A.Word.A.Day--shambles

Wordsmith.org

The Magic of Words

Jun 10, 2010

This week's theme
Words that appear plural but aren't

This week's words
taxis
starets
congeries
shambles

The Shambles, York
There are streets named shambles in many towns in England

Photo: Peter Edin

---

Discuss
Feedback
RSS/XML

---

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

shambles

PRONUNCIATION:

(SHAM-buhls)

MEANING:

noun:
1. A state of great disorder.
2. A scene of carnage.
3. A slaughterhouse.

ETYMOLOGY:

From oak to acorn, from a little piece of furniture to a slaughterhouse. The word known today as shambles started out as scamnum (stool, bench). Over time the word's sense evolved to "a vendor's table", more specifically, a butcher's table. Eventually, the word came to be applied to a meat market or a slaughterhouse. From the state of disarray of such a place, today we use the word metaphorically to denote a place of complete disorder. That's the story of a slaughterhouse. To know what became of a fish market, see billingsgate.

USAGE:

"The program aims to rebuild a system in shambles before nearly 4,000 schools were destroyed."
$2 Billion Sought to Overhaul Ruined Haiti Schools; Associated Press; May 15, 2010.

Explore "shambles" in the Visual Thesaurus.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind. -Charles Darwin, naturalist and author (1809-1882)

Your Message Here? Promote your products or services to more than 900,000 people in this space. Write to us at (sponsors at wordsmith.org).

The Great Courses Now Enjoy Brilliant College Courses in Your Car or Home How to sponsor

Unsubscribe | Subscribe | Update address | Gift subscription | Contact us
Books by Anu Garg

© 2010 Wordsmith.org