and decimate the old mates with your gentle wit

Yeah, I can take it on the chin, mate! oooooff


Fair enough, sjm, that was a slightly unfortunate example and my timing may have been out by 170 years or so..

But meanings do change through commonplace "incorrect" usage, and this can make etymology - and older dictionary definitions - pretty worthless. I'm not saying that's a bad thing; it just proves that language is alive, and you can't necessarily establish meanings through written references alone.

It particularly interests me that values get ascribed to certain words that started off valueless. pagan and heathen spring instantly to mind.

"Critical appreciation" is almost an oxymoron.

But etymologies excepted, Skepticism is very close to formalised incredulity - so "skeptical belief" would be an oxymoron.

And somebody who believed whatever you told them would, of course, be an antisceptic.