30 Archaic Adjectives and Adverbs

30 Archaic Adjectives and Adverbs 30 Archaic Adjectives and Adverbs 30 Archaic Adjectives and Adverbs By Mark Nichol The words below are either obsolete, archaic, or old-fashioned, and though those in the latter category can still be found in modern writing, use all with caution. Sparing use keeps these words alive and adds a whimsical or quaint note, but too frequent recourse to such antiquities will have you sounding like a Renaissance Faire refugee. (Most are adjectives or adverbs or both; some can function as other parts of speech as well, as indicated.) 1. Anon (adv.): soon, or later (â€Å"They will arrive anon†; â€Å"I will reveal more anon†) 2. Aright (adv.): correctly (â€Å"Did I hear aright?†) 3. Athwart (adj., prep.): across (â€Å"The locked chest lay athwart the planks†) 4. Belike (adv.): probably (â€Å"Belike we are more similar than you think†) 5. Enow (adj., adv.): enough (â€Å"If I had loved enow, I would be a happier man†) 6. Fain (adj., adv.): willing, compelled, inclined, pleased (â€Å"Fain am I to hear you sing†) 7. Forsooth (adv.): indeed (â€Å"Forsooth, I do believe you envy him†) 8. Forthwith (adv.): immediately (â€Å"Carry this message forthwith†) 9. Froward (adj.): contrary, adverse (â€Å"His horse was froward, and threw him when he set his spurs†) 10. Heretofore (adv.): up to this time (â€Å"Heretofore, I had not believed it possible†) 11. Hither (adj., adv.): to this place (â€Å"Come hither when you are able†) 12. Hitherto: see heretofore 13. Lief (adj., adv.): beloved (â€Å"You are my lief friend†); willing (â€Å"I would as lief be beside you now†) 14. Mayhap (adv.): perhaps (â€Å"Mayhap we shall see them tomorrow†) 15. Meet (adv.): appropriate (â€Å"It is meet that you do so†) 16. Nary (adj.): not any or not one (â€Å"Nary a sign have I seen of him†) 17. Natheless (adv.): nevertheless (â€Å"Though it is dangerous, natheless will I go) 18. Needs (adv.): necessarily (â€Å"I must needs be heard so that all shall know†) 19. Nigh (adj., adv.; prep.): near, nearly, direct (â€Å"Those who pursue are nigh upon us†) 20. Peradventure (adj., adv., prep.): see mayhap (also n.: a doubt or chance) 21. Posthaste (adj., adv., n.): immediate (â€Å"Your posthaste reply is appreciated†); as quickly as possible (â€Å"We will arrive posthaste†) 22. Puissant (adj.): powerful (â€Å"She is a puissant adversary†) 23. Sith (adv.): since (â€Å"Sith that time, I have wept often over the memory†) 24. Strait (adj., adv.): narrow, or strict or rigorous (â€Å"I would have you be strait in your habits†) 25. Thither (adj., adv.): there, on the other or farther side (â€Å"Our host took us thither†; â€Å"What you seek is in the thither valley†) 26. Verily (adv.): certainly, truly, with confidence (â€Å"Verily, I did see it with my own eyes†) 27. Whereof (adv., conj.): of what (â€Å"Whereof have you seen in the world?†) 28. Withal (adv., prep.): besides, nevertheless (â€Å"Though you may be right, I withal must see for myself†) 29. Yare (adj.): agile, handy, ready (â€Å"She’s a yare vessel, all right†) 30. Yon (adj., adv., pron.): over there (â€Å"I ride to yon village†; â€Å"What do you see yon?†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidBetween vs. In BetweenWhat the heck are "learnings"?