures, pl. -ias; adj.
-ic, not fa-
phantasy use fan-
phantom not f-
Phar. Pharmacopoeia
Pharao/h not -oah; adj. -nic
Pharis/ee one of an anc. Jewish sect, strict observers of religious forms,
hence a self-righteous person, pl. -ees; -aism, adjs. -aic,
-aical
pharm. pharmaceutical, pharmacy
pharmacol.
pharmacology
Pharmacopoeia
a book describing drugs, abbr. P. (see BP) or Phar.;
Pharmacopoeia/ Dublinensis (of Dublin), abbr. PD; --
Edinburgensis (of Edinburgh), abbr. PE; -- Londiniensis (of
London), abbr. PL
pharos lighthouse, (cap.) the one at Alexandria or the island on which
it stood
pharyn/x the cavity behind the larynx; pl. -ges; -gal, -geal, -gitis
phas/e, -ic, -ing
Ph.B. Philosophiae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Philosophy)
Ph.D. Philosophiae Doctor (Doctor of Philosophy)
Phebe see Phoebe
PhЉdre by Racine, 1677
Pheidias use Phidias
Phenician use Phoe-
phenix use phoe-
phenomen/on
an appearance; pl. -a; adj. -al, not phae-
Phidias 5th c. BC, Athenian sculptor, not Pheid-
Phil. Philadelphia, Philharmonic, Philippine, Epistle to Philippians
(NT)
philabeg use filibeg
Philadelphia
abbr. Phil. or Phila.
philatel/y
stamp-collecting; -ic, -ically, -ist
Philem. Philemon (NT)
philemot use fi-
philharmonic
fond of music (cap. as part of name of orchestra or society)
philhellen/e
(one) friendly to the Greeks; -ic, -ism, -ist
philibeg use filibeg
Philip (George) & Son
map publishers
Philippe Kings of France
Philippians
Epistle to, abbr. Phil.
Philippic (pl.) speeches of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon; also
those of Cicero against Antony; (not cap.) a bitter invective
philippina
a game of forfeits, not the many variants
Philippine Islands
abbr. PI
Philippines (Republic of the)
indep. 1946, inhabited by Filipinos
Philipps family name of Viscount St Davids and Baron Milford. See also
Phill-
Philips (Ambrose)
1675-1749, English writer of pastoral and nursery poems, hence
"namby-pamby"; -- (John), 1676-1709, parodist of Milton; --
(Katherine), 1631-64, English poet. See also Phill-
Philister (Ger.), a townsman, a non-student, pl. same (cap.)
Philistin/e
an inhabitant of anc. Palestine; (not cap.) a person
indifferent to culture; philistinism
phillipina
use philipp-
Phillipps (James Orchard)
see Halliwell Phillipps; -- (Sir Thomas), 1792-1872, English
book-collector. See also Philipps
Phillips (Sir Claud)
1846-1924, English art critic; -- (Edward, 1630-94,
lexicographer, and John, 1631-1706), Milton's nephews; -- (John
Bertram), b. 1906, English Bible translator; -- (Stephen),
1864-1915, English poet; -- (Wendell), 1811-84, US abolitionist.
See also Philips
Phillpotts (Eden)
1862-1960, English novelist and dramatist; -- (Henry),
1778-1869, Bp. of Exeter. See also Philpott
philopoena
use philippina
philosophers' stone
substance thought to change base metals to gold, not 's
philosophize
not -ise
philosophy
abbr. philos.
Philpott (Henry)
1807-92, Bp. of Worcester. See also Phillpotts
Phil. Soc.
Philological Society of London, Philosophical Society of America
Phil. Trans.
the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London
philtre aphrodisiac drink. See also filter
Phiz illustrator of Dickens, see Browne (Hablot Knight)
phiz (arch. and colloq.), the face, not phizz
phlebit/is
inflammation of the veins; adj. -ic
Phnom Penh
Cambodia
phobia/ a morbid fear; pl. -s
Phoebe (but Phebe in As You Like It)
Phoebus "bright", epithet of Apollo
Phoenician
not Phe-
phoenix myth. bird that rose rejuvenated from its own ashes, not phen-
pi (typ.), use pie pi, ratio of circumference to diameter of
circle, or 3.14159265 ...
pianissimo
(mus.), very soft; abbr. pp
pianississimo
(mus.), as softly as possible; abbr. ppp
piano/ (mus.), softly, abbr. p; instrument formally called pianoforte,
pl. -s; ---player, -stool (hyphens)
Pianola propr. term for automatic piano-player (cap.)
piano nobile
(archit.), the main floor of a building (ital.)
piassava fibre from palm-trees, not -aba
piastre small coin of Middle Eastern countries, not -er
piazz/a an open square, pl. -as
pibroch an air on the bagpipe, not the bagpipe itself
pica (typ.), size of letters on some typewriters; the standard for
typographic measurement, equals 12 pt. or about one-sixth of an
inch; also name for a former size of type, about 12 pt.
picaninny use picca-
picaresque
of a style of fiction describing the life of an (amiable) rogue
(not ital.)
Picasso (Pablo)
1881-1973, Spanish painter
picayune a small US coin pre-1857, (colloq.) any trifling coin, person,
or thing; (adj.) trifling, mean
piccalilli
a pickle
piccaninny
Negro or Austral. Aboriginal infant, not pica-, picka-
piccolo/ the smallest flute; pl. -s
pi character
(comp.), special sort: see pi plaque
pick (typ.), blob of ink or dirt stuck to sort; proneness of paper
surface fibres or coating to become detached on to the offset
blanket
pickaback use piggy-back
pickaxe (one word)
pickelhaube
(Ger. hist. f.), infantry helmet
picket/ pointed stake, person stationed at site of strike, (mil.) body
of troops watching for enemy, not picq-, piq-; as verb, -ed,
-ing; -- line (of industrial pickets) (two words)
pick-me-up/
a tonic (hyphens); pl. -s
pickpocket
(one word)
picnic/, -ked, -ker, -king
pico- prefix meaning ten to the power of minus 12, abbr. p
picquet use picket
pictures (titles of)
when cited, to be in italic
pidgin English
Chinese jargon from pidgin (corruption of business), (two words,
one cap.). See also pigeon
pi-dog use pye-dog
pie (typ.), composed type which has been jumbled, not pi, pye
piebald of two colours in irregular patches, usu. of horses, usu. black
and white; not pye-. See also skewbald
piЉce de r‚sistance
(Fr. f.), the principal dish at a meal, the most remarkable
item, pl. piЉces -- --
piecemeal one portion at a time (one word)
piece/-rate, -work
(hyphens)
pied/ (Fr. m.), a foot, abbr. p.; ---…-terre, an occasional residence,
pl. pieds-…-terre (hyphens)
pie-dog use pye-dog
Pierce (Franklin)
1804-69, President of US 1853-7
Pierce the Ploughman's Crede
anon. about 1394. See also Piers
Pierian Spring
the fountain of the Muses in Thessaly
Pierides the nine Muses
pierr/ot seaside entertainer derived from French pantomime; fem. -ette
Piers Plowman (The Vision of William concerning)
by W. Langland, 14th c. See also Pierce
piet… representation of dead Christ in his Mother's arms
pietas (Lat.), respect due to an ancestor, etc.
Pietermaritzburg
S. Africa
pietr/a dur/a
(It.), a stone mosaic; pl. -e -e
piezo-electric
(hyphen)
pigeon (not my)
not my affair. See also pidgin
pigeon-hol/e, -ed
(hyphen)
piggyback (one word), not pick-a-back
pigheaded (one word)
pig-iron (hyphen)
pigm/y, -aean
use pygm-
pig/skin, -sty
pl. -sties, -swill, -weed (one word)
Pike's Peak
Rocky Mountains, US (apos.)
pikestaff (one word)
Piketberg (off. spelling), Cape Province, not Piquet-
pilaff dish of rice with meat or fish, spices, etc., not the many
variants
pillule use pilule
pilot/, -ed, -ing
pilot/-fish, -house, -light
(hyphens)
Piloty (Karl von)
1826-86, German painter
Pilsen Czechoslovakia
Pilsener a light beer (cap.)
Pilsudski (Josef)
1867-1935, Polish general, first President of Poland, 1918
pilule a small pill, not pill-
pimento/ allspice, sweet pepper, pl. -s, not pimi-
pinakothek
(Ger. from Gr.), picture-gallery
pin-ball (hyphen)
pince-nez spring eyeglasses, pl. same (not ital., hyphen)
pincushion
(one word)
Pindar 518-438 BC, Greek poet; abbr. Pind.
Pindar (Peter)
1738-1819, pseud. of Dr J. Wolcot
pineapple (one word)
pine-cone (hyphen)
Pinero (Sir Arthur Wing)
1855-1934, English playwright
pin-feather
small feather. See also pen-feather
ping-pong (hyphen)
pinguin W. Indian plant or fruit. See also penguin
pin/-head, -hole, -money, -point
(hyphens)
pinprick (one word)
pinscher a breed of dog, not pinch-. See also Dobermann pinscher
pin-stripe
(hyphen)
pint/ abbr. pt., sign O
pin-table (hyphen)
pintado/ petrel, mackerel-like fish, pl. -s
Pinturicchio
nickname of Bernardino di Betto, 1454-1513, Italian painter
pinxit (Lat.), painted this; abbr. pnxt. or pinx.
Pinyin see Chinese
pion (phys.), subatomic particle
pi plaque (comp.), set of special sorts called into use when required
Pippa Passes
by R. Browning, 1841
pipy like, or having, pipes, not -ey
piquan/t sharp, -cy (not ital.)
piqu/e resentment; a score in piquet; as verb, to irritate, -ed, -ing
PL Paymaster Lieutenant, Pharmacopoeia Londiniensis, Poet Laureate,
Primrose League
P/L Profit and Loss
Pl. Plate, -s
pl. place, plate, platoon, plural
PLA Port of London Authority
place (Fr. f.), square in a town
place aux dames!
(Fr.), ladies first!
placebo/ opening antiphon of vespers for the dead; (med.) a medicine
given to humour the patient; pl. -s
place-name
(hyphen)
placent/a organ nourishing foetus in womb, pl. -ae
placet (Lat.), it pleases, permission granted
plafond (Fr. m.), a ceiling, esp. decorated (ital.)
plagiarize
use another's writings as one's own, not -ise
plagu/e, -esome, -ily, -y
Plaid Cymru
Welsh nationalist party
plainchant
(one word)
plain sailing
(fig.) easy work (two words). See also plane sailing (naut.)
plain/sman, -song
(one word)
plaintiff abbr. plf.
Plaisterers (Worshipful Company of)
planchet a coin-blank
planchette
small board on castors and a pencil-point, used to trace letters
spontaneously at spiritualistic seances
Planck's/ constant
-- Law of Radiation, in the quantum theory, from Max Planck,
1858-1947, German physicist
plane short for aeroplane, not 'plane
plane sailing
(naut.), calculation of a ship's position on the assumption that
it is moving on a plane surface (two words). See also plain
sailing
planetari/um
pl. -ums
planetary signs
(See Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
plankton microscopic drifting organic life found in water. See benthal
and nekton
planographic
(typ.), of a printing process based on a flat surface, on which
the image areas are made greasy so as to accept ink and the rest
wet to reject it
Plantagenet
family name of the English sovereigns from 1154 to 1399
Plantin (Christophe)
c.1520-89, French printer
Plasticine
propr. term for modelling substance (cap.)
plasticky plastic-like
plastron a bodice front
plat (Fr. cook. m.), a dish; -- du jour, special dish of the day
Plate/ -s, abbr. Pl.
plate (typ.) planographic (q.v.) or typographic (q.v.) printing
surface of complete page or sheet cast or etched in metal or
polymerized resin; halftone etc. illustration; (photog.)
whole --, 8.5 x 6.5 in., half --, 6.5 x 4.5 in., quarter --,
4.25 x 3.25 in.
plateau/ an elevated plain; pl. -x (not ital.)
plate glass
(two words)
plate-rack
(hyphen)
platinize to coat with platinum, not -ise
platinum symbol Pt
Platon/ic (cap. when in hist. or philos. contexts), but platonic love (not
cap.); -ism, -ist, -ize, not -ise
Platt-Deutsch
Low German
platypus/ the Australian duck-bill; pl. -es
platyrrhine
broad-nosed (of monkeys), not -yrhine
plausible not -able
Plautus (Titus Maccius)
c.254-c.184 BC, Roman playwright; abbr. Plaut.
play-act/or, -ing
(hyphens)
play/bill, -boy, -goer, -ground, -mate
(one word)
play/-off (noun), -pen (hyphens)
plays (titles of)
when cited to be in italic
play/time, -wright
(one word)
plaza/ (Sp.), a public square; pl. -s (not ital.)
PLC Public Limited Company
pleasur/e, -able
plebeian commoner in anc. Rome, vulgar, common, not -bian
plebiscit/e
a vote of the people (no accent, not ital.); adj. -ary
plebiscit/um
(Lat.), a law passed by the plebs; pl. -a
plebs (Lat.), the populace
plectr/tum
pl. -a
Pleiad (Gr. myth.), one of the Pleiades, the seven daughters of Atlas;
any brilliant group of seven, such as the French poets of the
late sixteenth century (in Fr. f. pl‚iade); Pleiades, a
star-group
plein air (Fr. m.), the open air
pleinairist
painter reproducing effects of atmosphere and light (not ital.)
Pleistocene
(geol.) (cap., not ital.)
Plen. plenipotentiary
pleno jure
(Lat.), with full authority
plethora (med.) excess of red corpuscles in the blood; (gen.) unhealthy
repletion
pleur/a a membrane lining the thorax or enveloping the lungs; pl. -ae;
-isy, inflammation of this; adj. -itic
pleuro-pneumonia
(hyphen)
Plexiglas propr. term for a transparent plastic (cap.)
plexus/ a network (of nerves, etc.); pl. -es
plf. plaintiff
Plimsoll line
(naut.)
plimsolls rubber-soled canvas shoes
Plinlimmon
use Plynlimon
Pliny/ the Elder
(in Lat., Gaius Plinius Secundus), 23-79, and his nephew -- the
Younger (Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus), c.61- c.112, Roman
writers
pliss‚ gathering, kilting, or pleating
PLO Palestine Liberation Organization
plod/, -der, -ding
PL/1 a computer programming language; caps. or even s. caps.
PLP Parliamentary Labour Party
PLR Public Lending Right
plumb vertical
plumbum lead, symbol Pb
plummy abounding in plums, plumlike
plum pudding
(hyphen when attrib.)
plumy plumelike, not -ey
plung/e, -ing
Plunket family name of Baron Plunket
Plunkett family name of Earl of Fingall, and of Barons Dunsany and Louth
pluperfect
abbr. plup.
plural/ abbr. pl.; -ize, not -ise
plurals of abbreviations
as MPs, B.Litt.s (no apos.)
plurals of letters
as As, as, (italic letter, roman s, no apos.); but note p's and
q's
plus/ with the addition of, sign +; an additional amount, an
advantage, pl. -es
Plutarch c.50-c.120, Greek philosopher and biographer, abbr. Plut.
Pluto (Rom. myth.), the god of the underworld; (astr.), planet
PO petty officer (RN), pilot officer (RAF), postal order, post
office
Po polonium (no point)
po/ colloq. for chamber-pot, pl. -s
pocket-book
(hyphen)
pocket handkerchief
(two words)
pocket/-knife, -money, -piece
(hyphens)
poco/ (It.), a little; -- a poco, little by little
pococurant/e
apathetic, careless (one word, not ital.); -ism, not -eism
POD pay on delivery, Post Office Department
POD Pocket Oxford Dictionary
podest (It. m.), municipal magistrate
podi/um base or pedestal, pl. -a
Podsnappery
British philistinism, from Mr Podsnap in Dickens's Our Mutual
Friend
podzol/ acid sandy soil deficient in humus, not -sol; -ization, -ize,
not -isation, -ise
Poe (Edgar Allan)
1809-49, US writer
poems (titles of), when cited, to be roman quoted; but titles of poems
long enough to form a separate publication should be in italic
poenology use pen-
poet. poetic, -al, poetry
poeticize not -ise
Poet Laureate
(caps., two words); abbr. PL, see Austin, Betjeman, Bridges,
Cibber, Lewis, Masefield, Southey, Tennyson
poetry (typ.), to be centred on longest line, unless such line is
disproportionately long, in which case use optical centring
(q.v.); turnover lines to be one em more than greatest
indentation of poem; a grave-accented Љ may be used to show that
an otherwise mute syllable is to be separately pronounced, as
rais‚d; when lines are numbered, no point after the figure
Poets' Corner
Westminster Abbey (caps.)
po-faced solemn (hyphen)
pogrom an organized massacre, esp. of Jews in Russia
poignard use poniard
poikilothermic
cold-blooded
poilu (Fr. m.), private soldier
Poincar‚ (Raymond)
1860-1934, French statesman, president 1913-20
poiniard use poniard
poinsettia
(bot.), not point-
point (typ.), all marks of punctuation, especially the full stop. See
also compass, point system, punctuation V
point-blank
(hyphen)
point/ d'appui
(Fr. m.), a base of operations; -- d'attaque, base of offensive
operations
Point de Galle
see Galle
point-device
extremely precise (hyphen)
point-duty
(hyphen)
point et virgule
(Fr.), the semicolon
pointsettia
use poinsettia
point system
(typ.), the Anglo-American standard by which the bodies of all
types shall be multiples, or divisions, of the twelfth of a
pica, which is theoretically the sixth of an inch (72 metric
points = 1 inch); abbr. pt.
pois (Fr. m. sing. and pl.), pea
poise (phys.), unit of dynamic viscosity; abbr. P
poisson (Fr. m.), fish; -- d'avril, April fool
poivre (Fr. m.), pepper
poky small and cramped, not -ey
Pol. Poland, Polish
Poland abbr. Pol.
polarize to restrict vibrations of light or other electromagnetic waves
to one plane; (elec., mag., chem.), to separate positive and
negative charges; (fig.) to give special meaning or unity of
direction to; not -ise
pole see perch
pole-axe (noun and verb, hyphen)
polecat (one word)
pol. econ.
political economy
pole/-jump, -vault
(hyphens)
Police (Ger.), police (Fr.), policy of insurance. See also Polizei
police/ constable, -- sergeant
(two words), abbr. p.c., p.s. (PC, PS, when used before a name)
policeman (one word)
police-officer
(hyphen)
police state
a totalitarian one controlled by political police (two words)
police station
(two words)
policewoman
(one word)
polichinelle
(Fr. m.), puppet, buffoon
poliomyelitis
infantile paralysis; colloq. polio/, pl. -s
Polish abbr. Pol.; (typ.) has 24 letters as in Eng. without q and v.
In dividing words the letters ch, cz, dz, rz, and sz should not
be separated
polit. political, politics
Politburo executive committee of Communist Party (USSR and elsewhere)
politesse (Fr. f.), politeness
Politian (in It., Angelo Ambrogini Poliziano), 1454-94, Italian humanist
political economy
abbr. pol. econ.
politicize
not -ise
politico/ one devoted to politics, pl. -s
polity organized society, form of civil government
Polizei (Ger. f.), police (cap.). See also Police
polka dot (hyphen when attrib.)
pollack sea-fish, not -ock
pollen/ analysis, - count
(two words)
poll/ex thumb, pl. -ices
Pollok (Robert)
1798-1827, Scottish poet
Pollok/shaws, -shields
Glasgow
pollster sampler of public opinion
poll-tax (hyphen)
Pollyanna cheerful optimist
polonium symbol Po
poly/ colloq. for polytechnic, pl. -s
polyandr/y
marriage to more than one husband; adj. -ous
polygam/y marriage to more than one wife or husband; adj. -ous
polygen/y derivation of man from independent pairs of ancestors; -ism,
-ist
polyglot/, -tal, -tic
polygyn/y marriage to more than one wife; adj. -ous
polyhedr/on
not polye-; pl. -a
Polyhymnia
(Gr.), muse of rhetoric
Polynesia islands in central Pacific (a bishopric, not a political unit)
Polyolbion
by Drayton, 1613-22
polyp/ (zool.), pl. -s
polyp/us (Path.), pl. -i
polytechnic/
(institution, college) concerned with many technical subjects;
(cap. when part of name); colloq. poly
polythene commercial name for a polyethylene
poly/urethane, -vinyl chloride
synthetic resins or plastics
polyzoan aquatic animal forming colonies
pomade preparation for the hair, not pomm-
pomelo/ a fruit, the shaddock, pl. -s, not pomm-, pu-
Pommard a burgundy, not Pomard
pommel knob, saddle-bow. See also pummel
pommelo use pomelo
pommes/ (Fr. f. pl.), apples; -- (de terre), potatoes
pompano/ W. Indian and N. Amer. food-fish, pl. -s
Pompeian of Pompeii
pom-pom automatic gun. See also next
pompon ornamental tuft, not pom-pom (q.v.)
poncho/ S. Amer. cloak or one of similar design, pl. -s
pondere (Lat.), by weight; abbr. p.
Pondicherry
India; in Fr. Pondich‚ry
pongo/ ape, pl. -s
poniard a dagger, not poign-, poin-
Poniatowski (Joseph Antony)
1762-1813, Polish soldier; -- (Stanislaw August), 1762-98, last
king of Poland
pons/ (Lat.), a bridge, pl. pontes; -- asinorum, bridge of asses,
Euclid, i. 5
Pontacq a white wine
pontif/ex (eccl.) a bishop, (Rom. hist.) member of priestly college, pl.
-ices; Pontifex Maximus, head of college
pont/iff a bishop, esp. the Pope; -ifical
Pont-l'ђv€que
d‚p. Calvados, France; a cheese
Pontypridd
Mid Glam.
Pooh-Bah holder of many offices at once
pooh-pooh to scorn, ridicule, not poo-poo
Pool Cornwall, W. Yorks.
Poole Dorset
Poole (William Frederick)
1821-94, US librarian, compiler of Poole's Index
Poona India, not -ah
poor-box (hyphen)
poorhouse (one word)
Poor Law (caps. when hist.)
poor-rate (hist.), assessment for relief of poor (hyphen, no caps.)
pop colloq. for popular (music, etc.); -- art, that based on popular
culture (two words)
pop. popular, population
Pope (the)
(cap.)
Pope Joan a card-game (two words)
pop group (two words)
Popocatepetl
volcano, Mexico
popularize
not -ise
population
abbr. pop.
populus (Lat.), people; abbr. P.
porc (Fr. m.), pork, pig
Porchester Terrace
London. See also Port-
Porsche Ger. make of car
Porson/ a Greek typeface, supposedly derived from the Greek hand of --
(Richard), 1759-1808, English Greek scholar
Port. Portug/al, -uese
portament/o
(mus.), a continuous glide (not break) from one note to another
of different pitch, pl. -i
Portarlington (Earl of)
Port au Prince
Haiti
Port aux Basques
Newfoundland
Portchester
Hants. See also Porch-
Porte (hist.), the Turkish Court and Government; more fully the
Sublime --
porte-cochЉre
(Fr. f), a carriage entrance
Port Elizabeth
Cape Province; abbr. PE
portent/, -ous
not -ious
Porter (William Sydney)
see Henry (O.)
portfolio/
pl. -s
Port Glasgow
Strathclyde
Porthmadog
Gwynedd
portico/ pl. -es; -ed
portiЉre (Fr. f.), door-curtain, a portress, carriage door, or window
portmanteau/
pl. -s (not ital.)
Porto Port. for Oporto
Porto Bello
Panama, use Puerto Bello
Portobello/
Lothian; -- Road, London (one word)
Port of Spain
Trinidad
Porto Rico
use Puerto Rico
Portpatrick
Dumfries & Galloway (one word)
portrait (typ.), a book, page, or illustration of which the depth is
greater than the width. See also landscape
Port-Royal
monastery, Versailles and Paris (hyphen)
Port Royal
Jamaica; also SC, US (no hyphen)
Port Salut
a cheese (no hyphen)
Portsmouth:
sig. of Bp. of Portsmouth (colon)
Portugal abbr. Port.
Portuguese
abbr. Port.; (typ.) alphabet has 25 letters as in Eng., without
w.
pos. positive
pos/e, -ed, -ing
Posen Poland, use Poznan
pos/er a problem; -eur, fem. -euse, one who behaves affectedly, pl.
-eurs, -euses
posey use posy
posit/, -ed, -ing
posology (med.), study of dosages
poss. possess/ion, -ive
posse/ body of men, pl. -s; -- comitatus (hist.), county force of men
over 15
possessive case
(see Hart's Rules, pp. 31-2):
1. The apostrophe for this must be used only for proper and
common nouns; not for the pronouns hers, its (it's = it is),
ours, theirs, yours.
2. In nouns (singular or plural) that end in a letter other
than s, the apostrophe must precede the added s, as in
President's house, men's hats, fox's earth.
3. In nouns in the singular number that end in s, the
possessive is usually formed by adding the 's, as in octopus's
tentacles.
4. In nouns in the plural number that end in s, the apostrophe
must follow the s, as in boys' clothing, octopuses' tentacles.
5. When the added s would be silent in speech, it is generally
omitted, as in for goodness' sake.
6. In English names and surnames add 's, as in Burns's poems,
St. James's Street; but euphony often demands omission of a
further s, e.g. Bridges' poems (be guided by ease of
pronunciation).
7. Ancient names ending in s usually omit a further s in the
possessive, as Venus' rites, Moses' law, Jesus' love.
8. French names ending in silent -s or -x add an 's, e.g.
Cr‚mieux's.
9. For place-names involving possessives, e.g. Earls Court,
King's Cross, see Hart's Rules, p. 32, and individual entries.
10. Abbreviations add 's in the singular (MP's), and s' in the
plural (MPs')
post former size of paper with several variations: --, 19 x 15.25
in.; pinched --, 18.5 x 14.5 in.; large --, 16.5 x 21 in.
post (Lat.), after; abbr. p.
post abbr. P.
postage stamp
(two words)
postal code
use postcode (q.v.)
postal order
abbr. PO
post-box (hyphen)
postcard (one word); abbr. p.c.
post-classical
(hyphen)
postcode (one word). See also capitalization
post-date (verb and noun, hyphen)
poste restante
Post Office dept. where letters remain till called for
post-exilic
subsequent to exile of Jews in Babylon (hyphen)
postgraduate
(one word)
post-haste
(hyphen)
post hoc (Lat.), after this. See also propter hoc
post-horn (mus.), hyphen
posthumous
occurring after death, not postu-
Posthumus in Shakespeare's Cymbeline
postilion one who guides post- or carriage-horses, riding the near one,
not -llion
Post-Impressionism
(hyphen, caps.)
post litem motam
(Lat.), after litigation began
post/man, -mark
(one word)
postmaster
abbr. PM; also a scholar at Merton Coll., Oxford (one word)
Postmaster-General
former ministerial post (hyphen, caps.); abbr. PMG
post meridiem
(Lat.), after noon; abbr. p.m.
postmistress
(one word)
post mortem
(Lat.), after death
post-mortem
(adj. and noun), abbr. PM
postnatal (one word)
post-obit taking effect, a bond payable, after death (hyphen, not ital.)
Post Office (The)
(caps., no hyphen), public corporation, replaced the govt. dept.
in 1969
post office
(not caps., no hyphen), a local office of the above, abbr. PO
post-paid abbr. p.p.
postpositi/on
word or particle placed after another; -ve, designating this
(one word)
postprandial
after dinner (one word)
postscript
(one word); abbr. PS, pl. PSS
post terminum
(Lat.), after the conclusion
postumous use posth-
post-war (hyphen)
posy a nosegay, not -ey
pot. potential
potage soup
potassium symbol K
potato/ pl. -es
pot-au-feu
(Fr. cook. m.), a meat broth
poteen illicit whisky, not pott-, poth-
potential abbr. pot.
pot-hole/, -r
(hyphens)
pot-pourri
a medley
potsherd a piece of broken earthenware, not -ard
pott former size of paper, 12.5 x 15.5 in.; -- 4to, 7.75 x 6.25 in.;
-- 8vo, 6.25 x 3.9 in. (untrimmed)
potteen use poteen
potting-shed
(hyphen)
potto/ W. Afr. lemur, pl. -s
pouce (Fr. m.), an inch; a thumb; abbr. p.
pouding (Fr. cook. m.), pudding
poudr/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, powdered
Poughkeepsie
New York State, US
Pouilly/ d‚p. Sa“ne-et-Loire, France, source of ---Fuiss‚ white wine;
---sur-Loire, d‚p. NiЉvre, France, source of ---Fum‚ white wine
poularde (Fr. f.), fat pullet
poule (Fr. f.), a hen
poulet (Fr. m.), a young chicken
poulette (Fr. f.), young hen
POUNC Post Office Users' National Council
pound avoirdupois, approx. 453 g.; abbr. lb., pl. same (not now in
scientific use)
pound mark
(money), њ (sing. and pl.), q.v. at l
pour/ (Fr.), for, abbr. p.; -- ainsi dire, so to speak
pourboire (Fr. m.), gratuity, tip
pourparler
(Fr. m.), preliminary discussion (one word, ital.)
pousse-caf‚
(Fr. m.), a liqueur (after coffee)
poussette a dance with hands joined, to do this (not ital.)
Poussin (Nicolas)
1594-1665, French painter
poussin a very young chicken (not ital.)
pou sto (Gr.), standing-place
POW Prince of Wales, prisoner of war
powder keg
(two words)
powder/-magazine, -puff, -room
(hyphens)
Powell (Anthony Dymoke)
b. 1905, British author
powerhouse
(one word)
power-station
(hyphen)
Powis (Earl of)
family name Herbert
powwow N. American Indian conference, meeting compared to this, not
pawaw
PR prize ring, Proportional Representation, Public Relations,
Puerto Rico, (Lat.) Populus Romanus (the Roman people)
Pr. priest
Pr praseodymium (no point)
pr. pair, -s, price
PRA President of the Royal Academy
praam a boat, use pram
Prachtausgabe
(Ger. typ. f.), de luxe edition
practice (noun; US also verb)
practise (verb)
praemunire
a writ (not ital.)
praenomen Rom. first name, not pren-
praepostor
a school prefect, not prep-, -itor
praetor/ a Roman magistrate, adj. -ian, not pre-
Praga suburb of Warsaw
Prague Czechoslovakia; Eng. and Fr. for Czech Praha; Ger. Prag
prahu use proa
pram a perambulator; a boat, not praam
praseodymium
symbol Pr
Prayer Book
(caps., no hyphen); abbr. PB
Prayer of Manasses
(Apocr.), abbr. Pr. of Man.
PRB Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (group of artists), 1848
pre-adam/ic, -ite
(hyphens, not cap.)
Pr‚ault (Antoine Auguste)
1809-79, French sculptor
preb. prebend, -ary
prec. preceding, precentor
Precambrian
(geol.) (cap., one word)
precede not -eed
precent/or
controller of cathedral music, fem. -rix; abbr. prec.
precept/or
teacher, fem. -ress
preces (Lat.), prayers
precession
(astr.), earlier occurrence (of the equinoxes) (dyn.), the
rotation of the axis of a spinning body about another body
pre-Christian
(hyphen, cap. C)
Pr‚cieuses ridicules (Les)
play by MoliЉre, 1659
pr‚cieu/x (Fr.), an affected man; fem. -se
pr‚cis/ (to write) a summary, pl. same (not ital.); as verb, -ed, -ing
precisian one who is rigidly precise, esp. (hist., in hostile sense) a
Puritan
precisionist
one who makes a practice of precision
pre-Columbian
(hyphen, cap. C)
preconce/ive, -ption
(one word)
precursor forerunner, not -er
pred. predicative, -ly
predecease
(noun and verb, one word)
predicant a preacher, esp. Dominican
predictor not -er
predikant (Afrik.), a preacher of the Dutch Protestant Church, esp. in S.
Africa
predilection
partiality
predispos/e, -ition
(one word)
pre-elect/, -ion
(hyphens)
pre-eminen/t, -ce
(hyphens)
pre-empt/, -ion, -ive
(hyphens)
pre-exilic
prior to exile of Jews in Babylon (hyphen)
pre-exist/, -ence
(hyphens)
pref. preface, preference, preferred, prefix, -ed
prefab colloq. for prefabricated building (no point)
prefabricate
(one word)
preface the introductory address of the author to the reader, in which
he explains the purpose and scope of the book. Abbr. pref. See
also preliminary matter
pr‚fecture/
(Fr. f.), county hall in a French town; -- de police, office of
commissioner of police
preliminary matter
(typ.), material giving identification and any explanations
desirable for bibliographical and trade purposes, or to
"prepare" the reader of a book; the order should be: series
title; publisher's announcements, e.g. list of other titles in
the same series; book half-title; frontispiece; title-page,
naming work, author, publisher, place and date of publication;
title verso, giving copyright notice, publisher's agencies,
ISBN, impression lines enumerating (at least) current
impression/edition, and stating any geographical limitation on
sales, country of origin, printer's imprint (this is sometimes
printed elsewhere, e.g. on the last page of the book);
dedication; acknowledgements; foreword (introducing the author,
and usually written by someone else); preface (written by the
author, introducing the book and stating its purpose); contents,
list of illustrations/maps/ tables/graphs/etc.; introduction.
Colloq. prelims
pre-makeready
(typ.), careful preparation of the forme before it goes to the
machine
pre/marital, -menstrual
(one word)
premi/er (Fr.), first, fem. -Љre, abbr. 1er
premiЉre/ (to give) first performance of a film or play; as verb, -d (not
ital.)
premiЉre danseuse
(Fr. f.), principal fem. dancer in a ballet
premise (verb), to say or write by way of introduction
premises (noun, pl.), foregoing matters, (law) aforesaid houses or land,
(gen.) building with grounds etc. See also next
pr‚sal‚ (Fr. m.), salt-marsh sheep or mutton (one word) pl. pr‚s-sal‚s
(hyphen)
Presb. Presbyterian
presbyop/ia
a failing of near sight in the elderly; adj. -ic
Presbyterian
(cap.); abbr. Presb.
prescribable
not -eable
pre-select
(hyphen)
preselect/ive
(of motor-car gears), -or, not -er (one word)
Preseli district of Dyfed
preses (Sc.), president, or chairman, pl. same
pre-shrunk
(hyphen)
president abbr. P. or Pres. See also capitalization
pre-Socratic
(philos.), prior to Socrates (hyphen, one cap.)
Press (the)
newspapers etc. (cap.)
press agent
(two words)
Press Association
abbr. PA
press-box shelter for reporters at outdoor functions (hyphen)
press-button
(hyphen)
press conference
(two words)
Pressens‚ (Edmond Dehaut de)
1824-91, French theologian and statesman
press-gallery
esp. in House of Commons (hyphen)
press-gang
(hyphen)
pressman (one word)
press/mark
that which shows the place of a book in a library (one word);
now usu. shelf-mark; --- proof, the last one examined before
going to press or platemaking (machine revise, after makeready,
may follow)
press-stud
(hyphen)
pressure (mech.), symbol p
presswork (typ.), the preparation for and control of the printing-off of
composed material; the work thus produced
Presteigne
Powys
Prester John
mythical medieval priest-king of Cent. Asia or Abyssinia;
Prester John, novel by John Buchan, 1910
prestissimo
(mus.), very quickly
presto (mus.), quickly
Prestonpans
Lothian (one word)
prestressed
(hyphen)
Prestwich Greater Manchester
Prestwick Northumberland, Strathclyde
presum/e, -able, -ably, -ing
presuppos/e, -ition
(one word)
pret. preterite
pre-tax (adj., hyphen)
preten/sion, -tious
preterite past tense, not -it; abbr. pret.
preternatural
etc. (one word)
pretor use prae-
pretzel (Ger.), a salted biscuit (not ital.)
Preussen Ger. for Prussia
preux chevalier
(Fr. m.), a brave knight
prevail/, -ed, -ing
preventive
not -tative, -titive
previous abbr. prev.
Pr‚vost (Marcel)
1862-1941, French novelist
Pr‚vost d'Exiles (Antoine Fran‡ois)
1679-1765, French novelist, known as Abb‚ Pr‚vost
pr‚v“t (Fr. m.), provost
pre-war (hyphen)
Prez (Josquin des)
c.1440-1521, French composer
PRI President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water-Colours
PRIBA President of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Pribilof Is.
Bering Sea
price abbr. pr.
price/list -ring, -tag
(hyphens)
prices current
abbr. p/c
pricey not -cy
prie-dieu kneeling stool (hyphen, not ital.)
priest abbr. Pr.
prig/, -gery, -gish, -gism
prim. primary, primate, primitive
prima (typ.), pron. i as in bite, the page of copy on which a new take
(q.v.) of proof begins; also mark on copy where this begins or
where reading is to be resumed after interruption
prima/ ballerina
pl. -- ballerinas; -- donna, pl. -- donnas (not ital.)
primaeval use primeval
prima facie
(adv., hyphen as adj.)
Prime Minister
(two words, caps.); abbr. PM
primer (typ.), see great --, long -- (sizes of type); pron. primmer
primeval of the first age of the world; not -aeval
primigravid/a
woman in first pregnancy, pl. -ae
primipar/a
woman bearing first child, pl. -ae
primitive abbr. prim.
primo/ (mus.), upper part in a duet, pl. -s
primo (Lat.), in the first place; abbr. 1o
Primus propr. term for kind of portable stove (cap.)
primus/ (Lat.), first, abbr. p.; -- inter pares, first among equals
prin. principal
prince abbr. P.; Prince/ of Glory, Life, or Peace, as Deity (caps.); --
of Wales/, abbr. POW; -- -- -- Island, off. Penang
princeps (Lat.), the first, pl. principes. See also editio princeps
Princes Town
Trinidad
Princeton University
NJ, US
Princetown
Devon, Mid Glam.
principal (adj.) chief; (noun) the chief person (cap. when the title of an
office); abbr. prin.
principle a fundamental truth, moral basis
print. printing
print (in), still on sale; -- (out of), new copies no longer
obtainable, abbr. o.p.
printani/er
(Fr. cook.), fem. -Љre, with early spring vegetables
printer abbr. pr.; King's or Oueen's Printer/ of Bibles and Prayer
Books, may print Bibles (AV) and Prayer Books (1662) to the
exclusion of all other English presses, except those of the
Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; -- -- of the Acts of
Parliament, has the duty of providing an authoritative printing
of all Acts of Parliament etc., and controls their copyright
printer's error
pl. print/er's, or -ers', errors (use hyphen to avoid ambiguity:
bad printers'-errors)
printing abbr. ptg. or print.
Prinz/ (Ger. m.), prince (usu. of the blood royal), pl. -en; fem.
-essin, pl. -essinnen (cap.)
prise to force open, not -ize
priv. privative
privat-docent
German university teacher paid only by students' fees (hyphen,
not cap.); abbr. PD
Private (mil.), cap. as title, abbr. Pte.
privative denoting the loss or absence of something; esp. in gram.; abbr.
priv.
pronoun abbr. pron.; when relating to Deity, l.c. unless caps.
specified
pronounc/e, -eable, -ed, -ement, -ing
abbr. pron.
pronunciamento/
a manifesto; pl. -s (not ital.) pronunciamiento (Sp.) does not
have this meaning
pronunciation
not -nounc-
proof (typ.), a trial printing of composed matter, taken for
correction; author's --, a clean proof as corrected by the
compositor, supplied to the author, and later returned by him
with his corrections, abbr. a.p.; clean --, one having very few
printer's errors; first --, the first taken after composition,
usu. for in-house correction only; foundry --, the final one
taken from type prepared for plating; galley or slip --, a proof
taken before the matter is made up into pages: usu. about 18
in. long; page-on-galley or slip-page --, one having type made
up into pages but not yet imposed; page --, or -- in sheets, one
made up into pages; slip -- (see galley --, above); -- marks
(see proof-correction marks); -- paper, that used for taking
proofs; plate --, one taken from a plate; press --, the final
one passed by author, editor, or publisher, for the press;
---reader, one who reads and corrects printers' proofs; rough
--, one taken without special care
proof-correction marks.
Two systems are in current use: for a comprehensive treatment
see BS 1259 and 5261 part 2. One or other must be used
consistently throughout a given book. The second system is
recommended when dealing with a foreign author or printer, and
is increasingly found in work emanating from UK printers; a list
of its marks is given in Hart's Rules, pp. 34-5, and in BS 5261
part 2. The first is still in wide use in UK; its marks are
listed in earlier editions of Hart and in BS 1259. Write
corrections clearly in the margin by the line to which they
refer, in the same left-to-right sequence as they occur there.
Use red for printer's errors, black or blue for author's
changes. Never correct in pencil or crayon. Mark the precise
point in the proof-text where correction is required. Ring round
all words added to the proof which are not to be printed
Prop. Propertius
prop colloq. for (stage) property, propeller (no point)
prop. proposition
propaganda
an activity for the spread of a doctrine or practice, is
singular
proparoxytone
(Gr. gram.), (word) with acute accent on last syllable but two
pro patria
(Lat.), for one's country
propel/, -led, -ler, -ling
propell/ant
(noun); -ent (adj.)
properispomen/on
(Gr. gram.), (word) with circumflex on last syllable but one,
pl. -a
Propertius (Sextus)
c.50-c.14 BC, Roman poet; abbr. Prop.
prophe/cy (noun); -sy (verb)
proposition
abbr. prop.
Proprietary
(Austral., NZ, S. Afr.), after name of company, abbr. Pty.
proprietary terms
see capitalization
proprio motu
(Lat.), of his, or her, own accord
propter hoc
(Lat.), because of this. See also post hoc
propylae/um
(Lat. from Gr.), entrance to temple, pl. -a; Propylaea, entrance
to Acropolis at Athens (pl., cap.)
propylon/ (Gr.), entrance to temple, pl. -s
pro rata in proportion (not ital.); pro re nata, as occasion may require
(ital.), abbr. p.r.n.
pros. prosody
pros and cons
see pro and con
prosceni/um
the front part of the stage; pl. -ums
proselyt/e
a religious convert; -ize, to convert, not -ise
prosit! (Lat.), your good health! (used by German students and others)
prosod/y the laws of poetic metre; abbr. pros.; -ic, -ist
prosopograph/y
hist. enquiry into social and family connections; -er, -ical
prosopopoeia
(rhet.), introduction of pretended speaker
prospector
not -er
prospectus/
pl. -es
pros/y commonplace, not -ey; -ily
Prot. Protectorate, Protestant
protactinium
symbol Pa
protagonist
leading character in a play, novel, or cause (not the opp. of
antagonist)
pro tanto (Lat.), to that extent
protean assuming different shapes, like Proteus (Gr. myth.), not -ian
protector not -er
Protectorate
abbr. Prot.
prot‚g/‚ one under the protection of a patron, fem. -‚e, pl. -‚s, -‚es
(not ital.)
pro tempore
(Lat.), for the time being, colloq. pro tem (no point, not
ital.); abbr. p.t.
Protestant/
abbr. Prot.; -ism (cap.)
protester not -or
"Prothalamion"
by Spenser, 1596
protocol/ first draft of a diplomatic document, diplomatic etiquette; as
verb, to record in protocol, -led, -ling
protonotary
a chief clerk, esp. to some lawcourts, not protho-
prototype an original model
protozo/on
single-cell form of life, pl. -a (not ital.)
protractor
drawing instrument, not -er
Proudhon (Pierre Joseph)
1809-65, French socialist
PS permanent secretary, Police Sergeant (see also police
constable), postscriptum (postscript) (pl. PSS), private
secretary, Privy Seal, (theat.) prompt side
publisher's binding
(bibliog.), standard binding in which edition is supplied to
booksellers
pucka use pukka
pudend/um usu. pl. -a, genitals (usu. female)
Puebla Mexico
Pueblo Colorado, US
pueblo/ town or village in Latin America, pl. -s
Puerto/ Bello
Panama; -- Rico, W. Ind. island, adj. -- Rican; not Porto-
puff/-adder, -ball
(hyphens)
puff pastry
(two words)
pug/-dog, -nose(d)
(hyphens); adjs. pugg/ish, -y
puggaree a hat-scarf, not the many variants
Pugwash/ NS, Canada, site of first -- Conference
puЊn/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, younger; opposed to aЊn‚, senior
puisne (law), subsequent (to)
pukka not pucka, pukkah. See also sahib
pul/e to whine; -ing
Pulitzer (Joseph)
1847-1911, US journalist, endowed -- prizes for various genres
of writing
pull (typ.), a proof
pull a proof
(typ.), print a few copies of galley etc. for correction
purposes
Pullman railway carriage or motor coach (cap.)
pull-out (something) that pulls out (hyphen)
pullover knitted garment (one word)
pulque Mexican drink
pulsar (astr.), source of pulsating radio signals
pulse-rate
(hyphen)
pulsimeter
a pulse measurer
Pulsometer
propr. term for a pumping engine
pulverize not -ise
pumelo use pomelo
pumice/, -stone
(hyphen); adj. -ous
pummel/, -led, -ling
to pound with the fists. See also pommel
pummelo use pomelo
pumpernickel
German rye bread
Punchinello
(cap.), principal character in Italian puppet-show; hence Punch
(no point)
punctatim (Lat.), point for point
punctilio/
(scrupulous observance of) a point of behaviour; pl. -s
punctuation
I. General purpose
Punctuation in the written word corresponds to pauses,
inflexions, and emphases in the spoken word, the aim being
to make the sense clear. Within the framework of a few basic
rules, an author's choice of punctuation is as personal as
his choice of words, and editors, unless asked to impose
their own style upon the copy, must use great caution in
emendation. The punctuation in the copy should be followed
by the printer when so ordered, and always when setting
legal texts, or extracts or quotations from any source.
II. comma (,)
This is the least emphatic of the separating marks. It may
be used:
1. To separate main clauses when the second is not closely
identified with the first, e.g. "Cars will turn here, and
coaches will go straight on." But cf. "He turned and ran."
2. When, without the comma, the eye or tongue would run on
and momentarily mistake the sense, e.g. "In the valley
below, the villages looked very small."
3. When the sentence would mean something different
without the comma, e.g. "He did not go to church, because he
was playing golf."
4. Between adjectives which each qualify a noun in the
same way, e.g. "a cautious, eloquent man" (but "a
distinguished foreign author").
5. To separate items (including the last) in a list of
more than two items, e.g. "potatoes, peas, and carrots",
"potatoes, peas, or carrots", "potatoes, peas, etc.".
6. After salutations and vocatives if they do not end a
sentence, e.g. My Lord, Dear Sir, O God, and also before
them if they do not begin the sentence.
7. To mark the beginning and end of a parenthetical word
or phrase, e.g. "I am sure, however, that it will not
happen", "Infidels, i.e. Christians, may not enter", "Fred,
who is bald, complained of the cold" (but "Men who are bald
wear hats").
8. Before a quotation. Note the increasing weight of the
break before the quotation in the following: 'You say "It
cannot be done." I boldly cried out, "Woe to this city!"
Then he wrote these words: "I have named none to their
disadvantage."'
9. In numbers of four or more figures, to separate each
three consecutive figures, starting from the right, e.g.
10,135,793. For exceptions see numerals.
III. semicolon (;)
This separates those parts of a sentence between which there
is a more distinct break than would call for a comma, but
which are too closely connected to be made into separate
sentences. Ideally, it should separate clauses or phrases
that are similar in importance and in grammatical
construction, e.g. "To err is human; to forgive, divine."
See also Greek.
IV. colon (:)
This is used:
1. When the preceding part of the sentence is complete in
sense and construction, and the following part naturally
arises from it in sense though not in construction, e.g.
"The universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not
seem part of it."
2. To lead from introduction to main theme, from cause to
effect, or from premiss to conclusion, e.g. "Country life is
the natural life: it is there that you will find real
friendship."
3. To introduce a list of items (a dash should not be
added), and after such expressions as "namely", "for
example", "to resume", "to sum up", "the following".
V. period, full point, full stop (.)
This is used:
1. At the end of all sentences which are not questions or
exclamations. The next word should generally begin with a
capital letter.
2. After many abbreviations (q.v.) and initials. If such a
point closes the sentence, it also serves as the sentence's
full point, e.g. ". . . cats etc." but ". . . cats etc.)."
3. Do not use a further full point at the end of a
sentence that concludes with a quotation itself ending with
a full point, question mark, or exclamation mark, e.g. 'He
cried "Be off!"' But where the quoted sentence is a short
statement, and the introducing sentence has much more
weight, the point is put outside the quotation marks, e.g.
'He took many years considering the implications of the
simple phrase "Thou art the man".'
See also decimal currency, ellipsis, time of day.
VI. question mark, note of interrogation (?)
1. This should follow every question which expects a
separate answer. It is not used after indirect questions,
e.g. "He asked why I was there." The next word should
generally begin with a capital letter.
2. It may be placed before a word etc. whose accuracy is
doubted, e.g. "T. Tallis ?1505-85".
See also XI. 1.
3. ? is used in chess reports to denote a bad move.
See also Greek, quotation marks, Spanish.
VII. exclamation mark, note of exclamation (!)
This is used:
1. After an exclamatory word, phrase, or sentence
expressing absurdity, command, contempt, disgust, emotion,
enthusiasm, pain, sorrow, a wish, wonder.
2. In mathematics, as the factorial sign; in chess
reports, to denote a good move.
3. In square brackets after a quotation, to express the
editor's amusement, dissent, or surprise.
See also quotation marks, Spanish.
VIII. apostrophe (')
This is used:
1. To show the possessive case, q.v.
2. To show an omission, e.g. e'er, tho', we'll, he's (he
is, he has), it's (it is), '69 (1969, or whichever century
the context demands).
3. In Irish names, such as O'Connor; but see Mac.
4. As the "closing quote"; see quotation marks.
IX. turned comma (')
This is used:
1. As the "opening quote"; see quotation marks.
2. In Scottish names, such as M'Gregor.
X. parentheses ( )
These enclose:
1. Interpolations and remarks made by the writer of the
text himself, e.g. "He is (as he always was) a rebel."
2. An authority, definition, explanation, reference, or
translation.
3. In the report of a speech, interruptions by the
audience.
4. Reference letters or figures, e.g. (i), (a). These do
not need a point as well as the parentheses. See also XV
below.
XI. brackets
1. square []. These enclose comments, corrections,
explanations, interpolations, notes, question marks, or
translations, which were not in the original text, but have
been added by subsequent authors, editors, or others, e.g.
"He [Bloggs] fell down."
2. angle. (a) In text-critical editions, pairs of these
(preferably narrow) enclose words conjecturally supplied at
a defective or illegible point in the source. (b) In
scientific, mathematical, philological, etc. work, a single
bracket (preferably wide) indicates relative size of
entities, direction or derivation of argument, etc.
3. Curly (or hooked) brackets { }, double square brackets
[[ ]], together with square and angle brackets, have a
special significance in epigraphical work: see A. G.
Woodhead, The Study of Greek Inscriptions.
XII. dashes
(a) The en rule is used:
1. To join pairs wherever movement or tension, rather than
co-operation or unity (for which use hyphen) is felt, e.g.
"1914-18 war" (but "from 1914 to 1918"), "current-voltage
characteristic", "the Fischer-Spassky match", "the
London-Horsham-Brighton route", "the Marxist-Trotskyite
split" (but "the Marxist-Leninist position" (hyphen)). Note
also "Franco-Prussian War" (hyphen, because "Franco-" is a
prefix which cannot stand alone).
2. For joint authors (hyphen would lead to confusion with
a single double-barrelled name).
(b) The em rule is used:
1. Instead of the parentheses in X. 1 above.
2. In informal contexts, to replace the colon in IV. 1, 2
above.
3. To indicate pauses in hesitant speech, or the ending
and resumption of a statement interrupted by an
interlocutor. If the sentence is not interrupted but
abandoned, use the ellipsis (q.v.).
4. In dictionaries, indexes, etc., to represent the
headword, and so save space.
5. To replace an omitted word. (c) The two-em rule is
used in bibliography entries cued in by author name, to
avoid the repetition of the same name(s) in successive
entries. One 2-em rule serves for the complete name (in
whatever form) of each person.
XIII. hyphen
This is used:
1. To join two or more words so as to form a single
expression, e.g. ear-ring, get-at-able, and words having a
syntactical relationship which form a compound, as
weight-carrying (objective), punch-drunk (instrumental); and
in a compound used attrib., to clarify the unification of
the sense, e.g. a blood-red hand, the well-known man, but
prettily furnished rooms, the man is well known (predic.).
2. To join a prefix to a proper name, e.g. anti-Darwinian.
3. To prevent misconceptions by linking words, e.g. a
poor-rate collection, a poor rate-collection.
4. To prevent misconceptions by separating a prefix from
the main word, e.g. recover, re-cover (an umbrella) (a
footballer) resigns, re-signs.
5. To separate two similar consonant or vowel sounds in a
word, as a help to understanding and pronunciation, e.g.
sword-dance, Ross-shire, co-operate (the hyphen here is
preferable to a diaeresis, q.v.).
6. To represent a common second element in all but the
last word of a list, e.g. two-, three-, or fourfold.
7. At the end of a line of print, to indicate that the
last word has been divided; see division of words.
See also XII (a) above, fractions, and, in general, Hart's
Rules, pp. 76-81.
XIV. brace
This is used (usu. vertically) to connect words, lines,
staves of music, etc., and in mathematical and tabular work.
When used to show that one thing comprises several others,
the brace should point towards the single item, which should
be centred on it.
XV. duplication of points
This should be avoided where possible. A comma should not
precede or follow a dash, nor a full point an exclamation or
question mark. If a sentence which is a statement ends with
quoted matter which is itself a statement, the full point
before the final "quote" will be sufficient, unless this is
itself closed by a parenthesis. See also V. 2, 3 above.
There are many complications (see Hart's Rules, pp. 45-8),
but, as in all punctuation, clarity is the object, and logic
and common sense the touchstones. See also quotation marks;
and for a detailed treatment of the whole topic of this
article, Hart's Rules, pp. 38-49
punctus (Lat.), a point; pl. same
pundit Hindu sage, (gen.) expert. See also pandit
Punica fides
(Lat.), Punic faith, treachery
Punjab India and Pakistan, not -aub, Panjab
Punjabi (inhabitant or dialect) of Punjab, not -bee
punkah (Anglo-Ind.), a large fan, not -a
Punkt (Ger. typ. m.), point, dot, a full stop (cap.); punktieren, to
point, dot, or punctuate; Punktierung (f.), punctuation
PUO (med.), pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin
pup/a (entom.), a chrysalis; pl. -ae (not ital.)
pupillage (two ls)
pur use purr
-pur (Ind.), a city, as Nagpur, Kanpur
Purana Sanskrit sacred poem
Purchas (Samuel)
1577-1626, English compiler of voyages
purchas/able
not -eable; -er, not -or
purdah (Ind.), (curtain for) seclusion of women of rank, not -a
pur‚e pulped and sieved vegetables etc.
purgatory place of temporary suffering and purification of souls of the
dead (not cap.)
Purim Jewish festival
puritan/ one strict in religion or morals (cap. in hist. use); -ical,
-ism, -ize, not -ise
purl in knitting, not pearl
Purleigh Essex
Purley Berks., London
purlieus surroundings
purpose/, -ful, -less, -ly
purr of or as a cat, not pur
pur sang (Fr. m.), pure blood; adj., thoroughbred, total
purslane (bot.), a salad herb, not -lain
purveyor one whose business is to supply meat or meals, not -er
push/-bike, -button, -chair
(hyphens)
push-over (colloq.), a difficulty easily overcome (hyphen)
Pushtu use Pashto
put in golf use putt
putre/fy to go rotten, not -ify; -scent, in process of rotting; -scible,
liable to rot
putsch (Ger. m.), a revolutionary attempt (ital.)
putt in golf, not put
puttees strips of cloth worn round the lower leg for protection, not
-ies
putt/o (It.), figure of child in Renaissance art, pl. -i
Puy-de-D“me
d‚p. France (hyphens, two caps.). In phrases, puy (Fr. m.), a
small volcanic cone, to have lower-case p and no hyphens, as le
puy de D“me
pyaemia (med.), a type of blood-poisoning, not pyem-
pye (typ.), use pie
pyebald use pie-
pye-dog an oriental ownerless dog, not pi-, pie-
pygm/y not pigmy; adj. -aean, not -ean
pyjamas not the many variants; US pa-
pyknic (person) of short, squat stature
pyorrhoea discharge of pus
Pyrenees Mts.
France and Spain
Pyr‚nees/-Atlantiques; Hautes---;
---Orientales, d‚ps. France
pyro/lysis
decomposition from heat, pl. -lyses; -lyse, not -lyze
pyrotechnics
the art of fireworks; abbr. pyrotech.
pyrrhic/ dance
anc. Gr. war-dance; -- foot (prosody), foot of two short
syllables; Pyrrhic victory, one won at great cost, like that of
Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, over Romans in 279 BC
quad (colloq.), quadrangle; quadraphony; a quadruplet; (typ.) in
metal-setting, a piece of spacing material, usually of size en,
em, 2-em, 3-em, or 4-em; in photosetting, the action of spacing
out a line; (paper) a size of printing paper four times
(quadruple) the basic size; (no point in any sense)
quad. quadrant
Quadragesima
first Sunday in Lent
quadraphon/y
sound reproduction using four transmission channels; -ic,
-ically, not quadri-, quadro-; (colloq.) quad
quadrenni/um
a period of four years; pl. -ums; -al; not quadrie-
quadroon offspring of White and mulatto, with quarter-Negro blood
quaere (Lat. imperative), inquire; (as noun) a question; abbr. q.
quaestor anc. Rom. magistrate. See also que-
quae vide (Lat.), which see; refers to plural; abbr. qq.v.
quag/ -gy
quagga (S.Afr.), extinct zebra-like animal
quai (Fr. m.), quay, railway platform
quaich Scots drinking vessel, not -gh
Quai d'Orsay
Paris, the French Foreign Office
Quaker a member of the Society of Friends
quand m€me
(Fr.), notwithstanding, all the same
quango/ "quasi non-governmental organization", pl. -s
quantity abbr. qt.
quantize not -ise
quant/um (not ital.), a natural minimum quantity of an entity; pl. -a;
hence -um theory, theory of the emission and absorption of
energy in finite amounts. See also Planck
quant/um (Lat.), a concrete quantity, pl. -a; quantum/ libet, as much as
you please, abbr. q.l.; -- meruit, as much as he, or she,
deserved; -- placet, as much as seems good, abbr. q. pl.; --
sufficit, as much as suffices, abbr. q.s. or quant. suff.; --
vis, as much as you wish, abbr. q.v.
quincun/x five arranged as on dice; pl. -xes; adj. -cial
quinine medicine in treating malaria and fevers, not -in
Quinquagesima
the Sunday before Lent
quinquenni/um
a period of five years; pl. -ums
quinquereme
anc. galley with five banks of oars
quins/y tonsillitis, not -cy,-sey, -zy; -ied
quint sequence of five cards in piquet. See also quinte
quint/al 100 kg., 220.5 lb., 1.968 cwt., not kentle, kintle; pl. -als (in
French -aux); abbr. q.
quinte position in fencing. See also quint
quintet (mus.), not -ette
quintillion
cardinal number, 1 with 30 noughts; (US) 1 with 18 noughts
quiproquo (Fr. m.), mistake
quipu the anc. Peruvian language of knotted cords, not -po, -ppo, -ppu
quire 24 or 25 sheets of paper; abbr. q. or qr., pl. same. See alto
choir
Qui s'excuse s'accuse
(Fr.), to excuse oneself is to accuse oneself
quisling traitor, from Vidkun Quisling, 1887-1945, pro-Nazi leader in
Norway
quit/, -ted, -ter (not -tor), -ting
Quito cap. of Ecuador
Qui va l…?
(Fr.), Who goes there?
Qui vive? (Fr.), Who goes there?
qui vive (on the)
on the alert (not ital.)
quixotic (not cap.), extravagantly romantic and visionary, like Don
Quixote, hero of the romance (1605) by Cervantes
quiz/ to interrogate, a competition by interrogation, -zed, -zer,
-zes, -zing
Qum river, city, and former province, central Iran, not Qom
Qumran Jordan, site associated with Dead Sea Scrolls
quoad/ (Lat.), as far as; - hoc, to this extent
quod erat demonstrandum
etc., see QED etc.
quod est (Lat.), which is; abbr. q.e.
quodlibet (mus.) a medley; (hist.) (exercise on) subject of philos. or
theol. disputation
quod vide (Lat.), which see; refers to sing.; abbr. q.v.
quoins (typ.), wedges or expanding devices which secure type, blocks,
and furniture in the chase; pron. coins
quoits a game, not coits
quo jure? (Lat.), by what right?
quomodo (Lat.), by what means; abbr. q.m.
quondam (adj.), former, from Lat. quondam (adv.), formerly
quor/um the number of members whose presence is needed to make
proceedings valid; pl. -ums (not ital.); adj. -ate
quot. quot/ation, -ed
quota/ a share; pl. -s
quotation marks
(typ.), in English, one turned comma at the beginning and one
apostrophe at the end; colloq. quotes (no point). The apostrophe
at the end of the quotation should come before all punctuation
marks unless these form part of the quotation itself; see also
punctuation V.3. Quotes and roman type are to be used when
citing titles of articles in magazines, series titles, chapters
of books, essays, poems (but see poems, titles of), and songs.
They are not to be used for the titles of the books of the
Bible; where the substance only of an extract is given; or where
the tense or person has been altered. For further guidance, see
Hart's Rules, pp. 44-9, and (for foreign languages) 100-2, 110,
130, 134
quotations
all extracts in the exact words of the original, if set run on
in the text matter, to have "quotes" at the commencement, and at
the beginning of each paragraph (not each line, except in
special cases), and at the end of the quotation. If the extract
is set broken off from the main text, quotation marks are not
required, except in conversational matter. Punctuation of the
extract to be exactly as in the original. The concluding point
to be outside the last quotation mark if not in the original.
See also ellipsis
quotations within quotations
to have double quotation marks within the single. Quotations
within the double quotation to be single-quoted
quote (typ.), to enclose within quotation marks
quotes (typ.), quotation marks, q.v.
quot homines, tot sententiae
(Lat.), there are as many opinions as there are persons
R radius, rand, retarder (on timepiece regulator), roentgen,
(chess) rook, the seventeenth in a series; rupee, use Re
R (elec.), symbol for resistance
R. rabbi, Radical, railway, rector, regiment, registered, reply,
(US) Republican, River, Royal, (Fr.) Rue (street), (Ger.) Recht
(law), (Lat.) regina (queen), respublica (commonwealth), rex
(king), (naut.) run (deserted), (theat.) right (from actor's
point of view), (thermom.) R‚aumur
rack (and ruin).
But use wrack for destruction, seaweed
racket/ not racquet; -eer, -s (game), -y
rackett (mus.), Renaissance woodwind instrument, not racket, rank-
racont/eur
fem. -euse (not ital.)
racoon bushy-tailed animal, not race-
racquet use racket
RACS Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
rac/y not -ey; -ily
RAD Royal Academy of Dancing
rad former unit of absorbed radiation dose, = 0.01 Gy (now use
gray); radian
rad. radix (root)
Rad. Radical
RADA Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
radar radio detection and ranging (not cap.)
RADC Royal Army Dental Corps
Radcliffe (Ann)
1764-1823, English writer; -- (John), 1650-1714, English
physician; -- College, Mass., US; -- Camera, Infirmary, Science
Library, and Observatory, Oxford. See also Rat-
radian SI unit of plane angle (approx. 57.296 degrees), abbr. rad
radiator not -er
Radical (polit.), abbr. R. or Rad.
radical (chem.), not -cle
radicle (bot.)
radio/ pl. -s
radioactiv/e
(one word); -ity
radio/-carbon, -cobalt
etc. (hyphens)
radiograph
X-ray photograph
radioisotope
(one word)
radium symbol Ra
rad/ius pl. -ii, abbr. R
rad/ius vect/or
pl. -ii -ores
rad/ix a root; pl. -ices; abbr. rad.
radon symbol Rn
RAE Royal Aircraft Establishment(s)
Rae (John)
1813-93, Scottish Arctic traveller. See also Ray, Reay
Rae Bareli
Uttar Pradesh, India, not Ray Bareilly
Raeburn (Sir Henry)
1756-1823, Scottish painter
RAEC Royal Army Education Corps
R.Aero.C. Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom
R.Ae.S. Royal Aeronautical Society
Raetia use Rh-
RAF Royal Air Force
RAFA Royal Air Forces Association
raffia a palm fibre, not rafia, raphia
RAFRO Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers
RAFVR Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
rag/, -ged, -ging
rag-and-bone man
(two hyphens)
rag-bag (hyphen)
rag doll (two words)
ragee a coarse Indian grain, not ragg-, -i
ragout a rich meat stew; in Fr. m. rago–t
ragtag (one word) and bobtail (one word)
ragtime (mus.) (one word)
Ragusa It. for Dubrovnik (Yugoslavia); also a town in Sicily
RAI Royal Anthropological Institute
raie (Fr. f.), skate (fish)
Raikes (Robert)
1735-1811, English originator of Sunday Schools
rail/car, -head, -road, -way
(abbr. R. or rly.), -wayman (one word)
Ramsey (Arthur Michael)
1904-88, Bp. of Durham 1952-6, Abp. of York 1956-61, Abp. of
Canterbury 1961-74; -- (Ian Thomas), 1915-72, Bp. of Durham
1966-72
ram/us (Lat.), a branch; pl. -i
rancher/o (Sp.), fem. -a, a small farmer
ranc/our spite, but -orous
Rand (colloq.), the Witwatersrand, S. Africa
rand S. Afr. unit of currency, pl. same; abbr. R
R. & A. Royal and Ancient (Golf Club)
R. & B. rhythm and blues
R. & D. research and development
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland and Lynchburg, Va.
ranee Hindu queen, wife or widow of raja (q.v.), not rann-, rani
RE Reformed Episcopal, Right Excellent, Royal Engineers, --
Exchange, -- Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers
Re Reynolds number, rhenium, rupee (no point)
re (mus.), use ray
Re (il) (It.), the King (no accent)
re (Lat.), with regard to
re- (prefix), when followed by e and separately sounded, to have
hyphen, as re-echo, re-entry. It also has a hyphen when forming
a compound to be distinguished from a more familiar one-word
form, as re-form (to form again), re-sign (to sign again)
react produce response (one word)
re-act to act again (hyphen)
Read (Sir Herbert Edward)
1893-1968, English critic
readdress (one word)
Reade (Charles)
1814-84, English novelist. See also Read, Rede, Reed, Reid
reader (typ.), a corrector of the press; one who reports on MSS to a
publisher (not cap.)
Reader a university teacher, in some universities intermediate between
Lecturer and Professor (cap. as title)
R‚aumur (Ren‚ Antoine Ferchault de)
1683-1757, inventor of thermom. scale; the scale itself, abbr.
R. or R‚aum. See also Raumer
reawake etc. (one word)
Reay (Donald James Mackay, Baron)
1839-1921, Scottish (Dutch-born) Governor of Bombay and first
president of the Brit. Academy. See also Rae, Ray
rebaptize not -ise (one word)
rebate to reduce, a reduction. See also rabbet
rebec (mus.), medieval stringed instrument, not -eck
rebel/, -led, -ling
rebind to bind (a book) again, partic. rebound
rebound to bound, act of bounding, back (one word)
rebus/ a puzzle; pl. -es
rebut/, -tal, -ted, -ting
rec. receipt, recipe, record, -ed, -er
R‚camier (Jeanne Fran‡oise Julie Ad‚la‹de, Madame)
1777-1849, a leader of French society
recap/ colloq. for recapitulate, -ped, -ping
recast (one word)
recce/ slang for reconnaissance, to reconnoitre, pl. -s
recd. received
recede to withdraw (one word)
recede to cede back (hyphen)
receipt abbr. rec.
receivable
not -eable
Rechabite a total abstainer (cap.)
r‚chauff‚ (Fr. m.), a warmed-up dish, (fig.) a rehash
recherch‚ chosen with care, far-fetched (not ital.)
recidiv/ist
one who relapses into crime; -ism
recipe/ pl. -s, abbr. rec.
r‚clame (Fr. f.), notoriety by advertisement; (journ.) editorial
announcement
recogniz/ance
a bond given to a court, not -sance; -ant, not -sant
recognize not -ise
recollect to remember (one word)
re-colleet
to collect again (hyphen)
recommit/, -ted, -ting
recompense
(noun and verb)
reconcilable
not -eable
reconciler
not -or
reconnaissance
preliminary survey, not reconnoi- (not ital.)
reconnoitre
to make a preliminary survey, not -er
record/, -ed, -er
abbr rec.
record-player
(hyphen)
recount to narrate (one word)
re-count to count again, a further count (hyphen)
recoup to recompense, recover, make up for
recover to regain possession of, to revive (one word)
re-cover to cover again (hyphen)
recreat/e to refresh; -ion, amusement, pastime (one word)
re-creat/e
to create again; -ion, -or, not -er (hyphen)
rect. rectified
rectif/y, -iable, -ied, -ier, -ying
recto/ (typ.), the right-hand page, usu. having an odd page number, 1,
3, 5, etc.; abbr. r. (not ital.); pl. -s
rector/ in Ch. of England, incumbent of a parish, originally one whose
tithes were held by the parson; in RCC head priest of church
etc.; head of academic or relig. institution; (cap.) elected
representative of students on governing body of Scottish
university; abbr. R.; adj. -ial
rectri/x strong tail-feather, pl. -ces
rect/um (anat.), straight part of intestine, pl. -ums
rect/us (anat.), straight muscle, pl. -i
re‡u (Fr. m.), a receipt
recueil (Fr. m.), a literary compilation
reculer pour mieux sauter
(Fr.), to withdraw to await a better opportunity
recur/, -red, -ring
r‚dact/eur
(Fr.), editor, fem. -rice
r‚daction (Fr. f.), editing, editorial department
Redakteur (Ger. m.), editor (cap.)
Redbourn Herts.
Redbourne Humberside
redbreast a robin (one word)
redbrick new (university) (one word)
Redbridge Gr. London
redd/en, -ish, -y
Reddish Gr. Manchester
Redditch Hereford & Worc.; "new town", 1964
Redeless (Ethelred the)
King of England 978-1016
Rede Lecture
Camb. Univ. See also Read, Reade, Reed, Reid
Redemptionists
an order of Trinitarian friars devoted to the redemption of
Christian captives from slavery
Redemptorists
an order of missionaries founded in 1732 by Alfonso Liguori
Redgauntlet
by Sir W. Scott, 1824 (one word)
red-handed
(hyphen)
redhead (one word)
red-hot (hyphen)
redivivus restored to life
red lead (two words)
red-letter day
(one hyphen)
redoubt mil. outwork, not -out
redress to remedy (one word)
re-dress to dress again (hyphen)
redskin (one word)
red tape excessive (use of) formalities (two words)
reducible not -eable
reductio ad/ absurdum
(Lat.), disproof by reaching an obviously absurd conclusion; --
-- impossible, ditto an impossible conclusion
red-water cattle disease (hyphen)
reebok (Afrik.), an antelope, not rhe-
re-echo (hyphen)
Reed (Alfred German)
1847-95, English actor; -- (Edward Tennyson), 1860-1933, English
caricaturist; -- (Talbot Baines), 1852-93, English writer of
boys' books; -- (Walter), 1851-1902, US army surgeon (mosquitoes
and yellow fever). See also Read, Reade, Rede, Reid
reference marks
(typ.), the asterisk, dagger, double dagger, etc.; may be used
(esp. in math. setting) as an alternative to superior figures
for footnote references. (See Figure 5 in topic FRONT_4) See
also footnotes
references
see authorities
referend/um
referring to the electorate on a particular issue; pl. -ums
referrible
use -erable
refit/, -ted, -ting
refl. reflect/ion, -ive, reflexive
reflectible
use reflexible
reflection
not -exion; abbr. refl.; in Fr. f. r‚flexion
reflective
(of surfaces) giving back a reflection, abbr. refl.; (of people)
meditative
reflector not -er
reflet (Fr. m.), lustre on pottery
reflexible
able to be reflected, not reflect-
reflexion use reflection
reflexive (gram.), implying that the action is reflected upon the doer,
abbr. refl.
reforest/, -ation
use reafforest/, -ation
reform/ to improve, correct; -ation (one word)
re-form/ to form again; -ation (hyphen)
Reformation (the)
(cap.); abbr. Ref.
Reform Bills
1832, 1867, 1884-5
reform/ed, -er
abbr. ref.
refractor a type of lens or telescope
refrangible
that can be refracted
refuse to say no (one word)
re-fuse to fuse again (hyphen)
Reg. Regent, regina (queen)
reg. regis/ter, -trar, -try, regular, -ly
regalia insignia, is plural
regd. registered
regenerator
not -er
Regensburg
Bavaria, not Ratisbon, -berg
Regent abbr. Reg.
Regent's Park/
London (apos.); -- -- College, Oxford
reggae W. Indian style of music with strong subsidiary beat
Reg.-Gen. Registrar-General
r‚gie governmental control of articles paying duty in Austria, France,
Italy, Spain, and Turkey
regime (not ital., no accent). See also ancien regime
regimen/ pl. -s (not ital.)
regiment abbr. regt. or R.
Regina (Lat.), queen; abbr. R. or Reg.
regisseur ballet or theatre director (not ital.)
register abbr. reg.
register (binding), a bookmarker; (typ.) when pages back one another
exactly, or when the separate colour printings of an
illustration superimpose exactly, they are said to be "in
register"
registered
abbr. regd.
register marks
(typ.), crosses used to help achieve good register
Register Office
off. name, not Registry --
registrable
not -erable
registr/ar, -y
abbr. reg.
Registrar-General
(hyphen, caps.) abbr. Reg.-Gen.
Registrary
official of Cambridge University (not Registrar)
Reich the German State and Commonwealth (cap.); Reichs/anstalt, German
off. institution (1871-1945); Reichsanzeiger, German Gazette;
-kanzler, German Chancellor; -mark, abbr. RM; -tag, German
legislative body (1871-1933)
Reid (Sir George)
1841-1913, Scottish painter; -- (Capt. Thomas Mayne), 1818-83,
British novelist; -- (Thomas), 1710-96, Scottish metaphysician;
-- (Whitelaw), 1837-1912, US journalist and diplomat. See also
Read, Reade, Rede, Reed
Reikiavik use Reykj-
Reilly (the life of)
use Riley
reimbark etc., use re-embark etc.
reimburse to pay for loss or expense (one word)
r‚impression
(Fr. f.), a reprint
Reims d‚p. Marne, France, not Rh-
Reine Claude
(Fr. f.), greengage; pl. Reines --
re infecta
(Lat.), with the object not attained
reinforce/
to strengthen; -ment. See also re-enforce
Reinhardt (Max)
1873-1943, German theatrical producer
reinstate (one word)
reis pl. of real, a former Portuguese and Brazilian coin
Reis Effendi
(Turk.), title of former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
rejectamenta
(mod. Lat. pl.), wasted matter (not ital.)
relief-printing
(typ.), printing from surfaces raised to contact ink and paper
relievo use rilievo
religieuse/
(Fr. f), a nun; pl. -s
religieux (Fr. m.), a monk; pl. same
relig/ion, -ious
abbr. rel.
religionize
not -ise
religious/ denominations
as Baptist, Protestant, to have caps.
reliquiae (Lat. pl.), relics; abbr. rel.
rel/y, -ied, -ying
REM rapid eye-movement
rem roentgen equivalent man
rem. remarks
remainder (typ.), that part of an edition which is unsaleable at its
original price
Remarque (Erich Maria)
real name Kr„mer, 1898-1970, German-born US novelist
remblai/ earth used to form rampart, pl. -s
Rembrandt/
(in full, -- Harmenszoon van Rijn), 1606-69, Dutch painter; adj.
-esque
REME Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Remembrance Sunday
nearest to 11 Nov.
remercЊment
(Fr. m.), thanks, not -iement
rem/ex wing quill-feather; pl. -iges
Reminiscere Sunday
the second in Lent
remise (law), to make over, not -ize
remissible
capable of being forgiven
remit/, -tal, -tance, -tee, -tent, -ter
remonstrator
not -er
r‚moulade or r‚molade (Fr. f.), salad-dressing, kind of sauce
removable not -eable
R‚musat (Charles Fran‡ois Marie, comte de)
1797-1875, French politician and writer; -- (Jean Pierre),
1788-1832, French Chinese scholar
Renaissance (the)
not -ascence (cap.)
Renard the fox, use Rey-
Renault French make of car
rendezvous/
sing. and pl. (one word, not ital.); as verb -es, -ed, -ing; Fr.
rendez-vous (hyphen)
renege renounce, abandon, not -gue
Renoir (Auguste)
1841-1919, French painter; -- (Jean), 1894-1979, his son, French
film-director
renounceable
not -cable
renouncement
use renunciation
renovator not -er
rent-a/-car, -crowd
etc. (hyphens)
rentes/ (Fr. f.), independent income, also government stocks; -- sur
l'ђtat, interest on government loans
rent/ier (Fr.), fem. -iЉre, one whose income is derived from investments
renunciation
preferable to renouncement
reoccup/y, -ation
(one word)
reometer etc., use rhe-
re/open, -order, -organize
not -ise (one word)
reorient/, -ate
(one word); see orient
Rep. Representative
rep a fabric, not repp; colloq. for representative, (theat.)
repertory (no point)
rep. report, -er, republic, -an
rep/air, -airable
(of material things), -aration (amends)
reparable (of loss, etc.), that can be made good
repartee (the making of) witty retorts (not ital.) in Fr. f. repartie
rep€chage (Fr. m.), contest between runners-up
repel/, -led, -lent, -ling, -ler
repertoire
(not ital.)
repertorium
(Lat.), a catalogue
repetatur (Lat.), let it be repeated; abbr. repet.
repetiteur
(Fr. m.), one who rehearses opera singers (ital.)
repetitorium
(Lat.), a summary
replaceable
not -cable
replica/ a copy (esp. one made by the artist); pl. -s (not ital.)
r‚plique (Fr. f.), a reply
repl/y, -ies, -ier, -ying
report/, -er
abbr. rep., rept.
repouss‚ (ornamental metal work) hammered from the reverse side (not
ital.)
repp a fabric, use rep
repr. representing, reprint
reprehensible
open to rebuke, not -able
representable
not -ible
Representative
abbr. Rep.
Representatives (House of)
lower division of US Congress (caps.)
repress/, -ible, -or
not -er
reprint (typ.), a second or new impression of any printed work (only
minor corrections); a reimpression (no corrections at all);
printed matter taken from some other publication for
reproduction; also printed "copy" (one word); abbr. RP or repr.
See also edition
reprisal act of retaliation, not -izal
reprise (law) a yearly charge or deduction, (mus.) repeated passage, not
-ize
reprize to prize anew
repro. reproduction; -- pull (typ., no point), a good proof made for
camera use
reproducible
not -eable
reproof (noun), a rebuke
reproof (verb), to make waterproof again
reprove to rebuke
rept. report
republic/, -an
abbr. rep.
Republican
abbr. (US) R
R‚publique fran‡aise
(l.c. f) French Republic; abbr. RF
repudiator
not -er
reputable respectable
requiem/ the Mass for the dead, its mus. setting; pl. -s
requies/cat in pace
(Lat.), may he, or she, rest in peace, abbr. RIP, pl. -cant --
--; -cit -- --, he, or she, rests in peace
reredos/ ornamental screen or panelling behind altar, not the many
variants; pl. -es
re-route/ (hyphen); -ing
rerun (noun and verb, one word)
res. research, reserve, resid/ence, -es, resigned
res/ (Lat.), a thing or things; -- adjudicata, a matter already
decided; -- angusta domi, scanty means at home
re/sale, -sell
(one word)
rescuable not -ueable
research abbr. res.
reserve that which is kept back, restraint, to keep back (one word);
abbr. res.
re-serve to serve again (hyphen)
Reserve (Army)
(caps.)
reservist not -eist
res gestae
(Lat. pl.), things done, matters of fact
resid/ence, -es
abbr. r. or res.
residence permit
(two words)
residu/um pl. -a
resigned abbr. res.
resin gum from trees or synthetically produced. See also rosin
resist/ance, -ant
not -ence, -ent
resist/er person; -or, thing
res/ judicata
(Lat.), a thing already decided; -- nihili, a nonentity
resoluble that can be resolved (one word)
re-soluble
that can be dissolved again (hyphen)
resolv/able, -er
resonator an instrument responding to a certain frequency of vibrations
resort have recourse to, expedient, holiday-spot (one word)
Reverend abbr. (The) Revd; pl. Revds; Very Revd (dean, provost, or
former moderator), Right Revd or Rt. Revd (bishop or moderator),
Most Revd (archbishop or Irish RC bishop); not Rev.
rever/end deserving reverence; -ent, showing it
reverie day-dream, not -y
revers the front of a garment turned back showing the inner surface,
pl. same
reverse side of a coin other than obverse (q.v.), abbr. rev.
reversed block
(typ.), a design in which the illustration or wording appears in
white against a background; block whose contents are transposed
left-to-right for offset printing
reversible
not -able
r€veu/r (Fr.), fem. -se, (day) dreamer
Review abbr. Rev.
Reviews (titles of)
(typ.), when cited, to be italic
revise (typ.), second or subsequent proof; abbr. rev.
revis/e not -ize; -able, -ing
revis/ed, -ion
abbr. rev.
Revised Standard Version
(of Bible) (caps.); abbr. RSV Revised Statutes, abbr. RS or Rev.
Stat.
Revised Version
(of Bible) (caps.); abbr. RV
reviv/er one who revives; (law) -or, a proceeding to revive a suit
revoir (…)
(Fr.), to be revised. See also au revoir
RHA Regional Health Authority, Road Haulage Association Ltd., Royal
Hibernian Academy, -- Horse Artillery
rhabdomancy
divination by rod, not ra-
Rhadamanth/ine
stern, like -us (Gr. myth.), judge of the dead
Rhaet/ia, -ian, -ic
(of) Austrian Tyrol, not Rae-, Rhe-
rhaphis use ra-
rhapsodize
to be enthusiastic, not -ise
rhatany (bot.), S. American shrub with astringent root, not rat-
rheebok use ree-
Rheims use Reims
Rhein (Ger. m.), the Rhine
Rheingold (Das)
first opera in Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen, 1869
Rhemish of Rheims
Rhenish (wine) of the Rhine
rhenium symbol Re
rheology (phys.), science of flow
rheo/meter, -stat, -trope
instruments for (respectively) measuring, regulating, reversing
electric current, not reo-
rhesus Indian monkey; rhesus factor (in the blood), abbr. Rh-factor
(hyphen, no point); Rh-positive, reacting to blood tests like
rhesus monkeys; Rh-negative, not ditto
rhet. rhetoric
Rhetia use Rhae-
RHF Royal Highland Fusiliers
RHG Royal Horse Guards (the Blues)
Rhine/ European river, in Fr. Rhin, in Ger. Rhein; -land (one word)
rhinestone
imitation diamond
rhinoceros/
pl. -es; colloq. rhino/, pl. -s (no point)
R.Hist.S. Royal Historical Society
Rhode Island
off. abbr. RI
Rhod/es island in Aegean Sea, and its capital; adj. -ian
Rhodes Scholar
(at Oxford)
Rhodesia Africa, UDI Nov. 1965, republic by unilateral declaration, Mar.
1970, renamed Zimbabwe-Rhodesia 1979, Zimbabwe 1980
rhodium symbol Rh
rhododendron/
pl. -s
rhodomontade
use rodo-
rhomb/us (geom.), pl. -uses
Rhondda river and town, Mid Glam.
Rh“ne Fr. d‚p. and river, not Rhone
RHS Royal Historical, Horticultural, or Humane Society
rhumba use rumba
rhumb-line
(naut.), line cutting all meridians at same angle (hyphen)
rhym/e (noun and verb), not rime; -er (-ester is usu. derog.)
RI Rhode Island (off. abbr.), Royal Institute of Painters in Water
Colours, Royal Institution
RI = R. et I. (q.v.)
RIA Royal Irish Academy
Rialto Venice (cap.)
riant laughing, cheerful, pleasant (not ital.)
rib/, -bed, -bing
RIBA Royal Institute of British Architects
riband see ribbon
ribband a light spar used in shipbuilding
ribbon not riband, except in sport and heraldry
RIC Royal Institute of Chemistry, now part of Royal Society of
Chemistry
Ricard/o (David)
1772-1823, English economist; adj. -ian
Riccio use Rizzio
ricercar (mus.), type of instrumental composition
Richelieu (Armand Jean du Plessis, duc de, Cardinal)
1585-1642, French statesman
Richepin (Jean)
1849-1926, French writer
Richter (Hans)
1843-1916, German conductor of Wagnerian opera and the Hall‚
Orchestra; -- (Johann Paul Friedrich), 1763-1825, German writer,
pseud. Jean Paul; -- (Karl), 1926-81, German conductor; --
(Sviatoslav), b. 1915, Russian pianist
Richthofen (Baron Manfred von)
1892-1918, German flying ace
rick sprain or strain, not wrick
rickets a bone disease
rickettsi/a
a micro-organism such as typhus, pl. -ae; from Howard Taylor
Ricketts, 1871-1910, US pathologist
rickety shaky, not -tty
rickrack use ricrac
rickshaw light two-wheeled vehicle, orig. a shortening of the now disused
word jinricksha, not -sha
ricochet/ to skip or rebound (of projectile), -ed, -ing (not ital.)
ricrac zigzag braid trimming, not rickrack
RICS Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
rid/, -dance, -ded, -ding
rid/e, -able, -den, -ing
ridge/-piece, -pole, -tile, -tree
(hyphens)
ridgeway (one word)
ridgy not -ey
Riemann/ (Georg Friedrich Bernhard)
1826-66, German mathematician; adj. -ian
Riesling a white wine
Rievaulx Abbey
M. Yorks., not Riv-
rifaciment/o
(It.), a remaking; pl. -i
Riff (The), mountainous rcgion in Morocco, not Rif
riff-raff (hyphen)
rifl/e, -ing
rigadoon lively dance, not rigaudon
right/ (theat., from actor's point of view), abbr. R.; -- centre, abbr.
RC
right ascension
(astr.), abbr. RA
righteous
right/-hand, -handed
adjs. (hyphens)
right-hand pages
(typ.), the recto pages, usu. with odd page numbers
Right Reverend
(for bishops and moderators in Presbyterian churches and Church
of Scotland), abbr. (The) Right Revd, Rt. Revd
right wing
(hyphen as adj.),
right-winger
Rigi Switzerland, not -hi
rigor (med.), a shivering-fit (not ital.)
rigor mortis
(Lat.), stiffening after death (not ital.)
rigour severity, but rigorous
Rigsdag the former Danish Parliament
Rig-Veda Sanskrit religious book (caps., hyphen)
RIIA Royal Institute of International Affairs
Riksdag the Swedish Parliament
Riksm†l the literary language of Norway, now called Bokm†l
Riley (the life of)
slang for carefree existence, not Reilly; -- (Bridget Louise),
b. 1931, British painter; -- (James Whitcomb), 1849-1916, US
poet
riliev/o (It.), raised or embossed work, not re-; pl. -i
RO Receiving Office, -r, Relieving Officer, Returning --, Royal
Observatory
ro. rood
Road afer name to be cap., as Fulham Road; abbr. Rd.
road-block
(hyphen)
road fund licence
(three words)
road/-hog, -map
(hyphens)
road/side, -stead, -way
(one word)
road-works
(hyphen)
roadworthy
(one word)
roan (bind.), a soft and flexible sheepskin, often imitating morocco
Roanoke Virginia, US
roast (to rule the)
use roost
Robarts (Mr)
in Trollope's Framley Parsonage
Robbe-Grillet (Alain)
b. 1922, French writer
Robben Island
S. Africa
Robbia (Luca della)
1399-1482, Italian sculptor. See also Della-Robbia
Robbins Report
1963, on Higher Education (no apos.)
Robens (Alfred, Lord)
b. 1910, Chairman of the National Coal Board 1961-71
Robespierre (Maximilien Fran‡ois Marie Isidore de)
1758-94, French revolutionary
Robin Goodfellow
a sprite (caps.)
Robin Hood/
hero of medieval legend; -- --'s Bay, a town, N. Yorks. (apos.,
three words)
robin redbreast
(two words)
Robinson Crusoe
by Defoe, 1719
Rob Roy Robert ("the Red") Macgregor, 1671-1734, Scottish outlaw (caps.,
two words)
ROC Royal Observer Corps
roc a fabulous bird, not the many variants
roccoco use rococo
Roch (St)
Rochefoucauld
see La --
roches moutonn‚es
(geol.), pl., a glaciated type of rock-surface (no ital.)
rochet a surplice-like linen garment, not rotch-, -ette
Rocinante Don Quixote's steed, usu. Anglicized as Rosinante
Rock (the)
Gibraltar
Rockefeller/ (John Davison)
1840-1937, head of family of US capitalists; -- (Nelson
Aldrich), 1908-79, US statesman; -- Center, nexus of office
skyscrapers, NY; -- Foundation, 1913, philanthropic; --
Institute, 1901, for medical research, a university since 1965
rock-garden
(hyphen)
Rockies (the)
(N. Amer.), the Rocky Mountains
"Rock of Ages"
(caps.)
rock-plant
(hyphen)
rock salmon
(two words)
rococo/ ornamental style of decoration in 18th-c. Europe, also in mus.;
pl. -s, not rocc-
rod see perch
Rod (ђdouard)
1857-1910, French writer
Rodd (James Rennell, first Baron Rennell)
1858-1941, English diplomat and scholar
rodeo/ pl. -s
Roderic d. 711, last king of the Visigoths, not -ick
Rodin (Auguste)
1840-1917, French sculptor
rodomontade
bragging talk, not rh-
roebuck (one word)
roe-deer (hyphen)
roentgen/ former unit of ionizing radiation dose, now expressed in coulomb
per kilogram; abbr. R; -ography, photography with x-rays;
-ology, study of X-rays. See also R”ntgen
ROF Royal Ordnance Factory
Roffen: sig. of Bp. of Rochester (colon)
Rogation Sunday
that before Ascension Day
Rogers (Bruce)
1870-1951, US typographer, designer of Centaur type
Roget (Peter Mark)
1779 1869, compiled Thesaurus
rognons (Fr. m.), kidneys
rogues' gallery
not rogue's
Rohilkhand
Uttar Pradesh, India, not Rohilc-, -und
Rohmer (Eric)
b. 1920, French film-director; -- (Sax), pseud. of Arthur
Sarsfield Ward, 1883-1959, British mystery-writer
Romain (Jules)
c.1499-1546, Italian architect, but use Giulio Romano
Romains (Jules)
1885-1972, French writer
romaji Roman alphabet used to transliterate Japanese
roman (typ.), ordinary upright letters as distinct from bold or
italic; abbr. rom.
Roman Catholic/ (caps.), abbr. RC; -- Church (caps.), abbr. RCC
roman-…-clef
(Fr. m.), novel about real people under disguised identities,
pl. romans-…-clef
Roman de la Rose
thirteenth-cent. French allegorical verse romance, source of
Romaunt of the Rose, attributed to Chaucer
Roman‚e-ContЎ
a red burgundy wine
Romanes gypsy language
Romanes lectures
at Oxford Univ.
Romanesque
style of architecture between classical and Gothic
roman-fleuve
(Fr. m.), long novel about same characters over a period, pl.
romans-fleuves
Romania/, -n
the official Romanian spelling, now preferred to the traditional
English Roum- or Rum-
romanize not -ise
roman numerals
see numerals
Romanov Russian dynasty, 1613-1917, not -of, -off
Romans (the Epistle to the);
abbr. Rom. (NT)
Romansh Rhaeto-Romanic, dial. of E. Switzerland, not Rou-, Ru-, -ansch,
-onsch
Romany a gypsy, not -ncy, -mmany (cap.)
Romaunt of the Rose
see Roman de la Rose
Romeo/ a young lover, pl. -s (cap.)
Romney (George)
1734-1802, English painter
Romney Marsh
Kent
romneya poppy-like shrub
Romsey Hants
Ronaldsay Orkney; Ronaldshay (Earl of), Marquess of Zetland's heir
Ronaldsway Airport
I.o.M.
Ronda Spain
rondeau/ a form of poem; pl. -x
rondel a special form of the rondeau
rondo/ (mus.), a movement with recurring main theme; pl. -s
rone a water-pipe
Roneo/ propr. term for machine used to duplicate documents; as noun pl.
-s; as verb roneo/, -es, -ed, -ing
R”ntgen (Julius)
1855-1934, Dutch composer; -- (Wilhelm Konrad von), 1845-1923,
German physicist, discoverer of R”ntgen (or X-) rays. See also
roentgen
rood abbr. ro.
roof/-garden, -rack, -top
(hyphens)
rooinek (Afrik.), an Englishman, not roi-
rook (chess), abbr. R, also a bird
Rooke (Sir George)
1650-1709, English admiral
room abbr. rm.
rooming-house
(hyphen)
room-mate (hyphen)
room service
(two words)
Roosevelt (Franklin Delano)
1882-1945, US President 1933-45; -- (Theodore), 1858-1919, US
President 1901-9
roost (to rule the)
to dominate, not now roast
root to rummage, to give support, to search out. See also rout
rop/e, -ing, -y
rope/-dancer, -ladder, -walk
(hyphens)
Roquefort a Fr. cheese
rorqual a whale
Rorschach test
(psych.) (with ink-blots)
rosaceous of the rose family
Rosalind in Shakespeare's As You Like It, and Spenser's Shepheardes
Calendar
Rosaline in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost, Romeo and Juliet
rosary (RCC) (beads for) set of devotions. See also rosery
Roscommon Ireland
rose (Fr. m.), pink colour; (f.) a rose; couleur de --, roseate,
attractive
ros‚ (Fr. m.), pink wine
Rosebery (Earl of)
not -berry, -bury
rose/-bowl, -bud, -bush
(hyphens)
rosella Austral. parakeet
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
in Shakespeare's Hamlet
Rosenkranz (Johann Karl Friedrich)
1805-79, German metaphysical philosopher
Rosenkreuz
see Rosicrucian
roseola (med.), rosy rash, German measles
rose-red (hyphen)
rosery a rose-garden. See also rosary
rose-water
(hyphen)
rosewood (one word)
rosey use rosy
Rosh Hashanah
the Jewish New Year's Day
Rosicrucian
(a member) of an order devoted to occult lore, founded by
Christian Rosenkreuz, 1484
rosin a solid residue from turpentine distillation, used esp. on
strings of musical instruments. See also resin
Rosinante see Rocinante
Roskilde/ Denmark; -- (Treaty of), 1658, between Denmark and Sweden
ROSLA raising of school-leaving age
Roslin Lothian
Rosny (Joseph Henry)
joint pseud. of French novelist brothers Joseph Henri Bo‰x,
1856-1940, and S‚raphin Justin Fran‡ois Bo‰x, 1859-1948
rosoli/o a sweet cordial of S. Europe, pl. -os, not -oglio, -oli (not
cap.)
RoSPA Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Ross (Sir James Clark)
1800-62, English Arctic explorer; -- (Sir John), 1777-1856, his
uncle, Scottish explorer; -- (Sir Ronald), 1857-1932, English
physician (malaria-mosquito)
Rosse (Earl of)
Rossetti (Christina Georgina)
1830-94, English poet; -- (Dante Gabriel), 1828-82, her brother,
English painter and poet; -- (Gabriele), 1783-1854, Italian poet
and liberal, father of the other three; -- (William Michael),
1829-1919, his son, English author and critic
Rosslyn (Earl of).
See also Roslin
Ross-shire
(hyphen); now the district of Ross and Cromarty
Rostand (Edmond)
1868-1918, French playwright
roster a list of persons, showing rotation of duties
Rostropovich (Mstislav)
b. 1927, Russian cellist and conductor
rostr/um speaker's platform, pl. -a (not ital.)
ros/y not -ey; -ily
rot/, -ted, -ting
rota/ a roster; pl. -s
Rotarian a member of a Rotary Club (cap.)
rotary revolving, not rotatory; (typ.) printing machine in which the
plate(s) are mounted on a cylinder
Rotary Club
a branch of the world-wide Rotary Movement, aiming at service to
humanity (caps.)
rotator a revolving part, (anat.) a muscle that rotates a limb
rotatory use rotary
Rotavator propr. term for a rotary cultivator (cap.)
rotchet garment, use rochet
rote mechanical memory or performance
Rothamsted
Herts., agric. station for soil research
Rothe (Richard)
1799-1867, German theologian
Rothes Grampian; -- (Earl of)
Rothschild
European family of bankers
r“ti (Fr. m.), roast meat
rotifer/ minute aquatic animal, pl. -s; Rotifera, phylum containing them
rotogravure
(typ.), printing from photogravure cylinders on a web-fed rotary
press
RP read for press, received pronunciation, Reformed Presbyterian,
reply paid, reprint, (Fr.) R‚v‚rend PЉre (Reverend Father),
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
RPC Royal Pioneer Corps
RPE Reformed Protestant Episcopal
RPI retail price index
RPM resale price maintenance
r.p.m. revolutions per minute. In scientific and technical work rev/min
(no points) is preferred
RPO Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
r.p.s. revolutions per second. See also r.p.m.
RPS Royal Philharmonic Society, Royal Photographic Society
RSA Royal Scottish Academ/y, -ician, Royal Society of Arts
RSAA Royal Society for Asian Affairs
RSC Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Society of Chemistry
RSD Royal Society of Dublin
RSE Royal Society of Edinburgh
RSFSR Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, one (and by far
the largest) of the republics forming the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR, q.v.)
RSH Royal Society of Health
R. Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
RSL Royal Society of Literature
RSM Regimental Sergeant-Major, Royal School of Mines, Royal Society
of Medicine, Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain
RSMA Royal Society of Marine Artists
RSO railway sub-office, -- sorting office
RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
RSPCA Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
RSRE Royal Signals and Radar Establishment
RSV Revised Standard Version (of Bible)
RSVP r‚pondez, s'il vous plaЊt (please reply) (not to be used in
writings in the third person)
rubric instruction in liturgical book, orig. printed in red; special
passage or heading
ruby (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 5.5 pt.
ruc, -ck, -kh,
a fabulous bird, use roc
RUC Royal Ulster Constabulary
ruch/e a quilling or frilling, -ing, not rou-
rudd a fish, not rod
Rudesheimer
a Rhine wine
rue to regret; rueful, ruing
RUE (theat.), right upper entrance
ruff a bird, fem. reeve; a fish (not ruffe); a frill worn round the
neck; (cards) to trump, a trumping
ruga/ (Lat.), a wrinkle; pl. -ae
Rugbeian member of Rugby School
Rugby football
(one cap.), colloq. rugger (not cap.)
Ruhmkorff/ (Heinrich Daniel)
1803-77, German electrician; -- coil
RUKBA Royal United Kingdom Beneficent Association
"Rule, Britannia!"
(comma)
rullock use rowlock
Rumania/, -n
use Romania/, -a, q.v.
Rumansh use Rom-
rumba not rhumba
rumb-line use rh-
Rumelia/ an area of the Balkans, mainly in Bulgaria; -n; not Rou-
rumen/ ruminant's first stomach, pl. -s
rumin/ant an animal that chews the cud; -ator, one who ponders, not -er
Rumpelstiltskin
a dwarf in German folklore
run (naut.), deserted; abbr. R.
runabout small light vehicle (one word)
runaway (noun and adj., one word)
Runeberg (John Ludwig)
1804-77, Finnish poet
running/ headline
or -- title (typ.), see headlines
Runnymede meadow on R. Thames where King John signed Magna Charta, 1215
runoff (noun, one word)
run/ on (typ.), continued operation of press subsequent to first (or
stated amount of) copy; (matter) to be set without break or
paragraph; -- round, set text etc. round three or more sides of
block etc.
runway (one word)
rupee abbr. Re, pl. Rs
Rupert's Land (Bp. of)
Canada
ruralize not -ise
RUSI Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies
rus in urbe
(Lat.), the country within a town
Russ. Russia, -n
Russel (Alexander)
1814-76, editor of the Scotsman
Russell cord
a ribbed fabric (two words)
Russell (Bertrand Arthur William, Earl)
1872-1970, English philosopher and mathematician; -- (Baron, of
Liverpool); also family name of Duke of Bedford and Barons
Ampthill and De Clifford; -- (George), see A.E.; -- (Jack),
breed of dog
Russia/, -n
abbr. Russ.; (typ.) 36 letters, of which 4 were abolished in the
New Orthography of 1918; for details see Hart's Rules, p. 120
rut/, -ted, -ting, -ty
Ruth not to be abbr.
ruthenium symbol Ru
Rutherford (Ernest, Baron)
1871-1937, New Zealand scientist; -- (Mark), 1831-1913, pseud.
of William Hale White, English writer
S siemens, sulphur, (on timepiece regulator) slow, the eighteenth
in a series
S. Sabbath, Saint, school, series, Signor, Socialist, Society,
soprano, south, -ern, sun, Sunday, surplus, (Fr.) saint (saint),
(Ger.) Seite (page), (Lat.) sepultus (buried), socius or
sodalis (Fellow)
s. second, -s (of time or angle) (no point in scientific and
technical work), section, see, sets, shilling, -s, sign, -ed,
singular, (meteor.) snow, solo, son, spherical, stem, (meteor.)
stratus cloud, substantive, succeeded, (Fr.) siЉcle (century),
sud (south), (Ger.) siehe (see), (Lat.) semi (half), (It.)
sinistra (left)
s/ (Fr.), sur (on), e.g. Boulogne s/M = Boulogne-sur-mer
's abbr. for Du. des (of the), as 's-Gravenhage (The Hague) $ or
the dollar mark; to be before, and close up to, the numerals
SA the Salvation Army, sex appeal, South Africa, South America,
South Australia, (Fr.) Soci‚t‚ Anonyme (Co.), (Ger.)
Sturm-Abteilung (Nazi storm-troops)
sa. sable
s.a. sine anno (without date)
Saar/ river and region, -land, province, W. Germany (one word)
Sabaean of ancient Yemen
Sabah part of Malaysia
Sabaism star-worship in anc. Arabia and Mesopotamia (cap.)
Sabaoth (Lord (God) of)
(Scrip.), Lord of Hosts (cap.). See also sabbath
Sabatini (Rafael)
1875-1950, Anglo-Italian author
Sabbatarian/, -ism
(caps.)
sabbath/ (day)
(not cap.); -- day's journey (Heb.), about two thirds of a mile.
See also Sabaoth
saga/ Norse (spec. Icelandic) prose narrative; hence any long or
heroic story; pl. -s
sagesse (Fr. f.), wisdom
Saghalien Island
use sakhalin
sago/ palm or starch produced from it, pl. -s
sahib (Ind.), European master, gentleman; (cap.) an honorific affix,
as Smith Sahib; fem. memsahib; pukka sahib, perfect gentleman
Saidpur India, not Sayyid-
saignant/ fem. -e (Fr. cook.), underdone
Saigon Vietnam, now Ho Chi Minh City
sailcloth (one word)
sailed abbr. sld.
sail/er ship of specified power; -or, seaman
sailing/-boat, -ship
(hyphens)
Sailors' Home
not -'s
sailplane (one word)
sainfoin (bot.), a leguminous fodder-plant, not saint-
Saint abbr. S. or St, pl. SS or Sts; in alphabetic arrangement always
place under Saint, not under St-. In Fr. small s and space after
if relating to the person of a saint, as saint Jean, but cap. S
and hyphen if relating to the name of a place or person or
saint's day: as Saint-ђtienne, Sainte-Beuve, la
Saint-Barth‚lemy. In Fr. abbr. S., fem. Ste, for the persons
of Saints; St-, fem. Ste-, in names of places, of persons other
than saints, or of saints' days. In Ger. Sankt, abbr. St. In
It. & Sp. San, Santo, Santa, according to gender and form of
name; similarly in Port. Santa
St Abbs but St Abb's Head, Borders; St Albans, Herts. (no apos.); St
Albans (Bp. and Duke of); St Albans:, sig. of the Bp. (colon);
St Alban's Head, Dorset (apos.); St Aldwyn (Earl); St Andrew's
Day, 30 Nov.; St Andrews, Dunkeld, and Dunblane (Bp. of); St
Andrews (University), Fife (no apos.); St Anne's College,
Oxford; St Anne's Day, 26 July; St Anne's on Sea, Lancs. (no
hyphens, apos.); St Anthony's fire, erysipelas; St Antony's
College, Oxford; St Arvans, Gwent (no apos.); St Aubin, Jersey,
not n's; St Barnabas's Day, 11 June; St Bartholomew's Day, see
Bartholomew Day, 24 Aug.; St Bees (Head, School) (St Begha's),
Cumbria (no apos.); St Benet's Hall, Oxford; St Bernard (dog or
Pass); St Boswells, Borders (no apos.); St Catharine's College,
Cambridge; St Catherine's College, formerly Society, Oxford; St
Clears, Dyfed (no apos.); St Clement's Day, 23 Nov.; St
Crispin's Day, 25 Oct.; St Cross Church and College, Oxford; St
Davids (Head), Dyfed, and Viscount St Davids (no apos.); St
David's Day, 1 Mar.; St Denis's Day, 9 Oct.; St Dunstan's Day,
19 May; St Edm. and Ipswich, sig. of present Bp. of St
Edmundsbury and Ipswich; St Edmund Hall, Oxford; St Edmund's
House, Cambridge; St Elmo's fire, an electric discharge; Saint
ђmilion, a claret; Saint ђstЉphe, a claret; Saint ђtienne, d‚p.
Loire, France; Saint-Exup‚ry (Antoine Jean Baptiste Marie Roger
de), 1900-44, French aviator and writer; St Fillans, Tayside (no
apos.); Saint- Gall or St Gallen, Switz.; St George's Channel
(apos.); St George's Day, 23 Apr.; St Germans (Bishop and Earl
of); St Giles', Oxford street; St Gotthard, Switz., not Goth-;
St Gregory's Day, 12 Mar.; St Helens, Cumbria, IW, Merseyside,
and Baron St Helens (no apos.); St Ive, Corn.; St Ives, Cambs.,
Corn., Dorset (no apos.); St James's, the British court; St
James's Day, 25 July; St James's Palace, Park, Square, Street,
London; St John, as proper name pron. sinjun (with stress on
first syllable); Saint John, New Brunswick; St John Ambulance
Association, Brigade, not John's; St John's, Antigua,
Newfoundland, Quebec; St John's College, Oxford, Cambridge,
Durham; St John the Baptist's Day, 24 June; St John the
Evangelist's Day, 27 Dec.; St John's Wood, London; St John's
wort, hypericum; Saint-Julien, a claret; St Just, Cornwall, and
Baron St Just; St-Just-in-Roseland, Cornwall (hyphens);
Saint-Just (Louis Antoine L‚on de), 1767-94, French
revolutionary; St Kitts (no apos.), St Christopher Island, WI;
St Lambert's Day, 17 Sept.; St Lawrence River, Canada; St
Lawrence's Day, 10 Aug.; St Leger, a race; as surname pron.
sillinger or sentlejer (with stress on first syllable); St
Leonards, Bucks., Dorset, Lothian, Strathclyde, and Baron St
Leonards (no apos.); St Leonards-on-Sea, E. Sussex (hyphens, no
apos.); St Lucia, WI, indep. 1979; St Luke's Day, 18 Oct.; St
Luke's summer, mid-Oct.; St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent; St
Margaret's Day, 20 July; St Mark's Day, 25 Apr.; St
Martin-in-the- Fields, London church, not Martin's (hyphens); St
Martin's Day, 11 Nov.; St Martin's summer, mid-Nov.; St Mary
Abbots, Kensington (no apos.); St Mary Church, S. Glam. (three
words); St Marychurch, Devon (two words); St Mary Cray, London
(no 's); St Matthew's Day, 21 Sept.; St Matthias's Day, 24 Feb.
(s's); St Mawes, Corn.; St Michael and All Angels' Day, 29
Sept.; St Michael's Mount, Corn.; Mont-Saint- Michel, Fr.
(hyphens); St Neot, Corn.; St Neots, Cambs. (no apos.); St
Nicholas, patron of Russia, town in Belgium; St Nicholas's
clerks, thieves; St Olaf, patron of Norway; St Patrick's Day, 17
Mar.; St Paul, Minn.; St Paul de Loanda, W. Africa, use Luanda;
St Paul's, London; St Paul's Cray, London; St Paul's Day, 25
Jan.; St Peter Port, Guernsey, not Peter's; St Peter's, Rome; St
Peter's Day, 29 June; St Petersburg (Petrograd), now Leningrad;
St Philip and St James's Day, 1 May; Saint-Pierre, a claret;
Saint-Pierre (Jacques Henri Bernardin de), 1737-1814, French
author; Saint-Sa‰ns (Charles Camille), 1835-1921, French
composer; St Sepulchre (Church of); Saint-Simon (Claude Henri de
Rouvroy, comte de), 1760-1825, founder of French socialism,
whence Saint-Simonism, a form of socialism; Saint-Simon (Louis
de Rouvroy, duc de), 1675-1755, French diplomat and writer; St
Simon and St Jude's Day, 28 Oct.; St Stephen, Corn.; St
Stephen's, the Houses of Parliament; St Stephen's Day, 26 Dec.;
St Swithun, see Swithun; St Thomas's Day, 21 Dec.; St
Valentine's Day, 14 Feb.; St Vitus's dance, chorea (s's)
Sainte-Beuve (Charles Augustin)
1804-69, French literary critic
Sainte-Claire Deville (Henri ђtienne)
1818-81, French chemist (one hyphen)
saintfoin use sainfoin
saintpaulia
Alfrican violet
Saintsbury (George Edward Bateman)
1845-1933, English literary critic
Sakandarabad
Hyderahad, India, use Secunder-; Uttar Pradesh, India, use
Sikandarabad
sake a Japanese fermented liquor, not -k‚, -ki
Sakhalin island, E. Asia, not now Saghalien, Karafuto
Sakharov (Andrei Dimitrievich)
b. 1921, Russian physicist and dissident
saki/ a S. American monkey, pl. -s
Saki pseud. of Hector Hugh Munro, 1870-1916, English writer
salaam oriental salutation, not -lam (not ital.)
salable use sale-
salad days
(two words)
salad/-dressing, -oil
(hyphens)
salade (Fr. f.), salad
salami/ pl. -s, Anglicized form of It. salam/e, pl. -i, a highly
seasoned sausage
Salammb“ by Flaubert, 1862
salariat the salaried class, not -ate
saleable not salable
Salem Madras; Mass. (US); a Nonconformist chapel
Salempur Uttar Pradesh, India
Salesian (member) of an order founded by Don Bosco in honour of St
Francis de Sales
Salic law allegedly limiting succession to certain lands among the Salian
Franks to males, not -ique
sallenders
dry eruption on horse's hind leg, not sellanders
Sallust (in Lat. Gaius Sallustius Crispus), 86-?34 BC, Roman historian;
abbr. Sall.
Sally Lunn
a teacake (caps., two words)
salmagundi
a medley; also a seasoned dish
salmi a ragout, esp. of game; in Fr. m. salmis
salmon trout
(two words)
salon (Fr.), reception-room, room where hairdresser etc. receives
clients, (cap.) annual exhibition of living artists' pictures
(not ital.)
Salonika Greece
Salop now Shropshire
Salp€triЉre (La)
hospital for the aged or insane, Paris
salpicon (Sp. m.), cold minced meat, not -‡on
salsify (bot.), purple goat's-beard, not -afy
SALT Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
saltarello/
It. and Sp. dance, pl. -s
salt-cellar
(hyphen)
salt lake (two words)
Salt Lake City
Utah, US (caps., three words)
salt-mine (hyphen)
Saltoun (Baron)
saltpetre not -peter (one word)
saltus (Lat.), a jump; pl. same
salt water
(hyphen when attrib.)
saluki Arabian gazelle-hound
salutary beneficial, not -ory
salutatory
welcoming, not -ary
Salvador/ properly El Salvador, rep. of Cent. America; adj. -ean
salvage rescue of, to rescue, ship or contents from shipwreck, goods
from fire, etc.; the property salvaged or the payment made
salver a tray. See also salvor
salvo/ simultaneous discharge of guns, bombs, cheers, pl. -es;
reservation, excuse, pl. -s
salvo jure
(Lat.), reserving the right
sal volatile
ammonium carbonate, smelling-salts
salvor one who salvages. See also salver
Salzkammergut
Austria
SAM surface-to-air missile
Sam. Samaritan
Sam. (1, 2)
Samuel, First, Second Book of (OT)
samarium symbol Sm
Samarkand Uzbekistan, USSR, not -cand, -quand
sambo/ half-breed esp. of Negro and Indian or European blood, (cap.,
derog.) a Negro, pl. -s
sambok (Afrik.), use sjambok
Sam Browne (belt)
officer's, with shoulder strap
S. Amer. South America, -n
samizdat secret publication of banned matter
Samoyed a Mongolian of NW Siberia, a breed of dog, not -oied, -oide,
-oyede
sampan Chinese boat, not san-
Sampson (Dominie)
in Scott's Guy Mannering
Samuel, First, Second Book of (OT)
abbr. 1 Sam., 2 Sam.
samurai Japanese mil. class (sing. and pl.)
Sana'a N. Yemen
sanatorium/
not sanitarium; pl. -s
sanatory healing. See also sanitary
sanbenito/
penitential garment, pl. -s
Sancho Panza
Don Quixote's squire
Sancho-Pedro
card-game (caps., hyphen)
sanctum/ a retreat, pl. -s; -- sanctorum (Lat.), holy of holies in Jewish
temple, a special retreat, pl. sancta sanctorum (not ital.)
Sand (George, not Georges)
pseud. of Madame Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin, baronne
Dudevant, 1804-76, French novelist
sandal/, -led
sandarac realgar, resin, not -ach
Sandars Reader
Camb.
sand/bag, -bank
(one word)
sand-blast
(noun and verb, hyphen)
Sandburg (Carl)
1878-1967, US poet
sand-castle
(hyphen)
sandhi (gram.), change in form of word due to its position
sand/paper, -piper
(bird) (one word)
sand-pit (hyphen)
sand/stone, -storm
(one word)
sandwich-board
(hyphen)
sandwich course
(two words)
sang-de-boeuf
(Fr. m.), a deep-red colour
sang-froid
composure (hyphen, not ital.)
sangria Spanish drink (ital.)
Sanhedrin supreme council in anc. Jerusalem, not -im
sanitarium
use sanatorium
sanitary healthy, not -ory. See also sanatory
sanitize not -ise
Sankt (Ger.), saint; abbr. St.
sannup (Amer.-Ind.), husband of a squaw, not -op
sannyasi Hindu religious mendicant
sanpan use sam-
sans (Fr.), without
San Salvador
cap. of El Salvador
sans/ appel
(Fr.), without appeal; -- c‚r‚monie, informally; -- changer,
without changing
Sanscrit use Sansk-
sansculott/e
in Fr. Rev., a man of the lower classes; a strong republican or
revolutionary, pl. -es; -erie, -ism, -ist (one word); in Fr. m.
sans-culott/e (hyphen), -isme
sans doute
(Fr.), no doubt
sanserif (typ.), any typeface without serifs, not sans serif
Sansevieria
(bot.), a genus of lily
sans/ fa‡on
(Fr.), informally; -- faute, without fail; -- g€ne, free and
easy (hyphen if used as a noun)
Sanskrit not -crit, abbr. Skt.; (typ.) printed in Devanagari alphabet
with some 50 letters and various added vowel-marks; many
ligatures exist
sans/ pareil
(Fr.), unequalled; -- peine, without difficulty; -- peur et sans
reproche, fearless and blameless; -- phrase, without
circumlocution
sans serif
(typ.), use sanserif
Sanssouci palace of Frederick II at Potsdam (one word)
sans/ souci
(Fr.), without cares; -- tache, stainless
Santa (It., Sp., Port.), female saint; abbr. Sta
Santa Claus
not Kl-
Santa Fe NM, US, and Argentina (no accent)
Santander N. Spain (one word)
Santayana (George)
1863-1952, Spanish-born US philosopher
Santenot a burgundy wine
Santo Domingo
former name of the Dominican Republic, WI; name of its capital,
formerly Ciudad Trujillo
Sapph/o c. 600 BC, Greek poetess of Lesbos; adj. -ic, but sapphic/
metre, -- verse (not cap.); sapphics, verse in sapphic stanzas;
Sapphism, homosexual relations between women
Sar. Sardinia, -n
saraband stately Sp. dance, music for this, not -bande
Saragossa Spain; in Sp. Zaragoza
sarai use serai
Sarajevo Yugoslavia, not Se-
sarape use serape
Sarawak part of Malaysia
sarcenet use sars-
sarcom/a (path.), a tumour; pl. -ata
sarcophag/us
stone coffin; pl. -i
Sardinia in It. Sardegna; abbr. Sar.
Sardou (Victorien)
1831-1908, French playwright
saree use sari
sargasso/ seaweed, pl. -s
Sargent (John Singer)
1856-1925, US painter; -- (Sir Harold Malcolm Watts), 1895-1967,
English conductor
sarong a Malay or Javanese long garment for man or woman
sarsaparilla
(med.) dried root of a tropical American smilax
sarsenet a fabric, not sarc-
Sartor Resartus
"the tailor re-tailored", by Carlyle, 1833-4
Sartre (Jean Paul)
1905-80, French philosopher
Sarum: sig. of Bp. of Salisbury (colon)
SAS Special Air Service
SASC Small Arms School Corps
sash/-cord, -window
(hyphens)
Saskatchewan
Canada; abbr. Sask.
sassafras (bot. and med.), N. American tree; an infusion from its bark,
not sasse-
Sassan/ian, -id
(member) of Persian dynasty ruling AD 211-651, not Sasa-
Sat. Saturday
Satan (cap.)
satanic devilish (not cap. unless directly referring to Satan)
SATB (mus.), soprano, alto, tenor, bass
sateen a shiny fabric, not satt-
sati use suttee
satinet a thin satin, not -ette
satire literary work holding up folly or vice to ridicule. See also
satyr
satirize not -ise
satrap/ anc. Persian viceroy; -y, his province or office
sat sapienti
(Lat.), sufficient for a wise man
satsuma kind of orange, (cap.) Japanese pottery
satteen use sateen
Saturday abbr. Sat.
Saturnalia
(Lat. pl.), anc. Rom. orgiastic festival of Saturn; (gen., not
cap.) time or occasion of wild revelry (in this sense commonly
sing.); adj. saturnalian (not cap.)
Saturnian of the god or planet Saturn
satyr/ (Gr. and Rom. myth.) a woodland deity with human appearance but
horse's ears and tail (goat's in Rom. myth.); a lascivious man;
adj. -ic, type of Greek drama with chorus of satyrs. See also
satire
Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow (two words)
saucisse (Fr. f.), fresh pork sausage
saucisson (Fr. m.), large highly seasoned sausage
Saudi Arabia
formerly Hejaz, Nejd, and Asir
sauerkraut
(Ger.), chopped pickled cabbage
Saumur a champagne
sauna bath
(two words)
sausage/-dog
(colloq.), -meat, -roll (hyphens)
saut/‚ (food) lightly fried; to cook in this way; -‚d, not -eed
Sauterne a white Bordeaux wine from Sauternes, d‚p. Gironde, France
sauve qui peut
(Fr.), let him save himself who can
savannah a treeless plain of subtropical regions
Savannah river and town, Ga., US; town, Tenn., US
savant/ man of learning, pl. -s; fem. -e, pl. -es (not ital.)
Savigny a red hurgundy
Savile/ family name of Earl of Mexborough; -- (Baron); -- Club, -- Row,
London; -- (Sir Henry), 1549-1622, founder of Savilian chairs at
Oxford, not -ille
savin kind of juniper; its dried tips used as a drug, not -ine
savings/ bank, -- certificate
(two words)
savoir/-faire
(Fr.), skill, tact; ---vivre, good breeding (hyphens)
Savonarola (Girolamo)
1452-98, Italian religious reformer
savory the herb
savoury appetiz/er, -ing
Savoyard of Savoy (region or theatre)
saw/fish, -mill, -tooth
(one word)
sax colloq. for saxophone; slater's chopper, not zax
Sax. Saxon, Saxony
Sax (Adolphe)
1814-94, Belgian inventor of saxhorn and saxophone. See also
Sachs, Saxe
Saxe (Saxony), in Ger. Sachsen
Saxe (Hermann Maurice, comte de)
1696-1750, French marshal; -- (John Godfrey), 1816-87, US poet
and humorous writer. See also Sachs, Sax
Saxe/-Altenburg, ---Coburg-Gotha, ---Meiningen, ---Weimar
(hyphens), former duchies in E. Germany, incorporated in
Thuringia (Coburg in Bavaria), 1919; in Ger. Sachsen-
saxhorn brass wind instrument with long winding tube and bell opening
Saxon/, -y
abbr. Sax.
saxophone brass wind instrument with keys and reed like that of clarinet,
colloq. sax
SC South Carolina, Special Constable, Staff College, -- Corps,
Supreme Court, (Lat.) senatus consultum (a decree of the
Senate), (law) same case, (paper) super-calendered
Sc scandium (no point)
Sc. Scotch, Scots, Scottish
sc. scene, scruple, (Lat.) scilicet (namely)
s.c. (typ.), small capitals (without points as a proof-correction
mark)
sc. sculpsit (carved or engraved this)
Sca Fell English mountain, Cumbria, not Scaw -- (two words)
Scafell Pike
highest English mountain (two words)
scagliola imitation marble, not scal-
scal/a (anat.), a canal in the cochlea; pl. -ae
Scala (La), theatre, Milan
scalable not -eable
scalar (math.), a non-vector number
scald anc. Scand. composer and reciter, use skald
scaler one who, or that which, scales
Scaliger (Joseph Justus)
1540-1609, French philologist; -- (Julius Caesar), 1484-1558,
his father, Italian-born scholar
scaliola use scagl-
scallop/ a shellfish, also used in cook. and dressmaking; -ed, -ing, not
sco-, escallop
scallywag ill-fed animal, scamp, not scalla-
scampi (pl.) large prawns, (sing.) a dish of these
scan/ to analyse metre (of verse), to be metrically sound, to survey
intently or quickly, -ned, -ning, -sion
Scand. Scandinavia, -n
scandalize
not -ise
scandal/um magnatum
(Lat.), defamation of high personages, pl. -a magnatum; abbr.
scan. mag.
Scandinavia/, -n
abbr. Scand.
scandium symbol Sc
SCAPA Society for Checking the Abuses of Public Advertising
s. caps. (typ.), small capitals; in proof-reading use sc
scar craggy part of cliff etc., not scaur
Scarborough
N. Yorks.
Scarbrough (Earl of)
scar/f pl. -ves
scarlatina
scarlet fever, not scarlet-
Scarlatti (Alessandro)
1660-1725, and -- (Domenico), 1685-1757, his son, Italian
composers
Scarlett family name of Baron Abinger
scaur use scar
Scaw Fell use Sca Fell
Sc.B. Scientiae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Science)
SCC Sea Cadet Corps
Sc.D. Scientiae Doctor (Doctor of Science)
SCE Scottish Certificate of Education
scen/a (It., Lat.), scene in a play or opera; It. pl. -e, Lat. pl. -ae
scenario/ outline of a ballet, play, or film; pl. -s
scЉne (Fr. f.), scene, stage; en --, on the stage
Scenes of Clerical Life
by George Eliot, 1858, not from
scent-bottle
(hyphen)
scep/sis philosophic doubt; -tic, one inclined to disbelieve; adj.
-tical, not sk-
SCGB Ski Club of Great Britain
sch. scholar, school, schooner
schadenfreude
(Ger. f.), malicious delight in others' misfortune
Schadow (Friedrich)
1789-1862, German painter; -- (Johann Gottfried), 1764-1850,
German sculptor, father of Rudolph and Friedrich; -- (Rudolph),
1786-1822, German sculptor
Sch„fer (E. A.)
see Sharpey-Schafer
schako use shako
schallot, schalom
use sh-
Schaumburg-Lippe
W. Germany (hyphen)
Scheele/ (Karl Wilhelm)
1742-86, German chemist; --'s green (apos.)
Scheherazade
the relater in The Arabian Nights
Schelde river, Belgium-Holland; in Fr. Escaut; (not -dt)
Schelling (Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von)
1775-1854, German philosopher
schem/a (Gr.), an outline; pl. -ata
schematize
not -ise
schemozzle
use sh-
Schenectady
NY, US
scherzando/
(mus.), in a playful or lively manner; as noun, pl. -s
scherzo/ (mus.), a playful or vigorous piece or movement; pl. -s
Schiedam (cap.), Hollands gin, schnapps
Schiehallion
Mt., Tayside
Schiller (Johann Christoph Friedrich von)
1759-1805, German poet
schilling Austrian coin
Schimmelpenninck (Mary Anne, Mrs)
1778-1856, English writer
schipperke
a breed of dog
schizanthus
(bot.), the butterfly-flower
schizo/ colloq. for schizophrenic, pl. -s
Schleswig-Holstein
W. Germany (hyphen)
Schliemann (Heinrich)
1822-90, German archaeologist
schlieren forming patterns of light to show variation of density etc.
schmaltz sentimentalism, not sh-, -alz (not ital.)
schnapps (Ger.), strong spirit, not -aps
schnauzer German breed of dog
schnitzel (Ger.), veal cutlet; Wiener --, this fried in breadcrumbs (one
cap.)
Schuman (Robert)
1886-1963, French statesman; -- (William Howard), b. 1910, US
composer
Schumann (Robert Alexander)
1810-56, German composer
SchЃtz (Heinrich)
1585-1672, German composer
Schutzstaffel
(Ger. f.), Nazi ‚lite corps, abbr. SS
Schuyler (Eugene)
1840-90, US writer; -- (Philip John), 1733-1804, US statesman
and soldier
Schuylkill
town and river, Pa., US
schwa (phonetics), indistinct vowel sound, not sheva, shwa
schw„rmerei
(Ger. f.), a sentimental enthusiasm
Schwarzerd
see Melanchthon
Schwarzkopf (Elisabeth)
b. 1915, Polish-born soprano
Schwarzwald
(Ger.), the Black Forest
Schweinfurt/
Bavaria; -- blue, -- green, etc.
Schweinfurth (Georg August)
1836-1925, German traveller in Africa
Schweitzer (Albert)
1875-1965, German philosopher, theologian, organist, med.
missionary at Lambar‚n‚, Fr. Equatorial Africa (now Gabon)
Schweiz (die)
Ger. for Switzerland
Schwyz canton and its capital in Switz.
sci. scien/ce, -tific
scia/graphy
art of the perspective of shadows, X-ray radiography; -gram,
-graph, -graphic; -machy, fighting with shadows; not scio-,
skia-
science abbr. sci.
science fiction
(two words); colloq. sci-fi, abbr. SF
scienter knowingly
scientific
abbr. sci.
scientology
religious system based on study of knowledge (not cap.)
scilicet (Lat.), namely; abbr. sc.
Scill/y (Isles of)
off Cornwall; adj. -onian
scimitar oriental sword, not the many variants
Scind Pakistan, use Sind
scintilla/
a spark, trace; pl. -s
sciography
etc., use scia-
scion not cion
scirocco use si-
Sclavic etc., use Sl-
sclerom/a pl. -ata, scleros/is, pl. -es (med.), hardening
SCM State Certified Midwife, Student Christian Movement
Sc.M. Scientiae Magister (Master of Science)
Scofield (Paul)
b. 1922, British actor
scollop use sca-
Scone Tayside
SCONUL Standing Conference of National and University Libraries
score (bind.), to break the surface of board to help folding
score three-, four-, five-, etc. (one word)
score/-board, -card, -sheet
(hyphens)
scori/a slag; pl. -ae
Scot native of Scotland
Scot. Scotch, Scotland, Scottish
Scotch in Scotland preferred only for phrases -- (whisky), -- broth, --
mist, etc.; otherwise, Scots or Scottish is preferred, hence
also often outside Scotland; abbr. Sc. or Scot.
Scotchman see Scotsman
scot-free (hyphen)
scotice use scottice
Scotic/ism, -ize
use Scott-
Scotism the doctrine of Duns Scotus
Scots/ see Scotch; abbr. Sc.; -- Guards (no apos.)
Scotsman in Scotland and increasingly elsewhere preferred to Scotchman
scottice in Scots dialect (no accent), not scotice
Scotticism
a Scottish expression, not Scoti-
Scotticize
make or become like the Scots, not -ise, Scoti-
Scottie (colloq.), Scottish person or terrier
Scottish in Scotland and increasingly elsewhere preferred to Scotch,
q.v.; not Scotish; abbr. Sc. or Scot.
scouse (colloq.), native or dialect of Liverpool (not cap.)
Scout not now Boy Scout (cap.)
scow a flat-bottomed boat, not skow
SCR Senior Common Room; (Camb.) -- Combination Room
scr. scruple, -s
screen (typ.), a fine grating on film or glass which breaks an
illustration with various tones into dots of the appropriate
size
screenplay
script of a film (one word)
screen printing
see silk screen
Scriabin(e)
use Skriabin
scribes and Pharisees
(cap. P only)
scrips/it (Lat.), wrote this; pl. -erunt or -ere
script (typ.), type resembling handwriting
script. Scriptur/e, -al
scriptori/um
a writing-room; pl. -a
Scriptures (the)
(cap.)
scrolling (comp.), VDU presentation in which text appears to move
vertically up-screen until arrested by operator for editing. See
also paging
Scrooge a miser, from character in Dickens's Christmas Carol (cap.)
scrot/um (anat.), pl. -a
scruple 20 grains; abbr. sc. (See Figure 2 in topic FRONT_4)
scrutator a scrutineer
scrutinize
not -ise
scuba/ acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, pl.
-s
sculduggery
use skul-
sculp. sculpt/or, -ural, -ure
sculps/it (Lat.), engraved, or carved, this; pl. -erunt or -ere; abbr. sc.
or sculps.
sculptures (titles of)
(typ.), when cited, to be in italic
scurry (noun and verb), not sk-
Scutari Albania, not Sk-
scutcheon use escut-
Scylla and Charybdis
(class. myth.), personified rock and whirlpool in Str. of
Messina
SE south-east(ern), (Fr.) Son Excellence (His or Her Excellency)
S/E Stock Exchange
Se selenium (no point)
Sea when with name, to be cap., as North Sea, Sea of Marmara
sea-bed (hyphen)
seaboard (one word)
sea/-borne, -breeze
(hyphens)
SEAC South-East Asia Command
sea change
(two words)
sea/farer, -faring, -food
(one word)
Seaford E. Sussex
Seaforde Co. Down
sea/going, -gull
(one word)
sea-horse (hyphen)
Seal Kent
Seale Surrey
sea/-legs, -level
(hyphens)
sealing-wax
(hyphen)
sealskin (one word)
seamstress
sewing-woman, not semp
Seanad ђireann
Upper House of Irish Parliament
seance a sitting (not ital., no accent); in Fr. f. s‚ance
sea/plane, -port, -scape
(one word)
sear to scorch, wither(ed). See also sere
searchlight
(one word)
search/-party, -warrant
(hyphens)
sea/ serpent, -- shell
(two words)
sea-shore (law), the land between high and low water (hyphen)
sea/sick, -sickness, -side
(one word)
season-ticket
(hyphen)
SEATO South-East Asia Treaty Organization
sea-urchin
(hyphen)
sea-way (hyphen)
sea/weed, -worthy
(one word)
sebaceous fatty, not -ious
Sebastopol
the spelling generally used in contemporary accounts of the
Crimean War. But see Sevastopol
sec (math.) secant (no point); colloq. for second
sec (Fr.), fem. sЉche, dry (ital.)
sec. second, -s (of time or angle, no point in scientific and
technical work), secondary, secretary
sec. see secundum
secateurs (pl.), pair of pruning clippers (no accent, not ital.)
secco/ painting on dry plaster, pl. -s
Sec.-Gen. Secretary-General
Sechuana language of the Bechuanas, use Tswana
Secker & Warburg, Ltd.
publishers
second (adj.), abbr. 2nd
second/, -s
abbr. s. or sec. (but no point in scientific and technical
work); sign "; -- mark ("), symbol for inches or seconds. See
also secund
seconde a fencing parry
second-hand
(adj. and adv., hyphen)
secondo (It. mus.), lower part in a duet
Second World War
1939-45 (caps.); also World War II
secrecy not -sy
sec. reg. secundum regulam (according to rule)
secretaire
a writing-table (not ital.)
secretariat
a secretary's office, members of an administration, not -ate
Secretary head of State department (cap.)
secretary person who deals with correspondence, typing, etc.; a literary
assistant; abbr. sec.
secret/e to hide, to form and separate (blood, sap, etc.); -ion, -or,
-ory
section (typ.), a chapter subdivision, abbr. s., sect. sign °
secularize
not -ise
secund (biol.), on one side only. See also second
Secunderabad
Hyderabad, India, not Sak-, Sek-; but Sikandarabad, Uttar
Pradesh, India
secundo (Lat.), in the second place; abbr. 2o
secundum/ (Lat.), according to, abbr. sec.; -- artem, ditto art, abbr.
sec. art.; -- naturam, naturally, abbr. sec. nat.; -- quid, in
some respects only; -- regulam, according to rule, abbr. sec.
reg.
SED Scottish Education Department
Sedbergh Cumbria
se defendendo
(Lat.), in defending himself, or herself
sedil/e stone seat for priest in chancel of church, usu. one of three,
pl. -ia (not ital.)
seduc/er not -or; -ible, not -eable
s‚duisant/
(Fr.), fem. -e, bewitching
See (the Holy)
the Papacy
see (verb), often italicized in indexes and reference books to
distinguish from words being treated, abbr. s.
Seefried (Irmgard)
1919-88, German soprano
Seeley (Sir John Robert)
1834-95, English hist. writer
Seely family name of Baron Mottistone
see-saw (hyphen)
seethe to boil, not -th
sego/ N. American lily, pl. -s
segue follows
seguidilla/
Sp. dance, music for this, pl. -s
seicento 1600-99, and art-style of that century
seiche a fluctuation in the level of a lake
seigneur/ a feudal lord, not -ior; adj. -ial (not ital.)
seigniorage
superior's prerogative, right of Crown to revenue from bullion,
not seignor-
seigniory lordship
Seine/-et-Marne
abbr. S.-et-M., ---Maritime, ---St.-Denis, French d‚ps.
(hyphens)
seise (law), to put in possession of. See also seize
seisin (law), (taking) possession by freehold, not -zin
seismo/graph
instrument to record force of earthquakes; -logy, study of
earthquakes
Seit/e (Ger. f.), a page, abbr. S., sing. and pl.
seize to grasp. See also seise
seizin use seisin
Sejm Polish Parliament
s‚jour (Fr. m.), sojourn
Sekunderabad
see Sec-
sel. selected
Selangor see Malaysia (Federation of)
Selassie (Haile)
see Haile Selassie
Selborne (Earl of)
Selborne (Natural History of)
by Gilbert White, pub. 1789
selector one who, or that which, selects, not -er
selenium symbol Se
self- is freely added (with hyphen) as a reflexive prefix to nouns,
adjectives, and participles, as self-abuse, self-evident,
self-made, etc. But note selfsame
self-conscious
(hyphen), but unselfconscious (one word)
Seljuk (member) of Turkish dynasties ruling from 11th to 13th cc., not
-ouk
sellanders
use sallenders
selle de mouton
(Fr. f.), saddle of mutton
seller's option
abbr. s.o.
Sellindge Hythe, Kent
Selling Sittingbourne, Kent
Sellotape propr. term for transparent adhesive tape (cap.)
Selsey Glos., E. Sussex, not -sea
seltzer a German mineral water
selvage an edging of cloth, not -edge
Sem. Semitic
semant/ic (adj.), concerning the meaning of words; -ics, the branch of
philology concerned with this
semeio- use semio-
semester a college or university course of half a year (esp. in Germany
and US)
semi/ colloq. for semi-detached house, pl. -s
semi (Lat.), half; abbr. s
semi-barbar/ian, -ic, -ism
-ous (hyphens)
semi-bold (typ.), a weight between light roman and bold
semi/circle, -circular
(one word)
semicolon (one word); see punctuation III
semi/conductor, -final
(one word)
semi-monthly
twice a month (hyphen)
Seminole sing. and pl., Amer. Indian
semi-official
(hyphen)
semi/ology, -otics
branch of linguistics concerned with signs and symbols; (path.)
science of symptoms, not semeio-
semiprecious
(one word)
Semite not Sh-
Semitic abbr. Sem.
Semitize not -ise (cap.)
semi/transparent, -tropical
(one word)
semi-weekly
twice a week (hyphen)
semp. (It. mus.), sempre
semper/ eadem
(Lat. f. sing., and n. pl.), always the same; -- fidelis, always
faithful, pl. -- fideles; -- idem (m. and n. sing.), always
the same
semplice (mus.), in simple style
sempre (mus.), always; abbr. semp.
sempstress
use seams-
SEN State Enrolled Nurse
Sen. Senat/e, -or, Seneca, senior
sen. senior
Senat/e, -or
abbr. Sen.
Senatus (Lat.), the Senate
Senatus Academicus
the governing body in Scottish universities (not ital.)
senatus consultum
a decree of the Senate; abbr. SC
Seneca (Lucius Annaeus)
c.3 BC-AD 65, Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman; abbr. Sen.
Senegal/ W. Africa, rep. 1959, indep. 1960; adj. -ese; in Fr. S‚n‚gal
Senhor/ (Port.), Mr; -a, Mrs; -ita, Miss
senior abbr. sen. or Senr.
seniores priores
(Lat.), elders first
Sennacherib
d. 681 BC, King of Assyria
se non Љ vero Љ ben trovato
(It.), if it is not true, it is well invented
sensori/um
(Lat.), grey matter of brain and spinal cord; pl. -a
sensory pertaining to the senses or sensation
sensual concerned with gratification of the senses, carnal
sensualize
not -ise
sensu/ lato
(Lat.), in the wide sense; -- stricto, in the narrow sense
sens/um (philos.), sense-datum, pl. -a
sensuous pertaining to or affected by the senses in aesthetic terms
sentimentalize
not -ise
Senussi member of fanatic Muslim sect; pl. same
senza (It. mus.), without
Seoul cap. of S. Korea, not Seul, Soul
separate abbr. sep.; (typ.) a reprint of one of a series of items
separator not -er
Sephardi/ Jew of Spanish or Portuguese descent, pl. -m (cap.)
sepoy (hist.), Indian soldier in European service (not cap.)
seppuku (Jap.), hara-kiri
Sept. September, Septuagint, not Sep.
September abbr. Sept.; in Fr. m. septembre, abbr. sept. (not cap.)
septemvir/
(Lat.), one of a committee of seven; pl. -i
septet (mus.), not -ett, -ette
septfoil seven-lobed ornamental figure
septicaemia
blood-poisoning, not -cemia
septime a fencing parry
septuagenarian
person in seventies
Septuagesima Sunday
the third before Lent
Septuagint
Greek version of OT, c.270 BC, abbr. Sept. or LXX
sept/um (biol.), a partition; pl. -a
Sepulchre (Church of St)
not -'s
sepultus (Lat.), buried; abbr. S.
seq. (sing.), sequens (the following), sequente (and in what
follows), sequitur (it follows)
seqq. (pl.), sequentes, sequentia (the following), sequentibus (in the
following places)
sequel/a (path.), a symptom following a disease; pl. -ae
sequen/s, -te
see seq.
sequent/es
(m. f.), -ia (n.), -ibus, see seqq.
sequitur (Lat.), it follows; abbr. seq.
ser. series
serac/ a castellated mass of ice in a glacier; pl. -s (not ital.)
seraglio/ a harem, a Turkish palace, pl. -s
serai a caravanserai, not sar-, -ay
Serajevo use Sa-
serape Sp.-Amer. shawl, not sar-, zar-
seraph/ a celestial being; pl. -s; Heb. pl. -im, not -ims
Serb. Serbian
sere catch of gun-lock; (ecol.) sequence of animal or plant
communities. See also sear
sere/cloths, -ments
use cere-
serein (Fr. m.), rain from cloudless sky
serge large candle, use cierge
sergeant (mil.; but -j- in some official contexts), abbr. Sgt. (cap. as
title). See also serjeant
seriatim serially, point by point
series sing. and pl.; abbr. S. or ser.
serifs (typ.), short lines across the ends of arms and stems of
letters, not ceriphs
Serinagar use Sr-
Seringapatam
Mysore, India
serio-comic
(hyphen)
serjeant (law). See also sergeant
sermonize not -ise
serra (Port.), sierra, mountain range
ser/um the fluid that separates from clotted blood, antitoxin, pl. -a
serviceable
not -able
serviceman
(one word)
serviette table-napkin (not ital.)
servitor an attendant, not -er
servo/ mechanism for powered automatic control of larger system, pl.
-s; as comb. form (with hyphen) denoting machine with this
function, e.g. servo-motor
sesterce Roman coin, in Lat. sesterti/us, pl. -i, symbol HS (no point)
sesterti/um
1,000 sesterces, pl. -a
sestet last six lines of a sonnet. See also sextet
Sesuto use Sesotho
set badger's burrow, shoot for planting, alignment in weaving,
paving-block, (typ.) width of sort, not sett
set-back (noun, hyphen)
S.-et-L. d‚p. France, Saone-et-Loire; S.-et-M., d‚p. France,
Seine-et-Marne
set-off (typ.), unwanted transfer of ink from one sheet to another
set/ piece, -- point
(two words)
sets abbr. s.
sett use set
Settlement (Stock Ex.)
(cap.)
settler one who settles; settlor (law), one who makes a settlement
set-up (adj. and noun, hyphen)
Seul Korea, use Seoul
Sevastopol
Crimea, USSR, but see Sebastopol
Sevenoaks Kent (one word)
Seventh-day Adventist
(two caps., one hyphen)
Seven Years War
1756-63 (caps., no apos.)
S‚vign‚ (Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Madame de)
1626-96, French writer
SЉvres porcelain
sewage/ the refuse that passes through sewers; -- farm, -- works (two
words)
sewerage a system of sewers
sewin salmon trout, not -en
sewing (bind.), the individual sewing of each book-section to its
neighhours. See also stitching
sexagenarian
person in sixties
Sexagesima Sunday
the second before Lent
sex/ -- appeal, -- change, -- maniac
(two words)
sextet (mus.), (a work for) a group of six performers, not -ett, -ette.
See also sestet
sexto (typ.), a book based on 6 leaves, 12 pages, to the sheet; abbr.
6to; sextodecimo or sixteenmo, a book based on 16 leaves, 32
pages, to the sheet; abbr. 16mo
sexualize to attribute sex to, not -ise
Seychelles (Republic of)
Indian Ocean, indep. 1976
Seymour (Jane)
1509-37, 3rd wife of Henry VIII of England
SI SystЉme International d'Unit‚s, a coherent system of scientific
units based on the metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin,
mole, and candela; adopted by the General Conference of Weights
and Measures (CGPM) and endorsed by the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO); Sandwich Islands, Star
of India, Staten Island (NY)
Si silicon (no point)
si (mus.), use te
SIAD Society of Industrial Artists and Designers
sialagogue
an agent inducing a flow of saliva, not sialo-
Siam use Thailand
Siamese/ use Thai, except in set phrases such as -- cat, -- twins
Sib. Siberia, -n
sibilant (adj.) hissing; (noun) letter(s) sounded with a hiss (e.g. s,
sh)
sibyl/ a prophetess; adj. -line; the Sibylline books (one cap.), anc.
Rom. collection of oracles. See also Sybil
Sic. Sicil/y, -ian
sic (Lat.), thus, so (print usu. in brackets, as parenthetical
comment on quoted words)
sice the six on dice. See also syce
Sicilian Vespers
massacre of the French in Sicily, 1282; subject of opera by
Verdi, Les V€pres siciliennes, 1855
sick/-bed, -leave, -pay, -room
(hyphens)
sicut ante
(Lat.), as before
sic vos non vobis
(Lat.), thus you labour, but not for yourselves
Sidney (Sir Philip)
1554-86, English soldier, courtier, writer. See also Syd-
siЉcle (Fr. m.), century; abbr. s.
Siegfried/
a Nibelungenlied hero, eponym of third opera in Wagner's Ring,
1876, not Sig-; -- Line, German fortified line on Franco-German
border before 1939
siehe (Ger.), see; abbr. s.
siehe/ dies
(Ger.), see this (= q.v.), abbr. s.d.; -- oben, = see above,
abbr. s.o.; -- unten, = see below, abbr. s.u.
Siemens (Werner von)
1816-92, German founder of the electrical firm; -- (Sir William,
Karl Wilhelm), 1823-83, his brother, German-born British
engineer
siemens (elec.), unit of conductance, abbr. S
Sienkiewicz (Henryk)
1846-1916, Polish novelist
Sienna Italy
sienna pigment
sierra/ (Sp.), a mountain-chain, pl. -s
Sierra/ Leone
W. Africa, indep. 1961, adj. -- Leonean; -- Madre, Mexican
mountain-chains; -- Nevada, mountain-chain in E. California, US,
and in Spain
siesta/ (Sp.), afternoon rest; pl. -s
SieyЉs (Emmanuel-Joseph)
1748-1836. French statesman
Sig. Signor, -i
sig. signature
Sigfried use Sieg-
sight-read/, -er, -ing
of music (hyphens)
sightsee/r, -ing
(one word)
sigill/um (Lat.), a seal; pl.. -a
sigl/um sign denoting source of text, pl. -a
sign abbr. s.
signal/, -ize
not -ise, -led, -ler, -ling, -ly
signatory one who has signed, not -ary
signature (mus.), the key or time sign at beginning of the stave; (typ.)
complete part of a book, usu. 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 pp.; these are
given letters of the alphabet at foot of first page; text usu.
begins with B, omits J, V, W; when the alphabet is exhausted,
the letters are duplicated as AA, AAA etc.; a, b, c, etc. are
used for prelims.; abbr. sig.
signed abbr. s. or sgd.
Signor/ (It.), Mr, pl. -i, abbr. Sig.; -a, Mrs, pl. -e, -ina, Miss, pl.
-ine
Sikandarabad
Uttar Pradesh, India; but Secunderabad, Hyderabad, India
Sikes (Bill)
in Dickens's Oliver Twist, not Sy-
Sikkim E. Himalayas
Sikorski (Gen. Wladyslaw)
1881-1943, Polish Prime Minister
silhouette
shadow-outline
siliceous of silica, not -ious
silicon chem. element, symbol Si
silicone organic polymer containing silicon
siliqu/a long narrow seed-vessel; pl. -ae
silk screen
(typ.), process based on a stencil supported on a fine mesh
s'il vous plaЊt
(Fr.), if you please; abbr. s.v.p.
simile/ a (literary) likening of one thing to another; pl. -s, not -ies;
adv. (mus.), in the same manner
similia similibus curantur
(Lat.), like cures like
similiter (Lat.), in like manner
simitar use scimitar
Simla cap. of Himachal Pradesh, India
Simonstown
Cape Province, S. Africa (one word)
simoom a hot desert wind, not -oon
simpatico (It.), congenial
simpliciter
(Lat.), absolutely, without qualification
simulacr/um
an image, a deceptive substitute; pl. -a
simultaneous
not -ions
simurg monstrous bird of Persian myth, not -org, -urgh
sin (math.), sine (no point)
Sinaitic of Mount Sinai or the Sinai peninsula (cap.)
Sind Pakistan, not -e, -h, Scinde
Sindbad the sailor, not Sinb-
Sindi/ Sind native; pl. -s
sine (math.), abbr. sin
sine/ (Lat.), without; -- anno, without the date, abbr. s.o.; -- cura,
without office; -- die, without a day (being named), abbr. s.d.;
-- dubio, -- doubt; -- invidia, -- envy; -- legi- tima prole, --
lawful issue, abbr. s.l.p.; -- loco, anno, vel nomine, -- place,
year, or name, abbr. s.l.a.n. -- loco et anno, -- place and date
(of books without imprints, abbr. s.l.e.a.); -- mascula prole
-- male issue, abbr. s.m.p. -- mora, -- delay; -- nomine, --
(printer's) name, abbr. s.n.; -- odio, -- hatred; -- prole
(superstite), -- (surviving) issue, abbr. s.p.(s.); -- qua non,
an indispensable condition, not -- quѓ --
sinfon/ia (It. mus.), an overture or symphony, pl. -s; ietta, a
small-scaled symphony or orchestra, pl. -iettas
sing. singular
Singapore/
island off south end of Malay Peninsula, indep. 1965; adj. -an
sing/e to scorch, -ed, -eing
Singh Indian title, as Ranjit Singh, not -ng
singsong (adj. and noun, one word)
singular abbr. s. or sing.
sinh hyperbolic sine (no point)
Sinha (Baron)
Sinhalese (member of major population group or language) of Sri Lanka, not
Sing-, Cing-
sinister (her.), the shield-bearer's left, the observer's right, opp.
dexter
sinistra (It.), left-hand side, abbr. s.; -- mano (mus.), the left hand,
abbr. SM
Sinn Fein/
the movement for Irish independence; -er, -ism
sinus/ (anat.), cavity in bone or tissue; pl. -es
Sion use Zion
Siou/x N. American Indian; pl. ssme, adj. -an
siphon not sy-
si quis (Lat.), if anyone, first words of notice of ordination
Sirach use Ecclesiasticus
sircar (Ind.), head, the Government, not -kar
sirdar (Ind. etc.), leader. one in command
siren a sea-nymph, a temptress; (device which emits) warning sound,
not sy-
Sirenia order of aquatic mammals
siringe use sy-
sirocco/ wind from Sahara reaching Italy and S. Europe; pl. -s; not sci-
sirup use sy-
sirvente (Fr. m.), medieval Provencal narrative poem
SIS Secret Intelligence Service US
sister/-german
having same parents; -- -in-law, pl. sisters-in-law; --
-uterine, having same mother only (hyphens)
Sistine Chapel
in the Vatican, not Six-
Sisyphean condemned to eternal punishment, like Sisyphus (Gr. myth.)
(cap.)
Sitapur Uttar Pradesh, India
sitting-room
(hyphen)
situs (Lat. sing. and pl.), a site
Sitwell (Dame Edith)
1887-1964, English poet; -- (Sir Osbert), 1892-1969, English
poet, novelist, essayist; -- (Sir Sacheverell), 1897-1988,
English poet and art critic
sitz-bath a hip-bath (hyphen)
Siva Hindu god, not Shiva
Siwalik Hills
India, not Siv-
Six Day War
1967
Six Mile Bottom
Cambs. (three words)
Sixmilebridge
Co. Clare, Co. Limerick (one word)
Sixmilecross
Tyrone (one word)
Six Road Ends
Co. Down (three words)
sixte fencing parry
sixteenmo (typ.), see sexto- decimo
Sixtine use Sistine
sixty-fourmo
(typ.), a book based on 64 leaves, 128 pages, to the sheet
(hyphen); abbr. 64mo
sizable use sizea-
sizar an assisted student
sizeable not -zable
sizes of type
for the names of former sizes see bourgeois, brevier, brilliant,
canon, diamond, double pica, emerald, English gem, great primer,
long primer, minion, nonpareil, paragon, pearl, pica, ruby,
small pica; the point system (q.v.) is now used
SM Sergeant- or Staff-Major, (mus.) short metre, (Fr.) Sa Majest‚
(It.) Sua Maesta, (Sp.) Su Magestad (His, or Her, Majesty),
(Ger.) Seine Majestat (His Majesty, (It. mus.) sinistra mano
(the left hand)
Sm samarium (no point)
sm. small
small capitals
see capitals (small) and proof-correction marks; abbr. sc or s.
caps.
small pica
(typ.), name for a former size of type, about 11 pt.
smallpox (one word)
small royal
former size of paper, 25 X 19 in.; 4to, 12 x 9 1/2 in.; 8vo, 9
1/2 x 6 1/4 in. (untrimmed); basis for size of metric royal,
1272 x 960 mm. See also book sizes
Smalls Oxford 'Responsions' Examination
smart alec
not -eck, -ick (two words)
SMD (mus.), short metre double
SME Sancta Mater Ecclesia (Holy Mother Church)
Smelfungus
Sterne's name for Smollett (one l)
smelling/ -bottle, -salts
(hyphens)
smell-less
(hyphen, three ls)
smelt past of smell, not smelled
smelt a small sea-fish. See also smolt
SMI (Fr.), Sa Majast‚ Imperiale (His, or Her, Imperial Majesty)
Smith (Sydney)
1771-1845, English clergyman and wit; (Sir William Sidney),
1764-1840, English admiral, defender of St Jean d'Acre
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC, US; abbr. Smith. Inst.; founded 1846 from funds
left by James Smithson, 1765-1829, English chemist
SMM Sancta Mater Maria (Holy Mother Mary)
smok/e, -able, -y
smolder use smoulder
Smollett (Tobias George)
1721-71, Scottish physician and novelist
smolt a young salmon. See also smelt
smooth/ (verb). -s, not -e, -es
smorgasbord
Scandinavian hors-d'oeuvres (not ital.), in Sw. sm”rg†sbord
smorzando (It. mus.) gradually dying away
smoulder not smol-
s.m.p. sine mascula prole (without male issue)
Smyrna in Turk. Izmir
Smyrniot (native) of Smyrna
Smyth (Dame Ethel)
1858-1944 English composer; (John), 1586-1612, founder of the
English Baptists
Smythe (Francis Sydney)
1900-49, English mountaineer
Sodor and Man (Bp. of);
Sodor & Man: his sig. (one colon)
SOE Special Operations Executive
SOED Shorter Oxford English Dictionary
soeur/ (Fr. f.), sister, nun; -- de charit‚, a Sister of Mercy
Sofar sound firing and ranging (under water). See also Sonar
soffit (archit.), under-surface of arch
Sofi use Sufi
Sofia Bulgaria
S. of S. Song of Solomon
softa Muslim student of sacred law (not ital.)
soft copy (comp.), transient reproduction of keyboard input on VDU (two
words). See also hard copy
S. of III Ch.
Song of the Three Children (Apocr.)
softie silly weak person, not -y
SOGAT or Sogat, Society of Graphical and Allied Trades
sogenannt (Ger.), so-called, abbr. sog.
soh (mus.), not so
soi-disant
(Fr.), self-styled (hyphen)
soign‚/ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, well-groomed
soir‚e/ an evening party; -- dansante, ditto with dancing; -- musicale,
ditto with music (not ital.)
Sokotra, Sokrates
use Soc-
Sol (Lat.), the sun (cap.)
Sol. Solomon
sol. solicitor, solution
sola see solus
solan goose
the gannet. See also solen
solarize not -ise
solati/um (Lat.), compensation; pl. -a
sola topi (Ind.), a sun-helmet, not solar
solecis/m a blunder in speaking, writing, or behaviour; adj. -tic
solecize not -ise
solemnize not -ise
solen a mollusc. See also solan
solenoid cylindrical wire coil as magnet
sol-fa (mus.) (hyphen); sol-faed
solfegg/io
(mus.), a sol-fa exercise for the voice; pl. -i
solicitor abbr. sol. or solr.
Solicitor-General
(caps., hyphen); abbr. S.C. or Sol.-Gen.
solicitude
anxiety, concern; in Fr. f. sollicitude
solid (typ.), text matter set without extra spacing between lines or
letters
solid/us (Lat.), shilling; pl. -i, abbr. s.; (typ.) the shilling stroke,
used to denote alternatives (and/or) and ratios (miles/day). See
also fractions
soliloqu/y
speech made regardless of hearers, pl. -ies; -ize, not -ise
solmization
(mus.), sol-fa system, not -sation
sol/o abbr. s.; pl. -os, It. mus. pl. -i
Solon ?638-?558 BC, Athenian lawgiver
solr. solicitor
soluble that can be dissolved or solved
sol/us (theat.), fem. -a, alone
solution abbr. sol.
Solutrean a palaeolithic culture, not -ian
solvable that can be solved, not -eable, -ible solvent, not -ant
solvitur ambulando
(Lat.), the question settles itself naturally
Solzhenitsyn (Alexander Isayevich)
b. 1918, Russian writer
Som. Somerset
Somalia NE Africa, indep. 1960; adj. Somali
Somaliland
(one word)
sombrero/ (Sp.), broad-brimmed hat; pl. -s
somebody some person
some body unspecified group of persons
some/how, -one
(one word)
some one (person, thing), when each word to retain its meaning (see
Hart's Rules, p. 77)
S.p.A. (It.), Societ… per Azioni (joint-stock company)
space/craft
(sing. and pl.), -man, -ship, -suit (one word
spaces (typ.), blanks between words or letters. See also
proof-correction marks, letterspacing
space/ station
-- vehicle, -- walk (two words)
space-time
(hyphen)
spacial use spatial
spaghetti strings of pasta (not ital.)
spahi Turkish horse-soldier, Algerian French cavalryman in Turk.
sipahi
Spain abbr. Sp.
Spalato (Yugoslavia); now called Split
spandrel (archit.), space between curve of an arch and enclosing
mouldings, not -il
Spanish abbr. Sp.; (typ.) alphabet consists of 27 letters including ch,
ll, and ¤, but does not include k and w; see accents; ch, ll,
and rr must not be divided. The portions carried over to begin
with a consonant. Question and exclamation marks are inverted
before and upright after their phrases. For further information
see Hart's Rules, pp. 131-4
Spanish n (¤), "curly n" or "n with the tilde"; pron. as ni in onion
Spanish Town
Jamaica
spatial not spacial
SPCK Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
SPE Society for Pure English
spearhead (one word)
spec colloq. for specification, speculation (no point)
split infinitive
the separation of "to" from its verb by other words, as "he used
to often say". Objected to by many, but the cure is often worse
than the disease. See Modern English Usage, pp. 579-82
Spode/ (Josiah)
1754-1827, maker of -- china at Stoke
Spohr (Louis)
1784-1859, German composer
spoil past and partic. spoiled or spoilt
spolia (Lat.), spoils; -- opima, the richest spoils; also trophy won by
generals of opposing armies in single combat
spoliation
not spoil-
spond/ee foot of two long syllables; adj. -aic
sponge/-bag, -cake
(hyphens)
spongy like sponge, not -gey
spontane/ity, -ous
spoon-feed
(hyphen)
spoonful/ pl. -s
sporran a kilt pouch
spos/a (It.), a bride, pl. -e; -o, bridegroom, pl. -i
spotlight (one word)
spp. species (pl.)
SPQR Senatus Populusque Romanus (the Senate and Roman people); small
profits and quick returns
SPR Society for Psychical Research
Spr. Sapper
sprightly lively, not spritely
spring (season of)
(not cap.)
springbok (Afrik.), an antelope, not -buck
spring/tide, -time
season of spring (one word)
spring-tide
tide of greatest range (hyphen)
sprinkled edges
(bind.), cut edges of books sprinkled with coloured ink
spruit (Afrik.), watercourse
spry/ active; -er, -est, -ly, -ness
s.p.s. sine prole superstite (without surviving issue)
sq./ square; -- ft., -- feet; -- in., -- inches; -- m., -- metres, --
miles; -- yd., -- yards (each sing. and pl.). These are not used
in scientific and technical work
Sqn.Ldr. or Sqn/Ldr, Squadron Leader
squacco/ small crested heron, pl. -s
squalls (meteor.), abbr. q-
square (bind.), that part of the case which overlaps the edges of a
book
square back
(bind.), a book whose back has not been rounded (see rounding)
square brackets
see brackets
square root
(two words)
squeegee rubber-edged implement for sweeping wet surfaces. not squil-
squirearchy
government (influenced) by landed proprietors, not -rarchy
steenbok (Afrik.), a small antelope, not steinbuck. See also steinbock
steenkirk (hist.), a neck-cloth, not steinkirk
steeplechase/
cross-country horse-race; -r, horse or rider
steeplejack
(one word)
Steevens (George)
1736-1800, English Shakespearian commentator; -- (George
Warrington), 1869-1900, English journalist. See also Stephen,
Stephens, Stevens
Stefansson (Vilhj lmur)
1879-1962, Canadian Arctic explorer
Steinbeck (Jollin Ernst)
1902-68, US novelist
Steinberg a hock (wine)
steinbock Alpine ibex
steinbuck use steenbok
steinkirk use steen-
stem abbr. s. or st.
stemm/a a pedigree; pl. -ata
stencil/, -led, -ler, -ling
Stendhal pseud. of Marie Henri Beyle, 1783-1842, French novelist
Stephen (Sir Leslie)
1832-1904, English biographer and critic. See also Steevens,
Stephens, Stevens
stephengraph
use stev-
Stephens (Alexander Hamilton)
1812-1950, Irish -- (James), 1882-1950, Irish poet and novelist.
See also Steevens, Stephen, Stevens
Stephenson (George)
1781-1848, English locomotive engineer; -- (Robert), 1803-59,
his son, English engineer (tubular bridges). See also Stev-
steppe treeless plain, esp. of Russia
stepping-stone
(hyphen)
steradian unit of solid angle, abbr. sr
stere unit of volume, 1 cubic metre
stereophonic
of reproduction of sound by two channels, colloq. stereo/, pl.
-s
stereotype
(typ.), a plastic, lead alloy, or rubber duplicate plate cast
from a matrix moulded from original relief printing material;
colloq. stereo
sterilize not -ise
Sterling (John)
1806-44, Scottish writer. See also Stir-
sterling (of money), of standard value; abbr. stg.
Sterne (Laurence, not Law-)
1713-68, English novelist
stet/ (typ.), a Latin word meaning "let it stand", written in the
proof margin to cancel an alteration, dots being placed under
the deleted portion of text; as verb, -ted, -ting
stetson wide-brimmed felt hat
Stettin Ger. for Szczecin
Steuart (Sir James Denham)
1712-80, Scottish economist; -- (John Alexander), 1861-1932,
Scottish journalist and novelist. See also Stewart, Stuart
stevengraph
colourful picture made of silk, not steph-
Stevens (Alfred)
1818-75, English sculptor; -- (Thaddeus), 1792-1868, US
abolitionist; -- (Wallace), 1879-1955, US poet. See also
Steevens, Stephen, Stephens
Stevenson (Adlai Ewing)
1835-1914, US Vice-President; -- (Adlai Ewing), 1900-65, his
grandson, US politician; -- (Robert), 1772-1850, English
lighthouse engineer; -- (Robert Louis Balfour), 1850-94, his
grandson, Scottish novelist, essayist, and poet, abbr. R.L.S.
See also Steph-
Stewart family name of Earl of Galloway; -- (Dugald), 1753-1828,
Scottish metaphysician; -- (James), 1831-1905, Scottish African
missionary. See also Steuart, Stuart
Stewartry district of Dumfries & Galloway
St.Ex. Stock Exchange
stg. sterling
stibium antimony, symbol Sb-
stichometry
division into or measurement by lines of verse, not stycho-
stichomythia
dialogue in alternate lines of verse
Stieglitz (Alfred)
1864-1946, US photographer
stigma/ a brand; pl. -s, but -ta with ref. to Christ's wounds
stigmatize
not -ise
stilb unit of luminance, abbr. sb; in SI units I cd/cm to the power
of 2
stile over a fence, vertical piece in framework. See also style
stiletto/ a dagger; pl. -s
still birth
(two words)
stillborn (one word)
still life/
pl. -s (hyphen when attrib.)
stilly adj. and adv. from still
Stilton (cheese) (cap)
stilus use stylus
stimie use stymie
stimul/ate, -able
stimul/us pl. -i
stip. stipend, -iary
Stirling town and district of Central
Stirling (J. Hutchison not -inson)
1820-1909, Scottish metaphysician; -- (Sir William Alexander,
Earl of), ?1567-1640, Scottish poet. usu. called William
Alexander. See also Ster-
stirp/s lineage pl. -es
stitching (bind.), the sewing together of all the sections of a book in a
single operation. See also sewing
Stn. Station
stoa/ (Gr. archit.) long building with colonnade; pl. -s; (cap.)
philos. school of Zeno and the Stoics (see Stoic)
Stock Exchange
(caps.); abbr. S/E, St. Ex., or Stock Ex.
Stockhausen (Karlheinz)
b. 1928, German composer
stockholder
(one word)
stockinet an elastic fabric, not -ette, -inget
stockpile (one word)
stoep (Afrik.), terrace attached to a house, not stoop
Stoic/ (member) of Gr. philos. school founded by Zeno in 4th C. BC,
extolling virtue and suppressing passion, -ism; (gen., not cap.)
person having great self-control in adversity, adj. -al
stoichio/logy
the doctrine of elements, not stoechio-, stoicheio-; -metric
(chem.), having elements in fixed proportions; -metry (chem.),
the proportion in which elements occur in a compound
stoke/hold, - hole
(one word)
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffs. (hyphens)
stokes unit of kinematic viscosity, abbr. St; in SI units 10 to the
power of -4 metres to the power of 2 per second
STOL short take-off and landing
ston/e abbr. st.; -y
stone (typ.), table on which pages of type are imposed
stop-go alternating process and lack of it (hyphen)
stop/off, -over
(nouns, one word)
stop-press
(hyphen)
stop valve
(two words)
stop-watch
(hyphen)
storable not -eable
storage heater
(two words)
storehouse
(one word)
storey/ a horizontal division of a building; pl. -s; not story, -ies;
-ed
storied celebrated in story, not -yed
storiolog/y
scientific study of folklore, not story-; -ist
storm petrel
(two words), not stormy --
storm/-troops, -trooper
(hyphens)
Storting legislative assembly of Norway
story (of a building), use storey
story/-book, -line, -teller
(hyphens)
stoup flagon, holy-water basin, not stoop
Stow (John), ?1525-1605, English historian
stowaway (one word)
Stowe village and school in Bucks.; -- (Harriet Elizabeth, n‚e
Beecher), 1811-96, US writer
Stow-on-the-Wold
Glos. (hyphens)
STP Sacrae Theologiae Professor (Professor of Sacred Theology);
standard temperature and pressure
Str. Strait, -s
str. stroke (oar)
Strachey family name of Baron O'Hagan; -- (Giles Lytton), 1880-1932,
English biographer
Strad colloq. for Stradivarius (violin) (cap., no point)
Stradbroke (Earl of)
Stradivarius
an instrument of the violin family made by Antonio Stradivari
(in Latin Antonius Stradivarius), of Cremona, c.1644-1737;
colloq. Strad
Strafford (Earl of)
straightforward
(one word)
strait/,-s
cap. when with name; abbr. St. or Str.
strait/-jacket, -laced
not straight- (hyphens)
Straits Settlements
now a component of Malaysia
Stranraer Dumfries & Galloway
strappado/
form of torture, pl. -s; as verb, ed, -ing
Strasburg English form of Fr. Strasbourg, Ger. Strassburg
Stratford-upon-Avon
War., not -on- (hyphens)
Strath written separately when referring to the strath itself as Strath
Spey
Strathclyde
ancient kingdom and modern region in Scotland; university, 1964;
-- (Baron)
strathspey
Scottish dance
stratosphere
the upper atmosphere, where temperature is constant
strat/um a layer; pl. -a
strat/us a low layer of cloud, pl. -i, abbr. s.
Straus (Oskar)
1870-1954, Austrian-born composer
Strauss (Johann I)
1804-49, Austrian composer of Viennese waltzes; -- (Johann II),
1825-99, his son, the best known of the family; -- (Joseph),
1827-70, and -- (Eduard), 1835-1916, also sons of Johann I; --
(Johann III), 1866 1939, son of Johann II; -- (Richard Georg),
1864-1949, German composer of operas, songs, and orchestral
works
street (typ.), name of to have initial caps., as Regent Street; spell
out when a number, as Fifth Avenue; number of house in, not to
be followed by any point, as 6 Fleet Street; abbr. St.
stretto/ (mus.), (passage played) in quicker time, pl. -s
strew to scatter, not strow; partic. strewed or strewn
stri/a (anat., geol), a stripe; pl. -ae
strike/-on
(comp.), composition on typewriters using carbon ribbons
(hyphen); see also golf-ball; -- -through (typ.), the
penetration of ink into paper
Strine comic transliteration of Austral. speech (cap.)
stringendo
(mus.), pressing, accelerating the speed
stripping-in
(typ.), in filmsetting, the correction of small composition
errors by the excision and careful replacement of the film
containing them
strip-tease
(hyphen)
stripy having stripes, not -ey
strive past strove, partic. striven
Stroganoff
(cook.), (designating) dish of meat cooked in sour cream (cap.)
strontium symbol Sr
Strood Kent
Stroud Glos., Hants
strow use strew
'struth colloq. for God's truth (apos.)
Struwwelpeter
German child's book
strychnine
not -in
Sts Saints
Stuart (House of); -- (Leslie)
1866-1928, pseud. of Thomas Barrett, English composer. See also
Steuart, Stewart
stucco/ (to apply) plaster coating to wall surfaces; pl. -es; as verb,
-es, -ed
StЃck (Ger. n.), a piece
student name for fellow of Christ Church, Oxford
studio/ pl. -s
stumbling-block
(hyphen)
stupefy not -ify
Sturluson see Snorri
Sturm-und-Drang
(Ger.), storm and stress (no hyphens)
Sturm-und-Drang-Periode
German romanticism of the late eighteenth century (three
hyphens)
subtl/e fine, rarefied, elusive, cunning; er, -est, -ety, -y, not
subtil-
subtopia suburban development regarded unfavourably
sub/total, -tropical
(one word)
Suburbia suburbs and their inhabitants (cap.)
sub/voce or -- verbo (Lat.), under a specified word; abbr. s.v.
subway (one word)
succeeded abbr. s.
succЉs/ de scandale
(Fr. m.), success due to being scandalous; -- d'estime, success
with more honour than profit; -- fou, extravagant success
Succoth Jewish Feast of Tabernacles
suchlike (one word)
sucking-pig
(hyphen)
sud (Fr. m.), south; abbr. s.
SЃd (Ger. m.), south; abbr. S. (cap.)
Sudan/ indep. 1956; adj. -ese; not Sou-
Sudra Hindu labourer caste
Su‰ (EugЉne)
1804-57, French playwright
su/e, -ed, -ing
SuЉde Fr. for Sweden, adj. su‚dois
suede dull-dressed kid, as for gloves (no accent)
Suetonius (Gaius Tranquillus)
c.70-c.160, Roman biographer and antiquarian; abbr. Suet.
suff. suffix
suffic/it (Lat.), it is sufficient; pl. -iunt
Sufi a Muslim mystic, not Sofi, Soofee. See also Sophy
sugar/-bowl, -cane
(hyphens)
suggestible
open to suggestion, not -able
suggestio falsi
(Lat.), an indirect lie
sui/generis
(Lat.), (the only one or ones) of his, her, its, or their own
kind; -- juris, of full age and capacity
suisse/ (Fr. adj.), of Switzerland, (m., cap.) Swiss man, (not cap.)
beadle of a church; fem. -sse; la Suisse, Fr. for Switzerland
suite a set of rooms, attendants, or musical pieces (not ital.)
suivez (mus.), follow the soloist
suk(h) use souk
Sulawesi Indonesia, formerly Celebes
Suleiman the Magnificent
?1495-1566, Sultan of Turkey
Sully Prudhomme (Ren‚ Fran‡ois Armand)
1839-1907, French poet and critic
sulpha class of drugs
sulph/ur symbol S; -ate, -ite, -uretted, -urize, not -ise
sultan/ a Muslim ruler, fem. -a; Sultan (the), of Turkey, till 1922;
abbr. Sult.
Sultanpur India
sum (math.)
sumac (bot.), an ornamental tree, not sh-, -ach, -ack
Sumburgh Airport
Shetland
Sumer/ Babylonia; adj. -ian
summarize not -ise
summer (not cap.)
summersault
use somer-
summer-time
the summer season (hyphen); British Summer Time, one hour in
advance of GMT, in summer only, 1922-67, and from 1972 (three
words). See also BST
summonsed (law), issued with a summons, not -oned
summum bonum
(Lat.), the supreme good
Sumter (Fort)
SC, US
sun cap. only in astronomical contexts and in a list of planets;
abbr.S.
Sun. Sunday
sun/bathe, -beam
(one word)
sun-bonnet
(hyphen)
sunburn/, -t
or -ed (one word)
sundae ice-cream with crushed fruit and nuts
Sunday abbr. Sun.
sun/dial, -down
(one word)
sun-dress (hyphen)
sunflower (one word)
sun/-glasses, -god, -hat
(hyphens)
sunlight (one word)
sunn E.Indian fibre
Sunna traditional Muslim law, not -ah
Sunni an orthodox Muslim, also collect. pl., not -ee; also Sunnite
Swahili a people and language of Zanzibar and the coast opposite
Swammerdam (Jan)
1637-80, Dutch naturalist
Swanee use Suwannee
swansdown (one word)
swan-song (hyphen)
swap to exchange, not -op
SWAPO South West Africa People's Organization
swaraj self-govt. for India, not su-
swash (typ.), (of) letters with elaborate tails or flourishes
swat to hit sharply. See also swot
swath a line of cut grass
swathe to bind
Swazi/, -land
S. Africa, indep. 1968
swede a kind of turnip (not cap.)
Sweden abbr. Sw., in Swed. Sverige, in Fr. SuЉde. See also Assemblies
Swedenborg (Emanuel)
1688-1772, Swedish philosopher
Swedish abbr. Sw.; (typ.) alphabet contains Ger. „, ”, and "Swedish a"
(Џ, †) pron. somewhat as aw. In alph. arrangement †, „, ”, are
put after z. The acute accent may be used to mark an accented
syllable
sweepback (of aircraft's wings) noun and adj. (one word)
Sweet (Henry)
1845-1912, English philologist. See also Swete
sweet-and-sour
(cook. adj., hyphen)
sweet/bread, -heart, -meal, -meat
(one word)
sweet-william
(bot.) (hyphen, not caps.)
swelled rule
(typ.), a role wider in centre than at ends. See also rule
Swete (Henry Barclay)
1835-1917, English biblical scholar. See also Sweet
Sweyn name of three Danish kings
SWG standard wire gauge
swimming/-bath, -pool
(hyphens)
Swinburne (Algernon Charles)
1837-1909, English poet
Swinden N. Yorks.
Swindon Glos., Staffs., Wilts.
swing-door
(hyphen)
swingeing hard (blow)
swing-wing
(of aircraft) (hyphen)
Swinton Gr. Manch., N. Yorks., S. Yorks., Borders
switchboard
(one word)
Swithun/ (St)
Bp. of Winchester 852-62, not -in; -'s Day, 15 July
Switzerland
abbr. Switz.; in Fr. Ia Suisse, in Ger. die Schweiz, in It.
Svizzera. See also Assemblies
swivel/, -led, -ling
swizz/ (slang), a swindle, a disappointment, pl. -es, not swiz
sycamore (bot.), a kind of fig-tree, Ficus sycomoros (sycomore in Bible):
(Eur. and Asia) an ornamental shade-tree, the sycamore maple,
Acer pseudoplatanus; (US) a plane tree, Platanus
syce (Anglo-Ind.), a groom. See also sice
sycomore see sycamore
Sydney NSW, Australia. See also Sidney
Sydney Heads
two cliffs
Sykes see Si-
syllab/ication
not -ification; -ize, not -ise
syllabub not sill-
syllabus/ pl. -es
sylleps/is
(gram.), application of a word in differing senses to two others
(he caught his train and a cold), pl. -es
syllogism a logical argument of two premisses and a conclusion
syllogize to argue by syllogism, not -ise
sylvan use si-
Sylvester (James Joseph)
1814-97, English mathematician; -- (Josuah), 1563-1618, English
poet
sylvicultur/e, -ist
use si-
symbolize not -ise
symmetr/ic, -ical, -ize
not -ise
sympathique
(Er.), congenial, having the right artistic feeling for
sympathize
not -ise
symposi/um
a drinking-party (obs. in this sense except, with cap., as title
of one of Plato's Socratic dialogues), a conference, a
collection of views on a topic; pl. -a
syn. synonym, -ous
synaeres/is
(gram.), contraction of two vowels, pl. -es, not -neresis
synagog/ue
an assembly ofJews for worship, their place of worship; adjs.
-al, -ic
synchromesh
system of gearwheel design
synchronize
to (cause to) coincide in time, not -ise; colloq. sync, not
synch
syncope (gram.) a cutting short, (med.) a fainting
syndrome a collection of concurrent symptoms
synonym/ a word with the same meaning as another; -ous, abbr. syn.; -ize,
not-ise; -y not -e, -cy
synops/is a summary; pl. -es
Synoptic Gospels
Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which relate the events from the same
point of view
synthes/ist, -ize
not synthet-, -ise
syphon use si-
Syr. Syria, -c, -n
syr. syrup
syren use si-
Syriac abbr. Syr.; has 22 letters, besides vowel points, reads from
right to left, and is set as Hebrew. There are three forms of
type, Estrangelo, Jacobite, Nestorian
Syringa (bot.) the lilac genus
syringa the mock orange
syringe/ instrument for squirting or injecting; -ing; not si-
syrin/x pan-pipe, (anat.) a narrow tube from throat to ear-drum, the
vocal organ of birds, (archaeol.) a narrow gallery in rock; pl.
-xes or -ges
syrup not sir-; abbr. syr.
syst. system
system/atic
methodical; -atize, not -ise; -ic (physiol.), of the bodily
system as a whole
syzygy (astr.), the moon being in conjunction or opposition
T tesla, (as prefix) tera-, tritium; the nineteenth in a series
T. Tenor, Territory, Testament, (It. mus.) tace (be silent)
t. ton, -s, (but no point in scientific and technical work), tonne,
-s, town, -ship, tun, -s, (Fr.) tome (volume), tonneau (ton),
(Lat.) tempore (in the time of), (mos.) tempo (time), tenor/e,
-i (tenor, -s), (meteor.) thunder
tailpiece (typ.), the design at the end of a section, chapter, or book
tail/pipe, -plane
(one word)
tailstock adjustable part of lathe holding spindle (one word)
Tain Highland
Taine (Hippolyte Adolphe)
1828-93, French historian and lit. critic
Taipei capital of Taiwan, q.v.
Taiping rebellion, 1850-64, not Tae-
Tait (Archibald Campbell)
1811-82, Abp. of Canterbury; -- (Peter Guthrie), 1831-1901,
Scottish mathematician and physicist. See also Tate
Taiwan formerly Formosa
Tajikistan
use Tadj-
Taj Mahal mausoleum at Agra, India, not -- Me-
take (typ.), single batch of copy or of proofs
take-away (noun and adj., hyphen)
take-home pay
(one hyphen)
take/-off, -over
(hyphens)
Tal (Ger. n.), valley, not now Th-
Talbot of Malahide (Baron)
tales (law), a suit for summoning jurors to supply a deficiency;
tales/man, one so summoned, pl. -men
Talfourd (Sir Thomas Noon)
1795-1854, English playwright, biographer, and author of the
Copyright Act of 1842
Taliesin 6th c., Welsh bard
talisman/ a charm, amulet pl. -s
talis qualis
(Lat.), such as it is
Talleyrand-P‚rigord (Charles Maurice de)
1754-1838, French politician
Tallinn cap. of Estonian SSR, formerly Reval
Tallis (Thomas)
?1505-85 English composer, not Talys, Tallys; Tallis's canon, a
hymn-tune
tally-ho/ pl. -s (hyphen)
Talmud Hebrew laws and legends
Tal-y-llyn
Gwynedd, Powys (two hyphens)
TAM Television Audience Measurement
Tam. Tamil
tam colloq. for tam-o'-shanter (no point)
tambourin a long narrow drum of Provence, (music for) a dance accompanied
by it
tambourine
a small drum, with jingling metal discs, beaten with the hand
tameable not -mable
Tamerlane 1336-1405, Mongol conqueror (but Tamburlaine in Marlowe)
Tameside district, Greater Manchester
Tamil S. Indian language not -ul; abbr. Tam.
Tammany Hall
Democratic Party HQ, New York, not Tama-
"Tam o' Shanter"
poem by Burns (caps small o apos., no hyphen)
tam-o'-shanter
a woollen cap (hyphens, apos.); colloq. tam
tampion plug for muzzle of guil or top of organ-pipe, not to-
tampon (med.), absorbent plug
tan (math.), langent (no point)
Tananarive
use Antananarivo
T. & A.V.R.
Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve
T'ang Chin. dynasty
tangerine orange
not tangier-
tangible not -eable
Tangier Morocco, not -iers
tango/ pl. -s
tanh (math.), hyperbolic tangent (no point)
Tanjor/, -e
India, use Thanjavur
Tannh„user
opera by Wagner, 1845
tanrec use tenrec
tantalize not -ise
tantalum symbol Ta
tant/mieux
(Fr.), so much the better; -- pis, so much the worse
Tanzania (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), formed 1964
Taoiseach Prime Minister, Republic of Ireland
Taoism doctrine of Lao-tzu, not Tѓ-, Ta”- (one word)
tap-dance (hyphen)
tape-record
(verb, hyphen)
tape record/er, -ing
(two words)
tapis (sur le or on the)
(Fr.), under consideration, or discussion
tapisserie
(Fr. f), tapestry
taproom (one word)
tap-water (hyphen)
taradiddle
petty lie, pretentious nonsense, not tarra-
tarantella
an Italian dance, the music for it
tarantism dancing mania
tarantula a spider
Tarbert Strathclyde, Western Isles, Co. Kerry; (river), Highland
Tarbet Loch Lomond, Strathclyde, and Loch Nevis, Highland
tariff duty on particular goods, not -if
tarlatan a muslin, not -etan
Tarmac propr. term for tar macadam; part of airfield made of this
(cap.); tarmac/, to cover with Tarmac (not cap.); -ked
tarot card-game or trump in this, not -oc
tarpaulin waterproof cloth, orig. of tarred canvas, not -ing
Tarpeian Rock
anc. Rome
tarradiddle
use tara-
Tarragona Spain
tarry covered with or like tar, not tary
Tartar/ an inhabitant of Tartary, an intractable person, not Tatar; adj.
-ian
tartar/ a deposit on the teeth; adj. -ic
tartar sauce
not tartare
Tartar/us (Gr. myth.), the place of punishment in Hades; adj. -ean
Tartary properly, but less usually, Tatary, a region of W. Asia and E.
Europe
Tartuffe (Le)
play by MoliЉre, 1669
Tartuff/e religious hypocrite, adj. -ian (Fr. m. tartufe)
Tas. Tasmania
task/master, -mistress
(one word)
Tasmania abbr. Tas.
Tass the Soviet news agency
taste-bud (hyphen)
ta-ta colloq. for good-bye (hyphen)
Tatar use Tartar
Tate/ (Nahum)
1652-1715, Irish poet and playwright; -- (Sir William Henry),
1842-1921, English industrialist; -- Gallery, London. See also
Tait
tatterdemalion
a ragged fellow, not -ian
Tattersalls
London (-s' only in the possessive case)
tattoo/ design on the skin, not the many variants; -ed, -er, ing, -s
tattoo/ drumbeat, call to quarters, mil. parade by night; pl. -s
Tauchnitz (Karl Christoph)
1761-1836, founded at Leipzig, 1796, publishing firm famous for
editions of Latin and Greek authors; -- (Christian Bernhard,
Baron von), 1816-95, founded at Leipzig, 1837, the Librairie
Bernhard Tauchnitz, famous for reprints of British and US
authors, banned in Britain and US because of copyright
infringements
tau cross the T
tausend (Ger.), thousand
taut (naut.), tight, in good condition, not -ght
tautologize
to repeat oneself in different words, not -ise
tavern (name of)
see hotel
tawny tan-colour, not -ey
tax-free (hyphen)
tax haven (two words)
taxi/, -ing
tax/on a laxonomic group, pl. -a
taxpayer (one word)
tax return
(two words)
Taylor Institution
Oxford, not Taylorian, not Institute
teetotal/ abstaining from intoxicants, abbr. TT; -ism, -ler, -ly
teetotum/ a four-sided top spun with the fingers; pl. -s
Tegn‚r (Esaias)
1782-1846, Swedish poet
tehee scornful laugh, to titter, not teehee
Tehran cap. of Iran, not -heran
Teignmouth
Devon. See also Tyne-
Teil/ (Ger. m. or n.), a part; pl. -e, not now Th- (cap.)
Teilhard de Chardin (Pierre)
1881-1955, French writer
Tel. Telegraph, Telephone
tel use tell
telamon/ (archit.), male figure used as support, pl. -es
Tel Aviv Israel
tele/communication(s), -printer
(one word)
telephone/ book
-- number (two words)
Teletype (propr. term)
televis/e not -ize; -ion
telex (to send by) system of telegraphy by using teleprinters
Telford Shropshire, "new town", 1963
Telford (Thomas)
1757-1834, Scottish engineer
tell (archaeol.), artificial mound in Middle East, not tel
Tell-el-Amarna
Egypt
tell-tale (hyphen)
tellurian (inhabitant) of the earth
tellurion orrery, not -ium
tellurium symbol Te
Telstar communications satellite, launched 1962
Telugu Dravidian language or people, not -oogoo
T‚m‚raire (The Fighting)
picture by Turner, 1839
temp. temperature, temporary
temp. tempore (in the time of)
temperature
symbol T (no point). In scientific work the unit of temperature
is the kelvin (K), although degrees Celsius is still used; --,
degrees of (typ.), to be in arabic numerals, as 10ш; abbr. temp.
Templar member of a religious order, the Knights Templars; student or
lawyer living in the Temple, London
template a pattern or gauge, not -plet
Temple Bar
London
temp/o (It. mus.), time; pl. -os, abbr. t.
tempora mutantur
(Lat.), times are changing
temporary abbr. temp.; adv. temporarily
tempore (Lat.), in the time of; abbr. t. or temp.
temporize not -ise
ten. tenuto
Tenasserim
Burma, not Tenn-
Ten Commandments (the)
(caps.)
tendentious
calculated to promote a particular point of view, not -cious
tenderfoot
novice (one word)
tenderize not -ise
Tenerife (peak and island of), Canary Is., not -iffe
Teniers (David)
1582-1649, and 1610-90, Dutch painters, father and son
Tenison (Thomas)
1636-1715, Abp. of Canterbury. See also Tennyson
Tennasserim
use Tena-
Tennessee off. abbr. Tenn. or (postal) TN
Tenniel (Sir John)
1820-1914, English cartoonist and caricaturist
tennis it is no longer necessary to use "lawn tennis", but see ILTF;
real tennis is the game played on an indoor court
tennis/-ball, -court, -racket
(hyphens)
Tennyson (Alfred, Lord)
1809-92. Poet Laureate 1850-92. See also Tenison
tenor settled course, not -our; (mus.) male voice, abbr. T.
tenor/e (It. mus. m.), tenor voice; pl. -i, abbr. t.
tenrec hedgehog-like mammal, not tanrec
tenson contest between troubadours, not tenz-
tenuto (mus.), held on, sustained, abbr. ten.
tepee Amer. Indian tent, not tee-
Ter. Terence, Terrace
ter (Lat.), thrice
tera- prefix meaning 10 to the power of 12; abbr. T
terat. teratology, study of malformations
terbium symbol Tb
terce (eccl.), the office said at the third daytime hour. See also
tierce
tercel a male hawk, not tier-
tercet (prosody), a triplet, not tiercet
Terence (in Lat., Publius Terentius Afer), 190-159 BC. Roman comic
playwright: abbr. Ter.
Teresa (St)
not Th-
tergiversat/e
to change one's principles; -ion, -or
termagant a brawling woman (cap. in hist. use as imaginary deity)
termination
abbr. term.
terminator
not -er
terminology
abbr. term.
termin/us pl. -i
terminus/ ad quem
(Lat.), the finish; -- a quo, the starting-point
Terpsichore
(Gr.), muse of dancing
Terr. Territory
terrace cap. when with name; abbr. Ter.; in Fr. f. terrasse
terracotta
(an object made of) unglazed kiln-burnt clay and sand; its
colour (one word)
Terra del Fuego
use Tierra -- --
terrae/filius
(Lat.), son of the soil; pl. -- filii
terra firma
dry land (two words, not ital.)
terr/a incognit/a
(Lat.), unexplored region; pl. -ae -ae; -a sigillata, astringent
clay, or Samian ware (ital.)
terrazzo/ floor of stone chips set in concrete and smoothed, pl. -s
terret ring for driving-rein, not -it
terre-verte
soft green earth used as pigment (hyphen, not ital.)
Territory (cap. in geog. names), abbr. T. or Terr.
terrorize not -ise
tertio (Lat.), in the third place
tertium quid
(Lat.), a third something, an intermediate course
Terylene propr. term for synthetic polyester used in textiles (cap.)
terz/a rim/a
(It.), a particular rhyming scheme; pl. -e -e
terzetto/ (mus.), piece for three voices or instruments, pl. -s
TES Times Educational Supplement
tesla unit of magnetic induction, from Tesla (Nikola), 1856-1943,
Yugoslav-American physicist
tessellate(d)
pave(d) with tiles. not -ela-
tesser/a small square tile; pl. -ae (not ital.)
tessitura (mus.), the ordinary range of a voice
Testament abbr. T. or Test.
testamor (Lat.), examination certificate
test/drive
(hyphen as verb), -- flight (two words)
test/is (anat.), pl. -es
test/ match, -- paper, -- pilot
(two words)
test-tube/
(hyphen), test-tube baby (one hyphen)
tetchy peevish, not techy
t€te-…-t€te
(adv., adj., and noun, hyphens, accents, not ital.)
tetrameter
(prosody), verse of four measures
Teufelsdr”ckh (Herr)
in Carlyle's Sartor Resartus
Teut. Teuton, -ic
Tex. Texas (off. abbr.), Texan
textbook (one word)
textus receptos
(Lat.), the received text; abbr. text. rec.
thalweg lowest line along river, in Ger. now Talweg
Thanjavur India, not Tanjor, -e
Thanksgiving Day
(US), fourth Thursday in November
thar Nepalese or Himalayan goat, not tahr
Tharrawaddy
Burma, not Tharawadi
the if part of the title of a book etc., should be italic with cap.
initial. See also periodicals and Hart's Rules, pp. 23-4
th‚ (Fr. m.), tea; -- dansant, afternoon tea with dancing
Theaetetus
dialogue by Plato, named after disciple of Socrates
theat. theatrical
theatre not -er, Fr. th‚ѓtre (m.); Th‚ѓtre Fran‡ais, Paris (one cap.)
thec/a (anat., bot.), case, sheath, sac, pl. -ae
theirs (no apos.)
them/a (Gr.), a theme; pl. -ata
Theo. Theodore
theocracy a Priest- or god-governed state (cap. with hist. ref. to Jews),
not -sy
theocrasy mingling of several divine attributes in one god, not -cy
Theocritus
3rd C. BC, Greek poet; abbr. Theoc.
theol. theolog/y, -ian, -ical
theologize
not -ise
Theoprastus
c.370-c.288 BC, Greek philosopher and botanist. abbr. Theoph.
theor. theorem
theoret. theoretic, -al, -ally
theorize not -ise
theosoph/y
a philosophy professing knowledge of God by inspiration; ical,
-ist, -ize
Theoto/copuli
-kopoulos, see Greco
therapeutic/
healing; -s study of healing agents; abbr. therap.
therefore (math.) sign
Theresa (St)
use Ter
Th‚rЉse (Fr.)
thermodynamics
(one word)
thermomet/er, -ric
abbr. thermom.
thermonuclear
(one word)
Thermopylae (Pass of)
Greece; battle, 480 BC
THES Times Higher Education Supplement
thesaur/us
pl. -i
thes/is pl. -es
Thess. Thessaly; -- (1, 2), Thessalonians (NT)
they'll to be printed close up
thias/os (anc. Gr.) a gathering to worship a deity, pl. -oi, not -us
thicken/, -ed, -er
not or, -ing
thickset (one word)
thimblerig/
a trick, to play this; -ger, -ging (one word)
thin/, -ner, -nish
thingamy not -ummy
think-tank
advisory organization (hyphen)
third (adj.), abbr. 3rd
Third World
non-aligned countries of Asia, Afica, and Latin America (caps.)
Thirty-nine Articles (the)
(hyphen, two caps.)
thirty-two-mo
(typ.), a book based on 32 leaves, 64 pages, to the sheet; abbr.
32mo
Thirty Years War
1618-48 (caps., no apos.)
tho' though
thole-pin (naut.), one of two which keep an oar in position, not -owl,
-owel (hyphen)
thol/os (Gr. archit.), a dome-shaped building, esp. a tomb, pl. -oi
Thomas abbr. Th. or Thos.
Thom/ism doctrine of St Thomas Aquinas; -ist
Thompson (Sir Benjamin, Count von Rumford)
1753-1814, American-born founder of Royal Institution, London;
-- (Sir D'Arcy Wentworth), 1860-1948, Scottish biologist; --
(Sir Edward Maunde), 1840-1929, English librarian and
palaeographer; -- (Francis), 1859-1907, English poet; --
(Silvanus, not Sy-, Phillips), 1851-1916, English physicist
Thomsen's disease
muscular spasm
Thomson (Prof. Arthur)
1858-1935, Scottish anatomist; -- (Sir Charles Wyville),
1830-82, Scottish zoologist; -- (James), 1700-48, Scottish poet,
"The Seasons"; -- (James), 1834-82, Scottish poet, "B.V.", "City
of Dreadful Night"; -- (Prof. Sir John Arthur), 1861-1933,
Scottish zoologist and writer; -- (Joseph), 1858-95, Scottish
African traveller; -- (Prof. Sir Joseph John), 1856-1940,
English physicist; -- (Sir William, Baron Kelvin, 1824-1907,
British mathematician and physicist (hence kelvin, q.v.); -- of
Fleet and of Monifieth (Barons)
thor/ax (anat. zool.), the part of the body between neck and abdomen or
tail, pl. -aces; adj. -acic
Thoreau (Henry David)
1817-62, US author and philosopher
thorium symbol Th
thorough not thoro'
thorough-bass
(mus.), harmony above bass indicated by system of numerals
(hyphen)
thorough/bred, -going
(one word)
Thos. Thomas
thou colloq. for thousand, -th (no point or apos.)
though abbr. tho'
thousand-and-first
etc. (hyphens)
thow(e)l-pin
use thole-
thr. through
thrall slave, bondage; thraldom, bondage
thrash to beat soundly, to strike the waves, make way in water; -- out,
to discuss exhaustively. See also thresh
threadbare
(one word)
Threadneedle Street
London (two words)
threadworm
(one word)
threefold (one word)
three-point turn
(one hyphen)
three-quarter(s)
(hyphen)
three Rs (the)
reading, writing, arithmetic (no point, no apos.)
three/score, -some
(one word)
threescore and ten
seventy (three words)
thresh to beat out corn. See also thrash
threshing/-floor, -machine
(hyphens)
threshold not -hhold
thrips plant pest, is sing.
thrive past throve, partic. thrived
thro' use through
Throckmorton (Sir Nicholas)
1515-71, English diplomat
throes violent pangs
Throgmorton Avenue
also Street, London, EC
Throndhjem
use Trondheim
through not thro'; Monday through Friday (US), from Monday to Friday
inclusive, abbr. thr.
throw out (bind.), to mount a diagram, map, etc., upon a page-wide guard
so that it may remain in view while other pages are read
tiara/ turban, diadem, ornamental coronet; -ed, not -'d
Tiberias anc. Palestine, now Teverya, Israel
Tiberius (in full, Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar), 42 BC-AD 37, second
emperor of Rome, 14-37
tibi/a (anat.), inner bone from knee to ankle, pl. -ae
Tibullus (Albius)
c.50-19 BC, Roman poet; abbr. Tib.
tic douloureux
facial neuralgia, not dol- (two words)
ticket/, -ed, -ing
ticket-office
(hyphen)
tick-tack regular beat, racecourse semaphore, not tic-tac
Ticonderoga
New York
t.i.d. (med.), ter in die (three times a day)
tidbit use tit-
tiddly (slang), tiny, slightly drunk, not -ey
tiddly-wink/
counter; -s, the game, not tiddle(d)y-
tide-mark (hyphen)
tie, tying
not tieing
tie/-break, -pin
(hyphens)
tierce (arch.) wine-measure; (mus.) interval of two octaves and a major
third; sequence of three cards. See also terce
tierc/el, -et
use terc-
Tierra del Fuego
S. America, not Terra -- --
tiers ‚tat
(Fr. m.), third estate, the common people (not caps.)
Tietjens (Therese Cathline Johanna)
1830-77, German-born Hungarian soprano, not Titiens
Tiffany (Charles Lewis)
1812-92, US jeweller
tiffany a gauze muslin
tiffin (Anglo-Ind.), light lunch, not -ing
Tiflis use Tbilisi
tigerish not tigr-
Tighnabruaich
Strathclyde
tight back
(bind.), the cover glued to the back, so that it does not become
hollow when open
tightrope (one word)
tigrish use tiger-
TIH Their Imperial Highnesses
tike use ty-
tilde the mark as over the Sp. n, ¤; in Port. til
Tilsit (Treaty of)
1807, not -tt
Tim. (1, 2)
First, Second Epistle to Timothy (NT)
timbale (Fr. cook. f.), dish of mince in pastry
timbre characteristic quality of sounds of a voice or instrument (not
ital.)
Timbuktu Mali, not -buctoo; but "Timbuctoo", Tennyson's prize-poem, 1829,
and usu. in figurative sense
time symbol t
timeable not -mable
time-and-motion
(adj., hyphens)
time/bomb, -- exposure
(two words)
timekeeper
(one word)
time/-lag, -limit
(hyphens)
time of day
(typ.), to be in numerals, with full point where time includes
minutes as well as hours; 9.30 a.m. (or 09.30), 10 a.m. (or
10.00), 4.30 p.m. (or 16.30); but such phrases as half-past two,
a quarter to four, should be spelt out
timepiece (one word)
Times (The))
Normally italic. established 1788 (caps.). The (cap. T, ital.)
should always be printed as part of title
time/-scale, -sheet, -signal, -switch
(hyphens)
timetable (one word)
timpan/o (mus.), the orchestral kettledrum, not ty-; pl. -i. See also
tympanum
tin symbol Sn (stannum)
tinct. tincture
Tindal (Matthew)
1656-1733, English theologian, not -all. See also Tyn-
tin foil (two words)
tingeing not -ging
tin Lizzie
an old motor car (one cap.)
tin-pan alley
the world of popular music (one hyphen, not caps.)
tin plate (two words)
tinpot (derog.) inferior
tinsel/, -led, -ling
Tintagel Cornwall, not -iI
tintinnabulation
ringing of bells
tip in (bind.), to insert a plate etc. by pasting its inner margin to
the next page
tip-off (noun, hyphen)
Tipperary town and county, Ireland
tippet a cape, not tipet
tipstaff/ a bailiff; pl. -s
tip/toe, toeing, -top
(one word)
TIR Transport International Routier
tirailleur
(Fr. m.), a sharpshooter (not ital.)
Tiran‰ Albania, not -na
tire of a wheel, use tyre
tir‚ … part
(Fr. typ. m.), an offprint
tiro/ a novice, pl. -s, not tyro
Tirol(o) see Tyrol
'tis for it is (apos., close up)
tisane use ptisan
Tisiphone (myth.), one of the Furies
Tit. Titus (NT)
tit. title
titanic of titanium; colossal (not cap., except with ref. to Titans)
Titanic (the)
liner sunk by iceberg, 1912
titanium symbol Ti
titbit not tid- (one word)
Titel/ (Ger. typ. m.), the title; -blatt (n.), title-page; -zeile (f.),
headline (caps.)
titles (cited)
of articles in periodicals, chapters in books, shorter poems,
and songs, to be roman quoted, not italic; of series of books
etc., roman (no quotation marks); of books, periodicals,
newspapers, plays, long (book-length) poems, paintings, and
sculptures (but identificatory descriptions to be roman), to be
italic
title-sheet
(typ.), that containing the preliminary matter
titles of honour
as LLD, FRS, are usually in caps. Frequently even s. caps give a
better general effect. See also capitalization, compound ranks
Tito/ pseud. of Josip Broz, 1892-1980, president of Yugoslavia; -ism
titre (chem.),strength of solution determined by titration, not -ter
titre (Fr. typ. m.), title
tittivate use titi-
tittup/ to behave or move in a lively way; -ed, -ing, -py
totalizator
betting device, but Horserace Totalisator Board; colloq. tote
totalize to collect into a total, not -ise
t'other the other, not tother
totidem verbis
(Lat.), in so many words
toties quoties
(Lat.), the one as often as the other
toto caelo
(Lat.), diametrically opposed, not -- coe-
touch‚ (Fr.), acknowledging a hit
touch/-line, -type
(hyphens)
Toulouse-Lautrec (Henri Marie Raymonde de)
1864-1901, French painter
toupee a wig, not -‚e, -et
tour/ (Fr. m.), a tour; (f.) tower; tour … tour, alternately, in torn;
-- de force, a feat of strength or skill; -- de main, sleight of
hand
touraco/ large Afr. bird, pl. -s, not tu-, -cou, -ko
touring-car
(hyphen)
tourmaline
a mineral, sometimes cut as a gem, not -in
Tournai Belgium, in Fl. Doornik
Tournay France
tournedos small fillet of beef with suet, pl. same
tourney (take part in) a tournament
tourniquet
bandage etc., for stopping flow of blood, not torn-
Toussaint L'Ouverture (Fran‡ois)
1743-1803, Haitian Negro general and liberator; in Fr.
Louverture (no apos.)
tout/ … coup
(Fr.), suddenly; -- … fait, entirely; -- court, abruptly, or
simply; -- de m€me, all the same; -- de suite, immediately; --
d'un coup, all at once; -- ensemble (le), the general effect; --
le monde, all the world, or everybody (no hyphens)
tovarish/ comrade, pl. -i; Anglicized from Russ. tovarishch
towel/, -ling
town abbr. t.
town/ councillor
not -ilor; abbr. TC; -- hall, -- house (two words)
tsar emperor of Russia; tsarevich, his eldest son, not cesarevitch;
tsarevna, his dau.; tsarina, his wife (in Russ. tsaritsa)
(caps. as titles); not cs-, cz-, tz-
Tsaritsyn USSR, now Volgograd
Tsarskoe Selo
near St Petersburg (now Leningrad), imperial residence; renamed
Detskoe Selo and, later, Pushkin; not Tz-, Z-
tyke an objectionable fellow; a Yorkshireman, not ti-
Tyler (John)
1790-1863, US President 1841-5; -- (Wat), d 1381, English rebel
Tylers and Bricklayers
livery company
Tylor (Sir Edward Burnett)
1832-1917, English anthropologist
tympan/um the ear-drum; pl. -a. See also timpano
Tyndale (William)
1484-1536, English priest, translated Bible, burned at stake
Tyndall (John)
1820-93, English physicist
Tyne and Wear
metropolitan county
Tynemouth Tyne & Wear. See also Teign-
Tynwald Manx assembly
typ. typograph/er, -ic, -ical, -ically
type a piece of metal having on one end a letter or character in
relief used in letterpress printing; also called sort. See also
height to paper
type/face, -founder, -script, -setting
(one word)
type metal
an alloy of lead, antimony, and tin
typescript
abbr. TS
typewriter
the machine
typist the user of a typewriter
typograph/ic
(typ.), of a printing process based on raised letters etc. which
alone come into contact with ink and paper; see also
letterpress; -y, the design of printed matter
tyrannize not -ise
tyre (of a wheel), not tire
tyro use tiro
Tyrol/ region of Austria and Italy, in Ger. Tirol, in It. Tirolo; adj.
-ese
Ukraine properly Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, one of the
republics forming the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (see
USSR); not Little Russia; adj. Ukrainian
un- (words in), for further spellings see the corresponding positive
forms
'un colloq. for one (as in good 'un) (apos.)
UNA United Nations Association
una corda (mus.), direction in piano-music to use soft pedal. See also tre
corde
unadvisable
(of person) not open to advice. See also inadvisable
un-American
(hyphen, cap.)
unanim/ous, -ity
(a, not an)
unappealing
(one l)
unauthorized
not -ised
una voce (Lat.), unanimously
unbaptized
not -ised
unberufen (Ger.), absit omen
unbiased not -ssed
unbribable
not -eable
unbusinesslike
(one word)
uncared-for
(hyphen)
unchangeable
not -gable
unchristian
(one word)
uncircumcised
not -ized
unclench cf. clench
unclinch cf. clinch
uncome-at-able
inaccessible (two hyphens)
uncooperative
(one word)
uncoordinated
(one word)
UNCSTD United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for
Development
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
unctuous greasy, not -ious
undeniable
not -ny-
under- prefix joined to nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, normally
forms one word (see the cases given below), but note under-part,
under-secretary, under-sexed, under-shrub, under-side,
under-surface
underlay (typ.), to make formes, blocks, etc., type-high by placing card
or paper underneath
underlie but underlying
underline (typ.), caption to iIlustration, diagram, etc. See also
proof-correction marks
under/manned, -mentioned
(one word)
under-part
subordinate part or role (hyphen)
under/privileged, -rate
(one word)
underproof
containing less alcohol than proof spirit does, abbr. u.p. (one
word)
under-runners
(typ.), excess of marginal notes which are continued below body
of text, generally at foot of page. See also shoulder-notes
undersea (one word)
under-secretary
(hyphen, caps. as title)
undersell (one word)
under/-sexed, -shrub, -side
(hyphens)
under/signed, -sized, -skirt, -staffed
(one word)
under-surface
(hyphen)
under/tone, -value, -water
(adj.) (one word)
under way in motion (two words)
underweight
(one word)
underwrite/, -r
(one word)
undies colloq. for (women's) underclothing
UNDRO United Nations Disaster Relief Organization
unenclosed
not unin-
un-English
(hyphen, cap.)
Unesco United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization
unexception/able
that cannot be faulted; -al, not unusual
Ungarn Ger. for Hungary
unget-at-able
inaccessible (two hyphens)
unguent ointment
ungul/a hoof, talon, pl. -ae
unheard-of
(hyphen)
Uniat (member of) Eastern Church in communion with Rome, not -ate
Unicef United Nations (International) Children's (Emergency) Fund
unidea'd having no ideas, not -aed
Unido United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
Unionist abbr. U.
unionize bring into trade-union organization (one word, not -ise)
un-ionized
not ionized (hyphen, not -ised)
Union Jack
(two words)
unisex tendency of sexes to be indistinguishable in dress etc.; (adj.)
of clothes wearable by either sex (one word)
Unit. Unitarian, -ism
United Arab/ Emirates
group of seven Emirates on Persian Gulf, abbr. UAE; -- Republic,
1958-71; abbr. UAR
United/ Free Church of Scotland (caps.), abbr. UFC; -- Kingdom (caps.),
abbr. UK; -- Presbyterian/, abbr. UP; -- -- Church (caps.),
abbr. UPC; -- Service Club (not Services). See also US, USAF
USI, USIS, USN, USPG, USS
units see BSI, SI
Univ. University; (in Oxford) University College
Univers (typ.), a sanserif (q.v.) fount; not a generic term for
sanserif face
universal (a, not an); abbr. univ.
Universal Copyright Convention
adopted 1952, effective in sixteen countries (incl. US) from
1955, in UK 1957, and in USSR 1973. Basically each member-nation
(now more than sixty) extends benefit of its own copyright laws
to works by citizens of other member-nations, regardless of
place of original publication. See also Berne Convention,
copyright notice; abbr. UCC
universalize
not -ise
Universal Time
abbr. UT
University College London
(no comma), abbr. UCL
unjustified setting
(typ.), composition with a single invariable word-space, giving
an uneven right-hand margin (as in this book)
Unknown Soldier
unidentified soldier representing casualties in war (caps.)
unladylike
(one word)
unlicensed
not -ced
unm. unmarried
unmanageable
not -gable
UNO or Uno, United Nations Organization, use UN
uno animo (Lat.), unanimously
unparalleled
not -elled
unperson person whose identity is denied or ignored (one word)
unpractical
not suitable for actual conditions, not -im. See also
impracticable.
unputdownable
(of book) (one word)
unridable not -eable
unrivalled
not -aled
Unrra United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
Unrwa United Nations Relief Works Agency
unsaleable
not -lable
unscalable
not -eable
unselfconscious
(one word)
unserviceable
not -cable
unsewn binding
(bind.), method in which the gatherings of each volume are
clamped together, their back folds sheared off, and the
resultant leaf-edges glued to a flexible backing
UP United Presbyterian; United Press; Uttar Pradesh (formerly
United Provinces), India
u.p. underproof; (colloq.), all up (with someone)
up. upper
up-and/-coming
(colloq.), likely to succeed; -- - -- -over (adj.), of door
(hyphens)
Upanishad a Sanskrit philosophical treatise
upbeat (one word)
up/field, -hill
(one word)
up/ish, -ity
use upp-
up-market (adj., hyphen)
upper case
(typ.), in handsetting, the case containing capitals, small
capitals, numerals, and signs; hence a generic term See also
manuscript, capitalization
Upper Volta
W. Africa, indep. 1960
upp/ish self-assertive; -ity, arrogant, snobbish, not upi-
Uppsala Sweden, not Ups-
upright (one word)
upside-down
(one hyphen)
up/stage, -stairs, -stream
(one word)
upsy-daisy
encouragement spoken to child, not ups-a- (hyphen)
u.s. ubi supra (in the place above [mentioned]), ut supra (as above)
u/s unserviceable
USA United States of America
usable not -eable
USAF United States Air Force
USCL United Society for Christian Literature
USDAW Union of Shop, Distributive, and Allied Workers
usf. (Ger.), und so fort (and so on)
Usher Hall
Edinburgh
USI United Service Institution (not Services)
USIS United States Information Service
USN United States Navy
USPG United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
usquebaugh
(Gaelic), whisky
USS United States Ship; Universities Superannuation Scheme
Ussher (James), 1581-1656, Irish divine, Abp. of Armagh
US spellings
. Noteworthy differences from British usage such as aluminum,
maneuver, and pajamas are given in their alphabetical places.
The following general categories of US usage should also be
noted:
1. e for ae and oe, initially as in esthete, eon, and estrogen,
and medially as in fetus and toxemia.
2. -ense for -ence in the words defense, license (noun and
verb), offense, and pretense.
3. -er for -re, as in center, fiber, and theater (but others
such as acre, lucre, and ogre are the same as in British usage).
4. O for ou, as in mold; in particular -or for -our, as in
color, harbor, and tumor.
5. z occasionally for soft s, as in cozy and (despite
etymology) analyze.
6. Final -e is often omitted before a suffix beginning with a
vowel where in British usage it is retained, as in milage and
salable. But after soft c and g it is always retained, as in
British usage.
7. Final -l in words stressed on any syllable but the last is
not usually doubled as in British usage when followed by a
suffix beginning with a vowel, as in counselor, teetotaler,
rivaled, and traveling; note also clarinetist.
8. Final -ogue is sometimes shortened to -og, as in analog,
catalog, epilog, and pedagog
USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, comprising the Russian
Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) and the Armenian,
Azerbaijan, Estonian, Georgian, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Latvian,
Lithuanian, Moldavan, Tadjik, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Uzbek, and
White Russian (Belorussian) Soviet Socialist Republics.
usu. usual, -ly
usucaption
(law), acquisition of title by continued occupation of property,
not -capion
VA Vicar Apostolic, vice-admiral, (Order of) Victoria and Albert
(for ladies), Virginia (off. postal abbr.)
Va. Virginia (off. abbr.); (mus.) viola
v.a. verb active; (Lat.) vixit... annos (lived [so many] years)
vaccinat/e
to inoculate with vaccine; -ion, -or
vacillat/e
to move from side to side, to waver; -ion, -or
vacu/um pl. -ums, or -a in scientific and technical use
vacuum/ cleaner, -- flask, -- pump
(two words)
VAD Voluntary Aid Detachment (for nursing)
vade-mecum/
a handbook or other article carried on the person; pl. -s
(hyphen)
vae victis!
(lat.), woe to the vanquished!
vaille que vaille
(Fr.), whatever it may be worth, at all events
vainglor/y, -ious
(one word)
Vaisya Hindu farmer and merchant caste
valance short curtain or drapery. See also valence
vale! (Lat.), farewell!, pl. valete!; vale (noun), a farewell (not
ital.)
valence (chem.), combining power of an element. See also valance,
valency
Valencia Ireland, Spain
Valenciennes
rich kind of lace (cap.)
valency (chem.), unit of combining power of an element. See also valence
Valentia (Viscount)
not -cia
valentine a sweetheart; a card or message sent to or received by one (not
cap.)
Valentine's Day (St)
14 Feb. (apos.)
valet a gentleman's personal attendant (not ital.)
valeta use vel-
Valetta Malta, use Vall-
Valhalla (Norse myth.), palace in which souls of dead heroes feasted, not
W-. See also Hel
Valkyrie (Norse myth.), each of Odin's twelve handmaidens, pl. same, not
W-
Valladolid
Spain
Valletta Malta, not Vale-, -eta
Vallombrosa
N. Italy, not Vallam-
valorize artificially fix price, not -ise
valour but valorous
Valparaiso
Chile
valse/ waltz; valse … deux temps, … trois temps (Fr., no hyphens),
variations of the waltz
value added tax
(three words), abbr. VAT
van van den, van der, as prefix to a proper name, usu. not initial
cap., except at beginning of sentence. Signatures to be copied
vanadium symbol V
Van Allen belt
or layer, of radiation surrounding the earth
Vanbrugh (Sir John)
1664-1726, English architect and playwright
Van Buren (Martin)
1782-1862, US President 1837-41
V. & A. Victoria and Albert Museum
Vandal (member) of Germanic people of 4th-5th cc. (cap.); vandal,
wilful destroyer of art or property (not cap.)
vandalize not -ise
van de Graaff (Robert Jemison)
1905-67, US physicist
Van Diemen's Land
not -- Dieman's -- (apos.) now Tasmania
Van Dijck (Christoffel)
1601-?69, typefounder; his work (now largely lost) served as
model for Caslon (q.v.) and for the Monotype van Dijck (1935)
Van Dyck (Sir Anthony)
1599-1641, Flemish painter (two words); Anglicized form Vandyke/
(one word), used to denote a work by him, and in -- beard, --
brown; vandyke, each of series of points bordering lace etc.
(not cap.)
Vane-Tempest-Stewart
family name of Marquess of Londonderry (hyphens)
Van Eyck (Hubert)
1366-1426, and -- (Jan), 1385-1440, his brother, Flemish
painters
Van Gogh (Vincent)
1853-90, Dutch painter
Vanhomrigh (Esther)
1692-1723, Swift's 'Vanessa'
Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.
publishers
Van't Hoff (Jacobus Hendricus)
1852-1911, Dutch physicist and chemist
Vanuatu formerly New Hebrides, indep. 1980
vaporiz/e not -ise; -er, not -or
vapour but vapor/ific, -iform, -imeter, -ous
Var river and d‚p. France
var. (biol.) variety
Varanasi see Benares
vari/a lectio/
(Lat.), a variant reading, abbr. v.l.; pl. -ae -nes, abbr.
vv.ll.
variegated
diversified (usu. in colour)
variety (biol.), abbr. var. See also botany
variorum edition
one with notes by various commentators
variorum notae
(Lat.), notes by commentators
vas/ (anat.), a duct; pl. -a
vascul/um a botanist's specimen-case; pl. -a
vas deferens
spermatic duct, pl. vasa deferentia
vasectomy excision of vas deferens
Vaseline propr. term for type of petroleum jelly (cap.)
vassal feudal retainer
Vassar College
New York
VAT value added tax
Vat. Vatican
Vaudois use Waldenses
Vaughan Williams (Ralph)
1872-1958, English composer
Vauvenargues (Luc de Clapiers, marquis de)
1715-47, French writer
v. aux. verb auxiliary
Vaux of Harrowden (Baron)
22.3 vb.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
WA Washington State (off. postal abbr.), Western Australia
WAAF Women's Auxiliary Air Force, earlier and later WRAF
wabbl/e, -y
use wo-
waddy Australian Aboriginal's war-club
Wade-Giles
see Chinese
wadi/ (Arab.), the dry bed of a torrent, not -y; pl. -s
w.a.f. with all faults
W. Afr. West Africa
wag/ a joker, -gery, -gish
wage-earner
(hyphen)
waggly waving, unsteady, not -ey
wagon/ -er, ette, not wagg-
wagon/ (Fr. m.), a railway carriage; wagon-lit, sleeping-car, pl.
wagons-lits (hyphen, not ital. in Eng. usage)
wagtail a bird (one word)
Wahabi a sect formed by Abd-el-Wahhab (1691-1787) to restore primitive
Islam, not Wahh-, -bees
Wahrheit (Dichtung und)
(Ger.) (Fiction and Truth), by Goethe (1811-33)
Waiapu (Bp. of)
New Zealand
Wai-hai-wei
use Weihaiwei (one word)
Waikiki Beach
Hawaii
Wainfleet Lincs.
wainscot/ panelled woodwork on an interior wall; -ed, -ing
waist/band, -belt
(one word)
waiting/ -list, -room
(hyphens)
wake past woke, partic. woken
Wakefield:
sig. of Bp. of Wakefield (colon)
Wakley (Thomas)
1795-1862, English doctor, founded The Lancet in 1823. See also
Walkley
Wal. Walloon
Walachian one of a non-Slav people of SE Europe, not Wall-
Waldenses religious sect, not Vaudois
Waldteufel (ђmile)
1837-1952, French composer
wale a flesh mark, use weal
wale-knot not wall-
Waler a NSW horse
Wales abbr. W.
Walhalla use V-
walkabout Austral. Aboriginal's period of wandering in the bush; informal
stroll among crowd by royal person etc. (one word)
walkie-talkie
portable transmitter and receiver, not -y -y
walking-stick
(hyphen)
Walkley (Arthur Bingham)
1855-1926, English dramatic critic. See also Wakley
walk-over an easy victory (hyphen); abbr. w.o.
WalkЃre (Die)
second part of Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen, 1870
Walkyrie use V-
walla use wallah
wallaby a small kangaroo, not the many variants
Wallace (Alfred Russel not -ell)
1823-1913, English naturalist; -- (Sir Donald Mackenzie),
1841-1919, English writer; -- (George Corley), b. 1919, US
politician; -- (Henry Agard), 1888-1965, US politician; --
(Lewis, 'Lew'), 1827-1905, US general and author; -- (Sir
Richard), 1818-90, English art collector and philanthropist (The
Wallace Collection, London); -- (Prof. Robert), 1853-1939,
Scottish agricultural writer; -- (Sir William), 1272-1305,
Scottish hero; -- (William Vincent), 1812-65, Irish composer.
See also Wallas, Wallis
Wallachian
use Wala-
wallah (Anglo-Ind., now slang), a man (usu. in some specified
connection)
Wallas (Graham)
1858-1932, English socialist writer. See also Wallace, Wallis
wall-eye(d)
(hyphen)
wallflower
(one word)
Wallis (Sir Barnes)
1887-1979, British inventor; -- (George Harry), 1847-1936,
English art writer; -- (John), 1616-1703, English mathematician,
a founder of the Royal Society. See also Wallace, Wallas
wall-knot use wale-knot
Walloon (a speaker of) a French dialect of S. Belgium and parts of N.
France; abbr. Wal.
Wallop family name of Earl of Portsmouth
wall-painting
(hyphen)
wallpaper (one word)
Wall Street
New York
Walpurgis night
the one preceding 1 May
Walton (Izaak not Isaac)
1593-1683, English author of Compleat Angler
waltz a dance (not ital.); in Fr. f. valse; in Ger. m. Walzer (ital.)
Walvis Bay
Namibia
wanderlust
(one word)
W. & M. William and Mary (King and Queen)
wapiti American elk, not wapp-
War. Warwickshire
war/ baby, bride, crime
(two words)
Warboys Cambs.
war/ -cloud, -cry
(hyphens)
Ward (Artemas), 1727-1800 American Revolutionary general; --
(Artemus), pseud. of Charles Farrar Browne, 1834-67, US
humorist; -- (Mrs Humphry, not -rey), 1851-1920, English
novelist (Mary Augusta Arnold)
war damage
(two words)
war-dance (hyphen)
warden abbr. W.
war/ -game, -god
(hyphens)
warhead (one word)
war-horse (hyphen)
Warlock (Peter)
pseud. of Philip Heseltine, 1894-1930, English composer
war-lord (hyphen)
warmonger (one word)
War Office
abbr. WO, now see M.o.D.
war/ -paint, -path
(hyphens)
warrant/er
one who authorizes or guarantees; -or (law), one who gives
warranty
warrant-officer
(hyphen)
war/ship, -time
(one word)
Warwickshire
abbr. War.
Wash. Washington State (off. abbr.)
wash-basin
(hyphen)
washboard (one word)
wash-drawing
one made with a brush and black or grey water-colour
wash-house
(hyphen)
Washington
State of US, off. abbr. Wash. or (postal) WA
Washington
DC, US capital
wash-out (noun, hyphen)
wasn't to be printed close up
WASP white Anglo-Saxon Protestant
Wassermann
blood test for syphilis, from August von Wassermann, 1866-1925,
German bacteriologist
Webb (Beatrice)
1858-1943, wife of -- (Sidney James, Baron Passfield),
1859-1947, English economists and sociologists; -- (Mary),
1881-1927, English novelist
weber (phys.), unit of magnetic flux, abbr. Wb
web/-fed (typ.), presses which receive paper from a reel and not as
separate sheets;-- -letterpress, -- -offset
Webster (Daniel)
1782-1852, US statesman) and orator; (Noah), 1758-1843, US
lexicographer
wedding breakfast
(two words)
wedding/-cake, -day
(hyphens)
wedding march
(two words)
wedding-ring
(hyphen)
Wedgwood ware
not Wedge-, a superior kind of pottery, invented by Josiah
Wedgwood, 1730-95
Wednesday abbr. W. or Wed.
week/ -s, abbr. w. or wk.
week/day, -end
(one word)
Weelkes (Thomas)
c. 1575-1623, English composer
weepie (colloq.), a sentimental film, play, etc.
weepy (colloq.), tearful
weever a fish
weevil a beetle
w.e.f. with effect from
Wehrmacht (Ger. hist. f.), German armed forces (cap., ital.)
Weidenfeld (George) & Nicolson, Ltd.
publishers
weighbridge
(one word)
weight abbr. wt.
weights use numerals; abbreviations as cwt., g., lb., oz., not to have s
added for the plural, but add s in qrs. See Hart's Rules, p. 3
Weihaiwei China, not Wai-hai-wei
Weil (Adolf)
1848-1916, German physician; -- (Simone), 1909-43, French
philosopher
Weill (Kurt)
1900-50, German-born US composer
Weimaraner
breed of dog
Weingartner (Paul Felix)
1863-1942, German conductor and composer
weir a dam across a river, not wear
Weismann/ (August)
1834-1914, German zoologist; -ism, a theory of heredity
Weissnichtwo
(Ger. for Know-not-where), in Carlyle's Sartor Resartus
Weizmann/ (Chaim)
1874-1952, Polish-born chemist and Zionist leader; -- Institute,
Israel
Weizs„cker (Carl Friedrich Freiherr von)
b. 1912, German philosopher and physicist; -- (Julius), 1828-89,
German historian; -- (Karl), 1822-99, German theologian
welch use welsh
Welch Fusiliers (Royal)
(but Welsh Guards)
Welfare State
(two words, caps.)
welk use whelk
we'll to be printed close up
well- prefix joined to participles in -ed or -ing takes hyphens when
the compound is used attrib., and to preserve the unity of the
sense when it is used predic., e.g. a well-known book; the book
is well known; the action was not well-advised; he has not been
well advised
well/-being, -doer
(hyphens)
Welles (Orson)
b. 1915, US actor and film-director
well-known
see well-
wellnigh (one word)
well-to-do
(hyphens)
well-wisher
(hyphen)
Welsh abbr. W.; alphabet has 26 letters; ch, dd, ff, ng (following g),
ll, th, being each counted as one. No j, k, q, u, x.
welsh/ to default in payment, not -lch; -er
Welsh rabbit
melted cheese on toast, not rarebit
Welt/anschauung
(Ger.), world-philosophy; -politik, participation in
international politics; -schmerz, world-sorrow
Wemyss/ Bay
Strathclyde; -- Castle, Fife; -- (Earl of)
wen see wyn
we're, weren't
to be printed close up
werewol/f (myth.), a human capable of turning at times into a wolf; pl.
-ves, not werw-
west/ -ern, abbr. W. See also capitalization, compass
WO War Office (now see M.o.D.), Warrant Officer, Wireless Operator
w.o. walk-over
w/o without
wobbl/e, -y
not wa-
Wodehouse family name of Earl of Kimberley; -- (Sir Pelham Grenville),
1881-1975, English humorous novelist. See also Woodhouse
woebegone dismal-looking (one word)
Wolcot (Dr John)
1738-5819, "Peter Pindar", English writer
Wolcott (Oliver)
1726-97, and his son, 1760-1833, American statesmen
Wolf (Friedrich August)
1759-1824, German classical scholar; -- (Hugo), 1860-1903,
Austrian composer
Wolfe (Charles)
1791-1823, Irish poet; -- (Humbert), 1885-1940, English poet; --
(James), 1727-59, British general, took Quebec; -- (Thomas
Clayton), 1900-38, US novelist
Wolff (Sir Henry Drummond Charles)
1830-1908, British politician and diplomat; -- (Christian von),
1679-1754, German philosopher and mathematician; -- (Joseph),
1795-1862, German-born English domiciled traveller; -- (Kaspar
Friedrich), 1733-94, German embryologist; adj. Wolffian
Wolf-Ferrari (Ermanno)
1876-1948, Italian composer
wolfhound (one word)
Wollstonecraft (Mary, Mrs Godwin)
1759-97, English writer, mother of Mary -- Godwin, Mrs Shelley,
1797-1851, English writer
wolverine American animal, not wool-, -ene
womanize not -ise
womankind not women- (one word)
Women's/ Journal; -- Own
Women's Lib
(caps., no point)
won't to be printed close up
woo/, -ed, -er, -s
Wood (Anthony …)
1632-95, English antiquary
Woodard Foundation
of a number of English public schools, named after Nathaniel
Woodard, 1881-91, English Anglican priest, not Woodw-
woodbine honeysuckle, not -bind
woodchuck N. American marmot (one word)
woodcock/ bird m. and f. pl. -s
woodcut (typ.), design cut in the side grain of a type-high block of
wood (one word)
wood engraving
(typ.), design cut in the end grain of a type-high block of wood
(two words)
Woodhouse surname of Emma In Jane Austen's Emma. See also Wodehouse
wood/land, -man
(one word)
wood-nymph
(hyphen)
woodpecker
(one word)
wood/pile, -wind
(mus.), -work, -worm (one word)
wood-shed (hyphen)
wool/, -len, -ly
Woolacombe
Devon
Wooler Northumberland
Woolf (Adelaide Virginia n‚e Stephen)
1882-1941, English novelist and essayist; (Leonard Sidney),
1880-1969, her husband, English writer
Woollcott (Alexander Humphreys)
1887-1943, US author and dramatic critic
Woolloomooloo
Sydney, Australia
Woolsack (House of Lords) (one word)
wool-sorters' disease
anthrax, not -er's
woolverine
use wolv-
Worcester:
sig. of Bp. of Worcester (colon)
Worcestershire
former county, abbr. Worcs.
Worde see Wynkyn
Word of God (the)
(caps.), but in NT l.c. w
work abbr. wk.
workaday (one word)
workaholic
a compulsive worker
work and turn
(typ.), printing of the two sides of a sheet of paper from one
forme
work/-bench, -box
(hyphens)
workday (one word)
work-force
(hyphen)
work/house, -man
(one word)
working class
(hyphen when attrib.)
work off (typ.), actually to print the paper
work/sheet, -shop
(one word)
work-to-rule
(noun, hyphens)
World (the New)
America; -- (the Old), Europe, Asia, and Africa, known to the
ancients (two caps.). See also Third World
World War I
1914-18; -- -- II, 1939-45; also First World War, Second World
War
world-wide
(hyphen)
wormeaten (one word)
worm's-eye view
(apos., one hyphen)
wormwood (bot.) Artemisia, (fig.) bitterness
Wormwood Scrubs
London
worry beads
(two words)
worry-guts
(colloq.) (hyphen)
worship/, -ped, -per, -ping
worthwhile
(one word attrib., two words predic.)
Wotton (Sir Henry)
1568-1639, English diplomat and poet
would-be adj. (hyphen)
wouldst to be printed close up, no apos.
Woulfe/ (Peter)
1727-1803, English chemist; hence -- bottle, for passing gas
through liquid
wove paper
that which does not show wire marks; distinct from laid --
Wozzeck opera by Berg, 1925, based on Woyzech, play by Buchner, 1837
wrangler (Cambridge University), one placed in first class of
mathematical tripos
wrap-round
(bind.), a folded section placed outside another section, so
that sewing passes through both
wrasse a fish, not -ass
wrath (noun), great anger. See also wroth
Wray see Ray
wreath (noun)
wreathe (verb)
wrick use rick
wristband (one word)
wrist-watch
(hyphen)
writable not -eable
write/-down, -off, -up
(nouns, hyphens)
writer's cramp
not -ers' cramp
writing/ -desk, -paper, -table
(hyphens)
WRNS Women's Royal Naval Service
Wroclaw Poland; in Ger. Breslau
wrongdo/er, -ing
(one word)
wrong fount
(typ.), said of letter(s) set in wrong size or cut of type;
abbr. w.f. (without points as a proof-correction mark). See also
proof-correction marks
wroth (poet. or joc.), angry. See also wrath
Wrottesley (Baron)
WRVS Women's Royal Voluntary Service, formerly WVS
X‚rez (Francisco de)
b. 1504, Spanish historian of conquest of Peru
xerography
electrostatic process for printing from or copying documentary
material or film. A dry resinous powder is attracted to the
positively charged areas of a selenium plate, the non-image
areas having been discharged upon exposure to the illuminated
original. The powder is then attracted to positively-charged
paper and stabilized by heat
Xerox propr. term for a xerographic copying machine (cap.); xerox, to
produce (copies) from such a machine (not cap.)
x-height (typ.), distance between top and bottom of those lower-case
letters of a given fount that have no ascenders or descenders
(e.g. n, x); the area of the shoulder occupied by these
-yse. In verbs such as analyse, catalyse, paralyse, -lys- is part of
the stem (corresponding to the Greek element -lusis), and not a
suffix like -ize. The spelling -yze is therefore incorrect,
though common in US
zealot zealous person, fanatic (cap. with reference to Jewish sect)
zebec use xebec
Zech. Zechariah
Zeeland Holland, not Zea-
Zeitgeist (Ger. m.), the spirit of the time (cap.)
Zeitschrift
(Ger. f), periodical (cap.)
Zeltinger a Moselle wine
zemindar official in India under Mogul empire, Indian land-owner paying
tax to Britain, not zamin-
Zen meditative form of Buddhism (cap.)
zenana (Ind.), the women's apartments, not za-
Zener cards
used in ESP research (one cap.)
zenith the highest point, opp. to nadir
Zeph. Zephaniah
zero/ pl. -s
Zetinje use Cetinje
Zetland/ former off. name of Shetland county; -- (Marquess of)
zeugma/ (gram.), figure in which a verb or adj. is used with two nouns
of which it is strictly applicable to only one, e.g. with
weeping eyes and hearts, pl. -s; adj. -tic
zoolog/y, -ical, ist
abbr. zool.; genera, species, and subspecies to be italic,
other divisions roman: Carnivora (order); Felidae (family);
Felis (genus); Felis catus (species). Specific epithets, even
when derived from names of persons, should be l.c.: Myotis
daubentoni. See Hart's Rules, pp. 6-7
zo/on an animal; pl. -a
z“on politikon
(anc. Gr.), the political animal, man