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chopstick [chopstick 词源字典]: chopstick: [17] A chopstick is literally a ‘quick stick’. The element chop occurs more recognizably in chop-chop ‘quickly’; it is a Pidgin English modification of Cantonese Chinese gap ‘urgent’. ‘Quick stick’ is a rather free translation of the Chinese term for ‘chopsticks’, Cantonese kuàizi, literally ‘fast ones, nimble ones’.
=> chop-chop[chopstick etymology, chopstick origin, 英语词源]
autopsy (n.): 1650s, "an eye-witnessing," from Modern Latin autopsia, from Greek autopsia "a seeing with one's own eyes," from autos- "self" (see auto-) + opsis "a sight" (see eye (n.)). Sense of "dissection of a body to determine cause of death" is first recorded 1670s, probably from the same sense in French autopsie (1570s).
biopsy (n.): 1895, from French biopsie, coined by French dermatologist Ernest Besnier (1831-1909) from Greek bi- comb. form of bios "life" (see bio-) + opsis "a sight" (see eye (n.)). As a verb, from 1964.
chops (n.): "jaws, sides of the face," c. 1500, perhaps a variant of chaps (n.2) in the same sense, which is of unknown origin.
chopstick (n.): also chop-stick, 1690s, sailors' partial translation of Chinese k'wai tse, variously given as "fast ones" or "nimble boys," first element from pidgin English chop, from Cantonese kap "urgent." Chopsticks, the two-fingered piano exercise, is first attested 1893, probably from the resemblance of the fingers to chopsticks.
copse (n.): 1570s, "small wood grown for purposes of periodic cutting," contraction of coppice.
cyclops (n.): (plural cyclopes), 1510s, from Latin, from Greek kyklops, literally "round-eyed," from stem of kyklos (see cycle (n.)) + -ops (see eye (n.)). One of a race of one-eyed giants who forged thunderbolts for Zeus, built the walls of Mycenae, etc.
dropsical (adj.): 1680s; see dropsy + -ical.
dropsy (n.): late 13c., a shortening of Middle English ydropsy, from Old French idropsie, from Latin hydropsis, from Greek hydrops (genitive hydropos) "dropsy," from hydor "water" (see water (n.1)).
hopscotch: 1801 (from 1789 as hop-scot), from hop (v.) + scotch (n.2) "scratch," from the lines scored in the dirt to make the squares for the game.
lopsided (adj.): also lop-sided, 1711, originally lapsided, first used of ships; from lop (v.2) + side (n.). Related: Lopsidedly; lopsidedness.
mopstick (n.): 1710, from mop (n.) + stick (n.).
necropsy (n.): "post-mortem examination," 1839, from necro- + opsis "a sight" (see eye (n.)). As a verb, recorded from 1889.
oops: "a natural exclamation" [OED] of surprise at doing something awkward, but attested only from 1933 (compare whoops).
opsimathy (n.): 1650s, from Greek opsimathia "learning late in life," from opse "late" (related to opiso "backward," opisthen "behind") + manthanein "to learn" (see mathematic). Related: Opsimath (n.).
paratroops (n.): 1940, from parachute + plural of troop (n.).
popsicle (n.): 1923, trademark name registered by Frank Epperson of Oakland, Calif., presumably from (lolly)pop + (ic)icle.
popster (n.): pop-culture enthusiast, 1963, from pop (adj.)+ -ster.
Shropshire: shortened form of the old spelling of Shrewsbury + shire.
synopsis (n.): 1610s, "a general view, an outline," from Late Latin synopsis "a synopsis," from Greek synopsis "a general view," literally "a seeing altogether, a seeing all at once," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + opsis "sight, appearance," from PIE *okw- "to see" (see eye (n.)).
tops (n.): "the best," 1935, American English colloquial, from top (n.1).
topsoil (n.): also top-soil, 1789, from top (adj.) + soil (n.).
Topsy: slave-girl character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1852), immortal in cliche for her response to a question about her origin put to her by the pious Northern abolitionist Miss Ophelia:
"Have you ever heard anything about God, Topsy?"
The child looked bewildered, but grinned, as usual.
"Do you know who made you?"
"Nobody as I knows on," said the child, with a short laugh.
The idea appeared to amuse her considerably; for her eyes twinkled, and she added--
"I spect I grow'd. Don't think nobody never made me."
In addition to being often misquoted by the addition of a "just" (or "jes'"), the line is sometimes used inappropriately in 20c. writing to indicate something that got large without anyone intending it to.
topsy-turvy (adv.): 1520s, "but prob. in popular use from an earlier period" [OED]; compare top over terve "to fall over" (mid-15c.); likely from tops, plural of top (n.1) "highest point" + obsolete terve "turn upside down, topple over," from Old English tearflian "to roll over, overturn," from Proto-Germanic *terbanan (cognates: Old High German zerben "to turn round"). Century Dictionary calls it "A word which, owing to its popular nature, its alliterative type, and to ignorance of its origin, leading to various perversions made to suggest some plausible origin, has undergone, besides the usual variations of spelling, extraordinary modifications of form." It lists 31 variations. As an adjective from 1610s.
triceratops (n.): dinosaur genus, 1890, from Greek trikeratos "three-horned" + ops "face," literally "eye," from PIE *okw- "to see" (see eye (n.)). The first element is from tri- "three" (see three) + keras (genitive keratos) "horn" (see kerato-).
whoops: exclamation of dismay, 1925; see oops.
opsimath: "A person who begins to learn or study only late in life", Late 19th century: from Greek opsimathēs, from opse 'late' + the stem math- 'learn'.
aegilops: " Medicine . An abscess or ulcer of the inner canthus of the eye, especially when involving a lacrimal duct or the lacrimal sac", Late 16th cent.; earliest use found in John Banister (1532/3–?1610), surgeon. From classical Latin aegilops ulcer in the eye, lacrimal fistula, species of oak tree, species of grass from Hellenistic Greek αἰγίλωψ ulcer in the eye, lacrimal fistula, species of oak tree, species of grass, of uncertain origin, perhaps two (or three) separate words.
monopsony: "A market situation in which there is only one buyer", 1930s: from mono- 'one' + Greek opsōnein 'buy provisions' + -y³.
oligopsony: "A state of the market in which only a small number of buyers exists for a product", 1940s: from oligo- 'small number' + Greek opsōnein 'buy provisions', on the pattern of monopsony.
monopsonist: "The single buyer or consumer in a monopsony; a monopsony buyer", 1930s. From monopsony + -ist. Compare monopsonistic.
monopsonistic: "Relating to or characterized by monopsony; that is a monopsonist", 1930s. From monopsony + -istic, after monopsonist.
achromatopsia: "Inability to distinguish between some or (usually) all colours; absence, severe impairment, or loss of colour vision; colour blindness, especially monochromatism", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in The Lancet. From German Achromatopsie, †Achromatopsia from ancient Greek ἀχρώματος + Hellenistic Greek -οψία.
props: "Due respect", 1990s: from proper respect.
ampelopsis: "A bushy climbing plant of the vine family", Modern Latin, from Greek ampelos 'vine' + opsis 'appearance'.