how to

January 6, 2017 8:01pm CST
why does getting even means to take revenge, and the word odd meand weird, while these words are really just numbers (odd and even number)? how to explain to a 7 year old.
2 responses
7 Jan 17
Metaphors....he will know one day...
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
7 Jan 17
The words 'odd' and 'even' mean 'singular' or 'strange' or 'unique' and 'flat' or 'level' or 'matching' and were applied to numbers after they were used generally. So, 'to get even with someone' means 'to level the score' or 'to score as many [notional] points' as an adversary and something which is odd is singular or strange or different in some way.