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poteen (n.)
Related entries & more "whiskey made in Ireland," especially the strong sort distilled privately and illicitly, 1812, from Irish poitin "little pot" (suggesting distillation in small quantities), from English pot (n.1) "vessel" + diminutive suffix -in, -een.
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Fenian (n.)1816, a modern Irish blend of Old Irish feinne, plural of Fiann, name of a band of semi-legendary Irish warriors + Old Irish Fene, name of the ancient inhabitants of Ireland. In reference to Irish-American brotherhood of that name (founded 1857), attested by 1864.
Related entries & more Vendee department of western France, French Vendée, named for the river through it, which is perhaps from Gaulish vindos "white." Especially in reference to the insurrection there against the Republic in 1793. Related: Vendean.
Related entries & more state (n.2)"political organization of a country, supreme civil power, government," c. 1300, from special use of state (n.1); this sense grew out of the meaning "condition of a country" with regard to government, prosperity, etc. (late 13c.), from Latin phrases such as status rei publicæ "condition (or existence) of the republic."
The sense of "a semi-independent political entity under a federal authority, one of the bodies politic which together make up a federal republic" is from 1774. The British North American colonies occasionally were called states as far back as 1630s; the States has been short for "the United States of America" since 1777; also of the Netherlands. State rights in U.S. political sense is attested from 1798; form states rights is first recorded 1858. Church and state have been contrasted from 1580s. State-socialism attested from 1850.
Related entries & more The sense of "a semi-independent political entity under a federal authority, one of the bodies politic which together make up a federal republic" is from 1774. The British North American colonies occasionally were called states as far back as 1630s; the States has been short for "the United States of America" since 1777; also of the Netherlands. State rights in U.S. political sense is attested from 1798; form states rights is first recorded 1858. Church and state have been contrasted from 1580s. State-socialism attested from 1850.
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skene (n.)ancient type of Celtic dagger found in Ireland, double-edged and leaf-like, 1520s, from Irish Gaelic scian (genitive sceine) "knife," cognate with Gaelic sgian "knife," Welsh ysgien "a slicer," from PIE *skiy-ena-, from root *skei- "to cut, split."
Related entries & more emancipator (n.)
Related entries & more "one who liberates from bondage or restraint," 1782, agent noun in Latin form from emancipate. Emancipationist "one who favors emancipation" in any sense is from 1810 (originally in reference to religion in Ireland).
brumal (adj.)"belonging to winter," 1510s, from Latin brumalis, from bruma "winter" (see brume). The Latin word also is the ultimate source of Brumaire, second month (Oct. 22-Nov. 20) in the calendar of the French Republic, literally "the foggy month;" coined 1793 by Fabre d'Eglantine from French brume "fog."
Related entries & more Ulster northernmost of the four provinces of Ireland, 14c., from Anglo-French Ulvestre (early 13c.), Anglo-Latin Ulvestera (c. 1200), corresponding to Old Norse Ulfastir, probably from Irish Ulaidh "men of Ulster" + suffix also found in Leinster, Munster, and perhaps representing Irish tir "land."
Related entries & more found (v.1)"lay the basis of, establish," late 13c., from Old French fonder "found, establish; set, place; fashion, make" (12c.), from Latin fundare "to lay the bottom or foundation" of something, from fundus "bottom, foundation" (see fund (n.)). Related: Founded; founding. Phrase founding fathers with reference to the creators of the American republic is attested from 1916.
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