Register Log In Wordsmith Talk Forums General Topics Q&A about words Weed Search Advanced Forum Search Forums Calendar Active Threads

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Weed #105393 06/11/2003 5:38 PM Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 maahey addict maahey addict Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 Is it true, that 'weed' is rooted in 'woad'? Both Weeds and Woad disperse easily and grow prolifically in most environments. This apart, the one is totally unwanted whilst, the other is/?was a valued cash crop. And if true, what were weeds called before depleting markets made woad a nuisance? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105394 06/11/2003 6:08 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 AHD4 doesn't take them back any farther than OE, but Weed (the undesired plant) is from weod: http://www.bartleby.com/61/82/W0078200.html Woad (the dye producing plant) is from wad http://www.bartleby.com/61/79/W0197900.html And, as a special bonus, weed (the clothing worn while mourning, as in "widow's weeds") is from wæd http://www.bartleby.com/61/83/W0078300.html Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105395 06/11/2003 9:34 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Not according to Online Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/w3etym.htm Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105396 06/11/2003 11:36 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Online Etymological agrees that they are unrelated and does carry them back. The mourning clothes version of weed to the PIE *wedh-, extended form of *au-, to weave. The other two are from different Proto-Germanic words. http://www.etymonline.com/w1etym.htm Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105397 06/12/2003 6:08 AM Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 maahey addict maahey addict Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 Thanks Faldage and wwh, for the clarification. So, it appears my source had it wrong. Still, we must agree that the two words sound remarkably alike, eh? On a somewhat related note, how did chromium (the steely, shiny, totally 'colourless' metal that men somehow seem to bond with, especially if it is combined with glass and horror of horrors!, wood!!!..ugh ), get its name? Everthing else, that I can think of, with chromos as the root, is colourful. This one seems like an oxymoronic *word, going by appearances at least... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105398 06/12/2003 6:44 AM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta Bingley Carpal Tunnel Bingley Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta The AHD etymology says for chrome: French, from Greek khroma, color (from the brilliant colors of chromium compounds). http://www.bartleby.com/61/74/C0337400.html Bingley Bingley Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105399 06/12/2003 12:00 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,204 RhubarbCommando Pooh-Bah RhubarbCommando Pooh-Bah Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,204 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Rossall/song_wtu.htm This might amuse you, concerning woad. sing it to the tune of "Men of Harlech." Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105400 06/14/2003 10:14 PM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok Capfka Pooh-Bah Capfka Pooh-Bah Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok I was afraid that it was what it was before I clicked onthe link ... I think I learned it forty years ago at Boy Scouts. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105401 06/16/2003 4:56 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 2,661 Chicago musick Carpal Tunnel musick Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 2,661 Chicago "Men of Harlech." Would we be singing about Welsh "Harlequin's"? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105402 06/17/2003 5:58 AM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok Capfka Pooh-Bah Capfka Pooh-Bah Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok No. Blue-painted English. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Weed/woad/weed #105403 06/17/2003 9:30 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Blue-painted English English!? English!? As in Sassenach!? Bite yo' tongue, Wild Colonial Boy!! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

Default Style BlackNTan Drab eBay GooG v2 infopop new dark new light original dark original stock rounded corners Slate snow sunny dropshadow theblues Touch Of Grey UBB.threads UBB.threads - Dark UBB.threads - Light UBBCentral UBBCentral - Crimson UBBCentral - Lime UBBCentral - Marshmallow UBBCentral - Mocha UBBCentral - Zen UBBT77 UBBT77 - Dark ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith Talk