[Ads-l] foment

[Joel S. Berson]

Also in a good way:

I cured Prestor John's Godmother, to the great Admiration of all the 
Court, of a stupendous Dolor about the Os Sacrum, so that the good 
Old Lady really feared the Perdition of her Huckle Bone; I did it by 
fomenting her Posteriors, with a Mummy of Nature, alias call'd 
Pilgrims Salve, mixt up with the Spirit of Mugwort, tartaragraphated 
thorow an alembick of Christalline Transluency.

 From a quack doctor's harangue, late 17th-early 18th century, British.

Joel

At 11/30/2014 08:01 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>Like, you know, 'encourage in a good way'?
>
>Yahoo! News:
>
>"Cuba, UK seek to foment ties with visit of British Royal Navy ship."
>
>JL
>
>--
>"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org