Pep Rally
A local high school held a pep rally before a football game this weekend, inspiring a neighbor (and a student at that school) to ask, “where did that come from?”
Rally started as a British military term, a rapid reassembling of troops for a renewed attack. By the time the Americans borrowed the term in the 19th century, they had given it a more pacific meaning: a mass meeting to inspire enthusiasm, especially a political event. In our day, it is usually in reference to a sporting event.
Pep as a freestanding word is now considered a bit quaint, a synonym for vim, vigor, animation, enthusiasm, vivacity, ebullience, zeal, energy, and other words in that neighborhood.
It is probably a shortened version of pepper, the hot pungent spice. The analogy is that a stimulating spicy addition to food serves the same purpose as stimulating fans to hunger for a victory.
Available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition
Check out Mike's program-based books here:
Arbutus Press
or at Amazon.com
Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now.
There is a collection of podcasts. Go to wtcmradio.com and click on Podcasts. Scroll down The Ron Jolly Show to find the Words to the Wise audio button.
Visit The Senior Corner at seniors.tcnet.org
Comments