Member posted March 14, 2013 20:53
In my book, which takes place in the mid-1700s, they used the word
relict to mean "widow":
quote:
On January 2. The Virginia Gazette reported the marriage: "Thomas Jefferson, " Esquire, one of the Representatives for Albemarle, to Mrs. Martha Skelton, Relict of Mr. Bathurst Skelton. "
Somehow, I'd hate to be thought of as a "relict." It sounds too close to "relic," which it is related to.
<Proofreader> posted March 15, 2013 05:14
I suppose a widow who remarries would be relict.
Member Is one who doesn't remarry derelict?
Member relict Well, since the Latin participle it was borrowed from means 'left behind', I think that is an apt discription for a widow or a widower.
Ceci n'est pas un seing .
<Proofreader> posted March 16, 2013 08:40
Only relict the left behind? That's inefficient.
Member OK, OK, Proof, you can lic the right behind too if you must.
Member quote:
Well, since the Latin participle it was borrowed from means 'left behind', I think that is an apt discription for a widow or a widower.
Well, it certainly is, isn't it?
Have any of you ever heard it used that way?
Member quote:
Have any of you ever heard it used that way?
That's the only way I've ever seen it used. I can't remember seeing it used metaphorically although I suppose it could well be.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
