hastings
hastings Lexical Profile
hastings Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A coastal town and borough in East Sussex on the southern coast of England, historically significant as one of the medieval Cinque Ports.
"We spent the weekend walking along the pebbled beaches and exploring the historic fishing fleet of Hastings."
British A shorthand or metonym for the Battle of Hastings, fought in 1066, which resulted in the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror.
"The defeat at Hastings marked the decisive end of Anglo-Saxon rule in England."
American A city in Adams County, Nebraska, United States, known historically as the birthplace of the powdered drink mix Kool-Aid.
"Every summer, the community in Hastings, Nebraska, hosts a festival to celebrate its claim to fame as the home of Kool-Aid."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used in historical contexts to refer to the Battle of Hastings (1066), the word acts as a metonym; the actual battle took place about seven miles northwest of the town at a site now appropriately named Battle.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Old English 'Hæstingas', meaning 'the family, followers, or tribe of a man named Hæsta', an early Anglo-Saxon leader.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.