Sunday, December 13, 2015

Word of the day: marshal

The word of the day is marshal:
  1. to arrange in proper order; set out in an orderly manner; arrange clearly: to marshal facts; to marshal one's arguments.
  2. to array, as for battle.
  3. to usher or lead ceremoniously: Their host marshaled them into the room.
  4. Heraldry. to combine (two or more coats of arms) on a single escutcheon.
early 13c., from O.Fr. mareschal, originally "stable officer, horse tender, groom" (Frankish L. mariscaluis) from Frank. *marhskalk, lit. "horse-servant" (cf. O.H.G. marahscalc "groom"), from P.Gmc. *markhaz "horse" (see mare (1)) + *skalkaz "servant" (cf. Du. schalk "rogue, wag," Goth. skalks "servant"). Cognate with O.E. horsþegn. For development history, cf. constable. The verb "to arrange for fighting" is from 1580s. 

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/marshal)


"In this book I tend to marshal terms like 'king' and 'nation' rather than 'chief' and 'tribe.'"

 - Charles Mann, 1493: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

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