Lexigame Community

General Category => Words => Topic started by: TRex on July 21, 2021, 01:54:24 AM

Title: demesne common?
Post by: TRex on July 21, 2021, 01:54:24 AM

According to Ngram (https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=demesne%3Aeng_us_2019%2Cdemesne%3Aeng_gb_2019&year_start=1800&year_end=2019) it used to be far more common in British English (not surprising, IMO), but has become much less so. The second least played word in the puzzle (emend) was played by 265 players; demesne by only 91 players. A candidate for reclassification?

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: Jacki on July 21, 2021, 10:06:48 AM

I didn’t get it. And I can’t say that it’s familiar to me at all.

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: mkenuk on July 21, 2021, 10:31:10 AM

I have come across the word occasionally in novels, but without looking it up I wouldn't have been able to explain exactly what it means.
It's best categorized, perhaps, as 'archaic legal jargon';
Common? No way. I'm surprised that as many as 91 players knew it.

The online anagram solvers must have been busy that day.

 ;D

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: les303 on July 21, 2021, 10:44:53 AM

I failed to play " demesne " & have never heard of it.

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: ridethetalk on July 21, 2021, 05:41:14 PM

Quote from: les303 on July 21, 2021, 10:44:53 AM

I failed to play " demesne " & have never heard of it.

That's funny Les - it seems one person's well-read reading material is another's couldn't be bothered with that...

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: yelnats on July 21, 2021, 07:52:42 PM

I don't think there have been any demesnes, manors, or lords of the Manor in Oz.

I had never heard of it.

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: auntiemo on July 21, 2021, 08:15:36 PM

Seedmen shuffled eventually equals demesne !

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: Alan W on July 27, 2021, 12:47:36 PM

This word is so rare that nobody's claimed that it seems like a very common word to them, and one that any well-read person would be familiar with!  ;)

It will be classed as rare in future.

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: Jacki on July 27, 2021, 01:27:32 PM

Good call.

Title: Re: demesne common?
Post by: TRex on July 27, 2021, 09:33:56 PM

Thanks, Alan.