By Ron Dupuis
The idiom that every cloud has a silver lining may have been inspired by that bright element. This shiny metal has been much beloved of silversmiths and other artisans for millennia.
We generally use the term ‘silverware’ when referring to spoons, forks, and knives, even when made from other materials. In popular folklore, a silver bullet is the preferred method for dispatching a pesky werewolf. Silver bullet also refers to a quick cure-all solution to a vexing problem. The French word for silver is ‘argent,’ which refers to the metal, as well as money, and it has its root in the Latin ‘argentum,’ its chemical element.
