"Ute" is not to be ignored for lack of obvious parentage. At the bottom of many etymologies is a word that simply came into being without any known precursor.
Wikipedia finds enough information about Utes to make the word perfectly respectable.
Search found 16 matches
- Fri Apr 19, 2024 4:38 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: ute/Ute
- Replies: 2
- Views: 861
- Fri Apr 05, 2024 6:30 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: ute/Ute
- Replies: 2
- Views: 861
ute/Ute
This word has two distinct meanings, distinguished principally by whether the first letter is capitalised or not. The meanings are geographically separated. ute ▸ noun: (Australia, New Zealand) A small vehicle based on the same platform as a family car but with a unibody construction and a built-in ...
- Fri Mar 29, 2024 1:17 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Exodic
- Replies: 1
- Views: 684
Exodic
Collins English Dictionary exodic in British English ADJECTIVE 1. of or relating to an exodus 2. physiology (of the motor or efferent nerves) transporting influences away from the spinal cord I came across this word today in connection with early maps of the "Holy Land". They tended to inc...
- Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:29 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Irritate
- Replies: 2
- Views: 990
Re: Irritate
Frequently (in the UK at least), confused with "aggravate". I find this irritating.
- Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:27 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Apothecary
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1707
Re: Apothecary
I have seldom, if ever, heard "druggist" used. I suspect that the obvious association with "recreational/illegal drug user" may reduce the likelihood of it being used in polite society.
- Thu Jan 25, 2024 5:31 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Apothecary
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1707
Re: Apothecary
My own experience is that "the British" are increasing calling these businesses "pharmacies" and many, if not most, label themselves thus. There is a distinction between businesses that employ qualified pharmacists and are permitted to dispense medical prescriptions and those who...
- Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:54 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Scavenger
- Replies: 3
- Views: 14494
Re: Scavenger
Quite right, but the Dec 20 Good Word lists the first meaning as "British) A street cleaner". To the best of my knowledge, the street cleaner meaning is no longer current in Britain and has not been for a very long time.
- Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:13 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Good Words Five Days a Week
- Replies: 22
- Views: 42181
Re: Good Words Five Days a Week
I go along with much of what has already been said. I voted No because I cannot have too much of this sort of stimulation. I will confess that I do not at the moment even read the posts daily but I save them up so that I can have a little feast from time to time. Nothing wrong with a repeat now and ...
- Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:50 pm
- Forum: Grammar
- Topic: Literally or Not
- Replies: 17
- Views: 54265
Re: Literally or Not
I completely accept that languages and meaning can change over time. "Literally" is one of many words that have become debased over time. I have my favourites that annoy me most and these are ones where numeric values have changed such as "decimate" = "reduce by one tenth&qu...
- Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:17 pm
- Forum: Grammar
- Topic: The Case of the Sinister Buttocks
- Replies: 4
- Views: 22332
Re: The Case of the Sinister Buttocks
The article, especially the second example, shows the familiar problem of automated translation attempts where word-by-word dictionary lookups are used. More modern translation tools try to work on phrase or word-group matching and are often more successful because of it. I am reminded of the hilari...
- Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:46 pm
- Forum: Pronunciation
- Topic: Uptalk
- Replies: 4
- Views: 25501
Re: Uptalk
I'm not at all sure that uptalk is completely new in British English. I am sure it has always been there as long as I can remember. In earlier days though, I would say that it was used in the context of repeating the sense of what someone else had said, possibly prefaced with "Do you mean to sa...
- Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:30 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Brummagem
- Replies: 1
- Views: 4384
Brummagem
As well as fake etc., there is a general use of Brummagem, or more often Brummie (maybe Brummy) in connection with an assumption that the city's inhabitants are a little slow-witted or just plain dim. I hasten to add that this is not my own experience or judgment. A classic example is "Brummage...
- Wed Jan 29, 2014 10:07 am
- Forum: Spelling
- Topic: into, inhere, within, herein
- Replies: 4
- Views: 24857
Re: into, inhere, within, herein
There are parallels in our language's German roots: darin= in there, in that or just inside; darunter = underneath (it) and similar.
Other like the Scottish "outwith" serve to leave one wondering about the subtle distinction from "without".
Other like the Scottish "outwith" serve to leave one wondering about the subtle distinction from "without".
- Thu Aug 18, 2005 2:02 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: STATESMAN
- Replies: 8
- Views: 16634
- Sun Aug 14, 2005 5:56 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: TRENCHERMAN
- Replies: 6
- Views: 15829
Having only just ventured into this Agora, starting by seeming to disagree with the Good Dr Goodword is perhaps presumptuous. However , although not disputing the basic origin of trencherman , I had always been of the opinion that it is a formation from trencher , meaning a wooden plate or board on ...