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dating from the 14th century, is a variant spelling of “perilous,'’ but “parlous" carries the cinnamon taste of mockery.
Several years ago, at the time of Desert Storm, a letter writer in the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald said that persons who opposed the war “fringed on treason." The verb dates from the 15th century.
A historian, writing about President Kennedy, said his most important contribution was “to legitimate idealism.” That verb dates from 1531a vintage year, for 1531 also produced “to obsess,” as in The Washington Post's comment that “the way people obsess over AIDS knows no boundaries.”
The i91h century produced a number of words that recently have been reurrected. The small town of Chesnee, S.C. (pop. 1.069) was having a problem a year or so ago with sidewalk evangelists on Sunday afternoons. The town council took action: “City, fries to Quieten Its Street Preachers." The verb “'to quieten" appeared about 1828.
Last April The New York Times carried a feature on the Balkans: “The Turks were driven from most of the Balkans in the 19th century and were replaced by rivalrous European powers."
Rivalrous? I like it. The adjective dates from 1805, though it rarely appears. The Times used it precisely. Those succeeding powers weren't necessarily rivals of the l urks; they were rivals of one another hence, rivalrous.
Etymology, the tracing of word origins, is Bill Satire's particular province, but all of us can love the way words work their way into the womb of language. Some are cast off. Some make it to old age. Right now I’m raising an eyebrow at “outrageful, ” quoted in the San Antonio Express-News. I don't believe it serves any purpose not already served by “outrageous." but I'm not going to bloviate about it.
Copyright 1994
Universal Press Svndicate
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