Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2018 April 15

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April 15

Aheat

I find this in Keith's Sanskrit Drama (p. 81): "medicine aids the sick though given by one of inferior caste, as does water one aheat". The meaning of "aheat", if it is indeed a word, is clear. But why can't I find the word in any dictionary? Is it regional? (Keith was from Scotland). Thanks. Basemetal 22:23, 15 April 2018 (UTC)

"Aheat" is an entry in the OED, it has the following:

† aˈheat, phr. Obs.

[a (prep.¹ of state) + heat (n.)]

In or into heat.

1587 Golding De Mornay (1617) Pref., To chafe them a heate, that are waxed colde. - Lindert (talk) 22:42, 15 April 2018 (UTC)

Thanks. It seems so rare (if the OED could find no example more recent than 1587; or is it 1617?) I'm surprised Keith's example is not in the OED. Basemetal 04:21, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

I still have difficulty understanding the sentence, because I can't figure out what role "one" is supposed to have... AnonMoos (talk) 08:37, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

AnonMoos: "medicine aids the sick though given by one of inferior caste, as does water [aid] one [who is] aheat". The first one gives medicine, the second one receives water. Henry^Flower 08:43, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

"water aids one (=a person) who is on heat". —Tamfang (talk) 08:43, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

OK, thanks, but the sentence still seems rather obscure (not necessarily suitable for dictionary citation)... AnonMoos (talk) 07:51, 17 April 2018 (UTC)

Obscure? It seems to be perfectly clear to most people here. I'm not even sure what you're having trouble with. Basemetal 11:02, 17 April 2018 (UTC)

It's possible to submit examples to the OED editors: link. - Lindert (talk) 08:40, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

The second edition of the OED (1991 1989) does indeed call it obsolete, but the updated entry (September 2012) in the online edition ditches that description and instead calls it Scottish and rare. It adds further citations from 1836, 1901 and 1923, but if it's rare then they might still be interested in another example. --Antiquary (talk) 09:13, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

And the 1923 citation is not this one? (The book was actually published in 1924, but, well, I just thought I'd ask). I'm hoping it is because the OED submission form (link provided by Lindert above, for which I thank him) looks so complicated. Basemetal 18:56, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

No, the 1923 cite is from G. Watson's Roxburghshire Word-Book. The traditional way to tell the OED is by posting them an A6 slip of paper with all the details on it; I sent them several thousand before I went digital. But of course there's no obligation to do anything at all. --Antiquary (talk) 12:00, 17 April 2018 (UTC)