Wonderful Words
Six of the Best: Part 2
Ever wondered why we go on honeymoon or eat sandwiches in the drawing room? Let's look at the fascinating origins of everyday words we never even think about:
steeplechase
originally the name of a horse-race across country where a church steeple was the riders' target
mesmerize
after Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician who first propounded the theory of 'animal magnetism'
schmuck
of Yiddish origin, in German this means 'jewelry'. It's American English meaning is 'an idiot' or something similar
two-bit
meaning something of little worth or importance, from the days of the Spanish conquistadors back in the 18th century when their dollar was divided into eight 'reals' or bits
ketchup
hotly disputed, but may come from the Chinese kôe-chiap or kê-chiap, meaning 'the brine of pickled fish
attic
plundered from the Greek peninsula Attica, where, apparently, the space under the triangular roofs was being put to good use
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Crawl On
The SNAIL
originally the name of a horse-race across country where a church steeple was the riders' target
mesmerize
after Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician who first propounded the theory of 'animal magnetism'
schmuck
of Yiddish origin, in German this means 'jewelry'. It's American English meaning is 'an idiot' or something similar
meaning something of little worth or importance, from the days of the Spanish conquistadors back in the 18th century when their dollar was divided into eight 'reals' or bits
ketchup
hotly disputed, but may come from the Chinese kôe-chiap or kê-chiap, meaning 'the brine of pickled fish
attic
plundered from the Greek peninsula Attica, where, apparently, the space under the triangular roofs was being put to good use
______________________________
The SNAIL
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Hotch Potch English: The SNAIL ~ 'Wonderful Words: Part 2'
Created & written by Sab Will
Copyright 2012 Sab Will / Hotch Potch English ~ The Unique English Language Website
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