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Originally Posted by montsnmags
Chambers Dictionary mentions that "boot" was/is "a box or receptacle in a coach (obs)", that last bracketted bit meaning "obscure". Unfortunately, it doesn't really define "coach", though being an English-English dictionary, I wonder if it simply means the "four wheeled carriage" variety (again, quoted from Chambers Dictionary). So, it could have similar origins, but perhaps from a "box or receptacle" bound to the back of a horse-drawn passenger carriage.
I googled a little bit elsewhere, but didn't quickly find much. I didn't even start on "hood" and "bonnet".
Cheers,
Marc
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Well, I can see "hood" and "bonnet" coming from more or less the same idea, as a covering on the front of the auto, like a covering on a person's head.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm
It comes from coaching terminology- originally the box used to support the coachman's seat, and alter a trunk placed under it for storage. As to why it was (and still is) called boot, I'm really not sure - I'd guess it's a corruption of another word. I have heard that it's from boot locker, but I can't find any verifiable sources for it, and it seems somewhat implausible.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm
A bit of digging, and the 1911 Encylopedia Britannica has it coming from the (allegedly) old French "bole", which, certainly in English, is a tree trunk...
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OK .... well then, from bole ... the French again, as opposed to those of us in the States using trunk.
I don't know why I thought of that .... I've been having some strange thoughts over the last two days. Something I am taking has me sort of sleepy - woozy, and coming up with the strangest word associations ....
I was watching "Wilde" last night (which is a great film by the way ... Stephen Fry did a phenomenal job), but every time they mentioned the Marquis of Queensbury, it popped into my mind as "Basset Hound." I knew perfectly well what they were saying, and I think I was hearing the word correctly, but in my mind ... well, my mind just kept shouting "basset hound" at the rest of me.
I suppose it's possible that I had another small stroke, but if I did, I'm certainly not about to worry about it, especially not when this one (if it is one) looks to be highly entertaining. I suppose it might also be some odd type of aphasia (which I have had before) ... doesn't quite feel the same, but has elements that remind me of that.
I managed to get all my errands done today, although, I kept falling asleep at the wheel, and feeling dizzy when I wasn't falling asleep. So, I got off the road as quickly as possible and went to bed. I slept off and on for the next four (?) hours .... people kept calling me to remind me to do things that I already did earlier, so it wasn't exactly uninterrupted, but I do feel less floaty.
I'm curious to see if it is one of the meds I'm taking ... I switched to a different type (brand) of allergy med, however, the dose is the same, so it shouldn't be that ... but, who knows??
In any event ... Marquis of Queensbury = Basset Hound for the time being. Although, Basset Hound also = Basset Hound.
