Seldom-used words - M to A

[Handley_Page]

That word describes the Roman farms that supported Roman Villas throughout their Empire. But they were run with slave labour and produced much of the agricultural produced needed in the towns and cities.

Owing a latifundium was very profitable. Despite Roman authors writing about the joys of a bucolic existence, the reality was very highly organised farming on an industrial scale.

Like the Lord of the Manor, as it were ?

 

[oggbashan]

Like the Lord of the Manor, as it were ?

More like the Slavedriving Factory Boss who was probably a freed slave. The Patrician owner lived in luxury while the slaves were worked to death. The owner wouldn't get their hands dirty with the actual management of the money making.

 

[oggbashan]

More about latifundium

The Roman type of latifundium depended on using hundreds or thousands of slaves and working them hard and long. The life expectancy of a slave on a latifundium was lower than anywhere else except the mines.

From Roman comic drama we know that threatening to sell a household slave to a latifundium was the ultimate threat. Household slaves lived much better than agricultural slaves and had opportunities to better themselves. Slaves on a latifundium could only look forward to death as a release from unremitting hard work.

Obviously some owners/managers of a latifundium were more reasonable employers than others. One such owner made money by buying injured or ill slaves at low prices, employing doctors to help the slaves get better, and then using them, and all his slaves, under less demanding conditions. His staff costs were lower because the purchase price of the slaves were very low and his slaves lived longer and had a longer productive working life than other owners could achieve. He also kept slaves when they had retired from full time work in the fields - until they died in retirement.

His slaves worked more efficiently because they weren't overworked. They knew that if they were injured, ill or just too old to work they would still be able to live in reasonable conditions.

But the owner didn't do all that out of a social conscience. He did it because it was more cost-effective over the working life of a slave.

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, that is very interesting. Social conscience vs. cost effectiveness sounds familiar, like Flint, Michigan. Some things never change.

laterad - adv (1814) toward the side

 

[Hard_Rom]

The Byzantine Empire under Basil II, late 10th to early 11th century, experienced nobles gaining control of vast estates reclaimed in what is now eastern Turkey from the Muslim Empire. Slaves were used to work land once set aside for small farmers who were the backbone of the Imperial army.

Enclosure of common land in England.

Land speculators buying up huge tracts of land in Upper Canada and profiting by neighbourhood improvements in the 1800s.

Agrarian land reform and wealth distribution.

Plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose.

Like The Who said "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."

lief - adv. soon; gladly

 

[AllardChardon]

Welcome Hard Rom, nice to have you along for the ride.

La Tène - adj (1901) [La Tène, shallows of the Lake of Neuchâtel, Switzerland] of or relating to the later period of the Iron Age in Europe assumed to date from 500 B.C. to A.D. 1

 

[AllardChardon]

Good morning everyone.

latchet - noun (15c) a narrow leather strap, thong, or lace that fastens a shoe or sandal on the foot

 

[Handley_Page]

Good morning everyone.

latchet - noun (15c) a narrow leather strap, thong, or lace that fastens a shoe or sandal on the foot

One might be tempted to think that it has connections with LATCH, but apparently not.

 

[AllardChardon]

Yes, Handley, I found that interesting, too.

We know what lasting means; permanent, durable and stable, but the second entry is a little different:

lasting(2) - noun (15c) 1. archaic: long life 2. a sturdy cotton or worsted cloth used esp. in shoes and luggage

 

[Handley_Page]

Yes, Handley, I found that interesting, too.

We know what lasting means; permanent, durable and stable, but the second entry is a little different:

lasting(2) - noun (15c) 1. archaic: long life 2. a sturdy cotton or worsted cloth used esp. in shoes and luggage

It lines the leather of a good toecap etc., on decent shoes.

 

[AllardChardon]

That makes perfect sense, Handley, thanks for the added information.

Here's another one;

last(2) - noun (before 12c) a form (as of metal or plastic) which is shaped like the human foot and over which a shoe is shaped or repaired

 

[oggbashan]

That makes perfect sense, Handley, thanks for the added information.

Here's another one;

last(2) - noun (before 12c) a form (as of metal or plastic) which is shaped like the human foot and over which a shoe is shaped or repaired

If you used a bespoke shoe maker they would store your last until you needed a new pair of shoes. They would check your feet again and compare with the previous last. If there was no change the shoes could be made quicker. If there were changes they would adjust the last, or make a new one, and allow for future changes.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

If there were changes they would adjust the last, or make a new one, and allow for future changes.

Only, of course, as a last resort if the last last wasn't adequate...

 

[Handley_Page]

Only, of course, as a last resort if the last last wasn't adequate...

edit:
Wrong place.
Good Morning all

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, does that mean the bespoke shoe maker kept every last he made for each person? When a woman becomes pregnant and delivers, her feet can change by a half a size at least. I know mine did. All the shoes I had as a single woman had to be given away and I had to start all over, again.

lash-up - noun (1898) 1. something hastily put together or improvised 2. OUTFIT

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Og, does that mean the bespoke shoe maker kept every last he made for each person?

Just so. Every (ahem) last one of them.

 

[Handley_Page]

Just so. Every (ahem) last one of them.

And it's why bespoke shoes are so expensive.

 

[oggbashan]

Og, does that mean the bespoke shoe maker kept every last he made for each person? ...

Yes. Some London shoemakers have kept lasts for famous people who are long dead. Until the twentieth century most bespoke shoemakers only made men's shoes which don't change as much as women, and remain fashionable for decades. Even so, shoe styles might change, but foot shapes are more permanent.

But changes in feet can be an indicator of foot problems.

The most usual reason for bespoke shoes now is because of foot deformity or serious injury.

 

[oggbashan]

...

lash-up - noun (1898) 1. something hastily put together or improvised 2. OUTFIT

A modern version of a lash-up is a repair made with duct tape.

But the Royal Navy has a proud history of using lash-ups to repair battle or other damage.

A 20th Century example was the survey ship HMS Dampier. The ship's propellors were damaged by grounding near South Africa. The crew improvised masts and sails to assist with the voyage back to the UK for repairs. It was a lash-up but it worked.

 

[AllardChardon]

Gentlemen, thanks for the lesson in shoemaking. I learn a lot on this thread. And Duct tape is a wonderful lash-up item. I use it, whenever necessary.

Here's one I found odd;

lashings also lashins - noun pl (1829) chiefly British: a great plenty: ABUNDANCE <piles of bread and butter and ~ of tea - Molly Weir>

 

[oggbashan]

...

Here's one I found odd;

lashings also lashins - noun pl (1829) chiefly British: a great plenty: ABUNDANCE <piles of bread and butter and ~ of tea - Molly Weir>

Lashings had a particular significance to Brits during and in the years after World War Two when many food items were rationed.

There was some jealousy of US servicemen based in the UK. They always had lashings of food (and chocolate which was impossible for civilians to get).

Lashings was almost always used with reference to desirable food. We didn't starve but the only things we had lashings of were foods we didn't enjoy eating.

An example of the sort of food we had lashings of but hated was Woolton Pie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolton_pie

The usual version did without the cheese topping because cheese was rationed.

 

[Handley_Page]

Lashings had a particular significance to Brits during and in the years after World War Two when many food items were rationed.

An example of the sort of food we had lashings of but hated was Woolton Pie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolton_pie

The usual version did without the cheese topping because cheese was rationed.

Sounds like just the thing for a Vegan.
I don't recall having to eat it, fortunately.

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, so Woolton pie is not listed on many menus in the UK? For a vegetarian like myself, I think it sounds very good. I make Italian gnocchi, which is a potato pastry, so the potato pastry on top of the Woolton pie, instead of only flour, added an extra plus for me. Thank you so much for all the tidbits of information stored in your brain that you share with me. I truly enjoy them all.

lascar - noun (1615) an Indian sailor, army servant, or artilleryman

One name for all those duties, how is that so?

 

[oggbashan]

Og, so Woolton pie is not listed on many menus in the UK? For a vegetarian like myself, I think it sounds very good. I make Italian gnocchi, which is a potato pastry, so the potato pastry on top of the Woolton pie, instead of only flour, added an extra plus for me. Thank you so much for all the tidbits of information stored in your brain that you share with me. I truly enjoy them all.

lascar - noun (1615) an Indian sailor, army servant, or artilleryman

One name for all those duties, how is that so?

Woolton Pie? Those of us old enough to remember it wouldn't want to eat it.

From my Concise Oxford Dictionary:

lascar - a sailor from India or SE Asia origin 17th Century Portuguese lascari from Urdu and Persian lascari = soldier.

Most European contacts were with lascars as sailors but the word was also used in preference to 'native' because it gave the individual some status (and a uniform).

In 1960 I travelled to Australia on a Dutch liner that had been built for travelling between The Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies. In the 1950s most of the below-deck crew, cabin and dining room staff had been Lascars. In 1959 it was no longer profitable for the shipping company to travel to Djakarta and Indonesia so they changed to a Round The World route. Their Lascars were Indonesian and since the ship no longer went to Indonesia the Lascars were replaced by Dutch staff.

Most of the staff dealing directly with the passengers were final year Hotel Management degree students. The Round The World trip was the last part of their course. It was interesting because the staff were very keen and enthusiastic but not immune from making mistakes when dealing with passengers. The Lascars had had years of experience but their replacements had none at all.

The standard of English had improved with the change. The standard of service was erratic. The trip started in The Netherlands, went to Southampton in the UK and then to the Mediterranean. By the time the ship reached the Suez Canal the standard of service was almost perfect. Every student had passed their practical test before we reached Sri Lanka.

But Lascars are still used as sailors. Their skill sets have changed with modern technology but they are still paid less than US or UK equivalents.

 

[Handley_Page]

Og, so Woolton pie is not listed on many menus in the UK? For a vegetarian like myself, I think it sounds very good. I make Italian gnocchi, which is a potato pastry, so the potato pastry on top of the Woolton pie, instead of only flour, added an extra plus for me. Thank you so much for all the tidbits of information stored in your brain that you share with me. I truly enjoy them all.

lascar - noun (1615) an Indian sailor, army servant, or artilleryman

One name for all those duties, how is that so?

You can find some background info on Wiki:

I've been told that I do not eat sufficient Vegetables.
I'm going to have a go at Woolton or something; maybe with a beef stock cube or two, though.