The members of the Society of Friends sometimes use the name Quaker, but have never officially adopted it.
The term is said to have been first applied to the founder of the Society, George Fox, according to Fox himself, in 1650 by Justice Bennet of Derby.
Fox was being arraigned before two justices in Derbyshire and was exhorting them to “tremble at the word of God.” This Judge Bennet sarcastically interpreted as “quaking,” and thus sneeringly referred to those who practiced it as quakers.
The term was picked up as a humorous appellation for the new sect, although it was later the belief of many that the name had reference to some practices thought to be a result of the religion.
Thus a writer in the late seventeenth century, referring to the Friends, said that they “do not now quake, and howl, and foam with their mouths, as they did formerly.”
Related Posts
-
What Does the Term “A1 Condition” Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?
In their early days, Lloyd's of London used an "A list" to classify sailing ships for insurance purposes. Only vessels meeting strict specifications would go to the top of that list, where they…
-
What Does the Term “Alma Mater” Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?
It all starts in kindergarten, a German concept meaning "children's garden," where the atmosphere for learning should be as pleasant for a child as being in a garden. School follows the same philosophy…
-
What Does the Term “Straw Boss” Mean and Where Did the Term For Work Supervisor Come From?
A straw boss is usually a supervisor or foreman of menial work, and the label comes from the farm. The "big boss" was in charge of the entire threshing crew, whose main task…
-
Where Did the Term “Noon Hour” Come From and What Did the Term For Midday Mean Originally?
The "noon hour" has shifted several times throughout history, and at one time, when Christians prayed twice a day, it meant both midday and midnight. In the original Old English the noon hour…
-
Where does the term “MacAdam” come from and What does MacAdam mean?
Although born in Scotland, John Loudon McAdam went to New York in 1770, at the age of fourteen, to work with an uncle. He returned to Scoltand when a young man of twenty-seven…
-
Where Does the Term Proof Come From and What Does “Alcohol By Volume” Mean?
The term proof was coined in the seventeenth century when people proved, or tested, the alcohol content of whiskey by moistening gunpowder with it and setting it afire. (Honest.) A slow, even burn…
