Tuesday, February 9, 2016

10 Everyday Words With Unsuspected Origins-- Part 1: Ostracize

From the June 10, 2013, Listverse by Andrew Handley.

10.  BLATANT (N) Completely lacking in subtlety, very obvious  Origin:  a thousand-tongued beast from hell.

9.  GEEK (N)  An unfashionable or socially inept person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest (computer geek).  Origin:  AQ circus sideshow freak.

8.  HAZARD  (N)  Danger or risk  Origin:  Gambling game played with dice.

7.  OSTRACIZE  (N)   To exclude someone from a society or group.  Origin:  A government procedure to literally  ban a person from Athens B.C. for ten years.

6.  TOXIC  (N)  Poisonous  Origin:  Greek archery

--DaGeeker

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