Swank<\/em>, to English speakers in the US, means \u201cfancy, elegant and showy.\u201d In the UK, swank<\/em> can also be a verb \u201cto display one\u2019s wealth, knowledge, or achievements in a way that is intended to impress others\u201d; it can also be a noun \u201cbehavior, talk, or display intended to impress others\u201d (OED<\/em>). In both the US and the UK, a similar adjective is swanky<\/em> \u201cstylishly luxurious and expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n There are historically some other definitions for swank, though these meanings are obsolete. The first meaning, recorded by the OED<\/em> in 1726, is a portion or remainder of drink: \u201cthat Remainder of Liquor at the Bottom of a Tankard, Pot or Cup, which is just sufficient for one Draught; which is not accounted good Manners to divide with the left Hand Man; and according to the Quantity is called either a large or a little Swank.\u201d Another, the first use of which, according to the OED<\/em>, occurs in 1786, is \u201cagile, active, nimble\u201d: \u201cYe’re to tak’ thirty swank fellows that can run.\u201d The verb form actually appears in 1809: \u201cI met him swanking along the road, ever so genteel.\u201d The noun form shows up in 1854: \u201cWhat a swank he cuts!\u201d And the adjective form, with the meaning from the first paragraph above, doesn\u2019t appear until 1913, and mostly in the US: \u201cLook here, come for a ride. Had this new swank machine just a week.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking of swank<\/em>, last week I saw a posting on Facebook about Queen Elizabeth\u2019s jewelry (that\u2019s number 2, not number 1). Here\u2019s a quick outline, all from Wikipedia (and yes, there is a Wiki devoted just to Elizabeth\u2019s jewelry:<\/p>\n \u201cThe Delhi Durbar Tiara was made by Garrard & Co. for Mary of Teck, the wife of George V, to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911\u2026. Made of gold and platinum, the tiara is 8 cm (3 in) tall and has the form of a tall circlet of lyres and S-scrolls linked by festoons of diamonds.\u201d<\/p>\n The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara \u201creuses diamonds taken from a necklace\/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood & Co. as a wedding present for Princess Mary in 1893.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe George III Fringe Tiara is a circlet incorporating brilliant diamonds that were formerly owned by George III. Originally commissioned in 1830, the tiara has been worn by many queens consort. Originally, it could be worn as a collar or necklace or mounted on a wire to form the tiara.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, sometimes the Diamond and Pearl Tiara, was bought, along with a diamond rivi\u00e8re, by Queen Mary from Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, mother of the Duchess of Kent, in 1921 for a price of \u00a328,000,\u201d which would be \u00a31,261,235.49 ($1,674,280.02) in 2017. \u201cQueen Mary had the tiara altered to accommodate 15 of the Cambridge cabochon emeralds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cElizabeth ordered the Burmese Ruby Tiara in 1973, and it was made by Garrard & Co. using stones from her private collection. It is designed in the form of a wreath of roses, with silver and diamonds making the petals, and clusters of gold and rubies forming the centre of the flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n The Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara \u201cwas presented to Alexandra, Princess of Wales, as a 25th wedding anniversary gift in 1888 by Lady Salisbury on behalf of 365 peeresses of the United Kingdom. She had always wanted a tiara in the style of a kokoshnik (cock’s comb), a traditional Russian folk headdress, and knew the design well from a tiara belonging to her sister, Marie Feodorovna, the Empress of Russia. It was made by Garrard & Co. and has vertical white gold bars pav\u00e9-set with diamonds, the longest of which is 6.5 cm (2.5 in).\u201d Just for the sake of comparison, a 20-carat diamond is 17.6 mm.<\/p>\n That\u2019s enough, I think. I didn\u2019t even make it through the tiaras. But as you can see, there\u2019s plenty of swank jewelry. The one problem I have\u2014who paid for them all? The articles can say that Elizabeth or some predecessor \u201cbought\u201d them, but we all know that the money came from the people of England. Perhaps I should have come up with a different word of the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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