Odd Words and Odder Meanings

These do not have odd meaning, but I just like the words -- they're interesting-sounding:
onomatopoeia
serendipity
aluminum (sing it to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"!

 

Do a word search on "Janus words". They are words that have two or more meanings that are opposite to each other.

My favorite Janus word:
Cleave, as in, Cleave to one another in marrage.
OR Cleave the apple in two.

Rob

 

And don't you just love the word inflamable?

 

"aluminum (sing it to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"!"

or aluminIUM as we say it here

 

Especially when you factor in all of its versions.

 

In the nKJV (New King James Version) these are
called "cherubim".

The KJVO accursed KJ21 (The 21st Century King
Jaems Version), a translation of the KJV
itself - KJ21 retains "cherubims".

 

Once again, had you done your homework, you would have known the answer. The English word "cherubims" came into English in the late 11th century from the French "cherubins." The plural was later shortened to "cherubs" and popularized by Tyndale, and used by Coverdale and others. However, that plural form did not gain universal acceptance until the early 18th century.

 

"draught"

Isn't that beer or ale on tap?

 

There is a gale blowing here tonight, and there is a draught(cold air stream) coming under the back door which is cutting me in two.
a purgative medicine is also known as a draught :-(
Gwyneth

 

I remember many years ago as a youth minister our senior pastor was preaching on Jesus' suffering on the cross. He meant to say that Jesus lamented the cross, but what came out was, "Jesus was lamenated on the cross"

 

No, it was not one of the "ecclesiastical words" that were to be kept. It was the common word used for over 500 years for celestial beings.

Because, as I said, the word "cherubs" was not universally (or even generally) accepted until the 18th century.

 

Dr. Bob,
We, in this neck of the woods, say "draft" and spell draught, and we say "vittals " and spell victuals...... but then we`re Welsh
Gwyneth.

 

Some of the folks in my 'hood speak some ebonix, but we common almost-WV folks speak hillbonix.

Some words that are often found in my tales of chivalry but not in the AV are:

gonfalon-a pennant-like flag often carried on a pole. The last modern use I saw of it was in the 1910 baseball poem by Franklin Pierce Adams, "Tinker to Evers to Chance".

forsooth-Indeed, as in the sense implying disbelief ir incredulity

Zounds!-a euphemism for "God's wounds"(those of Jesus), considered a mild oath

wain-a large farm wagon. it's not a bear, as some have supposed. The constellation we often call the Big Dipper is called the great bear by others, and the Wain by still yet others. Viewed from a certain perspective, it does resemble the outline of an old-time farm wagon, hence its name. Some have associated wain with bear because of this, but it's actually two different imaginations at work.

targe(pronounced "tarj)-a large, light, round shield as opposed to "target", a SMALL round shield, which IS found in the AV.

pipkin-a small pot with a horizontal handle

popinjay-a strutting, vain, proud, or supercilious person, also, an expression of contempt for someone

faugh!-an expression of disgust, same as present "bah!"

palfrey-a small, gentle, horse, generally preferred by women riders in days of yore. This word is still occasionally used today.

woof-its old meaning was a woven fabric. That one threw me years ago until I saw it used in a good context.

An old word that's gone outta use in my lifetime-CATARRH, a term for almost any non-specific cold or flu-like illness. I found it only once in the old stories, but it appears quite often in the American literature of 100 years ago.