Withamn.
/ˈwɪtəm/ Little (or small) Witham: (used proverbially, with pun on wit n., for) a place of which the inhabitants were remarkable for stupidity. Hence (apparently), without qualification, used for: a witless person, a fool.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > [noun]
dizzyc825
cang?c1225
foolc1225
apec1330
mopc1330
saddle-goosec1346
mis-feelinga1382
foltc1390
mopec1390
fona1400
buffardc1430
fopc1440
joppec1440
fonda1450
fondlinga1450
insipienta1513
plume of feathers1530
bobolynec1540
dizzard1546
Little Witham?1548
nodc1563
dawkin1565
cocknel1566
nigion1570
niddicock1577
nodcock1577
cuckoo1581
Jack with the feather1581
niddipol1582
noddyship?1589
stirkc1590
fonkin1591
Gibraltar1593
fopper1598
noddypeak1598
coxcombry1600
simple1600
gowka1605
nup1607
fooliaminy1608
silly ass1608
dosser-head1612
dor1616
glow-worm1624
liripipea1625
doodle1629
sop1637
spalt1639
fool's head1650
buffle1655
Jack Adams1656
bufflehead1659
nincompoopc1668
bavian1678
nokes1679
foolanea1681
cod1699
hulver-head1699
nigmenog1699
single ten1699
mud1703
dowf1722
foolatum1740
silly billy1749
tommy noddy1774
arsec1785
nincom1800
silly1807
slob1810
omadhaun1818
potwalloper1820
mosy1824
amadan1825
gump1825
gype1825
oonchook1825
prawn1845
suck-egg1851
goosey1852
nowmun1854
pelican1856
poppy-show1860
buggerlugs1861
damfool1881
mudhead1882
yob1886
peanut head1891
haggis bag1892
poop1893
gazob1906
mush1906
wump1908
zob1911
gorm1912
goof1916
goofus1916
gubbins1916
dumb cluck1922
twat1922
B.F.1925
goofer1925
bird brain1926
berk1929
Berkeley1929
Berkeley Hunt1929
ding1929
loogan1929
stupido1929
poop-stick1930
nelly1931
droop1932
diddy1933
slappy1937
goof ball1938
get1940
poon1940
tonk1941
clot1942
yuck1943
possum1945
gobdaw1947
momo1953
nig-nog1953
plonker1955
weenie1956
nong-nong1959
Berkshire Hunt1960
balloon1965
doofus1965
dork1965
nana1965
shit-for-brains1966
schmoll1967
tosspot1967
lunchbox1969
doof1971
tonto1973
dorkus1979
motorhead1979
mouth-breather1979
wally1980
wally brain1981
der-brain1983
langer1983
numpty1985
sotong1988
fanny1995
fannybaws2000
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > [noun] > location associated with
Gothama1500
Little Witham?1548
?1548 J. Bale Comedy Thre Lawes Nature ii. sig. Bij Small wyttam be your spede.
1560 J. Heywood Fourth Hundred Epygrams xix. sig. Avii Whens come great breeches? from little wittam.
1589 T. Nashe Anat. Absurditie sig. Ciiiv Who so snatcheth vp follies too greedilie..may happes proue a wittome whiles he fisheth for finer witte.
1589 ‘Marphoreus’ Martins Months Minde G 2 b I appoynt..to each of them an Aduouson: To the former of small Wittam: and to the other of little Brainford.
?1589 T. Nashe Almond for Parrat sig. D4 G. W. of Wig. house, in the land of little Wittam, chosen to the place and function of a pastor.
1595 R. Wilson Pedlers Prophecie sig. B4v At litle Wytham seuen yeares I went to schoole.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Lincs. 153 He was born at Little Wittham... It is applyed to such people as are not overstock'd with acutenesse.
1787 F. Grose Provinc. Gloss. He was born at Little Wittham. A punning insinuation that the person spoken of wants understanding. Ray places this proverb in Lincolnshire.
1932 E. Weekley Words & Names x. 151 The stupid are said to be ‘born at Little Witham’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.?1548