March 20, 2009
I wrote mesmerising to describe a cherry blossom tree the other day. And today I came across the origin of that word.
Austrian physicist, Franz Mesmer, entranced, or mesmerised, late 18th century Paris with claims that magnets and water could be used to heal.
Another word with an interesting history is boycott.
Charles Boycott was the estate agent of an absentee landlord during the so called land wars in 1880’s Ireland. When he refused to lower rents and starting evicting people, Parnell suggested that rather than resorting to violence everyone in the locality should just refuse to deal with him.
Austrian physicist, Franz Mesmer, entranced, or mesmerised, late 18th century Paris with claims that magnets and water could be used to heal.
Another word with an interesting history is boycott.
Charles Boycott was the estate agent of an absentee landlord during the so called land wars in 1880’s Ireland. When he refused to lower rents and starting evicting people, Parnell suggested that rather than resorting to violence everyone in the locality should just refuse to deal with him.
