Wamble – sick to the stomach
Have you heard this archaic word before? We’re not talking about those furry little fictional characters with pointy noses here. No, a ‘wamble’ is a horrible feeling of nausea. These days, we might say we have an unsettled stomach or feel a bit queasy. Maybe you ate one too many biscuits on your break or you just remembered that tomorrow is Monday. Do you wamble your way out of the weekend? You’ll struggle to find a more wonderful word than wamble for digestive discomfort.
Hullabaloo – much ado about nothing
The word ‘hullabaloo’ paints such a vivid picture, doesn’t it? We’ve all been in situations and ended up wondering what all the fuss was about. Perhaps you’ve received a mass email summoning you to the most-important meeting of all time – only to leave not knowing what the point of it all was. Or one of your coworkers might have made a hullabaloo over the broken coffee machine the other day. In a noisier, more chaotic context, a hullabaloo might also be described as a brouhaha, a ruckus or a kerfuffle.
Knavery – play your cards right
It’s so frustrating to deal with people who are known for their knavery. You know the sort – they go out of their way to trick and deceive others. ‘Knavery’ comes from the word ‘knave’, which was used to refer to a dishonest young man. Did you know that knave also used to be the name for the jack in a pack of cards? The best thing you can do when you suspect someone of knavery is to call their bluff. Cheats never prosper, after all!
Foppish – mirror, mirror on the wall
There are plenty of vain and superficial people around these days, but we wouldn’t use the word ‘foppish’ to describe them anymore. You see, a ‘fop’ was usually a man who was overly concerned with clothes and fashion. Someone who received this insult in the 17th century would have taken a certain amount of pride in their appearance and perhaps been seen as rather frivolous. A foppish person would love to be given a compliment about their smart new boots or the lovely scarf around their neck. But then again... who wouldn’t?
Scoundrel – the bad boy next door
If you hear the word ‘scoundrel’, you might think you’ve ended up in the pages of an old adventure story. And you’ve just come across the villain or baddie in the narrative. A scoundrel has traditionally been a dishonourable or unscrupulous character. But you could say the meaning has been diluted over the years. Nowadays you might save the word scoundrel for the guy who smiles and winks as he nabs the last piece of pizza.
Perambulate – stretch your legs
We’re all so wrapped up in our busy lives that we don’t take the time to perambulate. This is walking but not as we know it. We’re talking about strolling, sauntering or ambling around in the great outdoors without any particular purpose. Nowhere to be and not a care in the world. Before you rush into your next meeting or start hurtling towards your next deadline, why not take the time for an aimless wander in the fresh air? Perambulating around the park can work wonders – especially if you need to clear your head.
Cachinnation – laugh and the world laughs with you
Here’s a rarely heard word to make you chuckle. Or laugh hysterically and uncontrollably. That’s the kind of raucous response we’re referring to with cachinnation. We might call it a guffaw or a chortle. Or maybe we’d just say LOL. Sometimes you have to cachinnate or you’ll cry.
Rapscallion – a loveable rogue
The word ‘rapscallion’ implies a cheeky charm. It’s usually used to refer to a mischievous man who lives life on his own terms – and doesn’t have much regard for rules or responsibilities. When this kind of rascal enters the room with a charming smile on his face, everyone knows he’s the sort to live life to the full. And yet he doesn’t set a very good example when it comes to self-discipline. He’s probably pretty unreliable and not all that trustworthy. He’s a rogue but he’s a loveable one!
Impudent – show some respect
Here’s another word we don’t hear all that often anymore. Think of the rudest person you know and you have your prime example of someone who could be described as impudent. Their behaviour is unpleasant, impolite and seriously lacking in respect. The sort of person you wish you could just tell to stop being so rude. Modern alternatives like sassy and cheeky somehow don’t capture that stern and disapproving look a grandmother would have given an impudent child. There are definitely still times when they just won’t do the job and impudent or impertinent has to make an appearance.
Capricious – throw caution to the wind
Sometimes you need to be capricious to unlock your full creativity. And that means being impulsive and unpredictable. A capricious person will often change their mind, react in unexpected ways and choose to see the rules as optional guidelines. You could say they’re acting on a whim. It seems like everything is planned to perfection these days, so the capricious characters tend to stand out. They could be artists bursting with surprising ideas or people who repeatedly go against the status quo in life. These are the people who can’t be pigeon-holed – and that makes them all the more fascinating.
Laggardly – take your time
Let’s finish up with a word that we hope doesn’t describe our writing style in this article. Someone who is laggardly is super slow and takes longer about things than they should. Now, some people out there get engrossed in deep work and don’t allow themselves to be distracted by stressful schedules or the pressure to always be busy. And so maybe it takes them a little longer to write that report. Or maybe they just leave their tea to brew for an extra few minutes. But isn’t that what’s missing in our hectic lives? Do we actually need to stop stressing and take time to be present in the moment? Maybe we should all just slow down and let ourselves be laggardly once in a while.
Old words, new perspectives
Language is evolving and changing all the time. There are so many old words we just don’t use as often or at all anymore. But they give us a charming insight into the past and provide us with fun and creative ways to express ourselves in the here and now. Each and every one of the words we’ve looked at in this article has a story behind them. And we hope that encourages you to look at language in a fresh and fun way. Maybe it’s time to introduce some of these buried linguistic treasures to our modern-day vocabulary. Next time your colleague makes a hullabaloo about the tiniest little task, you can tell them to get on with it and stop being so laggardly. On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t be so impudent!
Is there a word we absolutely can’t miss out of our next article? Let us know or just tell us all about your personal favourites by sending an email to freelance@apostrophgroup.ch.
