Word Mysteries & Histories: From Quiche to Humble PieBrowsers, aficionados of language, and serious students all will delight in discovering the 500 richly textured histories of English words presented in this beautifully illustrated volume. 45 wood engravingts. |
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Page 5
... prefix a- , meaning “ in the direction of , ” as in aback , and the word luff , " the windward side of a ship . " A yacht sailing aloof would sail with its bow into the wind . Doing so would keep the ship from be- ing blown by the wind ...
... prefix a- , meaning “ in the direction of , ” as in aback , and the word luff , " the windward side of a ship . " A yacht sailing aloof would sail with its bow into the wind . Doing so would keep the ship from be- ing blown by the wind ...
Page 74
... prefix ex- , e- , " out , " and the Latin verb mer- gere , " to sink , dip , immerse . " To emerge , then , is to rise as if from immersion . And an emergency is something that comes up and requires immediate at- tention . enemy There ...
... prefix ex- , e- , " out , " and the Latin verb mer- gere , " to sink , dip , immerse . " To emerge , then , is to rise as if from immersion . And an emergency is something that comes up and requires immediate at- tention . enemy There ...
Page 121
... prefix in- and the word cunabula , " cradle " ) , which means " the appara- tus of a cradle , including the bands or ... prefix in- , " in , " and the noun flamma , " flame . " There is , however , another prefix in- , meaning " not ...
... prefix in- and the word cunabula , " cradle " ) , which means " the appara- tus of a cradle , including the bands or ... prefix in- , " in , " and the noun flamma , " flame . " There is , however , another prefix in- , meaning " not ...
Common terms and phrases
actually adjective American ancestor animal appeared applied associated became become body borrowed called cause century comes common compound connection considered denoted derived descended described developed dialect Dictionary early element English word especially etymological example exist expression extended fact familiar figurative Germanic give given goes back Greek word horse Indo-European Italian kind king known land language Late later Latin word letter lish literally living look meaning meant medieval Middle English Modern English never nineteenth century noun occurs Old English Old French word originally perhaps person phrase played plural political probably published recorded refer represents Roman root seems sense sixteenth sound Spanish spelling story suffix Teflon term things thought tion traced turn ultimately United usually various verb writing written