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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Grinder #112843 09/28/03 10:26 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 W wwh OP Carpal Tunnel OP wwh Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 I'm reasonably sure that in the context "Grinder" refers to one who tutors dull or lazy university undergraduates. I tried diligently, but without success to find site confirming my opinion. UK members, please comment. "By degrees I learnt, and chiefly from Herbert, that Mr. Pocket had been educated at Harrow and at Cambridge, where he had distinguished himself; but that when he had had the happiness of marrying Mrs. Pocket very early in life, he had impaired his prospects and taken up the calling of a Grinder. After grinding a number of dull blades - of whom it was remarkable that their fathers, when influential, were always going to help him to preferment, but always forgot to do it when the blades had left the Grindstone - he had wearied of that poor work and had come to London. Here, after gradually failing in loftier hopes, he had "read" with divers who had lacked opportunities or neglected them, and had refurbished divers others for special occasions, and had turned his acquirements to the account of literary compilation and correction, and on such means, added to some very moderate private resources, still maintained the house I saw." Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Grinder #112844 09/28/03 11:08 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 M maverick Carpal Tunnel maverick Carpal Tunnel M Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 You're absolutely on the money, Bill. I don't know if this is the origin of the phrase (I suspect not, as it seems such an obvious image of a slow abrasive process) but Dickens' character Mr Gradgrind comes to mind... http://www.doceo.co.uk/background/gradgrind.htm Perhaps Hard Times could join your reading list if you are enjoying Dickens just now? ~ tho' I must admit I never liked it but! 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 Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,913 Posts229,372 Members9,182 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV 9,182 Registered Users Who's Online Now 1 members (A C Bowden), 729 guests, and 1 robot. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 29 A C Bowden 25 LukeJavan8 3 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 10,561 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,919 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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