We haven't been able to take payment
You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.
Update payment details
Act now to keep your subscription
We've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.
Update payment details
Your subscription is due to terminate
We've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account, otherwise your subscription will terminate.
Update payment details

Accessibility Links

Skip to content
The Times & The Sunday Times
The Times & The Sunday Times
  • Subscribe
Subscribe

Word watching answers: January 19, 2006

Philip Howard
The Times
Philip Howard
The Times

FILIOLE

a) A god-daughter. An adaptation of the Latin filiola, diminutive of filia, a daughter. 16th century: “It were sin to take his cousin unto wife, or his filiole, or any of his lineage.”

SHEEL

(c) To shell. To take off the husk or outer covering of something. Related to shale. The early history is obscure. 1862: “He would need to be twice sheeled and once ground that deals wi’ you.”

FLOOKAN

Advertisement

(c) A cross-course or transverse vein composed of clay. Of unknown origin. Apparently not Celtic. 1807: “A flookan was discovered which cut the lode at an angle of 45 degrees.”

SERENATA

(c) A song or cantata suitable for performance in the open air. Apparently from the Italian sereno, the open air. 1834: “Having been a mighty reader of operas, serenatas, sonnets, and romances.”