269. mer I = gleam, sparkle (JS-250-51).

This root is fused with DR. seed-words such as mere = to gleam, shine, glitter, luster (5074-Ka); miru = shining, sparkling (Ka). Note that JS points out Latin marmor = marble in this context and that in DR. mora = a stone quarry, laterite stone, stony (4971-Tu); morapa = stony, pebbly (Te); moramu = pebble, gravestone (Te). Also note that JS states that merobibe is a nounce word for one who drinks pure undiluted wine. Here, note that in DR. marru = drowsiness, heaviness with sleepiness [[as by drinking wine]] (4728-Ka), and that in the same group 4728, the related Tamil word mappu denotes: dullness, beclouded state of the intellect as by intoxication (Ta); mabbu-konu = to be intoxicated (Te).

JS also points out that the word mere came to denote: boundary; (meresman = surveyor). This is correct because in DR. Kannada the popularly used word mere = boundary (4717-Ka), and that its related word in Tamil is marunku = limit (Ta). JS further notes that the word mere in Latin denotes: lake. Here, note that in DR. marv = deep pool in a stream (4658-Ko). Further note that Latin mergo denotes: to dip, plunge into liquid, immerse (Ltc.370), and that in DR. murk- denotes: to dip in (vessel), drown (a person in a river) (4993-Konda); murg- = to be drowned, sink (Konda). Note that the above noted Latin mergo (mergere) is ascribed by the scholars to another root merzg = dip, dive (JS-254) which is noted below.

270. mer II = rub away, damage, destroy (JS-251-52); mer = to die (Pei-157-58).

In the context of this root JS points out Latin words mortarium (English mortar as for pounding with a pestle), mortem = death, while Pei gives such derived words as murder, murderous from Anglo-Saxon morthor. Here note the DR. seed-words meri = to pound (4768-Kor); maruku = to be ground into a paste as sandal wood [[often Indians make sandal wood paste by rubbing the sandal wood on a rough surface such as stone]] (Ta); mer- = to rub onself (4709-Pa); mercip- = to rub another with the hand (Pa); mar- = to rub (oil, etc.) (Ga). Regarding the meanings damage and destroy, note the DR. seed-words such as muri = to sever by fracture, to occasion a flaw in a thing by bending it, break [[damage]], break down, break up, do away, put an end to, defeat, destroy, be impaired, become weakened in constitution (Ka); [[note here that the derived word marine in French denotes: plague and in DR. the popular word used to denote a plague is mariyamma, which is the name of the goddess of plague and death]]; murivu = breach, wound (Ma); murivu = crushing, destruction (Ka); markhali = to obliterate, wipe out (4831-Kuwi); marchu = to destroy, kill (4834-Te); murru = to destroy, kill, die (5017-Ta); [[note here that Pei defines this root as to die]]; maram = murder, killing, Yama, [[the Hindu god of death]] (4763-Ta); maral = death (Ma); muri = to perish, be ruined, defeated (4975-Ta); murukku = killing, to kill, crush, ruin, destroy (Ta); mrupka = murder, to murder, kill (Kui); [[note that the words murder, murderer, etc., are derived from this root]]; mruva = to die (Kui); mraggu = to die, perish (4750-Te); margu = dead (Tu); [[note here that Latin mors, mortin, mortem = death, and such other words as English mortuary and morgue are derived from this root]].

271. merbh = shine, appear, take shape, shapely (JS-252).

This root also is entwined with many DR. seed-words such as merapu = shining (5074-Te); mirupu = shine, glitter, lustre (Ka); mere = to appear, become manifest, assume an ostentatious appearance, make manifest (Ka); merugu to appear to advantage (Te). It is important to note that this root has given rise to such words as metamorphosis which denotes such phenomenon as that of a larva of butterfly which at one stage is a caterpillar, becomes a butterfly and flies out of its pupa. Note that JS points out that the derived term Morpho denotes: genus of butterflies. In this context note the DR. words which denote the sense of taking shape or transformation of shape. For instance, maru = be changed into another form, state of being changed or altered (4834-Ka); marpu = act of turning or state of being turned into something different (Te); Note also that this sense of turning or changing in nature from one form to another or exchanging one form to another form came to gain a commercial connotation in ancient days when trade was conducted on barter system which constitutes exchange of one form of goods to another form of goods. It is not, therefore, surprising that another IE root ?merc is involved in this picture as we witness next. Incidentally notice the above noted word pupa (= an insect in the stage of development between a larva and an adult insect; and the related word pup (=an young animal of various species) is a cognate of the DR. papa = small child (4095-Ka); pap = infant, babe, child (Te); pap = young of animals (Pe).

272. ?merc = exchange, barter (JS-252-53).