Thursday, April 08, 2010

Abacot

ABACOT, n. A cap of state wrought into the shape of two crowns, formerly worn by kings. Very pretty monarchs had it made in the shape of three crowns.

2010 Update*: A breed of duck well fitted for a dictionary-maker's hat.
*of course, I had to look it up. See here and here.

15 comments:

Logophile said...

Thank you for the reassurance, I was feeling vastly inferior and poorly informed.

Anonymous said...

ABACOT, n - Wonder if they get to stay with the crown jewels?

TLP said...

A sleeveless coat-type garment made from a camp bed sheet. Or, something like that. Maybe it's a camp bed made from an Arab's coat. I forget. Oh . Wait. I never knew. So I didn't forget.

k. riggs gardner said...

(minus one, minus two, etc.)

Ariel the Thief said...

Doug, I'm gonna mark this day in the calendar with red pen! Your definition sucks. :-P

Mo'a said...

Ah,well!!! A crown...duck. Very interesting...I shall doubtless find a way to use this new to me word...I could for instance say "Your royal highness duck, there is a Abacot flying towards your head" or something like that...should I ever meet a royal donning an Abacot.

quilly said...

Originally, this was "Abbot caught". In England sometime during the 1300s the king kept an every day crown and a much fancier crown for formal occasions. One day while the king was napping, an Abbot was caught trying to smuggle both crowns out of the palace. He had placed them one atop the other on his head, then pulled his monk's hood up over them.

As a result of that incident, the King became so fearful of having the crowns stolen, he ordered them fused together and kept both of them on his head at once. When people asked about the kings two crowns they were told, "Because the Abbot got caught trying to steal them," but over the years the explanation eroded to "Abacot".

Cooper said...

So really not a word at all...

k. riggs gardner said...

WAKING AMBROSE -- June 30, 2009

LL.D

2009 Update: A particularly advanced degree in law available [to] those who prefer to advocate mischief in the classroom rather than in the courtroom.

Dr. Doo Doo said ...

Weirsdo wants a link to flipping out and said this had nothing to do with anything I could sell her.

WAKING AMBROSE -- April 08, 2010

ABACOT

2010 Update: LL.D minus excess baggage.

tsduff said...

I've seen a lot of ducks but none bearing the title Abacot. Are they good with wine sauce?

Nessa said...

For the serious monarch or the very serious dictionary-maker:

Picture of an Abacot

Doug The Una said...

Logo, you should spend more time with Ariella.

Thom, only if the crown jewels are corn, probably.

Me either, TLP.

Right, Karen. Puts you second.

Fantastic, Ariel! Thank you.

Mo'a, we serve for your convenience.

Plausible, Quilly.

Well, Cooper, it would be interesting to see the OED include it because it's been published in English- only in dictionaries.

Karen, your logic is impenetrable.

Worth trying, Terry.

Very nice, Nessa. If only one of us were that serious.

k. riggs gardner said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
k. riggs gardner said...

I pulled my comment. I meant to say how APPROPRIATE Nessa looks in a

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weirsdo said...

That's very interesting. I like that the duck breed is keeping the non-word alive.