Harbour

Harbour (BE)/Harbor (AmE)[1]

  • ME word has been assumed to be taken from Norse, but the phonology points rather to an OE type (might be taken from Norse).
  • The history shows two lines of phonetic change:
    • her -> her
    • the weakening of the second element to –ber, -bor, -bour
    • The current form “harbour” exhibits both of these changes.
  • Various spellings – it appears in modern-day form (both BE and AmE) in 17th century
  • Meanings:
    • a. Shelter, lodging, entertainment: sojourn, abode – as early as mid-12th century (spelled as herbyrȝe)
    • b. The “house,” mansion, zodiac (Chaucer)
    • c. Retreat of wild animals
    • d. Used figuratively
    • e. Port (late 13th century)
    • f. Airship shed/hangar (1909, 1912)
    • g. A vessel used for mixing ingredients for glass making (19th century)
    • h. A number of compounds
  1. "harbour." OED Online Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web 3 March 2015.

Sinister[1]

forms:

ME: synystre, synistre, sinistre; syne-, sinester; syny-, syni-, sinister; senestre, sene-, seni-, senyster

ModE: sinister

stress: siˈnister (17th, 18th ct.), ˈsinister

- from Old French senestre, sinistre or Latin sinister (meaning 'left' or 'left-hand' - the opposite of dexter; the original meaning is present in ModE but mainly archaic/used in Heraldry)

meanings:

  • original meaning: on the left side of the body; lying towards the left hand; situated on the left hand of a shield (Heraldry)
  • given with intent to deceive or mislead, esp. so as to create a prejudice against some person; false and dishonest - about information, suggestions, advice, etc. (obsolete - 15th, 16th century)
  • prejudicial, adverse, unfavourable, suspicious - about opinions (15th-17th ct.) - e.g. Some evil Suspicion or sinister Thoughts concerning me.
  • dishonest, unfair; not straightforward, underhand; dark - about actions, practices (common in 1470-1650)
  • corrupt, evil, bad - e.g. He speaks of bad manners and vitious humors and sinister affections,..as envy, contention, contumacy, incontinency.
  • portending or indicating misfortune or disaster; full of dark or gloomy suggestiveness; inauspicious, unfavourable - about omens (originally denoting omens seen on the left hand, which was regarded as the unlucky side)
  • unlucky, unfortunate (common in 1580-1670)
  • unfavourable, harmful, prejudicial to a person
  1. “sinister” The Oxford English Dictionary. www.oed.com 3 Mar 2015 <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/180206?redirectedFrom=sinister#eid>.