Size Was Cut From the Word Assize
Size means dimensions. The word is a clipped form of a legal term about fixed standards.
Size means the dimensions or magnitude of something. It is shortened from *assize*, a legal term for a fixed standard or ordinance — the medieval *assize of bread and ale* laid down exactly how large a loaf must be for a given price. Size therefore began as a regulated quantity rather than a neutral measurement. A separate *size* is a gluey substance used to seal paper or canvas before painting, related to the same word through the idea of a fixed preparation.
- Dimensions. *The size of the room.*
- A clothing measure. *Size ten.*
- A sealing solution. *Sizing canvas.*
- Assize — the source. *An assize.*
- Latin — *assidere*, to sit beside. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | size | A size. |
| Verb | size | Sizing. |
| Adjective | sizeable | Sizeable. |
| Source | assize | An assize. |
| Latin | assidere | To sit beside. |
- What size do you take?Clothing.
- The assize fixed loaf sizes.History.
- Size the canvas first.Painting.
The assize of bread and ale
- A medieval English statute regulating loaf and ale prices
- The price stayed fixed, so the loaf changed size with grain prices
- Bakers were punished for underweight loaves
- A baker's dozen may come from adding one to avoid penalty
- The word size survives from this fixed standard
Shortened from *assize*, from Old French *assise*, a settled quantity, from Latin *assidere*, to sit beside.
What was an assize?
A legal ordinance fixing a standard, such as the assize of bread and ale, which set how large a loaf must be.
What is sizing in painting?
A gluey preparation applied to canvas or paper to seal it before paint is applied.