STORIES THAT
WORDS TELL US

BY

ELIZABETH O'NEILL, M.A.

AUTHOR OF "THE WORLD'S STORY,"
"A NURSERY HISTORY
OF ENGLAND," ETC.

LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, Ltd.

35 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
AND EDINBURGH

1918

CONTENTS

I. [Some Stories of British History told from English Words] [7]
II. [How we got our Christian Names and Surnames][21]
III. [Stories in the Names of Places][39]
IV. [New Names for New Places][51]
V. [Stories in Old London Names][70]
VI. [Words made by Great Writers][84]
VII. [Words the Bible has given us][96]
VIII. [Words from the Names of People][103]
IX. [Words from the Names of Animals][118]
X. [Words from the Names of Places][127]
XI. [Pictures in Words][138]
XII. [Words from National Character][152]
XIII. [Words made by War][163]
XIV. [Proverbs][172]
XV. [Slang][179]
XVI. [Words which have changed their Meaning][192]
XVII. [Different Words with the Same Meaning, and the Same Words with Different Meanings][213]
XVIII. [Nice Words for Nasty Things][224]
XIX. [The Moral of these Stories][230]