Complexion: woven together

In the very old days the physiologists dreamed up some funny and fancy fairytales about this world of ours and its make-up. The Greek philosohper Aristotle taught that the earth and ourselves, too, were composed of four substances: First, "fire", which was hot and dry; second "air", which was warm and moist; third the "earth", which he rated cold and water, these were the four "elements," and Aristotle believed that the way they were combined were "woven together" in you gave you your complexion, and the word "complexion" suggest this idea for it is from the Latin com-"together," and plecto, "braid" or "weave". We still use the word in some such fashion when we speak of the political complexion ("quality," "character") of the legislature. Since the varying combinations of these elements were supposed to affect the color, hue, and appearance of the skin, the word finally took on it s modern meaning.

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Origin of Blackmail

The origin of the word "blackmail" had nothing to do with the post office as many might think. Mail in this sense was old Anglo Norse term for "rent" or "tribute". During the time of border warfare between England and Scotland, freebooters exorted payment from farmers in exchange for protection and immunity from plunder. As the inhabitants were generally poor, the tribute was made in "blackmail", "that is, grain, meat, or the lowest colnage (copper)", as opposed to "white mail", "which was silver". Eventually the word took on the meaning of any payment extorted by the threat of exposure of an incriminating secret.

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