grimthorpe

English

Alternative forms

• Grimthorpe

Etymology

In reference to the renovation of the St Albans Cathedral in the 19th century by Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe, which was fiercely criticized at the time.

Verb

grimthorpe (third-person singular simple present grimthorpes, present participle grimthorping, simple past and past participle grimthorped)

1. (transitive, dated) To renovate an old building or structure in a lavish and expensive, yet tasteless fashion which spoils its original beauty. [from late 19th c.]
   • 2010, Derek Benz, Jon Samuel Lewis, Grey Griffins: The Brimstone Key (Grey Griffins; 4), Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN:

     "Look, just because this junky train has been grimthorped doesn't mean that I have to sit and listen to you two psychopaths read through the encyclopedia of death," Natalia scolded.

References

• “grimthorpe”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “grimthorpe”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.