The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-04-04
More Verbal CuriOsities.


Pursuing the theme, which is, indeed, in
exhaustible, we offer few more. "Dow,' -
old English for ITO thrive" or @to be able, -
was mentioned as, in It's true reading,
"How do you ao,rP" In connection with
this may be noted the colloquialism, "He
is do-less fellow, meaning do,o-less-
weak aud inefficient. Another style Of
useless person, called 'rough," used to
be styled a "rakcl' or "paucle," that word
hayingthe same meaning. Tie letter "h
sometimes in English dialect conspicuous
by its absence where il should be present,
and sometimes hintruding where it could
be spared, worked its way in after the h
in pakel, giving the word SAVIOUR from
the "dark Plutonic shore" The emenda.
tion is more forcible than elegant.
Bend means 'drink." Thus Allan
Ramsay, "come, gie's the other bend, we Il
drink their health" Hence comes the
Americanism--likc many more Of the sort
Criticism go on bender" And
if, on the bender, things are broken uT
into "smithcrecns,' another verbal anti.
quity is developed. For ''smithereen" il
the diminutiye Of the old word "smither,
which means small fragment Aud il
the "packels" or "roughs" who break
things, get oil "slick" from punishment
this is still another lost word recovered
Chaucer writes "smooth and slick" to
rhyme with "chick." "Sleek" Is a modern
innovation, and the American worthless
Samuel and Jonathan Slick, may thus es-
tablish the antiquity of their family over
all sleek pretenders. Or, if the ''rackels'
on SLENDER" should encounter impromptu
punishment by the Lynch code, they
may take exceptions against the decisions
of Judge Lynch, who is mere myth and
a nobody. LiiHeh is nothern English
word, meaning to beat or chastise, and the
common tradition about some certain
Judge Lynch is erroneous in part, if moi
entirely.
"Sistren,' for sisters, formerly heard
from uneducated speakers in this country
is as old as Chaucer, who writes of the
Fates as ''the fatal sustrea." Brethren
is word quite as old, which has kept it:
place. The ladies' will not fail to assign
the reason, that it is 'just like the men
to keep the Brethren" before the public
while the "Sistren" are relegated to oh.
scurity.
If General Winfield Scott, in his only
unsuccessful campaign-that for the Pros
idency-had taken smack" instead Of
a "hasty plate of soup" he might have
gained in policy what he lost in formal
dignity. "Snack" means quick, active
and hence comes the word snack for a
hasty mea,, The word 'lunch" means, in
Scottish phrase, a large piece Of bread
cheese, or beef and is in England and this
country used for hearty, informal repast
In some parts of this country, where Scot.
tish traditions prevail, people say, instead
of "lunch, to ''take piece" The same
expression is used in Scotland. The word
luncheon" sometimes heard, is supposed
by many to be a corruption or mispronun-
citation ofluncheon. But il is from moon.
shun," when the lahoFcr, enjoying his
"noon.scape," or, as Americans say, his
Incoming" eats his midday meal. And
should he take "mash" with it he is eating
what, on fashionable bill of fare, might
be spelled pree-for though purce usually
means mashed peas, with the hulls off
mash Is puree too, being meal with the
bran of. Mush Is an old form of the verb
to mash
Anywhere, anyhow aud anywise are In
common use There Is another old word
ofthc same group which is just as good
anyichea. II may be used as a strong
colloquialism, as, for instance, in the an.
swer of an English carter, quoted by Mac
kay 81 win talk il over with you any
schere and aay,ohen. Base ball will now
soon be in order, and il may intreest the
"picked Mines to know that ''bat" is an
old form for the verb to beat. Perhaps
"botch," common word for clumsy, comes
from "baueh," signifying Indifferent
"Covc," in modern slang, means CON-
panion, not generally reputable. Perhaps
the word may be traced to "coyine,n a
cheating conspiracy. aCrafty and Gun.
ming" now degraded in their Specification
were, among the Anglo-Saxons, words for
skill and ability. In maritime language,
well-built vessel is still called a slight
craft The sea phrase, to Scum ship"
is to direct the helmsman how to steer
that is, to teach or impart knowledge to
him. In its original sense, "cunning"
occurs many times in the translation Of
tho Bible. Graft" as in "haudieraft, I"
"authorcraft, " craftsmen, retains in pop
ular use lis better meaning. The contra
diction is curious. To say Of a man be is
good craftsman is compliment. To