Word
of the Day for Tuesday, August
13, 2013
jilt \jilt\, verb:
1. to reject or cast aside (a lover or sweetheart), especially
abruptly or unfeelingly.
noun:
1. a woman who jilts a lover.
1. a woman who jilts a lover.
But for the sake of some of her relations, I shall
give my fair jilt a feigned name.
-- Aphra Behn, The Fair Jilt, 1688
-- Aphra Behn, The Fair Jilt, 1688
"...we know very well women scarcely ever jilt men; 'tis the men who
jilt us."
-- Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd, 1874
-- Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd, 1874
The origin of jilt is uncertain, but it
is perhaps from the Middle English gille meaning
"lass" or "wench," which was a shortening of the women's
name Gillian, a variant of Jill.
Word
of the Day for Wednesday, August
14, 2013
dither \DIHTH-er\, verb:
1. to act irresolutely; vacillate.
2. North England. to tremble with excitement or fear.
2. North England. to tremble with excitement or fear.
noun:
1. a trembling; vibration.
2. a state of flustered excitement or fear.
1. a trembling; vibration.
2. a state of flustered excitement or fear.
...his sense of being in an unfamiliar place,
affected his powers of coordination, always weak, and he began to dither slightly, caught his
foot against one of the legs of the bed, opened his arms to save his balance
and so let fall his parcels.
-- Barry Unsworth, Mooncranker's Gift, 1973
-- Barry Unsworth, Mooncranker's Gift, 1973
You make mistakes, don't you--dither, get things wrong…?
-- Penelope Lively, Pack of Cards, 1978-86
-- Penelope Lively, Pack of Cards, 1978-86
Dither entered English in the 1600s. It's a phonetic variation of the Old
English didder, though its ultimate origins are unknown.
Word
of the Day for Thursday, August
15, 2013
impolitic \im-POL-i-tik\, adjective:
not politic,
expedient, or judicious.
"The cruelty, the impolitic cruelty," he
replied, with great feeling, "of dividing, or attempting to divide, two
young people long attached to each other, is terrible…"
-- Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, 1811
-- Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, 1811
"From my point of view it might be impolitic," said Stephen. Jack
looked at him, saw that the matter had to do with intelligence and nodded.
"Are there any others you would object to?" he asked.
-- Patrick O'Brian, The Wine-Dark Sea, 1993
-- Patrick O'Brian, The Wine-Dark Sea, 1993
Impolitic combines the prefix im- meaning "not," with the Greek root politikos meaning "of
citizens" or "pertaining to public life." It entered English
around 1600.
Word
of the Day for Friday, August 16,
2013
cummerbund \KUHM-er-buhnd\, noun:
a wide sash
worn at the waist, especially a horizontally pleated one worn with a tuxedo.
Wilson stood gloomily by his bed in the Bedford
Hotel and contemplated his cummerbund, which lay ruffled like an angry snake…
-- Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, 1948
-- Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, 1948
He was now dressed for the evening, in a white
tuxedo shirt, black cummerbund, and bowtie.
-- Tom Clancy, Rainbow Six, 1998
-- Tom Clancy, Rainbow Six, 1998
Cummerbund came to English in the 17th century from the Urdu and Persian kamarband, meaning
"waistband."
Word
of the Day for Saturday, August
17, 2013
espousal \ih-SPOU-zuhl, -suhl\, noun:
1. adoption or advocacy, as of a cause or principle.
2. Sometimes, espousals. a. a marriage ceremony. b. an engagement or betrothal celebration.
2. Sometimes, espousals. a. a marriage ceremony. b. an engagement or betrothal celebration.
Accordingly, when Shaya's wedding takes place, if
God be pleased, it will be an espousal in the literal as well as in the Talmudic sense, for is he not
full of law?
-- Abraham Cahan, The Imported Bridegroom, 1898
-- Abraham Cahan, The Imported Bridegroom, 1898
There is in his espousal of memory and
affection belonging to another human being something characteristic of his
seriousness. He had a conscience, and it was a romantic conscience.
-- Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim, 1899-1900
-- Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim, 1899-1900
Espousal came to English in the 14th century from the Latin sponsa meaning
"spouse." It is common for Latin words to gain an initial e-when borrowed by Old French.
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