Monday 26 October 2009

A Few Clothing Remarks!

clothes2 Bob and I just had an fascinating conversation about words - it began with him using the slang word 'scarf' in the sense of 'to eat voraciously' and we started wondering which nouns for items of clothing can be used as verbs in a completely different sense [words like 'coat' and 'girdle' aren't allowed because the idea is the same in both noun and verb] In a matter of minutes we came up with all these -

trouser [to take money unlawfully or surreptitiously]

hose [ to drench someone/something - also can be used to mean 'attack and kill with firearm]

pant [breathe heavily]  slip [to fall] tank [to drink to intoxication]

pump [move up and down/draw water]

vest [to place authority in the control of a person]

collar [seize or detain] clothes1

clog [bung up]

stock [to supply with goods]

fleece [to swindle]

skirt [to evade]

tie [to finish together]

shell [to bombard]

brief [to give preparatory instruction]

There are quite a few which refer to hitting someone forcefully -

cuff, belt, sock, boot

Historically, there are two related interesting words - 'saboteur' comes from the French 'sabot' - people threw their wooden shoes into the machinery - to clog them up! And the Vikings used to go 'berserk' -which means 'to tear off ones's shirt'

I'd better stop before I'm accused of becoming an anorak!!

Can you come up with any more words like this?

2 comments:

  1. Coat---to coat with icing.

    Um....anorak?? (He anoraked his way down the station platform to gaze at the locomotive...???)

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  2. I was going to say "to collar" but double checked and you already have it. Hmmm ... there's hankie panky, but that's not a verb. Could we just say it was? I'm sleepy and my brain's not all that swift. You and Bob do have interesting conversations, though.

    frances

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