marshal
pronunciation
How to pronounce marshal in British English:
UK [ˈmɑːʃl]
How to pronounce marshal in American English:
US [ˈmɑːrʃl]
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- Noun:
- a law officer having duties similar to those of a sheriff in carrying out the judgments of a court of law
- (in some countries) a military officer of highest rank
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- Verb:
- place in proper rank
- arrange in logical order
- make ready for action or use
- lead ceremoniously, as in a procession
Word Origin
- marshal
- marshal: [13] Etymologically, a marshal is a ‘horse-servant’. The word goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *markhaskalkaz ‘groom’, a compound based on *markhaz ‘horse’ (source of English mare [OE]) and *skalkaz ‘servant’. This was borrowed into late Latin as mariscalcus, and passed from there via Old French mareschal into English. In the course of its journey its status gradually rose, and by the time it reached English it denoted a ‘high officer of state’.=> mare
- marshal (n.)
- early 13c. as a surname; mid-13c. as "high officer of the royal court;" from Old French mareschal "commanding officer of an army; officer in charge of a household" (Modern French maréchal), originally "stable officer, horse tender, groom" (Frankish Latin mariscaluis) from Frankish *marhskalk or a similar Germanic word, literally "horse-servant" (compare Old High German marahscalc "groom," Middle Dutch maerschalc), from Proto-Germanic *markhaz "horse" (see mare (n.1)) + *skalkaz "servant" (source of Old English scealc "servant, retainer, member of a crew," Dutch schalk "rogue, wag," Gothic skalks "servant"). Cognate with Old English horsþegn. From c. 1300 as "stable officer;" early 14c. as "military commander, general in the army." For development history, compare constable. Also from Germanic are Italian scalco "steward," Spanish mariscal "marshal."
- marshal (v.)
- early 15c., "to tend (horses)," from marshal (n.). Meaning "to arrange, place in order" is from mid-15c.; that of "to arrange for fighting" is from mid-15c. Figurative use by 1690s. Related: Marshaled; marshaling.
Example
- 1. He said march and marshal talked too much already .
- 2. Twitter and facebook were used to marshal reinforcements .
- 3. Marshal looked over the top of the packages .
- 4. The money is running out , and we will have to marshal funds and target spending far more strategically .
- 5. Whatever their layouts and transportation systems cities can 't work as innovative engines unless they are populated by people who can effectively promulgate and marshal support for new ideas .