Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

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

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#178024 07/06/08 09:01 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Hydra Offline OP
addict
OP Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
From H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man:

 Quote:
On the village green an inclined strong, down which, clinging the while to a pulley-swing handle, one could be hurled violently against a sack at the other end, come in for considerable favour among the adolescent, as also did the swings and the cocoanut shies.

Chapter X. Mr. Marvel's Visit to Iping


Sounds like a flying fox ; but I can't find a single noun for strong; though:

 Quote:
Strong ORIGIN Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German streng, also to string.

Hydra #178025 07/06/08 09:23 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
looks like it was a typo in some editions.

edit: and here.

Last edited by tsuwm; 07/06/08 09:26 AM.
tsuwm #178027 07/06/08 09:50 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Hydra Offline OP
addict
OP Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
You're right.

I actually checked with Gutenberg before posting, and the edition I quoted from is a modern one.

I only discovered the Amazon search-this-book function two days ago, and am not yet in the habit of using it.

Great tool though.

Hydra #178029 07/06/08 10:34 AM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067
Typo aside, it's a dog's breakfast of a sentence Mr Wells.

The Pook #178032 07/06/08 11:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
 Originally Posted By: The Pook
... it's a dog's breakfast of a sentence ...


Love the expression, TP, and I agree with you 983%

Faldage #178037 07/06/08 04:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Hydra Offline OP
addict
OP Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Chapter 22, there's another anomaly: The phrase: "gave a view hallo!" of a shopkeeper upon spotting the invisible man (clothed) whom they've been chasing about a department store.

Google turns up some curious results (a painting, the script of Mary Poppins, a ghoulish method of execution) but no definition that I can find.

(It's not a typo this time; I checked with Amazon ;\) )

Hydra #178038 07/06/08 04:50 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
this time I resort to.. wait for it..

OED2: view-halloo

The shout given by a huntsman on seeing a fox break cover. Also fig.

your particular variant is first attested to Baron Edward G. E. L. Bulwer-Lytton, in My Novel (1853): "The Squire.. bellowed out with all the force of lungs accustomed to give a View-hallo!" [yes, that Bulwer-Lytton.]

-joe (hello, sailor) friday

tsuwm #178039 07/06/08 05:00 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Hydra Offline OP
addict
OP Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Thanks for that.

I knew what a hunter's halloo was, just curious as to see an entry for "view-hallo".

That's some dictionary you got there. What's the 2? Second edition?




Hydra #178040 07/06/08 05:09 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
what?! you've not heard of the Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition, 1989?? [commonly abbrev. OED2]

-joe (now I am shocked) friday

tsuwm #178041 07/06/08 07:14 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
Hydra Offline OP
addict
OP Offline
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
I am unfamiliar with anything but concise versions of the OED because a 20 volume dictionary is a little out of my price range.

Feel free to be shocked at my indigence as well as my ignorance.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

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 (), 442 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