My Grammar and I (Or Should That Be 'Me'?): Old-School Ways to Sharpen Your English

lynch
mob
Captain William Lynch (1742–1820), Virginia justice of the
peace at the time of the American Revolution; had a fondness
for summarily executing people with whom he disagreed.
mac
Charles Macintosh (1766–1843), Scottish chemist who
patented a coat made from rubberized material.
mausoleumKing Mausolos of Caria (died 353
BC
), whose tomb was one
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
shrapnel
Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761–1842), English artillery
officer, who designed a new type of artillery shell.
silhouette Etienne de Silhouette (1709–67), unpopular finance minister
of Louis XV who imposed harsh economic demands upon the
French people. His name became associated with anything
done cheaply – particularly the simple form of portraiture that
became popular at the time and enabled people to joke that
the finance minister was saving money on coloured paints as
well as everything else. We haven’t had a Chancellor of the
Exchequer who was half as funny in years.