Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#104089 05/22/03 08:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
muniment
n.
5ME < Anglo-Fr < OFr < L munimentum, a fortification, defense, protection < munire, to furnish with walls, fortify: see MUNITIONS6
1 [Rare] a means of protection or defense
2 5ML munimentum6 [pl.] Law a document or documents serving as evidence of inheritances, title to property, etc.

muscle ,muscular
n.
5Fr < L musculus, a muscle, [4red] lit., little mouse (from the fancied resemblance between the movements of a mouse and muscle), dim. of mus, MOUSE6
1 any of the body organs consisting of bundles of cells or fibers that can be contracted and expanded to produce bodily movements
2 the tissue making up such an organ
3 muscular strength; brawn
>4 [Colloq.] power or influence, esp. when based on force or threats of force
vi.
3cled, 3cling >[Colloq.] to make one‘s way or take control by sheer strength or force, or threats of force: usually with in

Mussalchee - Dear achita: diligent search failed to disclose definition of this word, beyong its inclusion in a list of Anglo-Indian words. May I hope that you can help us with this?

mycetismus - mushroom poisoning





#104090 05/23/03 07:22 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 67
A
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
A
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 67
I'm sorry Dr. Bill, but this word is beyond my scope of whatever language it belongs to... It has a ring of belonging to Urdu, but my knowledge of that language being limited to the common words used in Hindi, I'm unable to place it. I did try to look it up in a few online Urdu dictionaries I could find, but none of them has anything to say about it... I guess we'll have to put it up to someone more knowledgeable...


#104091 05/23/03 07:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Urdu, Hindi, in either case you've got transliteration problems to deal with.


#104092 05/23/03 07:29 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
from Hobson-Johnson:

MUSSAULCHEE, s. Hind. mash’alchi from mash’al (see MUSSAUL), with the Turkish termination chi, generally implying an agent. [In the Arabian Nights (Burton, i. 239) almasha’ili is the executioner.] The word properly means a link-boy, and was formerly familiar in that sense as the epithet of the person who ran alongside of a palankin on a night journey, bearing a mussaul. “In Central India it is the special duty of the barber (nai) to carry the torch ; hence nai commonly = ‘torch-bearer’" (M.-Gen. Keatinge). The word [or sometimes in the corrupt form mussaul] is however still more frequent as applied to a humble domestic, whose duty was formerly of a like kind, as may be seen in the quotation from Ld. Valentia, but who now looks after lamps and washes dishes, &c., in old English phrase ‘a scullion.’


1610.—“He always had in service 500 Massalgees.”—Finch, in Purchas, i. 432.

1662.—(In Asam) “they fix the head of the corpse rigidly with poles, and put a lamp with plenty of oil, and a mash’alchí [torch-bearer] alive into the vault, to look after the lamp.”—Shihábuddín Tálish, tr. by Blochmann, in J.A.S.B. xli. Pt. i. 82.

[1665.—“They (flambeaux) merely consist of a piece of iron hafted in a stick, and surrounded at the extremity with linen rags steeped in oil, which are renewed…by the Masalchis, or link boys, who carry the oil in long narrow-necked vessels of iron or brass.”—Bernier, ed. Constable, 361.]

1673.—“Trois Massalgis du Grand Seigneur vinrent faire honneur à, M. l’Ambassadeur avec leurs feux allumés.”—Journal d’ Ant. Galland, ii. 103.

1686.—“After strict examination he chose out 2 persons, the Chout (Chous ?), an Armenian, who had charge of watching my tent that night, and my Mossalagee, a person who carries the light before me in the night.”—Hedges, Diary, July 2 ; [Hak. Soc. i. 232].

[1775.—“…Mashargues. Torch-bearers.”—Letter of W. Mackrabie, in Francis, Letters, i. 227.]

1791.—“…un masolchi, ou porte- flambeau, pour la nuit.”—B. de St. Pierre, La Chaumière Indienne, 16.

1809.—“It is universally the custom to drive out between sunset and dinner. The Massalchees, when it grows dark, go out to meet their masters on their return, and run before them, at the full rate of eight miles an hour, and the numerous lights moving along the esplanade produce a singular and pleasing effect.”—Ld. Valentia, i. 240.

1813.—“The occupation of massaulchee, or torch-bearer, although generally allotted to the village barber, in the purgannas under my charge, may vary in other districts.”—Forbes, Or. Mem. ii. 417 ; [2nd ed. ii. 43].

1826.—“After a short conversation, they went away, and quickly returned at the head of 200 men, accompanied by Mussalchees or torch - bearers.” — Pandurang Hari, 557 ; [ed. 1873, ii. 69].

[1831.—“…a mossolei, or man to light up the place.”—Asiatic Journal, N.S. v. 197.]


the spelling would seem to be quite problematic and hardly the stuff for spelling bee!


#104093 05/23/03 07:34 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 67
A
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
A
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 67
You're right Faldage! I knew that 'mashaal' in Hindi/Urdu meant a torch... but never got down to correlate 'mussal' with 'mashaal'!!

Thanks tsuwm, for the details...


#104094 05/23/03 07:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
aThanks, anchita, Faldage, and tsuwm
I refrain from expressing my profound annoyance that this word should have been on a list for highschool kids to learn to spell.


#104095 05/23/03 07:53 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 67
A
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
A
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 67
"I refrain from expressing my profound annoyance..."

I'm too shocked to refrain from doing so!!



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 435 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5