Today, well understand means “to cause a strong feeling of sadness” and pungent means “to have a strong, sharp taste or smell,” but they share a common history — they share the same Latin root, pungentmeans “to sting” or “to sting”.
Both English words have changed over time; well understand originally meant “sharp and delicious” (a perfect synonym of today pungent) And pungent of Original meaning “pain.” In the end, they swap meanings, although “pain” in well understand is more emotional than physical.
We can find other related words if we go further back in time: pungent from pugnus, from the Latin word for “holding hands”. That is the source of both boxer (“boxer”) and combative (“aggressive”), words clearly associated with fists. The French word for “holding hands” is peeSpelling explanation of well understandbecause the word entered English through French, while pungent straight from Latin.
Shakespeare used another related word, one that has fallen out of common usage in the English language: knife (“dagger”), named for the weapon’s hilt or handle, which is held like the fist of a hand. IN Many Ado about nothingBenedick said, after arguing with Beatrice: “She said harsh words, and every word hit.”
That is the English meaning of well understand And pungent share a tangled web of history also expressed in their defining language in Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged DictionaryWhere well understand is defined as “painfully sharp” and pungent defined as “very painful.”
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
