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Word watching answers: January 18, 2006

SOOGEE-MOOGEE

(c) A mixture containing caustic soda used for cleaning paintwork and woodwork on ships and boats. Origin unknown. 1934: “ ‘There are no sailors today,’ says Conrad, ‘only soogee-moogee men. Mere washers of paint. Deck-hands on modern ships wash and chip paint, morning, noon and night’.”

ESSOIN

(b) In law, to offer an excuse for the non-appearance (of a person) in court. To excuse for absence. From the medieval Latin ex, out of and sonia, a lawful excuse. 1642: “The Plaintiff is essoined so that I cannot answer unto him.”

SHITTAH

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(c) The shittah tree is some species of acacia, from which shittim is obtained. The “tt” is for the prehistoric “nt”. Authorized Version, Isaiah, 1621: “I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar, the Shittah tree.”

FILLADY

(a) Some bird in Newfoundland. Origin obscure. Also filliday. 1674: “Filladies are small singing birds.”