A very elaborate knevel.The Word Museum*, continued.
knevel-"The moustache. The hair on the upper lip was worn for ages before the modern, and now the only, name for the thing was borrowed from the Spanish. The word is now entirely obsolete, but pure English."
curtain-lecture- "A reproof given by a wife to her husband in bed. What endless brawls by wives are bred! The curtain-lecture makes a mournful bed."
liplabour-"Action of the lips without concurrence of the mind."
married all over-"Said of women who, after their marriages, fall off in their appearance and become poor and miserable-looking."
* The title of Jeffrey Kacirk's wonderful little book, from which all entries here are taken. See also August 25, 2006.
knevel-"The moustache. The hair on the upper lip was worn for ages before the modern, and now the only, name for the thing was borrowed from the Spanish. The word is now entirely obsolete, but pure English."
curtain-lecture- "A reproof given by a wife to her husband in bed. What endless brawls by wives are bred! The curtain-lecture makes a mournful bed."
liplabour-"Action of the lips without concurrence of the mind."
married all over-"Said of women who, after their marriages, fall off in their appearance and become poor and miserable-looking."
* The title of Jeffrey Kacirk's wonderful little book, from which all entries here are taken. See also August 25, 2006.
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