Hearst

/hɜːrst/ noun, proper noun

Definition

A bier or framework for carrying a coffin in a funeral procession; also a famous family name (William Randolph Hearst, the media mogul).

Etymology

From Old French 'herce,' originally referring to a harrow or rake used in farming, which shared the crossed-beam structure. The meaning shifted to describe the framework for carrying the dead.

Kelly Says

It's wild that 'hearst' originally meant a farming tool—a harrow—before it became associated with funerals, both having that cross-beamed structure. William Randolph Hearst was so powerful he essentially invented the modern newspaper and influenced politics, yet today most people only know his name from the 'Citizen Kane' film.

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