Will you allow me to suggest that, under the above, or some such
heading, "N. & Q." should receive any words not to be found in any
well-known dictionary; such, for instance, as Halliwell's or Webster's,
which do not by any means contain all the words belonging to the class
of which they profess to be the repositories. You may also invite
barristers, reporters, professional men generally, and others, to send
such waifs of this description as they meet with. "N. & Q." will then
soon become in this department of literature, as it is already in many
others, a rich mine from which future authors will draw precious store
of knowledge. I will begin by giving one or two examples.
_Earth-burn._ An intermittent land-spring, which may not show itself for
several years. There is such a spring, and so named, near to Epsom.
_Lavant._ A land-spring, according to Halliwell. But this also is an
intermittent spring. The word is probably from _lava_, to flow.
_Pick._ (Lancashire.) To push with the hand. "I gen her a pick;" that
is, "I pushed her from me;" or, "I gave her a violent push forward."
_Pick_ is also the instrument colliers get coals with; or an excavator
gets earth with; or a stonemason uses to take the "rough" off a stone.
He may also finish the face of ashlar by "fine-picking" it.
_Gen._ (Lancashire.) A contraction of the word _gave_.