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Word and Phrase Origins

Includes questions related to the origins and etymology of English words and phrases.

500 Questions

Why have certain phrases or sections be italicized?

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Italicizing phrases or sections can help draw attention to them, indicate emphasis, or differentiate them from the surrounding text. It can also be used to show titles of works, foreign words or phrases, or to create a visual cue for the reader to slow down and pay more attention to that particular part of the text.

Sentence for auspicious?

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Auspicious means fortunate or lucky. It comes from the Latin word Auspices, which was the practice of consulting omens prior to engaging on a project to see if "the gods favoured it". If the auspices were good, the project would succeed.

e.g. It was an auspicious day when we launched the first personal computer on the market.

Auspicious in a sentence?

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The auspicious alignment of the planets suggested that good fortune was on the horizon.

What is lenguage?

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I believe you may be referring to the term "language." Language is a system of communication through speech, writing, or signs that allows humans to convey information, thoughts, and emotions. It is a core aspect of human culture and plays a crucial role in social interaction and learning.

What is a sentence for auspicious?

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The sunny weather on our wedding day was considered an auspicious sign for our future happiness together.

Where did the term gumshoe come from?

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The term "gumshoe" originated in the late 19th century as American slang for a detective. It is believed to have come from the rubber-soled shoes that detectives wore to move quietly while on the job.

Who used the word 'demography at first?

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The term "demography" was first used by French philosopher and statistician Achille Guillard in his 1855 book "Elements of Human and Social Science."

What is the etymology of the word jot meaning light in Punjabi as it is used in Sikhism?

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The word "jot" in Punjabi, commonly used in Sikhism to refer to the divine light or essence within every individual, is derived from the Sanskrit word "jyoti," which also means light or flame. It symbolizes the presence of the divine within oneself and is often associated with enlightenment and spiritual awakening.

Origin of the word 'mother'?

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Before 12th century: Old English modor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch moeder and German Mutter, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin mater and Greek mētēr, Sanskrit mātṛ.

What is the origin of the idiom 'to lie between your teeth'?

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The idiom "to lie between your teeth" means to lie to someone's face without shame. It originated from the act of intentionally deceiving someone while looking them directly in the face.

What is the origin of the idiom 'fudging the truth'?

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The origin of the idiom 'fudging the truth' is unclear, but it likely comes from the verb 'fudge,' which originally meant to fit or adjust something improperly. Over time, 'fudging' came to imply manipulating or distorting the truth in a deceitful manner.

Is it a bold faced lie or bare faced lie?

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Either one.

Or...

I always heard it as a "Bald faced lie. properly "BOLD FACED LIE" as when newspapermen would try to affect the outcome of elections; back when people got their news only by Newspaper and word of mouth. The news paper would print an untrouth in BOLD headlines; knowing it could not be refuted till it was too late.

What are some words with non-English origin?

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algebra, alchemy (Arab) bungalow, curry, khaki(Indian) anorak, kayak (Eskimo) zeitgeist, schadenfreude (German) macaroni, zucchini, graffiti, cappucino (Italian) bandalero, tango, guerrilla(Spanish) tromp-l'oeil, courgette, portmanteau (French) boom, advocaat (Dutch) vodka (Russian) okay (American) geyser (Icelandic) fjord (Norwegian) shanghai (Chinese) banzai, karaoke, karate, kamikaze(Japanese) hula-hula, bikini (Polynesian)

Which language gave us the word yogurt?

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The word "yogurt" comes from Turkish, derived from the Turkish word "yoğurt."

What is the origin of the phrase 'falling asleep'?

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The phrase "falling asleep" likely originates from the feeling of gradually losing consciousness and transitioning from wakefulness to sleep, resembling a downward or falling motion. This phrase has been used historically to describe the process of entering a state of sleep.

What are 10 words used in the English language that come from a Greek root?

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* ASTRO (star) * AUTO (self) * BIO (life) * GEO (earth) * GRAM (something written) * GRAPH (something that writes) * METER (measure) * MICRO (small) * MONO (single, one) * OLOGY (study of) * PHONE (sound) * PHOTO (light) * TELE (far away) * PHOBIA (fear)

Why is a bungalow called a bungalow?

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The term "bungalow' originated in India, coming from the Hindi word "bangla" meaning "belonging to Bengal." It was initially used to describe a type of thatched cottage common in Bengal. The design and layout of these cottages spread to other countries, where the term "bungalow" was adopted to refer to single-story houses with a similar style.

Origin of word shamrock?

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The word "shamrock" comes from the Irish word "seamair óg," which means "young clover." It refers to a type of three-leafed clover that is considered a symbol of Ireland and is traditionally associated with St. Patrick's Day.

What is the origin of the word postal?

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"To go postal" is a slang phrase, meaning to suddenly and violently lose your temper, blow up, flip out, or erupt in a sudden rage that seems to have no explanation or to be wildly out of proportion to its cause. This is because of a very unfortunate incident back in the late '80s or early '90s (if I recall correctly), in which a U.S. Postal Service worker became disgruntled over something (he may have been fired, or passed over for promotion -- I don't remember), left the Post Office where he was working, came back with an assault weapon, and shot the place to smithereens, killing several of his co-workers, some innocent customers, and then himself. It was a shocking massacre, the more so because the guy was apparently a very quiet type who kept to himself, so no one had ever thought of him as potentially violent. The shock to society at the time was similar to the recent Virginia Tech shooting. The worst part was that after this incident, there were other similar ones in which a "quiet" guy suddenly snapped and committed a horrible mass murder. A number of the "copycat" incidents involved other postal workers, and suddenly the U.S. Postal Service had a public-relations nightmare on its hands, as customers were afraid to go to the Post Office and USPS employees were afraid to come to work. I'm not a postal worker -- maybe there's one reading this who can correct me? -- but as I recall, the USPS responded to the incident by putting up bullet-proof glass windows at some Post Office counters and starting some sort of stress-prevention program for their employees. I don't know if it worked, but I hope so. As it happens, the postal workers at my local Post Office are friendly and helpful! :-)

Where does the term big wig come from?

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The term "bigwig" originated in the 17th century and was used to refer to wealthy or important individuals who wore elaborate wigs, which were fashionable at the time. It symbolized their status and influence in society.

Why is it called an elbow?

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The term "elbow" likely comes from the Latin word "ulna," which is the bone in the forearm that is closest to the surface at the joint. The bend in the arm resembles a sharp angle similar to the shape of the letter "L," which is why it is called an elbow.

How did the name 'Robert' turn into the nickname of 'Bob'?

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The name 'Robert' likely evolved into the nickname 'Bob' through a process called rhyming slang. People often shorten names or words by using rhyming patterns to make them easier to say. In this case, the shortening of 'Robert' to 'Bob' followed this pattern.

What are root words?

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  • Happy (happier, happiest, happily)
  • Mood (moody, moodiness)
  • Pretty (prettier, prettiest, prettily)
  • Self (selfish, unselflish, yourself, itself, selfless)

What it meant by the word krisha?

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The word "krisha" is not commonly used in the English language. It could be a misspelling or a word from another language. Can you provide more context or information so I can better understand and assist you?

Differences between compound and complex sentences in English language with example?

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A compound sentence is made using conjunctions such as and, but, so, or and then.

For example,

He ate a banana and drank some juice.

Usually, these sentences have to have two clauses. The two clauses are in bold in the sentence above.

A complex sentence is made without using the words and, but, so, or and then. It also has two clauses, which are in bold in the sentence below.

He grew very pale as he had hit a policeman.

It is my understanding that your first example, "He ate a banana and drank some juice" is not a compound sentence because it is not two independent clauses. There is no subject in the second clause. Your example is a simple sentence with a compound predicate. A compound sentence has two independent clauses (subject and predicate) joined by the conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS). A comma would be used in the compound sentence. Ex. He ate a banana, and she drank some juice. A complex sentence using different conjunctions. There is often a cause/effect relationship in complex sentences, but not always. Ex. My mother called the doctor because I was ill. If the conjunctive phrase is used at the beginning of the sentence use a comma. Ex. Because I was ill, my mother called doctor.

If I'm in error, I'd love further information......Thanks!

Yeah...He ate a banana and drank some juiceis not an example of a compound sentence. The second statement must have a subject to make it an independent clause. Compound Sentence consists of more than one independent clause joined together with a co-ordinating conjunctions. Your right...FANBOYS...for, and, nor,but,or,yet,so