Elena  +  74201 Tue, 15 Feb 05 10:43 PM Do you know the origin of this expression? I just know that it is attested from 1423, from etymonline.com, but why with the verb 'fall'? Elena Joined on Thu, Jul 31 2003 Regular Member 827 Enjoying my English study Verbs

	MrPedantic  +  74214 Tue, 15 Feb 05 11:53 PM That's a tricky one, Elena. Maybe 'fall' in the sense of 'happen': cf. 'it fell upon a summer's day', etc. Or cf. 'fall asleep'. The two states are very similar. Or maybe in the sense of 'stumble into': cf. 'to fall into error'. In Chaucer's 'Sir Thopas' (?1386) we have: 'Sir Thopas fil in love-longinge Al when he herde the thrustel singe And priked as he were wood...' [Sir Thopas fell into a state of love-longing when he heard the thrushes singing, and spurred his horse as if he were mad...] MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...

	MrPedantic  +  74364 Wed, 16 Feb 05 01:32 PM Hello Elena Yes, cf. = 'compare'. 1423. I wouldn't have thought it was such an old expression. It sounds new-ish to me! See you MrP MrPedantic