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offal [offal 词源字典]: offal: [14] Etymologically, offal is simply material that has ‘fallen off’. English borrowed the word from Middle Dutch afval, a compound formed from af ‘off’ and vallen ‘fall’ which denoted both the ‘extremities of animals cut off by the butcher, such as feet, tail, etc’ and ‘shavings, peelings, or general refuse’. English originally took it over in the latter sense, but by the 15th century offal was being used for ‘animals’ entrails’.
=> fall, off[offal etymology, offal origin, 英语词源]
excelsior: Latin excelsior "higher," comparative of excelsus (adj.) "high, elevated, lofty," past participle of excellere "rise, be eminent" (see excel). Taken 1778 as motto of New York State, where it apparently was mistaken for an adverb. Popularized 1841 as title of a poem by Longfellow. As a trade name for "thin shavings of soft wood used for stuffing cushions, etc.," first recorded 1868, American English.
lathe (n.): "machine for turning," early 14c., of uncertain origin, probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Danish drejelad "turning-lathe," Old Norse hlaða "pile of shavings under a lathe," related to hlaða "to load, lade;" see lade (v.)).
particle (n.): late 14c., "small part or division of a whole, minute portion of matter," from Latin particula "little bit or part, grain, jot," diminutive of pars (genitive partis) "part;" see part (n.). Particle physics attested from 1969. In construction, particle board (1957) is so called because it is made from chips and shavings of wood.
whittle (v.): 1550s, "to cut thin shavings from (something) with a knife," from Middle English whittel "a knife," especially a large one (c. 1400), variant of thwittle (late 14c.), from Old English þwitan "to cut," from Proto-Germanic *thwit- (cognates: Old Norse þveita "to hew"), from PIE root *twei- "to agitate, shake, toss." Figurative sense is attested from 1746. Related: Whittled; whittling.