Word of the week: This week’s whimsy dates back to as early as 1529 in the the writing of Tudor poet John Skelton, with one of several words for number of similar words for fools or simpletons, pertaining to those who might unthinkingly nod their head to anything
Read moreWord of the week: tussicate
Word of the week: Clear your ears, but especially your throat. What word is coming up this time? An archaic term that that was in use from the late 16th to 19th centuries means to cough, from the Latin tussicus, or tussis, having that affliction
Read moreWord of the week: arpeggione
Word of the week: It is neither guitar nor cello, but fretted and tuned like the former, and bowed like the latter. Read on to find out more with musical examples, as well as instances where guitarists have decided to take a bow …
Read moreWord of the week: humpenscrump and hurdy-gurdy
Word of the week: It sounds like a medieval insult, disease or even sexual position, but it's a basic form of the stringed instrument played with keys and by turning a hand-crank wheel that rubs against the strings like a mechanised violin
Read more