O.E. cuppe, from L.L. cuppa, from L. cupa "tub," from PIE *keup- "a hollow." The Ger. cognate Kopf now means exclusively "head" (cf. Fr. tête, from L. testa "potsherd"). Meaning "part of a bra that holds a breast" is from 1938. [One's] cup of tea "what interests one" (1932), earlier used of persons (1908), the sense being "what is invigorating."
guide (v.)
late 14c., from O.Fr. guider "to guide, lead, conduct," from Frankish *witan "show the way," from P.Gmc. *wit- "to know" (cf. Ger. weisen "to show, point out," O.E. witan "to see"). The French word influenced by O.Prov. guidar (n.) "guide, leader," from the same source. The noun meaning "one who shows the way" first recorded mid-14c. In 18c. France, a "for Dummies" or "Idiot's Guide to" book would be a guid' âne, lit. "guide-ass."
syrup
1392, from O.Fr. sirop (13c.), and perhaps from It. siroppo, both from Arabic sharab "beverage, wine," lit. "something drunk," from verb shariba "he drank" (cf. sherbet). Sp. jarabe, jarope, O.Prov. eissarop are from Arabic; It. sciroppo is via M.L. sirupus.
mirror
early 13c., from O.Fr. mireor "a reflecting glass," earlier miradoir (11c.), from mirer "look at," from V.L. *mirare, from L. mirari "to wonder at, admire" (see miracle). Fig. usage is attested from c.1300. The verb. meaning "to reflect" is first attested 1820 in Keats's "Lamia." Used in divination since classical and biblical times; mirrors in modern England are the subject of at least 14 known superstitions, according to folklorists. Belief that breaking one brings bad luck is attested from 1777.
tall
"high in stature," 1530, probably ult. from O.E. getæl "prompt, active." Sense evolved to "brave, valiant, seemly, proper" (c.1400), then to "attractive, handsome" (c.1450), and finally "being of more than average height." The O.E. word is related to O.H.G. gi-zal "quick," Goth. un-tals "indocile." Sense evolution is remarkable, but adjectives applied to persons often mutate quickly in meaning (e.g. pretty, boxom, Ger. klein "small, little," which in M.H.G. meant the same as its Eng. cognate clean). Phrase tall, dark, and handsome is recorded from 1906.
tariff
1591, "arithmetical table," from It. tariffa, M.L. tarifa "list of prices, book of rates," from Arabic ta'rif "information, notification, inventory of fees to be paid," verbal noun from arafa "to make known." Meaning "official list of customs duties on imports or exports" is from 1592; sense of "classified list of charges made in a business" is recorded from 1757.
thick (adj.)
O.E. þicce "not thin, dense," from P.Gmc. *theku-, *thekwia- (cf. O.S. thikki, O.H.G. dicchi, Ger. dick, O.N. þykkr, O.Fris. thikke), from PIE *tegu- "thick" (cf. Gaelic tiugh). Secondary O.E. sense of "close together" is preserved in thickset and proverbial phrase thick as thieves (1833). Meaning "stupid" is first recorded 1597. Phrase thick and thin is in Chaucer (c.1386); thick-skinned is attested from 1545; in fig. sense from 1602. Verb thicken is first recorded c.1425 (trans.), 1598 (intrans.); an earlier verb was O.E. þiccian. To be in the thick of some action, etc., "to be at the most intense moment" is from 1681, from a M.E. noun sense.
waist
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