Oxford English Dictionary Activity

Oxford English Dictionary

Activity 1

Bachelor:

There is a lot of useful information on this word. The earliest recorded use is from 1297 when it originally meant 'power, art, strong and courageous'. We can see that it was spelt 'bacheler'. This shows that there may have been a slight change in pronunciation and definite change in spelling until the present.

If we scroll down to the next meaning we discover that it was developed in 1386 'Young, fresh, strong, and in Armes desirous, As any Bacheler [v.r. bachiler(e, -elere, -illier] of al his house.' This means that the meaning have developed further and the meaning has become broader.

Then from the 19th century, it came to denote a legal term for men who have gained 'Vavassors, who obtained knighthood, were commonly styled bachelors.' Also from this we can see how the word bachelor has changed and developed into the more modern way of how to spell it and infact the pronunciation has changed into the way we know it.

 

After this we are given various examples of its use in different publications for example; 'A junior or inferior member, or ‘yeoman,’ of a trade-guild, or City Company.'