There has been an interesting exchange in a workshop on OEDILF about CJ's limerick on accinge. I pose 2 questions to Wordcrafters that were addressed in the workshop. I'd love to see a reaction from linguaphiles on this one. Here is the limerick:

When she's near me, I feel a sharp twinge
Of despair. I can't help it! I cringe
At the thought she might say,
"How are you this fine day?"
I must gird up my loins and accinge!


The first question is: Can you tell the definition of "accinge" from this limerick? Secondly, what is the real intent of this word? It is a rare word, so an accurate definition is important.

In the end, CJ withdrew this limerick. However, I remain interested in the word and in what it really means.

Accinge means to gird up one's loins. It comes from the Latin, meaning to put on a belt. The last line, therefore, is self-referential, and doesn't define the word in the slightest.

I didn't know it and couldn't have guessed it from the context. However if the last line had been written

I must gird up my lines: must accinge.

I would have taken them, as arnie suggests to be synonyms and could have guessed it.

(Incidentaly I did get the alert about it but saw that so many people were already commenting that I felt one more voice would be unnecessary.)

I've never heard the word before, and the limerick as originally posted did not define it for me. On reading, I assumed it meant "to carry on". Bob's alteration would work for me, I think.

From the workshop, Hugh said this: "If (as I think the dictionary evidence shows), the WD is only used with 'oneself', the lim itself misuses it." That was confusing to me.

The suggestion was made to use a colon which would surely better define it. However, CJ decided to put it on hold, whatever that means.

I think Hugh misunderstood the dictionary definition. The word when used as a verb is reflexive; you'd only gird your own loins, not someone else's.

The suggestion by Bob and (someone else) to use a colon works for me.

Arnie, I think maybe Hugh meant that you use the phrase with the words "oneself" or "himself." You just don't say, "I must accinge" as the limerick writer seemed to say. The OED gives these examples: "Æschylus never accinged himself to write tragedies unless he were first madefied with wine." Or "This task, to which I have accinged myself, is arduous."

But using the colon would help. Too bad he dumped it.