quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- faux (adj.)[faux 词源字典]
- from French faux "false" (12c., see false). Used with English words at least since 1676 (Etheredge, faux-prude). Used by itself, with French pronunciation, from 1980s to mean "fake."[faux etymology, faux origin, 英语词源]
- faux pas (n.)
- "breech of good manners, any act that compromises one's reputation," 1670s, French, literally "false step." See false and pace (n.).
- fave (n.)
- 1938, perhaps a "Variety" coinage, slang shortening of favorite (n.). Later also as an adjective.
- Favonius
- personification of the west wind in Roman mythology, from Latin Favonius, which de Vaan suggests is cognate with the god-name Faunus (see faun), from a prehistoric noun meaning "who favors" (see favor (n.)):
This also yields a good semantic motivation: the wind that stimulates vegetation can be called favourable. Favonius was regarded by the Romans as the herald of spring and the start of new vegetation (e.g. Cato Agr. 50.1, Cicero Ver. 5.27, Lucretius 1.11, Vitruvius 2.9.1).
The Latin word is the source (via Old High German phonno, 10c., via Vulgar Latin contraction *faonius) of German Föhn "warm, dry wind blowing down Alpine valleys." Related: Favonian. - favor (n.)
- c. 1300, "attractiveness, beauty, charm" (archaic), from Old French favor "a favor; approval, praise; applause; partiality" (13c., Modern French faveur), from Latin favorem (nominative favor) "good will, inclination, partiality, support," coined by Cicero from stem of favere "to show kindness to," from PIE *ghow-e- "to honor, revere, worship" (cognate: Old Norse ga "to heed").
Meaning "good will, kind regard" is from mid-14c. in English; sense of "act of kindness, a kindness done" is from late 14c. Meaning "bias, partiality" is from late 14c. Meaning "thing given as a mark of favor" is from late 15c. Phrase in favor of recorded from 1560s. - favor (v.)
- mid-14c., "to regard with favor, indulge, treat with partiality," from Old French favorer, from favor "a favor, partiality" (see favor (n.)). Meaning "to resemble, look somewhat like" is from c. 1600. Related: Favored; favoring.
- favorable (adj.)
- late 14c., "kind, friendly," from Old French favorable "well-disposed, favorable, partial," from Latin favorabilis "favored, in favor," from favor "good will, partiality" (see favor (n.)). Meaning "advantageous" is from mid-15c. In Middle English it also meant "attractive, pleasing, agreeable." Related: Favorably.
- favored (adj.)
- 1725, "enjoying unusual advantages," past-participle adjective from favor (v.). In compounds, "resembling, simulating," from c. 1400 (for example, well-favored "good-looking;" worst-favored "ugliest").
- favorite (n.)
- "person or thing regarded with especial liking," 1580s, from Middle French favorit, perhaps via Italian favorito, noun use of past participle of favorire, from favore, from Latin favorem "inclination, partiality, support" (see favor (n.)).
Especially, "a person who gains dominant influence over a superior" (1590s). In racing, attested from 1813. As an adjective, by 1711. Favorite son in figurative use is from 1788. As a corresponding noun, "person who promotes the interests of another," Latin had fautor, hence Old French fauteur, Middle English fautour (early 14c.), but it has perished along with its fem. form fautress. - favoritism (n.)
- 1763, from favorite + -ism.
- favour
- chiefly British English spelling of favor (q.v.); for spelling, see -or. Related: Favourite; favouritism.
- favourable (adj.)
- chiefly British English spelling of favorable; for spelling, see -or. Related: Favourably.
- favous (adj.)
- "resembling a honeycomb," 1670s, from Latin favus "honeycomb" + -ous.
- fawn (n.)
- "young deer," mid-14c., from Anglo-French (late 13c.), Old French (12c.) faon, feon "young animal," especially "young deer," from Vulgar Latin *fetonem (nominative *feto), from Latin fetus "a bringing forth; an offspring" (see fetus). It was used of the young of any animal as recently as King James I's private translation of the Psalms, but the sense has been mainly of deer since 15c. Color use is by 1881.
- fawn (v.)
- Old English fægnian "rejoice, be glad, exult, applaud," from fægen "glad" (see fain); used in Middle English to refer to expressions of delight, especially a dog wagging its tail (early 13c.), hence "court favor, grovel, act slavishly" (early 14c.). Related: Fawned; fawning.
- fawney (n.)
- "finger-ring," 1781, colloquial, from Irish fainne "ring."
- fawning (adj.)
- mid-14c., present-participle adjective from fawn (v.). Related: Fawningly.
- fax (n.)
- 1948, in reference to the technology, short for facsimile (telegraphy). Meaning "a facsimile transmission" is by 1980. The verb attested by 1970. Related: Faxed; faxing.
Futurists predict that a "fax" terminal in the house or business office may someday complement or even replace the mail-carrier. ["Scientific American," 1972]
- fay (n.)
- "fairy," late 14c., from Old French fae (12c., Modern French fée), from Vulgar Latin *fata "goddess of fate," fem. singular of Latin fata (neuter plural), literally "the Fates" (see fate (n.)). Adjective meaning "homosexual" is attested from 1950s.
- Fay
- fem. proper name, in some cases from Middle English fei, Old French fei "faith," or else from fay "fairy."