Terrier

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Terrier

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:53 pm

• terrier •


Pronunciation: ter-ri-yêr • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. Small feisty dog originally used for hunting small game that hides in burrows, known for their tenacity. 2. (Historical) A register of landed property.

Notes: The second meaning of this word surprised me, especially its use in 2010. However, modern usage seems to be limited to old legal documents. The dog called "terrier" is the only modern use. Like all uncommonized animal names, this one comes to us from the lexical orphanage.

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In Play: When we hear this word, all English-speakers think of dogs: "Alwyn Rowbottom of Tullamore has been showing his terriers for the past five years." However, since they are known for their tenacity, we often hear the word in similes: "Roche worked like a terrier on Mills' campaign to keep the park for posterity." The second sense is used today only in historical contexts: "She found a 17th-century terrier of her ancestors in an old tin box in the attic."

Word History: Today's Good Word is the French adjective terrier "pertaining to the earth, land, dirt" used as a noun. The earliest usage of this word is Old French chien terrier "earth dog", but by Middle French it was joined by the phrases registre terrier "land register" and papier terrier "rent roll". Terrier was inherited by French from Medieval Latin terrarius "of earth, land", the adjective from Latin terra "earth, land", demised to Latin from PIE ters- "(to) dry", which also underlies English thirst and German Durst "thirst". Toast in Middle English was tosten without the R. It was borrowed from Old French toster, from Vulgar Latin tostare, the frequentative of Latin torrere "to parch, burn". (Now, let's all give a gracious nod to our constant companion of many years Jackie Strauss, who saw linguistic possibilities in the name of her pet's breed.)
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David Myer
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Re: Terrier

Postby David Myer » Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:12 pm

I was last week contemplating the distinction between a terrier and a hound. It was suggested to me that a hound is a hunter where a terrier goes after vermin. And whilst that is probably broadly right, this etymology of terrier (which is clearly also a hunter) suggests that it goes hunting underground - rabbits, rats... A hound is used by people for hunting things that people may eventually eat - pheasants, deer etc. But where that leaves beagles (hounds) and fox terriers who hunt foxes, I don't know.

Philip Hudson
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Re: Terrier

Postby Philip Hudson » Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:30 pm

I avoid all dogs and speaking of them. I found the word cynophobia ‌in the dictionary as the name for the fear of dogs. I suppose I have it. phobias are real. To me a terrier would be a terror.
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David Myer
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Re: Terrier

Postby David Myer » Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:20 am

And a hound a horror?

Philip Hudson
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Re: Terrier

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Sep 18, 2021 4:11 am

During my childhood in the hinterlands, listening to hounds and interpreting what they were saying was deemed an art. "There's old Bowser," the hunting sage would remark confidently. "He just treed his-self a great big coon."
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

George Kovac
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Re: Terrier

Postby George Kovac » Wed Oct 06, 2021 12:51 pm

The underlying French word covers a lot of territory and has enriched English in many unexpected ways, from dogs to wines. Ambitious descriptions of wine often refer to the grape's terroir, the soil and climactic conditions giving the wine its distinctive flavor and aroma.

For more related words, search the entries in the alpha agora under "tureen" and "terroirism."
"Every battle of ideas is fought on the terrain of language." Zia Haider Rahman, New York Times 4/8/2016

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Re: Terrier

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:14 pm

For my description of terrorism, click here—just below terrier in the GW dictionary.
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