dtrpath27 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Have you ever come across a very mundane word, only to find that it has a very different second meaning? I love it when that happens! essay (n.) - an attempt or an effort arch (adj.) - deliberately playful or teasing Possibly it's related to differences between British English and American English, but I still find it interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I wonder if that's where Arch-enemy derives from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 I wondered so I looked it up. Apparently the arch in arch-enemy is derived from the Greek word arch meaning most important. I just came across another one, though. Now that I've noticed, I'm seeing them everywhere. husband (v.) - to conserve; to use resources economically Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Is that where husbandry comes from? English isn't my first language so I'm unsure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Apparently, which I also did not know, around the early 13th century, husband also meant peasant farmer, so saying husbandry was like saying farmer-ry or farm management. Huh. Who knew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I didn't know! That's very interesting, thanks for sharing the fact . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I think mayby that term might have been more commonly used in Britain until recently. Certainly the term "Animal Husbandry" to mean looking after livestock is a familiar term to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 The term animal husbandry is often used in the United States as well. It is the 13th century usage of the word husband to mean peasant farmer with which I was unfamiliar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 What a great thread! I posted in the Today I Learned a New Word -thread earlier about a surprising other meaning to a well known word (the second on the list). bugger: (obsotele:) A heretic (UK law) Someone who commits buggery; a sodomite. (slang, pejorative, UK, Australia, New Zealand) A foolish or worthless person or thing; a despicable person. (slang, UK, Australia, New Zealand) A situation that causes dismay. (slang, UK, Australia, New Zealand) Someone viewed with affection; a chap. (slang, dated) A damn, anything at all. (slang, UK) Someone who is very fond of something (slang, USA - West) A rough synonym for whippersnapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 What a great thread! I posted in the Today I Learned a New Word -thread earlier about a surprising other meaning to a well known word (the second on the list). bugger: (obsotele:) A heretic (UK law) Someone who commits buggery; a sodomite. (slang, pejorative, UK, Australia, New Zealand) A foolish or worthless person or thing; a despicable person. (slang, UK, Australia, New Zealand) A situation that causes dismay. (slang, UK, Australia, New Zealand) Someone viewed with affection; a chap. (slang, dated) A damn, anything at all. (slang, UK) Someone who is very fond of something (slang, USA - West) A rough synonym for whippersnapper. This is a very useful word in my neck of the woods! It's generally used (as well as all of the above) as a very mild expletive that seems to be acceptable in most situations. It would be similar in British english to sod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 This is a very useful word in my neck of the woods! It's generally used (as well as all of the above) as a very mild expletive that seems to be acceptable in most situations. It would be similar in British english to sod Yes, you can use it in different situations for different things. It's very multidimensional Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 (obsotele:) A heretic (UK law) Someone who commits buggery; a sodomite. (slang, pejorative, UK, Australia, New Zealand) A foolish or worthless person or thing; a despicable person. (slang, UK, Australia, New Zealand) A situation that causes dismay. (slang, UK, Australia, New Zealand) Someone viewed with affection; a chap. (slang, dated) A damn, anything at all. (slang, UK) Someone who is very fond of something (slang, USA - West) A rough synonym for whippersnapper. This is a very useful word in my neck of the woods! It's generally used (as well as all of the above) as a very mild expletive that seems to be acceptable in most situations. It would be similar in British english to sod Yes, you can use the word bugger in so many ways . As is "Oh that" (exasperation and giving up on something), or "Where the have I put it?!" (looking around in dismay of losing something). Sod is a good word too, as it's acceptable in public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Yes, you can use the word bugger in so many ways . As is "Oh that" (exasperation and giving up on something), or "Where the have I put it?!" (looking around in dismay of losing something). Sod is a good word too, as it's acceptable in public. Yep, bugger is definitely a very handy word Sod is good, too, but I never remember to use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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