Thursday 30 December 2010

Squiriferous


If you are squiriferous you are like a squire, which is to say that you are gentlemanly. It's a fun word, if only because it is redolent of squirrels. Also the squ sound is irresistible to any thoughtful speaker of English.

Incidentally, if you are both a squire and a parson, then you are a squarson. Squarsons were so ubiquitous in the Victorian age that there were also squishops and squebendaries.

If a squire decided to pass on
His title to some lowly parson,
Then the words would be one
And the priest would become
Not squire or parson, but squarson.

1 comment:

  1. Is this where 'squiffy' comes from?

    Have two roles and two titles drove many to drink?

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