This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Friday 21 August 2020

Holster: Word To Use Today.

 When people think of holsters then they usually expect them to be holding guns: 

File:Glock 17 in Holster MOD 45154999.jpg

photo by Andrew Linnett from the British Ministry of Defence

but I keep my secateurs in mine: 

Secateur ouvert.jpg

photo by KoS 

and a climber might keep an axe in his or hers.

pick 1, head 2, adze 3, leash 4. leash stop 5, shaft with rubber grip 6, spike 7

photo by Lacen 

There are also, for those without pockets (women, usually) phone holsters.

The main reason this word is featuring on The Word Den, though, is because of its connection with the Old English word heolstor.

Word To Use Today: holster. This word comes from the Netherlands, and England pinched it in the 1600s when our two countries were spending far too much time firing missiles of various sizes at each other. It's connected to the Old Norse hulstr, sheath (as for a sword) and the Old English heolstor, which means, thrillingly, darkness.



No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are very welcome, but please make them suitable for The Word Den's family audience.