Thursday, January 30, 2014

Word of the Day

ugsome \UHG-suhm\,
adjective:
Scot. and North England. horrid; loathsome.

Slowly she turned to find herself facing a man with a scarred hollow at his temple, a very ugsome fellow. “I don't know you,” she said. “Leave me alone.”
-- Lisa Klein, "Love Disguised," 2013

“Whatever would compel a young lass to look so ugsome?” While Rose ducked her head, embarrassed, Leana curtsied and extended her hand.
-- Liz Curtis Higgs, "Whence Came a Prince," 2005

Ugsome is from the Middle English word ugg meaning "to fear, cause loathing" which is probably rooted in the Old Norse word ugga.

Dictionary.com