A growing assortment of words and definitions used in the Early Modern era. See the Guide for more information.
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Definition
Gastromancy
Divination -- foretelling events, predicting the future -- by using (1) rumbles of the belly a sort of "fatiloquency," said Francois Rabelais (1533), long practiced in Ferrara (2) ventriloquism (3) a child looking into the "belly" of a glass bottle of water.
Regal
As a noun. (1) Royalty; royal authority; also, a kingdom, royal right or privilege; a ruler (Chaucer; 1385); a ring or a chalice used at a coronation. Latin regalis; rex, regem, king; whence also royal (via the French) and the adjective regal. The noun was in use from the 14th to the 17th century. The regal of Scotland, the coronation chair, placed on the stone of Scone. (2) A portable organ (usually plural, regals) common from 1550 to 1625, of reed pipes; played with keys by the right hand while the left hand worked a bellows. Also rigalle, rigoll; in French (Rabelais) regualle. (3) A groove, a slot, as in a battlement, or for a pulley or for joining boards. Used from the 15th century; also regyll, riggle; raggle, a groove in stone, as for fitting an edge of a roof.
