A. Introduction
B. Vocabularies to know
Mal-, Male: bad prefix
☑️Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have
changed over time.
By extension, the term "the etymology of a word" means the origin of the particular word.
By extension, the term "the etymology of a word" means the origin of the particular word.
☑️prefix: A prefix is an affix which is placed before the stem of a word. Adding it to the
beginning of one word changes it into another word.
For example, when the prefix un- is added to the word happy, it creates the word unhappy. Particularly in the study of
languages, a prefix is also called a preformative, because it alters the form of the
words to which it is affixed.
☑️Root: the
most basic form of a word, or a word that is the base for other words.
☑️Suffix: a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to make a different word.
For example, the suffix ‘-ness’ is added to ‘great’ and ‘happy’ to make
‘greatness’ and ‘happiness’.
Ben-, Bene-, Bon- : good prefix
benevolent
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benediction
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beneficiary
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bona fide
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kind; good-hearted
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a good blessing in a religious service
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a person who receives something good from
someone else as an
inheritance
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in good faith; authentic
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malodorous
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malaria
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malfeasance
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malevolent
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bad smell; stinky.
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bad air; a disease usually spread by infected
mosquitoes.
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wrongdoing or bad conduct by a
public official.
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a word that describes a person or
character who wishes bad things would happen to others.
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Dis-, Di: away, apart prefix
dissuade
discomfit
disburse
disarray
to turn a person away by persuasion
to undo; to thwart the plans of; to make uneasy
to take away from a purse ; to pay out, as from a fund
not arrayed or arranged properly; a state of disorder or confusion; disorderly dress
bosom friend
a friend that you like a lot and have a very close relationship with
Cupid and Psyche
Dis-, Di: away, apart prefix
dissuade
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discomfit
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disburse
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disarray
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to turn a person away by persuasion
|
to undo; to thwart the plans of; to make uneasy
|
to take away from a purse ; to pay out, as from a fund
|
not arrayed or arranged properly; a state of disorder or confusion; disorderly dress
|
bosom friend
a friend that you like a lot and have a very close relationship with
a friend that you like a lot and have a very close relationship with
Cupid and Psyche
C. The History of English in Ten
Minutes
D. Supplementary Reading :(click for the super link)
E. Week 1~3
C. The History of English in Ten
Minutes
D. Supplementary Reading :(click for the super link)
 |  |  |
E. Week 1~3
WEEK 1
1.abound (v.)
"be in great plenty," early 14c., from Old French abonder "to abound, be abundant, come together in great numbers" (12c.), from Latin abundare "overflow, run over," from Latin ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + undare "rise in a wave," from unda "a wave," from PIE *unda-, nasalized form of root *wed- (1) "water, wet" (see water (n.1)). Related: Abounded; abounding; abounder "one who has plenty or is wealthy" (1755).
English seems to always have used in the -ou- spelling, though in Middle English an unetymological h- sometimes was added. The vowel in Old French abonder, abondance is a continuation of a Merovingian Latin scribal use of -o- for classical Latin -u- to attempt to identify a sound that had evolved since classical times. In French eventually this sound came to be represented by -ou-. Compare French tour "tower," from Old French tor, from Latin turris; court (n.), from Old French cort, from Latin curtus; French outre from Latin ultra, etc. However -o- remained before a nasal (as nombre from numerus, monde from mundum, etc.).
2. annals (n.)
1560s, from Latin annales libri "chronicles," literally "yearlies, yearly books," noun use of plural of annalis "pertaining to a year," from annus "year" (see annual (adj.)).
3. automaton (n.)
1610s, from Latin automaton (Suetonius), from Greek automaton, neuter of automatos "self-acting," from autos "self" (see auto-) + matos "thinking, animated, willing," from PIE *mn-to-, from root *men- (1) "to think, remember" (see mind (n.)).
4. badger (v.) Look up badger at Dictionary.com
1790, from badger (n.), based on the behavior of the dogs in the medieval sport of badger-baiting, still practiced in 18c. England. Related: Badgered; badgering.
badger (n.) Look up badger at Dictionary.com
1520s, perhaps from bage "badge" (see badge) + -ard "one who carries some action or possesses some quality," suffix related to Middle High German -hart "bold" (see -ard). If so, the central notion is the badge-like white blaze on the animal's forehead (as in French blaireau "badger," from Old French blarel, from bler "marked with a white spot;" also obsolete Middle English bauson "badger," from Old French bauzan, literally "black-and-white spotted"). But blaze (n.2) was the usual word for this.
An Old English name for the creature was the Celtic borrowing brock; also græg (Middle English grei, grey). In American English, the nickname of inhabitants or natives of Wisconsin (1833).
5. compound (adj.) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
late 14c., originally compouned, past participle of compounen (see compound (v.)). Compound eye is attested from 1836; compound sentence is from 1772.
compound (n.2) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
"a compound thing," mid-15c., from compound (adj.).
compound (n.1) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
1670s, via Dutch (kampoeng) or Portuguese, from Malay kampong "village, group of buildings." Spelling influenced by compound (v.). Originally, "the enclosure for a factory or settlement of Europeans in the East," later used of South African diamond miners' camps (1893), then of large fenced-in spaces generally (1946).
compound (v.) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
"to put together," late 14c., compounen "to mix, combine," from Old French compondre, componre "arrange, direct," from Latin componere "to put together" (see composite). The -d appeared 1500s in English on model of expound, etc. Related: Compounded; compounding.
6. drudgery (n.) Look up drudgery at Dictionary.com
1540s, from drudge + -ery.
7. eminent (adj.) Look up eminent at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Old French éminent "prominent" (13c.) or directly from Latin eminentem (nominative eminens) "standing out, projecting, prominent, high," figuratively "distinguished, distinctive," present participle of eminere "stand out, project; be prominent, be conspicuous," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + -minere, which is related to mons "hill" (see mount (n.1)). Related: Eminently. Legal eminent domain recorded from 1738.
8.implore (v.) Look up implore at Dictionary.com
c. 1500, from Middle French implorer and directly from Latin implorare "call on for help, beseech, beg earnestly," with a literal sense probably of "plead tearfully, invoke with weeping," from assimilated form of in- "on, upon" (see in- (2)) + plorare "to weep, cry out," a word of unknown origin. Related: Implored; imploring; imploringly; imploration.
9.indiscriminate (adj.) Look up indiscriminate at Dictionary.com
"not carefully discriminating, done without making distinctions," 1640s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + discriminate (adj.).
10. interminable (adj.) Look up interminable at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old French interminable (14c.) or directly from Late Latin interminabilis "endless," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + terminabilis, from terminare "to limit, set bounds, end" (see terminus (adj.)). Related: Interminably.
11. matron (n.) Look up matron at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "married woman" (usually one of rank), from Old French matrone "married woman; elderly lady; patroness; midwife," and directly from Latin matrona "married woman, wife, matron," from mater (genitive matris) "mother" (see mother (n.1)). Sense of "female manager of a school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1550s.
12. paradox (n.) Look up paradox at Dictionary.com
1530s, "statement contrary to common belief or expectation," from Middle French paradoxe (14c.) and directly from Latin paradoxum "paradox, statement seemingly absurd yet really true," from Greek paradoxon, noun use of neuter of adjective paradoxos "contrary to expectation, incredible," from para- "contrary to" (see para- (1)) + doxa "opinion," from dokein "to appear, seem, think" (see decent). Meaning "statement that is seemingly self-contradictory yet not illogical or obviously untrue" is from 1560s.
13. perceive (v.) c. 1300, via Anglo-French parceif, Old North French *perceivre (Old French perçoivre) "perceive, notice, see; recognize, understand," from Latin percipere "obtain, gather, seize entirely, take possession of," also, figuratively, "to grasp with the mind, learn, comprehend," literally "to take entirely," from per "thoroughly" (see per) + capere "to grasp, take," from PIE root *kap- "to grasp" (see capable).
Replaced Old English ongietan. Both the Latin senses were in Old French, though the primary sense of Modern French percevoir is literal, "to receive, collect" (rents, taxes, etc.), while English uses the word almost always in the metaphorical sense. Related: Perceived; perceiving.
14. prognosticate (v.)
early 15c., a back-formation from prognostication and also from Medieval Latin prognosticatus, past participle of prognosticare (see prognostication). Related: Prognosticated; prognosticating.
15. realm (n.)
late 13c., "kingdom," from Old French reaume, probably from roiaume "kingdom," altered (by influence of Latin regalis "regal") from Gallo-Roman *regiminem, accusative form of Latin regimen "system of government, rule" (see regimen). Transferred sense "sphere of activity" is from late 14c.
16. replete (adj.) Look up replete at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old French replet "filled up" (14c.), from Latin repletus "filled, full," past participle of replere "to fill; fill again, re-fill," from re- (see re-) + plere "to fill" (see pleio-).
17. steep (v.) Look up steep at Dictionary.com
"to soak in a liquid," early 14c., of uncertain origin, originally in reference to barley or malt, probably cognate with Old Norse steypa "to pour out, throw" (perhaps from an unrecorded Old English cognate), from Proto-Germanic *staupijanan. Related: Steeped; steeping.
18. technology (n.) Look up technology at Dictionary.com
1610s, "a discourse or treatise on an art or the arts," from Greek tekhnologia "systematic treatment of an art, craft, or technique," originally referring to grammar, from tekhno- (see techno-) + -logy. The meaning "study of mechanical and industrial arts" (Century Dictionary, 1902, gives examples of "spinning, metal-working, or brewing") is first recorded 1859. High technology attested from 1964; short form high-tech is from 1972.
19. tinge (v.) Look up tinge at Dictionary.com
late 15c., "to dye, color slightly," from Latin tingere "to dye, color" (see tincture). Related: Tinged. The noun is first recorded 1752.
20. voracious (adj.) Look up voracious at Dictionary.com
1630s, formed as an adjectival form of voracity. Related: Voraciously; voraciousness.
1. accost (v.)
1570s, "come side-by-side or face-to-face with," for any reason, from Middle French accoster "move up to, come alongside" (Old French acoster), from Late Latin accostare "come up to the side," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + costa "a rib, side" (see coast (n.)). Now usually in the sense "approach and speak to" (1610s). Also picked up in newspaper articles as the verb for a prostitute's solicitation of a customer (1887). Related: Accosted; accosting.
2 .adroit (adj.) 1650s, "dexterous," originally "rightly," from French adroit, which by Old French had senses "upright (physically and morally); able, clever, skillful; well-formed, handsome; on the right-hand side; veritable," from adverbial phrase à droit "according to right," from Old French à "to" (see ad-) + droit, dreit "right," from Late Latin directum "right, justice," accusative of Latin directus "straight," past participle of dirigere "set straight," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + regere "to direct, to guide, keep straight" (see regal). It expresses prominently the idea of a trained hand. Related: Adroitly; adroitness..
3. avid (adj.)
1769, from French avide (15c.), from Latin avidus "longing eagerly, desirous, greedy," from avere "to desire eagerly." Also in part a back-formation from avidity. Related: Avidly.
4. cajole (v.)
1640s, from French cajoler "to cajole, wheedle, coax," perhaps a blend of Middle French cageoler "to chatter like a jay" (16c., from gajole, southern diminutive of geai "jay;" see jay (n.)), and Old French gaioler "to cage, entice into a cage" (see jail (n.)). Related: Cajoled; cajoling.
5. enhance (v.) late 13c., anhaunsen "to raise, make higher," from Anglo-French enhauncer, probably from Old French enhaucier "make greater, make higher or louder; fatten, foster; raise in esteem," from Vulgar Latin *inaltiare, from Late Latin inaltare "raise, exalt," from altare "make high," from altus "high," literally "grown tall," from PIE root *al- (3) "to grow, nourish" (see old). Meaning "raise in station, wealth, or fame" attested in English from c. 1300. Related: Enhanced; enhancing.
The -h- in Old French supposedly is from influence of Frankish *hoh "high." The -n- perhaps is due to association with Provençal enansar, enanzar "promote, further," from enant "before, rather," from Latin in + ante "before."
6. fabricate (v.) mid-15c., "to fashion, make, build," from Latin fabricatus, past participle of fabricare "to make, construct, fashion, build," from fabrica (see fabric). In bad sense of "tell a lie (etc.)," it is recorded by 1779. Related: Fabricated; fabricating.
7. felon (n.)
c. 1300, "one who deceives or commits treason; one who is wicked or evil; evil-doer," used of Lucifer and Herod, from Old French felon "evil-doer, scoundrel, traitor, rebel, oath-breaker, the Devil" (9c.), from Medieval Latin fellonem (nominative fello) "evil-doer," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Frankish *fillo, *filljo "person who whips or beats, scourger" (source of Old High German fillen "to whip"); or from Latin fel "gall, poison," on the notion of "one full of bitterness." Celtic origins also have been proposed.
Another theory (advanced by Professor R. Atkinson of Dublin) traces it to Latin fellare "to suck" (see fecund), which had an obscene secondary meaning in classical Latin (well-known to readers of Martial and Catullus), which would make a felon etymologically a "cock-sucker." OED inclines toward the "gall" explanation, but finds Atkinson's "most plausible" of the others.
Also by c. 1300 in English in a general legal sense "criminal; one who has committed a felony," however that was defined. Century Dictionary notes, "the term is not applicable after legal punishment has been completed." In Middle English it also was an adjective, "traitorous, wicked, malignant." Australian official James Mudie (1837), coined felonry "as the appellative of an order or class of persons in New South Wales,--an order which happily exists in no other country in the world."
8. furtive (adj.) Look up furtive at Dictionary.com
16c., from Middle French furtif (16c.), from Latin furtivus "stolen," hence also "hidden, secret," from furtum "theft, robbery; a stolen thing," from fur (genitive furis) "a thief, extortioner," also a general term of abuse, "rascal, rogue," probably from PIE *bhor-, from root *bher- (1) "to carry; to bear children" (see phoresy). Related: Furtiveness.
9. gesticulate (v.)
c. 1600, from Latin gesticulatus, past participle of gesticulari "to gesture, mimic," from gesticulus "a mimicking gesture" (see gesticulation). Related: Gesticulated; gesticulating.
10. hapless (adj.) "unfortunate, luckless," c. 1400, from hap (n.) in the sense "good luck" + -less. Related: Haplessly; haplessness.
11. intrepid (adj.) "unmoved by danger, undaunted," 1690s, from French intrépide (16c.) and directly from Latin intrepidus "unshaken, undaunted, not alarmed," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + trepidus "alarmed," from PIE *trep-(1) "to tremble" (see trepidation). Related: Intrepidly; intrepidness (1620s).
12. irate (adj.)
1838, from Latin iratus "angry, enraged, violent, furious," past participle of irasci "grow angry," from ira "anger" (see ire).
13. laconic (adj.)
"concise, abrupt," 1580s, literally "of or pertaining to the region around ancient Sparta in Greece, probably via Latin Laconicus "of Laconia," from Greek Lakonikos "Laconian, of Laconia," adjective from Lakon "person from Lakonia," the district around Sparta in southern Greece in ancient times, whose inhabitants famously cultivated the skill of saying much in few words. When Philip of Macedon threatened them with, "If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta to the ground," the Spartans' reply was, "If." An earlier form was laconical (1570s). Related: Laconically.
14. nuance (v.)
1886, from nuance (n.). Related: Nuanced.
nuance (n.)
1781, from French nuance "slight difference, shade of color" (17c.), from nuer "to shade," from nue "cloud," from Gallo-Roman *nuba, from Latin nubes "a cloud, mist, vapor," from PIE *sneudh- "fog" (source also of Avestan snaoda "clouds," Latin obnubere "to veil," Welsh nudd "fog," Greek nython, in Hesychius "dark, dusky"). According to Klein, a reference to "the different colors of the clouds."
15. plethora (n.)
1540s, a medical word for "excess of body fluid," from Late Latin plethora, from Greek plethore "fullness," from plethein "be full" (see pleio-). Figurative meaning "too-muchness, overfullness in any respect" is first recorded 1700. Related: Plethoric.
16. pretext (n.) Look up pretext at Dictionary.com
1510s, from French prétexte, from Latin praetextum "a pretext, outward display," noun use of neuter past participle of praetexere "to disguise, cover," literally "weave in front" (for sense, compare pull the wool over (someone's) eyes); from prae- "in front" (see pre-) + texere "to weave," from PIE root *teks- "to weave, to make" (see texture (n.)).
17. reticent (adj.)
1834, from Latin reticentem (nominative reticens), present participle of reticere "be silent" (see reticence).
18. rudimentary (adj.)
1827; see rudiment + -ary. Earlier was rudimental (1590s).
19. throng (v.)
"go in a crowd," 1530s, from throng (n.). Earlier it meant "to press, crush" (c. 1400). Related: Thronged; thronging.
throng (n.)
c. 1300, probably shortened from Old English geþrang "crowd, tumult" (related to verb þringan "to push, crowd, press"), from Proto-Germanic *thrangan (source also of Old Norse þröng, Dutch drang, German Drang "crowd, throng").
20. vigilant (adj.)
late 15c., from Middle French vigilant or directly from Latin vigilantem (nominative vigilans) "watchful, anxious, careful," present participle of vigilare "to watch, keep awake, not to sleep, be watchful," from vigil "watchful, awake" (see vigil). Related: Vigilantly.
1.affluent (adj.) early-15c., "abounding in, copious" (of God's grace); mid-15c. "flowing to" (of liquids), both senses now obsolete, from Old French afluent (14c.) or directly from Latin affluentem (nominative affluens) "abounding, rich, copious," literally "flowing toward," present participle of affluere "flow toward," from ad "to" (see ad-) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent). The especial sense of "abounding in wealth or possessions" is from 1753.
2. chagrin (v.)
1660s (implied in chagrined), from chagrin (n.). Related: Chagrined; chagrining.
chagrin (n.) Look up chagrin at Dictionary.com
1650s, "melancholy," from French chagrin "melancholy, anxiety, vexation" (14c.), from Old North French chagreiner or Angevin dialect chagraigner "sadden," which is of unknown origin, perhaps [Gamillscheg] from Old French graignier "grieve over, be angry," from graigne "sadness, resentment, grief, vexation," from graim "sorrowful," which is of unknown origin, perhaps from a Germanic source (compare Old High German gram "angry, fierce"). But OED and other sources trace it to an identical Old French word, borrowed into English phonetically as shagreen, meaning "rough skin or hide," which is of uncertain origin, the connecting notion being "roughness, harshness." Modern sense of "feeling of irritation from disappointment" is 1716.
3. confidant (n.) 1610s, confident, "(male) person trusted with private affairs," from French confident (16c.), from Italian confidente "a trusty friend," literally "confident, trusty," from Latin confidentem (nominative confidens), present participle of confidere "to trust, confide" (see confidence). The spelling with -a- came to predominate 18c. and might reflect the French pronunciation.
4. consternation (n.)
1610s, from French consternation "dismay, confusion," from Latin consternationem (nominative consternatio) "confusion, dismay," from consternat-, past participle stem of consternare "overcome, confuse, dismay, perplex, terrify, alarm," probably related to consternere "throw down, prostrate," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + sternere "to spread out" (see stratum).
5. deride (v.) 1520s, from Middle French derider, from Latin deridere "to ridicule, laugh to scorn" (see derision). Related: Derided; deriding.
6. discern (v.) late 14c., from Old French discerner (13c.) "distinguish (between), separate" (by sifting), and directly from Latin discernere "to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive," from dis- "off, away" (see dis-) + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift" (see crisis). Related: Discerned; discerning.
7. disparage (v.)
early 14c., "degrade socially," from Old French desparagier (Modern French déparager) "reduce in rank, degrade, devalue, depreciate," originally "to marry unequally," and thus by extension the disgrace or dishonor involved in this, from des- "away" (see dis-) + parage "rank, lineage" (see peer (n.)). Sense of "belittle" first recorded 1530s. Related: Disparaged; disparaging; disparagingly.
8. dubious (adj.) 1540s, from Latin dubiosus "doubtful," from dubium "doubt," neuter of dubius "vacillating, moving two ways, fluctuating;" figuratively "wavering in opinion, doubting, doubtful," from duo "two" (see two), with a sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." Old English also used tweo "two" to mean "doubt." Compare doubt (v.). Related: Dubiously; dubiousness.
9. eschew (v.) mid-14c., from Old French eschiver "shun, eschew, avoid, dispense with," from Frankish *skiuhan "dread, avoid, shun," from Proto-Germanic *skeukhwaz (source also of Old High German sciuhen "to avoid, escape," German scheuen "to fear, shun, shrink from," scheu "shy, timid"); see shy (adj.). Related: Eschewed; eschewing; eschewal; eschewance. Italian schivare "to avoid, shun, protect from," schivo "shy, bashful" are related loan words from Germanic. For e-, see e-.
10. feasible (adj.) "capable of being done, accomplished or carried out," mid-15c., from Anglo-French faisible, from Old French faisable "possible, that may be done; easy, convenient," from fais-, stem of faire "do, make," from Latin facere "to make, do, perform" (see factitious). Fowler recommends this word only for those "who feel that the use of an ordinary word for an ordinary notion does not do justice to their vocabulary or sufficiently exhibit their cultivation."
11. fiasco (n.) 1855, theater slang for "a failure in performance;" by 1862 it had acquired the general sense of "any ignominious failure or dismal flop," on or off the stage. It comes via the French phrase fiare fiasco "turn out a failure" (19c.), from Italian far fiasco "suffer a complete breakdown in performance," literally "make a bottle," from fiasco "bottle," from Late Latin flasco "bottle" (see flask).
The literal sense of the image (if it is one) is obscure today, but "the usual range of fanciful theories has been advanced" [Ayto]. Century Dictionary says "perhaps in allusion to the bursting of a bottle," Weekley pronounces it impenetrable and compares French ramasser un pelle "to come a cropper (in bicycling), literally to pick up a shovel." OED keeps its distance and lets nameless "Italian etymologists" make nebulous reference to "alleged incidents in Italian theatrical history." Klein suggests Venetian glass-crafters tossing aside imperfect pieces to be made later into common flasks. But according to an Italian dictionary, fare il fiasco used to mean "to play a game so that the one that loses will pay the fiasco," in other words, he will buy the next bottle (of wine). If the dates are not objectionable, that plausibly connects the literal sense of the word with the notion of "a costly mistake."
12. laudable (adj.) early 15c., from Old French laudable "praiseworthy, glorious" and directly from Latin laudabilis "praiseworthy," from laudare "to praise, commend, extol" (see laud). Related: Laudably.
13. masticate (v.) 1640s, back-formation from mastication, or else from Late Latin masticatus, past participle of masticare "to chew." Related: Masticated; masticating.
14. obsolescence (n.) 1809; see obsolescent + -ence. Phrase Planned obsolescence coined 1932, revived as a disparaging term 1950s.
15. perfunctory (adj.) 1580s, from Late Latin perfunctorius "careless, negligent," literally "like one who wishes to get through a thing," from Latin perfungus, past participle of perfungi "discharge, busy oneself, get through," from per "through" (see per) + fungi "perform" (see function (n.)). Related: Perfunctorily.
16. perverse (adj.) mid-14c., "wicked," from Old French pervers "unnatural, degenerate; perverse, contrary" (12c.) and directly from Latin perversus "turned away, contrary, askew," figuratively, "turned away from what is right, wrong, malicious, spiteful," past participle of pervertere "to corrupt" (see pervert (v.)). The Latin word is glossed in Old English by forcerred, from past participle of forcyrran "to avoid," from cierran "to turn, return." Meaning "wrong, not in accord with what is accepted" is from 1560s; sense of "obstinate, stubborn" is from 1570s. It keeps the non-sexual senses of pervert (v.) and allows the psychological ones to go with perverted. Related: Perversely; perverseness.
17. precocious (adj.)
1640s, "developed before the usual time" (of plants), with -ous + Latin praecox (genitive praecocis) "maturing early," from prae "before" (see pre-) + coquere "to ripen," literally "to cook" (see cook (n.)). Originally of flowers or fruits. Figurative use, of persons, dates from 1670s. Related: Precociously; precociousness.
18. quell (v.) Old English cwellan "to kill, murder, execute," from Proto-Germanic *kwaljanan (source also of Old English cwelan "to die," cwalu "violent death;" Old Saxon quellian "to torture, kill;" Old Norse kvelja "to torment;" Middle Dutch quelen "to vex, tease, torment;" Old High German quellan "to suffer pain," German quälen "to torment, torture"), from PIE root *gwele- (1) "to throw, reach," with extended sense of "to pierce" (source also of Armenian kelem "I torture;" Old Church Slavonic zali "pain;" Lithuanian galas "end," gela "agony," gelti "to sting;" see ballistics). Milder sense of "suppress, extinguish" developed by c. 1300. Related: Quelled; quelling.
19. sally (v.) 1540s, from sally (n.). Related: Sallied; sallying.
20. voluble (adj.) early 15c., "liable to constant change," from Middle French voluble, from Latin volubilis "that turns around, rolling, flowing," figuratively (of speech) "fluent, rapid," from volvere "to turn around, roll" (see volvox). Meaning "fluent, talkative" first recorded 1580s. Related: Volubly.
1.abound (v.)
"be in great plenty," early 14c., from Old French abonder "to abound, be abundant, come together in great numbers" (12c.), from Latin abundare "overflow, run over," from Latin ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + undare "rise in a wave," from unda "a wave," from PIE *unda-, nasalized form of root *wed- (1) "water, wet" (see water (n.1)). Related: Abounded; abounding; abounder "one who has plenty or is wealthy" (1755).
English seems to always have used in the -ou- spelling, though in Middle English an unetymological h- sometimes was added. The vowel in Old French abonder, abondance is a continuation of a Merovingian Latin scribal use of -o- for classical Latin -u- to attempt to identify a sound that had evolved since classical times. In French eventually this sound came to be represented by -ou-. Compare French tour "tower," from Old French tor, from Latin turris; court (n.), from Old French cort, from Latin curtus; French outre from Latin ultra, etc. However -o- remained before a nasal (as nombre from numerus, monde from mundum, etc.).
2. annals (n.)
1560s, from Latin annales libri "chronicles," literally "yearlies, yearly books," noun use of plural of annalis "pertaining to a year," from annus "year" (see annual (adj.)).
3. automaton (n.)
1610s, from Latin automaton (Suetonius), from Greek automaton, neuter of automatos "self-acting," from autos "self" (see auto-) + matos "thinking, animated, willing," from PIE *mn-to-, from root *men- (1) "to think, remember" (see mind (n.)).
4. badger (v.) Look up badger at Dictionary.com
1790, from badger (n.), based on the behavior of the dogs in the medieval sport of badger-baiting, still practiced in 18c. England. Related: Badgered; badgering.
badger (n.) Look up badger at Dictionary.com
1520s, perhaps from bage "badge" (see badge) + -ard "one who carries some action or possesses some quality," suffix related to Middle High German -hart "bold" (see -ard). If so, the central notion is the badge-like white blaze on the animal's forehead (as in French blaireau "badger," from Old French blarel, from bler "marked with a white spot;" also obsolete Middle English bauson "badger," from Old French bauzan, literally "black-and-white spotted"). But blaze (n.2) was the usual word for this.
An Old English name for the creature was the Celtic borrowing brock; also græg (Middle English grei, grey). In American English, the nickname of inhabitants or natives of Wisconsin (1833).
5. compound (adj.) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
late 14c., originally compouned, past participle of compounen (see compound (v.)). Compound eye is attested from 1836; compound sentence is from 1772.
compound (n.2) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
"a compound thing," mid-15c., from compound (adj.).
compound (n.1) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
1670s, via Dutch (kampoeng) or Portuguese, from Malay kampong "village, group of buildings." Spelling influenced by compound (v.). Originally, "the enclosure for a factory or settlement of Europeans in the East," later used of South African diamond miners' camps (1893), then of large fenced-in spaces generally (1946).
compound (v.) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
"to put together," late 14c., compounen "to mix, combine," from Old French compondre, componre "arrange, direct," from Latin componere "to put together" (see composite). The -d appeared 1500s in English on model of expound, etc. Related: Compounded; compounding.
6. drudgery (n.) Look up drudgery at Dictionary.com
1540s, from drudge + -ery.
7. eminent (adj.) Look up eminent at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Old French éminent "prominent" (13c.) or directly from Latin eminentem (nominative eminens) "standing out, projecting, prominent, high," figuratively "distinguished, distinctive," present participle of eminere "stand out, project; be prominent, be conspicuous," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + -minere, which is related to mons "hill" (see mount (n.1)). Related: Eminently. Legal eminent domain recorded from 1738.
8.implore (v.) Look up implore at Dictionary.com
c. 1500, from Middle French implorer and directly from Latin implorare "call on for help, beseech, beg earnestly," with a literal sense probably of "plead tearfully, invoke with weeping," from assimilated form of in- "on, upon" (see in- (2)) + plorare "to weep, cry out," a word of unknown origin. Related: Implored; imploring; imploringly; imploration.
9.indiscriminate (adj.) Look up indiscriminate at Dictionary.com
"not carefully discriminating, done without making distinctions," 1640s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + discriminate (adj.).
10. interminable (adj.) Look up interminable at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old French interminable (14c.) or directly from Late Latin interminabilis "endless," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + terminabilis, from terminare "to limit, set bounds, end" (see terminus (adj.)). Related: Interminably.
11. matron (n.) Look up matron at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "married woman" (usually one of rank), from Old French matrone "married woman; elderly lady; patroness; midwife," and directly from Latin matrona "married woman, wife, matron," from mater (genitive matris) "mother" (see mother (n.1)). Sense of "female manager of a school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1550s.
12. paradox (n.) Look up paradox at Dictionary.com
1530s, "statement contrary to common belief or expectation," from Middle French paradoxe (14c.) and directly from Latin paradoxum "paradox, statement seemingly absurd yet really true," from Greek paradoxon, noun use of neuter of adjective paradoxos "contrary to expectation, incredible," from para- "contrary to" (see para- (1)) + doxa "opinion," from dokein "to appear, seem, think" (see decent). Meaning "statement that is seemingly self-contradictory yet not illogical or obviously untrue" is from 1560s.
13. perceive (v.) c. 1300, via Anglo-French parceif, Old North French *perceivre (Old French perçoivre) "perceive, notice, see; recognize, understand," from Latin percipere "obtain, gather, seize entirely, take possession of," also, figuratively, "to grasp with the mind, learn, comprehend," literally "to take entirely," from per "thoroughly" (see per) + capere "to grasp, take," from PIE root *kap- "to grasp" (see capable).
Replaced Old English ongietan. Both the Latin senses were in Old French, though the primary sense of Modern French percevoir is literal, "to receive, collect" (rents, taxes, etc.), while English uses the word almost always in the metaphorical sense. Related: Perceived; perceiving.
14. prognosticate (v.)
early 15c., a back-formation from prognostication and also from Medieval Latin prognosticatus, past participle of prognosticare (see prognostication). Related: Prognosticated; prognosticating.
15. realm (n.)
late 13c., "kingdom," from Old French reaume, probably from roiaume "kingdom," altered (by influence of Latin regalis "regal") from Gallo-Roman *regiminem, accusative form of Latin regimen "system of government, rule" (see regimen). Transferred sense "sphere of activity" is from late 14c.
16. replete (adj.) Look up replete at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old French replet "filled up" (14c.), from Latin repletus "filled, full," past participle of replere "to fill; fill again, re-fill," from re- (see re-) + plere "to fill" (see pleio-).
17. steep (v.) Look up steep at Dictionary.com
"to soak in a liquid," early 14c., of uncertain origin, originally in reference to barley or malt, probably cognate with Old Norse steypa "to pour out, throw" (perhaps from an unrecorded Old English cognate), from Proto-Germanic *staupijanan. Related: Steeped; steeping.
18. technology (n.) Look up technology at Dictionary.com
1610s, "a discourse or treatise on an art or the arts," from Greek tekhnologia "systematic treatment of an art, craft, or technique," originally referring to grammar, from tekhno- (see techno-) + -logy. The meaning "study of mechanical and industrial arts" (Century Dictionary, 1902, gives examples of "spinning, metal-working, or brewing") is first recorded 1859. High technology attested from 1964; short form high-tech is from 1972.
19. tinge (v.) Look up tinge at Dictionary.com
late 15c., "to dye, color slightly," from Latin tingere "to dye, color" (see tincture). Related: Tinged. The noun is first recorded 1752.
20. voracious (adj.) Look up voracious at Dictionary.com
1630s, formed as an adjectival form of voracity. Related: Voraciously; voraciousness.
"be in great plenty," early 14c., from Old French abonder "to abound, be abundant, come together in great numbers" (12c.), from Latin abundare "overflow, run over," from Latin ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + undare "rise in a wave," from unda "a wave," from PIE *unda-, nasalized form of root *wed- (1) "water, wet" (see water (n.1)). Related: Abounded; abounding; abounder "one who has plenty or is wealthy" (1755).
English seems to always have used in the -ou- spelling, though in Middle English an unetymological h- sometimes was added. The vowel in Old French abonder, abondance is a continuation of a Merovingian Latin scribal use of -o- for classical Latin -u- to attempt to identify a sound that had evolved since classical times. In French eventually this sound came to be represented by -ou-. Compare French tour "tower," from Old French tor, from Latin turris; court (n.), from Old French cort, from Latin curtus; French outre from Latin ultra, etc. However -o- remained before a nasal (as nombre from numerus, monde from mundum, etc.).
2. annals (n.)
1560s, from Latin annales libri "chronicles," literally "yearlies, yearly books," noun use of plural of annalis "pertaining to a year," from annus "year" (see annual (adj.)).
3. automaton (n.)
1610s, from Latin automaton (Suetonius), from Greek automaton, neuter of automatos "self-acting," from autos "self" (see auto-) + matos "thinking, animated, willing," from PIE *mn-to-, from root *men- (1) "to think, remember" (see mind (n.)).
4. badger (v.) Look up badger at Dictionary.com
1790, from badger (n.), based on the behavior of the dogs in the medieval sport of badger-baiting, still practiced in 18c. England. Related: Badgered; badgering.
badger (n.) Look up badger at Dictionary.com
1520s, perhaps from bage "badge" (see badge) + -ard "one who carries some action or possesses some quality," suffix related to Middle High German -hart "bold" (see -ard). If so, the central notion is the badge-like white blaze on the animal's forehead (as in French blaireau "badger," from Old French blarel, from bler "marked with a white spot;" also obsolete Middle English bauson "badger," from Old French bauzan, literally "black-and-white spotted"). But blaze (n.2) was the usual word for this.
An Old English name for the creature was the Celtic borrowing brock; also græg (Middle English grei, grey). In American English, the nickname of inhabitants or natives of Wisconsin (1833).
5. compound (adj.) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
late 14c., originally compouned, past participle of compounen (see compound (v.)). Compound eye is attested from 1836; compound sentence is from 1772.
compound (n.2) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
"a compound thing," mid-15c., from compound (adj.).
compound (n.1) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
1670s, via Dutch (kampoeng) or Portuguese, from Malay kampong "village, group of buildings." Spelling influenced by compound (v.). Originally, "the enclosure for a factory or settlement of Europeans in the East," later used of South African diamond miners' camps (1893), then of large fenced-in spaces generally (1946).
compound (v.) Look up compound at Dictionary.com
"to put together," late 14c., compounen "to mix, combine," from Old French compondre, componre "arrange, direct," from Latin componere "to put together" (see composite). The -d appeared 1500s in English on model of expound, etc. Related: Compounded; compounding.
6. drudgery (n.) Look up drudgery at Dictionary.com
1540s, from drudge + -ery.
7. eminent (adj.) Look up eminent at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Old French éminent "prominent" (13c.) or directly from Latin eminentem (nominative eminens) "standing out, projecting, prominent, high," figuratively "distinguished, distinctive," present participle of eminere "stand out, project; be prominent, be conspicuous," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + -minere, which is related to mons "hill" (see mount (n.1)). Related: Eminently. Legal eminent domain recorded from 1738.
8.implore (v.) Look up implore at Dictionary.com
c. 1500, from Middle French implorer and directly from Latin implorare "call on for help, beseech, beg earnestly," with a literal sense probably of "plead tearfully, invoke with weeping," from assimilated form of in- "on, upon" (see in- (2)) + plorare "to weep, cry out," a word of unknown origin. Related: Implored; imploring; imploringly; imploration.
9.indiscriminate (adj.) Look up indiscriminate at Dictionary.com
"not carefully discriminating, done without making distinctions," 1640s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + discriminate (adj.).
10. interminable (adj.) Look up interminable at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old French interminable (14c.) or directly from Late Latin interminabilis "endless," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + terminabilis, from terminare "to limit, set bounds, end" (see terminus (adj.)). Related: Interminably.
11. matron (n.) Look up matron at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "married woman" (usually one of rank), from Old French matrone "married woman; elderly lady; patroness; midwife," and directly from Latin matrona "married woman, wife, matron," from mater (genitive matris) "mother" (see mother (n.1)). Sense of "female manager of a school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1550s.
12. paradox (n.) Look up paradox at Dictionary.com
1530s, "statement contrary to common belief or expectation," from Middle French paradoxe (14c.) and directly from Latin paradoxum "paradox, statement seemingly absurd yet really true," from Greek paradoxon, noun use of neuter of adjective paradoxos "contrary to expectation, incredible," from para- "contrary to" (see para- (1)) + doxa "opinion," from dokein "to appear, seem, think" (see decent). Meaning "statement that is seemingly self-contradictory yet not illogical or obviously untrue" is from 1560s.
13. perceive (v.) c. 1300, via Anglo-French parceif, Old North French *perceivre (Old French perçoivre) "perceive, notice, see; recognize, understand," from Latin percipere "obtain, gather, seize entirely, take possession of," also, figuratively, "to grasp with the mind, learn, comprehend," literally "to take entirely," from per "thoroughly" (see per) + capere "to grasp, take," from PIE root *kap- "to grasp" (see capable).
Replaced Old English ongietan. Both the Latin senses were in Old French, though the primary sense of Modern French percevoir is literal, "to receive, collect" (rents, taxes, etc.), while English uses the word almost always in the metaphorical sense. Related: Perceived; perceiving.
14. prognosticate (v.)
early 15c., a back-formation from prognostication and also from Medieval Latin prognosticatus, past participle of prognosticare (see prognostication). Related: Prognosticated; prognosticating.
15. realm (n.)
late 13c., "kingdom," from Old French reaume, probably from roiaume "kingdom," altered (by influence of Latin regalis "regal") from Gallo-Roman *regiminem, accusative form of Latin regimen "system of government, rule" (see regimen). Transferred sense "sphere of activity" is from late 14c.
16. replete (adj.) Look up replete at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old French replet "filled up" (14c.), from Latin repletus "filled, full," past participle of replere "to fill; fill again, re-fill," from re- (see re-) + plere "to fill" (see pleio-).
17. steep (v.) Look up steep at Dictionary.com
"to soak in a liquid," early 14c., of uncertain origin, originally in reference to barley or malt, probably cognate with Old Norse steypa "to pour out, throw" (perhaps from an unrecorded Old English cognate), from Proto-Germanic *staupijanan. Related: Steeped; steeping.
18. technology (n.) Look up technology at Dictionary.com
1610s, "a discourse or treatise on an art or the arts," from Greek tekhnologia "systematic treatment of an art, craft, or technique," originally referring to grammar, from tekhno- (see techno-) + -logy. The meaning "study of mechanical and industrial arts" (Century Dictionary, 1902, gives examples of "spinning, metal-working, or brewing") is first recorded 1859. High technology attested from 1964; short form high-tech is from 1972.
19. tinge (v.) Look up tinge at Dictionary.com
late 15c., "to dye, color slightly," from Latin tingere "to dye, color" (see tincture). Related: Tinged. The noun is first recorded 1752.
20. voracious (adj.) Look up voracious at Dictionary.com
1630s, formed as an adjectival form of voracity. Related: Voraciously; voraciousness.
1. accost (v.)
1570s, "come side-by-side or face-to-face with," for any reason, from Middle French accoster "move up to, come alongside" (Old French acoster), from Late Latin accostare "come up to the side," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + costa "a rib, side" (see coast (n.)). Now usually in the sense "approach and speak to" (1610s). Also picked up in newspaper articles as the verb for a prostitute's solicitation of a customer (1887). Related: Accosted; accosting.
2 .adroit (adj.) 1650s, "dexterous," originally "rightly," from French adroit, which by Old French had senses "upright (physically and morally); able, clever, skillful; well-formed, handsome; on the right-hand side; veritable," from adverbial phrase à droit "according to right," from Old French à "to" (see ad-) + droit, dreit "right," from Late Latin directum "right, justice," accusative of Latin directus "straight," past participle of dirigere "set straight," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + regere "to direct, to guide, keep straight" (see regal). It expresses prominently the idea of a trained hand. Related: Adroitly; adroitness..
3. avid (adj.)
1769, from French avide (15c.), from Latin avidus "longing eagerly, desirous, greedy," from avere "to desire eagerly." Also in part a back-formation from avidity. Related: Avidly.
4. cajole (v.)
1640s, from French cajoler "to cajole, wheedle, coax," perhaps a blend of Middle French cageoler "to chatter like a jay" (16c., from gajole, southern diminutive of geai "jay;" see jay (n.)), and Old French gaioler "to cage, entice into a cage" (see jail (n.)). Related: Cajoled; cajoling.
5. enhance (v.) late 13c., anhaunsen "to raise, make higher," from Anglo-French enhauncer, probably from Old French enhaucier "make greater, make higher or louder; fatten, foster; raise in esteem," from Vulgar Latin *inaltiare, from Late Latin inaltare "raise, exalt," from altare "make high," from altus "high," literally "grown tall," from PIE root *al- (3) "to grow, nourish" (see old). Meaning "raise in station, wealth, or fame" attested in English from c. 1300. Related: Enhanced; enhancing.
The -h- in Old French supposedly is from influence of Frankish *hoh "high." The -n- perhaps is due to association with Provençal enansar, enanzar "promote, further," from enant "before, rather," from Latin in + ante "before."
6. fabricate (v.) mid-15c., "to fashion, make, build," from Latin fabricatus, past participle of fabricare "to make, construct, fashion, build," from fabrica (see fabric). In bad sense of "tell a lie (etc.)," it is recorded by 1779. Related: Fabricated; fabricating.
7. felon (n.)
c. 1300, "one who deceives or commits treason; one who is wicked or evil; evil-doer," used of Lucifer and Herod, from Old French felon "evil-doer, scoundrel, traitor, rebel, oath-breaker, the Devil" (9c.), from Medieval Latin fellonem (nominative fello) "evil-doer," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Frankish *fillo, *filljo "person who whips or beats, scourger" (source of Old High German fillen "to whip"); or from Latin fel "gall, poison," on the notion of "one full of bitterness." Celtic origins also have been proposed.
Another theory (advanced by Professor R. Atkinson of Dublin) traces it to Latin fellare "to suck" (see fecund), which had an obscene secondary meaning in classical Latin (well-known to readers of Martial and Catullus), which would make a felon etymologically a "cock-sucker." OED inclines toward the "gall" explanation, but finds Atkinson's "most plausible" of the others.
Also by c. 1300 in English in a general legal sense "criminal; one who has committed a felony," however that was defined. Century Dictionary notes, "the term is not applicable after legal punishment has been completed." In Middle English it also was an adjective, "traitorous, wicked, malignant." Australian official James Mudie (1837), coined felonry "as the appellative of an order or class of persons in New South Wales,--an order which happily exists in no other country in the world."
8. furtive (adj.) Look up furtive at Dictionary.com
16c., from Middle French furtif (16c.), from Latin furtivus "stolen," hence also "hidden, secret," from furtum "theft, robbery; a stolen thing," from fur (genitive furis) "a thief, extortioner," also a general term of abuse, "rascal, rogue," probably from PIE *bhor-, from root *bher- (1) "to carry; to bear children" (see phoresy). Related: Furtiveness.
9. gesticulate (v.)
c. 1600, from Latin gesticulatus, past participle of gesticulari "to gesture, mimic," from gesticulus "a mimicking gesture" (see gesticulation). Related: Gesticulated; gesticulating.
10. hapless (adj.) "unfortunate, luckless," c. 1400, from hap (n.) in the sense "good luck" + -less. Related: Haplessly; haplessness.
11. intrepid (adj.) "unmoved by danger, undaunted," 1690s, from French intrépide (16c.) and directly from Latin intrepidus "unshaken, undaunted, not alarmed," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + trepidus "alarmed," from PIE *trep-(1) "to tremble" (see trepidation). Related: Intrepidly; intrepidness (1620s).
12. irate (adj.)
1838, from Latin iratus "angry, enraged, violent, furious," past participle of irasci "grow angry," from ira "anger" (see ire).
13. laconic (adj.)
"concise, abrupt," 1580s, literally "of or pertaining to the region around ancient Sparta in Greece, probably via Latin Laconicus "of Laconia," from Greek Lakonikos "Laconian, of Laconia," adjective from Lakon "person from Lakonia," the district around Sparta in southern Greece in ancient times, whose inhabitants famously cultivated the skill of saying much in few words. When Philip of Macedon threatened them with, "If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta to the ground," the Spartans' reply was, "If." An earlier form was laconical (1570s). Related: Laconically.
14. nuance (v.)
1886, from nuance (n.). Related: Nuanced.
nuance (n.)
1781, from French nuance "slight difference, shade of color" (17c.), from nuer "to shade," from nue "cloud," from Gallo-Roman *nuba, from Latin nubes "a cloud, mist, vapor," from PIE *sneudh- "fog" (source also of Avestan snaoda "clouds," Latin obnubere "to veil," Welsh nudd "fog," Greek nython, in Hesychius "dark, dusky"). According to Klein, a reference to "the different colors of the clouds."
15. plethora (n.)
1540s, a medical word for "excess of body fluid," from Late Latin plethora, from Greek plethore "fullness," from plethein "be full" (see pleio-). Figurative meaning "too-muchness, overfullness in any respect" is first recorded 1700. Related: Plethoric.
16. pretext (n.) Look up pretext at Dictionary.com
1510s, from French prétexte, from Latin praetextum "a pretext, outward display," noun use of neuter past participle of praetexere "to disguise, cover," literally "weave in front" (for sense, compare pull the wool over (someone's) eyes); from prae- "in front" (see pre-) + texere "to weave," from PIE root *teks- "to weave, to make" (see texture (n.)).
17. reticent (adj.)
1834, from Latin reticentem (nominative reticens), present participle of reticere "be silent" (see reticence).
18. rudimentary (adj.)
1827; see rudiment + -ary. Earlier was rudimental (1590s).
19. throng (v.)
"go in a crowd," 1530s, from throng (n.). Earlier it meant "to press, crush" (c. 1400). Related: Thronged; thronging.
throng (n.)
c. 1300, probably shortened from Old English geþrang "crowd, tumult" (related to verb þringan "to push, crowd, press"), from Proto-Germanic *thrangan (source also of Old Norse þröng, Dutch drang, German Drang "crowd, throng").
20. vigilant (adj.)
late 15c., from Middle French vigilant or directly from Latin vigilantem (nominative vigilans) "watchful, anxious, careful," present participle of vigilare "to watch, keep awake, not to sleep, be watchful," from vigil "watchful, awake" (see vigil). Related: Vigilantly.
1570s, "come side-by-side or face-to-face with," for any reason, from Middle French accoster "move up to, come alongside" (Old French acoster), from Late Latin accostare "come up to the side," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + costa "a rib, side" (see coast (n.)). Now usually in the sense "approach and speak to" (1610s). Also picked up in newspaper articles as the verb for a prostitute's solicitation of a customer (1887). Related: Accosted; accosting.
2 .adroit (adj.) 1650s, "dexterous," originally "rightly," from French adroit, which by Old French had senses "upright (physically and morally); able, clever, skillful; well-formed, handsome; on the right-hand side; veritable," from adverbial phrase à droit "according to right," from Old French à "to" (see ad-) + droit, dreit "right," from Late Latin directum "right, justice," accusative of Latin directus "straight," past participle of dirigere "set straight," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + regere "to direct, to guide, keep straight" (see regal). It expresses prominently the idea of a trained hand. Related: Adroitly; adroitness..
3. avid (adj.)
1769, from French avide (15c.), from Latin avidus "longing eagerly, desirous, greedy," from avere "to desire eagerly." Also in part a back-formation from avidity. Related: Avidly.
4. cajole (v.)
1640s, from French cajoler "to cajole, wheedle, coax," perhaps a blend of Middle French cageoler "to chatter like a jay" (16c., from gajole, southern diminutive of geai "jay;" see jay (n.)), and Old French gaioler "to cage, entice into a cage" (see jail (n.)). Related: Cajoled; cajoling.
5. enhance (v.) late 13c., anhaunsen "to raise, make higher," from Anglo-French enhauncer, probably from Old French enhaucier "make greater, make higher or louder; fatten, foster; raise in esteem," from Vulgar Latin *inaltiare, from Late Latin inaltare "raise, exalt," from altare "make high," from altus "high," literally "grown tall," from PIE root *al- (3) "to grow, nourish" (see old). Meaning "raise in station, wealth, or fame" attested in English from c. 1300. Related: Enhanced; enhancing.
The -h- in Old French supposedly is from influence of Frankish *hoh "high." The -n- perhaps is due to association with Provençal enansar, enanzar "promote, further," from enant "before, rather," from Latin in + ante "before."
6. fabricate (v.) mid-15c., "to fashion, make, build," from Latin fabricatus, past participle of fabricare "to make, construct, fashion, build," from fabrica (see fabric). In bad sense of "tell a lie (etc.)," it is recorded by 1779. Related: Fabricated; fabricating.
7. felon (n.)
c. 1300, "one who deceives or commits treason; one who is wicked or evil; evil-doer," used of Lucifer and Herod, from Old French felon "evil-doer, scoundrel, traitor, rebel, oath-breaker, the Devil" (9c.), from Medieval Latin fellonem (nominative fello) "evil-doer," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Frankish *fillo, *filljo "person who whips or beats, scourger" (source of Old High German fillen "to whip"); or from Latin fel "gall, poison," on the notion of "one full of bitterness." Celtic origins also have been proposed.
Another theory (advanced by Professor R. Atkinson of Dublin) traces it to Latin fellare "to suck" (see fecund), which had an obscene secondary meaning in classical Latin (well-known to readers of Martial and Catullus), which would make a felon etymologically a "cock-sucker." OED inclines toward the "gall" explanation, but finds Atkinson's "most plausible" of the others.
Also by c. 1300 in English in a general legal sense "criminal; one who has committed a felony," however that was defined. Century Dictionary notes, "the term is not applicable after legal punishment has been completed." In Middle English it also was an adjective, "traitorous, wicked, malignant." Australian official James Mudie (1837), coined felonry "as the appellative of an order or class of persons in New South Wales,--an order which happily exists in no other country in the world."
8. furtive (adj.) Look up furtive at Dictionary.com
16c., from Middle French furtif (16c.), from Latin furtivus "stolen," hence also "hidden, secret," from furtum "theft, robbery; a stolen thing," from fur (genitive furis) "a thief, extortioner," also a general term of abuse, "rascal, rogue," probably from PIE *bhor-, from root *bher- (1) "to carry; to bear children" (see phoresy). Related: Furtiveness.
9. gesticulate (v.)
c. 1600, from Latin gesticulatus, past participle of gesticulari "to gesture, mimic," from gesticulus "a mimicking gesture" (see gesticulation). Related: Gesticulated; gesticulating.
10. hapless (adj.) "unfortunate, luckless," c. 1400, from hap (n.) in the sense "good luck" + -less. Related: Haplessly; haplessness.
11. intrepid (adj.) "unmoved by danger, undaunted," 1690s, from French intrépide (16c.) and directly from Latin intrepidus "unshaken, undaunted, not alarmed," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + trepidus "alarmed," from PIE *trep-(1) "to tremble" (see trepidation). Related: Intrepidly; intrepidness (1620s).
12. irate (adj.)
1838, from Latin iratus "angry, enraged, violent, furious," past participle of irasci "grow angry," from ira "anger" (see ire).
13. laconic (adj.)
"concise, abrupt," 1580s, literally "of or pertaining to the region around ancient Sparta in Greece, probably via Latin Laconicus "of Laconia," from Greek Lakonikos "Laconian, of Laconia," adjective from Lakon "person from Lakonia," the district around Sparta in southern Greece in ancient times, whose inhabitants famously cultivated the skill of saying much in few words. When Philip of Macedon threatened them with, "If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta to the ground," the Spartans' reply was, "If." An earlier form was laconical (1570s). Related: Laconically.
14. nuance (v.)
1886, from nuance (n.). Related: Nuanced.
nuance (n.)
1781, from French nuance "slight difference, shade of color" (17c.), from nuer "to shade," from nue "cloud," from Gallo-Roman *nuba, from Latin nubes "a cloud, mist, vapor," from PIE *sneudh- "fog" (source also of Avestan snaoda "clouds," Latin obnubere "to veil," Welsh nudd "fog," Greek nython, in Hesychius "dark, dusky"). According to Klein, a reference to "the different colors of the clouds."
15. plethora (n.)
1540s, a medical word for "excess of body fluid," from Late Latin plethora, from Greek plethore "fullness," from plethein "be full" (see pleio-). Figurative meaning "too-muchness, overfullness in any respect" is first recorded 1700. Related: Plethoric.
16. pretext (n.) Look up pretext at Dictionary.com
1510s, from French prétexte, from Latin praetextum "a pretext, outward display," noun use of neuter past participle of praetexere "to disguise, cover," literally "weave in front" (for sense, compare pull the wool over (someone's) eyes); from prae- "in front" (see pre-) + texere "to weave," from PIE root *teks- "to weave, to make" (see texture (n.)).
17. reticent (adj.)
1834, from Latin reticentem (nominative reticens), present participle of reticere "be silent" (see reticence).
18. rudimentary (adj.)
1827; see rudiment + -ary. Earlier was rudimental (1590s).
19. throng (v.)
"go in a crowd," 1530s, from throng (n.). Earlier it meant "to press, crush" (c. 1400). Related: Thronged; thronging.
throng (n.)
c. 1300, probably shortened from Old English geþrang "crowd, tumult" (related to verb þringan "to push, crowd, press"), from Proto-Germanic *thrangan (source also of Old Norse þröng, Dutch drang, German Drang "crowd, throng").
20. vigilant (adj.)
late 15c., from Middle French vigilant or directly from Latin vigilantem (nominative vigilans) "watchful, anxious, careful," present participle of vigilare "to watch, keep awake, not to sleep, be watchful," from vigil "watchful, awake" (see vigil). Related: Vigilantly.
1.affluent (adj.) early-15c., "abounding in, copious" (of God's grace); mid-15c. "flowing to" (of liquids), both senses now obsolete, from Old French afluent (14c.) or directly from Latin affluentem (nominative affluens) "abounding, rich, copious," literally "flowing toward," present participle of affluere "flow toward," from ad "to" (see ad-) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent). The especial sense of "abounding in wealth or possessions" is from 1753.
2. chagrin (v.)
1660s (implied in chagrined), from chagrin (n.). Related: Chagrined; chagrining.
chagrin (n.) Look up chagrin at Dictionary.com
1650s, "melancholy," from French chagrin "melancholy, anxiety, vexation" (14c.), from Old North French chagreiner or Angevin dialect chagraigner "sadden," which is of unknown origin, perhaps [Gamillscheg] from Old French graignier "grieve over, be angry," from graigne "sadness, resentment, grief, vexation," from graim "sorrowful," which is of unknown origin, perhaps from a Germanic source (compare Old High German gram "angry, fierce"). But OED and other sources trace it to an identical Old French word, borrowed into English phonetically as shagreen, meaning "rough skin or hide," which is of uncertain origin, the connecting notion being "roughness, harshness." Modern sense of "feeling of irritation from disappointment" is 1716.
3. confidant (n.) 1610s, confident, "(male) person trusted with private affairs," from French confident (16c.), from Italian confidente "a trusty friend," literally "confident, trusty," from Latin confidentem (nominative confidens), present participle of confidere "to trust, confide" (see confidence). The spelling with -a- came to predominate 18c. and might reflect the French pronunciation.
4. consternation (n.)
1610s, from French consternation "dismay, confusion," from Latin consternationem (nominative consternatio) "confusion, dismay," from consternat-, past participle stem of consternare "overcome, confuse, dismay, perplex, terrify, alarm," probably related to consternere "throw down, prostrate," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + sternere "to spread out" (see stratum).
5. deride (v.) 1520s, from Middle French derider, from Latin deridere "to ridicule, laugh to scorn" (see derision). Related: Derided; deriding.
6. discern (v.) late 14c., from Old French discerner (13c.) "distinguish (between), separate" (by sifting), and directly from Latin discernere "to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive," from dis- "off, away" (see dis-) + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift" (see crisis). Related: Discerned; discerning.
7. disparage (v.)
early 14c., "degrade socially," from Old French desparagier (Modern French déparager) "reduce in rank, degrade, devalue, depreciate," originally "to marry unequally," and thus by extension the disgrace or dishonor involved in this, from des- "away" (see dis-) + parage "rank, lineage" (see peer (n.)). Sense of "belittle" first recorded 1530s. Related: Disparaged; disparaging; disparagingly.
8. dubious (adj.) 1540s, from Latin dubiosus "doubtful," from dubium "doubt," neuter of dubius "vacillating, moving two ways, fluctuating;" figuratively "wavering in opinion, doubting, doubtful," from duo "two" (see two), with a sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." Old English also used tweo "two" to mean "doubt." Compare doubt (v.). Related: Dubiously; dubiousness.
9. eschew (v.) mid-14c., from Old French eschiver "shun, eschew, avoid, dispense with," from Frankish *skiuhan "dread, avoid, shun," from Proto-Germanic *skeukhwaz (source also of Old High German sciuhen "to avoid, escape," German scheuen "to fear, shun, shrink from," scheu "shy, timid"); see shy (adj.). Related: Eschewed; eschewing; eschewal; eschewance. Italian schivare "to avoid, shun, protect from," schivo "shy, bashful" are related loan words from Germanic. For e-, see e-.
10. feasible (adj.) "capable of being done, accomplished or carried out," mid-15c., from Anglo-French faisible, from Old French faisable "possible, that may be done; easy, convenient," from fais-, stem of faire "do, make," from Latin facere "to make, do, perform" (see factitious). Fowler recommends this word only for those "who feel that the use of an ordinary word for an ordinary notion does not do justice to their vocabulary or sufficiently exhibit their cultivation."
11. fiasco (n.) 1855, theater slang for "a failure in performance;" by 1862 it had acquired the general sense of "any ignominious failure or dismal flop," on or off the stage. It comes via the French phrase fiare fiasco "turn out a failure" (19c.), from Italian far fiasco "suffer a complete breakdown in performance," literally "make a bottle," from fiasco "bottle," from Late Latin flasco "bottle" (see flask).
The literal sense of the image (if it is one) is obscure today, but "the usual range of fanciful theories has been advanced" [Ayto]. Century Dictionary says "perhaps in allusion to the bursting of a bottle," Weekley pronounces it impenetrable and compares French ramasser un pelle "to come a cropper (in bicycling), literally to pick up a shovel." OED keeps its distance and lets nameless "Italian etymologists" make nebulous reference to "alleged incidents in Italian theatrical history." Klein suggests Venetian glass-crafters tossing aside imperfect pieces to be made later into common flasks. But according to an Italian dictionary, fare il fiasco used to mean "to play a game so that the one that loses will pay the fiasco," in other words, he will buy the next bottle (of wine). If the dates are not objectionable, that plausibly connects the literal sense of the word with the notion of "a costly mistake."
12. laudable (adj.) early 15c., from Old French laudable "praiseworthy, glorious" and directly from Latin laudabilis "praiseworthy," from laudare "to praise, commend, extol" (see laud). Related: Laudably.
13. masticate (v.) 1640s, back-formation from mastication, or else from Late Latin masticatus, past participle of masticare "to chew." Related: Masticated; masticating.
14. obsolescence (n.) 1809; see obsolescent + -ence. Phrase Planned obsolescence coined 1932, revived as a disparaging term 1950s.
15. perfunctory (adj.) 1580s, from Late Latin perfunctorius "careless, negligent," literally "like one who wishes to get through a thing," from Latin perfungus, past participle of perfungi "discharge, busy oneself, get through," from per "through" (see per) + fungi "perform" (see function (n.)). Related: Perfunctorily.
16. perverse (adj.) mid-14c., "wicked," from Old French pervers "unnatural, degenerate; perverse, contrary" (12c.) and directly from Latin perversus "turned away, contrary, askew," figuratively, "turned away from what is right, wrong, malicious, spiteful," past participle of pervertere "to corrupt" (see pervert (v.)). The Latin word is glossed in Old English by forcerred, from past participle of forcyrran "to avoid," from cierran "to turn, return." Meaning "wrong, not in accord with what is accepted" is from 1560s; sense of "obstinate, stubborn" is from 1570s. It keeps the non-sexual senses of pervert (v.) and allows the psychological ones to go with perverted. Related: Perversely; perverseness.
17. precocious (adj.)
1640s, "developed before the usual time" (of plants), with -ous + Latin praecox (genitive praecocis) "maturing early," from prae "before" (see pre-) + coquere "to ripen," literally "to cook" (see cook (n.)). Originally of flowers or fruits. Figurative use, of persons, dates from 1670s. Related: Precociously; precociousness.
18. quell (v.) Old English cwellan "to kill, murder, execute," from Proto-Germanic *kwaljanan (source also of Old English cwelan "to die," cwalu "violent death;" Old Saxon quellian "to torture, kill;" Old Norse kvelja "to torment;" Middle Dutch quelen "to vex, tease, torment;" Old High German quellan "to suffer pain," German quälen "to torment, torture"), from PIE root *gwele- (1) "to throw, reach," with extended sense of "to pierce" (source also of Armenian kelem "I torture;" Old Church Slavonic zali "pain;" Lithuanian galas "end," gela "agony," gelti "to sting;" see ballistics). Milder sense of "suppress, extinguish" developed by c. 1300. Related: Quelled; quelling.
19. sally (v.) 1540s, from sally (n.). Related: Sallied; sallying.
20. voluble (adj.) early 15c., "liable to constant change," from Middle French voluble, from Latin volubilis "that turns around, rolling, flowing," figuratively (of speech) "fluent, rapid," from volvere "to turn around, roll" (see volvox). Meaning "fluent, talkative" first recorded 1580s. Related: Volubly.
2. chagrin (v.)
1660s (implied in chagrined), from chagrin (n.). Related: Chagrined; chagrining.
chagrin (n.) Look up chagrin at Dictionary.com
1650s, "melancholy," from French chagrin "melancholy, anxiety, vexation" (14c.), from Old North French chagreiner or Angevin dialect chagraigner "sadden," which is of unknown origin, perhaps [Gamillscheg] from Old French graignier "grieve over, be angry," from graigne "sadness, resentment, grief, vexation," from graim "sorrowful," which is of unknown origin, perhaps from a Germanic source (compare Old High German gram "angry, fierce"). But OED and other sources trace it to an identical Old French word, borrowed into English phonetically as shagreen, meaning "rough skin or hide," which is of uncertain origin, the connecting notion being "roughness, harshness." Modern sense of "feeling of irritation from disappointment" is 1716.
3. confidant (n.) 1610s, confident, "(male) person trusted with private affairs," from French confident (16c.), from Italian confidente "a trusty friend," literally "confident, trusty," from Latin confidentem (nominative confidens), present participle of confidere "to trust, confide" (see confidence). The spelling with -a- came to predominate 18c. and might reflect the French pronunciation.
4. consternation (n.)
1610s, from French consternation "dismay, confusion," from Latin consternationem (nominative consternatio) "confusion, dismay," from consternat-, past participle stem of consternare "overcome, confuse, dismay, perplex, terrify, alarm," probably related to consternere "throw down, prostrate," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + sternere "to spread out" (see stratum).
5. deride (v.) 1520s, from Middle French derider, from Latin deridere "to ridicule, laugh to scorn" (see derision). Related: Derided; deriding.
6. discern (v.) late 14c., from Old French discerner (13c.) "distinguish (between), separate" (by sifting), and directly from Latin discernere "to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive," from dis- "off, away" (see dis-) + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift" (see crisis). Related: Discerned; discerning.
7. disparage (v.)
early 14c., "degrade socially," from Old French desparagier (Modern French déparager) "reduce in rank, degrade, devalue, depreciate," originally "to marry unequally," and thus by extension the disgrace or dishonor involved in this, from des- "away" (see dis-) + parage "rank, lineage" (see peer (n.)). Sense of "belittle" first recorded 1530s. Related: Disparaged; disparaging; disparagingly.
8. dubious (adj.) 1540s, from Latin dubiosus "doubtful," from dubium "doubt," neuter of dubius "vacillating, moving two ways, fluctuating;" figuratively "wavering in opinion, doubting, doubtful," from duo "two" (see two), with a sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." Old English also used tweo "two" to mean "doubt." Compare doubt (v.). Related: Dubiously; dubiousness.
9. eschew (v.) mid-14c., from Old French eschiver "shun, eschew, avoid, dispense with," from Frankish *skiuhan "dread, avoid, shun," from Proto-Germanic *skeukhwaz (source also of Old High German sciuhen "to avoid, escape," German scheuen "to fear, shun, shrink from," scheu "shy, timid"); see shy (adj.). Related: Eschewed; eschewing; eschewal; eschewance. Italian schivare "to avoid, shun, protect from," schivo "shy, bashful" are related loan words from Germanic. For e-, see e-.
10. feasible (adj.) "capable of being done, accomplished or carried out," mid-15c., from Anglo-French faisible, from Old French faisable "possible, that may be done; easy, convenient," from fais-, stem of faire "do, make," from Latin facere "to make, do, perform" (see factitious). Fowler recommends this word only for those "who feel that the use of an ordinary word for an ordinary notion does not do justice to their vocabulary or sufficiently exhibit their cultivation."
11. fiasco (n.) 1855, theater slang for "a failure in performance;" by 1862 it had acquired the general sense of "any ignominious failure or dismal flop," on or off the stage. It comes via the French phrase fiare fiasco "turn out a failure" (19c.), from Italian far fiasco "suffer a complete breakdown in performance," literally "make a bottle," from fiasco "bottle," from Late Latin flasco "bottle" (see flask).
The literal sense of the image (if it is one) is obscure today, but "the usual range of fanciful theories has been advanced" [Ayto]. Century Dictionary says "perhaps in allusion to the bursting of a bottle," Weekley pronounces it impenetrable and compares French ramasser un pelle "to come a cropper (in bicycling), literally to pick up a shovel." OED keeps its distance and lets nameless "Italian etymologists" make nebulous reference to "alleged incidents in Italian theatrical history." Klein suggests Venetian glass-crafters tossing aside imperfect pieces to be made later into common flasks. But according to an Italian dictionary, fare il fiasco used to mean "to play a game so that the one that loses will pay the fiasco," in other words, he will buy the next bottle (of wine). If the dates are not objectionable, that plausibly connects the literal sense of the word with the notion of "a costly mistake."
12. laudable (adj.) early 15c., from Old French laudable "praiseworthy, glorious" and directly from Latin laudabilis "praiseworthy," from laudare "to praise, commend, extol" (see laud). Related: Laudably.
13. masticate (v.) 1640s, back-formation from mastication, or else from Late Latin masticatus, past participle of masticare "to chew." Related: Masticated; masticating.
14. obsolescence (n.) 1809; see obsolescent + -ence. Phrase Planned obsolescence coined 1932, revived as a disparaging term 1950s.
15. perfunctory (adj.) 1580s, from Late Latin perfunctorius "careless, negligent," literally "like one who wishes to get through a thing," from Latin perfungus, past participle of perfungi "discharge, busy oneself, get through," from per "through" (see per) + fungi "perform" (see function (n.)). Related: Perfunctorily.
16. perverse (adj.) mid-14c., "wicked," from Old French pervers "unnatural, degenerate; perverse, contrary" (12c.) and directly from Latin perversus "turned away, contrary, askew," figuratively, "turned away from what is right, wrong, malicious, spiteful," past participle of pervertere "to corrupt" (see pervert (v.)). The Latin word is glossed in Old English by forcerred, from past participle of forcyrran "to avoid," from cierran "to turn, return." Meaning "wrong, not in accord with what is accepted" is from 1560s; sense of "obstinate, stubborn" is from 1570s. It keeps the non-sexual senses of pervert (v.) and allows the psychological ones to go with perverted. Related: Perversely; perverseness.
17. precocious (adj.)
1640s, "developed before the usual time" (of plants), with -ous + Latin praecox (genitive praecocis) "maturing early," from prae "before" (see pre-) + coquere "to ripen," literally "to cook" (see cook (n.)). Originally of flowers or fruits. Figurative use, of persons, dates from 1670s. Related: Precociously; precociousness.
18. quell (v.) Old English cwellan "to kill, murder, execute," from Proto-Germanic *kwaljanan (source also of Old English cwelan "to die," cwalu "violent death;" Old Saxon quellian "to torture, kill;" Old Norse kvelja "to torment;" Middle Dutch quelen "to vex, tease, torment;" Old High German quellan "to suffer pain," German quälen "to torment, torture"), from PIE root *gwele- (1) "to throw, reach," with extended sense of "to pierce" (source also of Armenian kelem "I torture;" Old Church Slavonic zali "pain;" Lithuanian galas "end," gela "agony," gelti "to sting;" see ballistics). Milder sense of "suppress, extinguish" developed by c. 1300. Related: Quelled; quelling.
19. sally (v.) 1540s, from sally (n.). Related: Sallied; sallying.
20. voluble (adj.) early 15c., "liable to constant change," from Middle French voluble, from Latin volubilis "that turns around, rolling, flowing," figuratively (of speech) "fluent, rapid," from volvere "to turn around, roll" (see volvox). Meaning "fluent, talkative" first recorded 1580s. Related: Volubly.
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