=Adrift=, on or in the _drift_. From the verb _drive_. Compare _give_, _gift_; _shrive_, _shrift_. =Alligator= is Spanish _el_ lagarto, _the_ lizard (_par excellence_), from Lat. _lacerta_, a lizard. =Aloft, on-loft=, in the lift (air). Northern Eng. or ‘Scotch’ _lift_, the air. =Anon=, _on_ or _in-one_ (instant). The phrase _then ones_ has become _the nonce_. =Atonement=, _at-one-ment_, bringing into one, reconciliation. In _alone_ and _atone_ the numeral _one_ has its true sound. =Babble=, to keep saying _ba, ba_. =Balloon=, a large _ball_ (Fr.). The _oon_ is augmentative. =Ballot=, a little _ball_ (Fr.). The _ot_ is diminutive. =Bank=, a _bench_ on which money is laid out. =Batch=, the quantity of bread _baked_ at one time. Compare _wake_, _watch_. =Bird=, one of a _brood_ (formerly _brid_). Compare _three_, _third_; _burn_, _brand_; _work_, _wright_. In all these the _r_ changes its place. =Bran-new=, that is, _brand-new_, burnt-new, as if newly from the fire. =Breakfast=, a _breaking_ of a _fast_. Compare Fr. _déjeûner_, from _jeûne_. =Brick=, a piece _broken_ off. =Brimstone=, that is, _burn-stone_, from _brennan_, to burn. Compare _brindled_. The _r_ is a letter which is easily moved. Compare _three_ and _third_; _burn_ and _brown_; etc. =Brood=, something _bred_. =Butcher=, O. Fr. _bocher_, a slaughterer of he-goats. From O. Fr. _boc_, a goat, not from _bouche_, mouth. _Boc_ is allied to the Eng. _buck_. =Butler= = bottler--that is, keeper of the _bottles_. From Nor. Fr. _butuille_, a bottle. =Buxom=, pliable; from _bugan_, to bend, which gives _bight_ and _bout_. =Carouse=, Ger. _gar aus_, right out. Used of drinking a bumper. =Caterpillar= = hairy cat. From O. Fr. _chate_, she-cat; _pelouse_, from Lat. _pilosus_, hairy. Compare _Woolly-bear_. =Causeway=, corrupted from Fr. _chaussée_, a raised way. =Club=, a society _clumped_ together. Connected with _clump_. =Constable=, from _comes stabuli_, count of the stable. =Coop=, anything hollow, like a _cup_. =Cope=, a covering, a _cap_. =Costermonger= = costard-monger--that is, apple-seller, costard being a kind of apple. =Country-dance=, a corruption of French _contre-danse_, a dance in which each dancer stands _opposite_ his partner. =Coward=, a bob-_tailed_ hare. Through O. Fr., from Lat. _cauda_, a tail. =Coxcomb=, a corruption of _cock’s comb_. =Daisy=--that is, _day’s-eye_, so called from its sun-like appearance, or because it closes its flower at night, and opens it again in the morning. =Dandelion=, a corruption of French _dent-de-lion_, tooth of the lion.