Word of the Day-malapropism0 评论
Malapropism (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['mæ-lê-prahp-iz-êm] Listen Definition: The unintentional use of one word that sounds a bit like another (almost homophones), but which is completely and hilariously wrong in context. Usage: Like another recent Word of the Day, "spoonerism," a malapropism is a type of speech error that happens to be funny. A "malapropist" is someone noted for their malapropisms and the adjective is "malapropian." However, "malaprop" may be used by itself as a noun, verb, or adjective: "Her malaprops will keep her from the top" or "Her malaprop speech undermined her career" or "He could have been a contender but he malapropped once too often in a top-level meeting." Suggested Usage: Comedian Norm Crosby, king of the malaprops, always speaks from his diagram and drinks only decapitated coffee. Still, we don't suggest you malaprop but simply enjoy the malapropisms you hear around you: "This restaurant has quite a lovely ambulance!" "Such an attractive man—he's got a very appalling way about him." "A missile defense shield could start a new clear war." Enough already! To paraphrase Mrs. Malaprop, lead the way out of here and we'll precede. Etymology: A commonization (conversion from proper to common noun) circa 1849 from Mrs. Malaprop, a character noted for her misuse of words in Richard Sheridan's comedy "The Rivals" (1775)（爱尔兰喜剧《情敌》中的人物马勒普太太）. Sheridan created her name from the French phrase mal à propos "inappropriate." Mrs. Malaprop thus is the eponym of "malapropism." Word of the Day-Machiavellian0 评论
Machiavellian (adjective)
Pronunciation: [mak-ee-ê-'vel-ee-ên] Definition: (1) Characterized by unscrupulous cunning, deception, or expediency; (2) manipulative, resorting to exploiting and misleading others in pursuit of one's personal goals. Usage: Today's word is the adjective that expresses the conviction that the ends justify any means, including unethical and immoral ones. It is not used as an adverb but the noun is "Machiavellianism." Since the word's eponym persists as a topic of conversation itself, we continue to capitalize it, even though it is used as a common adjective. Suggested Usage: As mentioned above, this term originally referred to political behavior: "The United States has historically employed Machiavellian principles in defending its interests in Central and South America." Its wider application was quickly noted, however, "Burnham Goode quickly rose to the presidency of the university by resorting to Machiavellian tactics that left him friendless for the entirety of his term." Etymology: Taken from the surname of Niccolò de Bernardo Machiavelli (1469-1527), an Italian political philosopher who advocated political expediency above morality in his monograph, 'The Prince.' Machiavelli's surname, then, is the eponym of today's word. It was originally used by the French as a simple derogatory epithet for Italians in general but the meaning was refined when borrowed into English. Word of the Day-obstreperous0 评论
Obstreperous (Adj.)
Pronunciation: [ahb-'stre-pê-rês] Listen Definition: Uncontrollably loud hence unruly, uncontrollable. Also boisterously defiant. Suggested Usage: Impress your buddies at the poker game by substituting this expressive adjective for clichés like 'raise hell', 'raise Cain': If you guys get any more obstreperous, you'll have to leave. I wonder why the bartender seldom says things like: If things get any more obstreperous, I'll have to bring out me baseball bat? Wouldn't it add to the local pub's atmosphere? Word of the Day-sequacious0 评论
sequacious \sih-KWAY-shuhs\, adjective:
1. proceeding smoothly and regularly 2. disposed to follow, especially slavishly In a world peopled with limp critics and sequacious art historians the ruthlessness with which he used the battering ram（(古代)攻城(木或铁的)槌） of talent invariably earned my admiration and almost invariably my support. -- John Pope-Hennessy, Learning to Look By which she did not mean a sequacious helpmeet to the Man of the House, picking up his dirty underwear and serving him Budweisers during commercials. -- Bill Kauffman, The Way of Love, Whole Earth, July 2000 Reminds one of the liberal journalist who was shocked Richard Nixon got elected because she didn't know anyone who had voted for him. That's what you get when you surround yourself with sequacious lefties. -- Thomas Mitchell, Gore's new testament of liberal gobbledygook, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/3/2007 Sequacious (Adjective) Pronunciation: [see-'kwey-shês] Definition: (1) Inclined to follow rather than lead, conformist, following others in thought and behavior; (2) continuing in a consistent direction, as a line of reasoning. Usage: Since "sequacity" is too close to a sound a duck might produce, most writers today prefer "sequaciousness" as the noun for this adjective. "Sequaciously" is the adverb, available to modify verbs, as to think sequaciously. Suggested Usage: "Sequacious" is a much lovelier and more descriptive word than "conformist," making it the perfect substitute, "The tattoo business thrives on sequacious youth." Sequacious politicians always toe their party's line（听从命令）. But don't forget that this word also refers to following a consistent thread or path: "Bipsy's behavior is not at all sequacious—one minute she is bubbly, the next she is moping, then she is happy again." Word of the Day-terpsichorean0 评论
Terpsichorean (Adj.)
Pronunciation: [têrp-sê-'kor-ee-yên] Definition: Pertaining to dance. Usage: "Terpsichorean" may also be used as a high-style noun meaning "dancer." Today "terpsichore" refers more often to the art of dancing than to the Greek goddess (see Etymology). However, you may refer to the muse that inspires your dancing as "Terpsichore." (May she fill your days with dance and song—without any song and dance（不着边际的废话，大肆宣扬）). Suggested Usage: "Terpsichorean" sounds a bit haughty, even humorous, in ordinary contexts today, "My son's terpsichorean studies seem to have strengthened his drive to the basket on the basketball team." But today's is such a lilting word, it would serve as an elegant euphemism, "By 'terpsichorean circumvention' are you referring to the song and dance she did at the press conference today?" Word of the Day-indubitable0 评论
Indubitable (Adjective)
Pronunciation: [in-'du-bi-tê-bêl] Definition: Doubtless, without doubt, unquestioned; unquestionable. Usage: Both "doubtless" and "indubitable" may be used as adverbs but you must add -ly to the latter: "Indubitably/Doubtless he left early." Both may be used in the predicate: "His wisdom is indubitable/doubtless." Only "indubitable" may be used attributively: "His indubitable wisdom failed him." "Doubtless" does not work here. Suggested Usage: Use this adjective where you would want to say "undoubtable" (?): There has been indubitable failure of communication here," or "I think it indubitable that you misspoke yourself just now." (This word was suggested by YDC friend Dave Rosenzweig.) Word of the Day-interminable0 评论
interminable \in-TUR-muh-nuh-buhl\, adjective:
so long as to seem endless; never stopping The mother-in-law's/mentor's talking was interminable. Word of the Day-tautology0 评论
Tautology (Noun)
Pronunciation: [ta-'tah-lê-ji or taw-] Definition: Redundant word or phrase, a pleonasm; (in philosophy) a statement comprising two clauses that make the statement necessarily true whether either of the two statements is true or false, e.g. "Philosophy will either drive me crazy or it won't drive me crazy." Usage: The classical tautology as "an unmarried bachelor." This phrase is tautological (the adjective) because "unmarried" is part of the meaning of "bachelor" and hence does not have to be repeated. The colloquial meaning of today's word makes it a synonym of another recent Word of the Day, "pleonasm" (for which see our Archives). Suggested Usage: "That is tautological" is one of the better punch lines for your armory of witticisms. Try using it when you hear people utter phrases like "devious politician," "greedy Enron executive," "the stock market is risky," or "sneaky lobbyist." If you give advance warning of a dangerous terrorist attack, you have wasted two words squeezing two tautologies into one utterance. Word of the Day-tautological0 评论
tautological \taw-TOL-uh-guh-kuhl\, adjective:
unnecessarily or uselessly repetitive Perhaps the very term novel of ideas is tautological, for what novel is barren of ideas, unshaped by ideas? -- Joyce Carol Oates, Loving the Illusions, New York Times, July 17, 1983 It may sound tautological to suggest that he wrote historically, because that was the way his culture had taught him to think, but that is the case nonetheless. -- Donald Harman Akenson, Surpassing Wonder Word of the Day-germane0 评论
Pronunciation: [jêr-'meyn]
Definition: Closely related, relevant, pertinent, apposite. Usage: Today's word is related to English german "having the same parents or grand-parents," as in "brother-german," "sister-german," "cousin-german." A sister-german is the contrary of a step-sister. The current meaning of the word with the final [e] is but a short hop from the meaning of "most closely related by kinship." Suggested Usage: Today's word refers to a stronger relation than does "pertinent" or "relevant." Raising pigs for their skin might be pertinent to a discussion of US football since footballs are made from pigskin but hardly germane. Quarterbacks, field goals, and end runs are, however, quite germane to any discussion of football. So, would a discussion of the word "German" be germane here? Apparently, not. The English name for the Germans apparently comes from an accidentally similar Latin word, perhaps itself borrowed from Celtic.
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