Today, everyone seems to get tired: voters, onlookers – maybe even you after another driver cuts you off on your way to work.
Enthusiasts have seen and done and heard enough to not be easily surprised or even amused. A politician’s promise? Yes, we’ve heard that before. A new movie not to be missed? We really wish we had missed the last one.
Here are some examples of the word in its natural context:
Feeling a bit depressed about the current state of the NFL, why is there so much talk about player contract issues and drug suspensions?— Darryl Slater, NJ.comJuly 8, 2015
Maybe I’m too old and tired to care about the inner lives of American teenagers – or anyone else. Or maybe not.— Leslie Gray Streeter, Palm BeachMarch 23, 2012
World-weary and skeptical people are not the first to be described as tired. The word was first applied to people who were exhausted, especially from overwork or abuse. Mark Twain used the word this way in Tom Sawyerpublished in 1876: “Early in the morning, weary men began to wander into the village, but the strongest of the inhabitants continued their search.”
But before the workers get tired, the poor horses suffer. Adjective tired comes from an old verb Jade means “to make the jewel of (horse): wear and tear from overwork or abuse.” Yes, noun Jade used to refer to a weak, emaciated horse.
All of which is meant to remind us that the English language often has something to offer even the most puzzling: hidden surprises in the history of words.
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
