East Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘west’ and now look at ‘east’.

Middle East was coined in 1899, but then would have referred to British India, not the further west region it does today.

Northeasterly winds were first described in 1743, almost two centuries after the direction is first seen.

Southeasterlies have been known since 1797, the compass point recorded around two centuries earlier.

East End of London is known as such since 1846, the Eastenders were known as such shortly afterwards; while the program EastEnders appeared for the first time on 19th February 1985 and has managed to become increasingly depressing ever since.

East Indies, the region around India and southeast Asia, have been known as such since the 1590s.

The East India Company were founded on 31st December 1600.

Three names given because they were considered to be related to the east, the most obvious being ‘orient’. Not seen before 1738, it comes from the Old French orient meaning ‘east’.

Ostmark is a region of Germany once known as the German Democratic Republic – first coined in 1948.

A hot dusty wind blowing across the southern region of Italy originates from the region around Libya and is known as the sirocco, this from Arabic sharqi or ‘eastern wind’.

That's not what I meant (O)

Having spent many hours talking to those convinced their jobs are more important than anything, I wished we still used 'officious' in the original sense.

Occult came to English in the sixteenth century, but only since the eighteenth century has it been used to refer to the supernatural, prior to that it simply meant 'hidden, secret'.

Officious is an excellent word which today describes that irritating individual who thinks their job is the most important thing in the universe. Originally it was used to mean 'dutiful' or 'eager to please'. If only that were true today.

Orchards are areas where fruit trees grow, but from the fourteenth century it simply meant 'garden'.

Orientate is to adjust a position or bearing. Originally it meant simply 'to turn to face east', quite literally 'to the orient'.

Outings today are pleasant excursions, a trip out. In the fourteenth century it was used to mean 'expulsion', much as 'ousting' does today.

Owe is one of those weird words which has changed meaning completely. Today to 'owe' is to be in debt, yet in the fourteenth century it was used to mean 'own, possess'.