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Pleiades (3 syl.) means the “sailing stars” (Greek, pleo, to sail), because the Greeks considered
navigation safe at the return of the Pleiades, and never attempted it after those stars disappeared.
The PLEIADES were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. They were transformed into stars,
one of which (Merope) is invisible out of shame, because she alone married a human being. Some
call the invisible star “Electra,” and say she hides herself from grief for the destruction of the city
and royal race of Troy.
A bit of trivia. Subaru logo is representation of the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters, because the
company resulted from the merger of seven small companies.
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Pocket (diminutive of poche, a pouch).
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Poe (Edgar Allan). The alias of Arthur Gordon Pym, the American poet. (1811-1849.)
Brewer really screwed up on this one. "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" was the title of
one of Poe's short stories, according to my encyclopedia.
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Polly Mary. The change of M for P in pet names is by no means rare; e.g. -
Margaret. Maggie or Meggy, becomes Peggie, and Pegg or Peg.
Martha. Matty becomes Patty.
Mary. Molly becomes Polly or Poll.
Here we see another change by no means unusual- that of r into l or ll. Similarly, Sarah becomes Sally;
Dorothea, Dora, becomes Dolly; Harry, Hal.
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Poltroon' A coward. Menage derives it from the Italian poltro, a bed, because cowards feign
themselves sick a-bed in times of war. Saumaise says it means “maimed of the thumb,” because
in times of conscription those who had no stomach for the field disqualified themselves by
cutting off their right thumb. More probably apoltroon is a hawk that will not or cannot fly at game.
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Pomona Fruit; goddess of fruits and fruit-trees — one of the Roman divinities. (Latin, pomum.)
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Pons Asinorum The fifth proposition, book i., of Euclid- the first difficult theorem, which dunces rarely get
over for the first time without stumbling. It is anything but a “bridge;” it is really pedica asinorum, the “dolt's
stumbling-block.”
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Pontiff means one who has charge of the bridges. According to Varro, the highest class of the Roman
priesthood had to superintend the construction of the bridges (ponies). (See Ramsay: Roman Antiquities, p.
51.)
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Water that sings....why, why that is lovely, Bill! And here I was thinking all along about those purling waters singing, when piping hot ones do, too!
Water for all seasons...and sensations!
Boiling regards,
WordWaters
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Porcelain (3 syl.), from porcelana, “a little pig.” So called by the Portuguese traders, from its
resemblance to cowrie-shells, the shape of which is not unlike a pig's back. The Chines
earthenware being white and glossy, like the inside of the shells, suggested the application
of the name. (See Marryatt's History of Pottery and Porcelain.)
And guess what the "bottom" of the cowrie shell looks like.
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