jueves, 20 de junio de 2013

Words derived from the names of places

ag'ate, a precious stone: "Achates," a river in Sicily where it is found.

al'abaster, a variety of soft marble: "Alabastrum," in Egypt, where it is found.

ar'ras, tapestry: "Arras," in France, where it is manufactured.

arte'sian, applied to wells made by boring into the earth till the instrument reaches water which flows from internal pressure: "Artois" (anciently called Artesium), in France, where many of such wells have been made.

At'tic, marked by such qualities as characterized the Athenians, as delicate wit, purity of style, elegance, etc.: "Attica," the country of the Athenians.

ban'tam, a small domestic fowl: "Bantam," in Java, whence it was brought.

barb, a Barbary horse: "Barbary," in Africa.

bay'onet, a dagger fixed on the end of a musket: "Bayonne," in France, where it was invented, in 1679.

bedlam, a lunatic asylum: "Bethlehem," a monastery in London, afterwards used as an asylum for lunatics.

bur'gundy, a French wine: "Burgundy," where it is made.

cal'ico, a kind of cotton cloth: "Calicut," in India, where it was first manufactured.

cana'ry, a wine and a bird: the "Canary" Islands.

can'ter, an easy gallop: "Canterbury," in allusion to the easy pace at which the pilgrims used to ride thither.

car'ronade, a short cannon: "Carron," in Scotland, where it was first made.

cash'mere, a rich shawl, from the wool of the Thibet goat: "Cashmere," the country where first made.

chalced'ony, a variety of uncrystalized quartz: "Chalcedon," in Asia Minor, where obtained.

champagne', a wine: "Champagne," in France, where produced.

cher'ry, a red stoned fruit: "Cerasus" (now Kheresoun), in Pontus, Asia Minor, whence the tree was imported into Italy.

chest'nut, a fruit: "Castanea," in Macedonia, whence it was introduced into Europe.

cog'nac, a kind of French brandy: "Cognac," in France, where extensively made.

cop'per, a metal: "Cyprus," once celebrated for its rich mines of the metal.

cord'wainer, a worker in cordwain, or cordovan, a Spanish leather: "Cordova," in Spain.

curaçoa', a liquor or cordial flavored with orange peel: the island of "Curaçoa," where it was first made.

cur'rant, a small dried grape: "Corinth," in Greece, of which "currant" is a corruption.

dam'ask, figured linen or silk: "Damascus," in Syria, where first made.

dam'son, a small black plum: (shortened from "Damascene") Damascus.

delf, a kind of earthenware: "Delft," in Holland, where it was orignally made.

di'aper, a figured linen cloth, used for towels, napkins, etc.: "Ypres," in Flanders, where originally manufactured.

dim'ity, a figured cotton cloth: "Damietta," in Egypt.

gamboge', a yellow resin used as a paint: "Cambodia, where it is obtained.

ging'ham, cotton cloth, made of yarn dyed before woven: "Guincamp," in France, where it was first made.

guin'ea, an English gold coin of the value of twenty-one shillings: "Guinea," whence the gold was obtained out of which it was first struck.

gyp'sy, one of a wandering race: old English "Gyptian," from "Egypt," whence the race was supposed to have originated.

hol'land, a kind of linen cloth: "Holland," where first made.

hol'lands, a spirit flavored with juniper berries: "Holland," where it is extensively produced..

in'digo, a blue dye: "India".

jal'ap, a cathartic medicine: "Jalapa," in Mexico, whence it was first imported in 1610.

jet, a mineral used for ornament: "Gagates," a river in Asia Minor, whence it was obtained.

lan'dau, lan'daulet, a kind of carriage opening at the top: "Landau," a town in Germany.

madei'ra, a wine: "Madeira," where produced.

magne'sia, a primitive earth: "Magnesia," in Thessaly.

mag'net, the loadstone, or Magnesian stone.

malm'sey, a wine: "Malvasia," in the Morea.

mar'sala, a wine: "Marsala," in Sicily.

mean'der, to flow in a winding course: "Meander," a winding river in Asia Minor.

mil'liner, one who makes ladies' bonnets, etc.: "Milan," in Italy.

moroc'co, a fine kind of leather: "Morocco," in Africa, where it was originally made.

nankeen', a buff-colored cloth: "Nankin," in China, where first made.

pheas'ant, a bird whose flesh is highly valued as food: "Phasis," a river in Asia Minor, whence it was brought to Europe.

pis'tol, a small hand gun: "Pistoja," in Italy, where first made.

port, a wine: "Oporto," in Portugal, whence extensively shipped.

sardine', a small Mediterranean fish, of the herring family: "Sardinia" around whose coasts the fish abounds.

sauterne', a wine: "Sauterne," in France, where produced.

sher'ry, a wine: "Xeres," in Spain, where it is largely manufactured.

span'iel, a dog of remarkable sagacity: "Hispaniola," now Hayti, where originally found.

tar'iff, a list of duties or customs to be paid on goods imported or exported: from an Arabic word, tarif, information.

to'paz, a precious stone: "Topazos," an island in the Red Sea, where it is found.

trip'oli, a fine grained earth used in polishing stones: "Tripoli," in Africa, where originally obtained.

turquois', a bluish-green stone: "Turkey," whence it was originally brought.

worst'ed, well-twisted yarn, spun of long-staple wool: "Worsted," a village in Norfolk, England, where first made.

William SWINTON, New Word-Analysis.