– Definition: adj. almost or nearly as described, but not completely or according to strict definition. – Used in a sentence: Though no Popeye, I am a virtual strongman when it comes to eating spinach. – Why: Let’s retake the…
Tag: Words to Bring Back
Dust ’em off and sprinkle liberally!
Words to Bring Back: “Meme”
– Definition: n. an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture. – Used in a sentence: Charles MacKay’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is perhaps the Western World’s first serious…
Words to Bring Back: “Drub”
– Definition: v. 1. hit or beat (someone) repeatedly 2. defeat thoroughly in a match or contest – Used in a sentence: Isn’t it nice when the Bad Guys finally get a well-deserved drubbing? – Why: Because “B.T.S.O.O. him” is…
Words To Bring Back: “Fervent”
– Definition: adj. Having or displaying a passionate intensity. – Used in a sentence: “Our” cat was a fervent consumer of rats and squirrels. – Why: There are good and bad manifestations of this quality. On the one hand is…
Words To Bring Back:: “Unctuous”
– Definition: adj. (of a person) excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily. – Used in a sentence: The current president* (at this writing, anyway: 3/26/20) enjoys and prefers the company of unctuous sycophants. – Why: It’s nice to have words to…
Words To Bring Back: “Cryptic”
– Definition: adj. Having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure – Used in a sentence: The president’s* speeches are somewhat cryptic to those who don’t share his gestalt, and altogether not for those who do. – Why: What with…
Words to Bring Back: “Lacustrine”
– Definition: adj.; geological Of or pertaining to lakes. – Used in a sentence: I prefer deep-water sailing to the lacustrine variety. – Why: For one thing, it feels good in the mouth. However, I must admit to some self-service…
Words to Bring Back: “Pernicious”
– Definition: adj. Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. – Used in a sentence: Pernicious “tweets” should not become a presidential* standard. – Why: It’s enough out of current usage to possibly sound like a…
Words to Bring Back: “Parvenu”
– Definition: n. a person of obscure origin who has gained wealth, influence, or celebrity. – Used in a sentence: I like to think the electorate smiles unkindly on parvenus, but evidence indicates otherwise. – Why: Because, in the early…
Words to Bring Back: “Fabulous”
– Definition: adj. Of, like, or recorded in fable; fictitious; mythical – Used in a sentence: The current Administration* is doing a fabulous job. – Why: In its current usage, “fabulous” is synonymous with “great” or “excellent.” But I think…
Words to Bring Back: Declaim
– Definition: v. Utter or deliver words or a speech in a rhetorical or impassioned way, as if to an audience. – Used in a sentence: Less defaming, more declaiming. – Why: What with the rise of social media, the…
Words To Bring Back: “Patois”
– Definition: n. A type of local dialect. – Used in a sentence: His discourse was punctuated by a patois rich in “I know, right?” “Wait. What?” and “Yeah, no…” – Why: It’s a better (and more elegant and less…