grig vote tallies
Jean-Joseph Cote
jjcote at juno.com
Mon Feb 26 21:55:32 EST 2001
>Jean-Joseph adds:
>Hmm... checking the dictionary now, I guess it's the "lively person", as
one
>usage example listed is "merry as a grig", meaning "lively", although
the
>actual definitions were 1) a small eel, and 2) a grasshopper or cricket,
>suggesting that the immature newt wasn't too far off. ("Merry as a small
>eel"?!?)
>
>Interesting. My dictionary says nothing about eels, but does classify
the
>word as archaic. I wonder if my dictionary has been sloppy about the
>origin of this...Similarly, several people pointed out that my first
word
>choice, guerdon, referred to a coin, whereas my dictionary specified
>non-monetary reward...perhaps another case of slacking on the etymology.
>-Fran
I guess I should note that the dictionary I used was the Concise Oxford
(a normal sort of book, not to be confused with the Compact Oxford),
which is a decidedly British book. (I have no idea why the guy I work
for has it on his bookshelf, but it's the only dictionary we have here at
the office.)
Jean-Joseph
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