[Loch-Ruadh] Word of the day

Jane Sitton jane.sitton at radioshack.com
Tue Nov 5 10:21:01 PST 2002


The Word of the Day for November 5 is:  quid pro quo * \kwid-proh-KWOH\ *
(noun):  something given or received for something else; also:  a deal
arranging a quid pro quo

Example sentence:  The company agreed to the wage increases as a quid pro
quo for the union's relinquishment of its demand for a shorter workday.

Did you know?  In the 1560s, a quid pro quo was something obtained from an
apothecary.  That's because when "quid pro quo" (New Latin for "something
for something") was first used in English, it referred to the process of
substituting one medicine for another-intentionally (and sometimes
fraudulently) or accidentally.  The meaning of the phrase was quickly
extended, however, and by 1591 it was being used for more general equivalent
exchanges.  These days, it often occurs in legal contexts.



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