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Now I get confused.
In stead of telling you this let me tell you that... is that no good English? I learned this in school.
"Than the people scatered abrode thorowe out all the lande of Egipte for to gather them stubyll to be in stead of strawe."
Must admit it is hard to get up to date entries on this.
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My point was that what lissyj seemed to be saying was, "Rather than tell you something about my checkered past, let me tell you something about my checkered past."
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As to other definitions of defenestrate, Urban Dictionary has nothing.
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Wel, that ìs what he is saying. But the "lieu" stays closer to the "stead". I would still like to know of "in stead of" is not current English, because as far as I remember there is no difference in meaning. (in stead of this I would rather say)? Maybe fortunately some definitions never make it to even Urban Dictionary, some acts never get an official definition at all. (also, there doesn't seem to be any etymological connection) This seems to me a cynical metaphorical or euphemistic use of 'defenestration', so it would not need an etymological connection of its own. Who would want see this horror written anyway. ( in context )
Last edited by BranShea; 07/08/09 12:06 PM.
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(also, there doesn't seem to be any etymological connection)
It might be a cynical riff on the phrase, the eyes are the windows of the soul.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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alls I'm saying is that there do exist some (now obsolete) terms with that exact meaning, and there doesn't seem to be any need to go co-opting some other word with no (seeming) connection at all!?
(defenestrate is to throw put out of the window; this is rather the opposite, isn't it?)
Last edited by tsuwm; 07/08/09 04:18 PM.
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Yes, the obscure words are interesting, but they are side steps from the issue. It's not about adding an extra definition to defenestrate. Not about necessities or co-opting. It's about what is. I think this is indeed what it is: It might be a cynical riff on the phrase, the eyes are the windows of the soul.
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sure, and I'm trying to defenestrate the usage. 
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stranger
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In lieu of revealing my checkered past, let me just say this; When torturing a prisoner in the Viet Nam era, this meant to put out their eyes. Also, and quite a bit less disgusting, in boxing lingo it occurs when the eyes swell shut. Both the Three Stooges and W. C. Fields used this expression and it was a favorite of Groucho Marx. Perhaps the etymological connection for this comes from 'fenetre', the French word for 'window' (and the architectural connection noted by another poster on this topic). If the 'eyes are the window to the soul', perhaps this particular (and awful) form of torture makes reference to this metaphor.
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welcome.. perhaps it would be helpful to you to read the entire thread before posting. (and, fenetre comes from the Latin fenestra, window)
-ron o.
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