SeWords

This glossary of terms, referred to as “SeWords,” defines terms found in the Seward Family Digital Archive letters that were unfamiliar to student transcribers and that may be unfamiliar to archive users. Referencing the 1828 and 1865 Webster’s Dictionary, we provide a definition of terms as they were used at the time. Google Dictionary was used to define terms not found in nineteenth-century dictionaries, including metaphors, colloquialisms, and foreign words. Demeara Torres, former Project Digitization Manager, oversaw the SeWords project from 2014-2018.

a hop

Abate

Abatis

Accoutrements

Acme

Addle

Advert

Affable

Affaire d coeur

Aliment

Allopathy

Amanuensis

Ambrotype

Amiable

Antimason

Antimony

Aperiodic

Apoplexy

Apotheosis

Ardent

Arduous

Array

Arrear

Ascribe

Aught

Avaricious

Back house

Balsam of Tolu

Bandbox

Barouche

Basrelief

Begird

Bibler

Bijou

Bitters

Blue ladies

Bolter

Bombazine

Brake

Bristly

Bugbear

Bulger

Burthen

Cabriolet

Calash

Calico

Calomel

Camphine

Canty

Cardinal

Caryatides

Cat under the meal

Celerity

Challis

Chancery

Chap-fallen

Chaplain

Charlotte Russe

Chirography

Cicisbeo

Colic

Collop

Colloquy

Colorable

Commiserate

Commissary

Compromit

Comtroll

Condign

Conscript

Consternation

Consumption

Contrite

Contumely

Coronach

Cot

Cotelette

Coupe

Cravat

Creep

Croup

Cutter

De bene nesse

Decalogue

Dehors

Demur

Denominate

Depredate

Despond

Devoir

Dieu vous garde

Diffident

Dimity

Discourse

Dishabille

Disquisition

Dissipate

Diver

Doughface

Ducat

Dun

Dyspepsia

E'en

Ebullient

Economy

Efficacy

Eh bien

Ejectment

Emetic

En famille

Engross

Ennui

Epistle

Equinoctial

Ere

Erysipelas

Evince

Excursion

Exequatur

Expatiate

Expeditious

Expiate

Exptempore

Facetious

Factotum

Fagend

Fain

Fastidious

Felicity

Felon

Ferman

Ferriage

Fete

Feudatory

Floater

Flurry

Foolscap

Forenoon

Fractitious

Freemason

Freshet

Furlough

Gaiter

Gaman

Garner

Gay

Gayety

Genteel

Gig

Gilder

Globule

Gore

Gourmand

Gratuitous

Grocery

Grotto

Gull

Gutta percha case

Habiliments

Hackstand

Hardtack

Hardtack

High feather

Homeopathy

Hypo

Immolate

Implacable

Importune

Impute

In re

Incommode

Inculpate

Indefatigable

Indolent

Induce

Insipid

Inst

Inter

Interdict

Intimate

Jalap

Janders

Jaune Mange

Jenkins

Jot

Kit-cat size

Kneepan

Lambent

Lancers

Landaulette

Lang syne

Languid

Languor

Lanthorn

Lapstone

Laudanum

Leghorn

Lenity

Lethean

Levee

Levity

Lief

Liturgy

Loco Foco

Locum tenens

Lost a foot

Lowery

Lydian

Macadamize

Malediction

Mandamus

Mantelet

Mantuamaker

Manufaclined

Mason

Matin

Matron

Matronize

Mauger

Mauvais ton

Melancholy

Mephitic gas

Minaret

Mortgage

Mottoes

Mought

Mousseline du laine

Nabob

Nepenthe

Neuralgia

Oakum

Offscourings

Orgie

Orthography

Palmiest

Panegyric

Paper of tacks

Paregoric

Patroon

Pecuniary

Pelisse

Peradventure

Perambulate

Peregrinate

Perforce

Perquisite

Perspicuity

Persuant

Pertinence

Peruse

Pestilence

Pettifog

Phaeton

Philopena

Phiz

Pinks

Pipe of madeira

Pistle

Pithy

Plod

Poltroon

Posset

Postillion

Poultice

Pour dire Adieu

Prebendary

Precipitate

Presentiment

Promenade

Propitious

Proprietor

Proscribe

Protract

Psalter

Puerile

Pulmonary

Purser

Quadrille

Quinsy

Quires

Quondam

Rector

Regatta

Relicta

Reluctate

Remit

Remonstrate

Remunerate

Repugnance

Restif

Retrograde

Rheumatism

Rob

Rod

Sagacity

Sally

Sanguine

Sapience

Sapsago

Scrofula

Scruple

Secesh

Sedan

Segar

Seidlitz

Sepulture

Serge

Shave paper

Skein

Skiff

Somnolence

Spiculate

Spright

Squib

Squill

Stannary

Stentorian

Stereoscope

Stoic

Stomacher

Sumpter

Superannuate

Superintend

Suppurate

Surmise

Surplice

Surtout

Suspense account

Sutler

Sybaritic

Table d'hote

Table-moving

Taper

Teasel

Termine

Tiger

Tittle

Traduce

Trammel

Unburthen

Unostentatious

Urbanity

Vacillate

Vapour

Vapours

Varioloid

Vegetable oyster

Vegetate

Vendue

Venire de novo

Veracity

Vestry

Vex

Vicissitude

Victuals

Vindicate

Viz

Vrouw

Wayfare

Ween

Whiffletree

Whist

Widow's Weeds

Winebibber

Wroth