On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:45:29 +0000, Chong Dak wrote:

> Sheldon wrote:
>> On Dec 13, 7:35 am, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>>> Charlene Charette wrote:
>>>> Steve Wertz wrote:
>>>>> On 12 May 2007 17:25:15 -0700, wrote:
>>>>>> There is no d in refrigerate.
>>>>> But there is in 'fridge'. Go figure.
>>>> That's because "fridge" comes from "Frigidaire" not "refrigerator".
>>> And if you spell it "frig" it doesn't look as if it's pronounced "fridge".
>>>
>>> nancy
>>
>> Re is used as a preposition here meaning; in re, as to, regarding.
>> Refrigerate means *regarding cold*.
>>
>> M-W
>>
>> re¡Pfrig¡Per¡Pate
>> transitive verb
>> Etymology: Latin refrigeratus, past participle of refrigerare, from
>> re- + frigerare to cool, from frigor-, frigus cold ¡X more at frigid
>> Date: 1534
>>: to make or keep cold or cool ; specifically : to freeze or chill (as
>> food) for preservation
>> ---
>>
>> re
>> preposition
>> Etymology: Latin, abl. of res thing ¡X more at real
>> Date: 1707
>>: with regard to : in re
>> ---
>>
> You're confusing the preposition Re with the prefix Re. The preposition
> does indeed mean in regard to, however in this case it is the prefix Re
> which means (among other things) again, in words such as rewrite and
> reread.
>
> Refrigerate doesn't mean *regarding cold*, it means *to make cold again*
> or more commonly *to make cold*.
>
> Both are from Latin so I can understand how you have been confused.

english etymology is among the many subjects about which sheldon knows jack
shit.

your pal,
blake