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erfume (2 syl.) means simply “from smoke” (Latin, per fumum), the first perfumes having been obtained by the combustion of aromatic woods and gums. Their original use was in sacrifices, to counteract the offensive odours of the burning flesh.
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Perfume = from smoke? Holy cow, that's almost too simple! Does perchance, then mean from (by) sheer luck? What about perhaps: from happenstance?
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Good thinkin', Jackie.
wwh: Interesting that note about counteracting the smell of burning flesh. But from my reading of the Old Testament, it's stated somewhere in there that the sacrifices of the animals--their burning thereof--was to have been fragrant and pleasing to God.
I take it the "flesh" of your reference was not that of animals roasted, but perhaps (gasp) human?
Grotesque topic, but I must ask....
WW
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The idea that God should enjoy the smell of burnt flesh seems close to blasphemy to me. How stupid to think God eats flesh or needs a nose or teeth,Or any other human attribute.
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Peripatetics Founder of the Peripatetics - Aristotle, who used to teach his disciples in the covered walk of the Lyceum. This colonnade was called the peripatos, because it was a place for walking about (peri pateo).
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Periwinkle The bind-around plant. (Anglo-Saxon, pinewincle; French, pervenche; Latin, pervincio, to bind thoroughly.) In Italy it used to be wreathed round dead infants, and hence its Italian name, fior di morto.
I wonder how in the world the same word refers to the very common small snails see at the seashore.
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Perk To perk oneself. To plume oneself on anything. (Welsh, percu, to smarten or plume feathers, perc, neat.)
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Permian Strata So called from Perm, in Russia, where they are most distinctly developed.
Geology term. It can be very hard to discover how some of these terms arose.
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Perth is Celtic for a bush. The county of Perth is the county of bushes.
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Peruvian Bark called also Jesuit's Bark, because it was introduced into Spain by the Jesuits. “Quinine,” from the same tree, is called by the Indians quinquina. (See Cinchona.)
Formerly a valuable botanical for treatment of malaria. Now of little use. A formerly popular carbonated beverage, Moxie contained it. Horrid tasting. Once in a while "to have lots of Mozie" meaning to be arrogant may still be heard in of troy's bailiwick.
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