One slang term that has survived from the 18th century - to cotton to - or is to cotton on? https://www.gutenberg.org/files/42108/42108-h/42108-h.htm
This one's just too good to pass up: "Blow Me, or blow me tight, a vow, a ridiculous and unmeaning ejaculation, inferring an appeal to the ejaculator;" I'd say more an appeal to the ejaculatee though. Or more often these days just an insult.
Sidus is Latin for “star” - A couple of words from that: Desire = dē + sidus = “away from one’s star” Consider = con + sidus = “with the stars” The stars sure did used to figure large.
Yep! It also gave us other words, including inconsiderate ("not learning or examining the stars"). Yes, the idea originally comes from astrology, but casting your astrological horoscope as a guide to the future is a very, very old idea -- at least as old as the ancient Romans. Julius Caesar famously pooh-poohed his astrologer, and later Roman emperors wouldn't make a decision without consulting theirs. Speaking of astrology, another Latin word for "star" is astro, which finds itself as the prefix of many common star-related words, such as astronomy, astronomize ("to discourse on astronomy; talk astronomically"), astrology etc. But it also gave us disaster, which -- in early use -- could refer either to "a sudden calamitous event" or "a baleful aspect of a planet or star." For instance: "And seeing your old age perplexed with strange passions, stayed as one willing to learn what disaster have driven you into these strange dumps, which if I without offence may request, and you without prejudice grant, I shall find myself by duty bound to requite your undeserved courtesy." — Robert Greene, The Anatomy of Fortune, 1589 Stars have a lot to answer for! And this reminds me of an anecdote told about William Anne Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (1702-54), a British soldier and ambassador. Albemarle was sent as diplomat and ambassador to Paris in 1748. He took with him his mistress Lolotte Gaucher, an actress described by contemporaries as cunning and greedy. One evening, seeing her gazing thoughtfully at a star, the earl remarked, "It's no good, my dear, I can't buy it for you."
