dornick

[prettygoodword]

dornick - n., a stone small enough to throw.


Specifically, small enough to throw out of a field being cleared. In this sense, from Irish Gaelic dornóg, a small round stone (literally, fistful) -- which in English is an Americanism from Scots-Irish who settled in Pennsylvania during the Famine and spread westward. There's a second sense, a stout linen cloth (esp. a coarse damask), from the Belgian city of Doornik (b.k.a. in French Tournai) where it was once made, but I'm ignoring that as less interesting.

---L.

Comments

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Saw it in A.Word.A.Day, did you? :P

I like your definition better, though - it's a much more vivid image than some boring old newspaper quote about ... *checks Wikipedia* ... a remarkably interesting fellow, actually. Hm!

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Probably it was there -- to be honest, I lose track sometimes where I pick these things up.

---L.