August 28, 2012

Words...my favorite subject

Have you ever had the bejesus scared out of you? Probably...it's a common phrase. But have you ever wondered what a bejesus was?

Dictionary.com says: An exclamation traditionally attributed to the Irish, used to express surprise or for emphasis.

Um, yeah that was helpful. It does not tell me what a bejesus is and if I have one that can be scared out of me, I want to know what it is.

Further research shows that the origin of bejesus is an alteration of by Jesus. So I can have Jesus scared out of me? Or am I scared by Jesus?

This is one of the few times I have looked into something and not been any wiser for the effort.


Second word of the day: whippersnapper. 


This is one, I think, most people understand.


Dictionary.com says: A young and inexperienced person considered to be presumptuous or overconfident.

No surprise. But why does it mean that? Apparently, that's a good question...and there does not seem to be a good answer. I found a number of different answers, but mostly it seems to come down to the fact that the term is archaic.

You'll have to look that one up on your own. I am feeling a little disillusioned at the moment.



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