the.com/darling
A word that can sweeten a sentence or sharpen a knife, depending on the tone.
means A term of deep affection for a beloved person, or an adjective for something charmingly dear — though it can curdle into condescension or menace depending on who's saying it.
from From Old English 'dēorling,' which is simply 'dear' (dēor, 'precious, beloved') plus the diminutive '-ling' — so a darling is literally a 'little dear.' That same '-ling' gives us 'duckling' and 'youngling': it shrinks a thing affectionately. The word has carried its tenderness unbroken for over a thousand years, which is why even now it can sound either like a kiss or a warning.
- old root
- From Old English deorling, meaning little dear one
- weaponized sweetness
- Said icily, it threatens more than any curse
- showbiz currency
- Theater folk use it to mask forgotten names
- Cockney verdict
- Buds of May, rhyming slang for darling
- chosen favorite
- A darling can be a person, a poodle, or a phrase
darling harbour — waterfront precinct in sydney, australia, major tourist and entertainment destination
darling river — 1,450 km river in southeastern australia, major tributary of the murray river