I remembered this phrase when I watched a Jane Austen film:
"to use someone ill"
What does it mean?
It means to treat someone badly.
Where does it come from?
I did not find anything about this phrase's origins online, so I can only guess. Since I know it from Jane Austen's novels, though, I think I can safely assume that it originated in Great Britain sometime at the end of the 18th or beginning of the 19th century (that was the time Jane Austen lived).
My two cents:
I was really surprised that I couldn't find anything about its origins online. However, I like the phrase (maybe because I love Jane Austen's novels) and think it deserves this spot in my My Two Cents series here on Language Love.
Language ... the bridge of communication, the magic creator of worlds, the brush and paint of authors. Language is magic. It gives us power. It is something you just have to love.
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