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Burgle? Really? That's a funny word!
What we Brits lose on the ecology stakes in using Colour we gain in use burgle instead of burgularize. Apparently, Burgle is backformed from burglar.
Rod
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If I may be forgiven for being a bit long-winded, I have an anecdote telling how a fire alarm taught me tolerance of other's opinions.
In the old days, fire stations had to have towers where the cotton hoses could be hung up to drain and dry to postpone deterioration by mould. In my home town the tower also held a large bell, which was synchronized by a 1920's technological electrical miracle with a steam whistle on a shoe factory half a mile to the east. So when the fire alarm sounded, in our neighborhood to the north, we heard the bell first, and then the hoot of the whistle. So to play "Firemen" we yelled "Dang, hoot! Dang,hoot!". But one day we went to play with some kids who lived a half-mile east of the shoefactory where the steam whistle was. When they started playing, they yelled "Hoot,dang! Hoot,dang!" Immediately a quarrel developed about the difference. Just as fists were about to fly, the fire-alarm sounded. And, to my total amazement, we heard:"Hoot, dang, Hoot,dang."
That experience taught me to avoid being hasty in deciding that someone who disagreed with me was wrong.
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You've been caught Ron-- not little metal disks-- little magnets!Thank goodness I gave a false name! and Helen, I've heard that from your habit of giving a false name when caught in your nefarious activities, you are known as "Oft Roy"  Rod
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And B96, rather like my telling every one my Mother's maiden name, we now know to bring a set of little metal disks to avoid setting the alarms off when we burgle
oh, in that case i suppose i should also mention the infra-red Smith and Wesson triggers on each door, the wall-mounted acid jets, and the twelve slobbering dobermans.
bring a few steaks.
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old hand
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I must admit that "burgle" is one of my favourite words. I just love the sound of it!
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Allo all,
My M.W. has the 43rd definition of <off> as Starting; beginning. So the alarm went off can simply be an other way of saying the alarm started (ringing).
F.Y.I. only...there are 49 definitions of <off> in my M.W. I wonder what word has the most definitions.
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"Apparently, Burgle is backformed from burglar."
Dear Rod: My dictionary confirms this. Also the etymology of burglar is interesting, being comprised of parts meaning "a hired servant of someone who lives in the city."
bur[glar 7b%r4gl!r8
n.
[Anglo-L burglator, altered by assoc. with L latro, thief (orig., hired servant < Gr latris: see -LATRY) < OFr burgeor, burglar; ult. < LL burgus: see BOURGEOIS] a person who commits burglary
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I met very few beginning reporters who knew the difference between burglary and theft. They constantly confused the two when writing police reports.
(Glad to be retired emotion.)
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I met very few beginning reporters who knew the difference between burglary and theft.
by theft do you mean larceny? i TA'd a procedure/evidence course in college, and the penal code crime definitions were always my favorite, particularly mayhem... ewwwww =)
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In burglary someone enters your home/business and steals from you.
In theft something is stolen (example :pickpocket, shoplifting, purse snatching)
Larceny is more common in court reporting as there are charges on either petty and/or grand larceny. It gets complicated once the courts get involved. (Surprise!)
Reporting on police activity is mostly concerned with burglary and theft.
The more experienced reporters are generally sent to cover court proceedings, trials etc..
wow
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