Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain...and most fools do.
- Benjamin Franklin

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Tuesday, June 17, 2003

For Your Edification

You all probably already know this, but I thought I'd paste this here, anyway, as I found it interesting. ("Neat," actually.)

deasil \DEE-zil\ adverb : clockwise

It's an old custom that you can bring someone good fortune by walking around them clockwise three times while carrying a torch or candle. In Scottish Gaelic, the word "deiseil" is used for the direction one walks in such a luck-bringing ritual. English speakers modified the spelling to "deasil," and have used the word as both the name of the clockwise charm and the direction one walks when working it.