The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Glossary

apoplexy

a stroke

bullock

slang term for bully

bye blow

a person born out of wedlock

comely

attractive

domino

a hooded cloak worn with a mask as a costume to attend a masquerade ball

escrirtoire

a writing desk with a lockable lid

grimalkin

term used to indicate either an ill-tempered old woman or an old female cat

hackneyed

lacking significance because of overuse; usually refers to a phrase

heinous

terrible

higler

a door-to-door salesman

Jack-With-a-Lanthorn

Originally balls of light believed to be ignited marsh gas. Also used to mean the lanterns made by children to celebrate Halloween. Sometimes refers to a wayward guide.

Merry-Andrew

a clown

mittimus

a legal term meaning to command a person to jail

myrmidons

The warrior guards of Achilles, the Greek hero of the Trojan wars.

numscull's pate

slang term meaning the head of an idiot

ostler

a stableman, often employed by an inn to tend to the horses and stagecoaches of visitors

panegyric

a statement of formal praise

pap

nourishment for babies; often a mixture of bread with milk or water

petty fogger

a corrupt attorney or legal representative

public ordinary

a public bar or inn

rhodomontade

vain boasting

syntaxis

Very basic school grammar

Xantippe

the wife of Socrates; a terms used to refer to a shrewish woman