Feb 3, 2014

13 words that don't mean what they used to


Words can have dramatically different meanings as the years go by. Picture: Thinkstock

Words can have dramatically different meanings as the years go by. Picture: Thinkstock Source: ThinkStock

BUXOM. Heartburn. Inmate.
While some words keep the same meaning forever, others can change dramatically over a few short years.
Here are the original meanings of 15 words that have now taken on a new life, according to the website MentalFloss.
1. Artificial
Previous meaning: Of or belonging to art.
While it's now quite an insulting remark, calling someone artificial used to be a compliment!
2. Charisma
Previous meaning: A divinely power.
Today it signifies a person's appeal and charm, but the word charisma used to be associated with supernatural elements such as restoring sight to the blind, and performing other miracles.
3. Buxom
Previous meaning: Meek, obedient.
What a rather, ahem, different meaning this word has taken on!
4. Awful
Previous meaning: Deserving of awe.
From one extreme to the other ...
5. Myriad
Previous meaning: 10,000.
Greek mathematicians were rather specific about the meaning of this word, while nowadays it's a much more generalized term to mean "countless or great in number".
6. Ejaculate
Previous meaning: To suddenly and passionately say something; to exclaim
MentalFloss quoted this rather double entendre-filled sentence from Jane Eyre as an example of the word's previous meaning: "The sleepers were all aroused: ejaculations, terrified murmurs sounded in every room; door after door unclosed; one looked out and another looked out; the gallery filled."
7. Heartburn
Previous meaning: Jealousy or hatred.
It may seem like a similar sensation for those suffering from it, but it's definitely not the same thing anymore!
8. Bully
Previous meaning: Lover, sweetheart, wonderful.
The meaning of this Germanic word started to deteriorate in the 17th century to become "harasser of the weak".
9. Inmate
Previous meaning: A person who dwells with others in the same house.
These days, if you called your roomie an "inmate", they wouldn't be thrilled.
10. Dapper
Previous meaning: Heavy-set.
Not exactly a compliment in the olden days.
11. Balderdash
Previous meaning: A frothy liquid.
Would have been a tasty drink while playing the board game version!
12. Terrific
Previous meaning: Terrifying.
Nowadays, few would say: "I just saw a terrific accident on the highway".
13. Brothel
Previous meaning: A low-life.
This word used to describe thieves and cheaters ... wait a minute ...
###

No comments :

Labels

Giveaway ( 3088 ) Excerpt ( 1336 ) blog tour ( 942 ) Book Blitz ( 864 ) Cover Reveal ( 543 ) Guest post ( 518 ) Teaser ( 347 ) Book blast ( 283 ) Interview ( 260 ) Culture ( 245 ) Books ( 242 ) Trailer ( 228 ) freebie ( 227 ) Art ( 226 ) Funny ( 225 ) History ( 219 ) Promotion ( 207 ) Science ( 202 ) Articles ( 181 ) free kindle ( 145 ) Literature ( 142 ) Release Day ( 131 ) Review ( 120 ) Photography ( 115 ) nature ( 113 ) kindle ( 112 ) Gender ( 105 ) Book tour ( 90 ) Authors ( 89 ) myth ( 77 ) new release ( 77 ) Coffee ( 76 ) newsletter ( 71 ) Children ( 70 ) Music ( 66 ) box set ( 60 ) Archaeological ( 59 ) illustration ( 56 ) food ( 50 ) spotlight ( 50 ) PLAYLIST ( 49 ) social ( 48 ) 0.99 sale ( 46 ) YA ( 45 ) contest ( 43 ) fantasy ( 43 ) Mythology ( 42 ) Grand Finale ( 41 ) sale ( 39 ) blog hop ( 37 ) words ( 37 ) Poetry ( 35 ) artist ( 34 ) Characters interviews ( 32 ) Game ( 32 ) syfy ( 32 ) language ( 30 ) quotes ( 30 ) recipe ( 30 ) Release Party ( 29 ) Expert ( 27 ) ads ( 21 ) mystery ( 21 ) Photos ( 20 ) reading ( 20 ) Romance ( 19 ) Animals ( 18 ) Design ( 18 ) Education ( 18 ) Street Photography ( 18 ) book highlight ( 18 ) facts ( 18 ) comics ( 17 ) health ( 17 ) writing ( 17 ) Folklore ( 16 ) Holidays ( 16 ) Movies ( 16 ) poem ( 15 ) Biology ( 13 ) top 10 ( 13 ) Book release ( 12 ) Maps ( 12 ) covers ( 12 ) Book trailers ( 11 ) Cash Giveaway ( 11 ) Giveaways ( 11 ) Twitter Blast ( 11 ) Valentine ( 11 ) Friday revel ( 10 ) Libraries ( 10 ) Paranormal ( 10 ) Release blitz ( 10 ) agriculture ( 10 ) events ( 10 ) sport ( 10 ) Characters cast ( 9 ) Publishing ( 9 ) Sneak Peek ( 9 ) dream cast ( 9 ) work ( 9 ) BOOK SIGNING ( 8 ) Steam-punk ( 8 ) astronomy ( 8 ) interviews ( 8 ) plants ( 8 ) technology ( 8 ) Free Book ( 7 ) Halloween ( 7 ) NA ( 7 ) Thanks Giving ( 7 ) blog ( 7 ) blog blast ( 7 ) economy ( 7 ) letters ( 7 ) street art ( 7 ) Christmas ( 6 ) Contemporary Romance ( 6 ) Genetic ( 6 ) Goodreads giveaway ( 6 ) This and That ( 6 ) YA RELEASES ( 6 ) news ( 6 ) short story ( 6 ) writing tools ( 6 ) Amazon. ( 5 ) Audio ( 5 ) Philosophy ( 5 ) Spring ( 5 ) YA Fantasy ( 5 ) hosting ( 5 ) jobs ( 5 ) mother day ( 5 ) top 5 ( 5 ) Black Friday ( 4 ) BookRave ( 4 ) Fun Facts ( 4 ) Grammar ( 4 ) Song ( 4 ) Sunday Read Recommendation ( 4 ) Weather ( 4 ) Web ( 4 ) cakes ( 4 ) deals ( 4 ) evolution ( 4 ) gift card ( 4 ) horror ( 4 ) lol ( 4 ) photographer ( 4 ) soundtrack ( 4 ) studies ( 4 ) video ( 4 ) Architecture ( 3 ) Book Swapping ( 3 ) Book tor ( 3 ) Cartoon ( 3 ) Characters ( 3 ) Computing ( 3 ) Dance ( 3 ) Easter ( 3 ) Erotica ( 3 ) Indian ( 3 ) Kindle Fire HDx Giveaway ( 3 ) St. Patrick's day ( 3 ) Suspense ( 3 ) TV series ( 3 ) Thriller ( 3 ) Translation ( 3 ) bookstore ( 3 ) chapters ( 3 ) chemistry ( 3 ) contemporary ( 3 ) ecology ( 3 ) fall ( 3 ) film director ( 3 ) guest review ( 3 ) hope ( 3 ) icon ( 3 ) launch day ( 3 ) math ( 3 ) story ( 3 ) summer ( 3 ) syfi ( 3 ) urban ( 3 ) winter ( 3 ) 10 Fun Facts ( 2 ) 10 things ( 2 ) 4th of july ( 2 ) Adventure ( 2 ) Audiobook ( 2 ) Awards ( 2 ) Blogger Appreciation ( 2 ) Book reveling ( 2 ) Bookstores ( 2 ) Characters bio ( 2 ) Clean Sweep ( 2 ) Cover wars ( 2 ) Crime ( 2 ) Debut Author Challenge ( 2 ) Dystopian ( 2 ) Family ( 2 ) Free Shipping ( 2 ) Fun ( 2 ) Gifts ( 2 ) Graphs. STAT ( 2 ) Hop International ( 2 ) Introduction ( 2 ) Literature awards ( 2 ) Nostalgic ( 2 ) Ocean ( 2 ) Psychological ( 2 ) Psychological Thriller ( 2 ) Reading Contest ( 2 ) Release week ( 2 ) Selfies ( 2 ) Summer Reading ( 2 ) Summery of the year ( 2 ) Tablets ( 2 ) Tea ( 2 ) Titles ( 2 ) add ( 2 ) art Articles ( 2 ) birds ( 2 ) book bash ( 2 ) book contest ( 2 ) bread ( 2 ) cell & molecular biology ( 2 ) children’s literature ( 2 ) climate change ( 2 ) codes ( 2 ) discussion ( 2 ) dragons ( 2 ) ebooks ( 2 ) epic ( 2 ) extreme ( 2 ) facebook ( 2 ) facebook Blast ( 2 ) games & gadgets. test ( 2 ) ilustration ( 2 ) immunology ( 2 ) incredible ( 2 ) internet ( 2 ) labels ( 2 ) lists ( 2 ) lunch blitz ( 2 ) martial ( 2 ) min-interview ( 2 ) monsters ( 2 ) physics ( 2 ) poets ( 2 ) sea ( 2 ) tips ( 2 ) tv ( 2 ) water ( 2 ) wolf ( 2 ) 5 Fun Facts ( 1 ) 5 Rapid Fire Round ( 1 ) A vote ( 1 ) Action ( 1 ) Adult ( 1 ) Adult Historical Fantasy ( 1 ) Adult fiction ( 1 ) African-American Lit ( 1 ) Amazing ( 1 ) Amazon ( 1 ) Amazon.Tech ( 1 ) Announcement ( 1 ) Apology ( 1 ) April ( 1 ) Atlit Yam ( 1 ) B-day ( 1 ) Badass heroes ( 1 ) Baking ( 1 ) Bibliophile ( 1 ) Black & White ( 1 ) Blogoversary ( 1 ) Book Hop ( 1 ) Bookfest ( 1 ) Booklikes ( 1 ) Bravery ( 1 ) Bundles ( 1 ) Catalog ( 1 ) Concepts ( 1 ) Critique ( 1 ) Cut Scene ( 1 ) DVD ( 1 ) Did you know ( 1 ) Discovery ( 1 ) Disney ( 1 ) Donation Campaign ( 1 ) Earth Day ( 1 ) Etymology ( 1 ) Extravaganza ( 1 ) FAQ ( 1 ) Falafel Day ( 1 ) Favorite Reads ( 1 ) Folklure ( 1 ) Gadgets ( 1 ) Garden ( 1 ) Geography ( 1 ) Greating ( 1 ) Happy New Year. greatings ( 1 ) Heroes ( 1 ) High-Rise Buildings ( 1 ) Highlights ( 1 ) Holocaust ( 1 ) Infographic ( 1 ) Inspiration ( 1 ) International ( 1 ) Japan ( 1 ) Jazz ( 1 ) Kindness ( 1 ) Linguists ( 1 ) Literary Fiction ( 1 ) Maleficent ( 1 ) Meet the author ( 1 ) Misconceptions ( 1 ) Multicultural ( 1 ) New Adult ( 1 ) New Adult fiction ( 1 ) New Series Releases ( 1 ) New Year ( 1 ) Offers ( 1 ) PRE-RELEASE ( 1 ) Parental ( 1 ) Passover ( 1 ) Personal message ( 1 ) Picture Revision ( 1 ) Piracy ( 1 ) Pirates ( 1 ) Preview ( 1 ) Print Design ( 1 ) Psychology ( 1 ) QA ( 1 ) Query Contest ( 1 ) Quet ( 1 ) Quiz ( 1 ) Quize ( 1 ) Random Facts ( 1 ) Rapid Fire Round ( 1 ) Recommends ( 1 ) References ( 1 ) Religion ( 1 ) Reveal ( 1 ) Rhymes ( 1 ) Romantic Suspense ( 1 ) Scavenger Hunt ( 1 ) Scots ( 1 ) Sleeping Beauty ( 1 ) Sparkiversary ( 1 ) Target ( 1 ) Tax day ( 1 ) Tour ( 1 ) Tour Highlight ( 1 ) Tourney ( 1 ) Trivia ( 1 ) Typography ( 1 ) Unbelievable ( 1 ) Urban Fantasy ( 1 ) Vintage ( 1 ) Virtual Book Tour ( 1 ) Visa ( 1 ) WWII ( 1 ) Waiting on Wednesday ( 1 ) Western Historical Romance ( 1 ) What I'm reading ( 1 ) Women ( 1 ) Women’s Fiction ( 1 ) Women’s Lit ( 1 ) YA nonfiction ( 1 ) academic ( 1 ) alternative medical ( 1 ) angry robot ( 1 ) anima ( 1 ) author blog ( 1 ) available ( 1 ) book hunt ( 1 ) book industry ( 1 ) book sketch ( 1 ) book swag ( 1 ) brain ( 1 ) calligraphy ( 1 ) ceremony ( 1 ) challenge ( 1 ) clips ( 1 ) clocks ( 1 ) confidence ( 1 ) convention ( 1 ) crazy ( 1 ) creative ( 1 ) cupping ( 1 ) daimonds ( 1 ) diet ( 1 ) digital copy ( 1 ) discount ( 1 ) drugs ( 1 ) east ( 1 ) editing ( 1 ) essays ( 1 ) fairy tales ( 1 ) fashion ( 1 ) fiction ( 1 ) fool day ( 1 ) genre ( 1 ) gift ( 1 ) global warming ( 1 ) gov ( 1 ) green ( 1 ) greeting ( 1 ) guns ( 1 ) harvest ( 1 ) help ( 1 ) ideas ( 1 ) indi ( 1 ) infectious disease ( 1 ) info ( 1 ) insects ( 1 ) intro for audio ( 1 ) introducing ( 1 ) labor day ( 1 ) lego ( 1 ) make up ( 1 ) manga ( 1 ) meaning ( 1 ) message ( 1 ) money ( 1 ) monthly ( 1 ) mystical ( 1 ) names ( 1 ) names.culture ( 1 ) new cover ( 1 ) note ( 1 ) olympic ( 1 ) organic ( 1 ) out takes ( 1 ) outage ( 1 ) packing ( 1 ) palentology ( 1 ) party ( 1 ) pepco ( 1 ) physiology ( 1 ) pk ( 1 ) protein ( 1 ) protein folding×¥ ( 1 ) protest ( 1 ) public transportation ( 1 ) pulp fiction ( 1 ) rare ( 1 ) recommendation ( 1 ) rescued ( 1 ) retail ( 1 ) reveal tour ( 1 ) revel party ( 1 ) shopping ( 1 ) solutions ( 1 ) songs tracks ( 1 ) support ( 1 ) surfing ( 1 ) survival ( 1 ) swords ( 1 ) tags ( 1 ) theater ( 1 ) title reveal ( 1 ) top 12 ( 1 ) trees ( 1 ) update ( 1 ) visual ( 1 ) winner of giveaway ( 1 ) wo ( 1 )