Terms from Early History

I've always found language, words, and etymology fascinating. I guess that's part of being a writer. Here are some words that come to us from the Middle Ages:

Floors in Medieval houses were covered with thresh after the grain harvest. To keep it from blowing away when the doors were opened, a ledge was build under the door. The "threshold" was designed to hold in the thresh.

When William the Conqueror decided to gather an army and move into England in 1066, he let it be known that fighting men with no family or household allegiance would be welcome to join him in this adventure. These men were “free lances,” giving us the modern term “freelance” when referring to independent workers.

At a certain time of night, William the Conqueror ordered "couvre-feu" (cover the fire). All candles and lamps were to be extinguished to prevent fires. In Middle English, this term was shortened to "curfeu," which eventually became "curfew," a time when people were curtailed from venturing out for safety reasons.

If at all possible, an archer would carry a spare string for his bow in case the first one broke. The term "second string" came to refer to an alternate of any kind.

A medieval archer needed to keep his bowstring dry so it wouldn't expand and become too loose in the bow. To keep it both dry and easy to reach but out of the elements and out of sight, he would "keep it under his hat." The natural oils in his hair would also help protect it. The phrase came to mean keep a secret or to hide something.

In England, when jousting in a non-aggressive match, one not meant to kill or maim, knights would often aim for the crest on top of the helmet. The defeated knight who lost his crest would then be "crestfallen."
In France, the knight usually wore brightly colored plumes ("panache" in French) atop his helmet. "Panache" has evolved to mean a brave act or something done in style.

Coins, the only form of money in medieval times, were made by gripping a die tightly in one hand and hitting it firmly with a hammer held in the other. Therefore, the money was made "hand over fist," a term that came to mean making a sizable amount of money quickly.

Wooden frames used to transport hunting birds were called "codges." They were lightweight, and the task of taking them to the site of the hunt normally fell to an elderly, trusted servant. This is where we get the term, "old codger."

As you can see, sometimes etymology can become a study of history. That's another reason why I love it.

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