MELLER NOUN 1. a person who meddles, interferes, or deals in something; a person who is involved in some affair ...c1450 obs. exc. Sc. 2. a melodrama ...1915 US colloq. VERB to strike, to hit, to beat ...1862 Amer. dial. ETYMOLOGY n. 1. from mell (vb. to mix, associate, have dealings) + -er n. 2. a shortened form of mellerdrammer (melodrama) vb. from mell (vb. to strike or beat with a mallet or hammer; hence, to beat severely) + -er FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1450 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Erelles and Emperours nane wille he spare: Prestys and parsones and prelatis of pryde: Thies justyce and mellarse of lawe and of lare: Þat now are fulle ryalle to ryne and to ryde: In lande..." From: The Quatrefoil of Love - Edited from MS by Israel Gollancz and Magdalene Marie Weale, 1935
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
September 2021
|