This week, my Wordy Wednesday word is nesh. It’s commonly used in The Midlands and the North of England to describe someone who can’t cope with the cold. You Southerners are so nesh.
The original meaning, according to my trusty dictionary, is delicate, weak or feeble – of a person. Its origin is Old English hnesce, which is of German origin and related to the Dutch dialect nes meaning soft or foolish.
Do you have a word where you live that describes someone nesh?
I came across Craven in my Dictionary of English Place Names (Oxford University Press 1991). Craven, a district of North Yorkshire, is thought to be an old Celtic name meaning garlic place. This led me to ponder the meaning of craven as a word, which is very cowardly; not at all brave. It is thought to be an adaptation of the Old French cravent meaning defeated or beaten.
Language never fails to fascinate me. If you want to share a word, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
