the.com/bygone
a word that exists almost solely to forgive itself in its own proverb.
means Something belonging to the past, especially a former time or a past grievance now best left forgotten.
from A plain stitching-together of Old English: "by" (the preposition of nearness and passing-by) plus "gone," the past participle of "go." Quite literally, that which has gone by. It lived first as an adjective for past things, then quietly grew a noun life — "bygones" meaning past offenses — chiefly because of the proverb "let bygones be bygones," recorded since the 16th century, which has carried the word ever since like a small forgiving boat.
- twin spelling
- Also spelled bygones, almost always living in plural
- the proverb
- Let bygones be bygones dates to the 1500s
- old roots
- Literally just by plus gone, meaning passed by
- rare singular
- Few ever say one bygone, only the pair
- era marker
- Often paired with era to bury whole decades
roman empire — collapsed in 476 ce, once ruled 70 million people across three continents
soviet union — dissolved december 26, 1991, existed as superpower for 69 years
ottoman empire — ended 1922, controlled mediterranean and middle east for 600 years