English Wordbook/I

Staff I of the English Wordbook.

Basic abbreviations:

• OE = Old English
• ME = Middle English
• SC = Scots
• WF = West Frish
• NF = North Frish
• SF = Saterlandish Frish
• WLG = West Low Theech
• ELG = East Low Theech
• NL = Netherlandish
• NHG = New High Theech
• IC = Icelandish
• HIC = High Icelandish
• NO = Nornish
• SW = Swedish
• DN = Danish
• MLG = Middle Low Theech
• MNL = Middle Netherlandish
• MHG = Middle High Theech
• OF = Old Frish
• OS = Old Saxish
• OHG = Old High Theech
• ON = Old Norse
• GO = Gottish
• PWG = Or-West-Theedish
• PG = Or-Theedish

For a full list of etymological and other abbreviations used in these wordlists, see: Offshortenings.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Chancery English	Class	Anglish/English
		Attested	Unattested
ibex	n	-	firgenbuck (<OE firgenbucca), stonebuck (<NHG Steinbock)
-ic/ -ical	sfx	-ish, -some, -ly	-
iceberg	n	-	icebarrow, iceberry
icthyology	n	-	fishlore
idea	n	mind's eye; dream, mark; understanding, belief, thought, clue	thought-drop. ettling; plan: howe (OE hogian)
identical	adj	alike, selfsame, same; even	-
identify	vb	finger, betoken	-
identity	n	sameness; selfhood	whoness, whohood
ideology	n	belief	thoughtset, thoughtthede
idiosyncrasy	n	quirk	-
idolize	vb	worship, look up to, bow down before	-
idiom	n	-	folkword, folkwording
idiot	n	blockhead, clot, dumbbell, half-wit, fathead, meathead, thickhead	dwease (<OE dwæs)
idol	n	god	wigh (<OE. wīġ) offgod (cf. NHG Abgott, OE. afgod)
idolatry	n	worshipping	wighworthing (<OE wīġweorþung)
idolize	vb	worship, look up to, bow down before	-
i.e.	abbrev.	t.i. ~ that is	-
-ify	afx	be-, -en	-ledge (<OE -læcan)
igloo	n	-	icebergh, icehouse
ignis fatuus	n	will-o-the-wisp	wander light (cf. Du dwaallicht)
ignite	vb	fire, tend, set alight	latch fire
ignorance	n	benightedness, shunning, heedlessness, thoughtlessness, carelessness	shunhood, nitenness (<OE nytennes)
ignorant	adj	benighted, unaware, unlearned, unread, untaught	-
ignore	vb	unheed, forget, overlook, slight, slur over,	-
iguana	n	-	comb athex (cf. Du. "kamhagedis")
ill-conceived	adj	-	ill-howed
illegal	adj	unlawful, lawless, outlawed	unlet
illegalise	vb	outlaw	-
illegitimate	adj	misbegotten, unfathered, born out of wedlock, ill-gotten, unrightful	-
illuminate	vb/n	brighten, shed light on; bathe, beacon, inlighten; unriddle; foreground, highlight	belighten, onlight, forlighten
illusion	n	daydream; misbelief, old wives' tale	dwild, dwimmer, brainshade (cf. Du. hersenschim)
illustrious	n	-	thrymfast (<OE þrymfæst)
image	n	look alike, ringer, twin: likeness; mind's eye	bilth (<OE biliþe, cf. NHG. Bild, Du. beeld), seen
imagination	n	mind's eye, fathoming	moodseave (<OE módsefa), fathomhood inbilthing (cf. NHG Einbildung)
imaginative	adj	thoughtful	weenful, infinding
imagine	vb	fathom, see	reckon (dialect), ween (<OE wénan)
imitate	vb	ape; copy: follow on the footsteps of, take a leaf out of (someone's) book	pinchbeck, enliken
imitation	n	-	likeness, fakery
immanent	adj	inbuilt, handwired, inbred	-
immature	adj	youthful, green, flaw, unripe, childish	-
immediately	adv	forthwith, headlong, straight away, at once, now, right now	swithsoon, ayenow, rath(er) eyeblinkly (cf. NHG augenblicklich) (see Eng. eyeblink)
immense	adj	-	eorm (<OE eormen) unametely (<OE unámetenlic)
immigrant	n	comer, incomer, newcomer, settler	inwanderer (Eng., cf. NHG. Einwanderer, Nw. invandrare)
immigration	n		inwandering (cf. NHG Einwanderung)
imminent	adj	one the way, near-at-hand, nearing, forthcoming, oncoming, upcoming; threatening	unfrothering (cf. Du. onveranderlijk, NHG. unveränderlich)
immoral	adj	dark, evil, rotten, sinful, wicked, wrong, unripe, unfledged, babyish	thewless, gyltsome
immortal	adj	deathless; everlasting, undying	-
immutable	adj	fixed, hard-and-fast	unwending
impact	n	crash, strike, wallop: mark, sway. hit	thrack
impair	vb	break, cripple, harm, hurt, maim	-
impale	vb	jab	-
impartial	adj	evenhanded, fairminded	unswayed
impasse	n	deadlock, halt, standstill	-
impassive	adj	cold-blooded; deadpan, empty, numb	-
impede	vb	hinder, hold back, hold up, thwart, shackle, stop	-
impenetrable	adj	-	evertight, unthursome
imperative	adj	needed	case: bebidendly (<OE bebeodendlic, cf. Du. gebiedend, NHG. gebieterisch)
imperialism	n	-	anwield, overlordship, rikedom
impertinent	adj	bold; ill bred	ill-thewed
implicate	adj	2. inweave, twist, writhe	1. inmeld
implicit	adj	1. unspoken, wordless, unsaid	2. couth
implode	vb	-	cleave in
implore	vb	beseech, bid, beg	-
imply	vb	hint, infold	ettle, bysay
impolite	adj	rough, lewd, ill-bred, uncouth, ill-mannered, uncalled-for	ill-thewed
import	vb	-	inferry (calque from Latin in + carry)
importance	n	heft, weightiness, pith, greatness	-
important	adj	big, far-reaching, foremost, outstanding, weighty, earthshattering, great	pithy
importune	adj	-	maghely (<OE ġemāhlīc)
importunity	n	-	magheliness (<OE ġemāhlīcnes) pl: maghelinessa (<OE ġemāhlīcnessa)
impose	vb	lay, put	onset (<OE onsettan)
impossible	adj	hopeless, beyond bearing	unmightly, unmayly (refer to German unmöglich=impossible; "mögen" is the German ethymological correspondence to "may")
impress	vb	gladden, stun	intrutch (<OE onþryocau, NHG eindruck, cf. Dan. indtryk, Swed. intryck)
impression	n	reckoning	intrutching
imprint	n	mark, stamp	inthrick
imprison	vb	lock up	haft (<OE hæftan)
impromptu	adj	offhand	-
improper	adj	uncomely, unfit, untoward, unright, wrong, unbecoming	unright
improve(ment)	vb/n	shape up, grow better, help; breakthrough, bettering	forbetter (cf. NHG verbessern)
improvised	adj	makeshift, offhand	twoth-rigged
impudence	n	cheek	-
impudent	adj	shameless, cheeky	-
impulse	n	boost, goad, yeast; bone, leaning, want	-
impurity	n	lewdness, unfreshness,	unswotelness
in spite of	prep.	notwithstanding	-
inadvertent	adj	unwitting	-
inalienable	adj	-	samefast
inane	adj	mindless	-
inanimate	adj	heedingless, still	unbesouled (cf. Du. onbezield)
inappropriate	adj	unbecoming, unfit, untoward	unbeseeming
inaudible	adj	-	unhearsome, swanless, unheard
incalculable	adj	untold	unreckonly
incantation	n	-	galdercwide (<OE galdorcwide)
incarnate	vb	inflesh	-
in case	conj	lest, for fear that, the less	-
inception	n	birth, dawn, outset, kickoff	-
incest	n	-	siblair, siblay, inbreeding, bloodshame (calque)
incident	n	hap, happening, befall	-
incise(sion)	vb/n	cut, slit	snithe(ing) (<OE sniþan, cf. NHG. schneiden)
incisive	adj	cutting	snithing
incite	vb	spur, goad, egg	fuse (<ME fusen)
inclination	n	leaning, tilt, bowing desire: wish, need, craving, yearning	-
incline	vb	sway, lower, bow, stoop, tip, lean	-
inclined	adj	given, likely, willing, ready	swayed towards
include	vb	inhold
incompassionate	adj	ruthless, heartless, cold, hard-hearted, cold-hearted	-
incomplete	n	underdone, less than whole, unwhole, underwhole, unfullworked	-
inconsiderate	adj	thoughtless, uncaring, unthinking, careless, ruthless, reckless	-
incorporate	vb	knit, meld, mingle, mix	-
incorrect	adj	wrong, wide of the mark; unfit, untoward; off, unsound, untrue	-
increase	vb	swell up; rise, snowball, oker, build up	wooker (<OE wōcor) formoren (cf. NHG vermehren)
increasingly	adv	more and more, risingly	-
incredible	adj	-	unlieveful
incursion	n	raid, inroad	-
incus	n	anvil	-
indebted	adj	owing, beholden
indecent	adj	shameless, unseemly, shameful, unsightful	-
indecisive	adj	wavering, in two minds, swithering, halting, half-hearted, half-minded	unmeting
indelicate	adj	heavy handed, stern, gruff	-
independent	adj	free, selfstanding	unonhanging (cf. NHG unabhänig, Du. onafhankelijk)
independence	n	freedom, individuality: selfhood	selfstandingness, unonhangness
India	n		Indland Ealand (India is ultimately named after the Indus river; Indus comes from Sanskrit síndhu meaning river)
indicate	vb	bespeak; flag up, betoken, show	ward to
indication	n	hint, clue, mark, inkling	betokening, waywarding
indifference	n	onesideness
indifferent	adj/adv	adj: careless, onesided adv: fairly
indigent	adj	needy, down at heel	-
indignity	n	brickbat, slap, slight, slur	-
indiscriminated	adj	swoopstake, wholesale, hit-or-miss	allwardly, manywardly
indisposed	adj	2. unsound, unwell, laid up	1. unleaning
individual	adj	indirectly: asidely selfstanding	onelepy (<OE ánlípe, ánlípig)
individual	n	-	onelepy, onelepling (<OE ánlípe "individual" + -ling, cf. the general form of Ic./Far. einstaklingur), one, yea-one
individualism	n	selfdom	-
indocrinate	vb	brainwash	mindwash
indolent	adj	idle, shiftless, slothful, lazy	lat (<OE læt)
induce	vb	beget, breed, draw on, set off, give rise to, make, bring out, bring, lead to, enkindle, whip up	beweigh (cf. NHG bewegen/ Du. bewegen)
indulgence	n	kindness	milts, foregiveness (<OE); religion: offlet (cf. NHG Ablass)
industry	n	-	bulkbuildship, worksomeness
industrial action	n	strike	-
industrious	adj	yielding, working	-
inebriated	adj	drunk, smashed, blasted, baked, half-cut, hopped up	-
ineffable	adj	nameless, unspeakable	-
ineffective	adj	hamstrung, bad,	unworksome, unhardworking,
inept	adj	clueless, unhandy, clumsy, bad	-
inert	adj	still, lifeless, idle, undoing, bloodless	unshrithing (shrithe)
inexperienced	adj	unfledged, callow, raw, green	-
infamous	adj	shameful, ill-named, unworthy	-
infamy	n	shamefulness, lowstanding, ill-name, bad name	are (<OE ár 'honour')
infancy	n	bairnhood, childhood	-
infant	n	newborn, cradle-child, suckling	-
infanticide	n	-	bairnslaughter
infantile	adj	childish	bairnsome
infantilize	vb	-	bechild
infatuate	vb	makes one lust	-
infatuation	n	lust	-
infect	vb	-	smittel
infection	n	-	insmiting of the ear: earcothe (<OE ēarcoðu)
infectious	adj	catching, spreading	smittelsome
infer	vb	deem, gather, make out, see	ettel
inferior	n/adj	lower, nether; mean; shoddy, worse	-
infernal	adj	fiendish, hellish, wicked, underhanded, evil, ill, hateful, all-fired	-
inferno	n	hell, hellfire, fire	-
infertile	adj	barren, unbearing	geld, unteeming, untudderfast
infidelity	n	backstabbing, sellout, two-timing	wedbreach
infinite	adj	boundless, endless, everlasting, never-ending, timeless, unbounded, unmetely, unrim, untold, without end	unendly (Eng., cf. NHG unendlich), allish
infinitive	n	-	unendingly (<OE ungeendigendlic)
infinity	n	everlasting, foreverness, unendingness	unendlihood (cf. NHG unendlichkeit)
infirmed	adj	sickly, unhealthy, wanhale	-
inflammation	n	burning, redness, soreness, swelling, itch	betindering (cf. Dn. 'betændelse')
inflate	vb	blow up, fill	forblow, andblow (cf. Ic. and-blásinn)
influence	vb/n	n: inflood vb: inflow, sway, shape	-
inflict	vb	lay on, wreak, meat or deal out, deal	-
influx	n	inflow	-
infographic	n	-	knowbilthish (knowledge + Yiddish 'bilderish')
informal	adj	loose	-
informant	n	deep throat, fink, nark, snitcher, telltale, whistleblower	teller
information	n	knowledge, tidings	knowhood
infringement	n	lawbreaking
infuriate	adj	foaming, shirty, teed-off, wroth, madden	-
infuse	vb	inset, input, inlay	inbirl
ingenious	adj	clever	orthankly (<OE orþanclic), overmindle
ingenuity	n	cleverness	orthink, overmind
ingest	vb	tuck, down, swallow	-
inhabit	vb	dwell, abide, wone in, inwone, live in	alive, erde, bewone, ern
inhabitance	n	abode, dwelling	erding (erding in sorrow), erdingstow, inwoning, erning
inhabitant	n	dweller, abider	indweller (Scots) erd-folk, bewoner, inwoner, ern-folk (<OE ærn 'house, habitation')
inhale	vb	breathe in, draw in, suck	-
inherent	adj	built-in, inborn, inbred, indwelling	-
inherit	vb	get	erve (<OE ierfian)
inheritance	n	birthright	erve (<OE ierfe), ervewardness (<OE ierfeweardnes), earf, earfdeal, ervedeal, birthright, birthdom, birth-hood
inimical	adj	foesome, harmful, unfriendly	-
initial	adj	first, beginning, early	-
initiate	vb	start, begin, bring on, bring up, goad, spur	-
injection	n	jab	inshot, needleprick
injure	vb	harm, hurt, wound	dere (<OE derian, archaic ME dere)
ink	n	dyestuff black (It's attested, the color was "swarth", and it is still used in Scandenavia for "ink")	-
innate	adj	built-in, hardwired, inbred	-
innocence	n	greenness, guiltlessness, youth	bilewitness
innocent	adj	sinless, white	unshildy, bilewit (<OE bile-wit)
innocuous	adj	white, hurtless	-
innovation	n	brainchild	newmaking
innovative	adj	clever, groundbreaking	infinding
innovator	n	groundbreaker, trendsetter	newmaker
inquire	vb	into: dig into, delve into, delve into, ask	frayn (<OE fregen)
insane	adj	bats, mad, unsound, crazed, brainsick, thoughtless, brainless, crank, having a screw loose, out of one's mind, waning away,	Braincranky, Brainsickened, Braincranked
insanity	n	thoughtlessness, brainlessness, crankiness, unsoundness, madness,
inscribe	vb	inwrite, write	-
insect	n	bug	midge (<OE mygg, mycg) widge, wig (<OE wicga, cf. earwig) carvedeer (<OE ceorfdēor, NHG kerbtier, LG karvdeer)
insecure	adj	-	Unsicker (NHG. Unsicher)
insecurity	n	-	Unsickerhood (NHG. Unsicherheit) Unwishood (NHG. Ungewissheit) (see wis )
insensitive	adj	unfeeling, unfeelsome, heartless	-
inseparable	adj	bound (up), hand-in-hand, forever one, thick	unshedsome
insert	vb	input, inset, put, put in, place	-
insincere	adj	hollow, hollow-hearted, unsoothfast, unsoothful, untruthfast, untruthsome	unluter (OE hlutor)
insist	vb	stand one's ground	bestand (cf. NHG bestehen)
insomnia	n	sleeplessness	-
inspect(ion)	vb/n	inlook(ing)	speering
inspiration	n	brainchild, brainwave	inblowing beghastness, inbreath, insouling
inspire	vb	beghast	inblow (<OE inblowan)
instance	n	hap, byfall, befall, happening	eyeblink
instantly	adv	at once, forthwith, swith, now, right now	Eyeblickly (NHG. Augenblicklich) or Eyeblinkly
instigate	vb	fire up, goad, kindle, rouse, stir up, spur	fuse (<ME fusen)
institute	vb	set up	stight, onstall
institution	n	body	-
instruct	vb	teach; wise up, tell what to do	beleer
instruction(s)	n	behest, word	wiseheedings, forewritings outlay (cf. Du uitleg)
instrument	n	tool, means	harp (<OE)
insult	v		beskimp (cf. beschimpfen) (see schimpfen)
insult	n	slight, slur, lambast, roast	heash beskimping (cf. NHG beschimpfung)
insurance	n	-	healing (<OE helan 'to cover') munding (<OE mundian 'to protect, shelter, guard') berging (<OE beorgan ' to save, preserve')
insurgent	n/adj	red, upriser	-
insurrection	n	uprising, outbreak	-
integer	n	whole tel; being	-
intellectual	n	egghead, highbrow, longhair	-
intellectual	adj	highbrowed, long-haired	capacity: anget
intelligence	n	brains; keenness, wit, braininess, brightness, cleverness	anget (<OE andgiet) forwittleness (<OE forwitolnes) moodcraft (<OE módcræft) orthank (<OE orþanc) rede (<OE rǽd) (reason) snitter (<OE snyttru)
intelligent	adj	brainy, bright, clever, nimble, keen, sharp-witted, gaumish	andgetful (<OE andgitful) moodcrafty (<OE módcræftig) wisefast (<OE wísfæst)
intelligible	adj	-	fathomsome
intend	vb	look, mean, want, will	mint, ettle offsight (cf. NHG beabsichtigen)
intense	adj	fearful; warm-blooded, frought	-
intention/ intent	n	-	ettling, offsight (cf. NHG absicht) ontighting (<OE ontyhtung)
inter	vb	lay, put away	-
inter-	pfx	in-, between-	middle- (<OE "middel") tween-
interact	vb/n	n: dealings	withwork
intercede	vb	-	inbreak
intercept	vb	block, pick off	fang off (cf. NHG abfangen), forride (<OE forrīdan)
interdict	vb	forbid	-
interfere	vb	nose, pry	inbreach
intergovernmental	adj	-	tweenredeshiply
interjection	n	inset	tweenlaying (cf. Ælfric's OE betwuxlegednes)
interest	vb	grip	indraw, inwrap, intryst (phonosemantic calque)
interest	n	share, stake; weal, well-being; business, outfit, reck, lean	fascination: wastomschat (<OE wæstmsceatt), intryst (phonosemantic calque), indrawnness, indraw
interesting	n	gripping	heeding, indrawing, mindwheting intrysting (phonet. calque)
interim/interval	n	midtime, (long) far-between, midwhile	-
interior	n	inside, inner, inliness	-
intermediary	n	go-between	-
intermission	n	break	tweentide, tweenforletness (OE)
intern	n	inworker	-
internal	adj	inland, inner, inner-bodily, inside	twixfack (OE)
international	n/adj	lands amongst	altheedish
Internet	n	the World Wide Web, Web, the Wired	twixtnet
interpol	n	worldwatcher	-
interpret	vb	1. unriddle 2. play	1. sweetle
interrogate	vb	ask (about)	befrain (cf. NHG befragen) see frain, meanask
interrupt	vb	break in, cut in	break off (cf. Fr. ôfbrekke, Sw. avbryta, Dn. afbryde)
interruption	n	breather	-
intervention	n	-	inbreak
interview	n	-	frainspeak (cf. Du. vraagesprek), see frain
intestine	n	tharm, gut	-
intimacy	n	warmth, warm friendship, near friendship	-
intimidate	vb	besmallen, scare, frighten, overawe	-
intoxicate	vb	-	bedrunken (cf. NHG betrunken)
intoxicating	adj	heady, breathtaking, heart-stopping, stirring	-
intoxication	n	drunkenness; cloud nine	bedrunkenhood (cf. NHG Betrunkenheit)
introduce	vb	bring up, set forth, put forward; lead in; make known,	propose: foreset forestell (calque of Ger. speeches)
introduction	n	lead-in	-
introverted	n	-	ingoing, inwardsome
inundate	vb	flood, whelm, overwhelm	beyeat (<OE begieten)
invade	vb	-	infall, overrun, inthring, thrust upon
invader	n	-	overrunner
invaluable	adj	-	yealief, yeadear, uncheap, forworthy
invariably	adv	always	-
invasion	n	raid	infall, herefare, inslaught, streaming, inthrong, inthronging
invent	vb	make up, make	infind afind (calque of NHG erfinden)
invention	n	-	findle (<OE findel), fyndelle (<OE fyndele)
inventor	n	-	infinder, afindand (<OE onfindend)
inventory	n	goodslist	-
invertebrate	vb	unbackboned	-
invest	vb	plough into	-
investigate	vb	sift, delve into	speer (cf. OE spyrian "make a track, go, pursue; ask about, investigate"), nease, unwhelm, Underseek -> Underseech (like beseech) (Du. onderzoeken and NHG. Untersuchen) or Underseech (regarding beseech)
investigator	n	-	speeriand (cf. OE spyrigend "investigator, inquirer"), underseeker
investigation	n	-	speering, neasing, underseeking
investor	n	shareholder, stakeholder	-
inveterate	adj	abiding, deep-rooted, deep-seated, hardened, lifelong, long-lived, settled	-
inviolable	adj	hallowed, holy	-
invisible	adj	-	unseen
invitation	n	-	inloading (<OE laðung, cf. NHG Einladung)
invite	n/vb	call for	load, inload (<OE inlaðian, cf. NHG einladen)
involve	vb	take in, whelm	inhold
ion	n	-	streammote
ionosphere	n	-	streamlayer
iota	n	beans, whit	-
ipseity	n	ass, selfhood	-
irascible	adj	prickly, feisty, edgy, churlish, bearish, outburstish, highly-strung, wrathy, wrongheaded, crankisome	uncweming
ire	n	wrath	-
iris	n	eyebow	-
irony	n	- wry	witherweening (logical combining of wither "anti" and weening "expectation"), wrying
irregular	adj	broken, uneven	wending, frothering
irrelevant	n/adj	without bearing, bearingless, unakinly	unbearing
irresponsible	adj	reckless, heedless, careless, thoughtless, unmindful, unthinking, unanswerly	-
irrigate	vb	-	beflow, bewater furrow: waterleat
irritate (vex)	vb	irk, gall	-
irritating	adj	irksome, swinksome	-
ischium	n	sea-bone	-
-ise	sfx	ledge (<OE -læcan), -ly	-
isle	n	island, holm	iland, aitland, ait, eyot, ealand
islet	n	ait, eyot, iling	holm
-ism	sfx	-	general abstractum: -dom general belief system or school of thought: -belief (cf. NHG -glaube) political doctrine/policy: -belead (cf. Du. beleid) belief system associated with a person, place, etc.: -ishness, -ish belief belief system as a religious or political establishment/realm: -dom belief as faith: -troth
isobar	n	-	Evenweight (iso-even + bar-weight)
isocracy	n	-	evenship
isolate	vb	cut off, sunder	cleave off
isolation	n	loneliness, alonehood, asideness	forlethood (cf. NHG Verlassenheit), only-edoffness, offonly-edness
issue	n	-	inting (<OE intinga)
italic (font)	n	-	Slantwrite
item	n	thing	-
itinerary	n	-	forebook (<OE fōrbōc/forbōc) pl: forebeek (<OE fōrbēc/forbēc)
ivory	n	tusk	elpbone (cf. NHG Elfenbein,)
Ivory Coast	n	-	Windward Shore
-ize	sfx	be-, -en	-ledge (<OE -læcan)