Asquith
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2005
- Location
- Somerset, UK
I was reading an 1895 article about foundrywork. The writer assumed that the reader knew the meaning of a sodger and a dog rammer (probably offences in some US States), cake plates, snugs, ring Rauches, etc. One thing the writer did explain was how they overcame the problem of wear in the dowel pins and holes between the top and bottom moulding boxes or flasks (cope and drag). It was the universal practice to take up the clearance by turning the top box, always in the same direction. The direction was ‘sun about’, meaning the way the sun moves.
Why not say clockwise or anti (counter) clockwise? Everyone was familiar with clocks in 1895, so I assume 'sun about' was a very old foundryman’s expression, rather than one in everyday use. Anyway, it led to an inconclusive discussion in the Asquith household about sundials in the northern and southern hemispheres, assisted by the use of an apple in lieu of a globe, hampered by the fact that it was nightime.
It got me thinking about other obsolete expressions and the origin of technical words. Reamer often used to be called rimer or rhymer or various other things. For once my dictionary helped with the origin, and it was directly relevant, the verb ‘ream’ coming from the Old English ‘rymen’ to widen. Not to be confused with a ream of paper, which comes from the Arabic ‘rizmah’ (a bale).
‘Chuck’ comes from ‘chock’.
‘Firedamp’ is an odd word for methane in mines, but the ‘damp’ part comes from the German ‘dampf’ – vapour.
An old American article about brass slides fitted to ways referred to the use of ‘counter screws’. It made me realise the origin of the word ‘countersinking’, presumably first done for screws used on counters in banks and shops (shops as in US ‘stores’).
Let’s have some more examples, or failing that, some questions on the origin of technical terms that might prompt some answers.
Why not say clockwise or anti (counter) clockwise? Everyone was familiar with clocks in 1895, so I assume 'sun about' was a very old foundryman’s expression, rather than one in everyday use. Anyway, it led to an inconclusive discussion in the Asquith household about sundials in the northern and southern hemispheres, assisted by the use of an apple in lieu of a globe, hampered by the fact that it was nightime.
It got me thinking about other obsolete expressions and the origin of technical words. Reamer often used to be called rimer or rhymer or various other things. For once my dictionary helped with the origin, and it was directly relevant, the verb ‘ream’ coming from the Old English ‘rymen’ to widen. Not to be confused with a ream of paper, which comes from the Arabic ‘rizmah’ (a bale).
‘Chuck’ comes from ‘chock’.
‘Firedamp’ is an odd word for methane in mines, but the ‘damp’ part comes from the German ‘dampf’ – vapour.
An old American article about brass slides fitted to ways referred to the use of ‘counter screws’. It made me realise the origin of the word ‘countersinking’, presumably first done for screws used on counters in banks and shops (shops as in US ‘stores’).
Let’s have some more examples, or failing that, some questions on the origin of technical terms that might prompt some answers.
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