What did the word “leisure” mean in late 18th Century usage?
What did the word "leisure" mean in the name of a Cornish tinmine. It has not been possible for me to find any definition of this term other than in connection with "free time" and suchlike. What could it have signified at the end of the eighteenth century?
england
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
add a comment |
What did the word "leisure" mean in the name of a Cornish tinmine. It has not been possible for me to find any definition of this term other than in connection with "free time" and suchlike. What could it have signified at the end of the eighteenth century?
england
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
5
Is there a certain quotation you are trying to interpret? Including it here would help.
– Brian Z
Apr 1 at 13:45
3
As already mentioned, the term was used in the business name of a Cornish tin mine. Pieter Geerkens has now explained the usage, but thank you!
– Malcolm Norman
Apr 1 at 13:49
1
I don't personally consider this off-topic here. I know ELU sometimes fields historical usage questions, but they are really much better with contemporary usage. However, I'll look into migration if its what the author wants. Is it?
– T.E.D.♦
Apr 1 at 13:53
@BrianZ odds are asker has been reading/watching Poldark.
– AllInOne
Apr 1 at 17:46
@AllInOne: Yes indeed. That is evident from inspecting the edit history back to the original pair of questions that have now been separated.
– Pieter Geerkens
Apr 1 at 20:27
add a comment |
What did the word "leisure" mean in the name of a Cornish tinmine. It has not been possible for me to find any definition of this term other than in connection with "free time" and suchlike. What could it have signified at the end of the eighteenth century?
england
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
What did the word "leisure" mean in the name of a Cornish tinmine. It has not been possible for me to find any definition of this term other than in connection with "free time" and suchlike. What could it have signified at the end of the eighteenth century?
england
england
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
edited Apr 1 at 13:53
Mark C. Wallace♦
23.8k973113
23.8k973113
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
asked Apr 1 at 12:34
Malcolm NormanMalcolm Norman
562
562
5
Is there a certain quotation you are trying to interpret? Including it here would help.
– Brian Z
Apr 1 at 13:45
3
As already mentioned, the term was used in the business name of a Cornish tin mine. Pieter Geerkens has now explained the usage, but thank you!
– Malcolm Norman
Apr 1 at 13:49
1
I don't personally consider this off-topic here. I know ELU sometimes fields historical usage questions, but they are really much better with contemporary usage. However, I'll look into migration if its what the author wants. Is it?
– T.E.D.♦
Apr 1 at 13:53
@BrianZ odds are asker has been reading/watching Poldark.
– AllInOne
Apr 1 at 17:46
@AllInOne: Yes indeed. That is evident from inspecting the edit history back to the original pair of questions that have now been separated.
– Pieter Geerkens
Apr 1 at 20:27
add a comment |
5
Is there a certain quotation you are trying to interpret? Including it here would help.
– Brian Z
Apr 1 at 13:45
3
As already mentioned, the term was used in the business name of a Cornish tin mine. Pieter Geerkens has now explained the usage, but thank you!
– Malcolm Norman
Apr 1 at 13:49
1
I don't personally consider this off-topic here. I know ELU sometimes fields historical usage questions, but they are really much better with contemporary usage. However, I'll look into migration if its what the author wants. Is it?
– T.E.D.♦
Apr 1 at 13:53
@BrianZ odds are asker has been reading/watching Poldark.
– AllInOne
Apr 1 at 17:46
@AllInOne: Yes indeed. That is evident from inspecting the edit history back to the original pair of questions that have now been separated.
– Pieter Geerkens
Apr 1 at 20:27
5
5
Is there a certain quotation you are trying to interpret? Including it here would help.
– Brian Z
Apr 1 at 13:45
Is there a certain quotation you are trying to interpret? Including it here would help.
– Brian Z
Apr 1 at 13:45
3
3
As already mentioned, the term was used in the business name of a Cornish tin mine. Pieter Geerkens has now explained the usage, but thank you!
– Malcolm Norman
Apr 1 at 13:49
As already mentioned, the term was used in the business name of a Cornish tin mine. Pieter Geerkens has now explained the usage, but thank you!
– Malcolm Norman
Apr 1 at 13:49
1
1
I don't personally consider this off-topic here. I know ELU sometimes fields historical usage questions, but they are really much better with contemporary usage. However, I'll look into migration if its what the author wants. Is it?
– T.E.D.♦
Apr 1 at 13:53
I don't personally consider this off-topic here. I know ELU sometimes fields historical usage questions, but they are really much better with contemporary usage. However, I'll look into migration if its what the author wants. Is it?
– T.E.D.♦
Apr 1 at 13:53
@BrianZ odds are asker has been reading/watching Poldark.
– AllInOne
Apr 1 at 17:46
@BrianZ odds are asker has been reading/watching Poldark.
– AllInOne
Apr 1 at 17:46
@AllInOne: Yes indeed. That is evident from inspecting the edit history back to the original pair of questions that have now been separated.
– Pieter Geerkens
Apr 1 at 20:27
@AllInOne: Yes indeed. That is evident from inspecting the edit history back to the original pair of questions that have now been separated.
– Pieter Geerkens
Apr 1 at 20:27
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Although marked as obsolete in the O.E.D. (1928), this oldest meaning for the word leisure is attested as late as 1640:
Leisure:
a. Freedom or opportunity to do something specified or implied
b. opportunity
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
6
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
2
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
add a comment |
The etymology of the word leisure traces it back to "license," permission to do something. In the context of a mine, it would mean permission to extract the ore.
Later, the connotation of the term changed to "take it easy," or permission to not do anything.The source opines that it may have developed in tandem with, or along the lines of, "pleasure," including becoming a rhyme (in British English).
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "324"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fhistory.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f51897%2fwhat-did-the-word-leisure-mean-in-late-18th-century-usage%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Although marked as obsolete in the O.E.D. (1928), this oldest meaning for the word leisure is attested as late as 1640:
Leisure:
a. Freedom or opportunity to do something specified or implied
b. opportunity
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
6
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
2
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
add a comment |
Although marked as obsolete in the O.E.D. (1928), this oldest meaning for the word leisure is attested as late as 1640:
Leisure:
a. Freedom or opportunity to do something specified or implied
b. opportunity
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
6
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
2
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
add a comment |
Although marked as obsolete in the O.E.D. (1928), this oldest meaning for the word leisure is attested as late as 1640:
Leisure:
a. Freedom or opportunity to do something specified or implied
b. opportunity
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
Although marked as obsolete in the O.E.D. (1928), this oldest meaning for the word leisure is attested as late as 1640:
Leisure:
a. Freedom or opportunity to do something specified or implied
b. opportunity
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
answered Apr 1 at 13:13
Pieter GeerkensPieter Geerkens
41.6k6118197
41.6k6118197
6
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
2
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
add a comment |
6
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
2
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
6
6
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
Click that little arrow and green thing for maximum thanksgiving @MalcolmNorman
– Dr. Shmuel
Apr 1 at 13:32
2
2
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
Note that this anachronism still exists in modern English; albeit as a part of a commonly used expression "at your leisure". e.g. "You need to do the dishes at your leisure".
– Stephen
Apr 2 at 6:33
add a comment |
The etymology of the word leisure traces it back to "license," permission to do something. In the context of a mine, it would mean permission to extract the ore.
Later, the connotation of the term changed to "take it easy," or permission to not do anything.The source opines that it may have developed in tandem with, or along the lines of, "pleasure," including becoming a rhyme (in British English).
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
add a comment |
The etymology of the word leisure traces it back to "license," permission to do something. In the context of a mine, it would mean permission to extract the ore.
Later, the connotation of the term changed to "take it easy," or permission to not do anything.The source opines that it may have developed in tandem with, or along the lines of, "pleasure," including becoming a rhyme (in British English).
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
add a comment |
The etymology of the word leisure traces it back to "license," permission to do something. In the context of a mine, it would mean permission to extract the ore.
Later, the connotation of the term changed to "take it easy," or permission to not do anything.The source opines that it may have developed in tandem with, or along the lines of, "pleasure," including becoming a rhyme (in British English).
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
The etymology of the word leisure traces it back to "license," permission to do something. In the context of a mine, it would mean permission to extract the ore.
Later, the connotation of the term changed to "take it easy," or permission to not do anything.The source opines that it may have developed in tandem with, or along the lines of, "pleasure," including becoming a rhyme (in British English).
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
answered Apr 1 at 17:59
Tom AuTom Au
78.2k11188411
78.2k11188411
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to History Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fhistory.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f51897%2fwhat-did-the-word-leisure-mean-in-late-18th-century-usage%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
5
Is there a certain quotation you are trying to interpret? Including it here would help.
– Brian Z
Apr 1 at 13:45
3
As already mentioned, the term was used in the business name of a Cornish tin mine. Pieter Geerkens has now explained the usage, but thank you!
– Malcolm Norman
Apr 1 at 13:49
1
I don't personally consider this off-topic here. I know ELU sometimes fields historical usage questions, but they are really much better with contemporary usage. However, I'll look into migration if its what the author wants. Is it?
– T.E.D.♦
Apr 1 at 13:53
@BrianZ odds are asker has been reading/watching Poldark.
– AllInOne
Apr 1 at 17:46
@AllInOne: Yes indeed. That is evident from inspecting the edit history back to the original pair of questions that have now been separated.
– Pieter Geerkens
Apr 1 at 20:27