humanitarian lure
503 Views

GC: n

S: Degruyter – https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.4159/9780674030275-intro/html (last access: 8 may 2024); UNTERM – https://shorturl.at/bzFZ8 (last access: 8 may 2024).

N: 1. – humanitarian (adj): As a noun by 1794 in the theological sense “one who affirms the humanity of Christ but denies his pre-existence and divinity,” from humanity + suffix from unitarian, etc.; see humanism. Meaning “philanthropist, one who advocates or practices human action to solve social problems” is from 1842, originally disparaging, with a suggestion of excess.
As an adjective by 1834 in the theological sense “affirming the humanity or human nature of Christ;” by 1855 as “having regard for the broad interests of humanity.”

– lure (n): early 14c., “something which allures or entices, an attraction” (a figurative use), originally the name of a device for recalling a hawk, from Anglo-French lure, Old French loirre “device used to recall hawks, lure,” from Frankish *lothr or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *lothran “to call” (source also of Middle High German luoder, Middle Low German loder “lure, bait,” German Luder “lure, deceit, bait;” also Old English laþian “to call, invite,” German laden “invite, summon”).

The original lure was a bunch of feathers, arranged so as to resemble a bird, on a long cord, from which the hawk was fed during its training. Used of means of alluring other animals (especially fish) from c. 1700. Technically, bait (n.) is something the animal could eat; lure is a more general term. Also in 15c. a collective word for a group of young women (as a c. 1400 document has it, “A lure of ffaukones & damezelez”).

2. In the context of ethnic-cleansing campaigns, the term refers to the use (e.g., by an army or militia) of the promise of humanitarian relief to lure people, such as refugees, out of their hiding place so that they can be killed.

S: 1. Etymonline – https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=humanitarian+lure (last access: 8 may 2024). 2. UNTERM – https://shorturl.at/bzFZ8 (last access: 8 may 2024).

SYN: humanitarian bait

S: UNTERM – https://shorturl.at/bzFZ8 (last access: 8 may 2024)

CR: humanitarian, law of war, peace operations.