Few people know that the word "laureate", which means a person awarded a prize for merit, is translated from Latin as "crowned with laurels." The branches of a noble tree are often mentioned in stable combinations of words. For example, there is such an expression as "reap laurels." In this article we will consider this phraseological unit, find out its meaning, history of origin. We also note the scope of this stable phrase.
Reap Laurels: Meaning
To define the expression, let's turn to reliable sources - explanatory and phraseological dictionaries. Sergei Ivanovich Ozhegov gives the following interpretation: "to enjoy the fruits of success." He notes that the expression is used figuratively, often ironically.
The dictionary of Stepanova M. I. gives the following information: "reap laurels" - a phraseological unit that means "to enjoy the fruits of success".
Thus, we come to the conclusion that the stable expression we are considering is interpreted by two linguists identically. It means receiving benefits, results from the successful work done.
But where does the laurels - the branches of the tree? Why reapexactly them? We will learn this secret by considering the etymology of the phraseological unit associated with the myth.
Origin story
There is a Greek myth. The nymph Daphne did not want to become the wife of the god Apollo. She ran away from him and turned into a laurel tree.
It became the property of Apollo, the god of poetry and the arts. Laurel branches, wreaths from it were awarded to the winners of musical and poetic competitions. Later they were crowned with athletes, military and other heroes. In this regard, various expressions have appeared associated with the mention of this tree. For example, "reap the laurels."
As we can see, the idiom appeared due to the fact that the branches of the evergreen plant were awarded to the winners. And the choice fell on the laurels thanks to the Greek myth.
Using an expression
Fiction, print media are hard to imagine without stable combinations of words. Masters of the word actively use phraseological units in their works. With them, they emphasize the characters, traits, actions of certain individuals, attract the attention of readers with headlines containing catch phrases.
For example, due to the fact that Angela Merkel was named the person of the year, journalists began to publish articles with similar headings: "The German Chancellor continues to reap the laurels."
However, this expression appears not only in political materials. It is actively used to celebrate the successes of people of various professions. For example, Andrey Zvyagintsev's film "Leviathan" hadsuccess with critics and juries at various film festivals, in connection with which journalists wrote articles with headlines such as "Leviathan continues to reap laurels." This, of course, meant receiving new prizes and awards.
When the names of the winners of various contests and competitions become known, the expression we are considering is also actively used. It remains relevant today and is often used in the media.
