1. Meters in English Poetry. FRONT_4
2. Apothecaries signs. FRONT_4
3. Planetary and zodiacal signs. FRONT_4
4. Crosses and ecclesiastical signs. FRONT_4
5. Reference marks. FRONT_4
FRONT_1 Conventions used in the Dictionary
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The reader will appreciate that in a work of this size a number of special
conventions are adopted in the interests of saving space. The most
important of these are listed below.
1. highlighting: Contrasting highlighting has been applied to headwords
normally to be printed in italics.
2. oblique stroke: An oblique stroke (/) is used to mark the end of that
part of the headword to which highlighted elements introduced with a
dash or a hyphen later in the same entry should be attached. Thus the
entry collegi/um, ...pl -a shows that the plural form should be
collegia, and the inflexions given as gallop/, ...-ed, -er, ing are to
be understood as galloped, galloper, and galloping
3. dash: A dash (--) is used to stand for the repetition of a single word
already given, and the oblique stroke again marks the end of a common
element. Use of more than one dash indicates the repetition of a
corresponding number of words.
4. hyphen: In headwords the hyphen (-) serves two purposes: to indicate
that a compound is normally hyphenated whenever used, and to introduce
a further second element to form a compound with a first element
marked off earlier in the entry by means of an oblique stroke
5. Being a dictionary and not a descriptive handbook, this book is
designed to provide information whenever possible at the point in the
alphabetical sequence to which the reader may be expected to refer
with a particular word in mind. The compilers have thought it useful
however to include general entries on broader aspects of usage,
especially where this has enabled them to group together
representative examples of words and uses of which total coverage in
their respective places in the dictionary is precluded for reasons of
space. Appended below is a list of longer entries which deal with the
broader aspects of usage:
abbreviations and contractions
-able
Acts of Parliament
Arabic
Assemblies
astronomy
authorities
book sizes
botany
BSI
capitalization
Chinese
creole
date
decimal currency
decimal fractions
diphthongs
division of words
Dutch
edition
-ei-
elision
ellipsis
footnotes
fractions
French
German
Greek
headlines or running titles
Hebrew
-ie-
impression
imprint
Italian
italic
-ize and -ise
Japanese
Latin
ligature
-like
Mac
manuscript
mathematics
names of persons and places
neo-
non-
numerals
pagination
poetry
Polish
possessive case
preliminary matter
proof
proof-correction marks
punctuation
quotation marks
quotations
re-
reference marks
Russian
Saint
SI
Swedish
Syriac
titles (cited)
US spellings
well-
Welsh
-yse
zoology
All dates given in the dictionary are after Christ unless otherwise
specified.
Abbreviations used regularly in the rulings and explanations are listed
below; others are given in the dictionary itself. Abbreviations of
subjects (anthropology, botany, etc.) are also valid for their
corresponding adjectival forms (anthropological, botanical, etc.).
abbr. abbreviation
absol. absolute, (used) absolutely
adj. adjective
adv. adverb
Afr. Africa(n)
Afrik. Afrikaans
anat. anatomy
anc. ancient
anthrop. anthropology
apos. apostrophe
Arab. Arabic
arch. archaic
archaeol. archaeology
archit. architecture
astr. astronomy
attrib. attributive, (used) attributively
b. born
bacteriol. bacteriology
bibliog. bibliography
bind. binding
bot. botany
Brit. British
c. century
c. (italic) circa
campan. campanology
Can. Canada, -ian
cap. capital
cc. centuries
Ch. Church
chem. chemistry, chemical
Chin. China, Chinese
class. classical
collect. collective(ly)
colloq. colloquial(ly)
comb. combination, combining
comp. computer typesetting
cook. cookery
d. died
Dan. Danish
dau. daughter
d‚p. d‚partement (Fr.)
derog. derogatory
dress. dressmaking
Du. Dutch
dyn. dynamics
eccl. ecclesiastical
elec. electrical
esp. especially
exclam. exclamation
f., fem. feminine
fam. family
fig. figurative(ly)
Fl. Flemish
foot. football
Fr. French
gen. general
geog. geography
geol. geology
geom. geometry
Ger. German
Gr. Greek
gram. grammar
her. heraldry
hist. history
hort. horticulture
hunt. hunting
Ind. India(n)
indep. independent
Ins. Insurance
Ir. Irish
It. Italian
ital. italic
joc. jocular(ly)
Lat. Latin
lit. literary
liturg. liturgical, liturgy
m. masculine
mag. magnetism
math. mathematics
mech. mechanics
med. medicine
meteor. meteorology
mfr. manufacture
mil. military
mod. modern
mt. mountain
mus. music
myth. mythology
n., neut. neuter
naut. nautical
obs. obsolete
off. official
orig. original(ly)
ornith. ornithology
Parl. Parliament(ary)
partic. participle, participial
path. pathology
philos. philosophy
photog. photography
phys. physics, physical
physiol. physiology
pl. plural
poet. poetical
polit. political
Port. Portuguese
predic. predicative (used) predicatively
prep. preposition
pron. pronounced
propr. proprietary
pseud. pseudonym
psych. psychology
RC(C) Roman Catholic (Church)
relig. religion
rhet. rhetoric(al)
Rom. Roman
Russ. Russian
s. small
S. Afr. South Africa(n)
S. Amer. South America(n)
Sc. Scottish
Scan. Scandinavian
sci. science
Scrip. Scripture
sig. signature
sing. singular
Skt. Sanskrit
Sp. Spanish
spec. specifically
Swed. Swedish
techn. technical
theat. theatre
theol. theology
trop. tropical
Turk. Turkish
typ. typography
US United States, America(n)
usu. usually
zool. zoology
This dictionary includes some words which are or are asserted to be
proprietary names or trade marks.
Their inclusion does not imply that they have acquired for legal purposes
a non-proprietary or general significance, nor is any other judgement
implied concerning their legal status.
In cases where the compilers have some evidence that a word is used as a
proprietary name or trade mark this is indicated by the words 'propr.
term', but no judgement concerning the legal status of such words is made
or implied thereby.
a are (unit of area) (no point in scientific and technical work),
atto-, year
a. accepted (Fr. accept‚, Ger. acceptiert), on bills of exchange;
acre, active (in grammar), adjective, anna, area, arrive, (Lat.)
ante (before)
a not an, before all words beginning with a consonant (except
silent h: e.g. a horse, a hotel; but an heir, an hour) or with a
vowel that is pronounced with the sound of w or y: e.g. a one, a
European, a union. Similarly with abbreviations: e.g. an FA Cup
match, a Unesco post
Ћ, „ in German, Swedish, etc., may not be replaced by Ae, ae (except
in some proper names), A, a, or ligatured Ae, ae. The first only
of two vowels takes the umlaut sign, as „u
Џ †ngstr”m
† the "Swedish a", used in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish
@ at, the "commercial a" used in calculating from prices
AA Advertising Association, Alcoholics Anonymous, anti-aircraft,
Architectural Association, Associate in Arts, Automobile
Association; film-censorship classification
AAA Amateur Athletic Association, American Automobile Association
AAC anno ante Christum (in the year before Christ) (s. caps.)
Aachen W. Germany; cf. Aix-la-Chapelle
AAF Auxiliary Air Force (till 1957), (US) Army Air Force
AAG Assistant Adjutant-General
AAIA Associate of the Association of International Accountants
AAMI Association of Assistant Mistresses, Incorporated (usu. called
AAM). See also IAAM
A. & M. (Hymns) Ancient and Modern
A. & N. Army and Navy (Stores, Club)
a.a.O. (Ger.), am angefЃhrten Orte (at the place quoted)
AAR against all risks (Ins.)
aard/vark, -wolf
different animals (one word)
Aarhus Denmark.
AAS Academiae Americanae Socius (Fellow of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences), Acta Apostolicae Sedis (Acts of the
Apostolic See), Agnostics' Adoption Society
AB Artium Baccalaureus (US Bachelor of Arts); able-bodied (seaman)
ab (Lat.), from
ABA Amateur Boxing Association, American Bankers' Association,
American Bar Association, Antiquarian Booksellers' Association,
Association of British Archaeologists
ABAA Associate of British Association of Accountants and Auditors
abac/us pl. -uses, counting-frame, (archit.) plate at top of columns
abalone shellfish … bas (Fr.), down with
abattoir slaughter-house Abb. (Ger.), Abbildung
abb. abbess, abbey, abbot
Abbasid Baghdad caliphs, not Abassid
abb‚ (Fr. m.) eccl. title (not ital.)
Abbildung/
(Ger. typ. f.), an illustration (cap.); pl. -en; abbr. Abb.
Abbotsinch Airport
Glasgow
abbr. abbreviat/ed, -ion
abbreviat/e, -or
abbreviations and contractions
See the many instances in this book for rulings in individual
cases. Subject to these, the following leading types may be
noted for guidance:
(a) Abbreviations with several even full or even small
capitals, and acronyms in initial capitals and lower case,
take no points (BBC, TUC, MA, QC, NW, OHG, OED, BC, AD,
Aslef, Sogat); similarly the numerical abbreviations 8vo,
4to, etc., 1st, 2nd, etc., but not initials of personal
names (H. G. Wells, G.B.S.).
(b) Abbreviations having a single capital letter take full
points (J. Austen, five miles S.); but C, F (of
temperature) and chemical symbols do not.
(c) Abbreviations and contractions in a mixture of upper and
lower case take full points (A. & M., M.o.D., B.Litt., Kt.,
Sun., Jan., Yorks.); Dr, Revd, Mr, Mrs, Ms, Mme, Mlle, St
(Saint), Hants, Northants do not.
(d) Single-letter lower-case abbreviations take the full point
(l. 5, p. 7, don't be a b. fool); but p (new pence) does
not (price 50p).
(e) Measures of length, weight, time, etc. take the full point
except when used in specialist scientific or technical
writing (cm., min., lb.)
ABC the alphabet, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, Associated British
Cinemas, Audit Bureau of Circulations, Australian Broadcasting
Commission
ABCA Army Bureau of Current Affairs, now BCA, Bureau of Current
Affairs
ABC Guide
abdicat/e, -ion, -or
abecedarian
(adj.), arranged alphabetically; (noun), person learning
alphabet
… Becket (Thomas)
?1118-70, Abp. (one t)
Abendlied (Ger.), evening song (cap.)
Aberdeen Angus
(two caps.)
Aberdeen terrier
(one cap.)
Aberdonian
(native) of Aberdeen
Abergavenny
Gwent
Abernethy biscuit
(one cap.)
Aberystwyth
Dyfed, not -ith
abest (Lat.), he, she, or it, is absent; pl. absunt
abett/er in law -or
ab extra (Lat.), from outside
abgk., abk., abgekЃrzt
(Ger.) = abbreviated
Abhandlungen
(Ger. f. pl.), Transactions (of a Society); abbr. Abh.
Abidjan Ivory Coast
abigail lady's maid
Abilene Kan., Tex., US
ab incunabulis
(Lat.), from the cradle
Abingdon Oxon. and Va., US
Abington Cambs., Northampton, Strathclyde, Limerick, and Mass., US
ab/ initio
(Lat.), from the beginning, abbr. ab init.; -- intra, from
within
Abl. (Sp.), abril (April)
abl. ablative
ablaut variation in root vowel of a word (e.g. sing, sang, sung)
-able (the suffix). Words ending in silent -e tend to drop the e
before-able, as conceivable, debatable. It is retained when it
serves to prevent the modification of the preceding consonant,
as changeable, peaceable. In practice the following words also
often retain the e: blameable, giveable, hireable, likeable,
liveable, nameable, rateable, saleable, sizeable, tameable,
timeable, tuneable, unshakeable. Many verbs of more than two
syllables ending in -ate drop this ending before -able, as
alienable, calculable, tolerable. See the list in Hart's Rules,
p. 83
able-bodied
(hyphen)
ABM anti-ballistic-missile missile
A-bomb atomic bomb (no point, hyphen)
aboriginal
(adj.), indigenous (with init. cap., in techn. sense in
Australia); aborigin/es (pl. noun, for sing. use -al) also with
init. cap. in Australia
ab origine
(Lat.), from the beginning
aboul/ia loss of will-power, not abulia; adj. -ic
above/-board, -mentioned, -named
(hyphens)
ab ovo (Lat.), from the beginning
Abp. Archbishop
abr. abridged, abridgement
abr‚g‚ (Fr. m.), abridgement
abr‚viation
(Fr. f.), abbreviation
abridgement
abbr. abr.
abs. absolute(ly), abstract
abscess
Abschnitt/
(Ger. typ. m.), section, part, chapter, or division (cap.) pl.
-e
absciss/a (math.), pl. -ae
absente reo
(Lat.), the defendant being absent; abbr. abs. re.
absenter not -or
absent-minded/
(hyphen), -ly, -ness
absinth/ the plant; -e, the liqueur
absit/ (Lat.), let him, her, or it be absent; -- omen, let there be no
(ill) omen
absolute(ly)
abbr. abs.
absorption
not -btion
abs. re. absente reo, q.v.
abstract abbr. abs.
absunt see abest
Abt. (Ger.), Abteilung (division)
abt. about
ABTA Association of British Travel Agents
Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
abulia use aboulia
ab/ uno disce omnes
(Lat.), from one (sample) judge the rest; -- urbe condita, AUC
(but A.U.C. in printing classical Latin texts), from the
foundation of Rome, 753 BC
AC Alpine Club, (or A/C) Aircraftman, Assistant Commissioner,
Athletic Club, Companion of the Order of Australia
A/C (current) account; in printing use acct.
AC ante Christum (before Christ) (s. caps.)
Ac actinium (no point)
a.c. alternating current (elec.), author's correction
ACA Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales; (or Ireland)
Academician
abbr. A.
Acad‚mie fran‡aise
(one cap.)
Academy a learned body; abbr. A. or Acad. (cap.)
Academy (the)
the Platonic school of philosophy
Acadian of Nova Scotia (Fr. Acadie)
a cappella
(It.) (mus.), unaccompanied, not alla cappella
ACAS Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service
ACC Army Catering Corps
acc. acceptance (bill), accusative
Acca Israel, use Acre
Accademia (It.), Academy
Accadian use Akkadian
acced/e, -er
accedence a giving consent
accelerando/
(mus.), accelerating; as noun, pl. -s; abbr. accel.
accelerat/e, -or
acceptance
abbr. acc.
accept/er in law and science -or
accessary use accessory
accessible
access/it (Lat.), he, she or it, came near; pl. -erunt
accessory (noun and adj.), use now in all senses, not -ary
access time
(computing)
acciaccatura
(mus.), a grace-note
accidence inflexions of words
accidental
(mus.)
accidentally
not -tly
accidie, acedia
listlessness
acclimatize
not -ise
ACCM Advisory Council for the Church's Ministry (formerly CACTM)
Acco Israel, use Acre
accolade
accommodat/e, -ion
(two cs, two ms)
accompanist
not -yist
accouche/ment, ur, -use
(not ital.)
account abbr. A/C; in printing use acct.
Accountant-General
abbr. A.-G.
Accra Ghana, not Akkra
acct. account, or account current
accumulat/e
(two cs), -or
accusative
abbrs. acc., accus.
ACE after Christian (or Common) era (non-Christian usage in place of
AD)
ACF Army Cadet Force
ACGB Arts Council of Great Britain
ACGBI Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland
ACGI Associate of the City and Guilds of London Institute
Achaemenid
not Achai-
Acheson (Dean Gooderham)
1893-1971, US diplomat
… cheval (Fr.), on horseback
Achilles/' heel
(apos.); -- tendon (no apos.)
Achin Sumatra, Indonesia, not Atchin
Achnashellach
Highland
achy (adj.), not achey
ACI Army Council Instruction
ACIA Associate of the Corporation of Insurance Agents
ACIB Associate of the Corporation of Insurance Brokers
acid rain (two words)
ACII Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute
ACIS Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
acknowledgement
not -ledgment
ACMA Associate of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
acolyte not -ite
acoustics (noun sing.) the science of sound, (noun pl.) acoustic
properties
ACP Associate of the College of Preceptors; Association of Clinical
Pathologists; Association of Correctors of the Press, now part
of NGA, q.v.
acquit/, -tal
(verdict), -tance (settlement of debt)
Acre Israel, not Acca, Acco
acre abbr. a.
acriflavine
an antiseptic, not -n
Acrilan propr. term (cap.)
acronym word formed from initials, as Anzac, q.v.
acrylic (chem.)
ACS Association of Commonwealth Students
ACSA Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
ACT Australian Capital Territory
act. active
Actaeon a mythical hunter
ACTH adrenocorticotrophic hormone
actini/a (zool.), pl. -ae
actinium symbol Ac
actinomy/ces
(bot.), pl. -cetes
actionnaire
(Fr. m.), a shareholder
active abbrs. a., act.
actor (person), but one-acter (play)
acts of a play
(typ.), cap. A only when number follows, as Hamlet, Act I, sc.
ii. See also authorities
Acts of Parliament
(cap. A), cited thus: Factory and Workshop Act, 1891; use arabic
numerals for chapter numbers in Public (General) and Private
Acts (e.g. 3 & 4 Geo. V, c. 12, ss. 18, 19) and lower-case
roman numerals in Public (Local) Acts (e.g. 3 & 4 Geo. V, c.
xii, ss. 18, 19). See also Hart's Rules, p. 53
Acts of Sederunt
(Scots law)
Acts of the Apostles
abbr. Acts
ACTT Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians
AD (anno Domini) should always be placed before the numerals; BC
after (s. caps.)
ad advertisement (no point)
ad. adapted, adapter
a.d. after date
a.d. ante diem (before the day)
adagio/ (mus.), slow; as noun, pl. -s
Adams (John)
1735-1826, US statesman, President 1797-1801; -- (John Quincy),
his son, 1767-1848, President 1825-9
Adam's Peak
Sri Lanka
adapt/able, -er
(person), -or (device)
a dato (Lat.), from date
ADC aide-de-camp
ad captandum vulgus
(Lat.), to catch the rabble, claptrap
Addams (Charles Samuel)
1912-88, US cartoonist; -- (Jane), 1860-1935, US social worker
and writer
addend/um something to be added; pl. -a (not ital.)
addio (It.), goodbye
Addis Ababa
capital of Ethiopia
additive (something) in the nature of an addition
addorsed (her.), not adorsed, adossed
Addressograph
propr. term for addressing-machine (cap.)
adducible not -eable
Adelie/ Land
Antarctica; -- penguin
Adenauer (Konrad)
1876-1967, German statesman, Chancellor of W. Germany 1949-63
ad eundem (gradum)
(Lat.), to the same degree at another university
… deux/ (Fr.), of (or between) two; -- -- temps (see valse)
ad/ extra (Lat.), in an outward direction; -- extremum, to the last; --
finem, near the end, abbr. ad fin.; -- hanc vocem, at this
word; -- hoc, for this (purpose); -- hominem, to the (interests
of the) man, personal; -- hunc locum, on this passage, abbr.
a.h.l.; -- idem, to the same (point)
adieu/ pl. -s (not ital.)
ad/ infinitum
(Lat.), to infinity; -- interim, meanwhile, abbr. ad int.
adiўs (Sp.), goodbye
Adirondack Mountains
(US), not -dac
Adj. Adjutant
Adj.-Gen. Adjutant-General
adjectiv/e
abbr. a., adj.; -al, -ally
adjudicator
not -er
adjutage a nozzle, not aj-
Adjutant/ abbr. Adj. (rank, cap.); ---General, abbr. A.-G. or Adj. Gen.
adjuvant
Adler (Alfred)
1870-1937, Austrian psychologist
ad lib (adv., noun, and verb)
ad/ libitum
(Lat.), at pleasure; -- litem, appointed for a lawsuit
ad locum (Lat.), at the place, abbr. ad loc. (not ital.)
Adm. Admiral, Admiralty
adman (one word)
admin short for administration (no point)
administrable
not -atable
administrat/or
abbr. admor.; -rix, abbr. admix.
Admiral in Fr. amir/al, pl. -aux; abbr. Adm.
Admiralty, the
abbr. Adm.; see M.o.D.
admiration (note of)
exclamation mark, ! See punctuation VII
ad misericordiam
(Lat.), appealing to pity
admiss/ible
not -able, but admittable
admix. administratrix
ad modum (Lat.), after the manner of
admonitor/
not -er; -y
admor. administrator
ad nauseam
(Lat.), to a sickening degree
ado work, trouble (one word)
adobe (Sp.), sun-dried brick
Adonai (Heb.), the Lord
Adonais Keats, in Shelley's elegy, 1821
Adonis (myth.), beloved of Venus
adopter not -or
adorable not -eable
adorsed, adossed
use addorsed
ADP automatic data processing
ad/ personam
(Lat.), personal; -- referendum, for further consideration; --
rem, to the point
adrenalin not -ine
adresse (Fr. f.), address
Adrianople
now Edirne
… droite (Fr.), to the right
adscriptus glebae
(Lat.), bound to the soil (of serfs)
adsorb, adsorption
condensing, condensation, of gases etc. on surface of solid;
adsorbent
adsum (Lat.), I am present
adulator not -er
ad/ unguem
(Lat.), perfectly; -- unum omnes, all, to a man; -- usum,
according to custom, abbr. ad us.
adv. adverb, -ially, advocate
adv. adversus (against)
ad valorem
(Lat.), according to value; abbr. ad val.
adverb/, -ially
abbr. adv.
ad verbum (Lat.), to a word, verbatim
adversus (Lat.), against; abbr. adv.
advertise not -ize
advertisement
abbr. ad, or advt., pl. ads, or advts.advis/e, not -ize; -able,
not eable
advis/er not -or; -ory
ad/ vitam aut culpam
(Lat.), for lifetime or until fault; -- vivum, lifelike
AH anno Hegirae, the Muslim era (s. caps.). See also hegira
ah when it stands alone, takes an exclamation mark (!). When it
forms part of a sentence it is usually followed by a comma, the
! being placed at the end of the sentence: as "Ah, no, it
cannot be!"
AHA Area Health Authority
aha exclam. of surprise. See also haha
ahimsa (Skt.), non-violence
a.h.l. ad hunc locum (on this passage)
Ahmad/abad, -nagar
India, not Ahmed-, Amed-
Ahmadu Bello University
Nigeria
AHMI Association of Headmistresses, Incorporated. See also IAHM
… la carte
(a meal) that must be ordered from a wide range of available
dishes (not ital.). See also table d'h“te
Aladdin not Alladin
… la mode in fashion (not ital.)
Alanbrooke (Viscount)
(one word)
Џland Islands
Baltic Sea
… la page (Fr.), up to date
alarm/ not alarum except in alarums and excursions; -- clock (two
words)
… la russe
in the Russian style (not cap.)
Alas. Alaska
alas when it stands alone, takes an exclamation mark (!). When it
forms part of a sentence it is usually followed by a comma, the
! being placed at the end of the sentence: as "Alas, it is
true!"
Alaska (baked)
(cap.)
Alb. Albanian
Alba. Alberta, use Alta.
Alban. formerly signature of Bp. of St Albans (full point); now St
Albans: (colon)
albedo/ fraction of radiation reflected; pl. -s
Albee (Edward)
b. 1928, US playwright
Albigens/es
Manichaean sect; adj. -ian
albin/o pl. -os, fem. -ess; -ism, not -oism; -otic (adj.)
Albrighton
Shropshire
album/en natural white of egg; -in, its chief constituent; adj. -inous
Albuquerque
New Mexico, US
Albury Herts., Oxon., Surrey
Alcaeus of Mytilene
(b. c.620 BC), Greek lyric poet
alcaic metre
alcalde (in Spain) magistrate, mayor
Alcatraz US prison, San Francisco Bay, Calif.
alcayde (Sp. alcaide), governor, gaoler
alc zar (Sp.), palace, fortress, bazaar
Alceste opera by Gluck, 1767
Alcestis, Alcibiades
not Alk-
ALCM Associate of the London College of Music
Alcoran use Koran
Alcyone (myth.), not Hal-
Aldborough
Norfolk, N. Yorks.
Aldbrough Humberside
Aldbury Herts.
Aldeburgh Suffolk
al dente (It.), cooked but not soft
Alderbury Wilts.
Alderman abbr. Ald.
Aldermaston
Berks.
Alderney Channel Islands; in Fr. Aurigny
Aldine (adj.), printed by Manutius, q.v., who introduced italic type
Aldis lamp
a hand lamp for signalling
Aldsworth Gloucester, W. Sussex
Aldus Manutius
printer, see Manutius
Aldworth Berks.
Alecto (myth.), one of the Furies
alehouse (one word)
Alen‡on lace
(‡)
aleph (Heb.), see accents
Aleutian Islands
Bering Sea
A level examination (no hyphen)
alexandrine
metre
ALF Automatic Letter Facer
Alfa-Romeo
Italian make of car
Alford Grampian, Lincs., Som.
Alfred abbr. A. or Alf.
alfresco (adj. and adv.), one word
Alfreton Derby.
Alg. Algernon, Algiers
alg/a (bot.), pl. -ae (not ital.)
Algarve (the)
Portugal
algebra abbr. alg. See also mathematics
ALGOL (comp.), Algorithmic Language
algology (hot.)
Algonqui/an
of a large group of N. Amer. Indian tribes; -n, of one people
in this group; not -nki-
alguazil (in Spain) a constable
Alhambra Moorish palace at Granada; adj. Alhambresque
alia (Lat. pl.), other things
alias/ (noun), pl. -es; also adv.
alibi/ (noun), pl. -s
alienator not -er
Aligarh Uttar Pradesh, India
Alighieri family name of Dante
align/, -ment
not aline
alii (Lat. pl.), other people
alimentative/, -ness
not alimentive, -ness
aline use align
alin‚a (Fr. m.), paragraph
Alipore India
Alipur India and Pakistan
Alitalia Italian airline
ali/us (Lat. m.), another person; pl. -i
Aliwal E. Punjab, India, also S. Africa
alkali/ pl. -s
alkalize not -ise
Alkestis, Alkibiades
use Alc-
Alkoran use Koran
alla breve
(mus.), 2 or 4 minims in bar
alla cappella
(mus.), use a cappella
Alladin use Aladdin
Allahabad Uttar Pradesh, India
Allah il Allah
corruption of Arab. la ilaha illa'llah, There is no god but God
(Muslim prayer and war-cry)
Allan-a-Dale
minstrel hero
allargando
(mus.), broad, spread out
all‚e (Fr. f.), alley, avenue
Allegheny mountains and river, US; but Allegany, Pittsburgh, Pa.
allegretto/
(mus.), fairly brisk; as noun, pl. -s
allegro/ (mus.), brisk, merry; as noun, pl. -s
allele alternative genetic character, not -l
alleluia Lat. form (also liturgical) for Heb. (and biblical) hallelujah
allemande Ger. dance
Allendale Northumb.
Allen (George) & Unwin, Ltd.
publishers
Allen (W. H.) & Co., Ltd.
publishers
allerg/y, -ic
sensitive(ness) to certain foods, pollens, etc.
alleviator
not -er
Alleynian member of Dulwich College
All Fools' Day
(caps., no hyphen)
allg., allgm., allgemein
(Ger.), general (adj.)
All-Hallows
All Saints' Day, 1 Nov. (caps., hyphen)
Allhallows
Kent (one word)
allineation
not alin-
Allingham (Margery)
1904-66, English novelist
allodium estate held in absolute ownership, not alo-
allons! (Fr.), let us go!, come!
allot/, -ment, -table, -ted, -ting
all' ottava
(mus.), an octave higher than written; abbr. all' ott.
all right not alright, all-right
all round ("all round the Wrekin"), prep.
all-round ("an all-round man"), adj.
All/ Saints' Day
1 Nov.; -- Souls College, Oxford (no apos.); -- Souls' Day, 2
Nov.; -- Souls' Eve, 1 Nov. (caps., no hyphens)
allspice (one word)
all together
(in a body); but altogether (entirely)
alluvi/um pl. -a
Alma-Ata cap. of Kazakh Rep., USSR
Alma Mater
fostering mother, one's school or university
almanac but "Oxford", also "Whitaker's", Almanack
Alma-Tadema (Sir Lawrence)
1836-1912, Dutch-born English painter
Almighty (the)
(cap.)
Almondbury
W. Yorks.
Almondsbury
Avon
Alnmouth Northumb.
Alnwick Northumb.
alodium use allodium
A.L.O.E. A Lady of England (Charlotte M. Tucker, 1821-93)
… l'outrance
should be … outrance, to the bitter end
ALP Australian Labor Party
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
d‚p. France (hyphens)
Alpes-Maritimes
d‚p. France; abbr. A.M.
Alphaeus Apostle James's father
alphanumeric
(comp.), of instructions containing alphabetic, numerical, and
other characters (one word)
alpha/ particle, -- ray
(two words)
alright use all right
ALS Associate of the Linnean Society; autograph letter signed
Alsace-Lorraine
Alsirat (Arab.), bridge to paradise
alt (mus.), high note
alt. alternative, altitude
Alta. Alberta, Canada, not Alba.
alter/ ego
(Lat.), one's second self, pl. -- egos; -- idem, another self
Altesse (Fr. f.), Altezza (It.), Highness
Althing the Icelandic parliament
Althorpe Humberside
Althorp Library
and Park (Northants)
altitude abbr. alt.
alto/ (mus.), pl. -s; abbr. A.
altogether
see all together
alto-relievo/
high relief; pl. -s; Anglicized version of It. alto rilievo
AM Air Ministry, Albert Medal, amplitude modulation, Artium
Magister (US Master of Arts); Ave Maria (Hail, Mary!) (caps.):
Member of the Order of Australia
A.-M. d‚p. France, Alpes-Maritimes
AM anno mundi (in the year of the world) (s. caps.)
Am americium (no point)
Am. American
a.m. (Lat.), ante meridiem (before noon) (lower case, points)
AMA Assistant Masters' Association, officially IAAM; American
Medical Association
amah child's nurse (in Far East)
Amalek not -ech, -eck
amanuens/is
pl. -es
amateur abbr. A.
Ambala India, not Umbal(l)a
ambassad/or
fem. -ress
ambassy use embassy
ambergris waxy substance used in perfumery
ambiance French spelling of ambience (q.v.), used in English esp. of
accessory details in a work of art
ambidextrous
not -erous
ambienc/e the surroundings (not -y). See also ambiance
ambivalen/t, -ce
amblyop/ia
impaired vision; adj. -ic
Amboina Indon., properly Ambon, not Amboyna
amboyna (wood)
ambry use aumbry
AMDG ad majorem Dei gloriam (for the greater glory of God)
ѓme damn‚e
(Fr.), a "cat's paw", devoted adherent
Amedabad Amednagar, India, use Ahmad-
Ameer use Amir for Arabic, Emir for Turkish and Indian titles
amend to correct an error, make minor improvements. See also emend
amende honorable
(Fr. f.), honourable reparation
a mensa et toro
(Lat.), from bed and board, a legal separation, not -- -- --
thoro
Amer. American
Americanize
not -ise
American spellings
see US spellings
America's Cup (the)
yachting trophy
americium symbol Am
Amerindian
American Indian
merveille
(Fr.), perfectly, wonderfully
AMG(OT) Allied Military Government (of Occupied Territory) (Second World
War)
Amharic official lang. of Ethiopia
amicus curiae
(Lat.), a friend of the Court, a disinterested adviser; pl.
amici --
amidships not -ship (one word)
amino acid
(chem., two words)
Amir Arab. title, not Ameer. See also Emir
Amis (Kingsley)
b. 1922, English writer
Ammal (Ind.), suffix used to indicate that a name belongs to a woman,
e.g. Dr E. K. Janaki Ammal
Amman Jordan
Ammergau Bavaria
ammeter for measuring electric current
amoeb/a pl. -as (not ital.)
… moiti‚ (Fr.), half
amok not amuck
Amoor use Amur
amortize not -ise
amour propre
(Fr.), self-respect, proper pride
amp ampere
AmpЉre (Andr‚ Marie)
1775-1836, French physicist (accent)
ampere elec. unit of current (no accent), abbr. A (sing. and pl.) or
amp (no point)
ampersand = &, may be used in names of firms as Smith & Co., and in Acts
of Parliament, q.v. In general use and. For &c. use etc.
amphetamine
(med.)
amphibian (zool.) member of the Amphibia; vehicle adapted for land and
water
amphor/a a jar; pl. -ae
ampoule glass container for hypodermic dose
Amritsar India, not Umritsur
amt. amount
amuck use amok
Amundsen (Roald)
1872-1928, Norwegian explorer; S. Pole, 1911
anapaest foot of three syllables (See Figure 1 in topic FRONT_4)
anastase use anatase
anastomos/is
communication by cross-connections; pl. -es;-ist
anat. anatom/y, -ical
anatase a mineral, not anastase
anathema/ a curse, pl. -s;-tize
anatomize dissect, not -ise
anatom/y, -ical, -ist;
abbr. anat.
anatta (bot.), use annatto
anc. ancient
ancest/or fem. -ress, not -rix
anchor/ite
hermit, not -et; adj. -etic
anchylosis
use ank-
ancien r‚gime
(Fr. m.), the old order of things
ancient abbr. anc.
Ancient Mariner (Rime of the)
by S. T. Coleridge, 1798
Ancient Order of Druids
abbr. AOD; -- -- -- Foresters, AOF; -- -- -- Hibernians, AOH
and (gram.). Where and joins two or more subjects in the singular
number the verb must be in the pl., e.g. Jack and Jill are
going. Where and joins two single words the comma is generally
omitted. Where and joins the last two words of a list a comma
should precede it; e.g. black, white, and green. See also
ampersand
Andalusia Spain; in Sp. AndalucЎa
andante (mus.), moving easily, steadily
andantino/
(mus.), rather quicker (formerly slower) than andante; as noun,
pl. -s
and/or signifying either or both of the stated alternatives
Andrea del Sarto
1486-1531, Italian painter
Androcles not -kles
aneurysm not -ism
Angeles (Victoria de los)
b. 1923, Spanish soprano
Angelico (Fra)
1387-1455, Italian painter
anglais/ (Fr.), fem. -e, English (not cap.); but Anglais/, -e,
Englishman, Englishwoman
Anglesey Wales, not -ea; in Welsh Ynys Mon
Anglesey (Marquess of)
anglice in English (no accent); abbr. angl.
Anglicize not -ise (cap.)
Anglo/-French
abbr AF; ---Norman, abbr. AN; ---Saxon, abbr. AS
Angora Turkey, now Ankara
Џngstrom (A. J.)
1814-74, Swedish physicist
†ngstr”m unit of length; abbr. Џ
Angst (Ger. f.), fear, anxiety
aniline source of dyes. Also adj.
animalcule/
pl. -s, not -ae
animalcul/um
pl. -a
anim‚ W. Ind. resin (not ital.)
anim‚ (Fr., mus.), animated
anion (elec.), ion carrying negative charge of electricity
Ankara Turkey, formerly Angora
ankylos/is
fusion of bones, not anch-; pl. -es
Anmerkung/
(Ger. f.), a note (cap.); pl. -en; abbr. Anm.
ann. annals, anni (years), anno, annual
anna/ pl. -s, formerly 16 to rupee, now replaced by decimal coinage
(Ind. and Pak.); abbr. a.
annales (Fr. pl. f), annals; abbr. ann.
annals abbr. ann.
Annam not Anam, formerly kingdom within Fr. Indo-China, now merged in
Vietnam
Annan Dumfries & Galloway
Ann Arbor Mich., US
annatto (bot.), orange-red dye, not an-, -a
Anne of Cleves
1515-57, fourth wife of Henry VIII of England
Anne of Geierstein
by Sir W. Scott, 1829
Anne (Queen)
1702-14, b. 1665
Anne (Saint)
annex verb; annexe, noun
anno/ (Lat.), in the year, abbr. ann.; -- aetatis suae, aged, abbr.
aet., or aetat.; -- Hegirae (Muslim era), abbr. AH (s. caps.);
-- mundi, in the year of the world, abbr. AM (s. caps.); all
three abbrs. to be placed before the numerals
Anno Domini
abbr. AD (s. caps.)
annonce (Fr. f), advertisement
annotat/ed, -or
not -er; abbr. annot.
annual abbr. ann.
annul/ar ringlike; -ate,-ated, -et, -oid
ann/us (Lat.), year; pl. -i; -us mirabilis, remarkable year
anonymous abbr. anon.
Anouilh (Jean)
1910-88, French playwright
anschluss union (cap. A in Ger.)
answer abbr. A. or ans.
Ant. Anthony, Antigua
ant. antonym
Antaeus
antagonize
not -ise
Antananarivo
Madagascar
Antarctic/, -a
ante (not ital.), stake in card-game
ante/ (Lat.), before; -- bellum, before the war
antechamber
not anti-
ante diem (Lat.), before the day; abbr. a.d.
antediluvian
(one word)
antemeridian
(one word)
ante meridiem
(Lat.), before noon; abbr. a.m.
ante-mortem
(adj., hyphen)
antenatal (one word)
antenn/a (zool.), pl. -ae; (US) radio, pl. -as
ante-post in racing (hyphen)
ante-room (hyphen)
Anthony Anglicized from Lat. Antonius (NB Antony and Cleopatra); abbr.
Ant.
anthropolog/y, -ical;
abbr. anthrop.
anthropomorphize
not -ise
anthropophag/us
(noun), cannibal; pl. -i; adj. -ous
antichamber
use ante-
Antichrist
(cap.), but antichristian
anticline (geol.)
anticlockwise
(one word)
antifreeze
(one word)
Antigua abbr. Ant.
anti-hero principal character lacking traditional heroic qualities
antilogarithm
(one word), abbr. antilog
antimatter
(one word)
antimony symbol Sb
antinomy conflict of authority
antiparticle
(one word)
antipathize
not -ise
antiq. antiquar/y, -ian
antiqs. antiquities
Antiqua (Ger. typ. f.), roman type (cap.)
antique paper
a moderately bulky, opaque book paper with roughish surface
antisabbatarian
anti-Semit/e
(hyphen, one cap.); adj. -ic; noun -ism
antistrophe
stanza corresponding to the strophe in Greek dramatic chorus
antistrophon
(rhetoric), a retort
antitetanus
(adj., one word)
antithes/is
pl. -es
antithesize
not -ise
antitoxin (one word)
antitype not ante-; that which corresponds to the type
Antony see Anthony
antonym a word of opposite meaning; abbr. ant.
antrycide (against tsetse fly), not -tri-
Anvers Fr. for Antwerp, Belgium, in Fl. Antwerpen
Anwick Lincs.
anybody any person
any body any group of persons
any/how, -one, -thing, -where
(one word)
any one (person, thing), when each word to retain its meaning (see
Hart's Rules, p. 77)
anyway one word in conventional sense, but note you can do it any way
you like (two words)
Anzac Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (First World War)
Apennines Italy (one p, three ns), in It. Appennini
aper‡u (Fr. m.), outline
aperitif/ an alcoholic appetizer, pl. -s (not ital., no accent)
APEX Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical, and Computer
Staff
apex/ pl. -es; adj. apical
apfelstrudel
baked apples in pastry (not ital., not cap.)
aphaere/sis
removal of a sound from the beginning of a word; adj. -tic
apheli/on (astr.), pl. -a
aphid/ pl. -s
aphi/s pl. -des
apical see apex
ap. J.-C. (Fr.), AD
… plaisir (Fr.), at pleasure
Apocalypse
(NT), abbr. Apoc.
Apocrypha (cap. A) abbr. Apocr. (for abbrs. of books see under names);
adj. apocryphal
apodictic clearly established; not -deictic
apodos/is (gram.), pl. -es
apog/ee (astr.), abbr. apog.; adj. -ean
Apollinaire (Guillaume)
1880-1918, French poet
Apollinaris (water)
mineral water from Ahr Valley, Germany
Apollin/arius
(sometimes -aris), Christian heretic, c.310-c.390; -arianism
Apollo/ Greek god; -- Belvedere, statue in Vatican; adj. -nian
Apollonius Rhodius
Greek poet, c.25O BC
Apollos Acts 18:24, follower of St Paul
Apollyon the Devil
apologize not -ise
apophthegm
pithy maxim
a-port (hyphen)
apostasy not -cy
apostatize
not -ise
a posteriori
(reasoning) from effects to causes
Apostle abbr. Ap., pl. App.
Apostles' Creed
(caps.)
Apostroph/
(Ger. m.), apostrophe; pl. -e (cap.)
apostrophe
see possessive case, punctuation VIII, quotations
apostrophize
not -ise
apothecaries' weight, signs
(See Figure 2 in topic FRONT_4) Print quantities in lower case
letters close up behind symbol: final i becomes j, as vij = 7,
j = 1
apothegm use apophthegm
apotheos/is
pl. -es
apotropaic
averting ill luck
App. Apostles
app. appendix
appal/, -led, -ling
Appalachian Mts.
E. North America
appanage use apa-
apparatus/
pl. -es, not -ati (but use an alternative, e.g. appliances,
when possible)
apparitor officer of ecclesiastical court, not -er
app. crit.
apparatus criticus
appeal/, -ed, -ing
appeasement
not -sment
appell/ant, -ate, -ation, -ative
append/ix abbr. app.; pl. -ices, zool. and general, abbr. apps.
appetiz/e not -ise; -er, -ing
appliqu‚ Eng. noun, adj., and verb; past partic. appliqu‚d
appoggiatura
(mus.), type of grace-note, leaning note
appreciat/or
not -er; adjs. -ive, -ory
apprentice
abbr. appr.
apprise (to inform)
apprize (to value)
appro (on) approval (no point)
appro. approbation
approver one who turns Queen's evidence
approximat/e, -ely, -ion;
abbr. approx.
appurts. appurtenances
Apr. April
APRC anno post Romam conditam (in the year after the building of Rome
in 753 BC) (s. caps.); but use AUC, q.v.
aprЉs/ (Fr.), after; -- coup, after the event; ---midi, afternoon
(hyphen); -- moi (or nous) le d‚luge, after me (or us) the
deluge; -- ski, (of) time after day's skiing
April abbr. Apr.; in Fr. avril (not cap.)
a/ primo (Lat.), from the first; -- principio, from the beginning
a priori (reasoning) from causes to effects (not ital.)
apriorism doctrine of a priori ideas (one word, not ital.)
apropos (of);
… propos de bottes (Fr.), beside the mark
APS Associate of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
apse/ semicircular recess, esp. in church; pl. -s
apsi/s in an orbit, point of greatest or least distance from central
body; pl. -des
apud (Lat.), according to, in the work, or works, of
AR anno regni (in the year of the reign) (s. caps.)
Ar argon (no point)
a/r all risks
ARA Associate of the Royal Academy, London
Arabi/a, -an, -c;
abbr. Arab.
Arabian Nights' Entertainments (The)
Arabic (typ.), 28 letters (all consonants, each with several forms
according to position) and many accents (representing vowel
sounds and other phonetic features). It is read from right to
left; hence if any passage is divided, the right-hand words must
go in the first line, and the left-hand words in the second
line. See also BSI
arabic numerals
numerals used in ordinary computation, as, 1, 2, 3 (not cap.).
See also numerals
arach. arachnology
arachnid (zool.) member of the Arachnida
arachnoid (bot.) having long hairs, (anat.) one of meninges
ARAD Associate of the Royal Academy of Dancing
Aragon not Arr-; in Sp. Aragўn
Araldite propr. term (cap.)
ARAM Associate of the Royal Academy of Music
Aramaic Semitic language; abbr. Aram.
Aran, Island of
Donegal, Ireland. See also Arran
Aran Islands
Galway Bay, Ireland. See also Arran
ARAS Associate of Royal Astronomical Society
ARB Air Registration Board, Air Research Burcati
ARBA Associate of the Royal Society of British Artists
arbit/er, -rary, -ration
abbr. arb.
arbiter elegantiae
(Lat.), a judge of taste
arbitr/ament
not -ement
arbitrator
legal or official word for arbiter
arbor spindle, axis
arboretum (bot.), tree-garden; pl. -a
arboriculture
abbr. arbor.
arbor vitae
conifer
arbour bower
ARBS Associate of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
ARC Aeronautical Research Council, Agricultural Research Council,
Architects' Registration Council
Arctic Circle
(two caps.); Arctic regions (one cap.)
Ardleigh Essex
Ardley Oxon.
ARE Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers,
Arab Republic of Egypt
are unit of square measure, 100 square metres
aren't to be printed close up
areol/a a small area; pl. -ae (not ital.)
Arequipa Peru
ar€te mountain ridge
argent (her.), silver, abbr. arg.
Argentina the country, or Argentine Republic
Argentine (adj.); also (noun) the inhabitant. See also Argentinian
Argentinian
(adj.); also (noun) the inhabitant; tending to replace
Argentine; not -ean
argentum silver, symbol (chem.) Ag
argon symbol Ar
argot slang (not ital.)
arguable not -eable
argumentum ad/ crumenam
(Lat.), argument to the purse; -- -- hoc, -- for this (purpose);
-- -- hominem, -- to the man's interests; -- ignorantiam, --
based on the adversary's ignorance; -- -- invidiam, -- to men's
hatreds or prejudices; -- -- rem, -- to the purpose; --
verecundiam, appeal to modesty; argumentum baculinum, or -- ad
baculum, -- of the stick, club-law; argumentum e silentio, --
from silence
argy-bargy
dispute, wrangle, not argle-bargle (hyphen)
Argyle Minnesota, US
Argyll/and Bute District; -- and Sutherland Highlanders; -- and the Isles
(Bp. of); -- (Duke of)
Argyllshire
(former county of) Scotland
Arian (theol.), a follower of Arius; (one) born under Aries
ARIBA Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. See
also RIBA
ARICS Professional Associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors
AriЉge d‚p. France
Aristotel/ian
not -ean
Arius c.250-c.336, Christian heretic
Ariz. Arizona (off. abbr.)
Ark. Arkansas (off. abbr.)
Arlay d‚p. Jura, France
Arle Glos.
Arles d‚p. Bouches-du-Rh“ne, France
Arm. Armenian, Armoric
armadillo/
pl. -s
armchair (one word)
Armenia ancient country, now in part a Soviet Socialist Republic; adj.
Armenian (geog., ethnic, or eccl.). See also USSR
Arminius (Jacobus)
Latinized form of Jacob Harmen, 1560-1609, Dutch theologian
armory heraldry
armoury collection of arms
armpit (one word)
ARMS Associate of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters
arm's length
(two words)
Army see Navy
Army/ Dental Corps
now RADC; -- Nursing Service, ANS; -- Order, AO; -- Ordnance
Corps, now RAOC; -- Service Corps, later RASC, now RCT; --
Veterinary Department, AVD, now RAVC
Arnold (Edward)
(Publishers), Ltd.
Arnold (E. J.) & Son, Ltd.
publishers
arnotto use annatto
Arola Piedmont, Italy
Arolla Switzerland
Arolo Lombardy, Italy
Aroostook War
1842, settled border of Maine and New Brunswick
ARP air-raid precautions
arpeggio/ (mus.), striking of notes of chord in (usu. upward) succession;
pl. -s
ARPS Associate of the Royal Photographic Society
arquebus use harq-
ARR anno regni Regis or Reginae (in the year of the King's or
Queen's reign) (s. caps.)
arr. arranged, arriv/e, -ed,-es, -als
Arragon use Aragon
Arran (Earl of)
Arran (Isle of)
Scotland. See also Aran
arr€t (Fr. m.), decree
Arrhenius (Svante August)
1859-1927, Swedish scientist
arriЉre/-garde
(Fr. f.), rearguard; ---pensee/, a mental reservation, pl. -s
arrivis/me
(Fr. m.), ambitious behaviour; -te, one who behaves thus
arrondissement
(Fr. m.), division of department
arrowhead (one word)
Arrows of the Chace
by Ruskin, not Chase
ARSA Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, ditto Royal Society of
Arts
ARSCM Associate of the Royal School of Church Music
arsenic symbol As
ars est celare artem
(Lat.), the art is to conceal art
ARSL Associate of the Royal Society of Literature
ARSM Associate of the Royal School of Mines
ARSS Antiquariorum Regiae Societatis Socius, Fellow of the Royal
Society of Antiquaries
ARSW Associate of the Royal Scottish Society of Painting in Water
Colours
art. article, artillery, artist
art deco decorative art-style of 1920s
artefact not arti-
arteriosclerosis
hardening of the arteries (one word)
arthropod/
member of Arthropoda, animals with jointed body and limbs; pl.
-s
article abbr. art.
articles of roup
(Sc. law), conditions of sale (by auction)
articles (titles of)
(typ.), when cited, to be roman quoted
artifact use artefact
artillery abbr. A. or art.
artisan not -zan
artiste (either sex), professional singer, dancer, or other performer
artizan use artisan
art nouveau
(Fr.), 19th-c. ornamental art-style
art paper a high quality coated paper used for illustrations
artwork (one word); abbr. a/w
Arundel W. Sussex
Arundell of Wardour (Baron)
title now extinct
Arva Cavan, not Arvagh
ARWS Associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours
ascender (typ.), top part of letters such as b d f h k l
Ascension/ Day
(caps., two words); -- Island, S. Atlantic
ascetic austere
Ascham (Roger)
1515-68, English writer
ascites (sing. and pl.), abdominal dropsy
Asclepiad metre, not Ask-
Asclepius the Greek god, not Asklepios, except in Gr. contexts. See also
Aesculapius
a/s de (Fr.), aux soins de, c/o
ASDIC Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee; used for a
form of hydrophone (Asdic, now officially Sonar, q.v.)
ASE Amalgamated Society of Engineers
ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations
as follows:
(use colon only, not :--)
Asgard the heaven of Norse mythology
ash Old-English letter ligatured ae, also used in phonetic script,
Danish, and Norwegian
Ashant/i Ghana; not -ee; also Asante
Ashby de la Zouch
Leics. (no hyphens)
Ashkenazim
pl., East-European Jews, as distinct from Sephardim
Ashkhabad cap. of Turkmenistan, USSR
ashlar (archit.), not -er
Ashmolean Museum
Oxford
Ashtar/oth, -eth
Bib. and Sem., otherwise use Astarte
Ashton/-in-Makerfield, ---under-Lyne
Gr. Manchester (hyphens), not -Lyme; Ashton upon Mersey, Gr.
Manchester
ashtray (one word)
Ash Wednesday
first day of Lent (two words)
Asian (adj. and noun), (native) of Asia; not Asiatic, which is now
freq. pejorative
asinin/e like an ass, not ass-; noun -ity
Asir ("the inaccessible"), see Saudi Arabia
Asklepiad use Asclepiad; Asklepios, see Asclepius
Aslef Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
Aslib Association of Special Libraries and Information Bureaux
ASM air-to-surface missile
AsniЉres Paris suburb
Asola Lombardy, Italy
Asolo Venetia, Italy
asper Greek rough breathing
asperges (noun sing.), sprinkling with blessed water
asphalt not ash-, -e
asphodel immortal flower in Elysium
asphyxia interruption of breathing
aspic a poisonous serpent, a savoury jelly
ASR (comp.), answer send and receive
ass. assistant
assafoetida
use asa-
assagai use assegai
assai (mus.), very
assailant
assassin
assegai spear, not assa-
Assemblies, National and Federal.
In addition to titles in English (Parliament, Assembly, Senate,
Diet, etc.) in English-speaking countries and translation of
foreign titles (National Assembly for Assembl‚e Nationale,
etc.), the following titles are correct for particular
countries:
Bulgaria--Subranie.
Denmark--Folketing.
Finland--Eduskunta.
Germany, Federal Republic
of--Bundesrat (Upper House)
and Bundestag (Lower House).
Germany, Democratic Republic
of--Volkskammer (not recognized
by Western countries).
Iceland--Althing.
India--Rajya Sabha (Council of
States) and Lok Sabha (House of
the People).
Iran--Senate and Majlis.
Ireland, Republic of--Seanad
ђireann (Senate) and D il ђireann
(House of Representatives)
Israel--Knesset.
Netherlands--Staten Generaal,
comprising Eerste Kamer (First
Chamber) and Tweede Kamer (Second
Chamber).
Norway--Storting, comprising
Lagting (Upper Council) and
Odelsting (Lower Council).
Poland--Sejm.
Spain--Cortes.
Sweden--Riksdag (or Diet).
Switzerland--Nationalrat/Conseil
National and St„nderat/Conseil des
ђtats
Assembly (Church of Scotland) (cap. A), properly General Assembly (also
in other Presbyterian Churches). See also Church Assembly
assent/er one who assents; -or, one who subscribes to a nomination paper
assert/er one who asserts; -or, an advocate
assess/able, -or
ASSET Association of Supervisory Staffs, Executives, and Technicians
assign/ee one to whom a right or property is assigned; -or, one who
assigns
Assiniboine
Canada, not Assinn-
Assisi Italy
assistant abbr. ass. or asst.
assizer officer with oversight of weights and measures; not -ser, -sor,
-zor
assoc. associat/e, -ion
ASSR Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
asst. assistant
Assuan use Aswan
assurance insurance of life (the technical term). See also life insurance
assymmetry
use asymmetry
Assyr. Assyrian
a-starboard
(hyphen)
Astarte Syrophoenician goddess; not Ashtar/oth, -eth
astatine symbol At
Asterabad Iran
asterisk see reference marks
Asti Italian white wine
ASTMS Association of Scientific, Technical, and Managerial Staffs
astr. astronom/y, -er
astrakhan lambskin from Astrakhan, USSR
astrol. astrolog/y, -er
Astronomer Royal
(caps., no hyphen)
astronomy abbr. astr. (See Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
astrophysic/s
(one word); -al, -ist
Asturias Spain, not The --
Asunciўn Paraguay
ASVA Associate of the Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers
Aswan Egypt; not the many variants
asymmetry not ass-
asymptote line approaching but not meeting a curve
auberge (Fr. f.), an inn; aubergiste (m. or f.), innkeeper
aubergine fruit of egg-plant
Aubign‚ d‚p. Deux-SЉvres, France
Aubigny d‚p. Nord, France
aubr/ietia
dwarf perennial, not -etia
AUC anno urbis conditae (in the year from the building of the city
of Rome in 753 BC) (s. caps.; no points except in Latin
composition); also ab urbe condita, from the foundation of the
city
Auchinleck (Field-Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre)
1884-1981, British soldier
Auchnashellach
Highland, use Ach-
au/ contraire
(Fr.), on the contrary; -- courant de, fully acquainted with
AUEW/ Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, -- (TASS), ditto
(Technical and Supervisory Section)
au fait (Fr.), thoroughly conversant
Aufkl„rung
(Ger. f.), enlightenment, esp. the eighteenth-century
intellectual movement
Auflage/ (Ger. f.), edition, impression; pl. -n (cap.); abbr. Aufl.;
unver„nderte --, reprint; verbesserte und vermehrte --, revised
and enlarged edition
au fond (Fr.), at the bottom
auf Wiedersehen
(Ger.), till we meet again
Aug. August
aug. augmentative
Augean (stables), filthy (cap.)
auger tool for boring
aught anything. See also nau-
au/ grand serieux
(Fr.), in all seriousness; -- gratin, browned with cheese etc.
augur Roman soothsayer; (verb) foresee, portend
August abbr. Aug.
Augustan of Augustus or an era compared to his
Augustine Augustinian monk; St --, 354-430, Bp. of Hippo; St --, d. 604,
first Abp. of Canterbury
Augustinian
monk of order following St Augustine of Hippo
au jus (Fr.), in gravy
auk diving bird, not awk
auld lang syne
(caps. for song title)
Auld Reekie
Old Smoky, that is, Edinburgh
Aumale (duc d')
aumbry closed recess in wall of church, not ambry
Aumerle, Duke of
(in Shakespeare's Richard II)
au/ mieux (Fr.), very intimate; -- naturel, in its natural state, plainly
cooked
aunty not -ie
au/ pair (Fr.), at par, on mutual terms; au pair girl (not ital.); --
pied de la lettre, literally
Aurangzeb 1618-1707, Mogul emperor, not the many variants
aurar pl. of eyrir, q.v.
aurea mediocritas
(Lat.), the golden mean
aureola a saint's halo
au/ reste (Fr.), besides; -- revoir, till we meet again
Aurigny Fr. for Alderney
auror/a austral/is
pl. -ae -es; -- boreal/is, pl. -ae -es
aurum gold, symbol (chem.) Au (no point)
Aus. Austria, - n
Auschwitz German concentration camp in Poland in Second World War
au s‚rieux
(Fr.), seriously
Ausgabe (Ger. f.), edition; abbr. Ausg. (cap.). See also compounds
Buch-, Pracht-, Volks-
Austen (Jane)
1775-1817, English writer
Austin English form of the name Augustine; -- (Alfred), 1835-1913, Poet
Laureate 1896-1913; -- (John Langshaw), 1911-60, English
philosopher; --, Tex., US
Austral/ia, -ian
abbr. Austral.; -asia, -asian
Australian Capital Territory
abbr. ACT
Austrasia Frankish Kingdom of 6th- 8th cc.
Austria abbr. Aus.
Austria-Hungary
(but Austro-Hungarian); in Ger. ™sterreich-Ungarn
autarchy absolute sovereignty
autarky self-sufficiency
Auteuil Paris suburb
auteur (Fr. m.), author
auth. authentic, author, -ess, -ity, -ized
authorities
at the end of quotations, or in notes:
I. In scientific and technical work use the Harvard system,
giving:
1. Name of author in roman.
2. Date of publication.
3. a, b, c, etc. close up after date to distinguish
between works of same author and date.
4. A full alphabetical list in the style of II below at
the end of the work, or of each chapter.
II. In general setting give:
1. Name of author in roman.
2. Name of book in italic, and, if necessary, the series
title in roman.
3. Title of article roman in quotation marks, name of
journal in italic.
For detailed examples see Hart's Rules, pp. 50-4.
Act, scene, and line III. iii. 45
Book iii
Book and line (long poems) iii. 25
Canto and line xvi. 25
Chapter and page xiv. 25
Chapter and verse (biblical) 2: 34
(formerly ii. 34)
Chapter, section, and paragraph
(some scientific and philosophical works) 22.2.25
Paragraph °68
Section °5
Volume, chapter, and page IV. vi. 97
Quote the minimum number of divisions consistent with
clarity; the smallest in arabic numerals, the next in lower
case roman, and so on
authorize not -ise
Authorized Version
(of Bible) (caps.); abbr. AV
autis/m morbid absorption in fantasy, or mental condition obstructing
response to environment; adj. -tic
autobahn/ German arterial road (not cap., not ital. in Anglicized form);
pl. -s
autochthon/
original inhabitant; pl. -s; adj. -ous
autocracy absolute government
auto/-da-f‚
(Port.), pl. autos-da-f‚; (Sp.) -- de fe; "act of the faith",
burning of heretic by Inquisition
autogiro not -gyro
autolithography
(typ.), printing by lithography from stones or plates prepared
by the artist personally
automaton/
pl. -s (but automata when used collectively)
autonomy self-government
autonym a book published under author's real name
auto/pista
Spanish arterial road; -route, French ditto
autore (It.), author; abbr. aut.
autostrad/a
Italian arterial road; pl. -e
autres temps, autres moeurs
(Fr.), other times, other manners
BA Bachelor of Arts, Booksellers Association, British Academy, --
Airways (combining BEA and BOAC 1973), -- America, --
Association
Ba barium (no point)
BAA British Airports Authority, -- Astronomical Association
Baalbek Syria
baas (Afrik.), master, boss
Ba'ath Iraqi and Syrian political party
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis, 1922 (rom. in allusive use)
Babcock & Wilcox
engineers
babiroussa
a wild hog, not baby-, -russa
babu Indian title, not baboo
BAC British Aerospace Corporation
baccalaureate
university degree of bachelor
baccarat a card-game; in Fr. m. baccara
Bacchanalia/
festival of Bacchus, strictly pl. but used in Eng. as sing.; -n
(not cap.), riotous or drunken
Bacchant/ male or female follower of Bacchus; -e, female only
Bach/ German musical family, more than fifty in number in seven
generations, of whom the greatest was -- (Johann Sebastian),
1685-1750 (of the fifth generation), composer of orchestral,
instrumental, and choral music; also important were his father's
cousin, -- (Johann Christoph), 1642-1703, composer; and of J. S.
B.'s twenty children, -- (Wilhelm Friedemann), 1710-84; -- (Carl
Philipp Emanuel, usu. referred to as C. P. E.), 1714-88,
developer of sonata and symphony form; -- (Johann Christoph
Friedrich), 1732-95; -- (Johann Christian), 1735-82, "the
English Bach"
Bacharach small Rhineland town (wine-producing); -- (Burt), b. 1929, US
composer
Bachelier Љs/ lettres
(Fr.), Bachelor of Letters, abbr. B. Љs L.; -- -- sciences,
ditto Science, B. Љs S. (no hyphens)
Bachelor/ abbr. B.; -- of Agriculture, B.Agr. (US); -- -- Architecture,
B.Arch.; -- -- Arts, BA; -- -- Canon and Civil Law, BUJ; -- --
Civil Engineering, BCE; -- -- Civil Law, BCL; -- -- Commerce,
B.Com.; -- -- Dental Surgery, BDS or B.Ch.D.; -- -- Divinity,
BD; -- -- Education, B.Ed.; -- -- Engineering, BE or B.Eng. or
B.A.I. Dub. (Dublin); -- -- Law, BL: -- -- Laws, B LL; -- --
Letters, B.Litt. or Litt.B., in Fr. B. Љs L.; -- -- Medicine,
BM or MB; -- -- Metallurgy, B.Met.; -- -- Mining Engineering,
BME; -- -- Music, B.Mus. or Mus.B.; -- -- Obstetrics, BAO; -- --
Philosophy, B.Phil.; -- -- Science, B.Sc., or BS (US), in Fr. B.
Љs S.; -- -- Surgery, BC, B.Ch., BS, or Ch.B.; -- -- Technical
Science, B.Sc. Tech.; -- -- Theology, B.Th.
bacill/us pl. -i (not ital.)
back (typ.), see margins
back-bench(er)
(Parl.) (hyphen)
Backhuysen (Ludolf)
1631-1708, Dutch painter, not Bakhuisen
backing up
(typ.), printing on the second side
backwoodsman
(one word)
Bacon (Sir Francis)
(often incorrectly Lord), 1561-1626, Baron Verulam and Viscount
St Albans
Baconian pertaining to Roger Bacon, died c.1292; or to Sir Francis Bacon;
or to the theory that Sir Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's
plays
bacshish use baksheesh
bacteri/um
microscopic organism; pl. -a; -cide
bade see bid
Baden-Baden
W. Germany (hyphen)
Baden-Powell (Robert Stephenson Smyth, Baron)
1857-1941, Founder of Boy Scouts, 1908 (hyphen)
badinage (Fr. m.), humorous ridicule
Baedeker (Karl)
1801-59, guidebook publisher
Baffin/ Bay
island, NE America, not -ns, -n's
BAFU Bakers', Food, and Allied Workers' Union
bagarre (Fr. m.), brawl
Bagehot (Walter)
1826-77, English writer
Baghdad Iraq, not Bagd-
BagnЉres/ de Bigorre
d‚p. Hautes-Pyrenees; -- de Luchon, d‚p Haute-Garonne, France
bagnio/ bathing-house, oriental prison, brothel; pl. -s
Bagnoles d‚p. Orne, France
Bagnols d‚p. Gard, France
bagpip/e(s), -er
(one word)
B.Agr. (US), Bachelor of Agriculture
Baha'/i religion initiated by Bah 'u'll h (1817-92); -ism
Baham/as W. Indies, indep. 1973; adj. -ian
Bahrain islands, Persian Gulf, not -ein
Baiae Naples
B.A.I. Dub.
Bachelor of Engineering, Univ. of Dublin
baignoire (Fr. f.), theatre box at stalls level
Baikal (Lake)
USSR
bail (noun) security for appearance of prisoner, cross-piece over
stumps in cricket, (hist.) outer line of fortifications; (verb)
to deliver goods in trust, (naut.) to scoop water out of; to
secure release on bail. See also bale
bailee one to whom goods are entrusted for a purpose
bailer (naut.), one who bails water out, scoop used for bailing. See
also bailor, bale
bailey outer wall of castle; Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal
Court
bailie (Sc.), an alderman; bailiery, jurisdiction of a bailie, not
-iary
bailiwick office or jurisdiction of a bailiff
Baillie (Joanna)
1762-1851, Scottish poet
BailliЉre, Tindall, Ltd.
publishers
bailor (law), one who entrusts goods to a bailee. See also bailer
Baily's/ Magazine; -- Directory
bain-marie
double saucepan; pl. bains-
Baireuth Bavaria, use Bay-
Bairut Lebanon, use Beirut
baklava Turkish pastry with nuts and honey
baksheesh (Arab., Turk.), a gratuity, not the many variants
bal. balance
Balaclava not -klava
balalaika Russian stringed instrument
balanceable
not -cable
Balbriggan
Co. Dublin; also knitted cotton goods
bale/, -s abbr. bl. or bls.
bale (noun) a package, (arch.) destruction, woe; (verb) to make into
a package; -- out, to escape from an aircraft by parachute. See
also bail
Bѓle Fr. for Basle
Balfour/ (Baron, of Burleigh); --
(Baron, of Inchrye); -- (Earl of). (Three distinct titles)
Bali/ Indonesia; adj. -nese
Baliol an Anglo-Norman family, not the Oxford College, Balliol
balk (verb), not baulk
Balkan Mts.
Bulgaria
Balkhan Mts.
Transcaspia
Ballaarat Victoria, Australia, use -larat
ballade medieval French poem, also its imitation
Ballantine (James)
1808-77, artist and poet; -- (William), 1812-86, serjeant-at-law
Ballantyne (James)
1772-1833, and -- (John), 1774-1821, Sir W. Scott's printers
and publishers; -- Press, founded by them in 1796; -- (Robert
Michael), 1825-94, Scottish writer for boys
Ballarat Victoria, Australia, not -aarat
ballet-dancer
(hyphen)
ball game (two words)
Balliol College
Oxford. See also Baliol
ballistic/
(adj.); -s, pl., the science (two ls)
ballon d'essai
(Fr. m.), a "feeler" of any kind
ballot/, -ed, -ing
ballroom (one word)
Ballsbridge
Co. Dublin (one word)
ballyhoo vulgar publicity
baloney use boloney
BALPA British Air Line Pilots' Association
Baluchi a native of Baluchistan, not Be-, Bi-
baluster upright supporting a rail, commonly of stone and outdoors, tbe
whole structure being a balustrade. See banister
Balzac (Honor‚ de)
1799-1850, French writer; -- (Jean Louis Guez de), 1596-1654,
French writer
Bamberg W. Germany, not -burg
Bamburgh Northumberland
banal commonplace
Banaras Hindi for Benares
Band (Ger. m.), a volume, pl. B„nde; abbr. Bd., pl. Bde.
bandanna a handkerchief, not -ana
b. & b. bed and breakfast
B. & F.B.S.
British and Foreign Bible Society
bandit/ pl. -s
bandoleer a belt for cartridges, not -olier, -alier
bandolero Spanish brigand
Bandung Indonesia, not Bandoeng
bang Indian hemp, use bh-
Bangalore Mysore, India
Bangkok Thailand, not Bankok
Bangladesh
"Land of the Bengalis", formerly E. Pakistan; indep. 1972
banister upright supporting a rail; commonly of wood, indoors, on
staircase, the whole structure being banisters (pl.). See
baluster
banjo/ pl. -s
bank abbr. bk.
banking abbr. bkg.
banknote (one word)
Bankok use Bangkok
bank paper
a thin, strong paper
banlieue (Fr. f.), precinct, suburb
banneret (law), a knight made on the field of battle
bannerette
small banner
banns not bans
banquet/, -ed, -ing
(one t)
banquette a raised way behind firing-rampart; seat
Bantu designating a group of Central, E., and S. African native
peoples and languages
BAO Bachelor of Art of Obstetrics
BAOR British Army of the Rhine
bap. baptized
Baptist abbr. Bapt.
baptistery
not -try
baptize not -ise
Bar called to the (cap.); bar, unit of pressure, 1/10 megapascal
bar. barley-corn, baromet/er, -ric, barrel
Barbad/os not -oes, indep. 1966, abbr. Barb., adj. -ian
barbarize not -ise
Barbary N. Africa
barbecue open-air roasting (party) (not -que)
barberry shrub of genus Berberis, not ber-, -ery
barbet tropical bird
barbette gun platform
Barbirolli (Sir John)
1899-1970, English conductor
barcarole Venetian gondolier's song; in Fr. barcarolle
B.Arch. Bachelor of Architecture
Barclays Bank, Ltd.
(no apos.)
Bareilly Uttar Pradesh, India, not -eli
Barenboim (Daniel)
b. 1942, Argentinian-born Israeli musician
Barents Sea
north of Norway and USSR, not -'s, -'z
bargain/er
a haggler; -or (law), the seller
Bar Harbor
Maine, US
Baring-Gould (Revd Sabine)
1834-1924, English author (hyphen)
baritone (mus.), not bary-
barium symbol Ba
bark vessel (arch. and poet.); in techn. sense use barque
Barkston Lincs., N. Yorks.
barleycorn
(one word), abbr. bar.
bar/maid, -man
(one word)
Barmecide one who offers illusory benefits, not -acidc
bar mitzvah
Jewish initiation rite
Barmston Humberside
barn (phys.), unit of area, abbr. b
Barnaby Bright
St. Barnabas' Day, 11 June; longest day, Old Style
Barnard (Dr Christiaan)
b. 1922, S. African surgeon
Barnardo (Dr Thomas John)
1845-1905, British philanthropist
baro/graph
a recording barometer; -gram, the record; -logy, science of
weight; -meter, -metric, abbr. bar.
baron member of lowest order of British nobility; cap. when with name
(but Lord more common); l.c. with foreign name (but in Ger.
cap.); abbr. B.
baron/ (Fr.), Baron; fem. -ne (not cap.)
baron and feme
(law), husband and wife regarded as one
baronet/ member of lowest hereditary titled British order; cap. when with
name; abbr. Bt.; baronetage, baronets collectively, book about
them; baronetcy, patent or rank of baronet
Barons Court
London (no apos.)
baroque exuberant archit. style of seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
applied also to music and other arts (not ital., not cap.)
barouche four-wheeled carriage, not baru-
barque vessel with aftermost mast fore-and-aft rigged and remaining
masts square rigged, not bark
barquentine
three-masted vessel with foremast only square-rigged, not
-antine, barke-
barr. barrels, barrister
barrac/uda
large W. Indian sea-fish; -outa only with reference to Thyrsites
atun (Austral. and NZ)
barrator (law), malicious litigant, not -ater, -etor
barratry (law), vexatious litigation; (marine law) master's or crew's
fraud or negligence
Barrault (Jean-Louis)
b. 1910, French actor, director, producer
barrel/, -s
abbr. bar., barr., bl., bls.
barrel/led, -ling
barrico/ a small cask, pl. -es
Barrie (Sir James Matthew)
1860-1937, Scottish novelist and playwright
Barrie & Jenkins, Ltd.
publishers
barrister abbr. barr.
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria (hyphens)
Bart. Baronet, use Bt.
bartender (one word)
Barth (Heinrich)
1821-65, German explorer; -- (John), b. 1930, US novelist; --
(Karl), 1886-1968, Swiss theologian
Bartholomew Day
24 Aug. (caps., two words, for London local terminology but St
Bartholomew's Day for the massacre, 1572)
Bartўk (Bela)
1881-1945, Hungarian composer
Bartolommeo (Fra)
1475-1517, Italian painter
Bartolozzi (Francesco)
1727-1813, Italian engraver
Bart's St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Baruch (Apocr.), not to be abbr.
baruche use barouche
barytone use bari- except for the Greek accent
bas bleu (Fr. m.), a "bluestocking"
base abbr. b.
baseball US national game played by two teams of nine; ball used in it
BEA British Epilepsy Association, -- Esperanto Association, --
European Airways (see BA)
beach-la-mar
pidgin English of W. Pacific
bear (Stock Exchange), speculator for a fall
beard (typ.), the space between the bottom of the x-height (q.v.) and
the upper edge of the shank
beargarden
(one word)
B‚arnaise rich white sauce
bearskin military cap (one word)
beastings use bee-
beasts of the chase
(law), buck, doe, fox, marten, roe; ditto forest (law), boar,
hare, hart, hind, wolf; ditto warren (law), cony and hare; ditto
of venery (law) are "beasts of the forest"
beatae memoriae
(Lat.), of blessed memory; abbr. BM
Beata/ Maria
or -- Virgo (Lat.), the Blessed Virgin; abbr. BM or BV (no
points). See also BMV, BVM
Beatles (the)
pop group, fl. 1960s
beatnik member of "beat" generation
beau (pl. beaux), not ital.
Beauclerc sobriquet of Henry I
Beauclerk fam. name of Duke of St Albans
Beaudelaire
use Bau-
beau-fils (Fr. m.), son-in-law, stepson; without hyphen, beautiful son
Beaufort scale
of wind force (one cap.); for details see under wind
beau ideal
model of excellence (not ital.)
beauidealize
not -ise (one word)
Beaujolais
a burgundy
Beaulieu Hants
beau monde
the fashionable world
Beaune a burgundy
beau-pЉre (Fr. m.), father-in-law, stepfather; without hyphen, beautiful
father
beaux-arts
(Fr. pl. m.), fine arts
beaux/ esprits
(Fr. pl. m.), brilliant wits, sing. bel esprit; -- yeux, good
looks
beccafico/
small edible Italian bird, not beca-; pl. -s
b‚chamel (Fr. cook.), white sauce named after B‚chamel, steward of Louis
XIV
b€che-de-mer
sea-slug, a Chinese delicacy
Bechstein (Friedrich Wilhelm Carl)
1826-1900, German pianoforte maker; -- (Johann Matth„us),
1757-1822, German naturalist
Bechuana/, -land
S. Africa. See Botswana
Becket (…)
see … Becket
Beckett (Samuel)
1906-89, Irish writer
becquerel unit of radioactivity, abbr. Bq
Becquerel French family of physicists: -- (Antoine C‚sar), 1788-1878,
father of -- (Alexandre Edmond), 1820-91, father of -- (Antoine
Henri), 1852-1908, discoverer of radioactive -- rays, now gamma
rays
bed (typ.), the part of the press on which the forme lies
B.Ed. Bachelor of Education
bedaw/een, -i, -in
use bedouin
bed/bug, -clothes
(one word)
Beddgelert
Gwynedd, not Beth-
bedeguar mosslike excrescence on roses
bedel Oxford official form of beadle; at Cambridge and London, bedell
Bedfordshire
abbr. Beds.
bedouin a desert Arab, not the many variants; pl. same
bed/owy use -ouin
bed/pan, -post, -ridden, -room
(one word)
Beds. Bedfordshire
bed/-sitter, -sitting-room
(hyphens)
bed/sore, -time
(one word)
bed/uin use -ouin
beefsteak (one word)
beehive (one word)
beerhouse (law), where beer is sold to be drunk on or off the premises
beer-mat (hyphen)
beershop (law), where beer is sold to be drunk off the premises
beestings first milk from a mammal, not bea-, bie-
beeswax (noun and verb)
Beethoven (Ludwig van not von)
1770-1827, German composer; divide Beet-hoven
BEF British Expeditionary Force
be/fall not -fal; past -fell
Beggar's Opera
not -s'
behemoth biblical animal (book of Job), thought to be the hippopotamus
behoof (noun), benefit
behove (verb), to be incumbent on
Behring (Emil von)
1854-1917, German bacteriologist
Behring Isle, Sea
and Strait, use Bering
beignet (Fr. m.), a fritter
Beijing Pinyin form of Peking
Beinn Bhuidhe
near Inveraray, Strathclyde. See also Ben Buie
Beirut Lebanon, not Ba-, Bai-, Beyrout(h). See also Bayreuth
bel unit of ten decibels (decibel is more often used); abbr. B
Belalp Switz. (one word)
Bel and the Dragon
(Apocr.), abbr. Bel & Dr.
beldam (arch.), a hag, not -e
Bel‚m Brazil, formerly Par
bel/ esprit
(Fr. m.), a brilliant wit, pl. beaux esprits; -- ‚tage, the
first floor, not belle --
Belgique (Fr. f.), Belgium; belge, Belgian (not cap., unless used as a
noun)
Belg/ium, -ian, -ic
abbr. Belg.
Belgrade Yugoslavia
believable
not -eable
Belitung Indonesia, not Billiton
Belize/ Cent. America, formerly British Honduras; adj. -an
Bernardine
Cistercian, from St Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153
Berne Swiss canton and town, in Ger. Bern; -- Convention (1886 and
later revisions) deals with copyright: there are now over sixty
members (incl. UK but not US or USSR). Basically each
member-nation extends benefit of its two copyright laws to works
by citizens of other member-nations, and no registration of the
book or claim to copyright is required. The author also has the
"moral right" during his lifetime to object to any alteration of
his work, regardless of copyright-ownership. See also Universal
Copyright Convention
Berners (Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson, Baron)
1883-1950, English composer; -- (John Bourchier, Baron),
1467-1533, English translator; -- (Dame Juliana), wrote Boke of
St Albans, first ed. 1486
Bernhardt (Rosine called "Sarah")
1845-1923, actress
Bernoulli family of Swiss mathematicians, not -illi
bernouse Arab cloak, use burnous
bersaglier/e
(It.), a rifleman; pl. -i
Berthelot (Pierre Eugene Marcelin)
1827-1907, French chemist and statesman
Berthollet (comte Claude Louis)
1748-1822, French chemist
Berwickshire
former county of Scotland
beryllium symbol Be
Berzelius (J”ns Jakob, baron)
1779-1848, Swedish chemist
B. Љs A. now B. Љs L.
Besan‡on d‚p. Doubs, France
B. Љs L. (Fr.), Bachelier Љs lettres (Bachelor of letters)
beso/ las manos
(Sp.), "I kiss the hands" (frequently said or written); -- los
pies, "I kiss the feet"
B. Љs S. (Fr.), Bachelier Љs sciences (Bachelor of Science)
Bessarabia
district in Moldavia and Ukraine, ceded by Romania to USSR, 1940
Bessbrook Co. Armagh
Bessemer process
in steel mfr. (one cap.)
Besses o' th' Barn
Greater Manchester
bestialize
not -ise
beta/ particle, -- ray
(two words)
betatron apparatus for accelerating electrons
betel leaf of betel-pepper, chewed in East
betel-nut misnomer for areca-nut, chewed with betel
Betelgeuse
(astr.), red star in Orion, not -x
b€te noire
(Fr. f.), one's pet aversion, not -- noir; pl. -es -es
bethel Nonconformist chapel (not cap.)
b€tise (Fr. f.), stupidity
Betjeman (Sir John)
1906-84, English poet and writer on architecture; appointed Poet
Laureate 1972
betony (bot.), not bett-
better one who bets, not -or
Betws-y-coed
Gwynedd (hyphens)
Bevan (Aneurin)
1897-1960, Welsh politician. See also Bevin
bevel/, -led, -ling
Beveridge (William Henry, Baron)
1879-1963, English economist
Beverley Humberside
Beverly Miss., US
Beverly Hills
Calif., US
Bevin (Ernest)
1881-1951, English politician. See also Bevan
bevy proper word for a company of ladies, larks, maidens, quails, or
roes; also in gen. use
Bewick (Thomas)
1753-1828, English engraver
Bexleyheath
London (one word)
bey (Turk.), a governor; Bey of Tunis, formerly ruler of Tunisia
(cap.)
beylic jurisdiction of a bey, not -ik
Beyrout(h)
Lebanon, use Beirut
bezant gold coin first struck at Byzantium, not by-
Bible abbr. Bib. (cap., but three bibles = three copies of the Bible).
See also authorities, quotation marks
Biblia Pauperum
medieval "Bible of the poor", in pictures (caps.)
biblical (not cap.), abbr. bib.
bibliograph/er, -ic, -ical, -y;
abbr. bibliog.
bibliopeg/y
bookbinding as a fine art; -ist
biblio/theca
(Lat.), a library; -thЉcaire (Fr. m.f.), a librarian; -thЉque
(Fr. f.), a library
Bibliothek/
(Ger. f.), a library; -ar (Ger. m.), a librarian (caps.)
bicameral with two legislative chambers
Bickleigh Devon
Bickley Cheshire, London, N. Yorks.
bid past bade, partic. bidden, but bid is used for both in auction
sense (I bid њ10 for it; њ10 was bid) and for partic. in some
phrases, e.g. do as you are bid
Biedermeier
Ger. 19th-c. conventional artistic and literary style
biennial two-yearly, but biannual, half-yearly
bienni/um a two-year period; pl. -ums
biens‚ance
(Fr. f.), propriety
bienvenu/ (Fr.), fem. -e, welcome; -e (f.), a welcome
BIF British Industries Fair
biff/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, cancelled
Bigelow (Erastus Brigham)
1814-79, US inventor and industrialist; -- (John), 1817-1911, US
journalist and diplomat
Biglow Papers (The)
anti-slavery poems 1848 and 1857-61, by James Russell Lowell
bigot/, -ed
bijou/ a "gem"; pl. -x
Bilbao Spain
bilberry not bill-
bilbo/ Spanish sword or rapier; pl. -s
bilboes pl., fetters
Bildungsroman
(Ger. m.), novel of early life
bile-duct (hyphen)
bill (parliamentary) (cap. when part of title)
billet/, -ed, -ing
billet-doux
a love letter; pl. billets-doux (hyphens)
billiard/-ball, -cue
etc., not billiards- (hyphens)
billion in Britain, France (since 1948), and Germany, a million
millions; in USA, and increasingly in British usage, a thousand
millions; abbr. bn. See also trillion
Billiton Indonesia, use Belitung
bill of/ exchange
abbr. b.e.; -- -- lading, abbr. b.l; -- -- sale, abbr. b.s.
biltong (Afrik.), sun-dried meat
Biluchi use Bal-
BIM British Institute of Management
bimetall/ic, -ism, -ist
bimillenary
(adj. and noun), (designating) a period of 2,000 years; a
two-thousandth anniversary
bi-monthly
avoid as ambiguous; use (adj. or adv.) semi-monthly or (adv.)
twice a month, every two months, as appropriate
bindery a bookbinder's establishment
binnacle (naut.), a compass-stand
binocle a field-glass
binocular/
(adj.), for two eyes; -s (pl. noun), field- or opera-glasses
Binstead IW
Binsted Hants, W. Sussex
Binyon (Laurence)
1869-1943, English poet
biochemist/, -ry
(one word)
biodegradable
(one word)
biograph/er, -ic, -ical, -y;
abbr. biog.
biological nomenclature:
see Hart's Rules, pp. 6-7
biolog/y, -ical;
abbr. biol.
bio/mathematics, -physics
(one word)
Bipont/, -ine
books printed at Bipontium (ZweibrЃcken), W. Germany
bird-bath (hyphen)
bird/cage, -seed
(one word)
birds-eye view
(one Hyphen)
bird/-song, -table
(hyphens)
Birmingham
abbr. Birm., B'ham; -- Small Arms, BSA
Birnam Tayside, immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth
Birstall Leics., W. Yorks.
birth certificate
(two words)
birth/-control, -rate
(hyphens)
birthmark (one word)
birthplace
abbr. bpl.
birthright
(one word)
BIS Bank for International Settlements
bis (Fr., It., Lat.), twice, encore
bis. bissextile
Biscayan abbr. Bisc., pertaining to Biscay, Spain; Basque
bis dat qui cito dat
(Lat.), he gives twice who gives quickly
bise (Fr. f.), cold N. wind in S. France
BISF British Iron and Steel Federation
Bishop abbr. Bp., (chess) B
Bishopbriggs
Strathclyde
Bishop in partibus infidelium
RC bishop taking title from ancient see situated "in territory
of unbelievers", now termed "Titular Bishop"
bishop's signature
usually consists of Christian name and diocese (John
Birmingham). For special spellings and punctuation of certain
signatures refer to individual entries in this book
Bishop's Stortford
Herts. (apos.)
Bishopsteignton
Devon (one word)
Bishopston
Avon, W. Glam.
Bishopstone
Bucks., Hereford & Worc., Kent, E. Sussex, Wilts.
Bishop's Waltham
Hants (apos.)
Bishopthorpe
residence of Abp. of York (one word)
Bishopton Co. Durham, N. Yorks., Strathclyde
bisk use bisque
Bismarck (Karl Otto Eduard Leopold Furst von)
1815-98, German statesman, not -ark
bismillah (Arab.), "in the name of God", not biz-
bismuth symbol Bi
bisque in tennis, croquet, golf; unglazed white porcelain; rich soup
(not ital.)
bissextile
(noun and adj.), Latin leap year, abbr. bis.
bistoury surgeon's scalpel
bit (US), 12.5 cents; (comp.) binary digit (see also byte)
bitts (naut., pl.) pair of posts on deck for fastening cables, etc.
bitumin/ize, -ous
bivouac/, -ked, -king
bi-weekly avoid as ambiguous; use (adj. or adv.) semi-weekly or
fortnightly, (adv.) twice a week or every two weeks, as
appropriate
BOA British Optical Association, -- Olympic Association
Boabdil last Moorish king of Granada, 1482-92; d. c.1533
BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation (see BA)
Boadicea use Boudicca
Boanerges sing. or pl., loud preacher(s)
boarding/-house, -school
(hyphens)
Board of Trade
abbr. B.o.T. or B. of T., absorbed in Department of Trade and
Industry, 1970
boatswain contr. bos'n
boat-yard (hyphen)
Bobadil braggart, from Bobadill in Jonson's Every Man in His Humour
bobolink N. American songbird
bob-white American quail
Boccaccio (Giovanni)
1313-75, Italian writer (four cs)
Boccherini (Luigi)
1743-1850, Italian composer
Bodhisattva
in Buddhism and Hinduism, person able to reach nirvana
Bodicote Oxon.
Bodleian Library
abbr. Bod. Lib., Bodl., Bodley
Bodoni (Giambattista)
1740-1813, Italian printer and punch-cutter; designer of Bodoni
type
body (typ.), the measurement from front to back of the shank of a
piece of type; in the Anglo-American system 12 pt. = 0.166 in.
See also Didot
body-blow (hyphen)
bodyguard (one word)
body-weight
(hyphen)
Boeotia/ district of cent. Greece; -n, stupid
Boerhaave (Herman), 1668-1738, Dutch naturalist
Boethius (Anicius), AD 470-525, Roman statesman and philosopher
boeuf (Fr. m.), beef
B. of T. Board of Trade, q.v.
bogey in golf
bogie wheeled undercarriage
Bogota NJ, US
Bogot Colombia, S. America
bog/y ghost, not -ey pi. -ies
Bohemian (noun and adj.), socially unconventional (person); bohemianism
(not cap.)
Bohr (Niels Hendrik David)
1885-1962, and his son -- (Aage), b. 1922, Danish physicists
Bo‹eldieu (Fran‡ois Adrien)
1775-1834, French composer
boiler-room
(hyphen)
boiler suit
(two words)
boiling-point
(hyphen), abbr. BP or b.p.
Bokhara river, NSW, Australia. See Bukhara for the town in Uzbekistan
Bokm†l see Riksm†l
bold-face type, as this;
indicated in copy by wavy underline; abbr. b.f.
bolero/ Spanish dance, woman's short jacket; pl. -s
Boleyn (Anne)
1507-36, 2nd wife of Henry VIII of England
BolЎvar (Simўn)
1783-1830, S. American patriot
bolivar Venezuelan monetary unit
Bolivia/, -n
abbr. Bol.
B”ll (Heinrich)
1917-85, German writer
Bologna Italy, in Lat. Bononia; adj. Bolognese, but spaghetti bolognese
bolometer radiation measurer
boloney humbug, not bal-
Bolshevik advocate of proletarian dictatorship by soviets; member of
majority group of Russian Social Democratic Party, later the
Communist Party, opp. to Menshevik
bolts (bind.), the three outer edges of a folded sheet before trimming
Boltzmann constant
(phys.), symbol k
bolus/ large pill; pl. -es
Bombardier
cap. as title; abbr. Bdr.
bombazine a fabric, not -basine, -bazeen, -bycine
bombe (Fr. cook. f.), conical confection
bona/ fide
(Lat.), genuinely; -- fides, good faith (no accent)
bon-bon a kind of sweet; bon- bonniЉre, a box for sweets
bon-chr‚tien
a pear; pl. bons- chr‚tiens
bond abbr. bd.
bondholder
(one word)
bond paper
a hard, strong paper
Bonduca use Boudicca
Bo'ness Central (apos., being orig. Borrowstounness). See also Bowness
Boney sobriquet of Napoleon. See also bony
bon/ go–t (Fr. m.), good taste; -- gr‚, mal gr‚, whether one likes or not
Bonheur (Rosa)
1822-99, French painter
bonhomie (Fr. f.), good nature
bonhomme (Fr. m.), a pleasant fellow, a friar
Bonhomme (Jacques)
the French peasant
bonjour (Fr. m.), good-day (one word)
bon/ march‚
(Fr.), a cheap shop, cheap; -- mot, a witticism, pl. bons mots
(two words)
bonne (Fr. f.), a maid
bonne bouche
(Fr.), a dainty morsel, pl. bonnes bouches; bonne/ foi, good
faith; -- fortune, success, pl. bonnes fortunes; -- grѓce,
gracefulness, pl. bonnes graces
bonnet/, -ed, -ing
bonnet rouge
(Fr. m.), Republican's cap
Bononia Lat. for Bologna, Italy
bonsai (Jap.), dwarfed plant
bonsoir (Fr. m.), good-evening, good-night (one word)
bontebok (Afrik.), pied antelope, not -buck
bon ton (Fr. m.), good style
bon vivant/
one fond of luxurious food (no hyphen, not ital.); pl. -s. The
fem., bonne vivante, is not in French usage
bon viveur
one who lives luxuriously (not in French usage)
bon voyage!
(Fr.), a pleasant journey!
bony not -ey. See also Boney
Booerhave see Boerhaave
book/ -s, abbr. bk., bks.
bookbind/er, -ing
(one word)
book-end (hyphen)
bookkeep/er, -ing
(one word)
booklet (typ.), usually an inset, saddle-stitched piece of printing,
with limp cover
bookmak/er, -ing
(one word)
bookmark(er)
(one word)
book-plate
(hyphen)
books (cited titles of)
in italic; but series titles roman
book/seller, -stall
(one word)
Booksellers Association
abbr. BA
book sizes
(typ.): the following are the standard untrimmed book sizes in
mm., 4to and 8vo: metric crown, 252 x 192, 192 x 126; metric
large crown, 264 x 204, 204 x 132; metric demy, 282 x 222, 222 x
141; metric royal, 318 x 240, 240 x 159; A4, 303 x 213; A5, 216
x 151. For the former sizes see crown, demy, foolscap, imperial,
medium, pott, royal, small royal
books of Scripture
(typ.), not to be italic, nor quoted; for abbrs. see separate
titles
book trim (bind.): standard trim is 3 mm. off head, foredge, and tail
margins
bookwork (one word)
Boole/ (George)
1815-64, English logician and mathematician; adj. -an
Boone (Daniel)
1735-1820, American explorer and colonizer
Bo”tes (astr.), the constellation
booze (to) drink, not -se, house, bowze
Bophuthatswana
S. Africa, indep. 1977
bor. borough
Borak (Al)
the winged horse on which Muhammad, in a vision, ascended to
heaven
Bordeaux d‚p. Gironde, France; a claret or any wine of Bordeaux
Bordeaux mixture
of lime and copper sulphate, to kill fungus and insect parasites
on plants
born/ of child, with reference to birth, abbr. b.; -e, carried, also
of birth when 'by' (with name of mother) follows
born/‚ (Fr.),fem. -‚e, narrow-minded
Borodin (Alexander Porfiryevich)
1834-87, Russian composer and chemist
boron symbol B
borough abbr. bor.
Borstal institution for reformative training (cap.)
bortsch Russian soup
borzoi/ Russian wolfhound; pl. -s
bosbok Afrik. for bushbuck
Bosch (Hieronymus)
?1450-1516, Dutch painter
bos'n contr. of boatswain
Bosporus strait separating European and Asian Turkey, not Bosph-
Bossuet (Jacques Benigne)
1627-1704, French bishop and writer
Boswellize
to write laudatory biography (cap.)
B.o.T. Board of Trade, q.v.
bot/ not -tt; -fly (hyphen)
botanize not -ise
botan/y, -ical, -ist
abbr. bot.; genera, species, and varieties to be ital.; all
other divisions roman: Rosales (order); Rosaceae (family); Rosa
(genus); Rosa moschata (species); Rosa moschata var. nastarana
(variety); Rosa moschata cv. Plena (cultivar). Specific and
infraspecific epithets, even when derived from names of persons,
should be l.c.: Lilium wardii, Camellia x williamsii, not
Wardii, Williamsii. Also l.c. are names of flowers used
non-technically, as geranium, lobelia. See Hart's Rules, pp. 6-7
bothy (Sc.), hut, not -ie
bo-tree sacred tree of India
Botswana S. African independent republic 1966, formerly Bechuanaland
Botticelli (Sandro)
1447-1515, Florentine painter
Boucicault (Dion)
1822-90, Irish playwright
Boudicca d. AD 61, Queen of Iceni
boudoir (not ital.)
bouffant puffed out, as a dress (not ital.)
bougainvillaea
trop. plant with rosy bracts
Bouguereau (William Adolphe)
1825-1905, French painter
bouillabaisse
thick fish soup (not ital.)
bouilli (Fr. m.), stewed meat (not ital.)
bouillon broth (not ital.)
boul. boulevard
boule a French game akin to bowls (not ital.)
boule (inlay), usually spelt buhl, q.v.
Boule legislative council in ancient Greek city-state
boulevard/
(Fr. m.), abbr. boul.; -ier, a "man about town"
boulevers/‚
(Fr.), overturned; -ement (m.), a violent inversion
Boulez (Pierre), b. 1925, French composer
Boulogne d‚ps. Haute-Garonne and Pas-de-Calais, France
bounceable
not -cable
bouncy not bouncey
bound abbr. bd.
bouquetin the ibex
bouquinist
second-hand bookseller: in Fr. m. bouquiniste
bourgeois/
(Fr.), fem. -e, one of the middle class; -ie, the middle class
(not ital.)
bourgeois (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 9 pt.; pron.
berjoyce (stress on second syllable)
Bourn Cambs.
bourn stream, (arch.) a limit, not -ne
Bourne Lincs.
Bournemouth
Dorset
Bournville
Birmingham
bourr‚e (Fr.), old lively dance, music for this (not ital.)
bourse foreign money-market, esp. Paris
bouse (naut.), to haul, not -wse. See also booze
boustrophedon
written from left to right and right to left on alternate lines,
esp. in Gr. inscriptions
boutique small shop (often within a shop) for individual clothes and
accessories
boutonniЉre
(Fr. f.), a buttonhole
bouts-rim‚s
rhymed endings
Bouvet I. (Norw.), Antarctic Ocean
bowdlerize
to expurgate, from Dr T. Bowdler (not cap.)
bowled (cricket), abbr. b.
Bowness Cumbria. See also Bo'ness
Boxing Day
first weekday after Christmas Day (caps.)
box number
(two words)
box-office
(hyphen), abbr. b.o.
boycott to exclude from society or business, from Capt. Boycott (not
cap.)
brackets (typ.), square [], angle; not the parentheses or round form ().
See punctuation XI
Bradford: sig. of Bp. of Bradford (colon)
Braggadochio
in Spenser's Faerie Queene
braggadocio
empty boasting (not ital.)
Brahe (Tycho)
1546-1601, Danish astronomer
Brahma supreme Hindu god (not ital.)
brahma, brahmaputra
Asian domestic fowl (not cap.)
Brahmaputra
Indian river
brahmin/ member of Hindu priestly caste; pl. -s; adj. -ical
Brahmoism reformed theistic Hinduism
brail to haul up
Braille signs composed of raised dots replacing letters, for the blind
Braine (John)
1922-86, English novelist
braise (cook.), not -ze. See also braze
brake/ for wheel, a large vehicle, etc., not break; -- horsepower (two
words)
Br. Am. British America
Bramah (Ernest)
1867-1942, English writer; -- (Joseph), 1749-1814, English
inventor of -- lock etc.
brand-new not bran-
Brandt (Willy)
b. 1913, German statesman, Chancellor of W. Germany 1969-74
Brandywine
battle, 1777, of American War of Independence
brant-goose
use brent-
Brant“me (Pierre de Bourdeille, Seigneur de)
1540-1614, French writer
Brasilia new cap. of Brazil, 1960
brass/ (binder's)
die for blocking book-cases, pl. -es; -- rule (typ.), for
printing simple borders or lines between columns of type
brassard badge worn on arm
brasserie beer garden, licensed restaurant; brasserie (Fr. f.), also
brewery
brassie golf-club with brass sole, not -y
brassiЉre woman's undergarment supporting breasts. See also bra
bratticing
(archit.) open carved work; (coal-mining) wooden shaft-lining or
screen
Brauneberger
a white wine
Braunschweig
Ger. for Brunswick
brav/a! (It.), "well done!" to a woman; -o! to a man; brav/o (noun), a
cry of "well done!"; pl. -os
bravo/ a desperado; pl. -es
braze to solder, not -ise, -ize. See also braise
brazier worker in brass, pan for holding lighted coal, not -sier
Brazil/, -ian
abbr. Braz.
Brazzaville
cap. of Congo, q.v., Cent. Africa
BRCS British Red Cross Society
BRD (Ger.), Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Federal Republic of Germany
bread/board, -crumb
(one word)
break/ (typ.), the division into a fresh paragraph; ---line, last one
of a paragraph: never to begin page, and should have more than
five letters, except in narrow measures. See also brake
breakdown (noun), a collapse, analysis of statistics (one word)
Breakspear (Nicholas)
Pope Adrian IV from 1154 to 1159, not -eare
breakthrough
(noun, one word)
breakup (noun, one word)
breathalyser
device for testing amount of alcohol in the breath, not -iser,
-izer; breathalyse, to carry out test
breathings
see accents
breccia rock composed of angular fragments, not -cchia
Brechin Tayside
Brecht (Bertolt not -th-, -d)
1898-1956, German playwright
Brecon Powys
breech birth
(two words)
breeches-buoy
life-saving apparatus (hyphen)
Bren gun light machine-gun (two words)
brent-goose
not bra-
Brescia Lombardy, Italy
Breslau Ger. for Wroclaw (Poland)
Bretagne Fr. for Brittany; Grande --, Great Britain
Breton (inhabitant) of Brittany, abbr. Bret.
Bretton Woods
New Hampshire, US (UN Monetary Conf., 1944)
Breughel use Brueghel or Bruegel, q.v.
brev. brevet, -ed
breve a curved mark to indicate a short vowel or syllable
brevet d'invention
(Fr. m.), a patent
brevet‚ s.g.d.g.
(Fr.), patented without government guarantee (sans garantie du
gouvernement)
breviary book containing RC daily service
brevier (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 8 pt.; pron.
breveer (stress on second syllable)
briar use -er
Briarean many-handed, like Briareus, of Gr. myth., not -ian
bribable not -eable
bric-…-brac
curiosities in furniture and furnishings (hyphens, accent)
bronzing (typ.), printing in yellow and then dusting with bronze powder
to imitate gold
brooch a dress-fastening, not -ach
Brooke Leics., Norfolk; -- (Baron); -- (Rupert), 1887-1915, English
poet
Brookline Mass., US
Brooklyn New York
Brooks's Club
London, not -es's
broomstick
(one word)
Brother (monastic title), abbr. Bro.
brother/ abbr. b. or bro., pl. -s, brethren, abbr. bros.; ---german,
having same parents; -- -in-law, pl. brothers-in-law;
---uterine, having same mother only (hyphens)
brougham one-horse or electric closed carriage (not cap.)
brouhaha (Fr. m.), a commotion
Brown (Ford Madox)
1821-93, English painter; -- (John), 1800-59, US abolitionist;
-- (Robert), 1773-1858, Scottish botanist
Browne (Charles Farrar)
see Ward; -- (Hablot Knight), 1815-82, English artist, pseud.
Phiz, illustrated Dickens; -- (Sir Thomas), 1605-82, English
physician and author
Brownian motion
of particles (observed by Robert Brown)
Brownie junior Guide
brownie Sc. house-spirit
browse to eat, read desultorily, not -ze
BRS British Road Services
Bruckner (Anton)
1824-96, Austrian composer
Bruegel (Pieter)
c.1520-69, Flemish painter; Brueghel (Pieter, 1564-1638, and
Jan, 1568-1625), his sons, also painters; not Breu-
Bruges Belgium, in Fl. Brugge
Brummagem abbr. Brum, derog. form of Birmingham; (adj.) tawdry
Brummell (George Bryan, "Beau")
1778-1840
Brunei NW Borneo
Brunel (Marc Isambard)
1769-1849, and -- (Isambard Kingdom), 1806-59, his son, British
engineers; -- University, Uxbridge, 1966
Brunelleschi (Filippo)
1377-1446, Italian architect and sculptor
Brunhild (Norse myth.)
BrЃnnhilde
Wagnerian heroine
Brunonian noun, an alumnus of Brown University, US; adj., of the system of
medicine of Dr John Brown of Edinburgh, 1736-88
Brunswick normal Eng. for Braunschweig, Germany
Brussels cap. of Belgium, in Fl. Brussel, in Fr. Bruxelles
Brussels sprouts
(cap., no apos.)
brut (Fr.), unsweetened
brutalize not -ise
Bruxelles Fr. for Brussels
bryczka a Polish carriage (the Polish spelling; for Eng. form use
britzka)
BS Bachelor of Surgery or (US) Science; Blessed Sacrament; British
Standard
b.s. balance sheet, bill of sale
BSA Birmingham Small Arms, British School at Athens
B.Sc. Bachelor of Science; B.Sc.(Econ.), ditto in faculty of
Economics; B.Sc.(Eng.), ditto Engineering, Glas.; B.Sc.Tech.,
Bachelor of Technical Science
b.s.g.d.g.
see brevet‚
BSI British Standards Institution. A complete list of British
Standards is in BS Yearbook. Standards in fields relevant to
this dictionary are BS 1219 (Proof correction), BS 1629
(Bibliographical references), BS 1749 (Alphabetical
arrangement), BS 1991, Part I (Letter symbols, signs,
abbreviations), BS 2961 (Typeface nomenclature), BS 2979
(Transliteration of Cyrillic and Greek characters), BS 3700
(Index preparation), BS 3763 (SI units), BS 3814 (Glossary of
rotary press terms), BS 3862 (Symbols for languages,
geographical areas, and authorities), BS 4148 (Abbreviation of
periodical titles), BS 4149 (Glossary of paper and ink terms),
BS 4277 (Terms used in offset lithography), BS 4280
(Transliteration of Arabic), BS 4812 (Romanization of Japanese),
BS 5261 (Proof correction and copy preparation), BS 5775
(Quantities, units and symbols)
BSJA British Show Jumping Association
BSR British School at Rome
BST British Summer Time (before 1968 and from 1972); -- Standard
Time (1968-71) (both 1 hr. ahead of GMT)
C carbon, (elec.) coulomb, centum (a hundred), Celsius or
centigrade, (mus.) common time, the third in a series
C. Cape, Catholic, century, chairman, chief, Church, Command paper
(q.v.), congress(ional), Conservative, consul, contralto,
Council, counter-tenor, Court, Gaius
° copyright
c (as prefix), centi-
c. cent, -s, centime, century, chapter, city, colt, conductor,
constable, copeck, cubic, (cricket) caught, (meteorol.) cloudy
CA California (off. postal abbr.), Central Africa, Central America,
M. Inst. Chartered Accountants of Scotland, Chief Accountant,
chronological age, Civil Aviation, College of Arms, commercial
agent, Consumers' Association, Controller of Accounts, Court of
Appeal
C/A capital account, commercial account, credit account, current
account
cantus firm/us
(mus.), basic melody in counterpoint, pl. -i; in It. canto
fermo, pl. canti fermi
Canute accepted variant of Cnut, 995-1035, king of Norway, Denmark, and
England
canvas/ coarse linen; -ed, -es
canvass/ to solicit votes; -ed, -er, -es
canyon a gorge
caoutchouc
unvulcanized rubber
CAP Common Agricultural Policy (EEC)
Cap (Fr. geog. m.), Cape
cap. capital letter, chapter, foolscap
cap-…-pie from head to foot (accent, hyphens, not ital.)
Cap d'Ail town, d‚p. Alpes-Maritimes, France
Cape/ cap. when with name, abbr. C.; -- Breton, Nova Scotia, not
Briton, Britton, Briton, abbr. CB; -- of Good Hope, abbr. CGH;
-- Province (of S. Africa), abbr. CP
Capek (Josef)
1887-1945, and his brother -- (Karel), 1890-1938, Czech writers
Cape Town S. Africa (two words)
Cape Verde/ Islands
off W. Africa, indep. 1975; not -- Verd, -- de Verd, adj. -an
Cap Haitien
town in Haiti
capias (law), writ of arrest
Capital Gains Tax
abbr. CGT
capitalization
(see Hart's Rules, pp. 8-14, 92-6 for French, 107-8 for German,
122-4 for Russian). When in doubt use lower case. Use initial
capitals for:
Abstract qualities personified: O Fame!
Acts of Parliament and Bills (titles of).
Adjectives derived from proper names, when connection with
the name is still felt to be alive, as Christian, Homeric,
etc., but not when the connection is remote or conventional,
as roman (numerals), or when the sense is an attribute, as
chauvinistic, gargantuan, quixotic.
Aircraft (types of), as a Concorde, a Starfighter.
Archaeological eras, see Historical eras below.
Associations, as Charity Organization Society.
Bible (and books of the Bible: but see s.v.), Book of Common
Prayer, Old Testament, etc.
Botany, all divisions higher than species, that is, genera,
families, orders, classes, etc. See also botany (as main
entry).
Churches, as Baptist Church.
Compass point abbreviations, N., N. b E., NNE, NE b N., etc.
Compass points when denoting a region (the mysterious East,
unemployment in the North).
Compound titles, as Assistant Adjutant-General, Chief
Justice, Ex-President, Major-General, Vice-President.
Days, as Christmas Day, Lady Day, Monday, New Year's Day.
Deity (the), and related words, as Allah, Almighty, Christ,
Dominus, Father, God, Jehovah, Lord, the Deity, the Holy
Trinity, Yahveh; pronouns to have lower case except at
author's request, but always who, whom.
Festivals, as Easter, Whitsuntide.
Full point, cap. follows unless the point marks an
abbreviation.
Geographical names with recognized status, as Northern
Ireland (but northern England), East Africa, New England
(USA), River Plate (but the river Thames).
Geological formations, as Devonian, and eras, as Palaeozoic.
German nouns: see Hart's Rules, pp. 107-8.
Government (the).
Historical eras and events, as Dark Ages, Early Minoan,
Perpendicular, the Renaissance, First World War (but not
archaeological eras, as neolithic, palaeolithic).
House of Lords, Commons, etc.
Institutions and movements, as Christianity, Islam, Marxism;
the Crown, Parliament, the State.
MS, MSS, manuscript, -s.
Nicknames, as the Iron Duke, the Admirable Crichton.
O! and Oh! (the interjections), and O (vocative).
Palaeontology, all divisions higher than species.
Period, see Full point above.
Poetry, generally at beginning of each line in classical
English and French; not necessarily in German, Latin, or
Greek.
Political bodies and parties, as Assembly, Senate;
Conservative, Republican.
Postcodes, as BR6 8JU (even full caps., no points, lining
numerals; but when the fount has non-lining numerals, or in
a s.-cap. context (e.g. publisher's imprint), even s. caps.
may give a better effect).
Proper names, including English Christian names, surnames,
and names of an individual, family, place, locality, and the
like; also attributes used as proper names, as a Black
(Negro), a Blue (university), a Red (a communist).
Proprietary terms: Aspro, Kodak, Persil.
PS, postscript.
Question, the next word following a question mark should
generally begin with a capital letter.
Quotations, when syntactically complete: Consider this "Thou
art the man", but Do not follow "the madding crowd".
Rank, when individuals are referred to or addressed by their
rank, as "the Squire said", "Good evening, General".
Religious denominations: Nonconformist, Orthodox.
Roads, Gardens, Gates, Groves, Hills, Parks, Squares,
Streets, Terraces, etc., when with name.
Ships, as the Cutty Sark, HMS Dreadnought.
Sovereign (the), in proclamations, all personal pronouns
referring to, as Her, Him, His, etc.
Titles and Subtitles of books, films, newspapers,
periodicals, and plays, the first word and important words
only, as "I Forbid the Banns", Farmer and Stockbreeder, The
Merchant of Venice; but scientific and technical
bibliographies often capitalize first word and proper names
only. For French titles see Hart's Rules, p. 93; in Italian
titles capitalize the first word only; for Russian titles
see Hart's Rules, p. 123.
Titles of corporations, as Department of Trade.
Titles of courtesy, honour, and rank: HRH, TRH, the Prince
of Wales, the Bishop of Oxford, President Roosevelt, His
Grace, Sir John Smith, J. Smith, Esq., Mr J. Smith, etc.;
note compound titles: Assistant Adjutant-General,
Vice-President.
Titles of distinction, as FRS, LL D, are usu. put in large
caps. Even s. caps. often improve general effect.
Titles of pictures, as for books; but identificatory
descriptions given by cataloguers etc. where no artist's
title exists take initial capital only.
Titles of poems and songs, when formed from the first line,
to be capitalized as book-titles, as "I Fear no Foe", "Where
the Bee Sucks".
Trade names, see Proprietary terms above.
Vehicles (types of), as a Dormobile, a Jaguar.
Verbs derived from proper names when there is direct
reference to the name, as Americanize, Hellenize.
Zoology, all divisions higher than species, that is, genera,
families, orders, classes, etc. See also zoology (as main
entry)
capitalize
not -ise
capital letter
abbr. cap.
capitals (large)
indicated in copy by three lines underneath the letter; abbr.
cap. See also capitalization
capitals (small)
usually about two-thirds size of large caps., indicated in copy
by two lines underneath; may be used for subsidiary headings,
(with large-cap. initials) for the signatures of printed
correspondence, and for any even large-cap. matter that would
otherwise gain excessive prominence on the page. They are not
used in German, Greek, or Russian. Abbr. (typ.) s.c. (without
points as a proof-correction mark); also s. cap., pl. s. caps.
See also even s. caps.
Capitol temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill, anc. Rome; Congress
building, Washington DC, US
capitulum (bot., anat.), small head, knob
cappuccino
(It.), coffee with milk
capriccio/
(mus.), fanciful work; pl. -s, adj. -so
caps. and smalls
(typ.), set in small capitals with the initial letters in large
capitals; abbr. caps (or c) and sc
capsiz/e not -ise; noun -al
Captain abbr. Capt.
caption (typ.). descriptive matter printed above or below an
illustration; (US) heading of chapter, page, or section
Captivity (the)
of the Jews (cap. C)
caput/ (lat.), head; -- mortuum, worthless residue after distillation
Car. Carolus (Charles)
car. carat
carabineer
soldier with carbine, not carb-, -ier; but Carabiniers & Greys
carabinier/e
Italian soldier serving as policeman; pl. -i
Caracci family of painters, 1550-1619, not Carr-
Caractacus
accepted form of Caratacus, fl. AD 5O, king of Silures, anc.
Britain
caracul use karakul
carafe glass container for water or wine, not -ff, -ffe
caramba! (Sp.), wonderful!, how strange!
carat a weight, not caract, carrat, karat; abbr. K. or car.
caratch use kharaj
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da)
1569-1609, Italian painter
caravanserai
inn with courtyard used as halting-place for caravans, not
-sary, -sery, -sera. See also khan
caravel Spanish ship
caraway plant with aromatic fruits ("seeds"), not carra-
carbineer use carabineer
carbohydrate
(one word)
carbon symbol C
carbon copy
abbr. c.c.
carbon dating
(two words)
carbonize not -ise
carbon paper
(two words)
carburett/ed, -or
not -t-, -er
carcass/ not -ase; pl. -es
Carcassonne
d‚p. Aude, France
carcinom/a
a cancer; pl. -ata
card. cardinal
cardamom aromatic capsules of ginger plants, not -mon, - mum
card-game (hyphen)
Cardigan Dyfed. See also Ceredigion
card-index
(noun & verb)
Carducci (Giosu‚)
1835-1907, Italian poet
carefree (one word)
car€me (Fr. m.), Lent
care of abbr. c/o
caret insertion mark ^
caretaker (one word)
Carew (Richard)
1555-1620, English poet; -- (Thomas), 1595-?1639, English poet
and courtier
car/ex sedge; pl. -ices
Carey (Henry)
?1690-1743, English poet and composer; -- (Henry Charles),
1793-1879, US economist, son of next: -- (Mathew, one t),
1760-1839, US publicist; -- Street, London, syn. with the
Bankruptcy Court. See also Cary
cargo/ pl. -es
Caribbean Sea
W. Indies, not Carr-
Cariboo Mountains
BC, Canada
caribou N. American reindeer, pl. same (not -boo)
Caribou Highway
BC, Canada
Caribou Mountain
Idaho, US
carillon (chime of) bells
Carington see Carrington
Carinthia Austria, in Ger. K„rnten
cariole use carr-
Carisbrooke
IW
carit… (It. art), representation of maternal love
Carleton (William)
1794-1869, Irish novelist
Carlile/ (Richard)
1790-1843, English reformer and politician; -- (Revd Preb.
William), 1847-1942, founder of Church Army. See also Carlisle,
Carlyle
Carliol: sig. of Bp. of Carlisle (colon)
Carlisle Cumbria; -- (Earl of). See also Carlile, Carlyle
Carlist supporter of Spanish pretender Don Carlos (1788-1855)
Carlovingian
use Carolingian
Carlsbad Czechoslovakia, not K-; in Czech Karlovy Vary
Carls/krona
Sweden, -ruhe, W. Germany, use K-
Carlton Club
London
Carlyle (Thomas)
1795-1881, Scottish writer. See also Carlile, Carlisle
Carlylean not -eian, -ian
Carmagnola
Piedmont, Italy
"Carmagnole (La)"
French revolutionary song and dance
Carmarthen
Dyfed, not Caer-
Carnarvon Gwynedd, use Caernarfon, but -- (Earl of)
Carnatic Madras, India, not K-
Carnaval/ suite of piano pieces by Schumann, 1834-5; -- des animaux (le),
suite for small orchestra by Saint-Saens, 1886; -- romain (le),
overture by Berlioz, 1844. See also Carnival
"Carnaval de Venise, (le)"
(mus.), popular type of air and variations, early nineteenth
century
Carnegie (Andrew)
1835-1919, Scottish-born US millionaire and philanthropist
carnelian use cor-
carnival in Fr. m. carnaval, in Ger. n. Carneval
Carnival overture by Dvorak, 1891. See also Carnaval
Carnoustie
Tayside
carol/ -led, -ler, -ling
Carolean of the time of Charles I or II, not -ine
Carolingian
of the Frankish dynasty of Charlemagne, not Carlovingian, Karl-
Carolus Lat. for Charles; abbr. Car.
carous/e drink heavily; -al
carousel tournament, rotating conveyor system. See Carrousel
car-park (hyphen)
Carpathian Mts.
E. Europe, not K-
carpe diem
(Lat.) enjoy the day
carpet/, -ed, -ing
carport (one word)
carp/us the wrist; pl. -i
Carracci use Caracci
carrageen Irish moss; not moss, -gheen; from Carragheen, near Waterford
Carrantuohill
Kerry, highest mt. in Ireland
Carrara N. Italy, source of marble
carrat use carat
carraway use cara-
Carribbean
use Cari-
Carrigtohill
Cork (one word)
Carrington (Baron)
family name Carington (one r)
carriole a carriage, not cariole
Carroll (Lewis)
(Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), 1832-98, English author
Carrousel (place du)
Paris, from Fr. carrousel (m.), a tilting-match
Carrutherstown
Dumfries & Galloway (one word)
carry-cot (hyphen)
carsick (one word)
Carte (Richard D'Oyly)
1844-1901, see D'Oyly Carte
carte (fencing), use quart
carte blanche
(Fr. f.), full discretion (ital.)
carte-de-visite
(not ital.)
Carter, Paterson & Co.
former carriers, London
Cartesian see Descartes
cart-horse
(hyphen)
cartouche (archit.), scroll ornament, (archaeol.) ring enclosing
hieroglyphic royal name, not -ch
cartridge paper
a firm, strong paper
cart/-wheel, -wright
(hyphens)
carvel-built
(naut.), with smooth planking
Cary (Henry Francis)
1772-1844, English translator of Dante; -- (Arthur Joyce Lunel),
1888-1957, English novelist; -- (Lucius), Lord Falkland,
1610-43; -- (Alice), 1820-71, -- (Phoebe), 1824-71, US sisters,
poets. See also Carey
caryatid/ female figure as a column; pl. -s
CAS Chief of the Air Staff
Casabianca (Louis de)
?1755-98, French seaman
Casablanca
Morocco
Casa Grande
prehistoric ruin in Arizona, US
"Casa Guidi Windows"
by Mrs Browning, 1851
Casals (Pablo)
1876-1973, Catalan cellist
Casanova de Seingalt (Giovanni Giacomo)
1725-1803, Italian adventurer
Casas Grandes
Mexican village with famous ruins
Casaubon (Isaac)
1559-1614, French scholar and theologian; -- (M‚ric), 1599-1671,
his son, clergyman; -- (Mr), in G. Eliot's Middlemarch
casava use cassava
casbah use k-
case (bind.), bookbinding consisting of two boards joined by a
flexible spine, and usually covered with cloth etc.; upper --
(typ.), capitals; lower --, small letters
casein milk protein, not -ine
cases (law), abbr. ca.
casework (one word)
cashew trop. American tree with edible nuts
Cashmer/, -e
use Kashmir
cashmere soft wool fabric, not -meer, cachemere, -ire. See also
kerseymere
Casimir-Perier (Jean Pierre Paul)
1847-1907, French Pres. 1894-5 (no accent)
casine use casein
casino/ pl. -s (not ital.)
Caslon (William)
1693-1766, typefounder; cutter of Caslon type
cassata It. ice-cream (not ital.)
Cassation (Cour de)
highest court of appeal in France
cast off (typ.), to estimate amount of printed matter copy would make
castor a beaver (hence castor oil) or its fur; a small wheel for
furniture; a small pot with perforated lid (hence castor sugar).
See also caster
Castor and Pollux
stars, also patrons of sailors
castrat/o (mus.), castrated male soprano; pl. -i
casual incidental, not regular. See also causal
casus/ belli
(lat.), the cause of war; -- foederis, case stipulated by
treaty; -- omissus, case unprovided for by statute
CAT College of Advanced Technology, computer-assisted typesetting
Cat. Catalan, Catullus
cat. catalogue, catechism
cataclasm violent disruption
cataclysm/
deluge, violent event; -al, -ic, -ist, not -atist
Catalan of Catalonia; abbr. Cat.
Cataline use Catiline
catalogu/e
abbr. cat.; -ed, -er, -ing
catalogue raisonn‚
(Fr. m.), an explanatory catalogue
Catalonia in Sp. Catalu¤a
catal/yst a substance facilitating chem. change; -yse, not -ize; -ysis;
-ytic
catamaran a raft; also two-hulled boat
catarrh inflammation of mucous membrane
catarrhine
narrow-nosed (of monkeys), not -arhine
Catch (Jack)
use Ke-
catch/-all, -as-catch-can
(hyphens)
catchline (typ.), a line containing catchword(s), signature letter, etc.
catch-phrase
(hyphen)
catchpole a sheriff's officer, not -poll
catch-22 inescapable dilemma, after novel by Joseph Heller, 1961
catchword (typ.), the first word of next page printed at bottom of
preceding page; word(s) printed at head of dictionary page as
guide to its contents
Cѓteau Cambr‚sis (Peace of)
1559
catechism teaching by question and answer; abbr. cat.
catechiz/e, -er, -ing
not -is-
catechumen
convert under instruction before baptism
categorize
to classify, not -ise
caten/a a chain; pl. -ae
cater-cousin
a good friend, not qua-
caters (campan., pl.), changes on nine bells
Cath. Catherine, Catholic
cath. cathedral
Catharine Kans., NY, Pa., US
cathars/is
purging; pl. -es
Cathay poetical for China, not K-
cathedral cap. when with name, as Ely Cathedral; abbr. cath.
Catherine abbr. Cath.; St --, hence -- pear and -- wheel; -- I and II,
empresses of Russia; -- of Aragon, Howard, -- Parr, first,
fifth, and sixth wives of Henry VIII of England; -- de Medici,
1519-89, Queen of France
cathisma use ka-
cathod/e negative electrode; --e ray tube, abbr. CRT; -ic, -ograph; not
k-
Catholic abbr. C. or Cath.
catholic/ism, -ize
not -ise
Catiline (Catilina, Lucius Sergius)
108-62 BC, Roman conspirator, not Cata-
cation (elec.), ion carrying positive charge of electricity, not k-
cat-o'-nine-tails
(hyphens)
cat's/-cradle
a children's game; -eye, precious stone, (C-, propr. term) stud
in road
Catskill Mountains
New York, US
cats-paw person used as tool, (naut.) a light air, not catspaw
catsuit (one word)
Cattegat use Dan. Kattegat (Swed. Kattegatt)
Cattleya an orchid genus
Catullus (Gaius Valerius)
?84-?54 BC, Roman poet, abbr. Cat.
Cauchy (Augustin Louis)
1789-1857, French mathematician
caucus political meeting
Caudillo Spanish "leader", title assumed by Gen. Franco after Spanish
Civil War
caught (cricket), abbr. c.
cauldron not cal-
caulk to make watertight, not calk
caus. causa/tion, -tive
causal having to do with a cause. See also casual
causa/tion, -tive
abbr. caus.
cause c‚lЉbre
(Fr. f.), famous law case, pl. -es -es
causerie (Fr.f.), chat, usu. as informal essay
cauterize not -ise
Cavafy (Constantine)
1863-1933, Greek poet, not K-, -is
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Rustic Gallantry), opera by Mascagni, 1890
cavass use k-
caveat a formal warning (not ital.)
caveat/ actor
(Lat.), let the doer beware; -- emptor, ditto buyer; -- viator,
ditto traveller
cave canem
(Lat.), beware of the dog
caviare pickled sturgeon-roe, not -iar, -ier
cavil/ to make trifling objections, -led, -ler, -ling
Cavour (Count Camillo)
1850-61, Italian statesman
Cawnpore usual form in English history of the now correct Kanpur
CC 200, Caius College, Central Committee, Chamber of Commerce,
Chess Club, Circuit Court, City Council, -lor, Civil Court,
Common Councilman, Companion of the Order of Canada, Consular
Corps, Countryside Commission, County Clerk, -- Commissioner, --
Council, -lor, -court, Cricket Club, Cycling Club
cc (no points), cubic centimetre (in engines, etc.)
cc. capita (chapters)
c.c. carbon copy
CCC 300, Corpus Christi College, Oxf. and Camb.
CCCC 400
CCF Combined Cadet Force
C.Chem. chartered chemist
CCP Code of Civil Procedure, Court of Common Pleas, credit card
purchase
centering framing for an arch, not -reing. See also centre
centi prefix meaning one-hundredth, abbr. c
centigrade
(not cap.); abbr. C
centigram not -gramme; abbr. cg (no point in scientific and technical
work)
centilitre
abbr. cl (no point in scientific and technical work)
centime/ one-hundredth of French franc; pl. -s; abbr. c. or cts.
centimetre
0.394 inch, not -er; abbr. sing. and pl. cm. (but no point in
scientific and technical work)
Cento Central Treaty Organization
cent/o writing composed of scraps from various authors; pl. -os
Central region of Scotland
central abbr. cent.
centralize
not -ise
Central Provinces
(India), now Madhya Pradesh
centr/e, -ed, -ing;
(typ.), set matter in middle of line, measure, etc. See also
centering
centre-notes
(typ.), those between columns
cents abbr. c., or cts.
centum a hundred; abbr. C (no point). See also per cent
centumvir/
Roman commissioner; pl. -i
centurion commander of company in Roman army, not -ian
century (typ.), spell out in bookwork; abbr. C. or cent.
cephalic of the head, not k-
Cephalonia
Gr. island, anc. name Cephallenia
ceramic etc., not k-; abbr. ceram.
Cerberus (Gr. myth.), three-headed dog at gate of Hades
cerebell/um
the hinder brain; pl. -a; adj. -ar
cerebro/-spinal, -vascular
(hyphens)
cerebr/um the brain proper; pl. -a; adj. -al
cere/cloths, -ments
grave-clothes, orig. dipped in wax, not sere-
Ceredigion
district of Wales, formerly Cardiganshire
cerge use cie-
ceriph (typ.), use serif
cerise (Fr. f.), cherry
cerise a colour
cerium symbol Ce
CERN Conseil Europ‚en (now Organisation Europ‚enne) de Recherches
Nucl‚aires, European Council for Nuclear Research
cert colloq. abbr. of certainty (no point)
cert. certificate, certify
Cert. Ed. Certificate in Education
certiorari
a writ removing a case to a higher court
cerulean blue, not cae-, coe-
Cervantes Saavedra (Miguel de)
1547-1616, author of Don Quixote
cervi/x (anat.), pl. -ces, adj. -cal
Cesarean use Cae-
cesarevitch
Tsar's eldest son, use tsarevich
Cesarewitch
horse-race
cesser (law), the coming to an end
c'est/-…-dire
(Fr.), that is to say; -- la guerre, it is according to the
customs of war; -- le premier pas qui co–te, it is the first
step that is difficult
Cestr: sig. of Bp. of Chester (colon)
Cestrian of Chester
cestui que/ trust
(law), a beneficiary, pl. cestuis -- -- (not trustent); -- --
vie, he on whose life land is held, pl. cestuis -- --
cesura use cae-
CET Central European Time
cetera/ desiderantur or -- desunt
(Lat.), the rest are missing
ceteris paribus
(Lat.), other things being equal; abbr. cet. par.
Cetinje Yugoslavia, formerly cap. of Montenegro, not Cett-, Zet-, -inge
Ceylon republic within Commonwealth, 1972, officially Sri Lanka
(Ceylon); adj. Ceylonese. See also Sinhalese
chameleon lizard of changeable colour, not chamae-
chamfer to bevel
chamois-leather
not shammy-
chamomile use cam-
Chamonix d‚p. Haute-Savoie, France, not -ouni, -ounix, -oisny
champagne a sparkling wine
champaign flat open country
champerty (law), an illegal agreement, not -arty
champignon
(Fr. m.), a mushroom, not -pinion
Champlain (Lake)
between NY and Vt., US
Champlain (Samuel de)
c.1570-1635, French founder of Quebec, Can.
champlev‚ a kind of enamel
Champollion (Jean Fran‡ois)
1790-1832, French Egyptologist
Champs Elys‚es
Paris
chancellery
not -ory
chancellor
(cap. as title), abbr. chanc.
chance-medley
(law), a form of homicide (hyphen)
Chancery abbr. Chanc.
chancre venereal ulcer
chandelier
branched hanging support for lights
Chandler's Ford
Hants
Chanel (Gabrielle)
1883-1971, French perfumer
change/able, -ability change-over
(noun, hyphen)
channel/, -led, -ling
Channel Islands
not -- Isles; abbr. CI
chanson/ (Fr. f.), a song; -nette (f.), a little song; -nier (m.), singer
or song-writer in cabaret
chant/ singing; -er, of bagpipe, not chau-
Chantilly d‚p. Oise, France
Chantrey/ (Sir Francis Legatt)
1781-1841, sculptor; -- Fund, Royal Academy of Arts, London
chantry endowed chapel
chanty use shanty
chap. chapel, chaplain, chapter
chaparejos
(pl.), cowboy's leather riding-breeches, not -ajos
chapeau/ (Fr. m.), a hat, pl. -x; -x bas! hats off!; ---bras,
three-cornered hat carried under arm
chapel abbr. chap.; (typ.), smallest organized union group in printing
works, in journal and in some bookwork editorial offices; father
of --, its chief officer
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Derby. (hyphens) chapelle ardente (Fr. f.), a chapel lighted for
a lying-in-state (no hyphen)
Chapel Royal
pl. Chapels --
chaperon not -one, -onne
Chap.-Gen.
Chaplain-General
chaplain abbr. chap.
Chapman (Geoffrey)
publisher
Chapman & Hall Ltd.
publishers
Chappell (William)
1809-88, music publisher
chapter/, -s
abbr. c., cap., ch., or chap.
chapter-headings
(typ.), choice of type is a matter of taste; no general rule can
be stated
char/, -red, -ring
char small trout, not -rr
charabanc/
a motor coach,; pl. -s, not char-…-banc
characteriz/e
not -ise; -able, -ation, -er
charg‚ more fully charg‚ d'affaires; pl. charg‚s (not ital.)
charisma/ spiritual power of person or office; adj. -tic
charivari a mock serenade; London Charivari (The), former subtitle of
Punch
Charlemagne
742-814, king of the Franks from 768
Charles abbr. C. or Chas.
Charles's Wain
(astr.), Ursa Major
Charleston
Ill., SC (source of the dance), W. Va., US
Charlestown
Mass., US
Charlottenburg
Berlin
charlotte russe
(cook.), custard or cream enclosed in sponge-cake (not ital.)
Charollais
breed of cattle, not -olais
Charon (class. myth.), the ferryman of the Styx
charpoy Indian bedstead
charr use char
charter flight
(two words)
charter-member
(hyphen)
charter-party
written evidence of agreement, esp. naut. (hyphen)
Charters Towers
Queensland, Australia (no apos.)
chart paper
machine-made from best rags, suitable for lithographic
map-printing
chartreuse
a liqueur first made at Carthusian monastery near Grenoble
Chartreux a Carthusian monk
Charybdis personified whirlpool in Str. of Messina. See also Scylla
Chas. Charles
chase (typ.), metal frame holding composed type
Chasid/, -ic
use H-
Chasles (Michel)
1793-1880, French mathematician; -- (PhilarЉte), 1798-1873,
French lit. critic
chass‚ (Fr. m.), dance step; -- crois‚, double chass‚
chassis window sash, a framework as of motor car, pl. same (not ital.)
chastis/e not -ize; -ement, -ing
chѓteau/ (Fr. m.), a castle; pl. -x (not ital.)
Chateaubriand (Fran‡ois Ren‚ vicomte de)
1768-1848, French writer and statesman (no accent)
Chѓteaubriand
(Fr. cook.), fillet of beef, cut thick and grilled
Chaucer/ (Geoffrey)
?1345-1400, English poet; adj. -ian
chauffeu/r
driver of motor car, fem. -se
chaunt/, -er
use chant
chauss‚e (Fr. f.), a causeway, the ground level chaussures (Fr. f. pl.),
boots shoes, etc.
Chautauqua
New York State, celebrated resort
chauvin/ism, -ist
(not cap.)
Ch.B. Chirurgiae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Surgery)
Ch.Ch. Christ Church, Oxford
Chebyshev (Pafnuti Lvovich)
1821-94, Russian mathematician, not Tch-
check to stop. See also cheque
check/-in, -list, -out, -up
(nouns, hyphens)
Cheddar cheese
not -er
Cheeryble Brothers
in Dickens's Nicholas Nickleby
cheese/board, -cake, -cloth
(one word)
cheesy not -ey
cheetah hunting leopard, not chet-
chef (Fr. m.), a cook; chef/ de cuisine, head cook; -- d'orchestre,
leader of the orchestra; -- d'oeuvre, a masterpiece, pl.
chefs---
cheir- use chir-
Cheka USSR "Extraordinary Commission (against counter-revolution)",
1917-22. See also OGPU
Chekhov (Anton Pavlovich)
1861-1904, Russian playwright and story-writer, not the many
variants
CHEL Cambridge History of English Literature
Chelmsford:
sig. of Bp. of Chelmsford (colon)
chem/ical, -ist
not chy-; abbr. chem.
chemico-physical
(hyphen)
chemin de fer
(Fr. m.), railway; a form of baccarat
chemistry (typ.), caps. for initial letters of symbols, no point at end.
Names of chemical compounds to be in roman, not caps. Some
prefixes are ital. or s. caps.; abbr. chem. See also elements
(chemical)
Chemnitz E. Germany, now Karl Marx Stadt
cheque a written order (US check)
chequer (noun) pattern of squares; (verb) to variegate, interrupt (not
-ck-) Chequers, Prime Minister's official country house in
Bucks.
Cherbourg d‚p. Manche, France
cherchez la femme
(Fr.), look for the woman
chЉre amie
(Fr. f.), a sweetheart
Cherenkov (Pavel Alekseevich)
b. 1904, Russian physicist, discoverer of radiation
ch‚r/i (Fr.), fem. -ie, darling (‚)
chernozem Russian black soil
Cherokee N. American Indian
chersonese
name applied to various peninsulas; cap. when used as name (esp.
of Thracian peninsula W. of Hellespont)
cherub/ an angelic being; pl. -s; Heb. pl. -im
Cherubini (Maria Luigi)
1760-1842, Italian composer
Cherwell Oxford river
che sar… sar…
(It.), what will be, will be
Cheshire abbr. Ches.
Chesil Beach
Dorset
chessboard
(one word)
chess-man (hyphen)
Chester formal name for Cheshire, now only hist. esp. in "County
palatine of Chester"
Chester-le-Street
Co. Durham (hyphens)
chestnut not chesnut
chetah use chee-
Chetniks guerrilla forces raised in Yugoslavia during Second World War by
Gen. Mihailovich
cheval/ (Fr. m.), a horse, pl. chevaux; -- de frise (mil.), obstacle to
cavalry advance, usually in the pl. chevaux de frise
cheval-glass
tall mirror on frame
Chevalier/ (Albert)
1861-1923, English music-hall artiste; -- (Maurice), 1888-1972,
French entertainer chevalier d'industrie (Fr. m.), a swindler
Chevallier (Gabriel)
1895-1969, French novelist
cheville violin peg, stopgap word in sentence or verse
chevrotain
deerlike animal, not -tin
chevy use chivvy
Chevy Chase (Ballad of)
Cheyenne Wyoming, US; also an Indian tribe
Cheyne Walk
Chelsea
chez (Fr.), at the house of
chi/ Gr. letter; ---square, method of comparing statistical
experiment with theory
Chi. Chicago
Chiang Kai-shek
1887-1975, Nationalist Chinese statesman
Chianti Italian wine
chiaroscuro/
light and shade, pl. -s
chibouk a Turkish pipe, not chibouque
chic (noun and adj.), stylish(ness) (not ital.)
Chicago Ill., abbr. Chi.
chiccory use chicory
Chichele Oxford professorships
Chichen Itz
Mexico, site of antiquities
Chickahominy
(battles of the), in SE Virginia, American Civil War
Chickamauga
(battles of), 1863, N. Georgia
chicken-pox
(hyphen)
chicory not chiccory
chief abbr. C. or ch.; Chief/ Accountant, CA; -- Baron, CB; -- Justice
(caps., no hyphen), abbr. CJ; -- of General Staff, abbr. CGS
chield (Sc.), a young man, not chiel
chiffon dress fabric or ornaments
chiffonier
a sideboard, not -nnier (not ital.)
chiffre (Fr. m.), figure, numeral, monogram
chignon a coil of hair
chigoe W. Indian parasite, not jigger
child/bed, -birth
(one word)
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
by Byron, 1811-17
Childermas
28 Dec.
childlike (one word)
child/-minder, -proof
(hyphens)
Chile S. America, not Chili; adj.
Chilean
Chilianwala
Pakistan, not Chilianwallah, Killianwala
chilli/ red, or Guinea, pepper, not chile, chili, chilly; pl. -es
chimaera use chimera
Chimborazo
Ecuador
chimera a creation of the imagination, (biol.) an organism with two
cells of two or more genetically distinct types, not -aera
chimere bishop's upper robe, not -er
chincapin dwarf chestnut, not -kapin, -quapin
Chindits British glider-borne troops in Burma in Second World War
chin‚ (Fr.), variegated (of stuffs)
Chinese/ abbr. Ch. or Chin.; (typ.) printed in characters numbering
several thousand, which are phonetically transcribed into the
Latin alphabet according to various systems, notably (1) Pinyin,
e.g. Hua Guofeng, Tianjin, sometimes with accents indicating
tone of spoken syllables, (2) Wade-Giles, e.g. Hua Kuo-Feng,
Tientsin, sometimes with superior figures indicating tone; --
Classics, the sacred books of Confucianism
chinoiserie
Chinese decorative objects
chipmunk a N. American ground-squirrel, not -uck
Chipping Campden
Glos.
chi-rho monogram of XP, first letters of Greek "Christos"
chiromancy
palmistry, not cheir-
Chiron the centaur, not Cheir-
chiropodist
one who treats hands and feet, not cheir-, -pedist
chiropract/ic
(sing.), removal of nerve interference by manipulation of spinal
column; -or, one who does this
Chiroptera
the bat order
chirosophy
palmistry, not cheir-
chirrup/, -ed, -ing
chirurgiae
(Lat.), of surgery; abbr. Ch.
chisel/, -led, -ling
chit, chitty
(Anglo-Ind.), a letter
Chittagong
Bangladesh
chivvy to harass, not che-, chivy
chlorine symbol Cl
chlorodyne
medicine containing chloroform, not -ine
chlorophyll
(bot.), green colouring matter of plants, not -il, -yl
Ch.M. Chirurgiae Magister (Master of Surgery)
chm. chairman (m. and f.)
choc. chocolate
chock/-a-block, -full
(hyphens)
Choctaw tribe of N. American Indians
choir part of a church, or singers, not quire
cholera morbus
acute gastro-enteritis
cholesterol
fatty alcohol found in parts of the body, not -in
cl centilitre, -s (no point in scientific and technical work)
cl. class, clause, cloth
Clackmannan
district and former county of Scotland (three ns)
Clairaut (Alexis Claude)
1713-65, French mathematician, not -ault
claire-cole
use clearcole
clairvoyant/
fem. -e (not ital.)
clam/ to clog, smear; -miness, -my
clamjamphrie
(Sc.), rubbish, also a mob, not the many variants
clam/our but -orous
clampdown (noun, hyphen)
clang/our but -orous
ClaparЉde (Jean Louis Ren‚ Antoine ђdouard)
1832-70, Swiss naturalist
claptrap empty words (one word)
claque/ hired applauders; -ur, member of claque (not ital.)
clar. (mus.) clarinet; (typ.) clarendon
clarabella
(mus.), an organ stop, not clari-
Clarenceux
the second King-of-Arms, not -cieux
clarendon (typ.), a thickened modern type, not a generic term for
bold-face type (q.v.); abbr. clar.
Clarendon/ Press
named after -- Building, a former printing house of the
University Press at Oxford; hence still the imprint on certain
learned books of the OUP
claret red wine of Bordeaux
clarinet/, -tist
not -ionet; abbr. clar.
Clarissa Harlowe
by Richardson, 1748
class abbr. cl.
class. classic, -al, classification
classes (bot., zool.), (typ.) to be in roman with capital initials
clause so-and-so (typ.), to have lower-case c; abbr cl., pl. cll.
Clausewitz (Karl von)
1780-1831, Prussian mil. writer
clayey of the substance of clay
CLB Church Lads' Brigade
cld. called, cancelled, cleared (goods or shipping), coloured
clean (typ.), said of proofs or revises with few errors, or pulled
after matter has been corrected
clean disc
see disc
clearcole (noun and verb), (to paint with) a coating of size, not claire-
clear days
time to be reckoned exclusive of the first and last
cleared (goods or shipping), abbr. cld.
clear/-eyed, -headed, -sighted
(hyphens)
clearing bank
(two words)
clearing-house
abbr. CH
clearstory
use clere-
clearway (one word)
cleistogam/ic, -ous
(bot.), permanently closed and self-fertilizing, not k-
Clemenceau (Georges EugЉne Benjamin)
1841-1929, French politician, not Cl‚-
Clemens (Samuel Langhorne)
1835-1910 ("Mark Twain"), US writer
clench to secure (a nail or rivet), to grasp firmly; the action or
result of these. See also clinch
clepsydra/
an ancient water-clock, not k-; pl. -s
cleptomania
use k-
clerestory
(archit.), upper part of wall with row of windows, not clear-
clerk abbr. clk.
Clerke (Agnes Mary)
1842-1907, English astronomer
Clerk-Maxwell (James)
1831-79, see Maxwell (James Clerk)
Clerk/ of Parliaments
(caps.); -- of the Peace, abbr. CP; -- of the Privy Council,
abbr. CPC
Clermont Ferrand
d‚p. Puy-de-D“me, France (hyphen)
Cleveland county of England
clevis/ U-shaped iron at end of beam for attaching tackle, pl. -es
clew ball of thread; (naut., verb or noun) (to draw up) lower corner
of sail. See also clue
cl. gt. (bookbinding) cloth gilt
clich‚ (typ.), European term for a block or stereotype; a hackneyed
phrase
clicker (typ.), former title of foreman of a companionship (q.v.)
Clicquot (Veuve)
a brand of champagne
clientele clients collectively (no accent, not ital.)
climacteric
(noun or adj.), (pertaining to) a critical period; grand --, the
age of 63
climactic pertaining to a climax
climatic pertaining to climate
clinch to make fast a rope in a special way, to embrace, to settle
conclusively; the action or result of these. See also clench
Clinker (Humphry not -ey)
by Smollett, 1771
clinometer
instrument for measuring slopes, not k-
Clio (Gr.), muse of history
cliometrics
(pl. used as sing.), statistical method of historical research
cliqu/e, -ish, -ism, -y
not -eish, -eism, -ey (not ital.)
clish-ma-claver
(Sc.), gossip (hyphens)
Clitheroe Lancs.
clitor/is (anat.), female organ; adj. -al
clk. clerk
cll. clauses
Cllr. Councillor
Cloaca Maxima
sewer of anc. Rome (caps.)
cloche (hort.), bell-glass or glass cover for plants; woman's
close-fitting hat (not ital.)
clock-face
(hyphen)
cloff an allowance on commodities, not clough
cloisonn‚ (Fr.), a kind of enamel
close (typ.), the second member of any pair of punctuation marks, as
"]); pron. kloze
close up (typ.), to push together, to remove spacing-out leads; close
matter, unleaded, or thinly spaced
close-up (noun)
closure a stopping, esp. of debate in Parliament; in Fr. f. cl“ture
Clos Vougeot
a burgundy
clot-bur (bot.), burdock, not clote-, cloth-
clote (bot.), burdock and similar burry plants, not ---bur
cloth/ abbr. cl.; -- of Bruges, gold brocade
Clotho (Gr. myth.), the Fate that draws the thread of life
cl“ture (Fr. f.), closure
clou (Fr. m.), point of chief interest
Cloud-cuckoo-land
(hyphens, one cap.)
cloudy (meteor.), abbr. c.
clough a ravine
clove hitch
a knot (two words)
clubbable sociable
club-foot congenital disorder (hyphen)
clubhouse (one word)
clue information to be followed up. See also clew
Cluniac (monk or nun) of branch of Benedictine order stemming from
Cluny, France
CO Colorado (off postal abbr.), Commanding Officer, conscientious
objector, criminal offence, Crown Office
Co cobalt (no point)
Co. Colon, Company, County
c/o care of
coad. coadjutor
coaetaneous
use coe-
coagul/um a clot; pl. -a
Coalbrookdale
Shropshire
coal/-dust, -face
(hyphens)
coal/field, -man
(one word)
coal-mine (hyphen)
coalmouse (ornith.), the coal titmouse, not cole-
coal-pit (hyphen)
Coalville Leics.
coastguard
one man or the body of men (one word), abbr. CG
coat of arms
(three words)
co-author noun and verb (hyphen)
coaxial (one word)
cobalt symbol Co
Cobbe (Frances Power)
1822-1904, British social writer
coble boat, not cobble
Coblen/ce, -z
W. Germany, use Koblenz
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language), a computer-programming
language; caps. or even s. caps.
cobra de capello
Indian snake, not da, di
Coburg Iowa, US; Saxe---, Germany, not -ourg, -urgh
coca S. Amer. shrub, source of cocaine
Coca-Cola abbr. Coke, carbonated soft drink from cola nut and cacao
(propr. terms)
Cocagne use Cockaigne
cocaine not -ain; pop. abbr. coke
cocco (bot.), Jamaica plant tuber, not cocoa, coco
coccy/x (anat.), end of spinal column; pl. -ges
Cochin-China
formerly part of Fr. Indo-China, now of Vietnam (hyphen)
cochle/a the ear cavity; pl. -ae
cochon de lait
(Fr. m.), sucking pig
Cockaigne London, not Cocagne, Cockayne
cock-a-leekie
(Sc.), soup, not cockie-leekie, cocky-leeky
cockatiel small crested Australian parrot, not -teel
cockatoo/ large crested Australian parrot; pl. -s
cockatrice
fabulous serpent
Cockcroft (Sir John Douglas)
1897-1967, British nuclear scientist
Cocker (Edward)
1631-75, reputed author of Arithmetic; "according to Cocker",
accurate
cockney native of E. London (not cap.)
cockscomb a plant. See also coxcomb
cockswain use coxswain
Cocles (Horatius)
who kept the Sublician Bridge
coco trop. palm-tree bearing coconut. See also cacao, cocco
coconut not cokernut
Cocos Islands (Keeling Islands)
Bay of Bengal
cocotte small dish, (arch.) a prostitute
Cocytus a river in Hades
COD cash, or collect, on delivery
COD Concise Oxford Dictionary
cod. codex
Code Napol‚on
(Fr. m.), civil code promulgated 1804-11
cod/ex ancient MS, abbr. cod.; pl. -ices, abbr. codd.
codfish (one word)
codling small cod, elongated apple
cod-liver oil
(one hyphen)
Cody (William Frederick)
1846-1917, "Buffalo Bill", US showman
coed coeducational, girl at coeducational school (no point)
coeducation/, -al
(one word)
coefficient
(one word)
Coelebs in Search of a Wife
by Hannah More, 1709
Coelenterata
a zool. phylum (not ital.)
coeliac abdominal, not ce-
coenobite member of monastic community, not cen-
coequal (one word)
coerulean use ce-
coetaneous
of the same age, not coae-
coeternal (one word)
Coeur de Lion
Richard I of England, or Louis VIII of France (no hyphens)
coeval of the same age (one word)
coexist/, -ence
(one word)
coextensive
(one word)
C. of E. Church of England
coffee bar
(two words)
coffee/-bean, -cup, -house, -pot
(hyphens)
coffer-dam
a watertight enclosure
cogito, ergo sum
(Lat.), I think, and therefore I exist (motto of Descartes)
cognate abbr. cog.
cogniz/e to become conscious of, not -ise; -able, -ance, -ant
cognoscent/e
(It.), a connoisseur; pl. -i, not con-
cognovit (actionem)
(law), an acknowledgement that the action is just
coheir/, -ess
(one word)
COHSE Confederation of Health Service Employees
COI Central Office of Information
COID Council of Industrial Design, now Design Council
coiff/eur (Fr. m.), -euse (f.), hairdresser; -ure (f.), head-dress,
hair-style
Coire Grisons, Switzerland; use Chur
coits use quoits
coke pop. abbr. for cocaine
Coke abbr. for Coca Cola (propr. term)
Coke (Sir Edward)
1552-1634, Lord Chief Justice of England
cokernut use coconut
Col. Colonel, Colossians
col. colonial, column
cola W. Afr. tree and its seed, not k-
colander a strainer, not colla-, culle-
colcannon an Irish dish, not cale-, cole-
cold composition
(typ.) see hand-setting; (comp.) see strike-on
Cold Harbor
Va., US, scene of three Civil War battles
Coldharbour
Dorset, Glos., Surrey
Cold Harbour
Lincs., Oxon.
cold/metal, -- type
(typ.) sorts cast up for hand composition or correction; (comp.)
see strike-on
Coldstream/
Borders, a town; -- Guards, not The Coldstreams, abbr. CG
cold war (the)
(not caps.)
colemouse use coalmouse
Coleoptera
(Zool.), the beetles
cole-pixy use colt-pixie
Colerain NC, US
Coleraine Co. Londonderry
Coleridge (Hartley)
1796-1849, English minor poet and critic, son of next; --
(Samuel Taylor), 1772-1834, English poet and critic; -- (Sara,
not -ah), 1802-52, English writer
Coleridge-Taylor (Samuel)
1875-1912, English composer
coleslaw salad of chopped cabbage (one word)
Colette pen-name of Sidonie Gabrielle Claudine Colette, 1873-1954,
French writer
colic/, -ky
Coligny (Gaspard de)
1519-72, French Huguenot leader
Coliseum London theatre. See also Coloss-
coll. colleague, collect/ed, -ion, -or, college
collage art composition with components pasted on to a surface
collander use colander
colla/ parte or -- voce
(mus.), adapt to principal part or voice; abbr. col. p., or col.
vo.
collapsible
not -able
coll' arco
(mus.), with the bow
collar of SS
see SS (collar of)
collat. collateral, -ly
collat/e (bind.) to check sequence of gathered sections; (typ.) to put
the sheets of a book in right sequence; (bibliog.) to compare
minutely two copies of same book, to provide information for
such a comparison; -or, not -er
colla voce
see colla parte
colleague abbr. coll.
collect. collectively
collectable
not -ible
collectanea
(Lat. pl.), collected notes
collect/ion, -or
abbr. coll.
collections
an Oxford college examination
collective nouns
see nouns (collective)
colleen (Anglo-Irish), a girl
college abbr. coll. (cap. when used as part of name)
CollЉge de France
(m.)
College of Arms
abbr. CA
College of Justice
(Sc.), supreme civil courts
collegi/an
a member of a college; -ate, belonging to a college
collegi/um
an ecclesiastical body uncontrolled by the State; pl. -a
col legno (mus.), with the wood of the bow
Colles fracture
(med., of wrist)
collie a dog, not -y
Collins a letter of thanks for hospitality (from the character in Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice)
Collins (William) Sons & Co., Ltd.
publishers
collogue to talk confidentially
collop a piece of meat
colloq. colloquial, -ly, -ism
colloqui/um
conference; pl. -a
colloqu/y talk; pl. -ies; -ize, not -ise
collotype (typ.), a planographic (q.v.) process used mainly for the finest
reproduction work
Colo. Colorado, US
Cologne W. Germany, in Ger. K”ln
Colombia (Republic of)
S. America. See also Colu-
Colombo cap. of Sri Lanka, not Colu-
Colўn Cent. Amer.; abbr. Co. See also Columbus
colon see punctuation IV
Colonel/ abbr. Col.; -- Bogey (golf), the imaginary good player
colonial abbr. col.
coloniz/e not -ise; -able, -ation
colonnade row of columns
colophon (typ.), an inscription at the end of a book, giving the sort of
details now usually found on the title-page; incorrect name for
publisher's device or trade mark
colophony rosin
Colorado off. abbr. Colo.
coloration
not colour-
Colosseum Rome. See also Colis-
Colossians
abbr. Col.
coloss/us pl. -i
Colossus of Rhodes
(cap.)
colourant not colorant
Coloured/ (S. Afr.), of Asian or mixed ancestry (adj.); -s, Cape Coloured
people (cap.).
colourist not colorist
Colour-Sergeant
not -jeant; abbr. Col.-Sgt., Col.-Sergt.
Colour (Trooping the)
not Colours
col. p. (mus.), colla parte (adapt to principal part)
colporteur
hawker of books, esp. bibles (not ital.)
Colquhoun pron. ko-hoon (stress on second syllable)
colt abbr. c.
colter use cou-
colt-pixie
a mischievous fairy, not cole-pixy
columbari/um
a dovecot, place for cremation urns; pl. -a
Columbia (British)
Canada, abbr. BC
Columbia (District of)
US, abbr. DC (no points). See also Colo-
columbium now called niobium
Columbo use Colombo
Columbus (Christopher)
1451-1506, Genoese navigator; in Sp. Cristўbal Colўn
column abbr. col.
colure (astr.), each of two great circles of the celestial sphere
Colville of Culross (Viscount)
col. vo. (mus.), colla voce (adapt to principal voice)
com/a (astr.), nebulous envelope round head of comet, (bot.) tuft of
hair; pl. -ae
comb. combin/e, -ed, -ing
combat/, -ed, -ing, -ive
Combermere (Viscount)
combin/e, -ed, -ing
abbr. comb.
Comdr. Commander
Comdt. Commandant
come-at-able
accessible (hyphens)
Comecon economic association of Communist countries
Com‚die Fran‡aise (La)
off. name of Le Th‚ѓtre Fran‡ais (caps.)
Com‚die Humaine (La)
series of novels by Balzac, 1842-8
com‚dien/ (Fr.), actor; fem. -ne
comedy abbr. com.
come/ prima
(mus.), as at first; -- sopra, as above, abbr. co. sa.
comfit/ sweetmeat, not con-
comfrey (bot.), ditch plant, not cum-
comic abbr. com.
Comintern the Communist (Third) International, 1919-43, not Kom-
comitadji band of irregulars (in the Balkans), not k-
comitatus (Lat.), a retinue, a county or shire; pl. same
comitia (Lat. pl.), Roman assembly of the people
Comitia (pl.), a meeting of the Senate of Dublin University; --
Aestivalia, ditto in summer; -- Hiemalia, ditto in winter; --
Vernalia, ditto in spring
commando/ (member of) body of troops, esp. shock troops; pl. -s
command paper
abbr. C. (1870-99) or Cd. (1900-18) or Cmd. (1919-56) (old
series); Cmnd. (1956- ) (new series), followed by number
comme ci, comme ‡a
(Fr.), indifferently, so-so
commedia dell'arte
Italian Renaissance comedy, mainly improvised by guild of
professional actors
comme il faut
(Fr.), as it should be
Commemoration
at Oxford, annual ceremony in memory of founders and benefactors
commencement
ceremonial conferring of university degrees, as at Cambridge;
(US) a speech-day
commendam ecclesiastical benefice held in commendam, i.e. without duties
commentary
abbr. comm.
commentator
not -er
commerce abbr. comm.
Commissary-General
(hyphen); abbr. CG
commission/, -er
abbr. com.
commissionaire
uniformed door-attendant (not ital.); in Fr. m.
commissionnaire, less specific in meaning
commit/, -ment, -table
(not -ible), -tal, -ted, -ting committee, representative group
from a larger body (coll. sing., with sing. verb); abbr. com.
See also committor
committ/er
one who commits; -or (law), a judge who commits a lunatic to the
care of a committee (stress on final syllable)
Commodore (naval), abbr. Cdre, Cmdr. See also Air Commodore
common/, -er, -ly
abbr. com.
Common Bench
abbr. CB
common metre
(mus.), abbr. CM
commonplace
(adj.) (one word)
Common Pleas
abbr. CP
common sense
adj. with noun (hyphen when attrib.)
commonsensical
(adj.) (one word)
Common Serjeant
not -geant; abbr. CS or Com.-Serj.
common time
(mus.), abbr. C
Common Version
(of the Bible); abbr. CV or Com. Ver.
commonwealth
(cap. when part of name); abbr. comm.
Commonwealth
(Australian), abbr. Cwlth
commune communal group (esp. sharing accommodation), small territorial
division (France and elsewhere); abbr. com.
communicat/e, -ed, -ion
abbr. com.
communications satellite
not -ation (two words)
communiqu‚
an official report
Communist abbr. Com.; -- Party, abbr. CP
communize to make common; not -ise
commutator
apparatus for reversing electric current
commuter one who travels regularly to work in a town
Comor/o Islands
Indian Ocean, indep. 1975, adj. -an
compagnon de voyage
(Fr. m.), travelling companion
Companies Act
(no apos.)
companionship
(typ.), former name of a group of compositors working together
under a clicker (q.v.); abbr. 'ship
company abbr. Co., (mil.) Coy. (point). See also compagnie
comparative
abbr. comp.
compare abbr. cf. (confer), or cp.
comparison
abbr. comp.
compass (typ.), the compound points, when printed in full, to be
hyphened without caps., as north-east, north-by-north-east,
north-north-east, north-east-by-north. See also abbreviations,
capitalization
compendi/um
pl. -a
competit/or
fem. -ress
CompiЉgne d‚p. Oise, France
compile, -ed, -er, -ation
abbr. comp.
complacen/t
self-satisfied; -cy
complaisan/t
obliging; -ce
Compleat Angler (The)
by Izaak Walton, 1653
complement
(verb and noun), to make complete, that which makes complete
completorium
(Lat.), compline; pl. -a
complexion
not -ction
compliment
(verb and noun), (to) praise, flatter(y)
compline last service of the day (RCC), not complin
composer, -ite, -ition, -itor
abbr. comp.
compos mentis
(Lat.), in one's right mind
compote stewed fruit
compound, -ed
abbr. comp.
compound ranks or titles
each word to have cap., as Assistant Adjutant-General,
Vice-President
comprehensible
not -able
comprise not -ize; -ed, -ing
compromise
not -ize
compte/ (Fr. m.), an account; -- rendu, official report, pl. comptes
rendus
"Comptes Rendus"
reports of the French Academy (caps.)
Compton-Burnett (Dame Ivy)
1884-1969, English novelist (hyphen)
comptroller
retain when citing official title which has it, otherwise use
controller
Comptroller-General of the National Debt Office
ditto of the Patent Office (caps., hyphen)
computer calculating and data-processing machine
computerize
not -ise
Com.-Serj.
Common Serjeant
Comsomol use K-
Comte (Auguste)
1798-1857, French philosopher; -ian, -ism, -ist
comte (Fr.), Count; fem. comtesse (not cap.)
Con. Consul
con to direct a ship's course, to examine, to swindle, not -nn, -un;
-ning
con. conclusion, conics, conversation
con. contra (against, in opposition to)
Conakry Guinea
con amore (It.), with affection (not ital. in mus.)
con brio (mus.), with vigour
conc. concentrat/ed, -ion
concensus use conse-
concentration camp
(two words)
Concepciўn
name of many Cent. and S. American places (but not in Brazil)
concert/-goer, -hall, -master
(hyphens)
Concert/meister, -stЃck
(Ger. mus.), now Konzert- (cap.)
Concertgebouw Orchestra
Amsterdam
concertin/o
(mus.) pl. group of soloists, short concerto, pl. -os
concerto/ (mus.), pl. -s (but concerti grossi); abbr. cto.
concessionaire
holder of a concession, usu. of a monopoly from a foreign
government (not ital.), in Fr. m. concessionnaire
console (archit.) bracket; key-desk of an organ; cabinet for
radio(gram), etc.
Consolidated Annuities
abbr. Consols
consomm‚ clear soup
consonant abbr. cons.
consonantize
to make consonantal; not -ise
con sordino
(mus.), with a mute
conspectus
(Lat.), a general view (not ital.)
con spirito
(mus.), spiritedly
constable abbr. c. or cons.
Constance lake and town, Switzerland
Constans Roman emperor 337-50
Constans mythical King of Britain
Constant (Benjamin;
in full, Henri Benjamin Constant de Rebecque), 1767-1830, French
Swiss political novelist; -- (Benjamin Jean Joseph), 1845-1902,
French painter
Constantino/ple
now usu. Istanbul; -politan
Constitution
of a country (cap. C)
constitution/, -al
abbr. cons.
construction
abbr. constr.
Consuelo by George Sand, 1842
Consul abbr. C. or Con.; Lat. pl. consules, abbr. coss.
Consul-General
abbr. C.-G.
Consumers' Association
abbr. CA
consummat/e
(verb), to perfect or complete; (adj.), perfect, complete; noun
-ion
contadin/o
Italian peasant, pl. -i; fem. -a, pl. -e
contagi/um
contagious matter; pl. -a
containing
abbr. cont.
contakion use kontakion
contang/o (Stock Exchange), charge for carrying over; pl. -os
conte (Fr. m.), short story
conte (It. m.), a count
contemptible
not -able
contents abbr. cont.
conterminous
with a common end or boundary, not cot-
Contes drolatiques
by Balzac, 1832-7
contessa (It.), a countess
Continent (the)
(cap.); continent of Europe, etc. (not cap.); abbr. cont.
continu/e, -ed
abbr. cont.
continu/o (mus.), an improvised keyboard accompaniment; pl. -os
continu/um
(philos., phys.), a continuous quantity; pl. -a
cont-line (naut.), spiral space between rope strands, space between stowed
casks
contr. contract, -ed, -ion, -s, contrary
contra against, in opposition to; abbr. con.
contrabasso
(It. mus.), the double-bass, abbr. CB; in Eng. contrabass
contract/, -ed, -ion, -s
abbr. contr.
contracting-out
(noun, hyphen)
contractions
see abbreviations
contractor
not -er
contrafagotto
(It. mus.), the double bassoon (one word)
contra jus gentium
(Lat.), against the law of nations
contralt/o
(mus.), lowest female voice; pl. -os; abbr. C.
contra/ mundum
(Lat.), against the world; -- pacem (law), against the peace
contrariwise
contrary abbr. contr.
Contrat social (Le)
by J. J. Rousseau, 1762
contretemps
a mishap (not ital.)
contributor
not -er
control/, -led, -ling
controller
see comptroller
Controller-General
but Comptroller-General of the National Debt Office and of the
Patent Office
Controller of Accounts
abbr. CA
conundrum/
riddle; pl. -s
convector apparatus for heating by convection
convenances (les)
(Fr. f. pl.), the proprieties
convener caller of a meeting
convention/, -al
abbr. conv.
conventionalize
not -ise
conversation
abbr. con.
conversazione/
a meeting for learned conversation; pl. -s
converter not -or
convertible
not -able
convey/er (person); -or (thing) esp. in conveyor belt
Convocation
a provincial assembly of the Church of England; a legislative
assembly of certain universities
convolvulus/
flower; pl. -es
Conwy river and town, Gwynedd
cony/ a rabbit, not coney, pl. conies; ---garth, a rabbit-warren
Conyngham (Marquess)
Cooch Behar
India, not Kuch
cooee (esp. Australian bush) call, not -ey, -hee, -ie
Cook (Captain James)
1728-79, British explorer; -- (Thomas), 1808-92, English travel
agent
cookie (Sc.) a bun, (US) a small cake or biscuit, not -ey, -y
coolabah Austral. gum-tree, not -ibah
coolie (Ind., Chin.), native hired labourer, not -y
Coomassie Ghana, use Kumasi
Cooper (James Fenimore
one n), 1789-1851, US novelist
co-operat/e, -ion, -ive
(hyphen), but uncooperative (no hyphen)
Co-operative Society
(hyphen)
co-opt (hyphen)
co-ordinate
(hyphen); but in math. usu. coordinate; and uncoordinated
Cop. Copernican
cop. copper, copulative
copaiba (med.), a balsam from a S. American tree, not -va
coparcen/ary
(law), joint heirship to an undivided property, not -ery; -er, a
joint heir
COPEC Conference on Christian Politics, Economics, and Citizenship
copeck a hundredth of a rouble, not -ec, -ek, ko-; abbr. c.
Copenhagen
Copernican
abbr. Cop.
copier not copyer
copper abbr. cop.; symbol Cu (cuprum)
copperas ferrous sulphate, green vitriol
copperize to impregnate with copper, not -ise
copro- (in compounds), dung-, not k-
Copt. Coptic, liturgical language of Egyptian Christians
copul/a (gram., logic, anat., mus.), that which connects; pl. -ae
copulative
abbr. cop.
copy (typ.), matter to be reproduced in type. See also manuscript
copy-book (hyphen)
copyer use -ier
copyholder
(typ.), (formerly) a proof-reader's assistant
copy preparation
see manuscript
copyright notice
the copyright symbol °, name of copyright-owner, and date of
publication must appear (usu. on the verso of the title-page) in
every copy of a book claiming copyright protection under the
Universal Copyright Convention (q.v.). See also Berne Convention
copy/-typist, -writer
(hyphens)
coq/ (Fr. m.), cock; -- au vin, chicken cooked in wine; -- de
bruyЉre, black game
coquet/ fem. -te, a flirt; -ry, -ting, -tish
coquille (Fr. typ. f.), a misprint
Cor. 1 and 2 Corinthians
cor. corpus; (mus.) cornet, corno (horn); coroner
coram (Lat.), in presence of; -- judice (law), before a judge; --
nobis, before us; -- paribus, before one's equals; -- populo,
before the people
Corniche (La)
coast road from Nice to Genoa; in It. La Cornice
Cornish/ abbr. Corn.; -- gillyflower, a variety of apple
Corn Laws (caps.)
corn/o (mus.), a horn, pl. -i; -o inglese (It.), cor anglais
cornu/ (anat.), hornlike process; pl. -a
Cornubia (Lat.), Cornwall
cornucopia/
horn of plenty; pl. -s; adj. -n
Cornwall abbr. Corn.; in Fr. f. Cornouailles
coroll. corollary, inference
corolla/ (bot.), pl. -s
coron/a (archit., bot., anat., astr.), pl. -ae
coroner cap. as title; abbr. cor.
coronis mark of contraction (crasis) in Greek
Corot (Jean Baptiste Camille)
1796-1875, French painter
Corporal abbr. Cpl.
corpor/al of the human body; -eal, physical, mortal, opp. to spiritual
corporealize
to materialize, not -ise
corposant St Elmo's fire
corps sing. and pl.
corps/ d'arm‚e
(Fr. m.), army corps, -- de ballet, company of ballet-dancers;
-- de bataille, central part of an army; -- d'‚lite, a picked
body; -- des lettres (Fr. typ.), the body of the type; --
diplomatique, diplomatic body
corp/us body; pl. -ora, abbr. cor.
Corpus Christi
festival of institution of the Eucharist, on the Thursday after
Trinity Sunday
Corpus Christi College
Oxf. and Camb., abbr. CCC
corpus delicti
(law), the facts constituting an alleged offence
corp/us lut/eum
(physiol.), ovarian body; pl. -ora -ea
C“te d'Azure
eastern Mediterranean coast of France
C“te-d'Or d‚p. France
c“telette (Fr. f.), a cutlet
coterie a "set" of persons (not ital.)
coterminous
use cont-
C“te-r“tie
(Fr. f.), a red wine
c“tes de boeuf
(Fr. f.), ribs of beef
C“tes-du-Nord
d‚p. France
cotillion a dance; in Fr. m. cotillon
cottar peasant, not -er
cotter pin, wedge, etc.
Cotter's Saturday Night (The)
by Burns, 1786
Cottian Alps
France and Italy
cottier a cottager
cotton/ in Fr. m. coton; -tail (one word), American rabbit; -- wool (two
words), raw cotton
Cottonian Library
in British Museum (British Library, Reference Division)
cottonize to make cotton-like, not -ise
couch a kind of grass. See also cutch
coud‚ (astr.), telescope with light-path bent at an angle
Cou‚ism psychotherapy by auto-suggestion (Emile Cou‚, 1857-1926)
couldn't to be printed close up
couldst (no apos.)
coul‚ (mus.), a slur
coul‚e a lava-flow
couleur (Fr. f.), colour; -- de rose, roseate (figurative)
coulisses (pl.), the wings in a theatre
couloir a gully
Coulomb (Charles Augustin de)
1736-1806, French physicist; coulomb (elec.), unit of charge,
abbr. C
coulter a plough blade, not col-
council/ assembly; -lor, member of a council, abbr. Cllr.
council/ estate, -- flat, -- house
(two words), properties owned by council; -house (hyphen), in
which council meets
counsel/ advice, barrister; -led, -ling; -lor, one who counsels
count/ -ess (cap. as title); abbr. Ct.
countdown (noun, one word)
counter (typ.), space wholly or mainly enclosed within a letter, e.g.the
centre of O
counter/balance, -charge
(one word)
counter/-cheer, -claim
(hyphens)
counter-clockwise
(one hyphen)
counter-quarte
(fencing) (hyphen), not -carte
counter/-reformation
(caps. with hist. reference); -revolution (hyphens)
counter-tenor
(mus.), abbr. C.
Countesthorpe
Leics.
Counties palatine
Cheshire and Lancs. (cap. C only)
countrif/y,-ied
not country-
country/ dance, -- house
(two words)
countryside
(one word)
country-wide
(hyphen)
county abbr. Co.
County Council/, -lor
abbr. CC
County court
(one cap.), abbr. CC
coup a stroke, esp. a political revolution
Coupar Angus
Tayside (no hyphen), not Cupar --
coup/ de foudre
(Fr. m.), stroke of lightning; -- de fouet (fencing), a "beat";
-- de grѓce, a finishing stroke; -- de main, sudden attack to
gain a position; -- de maЊtre, a master-stroke; -- de pied, a
kick; -- de poing, blow with the fist, -- de soleil, sunstroke;
-- d'essai, first attempt; -- d'‚tat, sudden or violent change
in government; -- de theatre, sudden sensational act; -- d'oeil,
a glance, wink
coupe a shallow dish
coup‚ a covered motor car for two (accent, not ital.)
coupee in dancing, a salute to partner
couper (Sc.), a dealer
Couperin (Fran‡ois)
1688-1733, French composer
coup manqu‚
(Fr. m.), a failure
courante (music for) dance with gliding step, not coranto
Cour de Cassation
see Cassation
courgette small marrow (not ital.)
courier travelling attendant, in Fr. m. courrier
Court abbr. C. or Ct.
Courtauld Institute of Art
London
court bouillon
(Fr. cook. m.), fish stock
Courtelle propr. term for an acrylic fibre (cap.)
Courtenay fam. name of Earl of Devon
courtesan prostitute with wealthy clients
court-house
abbr. CH
Courtmantle
use Cu-
court martial
(noun, two words), pl. courts --; court-martial (verb, hyphen)
CP Cape Province (of S. Africa), Central Provinces, now Madhya
Pradesh (India), Chief Patriarch, Civil Power, --Procedure,
Clarendon Press, Clerk of the Peace, Code of Procedure, College
of Preceptors, Common Pleas, -- Prayer, Communist Party,
Congregatio Passionis (Passionist Fathers), Court of Probate
cp. compare
c.p. candlepower, carriage paid
CPC Clerk of the Privy Council
c.p./i. characters per inch; --l., ditto per line; --m., ditto per
minute; --s., ditto per second, cycles per second
Cpl. Corporal
CPO Chief Petty Officer, Compulsory Purchase Order
CPR Canadian Pacific Railway
CPRE Council for the Protection of Rural England
CPS Custos Privati Sigilli (Keeper of the Privy Seal)
CR Carolina Regina (Queen Caroline), Carolus Rex (King Charles),
Civis Romanus (a Roman citizen), Community of the Resurrection,
Custos Rotulorum (Keeper of the Rolls), credit rating, current
rate
Cr chromium (no point)
Cr. credit, -or, Crown
cr. created
Crabb (George)
1778-1854, English philologist
Crabbe (George),
1754-1832, English poet
Cracow acceptable Anglicized spelling of Krakўw, Poland
Craigton Glasgow
Crane (Harold Hart)
1899-1932, US poet; -- (Stephen), 1871-1900, US novelist and
poet
cranes-bill
plant of the genus Geranium, not cranesbill
crani/um skull; pl. -a
crap/e gauzelike fabric, usu. black, for mourning; adj. -y. See also
cr€pe
crassa negligentia
(law), criminal negligence
crawfish large marine lobster
crayfish freshwater crustacean
CRC camera-ready copy
cream/-laid
a writing paper with wire marks; ---wove, ditto without
created abbr. cr.
Creation (the)
(cap.)
crЉche a day nursery
Cr‚cy (battle of)
1346, not Cressy, Cr‚ci
credit/, -or
abbr. Cr.
credit card
(two words)
cr‚dit/ foncier
(Fr. m.), society for loans on real estate; -- mobilier, ditto
on personal estate
credo/ creed; pl. -s
creese use kris
Crefeld W. Germany, use Krefeld
Creighton (Mandell)
1843-1901, Bp. and historian
crematori/um
pl. -a
crЉme de la crЉme
(Fr. f.), the very best, not cre-, cr€-
Cremona a violin made there (cap.)
crenate (bot.), notched (of leaves)
crenellate(d)
(mil.), furnish(ed) with battlements
crenulate (bot.), finely notched
Creole (strict use, usu. cap.) pure-blooded descendant of French,
Spanish, Portuguese settlers in W. Indies, Louisiana,
Mauritius, Africa, and E. Indies; (loose use, not cap.), a Negro
born in America; a Creole-Negro half-breed speaking a Spanish or
French dialect; dialect thus imposed by a dominant group
creosote not kreosote
cr€pe/ (Fr. m.), crape fabric other than black, (f.) pancake; -- de
Chine, raw silk crepe; -- lisse, smooth crepe; -- Suzette, small
pancake. See also crape
crescendo/
(mus.), growing in force; abbr. cres., cresc.; (non-techn.),
gradually increasing noise; pl. -s
Cressy use Crecy
cretaceous
chalky, not -ious
Cretan of Crete
cretin type of mental defective; in Fr. m. cr‚tin, f. cr‚tine
cretonne a cotton cloth
Creusot (Le)
d‚p. Saone-et-Loire, France, not -zot
crevasse large fissure, esp. in the ice of a glacier
CrЉvecoeur (Michel Guillaume Jean de)
1735-1813, French-born US writer
crЉve-coeur
(Fr. m.), heart-break; pl. same
crevette (Fr. f.), prawn
crevice small fissure
Criccieth Gwynedd
Crichton (James)
1560-?85, Scottish scholar and soldier, "the Admirable --"
cricket/, -er, -ing
cri de coeur
(Fr. m.), passionate appeal
crim. con.
(law), criminal conversation, adultery
crime passionnel
(Fr. m.), crime caused by sexual passion (two ns)
Crimplene propr. term for bulked Terylene (cap.)
cring/e, -ing
crinkum-crankum
intricate, crooked, not -cum -cum
cris/is pl. -es
crispbread
thin rye etc. biscuit (one word)
crit. critic/al, -ized
criteri/on
standard of judgement; pl. -a
criticaster
a petty critic
criticize not -ise
critique a review (not ital.)
Critique of Pure Reason
in German Kritik der reinen Vernunft, by Kant, 1781
CRMP Corps of Royal Military Police
Croat a native of Croatia; Serbo-Croat Hrvat
crochet/ hooked-needle work; -ed, -ing
Crockford in full Crockford's Clerical Directory, the "Who's Who" of the
clergy, from 1858
Crockford's
London club
crocus/ pl. -es
Croesus 6th c. BC, rich king (and the last) of Lydia
croissant crescent-shaped roll, not croisant
Croix de Guerre
French decoration
Cro-Magnon
(anthrop.), of a prehistoric race, remains found at --, d‚p.
Dordogne, France
Cromartie (Earl of)
cromesquis
(Fr. cook. m.), see kromesky
Crome Yellow
by Aldous Huxley, 1921
Cronos use K-
Crookback sobriquet of Richard III, not Crouchback
Crookes (Sir William)
1832-1919, English physicist
Croonian Lecture
of Royal Society
croquet/ game (not ital.); as verb, -ed, -ing
croquette (Fr. f.), rissole (not ital.)
crore (Ind.), ten millions, point thus: 1,00,00,000. See also lakh
crosette use crossette
crosier Bp.'s or Abp.'s staff, not -zier
croslet use crosslet
cross (typ.), proof-correction sign for a battered sort
crossbar (one word)
cross-bench(er)
(Parl.) (hyphen)
cross-bill
(law), a promissory note given in exchange; a bill brought by
defendant against plaintiff in a Chancery suit (hyphen)
crossbill a passerine bird
crossette (archit.), a ledge, not crose-
Crossgates
Cumbria, Fife, Powys, N. Yorks.
Cross Gates
W. Yorks.
Crosshill Fife, Strathclyde
Cross Hill
Derby., Shropshire
Crosskeys Co. Antrim, Co. Cavan, Gwent
Cross Keys
Kent, Wilts.
crosslet (her.), small cross, not croslet
cross, Maltese; Latin; Greek; Tau
(See Figure 4 in topic FRONT_4)
crossroad(s)
(one word)
cross/-section, -wind
(hyphens)
crossways not -way, -wise
crossword (puzzle)
crotchet/ a mus. note; a whim; -ed, -ing, -y
Crouchback
use Crookback
croupier gaming-table attendant
cro–ton (Fr. m.), a bit of crust or toast
Crowland Lincs., Suffolk, not Croy-
Crown (the)
(cap. C) abbr. Cr.
crown former size of paper, 15 x 20 in.; -- 4to, 10 x 7.5in.; -- 8vo,
7.5 x 5in. (untrimmed); basis for size of metric crown, 768 x
1008 mm. See also book sizes
Crowner's quest
dialectal for Coroner's inquest (cap. C only)
Crown Office
abbr. CO
Crowther-Hunt (Baron)
(hyphen)
crozier use cros-
CRP Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium (Calendar of the Patent Rolls)
CRR Curia Regis Roll
CRT cathode ray tube
cru (wine), growth (no accent)
Crucifixion (the)
(cap. C)
Cruft's Dog Show
not -s'
Cruikshank (George)
1792-1878, English caricaturist and illustrator
crumhorn use krummhorn
cruse a jar, not cruise
crush bar (two words)
crush-barrier
(hyphen)
Cruso NC, US
Crusoe (Robinson)
by Defoe, 1719
crux of an argument; pl. cruces (not ital.)
crux/ ansata; commissa; decussata; stellata
(See Figure 4 in topic FRONT_4)
cryogenics
the study of low-temperature refrigeration
cryptogam/
(bot.), any member of the Cryptogamia, flowerless plants; adj.
-ous
crypto/gram
anything written in code; -grapher, -graphic, -graphy
CS Chemical Society (now part of Royal Society of Chemistry), Civil
Service, Clerk to the Signet, College of Science, Common
Serjeant, Court of Session, Custos Sigilli (Keeper of the Seal)
Cs caesium (no point)
c/s cycles per second
Csar etc., use Ts-
csardas Hungarian dance, pl. same, not cz-
CSC Civil Service Commission, Conspicuous Service Cross (now DSC)
Culpeper Va., US, from Governor -- (Thomas, Lord), 1578-1662
cultivar (bot.), variety made by cultivation, abbr. cv.
CUM Cambridge University Mission
cum (Lat.), with (not ital.)
Cumaean of Cumae, near Naples
Cumbernauld
Strathclyde, "new town", 1956
Cumbria county of England
cum dividend
with dividend; abbr. c.d.
cumfrey use co-
cum grano salis
(Lat.), with a grain of salt
cumin plant with aromatic seeds, not cummin
cummerbund
a waistbelt, not ku-, -band
Cummings (Edward Estlin)
1894-1962, US poet who renounced use of capital letters
cum multis aliis
(Lat.), with many others
cum. pref.
cumulative preference
cumquat use k-
cumul/us (meteor.), a cloud form; pl. -i; abbr. k.
cuneiform wedge-shaped, not cunif-, cunef-
Cunninghame Graham (Robert Bontine)
1852-1936, British writer
CUP Cambridge University Press
Cupar/ Fife; -- Angus, Tayside, use Coupar Angus
cupbearer (one word)
cupro-nickel
alloy of copper and nickel
cuprum copper, symbol Cu
cur. currency, current
curable not -eable
cura‡ao liqueur, not -oa
curare a drug, not -a, -i, urari
curb for verb, and curb of bridle. See also kerb
curbstone use kerb-
cur‚ French priest; petit --, French curate
cure-all a universal remedy (hyphen)
curfuffle use ker-
Curia/ the papal court (cap.); -- advisare vult, the court desires to
consider; abbr. c.a.v.
Curie (Marie Sklodowska)
1867-1934, and her husband -- (Pierre), 1859-1906, French
scientists
curie unit of radioactivity, abbr. Ci (cap.); now replaced by
becquerel
curio/ an object of art; pl. -s (not ital.)
curium symbol Cm
curlicue a decorative curl, not -eque, -ycue
currach a coracle, not -agh
Curragh (The)
Co. Kildare
curren/t, -cy
abbr. cur.; electric current, symbol I or i (ital.)
currente calamo
(Lat.), easily, fluently
curricul/um
course of study, pl. -a; -um vitae, summary of a career, pl. -a
vitae; abbr. c.v.
Currie Lothian
Curry Co. Sligo
cursor (comp.), movable spot of light on VDU (q.v.) screen, indicating
item being edited
curtain-raiser
(theat.), Fr. lever de rideau
Curtiss (Glenn Hammond)
1878-1930, US pioneer aviator
Curtmantle
sobriquet of Henry II, not Cou-
curtsy/ not -sey; -ing
curvilinear
(one word)
Curwen (John)
1816-80, pioneer of tonic sol-fa
cuscus/ a marsupial; ---grass, of India. See also couscous
custodia legis
(Lat.), in the custody of the law
custom-house
(hyphen); abbr. CH
cust/os (Lat. m.), a custodian, pl. -odes; Custos/ Privati Sigilli,
Keeper of the Privy Seal, abbr. CPS; -- Rotulorum, Keeper of
the Rolls, abbr. CR; -- Sigilli, ditto Seal, abbr. CS
cut and dried
(adj., no hyphens)
cut-back (noun, hyphen)
Cutch India, use K-
cutch catechu, extract of Indian plants, tough paper sheets used by
gold-beaters, not k-. See also couch
cut/-off -out
(nouns), -price (adj.) (hyphens)
cuts (typ.), illustrations
Cutty Sark
famous clipper, now in dry dock at Greenwich
D 500, deuterium (= heavy hydrogen), the fourth in a series
D. Deputy, (US) Democrat, Duke, Deus (God), Dominus (Lord), prefix
to enumeration of Schubert's works (see Deutsch)
d (prefix) deci-
d. date, daughter, day, dead, degree, departs, desert/ed, -er,
died, dime, dioptre, dose, (Fr.) douane (customs), droite (the
right hand), (it.) destra (right), (Lat.) decretum (a decree),
denarii (pence), denarius (penny), (meteor.) drizzling
d' as prefix to an un-Anglicized proper name should, in accordance
with continental practice, be lower case and not cap., as
d'Arsonval, except at beginning of sentence. Signatures to be
copied. See also accents
da/ ballo (mus.), dance style; -- capo, or -- capo al fine, repeat to the
word fine, abbr. DC; -- capo dal segno, repeat from the sign,
abbr. DS; -- capella, or -- chiesa, in church style
Dacca use Dhaka
d'accord (Fr.), I agree
Dachau Nazi concentration camp, 1933-45
dachshund badger-dog
dacoit Indian robber, not dak-, dec-
dactyl/ foot of three syllables, adj. -ic (See Figure 1 in
topic FRONT_4)
Dada/ unconventional art c.1920; -ism
daddy-long-legs
the crane-fly (hyphens)
dado/ wooden skirting; pl. -s
Daedalus builder of the Cretan labyrinth
daemon (Gr. myth.), supernatural being, indwelling spirit, not daimon,
demon
daffadowndilly
a daffodil, not daffi-, daffo-, daffy- (one word)
Dagapur Ethiopia
dagger, double --
See reference marks (See Figure 5 in topic FRONT_4) The dagger
in Eng. before, in Ger. after, a person's name, signifies "dead"
or "died"
daggle-tail
use draggle-
dago/ Spaniard, Portuguese, or Italian (derog.), pl. -s
Dagonet, Sir
King Arthur's fool
Daguerre (Louis Jacques Mand‚)
1789-1851, French pioneer of photography
daguerreotype
(not cap.)
dahabeeyah
Nile sailing-boat
Dahomey W. Africa, now Benin
D il ђireann
Lower House of Irish Parliament
d'ailleurs
(Fr.), besides
daimio/ Japanese noble; pl. -s
Daimler motor car
daiquiri a cocktail
dais small platform, not da‹s
dakoit use dac-
Dakota (North and South)
off. abbrs. N. Dak. or ND, S. Dak. or SD
Dalai Lama
the Grand Lama of Tibet
Dali (Salvador), 1904-89, Spanish painter
Dalila see Delilah
Dallapiccola (Luigi)
1904-75, Italian composer
Dalmatian spotted dog, not -ion
dal segno (It. mus.), repeat from the sign, abbr. DS
damageable
not -gable
Damara/, -land
SW Africa
damascen/e, -er
ornament(er) in metal, not -keen, -kin
Dame aux Camelias (La)
play by Dumas fils, 1848
Damien de Veuster (Joseph)
1840-89, Belgian priest to leper colony in Hawaiian Islands,
"Father Damien"
damnosa hereditas
(Lat.), a legacy involving loss
damnum absque injuria
(Lat.), damage without wrong
Damon and Pythias
(Gr. myth.), model friends
Dan. (Book of) Daniel
Dan/a‰ mother of Perseus, also asteroid; Danaea, fern genus; -a‹d, dau.
of Danaus; -aus, son of Belus
Dandie Dinmont
breed of Scottish terrier, from Andrew Dinmont, farmer in
Scott's Guy Mannering
dandruff scurf, not -riff
Danegeld land-tax, not -lt
Daniel (Book of)
abbr. Dan.
Daniell's battery
(elec.), usu. called a Daniell cell
Danish/ abbr. Da.
danke sh”n
(Ger.), many thanks
Dannebrog Danish national standard, also order of knighthood, not Dane-
d'Annunzio (Gabriele)
1864-1938, Italian writer
danse macabre
(Fr. f.), dance of death
danseuse (Fr. f.), a female dancer
Dant/e Alighieri
1265-1321, Italian poet; -ean, -esque, -ist (caps)
Danzig Baltic free port
daou use dhow
DAR daughters of the American revolution
d'Arblay (Mme)
1752-1840, the English novelist Fanny Burney
Darby and Joan
devoted old married couple
d'Arc (Jeanne)
Joan of Arc, 1412-31
Darcy de Knayth (Baroness)
daredevil (one word)
daren't to be printed close up
dare say (two words)
Dar es Salaam
cap. of Tanzania (no hyphens)
Darjeeling
not Darji-
Dark Ages (the)
(caps.)
dark-room (hyphen)
darshan (Hindi), seeing a revered person
Darwen Lancs., not Over --
Darwin/ (Charles Robert)
1809-82, author of Origin of Species; -- (Erasmus), 1731-1802,
English physician and poet, grandfather of Charles; -ian, -ism,
-ist
das (Ger.), the (neut. sing. nominative and accusative); also that.
See also das heisst
dash see punctuation XII
dashboard (one word)
das/ heisst
(Ger.) that is to say, abbr. d.h.; -- ist, that is, abbr. d.i.
dass (Ger.), that (conjunction)
dat. dative
data see datum
data/bank, -base
(one word)
datable capable of being dated, not -eable
data processing
(hyphen when attrib.)
date abbr. d. The order is day, month, year, as 5 June 1903; in Fr.
le 5 juin 1903; in Ger. den 5. Juni 1903. Names of days and
months generally in full, but may be abbreviated in footnotes.
All-figure form in Britain 5.6.03; in US 6.5.03 (month first),
international dating system (see BS 4795) is year, month, day,
e.g. 1971-04-20. No comma in four-figure years, but 10,000 BC,
etc. For periods use least number of figures, as 1904-7, 1920-1,
1926-8; but 1890-1905, 1913-15, and always in full in display
matter
date-line (hyphen)
dative indirect object; abbr. dat.
dat/um thing known or granted, pl. -a
daube braised meat stew
Daudet (Alphonse)
1840-97, French novelist; -- (L‚on), 1867-1942, French writer
and politician
daughter/ abbr. d. or dau.; ---in- law, pl. daughters-in-law (hyphens)
d'Aumale (duc)
Daumier (Honor‚)
1808-79, French painter
Dauntsey's School
Devizes
dauphin eldest son of King of France, 1349-1830; dauphiness, his wife,
in Fr. dauphine
Dauphin‚ region of SE France
Dav. David
Davenant (Sir William)
1606-68, English playwright and poet, Poet Laureate 1660-8
Davis (Jefferson), 1808-89, Pres. Confederate States
Davis/ apparatus, for escape from submarine; -- Cup, tennis trophy
Davy (Sir Humphry), not -ey, -ey, 1778-1829, English chemist,
inventor of Davy lamp
Davy Jones's locker
the sea-bed
Dawley Shropshire
day abbr. d.; (typ.), of the week, and of fasts, feasts, festivals,
holidays, to have initial caps. Abbr., when necessary, Sun.,
Mon., Tue., Wed., Thur., Fri., Sat. In Fr. the names do not take
caps., as lundi
DE Delaware (off. postal abbr.), Department of Employment
de as prefix to a proper name, in accordance with continental
practice, should not have initial cap., as de Candolle; except
when Anglicized, as De Vinne, or at beginning of sentence.
Signatures to be copied
deaconate use diac-
dead abbr. d.
dead heat (noun), dead-heat (verb)
Dead Letter Office
now Returned ditto; dead/line, -lock (one word); -- reckoning
(naut.), abbr. DR; -- reprint (typ.), a reprint with no
correction; -- weight, abbr. d.w.
dean wooded valley, use dene
Dean of Faculty
(Sc.), (not of the), president of the Faculty of Advocates;
abbr. DF
Dear/ Madam, -- Sir
in printed letter full left (comma, no dash)
Decani dean's or south side of a choir (north side in Durham
Cathedral), abbr. Dec.; opp. to Cantoris
decanter bottle to hold decanted liquor
Deccan India, not Decan
deceased abbr. dec.
d‚c‚d/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, deceased; abbr. d‚c.
December abbr. Dec.; in Fr. m. d‚cembre, abbr. d‚c. (not cap.)
decenni/um
a decade; pl. -a
decentralize
not -ise
decern (Sc. law), to judge. See also discern
deci- prefix meaning one-tenth, abbr. d
decibar one-tenth of a bar, q.v.
decibel unit for comparing intensity of noises, power, etc.; abbr. dB
Decies (Baron)
decigram not -mme, abbr. dg (no point in scientific and technical work)
decilitre abbr. dl (no point in scientific and technical work)
decimal currency
(British, as from 15 February 1971). For amounts less than a
pound express as (new) pence: 54p (roman, no point); for amounts
of one pound or more express as pounds and decimal fractions of
a pound (point in medial position, omitting p); the (new)
halfpenny should be expressed as a fraction
decimal fractions.
No decimal can be plural, or take verb in pl., however many
numerals it contains; (typ.) print in numerals. The decimal
point should be on the line, as 1.5, except in decimal currency.
In languages other than English, a decimal comma is often used
(1,5)
decimalize
not -ise. But Decimal Currency Board used -ise, -isation
decimal point
(two words)
decimator one who decimates, takes every tenth part or man, not -er
decimetre one-tenth of a metre, 3.937 in., not -er; abbr. dm (no point in
scientific and technical work)
decimo-octavo
(typ.), 18mo (not ital.); see eighteenmo
deckle edge
ragged edge of hand-made paper, not -el
declar/ation, -ed
abbr. dec.
Declaration of Independence
US, 4 July 1776
d‚class/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, who has fallen to an inferior status
declension
(gram.), system of case-endings; abbr. dec.
declinable
not -eable
declination
(astr.), angular distance from the celestial equator; abbr. dec.
decoit use dac-
decollate to behead; Decollation of St John the Baptist, 29 August
d‚collet/age
(Fr. m.), (wearing of) low neck of dress; -‚, fem. -‚e, with
low-necked dress
decolorize
not -ise
decolour to render colourless
d‚cor stage or room furnishings and fittings
decorat/e, -or
Decoration Day
(US), usu. last Mon. in May
decorative
abbr. dec.
decorum propriety of conduct
decree nisi
(law), the first stage in the dissolution of a marriage
decrepit decayed, not -id
decrescendo/
(mus.), decreasing in loudness; abbr. dec. or decres.; as noun,
pl. -s
decret/um (Lat.), a decree; pl. -a; abbr. d.
Dedlock (Sir Leicester and Lady)
in Dickens's Bleak House
d‚fense/ d'afficher
(Fr.), stick no bills; -- d'entrer, no admittance; -- de fumer,
no smoking
defensible
not -ceable, -sable
defensor fidei
(Lat.), Defender of the Faith; abbr. DF
defer/,-ence, -rable, -red, -rer
-ring
deferred (shares), abbr. def.
de fide (Lat.), authentic, to be believed as part of the (Christian)
faith
definable not -eable
defin/ed, -ite, -ition;
abbr. def.
definite article
see the
deflate to remove air, to reverse economic inflation
defle/ct to bend downwards; -xion, correct, but -ction is increasingly
common, and usual in US
Defoe (Daniel)
1661-1731, English writer, not de Foe
defunct abbr. def.
deg. degree(s)
d‚gag/‚ (Fr. m.), fem. -‚e, unconstrained
Degas (Hilaire Germain Edgar)
1834-1917, French painter (no accent)
de Gaulle (General Charles Andr‚ Joseph Marie)
1890-1970, French President 1944-5, 1959-69
degauss/, -ing
anti-magnetic-mine device or method
degradable
not -eable
degree 1/360th part of circle; -- of latitude, 69 statute or 60 geog.
miles; abbr. d. or deg.
degrees of/ inclination
(typ.), to be in words, as "an angle of forty-five degrees",
except in scientific and technical work; -- -- temperature, to
be in figures
d‚gringolade
(Fr. f.), rapid deterioration
de/ haut en bas
(Fr.), contemptuously; -- haute lutte, with a high hand
De‹aneira wife of Hercules; also an asteroid
de-ice (hyphen)
Dei/ gratia
(Lat.), by the grace of God; abbr. DG; -- judicium, the
judgement of God (see also Deo)
Deity (the)
see capitalization
d‚j… vu (Fr.), seen before
d‚jeuner/ (Fr. m.), breakfast or lunch; petit --, coffee and rolls on
rising; -- … la fourchette, meat breakfast, early lunch
de jure (Lat.), by right
Dekker (Thomas)
c.1570-1640, English playwright
Del. Delaware (off. abbr.)
del. delegate, delete
del. delineavit (drew this)
Delacroix (Ferdinand Victor EugЉne)
1799-1863, French painter
de la Mare (Walter)
1873-1956, English poet
de la Ram‚e (Louise)
pseud. Ouida
De la Roche (Mazo)
1885-1961, Canadian novelist
Delaroche (Paul)
1797-1856, French painter
Delaware off. abbr. Del. or (postal) DE
De La Warr (Earl)
dele (typ.), delete (proof-correction sign )
deleatur (Lat.), let it be deleted
delegate abbr. del.
delenda (Lat.), things to be deleted
delft, delftware
glazed earthenware made at Delft (formerly Delf) in Holland
Delibes (L‚o)
1836-91, French composer
delicatesse
delicacy (not ital.); in Fr. f. d‚licatesse
delicatessen
(Germanic pl. of above), prepared foods, shop or department
selling them
Delilah (OT), but Dalila in Milton's Samson Agonistes
delineable
that can be delineated
delineavit
(Lat.), drew this; abbr. del.
delirium/ disordered state of mind, with hallucinations, pl. -s; --
tremens, delirium with trembling induced by heavy drinking,
abbr. d.t., d.t.'s
De L'Isle (Viscount)
deliverer not -or
Della Cruscan
(noun and adj.), (member) of Florentine Accademia della Crusca,
concerned with purity of Italian, sixteenth century; or of
English poetical group in Florence, eighteenth century
Della Robbia
an enamelled terracotta invented by Luca della Robbia. See also
Robbia
Delphi Greece, site of ancient oracle, in Gr. Delphoi
de luxe (Fr.), luxurious
dem (Ger.), to or for the (m. and neut. sing., dative)
dem. (typ.), demy
demagog/ue, -y, -uery, -ic
(of, action of) a leader of the people
dem/ain use -esne
de mal en pis
(Fr.), from bad to worse
demarcate to mark the limits of, not -kate
demarch chief officer of anc. Attic deme; modern Greek mayor
d‚marche (Fr. f.), political procedure
demean to lower in dignity, to conduct (oneself)
demeanour bearing towards another
d‚menti (Fr. m.), official denial
dementia mental enfeeblement (not ital.)
demesne a landed estate, not -ain
demi/god, -john
(one word)
demilitarize
not -ise
demi/-monde
(Fr. f.), prostitutes (ital., hyphen); ---pension, accommodation
with one main meal per day; ---saison, spring or autumn fabric
demise death; to bequeath, not -ize
demitasse small coffee-cup; in Fr. f. demi-tasse
demo/ colloq. for demonstration, pl. -s
demobilize
to discharge from the army; not -ise; colloq. demob
Democrat/, -ic
abbr. (US) D.
democratize
not -ise
Democrit/us
5th c. BC, Greek philosopher; adj. -ean
d‚mod/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, out of fashion
demoiselle
young lady (not ital.)
Demoivre (Abraham)
1667-1754, French mathematician (one word)
demon see daemon
demon. demonstrative
demonetize
to divest of value as currency, not -ise
demon/ic, -ize
not dae-
demonstrable
not -atable
demonstrator
not -er
demoralize
not -ise
De Morgan (Augustus)
1806-71, English mathematician; -- (William Frend), 1839-1917,
his son, English novelist
de mortuis nil nisi bonum
or bene (Lat.), speak nothing but good of the dead
demos the people (not ital.)
dempster use deem-
demurrable
that may be demurred to
demurrage undue detention of ship, railway wagon, etc.; compensation for
this
demurrer (law), plea that opponent's facts, though true, do not support
his case
demy a scholar at Magdalen Coll., Oxford; pl. demies
demy pron. demeye, with stress on second syllable (typ.), former size
of paper, 17.5 x 22.5 in.; -- 4to, 11.25 x 8.75in.; -- 8vo, 8.75
x 5 in. (untrimmed); basis for size of metric demy, 888 x 1128
mm. See also book sizes
D.En. Department of Energy
den (Ger.), the (m. sing., accusative); to the (pl., dative)
Den. Denmark
denar use dinar
denar/ius penny; pl. -ii, pence; abbr. d.
denationalize
not -ise
dene wooded valley, not dean
D.Eng. Doctor of Engineering
dengue not -- fever, denga, -gey
Denholm Borders
Denholme W. Yorks.
deniable etc., see deny
denier one-twelfth of French sou; unit of silk, rayon, nylon yarn
weight
denim twilled cotton fabric for overalls, etc.
Denmark abbr. Den. See also Assemblies
de nos jours
(Fr.), of our time
denouement
an unravelling (no accent, not ital.)
denounce give notice to terminate (treaty)
de nouveau
(Fr.), afresh
de novo (Lat.), afresh
dent. dent/al, -ist, -istry
dentelle (Fr. f.), lace-work
dentil one of the toothlike blocks under the bed-moulding of a cornice,
not -el, -ile
den/y, -iable, -ial, -ier
deoch an doris
(Sc.), a parting-cup, not the many variants
deodand personal chattel that has caused death
deodar E. Indian cedar
deodoriz/e
not -ise; -er
Deo/ favente
(Lat.), with God's favour; -- gratias, thanks to God; --
volente, God willing, abbr. DV (see also Dei)
dep. departs, deposed, deputy
d‚p. (Fr.), d‚partement (shire), d‚put‚ (deputy)
DEP Department of Employment and Productivity, now DE
d‚partement
(Fr. m.), shire; abbr. d‚p.
department
abbr. dept.
departmentalize
not -ise
Department of Education and Science
abbr. DES
Department of Employment
abbr. DE
Department of Energy
abbr. D.En.
Department of Health and Social
Security, abbr. DHSS
Department of Industry
abbr. DI
Department of the Environment
abbr. D.o.E.
Department of Trade
abbr. D.o.T.
Department of Trade and Industry
see now Department/ of Trade, -- Industry
d‚pays/‚ (Fr.) fem. -‚e, out of one's usual element
depend/ant
(noun), -ence, -ent (adj.)
depilatory
removing, or remover of, hair
de pis en pis
(Fr.), from bad to worse
de plano (law), clearly
depolarize
not -ise
deposed abbr. dep.
depositary
a person
depositor not -er
depository
a place
depot in Fr. m. d‚p“t
depressible
not -able
de profundis
(Lat.), out of the depths
de proprio motu
(Lat.), of his, or her, own accord
dept. department
d‚put‚ a member of the lower French Chamber
deputize not -ise
deputy abbr. dep.
Deputy Lieutenant
abbr. DL
De Quincey (Thomas)
1785-1859, English essayist
der (Ger.), the (m. sing. nominative) of or to or for the (f.
sing., genitive and dative, or m., f, and neut. pl., genitive)
der. deriv/ation, -ative, -ed
Derbyshire
abbr. Derby.
de rЉgle (Fr.), in order
de rigueur
(Fr.), according to etiquette
derisible laughable, not -able
derisory derisive, scoffing
deriv/ation, -ative, -ed;
abbr. der.
derm the true skin; also derm/a, -is
dernier/ (Fr.), last; -- cri, the very latest; -- ressort, a last
resource
derring-do
daring action, not doe
Derry postally acceptable abbr. of Londonderry (town or county)
der Tag (Ger.), the (great) day
derv fuel oil for heavy vehicles
DES Department of Education
des (Fr.), of the (pl.); as prefix to a proper name, treat as de,
q.v.
dЉs (Fr.), since
des (Ger.), of the (m. and neut. sing., genitive)
Descartes (Ren‚)
1596-1650, French mathematician and philosopher; adj. Cartesian
descend/ant
(noun), person or thing descended; -ent (adj.), descending
descender (typ.), lower part of letters such as g, j, p, q, y
descendible
that may descend or be descended, not -able
desert a wilderness; to abandon. See also dessert
desert/ed, -er
abbr. d.
d‚shabill‚
(Fr. m.), undress, dishabille
desiccate to dry, not dessicate
desiderat/um
something desired; pl. -a (not ital.)
desirable not -eable
Des Moines
Iowa, US
desorb, desorption
release from adsorbed state
despatch use dis-
desperado/
a desperate man; pl. -es (not ital.)
despicable
despise not dis-, -ize
despotize to act the despot, not -ise
dessert a dinner course. See also desert
dessertspoonful/
pl. -s, two drams (one word)
dessicate use desiccate
destra/ (It.), right-hand side, abbr. d.; -- mano (mus.), the right
hand, abbr. DM
destructible
not -able
destructor
a refuse-burning furnace, not -er
desuetude disuse
desunt/ cetera
(Lat.), the rest are missing; -- multa, many things are wanting
Detaille (Jean Baptiste ђdouard)
1848-1912, French painter (no accent)
detector (person or thing), not -er
de te fabula narratur
(Lat.), of thee is the story told
detent a catch (mechanical)
d‚tente (Ft. f.), cessation of strained relations between States
d‚tenu/ (Fr.), fem. -e, one detained in custody
deterrent not -ant
detonat/e, -or
detour a circuitous way; in Fr. m. d‚tour
detract/or
fem. -ress
detritus debris (not ital.)
de trop (Fr.), not wanted; superfluous
Deus/ (Lat.), God, abbr. D.; -- avertat! God forbid! -- det, God
grant; -- misereatur, God be merciful
deus ex machina
"a god from a machine" (device in anc. Gr. theatre), a solution
or intervention in the nick of time
deuterium symbol D (no point); -- oxide, heavy water
Deuteronomy
abbr. Deut.
Deutsch/ (Andr‚), Ltd., publishers; -- (Otto Erich), 1883-1967 compiler
of thematic catalogue of Schubert's works, see D.
Deutsche Mark
(W. Ger. curency), usu. written and spoken Deutschmark or
D-Mark, abbr. DM (no point). See also mark
Deutschland, Deutsches Reich
Ger. names for Germany
de Valera (ђamon)
1882-1975, Prime Minister of Ireland, 1937-48, 1951-4, 1957-9,
President, 1959-73
Devanagari
Ind. alphabet
develop/, -able, -ment
not -pe
devest see divest
deviat/e, -or
not -er
deviling a young devil
devilling working as a hack
devilry not -try
devil's advocate
official at papal court who proposed objections to a
canonization, an adverse critic
Devil's Island
penal settlement, Fr. Guiana
devis/e not -ize; -er, one who devises (non-legal)
devis/ee one who is bequeathed real estate; -or, one who bequeaths it
devitalize
to render lifeless, not -ise
devoir an act of civility (not ital.
Devon off. name of the county
Devonshire
abbr. Devon.
De Vries (Hugo)
1848-1935, Dutch botanist
DEW distant early warning
Dewalee use Diwali
dewar vacuum flask (not cap.)
De Wet (Christian Rudolph)
1854-1922, Boer general and statesman
Dewey (George)
1837-1917, US admiral; -- (John), 1859-1952, US philosopher; --
(Melvil), 1851-1931, US librarian; -- (Thomas Edmund), 1902-71,
US politician
De Witt (Jan)
1625-72, Dutch statesman
dexter (her.), the shield-bearer's right, the observer's left, opp.
sinister
diallage (rhet.), figure of speech in which various arguments are brought
to bear on one point, (mineral.) a brown, grey, or green mineral
similar to augite
dialling/ code, -- tone
(two words)
dialogue conversation in drama, novels, etc., not necessarily between two
persons only
dialyse (chem.), to separate by filtration through a membrane, not -ize,
-yze
dialys/is pl. -es
diamant‚ (Fr.), sparkling with powdered crystal
diameter abbr. dia. or diam.
diamond (typ.), name for a former size of type, about 4.5 pt.
diarchy rule by two authorities, not dy-
diarrhoea not -oea
diaspora a dispersal; (cap.) that of the Jews after the Babylonian
captivity of 597-538 BC
diatessaron
a harmony of the four gospels (not cap.)
diathes/is
a habit of body, pl. -es
DIC Diploma of Membership of Imperial College, London
dic/ey risky, not -cy; -ier, -iest
dichotomize
to divide into two parts, not -ise
Dickens House
London, headquarters of the Dickens Fellowship (no apos.)
dickey use dicky
Dicksee (Sir Frank)
1853-1928, painter, PRA 1924-8
dicky rear seat (usu. folding type), false shirt-front, small bird,
not -ey
dict. dictator, dictionary
Dictaphone
(propr. term)
dictionnaire
(Fr. m., two ns), dictionary
dict/um a saying; pl. -a
dicy use dicey
didactyl two-fingered, not -le
didn't to be printed close up
Didot (typ.), European system for type measurement; 12 pt. Didot =
4.512 mm. See also body
didst (no apos.)
die (Ger.), the (f. sing., and m., f., and neut. pl., nominative and
accusative)
diecious use dioe-
died abbr. d. See also dagger
die-hard (hyphen)
dieresis use diae-
dies (Lat.), day(s)
diesel compression-ignition engine
dies/ fausti
(Lat.), auspicious days; -- infausti, inauspicious days; --
irae, day of wrath
dies/is (typ.), rare name for double dagger; pl. -es (See Figure 5 in
topic FRONT_4)
dies/ juridicus
(Lat.), a day on which courts sit; -- nefasti, blank days; --
non (law), a day on which no business is done
die-stamping
(typ.), intaglio (q.v.) process leaving raised impression
dietitian not -cian
Dieu et mon droit
God and my right (English royal motto)
Die Wacht am Rhein
(Ger.), the Watch on the Rhine, famous German patriotic song
differ/, -ence
abbr. diff.
differenti/a
a distinguishing mark; pl. -ae
digamma archaic Gr. letter
digester person or instrument, not -or
digestible
not -able
digitiz/ation
(comp.), electronic reduction of characters, by scanning, to a
series of digital signals; -ed fount, fount so prepared stored
electronically in photosetter (also called ECM)
dignitary not -atory
digraph two letters represeing one sound, as ph in digraph. See also
dipthongs and Hart's Rules, p. 62
dike not dyke
diktat categorical statement (not ital.)
dil. dilute
dilapidat/e, -ed, -ion
not de-
dilatable not -eable
dilatation
expansion, "more correct than dilation" (OED)
dilator muscle or instrument that expands, incorrectly formed but more
common than dilatator
dilemma/ position involving choice between two unsatisfactory lines of
argument or action; pl. -s
dilettant/e
(It.), a lover of or dabbler in the fine arts; pl. -es or -i
Dilhorne (Viscount)
fam. name Manningham-Buller
diligence a stage-coach (not ital.)
Dillon (Viscount)
diluvi/um (geol.), aqueous deposit; pl. -a (not ital.)
dim. dimidium (one half), diminutive
dim. diminuendo
dime (US), ten cents; abbr. d.
diminuendo
(It. mus.), getting softer; abbr. dim.
DIN Deutsche Industrie-Norm; the international paper-size system
(some trimmed sizes in mm.): A0, 841 x 1,189; A4, 210 x 297; A5,
148 x 210; B0, 1,000 x 1,414; B1, 707 x 1,000. For some
untrimmed sizes in this system, see book sizes
Dinan d‚p. Cotes-du-Nord, France
Dinant Belgium
dinar Byzantine gold coin (denarius); unit of currency in various
Asian and African countries and Yugoslavia, not de-
Dinard d‚p. Cotes-du-Nord, France
d'Indy (Paul Marie Th‚odore Vincent)
1851-1931, French composer (small d)
Ding an sich
(Ger. philos. n.), thing in itself
ding-dong (hyphen)
dinghy small boat, not -gey, -gy
dingo/ Australian native dog; pl. -es
dingy grimy. See also dinghy
dining/-car, -room, -table
(hyphens)
dinner-jacket
abbr. DJ
dioces/e, -an;
abbr. dioc.
dioecious (bot.), not die-
Diogenes 412-323 BC, Cynic philosopher
Diogenes Laertius
biographer of philosophers, about AD 200
dionym a binomial name, as Homo sapiens
Dionysia (noun pl.), orgiastic and dramatic festival(s) of Dionysus
Dionysi/ac
of Dionysus; -an, of Dionysus or of Dionysius
Dionysius 430-367 BC, and his son, fl. 350 BC, tyrants of Syracuse
Dionysus Greek god Bacchus
dioptre lens measure, abbr. d.
Dioscuri (the)
Castor and Pollux
Dip. Diploma
Dip. A.D. Diploma in Art and Design
Dip. Ed. Diploma in Education
Dip. H.E. Diploma of Higher Education
diphtheria
not dipth-
diphthongs
(typ.), combined letters to represent single sounds, are
employed in Danish, French, Icelandic, Norwegian, and
Old-English words, and as phonetic symbols, instead of the
separate letters ae, oe. ae and oe should be used in Latin and
Greek words. Generally no ligatures are used in US. See also
German
diplomat not now diplomatist; abbr. dipl.
diplomate one holding a diploma; in Fr. dipl“m/‚, fem. -‚e
Diplomatic
Lectureship in, not Diplomatics
dipsomania/, -c
Directoire
French Directory of 1795-9; adj., of the dress or furniture of
the period (cap.)
dis aliter visum
(Lat.), the gods have thought otherwise
disappoint
(one s, two ps)
disassemble
take (machine) apart. See also dissemble
disassociate
use dissociate
disburden not -then
disbursement
not -sment
disc now accepted for disk, esp. in compds., disc harrow, disc
jockey, slipped disc; also compact (optical) disc
disc. discover/ed, -et; discount
disc jockey, abbr. DJ
discern/ to see; -ible. See also decern
disciplinary
not -ery
discipline
abbr. dis.
discipular
disciple-like
disco/ dancing-party with records, pl. -s
discobol/us
a discus-thrower, not -ulus; pl. -i (not cap.). The Discobolus
(cap.), the lost statue by Myron, of which discoboli are copies
discoloration
not discolour-
discolour/, -ed, -ment
not discolor
discomfit/, -ed, -ing
to thwart; noun, -ure
discomfort
(noun) lack of ease; (verb) to make uneasy
disconnection
discontinu/e, -ed
abbr. dis.
discoth‚que
room or small hall used for dancing to recorded music
discount abbr. dis.
discover/ed, -er;
abbr. disc.
discreet judicious
discrete separate
disect use dissect
disenfranchise
use disfranchise
disenthral/
not -enthrall, -inthral(l); -led, -ment
disenthrone
use dethrone
diseu/r (Fr. m.), artist entertaining with monologues, fem. -se
disfavour not -vor
disfranchise
not -ize
disguis/e, -er
dishabille
untidy dress
dishevelled
with hair or dress in disorder, not -eled
disinterested
impartial (not the same as uninterested)
disjecta membra
(Lat.), scattered remains, but "disjecti membra poetae" (Horace)
disk (in comp. input) of limp plastic, storing input-material and
driving photosetter
dismissible
not -able
disorganiz/e, -er
not -ise
disorient/ed, -ing
and disorientat/ed, -ing, are equally established in modern
usage. See also orient
dispatch/, -er
not des-
dispensable
not -ible
dispensary
abbr. disp.
dispise use de-
display/ (typ.), the setting and leading of titles, advertisements, etc.,
direction to set in this style; -- type, of size or cut suited
to this, or any type cast in an especially durable metal
Disraeli (Benjamin)
1804-81, Earl of Beaconsfield
d'Israeli (Isaac)
1766-1848, writer, father of the foregoing
dissect/, -ion, -or
not dise-
disseis/e to dispossess wrongfully, not -ze; -ee, -in, -or, -oress
dissemble to conceal. See also disassemble
disseminat/e
to scatter abroad; -or
Dissenter from Church of England (cap.)
dissertation
abbr. diss.
dissociate
to separate, not disassociate
dissoluble
not -uable
dissolvable
not -ible
dissyllable
use disy-
dissymmetry
not disy-
dist. distance, distilled, distinguish, -ed, district
distension
state of being stretched, not -tion
distich/ couplet; pl. -s
distil/ but -lation; -led, abbr. dist.
distingu/‚
(Fr.), fem. -‚e, distinguished-looking
distinguish/, -ed;
abbr. dist.
distrait/ (Fr.), fem. -e, absent-minded
distributary
one of the streams of a river delta
distribute
(typ.), to put type back into case, or to melt down type; abbr.
dis.
distributor
one who or that which distributes
district abbr. dist.
District/ Attorney
(US), abbr. DA; -- Court, -- of Columbia, abbr. DC; -- Registry,
DR
disyllab/le, -ic, -ize
of two syllables, not diss-; in Fr. m. dissyllabe
disymmetry
use diss-
ditheism belief in two gods, not dy-
dithyramb wild hymn of Bacchic revellers, not dythi-
diverticul/um
a byway, esp. of the intestines; pl. -a
divertiment/o
(It.), a kind of ballet, (mus.) entertainment-piece, pl. -i;
also (Fr.) divertissement
divest not de- (except in law, as devest out of)
divid/e, -ed, -end, division
divisor, abbr. div. Sign for ц
divide et impera
(Lat.), divide and rule
Divina Commedia (La)
1300-18, by Dante, not Come-
Divis (Ger. typ. n.), the hyphen
divisi (mus.), in several parts
divisible not -able
divisim (Lat.), separately
division of words.
Usually divide a word after a vowel, taking over the consonant.
In present participles take over -ing, as sound-ing, divid-ing;
but trick-ling, chuck-ling, and similar words. Generally, when
two consonants or vowels come together divide between them, as
splen-dour, appreci-ate. Terminations such as -cian, -sion,
-tion should not be divided when forming one sound, as Gre-cian,
ascen-sion, subtrac-tion. Hyphenated words should be divided at
the hyphen, and in lexical work etc. a second hyphen may be used
to clarify their spelling, e.g. second-/-hand. Avoid divisions
which might confuse: leg-ends (le-gends), reap-pear (re-appear),
ex-acting (exact-ing). American printers divide strictly
according to pronunciation. For a fuller treatment and for
word-division in foreign languages see Hart's Rules, pp. 14-16,
97-8, etc.
divisor (math.), a factor
divorc/‚ fem. -‚e, a divorced person; Eng. divorcee is common gender
Diwali Hindu festival, not Dewalee
Dixie/ or -land (one word), the Southern States, US
DM Deputy Master, Deutsche Mark (W. Ger. currency), Doctor of
Medicine (Oxford), (Fr.) Docteur en M‚decine (Doctor of
Medicine), (It. mus.) destra mano (the right hand)
dm decimetre(s) (no point in scientific and technical work)
Domus Procerum
(law), the House of Lords; abbr. DP or Dom. Proc.
Don Spanish title; see Dom
Donegal Ireland
Donegall (Marquess of)
Donizetti (Gaetano)
1797-1848, Italian composer
donna (It.), a lady (ital.)
Donne (John), 1573-1631, English poet
donn‚e (Fr. f.), basic fact
don't to be printed close up
doolie (Ind.), a litter, palanquin, not dhooley, -lie, -ly, dooly
Doolittle (Eliza)
heroine of Shaw's Pygmalion; -- (Hilda), 1886-1961, US poet
"Doomsday Book"
use Domesday
door-keeper
(hyphen)
doormouse use dor-
Doornik Fl. for Tournai
dop (Afrik.), brandy, tot
doppelg„nger
(Ger. m.), a wraith
Doppelpunkt
(Ger. typ. m.), the colon
doppio (movimento)
(It.), double (speed)
Doppler effect
(phys.), apparent change of frequency when source of vibrations
is approaching or receding, from Christian Johann Doppler,
1803-53, Austrian physicist; not ”
Dor. Doric
DORA Defence of the Realm Act, 1914
Dor‚ (Paul Gustave)
1833-83, French painter and engraver
dormer window
(two words)
dormeuse (Fr. f.), a settee, nightcap, travelling sleeping carriage
dor/mouse not door-; pl. -mice
dormy (golf), as many up as there are holes to play, not -ie
Dorneywood
Bucks., country house used as off. residence by any Minister
designated by the Prime Minister
dorp (Afrik.), village, country town
d'Orsay (Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, Count)
1801-52, "the last dandy"
Dorset not Dorsetshire
dory, John Dory
fish, not -ey
dos- -dos (Fr.), back to back, a sofa made for sitting so
dosage (med.), not -eage
dose (med.), abbr. d.
dosimeter not dosemeter
Dos Passos (John Roderigo)
1896-1970, US writer
dossier papers referring to some matter (not ital.)
DR (naut.) dead reckoning, dispatch rider, District/ Railway, --
Registry, (Ger.) Deutsches Reich (German Empire)
Dr doctor (before name)
dr. drachm, -s, drachma (dram or coin), -s, dram, -s, drawer
drachm use dram, except for apothecaries' measure and weight; abbr. dr.
drachma/ a dram, various coins; pl. -s, abbr. dr.
draft a deduction in weighing, a mil. party, a money order, a rough
sketch; to draw off, to sketch; abbr. dft. See also draught
draftsman one who drafts documents. See also draughtsman
drag‚e a sweetmeat enclosing drug or nut or fruit
draggle-tail
a slut, not daggle-
dragoman/ Arabic interpreter; pl. -s, not -men
dragon-fly
(hyphen)
dragonnade
French persecution of Protestants in 1681, not -onade, -oonade
Dragoon Guards
abbr. DG; these are not "Guardsmen"
dram sixty grains, one teaspoonful, sixty minims, small drink, see
drachm; pl. -s, abbr. dr.
dramat/ic, -ist
abbr. dram.
dramatis personae
(list of) characters in a play, abbr. dram. pers.
dramatize not -ise
Drang nach Osten
(Ger.), desire for expansion eastwards
Drapier's Letters
by Swift, 1724
draught act of drawing, a take of fish, 20 lb. of eels, act of drinking,
a dose, a vessel's depth in water, a current of air, liquor "on
draught". See also draft
draughtsman
one who makes drawings, plans, etc., piece in game of draughts.
See also draftsman
drawback in tech. meaning of excise duty remitted, abbr. dbk.
drawer abbr. dr.
drawing-room
(hyphen)
draw-on cover (bind.), limp cover glued to back of book
Drdla (Franz)
1868-1944, Czech composer
dreadnought
thick cloth, battleship, not -naught
Dred Scott
Negro slave (19th c.), subject of US law case
Dreiser (Theodore)
1871-1945, US novelist
driblet a trickle, not dribb-
dri/er, -est, -ly;
also drier, one who or that which dries; but dry/ish, -ness
driftwood (one word)
drip/-dry, -proof
(hyphens)
drivable not -eable
drivell/ed, -er, -ing
(two ls)
drive out (typ.), to set matter with wide word spacing, such setting
drizzling (meteor.), abbr. d.
droit moral and legal right
droit de seigneur
(Fr. m.), lord's right to enjoy vassal's bride
droite (Fr. f.), the right hand; abbr. d.
Drontheim use Trondheim
dropped head
(typ.), opening title of chapter etc. set lower than first line
of text on other pages
droshky (Russ. pl. drozhki), a four-wheeled vehicle, not -sky
drought/, -y
arid(ity), not drouth
DRP Deutsches Reichspatent (German patent)
drum/beat, -fire, -head, -stick
(one word)
drunkenness
(three ns)
Druse one of a Syrian sect, not Druz, -e
Dryasdust a dull pedant (character in prefaces of Scott's novels) (one
word, cap.)
dry/er, -est, -ly
use dri-
dry goods (US), textiles
dry/ish, -ness
dry-point etching needle, the work produced by it (hyphen)
du as prefix to a proper name, in accordance with continental
practice, should not have initial cap., as du Chѓtelet, except
when Anglicized or at beginning of sentence. Signatures to be
copied
Dual Monarchy
(caps.)
dub. dubitans (doubting), dubius (dubious)
Du Barry (Marie Jeanne B‚cu comtesse)
1746-93, favourite of Louis XV of France
dubbin grease for leather, not -ing
Dublin abbr. Dubl.
Dubois-Raymond (Emil)
1818-96, German physiologist, not du Bois
duc (Fr.), Duke; fem. duchesse (not cap.)
duces tecum
(Lat.), a subpoena
du Chaillu (Paul Belloni)
1837-1904, French-American explorer in Africa
dug-out canoe made from single tree-trunk (hyphen)
Duguesclin (Bernard)
1314-80, Constable of France
duiker (Afrik.), a small antelope, not duy-
duke cap. as title, abbr. D.; in Fr. duc (not cap.)
Dukhobors Russian sect, not Douk-
Duleep Singh
not Dhuleep, Dulip
dullness not dulness
Dulong and Petit (law of)
(physics)
Dumas (Davy de la Pailleterie Alexandre)
1802-70, French writer; -- (fils, Alexandre), his son, 1824-95,
also writer; -- (Jean Baptiste Andr‚), 1800-84, chemist
du Maurier (George Louis Palmella Busson)
1834-96, English artist and author; -- (Sir Gerald), 1873-1934,
his son, actor-manager; -- (Dame Daphne), 1907-89, his daughter,
author
Dumbarton Strathclyde
Dumbarton Oaks
estate in Washington, DC, at which -- -- Conference was held,
1944
dumb-bell (hyphen)
dumbfound/, -ed, -er
not dumf-
Dumfries & Galloway
region of Scotland
dum sola (et casta)
(law), while unmarried (and chaste)
Dunbarton former Scottish county. See also Dumbarton
Dunblane Central, not Dum-
Duncan-Sandys (Baron)
(hyphen)
Dunelm: sig. of Bp. of Durham (colon); of Durham University (no point,
no colon)
dungaree coarse calico; pl. overalls made of it; not -eree(s)
duniwassal
(Sc.), a Highland gentleman, not dunni-
Dunkirk d‚p. Nord, France; in Fr. Dunkerque
Dun Laoghaire
port of Dublin
Dunnottar Castle
Grampian
Duns Scotus (Johannes)
1265 or 1274-1308, metaphysician
duo/ pair of artistes; pl. -s
duodecimo/
or twelvemo/ (typ.), a book based on 12 leaves, 24 pages, to the
sheet; pl. -s; abbr. 12mo
duologue (stage) conversation between two
duplex/ apartment
(US), one on two floors; -- house (US), one for two families
duplication of points
see punctuation XV
Du Pont family of American industrialists
Duquesne/ (Abraham, marquis)
1610-88, French admiral; -- Fort, French fort, 1754, renamed
Fort Pitt (Pittsburg, Pa.), 1758, on its capture by the English
dur (Ger. mus.), major
durab/le, -ility
DЃrer (Albrecht)
1471-1528, German painter; Dureresque, in his style
duress constraint, not -e
D'Urfey (Thomas)
1653-1723, English playwright
Durham abbr. Dur.
DЃrrenmatt (Friedrich)
b. 1921, Swiss playwright
durrie use dhurrie
Dushanbe formerly Stalinabad, cap. of Tadjikistan, USSR
dust-bowl area denuded of vegetation by drought (hyphen); Dust Bowl
(caps., no hyphen), the region along the western edge of the
Great Plains, US
Dutch/ abbr. Du.; -- alphabet (typ.), same as English but q and x are
used only in borrowed foreign words. Accented letters are often
used in stressed syllables. Marked letters ‰ and ”, diaeresis.
ch must never be separated; for y use ij, cap. IJ
dutiable subject to duty
duumvir/ one of a pair of Roman officials; Eng. pl. -s
dux top pupil (not ital.)
dux (Lat.), a leader, pl. duces; -- gregis, leader of the flock
E Egyptian, einsteinium (no point), (prefix) exa-, the fifth in a
series. See also Lloyd's
E. Earl, east, -ern, English
e eccentricity of ellipse, (dyn.) coefficient of elasticity,
(elec.) electromotive force of cell
e (It., Port.), and
‚ (Port.), is
Љ (It.), is
Љ (e grave accent), to be used for the last syllable of past
tenses and participles when that otherwise mute syllable is to
be separately pronounced, as "Hence, loathЉd Melancholy!". See
also accents
each (gram.) must be followed by verb and pronoun in sing., as "each
dog knows its own master"; abbr. ea.
EAEC European Atomic Energy Community (now Euratom)
eagre tidal wave, not -er
E. & O. E.
errors and omissions excepted
earache (one word)
ear-drum (hyphen)
earl (cap. as title); abbr. E.
Earls Court
London (no apos.)
ear/mark, -phone
(one word)
ear/-piece, -plug, -ring
(hyphens)
earth (the)
cap. only in astronomical contexts and in a list of planets (See
Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
earthwork (one word)
east/, -ern
abbr. E. See also capitalization, compass
eastbound (one word)
East Bridgford
Notts.
East End London (caps.)
East-Ender
(hyphen)
Easter Day
first Sunday after the calendar full moon on, or next after, 21
March
East Kilbride
Strathclyde, "new town", 1947
easy chair
(two words)
easygoing (adj., one word)
eau/-de-Cologne, -- de-Nil, -- de-vie
(hyphens); -- forte, nitric acid, also an etching; ---fortiste,
an etcher; ---sucr‚e, sugar and water (not ital.)
Edda/ a collection of Icelandic legends; pl. -s; The Elder --, a
collection of poems, eleventh century and earlier; The Younger
--, thirteenth-century stories, prosody, and commentary
Eddy (Mary Morse Baker)
1821-1910, founder of Christian Science
Eddystone Lighthouse
edelweiss Alpine plant
edema/, -tous
use oed-
Edgbaston Birmingham, not Edge-
edge-tool not edged --, but "with edged tools" (fig. sense)
edgeways not -way, -wise
Edgeworth (Maria)
1767-1849, English novelist; -- (Richard Lovell), 1744-1817, her
father, English educationist
Edgware London; -- Road
edh use eth
edidit (Lat.), edited this
edile use aedile
Edinburgh abbr. Edin.
Edipus use Oe-
Edirne formerly Adrianople, Turkey
Edison (Thomas Alva)
1847-1931, US inventor
‚dit/‚ fem. -‚e, par (Fr.), published by
‚diteur (Fr. m.), a publisher, not editor
edition the state of a book (also the copies, or any one copy, so
printed) at its first publication, and after each revision,
enlargement, abridgement, or change of format (2nd, 3rd,
etc./revised/enlarged/abridged/ paperback, etc., edition); not
any reprint containing no substantial alteration (see
impression); abbrev. edn.; in trade practice 1/e, 2/e, etc. =
1st, 2nd, etc., edn. See also reprint
‚dition de luxe
(Fr.), a sumptuous edition (ital.)
editio/ princeps
a first printed edition; pl. -nes principes
Eiffel/ (Alexandre Gustave)
1832-1923, French engineer; -- Tower, Paris
eigen/frequency, -function, -value
(math. and phys., one word)
eighteenmo/
(typ.), a book based on 18 leaves, 36 pages, to the sheet; also
called octodecimo, decimo-octavo; pl. -s; abbr. 18mo
Eighteenth Amendment
to the Constitution of the US, 1920, introducing prohibition of
intoxicating liquor; repealed by Twenty-first Amendment, 1933
eigret/, -te
use aigrette. See also egret
eikon use icon
Eikon Basilike
pamphlet reputedly by Charles I, more probably by John Gauden,
1605-52, bishop and writer; another, written by Titus Oates,
ded. to William III and attacking James II
Einstein (Albert)
1879-1955, German physicist (naturalized American 1940); --
(Alfred), 1880-1952, German musicologist
einsteinium
symbol E
Eire in Gaelic means "Ireland"; former off. name of the Republic of
Ireland (or "the Irish Republic"), i.e. the 26 counties,
formerly Irish Free State
eirenicon a peace proposal, not ir-
Eisenhower (Dwight David)
1890-1969, President of US, 1953-61 American general, Supreme
Commander of Allied Expeditionary Force in Second World War
Elagabalus
204-22, emperor of Rome 218-22, not Elio-, Helio-
El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd.
El Alamein
Egypt; battle, 1942
‚lan dash, spirit; -- vital, life-force (ital.)
Elbrus (Mount), Caucasus, not -ruz, -urz
Elburz mts., Iran, not -bruz
elchee Anglicized version of elchi, Turkish ambassador
Elder Brethren
of Trinity House (caps.)
El Dorado the golden land (two words, not ital.)
eldorado/ place of great abundance, pl. -s
elec. electricity, electrical, electuary
elector not -er; (hist.) German prince electing emperor (cap. as title)
Electra complex
exaggerated attachment of daughter to father, the fem. analogue
of Oedipus complex
electress not -toress
electro/ (no point), abbr. of electrotype; pl. -s
electrocute
to put to death by electricity, not -icute
electroencephalogram
(one word), abbr. EEC
electrolyse
to break up by electric means, not -yze
electrolyte
solution able to conduct electric current
electromagnet/ic, -ism
(pertaining to) electricity and magnetism (one word)
electrometer
electricity measurer (one word)
electromotive
producing electricity (one word)
electromotor
an electric motor (one word)
electron-volt
unit of energy (hyphen); abbr. eV (one cap.)
electroplate
coat with metal by electrolysis, objects thus made (one word)
electrostatic
of electricity at rest (one word)
electrotype
duplicate printing plate made by copper electrolysis (one word);
abbr. electro
electuary a sweetened medicine; abbr. elec.
eleemosynary
charitable
eleg/y funeral song, pensive poem; adj. -iac; -ist, writer of elegy,
not -iast; -ize, write elegy, not -ise. See also elogy, eulogy
elementary
abbr. elem.
elements (chemical), no point after symbols. See also under each name
elench/us (logic), a refutation; pl. -i; adj. elenctic, not -chtic
elephant name for a former size of paper, 20 x 27 in.
Elephantine
Egypt, famed for archaeological yields
elevator not -er
Elgin Marbles
transported to British Museum from Athens, 1805-12, by Earl of
Elgin
El Giza Egypt, site of the pyramids, use Giza
Elia pseud. of Charles Lamb
Elias Gr. form of Elijah used in NT (AV)
Elien: sig. of Bp. of Ely (colon)
eligible not -able
Eliogabalus
use Ela-
Eliot fam. name of Earl of St Germans; - (George), 1819-90, pseud. of
Mary Ann, or Marian, Evans, English novelist; -- (Thomas
Stearns), 1888-1965, US (naturalized British) poet
ђlisabethville
Zaire, now Lubumbashi
elision (typ.), suppression of letters or syllables in such contractions
as e'en, there'll, I'd, you've, it's (it is, has), William's
(William is, has). In Eng. and Ger. set close up. In Fr. put a
space after an apostrophe following a word of two or more
syllables (e.g. bonn' petite but j'ai). In It. set close up
where the apostrophe follows a consonant (e.g. dall'aver but a'
miei). In Gr., Lat., Sp. to be spaced. See also ellipsis
‚lite the chosen ones; size of letters on some typewriters (not ital.)
elixir alchemist's preparation to change metals into gold or to prolong
life indefinitely
Elizabeth abbr. Eliz.
Ellice Islands
W. Pacific, now Tuvalu
Elliot in fam. name of Earl of Minto; family in Jane Austen's
Persuasion
Elliott (Ebenezer)
1781-1849, English poet
ellips/is the omission of words; pl. -es; (typ.) three points (not
asterisks) separated by normal space of line are sufficient.
When three points are used at the end of an incomplete sentence
a fourth point should not be added; normal space before the
first point. Where the sentence is complete, the closing point
is set close up, followed by the three points for omission. See
Hart's Rules for rules in foreign languages. See also elision
Ellis Island
New York harbour
‚loge (Fr. m.), an oration of praise; Anglicized as eloge (no accent)
elogy; elogi/um
pl. -a; eloge (see above); (funeral) oration of praise. See also
elegy, eulogy
Elohim (Heb.), the Deity
eloin (law), to abscond, not -gn
Elois/a, -e
see H‚lo‹se
E. long. east longitude
El Paso Texas, US, not -ss-
El Salvador
republic of Cent. America, cap. San Salvador
Elsass-Lothringen
use Alsace-Lorraine
Elsevier see Elzevier
Elsinore Eng. for Dan. Helsingor
elucidator
one who makes clear, not -er
elusive difficult to grasp, mentally or physically. See illusive
elver a young eel
Elyot (Sir Thomas)
?1499-1546, English writer
Elys‚e palace, Paris
Elysium (Gr. myth.), abode of dead heroes (cap., not ital.)
elytr/on hard wing-case of beetle; pl. -a (not ital.)
Elzevier Dutch family of booksellers and printers, in business
?1583-1712, not Elzevir, although the form is found in some
bibliographical sources. The name of the modern publisher is
Elsevier
en/ arriЉre
(Fr.), behind; -- attendant, meanwhile; -- avant, forward; --
bloc, in the mass; -- brosse, bristly-cut
enc. enclos/ed, -ure
encaenia Commemoration at Oxford, not -cenia (not ital.)
encage, encapsulate, encase
not in-
enceinte pregnant, a fortified enclosure
enchase to put in a setting, engrave, not in-
enchiridi/on
handbook or manual; pl. -a (not ital.)
en clair (Fr.), in ordinary language (not in cipher)
enclave territory surrounded by foreign dominions
enclos/e, -ure
not in- (but Inclosure Acts)
encomium/ a eulogy; pl. -s (not ital.)
encore again (not ital.)
encroach to intrude usurpingly, not in-
encrust not in-; but incrustation
encumber to hamper, burden, not in-
encyclopaed/ia, -ic, -ical, -ism, -ist, -ize
but use -ped- in quoting titles where that spelling was
preferred; abbr. ency.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
abbr. EB, Ency. Brit.
Encyclop‚die
the French encyclopaedia ed. by Diderot, 1751-72;
encyclop‚diste, a writer for it (not cap.)
en dash (typ.), a short dash as in "1914-18", "the Fischer-Spassky
match"; contrast hyphen. See also punctuation XII
endemic regularly found in a specified place, opp. to epidemic
endemn/ify, -ity
use in-
endent/, -ure
use in-
en/ dernier ressort
(Fr.), as a last resource; -- deshabille, in undress
end leaves
see endpapers
endors/e to write on the back of, not in-; -able, not -eable, -ible
endpapers (bind.), the sheets at the beginning and end of a book, half of
each pasted to inside of cover, half forming flyleaf
endue to clothe, not in-
endur/e, -able, -ed, -er, -ing
not in-
endways not -wise
Endymion Greek legend, and Keats's poem; also Disraeli's last novel
ENEA European Nuclear Energy Agency
enema/ (syringe for making) injection into rectum; pl. -s (not ital.)
energize not -ise
en/ face (Fr.), facing; -- famille, with one's family
enfant/ gѓt‚
(Fr. m.), spoilt child; -- prodigue (l'), the prodigal son; --
terrible, indiscreet person
enfeoff (hist.), to transfer land to possession of a subordinate tenant.
See also fee, feoff/ee, -ment
en f€te (Fr.), in festivity
enfin (Fr.), finally (one word)
enfold not in-
enforce/, -able
not in-
enfranchis/e, -able, -ement, -ing
not -ize
Eng. England, English
eng. engineer, -ing, engrav/ed, -er, -ing
Engadine Switzerland; in Ger. Engadin
engag/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, morally committed
en gar‡on (Fr.), as a bachelor
Engels (Friedrich)
1820-95, German socialist, associate of Karl Marx
engineer/, -ing
abbr. eng.
engine-room
(hyphen)
Engl/and, -glish
abbr. Eng.
English (typ.), name for former size of type, about 14 pt.
engraft not in-
engrain to dye in the raw state, not in-. See also ingrain
en grande/ tenue
or -- -- toilette (Fr.), in full dress; en grand seigneur,
magnificently
engross to buy wholesale, copy in a large hand, absorb attention of, not
in-
engulf not in-, -gulph
enigma/ riddle; pl. -s
enjambment
in verse, the continuation of sense beyond the end of a line; in
Fr. m. enjambement
en masse (Fr.), in a body
enmesh to entangle, not emm-, imm-
Enniskillen
Co. Fermanagh; -- (Earl of), but Inniskilling Dragoons and
Fusiliers
ennui boredom (not ital.)
ennuy/‚ fem. -‚e, bored (not ital.)
ENO English National Opera
enoculate use in-
enology use oen-
en/ pantoufles
(Fr.), relaxed; -- passant, by the way, in passing (also of a
pawn capture in chess); -- pension, as a boarder
enplane use em-
en/ poste (Fr.), in official position; -- prince, in princely style; --
prise (chess), in a position to be taken
enquire to ask. See also inquire
enquiry a question, the general word, "inquiry" being reserved for an
official investigation
en/ rapport
(Fr.), in sympathy; -- regle, as it should be, in order; --
revanche, in revenge
enrol/, -ment
not enroll-; but -led, -ler, -ling
en route (Fr.), on the way
en rule (typ.), see en dash, punctuation XII
ens an entity; Lat. pl. entia
En Saga (Swed.), A Saga (title of tone-poem by Sibelius, 1892)
Enschede Netherlands, but Ensched‚ en Zonen, printing house at Haarlem
ensconce to protect with an earthwork, establish snugly, not ins-, es-
en secondes noces
(Fr.), by second marriage
ensemble general effect, group of players (not ital.)
ensheath not -the
ensilage storage of green fodder in pits or silos
ensnare/, -ment
not in-
en somme (Fr.), in short
ensuing not -eing
en suite (Fr.), to match, forming a unit
ensuite (Fr.), after, following (one word)
ensure to make safe. See also assurance, insurance
enswathe to wrap, not in-
ENT ear, nose, and throat
entailed estate
one settled on a series of heirs, not in-
entente/ meaning; -- cordiale, cordial understanding, (caps.) that
between Britain and France, 1904 onwards; entente (un mot …
double), a word or phrase with two meanings, pl. mots … double
entente. See double entendre
enterprise
not -ize
enthral/, -led, -ler, -ling, -ment
enthron/e, -ization
not in-
entitle not in-. See also intitule
entomology
the study of insects; abbr. entom.
entourage surroundings, attendants (not ital.)
en-tout-cas
(Fr.), umbrella-cum-parasol; En-Tout-Cas (caps.) propr. term for
type of hard tennis-court
entozo/on internal parasite; pl. -a (not ital.)
entr'acte/
(performance in) the interval between two acts; pl. -s
en train (Fr.), in progress
entrain to board a train, to put aboard a train
entrain (Fr. m.), heartiness
entrammel/
to entangle; -led, -ling
entrap/, -ped, -ping
not in-
entreat to beseech, not in-
entrechat a jump in which a dancer strikes the heels together several
times (not ital.)
entrec“te (cook.), the "undercut"
entr‚e a dish served between courses, right of admission (not ital.)
entremets side dishes (not ital.)
entrench not in-
entre nous
(Fr.), confidentially
entrep“t a market (not ital.)
entrepreneur/
person in control of business enterprise, a contractor (not
ital.); adj. -ial
entresol a storey between ground floor and first floor (not ital.)
‚pat/ant (Fr.), shocking; -er les bourgeois, to shake up the hidebound
epaulette shoulder-piece, not -et
EPDA Emergency Powers Defence Act
‚p‚e sword used in fencing
epergne table ornament to hold flowers or fruit (not ital., no accent)
ђpernay French white wine
Eph. Ephesians, Ephraim
ephah Hebrew measure, not epha
ephedrine an alkaloid used as cardiac depressive or for asthma, not -in
ephemer/a same as -on; pl. -as (not ital.)
ephemer/is
an astronomical almanac; pl. -ides
ephemer/on
insect that lives for a day, pl. -ons (not ital.); (bibliog.)
printed item intended for transient use (e.g. theatre programme,
bottle label), pl. -a
Ephesians abbr. Eph.
ephod Jewish priestly vestment
ephor/ Spartan magistrate, pl. -s
ephphatha (Aram.), "Be opened"
epicedi/um
funeral ode; pl. -a
epicene sexless (contemptuous), (gram.) referring to either sex
epicentre point over centre of earthquake
Epicoene by Ben Jonson, 1609
epicure/ one who indulges in a refined way in the pleasures of the table;
adj. -an
Epicurean a philosopher who identifies pleasure with virtue, following the
Greek Epicurus, 342-270 BC
epideictic
adapted for display, not -ktic
epidemic (disease) breaking out locally and lasting only for a time
epidermis the outer skin or cuticle
epilogue concluding part of a lit. work
epiornis use aepy-
epiphany the manifestation of a god; (cap.) 6 Jan., the manifestation of
Christ to the "wise men"
epiphyte a plant that lives on the surface of another
Epirot inhabitant of Epirus, not -te
episcopal belonging to bishops; abbr. episc.; (cap.) title of Anglican
Churches in Scotland and US
"Epithalamion"
by Spenser, 1595
epithalami/um
a nuptial song; pl. -a
epitheli/um
surface tissue; pl. -a
epitomize to shorten, summarize, not -ise
epizo/on (zool.), an animal that lives on the surface of another; pl. -a;
-otic, epidemic in animals
e pluribus unum
(Lat.), many made one (motto of US)
EPNS electroplated nickel silver
eppur si muove
(It.), and yet it does move (ascribed to Galileo, after his
recantation)
escalat/e, -ion
to rise, rising, steadily and inevitably, like an escalator
escallop shellfish, use scallop
escalope collop, slice of meat
escargot edible snail
escarp/, -ment
a steep slope, not -pe
Escaut Fr. for Schelde
eschalot use shallot
eschatology
(theol.) doctrine of last things
escheator official who watches over forfeited property, not -er
eschscholtzia
a yellow-flowered plant
esconce use ens-
Escorial Spain, not Escu-
escritoire
not -oir (not ital.)
Esculap/ius, -ian
use Ae-
escutcheon
heraldic shield, plate for keyhole, etc., not scut-
Esdras in the Apocrypha, First, Second, Book of, abbr. 1, 2 Esd.
Eskimo/ not Esquimau; pl. -s
ESN educationally subnormal
esophag/us, -eal
use oes-
esp. especially
ESP extra-sensory perception
espagnol/ fem. -e (Fr.), Spanish
espagnolette
fastening for french window
espalier a lattice-work, a trained fruit-tree (not ital.)
especially
abbr. esp.
Esperanto an artificial universal language, invented by L. L. Zamenhof,
1887
espiЉglerie
roguishness (not ital.)
espionage spying (not ital.)
espressivo
(mus.), with expression, not ex-
espresso apparatus for making coffee under pressure, the coffee produced,
not exp- (not ital.)
esprit/ (Fr. m.), genius, wit; -- de corps, members' respect for a
society; -- de l'escalier, inspiration too late; -- fort, a
strong-minded person, pl. esprits forts (ital.)
Esquimalt Vancouver Island, Canada, not -ault
Esquimau use Eskimo
Esquire abbr. Esq.; J. Smith, jun., Esq., not Esq., jun.
ess name of the letter s; pl. esses
ess. essences
essays (typ.), cited titles to be roman quoted; caps. as in title
Essouan use Aswan
established
abbr. est.
Established Church
(caps.); abbr. EC
Establishment (the)
(the values held by) the established sector of society (cap.)
estamin a woollen fabric, not ‚t-
estaminet (Fr. m.), a caf‚
estanci/a (Sp.-Amer.), cattle farm; -ero, its keeper
Estate/s of the Realm
the Parliament of Scotland before union with England in 1707; -s
(the Three), Lords Spiritual (bishops), Lords Temporal, Commons;
-- (the Third), French bourgeoisie before the Revolution; --
(the Fourth), the Press
Esther (OT), not to be abbr., but Rest of Esth. (Apocr.)
esthet/e, -ic
use aes-
estimator not -er
estiv/al, -ation
use aes-
Estonia not Esth-, a Soviet Socialist Republic. See also USSR
estoppel (law), a conclusive admission, not -ple, -pal
et alii (Lat.), and others; abbr. et al., not et als.
etalon (phys.), interference-device (no accent, not ital.)
‚tamin use estamin
‚tat-major
(Fr. m.), a staff of military officers
et cetera (not ital.), abbr. etc.; comma before "etc." if more than one
term precedes; comma after "etc." if it would be needed after an
equivalent phrase such as "and the like".
etceteras extras, sundries (one word)
Eternal City (the)
Rome
eth Old-English and Icelandic letter (distinguish from thorn and
wyn, qq.v.), also used in phonetic script; not edh
ether medium filling all space, not ae-
ethereal/, -ity, -ly
not -ial
Etherege (Sir George)
?1635-91, English playwright
evaporimeter
instrument to measure evaporation, not -ometer
evening abbr. evng.
even pages
(typ.), the left-hand, or verso, pages
even s. caps.
(typ.), word(s) set entirely in small capitals
ever joined to interrogatives used universally (whatever is, is
right) but not to those used emphatically (what ever do you
mean?)
everglades
(US), tracts of low swampy ground; (cap.) a large area like this
in Florida
evermore (one word)
every must be followed by verb and pronoun in sing., as "every bird
tries to protect its young"
every/body, -day
(adj.), Everyman, -one (but -- one when each word to retain its
meaning; cf. Hart's Rules, p. 77), -thing, -way (adverb), -where
(one word)
face (typ.), the printing surface of type; the design of a particular
fount
facet/ one side of a cut gem; -ed, -ing, not -tt-
facetiae humorous anecdotes (not ital.)
facia tablet over shop, with occupier's name; dashboard of a motor
car. See also fascia
facies (nat. hist.), general aspect
facile princeps
(Lat.), easily best (ital.)
facilis descensus Averni
(not Averno) (Lat.), easy is the descent to Avernus
fa‡on de parler
(Fr.), mere form of words
facsimile/
exact copy (one word, not ital.;) pl. -s; abbr. fac.
facta, non verba
(Lat.), deeds, not words
factious characterized by faction(s)
factitious
not natural
factorize not -ise
factotum/ servant who attends to everything; pl. -s (not ital.)
factum est
(Lat.), it is done
facul/a bright solar spot; pl. -ae; not fae-
fado/ Portuguese folk-song; pl. -s
faec/es pl., excrement; adj. -al
faerie (arch. and poet.), Fairyland, not -y
Faerie Queene (The)
by Spenser, 1590-6
Faeroe Isles
Danish, in N. Atlantic, use The Faeroes; adj. Faeroese
fag-end (hyphen)
faggot bundle of sticks, seasoned meatball, derog. name for woman
fah (mus.), not fa
Fahrenheit
temperature scale; abbr. F
FAIA Fellow of the Association of International Accountants
faience glazed pottery, not fa‹-, fay-
fain‚ant idle, idler (not ital.)
faint ruled
(paper), use feint
fair abbr. F.
fair and square
(no hyphens except when attrib.)
fair copy transcript free from corrections; abbr. f. co.
Fair Isle Shetland, and knitting-design
fair play (two words)
fairway not fare- (one word)
fairyland (one word)
fairy-tale
(hyphen)
fait accompli (un)
(Fr. m.), an accomplished fact
faith-heal/er, -ing
(hyphen)
Faizabad Uttar Pradesh (India), use Fyz-
fakir Muslim or Hindu religious mendicant, not the many variants
Falang/e, -ist
(member of) political party in Spain or Syria
faldstool not fold- (one word)
Falernian wine of ancient Campania
Falkland/ Islands
S. Atlantic; -- (Viscount)
Falk Laws 1874-5, German anti-Catholic laws introduced by politician
Adalbert Falk
Falla (Manuel de), 1876-1946, Spanish composer
fal-lal piece of finery, not fallol; collect. noun fallallery
fallible liable to err, not -able
Fallodon (Edward, Viscount Grey of)
1862-1933, English statesman, not -en
fall-out (noun), from nuclear explosion (hyphen)
falsa lectio
(Lat.), a false reading; abbr. f.l.
falucca use felucca
falutin see high-falutin
FAM Free and Accepted Masons
fam. familiar, family
familiarize
not -ise
family abbr. fam. See also botany, zoology
fan/ belt, club, dance
(two words)
fandango/ (Sp.), a dance or its music; pl. -es (not ital.)
Faneuil Hall
historic building, Boston, Mass., US
fanfaronade
arrogant talk, not -nnade, -farronade
fanlight (one word)
fantas/ia (mus.), a free composition (not ital.); pl. -ias
fantasize not -ise
fantasmagoria
use phantas-
fantast a dreamer, not ph-
fantasy not ph-
Fanti tribe in Ghana, not -te, -tee
Fantin-Latour (Henri)
1836-1904, French painter
fantoccini
(It.), marionettes
fantom use ph-
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (of UN)
FAP First Aid Post
faqu/eer, -ir
use fakir
far. farriery, farthing
farad/ (elec.), unit of capacitance; abbr. F (no point); -ic current
(med.), not -aic
Faraday (Michael)
1791-1867, English chemist
fareway use fair-
farewell (one word)
far/-fetched, -flung
(hyphens)
farinaceous
starchy, not -ious
Faringdon Oxon., not Farr-
farm-hand (hyphen)
farm/house, stead, yard
(one word)
Farne Islands
N. Sea, not Farn, Fearne, Ferne
far niente
(It.), doing nothing. See also dolce -- --
Faroe use Faeroe
farouche sullen from shyness (not ital.)
Farquhar (George)
1678-1707, Irish dramatist
farrago/ a hotchpotch, not fara-; pl. -s
Farrar (Frederick William, Dean)
1831-1903, English divine and writer
farriery horse-shoeing; abbr. far.
Farringdon Within, Without
wards of the City of London
Farsi language of Iran
farth/er, -est
use further/er, -est
farthing abbr. f. or far.
FAS Fellow of the Anthropological Society; ditto Antiquarian Society
fasces (pl.), a bundle of rods, the symbol of power
fasci/a (archit.), long flat surface under eaves or cornice; pl. -ae.
See also facia
fascicle, fascicule
fascicul/us
(pl. -i), a bundle, bunch; one part of a book published in
instalments
Fasc/ism, -ist
(noun and adj.); -istic (adj.)
Fastens/-een, -eve, -even
(Sc.), Shrove Tuesday, not Feastings-
fata Morgana
mirage seen in Str. of Messina (ital.)
Fates (the Three)
Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis
fat face type
display type (q.v.) with thick stems and fine hair-lines
Father (relig.), abbr. Fr.; (the), as Deity (cap.)
father-in-law
pl. fathers-in-law (hyphens)
father of the chapel
see chapel
fathom abbr. f. or fm.
fatstock (one word)
faubourg (Fr. m.), a suburb, cap. F when with name (not ital.)
Faulkland in The Rivals, by Sheridan
Faulkner (William)
1897-1962, US novelist
faultfind/er, -ing
(one word)
faun/ Latin rural deity; pl. -s
fauna/ (collect.sing.), the animals of a region or epoch; pl. -s not
ital.)
Faure (Fran‡ois F‚lix)
1841-99, French statesman
Faur‚ (Gabriel)
1845-1924, French composer
faute de mieux
(Fr.), for want of better
fauteuil/ (Fr.), armchair, membership of French Academy; pl. -s
Fauves (Les)
group of painters led by Matisse; fauvism, style of painting
associated with them (not cap.)
faux pas (Fr. m.), a blunder (two words, pl. same)
favour/, -able, -ite, -itism
Fawkes (Guy)
1570-1606, conspirator
fawn young deer, its colour; as verb, to grovel
fayence use faience
FBA Fellow of the British Academy, not FRBA
FBAA Fellow of the British Association of Accountants and Auditors
FBCS, Fellow ofthe British Computer Society
FBI (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBIM Fellow of the British Institute of Management
FBOA Fellow of the British Optical Association
FC Football Club, Free Church (of Scotland)
FCA Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and
Wales (or Ireland) (off.)
FCGI Fellow of the City and Guilds of London Institute
FCIA Fellow of the Corporation of Insurance Agents
FCIB Fellow of the Corporation of Insurance Brokers
FCII Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute
FCMA Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
FCO Foreign and Commonwealth Office
f. co. fair copy
FCP Fellow of the College of Preceptors
fcp. foolscap
FCS Fellow of the Chemical Society, now FRSC
FCSA Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
FCSP Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
FCST Fellow of the College of Speech Therapists
FD fidei dlfensor (Defender of the Faith)
Fe ferrum (iron) (no point)
Fearne Islands
use Farne
feasible practicable, not -able
Feastings-
see Fastens-
featherfew
use fever-
featherweight paper
light but bulky book paper
February abbr. Feb.
fecal, feces
use fae-
fecerunt (Lat. pl.), made this; abbr. ff
fecial use fetial
fecit (Lat.), made this; abbr. fec.
fedayeen Arab guerrillas (pl.)
Federal Assemblies
see Assemblies
Federalist
abbr. Fed.
federalize
not -ise
fee/ (law), an inherited estate of land; -- simple, estate unlimited
as to class of heir (two words); ---tail, estate so limited
(hyphen). See also fief
feedback return of part of output to input (one word)
feedstock (one word)
feeoff use fief
feeoffee use feoffee
feet see foot
feff/ use fief; -ment, use feoffment
Fehmgericht
(Ger.), use Femgericht, qv.
Feilding fam. name of Earl of Denbigh. See also Fie-
feint (noun) sham attack, (verb) to pretend
feint ruled
(paper), not faint
feld/spar a rock-forming mineral; adj. -spathic; not felspar
F‚libre member of F‚librige, school of Proven‡al writers
Felixstowe
Suffolk
fellah/ Egyptian peasant; pl. -in, not -s, -een.
fellmonger
hide-dealer
felloe wheel rim, not felly
Fellow abbr. F; in Lat., socius; or, in the Royal Society, sodalis
fellow/ citizen, - men
(two words)
fellow/-feeling, -traveller
(hyphens)
felly use felloe
felo de se
(Anglo-Lat.), suicide; pl. felos de se
felon one who commits a grave crime; abbr. F.
felspar use feldspar
felucca small Mediterranean vessel, not fal-, fil-
fem. feminine
female (bot., zool., sociol.), abbr. f.
feme/ (law), wife, not femme; -- covert, married woman, -- sole, woman
without husband (two words). See also femme
Femgericht/
(Ger.), pl. -e, medieval German tribunal, Anglicized as
Vehmgericht, q.v.
feminine abbr. f. or fem.
feminize to make feminine, not -ise
femme/ de chambre
(Fr. f.), chambermaid, lady's maid, pl. femmes -- --; --
fatale, a dangerously attractive woman; -- galante, a
prostitute; -- incomprise, an unappreciated woman; -- savante, a
learned woman. See also feme
femto- prefix meaning "10 to the power of -15", abbr. f
fem/ur thigh bone, pl. -ora (not ital.); -oral
fencible able to be fenced; (hist., noun) soldier liable only for home
service; not -able
F‚nelon (Fran‡ois de Salignac de La Mothe)
1651-1715, French ecclesiastic and writer, not F‚n‚-
fenestr/a (anat.), a small hole in a bone; pl. -ae (not ital.)
fenugreek leguminous plant, not foenu-
feoff use fief
feoff/ee (hist.), one enfeoffed, not feeo-; -ment, act of enfeoffing.
See also enfeoff, fee, fief
ferae naturae
(law), adj., wild (of animals), literally "of a wild nature"
Ferd. Ferdinand
Ferdausi Persian poet, use Fir-
fer de lance
venomous snake (trop. S. Amer.)
Ferghana cent. Asia, not -gana
Feringhee in the Orient, a European, esp. a Portuguese; not the many
variants
Fermanagh County
N. Ireland, abbr. Ferm.
fermium symbol Fm
Ferne Islands
use Farne
Ferrara Italy; -- (Andrea), 16th c., Italian swordsmith
Ferrari (Paolo)
1822-89, Italian dramatist
Ferrero (Guglielmo)
1871-1942, Italian historian
ferret/, -ed, -er, -ing
ferrule metal cap on end of stick (two rs), not ferrel. ferule
ferrum iron, symbol Fe
ferryman (one word)
fertilize not -ise
ferule a cane or rod for punishment (one r). See also ferrule
fess (her.), not fesse
festa (It.), a festival
Festschrift/
(Ger. f.), writings presented to scholar; pl. -en
f€t/e entertainment, -ed (not ital.); f€te-champ€tre outdoor
entertainment; F€te-Dieu, feast of Corpus Christi, pl. Fetes---
(ital., hyphen)
fetial ambassadorial, not fec-
fetid ill-smelling, not foe-
fetish/ inanimate object worshipped by savages, (psych.) abnormal cause
of sexual desire, not -ich, -iche; -eer, -ism,-ist (not ital.)
fetor bad smell, not foe-
fetus use foe-
feu/ (Sc.), ground-rent, pl. -s
feu/ (Fr.), late, deceased; fem. -e
Feuchtwanger (Lion)
1884-1958, German novelist
feud. feudal
feudalize to make feudal, not -ise
feu/ d'artifice
(Fr. m.), firework, pl. feux --; -- de joie, a salute, pl. feux
-- --
feu-duty (hyphen)
feuille (Fr. typ. f.), a sheet
Feuillet (Octave)
1821-90, French novelist and playwright
feuillet/ (Fr. typ. m.), a leaf; -- blanc, blank leaf
feuilletage
(Fr. cook. m.), puff-pastry
feuilleton
(Fr. m.), light literature; in Fr. part of newspaper etc.
devoted to this
Feulhs use Fulahs
feverfew (bot.), Chrysanthemum parthenium, not feather-, fetter-, -foe
f‚vrier (Fr. m.), February, abbr. f‚v. (not cap.)
fez/ a cap; pl. -zes (not ital.); adj. -zed
FF Felicissimi Fratres (Most Fortunate Brothers)
ff (typ.), as initials for proper name, not Ff; in Welsh, a
separate letter, not to be divided
ff. folios, following (pl., preferred to et seqq.)
ff (mus.), fortissimo (very loud)
ff fecerunt, q.v.
FFA Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries (Scotland)
FFAS Fellow of the Faculty of Architects and Surveyors
fff (mus.), fortississimo (as loud as possible)
F.F.Hom. Fellow of the Faculty of Homoeopathy
FFPS Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons
FFR Fellow of the Faculty of Radiologists
FGS Fellow of the Geological Society
FH fire hydrant
FHA Fellow of the Institute of Health Service Administrators
FHS Fellow of the Heraldry Society
FIA Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries
F.I.A.A. & S.
Fellow Architect Member of the Incorporated Association of
Architects and Surveyors
FIAC Fellow of the Institute of Company Accountants
fiacre a four-wheeled cab
FIAI Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Commercial Accountants
fianc/‚ fem. -‚e, one betrothed (not ital.)
fianchetto/
(chess), placing bishop on long diagonal (pl. -es; not ital.)
fianna the militia of Finn and other legendary Irish kings; Fianna/,
pl., the Fenians; -- Eireann, the Fenians of Ireland; -- F il,
the Irish Republican party
F.I.Arb. Fellow of the Institute of Arbitrators
FIAS Fellow Surveyor Member of the Incorporated Association of
Architects and Surveyors
fiasco/ a failure; pl. -s
fiat formal authorization (not ital.)
Fiat Fabbrica Italiana Automobile Torino (It. motor car, company, and
factory)
fiat/ justitia
(Lat.),let justice be done; -- lux, let there be light
FIB Fellow of the Institute of Bankers
F.I.Biol. Fellow of the Institute of Biology
fibrin blood protein appearing as network of fibres, not -ine
fibul/a leg-bone, brooch; pl. -ae
FICE Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers
fiche microfiche; pl. same
fichu woman's neckerchief (not ital.)
FICS Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers; ditto
International College of Surgeons
fic/tion, -titious
abbr. fict.
fictionalize
not -ise
FID Fellow of the Institute of Directors
fidalgo (Port.), a noble
fiddle-de-dee
nonsense (hyphens)
Fidei Defensor
(Lat.), Defender of the Faith; abbr. FD or Fid. Def.
fides Punica
(Lat.), Punic faith, bad faith
fidget/, -ed, -ily, -ing, -y
(one t only)
FIDO Fog Investigation Dispersal Operation
fidus Achates
(Lat.), a trusty friend
FIEE Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
fief (hist.), land held by tenant of a superior, not feoff. See also
enfeoff, fee, feoff/ee, -ment
field-glasses
(hyphen)
Fielding (Henry)
1707-54, English novelist. See also Fei-
Field Marshal
(two words, caps. as title); abbr. FM
Field Officer
(two words, caps. as title); abbr. FO
fieri facias
(Lat.), "see that it is done", a writ; abbr. fi. fa.
fiesta festivity, holiday
FIFST Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology
fift/y, -ieth
symbol L
fig. figure, figurative, -ly, figure
figurant/ (Fr. m.), a member of the ballet chorus, pl. -s; fem. -e, pl.
-es. Also (It. m. or f.) -e, pl. -i
figure-head
(hyphen)
figures term used by some printers for arabic numerals; BS 2961
recommends the term numerals (q.v.) for both arabic and roman.
See also authorities, decimal currency, lakh
FIHE Fellow of the Institute of Health Education
F.I.Inst. Fellow of the Imperial Institute
FIJ use FJI
Fiji/ W. Pacific, indep. 1970; adj. -an only of Polynesians,
otherwise Fiji
filagree use filigree
Fildes (Sir Luke)
1844-1927, English painter
filemot a yellowish-brown, "dead leaf" colour, not filamort, filmot,
phil-
filet (cook.), fillet
filfot use fy-
filibeg (Sc.), kilt, not the many variants
filibuster
one who obstructs public business by a long speech, the speech,
not fill-
filigree/ ornamental metallic lace-work, adj. -d, not fila-, file; --
letter (typ.), an initial with filigree background
filing cabinet
(two words)
Filipin/as
Sp. for Philippine Islands; -o(s), native(s) of the islands
fille de/ chambre
(Fr. f.), chamber-maid, lady's maid, pl. filles -- --; -- joie,
a prostitute
fillet/ in Fr. m. filet; -ed, -ing
fillibeg use fili-
filling-station
(hyphen)
fillip/ a stimulus; -ed, -ing
fillipeen use philippina
fillister a kind of plane-tool (two ls)
filmot use filemot
filmsetting
(typ.), composition and correction on photographic film instead
of in metal
filoselle floss silk (not ital.)
fils (Fr. m.), son, as Dumas fils (not ital.)
filter/ device for separating solid matter from liquid; -bed, -paper
(hyphens). See also philtre
filucca use felucca
F.I.Mech.E.
Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Fin. Finland, Finnish
finable liable to a fine
finale conclusion (not ital.)
finalize not -ise
fin de siЉcle
(Fr. f.), end of the (nineteenth) century, decadent
firn n‚v‚, granular snow not yet compressed into ice at head of
glacier (not ital.)
first (adj.), abbr. 1st
first aid (two words)
first/-born, -class
(adj. and adv.), -fruit (hyphens)
firsthand (adj., one word), but at first hand (two words)
first proof
(typ.), the first impression taken, and corrected by the "copy"
first-rate
(hyphen)
First World War
1914-18 (caps.); also World War I
firth an estuary, not fri-
FIS Fellow of the Institute of Statisticians
FISA Fellow of the Incorporated Secretaries Association
Fischer (Robert James)
b. 1943, US chess master
Fischer-Dieskau (Dietrich)
b. 1925, German baritone
fisgig use fiz-
fish/ cake, -- finger
(two words)
fishing/-line, -rod
(hyphens)
fissile able to undergo fission, not fissionable
FIST Fellow of the Institute of Science Technology
fisticuffs
not fisty-
fistul/a opening of internal organ to the exterior or to another organ,
pl. -ae (not ital.)
fit (arch.)
section of a poem, not fytte
FitzGerald/
fam. name of Duke of Leinster; -- (Edward), 1809-83, English
poet and translator (one word), cap. G
Fitzgerald/ (Francis Scott Key)
1896-1940, US novelist; -- (George Francis), 1851-1901, Irish
physicist, devised the theory of -- contraction, lower-case g
Fitzwilliam/ College, -- Museum
Cambridge
fivefold (one word)
fixed star
sign (See Figure 3 in topic FRONT_4)
fizgig flirtatious girl, small firework, not fis-, fizz-
fizz a sound, not fiz
FJI Fellow of the Institute of Journalists, not FIJ
fjord use fiord
FL (naval) Flag Lieutenant, Florida (off. postal abbr.)
Fl. Flanders, Flemish
fl. florin, fluid, (Neth. etc.) gulden
fl. flores (flowers), floruit (flourished)
f.l. falsa lectio (a false reading)
Fla. Florida (off. abbr.)
FLA Fellow of the Library Association
flabbergast
to dumbfound, not flaba-, flaber-
flabell/um
(eccl. and bot.), a fan; pl. -a
flag/-boat, -day
(hyphens)
flageolet (mus.) small flute, (bot.) kidney bean, not -elet (not ital.)
flag-pole (hyphen)
flag/ship, -staff
(one word)
flak anti-aircraft fire, not -ck
flamb‚ (Fr. cook.), served in flames
flambeau/ a torch; pl. -s (not ital.)
flamboyant
showy, (archit.) with flamelike lines (not ital.)
flamenco/ type of gypsy song or dance from Andalusia, pl. -s (not ital.)
flame-thrower
(hyphen)
flamingo/ trop. bird; pl. -s
flammable inflammable
Flamsteed (John)
1646-1719, first English Astronomer Royal (1675-1719), not
-stead
Flanders abbr. Fl.
flѓn/erie (Fr. f.), lounging; -eur, fem. -euse, an idler
flannelette
cotton imitation of flannel, not -llette
flannelled
not -eled
flash/back, -light, -point
(one word)
flat/ back
(bind.), see square back; ---impression or -- pull (typ.), see
rough pull
flat-fish (hyphen)
flatworm (one word)
Flaubert (Gustave)
1821-80 French novelist
flautist not flut-
flavour/, -ed, -ing, -less
but flavorous
flЉche (Fr. f.), an arrow; flЉche (archit., not ital.), a slender spire
foliate (verb) number folios consecutively, (adj.) leaflike
Folies BergЉre
(ital.)
folio/ (typ.), a sheet of MS or copy; a page number; a book based on
two leaves, four pages, to the sheet; pl. -s; as verb, -ed, not
-'d; abbr. fo., fol.
foli/um (Lat.), a leaf; pl. -a
folk-dance
(hyphen)
Folketing Danish Parliament; not -thing
folklor/e, -ism, -ist, -istic
(one word)
folk/-song, -tale
(hyphens)
follic/le (bot., med.), small sac, not -cule; but -ular, -ulated
following abbr. f. or fol.
fonda (Sp.), an inn
fondant a sweetmeat (not ital.)
fondue melted cheese, eggs, etc., not fondu
fons et origo
(Lat.), source and origin
font (US typ.), Eng. fount
Fontainebleau
d‚p. Seine-et-Marne, France
Fonteyn (Dame Margot)
b. 1919, English prima ballerina
foodstuff (one word)
foolproof (one word)
foolscap former size of paper, 17 x 13.5 in.; -- 4to, 8.5 x 6.75 in.; --
8vo, 6.75 x 4.25 in.(untrimmed). See also book sizes
foot in metric system 30.48 centimetres; abbr. ft; not now in
scientific use
foot-and-mouth
disease (hyphens)
football (one word)
foot/-brake, -bridge
(hyphens)
foot candle
(two words)
foot/hills, -hold, -lights, -loose
(one word)
footnotes in copy should be written either at the bottom of the folio or
on a separate sheet, with reference figures for identification;
(typ.) all references In text to be by superior figures outside
the punctuation mark or quote, except in math. setting (see
reference marks). For a second set of cues use superior letters.
At page make-up, leave apparent white between end of text and
first line of notes
foot/path, -plate, -print
(one word)
Foots Cray
London
Footscray Vic., Australia
foot/sore, -step, -stool, -way, -wear
(one word)
for. foreign, forestry
foram/en (anat., bot.), an orifice; pl. -ina
forasmuch (one word)
foray a raid, not forr-
forbade see forbid
for/bear to abstain, past -bore, partic. -borne. See also forebear
Forbes-Robertson (Sir Johnston)
1853-1937, English actor
for/bid past -bade, partic. -bidden, -bidding
force majeure
(Fr. f.), circumstances beyond one's control
forcemeat meat finely chopped and seasoned, not forced- (one word)
forceps surgical pincers; pl. same
forcible not -cable
Ford (Ford Madox)
orig. surname Hueffer, 1873-1939, English writer
forearm (noun and verb, one word)
forebear ancestor. See also forbear
forebod/e, -ing
not forb-
forecast
forecastle
not fo'c'sle
foreclose
foredge (bind.), the edge of a book opposite the binding, not fore-edge.
See also margins
fore-edge (hyphen in non-technical uses)
fore-end not forend
Forefathers' Day
(US), anniversary of landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass.,
21 Dec. 1620, usu. celebrated on 22 Dec.
forefend use forf-
fore/finger, -front
(one word)
foregather
use forg-
fore/go to go before, past -went, partic. -gone, -going. See also forgo
forehead
foreign abbr. for.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
formed, 1968, from the two separate Offices; abbr. FCO
Foreign/ Mission
abbr. FM; -- Office (caps.), abbr. FO, combined, 1968, with the
Commonwealth Office
forel early vellum-like covering for books, not forr-
fore/leg, -lock, -mast, -play
(one word)
fore/run past -ran, partic. -run; -runner (one word)
Forester (Cecil Scott)
1899-1966, English novelist
foretell not fort-, fortel
for ever for always (two words); forever, continually (one word)
forewarn not for- (one word)
foreword (of book), not forw-. See also preliminary matter
forfeit
forfend avert, not fore-
forgather not fore-
forget-me-not
(bot.)
forgett/able, -ing
forgivable
not -eable
for/go to abstain from, past -went, partic. -gone, -going. See also
forego
formalin a germicide or preservative, not -ine
formalize not -ise
format/ (typ.), the size (octavo, quarto, etc.) of a book; (loosely) its
general typ. style and appearance; (comp.) a frequently-used set
of typographical commands stored in the keyboard (not ital.); as
verb, past -ted, partic. -ted, -ting
forme (typ.), a body of type secured in the frame called a chase; not
form
former first of two. See also latter
formul/a pl. -as, (sci.) -ae (not ital.); abbr. F.
forray use foray
forrel use forel
forsaid use fore-
Fors Clavigera
by Ruskin, 1871-84
Forster (John)
1812-76, English biographer (see also Foster); -- (Edward
Morgan), 1879-1970, English novelist
forsw/ear, -ore, -orn
forsythia ornamental shrub
Fort cap. F when with name, as Fort Southwick, Tilbury Fort; abbr.
Ft.
fort. fortification, fortified
forte/ person's strong point (not ital.); (mus.), strong and loud,
abbr. f; ---piano, loud, then immediately soft (hyphen), abbr.
fp; --piano, early form of pianoforte (one word)
fortell use fore-
fortissimo/
(mus.), very loud; as noun, pl. -s; abbr. ff
fortississimo/
(mus.), as loud as possible; as noun, pl. -s; abbr. fff
fortiter in re
(Lat.), bravely in action. See also suaviter in modo
FORTRAN Formula Translation, a computer compiler language
forty-eightmo
(typ.), a book based on 48 leaves, 96 pages, to tbe sheet; abbr.
48mo
forwarn use fore-
forzando (mus.), forced; abbr. fz (no point). See also sforzando
foss/a (anat.), a cavity; pl. -ae
fosse a ditch, not foss
fossilize not -ise
Foster (Birket)
1825-99, English painter; -- (John), 1770-1843, Englisb essayist
(see also Forster); -- (Stephen Collins), 1826-64, US
song-writer; -- (Sir Harry Hylton-), see Hylton-Foster
Fotheringhay Castle
Northants, 1066-1604
Foucault (John Bernard L‚on)
1819-68, French physicist
Foucquet use Fouq-
foul/ adv. -ly; -up (hyphen as noun)
Foulahs use Fulahs
foulard a fabric (not ital.)
foul proof
(typ.), a proof-reader's marked proof as opposed to the
corrected (or clean, q.v.) proof which succeeds it
foundry not -ery; -- proof, final proof from forme which has been
prepared for plating
fount (typ.), a complete set of type of one particular face and size;
in US font
Fouqu‚ (Friedrich, Baron de la Mode)
1777-1843, German poet and dramatist
Fouquet (Jean)
1416-80, French painter; -- (Nicolas), 1615-80, French
statesman; not Foucq-
four-colour process
(typ.), printing in yellow, magenta, cyan, and black to give a
complete colour reproduction
fourfold (one word)
Fourier (Fran‡ois Marie Charles)
1772-1837, French socialist, hence Fourier/ism, -ist, -ite; --
(Jean Baptiste Joseph), 1768-1830, French mathematician and
physicist, hence Fourier Series
four-poster
four-post bed
four/score, -some
(one word)
four-stroke
(hyphen)
Fourth of July
US Independence Day (caps.)
Fourth of June
George III's birthday, day of celebration at Eton
Fowler (Francis George)
1870-1918, English lexicographer; -- (Henry Watson), 1858-1933,
English lexicographer, author of Modern English Usage and joint
author, with brother F. G., of The King's English
Fox (Charles James)
1749-1806, English politician; -- (George), 1624-91, English
preacher, founder of Society of Friends (Quakers)
Foxe (John), 1516-87, English martyrologist
foxed paper
stained with yellowish-brown spots
fox/glove, -hole, -hound
(one word)
fox/-hunt, -terrier
(hyphens)
foxtrot (one word)
foyer theatre lounge (not ital.)
FP Fine Paper (the best edition of a work); fire-plug; (Sc.) former
pupil(s)
f.p. freezing-point
fp (mus.), forte-piano, loud, then immediately soft
FPA Family Planning Association, Foreign Press Association
F.Ph.S. Fellow of the Philosophical Society of England
FPS Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Fr francium (no point)
Fr. Father, France, French, Friar, Friday; (Ger.) Frau (Mrs, wife)
(It.) Fratelli (Brothers)
fr. fragment, franc, from, (Ger.) frei (free)
fra (It.), brother, friar (no point)
fracas noisy quarrel; pl. same (not ital.)
fractionalize
not -ise
fractions (typ.), spell out simple fractions in textual matter, e.g.
one-half, two-thirds, one and three-quarters; hyphenate
compounded numeral in compound fractions such as nine
thirty-seconds, forty-seven sixty-fourths; in statistical matter
use one-piece fractions where available, but if these are not
available use split fractions, i.e. those with dividing line
attached to denominators and the numerator justified above it;
but to avoid difficult handwork complex non-displayed fractions
are now often set in fount-size numerals with a solidus between,
e.g. 19/100. For math. setting, see Hart's Rules, pp. 55-6
fractions, decimal
see decimal fractions
FRAD Fellow of the Royal Academy of Dancing
fraenum not fre-
F.R.Ae.S. Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
F.R.Ag.Ss.
Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies
FRAI Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute
Fraktur (typ.), name for German style of black letter
FRAM Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music
framable not -eable
framework (one word)
franc (Fr. m.), coin (not ital.); abbr. f. or fr., pl. f. or frs., to
be put after the figures, as 10 f. 50 c., or 10.50 fr.
fran‡aise (… la)
(Fr.), in the French style, not cap. F
France abbr. Fr.
Franche-Comt‚
province, France
franchise the right to vote, not -ize
francium symbol Fr
Franck (C‚sar Auguste)
1822-90, Belgian-born French organist and composer
Franco (General Francisco)
1892-1975, Spanish head of state 1939-75
franc-tireur
(Fr. m.), an irregular sharpshooter; pl. francs-tireurs
franglais (Fr. m.), French regarded as including too many borrowings from
English
Frankenstein
(in Mary Shelley's novel), the maker of the monster, not the
monster
Frankfort Ind. and Ky. (US)
Frankfurt/-on-Main
W. Germany; -- -on-Oder, E. Germany; in Ger. Frankfurt/ am
Main, -- an der Oder (no hyphens)
frankfurter
seasoned smoked sausage
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
German newspaper, not Frankfor-, fur-
Franz Josef Land
Arctic Ocean (USSR)
frappant (Fr.), striking, affecting
frapp‚ (Fr.), iced
FRAS Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, ditto Asiatic Society
Fraser family name of Barons Lovat, Saltoun, and Strathalmond. See also
Frazer
Fraser River
Brit. Columbia, Canada
Fraser's Magazine
frat/e (It.), a friar; pl. -i
fraternize
not -ise
Frau/ (Ger. f.), Mrs, wife, not Fr„u; abbr. Fr.; pl. -en
Fr„ulein (Ger. n.), Miss, unmarried lady; pl. same; abbr. Frl.
Fraunhofer/ (Joseph von)
German physicist, discoverer of -- lines in sun's spectrum (no
umlaut)
Frazer (Sir James George)
1854-1941, English anthropologist. See also Fraser
FRBS Fellow of the Royal Botanic Society; Fellow of the Royal Society
of British Sculptors
FRCGP Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners
FRCM Fellow of the Royal College of Music
FRCO Fellow of the Royal College of Organists
FRCOG Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
FRCP Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London
F.R.C.Path.
Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
FRCS Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, England
FRCVS Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London
F.R.Econ.S.
Fellow of the Royal Economic Society
Fred. Frederic, Frederick. When it is a full name, or a diminutive of
familiarity, it takes no point
Fredericton
New Brunswick, Canada, not -ck-
free and easy
(three words)
freeboard (one word)
free-born (hyphen)
freedman an emancipated slave; freeman, one to whom the freedom of a city
has been given
free/-for-all, -hand
(adj.) (hyphens)
free/hold, -holder
(one word)
free-lance
(noun & verb)
Freemantle
use Frem-
Freemason/, -ry
(cap., one word)
free-range
(adj., hyphen)
free/-thinker, -thought
(hyphens)
free will the power of self-determination (two words); freewill (adj., one
word)
freeze to convert to ice. See also frieze
freezing-point
abbr. f.p.
frei (Ger.), free; abbr. fr.
Freiberg Saxony, Germany
Freiburg/ im Breisgau
Baden, Germany; Ger. abbr. -- i.B.
Freiburg Switzerland, use Fribourg
Freiherr Get. title; abbr. Frhr.
FreischЃtz (Der)
opera by Weber, 1819
freize use frieze
Fremantle W. Australia, not Free-
French abbr. Fr.; (typ.), alphabet as English; see accents. There are
strict rules for capitalization, division of words, spacing,
etc. The following must suffice here, but reference to Hart's
Rules, pp. 89-103, is strongly recommended. Division of words
is according to spoken syllables, rarely etymology: single
consonant goes with following vowel, including consonant + r or
+ l; take over gn (e.g. sei-gneur); doubled consonants may he
divided. No caps. for adjectives of nationality, the first
pers. pronoun, days of week, months, names of cardinal points,
names indicating rank, as anglais, je, lundi, mars, le nord, le
duc. Accents: acute (') used only over e; when two es come
together the first always has acute accent, as n‚e; grave (')
used over a, e, u; circumflex (^) used over any vowel. Cedilla
c (‡) used only before a, o, u. Diaeresis as in English; the
digraph oe is not to be separated. Quotation marks are usu.
guillemets ® Ї, though rules are more commonly used in
conversational passages
french chalk
(not cap.)
French groove
(bind.), extra space between board and spine
Frenchified, Frenchlike
(cap.)
french polish/, -er, french windows
(two words, not cap.)
frenetic delirious, frantic, not ph-
frenum use frae- feq., frequent, -ly, -ative
frЉre (Fr. m.), brother, friar
FRES Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society
fresco/ water-colour done on damp plaster; pl. -s (not ital.)
freshman first-year man at university (one word)
freshwater
(adj., one word); fresh water (noun, two words)
Fresnel (Augustin Jean)
1788-1827, French physicist
fret/saw, -work
(one word)
Freud/ (Sigmund)
1856-1939, Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis;
adj. -ian
Freytag (Gustav)
1816-95, German writer
FRG Federal Republic of Germany
FRGS Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
F.R.Hist.S.
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Frhr. (Ger.), Freiherr (a title)
FRHS Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society
Fri. Friday
friar's balsam
tincture of benzoin, not -s'
FRIBA Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (pl. FF-)
Fribourg Switzerland, not Frei-; in Ger. Freiburg
FRIC Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, now FRSC
fricandeau/
braised and larded fillet of veal; pl. -x (not ital.)
fricassee/
a white stew (not ital., no accent), pl. -s
FRICS Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Friday abbr. F., Fr., or Fri.
Friedman (Milton)
b. 1912, US economist
frier one who fries, use fryer
Friesian breed of cattle, not Fris-
frieze cloth, (archit.) part below cornice, not frei-
FRIPHH Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene
frippery tawdry finery
Fris. Frisia (Friesland, in Netherlands), Frisian. See also Friesian
fris/ette curls on forehead, not friz-; -eur, hairdresser; -ure, mode of
hairdressing
frisson (Fr. m.), a shudder
frit/ (Fr. cook.) fem. -e, pl. -(e)s, fried
frith estuary, use firth
frizz to roughen, curl, not friz
Frl. (Ger.), Fr„ulein (Miss)
F.R.Med.Soc.
Fellow of the Royal Medical Society
F.R.Met.S.
Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
FRMS Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society
FRNS Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society
fro (no point)
Froebel (Friedrich)
1782-1852, German educationalist, founder of kindergarten system
Frolic/, -ked, -king
fromage (Fr. m.), cheese
Fronde French rebel party during minority of Louis XIV
GA General Assembly (Sc. Ch.); Georgia, US (off. postal abbr.)
Ga gallium (no point)
Ga. Gallic; Georgia, US (off.)
gabardine durable cloth
gabbey use gaby
gabbro/ (geol.), an igneous rock; pl. -s
gaberdine a loose cloak
Gabon/ W. Africa, indep. republic 1960; adj. -ese
Gaborone Botswana
gaby a simpleton, not -ey, gabbey, gawby
Gadarene swine
Gaddi family of Florentine painters, 1259-1396
Gadhel/ a Gael of the Irish, Highland Scottish, or Manx branch; adj. -ic
Gaditanian
of Cadiz, SW Spain
gadolinium
symbol Gd
Gadshill Kent, site of Gad's Hill Place, Charles Dickens's residence
1860-70; character in Shakespeare's Henry IV (one word)
Gaekwar title of prince of Baroda, India, not Gaik-
Gaelic/ abbr. Gael.; -- alphabet, same as English, but no j, k, q, v, w,
x, y, z. See also accents
Gaeltacht region of Ireland where vernacular language is Irish
gaga senile, incapable (one word)
Gagarin (Yuri Alekseyevich)
1934-68, Russian cosmonaut, first to orbit earth, 1961
gage a, or to, pledge. See also gauge
gaiety not gay-
Gaikwar (title), use Gaek-
gaillardia
(bot.), a plant
gaily not gayly
gairfish use garfish
gairfowl use gare-fowl
gairish use garish
Gair Loch Strathclyde, use Gare-
Gairloch Highland, not Gare-
Gaitskell (Hugh Todd Naylor)
1906-63, British statesman
Gaius Roman praenomen, not Caius; abbr. C.
gal unit of acceleration, with numbers Gal (no point)
Gal. Galatians
gal. gallon, -s
gala/ festive occasion; pl. -s (not ital.)
galaena use -lena
galangale use gali-
galantine white meat served cold in jelly, not gall-
Galantuomo (Il Re)
King Victor Emmanuel I of Italy
galanty show
a shadow pantomime, not -tee, gallantee, -ty
Galatea (Acis or Pygmalion and)
Galati Romania, not -acz, -atch, -atz
Galatia Asia Minor
Galatians abbr. Gal.
galavant use galli-
Galaxy (astr.), the Milky Way (system) (cap.)
gale (meteor.), wind moving at 40-70 miles per hour
galena lead ore, not -aena
galera (Sp. typ.), a galley
galЉre (Fr. f.), galley (ship); qu'allait-il faire dans cette --? (how
did he get into this scrape?)
Galilean of Galilee, or of Galileo
Galileo [Galilei]
1564-1642, Italian astronomer and mathematician; in Fr. Galil‚e,
It. Galilei
galingale a sedge with medicinal root, not gala-
galiot a vessel, use gall-
galipot a resin. See also gall-
galivant use galli-
gall. gallon, -s
gallantine
use galantine
gallanty show
use gala-
gallaway see gallo-
gall-bladder
(hyphen)
Galle town, Sri Lanka, formerly Point de Galle
gallery in Fr. f. galerie
Galles (Fr. f. sing.), Wales; adj. gallois/, fem. -e
galley/ (typ.), a flat oblong tray for holding composed type; -- proofs,
those supplied in "slips" about 18 in. long (i.e. impressions
taken from type on galleys). See also proof
Gallic of Gaul, French; abbr. Ga.
gallice in French
Gallic/ism
French idiom; -ize, to make Gallic or French, not -ise
Galli-Curci (Amelita)
1889-1963, Italian soprano
galligaskins
pl., breeches, not -in
gallimaufry
a medley
galliot Dutch cargo-boat
Gallipoli S. Italy, Turkey
gallipot a small jar. See also gali-
gallium symbol Ga
gallivant to gad about, not gala-, gali-
gallon/, -s
abbr. gal. or gall.
galloon a dress trimming
galloot use galoot
gallop/ a horse's movement; -ed, -er, -ing. See also galop
gallopade Hungarian dance, not galop-, gallopp-
Gallovidian
of Galloway
Galloway SW Scotland
galloway a horse, also breed of cattle, not galla-
gallows treated as sing.
gallstone (one word)
Gallup/ (Dr George Horace)
1901-84, founded American Institute of Public Opinion, 1936; --
poll, measure of public opinion (two words, one cap.)
galoot an awkward fellow, not gall-, geel-
galop a dance. See also gallop
galore in abundance
galosh/ an overshoe, not gol-, -oshe; -ed
galumph to gallop triumphantly
galv. galvan/ic, -ism
Galvani (Luigi)
1737-98, discoverer of galvanism
galvanize not -ise
Galway W. Ireland
Galwegian of Galloway
Gama (Vasco da)
1467-1524, Portuguese navigator, first round Africa to India
Gambia (The)
W. Africa, indep. 1965
Gambier Ohio, US
gambier a gum, not -beer, -bir
gamboge yellow pigment, not -booze
gambol/ to frisk; -led, -ling
game/bird, -keeper
(one word)
gamin/ a street urchin, fem. -e (not ital.)
gamma/ unit of magnetic flux density; in SI units 1nT; -- globulin, a
protein; -- ray (two words)
gammon a cured ham, not gamon
gamy having the flavour or scent of game left till high, not -ey
Gand Fr. for Ghent, Belgium
Gandhi/ (Mohandas Karamchand)
(Mahatma Gandhi), 1869-1948, Indian nationalist leader; -- (Mrs
Indira), 1917-84, Prime Minister of India 1966-77, 1980-4, dau.
of Pandit Nehru, not related to preceding; -- (Rajiv), b. 1944,
Prime Minister of India 1984-, her son
gangli/on knot on nerve; pl. -a
gangue rock or earth in which ore is found
gangway (one word)
ganister a hard stone, not gann-
gantlet use gaun-
gantry platform to carry travelling crane, etc., not gau-
Ganymede (Gr. myth.), cup-bearer to the gods
gaol/ -er, not jai-. See also goal
gaol/bird, -break
(one word)
Garamond a typeface
Garamont (Claude)
c.1500-61, French type-designer, -cutter, and -founder
Garcilaso de la Vega
1503-36, Spanish poet; -- -- -- -- ('the Inca'), 1540-1616,
Spanish historian
gar‡on (Fr. m.), bachelor, boy, waiter (ital.)
Garde nationale
(Fr.), national guard (one cap.)
gardenia (bot.), an ornamental shrub (not ital.)
Gardens abbr. Gdns.
gare (Fr. f.), railway station
garefish use garfish
gare-fowl the great auk, not gair-, gar- (hyphen)
Gare Loch Strathclyde, not Gair
Gareloch Highland, use Gair-
garfish similar to pike, not gair-, gare-
gargantuan
enormous (not cap.)
gargoyle (archit.), grotesque spout, not -ile, -oil
Garhwal Uttar Pradesh, India
gari use gharry
garish gaudy, not gair-
garlic but garlicky
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
W. Germany
garnet red precious stone
garn/i (Fr.), fem. -ie, furnished
garrott/e to throttle, not -ote, garotte; -er
Garter King-of-Arms
herald, not -at-
gas (US colloq.), gasoline
gaseous
Gaskell (Mrs Elizabeth Cleghorn)
1810-65, English novelist
gasoline volatile liquid from petroleum, esp. (chiefly US and techn.)
petrol, not -ene
Gasp‚ peninsula, cape, and town (Quebec prov., Canada)
gas poisoning
(two words)
Gast/haus (Ger. n.), an inn; pl. -h„user (cap.)
Gast/hof (Ger. m.), a hotel; pl. -h”fe (cap.)
gastronom/e
a judge of good eating; -ic, -y
gastropod any member of the Gastropoda, mollusc class (not ital.); not
-ster-
gѓt/‚ (Fr.), fem. -‚e, spoiled
gѓteau/ (Fr. m.), cake, pl. -s
gatecrash/, -er
(one word)
gate/fold folded oversize page (one word)
gate/keeper, -post, -way
(one word)
gather (bind.), to assemble the printed and folded sections in sequence
GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
gauch/e awkward; -erie, awkwardness (not ital.)
gauche (Fr.), left; abbr. g.
gaucho/ a mounted herdsman, native of the pampas, not gua-; pl. -s
gaud/y annual entertainment, esp. college dinner; (adj.) showy; -ily,
-iness
gaug/e a measure; -ing, not guage. See also gage
Gauguin (EugЉne Henri Paul)
1848-1903, French painter
Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (ђtienne)
1772-1844, French zoologist, not -frey (one hyphen only)
Geoffrey-Lloyd (Baron)
geog. geograph/er, -ical, -y
geographical qualifiers
forming everyday terms, usually have lower-case initials, as
chinese white, indian ink, roman type. But Brussels sprouts,
London pride. See capitalization and Hart's Rules, pp. 12-13
geol. geolog/ical, -ist, -y
geologize not -ise
geology names of formations to have caps., as Old Red Sandstone
geom. geome/ter, -trical, -try
Geordie native of Tyneside
Georg Ger. for George
George abbr. Geo.
George-Brown (Baron)
Georgetown
Guyana
George Town
Cayman Is., Malaysia (two words)
Georgia US; off. abbr. Ga. or (postal) GA
Georgia a Soviet Socialist Republic. See also USSR
Georgian of Georgia or the Georges
Georgium sidus
(astr.), old name for Uranus
Ger. German, Germany
ger. gerund, -ial
geranium/ (bot.), pl. -s (not ital.)
Gerard (John)
1545-1612, English botanist, not -arde
gerbil desert rodent, not jer-
gerfalcon use gyrfalcon
G‚ricault (Jean Louis Andr‚ Th‚odore)
1791-- 1824, French painter
gerkin use ghe-
German abbr. Ger. (typ.), now usually set in roman (Antiqua) type; see
accents. The Fraktur alphabet (listed in Hart's Rules, p. 104)
has no small caps. or italic, emphasis being shown by
letter-spacing. For details of German printing-practice (note
esp. the rules on capitalization, word-division, and ligatures)
see Hart's Rules, pp. 103-11
german (cousin)
germane to
relevant
germanium symbol Ge
Germanize not -ise
Germany abbr. Ger.
G‚r“me (Jean L‚on)
1824-1904, French painter
gerrymander
to manipulate unfairly, not je-
gerund/, -ial
abbr. ger.
Ges. (Ger.), Gesellschaft (a company or society) (cap.)
gesammelte Werke
(Ger. pl.), collected works (one cap.)
Gesellschaft
(Ger. f.), a company or society (cap.), abbr. Ges.
gesso/ gypsum used in art, pl. -es
gest. (Ger.), gestorben, deceased
Gestalt/ a shape, the whole as more than the sum of its parts; also used
as adj. to describe philosophy or psychology based on this
Gestapo German secret police (under Hitler)
Gesta Romanorum
(Lat. pl.), medieval collection of anecdotes
gesticulator
one who moves his bands and arms in talking, not -er
gestorben (Ger.), deceased; abbr. gest.,
gesundheit!
(Ger.), your health (said also to one who sneezes)
get-at-able
accessible (hyphens)
gettable (two ts)
Gettysburg
Pennsylvania, scene of Battle and of Lincoln's address, 1863
Geulinex (Arnold)
1625-69, Dutch philosopher
GeV giga-electron-volt
Gewandhaus
(Ger. n.), Clothworkers' Hall, concert-hall in Leipzig
gewgaw gaudy plaything (one word)
geyser hot spring, water-heater (not ital.). See also geezer
gnos/is knowledge of spiritual mysteries; pl. -es; -tic, having
spiritual knowledge; Gnosticism, an eclectic philosophy of the
redemption of the spirit from matter through knowledge
GR Georgius, or Gulielmus, Rex (King George, or William)
Gr. Grand, Greater, Grecian, Greece, Greek
gr. grain, -s; for gram use g.
Graafian follicle
in ovary
Graal use Grail
Gracchus (Gaius Sempronius)
153-121 BC, and his brother -- (Tiberius Sempronius), 163-133
BC, the Gracchi, Roman reformers
grace-note
(mus.) (hyphen)
Graci n (Baltasar)
1601-58, Spanish moralist
gradatim (Lat.), step by step
gradus ad Parnassum
(Lat.), step(s) to Parnassus; Lat. or Gr. poetical dictionary;
any series of graded exercises; in short gradus (not ital.)
Graeae (Gr. myth.), three sisters who guarded the abode of the Gorgons
Graec/ism a Greek characteristic; -ize, -ophile
Graf (Ger.), a count; fem. Gr„fin (cap.)
graffit/o scribbling, usu. on wall; pl. -i. See also sgraffito
Grahame (Kenneth)
1859-1932, English author
Graian Alps
France and Italy
Grail (the Holy)
in medieval legend, the platter used by Christ at the Last
Supper, and by Joseph of Arimathea to catch Christ's blood, not
Graal, Graile
grain apothecaries', avoirdupois, or troy weight, all the same, being
0.0648 gram; abbr. gr.
Grainger (Percy Aldridge)
1882-1961, Australian-born US composer
gram unit of mass; abbr. g. (but no point in scientific and technical
work);in SI units 0.001 kg
gram. gramm/ar, -arian, -atical
gramaphone
use gramo-
graminivorous
feeding on grass, not gramen-
gramm/ar, -arian, -atical
abbr. gram.
grammar school
(two words)
gramme use gram
Grammont E. Flanders, Belgium
Gramont (Philibert, comte de)
1621-1707, French courtier, adventurer, and soldier, not Gramm-
gramophone
not grama-, grammo-
Gram's stain
(bacteriol.) (cap.)
Granada Spain
granadilla
one of the passion-flowers, not gren- (not ital.)
Gran Chaco (El)
region in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina, S. America
Grand abbr. G. or Gr.
grandad not grand-dad
grandam grandmother, old woman, not -dame
grand-aunt
(hyphen)
Grand Canyon
Arizona, US
grandchild
(one word)
Grand Coulee Dam
Washington, US
grand-dad use grandad
granddaughter
(one word)
Grand/ Duchess, -- Duchy, -- Duke
(two words, both caps. if used as title); abbr. GD
grande/ dame
(Fr.), dignified lady; -- passion, violent love-affair; --
tenue, or -- toilette, full dress
grandeur naturelle
(Fr. f.), life-size
grandfather
(one word)
Grand Guignol
horrific drama (not ital.)
grand jury
(not caps.)
grand mal (Fr. m.), serious form of epilepsy (ital.)
grandmaster
chess-player of highest class
Grand Master
(caps.), abbr. GM
grand' messe
(Fr. f.), high mass
Grand Monarque (le)
Louis XIV
grand monde (le)
(Fr.), the Court and nobility
grandmother
(one word)
grand/-nephew, -niece
(hyphen)
Grand Old Party
(US), the Republican party; abbr. GOP
grandparent
(one word)
Grand Prix
(Fr.), international motor-racing event; pl. Grands -- (not
ital.); abbr. GP
Grand Rapids
town, Michigan, US
grand signior
one of high rank; (caps.) the Sultan of Turkey; in Fr. grand
seigneur; It. gran signore; Sp. gran se¤or
grandson (one word), abbr. g.s.
granduncle
(one word)
grangerize
to illustrate a book with cuttings etc. from other sources, to
produce a book with blank leaves for these; not -ise (not cap.)
granny not -ie
Grant Duff (Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone)
1829-1906, Scottish politician (no hyphen)
granter one who grants
Granth the Sikh scriptures, not Grunth
grantor (law), one who makes a grant
gran turismo
(It.), touring-car
Granville-Barker (Harley)
1877-1946, English playwright, producer, and actor
grapefruit
pl. same
graphology
study of character from handwriting, not graphio-
gras (Fr.), fem. grasse, fat. See also gros
Grasmere Cumbria
grass/ (typ.), casual work; -- hand, one casually employed
Grass (GЃnter Wilhelm)
b. 1927, German novelist
Grasse d‚p. Alpes-Maritimes, France
grass/hopper, -land
(one word)
gratia Dei
(Lat.), by the grace of God
gratin see au gratin
gratis for nothing, free (not ital.)
Grattan (Henry)
1746-1820, Irish statesman and orator
Gratz Austria, use Graz
Gr„tz Czechoslovakia, use Hradec
Gr„tz Poland, use Grodzisk
GraubЃnden
Ger. for Grisons
grauwacke use grey-
gravamen/ chief ground of complaint; pl. -s
grave (mus.), slow, solemn
grave accent
gravel/ cover with gravel, puzzle; -led, -ling
Graves a Bordeaux white wine
Graves' disease
exophthalmic goitre (apos.)
grave/stone, -yard
(one word)
gravitas (Lat.), solemn demeanour
gravure (typ.), intaglio printing process (from photogravure)
gray colour, use grey
gray unit of absorbed radiation dose; abbr. Gy (no point); in SI
units 1 J/kg
Gray (Asa)
1850-88, US botanist; -- (Louis Harold), 1905-65, English
radiobiologist; -- (Thomas), 1716-71, English poet. See also
Grey
grayling a fish, not grey-
Gray's Inn
London
graywacke use grey-
Graz cap. of Styria, Austria, not Gratz
grazier one who pastures cattle, not -zer
GRCM Graduate of the Royal College of Music
greasy not -ey
Great Britain
abbr. GB
Greater Manchester
metropolitan county
great gross
144 dozen; abbr. g.gr.
Great Power
(caps. with hist. reference)
great primer
(typ.), name for a former size of type, about 18 pt.; pron.
primmer; abbr. g.p.
Greats Oxford BA final examination for honours in Lit. Hum.
Grecian almost entirely superseded by Greek except as adj. with ref. to
archit. and facial outline, and as noun for a boy in the top
form at Christ's Hospital, or a Greek-speaking Jew of the
Dispersion; also -- bend, -- knot, -- slippers; abbr. Gr.
Grec/ism, -ize, -ophil
use Grae-
Greco (El)
1541-1614, Spanish painter, born in Crete, real name Domenico
Theotocopuli or Kyriakos Theotokopoulos
Greece abbr. Gr.
greegree Afr. fetish, not gri-gri
Greek (typ.) for details of alphabet, word-division, accentuation,
numerals, etc. see Hart's Rules, pp. 111-16. See also accents.
With a few exceptions for early texts, the same sorts are used
in classical and modern work, but modern initial rho does not
take a breathing. In England a sloping fount (esp. Porson, q.v.)
is preferred for classical work; in Greece and the continent
generally, upright founts predominate in all setting, and in
some (not scholarly) work accents and breathings are replaced by
superscript dots. Abbr. Gr. or Gk.
Greek calends (at the)
never; in Lat. ad kalendas Graecas
Greeley (Horace)
1811-72, US journalist and politician
Greely (Adolphus Washington)
1844-1935, US general and Arctic explorer
Green (John Richard), 1837-83, English historian
Greene (Sir Conyngham), 1854-1934, British diplomatist; -- (Graham), b.
1904, English novelist; -- (Plunket), 1865-1936, English singer;
-- (Robert), 1560-92, English dramatist and pamphleteer
green/gage, -grocer, -house
(one word)
Greenland/, -er, -ic
green-room
room off-stage for actors (hyphen)
greensand a sandstone; Lower and Upper Greensand, two strata of the
Cretaceous system
Greenwich Mean Time
(caps.), abbr. GMT
greetings card
not greeting (two words)
gregale the Mediterranean NE wind, not -cale, grigale (not cap.)
grЉge colour between beige and grey, not grei-
gregory-powder
an aperient
Greifswald
E. German university town
Grenada W. Indies, indep. 1974
grenadilla
use gran-
grenadine a thin silk fabric; (cook.) dish of veal or poultry fillets; a
syrup made from currants or pomegranates, in Fr. m. grenadin
Grenadines
chain of islands between Grenada and St Vincent, W. Indies
Gresham/'s Law
"bad money drives out good", from Sir Thomas --, 1519-79,
English financier
Gr‚try (Andr‚ Erneste Modeste)
1741-1813, French composer
Greuze (Jean Baptiste)
1725-1805, French painter
Gr‚vy (Fran‡ois Paul Jules)
1807-91, French President, 1879-87
grey colour, not gray
Grey (Lady Jane), 1537-54, proclaimed Queen of Eng., 1553, deposed,
beheaded. See also Fallodon; Gray
greybeard old man, large jug, clematis (one word)
Greyfriars College
Oxford
grey-hen fem. of blackcock (hyphen)
greyhound (one word)
greyling use gra-
grey matter
(two words)
greywacke (geol.), a sedimentary rock, not grau-, gray- (not ital.)
Grieg (Edvard Hagerup)
not Edward, 1843-1907, Norwegian composer
Grieve see MacDiarmid
griffin a fabulous creature, not -on, gryphon
griffon vulture, breed of dog
grigale use gre-
gri-gri use greegree
grill to cook under grill, etc.
grille a grating (not ital.)
grill/‚ fem. -‚e (Fr. cook.), broiled
grimalkin a cat, spiteful old woman
Grimm (Jakob)
1785-1863, and his brother -- (Wilhelm), 1786-1859, German
philologists, collectors of fairy-tales; Grimm's Law, deals with
consonantal changes in Germanic languages
Grimond (Joseph)
b. 1913, British Liberal politician
Grimsetter Airport
Orkney
grimy begrimed, not -ey
Grindelwald
Switz., not Grindle-
grindstone
(one word)
gringo/ (Sp. Amer.), a foreigner, esp. English-speaking (derog.); pl.
-s (not ital.)
grippe influenza
Griqua/ half-breed of Cape Dutch and Hottentot parents; -land, S.
Africa
grisaille a method of decorative painting (not ital.)
grisette a working girl
grisly terrible, not grizz-
Gris-Nez (Cap), d‚p. Pas-de-Calais, France (hyphen)
Grisons Swiss canton, in Ger. Graubunden
grissini (It. pl.), long sticks of crispbread
gristly having or like gristle, not -ey
Grizel a proverbial meek wife
grizzly/ grey-haired; -- bear (two words)
gro. gross
Grodzisk Poland, not Gratz
groin the fold between belly and thigh; (archit.) line of intersection
of two vaults. See also groyne
gros/ (Fr.), fem. -se, big. See also gras
grosbeak the hawfinch
groschen (m.), Austrian and old German small coin; pl. same
grosgrain corded silk fabric
gros point
(Fr. m.), cross-stitch embroidery on canvas
H henry (unit of inductance), hydrogen, (pencils) hard (see also
HH, HHH), (former film-censorship classification) horrific,
(mus.) B natural in German system, the eighth in a series
H. harbour, hydrant
h hour, -s (in scientific and technical work), (as prefix) hecto-
hair-space
(typ.), very thin space formerly used for letter-spacing
(hyphen)
hair/-style, -stylist, -trigger
(hyphens)
Haiti W. Indies, not Hayti; formerly the island of Hispaniola, now its
western part
hajji see hadji
hakenkreuz
(Ger. n.), the swastika
hakim oriental medical man, oriental ruler, not -keem
Hakluyt (Richard)
c.1553-1616, English historian and geographer; -- Society; not
Hack-
halal meat prepared according to Muslim law
halberd/ combined spear and battleaxe, not -ert; -ier
Halcyone use Alcyone
hale to drag, not hail
Halevi (Judah)
c.1085-1140, Spanish-Jewish philosopher and poet
Hal‚vy (ђlie)
1870-1937, French historian; -- (Jacques Fran‡ois Fromental
ђlie), 1799-1862, his great-uncle, French composer; -- (Joseph),
1827-1917, French traveller; -- (Ludovic), 1834-1908, father of
ђlie, French playwright and novelist
half see fractions
half/ a crown, -- a dozen, -- an hour
etc. (no hyphens), but half/ -crown, -dozen, -hour (etc.)
half-and-half
(hyphens)
half/-binding
(bind.), when the spine and corners are bound in a different
material from the sides (hyphen); ---bound (hyphen)
half/-breed, -caste, -hearted
(hyphens)
half/ holiday, -- moon, -- pay
(two words)
half/-mast, -past
(hyphens)
halfpenny (one word)
halfpennyworth
(one word), colloq. ha'p'orth
half/-price, -term, -time
(hyphens)
half-title
(typ.), the short title printed on the leaf before the full
title. Also called bastard title
halftone (typ.), technique whereby the various tones are represented by
varying sizes of minute dots (one word)
half/-way, -wit(ted), -year(ly)
(hyphens)
Haliburton (Thomas Chandler)
1796-1865, Canadian-born British writer; pseud. Sam Slick
halibut a fish, not hol-
halieutic of fishing
hallabaloo
use hulla-
Hall‚/ (Sir Charles)
1819-95, German-born Mancunian pianist and conductor, founded --
Orchestra 1857
Halle an der Saale
E. Germany; abbr. Halle a/S.
hallelujah
see alleluia; "Hallelujah Chorus", in Handel's Messiah
Halles (Les)
Paris, the central market until 1968
Halley (Edmond
not -und), 1656-1742, English astronomer
halliard use halyard
Halliwell-Phillipps (James Orchard)
1820-89, English Shakespearian scholar
hallmark mark used at Goldsmiths' Hall and by Govt. assay officials for
marking standard of gold and silver
hallo not he-, hu-
Hallow/e'en
31 Oct.; -mas (one word), 1 Nov., All Saints' Day
hall/ux the great toe; pl. -uces
halm stalk or stem, use haulm
halo/ ring of light round moon, head, etc.; pl. -es
Hals (Frans)
1580 (or 84)-1666, Dutch painter
halva sweetmeat of sesame flour and honey, not -ah
halyard (naut.), a rope for raising sail, not halli-, hauly-
hamadryad/
a wood-nymph, a serpent, a baboon; pl. -s
Hambleden Bucks.; -- (Viscount)
Hambledon Hants, Surrey
Hambleton Lancs., Leics., N. Yorks.
Hambros Bank, Ltd.
(no apos.)
Hamburg/ city in W. Germany, a fowl, a grape; -er (not cap.), cake of
chopped steak usu. in a roll
"Hamelin (Pied Piper of)"
by R. Browning, 1842
Hamitic group of Afr. languages
hammam Turkish bath, not hummum, -aum
Hammarskj”ld (Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl)
1905-61, Sec.-Gen. of UN 1953-61
Hammergafferstein (Hans)
pseud. of Henry W. Longfellow
Hammerklavier
(Ger.), former name of pianoforte (opp. harpsichord); (quot.
marks, not ital.) name given to a piano sonata by Beethoven
Hampden (John)
1594-1643, English patriot and statesman
Hampshire abbr. Hants
Hampton Court
London
hamster household pet
ham/string
past and partic. correctly -stringed, but -strung favoured by
usage
Hamtramck Mich., US
hand/bag, -bell, -bill, -book, -brake
(one word)
Hand/buch (Ger. n.), manual (cap.), pl. -bЃcher
h. & c. hot and cold (water)
handcuffs (one word)
Handel (George Frideric)
1685-1759, German composer resident in England; in Ger. H„ndel.
See also Handl
Handels/blatt
(Ger. n.), trade journal (cap.), pl. -blatter
handful/ not -ll; pl. -s
handicap/, -per, -ping
handiwork not handy-
H. & J. (comp.), hyphenation and justification
handkerchief/
pl. -s, abbr. hdkf.
Handl (Jacob)
1550-91, Austrian composer, not Ha-. See also Handel
hand/list, -made, -maid(en)
(one word)
hand-out (noun, hyphen)
hand-picked
(hyphen)
handrail (one word)
Handschrift
(Ger. f.), MS; abbr. Hs. (cap.)
handsel/ earnest-money; -ling, not hans-
handset combined mouthpiece and ear-piece (one word)
hand-setting
(typ.), manual composition from previously-cast metal sorts
assembled in a fount-case (hyphen)
hand/shake, -writing
(one word)
handyman (one word)
handywork use handi-
hangar/ a shed; -age
hangdog shamefaced (one word)
hanged past tense or partic., used of capital punishment; other senses
use hung
hanger one who, or that which, hangs; also a sword, a wood
hanging/ paragraph
or -- indent (typ.), short paragraph or listed items (as in
bibliographies) set with second and following lines indented
under first line (as here)
hangover after-effects of drinking (one word)
Hanover in Ger. Hannover
Hans/ (Du., Ger.), Jack; -- Niemand, "Mr Nobody"
Hanse/ medieval German league; adj. -atic
hansel use hand-
hansom a two-wheeled cab
Hants Hampshire (no point)
hapax legomen/on
(Gr.), a word found once only; pl. -a
hard copy (comp.), printed or typed record of keyboard input (two words).
See also soft copy
Hardecanute
accepted variant of Harthacnut, 1019-42, king of Denmark and
England
hard hit severely affected (two words)
Hardie (James Keir)
1856-1915, British socialist
hardi/hood, -ness
not hardy-
Harding (Baron, of Petherton)
Hardinge (Viscount); -- (Baron, of Penshurst)
hardline (adj.), unyielding (one word)
hardness (mineral.), abbr. h.
hards coarse flax, not hur-
hard shoulder
on motorway (two words)
Hardt Mountains
Bavarian Palatinate. See also Harz --
Hardwicke (Earl of)
hardwood (one word), but hard-wooded
hard-working
(hyphen)
harebell (bot.), not hair- (one word)
hare/-brain, -brained
not hair- (hyphens)
Harefoot sobriquet of Harold I
harelip not hair- (one word)
harem (Arab.), the women's part of a house, its occupants, not -am,
-eem, -im (not ital.)
harem-scarem
use harum-scarum
Hargreaves (James)
1720-78, English weaver, inventor of the spinning-jenny
haricot a ragout usu. of mutton and beans; haricot de mouton, Irish
stew; -s blancs, kidney beans; -s d'Espagne, scarlet runners; -s
verts, French beans
haridan use harridan
harier use harrier
harijan Indian Untouchable
hari-kari use hara-kiri
harim use harem
Haringey Greater London borough, 1965, not -ay. See also Harringay
Harington (Sir John)
1561-1612, English poet and pamphleteer. See also Harri-
hark listen, but (arch.) hearken
harl a fibre, not -le
Harlech Gwynedd, not -ck
Harleian of Harley
Harlem New York. See also Haarlem
Harlesden London
Harleston Devon, Norfolk, Suffolk
Harlestone
Northants
Harlow (Jean)
1911-37, US film-actress
Harlow Essex, "new town", 1947
Harlowe (Clarissa)
by Richardson, 1748
harmattan W. African land-wind
Harmen see Arminius
harmonize not -ise
Harper's Bazaar
US magazine of fashion, founded 1867; also the British version,
founded 1929, now Harpers & Queen
Harpers Ferry
West Virginia, US (no apos.)
Harper's Magazine
US monthly magazine, founded 1850
harquebus a portable gun, not -ss, arquebus; -ier
Harraden (Beatrice)
1864-1936, English writer
harrass use harass
harridan a haggard old woman, not hari-
harrier one who harries, a hound for hunting hares, a hawk, a
cross-country runner, not harier
Harringay N. London. See also Haringey
Harrington (Earl of).
See also Hari-
Harrogate N. Yorks., not Harrow-
Harrovian member of Harrow School
Hart (Horace)
Printer to the University of Oxford 1883-1915
hartal closing of Indian shops as protest or gesture
Harte (Francis Bret),
1836-1902, US novelist and story-writer
hartebeest
S. Afr. antelope, not hartb-, -bees
Hartford Conn., US
Harthacnut
more correct form of Hardecanute
Hartlepool
Cleveland
hartshorn ammonia (one word)
Hart's Rules for Compositors and Readers
39th edition, completely revised, 1983
Hartz Mountains
use Harz --. See also Hardt
harum-scarum
reckless (hyphen), not harem-scarem
Harun-al-Rashid
763-809, a caliph of Baghdad, hero of the Arabian Nights, not
-oun, -ar-, -sch- (two hyphens)
Harvard system of references
see authorities
Harvard University
abbr. Harv. or HU, at Cambridge, Mass., US
Harv/ey (William)
1578-1657, English physician, discovered blood circulation;
-eian, not -eyan
Harz Mountains
cent. Germany, not Hartz --. See also Hardt
has-been/ person or thing that is no longer of use, pl. -s (hyphen)
Hasek (Jaroslav)
1884-1923, Czech satirist
Hashemites
Arab princely family
hashish hemp smoked or chewed as drug, not hach-, hasch-, -eesh, -isch
Hasid/ member of mystical Jewish sect; adj. -ic, not Hass-, Ch-
Haslemere Surrey. See also Haz-
hasn't to be printed close up
Hasse (Johann Adolph)
1699-1783, German composer
Hassler (Hans Leo)
1564-1612, German composer
hatable not -eable
hatband (one word)
hatch/back
(car with door at rear), -way (one word)
hatha yoga
system of exercises in yoga
hat-pin (hyphen)
Hatshepsut
Queen of Egypt, c.1500 BC
hatti/ short form of ---humayun or ---sherif, Turkish edict made
irrevocable by Sultan's mark
hat trick (two words)
hauler one who or that which hauls
haulier a man employed in hauling something, esp. coal in a mine; a firm
or person engaged in road transport
haulm (bot.), a stalk or stem, not halm
haulyard use hal-
Hauptmann (Gerhart)
1862-1946, German poet and dramatist; -- (Moritz), 1792-1868,
German composer
Hausa of Cent. Sudan, not -ssa, Housa
hausfrau Germanic housewife (ital., not cap.)
Haussmann (Georges EugЉne, baron)
1809-91, Paris architect
Haute/-Garonne
d‚p. SW France; -Loire, d‚p. cent. France; -Marne, -Saone, d‚ps.
E. France; -Savoie, d‚p. SE France (hyphens)
Hautes-Alpes
d‚p. SE France (hyphen)
Hautes-Pyrenees
d‚p. SW France (hyphen)
hauteur haughty demeanour (not ital.)
Haute-Vienne
d‚p. cent. France (hyphen). See also Vienne
haute vol‚e
(Fr. f.), the upper ten
haut-go–t (Fr. m.), high flavour
haut monde
(Fr. m.), fashionable society
Haut-Rhin d‚p. E. France (hyphen)
Hauts-de-Seine
d‚p. Paris region, France (two hyphens)
Havana Cuba, not -ah, -annah; in Sp. Habana
Havas a French news agency
haven't to be printed close up
haver (Sc.), to talk nonsense (not to vacillate)
Haverfordwest
Dyfed
Havergal (Frances Ridley)
1836-79, English hymn-writer
haversack bag for carrying food, not -sac
havoc/ (noun); as verb, -ked, -king
Havre France, use Le Havre
Hawai/i one of the Hawaiian Islands, formerly Sandwich Islands; these
islands as a group; state of US comprising most of them, off.
abbr. (postal) HI; adj. -ian
haw-haw a sunk fence, use ha-ha
Haw-Haw (Lord)
nickname of William Joyce, American-born German propagandist in
Second World War, executed 1946
hawk's-bill
a turtle
hawk-eyed (hyphen)
hawse (naut.), part of ship's bows
hawthorn (one word)
Hawthorne (Julian)
1846-1934, US writer; -- (Nathaniel), 1804-64, his father, US
novelist
hay a country dance, not hey (but Shepherd's Hey, by P. A. Grainger)
Haydn (Johann Michael)
1737-1806, and his brother -- (Franz Joseph), 1732-1809,
Austrian composers; -- (Joseph), d. 1856, compiled Dictionary of
Dates
Haydon (Benjamin Robert)
1786-1846, English painter
hay fever (two words)
hay/field, -maker, -rick, -stack
-wire (one word)
Hayti use Haiti
hazel/-hen, -nut
(hyphens)
Hazlemere Bucks. See also Has-
Hazlitt (William)
1778-1830, English essayist; -- (William Carew), 1834-1913,
English bibliographer
HC habitual criminal, Heralds' College, High Church, Holy
Communion, Home Counties, (Fr.) hors concours (not competing),
House of Commons, House of Correction
h.c. honoris causa
HCF or h.c.f. (math.), highest common factor; HCF, Honorary Chaplain
to the Forces
HE His Eminence, His or Her Excellency; high explosive
He helium (no point)
head (typ.), the blank space at the top of a page. See also margins
headache (one word)
headachy not -ey
head/band band worn round head, (bind.), strengthening band of
multicoloured silk etc. sewn or stuck to head (and sometimes
tail) of back of book; -board (one word)
head-dress
(hyphen)
headgear (one word)
headings (typ.), should be graded to show relative importance, and used
consistently throughout
head/lamp, -land
(one word)
Headless Cross
Hereford & Worc.
headlight (one word)
headlines or running titles (typ.), at head of pages; various combinations
can be adopted, including book, part, section, or chapter title,
subhead, or summary of page content, shortened if necessary to
keep it to a single line; in bookwork chapter title generally
most suitable on both recto and verso, dividing long titles
across opening; pagination, q.v., may be included in outer
corners
headman a chief (one word)
head/master, -mistress
as general term (one word)
Head/ Master, -- Mistress
official title at certain schools (two words); abbr. HM
head-note summary at head of chapter or page, (mus.) a tone produced in
the head register (hyphen)
head-on (hyphen)
head/phone(s), -piece
(one word)
headquarters
used as sing. of the place, pl. of the occupants (one word);
abbr. HQ or hdqrs.
head-rest support for the head (hyphen)
headroom (one word)
head-sail one before the foremast (hyphen)
headscarf (one word)
head sea waves from forward direction (two words)
headship position of chief (one word)
headsman executioner (one word)
headstock bearings in machine (one word)
head/stone, -strong, -way
(one word)
head wind (two words)
headword (typ.), emphasized word opening a paragraph or entry, etc. (as
here) (one word)
head-work (hyphen)
heal see hele
health/ centre, -- certificate, --
food (two words)
healthful not -ull
health/officer, -visitor
(two words)
Heap see Heep
hear, hear!
exclamation of agreement, not here, here
hearken see hark
Hearn (Lafcadio)
1850-1904, US author
heart/ache, -beat
(one word)
heart-break/, -er, -ing, heart-broken
(hyphens)
heartburn pyrosis (one word)
heart-burn
jealousy (hyphen)
heart-disease
(hyphen)
heart failure
(two words)
heartfelt (one word)
hearth/rug, -stone
(one word)
heart/-rending, -searching
(hyphens)
heart's-ease
a pansy (apos., hyphen)
heart/sick, -sore
(one word)
heart/-strings, -throb, -whole
(hyphens)
heathenize
not -ise
heather mixture
fabric of mixed hues (two words)
heat-resistant
(hyphen)
heave ho! (two words)
Heaven cap. when equivalent to the Deity; l.c. when a place, as "heaven
is our home"
heaven/-born, -sent
(hyphens)
Heaviside layer
layer of the atmosphere that reflects radio waves, not Heavy-
heavy/-duty, -handed
(hyphens)
heavy water
(two words)
heavyweight
(one word)
Heb. Hebrew(s), Epistle to the Hebrews (NT)
hebdomad/ a group of seven, a week, not -ade; adj. -al
Hebraize to make Hebrew, not -ise, -aicize
Hebrew (typ.), 22 letters (all consonants) and many strokes and points
(representing vowel sounds), etc. It is read from right to left:
hence if any passage is divided, the right-hand words must go in
the first line, and the left-hand in the second. Abbr. Heb.
Hebrews abbr. Heb.
Hebridean not -ian
Hecat/e a Greek goddess; adj. -aean
hecatomb sacrifice of many (literally 100) oxen
heckelphone
(mus.), baritone oboe
Heckmondwike
W. Yorks.
Hecla mt., Western Isles, not Hek-. See also Hekla
hectare 10,000 sq. metres; abbr. ha (no point in scientific and
technical work)
hecto- prefix maning 100; abbr. h; hectogram (hg), 100 grams;
hectolitre (hl), 100 litres; hectometre (hm), 100 metres (abbrs.
no point in scientific and technical work)
Hedda Gabler
play by Ibsen, 1890
hedgehog/ adj. -gy
hedgerow (one word)
hedgrah use hegira
hee-haw a, or to, bray, not he-
heel see hele
Heep (Uriah)
in Dickens's David Copperfield, not Heap
Heer (Ger. n.), army (cap.)
Heft (Ger. n.), number, part, abbr. H.
Hegel/ (Georg, not -e, Wilhelm Friedrich)
1770-1831, German philosopher; adj. -ian
hegemon/y leadership, esp. political; adj. -ic
hegira the flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, 16 July AD 622,
from which the Muslim era is reckoned (Arab. hijrah); not
hedgrah, heijira (not ital.). The calendar follows a 355-day
lunar cycle, and it is difficult to to equate AD and AH dates
Heidegger (Martin)
1889-1976, German philosopher
Heidelberg
W. German university town
Heidsieck a champagne
Heifetz (Jascha)
1901-87, Russian-born US violinist
heighday use hey-
heigh-ho an audible sigh, not hey-
height to paper
(typ.), overall height of type, usu. 2.33 cm.
hermeneutics
the science of interpretation, treated as sing.
hernia/ a rupture; pl. -s
hero/ (a, not an) pl. -es; adj. -ic
Herodotus c.484-c.420 BC, Greek historian, abbr. Hdt. or Herod.
heroin a drug, not -ine
heroine heroic woman, chief female character in story, etc.
heroize to make a hero of, not -ise
herpes a skin disease; herpes zoster, shingles
herpetolog/y
study of reptiles; -ist, not er-
Herr/ (Ger. m.), Mr, Sir, pl. -en
Herr (der)
(Ger.), the Lord (cap.)
herr (Dan., Norw., Swed.), Mr, abbr. hr.
Herrenvolk
(Ger. n.), master race, (in Nazi ideology) the German people
Herrgott (Ger.), Lord God
herring-bone
a stitch (hyphen)
Herrnhuter
one of the sect of the Moravians (not ital.)
Her Royal Highness
(caps.), abbr. HRH
hers (no apostrophe)
Herschel (Caroline Lucretia)
1750-1848, German-born English astronomer; -- (Sir John
Frederick William), 1792-1871, English astronomer, son of --
(Sir William, orig. Friedrich Wilhelm), 1738-1822, German-born
English astronomer