Thread: Leeches?
View Single Post
Old 09-25-2006, 06:07 AM   #11
Lalwendė
A Mere Boggart
 
Lalwendė's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: under the bed
Posts: 4,737
Lalwendė is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Lalwendė is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Interesting stuff!

I always assume that the modern term 'leech' or 'to leech' as in to scrounge or extract too much money out of someone came from the creature the 'leech' as it sucks blood. However, medieval doctors were also known as 'quacks' as they often peddled less than useful 'cures' - maybe the term 'leech' as in someone who extracts too much money from people could also come from the other meaning?
__________________
Gordon's alive!
Lalwendė is offline   Reply With Quote