Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-07-28
THE BIRTH OF WORDS
WEALTH OF EXPRESSIONS FROM
THE HUMAN BODY.

-. Derived From the Head
Tho human body-its limbs, fingers,
.oos mouth, nose, ears, head and some
:, the Internal organs-has originated
hrndreds of words. In one of che
large dictionaries more than 400 ae
,ound related to the hand alone and
olmost as many to the head.
\ index. indicate, predicate, from a
4 Crock word for finger, mean that
Ubich points out. So oracle and orator
rofor TO what comes out of the mouth.
Audience, audible, a~uscultation, the
auditing Of accounts, originally after a
ubearing'' of the officials, are traceahle
10 the ear. Spirit means the breath
and is also found in conspire, ITO
breathe together" inspire, ito breathe
I'M ana even in perspire, ito breathe
through" impeachment Is something
against the foot. Ell, the cloth meas
IRE. is the length of the forearm. The
hair In capillary attraction means the
" exerted through the capillary or
\ halrlike tubes.
The heart (cordis) Is to be observed
In a cordial, or h%eartening, drink; a
cordial, or hearty, manner; the core Of
an apple. Dents In wood or metal get
their name from their resemblance to
tooth marks. The tongue sticks out In
several words, like language and En-
gust.
In some countries anybody may rise
BY his own merits to be somebody,
even to the head" of the nation or Of
the church; be a head master Of a
school, head a revolution, take up
arms" and prove to be a capital
that is, a headmost-soldier and the
chief (head) Of the army.
Corporal punishment is bodily pun
ishment; capital punishment Is pun
ishment by decapitation, or taking off
the head. A corporal-that is, a cap
oral-means the same as c~aptain-tnat
Is, the head of a body of foot soldiers,
A colonel Is one who has been crown
ed. The commander in chief, or lead
commander, compels the chleftains. or
headmen Of the enemy, to c~apitulate-
that is, surrender according to an
agreement that is divided into capitu-
las, or little heads, or chapters.
A heady and headstrong ruler III
times makes people wish he was head
less. To make Roadway against his
foes he may have to rush headlcng into
difficulties or take a header into the
unknown sea of politics. Among some
peoples one with the big head Is likely
% lose Is. Under some the headship Of
tie ship of state does not make head
way against the head winds of events
Nwground the "cape," or headland, iust
ahead. BE may plunge into trouble
over head and ears, and his opponents
hare to put their heads together to
nead him off, 80 as to prevent a hPad
% collision with another nation. Some
nen hate to be treated as deadhsads
at political headquarters or as SO many
head of cattle or as mutton heade or
cabbage heads, cabbage itself being
from an old Spanish word meaning
head.
Some men play their hand for all
there Is In 1t. Some stretch out the
glad hand to every one. Some beep
hand In glove with those engaged in
underhand proceedings as we'll as with
those who have climbed to high pieces
hand over hand. When the right man
says Hands off," even his right t#nd
man would not lay hands on what 19as
forbidden. The clock hands tell us IL
we are beforehand or behindhand.
A handsome man originally was one
who used his hands skillfully and so
was graceful and probably, therefore,
good looking. Although every one car
rles a pain In his hand, people no
longer, with palms in their hands, vel
come their heroes. One may have bis
finger In too many pies and tread on
too many toes. Ones chirography,
manuscript, handwritlng-they are all
one-may be rather coarse, but his fine
hand is detected In many a public docu-
ment and so arouse opposition to his
handling the funds. This might prove
a severe handicap, which was original
~ SO called from the Jockeys putting
UNh ounuS lulO u cap anu drawing
lots for the places that their horses
were to have In the race. Footstool
and foot rule sound alike, but in the
nrst foot is the literal, in the second
te ~hgurative, use Of the word.
Though the politician put his best
ioot forward he may find his foothold
getting Insecure and begin wondering
WHAT'S afoot. His coachman, mount
ing the %footboard, may be insolent; his
,ootman, contemptuous; his chef, or
nead cook, neglectful. He may be
rdlculed before the footlights as a
social footpad, living a hand to mouth
eAlstence at the expense Of the tax
payers. While they are insisting OF
us toeing the mark and he Is hanging
70 his position by the toe nails, as the
Sayine is, he may well wish he was
DacK on his native foothills.
were he arrested he might be hand
Suned and letters, or feeters, placed
upon his feet. He might not even have
al opportunity Of making mouths or
moving his teeth at his enemies. He
~usnt IN other days be turned over to
uo neadsman, but there would be no
ssmspaper headlines proclaiming that