Coming undone

[David Powelstock]

According the OED, "undone," in the sense of "Brought to decay or ruin;
ruined, destroyed," has been in use for more than 600 years.  Here is an OED
example that perfectly reflects the modern usage at its most general:

1484 Caxton Fables of Æsop ii. ix, Many one is vndone and lost for faulte of
obedyence.

One's "undoing," then, is one's ruin, brought about by whatever means.  If
the undoing of hair is involved, it is a pun, rather than an etymology.

Cheers,
david

-----Original Message-----
Martha Sherwood wrote:
The primary reference is probably to women's hair, which was,
until 1920
>or so, kept in braids or a bun; undone hair being a symbol
either of
>sexual licentiousness or of having been raped, as in the
now-obsolete
>expression, I am undone. -Martha Sherwood-
Albany
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                http://members.home.net/lists/seelangs/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                http://members.home.net/lists/seelangs/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------