"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."

Friday 16 September 2011

Apothecary

 
Apothecary (pronounced /əˈpɒθɨkɛəri/) is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist (or a chemist or dispensing chemist). To my delight a chemist shop in Inverary had this sign...

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Bowdlerise

 
Bowdlerise -    [bohd-luh-rahyz] –verb (used with object) meaning to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

Origin: 1830–40; after Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825), the English editor of an expurgated edition of Shakespeare.

To read more about bowdlerising see today's posting on Rambles from my Chair