25 Forgotten English Words We Should Bring Back

Blog
8 August 2023
By Sarah Angela Almaden
Japanese House
Lucas van Leyden

This is it. This is your cue to bring back some old-timey words that perfectly describe a very specific situation. Like if you’re tired of saying the usual summer statement “Oh, it’s a very, very hot day today. Ew,” then you no longer have to say that. In place of such an expressive sentence, you can say something like “Oh, it’s swullocking today. Ew.” The second sentence means the same thing as the first sentence which is that the day is hot and boiling and icky. Ever experienced that kind of day? Because I have. And it was a very unpleasant experience.

“Swullocking” is just one of the many vintage words on this listicle that is hardly used. And the word has never lost neither its meaning nor its touch. Although, “swullocking” may sound a bit silly to a lot of ears who have never been exposed to the word before. That is okay. Usually, unheard words or interesting-sounding words have a funny effect on the listener. Want to know how many of these forgotten English words make you giggle like a giglet?

  1. Swullocking: very hot, boiling, and humid weather
  2. Scurryfunge: the type of hurried cleaning done before visitors come to visit
  3. Widdershins: counter-clockwise
  4. Fudgel: claiming to be doing something but actually doing nothing
  5. Twattling: gossiping about irrelevant and unimportant things
  6. Groke: someone who stares at you as you're eating, and wishes that you share the food as well
  7. Woofits: the not-so-good aftereffects of excessive drinking
  8. Giglet: a happy, playful girl
  9. Dowsabel: a term of endearment to call a woman you love
  10. Wasteheart: an expression of regret
  11. Snout-fair: to describe someone as handsome
  12. Nickum: someone who is shady and dishonest
  13. Rouzy-bouzy: obnoxiously drunk
  14. Swerk: to feel sad and lonely
  15. Ear-rent: a way to call someone who is overhearing someone’s incessant talk
  16. Peacockize: to behave arrogantly
  17. Frobly-mobly: to be just okay
  18. Uhtceare: lying awake and worrying about the day ahead
  19. Peg puff: a young girl who acts like an old lady
  20. Starrify: to adorn something with stars
  21. Toozle: to play and fling around with a woman
  22. Mullock: nonsense
  23. Barbigerous: having a beard
  24. Primpit: to be dressed formally
  25. Perendinate: to put off until the day after tomorrow