pamphlet
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: The noun is derived from Late Middle English pamflet, pamphilet (“short written text; small book; tract”) [and other forms], from Middle French Pamphilet (compare Late Latin (Anglo-Latin) pamfletus, panfletus, paunflettus (“short written text”), Old French Panfilès), a popular shorthand for the 12th-century Latin love poem Pamphilus, seu de amore (Pamphilus, or On Love): the widely circulated pamphlets then gave this name to the whole phenomenon. Pamphilet is derived from Latin Pamphilus, the name of a protagonist of the poem + Middle French -et (suffix forming diminutive masculine nouns); while Pamphilus is from Ancient Greek Πάμφιλος (Pámphilos, literally “beloved by all”), from παν- (pan-, prefix meaning ‘all; every’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- (“to protect; to shepherd”)) + φῐ́λος (phĭ́los, “beloved, dear”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰil- (“decent; friendly; good; harmonious”)).
For the Middle French and Old French use of the suffix -et to form shorthands for the titles of works, compare Middle French Avionet (“the fables of Avianus”) from Avianus; Middle French Catonet, Old French Chatonnet, Chatonez (“the Distichs of Cato”) from Caton (they were formerly believed to be by Cato); and Old French Esopet, Isopet (“Aesop’s Fables”) from Ésope (Aesop).
The verb is derived from the noun.
Inflected forms:
form: pamphlets
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: pamphlets
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: pamphleting
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: pamphletting
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: pamphleted
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: pamphleted
pos: verb
tags: past
form: pamphletted
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: pamphletted
pos: verb
tags: past
Senses:
gloss: A small, brief printed work, consisting either of a folded sheet of paper, or several sheets bound together into a booklet with only a paper cover, formerly containing literary compositions, newsletters, and newspapers, but now chiefly informational matter.
pos: noun
examples: His gayeſt flooriſhes are but Gaſcoignes Weedes, or Tarletons trickes, or Greenes crankes, or Marlowes bravadoes; his jeſts, but the dregges of common ſcurrilitie, or the ſhreds of the Theater, or the of-ſcouring of new pamflets: […]
I happened, I know not how, to ſay that a pamphlet meant a proſe piece. [Samuel] Johnson. "No, Sir. A few ſheets of poetry unbound are a pamphlet, as much as a few ſheets of proſe." [Samuel] Musgrave. "A pamphlet may be underſtood to mean a poetical piece, in Weſtminſter-Hall, that is in formal language; but in common language it is underſtood to mean proſe." Johnson. (and here was one of the many inſtances of his knowing clearly and telling exactly how a thing is) "A pamphlet is underſtood in common language to mean proſe, only from this, that there is ſo much more proſe written than poetry; as when we ſay a book, proſe is underſtood for the ſame reaſon, though a book may as well be in poetry as in proſe. We underſtand what is moſt general, and we name what is leſs frequent."
The brewing of beer from malt instead of sugar is strongly recommended, and a scale of rewards in grants of land, had been proposed; which however had not been adopted by the Colonial Council, and seems to be objected to by the Governor: but this interesting pamphlet requires to be read to appreciate its value.
"Haven't you any kind of a history of the place? I think there was one written about 1840: a book or pamphlet about its first settlement," he presently said from the farther end of the room.
The librarian should consider the value of the publication compared to its cost. How far will one resource stretch compared with another of the same price? For example, a pamphlet or booklet series is accessible to more people at one time than a bound volume.
gloss: Such a work containing political material or discussing matters of controversy.
pos: noun
tags: specifically
examples: So far is it from the kenne of theſe wretched projectors of ours that beſcraull their Pamflets every day with new formes of government for our Church.
[…] Miniſters are ſo wiſe to leave their Proceedings to be accounted for by Reaſoners at a Diſtance, who often mould them into Syſtems, that do not only go down very well in the Coffee-Houſe, but are Supplies for Pamphlets in the preſent Age, and may probably furniſh Materials for Memoirs and Hiſtories in the next.
gloss: A brief handwritten work.
pos: noun
tags: obsolete
examples: Christ now to Thee I crye of mercy and of grace and graunt of Thy goodnes to every maner reder ful understandyng in this leude pamflet to have, and let no man wene other cause in this werke that is verily the soth.
And heere I cast vnto my purpoos / Out of Frenssh a tale to translate, / Which in a paunflet I radde & sauh but late.
gloss: To distribute pamphlets (to someone or some place).
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Is not This a Seaſonable and Wholeſome Doctrine, d'ye think, to publiſh to the Multitude at this time of day, when they are Preacht and Pamphletted into Tinder already; And the Leaſt ſpark hazzards the Putting of 'em All in a flame?
We are pamphleted on the subject until we are weary.
Being skilled pickpockets and socially invisible, they slip the propaganda into the pockets of the occupiers. They write letters as the ghosts of dead soldiers. They particularly like pamphletting the funerals of dead German soldiers, writing in the voice of the recently deceased.
gloss: To write about (someone or something) in a pamphlet; to issue (some material) in the form of a pamphlet.
pos: verb
tags: archaic
transitive
examples: How many Honourable, and Loyall Gentlemen; Nay the Flower of the Nobility, have been Pamphleted up and down the Nation like ſo many Shrewing-Cocks, for every Cur to lift up his Leg and Piſs againſt; as the Betrayers of the Liberties of the Nation, when, Effectually, they were next under God himſelf, the Preſervers of 'em: […]
This Diſcourse being Pamphleted about, to Court, City and Country, open'd a door to the Reformation intended, and ſhut out all thoſe prejudices it might lie under from the State, and Religion of Fore-fathers, &c.
[…] I never knew how much in earnest and in sincerity she was my friend till she heard of my infinite frettation upon occasion of being pamphleted; and then she took the trouble to write me a long scolding letter and Dr. [Samuel] Johnson himself came to talk to me about it, and to reason with me; […]
You are not exhibiting yourſelves here to become the heroes of a newſpaper; and the converſation that is about to take place between us, is not intended to be pamphleted into the world.
I could wish that this article might be pamphletted, and a large edition struck.
The story got abroad, and created great laughter throughout the whole country, and, as might be expected, the little Mayor of C., was ere long caricatured, pamphleted, and paragraphed into resigning, and it was only then that he was allowed to live in peace, and to forget his fatal visit to Valengay.
These agreements are matters of record, and I suggest that copies of these agreements be pamphletted so as to be available to city officials.
The honourable member was apparently the friend of a solicitor who was one of the Council of Foreign Bondholders which sent the communication to the colony, which was published in the Press of this colony, and then subsequently pamphleted and disseminated broadcast among certain circles in England, with the idea of leading the people there to the belief that he (Mr. Ward) had in this matter acted with duplicity in not acquainting the members of the Council of Foreign Bondholders with a decision of the Government in regard to this matter—which decision had never been given or sent to him.
The authors were students and ex-students and nonstudents, those who had arrived at the university not to study in any traditional sense (grab the goodies and run); but had come to sit in the harder school of scant survival and pamphleting and writing and demonstrating and resisting the war.
gloss: To distribute pamphlets.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: Five Swarthmore students, including Wittman, were arrested and fined thirty-four dollars each for pamphleting in February.
gloss: To write or produce pamphlets.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
obsolete
rare
examples: […] Had you not beene ſo forvvard in the republiſhing of it, you ſhold haue had certayne Epiſtles to Orators and Poets, to inſert to the later end; As, namely, […] to the Ghoſt of Robert Greene, telling him, vvhat a coyle [tumult] there is vvith pamphleting on him after his death.
Two ſorts of mad-men trouble the ſtationers ſhops in Paules Church-yard: they that out of a Meere and Idle vaine-glory will euer be Pamphleting (tho their bookes beeing printed are ſcarſe worth ſo much Browne paper), and this is a very poore, and fooliſh ambition: […]
The advent of legislation to protect wild birds owes a considerable debt to those pioneering individuals who pamphletted and lobbied tirelessly at the turn of the century, many of whom were motivated by welfare considerations rather than the conservation of species per se.
Derived words: pamphletary
pamphleteer
pamphleteering
pamphleter
pamphletful
pamphletic
pamphletism
pamphletize
pamphletry
pamphlette
pamphletwise
pamphleting
Translations: