Knowledge & Wisdom

[Moog]

Help me resolve a work "discussion" - is the phrase - "Font of knowledge" or is it "Fountain of knowledge"? Thanks in advance

[kev100]

The phrase is fountain of knowledge

try googling both expressions and see what you get

[kev100]

I've just seen a reference to a font of knowledge re. a computer term but I dont know about that, I was taking it in it's general sense.

[Quizmonster]

Click here for earlier AnswerBank responses to this question.

[silly moo]

I always thought it was 'fount of all knowledge'

http://www.freesearch.co.uk/dictionary/fount


Apparently it's in Bermuda !!

http://www.atpm.com/4.03/page3.shtml

[Quizmonster]

The link I provided in my earlier response refers to Locke's essay, from 1689, which contains what appears to be the very first appearance of the phrase: "The fountain of all knowledge", as such. Earlier than that were the phrases "The fountain of all goodness" (1398) and "The fountain of all wisdom" (1548).

There seems to be no doubt that "fountain" and not "fount" or "font" was the word of choice in these earliest versions of such phrases. Indeed, Shakespeare seems to be the first person ever to use "fount" as an abbreviation of "fountain".

[Moog]

Cheers QM thought it might be you who answered, been though I haven't been on this site for ages