Ads 468x60px

Pages

Know Your English (Jan 2002)-9

Know your English

What is the meaning and origin of the expression "trail blazer"?

A trailblazer is someone who is the first to do something. For example, he or she could be someone who has discovered or developed a new method of doing something. Here are a few examples.

*Jambu will always be remembered as a trailblazer in cancer research.

*Padma was a trailblazer in the field of AIDS research.

One can even talk about an individual or an institution of having "blazed a trail". When someone blazes a trail what you are implying is that he/she has done something, which no one has done before; something, which will benefit a lot of other people.

*The company has blazed a trail in developing new medicines for curing AIDS.

*He has blazed a trail in developing awareness among people about cancer.

The word "blaze" is generally associated with "fire". So "trailblazer" should be someone who develops something new by destroying everything that is old. This however is not the origin of the expression. The expression came into being in the late 18th Century when the American settlers were pushing further and further west — towards Oregon, California, etc. Since they were exploring uncharted territory and didn't want to get lost along the way, they used to mark the trail that they had taken. One of the ways that they used to indicate the route they had taken was to remove the bark from some of the trees. This method of marking trees was known as "blazing". And since they were marking a trail, we get the expressions "blazing a trail" and "trailblazer".

Source:

The Hindu daily, Tuesday, Jan 08, 2002

0 comments:


Hello Friends ! Please send your requests,comments,suggestions to improve this blog.
Learn English Grammar & Usage; Are U Anxious To Know The Science & Tech News; Where Are You ? Know The Changes; Health:News N Tips
Word of the Day

umbrageous discuss

Definition:(adjective) Affording or forming shade.
Synonyms:shadowed, shady
Usage:The chief beauty of trees consists in the deep shadow of their umbrageous boughs.
Article of the Day

The Rack

An ancient torture device, the rack was used to stretch its victims' joints to the breaking point. A prisoner's hands and feet would be fastened to rollers located at either end of the device's rectangular frame, and during interrogations, a ratchet would gradually increase the tension on the chains. The excruciating torture inspired such terrible fear that some prisoners would confess after merely watching someone else being stretched on the rack. Who were some of the device's famous victims? More... Discuss

This Day in History

US President Zachary Taylor Dies in Office (1850)

On a hot 4th of July in Washington, DC, Taylor—who had been US president for just 16 months—enjoyed a cool snack of cherries and milk. Five days later, he was dead. The official cause of death was listed as gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines that can be caused by food poisoning. His remains were exhumed in 1991 and showed no evidence of foul play. According to one historian, Taylor could have recovered had he not been bled, blistered, and given what cocktail of drugs? More... Discuss
Today's Birthday

Oliver Wolf Sacks (1933)

Sacks is a British-American neurologist and writer. He immigrated to the US in 1960 to study neurology at the University of California, and in 1965 he joined the faculty at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Many of his books relate case histories of neurologically damaged people, particularly those afflicted with unusual conditions. His 1973 book Awakenings, which was made into a film in 1990, chronicles his efforts to treat the survivors of what mysterious sickness? More... Discuss

In the News

Quote of the Day
There are some experiences in life which should not be demanded twice from any man, and one of them is listening to the Brahms Requiem.
George Bernard Shaw
(1856-1950)
Discuss

Spelling Bee
difficulty level:
score: -
n. The property or condition of occurring at frequent intervals
 
spell the word:
Match Up
Select word:










Match each word in the left column with its synonym on the right. When finished, click Answer to see the results. Good luck!