"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Saturday, 16 May 2009

Fiery

I noticed the other day that the ginger beer bottle was labelled 'fiery'. It reminded me what a strange language English is. One would have expected the adjective from fire - of, or relating to fire - to be firey. But somewhere along the line of its evolution it has become fiery.

Fiery is defined as ardent: characterized by intense emotion; very intense; burning or glowing; inflammable or easily ignited; having the colour of fire; hot or inflamed; tempestuous or emotionally volatile; spirited or filled with emotion.


A fiery sunrise.

2 comments:

  1. I am absolutely familiar with this term today. :)

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  2. Mmmm, SG, Since the emotions can be good or bad things I'm not sure whether to congratulate or sympahise! Me, I prefer the quiet life so either way would probably be a bad thing... :^}

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