A.Word.A.Day --aby

A.Word.A.Day

Home

Dec 29, 2011

This week's theme
Archaic words

This week's words
mickle
inwit
reechy
aby
mazard

Caught in spam?
Whitelist us to ensure uninterrupted delivery of A.Word.A.Day.
Here's how to do it

Discuss

Feedback

RSS/XML

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

aby

PRONUNCIATION:

(uh-BY)

MEANING:

verb tr.: To pay the penalty for.
verb intr.: To suffer, to endure.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Old English abycgan (to pay for), from bycgan (to buy). Earliest documented use: before 1225.

USAGE:

"'But we have you -- and you shall aby it.' There were knives drawn on every side of him as these words were spoken."
Walter Scott; Quentin Durward; 1823.

See more usage examples of aby in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

A poet should be of the / old-fashioned meaningless brand: / obscure, esoteric, symbolic, -- / the critics demand it; / so if there's a poem of mine / that you do understand / I'll gladly explain what it means / till you don't understand it. -Piet Hein, poet and scientist (1905-1996)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise