A growing assortment of words and definitions used in the Early Modern era. See the Guide for more information.
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Definition
Abject
As a noun, a servile person; one cast off, an outcast. Latin abicere, to cast off; ab, away + iacere, iactum (in compounds iectum, whence also conjecture and many an object). Shakespeare in RICHARD III (1592) speaks of the Queen's abjects; Percy Bysshe Shelley in PROMETHEUS UNBOUND (1818): The subject of a tyrant's will Became, worse fate! the abject of his own.
Anadem
A wreath, a garland, a circlet of flowers for the hair. Greek ana, together, up + deein, to bind; Greek diadeein, to bind around, gave us English diadem. Used from the 17th century. Percy Bysshe Shelley in ADONAIS (1821) has: Another clipt her profuse locks, and threw The wreath upon him, like an anadem. In the 17th century the form anadesm was used for a surgeon's bandage.
Glaucous
Of a pale green passing into greyish blue. Greek glaukos, sea-color. Percy Bysshe Shelley in PROMETHEUS UNBOUND (1820) has Panthea say Ere-while I slept Under the glaucous caverns of old Ocean. Also glaucy, mainly in poetry, as in Barnes' madrigal in PARTHENOPHIL (1593) : Sleep Phoebus still, in glaucy Thetis' lap.
