The word asymptote is derived from the
Greek asymptotos
which means "not falling together".
The term was introduced by
Apollonius of Perga in his work on
conic sections,
but in contrast to its modern
meaning,
he used it to mean any line that does not
intersect the given curve.
In English .. "trust"
that Todd would fly over
before smacking my "chromed-dome"!