The enemy is a multi-valued obsolete word. Where did it come from and what does it mean?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Many words found in literature or historical documentation are new and incomprehensible to modern man. In any case, not entirely clear. The word "enemy" is such archaism.

Without money in the city - his own enemy

The most common meaning of the word "enemy" is an enemy. It is set out in most explanatory and etymological dictionaries, for example, in V. I. Dalia: enemy, adversary, villain. “Not fed, not the enemy”, “on the other side and the child is the enemy”. Enemies in Russia were called opponents in hostilities, nomads, robbers.

Always in this meaning is accompanied by the mark "obsolete", because it was used in Russian at the time of the spread of full consent -oro-, as well as "high", used by the authors to reproduce a high syllable. First of all, the enemy is some kind of ill-wisher.

Origin and analogues in languages

Finally understand what a "enemy" is, a short digression through etymological dictionaries will help. So, the word "enemy" (and with it the modern "enemy") came from the Old Slavonic root -wer(g)-. Heformed words in the meaning of "use force, force, subjugate." His cognates in Russian are: overthrow, refutation, divination.

Lithuanian vergas ("slave"), or urge in English ("compulsion") can be attributed to the same root. All of this applies to the enemy in one way or another. Examples:

Also related is the original Russian "Varangian". So called the inhabitants of the north, the Scandinavians and the Angles. Moreover, the Slavic peoples often fought with them, so the word received a reinforced meaning. "Varangian" and "enemy" words are consonant, their connection is clear even to those who are far from linguistics.

Sorcerers, magicians and other evil spirits

If in our speech the word "enemy" has already taken root, then derivatives from "enemy" are used in a slightly different meaning. Educated verbs from the same root "bewitch", "bewitch" mean an unfriendly action.

Divination refers to magic and divination and does not have a negative connotation, but with the beginning of the Christian era in Russia, this word was considered very unpleasant. Synonyms were and are the expressions "warlock", "conjure", "bind by force", which served as references to the pagan past.

It turns out the "enemy" is to some extent a wizard, magician. A person who turns to impure forces. Soothsayer is considered a villain or a witch. Someone who forces you to do or feel something. In general, this also fits into the idea ofenmity - strife with the Christian world as history develops.

A little good

All previous meanings boiled down to hostility and enmity, but there is one gap. Since the word was and remains associated with magic and folk beliefs, the “enemy” is also a healer, a healer. The one who in ancient times treated people with the help of conspiracies and rituals.

"It's good for him to live, whose grandmother tells fortunes", "he conjured his illness", "skilled in divination".

Any word that has gone down in history deserves a detailed analysis and clear understanding. Such expressions should not cause confusion and distort the meaning of what is read or said. One has only to delve into dictionaries and the Internet to find out that the “enemy” is both a Varangian, a fortuneteller, and a healer.