The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-09-07
Odd Changes of Meaning.

The meaning of the word 'swretch" is
one not generally understood. Tt was orig
inally, and is now In some parts of Eng
land, used as q term of the softest and
fondest tenderness. This is not the only
instance in which words in their present
general acceptation bear a very opposite
meaning TO what they did in Shakespeares
time. The word "wench" formerly was
not used in the low and vulgar aeceptation
that it is at the present. "Damsel" was
the appellatiOn of young ladies of quail
ity, and "Dame" a title of distinction.
4Knave once signi6ed servant; and in
an early translation of the New Testament,
instead of "Paul, the servant" we read
"Paul, the knave." 'FVarlet" was for
merly used in the same sense as ualet.
On the other hand, the word companion, I"
instead of being the honorable synonym Of
associate, occurs in the play of "0thello'T
with the same eontemptuous meaning which
we atflx, IN its abusive sense, to the word
'fellow;" for Emilia, perceiving that some
secret villain had aspersed the character
of the virtuous Desdem0na, thus indig-
nantly exclaims
% Heayenl that such companions thou DIST unfold
and put in every honest hand whip.
IoiaSh the rascal naked through the world. iy. ..
"Villain" formerly meant bondsman
In feudal law, according to Blackstone,
the term was applied TO those who held
lands and tenements in Ualenage-a ten
ure by base services.
'Pedant" formerly meant school
master. Shakespeare says in his Twelfth
Night :"
a Pedant that keepsa school in the church. iii
Bacon, in his Pathway unto Prayer"
thus uses the word Gimp" LET us pray
for the preservation of the Kings most
excellent Majesty, and for the prosperous
success Of his entirely beloved SON Edward
our Prince, that most angelic imp"
1t is somewhat noticeable fact that
the changes in the Specification of words
have generally been to their deterioration;
that is words that heretofore had no SIMS
ter meaning have acquired it. The word
''cunning," for example, formerly meant
nothing sinister or underhanded; and in
Thrope's confession, in "Fox's Book of
Martyrs" is the sentence, ~ believe that
all these three persons in the Godhead1
are even in power, and in cunning, and in
might, full of grace and of all goodness"
"Demure" is another of this class. 1t
was used by earlier writers without the
insiuuation which is now almost latent in
in it, that the external shows of modesty
and sobriety rest on no corresponding
realities. Explode" formerly meant to
drive off the stage with loud clapping of
the hands, but gradually became exagger-
ated into its present Specification. ga
eetious, too, originally meant urbane, but
now has SO degenerated as to have acquir-
ed the sense of bufoonery; and Mr.. Trench
sees indications that it viii ere long &C
quire the sense of indecent buffoonery.
'Flippery" now means trumpery and
odds and ends of cheap fnery; but once it
meant old clothes Of value, and not worth
less, as the term at present implies. The
word gossip" formerly meant only a spon-
scr in baptism. Sponsors we're supposed
to become acquainted at the baptismal
font, and by their sponsorial act to estab-
ish an indefinite affinity toward each other
and the child. Thus the word was applied
to all who were familiar and intimate, and
finally obtained the meaning which is now
predominant in it.
"Homely" once meant secret and fami-
liar, though in the time of Milton it had
acquired the same sense as at present.
Incense" once meant to kindle not only
anger, but good passions as well; Fuller
uses it in the sense of 'to incite."
"Indolence" originally signi6ed free
dom from passion or pain, but now implies
condition of languid non-exertiOn. ''In-
solent" was once only unusual"
"Obsequious" implies an unmanly readi-
ness to fall in with the will Of another; but
in the original obsequium, or in the Eng
lish word as employed two centuries ago,
there was nothing Of this; it rather meant
obedience and mildness. Shakespeare,
speaking of deceased person, says:
How many a holy and obsequious tear
Hath dear religious love stolen from mine eve
As interest Of the dead"
property and "Propriety" were once
synonymous, both referring to material
things, as the French word ''propriete"
does now. Foreigners do not often catch
the distinction at present made in English
between the two words, and we know a
French gentleman who recently, meeting
with some pecuniary reverses, astOnished
his friends by telling them that he had
lost all his "propriety."
A poet is a person who writes poetry;
and, according to the good old custom, a
prOser was person who wrote prose, and
simply the antithesis Of poet. The word
has now a sadly different Specification; and
it would not be considered very respecta-
Bile to term Addison, Irving, Bancroft, or
Everett ."prosers."