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MUSCOVITE Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

o'clock

Hi,

I understand o'clock is just a contracted form of 'of the clock'?

There must be more similar (old enough? middle English or something?) contracted forms in MODERN English?
Perhaps you can give me a few examples... just off the top of your head?

Thank you in advance!

mus-te
  

Top answer

What do you mean by similar? Hallowe'en? Jack-o'-lantern?

— Mister Micawber

  • What do you mean by similar?
  • Hallowe'en?
  • Jack-o'-lantern?
  • Will-o'-the-wisp?
  • Cat-o'-nine-tails?
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4 Answers
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What do you mean by similar?

Hallowe'en? Jack-o'-lantern? Will-o'-the-wisp? Cat-o'-nine-tails?
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Jack-o'-lantern? Will-o'-the-wisp? Cat-o'-nine-tails?

Yes, these examples are very close to o'clock I guess ( because the O' stands for the 'of' in all of them?)

Thank you!
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Hallowe'en = hallow(ed) even(ing)

jack-o'-lantern = jack (that is, man) of the lantern

will-o'-the-wisp = will of the wisp (that is, the wisp of fog seems to have a will of it's own)

cat-o'-nine-tails = cat of nine tails (that is, the nine strands of the whip leave scratches like a cat does

Others:

zounds = by the wounds of Christ

marry = by th
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AnonymousHallowe'en = hallow(ed) even(ing)
Not really. 'All Hallows' Eve'.
Anonymouswill-o'-the-wisp = will of the wisp (that is, the wisp of fog seems to have a will of it's own)
Not really. 1600–10; orig. Will (i.e., William) with the wisp.
Anonymouszounds = by the wounds of
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