PeterWilson at 13:22, 9 July 2007

2007-07-09T13:22:04Z

PeterWilson at 12:19, 8 July 2007

2007-07-08T12:19:20Z

New page

'''Waist''' and '''waste''' are two [[homophone]]s that sometimes get confused in the spelling.
*Originally, '''wa<big>i</big>st''' meant the thin part of a person's body, above the hips and below the chest. The word was then applied to clothes, or at least that part of them that covers the waist. It was then extended to mean, [[figurative]]ly, the thin part of many other things. Insects like wasps, for example, have waists; the narrow part of any geographical body can be described as a '''waist''', as in the country of Wales or the narrow part of the sea such as the English Channel. Panama is the '''waist''' between North and South America. The '''waist''' of a ship is the narrow part, measured vertically, between the two raised superstructures at either end. (It is usually the broadest part when viewed from above.)
**There is a related [[participle]] '''wa<big>i</big>sted''', meaning 'to have a waist', or 'with a narrower section'. A violin can be described as '''waisted'''.
*'''Waste''' is used as [[adjective]], [[noun]] and [[verb]]. The [[adjective]] was first applied to land. 'Waste land' was uncultivated, uninhabited or barren. So a farmer might leave a patch of land to 'lie waste' - that is, not work it. An enemy army might 'lay the land waste' - that is, devastate it, destroy all the crops, trees etc, drive off the farmed animals and demolish all the buildings. This was the original meaning of the [[verb]] 'to '''waste''''. It then developed to the more general idea of 'to reduce the value of' something, not necessarily land; and then 'to consume', 'to use up'. (Victims of the disease tuberculosis, or TB, which was called 'consumption', were said to be 'wasting away'.) ''[[OED]]'' says that the most prominent meaning now is the "unfavourable sense: To spend, consume, employ uselessly or without adequate result. a. To consume, expend, bestow (money, property) uselessly, with needless lavishness or without adequate return; to make prodigal or improvident use of; to squander. Const. in, on."

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 *Originally, '''wa<big>i</big>st''' meant the thin part of a person's body, above the hips and below the chest. The word was then applied to clothes, or at least that part of them that covers the waist. It was then extended to mean, [[figurative]]ly, the thin part of many other things. Insects like wasps, for example, have waists; the narrow part of any geographical body can be described as a '''waist''', as in the country of Wales or the narrow part of the sea such as the English Channel. Panama is the '''waist''' between North and South America. The '''waist''' of a ship is the narrow part, measured vertically, between the two raised superstructures at either end. (It is usually the broadest part when viewed from above.)
 **There is a related [[participle]] '''wa<big>i</big>sted''', meaning 'to have a waist', or 'with a narrower section'.  A violin can be described as '''waisted'''.
-*'''Waste''' is used as [[adjective]], [[noun]] and [[verb]]. The [[adjective]] was first applied to land. 'Waste land' was uncultivated, uninhabited or barren. So a farmer might leave a patch of land to 'lie waste' - that is, not work it. An enemy army might 'lay the land waste' - that is, devastate it, destroy all the crops, trees etc, drive off the farmed animals and demolish all the buildings. This was the original meaning of the [[verb]] 'to '''waste''''. It then developed to the more general idea of 'to reduce the value of' something, not necessarily land; and then 'to consume', 'to use up'. (Victims of the disease tuberculosis, or TB, which was called 'consumption', were said to be 'wasting away'.) ''[[OED]]'' says that the most prominent meaning now is the "unfavourable sense: To spend, consume, employ uselessly or without adequate result. a. To consume, expend, bestow (money, property) uselessly, with needless lavishness or without adequate return; to make prodigal or improvident use of; to squander. Const. in, on."
+*'''Waste''' is used as [[adjective]], [[noun]] and [[verb]]. The [[adjective]] was first applied to land. 'Waste land' was uncultivated, uninhabited or barren. So a farmer might leave a patch of land to 'lie waste' - that is, not work it. An enemy army might 'lay the land waste' - that is, devastate it, destroy all the crops, trees etc, drive off the farmed animals and demolish all the buildings. This was the original meaning of the [[verb]] 'to '''waste''''. It then developed to the more general idea of 'to reduce the value of' something, not necessarily land; and then 'to consume', 'to use up'. (Victims of the disease tuberculosis, or TB, which was called 'consumption', were said to be 'wasting away'.) ''[[OED]]'' says that the most prominent meaning now is the "unfavourable sense: To spend, consume, employ uselessly or without adequate result. '''a.''' To consume, expend, bestow (money, property) uselessly, with needless lavishness or without adequate return; to make prodigal or improvident use of; to squander." One can waste money, time and effort - as well as all materials.

Waist - waste - Revision history

PeterWilson at 13:22, 9 July 2007

PeterWilson at 12:19, 8 July 2007