The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-09-21
HISTORY NR MONns.


Some of Them Have Almost outEroWn
Their Original Meaning,
st LoniI Glos,. Democrat
Villa formerly meant farm aud no!
u house.
Daisy was originally the eye Of day or
days eve.
Girl formerly sigBiaed any young per.
son OF either sex.
Flag once meant any old porson,
whether male or female.
Gallon was originally pitcher or jar,
no matter OF what size.
Voyage was formerly any journey,
whether by land or soa it did not mat.
ter.
Polite at frst meant polished, and was
applied to any smooth shining surface.
Goodbye is an abbreviation oil IN old
English form OF parting, "God DO with
you until We meet"
Adieu formerly signiiOd to God, It
was an abbrovlation OF 6Onedlction
used by friends when parting.
A yagabond was originally only a
traveller or person who went from place
to place with or without a definite OBJ
Ject.
Shrcwd once signilied evil or wicked.
Thomas Fuller used tho ex preston, "a
shroWd fellow" meaning wicked man.
MoonStruck is borrowed from astro.
logy. 1t formerly described one who
was driven mad by sleeping in the rays
Of the moon.
Peck at first meant basket or rocap.
tacle for grain or other substances. Tho
expression at hrst had no reference ia
sizs.
Starvo was once to die any manner Of
death. WyclifIe's sermons will tell how
"Christ starved on tho cross for the 70.
domptlon OF men,"
Tho word miscreant formerly signi.
fed only an unbelievor, an inddol. Joan
OF Arc, in tho literature OF her time,
was called miacreant.
Acre once meant anytield. 1t is still
used with this Significance by tho Ger.
mans, who speak OF Gods acre, alludlng
TO the cemetery.
Meat once meant any kind nj food. In
one old English edition OF tho Lords
prayer the well known petition is rem
dercd, "Give u this day our daily
meat"
Town originally signincd farm OF
farmhouse. 1t is used in Wycliln in
this Ionss; land they went their ways
ono to his town, another TO his mer.
chAndisc" La-
A saunterer 10 believed by gdJ(p city,
moogists to have originally sighiied n
man without lands, such peraon nat.
uralIy wandering to and fro in search oil
employment.
Tariff was the namo OF tho Moorish
ChiGitain, Abon al Tariia, who had a
fortress near tho straits Of Gibraltar,
and levied toll on ships and merchan.
disc passing through.
Libel once meant any little book, but
"a many small tracts in tho early days
Of printing vera oiinnliye and personal
in character. tho word acquired It's
present significance.
Yard was ohcO any stick, rod or pole.
Tho expression il still used with this
meaning whom applied to various parts
Of ships equipment, as yard.arm, sail.
yard and tho like,
Imp once meant a child. Shakes.
poare, speaking OF the Childran in tho
toWor, calls them impS. jeremy Tay.
lor In ono OF his sermons speaks OF "the
beautiful lmpS that sang hosannas to
tho Savior IN the toinple"
The expression blackboard originally
Indicated tho Sculliou, kitchen boys aud
pot washers. who brought up the rear
whom great mans household was
moving from place TO place. As these
persons wcro by no means choice IN
their language, or elegant IN their do.
pertinent. tho word was aoon applet 10
those who IN speech or action rc,om'
blOd them.