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OT - maybe - a word for TiaMary!
From: Wordsmith
To: Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bedizen X-Unsubscribe: To sign-off, visit http://wordsmith.org/awad/unsubscribe.html bedizen (bi-DY-zuhn) verb tr. To dress or decorate in a showy or gaudy manner. [From be- + dizen, from [possibly Low German] disen (to put flax on a distaff for spinning), from dis- (bunch of flax).] Today's word and the word distaff share the same origin, dis- (a bunch of flax). A distaff is a staff with a cleft for holding wool, flax, etc. from which thread is drawn while being spun by hand. In olden times, spinning was considered a woman's work, so distaff figuratively referred to women. Distaff side (also spindle side) refers to the female side of a family. The corresponding male equivalent of the term is spear side (also sword side). Distaffs and spears are long gone -- what would be the modern stereotypical replacements of these terms? -- Cheryl Isaak AHS Region 4, USDA Zone 4B/5A growing, stitching and reading in NH |
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"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
... From: Wordsmith To: Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bedizen X-Unsubscribe: To sign-off, visit http://wordsmith.org/awad/unsubscribe.html bedizen (bi-DY-zuhn) verb tr. To dress or decorate in a showy or gaudy manner. [From be- + dizen, from [possibly Low German] disen (to put flax on a distaff for spinning), from dis- (bunch of flax).] Today's word and the word distaff share the same origin, dis- (a bunch of flax). A distaff is a staff with a cleft for holding wool, flax, etc. from which thread is drawn while being spun by hand. In olden times, spinning was considered a woman's work, so distaff figuratively referred to women. Distaff side (also spindle side) refers to the female side of a family. The corresponding male equivalent of the term is spear side (also sword side). Distaffs and spears are long gone -- what would be the modern stereotypical replacements of these terms? I've run across the word distaff in my reading before Bedizen is new on me, though. Rachel |
#3
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Cheryl Isaak wrote:
Distaffs and spears are long gone -- what would be the modern stereotypical replacements of these terms? Men and women? Male & female? LOL! Sorry, couldn't help myself! How 'bout Matriarch & Patriarch? Maternal/Paternal? Depends on how it's used, I guess. -- Joan See my first-ever design he http://www.heritageshoppe.com/joan.jpg "Stitch when you are young and poor, frame when you are old and rich." - Elizabeth's (rctn'r) sister's MIL (Barbara Marr) |
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