Sometimes, my brain wanders a bit far afield…
Did you ever notice that sacred seems to be the past tense of some other word? It is. It’s the past tense of sacre, a now obsolete word that meant, at one time or another, to consecrate as king or bishop; to make holy or sanctify; or dedicate.
And what about ruthless? Being ruthless means to have no pity, to be cruel or merciless. But, if you can be less of ruth, then can you be full of ruth? Yes, yes you can. Ruthful means being full of sorrow or woeful; causing sorrow; or tender, full of ruth. Full of ruth? What is ruth? Ruth means having compassion for another’s misery, or sorrow for your own faults (remorse).