Are you a cater-cousin?

At first hearing/glance, a cater-cousin doesn’t sound all that nice does it? Especially if you think of other words like Caterwaul, which is a long wailing cry or utterance, or similar sound, such as a howl or screech like cats fighting.

Anyway back to cater-cousins which was the word of the Day for Wednesday, June 8, 2011. Now like many words, cater-cousin can be used in both a good or bad sense.

Cater-cousin, combines the common English cousin, with Cater-, an archaic prefix meaning "to buy, or serve." At its base meaning, it simply means an intimate friend.

In the word of the day, it gives two examples that show how it can be used in both a good or bad sense, and thus seen as either a good or bad thing, depending on it or your association.

The 1st example is from, Thomas Ingolds in his: The Ingolds legends; or, Mirth and marvels: Where he wrote: “The world talks loudly of your learning, your skill, and cunning in arts the most abstruse ; nay, sooth to say, some look coldly on you therefore, and stickle not to aver that you are cater-cousin with Beelzebub himself.”
The 2nd Example is from, Charles Richard Tuttle & Ames Castle Pennock’s: The centennial Northwest: an illustrated history of the Northwest. This quote says: “A discovery already operated upon elsewhere has given to vessels of glass the toughness of metal, and in consequence the delicate Venetian ware which was said to be so finely tempered that it would break in the hand of its owner should poison be offered him therein will become cater-cousin to substantial cooking utensils, which will endure the very highest temperature and the hardest blows incidental to "high life below stairs."
So as the above shows, being a cater-cousin itself is not a bad thing and if one is a cater cousin of someone or something Good, then it is a very good thing. But being a cater–cousin of someone bad, let alone the devil, is not a good thing is it?

So todays question is, not are you a cater-cousin, but rather, “who are you a cater-cousin to”? A good thing or person? Or bad ones? Again, it is over to you now for your reflection and possibly action...