ORMASH

WINDFALL  A windfall is a legacy which is unexpected. it comes in a time you never think about it. The formation of this word is like this; In olden times, some of the English nobility were forbidden by the tenure of their estates to fell timber, as all the trees being reserved for the use of the Royal Navy. These trees, however. which were blown down were excepted, and hence a good wind was often a great Godsend.

PLUS FOURS A number of golfers suffer under the delusion that 'plus fours' as the baggy knickers are known, derived its name from the fact that the tailors added four inches to the usual measurements to ensure extra freedom. The facts are quite different.   The reason why the baggy trousers suit came to be named 'plus fours' is that when  golfers took to wearing the suit, because of the ease and freedom of movements, it was humorously considered necessary to be a first-class player before one would dare to wear such a suit. Before the present British national system of handicapping was introduced, which places the best players at scratch,the club handicap system allowed the having of backmarkers of one or more strokes, the maximum being four so that a par excellence golfer was handicapped plus 4 (or four plus). The plus four which indexed a player's golfing prowess and entitled him to wear the suit eventually became, therefore the name by which the suit was

The Woolsack: The woolsack is a large red cushion on which the Lord Chancellor sits in the House of Lords.  The origin of the custom is in this way:  During the time of Queen Elizabeth I, wool was considered as a very valuable commodity and was considered as a source of national wealth.  Many people were employed in this industry.  An Act was passed prohibiting the export of raw wool from  England. To remind the judges of this law, the Queen ordered that each of them when in the House of Lords should sit on a cushion or sack stuffed with wool. Hence originates the name woolsack.

'Three Estates of the Realm' The Three Estates of the Ream are:  the nobility, the clergy and the commonality. After their advent, the newspapers have been termed the Fourth Estate.   The Wiseacre; This word is derived from the German word weissage r which means a wise sayer or prophet. Anyway the word has lost its original meaning. Now it is applied to conceited persons, wise only, ''in their own conceit.''

DEAD-HEAT A race to be run again between two horses that have "tied". A heat is that part of a race run without stopping.  Two or more heats  makes a race. A dead heat is a heat which goes for for nothing; it is dead,  as if it had never taken place. At the present day, when two horses reach the winning post simultaneously they are said to dead-heat for the first place and are bracketed winners.

WHICH IS YOURS? BIRTHSTONE: Birthstones have magical powers on their wearers. They are precious stones. Some people have worn this as a talisman. Names of the months and the corresponding birthstones are given  below:- January         .....  Garnet February       .....  Amethyst March            .....  Blood-stone April              ......  Diamond May               ......  Emerald June                ......  Pearl July                 ......  Ruby August            ......  Sardonyx September      ......  Sapphire October         .......  Opal November     .......  Topaz December      ......   Turquoise               - - - - - - - - - - -                                   

Wiseacre: Wiseacre is a corruption of the then German weissager. The meaning of this word is a wise sayer or prophet.  But this word has lost its original meaning and is applied to conceited persons, wise only, '' in their own conceit.''