#75555
07/09/2002 2:37 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Here we go again.
ota or Jot: A very little, the least quantity possible. The iöta is the smallest letter of the Greek
alphabet, called the Lacedemonian letter. (Hebrew, Yod [`], the smallest Hebrew letter.)
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#75556
07/09/2002 2:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Ireland or Erin is Celtic; from Eri or Iar (western). Lloyd (State Worthies, article "Grandison"), with a
gravity which cannot but excite laughter, says the island is called the land of Ire because of the broils
there, which have extended over four hundred years. Wormius derives the word from the Runic Yr, a
bow. (See below.)
Ireland.
Called by the natives "Erin," i.e. Eri-innis, or Iar-innis (west island).
By the Welsh "Yver-den" (west valley).
By Apuleius, "Hibernia," which is Iernia, a corruption of Iar-inni-a.
By Juvenal (ii. 260) "Juverna" or "Juberna," the same as Ierna or Iernia.
By Claudian "Ouernia," the same.
By moderns "Ireland," which is Iar-en-land (land of the west).
The three great saints of Ireland are St. Patrick, St. Columba, and St. Bridget.
The fair maid of Ireland. Ignis fatuus (q.v.).
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#75557
07/09/2002 2:53 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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I'ris Goddess of the rainbow, or the rainbow itself. In classic mythology she is called the messenger of the
gods when they intended discord, and the rainbow is the bridge or road let down from heaven for her
accommodation. When the gods meant peace they sent Mercury. (Greek and Latin, iris.)
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#75558
07/09/2002 2:58 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Irony A dissembling. (Greek, eiron, a dissembler, cironeia.)
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#75559
07/09/2002 3:00 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Iroquois (An). Anyone of the five (now six) confederate tribes, viz, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas,
Cayugas, Senecas, and sixth the Tuscaroras, added in 1712, now forming "The Six Nations of the
Iroquois Confederacy."
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#75560
07/09/2002 3:08 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Isabel called She-wolf of France. The adulterous queen of Edward II., daughter of Philippe IV. (le Bel)
of France. According to tradition, she murdered her royal husband by thrusting a hot iron into his bowels.
Hey, CK: is this the one you told us about? I thought in your story it was done by rebellious nobles.
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#75561
07/09/2002 3:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Back in the twenties, a "touring car" had a canvas roof that could be folded down, and canvas
panels could be attached to keep rain out. These panels had a flexible transparent plastic called
"isinglass"
Isinglass A corruption of the Dutch huyzenblas (an air-bladder), being prepared from the bladders and
sounds of sturgeon. (German, huyen, a sturgeon.)
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#75562
07/09/2002 3:22 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Its did not come into use till the seventeenth century. Dean Trench points out that Chatterton betrayed his
forgeries by the line "Life and its goods I scorn," but the word its was not in use till several centuries after
the death of the monk to whom the words are ascribed. In 1548 it was used for its.
"The loue and deuotion towardes God also hath it infancie, and hath it commyng forward in
growth of age." (1548.)
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#75563
07/09/2002 4:52 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Jagger A gentleman; a sportsman. (German, jager, a sportsman.)
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#75564
07/09/2002 5:36 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Jerked [beef], a corruption of the Peruvian word charqui, meat cut into strips and dried in the sun to
preserve it.
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#75565
07/09/2002 5:39 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Jerry-built unsubstantial. A "jerry-builder" is a speculative builder who runs up cheap, unsubstantial
houses, using materials of the commonest kind. (See Jury Mast.)
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#75566
07/09/2002 5:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Joan of Arc or Jeanne la Pucelle. M. Octave Delepierre has published a pamphlet, called Doute
Historique, to deny the tradition that Joan of Arc was burnt at Rouen for sorcery. He cites a document
discovered by Father Vignier in the seventeenth century, in the archives of Metz, to prove that she
became the wife of Sieur des Armoise, with whom she resided at Metz, and became the mother of a
family. Vignier subsequently found in the family muniment-chest the contract of marriage between
"Robert des Armoise, knight, and Jeanne D'Arcy, surnamed the Maid of Orleaus." In 1740 there were
found in the archives of the Maison de Ville (Orléans) records of several payments to certain messengers
from Joan to her brother John, bearing the dates 1435, 1436. There is also the entry of a presentation
from the council of the city to the Maid, for her services at the siege (dated 1439). M. Delepierre has
brought forward a host of other documents to corroborate the same fact, and show that the tale of her
martyrdom was invented to throw odium on the English. A sermon is preached annually in France
towards the beatification of the Maid, who will eventually become the patron saint of that nation
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#75567
07/09/2002 6:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Ireland or Erin is Celtic; from Eri or Iar (western). Lloyd (State Worthies, article "Grandison"), with a
gravity which cannot but excite laughter, says the island is called the land of Ire because of the broils
there, which have extended over four hundred years. Wormius derives the word from the Runic Yr, a
bow. (See below.)
Ireland.
Called by the natives "Erin," i.e. Eri-innis, or Iar-innis (west island).
By the Welsh "Yver-den" (west valley).
Tricky, that, because the Welsh language does not contain the letter V!
The actual current name for Ireland in Welsh is Iwerddon, pronounced (roughly) i-wear-thon.
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#75568
07/09/2002 7:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Maverick: I rejoice to see you posting in AWADtalk again!
Could that "v" be a typo for "u" of "w" perhaps? I have found several typos in this book.
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#75569
07/09/2002 7:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Jobation A scolding; so called from the patriarch Job.
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#75570
07/09/2002 7:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Joan of Arc or Jeanne la Pucelle. M. Octave Delepierre has published a pamphlet, called Doute
Historique, to deny the tradition that Joan of Arc was burnt at Rouen for sorcery. He cites a document
discovered by Father Vignier in the seventeenth century, in the archives of Metz, to prove that she
became the wife of Sieur des Armoise, with whom she resided at Metz, and became the mother of a
family. Vignier subsequently found in the family muniment-chest the contract of marriage between
"Robert des Armoise, knight, and Jeanne D'Arcy, surnamed the Maid of Orleaus." In 1740 there were
found in the archives of the Maison de Ville (Orléans) records of several payments to certain messengers
from Joan to her brother John, bearing the dates 1435, 1436. There is also the entry of a presentation
from the council of the city to the Maid, for her services at the siege (dated 1439). M. Delepierre has
brought forward a host of other documents to corroborate the same fact, and show that the tale of her
martyrdom was invented to throw odium on the English. A sermon is preached annually in France
towards the beatification of the Maid, who will eventually become the patron saint of that nation
Could this be true? She was the patron saint of my college. This is something worth looking into. Does anyone else know where I might obtain more information?
Best regards,
WW
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#75571
07/09/2002 7:34 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Jordeloo (3 syl.). Notice given to passengers when dirty water was thrown from chamber windows into
the street. Either "Gare de l'eau," or else "Jorda' lo!" the mutula being usually called the "Jordan."
I leave someone else the fun of finding out what "mutula" meant.
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#75572
07/09/2002 7:41 PM
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Posts: 13,858
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Juan Fernandez A rocky island in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Chili. Here Alexander Selkirk, a
buccaneer, resided in solitude for four years, and his history is commonly supposed to be the basis of
Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.
Sailors commonly believe that this island is the scene of Crusoe's adventures; but Defoe distinctly
indicates an island on the east coast of South America, somewhere near Dutch Guiana.
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#75573
07/09/2002 8:14 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kaffir (Arabic, Kâfir. an infidel). A name given to the Hottentots, who reject the Moslem faith.
Kafiristan, in Central Asia, means "the country of the infidels."
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#75574
07/09/2002 9:36 PM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Hi Bill
Yes, I expect it could well be just a typo. Lucky none of us mere mortals perpetrate suck abdominations, eh? ;)
btw, already familiar to some folks here, but I am just reading Anne Faddiman's Ex Libris, and have just finished the chapter detailing her whole family's shared genetic predisposition to proof-read every printed word in front of them, including menus, cornflake boxes, small-ads... lmao!
(and ps Bill, you deserve a medal for long-suffering in the face of overwhelming gittery!)
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#75575
07/09/2002 9:52 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Maverick: My aim was to deprive K of any enjoyment in posting here, and from building
up a group of admirers. I just got an e-mail from webmaster@wordsmith.org, giving a temporary
password allegedly requested by me. I made no such request. Can that be another of K's tricks?
I sent webmaster denial that I had requested it.
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#75576
07/09/2002 9:53 PM
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Jul 2002
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>> Called by the natives "Erin," i.e. Eri-innis, or Iar-innis (west island).
Erin is an anglicized form of the Irish word Eireann, which is the genitive version of Eire, the Irish name for Ireland. You see the Irish version in the names of present-day national organizations like Iarnrod Eireann (the Irish railway company) or Bord Luthcleas na hEireann (Irish Athletic Board). Erin is little-used by anyone these days, except perhaps sentimental Irish-American parents (viz. Colleen, Shannon) or aficionados of bad 19th Century poetry.
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#75577
07/10/2002 2:42 AM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477
addict
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addict
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Posts: 477 |
Jagger A gentleman; a sportsman. (German, jager, a sportsman.)
Hmmm.... never heard him called that before, although I suppose he is a SIR these days, and some people call it 'sport'.  
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#75578
07/10/2002 3:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kenno This was a large rich cheese, made by the women of the family with a great affectation of
secrecy, and was intended for the refreshment of the gossips who were in the house at the "canny
minute" of the birth of a child. Called Ken-no because no one was supposed to know of its existence -
certainly no male being, not excepting the master of the house. After all had eaten their fill on the
auspicious occasion, the rest was divided among the gossips and taken home. The Kenno is supposed to
be a relic of the secret rites of the Bona Dea.
There was a male cheeze and cracker collation at village stores a hundred years ago,
commemorated now only in the brand name of a good Cheddar cheese - Cracker Barrel.
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#75579
07/10/2002 3:08 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kent (Latin, Cantium), the territory of the Kantii or Cantii; Old British, Kant, a corner or headland). In
the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
Also the ubiety of a famously endowed young man of limerick fame.
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#75580
07/10/2002 3:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Ketchup A corruption of the Japanese. Kitjap, a condiment sometimes sold as soy, but not equal to it.
Mr. Brewer is grossly in error in ubiety of origin of ketchup.
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#75581
07/10/2002 3:26 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kick (A). Sixpence. “Two-and-a-kick” = two shillings and sixpence. (Anglo-Saxon, cicel, a bit. In
Jamaica a “bit” = sixpence, and generally it means the smallest silver coin in circulation; thus, in America,
a “bit” is fourpence. We speak of a “threepenny bit.”)
“It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts ix. 5; and xxvi. 14.) The proverb occurs in Pindar
(2 Pythian Victories, v. 173), in Æschylos; (Agamemnon, 1,624), in Euripde (Bacchæ, 791), in Terence
(Phormio, i. ii. 27), in Ovid (Tristia, book ii. 15), etc.; but whether the reference is to an ox kicking when
goaded, or a horse when pricked with the rowels of a spur, is not certain. The plural kentra seems to refer
to more than one, and pros kentra cannot refer to a repetition of goad thrusts. Altogether, the rowels of a
spur suit the phrase better than the single point of an ox-goad.
A source of merriment in Sunday School
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#75582
07/10/2002 3:29 PM
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Posts: 13,858
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Kick the Bucket (To). A bucket is a pulley, and in Norfolk a beam. When pigs are killed, they are hung
by their hind-legs on a bucket or beam, with their heads downwards, and oxen are hauled up by a pulley.
To kick the bucket is to be hung on the balk or bucket by the heels.
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#75583
07/10/2002 3:30 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kickshaws Made dishes, odds and ends, formerly written “kickshose.” (French, quelque chose.)
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#75584
07/10/2002 3:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Kid (A). A faggot or bundle of firewood. To kid is to bind up faggots. In the parish register of Kneelsal
church there is the following item: “Leading kids to church, 2s. 6d.,” that is, carting faggots to church.
(Welsh, cidys, faggots.)
Kid (A). A young child. A facetious formation from the Anglo-Saxon ci[l]d, a child. The l is often silent,
as in calm, half, golf, etc. At one time fault was pronounced fau't.
Notice Brewer says the "l" in golf is silent.
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#75585
07/10/2002 3:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Kildare (2 syl.) is the Irish Kill dara, church of the oaks.
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#75586
07/10/2002 3:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kill Two Birds with One Stone (To). To effect some subsidiary work at the same time as the main
object is being effected.
Birdlovers may invent their own euphemism.
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#75587
07/10/2002 5:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Kismet The fulfilment of destiny. (Turkish, gismet, a lot.)
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#75588
07/10/2002 5:21 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kiss as a mode of salutation, comes from its use to express reverence or worship. Thus to adore idols and
to kiss idols mean the same thing. Indeed, the word adore signifies simply to carry the hand to the mouth,
that is, to kiss it to the idol. We still kiss the hand in salutation. Various parts of the body are kissed to
distinguish the character of the adoration paid. Thus, to kiss the lips is to adore the living breath of the
person saluted; to kiss the feet or ground is to humble oneself in adoration; to kiss the garments is to
express veneration to whatever belongs to or touches the person who wears them. “Kiss the Son, lest He
be angry” (Ps. ii. 12), means Worship the Son of God. Pharaoh tells Joseph, “Thou shalt be over my
house, and upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss,” meaning they shall reverence the commands of
Joseph by kissing the roll on which his commands would be written. “Samuel poured oil on Saul, and
kissed him,” to acknowledge subjection to God's anointed (1 Sam. x. 1). In the Hebrew state, this mode
of expressing reverence arose from the form of government established, whether under the patriarchal or
matrimonial figure.
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#75589
07/10/2002 5:26 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Kissing under the Mistletoe Balder, the Apollo of Scandinavian mythology, was killed by a mistletoe
arrow given to the blind Höder, by Loki, the god of mischief and potentate of our earth Balder was
restored to life, but the mistletoe was placed in future under the care of Friga, and was never again to be
an instrument of evil till it touched the earth, the empire of Loki. It is always suspended from ceilings, and
when persons of opposite sexes pass under it, they give each other the kiss of peace and love in the full
assurance that the epiphyte is no longer an instrument of mischief
A correspondent in Notes and Queries suggests that the Romans dedicated the holly to Saturn, whose
festival was in December, and that the early Christians decked their houses with the Saturnian emblems to
deceive the Romans and escape persecution.
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#75590
07/10/2002 5:32 PM
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Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Knee Greek, gonu; Latin, genu; French, genou, Sanskrit, janu; Saxon, cneow German, knie, English,
knee.
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#75591
07/10/2002 5:35 PM
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Posts: 13,858
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Knight means simply a boy. (Saxon, cniht.) As boys (like the Latin puer and French garcon) were used
as servants, so cniht came to mean a servant. Those who served the feudal kings bore arms, and persons
admitted to this privilege were the king's knights; as this distinction was limited to men of family, the word
became a title of honour next to the nobility. In modern Latin, a knight is termed auratus (golden), from
the gilt spurs which he used to wear.
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#75592
07/10/2002 5:56 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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I happen to have a special affection for that name. Who were the Kantii, please?
======================================================
Welcome to you, rjwill6.
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#75593
07/10/2002 10:24 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Jackie: I don't know how to get more detail. Evidently the Latin name for the area was
Cantium, and the inhabitants then were the Cantii.
If I could, I would offer you a "waterglass" of bourbon. Cross threading as usual.
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#75594
07/10/2002 10:43 PM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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young man of limerick fame
Careful Bill, that's my middle name you're talkin' about... :)
(well, my parents wanted a keepsake when they thought they were emigrating to Canada, I don't change costumes in phone boxes!)
OK, your research mission, should you choose to accept it, is to define to the Board the difference between a Man of Kent and a Kentish Man.
This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds....
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