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Boustrophedon A method of writing or printing, alternately from right to left and left to right, like the
path of oxen in ploughing. (Greek, bous-strepho, ox-turning.)
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Brewer The Brewer of Ghent. James van Artevelde. (Fourteenth century.)
It may here be remarked that it is a great error to derive proper names of any antiquity from modern
words of a similar sound or spelling. As a rule, very few ancient names are the names of trades; and to
suppose that such words as Bacon, Hogg, and Pigg refer to swineherds, or Gaiter, Miller, Tanner, Ringer,
and Bottles to handicrafts, is a great mistake. A few examples of a more scientific derivation will suffice
for a hint:-
BREWER. This name, which exists in France as Bruhière and Brugière, is not derived from the Saxon
briwan (to brew), but the French bruyère (heath), and is about tantamount to the German “Plantagenet”
(broom-plant). (See Rymer's Fædera, William I.)
BACON is from the High German verb began (to fight), and means “the fighter.”
PIGG and BIGG are from the old High German pichan (to slash).
HOGG is the Anglo-Saxon hyge (scholar), from the verb hogan (to study). In some cases it may be from
the German hoch (high).
BOTTLE is the Anglo-Saxon Bod'-el (little envoy). Norse, bodi; Danish, bud.
GAITER is the Saxon Gaid-er (the darter). Celtic, gais, our goad.
MILLER is the old Norse, melia, our mill and maul, and means a “mauler” or “fighter.”
RINGER is the Anglo-Saxon hring gar (the mailed warrior)
SMITH is the man who smites.
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Britain By far the most probable derivation of this word is that given by Bochart, from the Phoenician
Baratanic (country of tin), contracted into B'ratan'. The Greek Cassiterides (tin islands) is a
translation of Baratanic, once applied to the whole known group, but now restricted to the Scilly Isles.
Aristotle, who lived some 350 years before the Christian era, calls the island Britannic, which is so
close to B'ratanic that the suggestion of Bochart can scarcely admit of a doubt. (De Mundo, sec. 3.)
Pliny says, “Opposite to Celtiberia are a number of islands which the Greeks called `Cassiterides' ”
(evidently he means the British group). Strabo says the Cassiterides are situated about the same
latitude as Britain.
Great Britain consists of “Britannia prima” (England), “Britannia secunda” (Wales), and “North
Britain” (Scotland), united under one sway.
Greater Britain. The whole British empire.
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Brother German A real brother. (Latin, germanus, of the same stock; germen, a bud or sprout.)
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Brunt To bear the brunt. To bear the stress, the heat, and collision. The same word as “burn.”
(Icelandic, bruni, burning heat, bren; Anglo-Saxon, brenning, burning.) The “brunt of a battle” is the
hottest part of the fight. (Compare “fire-brand.”)
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Budget The statement which the Chancellor of the Exchequer lays before the House of Commons every
session, respecting the national income and expenditure, taxes and salaries. The word is the old French
bougette, a bag, and the present use arose from the custom of bringing to the House the papers
pertaining to these matters in a leather bag, and laying them on the table. Hence, to open the budget or
bag, i.e. to take the papers from the bag and submit them to the Hou
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Buffoon means one who puffs out his cheeks, and makes a ridiculous explosion by causing them
suddenly to collapse. This being a standing trick with clowns, caused the name to be applied to low
jesters. The Italian baffare is “to puff out the cheeks for the purpose of making an explosion;” our puff.
(Italian buffone, a buffoon; French bouffon.)
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Bobêche.
A clown in a small theatre in the Boulevart du Temple, Paris. (1815-1825.)
Galimafré.
A contemporary and rival of the former. (compare with "gallimaufy" below)
gallimaufry
n.,
pl. 3fries 5Fr galimafr=e, prob. < OFr galer (see GALLANT) + dial. (Picardy) mafrer, to eat much < MDu maffelen6
1 orig., a hash made of meat scraps
2 a hodgepodge; jumble
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Buggy A light vehicle without a hood, drawn by one horse. (Hindustani, baghi. )
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veteran
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Here ya go, Bill.
It's still here.
It just moved off the screen is all.
k
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