Sweat

[David Myer]

Contemplating Churchill's offer of blood, toil, tears and sweat, I marvelled at the glory of these old English words with no Latin or Greek origin to be seen. How powerful is the language. But sweat is particularly interesting because I can't think of another word in English ending in -eat that is pronounced -et. They are all pronounced -eet. beat, feat, seat, repeat... So why is this one -et?

Incidentally, if the re- in repeat means again, surely peat is a word? Not as in peat bogs; that's different of course. But peat as in do or say something. Is there a history here?

[call_copse]

Nice word. Great is even weirder IMO

[Audiendus]

I can't think of another word in English ending in -eat that is pronounced -et.

There is "threat".

Incidentally, if the re- in repeat means again, surely peat is a word? Not as in peat bogs; that's different of course. But peat as in do or say something. Is there a history here?

"Repeat" comes indirectly from the Latin petere. See the explanation here:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/repeat

[David Myer]

Most interesting. Thanks Audiendus.

So it looks like peat is fair. I will peat this to my friends - the pedantic semanticists will be amused