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late 14c., "soda ash," from Medieval Latin alkali, from Arabic al-qaliy "the ashes, burnt ashes" (of saltwort, which abounds in soda due to growing in alkaline soils), from qala "to roast in a pan." Later extended to similar substances, natural or manufactured. The modern chemistry sense is from 1813.
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Climax (n.)
Apr. 16th, 2020 09:55 am1580s, in the rhetorical sense ("a chain of reasoning in graduating steps from weaker to stronger"), from Late Latin climax (genitive climacis), from Greek klimax "propositions rising in effectiveness," literally "ladder," from suffixed form of PIE root *klei- "to lean."
Originally in rhetoric an arrangement of successive clauses so that the last important word of one is repeated as the first important word of the next, as in Romans v.3-5: "... but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed ...." Compare anadiplosis. From the rhetorical meaning, the word evolved through "series of steps by which a goal is achieved," to "escalating steps," to (1789) "high point of intensity or development," a usage credited by the OED to "popular ignorance."
The meaning "sexual orgasm" is recorded by 1880 (also in terms such as climax of orgasm), and is said to have been promoted from c.1900 by birth-control pioneer Marie Stopes (1880-1958) and others as a more accessible word than orgasm (n.).
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Originally in rhetoric an arrangement of successive clauses so that the last important word of one is repeated as the first important word of the next, as in Romans v.3-5: "... but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed ...." Compare anadiplosis. From the rhetorical meaning, the word evolved through "series of steps by which a goal is achieved," to "escalating steps," to (1789) "high point of intensity or development," a usage credited by the OED to "popular ignorance."
The meaning "sexual orgasm" is recorded by 1880 (also in terms such as climax of orgasm), and is said to have been promoted from c.1900 by birth-control pioneer Marie Stopes (1880-1958) and others as a more accessible word than orgasm (n.).
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"spirits distilled from other liquors" (especially wine), 1650s, abbreviation of brandy-wine (1620s) from Dutch brandewijn "burnt wine," earlier brand-wijn, so called because it is distilled (compare German cognate Branntwein and Czech palenka "brandy," from paliti "to burn"). The Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania, site of the 1777 Revolutionary War battle, supposedly was so named 17c. by the Dutch explorers for the color of its waters.
In familiar use abbreviated as brandy as early as 1657; but the fuller form was retained in official use (customs tariffs, acts of parliament, etc.) down to the end of 17th c., being latterly, as the spelling shows, regarded as a compound of brandy + wine. [OED][Source]
c. 1300, "one who accompanies or associates with another," from Old French compagnon "fellow, mate, friend, partner" (12c.), from Late Latin companionem (nominative companio), literally "bread fellow, messmate," from Latin com "with, together" + panis "bread," from PIE root *pa- "to feed."
The Late Latin word is found first in the 6c. Frankish Lex Salica, and probably it is a translation of some Germanic word (compare Gothic gahlaiba "messmate," from hlaib "loaf of bread"). It replaced Old English gefera "traveling companion," from faran "go, fare."
The meaning "A person who lives with another in need of society, and who, though receiving remuneration, is treated rather as a friend and equal than as an inferior or servant" [OED] is from 1766.
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The Late Latin word is found first in the 6c. Frankish Lex Salica, and probably it is a translation of some Germanic word (compare Gothic gahlaiba "messmate," from hlaib "loaf of bread"). It replaced Old English gefera "traveling companion," from faran "go, fare."
The meaning "A person who lives with another in need of society, and who, though receiving remuneration, is treated rather as a friend and equal than as an inferior or servant" [OED] is from 1766.
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"person who seeks or is put forward for an office by election or appointment," c. 1600, from Latin candidatus "one aspiring to office," originally "white-robed," past participle of candidare "to make white or bright," from candidus past participle of candere "to shine." Office-seekers in ancient Rome wore white togas.
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This entry was inspired by an earlier one.
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This entry was inspired by an earlier one.
1823, "treasury, storehouse," from Latin thesaurus "treasury, a hoard, a treasure, something laid up," figuratively "repository, collection," from Greek thesauros "a treasure, treasury, storehouse, chest." The meaning "encyclopedia filled with information" is from 1840, but existed earlier as thesaurarie (1590s), used as a title by early dictionary compilers, on the notion of thesaurus verborum "a treasury of words." Meaning "collection of words arranged according to sense" is first attested 1852 in Roget's title. Thesaurer is attested in Middle English for "treasurer" and thesaur "treasure" was in use 15c.-16c.
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Quarantine
Jan. 19th, 2018 01:30 am1520s, "period of 40 days in which a widow has the right to remain in her dead husband's house." Earlier quarentyne (15c.), "desert in which Christ fasted for 40 days," from Latin quadraginta "forty," related to quattuor "four". Sense of "period a ship suspected of carrying disease is kept in isolation" is 1660s, from Italian quarantina giorni, literally "space of forty days," from quaranta "forty," from Latin quadraginta. So called from the Venetian custom of keeping ships from plague-stricken countries waiting off its port for 40 days (first enforced 1377) to assure that no latent cases were aboard. The extended sense of "any period of forced isolation" is from 1670s.
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Words & Phrases: November & December 2011
Feb. 9th, 2012 01:40 pmIf you wondered what happened, I got busy working the end of last year, and mixed with a convenient dose of laziness once I flew to Oman, failed to post the list for these two months. I've also decided to lump January's with February, so expect them early March.
01. Vitreous toilet
02. Be quids in
03. Ringpiece
04. Trumping
05. Neophyte
06. Cinque ports
07. Fanuary
08. Counting sheep
09. Shop-soiled
10. Breach of promise
11. Twat tax
12. Prevaricator
13. Autre temps, autre moeurs
14. Tikkun olam
15. Putting on the Ritz
16. Freemium
17. Verisimilitude
18. In clover
19. Docker's thumbs
20. Silly season
21. NEET
22. Laga kitnabhi payega dhokha
23. Busman's holiday
24. (Old) crumblies
25. Last Train to Clarksville
26. Prolixity
27. What the Dickens?
28. Rooting
29. Glenda Slagg
30. Aperçus
31. Bromide
32. Wednesday witches
33. Jugaad
34. Tendentious
35. Digital inheritance
36. Ostler
37. Athenaeum
38. Lazyweb
39. Po-faced
40. Pen pusher
Only the last three words are from December. As usual there's a handful of non-English entrants: including French (13) & (30), Hebrew (14), Hindi (22) & (33) & Latin (37), but not (6) which hails from Norman French and is actually pronounced "Sink ports".
[Poll #1817758]
01. Vitreous toilet
02. Be quids in
03. Ringpiece
04. Trumping
05. Neophyte
06. Cinque ports
07. Fanuary
08. Counting sheep
09. Shop-soiled
10. Breach of promise
11. Twat tax
12. Prevaricator
13. Autre temps, autre moeurs
14. Tikkun olam
15. Putting on the Ritz
16. Freemium
17. Verisimilitude
18. In clover
19. Docker's thumbs
20. Silly season
21. NEET
22. Laga kitnabhi payega dhokha
23. Busman's holiday
24. (Old) crumblies
25. Last Train to Clarksville
26. Prolixity
27. What the Dickens?
28. Rooting
29. Glenda Slagg
30. Aperçus
31. Bromide
32. Wednesday witches
33. Jugaad
34. Tendentious
35. Digital inheritance
36. Ostler
37. Athenaeum
38. Lazyweb
39. Po-faced
40. Pen pusher
Only the last three words are from December. As usual there's a handful of non-English entrants: including French (13) & (30), Hebrew (14), Hindi (22) & (33) & Latin (37), but not (6) which hails from Norman French and is actually pronounced "Sink ports".
[Poll #1817758]
Regular readers will know of my love for etymology. Now my favourite radio station has chosen a recently published book that describes itself as A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language, as its Book of the Week. Starting today, extracts will be read from an abridged version till Friday by one of my favourite comedians, Hugh Dennis. Pure heaven!
LINKS:
The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language [Amazon UK]
Inky Fool Blog
LINKS:
The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language [Amazon UK]
Inky Fool Blog
What's your favourite accent?
Dec. 16th, 2011 07:35 pmSo following on from my previous post, I don't think there's much doubt that the sexiest accents in the British Isles, particularly when piped from someone of the fairer sex, are Welsh and Scottish, followed closely by Irish and anything else Northern. No offence, Brummie, West Country and London, but your accents do not stimulate the senses. Especially Brummie. I've never heard anything more depressing. Even when someone's chipper, it sounds like their whinging. Of course, it's a personal preference. Nothing does it more for me than a pretty lady with a Glaswegian or broad Welsh accent. Or man, if I'm brutally honest. There's just something about the broad Welsh lilt that makes my nerves tingle. Even just thinking about it... *mmm*
A dinna kin! Ma Scots is bad.
Dec. 15th, 2011 08:15 pmOne of the most fascinating aspects of the British Isles, is the variety of accents in such a small geographic area. It has been one of my informal missions to identify as many of them as possible simply from hearing a few words from a new speaker. After more than four years I can confidently pick out the following accents: Scottish, Irish, Geordie, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Scouse, Welsh, Brummie, Multicultural London, Cockney, Estuary, RP and West Country. Within those I can pinpoint Glaswegian, Lancashire accents from the Bolton area and on a lucky day, Northern Irish. But I've a long way to go because I sometimes find it difficult to distinguish Cumbrian (I often find it to be a mix of Geordie/Lancashire/Scottish, particularly depending on where the speaker's from/used to live), East Anglian, Mancunian and West Midlands. I've also spoken to very few people from Lincolnshire so I have little idea what they sound like. More Northern than Southern, I'm sure. In any case, I've got a good platform to work from. In the next four years I want to fine-tune these skills and hone down on actual places where people come from. That would be pretty nifty. So far I can only do that with cities like London, Liverpool, Newcastle and Birmingham.
Precious stone, 1560s, replacement from Middle French of Middle English turkeis, turtogis (late 14c.), from Old French turqueise, feminine adjective "Turkish," in pierre turqueise "Turkish stone," so called because it was first brought to Europe from Turkestan or some other Turkish dominion (Sinai peninsula, according to one theory). Cognate with Spanish turquesa, Middle Latin (lapis) turchesius, Middle Dutch turcoys, German türkis, Swedish turkos. As a color name, attested from 1853.
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary
Words & Phrases: October 2011
Nov. 18th, 2011 10:45 pm01. Belfry
02. Aussie kiss
03. High jinks
04. Hard A
05. Tousled
06. Ham-fisted
07. Two bob
08. Martyr for/to drink
09. Kepi
10. Vituperative
11. (Infantile) Canard
12. Panjandrum
13. Tie-in
14. Bubba
15. Bagatelle
16. Silver bullet
17. Mivvi
18. Pendejo
19. In flagrante
20. Perfidious Albion
21. Munter
22. On the razzle
23. Put that in your pipe and smoke it
24. Its all gravy
25. Salutary
26. Coquettish
27. Bob-a-job
28. Slow Burner
29. Spotted dick
30. Leitmotif
31. Consequences
There's five fewer words than September and that's probably due to being at work for a couple weeks. In this edition there's two borrowed terms from French (9) & (15), a Spanish word (18), an Italian phrase (19) and an old parlour game (31).
[Poll #1796107]
02. Aussie kiss
03. High jinks
04. Hard A
05. Tousled
06. Ham-fisted
07. Two bob
08. Martyr for/to drink
09. Kepi
10. Vituperative
11. (Infantile) Canard
12. Panjandrum
13. Tie-in
14. Bubba
15. Bagatelle
16. Silver bullet
17. Mivvi
18. Pendejo
19. In flagrante
20. Perfidious Albion
21. Munter
22. On the razzle
23. Put that in your pipe and smoke it
24. Its all gravy
25. Salutary
26. Coquettish
27. Bob-a-job
28. Slow Burner
29. Spotted dick
30. Leitmotif
31. Consequences
There's five fewer words than September and that's probably due to being at work for a couple weeks. In this edition there's two borrowed terms from French (9) & (15), a Spanish word (18), an Italian phrase (19) and an old parlour game (31).
[Poll #1796107]
1650s, from French régaler "to entertain or feast," from Old French rigale, from gale "merriment," from galer "make merry" (see gallant). Influenced in Old French by se rigoler "amuse oneself, rejoice," of unknown origin. Italian regalo is from French.
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary
At one fell swoop
Oct. 10th, 2011 11:05 amOrigin
This is one of those phrases that we may have picked up early in our learning of the language and probably worked out its meaning from the context we heard it in, without any clear understanding of what each word meant. Most native English speakers could say what it means but, if we look at it out of context, it doesn't appear to make a great deal of sense. That lack of understanding of the words in the phrase is undoubtedly the reason that this is often misspelled, for example, 'at one fail swoop', or even, with some more justification as it might be thought to relate to birds, 'one fowl swoop'. It isn't difficult to find examples of 'one foul swoop'. 'Stoop' is sometimes substitued for 'swoop' in all of the above variants, again drawing on avian imagery.
So, what's that 'fell'? We use the word in a variety of ways: to chop, as in fell a tree; a moorland or mountain, like those in the northern UK; the past tense of fall, as 'he fell over'. None of those seems to make sense in this phrase and indeed the 'fell' here is none of those. It's an old word, in use by the 13th century, that's now fallen out of use apart from in this phrase and as the common root of the term 'felon'. The Oxford English Dictionary defines fell as meaning 'fierce, savage; cruel, ruthless; dreadful, terrible', which is pretty unambiguous.
Shakespeare either coined the phrase, or gave it circulation, in Macbeth, 1605:
MACDUFF: [on hearing that his family and servants have all been killed]
All my pretty ones?
Did you say all? O hell-kite! All?
What, all my pretty chickens and their dam
At one fell swoop?
The kite referred to is a hunting bird, like the Red Kite, which was common in England in Tudor times and is now making a welcome return after near extinction in the 20th century. The swoop (or stoop as is now said) is the rapid descent made by the bird when capturing prey.
Shakespeare used the imagery of a hunting bird's 'fell swoop' to indicate the ruthless and deadly attack by Macbeth's agents.
In the intervening years we have rather lost the original meaning and use it now to convey suddenness rather than savagery.
Source: The Phrase Finder
This is one of those phrases that we may have picked up early in our learning of the language and probably worked out its meaning from the context we heard it in, without any clear understanding of what each word meant. Most native English speakers could say what it means but, if we look at it out of context, it doesn't appear to make a great deal of sense. That lack of understanding of the words in the phrase is undoubtedly the reason that this is often misspelled, for example, 'at one fail swoop', or even, with some more justification as it might be thought to relate to birds, 'one fowl swoop'. It isn't difficult to find examples of 'one foul swoop'. 'Stoop' is sometimes substitued for 'swoop' in all of the above variants, again drawing on avian imagery.
So, what's that 'fell'? We use the word in a variety of ways: to chop, as in fell a tree; a moorland or mountain, like those in the northern UK; the past tense of fall, as 'he fell over'. None of those seems to make sense in this phrase and indeed the 'fell' here is none of those. It's an old word, in use by the 13th century, that's now fallen out of use apart from in this phrase and as the common root of the term 'felon'. The Oxford English Dictionary defines fell as meaning 'fierce, savage; cruel, ruthless; dreadful, terrible', which is pretty unambiguous.
Shakespeare either coined the phrase, or gave it circulation, in Macbeth, 1605:
MACDUFF: [on hearing that his family and servants have all been killed]
All my pretty ones?
Did you say all? O hell-kite! All?
What, all my pretty chickens and their dam
At one fell swoop?
The kite referred to is a hunting bird, like the Red Kite, which was common in England in Tudor times and is now making a welcome return after near extinction in the 20th century. The swoop (or stoop as is now said) is the rapid descent made by the bird when capturing prey.
Shakespeare used the imagery of a hunting bird's 'fell swoop' to indicate the ruthless and deadly attack by Macbeth's agents.
In the intervening years we have rather lost the original meaning and use it now to convey suddenness rather than savagery.
Source: The Phrase Finder
Late 14th-century, Scottish variant of Old English stælwierðe "good, serviceable," probably a contracted compound of staðol "foundation, support" (from Proto-Germanic *stathlaz) + wierðe "good, excellent, worthy" (see worth). Another theory traces the first element of stælwierðe to Old English stæl "place," from Proto-Germanic *stælaz. In U.S. political history, applied 1877 by Blaine to Republicans who refused to give up their hostility to and distrust of the South.
Words & Phrases: September 2011
Oct. 3rd, 2011 03:00 pm01. Gooser
02. Elide
03. Be jolly hockey sticks
04. Screed (publication)
05. Blithe
06. Juju
07. Clammy
08. Catch yourself on
09. Having a mare
10. Waspish
11. Roil
12. Patsies
13. Solipsism
14. Mirthful
15. Al Sha’ab yureed eskaat al nazam
16. Flo Pass
17. All people that on earth do dwell
18. Dilettantes
19. West-Brit
20. Gorked
21. Rort
22. Snuff film
23. Spacker
24. Road to Damascus
25. Dog-eat-dog world
26. Troga
27. Mob Wife
28. Index offence
29. Faint heart never won fair lady
30. Hold the torch
31. Farthingale
32. Ho-de-ho
33. Moaning Minnie
34. Trustafarian
35. Soigné habitué
36. Segueing
One word more than last month but there now seems to be a degree of consistency developing in the number of words and phrases for each month. Arabic (15) becomes the fifth language to make an appearance in these posts, while there are no surprises with the inclusion of at least one (or maybe two) French words (6) & (35). I say maybe because according to Wikipedia, (6) is either of West African or French origin. Irish English makes an entry with two phrases (8) & (19), while we have another visitor from Down Under (21) courtesy![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pappubahry. Not to be left behind, pop culture in the form of US TV comedy programme, Modern Family has donated two words/phrases in (26) & (27), while football (the sport) chips in with (16).
[Poll #1783828]
02. Elide
03. Be jolly hockey sticks
04. Screed (publication)
05. Blithe
06. Juju
07. Clammy
08. Catch yourself on
09. Having a mare
10. Waspish
11. Roil
12. Patsies
13. Solipsism
14. Mirthful
15. Al Sha’ab yureed eskaat al nazam
16. Flo Pass
17. All people that on earth do dwell
18. Dilettantes
19. West-Brit
20. Gorked
21. Rort
22. Snuff film
23. Spacker
24. Road to Damascus
25. Dog-eat-dog world
26. Troga
27. Mob Wife
28. Index offence
29. Faint heart never won fair lady
30. Hold the torch
31. Farthingale
32. Ho-de-ho
33. Moaning Minnie
34. Trustafarian
35. Soigné habitué
36. Segueing
One word more than last month but there now seems to be a degree of consistency developing in the number of words and phrases for each month. Arabic (15) becomes the fifth language to make an appearance in these posts, while there are no surprises with the inclusion of at least one (or maybe two) French words (6) & (35). I say maybe because according to Wikipedia, (6) is either of West African or French origin. Irish English makes an entry with two phrases (8) & (19), while we have another visitor from Down Under (21) courtesy
pappubahry. Not to be left behind, pop culture in the form of US TV comedy programme, Modern Family has donated two words/phrases in (26) & (27), while football (the sport) chips in with (16).[Poll #1783828]
1530s, "moderator, umpire," from stickle "mediate" (1520s), probably a frequentative of Middle English stihen "to arrange, place," from Old English stihan "to arrange order," which is cognate with Middle Dutch stichten, German stiften "to found, establish," probably from Proto-Germanic *stihtan "to place on a step or base," from Proto-Indo-European base *steigh- "to stride, step, rise" (see stair). Meaning "person who contends or insists stubbornly" is first recorded 1640s.
1630s, from French talisman, in part via Arabic tilsam (pl. tilsaman), a Greek loan-word; in part directly from Byzantine Greek telesma "talisman, religious rite, payment," earlier "consecration, ceremony," originally "completion," from telein "perform (religious rites), pay (tax), fulfill," from telos "completion, end, tax" (see tele-).
