figurative use en
101momentum — (n.) 1690s, scientific use in mechanics, quantity of motion of a moving body, from L. momentum movement, moving power (see MOMENT (Cf. moment)). Figurative use dates from 1782 …
102mosaic — (n.) c.1400, from O.Fr. mosaicq mosaic work, from It. mosaico, from M.L. musaicum mosaic work, work of the Muses, noun use of neuter of musaicus of the Muses, from L. Musa (see MUSE (Cf. muse)). Medieval mosaics were often dedicated to the Muses …
103pluck — (v.) late O.E. ploccian pull off, cull, from W.Gmc. *plokken (Cf. M.L.G. plucken, M.Du. plocken, Flem. plokken), perhaps from V.L. *piluccare (Cf. O.Fr. peluchier, late 12c.), a frequentative, ultimately from L. pilare pull out hair, from pilus… …
104shell — {{11}}shell (n.) O.E. sciell, scill, Anglian scell seashell, eggshell, related to O.E. scealu shell, husk, from P.Gmc. *skaljo divide, separate (Cf. W.Fris. skyl peel, rind, M.L.G. schelle pod, rind, egg shell, Goth. skalja tile ), with the… …
105silk — (n.) O.E. sioloc, seoloc silk, ultimately from an Asian word (Cf. Chinese si silk, Manchurian sirghe, Mongolian sirkek) borrowed into Gk. as serikos silken, serikon silk (Cf. Gk. Seres, a name for an oriental people from whom the Greeks got silk) …
106vicar — (n.) c.1300, from O.Fr. vicaire, from L. vicarius substitute, deputy, noun use of adj. vicarius substituting, from vicis change, turn, office (see VICARIOUS (Cf. vicarious)). The original notion is of earthly representative of God or Christ; but… …
107wormwood — c.1400, folk etymology of O.E. wermod wormwood, related to VERMOUTH (Cf. vermouth), but the ultimate etymology is unknown. Cf. O.S. wermoda, Du. wermoet, O.H.G. werimuota, Ger. Wermut. Weekley suggests wer man + mod courage, from its early use as …
108candy — n American a. an illegal drug, particularly cocaine or heroin. This use of the word originated before World War I as a specialisation of the figurative use of candy as anything enjoyable. (The word was used in black street slang with sexual… …
109backside — the buttocks This standard English use ignores the other parts of the body similarly situated, from the back of the head to the heels. Some figurative use: But then it was just my... backside was at risk. (Price, 1978) …
110dump — to defecate An obvious and rather distasteful male usage as a verb or a noun: Everything hinged on that first dump of the day. (Theroux, 1971) And some figurative use: But maybe you also recall how your Service dumped all over us …
