Q: "coned", v. (past tense), 1741

[Wilson Gray]

FWIW, I agree with all of these answers.

Cf. also the former "conning tower" of a submarine, now called its
"sail," except by those of us who were alive during the course of WII
and who remember that Naval classic, _Crashdive!_, starring the late,
great Tyrone Power.

-Wilson

All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain



On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 9:12 PM, Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Q: "coned", v. (past tense), 1741
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The OED gives the definition " 3. To get to know; to study or learn,
> esp. by repetition (mental or vocal); hence, in wider sense, to pore
> over, peruse, commit to memory; to inspect, scan, examine."  I think
> it's related to "ken" in its sense of "know," cognate to Latin and
> Greek gno:.  I suspect ken is e-grade ablaut and know 0-grade, but I'm
> not sure of this.
>
> Herb
>
> On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 7:35 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> Subject:      Q: "coned", v. (past tense), 1741
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> What is "coned" in the following,a written by an intelligent and
>> well-read 20-year old South-Carolinian miss in1742, describing her
>> study of law from a book and writing wills for a few neighbors?
>>
>> "I know I have done no harm for I coned my lesson very perfect and
>> know how to convey by will Estates real and personal and never forget
>> in its proper place, him and his heirs for Ever ..."
>>
>> The editors of her journal do explain a few other words unusual to us
>> today, but don't say a word here.
>>
>> Joel
>>
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