Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun literally A
feverish obsession to seekgold ore . - noun figuratively An excessive
profit craving.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun greed and the contagious excitement of a gold rush
Etymologies
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Examples
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citizenbfk commented on the word gold fever
I discovered there was a TV series called: "Gold Fever" -- I wonder about the roots of the phrase; it's etymology --
The TV series described as an "Adventure, Family, Reality-TV and had a lot of material about prospecting for gold, and some 'gold rush' stories.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1710911/
January 18, 2019
citizenbfk commented on the word gold fever
Hubert Howe Bancroft (May 5, 1832 – March 2, 1918) was an American historian and ethnologist
Found this quote, from around 1890's by Hubert Howe Bancroft,(May 5, 1832 – March 2, 1918) was an American historian and ethnologist writing: "A frenzy seized my soul... Piles of gold rose up before me... castles of marble, thousands of slaves... myriads of fair virgins contending with each other for my love -- were among the fancies of my fevered imagination....In short, I had a very violent attack of the gold fever. "
January 18, 2019
citizenbfk commented on the word gold fever
In a PBS series about 'The West,' there was an episode called Gold Fever,
It quoted an etymology ABOUT THE NAME OF CALIFORNIA...
etymology from Native Americans BUT I DOUBT, WONDER IF IT'S TRUE, OR A JOKE. It said: "Prospectors liked to say that the name "California," came from a combination of the Indian word kali, which meant "gold" and fornia, which meant, "wouldn't you like some?"
This is my essential question about this phrase: did it come from Native Americans...or were Native Americans the first to use the phrase?
info about this Gold Fever TV episode, at: https://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/episodes/three/goldfever.htm
January 18, 2019