FOOTNOTES:

"'Twas so fram'd and express'd no tribunal could shake it,And firm as red wax and blackferretcould make it."(Ingoldsby,The Housewarming.)

"'Twas so fram'd and express'd no tribunal could shake it,And firm as red wax and blackferretcould make it."

(Ingoldsby,The Housewarming.)

Parishanddioceseare closely related,parish, Fr.paroisse, representing Greco-Lat.par-oikia(οἶκος, a house), anddiocesecoming through Old French from Greco-Lat.di-oikesis.Skirtis the Scandinavian doublet ofshirtfrom Vulgar Lat.ex-curtus, which has also given usshort. The form without the prefix appears in Fr.court, Ger.kurz, and the English diminutivekirtle—

"What stuff wilt have akirtleof?"(2Henry IV., ii. 4.)

"What stuff wilt have akirtleof?"

(2Henry IV., ii. 4.)

These are all very early loan words.

BROKER—WALNUT

A new drawing-room game for amateur philologists would be to trace relationships between words which have no apparent connection. In discussing, a few years ago, a lurid book on the "Mysteries of Modern London,"Punchremarked that the existence of avillaseemed to be proof presumptive of that of avillain. This is etymologically true. An Old Frenchvilain, "a villaine, slave, bondman, servile tenant" (Cotgrave), was a peasant attached to his lord'svilleor domain, Lat.villa. For the degeneration in meaning we may compare Eng.boorandchurl(p.84), and Fr.manant, a clodhopper, lit. a dweller (seemanor, p.9). Abutcher, Fr.boucher, must originally have dealt in goat's flesh, Fr.bouc, goat;cf.Ital.beccaio, butcher, andbecco, goat. Hencebutcherandbuckare related. The extension of meaning ofbroker, an Anglo-Norman form ofbrocheur,shows the importance of the wine trade in the Middle Ages. Abrokerwas at first[109]one who "broached" casks with abroche, which means in modern French both brooch and spit. The essential part of abroochis the pin or spike.

When Kent says that Cornwall and Regan—

"Summon'd up theirmeiny, straight took horse."(Lear, ii. 4.)

"Summon'd up theirmeiny, straight took horse."

(Lear, ii. 4.)

he is using a common Mid. English and Tudor word which comes, through Old Fr.maisniee, from Vulgar Lat.*mansionata, a houseful. Amenialis a member of such a body. An Italian cognate ismasnadiere, "a ruffler, a swashbuckler, a swaggerer, a high way theefe, a hackster" (Florio). Those inclined to moralise may see in these words a proof that the arrogance of the great man's flunkey was curbed in England earlier than in Italy. Old Fr.maisnieeis now replaced byménage, Vulgar Lat.*mansionaticum. A derivative of this word isménagerie, first applied to the collection of household animals, but now to a "wild beast show."

Abonfirewas formerly abone-fire. We findbane-fire, "ignis ossium," in a Latin dictionary of 1483, and Cooper explainspyraby "bone-fire, wherein men's bodyes were burned." Apparently the word is due to the practice of burning the dead after a victory. Hexham hasbone-fire, "eenbeen-vier, dat is, als men victorie brandt."Walnutis related toWales, Cornwall, theWalloons,Wallachia and Sir WilliamWallace. It means "foreign" nut. This very wide spreadwalis supposed to represent the Celtic tribal nameVolcæ. It was applied by the English to the Celts, and by the Germans to the French and Italians, especially thelatter, whence the earlier Ger.welsche Nuss, forWalnuss. The German Swiss use it of the French Swiss, hence the cantonWallisorValais. The Old French name for thewalnutisnoix gauge, Lat.Gallica. The relation ofumbrellatoumberis pretty obvious. The former is Italian—

"A little shadow, a little round thing that women bare in their hands to shadow them. Also a broad brimd hat to keepe off heate and rayne. Also a kinde of round thing like a round skreene that gentlemen use in Italie in time of sommer or when it is very hote, to keepe the sunne from them when they are riding by the way."(Florio.)

(Florio.)

Umberis Fr.terre d'ombre, shadow earth—

"I'll put myself in poor and mean attire,And with a kind ofumbersmirch my face."(As You Like It, i. 3.)

"I'll put myself in poor and mean attire,And with a kind ofumbersmirch my face."

(As You Like It, i. 3.)

Ballad, originally a dancing song, Prov.ballada, is a doublet ofballet, and thus related toball. We find a late Lat.ballare, to dance, in Saint Augustine, but the history of this group of words is obscure. The sense development ofcarolis very like that of ballad. It is from Old Fr.carolle, "a kinde of dance wherein many may dance together; also, acarroll, or Christmas song" (Cotgrave). The formcorollais found in Provençal, andcarollein Old French is commonly used, like Ger.Kranz, garland, and Lat.corona, of a social or festive ring of people. Hence it seems a reasonable conjecture that the origin of the word is Lat.corolla, a little garland.

TOCSIN—MERINO

Many "chapel" people would be shocked to know thatchapelmeans properly the sanctuary in which a saint's relics are deposited. The name was first applied to the chapel in which was preserved thecapeor cloak of St Martin of Tours. The doubletcapelsurvives inCapel Court, near the Exchange. Ger.Kapellealso means orchestra or military band.Tocsinis literally"touch sign." Fr.toquer, to tap, beat, cognate withtouch, survives in "tuckof drum" andtucket—

"Then let the trumpets soundThetucketsonance and the note to mount."(Henry V., iv. 2.)

"Then let the trumpets soundThetucketsonance and the note to mount."

(Henry V., iv. 2.)

whilesinet, the diminutive of Old Fr.sin, sign, has givensennet, common in the stage directions of Elizabethan plays in a sense very similar to that oftucket.

Junketis from Old Fr.joncade, "a certaine spoone-meat, made of creame, rose-water, and sugar" (Cotgrave), Ital.giuncata, "a kinde of fresh cheese and creame, so called bicause it is brought to market upon rushes; also ajunket" (Florio). It is thus related tojonquil, which comes, through French, from Span.junquillo, a diminutive from Lat.juncus, rush. The plant is named from its rush-like leaves.Ditto, Italian, lit. "said," andditty, Old Fr.dité, are both past participles,[110]from the Latin verbsdicoanddictorespectively. Thenaveof a church is from Fr.nef, still occasionally used in poetry in its original sense of ship, Lat.navis. It is thus related tonavy, Old Fr.navie, a derivative ofnavis. Similarly Ger.Schiffis used in the sense of nave, though the metaphor is variously explained.

The old wordcole, cabbage, its north country and Scottish equivalentkail, Fr.chou(Old Fr.chol), and Ger.Kohl, are all from Lat.caulis, cabbage; cf.cauliflower. We have the Dutch form incolza, which comes, through French, from Du.kool-zaad, cabbage seed.Cabbageitself is Fr.caboche, a Picard derivative of Lat.caput, head. In modern Frenchcabochecorresponds to our vulgar "chump." Agoshawkis agoose hawk, so called from its preying on poultry.Merinois related tomayor, which comes, through French, from Lat.maior,greater. Span.merino, Vulgar Lat.*majorinus, means both a magistrate and a superintendent of sheep-walks. From the latter meaning comes that of "sheepe driven from the winter pastures to the sommer pastures, or the wooll of those sheepe" (Percyvall).Portcullisis from Old Fr.porte coulisse, sliding door. Fr.coulisseis still used of many sliding contrivances, especially in connection with stage scenery, but in the portcullis sense it is replaced byherse(see p.75), except in the language of heraldry. The masculine formcoulismeans a clear broth, orcullis, as it was called in English up to the 18th century. This suggestscolander, which, likeportcullis, belongs to Lat.colare, "to streine" (Cooper), whence Fr.couler, to flow.

Solder, formerly speltsowderorsodder, and still so pronounced by the plumber, represents Fr.soudure, from the verbsouder; cf.batterfrom Old Fr.batture,fritterfrom Fr.friture, andtenter(hooks)[111]from Fr.tenture. Fr.souderis from Lat.solidare, to consolidate. Fr.sou, formerlysol, a halfpenny, comes, like Ital.soldo, from Lat.solidus, the meaning of which appears also in the Italian participlesoldato, a soldier, lit. a paid man. This Italian word has passed into French and German, displacing the older cognatessoudardandSöldner, which now have a depreciatory sense. Eng.soldieris of Old French origin. It is represented in medieval Latin bysol[i]darius, glossedsowdeorin a vocabulary of the 15th century. As insolder, thelhas been re-introduced by learned influence, but the vulgarsodgeris nearer the original pronunciation.

FOOTNOTES:[102]I.e., grotto painting, Ital.grottesca, "a kinde of rugged unpolished painters worke, anticke worke" (Florio).[103]See p.120. The aristocracy of the horse is still testified to by the use ofsireanddamfor his parents.[104]Sometimes this name is forcheater,escheatour(p.84).[105]Cf.avoirdupois, earlieravers de pois(poids), goods sold by weight.[106]It is possible that this is a case of early folk-etymology and thatpersonais an Etruscan word.[107]This is the accepted etymology; but it is more probable thatfurnierencomes from Fr.vernir, to varnish.[108]SeeCrowther, p.176.[109]But the early use of the word in the sense of middle-man points to contamination with some other word of different meaning.[110]But the usual Italian past participle ofdireisdetto.[111]Hooks used for stretching cloth.

[102]I.e., grotto painting, Ital.grottesca, "a kinde of rugged unpolished painters worke, anticke worke" (Florio).

[103]See p.120. The aristocracy of the horse is still testified to by the use ofsireanddamfor his parents.

[104]Sometimes this name is forcheater,escheatour(p.84).

[105]Cf.avoirdupois, earlieravers de pois(poids), goods sold by weight.

[106]It is possible that this is a case of early folk-etymology and thatpersonais an Etruscan word.

[107]This is the accepted etymology; but it is more probable thatfurnierencomes from Fr.vernir, to varnish.

[108]SeeCrowther, p.176.

[109]But the early use of the word in the sense of middle-man points to contamination with some other word of different meaning.

[110]But the usual Italian past participle ofdireisdetto.

[111]Hooks used for stretching cloth.

ModernEnglish contains some six or seven hundred pairs or sets of homonyms,i.e., of words identical in sound and spelling but differing in meaning and origin. TheNew English Dictionaryrecognises provisionally nine separate nounsrack. The subject is a difficult one to deal with, because one word sometimes develops such apparently different meanings that the original identity becomes obscured, and even, as we have seen in the case offlourandmettle(p.144), a difference of spelling may result. When Denys of Burgundy said to the physician—

"Go to! He was no fool who first called youleeches."(Cloister and Hearth, Ch. 26.)

"Go to! He was no fool who first called youleeches."

(Cloister and Hearth, Ch. 26.)

he was unaware that bothleechesrepresent Anglo-Sax.læce, healer. On the other hand, a resemblance of form may bring about a contamination of meaning. The verb togloss, orgloze, means simply to explain or translate, from Greco-Lat.glossa, tongue; but, under the influence of the unrelatedgloss, superficial lustre, it has acquired the sense of specious interpretation.

That part of a helmet called thebeaver—

"I saw young Harry, with hisbeaveron,His cuisses on his thigh, gallantly arm'd,Rise from the ground like feather'd Mercury."(1Henry IV., iv. 1.)

"I saw young Harry, with hisbeaveron,His cuisses on his thigh, gallantly arm'd,Rise from the ground like feather'd Mercury."

(1Henry IV., iv. 1.)

has, of course, no connection with the animal whose fur has been used for some centuries for expensive hats. It comes from Old Fr.bavière, a child's bib, now replaced bybavette, frombaver, to slobber.

It may be noteden passantthat many of the revived medieval words which sound so picturesque in Scott are of very prosaic origin. Thus thebasnet—

"Mybasnetto a prentice cap,Lord Surrey's o'er the Till."(Marmion, vi. 21.)

"Mybasnetto a prentice cap,Lord Surrey's o'er the Till."

(Marmion, vi. 21.)

or close-fitting steel cap worn under the ornamental helmet, is Fr.bassinet, a little basin. It was also called akettle hat, orpot. Another obsolete name given to a steel cap was a privypallet, from Fr.palette, a barber's bowl, a "helmet of Mambrino." To a brilliant living monarch we owe the phrase "mailed fist," a translation of Ger.gepanzerte Faust.Panzer, a cuirass, is etymologically apauncher, or defence for the paunch. We may compare an article of female apparel, which took its name from a more polite name for this part of the anatomy, and which Shakespeare uses even in the sense ofPanzer. Imogen, taking the papers from her bosom, says—

"What is here?The scriptures of the loyal Leonatus,All turn'd to heresy? Away, away,Corrupters of my faith! You shall no moreBestomachersto my heart."(Cymbeline, iii. 4.)

"What is here?The scriptures of the loyal Leonatus,All turn'd to heresy? Away, away,Corrupters of my faith! You shall no moreBestomachersto my heart."

(Cymbeline, iii. 4.)

COMPOUND—CHASE

Sometimes homonyms seem to be due to the lowest type of folk-etymology, the instinct for making an unfamiliar word "look like something" (see p.128,n.). To this instinct we owe the nauticalcompanion(p.165).Trepan, fortrapan, to entrap, cannot have been confused with the surgicaltrepan(p.109), although it hasbeen assimilated to it. Thecompoundin which the victims of "Chinese slavery" languished is the Malaykampong, an enclosure.

The scent calledbergamottakes its name fromBergamo, in Italy, whence also Shakespeare'sbergomaskdance—

"Will it please you to see the epilogue, or hear aBergomaskdance between two of our company?"(Midsummer Night's Dream, v. 1.)

"Will it please you to see the epilogue, or hear aBergomaskdance between two of our company?"

(Midsummer Night's Dream, v. 1.)

but thebergamotpear is derived from Turkishbeg armudi, prince's pear. Withbeg, prince, cf.beyandbegum. Theburdenof a song is from Fr.bourdon, "a drone, or dorre-bee; also, the humming, or buzzing, of bees; also, the drone of a bag-pipe" (Cotgrave). It is of doubtful origin, but is not related toburden, a load, which is connected with the verb tobear.

Tocashier,i.e., break, a soldier, is from Du.casseeren, which is borrowed from Fr.casser, to break, Lat.quassare, frequentative ofquatere, to shatter. In the 16th and 17th centuries we also findcassandcash, which come immediately from French, and are thus doublets ofquash. Cotgrave hascasser, "tocasse,cassere, discharge." The past participle of the obsolete verb tocassis still in military use—

"But the colonel said he must go, and he (the drum horse) wascastin due form and replaced by a washy, bay beast, as ugly as a mule."(Kipling,The Rout of the White Hussars.)

"But the colonel said he must go, and he (the drum horse) wascastin due form and replaced by a washy, bay beast, as ugly as a mule."

(Kipling,The Rout of the White Hussars.)

The othercashieris of Italian origin. He takes charge of thecash, which formerly meant "counting-house," and earlier still "safe," from Ital.cassa, "a merchant'scashe, or counter" (Florio). This comes from Lat.capsa, a coffer, so thatcashis a doublet ofcase, Fr.caisse. The goldsmith's termchaseis forenchase, Fr.enchâsser, "toenchace, or set, in gold, etc." (Cotgrave),fromchâsse, coffer, shrine, also from Lat.capsa. From the same word comes (window)sash.

Gammon, from Mid. Eng.gamen, now reduced togame, survives as a slang word and also in the compoundbackgammon. In agammonof bacon we have the Picard form of Fr.jambon, a ham, an augmentative ofjambe, leg. Cotgrave hasjambon, "agammon."Gambitis related, from Ital.gambetto, "a tripping up of one's heels" (Torriano). Agameleg is in dialect agammyleg. This is Old Fr.gambi, "bent, crooked, bowed" (Cotgrave), which is still used in some French dialects in the sense of lame. It comes from the same Celtic root asjambe.

Host, an army, now used only poetically or metaphorically, is from Old Fr.ost, army, Lat.hostis, enemy. Thehostwho receives us is Old Fr.oste(hôte), Lat.hospes,hospit-, guest. These twohostsare, however, ultimately related. It is curious that, while modern Fr.hôte(hospes) means both "host" and "guest," the otherhost(hostis) is, very far back, a doublet ofguest, the ground meaning of both being "stranger." "It is remarkable in what opposite directions the Germans and Romans have developed the meaning of the old hereditary name for 'stranger.' To the Roman the stranger becomes an enemy; among the Germans he enjoys the greatest privileges, a striking confirmation of what Tacitus tells us in hisGermania."[112]In a dogkennelwe have the Norman form of Fr.chenil, related tochien; butkennel, a gutter—

"Go, hop me over everykennelhome."(Taming of the Shrew, iv. 3.)

"Go, hop me over everykennelhome."

(Taming of the Shrew, iv. 3.)

is a doublet ofchannelandcanal.

MANŒUVRE—MYSTERY

"Oh villain! thou stolest a cup of sack eighteen years ago, and wert taken with themanner."(1Henry IV., ii. 4.)

"Oh villain! thou stolest a cup of sack eighteen years ago, and wert taken with themanner."

(1Henry IV., ii. 4.)

says Prince Hal to Bardolph. In the old editions this is speltmanourormainourand means "in the act." It is an Anglo-French doublet ofmanœuvre, late Lat.manu-opera, handiwork, and is thus related to its homonymmanner, Fr.manière, frommanier, to handle. Another doublet ofmanœuvreismanure, now a euphemism for dung, but formerly used of the act of tillage—

"Themanuringhand of the tiller shall root up all that burdens the soil."(Milton,Reason of Church Government.)

"Themanuringhand of the tiller shall root up all that burdens the soil."

(Milton,Reason of Church Government.)

Inureis similarly formed from Old Fr.enœuvrer, literally "to work in," hence to accustom to toil.

John Gilpin's "good friend thecalender,"i.e.the cloth-presser, has nothing to do with thecalendarwhich indicates thecalendsof the month, nor with thecalender, or Persian monk, of theArabian Nights, whom Mr Pecksniff described as a "one-eyedalmanack"—

"'A one-eyedcalender, I think, sir,' faltered Tom."'They are pretty nearly the same thing, I believe,' said Mr Pecksniff, smiling compassionately; 'or they used to be in my time.'"(Martin Chuzzlewit, Ch. 6.)

"'A one-eyedcalender, I think, sir,' faltered Tom.

"'They are pretty nearly the same thing, I believe,' said Mr Pecksniff, smiling compassionately; 'or they used to be in my time.'"

(Martin Chuzzlewit, Ch. 6.)

The verb tocalender, to press and gloss cloth, etc., is from Old Fr.calendrer(calandrer), "to sleeke, smooth, plane, or polish, linnen cloth, etc." (Cotgrave). This word is generally considered to be related tocylinder, a conjecture which is supported by obsolete Fr.calende, used of the "rollers" by means of which heavy stones are moved.

A craft, or association ofmasters, was once called amistery(formasteryormaistrie), usually misspeltmysteryby association with a word of quite different origin and meaning. This accidental resemblance is often played on—

"Painting, sir, I have heard say, is amystery; but whatmysterythere should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine."(Measure for Measure, iv. 2.)

"Painting, sir, I have heard say, is amystery; but whatmysterythere should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine."

(Measure for Measure, iv. 2.)

For the pronunciation, cf.mister, formaster, andmistress.[113]The French for "mistery" ismétier, earliermestier, "a trade, occupation,misterie, handicraft" (Cotgrave), from Old Fr.maistier, Lat.magisterium. In its other senses Fr.métierrepresents Lat.ministerium, service.

Pawn, a pledge, is from Old Fr.pan, with the same meaning. The origin of this word, cognates of which occur in the Germanic languages, is unknown. Thepawnat chess is Fr.pion, a pawn, formerly also a foot-soldier, used contemptuously in modern French for a junior assistant master. This represents a Vulgar Lat.*pedo,pedon-, frompes, foot;cf.Span.peon, "a footeman, apawneat chesse, a pioner, or laborer" (Percyvall). In German thepawnis calledBauer, peasant, a name also given to the knave in the game of euchre, whence Americanbower[114]—

"At last he put down aright bower[115]Which the same Nye had dealt unto me."(Bret Harte,The Heathen Chinee.)

"At last he put down aright bower[115]Which the same Nye had dealt unto me."

(Bret Harte,The Heathen Chinee.)

QUARRY—QUARREL

When Jack Bunce says—

"If they hurt but one hair of Cleveland's head, there will be the devil topay, and no pitch hot."(Pirate, Ch. 36.)

"If they hurt but one hair of Cleveland's head, there will be the devil topay, and no pitch hot."

(Pirate, Ch. 36.)

he is using a nautical term which has no connection with Fr.payer. Topay,i.e.to pitch (a ship), is from Old Fr.peierorpoier, Lat.picare, frompix, pitch. Fr.limon, a lime, has given Eng.lemon,[116]but "lemonsole" is from Fr.limande, a flat-fish, dab. Aquarryfrom which stoneis obtained was formerlyquarrer, Old Fr.quarrière(carrière), a derivative of Lat.quadrus; cf.quadratarius, "a squarer of marble" (Cooper). Thequarryof the hunter has changed its form and meaning. In Mid. English we findquarréandquirré, from Old Fr.cuirée, nowcurée, "a (dog's) reward; the hounds' fees of, or part in, the game they have killed" (Cotgrave). The Old French form means "skinful" (cf.poignée, fistful), the hounds' reward being spread on the skin of the slain animal. It is thus related tocuirass, originally used of leathern armour. In Shakespearequarryusually means a heap of dead game—

"Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,And let me use my sword, I'd make aquarryWith thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as highAs I could pick my lance."(Coriolanus, i. 1.)

"Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,And let me use my sword, I'd make aquarryWith thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as highAs I could pick my lance."

(Coriolanus, i. 1.)

In modern English it is applied rather to the animal pursued. Related to the firstquarryisquarrel, the square-headed bolt shot from a crossbow—

"It is reported by William Brito that the arcubalista or arbalist was first shewed to the French by our king Richard the First, who was shortly after slain by aquarrelthereof."(Camden,Remains concerning Britain.[117])

"It is reported by William Brito that the arcubalista or arbalist was first shewed to the French by our king Richard the First, who was shortly after slain by aquarrelthereof."

(Camden,Remains concerning Britain.[117])

It comes from Old Fr.carrel, of which the modern form,carreau, is used of many four-sided objects,e.g., a square tile, the diamond at cards, a pane of glass. In the last sense bothquarrelandquarryare still used by glaziers.

In a "schoolof porpoises" we have a Dutch word for crowd. The older spelling isscull—

"And there they fly, or die, like scaledsculls,Before the belching whale."(Troilus and Cressida, v. 5.)

"And there they fly, or die, like scaledsculls,Before the belching whale."

(Troilus and Cressida, v. 5.)

Asorrelhorse and the plant calledsorrelare both French words of German origin. The adjective, used in venery of a buck of the third year, is a diminutive of Old Fr.sor, which survives inhareng saur, red herring, and is perhaps cognate with Eng.sear—

"Thesere, the yellow leaf."(Macbeth, v. 3.)

"Thesere, the yellow leaf."

(Macbeth, v. 3.)

The plant name is related tosour. Its modern French formsurelleoccurs now only in dialect, having been superseded byoseille, which appears to be due to the mixture of two words meaning sour, sharp, viz., Vulgar Lat.*acetulaand Greco-Lat.oxalis.

The verbtattoo, to adorn the skin with patterns, is Polynesian. The militarytattoois Dutch. It was earliertap-to, and was the signal for closing the "taps," or taverns. The first recorded occurrence of the word is in Colonel Hutchinson's orders to the garrison of Nottingham, the original of which hangs in the Nottingham City Library—

"If any-one shall bee found tiplinge or drinkinge in any taverne, inne, or alehouse after the houre of nyne of the clock at night, when thetap-toobeates, he shall pay 2s. 6d." (1644.)

Cf.Ger.Zapfenstreich, lit. tap-stroke, the name of a play which was produced some years ago in London under the title "Lights Out." Ludwig explainsZapfenschlagorZapfenstreichas "die Zeit da die Soldaten aus den Schencken heimgehen müssen, thetaptow."

Tassel, in "tasselgentle"—

"O, for a falconer's voice,To lure thistassel-gentle back again."(Romeo and Juliet, ii. 2.)

"O, for a falconer's voice,To lure thistassel-gentle back again."

(Romeo and Juliet, ii. 2.)

is fortercelortiercel, the male hawk, "so tearmed, because he is, commonly, a third part less than the female" (Cotgrave, s.v.tiercelet). The true reason for the name is doubtful. The pendent ornament called atasselis a diminutive of Mid. Eng.tasse, a heap, bunch, Fr.tas.Tentwine is Span.vino tinto,i.e., coloured—

"Of this last there's little comes over right, therefore the vintners makeTent(which is a name for all wines in Spain, except white) to supply the place of it."(Howell,Familiar Letters, 1634.)

"Of this last there's little comes over right, therefore the vintners makeTent(which is a name for all wines in Spain, except white) to supply the place of it."

(Howell,Familiar Letters, 1634.)

The othertentis from the Old French past participle oftendre, to stretch.

The Shakesperianutterance—

"Rather than so, come, fate, into the list,And champion me to theutterance."(Macbeth, iii. 1.)

"Rather than so, come, fate, into the list,And champion me to theutterance."

(Macbeth, iii. 1.)

is the Fr.outrance, incombat à outrance,i.e., to the extreme, which belongs to Lat.ultra. It is quite unconnected with the verb toutter, fromout.

WRONG ASSOCIATION

We have seen how, in the case of some homonyms, confusion arises, and a popular connection is established, between words which are quite unrelated. The same sort of association often springs up between words which, without being homonyms, have some accidental resemblance in form or meaning, or in both. Such association may bring about curious changes in sound and sense.Touchy, which now conveys the idea of sensitiveness totouch, is corrupted fromtetchy—

"Tetchyand wayward was thy infancy."(Richard III., iv. 4.)

"Tetchyand wayward was thy infancy."

(Richard III., iv. 4.)

The original meaning was something like "infected, tainted," from Old Fr.teche(tache), a spot. The wordsurroundhas completely changed its meaning through association withround. It comes from Old Fr.suronder, to overflow, Lat.super-undare, and its meaning and origin were quite clear to the 16th-century lexicographers. Thus Cooper hasinundo, "to overflowe, tosurround." A French bishop carries acrosse, and an archbishop acroix. These words are of separate origin. Fromcrosse, which does not mean "cross," comes our derivativecrosier, carried by both bishops and archbishops. It is etymologically identical, as its shape suggests, with the shepherd'scrook, and the bat used in playinglacrosse.

The prophecy of the pessimisticostlerthat, owing to motor-cars—

"'Ossessoon will all be in the circusses,And if you want anostler, try the work'uses."(E. V. Lucas.)

"'Ossessoon will all be in the circusses,And if you want anostler, try the work'uses."

(E. V. Lucas.)

shows by what association the meaning ofostler, Old Fr.hostelier(hôtelier), has changed. Abelfryhas nothing to do withbells. Old Fr.berfroi(beffroi) was a tower used in warfare. It comes from two German words represented by modernbergen, to hide, guard, andFriede, peace, so that it means "guard-peace." The triumph of the formbelfryis due to association withbell, but thelis originally due to dissimilation, since we findbelfroialso in Old French. The same dissimilation is seen in Fr.auberge, inn, Prov.alberga, which comes from Old High Ger.hari, an army, andbergen;cf.ourharbour(p.2) andharbinger(p.90).Scabbardis from Old Fr.escauberc, earlierescalberc, by dissimilation forescarberc, from Old High Ger.scār, a blade (cf.ploughshare), andbergen. Cf.hauberk, guard-neck, from Ger.Hals,[118]neck.

WRONG ASSOCIATION

Thebutteryis not so named frombutter, but frombottles. It is forbutlery, aschancery(see p.88) is forchancelry. It is not, of course, now limited to bottles, any more than thepantryto bread or thelarderto bacon, Fr.lard, Lat.laridum. Thespence, aphetic fordispense, is now known only in dialect—

"I am gaun to eat my dinner quietly in thespence."(Old Mortality, Ch. 3.)

"I am gaun to eat my dinner quietly in thespence."

(Old Mortality, Ch. 3.)

but has given us the nameSpencer. Thestill-roommaid is not extinct, but I doubt whether thedistillingof strong waters is now carried on in the region over which she presides. Ajourneymanhas nothing to do withjourneysin the modern sense of the word, but worksà la journée, by the day.Cf.Fr.journalier, "ajourney man; one that workes by the day" (Cotgrave), and Ger.Tagelöhner, literally "day-wager." On the other hand, aday-woman(Love's Labour's Lost, i. 2) is an explanatory pleonasm (cf.greyhound, p.135) for the old wordday, servant, milkmaid, etc., whence the common surnameDayand the derivativedairy.

Abriarpipe is made, not frombriar, but from the root of heather, Fr.bruyère, of Celtic origin. Acatchpoledid not catchpolls,i.e.heads, nor did he catch people with apole, although a very ingenious implement, exhibited in the Tower of London Armoury, is catalogued as acatchpole. The word corresponds to a French compoundchasse-poule, catch-hen, in Picardcache-pole, the official's chief duty being to collect dues, or, in default, poultry. Forpole, from Fr.poule, cf.polecat, also an enemy of fowls. Thecompanion-ladder on ship-board is a product of folk-etymology. It leads to thekampanje, the Dutch forcabin. This may belong, likecabin, to a late Lat.capanna, hut, which has a very numerous progeny.Kajuit, another Dutch word for cabin, earlierkajute, has given uscuddy.

Acarousalis now regarded as acarouse, but the two are quite separate, or, rather, there are two distinct wordscarousal. One of them is from Fr.carrousel, a word of Italian origin, meaning a pageant or carnival with chariot races and tilting. This word, obsolete in this sense, is sometimes spelteland accented on the last syllable—

"Before the crystal palace, where he dwells,The armed angels hold theircarousels."(Andrew Marvell,Lachrymæ Musarum.)

"Before the crystal palace, where he dwells,The armed angels hold theircarousels."

(Andrew Marvell,Lachrymæ Musarum.)

Ger.Karussellmeans a roundabout at a fair. Ourcarousal, if it is the same word, has been affected in sound and meaning bycarouse. This comes, probably through French, from Ger.garaus, quite out, in the phrasegaraus trinken,i.e., to drink bumpers—

"The queencarousesto thy fortune, Hamlet."(Hamlet, v. 2.)

"The queencarousesto thy fortune, Hamlet."

(Hamlet, v. 2.)

Rabelais says that he is not one of those—

"Qui, par force, par oultraige et violence, contraignent les compaignons trinquer voyrecarousetalluz[119]qui pis est."(Pantagruel, iii., Prologue.)

"Qui, par force, par oultraige et violence, contraignent les compaignons trinquer voyrecarousetalluz[119]qui pis est."

(Pantagruel, iii., Prologue.)

The spellinggarous, and evengaraus, is found in 17th-century English.

FOOTPAD—PESTER

It is perhaps unnecessary to say that amaul-stick, Dutchmaal-stok, paint-stick, has nothing to do with the verb tomaul, formerly tomall,[120]i.e., to hammer. Nor is the painter'slay-figureconnected with our verb tolay. It is also, like so many art terms, of Dutch origin, thelayrepresenting Du.lid, limb, cognate with Ger.Glied.[121]The German for lay-figure isGliederpuppe,joint-doll. Sewel'sDutch Dict.(1766) hasleeman, orledeman, "a statue, with pliant limbs for the use of a painter." Afootpadis not a rubber-soled highwayman, but apad, or robber, who does his work on foot. He was also called apadder—

"'Ye crack-ropepadder, born beggar, and bred thief!' replied the hag."(Heart of Midlothian, Ch. 29.)

"'Ye crack-ropepadder, born beggar, and bred thief!' replied the hag."

(Heart of Midlothian, Ch. 29.)

i.e., one who takes to the "road," from Du.pad, path.Pad, an ambling nag, a "roadster," is the same word.

Pencomes, through Old French, from Lat.penna, "a penne, quil, or fether" (Cooper), whilepencilis from Old Fr.pincel(pinceau), a painter's brush, from Lat.penicillus, a little tail. The modern meaning ofpencil, which still meant painter's brush in the 18th century, is due to association withpen. The older sense survives in optics and in the expression "pencilled eyebrows." Theferruleof a walking-stick is a distinct word fromferule, an aid to education. The latter is Lat.ferula, "an herbe like big fenell, and maye be called fenell giant. Also a rodde, sticke, or paulmer, wherewith children are striken and corrected in schooles; a cane, a reede, a walking staffe" (Cooper).Ferruleis a perversion of earliervirrel,virrol, Fr.virole, "an iron ring put about the end of a staffe, etc., to strengthen it, and keep it from riving" (Cotgrave).

The modern meaning ofpesteris due to a wrong association withpest. Its earlier meaning is to hamper or entangle—

"Confined andpesteredin this pinfold here."(Comus, l. 7.)

"Confined andpesteredin this pinfold here."

(Comus, l. 7.)

It was formerlyimpester, from Old Fr.empestrer(empêtrer), "topester, intricate, intangle, trouble, incumber" (Cotgrave), originally to "hobble" a grazing horse withpasterns, or shackles (seepastern, p.76).

Mosaicwork is not connected withMoses, but with themusesandmuseum. It comes, through French, from Ital.mosaico, "a kinde of curious stone worke, of divers colours, checkie worke" (Florio), which is Vulgar Lat.musaicum opus.Sorrowandsorryare quite unrelated.Sorrowis from Anglo-Sax.sorg,sorh, cognate with Ger.Sorge, anxiety.Sorry, Mid. Eng.sori, is a derivative ofsore, cognate with Ger.sehr, very, lit. "painfully";cf.English "soreafraid," or the modern "awfullynice," which is in South Germanyarg nett, "vexatiouslynice."

It is probable thatvagabond, Lat.vagabundus, has no etymological connection withvagrant, which appears to come from Old Fr.waucrant, present participle ofwaucrer, a common verb in the Picard dialect, perhaps related to Eng.walk. Cotgrave spells itvaucrer, "to range, roame, vagary, wander, idly (idle) it up and down." Cotgrave also attributes to it the special meaning of a ship sailing "whither wind and tide will carry it," the precise sense in which it is used in the 13th-century romance ofAucassin et Nicolette.

Other examples of mistaken association arescullionandscullery(p.43), andsentryandsentinel(p.102). Many years agoPunchhad a picture by Du Maurier called the "Vikingsof Whitby," followed by a companion picture, the "Viqueens." The word is notvi-kingbutvik-ing, the first syllable probably representing an Old Norse form of Anglo-Sax.wīc, encampment.

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