Oct. 30th, 2008

fettle

Oct. 30th, 2008 07:53 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
fettle - n., state, condition.


Now metastasized in English in the phrase "fine fettle," but your fettle can be bad as well. It comes from the older, but now obsolete verb form, fettle, meaning to put in order, get ready, from Middle English felten, to shape, prepare, which may be related to fetch or to Old English fetel, a girdle, belt.

---L.

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