WORDNOOK
BY THE EDITORS OF MERRIAM-WEBSTER
SHORT AND SWEET Dear Editor: Since a pamphlet is, like a booklet, a small book, was there ever such a thing as a pamph? D. I. Moorhead, Minnesota While there is logic to your question, the answer is no. But the origin of the word pamphlet is surprising, tracing back to a 12th-century love poem. “Pamphilus, seu De Amore” (“Pamphilus, or About Love”) was a Latin poem describing a series of amusing amorous adventures. In its day, “Pamphilus” enjoyed widespread popularity, especially among university students. In the late Middle Ages, short compilations of popular classical authors were often given French diminutives based on the author’s name. For example, “Esopet” was a familiar title for the works of Esope (Aesop), and “Avionet” was a familiar title for the works of Avianus (a Roman teller of fables).
danger. As a result, it became customary for nobles to have a servant taste their food just before it was served. The tasting was accomplished at a dining room sideboard reserved solely for that purpose. The name for the sideboard became credenza in Italian, reflecting its role in providing assurance to aristocratic diners.
synonym for cowardly is the earliest known in writing, he didn’t invent the phrase. The basis of the word lily-livered lies in the once-held belief that a person’s health and temperament are influenced by four bodily fluids, or humors: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. According to this medieval theory of WARY DINERS medicine, yellow bile or choler, the Dear Editor: humor that governs anger, spirit Why is a certain type of bookcase COWARDLY COLOR and courage, makes a person chocalled a credenza? It sounds Italian. Dear Editor: leric, or hot-tempered. AccordingJ. P. I know from high school English ly, it was thought that a deficiency Stockton, California class that even back in Shakespeare’s of yellow bile would make a person time, lily-livered was used to mean You’re right that the word creden- cowardly. But it was never explained spiritless and a coward. It was further believed that the deficiency za originated in Italian. The history what lilies or livers had to do with would cause the liver to be white or of the word spotlights a downside cowardice. Can you tell me? lily. Because of this belief, lily-livof being rich in medieval Europe. W. M. ered and white-livered have been In Italian, credenza literally Kirkwood, Missouri used since the 16th century to means “belief” or “confidence,” the mean cowardly. Probably because latter being just what a member of You might remember lily-livered of its alliteration, lily-livered is now a royal or noble household needed from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in the more common expression. to have in his or her food and drink which Macbeth verbally abuses during the Middle Ages and Rea young servant, “Go prick thy Send correspondence regarding Word Nook to: naissance. Being poisoned by one’s face, and over-red thy fear, / Thou Language Research Service enemies, employees or even one’s lily-livered boy.” Although ShakeP.O. Box 281 own family was an ever-present speare’s use of lily-livered as a Springfield, MA 01102 Similarly, Pamphilus became Pamphilet in Old French. Borrowed into later Middle English as pamfilet or pamflet, the word denoted any short written work. In the 17th century, pamphlet became associated with polemics on controversial social, political or religious issues.
Test Your Mental Mettle with Puzzles from The Little Book of Big Mind Benders tHe 15 puzzle
Puzzle TYPe: logIc coMPleTIoN:
worD laDDer
DIffIculTY: TIMe: ___________
Puzzle TYPe: worD coMPleTIoN:
long before suDoku, another number puzzle called the15 Puzzle took the world by
fill in the missing words to turn CAT into DOG.
storm. You are given 15 wooden blocks in a square frame, numbered 1 to 15, with the last two blocks, 15 and 14, out of order. Your goal is to slide the blocks back into order without taking them out of the frame. The standard 15 Puzzle with square blocks has no solution, but this version with round blocks does. What’s the trick?
Each word differs from the previous word in just one letter, like this: THIS–THIN–THAN–THAT. There are two solutions for the second missing word. Can you find them both?
DIffIculTY: TIMe: ___________
C A T
HINT: Notice the directions of the shadows. For the full history of the 15 Puzzle, see The 15 Puzzle, by Jerry Slocum and Dic Sonneveld (slocumpuzzles.com). You can play this and other sliding block puzzles at puzzleworld.org/ SlidingBlockPuzzles.
C C C D
A O O O
T T G G
ANswer: The solver put the blocks in the following order, turned the entire tray a quarter turn clockwise, then twisted each block back right side up. Note that the tray ends up in a different orientation.
5.1.1 ANswer:
workman.com
T T T G
DOG
A O O O
enD position (solved)
C C D D
Photos by Jerry Slocum
HINT: Change the A in CAT to O.
start position
Workman is a registered trademark of Workman Publishing Co., Inc.
4 3 2 1
8 7 6 5
12 11 10 9
15 14 13