Thursday word: bouleversement

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

bouleversement (boo-luh-vers-MAHN) - n., a reversal, overturning, complete overthrown; convulsion, turmoil.


And not, as it might initially appear to the naive English-speaker, a stroll along the boulevard. Not exactly a common word -- examples available show it most frequently used in discussions of revolutions and of the personal development of sensitive intellectual types. Well, and certain types of British political commentary. From French, of course, borrowed in the early 1780s (so between the two Revolutions, in America and France), from Old French bouleverser, to overturn, from boule, ball (from Latin) + verser, to overturn (from Old French, from Latin versāre, frequentative of vertere, to turn) -- and what a ball has to do with this is a story I'm not finding. Kinda like a turnover in sports? Anyone know?

---L.

Comments

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

That balls or spheres circulate and turn, going around and around? A rolling stone gathers no moss?

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I think a turnover sounds closer. But still, *shrug*

[med_cat]

An interesting word, thanks for sharing ;)

One of those words that don't mean what one thinks they would mean...like lackadaisical.