RSSFido
Mar 04
Life, Names animal, latin No Comments
Definition:
dog
Description:
A popular name for dogs, it actually derived from the Latin word for ‘trusting’
It seems that dogs have always been a faithful companion for humankind.
Feature Word: Beck and Call
Definition:
Immediately available.
Description:
‘She thinks I must always be at her beck and call.’ Earl of Worcester (1470).
The original meaning of beck:
Julius Caesars Commentaryes – ‘It should be ready at a beck.’ (A beck was a silent signal, like the nod of the head).
Source:
Julius Caesars CommentaryesDungeon
Mar 04
Life, Oddities english, latin No Comments
Definition:
A Medieval underground prison.
Description:
The word was derived from the Latin words for ‘lord’ and ‘House’. It used to mean ‘the house of a lord’.
It later came to mean the rooms underneath the lord’s castle
Beck and Call
Mar 04
Everyday, Life british, english, latin No Comments
Definition:
Immediately available.
Description:
‘She thinks I must always be at her beck and call.’ Earl of Worcester (1470).
The original meaning of beck:
Julius Caesars Commentaryes – ‘It should be ready at a beck.’ (A beck was a silent signal, like the nod of the head).
Augur
Mar 04
Everyday, Life, Religion latin No Comments
Definition:
to give promise of : presage
Description:
Auguring is what augurs did in ancient Rome. These were official diviners whose function it was, not to foretell the future, but to divine whether the gods approved of a proposed undertaking, such as a military move. They did so by various means, among them observing the behavior of birds and examining the intestines of sacrificed animals. Nowadays, of course, when we use the extended senses of ‘indicate’ and ‘promise,’ auguring is done from other signs. The verb is often used with an adverb, such as ‘well,’ as in ‘high investment returns augured well for Paul’s early retirement.’ ‘Augur’ comes from Latin and is related to the Latin verb ‘augere,’ meaning ‘to increase.’ The exact nature of the connection between ‘augur’ and ‘augere’ is lost in obscurity, however.