Thing Probably Not To Do Today: peach someone.

The Word Den's basic aim is to add sunshine to the world, so I'm sorry to report the disappointing news that impeaching someone does not involve pelting the felon with rotten peaches.

Ah well.


photo by Britt Reints

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Thing Probably Not To Do Today: impeach someone, or peach on someone. To peach on someone is to inform against them to the authorities, to impeach someone is, in Britain, to accuse him or her of a criminal offence (probably treason), and in the USA to accuse an official of an offence committed while in post.

To impeach can also mean to cast a slur on someone's honesty.

These words come from the Old French empeechier, from the Latin impedicāre, to entangle, from pedica, a fetter, from pēs. foot. 

Peach the fruit is also Old French, from the Latin persica, from Persicum mālum, Persian apple.