dint

Pronounced: dint (well, duh), noun/verb

Notes: I think I’ve run across the word but couldn’t define it properly

Yesterday’s word

The word palaver means

  • a long discussion usually between persons of different cultures or levels of sophistication
  • idle talk
  • misleading or beguiling speech
First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1700s

Background / Comments

In the 1700s, Portuguese and English sailors often met during trading trips along the West African coast. The English borrowed the word Portuguese word palavra (speech; word), but was used by these Portuguese traders to specifically means “discussions with natives”. The Portuguese word comes from the Late Latin word parabola (speech; parable), which comes from the Greek word parabolē (juxtaposition; comparison). And now we see the tie-in with the teachings of Jesus Christ: Our word comes from the Greek word for “parable”, and the Bible tells us All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them… (Matt 13:34).

palaver

Pronounced: puh-LAH-ver, noun

Notes: Do you know what our word has to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ?

Yesterday’s word

The word antonomasia is

  • the use of an epithet or title for a proper name (like using “the Bard” for Shakespeare)
  • the use of the name of a person known for a particular quality to describe others (such as calling a good dancer a “Fred Astaire” or a smart person “an Einstein”
First usage

Our word came into English in the last 1500s

Background / Comments

I didn’t know our word, but I should have recognized parts of it. Our word came to us from Latin, but it came into Latin from the Greek word antonomazein (to name differently), composed of anti- (instead of) and onoma (name).

antonomasia

Pronounced: an-toe-no-MAY-zhuh, noun

Notes: This sounds like some kind of disease, but many of us have used what this word means

Yesterday’s word

The word yahoo is “a boorish, crass, or stupid person”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1700s

Background / Comments

If you knew our word, it’s probably because you know of its origin: It comes from Gulliver’s Travels (by Jonathan Swift), which was published in 1726. The Yahoos were a people Gulliver encountered on his fourth (and final) voyage and were a man-like race of brutes with plenty of human vices. So the word came into English to mean any particular human who was particularly unpleasant or unintelligent. I suspect that there is no connection to the search engine.

yahoo

Pronounced: YAY-who, noun

Notes: Not the search engine

Yesterday’s word

The word hogen-mogen means, as a noun, “a person having or affecting high power”. As an adjective, it means “powerful; grand”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

Our word is another word derived from the Dutch word hoogmogend (all powerful), which came from the phrase “Hooge en Mogende” (high and mighty), which is a honorific used when addressing the Netherlands States General (the legislature).

hogen-mogen

Pronounced: HOE-gun-moh-gun, noun/adj

Notes: This is not a word that I know

Yesterday’s word

The word redoubt means

  • a small (usually temporary) enclosed defensive word
  • a defended position; protective barrier
  • a secure retreat; stronghold
First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

I had a general idea of our word, having run across it in various computer games. Our word is not related to doubt and redoubtable. It came into English from the French word redoute, which came from the Italian word ridotto, which came from the Late Latin noun reductus (a refuge), which derives from the Latin verb redūcere (to lead back).

redoubt

Pronounced: rih-DOWT, noun

Notes: You may know this word (it does NOT mean “to doubt again”!)

Yesterday’s word

The word toenadering means “establishing or re-establishing of cordial relations, especially between nations”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1920s

Background / Comments

Our word is a Dutch word; it comes from toenadering (advance; approach), which is made up of toe (to) and nader (closer).

toenadering

Pronounced: TOO-nah-duhr-ing, noun

Notes: My (incorrect) guess what that it had something to do with toes

Yesterday’s word

The word cocooning is “the practice of spending leisure time at home in preference to going out”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1980s from America

Background / Comments

I find it interesting that a person who enjoys an active life in other people’s company is called “a social butterfly”, which makes our word quite appropriate. Perhaps someone who enjoys cocooning will eventually emerge as a social butterfly? The word cocoon has been around for hundreds of years; over time, it has mutated into (first) the idea of wrapping oneself as if in a cocoon, and second, the idea of being trapped (cocooned in restrictions) or being in a safe, protected place. Our word was just another extension of the meaning.

cocooning

Pronounced: kuh-KOO-ning, noun

Notes: I’m assuming the meaning of this word is a recent one

Yesterday’s word

The word Croesus is “a very rich person”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1300s

Background / Comments

As I noted yesterday, our word breaks my usual rules: I do know the meaning of our word, having across it as the phrase “as rich as Croesus” (“filthy rich” is more common these days). But I posted our word anyway because I wanted to relate a story about this word that I enjoy. You probably know that when people hear a word or words they don’t know, they often put in a word that they do know. Children frequently do this practice, but so do adult. For example, in the song Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, some children think the line is “… he’s makin’ a list, chicken and rice…”. Likewise, in the song Winter Wonderland, some thing that the line is “…In the meadow we can build a snowman/And pretend that he is sparse and brown…”. In the book Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers, there is a conversation with servants. One of them, describing a wealthy relative mangles the phrase “as rich as Croesus” to “as rich as sneezes” (well, it made me laugh). I’m always reminded of this malapropism. As you may expect, our word is capitalized because it is the name of a real person: Croesus was the king of Lydia (now part of the country of Turkey). He ruled in the 500s BC; conquered the surrounding regions, and became very wealthy, and so his name entered our language.

Croesus

Pronounced: KREE-suhs, noun

Notes: This word is an exception to my usual rules (see tomorrow’s comments)

Yesterday’s word

The word olio is “a miscellaneous collection of things” (for example, a variety show)

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

Our word comes from the Spanish word olla (pot; stew), which comes from the Latin word olla (pot).

olio

Pronounced: OH-lee-oh, noun

Notes: I have no memory of this word

Yesterday’s word

The word enclave is “a distinct territorial, cultural, or social unit enclosed within or as if within foreign territory”.

First usage

Our word came into English in the middle 1800s

Background / Comments

The day after I wrote the entry for our word, I ran across it in the news of the day. It comes from the French noun enclave, which comes from the Middle French verb enclaver (enclose), which comes from the Latin prefix in- and the Latin noun clavis (key).