Deodand.
It's a personal possession (chattel) (including, I think, livestock) that causes the owner's death and is forfeit to the Crown.
I know that's something I need to talk about in a lot of my day to day conversations.
Don't you feel all educated now?
I do. I do feel educated.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll have to return the favor sometime.
Is it worse that I knew the word? I'd forgotten it's precise meaning, though. . .
ReplyDeleteHow often does this really happen? I guess it must or there wouldn't be a word, but, ah...what? Your piano falls on your and Prince Henry is there at the gate. "Excuse me, miss. Writ of deodand, don't you know. Fraid that's mine, now."
ReplyDeleteJ. Harker, Yeah, but you know all sorts of cool words, being a classics person and all!
ReplyDeleteSusan, That' means you're extra geekitude is paying off! Go you!
Delegar, I can think of any number of folks I've read about crashing their cars, ATVs, and such. And I've heard that farming is really dangerous. I'm guessing people got stomped by cows/steers/bulls and boars even more then, no?
I believe the context I saw it in, a horse had either kicked or thrown a man.
ReplyDeleteAm not sure whether this was Brother Cadfael or one of the better historical romances I've read.
Ooo, a Scrabble word! :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, see now, that's just mean. Not only do you lose Uncle Ethan, you lose the prize bull, as well.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder they held a peasant's revolt.