I am joining Kathy at BermudaOnion's Weblog to share words I found while reading this week. If you want to join us, share some words then link up at Kathy's blog.
I found these words while slogging through Emma by Jane Austen.
illiberal
"Those who can barely live, and who live perforce in a very small, and generally very inferior society, may very well be illiberal and cross."
not allowing people to think and act as they choose: not liberal
carpet-work
"If I draw less, I shall read more; if I give up music, I shall take up carpet-work"
I could not find a definition of carpet-work when I searched the internet, but I think if may be like embroidery or needlepoint. I understood it to mean a way to keep herself busy if she ended up being an old maid.
stomacher
"... and if she does but send her aunt the pattern of a stomacher, or knit a pair of garters for her grandmother, one hears of nothing else for a month.
the center front section of a waist or underwaist, or a usually heavily embroidered or jeweled separate piece for the center front of a bodice worn by men and women in the 15th and 16th centuries and later by women only
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| A close up of a probable hand embroidered stomacher |
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| A 16th Century version of a stomacher in a dress |
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| A modern version |
Stay Busy and Stay Happy
"Slogging" through Emma? It must be all that old language. I like all your new words. Stomacher is very interesting. I've seem that feature before but had no idea it had a special name. Thanks for the pictures.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures of stomacher are very pretty, good words.
ReplyDeleteWhen I start classics I feel like I'm slogging through them until I adjust to the language.
ReplyDeleteIt seems there are lots of illiberals out there these days - it's too bad the word isn't used often. Maybe carpet work is rug hooking?
This is exactly how I pictured a stomacher! Thanks for sharing....and thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDelete