A growing assortment of words and definitions used in the Early Modern era. See the Guide for more information.
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Word
Definition
Marcid
Weak; exhausted; withered, decayed. Also marcidious; marcidity. Latin marcidus, withered; marcere, to wither; cp. marcescible. Tom Taylor in his translation (1822) of Apulelus, wrote: She dismissed her marcid eyes to sleep.
Ticket-of-leave
A license to be at large after part of a prison term has been served; as in Australia, and in 19th century England of convicts released for good behavior. Hence, ticket-of-leave man, ticket-of-leaver, one thus released. THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN, by Tom Taylor, in May, 1863, brought to the Olympic Theatre the first great detective in the drama. His removal of disguise and selfdisclosure became traditionalized in three movements: Left hand removes cap -- he says: "I." Right hand removes wig -- he says "Hawkshaw." Left hand, holding cap, removes whiskers -- he says: "the detective."
