Saturday, December 4, 2010

Etymologies with Mr. Abrams

Gentrify: origionally to renovate innercity housing to mid-class standards, 1972. From the word gentry or gentrified whichh was used from the early 19th century.




Trepidation: This comes from the Latin word trepidatio, which means in state of alarm.



Atone: Origionated in the 1550s from the adverb Atonen "in accord". lIt is a contration of at and one. It is supposed to retain the older pronounciation of one. Modeled from unite.




Quagmire: Comes from the 1570s from obsolete 'quag' "bog marsh" +mire. It is the extended sense of a difficult situation.



Disdain: Origionated in the late 1300s from the word desdeignier.

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