Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words I can't cope!
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP A "coping saw" is a carpenter's doohickey in which a slim blade is stetched tightly across the open end of a U-shaped hand-held frame. It is used for cutting small things out of wood and for humbling the operator in a visible and lasting way.
The etymology of this word is apparently derived in some inapparent way from the top course of a masonry wall -- called a "coping" -- which is slanted to cause rainwater to run off. One doubts that such a course of bricks or stones was ever cut with a coping saw. The etymology of "coping" in the brick-wall sense appears to derive from a liturgical vestment -- the cope -- which is a sort of clerical poncho, open in the front and joined with a fancy clasp. In that both masonry coping and the liturgical cope may be said to "cover" something -- be it a wall or a priest -- this makes a certain sense. But it gets one no closer to understanding how the lowly coping saw got its name.
Who will solve this riddle for the old padre?
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted I can't cope! Father Steve 05/20/02 02:33 PM Re: I can't cope! of troy 05/20/02 03:45 PM Re: I can't cope! wwh 05/20/02 03:52 PM Never Fret Father Steve 05/20/02 07:47 PM Re: Never Fret Geoff 05/21/02 01:05 AM Re: Never Fret Wordwind 05/21/02 09:27 AM Re: Never Fret wwh 05/21/02 12:20 PM Re: Never Fret Alex Williams 05/22/02 01:34 AM Re: Never Fret RhubarbCommando 05/22/02 03:13 PM Re: Never Fret wow 05/22/02 03:27 PM Whips and Chains Father Steve 05/22/02 06:42 PM Re: Whips and Chains wwh 05/22/02 07:32 PM Re: Whips and Chains RhubarbCommando 05/23/02 08:22 AM Re: Never Fret Geoff 05/23/02 11:38 AM Re: Never Fret RhubarbCommando 05/24/02 11:10 AM Re: Never Fret of troy 05/24/02 05:03 PM Re: Never Fret wwh 05/24/02 05:14 PM Re: I can't cope! wwh 05/24/02 10:45 PM
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,363Members9,182 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 529 guests, and 0 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 21
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,558tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,919Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org