Thank You Scrabble!
I must thank Scrabble for all the education I am getting from it! I play several games every day. When I check for e mail I just can't get up and leave the computer without playing at least one game of Scrabble. I always look at the definition of any word that I don't fully understand. I just looked up some word that mentioned scot free in its definition. So I immediately looked up scot free on Google.So I learned the meaning for a new word--actually a phrase--today. Many times through out my life I have heard the phrase, getting off scot free. I have even used it myself. I never really thought about what it meant. I just assumed it meant to get off without paying anything. And it really does mean that, but there are several other things that other people think it means. Some associate it with Dred Scott, the black slave who was finally freed after several court cases. Actually, it has nothing to do with Dred Scott. Others associate it with the Scottish being stingy and cheap but again, it has nothing to do with that.
On Google in one entry a best answer to the meaning of scot free was chosen by voters and it was that the word "scot" in this expression is not related to Scotland or the Scottish. It comes from an old English word meaning "reckoning " or "payment". especially pertaining to a tavern or entertainment expense. The term "scot free" has been used since the 18th century.
So if you get off scot free it means that you don't pay a penny or get any punishment for whatever it is you're getting or doing.
I am amazed how much I can still learn even though I am 83 years old. You would think after 83 years I would know it all! Not so. I see more every day how little I really know. Thank you Google and Scrabble!
posted by kyra lafain @ 1/29/2010 12:05:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home