Poison: c.1200, "a deadly potion or substance," also figuratively, from O.Fr. puison (12c.) "a drink," later "a potion, poisonous drink" (14c.), from L. potionem (nom. potio) "a drink," also "poisonous drink," from potare "to drink" (see potion). The Old English word was ator (see attercop) or lybb. Slang sense of "alcoholic drink" first attested 1805, American English.
In many Germanic languages "poison" is euphemistically named by a word equivalent to English gift (cf. O.H.G. gift, Danish and Swedish gift; Du. gift, vergift). This choice might have been aided by Gk. dosis "a portion prescribed," lit. "a giving," used by Galen and other Greek physicians to mean an amount of medicine (see dose).
Thanks, Jonathan for your comment and you, Mr. Clark, for your etymological dose of knowledge upon the origins of the word "poison"; speaking of fits, the current Greek word for "poison" is "δηλητήριο" which survives in English as "deleterious" and which may aptly be used to describe the doses of fiscal austerity we have been forced to ingest these past few years.
Reverses the saying that names can never hurt me.
ReplyDeleteClever poem Vassilis.
Many a slip from cup to lip, then?
ReplyDeletePoison: c.1200, "a deadly potion or substance," also figuratively, from O.Fr. puison (12c.) "a drink," later "a potion, poisonous drink" (14c.), from L. potionem (nom. potio) "a drink," also "poisonous drink," from potare "to drink" (see potion). The Old English word was ator (see attercop) or lybb. Slang sense of "alcoholic drink" first attested 1805, American English.
In many Germanic languages "poison" is euphemistically named by a word equivalent to English gift (cf. O.H.G. gift, Danish and Swedish gift; Du. gift, vergift). This choice might have been aided by Gk. dosis "a portion prescribed," lit. "a giving," used by Galen and other Greek physicians to mean an amount of medicine (see dose).
Hmmm... the gift that keeps on giving (one fits)?
Thanks, Jonathan for your comment and you, Mr. Clark, for your etymological dose of knowledge upon the origins of the word "poison"; speaking of fits, the current Greek word for "poison" is "δηλητήριο" which survives in English as "deleterious" and which may aptly be used to describe the doses of fiscal austerity we have been forced to ingest these past few years.
ReplyDelete