Loading the census…
Tap any rung for its meaning.
Two stepping stones: the S (rung 1, for bores) and the P (rung 2, for pores) — each borrowed to keep a rung a real word, then given back before the end. There may be several par routes — the census above shows which ones climbers actually took.
Past tense of bore: to make someone feel uninterested.
Old English 'borian' meant to drill or pierce a hole. The sense of causing weariness probably came from the idea of something tediously drilling into you. Its origin as a feeling of dullness is thought to have emerged in the 18th century.
Full entry on Wiktionary ↗A person's particular area of strength or skill.
Forte in this sense comes from French 'fort,' meaning strong, which came from Latin 'fortis,' meaning strong or brave. It entered English to describe the strongest part of a sword blade, then broadened to mean any personal strength. The related word 'fortify' shares the same Latin root.
Full entry on Wiktionary ↗Definitions give each word’s most common meaning — the full entries live at Wiktionary.