Although the name shuttlecock has only been in the language since the sixteenth century, it is composed of two words, shuttle and cock, that are found in the earliest forms of the language.
Shuttle is the modern spelling of the Anglo-Saxon scytel, “an arrow, missile,” and is related to our verb to shoot.
The name became applied to the weaver’s shuttle, probably because it seemed to shoot back and forth across the web, but this has resulted in having the back-and-forth concept become more closely tied to the shuttle than the shooting concept (as a shuttle train).
When, then, a cork was fitted with a crown of feathers, thus gaining some resemblance to a bird, or cock, and was batted back and forth, as in badminton or its predecessor, battledore and shuttlecock, the shuttlecock itself (shuttled cock) was born.
Related Posts
-
How Does Uranus’s Tilt On Its Axis Effect Its Orbit and How Long Does Uranus Take To Orbit the Sun?
As Uranus orbits the Sun, first the north pole faces the solar surface, then the equator, then the south pole, and then the equator again. This gives Uranus seasons that are unique and…
-
Why Does a Young Penguin Stick Its Head in Its Mother’s Mouth?
Almost all young birds get their food directly from their mother, and the penguin is no exception. But the mother penguin not only provides her young with food, she partially digests it for…
-
How did the Touch Me Not or Sensitive Plant get its Name and how does it Close its Leaves when you Touch it?
The incredible touch me not plant, or Mimosa, is a most fascinating plant and is found all over the world. It is a member of the mimosa family, also known as humble plant,…
-
What is a Nutria, what does its Meat Taste like, and how did it get its Name?
Surprisingly, the nutria has less fat and cholesterol than chicken or turkey and is loaded with protein. By all reports, it tastes like rabbit and is very tender. The nutria, also known as…
-
How Big is a Giraffe’s Heart and How Does a Giraffe Get Enough Blood to its Brain Through its Long Neck?
The giraffe heart is quite a powerful pumping machine. A giraffe's heart can weigh up to 22 pounds and about 2 feet long in size. It must produce about double the normal blood…
-
What Is the Depth of the Earth from Its Surface to Its Core?
The center of the earth is thought to contain a core of solid iron with a radius of about 850 miles. Surrounding this central core is an outer core of liquid iron, about…
