Etymology please
Still doesn't answer the question
malmo
>--- Original Message ---
>From: "R.T." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "Ed Grant" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Date: 1/31/01 4:10:44 AM
>
>Merriam Webster online dictionary:
>3 : a single continuous effort: as a : a single round of a contest
(as
>a race) having two or more rounds for each contestant b : one
of
>several preliminary contests held to eliminate less competent
>contenders
>
>this might be revealing, from infoplease:
>heat, nonmechanical energy in transit
>(scientific Physics definition, but maybe some coincidental
>track & field connotation as well?)
>
>And maybe most revealing of all:
>an 87-year old 1913 copy of Webster's has these under "heat":
>3. To excite ardor in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess;
to
>inflame, as the passions.
>6. A violent action unintermitted; a single effort; a single
course
>in a race that consists of two or more courses; as, he won two
heats
>out of three.
>7. Utmost violence; rage; vehemence; as, the heat of battle
or party.
>The heat of their division.
>A noble emulation heats your breast.
>
>
>RT
>
>
>
>
>On Tue, 30 Jan 2001 14:14:44 -0800, you wrote:
>
>>Netters:
>> Had an interesting query this morning for which I had
no immediate answer.
>>
>> A local coach called and said the parents of one of
his sprinters asked why the term "heats" was used for the qualifying
rounds at a track meet. In all my years in the sport, I had never
given this a second thought.
>>
>> I wonder if anyone out there has an answer for this.
And perhaps some of our foreign members could contribute with
the term used in their labguage and how it translates into English.
I havew been able to research the answer through my younger son
who happens to have a set of the OED in his house, but, before
giving the answer he found for me, I would like to have your
contributions since the OED answer is not definitive.
>>
Ed Grant
>
>
>
