different between maggot vs obsession

English

Etymology

From Middle English magot, magotte, probably Anglo-Norman alteration of maddock (“worm", "maggot”), originally a diminutive form of a base represented by Old English maþa (Scots mathe), from Frankish *maþ?, from common Proto-Germanic *maþô, from the Proto-Indo-European root *mat, which was used in insect names, equivalent to made +? -ock. Near-cognates include Dutch made, German Made and Swedish mask.

The use of maggot to mean a fanciful or whimsical thing derives from the folk belief that a whimsical or crotchety person had maggots in his or her brain.

Pronunciation

• enPR: m?g'?t, IPA^(key): /?mæ??t/

Noun

maggot (plural maggots)

1. A soft, legless larva of a fly or other dipterous insect, that often eats decomposing organic matter. [from 15th c.]
2. (derogatory) A worthless person. [from 17th c.]

   Drop and give me fifty, maggot.

3. (now archaic, regional) A whimsy or fancy. [from 17th c.]
   • 1620, John Fletcher, Women Pleased, III.iv.

     Are you not mad, my friend? What time o' th' moon is't? / Have not you maggots in your brain?

   • 1778, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters, Penguin 2001, p. 100:

     ‘I am ashamed of him! how can he think of humouring you in such maggots!’
4. (slang) A fan of the American metal band Slipknot.

Synonyms

• (soft legless larva): grub

Derived terms

Related terms

• mawk
• mawkish

Translations

English

Etymology

From Latin obsessio (“a besieging”), from obsidere (“to besiege”); see obsess.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?b?s???n/
• Rhymes: -???n

Noun

obsession (countable and uncountable, plural obsessions)

1. A compulsive or irrational preoccupation.
2. An unhealthy fixation.
3. Influence or control by evil spirits without possession.
   • 1973, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Evan Roberts, War on the Saints, ?ISBN.

     if an evil spirit counterfeits the presence of God, and comes upon the man as an influence only, it may be described as obsession; but when a footing is gained in him, it is "possession," because the obsessing spirits have gained access, and possess the ground they hold, up to the extent of the ground given.

   • 1999, Mary E. McDonough, God's Plan of Redemption, page 85, ?ISBN.

     They should see that a perception of their identification with the Victor of Calvary is absolutely necessary if they are to constantly and victoriously resist the obsession of evil spirits.

   • 2007, James E. Padgett, The Teachings of Jesus, page 100, ?ISBN.

     It is true, that by the workings of the law of attraction, and the susceptibility of mortals to the influence of spirit powers, mortals may become obsessed by the spirits of evil—that is evil spirits of men who once lived on earth—and this obsession may become so complete and powerful that the living mortal may lose all power to resist this influence of the evil spirits...

Related terms

• obsess
• obsessed
• obsessional
• obsessive, obsessively

Translations

Further reading

• obsession in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• obsession in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• bosonises

French

Etymology

From Latin obsessio (“a besieging”), from obsidere (“to besiege”); see obsess.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p.s?.sj??/

Noun

obsession f (plural obsessions)

1. obsession

Related terms

• obsédant
• obsédé
• obséder
• obsessif

Further reading

• “obsession” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• ébossions, obéissons