Dictionary

merrythought en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɛɹɪθɔːt/
• /ˈmɛɹiˌθɔːt/

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle English mery English merry Proto-Indo-European *teng-der. Proto-Germanic *þankijaną Proto-Germanic *þanhtaz Proto-West Germanic *þą̄ht Old English þōht Middle English thought English thought English merrythought From merry + thought, traditionally explained with reference to the pleasant thoughts imagined when the bone is ritually broken.

Meanings

1. (archaic) The wishbone or furcula.
   • Mrs. Knipp. (picking up from Ming's plate the merrythought on which her eye has just fallen, and holding it up). A merrythought. Who will pull this merrythought with me ? Nay (as they all lean forward), 'tis an affair of two not four. (They draw back simultaneously, eying each other sheepishly when Mrs. KNIPP laughs at their confusion). 1906, William Price Drury, Richard Pryce, A Privy Council: A Comedy in One Act, page 22:
   • All Birds want the Channel-bones in the Breast, instead whereof they have a bone, which we call the Merry thought. 1688, Randle Holme, The Academy of Armory, Chester, Book 2, Chapter 13, p. 307:
   • One puts yᵉ merrithought on his nose (slightly) like a paire of spectacles, and shakes his head till he shakes it off his nose. 1687, John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, page 93:

Forms