A piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club when making a stroke, a polo mallet, of by a sports player’s boot. Scottish Gaelic “dubhad”=shortened form of “dubh-fhàd”= black sod or black turf < “dubh”=black + “fàd”=piece of peat, sod used for thatching roofs.
A slit made by cutting with a saw; the cut end of a tree that’s been cut down. Old English “cyrf”=a cut or cutting. Ultimately of West Germanic origin.
In South Asia, a title given to a person revered for high-mindedness, selflessness, and wisdom. Sanskrit “mahatman” < “maha”=great + “atman”=soul.
An enclosed compartment used for baking, drying, or heating things. Old English “ofen” < unattested Germanic root.
To protect someone against a disease by introducing infected material, microorganisms, or a vaccine into the body. Latin “inoculare “=to graft a bud onto a stem of a plant, to implant < “in”=into + “oculus”=bud, eye.
From chess, a position in which one has to make a move, but the outcome is inevitably bad; in general, aa no-win situation. German “zug”=move + “zwang”= a compulsion or obligation.
A valuable stone, such as a diamond or emerald ) that has been cut and polished to be used for ornamentation. Anglo-Norman and Middle French “jouel”=valuable object made of gold, silver, or precious stones < “jeu”=game < Latin “jocus”=jest, joke, play.
A small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use’ but often thought of as a novelty. Origin uncertain, perhaps French “gâchette”=locking mechanism or French dialect word “gagée”=tool.
An extreme scarcity of food; in extended use, a shortage of something. French “famine” < Provençal “famina” < Latin “*famina” < “fames”=hunger.
The act of using spies to get information about the plans/activities of a foreign government or a competing company. French “espionnage” < “espionner”=to spy < “espion”=a spy + Latin “-agium”=noun-forming suffix denoting something related to the first element.
Tweetionary: An Etymology Dictionary 