for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Probably what *this* should be called.
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for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Tue Jan 19, 2021 11:46 pm

kingpin (n.)

also king-pin, 1801 as the name of the large pin in the game of kayles (similar to bowls except a club or stick was thrown instead of a ball; see "Games, Gaming and Gamesters' Laws," Frederick Brandt, London, 1871), from king with a sense of "chief" + pin (n.).

The modern use is mainly figurative and is perhaps from the word's use as synonym for king-bolt (itself from 1825), a large, thick, heavy bolt used in a machinery to couple large parts, but if this is the origin, the figurative use is attested earlier (1867) than the literal (1914).
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Jeb Bush 2012 » Tue Jan 19, 2021 11:48 pm

I can't wait to post in this thread when I look up the etymology of a word or idiom

e: this may read as a joke but I promise it is not

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:59 pm

avocado (n.)

edible, oily fruit of a tree common in the American tropics, 1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado "lawyer," from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) ahuakatl "avocado" (with a secondary meaning "testicle" probably based on resemblance), from proto-Nahuan *pawa "avocado." As a color-name, first attested 1945. The English corruption alligator (pear) is 1763, from Mexican Spanish alvacata, alligato.
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by seathesee » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:01 pm

the only real difference being that pee is not stored in an avocado
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Khaos » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:12 pm

Skeletor wrote:avocado (n.)

edible, oily fruit of a tree common in the American tropics, 1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado "lawyer," from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) ahuakatl "avocado" (with a secondary meaning "testicle" probably based on resemblance), from proto-Nahuan *pawa "avocado." As a color-name, first attested 1945. The English corruption alligator (pear) is 1763, from Mexican Spanish alvacata, alligato.
this reminds me of words that my 3yo daughter mispronounces. she sounds cute when she does, so sometimes we ask her to say them for no reason

avocado -> a-dough-cado
balloon -> bloon
sesame street -> smeh-smee street

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:21 pm

energy -> enjery (took a while to learn she wasn't telling us she wanted to get some injury)
remote -> gremote
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Khaos » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:36 pm

my dad: emergency -> ah-mer-gen-see

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by the_zoomies » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:14 pm

Juice - english i -> spanish i

I'm basically patient zero for the canadian vowel shift: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.3180597

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by the_zoomies » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:15 pm

Skeletor wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:59 pm avocado (n.)

edible, oily fruit of a tree common in the American tropics, 1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado "lawyer," from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) ahuakatl "avocado" (with a secondary meaning "testicle" probably based on resemblance), from proto-Nahuan *pawa "avocado." As a color-name, first attested 1945. The English corruption alligator (pear) is 1763, from Mexican Spanish alvacata, alligato.
Take it to the eatymology thread :smug:

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by pterrus » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:19 pm

A while back I started pronouncing it "vegables" at home with a hard g because I thought it was mildly amusing, and over time it became more ingrained. I also regularly say "feets". It occurred to me recently that I need to cut that shit out or my kid is going to pick it up.

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Khaos » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:21 pm

whatever. it's not like they'll be adults saying vega-bles

my son likes to say 'do's' instead of 'does'

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:21 pm

the_zoomies wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:15 pm
Skeletor wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:59 pm avocado (n.)

edible, oily fruit of a tree common in the American tropics, 1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado "lawyer," from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) ahuakatl "avocado" (with a secondary meaning "testicle" probably based on resemblance), from proto-Nahuan *pawa "avocado." As a color-name, first attested 1945. The English corruption alligator (pear) is 1763, from Mexican Spanish alvacata, alligato.
Take it to the eatymology thread :smug:
Eat my balls
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by the_zoomies » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:23 pm

Skeletor wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:21 pm
the_zoomies wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:15 pm
Skeletor wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:59 pm avocado (n.)

edible, oily fruit of a tree common in the American tropics, 1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado "lawyer," from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) ahuakatl "avocado" (with a secondary meaning "testicle" probably based on resemblance), from proto-Nahuan *pawa "avocado." As a color-name, first attested 1945. The English corruption alligator (pear) is 1763, from Mexican Spanish alvacata, alligato.
Take it to the eatymology thread :smug:
Eat my balls
Dangerous sentiment in a group of people too incompetent to handle a pomegranate

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:24 pm

the_zoomies wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:23 pm
Skeletor wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:21 pm
the_zoomies wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:15 pm

Take it to the eatymology thread :smug:
Eat my balls
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Yeah but I respect you more than the average poster
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Juri » Thu Jan 21, 2021 12:01 am

the_zoomies wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:23 pm
Skeletor wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:21 pm
the_zoomies wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:15 pm

Take it to the eatymology thread :smug:
Eat my balls
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lol
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by the_zoomies » Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:23 pm


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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:27 pm

Word filtered
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:29 pm

wow, [you]. that all sounds terrible. i hope it gets better for you

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by the_zoomies » Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:39 pm

"Queer I" :wub:

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by pterrus » Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:33 pm

It's a great word.

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Juri » Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:29 am

the_zoomies wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:39 pm "Queer I" :wub:
Ready to work
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by the_zoomies » Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:28 pm

Juri wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:29 am
the_zoomies wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:39 pm "Queer I" :wub:
Ready to work
8-player network and multiplayer capability with full Red Book audio and movies in the full retail version. Buy it now!

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Khaos » Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:35 pm

Juri wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:29 am
the_zoomies wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:39 pm "Queer I" :wub:
Ready to work
i played some wc3 recently! it's a pain in the ass to find the game download on blizzards website but if you ever uploaded your cd key to your account you still have/own it

uther's party is still the shit

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Tue Jan 26, 2021 4:23 pm

cahoots (n.)
"company, partnership," 1829, Southern and Western American English, of unknown origin; said [OED] to be perhaps from French cahute "cabin, hut" (12c.), but U.S. sources [Bartlett] credit it to French cohorte (see cohort), which is said to have had a sense of "companions, confederates."
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Tue Jan 26, 2021 4:24 pm

The next time you want to say "in cahoots" say "in a cabin" instead
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Ashenai » Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:30 pm

well that certainly makes my job as a slashfic writer easier

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Doug » Tue Mar 09, 2021 7:14 pm

fair (adj.)
Old English fæger "pleasing to the sight (of persons and body features, also of objects, places, etc.); beautiful, handsome, attractive," of weather, "bright, clear, pleasant; not rainy," also in late Old English "morally good," from Proto-Germanic *fagraz (source also of Old Saxon fagar, Old Norse fagr, Swedish fager, Old High German fagar "beautiful," Gothic fagrs "fit"), perhaps from PIE *pek- (1) "to make pretty" (source also of Lithuanian puošiu "I decorate").

The meaning in reference to weather preserves the oldest sense "suitable, agreeable" (opposed to foul (adj.)). Of the main modern senses of the word, that of "light of complexion or color of hair and eyes, not dusky or sallow" (of persons) is from c. 1200, faire, contrasted to browne and reflecting tastes in beauty. From early 13c. as "according with propriety; according with justice," hence "equitable, impartial, just, free from bias" (mid-14c.).

Of wind, "not excessive; favorable for a ship's passage," from late 14c. Of handwriting from 1690s. From c. 1300 as "promising good fortune, auspicious." Also from c. 1300 as "above average, considerable, sizable." From 1860 as "comparatively good."

The sporting senses (fair ball, fair catch, etc.) began to appear in 1856. Fair play is from 1590s but not originally in sports (earlier it meant "pleasant amusement," c. 1300, and foul play was "sinful amusement"). Fair-haired in the figurative sense of "darling, favorite" is from 1909. First record of fair-weather friends is from 1736 (in a letter from Pope published that year, written in 1730). The fair sex (securities fraud) "women" is from 1660s, from the "beautiful" sense (fair as a noun meaning "a woman" is from early 15c.). Fair game "legitimate target" is from 1776, from hunting.

Others, who have not gone to such a height of audacious wickedness, have yet considered common prostitutes as fair game, which they might pursue without restraint. ["Advice from a Father to a Son, Just Entered into the Army and about to Go Abroad into Action," London, 1776]



dose (n.)
early 15c., "the giving of medicine (in a specified amount or at a stated time)," from Old French dose (15c.) or directly from Medieval Latin dosis, from Greek dosis "a portion prescribed," literally "a giving," used by Galen and other Greek physicians to mean an amount of medicine, from stem of didonai "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give").

Meaning "quantity of medicine given or prescribed" is from c. 1600. Extended sense, in reference to anything given to be "swallowed," literal or figurative, is from c. 1600. Slang meaning "a case of venereal disease" is by 1914.
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Skeletor » Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:53 pm

The overlap betwen male and female doesn't come from their origins, they just eventually converged on similar spelling

female (n.)
early 14c., from Old French femelle "woman, female" (12c.), from Medieval Latin femella "a female," from Latin femella "young female, girl," diminutive of femina "woman, a female" ("woman, female," literally "she who suckles," from PIE root *dhe(i)- "to suck").

male (n.)
late 14c., "male human being; male fish or land animal; one of the sex (securities fraud) that begets young," from Old French masle (adj.) "masculine, male, adult," also used as a noun (12c., Modern French mâle), from Latin masculus "masculine, male, worthy of a man" (source also of Provençal mascle, Spanish macho, Italian maschio), diminutive of mas (genitive maris) "male person or animal, male."
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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Jeb Bush 2012 » Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:05 pm

that is a cool fact

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Re: for when you look up the etymology of a word or idiom

Post by Doug » Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:21 pm

It is, and it's surprising, especially since conversely "woman" and "man" do have related etymology
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