Word of the week

blackmail - extortion of money or other valuables by unfair pressure, threats or intimidation. The second half of the word mail comes from Scottish male meaning rent. Male has its origins in old Norse mall meaning agreement or contract. The word first appears in 16th - 17th century, when Scottish chieftains used to raid villages asking farmers and villagers for protection money, the people thus ended up paying an "extra rent". As an opposition to the normal rent - so called white money - the Scots started to call the extra rent "black mail". Hence the word blackmail.