quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- impale (v.)
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[impale 词源字典] - 1520s, "to enclose with stakes, fence in," from Middle French empaler and directly from Medieval Latin impalare "to push onto a stake," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + Latin palus "a stake, prop, stay; wooden post, pole," from PIE *pak-slo-, from root *pag-/*pak- "to fasten" (see pact). Sense of "pierce with a pointed stake" (as torture or punishment) first recorded 1610s. Related: Impaled; impaling.[impale etymology, impale origin, 英语词源]
- pale (v.)
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- late 14c., "become pale; appear pale" (also, in Middle English, "to make pale"), from Old French paleir (12c.) or from pale (adj.). Related: Paled; paling.
- palisade (n.)
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- "a fence of stakes," c. 1600, from Middle French palissade (15c.), from Provençal palissada, from palissa "a stake or paling," from Gallo-Roman *palicea, from Latin palus "stake" (see pale (n.)). Military sense is attested from 1690s. The Palisades, along the Hudson River opposite New York City, so called by 1823.
- railing (n.)
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- "construction in which rails form an important part," early 15c., verbal noun from rail (v.2). Technically, railings (late 15c.) are horizontal, palings are vertical.
- jackie hangman
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- "South African term for fiscal (sense 2 of the noun)", Early 20th century: apparently so named because of the bird's habit of impaling its prey on long sharp thorns.