aroint

English

Etymology

A 16th-17th century depiction of the Harrowing of Hell that reads "out out arongt^[sic]" on the image’s right (Descent into Hell from artist Michael Burghers' Ancient Mysteries Described)

Uncertain, and subject to various attempts to connect it to multiple Germanic and Romance etymons; first attested in the First Folio, and sometimes posited to be an error for anoint, referring to a witch’s supposed flight-facilitating ointment, and thus being a commandment for her to anele herself and fly away; also taken from the phrase rowan tree in regard to its apotropaic abilities.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈɹɔɪnt/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪnt

Verb

aroint (third-person singular simple present aroints, present participle arointing, simple past and past participle arointed)

1. (archaic, imperative, transitive) avaunt; begone; go away; leave!
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:

     And aroynt thee Witch, aroynt thee.

   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     Aroynt thee, Witch, the rumpe-fed Ronyon cryes.

2. (archaic) to dispel; to send away.
   • 1844, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, To Flush, My Dog:

     Whiskered cats arointed flee,
     Sturdy stoppers keep from thee
     Cologne distillations.

Usage notes

• Originally seems to be associated directly with supernatural beings, especially witches, however later on milkmaids employed an aphetic, dialectal form of the term in reference to their herds of cattle (see rynt).

Anagrams

• Natori, traino, torani, Torain, Tanori, Triano, -inator, Troian, Torian, Tirano, ration, Onrait, Nortia