pussyvan

[prettygoodword]

pussyvan - n., a temper tantrum, a flurry of ineffectual activity.


Also spelled pussivan, puzzivent, and poursuivant -- which last is also the spelling in French of the present participle of poursuivre, to pursue/chase/torment, which also gave us pursuivant, a sort of assistant herald or attendant. The main entry sense, however, seems to have been English Midlands (Wiltshire and environs) dialect that hasn't survived outside of dialect dictionaries and lists of obsolete words.

---L.

Comments

[flwyd.livejournal.com]

Not to be confused with Pussy Wagon, natch.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Er, no. It is not.

---L.

[med_cat]

Ah, you managed to track down the etymology :) Interesting, thanks!