The Outlandish Companion - Diana Gabaldon [139]
flux (English)—diarrhea; any of various forms of intestinal upset resulting in diarrhea.
cozen (English) [CUZ-en]— to charm or persuade.
lever (French) [leh-VAY]—literally, “rising.” Term applied to the ceremonial ablutions of Louis XIV and XV.
de rigueur (French) [day ri-GAYR]—literally, “of rigor,” but figuratively, “in fashion”; “the way things must be done.”
chaise percée (French) [Shays per-SAY]—chair set above a commode or chamberpot.
costive (English)—constipated.
mo duinne (Gaelic)—incorrect form of “my brown one”; correct form should be “mo nighean donn.”
crocodile (French)—crocodile.
écu (French)—unit of French money.
livre (French)—another unit of French money.
A la lanterne (French)—“To the lamppost!” Popular cry of the French Revolution, accompanying the hanging of aristocrats.
tumbril (French)—wheeled cart in which condemned persons were taken to the guillotine.
gussets (English)—tapered panels of fabric, sewn into a seam for ornament, or to adjust the fit of a garment.
silk plissé (French)—a fine, light fabric.
Mon petit sauvage (French)—“My little savage.”
confits (English)—small bits of preserved or candied fruit.
Sa Majesté, le Roi Louis! (French)—“His Majesty, King Louis!” Chére Madame (French)—“Dear Madam.”
ma petite (French)—my little one
C’est un cochon qui vit dans la ville, c’est un cochon qui vit… (French)—“This little pig lives in the city, and this little pig lives …”
ma petite souris (French)—my little mouse.
salaud (French) [sa-lé]—sloven, dirty person; slut.
appartement (French)—apartment
mon chevalier (French)—literally, “my horseman,” or “my soldier”—more generally, an honorific meaning merely “gentleman.”
parterres (French)—flower beds.
skelloch (Scots)—a shriek or cry.
servante aux petits soins (French)—a “servant of little things”—a body servant or groomer.
mon cher ami (French)—my dear friend.
Vite! Dépéchez-vous! (French)—“Quick! Stir yourself!”
chirurgeon (English, obs.)—surgeon.
les maétresses sage-femme (French) [lay may-TRESS sahj-FAM]—“the wise-women.”
bilboquet (French) [bil-bo-KAY]—a handheld game, comprised of a hollow cup, to which a ball is tethered. The object of the game is to catch the ball in the cup.
broken men (English)—men affiliated with no specific clan.
charcuterie (French) [shar-KOO-ta-ree]—butcher shop.
hurly-burly (Scots)—a tempest, a tumult.
angel-makers—French term for abortionists
la petite Anglaise maladroite (French)— “the clumsy (badly spoken) English girl.
ma mére (French)—my mother. Volkslied (German) [VOHKS-leed]— folk song.
note tonique (French) [noht toh-NEEK]—the keynote of a piece of music.
passe-partout (French) [pahs parTOO]—a key (literally, “passes through everything”).
clef (English)—part of a musical signature, indicating whether a given piece is played in treble or bass. May also indicate the key and tempo of the piece,
Ne vous en faétes pas (French) [Ne voo ahn fayt pah]—“Don’t do that.”
énorme! (French) [ay-NORM]—“enormous!”
c’est tout (French) [say TOO]—“That’s all.”
Bas mallaichte! (Gaelic) [Baas malaihte]—“Black death!” (used as an exclamation of exasperation).
une sorciére (French) [uhn sorseeayr]—a sorceress.
horloge (French) [hor-LOHJ]—a clock; particularly a large, public clock.
havers (Scots)—there are several (wildly divergent) meanings for this term; as used (in Dragonfly), it indicates “to talk at random or incoherently”; “to fuss about nothing.”
fiacre (French) [Feeaykr]—a carriage, often available for commercial hire.
commissariat de police (French)—the police station.
barouche (French) [bah-ROOSH]—an open carriage.
les disciples du mal (French)—the disciples of evil.
fauteuil (French) [fowtooee]—armchair.
Deo volente (Latin) [DAY-o voh-LEN-tay]—“God willing.”
Allez! Allez! Montez! (French) [Allay! Allay! Montay!]—“Come on! Come on! Climb!”
lese-majesté (French) [LEES MA-jestee]—the crime of laying hands upon the King; used casually to imply disrespect.
coil (Scots)—a difficulty or troublesome circumstance.
Entrez! (French) [ahn-TRAY]