1. Shrift
Oxford English
Dictionary defines ‘shrift’ as an archaic word meaning a confession, especially
to a priest, or an absolution by a priest. But, people hardly use this word.
What they use it for is to complete the ｅxpression, short shrift. Though the
archaic meaning of it is little time between condemnation and execution or
punishment, it has now come to mean a rapid and unsympathetic dismissal or a
curt treatment, having undergone a huge change in meaning and usage.
2. Umbrage
The archaic meaning of
the word is shade or shadow, especially as cast by trees. It is derived from the
Latin word umbra meaning shadow. A sense in which the word was earlier used was
‘shadowy outline, which gave rise to ‘ground for suspicion’. This notion has
probably been altered enough to the current idea, i.e. offense or annoyance.
However, the word is not really used without some form of the verb, ‘take’,
hence turning its usage into one within an ｅxpression.
3. Lurch
Leaving someone in the
lurch would mean to leave someone without assistance abruptly in the middle of
trouble. The word ‘lurch’ also means unsteady, uncontrolled movement. While the
latter meaning is derived from the late 17th century usage as a noun that
denoted the sudden leaning of a ship, the other meaning may have come from the
6th century French word, lourche, a game resembling backgammon, where the phrase
demeurer lurche meaning ‘be discomfited’ was used.
4. Fro
The only way we use
‘fro’ these days is in the ｅxpression, ‘to and fro’ which denotes constant back
and forth movements. It is actually derived from the way in which the pronoun,
‘from’ was pronounced by in the Northern English or Scottish style. But, this
remnant of the archaically pronounced word was once also used in other
ｅxpressions, such as, ‘to do fro’ meaning ‘to remove’, or ‘of or fro’ meaning
‘for or against’, but, none of them have lasted.
5. Kith
The word is used as a
part of the ｅxpression, ‘kith and kin’, and is not used individually. It has
been derived from an Old English word which was a reference to knowledge or
acquaintance. It also meant ‘one’s native land’ and ‘friends and neighbours’. In
fact, ‘kith and kin’ as a phrase originally denoted the country and relatives of
a person. However, it took a wider sense of the one’s relations, which has
survived till today.
6. Roughshod
The commonly used
ｅxpression with this word now is ‘to run/ride roughshod’ over someone or
something. The ｅxpression means tyrannizing or treating harshly. Archaically, it
described the 17th century version of a snow tire. For a better grip on the
slippery roads, the rough-shod horses used to have their shoes attached with
protruding nail heads. Perhaps the current meaning has been derived keeping in
mind how someone would feel on being trodden on by such a horse.
7. Dint
The word means a dent
or hollow in a surface, and is more commonly used in the form of the ｅxpression,
‘by dint of’ something, meaning ‘because of’ something or ‘due to the efforts
of’ something. However, the archaic usage of the word was too refer to a blow or
stroke, especially one made using a weapon during fighting. Though ‘dint’ has
lost its original meaning and is hardly used as an individual word, its meaning
still bears the essence of its old usage.
8. Deserts
When we say ‘just
deserts’, the idiom has nothing to do with the dry stretches of sandy land, or
the alienation. The 13th century usage of the word was to mean ‘that which is
deserved’ and is comes from the Old French word meaning ‘deserve’. The modern
usage of the word to mean ‘abandon’ is possibly derived from the word desertus,
a Latin word which means, ‘left waste’. It is not to be confused with ‘just
desserts’ which is non-standard as is often used as a pun for bakery names,
etc.
9. Sleight
The word ‘sleight’ is
often wrongly written as ‘slight’. Used in the phrase, ‘sleight of hand,’ the
word ‘sleight’ originates from a Middle English word referring to dexterity and
cunning used for the purpose of deceiving. But, the phrase refers to light and
nimble fingers, which bears the essence of slightness. The alternative
ｅxpression, ‘legerdemain’, is derived from the French ‘léger de main’, meaning
‘light of hand’.
10. Hue
‘Hue and cry’ is an
ｅxpression which stands for loud clamour or outcry of the crowd. Individually,
the word ‘hue’ means ‘colour’, as well as character. The meaning ‘colour’ is
derived from an Old English word, híew or hēow, which referred to ‘appearance’.
This originally German word is now obsolete except in Scots. The word could also
be related to the Swedish word hy referring to skin or complexion, and the sense
of shade or colour came into being from the mid-19th century.
Thus, many words have changed in meanings completely, while other have assumed a related meaning. However, in case of idioms and phrases, some English words assume meanings or usages that are quite detached from their original or archaic meanings. How the derivations or aberrations have taken place is often a matter of debate.