New on LowEndTalk? Please Register and read our Community Rules.
All new Registrations are manually reviewed and approved, so a short delay after registration may occur before your account becomes active.
All new Registrations are manually reviewed and approved, so a short delay after registration may occur before your account becomes active.
REAL DEALS HERE -- WIN BIG WITH THOUSANDS IN PRIZES + RackNerd's NEW YEAR OFFERS! (New Year 2024)
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Blood is thicker than water
You probably think this means you should always put family ahead of friends. In fact, it originally may have meant the opposite. The full maxim was “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,” with covenant referring to friendship. In other words, it was your friends—your blood brothers, if you will—who were with you through thick and thin.
Katsura trees, native to Asia, are valued for their heart-shaped leaves and sweet scent
Till the cows come home
Clearly, this has to do with cattle curfews, right? It sort of does. Cows were often milked in their barns at night, making that task one of the last on a farmer’s to-do list (but let’s hope he wouldn’t wait forever to do the job, the way the phrase implies now). The expression has been around since at least the late 1500s and is likely to continue until … well, you know.
The hinoki cypress tree, native to Japan, has aromatic wood used in construction
The honey locust tree has pods containing sweet pulp, attracting animals and birds
WELCOME TO PAGE 472 - IT"S A MYSTERY WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE !!!
Cute (Dates to 1731)
Today’s Meaning: Pretty in a youthful way.
Original Meaning: Clever, shrewd. Nineteenth-century politician Thomas Chandler Haliburton used the word to describe a shady lawyer.
laceleaf maple tree, with finely dissected leaves, is admired for its ornamental value
Bully (Dates to 1538)
Today’s Meaning: Someone cruel to those weaker.
Original Meaning: Sweetheart. According to Merriam-Webster, it most likely came from the old Dutch word boel, meaning “lover.”
The velvet mesquite tree, native to the southwestern United States, has distinctive twisted branches
Prestigious (Dates to 1546)
Today’s Meaning: Honored.
Original Meaning: Involving trickery, illusion, or conjuring. Interesting…”prestigious” used to mean something a little closer to “presto”!
Matrix (Dates to 1555)
Today’s Meaning: Pattern of lines and spaces.
Original Meaning: Female breeding animal. This usage dates as far back as ancient Rome!
The guelder rose tree, native to Europe and Asia, produces clusters of red berries
Garble (Dates to the 1400s)
Today’s Meaning: Cause something to be confusing.
Original Meaning: Sift, separate out impurities. Almost the opposite meaning! These words mean the exact opposite of what you think they do.
The firethorn tree, with orange berries, is commonly used for hedging and landscaping
Nervous (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s Meaning: Jumpy.
Original Meaning: Sinewy or strong.
Assassin (Dates to the 1200s)
Today’s Meaning: Killer of a VIP.
Original Meaning: Hashish eater. “Hashish” is a hemp plant, and the word “assassin” comes from an Arabic word meaning “drug addict.”
Silly (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s Meaning: Foolish or frivolous. Here are some silly-sounding words you won’t believe are real.
Original Meaning: Innocent or pitiable.
The empress tree, with large heart-shaped leaves, is known for its rapid growth
Nice (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s Meaning: Kind, good.
Original Meaning: Foolish, wanton. If you didn’t know that “wanton” means reckless and hard to control, you might need to brush up on your vocab words.
Backlog (Dates to 1684)
Today’s Meaning: Large number of jobs to be done.
Original Meaning: Largest log in the hearth. Yes, “backlog” used to denote a literal log!
The umbrella magnolia tree has large leaves and produces fragrant, cup-shaped flowers
Dapper (Dates to the 1400s)
Today’s Meaning: Stylish.
Original Meaning: Brave. Either way, it’s an attractive quality!
The flowering cherry tree is prized for its ornamental blossoms in various shades
Girl (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s Meaning: Young female.
Original Meaning: Young person, either gender.
The English oak tree has deeply lobed leaves and is a symbol of strength and endurance
Fantastic (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s Meaning: Exceptionally good.
Original Meaning: Existing only in the imagination, like a fantasy.
Buxom (Dates to the 1100s)
Today’s Meaning: Large-breasted.
Original Meaning: Compliant or obedient. John Milton used it this way in Paradise Lost; he describes Death flying easily through “the buxom air.”
The daisy tree, also known as Montanoa bipinnatifida, has white, daisy-like flowers
Fizzle (Dates to 1598)
Today’s Meaning: Fail weakly, die out.
Original Meaning: Fart quietly.