- photograph (n.)
- 1839, "picture obtained by photography," coined by Sir John Herschel from photo- + -graph "instrument for recording." It won out over other suggestions, such as photogene and heliograph. Neo-Anglo-Saxonists prefer sunprint. The verb and photography also are first attested 1839, all from a paper read before the Royal Society on March 14, 1839.
- carte-de-visite
- 1861, from Fr., lit. "visiting card" (see card (n.)); photograph portrait mounted on a 3.5 by 2.5 inch card.
- blow up (v.)
- "explode," 1599, from blow (v.1) + up. As a nou, it is recorded from 1809 in the sense "outburst, quarrel." Meaning "enlargement from a photograph" is attested by 1945.
- ambrotype
- 1855, Amer.Eng., perhaps from amber, with reference to its property of preserving life forms or its color, or from Gk. ambrotos "immortal, imperishable" (see ambrosia). A type of photograph on glass with lights given by silver and shades by a dark background showing through.
- mug (n.2)
- "a person's face," 1708, possibly from mug (n.1), on notion of drinking mugs shaped like grotesque faces. Sense of "portrait or photograph in police records (e.g. mug shot, 1950) had emerged by 1887. Verb sense of "make exaggerated facial expressions" is from 1855, originally theatrical slang.
- photo
- 1860, shortening of photograph. The verb is first recorded 1868, from the noun. Photo finish is attested from 1936. Photo opportunity first recorded 1974.
- shoot (v.)
- O.E. sceotan "to shoot" (class II strong verb; past tense sceat, pp. scoten), from P.Gmc. *skeutanan (cf. O.S. skiotan, O.N. skjota, O.Fris. skiata, Du. schieten, Ger. schießen), from PIE base *skeud- "to shoot, to chase, to throw, to project" (cf. Skt. skundate "hastens, makes haste," O.C.S. iskydati "to throw out," Lith. skudrus "quick, nimble"). Meanings "send forth swiftly" and "wound with missiles" were in O.E. In ref. to pool playing, the verb is attested from 1926. Meaning "to inject by means of a hypodermic needle" is attested from 1914. Meaning "photograph" (especially a movie) is from 1890. As an interjection, an arbitrary euphemistic alteration of shit, it is recorded from 1934. Shooting star first recorded 1593. Shoot the breeze "chat" first recorded 1941. Shoot to kill first attested 1867.