Prefixation in English and Catalan - Departament de Filologia ...
Prefixation in English and Catalan - Departament de Filologia ...
Prefixation in English and Catalan - Departament de Filologia ...
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Counter (v.) 2 If you do someth<strong>in</strong>g to counter a particular action or process, you do<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g which has an opposite effect to it or makes it less effective.<br />
ORIGIN ME: from OFr. contre, from L. contra ‘aga<strong>in</strong>st’.<br />
Encroach 1 If one th<strong>in</strong>g encroaches on another, the first th<strong>in</strong>g spreads or becomes<br />
stronger, <strong>and</strong> slowly beg<strong>in</strong>s to restrict the power, range, or effectiveness of the second<br />
th<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Derivative: encroachment.<br />
ORIGIN ME (<strong>in</strong> the sense ‘seize’): from OFr. encrochier ‘seize, fasten upon’, from en-<br />
‘<strong>in</strong>, on’ + crochier (from croc ‘hook’).<br />
Croach: non-exist<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Encumber (cumber) 1 Impe<strong>de</strong>, bur<strong>de</strong>n. If you are encumbered by someth<strong>in</strong>g, it<br />
prevents you from mov<strong>in</strong>g freely or do<strong>in</strong>g what you want. 2 If a place is encumbered<br />
with th<strong>in</strong>gs, it conta<strong>in</strong>s so many of them that it is difficult to move freely there. The<br />
narrow quay was encumbered by hundreds of carts.<br />
ORIGIN ME: from OFr. encombrer ‘block up’, from en- ‘<strong>in</strong>’ + combre ‘river barrage’.<br />
Cumber (n.) archaic A h<strong>in</strong>drance, obstruction or bur<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
Cumber (v.) dated Hamper, h<strong>in</strong><strong>de</strong>r, or obstruct.<br />
ORIGIN ME (<strong>in</strong> the sense ‘overthrow, <strong>de</strong>stroy’): probably from encumber.<br />
En<strong>de</strong>avour (en<strong>de</strong>avor <strong>in</strong> American <strong>English</strong>) 1 If you en<strong>de</strong>avour to do someth<strong>in</strong>g, you<br />
try very hard to do it; a formal use. I will en<strong>de</strong>avour to arrange it.<br />
ORIGIN ME: from the phrase ‘put oneself <strong>in</strong> <strong>de</strong>voir’ ‘do one’s utmost’.<br />
Devoir (n.) A person’s duty.<br />
ORIGIN ME: from OFr. <strong>de</strong>veir, from L. <strong>de</strong>bere ‘owe’, <strong>in</strong>fluenced by Fr. <strong>de</strong>voir.<br />
Endorse (dorsum) (also <strong>in</strong>dorse) 1 If you endorse someone or someth<strong>in</strong>g, you say<br />
publicly that you support or approve of them. 3 When you endorse a cheque, you write<br />
your name on the back of it so that it can be paid <strong>in</strong>to someone else’s bank account. The<br />
payee of the cheque must endorse the cheque.<br />
Derivative: endorsement.<br />
ORIGIN C15: from medieval L. <strong>in</strong>dorsare, from L. <strong>in</strong>- ‘on’ + dorsum ‘back’.<br />
Dorsum (n.) [pl. dorsa] Anatomy <strong>and</strong> Zoology The dorsal part of an organism or<br />
structure.<br />
ORIGIN C18 (<strong>de</strong>not<strong>in</strong>g a long hill or ridge): from L. back.<br />
Endow (dower) 1 Give or bequeath an <strong>in</strong>come or property to. 2 You say that someone<br />
is endowed with a particular <strong>de</strong>sirable ability, characteristic, or possession when they<br />
have it.<br />
Endowment.<br />
ORIGIN ME: from legal Anglo-Norman endouer, from en- ‘<strong>in</strong>, towards’ + OFr. douer<br />
‘give as a gift’ (from L. dotare: see dower).<br />
Dower (n.) 1 A widow’s share for life of her husb<strong>and</strong>’s estate. 2 archaic A dowry.<br />
Dower (v.) archaic Give a dowry to.<br />
ORIGIN ME: OFr. douaire, from medieval L. dotarium, from L. dotare ‘endow’, from<br />
dos, dot- ‘dowry’; related to dare ‘give’.<br />
Endue (also <strong>in</strong>due) poetic/literary Endow with a quality or ability.<br />
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