It may sound bizarre to have a list of obsolete words but it is very surprising to learn how many words of years gone by have been replaced and forgotten. Many of the words in the following list will spring to mind although some will seem like a foreign language to you because they may have been used hundreds of years ago. However, language is a vital part of history and it is worth remembering how our ancestors used to live, what they used to do and they’re spoken language.
We will now take a look at a list of obsolete words from the UK that have been long forgotten: –
An – Historical form of if Art – Present second-person singular form of the verb be. “Are”. Astonied – To stun, amaze, or astonish; astound or bewilder
Betwixt – Between Bilbo – Short sword Bobbish – Brisk, well Bouncable – A swagger Bridewell – Prison
Caddish – Wicked Cag-mag – Rotten meat Chalk Scores – Debts Coddleshell – Amendment to a legal will Coiner – Counterfeiter Connexion – Connection Costermonger – A greengrocer, seller of fruit and vegetables Cove – Chap Craze – To Shatter
Dost – Present second-person singular form of the verb do Doth – Present third-person singular form of the verb do Drab – A prostitute Dream – Joy Ducats – MOney
Eek, Eke – Also -est – suffix used to form the present second-person singular of regular verbs -eth – suffix used to form the present third-person singular of regular verbs
Fire A Rick – Burn a stack of hay in protest Forsooth! – Really! Fluey – Dusty
Grinder – A tutor who prepares students for examinations
Hast – Present second-person singular form of the verb have Halth – Present third-person singular form of the verb have Heavy – Depressed Hither – Come here
Ivory Tablets – Notepaper
Kine – Cattle
Marry – By the Virgin Mary, a mild oath meaning “indeed” Methinks – It seems to me Mote – Must
Nay – No Nought – Nothing
Over the broomstick – Living in sin
Quantum – Money to pay a bill
Rantipole – To behave in a romping or rude manner Read With – To tutor
Shake-down – A bed Shalt – Used to form the future tense of verbs Shew – Show Smote – Strike a blow Soft – An exclamation meaning “wait a minute!” Stand High – To have a good reputation
Thee – Old 2nd person singular pronoun Thou – Old 2nd person singular pronoun Thy – Old 2nd person singular pronoun Thine – Old 2nd person singular pronoun Thither – There Thole – Put up with something
Unto – Upon
Wast – Past-tense second person singular of be, used with thou Wert – Past-tense second person singular of be, used with thou Whence – Where you came from Wherefore – Why Whitesmith – Tinsmith Whither – To where? Whitlow – Sore finger or thumb Wilt – Used to form the future tense of verbs Withal – Form of with Wittles – Food
Yea – Yes
Zounds – Swear word
