A few occur to me. In addition to
"bowdlerise," there is "sandwich." As is well known, this compact
form of nourishment derives its name from John, fourth Earl of
Sandwich, who lived between 1718-1792. Lord Sandwich was a
confirmed gambler, and such was his anxiety to lose still more
money, and to impoverish further himself, his family, and his
descendants, that he grudged the time necessary for meals, and had
slices of bread and slices of meat placed by his side. The
inventive faculty being apparently but little developed during the
eighteenth century, he was the first person who thought of placing
meat between two slices of bread. Owing to the economy of time
thus effected, he was able to ruin himself very satisfactorily,
and his name is now familiar all over the world, thanks to the
condensed form of food he introduced.
Again, Admiral Edward Vernon was Naval Commander-in-Chief in the
West Indies in 1740. The Admiral was known as "Old Grog," from his
habit of always having his breeches and the linings of his boat-
cloaks made of grogram, a species of coarse white poplin (from the
French grosgrain).
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