dachshund – German for “badger hound,” from its original breeding purpose to pursue a badger (etc.) that has taken refuge in a burrow. More…
invite – Comes from Latin invitare, from an Indo-European root meaning “to go after something, pursue with vigor, desire.” More…
logology – The pursuit of word puzzles; also the science of words. More…
sue – From Latin sequi, “follow,” it first meant “follow, go in pursuit of.” More…
rig, rigging – A ship’s rig is the arrangement of masts, sails, etc.; the rigging is the system of ropes or chains supporting these. More…
spread-eagle – First described a navy man who was lashed to the rigging for flogging. More…
furniture – The furniture of a ship is its apparel, including the sails, rigging, and anchor; to apparel, in early use, meant “make ready or fit.” More…
tight ship – Literally one in which ropes and rigging are tied and taut. More…
pulsatilla – Can refer to the shaking of a flower in the wind. More…
quassation – The act or process of being shaken or shaking. More…
concussion – Its underlying etymological notion is of “violent shaking,” from Latin concutere, “shake violently.” More…
Shaker – The Shakers got their name from the shaking and convulsive movements they made during worship. More…
fescue – A pointer, such as that used by a teacher, having originally meant “a straw or twig.” More…
docent, docible, docile – Docent comes from Latin docere, “to teach”; docible is “capable of learning” and docile first meant “teachable.” More…
Socratic method – A teaching technique in which a teacher does not give information directly but instead asks a series of questions, with the result that the student comes either to the desired knowledge by answering the questions or to a deeper awareness of the limits of knowledge. More…
tuition – First meant taking care of something, then teaching or instruction, especially for a fee. More…
eristic – Means “enjoying argument for its own sake,” or “of or pertaining to controversy.” More…
fine art, commercial artwork – Fine art is any art created for its own sake, as opposed to commercial artwork. More…
heaven’s sake – It is heaven’s sake (not heavens’ sake, heaven’s sakes, etc.). More…
sensuous, sensual – Sensuous usually implies gratification of the senses for the sake of aesthetic pleasure; sensual usually describes gratification of the senses or physical appetites as an end in itself. More…
blend – A combination of different types or grades of fabric, spirits, tea, tobacco, etc. More…
tabac – A color, from the French for tobacco. More…
cud, quid – The etymological base of cud appears to be “glutinous substance”; quid—”piece of tobacco for chewing”—is a variant of cud. More…
petunia – It is related to the tobacco plant, hence its name, from Portuguese petum, “tobacco.” More…
buck party, stag party – A buck party, like a stag party, is one without ladies. More…
chatelaine – The lady or mistress of a household. More…
lady – From Old English hlaf, “loaf,” and a Germanic base meaning “knead,” it first literally meant “one who kneads bread.” More…
graft, splice – A graft is one thing attached to another by insertion or implantation so it becomes part of it; a splice is the joining of two things end-to-end to make a new whole. More…
pilot hole – A small hole drilled or hammered for the insertion of a nail or screw, or for drilling a larger hole. More…
punctuate, punctuation – Punctuate—which first meant “point out”—and punctuation are from Latin punctus, “prick, point”; the present-day meaning comes from the insertion of “points” or dots into written texts to indicate pauses (once called “pointing”). More…
insert, insertion – The Latin elements in- and serere, “to join, plant,” are part of insert and insertion. More…