quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- epicure (n.)



[epicure 词源字典] - late 14c., "follower of Epicurus," from Latinized form of Greek Epicouros (341-270 B.C.E.), Athenian philosopher who taught that pleasure is the highest good and identified virtue as the greatest pleasure; the first lesson recalled, the second forgotten, and the name used pejoratively for "one who gives himself up to sensual pleasure" (1560s), especially "glutton, sybarite" (1774). Epicurus's school was opposed by the stoics, who first gave his name a reproachful sense. Non-pejorative meaning "one who cultivates refined taste in food and drink" is from 1580s.[epicure etymology, epicure origin, 英语词源]
- hi-de-hi




- call-and-response exclamation in singing, by 1933, associated with U.S. bandleader Cabell "Cab" Calloway (1907-1994) and especially his signature song "Minnie the Moocher," which dates from 1931.
Calloway recalled in his autobiography that the song came first and the chorus was later improvised when he forgot the lyrics during a radio broadcast. ["Harlem Renaissance Lives," Oxford, 2009]
- irrevocable (adj.)




- also irrevokable, late 14c., from Latin irrevocabilis "that cannot be recalled, unalterable," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + revocabilis (see revoke). Related: Irrevocably.
- recall (v.)




- 1580s, "to bring back by calling upon," from re- "back, again" + call (v.); in some cases a loan-translation of Middle French rappeler (see repeal (v.)) or Latin revocare (see revoke). Sense of "bring back to memory" is from 1610s. Related: Recalled; recalling.
- recollection (n.)




- 1590s, "a gathering together again," from French récollection (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin recollectionem (nominative recollectio), noun of action from past participle stem of recolligere (see recollect). Meaning "act of recalling to memory" is from 1680s; a thing or scene so recalled, from 1781.
- tantalum (n.)




- metallic element, 1809, Modern Latin, named 1802 by its discoverer, Swedish chemist Anders Ekberg (1767-1813), for Tantalus, according to Ekberg partly because of its inability to absorb acid recalled Tantalus' punishment in the afterlife (see tantalize). Sometimes it is said to be so called from the difficulty scientists faced in obtaining a pure specimen.