sardine English · revision 1009

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sɑːˈdiːn/ ''(UK)''; /sɑɹˈdin/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sardin]], [[bor|frm|sardine]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la|sardīna]], from ''sarda'' “a kind of fish”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|σαρδίνη|tr=sardínē]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is usually connected with [[grc|Σαρδώ|tr=Sardṓ|t=Sardinia]], near which the fish were caught,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) but Klein doubts that the Greeks of Aristotle's time obtained fish from so far away.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A small fish of the herring family, the pilchard or a young pilchard (1393 in Barnhart; c. 1430 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The phrase ''packed like sardines'', “crowded tightly together”, is recorded from 1911,^(OED 1989) and the verb “to pack closely” from 1895.^(OED 1989) ''Sardines'' is also the name of a party game of hide-and-seek in which each seeker joins the hider when found (1924).^(OED 1989) A separate ''sardine'' in Middle English named a precious stone mentioned in the Book of Revelation.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1393 – the fish (Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1430 – the fish (OED).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1895 – verb, to pack closely.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1911 – ''packed like sardines''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1924 – the game ''sardines''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various small [[herring|alt=herrings]] or related fishes, especially the young European [[pilchard]], often canned in oil.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any of various other small fishes, such as the [[anchovy]], prepared in the same way.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pack tightly; to [[cram]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pilchard]]

+ * [[sprat]]

+ * [[anchovy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}