MetaFilter posts tagged with english and etymology

Lord Love a Duck!

freshwater_pr0n — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:14:29 -0800

Ever wonder what a quocker-wodger was? Just what did they mean when they said that you were all kippers and curtains? Worldwidewords.org has the answer. "More than 1600 pages on the origins, history, evolution and idiosyncrasies of the English language worldwide." Word geeks, say goodbye to the rest of your afternoon.

The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey

nthdegx — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 11:41:15 -0800

The Origins and Common Usage of British Swear-words.

Online Etymology Dictionary

xmutex — Thu, 09 Dec 2004 14:06:45 -0800

Ever wondered why they use K to record a baseball strike? How about the origin of eavesdrop? What about vamping on a piano? All this and more at the Online Etymology Dictionary.

OED new words

mfoight — Mon, 22 Mar 2004 05:27:04 -0800

F-word now a word, as well as : twelve-incher, sheepshagger, and old man of the woods! The newest real English words now in the OED.