Bully
Bully (Dates to 1538)
Today’s meaning: someone cruel to those weaker.
Original meaning: sweetheart. According to Merriam-Webster, it most likely came from the old Dutch word boel, meaning ‘lover’.
Check out these frequently used idioms in the English language.
Prestigious
Prestigious (Dates to 1546)
Today’s meaning: honoured.
Original meaning: involving trickery, illusion, or conjuring. Interesting…’prestigious’ used to mean something a little closer to ‘presto’.
Matrix
Matrix (Dates to 1555)
Today’s meaning: pattern of lines and spaces.
Original meaning: female breeding animal. This usage dates as far back as ancient Rome!
Find out which is the most misused word in the English language.
Garble
Garble (Dates to the 1400s)
Today’s meaning: cause something to be confusing.
Original meaning: sift, separate out impurities. Almost the opposite meaning!
Can you spell the hardest words in the English language? Find out here.
Nervous
Nervous (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s meaning: jumpy.
Original meaning: sinewy or strong.
Assassin
Assassin (Dates to the 1200s)
Today’s meaning: killer of a VIP.
Original meaning: hashish eater. ‘Hashish’ is a hemp plant, and the word ‘assassin’ comes from an Arabic word meaning “drug addict’.
Silly
Silly (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s meaning: foolish or frivolous.
Original meaning: innocent or pitiable.
Nice
Nice (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s meaning: kind, good.
Original meaning: foolish, wanton.
here are some ‘nice’ kindness quotes that will stay with you forever.
Backlog
Backlog (Dates to 1684)
Today’s meaning: large number of jobs to be done.
Original meaning: largest log in the hearth. Yes, ‘backlog’ used to denote a literal log!
Dapper
Dapper (Dates to the 1400s)
Today’s meaning: stylish.
Original meaning: brave. Either way, it’s an attractive quality!
Girl
Girl (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s meaning: young female.
Original meaning: young person, either gender.
Discover the 10 things about raising girls mums wish they knew sooner.
Fantastic
Fantastic (Dates to the 1300s)
Today’s meaning: exceptionally good.
Original meaning: existing only in the imagination, like a fantasy.
Buxom
Buxom (Dates to the 1100s)
Today’s meaning: large-breasted.
Original meaning: compliant or obedient. John Milton used it this way in Paradise Lost; he describes Death flying easily through “the buxom air.”