Absolutely. The lyrical would imply the speach is entertaining, and wax is growth/increase, which probably refers to both the amount of speaking itself, but also the knowledge that it imports, as opposed to something repetitious that adds nothing new.
You’re pretty much spot on. Wax meaning ‘grow bigger/greater’, so ‘wax lyrical’ is enthusiasm regarding a topic or person, talking at great length about it.
Wax with this meaning only really survives in the ‘wax lyrical’ idiom, and when talking about the phases of the moon.
Absolutely. The lyrical would imply the speach is entertaining, and wax is growth/increase, which probably refers to both the amount of speaking itself, but also the knowledge that it imports, as opposed to something repetitious that adds nothing new.
etymology reply 2
You’re pretty much spot on. Wax meaning ‘grow bigger/greater’, so ‘wax lyrical’ is enthusiasm regarding a topic or person, talking at great length about it.
Wax with this meaning only really survives in the ‘wax lyrical’ idiom, and when talking about the phases of the moon.