The Seven Deadly Sins and their progeny
A Starter word(s) miscellany for Lent 2025
Paraphrased from a modern English translation of the Middle English text Ancrene Wisse:
https://www.bsswebsite.me.uk/History/AncreneRiwle/AncreneRiwle2.html#deadlysins
See also https://rentry.co/wordle-meta-list
I will use the list in whatever order seems appropriate at the time, there are just shy of 60 words or combos, more than enough for the period.
An hyphen "-" between two words indicates the possibility of starting with both, while "or" indicates alternatives.
Occasionally I could find no good Wordleable term, so some sound-alikes have been used, but if a better one is thought of, it should be used!
The Lion of PRIDE
and its WHELP
s
Vain Glory VEINY
or VANED-GLORY
Indignation PIQUE
Hypocrisy affected FALSE-PIETY
or FALSE-VERTU
Presumption BRAZE-CHEEK
Disobedience ROGUE
or REBEL
<-too positive: went for FLOUT-DICTA
Loquacity GABBY
or GASSY
or BOAST
Blasphemy SWEAR
Impatience TESTY
Contumacy ie Stubborn refusal to comply with a court order FLOUT-JUDGE
or REBEL-COURT
or SCOFF-JUDGE
The SNAKE
of Envy
SPITE
Ingratitude THANK-LEAST
Rancour ODIUM
Grief at the good of another GRIEF-OTHER-GOODS
Glad of the other’s evil, Schadenfreude HAPPY-OTHER-EVILS
or HAPPY-OTHER-PAINS
Exposing Fault SHOWS-FAULT
Backbiting BITES-ABACK
Upbraiding or contempt SCORN
The Unicorn of WRATH
Contention or Strife FEUDS
RAGER
Contumelous reproach CHIDE
or SCOLD
or CONTO MELEE
CURSE
SPANK
Wishing that Evil may happen to a man or to his friend or possession WISHT-EVILS
or WISHT-HURTS
or WISHT- HARMS
The Bear of heavy SLOTH
Torpor DULLY
or TEPID
Pusillanimity LACKS-SPINE
Dullness of Heart DULLS-HEART
or DULLY-SHART
Idleness IDLER
Grudging Grumbling Heart WHINE
Deadly Sorrow for the loss of any worldly possession, CRIES-LOSSY
Negligence SLACK
Despair GLOOM
or DESSE-PAIRE
or DESSE-POTEN-DANCY
The Fox of Covetousness
CHEAT
and GUILE
THEFT
RAPIN
Extortion SHAKE-DOWNS
or BLACK-MAILS
False testimony and Perjury FALSE
Simony SELLS-FAVOR
USURY
COVET-RICHE
The SWINE
of GREED
The Scorpion of Lechery
STING-LECHE
FLESH
FAWNS-STING
This list started as my comment to an etymological post by [@Henrik] (https://www.nytimes.com/shared/comment/45kkkj) and developed as a potential theme to use during Lent, the traditional Christian period preceding Easter, and dedicated to fasting, abstinence and penitence.
As to the text, the anonymous, early 13th century, text of the Ancrene Wisse is a manual for holy living for an audience of anchoresses, women who lived as religious recluses before the formal establishment of monasticism, and is a fundamental text for studying Middle English.
As to the content, I beg all remember that one is to remove the beam from one’s eye before trying to remove the mote from another’s eye. One should not be too quick in applying the words to others’ shortcomings, no matter how irresistible the temptation may appear.