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Holy moly (also spelled holy moley) is an exclamation of surprise that dates from at least 1892. [1] It is a reduplication of 'holy', perhaps as a minced oath, a cleaned-up version of a taboo phrase such as "Holy Moses", [2] or "Holy Mary". There is no evidence connecting the phrase to Moly, a sacred herb of Greek mythology. [3]
A derivation of the name was given, from the "hard" (Greek malos) combat with the Giant. [3] [4] [5] Homer also describes moly by saying "The root was black, while the flower was as white as milk; the gods call it Moly, Dangerous for a mortal man to pluck from the soil, but not for the deathless gods. All lies within their power". [6]
Moly may refer to: Moly (herb), a magic herb in Greek mythology; Allium moly, a flowering plant; Molybdenum (Mo), a chemical element; Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2), referred to as "moly" when used as a dry lubricant, or added to grease or oil
The word itself is a relative term, capable of many shades of meaning, according to the subject with which it is joined and the antithesis to which it is contrasted. It denotes the result of the action of the verb pleroun; but pleroun is either to fill up an empty thing (e.g. Matthew 13:48), or; to complete an incomplete thing (e.g. Matthew 5:17);
The Dictionary of Modern Greek (Greek: Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, ΛΝΕΓ), more commonly known as Babiniotis Dictionary (Λεξικό Μπαμπινιώτη), is a well-known dictionary of Modern Greek published in Greece by Lexicology Centre and supervised by Greek linguist Georgios Babiniotis.
Greek Morphemes, Khoff, Mountainside Middle School English vocabulary elements , Keith M. Denning, Brett Kessler, William R. Leben, William Ronald Leben, Oxford University Press US, 2007, 320pp, p. 127, ISBN 978-0-19-516802-0 at Google Books
Robert Graves in his The Greek Myths speculated the origin of the character of Molione: "Molione is perhaps a title of the Elean Moon-goddess, the patroness of the Games, meaning ‘Queen of the Moly’; the moly being a herb which elsewhere defied moon-magic She was also known as Agamede (‘very cunning’); and this is the name of Augeias’s sorceress daughter, who ‘knew all the drugs ...
From a basic verbal meaning "to consecrate, to purify", it could be used as an adjective meaning "holy", or as a substantive referring to a "sanctuary, sacred object, sacred personnel." [ 1 ] The root is reflected as q-d-š ( Phoenician 𐤒-𐤃-𐤔 , Hebrew ק-ד-ש ) in Northwest Semitic and as q-d-s ( Arabic : ق-د-س ) in Central ...