April 15, 2020 20:13
Last night I wrote about how tired I was after my first day of teaching my classes remotely.
I’m disappointed now that I used the words ‘exhausted’ and ‘so tired’, because today I discovered an absolutely brilliant word I could have used instead: forswunk.
Forswunk is an adjective that means exhausted by hard work, or overworked. The verb is forswink: to tire or exhaust through labour.
Both are words from Middle English. I don’t even care that the Collins English Dictionary says these words are now obsolete. ‘Forswunk’ is a fabulous word and I’m going to use it.
To say “man, I am completely and utterly forswunk” is a much more expressive way to say that you’re “tired” or “beat” or “worn out” or “done in”. The only term that really comes close is the Australian vernacular term “knackered” which pretty much means the same thing.
So, if you hear someone saying they are knackered, meaning super tired, they’re probably Australian.
And if you hear an Australian saying they’re forswunk, it’s probably me.
Posted by wordynerdbird
Categories: I'm a Word Nerd, New Words, Old Words, The English Language, Word Nerdiness
Tags: archaic words, Early Modern English, English, English Language, Expressions, Favourite Words, Forswunk, Middle English, Using The Right Words, Words That Should Be More Widely Used
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There are so many good words no longer in use. Time to revive them
By stanvl on April 15, 2020 at 21:38
Yes! Which ones are your favourites?
By wordynerdbird on April 15, 2020 at 21:56
Farcical. I love that word! It means ridiculous. As a fellow teacher and writer, I’m thoroughly enjoying your post on distance teaching. I’m also forswunk.
By Monique Desir on April 16, 2020 at 00:08
I think all teachers will relate to the concept of forswunk. Strength and courage to you!
By wordynerdbird on April 16, 2020 at 08:10
Thank you, dear! You too!
By Monique Desir on April 16, 2020 at 08:13
[…] nights of almost zero sleep had left me way beyond forswunk and very near completely useless by Thursday […]
By And On The Third Night, She Slept – WordyNerdBird on April 17, 2020 at 08:59
[…] successfully incorporated ‘forswunk’ into my vocabulary and introduced it to my friends and family, I am delighted to have discovered […]
By Forwallowed. – WordyNerdBird on May 2, 2020 at 13:23
[…] is an archaic word that means to be melancholy or full of sadness. Like forswunk and forwallowed, it is a word which is said to be obsolete now, but it is so beautiful that I want […]
By Tristful – WordyNerdBird on August 1, 2020 at 13:31
[…] as I’ve mentioned before, is one of my favourites. It’s a very old word that means exhausted by hard […]
By Beyond Tired. – WordyNerdBird on December 2, 2020 at 21:37
[…] exhausted by hard work. Here’s an interesting link. (©Joanne Van […]
By Six-on-Saturday – Forswunk And Forwallowed – Grow Write Repeat on August 25, 2021 at 05:35