U

UMBLES, 191 the edible innards of an animal. Randle Holme (1688) defined umble pie as ‘a Pie made of the Intrals of a Deer, as Heart Liver etc.’. This was regarded as inferior food, to be served to people of lowly rank. Hence the expression ‘to eat humble pie’. (Robert May, 1660/1685)

UMBLES: The inner edible parts of the deer. (John Nott, 1726)

UMBLES: the edible inward parts of an animal. Randle Holme defines umble pie as ‘a Pie made of the Intrals of a Deer, as Heart Liver, etc.’. This was regarded as inferior food, to be served to lowly people. Hence the expression ‘to eat humble pie’. (Richard Bradley, 1736)

UNCIA: an ounce, often expressed by a symbol in the ms, but printed in this transcript in full . One twelfth of a pound troy. An ounce avoirdupois is 437 grains, an ounce troy 480 grains. (See Weights and measures.)(John Evelyn, Cook, C17)

UNDERLINE or underling, meaning weak (of animals, people or plants). OED cites Ellis as the only instance of this spelling. (William Ellis, 1750)

UNLUCKY: Ellis’ usage means not so much full of misfortune as mischievous and bad-tempered. OED cites the agricultural author John Mortimer (d.1707) who so describes a stallion. (William Ellis, 1750)

Usq. ad Putrilaginem: until disintegrating (Latin). (Sir Kenelm Digby, 1669)(Sir Kenelm Digby, 1669)

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z