Tag Archives: etymology

The Difference Between “Faze” and “Phase”

Don't Phase Me, Bro!

Today I found out the difference between “faze” and “phase”.  These two words are often misused, even by professional writers, particularly in regards to the phrase “phased out”, which is more often than not incorrectly written as “fazed out”, due to the two being homophones. Specifically, “faze” means: “to disturb, disconcert, or daunt; caused to show discomposure”.   On the other […]

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What the Nautical Term ‘Avast’ Means and The Origin of Many Other Seafaring Words and Phrases

pirate encyclopedia

Avast: meaning “stop” or “hold still.” The word was originally derived from the Dutch phrase “houd vast,” which literally means “hold fast.”  The frequent usage of this phrase eventually got it slurred down to “hou’ vast” and later “avast.” This became a common term among sea-folk around the late 17th century. Coxswain: a boy servant (swain) in charge of a […]

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The Term “Third World Country” Refers to the Political and Economic Structure of a Country, Not Its Developmental State or Wealth

Today I found out a “Third World” country is not a country that simply is primitive, underdeveloped, or poor, as most people think.  In fact, a third world country is actually just a country that is not considered a capitalist country (first world) and not considered a communist country (2nd world). This terminology was originally coined just after WWII with […]

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