The origin of the word terrorist.
Apr. 4th, 2003 12:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
weaktwosIronically, it's French.
[a. F. terroriste, f. L. terror terror: see -ist.]
1. As a political term: a. Applied to the Jacobins and their agents and partisans in the French Revolution, esp. to those connected with the Revolutionary tribunals during the ‘Reign of Terror’.
1795 Hist. in Ann. Reg. 169 The terrorists, as they were justly denominated, from the cruel and impolitic maxim of keeping the people in implicit subjection by a merciless severity. 1795 Burke Regic. Peace iv. Wks. IX. 75 Thousands of those Hell-hounds called Terrorists+are let loose on the people. 1818 Herve Beauties of Paris II. 296 (Jod.) He assisted La Fayette in endeavouring to defend the king from the terrorists. 1877 Morley Crit. Misc. Ser. ii. 83 That pithy chapter in Machiavelli's ‘Prince’ which treats of cruelty and clemency+anticipates the defence of the Terrorists.
[a. F. terroriste, f. L. terror terror: see -ist.]
1. As a political term: a. Applied to the Jacobins and their agents and partisans in the French Revolution, esp. to those connected with the Revolutionary tribunals during the ‘Reign of Terror’.
1795 Hist. in Ann. Reg. 169 The terrorists, as they were justly denominated, from the cruel and impolitic maxim of keeping the people in implicit subjection by a merciless severity. 1795 Burke Regic. Peace iv. Wks. IX. 75 Thousands of those Hell-hounds called Terrorists+are let loose on the people. 1818 Herve Beauties of Paris II. 296 (Jod.) He assisted La Fayette in endeavouring to defend the king from the terrorists. 1877 Morley Crit. Misc. Ser. ii. 83 That pithy chapter in Machiavelli's ‘Prince’ which treats of cruelty and clemency+anticipates the defence of the Terrorists.
