Expiration Date

Sandra asked about the label expiration date, found on many products. It is, as we all know, the date beyond which the manufacturer will not guarantee safety or quality. If you really want to take a chance on that old carton of milk, it might be wise to hold your breath before tasting it.

Breath is the key word here. Expire, expiration, and allied words come from the Latin ex-spirare, to breath out – in this case, to breathe one’s last. Centuries ago, the word didn’t have such a dire meaning; it simply described the normal breathing process. Later, it was applied to any emission or ejection; volcanoes would expire flames, and flowers would expire perfume. Now, patents and copyrights and temporary laws can also expire – run out of breath and existence.

The opposite is expressed by inspire, inspiration, and variations based on the Latin in-spirare, to breathe in. It runs from inhaling to infusing to arousing. The most famous breath is described in Genesis 2.7: “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

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Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. You’ll also find some podcasts there under TheRon Jolly Show.

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Pink

Bob from Traverse City asked about the pinking in pinking shears. Pinking shears are scissors with a serrated cutting edge. A zigzag edge on fabric is less likely to fray than a straight cut. The Oxford English Dictionary declares the origin unknown, but it hedges its bet by suggesting that the verb pink may represent the sound made by punching decorative holes or cutting slits in fabric to display a contrasting lining or undergarment.

Another word derived from pink is pinkie, the little finger. It seems to have drifted into Scots from a Dutch word meaning tiny.

Then there’s “in the pink,” meaning in great good health. The word shows up in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (“I am the pink of curtesie"), but at that time it meant the epitome of something, the very height.

Finally, there are pink collar crimes – embezzlement by women who are bookkeepers or accountants for small businesses. This is in contrast to white collar crimes, usually committed by men.

Word Parts Dictionary, Nook edition

Word Parts Dictionary, Kindle edition

Words to the Wise, Kindle Edition 

Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. You’ll also find some podcasts there under TheRon Jolly Show.

Visit The Senior Corner, a web site containing information for senior citizens.