Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Counterpane

Counterpane: This is a pidgin-like word, in that it has strayed far from its etymological origins. Counter by a long circuitous route shares its etymology with quilt, and pane by a different by similarly tortuous path is related to puncture, implying stitching in this case. A counterpane is a quilt or a bedspread!
She had gone through to the bedroom and was pulling the counterpane straight where I had lain.

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