timorsome, a. Now dial.
(ˈtɪməsəm)
Also 7–9 timer-, timour-, erron. timber-, (8 timbor-, 8–9 timmor-).
[app. f. timor-ous, timer-ous, with substitution of -some suffix for -ous; cf. burthen-ous, burthen-some, quarrel-ous, quarrel-some, and esp. humorous, humoursome (but humour was in common English use, which timor was not).]
1. Subject to or characterized by fear; timorous, timid.
| 1599–1600 G. Ruggle Club Law i. iv, Impossible for a man to be a..Headsman..that is timbersome or afraid. 1602 Segar Hon. Mil. & Civ. i. xxx. 39 The second was impotent of his feet, and the third timersome. a 1652 Brome Covent Gard. v. i, I never saw a man so timoursome. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. viii, He is a timborsome Man every Body knows. 1818 Scott Let. to D. Terry 30 Apr., in Lockhart, Last night..the very same noise occurred. Mrs. S., as you know, is rather timbersome, so up got I, with Beardie's broadsword under my arm... But nothing was out of order. 1840 Marryat Poor Jack xxii, A mighty timorsome sort of young chap he appeared for to be. 1897 Baring-Gould Bladys xxvi, I'm forced, when feeling timorsome of nights, to bolt my door. |
2. Inspiring fear, fearful, dreadful; = timorous 2. rare.
| 1894 Blackmore Perlycross 191 It looks..so..strange and ungodly, and—and so timoursome. |