An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, Vol. 1The compiler of this dictionary of word and phrase origins and history was not only a linguist and a philologist but also a man of culture and wit. When he turned his attention, therefore, to the creation of an etymological dictionary for both specialists and non-specialists, the result was easily the finest such work ever prepared. Weekley's Dictionary is a work of thorough scholarship. It contains one of the largest lists of words and phrases to be found in any singly etymological dictionary — and considerably more material than in the standard concise edition, with fuller quotes and historical discussions. Included are most of the more common words used in English as well as slang, archaic words, such formulas as "I. O. U.," made-up words (such as Carroll's "Jabberwock"), words coined from proper nouns, and so on. In each case, roots in Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, Greek or Latin, Old and modern French, Anglo-Indian, etc., are identified; in hundreds of cases, especially odd or amusing listings, earliest known usage is mentioned and sense is indicated in quotations from Dickens, Shakespeare, Chaucer, "Piers Plowman," Defoe, O. Henry, Spenser, Byron, Kipling, and so on, and from contemporary newspapers, translations of the Bible, and dozens of foreign-language authors. |
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... compd. : compound Com. Teut. : Common Teutonic conj unction contemp. : contemporary contr. : contraction cooh. : coohery Coop.: Cooper (see p. xviii) Corp. : Cornish corrupt. : corruption Cotg. : Cotgrare (see p. xix) I : criminal Croat ...
... compd. : compound Com. Teut. : Common Teutonic conj unction contemp. : contemporary contr. : contraction cooh. : coohery Coop.: Cooper (see p. xviii) Corp. : Cornish corrupt. : corruption Cotg. : Cotgrare (see p. xix) I : criminal Croat ...
Page 3
... compd. oi bayer, beer, to gape. Now usu. oi a right or estate which is regarded with (gaping) expectancy. See bay1. abhor. L. abhorrere, to shrinh irom, irom horrere, to bristle (see horrid). The abhor- rers (hist.) expressed in various ...
... compd. oi bayer, beer, to gape. Now usu. oi a right or estate which is regarded with (gaping) expectancy. See bay1. abhor. L. abhorrere, to shrinh irom, irom horrere, to bristle (see horrid). The abhor- rers (hist.) expressed in various ...
Page 19
... compd. with of and on. Both offer (cf. F. de loin) and onfer (cf. F. au loin) hecame in 14 cent, a fer, whence afar. Thus from afar, afar off are sometimes pleon. afeard [dial.]. Very common in Shahs., hut now considered volgar, having ...
... compd. with of and on. Both offer (cf. F. de loin) and onfer (cf. F. au loin) hecame in 14 cent, a fer, whence afar. Thus from afar, afar off are sometimes pleon. afeard [dial.]. Very common in Shahs., hut now considered volgar, having ...
Page 29
... compd. adel-ar, nohle eagle Cf. MedL. alano. alert. OF. a I'erte (alerte). It. all' erta for alia erta, to the height, L. erecta. Thus on the alert is pleon. Cf. alarm. erta: a craggie place, an upright ascent, a high watch-tower (Flor ...
... compd. adel-ar, nohle eagle Cf. MedL. alano. alert. OF. a I'erte (alerte). It. all' erta for alia erta, to the height, L. erecta. Thus on the alert is pleon. Cf. alarm. erta: a craggie place, an upright ascent, a high watch-tower (Flor ...
Page 63
... compd. of OF. partenir, from L. pertinere. But there was also an OF. portenir, from VL. *protinere, of which the Norm, form purtenir is responsihle for the spelling of our word. apricot. F. ahricot. Port, alhricoque, Arah. al-hurquq ...
... compd. of OF. partenir, from L. pertinere. But there was also an OF. portenir, from VL. *protinere, of which the Norm, form purtenir is responsihle for the spelling of our word. apricot. F. ahricot. Port, alhricoque, Arah. al-hurquq ...
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Common terms and phrases
16 cent adopted altered appears applied Arab archaic association bird called Chauc Church cogn coined colour common confused connected corrupt Cotg Daily dates dial Dictionary doubtful earlier Earliest early element English Europ fish Flor formation formerly give Goth hand head Hence hist horse ident imit influenced John kind king land langs Late later London Lord meaning MedL native naut Norw noun occurs one's orig origin Origin unknown perh Pers person phrase Plant play Port pres prob quot recorded replaced represents Sanskrit sense sense cf Shaks ship short slang spec spelling suggests synon term Teut tion tree turn usual various verb Vulg whence word