Historical Fiction Vocabulary

adjective born of low birth or social status

• The nobleman refused to acknowledge the baseborn child as his own.
• She always looked down on him for being baseborn.
• People in the village gossip about the baseborn girl and her mysterious origins.
• The artist considered his early, amateurish works to be baseborn compared to his later masterpieces.

adjective used to express anger, annoyance, or emphasis

• The bloody conflict in the region has been going on for years.
• I can't believe you forgot your bloody wallet again!
• Stop being such a bloody drama queen about it.
• The artist's use of color created a bloody sunset in the painting.

noun A young man who works as a servant on a ship, typically responsible for menial tasks and assisting the crew.

• The cabin boy was responsible for assisting the captain with various tasks on the ship.
• The cabin boy always had a smile on his face, ready to lend a hand wherever needed.
• Hey, did you hear about the new cabin boy? He's supposed to be a real hard worker.
• In the corporate world, the intern is often seen as the cabin boy, running errands for the higher-ups.

noun a man unduly devoted to style, neatness, and fashion in dress and appearance

adjective excellent; first-rate

• He always dressed in a dandy manner, with perfectly tailored suits and polished shoes.
• Jim thought he looked pretty dandy in his new leather jacket.
• That new song is dandy, I can't stop listening to it.
• Despite the challenges, she managed to keep a dandy attitude throughout the project.

noun A proper noun referring to the main character in the novel 'Don Quixote' by Miguel de Cervantes.

• Don Quixote is a novel written by Miguel de Cervantes.
• Have you read Don Quixote yet? It's a classic!
• Don Quixote is like the OG knight-errant, man.
• Sometimes I feel like Don Quixote, tilting at windmills in my own life.

noun a former Spanish gold coin

• The explorer found a rare doubloon from a shipwreck dating back to the 17th century.
• Hey, check out this cool doubloon I found at the beach!
• I heard that doubloons are worth a lot of money to collectors.
• In her eyes, his love was as precious as a doubloon.

noun a person who does tedious, menial, or unpleasant work

verb to do tedious, menial, or unpleasant work

• The drudge of completing paperwork is necessary for legal compliance.
• I hate being the office drudge who has to do all the boring tasks.
• I'm tired of being the company's drudge, always stuck with the grunt work.
• She felt like a drudge in her own life, constantly doing tasks she didn't enjoy.

noun a state of confusion or bewilderment

verb to confuse or bewilder

• The complex instructions seemed to fuddle the new employees.
• I always fuddle up the recipe when I try to cook something new.
• I was so fuddled after the party last night, I couldn't even remember how I got home.
• Her mind was so fuddled with worry that she couldn't think straight.

noun the kitchen in a ship or aircraft

• The chef prepared meals in the galley of the ship.
• Let's grab a snack from the galley before we head out.
• I heard there's some good munchies in the galley.
• The author spent hours in the galley of his mind, crafting his next masterpiece.

noun a title or form of address indicating high rank or social status

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• Your highness, may I present to you the royal decree.
• Hey highness, want to go for a ride in the royal carriage?
• Yo highness, you're looking regal today.
• The highness of the mountain peak took my breath away.

noun a place in a large institution for the care of those who are ill

• The patient was transferred to the infirmary for further medical care.
• I heard they're setting up a mini infirmary at the event for any emergencies.
• I hope I don't end up in the infirmary after that intense workout.
• Her mind felt like an infirmary, filled with thoughts that needed healing.

adjective relating to or characteristic of a knight, especially in being chivalrous or gallant

• The knightly duties of protecting the kingdom were passed down through generations.
• He always felt a sense of pride when he put on his knightly armor.
• Yo, that dude's knightly skills are on point!
• She displayed a knightly courage in the face of adversity.

noun a clumsy or unskilled sailor or seaman

• The lubber was not accustomed to the rough seas and struggled to maintain balance on the ship.
• That lubber is always tripping over their own feet.
• Don't be such a lubber, get your act together!
• He may be a lubber when it comes to cooking, but he sure knows how to fix a car.

noun a metal band, chain, or shackle for fastening someone's hands or ankles

verb to confine or restrain someone

• The police officer placed a manacle on the suspect's wrist before escorting him to the car.
• I can't believe they actually put a manacle on him like he's a criminal or something.
• They slapped a manacle on him and dragged him away like he was some kind of thug.
• The manacle of debt weighed heavily on his mind, restricting his freedom to make choices.

noun a person who shares a mess or dining area, especially in a military or naval setting

• The captain assigned me a messmate to share my cabin with during the voyage.
• I was lucky to have a friendly messmate on the ship who kept me company.
• My messmate and I hit it off right away and became fast friends.
• In the journey of life, a good friend can be your messmate, always there to support you through the ups and downs.

noun a term of address for a noblewoman or a woman of high social status

• I must say, milady, your grace and poise are truly remarkable.
• Hey milady, would you care for a dance?
• Yo, milady, you lookin' fine tonight.
• Milady, your kindness shines brighter than the sun.

adjective A term used to describe someone as foolish or stupid.

• His muttonheaded decision cost the company thousands of dollars.
• I can't believe she made such a muttonheaded mistake.
• Don't be so muttonheaded, use your common sense!
• His stubbornness made him appear muttonheaded in front of his peers.

verb to steal, especially in a sneaky or dishonest way

• The thief attempted to purloin the valuable painting from the museum.
• I heard someone tried to purloin some money from the cash register at the store.
• She managed to purloin some snacks from the vending machine without anyone noticing.
• He tried to purloin her heart with his charming words.

noun a mischievous or dishonest person

• The rapscallion was caught stealing from the local store and was arrested.
• That rapscallion always causes trouble wherever he goes.
• Watch out for that rapscallion, he's up to no good.
• The rapscallion of the group always keeps things interesting with his antics.

noun a person who carries off another person by force; abductor or kidnapper

• The ravisher was sentenced to life in prison for his heinous crimes.
• I can't believe that ravisher got away with it for so long.
• That ravisher is a real scumbag.
• The storm ravisher left a path of destruction in its wake.

noun a slang term for a surgeon or doctor, especially one who is viewed as unskilled or incompetent

• The sawbones carefully examined the patient's X-rays before making a diagnosis.
• I heard the sawbones say that the surgery went well and the patient is recovering.
• The sawbones fixed up my broken arm in no time.
• He's like a sawbones when it comes to repairing old cars, he can fix anything.

noun a mischievous or wayward person, especially a young person

• The young man was known in the community as a scapegrace due to his reckless behavior.
• Don't trust that scapegrace, he's always up to no good.
• That scapegrace is a real troublemaker, watch out for him.
• The storm was like a scapegrace, causing chaos wherever it went.

noun A room in a house or small institution where food is stored, prepared, and cleaned away

• The scullery maid was responsible for washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen.
• The scullery maid always complained about the never-ending pile of dirty dishes.
• The scullery maid was stuck doing all the grunt work in the kitchen.
• She felt like a scullery maid, constantly cleaning up after everyone else's mess.

noun A kitchen servant who performs menial tasks such as cleaning and washing dishes

• The scullion was responsible for washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen in the castle.
• The scullion complained about having to scrub pots and pans all day.
• I heard the scullion got in trouble for sneaking extra food from the kitchen.
• In the hierarchy of the restaurant, he was considered the scullion of the group, always doing the dirty work.

noun a place or role that someone or something occupies or fills

adverb in place of; instead

• The new manager will take the place of the previous one and lead the team in his stead.
• I'll hold onto your keys for safekeeping, so you can relax and enjoy the party instead.
• I'll cover your shift at work so you can go to the concert instead, no worries.
• Her presence filled the room with warmth and joy, making her the steadying force in times of trouble.

noun a performer or actor who travels from place to place, usually performing in the streets or small venues

• The strolling player entertained the crowd with a variety of performances.
• The strolling player was really good at keeping the audience engaged.
• That strolling player sure knows how to put on a show!
• In life, we are all just strolling players on a grand stage.

noun a flamboyant or self-assured person, especially a soldier, adventurer, or pirate

adjective relating to or characteristic of a swashbuckler; daring or flamboyant

• The swashbuckling hero saved the day with his daring swordsmanship.
• That movie was full of swashbuckling action scenes.
• I love watching those swashbuckling pirates in action.
• Her swashbuckling attitude in the boardroom impressed everyone.

noun a foolish or silly person

• The CEO did not appreciate any tomfoolery during the important board meeting.
• Stop with the tomfoolery and focus on the task at hand.
• I can't believe he fell for that tomfool prank.
• His argument was full of tomfool logic that made no sense.

noun a person who guards or has charge of a particular place

• The warder diligently patrolled the prison grounds, ensuring the security of the inmates.
• The warder caught the inmate trying to sneak contraband into the cell.
• The warder busted the prisoner for trying to smuggle in drugs.
• She saw herself as a warder of justice, always striving to uphold what is right.

noun a young, inexperienced, or impertinent person

• The young whippersnapper showed great promise in his academic pursuits.
• That little whippersnapper is always causing trouble in the neighborhood.
• I can't believe that whippersnapper beat me at basketball.
• The new CEO may be a whippersnapper in age, but he has proven to be a visionary leader.

noun the time of day when the sun is highest in the sky; midday

• The workers took a break for nooning before resuming their tasks in the afternoon.
• Let's grab some lunch and enjoy a nice nooning break in the park.
• Hey, wanna chill and have a nooning sesh at my place later?
• The calmness of the nooning sky reflected the peace in her heart.

noun a type of drama set in a particular historical period, often featuring elaborate costumes and settings

• The period drama depicted the life of the royal family in the 18th century.
• I love watching period dramas set in the Victorian era.
• Period dramas are my guilty pleasure, especially the ones with elaborate costumes.
• The political scandal unfolding at work felt like a scene from a period drama.

adverb in bed; on a bed

• After a long day of work, he finally laid abed to rest.
• I'm feeling tired, I think I'll just crash abed early tonight.
• Let's just chill abed and watch some Netflix.
• His dreams were still abed, waiting to be realized.

noun a term used in medieval England to refer to vagabonds or beggars

• The abram-men were skilled craftsmen who worked on the construction of the cathedral.
• The abram-men are the ones who always show up early to work.
• Those abram-men really know how to get the job done quickly.
• In the world of finance, the abram-men are the ones who make bold investment decisions.